UK - Four events sector businesses have been merged into a new full-service company called Star Live. Live events equipment supplier Star Events, event management agency Mobile Promotions, brand partnership agency BluePeg and staffing business Beautiful Minds - all owned by entrepreneur David Walley - will adopt the new name and brand identity with immediate effect, while founders of the four companies will form part of Star Live’s senior management team. The merger was preceded by the recent acquisition of Star Events in July. All four businesses have been acquired by Walley within the last 18 months. “This is a logical and exciting step for us,” comments Walley, Star Live CEO. “We have brought together four market-leading companies with a clear vision - to
China - Since it was founded 21 years ago, Cellosound has grown to become the premier audio production company in Guangzhou, the city at the heart of the most-populous metropolitan area in mainland China. An Alcons Audio LR28 system is the latest addition to its inventory, bringing HiFi-quality sound at concert SPLs to Cellosound’s biggest events. Cellosound was founded in 1998 with a used DDA mixing console and a couple of small PA systems. As the Chinese economy started to rapidly expand in the early 2000s, the company’s customer base grew and Cellosound has regularly upgraded its rental inventory. By late 2018, its customer base had grown to the point where a high-end solution for major events was needed. “Our customers were requesting a system for touring and EDM events and we knew that, to continue our growth and development, we needed a complete, large for
UK - The end of May saw Brompton Technology complete two one-day training courses at the new Manchester HQ of visual technology specialist FIX8Group. The course was led by Brompton technical support specialist Sarah James and attended by both local Brompton partners and locally-based freelancers, who were taken through the fundamentals of operating the company’s state-of-the-art T1, S4, M2 and SX40 LED processors and XD data distribution unit. With screens and rigging provided by Manchester-based Brompton rental partner A to V, Sarah took the attendees through the processors’ easy-to-use interface, as well as giving them hands on experience with handy features such as ChromaTune colour correction, On Screen Colour Adjustment (OSCA), Dark Magic for colour smoothing in low brightness conditions, On screen display (OSD) and Genlock. Neil Trenell, creative dir
USA/Europe - ETC has formally acquired the ArcSystem, BlueSystem and CueSystem product lines from UK lighting manufacturer GDS. Effective today (1 August), the US company assumes the global manufacturing and distribution responsibilities for the three ranges, which it used to manufacture exclusively in North and South America since 2015. The agreement was first announced in December 2018 and signalled ETC’s intentions to expand its influence into the architectural lighting sector. David Lincecum, ETC vice-president of marketing, comments: “Bringing these family lines into the ETC fold allows us to reach more parts of the world with ETC’s quality architectural lighting solutions and unmatched customer service. With this expansion, ETC increases venues’ access to bea
UK - A group of industry colleagues are set to cycle 100 miles across the UK to Olympia London on 14th September (Saturday) to raise money for the entertainment industry charities Backup and StageHand. Organised by PLASA and the Production Services Association (PSA), the initiative follows on from the success of last year’s bike ride, when industry representatives rode from Chippenham in Wiltshire to London Olympia on the Saturday before the PLASA Show. This year's challenge will follow a similar route, starting at Chippenham's Premier Inn and finishing at Olympia. Those interested in taking part should contact PLASA's Nicola Rye (nicola.rye@plasa.org). Peter Heath, PLASA MD, comments: “Th
Cultural Affairs - Nicky Morgan has been appointed culture secretary by new prime minister, Boris Johnson. She replaces Jeremy Wright in the role, which he had held since July 2018. Morgan, who is MP for Loughborough, said her appointment to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport was “an enormous privilege” and described it as a “fabulous role”. She said: “DCMS’s dynamic and much-loved sectors are at the heart of what makes the UK a great place to live, work and do business. They are our global calling card, encouraging investment, driving innovation and making the UK a country people around the world want to visit. I will be working hard to make sure the future for our world-leading sectors is a bright one.” Morgan campaigned to remain in the European Union before the 2016 referendum and is a staunch opponent of leaving the EU without a deal
South Africa - Puleng Maponyane, the director of Ventso Productions, has recently purchased a DiGiCo S21 and D Rack from DWR Distribution. The purchase was followed up with one-on-one training presented by Kyle Robson from DWR. “The training not only strengthened my knowledge, but Kyle showed me some advanced options that have really solidified my investment in the console,” says Maponyane. “I have admired Kyle’s work for many years now and having him teach me some of the more specialised actions has been really cool, he really knows his stuff.” “Puleng’s work ethic and attitude is amazing,” adds Robson. “He is a talented young man and came in wanting to know more. The S21 is a perfect match for Ventso Productions, and with this kind of passion, we can’t wait to see what the future holds.” (Jim Evans)
UAE - Reliability was a major factor for Middle East rental and production company MediaPro’s large investment in Robe moving lights earlier this year, according to sales and marketing manager Jinesh Nair. When it came to making a decision about expanding the moving light inventory at their Dubai HQ, the vital parameters included engineering quality and versatile features as well as an increasing demand from international lighting designers requesting Robe products. This all led to the purchase of 86 Spiider LED wash beams, 76 MegaPointes and three RoboSpot systems complete with the BMFL FollowSpot LT (long-throw) fixture with integral camera, which has been especially designed for large arenas and stadiums. These are the first of these special BMFL followspots in the UAE. MediaPro’s initial relationship with Robe dates back to 2006. Established in the UAE in
The Netherlands - Smile Licht En Geluid Utrecht BV is a busy design and technical production company based in Utrecht. The company has recently purchased 12 Robe VIVA CMYs and 32 LEDBeam 150s - to assist in the creative illumination of a wide range of events. The company was founded in its present format by Remko Vossen in 1998. The name already existed, however Remko took it from a disco based operation to a full-blown professional production facility which has become very well known locally and across Benelux. Smile supplies lighting, sound, AV, staging, and expertise to the events sector and has a reputation for imaginative flair and offering innovative technology and high standards of excellence. They have just moved into a large and spangly new warehouse and office space in Lage Weide, in the west of the city of Utrecht. These were the first Robe movin
UK - Technical production company Maestra Group has launched a scenic division. Based at Maestra’s London HQ, Maestra Scenic will offer services including CNC, carpentry and joinery, fabrication and engineering, painting and finishing as well as integration of other technical detailing - such as lighting, video or audio - into scenic fabrication projects. The new division will employ a team of 20 full-time staff, who will be led by director of production Mark Davies, former director of technical operations at the National Theatre and sales director at Stage One Creative Services. Davies comments: “The goals for good scenic companies are about meeting and then exceeding client expectations in all aspects - quality and build, finishing, being on-budget and ease of installation. It is essential to have the right people and processes all working harmoniously and with
USA - Theatrical sound reinforcement and installation company Masque Sound has announced the launch of its Production Services division (MPS). The newly created division provides equipment rentals and production services for live and recorded events for clients outside of Masque Sound’s Broadway theatre productions business. MPS serves shorter term events such as concerts, TV shows, corporate presentations, galas and a range of special events. The idea of creating MPS began when Masque Sounds’ Matt Dale and AJ Nittoli were providing production services and equipment for a Meyer Sound demonstration in South Carolina. In between system tunings, the duo discussed the possibility of Masque Sound providing services like these as a separate business entity. The concept took off from there, and it is becoming a major growth area for the company. Masque’s Production Ser
Columbia - Teatro ABC de Bogota has added Claypaky Axcor Spot and Beam 300 fixtures to its rig to light musical and theatrical performances. Audio Concept de Colombia, S.A., Claypaky’s exclusive distributor in the region, advised on the purchase and provided technical support and service following the installation. Teatro ABC opened in 2016 in northern Bogota as a multi-faceted cultural space; an extensive remodel in 2018 extended seating to almost 1,000 people and upgraded the technology deployed for a wide range of productions. Lighting designer Dario Rodriguez, whose credits include working with Madonna, Metallica, U2’s 360 Tour and Cirque du Soleil, believed that Claypaky fixtures would optimise the flexible lighting design the venue requires. “We went for a brand that could give us local support and new technology,” he says. “Claypaky’s Axcor li
UK - With today’s temperatures hitting around 104F in some areas of the UK - making it the hottest July day on record - St Ives-based Le Mark Group has come up with an inventive way for its production and warehouse operatives to keep cool: Utility kilts. Stuart Gibbons, Le Mark’s MD comments: “It’s tough for our production team in this heat. I had seen utility kilts being worn by riggers and technicians in Las Vegas, Dubai and Scotland (of course), but thick woollen tartan can be hot. I was happy to offer these ‘supper cool’ and very well ventilated tough cotton utility kilts to all those operatives that wanted them - free of charge, of course!” Gibbons continues: “Anything we can do to make life a little more comfortable for our production team, we are happy to offer.” (LSi Online)
Singapore - AVL Direct has been appointed for rental sales channels for dBTechnologies, part of the RCF Group, while Loud Technologies Asia continues with installation channels and service centre support. Long-term dBTechnologies partner Loud Technologies Asia continues to service the installation and SI channels and officially takes on the service centre role for Singapore, while AVL Direct under the helm of Colin Oliveiro has been appointed to service the rental sales channels. VIO, DVA and other touring boxes require very specialised expertise and a company familiar with the unique needs of the touring market and AVL Direct ticks all the boxes, says the company. “We are happy to partner with a manufacturer that values long term relationships and considers the perception of the customers in the long term,” says Colin Quek, managing director for Loud Technol
UAE - German wireless LED lighting specialist Astera has appointed NMK Electronics to distribute its products in the GCC region. The company was founded in 1987 to focus on the professional audio, video and lighting industry. From modest beginnings in Sharjah, UEA, it has grown into a leading distributor of professional AV products and musical instruments throughout the Middle East and is now headquartered in Dubai. Astera’s range of entertainment and architainment LED lighting has been used to illuminate numerous high profile and world-class events. “Having simple and powerful control of complex lighting programmes and effects coupled with the portability of Astera means that lighting designers can focus on being creative without worrying about potential limitations like cables and rigging,” stated Darren Caithness, lighting business manager - NMK Electronics. <
South Africa - As live production stages get bigger, heavier and more complicated with equipment suspended above the audience, safety is imperative. Ilan Bahar from Eilon Ron StageMaster recently visited South Africa, and in conjunction with local distributor DWR Distribution, presented load cell demonstrations to a variety of rental companies in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Eilon, a family business, was established over 40 years ago and their safety monitoring systems are used in diverse applications including entertainment stages, aerospace with sales to NASA, wind turbines and shipment weighing to mention a few. “The Eilon Ron StageMaster concept is very simple,” said Ilan Bahar. “When you hang equipment above people, you have to know the load of every point because there are limitations, such as the limitations of a roof. You have to make sure that yo
Europe – TSL Lighting Design director, Anthony ‘Turbo’ Hall, has set off on a mammoth 22,000-mile return road trip from Kent to Ulan Ude in Russia to raise money for the technical entertainment charity, Backup. Turbo set off on Friday 19 July in Poppy - a wholly unsuitable 1000cc Perodua Kanari – with his teammate Abby 'Henri' Cooper. Over the next 12 or so weeks, they will drive through 22 countries. The car joins a fleet of vehicles as part of the world-famous Mongol Rally. Turbo and Henri have named their intrepid team the Nomadic Numpties, which is certain to be eye-catching as they race through eastern Europe and into lesser travelled terrains towards deepest Russia. “I’ve known about the Mongol Rally for many years and it's always something I’ve dreamed of doing,” says Turbo. “When the chance arose to enter, we jumped at it. It’s an unsu
Well-being - Professional musicians will be able to access a face-to-face counselling service as part of a range of services designed to support their mental health. The ISM Members Fund, a sister charity of industry membership body the Incorporated Society of Musicians, will now offer counselling over telephone and in person, including cognitive behavioural therapy. ISM chief executive Deborah Annetts said: “Looking after your mental health is just as important as your physical health - and we know first-hand from our members the challenges out there for everyday musicians. The music sector has a high level of self-employed workers and in the largely unregulated gig economy, where short-term contracts or freelance work is prevalent, there are high levels of stress and anxiety.” She said she hoped the new service would help musicians “take control” of their wel
USA - The Empire State Building has gifted the Audio Engineering Society with one of the 32 elements from its Alford antenna array, which overlooked Manhattan from high above for more than half a century. This piece of FM broadcast history will be on display at AES New York 2019, the 147th Audio Engineering Society International Pro Audio Convention at the Jacob K. Javits Centre in October. “The Alford Antenna is an important part of what made broadcasting as we know it today possible, and the Empire State Building is excited to share this special piece of history with the Audio Engineering Society,” says Anthony E. Malkin, chairman and CEO of Empire State Realty Trust. Since its opening in 1931, the Empire State Building has been on the cusp of innovation. When the Alford master FM antenna was installed around the 102nd-floor observation deck of the Empire State
UK - The MJR Group has partnered with venues in Leeds and Southampton to develop and deliver their live events programmes and operations. The Warehouse in Leeds will benefit from investment in its production infrastructure, with new staging, audio and lighting systems. The venue, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year, has been a regular venue on the touring circuit in the past, hosting the likes of U2, Oasis, Soft Cell, The Stone Roses and Pulp. Over in Southampton, Switch, a 1,500-capacity former cinema theatre, has previously welcomed an international string of club and party bands and artists, hosting the likes of Stormzy, DJ EZ, Paul Woolford and Andy C. The MJR Group is planning to introduce live music events at the venue, which is already being refurbished, including new staging, lighting and screens throughout. An internal re-design will turn the club
UK - Event industry entrepreneur David Walley has acquired Star Events, provider of stages, support structures, rigging and design services. Star Events has been supplying equipment and services to the events industry for 40 years, working on high-profile events such as British Summer Time Hyde Park, Download Festival, and the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. The company has also worked for artists including Adele, Spice Girls and the Royal Windsor Horse Show. Walley’s portfolio of event businesses includes event management agency Mobile Promotions, brand partnership agency BluePeg and staffing business Beautiful Minds. He was also managing director of De Boer and has led the Freeman Company in the UK. He comments: “Star is one of the great names of the UK events industry. They have an inspiring legacy and are both trusted and innovative. We are looking forward to int
UK - Suffolk-based technical event management company W1 Productions has invested in Harman’s JBL VTX A8 compact line array system. Based on JBL Professional's flagship VTX A-Series loudspeaker technology, the system forms part of a turnkey package including Crown I-Tech HD tour-grade amplifiers, comprehensive accessories pack, and dedicated system configuration and control software. The order was placed by W1 Productions’ owner Stuart Turvill with Sound Technology, the Harman Professional distributors for the UK and Ireland. W1 Productions is a full-service production house originally established in London’s Wardour Street (The Swiss Centre) in 2000 to service music TV and rock ‘n’ roll touring. Since those early days W1 has moved further east geographically and further into corporate in terms of workload, now servicing a mix of corporate, music and dry hire
Italy - AMG International has recently purchased 150 Sharpy Plus units, Claypaky's new hybrid lights. Alex Vinciguerra, general manager of AMG International, reports: “Our initial requirements were to add a high performance light to our range, one which was suitably versatile for our events. In order to choose the equipment which suited our needs best, we carried out a series of comparative tests and asked lighting designers and operators for their opinions. Claypaky's Sharpy Plus was the only one that really had all the features we were looking for, including power, versatility and low weight.” The Claypaky Sharpy Plus is a fully-fledged hybrid light, with two independent operating modes, weighing only 23kg (50.71lb). In beam mode, its aerial effects stand out thanks to the unit’s extraordinary light output. In spot mode, its light is diffused more evenly allow
Germany - TSL Production, a full-service event agency has purchased Elation Professional’s new Smarty MAX high-output hybrid moving head, the first to do so worldwide. The company, from Pulheim near Cologne, has ample experience with Elation products with the new Smarty MAX joining TSL Elation inventory of Artiste DaVinci, SixPar 100 IP and DARTZ 360 fixtures. Frank Schmitz, owner of TSL Production, spoke of the decision to add the Smarty MAX to their inventory. “We sought an all-round moving light for multiple purposes and after numerous tests and shootouts the decision fell on the Smarty MAX. The compact design and application as a spot, beam or wash impressed us. We were convinced of the unit’s CMY colour mixing as well as the fact that you can superimpose different prisms and still have enough output. “With its numerous features and enormous light output,
