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22 May 2024

USA - Obsidian Control Systems has introduced a comprehensive range of data distribution products under the Netron series, tailored for system integrators and fixed installations. These products prioritise reliability and performance and help in the management of complex networked lighting systems.

The Netron Integration Series has been created to integrate flawlessly with the ONYX lighting control platform yet is compatible with all other manufacturers’ lighting control systems, making it a universal solution for a multitude of setups.

The initial products in the series are available now, with more solutions set to debut soon.

Netron EP1 This compact device functions as an Ethernet to DMX gateway, featuring a single RDM-compatible port. Designed for effortless integration into single-gang wall mounts, trusses, or standalone setups, it offe

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22 May 2024

UK - Distortion Studios, specialists in virtual production, recently opened the doors of its new Bristol-based studio, backed by an in-house team of immersive digital arts specialists. The space, home to a cutting-edge studio stage complete with the latest and most trusted virtual production technology, can be utilised by anyone looking to shoot virtual production content, as well as serving as a training and community hub.

 “At Distortion Studios, we want to play a part in upskilling the next generation of industry professionals locally,” remarks Nick Diacre, technical director at Distortion Studios. “So, we’re looking to invite technical people in and run training in the space, alongside the usual studio hire. Remaining technologically agnostic was therefore important to us.”  

Diacre first encountered SP by Stage Precision in the soft

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22 May 2024

The Netherlands - Located in a former Amsterdam bicycle workshop that’s been transformed into a nightclub as well as a record label and agency representing DJs and producers, The Other Side has put itself squarely at the forefront of European nightlife with its new L‑ISA spatial audio system.

The world’s first nightclub to offer an L-ISA immersive experience, The Other Side’s main, 900-capacity room boasts a fully immersive 14.1.5 L-ISA configuration designed to wrap the audience in a 360-degree auditory experience.

“If you start a club like this, the main product has to be sound.” Doeshka Vrede and Jasper Löwik, the multi-hyphenate duo behind The Other Side – in addition to owning and managing the club, both are producers, musicians, and artist managers as well - explained that from the outset, optimum audio quality was at the forefro

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22 May 2024

Portugal - Event provider Europalco has once again leveraged Christie integrated solutions for a spectacular synchronised multi-projection display for the annual meeting of Millennium BCP, Portugal’s largest private bank, held at Lisbon’s Carlos Lopes Pavilion.

DCE Loving Brands agency organised and created the employee recognition-themed event, which was integrated into all levels of production for the approximately 1,600 people in attendance. Europalco provided a wide range of services, which included sound, lighting, video, cameras, automation, kinetic elements, stage set-up, and furniture.

A gigantic 60 x 8m main screen divided into three sections (each 20 x 8m) served as the focal point of the stage. Supported by 12 Christie 30,000 lumen, 4K 3DLP projectors, a Christie Spyder X80video processor, and Christie Pandoras Box Servers for show con

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22 May 2024

Denmark - Regan Vest is a new museum in Skørping, exploring the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War. A detailed and informative look at a conflict that lasted over four decades, Regan Vest tells the story in a newly-built exhibition space that’s equipped with a comprehensive audio solution from Genelec.

"We wanted to create an exhibition in which the audio-visual elements supported the storytelling in very subtle ways," begins Taintec’s Tue Selmer Friborg, the audio-visual consultant that worked on the project. "The sound had to offer guests an immersive element, whilst being unobtrusive, and at the same time we wanted to make an exhibition which – though complex – would require as little maintenance as possible."

The museum is made up of three parts; a 5,500sq.m secret bunker hidden 60m underground, which takes guests to the centre of the

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21 May 2024

UK - PLASA Focus Leeds returned to its home at the Royal Armouries on 14 and 15 May, with two packed show halls, a bigger-than-ever seminar programme, and record-breaking attendance figures.

This year’s PLASA Focus Leeds saw a 19% increase in attendance, with a strong visitor profile on par with previous shows. 1/5 were company directors, owners or chairs, equally representing audio, AV, lighting and staging tech. This year saw 1/5 students too, over double last year’s figures, signalling a strong future for the industry.

Matt Wiseman from MDG Fog UK says: “As a company, we’re now 10 years into the journey with PLASA Focus Leeds being a key date in our UK diary. Each year we have experienced more footfall to our stand and especially this year. The quality of visitor was again noticeably higher and we expect to see another re

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21 May 2024

UK - Duncan Bell (formerly of Autograph) has just completed a fundraising trip for industry charity Backup, cycling off road from Appleby, Cumbria to Middleton, Derbyshire and covering 185 miles of the Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and Peak District.

Friday brought the last 37 miles from Hayfield to Middleton Top, nr Matlock. “This final stage marks not only the end of this week’s endeavours, but also the end of the Great North Trail, an 800-mile route that started in Cape Wrath, NW Scotland that we started in 2021 and completed in three stages,” says Duncan.

“I’d like to raise anything we can for Backup Tech to helps those in the entertainment world who need help at any difficulty stage in their lives, career or family. We have a modest goal of £2k that I’m sure we can exceed. Please give what you can.”

Donations can be made

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21 May 2024

Brazil - Ayrton has announced Newart Iluminação Ltda as its exclusive distributor for Brazil. The appointment takes place with immediate effect.

“We chose to become an Ayrton distributor because of the brand’s industry-wide reputation for innovation, quality and reliability, and because Ayrton products are highly recognized for their performance, versatility and design,” says Newart Iluminacao owner and managing director, Francisco Pinheiro. “We are excited to become part of the Ayrton network and look forward to contributing to the brand's success by providing a high level of service to our customers.”

Established in 2001, Newart Iluminacao is an established lighting distribution company with more than two decades of experience in the industry. It specialises in the distribution of high-quality professional lighting to rental companies

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21 May 2024

South Africa - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) recently returned to the stage on a Greatest Hits Live World Tour, which saw the return of the band to South Africa for the first time in 12 years. The first performance took place at Cape Town’s Greenpoint A-Track, with another following event in Johannesburg two nights later.

The South African tour, organised by Breakout Events with the Cape Town leg managed by Rogue Entertainment, required a sound system that would do justice to the band’s electronic anthems. Ultra Events were responsible for supplying and implementing the technical solutions for this much-anticipated show, including a V-Series sound system from d&b audiotechnik.

“The A-Track comes with challenges that need to be navigated with care when setting up a concert system,” explains Patrick Dudgeon, audio HOD at Ultra Eve

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21 May 2024

USA - UK audio design firm Union Audio, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, has announced the appointment of Sweetwater to manage distribution of its audio products across the Americas.

Effective immediately, Sweetwater will manage the sales and distribution of the orbit and elara mixers and accessories, as well as any future product releases, to customers in the USA, Canada and South America.

"The Union Audio brand is about bespoke analogue audio products, meticulously engineered and hand built. We're thrilled to be able to partner with the leading retailer in such a major territory,” says Union founder Andy Rigby-Jones. “The new partnership will enable us to bring this excellence to a wider customer base, whilst maintaining our manufacturing quality and values.”

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21 May 2024

USA - Magic Reinvented Nightly, magician Mat Franco’s current Las Vegas residency, is staged at the Mat Franco Arena at the LINQ Hotel+Experience.

Production lighting designer Scott Chmielewski from design studio DMDS7UDIOS was first asked to create a lighting environment for this show in 2020 when it launched. Scott has worked with creative director / producer Brian Burke on top TV shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent and has crafted his own multidisciplinary lighting aesthetic blending the theatrical with the televisual.

The Mat Franco show – under the artistic direction of scenic designer Joe O’Neill was initially planned to run for five years – and received a quick refresh during the COVID period, followed by a full production and room re-design in February 2023. This last update brought large qua

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21 May 2024

UK - The first day of the ABTT Theatre Show at Alexandra Palace on 5 June will be open from 10am until 5.30pm but activities will not stop then.

For 2024, the ABTT Award Presentations will be kicking off from 5.30pm with drinks served outside the Londesborough Room as visitors and exhibitors join together to take their seat to celebrate the recipients of the awards for products and people making advances in our world.

The Products Awards include Sound Product, Lighting Product, Engineering Product and Widget of the Year plus Stand of the Year for 2024. The People Awards include Technician of the Year, Emerging Excellence, Environmental Sustainability, Costume plus the Award for WHAM Design.

Following these celebrations, will be a new innovation for 2024, the ABTT Social on the Terrace.

Attendees and exhibitors are invited to continue

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21 May 2024

Spain - Home of Zarzuela - a form of Spanish traditional musical comedy – central Madrid’s Teatro de la Zarzuela was restored to its historic beauty in 1913 after a fire destroyed the original 1856 building. Now owned by the Ministry of Culture and a designated Asset of General Interest with Monument status since 1994, the Teatro is Spain’s first and only Spanish lyric theatre.

The most famous Zarzuela performances have premiered here and the best works of its repertoire are still sung and heard here to this day to audiences in excess of 1,200.

Theatre, television and event rental company, CityLight Iluminación, has supplied 32 Robert Juliat Dalis 860 Cyclorama lights to the opulent venue, procured from Robert Juliat’s exclusive distributor for Spain, EarPro & EES.

Teatro de la Zarzuela’s technical team carried out some in dept

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21 May 2024

USA - Il Divo are currently on their 20th anniversary global tour, which is animated by a vibrant Ignacio (Iggy) Rosenberg lighting design that represents a dramatic departure from previous shows.

“This being the group’s 20th anniversary tour, we wanted to give them a refreshed, modern look,” said Rosenberg. “It was the best time for them to get a total revamp.  Some of the band members had ideas they wanted (including lasers and video), and I wanted to minimize the orchestra to express the individual identities of the four singers more dramatically.”

As part of new design, Rosenberg revamped the production’s audience lighting. To accomplish this, he added eight Chauvet Professional Color STRIKE M fixtures, supplied by The Lighting Design Group, to his rig.

“The band loves seeing their audience,” he said. “I wanted to push

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21 May 2024

China - Colombian singer-songwriter Juan Gomez’s concert at Beijing’s Zhongshan ‘Forbidden’ City Concert Hall has used the ethernet-based Green-GO digital solution to improve efficiency.

The Concert Hall is known as the ‘pearl of music in China’s royal garden’ as it is situated inside one of Beijing's most beautiful parks, Zhongshan Park, and surrounded by historic gardens and landmarks. Its main stage measures 23m wide and 14m tall, offering more than 1,400 seats on two floors. The venue hosts both international tours, the Beijing International Music Festival and concerts by the China Philharmonic Orchestra and Beijing Symphony Orchestra.

China Green-GO dealer and AV expert EZPro was tasked to provide a high-quality intercom system for sound engineers and stage staff for the show. “The technical team had no previous awareness of the

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21 May 2024

Poland - MSD Animal Health, part of Merck & Co, based in Rahway, New Jersey, has opened a new experience centre located at the company's production plant in Psary Małe (Greater Poland Voivodeship), established to present the company's solutions in the field of animal health identification and monitoring.

The unit's activities will support breeders and veterinarians in learning about the latest technological solutions supporting animal breeding and production.

IT integrators Koma Nord called in architectural sound installation specialists Lauda Instalacje who proposed a Nexo sound system comprising a pair of the French manufacturer’s ID84 column speakers mounted either side of the main screen, with LF extension from two ultra-compact LS400 subs mounted and hidden on the wall to the right. Processing and amplification are provided by Nexo’s DT

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21 May 2024

UK - Cardiff-based Magnum PA and SR Productions enjoy an ongoing strategic partnership, with Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision series line array at the heart of it. While Magnum PA carries the flagship WPL in its inventory, SR supports the versatile WPC in its hire fleet - so that between the two companies, the Martin Audio box count exceeds 150.

To further strengthen the offering, both companies frequently partner with Bristol-based SWG Events, offering a formidable collective inventory. Long-standing SR Productions client Orchard Media and Events Group recently required a solution to cover delegates for Admiral Group’s annual staff general meeting at Utilita Arena Cardiff.

A main hang of 12 WPL per side was supported by an out-fill of eight WPC per side, while centre-fill duties were carried out by four TORUS T820 and monitors by four LE200s.

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21 May 2024

Damage Limitation - The UK risks "self-inflicted economic and diplomatic damage" if it does not take action to strengthen its creative industries, a new report has warned. To combat this, the report has made a series of recommendations, including the creation of a ‘soft-power council’ representing "the diversity of British talent" in government and "making requisite changes across the visa system to ensure it is fit for purpose for the creative industries".

The report has been produced by University of the Arts London and Erskine Analysis and is designed to "examine the critical role of the creative industries as a source of economic growth".

Entitled Keeping the UK’s Creative Industries Globally Competitive: a Playbook to Protect Our Future Prosperity and Security, the report calls the creative industries "both a huge strength and in

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20 May 2024

Sweden - Standard Audio Systems AB has been appointed Renkus-Heinz distributor for Sweden.

Karl Kahlau, CEO of Standard Audio Systems AB, comments, "We are honoured to be appointed as Renkus-Heinz's exclusive distributor in Sweden. The brand’s reputation for excellence aligns perfectly with our mission to provide our customers with cutting-edge audio solutions. With the ICONYX Series among the other exceptional product ranges from Renkus-Heinz, we are confident in our ability to meet the diverse audio needs of our clients."    

Standard Audio Systems AB distributes a portfolio of professional audio products across Sweden, offering technical support and services where necessary. This new partnership with Renkus-Heinz expands Standard Audio Systems’ portfolio with a selection of innovative products, including the renowned ICONYX Series.   

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20 May 2024

Australia - Based on Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s fairy tale La Belle et la Bête, Disney’s Beauty & the Beast was the first full-length stage show to be produced by the newly created Disney Theatrical Productions (DTP) company. The musical has since grossed more than $1.7bn worldwide and played in 15 countries and 115 cities and remains one of Broadway’s biggest successes.

A new Australian production – based on the 2021 UK revival - is currently mid-way through a tour across Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. This latest production features sound from KV2 Audio, designed by sound designer and long-time Disney collaborator, John Shivers.

Shivers first started work on Beauty and the Beast for the Shanghai production in 2018. He and his associate designers, Kevin Kennedy and Greg Pink along with sound engineer Andy Sha