Mexico - Luke Stratton didn’t have to read between the lines when he saw the creative brief for The Smashing Pumpkins’ The World Is A Vampire festival, which took place in early March. He knew that the stage was going to be massive.
“When I got the stage dimensions from the promoter and the lighting inventory list, I knew we were going big,” said Stratton. “Our trim wound up being about 60ft to the steel and the stage itself was about 90 by 70ft, so yes, it was quite large.”
As the lighting designer and director for the multi-Grammy-winning band, Stratton, is accustomed to turning massive stages into tight, cohesive panoramas that reflect his client’s powerful, edgy music.
“In the past with the Pumpkins we’ve used tall vertical trust towers with a graphic overhead rig, so I wanted to build on that for this show,” said Stratton. “This being p

Mexico - EAW has announced its newest distributor - Importadora Karma SA de CV (IKA) which is now offering EAW’s portable and integration solutions to customers in the Mexico region.
With 15 years of experience and seven branches throughout the country, Importadora Karma has long stood out in Mexico’s live events market for offering a wide variety of musical instruments as well as audio and lighting solutions. Now partnered with EAW, Importadora Karma further positions itself as one of the premier providers of professional audio systems and reinforces its commitment to supplying the best in live event audio and lighting.
“Our partnership with Importadora Karma is an exciting new venture for our brand,” says T.J. Smith, president of EAW. “Karma’s commitment to providing high-quality audio solutions and expertise in the market is inspiring, and we look forwar

Poland - GLP has entered an agreement with AV Light to be a strategic partner in the Polish market. As a result of the collaboration, GLP devices will be easily available to Polish customers.
AV Light is a new brand established by Rafał Mrzygłocki and Michał Mrzygłocki, who are the owners and CEOs of Aram - offering design and production services as well as A-Rental - the largest dry-hire house in Eastern Europe.
AV Light will focus purely on sales and distribution, with a dedicated team closely working with Polish clients. Ultimately, the brand will offer devices of various brands. The Mrzygłocki brothers believe that adding a pure distribution to their group is a perfect addition to their service portfolio.
“We have decided to focus on the GLP brand as it is one of the most prominent lighting brands in the entertainment industry. What is also importan

USA - Heavy metal band August Burns Red is currently touring the USA and Canada in celebration of its 20th anniversary. At the heart of lighting designer Carlos Katsurayama’s rig for the shows is a wall of 32 ADJ Jolt Bar FX LED wash/strobe fixtures, which provides a flexible backdrop to the band’s high-octane performances.
Arranged in five continuous rows, which frame the musicians’ performance space, the Jolt Panel FX fixtures are used as the visual anchor for the production, generating a wide variety of distinctly different effects throughout the band’s energetic 1.5-hour headline shows.
Formed in 2003, and hailing from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, August Burns Red is a Grammy-nominated rock band that has enjoyed consistent success over its 20 year history, having released 10 studio albums and more than 20 singles, which is being celebrated on the current 46-dat

Italy - To provide the newly designed Padova Congress building with an innovative and future-proofed AV over IP system, Intermark Sistemi selected and deployed a range of advanced AMX networked solutions.
Opened in 2022, the Padova Congress is a massive conference and exhibition space in the heart of the historic city of Padua. The venue serves as an international crossroads for culture, business and innovation, reflecting Padua’s legacy as the home to some of Europe’s greatest minds like Galileo Galilei and Giotto.
At the heart of the new AV system are the large LED walls placed on the main stages, designed by Stefano De Troia. The Congress’s largest hall - the 1,565-seat Sala Giotto - sports the largest screen in the venue as well as one of Europe’s most advanced multimedia stations for presentations, screenings and events. With such technology housed within

Lithuania - One of Lithuania’s oldest museums, Vytautas the Great War Museum in Kaunas, is a focal point within the community for sharing the country’s rich and storied history. The museum offers many guided tours and education programs, with audio quality playing a crucial part of the learning experience.
While visually striking, the museum’s 1930s Art Deco style and early functionalism architecture create a highly reflective interior with challenging acoustics. Vytautas the Great War Museum recently turned to beam-steering technology from Renkus-Heinz to provide the optimum sound solution to enhance the visitor experience.
Museum management contacted local AV integration firm Audiotonas to design and install a new loudspeaker system. With the top priority of significantly increasing sound quality, coverage and spoken-word intelligibility, the integration team s

Germany - BB Promotion’s production of West Side Story set out on a world tour in late 2022 and has been capturing the hearts of audiences around the world ever since. Theatre sound designer and live sound engineer, Tom Marshall, worked with BB Promotion and Stage Sound Services (SSS) to create an appropriate audio setup which includes Sennheiser Digital 6000 wireless audio solutions as well as monitor speakers and microphones from Neumann.
The show’s audio equipment includes 34 Sennheiser SK 6212 mini-bodypack transmitters, two Sennheiser MKH 40 microphones, 14 Sennheiser EM 6000 dual-channel receivers, 10 Neumann KH 120 monitors, eight Neumann KM 140 cardioid microphones, and two Neumann U 87 microphones. To ensure seamless performances during the tour, Marshall requested an identical ‘B’ system, so the two systems can ‘leapfrog’ their way around the glo

Luxembourg - Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE), based in Luxembourg is a European leader in media services, system integration and software development in the areas of television, radio, production, post-production, telecommunication and IT. When BCE needed a solution to provide an efficient, reliable and secure audio network for a wide range of productions they turned to Dante. 
BCE serves over 400 clients in various sectors, such as TV channels, radio stations, film distributors, producers, advertising companies, telecommunications operators and public services. BCE’s telecom network is one of the largest telecom networks targeted for the media market in Europe, hosting three of the main worldwide players. 
The technicians at BCE had seen the benefits of a Dante system for the last few years, having been one of the first broadcast centres in Europe to migrate

UK - The Darkness and Black Stone Cherry recently completed a co-headlining UK arena tour. This also united two lighting designers who were working together for the first time and 132 x Robe moving lights plus three RoboSpot systems supplied by lighting vendor Zig Zag Lighting.
Lighting designers Mark Scrimshaw (Black Stone Cherry) and David Garcia (The Darkness) pooled their specs, ideas and imaginations to create an overhead lighting rig that would work for both LDs and their respective artists, based on what Zig Zag largely had available from stock.
Throughout this process, Zig Zag's Neil Hunt incorporated their ideas into a single WYSIWYG plot until the final design evolved – ensuring everyone was “on the same page” when it came to the tight build schedules.
To give both LDs sufficient daily programming time, the whole flown system had to be clear of

China - ROE Visual has moved its LED production and production-related departments to the Unilumin Daya Bay Technology Park in Huizhou, China. The new location was officially inaugurated on 30 March 2023, with a festive and memorable celebration for the ROE Visual team. This upgraded production hub will enhance efficiency, allowing room for growth as the company expands, says ROE.
With the completion of the Daya Bay Technology Park facility, the Unilumin Group now has the world's largest intelligent manufacturing site for LED displays. ROE Visual's independent new factory and office base spans over 16,000sq.m of office and manufacturing space. ROE now has access to various facilities, such as a reception, lobby, production lines, showrooms, conference rooms, and office spaces, all spread over seven spacious floors.
ROE Visual's founder Jason Lu, flanked by members of t

Europe - Lightware Visual Engineering has announced the Lightware Education Audiovisual Developer (LEAD) programme to provide exclusive benefits for educational institutions. LEAD, available globally, was established to support the specific needs of schools by providing a reliable, consistent solution for campus-wide connectivity.
To reach the hands of educational institutions globally, Lightware has developed the LEAD programme. LEAD provides education facilities with resources and benefits to create a standardised, campus-wide solution. The programme offers includes Lightware consultancy and project design assistance, proof-of-concept tests and demonstrations, training for technical staff, comprehensive technical support, and extended warranty services. Notably, Lightware will extend the standard three-year warranty throughout the entire partnership agreement.
“M

USA - For its opening weekend in mid-February, The Venue at Thunder Valley Resort Casino debuted in a big way with sold-out shows by big-name acts the Eagles, Bruno Mars, and Santana.
Located in Lincoln, California, just northeast of Sacramento, the resort’s recently constructed $125m, 4,500-seat entertainment venue boasts state-of-the-art entertainment technology including over 300 Elation Professional lights supplied and installed by Sacramento Production & Lighting (SP&L).
Dion Cook, president/CEO at SP&L, has collaborated with the casino for the past 11 years to equip the resort’s former outdoor performance stage with cutting-edge lighting. For the new 150,000sq.ft indoor venue that has replaced the outdoor amphitheatre, Cook specified a modern, flexible lighting package based around Elation’s Artiste series fixtures. “I wanted the horsepower t

USA - Disney’s Hercules, a new musical inspired by the company’s 1997 animated feature, debuted at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey recently with more than 60 Ayrton Eurus S fixtures obtained from 4Wall New Jersey taking centre stage. Eurus S is a multi-function profile luminaire especially designed for stage applications. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.
Disney’s Hercules tells the tale of the Greek mythological hero in a dynamic new musical production featuring all the hit songs from the film as well as numbers written especially for the stage. It opened on 16 February at the Paper Mill Playhouse, one of the oldest regional theatres in the country.
The production marks the third time that lighting designer Jeff Croiter has chosen Eurus S for theatrical musicals, increasing the numb

UK - Unexpected Twist is the re-telling of the Charles Dickens classic, Oliver Twist, by one of the best-loved figures in the children’s book world, Michael Rosen. The book combines two stories in one: Rosen’s story and the Dickens classic that inspired it.
In a co-production between The Children’s Theatre Partnership and the Royal & Derngate, Northampton, it has recently been adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright Roy Williams and is currently touring the UK. The lighting designer for the show is Rory Beaton, who approached White Light (WL) to supply his lighting fixtures.
Unexpected Twist tells the story of Shona, who, along with her class, is studying the book, Oliver Twist. She’s the new girl in school and finding it hard to stay out of trouble – much like Oliver himself. When she’s given a new phone by

Denmark - Motor Stage Automation (MSA) provided automation equipment – Kinesys Elevation 1+ drives, Apex hoists and control plus three Alfa System revolves – and expertise for three set elements on the recent run of The Bodyguard The Musical produced by Lion Entertainment and staged at the China Teatern in Stockholm.
This is the first time that the popular stage version of the modern film classic showcasing Whitney Houston’s music has played in Sweden.
MSA, a new company specialising in the design and realisation of stage and show automation systems, has worked in this capacity on several other Lion Entertainment Productions, including for the Danish touring version of this show, which was on the road in 2020 and again in 2021 after some Covid interruptions.
A dynamic and eye-catching contemporary set designed by Benjamin La Cour featured three eleg

Qatar - Qatar Vision has selected Claypaky lighting fixtures for a number of its most high-profile projects. The Doha-based firm offers a comprehensive slate of event production, technical integration solutions, marketing, creative design, video production, information technology and large-scale branding to a roster of world-class clients.
“We count on Claypaky to help us deliver successful events time after time,” says Qatar Vision CEO/managing director Sharif Hashisho. “Claypaky fixtures often dominate our lighting rigs and give us the innovative and versatile performance we need for top-level projects.” Hashisho often serves as creative concept designer and executive producer for Qatar Vision projects.
For example, the 25th anniversary of Qatar Airways was celebrated in spectacular style at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha with top government officials

USA - Opened in 2021, UBS Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Long Island, New York. Home to the NHL’s New York Islanders, UBS Arena has a capacity of 19,000 and hosts basketball games, concerts, corporate events and professional wrestling broadcasts in addition to Islanders’ home games. To provide a quality audio experience for fans and attendees of a wide range of events, the newly constructed facility required a modern arena audio solution.
The solution - designed by consultant group Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon & Williams, Inc. and installed by integrators Diversified - consists of over 950 JBL loudspeakers, including eight main bowl arrays of JBL VTX A12 speakers and S28 subwoofers, and a variety of PD Series, AWC Series, VRX Series, Series loudspeakers in balcony, concourse, back-of-house and delay positions.
The entire system is powered by Cr

UK - Buckinghamshire New University enlisted the help of LED display brand, Absen and global creative studio, Final Pixel to provide an end-to-end virtual production training academy.
Working alongside BNU faculty, Final Pixel and Absen provided students studying visual effects and games art courses the opportunity to further develop skills and refine their knowledge of this emerging industry with a live brief, that culminated in facilitating support and expertise across a four-month project which culminated into a 2-week virtual production (VP) shoot.
With the use of Absen’s PL2.5 LED screen, Jonathan Dyson, virtual production director for Absen demonstrated the product’s full capacity for virtual production. Regularly providing a range of LED applications for universities and colleges, Absen became involved with the Final Pixel on the project to assist in providi

USA - Kansas City’s new International Airport terminal has opened with a focus on traveller experience, offering a technology-rich terminal with large LED walls driven by tvONE’s Green Hippo Media Servers.
The new multimillion-dollar, 39-gate single terminal is billed as the largest single infrastructure project in Kansas City’s history and the natural light-filled, spacious building reflects the city’s aspirations. Local artists have created pieces that are installed throughout, and it is home to more than 126 women and minority-group-owned businesses.
The modern, dedicated ticketing area features an LED wall that spans the entire counter space, standing at more than 38,000 pixels wide and 480 pixels tall. The LED wall displays key information and branded airline content. A smaller LED wall is located in the arrivals area at the information desk. Three Green H


Taken Over - One of Scotland's oldest and best-loved theatres has been taken over by new owners. The Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow has been bought by London-based Trafalgar Entertainment for an undisclosed sum. The 1,449-capacity Renfield Street venue was one of the last privately run theatres in Scotland. Opening in 1904 as a music hall, the venue has played host to stars including Harry Lauder, Charlie Chaplin, Billy Connolly and Lulu.
Chris McGuigan, from Trafalgar Entertainment said: "You can feel the history, but you can feel the love which has gone into maintaining it. We are proud to become custodians of the Pavilion." The theatre is the first in Scotland to be acquired by Trafalgar Entertainment, which also has theatres in Australia, England and Wales.
On The Edge - Sheffield-based musical Standing at the Sky's Edge will transfer to London's

UAE - Powersoft’s fixed-installation amplifiers and Dynamic Music Distribution system enhance the audio experience at a newly refurbished beachfront venue in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Umm Al Quwain is the UAE’s second smallest emirate, and off the tourist trail compared to its bigger brothers, Dubai and Abu Dhabi; home to sandy beaches and mangrove forests, it is often described as the hidden gem of the UAE. Lumi Beach, located at Umm Al Quwain Beach Hotel & Resort, is the emirate’s premier beach destination.
The venue also hosts DJ sets and sports competitions, as well as weddings and other private events.
Seeking to upgrade the beachfront DJ area, Lumi Beach employed Dubai-based Pro Lab to design a new house system that would provide a high-quality audio backbone for both daily use and the club’s roster of live events.
To meet the brief,

USA - Muse’s 2022 Will of the People LP took an unsparing look at a looming post-apocalyptic world though its words and music. The same compelling force can be felt throughout arenas today on the multi- Grammy winners current tour in support of the album, not just in the British rocker’s shredding riffs and mind-bending electronics, but also in a powerful production design that is generating so much attention in the press.
A collaboration between creative director and co-production designer Jesse Lee Stout and lighting designer and co-production designer Sooner Routhier, the thought-provoking visual panorama does more than merely support the music on stage. It also creates an all-embracive environment that works with the band’s performance to burnish itself into the audience’s collective consciousness.
Discussing the design, Stout noted: “The band and

USA - The Behind the Scenes booth #11730 at The NAMM Show will enable visitors to learn about its Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative, receive valuable information to post in the workplace, and attend brief presentations to learn about available tools and resources, Mental Health First Aid training, and hear about one person’s journey from the depths of depression to helping others.
Three 20-minute presentations will be offered in the booth each day of the show, all focused on mental health. Steven Michelman, owner of EPS (Entertainment Project Services) will speak about his mental health journey. Learn how industry pressures and previous trauma led to severe anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation and learn where and how he found help. He’ll share what his journey taught him and the response he got when sharing his story with his family, employees and clie

USA - Target Centre is one of Minneapolis’ leading indoor venues, and in a city that gets over 50 inches of snow every year and has an average low temperature of 8°F in January, ‘indoor’ is a meaningful word. Opened in 1990, the 20,500-capacity arena is home to the NBA’s Timberwolves and WNBA’s Lynx, but also regularly hosts many other events, including concerts that in the past have included Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, and, of course, ultimate hometown hero Prince.
Target Centre is now also home to a DiGiCo S31 console at front of house, installed there last fall by Windy Shores Sound. Its arrival concludes an extended sound system upgrade that began five years ago with the installation of an L-Acoustics Kara PA system. As is often the case with city-owned facilities, the arena has the usual municipal bureaucratic issues around budgets, and it took some time for

Latest Issue. . .

Save
Cookies user preferences
We use cookies to ensure you to get the best experience on our website. If you decline the use of cookies, this website may not function as expected.
Accept all
Decline all
Analytics
Tools used to analyze the data to measure the effectiveness of a website and to understand how it works.
Google Analytics
Accept
Decline
Advertisement
If you accept, the ads on the page will be adapted to your preferences.
Google Ad
Accept
Decline