Asia-Pacific - Void Acoustics reports that it is experiencing significant company growth across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. In the past year, Void has seen over 50 installations rely on its audio technology, solidifying its presence in key markets such as Thailand, Japan, China, Sri Lanka, and India.
Void's projects in the APAC region range from Thailand’s iconic Wonderfruit Festival to the premium nightlife experience at Zouk Tokyo, reflecting the company's commitment to pushing boundaries and setting new standards in the global audio industry.
Among the notable projects completed in the APAC region are installations at prestigious venues such as Kimpton Maa Lai Bangkok Hotel, ShiShi Nightlub, Yona Beach and White Rock Beach Club in Bali. These iconic locations serve as a testament to Void's state-of-the-art audio technology and its ability to blend into any environment or setting.
Alex Skan, managing director, at Void Acoustics, said: "Our growth in the APAC market underscores Void's dedication to setting the pace of audio innovation and the appetite for exceptional audio in one of the world’s most dynamic regions. We are thrilled to contribute to the region's entertainment landscape and look forward to bringing our cutting-edge solutions to even more iconic locations."
Void Acoustics has also established a reputation in the hospitality and entertainment industries, working with premium brands and venues such as Blitz, Studio 338, Hilton, and Radisson.
Patagonia - George Vlad, a professional sound designer, recordist, and composer, packed his bags and set off on an adventure to Patagonia. His goal was more than just braving extreme weather conditions and noisy environments to record sounds. George was on a mission to capture the unheard symphony of nature, to bring attention to the significance of sound in our visually saturated world and the unique beauty that lies within the noise of our acoustically polluted globe. His journey wasn't just about collecting sounds; it was about making us listen.
Armed with Rycote's audio equipment, George Vlad had a clear purpose in mind. This time he wasn't just out to record sounds, he was on a mission to push the boundaries of what's possible. He ventured into extreme weather conditions and noisy environments, testing the limits and exploring the constraints of sound capture. His goal went beyond mere exploration, George wanted to underscore the importance of sound in our predominantly visual culture.
"Being a passionate sound designer, recordist, and composer, I have always been fascinated by sounds that aren't readily accessible,” says George. “It's this fascination that compels me to travel the world, to capture and reproduce these unique sounds. My eagerness to explore places where no human ears have heard is relentless. There's an indescribable thrill in being the first one to record such an untouched sound environment. However, each year, it becomes increasingly challenging due to the expanding human footprint.”
Patagonia, a region at the southern
China - This year marks a significant milestone for Brompton Technology. The opening of the Shenzhen office in March 2019 strategically positioning the company in High-Tech Industrial Park, Nanshan, was prompted by customer demand and the city's status as a hub for LED panel manufacturing.
Brompton’s decision to establish a dedicated office facilitated seamless communication and support for local clients. Fast forward five years, and the company’s Shenzhen team support Brompton’s customers with account and project management, calibration, operations, technical product queries, training, field application engineering, and marketing.
To mark the occasion, the team will host a celebratory event at the office on 7 March. Brompton’s CEO, Richard Mead, will be joined by Elijah Ebo, director of APAC operations, Pokman Chu, general manager (China), Summer Zhang, deputy general manager (China), and many other members of the team in China and the UK to unveil a cutting-edge demo stage featuring an LED volume driven by Brompton Tessera LED processors.
This demo stage facility serves multiple purposes, including hosting internal and external trainings for partners, clients, and prospective clients, and conducting Brompton and partner-specific training sessions. It also provides a dedicated space for in-house events and for partners to showcase demonstrations, fostering innovation, knowledge-sharing and collaboration within the industry.
Equipped with industry-standard technology, the stage boasts an impressive array of equipment, including an
The Netherlands - Renowned trance music festival Transmission transposed to the Gelredome in Arnhem in The Netherlands for the first time, presenting its newest Elysium show concept at the end of 2023 and keeping the winning international production and supply teams that have helped make the event such a success in its native Czech Republic and globally.
Organisers United Music turned to their long-term lighting, audio and LED screen supplier, Ministry Rentals to supply the production kit - every bit of the kit came from Banska Bystrica in Slovakia - and lighting designer Bas Kempers to create an eye-catching visual environment to work in conjunction with their spectacular scenic design.
Bas’ lighting scheme included over 250 Robe moving lights, a dynamic combination of Fortes, MegaPointes, Pointes and BMFL WashBeams, together with multiple strobes and LED washes.
Being the first Transmission NL and the final event of a busy year for the brand which also staged sold out events in Australia, Poland and Thailand, the pressure was on to present something spectacular.
Bas started with United Music’s creative team’s vision of 400sq.m or so of LED screen - masked into a giant spherical shape upstage evoking a large modern pros arch. As well as complementing this with lighting, he also considered the vast environs of the venue which required filling with ambience and energy.
“I needed fixtures that could make those big, bold, bright and huge multi-faceted looks and scenes … and of course they had to be super-fast for the mu
UK - Production Futures has announced that Talks, a feature of the organisation’s On Tour events, is to be developed as a podcast and YouTube platform. The new format will feature a series of live-streamed, recorded discussions with a variety of production industry experts covering a range of topics, all of which will be designed to provide a valuable resource for young people interested in careers in the sector.
The initiative will be launched on 12 March when lighting designer Tim Routledge will join a Q&A session chaired by Production Futures’ Hannah Eakins in an online session from 11am GMT, broadcast from the organisation’s Strawberry Studios set in Manchester.
Tim, who is looking forward to taking questions from the young people in attendance, is enthusiastic about the event: “I was never academic at school and despite my school wanting me to do something more traditional, I wanted a job I was passionate about. So how do you end up flashing lights for popstars and TV shows all over the world? From a huge London New Year’s Eve show to Eurovision - how can flashing lights be a proper career? I’m very much looking forward to exploring exactly those questions with Production Futures’ young guests!”
As well as being the first in this series of filmed podcast/interviews, Tim Routledge’s session will also be featured in the BBC’s Bring the Drama Festival, an initiative which sees the corporation join forces with some of the UK’s leading cultural organisations, aiming to open doors to the next generation of behind-the-scenes
UK - Racquet Studios, a Sussex-based operator in the realm of virtual production, celebrated a successful student open day with East Sussex College at their Eastbourne facility on 22 February, offering more than 120 attendees from a range of creative courses a ‘deep dive into the transformative world of virtual content creation and filmmaking’.
The event, which was hosted in partnership with Canon Cinema EOS Cameras and Croatian specialist manufacturer, stYpe, illustrated the evolution of virtual production, highlighting its significant advantages over traditional filmmaking methods while emphasising the various creative and technical skills that feed into the cutting-edge solution.
The event solidified Racquet Studios' commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in the field of VP while engaging with young creatives to develop and retain skills in the region.
The day, which was split into two sessions, kicked off with a comprehensive introduction to VP, where the Racquet team guided participants through the sector's evolution.
The team also delved into the process of photogrammetry, unveiling the intricate method of creating digital twins of objects and environments through complex photography techniques. This process plays a crucial role in the complex recreation of assets that fuel the digital creative ecosystem.
Before breaking for lunch, all students had the opportunity to take to the stage and get hands-on with the professional setup, which included Canon Cinema EOS Cameras, lenses and global-leading camera tracking tec
China - Genelec has expanded its team in China with the appointment of Jimmy Liang as sales manager, with special responsibility for developing Genelec’s presence in both the Studio and AV Install segments in South China.
This new appointment is part of Genelec China’s continued commitment to elevating the customer experience - and has also seen the establishment of a new office and listening room in Guangzhou, with plans to further strengthen technical support and services for customers in the south of the country.
Liang has previously held positions as technical sales director at Sound Works & Supplies (SWS) and at Digital Media Technology (DMT). With over a decade of experience in professional audio, Liang has been responsible for the system integration of projects for many broadcast and institutional clients across the region.
“Jimmy brings extensive experience in the broadcast and fixed installation fields and possesses a deep understanding of Genelec's product ranges and applications,” says Jack Wu, sales director at Genelec China. “His addition strongly supports our business development in the dynamic Greater Bay Area and brings us even closer to our customers in South China.”
UK - Jim Hallington, founder and managing director of Clockaudio has died, aged 92. The specialist UK-based microphone specialist was established in 1994 by Hallington and a team of audio specialists with many years of experience in the design and manufacture of innovative pro audio products. The company’s success has been established on sound principles: its dedication to quality, service and innovation.
On the company’s success, Hallington said: "It is all about being responsive to your clients. If you don't respond then you won't be successful. It's as simple as that.
“When Tina and I started Clockaudio, we never envisioned it becoming such a success. Manufacturing always comes with challenges, but we have a great team that always comes up with a solution. It is an exciting and interesting business, and we look forward every day to facing the challenges and enjoying the successes!”
“It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved founder, leader, mentor, and managing director, Jim Hallington,” says a company statement. “Jim passed away at his home in Waterlooville Hampshire UK on 20 February, at the age of 92. Over the last few years Jim reluctantly took a step back from the business after being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, leaving Clockaudio in the capable hands of his adoring wife and soulmate, Tina.
“Jim leaves behind a legacy of determination, passion, courage, and commitment that were truly the building blocks for Clockaudio and will continue to be the company's foundatio
Europe - Light and Sound Design (LSD) Serbia is now officially an exclusive SRS Group distributor for Serbia, Kosovo, and the Balkan region.
“Immediately after LSD reached out to us, we quickly understood that they are a very well-established company, that anyone would like to collaborate with,” says Samuel Sloboda, CEO of SRS Group. “For over 20 years, Milan (the CEO of LSD) and his team have been doing a great job evolving the entertainment industry in the Balkan region from the heart of Serbia - Belgrade. With the extensive time investment LSD put into the construction of its new futuristic building, we are thrilled to see the Balkan market expand and prosper, as we are sure LSD is future-proof and absolutely ready for it.”
LSD covers all areas of the industry - rental companies, theatres, television and movie production companies, hotels, bars and clubs, and cultural and sports venues. Their open day last week was the first fair in the Balkans dedicated solely to professionals from the AV/rigging industry, and it gave visitors from all Balkan countries the opportunity to meet SRS Group’s team and test the equipment in real-life scenarios.
“Being made in the EU is an extremely important factor for us. SRS Group will fit nicely with our portfolio of premium brands,” mentions Milan. “The sheer quality, for both, products and the people of SRS Group, made it easy to decide that we want to start this distributorship.
"We had several meetings with SRS Group before we signed the contract to start the exclusive distribution. Th
UK - Playing at London’s Old Vic Theatre, Just For One Day is a new musical which tells the story of Live Aid and those who came together to create this event. Penned by John O’Farrell (Mrs Doubtfire), it features the songs of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, U2, Queen, Elton John and Paul McCartney among others. The show also features a lighting design by Olivier Award-nominated Howard Hudson, who approached White Light (WL), a d&b solutions company, to supply his lighting rig.
Just For One Day is an insight into the origins of the history-making concert held at Wembley Stadium on 13 July 1985; one which was attended by 72,000 and watched by a staggering 1.9bn worldwide. Discussing the show, Howard comments: “Live Aid was such a ground-breaking event and one which has a vast amount of now iconic imagery associated with it.
“Our show tells the story of several of those involved in the making of the concert, so whilst we ultimately do go to the event itself in the second half, a large amount of the show is narrative-based which requires a vast number of locations such as the recording studio, Bob Geldof’s house and all the way to Ethiopia; the country which was featured on the news report which inspired Live Aid.”
Unusual for even a historical-based musical, part of Howard’s brief was to actually recreate those now legendary performances from the concert; wanting to ensure the audience felt as though they were being transported back to that day almost forty years ago. He explains: “The primary resource for me was the
UK - In a repeat of their successful deployment at OVO Arena Wembley for the 25th MOBO Awards, SWG Events this time headed north with their flagship Martin Audio WPL Line Array to the Utilita Arena, Sheffield for this year’s event.
They had to overcome the challenges of providing balanced sound reinforcement for the live audience inside the 12,500-cap arena, while preserving the integrity of the set and striking a balance between the presenters’ mics and the live showcases, in a fast-paced show.
These live performances ranged from UK rap to Afrobeats, Dancehall to Pop/R&B and Garage, with back-to-back performances from Soul II Soul, Ghetts, Sugababes, Cristale, Byron Messia, King Promise and Camidoh, plus a Garage set from DJ Spoony. The event was hosted by Babtunde Aleshe, Indiyah Polack and Zeze Mills.
It required SWG Events to increase the WPL box count from 16 to 18 elements for each of the main L/R hangs, compared with last time; but more significantly, was the increased number of out-hangs, comprising 12-a-side WPC - all driven in two-box resolution from iKON iK42s.
Explaining the rationale, SWG Events’ head of audio, Simon Purse stated: “It was a fairly standard arena set up, and [Sheffield] is a very pleasant-sounding space as far as arenas go. But the additional out-hangs enabled us to better cover the raked seating in the nearfield. That was a massive benefit as the tonal response from WPC and WPL is really similar, so when you walk around the rig it just really works well.
“There’s the additional benefit of bei
The Netherlands - Created in 2013 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of dance in The Netherlands, the Amsterdam Music Festival is the biggest electronic dance music event of Amsterdam Dance Event which takes over the city annually each October. AMF’s popularity in its first year saw it move from the RAI Amsterdam to the 40,000 capacity Amsterdam ArenA (now the Johan Cruiiff ArenA) where its top EDM line up attracts the most international visitors of any dance event in the city.
Lighting designer, and owner of The Art of Light, André Beekmans chose a wealth of Ayrton Cobra, Huracán Profile and Ghibli fixtures to light the 2023 edition, the line up of which consisted of EDM royalty Afrojack, Armin van Buuren, Charlotte de Witte, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Headhunterz, James Hype, Purple Disco Machine and Vini Vici.
The show’s lighting and rigging were supplied by Ampco Flashlight with Light Specials providing the LED lines. The Art of Light operators - André Beekmans, Rik Verschuren, Kasper Dijksterhuis and Jaap Kamps - were responsible for programming, operating and facilitating all the guest operators for the event. Guest operators included Michael Seeverens as the touring LD for Armin van Buuren and Tom Pietermans with Afrojack, whom they supported with positions, presets and any additional needs.
Beekmans chose 54 Ayrton Cobra fixtures specifically for its laser source and narrow beam to highlight the outline of the stage and to add an extra dimension to its depth. He then placed 74 Ghibli spot fixtures within the stage area, rigged in b
USA - Located in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts District, Essex is a new music venue poised to be one of the city's premier destinations for live concerts, recently booking bands like Joywave and Danielle Ponder. In a district that has very few music venues, the music hall is a glowing addition to the area, bringing night life to mixed city residential and old industrial complexes. Essex will allow for more national acts when touring through Western New York to choose Rochester, as opposed to neighbouring cities, like Syracuse or Buffalo.
“The main focus of the venue is to showcase national touring artists that might otherwise drive right past Rochester,” says Dave Drago, talent buyer and one of four co-owners of Essex. Drago was tapped by SCN Hospitality, a Rochester-based restaurant group, to oversee the design of the venue's systems on every level of the concert experience. “SCN’s hospitality really shines throughout Rochester. Our vision with Essex was to add a viable concert venue to that portfolio, offering people a beautiful space to enjoy good music and great service.” Drago has been in the audio and music business for over 20 years.
Drago started out as a studio owner and engineer, weaving a career across North America, gaining experience as an artist and tour manager, producer, songwriter, musical director, touring musician, and most applicably, general manager for the heralded Concerts at Point of The Bluff seasonal concert series in the Finger Lakes.
“I have been on just about every side of most transactions in the m
USA - Production sound and re-recording Mixer Thomas Cassetta has always loved live theatre and events, so when presented with the opportunity to work on comedy specials back in 2014, he jumped at the chance. Cassetta has worked on projects around the globe for platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Tubi, Peacock, HBO and ShowTime. He also helps generate laughs with comedians such as Andrew Schulz, Jim Jefferies and Hasan Minhaj. Cassetta’s most recent stand-up production work includes recording and mixing comedian Akaash Singh’s first hour-long comedy special, as well as Pete Davidson’s new Netflix special entitled Pete Davidson: Turbo Fonzarelli.
Working on so many streamed comedy specials, Cassetta knows he needs to recreate the experience of being at a live show, while also ensuring the comedians feel connected to their audience. For Cassetta, the best way to accomplish this is with DPA Microphones solutions such as the d:facto 4018VL Vocal, 4017B Shotgun, 4018C Supercardioid and 2011 Twin Diaphragm Cardioid Microphones, as well as the brand’s newest 2012 Compact Cardioid and 2017 Shotgun Microphones. A selection of the brand’s in-line preamps and accessories also allow him to adapt to a variety of venues and locations.
“I believe DPA has a bright future in standup comedy,” says Cassetta. “Comedians are very in tune with how their microphones sound and feel. They like familiarity, something that feels natural and a sound that honours the relationship they’ve cultivated with their audience. Those are the three most important facto
USA - The first Super Bowl played in Las Vegas attracted the largest audience ever to watch the game on a Spanish language television network.
Over two and a quarter million viewers tuned in to Univision’s Super Bowl broadcast to watch the Chiefs top the San Francisco 49ers. To mark the occasion, the popular Spanish language network staged a lively pre-game celebration at Caesars Palace at the centre of the festivities was a performance by the multi-award-winning Puerto Rican rapper and singer Myke Towers, which was broadcast on Televisa, Univision’s sports special for the Super Bowl.
Pumping up the energy level around the performance for the live audience and TV viewers was a production design by Rene Garcia of Absolute Lighting Designs that featured over 75 Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by 4Wall Entertainment.
Working with programmer Chris Fernandez and camera director, Michell Lorens, Garcia created a captivating flow of stunning looks for the event, which took place in the fountain area of Caesars Palace at the entrance to the resort. His design moved seamlessly with the flow of the show, starting with when Myke Towers and the dancers began their performance in a car and worked their way up to the stages.
Flanking the star and his dancers as they approached the stage was a series of COLORado PXL Bar 16 fixtures that lined the red-carpet runway. “These fixtures worked wonders,” said Garcia. “They were ideal for our jib and steady cam shots.”
Anchoring the rig were 46 Maverick MK3 Wash fixtures. Garcia and h
Germany - The Adam Hall Group will once again be presenting its extensive event technology portfolio in a variety of ways at this year's Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt.
The event technology manufacturer will not only be represented with two stands (Adam Hall Networking Space and Cameo) in the exhibition halls, but will also open its Experience Centre at the nearby company headquarters in Neu-Anspach for the exclusive Adam Hall Group Surround Experience. The Adam Hall Group's presence at the trade fair will be rounded off with a presentation by Herbert Bernstädt (senior research & development engineer, light technology) as part of the Manufacturers' Forum.
The Adam Hall Group's Networking Space (12.1 A24) is the central point of contact for all those interested in the company. With its designated business area, the Networking Space offers a location for focused customer discussions and relaxed networking. Visitors will also have the opportunity to see the pioneering MAILA (Modular All-Round Intelligent Line Array) system from LD Systems live.
As in previous year, the almost 100sq.m Cameo stand (12.1 B24) is located directly next to the Adam Hall Networking Space and merges with it to form a large, overarching presentation area. In 2024, the Adam Hall Group's lighting technology brand will be presenting several pioneering new products.
From 19-21 March, the Adam Hall Group's Experience Centre in Neu-Anspach will become an open experience centre for a special ‘Surround Experience’. In the large auditorium, visitors can expect a specially
UK - TiMax spatial audio and performer stagetracking solutions, the most recent addition to the Focusrite Group, will make its debut appearance at the first set of this year’s Martin Audio Open Days. Running from 12-24 March at High Wycombe, the open days will see TiMax join forces with its sister pro audio brands from the group which includes Martin Audio, Linea Research and Optimal Audio, as well as OutBoard’s chain-hoist rigging motor control.
TiMax will showcase the capabilities and strengths of the TiMax SoundHub spatial audio engine and the award-winning TiMax TrackerD4 stagetracking solution, including new product offerings introduced earlier in the year. The presentations, by TiMax director Robin Whittaker with applications specialist Dan Roncoroni and new Martin Audio colleagues, will highlight the synergies between the product offerings of the group.
The open days also present the chance to hear previews of the new multi-channel live production spatial reverb feature for TiMax SoundHub which drew much attention at ISE. This powerful new plug-in option, available to all existing HARDCore FPGA-equipped TiMax SoundHub units, adds no less than four individual 1-in / 16-out ultra-high-quality reverb engines which give sound designers full control of all parameters as well as access to an advanced 3D room reverb-builder application.
The award-winning TiMax TrackerD4 precision stagetracking solution will be in use to automatically localise presenter mics in real-time and follow them with moving-head light fixtures driven by TrackerD4’s Pos
UK - Ayrton has announced that David Stewart has joined the Ayrton team as UK designer relationship manager. The appointment takes place with immediate effect.
Stewart’s role will be to support new and existing lighting designers and production staff, and to work closely with Ambersphere Solutions, Ayrton’s exclusive UK distributor, in promoting the Ayrton brand and product range.
Stewart comes with more than 30 years of experience within every facet of the entertainment industry, having worked as a freelance LD, operator and technician, and as a business owner, through to full-time sales and business development with key manufacturers and distributors.
Stewart comments: "I'm really excited to join Ayrton at a time of incredible innovation and growth, to strengthen relationships and take on the challenge of pushing such cutting edge products and services for the future."
Stewart joins Ayrton’s team alongside Marc Lorenz and Brian Dowd, designer relationship managers for Europe and the US respectively.
“What a great fit to our team David is,” comments Michael Althaus, Ayrton’s global sales director. “He is a strategic asset and important interface to the UK market and its importance in the concert touring, theatre and film market.”
Budget Cuts - Birmingham City Council will make cuts to all funding for culture projects and local-arts development, with Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Birmingham Royal Ballet facing a 100% reduction to their support in the next financial year. Europe’s largest local authority has taken drastic measures to tackle a £300m budget shortfall over the next two years, including ending its £350,000 funding to Birmingham International Dance Festival.
Grants to organisations in receipt of regular funding will be hit with 50% cuts this year and 100% from the 2025/26 financial year, with those impacted including Birmingham Opera Company, dance development organisation FABRIC and B:Music - home to the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and operator of Symphony Hall.
Planning News - A film studio plans to invest millions of pounds in local infrastructure in a bid to receive planning permission from the local authority. Buckinghamshire Council could not reach a decision on Marlow Film Studios' plans for Marlow quarry in October. Councillors deferred the decision to further consider issues related to the green belt and local highways. The studio's updated plans revealed over £20m will be invested in roads and other public infrastructure.
Robert Laycock, CEO of Marlow Film Studios said: "These improvements to the roads and bus services in South Bucks are only a part of the major benefits unlocked by the studios for the local area, its residents and its economy." The campaign group Save Marlow's Greenbelt said: "There is nothing in the amended planning doc
USA - For the first time in history, the biggest game in American Football descended upon Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. This presented a massive new challenge: managing the Super Bowl’s immense production in Las Vegas’ already crowded wireless radio frequency (RF) environment.
The production crew tackled this challenge and delivered to all attendees and 202.4m broadcast viewers. For audio, the team relied on the Emmy Award-winning Shure Axient Digital Wireless Microphone System.
“Axient Digital is the key to the Halftime Show,” shared lead RF engineer Cameron Stuckey. “We are using every feature that sets it apart to the fullest extent possible. And, at this point, it is hard to picture how I would design the wireless system without it. The unmatched coverage Quadversity provides, combined with the reliability of Frequency Diversity, means the team and I can support every artistic decision across an entire football field with confidence in the harshest environment of the year.”
The RF team depended on 10 AD4Q Four-Channel Digital Wireless Receivers, an AD600 Axient Digital Spectrum Manager, and two AXT400 Axient Dual Channel Receivers. For another year, ATK used Axient Digital AD4Q with Quadversity, leveraging four simultaneous RF inputs to feed a single RF channel. Quadversity can extend the coverage area of a microphone channel or enable multiple coverage areas with additional antenna inputs, making it suitable for challenging RF environments like Las Vegas.
ATK Audiotek and Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) handled all wi
UK - British grime MC and rapper Dizzee Rascal performed his Mercury Music Prize-winning album, Boy in Da Corner, to loyal fans with help from Eighth Day Sound. Working with production manager Tommy Sheals-Barrett of Back On Your Heads, the tour hit UK arenas following a major comeback at London’s O2.
Commenting on the importance of choosing the right vendors, Sheals-Barrett says: “This job can be hard enough without worrying about whether you're in safe hands, supplier-wise. You get the best out of the artist (and the artist's crew) when they have confidence in a production supplier.”
Choosing Eighth Day Sound and mixing Dizzee’s hard-hitting yet melodic blend of influential London hip hop, is FOH Engineer Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Sargeant, who has navigated the pioneering artist’s live work on and off the road. He begins: “Over the years, I’ve mastered some of Dizzee’s earlier album live tracks. So, my aim here was to bring consistency to the overall range of tracks spanning the 20th anniversary.
“Creating the right mix comes down to getting the best source, the best pre-amps, control surface and PA. With a DJ set-up, it’s about live mastering and making sure the signal path and source are the best they possibly can be.”
Rabbit has a Solid State Logic Live 100 for the main mix, while the DJ setup is processed through a Solid State Logic Fusion to add some weight and tame the high frequency, allowing the d&b audiotechnik KSL PA system to sound vast at a lower level.
He continues: “Since the introduction of
China - Hypersonic Fest was a one-day experimental event organised by Hypersonic Lab in Hong Kong, aimed at inviting people to enjoy the talents of 37 diverse Christian artists and music bands from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia and to explore the possibilities of Christian music. The festival was staged at Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre and featured four action-packed stages of live music performance.
Production equipment for the Main Stage including lighting was supplied by the MPHK Group and project managed by Raymond Wong, working closely with LD Kei Lui who utilised a grandMA3 full-size console, a decision taken jointly between the LD and Raymond.
Kei is based in Macau and is technical manager of the famed Para Club, as well as running his own company in Hong Kong / Macau for freelance lighting design projects like this.
His task at Hypersonic Fest was to light all the bands on the Main stage, many of whom he was seeing live for the first time, give them the best possible shows, and make each one stand-out and look different, all of which had to be achieved in a highly compressed timescale of only four hours for get in, set up, prep and programming.
Using grandMA3 in this context really helped a demanding process and saved time. Kei had 43 moving lights in the space on overhead trusses with around 1200 parameters of control, so it was not a large rig, but ideal for the space, and he worked it hard.
He commented that the MA Startshow file is “great” and saves a lot of preparation tim
The Netherlands - Visitors cannot help but feel the freedom of the sea when they encounter Het Scheepvaartmuseum Amsterdam, the National Maritime Museum of the Netherlands. The attraction sits on an artificial island built in 1656 as a naval base near Amsterdam’s city old harbour.
Designed by Belgian architect Laurent Ney, the symmetrical roof, engenders an air of openness and discovery in the courtyard below, while projecting a nautical image. Accentuating this effect and enhancing the aesthetics of the courtyard is a new LED lighting system by Leon van Warmerdam and the team at Lichtpunt that features 32 Ovation CYC 1 FC LED fixtures from Chauvet Professional.
“In this historical monument there are many restrictions. We did search for the most low-profile solution with maximum performance. By wrapping the luminaires, they got the same colour as the background,” said van Warmerdam, who noted that the Ovation units were selected “because of the small measures of the fixture, the enormous light output, the asymmetric light distribution, the rich colour palette, and the noiseless operation”.
According to van Warmerdam, glare on the roof of courtyard was an issue with the old graze lighting fixtures that had been used in the space. This concern was eliminated with the addition of the Ovation CYC fixtures. “By choosing another angle than the former graze light fixtures, and by using the integrated glare shield on the Ovation products, we addressed the issue with glare,” he explained.
Another big difference between using graze light
Germany - Lighting control specialist Pharos Architectural Controls will be exhibiting at this year’s Light + Building expo, continuing the company’s busy calendar of events as part of its milestone 20th anniversary year.
Pharos will showcase its Expert, Designer and Cloud product ranges at the expo, held from 3-8 March 2024 at Frankfurt am Main, demonstrating the substantial benefits these technologies bring to the industry.
Located on stand 8.0-C71, Pharos will be demonstrating a number of key solutions from across its lighting control portfolio. Visitors will be able to explore and interact with the latest features in the Pharos Designer range and get hands on with the most recent addition to the Pharos product portfolio, Pharos Expert.
Expert is an innovative and straightforward control solution centred around a single, reliable, set-and-forget controller. A lighting control system with hardware that simplifies installation, and the recently released v1.0.0 of its commissioning software that makes programming easy. Expert guides users through setting up their system and creating their lighting design with clear, easy to follow helpers and walkthroughs.
Key regional sales representatives and product category specialists will be on the stand to welcome visitors, discuss the Pharos technologies, and identify opportunities where Pharos could benefit upcoming projects.
Pharos commercial director Bas Hoksbergen, says: “Light + Building is the largest exhibition in the lighting industry calendar and in this milestone year for Pharos,