John Lyons and Pasquale Rotella Introduce a New Dimension in Live Sound
Avalon, Hollywood's iconic nightclub and live entertainment venue, has unveiled a new sound system developed by partners John Lyons and Pasquale Rotella, bringing together advanced audio technologies to transform how audiences experience music.
The system made its debut at Avalon last weekend during the SIDEPIECE Hollywood Block Party after-party, marking the first event to feature the new audio experience.
“We wanted to create something that goes beyond what you hear,” said Lyons. “Something that changes how you experience the music. And so far, the results have exceeded our expectations.”
Rotella, the founder of global dance music experience curator Insomniac, is noted for transforming electronic music events from underground gatherings into some of the world’s largest and most elaborate live experiences. Throughout that evolution, his approach has remained consistent: never accept any experience as finished. From production and staging to art, environment and technology, he has always focused on continuously raising the bar for audiences.
Lyons, founder of Avalon and principal of John Lyons Systems, has designed and implemented customized sound systems in more than 500 venues worldwide. Drawing on that experience, he brought together the expertise of two companies: Void Acoustics, known for its powerful, high-fidelity loudspeakers tailored to electronic music, and Areal, whose technology transforms traditional stereo recordings into an immersive, multidimensional sound experience while preserving the artist's original mix.
The combination delivers the power and physical impact electronic music demands while introducing an immersive dimension that extends beyond traditional stereo sound.
As new approaches to immersive audio emerge, the real test is how they perform in front of a live audience. Avalon provides the ideal environment to evaluate and refine the system under real-world performance conditions, establishing a foundation for its application at larger shows and venues worldwide.
“We will refine our new sound system on the Avalon dance floor, then in collaboration with John, we will expand it over time across all our Insomniac events around the world,” said Rotella.
Lyons added, “You should walk into Avalon, feel the music and immediately know you've come to the right place. That’s what we’re after”
Audiences can experience the new sound system at upcoming Avalon Hollywood events, including:
10/23 - Chromeo (DJ Set)
10/29 - GAG
10/30 - Emo Nite
11/6 - Innellea
11/7 - Deathpact w/ Jiqui
11/14 - Riot Ten w/ Codd Dubz, Joust B2B Mongrel
11/21 - Barely Alive w/ Luci
11/25 - Clawz w/ Dr. Donk
11/26 - Andy C