UK - A 36-channel Audient ASP8024 desk with patchbay and producer’s desk has been installed at Cornwall charity Livewire Youth Music. The charity offers free and open access to music lessons and its facilities are also used as a teaching space for 10 to 21 year-olds interested in live engineering and studio recording. The arrival of the professional quality Audient console has brought a significant upgrade in sound quality along with a more enriching experience for those on both sides of the glass. Manager Andy Rance has been running the youth centre for the best part of three decades, and was pleased to welcome local three-piece band, The Flying Saucepans as the first to be recorded using the analogue console last month. “Our long-time studio and venue engineer, Will Rodgers led the session with support from two of the older trainee studio engineers,” says
UK - Adlib’s Scottish operation has recently supplied a substantial L-Acoustics package with DiGiCo control to Limelight Event Services, an Inverness-based production and rental company. Limelight had already developed a relationship with Adlib as they previously owned a smaller L-Acoustics system and would use Adlib to source cross hires for larger shows and for spares as necessary. The recent purchases include most of the current L-Acoustics range of speakers - K2, Kara, Kiva and ARCS Wide plus HiQ wedges – supplied together with LA amplifiers, proprietary flying systems, a set of LoadGuard motors and rigging - all fully flight-cased. A DiGiCo SD12 console was selected as a fully-featured user-friendly console with which most professional sound engineers will be familiar. Craig Duncan, owner of Limelight Event Services, said: “We feel that L-Acoustics is
UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has been appointed as a Panasonic Solutions partner for the Panasonic range of professional projectors and large format display screens. The product range will bolster the line-up of technologies available from AC-ET’s video sales division. Stuart Burdett, sales manager for AC-ET's video sales division, commented: “We're delighted to add Panasonic to our video portfolio. The brand and its products are synonymous with innovation, first-class image performance and excellent build quality, and we are excited to be able to make the full range available to our customers.” AC-ET has access to Panasonic’s visual solutions, including popular models such as the PT-RZ970 laser projector, which is designed for intensive usage and maintenance-free, long-lasting brightness (9,400 lumens) in permanent installations. Panas
USA - When the leadership team at Joppa, Maryland-based Mountain Christian Church (MCC) found a prime location in nearby Abingdon to establish its fourth area campus, there was one thing that wasn’t quite so ideal - the facility’s low 13ft ceilings, which limited sound reinforcement options for the planned 600-seat worship space. However, AVL systems provider Mankin Media Systems of Franklin, Tennessee was able to recommend a highly effective and elegant solution in the form of L-Acoustics’ new Syva colinear loudspeaker system. This project is particularly noteworthy in that it represents both the first North American permanent install for Syva as well as the world’s first house of worship to adopt the new system. “The Syva system at Abingdon’s campus is the secret weapon that really made the room what it is,” says Mankin’s Tim Corder. “In the p
USA - Playback engineer Romain Garnier and long-time FOH engineer James McCullagh have chosen DirectOut products to improve redundancy and provide D/A conversion for the Backstreet Boys’ entirely digital Larger Than Life Las Vegas residency and forthcoming 2018 world tour. The US boy band that saw international success during the 1990s is currently in residency in Las Vegas – supported by audio company and DirectOut audio vendor Sound Image – with a live show based wholly on a “virtual band” playout of 64 separate and unequalised digitally recorded tracks. Garnier explains: “We chose DirectOut products because they are extremely reliable and offer great flexibility. They’re also compact and robust which makes them perfect for the road.” The playback rig for Larger Than Life includes a redundant pair of MacBook Pro computers running c
USA - Audio-system integrator Solotech recently completed the world’s first permanent installation of JBL by Harman VTX A12 loudspeakers at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino resort. The Colosseum is a 5,000-seat venue that hosts a wide range of performances - from chart-topping rock bands to acclaimed comedians. In order to improve the sound quality in the venue, The Colosseum hired Solotech to replace its entire audio system in three separate phases. In the first phase, which was completed earlier this year, Solotech replaced the venue’s aging main hangs with 26 VTX A12 loudspeakers, JBL’s latest line array technology. “We've got a world-class venue, and thanks to the VTX A12, we now have a world-class PA,” said David Cyrenne, production supervisor and audio engineer at The Colosseum. “We needed something reliable and versatile to complem
UK - Full-service technical production company Blitz, A GES Company has recently invested in 24 ProLights Luma 1500 LED luminaires for use on high-profile corporate and live events. Part of the global GES network, UK-based Blitz produces hundreds of events annually and has built up a loyal customer base over the past 25 years. The company provides production services for conferences, product launches, awards ceremonies, AGMs, exhibitions and road shows to a diverse range of global financial brands as well as aerospace and tech giants amongst others. When Blitz's lighting manager Nick Clarke was looking to invest in a new moving spot fixture for medium and large-scale events, he approached technology reseller, A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) for some options to look at. Nick commented: "The Luma 1500 is ideal for us. It provides a great output LED source
Finland - Helsinki City Theatre, the biggest professional repertoire theatre in Finland, has recently reopened its doors after an extensive three-year refurbishment and upgrade process. The technical part of the multi-million Euro renovation project was designed and managed by international theatre consultants Theatreplan. “We were first approached by HCT in 2014 to work with them on a complete refit of the entire building,” explained Theatreplan director and stage engineering specialist, Dave Ludlam. The project started in March 2014 and was delivered in July 2017 for inauguration in August to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the modern Finnish nation. Theatreplan carried out work on two of the six stages within the building: the ‘big stage’ with a capacity of 947, and the 347-seat ‘small stage’. The big stage now benefits from a re-shaped proscenium
UK - Full service production company Stage Production is supplying all the production for a new multi-purpose event space in Birmingham called Crane and has turned to Elation Professional products to fulfil the lighting brief. Crane, which opened on 29 September is a large space with a raw industrial feel in the heart of the Digbeth district of central Birmingham. Along with elevated ceilings, iron beams and exposed brick work, the space is defined by two 5-ton rolling cranes that span the width of the building and roll down its length on steel girders. The venue is run by The Rainbow Venues, which own a complex of other converted warehouse event and club spaces in the area, many of which Stage Productions has also been supplying production for over the last eight years. Every week, a DJ or other artist performs at the 3500-capacity venue. Crane’s stage changes per
Argentina - In their hit single At Dawn, Argentinian rockers La Beriso sing about the undying resilience of dreamers. It is an apt theme for this hard-rocking group of seven musicians who struggled for some years after they formed their band in the gritty port city of Avellaneda, before breaking through as one of South America’s hottest artists, an accomplishment that led Rolling Stone Argentina to proclaim them “the new hope of street rock”. The band’s intense passion was on full display in their 2 September performance at Rosario’s Metropolitan concert hall, not just in their unflinchingly honest music, but also in the vividly coloured lightshow that supported it note for powerful note. Lighting designer David De Martin anchored his high-octane rig around a collection of Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by Deligio - Producciones Técnicas.
World - ESTA and PLASA have announced the release of an International Code of Practice for Entertainment Rigging (ICOPER) which is available as a free download at www.esta.org/icoper or www.plasa.org/icoper. In response to calls from the international entertainment rigging community, rigging professionals from around the globe came together to create ICOPER to promote awareness and safety worldwide by providing a model code of practice with a focus on arena rigging. However, this Code of Practice is applicable to all event production rigging disciplines. The practices described in the Code are intended to provide a universal foundation for those engaged in planning, managing and executing entertainment rigging. ICOPER also provides guidelines for those who wish to develop policy, design training content or help establish certification criteria. Key areas covered
Germany - If the six musicians of PUR keep their fans waiting for a whole year, there has to be a very good reason. And a gigantic, one-off concert provided the answer, as for the sixth time at the Veltins Arena, 65,000 fans flocked to the PUR & Friends concert. This gave them the chance not only to celebrate their band, but also a number of high-profile guests. Among them were Andreas Bourani, Daniel Wirtz, comedian Bülent Ceylan and Max Giesinger. The success of this mega event was assured at the beginning of the year, when all tickets were sold out in a very short time. What the sold-out arena would be offered over the 150 minutes could only be described as ‘excitement’ - as the six musicians entered the venue to a fanfare and took to their gigantic stage in the centre of the arena. Lighting designer Günter Jäckle, who has been one of the permanent associates o
UK - Stylus Productions is a new, London-based company providing production management services and pro-audio rental. Founded in 2016 by Sam Thomas and Oliver Weeks, the company delivers a comprehensive service for the touring and live events industry and has an uncompromising approach to technical excellence. In line with this, it has recently invested in DiGiCo mixing consoles, adding an SD10 and SD11 to its inventory. “As a young company entering a competitive marketplace, we knew from the outset that we had to carry an inventory with maximum functionality and flexibility; systems that are powerful and applicable to a varied client base,” says Sam. “This made DiGiCo the obvious choice when looking at consoles.” “We approach things very much from an engineers’ point of view, and try to devise solutions that will best suit their individual needs in demandi
UK - Utopium has invested in new energy efficient lighting fixtures. The company has added the SGM G-4 Wash fixtures, compact DMX-controlled LED Fresnel wash lights with superb colour mixing abilities and low power consumption. Contrary to most conventional wash lights, the G-4 comprises red, green blue, amber and mint LEDs, which mix directly in the light source. The fixture also contains a dichroic enhancer to create a deep blue which delivers a highly saturated backlight effect. Utopium’s other recent acquisitions include: Martin VDO Sceptron 10, Hippotizer Amba Media Server, Avolites Tigher Touch 2 and Chauvet Colarado 2 Solo. Utopium’s Colin Bodenham remarked: “By constantly reinvesting in our stock we can be sure that we are able to support our clients’ creative requirements. These fixtures are great additions to our dry hire and event lighting inve
USA - Lighting designer Butch Allen created a stunning visual design for American rock band Paramore’s Tour Two US tour using a bevy of Elation Professional’s compact ACL 360i beam effect lights. Supplied by LMG Touring for the fall leg of the band’s US tour, which wrapped up on 17 October, 72 of the single-beam moving effects formed the aerial lighting focal point throughout the show. “I needed a very small fixture with big output,” Allen said. “The lights were in the projection field for video and minimizing shadows without sacrificing the lighting look was a challenge. The ACL 360i fit the bill perfectly.” Allen, who was using the fixture for the first time, praised its intensity and named its small size and low weight (33 cm/13 in tall and 5.2 kg/11.5 lbs) as important factors in its choice, as well as the ability to fit the budget. LMG Touri
UK - Southampton Solent University has upgraded its performance studios as part of a £100m facilities improvement programme running up to 2020, with VDC supplying the cabling infrastructure. The university’s TV, Film and Media Technology department already boasts a number of professional-standard facilities including 4K-ready broadcast studios, radio suites and newsrooms, and the decision was made to invest in similarly high-quality facilities for the Music and Performance students. The department has nine rooms in total, five full studios and four smaller workstations which can be used for mixing. Studio 1 was upgraded in 2016 but the remaining studios hadn’t been touched for around ten years so much of the kit was showing signs of wear and tear. When the decision was made to redevelop Studio 1, Technical Instructor Jon Wills contacted VDC to provide the cabling
Europe - Production manager Will Wilkinson engaged the services of Video Design, Negative Earth lighting and SSE for sound during Lady Antebellum’s recent European tour. The band visited the Netherlands, England, Scotland and Ireland during the European leg of the tour comprising six dates between 1 October and 10 October, with the crew and band arriving on the continent on 27 September. Wilkison says: “When you tour with such a tight schedule at an arena level, the key is being able to source close what we use in the US. In that sense of matched equipment, it was a very smooth transition from the US into Europe. As far as Video Design was concerned, our biggest concern was over the video content. With almost no time for production prep ahead of our first show in Amsterdam we needed to send our content over before we arrived and have it loaded onto the server.
UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies recently supplied Edinburgh-based rental & production company Black Light with Luminex GigaCore switches to provide a dual redundancy fibre network for the reveal of the new £1.35bn Queensferry Crossing bridge. The lighting scheme, designed by event production company JMP Productions and supplied by Black Light, was switched on by First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon to commemorate the completion of one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Scotland in a generation. With the structure spanning 1.7 miles / 2.7 kilometres over the River Forth, and the launch event attracting a huge amount of media interest, Black Light needed to ensure that the technical infrastructure for the ambitious lighting scheme performed seamlessly. The ultra-reliable system they chose consisted of Luminex GigaCore network switches, plus
UK - Rental company Ian Livie Concert & Corporate Lighting helped set up Paul Rodgers’ Free Spirit Tour with a minimalist rig of moving light and Leko fixtures and video content on Resolume controlled from a grandMA2 console. Ian Livie and LD Jared Trinnaman are committed MA Lighting control aficionados. Livie says: “I had worked with Warren Cracknell for many years on Joe Bonamassa, the US blues guitarist so when he discussed the option of working with Paul Rodgers on the Free Spirit Tour I knew I had to invest in a console I was confident would stand the test of touring time both now and into the future. The LD, Jared Trinnaman felt the same way; I saw the show at the Royal Albert Hall and was so impressed with what he did with the console.” Trinnaman himself had already invested in MA control. He says: “I’ve been an MA user since 2012. I
Czech Republic - Czech pop rock band Kryštof celebrated their 25-year anniversary with a sold-out arena tour and a two-night concert at the Stadion Evžena Rošického in Prague, where they played two shows to over 70,000. Full production – including around 100 Robe moving lights – for the tour and the stadium shows was supplied by ZL Production who have a long association with Kryštof. The band’s lighting designer Jiří Rouček is also a long serving crew member, and since 2010 he has also been working as head of lighting for ZL Production based in Plzen and Prague. A number of LED screens were involved in the stage design – both on and around the stage itself and across the PA wings each side widen out the overall picture and ensure that all in the venue, even those at the very back, could get a good view of the action. The strong video presence and
UK - Cardiff based events specialist 11th Hour is beginning preparations for the opening of the flagship ice rink in the city centre on 9 November. The rink is part of Winter Wonderland presented by Sayers Amusements, which is running for nine weeks and boasting a fairground with big wheel, rides, stalls and an authentic alpine village, complete with Bier Keller. Last year, 60,000 visitors attended the rink, so this year's rink will be larger to accommodate up to 290 skaters at a time. The 11th Hour team is responsible for every aspect of constructing, maintaining, managing and staffing the rink, which is once again sponsored by Cardiff-based car insurance giants Admiral. A ClearSpan covering structure, capable of withstanding storm-force winds (closure is only necessary if wind speeds exceed 80mph) not only ensures that it remains open for all sessions, but that ice t
France - Airstar became an official partner to the Régates Royales Cannes this year after five consecutive years of cooperation. Airstar’s lighting solutions were once again installed at the heart of the historic classic yachting event - the 160th edition of which took place between 23 and 30 September. Airstar’s Crystal lighting balloons took pride of place, with two 160cm and three 200cm envelope balloons in situ on the docks around the boats and at the stands in the exhibiting village in the centre of Cannes opposite the Palais des Festivals. Some were then relocated to Palm Beach for the evening’s festivities. With a set up time of just 15 minutes, yet designed to withstand tough outdoor conditions including wind gusts of up to 70 km/h, the Crystal range is perfectly suited to an event of this nature and are maintenance free. The Crystal lighting ballo
New Zealand - MDR Sound and Lighting installed 12 Chauvet Professional Maverick MK2 Spot fixtures to replace the incandescent fixtures in the Auckland War Memorial Museum The Mavericks were deemed well suited for this project for their CMY + CTO colour mixing capabilities and their 440W output. “We found that the Mavericks were the only fixtures we tested to render all colours perfectly even at 100% output,” commented Auckland Museum’s Liam Brown. He added: “This is a foyer space that receives indirect sunlight most of the day through its south facing glass ceiling, but the brightness and intensity of the Mavericks overcome this without any problem.” He adds: “When they’re not providing general coloured wash lighting in the evening or early morning, the Mavericks function as pin sharp spot lights to focus on the objects on display at ground level,
USA - Altman Lighting is preparing a showcase of its theatrical and architectural lighting innovations at LDI 2017. At booth #2236, the company will present the complete family of Chalice LED recessed and pendant downlights, the line of Gallery LED architectural luminaires, and also the award-winning Pegasus LED Fresnels and PHX LED profile ellipsoidals. The Chalice LED Series range of downlights is available with mounting options that include pendant, recessed, aircraft cable, wall and yoke mount; and dimming choices ranging from Mains Dimming to DMX. Designed for museum, art gallery, hotel, restaurant and retail lighting, the Gallery LED Series offers a 92+ CRI and dimming options that include Mains Dimming, DMX, 0-10VDC and DALI. With variety of colour temperatures, this scalable family produces 4000 lumens of white light output, and can be used to build your soluti
