Brit Awards - Lewis Capaldi and Dave lead the Brit Awards shortlists for 2020, with four nominations each. Stormzy, Mabel, Michael Kiwanuka, Charli XCX, Harry Styles and Coldplay are also among the acts to receive a nod for this year's awards, which will be the 40th major Brits show. Both Scottish singer-songwriter Capaldi and London rapper Dave are up for new artist of the year, and despite their relative infancy in the industry are also up for the big awards of best male solo artist, best album and song of the year, thanks to chart-topping debuts in the past 12 months. The past 12 months have been very successful for both artists, with Dave's album Psychodrama winning the Mercury Prize, Capaldi topping the singles chart for seven weeks with Someone You Loved, and both playing bit sets at Glastonbury. Male solo artists dominate this year's Awards,
Malaysia - Prolyte Asia Pacific (PAP) has joined forces with Doughty and Sixty82 to form Sixty82 Doughty Asia (SDA). The move appears to be linked with the 2019 bankruptcy filling by Prolyte Group and the company's subsequent acquisition by Area Four Industries. “For the past 15 years we have operated under the name PAP, however, due to recent events in the industry, PAP has decided to take a step forward and start a fresh chapter with new partners,” comments Menze van der Sluis, MD of PAP. Known for its quality products, reliability, and education, along with a focus on safe working practice, customer satisfaction, and in-depth service, PAP has been a critical player in the Asian market for more than 15 years. “Sixty82 was the best and only cho
South Africa - Astera distributor DWR Distribution will offer clients the first local demos of the lighting company’s full range of products during an open day programme taking place at the end of January. Astera’s sales and marketing director Sebastian Bückle will carry out the presentations in Cape Town and Johannesburg, whilst DWR’s local product managers Marlene Riley and Jannie de Jager will do so in Durban. Bückle, who has been a part of the Astera team for more than a decade, will demo the company’s complete range of wireless tubes and spotlights as well as the AsteraApp and wireless DMX that one can use to control the fixtures. He will be at the DWR Cape Town offices on Monday, 27 January and at the Johannesburg offices on 29 January. The local product representatives from DWR will lead an Astera open day in Durban on 31 January. Duncan Riley o
UK - The Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) has announced the 2019 recipients of its Awards for Excellence. The awards celebrate imaginative and creative lighting and video production and offer young designers a chance to showcase their talents and bringing their work to the attention of experienced lighting and video designers and the wider industry. The event was rebranded for its 2019 edition, with changes to the prizes and the introduction of a new award category, The Fred Foster Award for Production Electrics, created to “balance the recognition of talent demonstrated across the membership profile”. The Michael Northen Award for Lighting Design was awarded jointly to Lucia Sanchez Roldan from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Rose Bruford’s Ryan Joseph Stafford. Roldan’s work was described as “beautiful (…) with strong design, clea
UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has been appointed as the exclusive UK distributor for Calibre’s HQUltra700 series of universal live events switcher-scalers with immediate effect. Sister Company, A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ireland will handle distribution in the Republic of Ireland. British-based manufacturer Calibre has been providing image scaling technology for over 30 years for use with large LED videowalls, designed for concerts, award ceremonies, rental/staging, advertising, and for image scalers for professional projection applications. Calibre’s HQUltra700 series, consisting of the HQUltra730ASV and the HQUltra770ASV, are universal live events switcher-scalers with the ability to drive flat panel displays, projectors or LED videowalls. Stuart Burdett, video sales manager comments: “Being able to provide our customers with a reliabl
Czech Republic - Audac has announced a partnership with Prague-based Audio Digital as the new exclusive distributor of its audio solutions in the Czech Republic. Audio Digital’s managing director Michal Zeman comments: “I genuinely believe in the quality and innovation Audac offers and I am more than happy to be adding their products to our assortment. We at Audio Digital value a high performance/price ratio, and that is exactly what you get at Audac. I look forward to this partnership.” Audac’s international sales executive Bart Vandermot adds: “It is always important to keep evolving as a business. By expanding our network and starting new partnerships, we can ensure that the clients all over the world can enjoy our innovations. We have the greatest confidence in our partnership with Audio Digital as we have seen first-hand the outstanding quality and ser
Germany - Optocore has appointed Dusseldorf-based United Brands GmbH (United B) as its new German distributors with immediate effect. Tine Helmle, Optocore director of sales and marketing, comments: “With the expansion of our product portfolio such as Festival Box, AutoRouter and our Madi series United Brands was a perfect match. Due to their expertise and long-time experience in install and live events they bring huge potential in placing Optocore as the main sound distribution network on the market.” United B’s Jens ‘Bubbes’ Steffan, who will largely oversee the Optocore account, adds: “We were familiar with Optocore technology through our distribution of DiGiCo [digital consoles]. So it was just a small step to contact Optocore. The company has a lot of very interesting products, which perfectly match our customers’ demands.” Discussions had st
UK - PLASA and the Music Industries Association (MIA) are set to co-host a free event designed to offer advice and information on the incoming changes to the off-payroll working regulations (known as IR35) and Brexit. Taking place on 30 January, Get your business ready: IR35 and Brexit will see business and HR experts take to the stage, including Nicky Gleadow, MD of The HR Point, who will detail how the IR35 changes may affect employers and contractors. More speakers will be announced soon, the organisers say. IR35 is a piece of UK government legislation that aims to determine whether a worker is an employee or contractor, ensuring that the person carrying out the work is paid and protected in the proper manner and that both parties pay the relevant tax. The changes
Thailand - Sonos Libra has assumed exclusive distribution rights for dbTechnologies’ full product portfolio of touring, install and M.I. audio systems in Thailand. “In the last few years dBTechnologies’ presence in South Eastern Asia professional audio industry is considerably growing,” explains dBTechnologies’ APAC sales manager, Manuele Poli. “We are at a point where we need strategic partnerships to meet a larger base of professionals and disclose our products’ full potential. When we met Alfonso Rodriguez and Sonos Libra’s team, I immediately realized that their sales approach and advanced technical skills were exactly what dBTechnologies needed to enhance the brand perception and further flourish in the local professional market.” Sonos Libra’s CEO Alfonso Martín Rodríguez adds: “dBTechnologies is a growing company and is now playing at a h
Hungary - Sixty82 has appointed DP Music Kft. as its new representative in Hungary. The company will offer guidance on a wide range of possibilities, advising customers on the most suitable Sixty82 solution for their particular needs. Based in Budaörs near Budapest, DP Music offers a wide range of trussing and staging equipment, as well as pro audio solutions. The company is also increasingly focusing on developing its web store and serving the needs of hobbyists, smaller bands, and theatres. Date Jonkman, Sixty82’s executive account manager, comments: “We look forward to working with a company of DP Music’s reputation, and our partnership will help meet increased local demand for technical know-how from experienced people. They are uniquely positioned to develop our existing customer base further, and with their market presence and sales support network, we a
UK - Expanding UK dry and wet hire company, Fisher Hires has invested in Chroma-Q's new Space Force onebytwo LED soft light, to provide a flexible lighting solution for its diverse event, film, theatre and festival client base. Fisher Hires has been supplying the industry for over 30 years, stocking a wide selection of leading-brand lighting, video, sound & staging equipment for hire. Originally created to support its sister event production company, Fisher Hires’ vast inventory enables it to also service the needs of other event companies. Head of operations, Rob Baker was looking to invest in an LED soft light which was compact and powerful enough to utilise on a variety of its own event productions, as well as being in demand with external clients. Rob commented: “I knew that Chroma-Q’s original Space Force unit had been very successful in the market
Australia - Harman Professional Solutions has announced it has realigned distribution of AMX, SVSI, and install ranges of AKG, BSS, Crown and JBL Professional in Australia with the appointment of MadisonAV, part of the Madison Technologies group. Distribution in Australia for Harman’s retail, cinema, touring, performing arts, broadcast, and Martin lighting solutions remains unchanged. MadisonAV will expand its portfolio to include the complete range of AMX video control solutions, and Harman Professional install and integration audio product suite. This will offer customers a single interface across Harman’s wide range of video controls and install audio solutions. “We are excited to partner with MadisonAV and expand our distribution reach in Australia. This is aimed at enhancing access to Harman products and solutions across verticals, focusing on soluti
Germany - Audac has announced a new partnership with S.E.A. Vertrieb & Consulting as the exclusive distributor of its audio solutions in Germany. Alexander Kirchfeld, S.E.A. CEO, comments: “We have experienced the quality of Audac’s products as well as the passion of its employees ourselves and believe they will enhance the everyday lives of our customers. The new partnership between our companies allows us to fulfil the needs of our customers even better by providing them with a wide range of innovative audio solutions.” Mark Asselberghs, Audac’s international sales director, adds: “We are constantly looking for new like-minded companies that share our passion for innovative audio solutions to broaden our network. S.E.A. perfectly fits that description. We believe that they are an outstanding company that values giving their partners the best experience
Canada/Germany - The Canada-based IP video processing specialist Embrionix has become part of Riedel Communications. Founded in 2009, Embrionix provides miniaturised, high-density IP gateways, IP signal processors and converters for broadcast video applications. Since pioneering the use of small form-factor pluggable (SFP) modules for signal processing early in its history, Embrionix has been granted more than 20 patents for its technologies. Riedel Communications has grown to become a leader in distributed intercom and video network solutions. Riedel has been pursuing a networked approach to video infrastructures for more than a decade with its real-time media network, MediorNet. "Sometimes, things just fit. Just like Riedel, Embrionix started out as a garage company and has managed to preserve its innovation-driven startup spirit on its way to global success. O
UK - The team behind the ground-breaking Blackout installation have released the results of the UK Backstage Entertainment Industry’s Evaluation on Mental Health Awareness. This pioneering study was launched alongside the acclaimed 6-minute immersive experience at September’s PLASA Show, held at London Olympia. Funded by leading industry associations PLASA, the ALD, the ASD, the ABTT and the PSA, the academic analysis was conducted by Dr Paul Hanna, research director in clinical psychology at the University of Surrey. Hanna has worked closely with Blackout’s core creative team since they launched the installation in May 2019 at The Guildford School of Acting.
According to the survey, the prevalence of mental health issues among those working in the UK technical, backstage and entertainment industry is far higher than the national avera
UK - The Stage to Studio competition for the best audio mix, hosted by PLASA in association with Sound on Sound and Headliner magazines, ends on Monday, 13 January. Those interested in entering can find out more on the PLASA Show website. The competition launched in November inviting submissions for the best mix of VC Pines’ Stage to Studio session from PLASA Show 2019. The packed sessions saw a line up of emerging artists perform live, headlined by VC Pines who was recently BBC Radio One’s artist of the week. The sessions were mixed at the show by eminent engineers, with Pines’ recording overseen by Jamie McEvoy (Noel Gallagher, Placebo, the Vaccines.) The raw audio files were then released for the competition. Audio professiona
Fire Damage - North London music venue Koko has been damaged by fire. The London fire brigade said it was called to the scene in Camden, in north London, shortly before 9pm on Monday night (6 January). About a third of the roof of the venue, which in previous incarnations was known as The Music Machine and Camden Palace, was alight as firefighters tried to save the rest of the building. The former theatre is covered in scaffolding as part of a renovation. The venue was due to reopen in spring 2020 after a “major state-of-the-art” refurbishment, after the purchase of two adjacent buildings. Royalty Cheque - Bohemian Rhapsody's success at the box office in 2018 was replicated in the living room last year. The Freddie Mercury biopic was the biggest home video of 2019, selling 1.7m copies in the UK. Two-thirds of those copies were on DVD or Blu-Ray, with the re
South Africa - DWR’s first sale of Astera Titan Tubes in the country was to freelance gaffer Andre Beumer from Just Light It in Pretoria, who works extensively with several leading DoPs and other clients in the film, TV, commercials and video industry. No sooner had DWR and Astera struck the distribution deal, Andre was on Duncan Riley’s doorstep, and in fact the eight-way Titan Tube kit was DWR’s original demo kit, which he purchased on the day it arrived in their warehouse in Johannesburg! Duncan commented: “I always knew Astera was going to be popular, but even I was taken aback by Andre’s enthusiasm. He rocked up, virtually snatched them from us, transferred the money and disappeared in a cloud of dust up the road,” he says laughing. “I think he was straight out on a shoot that day using them.” “They are totally amazing tools,” confirms An
UAE - CT has announced that it is officially an authorised L-Acoustics calibration certified provider. L-Acoustics recently announced the creation of authorised calibration centres, designed to both strengthen the technical partnership between L-Acoustics and its certified providers (CPs), and to deliver a greater level of system configuration and calibration expertise at a local level for small to medium installations. “For Creative Technology, being an authorised calibration centre allows us to provide a greater level of service, knowledge and support to our clients, both from within our technical engineering teams and having direct access to L-Acoustics development and support management,” says Andy Reardon, Middle East managing director. “We pride ourselves in delivering solutions based on engineering and from the ground up. The Authorised Calibration Centr
USA - The Live Design International Conference and Tradeshow (LDI) has joined Questex, a global business information company. Questex states its goal is to create a “world-class information services business by advancing companies who help people live longer, healthier and better lives through the experience economy.” “This exciting development allows us to provide our audience and exhibitors with even better experiences, professional training, and engagement as Questex is strategically focused on the experience economy,” comments LDI show director, Jessi Cybulski. “LDI remains dedicated to serving and growing the live design community. We don’t anticipate any of our live design/LDI community will experience any changes, except good ones, as we move forward. Expect more information on this soon.” Paul Miller, CEO, Questex, adds: “The experience ec
USA - AMS Neve and Westlake Pro have partnered to create the first AMS Neve Showroom in the US. Located at Westlake Pro’s headquarters in North Hollywood, the space provides an environment for clients to listen to the entire AMS Neve product portfolio. David Walton, AMS Neve’s distribution manager, comments: “It’s really exciting to be working with Westlake Pro and the new showroom because they have enormous experience, ranging from frontline sales to complete integrations and development of some of the biggest, most famous studios around the world. With products like mixing consoles, support is very important. Westlake’s experience with design and integration, as well as on-going support for the products they sell, means that we are in a really good position to work together moving forward both with existing and new products.” Walton adds that, as AMS Nev
Poland - Absen has appointed SQM as the company’s official distributor in Poland. SQM, a specialist provider of multimedia and event services, will have exclusive rights over the sale and distribution of the Aries AX1.5 MiniLED rental display, in the Polish rental staging market. Headquartered in Poznan, SQM provides multimedia and audio-visual rental services for trade fairs, conferences and events across Europe. The company has recently added over 100sq.m of Absen’s AX1.5 product - part of the Aries MiniLED rental series - to its inventory, making it one of the few partners to be able to offer rental customers such a high-quality 1.5mm fine pitch LED display. “Quality is the most important factor for us and the AX1.5 certainly delivers on so many levels,” says Michal Górski, CEO at SQM. “After visiting Absen’s manufacturing base in China and witness-tes
Europe - Notch, the company behind the realtime visual creation tool, has launched a podcast, Showcast, giving creatives a platform to share their project stories. Showcast is “made by creators for creatives” and covers real-life experiences from Glastonbury to music videos. It is recommended for those who want to get insight into realtime production workflows. During the 30-minute episodes, key industry creatives share their experiences, techniques, and stories across live touring, VFX, XR and motion graphics. The upcoming podcasts for season one will include discussions with Kevin Zhu, senior designer at All of it Now on how he helped Korean supergroup BTS create the first tour to ever use live integrated AR camera systems; as well as an interview with director Pod Bluman and Notch designer Kyle Reseigh at Bluman Associates. Pod and Kyle will be di
USA - Entertainment technology charity Behind the Scenes has announced that the The Lightpower Collection’s work of famed Rock‘n’Roll photographer and author Neal Preston is returning to the NAMM Show (16-19 January, Anaheim). Neal’s pictures will be displayed in the BTS booth #10747 and will include pictures not previously seen at the show including Mötley Crüe, Kiss, and Bruce Springsteen. Neal’s books Exhilarated & Exhausted and In the Eye of the Hurricane and posters, including his famous images of Robert Plant and Carlos Santana, will be available for sale. Proceeds will benefit the charity. Neal will be present in the Behind the Scenes booth to sign books and posters on Thursday, 16 January at 3pm and on Friday, 17 January at 11am and 3pm. Neal’s archive is regarded as one of the music industry’s most extensive and signif
