Spain - Lío is the latest chapter in the Pacha success story. It's a top end restaurant, cabaret theatre, and world class club rolled into one. To deliver excellent sound fidelity and high sound pressure levels, with custom AmpPresets for different zones and program material throughout the evening, Lío has deployed a complete d&b audiotechnik solution.

Expectant guests arrive for a gourmet dinner and a live cabaret that rivals the best West End shows. Then, the restaurant turns into an exclusive port-side club where top DJs play until the small hours. Welcome to Lío Ibiza.

Part of the Pacha family, Lío attracts a discerning clientele. With its tempting food, service and entertainment, the venue, situated in the heart of Ibiza town, is booked solid throughout the summer months.

Because Lío encompasses a restaurant, cabaret theatre and club, it needed a flexible, high

China - Along the River During the Qingming Festival is one of the 10 most famous paintings in China. It captures the daily life of people and the landscape of the capital, Bianjing, today's Kaifeng, from the Northern Song period. Successive scenes reveal the lifestyle of all levels of society from rich to poor, as well as different economic activities in the countryside and the city, with manifest period clothing and architecture.

Chinese violin artist Ms. Song Fei's Along the River During the Qingming Festivalmusical was based on the famous painting that was made nearly a thousand years ago. This performance combined music with image to create a tremendously authentic spectacle, leading the audience to walk through that period of time. SongFei's musical played two days in November, at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China.

Combining au

Finland - Genelec has announced that Thomas Lund has joined as senior technologist. In his new position, Thomas will focus on professional audio, in particular film, broadcast, post production and music production.

Thomas has extensive experience in pro audio development; especially for loudness metering, sound exposure, dose management, true-peak detection, immersive sound and format conversion. From a background in medicine and cross-modal perception, Thomas has taken part in audio standardization globally, and hosted numerous seminars within film, broadcast and music. He is the current convenor of Genelec CLC TX108X/WG3, tasked with preventing hearing loss from spreading because of over-exposure to personal media players (PMPs).

"It is a great privilege to join Genelec Oy, one of the world's best loudspeaker manufacturers, says Thomas. "I worked for 18 years at

Ireland - When Ireland's Sound Design was called in to provide audio systems for "the best technology conference on the planet", Nexo line array and point-source systems were at the heart of its design solution. STM Series, Geo Series, PS Series and RaySub Series cabinets were on hand to provide the range and scale of sound reinforcement required for the nine-stage talk-fest that featured over 1,000 speakers addressing 42,000 delegates, at Ireland's premier conference venue.

Web Summit 2015 is a huge and rapidly expanding conference for business and digital entrepreneurs. Its subject matter is centred on internet technology, and its attendees range from Fortune 500 companies to the world's most exciting tech companies and start-ups, such as Amazon, Pixar, Google, Facebook and Uber. The 2015 event was hosted at the Royal Dublin Society, for 30 years the leading venue f

Canada - Metallica's longtime FOH engineer Big Mick Hughes is not one to shy from innovation, and continues to achieve firsts more than 30 years into his career with the band. For the first time, Metallica used an in-the-round Meyer Sound Leo Family loudspeaker system with 1100-LFC low frequency control elements in a TM Array configuration when the band inaugurated the 20,000-capacity Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.

"Never before have I heard that amount of low end - with such tightness - when we played in the round," reports Hughes. "The TM Array works fantastically well. The 1100-LFCs just have an ungodly amount of power.

"Working in the round, you have to get a grip on what you're doing - fortunately, Leo is very controlled at all frequencies," continues Hughes. "You're in the near field of one part of the PA, but you can have proble

UK - Dolby Laboratories and Ministry of Sound have confirmed a collaboration to bring Dolby Atmos sound technology to dance music.

The Dolby Atmos residency at the Ministry of Sound nightclub in London will launch on 23 January, 2016 with Hospital Records, the first in a series of special events with a lineup of top electronic artists who will "transform their music into a multidimensional, immersive sound experience with Dolby Atmos".

To support these events, Dolby will outfit the venue with its exclusive Dolby Atmos sound system, which combines Dolby Atmos audio processing technology with a network of additional speakers designed to complement the club's existing setup.

With more than 60 speakers, 22 channels, and a bespoke lighting environment that takes advantage of complementary synchronized lighting cues generated from music mixed in Dolby Atmos. Ministry

UK - As cities across the UK jostle for the unofficial crown of 'Christmas Capital', city centre retail experience Liverpool ONE's spectacular 'Switch On' event pulled one of the biggest crowds, with an estimated 45,000 people rocking up to enjoy the festive vibes and a special lighting and sound show - with a little help from Adlib.

Adlib provided lighting and sound for the 12-minute specially composed soundtrack show produced by Liverpool Empire Theatre that preceded the illumination of a giant 30m tall Christmas tree, made up of 280 illuminated LED hearts, located at the end of Paradise Street.

Both lighting and audio systems were designed to ensure that the buoyant crowds could fully enjoy the occasion. "We were delighted to be asked back to work on it this year," commented Ian Rubert, who co-ordinated the lighting installation on site.

Lighting was designed

UK - A special event hosted by the Audio Engineering Society Scottish Group has been hailed one of the most successful to date. The event hosted at Edinburgh Napier University last month focused on Front of House sound. Leading staff from BBC Scotland and pro-audio company The Warehouse Sound Services presented to over 100 students in audio related education and industry professionals.

The AES Scottish Group is headed up by Dr David Moore of Glasgow Caledonian University and Jim Hunter, senior sound supervisor for BBC Scotland. Hunter has been a television sound supervisor for 25 years. He continues to deliver both live and recorded shows, in studios and on outside broadcasts. Dr Moore is a lecturer in audio technology and leader of the BSc Audio Technology degree programme at Glasgow Caledonian University.

The event kicked off with Andrew Britton, operations resource manage

Jordan - Sennheiser has announced that it has entered into a partnership agreement with Jordan-based Advanced Solutions. As an authorized partner, the reseller and systems integrator will now offer products from Sennheiser's System Solutions range which includes conference and translation, tour guide, and a wide range of wired and wireless microphone systems.

According to Sami Janho, general manager at Advanced Solutions, the timing is now right for the aggressive expansion of Sennheiser's market share in Jordan. He said, "A reasonable portion of the market now demands reputable and reliable products accompanied by a high level of service. Organizations are keen to explore best-in-class solutions which provide a clear long-term roadmap and grow with their business needs. We see this as the opportunity for Advanced Solutions to extend its conversations with existing clients

UK - The second edition of PLASA Focus Glasgow 2016 held at the SECC will see 50% more exhibitors than the inaugural show in 2014. With new exhibitors recently announced including Bose, Hawthorn, Adlib and UK Rigging, PLASA Focus Glasgow promises to deliver innovative solutions to the Scottish market.

Visitor highlights include the chance to discover new and exciting products from over 60 brands in professional audio, AV, lighting, staging and rigging not to mention two days of free seminars and live demos. Industry leaders exhibiting at the show will include both manufacturers and distributors including big names such as Robe, RCF, Chauvet, Elation, Avolites, ETC, TMB and many more.

The recent announcement from VisitScotland shows intent to grow the events market in Scotland. The investment in a new ten-year 'collaborative strategy' to develop Scotland's 3.5 billion events

UK - Following the recent launch of the ZEDi-8 hybrid mixer / interface, Allen & Heath has released two more ZEDi models, the ZEDi-10 and ZEDi-10FX, from its acclaimed ZED analogue console range.

Designed for recording/gigging artists and AV rental and installation companies, the new ZEDi models combine a compact mixer with a 24bit 96kHz 4x4 USB interface, which enables multitrack recording and playback to a Mac or PC or to an iOS device (using a Camera Connection Kit).

The units also have flexible source routing options to adapt to different workflows, and are bundled with Cubase LE music production software and the Cubasis LE mobile music production app.

The ZEDi-10 and ZEDi-10FX feature four mono channels with separate XLR and TRS jack sockets, one stereo channel and a second stereo input for reverb returns or playback. The mono channels include DI high impedance circu

France - The Roland M-5000 Digital Mixing Console has been out on tour recently- mixing FOH on the 23 date Autour de la Guitare which brought together famous guitarists creating one 'super band' to perform at Zénith Arenas across France and Belgium. Led by French guitarist JF Lalanne, the Autour de la Guitare also included Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Christopher Cross, Johnny Clegg, Ron Thal, John Jorgenson, Axel Bauer, Paul Personne, Dan Ar Braz, Michael Jones, JM Ecay and Nono Krief.

Chosen as the FOH console by tour production company Silence!, the M-5000 was specified because of the console's intuitive workflow, flexible architecture and sound quality - plus the fact that so many features came in such a compact footprint.

FOH engineer, Manu Guiot (designer of the Notre Dame de Paris musical amongst other high profile projects) was at the helm

UK - The new Audient Studio has been unveiled to coincide with the start of the new term at the SSR headquarters in Manchester, where a 36 channel ASP8024 console with integrated patchbay and producer's desk now stands proudly at its heart.

SSR's technical director, Tom Aston reports, "Students have been overwhelmingly positive about the Audient ASP8024. They find it well laid out, spacious and logical." This year alone, some 120 students - including those studying for Music Production and Sound Engineering degrees - will get their hands on the console, giving it ample opportunity to prove its reputation for reliability and longevity.

"Having a producer's desk to the left of the master section has allowed us to locate the computer keyboard, mouse and DAW control surface in the centre of the stereo image, producing a much more ergonomic environment than before,

Eagles Return - US rock band Eagles of Death Metal appeared on stage in Paris, less than a month after deadly attacks during their performance in the French capital. The band took to the stage to perform at the end of a U2 concert at the AccorHotels Arena. "They were robbed of their stage three weeks ago and we would like to offer them ours tonight," said singer Bono. Ninety of the 130 people who died in the 13 November attacks were killed at the concert at the Bataclan venue. Bono embraced Eagles of Death Metal singer Jesse Hughes ahead of an emotional joint rendition of Patti Smith's People Have The Power.

School of Rock - Broadway musical School of Rock, written by Downton Abbey's Julian Fellowes with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, has opened to mixed reviews. The show, which was a hit 2003 film starring Jack Black, is about a wannabe rock star

Taiwan - Taiwanese pop queen Jolin Tsai's new album Play was given the highest accolade by the Chinese music industry in 2015, winning Best Mandarin Album at the 26th Annual Pop Music Awards. Soon afterwards, her Play World Tour began and immediately became one of the hottest events of the year. After a highly successful three days in Taipei Arena, the tour visited the Chinese mainland.

The production spared nothing. Concert directors Travis and Stacyz, having worked with Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga, were brought in to create an unprecedented audio-visual feast, in turn bringing in the best teams from all over the world to give fans their most impressive production experience to date.

MSI Japan was in charge of the sound production and Martin Audio's award-winning MLA system was chosen for the Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou leg of the tour. With more than 3

UK - Pro audio equipment rental company, RSH Audio has recently invested in a significant upgrade to rental stock to serve their ever-increasing live and corporate workload.

Having received such a positive response to their initial Yamaha QL1 digital console investment which has successfully served their increasing sub-hire market demands, Joe Haycocks, director at RSH Audio was prompted to consider the suitability of the company's other assets for the demands of busy rental and production companies.

"I am keen to continue developing our sub-hire market work which we supply very effectively. With that in mind I looked to Yamaha CL and QL digital consoles and Shure QLX-D digital wireless systems for the solution", comments Haycocks. "On our own shows, we have found the Yamaha and Shure systems work brilliantly for both the live and corporate shows that we do.

UK - When global hotel chain Radisson began planning the refurbishment of their Fire Lake Grill House and Cocktail Bar in Leeds they knew they wanted it have a great atmosphere. Situated on the Headrow in the heart of Leeds, the Radisson Blu restaurant is an ideal escape from the hustle and bustle, where guests enjoy refined dining in chic surroundings.

Reflex were approached by designers to provide a sound system solution that would complement the venue by providing high quality music. From a relaxed daytime atmosphere to a more sophisticated, livelier environment for the evenings and weekends, it had to meet a range of demands.

It was also vital that the system sounded great but was also simple to use requiring minimal management. Equally it was critical that the speakers did not detract from the stylish décor of the restaurant and bar.

When it comes to hospitali

Denmark - Handling over two million passengers each year from both regular and charter flights, Billund Airport is also one of Denmark's busiest international air cargo hubs. Recently the airport's management wanted to add high quality background music to the announcement/voice evacuation system in three of the airport's busiest areas, a difficult task to achieve without multiple types of loudspeaker. The Yamaha EN54-24 certified VXC4-VA proved master of the task.

Billund Airport was originally established in 1961 as a private airstrip by Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, head of The Lego Group, whose company is based in the nearby town of Billund. The current airport opened in 1964 and has been continually expanded and upgraded ever since. Owned by a group of the area's municipalities, today Billund Airport is the main airport for passengers in western Denmark and handles significan

Romania - A NEXT-proaudio system was recently used for Romania's National Day, a very special occasion to celebrate the union of three regions: Transylvania, Moldavia and Romania in 1918.

This celebration took place on Alba lulia for more than 15000 people with 1200 soldiers on parade, trucks and military equipment. Alba Iulia is a historic town and attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. It is in the top three of the most beautiful and visited cities in Romania.

For this event, the challenge was to cover a distance of 200m, left and right of the main stage. It was basically a street with two lanes where soldiers paraded and sidewalks were located viewers (tourists).

"We like challenges, but in this case we have tried to primarily ensure the safety of the thousands people who attend to this event. We think for the organization was the most important even

UK - Dave Gilmour's 2015 world tour started in the UK in September this year and continues on to Madison Square Garden in April 2016. The guitarist and vocalist has already impressed fans and critics, drawing on nearly 50 years of Pink Floyd and solo work, with a prominent place reserved for his latest album, Rattle That Lock.

Gavin Tempany is the monitor engineer on the tour and he has chosen an SSL L500 Plus console, having already used it at Front of House on other high profile events. "I had the choice of a couple of consoles," he explains. "They were the only ones that would do the number of ins and outs I needed. I ended up using 186 wet audio paths, and 32 dry, so it was pretty hectic."

The L500 Plus can handle up to 256 audio paths (208 with full processing, and 48 dry), and up to 1008 inputs and outputs. Tempany's set-up on the Gilmour tou

USA - The Frank Gehry designed New World Center is not only a huge asset for New World Symphony audio fellows, it is also a world class performance space available for hire.

It would be a given that the designer of some of the world' best concert halls and a conductor with the stature and experience of Michael Tilson Thomas would make a fantastic design, but no corners have been cut in installing the latest media equipment to cover all requirements. The 756-seat Performance Hall and the smaller Sun Trust Pavilion are fully equipped for live performance and recording and share two multi-track surround capable control rooms. HD video recording and projection is also available for those hiring the spaces.

Originally set up to record 64 tracks at 24bit/48kHz, it became apparent that the majority of the major opera and concert venues had installed Pyramix and Horus/Hapi Networked

Italy - This autumn one of Italy's best-loved pop acts, Al Bano and Romina Power, released their first album in 20 years. The multitrack recording for The Very Best - Live aus Verona was made on Steinberg Nuendo Live, via monitor engineer Francesco Spadaccino's Yamaha CL5 console and Rio3224-D i/o units. It was the first time that a major label album release has been recorded in this way.

Released on Universal Music, the album was recorded at the duo's Arena di Verona concert in May. The show was also broadcast live on Rai 1, Italy's premier national television channel.

Francesco has worked with Al Bano for many years and has used many digital mixing consoles. His favourite is undoubtedly the CL5. "My job is to keep the artists on stage happy and the CL5 is always my first choice to achieve that," he says.

He continues, "This show was huge. We had a

USA - With its backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Anita Park is considered by many to be the world's most beautiful thoroughbred racetrack. It hosts some of the most prominent racing events in the United States including the Breeders' Cup and the prestigious Santa Anita Handicap.

The track's previous sound system, installed in the late 1990s, used four, pole-mounted loudspeaker clusters aimed back at the spectators. However, after a major renovation in 2013 along with a new press box and additional luxury suites, the pole-mounted loudspeaker clusters faced a wide expanse of newly-added glass causing unwanted audio reflections onto the seating and the track.

In 2014, Santa Anita asked AMT Systems of Santa Clarita, California to propose a new system to eliminate the reflections, add audio coverage in some of the newer areas and upgrade the overall sound quality to me

UK - When freelance sound engineer Stu Hunt took over Worcester-based Insert Audio from its owners in January 2014 he not only inherited classic Martin Audio equipment but also a contract to service the technical requirements of 355-capacity local venue, Huntingdon Hall, which is also equipped with Martin Audio components from yesteryear.

"This installation was completed 15 years ago by John Brown's Limit Audio and all the equipment - including W3P, S218, EM15 and LE12JB - is still going strong," says Stu. "We maintain it every year, but have never had a single fault with any of the gear to date. 'Service' generally amounts to little more than cleaning the amp rack, or repairing the occasional pin on the EDAC."

As a rental company Insert Audio also holds a vast inventory of Martin Audio components, including W8C, WSX, WS2A, W3, F12, LE12JB, LE400 and LE20

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