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New sound system at Surrey’s Donegal’s bar also improves the aesthetics of live-band setting

‘This just makes sense,’ says sound pro who helped install the system
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Tribute band A Whole Lotta LED plays the music of Led Zeppelin at Donegal’s Irish House in Surrey on June 10. (Photo: Tom Zillich)

With live music back on the calendar, Donegal’s Irish House has a new sound system.

Operators of the North Surrey bar have also invested in an improved stage for bands to play on, at 96 Avenue and 120 Street.

“The stage has been built up just enough to fit subs (subwoofer speakers) underneath the stage,” explained Scott Young, a drummer and producer/engineering at Alchemy Sound Studios.

One of Young’s bands, Crush, was first to put the new sound system to the test on Saturday, June 18.

“Right out of the gate it sounded really quite good, and everybody’s happy with it,” said Young, who helped install the system. “It’s still going to take shape and get some tweaks.”

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Young also drums with The Stage Pilots and Bad Moon Riders, a tribute to CCR.

At Donegal’s, he said the goal was to improve the sound and also aesthetics.

“As it was,” Young said, “some bands come in with no subs, and others like ours would drag in subs and sit them on each side of the stage. Then you drag them out. They’re big and take up a lot of room, and now that’s not the case. This just makes sense, and the mid-highs (speakers) are now flown, so there are no speaker stands for those.”

Young credits Donegal’s owner-operator Daniel Cook for improving the bar’s sound and sight-lines.

“Here’s an owner who’s committed to this – not just the money, which is significant, especially with the cost of lumber, but he put in the sweat equity and also the time,” Young noted. “He’s one of very few bar owners who will actually invest in live music. Most just want to open their doors and magically have a band set up with great sound, on something they call a stage. Daniel is excited about upgrading the live-music setup.”

• READ MORE, from 2017: Donegal’s pub ‘instantly recognizable’ in Schwarzenegger movie ‘Killing Gunther’



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news stories for the Surrey Now-Leader, where I've worked for more than half of my 30-plus years in the newspaper business.
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