Sound Division provides sound and lighting support for X Factor’s Brenda at Villandry launch
London gourmet destination, Villandry, opened it’s second bistro foodstore and cafe in Bicester Village, near Oxford, with a guest performance by X Factor singer, Brenda Edwards, who was given full technical support by the Sound Division Group.
Founded 20 years ago and now firmly established at Gt Portland Street, London, Villandry's much loved 'home from home' attitude to relaxed dining, offered their first taste of chic French brasserie style cooking – complete with rotisserie and char grill – to invited guests of Bicester Village and surrounding area, in early November, with a champagne reception.
Occupying 7,000 sq ft at the Bicester Village Retail Development, with covers for 150, plus a 70 seater outdoor terrace, Villandry is a stylish interior combination of elegant, contemporary lines and imaginative use of rustic features.
The Sound Division Group were first approached in 2006 by the Villandry Group, to supply and install a music system at Great Portland Street, and this year, were again contracted to install a background music system for their new venture at Bicester. A Martin Audio AQ6 system was selected as ideal loudspeakers to be installed into the high walled recesses throughout the entire venue.
For the Villandry opening, Sound Division were, once more called upon to provide sound reinforcement for the extended guest appearance of Brenda Edwards - X Factor's 2005 second series runner up and successful lead singer in London's West End musical "Chicago". Sound Division supplied a compact EV Sx360 / 760 powered portable stage system, Shure ULX radio microphones and a pair of EV Sx300 floor monitors, controlled by an Allen & Heath Wizard FX mixing desk, complete with engineering crew headed up by William Flowers.
A small stage was set up for Brenda to perform from with a black starcloth backdrop, and illuminated with a small number of LED par 64 and Source 4 spots, controlled by a Strand 100 desk.
Delivering two powerhouse sets of classic 60s/70s soul and 90s R&B, from Aretha Franklin's "Respect", Martha Reeves' "Rescue Me", to Candi Staton's "Young Hearts Run Free" and Jocelyn Brown's "Somebody Else's Guy", Brenda kept the dancefloor crowded with a particularly vocal and appreciative audience. The Sound Division team had pre-loaded the full programme of backing tracks onto a pair of Denon DN635 CD players, for a smooth and seamless playback.
Sound Division MD, David Graham was especially pleased, "Having first installed at Villandry, a Martin Audio background system, which would be ideal for their daily requirements, we were delighted to be asked to provide the additional PA system and help make an obviously successful launch event".
Villandry Group Operations Director, Alain Decesse commented, "The sound system that Sound Division installed at Great Portland Street was perfect for our needs so we asked David and his team to take care of us again at Bicester too. Naturally, I asked if Sound Division could supply their services for the launch party as I knew they would attend to every technical detail for Brenda's guest appearance".
December 2008