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23 April 2025

UK - The Road to the Isles tour of the UK and Europe saw Fish bid farewell to the live arena. After a 45-year career during which he enjoyed a meteoric rise with prog-rock favourites Marillion, before an action-packed life as a solo artist, the fan-favourite hung up his microphone to retire to a croft in the Outer Hebrides. More than 30 shows in Europe late last year preceded this year’s 14-date UK tour which concluded with two sold-out shows in Glasgow.

Audio for The Road to the Isles was supplied by IPB Audio, with experienced engineer Ian Bond responsible for delivering the front-of-house and monitor sound for the eclectic and often intricate compositions performed by Fish and his band of seasoned professionals. From modest beginnings on small theatre tours in the 1990s, Bond has built a respected, in-demand rental company, servicing a

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23 April 2025

USA - As the lighting designer for the multi-platinum Grammy winners Diamond Rio, Willis Underhill has run his dynamic lightshows in a variety of venues from arenas and music halls to festivals. But it's doubtful that any have been quite like the site of his most recent setting when he lit the band's show at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.

First, there was the venue's size. The 19,000-capacity Frost Bank Centre, home of the San Antonio Spurs, is big by any measure. Like all massive spaces, it presents a challenge to any designer wanting to foster a sense of intimacy between the artist on stage and the audience. This is especially concerning when lighting a band like Diamond Rio that thrives on connecting to the crowd. Complicating matters even further in this case – the stage was in the centre of the rodeo floor and Underhill's FOH was two levels u

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23 April 2025

Slovenia - For the show that determined the Slovenian 2025 Eurovision entry, Crt Birsa from design studio Blackout fitted nearly 400 lighting fixtures into a 20 x 20m space in Studio 1 at the Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTVSLO) complex in Ljubljana.

A large proportion of these were Robe moving lights – with 54 MegaPointes, 54 Spiiders, 24 Pointes, 12 Fortes and 14 Tetra2s on the rig – all delivered by Slovenian rental company, Event Lighting.

Crt added these to all the fixtures that were available from RTV’s studio in-house rig, which also included two Robe BMFL Blades used as rear spotlights for the main artists.

Crt’s lighting design was developed in close collaboration with set designer Greta Godnic, an elegant diagonally orientated square LED stage – allowing it to change shape and texture – located in the middle of th

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23 April 2025

UK - Craig David is a prolific artist and 2024 was a sold-out year of global touring, arena venues, outdoor shows and DJ sets. 2025 sees a UK tour and many more shows across the world.

Mixing front-of-house is Paul Cooper, with Ash Wilkinson on monitors. Both are using DiGiCo Quantum consoles, supplied by UK rental and production company, Major Tom Audio Production. Choosing a Quantum 852 for front-of-house and Quantum 7 for monitors has given the production total flexibility. Whatever shape the show takes, the team can count on the scalability, reliability and customisation that DiGiCo delivers.

Wilkinson has worked with Craig David since 2013. For him, choosing DiGiCo is all about flexibility. Working with an artist who is performing across a wide range of venues, and with a such varied set list, means specifying a DiGiCo guarantees he can cope wit

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23 April 2025

UK - In anticipation of a busy summer festival season, Martin Audio partners dBS Solutions has invested further in the Wavefront Precision line array series with the largest format speaker – the WPL – taking its total WP box count to an impressive 136.

The company had already increased its stock of Martin Audio’s compatible iK42 multichannel DSP amplifiers, enabling them to reconfigure larger racks for greater efficiency and faster load-ins – all in preparation for a busy outdoor schedule.

Explaining the underlying reason for the step up, managing director Chris Bogg said that having enjoyed two successful seasons with WPC, this year it was pre-booked on a summer tour. “This left us with a bit of a shortfall, so it was a question of whether we invested further in WPC or look at the larger box and prepare ourselves for our future.”

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23 April 2025

USA - The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills is famed for its blend of classic British elegance and modern Californian style. The hotel offers a range of upscale amenities, from its Boxwood restaurant to its exclusive rooftop pool. However, the crown jewel of this property is its West End Rooftop, a sprawling 107ft by 40ft open-air space that serves as a prime venue for high-profile events, weddings, and corporate functions.

Framed by a glass wall showcasing sweeping ocean views from Long Beach to the Malibu peninsula, the rooftop terrace is illuminated by spectacular sunsets and is a favourite among guests seeking a one-of-a-kind experience. However, alongside the picturesque appeal and vibrant atmosphere, event sound frequently spilled beyond the property, creating friction with nearby residents and leading to repeated noise complaints. To address thes

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23 April 2025

USA - When experienced theatre LD Jared Sayeg started planning the design for Topdog/Underdog – Suzan Lori-Parks’ darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identity at the Pasadena Playhouse – he recognised the importance of having fixtures that “could truly accommodate both slow smooth fades and sharp shuttering as well as big strokes of light that engulf the playing space.”

It was a blend of warm and cool in constant contrast to one another, he explains: “Emulating both a tungsten quality inside, and the ability to pierce through the space with sharp cold light from the outside were key elements to the design.” Helping him achieve his goals were GLP impression X5 IP Bars.

This was Sayeg’s 20th production at the Playhouse, and a primary consideration – especially relevant to proscenium-based venues – was to control

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23 April 2025

USA - The Phoenix Raceway hosted the Relentless Beats' Decadence Festival with one of the two main stages named the Royal Ballroom, since people danced their hearts out in this spectacularly lit space to EDM, house and techno heavies like Wooli, Eptic b2b Space Laces, and Svdden Death.

Every fan who crowded into this dynamic space couldn't help but feel like a part of this ‘ball’ thanks to an immersive lighting design by Luis Torres. Working with the teams at Relentless Beats and Kelco, which handled all the production management for the show, Torres pulled the entire area, as well as the 96ft wide by 44ft deep stage, into an embracive sea of bold monochromatic colours accented by stark white light.

Torres, of HiLite Designs, relied on 48 Rogue R3 Beams and 24 Strike Array 2 blinders from Chauvet Professional (supplied by Hardwired Produ

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22 April 2025

USA/Europe - Clair Global is expanding its global footprint by welcoming the Ampco Flashlight Group to the team. This partnership strengthens Clair's European presence and “enhances both companies' ability to deliver seamless, high-calibre experiences worldwide”.

Ampco Flashlight Group with its sister companies have been an established name in professional audio, lighting, rigging and motion for decades. The team delivers high-profile projects in live entertainment, theatre, broadcast, and events – both in the Netherlands and internationally. That focus remains unchanged. Clients will continue to work with the same people, receive the same level of service, and rely on the same name – now with the added strength of expanded access to key resources, technology, and expertise in more locations worldwide.

"This feels like a very natural step," s

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22 April 2025

UAE - Powersoft is expanding its distributor network by welcoming Thomsun Trading Establishment (TTE) as its newest distributor in the GCC market, excluding Saudi Arabia. The appointment will solidify Powersoft’s footprint in the region, bringing its audio solutions to a wider audience across the GCC market.

Established in 1990, TTE has become a leading name in the musical and pro AV industry in the UAE. The company offers a diverse range of products and services tailored to meet the needs of musicians, bands, hospitality industry, as well as commercial projects. Powersoft is the latest addition to the company’s portfolio, which also includes Yamaha, Nexo, Unilumin and Univox.

“We came across Powersoft while researching innovative amplification solutions to enhance our product offerings,” says Bijo Kuruvila, Thomsun Trading’s sales manager.

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22 April 2025

Saudi Arabia - 1 Sound is partnering with 7Hertz to bring 1 Sound to the GCC, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Lebanon. 7Hertz will be debuting 1 Sound and its loudspeakers this May at the Saudi Light & Sound (SLS) exhibition 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"At 7Hertz, our commitment to serving clients at the highest level drives us to seek out the best solutions,” states Joe Khadra, CEO of 7Hertz. “We see immense potential for 1 Sound in the region, where scalability and flexibility are key across most projects. Our goal is to equip our partners with top-tier technology that elevates the end-user experience.

“Introducing 1 Sound to the Middle East market is a point of pride for us, as we deeply understand its needs. With its exceptional audio quality and innovat

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22 April 2025

USA - The sci-fi adventure The Electric State, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, premiered on Netflix in March, with lighting technology from Elation playing a key behind-the-scenes role.

Lighting console programmer Eric ‘TK’ Androvich skilfully integrated Elation Fuze Max Profile and Proteus Maximus moving heads to help shape the film’s distinctive visual style.

Set in an alternate 1990s where robots have staged an uprising against humans, filming took place across various indoor sets and soundstages at Trilith and Shadowbox Studios, and on location around Atlanta, Georgia – often in the region’s characteristically wet and unpredictable winter weather. Fuze Max Profiles were used indoors, and IP65-rated Proteus Maximus fixtures were employed outdoors.

“The Fuze Max Profiles are a fantastic choice for film and TV,” sta

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22 April 2025

Japan - Brompton Technology has announced its pivotal role in powering the impressive LED displays at Expo 2025 Osaka, which officially opened on 13 April in Yumeshima, Osaka Bay. The company’s advanced Tessera LED processors are being used to power AOTO and INFiLED LED screens across multiple key pavilions, including the Japan Pavilion, the Indonesian Pavilion, and the Immersive Entertainment Zone, delivering image quality and reliability for this 184-day global event.

With more than 150 countries and regions participating, and a focus on the theme Designing Future Society for Our Lives, Expo 2025 showcases a vision of our future, forged through technological innovation, cultural exchange, and global partnership. At the heart of the event’s impressive displays are Brompton's Tessera SX40 processors and XD data distribution units, configured spe

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22 April 2025

UK - SpotTrack, the specialist software tool for making, modifying and maintaining followspot cue sheets, continues to support shows of all scales around the world – including a number of award-nominated and award-winning designs.

On the all-new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, which opened at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in London, assistant lighting designer Danny Vavrečka put SpotTrack to use managing the intricate followspot track that formed a key part of Howard Hudson’s design. This saw two human operators run four Robe Forte followspots remotely using Robe’s RoboSpot controllers, alongside other moving lights controlled via Zactrack. Starlight’s lighting was nominated for the 2025 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Design and won the same category at this year’s WhatsOnStage aw

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22 April 2025

UK - The pace of technical advances in the AV industry means that venues often don’t need entirely new systems to upgrade their audio performance. Sometimes an incremental improvement to the electronics will provide a significant boost to the audio capabilities. This is the case at Celtic Park in Glasgow, the home of Celtic Football Club, which has recently upgraded the electronics for its main PA to an all Dynacord signal chain. 

The 60,000-seat stadium had a full audio refit in 2017 to enhance the audio coverage in the main bowl. This saw the installation of Electro-Voice EVH and EVF loudspeakers driven and processed by Electro-Voice CPS amplifiers and NetMax digital matrix controllers. While the system still performed well, technology has moved on in the last eight years, and there were significant advantages that the stadium could gain in efficiency a

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22 April 2025

South Africa - DWR Distribution recently hosted Oliver Ronshausen, service manager at MA Lighting in Germany, for a special in-house technical training session in South Africa. Ronshausen shared his expert knowledge with the DWR technical team, covering grandMA3 technical hardware and offering detailed insights into the zactrack system.

DWR Distribution staff regularly receive training so they in turn can always provide up-to-date support to clients when needed. Technicians from DWR’s Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban branches were invited to attend this session.

“I recently came to South Africa to help DWR’s technicians get up to speed with the latest MA Lighting service knowledge, so they can react quickly when a console needs repair,” said Ronshausen. “The goal was to show them how the grandMA3 and electronics work on the inside, then

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22 April 2025

Germany - In the heart of Berlin's Mitte district, Monsieur Vuong is a thriving family-run restaurant that has brought authentic Vietnamese cuisine to the German capital. Run by brothers Dat and Tan Vuong, along with family friend Andreas Bodenstein, Monsieur Vuong serves fresh, shareable Vietnamese dishes in a lively, communal setting that is popular with Berliners.

To further enhance this convivial atmosphere, the management team recently decided to upgrade the restaurant’s sound system – and for this they turned to Genelec, a brand they were already familiar with. 

“I used to work in the film industry, where Genelec was the de facto standard in audio post-production. In my view, the simplicity and sound quality of Genelec loudspeakers is unparalleled,” Bodenstein explains. “I wanted the restaurant to benefit from that same exceptional s

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22 April 2025

Europe - Robe enjoyed an ‘excellent and super-active’ Prolight+Sound expo in Frankfurt, exhibiting alongside its five core businesses – Robe, Avolites, Anolis, LSC Systems and Artistic Licence – in a ‘Robe Village’ area that was constantly busy throughout the four-day trade show.

Many attractions drew visitors to the Robe booth including the final performances of The Fifth Dimension, Robe’s 2024-25 live expo show concept – together with two new product launches, the T31 Cyc and T31 Cyc Slim, half-length versions of Robe’s existing T32 Cyc and T32 Cyc Slim range.

A host of other just-launched Robe technologies stood out prominently on the stand and its two public demo areas, including the retina-burning WTF! moving strobe-wash, the new LedPointe – the first LED version of Robe’s famous and best-selling Pointe family of p

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22 April 2025

USA - Harman Professional Solutions was recently awarded the Joint Interoperability Testing Command (JITC) certification and listing on the US Department of Defense Information Network (DoDIN) Approved Products List (APL), for 19 more Harman products. The certified products include AMX N2600 AVoIP encoders and decoders, the N4321D audio transceiver, MUSE Automation Controllers, Varia Touch Panels, CE I/O extenders, and the UVC1-4K HDMI to USB capture device.

JITC certification is a crucial requirement for technology solutions used in US government facilities. This recent certification further ensures that Harman’s products meet strict security standards and can seamlessly integrate with other systems used by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The certification process includes a thorough evaluation of a product's security features, performance, and inte

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22 April 2025

South Africa - DWR Distribution has welcomed Werner Nieman to its team. With a strong background in both the retail distribution space and houses of worship, Werner joins DWR as an audio-visual sales consultant while still being able to support clients with comprehensive audio, video, and lighting solutions.

Before joining DWR, Werner spent over two years as operations manager at Mosaïek Church, where he led both the technical and facilities teams overseeing both the church’s technical needs and its event company, Mosaïek Lifestyle where various events were hosted from live TV shows like Idols to high-profile local and international. He also worked for many years on a volunteer basis for Word and Life Church in Boksburg.

Over the course of his career in retail, he has taken on key industry roles including training manager, techn