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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Italy - As part of the K-array Group’s commitment to industry education, K-academy recently announced the launch of several new courses. K-academy is the educational division of K-array, on a mission to elevate sound awareness by providing both simple guidelines and advanced training on a wide range of audio topics.
Established in 2017, K-academy has a network of collaborations with various training institutions, along with strong partnerships with professional organisations and industry associations. Alongside webinars on everything from Pure Array Technology to fixed installation design, K-academy also offers three formal certification programmes, dedicated to consultants, integrators and other AV professionals.
Completion of formal training courses, overseen by K-academy director, Daniele Mochi, results in certification in one of three areas: Designer, I

UK - PLASA Focus Leeds lands back at the Royal Armouries next week, from 9-10 May, for two packed days of all that’s new in live entertainment technology. And Ambersphere proudly returns for another year as the headline sponsor.
A record number of people have registered for the friendliest trade show in the industry. And the two show halls feature many of the biggest names from pro audio, stage lighting, audio-visual, rigging and staging technology.
Lighting professionals can look forward to meeting manufacturers such as Artistic Licence, Avolites, Chauvet Professional, ETC, GLP, Robe, SGM, TMB, and Vari-Lite. Audio professionals can meet brands such as d&b audiotechnik, Bose, EM Acoustics, Funktion-One, Nexo, Peavey, RCF, Shure, and Yamaha.
AV brands will also be at the show, including Bosch, Epson, Lang, PSCo, and Riedel. And several rigging, staging a

UK - Production Futures is an initiative created to provide opportunities for young people to learn, train, network, and develop real careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, festival, corporate, theatre, TV, broadcast and film production Industries.
The organisation is currently running a series of On Tour events, where young visitors from schools, colleges and universities all over the UK are able to directly connect with representatives of its brand partners to learn more about and explore employment opportunities in the industry.
The latest event takes place in partnership with Access Creative Group at New Century Manchester on Wednesday 3 May. This free of charge event, which will be opened by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, will promote employability, transferable skills, and paid work opportunities, and is set to attract


Training Network - Guildhall School of Music and Drama is to roll-out a national training network in performance and production for children and young people, as it looks to "broaden the country’s talent pipeline". The Guildhall Young Artists network incorporates five existing centres across England, plus an online centre for remote study, and offers a range of one-to-one training, group lessons and holiday courses in both music and drama.
The network includes the Centre for Young Musicians in Waterloo, Junior Guildhall at the Barbican, plus centres in King’s Cross, Norwich and Taunton, with each site run in partnership with local arts venues and education providers.
Signing Off - US rock 'n' roll band Aerosmith have announced a farewell tour to mark more than five decades together. The band, who are now all in their 70s, are well known for hits such

The Netherlands - Impressive visuals from over 200 Infinity fixtures contributed to the success of the Soenda Indoor Werkspoorkathedraal 2022 in Utrecht.
Elevation Events teamed up with T.Y.S Productions and Stagelight to create an unforgettable night at the Soenda Indoor Werkspoorkathedraal 2022, where over 6000 electronic music lovers made their way to the Werkspoorkathedraal location in Utrecht to enjoy their favourite music and dance the night away.
Fitting the industrial look of the venue and Soenda’s signature theme of minimalist geometric shapes, light designer Lars Aarts of T.Y.S Productions created a customised design of five large geometric truss squares that housed 180 Infinity iB-2R moving heads supplied by Stagelight. With their fat beam and long focal length, the iB-2Rs provided exactly the features required for the intended lighting design.
For

USA - St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church has shown itself to be much more than simply a house of worship over its 87-year history. In that time, it has steadfastly combined worship with social-justice pursuits; for instance, it was the first black church in Dayton, Ohio to provide facilities for a civil rights meeting, as well as the first black church in the city to have its own radio broadcast.
To keep the focus on both its spiritual and social missions, and to continue its efforts to use the best technology available to reach beyond the church’s walls, St. Luke’s staff recently chose to install a dozen elektraLite Stingray Profile Warm White spot fixtures in its 900-seat sanctuary, the centrepiece of a 26,000sq.ft worship facility that also includes a 300-seat Fellowship Hall and ten educational rooms.
The move was meant to further improve the visual aesthetic

Europe - Jimmy Olausson of Illumity AB, Avatar’s lighting designer, has made it his mission to contribute to create visuals that accent every moment of the band’s performance, from their dramatic romps and leaps to their fierce drumbeats and fiery guitar riffs.
Helping him achieve this fusion on the band’s European tour are 38 Chauvet Professional fixtures owned by the band, including 16 Rogue R2X Washes, 10 Rogue R2 Beams and 12 COLORado Q40 Panels.
“Our set on this tour is two-hours long, which provides ample room for creativity,” says Olausson. “This set is unique in our touring history because we incorporated more theatrical elements, which provided us with another way to engage and captivate our audience. This show was timecoded. A big reason why is that this allowed me to focus more on the dynamics of the lighting, so I could create a tighter bond be

Thailand - Opened in 2022, Andamanda Phuket is currently one of the largest leisure and entertainment destinations in Thailand. Incorporating the Andaman Islands’ natural geography and landscapes into its design, the park features numerous family-friendly attractions including a 16,000sq.m wave pool, 300m white sand beach, and Thailand’s longest lazy river ride.
To enhance the visitor experience across the park’s many attractions, Proud Real Estate Public Company Limited required a high-quality audio and visual system that was seamless, user-friendly, and built to withstand the area’s wet and humid conditions. Mahajak Development Co met those requirements with a carefully curated selection of reliable, water-resistant AV solutions by JBL Professional, BSS and Soundcraft.
The new AV system covers all five key areas in the park: the Pearl Palace, the Emerald For

Europe - Formed in Stockholm in 2003, rabble-rousing Swedish punks The Baboon Show are currently marking their 20th anniversary on a European tour in support of their tenth album, God Bless You All.
Taking in dates across Spain, Poland, Austria, Germany and their homeland, the tour has seen the band’s longstanding front-of-house engineer Chris Mock employing an Allen & Heath dLive digital mixing system and Audio-Technica 3000 Series IEM wireless to deliver the band’s potent brand of punk-rock energy.
Mock opted for the compact dLive CTi1500, with its weight-saving titanium side-panels, connected to a dLive CDM32 MixRack for the shows, resulting in a diminutive but powerful and flexible touring partner, as he explains.
“The CTi was my first choice, since I normally tour with a dLive C2500 surface. The set-up needed to be as small and lightweight a

UK - As industry demand continues to ramp-up for sub-hires to support spring and summer productions, Light Engine Dry Hire has announced significant new investments in Chauvet fixtures. The choice of additional fixtures has spanned the Chauvet range and includes Rogue Outcast 1L Beams, Strike Array 2 & Array 4 Blinders and Strobes and Color Strike-M fixtures.
Rental director, Jon Newman comments: “Demand for these Chauvet fixtures has just been intense. Customers have seen that they totally deliver and just keep working, however hard they are pushed. Increasing our extensive sub-rental stock was an easy decision for Light Engine Dry Hire as the ROI is a given.
“We have been constantly increasing our stock for our busy film and TV sectors and as we can clearly see a busy touring, corporate and festival season ahead, the new investment with Chauvet made so much

Germany - Czech Republic-based lighting manufacturer Robe turned up the heat, the spectacle and the topicality and importance of respecting the planet in presenting the finale of its All Environments live performance show trilogy.
This display of creativity and imagination featured 350 of Robe’s latest iSeries of IP rated products plus three performers including a silk acrobat at the Prolight+Sound 2023 expo in Frankfurt last week.
Adding extra performers, excitement and energy to Hall 12.1 of the Frankfurt Messe complex, the five-times a day show attracted record crowds who also enjoyed a carefully curated pre-show Voice of God sequence, highlighting the technical elements and innovation of each of the featured iSeries products.
All Environments was presented in a dynamic, specially devised 270-degree theatre / arena style format, designe

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