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11 February 2025

Brazil - Inaugurated on 28 November, 2024, during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the city of Franca in Brazil, the latest Sesc unit opened its doors with over 100 free activities for people of all ages. Covering an area of 35,555 sq.m, Sesc Franca is the largest facility of its type in São Paulo’s interior, and as such is one of the most important in the country, supporting social, cultural and educational projects.

The supply and installation of the sound systems for both the theatre and gymnasium were entrusted to Gobos do Brasil, a company with 24 years of experience in the professional audio and lighting market. For this project, they chose premium equipment from Martin Audio.

With a capacity of 370 seats, the Sesc Franca theatre features one of the largest stages of all the Sesc units in the state of São Paulo. The venue itself offers

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11 February 2025

Spain - Linea Research has launched its new, intuitive control software, System Engineer 8.

System Engineer delivers easy-to-use DSP and power management with a workflow-based design to get audio systems up and running in minutes. The new software – which is free to download from the Linea Research website: www.linea-research.com – enhances the powerful audio capabilities of Linea Research products, communicating all the system information necessary to keep your audio network operational, on one easy-to-read screen and in a simple graphical format.

Fast auto-synchronisation to devices is a driving principle of the software’s design. Se8 quickly identifies, connects and syncs to Linea Research products on the network, so that audio systems are ready for the engineer to start the set up – either in a touring environment or for installation.

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11 February 2025

Europe - Following an award-winning debut at LDI in Las Vegas this past December, Elation’s new Paragon LED profile moving heads are now shipping worldwide.

Paragon was recognised with LDI’s Best Debuting Product Award. The fixture is the result of years of development and feedback from designers demanding a lighting solution that could adapt to any environment without compromise.

"We listened to lighting designers who wanted more flexibility, greater output, and a streamlined system that could do it all,” said Eric Loader, global vice president of sales at Elation. “From concept to execution, we refined every detail - ensuring Paragon isn’t just another moving head, but a true workhorse that raises the bar for lighting technology.”

Since its debut, Paragon has already been specified for major concert tours, broadcast studios, and

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11 February 2025

Spain - German fibre network specialists Optocore demonstrated at last week’s ISE Show in Barcelona that they continue to ‘break new barriers in their technological evolution’.

In particular this applies to the new 12G-SDI standard. With the increasing demand for higher bandwidth, in both the broadcast and live event spaces, 12G-SDI is the logical option to support higher speed UHD formats (4K, 8K etc), with higher bitrates and a greater number of colours.

Explaining the move, Optocore technical support engineer, Marci Sós, states: “The advantages are obvious. As market leaders in fibre distribution, our pledge is always to keep ahead of the technological curve, supporting new standards in the evolving world of broadcast signal transmission to ensure the best outcome for our customers, and meet their demands.”

As early subscribers,

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11 February 2025

Spain - Optimal Audio’s new Talk 8, eight-zone paging system, spearheads the expansion of the brand’s ecosystem.

Talk 8 is an eight-zone paging system that adds reliable and precise paging to the Optimal Audio ecosystem. Offering the flexibility demanded from an efficient and high-quality commercial sound system, Talk 8 provides crystal clarity for spoken messages and so much more.

The paging system features 4GB of memory and the stored content can be assigned to any of the six instant message playback buttons. Alternatively, it can be scheduled via Optimal Audio’s WebApp for automatic playback as part of a time-of-day routine. There’s an optional pre-announcement chime and, as part of its simple to use interface, Talk 8 features a backlit talk button with latching and non-latching options.

Users can independently page individual, or

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11 February 2025

Stepping Down - Celebrated lighting designer Paule Constable has announced her retirement from theatre. The multi-Olivier award-winning designer announced the move after accepting her award for Services to UK Theatre at the WhatsOnStage Awards 2025.

Over her lengthy career, she has worked for organisations including the National Theatre, the Donmar Warehouse and the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as the Michael Grandage Company. Her many shows have included War Horse, Evita, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Light Princess and Ballet Shoes, as well as operas with Glyndebourne, the Royal Ballet and Opera and English National Opera. She has won five Olivier awards and two Tony Awards.

Creamfields - Anyma has been named as the first headliner at the upcoming

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10 February 2025

Spain - Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025 wrapped up ‘a highly successful week’ in Barcelona. The exhibition showcased its highest number of exhibitors with 1,605 and the largest show floor space with 92,000 sq.m net.

ISE 2025 welcomed 85,351 unique verified visitors from 168 countries, marking a 15.5% increase from the previous year.

Attendance from the DACH region saw a significant increase of 7% at ISE 2025, coming close to the numbers last seen during the event’s years in Amsterdam, highlighting the region’s strong and growing engagement with the show.

Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events, stated: “ISE 2025 has surpassed all expectations, setting new milestones in both attendance and innovation. The energy and engagement from our attendees and exhibitors have been truly remarkable. From the dynamic sh

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10 February 2025

USA - The official announcement for Apocalyptica’s just launched North American tour refers to them as ‘cello rockers’.

The three classically trained musicians from Helsinki's prestigious Sibelius Academy fuse two different worlds, playing metal rock (often covers of Metallica hits) on their cellos with ‘an unbridled ferocity that ranks with the best bone crushing bands of the genre’.

Among Apocalyptica's admirers is renowned lighting designer Mikki Kunttu, who has worked with them on a few occasions since 2007. "I love the band, and it is always so great to work with them," said Kunttu. "I have the highest appreciation for what they do – and for who they are."

Kunttu is showing this appreciation in stunning fashion with his lighting design for Apocalyptica's current APMB4C Vol 2. tour, which began its 24-city North American leg 6

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10 February 2025

Puerto Rico - An Audient ASP8024-HE console has recently been installed at the Universidad Profesional Dr. Carlos J. Borrero Ríos (UP University) in Puerto Rico in the new, on-site recording lab. Designed to be centred around an analogue recording console, the studio comprises a control room, live room and isolation booth.

Taking advantage of Audient’s modular console design, UP University was able to specify a console which aligned perfectly with their needs: a 36-channel console with dual layer control and patchbay.

Armando Sepulveda, an audio engineer professor at the university, outlines the decision: “The Audient console is a great fit for us here at UP University since it gives us the flexibility and capability to run big live sessions and mix in the console. It's also a great tool for teaching how to run a recording studio in the hybrid s

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10 February 2025

Spain - Void Acoustics revealed three new products at ISE 2025: Kinesys – a modular summing array with a self-contained rigging system; Arclite15B – a mutually coupling 15” enclosure designed to extend an Arclite system's performance; and Air 12 – a compact, high-output coaxial loudspeaker addition to the Air series.

Kinesys is billed as the first internally rigged modular and scalable system featuring total summation via a cylindrical radiation pattern. It is designed for mid-to-large-size clubs and live venues but can also deliver for live outside festivals in a flown configuration. ISE attendees were the first to see this new series from Void, which will be launched later this year.

The Air 12 was also previewed on Void’s stand and is the latest versatile addition to the popular ‘Air’ series. The Air 12 is a compact, high-output coax

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10 February 2025

Europe - Prolights has announced the release of the Astra Profile900, a moving head designed to address the needs of lighting professionals in live productions, studios, theatres, and events. Combining brightness, adaptability, and advanced motion technology, the Astra Profile900 represents a key addition to the company's range of professional lighting solutions.

The Astra Profile900 is available in two configurations to meet specific application requirements. The High Performance (HP) model delivers up to 43,000 lumens, suited for large-scale productions and events that demand high brightness levels. The high-quality (HQ) model, with a CRI of up to 96, is optimised for applications requiring precise colour rendering, including television studios and other on-camera environments.

With a 185mm front lens and a 5°-52° linear zoom, the Astra Profile90

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10 February 2025

Spain - Powersoft has launched Nota, a versatile, ultra-compact PoE/PoE+ amplifier designed to meet the varied needs of AV system integrators and integrate seamlessly into a diverse range of networked audio environments.

Nota was unveiled at ISE 2025 by Claudio Lastrucci, Powersoft co-founder and R&D director. Nota joins Powersoft’s growing portfolio of high-end audio solutions for the fixed-installation market, which also includes the cloud-based Unica amplifier platform and the compact Mezzo series, among others.

Nota provides 140W of power across two channels in a pocked-sized footprint, making it a suitable solution for commercial, conferencing and retrofit installations. Its ability to transmit power and data via a single Ethernet connection streamlines installation, reducing costs and minimising wiring complexity – meaning it is also we

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10 February 2025

Spain - The Uniline Max, APG’s new line array for large shows and events, made its international debut in Barcelona.

A high-performance audio system by APG, the inventor of the modular line array, the Uniline Max is designed specifically for large-scale events and concerts. The system, which is shipping now, comprises the UM210 2 × 10” line array speaker and a new subwoofer, the 1 × 21” UM121, which together deliver exceptional audio clarity and power for audiences of up to 10,000 people.

The easy-to-use Uniline Max meets the highest level of requirements from rental companies, live performance providers and venue managers. The system’s ergonomic design ensures the speakers are easy to handle, with thoughtfully positioned rear and side handles for easy transport and a flexible rigging system that supports both tension and compression config

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07 February 2025

Spain - NMK Electronics, a Midwich Group company, and distributor in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, has joined forces with INFiLED, as its distributor in the GCC. This partnership is built on NMK Electronics’ strong reputation in providing holistic solutions and especially handling large‐scale video segment orders, and its role as a value‐added distributor in the AV industry.

This alliance is driven by a shared vision to deliver advanced display solutions that redefine the users’ visual experiences, say the companies.

“We are proud to add another top‐tier brand to our portfolio,” Neil Carroll, brand manager at NMK Electronics, says. “INFiLED is not only a recognised leader in LED innovation, but they are also highly respected in the rental world, which is another key segment we are actively developing. This collaboration r

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07 February 2025

South Africa - Truth Nightclub in Midrand Johannesburg, recently celebrated its official reopening with a new lighting setup from Elation. The Production Warehouse, Elation’s exclusive partner in South Africa, collaborated closely with the venue to select the equipment for the upgrade.

The installation was completed under a tight schedule, just in time for the pre-launch of the revamped The Terrace dance floor. The new lighting rig was crucial for the club’s 25 Years of Truth anniversary event featuring Township Rebellion on 30 November and the New Year's Eve 2025 celebration with Pleasurekraft.

Truth, known as the Home of the Underground, is a regional landmark and one of South Africa’s best-known nightclubs. With five dance floors, it has hosted artists like Paul Van Dyk and Richie Hawtin, among many others.

The Terr

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07 February 2025

Singapore - Claypaky Sharpy X Frame hybrid luminaires illuminated the inaugural 2024 World Taekwondo Virtual Championships in Singapore where more than 120 athletes from 23 countries participated in the first-ever event of its kind.  

The competition took place at the Singapore Sports Hub OCBC Arena. The event marked the return of the sport to Singapore after the city successfully hosted the first Olympic Esports Week in June 2023, where Virtual Taekwondo made its debut.  Virtual Taekwondo uses a motion tracking system and virtual reality headset in matches of non-contact sparring.

Lighting designer Michael Chan of Singapore-based Lighting Insomnia selected 36 Sharpy X Frames for the landmark event. Chan has worked on a wide range of arts, entertainment and installation projects. His experience ranges from consulting on installations and major even

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07 February 2025

USA - When Sunset Blvd. made its return to Broadway, sound designer Adam Fisher turned to Masque Sound to bring director Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical to life at the St. James Theatre.

Fisher’s collaboration with Masque Sound was his first with the rental house and his first as a lead designer on Broadway. “I had never worked with Masque Sound before, but my associate sound designer Josh Hummel and production sound engineer Mike Wojchik have a good relationship with Scott Kalata at Masque Sound, which ultimately convinced me to work with them.

“I had many excellent conversations with Scott and the level of support and innovation Masque Sound brought to the table exceeded all expectations. I was also very impressed with how the company handled the complex and unique outside RF requirements that were required

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07 February 2025

USA - Allman Betts Family Revival wrapped a 19-stop USA tour at the San Francisco Fillmore on 21 December. What has become an annual tradition to celebrate the music of the Allman Brothers Band is led by Devon Allman and Duane Betts, sons of original members Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts.

The touring show relied on Meyer Sound MJF‑208 stage monitors that went on the road to stops at legendary venues around the country. Devon once again specified the Meyer Sound wedges for the tour. “Absolute best in the biz,” he said about the Meyer Sound touring wedges after wrapping in San Francisco.

The Fillmore features a house system anchored by Panther large-format linear line array loudspeakers and 2100‑LFC low-frequency control elements.

Nathan Gilberg, FOH engineer and production manager on the tour, comments, “We’ve been using M

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06 February 2025

Austria - Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s Medieval morality play Jedermann has become a classic centrepiece of the world-renowned Salzburg Festival. First performed in 1920 – directed by Max Reinhardt – when the festival was inaugurated, it has been staged most years since then in the city’s magnificent Domplatz (Cathedral Square).

2024 saw the staging of a new, fresh, contemporary, and acclaimed version created by Canadian director Robert Carsen, who was also the scenographer, and costume designer Luis Carvalho. Lighting was designed by Carsen and Giuseppe di Iorio, with the latter specifying Robe iForte LTXs to deal with all the essential key lighting needed to bring the work alive and disrupt preconceptions about how the play can be presented.

Jedermann was performed nightly throughout the five-week 2024 event, either in Cathedr

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06 February 2025

USA - Country Music Hall of Fame member and 15-time Grammy winner Ricky Skaggs spent December sharing the gift of bluegrass on the Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Christmas holiday show. Bandit Lites provided the lighting for the acoustic style concert that included classic songs as well as original hits.

Bandit Lites lighting designer and project manager Craig Richter designed the system to wrap around the stage, laying it in an arch and stringing festoon fixtures between the pipe and base fixtures. 
“I chose to go with fixtures that would not blind the audience and would give a nice look onstage even when they are not on, and the Portman P2 EVO was the perfect fixture for that,” said Richter. “I added Robe Halos to help compliment the P2 EVO’s as well as give the lighting director a fun fixture to do some pixel effects with.”