UK - Describing itself as ‘the UK's foremost narrative ballet company’, Northern Ballet performs a repertoire that ranges from traditional to contemporary. A key part of its work is taking shows on tour, performing for audiences away from its Leeds base. With touring now resuming, the ballet has looked to the future by investing in two Yamaha Rivage PM3 digital mixing systems. These were first put to use on the world premiere of the ballet Merlin, which started its tour at Nottingham Theatre Royal. Founded in 1969, Northern Ballet has used Yamaha digital mixers for a number of years, starting with the M7CL. “As a touring company, reliability is of primary importance and we’ve always been really happy with Yamaha in that regard,” says Steve Wilkins, the ballet’s technical director. “We’ve only ever lost one fader and socket through touring damage, where
Canada - To bring a combination of hyper-realistic daylight looks and classic theatrical lighting to the production of Schmigadoon!, director of photography Todd Elyzen, lighting programmer Jason McKinnon and gaffer Bill Kassis deployed more than 200 Martin Professional MAC Encore Performance CLD fixtures supplied by Christie Lites. Schmigadoon! is a six-episode Apple TV+ streaming series based on the 1947 musical Brigadoon, starring Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as a couple who find themselves transported into a golden-age musical. Set in an idyllic mountain village and full of dance numbers and homages to iconic musicals, Schmigadoon! required a combination of realistic daylight illumination and exaggerated theatrical lighting. Since much of the show was shot on elaborate sets with a 40ft-high, 360-degree blue screen for digital set exten
Canada - Founded in 1930, Glad Tidings Church has served Vancouver for over nine decades in three different locations. Established in its current location since 1963, the church built a new 1900-capacity sanctuary in 1983 which remains its home today. Whilst the structure of the auditorium has changed little over the years, it has continued to evolve at a technical level. The most recent development has been the design and installation of a new HALO-C compact line array system from British manufacturer, EM Acoustics. Recognising the need to replace their aging point source system with something more modern and efficient, Glad Tidings approached Canadian production company and AV integrator, Gearforce, headed by Bryan Adams’ long-term monitor engineer, Rob Nevalainen. Whilst the touring scene is currently on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nevalainen has turn
USA - The 2021 MTV VMAs (Video Music Awards) was back in-person, in style and with a live audience at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, New York City as the event celebrated its 40th year. Lighting designer Tom Sutherland of DX7 Design worked closely with a team including creative director Paul Caslin, camera director Joe Demaio and set designer Julio Himede of Yellow Studio. Over 300 Robe moving lights featured. The Robe count included 204 BMFL WashBeams, 80 MegaPointes and 50 Pointes which graced the rig together with a 16-way RoboSpot remote followspot system. Last year was Tom’s first lighting this high-profile entertainment industry event and 2020 had also been special as it was the only VMAs to be staged virtually with an array of remote performances. This year, Tom’s starting point for lighting was Julio’s striking set which included a 45ft hi
France - When it came time to record the Netflix original French-language film, Oxygène, the audio team had quite the challenge in front of them. The premise of the scientific horror film focuses on a scientist, played by French actress Melanie Laurent, who has lost her memory, awakens, trapped in a medical pod and must find her way out before the oxygen levels diminish. Given the setting, the pod is used for 90 percent of the film and, with its tight quarters, Production Sound Mixer Ken Yasumoto and Boom Operator Josselin Panchout knew they needed a reliable and unobtrusive microphone solution, which they found in DPA Microphones. Having small, portable, easy-to-use tools became even more important when the film’s director Alex Aja and director of photography Maxime Alexandre built a second pod for ease of filming some of the tighter shots. Although there w
USA - The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, employs a campus-wide communication system that consists of Riedel's Artist, Bolero and SmartPanels. The system supports flexible communications and audio transport for live broadcast production of Pitt Athletics events on the ACC Network for ESPN. The decentralised wired and wireless intercom systems enable clear, reliable communications while also providing exceptional flexibility of configuration across campus at all sporting complexes, and multiple studios. Utilizing multiple Artist digital intercom matrixes, 1200 and 2300 Series SmartPanel user interfaces, and 24 Bolero wireless beltpacks scattered across campus, the Pitt Athletics production team coordinates centralized live sports production for broadcast and streaming. Riedel's Director software coordinates configuration and management of al
UK - On the East coast of Yorkshire, Bridlington is a popular seaside destination for days out and family holidays. Lacking any major redevelopment for almost three decades, the seafront’s public spaces were in need of regeneration. So in 2019, East Riding of Yorkshire Council embarked on an ambitious £4m project to transform an area between Garrison Square and Regent Gardens, reinvigorating the space with a new, colourful look. Crucial to the revitalisation plan was the installation of new lighting elements within the communal areas. Lighting design practice, Sutton Vane Associates, was appointed by engineering consultants Sweco to design a lighting scheme that added vibrancy to the site whilst also providing a practical benefit after dark. To help realise their creative vision for the location, Sutton Vane Associates commissioned outdoor lighting specialis
UK - The hit Starz TV series Outlander has captivated global audiences with its intensely visceral tale centred around time travel. And with the passage of time comes change, which is something that Jon Towler can appreciate as lighting programmer and console operator for the programme. Towler, of Nineteen Sixtyone began working on Outlander when it debuted in 2013 at the invitation of its HOD gaffer Scott Napie and has been with the programme for all six seasons since. In that time, the show has made a major transition from tungsten and HMI heavy lighting into a rig consisting mostly of LED fixtures. “Things change, and as technology has advanced, the lighting has transitioned dramatically,” saysTowler. “The biggest surprise to me was how quickly the show embraced LED & wireless DMX. To give you an idea of how dramatically things changed, we st
UK - For the production industry the August Bank Holiday was always going to be the big heave of the re-opening, with Leeds/Reading festival leading the way. That no bad news emerged from the three-day bacchanal means the production industry could give itself a big pat on the back. Not that it was easy, but it was a blast. “We were all apprehensive,” says Richard Larkum, LD for Biffy Clyro, echoing the sentiments of many. “As it transpired, it was a career defining show.” Joel Stanley, production manager for Stormzy was equally relieved: “In terms of going from nothing to full-on production it did feel very natural.” Default sound, IMAG and lights for the main stages came from SSE, CT and Neg Earth respectively. As Stanley observed, “As with Neg Earth and Video Design in our individual production packages, we felt very comfortable and well favoure
UK - Powersoft’s Dynamic Music Distribution (DMD) solution is at the heart of the audio system providing the soundtrack to Kent’s newest sports and entertainment destination. With Dynamic Music Distribution, Powersoft offers SIs the ability to scale inputs and zones conveniently and efficiently with dynamic routing capabilities embedded on its amplifier platforms. This makes it simple to dynamically route music and other signal sources along with control signals between different zones and across multiple amplifiers – all independently of source location and without the need for a centralised DSP. Two Mezzo 604 ADs – Powersoft's four-channel, 600W compact amplifier – are powering the entirety of the 250-capacity Matches Sports Bar, Grill & Social, forming the core of a hospitality venue incorporating multiple distinct audio zones and spaces. Tucked away
USA - The Broward Centre for the Performing Arts collaborated with Pro Sound Inc.’s Stage Equipment & Lighting division to create a lighting system featuring Martin Professional fixtures for the newly-renovated Parker Playhouse theatre. Founded in 1967, the Parker Playhouse is a beloved fixture of the local Fort Lauderdale arts community, hosting a variety of Broadway shows, plays, concerts, dance and educational events for the past 54 years. In 2020, a $30m renovation and restoration project transformed the building from a historical playhouse into a modern live music venue. Now known as The Parker, the theatre is set to welcome back audiences and host a wide variety of events this fall, from educational children’s shows to rock concerts by artists including Rick Springfield and Lindsey Buckingham. As part of the effort to transform The Parker into a multiface
Thailand - To provide sound and flexibility for the Rose Hall event venue at the headquarters of RS Public Company, Mahajak Development Co deployed a Harman Professional audio solution. One of Thailand’s top media businesses, RS Public Company has had a significant influence on Thai entertainment culture since 1982. When hosting concerts, radio shows, television events and more, the company uses the 480sq.m Rose Hall located at its headquarters. To accommodate the needs of modern productions, the company requested a flexible, cutting-edge audio system that could easily adapt to a myriad of events. A spokesperson for Mahajak Development Co said that the installation team was confident that Harman’s audio solutions would deliver impactful sound for all types of events. The team selected a range of JBL Professional, Soundcraft and dbx solutions to provide impactful s
Argentina - Progressive house DJ Hernán Cattáneo looked back at the history of progressive house music in a live concept show called Future Memories at the Teatro Gran Rex in Buenos Aires on 18-19 September. Lighting designer and director Sergio Lacroix utilised 32 Claypaky Sharpy Plus fixtures to bring the past into the future for a show that represented much more than Cattáneo’s back catalogue. Classic progressive house music has been termed “a boundless adventure” which takes the listener on a journey to uncharted territory. The four-act Future Memories followed that path with Cattáneo and his colleagues creating different visions for the audience in an environment merging audio and visual elements. “Accompanying a show of quasi-pure electronics, the visual role was the protagonist to carry the experience forward,” explains La
USA - SJ Lighting created spectacular lighting production designs for four stages and the Main Stage VIP area at the 2021 Miami Rolling Loud Festival which took place over three days / nights at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens in Florida, offering 75,000 hip hop fans their first chance to see A$AP Rocky, Post Malone, Travis Scott, and many more artists perform live since March 2020. On three of these stages, Robe moving lights were integral to the design spec. Ninety-two MegaPointes graced the Ciroc (Main) Stage, while the Audiomack stage featured 66 x MegaPointes and 36 x BMFL Blades, with lighting for both of these supplied by 4Wall’s Miami office. Twenty-four Spiiders for the DRYP Stage were supplied by New York and Miami based event technology specialist, Technical Arts Group (TAG), together with the other lighting for this space. SJ Lighting’s pr
USA - For The Gather Again Tour, the Eric Church lighting crew selected the new Martin Professional MAC Ultra Performance LED fixtures for an intimate yet large-scale lighting experience. In support of his new triple album Heart & Soul, Eric Church set out on The Gather Again Tour this fall with the intention to unite fans and celebrate the return of live music. While the shows take place in arena-sized venues, the stage is set up in an intimate, in-the-round style where the audience surrounds the performer from all sides. Despite being large-scale events, a prominent theme of Eric Church shows is the sense of community and gathering among fans - an aspect that was all the more potent following 18 months of cancelled tours and postponed shows. For the Eric Church lighting team, the main challenge was to design a rig that covered both the audience and the ban
UK - In August, Nigerian Afro-fusion star Burna Boy’s Twice As Tall event was the first in the London O2 Arena’s Welcome Back Show series of live concerts. Sold out with fans hungry for live entertainment, Yamaha Rivage PM10 digital mixing systems helped deliver a much-anticipated, impressive live production. 2021 has been a highly successful year for Burna Boy, winning a Grammy Award for his 2020 Billboard-topping album Twice As Tall, Artiste of the Year at the Global Music Awards Africa and Best International Act at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards. He headed to the O2 Arena with a spectacular show, arriving in a flying saucer and spending much of the performance on a stage projection, surrounded by the audience on three sides. With music blending Afrobeats, dancehall riddims, reggae, American rap and R&B, the large production included a
UK - A new dance festival called Electric Woodlands took place recently in the idyllic grounds of Bygrave Farm in Baldock. Three bespoke stages, set in lush green landscapes, and a hidden forest provided the backdrop to a who's who of drum & bass, house and bass exponents over an 11-hour period. Capital Sound, part of the Solotech UK Group, equipped all three stages with PA, the two largest fitted out with premium Martin Audio systems. The service providers had been introduced to the event by Alex Anderson, a production manager with whom they had worked previously. Capital senior project manager, Martin Connolly reports, “We were then contacted and initially asked to quote on the main stage before extending this to the other two stages.” The crew worked alongside the event’s main production manager, Catherine Bates, observing sound thresholds set by F1
UK - Green Hippo’s flagship Hippotizer Tierra+ MK2 Media Server took centre stage to drive visuals at the James Bond No Time To Die world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall. Richard Bagshaw from UK-based live events video playback and content creators Digital Insanity took the helm at the star-studded film launch on the famous red carpet steps, harnessing the power of a Tierra+ MK2 with the serial number 001 (for premiere purposes, of course. 007 was otherwise engaged). TV viewers and those lucky enough to attend the premiere arrived on the red carpet surrounded by 14 LED screens, forming giant cubes to display Bond teasers, clips and graphics. Digital Insanity supplied content creation and video playback services for the red carpet event and also supplied content for the press junket, entrance tunnel and the after movie drinks reception. “I’ve been
USA - On their recent 19-city tour, PVRIS’ free flowing music took flight against the richly textured background of a Lenny Sasso lighting design that mirrored the passion and complexity of the band’s performance. Moving from ambers to bold reds, and soft washes to intense strobing and sweeps, Sasso’s lightshow stayed with the varied and deeply felt emotions of the music every step of the way. A critical piece of Sasso’s rig were the 28 CHAUVET Professional F6 IP linear video strips that dominated the centre stage. Supplied by Sonus Productions of Moorestown, NJ, the strips were arranged vertically along two upstage rows of 10-units each, with the remaining eight fixtures flanking the drum and bass risers. Feeding the strips content from Resolume, Sasso used them to set a variety of moods on stage. “I used a combination of prebuilt Resolume packs, plus a few
Israel - Israel Railways’ (ISR) CEO frequently holds critical internal management meetings and external meetings with Israeli government departments and authorities. Therefore, to enable its CEO to conduct efficient and productive business meetings from his office, ISR turned to ClearOne for an AV solution that would fully meet the requirements of the CEO and his meeting room. “We needed to find a solution for the CEO’s office that delivered superior levels of audio and video quality which, at the same time, is intuitive and easy to use,” opens Aric Ben-Zuk, VP of sales for DM Engineering, the creative technology solutions provider leading this integration. “A key requirement for ISR was that participants, regardless of their location, would be able to concentrate on the content of their meetings without having to worry about the underlying technology.” Hav
Australia - To provide quality sound across a wide field of coverage for the Transmoto Endura dirt bike races, CMI Music & Audio and Be Productions deployed JBL Professional Eon One Compact speakers. Transmoto organises team-based endurance events in a relaxed and fun atmosphere for everyday dirt biking enthusiasts, staged on remote locations with challenging but safe off-road loops that combine grass tracks and bush trails. The Transmoto Enduros consists of eight- and 12-hour endurance races for amateur riders taking place on dedicated tracks in rural areas across Australia. With racers often spread out in outdoor campsites, Transmoto officials needed an audio system for announcements and communication with wide enough coverage to reach every racer and compete with the sounds of motorcycles and weather conditions. To meet these requirements, Be Productions consult
USA - The North American leg of An Evening with Michael Bublé tour resumed in August, with 23 shows in A-level arenas through late October. The tour continues to rely on a Meyer Sound reinforcement system as provided by global production company Solotech, and once again the massive system is deployed in a novel ‘dual hybrid’ configuration comprising both typical end-stage arrays as well as centre-hung arrays over the B-stage that essentially function as an in-the-round system. What’s new this time around is the introduction of the Spacemap Go spatial sound design and live mixing tool, which transparently tracks Bublé’s voice as he strolls between the two stages, maintaining precise aural localisation at all seats with synchronised, incremental changes in level and delay across multiple loudspeaker arrays. “We came up with the basic solution late in 2
South Africa - Tiger’s Milk is a popular kitchen/bar that is part of the Life & Brand portfolio, a group that runs a variety of bars, bistros and restaurants across South Africa. For this project, a new establishment located in the Johannesburg suburb of Bedfordview required a zoned audio solution to handle BGM playback throughout the premises which blended with Tiger’s Milk’s characteristic black interior. Timelines were tight as the work needed to be finished in time for the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and re-opening of the hospitality industry in South Africa. The job was originally procured by Output AV, who specified and purchased the Audac equipment, before sub-contracting K2 Innovate for the actual integration. All the hardware was supplied by Stage Audio Works (SAW), Audac’s South African distributor. The Audac system covers a total of seven dis
UK - Bluesound Professional has announced an installation of its B400S 4-zone network music player across online car retailer’s customer centres. The challenge was to create an environment where sound would enhance the ambiance of every customer centre, with uniform controllability and compliance with the legal requirements of the PRS music licence. London-based integrator Nucleus AV turned to Bluesound Professional for a scalable audio solution. The installation team worked closely with Cazoo to create a bespoke system that was both practical (in some locations, Nucleus AV would be retrofitting existing loudspeakers and amplifiers) and future-proof. Nucleus AV, working with Bluesound Professional sub-distributor OneAV, outfitted each Cazoo customer centre with a single Bluesound Professional B400S 4-zone network music player. This commercial grade netwo
