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Cycling congress relies on Bosch Dicentis

The multi-day event took place across two venues in the city of Wollongong

Details: 17 May 2023

Australia - Hosting the UCI Road World Championships - an eight-day celebration of cycling - requires a high level of co-ordination and planning. To ensure that everything runs smoothly for its flagship event, the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) convenes a congress in the host city to make all the resolutions to facilitate the event, deciding on management, budgets, admitting national federations, ethics, and upholding the UCI constitution.
Ahead of the championships in the city of Wollongong, the event organising committee called on the skill set of Congress Australia to ensure the smooth delivery of the UCI Congress. When it came to the conference solution, the Dicentis conference system by Bosch turned out to be the best solution for the event.
The multi-day event

A recent Guildhall School event,s which used projection mapping to enhance immersion (photo: Sophie Harbinson)

Guildhall School grows Extended Reality facility

Details: 17 May 2023

UK - Guildhall School of Music & Drama has confirmed the award of over £900,000 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to develop a new research facility for Extended Reality (XR) production arts. The grant is one of the largest research-related funding awards Guildhall School has received to date.
The grant will be used to fund the procurement of two significant pieces of audio-visual hardware as well as IT equipment, together creating a dedicated studio for research into Extended Reality. Through the use of cutting-edge technology, Extended Reality allows for either an entirely virtual world, or an experience in which the physical and virtual worlds are merged.
The research into this technology will help create conceptual environments for training performers, whether that be recreating opera houses for metaverse performances, or developing choreogr

L-ISA immersive technology and Mixhalo powered an enhanced listener experience at Aerosmith’s Deuces Are Wild residency in Las Vegas (photo: Zack Whitford)

Mixhalo strikes distribution deal with L-Acoustics

Details: 17 May 2023

USA - Mixhalo, a low latency networking technology that unlocks high-fidelity, augmented audio for fans at live events, has announced L-Acoustics’ comprehensive spatial audio ecosystem, the L-ISA 3.0. will now come pre-loaded with Mixhalo’s proprietary wireless networking technology as part of L-ISA 3.0 release.
Mixhalo is the first external application L-Acoustics will offer via L-ISA Processor II. Clients using L-ISA Processor II will now be able to leverage Mixhalo to deliver ultra-low-latency spatial audio directly to fans via their own phones and headphones. Because Mixhalo’s technology automatically and dynamically time-aligns with loudspeakers, it can complement a PA system perfectly, offering multiple mixes - such as a guitar mix in music, real-time play-by-play in sports, a foreign language interpretation at a conference, or L-ISA spatial audio over headphones

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Case Study: Hans Zimmer Live

When award winning film composer Hans Zimmer brought his smash-hit tour Hans Zimmer Live to North America fall 2024, the show's audio team sought out to bring infrafrequency bass to the show to add new depth to the show's audio experience. The team chose Danley Sound Labs.

The new entertainment venue Studio 36 operates at all three resorts (photo: James Cumpsty)

Butlin’s switches on to Sennheiser Digital 6000

Details: 17 May 2023

UK - Long-established holiday destination Butlin's offers ‘action packed family breaks, adult only Big Weekenders and memorable conferences and events’. To enhance the overall guest experience, Butlin's has partnered with technical production and AV hire company Sound of Music to introduce Sennheiser Digital 6000 wireless microphone systems across all three resorts.
In addition to providing audio quality, the rider-friendly Digital 6000 offers flexibility and versatility for hosting events of varying sizes in Butlin's entertainment venues. Whether it is a large conference or an intimate gathering, Digital 6000 can be easily adapted to meet the needs of most events.
Andrew Sugg, technical entertainments manager at Butlin’s, was first introduced to the Digital 6000 just before the COVID-19 pandemic began. The team were experiencing interference issues, so Kevin Gwy

Creative Technology provided a variety of LED solutions

Creative Technology lights Eurovision 2023 stage

Details: 17 May 2023

UK - Creative Technology was an official supplier of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 - commissioned by Luke Mills and Gary Beestone of GBA on behalf of BBC Studios to provide a variety of LED solutions to bring together the impressive stage design by Julio Himede, realised by technical team headed up by Matthias Kublik alongside lighting designer, Tim Routledge.
With the event’s theme being United by Music, the stage design concept was created to reflect this - resembling a wide hug, the entire architecture of the set symbolises welcoming the people of Ukraine and Europe with open arms. Taking centre stage were seven ROE Black Quartz LED towers, two larger outer towers measuring 4x10 m and five slightly smaller inner towers measuring 3x10 m.
The towers were attached to an automation system supplied by Belgium-based company Wicreations. These systems no

Electric Airshows' Chris Crockford (left) with new recruit - lighting designer John Bishop - and the new 'out of the box' drone solution on show at PLASA Focus Leeds

Electric Airshows thinking outside the box at PLASA Focus

Details: 16 May 2023

UK - Electric Airshows, the only drone show company currently in PLASA’s membership, revealed two major advances at the popular PLASA Focus Leeds trade show in early May.
First up, the specialist provider of drone light shows gave the production industry its first glimpse of a brand-new, ‘out of the box’ solution that signals the future of fast drone show implementation for entertainment. At the same time, the company introduced another major step forward with the addition of award-winning lighting designer (and trained drone pilot!) John Bishop, to its growing team.
The ingenious new flightcase system offers rapid deployment for drone light shows. With 12 drones ready to fly out of - and back into! - each protective case, the system promises to significantly speed-up the laborious process of prepping and laying out a swarm of drones for an aerial display. Impor

The Week in Light & Sound

Details: 16 May 2023

Business Boost - Liverpool businesses have described "footfall like Christmas" thanks to an estimated influx of 500,000 visitors during Eurovision events in the city. Hotels, restaurants and shops enjoyed a huge boost as Liverpool hosted what city region mayor said was the "most successful Eurovision Song Contest".
Sweden's Loreen won the honours in the grand final on Saturday. But Liverpool is also a winner with up to £250m in economic benefits over the next two years, Steve Rotheram said. Up to 500,000 extra visitors flocked to the city during the EuroFestival between 1-13 May, according to early footfall data and figures from Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council said.
The city council said Liverpool ONE saw a 32% growth in numbers compared to the same period last year - with some days seeing increases as high as 53% - and more than 500,000 people

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zactrack mini - a briefcase-sized tracking solution

ACT shows zactrack mini at InfoComm 2023

Details: 16 May 2023

USA - ACT Entertainment will showcase its new zactrack mini at InfoComm 2023 (Booth 3643). This briefcase-sized tracking solution offers easy transport and deployment for areas of 15x15m, by a single person. Designed to introduce tracking to new users and spaces, the zactrack mini is suitable for smaller venues, exhibitions and conferences, individual performers, rental companies, houses of worship and more.
“With zactrack’s core value of providing a quality user experience at the center of this design, the zactrack mini boasts a smaller form factor with battery operated components and wireless connectivity for an even faster and easier setup,” says Ryan Hindinger, market manager: concert touring & live experiences, ACT Entertainment.
“It is also a more economically viable solution, opening the act of tracking and following to any application, designer or p

Chauvet shines on Marathon Monday show

Details: 16 May 2023

USA - Anyone who saw Flo Rida’s appearance at Boston College’s Marathon Monday would readily agree that the bold lightshow by Events United perfectly matched the music and the moment, even though both took place in the early afternoon.
“This was the second year we lit this event for One If By Land Productions,” says director of event productions, Chase Clark of Events United. “Boston College puts this event on to keep their students on campus during the Boston Marathon. Last year, Jason Derulo performed; and this year it was Flo Rida. Since the show takes place the same time as the Boston Marathon, our challenge is to create eye candy that looks sweet in sunlight.”
Clark acknowledges that overcast skies helped with the effort this year, but most of the credit for the bold and engaging show goes to the Events United team’s adroit use of a muscular rig that

TDM’s main newsroom studio (photo: ProHarmony Technology)

Macau TDM expands network with BroaMan

Details: 16 May 2023

China - Macau TDM (Teledifusão de Macau) provides public broadcasting news services in this special administrative region (SAR) of greater China. Running five digital terrestrial television channels, a satellite television channel and two radio channels, it has extended its HD network with the addition of four BroaMan Mux22 interfaces, provided by Hong Kong-based system integrators, ProHarmony Technology (PHT).
Macau itself is situated on China’s southern coast, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong, and the new installation is specifically to service requirements at their Macau HQ. PHT is a long-term service partner of the broadcasters, having worked with Macau TDM over the past 10 years; the latest provision of Mux22s expands the existing system, giving them six in total.
The multiplexer itself supports every signal in use in the professional environment, co

The light show can be seen throughout Seville

Sevilla Tower transformed by Showtec

Details: 16 May 2023

Spain - The Torre Sevilla in Seville is the tallest building in the Andalusia region and since Andalusia Day on 28 February, it has hosted a spectacular light show daily. PlanB, creators of the show, enlisted BGL to install the light fixtures that were supplied by EQC.
Thanks to the height of the Torre Sevilla, the light show can be seen throughout Seville. The light show illuminates the top of the building with constantly changing colours and patterns to create a fantastic visual spectacle.
At just over, one can only assume that BGL, the company who installed the light fixtures for the 180m high tower were supplied by EQC, who provided a total of 300 Showtec Cameleon Bar 16 outdoor light bars to fulfil the vision of PlanB.
The Cameleon Bar 16 is part of Showtec’s Cameleon series that also includes floodlights and spotlights, that are all capable of producing e

The new B/SPOKE Studio in South Boston, MA

B/SPOKE Studio powered to the sound of CDD

Details: 16 May 2023

USA - When audio-visual specialists ITI Systems installed a sound system at the new B/SPOKE Studio in South Boston, MA recently, it was their fourth such integration for founder Mark Partin’s cycling concept - and all four feature Martin Audio CDDs and subwoofers.
The Beltsville, MD-based integrators originally came onto Partin’s radar after he visited a club in New York that they had fitted out and was impressed with the sound quality. He knew what he wanted when it came to equipping his new boutique fitness studio concept, specialising in Indoor Cycling, Strength, and YOGA classes.
“ITI has now had the privilege of installing Martin Audio at all four locations over the past nine years, starting with B/SPOKE Downtown,” said system designer and project manager, Eugene Yi. Once again, he specified a combination of Martin Audio mission-critical solutions, focusi

To upgrade its lighting, GTV9 Melbourne turned to Prolights

Prolights brings control to GTV9 Studio

Details: 16 May 2023

Australia - When GTV9 Melbourne decided to update its lighting, it turned to Prolights, encouraged by the important presence of suppliers but also by the reputation of the brand. Having a fixture they could add more too, or replace in a short lead time, from any of the main Melbourne rental houses was a major consideration with the purchase.
The resulting package comprises: 22 EclFresnel TW ,11 EclFresnel 2KTW, 22 EclPanel TWC, 18 EclPanel TWCJr and 13 EclProfile CT+.
Since the installation, the studio has halved the fixture count in the rig from the old tungsten amount and there has been considerable savings in power. “Our staff have even commented on how cool the studios are these days,” remarked Daniel Saveski, senior lighting director at GTV9. “The best thing about LEDs is once the colour temperature is set there is no colour shift when lowering levels. This

Ayrton Cobra laser-sourced fixtures are the workhorses of the lighting design (photo: Martin Heining)

Ayrton Cobras light VNV Nation European tour

Details: 16 May 2023

Europe - VNV Nation, the Irish alternative electronic project led by singer, songwriter and producer, Ronan Harris, is currently on tour throughout Europe, promoting its new album, Electric Sun.
With music and lyrics ranging from melodic industrial dance anthems to haunting ballads and post-classical soundtrack pieces, VNV Nation is renowned for delivering live shows full of sound and light, energy and emotion.
Lighting and show designer, Martin Heining, of MHShowdesign, has worked with VNV Nation for eight years and understands well the style that excites him. “Ronan Harris is addicted to light,” he says. “He has strong visual ideas and loves beams, which I like to feature strongly in my designs.
“The moment Marc Lorenz (Ayrton’s designer relationship manager for Europe) showed me Cobra at his office and I saw its laser-sharp beam, it took me

The Australian Pink Floyd Show continues touring year-round (photo: David Fowler)

Robe helps TAPFS light Dark Side of the Moon

Details: 16 May 2023

Europe - The Australian Pink Floyd Show (TAPFS) continues touring year-round and has just finished a lengthy European arena tour.
Lighting designer Tom Mumby has worked with them since 2012, initially coming onboard as the projector tech, and then moving on to LD’ing and operating lighting in 2016. The Grimsby-based lighting rental company, Stage and Light, of which he is a director, is also the lighting vendor for all the UK and European touring work, and this latest design utilised 38 x Robe LED Beam 150s and 22 x Spiider wash beams.
The current aesthetic is based on a collage of many classic Floyd lightshow elements. The look is dominated by a 5m circular truss centre stage, which, together with strategically placed drapes masks off an LED wall behind. Video still plays a central role in all the song narratives.s
The 24 x LEDBeam 150s are spread evenly aroun

During the live event, Unusual had the task of operating the inner oval, the lighting pods and the on-stage lighting trusses

Unusual takes to the Eurovision stage

Details: 16 May 2023

UK - Gary Beestone Associates made Unusual Rigging their contractor of choice to supply the rigging and automation for Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool. The event, held at Liverpool’s M&S arena, was hosted on behalf of last year’s winner’s Ukraine and featured one of the entertainment world’s most complex stages.
As well as the rigging requirements of the show itself, Unusual was also contracted to supply the aerial rescue cover. With the set design finalised and ready from the get-go, the team had approximately 10 weeks of pre-production time for this huge-scale event. “Knowing exactly what we were working towards from day one was a huge benefit given the sheer quantity of work involved,” says Paul Rhodes, senior production rigger at Unusual.
He continues: “This year’s Eurovision set had a lot of automation. The set design required nearly 600 motors,

This year’s show saw a strong 20% increase in attendance from 2022

PLASA Focus Leeds 2023 brings business and buzz to the north

Details: 16 May 2023

UK - With record attendance, PLASA Focus Leeds 2023 proved itself yet again as the go-to trade event for the entertainment technology industry in the north of the UK as it returned to Royal Armouries from 9-10 May.
This year’s show saw a strong 20% increase in attendance from 2022 and a 5% increase from 2019, confirming the rising importance of in-person connections. Furthermore, this year saw 18% more students attending – a promising sign for the long-term prospects of the live sector.
Always popular for its inclusive layout and friendly atmosphere, PLASA Focus Leeds welcomed a diverse array of visitors, with organisers reporting that one in five were business directors or owners. The most common professions represented by visitors were engineers, technicians and programmers. Moreover, a third of visitors were final decision makers.
Tony Torlini, general m

Showtec exhibited their updated Lampy DMX console with V2 software

Highlite enjoys busy PLASA Focus Leeds

Details: 15 May 2023

UK - At PLASA Focus Leeds, Highlite International exhibited many of its lighting, audio, and audio-visual products, including a number of new entertainment solutions and innovations from Showtec, Infinity, DAP and Artecta.
For Highlite International, PLASA Focus Leeds offered a great opportunity to meet customers to discuss the latest developments in the entertainment market. The Highlite stand was the setting for a comprehensive presentation of a wide range of new products for entertainment lighting from Showtec and Infinity, audio solutions from DAP and architectural lighting from Artecta.
Showtec exhibited their updated Lampy DMX console with V2 software, which promises a huge step forward in functionality with multicell capabilities, a new professional colour picker, multi-touch support and up to 6 universes in combination with the new Lampy Re-Load 4 expansion kit

‘Taking risks and experimenting with different palettes’

Mavericks, Rogues and Bars colour Mt.Joy

Details: 15 May 2023

USA - Artistic inspiration often finds its most fertile ground outside the gates of convention. Such was the case with the lighting and production design that Max Lenox and Andrew Goedde created for Mt. Joy on the band’s current world tour.
While conventional wisdom advises not to mix too many colours on stage at the same time, Lenox and Goedde have been enthralling crowds, and supporting the psychedelic indie group’s music, with a full spectrum design that sometimes displays a rainbow of colours side by side.
“For this new show, we really wanted to use bold, vibrant colours to capture the band’s energy and creativity,” said Lenox, of Wide Open Productions. “We used multiple colours to create a sense of chaos and movement that enhances the psychedelic feel. While some designers may be hesitant to use a lot of colour, I think taking risks and experimenting w

‘The post-apocalyptic staging of the tour takes the band in a very different direction’ (photo: Steve Jennings)

Perseo and Domino shine on Muse US tour

Details: 15 May 2023

USA - British rock band Muse recently finished the North American leg of its Will of the People tour, named for the band’s ninth studio album. Lighting designer Sooner Routhier of Sooner Rae Creative, who served as co-production designer with tour creative director Jesse Lee Stout, chose Ayrton Perseo and Domino LT fixtures as stage lights and spots. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.
“I love the reliability of the fixtures and that they are rated IP65,” says Routhier. “With Muse heading to Europe for a summer stadium tour at the end of May, it was important to have fixtures that could deal with inclement weather. We also love the fixtures’ brightness and smooth field of colours.” John Bahnick and Josh Wagner from Upstaging provided the Ayrton fixtures.
The post-apocalyptic staging of the new tour takes the b

The concert hall features acoustics designed by Nagata Acoustics

Prolights aids orchestra’s green initiative

Details: 15 May 2023

Poland - The shift towards sustainability in the theatre industry is becoming increasingly decisive and tangible. The National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra sets an example by replacing traditional halogen/tungsten fixtures with new Prolights' technologies: EclPar TU and EclProfile FWTU.
The National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice is one of the leading Polish symphony orchestras, as well as a versatile cultural institution. The concert hall, with acoustics designed by Nagata Acoustics, has a reputation for being one of the best concert halls in the world in terms of acoustics. Proof of this is the fact that NOSPR is one of only two European institutions to have been admitted to the international organisation ECHO, which brings together 21 of Europe's most prestigious concert halls.
Thanks to the support of Show Design, Prolights' distributor in Poland,

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Case Study: Hans Zimmer Live

OPUS X4 PROFILE – the most powerful LED moving head from Cameo to date

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