CAV PUT THE AQ CABS INTO CABOT

The mighty Cabot Bars, a venue which dominates the promenade at Weston-super-Mare, has undergone a major first-phase revamp. This has seen the complex's massive five-bar capacity extended to six, and a new sound, lighting and multimedia system provided by Stroud suppliers, CAV.

With a 2am license, the nightclub itself has been enlarged, its current bar lengthened and a new one installed. The room has been given a blue and purple colour theme, courtesy of interior designers Interaction (who introduced CAV to the project), and the capacity increased to around 600. In high season the building will now play host to around 1350 revellers in total.

Cabot Bars has been a family owned business for six generations and is presently being administered by Alan Haskins and his son Oliver. While the owners wanted to reuse some of the existing sound and lighting equipment, CAV were eager to supply a new PA system, and sales manager Howard Williams - who project managed the fit-out - recommended the new AQ Series from Martin Audio.

CAV have divided the complex into six separate sound zones, which can be fed (via a zoner) by DJ's three nights a week and background music the remainder of the time.

Four Martin Audio AQ12's face down over the dancefloor, supported by a pair of Martin Audio Blackline S18 subs - producing around 125dB at the centre.

Delivering transparent music at lower level around the bar and peripheral areas are six of the smaller AQ5's, and in the disco extension - which acts as a chillout room - a further four AQ5's are accompanied by a plasma screen.

The whole system is optimised using Martin Audio's dedicated AQX controller.

'Faced with a larger dancefloor we were determined to use a new PA - and the AQ range ticks every box,' explained Howard. 'It guarantees the quality of the job, but importantly, when we are working to tight deadlines such as this, Martin Audio bend over backwards to support us.

'Also the AQ series looks great - in stone grey - and sounds awesome. With the clever bracketry it is quick and easy to install, and the range includes a 15in + horn (the AQ15) which the EM Series that it replaces never had.'

Elsewhere CAV have been equally inventive with their use of technology, bringing the long bar (and exterior of the building) to life with LED colour-wash effects, while in addition to the DJ's armoury of audio tools are DVD mixing facilities (and monitors), enabling him to send his DVD and camera mixes to a number of strategically-placed 42in plasma screens.

Having completed four bars, the Haskins family hope to complete the second phase next year.

Further information from:

Maureen Hayes, Martin Audio
Tel: +44 (0)1494 535312
Fax: +44 (0)1494 438669

Jerry Gilbert, JGP Public Relations
Tel: +44 (0)1707 258525
Fax: +44 (0)1707 267140