USA - In 2022, Groot Hospitality and Pharrell Williams’ The Goodtime Hotel, upgraded their sound system to a 1 Sound distributed audio system at their rooftop pool club, Strawberry Moon.
Two years after the successful installation of Strawberry sound system, which helped solve the club’s noise pollution issues prior, 1 Sound and Anthem Productions, the audio integrator, made a suggestion to the hotel. They thought it would be a great idea to match their 1 Sound loudspeakers to their signature Strawberry Moon pink and blue right before the start of Music Week and spring break season in Miami.
1 Sound sent two team members to drive down from their manufacturing headquarters in New Jersey, to replace the loudspeaker grilles on site with the new pink and blue fabric grille choices decided on by the hotel. The 1 Sound team refreshed each and every metal grille on site with no need for new speaker parts or material other than the fabrics. They washed each grille then reupholstered and installed the new pink and blue grilles with UV protectant. The duo was able to complete this system refresh in two days while the pool remained open without disruption to their normal operating.
“At 1 Sound, we aim to offer the best support we can, by keeping products and custom colour options in-stock for quick turnarounds, providing design support, system optimisation, and after-sales service like this colour change by the 1 Sound Custom Shop.”
UK - In operation since 1993, The Forum is an award-winning independent music venue situated in the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, hosting a mix of genres, from rock and punk bands to singer-songwriters, hip-hop acts and more.
To mark 30 years of keeping the music alive, the venue recently upgraded its existing sound system, working closely with sound designer Dan Roncoroni and British loudspeaker manufacturer EM Acoustics.
“I became involved with The Forum around 18 months ago, through a project at the nearby Assembly Hall Theatre,” says Roncoroni. “Impressed with the results, the Assembly Hall recommended my services to The Forum, which eventually led to the system PA upgrade project.”
On hearing the existing system, which was largely as old as the venue itself, Roncoroni suggested an upgrade to the PA system. “We set up a demo of the EM Acoustics system at their factory to showcase the entire product line-up to The Forum team,” recalls Roncoroni. “They were impressed by the power and slim form factor of the boxes and decided to invest in a couple of EMS-81X’s as small front-fills for the existing PA system before committing to a full EM system.”
In preparation for their 30th anniversary, the team were still looking to modernise their overall sound system and a full PA from EM Acoustics was the natural next step. EM Acoustics allowed the venue to borrow a demo system for a month, further solidifying The Forum’s plans to upgrade with a full solution from the British brand.
"I've had a long relationship wit
Germany - Light artist Christopher Bauder has chosen MDG ATMe haze generators and Me2 fog machines as the foundation of his latest installation, Vektor, a personal piece loosely based on his life experiences.
Vektor, Memories in Light & Sound is Bauder’s third installation at Berlin’s Kraftwerk, an old power plant-turned-art gallery in Berlin that Bauder refers to as an ‘industrial cathedral’. The abstract work is a personal ‘memory chest’ using small audio snippets of memories from Bauder’s childhood through to present day: the sound of the sea from his childhood living on an island in the North Sea, church bells on a Sunday, laughter of loved ones, as well as samples recorded from the Kraftwerk building itself.
The recordings can be precisely targeted throughout the building, transforming the building itself into a living, breathing work through sound and illumination. “The audience doesn’t need to understand the thoughts behind it, or be aware of the massive amount of technology behind it, but I hope they will catch glimpses of the references here and there,” says Bauder.
The new artwork consists of 50 lasers mounted on 10 evenly spaced, heavy-lift winches specifically developed by Kinetic Lights which synchronise movement of all the lasers. These enable Bauder to create a sculpture in mid-air that fills the whole volume of the enormous exhibition space.
“It’s important for me to start from symmetry that allows me to break from symmetry later,” explains Bauder. “By starting with a very symmet
Switzerland - Zernez, about an hour’s drive southeast of Davos, is home to the boutique IN LAIN Hotel Cadonau. The five-star modern, rustic hotel features 14 guest rooms, including 11 suites, and is ranked 14th in the top 20 winter holiday hotels in Switzerland in the five-star category.
Hotelier and Chef Dario Cadonau and his wife, Tamara, opened the IN LAIN in 2010, remodelling a farmhouse in the Cadonau family from 1590. The Cadonaus wanted to create a memorable guest experience, including the right balance of smells, tastes and sounds.
To support their vision, under the recommendation of Jorg Steiger, owner of Switzerland-based AV integration company avidec, Cadonau chose AtlasIED’s Atmosphere audio processing and control system to accentuate the environment with audio.
The hoteliers wanted to create a modern, authentic Swiss experience. A key element was adding various genres of Swiss-originated music to create a cohesive ambiance for guests in the various areas of the hotel. The hotel had several primary areas that needed music, and AtlasIED’s Atmosphere AZM8 digital signal processor was aptly suited to meet their needs.
Steiger chose the AZM8 paired with an AtlasIED AZA 404 amplifier to help deliver music and create different experiences to eight separate zones across the property. For instance, in the hotel’s reception, office, and Michelin Star-rated Vivanda restaurant, the hotel desired energy and chose Swiss pop music. The Cadonau selected Swiss classical music for the breakfast room, while the lounge broadcasts Swiss Jaz
UK - The latest recording room to be refitted at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) has an Audient ASP4816 Heritage Edition console at its heart. More compact than the rooms in the main studio block, this studio has been designed to meet several different needs. Providing extra space for students during LIPA’S busier periods was a must, as was growing the synthesiser inventory. This latest refit also includes the upgrade of the facility’s Foley capabilities.
LIPA’s head of sound technology, Jon Thornton explains the educational facility’s history with Audient. “Our two entry level studios are both based around ASP8024-HE consoles. We’ve had ASP8024s in those rooms since the console was first released - we’re now on our third consecutive pair.
“Those rooms are used not only by our students studying sound technology, but also by music students taking a specialism in production. As a result, they can get incredibly busy at certain times of year, so we needed an overflow. So building the studio around the ASP4816-HE was an obvious choice.”
An in-line, fully analogue recording and mixing console, the Audient ASP4816-HE provides everything expected of a large format console but in a space-friendly format. “The control room space wasn’t really large enough to house another ASP8024, but the ASP4816 is so similar in layout and signal flow that students can be up to speed with it in no time.”
Most recently, this was home to the 5.1 post production studio, after the main post space was upgraded to Atmos. “Tak
South Korea - The Mohegan Inspire Entertainment Resort, located an hour from Seoul on Yeongjong Island at Incheon International Airport, is South Korea’s premier entertainment destination, featuring a five-star hotel, gaming facilities, an indoor water park, conference spaces, and an immersive “digital entertainment street” offering shopping, dining, and entertainment.
The venue aims to attract 3.5m visitors annually, tapping into the global explosion of K-pop and K-culture. Central to this ambitious plan is the 15,000-seat Inspire Arena, which features a Meyer Sound system.
The arena is built for a wide array of entertainment, from concerts to e-sports tournaments. From the outset, offering turnkey top-of-the-line AV technologies, anchored by world-class sound, was the top priority. “We have a sound system, a lighting system, and a rigging system,” explains Kevin Reilly, Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment’s Corporate Director of Entertainment Technical Operations. “We designed it so a Western act can show up basically with backline and I have sound and lights and video and a stage and barricade all here.”
Reilly, a 27-year Mohegan veteran, says that this rider-friendly approach mirrors that at the organisation’s flagship Mohegan Sun resort in Connecticut, which features a Meyer Sound Lyon and Leopard system. “For all of the shows that we’ve done at Mohegan Sun, we don’t hear ‘no, I don’t want to use your Lyon/Leopard rig,’” he says.
Inspire Arena’s Meyer Sound concert PA includes 50 Panther large-format linear
Croatia - Modern and sophisticated technology was the priority for Nova TV when it appointed Omnivor to design video walls for its new production studio. Three high-impact curved LED walls from Leyard Europe are now integral to the Croatian broadcaster’s award-winning news studio at its HQ.
The move to new premises in the heart of Zagreb presented Nova TV with the opportunity to create a state-of-the-art TV studio, equipped with the latest video wall solutions that would “deliver an extraordinary result”.
To realise its ambitious goal, the broadcaster approached trusted partners, Zagreb-based systems integrator, Omnivor, which had worked with previously on software solutions for presenting election polls and social media analysis, and Ominvor’s partner company, Kapetanović sistemi.
“It was clear from the start that LED was the ideal display technology,” explains Velibor Marhofer, Omnivor’s CTO. “It hit Nova TV’s brief for modern and sophisticated technology, offered better pixel pitch, the opportunity to create curved screens, and a lower electricity consumption. After considering a range of LED brands, we selected Leyard because of the high-end profile of the brand, the high quality of its TVF series, which comes with a lifetime warranty, and backed by the Leyard team’s support and professional approach.”
The project, which was completed in September 2022, included multiple LED video walls, three of which were curved. Two 14m x 7m curved video walls frame the central news anchor desk, displaying infographics and back
China - System integrator TR Audio System Solutions has installed APG’s workhorse APG4000 Matrix Array system at two of China’s new nightspots.
Super Gaga, in Maoming, and Win Party, in Yunfu (both cities in TR Audio’s home province of Guangdong), are the latest additions to China’s fast-moving nightlife scene, where new clubs spring up seemingly by the day.
According to Huang Zhao, general manager of Guangzhou-based TR Audio, APG’s distributor in China, the majority of APG products are well suited to nightclub installations, given their powerful SPL output and enviable evenness of coverage.
For mid-sized clubs like Super Gaga and Win Party (both of which occupy an area of around 500m²), Zhao typically relies on the APG4000 - an evergreen choice for TR Audio, having been installed previously in similar nightlife venues in Guigang (Open Pie), Baise (PingGuo Boss) and Nanning (another Open Pie club).
“In this segment, most of our projects are based on the APG4000 matrix system, coupled with the TB218S subwoofer,” confirms Zhao. “At Super Gaga, for example, four 4000HI [speakers] are installed either side of the main DJ station, providing a coverage angle of vertical 30° (vertical) by 120° (horizontal).”
Comprising two individual speakers (4000HI and 4000LO), the APG4000’s modular design offers sound designers, integrators and installers a choice of configurations - from a barebones set-up comprising a single 4000HI cabinet to larger, medium- to long-throw configurations for both indoor and outdoor events. The APG4000
UK - Located in Northampton, Old House bar and restaurant, a popular destination pub in the town for more than a decade, recently underwent a complete refurbishment. The venue comprises a ground-floor bar and spacious courtyard garden, where patrons can enjoy resident DJs, live performers and televised sport, whilst upstairs, its restaurant offers gastro-pub favourites in beautifully designed surroundings.
To complement his investment in the Old House’s Timothy Oulton-designed interior, owner Sunny Kooner opted to upgrade its audio system to better meet the requirements of this multi-faceted venue.
Sunny contacted experienced AV specialist Cosmic Electronics of Harlow with a brief to design and supply a competitively-priced system that could deliver premium audio throughout the venue, whilst blending in with its carefully designed aesthetic. Cosmic recommended an Optimal Audio solution, as CEO Mark Damon explains:
“We were familiar with the venue as we’d installed its existing system more than ten years ago. There are some large spaces to cover, as well as a variety of uses. From background music in the dining areas to DJ sets and live sport in the downstairs areas, the venue was looking for warm, present, high-quality audio throughout. We’ve carried out a number of recent installs with Optimal Audio products and been very impressed - this job was another very good fit for the brand.”
In the bar area, Cosmic installed 12 on-wall Cuboid 8 two-way, full-range, passive loudspeakers in combination with five discreetly positioned Sub 15
USA - Sphere Entertainment and Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, have released new details on how the two companies leverage Hitachi Vantara’s data processing software to help power the LED screens at Sphere in Las Vegas.
Both Sphere’s 160,000sq.ft interior LED display plane and 580,000sq.ft fully programmable LED exterior - the Exosphere - utilise Hitachi Vantara’s software as a key tool to stream high-resolution immersive content.
“Sphere is home to many firsts, one of which is streaming immersive, high-resolution video content on a scale that has never been done before,” said Alex Luthwaite, SVP, show systems technology, Sphere Entertainment. “Hitachi Vantara worked with our team to develop a solution that’s fast, reliable, and efficient. Through their expertise and technology, Sphere’s displays deliver content that is captivating audiences not only in the venue in Las Vegas, but also around the world on social media.”
With the world’s highest resolution LED screen inside the venue and the largest LED screen on the exterior, Sphere leaned on Hitachi Vantara to deliver solutions to stream video content on an unprecedented scope. For its original immersive film, Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth, the system handles over 400 gigabytes a second of throughput at sub 5 milliseconds of latency and a 12-bit colour display at a 444 subsampling. Hitachi Vantara utilised its storage platform Hitachi Content Software for File, a high-performance, software-d
USA - Clear-Com played a pivotal role in enhancing communication capabilities at the Snapdragon Stadium, which opened in 2022 and is owned by San Diego State University and managed by OVG360.
Snapdragon Stadium, located within SDSU Mission Valley, serves as a year-round sports and entertainment destination and a hub of community engagement. Home to SDSU Aztec Football, San Diego Wave FC of the National Women’s Soccer League, San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby and the newly announced MLS team, San Diego FC, the venue hosts a myriad of events, including concerts, festivals, motocross shows, international sporting events, championships, community events, private and corporate events, and more.
Notably, Snapdragon Stadium has emerged as a favoured venue for the US Women’s National Soccer Team. Since its opening, the facility has hosted multiple 'friendlies' and is currently a key venue for the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup. Clear-Com's communication solutions contribute to the success of these events, enhancing the overall experience for athletes, performers, and fans alike.
Snapdragon Stadium's communication infrastructure, featuring Clear-Com's advanced equipment, plays a pivotal role in addressing diverse needs associated with its status as a multi-use facility for both sports and entertainment. The heart of the stadium's communication infrastructure lies in the deployment of Clear-Com's FreeSpeak II digital wireless system combined with Encore analogue partyline elements, providing a robust and reliable communication platform that ensures sea
Estonia - Chin Chin wine bar in Tallinn offers guests the pairing of a crisp glass of wine with a stunning sea view. A solo project of sommelier Karl-Märten Käesel, the bar features a discreet yet powerful Smart IP loudspeaker solution from Genelec.
Estonian audio-visual integrators Progear OÜ designed, supplied and installed the system, with the help of local Genelec distributor msonic Baltic. The solution comprises 10 Genelec 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers that met Chin Chin’s brief of a superior multifunctional and aesthetically pleasing sound system. This project marks the first time that a Genelec Smart IP solution has touched ground in Estonia, so this was a particularly special installation for Progear, msonic Baltic and the Finnish loudspeaker manufacturer.
“Genelec were selected because of their legendary status, and because they offer built-in DSP and Dante compatibility,” begins Karl-Erik Sepp, sound installation project manager at Progear. “The 4430 uses one network cable, through which it receives power, audio and the possibility to control each speaker remotely. The ease of use was an important factor for the team at Chin Chin. The 4430 also offers Genelec’s famous sound quality, which can easily adapt to everything from relaxed wine tastings through to the curated DJ nights that Chin Chin hosts at the weekend.”
As well as serving as a place to wind down after work and let loose on the weekends, Chin Chin also hosts wine classes, which range from a tour around the Italian coast via specially selected bottles, to wine and f
Austria - Nestled in the picturesque Alpe-Adria bioregion, encompassing Slovenia, the Austrian states of Kärnten and Steiermark, and two regions in Italy, Stadttheater Klagenfurt (Klagenfurt City Theatre) stands as Carinthia's largest cultural institution. Constructed between 1908 and 1910 by the renowned Viennese architectural firm Fellner & Helmer, this municipal theatre with a seating capacity of 716 hosts over 200 performances each season and is home to the Carinthian Symphony Orchestra.
Offering a diverse performance programme, including theatre productions, grand opera, operetta, and a wide musical repertoire, Stadttheater Klagenfurt recently elevated its sound experience thanks to the integration of KLANG:technologies immersive in-ear monitoring alongside its DiGiCo Quantum 7T mixing console.
Manuel Bundschuh, the theatre’s Head of Audio, highlights that the decision to adopt the KLANG system was an important part of a major upgrade to their existing personal monitoring system. “After hearing numerous positive testimonials about KLANG within the industry, it became clear to us that we wanted to implement KLANG’s immersive IEM mixing platform at our theatre,” he says.
The team enlisted the services of Signal, one of Austria's leading providers of lighting and sound equipment, which supplied one KLANG:vokal immersive IEM processor and ten KLANG:kontroller units to deliver fast tactile user control of Groups, Channels, and Immersive mixing.
Since the adoption of KLANG, Bundschuh notes a significant improvement in the work of
USA - Florida’s Pensacola Christian College (PCC) has unveiled the transformation of its Dale Horton Auditorium, thanks to a collaboration with All Pro Integrated Systems and Elation lighting. All Pro Integrated Systems, a Sweetwater company based in Pensacola, spearheaded the project, seamlessly integrating a new LED lighting system that elevates the overall experience for both performers and audiences alike.
Pensacola Christian College is celebrating its 50th year of service in the Florida panhandle. The 3,500-seat Dale Horton Auditorium, a spacious multifunctional space with large lower bowl and upper balcony, is used for theatrical performances and other special events. The venue’s existing lighting, dating back to the building’s construction in 1986, lacked dynamic capabilities and was in dire need of modernisation. All Pro Integrated Systems collaborated closely with PCC to address specific challenges within the venue and provide a modern, dynamic lighting solution.
All Pro, who previously carried out an audio upgrade at Dale Horton Auditorium, handled the complete integration and project managed the lighting upgrade from concept to completion. Justin Schwartz, design engineer at All Pro Integrated Systems, played a pivotal role in the project and says the mission was clear: replace outdated conventional fixtures with new automated LED technology, offering dynamic colours, textures, and positioning while addressing specific infrastructure challenges within the venue.
Elation rep firm Freed Sales provided a large number of fixtures onsite
USA - Pensacola-based All Pro Integrated Systems selected 12 Ayrton Huracán LT long-throw LED moving head profiles and two MDG ATMe hazers for a recent technology upgrade in the Dale Horton Auditorium at Pensacola Christian College. Both brands are exclusively distributed in North America by ACT Entertainment.
Pensacola Christian College was founded in 1974 to provide a Christian-traditional liberal arts education. Named for the founder’s father, the Dale Horton Auditorium is the home of the college’s fine arts events, recitals and other programs.
“The auditorium is a 3,500-seat, multi-purpose space that mostly had technology original to its building in 1986,” says Justin Schwartz, design engineer at All Pro, an audio, video and lighting systems integrator serving the needs of organisational, commercial, educational and governmental clients nationwide. “They were overdue for a change and wanted to transform the auditorium to better serve its multiple uses.”
One goal was to replace all the conventional lighting with LEDs. “The catwalks are on two levels with the farthest at a pretty steep angle to the stage; they struggled to get good light downstage and on the thrust,” Schwartz explains. “Performers were actually trained to keep their heads tilted up to catch the light. The auditorium couldn’t change the catwalks, but they could put moving heads on automated truss.”
All Pro began by getting a generic model of the auditorium and spending 60 hours rendering the room to show new lighting placement. “They liked the idea of
UK - Newcastle University Business School (NUBS) has embarked on a comprehensive refurbishment and modernisation initiative, including the high-profile St James’ View event space. The objectives were to create a space with a high-spec aesthetic finish incorporating the latest hybrid meeting capabilities - a distinct improvement on the original twin projectors and drop-down screens with a podium.
Newcastle University Audio Visual Department consulted with Audiologic on the design and equipment specification for this space based on previous hybrid teaching solutions. GVAV won the tender exercise and subsequently outsourced the equipment supply, design and commissioning expertise to Audiologic.
Facing challenges such as a room layout with two glass walls and an awkward shape, making acoustics difficult to negotiate and sightline and speaker positioning challenges due to the lectern position, the team embarked on a mission to create a facility tailored to meet the evolving needs of the students and faculty.
The large space is also divisible into three areas, depending on use, and it was an essential requirement that content could be routed from anywhere, to anywhere.
Darren Mitchell, technical lead at the university for the project, specified a spread of equipment based on the Q-SYS Ecosystem, driven by a Q-SYS Core 8 Flex, conferring with QSC technical support directly to confirm suitability. Given the requirement for high quality aesthetic finish to the room and the amount of speakers required to provide the best audio solution throughout th
Uruguay -The Legislative Palace in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo is an imposing Greco-Roman style building constructed at the beginning of the 20th century. It is home to the General Assembly - the legislative branch of the government of Uruguay - which consists of the House of Senators and the House of Representatives.
Pro audio specialists Sonipro - also based in Montevideo won the tender to design, supply and install a new audio system in the Chamber of Sessions of the House of Representatives. Sonipro opted for a sleek KV2 Audio system supported by a PreSonus digital mixing console.
“The biggest challenge was achieving the superior sound quality and intelligibility required by the project without impinging on the aesthetic of the room,” recalls Sonipro director, Victor Barsamian. “We weren’t allowed to change any of the hanging points as we were working in a listed building and the installation needed to remain as discreet as possible. KV2 was an obvious choice for me given the premium sound quality of the brand - and I chose the ESD36 for its very high performance, especially in the vocal range, and for its elegant and unobtrusive aesthetic.”
Barsamian opted for four ESD36 full-range, three-way loudspeaker systems from KV2 powered by KV2’s ESP2000D amplifier which may be configured either via the front panel or remotely using KV2’s Control & Diagnostics Tool. A PreSonus StudioLive Series III 32SC digital mixer and a stagebox completed the upgrade for the Chamber of Representatives. Sonipro added a second mixer and a s
UK - Llanelli-based PAI Group/Vaughan Sound has completed the design and installation of a new Nexo sound system at Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Home to Welsh rugby, the 74,500-seat venue is one of just two European sports stadiums with a fully retractable roof and joins a growing number of national stadiums standardising on Nexo sound that already includes the Stade de France in Paris and Croke Park in Dublin.
“We’ve been involved in maintaining and upgrading the original system at the stadium for many years, and welcomed the opportunity to propose a new system which would both enhance the match day experience for fans and keep them safe with the clear intelligibility and uniform coverage of every seat necessary for effective public address and voice alarm functions,” comments PAI project manager Stuart Williams.
Designed in conjunction with the Nexo engineering support team and drawing on Nexo line array and point source technology, the main system at Principality Stadium comprises 18 arrays of eight Geo S1230 with 10 banks of three L18 subs and a delay line of 32 P12 and 12 P10 speakers. Pitch coverage is provided by a further four arrays of four Geo S1230 each, with under balconies on level 3 covered by 44 x P8s and VIP hospitality boxes around the stadium covered by 75 ID24s.
A total of 41 Nexo NXAMPMk2 powered TD controllers are spread across six amplifier rooms with a fibre ring connecting Dante and Q-LAN distribution networks, with remote control and monitoring from NEXO’s NeMo app together with system control and matrix routing
USA - Located in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts District, Essex is a new music venue poised to be one of the city's premier destinations for live concerts, recently booking bands like Joywave and Danielle Ponder. In a district that has very few music venues, the music hall is a glowing addition to the area, bringing night life to mixed city residential and old industrial complexes. Essex will allow for more national acts when touring through Western New York to choose Rochester, as opposed to neighbouring cities, like Syracuse or Buffalo.
“The main focus of the venue is to showcase national touring artists that might otherwise drive right past Rochester,” says Dave Drago, talent buyer and one of four co-owners of Essex. Drago was tapped by SCN Hospitality, a Rochester-based restaurant group, to oversee the design of the venue's systems on every level of the concert experience. “SCN’s hospitality really shines throughout Rochester. Our vision with Essex was to add a viable concert venue to that portfolio, offering people a beautiful space to enjoy good music and great service.” Drago has been in the audio and music business for over 20 years.
Drago started out as a studio owner and engineer, weaving a career across North America, gaining experience as an artist and tour manager, producer, songwriter, musical director, touring musician, and most applicably, general manager for the heralded Concerts at Point of The Bluff seasonal concert series in the Finger Lakes.
“I have been on just about every side of most transactions in the m
USA - Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, home to the NHL Predators, recently took delivery of its third DiGiCo audio console, a Quantum338, purchased and installed through Nashville-based Spectrum Sound.
The Quantum338 joins two existing and upgraded DiGiCo SD12-96 desks, along with an SD-Rack, SD-MiNi Rack, D-Rack, and three SD-Nano Racks, all also sourced through Spectrum Sound. The Quantum338 has now taken over front-of-house duties at the venue, while one SD12 is used a router/hub/mixer for the broadcast control room and the other as a utility mixer, paired with the D-Rack and deployed as needed around the venue, including for mixing monitors at the band/stage platform. Two Orange Box MADI interfaces are also on the same very busy Optocore loop as the consoles and Racks.
Bridgestone Arena’s sound is a big part of its allure for show and events, and DiGiCo is an integral part of that. “We have had DiGiCo consoles here since 2018; they’ve become the standard for concerts everywhere and Nashville is the ultimate music town,” says Jacob Lutz, director of technical Operations for the Bridgestone Arena and Nashville Predators.
“The Quantum338 is a game-changer for live music. And the SD12 consoles, which we upgraded to 96 inputs last year, have proven great at broadcast applications, as well, and since they’re all on the same fibre loop, they give us a high level of redundancy and unmatched connectivity if that’s ever needed.
“One Orange Box lives in the Technical Operations Centre, and the other is our tie-in to the broadcast-truc
USA - Christ Wesleyan Church (CWC) celebrated its centennial last year, a 100-year-old church community that has maintained its beliefs and traditions even as it grew into one of the largest megachurches in the Milton, Pennsylvania area.
But there’s an entire other side to this church, one that’s as familiar with Broadway as with ‘The Way’. Each summer and fall season, CWC puts on sophisticated theatrical plays and musicals - last year saw The Sound of Music performed in its 1,100-seat auditorium, where Titanic The Musical and The Diary of Anne Frank were performed the year before, and where the church’s affiliated high school also puts on some rather technically sophisticated productions of its own.
“These are not your typical church productions,” agrees CWC communication creative director Brent Mestach. “But it’s why we needed to up our audio game as the productions became more complex and the number of wireless microphones began to exceed fifty. And that’s why there’s now a DiGiCo Quantum338 console in use here. We needed more I/O, and we needed more power. We got it.”
The Quantum338 was acquired in late 2020, the same year it was introduced, through locally owned Divine Sound and Technologies. Subsequently, CWC also added a DiGiCo 4REA4 processor, purchased through nearby Clair Global. The Quantum338 serves as the church’s FOH console, for both theatrical productions and Sunday services, and is on an Optocore network with an SD-Rack used a stage box. In addition, the 4REA4 processor and a DiGiCo A1
The Netherlands - After suffering fire damage last year, Bowlo Bowling & Lounge in Kerkrade has shifted gears and taken its customer experience to a new level. In a major renovation they have transformed the bowling alley and surrounding facilities into a modern leisure area with ‘a breathtaking level of style and ambience’, using products from Showtec, Infinity, DAP and Showgear.
The recent makeover by Parkstad Support has fashioned a chic and modern atmosphere, inviting guests to indulge in a game of bowling or pool, or simply to enjoy a drink and a chat.
To enhance the ambience of the bowling lanes, 14 colourful Showtec LED Light Bar 12 Pixel are mounted in the ceiling, all controlled by an Infinity Chimp 100.G2 Tourpack DMX console, a Chimp Dongle for OnPC and three Showtec TR-512 Pocket DMX Triggers/Recorders. Various accessories such as DAP DMX and power cables, Showtec DMX Mergers, Showtec Booster Pros and Showgear Powersplitters complete the product list.
To provide sound at the seating tables, the front of the bowling alley, the pool table area and the entrance, 13 DAP Xi-10 loudspeakers, four DAP Xi-6 loudspeakers, two CA-4500 DSP amplifiers, a DAP Compact 9.2 9-channel 1U dual zone installation mixer and accessories such as DAP hanging brackets for Xi-6 and Xi-10 and DAP speaker and microphone cables were installed throughout the venue to provide crystal clear sound. Finally, 30 Showgear PLB-3260A TV wall mounts were used to hang the TVs around the venue.
France - The 3,723-seat Grand Amphitheatre at Paris Convention Centre, a multi-space venue staging a diverse range of national and international events and entertainment, has recently converted its auditorium lighting to Anolis LED with the installation of nearly 400 x Anolis Ambiane range lighting fixtures.
These are dramatically improving its energy efficiency and reducing power consumption for the lighting by 300%.
The previous PAR 56 500W halogen lighting fixtures had been in residence since the venue’s inauguration in 1974, and this new installation is part of a renovation process initially launched in 2020. It has been co-ordinated by venue operator Viparis in conjunction with French lighting design agency, Lyum.
Installed by Eiffage Énergie Systèmes, the electricity saving in the Grand Amphitheatre is very much welcomed, as the house lighting often runs for long periods during event setups, rehearsals and breakdowns that are a routine part of a busy schedule hosting congresses, conventions, and shows.
The Ambiane fixtures are fitted with assorted beam angles and other accessories like louvres for precision shaping of the output, tailoring it exactly to the room requirements.
The project management team included Viparis DET’s supervisor Laurent Villechenoux who worked closely with the venue’s lighting manager Christophe ‘Zippo’ Hipeau, together with Lyum lighting designer / project manager Sylvain Bigot; lighting programmer François Guillet from Lumières Utiles and the team from Eiffage Énergie Systèmes.
Vip
The Netherlands - Dutch National Touring Opera, also known as Nederlandse Reisopera, has upgraded its lighting equipment with 30 Source Four LED Series 3 fixtures ahead of its latest production Powder Her Face.
The venue, which is based in Enschede, Netherlands is known as the largest travelling opera company in the country with an ambitious programme that spreads throughout the region. Powder Her Face explores the real-life scandal and much-publicised divorce that disgraced the Scottish Duchess of Argyll in 1963.
American lighting designer Thomas Hase lit the production. He says: “Artistically the fixtures are amazing, I had used the Source Four LED Series 2 fixtures before, but this was my first time using the Source Four LED Series 3 fixtures. The colours are excellent, and the fixtures are brighter than anything else out there. The full spectrum array makes it even faster and easier to work with these lights.”
Head of lighting at the Reisopera Lianne Eikelenboom comments on selecting ETC fixtures for the venue: “The addition of the Deep Red emitters in the eight-colour array makes this fixture unique. It also is a huge timesaver on the production because the fixture covers more of the spectrum and gives you more options to play with. You don’t have to constantly tweak or change things anymore, it’s just ready to go! Source Four LED Series 3 feels like a good mix of LED and conventional lighting and the new lenses have also greatly helped.”
Twenty-eight Source Four LED Series 3 fixtures with 25-50 zoom lenses wer