Italy - Outline’s ET System now boasts more than 1,500 customers globally. In daily use by in a multitude of industry sectors, it is also found in universities and research institute. High-profile users include Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, Lucasfilm, Dolby and MIT where it is used on a daily basis to measure everything from antennae, solar panels, hearing aids and smart devices to loudspeaker systems and transducers, mobile comms devices, microphones, domestic appliances and even medical equipment. Outline’s original concept of a high-precision, computer-controlled turntable capable of ‘placing significant loads with perfect accuracy in a measurement environment has now been developed further’, with the creation of two new models (the ET50-3D and ET250R2-3D) to suit different speed and load requirements. Both models feature a revolutionary n
Korea - With a total area of 11,265sq.m and the largest LED wall in Korea, VA Corporation’s new VA Studio Hanam provides in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) facilities optimised for immersive content production. Created in partnership with ARK Ventures Inc South Korea, this virtual production infrastructure is powered by Brompton Technology LED processing, with 4K Tessera SX40 processors driving four large LED walls. The new facility offers a full spectrum of creative possibilities for content production, from films, drama, advertising, and gaming to XR broadcasts and live performances, allowing each production to be tailored to the specific needs and budget of the client. VA Studio Hanam includes three main facilities, all featuring cutting-edge technology provided by ARK Ventures, including ROE Visual LED screens and Brompton Tessera processing. With a floor ar
UK - When asked to light a special video celebrating the launch of the new Lotus Emira sports car, lighting designer Nick Jevons reached for Astera Titan Tubes to create the desired effects. Nick was asked onboard by technical co-ordinators Anna Valley who were working for producers, Blueprint Partners. The filming was directed by Mark Anand and the location was at the Lotus factory and test facility in Norfolk, UK, and was divided into two sections. The first took place in a pop-up studio built in one of the factory spaces which was to get an assortment of amazing hero shots of the car. The action then shifted to the test track, where the vehicles were filmed in action and tearing up some tarmac as they were put through their paces! Nick specified four Astera Titan kits comprising eight tubes each - which were supplied by lighting rental company Lite Up togeth
UK - After two years away from Daresbury, Britannia Row Productions returned to cinch presents Creamfields on the UK’s August Bank Holiday to provide sound solutions for the North Stage, the South Stage, and the 15,000-capacity Steel Yard (see a production report on the event in the upcoming LSi November, out next week). Britannia Row has enjoyed a long and productive relationship with the dance festival, and its production company, LarMac LIVE, so as soon as it was announced that the 2021 event would go ahead, Brit Row’s team - led by Audio Crew Chief Alex Hore - were eager to pick up where they left off. “As with many events that have managed to go ahead this year during the pandemic, I think there was a general sense of relief and joy that we could be back in a field enjoying our favourite DJs and the live event atmosphere once again,” says Hore. <
USA - Magnum, a full-service entertainment technology company based in Atlanta, was asked to light the grand opening celebration of The Epicurean Atlanta, a culinary-themed hotel with a demonstration kitchen/theatre. To light the exterior of the hotel for the 23 September event, Magnum needed a powerful IP65-rated fixture that could project eye-catching effects while handling any weather condition and chose 24 Elation Proteus Maximus fixtures to get the job done. “We were presented with the challenge of making a unique and memorable experience for the grand opening of Epicurean, and Elation’s IP-rated Proteus Maximus fixtures were ideal for this situation,” said Taylor Chandler, project manager at Magnum. “The evening event was outdoors and the weather was questionable. We needed a powerful, bright fixture to light the hotel, and the Proteus Maximus gave us the
USA - Clair Global CEO Troy Clair and ATK Audiotek president Michael MacDonald have announced that their companies have reached a definitive agreement for the sale of ATK to Clair Global. The deal is expected to close in mid-November. “Everyone in the industry has worked with the ATK team for years to support our clients on major broadcast events,” comments Troy Clair. ATK developed the enviable position of being in the driver’s seat at huge events that span entertainment awards, sports, and political events, and developed techniques to ensure that the sound provided to a live audience is flawless, while maintaining the integrity of audio for broadcast.” Clair went on to say, “Everyone at Clair is excited to have the opportunity to work with ATK.” Scott Harmala, a senior partner at ATK, is enthusiastic about the potential created by this joining-of-forces.
France - A full APG sound system heralded the return of France’s Musique à Beauregard, which this summer welcomed thousands of live music fans to its spectacular mountain-top festival site for the first time since 2019. Like nearly all festivals in Europe, Musique à Beauregard – which has taken place on a protected natural site in the Alpine foothills, in eastern France, since 2017 – was forced to postpone its 2020 edition because of restrictions on large events. For its comeback the festival more than made up for lost time, boasting a diverse, crowd-pleasing music line-up, a brand-new stage, and a state-of-the-art audio setup designed to complement the natural acoustic support provided by the Aravis mountain range. Measuring 15m x 10m, the new stage provided a proving ground for the festival’s new sound system, comprising several speakers from APG’s light,
Japan - The recently renamed Tipstar Dome Chiba, formerly Chiba JPF Dome, hosted Japan’s first track cycling tournament in October where an array of Claypaky lighting fixtures played key roles. The PIST6 Championship was the first cycling competition in Japan to pursue both speed and entertainment in cycling. The new type of sporting event combined art, food and fashion while pitting top athletes from Japan and abroad against each other in a high-level competition to determine the world’s fastest cyclists. Tipstar Dome Chiba is an indoor velodrome located in Chiba City, Japan. It boasts a total area of more than 14,000sq.m, an international-standard 250m wooden racetrack and seating for about 2,000 spectators. The venue hosts not only cycling competitions but also e-sports, drone events and live music shows. Lighting designer Yuji Yokoi deployed 30 Claypaky X
USA - Head on Collision was not one of New Found Glory’s bigger hits, but the 2002 song lives on today, at least indirectly. A year after the metal track was released, a line from its chorus inspired the name of what would become one of this era’s most popular and influential bands, All Time Low. This would not be the last time that the quartet from Baltimore would draw a spark of inspiration from an outside musical source and infuse it with a new level of energy and meaning. Like a giant river fed by countless streams, All Time Low has fused a multitude of influences into a genre-smashing sound that is all their own. The diverse, far-reaching scope of their music is on full display on the current Sad Summer Festival/ Side Summer tour that the band is headlining. Visually reflecting their diverse sound is a multi-faceted production design by Jeff Mathews and
Australia - Due for a complete audio overhaul, the Erindale Theatre recently collaborated with CMI to outfit its facility with JBL Professional BRX300 line array systems. With 443 seats, the Erindale Theatre is the largest theatre space south of the Canberra central business district. Featuring a full fly rigging system for set changes, an acoustically optimized orchestra pit and advanced AV and lighting equipment, the multi-purpose space can accommodate a wide range of functions from theatrical productions and concerts to large corporate seminars and community group presentations. To ensure a high-quality audio experience, Erindale Theatre needed a modern sound reinforcement system. CMI selected the JBL BRX300 modular line array system for its excellent sound quality and coverage in a compact, easy-to-use form factor. According to CMI staff, the variety of performance
France - Each September, thousands of jazz fans descend on the third largest park in Paris, The Parc de la Villette, to enjoy renowned festival Jazz à La Villette. Highlighting the most prominent artists of the moment and the many styles of jazz, the festival also looks back at the history of this musical genre, often paying tribute to a particularly important year or an inspiring musician. With sets from a wide roster of artists, this year’s festival presented a varied programme that opened new audio perspectives thanks to L-Acoustics L-ISA Hyperreal Sound technology. Cité de la Musique, one of two buildings comprising the Philharmonie de Paris, was one of the key venues for the festival. Emmanuelle Corbeau, Deputy head of the Audio-Visual Department at the Philharmonie de Paris, managed the deployment of L-ISA at the Cité de la Musique’s Salle des Concerts (Co
UK - The Curve in Leicester saw a welcome return to live audience performances with a run of The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, a new production that is part of the venue’s socially distanced season. An eye-catching lighting design was created by Ben Cracknell for this in-the-round show directed by the theatre’s artistic director Nikolai Foster, featuring a talented cast including Lloyd Webber musical stars and a live band. Ben utilised some Robe T1 Profile moving lights for key lighting, which were rigged on two of six trussing pieces on an automation system. These started off almost on the floor looking like part of a pile of abandoned tech kit in a dusty old theatre, shuttered during the lockdowns – part of a minimalist production design by Colin Richmond. As the show kicked off and came alive, the cast pulled dust sheets off the piles of ‘discarded e
Albania - Part of the Diamond Hill Resort & Spa the new 400-capacity Rooftop Lounge Bar in the Albanian city of Vlorë, has been fitted out with a high-power Martin Audio sound system, comprising components from the BlacklineX and CDD series - supplied and installed by their territorial distributors, Prosound. Offering panoramic views, the lively venue delivers a combination of house music from DJs interspersed with live bands by night, and BGM during the daytime. Prosound had been contacted by the venue’s architects to provide a solution. “But the procurement process was similar to that of a tender since the client also received offers from other providers,” acknowledges Prosound’s technical director, Endrit Veleshnja, who recommended Martin Audio and designed the system around it. Explaining his reasons, he said, “BlacklineX series has continuousl
Switzerland - Winkler Livecom AG has invested in a large number of the new, outdoor-compatible Fusion MBL 40 LED floodlights from GLP. The MBL 40 was largely developed following an original inquiry from Winkler Livecom, explains Ronald ‘Roni’ Huber, head of technical development at the Swiss company. “We were looking for an LED floodlight that corresponded to an HQI 400 spotlight in terms of brightness. In addition, the luminaire needed to be suitable for outdoor use (IP65), have a flexible colour temperature, be both manually operable and controllable via DMX and, of course, be attractively priced,” says Huber. “This combination was actually not available on the market at the beginning of 2019,” he continues. “We then approached some manufacturers informally with the idea of developing such a product – but the enthusiasm was limited. With Oliver Schwen
USA - The historic Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University was founded in 1887 and currently occupies one of the oldest facilities on campus, a building constructed in 1889. Recently, the prestigious school of about 300 students modernised and upgraded its department infrastructure, including a move from analogue cabling to audio networking – a task completed with consideration to the historic significance of the building thanks to Audinate’s Dante. Copper wire and XLR cables running between rooms at Setnor were installed sometime in the 1950s. The old analogue cabling and break-out panels had become outdated, noisy, and inflexible. Dante was critical for the school during the upgrade as it offered a solution with minimal impact on the historic buildings on campus. “With a building like this, we can’t just knock big holes in the walls and run more and mor
USA - The Jonas Brothers’ monitor engineer Jon Kooren deployed DPA microphones for the group’s The Remember This Tour. Originally delayed due to the pandemic, the tour launched in Las Vegas in August and wrapped around the country, with a final show at the Hollywood Bowl on 27 October 27. Deployed primarily for percussion and vocals, the large collection of DPA mics on the tour included the 4011 Cardioid, 4099 Core Instrument and 2011 Twin Diaphragm Cardioid microphones for drums and percussion, as well as the d:facto 4018V Vocal microphone for backup and the d:facto 4018VL Vocal microphone for Kevin Jonas. “There’s a lot of mics; we use two 4011As for percussion overheads, above the cymbals and chimes, another as a direct source for shakers and tambourine, and a fourth on snare bottom on the drum kit,” explains Kooren. “Then, we have 4099s on high and low
USA - After being idle because of the pandemic, Swedish metal stars Avatar were eager to return to touring with a bold, new look. The band’s long-time lighting designer Jimmy Olausson obliged by introducing an element of constructive chaos that reflected their bold sound. Aiding him in this undertaking on their North American tour was a rig that featured a collection of Chauvet Professional ÉPIX Strip, Rogue and COLORado fixtures owned by the band. In a bid to challenge traditional audience expectations, Olausson and the band designed the show to be expansive, unleashing more and more lights and video content as the show unfolds. Key to this gradual build up is the introduction of Olausson’s custom visual content, which are played via Resolume over 96 ÉPIX Strips, 48 of the units positioned upstage, while the remaining 48 equally divided between stage left and stage r
Russia - Sound engineer, Aleksey ‘Midas’ Korolev, has recently moved to an immersive audio environment, expanding his work with d&b’s Soundscape system by adding KLANG’s immersive in ear system to his workflow. The move to KLANG also prompted him to switch from his long-term choice of console to DiGiCo, taking advantage of the SD-Range’s native integration with the KLANG system. Midas first came across KLANG a few years ago at the ProLight + Sound trade show. “I was heading somewhere else when, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a booth with something to do with IEMs. Or maybe it was just the brand’s colour that attracted me,” he says. “I took a brochure, but at that time I thought the technology was an interesting start-up amongst many others and I didn’t think I would be a user one day.” When Midas first joined his current band, a few of
Thailand - Mahajak Development Co recently outfitted the Lido Connect entertainment complex with Harman audio solutions to deliver quality sound and flexibility for cinema screenings, live music, performing arts and other events. Lido Connect is a multipurpose entertainment and retail venue located in the former Lido Multiplex Movie Theatre in Bangkok’s Siam Square. After the 50-year-old multiplex closed in 2018, the building underwent extensive renovations to transform it into a cultural hub for moviegoers, music fans, artists and shoppers. As part of the renovations, the former Lido 1 theatre remained a screening room but received major upgrades, while Lido 2 and Lido 3 became a live music venue and a small black box theatre, respectively. To provide pristine sound for movies, concerts and other events, each of these spaces required new sound systems. To execute t
UK - A new Anolis Eminere LED lighting design by architectural lighting practice Pritchard Themis is gracing the front facades of Waltham Forest Town Hall in East London. The impressive Grade II listed building is the HQ of Waltham Forest London Borough Council, and the exterior lighting scheme was part of a substantial two-year refurbishment and upgrade project involving the whole building and its immediate environs. HawkinsBrown architects was appointed to transform the stripped classical style Town Hall opened in 1942 into an integrated modern workspace combined with a lively civic campus that would welcome staff, visitors, and residents to the heart of a thriving and diverse east London community. As part of that masterplan, HawkinsBrown tasked the Pritchard Themis team with crafting the exterior lighting. A stylish signature white illumination was
Egypt - The powerful output and rich colours of the VLZ range of luminaires from Vari-Lite were harnessed to light up Egypt’s treasured historic landmarks for a procession of 22 ancient Pharaohs through the streets of Cairo. The Golden Parade event, which showcased the mummified pharaohs as they were transported from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilizations four miles away in al-Fustat, Old Cairo, was organised by The Ministry of Tourism and Antiques. The event’s technical production team approached Hamed Arafa of rental house Hi-Lights Group - a Vari-Lite and Strand distributor in Egypt - who proposed Vari-Lite VLZ Profile and VLZ Wash luminaries to bring light and colour to the visual spectacle. “Using Vari-Lite products for this culturally significant task was our only recommendation,” comments Hamed Arafa. “For t
Estonia - ERR is the largest media organisation and government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company in Estonia. For its mobile units, the organisation relies on the experience of Lithuanian-based TVC Solutions, who have been designing and coach-building OB vans for over 20 years, and the fit-out includes specifying the most efficient, state-of-the-art technological infrastructure. A key feature of the latest 12m long 18-camera van (designated ‘OB-1’) is an efficient use of internal space. They were able to create five working areas, and in total 19 separate workplaces on a chassis-based design. This includes: Main isolated equipment racks with redundant cooling system; Shading area (four workplaces); Second programme area (three workplaces); Main programme and slow-motion operators’ area (10 workplaces) and an advanced Audio room with improved sound
UK - Jalsa Salana is the annual three-day international gathering of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community which takes place on a 200-acre farm in Alton, Hants. Over the three days, up to 35,000 people from across the world have traditionally congregated at the location, where the Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association (AMC), Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, delivers a daily address. Back in 2016, Simon Honywill helped Jalsa Salana celebrate its 50th anniversary by completely redesigning the audio infrastructure around a uniquely Martin Audio set-up. By turning to the MLA platform for the first time he could achieve supreme control and vocal projection in a challenging environment. Since the address itself is in the form of a very quiet and humble series of speeches, sermons and teachings powerful projection is required. There is no music, it is all about speech intelligibili
Australia - The sleepy rural town of Kilkivan in Queensland was recently transformed into a hive of activity as thousands of horse lovers - and their horses - descended for the first edition of Cowgirls Gathering; three days of interactive workshops and clinics with educators, trade stalls, competitions, music, art and entertainment to celebrate the western lifestyle of women all over Australia and beyond. Production specialists Gigawatt Sound & Light based just north of Brisbane were contracted to supply clear, precise audio throughout the festival, which they chose to do with KV2. The requirement was broad ranging, from background music, to paging, to foreground audio distribution and speech reinforcement. All systems were in use from 7am to midnight every day. Gigawatt’s technical systems manager, Andrew Wood takes up the story: “This was an unusual assignme
