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18 March 2025

South Africa - Johannesburg-based rental and production company MGG has made a sizable investment in new Robe moving lights, taking delivery of 76 x fixtures from Robe’s Southern Africa distributor, DWR Distribution, including the first iForte and iForte LTXs and the first SVB1 luminaires on the continent of Africa.

The total order comprised 24 x iFortes, 48 x SVB1s, and four iForte LTXs which are for use with the four RoboSpot BaseStations they already own.

MGG – which this year celebrates its 25th birthday – started as a small company when owner and managing director Mark Gaylard was still at school and running mobile discos. It has steadily grown and become a highly successful and visible technical supplier in South Africa. MGG purchased its first Robe products in 2008 – eight ColorMix 250 ATs.

“Robust build quality and longevity

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18 March 2025

Sweden - Dear Evan Hansen, the award-winning musical about a high school senior with social anxiety, received its Swedish premiere in Stockholm on 23 January at the Intiman Theatre. The show has been creatively lit by renowned Swedish lighting designer, Palle Palmé, using only Ayrton Rivale Profiles. Ayrton is distributed exclusively in Sweden by Topstage.

Palmé explains his decision to use only Rivale Profiles in his design. “My first design intention was to create different sized ‘rooms’ using light, so I looked for a mid-size moving light with great shutter blades and an extraordinary colour mix.

“I was very happy with Rivale’s shutters which are extremely accurate compared to those of other brands. They allowed me to sharply shutter the ‘rooms’ and focus the audience on where the action takes place.

“I also foun

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18 March 2025

Israel - The Israel Expo Centre in Tel Aviv has undergone a significant audio upgrade with the implementation of L-Acoustics L-ISA Hyperreal technology for the two-and-a-half-month Tozeret Haaretz event series. This marks a pivotal shift from traditional temporary sound systems to a consistent, high-precision audio environment capable of accommodating varied performance requirements while maintaining exceptional sound quality.

Sincopa, an L-Acoustics certified provider with over 20 years of industry expertise, engineered a flexible 7.1 frontal configuration that addresses the venue's specific acoustic challenges while providing accurate sound reproduction for audiences of up to 6,500 attendees.

The technical implementation features five main hangs of one L2 and one L2D, complemented by two extensions of nine Kara II loudspeakers on each side

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18 March 2025

UK - The National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) in London has won numerous awards for its musical theatre and musical productions. What makes it special is that the actors are all teenagers and young adults between the ages of 11 and 23 who are cast during extensive auditions. The list of famous graduates is long and ranges from Jessie J to Idris Elba and Jude Law.

In the 2024 summer season, the NYMT performed three musicals at London’s Southwark Playhouse Theatre: Into the Woods, Catastrophe Bay and Our House. Three different lighting designers were in charge of the lighting design. All of whom share a few things in common: the joy of working with young people on and off the stage – and a lighting rig consisting of various Cameo lights.

As the three musicals were performed virtually back to back, the three lighting design

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18 March 2025

USA - A 50th anniversary is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone, but in the fleeting world of television, even a decade on air is a rare achievement. When Saturday Night Live prepared to celebrate its golden anniversary, perfection was the only option. The high point of the show’s multi-event commemoration was SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert, broadcast live on NBC, SNL’s long-time network home, and streamed on Peacock from Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, as well as at select IMAX Theaters at Regal Cinemas.

As much known for its musical performances as for its comedy, SNL has been a progressive stage for music throughout its 50 years, with performances by artists of every era of those years as well as a launchpad for new voices.

Artists returning to recreate the magic for this singular event included Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Dave Grohl,

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18 March 2025

Singapore - Mandai Wildlife Group’s Night Safari has unveiled its latest attraction, the Pangolin Trail, an extension of the renowned Creatures of the Night trail. Comprising of several enclosures that showcase the natural habitats of nocturnal animals, the Pangolin Trail experience is enhanced by Martin architectural lighting fixtures, designed and deployed by lighting consultants, Light Collab.

The design brief called for a seamless integration of light and darkness to mimic the serene effect of moonlight, creating an environment where nocturnal animals would feel at ease while remaining active and visible to visitors. Light Collab worked closely with the Martin APAC team to implement a carefully curated lighting system using 27 fixtures from Martin’s Exterior Wash family. These luminaires were strategically placed a

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18 March 2025

Poland - Recognised as one of the world’s leading EDM festivals, Don’t Let Daddy Know (DLDK) has evolved from an Ibiza club night into a global phenomenon, staging high-energy events in over 20 countries.

The latest edition at Ergo Arena in Gdańsk, one of Poland’s premier multifunctional venues, featured a world-class lineup - including Axwell, Benny Benassi, and Nicky Romero - drawing thousands of passionate electronic music fans.

To deliver an audio experience worthy of the event’s scale, Poland-based rental firm Gondek Sound - a prominent player in the region’s high-profile EDM scene - supplied an Outline sound system engineered for precision, power, and clarity.

The main PA comprised Outline GTO C-12 arrays, reinforced by DBS 18-2 subwoofers for deep, controlled low-end. Out-fill coverage relied on Outline Sup

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18 March 2025

UK - For Edinburgh's popular two-day FLY Festival at Princes Gardens, Nick Jevons opted to go with a single lighting fixture model for the 40m-long main stage: the Chauvet Professional Colorado PXL Bar 16 supplied by Liteup. The festival featured the music of internationally acclaimed DJs from Peggy Gou to Henrik Schwarz.

"Convincing others that the concept of having one fixture type would work to deliver enough different looks for a two-day dance festival was a challenge," said Jevons. "I’m proud to say the results did not disappoint."

Persuading everyone to go alone with his one fixture plan was one of the challenges Jevons faced, the other was to ensure that the two rows of 1,000 x 139 x 273mm (39.37 x 5.47 x 10.75 in) fixtures in his design, each consisting of 40 units, were aligned in two straight lines. He credits the production team

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18 March 2025

USA - Owned and operated by the Muscogee Nation, the River Spirit Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma is a premier entertainment destination offering a range of gaming, dining and live entertainment experiences. Among its highlights is the new Gridiron Sportsbar, the largest sports viewing bar in the State.

Headquartered in Ireland and London, AV design specialists, Audiotek, were introduced to the project by builders and fabricators i5 Design and were tasked with designing and installing a new, advanced audio and video (IPTV) system throughout the space, which also incorporates two TopGolf swing suites (golf simulators), the Locker Room banquet suite and VIP lounge.

The system needed to support a variety of content, from live sports broadcasts to special events, with consistently reliable and high-quality audio and video. AV-over-IP services needed to be inte

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18 March 2025

UK - The Canto series of installation loudspeakers is now available in the UK through the Italian manufacturer’s British distribution partner, FBT Audio (UK). The product was initially launched at the 2024 edition of ISE before shipping towards the end of the year and is now available in the UK for the first time.

The Canto family has been designed, engineered and manufactured in Italy to be a versatile range of installation loudspeakers capable of delivering high-quality sound across a variety of environments. Engineered with FBT's commitment to exceptional clarity, these speakers are ideal for venues requiring reliable and immersive sound reinforcement.

The six-member family offers a variety of solutions. The Canto 3CT is the smallest member of the series featuring a 3” woofer and a 0.6” tweeter. The two-way coaxial passive speaker with 100V/

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18 March 2025

USA - PK Sound has formally released the Tx Series of intelligent multi-purpose point source modules, beginning with the versatile Tx14 and Tx26. Configured and controlled via PK .dynamics software, the Tx Series complements PK Sound’s Trinity range of robotic line source systems to offer a complete solution for ‘a myriad of mobile and installed applications’.

“The Tx Series embodies our product philosophy of handling the widest possible array of applications with the fewest individual products,” shares Colton Schmidt, engineering manager with PK Sound. “The Tx14 and Tx26 offer premium standalone performance with onboard DSP, AVB networking, and unmatched peak SPLs in their respective classes. Combined with our robotic line array solutions, these versatile Milan-ready tools augment a complete system offering with an unprecedented degree of contro

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18 March 2025

Czech Republic - TAF’s new PA Vertical Tower 1 (PAV1) is trusted by the world’s leading rental companies and event professionals who need to safely hang big, heavy line arrays at their important large-scale events.

The PAV1 features a specially designed top section with hanging points and utilises TAF’s heavy-duty HT44 or TT44 truss segments in its construction. It will support loads up to 1,000kg (2,205 lbs) at heights up to 8m (26.2ft). To ensure extreme stability, its robust base accepts ballast up to 2,000kg (4,410 lbs) and comes with four height adjustable spindles for optimising horizontal levelling on uneven ground.

The versatile design of the PAV1 also allows it to serve as a standalone tower for stages or provide stable support for LED walls.

TAF PAV1 features:

• 1,000kg (2,205 lbs) max. loading
• 8m (26.2f

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18 March 2025

Europe - Coda Audio continues to place strong emphasis on responding to customer needs and requests, as evidenced by its latest updates to System Optimiser and the Linus Control platform.

A Coda Audio steering group, coordinated by Coda’s global sales support manager Robin Dibble, combines experienced members of its development team with a range of leading professional end users from the wider audio universe to consult on ways to best serve users in real-world situations.

Robin Dibble comments: “Our steering group is invaluable in ensuring that we are able to respond with agility to the requirements and suggestions of our customers. The latest improvements not only improve existing performance but allow for exciting future developments.” 

In the latest developments, System Optimiser’s 3D modelling now benefits from the inclusion of v

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18 March 2025

Next Generation - A major entertainment centre is fundraising to invest £20m into a new academy to develop the next generation of musicians. The Glasshouse in Gateshead is aiming to support young musicians throughout their education and help them build a career in music. Over the next two years, the academy will open four ‘music learning hot spots’ in Middlesbrough, Carlisle, Sunderland and Kendal.

The organisation said the scheme had been designed to ensure young musicians could take their next step in developing their talent, whether that be picking up an instrument for the first time or pursuing a career.

Glasshouse CEO Abigail Pogson said the centre, previously called The Sage, had worked for the last 20 years to be a place people of all ages could make and experience music. She said: "The Glasshouse Academy builds on this f

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17 March 2025

UK - Adlib returned to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall stage earlier this month for the largest annual music industry careers event for young people in the North of England. The team engaged with attendees to discuss career paths and showcase the inspiring roles available in the live events industry.

Over 700 people attended the 2025 Liverpool Philharmonic Music Industry Careers Fest, which was delivered in partnership with Universal Music, Spotify, UK Music, PLASA, LIPA, Revere Arts, and LIMF Academy.

Adlib has a long-standing tradition of supporting the next generation of talent through regular open days at Adlib HQ, as well as providing work experience, apprenticeship opportunities, and participation in Early Careers events.

Lisa Mitchell, training and development, Adlib comments: "We’ve been delighted to support the Liverpool Phil

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17 March 2025

UK - Rise AV, an organisation dedicated to promoting gender diversity and professional development in the AV, live, and residential technology sectors, has announced the launch of its inaugural UK Mentoring Programme Agenda. Starting in May, the six-month initiative is designed to empower women by providing invaluable support to those with up to six years of experience, as well as those at the start of their career journey.

The Rise AV Mentoring Programme is made possible through the essential support of leading industry organisations that share the programme’s commitment to empowering women and upskilling the workforce to safeguard the future of the AV sector. Thanks to the generosity of Rise AV’s industry partners and the dedication of its esteemed mentors, participation in the programme is free of charge.

Rise AV extends its thanks to headline

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17 March 2025

China - On 13 March, Absen hosted its Spring Launch event, to present its latest innovations for the ProAV market. The event, themed Pioneering Pixels: Shaping the Future, brought together more than 70 clients and partners from around the world to connect, gain valuable insights into emerging trends and showcase Absen's latest innovations and strategic vision for the future.

The event kicked off with keynote speeches by Absen’s senior leadership team, outlining the brand’s positioning and strategy for the coming year. The team emphasised Absen's commitment to pioneering advancements in pro AV technologies with an in-depth introduction to the company's latest product launches.

The new products pre-launched included the Absen X V2 Series, featuring all-in-one LED display solutions for conference and corporate applications with 2K+

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17 March 2025

Singapore - Claypaky fixtures scored big at the World Table Tennis Grand Smash Singapore 2025, where a large complement of Sharpy X Frames and Sharpy Washes were deployed for competition lighting and for audience-pleasing sports presentations that kept fans’ energy high.

The six-year-old organisation which runs commercialised table tennis tournaments, WTT considers its Grand Smashes to be the pillars of the sport and the most important events in the table tennis calendar. The WTT series started its Singapore leg in 2021 with Gabriel Chan acting as lighting designer/programmer. Singapore hosted the inaugural WTT Grand Smash tournament in 2022 and has since been the cradle of Grand Smash tournaments around the world.

According to Gabriel Chan the lighting design for the Singapore Grand Smash needs to fulfil three functions. The fiel

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17 March 2025

USA - The Dolby Theatre was filled with anticipation as audio engineers and broadcast professionals utilised Shure’s technology to deliver quality audio at the 97th Academy Awards.

With a dedicated team of experts and a robust lineup of Shure gear, including TwinPlex lavalier microphones and Axient Digital wireless systems, the event's audio production once again set the standard for live television broadcasting.

The crew list included A1 broadcast, Paul Sandweiss; music mixer, Biff Dawes; orchestra mixer, Tommy Vicari; monitors, Michael Parker; orchestra monitors, Tom Pesa; FOH, Patrick Batzell and RF frequency coordinator, Steve Vaughn. 

Jeremy Peters, monitor engineer for Doja Cat, comments: “We started using the Nexadyne microphone to capture the full spectrum of Doja Cat’s vocal abilities, from her softer rapping to her powerful,

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17 March 2025

South Africa - For over two decades, Johannesburg-based Keystone Productions has delivered quality shows, product launches, and conferences. Their team of experts provides full technical support, including live audio, lighting, screens, streaming, video mapping, stage effects, and staging.

Recently, Justin and Jonathan Le Roux, the brothers behind Keystone, identified a gap in their audio department. After years without a major console upgrade, they knew it was time to invest in a solution to elevate their productions. Following a few months of research and consultation with trusted sound engineers, the decision was clear – a DiGiCo S21 from DWR Distribution.

“We still had a few of our older consoles in rotation, but as our broadcast and live event workload grew, we needed a desk that could keep up with demand,” says Justin Le Roux. “We talke