Bradford Live – Bradford’s Newest Live Music and Entertainment Venue

Solotech was contracted by Trafalgar Group to provide a full install of audio, lighting, video, rigging and infrastructure at Bradford Live.

Bradford’s newest live music and entertainment venue has a long history as the beating heart of Bradford. This world class venue has 3000+ seated and 3,500+ standing capacity, hosting music, comedy, events and entertainment in the centre of Bradford.

Over the years the venue played host to rock royalty including Buddy Holly, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones before a conversion to a cinema in the late 60s. At the turn of the millenia the cinema closed down, commencing a 25 year period to bring the  venue back to life.

The building was acquired by Bradford Council in 2014, with structural renovations completed in 2024. It was at this point that the project suffered a major setback with the original operator appointed to deliver and run the finished venue pulling out.

In stepped Trafalgar Group who quickly appointed Solotech as contractor for the technical fit out of the venue. Jason Culverwell, Group Technical Director at Trafalgar Group commented, “The main challenge was we were late to the project, with the original supplier pulling out at the eleventh hour. We still needed to complete the technical fit out – we could have opted to use separate companies but that would have just taken up too much time. Solotech were able to do it all, and indeed they were brilliant at doing it all – they exceeded my expectations.”

Solotech Senior Business Development Manager Dan Seal produced the design spec for the technical fit out: ” For audio we opted for an L-Acoustics system as the main house PA with DiGiCo Quantum 225s for FOH and monitor duties. The package was designed to maximise the available budget with as rider-friendly a system as possible.”

The full audio package includes L-R hangs of L-Acoustics K2 with KS28 subs flown directly behind the main PA. Using L-Acoustics Soundvision software, Solotech calculated the system would deliver even coverage throughout with just five L-Acoustics A10 required as infill across the stage apron. At FOH sits a tour grade spec drive rack with a Prodigy.MP processor for Input/Output selection and the integrating of multiple audio formats such as analogue, Dante and AVB/Milan. The Prodigy also provides signal processing including EQ, delay and matrixing as well as console redundancy management.

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 straight forward to operate while allowing simple integration of visiting systems when required. Solotech has supplied a Chauvet MagicQ MQ500M lighting console for control of the house system that features fixtures from Robe and Chauvet.

A 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.

In addition to the main auditorium Solotech installed a lights and audio package in 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 4 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.

Jason Culverwell is delighted with how the project turned out: “Solotech have provided an amazing L-Acoustics PA, that any visiting engineer is going to be really happy with. Lighting with fixtures from Robe and Chauvet, along with additional trusses, rigging and motors. So if productions do want to bring in their own kit we’ve got all they need to fly their system.

“You can just walk in, and you can put a gig on”

Commenting on the service from Solotech he concluded, “If you are going to spend £50m on a refurb, you want the best company and a global leader to come in and help you with the infrastructure within that. I would question, if you’re not using Solotech then why not? They’ve smashed it!”