UK - Somerset-based Production & Touring is a one-stop shop for all aspects of live event production and management. With a client list of leading artists including Snow Patrol, Calvin Harris, Sasha, David Gray, Declan McKenna, and many more, the company relies on its experienced team to meet the demands of a wide range of projects.

When Production and Touring director and FOH engineer Graham Pattison was recently looking to source a Radial JDX 48 Guitar Amp Direct Box, he was directed by Radial to its UK distributor Polar, who swiftly met his requirement. The JDX 48 is a direct box designed to capture the sound of an electric guitar amplifier by connecting between the amp head and speaker cabinet, providing a balanced feed for the PA system emulating the sound of a well-placed microphone.

During the course of his Radial purchase, Graham discover

Switzerland - Circus Knie 2025 in Rapperswil offers “a mixture of fantasy, poetry and magic”. Adding an extra glow to this vibrant mix and intensifying the fantasy, poetry and magic at the show was a versatile and lively lighting design by Axel Melchior. Like the circus itself, Melchior’s work radiated a delightful sense of surprise as it captivated the audience with its unexpected twists and turns.

The Circus Knie has happily reinvented itself during the course of its long and storied history (it began in 1803). Melchoir, boldly added a new dimension to his lighting design with help from some Chauvet Professional COLORado PXL Curve 12 fixtures supplied by Dushow. It was one of several enhancements he made this year.

“In our previous design, the light was very good from FOH, but I reworked the show so that it encompassed all the spectators mo

Austria - Vienna’s Marx Halle hosted the 2025 Amadeus Austrian Music Awards, a major night out for the Austrian music industry, staged by IFPI Austria, to recognise outstanding achievements by Austrian artists and musicians.

No less standing out than the occasion itself was an eye-catching production lighting for the event created by Manfred Nikitser who incorporated eight Robe SVOPATT LED fixtures into his design.

Broadcast live on national television channel ORF, the 2025 event further celebrated 25 years of the Awards, stepping up from a theatre venue to this larger former industrial space right at the heart of the city’s event scene, which also upped the production values.

Manfred, lighting the Awards for the fourth time, wanted a strong, spectacular backlight feature for the 11 show-stopping live performances taking place in between

USA - With an eminent history dating back almost 100 years, Proctors is a 2,646-cap. theatre based in Schenectady, upstate New York.

It had largely fallen into disrepair when the city took over ownership in 1977 and initially earmarked to be torn down, before it was saved – thanks to its historic status – by the National Park Service, which offered to buy it for $1 and run it as a nonprofit. In 2005, the stagehouse was rebuilt to accommodate modern Broadway touring productions, such as the original Phantom of the Opera and Disney’s The Lion King – and it has enjoyed a close association with Broadway, including the ‘teching’ of Broadway tours.

“Since then, we have done dozens of techs, including the huge national tour of Disney’s Frozen, which left here in over 20 semis,” records Dan Sheehan, the theatre’

Poland - From 7 to 9 February 2025, the 24 best esports teams in the world met at the ESL Intel Extreme Masters in the Spodek Arena in Katowice.

In cooperation with Audio-Technica, organiser ESL Faceit Group developed a new recording concept for the livestream broadcast, employing immersive, stereo and shotgun microphones to reproduce the excitement in the arena for an online audience.

In order to offer viewers an engaging audio experience, Audio-Technica’s BP3600 immersive microphone played a key role in delivering the atmosphere in the arena. Located in the venue’s ceiling, the microphone’s eight hypercardioid capsules allow for capture of realistic, three-dimensional sound in an easy-to-deploy package.

The BP3600 was complemented by the use of a quartet of Audio-Technica’s respected AT4050ST stereo large diaphragm condensers (also

UK - Bolton-based TVC Technology Solutions has announced the successful completion of a sophisticated audio-visual installation at King Street Social Tap, a new flagship hospitality venue by Amber Taverns in Huddersfield. This latest project adds to TVC’s growing portfolio in the sector, reinforcing the brand’s position as a premier AV integrator of choice for the hospitality industry.

“We know what it takes to make a good hospitality venue great: Impressive sound, visually dynamic video and engaging entertainment options like karaoke that increase customer dwell time, average spend, and repeat custom.” Says Chris Whitlock, technical director at TVC Technology Solutions. “All tied together through the seamless interface that is easy for employees to use.”

Building on previous successful collaborations with Amber Taverns, including the pop

Kazakhstan - Well-known for excellence in performance, Almaty Theatre has undergone many technological enhancements over the last few years, including the recent purchase of a new DiGiCo Quantum 338 T, installed by Samat show technic LLP.

The theatre’s nightly performances span a full spectrum of theatrical, dance and musical performance. Sound engineer, Roman Dvoretsky, explains that searching for a mixing console that is flexible enough to facilitate this range of performance styles, while delivering high channel counts, and crystal-clear audio could only end with the purchase of a Quantum 338 T.

"The heart of any musical theatre show is the console, and in our case, the DiGiCo Quantum 338 T,” he says. “Sound designer Mikhail Sokolik, who came to our theatre to design the musical Juliet, prefers DiGiCo consoles, so when there was a c

UK - The 235-cap Junction live music venue in Plymouth recently upgraded its ageing sound reinforcement infrastructure, opting for a Martin Audio premium PA.

The installation was carried out by locally-based Martin Audio rental and installation partner Nub Sound, and overseen by their director of operations, Josh Small. He recommended the manufacturer’s powerful triaxial THS 15in point source loudspeaker, combined with SXC118 cardioid subs to provide both the requisite headroom and vocal clarity - far exceeding the capability of the ancient system that it was replacing.

The long-running venue has been operated by the independent Bedford Breweries for the past decade-plus but has been trading as The Junction for at least 20 years.

The venue has been systematically upgrading its sound capabilities over the past 18 months, with loudspeakers al

South Africa - Cape Town’s long-established venue, Artscape Theatre has invested in four Robert Juliat Arthur 800W LED followspots and three Robert Juliat Oz 600W LED followspots, supplied by Robert Juliat’s exclusive distributor for South Africa, DWR Distribution.

The decision to invest in Robert Juliat was made jointly by Johnny Scholtz of DWR’s Cape Town branch, working in close conjunction with Artscape Theatre’s head of lighting, Faheem Bardien.

“Artscape’s in-house technical facilities are designed to cater to a diverse range of artistic genres, including opera, ballet, drama, contemporary dance, musical theatre, corporate seminars, and pop or rock shows,” explains Bardien, “all of which must be carefully considered when procuring lighting fixtures and other technical support systems.

“It’s paramount that Artscape’

UK - A new car park facility in Cardiff is making a dramatic impact as night falls, thanks to an illuminated façade controlled by Pharos Architectural Controls.

As a key part of the vibrant Central Quay development in Cardiff, the eight-story car park is immediately notable for its sleek and contemporary design. The facility boasts an enviable location, next to the central station.

A concept was created to illuminate the façade of the new facility, adding to the site’s appeal and making it visually striking during darker hours. The contractor for the project, Goldbeck Construction, partnered with lLED lighting solutions provider, LITE, to specify and supply the technology to fulfil the design. The lighting needed to be fully programmable and colour controllable, so LITE turned to lighting controls specialists Pharos Architectural Controls, specif

Italy - With nearly 50 years of experience in live events, conventions, corporate meetings, webinars, and private functions, Cipiesse – based in Rezzato, near Brescia in Northern Italy’s Lombardy region – is one of the most established providers of technical and organizational services in the area.

The company has recently expanded its equipment inventory with a major investment: a GTO C-12 large-format line-array system from Outline, designed for the most demanding live sound applications.

Cipiesse’s use of Outline technologies dates back to the 1990s, when the company began incorporating the renowned manufacturer’s point-source loudspeakers into its productions. In the early 2000s, Cipiesse adopted Outline’s Butterfly line-array system – still in service today – and has now taken the next step forward by acquiring the GTO C-12. The

Japan - ON, an international provider of AV solutions with operational hubs in Brazil and Portugal, was entrusted with the full AV integration and daily operation of the Portugal Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, a standout cultural and technological space, which has already welcomed over 500,000 visitors.

The Pavilion, designed by internationally acclaimed architect Kengo Kuma, explores the theme The Ocean: The Blue Dialogue through immersive storytelling, interactive installations, and large-scale projections.

ON was contracted by Rimond SRL, the general contractor for the project, to deliver the complete AVL infrastructure for the Portugal Pavilion - covering everything from equipment acquisition and system design to installation, integration, and daily operation throughout the six-month event. Their scope included projection systems (walls, f

Mexico - Mexican band Matute is playing dates in Mexico and the US with their Disco Stereo Tour, which takes fans on a journey through ‘the most iconic LPs of the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s’. Claypaky Tamboras, Sharpy X Frames and Midi-B FX fixtures light up the stage as Matute ‘blends the analogue charm of vinyl with immersive visuals and a setlist packed with dance floor classics’.

The group has established a loyal fanbase over nearly two decades, especially among Latin American and US audiences who crave their live shows that mix Spanish- and English-language hits from some of the most influential artists of the disco era. The new tour will highlight the influence of past decades on modern music, creating a concert that feels fresh yet has elements of nostalgia.

Matute’s Jorge D'Alessio helms the creative production of the tour.

The Netherlands - A dynamic package of Robe moving lights has been installed at the busy P3 popodium music venue in Purmerend, a city and municipality in the province of North Holland in the west Netherlands.

The recent upgrade, originally planned before the pandemic and delivered once the restrictions started being lifted, comprised 14 x Esprites, eight Paintes, 16 x LEDBeam 350s, eight LEDBeam 150s and four T1 Profiles.

P3 has two music halls – of 850 and 350 capacity – and a theatre space that accommodates 130. The venue opened on April Fool’s Day 2006, and the now head of technical and production, Ferry Veenman has worked there for 17 years, the first six as a bartender, and one of the regular lighting technicians, Edo van Randen, has clocked up 18 years. In that time, they have seen a constant stream of great shows and superlative music.

France - Etienne de Crécy, the Lyon-born electronic music maestro has blazed new paths by giving his sounds the space (in both the literal and figurative sense), to flourish. This is evident in his current tour, which celebrates 30 years of his pioneering work, not only in his musical performance itself, but also in the supportive stage production design by Pierre Claude.

“I love minimalism and I try as much as I can to leave as much space as possible for artists and their music,” said Claude. “For me, that’s what the audience primarily expects at a concert. Etienne de Crécy wanted to take this even further; he wanted a track to be immediately identifiable by a colour, so that on social media, people would know which track is which, just by seeing a photo. He also uses this approach for his album covers, which are very minimalist and instantly reco

UK - As UK City of Culture 2025, Bradford is playing host to an extensive programme of events in the arts and entertainment field. With a rich and diverse cultural heritage as the backdrop to a year of celebration, Bradford 2025 has invested in a number of existing and new creative spaces to further opportunities for people to engage in cultural events. One such significant venue is the appropriately-named Loading Bay, a multi-use arts centre located in a disused warehouse.

Music, comedy, talks, exhibitions, immersive theatre, and even live video-gaming take place across its two performance spaces and gallery. To ensure the best possible experience for artists, performers, and audience members alike, the Bradford 2025’s technical team enlisted Bradford-based production specialists Pro Audio Systems (PAS) to supply and install all the audio and video techno

Europe - Celebrated Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli, has delivered his latest live offering through an L-ISA immersive spatial audio system, an all-encompassing sound experience taking fans through three decades of operatic and orchestral excellence.

The tour’s core sound engineers all began their careers with UK tour supplier, Britannia Row Productions. FOH engineer Davide Lombardi, systems engineer Alessandro Cestaro and monitor engineer Stefano Serpagli, describe the rental house’s partnership as a familial experience.

Davide begins: “I started in the Britannia Row warehouse in early 2000s; Britannia Row and particularly Bryan Grant, gave me my first opportunities in the international live music business, so when there is a chance to work together, it’s always a real pleasure as it feels as though I’m coming back home.”

Working w

USA - The 60th edition of the Academy of Country Music Awards saw a return to the Ford Centre at The Star in Frisco, Texas – hosted by country legend Reba McEntire for the 18th time.

Co-lighting designers Michael Berger and Travis Hagenbuch both have a long association with the event, starting out as interns many years ago. “It’s been a nice full-circle experience working with Travis in this capacity since he really took me in during that first year,” credits Berger.

This year a vast armoury of over 160 GLP fixtures illuminated artist performances (with a nod back to highlights of the last 60 years). Leading the charge were 73 JDC Lines (500s and 1000s), which edged the band risers, the award presentation stage and other areas.

The latest generation of the popular hybrid strobe – the JDC2 IP – also made a high-profile app

Spain - Madrid is packed with nightlife options to suit any taste and any budget. With so much choice, clubs and bars in the city need to work hard to stand out, and Ayala 120 is doing just that. 

Nestled discreetly in Madrid's exclusive Salamanca district, between Goya and Manuel Becerra, Ayala 120 seamlessly blends elements of a sultry nightclub, high end cocktail bar, and lively salsa club, making it a go-to spot for those looking to party late into the night. 

With a capacity of 300 and music playing from 7pm until 6am most days, the club needs a reliable and memorable sound system to keep the dancefloor full and to ensure customers keep coming back. To make this happen, the owners looked to high-end loudspeaker manufacturer Renkus-Heinz.

“Our goal was to transform the customer experience from ordinary to extraordinary by providing an

Malaysia - HK Audio helped set the tone for a high-profile celebration at the Majlis Sambutan Aidilfitri Madani 2025, held on 19 April at Stadium Perpaduan Petra Jaya in Kuching. The event brought together a mix of cultural performances and official speeches in front of thousands of attendees, including Malaysia’s Prime Minister, the Premier of Sarawak and other senior officials - all supported by a powerful and precise HK Audio sound system.

With a venue of this scale and significance, speech intelligibility and full-range musical clarity were critical. To meet the challenge, the sound for the event was handled by Authentic Ideas and Events Enterprise (AIEE), which deploying an HK Audio Cosmo concert sound system, with additional HK Audio LTSA and L SUB 4000A for out-fill coverage. The result was consistent, high-definition sound across every cor

UK - The Crosville Social Club in the North Wales city of Bangor is a multi-use venue whose origins lie in traditional working-class social club culture. Formerly the after-work haunt of the city’s bus-drivers, the club has evolved into a community hub, providing facilities for a broad range of events. Its membership and clientele crosses the generations, and the club’s continued existence owes much to its forward-thinking outlook.

Whether promoting its regular traditional staples of cabaret, comedy and bingo, or hosting DJ sessions, live bands and wide-ranging private events, the club remains committed to sustaining a cultural hub for the whole community. As the scope of its ambitions has broadened, so the need for high quality technical provision has developed.

Good audio is crucial to supporting the club’s varied programme and following a re

UK - Adlib has confirmed the completion of the supply and installation of the stage engineering systems for the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, which is due to reopen in August 2025, with a full season programme launching in September 2025.

The Adlib team has been working in partnership with architectural practice Bennetts Associates, specialist technical design consultancy Theatreplan, and Kier Construction on the new building, which is set to be a vibrant hub at the heart of the Gorbals community.

This ambitious project is the first comprehensive redevelopment of the building since it began life as a working theatre in 1878. The goal has been to ensure that the Citizens Theatre is accessible to everyone, while retaining its distinct Victorian features.

The technical infrastructure has been designed to support more performances than ever before

Spain - Barcelona’s historic El Molino, a former cabaret theatre and a cultural landmark for more than 100 years, reopened in October 2024 following renovations and a total refresh of its installed sound, lighting and stage technologies. The club, which presents music, stand-up comedy and other entertainment five nights a week, now features a Solid State Logic Live L100 Plus mixing console at front-of-house that is tightly integrated with the venue’s new immersive audio speaker system.

El Molino’s technical director, Ramon Sendra Entrena, a 20-year live sound veteran, was tasked in late 2024 with equipping the venue, which Mayor Jaume Collboni called “a symbol of Barcelona’s vibrant artistic soul” during its reopening ceremonies. The principal challenge, Sendra says, “was implementing high-quality audio in a relatively compact auditorium that m

UK - Chase and Status headed out on their ambitious live tour across some of the UK’s biggest arenas with a ROE video screen and MoveKet automation package from PRG UK.

After the release of 2024’s Backbone catapulted Chase and Status back into the cultural zeitgeist, the highly anticipated UK tour has seen the duo go from strength to strength. Bringing a high-energy rave to arenas this size requires something special for the production.

At the Co-op Live in Manchester, the clear centre piece of the stage is the unusual ‘Letterbox’ LED upstage screen, supported by MoveKet automation to reveal the band as the show kicks off and create dynamic movement throughout the set. ROE Vanish V8T panels were used to build the 27m wide x 4m deep structure, chosen for the strong colour depth, and the 50% transparency means the lighting can be integ

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