UK - Rental and installation specialists LED Creative worked with the crew at Version 2 to help illuminate the annual charity concert held in the grounds of hosts Sue and David Formosa’s Chorleywood home. Now in its sixteenth year, Music by Twilight features a broad mix of talent, including local acts. The concerts have raised over £400,000 for the charity and this year’s show was another resounding success with all proceeds going towards the funding of TCT units in NHS hospitals. Providing their Sigma Pulse Wands and Fairground fixtures plus Byte Controllers, the LED Creative team were able to help add colour, shape and movement to the lighting design for the event. With limited access to the site, the ‘plug and play’ Sigma fixtures were an ideal creative solution, quick and easy to incorporate into the custom-built stage with no compromise on versatil
Doctor Atomic, a collaboration between composer John Adams and librettist and stage director Peter Sellars, focuses on the events leading up to the first atomic bomb test in the summer of 1945 and is set in Los Alamos, New Mexico, barely 20 miles from the Santa Fe Opera, which is presenting its new production through 16 August. In advance of production rehearsals, Santa Fe Opera’s audio/visual director, Karl G. Kern, increased the company’s inventory of Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless technology to 30 channels, adding 18 SSM super slight micro belt-pack transmitters and three six-channel Venue2 receivers to its existing stock of SMDa transmitters and Venue receivers. “The quality of Lectrosonics’ products is by far superior,” says Kern of the purchase decision. “They’ve got a very low noise floor and very solid RF, so it helps you to get a very clear
China - When the audio system in Hong Kong’s City Hall began to fall short of its duty, the powers that be called on DMT Pro, Clair Brothers’ Chinese distributor to upgrade the old system in the 463-seat city hall theatre and bring it into the new millennium. After a thorough review of the venue with specific attention paid to addressing acoustical challenges not overcome by the old system, DMT decided to install an L-C-R Clair Brothers system, which consists of two Clair Brothers kiT 12+ two-way, self-powered speakers for each of the L-C-R channels, and two kiT-Sub-mini+ single drive self-powered subwoofers, all supported by two Lake LM44 digital processors. Says Ricky Wan, sales manager at DMT, “The speakers have a DSP function, but for a greater degree of fine tuning we also installed the Lake processors.” “We are very impressed with the quality of Clair
UK - Theatres Trust has extended the booking period for our Early Bird offer so you now have until Friday 24 August to take advantage of the discounted rate ( http://bit.ly/Adaptandthrive ). Titled 'Adapt and Thrive', the conference, which takes place on 16 October at the Lyric Hammersmith, looks at new models for theatre buildings and new ways of funding. Through a mixture of inspiring plenaries and lively breakout sessions, the conference w
UK - Registration is now open for ISCEx which takes place 5-6 March 2019 at Combe Abbey (https://www.isce.org.uk/iscex-event/) If you’re working in commercial audio system design, integration, project management or sales, ISCEx provides opportunities to learn, engage and discuss commercial audio solutions in an intimate, non-imposing environment. ISCEx is a multi-faceted event that includes seminars, training, networking dinner and an exhibition of the audio industries leading manufacturers and distributors. There are plenty of opportunities to meet up with industry colleagues, share ideas and discuss projects in informal environments. (Jim Evans)
Italy - For the eighth year running, Music Inside Rimini (MIR) and LIVE welcomed a host of lighting companies including High End Systems to take part in the annual Italian event Live You Play. LIVE events began in 2010 with a resolution to provide visitors with the chance to experience audio, lighting, video and installation technologies from a live performance on stage. This year, there was both a virtual and a live show organised at the event. Lighting designer Trevor Burk organised the structure of High End Systems fixtures in the virtual show whilst lighting programmer Francesco De Cave arranged the design of the same fixtures for music band ‘POP deluxe’ in the live show. Francesco emphasised how “programming the lighting whilst showing the fixtures’ capability to the audience without losing the main focus – the show itself – was not an easy job
USA - High End Systems has announced the finalists for the 2018 Hog Factor USA Collegiate Lighting Programming Competition. First held in North America in 2015, Hog Factor has become a leading global lighting contest. Over 60 teams registered for Phase One, each providing a performance lighting piece programmed on a Hog or Hog 4 PC. The collegiate teams were judged by a diverse panel of High End Systems and ETC employees to produce the three Hog Factor finalists. The three finalist teams are SolaTartan from Carnegie Mellon University, The Pig Ears from California State University Long Beach and Brown Sugar from Southern Methodist University. Phase Two will see these teams programming a performance lighting piece based on High End Systems' 2018 LDI booth design. These teams will then be invited to perform their shows live at LDI on the ETC / High End Systems booth
Australia - Bosch has entered into a distribution partnership with Jands. Jands will provide sales and support for a select range of Bosch’s pro sound installation audio products from Dynacord and Electro-Voice, including the new IPX multi-channel installation DSP power amplifiers, EVID and EVC Series loudspeakers and the EV Innovations range. Chris Dellenty, general manager - Oceania, Bosch Security and Safety Systems, comments: “Bosch is well known for our commitment to excellent service and support and by entering into partnership with a strategic national distributor like Jands, who have the expertise to support the needs of the customer, we will continue to provide the quality products and services that people expect when they buy Dynacord and Electro-Voice. Our Prosound team are excited by this alliance, and we look forward to a prosperous long-term relationship.
UK - PLASA Show, the worldwide event for entertainment technology, is returning to London Olympia on 16-18 September with a whole host of industry leaders and influential brands primed to deliver popular products, inspirational talks and expert training. The exhibitor list has been rapidly growing with international brands spanning lighting, audio, AV, rigging and staging, and the programme is filling up fast with critical updates, exclusive panels and the latest projects. In association with LSi, respected lighting designer Rob Halliday and entertainment architects Stufish will present Giudizio Universale - Michelangelo and the Secrets of the Sistine Chapel, revealing the technical secrets of this stunning €9m immersive stage show created by Marco Balich, now at the Auditorium Conciliazione in Rome. Having worked on the show, Rob Halliday will discu
Secondary Ticketing - Ticketmaster is closing its secondary ticketing websites Seatwave and Get Me In in a bid to combat touts. The sites, which allow you to offload unwanted tickets, have frequently been exploited by so-called professional sellers who hike up the prices. "We know that fans are tired of seeing others snap up tickets just to resell for a profit on secondary websites, so we have taken action," said Andrew Parsons, head of Ticketmaster UK. In their place, people will be allowed to sell tickets directly on Ticketmaster, where a simple click will release tickets back into the market. Unlike the current system, users will only be allowed to charge the original price or less - though there will be a 15% surcharge on every ticket to cover booking fees paid by the seller (£7.50 for a ticket that costs £50). Ticketmaster has also vowed to be transparent about
South Africa - Audio rental company Blue Array Productions has invested in its third DiGiCo console - an SD12. Blue Array first purchased an SD5 to a ‘great reception’ from the local market. The company then decided to invest in a smaller platform console, purchasing an S31, before recently taking ownership of the SD12. “Blue Array’s Kobus van Rensburg and Marinus Visser have been wanting an SD12 since the console was launched in 2017,” says Kyle Robson from DWR Distribution, DiGiCo’s distributor for Africa. “We worked with them on costings and they finally decided to push the green button.” Audio engineer Marinus is a big fan of the DiGiCo platform and needed an SD console that would cater for all his requirements in a lightweight package that would be easy to move around. “Once he had played with the SD12, he was sold,” Robson says. “It
South Africa - Dry hire company Guquko Technical Rider has launched a new website, www.guqukotech.co.za. The company was established by Phumzile Sibanyoni at the end of 2017 and holds stock of 12 Robe Spiiders, 24 Longman 4 Ups, Prolyte stage decks and other accessories such as cabling. Sibanyoni comments: “The equipment has been working very hard for us. We were very pleased that our Robe Spiiders and Longman units were used at the Nelson Mandela Annual lecture hosted at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 17 July. The gear is out most of the weeks and is not gathering dust. That said, it would be great for larger companies to recognize and rent from us to help give us the necessary exposure.” All gear is also frequently serviced by the local dist
UK - TSL Lighting has invested in a large number of Chroma-Q LED fixtures and Luminex DMX hubs, supplied by the brands' UK & Eire dealer A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET). The investment comes less than a month after TSL announced it had finalised the acquisition of corporate and event lighting specialist Blinding Light. TSL has added to its inventory a large quantity of Chroma-Q Color Force II 72 and Chroma-Q Space Force LED fixtures. AC-ET also supplied TSL with 50 Luminex LumiSplit 2.10 DMX hubs. Sam Tamplin, managing director of TSL Lighting, comments: “With the recent acquisition of Blinding Light, we needed to make sure we had the right inventory to meet the needs of our customers. The addition of these industry leading fixtures and
UK - SGM Light has named Matrix as its new distributor for Denmark. The news follows the recent appointment of Architainment Lighting as the brand’s architectural distributor in the UK. Peter Johansen, CEO, SGM Light comments: “With Matrix as our new distributor here in Denmark, our customers will experience easier access to SGM’s products, and in general get all the benefits of Matrix’s service package. Our day-to-day focus is definitely targeted the big export markets. However, we also want to accommodate our home market, which will now be able to enjoy SGM demonstrations on several occasions.” Thomas Christensen, CEO of Matrix, adds: “With the water and dust-resistant products, SGM has a unique market placement, and we are thri
Italy - GLP has appointed Mods Art as its new Italian distributor. The move has been announced by GLP sales executive Sven Heindl and the Italian company’s chairman Dr. Giacomo Laria. Mods Art’s Alessandro Righi will be a technical representative for the German brand. Heindl comments: “Mods Art is a dynamic and positive young company and I could see the mood and ambition from the number of visitors attending the booth at MIR. “We look forward to a long and successful future working together with them.” Laria adds: “We are working to introduce GLP at the top level, which is quite a challenge with so many high-profile lighting manufacturers in Italy.” Initial reaction, following open days and a presence Music Inside Rimini has been 100% positive, he adds: “The feedback has been excellent and we are highly optimistic.” Mods Art recently
South Africa - The Gearhouse Group, a network of companies, branches and divisions that service the event industries, has recently added Showcom to its ranks. Johannesburg-based Showcom (Pty) Ltd is headed up by Nickolas Chapman and specialises in supplying communication solutions to the events industry, offering a range of wireless, wired or two-way radio communication systems. The company’s official launch was marked on 1 August. Showcom is based at 18 Lang Street, Bezuidenhout Valley. (Jim Evans)
UK - Cambridge-based conference technology provider Brähler ICS UK has rebranded as BUK Solutions. The change comes as the company marks 30 years of trading and enters a new phase that incorporates new distribution partnerships and a more diverse range of suppliers. The company is also offering enhanced complementary event services as part of its rental portfolio including consultancy, interpretation and translation. Launched in the late 1980s, Brähler ICS UK operated alongside German parent company Brähler ICS Konferenztechnik AG until 2012. It then became independent but remained a member of the global Brähler ICS Network until recently. Simon Sainsbury, managing director of BUK Solutions, comments: “The success of our expanded portfolio, which now includes several new non-Brähler products and services, prompted us to redefine our identity in the marketpl
UK - SGM Light has bolstered its relationship with Architainment Lighting by making the High Wycombe company the official architectural distributor for the Danish brand in the UK. The deal means Architeinment Lighting will represent SGM Light's IP66-rated POI (Permanent Outdoor Installations) luminaires. Ian Kirby, MD at SGM UK, comments: “SGM is a forerunner in launching new technology in Entertainment lighting and is focused on high-quality IP65/66-rated LED luminaires. SGM have also been developing an Architectural version of its luminaire range and we have been in discussion with Architainment for some time with a view to Nic and his team including the architectural range in their portfolio.” Peter Johansen, CEO, SGM Light, adds: “I am pleased to announce that our discussions have been successful and Architainment have now been appointed our exclusive di
UK - Virtual reality (VR) specialist MelodyVR is working with the NEC Group Arenas to offer virtual access to live events in its venues. Concertgoers will be able to access a selection of live events held at the Genting Arena and Arena Birmingham venues, using the power of virtual reality technology, including performances from chart toppers Royal Blood, The Script and UB40 Feat. Ali, Astro & Mickey. Over the coming months, MelodyVR will also live stream real-time concerts via VR and offer virtual tickets to sold-out shows with the biggest artists, enabling an unlimited number of fans to attend in-demand concerts around the globe. The concerts, as well as virtual tickets, will be available to purchase via the MelodyVR app, on Oculus Go or Samsung Gear VR virtual reality headsets (with more platforms coming soon). Information on upcoming shows will also be p
Turkey - Clair Brothers has named Elit Light / Sound Technologies as its distributor in Turkey. The Istanbul company will sell and distribute the kiTCurve and C-Series loudspeakers as well as other Clair Brothers products such as the 1AM and 1.5AM Series stage monitors, the stackable S2 PA System, and more. Elit MD Emre Defne comments: “We’re so proud to now be the Turkish partner of Clair Brothers because they give us a renewed ability to build on our mission to be the best live event brand in Turkey.” Josh Sadd, Clair Brothers chief engineer, adds: “We are happy to have Elit on board with us and look forward to making more contributions to Turkey’s vibrant culture of interesting venues and events. The Elit team brings experience and enthusiasm that will certainly make the future of Clair Brothers in Turkey bright.” Defne continues: “With Cl
Germany - The Ehrlich Brothers have become among the best-known magicians and illusionists in the world. Their trademarks include trucks weighing several tons emerging from nowhere, trees growing in a matter of seconds, and almost everything disappearing from the stage during the course of a show - and then reappearing, as if by magic. In mid-July, the two brothers added further superlatives when they guested for three days in the Stuttgart Porsche Arena. First of all, there was the Showdown of the World's Best Magicians, with selected guests appearing on the first two evenings, presented by RTL. Finally, on the third evening, the Ehrlich Brothers presented their new show Magic Worlds. Working alongside Ehrlich Entertainment GmbH, were the Production Resource Group (PRG), who provided rigging, lighting, video and media technology, Schiffer & Faber for
Spatial Audio - The Audio Engineering Society (AES) is set to stage the second International Conference on Audio for Virtual and Augmented Reality on 20-22 August at the DigiPen Institute of Technology, Redmond, WA. The conference and exhibition will bring together a community of influential research scientists, engineers, VR and AR developers, and content creators. The three-day conference and expo will focus on the dissemination of top-level research in the field of spatial audio for virtual and augmented reality, with demonstrations and discussions focused on technical solutions and recommended practices. Leading researchers, practitioners and industry luminaries will offer panel discussions, tutorials, and workshops on new and forthcoming technologies. The keynote presenters are Jean-Marc Jot, distinguished fellow, Magic Leap; Ivan Tashev, partner architect, Micr
UK - The Knight of Illumination Awards (KOI), which celebrate international video and lighting designers for their creative work in the UK, has revealed the Theatre shortlist for 2018. An expert panel of judges, all of whom have years of experience reviewing theatre, opera and dance, have watched countless productions over the last year and distilled the best of the best into the shortlist. The panel is made up of The Dancing Times critic, Zoë Anderson; The Guardian's leading theatre critic, Michael Billington; opera critic for The Stage and Opera Magazine George Hall; chief dance critic for The Stage, Neil Norman; co-founder of Exeunt, Natasha Tripney; and opera editor for Whatsonstage, Mark Valencia; led by broadcaster David Benedict, chair of the Theatre judging panel.
UK - The Association of Lighting Designers’ annual Michael Northen Awards launched this week. The awards are an opportunity for students just leaving their college or university course to gain practical skills and experience in creating a portfolio which sells their design ideas. Entry is now open, and all submissions must be received before midnight on the closing date: Wednesday 31 October. Johanna Town, chair of the ALD, comments: “What better accolade with which to enter the industry than with a lighting design award? The Michael Northen Bursary scheme (MNB) is a great aide to developing a lighting designer’s abilities in communication. To be able to sell your ideas and passions for a design to other industry leaders, is as important a skill, maybe even more so, as the design itself. For this reason, this particular award entry is so important to a designer
