An Interview with
Bradley Drummond
Solutions Manager- Nightlife, Harman International
How did your journey in this field begin?
Nightclub culture was deeprooted in my system at a very early age when my uncle asked me to help him out at the Avalon nightclub in Boston, where he was working then. It was like a summer internship for me as I had graduated from high school and was waiting to get into a university. The experience turned out to be fruitful because it taught me what I am today. My understanding of the sound and light business in a night club is in depth and has proven useful during the course of my career.
How did you get involved with Harman?
I used to work using HARMAN audio gear- JBL and Soundcraft- in the club which kept me in regular contact with the team. They knew my capabilities and my passion for clubbing, and very soon they offered me a role to manage the nightlife solutions in the company. My relationship with HARMAN started as a happy customer and today it continues a as a proud employee.
What is your opinion on the Sound and Light industry as a whole in India?
Sound and Light industry is going through a paradigm shift in India. Bar owners are moving from locally manufactured products to branded audio to give a soothing sensory experience to the customers. Sound and light in a club space play a very important role in customer retention and revenue generation. There have been instances where the bars have increased the average time spent in the space and revenue by making changes in the sound and light fixtures. Our association with various stakeholders from different walks of life demonstrates how this industry is growing in India and the huge potential it offers us. With the rise of entertainment and leisure industries and the growing youth population in India, we get an opportunity to experiment and offer world class solutions. The way this industry has progressed over the last few years is a proof of the opportunities that lie ahead of us.
Over the years, India’ s cultural heritage has been enhanced with latest sound and lighting solutions. We have witnessed how technology has intervened and changed the way we entertain ourselves. Harry’ s Bar and Café & Irish House primarily have Harman for gear comprising of JBL professional, bss, dbx, crown and Soundcraft.
Sound and light solutions together augment the overall sensory experience at entertainment venues such as Sunburn, NH-7 Weekender, Sensation India etc. Kingdom of Dreams hosts shows on our system which creates magic out there. When the concept of theme parks started growing in India, HARMAN was at the forefront and partnered with Wonderla. Besides that, we have also outfitted nearly 100 broadcast stations for All India Radio across the country. If you go to a cinema hall of your choice, chances are you will find our speakers – 80 % of all current PVR and INOX cinema halls in India run on HARMAN systems. HARMAN Professional has premium audio installations in hotels across India.
Tell us a bit more about Harman’ s products in this space
With leading brands such as AKG, Crown, JBL Professional, Martin and Soundcraft, HARMAN is highly regarded by sound and light engineers, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform. Globally, under Professional Audio Solution, 80 % of the recording studios and 66 % of the cinemas e are equipped with HARMAN gear. While sound technology is modernizing, basic elements of the audio systems( speakers, control and amplification) still remain unchanged. We have been quite successful with the Martin Lighting solutions such as Rush series and Atomic 3000 strobe in the nightlife space that suits all types of budgets, applications and can go on till the wee hours of club operations. JBL Professional‘ s Marquee and Control series are leading dance floor and installed solutions which are rugged, and can play uninterrupted music for long hours.
Any projects that Harman is working on in this space?
To keep abreast of the changing needs, we constantly challenge our own offerings and keep inventing in new solutions in each product category. We are working on a couple of interesting products in the audio and lighting space, we will keep you informed once they are ready for commercialization.
Any message for the readers of The Score?
Nightlife is about exuberance and how we play around with lights and sound to create illusions and take the audience into a Trance state. The uniqueness lies in solutions used by nightclubs and HARMAN, with its offerings makes the experience worthwhile. DJs should experiment and innovate every music session, thus making it memorable and irresistible for party goers. We are all set to begin year end festivities and nightlife is going to be at the helm of all celebrations, so, audiophiles- keep rocking!
The Score Magazine
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