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25 April 2024

UK - The multi-award-winning musical Hamilton has selected ETC fixtures and control for its UK and Ireland tour. The hit musical – which has already been a huge success around the world – is composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and tells the story of America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton.

ETC dealer Encore supplied the equipment for the tour which included High End Systems Halcyon Titanium and Halcyon Platinum automated fixtures, Source Four LED Series 2 Lustr entertainment luminaires, and Eos Apex 10, Gio @5, Ion Xe and Ion XE RPU for lighting control.

The Hamilton productions around the world utilise lighting equipment which was released over a decade ago and the team working on the UK and Ireland tour were ready for a change. They wanted lighting solutions that would make this tour more sustainable in terms of power consum

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25 April 2024

Taiwan - The Taipei Performing Arts Centre (TPAC), which contains three performance spaces – The Grand Theatre, the Globe Playhouse, and the Blue Box, has recently invested in 40 x Robe Spiider LED wash beam luminaires, which will help light an array different of productions staged at the venue.

Production values are high on the agenda at TPAC which has around 150 full time employees, a third of whom are designated to work across assorted technical disciplines, including TPAC senior technical officer Yi-Ming Liu (AKA Birdie), who explained that Robe’s Spiider was the “most powerful and efficient solution with the best range of authentic colour temperature whites and optimal energy savings for all types of production design”. He was instrumental in picking the Spiiders, together with TPAC’s head of lighting, Pang-Yan Lin Ling, and others from the li

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25 April 2024

USA – Artis—Naples is a leading destination for the visual and performing arts in Southwest Florida. The Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus in Naples includes two performance halls: the Frances Pew Hayes Hall and the Myra J. Daniels Pavilion, as well as The Baker Museum and the Stabile Education building.

Most recently, the 283-seat Daniels Pavilion, whose diverse range of programmes includes music, film, dance, comedy, lectures, and exhibitions featuring international artists, received an upgrade in the form of a new DiGiCo Quantum225 console, used for both front-of-house and monitor mixing duties, and sourced through Fort Lauderdale-based Carlton Audio Services.

“The Daniels Pavilion hosts a really wide range of performances, from lectures to chamber music to rock bands, so our console has to be as versatile as the venue

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25 April 2024

UK - After playing a stretch of intimate in-store shows at independent record shops across the nation to announce their debut album I Wonder If The World Knows, The K's arrived at one of their local concert venues, the 1000-cap, Grade II-listed Parr Hall in Warrington on 10 April.

To ensure an optimum audio experience for their fans, Martin Audio rental partner, dBS Solutions were brought in to provide their flagship WPS (Wavefront Precision) scalable line array. This was set in a ground-stacked configuration, as due to weight limitation flying the PA wasn’t an option.

The WPS was mounted, six-a-side, on a single SXCF118 cardioid sub, while a further six WS218X subs were arranged in a broadside array in the pit, for maximum LF grunt. Providing front-fill coverage were four Martin Audio WPM, in two-box stacks.

Meanwhile, in the balc

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25 April 2024

Europe - Elation has launched a new range of high-impact beam lights with the Proteus Radius, a compact, high intensity IP66 Beam FX fixture powered by a Solid-State Phosphor-Converted (SSPC) light engine. Elation garnered industry acclaim in 2017 as the first company to incorporate Phosphor source technology into a moving head and now the company has ‘brought the technology to the next level’.

The Proteus Radius delivers a realm of creative possibilities, projecting narrow and intensely powerful beams that reach astounding distances. Its efficient 100W SSPC light engine delivers an ultra-intense 0.9˚ beam. Designed for both indoor and outdoor applications, the powerful beams combine with a full complement of design features that allow designers to compose an array of aerial effects with ease.

The SSPC engine produces a dense beam similar to a l

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25 April 2024

USA - X-Laser recently released its Triton T Series of IP64 laser projectors, the Triton T-5 (five watts) and Triton T-2 (two watts). These all-new fixtures feature a compact housing that enables quick, flexible rigging and maintains IP64 protection in either the upright or the flat orientation. A true “clean sheet” design made specifically for the professional lighting market, the Triton T Series fixtures are the first production-grade IP64 lasers to be fully engineered and built in the U.S, says X-Laser.

Under the hood, the Triton T Series carries full RGB direct-injection laser diode modules, tuned for balance and colour mixing on par with today’s “traditional” lighting fixtures. Triton T Series lasers capably produce colours that are typically difficult for lasers to achieve, such as berry, orange and lime, giving lighting designers creative fr

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25 April 2024

Europe – Prolights has introduced the AetherBox LITE, a single-universe wireless CRMX transceiver designed to enhance lighting control in professional installations while staying within budget.

This device provides industry professionals with a practical and reliable solution in wireless lighting control technology. Its compatibility with W-DMX and LumenRadio CRMX protocols ensures steady, interference-free signal transmission, crucial for the success of any lighting setup.

The AetherBox LITE offers various power and signal transmission options, including In/Out connections via panel-mounted connectors or terminal blocks. Its innovative design supports installation on tracks equipped with data buses, facilitating seamless signal transmission adaptable to various applications.

The AetherBox LITE is a wireless control solution suitable for a

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24 April 2024

USA - Bose Professional has announced the launch of a new US sales organisation, marking a milestone in the newly independent company’s evolution.

For over 50 years, Bose Professional has developed audio technology that allows systems to be easily designed, installed and operated for performance and commercial applications. Today, their systems can be heard worldwide in workplaces, houses of worship, universities, restaurants, retail stores, hotels, performing arts centres, stadiums and more.

Acquired in April 2023 by Transom Capital, an operations-focused private equity firm, Bose Professional retained its core engineering, product management and marketing teams at launch and has been building and expanding its autonomous operations and infrastructure at a rapid pace over the last four quarters.

The new sales model includes a robust mix of

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24 April 2024

USA – Shure and Neat have announced an alliance to deliver an enhanced meeting experience in large and acoustically challenging spaces.

By joining forces, Shure and Neat ensure seamless integration between Neat Bar Pro, a powerful video meeting bar from Neat, and multiple Shure Microflex Ecosystem Solutions, providing uncompromised audio and video in complex workspaces, say the companies.

"Our alliance with Neat brings the best of video and audio into a single room”, says Peter James, VP global business development at Shure. "Our integrated solutions can now easily be installed where customers want to have both a front of room all in one device and extraordinary audio coverage throughout the space. We are thrilled to be providing a first-of-its-kind combination for large conferencing environments that will provide better experiences and more reli

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24 April 2024

UK - Manchester-based audio specialists, tube uk, has taken delivery of a new d&b KSL line array speaker system plus assorted rigging elements in a significant investment underlining the strength, diversity and buoyance of tube’s business and operational planning for the immediate and longer-term future.

This initial order comprises 20 x KSL8 and four KSL12 top cabinets plus eight KSL-SUBS, a complete new system which is added to tube’s existing stocks of d&b Y and V-Series together with the associated D80 amplifiers that the company already owns.

tube works extensively in the music, performance, arts, and corporate / industrial event sectors, also specialising in managing audio for quirky, complex, and challenging projects.

Since the post-pandemic restart, shows have been steadily growing, getting more sonically ambitious and bei

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24 April 2024

Finland – The popular TV contest Tähdet, tähdet returned for 2024 with a host of singers belting out numbers ranging from 1980s pop to Eurovision classics. Broadcast on Finnish channel Nelonen, audiences watched performances backed by nine Roe Vanish V8T LED screens with live and pre-made content manipulated using tvONE's Green Hippo brand of Hippotizer Media Servers.

“The set design required visual appeal tailored to the viewers both in the studio and at home,” explains Varpu Sipilä from Finnish visual design company Visual45, which was brought in to create the lighting and visual elements. “Lighting design and operation, as well as video content production and operation, played a significant role. Particularly, the use of video surfaces was emphasized to enhance the atmosphere of the performances.”

On stage, the Visual45 team

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24 April 2024

Germany - When updating its auditorium lighting, the historic opera house on Hamburg's Dammtorstraße opted for LED double-focus downlights from Erco, achieving not only energy savings in excess of 80 per cent but also lighting quality and high visual comfort.

The citizens of Hamburg take great pride in their opera house, a cultural institution with a lineage tracing back to the original opera house at Gänsemarkt, established in 1678. In 1827, it found its new home on Dammtorstraße. Today, under the leadership of general music director Kent Nagano, the State Opera stands as one of Europe's premier opera houses.

The existing structure, designed by architect Gerhard Weber (1909-1986), was inaugurated in 1955. Recognised as a protected monument, it features a spacious glass façade and an elegant auditorium that accommodates 1,690 spectators.

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24 April 2024

Japan - ARTA Mechanics & Inspirations is a converted warehouse in the Shinkiba area of Tokyo that serves as a hub where visitors can immerse themselves in the complete ARTA brand experience. The installation of Genelec’s 4000 Series loudspeakers throughout the space elevates that experience.

ARTA's journey began in 1997 as a project aimed at nurturing world-class drivers. Born from a collaboration between Japan's leading F1 racing driver, Aguri Suzuki, and leading Japanese car parts manufacturer, Autobacs Seven, today ARTA is the largest racing team in Japan. Aside from its racing endeavours, ARTA is also a recognisable brand with a range of high quality, luxury products to its name including custom cars, watches, and apparel. The inception of ARTA Mechanics and Inspirations was a pivotal step in promoting the significance of the brand, offering a show

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24 April 2024

USA - British progressive metal band Haken recently wrapped their North American tour with a lighting package provided by Bandit Lites. An Evening with Haken featured the band playing their recent record Fauna in its entirety as well as fan favourites. Lighting designer Harry Merrison of Hazzmo sought to formulate a new lighting design that would be simple yet memorable as well as compact and easily constructed.

“We wanted to create something that could match the versatility of Haken’s music,” explained Merrison. “With the progressive rock/metal genre Haken write, there’s a lot of ebbs and flows, lots of opportunity to create different looks and lighting styles. With the music bouncing between heavy metal riffs, classic rock, big ballad, electronic, and everything in-between, the rig needed to be capable of matching every energy a

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24 April 2024

France - The distinctive folded concrete triangular-shaped vaulted ceiling of the CNIT (National Centre for Industry and Technology) building at the La Défense CBD in Paris has been subtly illuminated with Anolis Calumma XL SC LED luminaires.

This new lighting project is part of a modernisation initiative led by architect Jean-Luc Crochon of Cro&Co Architecture who approached BOA Light Studio to create a plan to enhance the underside of the ceiling with lighting.

The scheme is designed to bring a ‘living-breathing’ resonance to the structure, pulling the texturing, nuance and luminance of daylight and the sky outside into the shell-like atrium space of the building that now houses multiple shops, retail outlets and offices as well as a hotel and convention centre.

The brief from the client, the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield management te

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23 April 2024

USA - Sphere Entertainment presented a special Exosphere content show in celebration of Earth Day featuring work from multi-Grammy Award-winning Grateful Dead and Dead & Company percussionist Mickey Hart, and filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg.

Hart’s and Schwartzberg’s artwork combined into an 11-minute content show that ran through the day. Their art featured individually at various times throughout the day as well. Hart and Schwartzberg are the latest artists to design for the Exosphere as part of Sphere’s XO/Art programme, which features artists’ work on Sphere’s immersive exterior. 

“Our XO/Art programme continues to make art available and accessible to the public in a highly innovative and unique way, both in Las Vegas and around the world,” said Jennifer Koester, president, Sphere Business Operations at Sphere Entertainment. “Mi

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23 April 2024

UK - It is a year since Lightroom, a performance space in the heart of London’s King’s Cross, opened its doors. The Moonwalkers is the latest experience at the London venue, following the successful David Hockney show, Bigger and Closer (not smaller and further away).

In this experience, The Holoplot X1 Matrix Array helps to transport audiences ‘out of this world’, showcasing the impact of its powerful software toolset on the creative workflow and audio quality.

This new production is narrated and co-written by Tom Hanks and includes original NASA audio. The score is composed by Anne Nitkin and was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Tom Hanks said in a recent interview, “There’s 1,000s of speakers here, and when the music begins, it’s not coming from a particular source, it’s coming

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23 April 2024

UK - Johnny Marr embarked on his UK tour, The Spirit Power, earlier this month, finishing at Rock City, Nottingham on 14 April.

Lighting designer Ed Warren, of Next Level Lights, put together a compact yet impactful lighting design for the 10-date tour with Ayrton laser-sourced Cobra fixtures playing a key role.

The full rig included 16 Ayrton Cobra rigged on two over-stage trusses with four more Cobra units sited upstage of the band, the latter of which formed the touring floor package.

“We used them as big, bright wash lights with which to blast through the performers and backline,” explains Warren, “and as very tight, bright beam lights moving ominously around the venue for the more ‘clubby’ dance moments.

“But the main reason I chose them was for the big mirrorball moments later in the set. I wanted to see the

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23 April 2024

Austria - Tim Ferns from Swiss sound design collective, audiopool, recently specified a 64-channel TiMax SoundHub as the foundation of their design for Rock Me Amadeus, Vereinigte Bühne Wien (VBW)’s latest in-house production, playing at Vienna’s Ronacher theatre.

Called on by VBW as trusted audio design partners to create an immersive and intimate audio environment to engage the audience closely with the lavish and complex production, audiopool’s Tim Ferns asserts, “There was no other choice but to implement this with TiMax.”

Rock Me Amadeus chronicles the tumultuous life and 23-year career of the Austrian pop star and showman Johann ‘Hans’ Hölzl, better known by his stage name Falco. The fast-paced and complex production incorporated a diversity of musical numbers ranging from 80’s synth pop to power ballads, choral parts

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23 April 2024

UK - Within 15 minutes of completing victory over Preston North End on Easter Monday, Birmingham City’s St. Andrews stadium had been transformed into a rock concert venue.

The production team behind the staging - enabling local heroes UB40 to kick off their world tour and announce their new UB45 album release - was Martin Audio partner, 22live.

At the same time the football club was able to reveal its new branding. Henceforth known as St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, the stadium provided an appropriate setting for this post match entertainment. But first 22live, led by Paul Timmins, had many challenges to overcome - not least where to site the 15 ground stacks of Martin Audio WPC and WPS line array, as well as the speed of deployment to get the show underway immediately after the final whistle.

“I always wanted to do this really