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30 April 2025

Austria - The five-star hotel Das Central in Sölden, Tyrol combines mountain panoramas, modern luxury and high standards of wellness. The Summit Spa with its all-round glazed infinity pool has also recently been added to the list of facilities. The two-storey spa area was built in 2023 as part of an extensive renovation, which also included a new audio system.

For the multi-zone sound system in the various indoor and outdoor areas, the integrator responsible – Wilderness Studios – opted for a lean LD Systems setup based on the Questra design and management platform.

Excellent sound, high-quality design and ease of use − these were the three main requirements the hotel management had when they approached Wilderness Studios. “The Central is a luxury hotel. As such, it was important to offer high-quality systems that not only sound classy, but

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30 April 2025

India - Canadian manufacturer of professional audio solutions, Adamson, will be represented by local distributor StageMix at this year’s Palm Expo in Mumbai. Taking place between 29 and 31 May, Palm Expo is the leading professional audiovisual exhibition in India. StageMix will be responsible for the debut of Adamson’s new VGt series of large-format line array loudspeakers, the first member of the brand’s Vergence Group.

“India represents an exciting and fast-growing market for Adamson, and we are thrilled to introduce our VGt loudspeakers at Palm Expo,” confirms Pieter van Hoogdalem, business development strategist at Adamson. “StageMix will present a range of Adamson solutions, but the spotlight will be firmly on the VGt and its potential for large-scale live events and venues.”

VGt is a peak-performance large-format line array loudsp

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29 April 2025

UK - For the first time, PLASA Focus Leeds has launched an official mobile app, now available to download on both Apple and Android devices. Introduced following the success of the PLASA Show London app in 2024, which saw strong uptake among visitors, the new app is designed to maximise engagement and efficiency at the 2025 show.

Taking place at the Royal Armouries, Leeds on 13–14 May 2025, the event will once again welcome thousands of professionals working across live events, AV, lighting, audio, rigging, staging and more. The PLASA Focus Leeds app serves as a comprehensive, digital companion for navigating the show, enabling you to:

 - Access and print visitor badges directly from the app

 - Browse a full exhibitor and product list in advance

 - View the detailed seminar and workshop schedule

 - Use the inter

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29 April 2025

UK - Unusual Rigging is undertaking a pioneering sustainability initiative that aims to embed environmental and social sustainability across its operations and supply chain. With ambitions that extend beyond internal improvements, the project is designed to identify key areas for action aligned with recognised industry frameworks.

To deliver this work, Unusual is working with Hope Solutions, a leading sustainability consultancy operating at the intersection of climate science and live events. Known for their work with clients including Coldplay, Netflix and Live Nation, Hope Solutions brings deep expertise in carbon measurement, stakeholder engagement, and long-term sustainability planning.

The project is being led internally by managing director Tom Harper - who holds a Masters in the Circular Economy MBA - and supported by facilities and resource m

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29 April 2025

Japan - Ampetronic, designer and manufacturer of assistive listening solutions is sponsoring the UK Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Ampetronic is ensuring clear audio is accessible to all UK Pavilion visitors so they can fully engage in this entertaining experience that demonstrates the best of British creativity and innovation.

Expo 2025 opened on 13 April and will run through 13 October. More than 28m visitors from Japan and internationally are expected to attend the Expo, themed Designing Future Society for Our Lives.

Visitors to the UK Pavilion will meet the UK’s Expo 2025 mascot, PIX, and be invited to participate in an immersive and interactive exhibit. The exhibit is an animated 20-minute journey that features a heartfelt story of a Japanese father and daughter and their experiences working in, living in, and visitin

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29 April 2025

Mexico - Based in the thriving commercial and industrial centre of Monterrey, the capital of the state of Nuevo Leon in northeastern Mexico, and occupying 7,000 sq.m of warehouse space, technical production company Serpro Producciones offers lighting, audio, rigging, stage, and backline rentals.

Led by Emmanuel Gonzalez and supported by an enthusiastic team, Serpro has built a reputation for service quality and is active in all sectors of entertainment, with a particular focus on the music industry. The company supplies numerous festivals, including the renowned Pa'l Norte Festival in Monterrey, as well as concerts and touring shows of all types and sizes.

A regular Robe investor since 2016, over the last two years the moving light inventory has jumped substantially to now include 120 x Robe Fortes, 13 x iFortes, 24 x iForte LTXs and a 12-wa

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29 April 2025

Netherlands - Following a devastating fire in 2022, the NBC Congrescentrum in Nieuwegein has emerged from its ashes not just rebuilt, but technologically transformed. This premier Dutch event venue, which evolved from a modest meeting space in 1992 to hosting up to 4,000 guests today, now features a sophisticated L-Acoustics K Series sound system with a design innovation: when two large halls combine into one space, four precisely positioned line arrays seamlessly integrate to deliver consistent audio coverage throughout.

L-Acoustics Certified Partner AudioBizz collaborated with René Doeser, project leader for the NBC, from Dutch system integrator AVEX to overcome NBC's primary challenge: creating a versatile system that not only satisfies demanding production riders but also integrates seamlessly with the venue's architectural aesthetics.

"We creat

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29 April 2025

USA - Situated in Fredericksburg, VA, the 1,200-seat multipurpose Dodd Auditorium, at the University of Mary Washington (UMW), has been treated to a new, fully DSP-optimised Wavefront Precision line array from Martin Audio.

The installation, which comprises hangs of seven elements per side, was undertaken by Martin Audio partner, Soundworks of Virginia.

Soundworks had worked at the venue many times over the years as a rental provider, notably at commencement ceremonies. Their CEO Steve Payne observed, “At these events all parents really care about is hearing their kid’s name read out clearly. But this was always a challenge over a 250ft throw distance.” But this is just one of a variety of events hosted at the venue, including all types of performance arts, lectures and movies.

Soundworks had traditionally front-lined another PA system,

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29 April 2025

UK - Media City’s new Content Studio and co-working space at White Tower in Salford offers a blank canvas for influencers, photographers, producers, film makers, and other creatives, where they can share ideas, collaborate on projects, and make connections.

An important feature of the new Studio is its audio system, which was delivered by experienced Salford-based specialists Hollowsphere AV, who recommended and installed a Pioneer Pro Audio system from the company’s CM-Series of commercial audio products. With a brief to provide a system for background music and performance, the system needed to provide warm, clear sound, whilst also having the aesthetic qualities to discreetly complement the Content Studio interior.

Adrian Ball of Hollowsphere comments: “We were recommended for this project having completed a previous job at Media City’s Ho

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29 April 2025

UK - After receiving a generous grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, part of the Creative Research Capabilities Project, Professor Andrew Knight-Hill (Professor of Music and Sound Arts) and Dr Dave Hockham (Associate Head of School Student Success) commissioned the Stage Electrics team for two new installations.

This government investment into creative research practices recognises the significant contribution of the creative industries to the UK economy and has sparked innovation in the University of Greenwich’s creative research community.

Speaking about the Bathway Theatre, Professor Knight-Hill stated: “The vision for this space was to create a flexible environment that fosters possibility - allowing people to realise whatever they can dream, breaking the concept of a traditional stage, and dissolving the boundary between stag

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29 April 2025

Poland - Fryderyki 2025 is Poland’s leading music awards ceremony. The gala performance, held in April 2025, was the culmination of a celebration that spanned Poland.

Held in the Tauron Arena in Kraków, the show was built around the power of DiGiCo Quantum consoles, with four Quantum 338s for front of house and monitor mixing, plus an additional Quantum 225 dedicated to public speaking and host mixes. The entire system was supplied by Brawlers, the audio production company owned by Remigiusz Kasztelnik, who was also on site to produce the audio for the event.

Organised by the Association of Audio-Video Producers and the Phonographic Academy, this celebration of Polish music took place in three different cities. On 23 March, nominees in the jazz categories gathered in the Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. A week later, on 30 Mar

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29 April 2025

UK - Bespoke wedding and events venue, Blackbrook Barns in Sussex found its match in the Optimal Audio ecosystem which married its need for a simple-to-use system with the delivery of a diverse range of audio styles – from the soft melodies of a ceremony to lively evening celebrations – across the multi-zoned venue.

The venue team needed an audio system that would keep pace with the ebb and flow of a meticulously planned wedding day and a key challenge was the creation of an experience that covered a range of uses, including background music, speeches, live performances, and live DJs, without complicating operation to ensure that staff could focus on delivering a flawless event rather than managing a complex sound system.

Local installer Richer Sounds, with the support of Logan Helps from Audio-Technica, designed and installed an ecosystem that w

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29 April 2025

UK - The ISCVE has announced the appointment of Jim Smith as its new president, officially introduced at this year’s ISCVEx event.

Smith brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for the audio, communications and AV industries and at ISCVEx, he shared his gratitude and optimism for the future of the Institute.

“I’m deeply honoured and excited to take on the role of president of the ISCVE. I look forward to building on the strong foundations already in place and supporting the delivery of key initiatives, such as the Good Sound Charter and Training for Microphone Users. I’m especially keen on supporting the development of new and yet to be conceived initiatives with a particular focus on AV and ESG (Environment, Social and Governance).

“In the last couple of years, the Institute has forged valuable partnershi

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29 April 2025

Hall of Fame - Rap group Outkast, pop star Cyndi Lauper and 1960s pioneer Chubby Checker have all won places in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This year's inductees were revealed live on American Idol, with the UK represented by hard rock band Bad Company and Joe Cocker, 11 years after his death from lung cancer. Performers become eligible for inclusion 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording. The nominations are voted on by more than 1,200 music historians, industry professionals and previously inducted artists.

The full list of performers to be inducted this year is: Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden and The White Stripes. Salt-N-Pepa, the first commercially successful female rap group, will also receive the musical influence award, alongside Warren Zevon. There are also musical e

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28 April 2025

France - The Showlight quadrennial is a rare event that you do not want to miss. Three days of lighting professionals networking and exchanging ideas, listening to speakers at the top of their profession, all in the beautiful setting of Dijon, France. This gathering only happens once every four years – and it’s for everyone.

Historically, Showlight is conducted solely in English but this year is different. Located in France and supported by French lighting manufacturer and headline sponsor, Robert Juliat, we look forward to welcoming many French-speaking delegates as well as international attendees.

To make sure nobody misses a word, for the first time Showlight is offering simultaneous translation of the Papers and Q&A sessions across four languages. Delegates can choose to listen – and ask questions – in English, French, Italian and Spa

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28 April 2025

Europe - In a significant achievement for both consumer safety and intellectual property rights, L-Acoustics has successfully won legal judgments against two European counterfeiters of its professional audio equipment. These legal actions underscore the company’s unwavering commitment to ensuring audience safety and protecting the market for legitimate partners.

Working through its dedicated Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force, L-Acoustics pursued legal action in both Germany and Norway against companies that were acquiring and renting fake L-Acoustics products, including loudspeakers and electronics. Initial analysis of the seized counterfeit products revealed alarming safety concerns, including metal components only half the required strength of authentic L-Acoustics specifications – resulting in a 48% decrease in safety factor.

In Germany, the cour

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28 April 2025

Venezuela - Grupo Zónico, a leading name in event production and entertainment technology with over 20 years of experience, has been appointed as the official distributor of the Outline Newton audio processor in Venezuela.

Hugo Morillo, director of Grupo Zónico, states: “Newton has been a go-to solution for the most demanding live productions worldwide. Its exceptional audio quality and seamless integration with systems from any brand allow system engineers to overcome complex challenges with greater efficiency and reliability.”

Newton has been deployed at multiple consecutive editions of Glastonbury and Coachella, as well as world tours by artists such as Roger Waters, Tool, Snow Patrol, Sam Smith, Kenny Chesney, and Joe Bonamassa.

At the latest World Youth Day in Lisbon, the challenge of delivering Pope Francis’s message in

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28 April 2025

Denmark - Litecom has made a major investment in new Robe moving lights. The company is based in Copenhagen and has a branch in Stockholm, Sweden and works extensively across the two countries and throughout Scandinavia.

2024’s purchases include 50 x Forte Profile moving lights, 60 x Painte Profiles and 136 x Spiider LED wash beams, all delivered by Danish distributor, Light Partner. This was followed by a further investment of 24 more Fortes, another 50 x Paintes plus three BMFL FollowSpots.

“This decision was based on boosting our inventory with reliable stage lighting products that are universally useful across all our projects,” explained Litecom lighting designer Martin Wallin.

Wallin has been with the company for 19 years and oversees all the major broadcast projects, which have included supplying lighting to the Eurovision Song C

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28 April 2025

France - "Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist." Kelian Sevrée and the team at Concept K embrace that concept, and they proved its merit in style at the 2025 Dystopia festivals, held in two separate locations, Mulhouse and Rennes.

At both sites, they departed from the standard practice (that says you must have a massive video wall on a festival’s main stage). Instead, they animated their two main stages, both of which were devoted to hardcore music, with brawny collections of lighting effects, including the Chauvet Professional Color Strike M, as well as some compelling cubic set pieces.

“Unlike what is done in most modern productions, we chose not to include a video screen at the back of the stage,” explained Sevrée. “Given the scale of the event, we were able to break away from this standard element, a

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28 April 2025

India - The Chambal riverfront in Kota, Rajasthan is an urban development that has rejuvenated a 6km stretch of land into a thriving cultural and tourist destination.

Designed to celebrate the architectural heritage and cultural richness of India, the riverfront features 26 distinct ghats, each representing a different regional style. Among these, the Rajputana Ghat highlights the art and traditions of nine regions of Rajasthan, while the Sahitya Ghat pays homage to literary giants with statues of renowned authors and a library housing thousands of books.

Beyond its cultural significance, the restoration of the Chambal Riverfront plays a crucial role in ecosystem revitalisation, renewing the connection between the community and the river. The west-side garden of the project combines art, lighting, and horticulture, offering visitors a captivating exp