McMenamins TEMPLATE Ballroom in Portland, Oregon
Tone Proper modernized the Crystal Ballroom’s sound system—seamlessly blending modern performance with historic design.

The Thorn
High SPL Audio Design - National Tour Production
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Location: 35 show Annual USA Tour
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Venue Type: Theaters of varying size
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Services Provided:- System Design & Tuning: Custom audio architecture designed from the ground up to match the production's dynamic range needs. This system needs to rock and boom hard.
- Multi-Venue National Deployment: Navigated the complexities of scaling a professional rig across various theater sizes.
- Technical Collaboration: Working hand-in-hand with the tour team and Technical Director to ensure audio design supports the creative vision.
- Tour Road Ready Packaging: Preparing the system for safe and efficient road travel between locations.
The Project
"The Thorn Tour" is a dramatic theatrical production featuring a sweeping reenactment from The Book of Genesis to Revelation, complete with aerial performers suspended above the audience and very intense cinematic audio playback. Unlike traditional venue installs, this project was designed as a mobile production that travels between a variety of theaters across the country. Every location presents a unique acoustic challenge, requiring a system that is not only powerful but flexible to adapt in real time.
The Challenge
Achieving consistent, high impact sound for a show with flying performers and loud booms and bangs while suspended above heads requires extreme precision. Any misstep creates feedback hazards or safety concerns during aerial stunts. The venues varied significantly in size. The system had to scale up for large houses while being "pared down" for smaller theaters without sacrificing fidelity or coverage. The gear needed to be road ready, a easily packaged for efficient travel between cities on a tight schedule.

The Solution:
Meyer Sound Leopard & 2100 LFC
We partnered with the Tour Technical Director to architect and deploy a custom Meyer Sound system built around 24x Leopard Line Array paired with 6x 2100 LFC Subwoofers.
- Scalable Architecture: Our design allowed for deployment flexibility, enabling easy coverage adjustment and power output based on room dimensions and characteristics of each theater.
- Aerial Performance Safety: The system was tuned specifically to support high SPL playback during aerial sequences, ensuring audio remained clear and controlled even with performers moving in and out of the sound field.
- Tour Ready Logistics: The installation included comprehensive and secure packaging for road travel between cities, allowing the team to hit multiple venues with minimal downtime.
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ToneProper - The Thorn Tour -
ToneProper - The Thorn Tour -
ToneProper - The Thorn Tour -
ToneProper - The Thorn Tour -
ToneProper - The Thorn Tour -
ToneProper - The Thorn Tour -
ToneProper - The Thorn Tour -
ToneProper - The Thorn Tour -
ToneProper - The Thorn Tour
The Result
A rock solid reliable high impact audio experience that supports a world-class dramatic production on tour. The system delivered consistent quality across every venue, proving that great design can overcome the challenges of a non-traditional, mobile installation environment. As noted by the client: "If you've seen all the places they play... it's really cool."
Ready to scale your audio?
Whether it’s a touring production or a permanent venue, ToneProper designs and installs systems that are as reliable as they are powerful. Contact us today to so we can you bring your project to life.
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Ready to turn your venue into an experience?
Contact Us here to discuss how we can design, install, and tune the perfect system for your space.