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15 July 2025

Italy - Cesare Cremonini, one of Italy’s most prominent artists, with a solo career spanning more than 20 years, is currently on tour with a lighting design featuring Ayrton Mamba and Cobra laser-sourced lighting fixtures.

The Cremonini LIVE25 tour comprises 13 sold-out shows in some of Italy’s largest stadiums, with multiple dates across cities including Rome, Milan, Bologna and Bari.

Mamo Pozzoli, the tour’s lighting designer and a long-time Cesare collaborator, created a powerful and innovative lighting plot characterised by multiple moving circular structures and a strong focus on graphic fixtures.

Set within this vast design, dominated by a massive ultra-wide LED wall, Mamo carefully selected and positioned a number of high-performance beam units, namely 16 Ayrton Mamba and 48 Ayrton Cobra fixtures, all of which are situat

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15 July 2025

Singapore - Martin Professional’s MAC Viper XIP lighting fixtures made their debut theatrical performance at this year’s Shakespeare in the Park Singapore, bringing a bold and atmospheric visual dimension to the critically acclaimed production of Macbeth. Held under the stars at Fort Canning Green, the event marked a milestone in outdoor theatrical lighting with the debut of Martin’s weatherproof moving head fixtures in a major Southeast Asian theatrical production.

Presented by Singapore Repertory Theatre, Macbeth ran more than 20 performances between 7 May and 1 June, 2025. The production drew thousands of attendees over its run, reaffirming Shakespeare in the Park’s status as a cultural highlight in Singapore’s arts calendar.

This isn’t Martin’s first foray into Shakespeare in the Park. In

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15 July 2025

Brazil - Companhia de Luz is a busy rental and production company based in Rio de Janeiro, which is headed by lighting designer / DoP Arthur Farinon and this year is celebrating its 40th year since being founded by Arthur’s father, Juarez, in 1985.

The company has invested steadily in Robe moving lights for some years, starting with LEDWash 600s over 10 years ago, which they needed at the time to service both live and television projects, and these have since been added to with LEDWash 1200s, LEDBeam 150s, Pointes, BMFLS, RoboSpots, and most recently, iFortes.

Arthur explained that they are “big fans” of Robe and now have nearly 400 Robe products in rental stock, which are in constant use. They are utilised on Arthur’s own design projects plus numerous others that Companhia de Luz services as a premium quality rental partner.

Juarez F

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15 July 2025

UK - Venue Cymru, North Wales’ largest and most versatile performance venue, has completed a transformative upgrade to its lighting infrastructure, partnering with White Light, a d&b solutions company, to deliver a future-ready, energy-efficient solution that meets the demands of modern touring productions, local performances, and broadcast events alike.

The project, part one funded by Arts Council Wales, and part two funded by the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns initiative, marks a significant step forward for the council-run venue, which hosts everything from West End touring shows and opera to conferences and TV recordings.

With original fixtures dating back to the venue’s opening in 1994, the need for a modern, flexible lighting system was clear. “We’re a multi-purpose venue with a very busy programme,” comments Steve Cridge

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15 July 2025

Norway - Perched atop the historic Folketeater Building in Oslo, Byens Tak is an event space that offers stunning panoramic views of the cityscape, fjords, and surrounding forests. Once known as Stratos, this 12th-floor venue has long been a hub for cultural and social gatherings.

When Rodeo Architects took over the space, they envisioned a venue that blended modern functionality with its rich historical character. To achieve this, they needed a dynamic audio solution that could deliver quality sound while preserving the venue’s aesthetic integrity. That’s where Renkus-Heinz came in.

Byens Tak is a versatile space, hosting everything from corporate events and conferences to concerts, club nights, and private celebrations. The venue’s architectural heritage presented a set of challenges for audio installation. With its long, narrow layout and in

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15 July 2025

UK - As the first higher education facility in the UK to bring an esports broadcast course to market, the University of Staffordshire offers students professional-level training in state-of-the-art facilities.

The spaces provided to students at the University’s Stoke-on-Trent campus include a 60-seater esports arena, two broadcast galleries and well-equipped studio. Created as part of a recent multi-million pound expansion project, the facility can be run in parallel (with one gallery linked to the arena and the other to the studio), or as one large production suite.

Digital Garage (UK integrator and supplier) partnered with Audio-Technica on the audio components of the esports broadcast facilities. This was delivered via network solutions, including eight channels of Audio-Technica 3000 Series Digital wireless and two Allen & Heath Avantis dig

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15 July 2025

UK - Ian Livie Lighting, the Birmingham-based lighting rental company with over four decades of industry experience, has made a substantial investment in Martin's new MAC Aura Raven XIP fixtures, from exclusive UK distributor, Live Technology. The investment, the first rental inventory of Ravens in stock in the UK, marks a strategic shift for the company with its investment in future-proof technology.

Founded by Ian Livie in the 1980s, the company began as a small operation selling DJ lighting equipment. Over the years, the company evolved from a one-man-and-van operation into a respected rental house, working with major touring artists including Joe Bonamassa, Missy Elliott, and Robert Plant, as well as providing lighting for architectural projects and festivals across the UK.

The company's journey through the industry's evolution has given Livie in

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15 July 2025

UK - Martin Audio’s Blackline Series of affordable professional loudspeakers has been available for over 25 years.

BlacklineQ provides ‘a comprehensive reimagining’ of this series. The nine-strong product range comprises improved passive two-way point source loudspeakers, all-new column speakers and a suite of subwoofers. The entire series features intelligent design details, making it equally at home in portable or install applications, such as portable sound reinforcement for live sound, theatre, DJs and corporate events; unobtrusive stage monitoring; and permanent installation in clubs, hospitality venues, conference rooms and houses of worship.

In sync with Martin Audio’s design philosophy, BlacklineQ extolls the virtue of meticulous driver design to deliver improved coverage, consistency and control. For the first time in its class, both

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15 July 2025

UK - Celestion has introduced the Truvox 1225, a new 12-inch mid-bass driver offering ‘exceptional performance at a highly competitive price point’.

Designed for two- and three-way sound reinforcement systems, the Truvox 1225 is available through retailers, making it an option for DIY builders or as a drop-in replacement/upgrade to rejuvenate overworked PA set-ups, by restoring the energy, richness and emotional impact of the mid-bass-frequency domain. The driver will also be available as standard to manufacturers, direct from Celestion, in OEM quantities.

With a continuous power handling of 600 watts and a rated, high-sensitivity efficiency of 96dB, the Truvox 1225 will provide "years of unwavering service in high-powered full-range systems in small or medium-sized venues".

Several aspects of the Truvox 1225’s construction contribute t

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15 July 2025

Sponsorship - A ban on sponsors with links to fossil fuels could put "incredibly important organisations" in danger, the parliamentary under-secretary for energy has warned. During a government debate about a proposed tobacco-style ban on adverts and sponsors with links to fossil fuels, another minister claimed that environmental activists forcing corporate sponsors to withdraw their support from cultural events was "madness" in a landscape where funding is sparse.

Other MPs, however, demanded that the government show courage by banning the practice, with many labelling it an urgent issue of public health. The debate was brought to parliament by a petition that calls for a tobacco-style ban on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship, which has gained more than 110,000 signatures to date. Proposing it to the government, Liberal Democrat MP Roz Savage said tha

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14 July 2025

World - The latest issue of LSi is out now, and can be read online for free here.

‘90s music has seen a resurgence in popularity of late. Just look at the current Oasis reunion tour, and high-charting new albums by the likes of Pulp, Suede and more. Another ‘90s heavyweight enjoying the limelight once more is this month’s cover star, Robbie Williams. Currently on this road with the Britpop Tour, Robbie’s energetic, ambitious show features a giant, articulated rocket structure – and a complex lighting and sound set-up. Phil Ward catches up with the crew for his report.

Also inside, Ian Cullen gets the production scoop on The Great Gatsby, and we bring you a r

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14 July 2025

China - Rightway Audio Consultants (RAC) has been appointed Optocore distributor for China, Hong Kong and Macau. This marks a strategic elevation of the existing reseller partnership between the two companies, which has flourished for a number of years.

“It was a mutual decision to deepen cooperation, which aligns with the long-term mutual benefits sought by both parties,” stated marketing director, Nan Hu. “This will create broader synergies in the future.”

Hong Kong-based RAC has immediately set up a programme of Optocore demos and training for its customers and partners. However, it has long been familiar with the German fibre company’s tech as Eric Liew, RAC’s product director, explains: “We have successfully deployed Optocore in large-scale projects in the past, such as the Tianjin Grand Theatre – as far back as 2018/2019.”

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14 July 2025

USA - Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) played a critical behind-the-scenes role in the grand opening of Universal Orlando Resort’s Epic Universe. The massive, multi-day media event included coverage from NBC’s The Today Show, Access Hollywood, Telemundo’s Hoy Día, livestreams, influencer content and an array of international news outlets, which all relied on PWS’ expertise to stay connected and interference-free.

The newly opened Universal Epic Universe is the most ambitious theme park project in Universal’s history. Spanning over 750 acres, the park introduces entirely new lands, attractions and immersive experiences based on franchises such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, Dark Universe and Celestial Park. Universal’s Epic Universe, which

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14 July 2025

Belgium - 24 of ADJ’s high-output Vizi Beam CMY moving head fixtures took centre stage at the Stamp Outdoor Festival in Hoogstraten in early May, bringing sharp beams, saturated colour, and mind-blowing movement to the open-air dance event.

Rental and production company EQS Pro-Rent supplied and installed the lighting setup, specifically investing in the Vizi Beam CMY units to ensure the festival's lighting design would stand out.

Stamp Outdoor took place back in May and is known for its vibrant atmosphere and strong lineup of electronic music artists. For its 2025 edition, the festival welcomed a crowd of thousands for a high-energy weekend celebration of music and culture. To match the intensity and scale of the event, EQS Pro-Rent selected the Vizi Beam CMY for its immense output, lightning-fast pan/tilt movement, and the creat

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14 July 2025

USA - For the recent US leg of Coheed and Cambria's 2025 tour, lighting designer Ben Jarrett of Squeek Lights crafted a visual feast using Elation’s award-winning Paragon moving head as his primary spot fixture.

The Paragon M played a central role in shaping the visuals while supporting the band’s Amory Wars narrative, including the dramatic lighting of a full-sized inflatable character on stage. New Jersey-based Squeek Lights, a one-stop shop for stage lighting in the area, provided all lighting, video, and rigging for the tour.

The co-headlining tour with Mastodon, which ran from early May to 8 June, showcased 34 Paragon M fixtures – 24 mounted in two striking three-stick chevron truss arrays over the stage, and 10 on the downstage truss for frontlight.

“They’ve been amazing,” said LD Jarrett, who fulfilled a number of

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14 July 2025

USA - PK Sound, the robotic line array company, has advanced its longstanding partnership with Moonlight Productions, a production technologies provider based in Montana. Moonlight recently expanded its inventory of PK’s robotic line source technology with an investment in a new T8 compact line array system and complementary T18 intelligent subwoofers.

“PK Sound’s variable robotic coverage control remains an impressive and highly beneficial technology for our work,” says Moonlight co-founder Greg Ostrander. “Our rigging time decreases significantly when flying the arrays, and the ease of adjusting vertical and horizontal dispersion angles in real-time is absolutely key to the diverse list of applications and venues we handle. It’s also just a showstopper when clients see it in action for the first time, not to mention the high-fidelity audio and

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14 July 2025

UK - When Jake Staff began crafting custom looms and fly racks from his spare bedroom, he couldn’t have predicted the scale SA Touring would one day reach. Now operating from a dedicated workshop in Norwich, it serves clients across the UK including artists like Ella Eyre and Mae Muller, with Van Damme at the heart of its operation.

“Everything we use has to be the best - from the cables to the heat shrink,” says Staff, now managing director of SA Touring. “Van Damme is just the best on the market - it has a good aura in the industry. It doesn’t melt, it doesn’t shrink back - it’s reliable and consistent. Even the guys in the workshop can tell the difference.”

SA Touring became a limited company in 2022, after years of informal growth that started just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit. As the demand for custom cabling continued to grow, S

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14 July 2025

UK - Digital signage and integrated solutions specialist, Scala, has opened its new 142m² showroom in Central London, UK. Located a short walk from Angel underground station, the showroom will serve as a hub for technology demonstrations, partner meetings, and educational initiatives all supporting Scala’s presence in the UK and across the wider European market. The Scala London showroom was officially opened on the evening of the 9 July with a party attended by key integration partners.

“Scala technology can be found across London; in landmarks as well as transport hubs, banks and high-end retailers, so it feels fitting and tremendous to be opening a dedicated showroom in the capital,” said Harry Horn, general manager EMEA, Scala. “This is a dedicated space where we can share our latest solutions and collaborate with our partners as we wo

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14 July 2025

UK - Solstice AV senior account manager, Tanita Russell, will be swapping the comfort of her office chair and computer later this month, by taking on one of the UK's most gruelling 50km ultra marathons as she helps to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Society.

Tanita, who joined Solstice AV – an international distributor of professional audiovisual solutions – in 2023, and a member of the AV community since 2012, has signed up for the now annual Boudicca Way 50km Ultra Marathon on 19 July, running through historic Norfolk villages and countryside, between Diss and Norwich.

“Alzheimer's is a profound challenge that touches us all,” explained Tanita ahead of her challenge. “It takes away not just individuals, but the cherished memories they have previously held so dear. Every step I take is not just for me, but for those affected by dementia.

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14 July 2025

The Netherlands - PPDS has announced the latest addition to its growing EMEA technical sales support team with the appointment of Fredrik Lundqvist as technical manager for the Nordic and Baltic regions.

Based in Stockholm and reporting to Jan Van Tieghem (director technical sales support, EMEA), Fredrik offers a broad spectrum of specialist technical skills and industry knowledge – global and local – to PPDS’ flourishing Nordics region. Previous roles include sales manager for hospitality, marketing manager for B2B, technical engineer for B2B, SmartTV manager for B2C, among others.

Fredrik will work closely with Jan in supporting pre- and post-sales activities in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden.

Discussing his new role, Fredrik commented: “I am proud and excited to have joined the PPDS team a