Denmark - The historic Østre Gasværk Theatre in Copenhagen is the first theatre in the world to secure the rights to produce, conceptualise and perform Another Brick in The Walls - Part 5 as a piece of musical theatre. Based on the Pink Floyd double album of 1979 - which is still the third largest grossing album in the US, almost 45 years after its release - Another Brick in The Wall, Part 5 is an extension of the three original album tracks - Part 1, 2, 3 - and Part 4 that was enacted as an opera in Montreal in 2017.
Having premiered to great acclaim in Copenhagen on Friday 22 September 2023, the new Danish staging is an ambitious one with a large cast of singers, dancers, musicians and aerial artists. The production will also be staged in Musikhuset Aarhus, with a premiere slated for 5 January 2024.
Lighting designer, Jeppe Lawaetz, cho

UK - LED display brand Absen has been chosen by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) as the LED display partner at Lord’s Cricket Ground to provide high performance screens as part of an extensive refurbishment spanning five years, at the historic St John’s Wood cricket venue.
As part of its ongoing £200m ground development programme, Lord’s, ‘The Home of Cricket’, owned by Members of MCC, is not only striving to provide its members and visitors with modern stands and exceptional facilities, but also to improve the overall match day experience for stand spectators throughout the season.
As a result of these efforts, MCC selected Absen to initially provide two new outdoor screens, situated within the main playing field. After being impressed with the first implementation, MCC asked Absen to continue the ongoing partnership, by providing a larger third screen as part

France - As previously announced, Robe Lighting s.r.o. has now acquired lighting and digital media control brand Avolites.
In line with other Robe subsidiaries, Robe Lighting France will now co-ordinate sales and technical support for the Avolites brand throughout the French territory, starting from 13 November.
Bruno Garros, general manager of Robe Lighting France, commented: "Firstly I’d like to thank the teams at previous Avolites distributor Algam for their professionalism throughout the transition period.
“Going forward, this is a fantastic opportunity for us to work with a truly iconic lighting and control brand with a reputation for quality, ingenuity and accessibility, and this level of vertical development has always been part of Robe France’s overall strategy since its establishment in 2015."
He added: "Similar to the Robe and Anolis produ

UK - Rycote is set to partner with the University of Southampton. This partnership is an extension of the vision of the late John Gozzard, the original founder of Rycote, who left a substantial donation in his will to pave the way for opportunities in audio engineering. Rycote, honouring Gozzard's legacy, aims to foster a diverse community of new talents in sound engineering through this collaborative initiative.
Gozzard, recognising the university's long-standing reputation of excellence in acoustics, aimed to invest in new generations to foster innovation and attract a diverse community of budding audio engineers. His legacy lives on through this collaboration, which has already seen the university renovate its anechoic chamber, providing students with state-of-the-art facilities for their studies and research.
The facility, used almost daily by students, researchers

UK - Production Futures exists to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries. The organisation runs a series of On Tour events throughout the year, where young visitors from all over the UK are able to directly connect with representatives of its brand partners to learn more about and explore employment opportunities in the industry.
Its next event will take place at Fly By Nite (FBN) Studios in Redditch on 9 February 2024.
Set to attract a wide range of young people from across the West Midlands, this free of charge event will promote employability, transferable skills, diversity, free training, networking, and will present more paid work opportunities than ever before to newcomers across the live event and broadc

South Africa - Playing a dual role as a lighting designer and programmer for shows such as Idols, The Voice, RMB Starlight Classics and countless others, South African Andre Siebrits recently acquired an Ultimate Ears UE Comm, specifically the Ultimate Ears 11 Pro model, from DWR Distribution. The decision has been pivotal for him, particularly considering his concern for the long-term health of his ears.
Andre first became curious about Ultimate Ears Comm in 2017, starting the conversation with many people including Jaco Beukes from DWR. UE Comm is the result of a collaboration between UE and In-House Sound with features like noise-isolating in-ear monitors with a purpose-built microphone, guaranteeing crystal-clear communication in any production environment.
“Ultimate Ears are reputed for their outstanding sound quality, at least that's what I

UK - ISCVE’s successful Get Ahead event was held last week at the prestigious Rose Shure Experience Centre in London. The event was simultaneously broadcast live online to pre-registered attendees.
Featuring three presentations from industry experts, this year’s Get Ahead event provided valuable insights into the latest technologies. Attendees, including both members and non-members, enjoyed three presentations and lunch providing ample opportunities to catch up and chat.
The first presentation, titled The Challenge of Intelligibility in VA, was delivered by Pawel Zakrzeswski from Ambient System. Dr. Peter Mapp presented the second talk, titled Assistive Listening Systems - Access to Intelligible Audio is a Right, Not a Privilege. Greg Madge concluded the event with his presentation titled Surviving the Death of the High Street.
The feedb

Hungary - Robe moving lights were used in three major locations for the massive 2023 St. Stephen's Day celebrations in Budapest, a public holiday celebrating the foundation of the Hungarian state more than 1000 years ago, which this year attracted over 1.5m spectators to the banks of the Danube watch the main large format projection and drone show.
Multiple events were staged throughout the country’s vibrant and beautiful capital city on the day, with technical production - lighting sound, visuals, staging - for the 2023 event co-ordinated and delivered by the Visual Europe Group (VEG), working with 12 sub-companies.
The three main areas in which Robe fixtures were used were the riverside Road Movie Live concert stage with an all-action line up of top Hungarian artists running over three days of the holiday weekend; The Parliament Building, where Robe Fortes support

USA/Europe - Ireland-based lighting and production designer Steven Douglas selected Claypaky Volero Wave fixtures and the Panify solution for Hozier’s Unreal Unearth tour, whose North American leg wrapped this month.
The bluesy rocker’s 27-date schedule kicked off in September in support of his new EP Eat Your Young and upcoming album Unreal Unearth. The tour moves to Europe and the UK for the rest of the year with more dates to follow in 2024.
Douglas took on his current role with Hozier for the artist’s previous album cycle. He was given a lot of creative latitude with the new show although Hozier was “heavily involved in how it looks since he’s quite artistic himself”, says Douglas. The album’s theme is based around Dante’s nine circles of Hell, he notes, which the show references. “We knew we wanted a moment in the show where

USA - As part of the Behind the Scenes (BTS) Mental Health Initiative, BTS and LDI are bringing the Wellness Lounge to LDI 2023, (3-5 December) in Las Vegas. The Wellness Lounge offers attendees a safe space to learn about mental and physical health through daily presentations, activities, and one-on-one consultations.
Each morning will start with Cup of Coffee Yoga where no experience, equipment, or special attire is required for a brief yoga practice with ETC’s VP of marketing, David Lincecum. Immediately following, participants can sample the benefits of breathing and meditation with University of Tennessee lighting professor and licensed meditation instructor Kenton Yeager.
In the afternoons, all attendees are invited to experience short presentations by industry colleagues on a range of topics that can improve your mental and physical wellbeing.
E

UK - Linea Research has announced its technical partnership with PMC Speakers. This exciting collaboration took effect this month, marking a significant milestone for both companies.
Linea Research, recipient of the prestigious King's Award for Innovation, has a rich history of engineering audio solutions. Their commitment to excellence in design, engineering, and manufacturing has earned them a well-deserved reputation for delivering high-power amplification and DSP systems of quality and performance.
PMC Speakers is globally renowned for its premium studio monitors and reference speakers. With a history dating back to 1991, PMC products are relied upon by top studios, recording engineers, and artists worldwide.
Oliver Thomas, commercial director at PMC Speakers, states, "We are excited to join forces with Linea Research, a company that shares our commitment to

USA - The Orange Amplification festive tradition of granting Christmas wishes launches this week. For the 2023 giveaway, “expect the biggest and best prize range ever and it's free to enter!” says the company.
For many years it has been the custom to place an orange in Christmas stockings because they were considered a rare treat and the juicy segments could easily be shared. In keeping with tradition, Orange Amps would like to share its products with their many followers and put an Orange in the bottom of Christmas stockings across the globe.
Anyone can make a wish, however big or small, by commenting with their preferred Orange product on any wish granted themed post on any Orange Amps social media platforms - Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube - using the hashtag #orangewishgranted. You can also enter the competition via the form on the Orange Amps website.
E

USA - Clair Global has announced Cohesion’s transformation from loudspeaker series to fully supported product development and manufacturing organisation within the greater Clair Global Group.
Cohesion was originally launched as a private brand available exclusively through Clair’s rental division, but based on its ‘overwhelming success and subsequent market demand’, Cohesion is now also available to exclusive installations worldwide.
Cohesion is already trusted by some of the world’s most successful touring artists, including more than half of Pollstar's top-50 grossing artists in 2022, and 2023 is on track to produce similar results. Front of house engineers and system engineers globally have praised Cohesion for its performance, efficiency, and reliability, and now venues beyond live touring and festival stages will benefit from the same industry-leading so

Europe - Obsidian Control Systems recently conducted back-to-back training sessions at its European headquarters in Kerkrade, aimed at training its European distributors on the specifics of the intuitive Onyx lighting control platform. The sessions were specifically designed to springboard an Obsidian awareness campaign starting with a programme to Train the Trainers.
Koy Neminathan, Elation director of business development, who helped lead the sessions, commented, “Nothing is perfect until you have mastered it, and that is why we are investing our resources into educating our network of distributors and resellers. In turn, they will be available to train those who want to learn more about the ONYX software. These sessions have been received positively by those who attended our first course and this is just the start.”
Obsidian partners across the world are being o

Europe - Shure and Ingram Micro, a prominent technology and supply chain services provider, have announced a new strategic relationship aimed at enhancing Unified Communications (UC) solutions across the UK, Germany, Spain, and Poland.
The alliance will focus on distributing Shure’s award-winning Stem Ecosystem, addressing the burgeoning demand for high-quality audio in meeting, training, and classroom spaces. The Stem Ecosystem is designed for situations that require straightforward, deployable audio solutions for daily conferencing needs. Now, Ingram Micro resellers will be able to enjoy a consistent and effective audio experience with Shure’s Stem Ecosystem devices.
"Developing a closer business relationship with IT channels is a key priority for Shure," said Bob Farahar, senior market development manager, UC and IT channels, Western Europe at Shure. "Ingram Mi

Spain - High-tech innovation in Europe and Latin America is paving the way for unprecedented collaboration and commerce between the two vibrant regions. ISE 2024 will be exploring these opportunities in a summit on 30-31 January 2024.
The European / Latin American AV Summit (ELAS), supported by ACCIO-Catalonia Trade & Investment, promises to ‘unite government representatives, thought leaders, and industry giants to foster understanding, strengthen connections, and ignite innovation across continents’.
Integrated Systems Events managing director, Mike Blackman, says: “ELAS 2024 represents the epitome of cross-continental collaboration, offering a platform for technology pioneers from Europe and Latin America to exchange ideas and foster innovative partnerships. We are proud to host key speakers to address the inaugural summit, including Jaume Collboni, Mayor

Latin America - tvONE has announced its partnership with Vitech US as a distributor for tvONE brands in Latin America. Vitech US will cover key Latin American countries as well as the Caribbean and Mexico.
Vitech US has established a solid reputation for delivering quality products, integrated solutions, distribution, transportation coordination, financing, and outstanding support to its channel partners since its inception in 1997.
Green Hippo will now be available to customers in select countries in Latin America, thanks to Vitech US's extensive network and expertise in channel distribution. This move will provide Latin American customers with direct access to Green Hippo’s award-winning Hippotizer media servers, enabling creative media manipulation and 3D mapping solutions for a wide range of applications, from live events to fixed installations.
"Vitech U

UK - EM Acoustics recently held a week-long demo event at their factory nestled amongst the scenic Surrey landscapes. The event, which took place in late October, focused on the launch of EM’s new R5 loudspeaker and was also a celebration of the brand’s 21st anniversary.
“We have the facilities here at the factory to host people and give them a first-hand feel for the capabilities of our products,” explains Mike Wheeler, operations director at EM Acoustics. “The launch of the latest addition to our Reference Series was a catalyst for organising the event, and we’re incredibly pleased with the number of visitors we’ve welcomed, some of whom travelled internationally to be here.”
Each day of the event was split into morning and afternoon sessions, with attendees invited to enjoy a full demonstration not only of the full Reference Series but also the rest

Island Life - Plans for a new film and television studio on the Isle of Wight are still live a year after they were announced, the council has insisted. Medina Studios unveiled proposals to construct the complex on the banks of the Medina River, East Cowes, in November 2022. The council said designs were being worked up but no planning application has yet been put forward. It said the US writers' strike had affected demand for UK studio space.
Medina Studios said last year the facility would have four sound stages totalling 70,000sq.ft and be the island's "first screen-based media hub". Production workshops, offices and other related facilities could also be built, creating nearly 1,000 jobs. It added it would benefit from "copious amounts of filming locations on its doorstep" on the island.
Festival Funding - Edinburgh’s annual arts festivals will receive mor

The Netherlands - ROE Visual has teamed up with the Netherlands Film Academy to support students in pioneering a ground-breaking approach to film production. By providing an advanced LED screen solution, ROE Visual has enabled the creation of The x-project, an ultra-short graduation film that marks a significant leap in how films are produced and takes the film academy's curriculum to new heights.
The x-project, a creation of the Netherlands Film Academy graduating students, stands out for its focus on production design and visual effects. It offers a remarkable opportunity to explore animation, world-building in virtual reality, and other innovative narrative forms and technologies. This ambitious project is the first for the film academy, introducing students to cutting-edge techniques increasingly prevalent in the industry.
In a departure from traditio

UK - Reclaim Audio has officially launched its new website. The new site highlights the concept behind Reclaim Audio while also providing a platform for the world to meet its award-winning product range.
The website explains Reclaim Audio’s two-pronged approach to creating environmentally friendly loudspeakers. “First, we have partnered with a string of talented craftspeople and responsible local businesses to ensure that every loudspeaker component comes from within a 200-mile radius of the factory. The innovative ‘Where Is Your Loudspeaker From?’ section on the website highlights the local businesses within a 200-mile radius, each contributing to the eco-friendly creation of the loudspeakers.
“Secondly, where we can, we use materials that are destined for landfill, scrap or incineration. The loudspeaker housings are reclaimed wood from film and TV sets, mus

South Africa - Endeavour Audio Visual Solutions is celebrating a busy year, expanding its inventory with additional Absen NT2.9 panels.
Kelvin Tilley and Richard Horwell, founders behind the technical supply company that recently relocated to larger premises in Randburg, are feeling a blend of excitement and gratitude. In August of this year, in response to the bustling entertainment industry, they initially purchased Absen NT2.9 panels from DWR Distribution. With demand on the rise, they're now on their second batch of these panels and eagerly looking forward to another shipment scheduled for February next year.
Kelvin and Richard, filled with optimism at the beginning of their Endeavour AV journey in 2021, were taken aback by how swiftly things unfolded. "I knew we'd take off, but not like this, not this quick," confesses Kelvin. “The journey has been nothing short

Europe - GPA and Lightware Visual Engineering have announced that Lightware has joined the GPA Global Partner Programme.
Partnering with GPA will “expand Lightware’s global efficiency and scale allowing Lightware an unrivalled presence to deploy, deliver and support customers in over 50 countries”. The partnership will allow GPA teams to “leverage Lightware's engineering and solutions expertise to address evolving customer requirements and co-create solutions for the modern workplace”.
GPA director of global partnerships Mike Stead comments: “Bring Your Own Codec meetings are more popular than ever, and enterprise customers demand seamless, friction-free meeting experiences to earn their staff’s return to work.
“GPA’s technical leaders have consistently praised Lightware’s solutions for their reliability, features and performance, making USB-C

Norway - French loudspeaker systems manufacturer Nexo has announced the appointment of Hove West as exclusive distributor of its products in Norway. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Stavanger-based company is one of Norway’s largest and leading stage technology specialists, active in the design, installation, rental, production services and sales sectors.
At the same time, the 40-strong team at Hove West is joined by well-known pro audio industry professionals Asle Skårslette and Per Sjømoen who, between them, bring decades of experience in the sales, support and deployment of Nexo systems in Norway.
“We’re very happy to be joining Hove West, a locally owned company with a real passion for the stage technology industry and strong links to its community” says Per, sentiments echoed by Asle whose experience with Nexo goes back to the ‘90s when he operate

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