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04 March 2025

Europe - The OCA Alliance has attested to a positive ISE 2025, full of new implementations and products and a broader industry embrace of open public control standards.

"This was a fantastic year for AES70 at ISE,” reports OCA Alliance marketing chair, Ethan Wetzell. “We saw several new products and implementations of the standard – some of which we knew were coming, but several of which were surprises. And that's really the benchmark of success for a technology like this – when the industry begins to pick it up and implement it independently, that's a ringing endorsement."

Throughout the show, members of the OCA Alliance were on hand to showcase and demonstrate options for commercial hardware, software controllers, hardware and software reference designs, and discuss the standard's latest additions. Of particular interest this year were AES7

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04 March 2025

Creative Consent - Organisations including the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, Equity and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain are urging the government to ensure creative work cannot be mined by artificial intelligence unless its creator has given express consent.

The government is consulting on targeted protections for the arts following a backlash against its controversial new plans, under which AI would be able to train easily on content unless its creators forbade it. But unions have warned that “the clock is ticking” to put safeguards in place against the “industrial-scale theft” they claim is already unfolding.

Equity and the WGGB have now demanded an opt-in model for creative workers, under which they must give permission for their work to be used by AI, as well as fair remuneration for artists where their content is used,

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03 March 2025

Germany - Absen celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated showroom in Mörfelden-Walldorf on Thursday, 27 February. The display area has been transformed to showcase a wider range of Absen’s LED solutions from its ProAV, AbsenLive, and DOOH product portfolios, offering an immersive experience.

Tania Zhao, vice-president and president of display business group at Absen, expressed his excitement, stating: “Our Germany base is a vital resource for our teams and we are delighted to unveil this newly renovated Absen showroom. This innovative space provides a unique opportunity to showcase our diverse product displays, from our wide range of market segments to our European customers and partners.

“The updated showroom will further support the regional sales team and continue to strengthen our efforts across Europe, with a more timely and ef

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25 February 2025

Sounds of Silence - More than 1,000 musicians – including Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn and Kate Bush – have released a silent album in protest at the UK government's planned changes to copyright law, which they say would make it easier for AI companies to train models using copyrighted work without a licence.

Under the new proposals, AI developers will be able to use creators' content on the internet to help develop their models, unless the rights holders elect to "opt out". The artists hope the album, entitled Is This What We Want?, will draw attention to the potential impact on livelihoods and the UK music industry. All profits will be donated to the charity Help Musicians.

"In the music of the future, will our voices go unheard?" Kate Bush said in a statement. A public consultation on the legal changes closes later today, Tuesday.

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18 February 2025

UK - During 2024, Backup welcomed three new companies to its list of partners – L-Acoustics (platinum partners), Chauvet (gold) and Carallon (silver). The contribution that all Backup Tech partners make is testimony to the spirit of the industry, and each company has its own reason for joining. The end result is the same: helping continue the amazing work Backup does to support industry family members when they need it most.

"Live sound professionals are a valued and essential part of our community and ecosystem – they inspire our innovations and share our passion for connecting people through extraordinary experiences," says Anne Hamlett, chief people officer at L-Acoustics. "Supporting Backup means supporting the very people who bring sound to life and make these meaningful connections possible."

Chauvet Professional has supported Backup for ma

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18 February 2025

Manchester Calling - Manchester’s cultural sector has bounced back post-pandemic and generated more than £342m last year for the city, a report has revealed. The Annual Culture Impact Survey, presented to the Manchester City Council’s Economy and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee last week, declared that the figure amounted to a "very good" return on the investment of council money in culture.

According to the report, Manchester City Council invested £23.1m in arts, culture and libraries in 2023-24, which helped leverage a further £159.2m from other private, public and other funding streams during the same year. It said this represented an overall economic boost to the city of more than £342m, an amount deemed to demonstrate a post-pandemic recovery. The report also revealed that footfall at Manchester’s cultural venues stands at 93% of its

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17 February 2025

Spain - Production Futures enjoyed a successful debut at ISE, where it was part of the Fast Forward Friday takeover of the Live Events Stage. Providing an inspiring focus for young people on networking, training, and career growth in the live event technology and broadcast sectors, the Production Futures takeover promoted a day of learning, targeted at helping to develop the skills and confidence to meet career challenges head-on.

Hannah Eakins of Production Futures saw the organisation’s first appearance at ISE as a very important milestone in taking its message to a global audience:

“Throughout the day, we invited special guests from all corners of the industry to give the ISE audience an insight into the world of training and work opportunities within live event and broadcast production, whilst simultaneously raising the profile of ne

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12 February 2025

International - The latest issue of LSi is out now, and can be read online for free here.

Inside our new February issue, you’ll find the behind-the-scenes story of London’s spectacular New Year’s Eve display, including how the team deployed motion graphics at the event for the first time.

We also bring you Julie Harper’s report from the Dominion Theatre on The Devil Wears Prada musical, plus Phil Ward meets the team at audio networking specialist Joyned.

There are two in-depth technical reviews to get your teeth into, as Rob Halliday tests out the ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M+ lighting console and Richard Cadena takes a closer look at Claypaky’s Rhapsodya LED profile

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11 February 2025

USA - Billed as an 'evening of music and solidarity', the FireAid Benefit Concert – hosted by the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum on 30 January – saw 35 artists perform in a live broadcast that helped to raise millions for wildfire recovery efforts.

Organised by the Annenberg Foundation, as the event began, $2m dollars were raised thanks to a $1m donation from Irish rock band U2 matched in contribution by Clippers Organisation and Intuit Dome ownership Steve and Connie Ballmer. At the time of press, an estimated $100m has been raised, with funds allocated to the rebuilding of LA communities and wildfire prevention methods.

Clair Global’s team was led by Meegan Holmes, general manager of Clair’s Sun Valley, CA location. Clair, together with group brands Eighth Day Sound and Sound Image supported client rehearsals for Billie Eilish, Jelly Ro

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11 February 2025

Stepping Down - Celebrated lighting designer Paule Constable has announced her retirement from theatre. The multi-Olivier award-winning designer announced the move after accepting her award for Services to UK Theatre at the WhatsOnStage Awards 2025.

Over her lengthy career, she has worked for organisations including the National Theatre, the Donmar Warehouse and the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as the Michael Grandage Company. Her many shows have included War Horse, Evita, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Light Princess and Ballet Shoes, as well as operas with Glyndebourne, the Royal Ballet and Opera and English National Opera. She has won five Olivier awards and two Tony Awards.

Creamfields - Anyma has been named as the first headliner at the upcoming

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04 February 2025

Fire Aid - Sir Rod Stewart was one of many big names who took to the stage as part of a star-studded benefit concert featuring over 25 major artists across two Los Angeles venues to raise funds for victims of devastating wildfires. The fires, which began in early January, claimed 29 lives and destroyed more than 16,000 buildings across Los Angeles. The concerts were held at the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome in Inglewood, two large arenas approximately a mile apart.

Billie Eilish and Green Day opened the show with a poignant duet of Last Night On Earth, singing: ‘If I lose everything in the fire’. Performing at the Intuit Dome, Sir Rod Stewart flew from the UK specially for the event, saying, "LA is very special to me, I've lived here for 50 odd years."

Elsewhere, Joni Mitchell delivered a stunning rendition of Both Sides Now

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30 January 2025

UK - The Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) has announced Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros) as the winner of the 2025 Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film award.

On the winning film, AMPS chair Andrew Wilson said: “The sound for Dune: Part Two was astonishing, and key to immersing the audience in Denis Villeneuve’s expansive world of Arrakis. It is a deeply impressive piece of filmmaking demonstrating the power of sound as a storytelling device.

“From the power of the Sandworm ride to the tiniest grains drifting in the lightest of winds, the sound is detailed and nuanced, creating a memorable experience. AMPS is honoured to recognise the work in sound of Gareth John, Tom Harrison, Martin Kwok, Richard King, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill and their sound teams.”

The Dune: Part Two sound team said: “We are

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28 January 2025

Theatres at Risk - RAAC infected theatres the Brunton, the Harlequin and Motherwell Concert Hall have been added to the Theatres Trust’s ‘Theatres at Risk Register’ as the list approaches two decades of advocating for building preservation. The three venues, two of which are facing imminent demolition following the discovery of potentially dangerous concrete (RAAC) in their infrastructures, are among five new additions to the register alongside Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre and Arts Centre and Cannock’s Prince of Wales Theatre. All five are local authority-owned, mid- to small-scale venues located outside of major cities.

Announcing the 2025 register, Theatres Trust director Joshua McTaggart noted that RAAC was proving a "particularly tricky" problem, and warned cash-strapped local authorities that cutting arts provisions would rob communities of "vita

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24 January 2025

UK - Production Futures’ final On Tour event of 2024 took place at Production Park in Wakefield during November and proved to be another success. Young people from across the North of England were able to connect with representatives of its industry partners to explore paid opportunities and free training, as well as taking advantage of workshops, presentations and discussions.

In keeping with the Production Futures ethos, a team of apprentices from global production specialists PRG, designed the systems and installed all the technical requirements for the event’s focal point, the Talks Stage. With 38 locations in 29 countries across six continents, PRG specialises in lighting, audio, video, rigging, automation, digital services, camera, broadcast, and design for events of every size and scale, from concept to execution. The company is strongly

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23 January 2025

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) has announced the launch of the third edition of its annual proactive conference day, the ABTT Make A Difference Conference, which is committed to finding solutions to current industry issues. The 2025 conference will be held on Friday 28 March 2025 at Rose Bruford College in Sidcup.

The theme for this year’s discussion is Rethinking backstage technical teaching and apprenticeships with and for Industry.

The conference is designed to be more than simply talking. There is no passive sitting and listening at the conference and if you attend, you are to committing to taking action by sharing your thoughts and views. You will spend the day developing ideas and strategies to achieve solutions for the issues discussed.

Following the success of the 2023 conference, which covered t

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21 January 2025

Cambridge Blues - One of the oldest and most prestigious folk festivals in England has been cancelled, for what would have been its 60th anniversary. Organisers of Cambridge Folk Festival said they would use the resources from this year's event to explore new opportunities ahead of its return in 2026.

The annual four-day folk and roots music festival, organised by Cambridge City Council, first began in 1965 and has been hosted on the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall. Labour councillor for the area, Robert Dryden, said the festival had lost money in 2024, but the cancellation came as a "big shock" that would "disappoint lots of people". The decision to cancel a folk festival in its 60th anniversary year has been described as "surprising" and "disappointing" by fans and musicians.

Singer-songwriter Fran Lusty, who played at the festival for the f

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20 January 2025

USA - The 2025 NAMM Show will take place at the Anaheim Convention Centre this week as planned, with events beginning on Tuesday, 21 January running through to 25 January.

As previously reported, there had been fears the wildfires in Northern Los Angeles might cause a postponement.

“We have been in constant contact with our partners and city officials all week, and Anaheim is still unaffected by the wildfires in northern Los Angeles,” said John Mlynczak, president and CEO of NAMM, at the weekend.

“We have confirmed that the air quality is safe, that traffic between LAX and Anaheim will not impact relief efforts, and that our hotel rooms will not displace any evacuees. We want to be sure that we can gather for a safe, successful NAMM Show while also supporting the ongoing relief efforts.”

Mlynczak continued: “The 2025 NAMM Sh

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20 January 2025

UK - After a year of development, UK-based company Automated Film Props is offering new automation solutions designed to be utilised with film, television and stage props.

“We do this by delivering enterprise-class prop automation software and components that turn narrative events into actions from your props. We use industrial design to build PCBs, modules and subassemblies that you can use in your props during the build process, and the 'grip-equipment' to drive BTS kit like lighting and movement,” the company says. “Your props can display real values and respond to stimuli in a believable fashion.”

Extensive (and costly) production time is taken up between takes and rehearsals in order to reset props for the next one. By creating the infrastructure that allows props to be instantly set/reset, this can help ensure a more efficient, less str

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15 January 2025

UK - A new UK Festivals Data Map has been launched, mapping over 850 festivals that took place in England, Wales and Scotland in 2024, where music was a key part of the entertainment.

The free, publicly available UK Music Festival Resource is designed to be updated and help the industry count festivals, artists plan tours, and fans discover new events in their area.

Commissioned by retiring Association of Festival Organisers general secretary Steve Heap in partnership with EIF and LIVE, this UK Festival Data tool has been created by Chris Carey of FastForward Events, with funding from the Events Industry Forum (principal funder) and LIVE (supporter).

Launched on 14 January 2025, on the EIF website, the content will be monitored and updated by the Fast Forward Events team for the first three months, then its upkeep will transfer to th

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14 January 2025

USA - The NAMM Foundation has created the 2025 LA Wildfires Relief Fund, committing $50,000, and they are accepting additional contributions. This fund was established in response to the fires in Greater Los Angeles and their devastating impact on NAMM members, music programs, and music professionals in the area.

Needs-based assistance will be provided to NAMM members, employees of NAMM member companies, music education programmes, and music makers affected by the January 2025 fires. The NAMM Foundation is currently performing a needs assessment and will provide more information soon on the distribution of and application process for these funds.

"The NAMM Show has been in Anaheim for 49 years; the LA community is our home and our family,” said NAMM president & CEO, John Mlynczak. “NAMM is committed to supporting the relief and recov

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14 January 2025

Europe - IBC has announced that the call for Technical Papers is now open for the IBC2025 Conference.

The Technical Papers Programme offers an opportunity for forward-thinking technologists and companies to unveil their ideas and research to media industry leaders hungry for new technology concepts, their possible uses and practical applications.

The programme welcomes entries from all sectors across the media, entertainment and technology industry. Entries can come from every discipline, whether the entrant is a professional or a professor, a member of an R&D team, working alone or with a global brand – from across any part of the broadcast, communications, electronic media and entertainment fields.

Dr Paul Entwistle, chair of IBC's Technical Papers Committee, said: “Unsurprisingly, AI was our most popular Technical Papers session at

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14 January 2025

UK - PLASA has announced changes to its Executive Board and Membership Governing Body (MGB). After seven years of dedicated service as chair, Adam Blaxill of Stage Electrics steps down to join the association’s Executive Board as a non-executive director, replacing fellow former chair, Ed Pagett.

Having previously served as PLASA’s treasurer, Matt Lloyd of 3LR Lighting Ltd now becomes chair, with Koy Neminathan of Elation Professional B.V stepping into the role of treasurer, having previously been PLASA’s manufacturer representative. Adlib’s Andy Dockerty continues in his role as vice-chair. Joining the MGB, Mark Cooper of SES Entertainment Services Limited has been appointed as PLASA’s new manufacturer representative, while Chris West of West Training Services Ltd has been elected as the educational and training representative.

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14 January 2025

City of Culture - Thousands of people braved sub-zero temperatures to watch an open-air spectacle starring magician Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo, a 10-year-old rapper and a dozen aerial dancers to launch Bradford's year as UK City of Culture. Frayne told the audience he started his career performing street magic in City Park, where the opening ceremony was held, and that his home city was "going to make its mark on the world" in 2025.

Organisers said about 10,000 people turned out to watch the show, which took place in temperatures of -3C (26.6F). Bradford is the fourth UK City of Culture, a title that is awarded every four years. The scheme is designed to boost the chosen city's visitor numbers, economies and reputations, and Bradford's year has received £15m government funding.

Oh yes it is! - Robin Hood has be

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07 January 2025

Festival Finances - Glastonbury Festival has reported that profits more than doubled last year, as it faces criticism for being too "corporate". The festival brought in £5.9m in pre-tax profits for the year to March 2024 – up from £2.9m the year before. During the same period, the event also donated £5.2m to charitable organisations including Oxfam, Greenpeace and WaterAid.

A spokesperson for the festival said "successful, dry Glastonburys in both 2023 and 2024" had helped to "rebuild the event's vital financial reserves". The spokesperson said it also allowed them to "continue to support good causes and charities". Like many festivals, Glastonbury saw record losses during the pandemic, with the event called off in 2020 and 2021, "costing the festival millions", said the spokesperson.

In The Courts - A cyber hacker has pleaded g