Pharos - Leaderboard - May 2024

Projects

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UK - Within 15 minutes of completing victory over Preston North End on Easter Monday, Birmingham City’s St. Andrews stadium had been transformed into a rock concert venue.

The production team behind the staging - enabling local heroes UB40 to kick off their world tour and announce their new UB45 album release - was Martin Audio partner, 22live.

At the same time the football club was able to reveal its new branding. Henceforth known as St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, the stadium provided an appropriate setting for this post match entertainment. But first 22live, led by Paul Timmins, had many challenges to overcome - not least where to site the 15 ground stacks of Martin Audio WPC and WPS line array, as well as the speed of deployment to get the show underway immediately after the final whistle.

“I always wanted to do this really

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USA - Las Vegas-based OSA International provided Ayrton Huracán LT and Zonda 9 FX lighting fixtures, grandMA3 consoles and MDG TheONE atmospheric generators to lighting designer Aldo Visentin for the North American leg of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli’s arena tour. Ayrton, MA Lighting and MDG are all brands exclusively distributed in North America by ACT Entertainment.

Andrea Bocelli kicked off his run of US and Canadian dates with a Valentine’s Day performance in Raleigh, North Carolina and wrapped his tour in Detroit on 14 April. OSA International provided the full package of lighting, rigging, audio and video equipment for the tour. 

A member of Show-Crew, Aldo Visentin has been Bocelli’s lighting designer since 2006. He used Ayrton fixtures on Bocelli’s previous set, which toured for almost two years, primarily in Europe. He designed the

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USA - The 1,500-capacity Showtime Theatre show lounge and central entertainment hub of the 306m long Carnival Magic cruise ship has been upgraded with the installation of 30 x new Robe Painte, 30 x LEDBeam 350 and 12 x miniPointe moving lights, which were installed while the ship was still in operation around Miami.

Co-ordinating the upgrade project was Carnival Cruise Line fleet supervisor for lighting Silviu Ardelean and lighting manager Alexander Nelson, who explained that the refit saw the replacement of the original moving lights.

The three-tiered show lounge is located over decks 3, 4 and 5 of Carnival Magic and serves as the ship’s main live performance space, presenting a wide array of different productions. David Horner redesigned the venue’s lighting, incorporating the new fixtures, and giving it a new twist. However, everyone was keen

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USA - On the winter leg of Disturbed’s Take Back Your Life tour, Alex Mungal created a raw, powerful visual dimension that matched the intensity of the music.

Featuring multiple layers of lighting fixtures that projected colours and pixel effects in every direction - and often enveloped the band in brilliant hues – in addition to serving up volcanic eruptions of pyro effects and fog, the production design fused seamlessly with the gripping music to create an overwhelmingly moving and all-embracive experience.

Mungal and the design team were able to work their magic using an array of tools supplied by Premier Global Production of Nashville. “We had so many fun instruments to play with,” he said. “It was great working with the pyro team on arrangements and programming to find moments where lighting would pass off focus to pyro, or ev

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Europe - Lighting designer and programmer Jimmy Olausson was with his client, Avatar, on their European tour, when the metal band suddenly released a new song, Make It Rain, and asked him to programme looks for it.

“Normally, I prefer to do my programming in my office where I can focus on the details, so creating the lighting for Make It Rain during the tour was a challenge,” said Olausson. “But it turned out to be a fantastic addition to our set and gave me the opportunity to think outside the box, crafting a visual style for this song that stands out from the rest.”

Turning up the intensity level on his 12 Chauvet Professional COLORado Panel Q40 rectangular washes, Olausson created pixel mapped sequences that evoked the turbulent mood of an approaching storm. He coupled this with a ‘waterfall’ effect that he created wi

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USA - Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Centre, a multipurpose indoor arena and events centre at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, has replaced its ageing audio system with an all-new high-end set-up powered by Powersoft’s cloud-based Unica amplifier platform.

Home to the Lamar Cardinals and Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball teams, both of which compete in the top-flight NCAA Division I, the 10,746-seat Neches Arena also hosts volleyball, gymnastics, wrestling, boxing and martial arts events, as well as concerts and other live entertainment. Lamar University, the venue’s owner/operator, additionally hires out the arena floor (which can be expanded to 19,965sq ft/1,855m²) for graduation ceremonies, proms, dances, banquets and conferences.

Kendall Bowman, acoustic engineer for Anthony James Partners (AJP), which designed and speci

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Sweden - Örebro University has unveiled the latest addition to its USÖ (Örebro University Hospital) campus, a modernised, technology-connected centre for medical training and clinical research. The centrepiece of the renovated and expanded complex, designed by architect KLARA arkitekter, is an auditorium equipped with a Constellation acoustic system by Meyer Sound.

AV systems for the auditorium and related spaces were designed, engineered, and installed by Danish consultant and integrator Stouenborg ApS, which also provided acoustician services.

The project began in 2019, when Örebro University, embarking on the final stage of its USÖ Campus expansion, approached Stouenborg with a strategy inspired by the firm’s work on Copenhagen’s landmark Maersk Tower, home to the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. “

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UK - De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, East Sussex, is a venue with a strong sense of community. Training is at the heart of everything they do and Mat McQuade, technical stage manager, knew this meant they needed a DiGiCo console at the heart of their venue. Sited on the beachfront, De La Warr Pavilion boasts an impressive variety of music, comedy, and theatrical performances each year.

De La Warr Pavilion also supplies various early career programmes with work experience, creative careers sessions and apprenticeships all available to young people throughout the year. Training is just one part of what they do here, but it was a strong influence on the desk they chose, as McQuade explains.

“Visiting engineers expect a DiGiCo, and it became the norm for us to hire in SD12 consoles because they’re the standard that everyone’s looking for,” he say

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Lithuania - Situated in the heart of Vilnius, the newly reconstructed concert hall of the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra (LVSO), formerly known as the Vilnius Congress and Concert Hall VCCH, opened its doors to visitors in March this year. Equipped to the latest standards and featuring exceptional acoustics, especially adapted to symphonic music, the venue is poised to become one of the most attractive concert spaces not only in Lithuania but across all the Baltic countries.

The project, conceived in 2018, involved designer Marius Mateika and the services of Lithuanian architectural and building acoustic company Akustika Plius, collaborating with ADA Acoustics & Media Consultants (a WSDG company), along with the construction company INFES. Their joint efforts were instrumental in bringing the old hall up to world-class acoustical standards suitable

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France - The renowned Théâtre de la Renaissance is the latest venue in Paris to choose ETC gear to upgrade its lighting. ETC dealer So What & Co supplied High End Systems Halcyon Titanium fixtures for the Parisian theatre.

Well-known spaces across France including the Bordeaux Opera, the Théâtre National Populaire, the Comédie Française and the Grand Théâtre de Provence have all recently selected Halcyon automated fixtures to light their spaces. In the heart of the 10th arrondissement of Paris, the Théâtre de la Renaissance also made the same choice with the support of So What & Co.

Halcyon’s quality, powerful output and low levels of noise were just some of the features that appealed to the technical director of the Théâtre de la Renaissance Éric Milleville when deciding on the right solution for the theatre. “The first thin

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UK - Record label Warp Records has added two Funktion-One systems to its London headquarters, bringing new levels of monitoring to its studio and album playback spaces. The label, known for its roster of artists like Aphex Twin, Mount Kimbie and Flying Lotus, has been a subversive creative force in the music industry since it was founded in Sheffield in 1989.

The introduction of the Funktion-One monitor systems was instigated by head of A&R/creative director Dominic Flannigan, who was intent on improving the office listening experience.

“The main reason we want amazing monitors in the meeting room is to give a really impressive first listen to our team,” explains Flannigan. “The people from the marketing team, the licensing team, from retail, you want to blow their socks off the first time they hear a record. You want to hear it at its best

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Slovenia - Writer, actor and TV personality Lado Bizovicar presented the 2024 Slovenska Muska extravaganza, staged at Ljubljana’s Stožice arena, the first time in the venue’s history that a 360-degree show had been presented, which bumped up the capacity to 13,000, with every seat sold.

The production and lighting design was created by Crt Birsa of design studio Blackout and Greta Godnic and recorded for broadcast. Crt utilised 355 Robe lighting fixtures in the 500+ luminaires on the rig, from the high-powered Forte to the scenic Patt 2013 plus seven other types of Robe product, all supplied by rental specialist Event Lighting from Ljubljana.

At the heart of this production design was an elaborate metal structure, the top part of which resembled a giant multi-level spider crawling through the roof area. This structure cleverly incorporated the v

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China - Inaugurated in December last year, the Beijing Performing Arts Centre (BPAC), an extension of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) nestled alongside the Grand Canal, reflects the area’s history through a striking design inspired from the area’s ancient granaries and transport ships. The centre’s innovative architecture encompasses indoor theatres and an outdoor amphitheatre. The venue will host 300 performances and an equal number of art-related activities each year with the mission of attracting younger audiences to contemporary performances.

Three of BPAC’s performance spaces boast permanently installed L-ISA configurations using L-Acoustics A Series loudspeakers: the 1,760-seat Opera House, the 500-seat Multi-Function Theatre and the extensive Outdoor Theatre, while the indoor Concert Hall features a stereo L-Acoustics profes

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Argentina - Singer and former YouTuber María Becerra made history as the first Argentine female artist to sell out River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, the largest venue in Argentina, for two consecutive nights, 22-23 March 2024. A large complement of Claypaky fixtures illuminated the show designed by creative director Julian Levy and lit by lighting designers and programmers Pablo Martinelli and Joaquin Boerr from Gou Studio.

A leading voice in Argentina’s urban pop movement, the 24-year-old Becerra began her career at the age of 12 on Facebook then created her own YouTube channel.  She has more than 24m monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 5m subscribers to her YouTube channel; her video clips have netted more than 12bn views. This year she has performed at the New Year's celebration organized by Univisión in Times Square and was part of the lin

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UK - Based within striking distance of London’s Tower Bridge, AV integrator Tateside recently announced the launch of its new showroom space, in collaboration with US manufacturer, 1 Sound and UK distributor, CUK Group.

The space, home to a full 1 Sound system, follows Tateside’s recent appointment as the first official 1 Sound UK partner and will drive opportunities for the integrator to share its solutions with clients first-hand.  

“We met 1 Sound at ISE 2023,” recalls Jack Cornish, technical director at Tateside. “The natural finish of the wooden loudspeakers caught our eye, and we began talking to Louis Mannarino, who explained the brand values with enthusiasm; we were sold on the products and felt they offered something different to traditional loudspeakers; these solutions fit well in our hospitality projects, where space can be a

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Australia - Novatech Creative Event Technology of Adelaide, the first production company in Australia to hold stock of Ayrton’s IP65-rated Domino Wash fixtures, invested in 48 units, supplied by Ayrton’s exclusive distributor for Australia, Show Technology, and immediately put them to work on the Adelaide Festival.

Domino Wash is an all-terrain luminaire developed specifically for resisting hot or cold weather, wind, rain, hail, sand or dust.

“We’d been looking for a high-powered moving wash light with a Fresnel lens for more theatrical uses, as well as outdoor uses,” explains Novatech’s Ashley Gabriel, director of sales and marketing. “We needed one with enough punch and zoom to handle long throw distances, and a Fresnel lens which was important to us to differentiate it from the other traditional LED wash lights in our inventory.

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UK - Mitch Rowland found fame as Harry Styles’ guitarist and co-writer, and the pair toured the world together for two years during Love on Tour, which saw Britannia Row Productions supply audio for all 169 shows. When the time came for Mitch to take the spotlight in his own right, the American multi-instrumentalist turned to Britannia Row for live audio services on a much smaller scale.

Forming a close-knit bond after Love on Tour, audio engineer Christian Zuniga was welcomed back into the fold as Mitch’s monitor mixer and production manager. He comments: “Mitch is not an up-and-coming artist, he’s been touring arenas and stadiums for years, so he’s used to high-level touring. However, when he presented this new project, he wanted to play in small theatres instead of opening for a big tour. Every place has been special as each venue carri

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UK - The Immersive Technology Experience Centre (ITEC) is a hub that brings together the latest immersive audio, video, lighting, and media technologies. Created by d&b group, its aim is to provide hands-on experience for new projects, and to fuel collaboration and research and development. LED screens driven by Brompton Technology processing are a key component of the space.

Opening at the end of April, ITEC sits within London’s Science Museum. It comprises four distinct spaces. At the entrance is a control room which features a Samsung all-in-one 110” LED screen, flanked by up-and-over Recience LED creative light boxes powered by a Brompton Tessera S8 processor, along with a transparent screen dividing the Production Control Room from the lobby, along with a d&b Soundscape system.

The main Lab includes an XR studio with an LED volume co

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Cambodia - The latest addition to Phnom Penh’s nightlife comes in the shape of the recently opened Ai Pub. As well as offering a rich variety of food and drink, the 700-capacity venue, located in the Boeung Kak district of the Cambodian capital, stages a wide range of live entertainment and has become an instant feature of the party scene.

Live bands, DJ sets and promotional nights cater for birthday and works parties, corporate entertaining and casual get-togethers with friends, in this 875m² open space, complete with sliding roof and giant air-cooling fan.

Given the emphasis placed on non-stop music and dancing, as well as the high-profile artists, DJs and brands on show, the team at Ai paid careful attention to the selection of an audio system that could comfortably meet the requirements of a very busy and vibrant environment. The venue’s foc

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Luxembourg - Rockhal Club is amongst the latest to have taken stock of Ayrton Mistral S and Levante S fixtures, which were supplied to the venue through Ayrton’s Belgian distributor, FACE.

Situated in the Centre de Musiques Amplifiées on the Avenue du Rock’n’Roll in the industrial heritage area of Belval in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, Rockhal has two main venues amongst its rehearsal and creative studios. The 6000-capacity Main Hall has seen many bands and performers pass through its doors, including Mariah Carey, Iron Maiden, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Bryan Adams and Rammstein. Meanwhile, the 1,500 capacity Club has a fully-loaded and equipped stage with a fixed lighting rig and sound setup. As of now, a large part of this fixed grid is equipped with Ayrton fixtures, which replace outmoded stock.

“We have 20 Ayrton lights installed as perma

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UK - RCF dealer HD Pro Audio has carried out a sound reinforcement installation at the Whitechapel Gallery in East London, using the Italian manufacturer’s flexible NXL 44-A active column speaker.

The team from HD Pro Audio had been discussing a substantial speaker upgrade with the gallery for several years, proposing various options. “We had originally been referred to the client by industry colleagues as being well placed to put a suitable PA package together,” states HD Pro Audio MD Andy Huffer, who managed the project.

The NXL 44-A - the centrepiece of a package which also includes floor monitors and mixing console - features three 10” neodymium woofers and is driven by a powerful onboard Class-D (2,100W peak) amplifier.

The pre-existing PA “wasn’t up to the task of modern event requirements” and the gallery was seeking the

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USA - Originally established over 200 years ago in Raleigh, North Carolina, Edenton Street United Methodist Church (ESUMC) is reputed for its for its famous pipe organ, its alluring chandelier and its majestic stained-glass windows that dominate the sanctuary. To that, can now be added Martin Audio’s O-Line optimised micro line array, which blends discreetly into the 27” thick sandstone walls. This aesthetic, slimline, columnar solution was recommended and installed by local production house, RMB Audio.

The installation team were as fastidious in removing the old public address system, which had served the church so dutifully over an astonishing seven decades, as they were in installing the new rig, comprising two hangs of 16 O-Line modules.

The former system had originally been integrated within the chandelier during a rebuild of the church foll

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USA – Jazz musician Brian Culbertson is out on his Trilogy Tour with a lighting system provided by Bandit Lites. Named for his Red, Blue, and White albums, the tour features a mix of songs from the albums, as well as the greatest hits from his catalogue.

For the tour, lighting director Terese Fensler sought to create looks with negative space and loads of energy, saying: “Brian's show is very funky for a jazz artist. With all the instrumental hits and solo moments, I tried to pull back some so that those short moments were bigger and had a time to shine.”

Bandit Lites provided Elation Smarty Hybrids, Elation CuePix WW4 Blinders, Elation Seven Batten 42, Martin Sceptron VDO 10 as well as a grandMA2 Ultralite for control. Towers were outfitted with the Sceptron VDO 10s and topped with Smarty Hybrids.

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Canada – Montreal-based PixMob has been bringing its immersive crowd-lighting experience to the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) since its inception. PixMob already engaged more than 14,000 fans at the three home opener games in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal with its LED wearables. Now, the company is gearing up for the historic game between Montreal and Toronto on 20 April at the Bell Centre, where a new women’s hockey attendance record is expected to be set.

The partnership was born out of PixMob’s dedication to bring the same big league experience the company has created for the NHL, Super Bowl, Winter Olympics, NBA, and numerous other top level Pro Sports teams and events to the PWHL. By putting a spotlight on the under-represented talent of the PWHL’s athletes, PixMob’s lighting tech gives players and fans the electrifying experience

  1. Chauvet creates arena vibe for Beartooth
  2. Brompton and Brainstorm develop software
  3. Lightswitch and Elation transform arboretum
  4. Robe lights Brigada Tech TV series
  5. Nexo immerses Kraków Film Music Festival
  6. Britannia Row designs live audio for 2024 BRIT Awards
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