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JLB loudspeakers drive Next To Normal rock musical in London

JBL VTX A8 loudspeakers operating in their full-range mode have been specified for the Next to Normal rock musical at London's Wyndham Theatre

JBL VTX A8 loudspeakers are powering Next to Normal, a hard-hitting musical with a rock score, at the Wyndham’s Theatre, in London’s West End. The production recently transferred from the Donmar Theatre to the larger Wyndham Theatre, persuading sound designer Tony Gayle to specify the JBL Professional kit.

This system itself comprises of two main hangs of eight VTX A8 line-array elements which cover all but the first five rows of the stalls. Two ground-mounted B18 subwoofers and two flown B18 subwoofers reinforce the bottom end.

Sightlines prevented additional flown subs, but the A8 arrays themselves are operating in their full-range mode with extension down to 50Hz to create plenty of low-end energy. The balconies are well targeted by the arrays, with only the rear of the upper tier requiring delays due to the physical design of the theatre.

Gayle is using JBL’s new Venue Synthesis application to model the space and whilst he says coverage is pretty simple to determine in the confined space of a theatre, the weight loading calculations provided are a useful tool.

He said: “The JBL VTX A8 is exactly what a theatre system should sound like. It’s incredibly transparent and natural on a whole range of playback or live instruments, its coverage is very consistent, it sounds equally impressive at any volume, and when needed it can go loud without any kind of distortion.”

He added: “The A Series is dealing with the variety of instruments without colouring any of them. There’s a fantastic detail and accuracy to the HF which helps keep the sound of every instrument intact in the mix. JBL have built a loudspeaker that sounds amazing out of the box without the need for excessive DSP. The only tuning needed is just for a specific room, which I do on the desk.”

Next To Normal has a rock score written by Pulitzer, Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award winner Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Brian Yorkey. The cast of six all provide vocals and are accompanied by an on-stage live band featuring drums and percussion, bass, guitar, real upright piano, violin and cello.

This is the latest in a series of musicals on which Gayle has specified JBL VTX A Series. Having first used it on Beautiful The Carole King Musical tour, followed by Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical in the West End, he has subsequently specified it on many productions including My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican –  for which he won the Olivier award for best sound design – Gatsby at The American Repertory Theater Boston and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) which is currently playing at the Criterion Theatre.