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24 September 2024

Spain - The initial phase of Gran Canaria Studios, one of Europe’s largest virtual production stages to date, has been completed, offering an environment for international content producers looking to “leverage Gran Canaria’s film location incentives”.

Located on the 1,200sq.m stage 1 of the Gran Canaria Platos studio lot, the virtual production infrastructure has been designed and delivered by ARRI Solutions, integrator Video Cine Import (VCI), and ROE Visual. The Economic Promotion Agency of Gran Canaria (SPEGC) commissioned the studio to accommodate both independent and high-end national and international productions.

“The film industry is one of the region’s economic pillars; we are very committed to the development of this industry on the island and Gran Canaria is spearheading efforts to become a leading hub for TV and film,” stat

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24 September 2024

France - The Hippodrome de Longchamp pulsed with energy this summer as Solidays Music Festival marked its 25th year, drawing a record-breaking 260,000 attendees. L-Acoustics professional sound systems ensured every beat and every message rang out with crystal clarity.

Solidays isn't just about the music – it's a movement. For a quarter-century, this festival has fused chart-topping performances with raising funds and awareness for AIDS prevention and support. "L-Acoustics has been our go-to choice for Solidays for over 15 years," said Samuel Birais, site manager for B Live, the L-Acoustics certified provider supplying audio for the event. "Their professional sound systems consistently deliver the punch and precision required for such a diverse lineup of artists."

To create powerful, consistent sound over multiple stages spanning from intimate 1,000

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24 September 2024

UK - Assembly is right at the heart of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and an integral part of this celebration of arts and culture.

The 2024 event saw Assembly – one of the largest venue operators at the Fringe – operating 26 venues featuring over 240 diverse shows embracing multiple entertainment genres, with lighting managed by Martin McLachlan, Assembly’s Festival Fringe head of lighting since 2018.

This year, McLachlan specified an abundance of Robe moving lights for several of Assembly’s key venues.

The Assembly Festival Fringe operation involves over 90 technical staff (covering sound and stage management in addition to lighting) over a six-week period, which includes two weeks of build and rehearsal before the three-and-a-half-week festival. McLachlan, together with a small team of four, oversees the house stage lighting and cre

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24 September 2024

USA - One of the more unusual events in Soundworks of Virginia’s busy summer concert schedule was the recent show at the spectacular Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, NC, when the Flaming Lips performed Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots live in concert.

Referring to the title of their latest album, the psychedelic band played two distinct sets. After performing the album faithfully from front to back, they followed up with a typical concert set from their general repertoire. The long-serving band held the stage throughout, with no support act.

Hired by the venue (and working with the band for the first time), Soundworks brought with them Martin Audio’s WPC line array. Nestled in a grove of stately pines, and owned by the town of Cary, Koka Booth Amphitheatre is different. “It seems they cleared just enough of the forested area to plunk do

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24 September 2024

USA - With a Jonas Brothers history that dates back to Joe Jonas’ early tours with the group DNCE, touring monitor engineer Andy Hernandez knows what it takes to keep the brothers’ concerts running. For nearly a decade, Hernandez has been devoted to providing members of the pop band with quality sound and communications at every stop around the globe. When the trio’s team came calling again for the current Five Albums. One Night. The World Tour, Hernandez jumped at the chance to get back on the road.

Hernandez says the planning for this tour was coordinated quickly and that the RF setup is very ambitious. “The group is performing in large sporting arenas, with multiple stages in each. At times when there are guests, there can be as many as 20-plus people performing. So, we need a solution that is robust, provides great performance and also w

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24 September 2024

Canada - CAST Group of Companies reports that it has been certified by Great Place To Work. The award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at CAST. This year, 85% of employees said it’s a great place to work.

"Great Place To Work certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the vice-president of global recognition at Great Place To Work. She emphasises that certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that CAST stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees."

“We are thrilled to become Great Pl

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24 September 2024

UK - Based in the Cotswolds region, professional wedding DJ Neil Carter has developed a reputation for delivering bespoke events that live long in the memory of guests, each tailored to the client’s special requirements.

With a remarkable 4,000 events behind him and bookings through to 2027, Carter believes that “you’re only as good as your last show” and works as hard as ever to ensure the complete satisfaction of brides and grooms, and his corporate customers.

“I started 35 years ago doing mainly corporate events in London, but weddings are by far the largest part of my business now,” reports Carter. “More than ever they’re in big venues or marquees and with my previous sound system struggling to cope, I recently took the decision to replace it.”

Following a recommendation from trusted friend and audio guru Julian Rees, Ca

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24 September 2024

Europe - Following the worldwide success of the Rivale Profile which sold over 10,000 units in less than a year, Ayrton has introduced the Veloce Profile, the second ultra-equipped luminaire in its ‘Ultimate’ family, which has been specially designed for use in large spaces.

Veloce Profile is a versatile, IP65-rated luminaire capable of operating in all conditions, indoors and outdoors, including saline-heavy environments. Veloce Profile features a new sealed monoblock 850W high-efficiency LED module, calibrated at 6,500K, which offers a luminous flux of 43,000 lumens with optimum positioning on the black body to achieve perfect light neutrality.

Its proprietary 13-lens optical system offers a zoom ratio of 13:1 and a zoom range from 4° to 52°, its 180mm front lens capable of delivering an ultra-intensive 4° beam.

Veloce Profile, like

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24 September 2024

Kylie’s Back - Kylie Minogue has announced her biggest world tour in more than a decade, and a sequel to her comeback album Tension. The 13 tracks on Tension II will be released on 18 October, with the global tour kicking off in her home country Australia in February, before swinging through Asia and the UK.

In a statement, the singer said she is "beyond excited" to be "celebrating the Tension era and more" with fans. "There will be a whole lot of Padaming," she said, a reference to her viral, Grammy-winning 2023 single Padam Padam. 20 dates have been announced so far, but Minogue said more are coming.

Viva La Vida - Coldplay have confirmed they will play two concerts in Hull before heading to Wembley in August next year. The band will appear at Craven Park on 18 and 19 August before performing s

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23 September 2024

USA - On 30 December 1959, travellers heading up Las Vegas Boulevard to visit one of the burgeoning city’s new resorts like The Stardust, The Dunes, or The Sands were greeted by a towering 25ft pole sign that read ‘Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas’.

Although those once glitzy establishments are long gone, replaced by new generations of resort casinos on The Strip, the sign – with its distinctive stretched horizontal shape and cross piece at the top – is still standing.

The scenic designers at StationSix thought it would make an ideal backdrop for another ‘Las Vegas institution’, The Killers, when the multi-platinum band did their three-week residency at The Colosseum At Caesars Palace, which ended on 1 September.

Steven Douglas, the band’s long-time lighting designer, saw things the same way. He collaborated with the scenic desig

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23 September 2024

The Netherlands - After successfully transitioning from conventional static lighting to dynamically versatile LED fixtures at Rijswijkse Schouwburg Theatre in Rijswijk, Ronald de Blecourt, head of stage technique, reflected on the satisfactory outcome.

“When you know what you’re looking for and you are lucky enough to have a great team, the full trust of your management board, and of course the means, all you have to do is find the right fixtures,” he reflected. “The new LED lighting from Elation has allowed us to create more visually attractive productions and has enhanced the entire theatrical experience.”

The path to finding those ‘right fixtures’ had its own story. Following several not-entirely satisfactory fixture demos, de Blecourt was contacted by Bert Schmeits, key account manager Benelux for Elation Europe, who believed that E

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23 September 2024

USA - The stars gathered onstage, backstage and at the stage right artists bar in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena packed with music fans and anticipation for a special concert – Toby Keith: American Icon, a tribute to the late singer-songwriter, who in addition to being a successful musician and performer, was a philanthropist and supporter of those who served their countries in the military.

Tom Kenny was asked by producers Adam Freed and Alex Colletti to light this show, which was filmed for broadcast on the NBC network, and Kenny’s lighting rig included three different types of Robe moving lights – eight BMFL Follow Spots on RoboSpot systems, 12 iForte LTX WashBeams and 61 MegaPointes. The lighting vendor was 4Wall, who supplied from its Nashville shop.

Kenny’s task was to ensure the broadcast had a sumptuous ‘big rock show’ a

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23 September 2024

USA - Reggae band Stick Figure recently wrapped their Sacred Sands Summer Tour with a lighting system provided by Bandit Lites. Led by Scott Woodruff, Stick Figure is known for their blend of reggae and dub, weaving together infectious rhythms and melodic hooks with mellow vibes and positivity.

Lighting designer Nesta Garrick chose fixtures that would provide a range of effects, utilising Chauvet Color Strike M, Elation Proteus Maximus IP 65, Elation Smarty Hybrids, GLP X5, ACME Gemini and Robe MegaPointes.

“Everything served its purpose,” said Garrick. “We have a long set with a bunch of different songs, and these fixtures were selected to give us multiple choices and looks without being repetitive throughout the show.

“The MegaPointes were able to give good effects coming off with their beams, but at the same time they’re

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23 September 2024

Portugal - Europalco, in partnership with Knower Impact Meetings, reports the success of AIVØLUT1ØN, the first conference in Lisbon entirely dedicated to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Held in the Sala Tejo of the MEO Arena, this event brought together business leaders, innovators and AI enthusiasts to explore the power of AI in business management and beyond.

The AIVØLUT1ØN event marked an important milestone in the AI landscape, attracting many attendees. Europalco played a big part in this success by providing full AV and staging services. Europalco's team of approximately 28 members worked on-site and after two months of extensive preparation, they flawlessly executed all technical details.

An impressive 25m curved main screen and a 4m raised circular screen in the middle served as the event's centrepiece. This configuration was reinforced by

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23 September 2024

USA - Mega-Lite has introduced the ZIP Strip C40 which features 40 pixels of red, green, and blue narrow 5º beam LEDs, while the ZIP Strip WW40 comes in a warm white look.

These fixtures allow for the creation of multicolour light curtain effects by chasing the pixel in various groups and speeds. With four control profiles available, you can use a basic DMX or an advanced pixel matrix system to manage your pixels effectively.

Both fixtures stand out for their lightweight and compact design. Their compact three-hole yoke makes them easy to mount, ensuring they can be mounted in tight spaces or on various surfaces easily.

The ZIP Strip provides additional choices for lighting effects by pixel-mapping your stage venue to “create any look you want”.

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23 September 2024

UK - Following the appointment of Tom Anstey and Aurora Harrington in June this year, Spotlight Sound is expanding once again with a new hire. It means the team has increased by 50% this year as demand for their services grows.

The event production and AV installation company has welcomed Chloe Richardson as marketing executive this month. Chloe has considerable experience in marketing, having joined from Acclaim Handling after three years.

Director of Spotlight Sound, Sam Dimond, says: “Chloe has joined us after a thorough search for a top marketing executive. It was Chloe’s experience and skills that really stood out as she has worked in all areas of digital marketing and across many sectors. Chloe will work on steering our marketing strategy to reach our target audience and has already settled into the team really well.

“2025 is look

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20 September 2024

Spain - Colombian music sensation Karol G recently concluded her historic Mañana Será Bonito world tour with four stadium shows in Madrid, Spain.  

The year-long run, the first stadium tour headlined by a Latin female artist and reportedly the most extensive European tour by a Latin artist in history, featured an ambitious production with lighting design by Lightswitch senior director Ignacio Rosenberg, working with lighting vendor PRG. At the heart of the design were Elation Proteus luminaires, which played a vital role in both the stadium and arena shows.

The tour began in August 2023 and spanned the US, Mexico, and Latin America, with the European leg launching on 8 June 2024, in Zurich. Rosenberg used the Proteus Maximus and Proteus Hybrid Max across Latin America and Europe for their IP-rated durability, which was essential for the c

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20 September 2024

UK - The Schools Engagement Programme, launched in January 2024 in the East of England region by The Power of Events with grant support from the EIF, has announced that Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) has been confirmed as exclusive sponsor of the Edinburgh region. This now takes the UK roll-out to five regions alongside recently confirmed new regions Birmingham, Hertfordshire and the South Coast of England.

EICC’s support will enable The Power of Events, in partnership with local event professionals volunteering as schools ambassadors, to deliver an event industry showcase and overview of career opportunities to secondary schools & colleges across the Edinburgh region, starting in Spring 2025.

The Schools Programme has already attracted 200+ school ambassador industry volunteers across the four Nations willing to support the p

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20 September 2024

Spain - Currently touring to promote their second album Fuego, Spanish band Xeria has also mastered LightShark so that they can easily adapt their own show to suit different sized venues.

Lighting designer Alex Conde, founder of Aconde Design, was commissioned to design the lighting for the band Xeria, who are currently touring Spain to promote their new album Fuego.

"My main responsibility was designing the layout of the lighting equipment, programming the lighting for each song, and automating MIDI commands with Xeria’s Cymatic Audio LP-16 MIDI audio system and an IRing MIDI 2 adapter,” he explains.

“For this tour Xeria is using four Equipson Mark Beam 201 moving heads, eight Equipson Mark Mbar RGB 4 lighting bars, and four Equipson Mark MF 1500 VT fog machines. To ensure that the lighting setup matched their music,

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20 September 2024

USA - Stanford, Kentucky, is a small yet charming city in the southernmost part of the Bluegrass region. Founded in 1775, Stanford is one of the oldest settlements in the state and boasts a rich history with landmarks like the William Whitley House, the first brick house west of the Allegheny Mountains, and a key site in the early days of horse racing in Kentucky.

Just off Main Street lies Stanford Baptist, a quiet and unassuming church with seating for more than 300 people. Although open and airy, the vaulted ceilings in the sanctuary compromised the speech intelligibility of liturgical services. Amplifiers from LEA Professional were the chosen solution to help solve the church’s audio challenges.

Church staff contacted Alex Peake, an integration specialist at JCA Media, to design a new audio system for the sanctuary. Peake recommended LEA’s Con