NEXO elevates Banana Alley Vault’s Platform One

Housed in the Banana Alley Vaults in Melbourne, Platform One nightclub has hosted some of the world’s biggest names in dance music and entertainment. The venue is comprised of two long, domed tunnels which stretch over 65m from Flinders St to the Yarra River. Constructed in 1892, the Banana Alley Vaults were used by local fruit merchants, in which they would store ripening bananas in preparation to go to market. After being put up for lease in the 1980s and undergoing a major interior conversion in 2001, Platform One nightclub was born.

In August 2019, Platform One closed its doors to the public, to concentrate on a series of renovations and improvements. The transformation included a new air conditioning system, a multitude of new fixtures, internal structural changes, the addition of an addressable venue-wide LED lighting system, and a complete overhaul of the primary sound system in both the main room and side rooms. After listening tests comparing brands within the venue space, Platform One selected NEXO’s P+ series. Working with Concert AV, a DJ & audio visual retailer based in Melbourne, the nightclub installed a scope of P8, P10, P12, L15 and MSUB18 systems.

While the club’s tunnels are a key feature of Melbourne’s heritage, they are acoustically challenging with regards to professional sound applications. Concert AV worked to engineer the technology underpinning the NXAMPMK2, NEXO’s amplifier/controller hardware, which meant that this hurdle was overcome.

Borce Kajmakoski, co-founder and director of Levels Entertainment, said the intention behind the upgrade was to take an already-iconic venue and elevate it. “It was a great venue, but now it’s a super-club. We were aiming for a sleek, high-line experience; one which also gives an impression of exclusivity. The new lighting and fixtures go a long way in helping establish that feeling, but we also needed to make sure the club audio had the same kind of wow-factor. We feel the NEXO system is certainly up to the task.”

Adding to the P10, P12 and subwoofers making up the FOH system, are additional P12s placed as DJ monitors and an ID24 system in the VIP area. NEXO’s audio-oriented line, the ID series, was chosen for the venue’s private booth.

Platform One’s lustrous new retro futuristic looks extend into its three rooms, now capable of accommodating over 680 guests. Originally designed around a neon pink and orange theme, the venue walls can be re-skinned with any colour scheme thanks to the rows of LED strips. This customisable nature extends to the venue audio, where each room can be run as an independent zone or combined from a single source.

“When we are hosting our own regular nights here, the main room will play Pop and RnB, and the side room will play House music. We are excited to resurrect ‘P1 Saturdays’ – which was one of Melbourne’s biggest regular club events around 2006 along with ‘Infusion’ which was also running here at the time. I have fond memories of Platform One having a great sound system at that time, but standards in audio are a lot higher now. We needed something that would be suitable for both DJs and live performances, and the P+ series has enough muscle and clarity to cover both,” explained Kajmakoski.