USA - Fulcrum Acoustic has announced announce its first demo room at W224D at InfoComm 2023 in Orlando, Florida. The demo room will showcase technology and products from Fulcrum Immersive, Fulcrum Acoustic, and Apex.
Fulcrum Immersive will demonstrate its suite of tools, including digital signal processors, software, and acoustical treatments, that create a comprehensive scalable, spatial audio solution. Fulcrum Acoustic loudspeakers will be utilised, displaying the synergy between Fulcrum Acoustic and Fulcrum Immersive products. The audio will be powered by APEX amplifiers including the new 16 channel CloudPower CP716D.
The presentation will feature a live band to showcase these technologies in real time. The performance will give attendees a first-hand experience of Fulcrum Immersive’s capabilities so they can imagine how to incorporate these tools into their own projects.
"This is an exciting moment for Fulcrum Acoustic as we unveil Fulcrum Immersive’s suite of tools at InfoComm 2023," states Stephen Siegel, president at Fulcrum Acoustic. “We are thrilled to present practical and scalable solutions that empower audio professionals to create extraordinary sound experiences. Our dedication to innovative yet practical technologies set us apart, and we are eager to share the immense potential of Fulcrum Immersive with the industry."
Visitors can experience the Fulcrum Immersive suite in action at demo room W224D throughout InfoComm 2023.
USA - tvONE will be exhibiting alongside its media server brand, Green Hippo, at InfoComm 2023 in Orlando from 14-16 June, 2023 (Booth #2901).
tvONE will be showcasing new enhancements for CORIOmaster2 video processors at the show including LED Tools for optimised set-up for complex LED, easy 8K source management using Source Link, fade to black and dissolve transitions, and new test patterns and grids. Also being previewed for CORIOmaster2 will be the new quad 12G-SDI input module for broadcast applications, which supports resolutions up to 4K60, available later in the summer.
Demos on the show floor include multiple interactive video and pixel-mapping techniques from Green Hippo, using the flagship model Hippotizer Tierra+ MK2 Media Server, and Mayon+ MK2. Green Hippo’s brand of Media Servers will also extend to Philips Professional Displays, providing video mapping solutions and playback on booth #929.
tvONE will also present a series of show floor seminars from Green Hippo case studies to an end-to-end, hybrid meeting room solution featuring CORIOmaster micro video processor in partnership with Lumens and Inogeni.
Additionally, tvONE will display a preview of its award-winning Calico Pro video processor, the first of a line of newly developed video processing solutions introduced at ISE earlier this year.
USA - Martin Audio will arrive at InfoComm 23 (June 13-16, Orlando, FL) at the strongest point in its 50-year-plus history. This is marked by the recent launch of the FlexPoint portable coaxial point source series, and the Torus 8 (T820) addition to what it describes as the definitive constant curvature range.
Lee Stein, VP North America, leads a team into the InfoComm halls where the full series of both Torus and FlexPoint will be available for customer inspection at their booth, prior to heading to the demo room where theory translates into practice as the systems are put through their paces.
Says Stein, “Torus has been a great success here in the US and we had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Torus 8 for our US open day. Attendees were impressed with the performance, as were we, and it is an excellent addition to what is now an impressive line of constant curvature arrays.”
Of FlexPoint, Stein states: “This is a great addition to the line-up as it evolves the much-loved coaxial technology featured in the CDD range, but with new features more attuned to a sound reinforcement and live sound application rather than an installation.
“That said, we fully expect FlexPoint to also succeed in the integration market. The FP4 is a shockingly powerful little box with a myriad of application potential, and I expect to see the FP6 and FP8 be widely used as front fills and under-balcony applications.”
UK - The ABTT’s first Make A Difference conference took place at the Albany Theatre on Friday 21 April, 2023, and the association has now announced the release of the conference’s full report.
70 industry delegates from across the country and a range of companies, venues, organisations and institutions were in attendance to discuss the industry’s current recruitment and retention challenges. The report outlines the issues which were discussed and the actions that were suggested. It also reports on some things that have already happened as a result of the conference day.
The “conference day was developed in order to find a way to better host and join-up some of the thinking that was happening throughout the year in ABTT seminars and at the ABTT Theatre Show. It was also intended that the conference would not only further nurture these discussions but would also provide a more proactive and positive platform to encourage actions and stimulate the development of working solutions. By providing time away from the busy workplace and the buzz of a trade show, it was possible to create a better environment to think, consider and commit.
A short survey was conducted prior to conference day to explore the thoughts and opinions of a wide range of practitioners on the current recruitment and retention challenge faced by the sector. Over 400 responses were recorded and the data from this survey was presented to the conference delegates at a pre-conference meeting on March 31st. (The survey data can be found in the Recruitment & Retention Survey Re
UK - The ABTT is inviting people to sign up and participate in its Work Life Challenge initiative. It’s a challenge designed to “encourage us to prioritise time for activities that allow us to wind down from the stresses and strains of our working life, while also providing a focus and incentive for raising money for our much-loved industry charities: Backup Tech, The Theatrical Guild and Stagehand”.
The aim of the challenge is to encourage us to consider and promote a better attitude towards achieving a healthy balance between our work and other “life” activities that help us to unwind and get away from the pressures of our career. Consider starting a walking group; get together with others that run; start a weekly yoga practice before shows; baking; crafting; anything you like but make sure it’s fun and that it makes you smile.
There are two options to sign up for the challenge: The ‘endorphin challenge’: running, walking, climbing, anything that raises that heart rate and the ‘mindfulness challenge’: baking; crafts; reading; anything that focuses our mind.
“We want to encourage you and your theatres, businesses and organisations to commit to a longer-term goal,” says ABTT. “Perhaps a weekly walking club that ends with completing a park run; an arts and crafts club that meets every week for six months; weekly yoga that ends with a one-hour yoga challenge on stage! Whatever your challenge, make it a part of a lifestyle change and commit to prioritising that precious work life balance while at the same time raising money f
Germany - Robe will be exhibiting at the two and a half-day 2023 Showtech entertainment expo next week, staged in Halls 1 and 3 at Station in Berlin, at the heart of the German capital adjacent to the Potsdamer Platz.
Robe has participated in the predecessors of this event and was delighted when the DTHG (German Theatre Technical Society) decided to stage it again, this time as an independent organiser. The company’s German subsidiary immediately secured a premium spot with stand 1.19. A selection of the latest technologies will be showcased, focussing on the T Series products, like the recent TX1 PosiProfile and T11 series, plus the popular T and T2 series’ and manual and remote follow spot systems, together with others suited to stage and performance applications.
“With the focus on theatre and performance lighting and production, we expect a very high quality of attendees from all over Europe,” commented Robe Germany’s marketing manager Julian von den Stemmen. “This also allows us to tailor our booth to the interests of the visitors, not only in showing products, but offering an on-site live workshop experience with international theatre lighting designer Andy Webb, who presents his perspective on using Robe Lighting’s numerous solutions.”
USA - The ESTA Control Protocols Plugfest, the event where manufacturers and developers test their lighting products for interoperability, is scheduled to take place from 5-8 October 2023 at the Marriott Dallas/Fort Worth in Westlake, Texas. This is the 19th instance of this informal testing laboratory. Attendance is free for both ESTA members and non-members.
In response to feedback from last year’s event, the Control Protocols Working Group (CPWG) and Plugfest organisers have announced that Plugfest 2023 will expand from three days to four days. The CPWG’s task group meeting schedule now provides additional time for evening Plugfest activities.
ESTA’s Plugfest is an opportunity to connect your lighting products with those of other manufacturers to test and resolve compatibility challenges. Attendees from around the world bring controllers, intelligent lights, control protocol analysers, and other network-connected components to improve their product experiences.
An informal kick-off presentation will be given each morning at 9am. First-time attendees are especially encouraged to attend this orientation event. Event Information is available at http://tsp.esta.org/tsp/news/plugfest.html
Singapore - Generation AV, who provide sales and technical support for Martin Audio across the APAC territories, recently hosted their first Martin Audio APAC distributor meeting in Singapore, with over 30 business partners from across Asia Pacific attending.
This provided an opportunity for representatives to network, connect, learn, and sample the latest products and technology from the British manufacturer - as well as share their successes and experiences.
There was an additional incentive to attend, since the meeting coincided with the launch of Generation AV’s new Experience Centre in Singapore, which will act as the main hub for all distributors and their clients to gather and be exposed to the latest products from Martin Audio. Distributors and clients alike can now immerse themselves in the company’s signature sound and experience the impeccable output that the products produce.
In terms of product showcase, the introduction of the new FlexPoint series and Torus 8 to the region provided the highlights. This was the first time all distribution partners had the opportunity of hearing these products. Dom Harter, managing director of Martin Audio, and Bradley Watson, Martin Audio global sales director, were in attendance to lead the demonstrations - and in addition to the product demos, there was plenty of discussion on future roadmaps, operations and business in general.
“Martin Audio recognises one of our biggest potentials for growth today is in Asia, which is why we made the investment in the Experience Centre alongside Generat
UK - The ABTT has announced a programme of free skills workshops and seminars at the upcoming ABTT Theatre Show which takes place at Alexandra Palace next month.
Promoting learning, the ABTT will be encouraging conversation and collaboration through a diverse range of free inspiring seminars and discussions educating attendees on a variety of topics, including VR, automation, sound design, AI, comms, health and safety, lighting, staging in the wilderness and mental health.
Supporting training and skills development, the ABTT has arranged a selection of free hands-on workshops including Crucial knots used in backstage roles, The importance of correct manual handling, Finding faults in the workplace and Learning how to handle, hang and store drapes. These fun taster sessions give attendees a glimpse at the importance of ongoing training while refreshing their knowledge.
Opportunities at the Careers and Professional Development Hub provide a focused location for attendees to make sure they have all the latest tips, tricks and practical advice to help them land that all important next role. Attendees can have their CV reviewed by a professional or schedule to speak with an industry expert one to one and have their questions answered about pathways into and through the industry.
For those looking for advice and direction on the next steps in their learning and career development, the show floor also has a dedicated space key educational establishments called Education Alley, providing a go to area to speak with a wide ra
USA - Visual Productions (VP) has announced that it has entered into a new distribution agreement with ACT Entertainment in the United States.
Dutch lighting control system manufacturer Visual Productions has developed a modular range of DMX and DALI light controllers that speak the language of system integrators. Products such as CueCore, B-Station and TimeCore are used in architainment, hospitality, themed environments and other fixed installations.
Maarten Engels, managing director of Visual Productions, explains the collaboration. “The rationale for joining forces with ACT Entertainment is really a story of synergy: On the one hand, VP is expanding its distribution network with the ACT organisation which consists of several offices in the US and a very strong technical support team.
“We are of course delighted that ACT's platform will make our products much more visible in the US market. On the other hand, by bringing VP on board, ACT strengthens its proposition in the systems integration market and can now offer A-brand lighting control solutions across the board, both for entertainment and fixed installations.”
With ACT's technical team already trained on the new products, both teams are ready to launch the collaboration at Infocomm in Orlando in June.
“The more we got to know the Visual Productions team and their products, the more obvious it became that we had to find a way to bring their brand to our customers,” says Ryan Hindinger, market manager, concert touring & live experiences, ACT Entertainment. “Visual P
UK - IPS were delighted to exhibit again at the 2023 PLASA Focus show, returning to Leeds has become a firm date in the company calendar. “The team on the stand met lots of familiar faces during the busy two-day event and had lots of productive conversations about upcoming projects and the latest hire items in the IPS inventory,” says IPS’ Tom Warden. “There was also interest in the IPS offering from new potential customers, as well as students and others interested in starting out within the technical events industry.”
The IPS stand was consistently busy as people visited to have a look at the fixtures on display, which included the new Martin MAC Aura XIP LED Wash fixture (which was recently one of the stars of the show at the Windsor Coronation Concert) and the new GLP Impression X5 IP Bar, which will arrive in hire stocks very shortly. The X5 IP bar boasts a brighter output with the impressive colour range from the new RGBL X5 LED engines, plus a wider zoom range and faster movement, all now in an IP rated package.
Also on display and continuing the IP rated lighting theme were Chauvet onAir IP Panel 2 fixtures providing diffused stand lighting, with Chauvet Ovation Reve E3-IP profile fixtures on highlighting duty. The stand itself was a Black Prolyte H30V Truss based structure, and everything was built from standard hire stock items.
One of the most popular features of the IPS stand was the pick’n’mix stand which helped keep spirits high during the show for event attendees and fellow exhibitors alike, with the intention being to
UK - Dante by Design is a new, one day, in person event to bring together professionals from all aspects of acoustic and audio-visual system design to hear from some of the leading acoustic consultants, technical solutions architects, AV systems designers and AV engineers - and get up to speed and hands on with the latest in Dante AV and Dante Domain Manager.
Taking place at the Museum of London (London Wall) on Tuesday 20 June, the event is free to attend. Places are limited so advance registration is required.
The event will feature contributions from the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Opera House, Sandy Brown acoustic consultants and more. The full schedule is to be announced mid May.
Dante by Design will cover network design, unified management & control, and AV & IT convergence through presentations, interactive sessions and on-stage panel discussions. There will also be an opportunity for Q&A throughout the day.
In addition to an update from the Audinate product management team on Dante AV products launching at InfoComm, highlights of advanced Dante certification training will be covered. There will also be a Dante product demonstration area where you can get hands on with product and speak to the product management, solutions sales and technical salespeople.
There will be networking opportunities for all, plus the chance to speak to a select number of Dante OEM Partners. There will also be giveaways and offers exclusive to delegates.
test
USA - First unveiled at ISE in partnership with electronic musician and composer, Jean-Michel Jarre, and contemporary French artist Eric Decastro, Coda Audio has announced the US launch of Space by Coda at InfoComm 2023. A full programme of demos and the opportunity to participate in a prize draw for an all-expenses-paid trip for two people to Coda HQ in Hannover, Germany are on the agenda.
Space by Coda combines advanced AV technology with art to create a seamless audio-visual experience that is scalable and adaptable to any environment - and where the mechanics of what is a concert-grade audio experience are rendered completely invisible.
“Conventional AV solutions are often a compromise between technical requirements and visual aesthetics,” explains Coda founder and MD, Svetly Alexandrov. “High quality AV solutions usually include projector and/or LED screens, multiple loudspeakers, mounting accessories, and a lot of cables, as well as acoustic absorbers and diffusors. This is usually at odds with the vision of the architect and/or interior designer who don’t want loudspeakers, acoustic elements, cabling and other technology cluttering up their interior design. Space by Coda resolves all these problems.”
“Space by Coda is transformative technology at every level,” says global marketing & sales director, David Webster. “It transforms the way we perceive audio, and it transforms and elevates spaces, both visually and aurally. It’s fully scalable and totally customisable. The only limit is your imagination.”
Norway - Oslo-based CT Norway enjoyed a successful LLB exhibition in March, its busy booth including a showcase of systems from event and broadcast comms specialist, Green-GO.
LLB (Lyd Lys Bilde or Light Sound Picture), held every two years in Oslo, is a major social event for Norway’s industry, attracting professionals from all over the country. This year, however, following COVID, it returned for the first time since 2019, bringing an added anticipation for all concerned.
Part of the global Creative Technology Group, CT Norway provides audio, lighting, visual and staging technologies and expertise for all kinds of live, virtual and installed environments. It is also the exclusive Norwegian distributor for a number of leading brands, including Green-GO’s range of innovative, Ethernet network-based, digital intercom systems.
As well as making Green-GO technology a centrepiece of their LLB booth, CT Norway also gave a special ‘thank you’ to customers and partners with an after-show party featuring Green-GO systems as a central talking point. Senior account executive Jørgen Tharaldsen says: “The new Green-GO software - now on version five - is always a really popular thing to demonstrate to customers. The dashboard gives a complete system overview, and the drag-and-drop functionality is very useful.”
He adds: “Green-GO is an affordable solution too because it’s so flexible and scalable. You can start to communicate with just two products, and add more users or functionality as the budget allows. System setup is fast and simple,
UK - Electric Airshows, the only drone show company currently in PLASA’s membership, revealed two major advances at the popular PLASA Focus Leeds trade show in early May.
First up, the specialist provider of drone light shows gave the production industry its first glimpse of a brand-new, ‘out of the box’ solution that signals the future of fast drone show implementation for entertainment. At the same time, the company introduced another major step forward with the addition of award-winning lighting designer (and trained drone pilot!) John Bishop, to its growing team.
The ingenious new flightcase system offers rapid deployment for drone light shows. With 12 drones ready to fly out of - and back into! - each protective case, the system promises to significantly speed-up the laborious process of prepping and laying out a swarm of drones for an aerial display. Importantly, the system drastically reduces the time and manpower required on-site, making the inclusion of drone light shows in events a far more viable option.
Chris Crockford explains: “This is such an important step because providing drone light shows is far from straightforward. Each individual drone in a swarm is, after all, an aircraft, and its flight has to be planned, monitored and logged accordingly to meet the stringent regulations set by the CAA. With so much inherent complexity behind the scenes, this new innovation will make a huge difference to actual on-site activity, and help to make the inclusion of drone shows a much easier option for production companies creating all
USA - ACT Entertainment will showcase its new zactrack mini at InfoComm 2023 (Booth 3643). This briefcase-sized tracking solution offers easy transport and deployment for areas of 15x15m, by a single person. Designed to introduce tracking to new users and spaces, the zactrack mini is suitable for smaller venues, exhibitions and conferences, individual performers, rental companies, houses of worship and more.
“With zactrack’s core value of providing a quality user experience at the center of this design, the zactrack mini boasts a smaller form factor with battery operated components and wireless connectivity for an even faster and easier setup,” says Ryan Hindinger, market manager: concert touring & live experiences, ACT Entertainment.
“It is also a more economically viable solution, opening the act of tracking and following to any application, designer or performer. The kit comes with all tracking components and accessories, making it possible to take your portable, battery powered tracking solution anywhere in the world and get straight to work.”
At the heart of the zactrack mini is a master anchor, which offers multiple uses and can output DMX directly to fixtures with a single XLR cable. This simplifies the system for the user and removes the need for additional hardware utilised in other systems, such as the wireless access point, DMX node and network switches. Used as a standalone or integrated with an industry standard lighting console, zactrack mini allows designers and operators to maintain hands-on creative control.
Us
UK - With record attendance, PLASA Focus Leeds 2023 proved itself yet again as the go-to trade event for the entertainment technology industry in the north of the UK as it returned to Royal Armouries from 9-10 May.
This year’s show saw a strong 20% increase in attendance from 2022 and a 5% increase from 2019, confirming the rising importance of in-person connections. Furthermore, this year saw 18% more students attending – a promising sign for the long-term prospects of the live sector.
Always popular for its inclusive layout and friendly atmosphere, PLASA Focus Leeds welcomed a diverse array of visitors, with organisers reporting that one in five were business directors or owners. The most common professions represented by visitors were engineers, technicians and programmers. Moreover, a third of visitors were final decision makers.
Tony Torlini, general manager for Optikinetics, comments: “PLASA Focus Leeds was a great success. Attendees from diverse backgrounds and experience levels - including seasoned professionals and those contemplating a career in entertainment tech - contributed to the event's buzz. We are proud to have been a part of this vibrant and dynamic industry event.”
Matt Wiseman, sales and brand manager for MDG FOG UK, adds: “We've always found PLASA Focus Leeds to be very welcoming and productive. There's not a show gone by that has not yielded opportunity; PLASA Leeds show has played its part to our increasing success.”
Big brands and new products
The event’s two halls were brimming with
UK - At PLASA Focus Leeds, Highlite International exhibited many of its lighting, audio, and audio-visual products, including a number of new entertainment solutions and innovations from Showtec, Infinity, DAP and Artecta.
For Highlite International, PLASA Focus Leeds offered a great opportunity to meet customers to discuss the latest developments in the entertainment market. The Highlite stand was the setting for a comprehensive presentation of a wide range of new products for entertainment lighting from Showtec and Infinity, audio solutions from DAP and architectural lighting from Artecta.
Showtec exhibited their updated Lampy DMX console with V2 software, which promises a huge step forward in functionality with multicell capabilities, a new professional colour picker, multi-touch support and up to 6 universes in combination with the new Lampy Re-Load 4 expansion kit.
Several other new products were also on display, including the Polar Wash 740, an IP65-rated effect moving head with seven 40-watt RGBL LEDs. The Shark range of IP65-rated moving heads also received new additions to improve and expand the series. The Shark - The Meg - Beam One, a compact, 100-watt LED, 1.6-degree beam moving head with gobo, dual prism, frost, LED ring and more and the Shark Wash Zoom Two, a 7 x 30-watt RGBW LED washer with zoom, were also on display.
Other Showtec fixtures like the Performer Cyc Q6, the Performer Profile 700 Q6, the ACT Fresnel 150 and the Cameleon Flood 15 Q4 Tour were there too. Showtec hazers and smoke machines were also on display.
In
USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) will showcase a variety of new accessories to support its AC6 2-Way Full Range ADAPTive column loudspeaker at the 2023 InfoComm Show (Booth 5243 and in its demo room, W222A), including a pole mount, stacking plate and stinger offerings. Suitable for production companies and partners, EAW’s newest AC6 accessories increase loudspeaker portability, allowing for ease of travel and the expansion of its mounting options.
All three AC6 accessory options create an enhanced user experience for production companies. Pole mounting and stinger accessories ease mobility of the loudspeaker, enabling users to take AC6 anywhere on the road for demo tours, live events and more. Additionally, with a stacking plate, two AC6 loudspeakers can now be combined, allowing for the movement of multiple speakers as a single unit.
“The addition of these new accessories for AC6 will be a great asset to our partner production companies,” says TJ Smith, president of EAW. “The ability to mobilisse AC6 opens a world of possibilities, allowing for both customer and business growth.”
UAE - Christie is exhibiting at the inaugural Integrate Middle East show, 16-18 May at Dubai World Trade Centre, United Arab Emirates. At booth #AR-F20, Christie will demonstrate how its technologies form end-to-end visual solutions, from its RGB pure laser projection and LED video wall range to content management and processing technologies.
“We are delighted to exhibit at Integrate Middle East. This is a key region for Christie and we’re seeing significant growth in the Middle East,” says Mahesh Singh, regional sales manager, Middle East, Christie. “It will be an excellent platform to showcase how our complete solutions can solve customer challenges and help our partners to deliver exceptional experiences. We look forward to welcoming attendees to our feature-packed stand at this inaugural show.”
On show will be a selection of projectors from Christie’s RGB pure laser range, including the Griffyn Series all-in-one RGB pure laser projectors. The Griffyn 4K50-RGB is the lightest, brightest, and most energy-efficient 50,000 lumen laser projector available to illuminate any surface with bright visuals while operating at 55dBA at full brightness.
A creative display using Christie MicroTiles LED 0.75mm will be seen at the booth, with the enhanced model offering improved visual acuity and energy-efficient options. A live MicroTiles LED demonstration will also showcase just how easy it is to install configure in near-limitless ways - from curves and corners to architectural displays.
Christie’s 1DLP projection range will also be repre
Poland - Robe was a gold sponsor of the 5th Scena Jutra (Stage of Tomorrow) conference, a high profile two day industry symposium taking place at the Teatr Wielki Polish National Opera in Warsaw, organised by the Stage of Tomorrow Foundation.
An impressive array of high-profile Polish and international speakers and influencers ensured there was plenty of interest in the diverse programme that explored multiple topics and themes all related to stage presentation, scenography, dramaturgy, theatricality, and expression over 50 separate sessions. Debates, discussions and presentations focused on how new and developing technologies - from the latest lighting fixtures and sound systems to VR, real-time visual tools remote tracking and AI - might affect the future creation of emotional experiences for audiences and guests.
Scena Jutra president Rafal Rzeczkowski was delighted. “The line-up of industry professionals willing to give up their time to be here was impressive, and the number of registrants and attendees exceeded our expectations,” he stated.
He also explained how for this edition, the scope of Scena Jutra was broadened to attract more brands, organisations, and marketing specialists from the corporate sphere.
“We wanted to add diversity to the mix because all of these basic theatrical disciplines - from the storytelling to the emotional impact of live performance and installation art - is integral to the impact and reach of successful commercial and business events and brand activations. It is interesting to see how all the ideas,
UK - Backup is set to bring together over 300 live event industry fellows for its annual summer fund raiser – Kartfest -The Village Fete
“Building on eight years of successful Kartfests we’re adding an extra layer of theming to this year’s event and incorporating the traditional British village fete,” says Backup trustee and Kartfest organiser, Lee Dennison. “This now provides the day out we have been looking to create for the live events industry with the karting becoming part of the day rather than the focus. We will be delivering a host of other attractions and areas to grab the interest of racers and day visitors alike.”
One of the new areas is the Well-being hub. The aftermath of the effects of Covid has hit the live events industry and the want and need for mental health support is now Backup’s most pressing area of focus. The Backup team has also seen the desire for the industry to better itself and become the first line of support to friends, colleagues, and live events, so this is one of the areas Backup is very keen to keep attention and momentum on is mental health and the stories around it.
“This space we are creating is to showcase the services and support out there for us, but also act as a hub to share stories and initiatives from the industry,” Lee continues. “We will also provide an ‘orchard’ space to bring people together and provoke conversation and engagement from the industry.”
The Wellbeing Hub will be hosted by Music Support, Backup, music industry therapist and Lions Barber Collective, a grou
UK - Artistic Licence is looking forward to exhibiting at PLASA Focus Leeds. As regulars at the show for many years, AL is returning this time as part of the Robe Lighting family, which also includes the architectural brand, Anolis.
The focus this year is on product training. “We will be demonstrating our core commissioning and test tools, so come along and find out how it's done. All knowledge levels are welcome - from beginners who are just discovering the basics of DMX512, RDM or DALI, to power users with advanced configuration questions,” says Artistic Licence.
Taking centre stage is the new product, Commissioner multi - a hand-held DMX512, RDM and DALI test and commissioning tool. It supports all three protocols, making it a versatile piece of equipment suitable for site use in many scenarios.
Micro-Scope, the rugged DMX tester first launched in the 1990s, has recently undergone a major upgrade, and the latest (3c) version offers RDM support. Customers of old Micro-Scopes can also buy an upgrade kit, an economical way of bringing an old product up to the latest specification.
nanoScope is a small battery powered tester for DMX512 and RDM. It is built into a 5-pin XLR connector with a translucent plastic case. nanoScope lights up in different colours to express its findings - a budget option for those with fairly simple rig check needs.
UK - PLASA Focus Leeds lands back at the Royal Armouries next week, from 9-10 May, for two packed days of all that’s new in live entertainment technology. And Ambersphere proudly returns for another year as the headline sponsor.
A record number of people have registered for the friendliest trade show in the industry. And the two show halls feature many of the biggest names from pro audio, stage lighting, audio-visual, rigging and staging technology.
Lighting professionals can look forward to meeting manufacturers such as Artistic Licence, Avolites, Chauvet Professional, ETC, GLP, Robe, SGM, TMB, and Vari-Lite. Audio professionals can meet brands such as d&b audiotechnik, Bose, EM Acoustics, Funktion-One, Nexo, Peavey, RCF, Shure, and Yamaha.
AV brands will also be at the show, including Bosch, Epson, Lang, PSCo, and Riedel. And several rigging, staging and accessories companies will be in attendance, such as Alustage, Area Four Industries, ChainMaster, Doughty, Drape Makers, Electric Airshows, Encore, Flightcase Warehouse, Flints Theatrical Chandlers, Harlequin Floors, J&C Joel, NSP Cases, Sundrax, Triple E, Rigging Services, and UK Rigging.
In between the show halls, visitors can soak up the spring sunshine and enjoy food and drink stalls, including the all-new ‘Unplugged Bug’, a VW Camper transformed into a mobile DJ booth fitted with pro Martin Audio gear.
A well-stocked programme also awaits visitors, led by live sector thought-leaders. On the main stage, visitors can hear from programme sponsors Vectorworks on produ