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22 January 2025

Germany - Lighting designer Matthaus Scheuerer used Claypaky Arolla Aqua Spots for four weeks on the last tour he did with German thrash metal band Kreator, and gives the fixtures rave reviews for their reliability and performance. 

“I got the opportunity to see the Arolla Aqua Spot in action and to test its strengths extensively, and the experience showed me why the fixture is so highly valued and considered by many colleagues to be one of the best options in its class,” says Scheuerer.

“The Arolla Aqua Spot proved to be extremely robust and durable. During the entire four weeks of use, there were no failures whatsoever, a clear testament to the high quality of workmanship and reliability of this product,” he states. “Even under demanding conditions in various arenas, the spot worked perfectly at all times. The lamps were mounted on dolli

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22 January 2025

France - Digital Projection’s M-Vision 27000 WU delivered projection for Paris Basketball for the team’s first match in the top-flight international EuroLeague championship.

The M-Vision 27000 WU lit up every corner of the 8,000-capacity Adidas Arena for the opening game of Paris Basketball’s debut EuroLeague campaign (against Serbia’s Crvena Zvezda), as well as the team’s first full season in its new home arena, inaugurated in February 2024.

In collaboration with Digital Projection’s distribution partner, ETHA International, Paris-based video mapping specialist Doxa Vision deployed four M-Vision 27000 WU projectors to illuminate the interior of the Adidas Arena, taking full advantage of the projectors’ 27,000 lumens’ output to deliver vivid, vibrant visuals – including projected on-court banners celebrating Paris Basketball’s mai

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22 January 2025

France - At the Parc du Sautour in Les Mureaux, aerial hoopers, jugglers, clowns, and other acclaimed acts from all over the world entertained the Festival du Cirque International crowd with their virtuosity. Contributing to the magic was the event's lighting, which like the artists it illuminated went beyond the ordinary to find new ways to engage people visually.

Light technician Frederic Sportiello and the entire team accented every dramatic acrobatic move and enlivened every humorous antic at the circus with their colourful and dynamic lighting. Key to helping them accomplish this feat was a collection of 40 Chauvet Professional Maverick, Colorado, and Rogue fixtures supplied by Remote.

"In lighting this event, we were looking for new and different effects that were completely unheard of at other circus festivals," noted Sportiello. "We especiall

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22 January 2025

Spain - The live events industry is undergoing a seismic shift, propelled by open standards and IP video transport. With the adoption of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) IT technology, workflows that once relied on proprietary systems are evolving into interoperable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions. While broadcast video led this revolution, pro AV and enterprise video are now catching up, fostering innovation and breaking silos.  

The challenge lies in achieving interoperability across diverse endpoints and standards. The Matrox ConvertIP Series and Matrox Vion Series address this, bridging the compatibility gaps and unlocking the full potential of AV over IP. 

ConvertIP is a pivotal player in the transition to IP-based workflows, offering a series of SMPTE ST 2110/IPMX baseband converters and encoders/decoders designed to meet the demands

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22 January 2025

Spain - Audio-Technica is to show a variety of its installation-oriented audio solutions at ISE 2025, including the recently launched System 20 PRO wireless system, a self-managing, plug-and-play 2.4GHz digital wireless system that is scalable to 20 channels and delivers dependable, high-quality audio.

Capable of receiving up to four transmitters, the system’s ATW-R1440 receiver makes installation extremely simple – the transmitters included in each system are paired and ready to use out of the box. Each receiver channel can be paired with up to four transmitters, allowing users to instantly switch between different transmitter configurations.

System 20 PRO transmitters are available in body-pack and handheld microphone configurations for performance and presentation. The body-pack transmitters are fitted with water- and sweat-resistant cW-style

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22 January 2025

Spain - Fulcrum Acoustic will feature its latest audio solutions and software tools on booth 7J220 at ISE 2025.

On display will be the RX series of compact installation loudspeakers. Featuring new models and design updates, these small enclosures deliver impressive output for their size and are ideal for space-limited environments. Attendees can also get a sneak peek at a new series of installation loudspeakers. The design incorporates Fulcrum Acoustic’s signature Passive Cardioid Technology, which delivers low-frequency control without the need for additional drivers, amplifiers or signal processing channels.

Fulcrum will offer hands-on demonstrations of its One software, a comprehensive tool that streamlines the design, deployment, and management of traditional sound reinforcement and immersive audio systems within a single, intuitive interface.

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21 January 2025

USA - With a stop off in Las Vegas for an intimate residency, the band's hometown shows brought a sophisticated nostalgia to fans in North America. They heard Smile Like You Mean It and Somebody Told Me through a d&b audiotechnik KSL PA system from Eighth Day Sound's LA location, overseen by account executive Meegan Holmes.

Out front, the band's long-time FOH engineer Kenny Kaiser has been part of the alt pop/rockers’ crew for some years, starting out as a PA tech before eventually taking his mixer position. He begins: "There's a lot of trust between the band and me, and that comes with time. The show must sound the way your artist wants it to, but thankfully, I'm lucky to work with a band that trusts me with the decisions that I make for them.

“Each album has its own sound and ethos, so you must stay true to those songs and

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21 January 2025

UK - Speaker applications are now open for PLASA Focus Leeds, which returns to the city’s Royal Armouries museum from 13-14 May 2025. Renowned for its welcoming and vibrant atmosphere, the ever-popular PLASA Focus Leeds trade show attracts over 2,000 professionals each year and showcases more than 150 leading brands from across the lighting, sound, AV, rigging, staging and production industries.

Speaking as part of the event’s seminar programme is a unique opportunity to connect with a broad audience, as the sessions draw over 600 industry attendees across two theatres during the show’s two days. 

“Your insights could have an impact far beyond the UK, reaching professionals eager to learn and innovate,” say the show’s organisers. “This is your chance to position yourself as a thought leader, sharing knowledge that could help shape the

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21 January 2025

Denmark - Allround Lyd & Lys (Light & Sound) based in Struer, Denmark, purchased Robe iForte LTX Follow Spots ahead of its busy 2024 festival season, so – in conjunction with its existing RoboSpot systems – going forward, it could offer “outstanding follow spotting facilities with dynamic festival stage lighting packages”.

Head of lighting, Martin Breinholt, and his team designed a quick-to-rig festival production lighting setup based on Robe LEDBeam 350s and Esprites for over-stage lighting, with the fixtures installed in pre-rigged trussing sections. These were deployed on a string of festivals around the country throughout summer.

Denmark’s music festival scene is one of the most vibrant and prolific, starting in mid-May and running until the end of September.

Eight units of each fixture type were rigged to a standard run

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21 January 2025

Iceland - Located in downtown Akureyri, Hof Cultural Centre is at the heart of the northern Icelandic music and performing arts scene and provides visitor services across the entire north-east corner of the country. Architecturally, the circular building also provides one of the town’s landmarks. Inspired by the Icelandic igneous rocks, Hof Cultural Centre attracts tourists all year round.

Owned by the Municipality of Akureyri, and with operation of the Centre in the hands of Akureyri Culture Company, one of the key features is its new Martin Audio sound reinforcement upgrade in the main auditorium, provided by Reykjavik-based Atendi –the manufacturer’s territory distributor.

According to Atendi project manager, Gunnar Gunnarson, his company bid successfully on a public tender put out in December 2023 and were duly awarded the contract in Septe

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21 January 2025

France - UK-based tech provider SLX was awarded the tender for supplying broadcast lighting and rigging across a range of venues at the Paris Games this past summer, and chose Obsidian Netron data distribution devices as the backbone of its data management strategy.

“We needed a system that was rock solid and could keep us going in case of critical failure,” stated Russell Payne, managing director at SLX. “We were looking for something that we could use not only for the Games but something that could go into our business for the long run. Stability was important, but also availability and return on investment.”

While evaluating available signal distribution products, SLX technicians and engineers took some Netron devices to the SLX facility in Bristol for extensive testing. “We ran them through their paces, stressing them with large amounts

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21 January 2025

Singapore - Stage 4, a busy rental company based in Singapore, has joined the growing list of Singaporean rental companies to use Ayrton products, and is the first in Singapore to invest in Rivale Profiles.

The company explained its decision to add Rivale Profile to its stock. “We chose Rivale Profile for our inventory so that we can cater for the wide range of lifestyle and conference related events that we work on. We had been using other brands for around 15 years and we needed to replenish our moving heads.

“We had heard lots of positive news from the industry about Ayrton and also from many of the programmers in Singapore, and had seen the fixtures in action in venues. Initially we’d had a concern about the heat given off by the fixtures, but this was quickly dispelled when we were shown the excellent heat management system of these units,

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21 January 2025

Australia - The Unity high-performance power switching and dimming system from LSC Control Systems is delivering a secure and reliable solution to one of Australia’s leading performing arts centres, the Canberra Theatre Centre (CTC).

CTC’s technical director James Tighe explains: “Our previous system was at the end of its life, and we were seeing intermittent faults, which were becoming less intermittent. Random dimming curves, channels powering up without control, and an increasing number of failing modules meant we were no longer able to reliably support performances to the expected standard.”

The search for a dependable replacement was also driven by the need for a system capable of supporting and powering a range of moving, LED, and incandescent lighting fixtures. “The existing system wasn’t capable of hot-powering circuits,” contin

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21 January 2025

USA - Adamson Systems Engineering invites audio professionals, engineers, and enthusiasts to an exclusive demonstration event at NAMM 2025. This special showcase will unveil the VGt and VGs, the first offerings in Adamson’s Vergence Group, and is set to take place on 22 January at the City National Grove of Anaheim. Attendees will enjoy an immersive experience featuring Adamson’s latest advancements in audio technology.

The flagship VGt line array system and the VGs powered subwoofer represent ‘a leap forward in professional audio’. The VGt has already been featured on major world tours and festivals. The VGs powered subwoofer complements the VGt, delivering powerful low-frequency performance through a lightweight, portable design. Together, they form a fully integrated system powered by Adamson's proprietary ArrayIntelligence software, designed to s

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21 January 2025

Spain - Naostage will showcase the interactive future of AV technology at ISE 2025. In partnership with fellow French companies Groupe Novelty and XD motion – with which it is sharing its booth – as well as several other key industry partners, the tracking pioneer invites ISE attendees to discover the power of real-time tracking through an immersive media show, hands-on demonstrations, and live dance performances.

Stand 6L900 will centre on an impressive immersive showcase, featuring a 6m × 4m LED wall and 6m × 6m LED floor provided by Groupe Novelty (via its Spanish subsidiary, Novelty Spain). Leveraging Naostage’s tracking platform, K System, to create interactions between guests and the LED video content, a looped five-minute AV show will transform the space into an interactive celebration of the immersive potential offered by the combination of r

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21 January 2025

Spain - Hive is set to debut its most powerful media engine yet, the Beeblade Nexus, at ISE 2025. Alongside Nexus, Hive will unveil version 1.2 of its intuitive software, introduce the Nucleus chassis to European audiences, and headline the Panasonic Interactive Immersive Experience. Attendees can meet Hive’s leadership team and new members at stand 5E880 in Hall 5 to explore their innovations for live entertainment and fixed installations.

The Beeblade Nexus is the newest addition to Hive’s Beeblade family, delivering ‘exceptional performance’ in a compact, scalable SDM format. The Nexus introduces a daughter board system with optical fibre Ethernet interfaces, supporting 10, 25 and 100 Gigabit connectivity, enabling ultra-high bandwidth uncompressed streams via SMPTE 2110 and NDI. With an 8K60 2.1 HDMI output, Nexus quadruples the pixel count of it

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21 January 2025

Europe - Astera has announced Agata Birn as the company’s new head of sales. Agata Birn brings over 12 years of experience in international business development and distribution strategy. With a track record of handling motion picture equipment, including four years as international sales and business development manager at DoPchoice, Birn is positioned to help strengthen Astera’s international relationships and streamline the customer experience.

Chief sales officer Sebastian Bückle commented: “Agata’s extensive expertise and dynamic approach make her an outstanding addition to our team. Her leadership will undoubtedly help us serve the film and event communities.”

In her new role, Birn will oversee Astera’s global sales strategy, while delivering exceptional service to its existing partners, clients and customers. She will also focus o

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21 January 2025

UK - PRG UK has appointed Phil McMichael as UK sales & business development director, with Miles Hillyard promoted to commercial director as the company continues to focus on growth.

McMichael has over 20 years of experience in the event industry, working with high-profile clients and growing their accounts. As sales director at Blitz, he focused on corporate accounts and agencies including Boeing, Temenos and Karla Otto. He then co-formed JLLive that later merged with JLLighting and JLUSA to form JLGroup, where he worked with the likes of Pico+, 2Heads & Disney.

“I’m thrilled to take up my new role at PRG UK, forming part of the leadership team and supporting both our strategic development plans and growth ambitions across all sectors of the live event, sports, television, theatre and music industries,” says McMichael. “With a backgr

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21 January 2025

USA - Media server technology company tvONE has appointed Jonathan Begleiter to the position of director of sales North Central and South America, and Alex Jerome as director of marketing.

Begleiter is promoted to the director of sales (NCSA) following 13 years at tvONE, most recently as SE regional sales manager. He brings more than 35 years’ experience in the AV industry, working within successful distributors and manufacturers, and offers considerable commercial and residential integration experience.

“I have proven results attaining revenue in my SE regional roles and a track record of providing superior customer support,” says Begleiter, who is based in Florida. “I’ve showcased this through all aspects of the design and implementation of projects, working with integration channel partners, consultant specifiers, and in end user system

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21 January 2025

Cambridge Blues - One of the oldest and most prestigious folk festivals in England has been cancelled, for what would have been its 60th anniversary. Organisers of Cambridge Folk Festival said they would use the resources from this year's event to explore new opportunities ahead of its return in 2026.

The annual four-day folk and roots music festival, organised by Cambridge City Council, first began in 1965 and has been hosted on the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall. Labour councillor for the area, Robert Dryden, said the festival had lost money in 2024, but the cancellation came as a "big shock" that would "disappoint lots of people". The decision to cancel a folk festival in its 60th anniversary year has been described as "surprising" and "disappointing" by fans and musicians.

Singer-songwriter Fran Lusty, who played at the festival for the f