UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has announced the appointment of industry figure, Karen Fairlie to the newly created role of business development manager for Scotland.

Karen brings a wealth of local market knowledge and experience to the position, having forged strong relationships with customers and suppliers in Scotland over the past 20 years whilst working in sales management and various support roles.

A well-known figure in the Scottish theatre market, Karen has overseen the supply of leading entertainment technology systems to designers, specifiers, venues, rental and production companies. She has also worked on high-profile projects in the film & TV and public services markets.

Karen is based in the field, with support from AC-ET's Leeds office, and will work alongside the company's sales, marketing and purchasing departments to develop and implement th

USA - PRG Post, a subsidiary of Production Resource Group (PRG) has announced that they will now offer original music creation on site as Bruce Aronson, renowned composer for film and television, has joined their New York studio. Aronson is available to write and record original music during the post-production and production processes.

"It's a major advantage to PRG Post's clients that I am now located at a facility where last minute changes to music tracks can easily be made," says Aronson. "It's also tremendous gaining access to PRG Post's leading-edge surround sound audio mixing suite.

"Clients already come to PRG for their post-production and production needs, making use of PRG's state-of-the-art video editing rooms, colour-grading rooms, and the 5.1 surround sound audio mixing suite. Now for the first time, they can enjoy the benefits of original mu

Europe - Swedish rock band Backyard Babies are currently on a tour of Europe with Allen & Heath's dLive digital mixing system.

"I have been a loyal iLive user for the past four years, and have done about 500 shows, so the move to dLive is natural," explains the band's FOH engineer, Stefan Ljungkvist.

Stefan selected a dLive S3000 Control Surface with DM48 MixRack, accompanied by Neve pre amp, Sennheiser in-ears, Audio-Technica mics, and an Allen & Heath ME-1 personal monitor mixer for the drummer.

In-ear monitors are also managed from FOH, and in total the show it set up with 19 scenes.

"Eight shows in with dLive and I am comfortable with everything. The feel is very nice and warm, and the EQ and FX are high end. When I use A&H, the band say it is like playing in a studio," concludes Ljungkvist.

(Jim Evans)

USA - At the 43rd annual American Music Awards, held at Microsoft Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles on 22 November, amplifier manufacturer Powersoft made its presence known with over (100) K10 DSP+AESOP amplifiers on site. With approximately 7,000 people in attendance, the programme was broadcast to over 10m viewers across the U.S. and featured performances by artists including Coldplay, The Weeknd, Demi Lovato and many others; the show was highlighted with a moving performance of Hymne à l'amour by Celine Dion, which eulogized victims of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris.

In addition to hosting an evening of lively performances, the AMA presented awards to a range of chart topping artists including One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Fall Out Boy and many others. Country artist Sam Hunt was recognized with New Artist of the Year, while superstar Taylor Swift scooped

USA - Equipped with a Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system, the new Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education in Memphis, Tenn., can be instantly optimized to host a wide range of diverse events. With the push of a touchscreen button, Constellation adjusts the acoustics in the 361-seat theatre to host everything from educational programs to a regional film series, dance recitals, and music concerts of varied genres.

"As much as I understood what Constellation did before the system was installed, actually hearing the different acoustical presets is still stunning," says Alice Roberts, vice president of programming and education at the Halloran Centre. "It's astonishing how you can experience the subtle characteristics of an acoustical space just by clapping your hands. This alone will be a tremendous boost to our technical training programs in sound for

Russia - Moscow's Stanislavsky Theatre bears a rich cultural history and significance for the people of the city. Having recently undergone a technical overhaul, the theatre has opened its doors once again with an impressive sound system which includes, amongst other upgrades, a TiMax2 SoundHub-S48 audio delay-matrix plus a four-Sensor/twenty-Tag TiMax Tracker performer tracking system, all supplied by Moscow's Audio Solutions.

Going by the name of Electrotheatre, in homage to one of the first pre-revolutionary Russian movie theatres that occupied the same building in 1915, the theatre's current art director Boris Yukhananov is determined to combine truly avant-garde traditions with classical Russian theatre art.

The theatre has three main performance spaces, including the foyer which is often open for lectures, book presentations, discussions and children's plays.

The Ti

Europe - Shure Europe and U.S. based RF Venue, Inc. have announced that they have entered into an exclusive distribution agreement across the EMEA region. Shure Europe's regional distribution offices in Germany, the United Kingdom, and BeNeLux - alongside Shure Europe's third party distribution partners across EMEA - will now distribute and sell antenna and signal distribution products made by RF Venue that are designed to improve the signal quality and performance of professional wireless audio systems.

Boston, Massachusetts based RF Venue manufactures proprietary antenna products, RF distribution systems, RF to optical signal conversion modules, and spectrum analysis hardware and software for the professional wireless audio market.

"We're pleased to partner with the world's leading wireless audio brand to bring RF Venue products to EMEA regions," commented RF Ven

USA - Opening its doors for the first time in spring 2015, New York's Le District offers a very fresh take on French cuisine with a wide variety of vendors situated under one roof. The approach taken to the audio is similarly original, with music unexpectedly to the fore thanks to a high-quality infrastructure based around a single Symetrix SymNet Radius 12x8 EX open-architecture Dante DSP.

Locally-based El Media Group was enlisted to specify and install the audio system, and as co-founder and chief creative officer Ernie Lake observes, there were several primary factors that influenced the choice of DSP. "Firstly, this is a large site of around 30,000sq.ft and there needed to be the option to play back different music in different areas. Ultimately, the space was divided into eight zones - café, dining rooms and so forth - and we required flexibility of playback fo

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.

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