Features
London’s EartH To Become 1st European Live Music Venue To Receive Hyperreal Sound Technology
Luke Hayes – Evolutionary Arts Hackney
The L-ISA system is being installed in the Theatre, a seated venue housed in the upper part of the original cinema, which is undergoing a light touch refurbishment
When London’s new venue, the Evolutionary Arts Hackney (EartH), opens in September, it will be the first venue in Europe equipped with L’Acoustic’s L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound, a multichannel technology combining sound system implementation and object-based mixing.
L-ISA is already a permanent installation in New York’s spy museum Spyscape, or the Puy du Fou theme park in France. Artists including Lorde, alt-J and Deadmau5 have used the technology on tour.
EartH marks is the first music venue to receive L-ISA as a permanent installation. According to L’Acoustics, the set up “comprises a frontal system of five hangs of seven Kara [speakers] flown equidistantly across the front of the stage, with a central sub system of four KS28 flown in end fire configuration in front and above the central Kara hang.
“Positioned along the stage lip, ten X8 provide front fill. The surround system is provided by 12 Syva [speakers], four per side, mounted along the left, right, and rear walls of the theatre. Completing the setup is an overhead system of eight X8 hung from the auditorium ceiling.”
EartH used to be an art deco cinema in East London, the last movie shown was “Scarface” in 1984. Since then the main auditorium lay derelict. The building is now being restored and reimagined, with many of its original art deco features returning to their former glory.
Involved in the restoration project are the team behind Village Underground, the Shoreditch venue founded by Auro Foxcroft and known for its commitment to experimental and innovative performance and art.
The venue will be curated to span art forms and a multitude of genres and voices encompassing an international live music program, performance art, special talks and debates, comedy, and film.
“We want to fill the place with the kind of performances that make you think twice and hopefully leave with that feeling of inspiration, possibility and change,” said Foxcroft.
“Auro clearly demonstrated a passion for quality production from our first encounter. Pair that with the diverse programming he has planned, and L-ISA seems a perfect match to raise the experiential value at EartH,” said Paul McMullan, regional sales manager at L-Acoustics. “The EartH sound installation, unique in the UK, will also serve as a showcase for L-Acoustics to demonstrate the innovative new L-ISA technology to the industry.”
The refurbished venue will be made up of three main areas: a 700-capacity theatre, a 1,500-capacity concert hall, and a new restaurant and social space with around 130 covers. The design, branding and new name – EartH used to be known as Hackney Arts Centre – are going to be unveiled in September.