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20 November 2024

Saudi Arabia - When lighting and stage designer Steve Wary was charged with creating the look for the opening ceremony of the Saudi Games 2024, he chose 50 Claypaky Skylos fixtures to help the event get off to a dynamic start.

Held 3-17 October, the Saudi Games were the third edition of the largest national sporting event staged annually in the Kingdom.  More than 9,000 athletes competed in 52 sports.

The opening ceremony took place not in a traditional stadium but in the existing Boulevard City area of Riyadh, where all the infrastructure needed to be built, created and organised. The location presented a great opportunity to use the LED screens already present on the buildings, which served as the backdrop for a centrally positioned stage big enough to host the impressive parade of athletes captured for broadcast by two drones.  

The game

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20 November 2024

Europe - Lighting, entertainment and cruise ship specialist Tony Perez has taken on a new position as global sales director in Robe’s Maritime division, stepping up from the business development manager role that he has held since 2022.

The cruise industry sector of Robe’s business has expanded exponentially during Tony’s tenure, a combination of his experience and first-hand knowledge of the sector, hard work and being able to offer a raft of flexible Robe and Anolis lighting products to meet exacting standards.

The agility and comprehensive nature of Robe’s worldwide distribution network has also been a vital factor in this success, resulting in several high profile maritime projects including with MSC’s World class vessels, CCL’s Sun Princess class ships and other Carnival Cruise Line brands, RCCL’s Icon of the Seas class, various Di

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20 November 2024

Norway - In a fusion of architecture, engineering and technology, structural solutions brand Milos (part of Area Four Industries) introduced the Invisible Roof. The structure was constructed in the city of Bergen, on the southwestern coast surrounded by mountains and fjords. Bergen has hosted some of the world’s largest bands, artists and an eclectic mix of music from all genres over many years.

One of the world’s oldest orchestras, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, dating back to 1765, celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2015 and remains a beacon of musical artistry on the world stage. On 22-23 August 2024, the orchestra hosted two outdoor concerts, offering a magical experience for musicians and audiences alike.

Partnering with Creative Technology Norway, Area Four Industries designed and installed a one-of-a-kind venue featuring an arched roo

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20 November 2024

USA - Christie has announced the launch of two new models in its Jazz Series, a family of 1DLP laser projectors that offer ‘exceptional performance without a premium price tag’.

Two 4K UHD+ projectors join the previously announced WUXGA models, which made their debut at InfoComm Asia. The new models, the 4K1600-JS and 4K2100-JS, feature 16,600 and 21,350 lumens respectively, and use Texas Instruments’ 0.8” HEP (High Efficiency Pixel) DMD for improved colour and contrast and a more efficient cooling system design.

Jazz Series projectors deliver high brightness and resolution in a manageable and compact chassis, weighing only 29.4 kg (64.8 lbs.). With its quiet operation, built-in warping and blending capabilities, and a full suite of compatible lenses, including UST, Jazz Series is ready to illuminate a range of projects – from concerts and

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20 November 2024

China - The Taihu Jazz Festival is held every year in the National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing. During five days in May, musicians from China and beyond performed to excited crowds in the purpose-built outdoor performance spaces.

Over 50 jazz performances took place, including sets from French harmonica master Laurent Maur, jazz trumpeter, Li Xiaochuan, and other Chinese and international musicians, who took to the stage of the Taihu Stage Art Centre to kick off the 2024 Taihu Jazz Festival. Central to each was the power of DiGiCo’s Quantum series, with a Quantum 338 at the front of house position, a Quantum 225 at monitors and an SD10 for broadcast.

Three free performance stages - the Dance Art Workshop Stage, the Snowflake Stage, and the Instrumental Interactive Stage - were set up by RAC Pro, DiGiCo distributor in Chi

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20 November 2024

USA - To most people in the continental U.S., Alaska evokes a narrative of rugged individuals thriving under even more rugged conditions. Between weather, terrain, and sheer remoteness of most of the state, that’s more than mythology.

Government workers and contractors regularly endure brutal conditions while managing disaster recovery and infrastructure efforts, and solo filmmaker Jake Sloan is often there to document the process. With literally one hand on the camera and the other running sound, he trusts the latter to Rycote microphones and equipment. These include the HC-15 and HC-22 shotgun microphones, Cyclone baskets, Softie windscreens, and lavalier solutions including Stickie mounts and Windjammer screens.

“One of the biggest projects I've been working on for the last year has been for a statewide effort with the Alaska Department of Tra

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20 November 2024

Germany - When Aki Bosse sings about dreaming, living, loving and despairing, it often sounds surprisingly happy and danceable. Übers Traumen (About Dreaming) is also the name of his latest album, for which he undertook a major arena tour in Germany in 2024. Lighting designer Rico Münzer has been lighting Bosse (and his band of the same name) since 2018.

For the current tour design, no fewer than 200 GLP fixtures combine to create a special look. In total, the designer specified 86 GLP KNV Arc, 76 JDC Line 1000, 24 impression X5 Wash and 14 JDC1 in a structure to fill the stage space.

The KNV Arc and JDC Line 1000 were in the design from the beginning, without which the intended look would not have been possible, as Münzer explains: “At the beginning of the design process I had the idea of working with circles. Initially I planned this

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20 November 2024

UK - Shure has announced its inclusion in the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP). MDEP is an Android-based platform designed to enable device manufacturers and software developers to deliver innovative solutions that meet the needs of all users. It is backed by Microsoft's reputation for security, trust, and management.

MDEP provides enhanced security, device pairing, accessibility, and management capabilities for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android devices.

“We are excited to further expand our partnership with Microsoft through MDEP,” said Sam Sabet, chief technology officer at Shure. “MDEP provides another avenue for innovation on the highly popular Android platform, leading to the right solutions for our customers. This partnership ensures that our solutions, like IntelliMix Room software, can meet the highest security standards and de

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19 November 2024

Spain - Following a memorable 2024 event, BikeFest Spain is set to return for its fourth consecutive year, inviting cyclists from across the industry to join the 360km ride towards ISE in Barcelona. From 31 January to 2 February 2025, riders will again rally in Valencia, cycling along the Mediterranean coast in support of industry causes.

Last year’s BikeFest raised an impressive £25,000 for Backup Tech, with the goal to surpass that and more this year.

In 2025, BikeFest will expand its support to Casa Caridad Valencia, a local charity assisting those affected by recent severe flooding in Valencia. 

Following the reduction of operating costs to run the initiative, 50% of the sponsored funds raised will go directly to Backup Tech, who run initiatives such as

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19 November 2024

USA - Audix is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a manufacturer of microphones. Since 1984, Audix has grown to offer a wide range of microphones for audio recording, live performance, and installed sound applications. Today, product families for instruments, vocals, and studio recording enjoy a reputation for audio fidelity, build quality and sensible pricing.

To celebrate its history and continued innovation, the company has produced a limited edition of the D6 kick drum microphone. The Limited Edition D6X microphone has all the sonic attributes that makes D6 a classic, plus additional filtering options. Only 100 units of the bead blasted D6X Limited Edition will be produced and will be available through selected giveaways throughout the next months.

In 1986, the Audix OM1 handheld dynamic mic was born. The OM1 began to amass a word-of-mouth reput

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19 November 2024

UK - Starring seven-time BAFTA Award-winner Steve Coogan, Dr. Strangelove is the first theatrical adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s comedy masterpiece. Written by Armando Iannucci and directed by Sean Foley, it tells the story of a US general who decides to go rogue and declare a nuclear attack on Russia; who, he discovers, have a Doomsday machine capable of destroying the world.

The show features a lighting design by Olivier Award-winning Jessica Hung Han Yun who approached White Light (WL), a d&b solutions company, to supply her lighting rig.

Prior to its run at the Noel Coward Theatre, there was much anticipation leading up to the opening of Dr Strangelove; largely due to the cult status of the film. “I had in fact watched the film many years ago and remembered enjoying it and the lighting specifically,” says Hung Han Yun

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19 November 2024

Slovakia - Steel Arena in Košice is one of the most important multifunctional halls in Slovakia. It has twice hosted the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships and is the home venue of the hockey club HC Košice, nine-time Slovak champion and holder of two Czechoslovak titles, which plays in the highest Slovak hockey league, the TIPOS Extraliga.

As part of a comprehensive reconstruction of the ice rink lighting, eight Ayrton Domino Profiles – supplied by Pro Music, s.r.o., Ayrton’s exclusive representative for the Czech Republic and Slovakia – were installed as effects lighting by Pro Music’s long-time business partner Marcel Filko and his technical team from ma.cz.

Four Domino Profiles were rigged on a circular overhead video truss, and another four on the structure above the ice surface, two above each goal, from where the incumbent team make

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19 November 2024

Japan - With an acoustic design created primarily with opera performances in mind, the 2,196-seat Toyama City Arts and Culture Hall (Aubade Hall) opened in 1996 in the Japan’s Toyama City. Now a new medium-sized, multi-purpose hall has been completed at the same site with a maximum of 652 seats which, along with the stage, can be moved to enable a wide range of configurations from conventional raked theatre seating to a flat floor for exhibitions.

Loudspeakers from Nexo’s Geo M, P+ and ID Series were selected for a customised flexible sound system in the new medium-sized hall.

“Actually, we have been using Nexo speakers in the large hall for a long time. Therefore, we are familiar with the sound of Nexo and thought that it would suit the medium hall as well,” reports Mr. Akira Sone, head of the stage technical department, sound, at Aubade Hal

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19 November 2024

UK - Long-term Martin Audio rental partner, W E Audio, recently underlined its commitment to the British manufacturer, by making a massive investment across the latest Wavefront Precision line array portfolio.

Founded by Wayne Barker, W E Audio’s upgraded inventory is headed by Martin Audio’s flagship WPL large format line array, and SXH218 subwoofers, as well as FlexPoint FP12s, Torus, and XE500 wedge monitors. At the same time, in order to give them further scalability and flexibility, the company has also invested heavily in the smaller WPS and WPC line arrays – all delivered in recent months to its base in Oxfordshire.

Last month saw the production company’s highest-profile deployment of the large-format WPL to date – on Seal’s European tour. The core PA design is based around 12 WPL cabinets per side, with six WPS units for front-fil

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19 November 2024

USA - With the help of PureTek Group – provider of innovative technology solutions for educational spaces based out of Boonton, New Jersey – Plainfield High School recently completed a major renovation to its auditorium, along with the addition of two new spaces: an eSports gaming arena and a black box theatre.

To provide clear communication between those disparate parts of the school, Plainfield High School, along with PureTek Group, turned to Pliant Technologies’ CrewCom professional wireless intercom system. 

“We chose Pliant to help orchestrate what could be a very chaotic experience,” says Dan Litvin, co-founder and president of PureTek Group. “The CrewCom system is used extensively throughout the school and produces unified performance, from standard backstage theatrical production applications, to managing cameras, lighting and au

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19 November 2024

UK - Shure has introduced the MXA902 + ANIUSB-Matrix Audio Conferencing Kit. The kit comes in a single, ready-to-go package that includes the MXA902 Ceiling Array Microphone with Built-In Loudspeaker, paired and pre-routed with the ANIUSB-Matrix Audio Network Interface for simple setup and seamless connectivity to popular conferencing platforms. The kit is certified for Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms and works with Google Meet.

“With rising demand for better collaboration experiences in modern workplaces, IT managers require superior audio solutions to enrich communication, while maintaining simplicity in installation and operation,” said Sean Bowman, associate VP of sales, North America, at Shure. “The new Audio Conferencing Kit streamlines deployment and management, easily providing the flagship audio quality Shure is known for. This kit includ

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19 November 2024

Europe - Neutrik has further extended its etherCON TOP product offering to meet the demands of data networking in the field and addressing feedback directly from end users.

The NE8MXR-B-TOP retractable RJ45 carrier cable connector delivers the environmental protection of etherCON TOP with the capability to mate with etherCON and standard RJ45 receptacles – through a simple retraction of the shell, retaining this piece on the cable. The rugged diecast shell is retractable from the RJ45 plug to enable use in a wide variety of applications and with devices that do not use etherCON receptacles.

The carrier shell’s chuck type strain relief ensures its suitability for use in harsh application environments, for networks operating in entertainment production, media acquisition and beyond. IP65-rated protection against ingress of liquids and particulates

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19 November 2024

Sold Out - Tickets for Glastonbury Festival 2025 sold out in under 40 minutes, organisers have said. The event will be held from 25 to 29 June before taking a year off in 2026 to allow the ground at Worthy Farm in Somerset to recover. Tickets cost £373.50, plus a £5 booking fee – an increase of £18.50 on 2024.

In a post on X, Glastonbury Festival said: "Tickets for Glastonbury 2025 have now Sold Out. Thanks to everyone who bought one and sorry to those who missed out, on a morning when demand was much higher than supply. There will be a resale of any cancelled or returned tickets in spring 2025."

An automatic queue system was introduced with fans needing to be online before the start of the sale with a valid registration number. Some reported issues with the new system, with one X user saying: "I was on the booking page, clicked proceed and then

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18 November 2024

UAE - Bose Professional recently celebrated the grand opening of a new sales office and experience centre in Dubai, with industry leaders and partners from the MEA region.

The Dubai office marks the 10th new international business location Bose Professional has opened this year, including new offices and experience centres in London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Singapore, Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Osaka, and Tokyo, with plans to open a new Bose Professional global headquarters and experience centre early next year in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

Located in the rapidly growing Sharjah district, conveniently accessible from the Dubai International Airport, the new office combines modern business spaces and meeting rooms with an experience centre, designed for education and demonstration and featuring Bose Professional’s line-up of loudspeakers, power ampli

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18 November 2024

Poland - Wharfedale Pro has announced Mega Music as its new distribution partner in Poland.

With over three decades of experience in the professional audio industry, Mega Music has built a solid reputation for supporting musicians, public facilities, and commercial venues with high-quality audio equipment and innovative solutions.

"We are excited to partner with Wharfedale Pro, a brand known for its commitment to quality and innovation in the pro audio industry,” says Mega Music’s Dariusz Adamowicz. “Our team is looking forward to bringing Wharfedale Pro's exceptional products to a broader audience in Poland and supporting the needs of our clients across various sectors."

“The team at Mega Music will play a key role in strengthening our presence and boosting Wharfedale Pro's visibility across major Polish markets,” says Danny Clarke