UK - Respected theatre lighting designer Neil Austin has again relied heavily on Martin Professional’s MAC Encore Performance moving heads in lighting the West End production of Frozen The Musical for audiences at London’s famous Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. He is using 115 Martin MAC Encore Performance CLD fixtures as part of a fully moving rig, quipping that “I chose the CLD units as I predicted there would be quite a lot of cold white light on Frozen!” The inventory was supplied by White Light, whom Austin says he has been renting from “since I was a 15-year-old schoolboy.” White Light were supplied by Martin’s exclusive UK distributor Sound Technology. As the predominant fixture in his rig, the MAC Encores are set on five overhead bars and six ladders either side of the stage in a virtually all-LED rig. “They’re basically everywhere
Colombia - The historic Teatro Pablo Tobon Uribe in Medellín sets a high bar for anyone creating visuals on its stage. For starters there are the elegant contours of the building itself, the work of famed architect Nel Rodriguez. Then there is the curtain that covers the stage, graced by the art of post-modern master Dora Ramírez. When that curtain rose on Circular, an evening of Colombian and Caleño music, the captivating visuals continued, thanks to a vivid lighting design by Juan Pablo Marulanda that drew on the colour rendering power and brightness of Chauvet Professional fixtures that were part of the theatre’s house rig. With no LED video wall, Marulanda used 31 COLORado Batten Quad-9 IP linear fixtures, arranged vertically and horizontally to create a geometric background that added depth and texture to the stage. He complemented the patterns that h
Singapore - Pixotope brought augmented reality (AR) technology into the 2021 Singapore National Day Parade for the first time. In collaboration with Anomalyst Studio, the televised show used visual illusions that ‘blurred the lines between reality and virtual’. Pixotope was used to generate all of the AR overlays for five segments of the large-scale TV event, with the AR elements conceived as part of the show’s main narrative, including notable segments such as five stars rising up from a physical stage prop, transitioning to form a virtual display of the Singaporean national flag. To ensure visual consistency throughout, there was a constant collaboration between Anomalyst Studio and the graphics team for the LED and floor projections. The various animated elements were created in Maya before being imported into Pixotope for playback in the main show, and after
Germany - The Immanuel arts centre, housed in the rededicated church building of Immanuelskirche in Wuppertal, impresses with a versatile and innovative programme that also features experimental events. The stage design in the house itself is as varied as the centre’s programme. To prepare for all event possibilities, the venue management opted for permanently installed loudspeaker systems from RCF and combined them with mobile components. As a long-standing partner, taking care of day-to-day operations in the areas of audio and stage technology, Guido Ogrzewalla’s company Safe in Sound was commissioned with planning and installation of the new system. “All components are connected to RDNet and can be controlled perfectly, and in great detail, so we can achieve the best possible sound result for every event situation.” The Immanuelskirche has been an arts
USA - After years of lighting Ryder Cup press areas with standard Lekos and PARs, the team at NMR Staging and Events decided to add Elation’s KL Panel LED softlight to their bag and the results were impressive. NMR has been involved in the Ryder Cup for years, the Professional Golf Association’s biennial men's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. This year’s event played out 24-26 September at Whistling Straits Golf Course in Wisconsin, and, as always, the rivalry and its post- match press conferences were followed closely on both sides of the pond. NMR, who has nearly 40 years of experience providing technology for a wide variety of events, purchased the full-color-spectrum and colour temperature-adjustable KL light panels last year for use on tradeshows and NMR’s in-house studios. Daniel Gerstenhaber, head of lighting at NMR, say
UK - For a company better known for supplying club sound systems around the world, there has been a recent ‘sugar-coated’ opportunity for Void Acoustics to make an appearance on the high street. Kingdom of Sweets is a multiple retail sweet-shop operation with outlets around the UK in addition to a number of flagship stores in major European cities. It is the first time Void Acoustics has supplied Kingdom of Sweets with their quartet of new shop locations in Bath, Windsor, Leeds and London’s high-end Knightsbridge shopping district. Alan Smith, business development manager for AT&C takes up the story. “We’ve been aware of Void Acoustics for many years, and when we got the brief from our client, it was evident that this was a quirky and demanding project which had Void written all over it!” he recalls. “We had been asked to specify a sound syste
Lithuania - Audiotonas recently won a tender to renew the audio system at the 400-capacity Juozas Miltinis Theatre in Lithuania. Situated in Panevezys, the fifth largest city in the country, the Grand Hall has been upgraded with a Martin Audio Wavefront Precision (WPM) line array. According to Audiotonas chief audio engineer (and system designer), Vytautas Stasiukaitis, an old-school point source PA system, more than 20 years old, was no longer fit for purpose. “The performance was not acceptable by today’s standards, and so the theatre wanted a high-tech sound system in which performance features could be optimised according to the architecture of the room,” he explains. “As the most cost-efficient system which met all the requirements of the Theatre Wavefront Precision was the way to go.” It was the facility’s first experience with Martin Audio and the so
Slovenia - Lighting designer Crt Birsa and set designer Greta Godnic created the visuals for the 40th annual MMS song contest, which this year was built around the appropriately titled theme Festival of the Melody of Sea and Sun. “The whole idea for the general look of the set and lights was to create the sensation of waves spreading from a central point,” said Birsa of Blackout Lighting Design. “MMS was held at a seaside town, and most of the songs performed were about the sea, so connecting the stage design with water was essential. At the same time, since this is a song contest, we wanted dramatic looks to be part of each performance.” Working on his ChamSys MagicQ MQ70, Birsa programmed a seven-universe show with 14 pages of cues and cue lists that accentuated the deepest elements of his collaborator’s set design. “I am working with Slovenia’s b
Gibraltar - Zero 88 has provided lighting consoles to the new Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) purpose-built TV and radio studio facility and HQ at Gibraltar’s South Jumpers Bastion. The lighting systems were designed, specified, and commissioned by UK-based lighting specialist, The Projects Department, with the two Zero 88 FLX consoles at the heart of the control set up. The newsroom FLX is controlling around 50 lights which are primarily generic white light fixtures, with a mix of conventionals, LED fixtures, and moving lights. GBC purchased its first Zero 88 FLX console for its previous main studio in 2015, soon after the product was launched. It was such a hit that GBC soon added another console for the second of their two TV production studios. “They absolutely loved it,” comments Projects Department’s Peter Daffarn. “It was simple, powerful, a
UK - Cheltenham’s Imperial Gardens became a cinematic hotspot of international sport, films and music over the summer as the town’s Big Screen Festival took place, utilising Production AV’s substantial stock of Desay M6 outdoor LED screen panels to make up the visual display. Production AV’s Nathan Dunbar project managed the supply, delivery, build and operation of the screens. The main screen was made up of 18 panels of the modular Desay M6 outdoor LED screens, which the team fitted together to create the large-scale LED wall. A host of content was shown to audiences enjoying the summer weather, including live BBC streams of the Tokyo Olympics and Channel 4’s Paralympics, BBC Proms as well as family films and local business advertising. The event was part of a drive by Cheltenham Borough Council to bring residents back into the centre of the town and drive s
UK - New Order played two one-off shows ahead of a London O2 Arena show scheduled for November, which also celebrated the re-opening of full-capacity live shows and performances in the UK. Lighting designer Andy Liddle - who celebrates his own landmark of 40 years as the band’s LD this year - specified 66 Robe MegaPointes as the only effects moving lights on the rig for these two outdoor shows, the first staged at Piece Hall in Halifax, followed two days later by Heaton Park in Manchester. To make a visual impact, lighting was combined with lasers and video, and Andy wanted one fixture that would work equally well as a spot, wash, and beam light … and MegaPointe was an easy choice! The lighting kit was supplied by rental company Siyan. The MegaPointes were rigged on three overhead trusses above, below and around the sides of the screen, effectively framing
Australia - To set the scene for the QLD Junior State Gymnastics Championships, Theatre Safe Australia (TSA) supplied over 2000sq.m of wool drapes across the complex, which became a striking backdrop for the sporting event. In addition, TSA supplied 13 EXE chain hoists (250kg) with 250m of hoisting chain, 780m of control cables, 99m of Tri-Truss, Admiral Strong Boy dollys and an Atlas System Controller. Audio visual & technology officer, Nat Thornton comments: “TSA has provided top quality products over the years, including truss, chain hoists and drapes. I know by choosing TSA as a supplier we receive our products on schedule and quality is second to none.” TSA has supplied 36 drapes, 3.5m wide with a 11.5m drop, over a two-year period for use in the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre. The drapes were manufactured in Australia by TSA utilising high quality f
UK - Recently established lifestyle restaurant and bar, Socialite has worked alongside Flipside Soundsystem to create an enticing musical atmosphere in the heart of Brighton’s Lanes. The building, which used to be a Cath Kidston store, benefits from an open concept layout with; a lavish cocktail bar, a private dining area, a generous performance space and topped off with a casual roof terrace. With the aim of being an all-in-one bar, the space was in need of an AV system that could occasionally simmer into the background, allowing conversation to flow, while also being able to support live music and DJ events. “After having a brief look around the site, working out its functionality and what the concept was – I knew, pretty much from the get-go, that musicality was the main focus of this place,” recalls Flipside managing director, James Cooper. “From then, we
USA - The Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival returned to Las Vegas 17-19 September, transforming 18 downtown city blocks into a hub of music, art and culture. The event roared back to life, drawing a record 170,000 attendees for its three-day line-up of performances by Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, A$AP Rocky, Green Day, and more than 100 additional acts. Between shows, festivalgoers took in comedy events, culinary demonstrations, and multidisciplinary creative installations by local, national, and international artists. Life is Beautiful planners couldn’t were thrilled that music festivals are back. “We were the first festival to put a line-up out and say ‘We’re going to do this’,” Craig Nyman, the festival’s head of music and live performances said. “I think that really sparked a bit of hope and energy in the industry and let people feel that.
Australia - Theatre Safe Australia (TSA) created the set for the University of Adelaide’s production of Mamma Mia!. It was the major production for the graduating 2021 music theatre students, performed in the university’s own Scott Theatre. Head of music theatre at the university, George Torbay, was pleased to have the TSA Workshop on board to help create this performance. With other productions throughout the year, Torbay wanted this one to showcase the graduating students and provide them with a stage brimming with scenery to recreate the theatrical experience of the romantic comedy. Torbay says: “The TSA Workshop undoubtedly helped create a complete theatre experience for the 2021 graduate students. The buildings, painted platforms and flooring bought the musical to life, allowing the students to immerse themselves in professional theatre surroundings.
USA - When faced with shelter-in-place regulations amid the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE, like many churches around the world, decided to shift from in-person gatherings on Sundays to recorded services so churchgoers could watch from home. The initial offerings relied on existing audio and video equipment, which was more than 20 years old. The church’s streaming feed lacked detail, balance and consistent room ambiance, and the lack of intelligibility of the spoken word made it difficult for remote churchgoers to hear the service well. To help solve this problem last fall, Tony Thurman, Westminster’s director of music, and members of the church’s property committee, initiated talks with Robert Bullington of Front Row Seat Productions, a local AV contractor, to come up with a new sound system. Together, the tea
USA - The team at Cour Design is celebrating the emotional pull of Lord Huron’s music on the band’s current USA tour with a powerful, image-rich stage design. Adorned with illuminated representations of mountain ranges as well as cactus plants of different sizes and a large semi-circular backdrop suggestive of a setting sun or moon, the set is clearly representative of the kind of environment that runs through the band’s music. Designer Erik Anderson chose to illuminate this visual panorama with a collection of Chauvet Professional Maverick MK3 Wash fixtures. “I specced the Mavericks,” he said. “They are our workhorses, and we love their brightness, especially with the outdoor shows on this tour.” Depending on the venue, between eight and 11 Maverick MK3 Wash fixtures are flown on downstage truss, while eight other units are divided evenly between stage
Vietnam - Dotted throughout Vietnam, the government has built private theatres to host regional and national cultural performances for the country’s military. These 700-seat venues serve government officials and military leaders with regular programmes of choir performances that convey messages of patriotism and national pride by promoting the unique history and culture of the Vietnamese republic. One such theatre in the capital of Hanoi recently received an upgrade to its sound system, installing the new K3 line source array, integrated by local L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor, ProAVL Vietnam. ProAVL managing director Thang Le has been an L-Acoustics user for over a decade, turning to the manufacturer’s sound systems for their quality and flexibility for projects that spanned installations in civic venues and high-end residential markets, as well as for
Denmark - Freedom Day was celebrated with several prominent shows and events including a landmark performance at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen by The Minds of 99 who became only the second ever Danish act to play there, in front of 50,000 fans, complete with a high impact show design from Jannik Kenneth Skov Jensen. Lighting included over 300 Robe fixtures - a mix of Tarrantulas, BMFL WashBeams, MegaPointes, Spiiders, BMFL FollowSpot LTs and RoboSpots. Jannik Kenneth has worked with the band since 2017 and he curates all the visual elements of their stage performances - including staging / scenic and video - in close collaboration with their manager, Ole Nørup Peteresen. Parken was the biggest show that Jannik Kenneth has designed and operated to date. The LD studied to be an actor and director before turning his talents to the more technical disciplines of ligh
UK - London’s The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama staged a production of the musical Spring Awakening recently, which saw lighting and video design students create, programme and operate the visual aspects using Hippotizer Amba Media Servers. Central student Jack Fone took the helm in the pre-production process, alongside fellow Central students Adler Williams on animation and Simon Moss, who’s studying production lighting. The team created a striking set dominated by a huge crucifix stage back, flanked by projected images designed to augment the narrative. The two Hippotizer Amba Media Servers were fed three live camera inputs, comprising two operated cameras backstage, and a locked off camera overhead. These fed four projectors, two for the header display and two for the back wall adjacent to the crucifix centre stage. “I’ve been blendin
UK - Amon Tobin’s life and work in production and sound design spans over 25 years. His different approach to intricate, cinematic electronica continues with the recent release of the album How Do You Liveon Nomark Records. To give listeners in London a preview of the work, the label partnered with Pitchback Playback and L-Acoustics Creations to offer an immersive experience in a 24.1 immersive sound space designed by L-Acoustics. Pitchback Playback hosts listening sessions for music lovers staged in total darkness to eliminate distractions and ensure that everyone present enjoys an opportunity to fully engage with remarkable albums from start to finish. With the lights out and optionally blindfolded, the sense of hearing is heightened in the absence of visual stimuli. This allows guests to fully surrender to sound and the physical sensations and detailed nuances of
Germany - Founded in 2012, Ruhrtriennale is a three-yearly cycle of music and arts events, which take place from August to October in Germany’s industrial Ruhr region. The prestige of staging this year’s opening production fell to Ensemble Modern, a global collective of soloists, whose sound designer Norbert Ommer chose a Yamaha Rivage PM10 digital mixing system for the surrealist, unconventional opera Bählamms Fest. Ruhrtriennale is a festival which embraces a wide range of performances, all taking place in venues created within the region’s industrial architecture. A new artistic director is appointed for each cycle. For 2021-2023 it is renowned German theatre producer and director Barbara Frey. To open the 2021 programme, Barbara chose the premiere of Bählamms Fest, a production which blurs the lines between reality and virtuality, based on the
UK - South London’s Clapham Common hosted three successive festivals organised by event promoter Festival Republic that covered a range of genres beginning with the YAM Carnival, which celebrated the music and culture of the Afro diaspora; RTRN II Dance, a day of bass heavy raving featuring electronic music stars like Chase & Status; and ALT+LDN, a first-ever rock and rap mash up with international headliners Smokepurpp and The Kid LAROI. Although very different music emanated from the festival stage on each of the all-day festivals, the visuals supporting the sound remained consistently bright, bold and dynamic, thanks to a powerful and flexible lighting kit design and installed by Bigabox Production. Featuring Chauvet Professional fixtures, the lighting system had the versatility needed to support all the varied artists, yet it was also powerful enough to cover
UK - Wigwam Acoustics, part of the Solotech UK Group, supported multiple stages for both Parklife and Isle of Wight festivals, with just 24-hours to repurpose the Parklife systems into the package for the Main and Big Top stages on the Isle of Wight. With so many festivals happening over such a short period of time, Wigwam's hire department and its UK partners SSE Audio, Capital Sound and BCS Audio have been at full capacity during the 2021 summer season. The team has had to get used to quick turnaround of gear to support back-to-back festivals. It is a testament to their experience and expertise that these events were handled successfully. Located on the grounds of Heaton Park, Manchester, Parklife is the UK’s third-largest festival. Working with system technician Paul Stevart, Wigwam supplied the Main, Valley and Palm House stages while UK partner BCS Audio was b
