Sydney Theatre Company invests in third DiGiCo console
Published: ASIA
AUSTRALIA: The Sydney Theatre Company (STC) has recently purchased a DiGiCo SD9 console for its ‘Bar at the End of the Wharf’, which is located near the Wharf 1 Theatre. The SD9 joins the company’s two SD8 desks, which reside in its nearby Sydney Theatre.
The 500+ capacity bar is used to host a variety of acts and performances such as opening nights, season launches, media calls and monthly live gigs.
‘When the console first arrived, the bar was still under construction,’ said Ben Lightowlers, STC’s head of sound. ‘I seized the opportunity to take the SD9 with me in my capacity as operator for our touring production Bloodland, which was travelling to Adelaide Festival Centre and QPAC in Brisbane, so I could see how it stood up on the road. ‘Putting the SD9 up for use in theatre mode really gave me the chance to embrace its full capabilities. It seems to be common practice that you'll end up using all the available outputs, so it is handy to be able to tailor the number of busses and auxiliaries when setting up the board.’
The desk needed to be available for use in both the bar and the Wharf 2 theatre. ‘Choosing the DiGiCo SD9 for this venue was rather easy,’ added Mr Lightowlers. ‘I was already familiar with DiGiCo’s versatility as we had just upgraded the 850-seat Sydney Theatre across the road with two SD8s, so I couldn't wait for an excuse to buy one for the bar. Having the SD9 set up in this room also offers my crew more opportunity to train up on the DiGiCo console.’