Sound Division provides sound and lighting support
for X Factor’s Brenda at Villandry launch
London gourmet destination, Villandry,
opened it’s second bistro foodstore and
cafe in Bicester Village, near Oxford, with a
guest performance by X Factor singer, Brenda
Edwards, who was given full technical support
by the Sound Division Group.
Founded 20 years ago and now firmly established
at Gt Portland Street, London, Villandry's much loved
'home from home' attitude to relaxed dining, offered
their first taste of chic French brasserie style
cooking – complete with rotisserie and char
grill – to invited guests of Bicester Village
and surrounding area, in early November, with a champagne
reception.
Occupying 7,000 sq ft at the Bicester Village Retail
Development, with covers for 150, plus a 70 seater
outdoor terrace, Villandry is a stylish interior
combination of elegant, contemporary lines and imaginative
use of rustic features.
The Sound Division Group were first approached in
2006 by the Villandry Group, to supply and install
a music system at Great Portland Street, and this
year, were again contracted to install a background
music system for their new venture at Bicester. A
Martin Audio AQ6 system was selected as ideal loudspeakers
to be installed into the high walled recesses throughout
the entire venue.
For the Villandry opening, Sound Division were,
once more called upon to provide sound reinforcement
for the extended guest appearance of Brenda Edwards
- X Factor's 2005 second series runner up and successful
lead singer in London's West End musical "Chicago".
Sound Division supplied a compact EV Sx360 / 760
powered portable stage system, Shure ULX radio microphones
and a pair of EV Sx300 floor monitors, controlled
by an Allen & Heath Wizard FX mixing desk, complete
with engineering crew headed up by William Flowers.
A small stage was set up for Brenda to perform from
with a black starcloth backdrop, and illuminated
with a small number of LED par 64 and Source 4 spots,
controlled by a Strand 100 desk.
Delivering two powerhouse sets of classic 60s/70s
soul and 90s R&B, from Aretha Franklin's "Respect",
Martha Reeves' "Rescue Me", to Candi Staton's
"Young Hearts Run Free" and Jocelyn Brown's "Somebody
Else's Guy", Brenda kept the dancefloor crowded
with a particularly vocal and appreciative audience.
The Sound Division team had pre-loaded the full programme
of backing tracks onto a pair of Denon DN635 CD players,
for a smooth and seamless playback.
Sound Division MD, David Graham was especially pleased, "Having
first installed at Villandry, a Martin Audio background
system, which would be ideal for their daily requirements,
we were delighted to be asked to provide the additional
PA system and help make an obviously successful launch
event".
Villandry Group Operations Director, Alain Decesse
commented, "The sound system that Sound Division
installed at Great Portland Street was perfect for
our needs so we asked David and his team to take
care of us again at Bicester too. Naturally, I asked
if Sound Division could supply their services for
the launch party as I knew they would attend to every
technical detail for Brenda's guest appearance".
December
2008 |
