USA – The powerful trio of Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin and Pitbull went out on the road this spring for The Trilogy Tour – a series of concerts with two large diamond IMAG screens and a LED wall dominating the stage, which for Igelsias was driven by tvONE's Green Hippo brand of Hippotizer Media Servers.

The shows proved so successful in the last quarter of 2023 that 18 more shows were played around the US in 2024, with each artist performing with a striking identity conveyed through visuals and light. JMT Concepts has been working for Iglesias’s Ei Productions for more than a decade and was brought in by Iglesias as video director. JMT Concepts supplied two Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers to the tour, with one as main and one backup. The design and creative was realised by Travis Shirley, who also created the content for the show.

“Al

Sweden - Under the experienced hand of veteran Eurovision technical show director, Ola Melzig, the production designer, Florian Wieder, and lighting and screen content designer Fredrik Stormby of Green Wall Designs, worked closely with associate lighting designers Mike Smith and Michael Straun to ensure the 68th Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in the Malmö Arena was an impressive event.

“As this was the third time Sweden had hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 10 years, we set ourselves the challenge of doing something new and brave that would respectfully challenge the traditional Eurovision concept a little and introduce a more large-scale concert tour feel to the familiar ‘studio show’ concept,” explains Stormby.

Taking inspiration from Swedish music, songwriting and local architecture, and a tricky request from the producers to put the au

USA - When it was first published in 1967, S.E. Hinton’s coming-of-age novel, The Outsiders, struck a chord with readers with its gritty-yet-tender tale of social and familial upheaval, aptly articulated by an author who was, herself, a teenager. Sixteen years later, celebrated film director Francis Ford Coppola brought the eponymous story to the silver screen with a cast full of young actors that would all go on to become Hollywood A-listers.

Fast-forwarding to 2024, The Outsiders is being reimagined once again, this time as a Broadway musical featuring immersive L-ISA technology and the NYC Theatre District’s first L-Acoustics L Series loudspeaker deployment. The new show is nominated for 12 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Sound Design of a Musical for sound designer Cody Spencer.

“People’s expectations of the

Sweden - The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) was staged in Malmo Arena, and was memorable for many elements including the technical presentation. Under the show technical direction of Ola Melzig, the team of creatives, programmers, engineers, network architects and technicians collaborated to stage the first ever in-the-round ESC.

Lighting designer Fredrik Stormby of Stockholm-based creative studio Greenwall Design and his team took care of all things lighting as well as co-ordinating the screens content, working in close conjunction with production designer Florian Wieder, and included on the lighting plot were 52 x Robe Fortes, 57 x T1 Profiles and 14 x T2 Profiles.

These Robe moving lights were used to cover all the stage and Green Room key lighting requirements.

Rigged on multiple roof and side trusses flown above and around both these

UK - Technology collective Tin Drum asked Manchester-based audio specialists, tube uk, to assist with the delivery of a sound system - speakers together with a playback / racking control system - for an innovative series of immersive mixed reality performance concerts, Kagami, featuring the music of the late artist, composer and audio producer, Ryuichi Sakamoto.

The in-the-round shows were originally staged during the 2023 Manchester International Festival (MIF23), at the Old Granada Studios, also with tube as audio supplier.

Tin Drum next moved the show to the Roundhouse in London for a high-profile showcase and again asked tube uk to supply the audio equipment, including speakers and collaborating closely with their sound designer, Rob Parkinson.

tube’s Melvyn Coote and John Redfern were delighted to tackle such an interesting mi

Venezuela - Osteria in the capital city of Caracas offers diners Italian food and cocktails in relaxed surroundings, including a restaurant and terrace, plus an additional VIP room and VIP terrace.

Osteria required the sound system to be ‘elegant and unobtrusive in its design, and powerful in its performance, contributing to the restaurant’s concept of inspiring guests to lose themselves in ‘il dolce far niente’ as a way of enjoying life’.

Nexo distributor Sun Music Pro designed a system based around the ultra-compact Nexo ID14, which measures just 130mm wide, 130mm high and 120mm front to back, and uses a single coaxial 4-inch driver with a 1.4-inch Neodymium HF.

With processing and amplification from Nexo’s DTD-I and three DTDAMP4X0.7, the system comprises six ID14s with LF extension from two IDS108 subs in the main restaurant,

UK - P&O Cruises has installed Shure Axient systems for use during its theatre shows and live music performances. The upgrade was made in partnership with Autograph Sound.

Autograph Sound has led the fleet-wise wireless system upgrade programme, which required efficiency, reliability, and outstanding performance that could comply with the 700MHz Clearance Regulation Programme in the UK.

Autograph Sound turned to Shure Axient Digital Wireless System, which was well-received during the initial installation and then was chosen for the fleet-wide upgrade programme. In due course, Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless System will be implemented across the entire P&O Cruise fleet.

Each ship has been equipped with a range of Shure Axient Digital and ULX-D equipment, including AD1, ADX1M, AD2 and ADX2 ShowLink handheld wireless microphone transmi

UK - The 26th annual MOBO Awards took place at Newcastle’s 11,000-capacity Utilita Arena, celebrating black music and culture.

Enhancing this mood and supporting the dynamic music on stage was a bold and versatile lighting design by SJ Grevett and operated by Liam Griffiths and Kris Goodman that featured 98 Chauvet Professional fixtures.

Drawn from the company’s own inventory, the kit included 24 Maverick Storm 4 Profiles, 30 Maverick Storm 3 BeamWashes, 32 STRIKE 1 units and 12 COLORado PXL16 motorised tilting battens. “We went for the big and bold look with brightest fixtures, so we could really punch through against so much LED screen space on camera,” said SJ.

Utilising the wide zoom range and colour rendering capabilities of his Maverick and COLORado fixtures, as well as the intense output of his STRIKE units, Liam created the lo

Sweden - The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) featured an innovative set design at the Malmö Arena where Claypaky Tambora Linear 100 high-power LEDs and Skylos white-laser source searchlights supported the dynamic look of the event’s first 360º stage.

Fredrik Stormby from Stockholm-based Green Wall Designs, the lighting and screen content designer for this year's event, selected the Claypaky fixtures. Stormby is best known as part of the creative team behind Beyonce's 2023 Renaissance tour, Loreen's winning 2023 ESC performance and ABBA Voyage in London. He joined production designer Florian Wieder and the senior production team to help create, design and deliver the large-scale, spectacular show to a global audience of more than 160m people.

The set was a 360-degree experience placed in the middle of the audience and shaped like an eq

India - Spectrum Audio Solutions, an event equipment solutions provider based in Goa, has evolved into a significant player in the market, delivering sound experiences for a wide range of events. Recently, Spectrum Audio Solutions made a substantial investment to expand its existing loudspeaker inventory.

The recent acquisition includes 24 units of Kudo line array modules, known for their large-format, high-performance capabilities that ensure precise coverage and exceptional sound quality. Additionally, the company has added 12 more dV DOSC line array modules, complementing their existing inventory and maintaining their reputation for unmatched sound clarity. To cater to versatile event needs, Spectrum Audio Solutions has integrated 24 units of ARCS multi-purpose loudspeakers into their arsenal. These speakers are designed to deliver powerful audio across a

South Africa - La Parada is a restaurant chain bringing the vibrancy of the Mediterranean to South Africa. Finished with sandy pastels and palm trees, the restaurant’s newest location is in Johannesburg’s day-to-night dining and shopping destination, Cedar Square.

La Parada has installed an audio system using technology from Audac and Xilica.   The project was a collaboration between AV Distribution and South African installation company Sonic AV. For Cedar Square, La Parada wanted a sound system that catered to DJs and bigger parties, offering something different to its predominantly dining-focused venues.

“La Parada wanted to make the shift to a more music-orientated restaurant with this opening,” says Richard Edwards, CEO of Sonic AV. “They wanted more of a bar vibe with DJs so we knew that a solution from Audac would be an ideal fit,

Romania - On 25 May at the main national stadium of Romania, Arena Națională in Bucharest was the setting for Golden Generation vs. Legends of the World (Generația de Aur vs Legendele Lumii). The spectator stands with a capacity of 55,000 were completely filled with football fans. For the entertainment and ceremonial parts of the event, JSA provided and installed special stage structures.

The original design and engineering of the stage platform structure was created by JSA partner Adrian Vișenoiu. The customer and organiser of the technical part of the production was the Salt Box Studio agency. Since there was little time before the event, it was decided not to manufacture special structures, but to install all structures based on universal and quickly available Layher systems.

A special feature of the installation of stage structures was the ti

Germany - Boothaus in Cologne, ranked as the #5 EDM club in the world, has switched to L-Acoustics. “Upgrading to L-Acoustics helps us keep our coveted position as one of the best clubs in the world. Bootshaus has always been recognised for prizing sound over visuals. Sound is super important to us,” states Tom Thomas, managing director at Bootshaus.

For 20 years, Bootshaus has curated a mix of electro-house, dubstep, and drum’n’bass for clubgoers. Its brand extends beyond club walls to curated festivals throughout Germany. Within those 1,900-cap walls, which include three dance floors, each with its own DJ booth, and a large outdoor area overlooking the Rhine. clubgoers have danced to the likes of Skrillex, David Guetta, Diplo, and Avicii.

Getting sound to each of the dance floors has been difficult, and the previous system, installed over a

UK - London-based AV and IT integrator, Tateside has announced an ongoing project in collaboration with the MoneyGram Haas Formula 1 team. Tateside is set to support the F1 team’s digital signage requirements throughout the 2024 racing season. Having been introduced to the Haas team back in 2018, Tateside has provided installed solutions both within the team's factory in Banbury and trackside.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team sought to rebuild and update their garage in 2023 and the team’s creative services manager, Peter Julian, enlisted Tateside to support the team in distributing its marketing visuals and live-streamed data across the garage.

“We were looking for a reliable solution for displaying content, such as sponsorship material or timing data, on the garage screens,” explains Julian. “Having known Tateside for several years, we trusted the

UK - Mark Simcock at Progression AV is fast gaining a reputation in Scotland for highly successful church sound system designs and installations. When the core leadership team at Pitlochry Baptist Church took the decision to address the problems of poor intelligibility and coverage gaps from their existing system, they contacted Mark to propose a new one.

“Music is at the heart of the celebration at Pitlochry Baptist Church and the minister, the band and, indeed, the congregation are very discerning about sound,” comments Mark.

“We proposed two systems of which a Nexo solution was the less expensive. Nexo’s ePS Series hits a budget-friendly price point while still delivering high levels of performance, which it makes it possible for smaller churches to get great sound without spending a large sum of money.”

The system at Pitlochry c

USA - DraftKings’ new Sportsbook facility has opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, featuring 3,400sq.ft of video walls driven by two tvONE CORIOmaster2 video processors. For the first time ever, two powerful CORIOmaster2 units are being ‘cascaded’ to offer DraftKings more inputs and outputs.

Constructed during 2023, the Scottsdale DraftKings Sportsbook is located adjacent to the 36-hole TPC Scottsdale golf complex. The modern building offers 13,000sq.ft of indoor space, which includes 32 betting kiosks, six windows to place bets, and wraparound LED screens, allowing customers to watch live sports action and related video from practically any seat or space.

Agility AVL’s Art Martinez and his team were engaged to specify and install a complete AV solution for the project, designing and delivering audio, LED, control, video processing and displays.

Greece - The Royal & Imperial Belvedere Resort in Chersónisos, Crete, has had its Blue Lounge - pool bar, pool area, lobby and exterior revamped. Highlite's exclusive distributor Sivko Electronics and their regional partner George Solakis were entrusted with the design, supply and implementation.

When Sivko Electronics' partner in the Chersónisos region, George Solakis, contacted them to supply the appropriate equipment for a refurbishment of the Royal & Imperial Belvedere Resort, they immediately switched into high gear to get the project off the ground. George Solakis and crew member Pantelis Nathenas designed the concept, while Kostas Poulis and Sivko Electronics supplied the equipment. Programming was entrusted to Lefteris Katakis.

The redesign also included the external appearance of the hotel, for which they added architectural lighti

UK - Ministry of Sound Classical at the Royal Albert Hall featured a set list inspired by the popular Ministry of Sound Annual Volume II. Released in 1996, the album remains one of the biggest selling dance compilations ever made and is performed on stage by the 50-piece RG Live London Concert Orchestra with guest synth players and vocalists.

Sound designer Phil Wright chose a DiGiCo Quantum 338 for the front of house position and a Quantum 225 for on stage monitoring due to their powerful processing and compact footprints.

“Audiences don’t realise that the songs they love are all sampled from classical orchestrations, so when they hear them played by a real orchestra they’re blown away,” Wright states. “They really go crazy and that’s testament to the work of Tom Player, the creative lead behind bringing the orchestrations to th

Italy - The Marina Fountain is the latest addition to Palermo Marina Yachting Park. Every evening the lake transforms into a stage, showcasing majestic water and light choreography set to captivating music.

RCF has provided a centrally installed audio system on the lake to ensure optimal sound enjoyment along the entire promenade. The Marina Fountain is named after the mermaid child from Gianni Rodari's story, The Mermaid of Palermo, a tale of love and inclusion. The mermaid is embraced by a poor fisherman's family in Palermo, where she unveils her remarkable talent for telling stories, "from all peoples and all times". Similarly, the Marina Fountain enchants passersby, visitors, and the workers of the Port of Palermo with its magical display.

The fountain project was commissioned by Cler - Cooperative of Roman Electrical Workers - and creat

USA - Brown Note Productions, the Denver-area company specialising in 360º full-service production for concerts, tours, music festivals and special events, has invested in 150 Ayrton Rivale Profiles. The new fixtures were quickly dispatched for two back-to-back dates at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison for dance music star Black Coffee and artist Illenium.

The IP65-rated Ayrton Rivale Profile projector delivers creativity, subtlety and power – the most versatile fixture created by Ayrton to date. It offers ‘unprecedented’ performance for its size and weight and features continuous rotation of the pan and tilt movement.

“We already have Ayrton Diablos, MagicPanel FX and Perseos in our inventory and were looking for additional fixtures in a smaller form factor than Perseo,” says Brown Note president Ryan Knutson. “I spend a lot of ti

Poland - Rental company Gondek Sound provided the audio infrastructure and sound design for Dreamstate, one of the largest trance music festivals in Eastern Europe.

Held at the PreZero Arena Gliwice, one of the largest and most modern multipurpose entertainment venues in Poland, the event attracted over 15,000 fans from around the globe.

Dreamstate Europe 2024 featured an impressive lineup of international and local artists, spanning ‘various subgenres from uplifting to psytrance, progressive to tech’.

Headliners included ATB, atDusk, Ben Gold, Craig Connelly B2B Factor B, Electric Universe presents Laser Harp, Giuseppe Ottaviani, John 00 Fleming, Joint Operations Centre, Robbie Seed, Will Atkinson, and Yoshi & Razner presents Genesis, among others.

Gondek Sound designed and deployed an Outline audio system comprising GTO C-12

Brazil - A colossal 624-loudspeaker concert sound system powered by 212 amplified controllers projected the Queen of Pop to the largest audience ever assembled for a standalone concert.

“Madonna is a creature of comfort and habit, so the first and foremost challenge of mixing her sound is to recreate her experience exactly, night to night, venue to venue, on every stage. That’s where L-Acoustics made all the difference,” shares Madonna’s FOH engineer, Burton Ishmael. He’s been mixing for the star from October 2023, at the O2 Arena in London to the massive, record-breaking show on the beach in Rio de Janeiro on May 4, 2024, when an estimated 1.6m fans took in what Pollstar described as “the largest audience ever assembled for a standalone concert”.

The Celebration Tour, supplied by vendor Eighth Day Sound, a Clair Global brand, visited a

Sweden - The Eurovision Song Contest, a broadcast seen by over 160m people worldwide, relies on wireless DMX. When Creative Technology, official event supplier, reached out to discuss the challenges of this year’s production, the LumenRadio team along with its OEM partners jumped into action.

Eurovision deployed seven Steadicams and shoulder cams to capture the performance for the broadcast. Each camera was equipped with Aputure MC Pro battery powered pocket lights that featured LumenRadio’s TimoTwo OEM modules for their DMX data reception.

With the concert-style lighting constantly changing, the cameras needed to have an adjustable light source to maintain the video quality being captured. Controlling them wirelessly allowed for full movement of the Steadicam Ops, freeing them to focus on getting the best shot. Using cables was never an option

Australia - The 2024 PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival celebrated some of the best of Australian fashion design with a main show space at the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Melbourne – recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a prime example of 19th century international exhibition architecture.

All Lighting and AV equipment for the week-long festival was supplied by full production services provider, Harry the Hirer Productions led by technical producer Marcus Pugh.

He worked closely with lighting designer Hugh Taranto who used 28 x Robe Esprites to craft a flexible lighting aesthetic for the space that would deliver great looking shows for all the diverse and different collections.

The event also featured numerous associated off-site shows, business-related seminars, workshops, entertainment, and music performances across the c

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