Belgium - Apart Audio has announced the release of its CM Design Series speakers, which the Belgian brand has created to offer simple, elegant integration into all interior environments.

A thin edge grille and integrated neodymium grille fixing magnets ensure that the new series is both unobtrusive and easy to install, with Apart's Quick Fix connectors used for speaker connections - avoiding the need for junction boxes and reducing installation time and costs. Clear power tap labelling on the speakers' transformers also aids quick and easy set-up.

The two-way CM Design speakers are available in both 6.5" and 8" sizes, delivering power outputs of 60W and 100W respectively.

(Jim Evans)

USA - With the recent opening of WildPitch Music Hall, downtown Atlanta is home to a new nightlife destination. Best described as an underground dance club that offers live music for special events, WildPitch Music Hall features a variety of established and emerging special guests from across the electronic music spectrum. The new club also represents D.A.S. Audio's first permanent U.S. installation of its recently introduced SoundForce Series loudspeakers.

Global Audio Systems of NY, NY was the AV design-build firm contracted to handle the installation of the D.A.S. Audio SoundForce loudspeaker system at WildPitch Music Hall, with local support from Platinum Sound Atlanta. Owner Jason Ojeda, ultimately installed a system consisting of several prominent models from the SoundForce Series line. He discussed the project and his reasons for choosing D.A.S. Audio.

"The room at

USA - Similar to many worship families across the United States, the congregation at the First Baptist Church in Thomasville, Georgia, recently underwent a sanctuary renovation to offer both contemporary and traditional worship services.

Working with Thomasville's S&L Integrated on a complete audio, lighting and LED video renovation, the church wanted to make sure that while the technical systems received an update, the traditional aesthetics of the sanctuary were not affected. Desiring a solution that would enable the use of a dynamic LED video system for the contemporary services while discreetly hiding it for the traditional, S&L Integrated teamed with JR Clancy to create a roll-up LED video system using FLEXCurtain HD from Nashville-based PixelFLEX.

"We've developed a wonderful relationship with First Baptist Church over the years, so when they approached us about conc

Russia - Nobel Hall, the main auditorium of Moscow's Financial University, is a multipurpose space within this prominent and prestigious educational facility.

Equipped with a Martin Audio W8LM Mini Line Array, the hall, which operates under the Government of the Russian Federation, is capable of hosting 1,350 people. The opening was timed to coincide with the First Moscow International Economic Forum and has since been used for many world-leading scientific conferences and seminars.

This hall is also used for various forums and events, involving numerous creative teams of the Financial University and prominent guest performers, while a university tradition includes hosting two lectures from Nobel prize winners every year. Thus perfect speech intelligibility and highest quality of music reproduction were key requirements during the design process - and Martin Audio products

Russia - The three-act melodrama Simon Boccanegra is characteristic of Giuseppe Verdi's determination and modernity. It was staged at the Bolshoi Theatre, which is fitted with a number of Claypaky lights, and broadcast live on a giant screen in front of the theatre itself. This Verdi opera rounded off the La Scala summer tour in Moscow.

Simon Boccanegra is an opera by Verdi based on a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, inspired by the play of the same name by Antonio Garc

USA - Even those with only a passing interest in the performing arts are familiar with The Nutcracker. A holiday tradition with many families, the show accounts for some 40 percent of ticket sales for ballet companies in the US. Tchaikovsky's score, with its sprightly melody punctuated by occasional staccato cords, is instantly recognizable to almost everyone, as is the stoic little nutcracker character at the heart of the ballet's storyline.

The adventurous spirit of this Christmas classic is alive and well in the Continental Ballet Company's 2016 production of the show at the Bloomington Centre for the Arts' Schneider Theatre. Lending an added and very evocative dimension to the production is a vibrant lighting design by Joseph Bingham, using a collection of CHauvet Professional Rogue R2 Washes supplied by Monkey Wrench Productions.

For Bingham, using the Rogue fi

China - This past May, Adamson's Chinese distributor Real Music launched a national education and demonstration programme to promote the new S-Series amongst the brightest up-and-coming show service providers in the nation. The results of this effort has now lead to the introduction of 12 new S-Series partners in the region.

David Dohrmann, Adamson's technical director Asia Pacific, will head up in-depth training this month for these newest customers in Xi'an and Beijing, and he is excited for the next phase of the partnership with Real Music.

"The extensive after sales support and training facilities they offer to their client base is the natural progression of this campaign and will provide a solid foundation to further strengthen the Adamson brand in China," he said. "It is a model we will continue to implement with our partners and their contacts across the globe."

UK - The Haven + London is a charity offering support and counselling for the creative community. On 8 December it staged a fundraising Motown Christmas Concert at the church of St Giles-In-The-Fields, hosted by renowned musician and musical director Mo Pleasure. Yamaha was happy to help by providing equipment and staff.

A fixture in Earth, Wind & Fire for many years, before becoming Michael Jackson's keyboard player and, currently, Bette Midler's musical director, Mo Pleasure has a close relationship with Yamaha in the US and developed links with Yamaha Music Europe UK through various events in London. He is an active supporter of The Haven + London and asked if Yamaha would be willing to be involved in the Motown Christmas Concert, for which he was musical director.

"Mo is a great musician and musical director, plus he really likes developing new talent," says Chris Irvi

Austria - Community Professional Loudspeakers has announced the appointment of Schneider Audio Concept Vertriebs GmbH (SAC) as its distributor for Austria.

Based in St. Leonhard am Forst in central Austria, SAC was founded in 2001 by its current management team who each have more than 25 years' experience in the professional audio industry. With a portfolio of premium brands, the company is strongly focused on delivering the highest level of service and technical support for its customers in the installation market.

"SAC has a well-established network of installers and integrators in the installation sector and will provide Community with great distribution," commented Community's EMEA sales manager, Jamie Ward. "Equally important is their first-class technical backup and support for customers. We're pleased to welcome them as our partner and look forward to working togeth

UK - Artistic Licence recently devised a solution for the complex lighting control requirements at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre, a conference venue in Westminster, London. The centre was in the final stages of a major refit. Main contractor, Overbury had brought in Delmatic to install a sophisticated house lighting system using DALI fixtures.

The difficulty was that, on a regular basis, the DMX512-based production lighting system would need to take control of aspects of the house lighting. This would enable the overall visual effect to be controlled for a production. This presented a problem in that the DALI house lights were not compatible with the DMX512 controller.

Artistic Licence was brought in to provide a solution. Testament to the diversity of Artistic's technology range, this was achieved through a combination of standard products. First, a Rail-DMX-DALI unit ena

UK - Lighting designer Louisa Smurthwaite has selected Claypaky's super bright hybrid luminaire the Mythos to break through the saturated LED wash on indie rock outfit Glass Animals' latest tour, which was given four stars and described by The Independent as a "brilliant second album show".

Hailing from Oxford, the four-piece have played such venues as London's The Roundhouse and Brighton Dome in support of the critically-acclaimed How to be a Human Being. Smurthwaite specified 10 x Mythos from rental operation SES NC to carve out the playfully geometric set and hold their own against the backlight to provide a strong contrast.

"The creative brief was extremely detailed with a strong focus on colour," explains Smurthwaite. "The goal was to make the band feel like they were within the album cover so I used the same colour palette of sunkissed, pale hues, along

UK - A.C. Special Projects (AC-SP) has specified, supplied and installed a multi-purpose, energy-efficient LED lighting system for Pearson Hall - a historic community hall in the village of Sonning, Berkshire.

Situated at the heart of the village, the much-loved Victorian building has acted as the local community's social hub since 1889. It continues to be used for all variety of functions and productions, including events linked to the bi-annual Sonning Festival in May.

The project brief for Pearson Hall was to provide a low-cost yet high-performance, multi-purpose lighting solution. Flexibility and energy-efficiency were key. The system not only had to work for everyday activities, but also had to be able to provide a range of sophisticated ambiances through the use of colour, for premium social events.

Thanks to a specification tailor-made for the architectural deta

UK - Star Events will supply stages, support structures and seating to the third edition of Spirit of Rock Productions' Ramblin' Man Fair next July, at Mote Park in Maidstone, Kent. The contract comes on the back of a successful sophomore year for the 15,000-capacity event.

Star has committed to provide Ramblin' Man 2017 with a 20m VerTech Main Stage, two mobile stages, a VT show deck stage, that will sit inside a temporary structure, and a mobile seating unit.

Chris Ingham, creative director at Spirit of Rock Productions, comments: "The quality of Star Events' infrastructure and its experience with festivals of all sizes makes it a perfect fit for Ramblin' Man."

Pete Holdich, head of structures at Star Events, says: "Three years in, Ramblin' Man Fair continues to grow and we're very pleased to be involved with the next stage of its development."

Ramblin' Man Fair

USA - Every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas over 500,000 people (more than the entire population of Kansas City or Atlanta) stop at 611 Fifth Avenue to take in the Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Display.

It's a safe bet that none of them will leave disappointed this year. Created by American Christmas, the luxury retailer's 2016 Land of 1000 Delights extravaganza dazzles visitors with a magical winter candy land that features 4,678sq.ft of foliage, more than twice that amount of garland and over 2000 jumbo candy ornaments, plus a Chris Werner-designed lightshow that makes the 10-story department store building glow with holiday cheer.

The owner of Los Angeles-based Chris Werner Design, Werner uses an extensive collection of fixtures supplied by 4Wall Entertainment to create over 300,000 individual points of light on the stately building. Playing a key role in this

The Netherlands - André Beekmans from creative lighting design practice The Art of Light based in the Netherlands produced three stunning lighting schemes and supplied programming / operating crews for the three major live venues at the 2016 Amsterdam Music Festival.

AMF is an integral element of the wider Amsterdam Dance Event conference, a five-day EDM extravaganza staged in the spiritual hub of electronic music and culture. It is a collaboration between organisers Alda Events and ID&T showcasing some of the best EDM talent on the planet.

The Art of Light specified over 500 Robe fixtures across the Amsterdam ArenA, the Ziggo Dome and the Heineken Music Hall, most which were deployed in the Amsterdam ArenA. André and his team also looks after the global creative visual requirements of several leading dance artist including Armin van Buuren, Hardwell, Nicky R

USA - Bandit Lites once again participated in the Angel Tree Christmas assistance programme. Started in 1975 in Knoxville, Tennessee, the Angel Tree began with the simple idea that under privileged children also deserve a visit from Santa Claus. Making their wishes on paper angels that adorn trees in local malls, food stores and businesses, patrons are encouraged to choose a child's wish list and make their Christmas dreams come true.

Bandit's director of philanthropy Allison Burchett, controller Shay Simpson and HR coordinator Cori Link combined their efforts to orchestrate the day of giving across multiple Bandit Lites locations. Bandit provided each team member the opportunity to choose an Angel, where gifts ranged from the practical, such as jackets and shoes, to the ever wished for toys and games. Shop Foreman Erich Hudgens graciously spent the day shuttling groups of Ban

UK - Cardiff-based 11th Hour Ice has enjoyed a busy and very productive lead-up to Christmas, supplying and installing ice-rinks at several locations in South Wales. Temporary ice rinks are becoming an increasingly popular feature in the landscape of the festive events season, something with which 11th Hour Ice is well acquainted, having operated in the field for a number of years. The company covers all bases in terms of ice rink provision, offering everything from the ice itself, to any infrastructure and ancillary services that are required.

Essentials such as power generation, distribution and site lighting can be supplemented with everything from project management, ticketing, rink marshalling, decorative lighting, sound systems and even marketing and sponsorship. Effectively, 11th Hour Ice offers a bespoke ice rink service tailored to meet the needs and budgets of a rang

UK - At the world-renowned Tower of London, ice skaters can enjoy a festive experience in what is normally a totally off-limits area, while being immersed in dynamic lighting effects from Elation Professional LED luminaires. One-stop event services provider Figure of Eight Events has provided all power, lighting and sound reinforcement, lighting the ice rink and historic walls at the Tower of London using compact Elation E Spot III LED moving heads with custom fitted snowflake gobos and Elation SixPar 300 IP LED Par colour changers.

Figure of Eight Events was tasked with creating a lighting design to grab people's attention and draw them to the ice rink in the moat along the banks of the River Thames. "The system needed to be powerful, reliable and cost effective," stated Rich Rayner, director at Figure of Eight Events. "We wanted to give the ice rink more life than what you c

UK - Stephen Daldry's multi-award winning production of An Inspector Calls has returned to London's West End. This now famous revival was first performed at the National Theatre in 1992 and has since won 19 major awards across the globe.

Lighting designer Rick Fisher has lit the production since its infancy and returns once again for this latest run at the Playhouse Theatre. He approached White Light to provide the lighting equipment, which included quantities of the GLP impression X4 Bar 20s which the company has recently invested in.

An Inspector Calls is written by JB Priestley and tells the story of a family's dinner party being interrupted by the mysterious Inspector Goole who is investigating the death of a young woman. Rick comments, "What's great about An Inspector Calls is that it's still a brilliant production which resonates with a lot of audiences

Italy - A musical masterpiece returned to the stage at the Teatro Manzoni in Milan. The moving scenery designed by Cristiano Colombi dynamically creates the various different settings. All of them recall the Upper West Side of New York, where the story is set, and Claypaky's light beams shine out.

Federico Bellone was asked to direct the show. "To set the scene, I decided to focus on two elements: the theme of fear, a feeling shared by all the characters in the two rival groups, the Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks, and red, the colour that has become a trademark of the musical, along with the five iron fire escape staircases which link the various levels of the scenery."

The work of the creative staff involved in producing the musical was focused on these pieces of scenery. Valerio Tiberi was asked to design the show lighting.

Did the presence of the fire escape stair

China - With an early career in lighting design combined with a Masters in ancient Chinese medicine, Daniel Richardson, lighting designer, programmer and operator, credits wysiwyg from CAST Software as an essential tool for designing and programming for the spectacular set of Storm, Now or Never and EDM other festivals in China. Originally from Australia, he is now in London operating tours and designing projects globally.

"I have been lighting designer for Storm since it began in 2013. Each year there's a new brief based on the alien sci-fi theme. This year we worked with Dutch set designers, 250K, working together from the start of the project. In the early design phase I present a preliminary wysiwyg plot to show where the lights, trusses, bars and other technology will be and to give my input on how this works with their set," explained Richardson.

"Outdoor EDM festiva

Ireland - As Europe's premier mixed martial arts organization, BAMMA is used to delivering powerful output at their explosive events.

The latest instalment of the regular BAMMA events - BAMMA 27 - took place at the 3 Arena, Dublin on 16 December 1and Dublin-based production specialists Just Lite turned to the new VHD 5.0 System from KV2 Audio already known to pack a punch, delivering a knockout blow to the belief that only a Line Array solution could tackle such a venue.

KV2 have always embraced the principles and established benefits of point source speaker system design and have risen to the challenge of building a system for audiences of 20,000+ - the VHD 5.0 System.

BAMMA 27 is just one of a number of wide ranging events that Just Lite have deployed the VHD 5.0 System on and have proved that the system is equally at home in the raucous environments that BAMMA crowd

Germany - A multimedia Christmas musical, A Star is Born, was one of the performance highlights during the Christmas advent events held at the ZKM Art & Media Centre's Filmpalast cinema in Karlsruhe, Germany, mixed on an Allen & Heath dLive system.

The production switched between stage, screen and live music, requiring a flexible audio system at the helm. Managed by ICF Karlsruhe in cooperation with Baden TV and involving the children's charity, ARCHE Karlsruhe e.V., there was a total of 20 shows and audiences of 11,000.

Andreas Kurcz, sound engineer of ICF Karlsruhe specified the dLive system, comprising two S7000 Surfaces with DM64 MixRacks to manage FOH and monitors.

"Our great Christmas musical entailed a run of 20 shows, 53 inputs and 30 outputs, over 11,000 visitors, and an alternating team of 10 technicians. The dLive systems were an important part of the

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