UK - UKCA is a new product marking that will soon be required for manufactured products placed on the market in Great Britain. The UKCA marking is intended to eventually replace CE marking and requires that certification of construction products, such as voice alarm control and indicating equipment, is performed by a ‘UK based approved body’.
Baldwin Boxall confirms that all VIGIL2 and VIGIL3 voice alarm products and systems are certified to UKCA and the certificate is available to view on the company’s website (baldwinboxall.co.uk/ukca-certificate-for-vigil2-vigil3-voice-alarm).
Further guidance and information regarding the new UKCA mark can be found on the Government website (gov.uk/guidance/placing-manufactured-goods-on-the-market-in-great-britain).

South Africa - Cape Town-based Ultra Events has purchased 12 Robe Robin LEDBeam 350s from DWR Distribution which went straight to work this past weekend.
Costa Champanis, owner of Ultra Events, was one of the core people during the pandemic who would meet up to come up with plans and ideas to save the live events industry and was instrumental in the formation of #LightSAred. He has a heart for people, and a dedication towards his clients.
“Oh, what I relief!” said Costa. “After a dark period of business during COVID-19, with the events industry being shut down and our ability to work restricted, it’s a great feeling to be on site and doing what we love most with great people and nice toys to work with.”
Johnny Scholtz, DWR’s representative in Cape Town says: “I was able to spend a bit of time with Costa and his team while taking delivery of their new LEDBeam 350s. They already have work for the units this weekend and Costa says they will be properly put to the test this busy season. The team is very excited about the new kit.”

UK - New pay per view streaming platform Lounges.tv is joining forces with London music venue and bar The Lower Third, part of The Outernet, to help support the grassroots music community, providing an online space for artists to stream their performances from the venue to the widest possible audience through the Lounges.tv platform.
Lounges.tv recently launched ‘to democratise the online creator industry, focusing on supporting emerging and grassroots music talent by ensuring that any artist or creator who uses the platform is paid 80% of stream or content revenue within 24 hours’. This ambition reflects the ethos of The Outernet, which uses innovative technology to help the creative community connect with their audiences.
Focusing on The Lower Third’s grassroots performances, which since opening in September are averaging around six shows a week, Lounges.tv partnership means performances in the space will be available for people to stream into their homes through the pay per view service. Fans can therefore support their favourite new acts safe in the knowledge that 80% of the revenue from the streamed performances from the venue will go to the talent themselves.
Speaking about the partnership, Lounges.tv advisor Kiran Sharma - who has managed the careers of musicians including Prince – comments, “Breaking into the music industry is notoriously tough, but Lounges.tv helps artists by ensuring they get fair and swift payments which is so vital for people at the beginning of their career. By partnering with The Lower Third, Lounges.tv is

USA - An army of Hippotizer Media Servers has landed in Brooklyn to feed vast amounts of visual data to 63 HD projectors inside ArtsDistrict Brooklyn’s Limitless AI immersive experience, filling the 10,000sq.ft main gallery space with a 360-degree video.
Created by Istanbul-based artists Ferdi and Eylul Alici of Ouchhh Studio, Limitless AI transports audiences into a world of culture, science and nature. Artificial intelligence reimagines terabytes of data, taking in billions of brushstrokes by historical masters such as Leonardo da Vinci, physics teachings by greats including Stephen Hawking, and brainwave responses by musicians as they perform, among many other extraordinary things. The five-part, 60-minute experience is presented as five separate chapters and features a finale with live music and an opportunity to influence the video via interaction.
At the core of the real-time video data manipulation are seven Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers, controlled by a grandMA3 console. “We have presets in Hippo for each show chapter and the TD computers are generating live data that is being fed over NDI to the Hippo servers,” explains Sofia Claudino, video lead for Limitless AI.
“Everything is driven by our Boreal MK2+ servers and they communicate to the grandMA3 via a Multi-Controller and DMX component. Triggering then happens via the console, with the help of a very precise universal clock system that syncs both video and audio systems. It is a very complex system, and we are impressed with the ability to run a timecode-based-show that re

USA - After a two-year, pandemic-related wait, The Weeknd’s 19-date After Hours Til Dawn Tour surpassed even the loftiest expectations. This was plain to see (and hear) from the moment the stage erupted in light, and The Weeknd appeared dressed in black and wearing a mask to begin his show with a hauntingly evocative rendition of Alone Again.
Supporting The Weeknd during his transformative two-hour set was an immersive light and video show that featured over 1,100 fixtures and a 180ft video wall supplied by Solotech.
Solotech account executive Robert Kennedy and his team accomplished this feat by drawing on global resources. The resultant lighting and video rig was a key part of a production design.
Going beyond scenery, the design created an actual ‘city’ on stage with 17 custom carved, hard coated, painted buildings in various levels of ruination. Together, these buildings created by TAIT, formed a looming post-apocalyptic skyline.
Jason Baeri, the show’s lighting designer, gave the buildings a very redolent vibe by up-lighting them in dark, brooding colours, often suggestive of smouldering ruins. Helping him accomplish this, was a collection of 84 Chauvet Professional COLORado PXL Bar 16 fixtures provided by Solotech.
“We had half of the COLORados uplighting the buildings to showcase the magnificent detail that Es Devlin (production designer) and scenic designer Jason Ardizzone-West created on these structures,” said Baeri. “The other half were used as accents on the C Stage to help carry its depth and shape.

UK - With 35 years’ experience in the corporate events sector, the people at MSP Global know all about the need to adapt. But when Covid brought the industry screaming to a halt, the Liverpool-based events services company overcame its biggest challenge yet, remaining afloat by successfully pivoting to become one of the north-west’s busiest lockdown live streaming facilities.
Now, with the events business roaring back, company founder and MD Colin Reader is ready to write the next chapter in the MSP Global story, investing in new inventory and backing a highly experienced team to build on a prestigious client list that already includes Matalan, Speedy Services, United Utilities, Santander, Monster Energy and Everton Football Club.
“We started looking to upgrade our sound equipment inventory before Covid hit, and I’d always remembered what a strong product Nexo was from my time living and working in South Africa back in the 90s” says Colin, who is also a professional musician.
“After lockdown, Andy (Simmons) and Rich (Soper) from Nexo came up to Liverpool to demo the P+ Series and, quite frankly, we were all blown away. On the strength of that, we visited the Nexo campus in France and were really impressed by what we saw and heard. There was absolutely no ‘hard sell’, just a series of conversations that made it clear to us that the Nexo team really understood our business, and what we need in terms of technology and support to drive it forward.”
Critical listening sessions were arranged, starting with the P+ point source spea

UK - Birmingham-based event services partner Taylex Group has unveiled its new look to mark significant post-pandemic growth and expansion of its event and exhibition services.
During 15 years of continued expansion, Taylex Group’s team has been synonymous with the delivery of exhibitions and event builds for the likes of Kawasaki, Raleigh, Commonwealth Games 2022 and BST in Hyde Park. Following post-COVID reflection, the business is now primed to enter 2023 with an evolved, expanded range of services and solutions.
The all-new Taylex Group offers full in-house CAD and technical expertise, production and fabrication of state-of-the-art special projects, events, interiors, environments, design and exhibitions.
A supportive and collaborative approach is taken with all clients, reflected by the launch of Taylex located at the NEC, providing modular solutions for exhibiting brands, Expo Supplies strategically located on site to help any business overcome last-minute show hurdles, plus two Londis store fit-outs to assist with retail requirements.
Karl Clark, Taylex group managing director, explains: “I am immensely proud Taylex Group has emerged from testing economic times in its strongest position to date – ready to support a wealth of global brands returning to a once-again flourishing European event market. Working not just as a contractor but as an integrated project partner, our client-first mentality is whole-heartedly adopted by our talented, fast-growing team.
“As we all look to the year ahead, we’ll be championing new educ

Italy - On Saturday 24 September, the Italian fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo held its Spring-Summer 2023 show at the Portrait Milan Hotel, a 17th-Century former seminary in the city that has long been the centre of Italian fashion – and, by extension, of world fashion.
The central courtyard of the baroque building was covered with a layer of sand dyed in the same vivid red colour that is now the Ferragamo house colour, and which also filled the arches around the courtyard. The contrast between the classical location and the bright modernity of the clothes on view could not have been sharper.
In the centre of the courtyard, also forming a clear contrast with the building, its red decor and the new fashion collection, stood a circle of GUIL lifters, eight ULK 500 towers holding the speaker system that provided the music as the models walked across the sand.
The black towers formed a visual frame too, providing a focal point as the models followed the path through the centre of the circle from one side to the other of the courtyard. Discreet in colour, but at the same time a quietly strong, functional presence, the ULK 500s, like the clothes the models wore, were another reminder that, although we were in a 17th-Century seminary, this is very much the 21st Century.
Salvatore Ferragamo announced in March 2022 that the young British-Caribbean designer Maximilian Davis as their new in-house designer, and he has lost no time in making his presence felt. The sand on the courtyard floor is an evocation of Ferragamo’s work in Hollywood, where h

Spain - Estopa, one of Spain’s most popular rock/rumba bands, have been touring the country for much of 2022. With many venues sold out, their Fuego tour has been a roaring success. Sixteen Showtec Sunstrips have been used as part of the lighting setup throughout the tour. They were supplied by Fluge Audiovisuales, who were responsible for the tour’s sound, lighting and AV equipment.
After performing a few dates in the USA earlier this year, Estopa have played more than 20 dates throughout Spain. The Fuego tour was originally planned to go ahead in 2019 and 2020 to support the release of the album that bears the same name but, due to the global pandemic, the tour dates in 2020 had to be scrapped.
Consisting of brothers José and David Muñoz, Estopa have now been successful for over two decades. In addition to touring Spain, they have played in the USA, the UK and much of Latin America. Their popularity is clear to see with packed venues and 10 studio albums under their belt, each of which has gone to number one in their homeland.
By adding 16 Showtec Sunstrip blinders to the light show for the Fuego tour, Fluge Audiovisuales were able to light up the audience whenever the moment arose. Often, this is done to encourage the audience to sing along, but in Estopa’s case, they already were.

USA - Main Light increased its rental inventory of Ayrton lighting fixtures with the purchase of a large complement of versatile new Zonda 9 FX fixtures. The company currently has offices in Delaware, Tennesse, and Las Vegas, with a fourth location coming February 2023 to Teterboro, NJ. Main Light has seen a steady demand for its Ayrton Perseo, Khamsin and Diablo fixtures, which were acquired during the past two years from ACT Entertainment, the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.
Main Light’s acquisition of Zonda 9 FX represents one of the first investments by a US company in the luminaire. Designed for a multitude of applications, Zonda 9 FX is the first in a new family of products for stage lighting equipped with a high-performance 40W LED source with RGB+W additive colour synthesis. Zonda’s LED/optical system combination can produce a powerful light output of 25,000 lumens and a homogeneous mixture of pastel and saturated colours. It serves as a powerful wash light while delivering 3D volumetric effects via individual control of each LED. Its high-definition LiquidEffect creates complex 2D and 3D graphical effects, which can be coupled with beam, wash or matrix applications.
“We were eager to add to our mix of Ayrton products based on the reliability of the fixtures we have and the support that ACT offers,” says Randy Mullican, CEO of Main Light. “We saw Zonda at Prolight + Sound, and it filled a gap for us in large-format LED wash fixtures, which also offer tremendous pixel control and new and exciting effects. Zonda

USA - A combination of pandemic exigencies and shortages means tours often have to be ready to move at a moment’s notice. That was the case for the first week-plus of theatre dates in the Midwest to kick off The Manhattan Transfer's 50th Anniversary & Final World Tour. The Grammy award–winning vocal group was founded in 1969 and has explored a cappella, vocalese, swing, standards, Brazilian jazz, rhythm and blues, pop music, and more in that half-century span.
But as the foursome prepared for the initial dates their 50th Anniversary outing last August and September, circumstances compelled them to hit the road with the barest minimum of tech rehearsal. And when you’ll be traveling with a 24-piece big band - in this case the DIVA Jazz Orchestra who are backing The Manhattan Transfer - it’s quite a balancing act. That’s where the DiGiCo Quantum225 console came in. A pair of them were sent out on the tour, by Twin Cities-based live-production provider Slamhammer, for both front-of-house and monitor applications. In both cases, the Quantum225 brought with it a toolset that truly helped get this show on the road.
“It is a pretty big show - a big band with 24 pieces: 12 horns, two drum kits, and three basses,” says Andrew Lefkowits, the tour’s FOH engineer, who joined monitor engineer Chad Willis and Tyler Cerny, Slamhammer's system tech for the tour, on the road.
He first credits the Quantum225 for its ergonomic flexibility. “We didn’t have a lot of time to build a show before heading out and the layout flexibility of the Quantum

UAE - Slated as the largest indoor health and fitness club in Dubai, offering world-class facilities over 75,000sq.ft, the new Wellfit gym has been fitted out with a Martin Audio sound reinforcement solution.
Located in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), this latest mammoth facility, situated on level 2 of the Circle Mall, features 200 of the British manufacturer’s loudspeakers, spanning several different ranges.
It is the second such sports, health, and fitness centre in the UAE opened by operators Arada, following the successful community pilot in Sharjah last year.
The sound is broadcast through the main activity zones via Martin Audio’s popular CDD series. These coaxial differential dispersion loudspeakers were installed by local partners, Pro Lab, to a specification by Pulse Middle East, who were responsible for the design and build of the venue. They form part of a full audio, visual, lighting, and content management solution provided by the integrators.
Pro Lab has a long history of supplying Martin Audio systems, and in particular the ultra-compact CDD, which offers both even coverage and performance. “It was the coverage pattern in particular that drew us to CDD,” said Pro Lab managing director, Rami Haber.
Since a differential dispersion horn has a trapezoidal dispersion pattern in both vertical and horizontal planes the specified area can be covered with sound more evenly than a system with a conventional, fixed-dispersion type horn.
Distributed throughout the vast space are six CDD10 and 50 x CDD8, with low frequenc

Switzerland - The St. Jakob Park in Basel, locally referred to as ‘Joggeli, has a long history. The largest stadium in Switzerland is a new construction managed by architects Herzog & de Meuron. After several extensions, St. Jakob Park is one of the first multifunctional venues in Switzerland with apartments, a shopping centre, restaurants, department stores, and is also a UEFA Category 4 stadium.
During the most recent modernisation in 2020 and 2021, the owner, FC Basel 1893 renewed the entire sound system with RCF sound systems. The under-balcony PA system and the entire grandstand PA system have been upgraded with RCF loudspeakers. Power amplifiers and audio matrix systems have also been replaced. In particular, the client chose passive systems of the HL, HVL, and P series from the Italian manufacturer to renew and improve the sound experience.
Since the modernization took place during the season, the installation team, audioconsulting, implemented the renewal of the audio system in three phases. First, the amplifiers and the audio matrix were replaced, followed by the installation of the under-balcony-fills, and as a final step, a completely new sound system for the grandstands.
Martin Reich, CEO of audioconsulting comments, “After the first few games, we have received very positive feedback. The music reproduction and the coverage by the new RCF systems have become more homogeneous in comparison, and speech intelligibility has also improved distinctly. With the line array systems, we can make much finer adjustments in terms of quieter

Germany - Kramer has announced its distribution partnership in Germany with Exertis Pro AV, headquartered in Uhingen.
With this new partnership, Exertis Pro AV will be able to market Kramer's entire portfolio while delivering the most intuitive audio-visual experiences through its wide network of resellers, integrators, planners and architects in Germany. Customers will now have access to a dedicated team offering reliable support that drives the business forward.
Marc Issan, global VP sales at Kramer, said: "Partnering with a distributor as credible and professional as Exertis Pro AV makes me excited for the future of this collaboration. With each other’s help, customers in Germany will gain access to Kramer’s secure and reliable AV products while experiencing seamless support from Exertis Pro AV through innovative audio-visual experiences that power creativity, collaboration, and engagement in the physi-digi world.”
Rainer Sprinzl, managing director DACH at Exertis Pro AV adds: "Kramer stands for a high level of innovation. We will gladly use this for our customers and ourselves to increasingly offer holistic solutions. The partnership with Kramer combines an A-brand manufacturer with an A-list distributor. In doing so, the range of solutions ideally complements the existing Exertis product range."

USA - Elation expected a busy LDI 2022. Their booth was crowded from the minute the show opened on Friday at the Las Vegas Convention Centre and lighting pros continued to make their way to the booth to talk lighting and demo Elation, Obsidian and Magmatic products throughout the weekend. The Elation team was excited to be back at the show after a three-year hiatus.
“We had a fantastic show,” enthused Elation director of sales & marketing, Eric Loader. “We expected a lot of contact and interest from customers leading up to the show so the crowded booth didn’t surprise us in the least. It was great to see so many faces again, both our faithful partners and customers but also the many new faces and contacts we made. The attention on our new products was great and based on the quality leads generated it gives us a lot of opportunities to continue our growth.”
A steady stream of quality customers showed particular interest in the new Proteus Rayzor Blade, a combination wash, high-intensity strobe line and SparkLED FX inside a compact IP65 linear fixture design, as well as the new Fuze Wash 500, a full-spectrum LED Fresnel moving head. The new KL Profile FC ellipsoidal framing fixture also proved especially popular.
Several other new fixtures in the Proteus, Fuze and KL lines were also on display including the 75,000-lumen Proteus Brutus LED wash effects moving head, the Proteus Rayzor 1960 LED wash effects luminaire, the Fuze MAX Spot/Profile LED moving heads, and the KL Panel XL, a bigger, brighter and bolder version of the popular KL P

Germany - A 132sq.m LED wall from Alfalite has been selected as the centrepiece for Plazamedia Lazanedia's new hybrid studio near Munich to broadcast all the FIFA World Cup matches from Qatar. The TV set will use camera tracking and multi-camera systems from Mo-Sys, also the Alfalite LED wall supplier for this installation.
Plazamedia is a live entertainment and sporting events producer and established provider of intelligent digital content solutions in Germany. They have chosen an Alfalite Modularpix Pro VP XR 1.9 ORIM 33m-wide and 3.5m-high curved U-shaped LED wall for their new hybrid studio at the AGROB Medienpark to broadcast the 64 FIFA games from Qatar, including 23 live matches. Deutsche Telekom will air all 64 2022 FIFA World Cup matches live on MagentaTV.
Mo-Sys and the Spanish company Alfalite installed the ORIM LED wall in record time. ORIM (Optical Resin Injection Module) technology is a new termination system for LED panels through an injection of optical resin that improves precision between modules (<0.5mm). It also provides a magnified 175º horizontal and vertical viewing angle.
The 350sq.m hybrid studio set will combine existing set architecture, and physical media feeds with a digitally generated virtual extension in a 360° world. Four cameras will interplay virtual and real elements in real-time from the giant Alfalite LED wall during the World Cup.
To ensure that all camera movements are being transferred to the virtual world, the position of the four studio cameras will be constantly tracked and the data transferred

Czech Republic - To provide the Stages Hotel Prague with a comprehensive and versatile networked audio system, AV integrators Nowatron Elektronik and AudioMaster CZ installed a wide range of Harman Professional audio solutions.
Situated near both the O2 Arena and O2 Universum, the Stages offers visitors to Prague a luxury experience showcasing the city’s music and arts scene. Along with its modern rooms, restaurants and meeting spaces, the Stages also features a fully linked audio-visual network between the hotel, the O2 Arena and O2 Universum. This ambitious system allows for independent or shared media broadcasting and streaming between the three venues in real time with minimal latency.
The Stages required a modern AV solution that balanced advanced features and bandwidth with ease-of-use and accessibility. To meet these requirements for the hotel’s audio component, Nowatron Elektronik and AudioMaster CZ designed a versatile and future-proofed system using JBL Professional, Crown and BSS solutions.
“We were contacted to help with the installation because the hotel wanted to make something special - a hotel not only for regular guests, but also for all guests to the O2 Arena or Universum,” said Matěj Sborový, project manager, AudioMaster CZ. “All three buildings are interfaced via optical connection and they can transfer all audio and video signals from one building to another. All the system functions had to be done very easily and without any complications for the user, so we had to implement the simplest user interface possible.

UK - Universal Pixels (UP) provided kit and crew for Robbie Williams’ 25 Years of Hits tour, which visited arenas across the UK and Ireland in autumn 2022.
The high-profile run, which opened with two nights at London’s O2 Arena, showcased the artist’s latest album, XXV, which features many of his greatest hits re-recorded and newly orchestrated courtesy of Dutch pop and jazz orchestra, the Metropole Orkest.
In order to match Williams’ entertaining live show, tour director Ade Bullock and production manager John Lafferty brought in UP to provide an eye-catching and dynamic video setup; renewing a relationship that has also been tried and tested in the past with show designer, Paul Normandale.
“UP always provide excellent service, which is why I’ve used them on numerous projects for many years now,” says Normandale. “We wanted to reflect Robbie’s 25-year career as a solo artist in a simple yet effective way, which would work across a world tour campaign encompassing a multitude of venues from arenas to festivals and stadiums, over the next few years.”
Normandale began with the idea of Williams taking control of his career and music, which was translated via the use many of the artist’s own paintings and artwork for some of the visual content.
“I also thought it was important to provide Robbie with some access via the central walkway to the heart of the crowd, and have a clean, uncluttered stage,” he continues. “We used an 25m wide rear video screen at the upstage edge and provided clear sightlines. In a

Sweden - Located in the heart of Stockholm, Space is a digital culture centre created especially for the digital generation that combines the key ingredients of digital culture – gaming, music, content creation and digital knowhow - all under one roof. The centre features more than 400 gaming stations, an event arena to host traditional and hybrid events, and creative areas spread across the multi-floor, 8,000m2 building.
As technical partner to Pophouse Entertainment, in charge of the Space project, Creative Technology Systems Integrations (CT SI) supplied and installed a large quantity of AV technology throughout the centre, including LCD screens and media servers in the gaming section, high-end screens in the co-working area, and a massive AV installation in the event arena.
The awe-inspiring venue captures its visitors’ imaginations at the entrance, with a ceiling mounted, 23m by 7m, 4mm pixel pitch Samsung LED screen, configured as an upside-down ‘U’, delivering stunning visuals.
“As the centre was open to the public during installation, we started work early in the morning and needed to finish in time for when the first visitors arrived in the afternoon,” explains Fredrik Lyckman, senior technical advisor at CT, who was involved throughout the project. “First, we installed a specially constructed steel frame and then attached the LED panels to it. We also had to consider the building’s sprinkler system, which required eight gaps to be left between the panels – something that in the end turned out to be a successful design con

Spain BikeFest, the fundraising cycle event, will return to Spain for a second year from 27-29 January 2023, cycling up to 400km towards ISE in Barcelona. By doing so, the BikeFest team will raise money for industry charity Backup Tech and create lasting friendships across the live events and AV industries.
Organised by PLASA, #WeMakeEvents and AFIAL, the growing BikeFest team is seeking new members to join them for the upcoming ride, as well as sponsors who are interested in aligning with important industry values. Furthermore, those who wish to support the event from afar can donate or buy branded merchandise.
The three-day route will begin in Valencia and travel along the stunning Mediterranean coast via Peñiscola and Tarragona toward Barcelona. Once at ISE, the BikeFest team will be invited to a drinks reception and presented with their medals, where they can celebrate their achievement and network with like-minded industry peers.
People can sign up for the full 400km route or join in for the last leg on day three which is a more manageable 95km. As part of the entry fee, team members will receive meals and accommodation. Plus, a support vehicle will on hand throughout the route and specialist bikes are available for hire.
Corporate sponsorship opportunities are also available for those companies who want to align their brand to the cause. With additional team members and sponsors, the BikeFest team hope to exceed what they raised last year. Once the basic event costs are covered, Backup will use these vital funds to help industry profess

Australia - The Street Theatre in Australia is Canberra's award-winning home of live storytelling and performance, and a major investor in new theatre, music, and artists from the ACT and region. The Street Theatre commissions, develops, produces, and presents work that challenges expectation and convention.
In the months leading to their purchase, they had experienced a bigger demand for LED product in their lighting rig. This demand was driven by the desire to be able to respond to key moments in a performance and being able to easily colour mix and adjust focus, allowing their operators to create lighting that could help drive a performance.
“We produced a three-month concert series early 2022, and for this series we hired in an LED lighting rig for the season,” explained James Tighe, technical manager. “After seeing what our lighting team were able to create with the added function of LED product, we started looking to upgrade our inventory.”
The Street Theatre, as a theatre producer, also has a commitment to sustainability in producing theatre - working more efficiently and cost effectively, reducing electrical energy consumption while ensuring they engage with contemporary arts practice in lighting design.
“Being able to replace a large portion of our halogen lighting inventory with quality LED products was a driving factor in this area,” added Tighe. “We've been able to remove around 30 kilowatts of power from our standard rig as we move towards a hybrid lighting model.”
Tighe had tested other Prolights' products

USA - Lighting designer Ian Haslauer chose a large complement of Claypaky Xtylos and Mini Xtylos HPE fixtures for the North American leg of The Lumineers’ Brightside World Tour 2022.
Christie Lites and representative Martin Kelley supplied the Xtylos fixtures, featuring Claypaky’s proprietary RGB laser source, for the arena tour supporting the American folk-rock band’s Brightside album. The tour played dates across the UK and Europe before moving to North America for the spring and summer, wrapping at Wrigley Field in Chicago in September.
Haslauer has worked with The Lumineers since early 2019. Production designers Sooner Routhier and Robert Long of SRae Productions came onboard in 2016 and have three tour cycles to their credit. Routhier suggested that Haslauer use the small form factor Mini Xtylos HPE in his rig following her success in deploying them for Coldplay.
Haslauer mounted 48 Mini Xtylos HPE atop the whalebone scenic pieces on stage, right in front of a circular videowall. An additional 18 Xtylos were positioned on the FOH truss.
According to Routhier: “We were asked to repurpose the large, circular videowall with its geometric frame. It was important to give it a new identity, so we painted it silver and lined it with some LED neon.
“The Brightside album cycle branding features a particular blue colour that lends itself to cooler metal tones and neon accents,” she continues. “We wanted to frame the circular videowall and surround the band with an additional scenic element. The whalebones piece

Australia - King’s Church has teamed up with Captivate AV to enhance its worship experience with KLANG’s immersive in-ear mixing system coupled with DiGiCo S-Series consoles. Boasting several key locations across Australia’s Gold Coast, King’s Church encompasses a growing community of connected worshippers that regularly assemble for a variety of services and events.
Endeavouring to offer its followers a technologically progressive experience, both in-person and online, King’s Church produces its own podcast and web-stream services, while delivering potent live worship sessions through song and the spoken word.
Recognising seamless audio production as a core component in delivering the impact it wants, the church’s team has enlisted industry expert, Captivate AV, to help optimise its AV capabilities. Chris Lang, Captivate AV’s managing director, spearheaded the leap to KLANG IEM technology in a move that has been extraordinarily well-received by King’s Church’s worship leaders, students and global worship director, Ashleigh Rogers.
“Our church incorporates schools, meaning we have very mixed, multipurpose use spaces. From services to musicals, the sound system is used a lot – almost every day of the week for different things,” says Ashleigh, as he reflects on the upgrade. “Now, thanks to our DiGiCo and KLANG setup, we experience significantly better time efficiency and the in-ears have given musicians and singers the confidence to hear exactly what they need – they can simply adjust everything themselves. Having KLANG ha