On 30 and 31 December 2024, the Felice Brothers played a pair of packed concerts for the grand opening of Assembly in Kingston, New York. Formerly a school (St. Joseph’s Catholic School), the site has been reimagined as a live events space.
The venue is the latest venture of event promoters Drew Frankel and Peter Himberger of Impact Concerts in a string of projects designed to inject fresh energy into the arts and music culture of the Hudson Valley. Impact Concerts partnered with local developers CB Developers, which purchased and renovated the space with the vision of creating a thriving centre for small- to mid-sized events – live music, dance, theatre and film screenings.
To ensure the sound quality required, the Assembly founders brought on acoustic consulting and media systems engineering firm – and Hudson Valley neighbour – WSDG.
Impact Concerts has been curating concerts and live events in the Hudson Valley and Catskills area since 2017, and saw a need in the 450-capacity event space category. “The greater Hudson Valley has really needed a venue like this for a long time,” said Frankel. “The pandemic shuttered many of the older mid-sized venues and as a result there’s been very little that can hold events of this size at the kind of quality we think they deserve. With Assembly, we really wanted to dream big and push the limits of what a space of this size could do.”
“Impact hosts a wide variety of events that encapsulate the arts culture here in the Hudson Valley, from concerts and comedy to live theatre, film screenings, and community events,” added Himberger. “The opportunity was there to envision a space that could support all of these while also raising the bar for what such a space could achieve in the future. Given that, and given the A/V requirements for events such as these, it was a natural step to partner with WSDG and integrators DNR Laboratories to push the boundaries of how much quality we could bring to the sound of the space.”
The WSDG Design team, consisting of founder John Storyk, partners Joshua Morris and Jonathan Bickoff, and project manager Adam Paiva, was tasked with developing a comprehensive plan of acoustic treatments for the interior of the venue that would optimise it as a performance and event space.
“Assembly is a great example of how the area has been investing in revitalising its performing arts community with high-quality events spaces that rival anything, anywhere,” said Morris. “These projects are very close to our hearts as locals, ones in which we can really participate not only as consultants but as patrons too, so it makes it extra special for us to be involved and deliver what we know is possible as acoustic designers.”
This process included detailed acoustic measurement of the space and developing an appropriate treatment package to create the desired acoustic effect while also matching the historic interior aesthetics of the space and respecting the project budget. Improvements to the existing windows were also designed to control noise transmission outdoors towards the surrounding neighbours.
“When we first saw the space, it looked amazing but we knew that it would suffer from some of the acoustic issues expected in a historic 110-year-old assembly hall,” said Paiva. “The goal was to keep that aesthetic, but make it sound like a modern high calibre rock and roll music venue. We collaborated closely with the design and ownership team to carefully select an acoustic treatment plan that enhanced the aesthetics and historic feel, and worked together with the sound system to deliver a world-class sound experience.”
In addition to acoustic treatments, WSDG also partnered with DNR Laboratories to design and install a d&B Audiotechnik Y-series line array with V-GSUBS – the same system utilised in Levon Helm’s Barn in neighbouring Woodstock, New York. The system also includes stage monitoring consisting of d&B MAX2 wedges and a C7 drum sub. The entire system is operated by a pair of 48 input dLIve systems.
“At the heart of the operation are a pair of Allen & Heath dLive consoles with dedicated stage racks for FOH and monitors,” explained DNR Laboratories’ Donnie Gamsjager. “A custom-made 56-channel transformer three-way splitter – designed specifically for this project by Entertainment Manufacturing Group – ensures true tour-grade practices are held. The system is supported by a full Dante and Cat6a-based infrastructure, with robust, custom IO plates placed in strategic locations across stage, house and work areas. And while our setup runs on a seamless Dante-based digital network perfect for touring, we’ve got a proven analogue backup in place to ensure smooth operation even in the event of network issues.”
“We worked closely with the Assembly team, the builder, and WSDG to nail a solution that honours the ‘live rock vibe’, while also respecting the historic charm of the venue,” Gamsjager added.
The opening concerts at Assembly received rave reviews from attendees and performers. With a packed calendar of events leading into 2025, the new venue is off to a running start. “It was only the first show and I already felt that familiar warmth that all good rooms have,” shared James Felice, post-performance. “I am joyfully anticipating the thrum of bands and artists and music and joyful celebration that this warm and good room will host for years to come!”
“The level of excitement around Assembly is more than we could have ever hoped for, truly,” said Frankel. “There’s so many possibilities opened up to us now as events planners, and we’re very grateful for all of the partners who participated in bringing Assembly to life.”
“Anything that improves access to music, support for musicians, or the quality of a music experience is something we always invest in, none more so when it’s something in our own community,” concluded Morris.
