You've seen them, theatres with an orchestra pit, flyloft, softwood stage (so you can nail in supports for the flats), dressing rooms, the works. Such buildings were designed for putting on plays without amplification.
What has been your experience with amplified music in such rooms, either as a musician, tech-support person, or as an audience member. Was the venue kept in its original condition or were structural changes made to accomodate modern music?
Does anybody have any tales of woe or happy experiences in rescuing old theatres from multiplex-movie hell (without spending several millions of dollars, euros or what have you)?
Rescuing Old Theatres
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Herr Voigt
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2002 4:00 pm
- Location: germany, east
this is the cultural centre i work for at the moment: http://www.desingel.be/building_introdu ... 8a22d9387e
the 'blue hall' is designed for accoustic concerts, the red hall is the typical theatre hall.
the red hall needs no addaption for amplified concerts. the blue hall has lots of specially designed 'decoration' for amplified concerts, like we're having now at the house (crossover festival: well known musical acts from belgium, flemmish/dutch poets/writers, installations, theatre,... all doing stuff together or taken out of its context. didn't see a lot of cool stuff though...) http://www.denachten.be/flashcontent/indexf.html (horrible site)
i just got out of bed, and one happy thought: no frigging ringing ears
after last night. when playing in this kind of venues, there's no need to produce really loud volume.
be sure to have an experienced mixer (preferably on working for the venue).
_________________
andy
<FONT SIZE="-2"> the lunatics are in the hall </FONT>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: borg on 2004-01-31 07:44 ]</font>
the 'blue hall' is designed for accoustic concerts, the red hall is the typical theatre hall.
the red hall needs no addaption for amplified concerts. the blue hall has lots of specially designed 'decoration' for amplified concerts, like we're having now at the house (crossover festival: well known musical acts from belgium, flemmish/dutch poets/writers, installations, theatre,... all doing stuff together or taken out of its context. didn't see a lot of cool stuff though...) http://www.denachten.be/flashcontent/indexf.html (horrible site)
i just got out of bed, and one happy thought: no frigging ringing ears
after last night. when playing in this kind of venues, there's no need to produce really loud volume.be sure to have an experienced mixer (preferably on working for the venue).
_________________
andy
<FONT SIZE="-2"> the lunatics are in the hall </FONT>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: borg on 2004-01-31 07:44 ]</font>
Thanks for the replies.
Andy, I checked out the website for your cultural arts complex. Looks very nice. Although I am only proficient (I hope) in English, I got the impression from reading the site info. that there is a lot of heavy-duty funding backing-up your venue.
In the U.S., heavy-duty funding would mean heavy-handed control over the artists allowed to perform. Most evenings would feature "respectable" musicians.
When popular music would be featured, it would need to have an appeal to the "masses" as long as those masses were only middle-aged or older (much like U.S. public televison's music programming). "Classical" music could be somewhat more avante-garde, perhaps even as daring as playing something by Stravinsky.
Every now and then there would be something for the "kids." Maybe once or twice a year. These events would feature bands the committee (and there is always a committee) may have read about in the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times when said publications were trying to be "hip."
To top it all off, the ticket prices would have to be high enough to support a large staff and the fees and riders of all those "respectable" artists.
In the U.S. the kinds of acts I would record or pay to see, wouldn't be welcome in a building as nice as your's.
I'm thinking more along the lines of a place that should be able to have just enough renovation done to pass fire and electrical inspections - at first. As long as the room itself sounds awesome, the PA system should be no problem at all (considering the parties who are looking to be involved).
The questions I still have are: how do you deal with the acoustics of the fly-loft (without a hard orchestra shell), and - most important of all - how do you deal with "the committee" and still keep artistic control in the hands of those who actually have ears?
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: jabney on 2004-02-02 00:49 ]</font>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: jabney on 2004-02-02 00:50 ]</font>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: jabney on 2004-02-02 00:52 ]</font>
Andy, I checked out the website for your cultural arts complex. Looks very nice. Although I am only proficient (I hope) in English, I got the impression from reading the site info. that there is a lot of heavy-duty funding backing-up your venue.
In the U.S., heavy-duty funding would mean heavy-handed control over the artists allowed to perform. Most evenings would feature "respectable" musicians.
When popular music would be featured, it would need to have an appeal to the "masses" as long as those masses were only middle-aged or older (much like U.S. public televison's music programming). "Classical" music could be somewhat more avante-garde, perhaps even as daring as playing something by Stravinsky.
Every now and then there would be something for the "kids." Maybe once or twice a year. These events would feature bands the committee (and there is always a committee) may have read about in the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times when said publications were trying to be "hip."
To top it all off, the ticket prices would have to be high enough to support a large staff and the fees and riders of all those "respectable" artists.
In the U.S. the kinds of acts I would record or pay to see, wouldn't be welcome in a building as nice as your's.
I'm thinking more along the lines of a place that should be able to have just enough renovation done to pass fire and electrical inspections - at first. As long as the room itself sounds awesome, the PA system should be no problem at all (considering the parties who are looking to be involved).
The questions I still have are: how do you deal with the acoustics of the fly-loft (without a hard orchestra shell), and - most important of all - how do you deal with "the committee" and still keep artistic control in the hands of those who actually have ears?
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: jabney on 2004-02-02 00:49 ]</font>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: jabney on 2004-02-02 00:50 ]</font>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: jabney on 2004-02-02 00:52 ]</font>
sorry for getting back so late...
yes, of course in this building, we mostly have classical music (most small ensembles, soloists. quite a lot of contempory stuff, much to my liking
) , jazz in the 'blue room', and in the 'red room' it's contempory dance and theatre. all government funded, of coarse. it's just not possible to have such events without tax payers' money.
your also right about the 'stuff for the kids' part. we just had this yearly mega event (see the other link), and this weekend we had 'peter and the wolf'
anyway, you didn't ask for this. just be sure to keep the volume at a moderate level, don't add tons of verb in the mix (you'll have plenty of that from the hall).
if the fly loft is still in working condition, you could hang a big curtain from the first rod to the last rod (or as far as you can go, then hang another curtain from the next rod on.) a fly loft (or whatever you call the rope/rod mechanism in english) is a magnificent tool, but also dangerous if not handled properly. if you don't have any experience with the loading of the weights (both 'how to' and 'how much') do get some professional advice. people have been killed or seriously injured... lots of burned hands.
btw, how high is the tower?
good luck.
yes, of course in this building, we mostly have classical music (most small ensembles, soloists. quite a lot of contempory stuff, much to my liking
) , jazz in the 'blue room', and in the 'red room' it's contempory dance and theatre. all government funded, of coarse. it's just not possible to have such events without tax payers' money.your also right about the 'stuff for the kids' part. we just had this yearly mega event (see the other link), and this weekend we had 'peter and the wolf'
anyway, you didn't ask for this. just be sure to keep the volume at a moderate level, don't add tons of verb in the mix (you'll have plenty of that from the hall).
if the fly loft is still in working condition, you could hang a big curtain from the first rod to the last rod (or as far as you can go, then hang another curtain from the next rod on.) a fly loft (or whatever you call the rope/rod mechanism in english) is a magnificent tool, but also dangerous if not handled properly. if you don't have any experience with the loading of the weights (both 'how to' and 'how much') do get some professional advice. people have been killed or seriously injured... lots of burned hands.
btw, how high is the tower?
good luck.
andy
the lunatics are in the hall
the lunatics are in the hall
just read your first post again, and yes, i have this tale for you:
just around the corner (well, two corners to be precise), we have since last year just this old cinema (1928) rescued from death.
it was an old movie theatre giving place to a crowd of two thousand. in 1982 (afair) the building and surrounding apartment blocks were bought by a dentist. he used the hall as a dump for the renovation of the apartments. the hall lay there waiting for twenty years. filled with bricks, concrete, plumming tubes, furniture, pigeons poo, litter,... really a shame.
then, a few years ago, some locals put their heads together. a committee of everyday people, caring about their neighbourhood, some still remembering the grandour of the good ol' sixties and the atmosphere of the cinema. they had a chat with the dentist, and were given a conscession to do something with the building (twenty years, i think).
it took more than one year, 120 volunteers, building companies offering mechanical help (bobcats), some wood and a bag of cement here and there for free, architects doing research after their working hours, art students doing the wall paintings and plaster greek style pilars, a company, which bought most of the original chairs years ago, offered them back for free... but now the neighbourhood has its pride and joy back again. restored as much as possible into its old state.
there have been some concerts last year, but the overall comments was: 'terrible accoustics'.
the theatre is closed now for the second part of the restauration: a new floor, which is needed just for these bad accoustics, heathing, replacing missing chairs (you see, stuff you need big money for, and finally the local government is providing a part from it).
a problem is electricity. for big concerts, an extra mobile power group is needed to keep the sound and lighting systems seperated. otherwise you end up with signal distortion.
but hey, 'cinema roma' is back! they even have these cool, huge replicas of film posters like 'the ten commandments', james dean stuff. a real nice atmosphere. took a LOT of work to get it back again though. respect to the volunteers. they've done a massive job.
couldn't find any online pictures, too bad.
just around the corner (well, two corners to be precise), we have since last year just this old cinema (1928) rescued from death.
it was an old movie theatre giving place to a crowd of two thousand. in 1982 (afair) the building and surrounding apartment blocks were bought by a dentist. he used the hall as a dump for the renovation of the apartments. the hall lay there waiting for twenty years. filled with bricks, concrete, plumming tubes, furniture, pigeons poo, litter,... really a shame.
then, a few years ago, some locals put their heads together. a committee of everyday people, caring about their neighbourhood, some still remembering the grandour of the good ol' sixties and the atmosphere of the cinema. they had a chat with the dentist, and were given a conscession to do something with the building (twenty years, i think).
it took more than one year, 120 volunteers, building companies offering mechanical help (bobcats), some wood and a bag of cement here and there for free, architects doing research after their working hours, art students doing the wall paintings and plaster greek style pilars, a company, which bought most of the original chairs years ago, offered them back for free... but now the neighbourhood has its pride and joy back again. restored as much as possible into its old state.
there have been some concerts last year, but the overall comments was: 'terrible accoustics'.
the theatre is closed now for the second part of the restauration: a new floor, which is needed just for these bad accoustics, heathing, replacing missing chairs (you see, stuff you need big money for, and finally the local government is providing a part from it).
a problem is electricity. for big concerts, an extra mobile power group is needed to keep the sound and lighting systems seperated. otherwise you end up with signal distortion.
but hey, 'cinema roma' is back! they even have these cool, huge replicas of film posters like 'the ten commandments', james dean stuff. a real nice atmosphere. took a LOT of work to get it back again though. respect to the volunteers. they've done a massive job.
couldn't find any online pictures, too bad.
andy
the lunatics are in the hall
the lunatics are in the hall