In the chic Södermalm district of Stockholm, The Rival Hotel remains one of the city’s favourite meeting spots having been provided entertainment and hospitality since its beginnings in 1937. In 2002, the complex was purchased by Benny Andersson (of ABBA fame) with two associates, and extensive redevelopment work began to shape the complex into what it is today – a luxury 99-room boutique hotel with bars, a bistro and café, modern meeting facilities and a theatre.
The latest addition is a bar named after Benny’s Jack Russell terrier – Watson’s Bar offers food and drinks in a vibrant atmosphere with music at the heart of the experience. To this end, the bar also features a Genelec 4000 Series sound system.
Watson’s Bar has quickly become a haunt for a relaxed lunch, a sly afternoon cocktail and after-work DJ sessions. Rival turned to Adolfsson & Partners – a Stockholm-based firm that specialises in turnkey building and interiors solutions – to conceive, design and deliver the new space. A/V integration specialist Hageswere was engaged to design and install a sound system capable of delivering high-quality music during the day, and high-energy DJ sessions for the evening crowd.
Genelec loudspeakers had already provided many years of reliable service in the upstairs area of the hotel, so Hages had no hesitation in recommending a system for the new bar based on 4000 Series loudspeakers.
‘Our challenge was to accomplish a nice, full-bodied sound that would cover the whole of the new Watson’s Bar, from the leafy outdoor terrace through to the bar inside plus the reception and lobby,’ says Hages’ Thomas Axelsson. ‘We decided on a combination of Genelec 4040 and 4030loudspeakers supplemented by a 7360 subwoofer for low-end reinforcement. We had less than three weeks to turn the project around and quite a few space restrictions to adhere to, but I’m delighted with the results, as is the client.’
‘Genelec is an ideal choice for this type of installation where sound quality, tonal balance and high reliability are paramount,’ he continues. ‘Those were the client’s criteria, and Genelec ticks all of those boxes. It’s difficult to beat Genelec sound quality and reliability. There was already a Genelec system in the bar upstairs that the client was very happy with, so it made it an easy choice.
‘From our point of view, we also wanted the solution to be easy to install, and Genelec 4000 Series loudspeakers are active, which means no external amplifiers to worry about. This is an important point when you’re tight on space – and they also look great in the areas where they are visible. This is always a priority when architects are involved – they don’t like to see big ugly speakers cluttering up their design.’
The majority of the loudspeakers in the Watson’s Bar installation are hidden – five 4030s are concealed behind grilles over wall-hanging shelves down the sides of the bar, and the 7360 sub is hidden in a compartment under a sofa. Four white 4040s grace the upper bar. Zone configuration and DSP is handled by a Bose ControlSpace ESP-880A processor connected to a programmable CC64 interface panel for straightforward, fingertip control of all zones and sources. A DJ output as well as a central music solution is housed in a technical cabinet behind the bar.
Hotel Rival’s CEO Jesper Henryson is enthusiastic about the guests’ reactions to the new venue: ‘The response we received from guests during our opening week was absolutely fantastic. Both hotel guests and Stockholmers alike seem to have found a common meeting place to relax and enjoy great food and amazing cocktails in an atmosphere of jazz, funk and soul.’
