USA - Allen & Heath’s SQ-7 digital mixer won the Best of Show award the 2018 InfoComm Show.
The prize was awarded by NewBay Media’s Pro Audio Group, who highlighted the desk’s technical performance, value, versatility and reliability.
Allen & Heath held SQ-7 training sessions at the event and also introduced interactive video displays for its ME Personal Monitoring system, a focused installed-sound #WallOfInstall, and ‘real world’ application touch panels and controllers from Allen & Heath and third-parties such as AMX, Attero Tech, Extron and RDK. The company also highlighted its dLive Digital Mixing System version V1.7 firmware with Shure integration.
In the Allen & Heath training session, Designing Efficient, Cost-Effective Distributed Audio and Integrated Hardware Control, installation product manager Martijn Verkerk presented a wide range of topics from audio networking basics to more advanced system design strategies.
Verkerk comments: “Having the opportunity to share and discuss various approaches to distributed audio and interactive AV was wonderful. As often happens, we learned as much from attendees as they learned from us when it comes to unique ways of designing and configuring highly flexible Allen & Heath installed solutions.”
Jeff Hawley, marketing manager, Allen & Heath USA, adds: “The Allen & Heath booth was hopping through the entire show, with queues forming around the SQ-7 and our other interactive displays. For SQ, fans spoke and we listened by bringing out this new

Europe - ADB launched Lexpert, a new line of white-light LED fixtures for theatre lighting, a Hathor software update and a new remote control surface, Wily!.
The latest update to Hathor features a continually updated fixture library and a special video tutorial and technical assistance service. ADB’s Wily! - a practical smart tool for remote control - is available for iPad or iPhone. It is compatible with the full range of hardware consoles using the software Prego or Hathor. Once connected to the computing unit, Wily! behaves like the front panel of a classic lighting console. Users can connect up to four tablets, which can be joined as an entire interface to provide a larger surface. The software is modular, so it can also be used as an extension of a physical console.
ADB is also posting a series of tutorials in English and French on its new YouTube channel, where an expert operator will explain in detail the use of the Hathor system on ADB lighting control desks.
(Jim Evans)

UK - Penn Elcom has launched its new PDU16 range of premium rack-mounting power distribution: the PDU16-UN, the PDU16-EU, the PDU16-PC and the PDU16-AV.
The 2U high horizontal mounting PDU16 series has been developed in response to growing customer demand in the 19-inch rack market.
Features include a backlit LCD monitoring display on the front of each unit, showing essential operational feedback and data including voltage, current, power in watts and energy level. PDU16-UN (universal) main in/outs on Circuit A are a panel mounting 32A 240V IP44-C-FORM input socket feeding through to a 16A IP44 C-FORM output socket via an illuminated circuit breaker.
The PDU16-EU main in/outs on Circuit A are a panel mounting 32A 240V IP44 C-FORM input socket feeding through to a 16A IP44 C-FORM output socket via an illuminated circuit breaker.
PDU16-PC has a panel mounting 32A 240V IP44 C-FORM input socket as the main in/out on Circuit A, feeding through to a 16A IP44 C-FORM output socket via illuminated circuit breaker.
PDU16-AV is designed for home audio visual installations and multimedia applications from live music venues to theme parks and museums. The main input is a 20A Neutrik powerCON, complete with a 2nd order EMI filter and a GDT / VDR protection circuit to deal with lightning strikes and local power surges.
All four models of PDU16 have illuminated circuit breakers for overload protection, M4 earth studs for rack ground continuity and adjustable rack mounting ear positions.
(Jim Evans)

Poland - Centrum Spotkania Kultur (Centre for the Meeting of Cultures) - ‘CSK’ for short - in the heart of Lublin, Poland’s ninth largest city, is a performance and culture venue that opened in 2016.
Its main auditorium is now the second largest stage in Poland, and there is also a chamber space and a cinema hall with a programme of new, classic, reimagined and experimental works by creatives from all over Poland and across Europe.
CSK has 70 x Robe luminaires in the main stage space - a combination of LEDWash 800s, BMFL Spots, Pointes and ParFect 100s - which were specified by CSK’s head of technical, Bart Pyczek.
He was involved in the specification process early-on, when the initial equipment schedules were being proposed by Lublin-based theatre consultant Boleslaw Stecmach. “His practice is involved in many important buildings all over Poland, however with this one, we all really wanted to do something new and innovative,” says Bart.
Bart recommended that Robe moving lights would be a flexible and highly cost-effective option.
He had used many different Robe products extensively at concerts and events in and around the city and the region before taking up his post at CSK. He also worked as a backline tech for music TV shows, and had seen a lot of Robe being used by companies like Transcolor in this context. They and several major TV studios and other rental houses specialising in the TV sector have invested in Robe in recent years due to the hard work of Robe’s Polish distributor, Prolight.
“I wanted Robe in the

UK - While the 2014 Disney film production of Into the Woods garnered much attention, thanks in part to its all-star Hollywood cast including the likes of Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp, a recent UCL theatre production has succeeded in stripping down the Stephen Sondheim classic to its thematic core - exposing the eternal battle between darkness and light.
Instrumental in this exploration of desire, ambition and relationships through classic Brothers Grimm characters such as Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel was a combination of Chauvet Professional Maverick MK1 Spot and MK3 Wash fixtures, specified by LD Alex Forey.
With the general concept for the lighting based around the need to support the director’s post-apocalyptic vision, the cutting and powerful effects of the Maverick combination were called upon to create unique and harrowing atmospherics.
Forey comments: “As the set had a lot of exposed aluminium, sharp corners and barbed wire, I wanted to make sure the lighting never felt too ‘homely’. I was able to support this drastic visual collage with the cutting features of the Maverick fixtures - an absolute necessity to support the sinister elements of the play.”
The Maverick MK1 Spots were positioned from overhead stage trussing and were utilized for a variety of purposes, including punchy strobe-emulating effects and general set dressing.
“The iris, animation wheel and rotating gobo wheels came in really handy for a number of scenes,” adds Forey. “In fact, the Spot effects define a number of key

UK - Hofesh Shechter Company celebrated its 10th anniversary and kicked off the first day of Brighton Festival in May with a performance of Grande Finale, the latest original dance work from award-winning choreographer Hofesh Shechter.
Signature to any Shechter production is the ‘Hofesh Haze’, a distinctive thick haze with an even, creamy look that remains consistent throughout the performances. To achieve this effect, Adam Hooper, head of production at Hofesh Shechter, relies on MDG haze and fog generators which are hired locally at each venue, or brought along by the company if there is no local availability. “Because haze is such a large part of Hofesh’s productions, we only use MDG haze and fog generators and specify them on every rider, with no substitute,” he says.
In Grand Finale, the set in Tom Scutt’s design consists of seven rolling towers manipulated by the dancers, and the architecture of Tom Visser’s stark and stylish lighting design, with beams of monochromatic light that cut sharply through the haze and change with each repositioning of the towers.
“The lighting positions are very specific and structured,” explains Hooper. “Focusing can take up to eight hours because Hofesh insists on running through the show at every new venue, and his attention to detail means we frequently tweak the lighting levels by as little as 0.5% during technical rehearsals. This is why the ‘Hofesh Haze’ is a very important addition to the aesthetic. We need it to look the same at all times, with no little puffs or clou

Sweden - When the 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships were held 29 April-6 May in Halmstad, Sweden, the tournament attracted a worldwide viewer audience of 400 million. Lighting and sound rental company Tylösound AB served as the official technical supplier to the Championships and used Elation Professional’s Fuze Wash 575 cool-white LED PAR moving head luminaires to meet the strict illumination requirements.
Held at Halmstad Arena, with roughly 3000 live spectators each day, the event featured eight days of live TV and was streamed live. Light levels onto three centre courts - and every area of each court - were carefully monitored. “We required a measurement of at least 1600 lux on each 9 x 20m court,” stated Paul Aladin, owner of Tylösound AB, supplier of lighting, sound, smoke and LED screens for the event.”
Working with Elation, Aladin initially based his calculations on the use of 48 Fuze Wash 575 fixtures per court. “We found however that we got measurements of 1600-2000 lux using only 32 fixtures per court so we were able to use fewer fixtures than originally planned. It worked very well.”
32 Fuze Wash 575 fixtures were rigged above each of three table tennis courts at a trim height of 12 to13m – 96 fixtures total with eight held as spares. A very smooth, uniform light quality was essential, something the Fuze Wash 575 excels at with an extremely accurate colour temperature and high CRI of 95.
“We measured the CRI all over the court at 95,” says Aladin. “It was very consistent and measured even everywhere,

Australia - Over 6,600 athletes and team officials from more than 71 nations and territories descended on Australia’s Gold Coast to compete in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in April.
Audio production specialist and official sponsor Norwest Productions deployed over 500 L‑Acoustics cabinets, including 124 K2, in 22 sporting venues.
“With the Games being held in our backyard, we’d always set our sights on being involved,” says Norwest’s Gra Whitehouse. “But the ceremonies audio project was an open tender, with all the usual pre-qualifying requirements, specifically around workplace safety processes and, of course, competency for the actual delivery of an audio project of that scale and nature. We knew we would need a watertight plan and some strategic investment.”
With their eyes set firmly on the prize, at the end of last year Norwest Productions decided to add 370 L-Acoustics cabinets to its inventory, including a substantial K2 system, as well as K1-SB, KS28, Kiva II, SB15, ARCS WiFo, LARAK II and LA4X amplified controllers.
“Our investment took our national inventory to around 900 of France’s finest and the results were superb,” says Whitehouse. “Combining this new stock with our existing inventory of dV-DOSC, Kudo, and 12XT, we were able to put together a proposal that delivered almost all games systems as a single-brand solution, with the exception of some application-specific paging systems.”
The remit for the entire contract was about achieving excellence for the spectator. Each audience member

UK - On 14 June, Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, officially opened Chester’s Storyhouse theatre.
The Chester Storyhouse theatre was built in 1936 and is a Grade II listed building. It was originally the city’s Odeon cinema but had been disused since 2007 - until a £37m RE:NEW project initiated by Cheshire West and Chester Council set about converting and extending the original building.
Stage Electrics were tasked with installing and supplying sound, production lighting, AV equipment, paging and technical infrastructure for the entire project.
The specialist integrator delivered the production lighting equipment, AV infrastructure and Front of House audio systems. In addition to the fully automated, DCI compliant cinema system, Stage Electrics also installed a versatile HD video distribution network throughout the venue. Further, architectural feature lighting and touchscreen control was specified and installed to the exterior of the striking ‘glass box’ cinema to illuminate the structure.
“The fact that half of the project was a new build theatre and the other half was a refurbishment of a Grade II listed building made this project really interesting,” said Ian Dunne, Stage Electrics’ project manager for the project. “The attention to detail maintained by everyone involved in the project and the blend of old and new has created a breath-taking venue.”
Although the theatre has been open since 2017 Her Majesty the Queen and new granddaughter-in-law Meghan Markle, cut the ribbon

Europe - Green Hippo has appointed Video Projektai as its exclusive Lithuanian distributor. With immediate effect, Video Projektai takes responsibility for distributing Green Hippo throughout the largest of the three Baltic nations.
Video Projektai is based in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital city, meaning it is well placed to take advantage of businesses based in the former European Capital of Culture, as well as beyond and into the rest of the country.
With over 10 years of providing solutions to Lithuania’s video creatives, Video Projektai has the necessary technical expertise, in addition to the required understanding of its home territory, to promote Green Hippo’s line of cutting-edge technology to the Lithuanian market.
James Roth, head of sales and marketing at Green Hippo, says: “Lithuania offers solid potential for Green Hippo to further cement its footholds on the eastern coast of Northern Europe. We need a partner who not only knows the market, but also knows Green Hippo. We are confident that Video Projektai can deliver on both prerequisites.”
(Jim Evans)

UK - Theatres Trust has announced that booking is open for its 2018 conference in October.
The 2018 conference, Adapt & Thrive - new money and new models for theatre buildings will be held on Tuesday, 16 October at the Lyric Hammersmith in London.
The annual conference will feature broad-ranging debates, panel discussions with audience participation, case studies from architects, theatre operators and consultants, developers, local authorities and LEPs, and high profile speakers, including Michael Ellis MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, and producer and theatre owner Cameron Mackintosh.
Jon Morgan, director of Theatres Trust, comments: “If there is one thing the theatre industry is good at it is improvising - making the best of our resources and ensuring that at all costs the show must go on. We now need to pose important questions: How are the UK’s theatres changing their buildings and their business models so they can thrive in the 21st century? What are the future capital needs for Britain's theatres? Where are the gaps in provision and where will the finance be sourced?
“Conference 18 will look at the measures that can be taken to ensure Britain continues to invest in its theatre building infrastructure so that present and future generations can access the excitement of live performance wherever they live in the country.”
(Jim Evans)

UK - The Martin by Harman MAC Encore Wash was awarded the Lighting Product of the Year 2018 at the recent ABTT Theatre Show in London. It was described by the Association of British Theatre Technicians adjudicating committee as “a suitable and long overdue alternative to a discontinued tungsten moving head favourite”.
MAC Encore is a new family of full-featured, low weight, LED moving heads that deliver levels of light quality and consistent performance. Featuring whisper-quiet performance, both the MAC Encore Performance and MAC Encore Wash are available in two dedicated colour temperature variants (WRM and CLD) for a wide variety of applications where critical lighting is required.
MAC Encore Wash WRM is an LED-based, replacement for the much-loved, discontinued MAC TW1, offering 3000 K warm tungsten emulation that challenges the output quality of a real incandescent light source, and doubles as a modern replacement for generic fixtures.
MAC Encore Wash CLD is an LED-based alternative to the MAC Viper Wash DX. The soft edge moving head offers 6000 K crisp, neutral daylight, and doubles as a modern replacement for generic fixtures like HMI-based Fresnel fixtures.
On hand to pick up the award were Ian Cullen, Rob Beamer and Lauren Drinkwater from Sound Technology., the UK distributors for Martin by Harman.
(Jim Evans)

The Netherlands - Elation is holding PRO Service Days on 10-11 July at its European headquarters in Kerkrade, the Netherlands.
The training days will provide in-depth technical knowledge of the company’s most popular products, with a detailed look at technological construction while covering important service guidelines. A €30 hospitality fee will be required to cover food and drinks and registration. There is only room for 15 participants each day early registration is recommended. Deadline for registration is 6 July.
Elation’s European headquarters is centrally located on the German / Belgian border and can be easily reached by road from the UK, Belgium, Germany and France. For details, questions and/or help with accommodations, please contact Elation Europe at info@elationlighting.eu.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Celebrating its third year of exhibiting at InfoComm, Current RMS demonstrated its rental management software to all that came by stand C1510 over the three days.
Since last year’s show, Current RMS has released a number of new features, showing that it’s expanding as per the changing needs of the industry the cloud-based software was built for.
Do a Deal, the most recent feature update, was well received by booth visitors, providing users with the ability to set a round figure on quotes and orders they create for their clients. For example, if a job comes out at £6,453, it can be rounded up or down to create a neater price and much friendlier quotations. Deal prices are flexible, and can be set on product groups, or the entire job, distributing the change in revenue accordingly and allowing users to keep track of the profitability for each job.
Alongside this update, Current has introduced other features for the AV, lighting & staging industry, including Global Check-in. This additional feature makes it easy to get all kit returning from multiple jobs, checked in and back on the shelves as quickly as possible, simply by scanning or manually entering your way through the assets.
Current thrives off feedback from customers, with all updates to the system built with feedback from its open Customer Wishlist in mind. Users simply pitch their own ideas or add votes onto others with what they’d like to see in the system.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Fulcrum Acoustic has launched the FW15, a 15-inch coaxial cardioid stage monitor.
The FW15 incorporates Fulcrum Acoustic's patented passive cardioid technology, which enables attenuation of rear low frequency radiation that interferes with the audience, stage microphones and front-fills.
The FW15's coaxial transducer and 75° x 75° horn provides optimal coverage for monitoring applications, and its 3" compression driver and 3.5" voice coil 15" woofer assures robust headroom.
The monitor's pattern control, coupled with Fulcrum's TQ DSP processing allows superior consistency and gain-before-feedback both on- and off-axis. The clarity and source separation of the FW15 allows performers to clearly distinguish their own voice among others. This capability benefits mix engineers as well as performers.
The FW15's multi-faceted enclosure includes 40° and 55° angles for downstage and upstage distances respectively. Its road-ready, ergonomic design includes stout double grille construction and four input options positioned close to the stage to reduce the visual impact of connected cables. The powerful yet very portable FW15 coaxial cardioid stage monitor features integrated handles to facilitate carrying.
The FW15 stage monitor's cardioid behaviour is produced by an acoustical circuit that balances the position of the coaxial driver/horn assembly, the enclosure depth and volume, and specially constructed side ports toward the back of the cabinet which include a calibrated resistive element. The FW15's subcardioid low-frequency control p

UK - Technical entertainment charity Backup has joined AmazonSmile.
The initiative, which was launched in the UK last November, enables the e-commerce giant to donate 0.5% of the net purchase price (excluding VAT, returns and shipping fees) of eligible purchases to participating charitable organisations.
To support Backup through AmazonSmile, visit www.smile.amazon.co.uk and type Backup in the ‘Pick your own charitable organisation’ window when you shop.
(Jim Evans)

South Korea - Sitting on the slopes of Achasan Mountain and overlooking the Hangang River, the Walkerhill Hotel & Resort boasts one of the best views of South Korea’s capital, Seoul. The management of the hotel and its trio of high-end venues recently returned to its owners, SK Networks, which has made a significant investment in upgrading all three, including the installation of Yamaha audio equipment.
Walkerhill Hotel & Resort manages two hotels - Grand Walkerhill Seoul and Vista Walkerhill Seoul - along with Aston House, a luxurious Jacobean style mansion, which has hosted many state banquets and has been regularly used for product launches and parties for global luxury brands.
After a period being run by different franchises, SK Networks has chosen to return all three to independent status, with improved facilities. The investment has included new conference facilities at Grand Walkerhill Seoul and new audio systems at Aston House and Vista Walkerhill Seoul. The latter’s refurbishment has been designed to achieve - in the words of SK Networks - ‘a space where people, nature and the future coexist; creating a lifestyle and cultural experience with an emphasis on providing sustainable luxury’.
SPL Integrated Solutions, Korea, was entrusted with the supply and installation of new AV equipment under the guidance of owner Hwang Jun Ho. He chose Yamaha equipment as a key element of all three venues.
“I was familiar with the existing audio systems at the hotel,” he says. “When I was asked to recommend solutions for the upgra

UK - CPL supplied their new Roe 3.4mm LED screens and all associated processing and vision control for two major stages at the 2018 Hay Festival of Literature & Arts, the annual 10-day literature event staged in Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales.
It was the first time the west-Midlands based visual and technical production specialist had worked on the event, for which they were approached directly by the event organisers and asked to be a video supplier after several recommendations. It was also the first time that the event had gone to LED for video display, having worked with projection festival-wide for several years.
There are eight major live stages - offering over 5000 seats - and CPL was the video supplier for the two largest areas, the 1716 capacity Tata Tent and the Oxfam Moot stage which accommodated 921 people. Both featured an eclectic line-up of events running every day from 8 in the morning to 9.30 each night.
The project was managed for CPL by George Oakey from the office / warehouse end, and on-site by Stuart Dowdell, a regular CPL freelancer and a seasoned Hay Festival video tech having worked on it for the last six years. This meant he was in an excellent position to know exactly what was needed, and was one of those recommending CPL’s products and services.
The Roe 3.4mm HD screen was specified and designed to enable everyone in the rooms to clearly and comfortably be able to see a range of PowerPoint and Keynote presentations, VT playbacks, live camera feeds, pre-show rolls plus sponsor loops and stings as well as information

USA - The Shreveport Aquarium in Louisiana commissioned Fusiform Design Workshop to assist with the building’s lighting, signage, and digital interactive spaces.
Featured heavily throughout the exhibits, Visual Productions lighting controllers provide a robust and easy to deploy system for the special effect lighting. Fusiform is a multidisciplinary creative agency that has worked with clients to design everything from packaging to digital interactive spaces. Fusiform delivered four distinct signage systems and three lighting networks in the interactive elements for this aquarium.
Three QuadCore solid-state lighting controllers were installed in the network, controlling mainly Gantum spots and track lighting in the shipwreck, underwater cave and stand-alone virtual reality room.
In the stand-alone virtual reality room B-Stations were also used, so that each visitor could select their own colour cues. The aquarium has been supplied with an additional B-Station in the main office to start or reset all attractions.
As a first time customer and user of Visual Productions, Luke Lee of Fusiform felt that the lighting controllers were “extremely intuitive and reliable”.
(Jim Evans)

Australia - The frenetic pace of the rugby sevens and tens competitions sees stripped-down teams competing in a gala atmosphere with lightning fast-halves and quick turnarounds between games.
To sporting audio and comms provider Gearhouse Broadcast, this means having around 40 referees fitted with wireless mics and monitoring, sending audio to broadcast and the coaches, and receiving audio back through their in-ear monitors, all with one minute to changeover active frequencies between games. In this environment, Gearhouse relies on Shure Axient Digital wireless and Clear-Com matrices to make sure no-one misses a call.
“The Rugby Sevens at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium were 79 games across three days, and the Rugby Tens at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium were 40 games in two days,” reported Andrew Henderson, OB supervisor at Gearhouse Broadcast. “At the Sevens, we had 40 referees that had to be wired for comms. Each ref had a Shure PSM 1000 receiver for listen and a Shure Axient Digital AD1 bodypack transmitter fitted in their vests.
“Each game saw six refs on the field, with the main ref mic always open. The two assistant and two goal refs and the sideline manager all had push-to-talk buttons. The coaches had Clear-Com talkback panels so they could speak to the referees if they thought they needed to review a decision.”
Predictably, the RF environment was busy. “There was a lot of background RF, and a lot of RF on-site,” added Andrew. “But Axient Digital frequency management is really good; Shure’s Wireless Workbench software scan