Sweden - Ayrton has announced Linnea Ljungmark as the latest addition to its expanding international sales team. Based in Sweden, Linnea will be responsible for Ayrton across the whole of Scandanavia, the Baltic and Benelux countries and the Iberian peninsula.
Linnea brings to Ayrton a lifetime of experience in the industry, having spent the majority of her working life at Intersonic AB, the family-run distribution company founded by her father Per Olof Jlungmark in 1997.
“I’ve worked with my father for as long as can remember, first in the office and at local trade shows, and later as general manager of the newly acquired lighting distribution company, One Two Sales,” Linnea says.
During this time Linnea gained in-depth experience in the Scandinavian market and a long association with Ayrton through Intersonic’s distribution of the brand. “I have fond memories of Valère with whom I worked closely and who typified Ayrton’s approach to business,” she says. “To join Ayrton is a dream come true.”
“We are delighted Linnea has joined our international sales team,” says Michael Althaus, Ayrton’s global sales director. “This is a time of rapid growth and increased activity for Ayrton and Linnea is a very welcome addition to the team. Her expertise, energy and enthusiasm will be invaluable asset to Ayrton’s adventure going forward and we are excited to welcome her on board.”
(Jim Evans)

The Netherlands - Marking its 10th year as a major LED exhibitor at ISE, Absen will celebrate its 10th straight year as ta leading Chinese export brand for LED displays. In Amsterdam, ISE attendees will experience Absen’s largest ever stand, covering an impressive 264sqm.
This year, Absen will focus on the Fine Pixel Generation - the company’s new line of narrow pixel pitch displays. During ISE, Absen will launch a number of indoor and outdoor LED solutions that are sure to satisfy all manners of fixed installation, rental & staging, control room and corporate applications.
The company will also showcase its latest LED solutions for retail, live events and entertainment, as well as OOH and sports venues. This inventory will include the successful Polaris and N-Plus ranges; ensuring that the company’s regional partners and global BUs are up-to-date on Absen’s full LED solution offerings.
Lastly, Absen is also due to partner with a number of leading providers within its ISE booth and beyond. The company will use PIXERA media servers from AV Stumpfl on its LED displays, as well as collaborating with Green Hippo / Notch on an interactive LED archway. Absen will also enjoy product sponsorship placements with Peerless-AV and RAI Amsterdam itself.
(Jim Evans)

Europe - Outline has announced the immediate availability of v.93 firmware for their (patent Newton digital hub, in addition to software version 1.8.1 for their proprietary ‘Dashboard’ remote control application.
This is the latest operational upgrade following the successful launch of Newton at prolight+sound 2018 and is largely based on input from Outline’s international group of Newton users, who have thoroughly road-tested the units in a wide variety of applications.
The full list of new features can be found on the Outline Newton’s website but the principal improvements from a user viewpoint include:
- Alerts and notifications: immediately signals to the user any major event (for example, input back fallback, clock change, power supply fault etc) within Newton and / or Dashboard, and simultaneously logs the event to a database.
- Permanent links: In addition to the groups and temporary links already available, permanent links and many related features have been added, another feature set completely unique to Newton.
- Filtering implementation: additional user features driven by the new permanent links feature plus various safety and reliability enhancements to the user interfaces.
- Signal backup implementation: additional options for the user to use the ‘fallback’ feature complete with additional safety request to reset the previous status after a fallback event.
- Dante backup implementation: a new option for fallback strategy to Dante sources.
Input from Ian Nelson of Adlib Audio in the UK and Germa

USA - Adamson Systems Engineering is set to formally introduce the CS7p point source enclosure, billed as “the first entry in a new generation of loudspeaker technology”, at The 2019 NAMM Show. Beginning with the CS7p, the new CS-Series will be “the world’s first family of mobile loudspeakers to feature onboard Class-D amplification, DSP, and Milan-ready (AVB) network endpoints”.
The CS-Series builds atop the proven foundation of the tour-grade S-Series and install-focused IS-Series. In its first iteration, the CS7p has been successfully used as a FOH near-field monitor at high-profile events such as the Hillsong Conference (Australia) and on the Drake and Migos North American tour.
“Today, the CS7p gives us the luxury of streaming audio over AVB with console manufacturers that are co-authoring the Milan specification alongside their industry peers. In an application such as FOH monitoring, it simplifies the deployment process by allowing users to make a single connection,” says Benoit Cabot, director of R&D at Adamson. “In the future, the building blocks in the CS-Series will simplify complex system deployments by eliminating complications in network infrastructure.”
The CS7p employs Milan-ready redundant AVB technology with the ability to daisy-chain networked audio between multiple sources in addition to an analog XLR input and output. Acoustically, the CS7p contains two 7-in. Kevlar Neodymium transducers and a 3-in. compression driver, loaded with a rotatable 70 x 40 (H x V) waveguide. The dipole arrangement of the cabinet

UK - Celebrating its 40th anniversary tour at the end of last year, Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of The Worlds showed it has lost none of its momentum or ability to thrill.
The production is constructed around a three-tonne 35ft tall Martian Fighting Machine, which fires real flames against the backdrop of a 100ft-wide animation wall - and there are many other special effects.
From a musical perspective, the 36-piece ULLAdubULLA strings performed alongside the nine-piece Black Smoke Band (which included many musicians from the original tour in 2006). Now on its seventh tour of duty, the production has been played out on its last three outings through Martin Audio’s MLA PA - and sounded as fresh as ever.
As for the cast, Liam Neeson retained his role (in 3D holography) as The Journalist, and was joined for this tour by Jason Donovan, reprising the role of Parson Nathaniel, alongside Carrie Hope Fletcher as Beth, his wife. Adam Garcia debuted as The Artilleryman, Newton Faulkner performed The Sung Thoughts of The Journalist, Inglorious front man Nathan James played The Voice of Humanity, with Anna-Marie Wayne back as Carrie, The Journalist’s Fiancée.
In terms of production, the inordinate amount of inventory provided by sound, lighting, video, pyro and stage/motion control suppliers will have presented a logistical nightmare for production manager Steve Nolan and his team. Fortunately, sound rental company RG Jones have wide experience of this production, and FOH engineer Simon Honywill was on his fifth tour of duty, hav

Mexico - Nothing was held back at the Tecate Mother of All Rock Fest 2018. Bands like Whitesnake and Garbage gave full-throated performances. Headliner Guns N’ Roses roared through an intense set.
Matching the performances on stage note-for-heart-pounding-note was an intensely bright lightshow from Serpro Producciones that was anchored by 95 Chauvet Professional Maverick MK2 Wash fixtures.
The dramatic stage lighting rig featured nine hexagon-shaped truss configurations. Flown in an oval pattern over the stage, these structures served as a scenic element in addition to holding some of the rig’s Maverick MK2 Wash fixtures and other luminaires. Hovering over the stage, they created an air of anticipation, as if they were a spacecraft. The fixtures held on these structures were used for downlighting and specials.
Other Maverick MK2 Wash fixtures were flown on upstage and side truss around the massive LED video wall that dominated the stage’s backline. From this position, the RGBW washes were used to shower the stage with vivid colours, often coordinated with the images displayed on the video wall.
All of the Maverick MK2 Wash fixtures in the rig were used to create crossing patterns on the stage at various points in the three-hour show. The high-output fixtures were also used to create block out full-color looks on stage and for aerial washing.
The Parque Fundidora of the City of Monterrey Nuevo León hosted the second edition of the Tecate Mother of All Rock Fest, which also featured performances by Eruca Sativa and Steel Panther

UK - Adlib’s installation division are part of a team which has helped to deliver Europe’s first installed L-Acoustics L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound system at EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney), a vibrant new arts centre for live music, mixed arts, and performance located in the former Savoy cinema in Dalston, east London.
Adlib worked closely with client Auro Foxcroft and his team, with support from L-Acoustics’ sales manager, Paul McMullan and applications engineers, Jeff Woodford (installation) and Sergey Becker (touring) to specify and install the 360° L-ISA system with the aim of delivering an all-round audio experience for audiences and artists alike.
EartH is the brainchild of Auro, champion of Hackney nightlife and founder of Shoreditch venue Village Underground, a commercially successful, sustainable and community driven initiative that also provides affordable workspaces for artists and creatives.
Adlib director John Hughes comments: “When we first made contact with Auro, we were looking at a standard left-right configuration for both upstairs and downstairs spaces”. However, when Auro met Paul and Jeff from L-Acoustics on site, they highlighted how perfect the venue was for an L-ISA configuration.
Having an exceptional sound system was always central to Auro’s plan to reinvent the building as he understands the importance of sonic excellence and in making a performance something truly memorable rather than just a show, a gig or a night out!
“After a visit to hear L-ISA in action in Highgate, the EartH team w

USA - California metal-core band Atreyu released their seventh album In Our Wake in October, then promptly hit the road on a 27-date promotional winter tour in the US.
Lighting designer Megan Alksninis had a large Elation floor package supplied by JDI Productions at her disposal. “A big part of the physical design came from drummer and vocalist Brandon Saller,” explains Alksninis, who also programmed the lighting and served as lighting operator on tour. “He had a clear vision on how the stage was going to be set up. Once the design was set it was a full collaboration to create the final show design. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had designing a show.”
Atreyu’s fast-paced music drives the lighting and the design throughout the show, says Alksninis, with a mix of strobes, subtle colour chases and even a mirror ball or two. The lighting package consisted of 30 compact ACL 360i and six DARTZ 360 LED moving heads along with eight Cuepix Blinder WW2s and 4 Protron 3K Color strobes.
“Metal can easily get stuck with a lot of strobes and little front light,” Alksninis says. “I tried to find the balance between having that but also allowing the audience to see and participate with the band. The chorus almost always had a unique colour chase and occasionally blinders.”
A total of six pipes surrounded the stage with lighting working off the set each show depending on the stage size. From the back of the drum riser the pipes were positioned as a V with three on each side of the stage. The pipes held different configur

UK - British rockers Bring Me The Horizon (BMTH) kicked off the European leg of their First Love World Tour in November 2018 to promote the release of their sixth studio album, amo. Seeing this as an opportunity to showcase the band’s new music with greater transparency and enhanced LF definition, the band’s sound team decided to take the d&b KSL System on the road for one of its first ever major tours.
The hot-off-the-press KSL System is the latest loudspeaker line from d&b, designed to deliver all the recognisable features of its SL lineage, from broadband directivity control to advanced rigging options. The KSL System can be used as a standalone, self-contained package, a delay, or fill accompaniment to GSL.
BMTH kicked off their First Love World Tour with performances in Germany before travelling through Switzerland, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands and France. They completed the European leg in the UK with two flagship gigs at London’s Alexandra Palace.
Miles Hillyard from SSE Audio Group oversaw the implementation of the KSL and GSL Systems for the tour, specifying it to complement SSE Audio’s d&b GSL package.
“What better way to showcase the new KSL System than on a BMTH tour?” asks Hillyard. “Historically, we have used d&b J8s for their live shows, including the surprise performance at the Reading and Leeds festivals, but for this tour we had the opportunity to upgrade and I offered the KSL System to production manager Rob Highcroft.
“We rigged the KSL as side hangs, to complement the larger

Canada/USA - Christie Lites has made a major commitment to Kinesys automation with the purchase of Elevation Liftket 500kg chain hoists as their flagship automation products going forward – both 200V and 400V systems - for North America and Europe.
The initial investment has also included Kinesys LibraCELL load monitoring and Mentor 4 E-Stop aggregators to provide a full Kinesys safety architecture as well as the powerful and flexible Kinesys Vector control.
This will be available to clients worldwide throughout all of Christie’s 13 shops.
The move coincides with the appointment of Mark ‘The Drifter’ Desloges to head up Christie’s new Automated Motion Control & Rigging division, established to co-ordinate this specialist area of technical production.
Extensive specialist Kinesys training will be implemented for all Christie crew working on the systems.
Drifter will be based in Toronto, Canada, and will spend his time between Christie’s facility there and, primarily, their Orlando hub, the home of Christie Lites Enterprises and where much of the Kinesys kit will be stationed when not on the road.
David Bond of Kinesys USA commented, “Huntly Christie is very discerning when it comes to choosing the brands and product types his company carries. We are very proud to be his chosen automation manufacturer and envisage a prosperous relationship with his company. Drifter’s energy and experience, along with the Christie Lites sales team, will help drive our products to the current Christie Lites market and beyond, furthe

The Netherlands - A.C. Entertainment Technologies will be showcasing a range of Chroma-Q studio and architectural solutions in Amsterdam.
On show will be the Chroma-Q Space Force LED space light, which provides powerful yet soft lighting and has been adopted for a number of sets and major TV Studios. Also designed specifically for Film & TV, Chroma-Q Studio Force II high intensity tuneable white LED wash light will be making its ISE show debut. This fixture produces a smooth uniform wash from homogenised optics, with the ability to produce deep saturated colours.
Providing inspiration for the architectural and installation market is the Chroma-Q Inspire range of LED house lights. These versatile fixtures have been fitted in a multitude of venues to create an immersive experience.
The Chroma-Q Color Force II will also be on show to demonstrate stunning colour blending for grazing a variety of interior surfaces.
All fixtures on the stand will be controlled using the Vista 3 by Chroma-Q lighting & media platform.
Also represented on the stand is the Tourflex Cabling service – a manufacturer and supplier of a full range of bespoke cables for Signal, Data, Lighting, Audio, Video and Rigging applications.
(Jim Evans)

UK - From an opera house to a university creative centre, an audiophile’s nirvana to an 18th-century theatre, and even a cathedral, theatre planners and acousticians Sound Space Vision (SSV) has unveiled its finished projects and reveals future plans for a variety of spaces in around the world.
SSV’s newly completed projects include one of several high-profile buildings for Hong Kong’s extensive West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), the Xiqu Centre.
As the first finished building in the new West Kowloon Cultural District, the Xiqu Centre serves as the gateway to the district and is, fittingly, dedicated to the performance of Chinese Opera (Xiqu) and the centre for preservation and development of the variety of Chinese Opera art forms. SSV was responsible for the acoustics and audio systems in all of the Centre’s spaces, including both natural and amplified performances in the 1073-seat Grand Theatre, and the 150-200-seat Tea House space for smaller-scale Xiqu performances.
SSV is also known for the care and attention given to heritage design and buildings. Its extensive experience with EU-wide tendering processes for theatre refurbishments was instrumental in it acquiring the theatre planning position for Teatru Manoel, Valetta’s crown jewel. As Europe’s oldest working theatre, the Manoel has been renovated and refurbished many times over its almost 300-year history, with SSV providing expert theatre planning consultation for its most recent adjustments to coincide with Valetta’s European City of Culture events and its famed Internat

The Netherlands - ELC Lighting has announced that Production Resource Group (PRG) has made a significant investment in ELC's GBX Distribution System.
Specifically tailored for live entertainment applications, the GBX Distribution System transforms how DMX can be distributed from an ethernet network. Recognising this, PRG has purchased multiple units, including ELC’s switchGBx10 and switchGBx18 switches, nodeGBx8 nodes, and the innovative new nodeGBx8 Slave node.
Bob Walpot, director of operations and asset strategy at PRG Europe, says, “With this investment, we evaluated various brands and involved our technical teams from our various markets and segments. ELC was the preferred choice because of the technical and financial efficiency of the products. The Slave node is the perfect example of this. It has been really well thought through. Without losing any technical advantages, they have cut costs drastically.”
Walpot adds: “ELC also listened clearly to our specific needs and provided a tailor-made solution.”
That solution included the addition of Neutrik opticalCON Advanced Duo fibre optic ports, mounted directly onto the units, as requested by PRG.
“This will make the units even more flexible in their use,” says Walpot. “As a global company, it is essential that the equipment we buy is widely applicable. We provide a 360° service in various market segments, all with specific needs. With the flexibility of the new ELC range we are able to serve all these markets in a cost-efficient way.”
The new ELC GBX Distribu

UK - The National Theatre on London’s South Bank has been a revered national institution for over 50 years. Its three theatres, the 1110-seat Olivier, the 890-seat Lyttelton and the 400-seat Dorfman, play host to a wide range of theatre performances from bold new work to re-imagined modern classics.
The NT technical department have the responsibility to provide the best quality equipment in order to maintain the highest standards for all productions.
The lighting department has invested in yet more Robert Juliat lighting equipment over the last 12 months to add to its already large inventory of RJ fixtures.
“We have over 300 Robert Juliat 600 Series 1kW and 700 Series 2.5kW profile fixtures, mostly used as generic lighting in the Olivier and Lyttelton theatres where they are rigged on the front of house bridges,” says lighting resources manager, Paul Hornsby. “The latter are especially suitable for the long throws in the Olivier and Lyttelton where they give that punchy 2.5k look that everyone wants and which has yet to be achieved by any LED equivalent.”
2018 saw Hornsby’s department make a sizeable investment in 54 Dalis 860 300W LED cyclorama battens. “Our aim was to be able to light a full wrap-around cyclorama in the Olivier, which we are able to do using 48 Dalis units (24 each on top and bottom). The cyclorama for Common, for example, measures 8m high by 21.5m wide - so you can see the size of the space they have to cover.
“We chose Dalis because we were looking for an LED solution to replace our old tungsten cy

Denmark - Originally founded in 1926 with just 12 members, what is now known as the Aalborg City Church in northern Jutland is one of the largest church organisations in the region. Having outgrown its previous premises, the church has recently moved to a new, fully renovated modern building able to accommodate around 1000 people in total including a main auditorium for 750.
In order to provide clear, consistent audio coverage throughout the auditorium, the church’s AV department selected a Halo-C compact line array system from EM Acoustics supplied by EM’s Danish distributor, Alfa Audio.
According to Alfa Audio’s Torsten Matthiessen, the requirement was for a compact, efficient sound system that would cover the whole venue with no holes or hotspots. “A line array system seemed to be a no brainer for the venue – we just needed to find the right one,” recalled Matthiessen. “There are two clear priorities for any modern church system,” he continued. “Firstly, it needs to sound great from a musical point of view, as there will be a full band on stage for a large part of the service. Secondly, it has to be able to deliver crystal clear intelligibility as the spoken word is also a key element of the service. My feeling was that Halo-C would fit the bill perfectly, so I suggested that they should consider it.”
Anders Molin who acts as the AV consultant for Aalborg City Church was charged with finding the right system. “Initially I was looking at another manufacturer whose systems I have used for years, but Torsten recommended that

Turkey - Harman Professional Solutions has announced a new distributor partnership with Ertekin Elektronik in Turkey.
The distribution agreement entitles Ertekin Elektronik the right to distribute the full range of products offered by Harman Professional Solutions. The agreement covers the JBL Professional, AMX, Martin, Soundcraft, AKG, Crown, dbx, BSS, Lexicon, and Studer brands, providing a 360-degree solution to customers requiring audio, video, lighting and control solutions.
“We are excited to partner with Ertekin Elektronik in this very important region,” said Mark Coombes, regional director, MEA at Harman Professional Solutions. “We are looking forward to our collaboration with Ertekin Elektronik to lead our iconic brands towards the future. We are confident their experience and in-depth knowledge of the Turkish market to support our customers’ needs on an ongoing basis.”
“We are delighted to be distributing the complete Harman Professional Solutions range in Turkey,” said Yurder Ertekin, sales and marketing manager of Ertekin Elektronik, “HARMAN offers a great portfolio of quality brands, which are completely aligned with our customers’ needs. With our expertise and the brands that Harman Professional Solutions offer we will be able to offer a complete solution.”
(Jim Evans)

Thailand - Allen & Heath has announced the appointment of Sonos Libra as its exclusive distributor in Thailand.
Sonos Libra has a strong presence as a pro audio distributor in SE Asia and already represents the Allen & Heath brand in Vietnam. With an experienced team they have quickly garnered a reputation for first-class service and customer support. Allen & Heath’s comprehensive product portfolio allows Sonos Libra to fully address a broad range of market segments, from audio installations through to the most demanding touring applications.
Markus Sinsel, sales director at Allen & Heath, says: “We are very pleased to be working with the Sonos Libra team in Thailand. They are a young, dynamic company who have rapidly built an impressive standing in the region. We are looking forward to continuing to work together to further strengthen the brand.”
Alfonso Martín, Sonos Libra’s CEO, adds: “Allen & Heath was a ‘must-have’ brand for us in Thailand. We know how much Thai customers like Allen & Heath products, particularly in compact digital and touring formats and we’re extremely excited to be able to bring the full range to the market.”
The partnership takes immediate effect with plans for regular training, product support, stock availability and product presentations.
(Jim Evans)

Europe - Eurotruss is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month. Martin Kuyper, company founder, states; “I am extremely proud and grateful for all the love and support I received from great people, partners, and users during this incredible Eurotruss journey. Together with all of them, we have built a world leading brand representing not only high-quality truss and stages but also an amazing team of dynamic people who, on a daily base, do great work for our users and partners.
“It all started in a small barn in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. Today our truss finds its way into 97 countries, represented by 40 distributors, three Eurotruss sales offices and three factories including Total Structures, leading brand in the USA. A lot happened since that 17th of January 1994, but it flew by and the journey has been full of energy, joy, and happiness. I feel blessed.
“I want to thank all of you supporting the product and the brand. I cannot wait for the next 25 years to come as our future looks bright and we still enjoy every day the rush of making awesome products and providing you with the best support and solutions.”
(Jim Evans)

USA - Vanguard Audio Labs will show the V7 at NAMM 2019. The V7 features an interchangeable capsule system that is a modified version of our V34C ‘LOLLI’ pencil-mount capsule, which allows for different capsule styles, sizes, and voicings that can operate in any of nine selectable polar patterns.
The transformer-coupled solid-state circuitry is our own unique creation, which consists of combining desirable elements from several legendary circuits.
The V7 is housed in a vintage bottle style body, finished with deep-gloss Pinot Noir colour and accented by polished chrome trim. The rear of the microphone allows for a selectable 140Hz/70Hz rolloff and -10/-20dB pad. Included is the VLSM shockmount, a padded pinewood storage box, a microfiber mic sleeve, and locking case with space for additional capsule heads.
Each V7 consists of parts designed by Vanguard & sourced from a number of respected USA & worldwide component manufacturers. Final assembly and 100% testing & quality control is done in Southern California. Each V7 comes with a serialized, hand-filled certificate of our assembly, testing & control process.
(Jim Evans)