UAE - The Protec Group’s Dubai branch has started investing in Robe moving lights, including BMFLs, Pointes, MegaPointes, Spikies and RoboSpot systems. The purchases have been spearheaded by Protec’s head of lighting, Aaron Russ. The company delivers full technical production solutions across entertainment, leisure and commercial sectors - from corporate presentations to music festivals - throughout the UAE, Middle East and UK / Europe. Russ explains that it was a case of the right product at the right time with Robe. Obviously, they had other moving lights in stock up until this point, but the first batch of 96 Pointes were sourced to replace a competitor beam light product, together with 48 Spikies on the same order. Then in 2018, for opening ceremony of the Qiddiya Theme Park in Riyadh, KSA with a design by US-based LD John Featherstone of Lightswitc
Costa Rica - Obsidian Control Systems has appointed Luces y Sistemas as its exclusive distributor in Costa Rica. Under the terms of the agreement, Luces y Sistemas will provide full support for the entire Obsidian line of hardware and software lighting control solutions. To introduce the brand to its customers, the San Jose-based company is holding a two-day Onyx training event on 20-21 August at its facility in Tibas, providing a basic and advanced look at hardware and software. Those interested in attending should contact info@lucesysistemas.com for more information. “Our goal is to provide our regional market with a diverse range of popular control and programming products under the DMX protocol, a project that we have been working on for years,” comments Luis Ricardo Sanchéz, president of Luces y Sistemas. “The decision to support our clients by di
UK - Theatres Trust, the national advisory public body for theatres, has confirmed programme details of its 2019 conference - Centre Stage - artist and audience at the heart of theatres to be held on Tuesday, 15 October at the Battersea Arts Centre in London. Conference 19: Centre Stage will look at theatres from the perspective of the people they are there to serve. It will ask how to ensure that the needs of artists and audiences sits at the centre of theatre buildings. Plenary speakers include celebrated sociologist and urbanist Professor Richard Sennett, who chairs Theatrum Mundi, a network of artists, critics and scholars who explore the relations between stage and street, Rebecca Holt, Battersea Arts Centre and the architect who worked on its recent restoration, Martin Lydon, Haworth Tompkins. David Micklem, 64 Million Artists, Hannah Fox, Derby Museums an
Switzerland - Ayrton has appointed menzi ebz of Horgen to its international distributor network. From 15 September, menzi ebz will exclusively distribute and support the full Ayrton range of LED lighting fixtures across all three language areas of Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. Clients can still contact Ayrton’s current distributor, cast Switzerland AG, until the end of 2019. To introduce the French lighting brand to its customers, menzi ebz is holding an open day at its head offices on Tuesday, 17 September, with members of the Ayrton team also attending. Marco Menzi, CEO of menzi ebz, comments: “We aim to have the industry’s leading brands in our portfolio and pride ourselves on working closely with our customers with a focus on service and support. For this reason, we consider the partnership with Ayrton a perfect match. Ayrton is a
South Africa - Technical equipment supplier Stage Effects has acquired 24 Robin 600+ LEDWash fixtures from DWR Distribution. Theo Papenfus, the owner of Stage Effects, explains that when he was contracted for two long-running events it made more sense to purchase new gear than to hire in additional equipment. “We were hunting for a mid-range fixture and thought that the Robin 600+ would be a good investment,” he says. “When shopping around we found that cross rentals would be much easier if we went for the LEDWash 600 or the 600+. International riders are very demanding when it comes to quantities and lighting designers regularly specify the medium range washes.” “The Robin 600+ is small, compact, powerful and lightweight saving on truck space due to four units fitting into one small flight case.” (Jim Evans)
UK - The Television judging panel for The Knight of Illumination (KOI) Awards has revealed the 2019 shortlist for the Television category. The judges were television editor for The Times James Jackson, critic for FT Weekend Susie Feay, art director and production designer Fleur Whitlock, lighting director John O'Brien, lighting designer and programmer Ross Williams, and television critic for The Guardian, Lucy Mangan. The meeting was led by lighting designer and longstanding KOI chair, Stuart Gain of the Society of Television Lighting and Design (STLD).
The shortlist is as follows: The DTS Award for Events Philip Brines for Proms in the Park Belfast 2018 David Gibson for BBC Football World Cup 2018, Russia Tim Routledge for Stormzy at Glastonbury 2019
UK - Flightcase Warehouse has acquired London-based case manufacturer ABS Cases. The acquisition came into effect on 1 August and will see all manufacturing being transferred to Flightcase Warehouse’s head office site in Tamworth, Staffordshire. ABS Cases has built a global portfolio of clients over the past 30 years, from corporate giants to leaders in the entertainment industry. The company’s reputation has been built on the back of client recommendation and has seen ABS Cases grow into a respected UK flightcase manufacturer. Sam Austin, managing director of Flightcase Warehouse, comments: “The Flightcase Warehouse acquisition of ABS Cases complements our overall offering whilst strengthening our hand in the production and live events marketplaces. Combining the manufacturing processes of our two brands, Pro Flightcase and ABS cases, we will continue
UK - PLASA has announced its line-up of seminar sessions in the run up to the PLASA Show 2019 (15-17 September, London Olympia). In collaboration with top industry figures and brands, the programme will feature an array of creative achievements as well as advice on salient industry issues. Pro audio journalist and consultant Phil Ward will lead a panel of industry figureheads - Chris Hill from Wigwam, Jim Griffiths from Vanguardia and Steve Jones from d&b audiotechnik - in ‘Equal rights for audio!’ They will assess how live performances, including the recent Spice Girls reunion tour, can neglect audio in the rush for spectacular video, lighting and set design. Moving from concerts to theatre, Shure will present the future of audio for theatre productions, in association with Curtain Call. This panel will explore how the advancement of microphone technolo
UK - The shortlist for the Theatre category of this year's Knight of Illumination (KOI) Awards has been announced. The KOI Awards are dedicated to celebrating British and international lighting and video designers for their work in the UK. The KOI theatre judges, each serving a two-year term, are all leading UK critics. Neil Fisher, deputy arts editor of The Times and Tim Bano, lead critic of The Stage, both made their KOI judging debut. Louise Levene, dance critic for the Financial Times returned for the first year of her second term while Zoë Anderson, dance critic for The Dancing Times, opera critic George Hall and Britain’s longest-serving theatre critic Michael Billington completed the final year of their time on the Theatre panel. The judging was once again expertly overseen by founding chair of the theatre panel, critic and broadcaster David Benedict.
Tax Relief - Nearly 3,400 productions benefitted from £78m worth of theatre tax relief last year, new statistics show. This represents a £1m increase on the total figure paid out in 2017/18, however the number of individual productions benefitting from tax credits increased by 13% in the same period. Theatre tax relief, which was introduced in 2014, allows touring shows to claim back 25% on eligible costs. All other productions can be reimbursed for 20%. In the first year of the scheme, £15m was paid out, rising to £46m in the second year and £77m in 2017/18. Statistics published by HM Revenue and Customs for 2018/19 reveal there were a total of 930 claims, representing 3,380 productions, of which 950 were touring and 2,430 non-touring. A single claim can request tax relief for multiple productions. Financial secretary to the treasury, Jesse Norman, said:
UK - Martin Audio has announced the latest in its series of product open days, which have been running twice a year since 2017 at the company’s High Wycombe HQ. The latest programme will run over five sessions spread across three days, on 17 September (at 10.00am and 2.00pm), 18 September (at 10.00am and 2.00pm) and 19 September (at 11am). The event is aimed at existing distributors, dealers, integrators, rental partners and sound engineers as well as potential new customers wishing to gain in-depth understanding of Martin Audio’s platforms and at the same time take advantage of plenty of listening time in relaxed surroundings. Many new products will be showcased for the very first time and tours of the factory and refreshments will also be provided. The demonstrations will include: the full line up of Wavefront Precision line arrays including the new WPS; s
USA - Sensaphonics has announced the launch of its fully redesigned website. Still located at www.sensaphonics.com, the new site features a modern design with enhanced shopping functionality. Visitors will notice a more streamlined approach, with intuitive navigation, straightforward product information, and fresh graphics throughout the site. “We have some really exciting new products coming out in the near future and, frankly, our existing website couldn’t really do them justice,” notes Sensaphonics president, Dr. Michael Santucci. “With this new design, our company mission of saving hearing in the music industry is blended seamlessly with clear product information for a much more intuitive user experience.” (Jim Evans)
UK - Gatwick-based lighting hire company Fisher Hires has made a significant investment in IP-rated Luxibel B Par 180 RGBW LED fixtures. Rob Baker, head of hires at Fisher Hires, says the company was looking to upgrade its existing stock of LED pars, but required a cost-effective solution that would fit in with its high-end branded inventory. Fisher Hires, as part of Fisher Productions, is a Royal Warrant business, awarded the accolade in 2000 by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales as ‘Suppliers of Lighting and Production Services’. “The Luxibel B Par 180 ticks all the boxes - IP-rated, bright, simple to use, lightweight and slick enough for the eye,” says Rob. “What sells is reliable kit that can be trusted to do its job, and although Luxibel is not yet the best-known brand, we let the light do the talking. It has paid off as they are now attracting retur
UK - The judging panel for The Knight of Illumination (KOI) Awards has revealed the 2019 shortlist for the Concert Touring & Events category. Having received a record number of submissions - up 25 per cent from the 2017 Awards - the judges had to choose just a fraction of the entries to put forward for the shortlist.
The 2019 Concert Touring & Events shortlist is as follows:
The MA Lighting Award for Club Hayden Borgars for Fever 333 Sherry Coenen for Frankenstein: How to Make a Monster John 'JP' Partridge for Metronomy
The disguise Award for Video Content Tom Colbourne, Rob Sinclair & Blue Leach for Kylie Minogue Adam Young and Finn Ross for Years & Years Paul Kell for Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets
Europe - High End Systems has opened the ‘new and improved’ High End Systems Knowledge Management Site (KMS) for users to get solutions for specific issues faster. Available at www.support.etcconnect.com/hes, the KMS houses over 2,000 support articles created over the years, including hundreds of new articles produced just in the last few months. Whether you need a quick fix or a detailed tutorial, the KMS gives you a database of solutions that you can search on your own time. And, with the ability to capture questions in real time, High End Tech Services can also get answers out more quickly to help others with similar problems, says the company. The KMS has a wide array of content available for both High End Systems and ETC products. (Jim Evans)
Myanmar - KV2 Audio products have recently been introduced to a new region thanks to an investment from Myanmar-based firm Htat Wah Win Trading Co. The company presented KV2 Audio in a joint presentation with Shure Microphones at the Shangrila Hotel in the country’s capital Yangon last month. The event was attended by around 200 invitees and featured presentations from KV2’s Dave Croxton and Angus Davidson, who handle sales and technical support respectively for Asia Pacific. Thura Aung, managing director of Htat Wah Win Trading Co, first heard KV2’s products on demo in China and was impressed by their compact size and sound quality. Aung’s company imports various products into Myanmar and he had started to investigate the pro audio market. “While we had plenty of choices with a wide range of lower cost Chinese manufactured products, I was really looking for
China - The Prolyte Group has opened a new office in Guangzhou. The premises provide capacity for manufacturing, warehouse, sales, and customer service. It operates alongside Prolyte Asia Pacific, the company’s base in Malaysia. The Prolyte Group has also announced Guangzhou trussing manufacturer Eagle Group as a ProLyft distributing partner, working alongside Prolyte’s long-established partner in China, Trinity Technology. Ralph Stockley, Prolyte's chief business development officer, comments: "Prolyte continues to see a trend worldwide for the needs of shorter lead-times. Our new offices and production facility in Guangzhou has been strategically located to satisfy the demand for ProLyft products in China and allow for quicker delivery times through Asia. Factors, such as tax benefits, the strength of the Chinese economy and the proximity to the port of Gu
USA - ESTA and USITT have announced the sponsors for the 2020 New World Rigging Symposium, taking place 31 March to 1 April in Houston in conjunction with the USITT Conference and Stage Expo. Returning as the platinum sponsor for the third year is Stage Rigging, Inc. a diversified theatrical rigging company that provides a full range of specialised rigging services on a global basis for tours, corporate and special events, and expositions. Chris Schmidt, vice president and general manager of Stage Rigging, comments, “When I started my career in rigging little did I know that by working for Stage Rigging, one of the first to focus only on arena rigging, I had access to the some of the industry's most respected and innovative professionals to bounce ideas and ask some of the most basic questions. The New World Rigging Symposium is the perfect place for both seasoned r
USA - The Sound Reinforcement Track sessions at the AES New York 147th Audio Engineering Society International Pro Audio Convention (16-19 October at the Javits Centre) will offer “insights for sound professionals of today and tomorrow”, say organisers. “This year, we have once again gathered top industry experts and manufacturers at the pinnacle of live event production and sound reinforcement to share their hard-won knowledge,” comments AES New York sound reinforcement chair, Henry Cohen. “From foundations of systems design, to the latest in the science and technology of audio perception, the AES New York Sound Reinforcement events offer unprecedented access to the latest from the industry’s top researchers and gear designers, as well as the engineers that exemplify best practices in the craft of sound reinforcement.” The AES New York Sound Reinforceme
Europe - Adam Hall Group’s Experience Centre has won an Iconic Award for Company Building. Designed by M&P Architekten and Stilbruch United Designers, the Neu-Anspach-based building functions as an open space for both employees and business customers. Unveiled in 2018 (see LSi July 2018), it features a showroom, a large auditorium for live shows and product demos, a restaurant, the Adam Hall Academy, various measuring rooms, test rigs and development laboratories, and 3D prototyping facilities. Alexander Pietschmann, CEO and managing director of the Adam Hall Group, comments: “Our goal for the Experience Centre is to give more people the opportunity to implement their creative ideas in a modern
USA - The American Crane & Safety and Reliable Design Services were approved this month to become ETCP Recognised Training Programmes. The courses that participate in the programme present an opportunity for ETCP technicians to get a bulk of their education credits in one place, as these training opportunities count one point per hour of attendance. “I am excited to say that ETCP now has almost 20 Recognised Rigging Training Programmes that provide relevant courses for those who need renewal credits. Perhaps the most important thing ETCP has brought about in our industry is a sincere interest in training. Adding these two training opportunities only furthers that mission,” says Tim Hansen, ETCP council chair. American Crane & Safety’s Entertainment Rigging Courses is designed to provide participants with the ground-rigging basic knowledge of inspecting r
World Record - Ed Sheeran’s Divide Tour has been named the highest-grossing tour of all time, breaking a record set by U2 that had stood for eight years. Coming off the back of the chart-topping album of the same name, the Divide tour began in March 2017, and will have encompassed 255 shows when it finishes with four homecoming gigs in Ipswich later this month. So far it has grossed $736m (£607m), breaking U2’s record of $735m, with 12 dates still left to play. It has also been named the most attended tour of all time: when it finishes, more than 8.5m people across 43 countries will have seen Sheeran perform, breaking U2’s record of 7.3m. Writing on Instagram, Sheeran said: “Thanks so much for each and every one of you who have come to a show. 12 shows left, will never forget it.” Sheeran’s manager Stuart Camp told Pollstar, who amassed the tour data: “W
Portugal - Audio Stage has made a major investment in speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers from the Portuguese manufacturer NEXT-proaudio. The new equipment further expands the company’s extensive inventory of audio gear. NEXT-proaudio reports that this is one of the largest sales in the manufacturer’s history, comprising 32 LA212x, 28 LA122A, 16 LA122.v2, 38 LAs418G, 12 LAs118A, eight LAs418A, four N-RAK 80, two N-RAK 40, 16 LAm114xA, 12 LAm115, four PXL118, two PXH64, two PXA8001, eight PFA15, eight Matrix M8, eight Kubix K5, two HFA118sHP, two HFA112, two HFA112s and two HFA206p. “This purchase enable us to bring the very best audio support to the large variety of shows we manage. This top-of-the-line equipment opens new opportunities for us, from small to big events”, says Audio Stage’s founder Paulo Baixinho, “Our collaboration with NEXT-proaudio goes b
UK - Stage Electrics has been appointed as the UK distributor of Ultratec Special Effects, a large-format pyrotechnic effects manufacturer. Stage Electrics has already invested £10,000 worth of initial stock and will be stocking a range of large venue pyrotechnics from the company. “We believe having a comprehensive range of Ultratec on the shelf in the UK is what our customers need to support their shows. We’ve chosen a range of stock, including a variety of professional mines, comets and gerbs from 20ft to 200ft,” comments Paul Roughton, national sales manager at Stage Electrics. “We are looking forward to working alongside Ultratec and building a strong partnership,” continued Anna Western, sales director of Stage Electrics. (Jim Evans)
