UK - Responding to the effects of COVID-19 on their business, Johnny Palmer, managing director of SXS Events, promptly rebranded his Bristol-based company to Pytch, and constructed The Virtual Venue in one of the empty warehouses on the industrial estate in Brislington which he owns. “We rationalised that the world was in chaos, and in any case our old name was a mouthful. Our industry is full of three-letter acronymed companies, so we came up with Pytch instead.” Explaining the ethos, he says, “We are here to share messages and create memorable experiences. We decided the broadcast model was better, so I built TV studios.” This includes a 12m x 15m main stage and a Green Room. Aside from attracting new business Pytch also has a number of clients on retainer in the corporate, conference and exhibition sectors. “We knew we had to deliver something serio
Lithuania - Located on the westernmost edge of Lithuania near the Baltic coast, UAB ProDJ is a full-service technical provider working in many areas of production, from television through to festivals, opera, sporting events and arena-scale concerts. Their in-house facilities include dry hire, logistics, rigging, lighting, video, crew and technical support. The company took delivery of an Outline Mantas 28 Golden Configuration rig during lockdown, a ready-to-roll complete solution designed for audiences of approximately 600 - 1500 (and also suitable for integration with all Outline GTO, C-12 and Superfly kits as down- and out-fills when required). The equipment list includes 16 Mantas 28 compact line-array enclosures, eight DBS 18-2 subwoofers and a single Newton 16+8 system processor, plus a complete suite of rigging, cables, pre-wired racks, weather protection and ev
Austria - The Vienna Volksoper, or People’s Opera, is Vienna’s largest theatre for opera, musicals, classical concerts and ballet. The theatre offers one of the most diverse musical programmes in the country, ranging from Carmen to Kiss Me Kate, and Coppelia to Cabaret, as well as productions for schools, lots of local German operetta performances and much more besides. The venue is also the first in Vienna to open its doors to the public after the summer break, but more importantly in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, with a performance of Strauss’s Die Fledermaus on 1 September followed by a revival of Cole Porter’s classic musical, Kiss Me Kate on 2 September. Both will be benefitting from the audio reproduction of a new KV2 audio system, which also happens to be the first ever to use KV2’s new control & diagnostics t
USA - For decades, Willow Creek in South Barrington, Illinois has been one of the most well-known and influential non-denominational megachurches in the United States. However, like many houses of worship during the 2020 pandemic, its 7,200-seat Worship Centre has switched over to become a streaming-only broadcast site, a change that will continue to be the case throughout the remainder of this year. To retain some physical sense of community, Willow Creek set up a large tent in its parking lot to host nearly 30 congregational events between 19 August and 6 October. The primary focus of these has been the church’s hour-long evening programme series of 16 Prayer and Worship Gatherings, comprising a live praise team set, a brief message from new campus pastor Shawn Williams, and a time of prayer for 100 pre-registered and masked guests. To ensure that guests can prope
USA - As drive-in concerts continue to provide an interim solution in the live sound market, bluegrass star Billy Strings put on his first shows with a live audience since March 2020. The Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre Township, PA outdoor parking lot venue was powered by a Meyer Sound Leopard reinforcement system for three consecutive nights of Billy Strings’ Meet Me at the Drive-In Tour. Dave Brotman and Mike Shoulson of Coatesville, PA-based rental company DBS Audio Systems were on hand to provide the audio solutions and support to the Billy Strings production team, including FOH engineer Andy Lytle. “What a wonderful experience it was to work a large show again - our first since December - and to work with such a professional crew and fabulous band as Billy Strings,” DBS Audio Systems president Dave Brotman said. The parking lot venue
UK - The #WeMakeEvents campaign aims to raise awareness around the current plight of the live entertainments sector and its urgent need for financial support if it is to support the COVID-19 crisis. Last month, it was announced that it would be steered by a collective of industry trade bodies, businesses and freelancers; all working in collaboration with each other. Over the past few weeks, the team has continued to build momentum around the campaign, working endlessly to rally the government for much needed support. Following last month’s Day of Action which saw buildings across the UK lit up in red as a show of support, the #WeMakeEvents team has been busy capitalising on the extensive media coverage and attention this received. One of those involved is White Light’s managing director Bryan Raven, who comments: “The Day of Action was vitally important for our
UK - KV2 Audio has announced the sudden passing of their sales director David Croxton. The company says in a statement: "It is with the deepest and most sincere regret that we have to announce the shocking and unexpected passing of our dear friend and colleague David Croxton as the result of a fatal accident. He was 59. "David joined the family of KV2 Audio in 2011, to fulfil a new Sales Director role within Asia Pacific, but initially as a curious non-believer of the technologies and theories of our founder and developer, George Krampera Snr. "As was typical of David, he soon discovered through deep thought, questioning and actual operating of systems that he could not only understand and accept what was being proposed, but provide essential and additional complements with his quiet considered approach, linked to a deep well of knowledge and advice, usua
Italy - Powersoft, has launched its fully overhauled website, with a clean new layout and simple navigation structure designed to help users to quickly and easily access essential information, while offering a comprehensive understanding of the company’s value proposition, technologies and solutions. The new website is also fully responsive, meaning that it is compatible with all browsers and can easily be navigated using any mobile devices. “Through this easy-to-navigate design, users can learn about Powersoft including the services offered, said Powersoft’s brand, communication and trade marketing manager, Francesco Fanicchi. “It also details the applications the Powersoft’s products are suitable for, as well as providing support material, product guides, tutorials, applicat
USA - As a specialist in visual content delivery, Jon9 has developed a productive relationship with the Green Hippo team and its Hippotizer Media Server range - the toolkit he finds best suited to enabling his vision. Jon9 first used Hippotizers in building the media playback solution for Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE show in Las Vegas in 2004. It was a record-breaking system at the time. Since then, he has gone on to produce numerous immersive and experiential projects through his company Holonyne Corporation. In 1987, he founded the first videowall programming company in the US - Programination Inc. From delivering 640x480 resolution visuals to trade show videowalls from ¾” tape decks, he progressed through Beta SP, to video discs and DVDs. “Disc-based media gave us random access and enabled interactive installations,” he says. “Finally, in the 90s, as pe
USA - Pensacola Christian College teaches over 4,500 students at its Pensacola, Florida campus. Its students gather in the nearly 6,000-seat Crowne Centre frequently for community-building, events, chapel, for concerts, and church services on Sunday morning, and Sunday and Wednesday evenings. Sunday morning services are recorded and broadcast as Rejoice in the Lord on the Daystar Television Network. All Pro Integrated Systems, a locally-based AV integration firm with international reach, recently replaced a number of loudspeakers, subwoofers and amplifiers in the Crowne Centre with a smaller number of Danley products, including Danley Jericho Horns, TH118XL subwoofers and DNA-series amplifiers with onboard DSP and optional Dante connectivity. “We put the original sound system in the Crowne Centre when the building was new almost 20 years ago,” explained Sco
USA - Following the recent launch of its new CORIOmaster2 all-in-one, multi-window video processor, tvONE has announced the first installation of the product, as part of a system upgrade for a 911 Emergency Operations Centre in Peoria, Illinois. The centre has been handling emergency ambulance dispatch and critical medical services for regions throughout Illinois and Iowa for almost a decade, and its previous audio-visual system was beginning to fail. To fix the problem, they approached local company IAS Technology, a specialist in the design and installation of professional audio/video systems. “Because of the critical nature of the centre’s work, the AV system plays a vital role in the provision of services,” says IAS Technology’s CEO and chief design engineer, Jeremy Caldera. “It displays GPS mapping/tracking, call data, and other critical information, whi
Switzerland - In the age of social distancing, how can an orchestra and choir create a great musical performance when they cannot be in close proximity to each other? During the coming season, Switzerland’s Zurich Opera House will rely on Lawo IP technology to solve this problem. The need to find a solution for future performances became clear in early 2020, after Switzerland’s lockdown went into effect on 15 March. That solution came in the form of an IP-based remote production installation from Lawo, designed specially for WAN-based remote productions. Equipment includes a Lawo mc²36 console, Compact I/O stagebox units, and V__remote4 devices to transport and process video and audio signals, plus an upgrade of the Lawo Nova73 HD Core already installed at the Opera House which adds Ravenna networking and additional SFP Ethernet ports. “At first we sat at
Europe - Shure has announced that its new Microflex MXN5-C Networked Loudspeaker is now certified for Microsoft Teams. The MXN5-C joins a select portfolio of Shure networked systems products - the Microflex Advance MXA910 Ceiling Array, MXA310 Table Array Microphones, and the IntelliMix P300 Audio Conferencing Processor - that are now certified for Microsoft Teams, providing a complete audio signal chain. Introduced at InfoComm Connected in June, the networked loudspeaker from Shure provides high-quality speech reproduction for AV conferencing applications. PoE-enabled with an onboard amplifier housed in a low-profile design, the MXN5-C is optimised for easy installation in drop-ceiling configurations. Microsoft Teams provides a complete solution that includes online meetings, live broadcasts, Microsoft Team Rooms and audio conferencing. Whether it’s a corporate con
Denmark - HEX! Museum of Witch Hunt has recently opened in Ribe, Denmark, complete with a Smart IP loudspeaker solution from Genelec designed and installed by the Moesgaard Museum Exhibition Design Studio. As Denmark’s oldest town and home to Maren Spliid, the country’s most famous witch, the setting is ideal for a museum that aims to tell the stories of these witches – who they were, why they were so feared, and the myths and superstitions that surrounded them. In order to create the best possible visitor experience, HEX! turned to the museum technology experts at the famed Moesgaard Museum led by Johan Ahrenfeldt. “We wanted to create a complex soundscape for the various stories being told in each of the nine exhibition rooms,” explains Ahrenfeldt. “However, the building itself posed a few challenges as it’s an old listed building in the center of Ribe.
India - Pune nightclub Sky High hired integrators Smart Homes to design and install Harman Professional audio and lighting solutions. Known as the best rooftop venue in Kharadi, Sky High - The Club spans more than 5,000sq.ft and offers guests a one-of-a-kind nightlife experience. The facility features an indoor clubbing space with a DJ booth and dance floor as well as an outdoor terrace with a patio and bar. "For the club’s sound, we were looking for control,” said Shaukat Ali of Sky High - The Club. “Since the venue is located in an IT hub and surrounded by a residential neighbourhood, we need to control the levels that we are sending to our audience and outside our facility. It’s very important that we do not annoy our nearby residents.” In the bar’s indoor club environment, Smart Homes installed JBL AM7212/26 12” high power two-way loudspeakers
Canada - When Canadian country star Brett Kissel announced the first of what would become eight sold-out Live at the Drive-In shows in Edmonton, AB on 13 and 14 June 2020, drive-in concerts were basically the wild west of what live productions might look like during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the four shows on each day, 180 vehicles spaced several feet apart filled the parking lot of the River Cree Resort & Casino. By tuning into 89.5 FM, fans heard the live feed from FOH through their car stereos and were invited to honk, wave, and even hang out of windows and sunroofs while staying in their vehicles through the hour-long performance. Kissel had full reign over the stage with a big extension, while each band member was surrounded by Plexiglas partitions. That part may have been strange for the performers, but it wasn’t the most unusual aspect for the wider crew.
Spain - Organisers of the Porta Ferrada Festival, staged on the Costa Brava, report that the fortnight of concerts has been hugely successful, playing to 95% capacity, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Audio production company BTM worked closely with Nexo to deliver the PA systems for the event, servicing new venues which had to be redesigned according to new festival safety protocols. Now in its 58th edition at home in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, near Girona, the festival had to re-invent itself, presenting the new ‘Guíxols Arena’. Once the main stage of the event, this space had to take on the character of an auditorium, restricting capacity to no more than 800 socially-distanced spectators, divided between stalls and stands. Nevertheless, more than 10,000 tickets were sold, and 20 concerts were staged. Girona-based audio rental house BTM Sound has serviced the Port
Europe - After a period of consultation with the industry and the impact of the ongoing pandemic, Integrated Systems Events has announced that ISE, scheduled for 2-5 February 2021 in Barcelona, has been postponed and will now take place in June (dates to be confirmed), alongside a virtual offering. Additionally, ISE will launch RISE Digital, a regular programme of content and networking events which will run throughout the year and support the live show. Integrated Systems Events released the following statement: “We’ve been monitoring the conditions in Europe since the beginning of this year and have worked hard on your behalf to balance health and safety concerns with the need for commerce and F2F interaction. These two factors have had shifting weight throughout the calendar year and although we’ve felt confident and hopeful regarding delivering this show in F
USA - As part of its growth strategy for the new in ear monitor solution, the 3DME, ASI Audio has formed a partnership with Pro Audio/MI/Consumer Technology industry veteran Gregg Stein and his new company, Triple G Ventures. “Gregg is one of the people in our industry I’ve always kept my eye on, his innovative approaches and genuine enthusiasm for new products and brands has always been refreshing and invigorating,” says Evan MacKenzie, ASI Audio VP of sales & marketing. “Triple G Ventures gets that sales and marketing must go hand in hand to create compelling product offers in modern and smart presentations to the customer.” “ASI Audio’s innovative Active Ambient Audio technology is a game changer. The 3DME In Ear Monitor solution unites enhanced audio monitoring with true spatial 3D ambient “room” sound and hearing protection into a single in-e
Germany - DirectOut’s Prodigy has added Ember+ as the first network based third party protocol for the series. It is an open control protocol based on an initiative of the Lawo Group and is already used by companies such as Riedel, SSL and Lawo. The DirectOut implementation allows controlling the configuration, the settings of the microphone preamp and the routing matrix including channel labelling, as well as monitoring the status of the device. “Ember+ opens up the range of control systems that can interact with our Prodigy devices. For example popular and widespread software like hi, VSM or KSC may be used. Even direct access from a mixing console can be possible,” says Claudio Becker-Foss, CEO/CTO of DirectOut, “Actually, we´ve already successfully tested our implementation with Broadcast Solutions´ control software hi, without any changes required in th
Italy - Outline has announced the immediate availability of the new Stadia 28 constant curvature array designed for outdoor applications, launched during the 2020 edition of ISE. Stadia 28 is a medium-throw system for permanent outdoor installations, suitable for sound reinforcement in stadiums, theme parks, leisure facilities, tourist attractions and public spaces. Its main selling point is its weight-power ratio, being a single enclosure, weighing just 21 kg (46.2 lb), but able to reach 139 dB SPL, by means of two 8” mid-woofers and a compression driver with a 3” diaphragm - all in neodymium. The system operates in bi-amp format. The dispersion angle of 90 x 22.5 degrees enables, for example, to form horizontal or vertical arrays with no less than 135° x 90° using just six cabinets, which means guaranteeing coverage in any context, as well as remarkable v
Thailand - To offer attendees an engaging training experience, the Panyatara Learning Service Centre hired Mahajak Development Co to design and install a Harman Professional audio-visual and control solution. Established by the Charoen Pokphan Group to operate Thailand’s convenience store business under the ‘7-Eleven’ trademark, the Panyatara Learning Service Centre - part of the Panyatara Company - offers personalised training courses and seminars. The facility features a training room with 45-90 seats as well as another that accommodates up to 200 attendees. Wanting to provide guests an enhanced learning experience, the centre equipped the training rooms with premium audio-visual (AV) and control systems that offer pristine sound as well as simple, intuitive operation. “The client wanted an audio system that provides clear sound and music to keep traine
Russia - RCF provides coverage of more than 10,000sq.m with more than 500 speakers in the latest religious complex built in Russia. The Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces (Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ) is a Patriarchal Cathedral in honour of the Resurrection of Christ, "dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, as well as the military feats of the Russian people in all wars". The impressive 100m-tall building was completed in May 2020 in the Patriot Park in the Odintsovsky District, Moscow Oblast. The steps and other metal parts were cast from melted Nazi weapons. The interior capacity of the temple holds up to 6,000 people. The church is located a few hundreds meters from the nearby open-air museum, celebrating the historical times of the Great Patriotic War. The temple’s main complex is 11,000sq.m. “The task
Germany - HK Audio has unveiled Polar 12, a full-fledged active full-range columnar PA system for musicians, entertainers, DJs, presentations, schools and audiovisual applications, and big brother to its bestselling Polar 10 model. The Polar 12 system consists of a subwoofer and two columnar elements. The birch-ply subwoofer’s enclosure is acoustically shaped and sized to deliver excellent audio results in combination with a specially developed 12” long-excursion woofer. Driven by a muscular 2,000-watt power amplifier, this combination delivers an incredibly full bass response even at high volumes. The midrange/HF column comes in two sections for easy transport. The top section is loaded with six high-performance 3” neodymium midrange drivers and a low-distortion, 1” constant directivity horn. The Polar 12 system delivers well-balanced, exceedingly natural soun
