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10 September 2024

Europe - Follow-Me has announced the appointment of Thijs Bruins as global sales manager. Bruins will oversee the Follow-Me global sales network, aligning existing partners, expanding the network to improve customer experience and providing a strong base for the company’s future growth.

“We are really happy Thijs is joining Follow-Me,” Marc van der Wel, managing director says. “He brings lots of technical and commercial knowledge, industry experience and enthusiasm to our growing company.”

Bruins has a wealth of technical expertise. Starting out at a young age as a lighting technician and continuing to juggle this freelance work and training, his early experience underpins his deep understanding of the live events, theatrical and AV industries.

After years of freelancing, Bruins moved on to the role of manager of special projects at

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10 September 2024

Dynamic Pricing - The UK competition regulator has launched an investigation into the sale of Oasis tickets, including the use of "dynamic pricing". The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating whether ticket-selling platform Ticketmaster breached consumer protection law. Dynamic pricing meant that, on Ticketmaster, where tickets to the reunion tour were originally sold, prices rose in line with demand.

The investigation will examine whether: Ticketmaster engaged in unfair commercial practices; buyers were given clear information to explain that the tickets could be subject to price rises; people were put under pressure to buy tickets within a short period of time. The CMA's probe follows widespread criticism of dynamic pricing over the past week from Oasis fans.

Many said they ended up paying significantly more than they expected for

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09 September 2024

UK - Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter World Tour called on Britannia Row for an L-Acoustics delivery. The Seattle rockers, fronted by Eddie Vedder, possess a FOH team pairing trust and dedication to great live sound. FOH mixer Greg Nelson and systems engineer Andrew Gilchrest are a duo that work in impressive unity.

Nelson begins: “Andrew and I have a similar ear; he hears what I hear, and I hear what he hears, so I trust him implicitly to run anywhere around the arena. I don't have to double check.”

“And I’ve learned what he's looking for, what ‘good’ sound is from him,” explains Gilchrest. “As a system engineer, I spend quite a bit of time walking around the venue making sure Greg’s mix is being translated to the rest of the crowd. It can sometimes be difficult, but I love the challenge and the fact that I can help make sure eac

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09 September 2024

France - Located at the confluence of the Vienne and Goire rivers, Confolens is a commune in southwestern France with a permanent population of around 3,000 people. But each summer this small town welcomes almost 150,000 visitors for the Festival de Confolens, when 600 artists gather for one of France’s largest celebrations of world music, dance and folklore.

Originally founded in 1957, the week-long festival is organised and operated by a group of 350 volunteers and takes place at various locations in the town, from the mainstage at the Théâtre des Ribières to the Place Henri Coursaget, taking in the church of St Maxime, the Guinguette and the Halles.

The event service provider Blackline Event, located in Fouquebrune La Couronne, deployed line arrays of six Nexo Geo S12 per side for the mainstage, supplemented by two Nexo PS15 out-fills, two PS

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09 September 2024

USA - Texas-based rental and event production solutions company LD Systems has invested in 32 new Robe iForte LTX moving lights, purchased specifically to pair with their existing 14 RoboSpot remote follow spotting control systems.

“The iForte LTX is a proper ‘Swiss Army knife of fixtures’ – highly versatile and very robust,” commented LD Systems’ lighting operations manager, Nathan Brittain.

The company already has substantial quantities of other Robe products – Pointes, MegaPointes and Spikies – in its rental inventory which are in constant use on touring, concert, and festival systems as well as special events, spectaculars and one-offs, plus the RoboSpot Systems which up to this point had been working with BMFL LT fixtures.

Brittain explains that they were looking for an IP-rated high-powered moving light, especially for t

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09 September 2024

USA - Production/lighting designer Rob Sinclair is using Elation Proteus Maximus LED Profile lighting fixtures to support country star Zach Bryan on his ongoing Quittin’ Time tour. Playing North American dates in support of his fifth studio album, The Great American Bar Scene, which was released in July, the Proteus Maximus has been instrumental in supporting Bryan’s live performances in the challenging conditions of outdoor stadiums.

The Quittin’ Time tour marks a significant milestone in Zach Bryan’s career. His rise to country music stardom has been meteoric, and his production has grown alongside him. The artist took a big step last year when Rob Sinclair came on board as lighting designer as the production grew from a bus and a trailer to playing arenas in-the-round to now sold-out stadium shows.

Sinclair has h

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09 September 2024

Italy - Studio and live sound engineer Andrea Pellegrini recently worked with the Peter Erskine Quartet in Italy, delivering quality sound thanks to a selection of microphones from DPA Microphones for 22 live performances.

The engineer deployed a combination of DPA 4099 Instrument Mics on the piano, saxophone, double bass and snare drum, along with 4011 Cardioid Condensers as overhead mics and a 4055 for the kick drum.

The Peter Erskine Quartet, led by drummer Peter Erskine and featuring George Garzone on saxophone, Alan Pasqua on piano and Darek Oles on double bass, delivered unforgettable performances throughout the tour. Pellegrini’s use of DPA microphones played a pivotal role in enhancing the live experience for both the musicians and the audience.

A Florence native, Pellegrini was thrilled to join the quartet in his home country. “B

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09 September 2024

UK - At the PLASA Show 2024, Highlite showcased a wide range of products from several of its brands including Infinity, Showtec and DAP. The range included some of Highlite’s most popular products as well as some impressive new offerings.

New additions to the Infinity Raccoon range included the Raccoon S420/4 strobe with over 70,000 lumens strobe power, Raccoon W40/4 wash with over 41,000 lumens RGBW wash light, Raccoon P7/7 high-end par with 7 RGBCALDB LEDs, Raccoon Junior P4/7 high-end par with 4 RGBCALDB LEDs and Raccoon Junior P7/4 high-end par with 7 RGBM LEDs.

Showtec's new products included the Titan Strobe Flex FX and the Octostrip Flex Set - 1 m. The Showtec Titan Strobe Flex FX is a set of eight high-power LED strobes and a dedicated controller, each pod containing a powerful 100W cold white COB strobe LED and a ring of 12 individually co

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09 September 2024

The Netherlands – “Delivering innovation and connecting communities” is a rallying cry for IBC 2024 on the show’s website. The Chauvet family of brands – Kino Flo, ChamSys and Chauvet Professional – will be embracing this concept at the convention by showcasing a selection of products developed around the company’s goal to “reach across worlds and see the physical and digital converge.”

Among the first things visitors will encounter at the booth is the special demo area created to showcase the multi-award-winning Kino Flo Mimik image-based video lighting tile. Using patented technology to connect ‘worlds’, Mimik projects light that mirrors video content while applying a higher tonal and colour rendering range.

With its capacity to translate incoming RGB video signals into five individual colour emitters, Mimik generates synchron

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06 September 2024

Europe - Goldensea has announced that it has agreed to acquire the business of SGM Light AS, and that SGM is now under the ownership of Goldensea. In the coming days SGM will restart trading under a new legal entity, retaining the SGM name.

Established in Italy in 1975, and now located in Aarhus, Denmark, SGM is a well-respected lighting manufacturer pioneering the use of IP65 moving lights before, more recently, focusing on architectural lighting. Both these aspects create strong synergies with Goldensea, which is investing heavily in both entertainment and architectural IP65 solid state lighting products.

SGM has always focused on technological innovation, being one of the first in the industry to launch all-weather waterproof moving head fixtures. It has experienced R&D, creative, operations and sales teams alongside mature sales channels and

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06 September 2024

France - L-Acoustics, experiencing record-breaking growth, has announced a strategic restructuring and significant expansion of its Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) sales team. This move, led by recently appointed director of sales EMEA, Tim Völker, introduces a new 'head of sales' management position and key hires designed to meet the increasing sophistication and scale of projects in the region.

This restructuring reflects L-Acoustics' commitment to meeting evolving market needs. The company's increased investment in personnel over the past two years has been strategically directed towards enhancing client support, improving service quality, and providing closer account management. This client-centric approach has been well received across all market sectors, as evidenced by strong sales performance and growing market acceptance of L-Acoustics solut

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06 September 2024

Europe - Bridge Technologies has announced its partnership with fellow Norwegian company Pixotope, a leading provider of graphic enhancements for broadcast productions. The partnership will focus on leveraging Bridge’s expertise in the field of IP broadcast to assist Pixotope in a full ST 2110 transition, the initial results of which will be on display at IBC 2024 (Booth 1.A71).

The Pixotope platform streamlines workflows by combining camera tracking, talent tracking, virtual sets, AR and XR functionalities. Through the use of a single, intuitive application, the need for multiple programmes and complex integrations is eliminated, thus minimising disruption and hardware requirements. The net result is the ability to easily create immersive and striking experiences for viewers, adding context through data visualisations, clarity through action tracking, and

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06 September 2024

UK - Following a “resounding success and sell-out event” in Bristol earlier this year, Stage Electrics has announced that their showcase is hitting the road. The first destination is Brighton, promising an opportunity for people interested in entertainment technology to connect, explore, and experience the newest products from leading brands.

On confirming the next Showcase location, Dave Coull, Group CEO, said: "We are excited to bring the Stage Electrics Showcase to Brighton. This is a chance to connect with our valued customers and demonstrate many of the market-leading products and services we provide.

“But the Showcase isn't just about the latest technology; it's about building relationships, sharing knowledge, and helping our clients find the right solutions for their performance spaces and venues. Showcasing the innovation and expertise

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06 September 2024

Italy - In the summer of 2024, Italian musicians Francesco Renga and Filippo Neviani, known as Nek, embarked on a tour that celebrated the best of their extensive discographies. This highly anticipated tour, aptly named Renganek Live 2024, blended Renga’s soulful rock with Nek’s dynamic pop-rock, offering audiences a musical experience grounded in a shared rock matrix.

Designed with flexibility and sustainability in mind, the tour utilises a semi-production setup that integrates essential aspects of a full-scale production with a more efficient and simplified approach. This combination ensures smooth execution across numerous tour dates, while also providing the adaptability to address the unique challenges and opportunities of each venue.

At the heart of the tour’s lighting setup is a sophisticated control system managed by renowned l

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06 September 2024

Denmark - Hotel Cecil, a well-known venue in Copenhagen, has recently completed an audio renovation project. This enhancement with a Midas HD96 –24-CC at the centre of the upgrade aims to better serve the diverse range of events hosted at the 350-capacity venue, which includes music shows across various genres including rock, pop, metal, jazz, and stand-up comedy.

On Fridays and Saturdays, the venue transitions into the nightclub Cecil AM, featuring curated lineups of local and international DJs. Managed by Bremen Teater, Hotel Cecil is known for its outstanding acoustics and art deco-inspired interior design, providing a unique atmosphere for its events.

The venue’s broad event schedule presented significant challenges in maintaining a consistent and functional front of house setup. The audio system needed to be versatile enough to accommodate t

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06 September 2024

Europe - Lawo, the Ravenna audio-over-IP technology developer, has welcomed Jünger Audio to the Ravenna community. A manufacturer of audio processing, conversion and authoring solutions, Jünger Audio creates channel-based audio and object-based next-generation audio formats for the broadcast industry. 

Jünger Audio has been partnering with the Ravenna team for a while to ensure compatibility for its audio-over-IP interface. Based on SMPTE ST2110, AES67 and other format standards, the next major release version will add the final components to fully comply with the Ravenna standard. 

“With Ravenna being one of the major players in the broadcast world, it was no question that we would join the family,” says Friedemann Kootz, co-CEO of Jünger Audio. “While we have been serving our Ravenna-based customers with AES67 effective

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06 September 2024

South Korea - The Hongcheon Culture and Arts Centre serves the South Korean city of Hongcheon-gun. Opened in 1995 the centre comprises a theatre, small auditorium and exhibition space, and stages a wide range of events including concerts, plays, musical theatre, lectures and presentations.

The centre recently decided to upgrade the audio provision in its 500-seater theatre and engaged Seoul-based specialist Soundus to install a state-of-the-art Coda Audio system to meet the brief. Established in 1994, Soundus imports and distributes world-class audio equipment as well as offering audio-related solutions including system design, installation and tuning.

A Coda Audio CiRAY system was chosen for the venue, designed by Soundus sales manager Beomki Jo: “The Hongcheon Arts Centre is a multipurpose venue that stages a wide variety of events, so the soluti

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06 September 2024

Italy - One of Milan’s leading luxury hotels and part of the Lugarno Collection, Portrait Milano offers guests quintessential Italian hospitality at an address in the heart of the city. Housed in a former Archiepiscopal Seminary dating back to 1565, Portrait Milano is third in the Portrait Collection. Opened in December 2022, the 73-room property recently underwent a large-scale integration of an audio system from fellow Italian brand, K-array.  

“At Portrait Milano, they required a solution that would blend seamlessly with the stylish interiors but provide moderately high SPL,” explains Alberto Gaetti, project support specialist at K-array. “We worked closely with systems integrators, A3 System and Next Domus, to design and implement a system that would complement the guest experience at this luxury hotel.”  

In total, the project enco

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06 September 2024

France - Since 2024, visitors to the Cité Immersive Viking in Rouen have been able to delve into the fascinating world of the Vikings. The multimedia exhibition retraces the Viking invasion of Normandy in the ninth and tenth centuries and brings the culture and history of the region to life in a multimedia and immersive way.

The organisers behind the exhibition have commissioned a specialist for the technical planning and implementation: the event technology service provider Novelty. Mathieu Cabanes was responsible for the lighting design of the various exhibition rooms. The French lighting designer originally comes from the world of opera, but has also made a name for himself with major corporate and sporting events. In the Cité Immersive exhibition, Cabanes relies on the versatile LED bars from the Cameo Pixbar G2 series and the RGBW PAR spots from the Q

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06 September 2024

USA - Bluesound Professional introduced the CP300 Wall Mount Control Panel at the CEDIA Expo 2024. The CP300 is a touchscreen accessory that includes the intuitive functionally of an eight-inch colour touchscreen tablet, Power over Ethernet (PoE+), and the Bluesound Controller Android app; creating an accessory that combines both ease of use, and an intuitive system control experience. 

The CP300 control panel is designed to allow users to achieve full functionality with no constraints for all commercial spaces. Through the pre-installed Bluesound Controller Android app, users are able to effortlessly experience streamlined system control of their Bluesound Professional sound system on a single elegant interface. The colour dynamic touchscreen display allows users to easily select playlists, control volume levels and so much more, creating an all-in-one int