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Paul Johnson joins Ayrton in global role

Details: 16 March 2023

Europe - Paul Johnson (PJ), has joined Ayrton in the newly created position of global install director with immediate effect. His role will be to open up a new area of activity for the company, expanding the use of stage lighting to architectural and large-scale, long-term installations.
Johnson has long been fascinated by ways of bringing the creativity of stage lighting into the architectural and built environment in ways that enhance and maximise the experience for both the client and user.
Having spent the past 15 years forging this philosophy with architectural installation and creative companies, whilst also maintaining an ongoing involvement in stage lighting design, Johnson now brings his eclectic experience to Ayrton where he will focus on bringing together the

Showtec’s Shark series are suitable for bars, small clubs and similar establishments

Showtec Shark series adds three

Details: 15 March 2023

UK - Showtec has announced new additions to its Shark series of moving head light fixtures in the form of the Shark Beam One, the Shark Spot Two and the Shark Wash Zoom Two.
The Shark Beam One is a 90-watt LED beam moving head that creates colourful and dynamic light displays thanks to its impressive features. It boasts 13 colours plus white, a 6-facet rotating prism, 11 gobos, frost and flower effects, and more.
The Shark Spot Two is a versatile 90-watt LED spot moving head, with seven colours plus white, a three-facet prism, six gobos, and dimmer and strobe functions.
Classic wash effects with different beam angles are easy to create on the Shark Wash Zoom Two thanks to its motorised zoom. It also has dimmer and strobe functions.
Showtec’s Shark series features several compact moving head light fixtures that are suitable for bars, small clubs and simila

The amplifier is designed for both touring and installation

Next Audiocom debuts versatile amplifier

Details: 15 March 2023

Portugal - NEXT Audiocom has introduced A504DSP, an amplifier that combines a lightweight, 4 x 500W (2 x 1000W) amplifier, with a powerful DSP engine that can be configured to suit a wide range of tasks, without the need for additional equipment, to drive a wide range of loudspeaker systems.
The close integration of processing and amplification allows the DSP to monitor and better adapt to amplifier behaviour, making dynamics processing far more accurate and effective than that typically achieved with separate components, says Next.
The A504DSP flexibly distributes the total amplifier power in various combinations across four, three or two outputs to drive, for example: Four full-range loudspeakers or subwoofers, high-power subwoofer + two full-range loudspeakers, high-power subwoofer + bi-amplified speaker or high-power full-range loudspeaker + high-power subwoofer.

‘The starCTRL app lets you quickly and easily set your lights’

Quasar Science releases starCTRL design app

Details: 15 March 2023

USA - Quasar Science has announced the release of a new lighting design app for its Double Rainbow and Rainbow 2 RGBX linear LED fixtures. starCTRL is a free iOS app that users can download from the Apple App Store. It allows users to control colour and effects parameters of up to seven Rainbow series lights from an iPhone or iPad.
starCTRL allows users to adjust the control parameters, pre-sets, and lighting effects of Rainbow fixtures remotely with a quick to configure Bluetooth connection. With the Rainbow lights in starCTRL Mode, the app will quickly Auto-discover all lights and be ready to control in seconds.
"The starCTRL app lets you quickly and easily set your lights." said Quasar Science CTO, Ben Dynice. "With its intuitive interface and wireless capabilities, users can control multiple parameters for multiple lights directly from the iOS device, eliminating

The Winter Jam tour continues this month

Winter Jam 2023 takes Bandit Lites on tour

Details: 15 March 2023

USA - Winter Jam, the Christian music tour, has returned to cities across America with a lighting system provided by Bandit Lites. This year’s line-up features Dove-award winning We the Kingdom, Jeremy Camp, Andy Mineo, Anne Wilson, Disciple, Austin French and Winter Jam founding members, NewSong. With a $15 ticket price sold at the door, Winter Jam seeks to include everyone who wants to attend and hear their message of hope.
Production manager Jerry Holcomb and lighting designer Kurtis Wheat crafted a system that would give the range of artists the most bang for their buck, starting with the large LED surface upstage.
“It is 76ft wide at the top and tiers down to 48ft wide at the bottom and is 32ft tall,” explained Holcomb. “We went through several scenarios and designs based on truck space and budget. One thing we all wanted and worked towards were the angl

Music and music technology play an important role in Oastlers’ curriculum

PAS delivers light and sound at Oastlers

Details: 15 March 2023

UK - Oastlers School in Bradford is a specialist setting that provides support for children and young people who have social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The school takes an empathic approach and offers a number of therapeutic strategies that sit alongside its high-quality teaching. Music and music technology play an important role in Oastlers’ curriculum and are recognised as being vitally important in adding value to personal and social development, helping to to develop increased self-esteem, creativity and confidence.
During a recent evaluation of its facilities, the school decided to overhaul its music room and an adjacent small hall to create a recording/rehearsal facility and a dedicated performance space.
A key aim was to give learners the opportunity to gain real-world industry experience of working in a professional studio, including broadca

The theatre enjoys a full range of professional facilities (Photo credit: Andrew Marshall & Acanthus Clews Architects)

TNA line array presses case at Cidermill Theatre

Details: 15 March 2023

UK - The Cidermill Theatre is a new performing arts theatre owned and run by Chipping Camden School in Gloucestershire. Built to serve both the school and the wider Cotswold community, the £4m venue was opened in October 2022 at a launch event which featured actor Ben Miller and chart-topping singer Jennifer Paige, who performed a set including her international hit Crush.
Centred on the Rockspring Auditorium (capacity 292 seated, 450 standing), the complex also includes a dance studio, black box studio, lounge area, rehearsal spaces, classroom, café and bar. The theatre enjoys a full range of professional facilities and is quickly developing an impressive programme of theatrical performances, live music, dance, cinema screenings and talks. An essential component of any modern, flexible performing arts centre is its audio provision, and the theatre consulted with sp

Sennheiser Profile USB microphone on stream

Details: 15 March 2023

Europe - Sennheiser has launched the Profile USB microphone, a cardioid condenser microphone that presents ‘an easy and stylish solution for streaming and podcasting’. It combines professional sound with direct accessibility of all functions, allowing streamers, podcasters and gamers to fully focus on their content, says Sennheiser. The side-address microphone is available as a table stand version (EUR 129, MSRP) and as the Profile Streaming Set with a 3-point self-locking boom arm (EUR 199, MSRP). Both models are shipping now.
At the heart of the Profile USB microphone is an award-winning Sennheiser condenser capsule, the KE 10. Its cardioid pick-up pattern provides the typical attenuation of sound coming from the rear, making sure that the streamer’s voice is in focus.
In designing the Profile, product managers Benny Franke and Dennis Stegemerten also put an em

R-H solution for St. John the Baptist Church

Details: 15 March 2023

UK - The market town of Cirencester is home to one of the biggest parish churches in the country: St. John the Baptist, where community members find their home as soon as they step through the 12-century, cathedral-style doors. The church, while visually appealing, doesn’t come without acoustic challenges. Striking stained glass windows and wooden pews lining the space create ample opportunities for reverberation and muffled audio. To overcome these challenges, the church turned to Renkus-Heinz for the sound solution to fit its needs.
Together with UK-based supplier CUK Group, Staffordshire-based event and installation specialist Novum Audio Visual worked to specify and install three Renkus-Heinz ICC36/3 column arrays from the US manufacturer’s Iconyx Compact line. As a result of Novum’s work, 12 unsightly box speakers were removed from the white limestone columns of

The Abercrombie re-opened with a multi-day launch party (photo: April Josie)

Sydney’s Abercrombie re-opens with Powersoft

Details: 15 March 2023

Australia - Powersoft’s new AES67-enabled amplifier platforms, including the enhanced A+ versions of its innovative, half-size Mezzo range, have made their global debut at the recently reopened Abercrombie hotel in Sydney.
The Abercrombie, located in the inner-Sydney suburb of Chippendale, traces its roots back to 1843, when it opened as the Australian Inn. The current, art-deco building, on the old Carlton United Brewery site, was completed in 1938 and served as a much-loved watering hole and live entertainment venue until its closure in 2014. It was acquired by hospitality group Solotel in 2016 and reopened – two years late, as a result of Sydney’s on-off coronavirus lockdowns – with a 36-hour launch party in December 2022.
The new-look Abercrombie comprises three venues: a ground-floor club space, public bar and beer garden; late-night cocktail lounge and ro

Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party was broadcast live on NBC and Peacock

Vari-Lite delivers vintage looks for Miley Cyrus

Details: 15 March 2023

USA - Miley Cyrus returned to US screens recently for a massive live-broadcast party with a host of star guests. Taking place at Miami’s Telemundo Studios, it featured classic rock ‘n’ roll lighting effects mixed with a Miami club style setting, achieved using Vari-Lite VL5LED Wash luminaires from Signify.
The DX7 Design team delivered the lighting design, specifying a series of the VL5LED Wash fixtures which were mostly rigged to the arches of the main scenic structure over the main stage.
“This was our third TV show with Miley and on each one, she has opted for a more lighting-based design with almost no video,” explains Tom Sutherland, CEO and lead designer at DX7 Design. “She is a big fan of the more traditional lighting looks, which is why we had a large PAR wall as our background, as opposed to a video wall. Positioning the VL5LEDs on the arches real

The distribution agreement with Commercial Audio will initially cover the installation portfolio from LD Systems

Commercial Audio appointed Adam Hall UK distributor

Details: 15 March 2023

UK - The Adam Hall Group continues to expand its sales network, following the presentation of the new integrated systems vertical, at ISE 2023 and has announced Commercial Audio Solutions as a distribution partner.
“We are very excited to have been appointed a distribution partner for the installation market across the UK and Ireland for the Adam Hall Group. I believe the LD Systems installation range is going to make a big impression on the marketplace,” says Brian Knott, managing director at Commercial Audio. “The focus on quality and performance is world-leading, but what most impressed me, was the deep understanding of engineering and how to improve the job-at-hand for the installer, as well as delivering a fantastic, reliable product for the client. We can’t wait to introduce more people to this amazing product range, and I’m sure it will only be a matter of

The Week in Light & Sound

Details: 14 March 2023

Financial Moves - The National Theatre has revealed it will need to “reduce activity levels in order to ensure financial stability” for the next three to four years, as it warns of the ongoing challenges it faces in its annual accounts for the year ending March 2022. The accounts show that its total income for the year until March 2022 was £80.8m, up from £56.3m the year before, but warn that high rates of inflation and increased energy costs are having a "significant impact" on its cost base. In the year before theatres were closed in March 2020, the theatre’s income was more than £100m.
In addition, it highlights a recent 5% cut to its annual Arts Council England funding, which was previously £17m but is being reduced by £850,000 a year with effect from this year. It also points to audiences being slow to return following the pandemic lockdowns, remaining about

Dates for virtual Mental Health First Aid training are now posted through May 2023

BTS posts Mental Health First Aid training dates

Details: 14 March 2023

USA - Dates for virtual Mental Health First Aid training are now posted through May 2023 at btshelp.org/mhfa. You can take an active role in helping to care for those you work with and expand your skill sets by learning how to identify, understand and respond to signs of distress in your colleagues and help make our workplaces healthier and safer spaces for all.
A previous attendee recently told BTS, “A dear friend disclosed an awful mental health crisis. Thanks to your class, I was able to put my mental health first aid training into critical practice and send them some resources. In an intense, immediate way I am so glad to have been there for a friend and able to help them get the help they desperately need.”
The course is delivered in two parts. The first is a two-hour self-paced online course that must be completed prior to a six-hour virtual live instructor

Live Warsaw recordings enhanced with DPA

Details: 14 March 2023

Poland - A graduate of Warsaw’s Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, sound director Tadeusz Mieczkowski has dedicated his career to not only understanding the art of music, but learning how to bring out the beautiful, natural sound of recorded instruments. Since 1984, he has been primarily recording acoustic instruments and large musical forms, such as oratories and symphonies, for classical and popular music, as well as film.
With his current work, Mieczkowski has expanded into recording and mixing in Dolby Atmos, most recently capturing a live performance by trio Surreal Players and Mino Cinélu at the Nowa Miodowa concert hall.
Mieczkowski started this immersive project as he does any: identifying the direction of the production. He spent time exploring the acoustics of the famed concert hall, which were designed by Yasuhisa Toyota, director and chief designer of

The event will feature live music designed especially for performance on the immersive Funktion-One sound system

Patchworks hosts Sound II Light event

Details: 14 March 2023

UK - Immersive audio specialists, Sova Audio, will present Sound II Light - a two-day event dedicated to spatial sound taking place at the Leyton-based creative community space Patchworks on 24-25 March 2023. The event is organised by Sova Labs - the social impact division of Sova Audio, that focuses on creating and delivering educational and cultural activities in sound, with the support of Waltham Forest Council Arts & Culture’s Make It Happen grant.
The event will feature live music designed especially for performance on the immersive, 12-point Funktion-One sound system, as well as workshops, panel discussions and a site-specific AV installation exploring the possibilities spatial sound has to offer.
The artists performing at this event have residency days at Sova Audio Studio to work on their pieces on a 12.4 sound system mirroring the setup that will be pre

Jonas Stenvinkel (international sales manager, Elation)with CTME’s Sam Connolly and Andy Reardon

CTME invests in Elation Proteus and KL Panel

Details: 14 March 2023

UAE - Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) has made an investment in Elation Professional’s Proteus series of automated IP65 lights, along with studio-optimised IP-rated KL Panel softlights. The purchase includes the Proteus Excalibur sky beam moving head as well as the Proteus Maximus LED moving head, both high-power luminaires routinely used on large-scale productions and outdoor spectaculars.
Additionally, CTME has invested in Elation’s versatile KL Panel XL IP, a full-colour spectrum LED softlight suitable for use in broadcast and film settings. CTME worked closely with Jean Pierre de Vernon from Venutech LLC, Elation’s exclusive distributor in the Middle East, to procure the new lighting gear.
Sam Connolly, head of lighting at CTME comments, “Elation is a ground-breaking brand creating innovative and versatile products like the Proteus series and KL Pane

Absen appoints country development managers

Details: 14 March 2023

Europe - Absen has announced the appointment of Vegard Børresen and Dawid Laskowski business development managers for the Nordic region and Poland respectively.
Børresen brings extensive experience in sales and regional development to his role, most recently serving as business development director in the Nordic region for another LED brand.
Laskowski brings with him 17+ years of experience in sales, marketing and regional management across the digital print and AV markets.
“I am delighted to join Absen and be at the cutting edge of LED technology,” says Børresen, “Absen understand and respects that regional business development has cultural nuances. I am excited to bring my experience and market knowledge to Absen to help reach our goals in this territory.”
Ruben Rengel, vice President of global business development comments, “We are deligh

Lightware strengthens Australian team

Details: 14 March 2023

Australia - Lightware Visual Engineering has announced two key roles, with a focus on growth in the Australian market. Gordon Anderson is the national manager for defence, intelligence and government, while John Garfi is the regional manager for Victoria and Tasmania. These announcements contribute to elevating the Australian Lightware office as a central hub for customers and partners across the Asia-Pacific region.
In his new role and working from Canberra, Gordon Anderson ‘will ensure that Lightware's hardware delivers the highest quality in AV & UC system security, with the reliability and performance demanded by these key sectors’. He has previously worked for Intravision, Crestron Electronics, Hills Limited, Sound Advice Australia and his own company Anderson Audiovisual.
John Garfiis a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the live st

The fixtures recently arrived at Kinetic Lighting and have already been quoted on several projects

Kinetic Lighting adds Ayrton’s Zonda 9 FX

Details: 14 March 2023

USA - Glendale, California-based Kinetic Lighting has added 80 Ayrton Zonda 9 FX fixtures to its lighting rental inventory. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.
Kinetic Lighting provides theatrical and studio lighting services worldwide in studio, corporate, exhibit, theatre and live-event markets. The company’s range of services includes equipment rentals, sales, lighting design, previz and related show services.
Zonda 9 FX is a versatile fixture that combines the main features of the Zonda 9 Wash with stunning 3D volumetric effects and complex LiquidEffect graphic effects.
“We hadn’t been actively searching for new wash fixtures when Eric Abad, western regional sales for ACT Entertainment, demo’d the Zonda 9 FX for us,” recalls Kinetic Lighting president, David Rosen. “We loved it and realised it would

This season the unveils its all new, A/V & lighting system

E1 London reveals all new sound & light systems

Details: 14 March 2023

UK - Following a successful start to 2023, E1 London has unveiled its ‘most eclectic season to date’. Featured acts include Blawan, Pantha Du Prince, Dr Rubinstein, Dubfire, DVS1, Ellen Allien, Hector Oaks, Indira Paganotto, Kangding Ray, Kelly Lee Owens, Marcel Dettmann, Matrixxman, Mood II Swing, Nastia, Special Request. This season the club also unveils its new A/V & lighting system.
For this latest run of events, all new screens will run up the wall behind the performers, from floor to ceiling and above the heads of the crowd, offering a whole new visual dimension. These will be displaying bespoke seasonal content created by Spencer at Rebel Overlay. It will be regularly updated to keep the venue feeling fresh and play on top of the over 151 lighting fixtures which range from spots to beams to lasers to pixel-mapped LED bars. In all, there are 4,620,288 pixels in

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