Live & Gigging - Live music now accounts for almost a quarter of UK music industry revenues, new figures reveal. Concerts brought in £1 billion in 2016, over £300m more than recorded music - which includes sales of CDs, vinyl, downloads and streaming. In total, 30.9 million tickets were sold for concerts and festivals in 2016, up from 27.7 million in 2015, but UK Music warned that the closure of small venues posed a threat to up-and-coming artists. "Live music did have another great year," said CEO Michael Dugher. "But future talent will never get the chance to shine if we continue to see cuts in music in schools and closures in venues where artists need to learn their craft in the first place." He also repeated calls for artists to be fairly compensated for their music - singling out media giants YouTube and Facebook for criticism. "Unlike the subscri
USA - At a time when some bands are using exotic, abstract and hard to decipher scenic elements on stage, pop punk phenoms Real Friends are taking an entirely different approach. Touring the USA, Mexico and Australia in support of their second studio album The Home Inside My Head, the Chicago-based quintet is performing in front of a downright homey set, complete with a family room couch, Afghan blankets and lamps that look like they popped out of mid-century America. This set is meant to convey the honest connection that Real Friends has with their fans, rather than nostalgia or drowsy comfort. Although there are some gentle acoustic tunes in the tour’s set list, most of the time the band kicks things into raw punk gear with hard driving songs like Mess and the staccato Empty Picture Frames. Supporting the gentle set and the edgy music is a flexible S
UK - The Warehouse Sound Services is to host a presentation and demonstration day of Adamson Systems loudspeakers. The event will be held at The Backstage Centre in Essex on Tuesday 3 October 2017 at 1pm. The Warehouse Sound Services is the UK distributor for Adamson. The company has invested heavily in Adamson equipment over the last year to help get these systems established in the rental and installation markets within the UK. The company will be showcasing its S-Series and new IS-Series of premium loudspeakers, with key personnel from Adamson and The Warehouse on-hand for the demonstration. Adamson’s S-Series of tour-grade loudspeakers, including the flagship S10, will be demonstrated. The two-way, true line source sub-compact line array cabinet has been deployed in the U.K. for recent shows by the likes of Bryan Adams and Shawn Mendes, plus major events like the
France - Philips Lighting reports that it has worked closely with Opera Sanxay to introduce the first-ever moving light rig for the celebrated Soirées Lyrique de Sanxay opera festival, staged from 10-14 August. The use of the latest stage lighting and control technology successfully enabled a new level of dynamic design possibilities for this highly respected outdoor spectacle. Now in its 18th year as one of France's leading lyrical arts events, Soirées Lyrique de Sanxay maintains presentation standards as high as any international opera event. Illuminating the elaborate scenic and costume designs to the required standard calls for the highest quality and reliability lighting. The carefully chosen lighting rig for this year's production, Mozart's The Magic Flute, successfully combined traditional and LED light sources. Moving lights, including Philips V
UAE - With the delivery of a large batch of over 500 pieces of LiteDeck staging platforms, Prolyte Group and Fruition Events LLC embark on a fruitful cooperation in the Middle East region. Prolyte Group will deliver the LiteDeck staging elements in two batches, the first to be completed in September, just in time for the start of the season in the Middle East region. The second to complete later in October. Fruition Events aims to become a recognised event delivery partner in the Middle East region. They choose to achieve this through continuous investment into a world-class team of industry professionals and sustainable product lines that can meet creative challenges. They focus on offering a professional and full-service infrastructure for the events sector. Fruition Events have extensive regional experience and can boast varied strategic partnerships, guarante
UK - East Anglia-based CEG has recently launched its new website (www.ceghirepro.uk) which includes a hire catalogue allowing customer to get a real-time view of inventory information and availability. Working closely with rental management software experts, Current-RMS, CEG has created its website using the API (Application Programming Interface) provided by Current to help build these industry-first features, which give CEG’s customers access and control as never seen before. CEG’s director Ben Bowles explained: “When we started this project back in 2016, we worked closely with Chris Branson and his team at Current RMS to see how we could build our new website using the functionality built within Current. From the start of the project we were keen to incorporate some ground-breaking features into the hire catalogue and rental account sections of the website -
UK - As co-organiser of the Knights of Illumination (KOI) Awards with The Fifth Estate, The STLD, international lighting designer Durham Marenghi and his wife Jennie, the Association of Lighting Designers would like to recognise with great pride its own members amongst the 24 designers to be ‘knighted’ and bestowed with the emblematic sword trophy. More ALD members than ever before took a well-earned place in the KOI 2017 short lists for theatre, television and concert & touring events. This year’s event, held at London’s Eventim Apollo marked the KOI Awards’ tenth anniversary. The occasion was a bold reminder of both the stature of the awards and the powerful impact of the production visuals of lighting and video design it has highlighted to the eyes of the wider industry and media. Among the successful ALD members in the Theatre section of the Aw
UK - Martin Audio has announced a series of webinars that will kick-start a new monthly education programme for its bestselling product ranges and software platforms. A major development in Martin Audio’s training initiative, these live sessions will initially be conducted by members of its product support group and in time start to introduce guest speakers featuring end users who will share their experiences, insights and expertise. These sessions will be offered to audio professionals wishing to leverage Martin Audio’s technologies and optimise their advanced tools for problem solving in field applications. These webinars can be accessed from anywhere in the world, and all sessions are available free-of-charge. Martin Audio’s director of marketing, James King, commented, “Our brand has started to become pervasive around the world and it follows that we
Denmark - A renowned live music venue in Denmark has received a major upgrade to its loudspeaker systems by d&b. A popular stop-off for countless international touring acts, VEGA in Copenhagen incorporates three performance spaces: Store VEGA, with a capacity of 1,550; Lille VEGA, with space for 500; and Ideal Bar Live, with a capacity of 250. Led by head of production Anders Mortensen in late 2016, the overhaul of the loudspeaker systems in Store VEGA and Lille VEGA intended to furnish both rooms with more responsive systems, capable of accommodating speech and a wide variety of live music genres. Three leading PA systems were considered, but the decision was made to continue VEGA's long-running association with the d&b audiotechnik brand that had seen the venue make extensive use of its Q-Series system. “We have been using d&b successfully
USA - Rosco has acquired French LED specialist DMG Lumière. Rosco will incorporate DMG Lumière’s technology and talent to further develop its LED lighting product range, while DMG Lumière will benefit from Rosco’s established international sales and marketing, distribution and customer service. It means that customers will now be able to easily access both companies’ products worldwide. DMG Lumière was founded by the de Montgrand brothers; Mathieu, Nils and Jean, and their partner Nicolas Goerg. The partners include an LED lighting developer, a gaffer and a renowned cinematographer; together creating a team who are perfectly suited to develop customer-driven LED solutions for film production and broadcast lighting. Since its start in Lyon, France in 2014, DMG Lumière has grown quickly and recent business highlights include its SL1 Switch LED panels bei
China - The National Centre for the Performing Arts, one of China's most prestigious and architecturally striking performance complexes, has invested in a large number of Claypaky's latest award-winning LED HCR wash light, the Claypaky K-EYE K20, along with the another of the brand's award-winning fixtures, the Claypaky Scenius Profile, as part of a major upgrade to the lighting rigs in its theatre and opera halls. Known locally as the National Grand Theatre, The National Centre for the Performing Arts is located in Beijing, covering an area of 30,000m2 close to Tiananmen Square. The ellipsoidal venue's domed exterior of titanium and glass (which has earned it the nickname 'The Giant Egg') houses four bespoke, world-class auditoriums - the Theatre, Opera House, Concert Hall and another multi-functional theatre space. "The National Centre for the Performing Arts needed
USA - Country music duo Dan + Shay - vocalists and songwriters Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney – are engaged in an extensive touring cycle following the success of their second studio album, Obsessed, released in June 2016. Lighting is designed, programmed and operated for them by Jeff Mathews of Borealis Stage Lighting in Nashville, Tennessee, and includes Robe Spiider, Spikie and Pointe moving lights. Jeff has been working with the artists for about 18 months and with shows in venues of all types, shapes and sizes, the core touring lighting rig is designed as a dynamic and flexible specials package that can be brought in ‘under’ various house rigs. It was one of various creative options that Jeff pitched to Dan + Shay and chosen as the best concept to work for the combination of headline gigs and festival support slots that they will be playing until the end
Europe - Entertainment engineering experts WIcreations has constructed several major set elements and developed associated rigging systems for the spectacular stage architecture designed by Stufish for the Rolling Stones’ No Filter European tour. WI’s team, led by Hans Willems and Koen Peeters, had to create a cantilevered stage roofing system above the main performance area; devise a method for rigging and securing four 23m x 11m LED video screens to the front of four large steel towers; and build two mobile technical areas. Koen Peeters has worked on previous Rolling Stones Tours in 1998, 2002 and 2005. He said: “It’s great to be back working with the band and an amazing creative and technical team. We have really enjoyed the challenges and the collaboration, and I think the end results are something of which we can all be proud.” After discuss
Italy - The famed Salone dei 500 of Palazzo Vecchio has long held great importance for the city of Florence. Measuring 54m long, 23m wide, and 18m high, it is the largest and most important room in terms of artistic and historic value in the old place and the largest room in Italy made for a civil power palace. Originally built during the Renaissance to host meetings for representatives of the democratic government of the Florentine Republic, or the Great Council of 500, the Salone dei 500 has changed overtime to accommodate every owner of the palace, transforming from a hall commemorating important battles with artworks to be commissioned by the two greatest Florentine artists of the time, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, to the boardroom of the Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, where he received ambassadors and gave audience to the people. Richly decorated and wildly p
UK - Switzerland-based Schertler Group has appointed Systems Workshop as UK distributor for its Arthur modular mixer. The Oswestry-based company will act as a showroom and distribution centre for the mixer, which has attracted a steadily growing list of international users during the 12 months since its release. Arthur offers musicians and engineers a customizable mixing solution for live and studio applications. The mixer’s input and output modules can be assembled in virtually any combination or order, from a basic compact setup with a vocal or instrument preamp and L/R Master, to a DJ / keyboard mixer with stereo inputs for keys and playback devices, right through to a large multi-channel studio configuration with multiple mic and instrument inputs and aux sends. The mixer can be directly connected to a PA system and can be expanded over time as required, or as new modu
UK - Prolight Concepts Group has taken on exclusive UK distribution of Kuzar Systems, a Spanish company located in Valencia, dedicated to the design, manufacture and distribution of lifters and lifting accessories for the lighting and sound industry. Designed for the professional user in the event and rental industry, Kuzar lifters are manufactured in Europe to both BGV C1 and CE (2006/42/CE) standards, and are also backed by a two-year warranty. The lifters feature ‘KAT’ locks that offer two positions, one for raising the lifter and the second for locking the lifter while static at height for increased safety. Each lifter features high quality, AL-KO winches loaded with steel cable and are available in either telescopic vertical lift for truss and lighting fixtures or front-loading for lifting truss and compact line array systems. When not in use the lifters pack
Germany – Following the overwhelming success of the company’s US-based online shop, ETC has opened a new online merchandise store to serve its followers outside of North America (shop.etcconnect.eu). Launched in response to popular demand, this European venture enables fans to purchase branded ETC items wherever they are in the world. The new online shop is packed with high quality merchandise, branded with the distinctive ETC logo, including T-shirts, jackets, bags, polo shirts, hoodies and travel mugs. Those in the know will be thrilled to hear they can also get their hands on the much-coveted Source Four USB flash drives, says the company. “ETC fans in North America can’t seem to get enough of ETC swag and we’ve started to see a similar trend in other regions,” says Rosi Marx, ETC’s European marketing manager. “Our dedicated followers across Europe h
USA - Although the recent total eclipse of the sun dominated headlines another celestial-themed event also attracted crowds in August. Moonrise, the annual EDM festival held at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course, drew fans to its four stages where an array of Claypaky fixtures supported a line-up of DJs, bands and rappers. Moonrise 2017, which grew out of the Starscape rave in Baltimore, marked its fourth year at the Pimlico location. It ran from noon to 11 pm on 12 1nd 13 August. David Hauss, of Denver-based Hauss Collective, served as production designer and production coordinator, designing the festival and handling production management for the fan-filled weekend. Light Action Productions in New Castle, Delaware was the lighting vendor. Hauss tailored the lighting rigs to meet the needs of each of the four stages. The Stellar Stage exclusively hosted D
UK - Sheffield based Bring Me the Horizon (BMTH) embarked on their first arena tour of the UK in the latter part of 2016. The tour came in the wake of a year of successes for the band, during which they released a fifth LP That’s The Spirit and played just before Metallica on the main stage at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Kicking off at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, the tour represented the band’s largest gig to date. It saw other live shows played in Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena, London’s O2, Sheffield Motorpoint Arena, and Manchester Arena, before wrapping up at Glasgow SSE Hydro. d&b has long been a fixture at BMTH gigs, with the technology a favourite of front of house engineer Oliver Hutchinson – particularly the subs and the overall high quality of sound delivered. “I am a huge fan of d&b and would happily never use anot
USA - The deadline for ordering 2017 Behind the Scenes Holiday Cards is just one week away. These cards were created especially for Behind the Scenes and are a great way to spread holiday cheer while bringing help and hope to your colleagues in need. The order deadline is 29 September - so place your order now at www.behindthescenescharity.org/holidaycards! Three card ordering options are offered: personalised cards with a company logo and custom message, card packs of 10 with a standard greeting, and electronic versions for delivery by email. All proceeds benefit the Behind the Scenes charity which provides financial assistance to entertainment technology professionals who are seriously ill or injured. This year’s designs are particularly evocative of the season and include the work of four students - Taylor Brooks, William Gerton, Delayne Henderson, and Cassidy Wo
UK - Free to attend, the d&b Software and system fundamentals workshop covers all you need to know about the d&b workflow and system basics. Realising the best sound possible is unimaginable without the d&b software toolkit, a key component in the planning, optimization and control of any d&b system. With a focus on the d&b software programmes, ArrayCalc for simulation, and R1 for remote control, the workshop is completely dedicated to the workflow methodology. Beginning with ArrayCalc, the session will guide you through the steps for simulating line array or point source systems, opening your project data in the intuitive R1user interface, and finally sending all relevant settings to the d&b amplifiers - with just a few clicks of the mouse. The dates are: Tuesday 10 October – Dublin, Thursday 12 October – Belfast and Wednesday 25 October
Europe - This month Metallica begins an extended European tour, shredding the continent through May 2018. While the music is Metallica’s own brand of traditional metal, lighting technology and control has come a long way since Metallica’s first gigs. The tour uses 50 Solaris Flare LED fixtures, and DMX distribution based around four ProPlex IQ Two 1616 Ethernet-DMX nodes, all supplied by Premier Global Production (PGP) of Nashville, Tennessee. “The Flares are used 99% of the time for blasting the crowd,” says Geddy, PGP’s design manager. “Located atop the main centre cube structure and cable bridges, we’re hitting the audience all night with whites and saturated colours. About one-fifth of the Flares are the new brighter Q+ version, which we find mix perfectly with the original Flares. “The Q+ Flares can be calibrated to match the earlier generation uni
USA - Located in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida, Daily’s Place is an outdoor amphitheatre connected to the south end of EverBank Field football stadium, and shares space with a "flex field" indoor practice facility for the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a multipurpose venue, the ability to ensure quality sound throughout the space was a crucial consideration for facility management. To address this challenge, loudspeakers from the Artec-300 series and HQ series product groups of Valencia, Spain-based D.A.S. Audio were placed into service. Florida Sound Engineering Co, also of Jacksonville, FL, provides AV design, installation, and service of commercial audio and video systems for churches, theatres, ballrooms, stadiums, and other facilities. The company was contracted to install the new sound reinforcement system at Daily’s Place. Neil Cooper, senior project manager, handles s
UK - Adlib supplied sound, lighting and rigging to two main arenas at Creamfields 2017 - CF03 (Armada / Mega) and CF05 ‘The Curve” - plus CF10, the all-important VIP and hospitality area. The four-day festival was staged at its regular site on the Daresbury Estate near Warrington. Adlib was working directly for creative production specialist LarMac LIVE. On site, the Adlib crews were led by Hassane Es Siahi (Hass) who also designed the audio in CF03 and Adlib’s Kevin Byatt who was project manager over all of the disciplines. CF03 (this year co-hosted by Armada and Mega) is a large tent built on a slope presenting immediate topographical challenges in getting even sound coverage. Added to this, the tent skins were swagged - hammock style - over the king poles, creating further reflections, so dealing with the sonic detractions involved conscientious detailin
