UK - Now celebrating its 21st year of business, British loudspeaker manufacturer EM Acoustics will be returning to the Royal Armouries this May for the 2023 edition of PLASA Focus Leeds. EM Acoustics will be taking full advantage of the northern edition of the UK’s largest entertainment technology show to unveil the new, ultra-compact R5 loudspeaker. The R5 joins EM’s flagship Reference Series of low profile, ultra-high quality full range point source loudspeakers possessing extraordinarily flat frequency and phase responses.
“The R Series has proved spectacularly popular. A smaller box is a logical and welcome addition, in response to phenomenal customer demand,” says EM Acoustics brand manager, Greg Clarke. “As with the rest of the Reference family, the R5 offers high-quality point-source audio, exceptional headroom and wonderful musicality. The smaller form of the R5 expands the use case of this outstanding loudspeaker range, giving designers and engineers an extended and highly malleable product ecosystem.”
The R5 will be on show for the first time at PLASA Focus 2023, an addition to a family of loudspeakers already favoured in high-profile environments including West End theatres, live music venues, touring events and a broad range of installations. EM Acoustics director of operations, Mike Wheeler, looks forward to the show: “We’re delighted to be back at PLASA Focus, connecting with our clients and collaborators. This is a big year for EM, as we celebrate 21 years of the brand, launch the R5 and look forward to many other exciting p

UK - Event crewing specialist Showforce has announced that Becky Meers has been promoted to the role of head of operations UK & Europe. Becky will oversee the account management, crew management and operations functions for Showforce’s UK and European business.
Having joined Showforce’s Liverpool office in 2010 as an account handler, over the last few years, she has ran point on some of Showforce’s largest accounts and projects including Creamfields North and South, Cannes Lions, Glastonbury, Platinum Jubilee and The 150th Open.
The announcement follows the news that the company’s Liverpool office has been expanded as so many international events head to the city this year. The Showforce team is readying itself for a busy period as Eurovision fever grows and the build for the 151st Open beginning. Showforce’s Liverpool office has built an excellent reputation and its key crew chiefs and crew are regularly called on to assist with projects all over the UK and internationally.
Commenting on the promotion, Gemma Charity, group managing director said: “As a company that is only as good as our people, we pride ourselves on nurturing and investing in talent. Becky’s rise through the ranks is a real success story and I couldn’t be prouder of her taking this next step in her career. She has proved herself to be extremely capable in even the most challenging of circumstances, always remaining good natured and calm under pressure.”

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

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

USA - The DALI Alliance (DiiA), the global industry organisation for DALI lighting control, has revealed the winners of its DALI Lighting Awards 2022.
The standard of entries within each of the eight categories was exceptionally high, and the awards recognize the best use of DALI lighting control applications and solutions around the globe. The international judging panel of lighting designers, lighting magazine editors, and representatives from global lighting organizations picked eight projects as well-deserved winners.
The winner in the Architectural & Entertainment category is Tridonic Middle East, for its work on the Expo 2000 entry portals in Dubai, UAE. The lighting system used dynamic colour mixing to provide the desired effects in the vast portals, which are 21m tall, 30m long, and 10.5m wide. DALI was used due to its advanced dimming and daylight sensing features, interoperability, and its ability to reduce maintenance costs.
The Healthcare & Education award went to Delmatic, for its work at University College London (UCL) Hospital in London, UK. DALI lighting management systems extend throughout the hospital’s 34,500m2 building, which comprises six floors above ground and five below. The energy-efficient DALI system manages and monitors around 17,500 DALI assets, and incorporates comprehensive DALI emergency light testing and monitoring.
Synapse Wireless triumphed in the Industrial category for its work on the Uline Store C6 project in Ontario, California. Lighting for the 1m sq.ft warehouse is all controlled from a sing

UK - Backup is delighted to announce the much-anticipated date for this year’s Kartfest, and Thursday July 6th is the day to get your best tweed, flowery dress and, if you’re so inclined, Morris Dancing regalia, ready for the Kart-Fest Village Fete.
Tickets will be on sale from 0900hrs on Monday 20 March and it will be very much first come first served. “After an unprecedented demand last year, we are also restricting one Kart per team to make sure as many companies can attend,” says Backup’s Lee Dennison. “We are also placing much more of a focus on the activities on the day for those not racing, so we’re delighted to let you know that the theme for this year will be the good old British Summer Village Fete.”
There will be lots of fun to be had for racers and non-racers alike. More updates will be announced over the coming weeks, so make sure you not only book your Kart but also your spectator passes as well. There will be plenty for everyone.
Watch out for the ticketing details on our social channels on Monday 20 March!

UK - On Saturday 25 February, the hello stranger UK Festival of Performance Design, curated by Dr Kathrine Sandys and Lucy Thornett, launched with its inaugural event at the Edinburgh College of Art.
The festival, which runs through to April, brings together a mix of artists and designers from 13 different regions and countries across the UK, in order to showcase the best in contemporary performance design. The entire programme is free to all and includes exhibitions, performances, talks and workshops, providing an exciting opportunity for members of the public from across the UK to engage with design, through locally curated and created installations and exhibitions on their own doorsteps.
The hello stranger series of events are led by a team of locally based designer-curators who have been tasked with activating public spaces within local theatres and other public-facing cultural venues. The events take stock of the last four years of performance design in the UK and pose important questions about where we are headed, with each looking at these wider cultural questions through a unique, regional lens.
In considering the future of practice, a key element of hello stranger focuses on sustainability, and sustainable practice is centred throughout the Festival with purpose-built event and exhibition spaces created from locally sourced re-claimed and re-purposed materials.
The UK Festival of Performance Design forms part of the hello stranger: national exhibition of performance design 2019 – 2023, which has been curated by Dr Kathrine Sandys

UK - Following the successful formula first introduced at the recent ISE 2023 show in Barcelona - whereby non-attendees could share, remotely, the same product launch experience as those who made the trip to Barcelona, Martin Audio has laid out its stall for a similar online experience in advance of its biannual open days. These will take place at their High Wycombe HQ, the difference this time being that the visitor experience will take place within the company’s newly refurbished facility.
“The international launch of our new Torus 8 in Barcelona was very much an experiment in the way we presented new products to both the market and the media,” said director of marketing, James King. “Fortunately both the real-world attendance at our booth and our demo room, alongside the number of logins and catch-up replays to the two streamed events fully vindicated our decision and far exceeded expectations.
“It therefore makes perfect sense to repeat the successful formula to combine our celebrated UK Open Days with a curtain raiser online Special Launch Event, a week before.”
The online event is scheduled for 12 April, when, as previously, separate sessions are scheduled for 8am and 4pm (GMT). The Open Days then take place on 18-19 April where visitors can experience the entire suite of new products previewed a week earlier at the online event.
In addition to the Torus 8, along with its matched flown cardioid SXCF115 subwoofer, products from Focusrite Group partners, Linea Research, Focusrite Pro and Optimal Audio will be on view. The prese

UK - Crew network and entertainment industry research and insights company Entourage Pro has published a report based on members’ feelings and predictions for the year ahead.
In conjunction with technical industry measurement, and with input from the global freelance crew community, manufacturers, rental houses and key industry stakeholders from the live entertainment sector, The Industry Report 2023 has sought to provide some context around members hopes, fears and considerations on topics such as the cost-of-living crisis, mental health, diversity, prediction, industry sentiment and pay.
Over 1000 respondents took part in the survey, providing a comprehensive and detailed sample range for the purpose of the report.
“We’ve spent a lot of time speaking to industry bodies, crew members, suppliers, manufacturers and the wider music industry,” says Entourage Pro director, Joel Perry. “Whilst there are some concerns for the year ahead, there is also a feeling of optimism. Areas such as education, people value, exploring new ways to build relationships and to undergo training, etc., are being brought to the forefront of attention and from this, as an industry, we are ready and able to react.”
“We’ve published results as they’ve come into us and remain impartial,” adds Entourage Pro co-director, James Stanbridge. “As we measure the industry in more detail moving forward, in terms of kit, market share, venues, and trend, we hope that this direct approach is helpf

USA - The Long Reach Long Riders and Behind the Scenes will host their annual fundraising raffle at the USITT Conference 16-18 March in St. Louis, MO. This year’s raffle will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Long Reach Long Riders annual charity motorcycle ride. The Riders, who have raised over $1,000,000 for charity in their years of touring, will be riding 3-9 June in sunny Southern California.
The Behind the Scenes Boutique will also be open for business during the show featuring an assortment of industry-themed holiday decorations and the famous Long Reach Long Rider T-shirts and kazoos.
The booth will feature the Behind the Scenes Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative which provides tools and resources to support entertainment industry workers and promote mental health and psychological safety. Posters with information on suicide prevention, bullying and harassment, alcohol and substance abuse, and more will be available.
Tickets for the raffle are an affordable $5 each or five for $20 and can be purchased at the Behind the Scenes booth #821 throughout the show. Winning tickets for nine regular prizes and one grand prize will be drawn at 1pm on Saturday, the final day of Stage Expo.
The prizes, provided by generous donors, are: Grand Prize, Spotlight with Renderworks from Vectorworks; Ghostlight from Altman Lighting; American Express Gift Card from Barbizon; Event Safety Summit 2023 Registration from the Event Safety Alliance; Nespresso CitiZ Espresso Machine with Aeroccino Milk Frother from IA Stage; ETCNomad Education E

UK - PLASA is set to host a Member Business Forum at the Victory Services Club in London on Wednesday 29 March. The forum will feature guest speakers to discuss ways of building culture, continuity and resilience.
PLASA members can attend the forum free-of-charge, with up to two members of your team able to attend. Non-members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets from Monday 13 March for £55+VAT.
The Member Business Forum will offer an afternoon of keynote talks from respected business leaders, followed by an evening of networking and drinks. Attendees will gain actionable advice on how to improve their business practices. Plus, they will meet like-minded industry professionals.
William Rogers MBE has been confirmed as the keynote speaker to deliver a talk on Leading Culture Change. He appeared in the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Leader of a mid-sized company for three years in a row. His expansive career began by building a highly successful insurance broker business from scratch and selling it to Towergate Insurance. Today, William serves on the board for Stage Electrics, Your Harrogate by Magnetiz (a local digital platform), and Startle (a digital music supplier).
HR expert Nicky Gleadow is also confirmed to deliver a talk on Building Employee Retention. Nicky owns and runs The HR Point and has been consulting on SME employment matters for 14 years. Furthermore, she is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and holds a Masters in Employment Law (LLM).
Plus, John Robinson, direct

Switzerland – The LIT Lighting Design Awards is now accepting submissions for its annual event, recognising and celebrating the best in lighting design from around the world.
For the 7th edition, the LIT Lighting Design Awards is now featuring a new section dedicated to entertainment lighting design. This award is a billed as a cross-disciplinary platform from which to promote your designs to a truly international market’.
With 31 categories in architectural lighting design, 15 categories in entertainment lighting design and 44 categories in lighting product design represented, the programme aims to ‘unite creativity, and innovation’.
In 2022, the programme received over 650 submissions from 51 countries. L'Observatoire International was awarded the Lighting Design of the Year title for the Hermès’ collections at Milan Design Week 2022 and Expolight won the Lighting Product Design of the Year award for the Chandelier in the B14 UNIT City business space. Other winners in included Licht Kunst Licht, brandston partnership inc, dpa Lighting Consultants, Lucent Lighting Design and Consulting and Light Collab. Nominees in Lighting Product category were Maytoni, Ayrton, Nulty Bespoke, BuzziSpace, A-Light and many more.
The LIT Design Awards also recognises the importance of sustainability in lighting design and designers can now share their approach as a way to consider the long-term effects of lighting solutions on natural resources and the carbon footprint.
"At the LIT Lighting Design Awards, we strive to promote diversity and inn

UK - Now in its 15th year, PLASA Focus Leeds is set to return to the Royal Armouries for another year from 9-10 May. Free to attend, the popular regional event connects thousands of professionals with many of the biggest names in live entertainment technology.
With a sold-out show floor, PLASA Focus Leeds is set to be a powerful platform for networking and discovery. 150+ brands representing pro audio, AV, lighting, rigging and staging will span two halls, offering visitors to opportunity to see new products up close while speaking face to face with potential new suppliers.
Headline sponsor Ambersphere will showcase the latest from Astera, Ayrton, MA Lighting, Robert Juliat, and Zactrack. Lighting professionals can also look forward to meeting Artistic Licence, Avolites, Chauvet Professional, ETC, GLP UK, Robe, and Vari-Lite.
Top quality pro audio is also on offer from Bose, d&b audiotechnik, EM Acoustics, Funktion-One, KV2 Audio, Martin Audio, Nexo, and Shure UK.
Heavyweights in rigging and staging technologies will also be in attendance, such as Area Four Industries, Doughty Engineering, Triple E, and UK Rigging.
Not only that, cutting edge AV can be seen at the stands of Epson, PSCo Group. And innovative accessories will be on show courtesy of Drapemakers, Harlequin Floors, J&C Joel, and NSP Cases.
A free programme will run alongside the action on the show floor, with back-to-back sessions aimed to help visitors’ expand their knowledge and elevate their careers. Last year’s programme included sessions on technical st

Spain - Returning to its normal January/February timeslot in the AV calendar, ISE 2023 had 58,107 attendees from 155 countries, alongside record-breaking occupation in the city’s hotels, bars and entertainment venues, and with exhibitors reporting ‘unparalleled footfall’ on booths across the show floor.
Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events, commented: “It’s been an extraordinary week and it’s hugely gratifying for us to look back and realise we’ve delivered an exceptional show for our industry and the wonderful city of Barcelona.
“We’ve had unprecedented visitor levels to the show, so much inspiring content and features on display, and ground-breaking visits from the King of Spain on Tuesday and the President of Catalonia on Thursday to add both a royal and a political seal of approval to the show. This week at ISE 2023 confirms that we can safely say the global AV and systems integration industry is back with an impressive bang!”
The first day of the show set the tone for the week with the highest number of opening day visitors ever for an ISE show, visiting the 56,870sqm of floorspace over the show’s six halls and the Audio Demo Rooms, where French pioneer of electronic music Jean-Michel Jarre unveiled his latest album. The trend continued for the rest of the week with a final total of 58,107 attendees to ISE, making 133,606 visits to the show floor.
On the first day, King Felipe VI of Spain took a tour of the show floor stopping by a few booths to take in a small sample of the technology on di

Spain - LED screen manufacturer Alfalite received the visit of His Majesty King Felipe VI on the first day of ISE. The Spanish manufacturer is exhibiting at the Digital Signage and DooH Zone in Hall 6 (stand 6H310).
Jesús Cabrera, CEO of Alfalite, was among the team welcoming Felipe VI. During his visit, Felipe VI praised Alfalite for their innovations in LED technology.
Jesús Cabrera says, "We feel honoured by the King’s visit to our company stand at ISE. We shared a brief talk about the company, its products and innovations. And we took the opportunity to invite him to visit our plant in Huelva."
The Spanish manufacturer has 20+ years of experience designing and manufacturing LED screens for advertising, shows, television and conference rooms with the most sophisticated technology. Its innovations for the display market include technologies like ORIM or Modularpix Pro VP XR line of panels.
The Spanish company was recently involved in major projects, including building a 132sq.m LED wall in record time for Plazamedia's hybrid studio near Munich to broadcast all FIFA World Cup matches from Qatar.
At ISE 2023, Alfalite is showing its Alfalite VP XR solution, a complete virtual production environment using Alfalite LED screens with a specific development and full integration into the production ecosystem of the UK manufacturer Mo-Sys. Alfalite's Modularpix Pro LED screens are also on display on some partner stands, including AVIXA (stand 3Q400), Novastar (stand 3B750) and nsign.tv (stand 6H400).

UK - New professional training which provides the latest guidance on the In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (ISITEE) – including why the term ‘PAT Testing’ should now be considered a thing of the past – has been announced.
Presented by James Eade, expert on electrical power safety for entertainment environments, the popular JET 2377 courses will be available in Bristol on 15-16 February and again on 17-18 May 2023.
The course brings attendees up to date with the important changes introduced by the revised 5th edition of the IET Code of Practice on In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, written by James himself. Among the major developments that everyone should be aware of is that what was commonly called ‘PAT testing’ – the process of inspection and checks on equipment while in-service – is now out of date, replaced by the latest guidance.
Designed by James Eade, the two-day course is aimed at increasing understanding of the need for a holistic approach to the management of electrical equipment in the workplace – as well as the practicalities of actually doing so.
The course focuses squarely on the entertainment and events industry but can be tailored for other industries. It puts the IET guidance and requirements in the Code of Practice into a context that will make sense to (and prove invaluable to) anyone with responsibility for electrical equipment and systems – including rental companies, technicians, freelancers and venue managers alike.
Of the JET 2377 courses,

Spain - A new feature for ISE 2023 which opened in Barcelona this morning, the Audio Demo Rooms in Hall 8 will showcase the latest innovations from leading audio brands.
Exhibiting brands including AED Group, Coda Audio, d&b audiotechnik, Holoplot, Martin Audio, Pioneer PRO AUDIO and Void Acoustics will provide rotational live demos throughout each day, including an exclusive guest appearance with Coda Audio from French electro musician and composer, Jean-Michel Jarre.
The launch of the Audio Demo Rooms follows a period when ISE worked closely with a group of leading audio companies to conceptualise and produce this exciting new show floor feature. Each demo room has been specifically tailored to the requirements of each manufacturer, ensuring optimal listening conditions for visitors.
Mike Blackman, ISE managing director, comments, “We are delighted that we can offer audio companies what they desire at the Fira Gran Via, the opportunity to demonstrate 360º immersive audio solutions to full effect. Audio plays such an important role in the creation of unique AV experiences, so it’s only right that we can feature it fully at ISE.”

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) has announced the launch of the Make A Difference conference, an annual proactive conference day committed to finding solutions to current industry issues. The conference will be more than simply talking and will ask attendees to commit to taking action and developing strategies to achieve solutions for the issues discussed.
The first conference will be held on Friday 21 April 2023 in the Ambassadors Lounge, Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington Street, London WC2E 7RQ with thanks to Ambassador Theatre Group for their support of this event. The theme for this year’s discussion is Solving our industry’s recruitment & retention crisis.
The conference has been developed to continue the joined-up thinking that is happening in the many ABTT seminars which are convened throughout the year and at the ABTT Theatre Show. “With support of academic theatre production staff from Guildford School of Acting we shall facilitate these continuing discussions at our conference day and provide a more focussed proactive platform to encourage actions and find practical solutions to move us forward with industry issues,” says ABTT.
ABTT co-chair & senior lecturer at Guildford School of Acting, Mig Burgess Walsh comments, “I am excited to see what this conference can achieve. It’s my privilege in my role as co-chair of the ABTT to attend many exciting and passionate seminars and talks from all parts of our industry. I hope this conference will provide a focussed time away from busy trade shows

Spain - BikeFest returned to Spain last week, cycling over 360km towards ISE in Barcelona, and so far has raised an astonishing £40,000 for industry charities Backup Tech, Music Support and Stagehand along the way.
The now annual event has garnered huge support from across the live AV and events industry, in both the UK and Spain. Organised by #WeMakeEvents, PLASA and AFIAL, the 2023 edition of BikeFest Spain was proudly sponsored by Ayrton, AVIXA, d&b Group, EARPRO, Fantek, ISE, SOJC and Total Solutions Group.
Piers Shepperd, Backup Tech Chair, Technical Director of Wonder Works, and BikeFest member, says, “I’ve been amazed by the widespread support for BikeFest and Backup Tech, as well as our fellow industry charities Music Support and Stagehand. It's been a delight - making new friends, and catching up with old ones, but most importantly riding in a way that shows we care about each other and our very precious industry, which has suffered so much over the past few years.”
Dave Crump, Creative Technology CEO and fellow BikeFest member, adds, “What an amazing journey! The support, both within the team and from across the industry, has been outstanding. It’s a real testament of what we are all capable of and shows how meaningful this industry is to us.”
The intrepid team comprised of 22 industry colleagues, representing BishopSound, Creative Technology, EARPRO, Equipson, FLUX Events, PLASA, SHARP/NEC Display Solutions, Stage One Creative Services, Total Solutions Group, White Light and d&b Solutions, and Wond

Spain - 22 live event and AV professionals are ready to cycle up to 390km from Valencia to ISE in Barcelona this weekend. Together as the BikeFest team, they are raising vital funds for industry charities Backup Tech, Music Support and Stagehand.
Organised by #WeMakeEvents, PLASA and AFIAL, BikeFest Spain is in its second year. Last year’s debut saw a team of 10 head toward the empty Fira de Barcelona exhibition centre, where ISE should have been taking place, poignantly showcasing the impacted live events sector.
However, this year’s BikeFest will head towards a thriving trade event – but not before taking in the stunning Mediterranean coastline. 18 members of the team cycle the entire route over three days, with the remaining four joining for the final 95km on the last day. The team represents the span of the live sector, including companies such as Bishopsound, Creative Technologies, Earpro (part of Midwich Group), Equipson, FLUX Events, Stage One, Total Solutions Group, d&b Group and Wonderworks.
The money raised by the team has already surpassed an incredible £20,000, with donations still rolling in. Furthermore, BikeFest Spain 2023 is supported by sponsorship from Ayrton, d&b Solutions, Ear Pro, Fantek, ISE, SOJC, AVIXA and Total Solutions Group.
Peter Heath, MD of PLASA and member of #WeMakeEvents steering group, says: “The team and I are geared up for another BikeFest in Spain, and it’s great to welcome many more members this year. BikeFest Spain really has become an important date in the diary for many of us. No

Spain - Shure will be back for another year as an ISE conference audio partner and platinum sponsor to support the AV gathering and demonstrate its latest solutions for the AV conferencing and professional audio industry.
“With today’s flexible workforce and innovative office environments, high-quality audio is one of the most integral aspects of facilitating effective collaboration - yet it often gets overlooked,” said Chris Schyvinck, president and chief executive officer at Shure. “We recognise that AV integrators and IT managers face unique challenges when it comes to finding the right conferencing systems. At ISE, we’re excited to showcase how we support this modern workforce with our audio solutions.”
Shure will showcase a range of conferencing solutions, and partnerships at the show, including Microflex Ecosystem which offers the complete portfolio of networked and audio solutions, from DSP to loudspeakers, that can be tailored to meet the needs of any AV infrastructure.
“We can’t wait to meet the integrators, AV professionals, and customers at ISE this year,” said Rob Smith, senior director of integrated systems sales, at Shure. “We look forward to joining important conversations and sharing insight regarding the future of the industry during the biggest gathering of the AV market.”
In addition to its booth on (#3N250) on the ISE 2023 show floor, Shure will also be present at various conferences and other spaces across the show floor, including PSNI conferences.

Spain - In just two weeks’ time, Creative Technology EME’s CEO, Dave Crump, will once again be donning his Lycra, with other fellow industry personnel and setting off on BikeFest.
Covering almost 400km along the Mediterranean coastline, Dave and around 20 industry peers, will take on this impressive ride raising vital funds for industry charities, Backup Tech, Music Support, and Stagehand.
Starting in Valencia on 27 January, the team will cycle 140km on day one to Peñiscola, followed by 130km on day two to Tarragona, and a final 95km on day three to Barcelona, finishing at Barcelona Fira on 29 January to mark the start of ISE 2023.
“As those who know me know, I’m an occasional cyclist, and a huge supporter or Backup and the work done by ‘We Make Events’ during and since the pandemic. This will be a tough but amazing journey,” he says, “but I am someone who needs a challenge to encourage me to work off the Christmas pounds and doing it for such a worthy cause is a massive bonus.”
ISE is always a big event for Creative Technology and in 2023 the company’s rapidly growing Systems Integration division will be exhibiting for the first time. You can meet the global CT Systems Integration team at Stand 5G225.
“Creative Technology is well-known for its spectacular productions in the world of live events, but even though our work in the systems integration market has been happening for some time now, and is equally impressive, so far it has been much less visible to the market,” Dave concludes. “If you are coming to ISE

UK - Production Futures is an initiative created to provide 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
As part of its continuing programme of On Tour live events, Production Futures will visit Nottingham’s Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies on 23 January, in company with industry experts and brand partners including manufacturers Sennheiser, Avolites, ChamSys, Chauvet Professional, Shure, Nexo, disguise, Brompton Technology, TAIT, Roe Visual, Riedel Communications, and Vectorworks, as well as a number of leading supply and production companies.
Part of Nottingham Trent University (NTU), Confetti has two campuses, one in Nottingham and a new one in East London, scheduled to open this September. Production Futures On Tour will visit the Nottingham campus, based in the heart of the city’s award winning Creative Quarter. Confetti has specialist hubs dedicated to digital, media, film, TV, music and live events, and offers further education from age 16, as well as higher education degree courses.
Reflecting the importance it attaches to providing students with access to careers in the creative industries, Confetti will release all its students from timetabled activities to enable their attendance. The event will also be open to all young people from Nottingham and its surrounding areas who wish to explore careers in production.
The event will be staged across the Confetti campus with activi

Europe - In the next phase of Power Logistics’ ambitious plans for expansion, the temporary power specialist has appointed a European director to lead its newly opened office in Maastricht, Netherlands.
Experienced international sales and marketing professional, Patrick Elissen, will be spearheading the company’s EMEA operation from the centrally located office. Situated in close proximity to both the German and Belgian borders, the new office is just a short hop from many major European cities.
The news follows the company’s announcement in November that it had established a permanent base in Cork, Ireland, and is part of an ongoing programme of growth that will see Power Logistics build on its market-leading reputation for driving innovative, sustainable solutions forward across the globe.
Commenting on his appointment, Power Logistics’ European director, Patrick Elissen, stated: “Power Logistics’ reputation in the provision of temporary event power is beyond impressive for a business of its size. Its commitment and market-leading approach to driving forward sustainable solutions is very exciting and something that I believe there is a real need for both within mainland Europe and the wider worldwide market.”
“The prospect of implementing energy management solutions and integrating technology that positively impact on an event’s carbon footprint whilst focussing on cost efficiencies will be an attractive proposition for organisers, promoters and production companies.”
Power Logistics’ founder and director, Pete W