The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Sacramento has recently reopened after an almost three-year closure amidst the pandemic and supply chain problems. The reopening was marked by a performance from Maroon 5 in the summer and the venue’s brand-new L-Acoustics K2 sound system. Hard Rock Live and Live Nation are now working together to bring boxing, MMA, trade shows, meetings and charity events to the 2500-seat venue in the capital city of California.
“L-Acoustics is the most well-known professional loudspeaker system, and you’ll find them on any technical rider,” explained François Blais, Scéno Plus vice president of technology and specialized equipment. “And that’s why we especially liked K2 for this project: it’s a great-sounding system from a rider-friendly brand, which makes it so much easier for the venue to market itself.
"Today, it’s not enough to only go for the best sound. System designs must keep the economic aspects of venues in mind; they must be cost-effective. You have to look at systems design from the production manager’s perspective, too.”
Additionally, he notes his experience with L-Acoustics in the past proves the level of support the brand brings with it: “They are there for us from the design phase through tuning the installed system.”
The venue’s main PA consists of 18 K2 divided into left and right hangs, 60 feet apart, managed by a pair of P1 processors: one primary, one backup. Ten KS28 subs anchor the low end, and five Kiva II serve as front-fills.
Sidefills consist of six A15 Focus buttressed by four KS21 subs, while onstage, a dozen X12 and six X15 wedge monitors are joined by two SB18 subs intended for the drums. Eleven LA12X and nine LA4X amplified controllers power the combined FOH and monitor systems, driven by a new pair of DiGiCo Quantum225 consoles.
Blais also explained that the K2’s power and compact nature allow the system to be highly flexible. “It also means there isn’t a bad seat in the house because we can adjust for sight lines no matter where or how the system is positioned,” he said.
Hard Rock Live venues now regard the installation as a template for upcoming planned Hard Rock Hotel and Casino locations, with L-Acoustics firmly in mind. “Hard Rock Live Sacramento and its sound will be a model for our new live venue designs,” said Carl Sagen, production manager at Hard Rock Live Sacramento, who previously toured with Diana Ross and Faith No More.
“Hard Rock has always been about great sound. We wanted a system that would let this Hard Rock Live handle any event, from concerts to boxing and MMA to trade shows, as well as fulfil any contract rider, and it’s doing just that. And it also sounds fabulous. We have been getting nothing but compliments from touring artists and their crews. The coverage and the sound quality are excellent. It’s what everyone expects from the Hard Rock brand: great sound.”