Bella Live

Sydney’s North West Goes Large

Strategically located on the outskirts of Sydney within its rapidly growing north west region, Bella Live sets a new benchmark for live performance venues in the city, and is one of Australia’s largest new multi‑purpose entertainment venues.

Momento Hospitality, a key player in Australia’s pub and hotel industry, expanded its flagship Bella Vista hotel to utilise its nearby 1400sqm storage warehouse with 8m ceilings in creating Bella Live.

Momento anticipated strong local interest, following a ‘build it, and they will come’ approach, and, with a capacity of 2,000, it sits alongside any superclub in Australia in hosting various events in a region rarely visited by international acts and alternative promoters.

Designed by Archebiosis Architects, Bella Live blends sleek, modern style with an industrial warehouse vibe. The space features a 17.5m bar and a prominent 10m by 8m stage, flanked by VIP booths for an exclusive viewing experience.

Design details include concrete‑rendered finishes, glossy red accents, marble terrazzo benchtops, and glowing linear pendants.

Engineered for scale and flexibility, Bella Live is designed to meet the technical demands of major national and international tours, while also providing space for emerging and local talent to flourish.

The venue has been designed to be versatile enough to host a headline DJ set, a stand‑up comedy night, a major sporting event, or a significant corporate event, and includes a 100sqm fully accessible stage.

From techno nights to soulful Sunday sessions, Bella Live can easily flex from daytime keynotes to late‑night celebrations, while sports fans can enjoy UFC, F1, and Premier League action on giant screens in a lively atmosphere.

“Bella Live can instantly become whatever it needs to be,” confirmed General Manager Richard Saliba.

Momento’ s long‑standing partnership with AV integrator Vestec Electro Pty Ltd involved installing the AV infrastructure and equipment across the site, under the project management of Mark Vesic and Nev Hanna, while distributors Technical Audio Group (TAG) played a significant role in the audio design with their system solutions and engineering (SSE) team contributing with Martin Audio’s Display software and EASE Modelling.

TAG Technical Director, Anthony Russo was charged with leading the team, and he acknowledged that work needed to be done on the room acoustics before any audio spec could be drawn up.

“No system of any size, brand, or power could have worked in this space until the room acoustics had been addressed,” said Russo. “We needed to engage the best acousticians to tame the space of horrendous low‑frequency problems and reduce the reverberation time to a level that strikes the aural balance for patrons and artists.”

Enter well‑known acoustician David Gilfillan from Gilfillan Soundwork, whose team conducted on‑site measurements and computer modelling using the latest room simulation software from Treble Tech.

They demonstrated to the client the before-and‑after effects of the room treatments using headphones, and the owners were left with no doubt that the investment, while significant, was entirely worthwhile.

“In my extensive experience with audio, this was a monumental challenge for a venue of this kind, and demanding a no‑holds‑barred approach,” said Russo.

To reduce the long, low‑frequency reverberation time, 31 Helmholtz bass absorber resonators were constructed. Each resonator was over 3m tall and 1.5m wide and had a depth of 500mm, with varying angles and calculated timber perforations.

They were carefully positioned along the walls, with 100mm thick acoustic panels installed between them.

In addition, the ceiling was treated with acoustic Envirospray, and the area above the stage was fitted with 24 suspended 1m by 1m panels, and 100mm thick acoustic panels, to reduce vertical reflections.

“From the concrete bunker we once knew to the acoustics of a proper theatre auditorium, the difference was spectacular, and worlds apart,” confirmed Russo, who then set to work on the sound system design for the room.

With the promoters seeking to attract top international acts and meet all rider requirements, as well as deliver a concert experience for 2,000 people, TAG’s design team developed a solution based on 12 Martin Audio WPC Wavefront Precision line arrays combined with eight Martin Audio SX 218 dual 18‑inch sub bass units, all powered by factory‑supplied iKon ik42 20,000W amplifiers.

The WPC, featuring its dual 10‑inch three‑way design, provided sufficient SPL and headroom to handle full‑house nights. Simultaneously, Martin Audio’s electronic steering capability enhanced pattern control in a reverberant environment.

Extensive CAD modelling made bass control crucial. Traditional left and right stacked setups caused the usual power‑alley issue, with the final solution being a horizontal arrangement of the subs in a continuous line beneath the stage.

This enabled the individual steering of each cabinet if needed, leading to better low-frequency summation and overall performance.

To minimise energy emission from the subs at the rear, top, and sides, 100 sandbags weighing 30kg each were placed on top of the cabinets and around the back and sides.

“If you have to have subs under stage, you have to make sure you control the energy reaching the stage floors and direct it toward more useful areas,” said Russo.

To support the main system and VIP booth areas, a delay system consisting of 10 Martin X15s and six SX 212 subs was installed.

To meet the rider requirements, a foldback system comprising seven Martin Audio LE 200 high‑powered concert 15‑inch two‑way wedges and an SX118 subwoofer was supplied with two iKon 42s, enabling an eight‑send monitor system for the main stage.

Consistent with top performance spaces, Vestec installed a comprehensive house and stage data and analog patching system, including a 48‑channel concert splitter and multiple tie lines.

This setup enables the space to manage live events and any broadcast or recording needs.

Total system processing and routing are managed through two Q‑SYS Core 110f units running in backup mode, capable of handling Dante and analog streams, while a cloud‑based Q‑SYS Reflect system allows for remote monitoring, software updates, and email fault notifications.

When Bella Live planned its lighting system, the goal was clear; to construct a lighting rig that would meet the demands of international touring artists while also delivering an exceptional light show to captivate the audience.

Gareth Mealing from Show Technology worked closely with the owners to carefully select equipment capable of supporting a wide range of events, with the guiding principle behind the design of ‘quantity is king’.

This approach resulted in a robust setup featuring 15 Prolights Ruby FCX profiles, which are packed with gobos, a linear prism, frost, and infinite pan and tilt rotation, and six Pluto 600 high‑powered LED moving head profiles featuring an advanced motorised zoom system.

The team selected 10 Neptune 400 Wash FX units for its vivid colour displays, precise pixel control and LED ring effect, while three ShowPRO Collider FC strobes offer more creativity with a wide range of pre‑programmed macros, special effects and flash. A pair of Look Solutions Unique 2.1 hazers provide steady haze for optimal atmosphere and enhanced lighting effects.

Together, these fixtures provided the room with remarkable depth, vibrant colour, and dynamic movement, allowing for a variety of visual effects, and no nightclub is truly complete without some powerful lasers, and so the team incorporated four Unity Laser’s Elite Pro FD4, adding a next‑level visual impact.

With the design finalised, Mark and Nev from Vestec Electro took charge of the installation, delivering a tidy, professional fit‑out that looks impressive and performs flawlessly. Recognising that the backbone of any serious lighting rig must be world‑class, the team opted for an MA Lighting grandMA3 onPC rack system paired with ArtNode 8, ensuring reliable control and flexibility.

The system is meticulously programmed so that the entire rig can be operated with just a touch, keeping Bella Live fully prepared for any event, from headline acts to massive weekend parties.

With such an enormous venue, no performance space could be without a video system, and so Vestec engineered and installed two Leaton Vision 2.5mm pixel pitch 6m by 3m video walls, and the venue’s inventory includes additional panels to enable custom designs for various performances, including DJ decks, dance podiums, and corporate events.

Additional room and bar projection are managed by two Sony VPL-PZH61 projectors, delivering 7000 lumens and a 21.9 aspect ratio.

Control is handled by a Novastar system with Q‑SYS managing additional venue management control.

With care and attention paid to its top‑to‑bottom AV build out, Bella Live offers a space that has long been lacking in suburban Australia – a venue able to host everything from top‑tier acts to corporate events.

Such has been the success of Bella Live that it has already hosted some of the biggest international acts, including Snoop Dogg, Will Sparks, NE‑YO, Lil Jon, Wiz Khalifa, and more. A testament to the success of a cutting‑edge design, experience, and installation.

bellalive.com.au

www.vestec.com.au

www.tag.com.au

www.showtech.com.au

www.gilfillansoundwork.com.au

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Technical Information

Audio

• 12 x Martin Audio Wavefront Precision WPC 8 x Martin Audio SX218
• 7 x Martin Audio iKon iK42 7 x Martin Audio LE 200
• 1 x Martin Audio SX118
• 1 x 48‑way ACC Limited multipin splitter system

Control

• 2 x Q‑SYS Core 100f Digital Processing
• 2 x Netgear AV line 4250 network switches

Lighting

• 15 x Prolights Ruby FCX 6 x Pluto 600
• 10 x Neptune 400 Wash 8 FX 3 x ShowPRO Collider FC
• 2 x Look Solutions Unique 2.1 4 x Unity Laser Elite Pro FD4
• 1 x MA Lighting GrandMA3

Video

• 2 x Leaton Vision 2.5 LED wall 2 x Sony VPL‑PZH61
• 2 x Novastar VX 400