Memphis, TN (June 14, 2022)—Grammy award-winning engineer and mixer Matt Ross-Spang has opened the doors of a custom-designed studio constructed in a former Sears cafeteria. The facility features 30,000 feet of Van Damme cable.
The 3,000-square-foot Southern Grooves recording studio build started early in the pandemic, in August 2020, with acousticians Steven Durr and Matt Schlachter. The space, on the second floor of Crosstown Concourse, a “vertical urban village,” consists of a live room, control room, a long hallway (for reverb) echo chamber, plus a lounge, office, tech shop and EMT plate room. The undulating ceiling and lack of 90-degree angles or parallel surfaces in the live room reportedly give the impression that the space is a lot bigger than it is.
VDC Trading supplied 30,000 feet of Van Damme cable for the Southern Grooves install — specifically, the Ecoflex and PVC AES series cables. The cables can handle AES, DMX512, RS422 and analogue audio in one cable solution. Van Damme LSZH Purple Series, 2-, 4- and 8-core, as well as the Van Damme Green Series, single-, 2-, 8- and 24-core, were used throughout.
Strung Like a Horse Hitches Up with Ross-Spang
According to Ross-Spang, “This has always been a dream of mine and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of folks to help realize it. I have been fortunate to work in some legendary studios, built by my heroes. This was my inspiration for Southern Grooves. From the very first visit, Steven Durr was indispensable. He and I come from the same philosophy, implementing classic techniques and materials with modern advancements to create something distinct and timeless.
“Southern Grooves is the only studio I’m aware of that’s located in such a unique environment as Crosstown,” he continues. “This building is an antenna for creative people and it’s an absolute privilege to base myself next to mission-based businesses like the Memphis Listening Lab and Church Health. Crosstown also has a high school, bar, art galleries, residences, several restaurants, and even a state-of-the-art theatre.”
Ross-Spang adds, “The physical wire and wiring of a new studio is one of the most vital and often overlooked steps in the process. It was necessary for me to not only use high-quality wire but to wire every room for recording purposes. I often find the best sounds in the most unusual rooms. Van Damme came highly recommended to me, and it was one of a million decisions I’ll never have to second guess. VDC went above and beyond to get me everything in a timely manner during an unpredictable pandemic!”
