Tech Corner 2.0 #4

“If the Community Room’s-a-Rockin’, Please Come a Knockin’!”
Hello to all members! Spring has sprung and in step with the annual renewal and rebirth that the season promises, BATV’s community room is being rejuvenated. As promised, BATV is in the midst of adding some dynamic new features that will enhance our community room as a live event and production space.
I’d like to highlight some of our upgrades we’ve already implemented and to also share a very special event where our new looks (and sounds) will be on display. A couple of weeks ago we had our new portable wireless lighting set up installed and we couldn’t be happier with it. Basically it consists of eight Chauvet floor lights (kickers) that will allow us to light areas in front and behind a subject (a small band, speakers, comics, karaoke singers, etc.) and the wall behind them as well. One of the fun aspects of it was actually being a part of designing some easy to use templates that we saved to our lighting board in our studio because the whole system is wireless! This also will allow us to have lighting, say, down the hallways, outside, the kitchen and in other parts of the building, not just fixed in the community room. It’s a really great system and it will transform how the community room and BATV in general will welcome in more events and productions. In addition, we also added a Follow Spot light that we can use as a simple spot light for intimate shows, speeches, lectures, etc. The incorporation of these new lighting instruments will not only enhance overall ambience but will also add a significant value to the look of our recorded productions in the community room and around the building. On top of the lighting additions, we have upgraded to a new 2000W portable PA system (Behringer Europort for the tech enthusiasts) and have already been using it for karaoke events. Along with the PA we’ve added a new fleet of wireless microphones (Sennheiser XSW’s); a Yamaha PA monitor for musicians and some really great speakers. In fact, the system was utilized for “Showtime at the Ditson”, the Ditson school talent show produced by one of our favorite high school members, Kyle McLaughlin. Shout out to Kyle for being our first guinea pig, er, our first member to use the new equipment! You can find the talent show on demand on our website, by searching the talent show on our VOD at www.batvinc.org.
When are all of these upgrades going to be on full display, you ask? Well, I am thrilled to promote the return of the fantastic Jon and Li Waterman on June 18th at 7 pm. They will be providing another free musical event, entitled “History and Legends Through Song”. As they describe it on their website: “Performing as the duo, Sultana, Jon and Li Waterman weave history and original songs to feature a rotating array of real and legendary characters and happenings throughout history. The show includes some Massachusetts history as well”. It is sponsored by the Billerica Cultural council and the Mass Cultural Council. We can’t wait for our membership to see and hear our upcoming events in our upgraded community room event space and we feel Jon and Li’s evening of music will be a fantastic kickoff to what will be many superb live events to come. Thank you for joining me in the Technical Corner. As always, you can reach me at [email protected] for any questions or comments you may have. I hope to see you at the “History and Legends Through Song” event on June 18th @ 7pm.