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.
It’s a curated, high-energy destination for live music, DJs, festivals, comedy, sport, and standout corporate events.
Momento Hospitality, a key player in Australia’s pub and hotel industry, expanded its flagship Bella Vista hotel to utilise its nearby 1400 sq m storage warehouse with 8m ceilings in creating Bella Live.
The owners anticipated strong local interest, following a ‘build it, and they will come’ approach, and with an almost-2000-capacity, 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 accessible stage, flanked by VIP booths for an exclusive viewing experience.
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 ShowPRO Pluto 600 high-powered LED moving head profiles featuring an advanced motorised zoom system. The team selected ten ShowPRO Neptune 400 FX Wash units for their vivid colour displays, precise pixel control, and LED ring effect, while three ShowPRO Collider FC Strobes offer greater creativity with a wide range of pre-programmed macros, special effects, and flash.
A pair of Look Solutions Unique Hazers 2.1 provides 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. No nightclub is truly complete without some powerful lasers, so the team incorporated four Unity Laser Elite Pro FD4s, 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 ShowPRO ArtNode Pro 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 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.
Lighting
15 x Prolights Ruby FCX
6 x ShowPRO Pluto 600 Profile
10 x ShowPRO Neptune 400 FX Wash IP65
3 x ShowPRO Collider FC Strobe
2 x Look Solutions Unique Hazer 2.1
4 x Unity Laser Elite Pro FD4
1 x MA Lighting grandMA3 onPC
Photos: Harpreet Singh
