UK - The Howl Scream Park made its annual return to Mead Open Farm for 13 ‘nights of terror’ in October, where the likes of Topper the Clown and Grandma Lycanthrope waited to greet you with rotting arms. FunFear is a team of experienced engineers, technicians and designers who specialise in creating Halloween attractions and for the past three years, they have been in charge of turning the much-loved family farm into a land of torment and nightmare. There were five haunts to be explored at The Howl including Toppers Twister, The Shed, Hotel de Basquervilles, Squealers Yard and the House of Hounds. In each maze you could expect to encounter impressive audio, lighting and special effects, along with a legion of terrifying actors which combine to create an immersive experience where you were the bait. The maze with the highest “sca
UK - S+H Technical supplied a 12mm LED surface for the 2017 TV Choice Awards. The award ceremony brought together over 400 TV and entertainment celebrities at a gala dinner evening in The Ballroom at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane in central London. Stoneapple Productions designed and produced the ceremony for many years and S+H has been supplying screen for the last three. This year, four columns – two per side - of the S+H’s 12mm LED product flanked a main projection screen positioned upstage centre. The LED columns each measured 7m high by 1m wide, and in between each of these was a vertical row of blinder lights. The LED columns were used to display a variety of video content produced by Stoneapple for the event, including Awards graphics and aminations, for which they were highly effective. The 12 mm is an ideal product for events like this.
Kenya - An Audient ASP8024 has been installed in Nairobi-based studio Supersonic Africa as part of a project to expand the facility. The upgrade was prompted by the arrival of weekly music TV programme Coke Studio Africa, which was filmed at Supersonic earlier this year. “Musicians from all over the world come together and work on original compositions and mashups,” says producer at Supersonic, Muna Chuba, explaining that this was the second year running that they have hosted the show. “This gives us a lot of coverage as a studio - it’s actually how some of the international musicians get to know about us.” Those who’ve recorded and mixed at the studio include multi award-winning, local pop band Sauti Sol and international artist Wizkid. Enter the large format mixing desk from Audient, which according to music producer and Supersonic studio own
South Africa - DWR Distribution provided new lighting installation for the annual Christian Revival Church (CRC) Dreamweek Explosion conference held simultaneously in Bloemfontein and Pretoria in October. Phase 1 of the upgrade saw CRC Bloemfontein’s Main Auditorium receive a huge facelift. The 5 000-seater Auditorium situated in the South of Bloemfontein was extended to accommodate an additional 1 200 people. The ceiling was removed, air conditioning installed, and a new 24m wide stage, more than double the size of the original stage, was built. The DWR team, headed by Robert Izzett, installed Prolyte H40V trussing above the revamped stage onto which both the church’s existing lighting fixtures and the new LED power saving units comprising of 18 Robe Spiiders, six Robe Pointes and 28 LED Parcans for audience wash were hung. An 8 Port Node was added to the MA syste
UK - The audio system in the main concert hall at the Lighthouse arts centre in Poole, Dorset has been upgraded. The venue was originally conceived as the home of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and has adequate acoustics for classical performances, but the increase in speech orientated material performed there in recent years meant a new system was needed to improve speech intelligibility. Jake Sutton, technical manager at the Lighthouse explains: “The system we had in place was really only suitable for public address and simple amplification for events. We augmented this for music and other performances that required more audio support but it was very hard work to get an acceptable sound. Our main issue was lack of direct speaker coverage and uniformity of sound across the whole auditorium. We, alongside theatre consultants Charcoal Blue, invited three PA compan
UK - Stormzy’s Gang Signs and Prayers tour was extensively lit with Ayrton fixtures. Lighting designer Steve Bewley opted for an Ayrton-laden specification for each incarnation of Stormzy’s show, which visited various academy venues this year before concluding with two Brixton Academy gigs. “There were 38 MagicPanel-R units and 10 MagicBurst on my list. The UK and Ireland shows were all of a decent size, Brixton Academy has a capacity of nearly 5,000 and then we had various festival variations and a special rig for Glastonbury. Altogether, there were six different designs but the Ayrton fixture choices were always central to the show. Their dynamic look is not something that can be replicated and they were versatile enough to adapt to all the different venues and configurations. “For the academy shows, we stripped out the house rigs to make it enti
USA - The recent audio upgrade by Clark at the First Pentecostal Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas featured the world’s first installation of Martin Audio’s new Wavefront Precision Compact (WPC) and Mini optimised arrays with iKON amps along with CSX218 subs and the new LE100 monitors. The system includes 16 WPC a side for the main array with a side fill array of six WPM a side covering the extreme outside corners. The stage was modified to accommodate five CSX218 subs per side recessed into the front, with everything powered by the iKON amps. All the hangs are covered with white acoustical fabric for visual integration. First Pentecostal’s sanctuary is an acoustically challenging space with large domed ceilings, a balcony, stained glass windows and hard marble surfaces. “They didn’t want to add acoustical treatments,” says Clark Project Manager Brandon
UK - Leisuretec has become the new UK trade distributor for ADJ. Mike Henden, Leisuretec's managing director, comments: “Distributing ADJ is an exciting new prospect for us. Their products are smart, easy to use and have a very competitive price point. We appreciate that the choice we provide our customers is essential when they’re specifying for their clients. “ADJ is a high-quality yet affordable lighting solution that our customers can offer their clients when faced with challenges like tight budgets and niche applications. We believe we’re a consolidated source for our customers and our new partnership with ADJ emphasises that strength. “Expect strong stock holding, technical support, training events and efficient delivery across the ADJ range. We will also host ADJ training events in the TecZone for those who want to grow their knowledge on the br
UK - Cardiff-based events specialists 11th Hour were stage and lighting suppliers for the 2017 Steelhouse Festival, held in July near Ebbw Vale, South Wales. 11th Hour, who had previously worked at Steelhouse in a limited capacity, saw their responsibilities expanded and enjoyed a highly productive if rather damp week. Max Rhead, promoter and co-organiser of Steelhouse Festival takes up the story: "We teamed up with 11th Hour to provide the power solutions for the Steelhouse Festival back in 2016. We were incredibly impressed with their knowledge and professionalism as well as the quality of the equipment that they supplied. So, when the requirement for a new stage and lighting supplier presented itself for 2017, we immediately contacted director Andy Hopkins and the boys to expand t
USA - Sound production company Firehouse Productions has found significant value in the sound quality, quick deployment and low total cost of ownership of Audinate’s Dante audio-over-IP networking. Over the years, the company, which has provided sound production systems and support services to major rock concert tours is also integrally involved with sound production for special live events, such as the 2017 International Indian Film Festival held in mid-July at the MetLife Stadium, as well as live events for corporations including Macy’s, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Biogen and Wyndham. In television, the company has played a key role in producing audio for live broadcasts, such as The Tony Awards, NBC’s The Wiz and Peter Pan, The Daily Show, In Performance at the White House, the iHeart Music Festival and Global Citizen Festival.
The Netherlands - Eindhoven live music venue De Effenaar has recently updated its lighting rig with Robe fixtures. De Effenaar hosts around 20 gigs a month across its two halls with capacity of 1300 and 400. Former house lighting specialist Yoeri van Leersum specified 12 x DL7S Profiles, 12 x DL4X spots and four DL4F fresnels, together with 42 x Robe PARFect RGBW LED PARs. These were added to their existing stock of Robe MMX spots, DLF Washes, 600E spots and 300E Spots, LEDWash 300s and LEDBeam 100s. House technician Sven de Hoog explains: “We also wanted to make a statement with the DL7Ss,” confirmed Sven, “As far as we are aware, we’re the first music venue in the Netherlands to have the DL7 series in house and possibly in Benelux - and it’s always good to lead the way!” The DL7Ss are in action in the large hall while the DL4X and DL4Fs are earmarke
USA - Audio and networking technology developer Archwave joined other OCA Alliance members in a series of AES70 demo sessions at the AES 2017 show in New York. The focus was on the practical implementation of AES70 (also known as Open Control Architecture or OCA) rather than the theory. How to make an AES70 device and How to make an AES70 Controller offered step-by-step instruction and working demonstrations on how to build fully functional AES70 implementations. The sessions were led by Bosch’s Jeff Berryman and showed the practical combination of AES70 for controlling and connecting network devices in conjunction with the AES67 standard for audio-network streaming. The demonstration included a Focusrite audio source, a BOSCH Dante implementation and RAVENNA/AES67-enabled Genelec monitors, all connected in a single network and centrally managed by Arch
Vietnam - Ba Sao Investment recently installed a complete audio system by Harman Professional Solutions at the Vietnam National Drama Theatre. The theatre, which was built in the 1950s, was recently redeveloped and Ba Sao Investment upgraded the audio system with a complete Harman audio solution. Nguyen Khac Anh, CEO of Ba Sao Investment, says: “Vietnam National Drama Theatre asked us to install a modern audio system with perfect coverage at every seat in the house. The new Harman system delivers clarity, depth and intelligibility across the entire 620sq.ft theatre, with no audible delay. Management is very pleased with the solution, especially because it offers the flexibility to easily integrate new components in the future.” The system comprises JBL VRX900 Series line arrays, JBL PRX700 Series powered speakers,
USA - TMB Los Angeles celebrated the 10-year anniversaries of three of the company’s cable assembly technicians. TMB’s Pro Cables division has worldwide cabling staff of over 50, with an average tenure of close to eight years. TMB global operations manager, Jonny Starr, says: “Half our cabling staff have been with TMB for more than 10 years, and frankly, it shows. Experienced, conscientious and highly trained cabling techs such as Lidia Rodriguez, Rosa Hernandez, and Jose Granados, who were recently recognized in LA, contribute significantly to making TMB’s cable assemblies the standard to which all others are compared.” TMB has supplied entertainment production and staging professionals with power and data cables and assemblies since 1983. The company developed a range of specialised proprietary cables for permanent installations, and has partnered wi
New Zealand - Auckland-based event production company Forge Audio has increased its Soundcraft mixer inventory by investing in the Vi3000 digital mixing console. Marc Benedict, owner of Forge, explained that while the company was happy with their Soundcraft Si Expression digital mixers, a larger format digital console with a high channel count was needed and the Vi3000 was chosen for its straightforward, analogue-like design that allows instant responses for operators, top audio quality and reliability. “Our range of services is built around the best equipment with a comprehensive array of reliable audio, lighting and video technology,” says Marc Benedict. “The capabilities of the Vi3000 are amazing; with plenty capacity for inputs and outputs. We found that it is easy to clock-sync with other products and extremely dependable – perfect for our larger gigs and
Russia - An Allen & Heath dLive S Class system was selected for a recent open air performance of Alexander Borodin’s opera Prince Igor in Astrakhan, southern Russia. The Astrakhan State Theatre Opera and Ballet performed to an audience of over 5,000 at the Astrakhan Kremlin square with MixArt responsible for the audio. Vadim Scherbakov, MixArt’s chief sound engineer for the project, says: “With such a large number of microphones, stage monitors and a sound reinforcement system consisting of а main PA and a few delay speaker lines and front fills – all in the open air, it was a very challenging project.” Both FOH and monitor mixes were handled by a dLive system consisting of an S5000 and S7000 running in multi-surface mode on a DM64 MixRack and three DX Expanders. To handle the complexities of the large performance, the S7000 was used to mix
UK - L-Acoustics ARCS WiFo system was specified for the Belfast Empire’s Empire Laughs Black Comedy Club to cope with the venue’s challenging configuration and architectural restrictions. Owners Wine Inns Ltd required a new, high specification FOH sound system installed that would deliver excellent audio coverage across the venue’s dancefloor, as well as the raised tiers of seating areas and audience vantage points. The company’s technical manager, Will Barrett, contacted technical production company, Adlib, who recommended the L-Acoustics. “The venue operator required an updated sound system that would supplement and support live performances for a wide number of genres from spoken word and comedy, to folk music and rock ’n’ roll at their vibrant and very popular city venue,” says Adlib director, Roger Kirby. “The venue’s ornate interior architectu
Czech Republic - Kryštof, one of the Czech Republic’s biggest bands, packed Prague’s Evžena Rošického Stadium – better known simply as Strahov – for a pair of back-to-back shows with an expansive Adamson Systems Engineering reinforcement system provided by longtime partner ZL Production. To ensure that every single patron spread across the massive stadium had clear and lucid sound, ZL Production deployed main and delay systems comprised of Adamson’s E-Series and S-Series loudspeakers. “Kryštof is one of the best-known and best-selling bands in the Czech Republic, and considering the size and significance of these shows, we needed to deliver a world-class production,” says ZL Production’s Ondřej Tureček. “We trust Adamson to support our biggest tours and festivals. The band’s engineer, Topol, trusts Adamson. And we had a lot of space to cover,
France - Technical provider Visuel once again took charge of the stage set up and audio requirements for world music festival moZ’aïques held in Le Havre, France. For this eighth edition, 40 concerts were planned, with 100 musicians performing across two stages. Visuel decided to deploy APG’s loudspeakers at the festival over the brand they had previously used, with the goal of handling a complex acoustic challenge: two main stages facing each other only 200 metres apart, with musicians performing in front of an audience of up to 4,000 people. “When you are lucky enough to host incredibly talented musicians and singers, it is absolutely critical to offer a sound quality that is capable of giving back the energy and the warmth drawn by the artists,” explains Jérôme Le Bay, director of moZ’aïques festival and a knowledgeable audiophile.
USA - Award winning facilities company Music Mix Mobile has completed an upgrade of their audio console in the company’s Voyager production truck. States Joel Singer, co-owner and chief engineer of Music Mix Mobile (M3): “Our goal was to create an even more powerful remote music truck, and the Lawo system allows us total flexibility for music recording and broadcast, along with the brilliant sound quality required for music applications. W–e previously had a smaller Lawo mc²36 in this truck, but with the increase in larger input shows we’re doing, we decided to dedicate that mc²36 to one of our smaller mobiles and put a larger Lawo mc²56 into this truck. We now have three mc²56 trucks and one mc²36 truck on the road, doing some of the largest music broadcasts and recordings in this hemisphere.” The newly installed mc²56 has a 48-fader surface supporte
UK - Returning from a 25-year haitus, Matt and Luke Goss - Bros - headlined two shows at London’s O2 Arena, giving a fresh airing to their back catalogue of 80s pop hits. Working alongside Jamie Thompson and David Cohen at innovative show and lighting design outfit MIRRAD, the team at VER London provided the crew with an extensive LED, video, lighting and camera package to help build the suitably vibrant installation. Featuring a 6m upstage wall created using over 160sq.m of Everbrighten 15mm LED, angled for added depth, the performance area was stepped front to back across two levels. The band were positioned directly below the screens on the first ‘step’, overlooking the main stage floor, with the drum riser rigged centre stage. VER provided over 200 lighting fixtures, rigged using 400ft of HUD trussing in a double halo configuration with a classic mirro
Sweden - Hostel chain Generator has installed a Yamaha audio system throughout its public areas at its Stockholm hostel. The hostel features a 24-hour reception, café, restaurant, chill-out areas and meeting rooms, plus a bar and a first-floor space which both host functions and club nights. The main Yamaha system is controlled by an MRX7-D matrix processor with EXI8 input expander and features 15 pairs of VS4 full-range loudspeakers and six pairs of VXC4W ceiling speakers. There are separate systems in the bar and first floor space, comprising four IF2108 full-range loudspeakers and an IS1112 sub and four IF2208Ws plus IS1118W sub. The main system is powered by XMV8280-D and XMV8140 amplifiers, with three P5000S and a P7000S taking care of the function areas. “Generator wanted a cost-effective, high class audio solution. Other Generator hostels had different system
Norway - Norwegian event production company Lydteamet has invested in Alcons LR18 compact mid-size line-array. Lydteamet works on events throughout the North Norway region and needed a sound reinforcement system that would reproduce a wide range of musical styles with equal excellence and be suitable for small, medium or large events. “We have been a longtime user of other loudspeaker brands and Alcons systems were new to us,” says Lydteamet production manager Holger Hansen. “We took a long time looking into various systems; the compact size of the Alcons LR18, the rigging arrangement and its fantastic output made it an easy choice.” The pro-ribbon technology of the LR18 module makes it a very versatile solution. As well as delivering exceptional audio quality and power, its accurate directivity and ease of rigging means that an inventory can easily be us
UK - White Light has provided the lighting equipment for the UK tour of Flashdance – The Musical. Based on the Paramount Pictures Film, the musical tells the story of 18-year-old Alex who dreams of attending the prestigious Shipley Dance Academy and becoming a professional dancer. Yet when a romance complicates her ambitions, she harnesses this to drive her dream. Flashdance – The Musical is being produced by the award-winning Selladoor Productions and features a lighting design by Mark Howland. He comments: “Having never actually seen the film, this allowed me to approach the piece with a completely fresh perspective as though it were a new piece. The show is very rooted within 80’s music so I was keen to push some of the bold 80s colours which are largely associated with the music videos and concerts of that time. We also keep a lot of the ligh
