Malta - Powerhouse, a Malta-based integrator specialising in lighting, sound, projection and custom-built staging, began working with AV Stumpfl in 2009. For the past year, Powerhouse has been using Vario64 projector screens throughout its projects and recommending them to clients. Currently, Powerhouse has seven different Vario64 screens in total, including: an 8.3m x 3.7m model, a 12m x 4m model, and a 5.2m x 2.8m model.
“What is unique about the Vario series is its robust and durable frame and surface, without compromising on ease of set up or mobility,” says Justin Portelli, Powerhouse’s operations manager. “It’s a design that has considered not only the visual aspects of projection screens, but also the practical build aspect. It takes half the time and workforce to set up compared to what we used previously.”
When AV Stumpfl entered the rental and staging market over 40 years ago, its Vario series was the product that built the Austrian manufacturer’s renowned reputation. The distinguished series boasts a frame of modular multi-element aluminium alloy, specially hardened and extruded, making a product that virtually lasts forever.
The Vario64 and 32 versions, named after their aluminium profile dimensions, are the most popular models for robust projection screens. However, the Vario64 is designed to support variable aspect ratios when using different plug in modules, which came in useful for the multipurpose use of the screens at medical device manufacturer LivaNova’s conference event at the Hilton Grand Master Suite, Malta.

The Netherlands - 013 is one of the largest and most frequented pop music venues in the southern Netherlands, hosting a slew of international touring acts and popular festivals every year. Now, it features venue-wide live audio systems from Adamson Systems Engineering.
Located in the city of Tilburg in the southern province of North Brabant, 013 Poppodium is comprised of the 3,000-capacity Main Stage and 700-capacity NEXT Stage.
Following a substantial overhaul in 2015, both spaces boasted custom audio reinforcement solutions from Adamson Systems Engineering, sourced via the company’s exclusive Dutch distributor, Audio Acoustics. More recently, however, 013 augmented its Main Hall system with new components from Adamson’s flagship E-Series and sub-compact S-Series for a more consistent and impactful performance to benefit patrons and visiting productions alike.
“We feel Adamson has one of the best-sounding systems, if not the best-sounding system out there right now,” begins Erik-Jan Dodd, lead sound engineer at 013, about the decision to re-invest in Adamson. “A lot of major artists have the E-Series on their riders these days, and for the last three years, every band that has visited 013 has used our system, even if they were carrying their own. Engineers trust Adamson, and if they’ve been here before, they know we’ve got a great-sounding PA system perfectly tuned to our room.”
Prior to the most recent upgrades, the Main Stage system included left-right arrays of nine Adamson E15 three-way, true line source enclosures per sid

Italy - Powersoft has released new plug-ins supporting Mezzo Series and its non-DSP install dedicated amplifier platforms ranges for the Q-SYS and Crestron control ecosystems.
These free-to-download plug-ins allow for user friendly network-based control of amplifier functionality via third-party systems. They feature ‘a refined, modern-looking interface, extended functionality, and a high level of user customisability, compared to legacy plug-ins for the format’.
In addition, a new Q-SYS plug-in supporting DSP+D versions of Duecanali, Quattrocanali, Ottocanali, X and T series is slated for release this summer with brand new functionality.
“Powersoft enables wide-ranging control and configuration of our amplifiers through our own ArmoníaPlus software, but we are also committed to ensuring interoperability with other popular control ecosystems,” says Michael Perry, Powersoft application engineer, North America. “Our new Q-SYS and Crestron plug-ins improve functionality and usability for any users integrating our premium amplifier technology with these popular products.”
The latest plug-ins extend third-party network-based interoperability to Powersoft’s new ultra-compact Mezzo half-rack installation amplifiers. For Mezzo, the new plug-ins allow Q-SYS and Crestron controllers to access numerous key functions, including power and standby, LED blink / identify, amplifier nickname, backup strategy mode, source selection priority, gain and mute control, polarity control, and user delay.
The new plug-ins for Duecanali, Quattrocan

The Netherlands - punQtum B.V., specialist providers of digital communication tools for the live event and professional audio industry, has announced a series of webinars in order to communicate more effectively with potential customers as face-to-face contact continues to remain restricted for the immediate future.
Starting with an introductory session on 3 June at 11:00 CEST, followed by a session on 8 June at 11:00 CEST that explains the punQtum Expert concept and how to become one, the full schedule plus registration details can be found on the punQtum website.
The first webinar, punQtum Digital Intercom, is designed as a company overview as well as a demo of punQtum’s first product, the Q110 Beltpack. The Q110 is the first element of a larger networked intercom system that offers up to 32 party lines via standard IP networks and infrastructures. Providing ultimate scalability, the Q110 suits systems of any size, ranging from small events requiring just two beltpacks to as many are required for large, complex systems.
The next session, Passion that Pays explores the concept of the punQtum Expert – what it is, the benefits of this business approach, and how you can become an Expert to generate some extra income for yourself by simply sharing your knowledge and passion with others. Both webinars are scheduled to repeat the following week.
Webinar host, punQtum CEO Arie van den Broek comments, “We are still a young company, so it’s all the more important for us to build relationships and tell our story by whatever means

Ghana - Accra recently staged its own ‘behind closed doors’ Ghana Covid-19 Heroes Concert in order to raise funds for both UNHCR, to help protect refugees from the pandemic, and the National COVID-19 Trust Fund. It was also a way to thank all frontline workers who have risked their lives in saving others.
Charterhouse Ghana, a one-stop production house, staged the event, in partnership with Ghana Music Awards Foundation, at The Grand Arena, located on the premises of the Accra International Conference Centre. It was transmitted to audiences through television (TV3) and through social media streaming.
WABlighting, run by Ernest Awuah, was brought in to handle the production design and drew heavily on fixtures from PR Lighting. “PR is rated number one brand in Ghana over all others due to its explicit features,” he explains. Both Wablighting and Charterhouse Ghana hold inventory, giving the possibility of a considerable resource of moving lights from the Chinese company.
For this production, the XR 350 BWS (combining Beam, Wash, Spot in a single unit), XR 330 Beam, equipped with a Sirius HRI 330W lamp and three prisms, and XLED 1037 (containing 37 x 4-in-1 10W RGBW LEDs) were used in the production. These were suspended on a single goal post truss, placed both on overhead and upstage.
The challenge facing Awuah was lighting an empty auditorium but capturing the same dynamic as if the arena were filled with people. “The most paramount requirement was to obtain excellent visibility,” he said. “This meant working with design ideas thr

Sweden - Since 1959, the Swedish Eurovision entry each year has been chosen via an annual televised talent competition, known since 1967 as the Melodifestivalen, organised by public broadcasters Sveriges Television (SVT) and Sveriges Radio (SR).
In 2002, the Melodifestivalen upped the ante further in terms of a selection event and started touring to six key cities around Sweden with a final in Stockholm, this year at the 65,000-capacity Friends Arena. The finale broadcast is among the most popular programmes on Swedish television.
Top Swedish LD Fredrik Jonsson of Eyebrow Designs has lit Melodifestivalen since 2002, capturing all the glamour, glitz and drama.
This year, he enlisted the help of 168 x Robe moving lights (upped to over 300 for the final show) including MegaPointes, Spiiders, LEDBeam 150s and six BMFL WashBeam follow spots running on four RoboSpot remote BaseStations.
Each year he imagines a new and original lighting design. Keeping the show looking fresh and relevant is one of the main challenges and a task he enjoys.
This year, the producers wanted a large open stage look to set the scene, so they could use more and bigger props for the songs to give each an individual look.
Set designer Viktor Brattström opted for a huge projection surface as the backdrop, which was divided into three sections – in a geometric horseshoe shape, with content fed by eight laser projectors.
So, the first starting point for lighting was to take this into consideration as the main visual element onstage in ad

UK - Thousands of people in Chorley and Bolton witnessed Rivington Pike turn blue last on Thursday 21 May in tribute to the NHS and other key workers.
The Pike Tower, one the area’s most prominent landmarks, was bathed in a brilliant blue glow from a number of LEDJ Spectra Par 15Q8 Exterior Fixtures as part of the weekly ‘clap for carers’ initiative.
The event was the brainchild of Chris Beesley and his company CDS Events UK with support from another local firm Paul K Sound, as well as United Utilities, Rivington Heritage Trust and Chorley Council, which owns the Pike structure itself.
CDS’ Chris Beesley said, with so many public events cancelled because of lockdown, the firm’s traditional workload had tumbled so they had hit on the idea of lighting up buildings for free to raise a smile. One recent cancelled event was the Rivington Terraced Gardens’ Festival of Light, which couldn’t take place because of social distancing restrictions.
“That’s where I got the idea. I love the terraced gardens. I grew up playing there as a kid. We’ve lit up quite a few buildings in blue across Chorley during the lockdown. It’s all for free. I just like to see people’s reactions. There’s not much good news at the moment so if we can make people smile, that’s it, job done as far as I am concerned.”
The two-hour light show saw all four sides of the Grade II listed structure adorned with messages of support for carers from the people of Chorley, United Utilities, Rivington Terraced Gardens and Chorley Council.
At almost 1,

USA - American Audio’s APX12 GO BT is a self-contained portable audio system designed for playing music and making announcements ‘absolutely anywhere’. Combining a 12” speaker cabinet, class D amplifier, internal battery, on board media player with Bluetooth and wireless mic receiver, it offers ‘a complete audio system in one easy to transport package’.
With a sleek moulded plastic design and matte black finish, the speaker enclosure is fitted with a tough protective metal grille on its front. It features a 12” woofer with a 1.5” voice coil paired with a 1” high frequency driver. An internal Class D module provides 65 Watts RMS of amplification for a peak power output of 200 Watts. The system has a frequency response of 40Hz-18KHz and a sensitivity of 93 +/- 2 dB.
The APX12 GO BT’s internal 700mA 12V battery allows up to eight hours of use from a single charge, while a handy four-segment LED battery life indicator provides a snapshot of the amount of charge remaining. An IEC power input socket can be used both for charging and running the system from a wall socket instead of the battery.
Weighing in at 35 lbs. / 16kg. and with compact measurements of 16.375” x 14” x 27.5” / 415mm x 355mm x 700mm, the APX12 GO BT is easy to lift and will fit in the trunk of most cars. It is also fitted with a pair of wheels and a retractable handle, which means that it can be wheeled to where it needs to be as simply as wheeling a cabin bag to a plane. It also features two convenient side handles as well as a tripod mount on the bottom.

USA - Funk/rock fusion quartet Katastro played to a near-empty LIT Lighting warehouse, as part of the COVID-19 driven LIT Live livestream shows. Much of lead singer Andy Chaves’ on-stage fluency is due to his natural talent and experience, but some of the credit must also go to the warm, welcoming vibe that Chris Broadman and his team have created at their warehouse turned livestreaming studio in Tempe, AZ.
This is the second incarnation of LIT Live for Brodman, Cody Lisle (also of LIT), and Rodger Pugh of Devus Designs. They began collaborating on the livestreaming programme early in the pandemic, but closed up shop after the governor of Arizona declared a general lockdown.
In May, with the crisis easing and restrictions lifted, they restarted LIT Live – and as they’ve moved forward, they’ve picked up new bits of knowledge with every step along the way.
“We are viewing this as a learning experience,” said Brodman. “We are developing new skills regarding livestreaming. We did this the first time around, as well as during the time we were locked down - and we’re doing it today. All of us are learning to think outside the box and communicate with each other on a more human, empathetic level. I feel like LIT and our partners in the community have strengthened immensely -- and that makes us happy!”
Playing a role in creating the inviting looks of the LIT Live shows, which generally run between 60 and 90 minutes, are Chauvet Professional STRIKE fixtures, which, like the rig’s collection of Maverick and Rogue units, were drawn fr

Germany - ARRI has appointed Ivo Ivanovski as general manager lighting business unit, effective 1 August, 2020.
In this position, Ivo Ivanovski will be responsible for demand creation including the areas of product management, application engineering, service, sales, and marketing. He will support long-term ARRI colleague Markus Lampier who will continue to focus on operations at ARRI Lighting. Ivanovski will report directly to Markus Zeiler, executive board member of ARRI.
Ivanovski studied electrical engineering at the University for Applied Sciences in Aachen and began his career at Targetti Lighting in Italy where he pioneered the use of LED technology in the field of general lighting. Soon after completing his MBA studies, he continued his professional career at Osram Opto Semiconductors.
Markus Zeilercomments, “We are thrilled to be able to welcome Ivo Ivanovski to our team. I was privileged to be able to work with him as a business partner during ARRI’s successful LED SkyPanel platform ramp-up; Ivo’s drive, talent, and leadership will certainly fit right in at ARRI Lighting.”
Ivo Ivanovski adds: “From the moment I was introduced to ARRI I admired the uniqueness of the products and the level of innovation. I am very enthusiastic and truly honoured to be part of #teamARRI.”

UK/USA - The organisers of the 2020 Knight of Illumination (KOI) Awards have announced the cancellation of both the UK and the USA events due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the entertainment industry.
The difficult decision has been reached following extensive discussions between the committees of both the UK and US versions of the KOI Awards: The Fifth Estate and KOI co-founders Durham and Jennie Marenghi, along with the ALD and STLD in the UK and Live Design/LDI in the USA.
All parties explored various possible options to secure the events, including virtual, live streamed/webcast ceremonies and postponed or scaled-back ceremonies. However, these ideas were ultimately deemed not to be viable for 2020.
KOI-UK and KOI-USA executive committee member Sarah Rushton-Read of The Fifth Estate comments: "This has been a challenging decision, given the unpredictable nature of this global crisis, which has hit the KOI community very hard. Many have lost their businesses, their employment, their sources of income. Skilled creatives are taking jobs in other sectors and others are retraining. Many have no idea when, or in what capacity, they might return. While we have every faith that the industry will bounce back, it will be a different landscape for some time to come."
She adds: "We believe the KOI Awards mission is to bring a meaningful value to the lighting and video design community by providing independent design awards, judged by respected critics and experts. Just as importantly, it provides a valuable opportunity for the whole lightin

Europe - The Performing Arts Employers Association League Europe (PEARLE) has put together a map that shows when European live performance venues will be allowed to reopen following the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions imposed across the continent.
The map, available here, has been devised based on information the Association received from its members. It will be continuously updated according to information received.
Countries that have already lifted restrictions have a green badge whilst those yet to announce any information on the resumption of live events carry a grey badge. Countries that have set out their plans on reopening venues and allowing the continuation of live events have an orange badge.
Besides being a visual guide, the map carries information on phasing and relevant dates for resumption of live event activities for each country.
“Whilst PEARLE members acknowledge the specific health prevention conditions and adhere to those, the live performance sector aims to open on the basis of full capacity,” says the Association in a statement. “Without this possibility, the costs are disproportionate with the limited box office income. In this case, they call upon governments to compensate such losses.”

Denmark - DPA Microphones has introduced the latest addition to its microphone line-up, the 4097 Core Micro Shotgun Microphone. Featuring the same sonic qualities as the brand’s supercardioid Choir Microphone, the 4097 Core Micro Shotgun has been optimised to pick up speech from a distance.
Incorporated into the company’s new 4097 Core Interview Kit, the mic has been designed for use with a lightweight boom and windjammer. This kit is particularly useful for journalists in today’s socially distanced world as it allows users to conduct interviews from up to two meters (6.5 feet) away. It is a plug and play solution that allows users to get started quickly and employ their existing workflows, says the company.
The kit features one each of DPA’s new 4099 Cold Shoe Mount, which incorporates a one-quarter-inch thread; DPA MicroDot cable; transmitter plate; lightweight telescopic boom pole, to further ensure social distance protocols; and windjammer, to provide ideal conditions for outdoor productions. Terminating in a MicroDot connection, the 4097 Core Micro Shotgun can attach directly to a transmitter or be used with the company’s 4099 series mounts, clamps and clips, for easy mounting on any surface. The mic can also be used as a plant mic solution for film and TV production environments.
“The 4097 Core Micro Shotgun was designed as a solution to help complement broadcasters’ toolboxes,” says René Mørch, product manager, DPA Microphones. “Prior to social distancing protocols, a typical interview incorporated standard handheld or la

UK - The Salute the NHS campaign (www.salutethenhs.org) was launched by businessmen Ron Dennis and food and catering expert Nigel Harris, owner of Absolute Taste and former owner of Fresh Direct. It is a not-for-profit initiative that aims to deliver a million free meals to NHS frontline workers over three months.
Delivering the initiative has brought together an army of experts and partners from leading food, logistics, packaging and other specialists. These include Dennis’s DreamChasing charity, and three FTSE 100 companies - Tesco, Unilever and DS Smith. As well as Absolute Taste, Yodel, Team Rubicon, Hunter Design and Domestic & General, amongst others.
The operation is housed in a former WW2 RAF hanger at the Bicester Heritage site in Oxfordshire. However, it became apparent that the vast space felt daunting for the volunteers from the Bicester community, which consists of civilians, veterans and serving soldiers who have embraced the task of packaging the nutritious meals for the vital frontline NHS staff.
Reading-based AV production supplier SFL was approached by long-term client, Hunter Design, to help transform the site into a more conducive daily working environment for the 50-strong team of volunteers.
“When we were approached by Hunter Design about being part of the Salute the NHS initiative, the whole team could not have felt prouder about being involved in such worthy cause,” says SFL events manager, Mitch Jones. “Fifteen of our furloughed staff members immediately stepped forward and volunteered to transform the ve

USA - For more than half a century, Atlanta’s Mount Paran Church has been celebrated by the evangelical world as a beacon of effective ministry and engaged, growing membership, evidenced by its 13,000-plus-member congregation. Mount Paran is forward-thinking when it comes to the technology it uses to communicate its message, a point that was clearly underscored by its recent distinction as the first house of worship to install a sanctuary loudspeaker system built upon L-ISA Hyperreal Sound technology.
“Good sound is one of the most essential elements in today’s churches, and achieving consistent, engaging audio throughout an entire worship space is mission-critical so that the congregation has a shared community experience,” says Tim Corder, strategic accounts director - house of worship for Diversified, the technology solutions provider that delivered the project. “The previous loudspeaker system in Mount Paran’s main auditorium had been in place for many years, and as it aged, it began to have component failures that created erratic coverage - sonically ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ spots throughout the room - which was hampering the worship experience for many of their congregants.”
Although Diversified initially considered specifying a left/right array-based design for Mount Paran’s loudspeaker retrofit, the presence of large LED screens on either side of the stage meant that the array lengths necessary for providing optimal coverage would create sightline issues, particularly for those seated in the balcony. Furthermore, the church wanted

Germany - In March and April, German TV network ProSieben broadcast the second season of the TV show The Masked Singer (TMS), in which celebrities sing whilst wearing imaginative full-body costumes. Whoever receives the fewest votes per show must remove the mask and disclose their identity. In the meantime, the jurors, Ruth Moschner and Rea Garvey, along with a guest judge each week, speculate over the course of six live shows as to the identity of who might be hiding behind the masks.
Lighting designer Arkin Atacan from atacan design turned to various lighting solutions from GLP to ensure that the lovingly designed costumes, comprising dragons, sloths, robots etc,. appeared to optimal effect on the television screen. Arkin, who mainly specialises in the TV sector has been in charge of the Endemol Shine production since the first season last year.
The stage concept by Florian Wieder was key to his lighting design. "The set includes many straight lines and polygons," explains Arkin. "Wherever possible, I try to continue these design lines so that both the set and lighting function as a coherent unit, which in turn makes the overall picture look much more homogeneous and larger."
The set itself consists of two 8m high masks covered with fabric, the mouths of which are fitted with linear LED elements, which serve as an entrance tunnel. Added to this are a 12m wide LED back wall, a stage in the form of a double rhombus with a 5x5-meter LED floor, the public stands and the rate panel.
The lighting design remains largely unchanged from show t

Thailand - The newly opened Rosewood Bangkok Hotel features a building-wide networked AV system featuring Harman Professional Solutions components.
Completed and opened in 2019, the Rosewood Bangkok features a striking modern architectural design that evokes the image of two palms pressed together in the traditional wai greeting. The 30-story tower in the heart of downtown Bangkok contains 159 guest rooms, each with a private terrace and plunge pool.
The complex also features two spaces for events and functions: the 3,400sq.ft Pavilion, which can accommodate up to 300 guests or be divided into two separate spaces, and the 1000sq.ft Ploenchit Boardroom. Throughout, The Rosewood Bangkok deployed a range of JBL Professional loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, BSS signal processors, AMX AV and control systems and Martin Professional lighting solutions.
“A venue such as the Rosewood Bangkok Hotel requires the finest audio, visual and lighting systems,” says Pongsakorn Kanchanachayphoom, director of project, Mahajak Development Co. “The equipment we selected from Harman was a perfect fit for the venue, as it offers pristine, high-quality sound and visuals during hotel events, corporate meetings and high-end conferences.”
A range of JBL Professional loudspeakers serve specialised roles throughout the hotel. For general background music and announcements, JBL Control Series ceiling speakers offer even coverage with a discreet appearance. In outdoor areas, the ground-mounted Control 88M offers a weather-resistant solution. In the building's multip

USA - Katy Perry and XR Studios, a Los Angeles-based production company dedicated to producing XR content in live entertainment, engaged Production Resource Group (PRG) to support the virtual 3D interactive environment for Katy Perry’s Daisies performance during Sunday’s American Idol finale on ABC.
The performance made comprehensive use of Extended Reality (XR) for television. XR Studios in partnership with Silent Partners Studios of Los Angeles and Montreal, created an environment with comic-book style graphic elements that changed throughout the performance, including a house, chair and, of course, daisies that enveloped Katy and to which she interacted and reacted.
XR is an umbrella term for all immersive technologies that enable the layering of 3D on top of the real world. The technologies available today - augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) - extend what we experience by either blending the virtual and real worlds or by creating a fully immersive experience. PRG has been developing its XR capabilities and the ability to meld the worlds of virtual and real using LED screens since early 2018 and first used the technology during the 2019 Super Bowl Halftime Show broadcast.
With this workflow, graphics presented in a performance are completely run in real time, and scenes instantly react to the movements of tracked cameras, people, and objects. Using this approach, digital graphics can be rendered and displayed on physical LED screens, which are seen on the broadcast feed only and/or composited

Australia - Exertis ProAV Australia has announced that it has been appointed to distribute the Airtame wireless screen sharing and collaboration platform in Australia and New Zealand.
“Airtame’s wireless screen sharing and Digital Signage platform creates a better environment for learning, sharing and creating together,” Exertis ProAV Australia president & CEO Kevin Kelly says. “The addition of Airtame to our portfolio of offerings means that resellers will have an innovative new communications and collaboration solution to offer their business and education customers.
“Airtame has helped more than 20,000 businesses and schools across the world cut the cables, unlock collaboration and use screens better and our team of sales professionals is going to help many more schools and enterprises do the same.”
Alongside its wireless screen sharing solution - which help schools and businesses increase productivity and engagement in meetings and classrooms - Airtame recently launched Airtame Cloud, which provides customers with one unified platform to remotely manage and monitor their Airtame devices, along with a range of digital signage features.
According to Thomas Ibsen Nielsen, head of sales at Airtame, “We are excited to partner with Exertis ProAV Australia to bring the benefits of Airtame to a large market of corporate and education customers throughout Australia and New Zealand. The Exertis team’s track record of providing their partners with outstanding sales, support and training is going to help us achieve our business dev