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07 March 2025

UK - Backup Tech’s annual summertime day of fun and frivolity, this year renamed The Fabulous Village Fete in celebration of Adam Taylor, aka Adam Fabulous, DJ and long-time supporter of the event, will once again take place at Surrey’s Daytona Sandown Park on Thursday 10 July.

With shooting brakes, feather boas, picnic blankets, cake creations and voluminous veg to the fore, the industry is invited to enjoy the event’s perennial favourites, including Best Dressed Fete’r, the hugely popular Bake Off and Veg Off, The Straw Stage for live entertainment and workshops, Peasant laser clay Shooting, the Food and Craft Fest stalls and some new additions, to be announced later in the build-up to the day.

“The fete stalls proved incredibly popular last year, and even more companies want them this year so,

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07 March 2025

Europe/USA - Powersoft and Cohesion, a professional sound reinforcement design and manufacturing enterprise within the Clair Global Group, have announced a strategic partnership that ‘will shape the future of live event production and beyond’. Under the Cohesion name, Powersoft will become a key technological partner that provides amplification and processing platforms suited for live touring and events audio as well as installed sound systems worldwide.

The collaboration between Powersoft and Cohesion serves as the foundation for new technology that will deliver unprecedented performance, efficiency, and reliability for the most demanding and aspirational applications and will ensure even greater flexibility and control for audio professionals around the world. Notably, engineers from both companies have developed a new, customised amplification platfor

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07 March 2025

UK - Lightware has announced that its UK office has a new collaboration with Paragon Projection, a key player in AV rentals for live event production. This partnership will significantly enhance the UK market’s access to Lightware products, enabling event production companies to leverage advanced AV technology for seamless event execution.

Through this partnership, Paragon will offer Lightware’s range of matrix switchers, extenders, and AV-over-IP systems for cross-hire and rental services. Paragon’s available stock includes high-demand products such as the MX2 series, HDMI20-OPTJ solutions, and UBEX extenders. As the partnership progresses, Paragon plans to expand its inventory in response to increasing customer demand, ensuring that production companies have flexible access to the best in AV technology.

This collaboration aims to address the

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07 March 2025

UK/USA -To provide a scalable, and versatile lighting rig that could accommodate multiple types of venues throughout the summer leg of Foo Fighters’ Everything or Nothing At All tour, lighting designer Dan Hadley implemented an adaptable and impactful rig featuring the Martin MAC One fixture.

Foo Fighters embarked on the tour in 2024 in support of their 11th studio album But Here We Are. Given that the tour stops spanned large indoor venues, outdoor festival stages, and stadiums, Hadley was tasked to create a lighting rig that could be implemented across a wide range of venue types and maintain their basic mission of visually amplifying the band without drawing attention away from them.

After using the Martin MAC Aura fixtures for the first leg of the tour, Hadley decided to implement the recently released MAC One for the band’s

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07 March 2025

New Zealand - Strawberry Sound has become the latest audio-visual production company in a growing list of New Zealand production companies to invest in a JBL VTX A Series line array system.

Strawberry Sound provides full production services to performers and promoters in the entertainment industry and celebrates 40 years in business this year. From concerts and festivals to award shows and gala dinners, the company has built a strong reputation for delivering quality audio-visual experiences.

A JBL user since day one, Strawberry Sound continues to invest in new technology to enhance its services. The addition of the JBL VTX A8 Series brings greater scalability and high-performance sound.

One of the first events for their new system was the Miharo Central Lakes Polyfest in Queenstown, where the A8’s versatility was on full display.

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07 March 2025

The Netherlands - Schaffelaar Theatre in Barneveld is a popular and busy receiving house with a constant flow of shows – musicals, dance, cabaret, comedy and concerts of all types – serving the local community with a lively programme of arts and culture. It is also home to the Barneveld’s Symphony Orchestra, and the venue hosts regular business events and private hires.

There is a 572-capacity large hall and a small hall accommodating 198 people, and recently, there has been a serious investment in Robe moving lights.

The purchase, delivered by Robe’s Benelux distributor Controllux, has so far comprised eight Paintes, 12 x LEDBeam 350 RGBA FWs – with soft focus for the pastel ranges – six T11 Profile multispectral units and five TX1 PosiProfiles. The Paintes were the first to be installed in a theatre in the Netherlands.

These hav

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07 March 2025

USA - Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Centre’s Terrace Theatre is said to hold a special place in the hearts of comedians and comedy enthusiasts as the location where Richard Pryor: Live in Concert, the first full-length movie to exclusively feature stand-up comedy, was filmed in 1979.

Following an upgrade during 2024, performers and audiences alike are now benefiting from the presence of a new pair of DiGiCo audio mixing consoles – a Quantum338 and Quantum225, both supplied by Huntington Beach-based dealer Apex Audio – at the venerable 3,000-seat venue, which opened in 1962.

Mike Glines, the centre’s head audio tech, sums up the decision to purchase two DiGiCo Quantum consoles for the venue in just a few words: “To start, the sound, then the workflow. And I just thought it was the easiest digital board I’ve ever had to

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07 March 2025

USA - Los Angeles-based Lighten Up Inc. chose 30 Ayrton Diablo and 30 Zonda 3 FX fixtures to upgrade the rig in nya studios Main Room from conventional to moving lights.

Lighten Up is a leading lighting and A/V services company in event production and maintains an extensive lighting equipment rental inventory. The company has a preferred vendor relationship with nya studios, which boasts more than 50,000 square feet of indoor space and an abundance of outdoor space with east and west campus facilities that include three sound stages and support spaces, an elevated and adaptable event space, 77-person cinema, board rooms, coffee bar and lounge.

“The Main Room at the nya west campus had an existing rig with all conventional fixtures, so it was time for an upgrade,” says Brian Kim, vice president, design & production at Lighten Up. “By install

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07 March 2025

UAE - Dubai’s Atlantis The Royal has installed an L-Acoustics professional sound system in its grand lobby.

The grand lobby of Atlantis The Royal is an expansive space spanning 80m, with soaring 20mceilings and dramatic floor-to-ceiling glass walls. This architecture created a challenge – to deliver concert hall audio quality while preserving the visual sophistication of one of Dubai's most striking interior spaces.

"The brief called for an audio system that could meet the highest professional standards while respecting the lobby's dramatic architecture," explains Huw Godfrey, head of system Integration at Creative Technology Middle East (CTME). "We designed a discrete solution that delivers exceptional versatility – providing both refined background music and concert-quality live performances without compromise – even in a space defined by s

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07 March 2025

Malta - A lighting rig comprised of 92 ADJ fixtures has been installed by FutureTech Pro at Hive nightclub in Malta. A combination of moving heads, static pars, LED strobes and UV cannons provide a versatile and effective lighting system for the venue, which is capable of delivering a totally immersive experience. This is further enhanced by smoke and haze, created by machines selected from ADJ’s catalogue of atmospheric effect generators.

Intimate, but popular, Hive is located in the heart of the Paceville district of St. Julian’s, Malta’s clubbing capital. Housed in the building that once was home to the Axis Discotheque, this new club has a large central dancefloor, surrounded by a stage at the front, a raised seating area on one side and a bar on the other, with a VIP mezzanine above.

The venue’s extensive lighting system was designed by

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07 March 2025

UK - Known for his work on major productions such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Blitz, Paddington in Peru and Bridget Jones’s Diary, Academy Award-winning production sound mixer John Casali has relied on Wisycom’s innovative audio equipment for his RF setup since 2016. Today, his RF system is comprised almost entirely of the brand’s solutions, which he continues to rely on for durability and performance.

Casali recently upgraded his setup to include Wisycom’s MTP61 Bodypack Transmitters, which he praises for the improved audio quality of the enhanced ENS companders. “We have been impressed with Wisycom’s reliability and build quality since the first time we used the brand,” Casali says. “From a practical point of view, the form factor and rounded body of the MTP61 have made a tangible difference in the field. The d

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06 March 2025

Europe - The preparations for the Showlight Quadrennial in Dijon (19 - 22 May 2025) are gathering speed with the programme of speakers almost complete and logistics rapidly falling into place.

Key to the spirit of Showlight is the support received from the generous sponsors and exhibitors without whose valuable contributions Showlight, as an entirely voluntary organisation, could not take place.

“We are excited to welcome no less than 22 sponsors and 30 exhibitors to Showlight 2025, with more still to come, bringing their products and their presence to enrich the event over the three exciting days,” say the organisers.

The Exhibitor Hall is the centre of the networking space, where all delegates and speakers mix in between Papers Sessions to exchange ideas, meet colleagues and make new contacts. The emphasis is on networking, and talk rev

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06 March 2025

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians has announced the launch of its one-day Automation Foundation CPD Course and ABTT Silver Award for Theatre Automation Technicians, adding to its already diverse training programme.

The new one-day ABTT Automation Foundation CPD is an entry-level course designed and created to introduce attendees to this sector of the industry, giving them an understanding of the key components and applications for automation within theatre and live events, as well as an understanding of how automation teams operate.

This continuous professional development (CPD) course gives the candidate something to show future employers or training providers, demonstrating that they have invested time and know the rudimentary basics of automation.

It will also enable attendees to progress on to the ABTT Silver Award for T

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06 March 2025

South Africa - DWR Distribution hosted the much-anticipated annual International Rigging Course from 27 January to 1 February, presented by Ruud de Deugd, founder of T&E Support. As the only training programme of its kind in the country, the course drew delegates from across South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Zambia, and Mauritius, ranging from novices to experienced professionals.

Ruud, renowned for leading these training sessions globally, provided insights into the rigging industry. Over six days, participants covered vital topics such as safety protocols, maintenance practices, lifting materials, force calculations, and load tables. Attendees were expected to have a solid understanding of mathematics, as the training blended practical skills with technical theory.

“It feels like the family is back together,” Ruud shared upon his return to Sout

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06 March 2025

Finland - Setting the stage for some of the biggest rock acts on earth since 1970, the historic Tavastia Live Club in Finland has completed a major AV system upgrade, with Kramer’s award-winning Control and AVoIP signal transmission technology used to revolutionize all in-house digital communications and drive new experiences for music fans and VIP guests alike.

Kramer’s advanced range of multi-award-winning Kramer Control and AVoIP signal transmission solutions were selected to revolutionize the visual capabilities inside the Tavastia Live Club.

Opened in 1970, and located on the outskirts of Helsinki city centre, the 700-capacity Tavastia Live Club is a true bucket-list venue for music fans and musicians worldwide. Maintaining an old-school look and feel, the venue plays host to an almost daily lineup of live entertainment, ranging from local a

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06 March 2025

Philippines - Parañaque City’s 1118 AutoSpa, an auto detailing and car wash facility, has chosen its sound system with JBL Professional solutions. The project was completed by Lyric Piano and Organ Corporation, which served as both the distributor and integrator of the installation.

Founded with a commitment to delivering top-tier car care, 1118 AutoSpa specialises in meticulous detailing and advanced paint protection techniques. They sought an audio solution that would provide an immersive sound environment for customers while ensuring seamless communication for staff.

“Installing sound systems in a car wash environment posed unique challenges,” explained Merlino Neira Jr (system engineer) and Andrian Lias (project lead) of Lyric Piano and Organ Corporation. “High humidity and water exposure required durable solutions. We chose JBL Control

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06 March 2025

UK - Based on the box office hits of Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL, Magic Mike Live! is a 360-degree dance and acrobatic spectacular. Conceived by the film’s original star Channing Tatum, the show takes place at London’s Hippodrome Casino and features heart-racing dance routines that take place in front of, above and around the audience.

Due to the immersive nature of the performance, the show has to ensure that its performers are fully safe at all times. As such, they asked Solutions On Stage to design, manufacture and test bespoke steelwork for a specific track used throughout the show, which had to meet the necessary requirements for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Solutions On Stage’s technical director Darren Williams comments: “A request came in from the technical team for us to inspect the suspension of

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06 March 2025

Spain - Green Hippo’s Hippotizer Media Servers were the choice again this year for a magical projection installation on the Epson stand at ISE 2025. The project rigged a 2.2m mirrored globe, onto which AI-generated bright, floral and kaleidoscopic content was projected via three 4K, 20,000 lumen Epson EB-PQ2220B projectors. At the heart of the EcoSphere system were two Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers running as main and backup, supplied by Motion Mapping and Stage Sound Services (SSS).

UK-based, long-time Epson collaborator Motion Mapping brought its brand of spectacular to the project, which was presented as part of Epson’s See It, Feel It campaign. Motion Mapping worked alongside creative agency One Thousand to provide the technical delivery of the visual installation for Epson, whilst One Thousand focused on the actual visual content for

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06 March 2025

UK - Martin Audio, along with sister brands, Optimal Audio, TiMax, Linea Research and OutBoard, are again joining forces for their open day programme – showing the best of what the Focusrite Pro brands have to offer.

This will take place over three days, from 11-13 March. However, such is the momentum of these twice-a-year networking and demonstration events that the first day is already fully booked.

Martin Audio will be running separate stage monitor, point source, constant curvature and line array demonstrations (with selective on-demand listening sessions). In-depth training will be provided for DISPLAY and VU-NET software.

TiMax will showcase immersive audio solutions across TiMax panLab, TiMax SoundHub and TiMax Tracker.

Optimal Audio will provide an engaging multi-zone commercial audio demonstration, including new products, a

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06 March 2025

UK - Lighting and LED control specialists, PixNet Control, has recently launched a second-generation of its compact LED lighting controller, PixNet Mini, complete with new features.

Building upon the original model, the PixNet Mini V2 is a compact device that controls multiple LED lights, configuring their brightness and colour to create captivating displays, visual effects and animations.

Now with PoE (Power over Ethernet), the PixNet Mini V2 gives AV installers more versatility within their lighting installations, with added options for powering their LED controller device.

It also has a newly added grouping feature, enabling users to connect multiple different pixel protocols on the same data line, simplifying complex installations and improving synchronisation across diverse lighting setups.

“As LED experts committed to pushing