Slovenia - Slovenians prepared for the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest with their own selection event which was organised by Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTV SLO) and staged at their main studios in capital city Ljubljana over three weekends, featuring two semi-finals and a final, all broadcast live on National TV. Lighting designer Crt Birsa utilized 66 x Robe moving lights including 13 of the new high-powered Fortes, to ensure the challenge of lighting his seventh ESC selection offered plenty of vibrance and flair. He was tasked with creating 24 different environments in which the contestants could perform their entries, for which he collaborated closely with set / scenic designer Greta Godnic, video content creator Den Baruca and director Nejc Levstik. Crt was using Fortes for the first time. These were supplied - together with all the supplemental show lighting which a
Austria - Ibiza meets southern Styria: What started as a modest, seasonal bar on the shores of Lake Aldrian in Tillmitsch in southern Styria, has developed into one of the region’s premier hotspots. Ankerpunkt is the vision of DJ Leo Rath and his wife Manuela. The beach club is now open all year round and boasts its own beach, a bar and restaurant along with lawns and terraces. Music takes centre stage and accompanies guests throughout the day and into the party night. "I am a DJ myself and the right sound for Ankerpunkt is an important concern for me," reports Leo Rath, who wanted to bring a touch of Rimini and Ibiza flair to Styria with his club. "After some research, I became aware of KV2's sound systems. The sound quality of KV2 just totally convinced me and I quickly realised, this is what I need for Ankerpunkt.” The owner turned to event and club specialists
UK - Award-winning arts and performance venue, Reading Rep Theatre has benefited from an energy and space efficient, high impact lighting solution by choosing to invest in a plethora of the latest Acclaim LED Fresnels from Strand. The fixtures were originally specified by theatre consultancy, Drama by Design, the company responsible for the entire £1m conversion from Salvation Army Hall to 170 seat, technically adaptable, multi-purpose venue. The fixtures have been well received by both the technical department and incoming designers. Head of production for Reading Rep Theatre, Jordan Harris, says: “The project went well, and the theatre is now a creatively welcoming space to work and visit. We love the Strand Acclaims, the dimming curve is great, and the light quality is excellent. In addition, the fixtures are lightweight, small and easy to set up and programme.
China - Representatives of the automobile industry celebrity guests gathered recently in the Chinese city of Hangzhou for the Super 818 Car Carnival Night, featuring an ambitious audio-visual programme, orchestrated by a networked DiGiCo system. The system was provided and operated by the technical design team from DiGiCo’s distributor for the region, specialist sales and installation company, Racpro. Staged in Hangzhou’s 80,000sq.m Olympic Sports Centre, the event was created by auto internet services provider, Bitauto App, and broadcast giant, Zhejiang Satellite TV. The highly specified and creative gala presentation was designed with two performing spaces in the stadium, with the programme alternating between a performance stage featuring China’s top artists, and an interactive car zone. The star-studded artist roster for the evening was a major production, w
Slovenia - Lighting designer Crt Birsa and rental company Event Lighting’s CEO Jernej Gustin thought laterally - with the help of 48 x Astera Titan Tubes - when lighting a livestream event staged at the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT) in Vitanje. The spectacular award-winning circular building is a concrete monolith comprising two low cylinders that create an impression of levitation and rotation. Inside, the central hall is surrounded by a main exhibition area, and both are connected by a round opening in the middle - a feature that makes it a challenging space to light, and one that Crt also used to his advantage. Forty of the Titan Tubes were hung on steel wires between 1m and 3m in length attached to the ceiling, arcing 270 degrees around the circular space, and rigged utilising the venue’s own exhibition hanging system which made it str
USA - Oregon-based audio production and installation company Alpha Sound has reported two successful Nexo ID series installations this year in local churches. Central to the high levels of performance achieved in St Paul’s Episcopal Church and Kingwood Bible Church, both in Alpha Sound’s hometown of Salem, is the deployment of a pair of Nexo’s new ID84 columns as the main speakers, supplemented by ultra-compact ID14s covering smaller areas of the churches. Alpha Sound’s Devin Sheets reports, “When we first got our hands on the ID84, we discovered something very different from a conventional column loudspeaker. Firstly, the soft dome tweeter array lends what I would describe as an almost ‘hi-fi’ sonic characteristic, with an open, natural high end that’s perfectly suited to speech reproduction, which makes up so much of a typical church service. “Then
Italy - To provide a streamlined technology platform that supports business activities and community events alike, Intermark Sistemi recently outfitted Barton Park Green Business Centre with a complete AMX by Harman networked AV solution. Located in the central Italian city of Perugia, Barton Park is a multi-use community space built by Barton Group to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The park is open to the public, welcoming anyone to immerse themselves in nature, meet friends and attend events in its 2,000-seat theatre. The park is a popular hangout for local families, workers and students. Inside Barton Park is the Green Business Centre, the new headquarters of Barton Group. The facility is used by staff members and visitors to organise meetings, training courses, workshops and conferences. In order to ensure successful events and operations, the centre required a ne
USA - As the most watched American television broadcast of the year with over 114m viewers tuning in for the big game, various network coverage of the Super Bowl begins hours and days before the kick-off. The job of providing robust communications to both the premier American football network and game broadcast network was given to audio and coms specialists CP Communications for the NBC broadcast and AY Productions for NFL Network. To overcome the RF communication challenges associated with Super Bowl XVI’s RF demands and SoFi Stadium’s tough RF environment and to provide consistent coverage with the multitude of wireless intercom users, both companies turned to Pliant Technologies’ CrewCom wireless intercom system. Pliant has provided equipment and support for the event for the past five years. “This year was the first time three separate CrewCom systems, us
USA - Iration topped the Billboard Reggae Albums chart with their very first recording, No Time for Rest. More than a decade later, the title of that debut LP would serve as an apt metaphor for the band’s appearance at the mammoth Cali Vibes Festival on Long Beach. Given the large number of reggae artists who performed at the three-day event, setup time was very limited. Iration’s production crew had only 15 minutes to get their tour package in place on the 60ft circumference rotating stage, before it swung out and the semi-circle they were labouring on faced the crowd at Marina Green Park. The hectic pace didn’t do anything to dampen the relaxed upbeat vibe of this Hawaiian born group and its ‘sunshine reggae’ sound. Matching them note for note was a Cullen Noon lighting design that featured Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by LIT Lighting.
USA - David Byrne’s American Utopia has earned acclaim as a Grammy-nominated record, a sell-out concert tour, an HBO film directed by Spike Lee, and finally, a Tony Award-winning Broadway production in a split run. The first engagement, at the intimate Hudson Theatre, ended its performances in February 2020 and a second run at the larger St. James Theatre opened in September 2021. For both productions, Meyer Sound Leopard line array loudspeakers were selected to anchor the main audio systems. Visually and aurally, American Utopia is atypical of Broadway. There is no set, and for music there is no isolated ‘pit’ band relying on click tracks and pre-records. Instead, all music is played live on the stage by an ensemble (including Byrne) of 12 musicians/vocalists, with six on percussion and all 12 on vocal mics. Everybody is completely mobile using wireless
USA - The Nashville Predators made history in 2022 as part of the first-ever outdoor NHL game in Tennessee. Nearly 70,000 fans joined the festivities as the Predators took on the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nissan Stadium for the 2022 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series. Bandit Lites provided the lighting system for the three musical stages, which included performances by country music superstars Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley, as well as lighting the hockey player introductions and national anthem. Veteran lighting designer Mark Carver worked to design a system that would strike the balance of providing broadcast quality video for the NHL television broadcast while also having the ability to lay flat on the field to not obstruct the audience view of the hockey rink. “As we began the initial logistics of the cabling and data distribution, we were all a
Canada - Live Dans Ton Salon (Live In Your Living Room), is a livestream entertainment venue that occupies a converted warehouse in the Montreal suburb of Chambly. It was created at the start of the pandemic as a means of providing people with professional quality livestreamed performances they could enjoy at home. Although some might have seen this as a ‘temporary’ solution during a crisis, the overwhelming response to the studio’s wide mix of livestreamed programming indicates that Live Dans Ton Salon is committed to remaining a vibrant force in the entertainment scene long into the future. The level of this commitment is evident in the growth of the busy venue’s lighting rig. In June 2020 this production space was outfitted with 32 fixtures. Today that number is 138, featuring Chauvet Professional Maverick, Rogue, Ovation, and COLORado units supplied by On S
USA - Over the past four decades, Spectrum Sound has grown to become one of the country’s leading suppliers of pro audio equipment rentals and production services. In tandem with that growth, the Nashville-based company has steadily been investing in DiGiCo mixing consoles, starting with its first pair of compact SD9 desks purchased for MercyMe’s Welcome to the New tour in 2014. Over the recent pandemic downtime, while many companies were downsizing, Spectrum conversely chose to embrace DiGiCo’s new Quantum platform in a major way with the purchase of multiple Quantum7, Quantum338 and Quantum225 desks, adding to its already impressive fleet of DiGiCo consoles. “DiGiCo’s SD7 has long been considered the touring sound industry’s premier console, and with the availability of the powerful Quantum engine, a number of our clients were specifically asking for the
Australia - United Cinemas recently upgraded their flagship facility at Warriewood with advanced JBL Professional cinema audio solutions. Located just north of Sydney in Warriewood, United Cinemas is a seven-screen multiplex cinema that offers a premium movie-watching experience. In order to provide an immersive cinematic experience for movie-goers, United Cinemas required audio systems capable of delivering clear, intelligible sound and balanced coverage in every seat of its main theatre space, the Grand Theatre. To achieve this, the facility acquired a selection of JBL Professional and Crown cinema audio solutions. “We wanted to enhance the listening experience of the 650-plus capacity Grand Cinema theatre,” comments Roy Mustaca, chairman at United Cinemas. “We selected JBL and Crown solutions for their simple-yet-effective configuration and routing capabilitie
Malaysia - Located just outside the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, the Crystal Lounge provides a prestigious venue in which to showcase the Bawal Exclusive range of luxury headscarfs, known for their Swarovski crystal embellishments. Part of the visitor experience is a carefully curated music playlist, delivered through a high-quality sound system, achieving even coverage throughout the dramatic interior space. When considering its design, it was clear the sound system at the Crystal Lounge needed to make its presence felt sonically, while keeping its visual impact to an absolute minimum. The owners turned to Kuala Lumpur-based AV technology specialists Concept Associates, who concluded that Nexo’s ultra-compact ID14 would be the right speaker for the job. Measuring just 130mm x 130mm x 120mm and weighing only 1.7kg, the ID14 employs a single custom-designed
UK - A world-first performance underpinned by 5G technology has taken place involving artists located at three UK music venues: Metropolis Studios, the O2 Blueroom at The O2, and Brighton Dome. The festival experience was held to celebrate the climax of the 5G Festival project. Over the last two years, nine organisations have worked collectively with Digital Catapult to explore the untapped potential of 5G for the live music industry and provide a blueprint for how technology could play a key role in the future of the sector, including Audiotonix, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, LiveFrom, Mativision, Metropolis Studios, Sonosphere, Virgin Media O2, and Warner Music Group, as part of the wider £200m DCMS 5G Testbeds & Trials Programme. Taking place simultaneously across the three venues, more than 20 musicians performed together in a concert, showcasing th
Spain - The Euskalgym International Rhythmic Gymnastics Gala is an annual non-competitive celebration which brings the sport’s brightest and best names from around the world to the BEC Arena in Barakaldo, Bilbao. More commonly known simply as Euskalgym Gala, the event’s organiser was forced to cancel the 2020 edition due the global pandemic, meaning anticipation was running especially high when it made its return in November 2021. Regional events company Tarima Technical Solutions was tasked with ensuring that the event’s sound production was every bit as impressive as the gymnasts’ performances. With performances taking place in the centre of the 11,500-seat arena, surrounded on all sides by eager spectators, the audio system needed to ensure that both onlookers and participants benefitted from clear, precise coverage. In addition, it needed to be physic
UK - Bosch Building Technologies has installed a digital public address and voice alarm system at Telford Shopping Centre. On 25 acres of commercial space, the IP-based Praesensa system from Bosch now provides music, announcements, and emergency alerts for retail stores, restaurants, as well as hotels and a cinema. The shopping mall operator was looking to upgrade the existing public address system with a future-proof and IP-networked solution for retail environments with two key requirements: Heightening the centre’s sustainability and energy efficiency while keeping costs for the upgrade low. Working with these requirements, Bosch partner North AVS refurbished all existing loudspeakers installed at Telford Centre across 16 zones via minor modifications on the end lines. As a result, system integrators merely needed to replace the obsolete control equipment - includ
USA - Chip Self, owner of Logic Systems, likes to follow his own rules. Creativity, he believes, tends to flourish more intensely that way. “The very first thing I do with every fixture is find a way to use it wrong,” he says. “For example, I find that traditional, lighting angles get really predictable and boring - very quickly. So, I strive to be unpredictable. It keeps the audience guessing and interested.” Self put this design philosophy into practice recently at the Pageant Theatre when he deployed a collection of Chauvet Professional fixtures in distinctive ways to light St. Louis rockers Pale Divine. The concert marked the 30th anniversary of the release of Pale Devine’s first album. It also saw the band reunite with its former lead guitarist Richard Fortus of Guns’N’Roses fame. Self reflected the personas of the artists on stage by accentuating ea
Australia - A new initiative and a first for Australia, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO) recently transported the performance out of the concert hall and into the outdoors to present the Festival of Orchestra (FOFO), a six-concert series celebrating a mix of musical genres. Supported by the Australian government’s RISE Fund and technical partner, Novatech Creative Event Technology, the event was staged at the Adelaide Showground, with the stage for the 5,000-capacity central arena fitted with three large LED screens in different configurations throughout the six concerts. Brompton Technology’s LED processing was deployed throughout, giving a sense of visual grandeur to the stunning music performances. Established in 1936, ASO is South Australia’s largest performing arts organisation, with a membership of 75 world-class musicians, renowned for a diverse and v
Canada - The hit series Revolution, airing on TVA and the biggest dance competition ever broadcast by Quebec television, used Claypaky Xtylos to showcase the dynamic moves of the dancers facing off against each other for a $100,000 cash prize. “From a lighting perspective, the idea that we ran with for the show was to be consistent with other contemporary dance shows while also leaning into more variety because contemporary dance doesn’t always lend itself well to mass television audiences,” explains lighting designer Jonathan Barro. “Revolution prides itself on presenting different styles of dance going head-to-head, so we wanted to create a space where all these dancers could express themselves in the best way possible. With that in mind, we got into the specific movements of the dancers and landed on the name Revolution, which stems from
Romania - The Steaua Stadium is a new, multi-purpose stadium located in the Ghencea neighbourhood of Bucharest. With a 31,000-spectator capacity, it’s the home of CSA Steaua Bucuresti and is now the largest sports complex in the country. A replacement for the outdated stadium, the new venue was used by the North Macedonia team during preparations for UEFA Euro 2020, before being officially inaugurated in the summer of 2021 with a football match between Steaua and OFK Beograd. The contractor for the Steaua Stadium chose an LED lighting system from Philips Signify, featuring 252 Arena Vision LED DMX and 152 Uni Flood RGBNW fixtures. The lighting control system comprises an LPC 1 (Lighting Playback Controller 1) and a TPC (Touch Panel Controller) from Pharos Architectural Controls. The LPC 1 offers 512 channels of DMX/eDMX, while the TPC offers 512 channels of eDMX for
Germany - From corporate meetings to formal galas, the Congress Centrum Ulm in Southern Germany, is a destination venue for a wide range of science, economic and cultural events. The centre’s 11,500sq.ft, 1,500-seat Einstein Saal, or Einstein Hall, and the foyer of the Congress Centrum Ulm (CCU) recently underwent a sound system re-design with Renkus-Heinz ICLive loudspeakers playing an integral role for a smart, future-proof audio upgrade. Named after Albert Einstein, who was born in Ulm in 1879, the CCU’s Einstein Hall features a movable stage and proscenium for use as an orchestra pit or stage extension. The venue’s vast wood-panelled walls, towering ceiling and tiered balconies create a stunning view toward the main stage. While architecturally appealing, these characteristics lead to acoustic challenges. With the new audio system, the city of Ulm, property
UK - Back To The Future, Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard’s popular musical is currently playing London’s Adelphi Theatre, delighting audiences with a spectacular hi-energy production in a show produced by Colin Ingram and his team and directed by John Rando. Award-winning lighting designer Tim Lutkin and lighting consultant Hugh Vanstone worked closely together and specified a zactrack SMART automated follow system for the show, which allows single and multiple lighting fixtures to be selected and to follow actors and dancers using a combination of tag-and-anchor and UWB (Ultra-Wide-Band) real-time radio tracking technology. This package brings considerable flexibility to the production. In addition to enabling specific lights to be used as remote follow spots, activated from the console cues for precise moments, Tim has developed a style and creative treat
