Japan - The Kaho Theatre in Iizuka City, Fukuoka, has survived many difficulties since the original building appeared in1922 and along the way this playhouse has been designated a Japanese ‘national registered tangible cultural property’.
The predecessor of the current Kaho Theatre, Nakaza, was originally opened as an entertainment place for people working in coal mines in the Chikuho region. Mainly traditional drama, Kabuki, standup comedy, juggling and silent films were performed during that era.
In recent years, it has been used as a multi-purpose event venue, and at full capacity can host audiences of 1,200. In addition to traditional performing arts, various events such as music plays, lectures, talk shows and concerts have all been staged there.
Because of Covid-19, the theatre was recently forced to close, but in collaboration with rental company, Toy

India - Sighapandi Electronics recently equipped Royal China with a JBL Professional networked audio system to deliver the audio in the restaurant and nightclub areas.
Royal China is a fine dining restaurant in Kolkata, serving authentic Cantonese cuisine in a chic and upscale environment. Located in the Forum Courtyard Mall, Royal China also features a small nightclub.
During the design phase, the owners of Royal China recognised that the restaurant needed a flexible loudspeaker system that offered a clear, high quality sound. However, due to the low ceilings in the venue, they required a compact solution that would not detract from the décor. The owners of Royal China worked with Sighapandi Electronics to install a JBL Professional network audio system featuring JBL loudspeakers, JBL and Crown amplifiers and a BSS signal processor.
“The ceiling height of ni

Germany - Decisions often involve a trade-off, as taking steps to address one challenge may complicate another. Philipp Reister, the event technician at the famed Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, understands this issue first hand.
Reister values the flexibility of moving fixtures, especially since changing lights on the Z Bridge at the school’s performance hall is a time-consuming process involving a mobile crane. On the other hand, the moving fixtures that had previously been installed at the school, while providing the desired flexibility, raised the issue of noise.
In the past Reister and the team at Hochschule für Musik Freiburg have worked diligently to balance these issues. This summer they enlisted the help of a new “partner” to their cause: the Chauvet Professional Maverick Silens 2 Profile.
“We needed to improve our flexibility because our hall

USA - “You can tell a successful church just from the vibe,” said Mark Salamone, sales manager at All Pro Integrated Systems. “The first time I visited Wellspring Community Church in Ruskin, Florida, they had a red movie theatre carpet, velvet ropes, popcorn, and Star Wars stuff for the kids. There were a lot of young families, and it felt progressive and brimming with good energy.
“The service was amazing - full hands-in-the-air singing from everyone led by a charismatic pastor and a praise band loaded with talented musicians. The sound system was just ok, but Preston Eaves, technical arts director, was squeezing everything he could out of it. In terms of community service, Wellspring made it clear that they weren’t just talking the talk – they are actively working to improve access to the material and spiritual needs of the community.”
Salamone, who has

World - The #WeMakeEvents campaign has been ramping up activity in order to highlight how the global live events industry urgently needs to get back to work. Over 30 million people in 25 countries would usually work in the events industry, but with social distancing measures in place, there is no possibility of a financially viable return for the foreseeable future.
Over the past weeks, events have happened around the world - including in the US, Canada, Sweden, France, Germany, Spain and the UK - to raise awareness of those impacted in the event supply chain, from manufacturers, production companies, catering, transport, security and others, to the huge freelance community that works within the industry.
The majority of the industry has had no income since the beginning of the crisis in March, and with a global second wave of COVID-19 imminent, a date to return to w

UK - Since opening its doors 17 years ago, Suffolk creative entertainment, education and enterprise hub, the New Cuts Art Centre (The Cut), has gone from strength to strength, becoming a centre for arts in the community, and now offers a full programme of activities, including a weekly cinema, theatre, music, regular art exhibitions and an educational programme.
Looking to the future, the venue decided it was time to upgrade their existing lighting rig in the theatre to LED. As the space is used for a variety of performances and events, they needed fixtures that were versatile, easy to use and that could work for a range of styles - Prolights fixtures proved to be the answer.
Callum Macdonald of CM Lighting oversaw the specification and install of the lighting fixtures. He commented: “The theatre is a small community theatre that doubles up as a cinema. The programm

South Africa - Whilst South Africa has just moved to Level 1 allowing events for up to 250 guests indoors and 500 people outdoor, technical supplier Multi-Media has utilised the past few months to establish a virtual platform for the future and something that can be expanded upon with the new eased restrictions while adhering to strict safety protocols.
Multi-Media has seven virtual studios based in Johannesburg and Cape Town, which have opened doors for businesses and financial institutions, to continue communicating with their audience during this time. The multi-purpose studio spaces have been used for live events, virtual events and broadcasts (complete with customised 3D virtual sets) and product launches. In addition, Multi-Media has partnered with Century City Conference Centre (CCCC) in the Western Cape, to create additional virtual space.
Event planners and bu

USA - Earlier this month, Essential Church in Huntsville, Alabama, upgraded their stage lighting to improve the production quality of both in-person services and the footage they capture for online broadcast. Conventional fixtures were replaced by energy efficient LED lighting from ADJ and sister company Elation Professional, improving the aesthetic appeal of the stage and at the same time reducing the church’s energy bill.
Like most religious congregations around the world, Essential Church have made online services a major priority this year. However, as they experimented with filming their worship and teaching in their auditorium, they realized that the lighting setup, while adequate for those attending in person, was limiting the quality of their video recordings. They brought in Christopher Watts of Watts Technology to advise on a cost effective, efficient and effecti

USA/Europe - During the COVID-19 pandemic, literally every aspect of life has had to be rethought, but few verticals have faced hurdles like education is facing today. Whether or not to hold classes in person or remotely has become literally a fundamental choice. Marist College, a private liberal arts college founded in 1905 in Poughkeepsie, NY, faced those same difficult options as it readied itself to start the new school year in late August.
Technology solutions from Audio-Technica made that task i easier and successful. The school acquired and installed 150 Audio-Technica U851RO Omnidirectional Condenser Boundary Microphones and 50 ATDM-0604 SmartMixers, which now outfit 50 classrooms at the school. But the story of how this project came about is an education in itself.
“We wanted to offer a learning experience as close to traditional in-person classes, using a

India - AM Integrated Solutions and GRS AV Solutions recently outfitted RYU Bar with a complete Harman Professional sound reinforcement solution to ensure quality audio quality for patrons and party-goers alike.
Opened in January, RYU Bar is one of the latest additions to the popular nightlife scene in the bustling city of Gurgaon. Named after the Japanese word for dragon, RYU Bar delivers a pan-Asian experience, bringing together food, cocktails, music and décor from Chinese, Japanese and Malaysian cultures. To ensure immersive sound throughout the main space, rooftop terrace and private lounges, the owner hired AM Integrated Solutions and GRS AV Solutions to install a complete Harman Professional sound system, consisting of JBL loudspeakers and subwoofers, Crown amplifiers and BSS digital audio processors.
“RYU was a uniquely challenging project for us, in terms

UK - Responding to the effects of COVID-19 on their business, Johnny Palmer, managing director of SXS Events, promptly rebranded his Bristol-based company to Pytch, and constructed The Virtual Venue in one of the empty warehouses on the industrial estate in Brislington which he owns.
“We rationalised that the world was in chaos, and in any case our old name was a mouthful. Our industry is full of three-letter acronymed companies, so we came up with Pytch instead.”
Explaining the ethos, he says, “We are here to share messages and create memorable experiences. We decided the broadcast model was better, so I built TV studios.” This includes a 12m x 15m main stage and a Green Room.
Aside from attracting new business Pytch also has a number of clients on retainer in the corporate, conference and exhibition sectors. “We knew we had to deliver something serio

Austria - The Vienna Volksoper, or People’s Opera, is Vienna’s largest theatre for opera, musicals, classical concerts and ballet. The theatre offers one of the most diverse musical programmes in the country, ranging from Carmen to Kiss Me Kate, and Coppelia to Cabaret, as well as productions for schools, lots of local German operetta performances and much more besides.
The venue is also the first in Vienna to open its doors to the public after the summer break, but more importantly in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, with a performance of Strauss’s Die Fledermaus on 1 September followed by a revival of Cole Porter’s classic musical, Kiss Me Kate on 2 September. Both will be benefitting from the audio reproduction of a new KV2 audio system, which also happens to be the first ever to use KV2’s new control & diagnostics t

USA - Pensacola Christian College teaches over 4,500 students at its Pensacola, Florida campus. Its students gather in the nearly 6,000-seat Crowne Centre frequently for community-building, events, chapel, for concerts, and church services on Sunday morning, and Sunday and Wednesday evenings.
Sunday morning services are recorded and broadcast as Rejoice in the Lord on the Daystar Television Network. All Pro Integrated Systems, a locally-based AV integration firm with international reach, recently replaced a number of loudspeakers, subwoofers and amplifiers in the Crowne Centre with a smaller number of Danley products, including Danley Jericho Horns, TH118XL subwoofers and DNA-series amplifiers with onboard DSP and optional Dante connectivity.
“We put the original sound system in the Crowne Centre when the building was new almost 20 years ago,” explained Sco

USA - Located in Westfield, Indiana, the mission of Westfield High School is to provide rigorous and engaging experiences for all students with a performing arts programme dedicated to creating a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
With a busy annual event schedule which keeps their 868-seat auditorium in regular use, the antiquated house lighting design was often struggling to provide the illumination desired. Working with long-time partner Associated Controls + Design, the school decided it was time to renovate the aging house system for a brighter and more visually engaging environment using Altman Lighting Chalice LED downlights installed by Huston Electric.
“Westfield High School has been a long-time client of ours and we even sold them the first lighting control system when they originally built the auditorium,” began Mike Brubaker, Associated Controls + Desi

Switzerland - In the age of social distancing, how can an orchestra and choir create a great musical performance when they cannot be in close proximity to each other? During the coming season, Switzerland’s Zurich Opera House will rely on Lawo IP technology to solve this problem.
The need to find a solution for future performances became clear in early 2020, after Switzerland’s lockdown went into effect on 15 March. That solution came in the form of an IP-based remote production installation from Lawo, designed specially for WAN-based remote productions.
Equipment includes a Lawo mc²36 console, Compact I/O stagebox units, and V__remote4 devices to transport and process video and audio signals, plus an upgrade of the Lawo Nova73 HD Core already installed at the Opera House which adds Ravenna networking and additional SFP Ethernet ports.
“At first we sat at

Denmark - HEX! Museum of Witch Hunt has recently opened in Ribe, Denmark, complete with a Smart IP loudspeaker solution from Genelec designed and installed by the Moesgaard Museum Exhibition Design Studio.
As Denmark’s oldest town and home to Maren Spliid, the country’s most famous witch, the setting is ideal for a museum that aims to tell the stories of these witches – who they were, why they were so feared, and the myths and superstitions that surrounded them. In order to create the best possible visitor experience, HEX! turned to the museum technology experts at the famed Moesgaard Museum led by Johan Ahrenfeldt.
“We wanted to create a complex soundscape for the various stories being told in each of the nine exhibition rooms,” explains Ahrenfeldt. “However, the building itself posed a few challenges as it’s an old listed building in the center of Ribe.

UK - London venue The Clapham Grand has announced its first post lockdown shows for 2020 with a special re-opening party with Frank Turner this Friday & Russell Howard, Jimmy Carr, The Vivienne, Louise Redknapp, Baga Chipz, Jimmy Carr, Courtney Act, Crystal Methyd & more coming up.
The Clapham Grand is one of 135 grassroots music venues to receive emergency funding as part of the Government’s £1.5bn Culture Recovery Fund.
To coincide with a number of confirmed shows, the Clapham Grand has this week unveiled the reopening of its top balcony, which has been closed for 15 years – not in use since Oasis last played at the venue. The newly refurbished area will increase the post-lockdown capacity of the venue by 100, taking it to 400 (these numbers are reduced from 1250 due to physical distancing), bringing the venue back to its original Victorian glory.

India - Pune nightclub Sky High hired integrators Smart Homes to design and install Harman Professional audio and lighting solutions.
Known as the best rooftop venue in Kharadi, Sky High - The Club spans more than 5,000sq.ft and offers guests a one-of-a-kind nightlife experience. The facility features an indoor clubbing space with a DJ booth and dance floor as well as an outdoor terrace with a patio and bar.
"For the club’s sound, we were looking for control,” said Shaukat Ali of Sky High - The Club. “Since the venue is located in an IT hub and surrounded by a residential neighbourhood, we need to control the levels that we are sending to our audience and outside our facility. It’s very important that we do not annoy our nearby residents.”
In the bar’s indoor club environment, Smart Homes installed JBL AM7212/26 12” high power two-way loudspeakers

Austria - As Vienna’s Rabenhof Theatre prepares to reopen its doors, audiences will soon be enjoying an audio upgrade, including a new 64 channel Allen & Heath Avantis mixer.
Built as a workers’ assembly hall in the 1920s, the Rabenhof was converted into a theatre in 1990 and underwent a complete refurbishment in 2008, during which much of its art-deco character was restored. The theatre has earned a reputation for serving up an eclectic mix of experiences, ranging from contemporary theatre and musicals to puppetry and baroque opera.
Almost every day brings another new performance to the Rabenhof Theatre, so head of sound, Josch Russo is accustomed to working with tight setup times and a high throughput of guest engineers. When the venue decided it was time to retire its aging digital mixer, speed and ease of use were high on the wishlist.
Following demo

UK - Backstage Academy has affirmed its commitment to safeguarding students entering the live events industry, after it was selected by the QAA to take part in a series of best-practice Covid case studies. The institution was recognised by the assurance agency for the measures put in place following the outbreak of the pandemic.
Located at the world-renowned Production Park in South Kirby, Yorkshire, the higher education institution was included in a case study report, acknowledged by the QAA (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education) for its ability to adapt to the pandemic.
The Academy, which offers degrees, short courses and bespoke training for the live events industry, believes the special measures put in place for the next cohort of students in September will ensure “the long term survival of the industry, worth a vital £30bn to the UK’s economy”. <

USA - Three key live music venues in New York City managed by The Bowery Presents - Brooklyn Steel, Webster Hall and most recently, the 2,800-capacity Terminal 5 in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan - all feature Robe moving lights in their house rigs.
The lights have been specified by Luciano Savedra, head of lighting for The Bowery Presents which is the East Coast regional partner of AEG Live and owns and operates a diverse mix of venues across NYC and in other major metropolitan centres.
At Terminal 5, where Savedra also oversees and runs the lighting day-to-day, the 12 x MegaPointes and 12 x Spiider LED wash beams have greatly added to the flexibility of the existing lighting rig. The lights were supplied via BML-Blackbird.
Brooklyn Steel - on the site of a former steelworks and named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by Rolling Stone Magazine

USA - On 19 September 1999, International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOPKC) founder Mike Bickle and 20 full-time 'intercessory missionaries' began a prayer meeting that has continued around the clock to this day. To help meet the challenges of delivering non-stop music and prayer to worshippers and streaming to the internet, the evangelical Christian church has installed two Solid State Logic Live series digital mixing consoles in its Global Prayer Room.
A few miles away, in Grandview, Missouri, another pair of SSL Live desks handle house and stage sound, as well as webstreaming, at IHOPKC’s Forerunner Church.
A pair of SSL Live L200 consoles - one at front-of-house and another at the monitor position - were installed at the Forerunner Church first, says Nicholas Kramer, IHOPKC director of sound. “We were definitely due for an audio upgrade, so we did a big

Australia - Recognised as one of the world’s most flexible and technologically advanced meeting facilities, the Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC) in South Australia recently completed an AU$397m redevelopment which included a major overhaul of the venue’s audio systems.
The loudspeakers and associated processing were augmented or completely replaced with new Meyer Sound systems in seven halls, including the addition of Lyon line arrays for the ACC’s largest configurable space. When combined with existing inventories, this latest round of investments brings the total Meyer Sound loudspeaker count up to 270, making ACC the largest single-site user of Meyer Sound systems in Australia.
In addition to the 20 Lyon line array loudspeakers and accompanying eight 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements, the latest additions also include 65 Ultra-X40 compact loudspeakers an

UK - Lighting control manufacturer Zero 88 stages a product awareness livestream airing on Monday, 24 August, which will be broadcast from The Congress Theatre, Cwmbran - the nearest local theatre venue to the manufacturing facility.
Usually busy with a lively programme of music and performance shows in the centre of Cwmbran, The Congress has been repurposed to function as a virtual studio during the pandemic and for the immediate future.
The Zero 88 team will be highlighting some of the brand’s newest technologies and product releases during the stream and will be joined by local singer-songwriter Tobias Robertson offering live entertainment.
This presentation will last 30 minutes and embrace all three primary Zero 88 product categories - control, data, and power.
The stream will specifically address the new ZerOS Server, the Splitter 8 and Gateway 4 /

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