“Live from The River Music Hall” has been the on-air live-music feature for greater Boston’s WXRV 92.5 FM The River for nearly 20 years.
For the past two seasons, artists have been performing through an L1 Model II Portable Line Array System from Bose Professional Systems – one of the ways in which Bose, based in Framingham, MA, supports live and broadcast music in its own backyard. The system consists of one L1 Model II system with two B1 bass modules.
Shows are recorded in one of three venues: the huge performance space at the station’s studio in Haverhill, MA, where more than half of the live shows take place; the Foundation Room at the Boston House of Blues; or The Sinclair Club in Cambridge.
“The artists who have used the Bose L1 system have absolutely loved playing through it,” says Dennis Carroll, owner of Dennis Carroll AV in Boston.
The firm acts as the media services provider who videotapes each performance and authors a finished video for uploading through the station’s website, making a visual recording of each performance available after the radio broadcast.
“The performance space at the radio station is a wonderful place to play, hear and record music — it goes back to the 1940s and ‘50s, when it was used for live studio broadcasts; many performers signed their names on the wall and they’re still visible today, so it has a lot of history.”
Carroll, who worked for Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Steven Tyler as their personal studio assistant from 1998 to 2004, and who was the videographer for the Dalai Lama’s visit to Boston in 2003, says at least two of the artists who have performed there eventually ended up buying their own Bose PAs.
“One of them called me up and said he was going to Guitar Center and getting an L1 system for himself,” Carroll recalls. “The sound of that system and the fact that it has virtually eliminated feedback has made real fans out of many of the artists who have used it. It’s really been great that Bose is willing to support live music on the air with great sound.”
Carroll adds that the station’s L1 systems serve more than the show tapings.
He notes, “The station also uses these systems at station events, such as VIP/backstage tents at large concerts they’re sponsoring. And on a personal note, I have used an L1 system in my side gig as a musician. The L1 system is so portable, setup is quick and easy, and it sounds great. It’s perfect for small events but powerful enough to use for just about anything we need it for.”
“Live From The River Music Hall” had 17 shows performed, broadcast and recorded last year, and Carroll says another 25 shows are expected to be produced this season. The show’s popularity online has recently translated into availability on Comcast’s on-demand video service.
“We’re looking forward to another awesome-sounding season for the live shows, thanks to Bose,” he says.
