Since opening in 1985, Antiknock has become a hall of fame for punk and hardcore bands, and many of today’s major artists originally set down their roots there. Now the venue, situated in the burgeoning Shinjuku district of Tokyo, has become the first in Japan to install Martin Audio’s new TORUS constant curvature array.
Speaking of the installation, Mr. Sekikawa, CEO of Hardaway Corporation, which manages the venue, said the renewal of the sound system was a gift to the many artists and patrons who volunteered to sell T-shirts and make donations to keep the venue alive during the COVID pandemic. “This was my first thought when trying to thank them all for their cooperation during those difficult times,” he said.
The system previously installed had been huge and featured old long-throw cabinets. Their disproportionate size not only made the stage looked small, but the clarity of the low end during live performances left much to be desired.
When seeking a replacement system, there were several key criteria that needed to be met: these included being suitable for multi-genres, with a reasonable size footprint, and offering good stability.
Mr. Hashimoto, of Enter Sandman, who designed the new system, explained the rationale. “Having had a relationship with Antiknock for 10 years, I was able to determine several important factors. One was the theme of the venue, bearing in mind the type of bands who perform there. Another was the physical shape of the venue and the construction of the building, as well as the size of the loudspeakers. And finally, of course, there was the capability of the loudspeaker itself.
“THE SOUND SYSTEM IS A GOOD ADDITIONAL SOLUTION AND WE BELIEVE TORUS CAN ADAPT TO THE MANY DEMANDS PLACED ON IT.”
