Details

30 May 2024

UK - The 26th annual MOBO Awards took place at Newcastle’s 11,000-capacity Utilita Arena, celebrating black music and culture.

Enhancing this mood and supporting the dynamic music on stage was a bold and versatile lighting design by SJ Grevett and operated by Liam Griffiths and Kris Goodman that featured 98 Chauvet Professional fixtures.

Drawn from the company’s own inventory, the kit included 24 Maverick Storm 4 Profiles, 30 Maverick Storm 3 BeamWashes, 32 STRIKE 1 units and 12 COLORado PXL16 motorised tilting battens. “We went for the big and bold look with brightest fixtures, so we could really punch through against so much LED screen space on camera,” said SJ.

Utilising the wide zoom range and colour rendering capabilities of his Maverick and COLORado fixtures, as well as the intense output of his STRIKE units, Liam created the lo

Details

30 May 2024

USA - The Audio Reproduction division of Focusrite Group US, which comprises amongst others Martin Audio and TiMax, has strengthened its senior team with the recruitment of theatre sound designer, Brad Berridge - previously director of sound operations for Feld Entertainment.

As the newly-appointed market development manager – theatre, immersive and education markets, Berridge will bring his experience to the role to call on theatrical sound designers, venues, theatre production providers and audio engineers, whilst in the education space he’ll be calling on those that offer live sound as well as theatre degrees and training.

Berridge is already very familiar with Martin Audio given his eight years overseeing the sound for all Feld productions, many of which used Martin Audio solutions including Disney on Ice, Marvel Universe Live, Monster Jam: T

Details

30 May 2024

Sweden - The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) featured an innovative set design at the Malmö Arena where Claypaky Tambora Linear 100 high-power LEDs and Skylos white-laser source searchlights supported the dynamic look of the event’s first 360º stage.

Fredrik Stormby from Stockholm-based Green Wall Designs, the lighting and screen content designer for this year's event, selected the Claypaky fixtures. Stormby is best known as part of the creative team behind Beyonce's 2023 Renaissance tour, Loreen's winning 2023 ESC performance and ABBA Voyage in London. He joined production designer Florian Wieder and the senior production team to help create, design and deliver the large-scale, spectacular show to a global audience of more than 160m people.

The set was a 360-degree experience placed in the middle of the audience and shaped like an eq

Details

30 May 2024

UK - As part of its ‘continuing mission to simplify the world of commercial audio for integrators and end-users’, Optimal Audio has further evolved the user-friendliness of its ecosystem with updates to its WebApp and ZonePad controllers.

WebApp allows users to unlock the capabilities of Optimal Audio’s Zone controller, which enables the efficient delivery of high-quality, multi-zoned commercial sound systems. Compatible with any device, WebApp makes system set-up straightforward, after which a simple user interface is presented to venue staff for easy operation.

Amongst the new features unveiled as part of WebApp 1.3, comes the biggest update for ZonePad so far, with the ZonePad 4 now able to be configured as a single zone controller with up to four routine triggers. This allows venue staff, at the push of a physical button, to trigger pre-con

Details

30 May 2024

India - Spectrum Audio Solutions, an event equipment solutions provider based in Goa, has evolved into a significant player in the market, delivering sound experiences for a wide range of events. Recently, Spectrum Audio Solutions made a substantial investment to expand its existing loudspeaker inventory.

The recent acquisition includes 24 units of Kudo line array modules, known for their large-format, high-performance capabilities that ensure precise coverage and exceptional sound quality. Additionally, the company has added 12 more dV DOSC line array modules, complementing their existing inventory and maintaining their reputation for unmatched sound clarity. To cater to versatile event needs, Spectrum Audio Solutions has integrated 24 units of ARCS multi-purpose loudspeakers into their arsenal. These speakers are designed to deliver powerful audio across a

Details

30 May 2024

South Africa - La Parada is a restaurant chain bringing the vibrancy of the Mediterranean to South Africa. Finished with sandy pastels and palm trees, the restaurant’s newest location is in Johannesburg’s day-to-night dining and shopping destination, Cedar Square.

La Parada has installed an audio system using technology from Audac and Xilica.   The project was a collaboration between AV Distribution and South African installation company Sonic AV. For Cedar Square, La Parada wanted a sound system that catered to DJs and bigger parties, offering something different to its predominantly dining-focused venues.

“La Parada wanted to make the shift to a more music-orientated restaurant with this opening,” says Richard Edwards, CEO of Sonic AV. “They wanted more of a bar vibe with DJs so we knew that a solution from Audac would be an ideal fit,

Details

30 May 2024

Romania - On 25 May at the main national stadium of Romania, Arena Națională in Bucharest was the setting for Golden Generation vs. Legends of the World (Generația de Aur vs Legendele Lumii). The spectator stands with a capacity of 55,000 were completely filled with football fans. For the entertainment and ceremonial parts of the event, JSA provided and installed special stage structures.

The original design and engineering of the stage platform structure was created by JSA partner Adrian Vișenoiu. The customer and organiser of the technical part of the production was the Salt Box Studio agency. Since there was little time before the event, it was decided not to manufacture special structures, but to install all structures based on universal and quickly available Layher systems.

A special feature of the installation of stage structures was the ti

Details

29 May 2024

Europe - HOF has added Megalight to its distribution network as a new sales partner for Belgium. Megalight has more than 30 years of experience in lighting, sound and rigging.

Juan de Walque, sales manager at Megalight, says: ‘We are known for our excellent industry knowledge and our close relationships with our customers. This enables us to offer our customers high-quality products from well-known brands. HOF's innovative and high-quality products fit in perfectly with this.’

Edwin Duivelaar, export & sales manager at HOF, adds: ‘Megalight is recognised as a successful and important supplier on the Belgian market. I am sure that the HOF products will be a successful addition to the existing portfolio.’

Megalight will distribute the HOF MLT Pre Rig Truss Series, HOF Standard Trusses, XOOP Lighting and CJS Couplers.

Details

29 May 2024

UK - fac365 is an audio hire company based in Greater Manchester with an open-door policy for local engineers. Providing bespoke solutions is at the centre of the company’s ethos and when the opportunity came along to branch out into the live touring market the whole team knew the fully loaded DiGiCo Quantum 338 with Pulse software was the console to let them shine.

So much so, they bought two, along with two fully loaded SD Racks. fac365 has been operating successfully since it was established in 2009 by managing director Mike Hayes.

Expansion is now very much on their minds. The purchase of two DiGiCo Quantum 338 consoles has been powered not only by client demand, but at the request of their engineers. Since the early days of the company Mike has encouraged open, collaborative thinking and collective decision making. This atmosphere of inclusion

Details

29 May 2024

UK - The Production Services Association (PSA) has announced the election of Liz Madden and Tom Rees as co-chairs of the council. Both Liz and Tom have been active council members of the PSA for a long time and bring a wealth of knowledge to the role. Their joint goal is to increase direct support for members and further evolve industry representation, education and awareness of the business of technical production across the live events industry ecosystem.

Liz Madden commented: “We are looking forward to working with both council members and members to continue the growth and development of the PSA. The live industry faces ongoing challenges, and we will continue to provide support to members and the industry as a whole. Skills shortage is currently a key issue for the industry, and we are working on a training and education programme to address this.”<

Details

29 May 2024

Germany - Boothaus in Cologne, ranked as the #5 EDM club in the world, has switched to L-Acoustics. “Upgrading to L-Acoustics helps us keep our coveted position as one of the best clubs in the world. Bootshaus has always been recognised for prizing sound over visuals. Sound is super important to us,” states Tom Thomas, managing director at Bootshaus.

For 20 years, Bootshaus has curated a mix of electro-house, dubstep, and drum’n’bass for clubgoers. Its brand extends beyond club walls to curated festivals throughout Germany. Within those 1,900-cap walls, which include three dance floors, each with its own DJ booth, and a large outdoor area overlooking the Rhine. clubgoers have danced to the likes of Skrillex, David Guetta, Diplo, and Avicii.

Getting sound to each of the dance floors has been difficult, and the previous system, installed over a

Details

29 May 2024

UK - The Web3 Music Association (W3M), a new music industry trade body facilitating industry-wide research and development, has announced its official launch and manifesto. 

W3M brings together entities from the music, finance and technology sectors to ‘collaborate, explore and harness advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and mixed reality’.

Leading W3M are president & CEO Sergio Mottola, a business leader with expertise in finance, advanced technologies, and international regulation frameworks, and Charlie Rapino, record industry veteran and currently VP of A&R and communications at Artist First, who has been appointed vice president. W3M’s executive vice president of music, Giulia Maresca, chief of staff and Katy Campbell, EVP of ecosystem, are also joining the leadership team.

W3M’s advisory bo

Details

29 May 2024

New Zealand - TES (Technical Event Solutions) is a full production service and rental company based in Christchurch and they were the first such enterprise to invest in Robe Esprite moving lights.

TES prides itself on delivering quality streamlined event solutions and technical services including broadcast, all from one proactive and busy facility in Woolston.

The company was started in 2017 by Alex Wilson, initially working from a 12 x 6m storage unit, and now occupies a 1000sq,m warehouse with 15 full time staff.

Alex’s background is in stage lighting while his business partner Brett Armstrong comes from the world of broadcast AV and IT.

TES grew throughout the covid period partly by being open minded and pivoting to embrace new technologies and services including streaming. “I have a brilliant team here, and we can all multitas

Details

29 May 2024

Germany - Cameo has introduced the ORON H2, billed as the world’s first IP65 hybrid moving head with a phosphor-laser engine. With its combination of beam, spotlight, and wash and an ‘unrivalled zoom range’ for laser moving heads, the ORON H2 is suitable for flexible use on medium and large stages – both indoors and outdoors. Thanks to its laser technology, the ORON H2 also acts as a future-proof and sustainable alternative for the upcoming EU ban on discharge lamps from 2027, says the company.

The Cameo ORON H2 is based on a 260-watt phosphor laser engine, which acts as an energy-efficient, long-lasting replacement for discharge lamps in the 480-watt class. The laser engine of the ORON H2 has a light output of 330,000 lux at a distance of 20m and a narrow minimum beam angle of 0.6°, which is achieved without the use of a beam reducer. For flexible

Details

29 May 2024

Germany - Q-SYS, a division of QSC, EMEA has announced the appointment of Chant Utukian as managing director, MEA.

Utukian joined the company in 2021 and has played a pivotal role in establishing the brand in the UAE and building a robust regional team.

“Chant’s strategic approach to managing distribution and business development has significantly increased sales revenue and expanded our market share in MEA,” says Markus Winkler, executive vice president, EMEA & APAC. “I look forward to seeing the region continuing to grow under Chant’s leadership.”

“This is an exciting time for Q-SYS as we transition to a hybrid business model in the GCC,” says Utukian. “I look forward to solidifying the Q-SYS brand in the region and further developing our team."

Details

29 May 2024

UK - London-based AV and IT integrator, Tateside has announced an ongoing project in collaboration with the MoneyGram Haas Formula 1 team. Tateside is set to support the F1 team’s digital signage requirements throughout the 2024 racing season. Having been introduced to the Haas team back in 2018, Tateside has provided installed solutions both within the team's factory in Banbury and trackside.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team sought to rebuild and update their garage in 2023 and the team’s creative services manager, Peter Julian, enlisted Tateside to support the team in distributing its marketing visuals and live-streamed data across the garage.

“We were looking for a reliable solution for displaying content, such as sponsorship material or timing data, on the garage screens,” explains Julian. “Having known Tateside for several years, we trusted the

Details

29 May 2024

Denmark - Aarhus-based LED lighting manufacturer DVT Light has appointed Theis Wermuth as its new commercial director. Well-known as an international lighting and show designer via his design studio Create This, Wermuth also has a background working with leading professional lighting manufacturers.

DVT Light was founded in 2021 by Mikkel Bandholm and Peter Johansen who has been inventing products for entertainment since the 1970s.

As commercial director, Theis will be focussing on sales, marketing, and building a distribution network to assist in helping to establish the brand globally. Theis will also energise an extensive network of contacts of lighting professionals.

He states, “I am thrilled to join DVT Light. It is a fantastic opportunity to work with such an innovative and dynamic team. I look forward to contributing to the company's

Details

29 May 2024

UK - Mark Simcock at Progression AV is fast gaining a reputation in Scotland for highly successful church sound system designs and installations. When the core leadership team at Pitlochry Baptist Church took the decision to address the problems of poor intelligibility and coverage gaps from their existing system, they contacted Mark to propose a new one.

“Music is at the heart of the celebration at Pitlochry Baptist Church and the minister, the band and, indeed, the congregation are very discerning about sound,” comments Mark.

“We proposed two systems of which a Nexo solution was the less expensive. Nexo’s ePS Series hits a budget-friendly price point while still delivering high levels of performance, which it makes it possible for smaller churches to get great sound without spending a large sum of money.”

The system at Pitlochry c

Details

29 May 2024

USA - DraftKings’ new Sportsbook facility has opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, featuring 3,400sq.ft of video walls driven by two tvONE CORIOmaster2 video processors. For the first time ever, two powerful CORIOmaster2 units are being ‘cascaded’ to offer DraftKings more inputs and outputs.

Constructed during 2023, the Scottsdale DraftKings Sportsbook is located adjacent to the 36-hole TPC Scottsdale golf complex. The modern building offers 13,000sq.ft of indoor space, which includes 32 betting kiosks, six windows to place bets, and wraparound LED screens, allowing customers to watch live sports action and related video from practically any seat or space.

Agility AVL’s Art Martinez and his team were engaged to specify and install a complete AV solution for the project, designing and delivering audio, LED, control, video processing and displays.

Details

29 May 2024

Greece - The Royal & Imperial Belvedere Resort in Chersónisos, Crete, has had its Blue Lounge - pool bar, pool area, lobby and exterior revamped. Highlite's exclusive distributor Sivko Electronics and their regional partner George Solakis were entrusted with the design, supply and implementation.

When Sivko Electronics' partner in the Chersónisos region, George Solakis, contacted them to supply the appropriate equipment for a refurbishment of the Royal & Imperial Belvedere Resort, they immediately switched into high gear to get the project off the ground. George Solakis and crew member Pantelis Nathenas designed the concept, while Kostas Poulis and Sivko Electronics supplied the equipment. Programming was entrusted to Lefteris Katakis.

The redesign also included the external appearance of the hotel, for which they added architectural lighti