Meyer Sound News : Meyer Sound-Powered Boston Music Awards Win Rave Reviews

Meyer Sound-Powered Boston Music Awards Win Rave Reviews

"We had all different types of music that night, from folk to roots and rap, and the Meyer system sounded outstanding with all of them."

- Chip Rives, BMA executive director

With a new program format, a more intimate venue, and a new sound system supplier (and co-sponsor) in Meyer Sound, the 2004 Boston Music Awards were hailed as among the most successful in the event's 17 year history. Presented on September 29 at the Avalon nightclub, the high-profile music industry affair drew raves from press and attendees alike. "Scintillating BMAs make it clear who the big winner is – the city," headlined the Boston Herald story that also quoted Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton as saying, "The vibe here is of an event confident in itself…and it's a couple steps up."

Sound for the awards presentations – and the numerous musical acts between and afterwards – was reinforced by a robust 18-loudspeaker system based on Meyer Sound's new MILO high-power curvilinear array. Meyer Sound also signed on as a sponsor for this year's event, joining a group which included Gibson (the only other music/sound manufacturer) as well as the city of Boston and several well-known media, beverage and hospitality companies.

The Meyer Sound system for the event was supplied in cooperation with Rainbow Productions, a leading regional sound provider based in Hampstead, New Hampshire. "It sounded great, but of course that's a given with the Meyers," says Rainbow president Bill Blaine. "It was a great opportunity to get MILO out in front of all the top industry people in New England."

The BMAs executive director, Chip Rives, was understandably buoyant regarding the success of the evening. "The shows were great, the sound was fantastic, and all the musicians were happy. The Meyer Sound sponsorship was a big plus for this year's event."

The Meyer Sound system, configured by Rainbow's Scott Tkachuk using Meyer Sound MAPP Online acoustical prediction software, consisted of ground-stacked main arrays each having four MILO high-power curvilinear array loudspeakers over two MILO 120 high-power expanded coverage curvilinear array loudspeakers. "We had brought along some UPA-1Ps to use for fill speakers but it turns out we didn't need them," remarks Tkachuk, "because the MILO 120s covered so well back into the corners. And the sound was incredible back in the balcony."

Tkachuk is even more effusive in his praise of the six 700-HP ultrahigh-power subwoofers that anchored the bottom end. "I've fallen in love with them," he confesses candidly. "They have that 50 Hz punch for rock, that real 'in-your-face thump,' yet they have a musical warmth to them as well."

The Rainbow-supplied system for the evening also included two Midas Heritage 3000 consoles (for FOH and monitor), a Meyer Sound LD-3 compensating line driver, BSS Varicurve equalizers, XTA DP226 signal delay, and ten channels of Shure UA Series wireless microphones.

The 75-minute, invitation-only BMA program was followed by a showcase of top Boston-area artists, including Dropkick Murphy's, Averi, The Perceptionists, Jake Brennan, and an all-star tribute to the late Mark Sandman of Morphine. "We had all different types of music that night, from folk to roots and rap, and the Meyer system sounded outstanding with all of them," says BMA executive director Chip Rives. Finally, Rainbow Productions' Scott Tkachuk adds the ultimate compliment for any awards show: "It all went smoothly, with everything happening right on time."

Venue for the event was the 2000-capacity Avalon, a keystone property of the trend-setting Lyons Group. Located in an historic structure at 15 Landsdowne Street, the club has undergone numerous transformations since it first showcased psychedelic rock as The Ark in the late sixties.

October, 2004