Europe - Showlight reminds you that there is still time to submit your suggestions for papers for the Showlight quadrennial next May. Showlight takes place from 20-23 May 2023 in Fontainebleau, France, and its papers committee is engaged in the process of considering and selecting topics for the papers programme. Says Showlight, “We are looking for the latest news on lighting projects and technology in our second call for papers focusing on recent projects. Have you worked on an incredible installation or a fantastic festival this summer? Has your project achieved its peak? Did your event engage the latest technology? Did your broadcast bowl its audience over? “We want to hear from you! We aim for variety across topics relevant to all aspects of the lighting industry today. We want to hear about your experiences, your ambitions, your inspirations, your concer
USA - Most of us know someone who is affected by substance use and abuse. This can include concerns about our own use – or the usage of a co-worker, family member or friend. Join Behind the Scenes for an online webinar as they introduce new resources for recognizing and discussing substance use and abuse in the workplace and beyond. Members of the BTS task group introduce these new tools and share personal experiences in this concise online event. Advance registration is required to receive the link to the webinar. Substance use and abuse in the workplace affects everyone in our industry. Learn more about recognizing the signs and how to help yourself or a colleague. Taking just one hour to learn more can save lives by allowing you to say the right thing – or point someone to the right resources. In a 2019 survey of entertainment industry workers, over 40% of resp
UK - Architectural and entertainment LED lighting brand Anolis enjoyed a busy and successful PLASA Show in the Grand Hall of Olympia London earlier this month, where Anolis showed its new Calumma product series for the first time at a UK expo, also highlighting its Eminere and Ambiane products. Being located on Stand E15, right at the entrance to the busy Robe lighting booth, proved a prominent and highly visible position, ideal for getting attention from those who amassed to watch the daily Robe live performance shows, and also easy for its own visitors to find. Anolis’s business development manager for London and the South East, Ashley Popple commented, “The show generally was very good, and the Calumma range in particular received lots of interest, with some people specifically coming to see it. They were impressed with the features and benefits of Calumma, and
USA - ACT Entertainment, manufacturer and distributor of live performance equipment, has acquired Ultimate Support Systems, manufacturer of support solutions widely used throughout the music and live performance industries. The official announcement was made in Windsor, Colorado at the home office of Ultimate Support Systems on 15 September. “We are very excited to add the Ultimate Support Systems product line and their team to the ACT Entertainment family,” says Ben Saltzman, CEO of ACT Entertainment. “Like ACT, Ultimate has a passion for innovation at its core. The ability to design, develop and engineer state-of-the-art products while providing value and quality is unique in the category. The more I got to know Mike and the amazing team at Ultimate, the more excited I became at the opportunity to work together.” By purchasing Ultimate Support Systems, ACT no
Spain - Elation Professional has announced that AdagioPRO, a division of Holmusic, has been appointed the exclusive distributor for Elation Professional products in Spain. The distribution partnership goes into immediate effect and covers the distribution of Elation Lighting, Obsidian Control Systems and Magmatic atmospheric effects products. Holmusic is a family-run business with more than 50 years of experience distributing musical instruments and professional audio and lighting systems in Spain and other European countries. AdagioPRO serves as Holmusic’s professional sound and lighting division and distributes professional stage lighting systems to a broad range of market sectors including concerts, rental, touring, installations and broadcasting. The lighting division is based at the Holmusic Group corporate headquarters and warehouse facility in Barcelona. Aft
Europe - PlugFest, the technical event for entertainment lighting interoperability, returns to Lille in France from 7-9 March 2023. The popular event welcomes manufacturers, developers and technicians from across Europe to test their products and learn about the latest protocols. PlugFest is an opportunity for participants to collectively test and demonstrate device and system interoperability with the aim of improving reliability, resolving compatibility issues and ultimately improving connectivity between all entertainment lighting and related technologies. The event’s hosts, Hamish Dumbreck (JESE), Peter Willis (Howard Eaton Lighting) and Wayne Howell (Artistic Licence) are experts in entertainment lighting control protocols. They will host a full educational programme, diving deep into interoperability challenges affecting the live events industry. Plus, they wi
Germany - Around 100 guests, including a large number of distribution partners from all over the world as well as business friends, network partners and suppliers from the region, came together to congratulate the founder of Pan Acoustics, Udo Borgmann and his team. Well-known presenters, including guest speakers from the manufacturers Audinate, AFMG and Mundorf, informed the interested professional audience about current trends in AV technology. In practical presentations, audio engineers and acoustic consultants passed on valuable know-how to the audience on topics such as sound design or sound reinforcement solutions for challenging acoustic environments. The seminar programme climaxed in a string concert during an impressive demonstration of the ACS Acoustic Control System installed on site, for electronic adjustment of room acoustics. "In order to successfully ex
South Africa - ArKaos, the real-time visual processing technology provider for live performance, architectural installations, LED applications and broadcast, has appointed DWR Distribution as a reseller in the South African market. In October 2020, InMusic announced the acquisition of ArKaos - a company founded in 1996 - and has continued to focus on engineering advancements, design and technology. With an emphasis on customer expectations, DWR Distribution’s appointment includes sales, service and support. After 20 years, the ArKaos development team consists of the same people. “When ArKaos changed management, it opened the doors for communication, and we are very excited to reinstate DWR as the official distributor in South Africa, said Nils de Laeter, brand manager at ArKaos. “DWR is a strong and well-respected distributor, is familiar with our products, and w
UK/USA - This month, Theatre Projects celebrates 65 years in business. All month long, Theatre Projects will be sharing memories on social channels and inviting followers to contribute their own stories and photos via an online memory book. Now an international mainstay in performance design, Theatre Projects came from much humbler origins. The firm began as a lighting rental company in late-‘50s London. Richard Pilbrow and Bryan Kendall started the company by buying up a small bundle of lighting stock for £150, a loan from Richard’s father. Over time, seating and space design, stage and rigging design, AV system design, strategic planning, and other services became part of the Theatre Projects scope, and today the six global offices are all composed of multiple, dynamic teams that love to engage with almost any venue-related issue. “In the last 65 years, we hav
USA/Europe - Avnu Alliance has announced expansion of its time sensitive networking (TSN) Test Tool programme by opening the test tool ecosystem to new vendors. As part of this expansion, third party vendor test tools can be verified and validated through Avnu’s rigorous process, which is designed and maintained by experienced certification management professionals and TSN subject matter experts to ensure that it meets the interoperability standards of Avnu’s Global Certification Programme. During the eighth annual TSN/A Conference, which takes place September 28-29, 2022, in Stuttgart, Germany, Avnu will host demonstrations in its booth of wired and wireless TSN tests for 802.1AS and 802.1Qbv based on test plans from the Avnu Express Testing Suite. These tests will be run on both the Avnu Express Test Tool and Keysight’s new TSN Test Tool, which has now met the requi
UK - Data Strategy welcomed the many conversations from new and returning customers at this year’s PLASA Show where the company demonstrated the QC-Check workstation, as well as some of the QC-Check’s most popular add-on modules, including VeriCal, Power-Check LOLER inspection and SimplyPATS integration software. Data Strategy MD, Iain Roche, commented, “What really stood out this year was the number of enquiries about cable and RCD testing with the assumption that the provision of electrical (PAT) testing was a given. The knowledge that a simple solution exists to the time-consuming and impractical task of RCD inspections and cable testing has really captured the imagination of temporary power suppliers, in addition to production rental houses. The stand was consistently busy, QC-Check received a great deal of interest as ever and we had many high-quality conversation
UK - On Saturday 3 September, a team of entertainment technology industry professionals cycled from SFL in Reading to the Royal Albert Hall in time for PLASA Show in London. The annual BikeFest event raises money for industry charities, while nurturing cross-industry camaraderie in a fun and challenging way. PLASA’s managing director Peter Heath, comments, “BikeFest is all about the people in our industry, many of which have suffered terribly over the last couple of years – but who are still absolutely committed to the entertainment technology industry. Through BikeFest, we not only raise funds for an increasingly important cause, we build bridges across the industry, which in turn strengthen the entire live sector.” A team of approximately 20 cyclists braved the journey this time, representing some of the biggest names in the entertainment technology industry.
USA - Northeast of Gainesville, Georgia, lies Hall County School District, home to 37 public schools providing education for nearly 28,000 students. As education facilities of all sizes have faced a tough few years, technical renovations, specifically audio upgrades, are important to enable students to have positive learning outcomes. To aid this smooth transition into a new era of education, the entirety of Hall County School District is currently undergoing a multi-year, multi-location technical renovation, including installing Renkus-Heinz sound solutions across each campus. Working with Nisewonger AV, a Lawrenceville-based education-focused AV integration firm, Hall County School District’s solutions architect, Josh Morton, set out to ensure students and teachers alike have high-quality audio on campus. As part of the renovation, Chicopee Woods Elementary Schoo
Solidarity - One of Russia's most popular singers, Alla Pugacheva, has called on the Russian authorities to declare her a "foreign agent", in solidarity with her strongly anti-war husband Maxim Galkin. A showbiz star too, he was labelled a "foreign agent" on Friday after condemning Russia's attack on Ukraine. On social media, Pugacheva called her husband "a true incorruptible Russian patriot, who wants... an end to our lads dying for illusory aims". She said the Kremlin's "illusory aims" in Ukraine "make our country a pariah and the lives of our citizens extremely difficult". Galkin, a comedian, TV presenter and singer, wanted "prosperity for his motherland, peace, free speech", she added. In The Courts - Evolution Productions is suing St Albans council for £600,000 after its pantomime at the Alban Arena was cancelled when asbestos was found in the venue. The t
USA - Fulcrum Acoustic has appointed MC Marketing as their sales representative for Southern California and Southern Nevada. Based in Las Vegas, MC Marketing will be responsible for Fulcrum Acoustic product sales and support in their region. “The MC Marketing team is thrilled to represent Fulcrum Acoustic in Southern California and Las Vegas," says MC Marketing president, Michael Colon. "Their coaxial loudspeaker designs and well-respected sales and marketing team make them a synergistic partner for MC Marketing. I’m looking forward to collaborating with the Fulcrum Acoustic crew and see a successful future ahead.” "MC Marketing is an ideal partner for Fulcrum Acoustic," says Fulcrum Acoustic U.S. national sales manager Scott Pizzo. "Like Fulcrum, they are customer focused with extensive knowledge of the Pro AV industry and its technologies. MC Marketing will in
South Africa - The LED Hire Company, a Johannesburg- based rental company that specialises in the hiring of LED screen solutions, content creation and creative design and renders, has invested in 100 sq.m of Absen PL2.9 lite LED panels. The panels, supplied by DWR Distribution, form part of a large shipment containing 2 080 units all of which recently arrived in South Africa. “I’m looking forward to this,” said Walter Pretorius, general manager at The LED Hire Company. He started in the industry as a lighting technician but teases that AV chose him and has become the love of his life. “Our company offers different types of LED, but when it came to this purchase, I wanted to go with Absen as it provided the quality I was looking for.” The LED Hire Company has positioned itself in the market to help other rental companies with the supply of extra panels when n
Germany - The DALI Alliance will use the Light+Building trade fair (Frankfurt, 2-6 October 2022) to shine the spotlight on wireless connectivity options via its upcoming certification programmes for Wireless to DALI Gateways and DALI+ with Thread. Wireless to DALI Gateways allow the use of existing DALI wired products in a non-DALI wireless ecosystem. Certification programmes are in development for Bluetooth mesh to DALI Gateways and for Zigbee to DALI Gateways. A certification programme for DALI+ is also in development. DALI+ enables true wireless DALI without any need for translation between protocols. The first release will employ Thread as a networking layer. Thread is an IP-based, wireless-mesh networking protocol built using open standards. The new certification programmes, due to commence in early 2023, will build further momentum for the ongoing evoluti
Singapore - Total Solution Marketing, Ayrton’s exclusive distributor for the Singapore region, has announced the purchase of 24 Ayrton Diablo S LED profile fixtures by Trio AV. Trio AV has a reputation for supplying exactly the right products and technical expertise for every possible event, from exhibitions, seminars, conferences and product launches, to galas, special events and parties. With offices in Singapore, Thailand, Shanghai and Vietnam, Trio AV’s services include everything from conceptualisation to full consultation and supply. Trio AV’s John Tang explained why the company had chosen Diablo S, one of Ayrton’s most innovative, ultra-compact luminaires: “We were seeking a small size and lightweight LED moving light profile fixture with framing shutter to replace our older fixtures. We had heard a lot of positive feedback and seen the popularity of t
Denmark - AllRound Lyd + Lys (Light & Sound) is a well-established rental company based in Struer, a key railway hub and home to radio and TV manufacturer, Bang & Olufsen. The company was started by owner Laurs Pedersen originally as a music tech enterprise which then grew and diversified into lighting, sound and now LED to meet client demand. The company now has a successful 20-year history of supplying tours, concerts, events, and productions across multiple genres from touring to theatre, and recent investments include Robe LEDBeam 350s and Esprites. The new kit was delivered just in time to assist with the explosion of live shows and events in Denmark over the summer due to the final lifting of Covid restrictions and the strong return of the market for in-person activities of all types. Like many, Laurs and his team including head of lighting Martin
South Africa - The live events industry in SA has invested in 2080 (520sq.m) Absen PL2.9 lite LED panels, each upgraded with a NovaStar A8s-N receiver card, shipped to the country by DWR Distribution. It started when Cape Town-based Marcel Bezuidenhout, owner of Audio Engineering, wanted to find like-minded technical suppliers who would invest in the same LED panels to enable sub-hiring when needed. Marcel previously owned Absen D2V panel and while satisfied with the product, he was an island regarding larger batches whenever he needed additional stock for larger set-ups or multiple events. More recently, he was in discussion with someone who suggested buying panels in batch which could reduce the cost of the initial investment and provide a larger hire pool. “I was after the Absen PL2.9 based on our previous D2V panels that did well for us," Marcel explains. "There
UK - Creative Technology (CT) has invested in multiple DiGiCo SD12s in recent years, with the two it has in its hire stock now including the theatre-specific T software. “Theatre and CT is evolving rapidly and we’re very busy with it and were keen to invest in the T software as soon as it was released,” says CT’s Andy Johnson. “It was the right decision as the SD12T give us the ideal surface in theatre world, allowing a designer and operator to work on it simultaneously. It also gives us a very capable console for monitors, festival FOH and any corporate live sound FOH. In fact, it ticks all the boxes in all our markets.” CT has a long association with the theatre market, with Johnson adding his extensive experience to the team in 2014. Since then, it has seen a continual increase in business, and particularly rapidly over the past two years, with an SD7 also ad
USA - There is less than two weeks left to order 2022 Behind the Scenes Holiday Cards at btshelp.org/holidaycards. Orders for card packs and personalised cards are due by 27 September. This year’s collection features a mix of seven different designs created especially for the charity by Phil Foster, Jennifer Gillette, Robert Mendoza, Nancy Orr, Todd Potter and Lauren Cards are available in a variety of options: card packs of 10 with a standard greeting, personalised cards with a company logo and custom message, and electronic cards in multiple file formats and an array of price points starting at $20. Sending a BTS holiday card helps spread the word about the charity and lets your recipients know you are supporting industry colleagues who are ill or injured and the BTS Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative.
USA - Open to all commercial lighting projects that benefit from the use of DALI technology, the DALI Lighting Awards 2022 is now accepting entries, with a closing date of 2 December, 2022. The DALI Lighting Awards 2022 will highlight and recognize the best use of DALI control applications and solutions in lighting projects across the world. The DALI Lighting Awards 2022 will accept entries for all projects linked with DALI technology in the following categories: Architectural & Entertainment, Healthcare & Education, Industrial, Infrastructure, Outdoor, Residential, Retail & Hospitality and Workspaces. “The DALI Lighting Awards 2021 attracted a wealth of excellent DALI-based projects from around the world, with a diverse range of applications,” said Paul Drosihn, DALI Alliance general manager. “As DALI continues to evolve and add new features,
UK - Claypaky welcomed a large number of industry professionals and practitioners from all over the world to its booth and in the spacious rooms set up in the Henley Suite at PLASA Show 2022. Alberico D’Amato, Claypaky sales director, said: “PLASA was, as ever, a 'must-attend' event for the British market, which has always been one of the most dynamic and proactive in our industry. However, we were positively surprised by the number of customers from other European countries, and even from Asia, Australia, America and the Middle East. It is a show with an international dimension.” Claypaky presented all the products it has recently launched on the market, which stand out for their variety, versatility and features. The growing award-winning Xtylos family of laser-source moving heads now includes the Xtylos Aqua, featuring marine-grade C5-M protection, and the Min
