mangina
07-07-2003, 10:38 AM
As someone who has worked with Summerstage 3 years in a row I have some knowledge as to the sound problems.
Firstly you must remember that Summerstage was not set up for DJ style parties but for live performances. That's wht all the shows sound so much better than the DJ sets.
Erica Ruben (formally the director of the festival) who I believe started the concept of DJ style parties at Summerstage, was presented with a whole array of new sound problems.
To get any kind of decent sound system that would have a good sound level out in the open air would take a huge amount of speakers positioned ALL around the park.
When we did out first Summerstage B&S party FK rented us a complete sound system seperate from the Summerstage rig and we were able to get a pretty good sound as you will all probably recall.
However the problem then started as the residents on 5th Avenue between 65th and 75th streets (Doctors, lawyers etc) started complaining about the booming bass and their complaints led to a lot of sound restrictions.
The following two years we did B&S, the sound got worse and worse to the point that it almost became impossible to have that kind of party with the sound level so low and with virtually NO BASS!
The 5th Avenue residents HATE the Sunmmerstage festival and the DJ parties have been so restricted that it simply isn't worth doing them anymore.
In my opinion there is a huge market for an outdoor festival of that size specifically geared towards DJ events. It needs however to be on the Great Lawn in Central Park which is more geared up for that kind of event or a totally new location far away from snotty residents.
Dont blame the party or to an extent the festival organizers. It's the local residents who have put so much pressure on the city to restrict these events and their sound levels.
peas!
[ July 07, 2003, 11:39 AM: Message edited by: mangina ]
Firstly you must remember that Summerstage was not set up for DJ style parties but for live performances. That's wht all the shows sound so much better than the DJ sets.
Erica Ruben (formally the director of the festival) who I believe started the concept of DJ style parties at Summerstage, was presented with a whole array of new sound problems.
To get any kind of decent sound system that would have a good sound level out in the open air would take a huge amount of speakers positioned ALL around the park.
When we did out first Summerstage B&S party FK rented us a complete sound system seperate from the Summerstage rig and we were able to get a pretty good sound as you will all probably recall.
However the problem then started as the residents on 5th Avenue between 65th and 75th streets (Doctors, lawyers etc) started complaining about the booming bass and their complaints led to a lot of sound restrictions.
The following two years we did B&S, the sound got worse and worse to the point that it almost became impossible to have that kind of party with the sound level so low and with virtually NO BASS!
The 5th Avenue residents HATE the Sunmmerstage festival and the DJ parties have been so restricted that it simply isn't worth doing them anymore.
In my opinion there is a huge market for an outdoor festival of that size specifically geared towards DJ events. It needs however to be on the Great Lawn in Central Park which is more geared up for that kind of event or a totally new location far away from snotty residents.
Dont blame the party or to an extent the festival organizers. It's the local residents who have put so much pressure on the city to restrict these events and their sound levels.
peas!
[ July 07, 2003, 11:39 AM: Message edited by: mangina ]