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24 April 2025

UK - The Human League’s Generations arena tour kicked off its UK leg in December 2024. By the band’s third show they’d already elicited a five-star review from the Guardian, who described the show as “An evening of immaculate electro pop, delivered with grace, precision, and elation”.

Behind the scenes, seasoned production manager Sarah Hollis was at the helm. Hollis has been production managing tours since the late 90s and has worked with The Human League since their 2008, Steel City tour. “I was also the stage manager on that tour,” she explained, “which was a mixture of arenas, theatres and a couple of academies (and not in the order you’d like!) so let’s say it kept me on my toes, and I’ve been working with the band ever since.”

Emmy Award winning designer, Rob Sinclair, was asked by the band’s

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24 April 2025

Malaysia - HK Audio helped to deliver an unforgettable experience at Malaysia’s annual Rock in the Jungle festival. The two-day event brought together a combination of local Malaysian and international rock artists from Indonesia and Singapore who all performed through a Cosmo concert sound system on the main stage at the Sarawak Cultural Village.

From its humble beginnings nine years ago, Rock in the Jungle has rapidly become an established event that is the highlight of the year for local rock fans. Taking place at the end of December as an end-of-year celebration and organised by Authentic Ideas And Events, the most recent two-day festival featured performances from Wings, Sweet Charity, XPDC, Jemson, Criss X, JS Boys, Edane, Candy, Criss X, Senseless, and BNB Band.

To cover all performances, the FOH system for the main stage n

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24 April 2025

Europe - Raw Cereal, a renowned global creative production studio, was tasked with designing a bold, immersive visual experience for Hardy's Quit!! tour. With Hardy's evolving musical style blending country, rock, and pop, Raw Cereal had to ensure the visual elements matched the energy and variety of his performances. For the second time, they relied on AV Stumpfl's Pixera media server, known for its flexibility and robust feature set.

Cort Lawrence, the tour’s creative director, explained the scope of Raw Cereal's involvement: "On the show, we handled everything from the production design, stage design, lighting design, scenic design, as well as pyro, special effects, video content, and just overall show." The team was responsible for creating a comprehensive experience that connected Hardy's new album visuals with his live performances.

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24 April 2025

USA - As a drummer, monitor engineer Travon Snipes always had an interest in live productions, which ultimately led to him travelling the world with major artists like Jaden Smith, Fantasia, Megan Thee Stallion and Brandy, among many others. Most recently, Snipes was out on the road for Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion Tour, running monitors alongside Kevin Brown at front of house. While in the midst of this latest run, the tour’s audio team looked to enhance the quality of sound and replaced the show’s existing microphones with a selection from DPA Microphones.

Among the microphones to grace the stage were several of DPA’s newest live performance microphones, including the 2017 Shotgun and 2015 Wide Cardioid. “We made a great connection with the DPA team and, after hearing more about the brand, we knew the mics could take our sound to the next

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24 April 2025

USA - On its latest world tour, metal band Underoath wanted to remind its fans of where the group got its start, while celebrating the 20th anniversary of the successful album, They’re Only Chasing Safety. The set begins with what appears to be a dingy living room and gradually evolves into an expansive, modern show with intense lighting effects provided by Sonus Productions out of Moorestown, N.J.

“I always try to tell the story,” said Lenny Sasso, lighting designer for the tour and director of touring accounts at Sonus Productions. “Essentially for the band, this tour was telling the fans, ‘This is where we came from. This is how we wrote the record’.”

With the minimal initial visuals, Underoath gave a glimpse at the physical practice space in which They’re Only Chasing Safety came to life. The setlist featured a p

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24 April 2025

Europe - Lawo, developer of the Ravenna audio-over-IP technology, has announced Sound on Digital as the latest partner to the Ravenna community. Headquartered in The Netherlands, Sound on Digital specialises in the development of software solutions for the professional audio market.

Sound on Digital’s most recent product is Ravennakit – a cross-platform SDK designed to simplify and accelerate the integration of Ravenna audio networking into third-party software products. Ravennakit delivers a complete solution for OEMs and developers, offering low-latency audio transport, precise synchronization, and broad platform compatibility – including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

“We created Ravennakit to make it easier for developers to bring high-performance AoIP capabilities into their products without having to build everything from scratch,” says R

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23 April 2025

South Africa - After six years off the calendar, Mediatech Africa is back. The original and largest trade show for AV, broadcast, and live event tech on the continent returns from 3 - 5 June 2026 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre (Nasrec) – and it's bringing the industry back together to mark 25 years since the first show in 2001.

Mediatech Africa has been a cornerstone of the continent’s AV and broadcast industry since day one. More than just an expo, it’s a space for the industry to connect, share ideas, and stay in step with the latest tech. Its legacy is built on collaboration, community, and innovation – drawing top brands, global suppliers, and the passionate people who keep the industry moving forward.

Simon Robinson, co-owner of Mediatech, recalls: “Our first show was in 2001 at the Sandton Convention Centre. It was small, focused mos

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23 April 2025

USA - Shure will serve as the headline partner at InfoComm 2025 in Orlando, Fl. In this role, Shure will showcase its thought leadership and technical expertise across InfoComm stages and educational sessions.

“We are thrilled to have Shure as our headline partner for InfoComm 2025. Shure is an InfoComm staple that attracts attendees year after year,” said Jenn Heinold, senior vice-president, expositions, Americas, AVIXA. “Shure’s elevated presence at InfoComm 2025 will enrich the show and inspire the pro AV community to reach new heights.” 

As Shure gears up for this significant event, it reflects on nearly three decades of consistent participation and the enduring relationships built during that time. The company’s involvement in InfoComm has been a cornerstone of its engagement with industry professionals.

“Shure has been an

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23 April 2025

UK - The Road to the Isles tour of the UK and Europe saw Fish bid farewell to the live arena. After a 45-year career during which he enjoyed a meteoric rise with prog-rock favourites Marillion, before an action-packed life as a solo artist, the fan-favourite hung up his microphone to retire to a croft in the Outer Hebrides. More than 30 shows in Europe late last year preceded this year’s 14-date UK tour which concluded with two sold-out shows in Glasgow.

Audio for The Road to the Isles was supplied by IPB Audio, with experienced engineer Ian Bond responsible for delivering the front-of-house and monitor sound for the eclectic and often intricate compositions performed by Fish and his band of seasoned professionals. From modest beginnings on small theatre tours in the 1990s, Bond has built a respected, in-demand rental company, servicing a

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23 April 2025

USA - As the lighting designer for the multi-platinum Grammy winners Diamond Rio, Willis Underhill has run his dynamic lightshows in a variety of venues from arenas and music halls to festivals. But it's doubtful that any have been quite like the site of his most recent setting when he lit the band's show at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.

First, there was the venue's size. The 19,000-capacity Frost Bank Centre, home of the San Antonio Spurs, is big by any measure. Like all massive spaces, it presents a challenge to any designer wanting to foster a sense of intimacy between the artist on stage and the audience. This is especially concerning when lighting a band like Diamond Rio that thrives on connecting to the crowd. Complicating matters even further in this case – the stage was in the centre of the rodeo floor and Underhill's FOH was two levels u

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23 April 2025

Slovenia - For the show that determined the Slovenian 2025 Eurovision entry, Crt Birsa from design studio Blackout fitted nearly 400 lighting fixtures into a 20 x 20m space in Studio 1 at the Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTVSLO) complex in Ljubljana.

A large proportion of these were Robe moving lights – with 54 MegaPointes, 54 Spiiders, 24 Pointes, 12 Fortes and 14 Tetra2s on the rig – all delivered by Slovenian rental company, Event Lighting.

Crt added these to all the fixtures that were available from RTV’s studio in-house rig, which also included two Robe BMFL Blades used as rear spotlights for the main artists.

Crt’s lighting design was developed in close collaboration with set designer Greta Godnic, an elegant diagonally orientated square LED stage – allowing it to change shape and texture – located in the middle of th

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23 April 2025

UK - Craig David is a prolific artist and 2024 was a sold-out year of global touring, arena venues, outdoor shows and DJ sets. 2025 sees a UK tour and many more shows across the world.

Mixing front-of-house is Paul Cooper, with Ash Wilkinson on monitors. Both are using DiGiCo Quantum consoles, supplied by UK rental and production company, Major Tom Audio Production. Choosing a Quantum 852 for front-of-house and Quantum 7 for monitors has given the production total flexibility. Whatever shape the show takes, the team can count on the scalability, reliability and customisation that DiGiCo delivers.

Wilkinson has worked with Craig David since 2013. For him, choosing DiGiCo is all about flexibility. Working with an artist who is performing across a wide range of venues, and with a such varied set list, means specifying a DiGiCo guarantees he can cope wit

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23 April 2025

UK - In anticipation of a busy summer festival season, Martin Audio partners dBS Solutions has invested further in the Wavefront Precision line array series with the largest format speaker – the WPL – taking its total WP box count to an impressive 136.

The company had already increased its stock of Martin Audio’s compatible iK42 multichannel DSP amplifiers, enabling them to reconfigure larger racks for greater efficiency and faster load-ins – all in preparation for a busy outdoor schedule.

Explaining the underlying reason for the step up, managing director Chris Bogg said that having enjoyed two successful seasons with WPC, this year it was pre-booked on a summer tour. “This left us with a bit of a shortfall, so it was a question of whether we invested further in WPC or look at the larger box and prepare ourselves for our future.”

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23 April 2025

USA - The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills is famed for its blend of classic British elegance and modern Californian style. The hotel offers a range of upscale amenities, from its Boxwood restaurant to its exclusive rooftop pool. However, the crown jewel of this property is its West End Rooftop, a sprawling 107ft by 40ft open-air space that serves as a prime venue for high-profile events, weddings, and corporate functions.

Framed by a glass wall showcasing sweeping ocean views from Long Beach to the Malibu peninsula, the rooftop terrace is illuminated by spectacular sunsets and is a favourite among guests seeking a one-of-a-kind experience. However, alongside the picturesque appeal and vibrant atmosphere, event sound frequently spilled beyond the property, creating friction with nearby residents and leading to repeated noise complaints. To address thes

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23 April 2025

USA - When experienced theatre LD Jared Sayeg started planning the design for Topdog/Underdog – Suzan Lori-Parks’ darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identity at the Pasadena Playhouse – he recognised the importance of having fixtures that “could truly accommodate both slow smooth fades and sharp shuttering as well as big strokes of light that engulf the playing space.”

It was a blend of warm and cool in constant contrast to one another, he explains: “Emulating both a tungsten quality inside, and the ability to pierce through the space with sharp cold light from the outside were key elements to the design.” Helping him achieve his goals were GLP impression X5 IP Bars.

This was Sayeg’s 20th production at the Playhouse, and a primary consideration – especially relevant to proscenium-based venues – was to control

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23 April 2025

USA - The Phoenix Raceway hosted the Relentless Beats' Decadence Festival with one of the two main stages named the Royal Ballroom, since people danced their hearts out in this spectacularly lit space to EDM, house and techno heavies like Wooli, Eptic b2b Space Laces, and Svdden Death.

Every fan who crowded into this dynamic space couldn't help but feel like a part of this ‘ball’ thanks to an immersive lighting design by Luis Torres. Working with the teams at Relentless Beats and Kelco, which handled all the production management for the show, Torres pulled the entire area, as well as the 96ft wide by 44ft deep stage, into an embracive sea of bold monochromatic colours accented by stark white light.

Torres, of HiLite Designs, relied on 48 Rogue R3 Beams and 24 Strike Array 2 blinders from Chauvet Professional (supplied by Hardwired Produ

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22 April 2025

USA/Europe - Clair Global is expanding its global footprint by welcoming the Ampco Flashlight Group to the team. This partnership strengthens Clair's European presence and “enhances both companies' ability to deliver seamless, high-calibre experiences worldwide”.

Ampco Flashlight Group with its sister companies have been an established name in professional audio, lighting, rigging and motion for decades. The team delivers high-profile projects in live entertainment, theatre, broadcast, and events – both in the Netherlands and internationally. That focus remains unchanged. Clients will continue to work with the same people, receive the same level of service, and rely on the same name – now with the added strength of expanded access to key resources, technology, and expertise in more locations worldwide.

"This feels like a very natural step," s

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22 April 2025

UAE - Powersoft is expanding its distributor network by welcoming Thomsun Trading Establishment (TTE) as its newest distributor in the GCC market, excluding Saudi Arabia. The appointment will solidify Powersoft’s footprint in the region, bringing its audio solutions to a wider audience across the GCC market.

Established in 1990, TTE has become a leading name in the musical and pro AV industry in the UAE. The company offers a diverse range of products and services tailored to meet the needs of musicians, bands, hospitality industry, as well as commercial projects. Powersoft is the latest addition to the company’s portfolio, which also includes Yamaha, Nexo, Unilumin and Univox.

“We came across Powersoft while researching innovative amplification solutions to enhance our product offerings,” says Bijo Kuruvila, Thomsun Trading’s sales manager.

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22 April 2025

Saudi Arabia - 1 Sound is partnering with 7Hertz to bring 1 Sound to the GCC, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Lebanon. 7Hertz will be debuting 1 Sound and its loudspeakers this May at the Saudi Light & Sound (SLS) exhibition 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"At 7Hertz, our commitment to serving clients at the highest level drives us to seek out the best solutions,” states Joe Khadra, CEO of 7Hertz. “We see immense potential for 1 Sound in the region, where scalability and flexibility are key across most projects. Our goal is to equip our partners with top-tier technology that elevates the end-user experience.

“Introducing 1 Sound to the Middle East market is a point of pride for us, as we deeply understand its needs. With its exceptional audio quality and innovat

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22 April 2025

USA - The sci-fi adventure The Electric State, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, premiered on Netflix in March, with lighting technology from Elation playing a key behind-the-scenes role.

Lighting console programmer Eric ‘TK’ Androvich skilfully integrated Elation Fuze Max Profile and Proteus Maximus moving heads to help shape the film’s distinctive visual style.

Set in an alternate 1990s where robots have staged an uprising against humans, filming took place across various indoor sets and soundstages at Trilith and Shadowbox Studios, and on location around Atlanta, Georgia – often in the region’s characteristically wet and unpredictable winter weather. Fuze Max Profiles were used indoors, and IP65-rated Proteus Maximus fixtures were employed outdoors.

“The Fuze Max Profiles are a fantastic choice for film and TV,” sta