USA - Rocky Paulson will become the third recipient of the ESTA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award.
The award, which recognises individuals with ‘significant and sustained’ technical contributions to the entertainment industry over at least 25 years, will be presented at the conclusion of the New World Rigging Symposium at the Hyatt Regency Louisville at 5:15pm on 20 March.
After being discharged from the Navy and while in college, Paulson worked for the stagehands' union, rigging at the Cow Palace arena in San Francisco and other locations. In 1973, Rocky took a job with the NBC network as a production rigger for Peter Pan and toured the world with them for several years.
After returning to the Bay Area, he founded Stage Rigging in 1977. The company

Europe - The Litec RL76 double pitch roof is the new version of the RL105 double pitch roof. Designed for high-loading capacity and long spans, but with an eye on your budget, it's an attractive structure that adds a nice touch to your outdoor events, as well as providing increased resistance to high wind loads, says the company.
Scalable from 18m x 16m to 21m x 16m, and up to 15m in height, it’s designed for medium-sized outdoor events. Built with rectangular RL76A high load aluminium truss with steel fork connections, it provides high loading capacity on medium-long spans.
(Jim Evans)

UK - In recognition of the demand for high-performance reliable LED modules, Forge has introduced a custom module to do exactly that.
Forge has also recently developed a <10⁰ optic to suit the module, fulfilling that demand for a tight crisp beam pattern to complement the medium and wide offering. With Forge’s optic design and manufacturing capability, you can also create your own bespoke beam pattern and achieve specific light distribution. All of this is before you even consider your light CCT and CRI requirements - you really can put light where you want it, says the company.
(Jim Evans)

Europe - ISE 2019 saw the launch of the third system in the EM Acoustics’ HALO line array family, HALO-B. The move follows the introduction in early 2018 of the British company’s large format HALO-A arena system. As its name suggests, HALO-B sits between HALO-A and HALO-C in both physical size and overall system output, and as such is perhaps the most versatile system in the family.
Built on the same ‘maximum headroom’ design principles as HALO-A to ensure consistent performance across all SPL levels and consistent horizontal dispersion pattern across the operating frequency band, HALO-B is a two-way reflex-loaded line array element featuring dual 8” LF drivers and four 1” HF drive units.
Festivals, stadia, sports arenas, concert halls, theatres, houses of worship and corporate AV events are all candidates for HALO-B which is designed to be equally comfort

UK - Henley Town Hall, an imposing Grade II listed building, sits in the centre of the Oxfordshire market town and is administered by Henley-on-Thames Town Council. Whilst in regular use for council business, its principal spaces are also used for a variety of functions, from weddings, civil ceremonies and concerts to meetings, classes and trade fairs.
The venue’s arch-roofed, second-floor main hall is a highly reverberant space - in fact even by heritage listed building standards, the acoustics are challenging. Existing acoustic panelling in the hall had been supplemented with additional provision but its beneficial effects were still rather limited.
The audio system in situ was not only outdated and inadequate but constituted something of a black box eyesore amongst such opulent surroundings. Whilst it was of fundamental importance that the audio in the room was va

USA - When preparing for international stadium tours for two of the world’s top pop artists, touring company Eighth Day Sound worked with Wisycom to develop a solution for its wireless RF challenges.
Eighth Day Sound’s two most recent high-profile global tours turned to Wisycom’s MAT288 Matrix Combiner and MFL RF-Over-Fibre Antenna System to give sound engineers the tools necessary to cover the extensive wireless needs for these large projects.
For Eighth Day project manager Jordan Kolenc, creating an RF design that would provide maximum coverage for one such major stadium tour left him with a long list of concerns, and a need to pre-emptively find solutions. After much trial and error, Kolenc contacted Jim Dugan, president of Wisycom USA, who visited Eighth Day’s shop to demonstrate how Wisycom’s MAT288 combiner, along with its MFL antenna system, could pro

USA - Los Angeles-based Elation Professional’s home team Rams might not have come out victorious in Super Bowl LIII but the company was a winner nonetheless as its new Rayzor 760 LED wash/beam light played an integral role on the American football championship’s celebrated halftime show.
Held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and broadcast live on CBS, the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show featured a headline performance by Maroon 5, along with rappers Travis Scott and Big Boi. Production design was by Bruce Rodgers of Tribe with lighting design by Bob Barnhart of 22 Degrees for what is traditionally the most-watched musical event of the year in the USA.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show marked the live show debut of Elation’s Rayzor 760, a LED luminaire with seven 60W RGBW LEDs, five to 77° zoom, continuous pan and tilt, and new SparkLED technology.
Barnhart,

Australia - It isn’t often that an artist introduces a sound engineer to a new piece of audio equipment - usually it is the other way around. However, this is what happened when British-born singer/songwriter Leo Sayer discovered the benefits of DPA’s d:facto vocal microphone. As a result of his good experience, he introduced the kit to his long-term sound engineer and production manager Damien Young.
Now based in Australia, where he has lived since 2005, Leo Sayer began using d:facto vocal microphones during his last UK and European tour when they formed part of the audio itinerary supplied by Cliff Brothers. He was so impressed with their sound that on his return to Australia he asked Damien Young to source wireless d:facto mics for his forthcoming Australia and New Zealand tour dates. DPA’s local distributor Amber Technology was delighted to help and after demoing
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The Many Looks of Zeo

Delivering ultimate brightness and unique looks, Zeo’s distinct face design is defined by a central LED monolith and four reflectors, backed by four RGBW engines. As a blinder or strobe, Zeo promises powerful impact with 30,000+ lumens. With its sheer brilliance and playful effects, Zeo is ready to amplify the energy on any stage.

UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has announced it will be hosting a Seeing is Believing UK training and demonstration event on 6 March 2019, in partnership with video brands including NovaStar and Prolights.
Held at Production Park in Wakefield, technical experts from NovaStar and Prolights will provide hands-on product training focusing on the key features of NovaStar's LED display processing solutions, as well as advice on how to operate and specify them for different projects.
Attendees will get an insight into NovaStar's extensive product line-up that includes the Taurus multimedia player for smart display systems; the MCTRL660 PRO controller, which provides an ultra-low latency solution when paired with NovaStar's A8s and A10s receiving cards; and the InfoComm award-winning MCTRL4K controller, which utilises the latest HDR technology to show mor

Spain - French loudspeaker manufacturer APG has appointed Andalusian audio specialist Zero Dbs to support and promote its brand and products in Spain.
Zero Dbs has organised demo days on 13-14 February in collaboration with the APG team, taking place at the Priego de Cordoba Victoria Theatre, which was equipped with a Uniline Compact system at the end of 2018.
Juan Antonio Cuevas, technical director and owner of Zero Dbs, comments: “I have favoured the APG brand for a long time thanks to its sound and manufacturing quality, as well as its versatility. Their products offer features that I have not found with any other brands in the industry.”
He adds: “The Spanish market might not know the APG brand well yet, but I’m convinced regional companies and customers will soon be aware of its qualities. Whenever we have provided APG in the past, customers have b

UK - Unusual Rigging reports that its support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals has been recognised by Support the Goals.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the Global Goals, or SDGs is a plan to end poverty, extreme inequality and climate change by 2030. Agreed in 2015 by world leaders, these goals can only be achieved with the support of businesses.
Unusual Rigging has gained its first star rating; a maximum of four stars can be awarded as the company progresses and communicates its journey to support the goals.
Tom Harper, director at Unusual and head of sustainability, comments: "On face value, the goals laid out by the SDGs may feel too broad and interdependent, hence way beyond the scope of an entertainment rigging and engineering company's influence. Yet with headlines such as "Only 12 years to act on climate change" o

UK - Live event production educational facility Backstage Academy has announced the continuing support of long-term partner d&b audiotechnik.
The news was announced by d&b director Stephen Hogg and Miles Marsden, Backstage Academy’s industry partnerships director, who instigated the original agreement.
Marsden comments: “d&b has a long-term commitment to training; the company took the opportunity of being an early adopter here and is now one of a number of companies reaping a return on investment.”
Headline partners enable the Backstage team to work with current technology and equipment, in return gaining access to the Academy’s facilities, both for their commercial needs and as a part of the institution’s educational syllabus. These facilities range from immersive opportunities in Production Park, studio space and hot-desking. “Everyone

UK - Video solutions specialist Production AV will be on Stand I2E at the Event Production Show at London Olympia on 26 and 27 February to showcase the Agile Arc Lite PTZ camera integration solution from leading media server company disguise. Based in Cheltenham, Production AV has been at the forefront of AV innovation for 14 years. It is inviting visitors to get hands-on with the new disguise and Agile kit at the show.
In February, disguise launched the latest version of its award-winning software, used to design, sequence and control live shows and experiences. Version r15.2 now includes integrations with Agile Remote Cameras’ range of PTZ cameras, enabling live video feeds from the discreet PTZ cameras to be used as part of the visuals on impressive live events.
“We’re thrilled to demo just what disguise’s new Agile integration protocol can do in

Merging Venues - Venue operators AEG Facilities and SMG - which runs arenas in Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle - have announced a merger, creating a new company: ASM Global. The company will be based in Los Angeles and will operate more than 310 venues across five continents.
SMG Europe, a subsidiary of SMG, currently operates venues such as the Manchester Arena, the First Direct Arena in Leeds, and Utilita Arena in Newcastle. AEG Facilities is the venue management arm of AEG and will own 50% of the company, with the other half owned by Onex, the parent company of SMG.
SMG chief executive Wes Westley described the move as a “major step for our industry”. He adds: “We are excited to bring together these complementary businesses to further elevate the standard of excellence in venue management. We plan to accelerate innovation by combining our expertise to deliver

USA - Atlona has appointed Craig Childs as regional sales manager, TOLA, for the residential and commercial markets.
A certified technology specialist in professional AV technology, Childs will also manage relationships with regional partners that sell and install Atlona solutions. He will be based in Dallas and report to Bruce Moses, director of sales, western region.
“I look forward to capitalising on the success that Atlona has had in the TOLA region by developing new residential and commercial accounts, and providing excellent customer service to established customers,” says Childs. “I will leverage my extensive commercial AV sales experience to drive my ambitious sales goals, as well as the strong relationships I have built with corporations, universities, systems integrators, consultants, and others throughout the region. The common denominator is that thes

UK - Martin Audio reports that its recently announced series of Adorn on-wall loudspeakers is now shipping.
Adorn was launched at the recent Martin Audio Open Days, where global distributors noted the many application opportunities it offers, from retail to corporate.
Designed for distributed sound applications that require high performance from visually discreet enclosures, the Adorn series also provides a seamless sonic transition within a multi-zoned complex using larger Martin Audio systems such as CDD or BlacklineX.
Dom Harter, managing director, comments: “The commercial install market for loudspeakers is significant and growing, and the Adorn series is targeted to win over specifiers, system integrators and installers by offering stunning sound quality in a diminutive, attractive and competitively priced package.”
The newly-announced SX110 subw

USA - The Winter Jam Tour 360, Christian music’s largest annual tour, is out on the road with a lighting package supplied by Bandit Lites. This year’s line-up features Christian music’s top artists and speakers including Newsboys United, Mandisa, Danny Gokey, Rend Collective, Ledger, Newsong, Hollyn with special guest Adam Agee and speakers Greg Stier and Zane Black.
With multiple artists on the roster, production manager Jerry Holcomb and lighting designer Kurtis Wheat had to design a rig that would allow each performer distinct looks while still accounting for a line-up that ranges from a rock show, to a rap artist, followed by a speaker sharing the gospel.
“Lighting can often be a distraction to important moments, so I try to create a look that allows the speaker to be the focus, while still allowing the crew to change over the bands on the main stage,”

Pakistan - KYAF Corporation recently outfitted DHA Sports Club with a new complete Harman Professional Solutions sound system to provide an immersive audio experience on the field and in the stands.
Located in the heart of Karachi, DHA Sports Club is managed by renowned Pakistani cricketer Moin Khan. As part of the facility’s mission to provide a place for young Pakistani athletes to develop their talents in a supportive environment, DHA Sports Club hired KYAF Corporation to upgrade their sound system with modern audio solutions. After careful consideration, KYAF Corporation and DHA Sports Club selected a sound reinforcement system comprised of JBL Professional speakers, Crown amplifiers and AKG microphones.
“DHA Sports Club asked us to provide a high-quality audio system that would complement their beautiful sports facility and provide great coverage,” says Ahme

Australia - Formed in 2003, Parkway Drive are an Australian metalcore band from Byron Bay in New South Wales with an international following. The band’s Reverence tour in support of their sixth studio album kicked off in Canberra in October 2018 and employed 16 Ayrton Ghibli LED spots for the main beam fixtures.
Lighting provider for the Australian leg of the tour was New South Wales-based ei Productions who purchased the Ayrton Ghibli units just prior to the start of the tour. “This was a complex show with lots of lighting, moving staging and pyro flames, and it relied heavily upon the Ghiblis to provide much of the lighting’s punchy looks,” commented Neale Mace, managing director of ei Productions. “The fixtures were chosen by the band’s lighting designer, Steve Granville, after he heard we were looking at them, and I don’t think I’ve seen a light - especi

China - AG reports that 88 Verity Studios drones were chosen to feature in the CCTV New Year’s Gala. The CCTV (China Central Television) New Year’s Gala is one of the world’s most-watched TV programmes.
This event was broadcast live to an estimated one billion viewers across the globe. With 88 Lucie micro drones flying over performers in red Chinese lantern costumes, this is the largest number of costumed drones ever seen in a performance.
Sponsored by, a leading social media platform in Asia, the show opens to The Distance of Time, sung by popular singer Sun Nan and up-and-coming pop star Jason Zhang. As the song builds, 88 Lucie micro drones fly from the back of the stage like butterflies to dance above the 50 performers dressed as blossoming cherry trees.
“This stunning performance proves how compelling drones can be. More than just flying light

UK - Seventy four of Colour Sound Experiment’s AquaBeam moving lights, rigged on a 25.5m diameter circular truss supported by an eight-legged ground support system, were an integral part of Nest, an immersive lighting, sound and sensory installation experience.
Nest was imagined by artists Marshmallow Laser Feast, in Lloyd Park, Waltham Forest, as part of the Mayor of London’s first ever London Borough of Culture event Welcome to the Forest.
The lights were choreographed to run with a special ‘transcendental soundscape’ created by composer Erland Cooper, who compiled a series of ‘sonic murmurations’, working with over 1000 participants including local choirs, schools and musicians.
Matthew Button of Buttonlight was the lighting designer for this project, one of a carefully curated collection of works celebrating ‘Radicals, Make

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