PLASA London - Leaderboard - June 2024
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USA - Although a procession of major stars like Fall Out Boy, 30 Seconds To Mars, The Last Dinner Party, Bush, The 1975, and Sum41 graced the Honda Centre stage, the lighting rig for this year’s iHeartRadio ALTer EGO concert, which is traditionally held at the Kia Forum in LA, was smaller than it was in recent years.
The size of the rig, notwithstanding, the design team was given the mission of making the overall production for the nationally televised event, look bigger than previous shows.
“We wanted to make the show seem larger this year,” said Dierson of The Activity. “Yet, there’s no bravado when I tell you that this was literally the smallest lighting rig that I’ve been a part of in the past 20 or so years.”
Describing this challenge as “a blessed reality”, Dierson explained how it sharpened his creative visions. “It’s good to be forc

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France - The newly inaugurated LDLC Arena in Lyon, boasting a 16,000 capacity, is a prominent addition to France's event venues as the largest indoor arena outside Paris. In a city already known for its vibrant fusion of history, culture, and innovation, this new, Populous-designed venue symbolises the ambitious objective of the local government to offer a versatile space that can host large crowds for electrifying sports events and major concerts.
LDLC Arena will serve as home to Lyon-Villeurbanne’s ASVEL basketball team while accommodating large-scale tournaments, exhibitions, and national and international tours. The venue opened in November with a concert from Lyon-born celebrity and comedian Florence Foresti, and it has already hosted concerts from the likes of The Arctic Monkeys.
Given the stated mission of offering diverse events under one spectacular roof, t
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France - Broadcasting 24/7, the international news channel France 24 reaches an audience of almost 500m households around the world in French, Arabic, Spanish and English. However, as is the case all over Paris, space is quite limited, so France 24 has to make the best of its available capacities, with its largest studios being just under 100sq.m with a grille height of 3.5m.
Given the varied programming broadcast by France 24, cameras on this set are arranged very differently, depending on the show. Indeed, sometimes camera axes are reversed by 180-degrees. Also, since various news and editorial teams require their own looks during broadcasts, the studios have not one, but five different sets, all of which are rolled on wheels.
Working within this set of circumstances, Jean-Louis Rousseaux, director of photography for France 24, was seeking a compact and very versatil

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France - Elation and French distributor Best Audio & Lighting provided lighting for the final of this year’s CQLP (C'est Qui Le Patron) lighting design competition in France. A demanding competition that showcases lighting designer talent, this was the first time the competition was held outdoors, this year at the Collégiale Notre-Dame de Mantes-la-Jolie outside of Paris.
Using the grandeur of the medieval church’ s architecture as a centrepiece, lighting design teams produced light shows that combined quality, creativity and technique. Following an elimination tournament round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, two teams advanced to the grand finale 20 January. There, the two teams had 40 Proteus Maximus LED profile moving heads, 24 Proteus Excalibur sky beam moving heads, and 40 Paladin Panel floodlights at their disposal to awe judges as well as an enthusiast

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Australia - Hosted at The Hordern Pavilion in the heart of Sydney, last year’s B&T Awards revolved around the theme ‘Embrace the Extra-Ordinary’, with 40 categories presented during the night. Collaborating with their client, The Misfits Media Co., for whom Audio Visual Events (AVE) has been the preferred production partner for five years, a sophisticated LED structure powered by Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED processors was orchestrated.
“Before the B&T Awards, we assisted The Misfits team with their internal B&T & Travel Weekly programmes and agency event work,” explains Paul Keating, director at AVE. “The brief for this year’s event, encompassing the client's mood board, event styling, and content, featured dark backgrounds and vibrant colours. This was a perfect fit for utilising LED, allowing for deep, dark colours and contrasting vibr

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UK - Located in the heart of Chelsea, Cadogan Hall is an historic 950-seater concert hall, presenting a wide range of events and performances, from classical music to jazz to musical theatre. Its acoustics and luxurious surroundings make it the first choice for some of the UK’s top orchestras, including the Hall’s resident orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, as well as a favourite London destination for international touring orchestras.
It recently decided to upgrade its lighting set-up, in order to become more energy efficient as well as offer performances more options and flexibility. As such, they approached White Light (WL), a d&b solutions company, who oversaw this significant investment.
The upgrade of the existing rig was driven by the venue’s head of production, James Tapping. He explains: “Previously we had a ‘concert rig’ of ETC Source Four Pa

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USA - InfoComm 2024, the largest trade show focused on pro AV in North America, set for 8-14 June at the Las Vegas Convention Centre has officially opened registration.
“InfoComm 2024 is the destination to bring together the pro AV industry - from manufacturers to integrators, dealers to end-users - to connect with each other, learn about the latest trends, and explore the newest technology,” said David Labuskes, chief executive officer of AVIXA, producer of InfoComm. “In a continuously evolving industry in a forever-evolving world, it’s critical for industry professionals to keep learning and challenging the status quo to bring forth solutions that make a difference.”
“We are excited to open registration for InfoComm 2024 and eagerly await the return to Las Vegas, a city that epitomises the heartbeat of the pro AV industry, pulsating with technology innova

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UK - Reading & Leeds Festival is to debut a new outdoor stage, The Chevron, at this year’s events. The festival attracts 240,000 visitors combined across both sites over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Reading & Leeds will now feature an additional 40,000-capacity open-air venue, including the world’s first floating video canopy made up of hundreds of thousands of programmable LED lights that appear to be hovering in the air. The mesh is 90% transparent so festival-goers can dance under the open sky into the night.
“The bespoke structure, exclusive to Reading & Leeds, promises an immersive atmosphere and incredible programming, raising the bar for dance music and hip-hop fans and artists alike, raising the bar for dance music and hip-hop fans and artists alike,” said a statement.
Positioned in the main arena of both festival sites, The Chevro

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UK - As lighting controls specialist Pharos Architectural Controls moves into its 20th year in 2024, the manufacturer is launching a campaign in recognition of key people and projects that have played a significant part on its journey.
The 20 Years of Pharos campaign will spotlight 10 lighting professionals and 10 projects that have shaped the success of the company over the two decades since its establishment.
Pharos Architectural Controls was founded in 2004 as part of the Carallon group, as an independently owned specialist in dynamic lighting control systems.
All Pharos products are designed and manufactured in-house, including each product’s industrial design, the electronics, and the final assembly. By keeping control of the entire design and manufacturing process, Pharos prides itself on maintaining the highest possible standards in quality assurance.

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Canada - Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) recently announced its $350m renovation for the Scotiabank Arena, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) and Toronto Raptors (NBA).
This multi-phase renovation will see improvements to almost every part of the venue to greatly enhance the fan experience. The work began on the Mastercard Executive Suites level along with state-of-the-art technology upgrades, which was the start of the proof of concept with the upgraded audio system.
The initial audio design came from WJHW, a global design and consultant firm, who reached out to 1 Sound to specify 1 Sound’s Cannon C4i’s in the design for the Mastercard Executive Suites, Theatre Suites, and Mastercard Lounge. The goal of the design prompted by MLSE was for the audio system to fit in with the high-end finishes and feel of the room and have an enhanced audio experie

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South Korea - Soyoun Lee’s is currently working for Lite Factory in Korea, designing and programming shows for several high-profile K-Pop music artists in Singapore and Korea. One of these is Korean record producer and singer-songwriter, Crush, who recently played several Wonderego concerts - in support of his i third album - at Seoul’s Jamsil Arena, for which Soyoun designed, programmed and operated the lighting.
For the first time, she chose to run the lighting control on a full grandMA3 system. Soyoun had used the grandMA3 console / hardware many times already (running in mode 2) and felt that this was a great time to ‘make the switch’, for which she prepared herself via online training videos and in-person training arranged via MA Lighting’s Asia Pacific base in Singapore.
Through the training, her grandMA3 knowledge increased exponentially and she reali

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Argentina - Rock and pop musician Fito Páez continued his El amor 30 años después del amor tour last year with a 16 December concert at the Estadio UNO - Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi in Buenos Aires where 54 Claypaky Sharpy Plus fixtures enhanced the energy on stage.
The tour marked the 30th anniversary of Páez’s breakout album, El amor despues del amor, the pinnacle of his commercial success. In 1992 the artist sold more than 750,000 copies of the album and played sold-out concert dates. Thirty years later he drew sell-out crowds to a commemorative tour from Gonna Go! Producciones that began in 2022. In the tour’s first year Páez played shows in South America and the US; last year he expanded the tour to include additional South American countries as well as Canada and Europe.
Lighting designer Gaspar Potocnik selected a large complement of Claypaky Sha

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UK - Following on from the successful Performance Audio Showcase event at Troxy in January, Sound Technology - distributor of Harman Professional audio brands in the UK & Ireland - has announced JBL VTX A6 open house sessions at its demo facility in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire on 5-7 March.
The A6 is JBL’s smallest VTX loudspeaker product to date, bringing flagship VTX A Series performance to a subcompact form factor. The fully passive, two-way line array is a versatile solution for small to mid-size rental houses, corporate events, theatres, clubs, houses of worship ‘or anyone who demands superior sound reinforcement’.
Hosted by Sound Technology's professional audio application team, the open house events will feature a flown stereo VTX A6 array with the accompanying VTX B15 subwoofer. Alongside listening sessions, the application team will dive

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USA - When officials at the Von Braun Centre, located in the heart of historic downtown Huntsville, Alabama, approved a transformative renovation project at the multi-purpose facility, the task of installing a new audio system was awarded to Verta Technologies, a pioneering force in audiovisual solutions.
Spearheaded by Christian Tuttle, principal and CEO of Verta Technologies, the company selected an ADAPTive audio system from EAW.
The Von Braun Centre has undergone extensive renovations over the past two years and sought a comprehensive update for its aging audio system at the 10,000-seat Propst Arena, home to the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Huntsville Havoc. This is in addition to EAW ADAPTive being deployed in the 1,300-capacity Mars Music Hall and the 2,000-seat Mark C. Smith Concert Hall. While Propst Arena is primarily used for hockey, all three of t

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USA - Popular Americana and R'n'B singer songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff and his band The Night Sweats played their sold-out annual homecoming holiday concert at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, in December.
It was the second time the annual event - which has been running for some years - was staged at this venue, after moving to the larger space in 2022.
The lighting was crafted by Jeremy Roth, who has been Nathaniel’s production designer since 2017. He utilised over 100 Robe moving lights - Fortes, Spiiders and MegaPointes plus a RoboSpot system - to help make it look spectacular and memorable.
Jeremy programmed and operated lights for this seasonal holiday performance himself, working alongside lighting director Adam Waguespack, who often takes the show on the road for him. At Ball Arena, Adam took on the vital role of coordinating the follow spots and Rob

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Rwanda - Unusual Rigging faced a number of challenges when they were briefed to provide the rigging for the Global Citizen Move Afrika event at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on 6 December.
This event, organised by Done & Dusted, was the first event in a five-year large-scale effort to pioneer a first of its kind international music touring circuit throughout the African continent.
Sam Carter, senior production rigger, Unusual explained: “This event was a pretty big deal - not just as a music gig but as an initiative which hopes to help expand the industry in the region. Each year, we are pleased to work with some local people, demonstrating what we do, how we do it and hopefully, by giving some training to these guys, we’re giving them the tools to develop their own entertainment industry.”
One of the first things that Sam and the team had to deal wit

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USA - Mickey Sabbath, an aging, manipulative and sex-obsessed puppeteer is the subject of Sabbath’s Theatre, a new play by Ariel Levy and John Turturro, based on the Phillip Roth novel of the same name.
The play, which recently concluded its run by The New Group, evokes the eerie pathos of Sabbath’s life as he approaches death, and his own reality frays, evidenced by his imaginary encounters with people from his past. Supporting the play is a lighting design by Tony Award winner Jeff Croiter that relied on the Chauvet Professional COLORado 2 Solo Batten for part of its haunting effect.
Describing the overall mood conveyed by the production, Croiter noted: “The set is very simple, and not realistic, so lighting and video take the audience from one place to the next. At times, it was more important to have a dynamic shift, even if that meant breaking with r

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Bahrain - A Dicentis conference system from Bosch was selected by the organisers of the recent International Paralympic Committee (IPC) General Assembly and Conference which took place in Manama, Bahrain at the end of September 2023.
Five new nations were added to the IPC family, taking the membership to 208 countries, and a pair of international federations recognised as governing bodies for para-sports. The event saw participation from more than 350 attendees from different National Paralympic Committees, International Federations, Regional Organisations and International Organisations of Sport for the Disabled.
Smooth communication was ensured thanks to an extensive Dicentis system which comprised 201 delegate devices, including eight multimedia devices, seven discussion devices with voting and 186 discussion devices with touchscreen. The conferencing solution for

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USA - Pliant Technologies has recently expanded its network with several new dealers and manufacturer representatives in multiple regions throughout the United States. These technology solutions firms will now provide Pliant’s communication solutions to a broader demographic, including its CrewCom, MicroCom, and SmartBoom lines of products.
Included amongst the new dealers representing the Southeast region are The Design Oasis (FL); Black Key Productions (FL); Strata (GA); Newtech Systems (KY); Avant Communication & Technology (KY); Creative Sound and Lighting (NC), and Bradfield Stage Lighting (TN).
The latest dealers handling the Midwest include Simoni Systems (MI), SLS Production Services (MI), Striv AV (NE), and Majic Productions (WI). PureTek Group (NJ) is a new dealer for the Northeast, Bounce Multimedia (TX) will cover the Southwest region, and TVS Pro (

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Italy - Powersoft has announced a technology partnership with Ferrari. The partnership aims to ‘develop solutions enhancing the audio experience from the Ferrari brand while minimising energy consumption and offering benefits in efficiency, reliability and sound quality’.
Powersoft's development philosophy prioritises reducing environmental impact through technology advancements and environmentally-conscious manufacturing processes. This commitment aligns with Ferrari's pursuit of excellence, whose aim is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
Luca Lastrucci, CEO of Powersoft, commented: "The partnership with Ferrari marks a significant milestone in Powersoft's history, showcasing Italian expertise and creativity in the field of acoustics within the automotive market. Both companies share the core values of excellence, innovation and a passion for engineering and t

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UK - TAF has officially opened its new office and warehouse dedicated to serving customers in the UK and Ireland.
Located in Walsall, West Midlands, TAF UK includes members of the TrussLite UK team, who have come on board to provide TAF’s large and small customers with their extensive knowledge and experience in the UK’s events & exhibitions sector.
“As a result, TAF UK hits the ground running in the UK & Ireland market with firmly established reliability, customer service and expertise provided by Trusslite over the years to their loyal customer base. In turn, further driving home the fact that TAF is a brand you can fully trust and rely on,” says the company.
In keeping with TAF’s ‘Truss on Time’ promise, TAF UK will maintain a full stock of products directly in the UK, offering same day and next day deliveries. TAF UK offers a full rang

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India - DirectOut has announced Advanced Telemedia (ATM) as its exclusive distributor in India. Established in 2002, ATM has earned its position as a leader in the distribution of professional audio products, known for its dedicated customer service and nationwide presence.
Headquartered in the capital city of New Delhi, ATM has regional offices in Mumbai and Kolkata, ensuring that its services reach every corner of India.
ATM's impressive portfolio includes exclusive distribution partnerships with premium brands.
Luca Giaroli, chief solutions officer at DirectOut, is enthusiastic about the partnership, stating: "This collaboration is a win-win for both companies. ATM shares our commitment to delivering the best for our customers. We are confident that DirectOut's ASM will optimise production to international standards.”
ATM's client list includes some o

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Global Icon - Kylie Minogue is set to receive a Brits global icon award at this year's ceremony. Taking place on 2 March, it will recognise Kylie's career over five decades. She is also nominated for international artist of the year alongside Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Lana Del Rey. Kylie has also been confirmed to perform on the night and will join the already-announced Dua Lipa and Raye on stage.
Speaking about the announcement, Kylie said: "I am beyond thrilled to be honoured with the global icon award and to be joining a roll call of such incredible artists. The UK has always been a home from home so the Brits have a very special place in my heart. I have some amazing memories from the awards over the years and I can't wait to be back on the Brits stage."
The Brits icon award is the highest accolade given by the award organisers and is "reserved for truly exc

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UK - Following the successful launch of the new TT+ Audio brand - and its flagship GTX passive line arrays - first in Italy, and more recently to the North American market at NAMM, it was the UK’s turn this month to put the fully integrated systems through their paces in front of UK rental companies, tour managers, sound engineers and system designers.
Two open days - at the Gateshead Glasshouse (formerly the Sage Gateshead) for northern professionals, followed by the Millennium Studios, Bedfordshire for those in the south paid dividends. While the prominent venue overlooking the Tyne drew in mainly sound engineers and tour managers, a number of high-profile rental companies set their compasses for the rural Beds location of Thurleigh, curious to see whether the reality of a system that has been designed from the ground up matched the hype.
According to Dean Davoile,
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