The Atlantis in Washington, DC
The Atlantis, the newest addition to I.M.P.'s iconic D.C. venue portfolio, opened May 30, 2023 to mark the 44th anniversary of the concert promoter and their original legendary venue, the 9:30 Club. The promoter’s quest to replicate as many details as possible from the original venue, while still providing the powerful and impeccable sound their modern venues are renowned for posed significant challenges for the sound system installation. Through the expertise of Clair Global’s Eighth Day Sound, I.M.P. found a unique solution in d&b audiotechnik A-Series Augmented Array and SL-Series Subwoofers. This allowed the venue to launch with a star-studded celebration of 44 intimate performances featuring high-profile acts such as the Foo Fighters, Parliament-Funkadelic, Maggie Rogers, and members of Wilco and Death Cab for Cutie, among others.
I.M.P., the independent concert promotion company known for managing some of Washington D.C.’s most beloved event spaces, including the 9:30 Club, The Lincoln Theatre, The Anthem, and Merriweather Post Pavilion, sought to recreate the intimacy and character of the original 9:30 Club. The new venue, named The Atlantis after the short-lived venue which became the 9:30 Club in 1980, faithfully captures the essence of its predecessor, providing a nostalgic experience while simultaneously delighting fans with a powerful and modern live music experience through the use of d&b audiotechnik loudspeakers.
“There was no question that I.M.P. wanted a d&b solution for the venue, as they rely on the brand for the sound reinforcement in all of their event spaces,” commented Owen Orzack of Eighth Day Sound, who played a crucial role in the sound system integration. “But because of the venue’s small size and I.M.P.’s strict adherence to the non-optimal layout of the original club, a corner stage in a rectangular room, neither a line array nor a point source system was suitable for the space.”
“We opted for d&b's freshly released A-Series which is as an augmented array, a hybrid of the two that has the best qualities of both,” continued Orzack. “We chose the A-Series because its variable splay angles and Mid-Range Directivity Control enabled us to angle the sound and disperse it evenly, despite the challenges of the space. Its 90° vertical dispersion also allowed us to cover the club floor and balconies with just one hang. We're now big fans of the A-Series, because of how easy and intuitive it was to correct for the room’s challenges.” continued I.M.P.’s Drew Kot.
Kot also shared that the choice of d&b SL-GSUB Subwoofers was similarly driven by the room’s constraints. “The subwoofers needed to be placed under a corner stage in a small space, which isn’t optimal. The SL-GSUB’s incredible rear rejection was crucial, in eliminating stage rattling and excessive boominess for the performers.” Kot further highlighted the impact of the subwoofers: “Everyone who comes into The Atlantis first comments on the amazing bass, which is remarkable because we only installed two SL subwoofers under the stage.”
The 44 performances that inaugurated the club drew upon a diverse lineup of artists who shaped the history of the original 9:30 Club and were a testament to the versatility and power of the A-Series. “My favorite part of those 44 shows was getting to hear the new room and the d&b audiotechnik A-Series put through its paces by all the varying acts,” shared Jordan Grobe of I.M.P., but it was daunting to start immediately with a rapid series of such high-profile events. “Initially, I was concerned about having only six small boxes in the air and four side fills for the whole room. Some big-name front-of-house engineers were also hesitant when they saw the PA, but those eight boxes really surprised us. By soundcheck, everyone was confident in the A-Series.” Kot added.
“Jumping into this series of high-profile events was a real trial by fire. The d&b A-Series performs powerfully and crystal-clear, night after night without a hitch,” said Kot. “I.M.P., the artists, and the lucky fans who attend are equally ecstatic,” said Grobe.
When asked why I.M.P. continues to choose d&b audiotechnik, Kot affirmed “It’s simple, d&b products are reliable and sound great,” and he extends an invitation to anyone looking to experience the exceptional sound quality of d&b audiotechnik to visit any of I.M.P.’s venues- “The great sound you’ll hear is all thanks to d&b.”
About The Atlantis
Before the original 9:30 Club opened its doors, 930 F St. N.W., was briefly home to another venue: The Atlantis. Now, The Atlantis is back. Located at 2047 9th Street, N.W. next to the 9:30 Club, the new $10 million, 450-capacity venue is a near replica of the original 9:30 Club, with Foo Fighters christening the room on May 30, 2023. The Atlantis is “Where Music Begins,” giving both established and burgeoning artists from Courtney Barnett, Jukebox the Ghost, and Yola to Knox, Flyana Boss, and The Last Dinner Party a new, intimate home to connect with fans. The venue was designed by CORE architecture + design and built by MCN Build, with architectural acoustic consulting and engineering services provided by Walters-Storyk Design Group. The Atlantis has partnered with r.Cup to be the first venue to utilize fully reusable plastic cups for all beverages from day one, saving tons of single-use plastics from the landfill.
About d&b audiotechnik
d&b audiotechnik provides professional audio technology and solutions to accurately transfer passions through high-end quality speech and music reproduction. d&b audiotechnik Is Internationally regarded as a leading company for sound reinforcement systems In Installed and mobile applications, with a reputation for quality of construction, standard of service, system Integration principles, and pioneering technological development.
Founded In Germany in 1981, d&b audiotechnik headquarters are located In Backnang, near Stuttgart, where research, development and production take place. With sales offices in major cities around the world, the d&b audiotechnik team numbers more than 600 co-workers.
Website: www.dbaudio.com