Peccadillo’s,
Erie
The Erie, Penn.-based nightlife nexus known as Peccadillo’s is actually three
venues in one: Peccadillo’s Nightclub and Restaurant, Woody’s Sports Bar and Outlaws
Country Bar. As the city’s largest and most diverse nightspot, Peccadillo’s
needed a video system as big and versatile as the club itself.
Matt Orton, of Synergy Pro Audio and Lighting (www.synergyproaudio.com) was
called in to handle the extensive installation. To get the greatest visual
impact, he spec– ed seven supersized projection screens for the job. While the
latest and greatest flat screen monitors have their advantages, “you’re not
going to get 100-plus inches with a plasma display,†Orton asserts.
“There are the four big screens [in the main room], and then there’s a letter
box one on the backside,†he explains. “In the back room, there’s an even
larger screen. The largest screen is actually in the sports bar.†There are
also 20-odd conventional TVs throughout the country and sports bars.
Feeding all of these screens with captivating video content might seem like a
challenge, but Orton made sure that Peccadillo’s would have plenty of visual
possibilities. “We’ve got
a big matrix switch that we can use to assign ambient videos or even a
football game to any screen, in any configuration,†he notes.
In addition to running Synergy, which serves many of the city’s nightclubs,
Orton enjoys a regular VJ residency at Peccadillo’s. Orton uses his own
computer-based system when performing, a program called Virtual DJ.
Orton’s video content is provided via hard drive. “I subscribe to ScreenPlay , and they actually send me MPEGs.†The ScreenPlay (screenplayvj.com) subscription service works
like a traditional DJ record pool, except that end-users receive
pre-formatted MPG2 video files instead of 12-inch vinyl singles.
As for format, Orton’s play list tends to be rather eclectic. “I usually do more older stuff, like classic rock, eighties, early
nineties, retro pop. I [include] a lot of unique videos that people either
haven’t seen in a long time or videos that they’ve never seen before. It’s a
different approach.â€
Out on the main dancefloor , however, more
mainstream fare dominates the musical menu. “The front room is pretty much
mainstream Top 40,†he adds. “They’ll do music videos, ambient and
PowerPoint.â€
Being able to instantly switch the visual feeds around to suit the
Peccadillo’s crowd is a significant advantage, especially with all of the
special events and special guests (everyone from Tommy Lee to Don Vito) that
the club hosts. The versatile Synergy-installed system can also be easily
adapted to meet the club’s evolving video needs, so future upgrades or
interior design changes can be accommodated with a minimum of difficulty or
expense. –JL
www.peccadillos.info
www.myspace.com/peccadillos
Peccadillo’s Gear
AUDIO (selected)
Main Room
28 - EV-loaded 15" subwoofers
4 - Ashly
MFA-8000 amplifiers
4 - JBL Control 28 speakers
4 - Synergy Xtreme SXD-212 speakers
2 - Ashly
FTX-1501 amplifiers
2 - Numark
CDX turntables
1 - Ram Audio BUX 2.8
amplifier
1 - Ram Audio LSM-266 system
controller
1 - Rane
MP44 mixer
Sports Bar
6 - Crest CPT-2 speakers
2 - Ashly
FTX-1501 amplifiers
2 - Synergy Xtreme custom tri-amp speakers
1 - Behringer
MDX 4600 compressor/limiter
1 - Behringer
Ultragraph Pro FBQ 6200 EQ
1 - Crest Perfomance
CPX-900 amplifier
1 - Numark
CM200USB Mixer
1 - PCDJ DAC-2 Controller
1 - Peavey PV1200 amplifier
1 - Rane
ME15 EQ
1 - Rane
Sac 23 crossover
1 - Rane
SM26 splitter/mixer
1 - Virtual DJ
LIGHTING
(selected)
Main Room
8 - Chauvet Mini Legend Wash moving heads
4 - High End Systems Intellibeam 700HXs scanners
3 - High End Systems I-Spot moving heads
1 - Chauvet DMX-40 Control Center
1 - DPSS half-Watt laser
12 - High End Systems AF1000 Dataflash strobes
1 - High End Systems AF1000 Mini controller
1 - High End Systems Hog PC
12 - High End Systems Trackspot scanner
Sports Bar
4 - Chauvet Intimidator color changers
4 - Chauvet ZX-30RG scanners
2 - High End Systems AF1000 Dataflash strobes
1 - Leviton /NSI MLC 128R controller
VIDEO
Main Room
6 - Infocus X2 projectors
4 - Elite Screens CineTension 120" motorized
screens
3 - Sylvania 6427GFF 27" CRT TVs
2 - Sony DVD players
1 - Edirol V-4 mixer
1 - Elite Screens CineTension 100" motorized
screen
1 - Elite Screens CineTension 84" motorized
screen
1 - Marshall VA-3 MK2 monitor system
1 - Numark DVD01 player
1 - Sign SV88 8x8 matrix routing switcher
1 - Sony VCR
Sports Bar
8 - RCA DRD-450RGA Direct TV receivers
2 - Dish Network 311 receivers
1 - Draper 192" projection screen
1 - Optoma EP739 projector
1 - Sony DVD Player
1 - Sony KDFE50A10 50" projection TV
1 - Sony VCR
16 - Sylvania 6427GFF 27" CRT TVs
Country Bar
4 - Sylvania 6427GFF 27" CRT TVs