France - Home to the French rugby league team the Catalans Dragons, Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan underwent a two-phase expansion in 2006 and 2010 to bring capacity up to 13,000 with three all-seater stands.
The southern French city is also home to the rugby union team USAP, whose home stadium Stade Aimé Giral is equipped with a Nexo Geo S12 sound system, installed by local AV technology specialists Sud Media System.
Impressed by the sound at their neighbour’s stadium, Stade Gilbert Brutus recently contracted Sud Media System to install a Nexo system at their ground, following a public tender process.
The choice of several prestigious sporting venues including Croke Park in Dublin, Optus Stadium in Perth, Japan’s Toyota Stadium and the French national stad

Ireland - Robe lighting staged a recent busy and successful open house event in partnership with The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Arts at Trinity College Dublin. The Lir Academy offers conservatory training for the theatre, film and television industries.
The open house platform proved ideal for showcasing some of the manufacturer’s latest products and technologies - including its Painte, iFORTE and LEDBeam 350 moving lights, the T11 static luminaire range, the T11 Profile manual follow spot and the popular RoboSpot system.
These were showcased to a range of lighting professionals plus students on the Lir’s Stage Management and Technical Theatre course.
The Lir’s main studio provided a suitable venue space and backdrop for the event which built on a similar one last year, the first since Covid. It is the intention to once again make it an annual benchm

China - Christie has announced that its high-performance 3DLP and 1DLP laser projectors are illuminating a new night-time tourist attraction at the picturesque Jiuge-Shangui scenic area in Zhangjiajie, a prefecture-level city in Hunan Province.
Inspired by stories in the Chu Ci poetry anthology by renowned ancient poet Qu Yuan, Jiuge-Shangui integrates the legends of Xiangxi with cultural heritage of the indigenous Tujia and Miao ethnic groups, as well as the natural beauty of Zhangjiajie to deliver a large-scale extravaganza.
Live performances staged across the scenic area spanning over 5 square kilometres are lit by close to a dozen Crimson WU31, DWU2022-HS and DWU1612-HS laser projectors supplied and installed by Christie’s trusted partner, Jianye Display.
“Jiuge-Shangui night-time spectacular is the first of its kind in the world and

UK - Full-service technical production partner, JLL, has acquired Scruffy Bear Pictures, an independent film company. The acquisition comes hot off the heels of the business’ recent merger announcement.
As members of EVCOM, ICE-HUB, Essa, Isla and Albert, the acquisition will enable JLL to further underline commitments to deliver sustainable and by 2030, net zero carbon technical production services to all sectors of the television and events industries. By bringing the Scruffy Bear Pictures team into the JLL fold, their combined skills will ensure the full team can continue to support agencies, studios, and creative teams, as well as innovate and lead the way as the world of corporate events continues to evolve.
Phil McMichael, group commercial director at JLL, comments: “The first three months of 2023 have been game-changing for the team here at JLL. The coming

UAE - Procom, distributor of K-array group products in the Middle East, recently inaugurated an interactive multi-room demo space at its headquarters in Dubai.
Situated in Dubai Investment Park, Procom wanted to create an accessible space that would allow clients full access to a range of cutting-edge K-array, KGEAR & KSCAPE equipment in a setup that mimics real-world environments. This installation is a continuation of the Procom and K-array collaboration, following several recent high-profile projects including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the City Walk in Dubai and Iris Meydan.
An extensive range of products from the K-array family was deployed across multiple environments including a demo room, meeting room, reception area, and training centre to showcase K-array solutions across applications as varied as live entertainment, corporate installations and hospitality

Europe - NEXT Audiogroup has introduced the Audio Configurator, an innovative solution that streamlines the process of choosing the NEXT Audiocom’s products for any installation. It is the latest addition to NEXT Audiogroup's range of technology, designed to simplify the process of selecting the right solution.
With its user-friendly interface, the Audio Configurator eliminates the need for technical expertise, allowing anyone to easily configure and customize the ideal audio system. The tool uses audio packs to generate tailored audio product packs that are optimized for each installation.
“At NEXT Audiogroup, we understand that selecting the right audio products can be a daunting task, especially for those who are not familiar with the different possible products combination. We believe that the Audio Configurator will be a game-changer, making it easier than eve

USA - Renkus-Heinz has announced its attendance at NAMM 2023 from 13-15 April at the Anaheim Convention Centre in Anaheim, CA.
Attendees at NAMM 2023 can experience the Renkus-Heinz sound solution in person at booth 14001 and the Hilton Lobby centre stage, where live music will be played Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights exclusively through Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers. Renkus-Heinz team members will also be on the floor at NAMM, including CTO Ralph Heinz, product manager Brandon Heinz and western regional sales manager Garrison Parkin.
“We aim to bring the best sound quality imaginable to our customers, and NAMM is the perfect place to display the live sound solutions we deliver for concerts, theatres, touring and more,” Ralph Heinz said. “Music is a driving force in many of our lives, and we’re excited for guests to experience the powerful, high-fidelity aud

UK - TLS Lighting has welcomed Mark Bailey on board as sales and marketing manager. Mark has extensive experience in the lighting Industry having worked on projects in the UK. and Europe for over 30 years.
Recently, he has been working on special effects and pyrotechnics for TV and Films, but is looking forward to working with the team at TLS Lighting on the wide range of projects they have ready to roll out this year.
TLS, which specialises in LED lighting control and Pixel tape products, has recently moved to new premises in north Walsham in Norfolk.
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USA - To provide incoming productions and touring artists with a rider-friendly sound reinforcement, Warner Theatre’s production manager Ryan Patsy teamed up with consultant David Bateman, CTS-D, of Acentech and integrator Todd Pander of Dobil Laboratories to outfit the historic theatre with new JBL VTX Series line arrays and subwoofers.
Commissioned in 1929 by the then-named Warner Brothers Productions and opened in 1931, the Warner Theatre is a landmark located in Erie, Pennsylvania. The venue operated as a cinema theatre until it was sold to the city of Erie in 1976 and converted to a performing arts centre. In addition to being the home of the Erie Philharmonic, Lake Erie Ballet and the Erie Broadway Series, the Warner Theatre regularly hosts concerts and performances by touring artists like Kenny Rogers, Jerry Seinfeld, ZZ Top, Kenny G, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie and ma

UK - The Christie-sponsored National Film and Television School (NFTS) Most Promising Student Award was recently announced at NFTS’ annual graduate showcase, held at the BFI Southbank.
Lisa Kenney, a student in the Directing Animation MA programme, won this year’s award. The showcase screenings took place from 27 February to 2 March, 2023, with Kenney winning the award and trophy for her inspiring work and attitude throughout the year.
Robert Bradbrook, head of the Directing Animation MA programme, NFTS commented: “Lisa is a wonderful and caring student who understands that the process of making a film is just as important as the final animation. Not just her journey, but the students that work with her. She always goes out of her way to ensure that the needs of others come first, resulting in a supportive family environment that allows everyone to do their best

Italy - Taking place between 2 and 4 April 2023, Music Inside Rimini is the only show in Italy dedicated entirely to audio, video, lighting and control technologies for music and entertainment. Rooted in the nightclub market and the vibrant nightlife of Rimini during the 80s and 90s, Music Inside Rimini is an annual event which attracts global exhibitors from professional audio, lighting and entertainment brands.
Wharfedale Pro will be exhibiting at Music Inside Rimini for the first time this year. The British manufacturer will focus on its latest product developments, which will be showcased in three separate demo spaces.
Simon Godfrey, sales director at Wharfedale Pro, comments, “We’re particularly excited about attending Music Inside Rimini as we’re going to be able to physically demonstrate a wide range of products. It’s one thing choosing a product from a


UK - 22live has appointed two new recruits to its team, with Aaron Boothe and James Gebhard both joining the line up as hire consultant and technical supervisor, respectively.
Aaron Boothe first started working with 22live in 2022 as a hire consultant, bringing some of his projects to the team led by Paul Timmins, namely Central Cee, D-Block Europe, Beenie Man and Rema. Boothe wears many hats as a production manager, system engineer and sound engineer. He joins 22live as a hire consultant, meaning that he will be responsible for bringing clients to 22live. Boothe already works with many artists and is a well-known figure within the industry.
Spencer Beard comments: “We are very pleased to welcome Aaron to the 22live team. Aaron is a great guy that will push us in front of new clients, and we really value him as both a great personality and engineer as well as

France - PlugFest returned to Lille France from 7-9 March, bringing together lighting professionals from across Europe to test products and learn about the latest protocols and standards.
Returning for the first time since the pandemic, the European event aims to improve the connectivity of lighting products and provides a unique opportunity for manufacturers, developers and technicians to test and debug their products. Organised by PLASA, the event sold out well in advance, signalling its importance to the lighting community.
Over 39 representatives attended from 25 companies, including ChamSys, Chauvet, Company NA, ETC, GLP, Highlite, Lamp and Pencil, MA Lighting, the National Theatre (London), Robert Juliat, the Royal Opera House (London), Robe, Swisson, TAIT and TSL.
First time attendee, Vincent Bouquet from Robe France comments: “PlugFest has been a rea

Student Funding - Higher education regulator the Office for Students has awarded a £9.6m annual funding boost to 15 establishments across England that provide training in performing arts. The organisations include Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Leeds Conservatoire, Chickenshed Theatre Company and the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. All will receive a portion of the funding to help improve teaching and access to training.
A total of £9.6m a year will be awarded over five financial years from 2022-23 to 2026-27. Six organisations will receive the maximum amount of £1m a year. LIPA has been awarded this amount in this financial year. Sean McNamara, LIPA principal and chief executive, said: “The funding recognises our enduring reputation for excellence and the significant costs associated with delivering the type of high-quality specialist profess

Germany – tvONE’s powerful CORIOmaster2 video processor has been installed at the heart of German AV distributor Kern & Stelly Medientechnik’s new showroom in Hamburg, driving a wide variety of displays throughout the space.
When Hamburg-based Kern & Stelly moved into its new premises, the team took the opportunity to completely redesign their showroom to showcase AV technical possibilities and configure it for events. The tvONE CORIOmaster2 is now the central video management processor for large and small screens hung around the showroom, including an artwall installation with seven displays. The content ranges from digital signage and demonstration videos to marketing messages and partner information.
“The CORIOmaster2 offers endless creative possibilities and helps to present the products of our display partners in an optimal way,” says Mario Mühr


Belgium - Drag Race Belgique, a French-language reality television series based on the American series RuPaul's Drag Race, has been using Prolights' fixtures for their studio soft lighting.
The lighting was supplied by CST, where designer and DOP Nathan Melchior from RTBF (Belgium's national TV) chose 14x Prolights EclPanel TWC and 12x EclPanel TWCJr with Chimera lanterns.
"My choice naturally fell on the Prolights EclPanel series. I placed EclPanel TWCJr with Chimera lanterns in a very symmetrical way to ensure good homogeneity of light and the same level on the whole surface of the set. The other panels were placed around the perimeter of the truss and were used to reinforce the various light axes."
When asked about the use of a real set instead of a virtual one, the choice was clear: “Drag Race is an existing format in the United

UK - London’s Southwark Playhouse has opened its new theatre space: Southwark Playhouse Elephant. Situated in Elephant and Castle, the 310-seat building is the sister venue of Southwark Playhouse Borough and aims to provide world-class theatre as well as serve the local community.
As with any new theatre, the space had to be transformed from an empty building into a fully functioning performance venue. This involved acquiring the latest theatre lighting technology – something which White Light (WL) was called on to provide.
Prior to the opening of the Elephant space, Southwark Playhouse found itself in temporary venues, which meant always having to adapt to both the budgets and physical restraints of a space. As such, by having a new, permanent home, this meant they could finally implement the technical infrastructure that they always wanted.
Lee Elston, tec

France - As part an inventory renewal of static profile luminaires, the Paris Opera has ordered nearly 300 x Robe T11 Profile and T11 PCs, which will join the 200 x T1 and T2 Profiles already in place at the primary opera and ballet company of France.
All the fixtures are supplied via Alterlite, and like the T1 and T2 moving heads, the T11s will be distributed between the Opera’s two landmark venues in the French capital, Palais Garnier and Opéra Bastille.
According to Jacques Giovanangeli, head of the lighting department at the Palais Garnier, “The T11 meets all the quality and performance criteria that we had set ourselves.
“The luminous flux and colourimetry meet our requirements and the locking of the framing shutters ensures that they will not go out of adjustment when the booms are moved.”
For Nicolas Beaud, head of the lighting department

Iceland – The popular Idol TV singing competition burst back onto Icelandic screens recently after a hiatus of more than 10 years, updating its staging and visuals with four LED screen elements which were all driven by Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers.
The fifth season’s finale was broadcast live from Reykjavik as contestants battled it out in front of a live audience, judging panel and TV viewers at home. The stage was dominated by an upstage centre Absen PL2.9 LED screen at 2688x1680px, flanked by two LED side walls at 2688x1512px. An additional Absen PL3.9 lite LED floor at 3584x512px completed the video fest, enveloping the set.
Icelandic TV technology solutions company Luxor served as production designers for the show, specifying the Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers for video designer Ingi Bekk’s creations. “We used two Boreal+ MK2 servers running as

Italy - The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, directed by Stefano Genovese, made its debut appearance 80 years after its publication in a magnificent theatrical production that toured Italy from Rome to Milan in February, and will land in France and the rest of Europe next Autumn.
The production tackles some ‘grown-up’ themes, such as love, friendship, the meaning of life, and death, but does so in a simple language suitable for all ages. The story that tells us that adults never think about the really important things, i.e. those we are taught as children and forget once we grow up.
Lighting designer, Giovanni Pinna, chose 18 Ayrton Diablo fixtures for the theatrical staging, a choice dictated by the need for a lightweight motorised profile of small dimensions and high-performance.
As with other profile luminaires in the same Ayrton produc

UK - To create an immersive multimedia visual design for Paolo Nutini’s 2022 UK and European tour, lighting designer Liam Tully deployed an impressive lighting rig consisting of Martin MAC Ultra Wash and Ultra Performance fixtures.
In 2022, Nutini released his fourth full-length record titled Last Night in the Bittersweet, bolstered by hit singles Through the Echoes and Lose It. The second half of 2022 witnessed Nutini embarking on a UK and European arena tour, which ran from August until December with performances in England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Romania, Switzerland and more.
To ensure an immersive visual experience for his fans and concert-goers, Nutini turned to trusted lighting designer Liam Tully to create a touring rig that not only delivered high-quality key lighting and punchy stage washes, but blended

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