Sanctuary’s Heavenly Glow

Ray Jackson, president of Martin dealer Eastern Continental Lighting and Sound, and Clint Pohl, owner of Sanctuary, had a good hard look at the Catholic Diocese’s church that was for sale at the corner of Penn Avenue and 16th Street in Pittsburgh.

The building had great potential as a club space, so after a thorough going over that included a detailed sound analysis (as well as a promise to the Diocese not to mock the church with the décor) the decision was made. Once a Slovak Catholic church, Sanctuary was transformed into the hottest club in Pittsburgh’s Strip District and the center of nighttime activity.

In time, the pulpit became a DJ booth - the choir box, a bar. Opened in April of 2002, the converted 19th century brick church abounds with special features, catering to an older, more sophisticated crowd. Inside Sanctuary, the feel is more big city east coast than monastery.

Cupola truss
One of the central features of the club is an 8-sided truss in the domed cupola area that Ray had specially built. On it he has hung Mach sound, Martin lighting and Jem smoke gear.

The cupola truss is rigged with 6 Martin Atomic 3000 strobes, 6 RoboColor Pro 400 color changers, MiniMAC Profiles, Wizards, MX-4 moving mirror scanners, RoboScan Pro 918 scanners and MAC 250 moving heads. A pair of Magnum Pro 2000 fog machines provides the mid-air projection haze while more tangible projection surfaces are provided by motorized scrims that drop from the truss. The light escaping the cupola can be seen from all over the city.

In the DJ booth is a LightJockey control system (club version), a Martin 2518 DMX controller and a Martin 2532 Direct Access controller

Mach sound
The sound at Sancturary is excellent and Ray, who has completed a number of lighting and sound projects in and around Pittsburgh, specified the system himself. Power comes from 8 medium throw Mach 129i and four Mach 182T subwoofers directed at the large dancefloor. A Mach 20.06 controller maintains the sound. All lighting and sound gear was supplied by Eastern Continental Lighting and Sound.