UK - For the thousands of fans throughout the UK who viewed the recent Lockdown Bingo Charity show, getting swept up in the immersive panorama supporting the livestream’s performances came quite naturally.
The tightly woven imagery captivated the livestream audience. But for the team at Tapestry Live Studio that created the visuals, the massive curved video wall and lighting rig were treated as two distinct design elements.
“The LED wall and lighting installation are two completely independent installations, but they complement each other beautifully,” said Sarah Winters of Tapestry Virtual Events, which created the studio in the face of the pandemic. “Our LED wall needs to be kept most flexible as it is used for a wide range of activities, but the lighting selected allows us to add different effects to suit every use of the studio. This ranges from corporate events to DJ sets.”
Tapestry Event owners Lynsey and Alex McLaren planned the virtual studio with a clear divide between video and lighting soon after the COVID-19 pandemic brought their normal live event business to a halt, believing that this arrangement would give the production facility greater flexibility.
“In the wake of COVID we found ourselves adapting to the ever-changing landscape of the events world,” said Alex McLaren. “We therefore created our Tapestry Studio and Virtual Events Platform to offer our clients a way of delivering their events, whether it be a conference, DJ sets, live band performances, AGMs, meetings and panel discussions, charity events and

UK - Martin Audio partner Old Barn Audio (OBA) has completed its second major VR installation, in which an immersive environment is created with stereoscopic 3D headsets coupled with a mixed-reality sound system. Designed by MagicBeans and commissioned by MXT Reality, it combines open-backed binaural headphones with a full procedural 3D speaker environment, fulfilled by a Martin Audio CDD system.
Two years after creating an immersive theatre for SOMNAI at Clerkenwell, in central London, OBA partnered with the same immersive audio production house, now known as MagicBeans, to deliver a similar environment for the simulation and training of Highways England personnel - in order to give them real-world exposure to motorway scenarios.
The installation was carried out in a repurposed 30m x 8m long rectangular office space in one of their warehouses, at a new distribution centre near Ilkeston in Derbyshire and will move to a much larger dedicated VR stage being built once testing is complete.
Explained OBA project manager, Neil Kavanagh, “The original installation, which also used Martin Audio speakers, was so successful that MagicBeans approached us again.”
Kavanagh confirmed that OBA had responded to “an immense spec”. This includes two rings of 12 Martin Audio CDD6 - using the manufacturer’s coaxial differential dispersion technology that OBA have called on time and time again. The lower ring is set at 0.9m off the ground and the upper ring 2.4m. Two Blackline X118 subs bring realism to the low frequencies, while six Martin Audio MA2.8

The Netherlands - AVL Rent of Wervershoof chose a range of Pioneer Pro Audio systems to meet the needs of multiple applications at Oscar Romero school in Hoorn.
The school recently underwent extensive renovation and refurbishment to provide its students with state-of-the-art facilities. With a focus on sustainability, increased space and improved resources, the project was completed in November 2020. Improvements to the school’s audio provision were considered essential, and its management team engaged with local installation specialists AVL to deliver new systems for twelve different spaces across the building.
The systems required by Oscar Romero needed to meet a diverse set of requirements. Where two gymnasiums would require powerful solutions that could fill large spaces, the lecture hall would require crystal clear reinforcement for speech, music and film audio. For the music and fitness rooms, power and precision were equally important, but the systems needed to be as user-friendly as possible.und system to meet its retro-style requirements.
AVL had supplied Pioneer Pro Audio systems for previous school events, leading its head of technical support, Patrick Spel, to conclude that there was no need to consider another brand:
AVL owner Wouter Ruijter, designed and assembled the systems with his team. The most challenging space was the main lecture hall. Here AVL installed a master PA set-up at the front, comprising two 15-inch XY-152 full-range loudspeakers above two XY-118s subwoofers, complemented halfway down the room by two 12-inch

USA - The arched front-entry sign of Southgate Shopping Centre in Lakeland, Florida, is now shining brightly again thanks to Firefly FloppyFlex, the professional LED neon replacement. After being dark for decades, property managers Crossman & Company decided it was time to bring this beloved sign back to life. Retrofitting it with the latest technology, delivering a variety of bright colours and animated looks, promised to re-energise this historic commercial area.
“The main motivation behind the project to revive the Southgate sign was the love the local community has for it,” says Stephanie Carten, marketing manager for Crossman & Company. “We purposely kept the iconic look and stylized script, taking the sign back to its former glory but with a technical edge.”
The famous 26m-tall and 42m-wide Arch has been a pop-culture icon since it was built in 1957. It has appeared in several Hollywood movies, perhaps most famously Tim Burton’s 1990 hit Edward Scissorhands, featuring Johnny Depp. Disney used the shopping centre to shoot scenes for The One and Only Ivan, an adaptation of the Newberry-medal winning novel by Katherine Applegate, released in August 2020, listing actress Angelina Jolie as a producer.
Looking for the best replacement for the old glass neon, Crossman & Company contacted lighting distributors Lamp Sales, who knew exactly who to call. Shortly thereafter, Kyle Ledford, SESCO’s Regional Product Specialist, and TMB’s Chris Curran travelled to Lakeland to assess the task. After a brief review of

USA - Visuals are an important part of most modern church services. More and more churches are switching to LED video walls due to the increased brightness and contrast they can offer. This was the direction chosen by Calvary Christian Centre, which recently installed a pair of ADJ LED video wall displays alongside a lighting package from sister company Elation Professional.
Located in Yuba City, Northern California, Calvary Christian Centre is a thriving and growing church which is part of the Assemblies of God fellowship. Pastor Michael Ciociola and his wife Dona have led the church since 1991 and head up a large team of both full-time staff and volunteers.
The leadership recently decided to upgrade the AV system in their 900 capacity sanctuary, replacing old video equipment with a new LED video wall system to display song words, scripture readings and other visual content. At the same time, they also decided to enhance their existing lighting system with colour mixing fixtures to illuminate the stage’s backdrop and improved stage lighting.
Aware that they wanted to upgrade to an LED video wall system, the church team researched local suppliers and selected Illuminate Production Services, based in Lincoln, CA. They have a strong track record of designing and installing bespoke AVL systems in numerous churches across California.
Having considered the church’s requirements, visited their campus and discussed budget, the IPS team – led by general manager, Kevin Allen - recommended a video system built around ADJ’s AV2X LED panel. A tot

USA - The deep history of Bridgewater Church of the Brethren in Bridgewater, Virginia stretches back into the late 1700s, when the first Europeans migrated into the area. Centuries of branching and growth led to the construction of the church’s current sanctuary in 1998.
The fan-shaped room seats approximately 500 people and is open, inviting, and sympathetically appointed. However, its existing sound reinforcement system (as old as the sanctuary itself) was broken and behind the times. The church's property is on the campus of Bridgewater College, a facility that earlier in 2020 received a Danley upgrade for their chapel.
A member of the church was very impressed and excited about bringing local integrator RTW Media, of Orville, Virginia, into Church of the Brethren to transform their old system. RTW replaced the previous system with a Danley Sound Labs point source sound reinforcement system.
“Bridgewater Church of the Brethren has a stunningly beautiful sanctuary with a 65-foot ceiling at its peak,” says RTW Media logistics manager Zack Guida. “They’re very into music and regularly bring notable Christian musicians in for services and concerts.
“However, their existing loudspeakers were only mid-grade when they went in over twenty years ago. They were flat sounding and threw energy all over the ceiling and walls. One driver was blown completely. However, every sound company they called to replace the old system would look way up at the existing cluster and say, ‘nope.’ Since they were positioned over the lip of the stage, t

USA - Custom safety netting specialist InCord recently made their annual donation to Behind the Scenes reflecting a percentage of profits from sales of its Theatrical Safety Netting Systems.
Joe Menhart, InCord’s theatre division sales manager, comments: “We are delighted to provide this support to BTS especially when so many more are in need due to the ongoing global pandemic. Our hearts go out to all those who benefit from the grants and resources provided by BTS.”
Rick Rudolph, the Chair of Behind the Scenes, says: “InCord’s obvious commitment to safety through their netting systems, is further demonstrated by their desire to provide a financial safety net for their colleagues who are ill or injured. We thank them for their ongoing commitment and, in particular, for honoring that commitment during this difficult time for so many in our industry.”
For more information about Behind the Scenes visit www.behindthescenescharity.org.

UK - Polar has been appointed as the UK and Ireland distributor for AMX, a part of Harman Professional Solutions.
AMX is dedicated to integrating AV solutions for an IT World, solving the complexity of managing technology ‘with reliable, consistent and scalable systems comprising control and automation, system-wide switching and AV signal distribution, digital signage and technology management’. AMX systems are deployed worldwide in conference rooms, homes, classrooms, network operation/command centres, hotels, entertainment venues and broadcast facilities.
AMX is dedicated to integrating AV solutions for an IT World, solving the complexity of managing technology with ‘reliable, consistent and scalable systems comprising control and automation, system-wide switching and AV signal distribution, digital signage and technology management’. AMX systems are deployed worldwide in conference rooms, homes, classrooms, network operation/command centres, hotels, entertainment venues and broadcast facilities.
Andrew Loadman, head of video, Harman EMEA, comments: “Polar is the ideal AMX distribution partner for the UK and Ireland. A well-respected distributor in the AV market, Polar brings a depth of technical and commercial knowledge that has perfect synergy with the AMX portfolio. Polar will maintain close relationships with our resellers and consultants, to offer the most advanced and highly competitive AV solutions.”
John Midgley, managing director of Polar, adds: “We are very pleased to be partnering with AMX. In recent years we have br

USA - ETC has introduced the SolaFrame Studio automated luminaire, a fanless, convection-cooled fixture. Audibly invisible and visually impactful, the fixture’s feature set is designed for ‘exquisite projection control and gorgeous colour in a compact package’. Designed for theatres, concert halls, opera houses, film/TV broadcast studios and houses of worship, it uses a 300 watt High CRI Bright White engine to produce 10,000 lumens.
The fixture’s convection-cooled engine allows for completely fanless operation. SolaFrame Studio’s features include a high quality 13-lens optic system with patented Lens Defogger, powerful 5.5 - 57° zoom, CMY / CTO-Linear colour mixing system, seven position plus open replaceable colour wheel, full-curtain framing system for total control of beam shaping, 16-blade iris for tight beam effects, light diffusion with additional, optional heavy diffusion, seven position plus open rotating gobo wheel and linear prism for controlled pattern replication across a stage
Automated lighting product manager Matt Stoner comments, “The SolaFrame Theatre has been an exceptional fixture for us. Our customers have often requested a smaller version to expand the applications where fanless fixtures can be used. This led to the development of the SolaFrame Studio, with its broad feature set and smaller footprint it improves the silence made famous by the SolaFrame Theatre.”
High End Systems brand manager Tania Lesage adds, “With pioneering technology in moving lights and more recently in LED fixtures, our expertise in fanl

Finland - The Finnish Sports Museum housed at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki has recently re-opened to the public with a completely revitalised permanent exhibition after extensive renovations closed the venue for five years.
The new exhibitions celebrate Finnish sport using the best of what modern technology has to offer, including a Genelec Smart IP audio solution. All audio, video and control technology was supplied by AV integration specialists Studiotec Oy, with AV and sound design by building services engineering experts, Granlund Oy.
Granlund’s Aki Päivärinne and Timo Muurinen were responsible for the AV design. “Our aim was to put the visitor in the middle of the action, to make them feel as if they are really there,” says Päivärinne. “It’s hard to think of any sport where sound is not a crucial part of the experience. Sounds from various sports are accompanied with occasional musical layers specially composed for the exhibition, and UX (User Experience) sounds. The sound design was realised using object-based sound design tools - immersive audio is the key to making the experience as complete as possible.”
Päivärinne specified Genelec’s Smart IP range of loudspeakers for most of the sound design, as they met all of his criteria for quality and particularly for ease of deployment. “The ability to use the museum’s existing Cat cabling infrastructure for both power and audio signal transport simplified the system design and installation enormously, as we didn’t have to worry about any analogue cables – everything

UK - One of the more widely acclaimed, and viewed, virtual concerts during lockdown has been the recent live internet performance from psych-pop stars, Glass Animals.
The Oxford-based quartet were all set to tour their chart-topping Dreamland album this Spring until lockdown came along. When their lighting team (Cassius Creative) were eventually called into play (by tour/production manager, Simon Lutkin), it was to produce a viewable online show only (Live In The Internet) -a dynamic concert masterminded by the band’s inventive front-man, Dave Bayley.
Set up nearly five years ago by Chris 'Squib' Swain and Dan Hill) Cassius Creative dipped into their armoury of GLP fixtures and at the same time became one of the first adopters of the new JDC Line hybrid strobe batten. This combines a powerful linear white strobe element and two separate RGB LED pixel mapping lines, all in a slimline format that complements the classic JDC1. To Swain and Hill it simply seemed like “a natural extension”.
The virtual venue chosen for this showcase was the LH3 rehearsal/prep space at Neg Earth, the lighting hire company who would have been delivering the tour inventory. During the hour-long performance, the band reimagined their live show for streaming, and were joined along the way by singer songwriter Arlo Parks and rapper Denzel Curry.
Using video content from Russian company Sila Sveta to create an ever-changing immersive environment, the show tested the lighting artists’ ability to combine the dynamic impact of a pop video, or TV promo,

Germany - Neumann.Berlin has introduced the MA 1, an integrated hard/software tool for acoustic calibration and room correction, tailor-made for Neumann studio monitors. Calibration algorithms, jointly developed with the Fraunhofer IIS, ensure best possible monitoring quality in any environment - from acoustically untreated bedroom studios to professional control rooms, says the company.
The system consists of an individually calibrated Neumann measurement microphone and the corresponding software for Mac and PC.
“The Neumann studio monitor portfolio is experiencing an enormous increase in demand; in some cases more than 60% compared to the previous year,” explains Ralf Oehl, CEO of Neumann.Berlin.
“According to user feedback, one of the main reasons is that our monitors have the highest acoustic consistency on the market; different models deliver identical mixing results in varying listening environments. This is of crucial importance, especially when different decentralized monitoring processes are involved. To further perfect this advantage for our customers, automatic room correction is the next logical step.
“Together with our partner, the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS), we want to create our own absolute reference for room correction in studio monitors, regardless of whether it is for small home studios or large control rooms of the highest professional standards.”
Neumann’s Automatic Monitor Alignment is available for all DSP-controlled stereo systems of the KH line, i.e. currently the KH 80 DSP as

Europe - DirectOut named Audiosales (Italy) as Distributor of the Year during the company’s recent Insider event. DirectOut also recognised the exceptional performances of tm stagetec systems (Australia) with the award Rookie of the Year award, while Lawo BVBA (Netherlands) took the Prodigy of the Year accolade.
Jan Ehrlich, CEO of DirectOut, states: “Our cooperation with Audiosales has constantly developed over the past 10 years and we appreciate Audiosales’ professional performance in service and support across the pro audio and broadcast segments in Italy. It’s another success story and this award expresses a well-deserved acknowledgement for their great job.”
Marco Alterini, sales director of Audiosales adds, “Receiving this award is of great satisfaction for us, not only because of a great year, but also because it is the tangible proof of what kind of work the entire team has been able to keep up over the years. Audiosales is extremely happy about the relationship with DirectOut, not only because the products offer high quality and reliability, but also because the entire pre- and post-sales service provided by the company matches the same high expectations.”
Jan Ehrlich continues: “Since the end of 2018 our collaboration with tm stagetec system is a success story in time lapse speed. Building on our good reputation in the Australian broadcast market Treva and Mark took the opportunity and gained clients in further segments of big interest for DirectOut. Day after day we are more and more convinced that we found the perfect par

UK - Audiologic has announced that Rob Davies has joined the team as national account manager.
Davis joins Audiologic with a career background in audio which spans multiple sectors, including high-end car audio, hi-fi, home cinema, home automation and, for the last six years, pro audio. His experience covers retailers and installation companies but mainly account management for UK distributors, which is where he feels most at home. He has been involved with projects as diverse as theatres, town halls, sports halls, night clubs and cruise ships.
Andy Lewis, managing director, Audiologic, comments: “We are proud to welcome Rob Davies into a role that we have been keen to develop for some time. Due to an increase in larger and more demanding projects, we are keen to ensure that every one of our customers has access to the full suite of services we can provide. Rob will be responsible for nurturing and developing our existing and prospective customers and we look forward to the value that he can add to the team.”
Davies adds: “I’m very excited about the new role and can’t wait to get going. Of course, like everyone, I’m looking forward to things returning to normality next year, so when the majority of meetings can be face to face again. In the meantime, though, virtual meetings have their advantages too. Audiologic have always put customer service right at the top of the list. This is very important to me and one of the main reasons I feel so positive about the position. I feel that I’ll be part of a very strong and enthusiastic team righ

USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has announced the appointment of pro audio veteran Michael Palmer as its director of US sales.
In his new role at EAW, Palmer is overseeing all aspects of sales throughout the US, working closely with manufacturer’s sales reps and regional sales managers. He will liaise with EAW’s installation and touring applications teams as well as consultants, contractors and concert/event production companies.
“We reached a point where it was crucial to strengthen our sales leadership to guide our talented sales team to the next level,” says Marco Breda, chief executive officer of EAW. “Palmer’s stellar reputation, knowledge and relationships with key decision makers in our industry make him the ideal candidate to catapult us to the next level.”
With over 30 years of experience in the audio industry, Palmer comes to EAW from Allen & Heath and L-Acoustics where he steered the manufacturers through intense growth periods.
“EAW is an industry-leading loudspeaker manufacturer and I’m excited to be part of their amazing team,” said Palmer. “EAW’s commitment to bringing innovative technologies to market has long been the brand’s hallmark. I look forward to working with the team at EAW and being a driving force in their growth.”

UK - Apparel and tech brand STNDBY has launched its flagship range of sustainable clothes and accessories, designed for crew and creatives.
STNDBY (www.STNDBYworld.com) was conceived by lighting and production designer Tom Campbell and host, producer and entrepreneur James Murden to offer clothing and accessories that are ‘as functional as they are fashionable’. With partnerships in place with companies such as Avolites and Dirty Rigger and offering customisation, gifting options and tour swag, STNDBY’s products are designed ‘to work and built to last’.
“We’ve spent almost two years researching the problems crew face finding work gear and developing these products to solve those problems,” said Campbell. "We’re so proud of the incredible feedback we’ve had throughout our testing phase and can’t wait to start seeing STNDBY out in the world.”
STNDBY’s flagship range includes T-shirts, rigging gloves, power banks and digital storage solutions, as well as their signature launch product, the Leitch Security Backpack. Named after the late lighting designer Bryan Leitch, this travel-friendly bag embodies the STNDBY philosophy by packing in hidden compartments, charging ports, water resistance and even a stab-proof protective layer.
“With STNDBY we set out to create clothes and accessories that are fit-for-purpose but still look good in the bar after the show,” says Murden. "In our industry, 'stand-by' means “get ready for action”, so it was the perfect name for us - a bran

UK - Following the success of the Backup Pumpkin Challenge, which ran for its second year this Halloween, the technical entertainment charity has announced the launch of the Backup Christmas Challenge.
The challenge will see members of the creative and technical entertainment industries battle it out in a number of categories to see who can reign supreme and put their lighting, design and comedy skills to the test.
The categories are:
● Best Exterior House Xmas Design
● Best Xmas Tree Design
● Best Xmas Pet Outfit
● Best Gingerbread Design
● Cheesiest/Funniest Xmas Jumper
The winners will be decided by an esteemed panel of judges from Backup, the ALD and the ASD. The competition is completely free to enter but those wishing to donate to Backup can do so on the charity’s website.
Participants can enter by posting an image on social media detailing the relevant category with the hashtag #backupxmaschallenge. The deadline is 20 December and the winners in each category will be announced on 23 December.

UK - #WeMakeEvents, the campaign to support the live entertainment sector during the COVID crisis, is hosting an online Speakeasy from Monday 30 November to Friday 8 January. This new virtual space will deliver skills workshops, support sessions for finance and wellbeing, ‘fireside chats’ with some of the industry’s greats, and plenty of entertainment. All industry professionals are invited to join in and connect with colleagues during what will likely be a difficult festive period for many.
The Speakeasy will run regular quizzes, webinars, Q&A clinics and training sessions, and will host a forum on Discord which will be open at all hours for people to seek and share advice.
On the agenda is a highly anticipated live conversation between former Cirque du Soleil artists Laura-Ann Chong and Andy Buchanan, advice on motivation through these difficult times, plus industry technical sessions coving topics such as COVID health and safety for events, temporary power and site electrics, and an introduction to noise management for events,.
Coming up throughout December you can look forward to a quiz night held every Monday, weekly yoga classes with Becky Pell of Rock ‘n’ Roll Yogi and regular live music sets - including DJ sets with Martin Audio’s Dom Harter. There will also be plenty of programme highlights from PLASA Online, PLASA’s recent online programme, which will cover the most pertinent topics across, technical, business and industry.
More sessions and events will be added throughout the coming weeks, so you are encouraged t

USA - DCR Nashville and lighting designer Nathan Alves, a partner in Darkroom Creative in Franklin, Tennessee, answered the Live Event & Entertainment Professionals’ call to action by bathing some of Nashville’s leading landmarks in red light on 1 September. Their contribution to the WeMakeEvents #redalertRESTART initiative was the Mobile Visual Art Platform (MVAP) outfitted with 38 Claypaky Scenius fixtures.
The MVAP rolled through Music City with surgical precision, lighting up the Tennessee State Capitol, the AT&T Building (popularly known as the Batman Building), the Ascend Amphitheatre, downtown’s Bank of America building the Shelby Street Bridge and the neo-classical Parthenon.
Nathan Alves and DCR Nashville’s owner and president Howard Jones had been sharing news on COVID-19’s impact on the Nashville live event industry when Alves sent an email regarding #redalertRESTART. “Howard was quick to jump on the phone,” Alves recalls. “He didn't just want to do something but do something interesting and impactful. He asked if I'd be willing to help him with this idea he had to put lights on a flatbed.” DCR Nashville offers audio, video, lighting and design solutions for live events.
Jones’s goal was to “create a mobile installation that could engage in a bit of guerrilla marketing, as it were,” says Alves. “The MVAP allowed us in one evening to paint multiple city landmarks and draw attention to the #WeMakeEvents cause.”
A mix of 38 Claypaky Scenius Spots and Profiles filled the flatbed truck. No other fixt