ARTIST RENDERING OF THE 4 TH FLOOR CLUB
NEW FOH POSITION WITH AVID S6L 24C CONSOLE IN MASSEY HALL
Also , a new loading bay and a 30 x 10-ft . lift platform with direct stage access were added – meaning the previous hassle of loading in through Massey ’ s front doors and heading up a 160-ft . ramp to the stage is no longer an issue . Additionally , they ’ ve upped the number of dressing rooms from six to 13 , added two 700-capacity event spaces , two live venues ( 100 and 500 capacity ), and various other office and educational spaces – all of which , like the main stage , boast connectivity to the Centre ’ s fifth and seventh floor studios .
Naturally , the capacity of the main hall will vary depending on how the space is configured ; with slightly fewer than 2,500 in a seated configuration , but a larger capacity when a mix of seated and standing room space is available . Some character elements , specifically 100 art nouveau , stained-glass windows with life-sized images of Bach , Beethoven , Handel , Haydn , and Mozart will be visible – from both the inside and outside of Massey – for the first time since the 1950s . Though beautiful , given Toronto became a much busier and noisier city since Hart Massey ’ s time , they had been covered up to keep unwanted light and noise from interfering with performances . Going forward , the windows – painstakingly restored , soundproofed , and upgraded to keep the venue ’ s interior temperature consistent – will be covered by blackout blinds during performances , which can be remotely raised and lowered as necessary . That ’ s all part of an effort to maintain the Hall ’ s warmth and overall atmosphere and “ feel ” – and ensure the acoustic and psychoacoustic elements that impact both artist and audience perception aren ’ t negatively affected .
It was , however , just one consideration among many in what was an incredibly complex undertaking . To be blunt , when McKendrick says “ changing everything ,” he ’ s not overstating the scope of the project .
Among the changes made : raising the production weight capacity from 25,000 to 100,000 lbs ., which required new rigging points as well as structural reinforcement of the basement and main floor ; pouring concrete and undertaking acoustic work to prepare for the replacement of the Hall ’ s WWII-era seating , and installation of entirely new seating that can be deployed in various configurations , including being hidden beneath the stage to provide new standing room audience space . Another focus was creating a more comfortable sonic experience for audiences and performers . To do so , the new seats have padded cushions that , even when not in use , will mimic an occupied seat . Additionally , retractable drapes have been installed above the stage , and the ceiling and walls are covered in sound-absorbent plaster . The result , McKendrick explains , “ Doesn ’ t change how sound is projected from the stage , but how the energy reflects back to the stage .”
While artists love Massey Hall , it ’ s a tricky room to play , owing in large part to the dome above the stage and the way the energy typically reflects back to the stage in a venue that was purpose-built for unamplified concerts . “ The venue started with one purpose and then evolved to other uses ,” Van Dijk notes . “ As it evolved , there were incremental changes that included the thrust of the stage , which is now one of the signature features for artists . When you ’ re on stage , you have that sense of real connection with the audience . That ’ s a feature , but acoustically , because the amplified sound is further downstage , more in the house , that changes the character of what you hear and feel .”
As for what an artist typically could hear and feel on stage : “ If you stood by the snare drum and had somebody hit it , you ’ ll hear what I call the ‘ pinball echo ,’” Van Dijk continues . “ It ’ s like a bullet bouncing back and forth . So , there were areas in the venue that acoustically , for amplified sound , needed to be addressed . How sound builds up in those areas would have been a positive contributor in an unamplified scenario , but the days of unamplified music in the venue are gone – 99 % of the shows are going to be amplified , so the modernization is about how the venue is being used .”
Because of the heritage status of the room , the dome itself couldn ’ t be altered . And , frankly , had it been , Steve Earle ( not to mention any number of other artists ) wouldn ’ t be pleased . What makes Massey Hall such a magical venue – for those on stage and in the audience – is , to some extent , what makes it a bit of a difficult room to mix amplified shows in .
Addressing that successfully required the right system and configuration , in addition to the efforts made to mitigate some of the more challenging aspects of the acoustics . To that end , in the main room , Solotech installed a d & b audiotechnik PA system , hung in a left-centre-right configuration and designed by Van Dijk . In all , the system consists of eight d & b J8s and three J12s per side , with six V Subs flown behind them and a pair J12 Subs on stage , per side , as well as a centre cluster comprised of three J8s and eight J12s , with several J Series boxes for proscenium and balcony fill , and a delay cluster for the central gallery of six V12s . Although most processing for the loudspeaker system is being done within their
28 PROFESSIONAL SOUND