d&b helps Stockton Globe theatre roar once again.
In its hay-day Stockton Globe welcomed all the greats, from Buddy Holly, Cilla Black, and Cliff Richard to the Rolling Stones, Status Quo and The Beatles. The theatre has now been reopened as Ambassador Theatre Group’s flagship venue for live music and comedy, with a d&b sound system ensuring quality audio for all.
Originally constructed in 1913, by 1935 the Globe had been demolished and rebuilt three times. It was the first purpose built cinema in Teeside to show ‘talkies’ as opposed to silent movies. Later the venue started to include theatre and ballet and notably brought West End performances from London to the North East. In the 50s, 60s and 70s it was a must-stop touring destination for rock ‘n’ roll bands. Innovation and quality entertainment were synonymous with the Stockton Globe.
Sadly, the music stopped playing in the mid 1970s and after a short existence as a bingo hall the space closed for good in the 1990s. In 2010 plans were revealed that would see the theatre reborn once more and returned to its original purpose as a live events space - in all its former glory.
Renovating a Grade II listed building from the inside out takes time and care. In this case the results speak for themselves. The art deco interior is highlighted in a green and yellow colour palette and the stage is framed in beautifully carved wall detail; a beautiful proscenium is only minimally disturbed by discretely positioned d&b point sources.
It was clear from the start that the new technical infrastructure had to deliver the same high quality as the interior itself; it also needed to be flexible. At 3000 capacity, with a large balcony area and diverse future programming ranging from live music to comedy and musicals, the system needed to have enough “punch and bite as well as deliver excellent intelligibility,” states Mike Percy, Technical Project Manager at integrator Stage Electrics.
“The new sound system was high on the agenda,” Percy confirms. “It had to suit a variety of applications. It also had to be both rider and user friendly, suitable to the various acts and engineers on the touring circuit.”
The installation at the Globe comprises the V-Series in combination with E-Series and is a point source solution, driven by d&b’s installation amplifiers.
“The size and location of the system means that flying points could be left clear to make it easier to receive touring productions with their own line array systems, without having to de-rig the house system.”
The Stockton Globe looks set for a bright future as the ATG’s flagship venue for live music and comedy and is ready to delight audiences in the North East for many years to come.
