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10 July 2024

Germany - Straßenparty-Geldern is a three-day summer festival in the heart of Geldern, in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia region. This free, open-air event includes live concerts from a rich range of musical genres across a total of five festival stages. For the 2024 edition of the festival, two of the largest stages featured line array PA systems from Wharfedale Pro.

Sound specialists, Rockline, deployed the sound system for the main stage, whilst the second stage was handled by event technicians, Ambiento. Wharfedale Pro was chosen for both stages to ensure consistency for the event’s most anticipated performances. On hand was Wharfedale Pro’s local applications and solutions manager from IAD GmbH, Christian Boche.

“There were a lot of different bands in the mix with very short change-over times between acts, so I was on hand to ensure th

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10 July 2024

Ireland - 3LR Lighting played a central role in specifying a new house lighting system for the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) in Dublin. One of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious music conservatoires, RIAM recently undertook an expansion and technical upgrade to mark its 150th anniversary.

As part of this, its 309-capacity Whyte Recital Hall has a new ArcSystem LED house lighting from ETC – for whom 3LR Lighting, as manufacturer’s representative, conducted the detailed consultation. Quality house lighting is, of course, fundamental to any auditorium which prioritises its aesthetic quality as much as its acoustics, for example. Here, however, aesthetic requirements were perhaps of even greater importance than usual.

As 3LR Lighting’s Matt Lloyd recalls, “The colour temperature, the CRI – how the light interacted with flesh tones –

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10 July 2024

UK - The ABTT is inviting nominations for its annual Stephen Joseph Award, as an ongoing tribute to Joseph’s contribution to our theatre culture. Designed to recognise innovative and inclusive theatre excellence in today’s British theatre, the 2024 Award is now open for entries.

The aim of the award is to celebrate the variety of ways contemporary theatre practitioners continue to break new ground in engaging their audiences. The award is open for submissions and a wide variety of practice is eligible - the ongoing work of a theatre company, a specific production, an individual theatre artist or director, or an innovative theatre building design. Submissions welcome from theatres large or small, long-established companies or emerging artists. Nominations accompanied by suitable evidence can easily be made by theatres, practitioners, or the general public

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10 July 2024

Canada - Vaughan, Ontario-based bb Blanc, a leading name in the AV production industry, has expanded its equipment portfolio with the acquisition of 48 Claypaky Sharpy X-Frame lighting fixtures.

"bb Blanc's decision to invest in Claypaky products was driven by the superior quality and technological innovation that Claypaky consistently delivers," says Adam Palleschi, managing director of bb Blanc. "The choice of Claypaky reflects bb Blanc's dedication to using the best tools available to create unforgettable event experiences."

According to Palleschi, Sharpy X-Frames stand out for their versatility and efficiency, making them an ideal addition to bb Blanc's lighting inventory. These all-in-one fixtures combine beam, profile, and wash functions, enabling a wide range of lighting effects with a single unit.

"The X-Frames can serve multiple purp

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10 July 2024

Italy - Powersoft has announced the expansion of its global team with the appointment of two new business development managers and three new solution engineers.

With over 20 years of industry experience, Jonathan Wu, newly appointed business development manager for China, possesses a deep understanding of the pro-audio market. He aims to enhance user experience and product knowledge for Chinese clients, as well as continue to raise Powersoft’s brand awareness in China.

Jinfu Chen, business development manager for the Southeast Asian market, will focus on Indonesia, Thailand, The Philippines and Vietnam ensuring growth objectives by creating direct relationships with key integrators and consultants and utilising regular meetings and training sessions within the distribution network. Chen has an extensive background in the industry, having previously

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10 July 2024

Thailand - Brompton Technology has confirmed its participation in this year’s InfoComm Asia trade show, where it will be supporting three of its panel manufacturing partners, including gold partners INFiLED and Absen, co-hosting Studio X Beyond’s event, and sponsoring the InAVate APAC Awards.

Booth E20, sees INFiLED showcase its state-of-the-art LED display technology for control room, rental and staging, and xR/VP applications. A VP stage will feature Brompton SX40 processors and XD data distribution units, along with a demonstration the advantages of INFiLED’s RGBW panels using Brompton’s acclaimed G1 receiver cards and TrueLight technology.

Additionally, INFiLED and Friends expert panels will take place throughout the show, with Brompton participating in the XR Shooting session on day one and two from 14:00 to 14:30. The session will highl

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09 July 2024

UK - PLASA and LSi are calling for nominations for this year’s Gottelier Award. Named after the late lighting designer and innovator Tony Gottelier, the revered award recognises the invaluable contributions of the people behind the products.

Launched in 2007, the Gottelier Award aims to recognise product developers who have made a significant and sustained contribution to the advancement of entertainment, presentation, or installation technology over many years.

Last year’s winner was Howard Eaton whose self-named company, Howard Eaton Lighting Ltd, is known for delivering bespoke solutions to countless theatrical productions around the world – from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s flying car, to the crashing chandelier in the Phantom of the Opera, to the flying Olympic rings at London 2012.

After his win, Eaton said: “It is quite somethin

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09 July 2024

UK - The Chauvet Professional Color STRIKE M got to make over 100,000 pairs of eyeballs dance at Glastonbury this year. Playing a role in what Rolling Stone called ‘a stunning lightshow’ for Saturday night headliners Coldplay, the motorized strobe-wash was used to create a seemingly endless flow of  looks that captivated what was one of the largest crowds in the festival’s history.

Supplied by Upstaging, the high-output IP65-rated fixtures were positioned throughout the rig by LD  Shaheem Litchmore. From these positions they created a glow over the performance area. The fixtures also flashed their colour rendering prowess, blasting out a rainbow of dynamic chase sequences.

Every bit of the Color STRIKE M’s versatility was needed, as Coldplay took the gigantic crowd on a multifarious musical journey. In addition to performing album

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09 July 2024

UK - Located on the edge of London’s Regent’s Park, 229 is a multi-purpose venue with two spaces: Venue One has a capacity of 700 and Venue Two can hold around 200 people. Both are busy every night, often also hosting events during the day. There is residential housing above and the whole complex is managed under the umbrella of the charity International Student House, which provides a home and community for young people studying internationally. A hundred percent of 229’s profits go back into supporting the charity’s mission.

“We had been using our previous desk for about 10 years,” technical manager Alessandro Bonifacio explains. “Every investment is thought about very carefully, we have to think in terms of longevity and value. I’ve been using DiGiCo consoles on my freelance jobs for years, so I got in contact through Andy Huffer at HD Pro

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09 July 2024

The Netherlands - The Royal Theater Carré (Koninklijk Theater Carré) is a Neo-Renaissance style theatre in Amsterdam, located on the banks of the river Amstel. Founded in 1887, it was originally built as a permanent venue for the Carré circus family and their popular ‘horse-play’ circus-theatre shows, but was later repurposed to also stage a variety of performances, revue theatre and operettas. Currently, the circular design 1,700-capacity auditorium is used for a mix of musicals, pop and music concerts and cabaret shows.

The auditorium lighting has recently received an upgrade with the existing lighting replaced by 36 x Anolis Ambiane XP56 LED fixtures fitted with 20-degree lenses.

These were delivered by Lumen Solutions, the architectural division of lighting sales specialist, Controllux, and installed by the Carré’s in-house lighting tea

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09 July 2024

USA - One of the premier roots festivals in the US, DelFest has steadily evolved the technical infrastructure at its Allegany County Fairgrounds site in Cumberland, MD, since the event was originally established 17 years ago.

Supporting the multi-stage event with sound reinforcement from the beginning has been Martin Audio partner Southard Audio. This year they fielded three Wavefront Precision systems - a WPL rig and two WPS hangs.

“We only switched to WPL and other Martin Audio systems at DelFest post-COVID (from 2022) and it really shines for these applications,” notes Southard managing partner, Jason Misterka.

Their three-stage Martin Audio deployment was headed by the large-format WPL line array. The Grandstand system used 24 WPL for main PA (12 a-side) with eight WPL out-fill stage right (to cover the grandstands), four XD15 front-f

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09 July 2024

USA - One hundred Broadweigh wireless load cells took to the main stage at the Miami Ultra Festival this year when more than 165,000 people attended to watch the likes of David Guetta, Eric Prydz and Calvin Harris perform.

The event, located in the Bayfront Park, Downtown Miami was produced and designed by Technical Arts Group (TAG). Load Cell Rental was brought on board to work alongside Kevin Mignone, CRO, TAG and Matthew Hannon, head rigger with the main task of weighing the rig on the main stage.

Ian Barrett, project manager, Load Cell Rental comments: “Our main task at Ultra was to monitor the weights of various structures during the build and to ensure that the roof beams and hoists were not overloaded. We have worked with TAG and Matt Hannon on other projects and they were already aware of the Broadweigh brand so they were happy for us to us

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09 July 2024

Europe - Ayrton has announced the official launch of its new IP65-rated Rivale Wash, the first ultra-equipped wash luminaire in Ayrton's new Ultimate range. A new addition to its IP65 3 Series, Rivale Wash has been developed especially for mixed indoor and outdoor use, including in salt-laden environments.

Rivale Wash, has been designed to emphasise volume, create depth and dreamlike atmospheres that leave a lasting impression. Whether playing with light and shadow, highlighting a detail, mastering chiaroscuro, searching for the perfect nuance or chiselling space, this new-generation luminaire delivers incomparable satisfaction. In addition, Ayrton’s signature moves of continuous rotation on the pan and tilt axes are included as standard to ensure maximum design creativity and freedom. Rivale Wash’s incredible ability to create extremely subtle atmospher

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09 July 2024

UK - Protec, a full-service rigging and AV company serving the events and conference industries, has significantly improved its operations and reduced equipment damage by investing in Admiral Strong Boy truss dollies from Stage Electrics.

Graham Thomas, a key member of the Protec team, first learnt about the Strong Boy truss dollies from an industry peer after facing persistent issues with damaged truss. Following a consultation with Admiral Staging, Protec was directed to Stage Electrics, who facilitated the initial sale of four Strong Boy truss dollies and spacer bars. Impressed by the product's advantages, Protec has since purchased five additional pairs of dollies.

Before purchasing the Admiral Staging Strong Boy truss dollies, the Protec team were noticing considerable damage and wear and tear on their truss as is typical for companies in the ri

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09 July 2024

China - It’s not often that a nightclub is named for its sound system, but that’s what has happened in Meishan in the Sichuan province of China – the latest addition to Meishan’s cultural landscape is an entertainment venue with a capital investment of over 50m RMB (over £5.4m).

The principal investor – a successful Chinese media and showbiz entrepreneur – visited several large clubs before deciding on what he wanted for his own venue. He was so impressed by what he heard at the Forever club in Wuhan – a massive KV2 venue that was billed as China’s biggest nightclub project of 2022 – that he decided not only on a KV2 system for his own venue, but that he would even name the club after it. KV2 Hub in Meishan opened earlier this year.

Conveniently situated in the heart of the Rose International M District in Meishan, KV2 Hub offers a

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09 July 2024

USA - It started in 1994 as the Gatlin Brothers Theatre, and later the Crook and Chase Theatre, before housing Christ United Methodist Church; ultimately, it would become the home of Palmetto Pointe Church. But the building on Fantasy Way in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was always home to some combination of faith and music, and in its current form, its 2,000-seat auditorium hosts Sunday services by Pastor Jamie Barfield and occasional concerts by artists including Tauren Wells and Danny Gokey.

What all of these events now share is a venue with a lighting rig that as of early this year features 30 newly installed elektraLite Stingray Profile Cast RGBW 350-watt ellipsoidal fixtures. The elektraLite fixture arrays were designed and installed by Paul D. Sweetman of Sweetman Designs, who worked with audio specialists MC Sound Consultants to completely renovate t

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09 July 2024

After The Campaign Trail - Lisa Nandy will become secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport after Thangam Debbonaire’s electoral upset. Nandy, the former shadow international development secretary, will assume the post that classically trained cellist Debbonaire had hoped to take on in the new Labour government.

Within the past 13 years, 12 different people filled the culture minister’s position for the Conservatives. Although Nandy does not have an arts and culture background, she has held a number of positions in Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet. Previously shadow ‘levelling-up’ secretary, she is a member of the Unite union and has expressed support for remaining in the EU and promoting an international outlook.

In a statement, Nandy said: "I am thrilled to be appointed to DCMS. Its industries give meaning to millions of lives and brin

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08 July 2024

UK - 2B Heard has announced its partnership with Naostage. 2B Heard will now offer Naostage's products to a broader market covering live events, theatres and entertainment venues.

"We are excited to collaborate with Naostage and bring their ground-breaking technology to our customers," said Sam Nankivell, director of 2B Heard. "Our commitment to providing the best in audio-visual solutions aligns perfectly with Naostage's vision of enhancing live performances through advanced automation. This partnership will allow us to offer unparalleled tracking solutions that elevate the quality and creativity of live events across the UK."

“Naostage represents an exciting concept of merging innovation into the creative process, allowing us to work with visual and audio concepts simultaneously,” says Sam Nankivell, director of 2B Heard. “The system, backed

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08 July 2024

Italy - Outline has entered into a distribution agreement for Italy with Audio Link, the Parma-based pro audio distribution company.

"Integrating Outline solutions into our portfolio, Audio Link can now offer a complete, highly-trusted audio signal chain of utmost quality and long-term value – with links by DiGiCo, Optocore, Sound Devices, Klang, TiMax, and Waves, to name but a few," says Federico Bianchi, Audio Link's general manager.

"Backed by Audio Link's undisputed tech support, Italian rental operators of any magnitude can now finally turn the superior audio performance of Outline solutions into a strategic advantage – in the entertainment, business and lifestyle events sectors", says Fernando Rey Méndez, Outline's sales director.

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08 July 2024

UK - Former Britain’s Got Talent contestant Calum Scott is back on the road in 2024 with a new campaign, The Songbook So Far, a world tour, which is playing larger venues than before for headliner shows, together with a run of high-profile festival slots reflecting his ever-growing fanbase.

A new lighting rig for the tour was created and specified by LD Elliot Baines of Spiralstagelighting. Elliot has been working with the artist since summer 2022, initially as the lighting operator, and was then asked to design lighting for this new tour, for which he specified 30 x Robe Esprite and 54 x Spikies which are being supplied for the UK full production shows by Hampshire-based Liteup.

Calum’s management wanted fresh and different styling for this tour, so Elliot presented an eye-catching design that was scalable and highly practical to tour a