UK - Songwriter and producer Dan McDougall is saving plenty of time on projects thanks to his recent investment in a Neve 1073OPX Octal microphone/line/instrument preamplifier, which is specifically designed to meet the needs of a modern studio environment. Dan’s writing space at Hoxa HQ in London is primarily based around an ‘in the box’ workflow but if he needs access to a larger recording facility, he can easily tap into the Hoxa HQ main studio. This has a control room equipped with a vintage Neve 8058 console with 31102 channel mic pre-amp/EQ, the circuitry and sound of which is almost identical to today’s 1073 variants. “The Hoxa HQ Neve console sounds amazing,” Dan says. “The 1073OPX is the first Neve unit I’ve purchased, but I’ve always been a huge fan of the Neve sound so I am very pleased to now own my own mic pre.” As a multi-instru
USA - For Victory Church, Westminster, CO, entering the live-stream world was something that they aimed to achieve within the next few years, but when the pandemic struck, it was a shift that they needed to make within a few weeks. With a limited budget and requirements for wireless capabilities, Pliant Technologies’ MicroCom XR digital wireless intercom system was the chosen solution. With MicroCom XR, production staff and volunteers can deploy a reliable solution for clear communication, helping productions - both in-person and live-streamed - go on without a glitch. “The Pliant system was the first intercom to be deployed at Victory Church,” says Krystle Thompson, creative director at Victory Church. “When looking at our options, I knew we needed a system that could handle upwards of five users, while allowing personnel to move freely in order to have multiple wir
USA - Much has been written about how the trend toward online and virtual options that was already taking place before the pandemic accelerated mightily in 2020. Church of the King, a dynamic house of worship outside New Orleans, provides proof of this phenomenum in action. Prior to the coronavirus, well over 7,000 people were attending services every weekend at Church of the King, as they had been for years. But recently, a growing number of additional worshippers were also connecting to the multi-campus house of worship via livestreams. As a growing number of its congregants turned to the internet during the lockdown, the church decided to make its services more camera-friendly without detracting from the in-person experience. This March, Church of the King achieved this goal when it completed a lighting upgrade that featured Chauvet Professional LED fixtures.
China - Christie has announced that its 1DLP laser projectors are delivering highly immersive visuals in a new digital experience pavilion at the new Beijing Daxing International Airport, the world’s largest single-building airport terminal. Featured works by Van Gogh and Monet are projected on the walls in the main gallery using Christie DWU850-GS laser projectors. Located on the second level of the sprawling terminal building nicknamed “the Starfish” due to its star-shaped design, the Journey of Light and Shadow digital experience pavilion provides visitors with an immersive and interactive space to appreciate and experience art through the use of cutting-edge projection, audio, and interactive technologies. The venue consists of a preface hall and main gallery lit by 15 Christie DWU850-GS 1DLP laser projectors supplied, installed and commissioned by Chr
Denmark - German car manufacturer Audi launched its electric e-tron Sportback model in Denmark with a visuals-focused event powered by two Hippotizer Amba+ Media Servers. More than 30sq.m of LED screen was constructed at Audi Danmark’s Gladsaxe showroom, as a backdrop to a large stage upon which the e-tron Sportback was displayed. Audi Danmark’s marketing manager Morten Friis-Olsen approached Danish event lighting and visuals expert Showtech to deliver the visuals, lighting and staging for the launch, which was live streamed to both consumers and members of the car industry. “The Audi team shared the brief for the event with us, requesting a dynamic and bright look and feel to reflect the car’s ‘100% electric, 100% Audi’ tagline,” says Showtech’s Joachim Bay. “We translated this into the visuals, using Audi’s branding as the core of the creati
France - GLP’s JDC Line was out in force when massive French band Indochine began celebrating its 40th year by playing an exclusive broadcast show at L’Espace Niemeyer in Paris recently. This historic event was an isolated, audience-free gig for the French radio channel RTL2, which was broadcast on air and online - and is also now available on YouTube. “This was a very special place,” says lighting designer Jean-Christophe Aubrée. “The building was designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and the band was playing in the main area - which is a big underground white dome, with a ceiling made from thousands of metallic fins hung all over the ceiling. Performing in a space that normally function as a 300-person conference room created such a beautiful and unique raw atmosphere.” The artistic direction is driven by the band’s frontman Nicola Sirkis. “His brief was
Qatar - Postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020 was recently held with Qatar Vision Production Company (Qvision) producing and delivering the infotainment for all matches played at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium and Education City Stadium, as well as developing, producing and managing the presentation ceremony. Claypaky Scenius Unico, Hepikos and Sharpy Plus fixtures played key roles in the Qatar Vision productions, which included synchronised light-and-music shows before each match and the final ceremony crowning Bayern Munich as champions. The FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020 was the 17th edition of the FIFA-organised international club football tournament between the winners of the six continental confederations, as well as the host nation's league champions. However, only six teams competed in the tournament because of New Zeal
The Netherlands - Emerging victorious after an extensive tender period, Dutch supplier Ampco Flashlight has been selected to supply audio, lights and rigging for the 65th Eurovision Song Contest to be held in the Rotterdam Ahoy Arena in May 2021. After being postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19, preparations are already in full swing for the live 2021 broadcast. Dick van Berkum, CEO Ampco Flashlight comments: “We are extremely pleased and proud to be able to cooperate -after a one-year delay- on this unique worldwide event, organised and supplied by Dutch professionals. It is an honour that after ESC Lisbon 2018, where we supplied lights and rigging, we have now been selected as supplier in Rotterdam, adding audio to the portfolio.” Ampco Flashlight, based in Utrecht, has been a leader in professional lighting, sound, rigging and motion for almost five decades. Besi
USA - When Grammy winning vocalist Judith Hill shot a promotional video for the Elans Artists agency in March, the soaring quality of her sound was reflected in light, courtesy of a See-Hear Productions designed and supplied rig that included 33 Chauvet Professional fixtures and 89 F4IP video panels, along with some supplemental units from RZI Lighting. Tony Milliet ran the rig for the four-day filming session with his ChamSys MagicQ MQ80 plus two extra wings, using his console to create a steady stream of bold looks that, like the music of this uniquely talented artist, conveyed an unbridled sense of energy. “We had a lot of songs that needed to be shot in just four days,” said Milliet. “I was only given a few tracks ahead of time. I was able to build cue stacks for those songs. All of the other songs were done on the fly. Being able to come up with new looks wa
USA - Department chair John Little has noticed a change in Media Arts & Technology degree programme applicants at Mount Wachusett Community College since its studio rebuild. “We are a small community college whose student body mostly commutes to campus from within 20 miles. Website photos from the renovations are now drawing audio students from hundreds of miles away, some of whom rent apartments so they can train here.” Five years on, the college is still enjoying the fruits of its Media Arts & Technology facility upgrade, which included a rebuild of five audio control rooms. Little commented on the new ASP8024 at the time: “We’re especially happy with the Audient console we put in Studio 5,” and he stands by his statement today. “I chose it before I knew how many colleges around the world use them. I insisted on an actual console with real audio paths o
South Africa - The Covid-19 restrictions on houses of worship in South Africa has seen many churches move to on-line services and upping their skills to deliver a professional broadcast. Empower Church in Pretoria recently invested in a Waves LV1 System with the addition of Audix ADX51 for crowd microphones, and along with their vibrant in-house audio engineer, Kgosi Rankhumise, a positive result has been achieved for those watching the service from home. “Over a year ago, the church took a big leap forward in upgrading their existing audio system with the purchase of a DiGiCo SD12,” explained Jaco Beukes of DWR Distribution. “They have really enjoyed the console and what it offers the engineers at Empower Church. We also supplied L-Acoustics loudspeakers comprising of six X8 front-fills, two X8 monitors and three Kiva delay speakers installed with amps. This combined
South Africa - It’s a new season for the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in Pretoria who rode the Covid-19 wave and have turned their Performing Arts Diploma curriculum upside down with a different approach. The students are currently working alongside technical supply company MGG, to host a virtual stage, which will also be recorded for external examiners. “We are very excited to announce that all previous departments that worked within the Performing Arts have now merged into one Department of Performing Arts (DPA),” comments Janine Lewis, professor and HOD at TUT. “The six programmes we had before are being phased out while first-year students will now follow the new multi-disciplinary Diploma in Performing Arts and then go into a discipline stream of speciality where they can focus on Dance, TAD (Theatre, Art & Design which includes performance and te
UAE - Located next to Dubai’s Media and Internet City hub, the Grand Plaza Mövenpick Media City hotel features 235 rooms and suites, five restaurants/bars, a 1150m2 convention centre (including 800m2 Grand Ballroom), meeting rooms, rooftop lounge, gym, spa and swimming pool. Systems integrator Telematics was asked to install audio systems in the Grand Ballroom, spa/gym and five meeting rooms, delivering audio to match the hotel’s facilities and décor. Supplied by Thomsun Trading, the sound of the VXC series ceiling speakers was one of the reasons for choosing a Yamaha solution. The Grand Ballroom is mainly used for corporate events and weddings. For maximum flexibility, it can be divided into two or three smaller spaces, so an adaptable audio system was needed. Here, 22 VXC8 ceiling speakers were installed - in two groups of eight and one of six for the three zo
Germany - To light the 30m-high glass atrium of the Cologne Cinedom multiplex cinema, architectural lighting specialists Kardorff Ingenieure Lichtplanung chose Robe moving lights and Anolis LED floods to be at the core of a new lighting scheme to upgrade this impressive public area. Cologne Cinedom was opened in 1991 and is one of the largest movie theatres in Germany with over 3,000 seats and 14 screens, located at the MediaPark in the Neustadt-Nord district of Cologne. Jan Wichert was the lead lighting designer for Berlin-based Kardorff Ingenieure who were commissioned by the venue to re-light the atrium. The client already had some clear ideas about what they wanted, so Jan and his team added their imagination and expertise and worked closely with interior architects Maas & Partner to create a versatile new contemporary energy and cost-efficient installation. <
Canada - Beside the St Lawrence river in Montreal, the Parc Optimiste boasts expansive grounds for recreational activities or outdoor sports. The park also supports the local community in Sainte-Catherine by providing a wide range of events. In light of this, it needed a public address and entertainment system that could further support the community. The city’s head of events, Nicolas G. Bouchard, wanted to introduce a permanent solution towards the park’s audio needs that could provide audio and public support for any events that take place on the grounds. This was partly inspired by the positive response from local residents to the park’s Halloween 2020 theme, in which lighting and decorations were placed along the park’s walkway. Without an audio system, the city was unable to provide music to go with the theme, and the need for enhancing the park with audio equi
Australia - The Atomic Beer Project is a new microbrewery concept that debuted recently in the inner-Sydney suburb of Redfern. Its hoppy beers provide a complement to the pan-Asian cuisine that the operation specialises in. Although owners, Gage Roads Brew Co., hail from Western Australia, this is their first bricks and mortar incarnation. In addition to the Craft beers, also helping to draw in patrons - and keep them there - is a potent sound system from Martin Audio. Music is a core part of the concept, according to Atomic Brand lead, Clint O’Hanlon. “We have started sponsoring FBI radio, which is a youth radio network just down the street from us, and we’ll be hosting their DJs here,” he promises. One thing the Atomic team were unequivocal about was that there would be no compromise on sound. They chose Martin Audio loudspeakers, having had “excellen
USA - Bidwell Presbyterian Church in Chico, California has many digital offerings, including a mobile app and live video of its worship services available to all – offerings that went from impressive to critical during the COVID-19 global pandemic. “About two years ago we looked to video to enhance what we’re already doing, and start being more relevant to younger generations and integrating our services with technology,” said Miykael Goodwin, director of technology at Bidwell Presbyterian Church. “When the pandemic started, we were in lockdown and it was a little bit of a growing pain like everyone else had. But we also knew we had this resource available to us that we could take advantage of.” That resource is NewTek’s TriCaster live production system. NewTek’s line of TriCaster live production systems offer ‘tools to help craft more stories, better
Ukraine - Located on the Dnieper River in central-eastern Ukraine and with a population of almost a million, Dnipro is a dynamic and lively city, home to endless parks and green areas lining the river. It is also one of the country's major hubs for high tech, education, machine building, metallurgy, and trade. The city opened its Prebrezhniy Skver Park in September 2019 and chose DAS Audio to supply the sound systems for this new green area with large spaces almost completely exposed to the weather. Indigo Music, DAS Audio's distributor and installer of audiovisual solutions in Ukraine, commented that, "We needed to offer a solution that was 100% resistant to the different environmental conditions and that could also cover large spaces while delivering maximum intelligibility for both music and spoken messages.” The park offers an audiovisual laser light show
Australia - Bonds celebrated the spirit of Pride festivals and Australia’s diverse LGBTQIA+ community by releasing its new limited-edition Bonds Pride range of clothing, designed ‘to make people feel comfy from the inside out’. The launch was filmed by audiovisual supplier WooHah Productions at its hi-tech broadcast space, Studio 45, in Braeside, Melbourne. The facility uses top of the range equipment, including Brompton Technology Tessera SX40 4K LED processing and ROE Visual Diamond LED panels. “We created Studio 45 last year to be an agile and dynamic space with fast turnarounds and all the high-end gear in place to bring impressive results for any of our clients. The studio has been a big success with a long list of Australian and international companies choosing us for their demanding virtual production needs,” says WooHah Productions and Studio45 MD, Ar
USA - Passion City Church (PCC) was born out of the Passion Movement, a decades old movement within the collegiate generation known for introducing songs that are sung all over the world, as well as vibrant, large-scale events, particularly the annual Passion Conference. This year’s conference kicked off 2021 on New Year’s Eve, engaging more than one million people online with stirring worship and teaching. PCC was started in Atlanta in 2008 through small gatherings in homes around the city. Public gatherings began in 2009, and the first permanent location opened at 515 Garson Drive shortly after that. The church’s priority on creating highly participatory and high energy worship environments extends to the church’s second location in the Atlanta suburb of Cumberland, where it recently opened a new facility with a 1,400-seat auditorium. The new site, which feat
Qatar - Qatar Vision (Qvision) partnered with VLS to produce a spectacular eight-minute projection mapped light show featuring the internationally-known animated characters, the Anooki. The event at the Qatar Foundation in Doha required an installation of 60 Claypaky K-EYE K20 HCR LED wash lights to illuminate Penrose House in Education City. The Inuit-inspired Anooki characters were created by David Passegand and Moetu Batlle, founders of the French interactive design studio, Inook. The playful, parka-clad boy and girl spawned a brand and have become stars of video mapped shows worldwide. The environmental sustainability theme of the show in Qatar was particular close to the characters’ hearts: Their creators explain that since the Anooki’s house was melted by global warming they now travel the world discovering different cities. The Anooki event spanned six days
Belgium - Volleyball has been booming in Belgium ever since the country won the men’s European title in 2013. For the Euromillions Cup Finals, fans flocked to the 18,400-seat Antwerps Sportspalies to cheer on their favourite teams last year. Things were radically different at the 2021 edition of the tournament. With the threat of the coronavirus ever- present, the Euromillions Cup Finals was moved to the much smaller Lotto Arena, with no fans admitted. Not able to see their favourite volleyballers play in person, fans had to be content with watching the finals via livestream broadcasts. The broadcast of the finals kicked off in celebratory fashion, thanks a pixel mapped lighting display created by AB Sound that featured the Chauvet Professional ÉPIX Flex 20 and ÉPIX Flex Drive, along with the COLORado 1-Quad Zoom Tour and foggers. The display created by AB So
Norway - The distinctive triangular shape of Tromsdalen Church (Ishavskatedralen, or the Arctic Cathedral) is one of the most recognised landmarks in the city of Tromsø. But despite its status as a place of worship, tourist attraction and symbol of the city, for many years it suffered from poor sound for the services and many recitals and concerts it hosts. But all that has now changed, following the installation of an Alcons Audio LR7 pro-ribbon sound reinforcement system. Consecrated in 1965, Ishavskatedralen is considered a masterpiece by architect Jan Inge Hovig. 11 aluminium-coated concrete plates either side of the roof give the church it’s well-known form, complemented at one end by a giant stained glass window and, at the other, a main entrance in an end wall of clear glass, with a giant cross tying all the elements together. The church is an important cultu
UK - Robe UK followed the current Covid-19 instructions to “stay local”, teaming up with Northampton School for Boys (NSB), the University of Northampton and DroneSwarm based nearby in Daventry to support #LightItInRed’s most recent campaign to unite the UK live events, entertainment, performance, and production industry in solidarity during these challenging times. The action featured a new distinctive red heart logo designed by the #LightItInRed team for the occasion that – one year on – specifically highlighted the human elements of the industry affected by the pandemic – including those still working or training, those who have had to seek alternative employment, those who’ve lost their jobs, those who have lost friends and family, those who have lost homes and livelihoods, battled mental health issues and all who have put their lives on hold and on the li
