Historic Warner Grand Theater receives VUE al-8 line-array upgrade

Bell Event Services installs VUE al-8 array at Historic Warner Grand Theater

August 25, 2020, San Pedro, CA

The historic Warner Grand Theater, as it is known today, is one of three lavish Los Angeles Art Deco movie palaces built for Warner Bros. in the early 1930s. Located in downtown San Pedro, California, the 1,525 seat movie theater was renamed the Warner Grand Theatre in the 1980s, and in 1982 was designated as City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument #251. The movie palace was saved from possible demolition or re-development in 1995 by a local group of preservation activists. In 1996 the theatre was purchased by the Department of Cultural Affairs and has been in continuous operation ever since.

Saved from possible demolition or re-development in 1995 by a local group of preservation activists, the Warner Grand Theatre is poised to be the hub of this Los Angeles neighborhood’s renovated downtown.

After a 2019 upgrade to their lighting system, the Warner Grand had a 96 channel DiGiCo console installed and Bell Event Services spec’d out a new VUE Audiotechnik al-8 line-array system with as-418 subs and hm-112 stage monitors. The installation was completed in July 2020. VUE’s Paul Bauman was on-site to fine-tune the system and work with the Warner Grand’s front-of-house engineer and master electrician Victor Prudeaux.

Bell Event Services has operated for 20 years providing production services for indoor and outdoor concerts, corporate events and installations. Tim Campbell, Project Manager on the Warner Grand installation explained, “We worked closely with Victor Prudeaux as he knows that room better than anyone. The old system lacked headroom and vocal clarity. So we set-out to solve those deficiencies and install a system that would impress”

Prudeaux wears many hats at the Warner Grand, and was invaluable in providing Bell Event Services with more than enough insight into the venue’s needs. Prudeaux explains,

“With our last system the biggest issues were intelligibility, and overall SPL on the floor and in the balcony. The previous system was extremely undersized for our venue.  Once you got to audience sizes around 500 people the system would run out of headroom very fast, In the balcony this issue was just compounded due to the physical distance of the balcony from the PA, also SPL coverage of the balcony was very weak. Our new al-8 VUE line array is a huge game-changer for us. We now have incredible coverage throughout and the vocals have never been cleaner. The clarity is so detailed it’s like comparing standard HD to 4k resolutions, but with audio. The beryllium technologies VUE employs in the AL series brings a level of definition and performance that will be hard to beat. I can really turn the system up and never worry about distortion in the high frequencies.”

The Warner Grand is now set to resume indoor events as soon as possible. You may find more information about upcoming events at https://www.grandvision.org/ You may find more about Bell Event Services on their site. https://belleventservices.com/

Victor Prudeaux – Audio Engineer and Master Electrician at The Warner Grand

“We worked closely with Victor Prudeaux as he knows that room better than anyone. The old system lacked headroom and vocal clarity. So we set-out to solve those deficiencies and install a system that would impress”
Tim Campbell
Bell Event Services
https://belleventservices.com



About the Department of Cultural Affairs

As a leading arts and cultural agency, DCA empowers Los Angeles’s vibrant communities by supporting and providing access to quality visual, design, literary, musical, performing, and educational arts programming; managing vital cultural centers; preserving historic sites; creating public art; and funding services provided by arts organizations and individual artists.

Formed in 1925, DCA promotes arts and culture as a way to ignite a powerful dialogue, engage LA’s residents and visitors, and ensure LA’s varied cultures are recognized, acknowledged, and experienced. DCA’s mission is to strengthen the quality of life in Los Angeles by stimulating and supporting arts and cultural activities, ensuring public access to the arts for residents and visitors alike.


About VUE Audiotechnik

With an unflinching focus on innovation through technology and a firm commitment to relationships, the VUE Audiotechnik team united in 2012. With more than a century of combined experience, VUE’s founders have been at the epicenter of many of professional audio’s most noted success stories. From visionary loudspeaker designs that set the tone for our industry today, to the development of the giants in modern sound reinforcement, the team’s work has been felt and heard throughout the spectrum of professional audio. Since inception, VUE has experienced immediate acceptance and unparalleled growth. Though a relatively new addition to the lineup of professional audio loudspeaker manufacturers, VUE is already recognized as a leader in innovation. Explore our success stories at vue-audiotechnik.com.

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For more information contact:

pr@vue-audiotechnik.com
VUE Audiotechnik