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Whitehaven’s Wave shines again

‘Relighting the harbour is key to attracting tourism, new events and new investment to Whitehaven’

Details: 09 May 2023

UK - A popular waterfront structure was lit up in time to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III thanks to a collaboration between two West Cumbrian organisations.
The Wave landmark is one of the first things residents and tourists see when they arrive at Whitehaven Harbour by land or sea. The Wave, which used to be lit up for all to see from miles around, has remained in the dark for several years.
Now, thanks to a collaboration between not-for-profit organisation Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners and solution specialists Forth, the Wave is set to shine once again. It’s the latest revamp of Whitehaven Harbour’s landmark structures, including renovating its famous lighthouses.
Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners CEO John Baker said: “We’re thrilled to ann

The main design principle of this show was ‘revealing the technology’

Chauvet on the runway for Mugler/H&M show

Details: 09 May 2023

USA - Fashion is constantly changing, evolving, and moving in new directions. Now, fashion runway shows are following the same course, integrating headliner acts and outside-the-box design concepts into their overall presentations.
This was evident in the event fashion design house Mugler and global retailer H&M held at Manhattan’s Park Avenue Armory earlier this spring to introduce their collaboration, which will launch on 11 May.
This show, which featured a scenic design by Niklas Bildstein Zaar and his Berlin-based team at SUB, commanded the attention of guests including Pamela Anderson, Charli XCX, and Chloë Sevigny, as soon as they entered the space. The design was a balance of art and technology with its circular set, spiral runways, four large, curved video screens, and a mosh-pit like space at its centre.
Adding emotional power to this panorama, an

AeroAVA is pitching its drones as a more sustainable alternative for outdoor displays

AeroAVA launches drone fleet with regal display

Details: 09 May 2023

UK - Aerial visual arts company AeroAVA marked the official flight launch of its new fleet of high-performance drones on Coronation Weekend with a 100-drone display featuring a coronation motif.
The event was held on 6 and 7 May at the company’s new test and demo home at the British Model Flying Association (BMFA) headquarters in Buckminster.
In March, AeroAVA received final certification from the Civil Aviation Authority to provide displays for outdoor events, broadcast entertainment, public celebrations and marketing campaigns in the UK.
Company co-founder Tom Rees said: “Since receiving official CAA approval we’ve been getting enquiries from a wide range of clients - from broadcasters, events owners, marketing agencies and tourist attractions, so we were delighted to officially kick off our 2023 season on such a historic weekend by crowning the event wit

The Xtylos fixtures were positioned on the courtyard floor to showcase their upward reach

Claypaky Xtylos light up Silicon Valley

Details: 09 May 2023

USA - Claypaky demonstrated the engineering of its Xtylos laser-source lighting fixtures at an invitational event held by another engineering innovator in Silicon Valley.
Bicoastal Studio RRD used a large complement of Claypaky Xtylos provided by Christie Lites to transform an empty office building into a spectacular futuristic, cyber-style rave to mark the announcement that Tesla Motors will base its global engineering and AI headquarters at the former Hewlett Packard Enterprise campus in Palo Alto, California.
Lighting fixtures, such as Xtylos, Minuit Une lasers and other units, crafted a rave atmosphere for invited guests celebrating the news.
“We incorporated Xtylos fixtures in an exterior courtyard visible through the office windows to create an immersive experience that transported guests to a different realm,” explains Rob Ross, founder of Studio RRD,

Wayne Hall, Outline's Fernando Rey Méndez and Sean Sullivan

Newtons drive audio for Roger Waters tour

Details: 09 May 2023

Europe - Delayed, as so many were, by the global pandemic, Roger Waters’ This Is Not A Drill tour, his seventh as a solo artist, eventually got underway in July 2022 and is scheduled to wrap in June 2023 at the AO Arena in Manchester. By that point it will have staged over 80 shows, all in indoor arenas ‘in the round’, starting in North America, Canada and Mexico before heading to Europe, Scandinavia and the UK.
Audio system design and supply for This Is Not A Drill is by Clair Global / Eighth Day Sound, using a vast d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker system with Outline Newton Processors at its heart.
The audio setup is not straightforward. System tech Wayne Hall describes the role of his Newtons: “We are using three Newtons mainly because we have a complex arrangement of sends from the consoles to the loudspeaker system and also because we r

Terry Di Isernia - co-ordinating customer and commercial relations for French North Africa

Robe strengthens presence in North Africa

Details: 09 May 2023

Morocco - Terry Di Isernia will take on a new role in the Robe France subsidiary, co-ordinating customer and commercial relations for the whole of French North Africa – Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia – in addition to continuing as a salesperson for southern France.
The move by Robe Lighting France is to develop and strengthen the brand’s business, opportunities, and presence in North Africa generally, and specifically in these important French-speaking countries, recognising the potential of the region.
Terry has been working as a part of the Robe Lighting France team since 2019. The new role is an integration of what he’s already been doing across southern France and will offer great continuity for these dynamic countries, all with their own style, culture and unique environments.
The scope of Terry’s work will include discussing and pitching for new and

ARRI opens office in Rome

Details: 09 May 2023

Italy - ARRI has opened a new office in Rome to further promote and support the film and audio-visual industry in Italy. To celebrate this milestone, an opening ceremony took place on 3 May, 2023. More than 100 guests from the Italian film industry, including cinematographers, producers, directors, business partners, postproduction and rental professionals gathered together to toast the new premises.
The event was also attended by members of ARRI’s global management team. “It is with great pleasure that we celebrate the opening of the new Rome office,” says Christian Richter, general manager sales & solutions EMEAI at ARRI. “The Italian film industry has an incredible heritage that needs no introduction. ARRI already has a long history in Italy. ARRI’s new presence in the Italian capital shows the will to be an integral part of this community to bring support t

AVL will bring Wharfedale Pro's audio solutions to customers across the USA

AVL to distribute Wharfedale in the USA

Details: 09 May 2023

USA - AVL Media Group has announced that it has been appointed as the exclusive distributor of Wharfedale Pro products in the USA, effective immediately. AVL will bring Wharfedale Pro's audio solutions to customers across the USA.
"AVL Media Group is thrilled to be partnering with Wharfedale Pro to distribute their products in the US," says Stephen Kosters, CEO of AVL Media Group. "Wharfedale Pro's commitment to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with AVL Media Group's mission to provide our customers with the best possible audio and video solutions. We are excited to offer our customers a wider range of options to suit their audio needs, and we look forward to a long and successful partnership with Wharfedale Pro."
As part of this partnership, AVL Media Group will be responsible for the distribution of Wharfedale Pro products, including loudspeakers, subwoofers,

The Wellbeing Hub will be hosted by Music Support, Backup, Music Industry Therapists and Lions Barber Collective

Kartfest 2023: Village Fete, fun and mental health

Details: 09 May 2023

UK - Backup is set to bring together over 300 live event industry fellows for its annual summer fund raiser – Kartfest -The Village Fete
“Building on eight years of successful Kartfests we’re adding an extra layer of theming to this year’s event and incorporating the traditional British village fete,” says Backup trustee and Kartfest organiser, Lee Dennison. “This now provides the day out we have been looking to create for the live events industry with the karting becoming part of the day rather than the focus. We will be delivering a host of other attractions and areas to grab the interest of racers and day visitors alike.”
One of the new areas is the Well-being hub. The aftermath of the effects of Covid has hit the live events industry and the want and need for mental health support is now Backup’s most pressing area of focus. The Backup team has also

The official Coronation Concert was staged in front of Windsor Castle

Cameo illuminates the Coronation Concert

Details: 09 May 2023

UK - On the 6th of May, the world turned its eyes to Westminster Abbey. The coronation of King Charles III was held here in front of 2,300 invited guests.
More than 20,000 visitors attended the official Coronation Concert which was staged in front of Windsor Castle, featured live performances by acts including Katy Perry, Take That and Lionel Richie as well as an emotional speech by Prince William. To light up this special event, which was produced and broadcast live by the BBC, lighting designer Nigel Catmur relied on more than 500 Cameo lights.
In addition to the 20,000 visitors, the live event was also attended by King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and other members of the Royal Family, as well as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The impressive circular stage in front of the illuminated east wing of Windsor Castle, which houses the private chambers of the royal fami

MSA’s Christian Vigsø (left) and Kasper Sonberg with the new Litec systems

Motor Stage Automation invests in Litec

Details: 05 May 2023

Denmark - Motor Stage Automation (MSA) is a new company based in Denmark, working internationally, specialising in the designing art of stage and show automation and movement elements and systems. The company is headed by Christian Vigsø, who used the downtime during the pandemic to launch this venture.
“More and more shows are using automation to make themselves stand out visually, and I saw a need for a company to facilitate straightforward, practical and cost-efficient solutions across all production sectors,” stated Christian.
One of Motor Stage Automation’s first investments was in Litec DST (Dynamic Stack Truss) products, some to help facilitate the fabrication of MSA’s own Touring Dolly systems.
The purchase included large quantities of Litec DST52 Truss Rail System - 3000 / 118 inch sections, and the new Litec STK52 MTD2KN, a 52cm DST heavy dut

The Golden Isles Church of God serves the greater community of Brunswick, Georgia

Renkus-Heinz enhances worship at Golden Isles

Details: 05 May 2023

USA - Bringing together faith, family and friends, the Golden Isles Church of God serves the greater community of Brunswick, Georgia, and the outlying barrier islands. Spanish explorers seeking gold descended upon the territory more than 400 years ago, only to find golden isles rather than gold, hence the region’s name.
The traditional styling of the church’s mid-sized sanctuary - with hardwood pews, high lofty ceilings and a raised central dais - hampered the speech intelligibility of events and services. To better serve the congregation’s evolving worship needs, the church decided to modernise the sanctuary’s decor and functionality. Renkus-Heinz’s expertise in taming acoustically challenging spaces greatly benefitted the retrofit.
The church turned to Brian Bush, co-owner of All Seasons Audio, to redesign and retrofit the sanctuary’s audio system. All S

Santana’s tour features Austrian Audio mics

Details: 05 May 2023

USA - Over the summer of 2022, Santana, together with Earth, Wind & Fire, got enthusiastic fans singing and dancing throughout North American arenas during their Miraculous Supernatural Tour.
While the fans were thrilled to see and hear Santana on stage, Kevin Madigan, Santana’s FOH engineer made sure the sound would be top-notch by employing two Austrian Audio OC818 large-diaphragm condenser microphones to record Carlos’s guitar and one OC707 true condenser vocal microphone for his vocals.
“We needed something to reproduce that guitar tone everybody knows, and to handle high SPL show after show,” said Madigan. “The mics worked out great throughout the year on the Santana tour and residencies, and we’ll be using them again next year.”
Madigan has over 20 years’ experience mixing live events and recording in the studio, working with acts like

Connection Pointe Christian Church in Brownsburg

Chauvet delivers the ‘art of symmetry’

Details: 05 May 2023

USA - Alexander Lehman and the design team at Connection Pointe Christian Church in Brownsburg, IN deployed the “art of asymmetry” to give the church a new, captivating lighting design this spring, much to the delight of worshippers.
“As we headed into spring and summer, we wanted to create a fresh environment on stage,” said Lehman, the church’s lighting designer. “Our previous stage rig had been up since December of 2022, so we felt it was time to give our space something new. To do this, we wanted to try something fresh and different. This led us to the asymmetrical design.
“We know how to do beautiful symmetrical clean looks,” continued Lehman. “We also realised that it would be more challenging to do an asymmetrical design that felt purposeful and intentional. So, we embraced this challenge; our goal was to bring something different to the world

The School of Dramatic Arts’ light lab is a flexible space

Elation supports USC School of Dramatic Arts

Details: 05 May 2023

USA - Dry-hire rental house Main Light has partnered with the USC School of Dramatic Arts to supply Elation Professional Fuze MAX Spot LED moving head luminaires for use in the theatrical design program’s light lab for the 2023 spring semester. Used in teaching lighting programming and design, the luminaires allow students to get hands-on with the latest in entertainment lighting.
“Fixtures like the Fuze MAX Spot, as well as Main Light’s generous loaner programme allow USC School of Dramatic Arts students to prepare for a career in lighting design,” stated Elizabeth Harper, assistant professor of lighting design at the school. “Whether in theatre, themed entertainment, events or the emerging world of virtual and augmented reality, our students bring their stories and creativity to the industry backed by the technical skills to do so.”
The School of Dramati

‘Capio Hall has to meet the requirements of various types of public events’

Torus solution for Tsukuba’s Capio Hall

Details: 05 May 2023

Japan - The Tsukuba Capio complex in Japan’s Tsukuba city, Ibaragi, incorporates indoor sports halls, theatres and meeting rooms, while Tsukuba itself is renowned for being a scientific city of the future city. Opened in July 1996, Capio Hall has provided an authentic atmosphere for theatre and dance, with its distinctive seat arrangement and high-quality stage facilities.
Capio Hall recently underwent a major sound system overhaul, and new rigs were introduced, including the new Martin Audio Torus as the main PA.
Nobuhito Endo, technical manager of rental company Sigma Communications, who support the theatre, set out the reason for the upgrade and his choice of Torus.
“Originally, the proscenium centre loudspeakers were exposed, and a cluster of several point-source systems was flown from the grid. Naturally, we considered utilising a line array replacement

Evangelism in Singapore has undergone a major refurbishment (© Lighthouse Evangelism)

Ayrton shines on Lighthouse Evangelism

Details: 05 May 2023

Singapore - The 45-year old Lighthouse Evangelism in Singapore has undergone a major refurbishment of its two halls which, set over two campuses at Woodlands and Tampines, have a combined capacity of 3,500 people.
A complete revamp of the entire church stage, LED wall and lighting design was called for, with the latter being undertaken by well-known lighting designer, Michael Chan of Lighting Insomnia, for which he chose 14 laser-sourced Ayrton Cobra, eight Ayrton Khamsin TC profiles and nine Ayrton Zonda 9 Wash fixtures. These were supplied by Total Solution Marketing and installed by systems integrator Soundsmith Solutions.
“I am always happy to work with a good lighting manufacturer,” says Mr Chan who explains why he chose to work with Ayrton fixtures to enhance the weekly services of praise and worship.
“The design concept needed to fulfil a few objecti

Sweeney Todd at Austin Opera’s Long Center

Vari-Lites unleash colours for Sweeney Todd

Details: 05 May 2023

USA - Austin Opera’s Long Centre presented a production of the classic Sweeney Todd this spring, with an uncompromising series of lighting states created by LD James Sale using Vari-Lite VL2600 Wash luminaires from Signify.
“I wanted to put Sweeney Todd in the audience’s faces, which to me meant he needed to be bright,” says Sale, who has designed the lighting for shows at the innovative Long Centre for more than a decade. “The VL2600s were very bright, which was a big plus. The colour rendition and continuity from fixture to fixture was terrific and they moved very smoothly.”
Sale responded to the play’s blood-soaked, dreary, 1785 London setting by unleashing sinister lighting states that cut through the darkness with searing, rich colours at high intensities. As the play progressed, the looks which Sale describes as “unworldly” started

Billboard Live recently launched a third location in the up-and-coming Kitanaka area of Yokohama

Billboard Live opens with JBL and Martin Pro

Details: 05 May 2023

Japan - To provide Billboard Live’s latest venue in Yokohama with a live setup suitable for a wide range of performances, Hibino and SC Alliance collaborated with Harman Professional Solutions to select and implement a range of JBL Professional audio and Martin professional lighting solutions.
In addition to venues in Tokyo and Osaka, Billboard Live recently launched a third location in the up-and-coming Kitanaka area of Yokohama. The venue boasts a floorspace of approximately 1,000sq.m and a 300-seat capacity. Along with hosting internationally renowned performers and local artists, the venue also provides an unrivalled culinary experience thanks to a carefully curated menu by Japan’s finest chefs.
To elevate the overall guest experience with state-of-the-art live sound as well as immersive and impactful lighting, the Hibino and SC Alliance installation team depl

The name change coincides with the opening of the Academy's first US campus

Backstage Academy becomes Academy of Live Technology

Details: 04 May 2023

UK/USA - Backstage Academy has rebranded as the Academy of Live Technology (ALT) and opened a second campus at Rock Lititz in the US to complement the work of the original UK site which is located in Production Park, Wakefield.
A statement from ALT reads: “Since Backstage Academy was founded in 2011, the live experience industry has changed at a rapid pace; new creative and immersive technologies are reinventing how we produce live events and experiences. We recognise that as the industry evolves, so should we.
“From May 2023, Backstage Academy is changing its name to the Academy of Live Technology. The decision to update our name and brand is part of a considered process of evolution to better align ourselves with the changing industry.
“Our new name reflects who we are for both today and tomorrow. What we teach goes beyond ‘backstage’ – we’re a

Capital City Church International is one of the larger churches in Pretoria

SAW adds Plus Audio to 3Ci church campus

Details: 04 May 2023

South Africa - Capital City Church International – or 3Ci as it is better known – is one of the larger churches in Pretoria, and one of the most technologically advanced. Stage Audio Works was the AV design and integration partner for 3Ci’s new building which was delivered in 2021 – a successful collaboration that has resulted in an ongoing partnership.
3Ci has turned to Stage Audio Works once again, this time to equip a smaller 300-capacity hall – known as the Cube - with a PA system as part of the second phase of AV works. The project marks the sixth Plus Audio installation since the brand was launched 18 months ago.
The first phase was the initial build – a development that features a state-of-the-art 2,500 capacity main auditorium for which Stage Audio Works designed and integrated a complete PA and control system based on d&b Y-Series and Yamaha c

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