Business News

The Week in Light & Sound
Tuesday, 28 March 2023

Stream On - The success of artists like Taylor Swift and BTS helped global music revenues rise to $26.6bn (£21.7bn) last year, the highest level since records began in the 1990s. The growth was largely driven by streaming, which now accounts for 67% of the industry's earnings. Last year, 589m people paid for a subscription, said trade body the IFPI, up from 523m in 2021.
But labels say income could be higher, and are pushing for prices to rise. "It would help if music subscription pricing could reflect the realities of inflation," said Simon Robson, president of international markets for Warner Music.
The UK's largest streaming service, Spotify, hasn't increased its prices since launching in 2009, with an individual subscription set at £9.99. Most of its competitors maintain a similar pricing structure. Warner Music CEO Robert Kyncl recently suggested that the US rate should rise to $13.25 (£10.83), based on the 2011 US launch price of $9.99, adjusted for inflation. "Music is undervalued, and this is not my opinion - there are actually numbers to back it up," he said. "If you take the US, the price that the user pays per hour of consumption of music is half of what they pay for movies and TV shows on streaming services. So right there, it's 50% undervalued today."
Eurovision Live - The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast live in cinemas across the UK for the first time. Liverpool will host the event on Saturday 13 May, following two semi-finals earlier in the week. Organisers say the screenings will encourage fancy

eurosportEurosport France adds ETC Lonestar to line-up
Tuesday, 28 March 2023

France - Recently renovated, the new Eurosport France set said goodbye to conventional fixtures to make way for the latest generation of LED luminaires. The compact and versatile Lonestar from ETC was the automated fixture of choice for Eurosport’s technical team and the lighting company Ar'Krys.
The main filming location at Eurosport France is a physical set with a large 20sq.m LED wall as a backdrop. Despite its 45sq.m of usable surface, it has everything you’d expect of a larger set, and can accommodate up to six presenters, columnists, and guests on the three benches and a standing position. Overhead, a grid of wash lights enables different colour combinations. It is complemented by 20 Lonestar fixtures, intended primarily for lighting the talent and effectively rendering skin tones.
The luminaires were carefully selected by Baptiste Arnaud-Benaïs and Georges Krystkowiak from Ar'Krys, who were commissioned by the Eurosport team to propose a new lighting system for the set. They discovered Lonestar in the ETC showroom in Saint-Denis. "We attended a demo at ETC France and then arranged a loan on-site to try the fixture in real conditions,” says Arnaud-Benaïs. “It checked all the boxes: compact but powerful, versatile with great quality of light, and very well positioned in price.”
Florent Marquaire, technical project manager at Eurosport, was keen to replace the existing 300W tungsten Fresnel fixtures, but the replacements had to meet strict criteria. “Previously, we needed a large number of fixtures to cover all the positions," Mar

 
 
k-arrayAdagioPRO to distribute K-array in Spain
Tuesday, 28 March 2023

Spain - K-array has announced a partnership with AdagioPRO, the audiovisual distributor in Southern Europe.
AdagioPRO, located in Barcelona, is well-known for its representation of innovative solutions in the AV market, with a strong focus on AV install and live events business verticals. As a part of this partnership, AdagioPRO will represent K-array's complete portfolio of solutions in Spain. This includes K-array and also KGEAR and KSCAPE, two of K-array's recent product lines. The AdagioPRO team will also provide dedicated support and training to ensure customers receive the highest level of service.
"We are thrilled to partner with AdagioPRO to bring our state-of-the-art audio solutions to the Spanish market," said Pablo Manoukian, LATAM and Spain area sales manager. "Their commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction aligns perfectly with our values, and we're confident that their customers will benefit from the unbeatable AV experience that K-array provides.”
To showcase the full range of K-array's solutions, Holmusic has invested in the creation of a showroom that will be available for customer training and product demonstrations.

 
linnea-ljungmarkAyrton appoints Topstage distributor for Sweden
Tuesday, 28 March 2023

Sweden - Ayrton has announced the appointment of Topstage – and a familiar face – as its new, exclusive distributor for Sweden.
Linnea Ljungmark will be leaving her position as Ayrton regional sales manager to form a new company, Topstage, which will become the new Ayrton distributor for Sweden from Monday 3 April 2023.
“After years of travelling and working for the international markets, the time is right for me to bring my experience back to Sweden, and distribution is in my DNA,” says Linnea. “You could say it runs in the family. This is such an exciting opportunity.”
After almost five years with Ayrton, and an even longer association with the brand which stretches back to the early days of the company, Linnea is one of Ayrton’s own, and with an enviable industry lineage she brings a wealth of product and market knowledge.
“Ayrton is considered a top brand internationally and the time has come to properly introduce the product line and brand to the Swedish market, which is generally very quality- and design-aware, so there is great potential for a perfect match,” Linnea says. “I am really looking forward to dedicating more time and focus exclusively to our Swedish customers to ensure they get the best support possible.”
“When Linnea broached this idea I admit to being a little torn,” says Ayrton CEO, Chris Ferrante. “Linnea has not only been an incredibly valuable member of the Ayrton team but has brought us so much more than just sales. Her brilliant championing of Women In Lighting from an entertainment

 
 
etc-checkETC’s BTS donations reach major milestone
Monday, 27 March 2023

USA - In June of 2009 ETC launched a new app that turns Apple handhelds into miniature lighting controllers. From the very beginning, ETC decided that all profits from sales of the iRFR (Radio Focus Remote) and later the aRFR for Android apps would be donated to charity. On Friday at the 2023 USITT Show, ETC presented Behind the Scenes with a check for $39,599 bringing the total donated to the charity to over half a million dollars.
The iRFR and aRFR mobile apps enable convenient, touchscreen-based remote control for Eos family consoles and controllers. You can learn more about the apps from the ETC website and download them from the iTunes or Google Play stores.
David Lincecum, ETC’s vice president of marketing, commented, “Many of us are drawn to work in the entertainment technology industry because of its strong sense of community. Behind the Scenes has long been at the heart of this community, providing important financial support and mental health resources for our friends and colleagues. ETC employee owners are proud to contribute to this meaningful work.”
Rick Rudolph, chair of Behind the Scenes accepted the cheque along with other members of the Board of Directors. Rick commented, “This milestone is truly remarkable. When ETC first told us about this initiative we never dreamed it would reach half a million dollars. That money has allowed us to help so many of our colleagues in need: keeping a roof over their heads, heat and lights turned on, food on their table, prescriptions filled, and doctor’s appointments kept. We extend our

 
cloudforest-fiveThe Inside Story joins Cloudforests initiative
Friday, 24 March 2023

Europe - The Inside Story has taken steps to reduce its impact on the planet by becoming CoolPartner number 054 with Cloudforests.ie, a social enterprise creating new forests along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. The move will give the full-service marketing agency a verifiable nature-based solution to offset the carbon emissions created by the business.
“As a company, we have been talking for a while about the impact that our actions are having on the environment and we wanted to take positive action to reduce this,” explains Barney Jameson, founder and managing director at The Inside Story. “After a period of extensive research, we decided that Cloudforests presented the best solution to help us reduce our carbon footprint.”
“Joining Cloudforests is a powerful statement about what we stand for as a company,” adds John Hull, director of video at The Inside Story. “We know that the work we do every day is having a negative impact on the world we live in. Taking steps like becoming a CoolPartner helps us to make a positive change.”
The partnership will see the planting of native trees such as Oak, Rowan, Birch and Alder at the new The Inside Story mini-forest. The trees will be planted using the Miyawaki Method which will provide carbon sequestration is up to ten times higher than conventional techniques.
“It’s particularly important that we are planting native trees,” states Amber Harty, social media executive at The Inside Story. “This means that not only are we helping to reduce our carbon footprint, we are also suppor

 
 
lawoExpanding Lawo establishes CTO office
Friday, 24 March 2023

Europe - In light of the company’s ‘rapid growth and the obvious necessity to provide its customers with innovative answers to new workflow models’, Lawo has established a CTO Office staffed with experts from all areas, dedicated exclusively to achieving the overall strategic goals of Lawo’s product and R&D organisations. The CTO Office drives innovation and marketable solutions for current and future developments and ensures that the forward-looking initiatives of the corporate strategy are delivered.
Phil Myers, Lawo’s CTO, explains: "The CTO Office will implement the execution of our customer-centric strategy across the organisation. Lawo is well aware that the delivery of products involving audio, video, networking, and control infrastructure is no longer enough. Customers increasingly expect seamlessly integrated solutions rather than technically robust assemblies of hardware and software. Lawo customers have jobs to do, and we need to provide intuitive and efficient tools and workflows that span the full gamut of Lawo's portfolio. Tight integration is the cornerstone of our strategy."
"Lawo solutions need to be powerful, easy-to-use, quick to deploy, and technically aligned. To achieve this, we will ensure that all parts of the organization are in sync and work towards a common goal. The CTO Office is tasked with driving this convergence within the company.”
The CTO Office consists of: Axel Kern, senior director, cloud and infrastructure solutions; Lucas Zwicker, senior director, workflow & integration; Henry Bourne, senio

 
pro-mediaPro Media Audio Video Europe rebrands
Friday, 24 March 2023

UK - Pro Media Audio Video Europe, part of the Clair Global Brand Group, has rebranded as Clair Global Integration (CGI), effective immediately. Clair Global entered the European market in 2021, led by industry veteran Eddie Thomas.
Keeping the audience experience at the forefront of its delivery in audio systems, network design, AV, network management, and IT comms and infrastructure, CGI in Europe will continue to ‘design and deliver exciting work across spaces that resonate and inspire, in-line with its US operation’.
Over the past two years, Thomas and his team have helped to deliver major projects for music venues in London including work at the O2 Arena and Here, the capital’s new flagship live events venue, which is situated within the immersive entertainment district, Outernet.
In the professional sports industry, the company has upgraded Burnley’s Turf Moor Stadium, and most recently, completed a highly impressive national stadium installation.
CGI’s European director, Eddie Thomas, comments: “Aligning our European efforts with the Clair Global Integration name will help us to achieve one cohesive vision for our upcoming and technically ambitious activities across multiple markets.”
The experienced European team, which is based in Twickenham, is completed by associate director Tom Williams, project development lead Andy Rigler and project delivery managers, Jake Miller and Steve Watson.

 
 
prase-elation1Prase appointed Elation distributor for Italy
Friday, 24 March 2023

Italy - Elation Professional has announced that one of Italy’s leading B2B distributors of AV solutions, Prase Media Technologies, has taken over exclusive distribution of Elation Professional and Obsidian Control Systems products in Italy effective 01 March 2023.
For 30 years, Prase has grown with the industry, collaborating with system integrators, AV consultants and live entertainment professionals to offer innovative solutions across a variety of markets. The company boasts a large catalogue of leading AV brands and is recognised for the excellence of its team, design support and after-sales service.
Davide Buonasorte, sales & marketing manager resell, pro, broadcast at Prase, comments, “We are thrilled to have Elation onboard as the missing gem in our crown of leading AV brands. Elation products meet the high-quality standard that we maintain across our portfolio and enhances our commitment to providing best-in-class products and services. On stage and in media and entertainment projects, lighting technology had been noticeably absent from providing a complete solution. With this partnership, we can offer a comprehensive AV, lighting, and lighting control solution to customers throughout Italy.”
Prase’s team is growing to meet the new opportunity with dedicated lighting specialists onboard and in training to ensure effective pre- and post-sales support and every step in between. Elation customers in Italy will benefit from a host of other benefits and efficiencies as well such as Prase’s large network, timely logistics, and in-hou

 
survey-report-2022PLASA and #WeMakeEvents release positive industry report
Friday, 24 March 2023

UK - Following on from the international industry-wide survey conducted in November 2022, PLASA and #WeMakeEvents have now published the full report, which is now available to download for free.
Completed by over 1,300 people in over 40 countries, the data offers clear insights into how the events, entertainment and installation industries are recovering from the pandemic, and highlights the rebound, along with what challenges remain.
The data will be presented to government departments and financial institutions to help raise the profile of the live sector, and it’s hoped, gain meaningful, long-term support. This report builds on the comprehensive survey conducted by PLASA and #WeMakeEvents in 2021.
Financially, the industry has mostly “bounced back” as predicted, with companies with over a million turnover seeing positive growth. Although, those with under one million turnover are still generally making up ground. Also, the vast majority of companies that took on debt during the pandemic are still paying it back.
Furthermore, delays and shortages across the board still remain, with 90% of manufacturers facing component delays and three-quarters of non-manufacturers facing delays in finished goods. Several reasons are cited, with Brexit leading the way.
Skills and work also remain affected, with employment down 10%, and three-quarters of employers struggling to fill roles. And as a result, companies are delaying projects. Approximately half of employers do not think that graduates have the necessary skills, although a third ind

 
 
bandit-charlotteBandit Lites opens new Charlotte office
Thursday, 23 March 2023

USA - Bandit Lites has announced the opening of its new facility in Charlotte, North Carolina. After 10 years in the Charlotte market, this is Bandit’s third new facility. The space will primarily accommodate the integration team as they continue their expansion into 2023.
Bandit Lites vice president of operations, Roth Edwards, spearheaded finding and delivering the new facility. After a month’s long search, the location north of Charlotte, North Huntersville was chosen for its community, quality building and idyllic neighbourhood.
The facility offers numerous offices, a conference room, break room and audio-visual presentations throughout the building allow Bandit clients to spend time with the Bandit team and view the details of their project as they unfold.
The purchase of the office follows the hiring of Paul Strom as system integrator and the advancement of Alex Becker to system integrator. Additionally, Bandit project manager Gene Brian joined the Integration team as system integrator, Brad Hylton returned as integration facility manager and industry veteran and Bandit Lites technician Chuck Hastings came aboard as integration specialist. February 2023 also saw the hiring of Tristan Weaver as logistics & inventory specialist.
“We are very proud with the next step in this coastal region,” said Bandit Lites chair and founder, Michael T. Strickland. “We have a world class office we are proud to call home and look forward to future growth. We can double our staff in this facility and plan on doing just that. As always, Bandit

 
christo-davisDWR theatre audio workshop majors on DiGiCo
Thursday, 23 March 2023

South Africa - The theatre audio workshop, with audio engineer Christo Davis, was held on 13 February at Gearhouse Splitbeam in Bez Valley, Johannesburg. The event, hosted by DWR Distribution, was an intimate session where Christo, who for the past 20 years has globe trotted and worked on a range of productions from the Blue Man Group to Jersey Boys before returning to South Africa, shared his knowledge with like-minded people.
“I was very excited and a little bit nervous at presenting my first workshop,” said Christo, who has worked almost exclusively on the DiGiCo Platform for the past decade. “Public speaking is not my strongest point, but I wanted to share my experiences, connect with the delegates, have an open and relaxed chat around the console and install a passion for theatre audio.”
He says that DiGiCo theatre software has been carefully designed with theatre in mind. “It simplifies your workflow and makes it a lot easier to program the show on the console and get around the console quickly and efficiently. It really is a powerful tool that I feel is difficult to do without, especially when working on theatre shows.”
The Theatre Audio Workshop was orchestrated by Kyle Robson from DWR Distribution. The relaxed session encouraged delegates to share experiences or ask questions. The 12 delegates attending the course, ranged from experienced audio engineers to representatives from theatres, rental companies, schools and freelancers. Alistair Kilbee from Gearhouse Splitbeam and his team hosted the event at their offices.

 
 
robe-lirRobe stages successful Lir open house event
Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Ireland - Robe lighting staged a recent busy and successful open house event in partnership with The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Arts at Trinity College Dublin. The Lir Academy offers conservatory training for the theatre, film and television industries.
The open house platform proved ideal for showcasing some of the manufacturer’s latest products and technologies - including its Painte, iFORTE and LEDBeam 350 moving lights, the T11 static luminaire range, the T11 Profile manual follow spot and the popular RoboSpot system.
These were showcased to a range of lighting professionals plus students on the Lir’s Stage Management and Technical Theatre course.
The Lir’s main studio provided a suitable venue space and backdrop for the event which built on a similar one last year, the first since Covid. It is the intention to once again make it an annual benchmark and networking experience, focussed on new products and ideas and connecting people from assorted industry fields and disciplines.
Visitors travelled from all across Ireland – northern and southern – a lively mix of lighting designers, rental companies, venue managers and others from educational and commercial worlds, reflecting the general current industry buzz and interest in live music and entertainment in Ireland.
The set-up day further facilitated an opportunity for students from other local schools to look more closely into the world of entertainment lighting and train on some of the kit.
Robe’s very flexible RoboSpot remote follow system was highlighted a

 
jll-blackmagiclivekitJLL acquires Scruffy Bear Pictures
Wednesday, 22 March 2023

UK - Full-service technical production partner, JLL, has acquired Scruffy Bear Pictures, an independent film company. The acquisition comes hot off the heels of the business’ recent merger announcement.
As members of EVCOM, ICE-HUB, Essa, Isla and Albert, the acquisition will enable JLL to further underline commitments to deliver sustainable and by 2030, net zero carbon technical production services to all sectors of the television and events industries. By bringing the Scruffy Bear Pictures team into the JLL fold, their combined skills will ensure the full team can continue to support agencies, studios, and creative teams, as well as innovate and lead the way as the world of corporate events continues to evolve.
Phil McMichael, group commercial director at JLL, comments: “The first three months of 2023 have been game-changing for the team here at JLL. The coming together of JLLighting and JLLive, followed by the acquisition of Scruffy Bear Pictures, shows our commitment to our evolved ‘one team’ approach.
“We pride ourselves in being a forward thinking and dynamic business which continues to invest, develop, and evolve with the industries we work so closely with. Whether a client wishes to use our corporate film offering to deliver attention-grabbing content for conferences, or whether we can use our bolstered skillset to further support a production partner in the world of TV drama, we are looking forward to seeing where the rest of 2023 takes us.”
Darren Cook, founder of Scruffy Bear, notes: “This is an extremely exciting t

 
 
demo-roomProcom Dubai inaugurates K-Array demo space
Wednesday, 22 March 2023

UAE - Procom, distributor of K-array group products in the Middle East, recently inaugurated an interactive multi-room demo space at its headquarters in Dubai.
Situated in Dubai Investment Park, Procom wanted to create an accessible space that would allow clients full access to a range of cutting-edge K-array, KGEAR & KSCAPE equipment in a setup that mimics real-world environments. This installation is a continuation of the Procom and K-array collaboration, following several recent high-profile projects including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the City Walk in Dubai and Iris Meydan.
An extensive range of products from the K-array family was deployed across multiple environments including a demo room, meeting room, reception area, and training centre to showcase K-array solutions across applications as varied as live entertainment, corporate installations and hospitality and retail.
Upon entering the showroom, visitors can explore a choice of K-array group solutions in a dedicated display area featuring both K-array and KGEAR brands. Products here include K-array’s ultra-flat Vyper line array elements and 2" point source Tornado speakers plus a range of subwoofers, as well as KGEAR’s GCF wall-mounted & ceiling speakers and GA Amplifiers.
“At Procom Middle East, we believe in the power of showcasing quality products to potential customers. The display area allows us to highlight the innovative and high-quality audio products that K-array offers,” explains Wiam Boutine, technical manager at Procom.
KSCAPE’s signature RAIL produ

 
lisa-kenneyChristie supports NFTS promising student award
Wednesday, 22 March 2023

UK - The Christie-sponsored National Film and Television School (NFTS) Most Promising Student Award was recently announced at NFTS’ annual graduate showcase, held at the BFI Southbank.
Lisa Kenney, a student in the Directing Animation MA programme, won this year’s award. The showcase screenings took place from 27 February to 2 March, 2023, with Kenney winning the award and trophy for her inspiring work and attitude throughout the year.
Robert Bradbrook, head of the Directing Animation MA programme, NFTS commented: “Lisa is a wonderful and caring student who understands that the process of making a film is just as important as the final animation. Not just her journey, but the students that work with her. She always goes out of her way to ensure that the needs of others come first, resulting in a supportive family environment that allows everyone to do their best work. Lisa is an inspiration to staff and students – a true ambassador of the National Film and Television School.”
Now in its 18th year, Christie is proud to support programmes and students such as the graduates of the NFTS, with this recognition. Nurturing the next generation of filmmakers and cinematographers, particularly in the AV field, is an important mission of the company.
The NFTS continues to be at the forefront of advances in film and television production with a new Virtual Production certificate announced in January 2022 with a second cohort of students having recently joined the course.

 
 
wharfedale-proWharfedale Pro hits Music Inside Rimini
Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Italy - Taking place between 2 and 4 April 2023, Music Inside Rimini is the only show in Italy dedicated entirely to audio, video, lighting and control technologies for music and entertainment. Rooted in the nightclub market and the vibrant nightlife of Rimini during the 80s and 90s, Music Inside Rimini is an annual event which attracts global exhibitors from professional audio, lighting and entertainment brands.
Wharfedale Pro will be exhibiting at Music Inside Rimini for the first time this year. The British manufacturer will focus on its latest product developments, which will be showcased in three separate demo spaces.
Simon Godfrey, sales director at Wharfedale Pro, comments, “We’re particularly excited about attending Music Inside Rimini as we’re going to be able to physically demonstrate a wide range of products. It’s one thing choosing a product from a catalogue, but hearing our technology in person is even more powerful.”
In the Live You Play area, a live band will be performing on a ‘shoot-out’ stage, with professional, powerful sound played through Wharfedale Pro’s new WLA-1A Active Line Array System. On the other hand, the Wharfedale Pro Column Demonstration area will be dedicated to showcasing the new Isoline-AX series of portable active column PA systems.
Finally, Immersive Audio demonstrations will be taking place in a third area. Here, Wharfedale Pro will be demoing their GPL series loudspeakers and DP-F series amplifiers using TiMax Soundhub to create an immersive listening experience. The Wharfedale Pro team w

 
plugfest-2023PLASA’s PlugFest returns to France
Tuesday, 21 March 2023

France - PlugFest returned to Lille France from 7-9 March, bringing together lighting professionals from across Europe to test products and learn about the latest protocols and standards.
Returning for the first time since the pandemic, the European event aims to improve the connectivity of lighting products and provides a unique opportunity for manufacturers, developers and technicians to test and debug their products. Organised by PLASA, the event sold out well in advance, signalling its importance to the lighting community.
Over 39 representatives attended from 25 companies, including ChamSys, Chauvet, Company NA, ETC, GLP, Highlite, Lamp and Pencil, MA Lighting, the National Theatre (London), Robert Juliat, the Royal Opera House (London), Robe, Swisson, TAIT and TSL.
First time attendee, Vincent Bouquet from Robe France comments: “PlugFest has been a really great opportunity. Here on mutual ground, we can put our competition aside and all together test things and work out issues to help the industry go forward.”
Dan Murfin of Tait adds: “PlugFest is a great opportunity to talk to people, to think more about standards, to see what manufacturers are doing, and to help formulate ideas to formulate how we create industry products.”
In addition to interactive testing, PlugFest offers a programme of educational seminars, unpacking the most widely used protocols. This year, the programme included DMX512, RDM, DALI, sACN, Art-Net, ArtRDM, RDMnet and LLRP.
First time attendee, Alex Gardner from the Royal Opera House comments

 
 
The Week in Light & Sound
Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Student Funding - Higher education regulator the Office for Students has awarded a £9.6m annual funding boost to 15 establishments across England that provide training in performing arts. The organisations include Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, Leeds Conservatoire, Chickenshed Theatre Company and the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. All will receive a portion of the funding to help improve teaching and access to training.
A total of £9.6m a year will be awarded over five financial years from 2022-23 to 2026-27. Six organisations will receive the maximum amount of £1m a year. LIPA has been awarded this amount in this financial year. Sean McNamara, LIPA principal and chief executive, said: “The funding recognises our enduring reputation for excellence and the significant costs associated with delivering the type of high-quality specialist professional vocational training that we provide.
"It also recognises the importance of developing our students as creative artists and cultural entrepreneurs of the future in the ever-evolving cultural and creative industries, which annually contribute £115bn to the UK economy. Following our decision to remove audition fees, the funding will also enable us to push forward with our ambitious plans to widen access to performing arts training, expand on our already extensive industry and cultural partnerships and invest in professional standard equipment to ensure we continue to reflect the latest industry developments and trends.”
Swift Return - It's been five years since Taylo

 
martinaudioMartin Audio North America to host open days
Tuesday, 21 March 2023

USA - Martin Audio North America has chosen the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, for its first post-pandemic open day on Tuesday, 9 May.
The popular concert venue will host two sessions (a morning and afternoon event), based around a series of demonstrations and presentations featuring Martin Audio’s front-line PA systems.
In particular, they will showcase the entire line up of Wavefront Precision line arrays (WPL, WPC, WPS and WPM), Torus constant curvature array (T1230, T1215 and T820) and XE stage monitors (XE300 and XE500).
Lee Stein VP of sales, North America, confirmed the importance of what will be the company’s first large-scale presentation since before the pandemic. “With all the new products we’ve introduced over the last few years, now that social gatherings are happening again, we wanted to give current and prospective customers the opportunity to experience them in their natural setting: a concert venue.
“The plan is to hold two events a year,” he continued. “The Spring event will change venues each year, but the aim is to hold the fall event in Dallas every year.” That event is scheduled for 3 October 3 at the Coppell Arts Centre.
Meanwhile visitors can now register for the 9 May showcase, which will be hosted by Stein, in the rural amphitheatre, set in the woods between Baltimore and Washington DC where they will be able to sample a variety of tracks ranging from smallest format PA to largest in each of the three categories.
These will be variously presented by Martin Audio’s North

 
 
kart-festKartfest 2023 tickets now on sale
Tuesday, 21 March 2023

UK - Backup has officially declared Kartfest -The Village Fete, open! Tickets are now on sale to the live events industry’s big day out.
Now in its eighth year, Backup is delighted that Kartfest will be returning to Sandown Park for its biggest event yet. “With our fantastic headline sponsor, Chauvet, we are building a big old fashioned Village Fete to give everyone a great day out,” says Backup vice chair and the event’s organiser, Lee Dennison. “Our judges will be out in force scoring the best dressed stalls, our cake bake competition and the best fete game. We are all looking forward to apple bobbing, hook the duck and smashing the rat.”
Backup is also delighted to have 5 Star Cases officially sponsor the Flight Case Relay, which is longer and faster than last year’s race. “We so looking forward to seeing the budding Linford Christies warming up on the day,” adds Lee.
A major focus this year on the Wellbeing Hub, which will see Music Support, The Lions Barbers Collective and Music Industry Therapist coming together to provide an educational and support space for everyone attending.
There will also be a multitude of food offerings at the Village Fete, with a mixture of Mediterranean, Italian and Asian street, and the Mr Whippy Van will be there, so there will be plenty of choice for all. To help this great food go down, Big Drop Brewery and Signature Brew will be selling their ranges of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, alongside other crafters.
Big beats will be flooding the Fete with the DJ Adam Fabulous, plus the

 
hall-visualizationHall partners with Visualization and CineAV
Tuesday, 21 March 2023

UK/South Africa - Hall Technologies has expanded its presence and supply chains in EMEA via UK technical solutions distributors, Visualization, as well as Cine AV, in South Africa. Hall has announced a strategic distribution agreement whereby both will have full access to Hall’s range of products covering connectivity and UC.
“We’re excited to add such a broad line of class leading products to our distribution portfolio,” states the managing director of CineAV, Tyron Ackerman.
“Along with VueAV and our other sister companies, we believe that the market across the countries in which they are active will benefit from both the unique product lines and Hall Technologies' excellent customer services,” says Nick Pidgeon, Visualization’s managing director.
Hall Technologies Hal Truax, VP of sales and marketing comments, “We are delighted to announce Visualization as UK distributor for our world class product line. Along with VueAV, CineAV and Visua we believe that Visualization will offer us broad reach into the expanding market of unified communication.”

 
 
midwichMidwich UK&I launches Mi Finance scheme
Tuesday, 21 March 2023

UK - Midwich UK&I has launched Mi Finance – a financial services offering that supports customers’ business growth through help in acquiring new technologies or upgrading assets while protecting their working capital.
Available to customers of Midwich Ltd, Nimans Ltd and Sound Technology Ltd, and with plans to roll out to the wider UK&I group of companies soon, Mi Finance offers ‘competitive rates for lease and hire purchase’. Three product options are currently available including finance lease, hire purchase, and operating lease, with a fourth product in development.
Simon Munday, Mi Finance manager, said: “We are really excited to bring this proposition to market. We are constantly looking at ways to increase our service offering and Mi Finance is our answer.
“We work as an extension to our customer’s team – taking the administration out of their hands, offering quotations, managing proposal acceptances, completing documents, and arranging swift payments – so they don’t have to. The service is also available as an offering to facilitate transactions with their end client.”
Leasing has grown in popularity with recent figures by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) stating “that total asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) grew in January 2023 by 8% compared with the same month in 2022. In the twelve months to January 2023, new business was 6% higher than in the same period in 2022”.
Louise Nevard, director – credit at Midwich UK&I, added: “It’s great to be abl

 
trainingSound Technology hosts Martin showcases
Monday, 20 March 2023

UK - Sound Technology, distributor of Martin Professional lighting in the UK, has announced a series of Martin training, demo and product showcase events taking place around the country in 2023.
The first event takes place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow on 22 March. The morning session is dedicated to training on Martin's P3 Creative Video system & networking. This introductory session will take you through the basics of how it works, and an overview of what equipment is involved, as well as a look at a few typical setups. It will be a combination of product introductions, typical applications and a walkthrough of physically setting up and working a P3 setup.
The afternoon is a drop-in demo event from 2pm, showcasing the demo the latest Martin fixtures, including: MAC Aura XiP, MAC Ultra Performance and Wash, with new V2 firmware, ERA series including the new ERA150 Wash, ELP ellipsoidal and ELP PAR fixtures and the VDO Atomic Dot & Bold creative video range.
Both parts of the day require registration in advance but numbers for the morning session are limited.
The series then moves on to LIPA in Liverpool on 5 April, University of Derby on 18 April, and Royal School of Speech and Drama in London on 16 May.
For more information and to register, visit https://www.soundtech.co.uk/professional-lighting/training-series-2023

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Latest Issue. . .

Tweets from our Friends