Projects

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07 August 2024

Spain/UK – LED displays from Spanish manufacturer Alfalite have been installed in a new centre of excellence for education and research in AV content and process at London’s University of Greenwich. The centre, which has been named SHIFT (Shared Hub for Immersive Future Technologies), aims to be a pioneer in the study and development of advanced AV technologies.

The installation includes an Alfalite Modularpix Pro 1.5 ORIM VP XR LED wall, which will provide an advanced platform for the creation and display of XR content. The system was supplied and installed by Mo-Sys along with StarTracker Max systems and other XR solutions for a complete VP XR experience.

Through the new centre, the University of Greenwich will design virtual production training programmes for industry professionals, participate in research and knowledge exchange projects to id

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07 August 2024

Denmark – Copenhagen’s Bremen Teater has recently upgraded its audio system, with the Midas HD96-24 Console at the heart of the setup. With a seating capacity of 650, the venue is renowned for hosting a variety of events, including the popular TV2 shows Live Fra Bremen and ALOHA!. It has also been the chosen venue for award ceremonies like the Steppeulven and the GAFFA Awards.

Given the eclectic schedule and the necessity to accommodate guest productions with unique lighting and sound setups, Bremen Teater faced significant audio challenges. 

To address this, the theatre collaborated with Danish ‘super partners’ Matrix Sales, led by Claus Pederson, and Bremen Teater’s chief engineer Mikael Flensborg, to design an audio system that could seamlessly integrate with the existing infrastructure.

Centra

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07 August 2024

Germany/USA - Colorado-based Brown Note Productions recently fielded 120 GLP impression X4 Bar 20s and 12 JDC1s to help provide a riveting backdrop and enhance the natural wonder that is the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

The production they were brought in for was a fast-moving, high-octane performance by South African DJ/producer Black Coffee, who was joined by LP Giobbi, THEMBA and DJ Holographic.

Situated south-west of Denver, at an elevation of 6,500ft, the amphitheatre is a 9,525-capacity, sloped, all-seated venue with an illustrious history since opening in 1941.

Working to a set designed and project managed by James Dutton of High Scream, Brown Note Productions has - over the past 16 years - produced over 1,000 events at Red Rocks, ranging from concerts and films to private events, according to its president, Ryan Knutson. For this productio

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07 August 2024

Netherlands - Since 1996, Concertzaal Tilburg has been an important platform in the Netherlands for a wide range of performances, from classical concerts to pop music and spoken word events. The 743-seat auditorium, known for its versatility, hosts everything from small symphonic and chamber music to amplified concerts, festivals, musical theatre and conferences. To better serve its diverse programming and audience, Concertzaal Tilburg has upgraded its audio with a new L-Acoustics Kara II concert sound system, marking another step in the venue's ongoing commitment to providing quality experiences for both performers and attendees.

"Our goal with this upgrade was to address some of the acoustic challenges we've faced over the years," says Pernel van Herpt, technical manager at Concertzaal Tilburg. "The Kara II system gives us more flexibility to accommodate o

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07 August 2024

Belgium - Spa is best known for its mineral water and legendary Formula One circuit, but each July the small Belgian city welcomes almost 200,000 visitors for the annual Francofolies Festival.

This internationally renowned festival promotes contemporary music, conceived and designed with respect for the environment and sustainable development. The programming and artists reflect the values ​​upheld by the festival: multiculturalism, the dissemination of Francophilia worldwide, and advocacy for a modern and innovative vision of culture.

With headline performances from French singers Christophe Maé and Patrick Bruel, Congolese singer and rapper Gims and French folk-rock band Louise Attaque, this year’s festival took place from 18-21 July.

Sound for the Pierre Rapsat main stage was provided by Belgian production technology specialist Art

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07 August 2024

USA - As a New York City XR Studio dedicated to democratising virtual production, WLab leverages cutting-edge Brompton Technology LED processing and Pixreal Avatar series, offering a unique opportunity for first-time virtual production filmmakers to kickstart their journey in this revolutionary field.

WLab emerged from a fundamental quandary: the world of virtual production, while evolving rapidly within studios such as Disney, Amazon, and Sony, remains an enigma and a luxury to students, artists, and independent creators. “We questioned why such a critical and transformative aspect of modern filmmaking should only be accessible to a privileged few, and how we could resolve this imbalance,” says WLab’s co-founder, Tommy Wu.

With a team of passionate filmmakers from New York University (NYU), School of Visual Arts (SVA), and Savannah College of

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06 August 2024

UK - SWG Events joined forces with fellow Martin Audio network partner 22live recently to field a massive 80 premium loudspeakers from the British manufacturer at Ashton Gate, home of Bristol City FC, over a memorable weekend.

The Saturday event, called Ashton Gate Presents BS3, saw American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo headlining an all-star 10-act bill, that included Craig David, Jess Glynne, Dizzee Rascal, DJ Spoony and local legend, Roni Size, playing to a 27,000-capacity crowd.

The staging then changed for the Sunday, which saw Kings of Leon playing the venue as part of their Can We Please Have Fun world tour.

SWG Events’ head of sound, Simon Purse explained the PA design, which he had overseen. Left and right main PA comprised drops of 16 WPL, supported by two out-hangs of 12 elements in each. 

There were a further two delay tower

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06 August 2024

Saudi Arabia - The Ultimate Fighting Championship hit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time this summer. On 22 June, UFC Fight Night lit up the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, with Unusual Rigging & Engineering on board to supply the full production rigging.

Richard Hoare, rigger at Unusual commented; “This event wasn’t just a first for Riyadh, but for us at Unusual too. We’ve served as house-riggers for the event when it’s taken place at the Etihad Arena previously, but on this occasion, we won the contract to supply the full scope of production rigging. We worked alongside DLM, the rigging consultants for IMG and Bowie Ebrill who was onsite overseeing the installation and removal.

“Production manager Phil Campbell of IMG, was really pleased with the work and professionalism that our team had supplied as house riggers in Abu Dhabi an

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06 August 2024

UAE - Zenon Dubai at Kempinski Central Avenue in the Dubai Mall, is a new restaurant and lounge that, using cutting edge immersive technology with AI-powered performances and interactive displays, promises its customers an unforgettable sensory experience. It is the first nightclub in Dubai to be fitted with all-Ayrton moving lights.

The design, installation, programming and system integration were all the responsibility of Alex Douglas, lighting consultant with Em-Tec, UAE’s leading AV installation and maintenance provider. Douglas put Ayrton fixtures front and centre of his design, alongside two floor-to-ceiling video walls and two holograms. He chose Ayrton Zonda 3 FX, Zonda 9 FX and Cobra fixtures to create an elaborate overhead ‘chandelier’ comprising 3 concentric circular trusses suspended 18m above the DJ and lounge area, augmented by a side dis

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05 August 2024

Australia - Tasked with the installation of a comprehensive audio system for a new space within Sydney’s Revesby Worker's Club, The Avit Group chose solutions from Nexo.

Once a modest social gathering space for a close-knit community, the venue has expanded to encompass a wide range of amenities- a growth which continues into present-day. 2022 saw the planning and development of Miss Iggy’s, a new nightclub/pub combination promising to ‘bring a trendy Inner Sydney vibe to the heart of Revesby’.

Inspired by quirky street art and retro arcade parlours, the development of Miss Iggy’s brought a host of audio requirements spanning multiple interconnected zones- including a lounge, bar, nightclub area and arcade. The Avit Group’s operations manager, Adrian Davis, expands on the brief:

“Miss Iggy’s successfully marries the vibrant, e

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05 August 2024

Finland - Kino Piispanristi is a full-service 286-seat independent movie theatre close to Turku. The venue is a long-time passion project of Henry Erkkilä, a movie lover who wanted to create a modern cinema that transcends tradition when it comes to audio-visual technology. The theatre’s new premium screen features a Genelec sound system comprising the brand’s smart active studio loudspeakers and subwoofers.

“We strive to offer all the perks of a modern cinema without being a faceless corporation,” says Erkkilä. “We react to trends quickly and make moves boldly so that our customers can walk in and out feeling happy. Having the greatest theatre sound system in Finland is an excellent way to help us light up people’s faces.”

Kino Piispanristi’s newest screen is a premium, more intimate space with exceptional picture quality and a 7.1

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05 August 2024

USA - When Major League Baseball (MLB)’s San Francisco Giants needed to upgrade their sound system, they turned to Powersoft technology and Diversified to integrate the system. The Giants – World Series Champions in 2010, 2012, and 2014 – moved to picturesque Oracle Park in 2000 after spending several decades in windy Candlestick Park. The stadium, considered one of baseball’s most beautiful parks with its San Francisco Bay backdrop, seats 41,331 with an added 1,500 for standing room. 

Diversified – which maintains a longstanding relationship with the Giants, including installing the control room in 2000 – is renowned for its rich portfolio of stadium installations, including Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle) and American Family Field (Milwaukee Brewers), both of which are powered by Powersoft, while Powersoft has an equally impressive portfolio of

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05 August 2024

UK - Two years ago, PCL Live opened its doors cater for Northeast Scotland’s production needs. Investing in the latest technology and using the team’s extensive experience, the company quickly established itself.

From the start, it had a large focus on Leyard Europe LED screens. Significant expansion continues that focus, as does a recent investment in Leyard’s LN Series, which is helping the company go from strength to strength.

“We now have over 200m2 of Leyard video wall including CFO, NEV and MGP, plus the recent addition of the new LN Series, all of which has been very good and extremely versatile,” says Alex Sherman, business development and technical manager at PCL Live.

“Because the LN Series is both indoor and outdoor rated and the panels are so easily connected together, we can quickly create amazing structures. This has

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02 August 2024

USA - Cory FitzGerald, the lighting designer for Justin Timberlake’s ongoing The Forget Tomorrow World Tour and senior partner at Burbank-based creative studio, Silent House, is using 30 Robert Juliat 864 LED asymmetric footlights featuring a four-colour mixing system to line the stage at the singer-songwriter’s shows.  ACT Entertainment is the exclusive North American distributor of Robert Juliat lighting.

The tour, which commenced in April and will continue until spring of next year, is Timberlake’s seventh headlining concert tour and his first in five years.  It is in support of his sixth studio album, Everything I Thought It Was, and has scheduled dates in North America through the rest of 2024.

FitzGerald had used RJ Dalis footlights on other productions, including shows for Kendrick Lamar. “I had the Dalis 862 all-white footl

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02 August 2024

UK - It has taken Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express 22 years to return to the stage since it pulled out of the West End in 2002. This time, the production’s new home is at the Troubadour Wembley Park which has been specially adapted to create an immersive performance experience, with Unusual Rigging on board to handle the venue and production’s rigging requirements.

Working for production manager Mark Carey from Shedworks Studio, the Unusual team were asked to install a number of items for the show requirements. Alex Taylor, production rigger at Unusual explained: “As part of our brief, we were asked to provide all of the LX, Sound and Video trusses, the trusses for the sound baffle, three technical working platforms for all the LX racks and to devise a method of lifting up a halo into position, being careful to get the height and angle just ri

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02 August 2024

USA - Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart performed a series of US shows from 20 April to 23 May 23 on their Royal Flush tour, with lighting design by Carl Burnett. Burnett turned to Elation’s Proteus Brutus LED Wash FX and Proteus Maximus LED Profile moving heads as the foundation of the lighting rig, valuing their power while appreciating their refined design qualities.

Royal Flush marked the first live show the sisters have shared since 2019. Burnett, who designed lighting for Heart’s 2019 tour and is known for his work with Robert Plant, amongst others, is the lighting and show designer for the tour. He enlisted his good friend Max Conwell to assist with the design process for the first time in his career. Lighting for the U.S. leg of the tour was supplied by 4Wall.

Before kicking off the tour in Greenville, South Carolina, in April, Burnett design

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02 August 2024

USA - Providing sound design services and equipment delivery since 2018, as overseen by Eighth Day Sound’s Sean Sturge, UniverSoul Circus is one of North America’s most-loved family friendly, non-stop action productions. This year, the show has 10 acts from multiple continents, reinforcing its position as a truly cultural live entertainment offering.

Production manager Kabelo Mashobane begins: “The idea here is to bring everyone from different cultures together. Soul doesn't have a colour. It doesn't matter where you are from, when it comes to seeking entertainment, we all speak the same language.”

To convey the messaging behind the circus’ new show, Kabelo explains why Eighth Day Sound is the right fit: “Our audio delivery is unique; we have a lot of dynamic sounds due to our different acts bringing their own regional take. From classica

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02 August 2024

USA - Valtteri Salomaki and Ethan Castro, founders of EDGE Sound Research are making waves in the pro AV and pro sports worlds with their audio technology called Embodied Sound.

Salomaki and Castro aim to bring sound not only to the ears of their listeners but to their entire bodies. They recently performed a high-profile audio installation at the VIP experience for a multipurpose Las Vegas arena and turned to LEA Professional, to deliver completely immersive sound to the guests.

“We take the audio from the game that gets picked up by the broadcast, and we provide it in our sections of a venue,” Salomaki said. “That way, a fan can hear and feel everything from the dribbles to the shots, the swooshes, everything that makes them feel like an actual player in the game versus a spectator. Our ultimate goal is to redefine how personalised and curate

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02 August 2024

The Netherlands - Gigant is an arts and performance complex in Apeldoorn, comprising two theatre spaces, a movie house, recording studios, music venue (popzaal) and a café.

The 550-capacity popzaal is a well-known hang out for music fans and a showcase for catching rising stars artists and ones-to-watch as they build their fanbases, and the venue also has a history with Robe moving lights.

The latest Robe products to be installed are Paintes, Cuetes and LEDBeam 150s which arrived at the end of 2023.

Technical manager Simon Kemme has been working at Gigant for three and a half years and explains that it is one of a genre of multifunctional cultural buildings built throughout the Netherlands – in this case in 1994 – which has encouraged the arts to flourish.

Before taking up the post here, he was a freelance sound & lighting te

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01 August 2024

France - Having featured Sarah Bernhardt on its stages for almost two decades, and staging the very first play by Sartre, Théâtre de la Ville has an impressive pedigree. Throughout its 150-year history, the venue has staged all manner of productions and today is known for its offering of modern dance, theatre and world music. 

Following a major seven-year refurbishment designed to equip the 19th century building with 21st century innovation, Théâtre de la Ville has again placed itself on the edge of technology, able to offer L-ISA immersive experiences to audiences via its BLive-installed sound system.

For almost a decade, Théâtre de la Ville had been in search of the perfect system to realise its immersive audio ambitions. As part of a wider refurbishment, the venue, in collaboration with L-Acoustics certified partner BLive – a long-time te

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01 August 2024

India - Christie DWU23-HS laser projectors play a pivotal role in a new light and sound show at Osmania University, transforming the façade of its Arts College building into a canvas for breathtaking visual displays. 

Located in Hyderabad, Osmania University is one of India’s oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education. The university undertook this large-scale nighttime spectacle to celebrate and preserve its rich history and foster pride and appreciation for its heritage among students, faculty, and visitors.

The project is designed to enhance the educational experience by offering an innovative and engaging way to explore Osmania University’s journey since its founding in 1917.  

Aura Bright Light India Pvt Ltd integrated the project and was instrumental in bringing this display to reality. Its expertise in integra

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01 August 2024

Italy - On 5-6 July, Venice landmark Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square) saw Italian pop group Pooh perform the first two shows of their 22-date Amici x Sempre Estate 2024 tour.

Pooh’s longtime lighting designer, Francesco De Cave specified 100 Chauvet Professional Maverick Storm 3 BeamWashes for these shows. Supplied by ZAlight and installed by Agorà, the fully-featured IP65 hybrid fixtures supported the artists on stage, in addition to accenting the beauty of the Doge Palace, Campanile di San Marco, Basilica and other structures that contributed to the scenography at the concert site.

De Cave valued the “power and 'colourimetric' versatility” of the Maverick Storm 3 BeamWash. Using soft shades of richly rendered colours, he was able to endow the piazza’s historic setting with a dramatic element without distracting from the archi

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01 August 2024

USA - Michigan’s multi-genre Electric Forest music festival ramped up its AV offering this year, with the monumental Sherwood Court stage’s proscenium arch LED screen displaying content powered by tvONE’s Green Hippo brand of Hippotizer Media Servers, which are distributed by ACT Entertainment in North America.

Visual solutions company Observatory, which has provided scenic visual content and delivery/VJ services for Electric Forest’s Sherwood Court Stage since 2022, were brought on by Leisure Expert Group - the creative directors of Insomniac, who part own the festival. Observatory’s Simon Harris and his team worked closely with Leisure Expert Group to transform their visual brief into animated visual content.

To realise the visual delivery, they specified two Green Hippo Hippotizer V4 Tierra+ MK2 Media Servers, provided by Screenworks NEP

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01 August 2024

UK - The Let’s Go Round Again (One Last Time) tour was the final, farewell trip around the highways of Average White Band’s (AWB) UK roots. From Manchester to Scotland via the Royal Albert Hall, the tour was a celebration of the power of AWB.

Charlie Dale, at the front of house position, chose to tour with a DiGiCo SD10, thanks to the accessibility of the console’s surface and Mark Gazaille at the monitor position opted for the SD12. The tour covered the UK over April and May, with the band saying their final goodbyes in the USA from July.

Charlie Dale has been with the band since meeting them at his day job, mixing sound at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. The band had arrived without an engineer, so he jumped in, sparking a relationship that would stand the test of time and continue for over 15 years. The choice to tour a DiGiCo SD10 was