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10 September 2024

Sweden - Hov1 (pronounced Hovet) is a Swedish hip hop group formed in 2015 with 26 top ten hits in the Swedish Singles Chart, 12 of which reached the top spot. The band is currently undertaking a tour of Sweden visiting the major cities of Gothenburg, Malmo and Stockholm. 

French-born but Sweden-based lighting designer, Jonathan Rikner, of NCOAB Productions chose Ayrton Rivale Profiles – the first ultra-equipped luminaire in Ayrton’s Ultimate Series – as a major part of his lighting rig, all of which was supplied by CT Sweden.

Rikner described the size of the venues for this tour and how he uses the Rivale Profiles in his design: “The venues throughout the tour were full with an average capacity of 9,500 people, and we looked forward to the highlight show in Stockholm on 31 August which played to 18,000 people.

“With throw distance

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10 September 2024

UK - Kiss Me, Kate has made a much-anticipated return to the London stage at the Barbican Theatre. Starring Adrian Dunbar and Broadway legend Stephanie J Block, the show tells the story of two fraught ex-lovers who may or may not still have feelings for each other and who are forced to work together on a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew.

Directed by Tony Award-winning Bartlett Sher, this latest revival features a lighting design by the multi-award-winning Don Holder, who approached White Light (WL), a d&b solutions company, to supply his lighting rig.

Having originally been performed on Broadway back in 1948, Kiss Me, Kate first appeared in the West End in 1951 and has subsequently been revived countless times over the years. One of the most recent revivals was the Drama Desk Award-winning 2019 Broadway reviva

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10 September 2024

UAE - Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) is based in the UAE, KSA, and Qatar, and delivers technical design, planning and production for some of the most ambitious and dynamic live events and system integration projects in the region.

Creative Technology has been steadily investing in new Robe moving light fixtures over the last three years, including the recent purchases of 24 x Fortes, 80 x LEDBeam 350s and four RoboSpot BaseStations with Motion Cameras.

The latest purchases have happened since CTME’s head of lighting, Sam Connolly, started with CT three years ago, and were driven by him coupled with the company’s previous experience with Robe moving lights, including BMFLs.

However, the time had arrived to update these with newer technologies. Before joining the team at CTME, Connolly enjoyed 10 years working in the region on inter

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10 September 2024

Sweden - Broadcast Service Provider NEP Sweden unveiled three Remote Operation Centres (ROCs) in 2023. For the audio workflow, DirectOut is the main supplier of audio systems. The strategic decision to integrate DirectOut’s hardware and software solutions, including an extensive deployment of Prodigy.MP and Prodigy.MC units, have enabled NEP Sweden to significantly enhance its production infrastructure while minimising reliance on traditional audio hardware. These new ROCs expand NEP Sweden’s production capabilities and address the logistical challenges posed by the country’s vast geography.

The centres are equipped to handle a wide range of production formats, from HD to UHD/HDR. Central to this operation is the SMPTE 2110 standard, which facilitates dynamic, format-specific scaling and ensures seamless interconnectivity with other NEP facilities worl

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10 September 2024

UK - Event production company NL Productions has been awarded the contract opportunity to deliver Dundee’s Christmas Village for the next three years. This development promises to bring festive magic to the heart of the city, “offering a vibrant celebration that will engage the local community and attract visitors from far and wide”.

The contract will run for further years until Christmas 2026. Earlier this year Dundee City Council announced they were looking to partner with a professional event management company to run the festive attraction in December.

The Christmas Village will be designed to appeal to all ages, offering something for everyone. The centrepiece is a 10m x 20m real ice rink where visitors can glide into the festive season. The Christmas Market will showcase local traders and caterers, offering unique gifts and seasonal treat

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10 September 2024

UK - All the stars aligned for RCF UK at this year’s PLASA Show in London, resulting in what head of the UK operation, Dean Davoile, described as “our best PLASA showing ever”.

As one of only two companies to occupy a dedicated sound demo room, RCF was able to drive traffic upstairs from their ground floor booth – and this was certainly a winning formula. “Whether it was a stroke of absolute genius or pure luck, everything just worked, and often visitors were struggling to get into the demo room,” he said.

Once inside, they were able to sample RCF’s new NXL14-A with SUB15-AX 15in bass reflex cab and NX 932-A active full range speaker and SUB18-AX (portable 18in) combinations, and also specifically the new TT+ Audio GTX10, paired for the first time with the new GTS 19G (1 x 19in) ground-stackable subwoofer.

Demonstrations took pl

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10 September 2024

UK - Fourier Audio is thrilled to announce that it has been honoured with the prestigious 2024 PLASA Award for Innovation for its transform.engine. Launched earlier this year, the transform.engine has made a significant impact in the industry, propelling Fourier Audio to the forefront of innovation.

The 2024 PLASA Innovation Awards saw a record-breaking 44 products vying for recognition, with only eight being selected by the esteemed panel of judges. The judges commended the Fourier Audio transform.engine for being “an elegant solution for the integration of studio technologies in live events with reliability and functionality at its core.”

During the recent three-day PLASA Show London, the winners were revealed, and Fourier Audio’s co-founders, Pete Bridgman, Henry Harrod, and Gareth Owen, proudly accepted the award on behalf of the company. S

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10 September 2024

UK - Australian manufacturer LSC Control Systems enjoyed a successful PLASA Show in London this year. The company showed its renowned solutions alongside its UK distributor, A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET), and also on the stand of its new owner (and headline PLASA Show sponsor) Robe lighting s.r.o.

“PLASA this year was a really positive experience,” said LSC’s founder and managing director, Gary Pritchard. “Being in two such high-profile locations allowed us to get the full benefit of the show’s top-quality visitor base. The level of interest in our products, and the awareness of their advantages, was very satisfying.”

As a leading specialist in data distribution, power and lighting control, LSC’s increasingly popular solutions offer advanced protections and monitoring capabilities, giving the benefits of safety, reliability an

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10 September 2024

Europe - Follow-Me has announced the appointment of Thijs Bruins as global sales manager. Bruins will oversee the Follow-Me global sales network, aligning existing partners, expanding the network to improve customer experience and providing a strong base for the company’s future growth.

“We are really happy Thijs is joining Follow-Me,” Marc van der Wel, managing director says. “He brings lots of technical and commercial knowledge, industry experience and enthusiasm to our growing company.”

Bruins has a wealth of technical expertise. Starting out at a young age as a lighting technician and continuing to juggle this freelance work and training, his early experience underpins his deep understanding of the live events, theatrical and AV industries.

After years of freelancing, Bruins moved on to the role of manager of special projects at

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10 September 2024

Dynamic Pricing - The UK competition regulator has launched an investigation into the sale of Oasis tickets, including the use of "dynamic pricing". The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating whether ticket-selling platform Ticketmaster breached consumer protection law. Dynamic pricing meant that, on Ticketmaster, where tickets to the reunion tour were originally sold, prices rose in line with demand.

The investigation will examine whether: Ticketmaster engaged in unfair commercial practices; buyers were given clear information to explain that the tickets could be subject to price rises; people were put under pressure to buy tickets within a short period of time. The CMA's probe follows widespread criticism of dynamic pricing over the past week from Oasis fans.

Many said they ended up paying significantly more than they expected for

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09 September 2024

UK - Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter World Tour called on Britannia Row for an L-Acoustics delivery. The Seattle rockers, fronted by Eddie Vedder, possess a FOH team pairing trust and dedication to great live sound. FOH mixer Greg Nelson and systems engineer Andrew Gilchrest are a duo that work in impressive unity.

Nelson begins: “Andrew and I have a similar ear; he hears what I hear, and I hear what he hears, so I trust him implicitly to run anywhere around the arena. I don't have to double check.”

“And I’ve learned what he's looking for, what ‘good’ sound is from him,” explains Gilchrest. “As a system engineer, I spend quite a bit of time walking around the venue making sure Greg’s mix is being translated to the rest of the crowd. It can sometimes be difficult, but I love the challenge and the fact that I can help make sure eac

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09 September 2024

France - Located at the confluence of the Vienne and Goire rivers, Confolens is a commune in southwestern France with a permanent population of around 3,000 people. But each summer this small town welcomes almost 150,000 visitors for the Festival de Confolens, when 600 artists gather for one of France’s largest celebrations of world music, dance and folklore.

Originally founded in 1957, the week-long festival is organised and operated by a group of 350 volunteers and takes place at various locations in the town, from the mainstage at the Théâtre des Ribières to the Place Henri Coursaget, taking in the church of St Maxime, the Guinguette and the Halles.

The event service provider Blackline Event, located in Fouquebrune La Couronne, deployed line arrays of six Nexo Geo S12 per side for the mainstage, supplemented by two Nexo PS15 out-fills, two PS

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09 September 2024

USA - Texas-based rental and event production solutions company LD Systems has invested in 32 new Robe iForte LTX moving lights, purchased specifically to pair with their existing 14 RoboSpot remote follow spotting control systems.

“The iForte LTX is a proper ‘Swiss Army knife of fixtures’ – highly versatile and very robust,” commented LD Systems’ lighting operations manager, Nathan Brittain.

The company already has substantial quantities of other Robe products – Pointes, MegaPointes and Spikies – in its rental inventory which are in constant use on touring, concert, and festival systems as well as special events, spectaculars and one-offs, plus the RoboSpot Systems which up to this point had been working with BMFL LT fixtures.

Brittain explains that they were looking for an IP-rated high-powered moving light, especially for t

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09 September 2024

USA - Production/lighting designer Rob Sinclair is using Elation Proteus Maximus LED Profile lighting fixtures to support country star Zach Bryan on his ongoing Quittin’ Time tour. Playing North American dates in support of his fifth studio album, The Great American Bar Scene, which was released in July, the Proteus Maximus has been instrumental in supporting Bryan’s live performances in the challenging conditions of outdoor stadiums.

The Quittin’ Time tour marks a significant milestone in Zach Bryan’s career. His rise to country music stardom has been meteoric, and his production has grown alongside him. The artist took a big step last year when Rob Sinclair came on board as lighting designer as the production grew from a bus and a trailer to playing arenas in-the-round to now sold-out stadium shows.

Sinclair has h

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09 September 2024

Italy - Studio and live sound engineer Andrea Pellegrini recently worked with the Peter Erskine Quartet in Italy, delivering quality sound thanks to a selection of microphones from DPA Microphones for 22 live performances.

The engineer deployed a combination of DPA 4099 Instrument Mics on the piano, saxophone, double bass and snare drum, along with 4011 Cardioid Condensers as overhead mics and a 4055 for the kick drum.

The Peter Erskine Quartet, led by drummer Peter Erskine and featuring George Garzone on saxophone, Alan Pasqua on piano and Darek Oles on double bass, delivered unforgettable performances throughout the tour. Pellegrini’s use of DPA microphones played a pivotal role in enhancing the live experience for both the musicians and the audience.

A Florence native, Pellegrini was thrilled to join the quartet in his home country. “B

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09 September 2024

UK - At the PLASA Show 2024, Highlite showcased a wide range of products from several of its brands including Infinity, Showtec and DAP. The range included some of Highlite’s most popular products as well as some impressive new offerings.

New additions to the Infinity Raccoon range included the Raccoon S420/4 strobe with over 70,000 lumens strobe power, Raccoon W40/4 wash with over 41,000 lumens RGBW wash light, Raccoon P7/7 high-end par with 7 RGBCALDB LEDs, Raccoon Junior P4/7 high-end par with 4 RGBCALDB LEDs and Raccoon Junior P7/4 high-end par with 7 RGBM LEDs.

Showtec's new products included the Titan Strobe Flex FX and the Octostrip Flex Set - 1 m. The Showtec Titan Strobe Flex FX is a set of eight high-power LED strobes and a dedicated controller, each pod containing a powerful 100W cold white COB strobe LED and a ring of 12 individually co

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09 September 2024

The Netherlands – “Delivering innovation and connecting communities” is a rallying cry for IBC 2024 on the show’s website. The Chauvet family of brands – Kino Flo, ChamSys and Chauvet Professional – will be embracing this concept at the convention by showcasing a selection of products developed around the company’s goal to “reach across worlds and see the physical and digital converge.”

Among the first things visitors will encounter at the booth is the special demo area created to showcase the multi-award-winning Kino Flo Mimik image-based video lighting tile. Using patented technology to connect ‘worlds’, Mimik projects light that mirrors video content while applying a higher tonal and colour rendering range.

With its capacity to translate incoming RGB video signals into five individual colour emitters, Mimik generates synchron

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06 September 2024

Europe - Goldensea has announced that it has agreed to acquire the business of SGM Light AS, and that SGM is now under the ownership of Goldensea. In the coming days SGM will restart trading under a new legal entity, retaining the SGM name.

Established in Italy in 1975, and now located in Aarhus, Denmark, SGM is a well-respected lighting manufacturer pioneering the use of IP65 moving lights before, more recently, focusing on architectural lighting. Both these aspects create strong synergies with Goldensea, which is investing heavily in both entertainment and architectural IP65 solid state lighting products.

SGM has always focused on technological innovation, being one of the first in the industry to launch all-weather waterproof moving head fixtures. It has experienced R&D, creative, operations and sales teams alongside mature sales channels and

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06 September 2024

France - L-Acoustics, experiencing record-breaking growth, has announced a strategic restructuring and significant expansion of its Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) sales team. This move, led by recently appointed director of sales EMEA, Tim Völker, introduces a new 'head of sales' management position and key hires designed to meet the increasing sophistication and scale of projects in the region.

This restructuring reflects L-Acoustics' commitment to meeting evolving market needs. The company's increased investment in personnel over the past two years has been strategically directed towards enhancing client support, improving service quality, and providing closer account management. This client-centric approach has been well received across all market sectors, as evidenced by strong sales performance and growing market acceptance of L-Acoustics solut

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06 September 2024

Europe - Bridge Technologies has announced its partnership with fellow Norwegian company Pixotope, a leading provider of graphic enhancements for broadcast productions. The partnership will focus on leveraging Bridge’s expertise in the field of IP broadcast to assist Pixotope in a full ST 2110 transition, the initial results of which will be on display at IBC 2024 (Booth 1.A71).

The Pixotope platform streamlines workflows by combining camera tracking, talent tracking, virtual sets, AR and XR functionalities. Through the use of a single, intuitive application, the need for multiple programmes and complex integrations is eliminated, thus minimising disruption and hardware requirements. The net result is the ability to easily create immersive and striking experiences for viewers, adding context through data visualisations, clarity through action tracking, and