USA - So successful was the inaugural Iron Blossom Festival, in Richmond VA, that the organisers have already confirmed that it will be repeated next year. Contributing to this success was the sound quality provided across the two stages by Soundworks of Virginia, and featuring Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision optimised line arrays. This ensured a quality experience for headliners, Hozier, Noah Kahan, and Lord Huron - and the rest of the artists performing. The Bon Secours Training Centre provided the venue for the festival, organised in a joint venture by Charlottesville's Starr Hill Presents, Virginia Beach's IMGoing and Richmond's Haymaker Productions. Working in conjunction with Haymaker Productions owner, Tom Beals Soundworks chose Martin Audio’s large-format WPL for main stage and WPC for the second stage - run in two-box resolution from Martin Audio
Germany - Paulus-Chormusical (The Choir Musical) by German church Evangeliums-Christen Gemeinde e.V is a project produced with only community resources for both its creative content and performance. With a limited budget, but challenging technical requirements, Markus Gorges of AV Support Nümbrecht, Germany, who acted as technical advisor and head of audio for the musical, recommended a combination of a DiGiCo S31+ and KLANG:vokal for the project’s monitoring requirements. “In the end, 151 participants volunteered over two years to put together their own musical, in their free time, and that’s what makes this unique,” says Gorges. “In terms of numbers, 53 were choir singers, 11 musicians and 43 actors, and the rest did all the work around it.” This was no small project. The show had to be performed five times in three different locations and,
UK - The Piece Hall in Yorkshire has stood as a symbol of the region's rich history since its construction in 1779. As a hub for trading 'pieces' of woven woollen fabric, this architectural marvel has seamlessly blended commerce and culture from its inception. Today, it continues to inspire and engage, hosting an array of site-specific performances, and contemporary music concerts as part of their Live at The Piece Hall summer season of gigs, featuring artists such as The Lumineers, Limp Bizkit, UB40 ft. Ali Campbell, The Charlatans, and Johnny Marr. With its stately layout and 5,500-person capacity, The Piece Hall presents acoustic challenges, including a stage that is positioned in the corner, an open courtyard and VIP balconies. The PA system had to deliver high-quality sound to an audience standing in compact spaces, while minimising spill behind the stage.
USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has introduced the SM12 Stage Monitor. Inspired by the renowned Microwedge acoustic design, SM12 is the latest addition to EAW’s catalogue of stage monitors. SM12 is a two-way passive loudspeaker that can be used as a stage monitor or fill speaker. A concentric driver attached to a CSA wave guide provides even coverage throughout the 90° x 60° pattern. A large ground coupled port extends low frequency response down to 60Hz from the 12” woofer mounted in the low-profile wooden enclosure. When utilising the available mounting pattern, SM12 can be used on a flat surface with two cabinet orientations or mounted on a third-party pole. An integrated kickstand offers additional positioning options when used as a stage or floor monitor. "Stage space is at a premium and artists have high expectations,” says TJ Smith, president,
France - With their first album Un air de rien certified triple platinum and more than 300m views on YouTube, Trois Cafés Gourmands is one of the most popular groups in France. Last month, they brought their distinctive blend of traditional folk music and modern pop to a free concert in front of thousands of people at the Théatre de La Mer in Valras-Plage, on the main square next to the sea in the south of France. A Nexo STM system owned by the commune of Valras-Plage remains installed at the summer events site and includes side-by-side suspensions of nine STM M28 line array elements with six STM B112 bass extension speakers, and STM S118 subs ground stacked at the front of the stage. Nexo ID24 speakers are used for front-fills and PS15s for out-fills. The team from local company Decibel Event (equipment supplier for the city) was present to operate the
USA - The Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley recently converted its elevated monorail track – closed for years – into the Treetop Trail, providing zoo visitors with a fresh perspective on the zoo’s natural environment. True North Consulting Group, headquartered in Waco, TX with a local office in Stillwater, MN, was hired to design a new security and distributed audio system for the trail, the latter incorporating 56 Electro-Voice EVID-S5.2X loudspeakers. “Throughout the year, temperatures range from -25 to 115 degrees (F) with snow, ice, rain and sun – it was of extreme importance that we utilize loudspeakers that are designed to withstand the harsh weather environment in Minneapolis,” explains Jiggs Lee, technology consultant at True North Consulting Group. “The trail will be open year-round. The EVID-S5.2X offers exceptional audio quality and is known for its reli
USA - Renkus-Heinz will attend the Rocky Mountain Audio Video Expo (AVX) on 18-19 October at the Crowne Plaza Dia Convention Centre in Denver, Colorado. AVX 2023 attendees will have the opportunity to experience The Sound Solution in person at Booth #202, where Renkus-Heinz will exhibit a variety of solutions, including the ICLive X Series and Iconyx Compact Series of digitally steerable arrays, both powered by the company’s all-new OmniBeam beam-steering software, as well as the award-winning UBX Series of pre-steered passive column loudspeakers. Members of the Renkus-Heinz team, including western regional sales manager Garrison Parkin and Chris Henley from Mountain AV Marketing, Renkus-Heinz’s representative for the Rocky Mountain region, will be on the show floor ready to answer any questions. “We enjoy regional shows such as AVX that allow us to spend v
USA - The new AS8 ACDC from Avante Audio is a complete portable PA system that can be used ‘absolutely anywhere’ thanks to its integrated rechargeable battery. Easy to setup, this active column speaker system offers flexible input options including Bluetooth 5.0+ wireless connectivity. It is suitable for acoustic solo performers, small bands, comedians and mobile entertainers who want the flexibility to perform everywhere and anywhere without the need for power outlets. Building on the success of the original AS8, the new AS8 ACDC offers the same combination of portability, connectivity and quality audio reproduction with the added benefit of an inbuilt 5,000mAh Lithium-Ion battery, which is capable of providing an average run time of four to five hours. A convenient four-segment LED battery level indicator is provided on the rear of the unit and the same power inlet soc
UK - Bringing its customers a mix of classics, musicals, blockbusters, and family films, and visiting some of the most picturesque locations in the country - from medieval castles and sports arenas to country estates - Adventure Cinema is the UK’s biggest open air cinema tour. The company has enjoyed success immersing audiences in the magic of the movies across more than 70 venues since its formation in 2019. The need for exceptional audio is particularly important in an outdoor cinema setting, and Adventure Cinema has exclusively used HK Audio systems since its inception. As a travelling outdoor cinema company running pop-up events the length and breadth of the UK, Adventure Cinema covers significant mileage and seeks to mitigate costs and environmental impact by obtaining premium quality sound from compact audio systems, as director Mark Thompson explains:
USA - Solotech has announced the appointment of Landon Lovett as global market leader, sales and systems integration division. Landon’s newly created position will focus on areas in which he has previously held impactful roles. In his career spanning more than 20 years in senior leadership, he has been a key player in developing business practices, expanding into new markets, and maintaining consultant engagement and major client relationships. "I am thrilled to join this dynamic, growing global organization,” says Landon. “Over the last 45 years, Solotech has built a world-class reputation of AV production and installation. I am extremely excited to come in and maintain that standard of quality and excellence while helping the continued growth of Solotech's sales and systems integration division." Reporting directly to John 'Jack' Steinhauer, vice preside
Europe - Production manager Gareth Russell is marking 10 years of touring campaigns with First Aid Kit, aka Swedish musical duo, sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg. Taking the new album Palomino out to audiences across the world, he’s running a tight ship. “Everyone's hard work is appreciated by this artist, which is fantastic,” he begins. “The quality of crew that we have on this tour is in demand, so it's testament to the artist that our people continue to make themselves available. Everybody really wants to be here.” First Aid Kit’s close-knit team has welcomed Britannia Row Productions into the fold for some years now, and Russell notes this is partially down to the consistency the audio rental house provides. He continues: “The kind of personnel available to us from Brit Row, such as our tech, Mario Bianchi, well those details are crit
UK - The triumphant return of 90s Britpop poster boys Blur rocked the music world at the end of 2022, as Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree announced that they were back together for the first time in eight years to headline two dates at Wembley stadium. Built to exceed the ambitions of touring productions, DiGiCo’s Quantum7 was the mixing desk of choice for the band’s biggest ever headline shows, ensuring that the 180,000 fans that flocked to Wembley felt the full force of Blur’s influential back catalogue. The mammoth gigs marked 35 years since the band’s formation, which was followed by a lengthy career of catchy chart-topping hits, numerous music awards and bust-ups with fellow Britpop stars. Alongside the Wembley shows, Blur also announced intimate warm-up dates in Colchester, Eastbourne, Newcastle and Wolverhampton, as well as festi
Italy - Lucca Summer Festival is one of Italy’s most highly anticipated live music events, which takes place annually in the city’s famous Piazza Napoleone. This year Robbie Williams returned to the Bel Paese to light up one of the most historic cities in the Tuscan region. He performed to an audience of over 20,000 people on the Festival’s final evening, closing a season which again brought to the location major names in contemporary rock and pop, including Blur, The Chemical Brothers, Norah Jones, Placebo, KISS, Simply Red and Sigur Ros. Martin Audio partner, Amandla Productions, has been a reference rental company for the Lucca Summer Festival for many years, and again provided technical management, including a full audio and lighting package. System engineer, Tommaso Bandecchi, and Amandla CEO, David Lapini, recognised the challenges in meeting the ever
UK - Clear-Com has announced the appointment of Terence Chan as its newest product manager, based out of the company’s Cambridge, UK office. Terence will be responsible for the user experience and success of the company’s matrix intercom systems (for example, the Eclipse HX Digital Matrix). Chan has over 15 years of experience working in product management for high-tech industries with clients that included Google, Philips, and other FinTech ventures, and has a special interest in sustainable tech. As a fan of Clear-Com technology prior to joining the team, he is especially interested in the wide variety of markets the company supports. Chan comments: “I look forward to learning more about the methodology of generating such a bridge between technology and market. Because to me, what makes a professional successful is their way of working, and having the right me
UK - Sound Technology, Harman Professional distributor in the UK and ROI, has announced immediate shipping of the new JBL Professional COL Series slim column loudspeakers. Featuring wide horizontal and narrow vertical coverage with a built-in 10° down-tilt to the aim, COL Series deliver optimum coverage for most listening areas while allowing the speaker to be installed flat to the wall. Racetrack woofers provide maximum radiating area in a column form factor. Multi-tap transformers allow for use on either 70V or 100V distributed speaker lines, while the speaker is switchable for direct 8-ohm operation. The two models in the range - the COL600 (600 mm) and COL800 (800 mm) - are suitable for a variety of applications, including conference and meeting rooms, lecture halls, retail stores, concourses, public transport spaces, fill applications and more. Available in
Europe - K-array has recently launched a range of audio solutions for the theme parks and visitor attraction market. Building on years of experience in problem-solving for theme park environments, K-array has identified various application-specific challenges that it aims to solve with its latest package of solutions, which include its Python loudspeaker, Pinnacle system and innovative Anakonda line-array loudspeakers, the latter of which has sold more than 10km (10,000m) since its creation. A series of installations in the Middle East, as well as successful projects in France, the USA and Asia have proven K-array products to be suited to face the challenges of these environments thanks to the brand's dedication to ensuring IP certification on many of its discreet, yet powerful, loudspeakers. “Our solutions for theme parks represent the convergence of cutting-e
USA - With an enduring legacy spanning more than five decades, the members of Chicago rock band Styx are still showing no signs of calling it quits. In fact, the group is currently out on the road supporting its 17th studio album, Crash of the Crown, in the final stretch of a 95-date 2023 US tour that runs into November. And while Styx may be relying on local “racks and stacks” at the various host venues on their latest trek, the band’s audio crew has opted to carry a Solotech-supplied control package built upon twin DiGiCo SD12-96 consoles for FOH and monitor mix consistency. Chris Hoff, better known as ‘Cookie’ has worked with the band on and off for more than half of its history, originally starting out as a stage patch/monitor tech in 1997. Following eight years as the band’s monitor engineer, plus various stints as systems engineer, Hoff has spe
UAE - Created by Tomorrowland, Terra Solis is a new multi-purpose venue located just 40 minutes outside Dubai. Featuring luxurious accommodation options, a swimming pool, and a host of Tomorrowland elements, including a restaurant, bar, and a shisha lounge, this desert oasis sprawls over an expanse of 371,000sq.m. Working in close partnership with L-Acoustics distributor in Dubai, Levels AV, has designed and delivered an L-Acoustics K3 system that injects the manufacturer’s sonic signature into the venue. "We were delighted when Tomorrowland's partner company approached us for this project," says Richard Prior, head of operations at Levels AV. "They wanted the very best audio for their venue, and as we have a long-standing relationship with L-Acoustics, we recommended them as the top choice, which perfectly aligned with their view of L-Acoustics as industry leaders.
Hungary - Described as a “powerhouse of music and visual arts”, the four-day Hungarian INOTA Festival was a joint initiative between the European Capital of Culture (this year Veszprém-Balaton) and the electronic music scene of Budapest (Electronic Beats) - thanks to a collaboration between promoter collective NVC and video and 3D projection company Centrum Production. The objective was to establish Hungary’s largest audio-visual festival, focusing not only on top music acts but also light installations, pixel mapping and unique visual works. Located a short distance from Lake Balaton in Várpalota, the venue was the thermal power plant of Inota - the largest industrial investment in Hungary back in the 1950s, with its three cooling towers. Closed since 2001, and set on a 225,000 sq.m facility, the INOTA Festival brought the 6,000 sq.m Turbine Hall back to life
China - Opened in 2022, Pucheng Grand Theatre serves as a focus for cultural and performing arts activities for Pucheng County, in south-eastern China’s Fujian Province. As such, it hosts a varied programme of event and performance types. While its main auditorium can accommodate up to 951 audience members, the building also features a range of other event and performance spaces across its five levels, including a movie theatre and a conference hall. Unsurprisingly, its busy technical team must rely on solid communications to ensure smooth operations across the site. Responsible for the new venue’s audio system design, installation and commissioning was specialist AV solutions provider, EZPro. The company’s technical manager, FAN Gaoqing, says, “To meet the needs of the varied performances and activities, flexibility and stability is absolutely critical. The pr
UK - Widely known as the Home of Cricket, Lord’s Cricket Ground is a 31,000-capacity sports destination that’s played host to some of history’s most noted matches. Since 2006, RH Consulting and RG Jones have provided Lord’s with bespoke audio solutions both on and off the pitch. This time round, a new Genelec loudspeaker system supplied by UK distributor Audiologic brought sophisticated audio to Lord’s members-only Long Room. The Long Room, once referred to as "the most evocative four walls in cricket", is known worldwide for its opulence. It sits as part of the Grade II listed Pavilion and frequently hosts elegant dinners, lunches and wedding receptions. The brief was for an enhanced entertainment system that could accommodate the events held in The Long Room. The space can quickly go from hosting grand lunches and dinners to jazz performances, small c
UAE - Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) has announced the expansion of its audio services through a substantial investment in d&b audiotechnik products. This strategic move positions CTME as the region's largest stockholder of d&b equipment. In 2022, CTME took the lead in introducing the XSL line array module to the region, showcasing their commitment to innovation. The expanded inventory includes an impressive range of d&b products, such as the AL-Series, Y-Series Point Source, V-Series Point Source, V-SUB, E-Series, S-Series, and D80 amplifiers. Wissam Shaheen, CTME’s head of audio, explains: “The debut of the XSL line array module has been particularly well-received, enabling us to deliver unparalleled sonic performance in even the most demanding environments. This, combined with our extensive d&b portfolio, ensures we are equipped to addre
UK - DiGiCo has announced the acquisition of UK-based live sound software developer and manufacturer, Fourier Audio. Fourier Audio’s team of software engineers and sound designers are focused on delivering live audio solutions that ‘enhance an engineer’s ability to create superior sounding performances.’ Over the last 24 months they have been developing a new platform bringing the power of studio audio software plug-ins to live engineers, codenamed Project Core. The Fourier team will present their new platform on the DiGiCo booth #823 at the AES New York conference later this month, with product shipping Q1 2024. Austin Freshwater, DiGiCo MD, comments: “At DiGiCo we are always looking at how we can enhance our customers’ ability to provide new and exciting possibilities in live performance audio. With Fourier Audio, we are investing in a team that will soo
UK - Apogee Electronics and UK distributor Sound Technology have introduced the Duet 3 Limited Edition Set, including the Duet 3, the Duet Dock and three of the best-selling Apogee plugins. In 2007, the original Apogee Duet boosted the expectations of a home studio interface. The Duet revolutionised independent recording, empowering musicians, producers, and engineers with legendary Apogee sound quality, elegant design, and effortless ease of use. This new limited edition set pays homage to the standards set by the original Duet and offers customers the best value yet, says the company. Creators will receive the Duet 3, the Duet Dock and 3 of the best-selling Apogee plugins. Providing everything required to break through and fulfil their potential.
