UK - Shaun Pearce, MD of Pearce Hire, is actively lobbying the government, as are many throughout the sector. He is asking for urgent government intervention. Specifically the continuation of SEISS (self-employment income support scheme) for those individuals working in the industry, continuing furlough support for employees and extending rates relief to event hire businesses (most of which are SMEs and owner-operated like Pearce Hire).
Pearce and his management team were looking forward to a record year in 2020, recruiting another four permanent members of staff with typically, over 70 seasonal freelance technicians being employed. Pearce Hire was on the cusp of rolling out its busiest summer season ever when the government shut down the economy and everything came to a grinding halt. “The impact was immediate and disastrous for us,” says the MD.
As an event production company, with an expertise in temporary power and production services for outdoor events and greenfield site events, May to October are Pearce Hire’s busiest months. With an all too familiar and gloomy story, Pearce explains what happened next. “Even before lockdown was officially announced we had started to get cancellations from early March onwards. From then on it was a downward spiral and within six weeks we had lost over 85% of our annual business because of circumstances entirely out of our, or anybody else’s control.”
Late Autumn and Christmas work is also now being cancelled as fears of a second spike loom. “We have an extremely loyal customer base and many of

Australia - With over 15 years serving the events industry and providing a complete range of AV production services, Australian company Audio Visual Events (AVE) continued with its precise level of technological achievement and client satisfaction even when live events ground to a halt.
By partnering with Create Engage and Sydney Masonic Centre (SMC), the company brought On Air to life, offering a plethora of high-end audio visual and virtual event capabilities, enhanced by powerful and intuitive Brompton Tessera processing.
“AVE, Create Engage and SMC have long-standing relationships and have delivered many successful events together over the years, so we knew we could count on them when the pandemic engulfed the events industry,” says AVE’s general manager, Paul Keating. “Together, we focussed on ‘why’ we should create the On Air studio, with key goals being saving jobs, helping our clients, supporting our industry, and building a product we can all be proud of.”
From there, AVE and its partners created On Air; a state-of-the-art, semi-permanent studio in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, which provides AVE’s customers with an innovative platform to live-stream and share their messages in a timely, cost effective and safe way.
The studio is equipped with high-resolution Panasonic robotic cameras, a large, fine pitch LED screen backdrop, stage lighting, microphones, presentation computers and confidence monitors.
“We installed a 7m by 2.5m LED screen in the studio that consists of 70 Unilumin UPADIII P2.6 LED til

India - AM Integrated Solutions and GRS AV Solutions recently outfitted RYU Bar with a complete Harman Professional sound reinforcement solution to ensure quality audio quality for patrons and party-goers alike.
Opened in January, RYU Bar is one of the latest additions to the popular nightlife scene in the bustling city of Gurgaon. Named after the Japanese word for dragon, RYU Bar delivers a pan-Asian experience, bringing together food, cocktails, music and décor from Chinese, Japanese and Malaysian cultures. To ensure immersive sound throughout the main space, rooftop terrace and private lounges, the owner hired AM Integrated Solutions and GRS AV Solutions to install a complete Harman Professional sound system, consisting of JBL loudspeakers and subwoofers, Crown amplifiers and BSS digital audio processors.
“RYU was a uniquely challenging project for us, in terms of finding ways around the venue’s low height limitations while meeting the client’s vision of a bar that transforms into a nightclub in the evening,” comments Aashish Mahindru, consultant, AM Integrated Solutions. “I am very happy with what the compact JBL AC28 speakers and ASB6128 subwoofers deliver with some excellent sound tuning.”
In order to meet the client’s volume requirements and work within the limited height of the venue, the installation team required a compact PA design with high SPL output and balanced coverage. AM Integrated Solutions and GRS AV Solution outfitted the main venue space with four JBL AC28/26 two-way loudspeakers and two ASB6128 double 18-inch s

UK - Responding to the effects of COVID-19 on their business, Johnny Palmer, managing director of SXS Events, promptly rebranded his Bristol-based company to Pytch, and constructed The Virtual Venue in one of the empty warehouses on the industrial estate in Brislington which he owns.
“We rationalised that the world was in chaos, and in any case our old name was a mouthful. Our industry is full of three-letter acronymed companies, so we came up with Pytch instead.”
Explaining the ethos, he says, “We are here to share messages and create memorable experiences. We decided the broadcast model was better, so I built TV studios.” This includes a 12m x 15m main stage and a Green Room.
Aside from attracting new business Pytch also has a number of clients on retainer in the corporate, conference and exhibition sectors. “We knew we had to deliver something serious and provide extra value to them.”
Occupying a prominent position in this immersive broadcast soundstage and studio space are Martin Audio’s DD12, DD6 and WS218X subs.
Born in Australia, Johnny Palmer’s history with Martin Audio goes way back. “When I was a 14-year-old farm boy in Tasmania, and first saw a picture of the old Martin Audio W8C in a magazine, I knew I had to have it,” he says. A year later he heard the system for the first time, and so began his love affair with the brand.
“The first time I experienced the sound I noticed the pure headroom was amazing - it was a magical thing.”
With SXS Events he continued to invest heavily in Martin Audi

Lithuania - Located on the westernmost edge of Lithuania near the Baltic coast, UAB ProDJ is a full-service technical provider working in many areas of production, from television through to festivals, opera, sporting events and arena-scale concerts. Their in-house facilities include dry hire, logistics, rigging, lighting, video, crew and technical support.
The company took delivery of an Outline Mantas 28 Golden Configuration rig during lockdown, a ready-to-roll complete solution designed for audiences of approximately 600 - 1500 (and also suitable for integration with all Outline GTO, C-12 and Superfly kits as down- and out-fills when required).
The equipment list includes 16 Mantas 28 compact line-array enclosures, eight DBS 18-2 subwoofers and a single Newton 16+8 system processor, plus a complete suite of rigging, cables, pre-wired racks, weather protection and even a two-day training course for operators. The entire system is powered by a pair of ‘GTA-Otto’ Grand Touring Amplifier Series 8-channel 2U rack amplifiers.
CEO Dovydas Bajoras comments: “We decided to work with Outline for lots of reasons: firstly they appear on many riders and in our view Outline offers a better class of manufacturing than anyone else. Also the price-to-performance ratio is very good - we tested other systems but some were not as compact as Mantas 28 and others were much more expensive but without Outline’s audio performance.
“We will have more than 20 events this year with Mantas 28 and more than 50 planned for 2021. We had and still have plans to b

Austria - The Vienna Volksoper, or People’s Opera, is Vienna’s largest theatre for opera, musicals, classical concerts and ballet. The theatre offers one of the most diverse musical programmes in the country, ranging from Carmen to Kiss Me Kate, and Coppelia to Cabaret, as well as productions for schools, lots of local German operetta performances and much more besides.
The venue is also the first in Vienna to open its doors to the public after the summer break, but more importantly in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, with a performance of Strauss’s Die Fledermaus on 1 September followed by a revival of Cole Porter’s classic musical, Kiss Me Kate on 2 September. Both will be benefitting from the audio reproduction of a new KV2 audio system, which also happens to be the first ever to use KV2’s new control & diagnostics tool for remote system management and control.
The new sound system for the 1339-capacity venue was designed by Martin Lukesch, director of sound and media technology at Vienna Volksoper. “Here, it’s all about the music!” explains Lukesch. “As a repertory theatre with a hugely varied performance range - we can be staging a rock musical one night and a classical ballet the next - the demands on the sound system are enormous. Our season starts on 1 September and we have rehearsals every morning and performances every evening, non-stop, until 30 June. This was my starting point when it came to designing a new system. It had to be able to fulfil the needs of all the different types

USA - For decades, Willow Creek in South Barrington, Illinois has been one of the most well-known and influential non-denominational megachurches in the United States. However, like many houses of worship during the 2020 pandemic, its 7,200-seat Worship Centre has switched over to become a streaming-only broadcast site, a change that will continue to be the case throughout the remainder of this year.
To retain some physical sense of community, Willow Creek set up a large tent in its parking lot to host nearly 30 congregational events between 19 August and 6 October. The primary focus of these has been the church’s hour-long evening programme series of 16 Prayer and Worship Gatherings, comprising a live praise team set, a brief message from new campus pastor Shawn Williams, and a time of prayer for 100 pre-registered and masked guests.
To ensure that guests can properly hear both the music and message, Willow Creek turned to Milwaukee-based Clearwing Productions to supply an L-Acoustics X Series loudspeaker package for the tent.
“Our congregation had not been able to worship together since the state closed down in March. The tent was an opportunity to gather small groups of people in a safe way, to worship and especially to get back that essential feeling of community,” says Troy Bartholomew, who has served as Willow Creek’s Weekend technical director for the past eight years.
When the tent concept first came to Bartholomew’s attention, his immediate inclination was to find a “one-stop shop” for audio, lighting, and staging.

USA - As drive-in concerts continue to provide an interim solution in the live sound market, bluegrass star Billy Strings put on his first shows with a live audience since March 2020. The Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre Township, PA outdoor parking lot venue was powered by a Meyer Sound Leopard reinforcement system for three consecutive nights of Billy Strings’ Meet Me at the Drive-In Tour.
Dave Brotman and Mike Shoulson of Coatesville, PA-based rental company DBS Audio Systems were on hand to provide the audio solutions and support to the Billy Strings production team, including FOH engineer Andy Lytle. “What a wonderful experience it was to work a large show again - our first since December - and to work with such a professional crew and fabulous band as Billy Strings,” DBS Audio Systems president Dave Brotman said.
The parking lot venue provided a capacity for 530 vehicles, allowing fans to maintain social distancing while enjoying the outdoor shows. To ensure each vehicle had even coverage and clarity, the audio package consisted of left-right arrays of 16 Leopard compact linear line array loudspeakers each and 12 ground-stacked 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements. Four MSL-4 reinforcement loudspeakers were evenly dispersed among two delay towers.
“Once again, the Leopardss performed beyond my wildest expectations. Andy, Mike, and I were absolutely amazed. From a low-end perspective, we opted not to do an end-fire configuration, though it would have helped on stage, due to the extreme width of the parked cars,

UK - The #WeMakeEvents campaign aims to raise awareness around the current plight of the live entertainments sector and its urgent need for financial support if it is to support the COVID-19 crisis.
Last month, it was announced that it would be steered by a collective of industry trade bodies, businesses and freelancers; all working in collaboration with each other. Over the past few weeks, the team has continued to build momentum around the campaign, working endlessly to rally the government for much needed support.
Following last month’s Day of Action which saw buildings across the UK lit up in red as a show of support, the #WeMakeEvents team has been busy capitalising on the extensive media coverage and attention this received. One of those involved is White Light’s managing director Bryan Raven, who comments: “The Day of Action was vitally important for our cause as it finally got people talking.
“There were a few government figures who weren’t particularly listening to our concerns prior to this and didn’t fully appreciate the scale of the crisis we are in. That certainly seems to have changed now and, whilst it may appear that the campaign has been slightly quieter for the past few weeks, this is only due to us putting all of our energies into the various meetings and surveys we’ve had to conduct to ensure the campaign continues to gain momentum.”
Activities over the last few weeks include meetings with political advisors, who are helping to formulate precise action points of the campaign’s next steps, as well as coll

UK - KV2 Audio has announced the sudden passing of their sales director David Croxton.
The company says in a statement:
"It is with the deepest and most sincere regret that we have to announce the shocking and unexpected passing of our dear friend and colleague David Croxton as the result of a fatal accident. He was 59.
"David joined the family of KV2 Audio in 2011, to fulfil a new Sales Director role within Asia Pacific, but initially as a curious non-believer of the technologies and theories of our founder and developer, George Krampera Snr.
"As was typical of David, he soon discovered through deep thought, questioning and actual operating of systems that he could not only understand and accept what was being proposed, but provide essential and additional complements with his quiet considered approach, linked to a deep well of knowledge and advice, usually delivered with his inimitable dry wit. Once on board he rapidly became the fiercest proponent of the company’s outlook and presentation.
"His determination, energy and endeavours were certainly a part of the company’s success throughout the world.
"Having worked in the audio industry throughout his career, David’s knowledge of touring systems and studio production recording coupled with his experience of having run a successful distribution business in his Australian homeland, provided unparalleled access to unique insights and knowledge to those involved with him throughout his work - insights and knowledge that will now be greatly missed.
"His passing has left b

Italy - Powersoft, has launched its fully overhauled website, with a clean new layout and simple navigation structure designed to help users to quickly and easily access essential information, while offering a comprehensive understanding of the company’s value proposition, technologies and solutions.
The new website is also fully responsive, meaning that it is compatible with all browsers and can easily be navigated using any mobile devices.
“Through this easy-to-navigate design, users can learn about Powersoft including the services offered, said Powersoft’s brand, communication and trade marketing manager, Francesco Fanicchi. “It also details the applications the Powersoft’s products are suitable for, as well as providing support material, product guides, tutorials, application examples, and case studies. We hope that this new design will help customers to learn about Powersoft solutions and their relevance to specific applications or market verticals.”
Another aspect of the new website is the introduction of MyPowersoft, which will allow registered users to have seamless access to Powersoft ArmoníaPlus software and ProManagerPlus multi-purpose configuration tool, without having to remember multiple accounts and passwords.
“MyPowersoft is not only the simplest way to connect with Powersoft users and partners by providing what’s relevant to them, but it also allows them to gain access to an exclusive set of tools and services,” said Fanicch

USA - As a specialist in visual content delivery, Jon9 has developed a productive relationship with the Green Hippo team and its Hippotizer Media Server range - the toolkit he finds best suited to enabling his vision.
Jon9 first used Hippotizers in building the media playback solution for Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE show in Las Vegas in 2004. It was a record-breaking system at the time. Since then, he has gone on to produce numerous immersive and experiential projects through his company Holonyne Corporation.
In 1987, he founded the first videowall programming company in the US - Programination Inc. From delivering 640x480 resolution visuals to trade show videowalls from ¾” tape decks, he progressed through Beta SP, to video discs and DVDs. “Disc-based media gave us random access and enabled interactive installations,” he says. “Finally, in the 90s, as personal and business computer technology evolved along with the emergence of the internet, we started seeing dedicated media servers in the entertainment and corporate markets.
“These players - ranging from very simple and relatively inexpensive to very powerful and very expensive - provided a lot more flexibility in how we produced content and how we delivered it to the display systems. Along with random access, media servers allowed different levels of real-time processing that could be controlled from lighting desks or a keyboard. We could link up multiple servers, synchronize them, and deliver high resolution content to videowalls and display systems of any size. This evolution tr

USA - Pensacola Christian College teaches over 4,500 students at its Pensacola, Florida campus. Its students gather in the nearly 6,000-seat Crowne Centre frequently for community-building, events, chapel, for concerts, and church services on Sunday morning, and Sunday and Wednesday evenings.
Sunday morning services are recorded and broadcast as Rejoice in the Lord on the Daystar Television Network. All Pro Integrated Systems, a locally-based AV integration firm with international reach, recently replaced a number of loudspeakers, subwoofers and amplifiers in the Crowne Centre with a smaller number of Danley products, including Danley Jericho Horns, TH118XL subwoofers and DNA-series amplifiers with onboard DSP and optional Dante connectivity.
“We put the original sound system in the Crowne Centre when the building was new almost 20 years ago,” explained Scott Vegte, director of sales operations at All Pro Integrated Systems. “It performed well for technology of the time, but it had passed its sunset age. Components were failing, and the manufacturer was no longer making replacements. We started talking about upgrading in 2018 and moved into planning in 2019. Because the Crowne Centre gets used almost daily, we knew we would have a short window to do the actual installation. Everyone involved knew there would have to be plenty of planning to make the installation smooth and successful.”
“We travelled with the team from All Pro to InfoComm 2019 in Orlando to ‘go shopping’ for possible replacement systems,” said Greg Moses, TV

USA - Following the recent launch of its new CORIOmaster2 all-in-one, multi-window video processor, tvONE has announced the first installation of the product, as part of a system upgrade for a 911 Emergency Operations Centre in Peoria, Illinois.
The centre has been handling emergency ambulance dispatch and critical medical services for regions throughout Illinois and Iowa for almost a decade, and its previous audio-visual system was beginning to fail. To fix the problem, they approached local company IAS Technology, a specialist in the design and installation of professional audio/video systems.
“Because of the critical nature of the centre’s work, the AV system plays a vital role in the provision of services,” says IAS Technology’s CEO and chief design engineer, Jeremy Caldera. “It displays GPS mapping/tracking, call data, and other critical information, which can be seen at each individual workstation, as well as by the dispatchers and the watch floor manager on the high-resolution video wall.”
Caldera designed a system including two new 4K Laser projectors, with edge-blending handled by a brand new, high-powered processor that he knew had just arrived on the market, tvONE’s CORIOmaster2. A 4RU package optimized for 4K60 environments, the CORIOmaster2 can handle up to 40 4K video sources with no visible latency and up to 56 outputs.
“A common challenge with this kind of installation is working within the confines of a reasonable budget, while still utilizing new technologies and providing better resolution,” says Caldera.

Switzerland - In the age of social distancing, how can an orchestra and choir create a great musical performance when they cannot be in close proximity to each other? During the coming season, Switzerland’s Zurich Opera House will rely on Lawo IP technology to solve this problem.
The need to find a solution for future performances became clear in early 2020, after Switzerland’s lockdown went into effect on 15 March. That solution came in the form of an IP-based remote production installation from Lawo, designed specially for WAN-based remote productions.
Equipment includes a Lawo mc²36 console, Compact I/O stagebox units, and V__remote4 devices to transport and process video and audio signals, plus an upgrade of the Lawo Nova73 HD Core already installed at the Opera House which adds Ravenna networking and additional SFP Ethernet ports.
“At first we sat at home, puzzled and surprised, but pretty quickly we were thinking about how to move forward,” says Oleg Surgutschow, head of the Opera House’s sound department. “While some departments, like the workshops and costume departments, were able to continue working under the prescribed anti-corona measures, the sound department’s activities were pretty limited. So we had to quickly find a way to cope to ensure effective rehearsal operations and, later on, and deliver opera, operetta and ballet performances of the usual high level for the 2020-2021 season.”
Since the orchestra pit proved to be too small for the required minimum distances between the musicians and choir members would

Europe - Shure has announced that its new Microflex MXN5-C Networked Loudspeaker is now certified for Microsoft Teams. The MXN5-C joins a select portfolio of Shure networked systems products - the Microflex Advance MXA910 Ceiling Array, MXA310 Table Array Microphones, and the IntelliMix P300 Audio Conferencing Processor - that are now certified for Microsoft Teams, providing a complete audio signal chain.
Introduced at InfoComm Connected in June, the networked loudspeaker from Shure provides high-quality speech reproduction for AV conferencing applications. PoE-enabled with an onboard amplifier housed in a low-profile design, the MXN5-C is optimised for easy installation in drop-ceiling configurations.
Microsoft Teams provides a complete solution that includes online meetings, live broadcasts, Microsoft Team Rooms and audio conferencing. Whether it’s a corporate conference room, special event venue or higher education campus, sourcing a dependable solution that provides crystal clear audio while also integrating with leading collaboration technologies is important for successful communication.
“This certification illustrates our commitment to providing best-in-class experience across the entire audio ecosystem for Microsoft Teams users,” comments Paul Gunia, director of technology partnerships at Shure.
“To be certified for Microsoft Teams requires products meet high quality standards to help ensure a better collaboration experience,” adds Albert Kooiman, director of Microsoft Teams devices partner engineering and certification,

Denmark - HEX! Museum of Witch Hunt has recently opened in Ribe, Denmark, complete with a Smart IP loudspeaker solution from Genelec designed and installed by the Moesgaard Museum Exhibition Design Studio.
As Denmark’s oldest town and home to Maren Spliid, the country’s most famous witch, the setting is ideal for a museum that aims to tell the stories of these witches – who they were, why they were so feared, and the myths and superstitions that surrounded them. In order to create the best possible visitor experience, HEX! turned to the museum technology experts at the famed Moesgaard Museum led by Johan Ahrenfeldt.
“We wanted to create a complex soundscape for the various stories being told in each of the nine exhibition rooms,” explains Ahrenfeldt. “However, the building itself posed a few challenges as it’s an old listed building in the center of Ribe. While this definitely adds to the atmosphere, it’s not ideal for audio-visual installations. Many of the rooms are quite small with low ceilings, so it was important that the technology remained as unobtrusive as possible, whilst nevertheless delivering a high quality experience. Genelec’s Smart IP loudspeakers were therefore an obvious choice.
“Smart IP technology provides power, audio and control all over a single network cable, and is a godsend to those of us who work in architecturally sensitive environments – HEX! is a case in point,” he continues. “Furthermore, we know that Genelec is a guarantee of superlative audio quality, even at low levels, which was a requireme

India - Pune nightclub Sky High hired integrators Smart Homes to design and install Harman Professional audio and lighting solutions.
Known as the best rooftop venue in Kharadi, Sky High - The Club spans more than 5,000sq.ft and offers guests a one-of-a-kind nightlife experience. The facility features an indoor clubbing space with a DJ booth and dance floor as well as an outdoor terrace with a patio and bar.
"For the club’s sound, we were looking for control,” said Shaukat Ali of Sky High - The Club. “Since the venue is located in an IT hub and surrounded by a residential neighbourhood, we need to control the levels that we are sending to our audience and outside our facility. It’s very important that we do not annoy our nearby residents.”
In the bar’s indoor club environment, Smart Homes installed JBL AM7212/26 12” high power two-way loudspeakers as the main PA, while AM7212/95 speakers supply delay fills. Adding bass, the system features two ASB6128 dual 18” high powered subwoofers, which are positioned under the DJ booth and directed towards the dance floor for optimum performance.
For the DJ monitor, Smart Homes deployed a PRX812 full-range loudspeaker. The system is powered by Crown XTi 6002 and DCi 4|1250N amplifiers, while BSS BLU-100 signal processors with BLU Link ensure guests are treated to peak audio quality.
Creating an engaging, fun atmosphere in the outdoor terrace area, Sky High – The Club features 10 JBL AWC62 all-weather, compact two-way loudspeakers. Smart Homes selected Crown DCi 8|600N eight-channe

Canada - When Canadian country star Brett Kissel announced the first of what would become eight sold-out Live at the Drive-In shows in Edmonton, AB on 13 and 14 June 2020, drive-in concerts were basically the wild west of what live productions might look like during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the four shows on each day, 180 vehicles spaced several feet apart filled the parking lot of the River Cree Resort & Casino. By tuning into 89.5 FM, fans heard the live feed from FOH through their car stereos and were invited to honk, wave, and even hang out of windows and sunroofs while staying in their vehicles through the hour-long performance.
Kissel had full reign over the stage with a big extension, while each band member was surrounded by Plexiglas partitions. That part may have been strange for the performers, but it wasn’t the most unusual aspect for the wider crew.
“The biggest difference for us on the technical side is that there was no PA,” begins Colin Moore of CJM Productions, Kissel’s production designer and lighting director. Kissel and his band typically rely solely on IEMs for monitoring; however, the absence of a PA meant an absence of onstage energy and impact compared to a typical show.
“When I was first talking with Joel [Bird, FOH] and James [Bundy, monitors] about the shows, it was, ‘If the band’s not into it, Brett’s not into it, and if Brett’s not into it, the crowd’s not into it,’” Moore recalls. “So what could we do as a crew to support our family onstage so they’d feel as connected and energetic

Spain - Organisers of the Porta Ferrada Festival, staged on the Costa Brava, report that the fortnight of concerts has been hugely successful, playing to 95% capacity, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Audio production company BTM worked closely with Nexo to deliver the PA systems for the event, servicing new venues which had to be redesigned according to new festival safety protocols.
Now in its 58th edition at home in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, near Girona, the festival had to re-invent itself, presenting the new ‘Guíxols Arena’. Once the main stage of the event, this space had to take on the character of an auditorium, restricting capacity to no more than 800 socially-distanced spectators, divided between stalls and stands. Nevertheless, more than 10,000 tickets were sold, and 20 concerts were staged.
Girona-based audio rental house BTM Sound has serviced the Porta Ferrada Festival for many years, and, since 2014, the audio systems of choice have been the Nexo brand. This year, BTM’s system designer Enric Guso again specified the STM Series of modular line array, going with a main PA comprising sets of STM M46 + STM B112 main and bass cabinets. This was a departure from the usual Porta Ferrada PA design, which used the STM M28 main cabinets; these units are now deployed as out-fill for the wider audience area.
“We needed the extra coverage permitted by the main and bass configuration,” explains Guso, “and Nexo was able to support us with additional modules as well as helpful design input. The primary system was set up with flown arrays

Europe - After a period of consultation with the industry and the impact of the ongoing pandemic, Integrated Systems Events has announced that ISE, scheduled for 2-5 February 2021 in Barcelona, has been postponed and will now take place in June (dates to be confirmed), alongside a virtual offering.
Additionally, ISE will launch RISE Digital, a regular programme of content and networking events which will run throughout the year and support the live show.
Integrated Systems Events released the following statement: “We’ve been monitoring the conditions in Europe since the beginning of this year and have worked hard on your behalf to balance health and safety concerns with the need for commerce and F2F interaction. These two factors have had shifting weight throughout the calendar year and although we’ve felt confident and hopeful regarding delivering this show in February, we’ve come to the conclusion that the best option for all of us is to delay the show edition until June 2021.”
“The health and safety of our team, exhibiting companies, industry partners and attendees is our number one priority,” said Mike Blackman, managing director, Integrated Systems Events. “Given the understandable concerns among all of our stakeholders regarding coronavirus, and the uncertainty regarding travel restrictions and country lockdowns, we have concluded it is not prudent to maintain our original schedule of an in-person February 2021 trade show.
“From our many conversations, it is clear the industry can’t wait to get back together doing bus

Germany - DirectOut’s Prodigy has added Ember+ as the first network based third party protocol for the series.
It is an open control protocol based on an initiative of the Lawo Group and is already used by companies such as Riedel, SSL and Lawo. The DirectOut implementation allows controlling the configuration, the settings of the microphone preamp and the routing matrix including channel labelling, as well as monitoring the status of the device.
“Ember+ opens up the range of control systems that can interact with our Prodigy devices. For example popular and widespread software like hi, VSM or KSC may be used. Even direct access from a mixing console can be possible,” says Claudio Becker-Foss, CEO/CTO of DirectOut, “Actually, we´ve already successfully tested our implementation with Broadcast Solutions´ control software hi, without any changes required in the software.”
Ember+ will be available as a paid software option for the Prodigy series and can be purchased separately per device.

Italy - Outline has announced the immediate availability of the new Stadia 28 constant curvature array designed for outdoor applications, launched during the 2020 edition of ISE.
Stadia 28 is a medium-throw system for permanent outdoor installations, suitable for sound reinforcement in stadiums, theme parks, leisure facilities, tourist attractions and public spaces.
Its main selling point is its weight-power ratio, being a single enclosure, weighing just 21 kg (46.2 lb), but able to reach 139 dB SPL, by means of two 8” mid-woofers and a compression driver with a 3” diaphragm - all in neodymium. The system operates in bi-amp format.
The dispersion angle of 90 x 22.5 degrees enables, for example, to form horizontal or vertical arrays with no less than 135° x 90° using just six cabinets, which means guaranteeing coverage in any context, as well as remarkable versatility.
Additionally, Stadia 28 hardware is designed for safe long-lasting installation: the 10 mounting points in light top-grade anodised Ergal are fixed to the internal load-bearing structure, manufactured entirely in stainless steel.
IP55 protection rating is ensured by a three-layer coating in elastoplastic material (‘OutSIDE Coating Technology’ - Outline proprietary technology) along with a series of sophisticated ideas introduced in Outline’s manufacturing process.
Outline’s senior loudspeaker system designer Francesco Simeoni states, “The lines of the cabinet, combined with the waveguide designed and optimised specifically for this type of application