USA - Former Static-X bass player, Andy The Kid (ATK), is preparing to kick off his first solo tour using Allen & Heath's Qu-Pac digital mixer.

The Australian born bass player, who is also a part of the rock band We Are The Riot, knew he needed to upgrade his mixing equipment for his solo tour in order to travel internationally to promote his new album Linchpin. It is something he wasn't able to do when he was a band member of Static-X.

"With Static-X we just didn't have the budget to send a big monitoring rig to other countries. The weight and size of the equipment made it a huge barrier for us to get overseas. However, now on my solo tour, I will be travelling with my Qu-Pac that allows me to go anywhere on the planet because of how compact it is. It makes a world

UK - Ambersphere Solutions continues to enjoy strong sales of the Clay Paky Mythos. Since its UK debut at PLASA 2014, the Mythos has established itself as another 'must have' Clay Paky fixture for a variety of applications, from television studios to corporate trade launches, theatrical performances and live touring productions.

Among the first to order its Mythos was Lightwave Productions, a small London-based company that provides a full technical production service across a broad range of events. Its hire stock needs to be able to service the needs of everything from a corporate awards dinner or a press launch to a full festival production.

Company director Henry Clarke saw the Mythos being demo'd by Ambersphere's Lee House and felt that the Mythos was an intelligent light that was equally as adaptable as it is clever, and therefore essential to the Lightwave stock sheet. &

UK - Leading pro audio provider The Warehouse Sound Services has been inundated with sales requests following this year's PLASA Focus Show in Leeds. The company showcased an exclusive range of products from d&b audiotechnik, Audio-Technica, Sound Devices, EM Acoustics, Midas, Shure and RCF. The event provided the organisation the opportunity to exhibit a number of new products.

At the event, The Warehouse showcased a range of quality audio products from d&b audiotechnik. The Warehouse is d&b audiotechnik's onlysales partner in Scotland and the North of England, so PLASA Leeds provided the opportunity to showcase the d&b's newest products including the four channel, two rack unit (2RU) amplifier: the D20 and the MAX2 wedge monitor.

The Warehouse also launched d&b's MAX2 wedge monitor. The MAX2 is a flexible 15" stage monitor, which can be pole mounted on a d&b subwoofer an

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ETC Halcyon Silent

High End Systems Halcyon Silent builds on ETC’s legacy of fanless automated fixtures by incorporating features from the highly sought-after Halcyon family. Halcyon Silent perfectly balances silent operation with brilliant output of 18,400 lumens and high-impact features. 

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USA - Ever since the group's 2011 victory on NBC's The Sing-Off, Pentatonix has been making a name for itself. Now, with a 2015 Grammy Award and nearly a billion cumulative YouTube channel video views, the five-piece a cappella troupe also recently wrapped up a completely sold-out 21-date tour of North America.

California-based Sound Image served as the sound reinforcement provider for the trek and supplied an L-Acoustics K2 system at the request of Chris Aman, who did double-duty as both the group's FOH engineer and production manager.

Aman had his first opportunity to mix on K2 last year when Dispatch, the band he was touring with at the time, headlined the final night of Bridgeport, Connecticut's Gathering of the Vibes music festival. "I had heard good things about K2, but when I actually got the chance to turn it on for myself, my reaction was, 'wow . . . yes!'

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New Touring Series by Gravity – Every Scratch Has A Story

When the stage heats up, you need equipment that can keep up without compromise. The Gravity Touring Series has been specifically designed to meet the highest demands – for rental companies, professional musicians, concert organizers, and large event venues. Premium materials, exceptional durability, and impressive longevity make these products stand out. Whether on tour, in constant use, or under the toughest conditions: the Touring Series delivers maximum reliability and performance – every day, on every stage.
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UK - International lighting designer Tom Kenny has enjoyed an illustrious working relationship with The Who, dating back to 1989. Tom frequently uses different Robe products on his various projects, and for the current Who tour - a celebration of 50 years at the sharp end of rock 'n' roll - he chose 60 Robe LEDWash 1200s to be on the rig.

A major challenge in designing lighting for The Who in recent years is that no smoke or haze can be used, which immediately rules out certain types of lights.

Tom has been using LED sources increasingly in his designs, and decided to continue that theme on this current tour. A large video system features an upstage LED screen, so any lights had to be potent enough to punch through the ambient lighting levels. He also decided to incorporate LED pixel panels in his design, which amplified the need for a very strong LED wash light. The LEDWash 1

Australia - Located on the southern bank of the Brisbane River and built on lands which were the traditional home to the Jagera and Turrbal Aboriginal people, the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) is the premier Arts Centre in Queensland, Australia.

The team at the Playhouse Theatre, which opened in 1998, recently took a decision to replace its existing dimmers. Phil Viney from Design Stage was engaged to prepare a specification that would directly replace new for old dimmers in the 850-seat venue.

Due to space limitations and the existing dimmers' footprint, any replacement dimmer ideally needed to be a small footprint unit that could easily be distributed around various locations in the venue. The only alternative available at the time was to use rack-mounted dimmers - however, such a solution would occupy valuable floor space, be more expensive and more difficult to

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AZOR® SP2 IP - Compact IP65 Spot Profile Moving Head

Compact design and IP65 protection for indoor and outdoor applications: the new AZOR® SP2 IP is the ideal solution for open-air events and outdoor theatres that require a powerful, weatherproof lighting system. An optimal partner for lighting designers and event service providers looking for a versatile LED show light in a compact housing.

AZOR® SP2 IP – the next generation of robust, weatherproof, and compact lighting for maximum creative freedom, both indoors and outdoors.

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USA - To outshine its competition with the most impeccable movie experience in Wyoming, Studio City Mesa in Casper has made technology the centrepiece of its beloved roadhouse theatre, the Cooper Auditorium. The theatre now boasts a 7.1 Meyer Sound cinema system, 4K projection, and a curved, 64ft premium large-format (PLF) screen which is the state's largest.

"With the Cooper, we decided to go beyond what anybody else was doing in our region," states Randy Pryde, president of Movie Palace, Inc., operator of Studio City Mesa. "When it came to audio, we didn't want to compromise. As one of my partners remarked, 'You never have to apologize for quality.' So we decided to move out in front of all the competition with Meyer Sound."

The auditorium's new system comprises three Acheron 100 screen channel loudspeakers, 16 HMS-10 surround loudspeakers, and six X-800C

Belgium - On Saturday 9 May, Belgium based ASL provided a Sound Projects Dreamline sound reinforcement system to the European Parliament and other Institutions who opened their doors to the general public to celebrate Europe Day in a festive way.

The day's main music performances and speeches were held at the main square in front of the entrance.

"These are the projects where the Dreamlines prove to be unbeatable," says Peter Ellegeest (engineer ASL). "Events like this are about many things but not about sound reinforcement. Intelligibility and HI fidelity music should simply be there. Inconspicuous, up and ready to play in minutes rather than hours, predictable coverage, predictable sound quality. It proved all easy work with the Dreamline."

The programme also included concerts, guided tours, exhibitions, debates, meetings with MEPs and EC Commissioners,

USA - When Chauvet Professional's Ovation E-190WW won the WFX New Product Technology Award in 2013, the breakthrough LED ellipsoidal was hailed for combining an exceptionally beautiful flat, even field of warm white light with the efficiencies of LED technology. Now those who want a smaller, less powerful LED ellipsoidal can enjoy the same award-winning quality and versatile features provided by the original in a compact fixture that's less than half the size and one-fifth the weight - the Ovation Min-E-10WW.

As its name conveys, the Ovation Min-E-10WW was designed to be a "mini" complement to its acclaimed predecessor. Almost pocket-sized, it measures just 225 x 108 x 232 mm without lens extension, making it an ideal choice anywhere an excellent quality warm white ellipsoidal is needed for small spaces and discreet use - from theatres and churches, to concerts and pro

Spain - Jose del Arco has been appointed by Fenix Stage, reinforcing the company's Export Department, as export area manager. Throughout Jose's professional career he has always been involved with international business. He says: "I have always tried to contribute with effort and passion everywhere I have been working, as purchasing analyst, buyer or trade advisor in many industries. Now I have the chance to work on the other side, on the sales department, and Fenix Stage offers me the opportunity and the confidence to begin this new challenge . . . The complete trust in our products is a key point for me."

Fenix Stage is a relatively young company (as its name suggests, it was reborn from its ashes in 2005), with a team with more than 20 years of experience mixed with young professionals. "The result of this is a great combination of knowledge and dynamism, with

USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has announced the return of Frank Loyko as vice president of North American sales. Loyko began his career at EAW and was instrumental in establishing EAW as a world class brand. In addition to his time with EAW and then as vice president of worldwide sales for Loud Technologies, Loyko broadened his skills and accomplishments with similar roles at TC Group Americas and Digidesign/Avid Technologies.

On Loyko's appointment, president Jeff Rocha said: "To build on EAW's strong growth in the North American market, it is critical that we have someone of Frank's calibre and experience to lead our domestic sales team to the next level and support the broad adoption of our market leading technologies. Frank was at the core of EAW's original success. It is very exciting to have him back on-board now as EAW grows to the next level."

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Germany - Following its presentation of the world's first 1U Recorder with up to 194 input channels, XI-Machines has now announce its official certification from software company Steinberg.

Steinberg's professional audio software Nuendo Live is billed as the ideal complement to the innovative multitrack audio system Recorder.1 from XI-Machines, which allows simultaneous use of up to 390 I/O channels.

Recorder.1 was designed for professional use with MADI or Dante audio networks. Record-ready in 33 seconds, the rugged 19" 1U rack-mounted solution allows 24+ hour recording in EBU-compliant RIFF64 format, is easy to use and features rock solid reliability even under extreme recording conditions.

"We are very pleased about the Recorder.1 certification from Steinberg," says Patrick Strenge, CEO of XI-Machines. "This compact recording unit makes optimal use of

UK - 'Disruption agency' TBWA developed a floating house brand activation for accommodation marketplace Airbnb, to celebrate new rules on short-term lets in London, and event producer Andy Ashton called on Star Events for the delivery.

With no available barge capable of providing the required 'foundations' for a two-bedroom house, replete with kitchen, living room, bathroom and garden, Star Events built a bespoke floating structure, which was licensed by the Port of London Authority.

Star came to the event via a wave of other waterborne showcases, Jaguar and Cortana among them, and worked with regular collaborators, including Setsquare Staging and Livett's Launches, to bring it to fruition.

Taken from order to completion in just four weeks, the project was launched on the River Thames and sailed straight into a celebration of media coverage on Monday 18 May.

Star Events' p

USA - ZZ Top may be nearing 50 years together, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group shows no signs of slowing down as they continue selling out shows across all of North America. Bandit Lites provided the lighting package for ZZ Top in a design made to match the band's rock sound.

Lighting designer Gabe Hodge built on the previous year's design which consisted of 18 lamp bars with six GRN LED pars per bar, six Color Kinetics Colorblaze 72 LED strip lights, and eight Elation CUEPIX WW2 Blinders which replaced the four GRN 8-lite moles.

"I knew that I wasn't going to use the colour features on the 8-lite, and I also wanted more fixtures to spread out amongst the rig," said Hodge. "I was able to get eight of the Elations, and I really liked the way they updated the design."

The GRN Pars and Elation Blinders were spread out across the downstage, mid stage

UK - Following the success of last year's annual conference, accounting specialists Tax Assist again turned to Central Presentations Ltd (CPL) to deliver full technical production and design - sound, lighting, video, rigging and staging - for their 2015 event, which had the added resonance of also being their 20th anniversary.

The format of the show in the Caernarfon Suite at Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, south Wales, was a conference and presentation during the day, with the room transformed in a rapid 60 minute turnaround between 6 and 7pm to a gala dinner and party.

Entertainment featured magic from Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee and live music Bjorn Again.

The CPL team was led by Lee Gruszeckyj, who created a stylish design based around the exceptionally tight timescale involved - an intense 24 hours of activity.

"Central to the design was it being achievable in

USA - The Floyd Central High School in Floyds Knobs, Indiana, production of Mary Poppins performed beneath a new professional lighting rig of Elation Professional fixtures, received top reviews.

Floyd Central's new Elation lighting rig, purchased from Phoenix Lighting of Louisville, Kentucky, was part of a recent school lighting renovation and Mary Poppins was the first show to have the new gear available.

Floyd Central High School's director of theatre arts, Robbie Steiner, produced and directed the production and also designed the scenery. Concerned a couple of years ago about the quality of their theatre's lighting, he approached school administrators to see what could be done to begin upgrading their outdated system.

"Our school auditorium was constructed in 1981 and the bulk of the fixtures we were using were from that time period," he says. &quo

Europe - Two more rental houses have placed orders for the new Meyer Sound Leopard linear sound reinforcement system: Eenorm Facilitair of the Netherlands and Hurricane Sound & Light of Slovakia.

Only recently announced at Prolight + Sound, the Leopard line array loudspeaker and its accompanying 900-LFC low-frequency control element are the smallest and most versatile members of Meyer Sound's flagship Leo family.

"After listening to the Leopard system, I was not only surprised but shocked," recalls Martin Štefanek, managing director of Hurricane. "I couldn't believe a system so small and lightweight would have such enormous power and brilliant sound - not to mention the simplicity of the rigging and connections."

For Eenorm Facilitair, flexibility and sonic performance are key to the purchase decision. "We were stunned at the sound quality of Leopar

UK - Lighting hire and technical event production specialists Blue Parrot have joined Martin Professional's UK dealer network, adding 12 new Martin MAC Quantum Profile moving heads to their Edinburgh-based hire stock.

The Quantum Profiles are the latest addition to Blue Parrot's large moving light inventory which includes 30 MAC Aura washes, 24 MAC 101 units and a mixture of the flagship MAC Viper series of products: Profile, Performance and Wash DX models.

"We've had a great experience with our Martin MAC Aura and MAC 101 fixtures over the last few years," says Dave Morris, head of hires, Blue Parrot. "They're reliable and versatile lights in diverse applications, so it makes sense for us to invest in the Quantum Profile to continue offering the latest and best equipment to our production and dry hire customers."

A number of high-profile technical produc

Theatre Report - Musical theatre accounts for more than half of all box office income despite comprising just 15% of all productions staged, a report has suggested. Full findings from the British Theatre Repertoire report shows that musical theatre shows made up just 15% of all productions staged in 2013, with plays forming 72%. In total, 2,196 shows were assessed, of which 329 were musicals. The report was published by the British Theatre Consortium in conjunction with the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre.

Motown Magic - Motown the Musical is to open in the West End. The musical, which premiered on Broadway in 2013, will begin previews at the Shaftesbury Theatre in February 2016. The show had initially been planned to run at the Dominion Theatre. Featuring more than 50 Motown tracks, the musical tells the story behind the record label's success.

Motown f

UK - Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance is one of the UK's top specialist higher education institutions delivering education in single subject - Theatre Training. The College runs an annual symposium designed to further expand the knowledge and skill sets of its students and KV2 Audio were delighted to be involved with this year's Offstage, Onstage and Beyond event.

One of the College's key aims is to expose their students to a wide range of ideas and concepts relating to the various courses offered.

KV2 Audio's involvement in the week-long symposium began with a seminar to students from the BA (Hons) Performance Sound (Live Design and Engineering) course, members of the in-house technical team as well as a selection of people with a general interest in high quality audio systems.

The 300-seat Rose Theatre hosted the seminar beginning with a presentation

Canada - There's nothing reckless about a willingness to explore, as the current Bryan Adams tour is discovering. "If there's one enduring thing with the way Jody Perpick deals with his responsibility for Bryan's front of house mix, it's his willingness to keep exploring new technologies."

Rob Nevalainen, who said this only last month, has many good reasons to celebrate Perpick's sense of adventure. "A little over a year ago my company Gearforce needed to invest in a good medium size PA system. What were the choices? There weren't too many large US audio companies close to the Canadian border, so the field was open. We first looked at the d&b audiotechnik V-Series not long after it came out. We liked it immediately for its natural sound and its great power to weight ratio." Not that he made a purchase straight away. But to understand why he eventually did, it

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