Europe - QSC has announced the appointment of Earpro, S.A. as a new distribution partner for the Iberian region, effective 1 June 2019. Earpro will represent both QSC Live Sound and Systems solutions in Spain, Portugal and Andorra.
“We are excited to partner with such an experienced and highly professional distribution partner to expand the QSC brand for both the Live Sound and Systems businesses in the Iberian region,” says Ron Marchant, senior director distribution management QSC EMEA. “As part of this transition, we would also like to thank SoundLight for their commitment and partnership during the last years.”
Miguel Mezquita, managing director of Earpro says, “After leading the professional audio distribution for the last 30 years in Iberia, Earpro is happy to become QSC brand ambassadors for its leading portfolio of amplifiers, loudspeakers and audio, video & control ecosystem, strengthening our market position. We look forward to offering our customers QSC solutions and its 50+ years of innovation that are ideal for a wide variety of installations.”
Earpro was established in 1987 and has been operating as a subsidiary of the Midwich Group plc. since March 2017.
(Jim Evans)

UK - Rental company HPSS has added Outline Newton to its hire stock, adding another user to the growing group of companies benefitting from Newton’s comprehensive feature set and ease of use.
The purchase was confirmed at PLASA Focus in Leeds by HPSS managing director Hugh Jones, following a product demonstration at the company’s premises in Hull. Hugh and HPSS technical manager Iain Firth were suitably impressed and Newton is now to be immediately pressed into service in some challenging scenarios.
Helping with the quick roll out of Newton straight onto upcoming jobs, Outline distributor CUK Audio has already provided training for HPSS staff and freelance system technicians, carried out by James Lawford, live sound manager for the UK and Ireland.
(Jim Evans)

UK - Maestra Group has made some major sound, lighting and video equipment investments recently in the London office, including white sound and lighting kit, which will ensure all its clients have the most flexible and dynamic solutions available for their shows and events.
The equipment is proving especially popular for car launches and other automotive events, fashion shows, corporates, industrials and expo stands as well as for art exhibitions, parties and architainment applications, where white equipment is often better suited to blend into the environment than traditional black.
The kit includes a substantial purchase of 30 x custom coated white Robe moving lights – 12 x LEDBeam 150s, 12 x Spiider LED WashBeams and six Pointe multipurpose fixtures which bring Maestra London’s total stock of Robes to over 100 including black versions of these three types and others.
In addition to these, there are over 100 other white luminaires in the inventory – a mix of Showtec Sunstrip Active Mk IIs, ETC Source Four Junior Zooms and Aria F1000 fresnels, all giving an excellent choice for different lighting designs.
On top of that, there is a selection of d&b audio speakers in white – currently a combination of Y7Ps, T10s, E5s and M6 monitors – which is expected to be expanded soon.
Maestra’s MD Justin Hammond highlights how the demand for white lighting and sound kit has dramatically increased in the last year in certain speciality sectors, and both Maestra Group’s London and Dubai bases have been proactive about addressing thi

Europe - Shawn Mendes chose the Netherlands to kick off his nine-month world tour. The set, premiering in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, revealed a large circular video wall as the eye-caching center-stage piece, comprising of ROE Visual Carbon CB5 LED panels.
Based on the simple, yet visually strong light design by LD Louis Oliver a massive circular video wall looms over the stage, creating a dramatic setting. “We wanted to keep the performance space organic, allowing the technology to hide in the background,” Oliver says. “With the design, we wanted to craft bold environments for Shawn to perform within.”
The total stage set-up comprises of a circular stage with steps on the left and right leading to two 9m wings. This gives a wide 280-degree sightline for the audience, while the front seats curve around the stage to bring them as close as possible to the artist. Above the stage sits a large circular video screen with complementary curved trusses for the lighting, all of these being able to move and thereby creating different atmospheres for each song.
VSS is main video contractor for the world tour. Adrian Offord, director for VSS assisted Louis Oliver in the final choice for the overhead video wall.
“We selected the Carbon CB5 LED panels for their visual quality and high brightness. The panels are fitted with black face LEDS and masking with very slim faders. The mere 0,3mm size of these faders enables us to keep the best possible viewing angle. Using the screen most of the time in a tilted position this needs to be taken into acco

Ireland - A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ireland (AC-ET Ireland) has provided Explorium National Sport & Science Centre with a Green Hippo Hippotizer V4+ media server to control their LED display.
Based in Dublin, Explorium uses sport to inspire children and adults alike to discover the wonders of science. The centre features three key areas - Science, Sport and Junior, with each one offering a range of interactive experiences.
Jackey Chai at Explorium required a media server to control the centre’s LED display, which is a central point of focus at the entry to the internal auditorium and visitor centre. The display is used to play various visual effects such as a waterfall, and promotional videos. Understanding Jackey’s needs Aaron Cripps, managing director of AC-ET Ireland, recommended a Green Hippo Hippotizer Amba+ media server.
Aaron visited Jackey at Explorium to provide support, training and demonstrate the extensive range of features that the Amba+ has.
He commented: “Explorium uses a lot of innovative and cutting edge technologies, so it was important that the quality of the content met the high standards of the rest of the centre. The Amba+ has a 4K output which looks fantastic when it maps onto the LED display.”
Jackey concluded: “It has been great to have A.C.'s help and expertise with this project. The Hippotizer Media Server is very powerful, with many different features, and Aaron has always been very helpful and quick to get back to any questions.”
(Jim Evans)

USA - A sense of foreboding runs through Murder Ballad like the creaking noise in a dark and unfamiliar house. The Julia Jordan and Juliana Nash rock musical tells the story of a love triangle gone bad, as it spins into a vortex of ever-increasing pain, betrayal and shattered emotions.
In a recent production of the 2012 cult favourite at the Broward Centre for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, lighting designer Clifford Michael Spulock captured the apprehension of characters caught in a world turned upside down. Helping him evoke this feeling in powerful, unsettling fashion were the gobo capabilities of the Chauvet Professional Rogue R1 Spot fixture.
“The show is really charged with emotion as it moves through the breaking and splintering of relationships,” said Spulock. “I wanted to portray this feeling as literally as I could, not just with color, but also by breaking up the light with gobos, which I felt would really convey a sense of the characters’ fragmented world.”
Spulock relied often on soft-edged gobo breakups even when front lighting the actors. He explained why: “With the gobo effect shaking up the sense of reality, the lighting tells you that ‘something is happening here, but we don’t quite know what.’ I decided to use this to my advantage to foreshadow the upcoming events of the show.
“The lighting was really able to bring the emotions to the audience,” he said. “In this way, it supported the powerful performances by the play’s extremely talented actors: Sabrina Lynn Gore, Eric O'Keefe, Ch

UK - Le Mark Group has announced the appointment of Jeff Demain as northern sales manager, UK.
Demain has worked in the entertainment industry for over 35 years. His experience has encompassed sound, lighting, sales and installation, and he has managed key projects in Russia, the Middle East and the UK. His history has included leading companies including Concert Light Systems, Playlight Hire, White Light North and most recently, HSL Blackburn.
“I have known Jeff for many years and have always been in awe of his industry knowledge,” said Linda Gibbons, joint managing director. “With Jeff now on the ground locally, he is perfectly positioned and readily available to meet with many more companies interested in our products and to expand our sales in the north of the UK. It is an important move forward for the company.”
“We are all delighted to have Jeff join us,” said Stuart Gibbons, joint managing director. “Jeff is exactly the right person to help take Le Mark to the next level. His experience is invaluable and his enthusiasm to succeed is clear. The sales team are eager to work with him.”
“I am really looking forward to joining the team at Le Mark,” said Jeff. “I’ve known Linda and Stuart ever since they began the business and have been really impressed with the company’s growth and innovation.”
Demain will provide sales and support for Le Mark’s leading range of consumable items, including the self-adhesive tape MagTape, Pro Tapes, Slipway and award-winning BlackTak. He will be the lead advisor in the nor

China - With a spectacular outdoor live production and 6000m2 audience arena, the Mid-Autumn Festival Party of China Media Group is a difficult challenge for any sound reinforcement system. However, thanks to an Alcons Audio pro-ribbon LR28 larger-format line array system, the audience at the latest event in Qufu enjoyed high quality sound throughout.
Qufu is the hometown of Confucius, China’s most famous teacher, philosopher and political theorist. Located in Nishan Holy Land - a 35km2 area around Qufu developed as a Confucius commemoration site and cultural heritage destination - the festival featured a huge, 60m wide stage and large set, with an audience of 5000 seated in an arena 80m wide by 100m deep.
Several audio challenges had to be overcome by the event’s audio director Liu Yibin - lead sound engineer for China Central Television (CCTV) - and chief sound engineer Mr Xu. Because of the arena’s size, the Front of House system had to be positioned and aligned very accurately. The festival site was also very close to Mount Ni mountain and the Nishan Reservoir, meaning strong breezes and changing humidity could cause problems with the sound.
To deliver quality sound and overcome the potential issues, an Alcons Audio LR28 larger-format line array system was chosen, supplied by Alcons Chinese distributor and Pro-Ribbon partner EAD.
The main system comprised flown L-R clusters, each of 14 LR28/80 and two LR28/110 wide dispersion modules, plus three LR18 compact mid-size line array modules for down-fill per side. Six ground-stacked group

USA - New Orleans 11-piece band The Phunky Monkeys use an Allen & Heath dLive system which allows FOH engineer Eric Breaux to mix from anywhere in the house on an iPad.
The Phunky Monkeys perform a wide range of music for diverse audiences at New Orleans clubs and at weddings, corporate events and festivals. Band owner Michael Taylor says, “Given the millions of visitors who come to Bourbon Street every year, we have to perform all genres of music. And, we pride ourselves on how we sound. That’s one of the reasons we switched to the dLive. Its sound is leaps and bounds above what we had before.”
Both FOH and monitors are mixed on iPads wirelessly connected to the band’s dLive CDM64 MixRack purchased from AV Solutions of New Orleans. “In New Orleans, there are a lot of converted venues that are so small we can’t put FOH at FOH,” explained Taylor. “But we carry keyboards, drums, instruments and 40 to 60 mics and direct sources so we need the kind of pro-level mixing we have with the dLive and the MixPad app.
“Mixing FOH with the MixPad app is simple and intuitive,” Taylor continued. “You can put anything anywhere you need it. Eric puts everything on layers and he can scroll through and get anywhere in a hurry. Also, he creates scenes and setups on his laptop with the dLive Director software. This is way more advanced than our previous mixer.”
For monitors, each band member does their own mix on a personal iPad using the dLive OneMix app. “Everyone has the ability to put whatever they want in their in-ear mix and tha

Australia - avt worked closely with the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC), providing support with their Harman Professional networked audio solution upgrade.
As Australia’s largest convention and exhibition venue, MCEC features exhibition spaces, large concert halls, meeting rooms, corporate boardrooms and more over an area of more than 650,000sq.ft. The expansive venue hosts more than 1,000 events each year, making its AV infrastructure a critical asset.
“MCEC approached us to support them in the development of a robust, self-sufficient solution that would upgrade its digital signal processing capabilities and minimize audio issues during events,” said Graham Barrett, head of strategic partnerships & innovation, avt. “After evaluating their requirements, we recommended Harman’s networked AV solutions to compose a system that would provide the necessary flexibility and allow them to easily expand the platform in the future.”
MCEC selected the BSS platform for its adaptability and capacity to incorporate multiple network streams of different types while simultaneously carrying all audio signals. BSS’s redundant BLU link protocol consists of two cables and automatically switches if one of the network legs fail, ensuring zero interruptions on the local audio network. The Dante-enabled BSS solution provides MCEC with a global network, allowing them to support their customers on a single platform and route any audio signal from any source to any destination throughout the facility.
“We’ve invested in AMX co

UK - West London lighting and video rental specialist Colour Sound Experiment has expanded its fleet of vehicles with a new artic and trailer – a Volvo FH460 Globetrotter Euro 6 tractor unit, complete with a 45' Schmitz Cargobull low-ride Tri-axle semi-trailer.
This vehicle - chosen for its efficiency and dynamics - is an investment made for the convenience of trucking equipment to tours and festivals across the UK and Europe. It will also offer clients an additional element of cost-effectivity as Colour Sound can offer independent trucking services for large one-offs.
The truck will be especially busy during the upcoming festival season and will help streamline overall production logistics by reducing the off-site pick-ups required.
“All our vehicles have been bought with a view to making our operations as flexible and versatile as possible to suit client needs,” commented Colour Sound’s H (Haydn Cruickshank). “Having the artic substantially enhances the capacity of this service.”
With shows, events and projects involving increased amounts of kit, a larger and more spacious option was required in addition to the existing transport as the new truck joins a 12-tonner that was delivered in November.
Both tractor and trailer are fully air ride enabled and all of this and more ensures that Colour Sound’s kit gets the safest and most comfortable rides to and from site.
Colour Sound already has one full-time Class 1 HGV driver on the transport team, and more will have the opportunity to gain their licences in the coming

Europe - Ayrton and Lightpower have announced that, from 1 July 2019, Lightpower will take over the exclusive distribution of Ayrton in Germany.
"We are looking forward to working with Ayrton,” states Herbert Marx, sales director of Lightpower. “Ayrton is an extremely dynamic brand with innovative, market-leading products of the highest quality. Ayrton's high-quality standards and product and portfolio strategy are a perfect match for Lightpower."
“It is a big step for Ayrton to join forces with Lightpower,” comments Michael Althaus, Ayrton’s global sales director. “A short four years after introducing Ayrton to the German market, it is now time for the next distribution level. To have a broader sales approach, to develop new markets and to also offer convincing service on the after sales side.”
(Jim Evans)

USA - InfoComm 2019 sees the US debut of yet another enhancement to Peavey’s ElementsTM C Series weatherproof loudspeakers.
Following last year’s announcement of the upgrade from IP45 to IP56 rating, InfoComm 2019 sees the unveiling of marine-grade versions that are specially designed to withstand the ravages of salt water, making them suitable for cruise ships, swimming pools or coastal outdoor applications such as theme parks and resorts, fun fairs, restaurants and more. The marine-grade versions, denoted by a CS suffix, will be available alongside the standard IP56-rated Elements range.
The American-made Elements CS Series of composite enclosures are constructed from an advanced composite fibreboard material that is dimensionally stable in wet conditions and resists contamination yet has the resonant properties of wood. This light and durable material ensures unmatched sonic performance while providing reliable service year after year.
In order to qualify for marine-grade ranking, all metal components have been upgraded to 316 stainless steel for even higher resistance to pitting and corrosion. This includes the front grille which is now stainless steel rather than aluminium, and the permeable hydrophobic membrane between the speaker and the grille has also been upgraded. The number of mounting points has been reduced in order to reduce the risk of corrosion.
The CS versions also feature an integrated multi-tap transformer with 70V, 100V and 8 Ohm taps along with removeable plugs for all ports. All models are available in black or UV-pr

Europe - A4i.tv has released the first video of a four part series on truss connection systems. In this first video, Area Four Industries technical director Norbert Tripp addresses the conventional spigot connection system. He provides the main points on how it works, its advantages and the stresses involved.
Three more videos on truss connection systems are soon to follow. (https://www.a4i.tv/2019/05/14/spigot-connector/)

UK - Genelec is strengthening its customer support in the UK with the appointment of Andy Bensley, whose new role as regional business development manager is effective immediately.
Bensley is already closely associated with Genelec after more than six years of service with their UK distributor Source Distribution, first as the company’s pro audio product specialist then later as brand manager. Both roles saw Bensley play a central, hands-on role in the growth of Genelec within the influential UK market as he commissioned and supported dozens of high-profile projects.
In his new role, he will continue to provide support to ongoing Genelec activities while also delivering new opportunities for training, education and more at the Genelec Experience Centre in London. Based in London, he will report to international sales director Ole Jensen.
“I am delighted and excited to welcome Andy to the Genelec family,” enthused Jensen. “He brings a wealth of UK market knowledge and of course he has a very deep understanding of what makes Genelec special.”
(Jim Evans)

Belgium - The busy Vooruit arts complex in the centre of Ghent has transformed a historic venue, built in years before World War I, into a bustling arts centre with an impressive variety of cultural events. It has collection of different venues, all equipped with Nexo sound systems, but the jewel in the crown is the Concertzaal, where production company VDB-PA has just completed a permanent installation of Nexo’s modular STM Series line array.
Design and specification of the new front-of-house system for the 1100-capacity Concertzaal was managed by Thomas Coene and Jan Van den Brande at VDB-PA, and marked a step-change in the 15 year relationship between VDB and de Vooruit. “They have been dry-hiring systems for many years,” says Jan Van den Brande. “They use their own team of technicians and came to us for the main PA, consoles and monitors, depending on the event. When Vooruit decided to install a permanent system, we were able to draw on our huge experience in this venue to guide them to Nexo STM, which they chose over several other high-profile loudspeaker brands.”
Thomas Coene, who started his career as a student at VDB-PA, was put in charge of the design, noting Vooruit’s priorities for its 100+year-old architectural interior when it came to installing the line array.
“The size and weight of the small STM cabinets was an important factor,” says Coene. “There is a wraparound balcony around the venue so we had to respect audience sightlines, and also the flying points can only carry 500 kilos per motor. We need to choose compac

UK - It took less time for Dutch DJ legend Armin van Buuren to sell out his much-anticipated Wembley Easter show at SSE Arena than it did to play the five-hour long set, in what was his biggest date ever in the capital.
The titan of trance sold out the venue, which is restricted to 6,000 for dance events (occupying the arena bowl and Tier 1 only) in just three hours - a feat posted on social media in advance by promotions company Lock ‘N’ Load Events.
The specialist event organisation regularly turns to Capital Sound for its sound reinforcement requirements, and in turn look to Martin Audio’s MLA loudspeaker array as its first choice PA system.
As Lock ‘N’ Load project manager, Alex Anderson explained, “I advised [artist’s management] that we needed MLA in there because of its programming capabilities with regards to external noise levels.
“Since this was a late night show, and protecting the venue licence is a priority for us, I explained that we had used it with [top drum ‘n’ bass DJ] Andy C recently and managed to run at around 100dB-102 dB at FOH which is a level that they could work with. In addition, MLA sounds great so it’s a no brainer for us.”
The system has been designed to deliver full-bore SPL in the bowl while dramatically reducing noise pollution offsite, in sensitive or highly built up areas such as Wembley. It was an appropriate solution for a dance event of this nature that ran through to 5am.
Production rigged 12 x MLA elements and two MLD Downfill enclosures on each side of the stage, wit

USA - A Yiddish-language production of Fiddler on the Roof opened at Stage 42 in New York City on 21 February with direction by Joel Grey and lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski. Playing an important role in this version of the musical are Elation Colour 5 Profile LED ellipsoidal spots supplied by G Scott Designs.
Associate designer is Ethan Steimel who says that Kaczorowski required a fixture that colour changed in a tight warm palette from no colour incandescent to gel colours L162 to L147. He adds that the designer also wanted to achieve a deep blue.
The solution was found in the Colour 5 Profile LED ellipsoidal. Housing a 180W RGBAM (Red, Green, Blue, Amber, Mint) LED engine, the Mint LED enhances the production of variable white colour temperatures from 3,200 to 6,500K and increases the CRI. An exceptionally flat field of light, CRI over 94, and a professional feature set that includes a 4-blade framing system and interchangeable lens options make it a highly flexible directional spot luminaire for theatre.
For Fiddler, eight Colour 5 Profile fixtures are used to light the crinkled paper portal legs.
Glen Davis of G Scott Designs says they have successfully used the Colour 5 Profile in their own designs for years and keep 70 in stock along with other Elation gear like SixPar series LED par lights, Colour Chorus LED battens, and TVL CYC RGBW cyclorama wall wash luminaires.
"It was a big job moving the entire village of Anatevke from Battery Park to 42nd Street,” said associate designer Steimel. “Glen Davis at G.

Myanmar - Goldenduck Group recently deployed a JBL by Harman audio system in Mingalar Cinemas’ new Gold Class theatres.
Mingalar Cinemas is Myanmar’s largest movie theatre chain with 27 locations across eight cities. Mingalar also owns and operates the first high-definition Gold Class cinema in the country, which features three halls with luxurious, automatic reclining seats and cutting-edge visuals. In order to deliver premium sound in their Gold Class theatres, Mingalar entrusted Goldenduck Group, a leading supplier of professional cinema equipment, with installing a JBL Professional cinema audio system.
“Mingalar wanted to offer an immersive entertainment experience with excellent audio quality,” said Sittiporn Srisanguansakul, owner, Goldenduck. “The Harman sound systems we installed offer the uniform coverage and expansive dynamic range required for digital sound formats in modern cinemas. By using Harman products, we were able to provide Mingalar with a cost-effective solution that helped them extend a realistic audio experience to their visitors.”
JBL 4722 Two-Way ScreenArray Cinema Loudspeaker Systems provide a smooth and accurate reproduction of cinema soundtracks. High-quality JBL 4641 subwoofers deliver smooth, powerful low-end for scores and sound effects. Wall-mounted JBL 8320 Compact Cinema Surround Speakers offer clarity, detail, and depth in a compact enclosure. The systems are powered by Crown DSi 1000 and DSi 2000 power amplifiers.
“We have been using Harman’s audio fixtures for a long time, and the quality

Mexico - Los Temerarios are one of Mexico's biggest bands. With a career spanning over 40 years and 20 albums, the Grammy-nominated act are still selling out arenas across the globe, attracting over 10,000 fans to each show. Revered FOH engineer, Juan Payan, decided to take the new SSL L100 on the road for their new tour, Payan's partner in sound, Juan Carlos Granados, also on an L100 at monitors.
It was through a training event with SSL's live specialist Fernando Guzman, that Payan first heard the SSL L100 in action.
“It was during this event that the sound of the console immediately impressed me. I knew I needed to have one,” Payan explains. “I've had it out on the road with me since February, and everything has been working perfectly – no issues at all.”
Payan says it was a combination of factors that drew him to the console, from the dynamics to the overall sonics.
“I really love the preamps and I don't need to touch the gain, because it instantly sounds amazing. The separation I can get between the instruments allows me to generate real width in my mix,” he says. Payan is running 52 channels at FOH, and the band is a seven-piece. A big sounding band needs a big sound, he says – and he is able to achieve that thanks to the SSL.
“The EQ is also amazing – as soon as you dial it in, you can tell it's very reactive, and easy to tap into any frequency. Plus, I use the SSL reverbs on my drums and vocals, and I utilise the delays a lot across the console.
“Everything that comes through this console is very c