UK - Britannia Row Productions Training (BRPT) has been awarded £152,000 as part of the UK government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) announced by the Culture Secretary to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future.
Britannia Row Productions Training is one of 2,049 cultural and creative organisations across the country to have been awarded £409m of urgently needed support (up to 24 October 2020). The Culture Recovery Fund grants programme is being administered by the Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are d

USA - JAM Industries has acquired Connecticut-based The Music People (TMP), parent company of the On-Stage and TMP-Pro divisions.
Founded in 1979 by Jim Hennessey, TMP will operate as a division of JAM, managed by TMP’s co-presidents John and Sharon Hennessey, who now report directly to JAM Industries president & CEO Martin Szpiro.
“Since being acquired by DCC Technology in September 2018, JAM has the resources to operate as an acquisition engine,” Szpiro says. “While the purchase of TMP is our first acquisition since being acquired by DCC, it is by no means the last. We are aggressively pursuing MI and pro audio companies that compliment and extend our current portfolio of offerings.
“Over the last 48 years, JAM has grown organically and through acquisition into a $400m company comprised of eight divisions that serve a broad range of musical inst

France - Modulo Pi has announced the addition of new Extended Reality (XR) capabilities to Modulo Kinetic, the fully integrated media server solution. Designed with the needs of Pro AV players in mind, the new version of Modulo Kinetic upgraded with XR features will make production of virtual and hybrid events significantly simplified and accessible, says the company.
Modulo Kinetic is a comprehensive media server solution successfully deployed in large immersive installations such as the Atelier des Lumières in France, also used on corporate events, and live performances like the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Over recent months, Modulo Pi has developed new XR features in Modulo Kinetic to address the need for virtual and hybrid events in the context of the Covid-19 crisis and physical distancing guidelines. The new capabilities include an enhanced chrom

USA - Whitesburg Baptist was at a crossroads last year. Leaders at the 7,000-member church knew that they had to modernise their worship space to create a more engaging environment, one that would support their three different Sunday services while also being more camera friendly for livestreams and broadcasts.
The question they faced was how? Ideas ranged from constructing an entirely new building, to undertaking smaller piecemeal changes. None felt quite right until they met with the team from Paragon 360 who showed them how they could completely transform their existing space without making the investment of time and money in a new facility.
This summer, Whitesburg Baptist unveiled the result of its collaboration with Paragon 360: a contemporary and beautifully balanced worship centre that makes all feel welcomed, whether they’re watching online or participating i

USA - Elections for the ESTA board of directors concluded at midnight on Saturday, 31 October. An outstanding number of ballots were submitted this year, the organisation reports.
There were four positions up for election to the board. Tracey Cosgrove will fill the office of vice president; Elmer Veith of Reliable Design Services will serve as secretary; Evan Williams of Riverview Systems Group is the new production services director, and Mark Wofford of PC&E was elected to serve as rental company director. All will begin their three-year term of office on 1 January 2021.
ESTA and its members wish to thank outgoing board members Orestes Mihaly (PRG) and John Cini (High Output) for their dedicated service.

UK - English National Opera chose live event specialists ADI to support them in the delivery of ‘the world’s first fully staged drive-in opera’, ENO Drive & Live at Alexandra Palace (19-27 September).
This ambitious outdoor project saw performances of Puccini's La Bohème take place outside Ally Pally, providing UK audiences with live opera for the first time since March. ADI supported ENO in delivering the drive-in experience by providing a complete event production solution, incorporating staging, structures, LED screens, lighting, OB and cameras.
Despite the creative and technical challenges of delivering fully-staged performances beyond their usual venue, ENO in partnership with ADI achieved the feat of transforming a car park at Alexandra Palace into a fully-featured outdoor theatre on a vast scale.
The production has been met with critica

USA - When Richmond, VA-based Soundworks took delivery of their Martin Audio WPS and WPC line array systems in February this year, they little knew that the world was within one month of lockdown. “The pandemic shut down all of our bookings from mid-March forward,” recalls CEO, Steve Payne. The company had to wait until the end of summer for the maiden voyage for both systems - in the shape of two socially-distanced outdoor concerts by the Richmond Symphony Orchestra.
Soundworks have been contracted to provide sound reinforcement for all Richmond Symphony Orchestra’s community outreach concerts since 2015. “Each season the RSO will incorporate the performance of a popular local or regional artist into one of their ‘Big Tent’ gigs,” he explains. “The arranger will write scores for orchestral accompaniment to six or so of the guest artist’s songs. Past musi

Europe - Shure is strengthening its focus on software solutions by announcing a strategic investment in Finnish software company Ab Wavemark Oy.
Known for its software solutions for theatre, broadcast, and content streaming applications such as Wavetool and WTAutomixer, Wavemark has recently expanded its software portfolio into streaming applications. It now offers WTAutomixer, a plug-in enabling seemless auto-mixing for uses like podcasting, remote learning, and house of worship services.
WTAutomixer automatically controls the gains of multiple microphones and is ideal for live streams, discussion panels, talk shows, religious services, and for any application that requires the use of multiple microphones. Wavemark software has been used in conjunction with several high-profile theatre applications using Shure Axient Digital Wireless Systems.
Shure’s software
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UK - At the beginning of this year, singer/songwriter Niall Horan had to take the decision to cancel his Nice To Meet Ya world tour. But earlier this month, he announced a special, one-off live streamed show from London’s Royal Albert Hall and promoted by livestreaming company, Driift.
Audio equipment for the show, which achieved a massive 150,000 ticket sales, is supplied by Wigwam Acoustics with Ant Carr, Niall’s long-term head of touring and production, at the helm and regular crew members Matthew Kettle and Joe Campbell handling broadcast and monitor positions respectively, both deploying DiGiCo SD5s.
Featuring songs from his two hit albums Flicker (No1. in the USA) and Heartbreak Weather (No.1 in the UK), the show streamed on 7 November and gave loyal fans a chance to be part of what they are so sorely missing. It is also providing much ne

Austria - In 2005, the Oval, designed by lauded Roman architect Massimiliano Fuksas, opened its doors at the Europark shopping mall in Salzburg. The 227-seat cultural showcase stages unique shows ranging from music, drama, cabaret, cinema and more, and has earned a firm place in Salzburg's already rich calendar of events. Under the direction of Europark managing director Christoph Andexlinger, the Oval has added another attraction to its offering since July 2020: L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology from L-Acoustics.
Right from the start, the room’s extraordinary architecture, which features a steep atrium grandstand and a 13m-wide stage that is only 15m from the control room, posed significant challenges to conventional L-C-R sound reinforcement systems. "Thanks to L-ISA, not only was the conventional technology replaced, but a completely new, immersive listening ex

USA - Strand has announced the new NEO Compact 10 lighting console. This new, more compact version of the popular NEO console is now available globally and brings the power of NEO software in a 10-fader lighting control console suitable for education, theatre or house of worship applications.
“The combination of sophisticated features, quality-built hardware and small form factor makes the new NEO Compact 10 Console the most powerful lighting console in its class,” says Fernand Pereira, global head of marketing and product management, Vari-Lite and Strand at Signify. “The NEO Compact 10 offers the full capabilities of Strand NEO software optimized for a smaller footprint, with seven different onboard effects engines as well as user-configurable buttons, faders and palettes that let you adapt NEO to the way you work.”
To further simplify operation, the NEO Compa

UK - Members of the events industry lit up part of Scotland’s Nevis Range – including the summit - on 16 October. Say the organisers, “This is part of our campaign to highlight our presence to the Government and that we need assistance to keep business surviving. Scotland's events artists, technicians and crew are fighting to resurrect the industry.
“We are looking for better grants as opposed to loans and a date to begin working towards reopening our sector safely. The present financial support schemes are limiting and many freelancers in particular are not eligible due to the criteria set out on the forms. Many people are falling through the gaps.
“We are representing live events and all of those people and businesses who are affected in the supply chain. We are also here in solidarity for everyone who has been affected greatly by COVID -19 - from tourism,

The Netherlandsd - Further to JHS announcing its appointment as exclusive distributor for Kustom amplification for the UK, Ireland, France and Germany last month, the distributor confirms it will also be handling Kustom in Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg.
JHS Export Manager Adam Butterworth commented: “The Kustom amp range is iconic and fits really well into our Benelux portfolio of distributed brands. Dealers can benefit from a great opening offer this month across the whole range with each amp
Kustom caters for a diverse range of musical styles including the new KMOD20 1 x 8" combo. New lines also include the Sienna Pro Series of acoustic guitar combos.

France - When his international tour with the San Francisco symphonic orchestra got cancelled due to the spread of the pandemic, renowned French cellist, Gautier Capuçon, decided to bring music back to the towns and villages of France – all while respecting healthcare and social distancing measures – with a free tour entitled Un Été en France.
And when his concert in Mansle got threatened by the weather on the 11 August, he was able to rely on a sound engineer and sound equipment that could adapt to the various challenges that were bound to rear their heads on that day.
“When Gautier Capuçon's team announced that he was going to tour France, the towns and villages wishing to host the shows were invited to contact him,” explained sound engineer Léopold Randon de Grolier. “He received well over 600 requests in 48 hours.” Depending on the dates, the Fren

Europe This week’s Elation Coffee Break is hosted by Alistair Smyth and Frederik Afif and will focus on the creative possibilities unique to three of Elation’s most popular automated LED luminaires.
The narrow-beam Dartz 360, Chorus Line pixel bar, and compact Rayzor 360Z will take centre stage for a discussion of their creative potential and the dazzle, drama and excitement they can add to stages big and small.
The Elation Coffee Break (www.facebook.com/ELATION.Pro.Europe/live/) with a focus on creative LED luminaires will air live on Thursday, 12 November 1at 11:00 a.m. CEST. No registration is required.
The Elation Coffee Break is an online presentation series from Elation’s European office in Kerkrade, the Netherlands that takes an up-close look at some of the company’s most popular product series. To view previous Elation Coffee Break webinars, vis

Germany - Lean-pro & Co has invested in Prolights EclPanel TWCJr. With the new LED softlights, the Paderborn-based company has equipped its livestream studio for trade fairs, product presentations, workshops, lectures, concerts, general meetings and much more, thus further expanding its professional image, lighting and sound technology.
Joachim Flottmeier, managing director and partner, says, "The decisive criteria for me were the excellent price-performance ratio and the enormous output in relation to the size of the device. Thus the EclPanel TWCJr makes the competition look old. It is also unrivalled in this price league in terms of the range of functions. In addition, the wide range of accessories such as diffusion filters, egg crates and snap grids convinced me".
The Prolights EclPanel TWCJr offers not only a wide range of colours, but also white tones from war

Japan - Adding powerful sound to its striking visual displays, Art Aquarium collaborated with HIBINO Corporation to enhance its exhibit with a state-of-the-art Harman Professional audio solution.
Established in 2007, Art Aquarium has exhibited all across Japan and overseas at places that communicate history and culture, including Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall, Kyoto’s Nijo-jo Castle as well as the 21st-Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.
With more than 10m visitors, Art Aquarium has expanded overseas into Milan, Italy and Shanghai, China. Wanting to elevate the ‘Kingyo’ Aquarium to reach the vision of its creative director, Art Aquarium required an innovative, cutting-edge audio system that provided pristine sound quality and an enhanced guest experience.
“The client wanted a high-performance audio solution that would provide as much power and clarity

China - The Songcheng Group is the first performing arts company in China to go public and is also a global top 10 theme park group. With its core competence in performing arts, Songcheng Performance has built a number of established brands including Songcheng and the Romance show series.
The company owns 74 theatres with a total capacity of 175,000 seats, which exceeds the combined number of seats available in two of the world’s most famous theatre districts, namely London’s West End and Broadway in New York.
The spectacular Romance series of large-scale, hi-tech productions has broken box office records with more than 8,000 performances per year to an annual audience of over 35m people. Recently, six of Songcheng’s 10 dedicated Romance theatres – many of them sited in dedicated Romance theme parks across China – have upgra

UK - The Sugar Hut nightclub, bar and venue - made famous through its association with reality TV programme The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) -returned to TV screens earlier this month boasting a new refurbished look featuring Void Acoustics kit.
The venue has recently been acquired by the same experienced club operator who also owns London super club Studio 338 – a large music and arts venue on the Greenwich Peninsular, and sister club The Bridge (also in London). The team has consistently chosen Void as their audio system of choice for the last decade, starting with their install at Studio 338, which currently boasts a 4-point Air Motion system covering their large capacity multi-room club including one of the largest outdoor terrace arenas in Europe as well as a Loft Room and VIP level.
Sugar Hut has been celebrating 10 years of TOWIE. The venue’s re-opening

UK – The 2020 final of popular TV show Britain’s Got Talent wowed millions of viewers with a spectacular LED screen stage set and virtual audience, powered by Green Hippo’s Hippotizer Boreal+ and Karst+ Media Servers.
Three active Boreal+ and one Karst+ were used for the main system, with the same amount again running as backup for the live show. One Boreal+ fed the main stage LED display, driving 6K content to 3mm screens from supplier Anna Valley, with another Boreal+ dealing with camera overlay effects and live camera shots. The Karst+ fed Art-Net data from two lighting consoles to an array of SGM LED Tubes.
This was a very different finale, with no physical audience present in the studio due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In substitute, more than 1000 live feeds from viewers at home were fed to a new LED ‘audience wall’, positioned behind the judging p

South Africa - Viral video footage of an African National Congress (ANC) rally held at the Luthuli 9L Sports Grounds in Polokwane on Sunday, 8 November, attended by thousands not adhering to the social distancing regulations, has infuriated the region’s live events industry who have not been able to work for over eight months.
“We as the TPSA, SACIA and SA Events Council have lodged a complaint with the South African Police, in particular with the Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo, Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba,” said Sharif Baker, chairman of the TPSA. “We are absolutely disgusted at what has happened. It’s a smack in the face for the lives at stake, and literally a smack in the face of us in events who are abiding by the law.”
The Siyanqoba Rally in Ward 14 in Pokowane and issued by the ANC Peter Mokaba Region, included live entertainment and was atte

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