Bradford Live

As part of a £50m redevelopment of Bradford’s historic Odeon cinema, repurposing the building into a 3,800-capacity live events venue to open for the city’s Capital of Culture Year in 2025. Solotech were commissioned by Trafalgar Group for the project to supply and install the audio, lighting, rigging and infrastructure to both the main auditorium and a separate ballroom.

The design brief was clear: to provide high-end audio and lighting systems that are simple to operate, rider-friendly, with the capability to integrate seamlessly with touring production systems.

For the main auditorium, the requirement was for a tour-grade, high-end audio system capable of supporting live events, electronic dance music and the spoken word. Solotech specified an L-Acoustics K2 line array system featuring left-right hangs of 12 cabinets per side. Flown directly behind the K2 were hangs of six L-Acoustics KS28 subwoofers for the low-frequency reinforcement. L-Acoustics A10 Focus cabinets were placed along the stage apron to provide infill for the audience closest to the stage, with the entire system powered by L-Acoustics LA12X amplification.

Drawing from experience of its festival and touring packages, the audio system is centered around an audio drive rack at front of house featuring a DirectOut Prodigy MP processor. Acting as the interface between the house and visiting consoles and the auditorium PA system, the Prodigy MP provides input selection between house and guest consoles, format bridging across analogue, AVB/Milan and Dante signals, system processing for EQ, delay and matrixing, and console redundancy management.

Multiple tie-lines terminating to Solotech manufactured facilities panels have been installed throughout the auditorium, providing increased flexibility for visiting artists and productions. Analogue, fibre and coaxial links connect the stage with front of house, while a digital network infrastructure with analogue failover provides the link from the drive rack to the amp racks situated above the stage.

The result is a rider-friendly system that can provide consistent audio coverage to every seat at high sound pressure levels, with a low-end contour that delivers for the most challenging of musical genre. The package is extremely flexible, allowing patching at every stage of the signal path, allowing productions to integrate as little or as fully as possible.

A separate audio package was supplied for the ballroom, a 500-capacity venue suitable for live performance, corporate and banqueting events. A pair of ultra-slimline L-Acoustics Syva cabinets provide the main ballroom PA, with four L-Acoustics Syva subs for low-end reinforcement. L-Acoustics X8s have been flown from the truss above the ballroom floor to provide delay and infill, with the entire system powered by a single L-Acoustics 7.16i amplifier.

For lighting, flexibility and adaptability were the key considerations, with a package that can support a wide range of live productions including theatre, live music and corporate events. The resulting solution is simple and straightforward to operate while allowing simple integration of visiting systems when required.

The lighting system provides sufficient front light and effect lighting to support all intended uses of the space, while maintaining ease of maintenance and safe access. A key objective of the design was to ensure that the lighting control system is straightforward to operate for day-to-day use, while also allowing simple integration of visiting lighting control desks when required.

Power distribution to the lighting trusses is provided via four ETC ColorSource ThruPower 24-way relay or dimmer modules. These modules are DMX-controlled via the house ETC Paradigm system, allowing individual circuits to be switched on and off remotely as required for event setup, operation, and shutdown.

From the facility panels, power and control cabling is distributed to truss-mounted breakout panels. These breakout panels provide six PowerCON TRUE1 outputs, along with local DMX, enabling flexible connection of lighting fixtures and accessories on each truss.

Lighting control data is distributed via a networked DMX and Ethernet architecture designed to support both the house lighting system and visiting productions.

A ChamSys GeNetix GN10 node acts as the primary control gateway. Additional ChamSys GeNetix GN5 nodes are installed at the stage left gallery level, providing local DMX output and Ethernet connectivity to each truss, reducing cable runs and improving reliability.

This architecture allows the house lighting control system to operate independently while also enabling straightforward connection of visiting lighting consoles via Ethernet or DMX tie-lines, without the need for reconfiguration of the core system.

The lighting system has been designed to allow visiting lighting desks to be connected when the house lighting console is not in use. Visiting productions may interface with the system via the provided Ethernet and DMX tie-lines at the facility panels. This allows trusses to remain safely isolated during rigging and maintenance activities and energised only when required for rehearsals, performances or testing.

The rigging and truss system provides the permanent flown infrastructure required to support production lighting equipment, audio loudspeaker arrays and associated production elements within the Bradford Live main auditorium and ballroom.

The system comprises fixed beam clamp anchor points, electric chain hoists, aluminium truss assemblies, wire rope and soft sling suspensions, and certified lifting accessories.

The rigging system was designed, installed, examined and certified as part of Solotech’s scope of works by specialist rigging contractors Ambar Installations and Height Sure Ltd, with independent lifting equipment examination undertaken in accordance with statutory requirements.

After over four years construction and refurbishment, the Bradford Live project hit a major hiccup in 2024 when NEC, the operator appointed by Bradford Council to manage the project and operate the venue, pulled out. In March 2026, just four months before Bradford Live was due to open, Trafalgar Group were appointed as the new venue operator. Aware of the tight schedule, Trafalgar turned to Solotech as a supplier capable of providing a full 360 installation solution of audio, lighting, rigging and visuals.

Solotech faced a major challenge. Not only were they picking up from a previous contractor, but they were largely starting again on an install project that would normally take twelve months in planning and delivery, yet with just three months to complete the work. Much of the infrastructure was deemed insufficient or just not in the correct location, resulting in much additional work being required, even on aspects that at first were thought to be complete.

Solotech were able to draw on their touring expertise to quickly come up with an audio package design that was fit for purpose and, crucially, available at short lead times. A budget-friendly ex-rental package of L-Acoustics K2 was specified, refurbished to “as new” by Solotech’s in-house service team. The DiGiCo Quantum 225s were available off the shelf from sales stock, as were much of the audio package.

Solotech’s Integration department, supported by a tried and tested team of freelance installation resource, worked flat out to deliver the project on time. With the company supplying the full production package, Solotech were able to carefully manage the workflow, ensuring each aspect was delivered in the right order, maximising time on site and the resources available.

Bradford Live was the largest new live event space to open in the UK in 2025. Completed in time for the Bradford’s year as Capital of Culture, the venue is a fantastic addition to the city’s entertainment offering, attracting touring productions of a size the city could not previously accomodate. The building is listed, yet was near derelict and has now been sympathetically restored to serve the community for many years to come.

The quality of the installation work delivered by Solotech is second to none. Audio, lighting and video integrate with the building and provide industry-leading systems for the productions that pass through the venue. A package that maximised the available budget with little or no compromise, delivered to the tightest of schedules.

In association with Trafalgar Group, Solotech has delivered one of the premier AV installations of 2025 and one truly fitting of a Mondo DR Award.