Ohm Productions Deploys FRz Series For D.C.'s Tattoo Bar
Leading club systems provider Ohm Productions recently provided expert audio, visual and lighting system design and installation for the Tattoo Bar, one of Washington D.C.’s newest nightspots located in the thriving K Street district.
Headed by Jeff Darby and based in nearby Potomac Falls, Virginia, Ohm Productions is recognized as the region’s “go to” nightclub and lounge systems resource for more than 15 years, consistently delivering superior designs that are expertly applied to fit and enhance the desired experiences of club owners and patrons alike. Recent projects include Lotus Lounge, FUR Nightclub and UltraBar – all among D.C.’s hottest of spots.
Tattoo Bar presents a decidedly “blue collar” ambiance, with the long narrow room (about 2,500 total square feet) taking on an industrial motif with a biker’s twist. In fact, a full-size steel sculpture of a motorcyclist bursts from the wall above the bar, while motorcycle chains are utilized as “hanging door bead” dividers.
“This venue is different from any other in the area, which makes it an exciting, fresh alternative,” Darby explains. “It’s got a gritty feel, and the music programming goes along with that – heavy on rock n’ roll tracks.”
DJs spin tracks several nights each week, working at a fully appointed booth headed by a Pioneer DJM 800 4-Channel DJ Mixer with Digital I/O, FX, and MIDI. It’s driving a full-range house audio system - designed by John Fiorito of Ohm Productions - that features EAW loudspeakers and subwoofers, a staple of the majority of the company’s high-end club projects.
Specifically, six EAW FR159z (15-inch) full-range loudspeakers are flown (via convenient onboard mounting points) high above the club floor, with dual sets of loudspeakers at both ends, combined with two placed in the center, supplying blanket coverage throughout the long, rather narrow room. Charlie Weiner, Ohm Productions’ veteran rigger, expertly placed the loudspeakers to blanket the facility while keeping stray energy off other surfaces, resulting in very clean, reverberation-free audio.
“The EAW FRz Series is one of our ‘go to’ audio solutions – great sounding boxes that really hold up, and easy to fly,” Darby notes. “These loudspeakers provide everything you need in a club speaker while not being ‘crazy expensive.’ As a result, they’re a valuable tool for systems developers that also serve to make our customers very happy as well.”
Low-end is plentiful, supplied by four EAW FR250z subwoofers (dual-15-inch) with a reverse woofer design that cancels mechanical distortion that can occur when large transducers are driven at high levels. Relying upon a floor-space-saving technique developed on previous projects, Ohm Productions built two of the subwoofers into the main bar structure, with the other two subs built into a wall at the other end of the room.
On the lighting side, the approach taken by Ryan Rafferty of Ohm Productions perfectly fits with Tattoo Bar’s blue collar motif. Robe America Color Spot and Wash fixtures (both under DMX control) tastefully highlight elements like the biker statue, while not overpowering the pervading feel. Visuals, including striking tattoo imagery, are provided by a combination of LCD and Plasma screens from Sony and LG, joined by an NEC WT610 DLP projector.