Business

Details

07 May 2024

UK - Cornwall-based audio design firm, Union Audio, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month, and to mark the occasion, a limited edition of 10 gold versions of its flagship rotary mixer, the orbit.6, will be available.

Union founder Andy Rigby-Jones began his audio career on the assembly line of pro audio manufacturer, Allen & Heath. With a passion for DJing, and a keen practical knowledge of engineering, it was not long before Andy had devised the beginnings of Allen & Heath’s first DJ mixer, and the Xone, was born.

Launching his own business dedicated to bespoke analogue audio design, Andy formed Union Audio in 2014, collaborating with leading names in the DJ and sound reproduction field, including Richie Hawtin’s Play differently, MasterSounds Audio and TPI.

In 2022, the company reached a major milestone with the release

Details

07 May 2024

UK - The Power of Events is releasing results to date of its Schools Engagement Programme pilot in the East of England. Launched in January 2024, the pilot aims to refine the process of inspiring the next generation of event professionals, by introducing pupils aged 13-18 to the dynamic range of opportunities within the events industry.

In the Spring term, the programme has so far engaged over 3,000 pupils from 17 schools, significantly enhancing their understanding of the events industry as a viable career path. The engagement numbers rose to a promising 65% average in pupils' awareness of the sector and career consideration post-presentation, up from an initial 2% pre-presentation.

Following this initial success, The Power of Events is set to expand the programme across additional regions in the UK, starting in the Autumn term in September 2024. Th

Details

07 May 2024

Poland - Robe supported the 2024 Scena Jutra (Stage of Tomorrow) two-day symposium in Warsaw, which this year changed up to a new venue inside the city’s Palace of Culture & Science in downtown, one of Europe’s tallest buildings.

The sixth edition of this growing two-day event featured over 120 speakers, both international and from across Poland, who gave a series of presentations or joined lively panel discussions. These embraced an eclectic variety of topics all related to production design, visual and sonic art also embracing architecture and built spaces, plus several more esoteric but related subjects.

While the designated exhibition area provided a backdrop for Robe to showcase some of its latest tech, the vibe was more about stimulating ideas and exploring the adventure of possibilities that might be achieved now and in the future thro

Details

07 May 2024

Rio Beach Party - Madonna put on a free concert in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night with throngs of fans flocking to see the pop idol on Brazil's Copacabana beach. "Rio, here we are in the most beautiful place in the world," she declared, as the performance got under way. The show was the final stop on the 65-year-old's Celebration Tour, celebrating her 40 years in music.

More than 1.6m fans were estimated to have attended the show. Crowds of fans were seen dancing along to Madonna's songs played from speakers on the stage, hours before the American superstar arrived. In what many have called a "historic" show, Madonna impressed the audience with multiple set and costume changes and light displays. The signer performed some of her greatest hits, including Nothing Really Matters, Like a Prayer and Vogue, and was joined on stage at o

Details

03 May 2024

Europe - Renkus-Heinz continues to reinforce its presence in southern Europe with the appointment of SeeSound as its exclusive distributor for Spain and Portugal.

Based in Barcelona, SeeSound has been providing professional audio solutions for the AV market in Spain and Portugal since 2004. With a team of over 30 professionals boasting extensive experience and knowledge of the latest generation products in their portfolio, SeeSound provides comprehensive guidance tailored to real project needs, integrating products, processes, and professionals.

In addition to the regular training sessions and open days hosted by the company, SeeSound has invested in a 1500sq.m Experience Centre to offer demos and allow customers to see products in context to help facilitate the decision-making process.  

SeeSound audio product manager, Carles Ribó, commen

Details

02 May 2024

USA/Canada - Solotech has announced a strategic collaboration with ROE Visual, with the purchase of over 5,000sq.m of LED tiles, including 4,500sq.m of identical Carbon LED tiles, which is the largest single-batch of LED tiles ever recorded.

“CB5 has become the industry standard for global touring over the last five years or so. With the addition of such a large quantity of ROE CB5 Mark II LED display to our already substantial offering, the team at Solotech will continue to deliver the most spectacular projects on the global stage”, states Mickey Curbishley, Solotech president, live productions division, USA, UK.

Grace Kuo, global sales director at ROE Visual, adds: "We've enjoyed working closely together with Solotech, a company that shares our passion for innovation and commitment to client satisfaction. This is a testament to our mission of p

Details

02 May 2024

The Netherlands - Metropool Poppodia van Twente is a music, pop and cultural organisation based in the Twente region of the Overijssel province in east Netherlands. It offers a vibrant programme of live music, dance and club nights and other events, and is adjacent to the train station for public transport access.

The venue has been investing in Robe moving lights over several years, and the latest batch was just recently delivered by Benelux distributor, Controllux, comprising LEDBeam 350s, LEDBeam 150s, T1 Profiles and T11 Profiles.

These are added to the existing Robe LEDBeam 150 and Viva CMY fixtures, now totalling an impressive 44 moving lights in the 800-capacity Main Hall with 16 in the venue’s 200-capacity small hall.

The newest lighting fixtures have delighted the technical team of nine including lighting specialists Dion Moldovan

Details

30 April 2024

Late Opening - Comedian Peter Kay and indie rock duo the Black Keys have rescheduled dates at the Manchester Co-op Arena due to the venue still not being “ready”. The £365m venue, which is meant to be the biggest indoor arena in the UK, was meant to open on Tuesday 23 April, with Kay set to perform an opening show. But the date has been pushed back several times amid safety problems and technical setbacks.

Writing to his fans on X on Friday, Kay said: “To everybody with tickets, my apologies once again but unfortunately the Co-op Live still isn’t ready and so, as yet, remains untested for a large-scale audience. Consequently, they are having to reschedule my two shows yet again (I know I can’t believe it either).”

On Monday the arena said that Kay's performances would take place on 29 and 30 April, but that has now been moved to 23 and 2

Details

29 April 2024

UK - Almost a decade in the making, containing stories never before told and pictures never before seen, and written with the insight of someone who was at the very heart of it, A Sense of Theatre, a remarkable new book providing a unique, eye-witness account of the birth and subsequent triumph of Britain’s National Theatre, launches to the public on 1 May 2024.

The book is the final work of the pioneering lighting designer, theatre consultant and author Richard Pilbrow, who, with his work on the book complete, sadly passed away at the end of last year.

This is history he was uniquely placed to record: in 1963 he was chosen by the National’s first director, Sir Laurence Olivier, to light the opening shows of the new National Theatre company at the Old Vic theatre. From there he quickly became involved in the planning of the new National

Details

29 April 2024

South Africa - The recent hosting of the international AV Alliance's annual three-day AGM in Cape Town set the stage for a convergence of global talent, innovation, and collaboration. Industry leaders, sponsors and technical experts from around the world gathered at the Westin Hotel to exchange ideas, showcase expertise, and chart the course for the future of the event solutions industry.

Hosting this pivotal event for the second time was Gearhouse Group, technical supplier and AVA's local member. At the heart of this year's AGM was the unveiling of AVA's educational initiatives and the establishment of its Education and Outreach Committee (EAOC). Charged with collating educational materials and crafting a user-friendly Learning Management System, the EAOC aims to equip AVA members with the tools needed to address current industry challenges, cultivate talen

Details

29 April 2024

Australia - Fordtronic AV, a dry hire company in the AV solutions industry for corporate events, has expanded its inventory with the Astra Hybrid330 and the EclProfile CT+ from Prolights.

Jonathon Ford, general manager and chief AV technician at Fordtronic, relied on Show Technology, Prolights distributor in Australia, to purchase new moving head fixtures. “We weren't sure what we wanted,” admits Ford. “We'd been sub-hiring from other suppliers in town but knew it was time to purchase our own fixtures. Gareth [at Show Technology] thought that these hybrids were well suited to the corporate work that we do -and he was right!”

The Astra Hybrid330 has already been used in various contexts, enhancing event atmospheres and accentuating venue architecture with targeted lighting.

“We got a custom-made gobo made with a company's logo so the

Details

29 April 2024

USA - ESTA’s Technical Standard Programme has announced seven documents now in public review. These documents, along with their respective public review forms and instructions, are available from the TSP’s Public Review Documents download page, found at https://tsp.esta.org/publicreview. Return the public review form, and any comments you may have, before the deadline shown.

BSR E1.31, Lightweight streaming protocol for transport of DMX using ACN

This draft is a revision of ANSI E1.31 – 2018, which describes a mechanism to transfer DMX512A packets over a TCP/IP network using a subset of the ACN protocol suite. It covers data format, data protocol, data addressing, and network management, including support for both IPv4 and IPv6. It also outlines a synchronization method to help ensure that multiple sinks can process this data concurren

Details

25 April 2024

Europe - CAST Group of Companies has announced HUB (formerly KulTechDesign) as the exclusive distributor of BlackTrax in Hungary.

“What initially attracted us to BlackTrax was its ability to create tightly integrated designs and experiences, where the technology blends seamlessly into the background, facilitating a fully immersive and responsive environment where the audience and performers' focus remains in the creative realm. Its outside-in tracking and simple integration with lighting consoles added another level of excellence, which is incredible to witness,” says Peter Perjési, co-founder of HUB.

“BlackTrax is readily available for clients, and since hosting demos at our facility, the technology has already been used in two concerts, opening new perspectives for attendees and birthing fresh creative ideas for clients.”

HUB has f

Details

24 April 2024

USA - Bose Professional has announced the launch of a new US sales organisation, marking a milestone in the newly independent company’s evolution.

For over 50 years, Bose Professional has developed audio technology that allows systems to be easily designed, installed and operated for performance and commercial applications. Today, their systems can be heard worldwide in workplaces, houses of worship, universities, restaurants, retail stores, hotels, performing arts centres, stadiums and more.

Acquired in April 2023 by Transom Capital, an operations-focused private equity firm, Bose Professional retained its core engineering, product management and marketing teams at launch and has been building and expanding its autonomous operations and infrastructure at a rapid pace over the last four quarters.

The new sales model includes a robust mix of

Details

23 April 2024

Canada - PK Sound has welcomed Calgary-based live production house Unlimited Video Staging (UVS) to its growing partner network following the company’s investment in a T8 robotic line source system. UVS has already taken advantage of T8’s Multi-Axis Robotics to mitigate noise pollution while still delivering high-impact live entertainment in densely populated urban areas.

“UVS has a longstanding reputation as a national leader in video production technologies and services, so when we decided to expand our offerings into live audio, we sought cutting-edge solutions that would elevate the experiences we deliver for our clients and partners,” says Aaron Buchanan, founder and CEO of UVS. “PK Sound’s robotic line arrays sound incredible and offer an unprecedented degree of control in shaping acoustic coverage to the contours of any venue or environmen

Details

23 April 2024

Investment Opportunity - Industry body Creative UK has launched a general election manifesto urging the next government to treat the arts as an "investment opportunity, not a cost".

The Royal Shakespeare Company, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and London’s National Theatre are among the organisations quoted in the manifesto, which is entitled Our Creative Future. New funding models, advocacy for freelancers, intellectual property protection and protections for UK creatives in international trade deals are among the hallmarks of the manifesto’s "vision for the future" ahead of a general election later this year.

The manifesto calls for "radical new action" towards these aims, including greater access to creative education and the upholding of the UK’s "gold standard" IP protections for the cultural and creative industries "in the age of arti

Details

22 April 2024

UK - The recently announced Profile Awards have created much interest within the industry, with sponsorship take up for all the 16 Awards. The Headline Sponsor is Ayrton with the TV Awards being sponsored by ChamSys, ELP, LCR, Light Initiative, Roxxlight and Version 2 Lights. The Theatre Awards are sponsored by Chauvet, Elation, ETC, Fix8, GLP, TSL, SLX and Vari-Lite; the pre-show bar is sponsored by Ambersphere Solutions and the Goody Bags at the end of the evening are sponsored by JLL.

The Profile Awards have been created and are coordinated by Durham and Jennie Marenghi in association with the ABTT, the ALPD and the STLD; the Awards recognise lighting design excellence in theatre and television in the UK and the inaugural event will take place at the Alexandra Palace theatre on 6 June 2024.

Alongside eight specific Theatre awards and six TV awards

Details

19 April 2024

USA - ACT Entertainment has become the exclusive North American distributor of Green Hippo media servers and digital display products. ACT acquired Green Hippo in late 2023 as part of a larger acquisition that also included tvONE, a video processing and media server brand, which will continue with its existing strategy.

Green Hippo has garnered acclaim for its innovative and high-quality media server products, which are recognized globally for performance, reliability and cutting-edge technology. With ACT Entertainment as its exclusive distribution partner, the brand’s products will now be more accessible than ever to customers across North America.

“This exciting partnership brings together two powerhouse brands that share a commitment to excellence and innovation,” says Ben Saltzman, CEO of ACT Entertainment. “The Green Hippo products align

Details

18 April 2024

China - Holoplot has announced Prime Connections International (PCI Group) as its official distributor for China, Hong Kong and Macau, as part of its continuing push to bring its Matrix Array systems to the Asian audio market.

The distribution partnership will see both companies enjoy significant expansion in not only the experiential and live entertainment industries but also fuel growth in speech-based applications, within the education and business sectors, says a joint statement.

“Holoplot is a perfect fit for a multitude of applications we serve,” says Jason Huang, PCI Group’s general manager. “As a Holoplot distributor, we can provide customers with transformative audio experiences that set them apart from the crowd. Holoplot’s approach allows for unprecedented control over the direction and focus of sound resulting in exceptional aud

Details

18 April 2024

Italy – Optimal Audio has appointed Audiosales as its distributor for Italy. Part of the Focusrite Group, Optimal Audio manufactures a multi-award winning one-stop solution of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues.

Based near Parma, Audiosales has been in business for more than 25 years, distributing leading brands to the live and install markets in Italy, and providing system design and consultancy for the widest possible range of applications.

Stefano Rocchi, CEO/managing director at Audiosales, comments: “From the outset, it was clear to us that the Optimal Audio ecosystem offered a fresh approach to commercial audio. Although technologically advanced and delivering high quality audio, the products are very competitively-priced and, crucially,

Details

17 April 2024

Europe - Two years ago, Shure announced aggressive goals to increase recyclable and/or renewable packaging for new products. The company has now revealed that it has achieved its goal to convert to 75% by 2023 and is on track to grow to 90% by 2025 and 100% by 2030 for new packaging. The goal for existing product packaging in 2025 is 75% recyclable and/or renewable.

As part of its continuous environmental improvement efforts, Shure is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. With more than 1,500 different packaging pieces for a variety of different products, converting to sustainable packaging is a significant undertaking, especially for high-performance electronic equipment which is shipped to various locations globally to reach customers all over the world.

Key sustainable packaging initiatives include: Replacing thermoform trays with more

Details

17 April 2024

UK - Highlite International has announced an operational restructure and relocation of its customer support and services within the UK.

Highlite's UK operations have recently relocated to new facilities in Colchester, Essex. The move sees the expansion of the regional offices, service department and UK stockholding, as well as the welcoming of a newly-appointed sales director, David Drane, and an increase in support resources and technician team members.

The new facilities and operational changes provide Highlite with a long-term strategic move for accelerated growth and enhanced value for its customers. Allowing for a larger UK stockholding of new and popular product lines from Highlite's long-established core brands: Showtec, Infinity, DMT, DAP, Artecta, Showgear and Wentex. The space will also house a purpose-built repair and service centre.

Details

17 April 2024

Germany - In August 2023, Dyn Media launched as a new broadcaster in European sports, aimed at giving sports beyond football exposure and viewership. The broadcaster is taking new approaches in the production of its content. NEP Germany was contracted as the production service provider to develop a remote production infrastructure. The technical concept, signal workflows, and process operations were also created in collaboration with Dyn. Broadcast Solutions served as the system integrator responsible for implementation.

The core of the entire infrastructure's audio workflow is a comprehensive system solution from DirectOut Technologies, featuring several of its multifunctional rodigy.MP, .MC, and .MX units. With a total of one Prodigy.MX, 20 Prodigy.MP, and 12 Prodigy.MC, this project represents the largest Prodigy installation for DirectOut to date.

Details

16 April 2024

Norway - Robe has announced Oslo-based Prostage as its new exclusive distributor for Norway. Michel Arntz, Robe’s key account manager for Europe states: “Norway is an important market and in Prostage we have a strong and proactive partner to move our business forward to the next level and are looking forward to a long and successful relationship with the team there.”

Prostage AS was established in 2008 by CEO Gunnar Waldemar Naas to offer quality and cost-efficient professional lighting, sound and stage products. A full-time staff of 22 manage a streamlined operation, including a large showroom, and expansive warehouse facilities incorporating a service centre.

Prostage co-owner Carl Tidemann says: “We are super-excited to be working with Robe. We have watched the brand for some time and seen it become a market leader and a constant innovator