Two packed concerts marked the official opening of Assembly, the former site of St. Joseph’s Catholic School, now reinvented as the newest live events space in Kingston in upstate New York. The venue is the latest in a string of projects designed to inject fresh energy into the arts and music culture of the Hudson Valley.
Behind it are event promoters Drew Frankel and Peter Himberger of Impact Concerts, who partnered with CB Developers to purchase and renovate the space with the aim of creating a thriving centre for small to mid-sized events that could serve as a community space for live music, dance, theatre and film screenings. For a sound quality to match the vision, Assembly founders brought in acoustic design specialist WSDG.
Having been curating concerts and live events in the Hudson Valley and Catskills area since 2017, Impact Concerts has become attuned to the needs of the area. Assembly is the result of the company identifying an opportunity in 450-capacity event spaces able to offer the events that Frankel and Himberger felt were missing.
‘The greater Hudson Valley has really needed a venue like this for a long time,’ Frankel says. ‘The pandemic shuttered many of the older mid-sized venues and, as a result, there’s been very little that can hold events of this size at the kind of quality we think they deserve. With Assembly, we really wanted to dream big and push the limits of what a space of this size could do.’
‘Impact hosts a wide variety of events that encapsulate the arts culture here in the Hudson Valley, from concerts and comedy to live theatre, film screenings and community events,’ Himberger adds. ‘The opportunity was there to envision a space that could support all of these while also raising the bar for what such a space could achieve in the future. Given that, and given the A/V requirements for events such as these, it was a natural step to partner with WSDG and DNR Laboratories to push the boundaries of how much quality we could bring to the space.’
The WSDG Design team, comprising founder, John Storyk, Partners Joshua Morris and Jonathan Bickoff, and Project Manager Adam Paiva, set to work developing a comprehensive plan of acoustic treatment for the interior of the venue. As Hudson Valley natives themselves, the team recognised the opportunity to elevate live performance experiences for an arts and music community that they knew very well. ‘Assembly is a great example of how the area has been investing in revitalising its performing arts community with high-quality events spaces that rival anything, anywhere,’ Morris says. ‘These projects are very close to our hearts as locals, ones in which we can really participate not only as consultants but as patrons too, so it makes it extra special for us to be involved and deliver what we know is possible as acoustic designers.’
This process included detailed acoustic measurement of the space to allow the development of to the desired room acoustic while matching the historic interior aesthetic – and to respect the project budget. Improvements to the existing windows were designed to control noise transmission outdoors towards the surrounding area.
‘When we first saw the space, it looked amazing but we knew that it would suffer from some of the acoustic issues expected in an historic 110-year-old assembly hall,’ Paiva says. ‘The goal was to keep that aesthetic, but make it sound like a modern high calibre rock music venue. We collaborated with the design and ownership team to select an acoustic treatment plan that enhanced the aesthetics and historic feel, and worked with the sound system to deliver a world-class sound experience.’
In addition to acoustic treatments, WSDG partnered with DNR Laboratories on a d&b audiotechnik Y-Series line array with V-GSubs – the same system used in Levon Helm’s Barn in neighbouring Woodstock. The system also includes stage monitoring consisting of d&B Max2 wedges and a C7 drum sub. The system is operated by a pair of 48-input Allen & Heath dLIve systems.
‘At the heart of the operation are a pair of Allen & Heath dLive consoles with dedicated stage racks for FOH and monitors,’ explains DNR Laboratories Donnie Gamsjager. ‘A custom-made 56-channel transformer three-way splitter – designed specifically for this project by Entertainment Manufacturing Group – ensures true tour-grade practices are held. The system is supported by a full Dante and Cat6a-based infrastructure, with robust, custom I/O plates placed in strategic locations across stage, house and work areas. And while our set-up runs on a Dante-based digital network, we’ve got a proven analogue backup in place to ensure smooth operation even in the event of network issues.’
The opening concerts from the Felice Brothers demonstrated the new venue’s capabilities, receiving rave reviews from both attendees and performers. With a packed calendar of events in 2025, Assembly is off to a running start. ‘It was only the first show and I already felt that familiar warmth that all good rooms have,’ said Felice after the performances. ‘I am joyfully anticipating the thrum of bands and artists and music and joyful celebration that this warm and good room will host for years to come.’
‘The level of excitement around Assembly is more than we could have ever hoped for,’ adds Frankel. ‘There’s so many possibilities opened up to us now as events planners, and we’re very grateful for all of the partners who participated in bringing Assembly to life.’
‘Anything that improves access to music, support for musicians, or the quality of a music experience is something we always invest in, none more so when it’s something in our own community,’ Morris closes.
More: www.wsdg.com
