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22 October 2024

Germany - The Adele in Munich show was big in every respect. Taking place on a fully bespoke, purpose-built stage in front of a 220m x 19m LED screen backdrop (a Guinness Book of World Records holder) with a central thrust measuring 84m, the Adele Arena hosted approximately 80,000 fans each night for 10 performances in August. 

The spectacular production was Adele’s second concert residency and marked her first non-UK European concert since 2016, after which the entire site was taken down and reset to its pre-existing condition.

The creative team behind Adele in Munich spent 10-12 months working on the various aspects of this massive undertaking with everything designed around these unique performances, all of which was intended to bring the artist as close as possible to her fans in the audience.

Lighting designer, Cory FitzGeral

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22 October 2024

Poland – The Gdańsk Institute of Urban Culture is a multi-purpose venue that features an immersive experience with L-ISA technology from L-Acoustics. “Gdańsk has always been blessed with a pioneering, independent way of thinking. Everything starts here – one might say – and innovative spaces like Gdańsk Institute of Urban Culture with its L-ISA immersive experience help the community’s cultural vibrancy to flourish,” says Pawel Kuhn, marketing director at Audio Plus, which installed the new audio technology.

Housed in a converted water plant, which even features a river running underneath so that visitors can traverse via glass floors, the space is fittingly called the Kunszt Wodny (Water Art) building. The Institute creates and hosts a vast range of projects designed to promote culture and nurture the city's heritage. The building features a

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22 October 2024

UK – Bristol’s ArcTanGent ‘post-rock and experimental’ music festival kick-drummed its way to its Fernhill Farm location in September with headliners Mogwai and a host of alt-favourites performing amid live visual content. d&b Solutions company Production AV was challenged with supplying, rigging and operating the LED screens with all content driven by their own Hippotizer Amba+ Media Server.

To do the “infectious, thrashy rock” justice, Production AV’s Olie Goulding specified an 8m x 4.5m Desay M6 screen for the Main Stage, which was selected as the best size to fit the stage and structure. The team then coupled this with their playback and control solution with the Amba+ Media Server at its core.

“As each band was supplying their own content, the Amba+ made it easy to manage large amounts of data and provides a platform that mak

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22 October 2024

USA - The revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Sunset Blvd., directed by Jamie Lloyd, recently debuted at the St. James Theatre on Broadway with Nicole Scherzinger in the lead role.

This follows 16 weeks at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End district, from September 2023 through this past January, where it won the Olivier Award for Best Sound Design. The winner of that award, Adam Fisher, is now reprising his role in New York, using the Fourier Audio transform.engine, a Dante-connected server designed to run VST3-native software plugins in a live environment.

Paired with a DiGiCo Quantum7T front-of-house console supplied by Masque Sound, this musical is Fisher’s third time using the transform.engine’s ability to let him access any and all plugins he needs in real time, with low latency. “I first used it on Kiss Me, Kate in April of

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22 October 2024

Germany - Set in a rock labyrinth, with certain upstage scene elements offset at heights up to 25m above the main stage area, Wunsiedel’s Luisenburg Festspiele, on Germany’s oldest outdoor stage, turned to TiMax SoundHub to create intelligible immersive audio for every seat in the 2,000-strong audience, via sophisticated object-based soundscapes rendered by the platform’s dynamic delay-matrix processing.

System sound designer, David Horn, maintains four TiMax SoundHub show control systems at his disposal, but used a single 64-channel unit activated for seamless real-time vocal localisation driven by a new TiMax TrackerD4, recently purchased from the TiMax German distributor, Pro-Audio Technik.

Eight TiMax Tracker sensors, some mounted on trees and even rocks, covered the 38m-wide and 25m deep performance area, complete with one section of stage

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22 October 2024

Germany - The lighting for Adele’s record-breaking Adele in Munich residency featured over 250 Robe Forte moving lights, split into 223 iForte LTXs used for multiple key lighting positions for the artist and 36 iFortes dedicated to lighting the band.

13 Robe iBolts were also part of the lighting aesthetic developed by Cory FitzGerald and the creative team, led by show director Kim Gavin, to embrace all the challenges and demands of this epic proportioned show by the global superstar. All lighting equipment was supplied by UK-based Neg Earth Lights and the screen was constructed by Solotech.

The 10 blockbusting shows took place over five weekends during the month of August 2024, and were production directed by Paul English. The performances were enjoyed by 730,000 people, also breaking the record for the highest attendance of any ‘concert residenc

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22 October 2024

Albania - Green Coast is a luxury tourist retreat located in the resort of Palasë. Known as the Albanian Riviera, and overlooking the Ionian Sea, it is also a popular recreational hub, with a number of bars and restaurants.

One of these is the latest LAST, run by restaurateurs Revo Hospitality Group (RHG). Described as a “one-stop shop for food and beverage experiences, providing something for everyone from daytime dining, nightlife and events” it recently turned to Martin Audio’s local distribution partner, Prosound for a sound system installation. This was after they had successfully carried out other work for the Group (including SALT restaurants, and Lift Steak & Rooftop Bar).

Having used the Prosound/Martin Audio combination successfully on previous installations, RHG had no need to change a winning formula. Tasked with reinforcing a

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22 October 2024

Europe - Onboard reliability is key for Norwegian singer-songwriter and record producer Marie Ulven Ringheim’s indie pop project, Girl in Red. The latest tour has seen the band grow, not only in size, but venue capacity. Larger venues meant higher complexity and production values, and sound engineers Kris Derry and Matt Wickens knew they needed the most stable equipment available, that also sounded great and could withstand the rigours of worldwide touring. For them, only DiGiCo could fit that bill, and the two Quantum 338s, KLANG:DMI, and Fourier Audio transform.engine, all provided by Entec Sound and Light, have been working for Girl in Red across the world in arenas and at festivals ever since.

Derry mixes at the front of house position. He has been with the band since 2019, and has witnessed a huge change in the way they tour.

"When I started,

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22 October 2024

UK - Specialist real estate development company, Long Harbour, recently added two new urban developments to its growing portfolio: The Sessile in Tottenham, North London and Riverstone Heights in Bromley-by-Bow, East London. Both developments are residential co-living spaces, where apartment residents enjoy access to shared amenities for life, work and play.

London-based systems integrators, Tateside, were approached by Long Harbour to complete the integration of user-friendly AV systems throughout both developments.

“We’ve worked with the Long Harbour group on and off for several years,” reflects Joby Morris, project manager at Tateside. “In the past, we’ve designed systems for other Long Harbour projects, but this was our first time working on a project of this scale with the client. Whilst there are differences between the two sites, it

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22 October 2024

Tourist Tax - Bosses at Royal Opera House and Shakespeare’s Globe are among more than 300 business leaders calling on the chancellor to axe a so-called ‘tourist tax’. Alex Beard of the ROH and Stella Kanu of Shakespeare’s Globe have added their signatures to a letter appealing to Rachel Reeves to reintroduce tax-free shopping for tourists ahead of this month’s budget.

Business leaders, including those who run department store John Lewis and make-up giant Charlotte Tilbury, claim the tax is deterring some two million foreign visitors from coming to the UK, thereby diminishing their spend on British products, hospitality, and culture.

The letter reads: "In 2021, in the aftermath of the pandemic that had hit businesses like ours hard, the then chancellor Rishi Sunak scrapped the tax-free shopping scheme for tourists that had existed for decade

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18 October 2024

LSi is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Brian Croft – Crofty to just about everyone in the industry - who died peacefully in hospital on Wednesday October 16th, his family around him.

Brian was a key figure in entertainment lighting and production, beginning in theatre (he was a member of the original National Youth Theatre company in 1956, going on to train at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School then to jobs at Perth Rep and Stratford-upon-Avon before returning to the NYT as production manager), moving to the new ICA in London as it opened, starting to perform liquid light shows with fellow NYT member John Brown and forming a lighting supply company, ESP, with him. The company would go on to supply lighting to the likes of The Who, David Bowie. Elton John, Queen and others.

Through a series of mergers, ESP became part of Electrosound, which then

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21 October 2024

Poland - Theatre Muzyczny (Musical Theatre) in the seaside city of Gdynia on Poland’s north coast is the largest musical theatre in Poland, with three stages able to accommodate over 1,580 people.

Also known for its world-class performances and high production values, the venue has recently invested in 43 Robe Forte moving lights, which are rigged in its 1,070-capacity main stage venue. These were supplied by Robe’s Polish distributor, Prolight, who won a competitive tender to supply the new tech.

Bartosz Wolak has worked at the Theatre for the last 11 years as chief LX and head of lighting, a multiplexing role that also encompasses designing and operating the lights for their own productions. He and his lighting team of eight were instrumental in choosing Robe for this major technical upgrade that ensures Theatre Muzyczny will continue presentin

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21 October 2024

Canada - LEA Professional has announced its partnership with Quebec-based AV distributor SFM.

SFM will now offer customers LEA Professional’s award-winning Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity.

"We share the same goal as our customers – to exceed expectations, and we are constantly seeking partners who uphold these standards," said Sami Midani, director of business development at SFM. "LEA has an exceptional and extensive technology catalogue that will bring variety and strength to our Canadian customers."

"Canada is a key area of growth for us as we enter a new year," said Scott Robbins, VP of sales at LEA Professional. "This partnership will enable us to tap into SFM’s established network that has been growing for nearly 50 years. We are closing out

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21 October 2024

Chile - Cloud Microphones has announced the expansion of its distribution network in Central and South America. New partnerships have been established in El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile, broadening access to their innovative audio solutions.  

“These partnerships mark another step in our commitment to expanding our global presence and supporting the international music community,” said Rodger Cloud, founder and CEO of Cloud Microphones. “We look forward to collaborating with our new distributors to empower musicians, podcasters, broadcasters, and others to enhance their audio quality and share Cloud's message of creative inspiration.”

Pro Audio Sistemas, based in Chile, is among the new distributors to showcase Cloud’s products. “The opportunity to represent Rodger's innovative solutions was one I couldn

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21 October 2024

Poland - Sound provider Gigant Sound/Letus, Europe’s largest Outline GTO inventory holder, was once again entrusted with delivering the sound for the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole. Along with the Sopot Festival, it ranks as one of the two most important cultural events in Poland, celebrating the achievements of Polish songwriters and performers over the past year.

The festival takes place in the Millennium Amphitheatre, a venue where every Polish artist aspires to perform. This site has hosted the event since 1963, making it one of the oldest European festivals.

Over the decades, it has seen the rise of numerous renowned Polish artists from various generations and genres, including Maryla Rodowicz, Marek Grechuta, Zbigniew Wodecki, and Justyna Steczkowska. The festival not only marks the start of summer each year with

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21 October 2024

Europe - Schoko Pro in Wiesbaden recently organised a corporate event at the Stockholm Exhibition Centre. For the lighting of the entire day's celebration, involving both conference and gala spaces, the team led by project manager Joe Wippel used Claypaky’s compact Midi-B Wash/Beamlight.

300 moving lights fitted with 19x40W LEDs replaced an older LED wash light of the same size supplied by a different manufacturer and used for this same event in previous years.

Jens Wetterkamp of NicLen, a dry-hire company in Dortmund, suggested that Schoko Pro try Claypaky's Midi-B. “As soon as I looked at the technical data sheet I realised that this solution was exactly what we were looking for. Then, once on site, the projector took us by surprise in several different ways: it is lightweight, bright, extremely stylish, generates delightful colours and has an

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21 October 2024

France - Young people from around the world participated in the 47th annual WorldSkills Competition in Lyon.

Founded in the aftermath of WWII when there was a global shortage of skilled workers, WorldSkills is dedicated to promoting vocational education. The 2024 edition of this biannual event fulfilled this mission in style.

Beyond being enriched by the exchange of ideas and knowledge, however, participants and guest from 70 countries left WorldSkills energised by the uplifting mood that resonated throughout Parc Olympique Lyonnais stadium during the closing ceremonies.

Enhancing this inspirational aura and taking its energy to a new level was the production design by Frédéric (Aldo) Fayard working with set designer Simon Fouillet, and lighting-multimedia designer Theo Broche Cannone, along with the rest of the team at Concept K that featu

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21 October 2024

Australia - Centrestate Sound & Lighting has expanded its inventory with the acquisition of the Prolights Smart BatWash to enhance the efficiency and the versatility of their productions. 

Centrestate Sound & Lighting provides production services even in the most remote areas of New South Wales, often facing the challenge of working in environments with limited technical infrastructure. In this context, adopting battery-operated fixtures like the Smart BatWash proves to be a strategic choice to ensure high-quality productions even in the absence of traditional power sources. 

Allan Brown, CEO of Centrestate, comments: “The Smart BatWash units have proven to be extremely versatile and suited to a wide range of events, from conferences to stage live. With features like IP65 rating, wireless DMX, and the battery operation option you can't go

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21 October 2024

UK - Tiger Bay, one of London’s late-night shisha lounges, has continued its expansion with the opening of a new venue in Enfield. This new location marks the brand’s fourth UK branch and its seventh internationally.

With this new venue, Tiger Bay wanted to create an environment that easily shifted from a dining experience to a lively party destination. As the evening progresses and guest DJs take over, the space needed to deliver ‘an immersive sound experience that elevates the entire atmosphere’. To meet these requirements, a quality, scalable sound system was essential – leading Tiger Bay to KV2.

“The client reached out to us via word of mouth, bringing a set of detailed drawings,” explains Toby Jones, AV designer at Middlesex Sound & Lighting, the team responsible for the sound system installation. “They were looking for a dis

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21 October 2024

USA - Elation has announced the hiring of professional brand strategist Braven Greenelsh as the company’s chief marketing officer. In addition to being an entrepreneur and award-winning thought leader in brand development, Greenelsh has a strong background in corporate identity and product design. He has collaborated with the Elation team for many years and contributed to the success of several of Elation’s top brands, including PROTEUS and Obsidian Control Systems.   

Toby Velazquez, CEO of Elation and president of the ADJ Group, comments: “We have always valued our brand as a vital part of our business, and as we continue to relentlessly push boundaries in design, engineering, quality, and reliability, I’ve personally recognised the need to amplify our marketing efforts. This is why we made the decision to invest in a proven visionary like Braven