Business

Details

02 October 2024

UK - Leisuretec Distribution has been appointed UK distributor of Shure Microphones. With a 30-year legacy of delivering quality audio equipment, Leisuretec will now offer Shure’s wired microphones, wireless systems, conferencing solutions, and audio products to its customers in AV hire production, systems integration, and AV installation.

“We are thrilled to become a distributor and stocking partner of Shure products,” says Wayne Juggins, commercial manager at Leisuretec. “They manufacture world-class wired mics and wireless mic systems and we’re very excited to offer these solutions to our customers, along with everything you expect from Leisuretec: friendly and helpful service backed by strong stock holding, speedy delivery, competitive trade pricing and knowledgeable technical support.”

“Partnering with Leisuretec to become part of

Details

02 October 2024

Germany - Audiofocus has announced the signing of an exclusive distribution agreement for Germany with United Brands. This latest distribution agreement for the Belgian loudspeaker specialist follows similar appointments in Italy and France, marking a significant expansion of Audiofocus’ coverage in western Europe.

“This partnership with United Brands marks another important milestone in the reinforcement of the Audiofocus distribution network,” comments Audiofocus CEO and founder, Ann Leroy. “For customers to invest in a loudspeaker brand requires a lot of trust, not just in the products, but in the people behind them.

“From our first meeting we have been impressed by the wealth of real-world pro audio experience within the United Brands team. This is a company with the proven credentials and connections to support and grow our customer ba

Details

02 October 2024

Singapore - The Production People (TPP), a prominent event production company in Singapore, has expanded its technical capabilities by adopting Clear-Com’s Arcadia Central Station.

The Arcadia Central Station is an intercom platform designed to unify and simplify complex communications, merging digital, analogue, wired, and wireless intercom systems into one seamless solution. With the ability to integrate Clear-Com’s widely trusted FreeSpeak II and HelixNet systems, Arcadia delivers ‘superior scalability’, making it a good fit for the dynamic demands of modern event production.

Driven by growing client requests for high-end intercom solutions, TPP recognised the need to invest in Clear-Com technology to enhance its offering for high-profile events. "We saw a clear shift where clients began requesting Clear-Com systems by name, particularly H

Details

01 October 2024

UK – The Theatres Trust Conference returns next week (Tuesday 8 October), taking place at The Lowry in Salford. With a theme of ‘Making Theatres Thrive’, the full programme has now been announced and includes a mix of speakers, panels and case studies.
Speakers include senior politicians, such as: Cllr Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council and Economy, Business & Inclusive Growth lead for Greater Manchester Combined Authority; and Cllr Tracey Dixon, leader of South Tyneside Council and Portfolio Holder for Inclusion and Skills, North East Combined Authority.
Senior theatre leaders from across the UK will also present, including: Kathy Bourne, Chichester Festival Theatre; Kris Bryce, Pitlochry Festival Theatre; Selina Cartmel, Royal Exchange Theat

Details

01 October 2024

UK - Entedi has confirmed its acquisition of CP Wave, the exclusive distribution partner of Claypaky in the UK and Ireland.

Entedi MD Cally Bacchus comments: “I am thrilled to welcome both the Claypaky brand and the CP Wave team into the Entedi family. CP Wave have been making a very positive impact over the last 18 months, and we are very excited to have them on board to add to our incredible portfolio of top-tier brands.”

Paddy Stacey, CP Wave commercial director, adds: “With locations and staff across the UK and Ireland, I can’t wait to show what we can do together with our new colleagues at Entedi.”

“Entedi's approach to distribution perfectly aligns with our values at Claypaky, so we are incredibly happy to see them acquire CP Wave,” says Alessandro Colangelo, sales manager at Claypaky.

Entedi’s business manager E

Details

01 October 2024

UK - TiMax has launched a new website showcasing the brand and full suite of performance, presentation and experiential products, including panLab, the latest innovation to join the fold.

Following the recent move into the Focusrite Group and with its backing, the time was right to showcase the history and expertise of TiMax, alongside demonstrating how it is rapidly evolving to further define the future of spatial audio and show control.

Dave Haydon, co-director of TiMax alongside originator Robin Whittaker, comments: “The new website gives an opportunity for users to see us in a fresh light. Our desire is to be a hub of inspiration to empower the creative community with the understanding needed to fully embrace spatial audio in all its forms across the breadth of applications.”

Haydon continues: “We’ve long held the belief that ster

Details

01 October 2024

Dynamic Pricing - Oasis have announced they will ditch dynamic pricing for the American leg of their reunion tour, after it caused "an unacceptable experience" for UK fans. The system raises the price of concert tickets at times of high demand. When Oasis' UK dates went on sale, some fans were charged more than £350 for tickets with an initial face value of £150. The band faced significant backlash, and the UK's competition regulator launched an investigation into whether Ticketmaster breached consumer protection law.

In a statement announcing dates in the US, Canada and Mexico, the group's managers said they wanted to "avoid a repeat of the issues" faced by fans in the UK and Ireland. "It is widely accepted that dynamic pricing remains a useful tool to combat ticket touting and keep prices for a significant proportion of fans lower than the market rate an

Details

30 September 2024

UK - Disguise, in collaboration with Bluman Associates and the European chapter of frame:work has announced Be Seen. Be Heard, a half-day event dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion within the creative video and live events industries. The event will take place on 9 October at Bluman Associates, London.

Be Seen. Be Heard aims to be a catalyst for change, empowering individuals from all backgrounds to be offered the opportunity to be part of and thrive in the creative community.

The speaker line-up includes diverse industry voices including Disguise founder Ash Nehru, Production Futures CEO Hannah Eakins, Petok Productions founder Pembe Tokluhan, The Fifth Estate creative director Sarah Rushton-Read, FRAY Studio creative technologist Kira O'Brien, Bluman Associates owner Pod Bluman, frame:work director Sarah Cox, Disguise he

Details

30 September 2024

Australia - Clearlight Shows, the Australian distributor for Luci Della Ribalta, will be present on the Entech Roadshow, the tradeshow for AV and entertainment technology professionals. Starting next month, the roadshow visits Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth.

“Our distribution network has solid foundations, and for years we have been present in markets and areas far from our headquarters in Italy,” says Lisa Papi, managing director of LDR.

“Clearlight Shows does excellent work in distant Australia, and we are very pleased that they are participating in this event, which, as we interpret it, seems to develop a very interesting travelling format that will allow many important players and companies to get in touch with our products.

“We are certainly looking forward to some feedback after the event, confident in the exce

Details

27 September 2024

UAE – Dubai-based Flair Event Services designs and delivers full technical production for a range of projects – corporates, industrials, concerts, clubs, social events and more – throughout the UAE and across the Middle East region.

The team – currently nearly 70 full-time – also engages in consultancy work and is headed by managing director Sameer ‘Sam’ Rahman, who has been in the industry since he was a teenager. He started working in a theatre in Dubai when at high school as well as DJ’ing and running his own lightshows, initially with 12 PAR cans and plenty of imagination.

Sam is now also an award-winning lighting designer who has worked worldwide on a diversity of shows. He is Flair’s head of lighting – and responsible for all investments – as well as MD of the company, and is a big advocate for Robe.

Flair has a la

Details

27 September 2024

UK - Production Futures has announced the dates for its autumn On Tour events. They will take place between 10am and 3pm on Tuesday 15 October at the Backstage Centre in Purfleet and Wednesday 27 November at Production Park in Wakefield. That latter event will see the presentation of this year’s Production Futures Breakthrough Awards, where as well as receiving the kudos of being named a winner, successful nominees will benefit from direct contact with the sponsor of their award.

The events will enable young visitors to directly connect with representatives of Production Futures’ brand partners to explore employment opportunities in the production sectors. Both occasions will enjoy packed schedules including panel discussions, advice, workshops, special guests, networking opportunities and more.

Production Futures has also announced that

Details

25 September 2024

UAE - West Midlands-based event design and production agency Taylex Group has announced its strategic expansion into the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This international expansion marks “a significant milestone for Taylex Group”, aiming to “bolster its support for existing clients while tapping into new opportunities in the dynamic Middle Eastern market.”

Recent Taylex projects include delivering the Media Oasis event in Paris hosted by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Media within the Pavilion at Place Vendôme, plus the installation of the Saudia Arabian Ministry of Sport Pavilion in the Rome-based Saudi Village through HQWS.

Lee Forde, general manager at Taylex Group UAE, brings over 30 years of industry knowledge to the expansion, with a track record including being former general manager of Creative Technology Middle East.

“I’m th

Details

24 September 2024

Canada - CAST Group of Companies reports that it has been certified by Great Place To Work. The award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at CAST. This year, 85% of employees said it’s a great place to work.

"Great Place To Work certification is a highly coveted achievement that requires consistent and intentional dedication to the overall employee experience," says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, the vice-president of global recognition at Great Place To Work. She emphasises that certification is the sole official recognition earned by the real-time feedback of employees regarding their company culture. “By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that CAST stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees."

“We are thrilled to become Great Pl

Details

20 September 2024

UK - The Schools Engagement Programme, launched in January 2024 in the East of England region by The Power of Events with grant support from the EIF, has announced that Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) has been confirmed as exclusive sponsor of the Edinburgh region. This now takes the UK roll-out to five regions alongside recently confirmed new regions Birmingham, Hertfordshire and the South Coast of England.

EICC’s support will enable The Power of Events, in partnership with local event professionals volunteering as schools ambassadors, to deliver an event industry showcase and overview of career opportunities to secondary schools & colleges across the Edinburgh region, starting in Spring 2025.

The Schools Programme has already attracted 200+ school ambassador industry volunteers across the four Nations willing to support the p

Details

20 September 2024

Belgium - EventCom is a specialist in the provision and rental of AV equipment based in Gembloux, in French-speaking Belgium, managed by director Thomas Richard.

The company has invested in a number of Robe mobile lighting products, including the newest iFORTES and Esprites.

EventCom has also just completed a new extension to their warehouse and offices, which will triple their operational space to 2,600sq.m of storage and 600sq.m of office space. This will allow EventCom to operate more efficiently and grow as planned over the coming years.

“Robe is the top brand right with an excellent range of fixtures and a great reputation for reliability and value,” stated Thomas, whose first purchase was 24 x MegaPointes in 2021 which have worked constantly ever since.

“Getting MegaPointes really did have that much impact, they were that

Details

19 September 2024

Europe - In the wake of a successful IBC show in Amsterdam, Lawo, developer of the Ravenna audio-over-IP technology, is pleased to welcome Norway-based Bridge Technologies as the latest partner to the growing Ravenna community.

The partnership represents not only Ravenna’s increasing importance in the field of audio-over-IP, but also Bridge’s commitment to the development of probes which support a full range of industry standards and facilitate monitoring of all kinds of broadcast networks, regardless of the infrastructure, standards or technologies upon which the network is based.

The collaboration saw one of Bridge’s VB440 probes in operation on the Ravenna booth at IBC 2024 as part of a next-generation audio production demonstration featuring S-ADM metadata transport over the recently released SMPTE ST 2110-41standard. Bridge also showcased

Details

18 September 2024

UK - Backup Tech has announced the latest Backup Ambassadors. Backup trustee, Koy Neminathan, has overseen the ambassador programme and is delighted to introduce Chris West, Lee House, Luke Edwards, Paul Jones and Amber Etra.

Ambassadors spread the word about what Backup does to the wider industry, encouraging companies to become Backup partners and helping individuals raise money for Backup through fundraising initiatives. Ambassadors also attend live activities, meetings and events, including the annual Backup Village Fete.

It is a great way to get involved with the charity and help get others involved, too. Chris, Lee, Luke and Amber explain why they decided to get involved with Backup and what they hope to achieve for the charity.

Chris West runs West Training Services and decided to become an ambassador to help ensure the future of the c

Details

18 September 2024

UK - Production Futures, the organisation founded to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in every sector of the production industries, has announced a collaboration with the Institute of Sound, Communications and Visual Engineers (ISCVE). The aim of the partnership is to strengthen industry links and provide clear pathways for newcomers in the sound, communication and visual engineering sectors.

As part of the ISCVE Early Careers Committee’s commitment to supporting the next generation of professionals, the collaboration will help to further bridge the gap between education and industry, offering links to ISCVE’s range of free and paid training programmes via the Production Futures platform, giving education partners and newcomers access to essential learning tools.

Jason Williams, early careers

Details

17 September 2024

UK - Celebrating its “best show for many years”, PLASA Show once again took residence in the Grand Hall of Olympia London from 1-3 September, demonstrating continuous growth - occupying 10% more floor space, welcoming a steady 5% increase in visitors and showcasing over 30 new exhibitors.

Despite an unexpected heatwave in the city and the extended summer festival season, visitor figures for Sunday - the event’s opening day - saw a 9.5% increase compared to 2023, while day two’s footfall also exceeded previous years, according to the show’s organisers.

The show floor welcomed a healthy cross-section of industry visitors, from entry-level professionals to senior leadership, with 15% more students visiting compared to 2023 and 79% of attendees declaring “influential purchasing power”. Key job roles of those in attendance included directors

Details

17 September 2024

UK - Entertainment technology distributor Entedi announced its partnership with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) at PLASA Show 2024.

Through this partnership, Entedi and RADA are set to ‘transform the training landscape’, acting as a hub for the entertainment lighting industry.

By providing in-depth demonstrations and specialist equipment training, Entedi will play a key part in ensuring that RADA’s delivery of lighting theory and the practical application of the latest technologies stays at the cutting edge.

Cally Bacchus, managing director at Entedi, comments: "We are incredibly excited to collaborate with RADA. This partnership represents a unique opportunity to nurture the future and current generation of lighting professionals by combining RADA's exceptional educational framework with Entedi's industry-leading technology an

Details

17 September 2024

Europe - The announcement of Showlight’s return next year (19-25 May in Dijon) created considerable interest at PLASA Show 2024.

Showlight’s organisers report that there was a healthy contingent of students enquiring about the subsidised student scheme and great interest in the introduction of afternoon workshops for 2025. Showlight is encouraging manufacturers, designers and students to put forward their ideas for more workshops. If you have a proposal, contact papers.committee@showlight.org

A large number of papers proposals have been received following the call for papers in June and more submissions are welcome. Remember to submit your ideas for consideration by the papers committee as soon as possible.

“The Programme of Papers is the heart and soul of Showlight and we want to be able to bring you the best and most entertaining topi

Details

17 September 2024

Off The Campaign Trail - Former US President Donald Trump has been found liable to pay damages to singer and songwriter Eddy Grant for using his song Electric Avenue without permission. It has taken Grant more than four years to sue the Republican candidate in this year’s presidential election in the US courts, over his 2020 campaign video that used a 40-second clip of the song.

The video was viewed 13.7m times before Twitter, now known as X, took it down. A federal judge in Manhattan ruled Mr Trump breached Mr Grant's copyright for his 1983 hit and is now liable for damages as well as paying for the singer's legal fees.

Grant's battle with the former President began in August 2020, when he was seeking re-election to the White House. On Friday, Judge John G. Koeltl rejected arguments from Mr Trump’s lawyers that the Twitter video was shi

Details

16 September 2024

UK - Offering considerable hands-on experience and the first steps into a technical career in the arts, applications are open again for Lighthouse Young Technicians, organised by Lighthouse Poole arts complex. It is a nationally recognised training course for young people aged 13-19 eager to get to grips with lighting, sound and stage management in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings.

“Since its launch in 2018, the Young Technicians course has proven to be a valuable, real-world route into a career in technical theatre,” says Charles Shenton, Lighthouse creative engagement producer.

Guided by industry specialists in a structured 12-week course, the budding technicians navigate all elements of technical theatre to gain the experience they need to pursue a future career, working alongside all technical departments in the build up to opening ni

Details

13 September 2024

UK - Elation has announced that Sound Technology has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Elation and Obsidian products in the UK and Ireland, effective now. In addition to its existing portfolio, Sound Technology will manage all aspects of Elation and Obsidian sales, service, training, and support in the region.

Located in Letchworth Garden City, north of London, Sound Technology is a leading distributor of high-profile brands in the professional audio, lighting, and MI retail sectors. The company is part of the Midwich Group, one of the largest specialist audiovisual distributors in the UK and Europe.

Marc Librecht, sales and marketing director for Elation and Obsidian in Europe, emphasised the partnership: “We are excited to have found a dedicated partner who can help us expand the Elation and Obsidian brands in this extremely importa