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14 August 2024

USA - When veteran lighting designer Tom Kenny was called on to light a reimagined NHL Draft at the Las Vegas Sphere - the first live TV broadcast from the venue - he chose multi-dynamic Pulse Panel FX lights from Elation to back the all-important look.  

Evolving from a traditional convention-style draft to a 21st century show at arguably the most talked about venue in the US, the NHL dazzled players and fans 28-29 June with a visually striking broadcast.

“The NHL Draft at the Sphere was just amazing and out of this world,” Kenny enthused. “This was really a historical show and we needed a modern look for this new way to hold a draft. I knew I wanted something that was epic and futuristic looking in that main television shot, and even though you’re up against the biggest backlight in the world with its amazing content, the Pulse looked bea

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14 August 2024

South Africa - Beetek has announced the appointment of DWR Distribution as its official distributor in South Africa with the second stock order arriving soon.

With this partnership, DWR will offer the complete range of Beetek products including armoured multi-core fibre, active optical HDMI, stackable cable reels, extenders and adapters.

“Since the first conversation with Duncan Riley and Dylan Jones, I immediately knew that DWR was the perfect partner for Beetek,” said Aaron Lange, Beetek International Team. “They understood the products, asked all the right questions, and were able to see the little details that set Beetek apart from the others.”

“Beetek offers an extensive product range that will complement all of our current AV solutions and allow us to support system integrators with their future installations,” said Dylan Jo

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14 August 2024

UAE - Perfect Ovation is a family-run company with a busy Dubai dry hire facility and a full production operation in Oman supplying lighting, sound, and LED screens to a diverse mix of shows and events. The company is headed by entrepreneur and music lover Baltazar Fernandez who comes from Goa.

Since 2019, Perfect Ovation in Dubai has been investing in Robe moving lights with the latest purchases being 160 fixtures - 40 x iFORTES, 40 x Tetra2s and 80 x LEDBeam 350s plus four RoboSpot systems, all delivered by Robe Middle East.

These were added to their existing inventory which already included 80 x Robe MegaPointes and 80 x Spiider LED wash beams.

Baltazar and his team chose the Robe route as they were confident that the products are well made, and offer great quality solutions, but apart from anything else, their brand choice was driven by i

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14 August 2024

Japan - The Shiki Theatre Company has been part of Japan’s entertainment scene since 1953 and has become one of the world’s largest theatre groups with 1,400 actors and team members. Sennheiser Japan has been a partner to the Shiki Theatre Company for many years. In the beginning, all their theatres were equipped with a combination of analogue Sennheiser 3000 series wireless receivers and 5000 series transmitters. After recognising the significant advantages of the Digital 6000 series, Shiki upgraded to the new audio system a few years ago.

Mr. Kaname Morishita from the sound and music department of the Shiki Theatre Company talks about how the new digital system got introduced: “The major turning point was a sound designer in the US implementing the Digital 6000 series when we were preparing to stage new international programmes at Shiki. For internat

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14 August 2024

USA - Newark Airport’s new Terminal A is now open. The one million square foot facility with 33 gates represents the largest single investment in New Jersey in the Port Authority’s history. The terminal boasts 21st-century technology, inspiring public art, world-renowned retailers, and locally inspired concessions.

Complementing the public art programme is an immersive digital journey that captivates passengers with the Garden State's renowned landmarks, art, and innovations through a series of permanent large-scale multimedia installations designed to prioritise the New Jersey sense of place that is distinct to the aesthetic and design of Terminal A.

Completed in 2023, Newark's Terminal A now joins LaGuardia's Terminal B as the only two airport terminals in North America awarded the highest Skytrax rating. The terminal served 15m passengers in i

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14 August 2024

China - Wilbur (Will) Pan, a Taiwanese American singer, songwriter, rapper, actor and entrepreneur, embarked on his 2024 Mad Love World Tour with the help of MaxTeam, one of the largest pop music performance service teams in China, and Chinese AV solutions provider EZPro, which provided the professional PA equipment at a variety of locations including Qingdao, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Nanchang, Hefei, Xi'an and Chengdu. This PA package included EAW ADAPTive Anya arrays and Otto subwoofers.

The Mad Love Tour kicked off earlier this year in Hangzhou, China at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Indoor Stadium, with a total of 24 EAW Anya enclosures (12 on each side) as the main PA system. The speakers were flown to a trim height of 13m, but easily covered the near and far seating using EAW’s Resolution 2 software to dictate st

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14 August 2024

USA - Vectorworks is preparing to release the 2025 version of its product line. Vectorworks 2025 focuses on ‘redefining 3D interactivity and visualisation, providing innovative methods for users to enhance the way they visualise their models, design intent, and data within the working environment’.

"At Vectorworks, we're dedicated to creating usability wins for our customers, ensuring that our software doesn't dictate the limits of what's possible,” said Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar. “Our latest version is a testament to this commitment, providing powerful tools that seamlessly integrate into your workflow, allowing you to focus firmly on your ideas without obstacles."

This latest release focuses on intuitive visualisation and interactivity, with tools that empower designers to bring their visions to life with ease.

Key features

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13 August 2024

UK/Paris - A UK-based lighting and events company has defied the odds to become Europe’s leading sporting broadcast lighting business as an Official Supporter of Broadcast Lighting and Rigging for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, despite challenges faced from Brexit and the pandemic. 

SLX provided its services to light up 29 outer Paris venues, including the specially built Aquatics Centre throughout the duration of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Such is the scope of this project, SLX has had a dedicated team of 30 people working on the ground in Paris for the last 12 months. It has also opened a 25,000sq.ft space, equivalent to the size of two Olympic swimming pools, to store and supply the multiple venues with lighting, equipment, rigging and cabling to ensure competitors, spectators and media have the best visibility no matter the t

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13 August 2024

UK - PLASA Show has announced the first confirmed sessions in a bumper programme of seminars, masterclasses and panels taking place throughout the show at Olympia London from 1-3 September. 

Being held in three sector-specific theatres with dedicated content streams covering lighting and production, AV and audio, and business and industry initiative, the industry-leading programme is once again sponsored by Vectorworks.

Sessions will include audio and comms specialist James Henry-Breward (‘Brew’) outlining the systems and kit deployed this year’s Wimbledon tennis championship; and Dan Crompton from Tate Galleries discussing advancements in AV technology and its impact on museums and galleries.

Other expert contributors will include visual artist Frankie Boyle who will discuss how lighting affects human behaviour; and Jon Burton present

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13 August 2024

South Africa - DWR Distribution hosted its first mini exhibition at its offices in Johannesburg on 29 and 30 July. The goal of the event was to provide an opportunity for industry professionals, system integrators, and students to meet with international suppliers, see the latest technology, and most importantly, network.

Exhibitors included: Barco, Chainmaster, DiGiCo, Doughty, DSpecialists, Fenix Stage, L-Acoustics, Layher, MA Lighting, Neutrik Group, Prolyte, Quest Engineering, RCF, Robe Lighting, Sennheiser Electronic SA, Sharp NEC, Theatrixx, RAM Mountaineering, Special Industrial Suppliers, and Visual Productions.

A new warehouse at DWR, recently secured as the new home for the DWR Workshop and Manufacturing departments, was quickly transformed into a venue to host the expo. Visitors could attend daily workshops, see demonstrations and discover

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13 August 2024

Poland - Founded over 15 years ago, I Am Music is a trusted supplier of audio, lighting and AV technology to the Polish events sector, and has worked with most major stars in the Polish music scene. The company recently made the decision to make a significant investment in its audio inventory and chose to add a Coda Audio system, supplied by Coda’s Polish distributor Tommex.
I Am Music purchased a system based on Coda Audio’s flagship AiRAY line array (16 units) supplemented by ViRAY (12 units) and SCP-F subs (12 units), complemented by two Linus T-Rack (12-channel touring rack with 3 x Linus 14D amplifiers) and a Linus M-Rack (compact four-channel touring rack with a single Linus14D amplifier). A further 4 x HOPS8T (high output point source) and Linus 12C amplifier provide excellent system expansion, completing a comprehensive solution that can cater for e

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13 August 2024

China/Germany - Interest in the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2024) extended far beyond the borders of Europe. Beijing-based programme organisers Hologram Jasmine used Disguise’s virtual production capabilities for CCTV’s Football Connections special telecast series spotlighting the tournament hosted by Germany on 14 June - 14 July.

Hologram Jasmine partnered with Disguise last year on live virtual production broadcasts related to the opening and closing ceremonies of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Building on that relationship and working with a tight production schedule, the Hologram Jasmine team used striking visual effects to attract young viewers for events such as Euro 2024’s opening ceremony, creating an immersive and vibrant atmosphere for the audience.

Powered by Disguise’s virtual

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13 August 2024

USA - When The Muny, one of America’s most iconic outdoor venues, kicked off its 106th season, patrons were treated to an enhanced and immersive audio experience featuring brand-new Meyer Sound Panther large-format linear line array loudspeakers, provided by Masque Sound, a leading theatrical sound reinforcement, installation and design company.

This state-of-the-art Panther system was specified by resident co-sound designers John Shivers and David Patridge, bringing their creative visions to life with unprecedented clarity and impact.

“Over the course of 10 years as resident co-sound designers at The Muny, John (Shivers) and I had made all of the possible improvements with the audio package we could think of,” says Patridge. “Thankfully, Masque Sound has been an amazing partner and has allowed us to improve loudspeakers, consoles, radios and

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13 August 2024

Finland - Established in 2015 in the thriving city of Kuopio in Central Finland, Lumit is the country’s premier performing arts school. In 2022, Lumit - now numbering around 600 students from across Finland - moved into a new, state-of-the-art building with high-tech facilities dedicated to the learning and practice of the performing arts. Earlier this year, the building witnessed a further upgrade, this time to its sound system with a range of Genelec smart active loudspeakers, which power the facility’s four music classrooms and studio.

Ville Heikkinen is a music lecturer and coordinator of the music studies department at Lumit, teaching band playing, music technology, music production, staging and lighting. He is responsible for the maintenance of these spaces and works closely with the school’s in-house AV engineer on the upkeep of the three stages

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13 August 2024

Malta - Located in Malta’s nightlife capital, the Paceville district of St. Julian’s, The Playground is a well-established nightclub that specialises in techno and other genres of underground electronic dance music. The club has recently undergone a complete renovation of its audio and lighting system, carried out by local integration specialists FutureTech Pro. Designed to perfectly complement both venue layout and music policy, the new lighting system features ADJ’s Focus Beam LED automated luminaires, pixel-mapped Pixie Strip LED battens, and multi-functional Jolt Panel FX LED strobe/blinder/wash fixtures.

Located alongside the larger Sky Club, which also features an extensive inventory of ADJ fixtures installed by FutureTech Pro a few years ago, The Playground is an intimate venue that has been established in St. Julian’s for dec

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13 August 2024

Australia - Specialising in bespoke audio solutions for unique functions, the team at Monitor City were recently entrusted with deploying and driving the audio for the 2024 St Kilda Film Festival launch night. Held within Melbourne’s iconic Astor Theatre, the event was said to be the festival’s largest opening night in recent memory. Monitor City chose cabinets from Nexo’s Geo M12 line array system, deployed with the aid of acoustic modelling software, to ensure the highest standards of sonic performance possible within the venue. Additional solutions from Nexo’s P+ Series and ID Series were used to provide fill and maintain complete coverage within the theatre.

Tasked with providing an audio system suited to both premium 3.1 channel playback for film, and sound reinforcement for speeches, Monitor City’s Daniel O’Callaghan explains that a careful

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13 August 2024

South Africa - Within a stone’s throw of the Formula One Grand Prix circuit after which it was named, Ayrton’s laser-sourced IP65-rated Kyalami fixture was celebrated with a big South African launch party on 3 July at the Johannesburg premises of Planetworld, Ayrton’s South African distribution partner.

Over 80 guests attended from across the country, having flown in from as far afield as Cape Town and Durban, all of whom were gifted with Ayrton beanies and scarves to keep out the chill of a South African winter’s night. Representatives from rental and staging companies, houses of worship and lighting designers all gathered to discover more about Ayrton’s new fixture in a convivial and informal evening, which was themed to honour F1 racing driver, Ayrton Senna, the constant source of inspiration for Ayrton’s founder Yvan Péard.

Ayrton’

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13 August 2024

Germany - The Friedrichstadt-Palast has been a leading hub for cultural and artistic excellence in the heart of Berlin, with a history that dates back to 1919. One of the largest and most prominent theatres in the capital, its latest production Falling | In Love is a fantasy tale filled with colour, exuberant costumes and an ensemble of 100 artists. Visual design and technology studio, Bright! played a pivotal role in enabling lighting and audio technology befitting such a grand production.

“The Friedrichstadt-Palast team were searching for a tracking solution that could manage both the sound and light tracking needs for their newest Grand Show Falling | In Love,” recalls Philip Neyses, head of the technical department at Bright! “This was the first time the theatre had considered a tracking solution.”

The key requirement wa

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13 August 2024

UK - When Yes Events’ Tom Chennells became the first customer for the TT+ Audio GTX line array back in the spring, it was precisely with shows such as the Waddesdon Manor summer concerts that he had in mind.

The Victorian venue - a French Renaissance-style château in Buckinghamshire - provided the perfect backdrop for four nights of concerts featuring various tribute acts. Yes Events provided not only the premium sound, but the complete technical infrastructure, including lighting, video, all rigging and staging, barriers, as well as booking the acts, in what was a total turnkey operation.

TT+ Audio is from the home of Italian loudspeaker giant RCF, with whom Chennells has enjoyed a long relationship.

When GTX, the flagship of the new brand, was demoed earlier in the year he recognised that the smaller GTX 10 would be the perfect replaceme

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12 August 2024

UK - Visitors to this year’s PLASA Show (1-3 September, Olympia London) can once again get up close to vintage technology used by iconic recording artists and theatre productions, courtesy of lighting designer and LSi journalist Rob Halliday, and Chris Hewitt of CH Vintage Audio.

In a special area of the show named after the popular, long-running LSi column, archive equipment will be showcased via a display of vintage consoles and fixtures. Additionally, a range of guest experts set to join Halliday and Hewitt on-stand throughout the event to share memories of tech-gone-by.

Kit set to be displayed includes:

• The custom Cadac mixing console created for Starlight Express in 1984, which pioneered the computer-controlled VCA mixing approach followed by all theatre shows since.
• The Strand Galaxy lighting console, which i