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26 March 2025

USA - The Grand Ole Opry 100th Celebration, broadcast live on NBC and streamed on Peacock, featured a procession of artists who relied on Shure audio technology as they honoured the legacy of the country music institution. Both founded in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry and Shure share a rich history together, with music and cultural stars trusting Shure microphones on the Opry stage.

“Two icons in the entertainment industry both celebrating 100 years is quite an honour,” said Chris Schyvinck, president and CEO at Shure. “We literally grew up together. From day one, the Grand Ole Opry has provided the world with wonderful talent and significant impacts on the world of music. We congratulate the Grand Ole Opry and all its members and fans for a century of success and hope for another 100 years of country music entertainment.”

Chuck Young, di

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26 March 2025

The Netherlands - The dynamic production of Mamma Mia! The Party in Rotterdam featured the Follow-Me Track-iT system at the heart of its lighting design.

Mamma Mia! The Party is an immersive theatrical show that combines the magic of Mamma Mia! - the successful theatre production - with a dining experience. Set in a vibrant Greek taverna with the entire venue being used as the set, the show invites audiences to become part of the action, interacting with the cast and enjoying a meal while the story unfolds around them. With lively performances, ABBA music, and a mix of comedy and drama, Mamma Mia! The Party creates a high-energy environment that blurs the line between audience and performers.

The Follow-Me Track-iT system was chosen for its ability to accurately track the performers through the venue, adjusting lig

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26 March 2025

USA - When lighting designer Jaycob Luque played his first ever date with Canadian DJ/producer Kaytranada on Hallowe’en in 2021, he was supported by multiples of GLP’s impression X4 Bars.

“The X4 was revolutionary at the time,” he says. But fast forward three years and Kaytranada’s production values have scaled up – and GLP has moved to its X5 platform. So now, the designer has been able to upgrade to impression X5 IP Bars, specifying 156 fixtures. These have dominated the set for their power and versatility on the recent US stadium and amphitheatre Timeless tour. The show has also visited Australia, New Zealand and Africa and will visit Europe next spring.

“I’ve received nothing but positive feedback from fans and industry alike,” says Luque. “The X5 IP Bars were truly the highlight and I have never been more satisfied w

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26 March 2025

USA - Mason Felps with 46 Entertainment has created an eye-catching lighting design including 68 x Robe iForte and 16 x iSpiider moving lights, supplied by Backstage Productions for the 2025 leg of country music superstar Alan Jackson’s Last Call: One More for the Road tour.

Billed as a celebration to mark the artist’s career, the first section of the tour started in 2022 and continued well into 2025.

Felps likes to keep busy on the road and is also the tour’s production manager / lighting director. He started work for the Alan Jackson camp at the end of 2017, initially as a backline tech, so all his stage and performance delivery technical skills have been able to shine through this period.

The 270-degree visual production design fitted expediently into six semi-trucks with Felps taking care of lighting, video and set, working

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26 March 2025

The Netherlands - Dutch indie pop group Son Mieux played two sold-out shows at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome recently, where 32 Claypaky Volero Cubes, provided by AED Group Netherlands, made their country-wide debut. Volero Cube is a compact IP66 moving head that seamlessly merges beam, wash and strobe effects with pixel-to-pixel control.

Son Mieux filled the Ziggo Dome with 17,000 fans each night, garnering praise for their quality sound and immersive concert experience.

Lighting and set designer Jasper Nijholt of Jasper Nijholt Lighting Design was tasked with creating a lighting and stage design that would have an open and layered appearance with dynamic elements visible throughout the show. “For Son Mieux, staying close to their fans and ensuring that they feel part of the energy of the show is crucial. The lighting and stage design contributed to th

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26 March 2025

UK - The Ballymoney Church of God is a Pentecostal evangelical church that has served its community in County Antrim, Northern Ireland for 75 years. The church has recently celebrated the refurbishment of its Sanctuary which included the design and installation of a new Nexo Geo M6 line array sound system.

“We had previously installed PS15-R2 point source speakers at Ballymoney, so the church was already familiar with the performance and clarity of Nexo systems,” reports Rea Sound director Roger McMullan.

“Part of the new brief was to propose a system with exceptional clarity for voice reproduction and the power to handle live music, while achieving consistent coverage throughout the space.

“Left and right clusters of three Nexo Geo M6s beneath a single MSUB12 delivered all the performance criteria with the benefit of a low visual imp

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26 March 2025

USA - PPDS, global provider of Philips Professional Displays and complementary solutions, has announced its debut attendance at Seatrade Cruise Global 2025 (Miami, 7-10 April) – the world’s largest cruise ship exhibition – signalling the company’s latest business expansion.

Located inside the 500,000sq.ft Miami Beach Convention Centre in Florida, Seatrade Cruise Global – celebrating its 40th anniversary – brings together the global cruise community, allowing industry leaders to discover the cutting-edge strategies and technologies designed to advance the cruise industry.

The global team from PPDS, showcasing on Philips booth 4405, will join over 600 other exhibitors and an anticipated 11,000 visitors from around the world to demonstrate a range of display solutions spanning every area for cruise ships and luxury/super ya

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26 March 2025

Japan - Kanazawa, a city rich in history and tradition on Japan’s western coast, is now home to a dining experience that blends innovation with hospitality. OTM Restaurant & Bar is Japan’s first restaurant specialising in microgreens, which has opened its doors on the second floor of Kanazawa Hakomachi, a shopping mall near JR Kanazawa Station. With its stylish, industrial interior and focus on health-conscious cuisine, OTM offers a fresh take on dining – enhanced by the sound of 10 Genelec 4020C loudspeakers.

Microgreens are young vegetable shoots that have been sprouting for just one to three weeks. These tiny vegetables, less than 5cm tall, are a powerhouse of nutrients, packed with over five times the amount of vitamins and minerals than their mature counterparts. At OTM, their home-grown microgreens are not just an ingredient but the foundatio

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26 March 2025

UK - eCube is a global company specialising in aircraft storage, disassembly, and transition services. It has bases in the United States, the EU and in the UK at a facility in St Athan Aerospace Business Park, South Wales, formerly part of RAF St Athan.

Although well-equipped and positioned for eCube’s primary functions, the arched, heritage architecture in which the company’s meeting rooms are housed, was creating problems for clear internal and external audio and video communications.

eCube’s global head of IT Darren Farmer explains: “We moved into a new office space around two and a half years ago, and we immediately struggled with poor acoustics in our meeting rooms. The combination of high, curved ceilings and our custom winglet board tables created excessive sound reflection. Despite trying various technical solutions within our budget,

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26 March 2025

Europe - Chauvet Professional has been marketing its celebrated line of fixtures under the banner Finally True Colours ReveaLED. The company will be impressing with another kind of "reveal" at Prolight + Sound, as it introduces an array of new products at Stand E21.

This year's Prolight + Sound will mark the first major showing of three Chauvet Professional products that are ‘certain to change the equation in entertainment lighting in 2025 and beyond’.

Heading the list is the new Maverick Storm 1 Flex. Unveiled just weeks ago in late March, this fully featured spot/beam/wash powerhouse distinguishes itself (and opens new creative vistas for designers) by projecting flat, even fields of white and coloured light from its LED source, including true reds, with absolutely no hotspots.

The Maverick Storm 1 Flex has a massive zoom range

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26 March 2025

Europe - Elation has announced the release of the KL Core IP, the newest addition to its KL 'Key Light' Series of LED luminaires. Built to withstand the demands of today’s fast-paced and light-critical environments, the KL Core IP is a configurable, broadcast-quality LED source that can be adapted as an ellipsoidal, Fresnel or monolight.

The KL Core IP is particularly well-suited for outdoor applications, thanks to its rugged, IP65-rated design that ensures durability in various weather conditions. Offering studio-quality illumination, the fixture excels in outdoor film sets, TV studios, theatres, and live productions. Its versatile design meets the stringent demands of on-camera production, delivering precise, high-output light that is adaptable to a wide range of lighting setups. Its colour rendering, reliability, and remarkable flexibility make it a gre

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26 March 2025

USA - DirectOut has announced the appointment of pro audio veteran Vaino Gennaro as the first point of contact for North American customers. With his extensive experience in the pro audio industry and expertise in sales, business development, and customer relations, Vaino will play a key role in expanding DirectOut’s market presence in the region.

The appointment forms the basis of a strategic growth initiative to provide even better service and advanced audio solutions to DirectOut’s North American customers. With his support, the company will further strengthen its position as a leading provider of signal processing solutions.

“Vaino brings wide-ranging experience in the professional audio industry and has a deep understanding of the market,” says Jan Ehrlich, CEO for DirectOut. “His skills have benefitted numerous leading audio brands, h

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26 March 2025

USA - Christie has announced the appointment of Hideaki Takizawa as the new chief financial officer of Christie Digital Systems, Inc. and its subsidiaries, effective 1 April 2025. Reporting to Michael Phipps, president and chief operating officer, Takizawa will align Christie’s financial strategy with its overall goals and manage internal controls and reporting to support continued growth and innovation.

Takizawa succeeds Michael Phipps, who transitioned to president and chief operating officer in November 2024 while maintaining his CFO role.

Takizawa brings more than 34 years of experience working at Ushio and a wealth of expertise in business management and finance. “We are excited to have Hideaki join us as we continue to strengthen our presence in the industry, enhance customer partnerships and create innovative AV solutions,” said Michael

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25 March 2025

Europe - Fresh for 2025, Showlight is introducing a new attraction - an enticing programme of informative, interactive Workshops guaranteed to get the creative juices flowing! These will take place on the afternoon of Wednesday 21 May 2025 and will be open to all delegates on a first come, first served basis, with a strong emphasis on student attendance.

The Workshops will be conducted by leading experts in their field and offer unprecedented insights into subjects from the latest technology to personal development. Numbers are limited so delegates will be encouraged to sign up for their choice of workshop via the Whova App when it goes live closer to the date.

Here’s the lowdown on Showlight’s inaugural Workshop presentations:

Workshop 1: Colour and Light

Led by lighting designer, author, and co-founder of Studio School of Design

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25 March 2025

UK - Glyndebourne Opera House in Sussex is renowned for its commitment to excellence and innovation. With a rich legacy of presenting world-class opera, the venue upholds a tradition of acoustic purity that defines the opera experience. Therefore, Glyndebourne’s decision to undertake an upgrade of the sound system in its auditorium marked a milestone moment for opera enthusiasts. EM Acoustics’ flagship Reference Series is at the heart of the story.

The thought of introducing amplification is often seen as a threat to the authenticity of opera. While opera is fundamentally an acoustic art form, modern productions and programming schedules demand creative flexibility. The new system enables sound effects, pre-recorded elements or subtle reinforcement to be brought into the acoustic space seamlessly. The upgrade of the PA system at Glyndebourne reflects the

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25 March 2025

Turkey - Renkus-Heinz has strengthened its presence across Europe and MENA with the appointment of Asimetrikas its exclusive distributor in Turkey.

With more than 4,000 successful projects in its portfolio, Asimetrik is an experienced distributor and integrator in the region. Made up of over 70 professionals, the team provides distribution and integration solutions for all its customers, utilising engineers from different disciplines to produce future-proof and sustainable solutions and bring flawless audio to all its projects. With headquarters in Istanbul and three regional offices, they offer support across the country.

Asimetrik vice-president, Gorkem Celikbilek, is delighted to welcome Renkus-Heinz to the fold. “This is a great match in terms of a non-compromising attitude to technical design, fast service and a competitive approach to the in

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25 March 2025

South Africa - Spottune, a Danish specialist in wireless audio solutions, has appointed StageOne as its official distributor in South Africa.

Spottune’s OmniExperience technology delivers 360-degree sound coverage, ensuring consistent volume levels across an entire space and eliminating dead zones common with traditional speakers.

Mads-Emil Poulsen, CEO of Spottune, comments: "Finding the right distribution partner is essential for delivering the best experience to our customers. StageOne has a deep understanding of the professional audio market and a strong network in South Africa, making them the ideal partner for Spottune. With their expertise, we are confident that businesses across South Africa will benefit from our wireless audio technology, improving both customer experience and operational efficiency."

Peter Berry, managing owner at

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25 March 2025

UK - Bletchley Park, the famed World War II codebreaking heritage site and museum, has further enriched its visitor experience with the opening of the Fellowship Auditorium. This purpose-built venue, unveiled in October 2023, is the latest addition to the Milton Keynes site. The auditorium features 250 seats and is part of a broader development that includes the Diesel House reception area and the Radley Room social space, as well as a new Learning Centre.

The auditorium’s distinctive 180-degree radial seating arrangement presented acoustic challenges that required expert attention. L-Acoustics certified provider Adlib won the tender to supply the complete audio solution for the space. Tim Robinson, system designer at Adlib explains that speech intelligibility was paramount for this installation. "The configuration of the space, with seats arranged in a 18

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25 March 2025

USA - To keep up with the ever-growing list of tours hitting the road this year, Bandit Lites has invested in expanding its touring inventory with a significant purchase of Claypaky lighting fixtures.

Working with Inner Circle Distribution (ICD), Claypaky’s exclusive US distributor and service network partners, this expansion ensures Bandit clients have the latest technology and gear to support multiple large-scale tours simultaneously.

One substantial purchase has been even more Claypaky Midi-B FX. Bandit first provided Midi-B FX on John Adamo’s design for Gary Clark Jr., a choice that garnered acclaim from fans and lighting enthusiasts alike. Demand for the fixtures quickly spiked and Bandit purchased another fleet. Creed sold out venues across the US with designer Mathias Kuhn also using the popular Midi-B FX. The next round can be spotted on

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25 March 2025

USA - When Univision presented the 37th annual Premio Lo Nuestro at the Kaseya Centre in Miami, Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) was onsite to handle frequency coordination and supply all wireless microphones, IFBs, IEMs and intercom for this year’s Latin music awards show. PWS managed frequency coordination and equipment for the entertainment program, including the red-carpet festivities, livestream and main event.

“We have supported this event for 30 consecutive years and continue to evolve our technology package to meet the challenges of the changing RF environment and the needs of the event,” says Jim Van Winkle, general manager, Professional Wireless Systems. “Our team continues to provide seamless frequency management and select optimum equipment to make certain the show runs smoothly in Miami’s complex RF environment.”