Lexus hits the high notes
Outdoor concerts involving challenging event production and AV aren't exactly unique. However, luxury brand Lexus took matters a step further by really putting the "A" into AV. Its “pursuit of perfection” saw the novel airing of the sound systems of its new LS 460 limousines in a live public event. Sat Bal ponders an LS upgrade.
It's time to declare an interest. As the owner of an LS, the driving experience feels like the automotive equivalent of a de-stressing steam bath. Manchester's The Lowry to Birmingham's NEC? No problem. Glasgow's SECC to London's Earls Court? A relaxing cruise. It's not for nothing that the Lexus flagship consistently beats the Mercedes S-Class and the BMW 7 series in the prestigious J.D. Power Awards.
Given the (road and air) mileage racked up by the event industry, the cosseting ride and silken silence of these motorway munchers has to be welcomed. But Lexus GB thought it was time to make a noise. For at the heart of its recently launched LS 460 beats a sound system comprising 19 custom-engineered speakers, designed specially for the car by international audio specialist Mark Levinson.
Lexus GB's Matt Button decided that the audio needed a public hearing and originated the idea of the Lexus Symphony Orchestra event for a mass audience. Each LS 460 car would act as a musical instrument and collectively create the world’s first classical music ensemble - composed of cars. The orchestra saw 12 LS 460 cars make their debut with a programme of popular classics and original works.
Lexus LS 460 - Mission controlled
It gave the audience a chance to demonstrate the quality of the LS 460’s sound system via its 19 speakers and a 15-channel 450-watt amplifier, giving "reference" sound reproduction that matches the results from a professional music studio monitoring desk.
The results unfurled at the Proms Spectacular at Castle Howard and at the Last Night of the Summer Proms at Crystal Palace Park where each vehicle was precisely positioned, with doors open, to produce optimal orchestral effect. The experiential marketing exercise invited audience members to sit inside the cars, listen to the music and watch a video of the event's production. In the background, lighting designer, David Amos had programmed a spectacular light show synchronised with the sound.
"It’s all quite principally a rock and roll-type structure so we tried to make it look five star as opposed to grunge. We needed to produce an environment that was slick, that says Lexus talks about beautiful cars."
Jenny King, production manager at Castle Howard.
Lexus had united the London Symphony Orchestra and the Bach Choir for a recording session with conductor Alastair King at London’s AIR Studios in London. The musical pieces included Eric Satie’s Gymnopédie No1, and two new commissions, Summon the Hero and Karma Nirvana, written
Lexus Symphony Orchestra at AIR Studios
specially for the Lexus auto-orchestra. Each car represented a different section of the orchestra, co-ordinated through a central digital sound desk, to create a full scale performance involving all 12 vehicles. The event was attended by over 10,000 people
What they said...
"I thought it was an extraordinary idea and reminded me of several ideas I've heard after long, satisfying lunches which subsequently get discarded. Fortunately somebody had the imagination here not to discard this idea." Nick Howard of ancestral Howard family residence.
"It’s interesting for us as musicians, but also interesting for the public, to be moving around the orchestra in different places hearing trumpets, flutes, clarinets and we sat in the percussion (cars) as well. It’s a very difficult sound to record and reproduce ordinarily and to hear that sound so realistic in a car stereo is very impressive." John Melbourne – English National Orchestra
"I most looked forward to seeing the reaction on peoples' faces once they experienced the multimedia element of the performances as they moved in and around the cars. Walking up the hill seeing the lights in action was an amazing sight and finally seeing it all perform and thinking 'Gosh it all worked!’” Matt Button – Lexus GB
RK