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05 September 2024

Europe - Canadian front of house engineer Matt Blakely is the owner of Prodigy.MP for his personal live audio processing. Blakely has over 20 years’ experience and his latest tour with Billy Talent had dates worldwide, throughout the summer.

A chance encounter initially made him think about his audio interfacing and after trying Prodigy.MP, he says he will never go back. It is not just the hardware that withstands the demands of a worldwide tour, the relationship and support he gets from DirectOut means other solutions cannot compete.

“It all started when my preferred interface became unsupported,” Blakely recalls. “I can’t remember who suggested I tried the Prodigy.MP, but I gave it a go for driving the PA. It is a great, simple solution for festivals, but even more useful when we’re touring our own PA as we can have full control of our

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05 September 2024

USA - For this year’s Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores, Alabama, production company TMS chose to go with the proven IP protection of Elation’s Proteus line of multi-environmental luminaires for the Shoreline Stage. With summer heat, frequent thunderstorms and a windy salt-spray setting to deal with, TMS sought the robust durability and weather-resistant performance of the established line of IP-rated luminaires.

Held 17-19 May on the white sand beaches of Gulf Shores, with production management provided by Lambda Productions, the annual three-day music festival serves as the kick-off to summer with both established artists and emerging talent playing on five different stages. The event is produced by AEG/Hangout Music Fest.

TMS has handled lighting production for the festival for many years and this year chose a nearly all Elation Proteus rig for the

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05 September 2024

USA - The annual three-day Northern Nights Music Festival takes place in and around the Cooks Valley Campgrounds in Piercy, CA.

Adding to the atmosphere this year was a new lighting rig designed by Brian Willison that featured 160 Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by 4Wall Entertainment. Included in this mix were 22 Maverick Force S Spots, 12 Maverick Storm 2 BeamWashes, 32 Color Strike M motorised strobe-washes, 14 Rogue R1 FXB units, 62 Colorado 1QS RGBW wash lights, six Rogue R1 Washes, and 12 Colorado PXL 16 motorised battens.

The colour rendering prowess and intense output of these fixtures were used to create a variety of deeply evocative looks that contributed to the transformative vibe of Northern Nights. When designing the rig, Willison strove to create a harmonious balance between the lights and the 31.3’ by 18.8’ video wall.

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05 September 2024

USA - Based in San Diego, California, turnkey production design studio and rental company Maktive says it is “dedicated to bringing the GLP fixture experience to the masses”.

The company has been quick to back up this pledge by ordering large quantities of the German company’s latest generation of IP65-rated fixtures, all on the advanced X5 platform.

When it “blind purchased” 150 of the new JDC2 IPs after seeing prototypes at the LDI booth last November, it became its single largest investment in one type of fixture. And by then it had already bought 100 each of the impression X5 IP Bar 1000 and Fusion by GLP Exo Beam 10s, as well as 50 of the new impression X5 IP Maxx.

The IP fixtures already serve the company well in all elements, as they travel coast-to-coast during the outdoor event season. But Bryan McClanahan, who set up the p

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05 September 2024

USA - Martin Audio US has announced its next open day. This will take place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on 30 September, with separate presentations at both 11am and 2pm.

Hosted by VP sales, Lee Stein, the event will showcase highlights from Martin Audio’s current portfolio, with audio demonstrations and presentations by vertical market specialists, Brad Berridge and Brad Stephens.

Beginning with their latest range of passive coaxial point source speakers, FlexPoint, and the powered counterpart CDD-LIVE, they will then progress through to the specialist three-way 15” speaker of THS, onto the constant curvature series, Torus and finish with a complement of Wavefront Precision optimised line arrays – all supported by performance subwoofers including cardioid SXC115 and SXC118, as well as SXH218.

In addition, they will have XE stage

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04 September 2024

UK - Rigging pioneer Robin Elias was the proud recipient of the 2024 Gottelier Award. Nominated and voted for by his industry peers, Elias collected the award from PLASA MD, Peter Heath and chair, Adam Blaxill at this year’s PLASA Show, which took place 1-3 September at Olympia London.

Named in memory of the renowned industry innovator and commentator, Tony Gottelier, the award celebrates those who have made significant, long-term contributions to the advancement of entertainment, presentation or installation technology.

Elias began his career in rock ‘n’ roll, touring with iconic bands such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Queen and Genesis. He went on to become technical director of Unusual Rigging, where he delivered often complex and challenging rigging solutions across diverse sectors, including film and TV, live events, museums and ar

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04 September 2024

South Africa - Production designer Wilhelm Disbergen has completed an array of video-focused shows across his home country, utilising tvONE's Green Hippo brand of Hippotizer Media Servers to transform the look and feel of each piece.

Disbergen – who has served as video and production designer for dance and ballet, musicals, opera, theatre and corporate projects – focused on two of Johannesburg’s National School of the Arts (NSA) productions recently, using Hippotizer Media Servers on both to raise the bar on visual design.

One of these was Project 24, which invited audiences to experience a new generation of emerging choreographers from the school to showcase new choreography. During the production, the students gave shape and form to abstract concepts and ideas as they offered a unique perspective and window into the mindset of young

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04 September 2024

USA - Since it launched in 2008, Outside Lands, one of America’s premier music and arts festivals, has annually transformed San Francisco’s vast Golden Gate Park into a cultural celebration, elevated by Meyer Sound systems provided by the Bay Area’s own UltraSound.

The 2024 festival, which took place 9-11 August, showcased the pairing of Meyer Sound’s Panther large-format linear line array loudspeaker and 2100‑LFC low-frequency control element at the Lands End main stage, which hosted performances by Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Sturgill Simpson and The Killers, plus a standout country set by Post Malone.

“Panther and 2100-LFC are an unparalleled pair, and we are so excited that they are making their debut together at the Lands End stage here at Outside Lands this year,” says Katharine ‘Katie’ Murphy Khulusi, Meyer Sound’s di

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04 September 2024

Europe - Elumen8 has announced the release of their new Tour Batten IP, a powerful fixture equipped with integral pivoting brackets, omega clamps and a rugged, rental-ready IP65 housing. It’s ready to be taken on the road with the optional eight-way batten flight case.

Ten 10W tunable warm white LEDs produce a variable colour temperature from a rich warm white (1,600K) up to a realistic halogen (2,900K) tone. The temperature can be preset via the rear menu or DMX. When dimmed, the fixture can emulate a traditional halogen lamp with a rich amber glow similar to a sunstrip. Colour temperature processing is handled automatically via the battens CPU.

Chris Beesley, product sourcing manager says: "The Elumen8 Tour Batten has been revamped and is now IP rated – preparing it for use in outdoor events, concerts and festivals. The LED and collimator combi

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04 September 2024

UK - Union Audio has announced the release of four new products – the Orbit LE2, Orbit LE4, and the ground-breaking Orbit LE2 FX and Orbit LE4 FX – offering a new range of accessible two- and four-channel rotary mixers.

The Orbit LE2 and LE4 are high-performance rotary analogue DJ mixers, featuring fully independent channels, each equipped with high-quality phono pre-amplifier and line inputs, high-pass filter with variable Q, FX Send with pre/post switch, and a precise Alps rotary fader. The Master section features a three-band Isolator, and separate level controls for Master Out, Booth Out and Aux Return, whilst comprehensive monitoring is via two backlit custom analogue VU meters, with a powerful headphone amp featuring both Split Cue and Cue/Mix, plus 1/4” and 3.5mm headphone jack sockets for maximum versatility.

Building on the LE2 and LE4

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04 September 2024

USA - When Kelly Feild returned to Bandit Lites as the director of personnel, she referred to it as “coming home”, working alongside Bandit Lites vice-president of business and innovation, Jake Tickle.

Feild now serves as the second in command at the Bandit International Facility in Nashville. This continues the Bandit move into what the firm calls Gen8 at Bandit. “A new generation of young, talented people are taking the leadership positions to guide Bandit through the next 30 years,” said Bandit Lites chair and founder Michael T. Strickland. “Kelly and several other younger people are now in the critical roles at Bandit. They both follow the established Bandit Standards, but with a point of view and outlook for how to improve every day. The one constant is change, and Kelly is a big part of the Gen8 change at Bandit.”

“I started at Ba

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03 September 2024

UK - The winners of the 2024 PLASA Awards for Innovation were announced last night at PLASA Show, currently running at Olympia London. The awards, run in association with LSi, are respected industry-wide for celebrating future-focussed technology that improves safety, efficiency and performance through new methods and materials.

44 products were entered this year, with the judges ultimately awarding eight products. And, for the first time in a number of years, the judges were delighted to also award the sustainability award. This year’s judging team comprised 13 independent technical specialists from a wide array of backgrounds, chaired once again by chartered engineer and LSi columnist, James Eade.

The winning products and judges’ comments are listed below:
Glensound for GTM Mobile  
The judges felt that this f

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03 September 2024

UK - A national campaign is being launched to educate young people about the vast range of exciting career opportunities available in the live events sector.

The campaign is being coordinated by events technology provider Adlib in partnership with key industry organisations such as PLASA, The Power of Events (UK), Production Futures and LIVE (Live Music Industry Venues & Entertainment), a federation of live music associations.

Adlib has produced a 20-minute film which highlights the myriad of different jobs within a dynamic industry that is currently estimated to be worth over £70b to the UK economy.

Andy Dockerty, Adlib’s founder and director, says: “The events industry is one of the largest sectors in the UK with many of its specialisms developing rapidly. Most elements of the delivery of live events are unknown outside of the even

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03 September 2024

USA - Online retailer for music makers Sweetwater has announced the formal transition of All Pro Integrated Systems, its integration division, to officially operate as Sweetwater Integration. Solving the marketplace need for a one-stop shop for superior integration delivery, the transition reflects over a decade of investment, coupling exceptional customer care and a track record of successful projects for large-scale integration customers.

Sweetwater's customers now have a go-to source for integration to create immersive audio-visual experiences. And now, with Sweetwater Integration, the company is leveraging strong, proven relationships with experienced designers, engineers, and professional integrators.

"We've been working tirelessly to redefine integration and to ensure the integration delivery experience matches the experience synonymous with th

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03 September 2024

Poland - This year marking its 30th anniversary, Poland’s largest festival, Pol‘and’Rock, draws aggregate crowds of between 500,000-750,000 to the Czaplinek-Broczyno airfield, making it one of the largest in the world.

This year the three-day free festival (formerly known as Woodstock Festival Poland) drew rock act Coma, alongside Motionless in White, Flogging Molly, Less Than Jake, The Warning, Guano Apes and many others.

A veteran of the event’s successful sound since the beginning of the millennium, both as main sound engineer and crew chief, is Przemek Naguszewski (of Fotis Sound). This year he deployed an Optocore XR6 system for fibre transmission between FOH and monitors, as well as a Festival Box. “I was responsible for providing all [systems] between the sound engineer and system input,” he said. “All needed consoles, outboard,

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03 September 2024

The Netherlands - Dutch drum ‘n’ bass fans were served up a major treat when the four-day Liquicity Festival again took place at the Geestmerambacht Park in the north of the Netherlands. The programme featured a vast roster of international DJ and live dance acts.

The consolidated, multi-stage event - whose roots date back to 2013 - attracts daily attendances of up to 20,000. Returning for their second year, Martin Audio rental partner DSL equipped seven stages with premium systems over the four days.

Stated DSL director, Gert-Jan Gomes, “At Liquicity 2023, where we supplied all feature areas with Martin Audio PA, we were able to keep the audience immersed in high quality sound, while at the same time restrict off-site noise to a level within the permit. As a result of this achievement, we were asked to return for the 2024 edition.”

I

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03 September 2024

Portugal - Europalco leveraged the power of Kuka robot to create a memorable experience at the 36th Deloitte IRGAwards 2024. Held at the Carlos Lopes Pavilion in Lisbon, the event, organised by Desafio Global, welcomed 270 guests.

This year, the IRGAwards focused on technology and artificial intelligence, creating an atmosphere that showcased the harmony between humans and machines. Europalco’s Kuka robot played a prominent role in this narrative. The evening began with a performance where a Kuka robot played the piano alongside a pianist. A highlight of the event was the captivating dance performed by a Kuka robot and a professional dancer. These demonstrations showcased the impressive capabilities of modern robotics.

The IRGAwards 2024 stood out for its innovative use of visual and scenic elements. Of particular note was the 360-degree immersive

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03 September 2024

Canada - MDG Fog, manufacturer of fog, haze, and low fog generators, has announced the availability of GDTF (General Device Type Format) files on https://link.mdgfog.com/GDTF

GDTF files are crucial for lighting professionals who seek to streamline and enhance their workflow. The General Device Type Format (GDTF) is an open standard used in the entertainment industry to describe the capabilities of lighting fixtures and other stage equipment in a standardized format. By using GDTF files, lighting designers and technicians can ensure seamless integration and accurate representation of MDG Fog’s products in their lighting control systems and 3D visualization software.

The addition of these GDTF files underscores MDG Fog’s commitment to supporting the industry with the latest technological advancements, enabling users to create more precise and dynam

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03 September 2024

Singapore - LEA Professional has announced the appointment of Jon Han as business development manager for the APAC region.

Han brings over 18 years of experience in Pro AV solution sales to LEA. Throughout his career, he has enhanced sales through strategic strategies and brand-building for numerous companies. To effectively represent the company in the APAC region, Han will collaborate closely with Generation AV, LEA’s authorised sales partner.

“I’m thrilled to join the LEA team. It’s always a pleasure to represent a company with outstanding technology and company values,” said Han. “I’m ready to hit the ground running and work closely with the whole team at LEA and Generation AV to bring LEA to more APAC customers.”

“Our goal is to bring only the best technology to our customers, and the addition of Jon to the LEA team wil

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03 September 2024

On The Campaign Trail - ABBA have complained after their hits like The Winner Takes it All were played at one of Donald Trump's presidential campaign rallies. The group's songs and videos, also including Money, Money, Money and Dancing Queen, were also played at the event in Minnesota in July, according to Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.

In a statement to the Reuters news agency, the band's record label Universal Music said: "Together with the members of ABBA, we have discovered that videos have been released where Abba's music has been used at Trump events, and we have therefore requested that such use be immediately removed and taken down." The label said no permission or licence had been granted to Mr Trump's campaign.

ABBA are the latest in a long list of artists or their estates who have objected to Mr Tr