Installation 10 apr 2018

Motherwell Concert Hall opts for RCF D-Line

Premium RCF D-Line process-controlled line arrays have been specified and installed at Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre in Scotland. Originally opened in 1970, Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre has played host to numerous theatrical shows, national performing companies, Awards Ceremonies and national icons from Paul Weller to Bob the Builder. More recently the venue underwent a £6million, 18-month refurbishment and reopened in November2011

Today operated by Culture NL as a charitable trust, the venue still badly needed to replace its technology infrastructure, when 18 months ago they auditionedRCF HDL20-A alongside several premium A-grade touring systems — and found it punched way above its weight.

Head Sound Engineer, Craig Higgins, had previously been able to sample RCF’s big-selling PA, as part of an incoming production, but for his colleagues, technical manager, Stephen Ellis, and venue manager, Craig Smart, the demo provided an opportunity to review its performance in controlled conditions, and test its suitability both for the main 1600 capacity main room and 400-capacity fixed seated theatre at the rear

Said Higgins, "We needed to raise our profile on the touring circuit and encourage clients to start using our in-house equipment — the previous system hadn’t been replaced in 12 or 13 years. The principal attributes I was looking for were even coverage, intelligibility, transparency and plenty of headroom. HDL ticked all the boxes, and for the budget was perfect.

we needed to raise our profile on the touring circuit

"I must say I was surprised how well it held up against the other competitors. It suited the hall, sounded great and that’s why I went forward with it. It’s been properly battle tested."

Such is the diverse nature of their productions — ranging from corporate and awards presentations to rock bands and panto — that a further advantage is that the facility can store different selectable presets in the system.

In the new venue design, eight HDL20-A have been flown per side, with six of the smaller HDL6-A as front fills along the stage lip. They also have six powerful SUB9006-AS twin 18dz subwoofers, which are generally set in stacks of three for sold-out rock gigs, but can be recessed under the stage apron for more discreet shows and flatlined along the front where a reverse cardioid pattern is required to keep sound backfiring onto the stage.

In the adjacent Theatre, which enjoys a long panto season but also hosts theatre productions and smaller tribute acts, they have hangs of five HDL10 per side, with four HDL6-A as main lip fills and a further pair wide out on each flank. Four SUB8004-AS are recessed under the stage.

On top of that the facility promotes a number of external events at outlying venues and has built a portable rack containing RCF M18 mixers, and a pair each of RCF EVOX 12 and EVOX 5 speakers as a portable PA. DzThe M18 digital mixers are particularly useful due to being extremely portable, and have a wealth of onboard features available. Most importantly, they sounds great, and have the bonus of being tablet controlled from both iPad and android devices,dz says Higgins.

the M18 digital mixers are particularly useful due to being extremely portable

He is not alone in loving the new RCF PA. One recent sell out show was from Australian band the DMA’s. "Their sound engineer Geoff Hahn was super complimentary. According to him both the band and the production team were over the moon," Craig Higgins reports.

Summing up, he says, "I have never been one to adopt the flavour of the month. If a sound system produces what I want to hear then I’m sold — and the HDL20-A does precisely that. If I had to start all over again, with the budget that I had, I would do exactly the same thing again."

if a sound system produces what I want to hear then I’m sold — and the HDL20-A does precisely that