Prague-based rental company T Servis has opened a new warehouse with a TV/rehearsal studio, as well as space for an L-Acoustics K1 rig. Kevin Hiltonpaid a visit for the grand opening
A WAREHOUSE near the ring road around Prague is not the first place people would think of going on an icily cold Thursday night in February. But a steady stream of cars brought a large crowd to this unlikely venue to celebrate the official opening of the new headquarters of live sound and lighting hire company, T Servis. Since starting out as a lighting
hire firm in 1992, T Servis has expanded its operations to include audio and video walls for live production. Its growth is reflected by the new 3,000sqm building, which went into service in January. The company had a mid-December 2011 deadline to move out of its previous, smaller premises located nearby. T Servis managing director Radim Janousek says it took 35 “big trucks” to move equipment from the old building to the new one. With the opportunity to
build headquarters exactly suited to the company’s needs, T Servis’ co-owner and general manager, Jan Erle, planned something more than just a place to store equipment. As well as the warehouse the building houses a specially built, acoustically treated sound stage that can be used for both television shoots and band rehearsals. Branded as M3D Studio, it is a 700sqm space with a 10m-high ceiling and,
with its own entrance, will run as a separate business from the hire operation. It is supported by four production offices, two dressing rooms with showers, a laundry room and fully equipped catering area. “The idea was for it to have
universal use,” explains Janousek. “As well as being able to set up a stage for live production, the intention was to be able to do live TV and recording, which we are quite experienced in, and DVD shooting and corporate presentation work.” Janousek says it was Erle’s wish in particular to have this facility with the studio. He had been working on the building project since 2009, liasing with the bank to get funds and making the plans a reality. Erle became a partner in T Servis in 1998 and played a big part in its expansion, particularly through the addition of sound services, as well as staging and video. “The company has expanded quite a bit over the years but the strongest time I would say was around 2000, 2001,” comments Janousek. “We became a partner of
L-Acoustics in 2004 with the V-DOSC system and last year we joined the K1 family as well for rental.” Janousek started with T
Servis The building was officially opened in February
in 2004 as a sales manager, after studying computer sciences in the US. As well as the L-Acoustics K1 line arrays, T Servis’ audio stock includes a range of consoles, with Midas Heritage 2000s and 3000s, DiGiCo consoles, Digidesign VENUE with Pro Tools for recording, plus some smaller Yamaha desks. Sound rental work covers a range of styles and venues, from concerts and festivals to musicals. “Besides that we work primarily with Live Nation,” Janousek says, “which includes the O2 Arena here as well as gigs in soccer stadiums and musical shows in small theatres in Prague. Recording live shows and working on corporate events are also part of our business.” T Servis works on a cross-
rental basis with companies in Germany, Belgium and the UK, including AED. Janousek observes that while the company does work with Czech
bands this is often on a smaller scale in terms of equipment as the target venues are usually clubs and theatres. In terms of international acts it supplies PAs, delay towers and stacks and racks for bands touring Europe and has worked with Metallica, Andrea Bocelli and Sting among others. Janousek adds that a proportion of T Servis’ wider European work has come through Irish K-1 engineer Alan Whelan, who works with the company as well as on tours in his own right. While T Servis offers a range
of touring and production services – even more diverse now with the M3D Studio – sound is a key business. “Historically Czech bands always had an audio engineer and wanted the best sound, even if they weren’t making so much money,” says Janousek. “So sound has always been special for us as well.” www.l-acoustics.comwww.tservis.com
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