Romania - The Bucharest Opera recently staged The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest-running musical, with a wide array of Claypaky fixtures illuminating the action. The production at the Bucharest National Opera House ran from 31 March to 14 May, with the first performances selling out hours after tickets went on sale. The show’s staff worked with teams from Broadway and London’s West End to ensure a high artistic level was achieved. Lighting designer Bogumił Palewicz selected the Claypaky fixtures, which were supplied by Bucharest’s Marbo Trade, Claypaky’s distributor in Romania. The package consisted of 33 Scenius Profiles, 20 HY B-EYE K15 and three HY B-EYE K25 moving head washes, four Arolla Profile HPs and four Sharpy X Frame compact hybrid fixtures. “Claypaky represents good quality and innovative solutions,” says Palewicz. “T
UK - Several years in the making, Harmony of The Worlds, composed by Satya Hinduja, began as a visionary notion of spatialising and immersing sound all around an audience. What started with an orchestra of eight and just four singers, quickly tripled and grew again, artistically combining the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, a choir, and hundreds of pre-recorded sounds to totally immerse its audience in 360 degrees of musical wellness. The DiGiCo Quantum 7 was the only digital mixing console on the market with the flexibility and technical capabilities to handle such a project, and controlled by sound engineer, Mark Rogers, it delivered. Harmony of The Worlds, conducted by David Murphy, was a free concert held at St Mary’s Church, Luton, created and composed by Satya Hinduja to explore the connection between music and human wellness. The arrangement of H
UK - They might not have been as common as flags at Glastonbury, but Chauvet Professional fixtures were widely deployed at Worthy Farm. The company’s products were used to add extra colour and excitement to 17 of the festival’s stages. Included in the group were main attractions like the Pyramid, Greenpeace, Flying Bus and new Levels stages, as well as more specialised attractions like the Avalon Stage, nightclub-like Salon Carousel, The Hive Stage, Outside Circus Stage, and the San Remo Stage. At the Pyramid Stage, John Luke Roles used 30 of the Color Strike M motorised strobe/blinders, supplied by Solotech, UK Group, in his floor package for Lizzo’s performance. A collection of 14 Color Strike Ms lined the base of the central stage riser, which had a sliding backdrop that the Detroit singer exited the stage through, while 16 other units lined stage left and r
UK - Robe moving lights were in action across multiple stages at the 2023 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, including in three key ‘creative’ areas of the massive site at Worthy Farm. These were the spectacular fire-breathing Arcadia Spider 360-degree arena, the eclectic Park Stage, one of the most popular Glasto zones, and the BBC Introducing stage. Theresa Gibson, head of marketing at Robe UK comments: “The magic of Glastonbury Festival never fails to disappoint, and this year was no different. “Fields of back-to-back live music, dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and contemporary art forms filled the sunny skies of Worthy Farm for miles on end. As one of the biggest events in the global festival calendar, we were excited once again to have a series of our latest fixtures deployed on key stages across the site, including Robe
India - Ayrton has announced the appointment of Vardhaman Megatech (VMT) as its new, exclusive distributor for India. The appointment takes place with immediate effect. VMT is a professional audio and lighting distribution company with a family history that spans six generations from its formation in 1807. VMT’s thriving professional audio and lighting business was first introduced in 1958 and operates through a retail division (VMT Retail) of 13 nationwide stores/offices, an enterprise division (VMT Enterprise) specialising in serving corporate clients and institutions, and a distribution division (VMT Distribution) that represents some of the world’s leading brands in professional audio and lighting. “We are thrilled and honoured to be Ayrton distributors,” says VMT’s country head for distribution sales, Kekul Sheth. “Ayrton's reputation for innovation, q
USA - Clair Global has announced that Sound Image, will join the Clair Global Group. This partnership will enhance both organisations’ live production and systems integration capabilities and will result in a larger depth and breadth of service and product offerings for Clair Global and Sound Image clients alike, says a statement. Sound Image CEO, Dave Shadoan, who has led the organisation since the late seventies, comments: “As I looked ahead and considered my next steps, I knew that partnering with Clair Global would further safeguard a sustainable and prosperous future for our employees and our clients. It became clear that Clair was a good fit because of our mutual dedication to fostering meaningful connections in business, coupled with an unwavering commitment to exceptional customer support and service.” There are no major changes planned for the continued
UK - PLASA and LSi are calling for nominations for this year’s Gottelier Award. The award recognises the invaluable contributions of the people behind the products, from pioneering product developers to creative R&D teams. Named after the late lighting designer and industry commentator Tony Gottelier, the Gottelier Award aims to recognise product developers who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of entertainment, presentation, or installation technology. Launched in 2007, previous recipients include: JB Toby (Avolites), Christian Heil (L-Acoustics); Alan Jacobi (Unusual Rigging); Wayne Howell (Artistic Licence); Anne Valentino (ETC); David Cunningham (Entertec); Pasquale Quadri (Claypaky); Jim Bornhorst (Vari-Lite); John Meyer (Meyer Sound); Terry Clarke (Klark Teknik, MC2 Audio); Fred Foster (ETC); Alex Cooper (Midas & Klark Teknik); Joh
USA - The Long Reach Long Riders hosted an auction to benefit Behind the Scenes at their 20th Anniversary Ride’s celebratory banquet earlier this month. The auction itself was quite special, including only one item, a detailed quilt incorporating t-shirts from every charity ride hosted by the LRLR over their 20-year history. The quilt was created and donated, “a true labour of love” by long time BTS supporters and quilters Shan and Trish Ayers. The Ayers regularly donate many of their intricate handcrafted woodwork creations, including items to be auctioned off during the annual LRLR Raffle at the USITT conference as well as for sale on the Behind the Scenes website. Shan Ayers comments: “The quilt idea came about during casual conversation at the BTS booth this past March in St. Louis. The timetable was tight, so we immediately went to work. The work that LRLR and
USA - Founded in 1990, San Antonio’s Community Bible Church has quickly grown into one of the largest houses of worship in the region, seating 3,500 at each of its five weekend services. The church’s energetic worship band are skilled and enthusiastic, delivering a memorable worship experience every weekend. But like many live musicians, they encounter the often-challenging world of monitors, trying to balance their individual mix needs with making their own onstage audio experience as fresh as possible to keep their performances at a high level. That got a lot easier this year, after the church installed a new KLANG:konductor to offer immersive IEM mixes for the seven vocalists and six musicians, as well as their musical guests and worship leaders. The new :konductor, purchased through pro audio retailer AVLX of Franklin, Tennessee, and which was fully integrated
Mexico - PRO3 was started as an innovative lighting and visual design studio full of fresh ideas and approaches sparked by the imaginative synergy between three partners and lighting enthusiasts based in Mexico City. The company is still growing and is now also a significant lighting rental equipment supplier for the numerous shows, tours and events in which they are creatively involved. PRO3 first invested in Robe moving light products around seven years ago, starting with Pointes, then expanding to MegaPointes and Spiiders. Their most recent purchases are 50 Fortes, 30 of which have been delivered by Mexican distributor ShowCo, with 20 more on their way. ‘Chicho’ as he’s universally known throughout the industry (‘real’ name Osvaldo Giuliano) comments: “As soon as the industry restarted after the pandemic, Forte fixtures started being frequently requested
South Africa - Ross Learmonth, well known as frontman of popular South African rock band Prime Circle, recently delighted fans with his Wild Summer solo tour, his first as a solo artist, complete with a new solo album, Carousel. Both tour and album campaigns have been a great success and were assisted by Astera Titan Tube wireless LED lighting products. When all the planning for the tour started to fall into place, Ross knew he would be playing a mix of own headliner shows and festival slots, so he wanted a specials package that could be used for both scenarios that would make his set unique and stand out. The conversation started with his producer, Denholm Harding, referencing the new songs and how to communicate these to the world, creating a show to match the feeling of the music and lyrics and how to find an aesthetic that was crafted especially for this project. I
UK - Sysco Productions has created an ambient audio background to support the Imperial War Museum’s Second World War Galleries with near-invisible K-array ultra-compact line arrays. The Second World War Galleries at London’s Imperial War Museum brings to life a war that affected millions of people around the world. In order to maximise the realism that IWM’s collection of exhibits so clearly evokes, Sysco Productions have created an immersive, digitally controlled audio system that takes full advantage of K-array’s ultra-compact Vyper and Lyzard line array attributes to hide these discreet micro line array speakers within the structure of the galleries’ exhibits and provide a supportive ambience without being seen. “The purpose of the audio is to support the messaging of the exhibition without detracting from it or being obtrusive,” said Sysco’s n
UK - Harris Academy Chafford Hundred (HACH) is a co-educational secondary school and sixth-form that welcomes nearly 1500 students through its doors every day. Located in the Essex town of Grays, the academy works tirelessly to ensure that every detail of its provision is geared towards meeting its ambition of being ‘a school for the future’. A key area of focus for the academy’s management team is the maintenance of clear communications within its corridors and communal spaces. The school ‘bell’ is fundamental to the smooth operation of the timetable, with HACH placing strong emphasis on punctuality to ensure that students take maximum advantage of teaching time With this in mind, the HACH team engaged AV solutions provider Excite AV of Bishops Stortford to install a system which offered intuitive head-end control and optimal loudspeaker placement, in order
UK - Hip hop musician Loyle Carner played his biggest hometown concert to date at Wembley Arena with equipment, technical support and personnel from Britannia Row Productions FOH engineer Inbloom and monitor engineer Michael Njuguna have been integral in the development of BRIT Award nominee, Loyle Carner’s, step into full band and production touring. “This campaign centres around the new record Hugo, a real shift from his previous albums and DJ tours,” states Inbloom. “Overall, the show marries two characters; the former being light, bouncy and abundantly youthful and the latter wiser and darker,” adds Inbloom, noting how the rapper has progressed artistically. “There’s a large element of unspoken trust between myself and Avi. I had an idea of how I’d like to shape things at FOH, and what tools I would need to do so,” he continues. “I met B
India - Patna Women’s College has installed an Allen & Heath’s Avantis mixer in its newly built 2,500-seater Veronica auditorium. The college, which was founded in 1940 and was the first higher education institution for women in Bihar, recently invested in the audio, video, and lighting systems, all handled by Punjab-based company Soundexperts, who were selected to undertake the project on a turn-key basis. The college’s auditorium stage boasts a large space that can accommodate more than 350 performers, making it perfect for live performances of bands, cultural programs, plays, and school programs. The facility can also be used for video conferencing, which is why four cameras and 14 display screens have been installed in various zones including the green room, VIP room, control room, and main hall. Allen & Heath’s Avantis mixer plays a pivotal role in
UK - The triumphs of Wrexham Town FC and the kudos of Hollywood glamour bestowed upon them by owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are well known. That Kings of Leon should bring some added grandeur to the end of the season celebrations with two nights playing to sell-out crowds of 20k+ was however, a case of opportunism. “In terms of a stadium that’s never hosted a big rock show before, it was comfortable,” said production manager, Bill Leabody. “Going forward, staging shows there in the future will not be impossible, but a lot more difficult than what we experienced. “We were lucky, the main stand had been demolished at the end of season to make way for a new bigger one. What we got was a large open area to build an outdoor stage. The local authority worked really hard and are to be congratulated. That, and the huge efforts of SJM (Promoters) to get the
Australia - Prolights, through Show Technology design team, illuminated SeaWorld theme park's latest attraction: the Leviathan roller coaster. This thrilling ride is the centrepiece of the New Atlantis-themed area, an “impressive tower of timber taking guests on a thundering quest where they reach speeds of up to 80 km/h, experiencing exhilarating turns, crossovers, drops and dips” as stated by the park. However, Leviathan is not only garnering praise for the actual rollercoaster ride itself but also for the immersive experience that envelops those queuing for a ride in the underwater utopia. Audiovisual installation specialists Run By Media spent two years planning the AV integration, over a year on-site building and countless long hours working closely with their design team Show Technology's Clint Dulieu and lighting designer Toby Sewell to bring this next-level proje
USA - Radio Active Designs has expanded their customer service to a new location in Orlando, Florida. The organisation hired Tony Pittsley as general manager of the new facility in late October 2022. “We now handle all repairs, shipping, and receiving of Radio Active Designs equipment, with a primary goal of decreasing customer repair turnaround time from weeks to days,” explains Pittsley. “The goal is to offer clients more uptime and lower repair costs. The location is ideal due to the proximity of our largest users while being close enough to offer customer support for our East Coast clients.” Pittsley brings over 30 years of experience in the pro audio industry, with the past 20 years spent in large-scale touring and installed audio markets. “We are very excited to have Tony on the team,” adds James Stoffo, COO of Radio Active Designs. “He’s m
Belgium - The Auberge Napoleon restaurant in Meise has been a magnet for culinary enthusiasts for many years. Hosts Jan and Karlien Stallaert, and chef Nico Struelens, pull out all the stops to wow their guests with a contemporary rejuvenation of traditional French-Belgian cuisine. After a complete renovation in 2011, the venue expanded its footprint in 2018 by adding a covered extension and adjoining terrace, and last year went further in developing its trendily fashionable space to meet the needs of its wide-ranging clientele. As a space that caters for everything from a tête-a-tête to a family meal, a business lunch to a party, or even a wedding or christening, creating the perfect ambience is essential for its proprietors. With this in mind, great importance was placed on selecting a sound system that was in keeping with Auberge Napoleon’s desire to strive for perfec
USA - A new reinforcement system, based around Meyer Sound Panther large-format linear line array loudspeakers, has landed for a summer residence at the Cadence Bank Amphitheatre in North Atlanta’s Chastain Park. The summer concert series is promoted by Live Nation, and Music Matters Productions was again selected to be the audio supplier for the season. “We supply the ‘stacks and racks’ of the system, while most touring acts bring their own front end and monitor packages,” notes Music Matters senior account manager David Lowell. “All acts are required to use our house system, so our new Panther rig will be up for every show until the summer series ends in October.” The 2023 summer shows kicked off on 6 May with the multi-talented Jill Scott, but no other Live Nation shows were scheduled until singer-songwriter Charlie Puth on 28 May. In the interim, Musi
South Korea - In one of its first live uses, Point Source Audio’s new Series9 sub-miniature microphone collection delivered the clarity and performance required to ensure audiences would experience every nuance of the world premiere of Beethoven Secret. The original musical took to the stage for a three-month run at the Seoul Arts Centre with a cast including Park Hyo-shin who delivered a high impact performance in the title role on opening night. The rock opera took seven years for the Grammy-winning partnership of playwright Michael Kunze and composer Sylvester Levay to develop. It covers a two-year period during Ludwig van Beethoven’s 40's and focuses on his secret love life with a woman named Antonie Brentano who scholars widely speculate to be “the eternally beloved” referenced in letters found in his room after his death. It features lyrics added
UK - The Royal College of Music (RCM) in London was ranked the leading global institution for performing arts in the 2023 QS World University Rankings by Subject and has prepared performers, conductors and composers for international careers for over 140 years. Since 1901, the College’s many musical groups have performed in Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, a space that in 2009 received an extensive refurbishment that brought the listed building up to modern concert hall standards. More recently, a sustainable LED lighting rig of 48 Elation Fuze Pendant luminaires has been installed in the Concert Hall. The Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall is the RCM’s most versatile space, accommodating up to 370 audience members and up to 120 performers on stage. Primarily used for performances by the College’s orchestras, jazz bands and RCM International Opera School, the perform
UK - Last week saw has seen the long-awaited re-opening of the National Portrait Gallery following the most extensive redevelopment in the building’s history, which began in March 2020. The redevelopment project, named ‘Inspiring People’, was designed to break down barriers and make the attraction as welcoming as possible to all visitors. HRH The Princess of Wales, Patron of the National Portrait Gallery, reopened the Gallery on Tuesday 20 June. As projection partner to the National Portrait Gallery, Epson’s EB-PU2120W - the world’s smallest and lightest 20,000-lumen projector - is being used to help reinvigorate the visitor experience. Meanwhile, AV consultants Sysco Productions has worked together with Epson and the National Portrait Gallery as a key collaborator during the design of the spaces to help maximise the experience through audio visual technology.
South Korea - Funktion-One has announced its partnership with Gearlounge as the loudspeaker manufacturer’s exclusive distributor for Korea. The collaboration represents an important step for both companies as they work together to bring Funktion-One sound to more audiences through a range of applications, while supporting Gearlounge’s objective of re-shaping Korea’s music and audio industry landscape. Since its inception in 2006, Gearlounge has rapidly established itself as an innovator through a commitment to meeting the technological needs of music makers and their audiences. At the core of the company’s values is the creation of an infrastructure that empowers musicians to access and utilise world class brands and products. Gearlounge offers a comprehensive range of services, including B2B and B2C sales of pro audio, MI, and home audio products, as well as studio
