UK - Wharfedale Pro are now shipping their new i-series of installation loudspeakers.
Designed specifically for small to medium scale commercial installations, the i-series is made up of three ABS plastic models (4", 6.5" and 8"). Each model is available in a 70v/100v or in a 8Ω low impedance configuration.
All i-series loudspeakers are IP54 Certified, which makes them suitable for installation into extreme environments where excess moisture or dust ingress are a risk. A full-face aluminium front grille also gives solid protection against any physical impact damage. All models are supplied with fully adjustable steel wall mounting brackets.
Internally, the i-series use a two-way design with a 1.0" silk dome tweeter and custom Wharfedale Pro 4", 6.5" or 8" low frequency drivers. This combination results in a natural sounding speaker that suits both pre-recorded music playback or voice applications.

UK - Singer-songwriter Joe Bygraves has produced the single, Stand As One in support of charities helping the live entertainment and events industry. Its official release on Spotify, iTunes and all streaming services is today, 21 August at 12.00pm.
The 24-year-old from Bedfordshire has written and performed the song, which aims to reach out to people struggling with issues surrounding mental health during and looking past the COVID-19 pandemic, especially focusing on the behind-the-scenes professionals who, in any other year, would be pulling together to create the infrastructure for world-class live performances.
Joe was challenged to write the song by the organisers of the #MakeItBlue campaign started by the UK the events and entertainment industry to support colleagues in need, and to promote public mental health awareness through arts, culture and entertainment projects.
#MakeItBlue co-founder Gary White said: “We asked Joe for a track that would resonate with our collective experience and send out a message of hope and support. Joe is donating 25 per cent of its proceeds to MAKEITBLUE CIC for charitable use in the events industry.”
For Stand As One, Joe is backed by a collective of pedigree musicians, including Tom McRae (background vocal arrangements), Richard Hammond (bass), Simon Johnson (guitars and backing vocals) and Mark Pusey (drums and percussion). Piano and background vocals are by Olli Cunningham, who also produced and mixed the song. It was mastered at Abbey Road Studios London by Simon Gibson.
The firs

UK - Audiologic has recently appointed Andrew Matthews as business manager for Ireland and Scotland. He will be responsible for maintaining and building on existing relationships with Audiologic’s integrator network, presenting the latest technical solutions from its suppliers and further developing the business in providing wide-ranging support for new projects and sales enquiries.
With a career that spans over 30 years, Matthews joins Audiologic from Bose Corporation where he was director/national sales manager for Ireland in all channels that included consumer electronics and live and installed sound.
Dave Smith, senior business manager at Audiologic, comments: “We are delighted to announce that Andrew has joined Audiologic, he brings with him extensive local knowledge, a fantastic approach to the customer experience and a wealth of expertise in advanced audio technology to match.”
Andrew comments, “When I knew this role was available, I knew immediately it was the perfect fit. Now I can leverage everything I have learned about the specific needs and excellent customer relationships I already have in these markets for the mutual benefit of all concerned. I am thrilled to have joined at a time when the company really is going from strength to strength.”

USA - Inspired by efforts in the UK, mainland Europe and South Africa, the US live events industry is set to host its own #WeMakeEvents ‘Red Alert’ day of action on 1 September.
Using the hashtags #WeMakeEvents #RedAlertRESTART and #ExtendPUA to gain momentum, the move represents a major call to action on Tuesday, 1 September, imploring the US Congress to pass the RESTART Act (S.3814) as quickly as possible, offering economic relief to America’s live events industry, which has been shuttered since March, 2020, putting millions of people out of work. Additionally, the movement is to support ExtendPUA.org in their efforts towards continuation and extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to provide relief to those without work due to COVID-19.
#WeMakeEvents North American director, Brad Nelms comments: "The group has managed to gather incredible support for this important movement, signing on more than 30 regional directors to lead the initiative in markets nationally. This team have been so fired up and already have commitments from hundreds of incredible venues and iconic locations nationally who will show support."
On 1 September buildings, structures, and residences across the US will be lit in red from 9pm-12am (local time in each market) as the event rolls across North America. The goal to raise public awareness that the live events industry is on ‘Red Alert’ for its very survival, and to create congressional pressure to act now.
#BeAnArtsHero, a grassroots coalition of arts and cultural workers, reports: "The Arts &

UK - Lighting control manufacturer Zero 88 stages a product awareness livestream airing on Monday, 24 August, which will be broadcast from The Congress Theatre, Cwmbran - the nearest local theatre venue to the manufacturing facility.
Usually busy with a lively programme of music and performance shows in the centre of Cwmbran, The Congress has been repurposed to function as a virtual studio during the pandemic and for the immediate future.
The Zero 88 team will be highlighting some of the brand’s newest technologies and product releases during the stream and will be joined by local singer-songwriter Tobias Robertson offering live entertainment.
This presentation will last 30 minutes and embrace all three primary Zero 88 product categories - control, data, and power.
The stream will specifically address the new ZerOS Server, the Splitter 8 and Gateway 4 / Gateway 8 DMX / RDM data distribution devices, Betapack 4 combined power distribution and dimmer units and Zero 88’s RigSwitch remote controlled power switching solutions, plus previewing the next exciting ZerOS 7.9.8 software update.
Exact shipping dates and availability for all these will be announced on air.
Interested parties can catch the stream at www.zero88.com/event or on Zero’s social channels - Facebook, Twitter and YouTube - and anyone not able to tune in on the day . . . can watch the broadcast later on-demand. The event is live at 10am (GMT+1), Monday, 24 August.
A Q&A session will follow the product presentation for which anyone can submit questio

Europe - Sennheiser’s popular live Crew Calls continue with four members from Ed Sheeran’s live touring crew from the world record-breaking Divide Tour
On 8 September at 8pm CET, Sennheiser hosts Andy Egerton and Tim Moore will welcome Chris Marsh (production manager, FOH sound), Mark Friend (tour manager), Matt Jones (lighting director) and Dave White (guitar/Chewie tech). Organisers are urging those wishing to tune in to register early for the live round table with the touring crew behind Ed Sheeran’s.
During the 90-minute Crew Call, Chris Marsh and Mark Friend will discuss production and tour management and speak about the FOH sound, while Matt Jones will give insights into the tour’s lighting design. Guitar fans will be delighted to see David White on board, who designed and built Ed Sheeran’s Chewie looper pedalboard. As always, all panellists will b e happy to take questions questions from the audience.
For more detail and to register, visit this link.

USA - Golden Age Hollywood movie mogul Jack L. Warner called it ‘The Castle of Your Dreams’. The Warner Grand Theatre is the last of a series of classic Southern California Art Deco-Moderne cinema palaces from the 1930s designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca and interior designer Anthony Heinsbergen that retains its original contours.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the theatre was renamed the Warner Grand Theatre in the 1980s, and in 1982 was designated as City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural-Monument #251. In 1996, the theatre was purchased by the Department of Cultural Affairs and has continuously operated this venue since that time.
Now, the 1,525-seat historic film house in San Pedro, California hosts classic and art films as well as concerts and other live performances. It’s doing that with very modern sound thanks to newly installed DiGiCo audio consoles: an SD12-96 at front of house and an SD9T for monitors, as well as an SD-Rack with Stadius 32-bit I/O mic pre’s on an Optocore HMA optical loop. These desks control a new VUE Audiotechnik al-8 line array sound system, all of which were installed there in July by El Segundo, CA-based Bell Event Services (BES) under the direction of audio/operations manager Tim Campbell, who served as the project manager.
“The combination of the new consoles and the new PA system means that this is a world-class destination for touring shows,” states BES president Michael Bell. “That’s why the choice of DiGiCo means so much; any audio engineer in the world would be able to

Germany - With the demand for virtual production space steeply rising, Entertainment Technology Concepts GmbH (ETC-Europe) and MMC Studios organised an informative event to update their clients on the latest available technology and hardware, involved in creating successful virtual film productions or events.
The cooperation partners MMC Studios, LAVAlabs Moving Images and ETC-Europe presented their virtual production showcase on 30-31 July 30 on MMC’s soundstage 32 in Cologne. The virtual production set offers a dynamic backdrop for a variety of productions.
As a full-service event provider, ETC-Europe offers tailored turn-key solutions for trade fairs, film and TV productions, concerts and stage events.
MMC Studios operates the Coloneum in Cologne, Germany, one of Europe’s largest and most advanced TV and film studio facilities.
The digital content was provided by LAVAlabs, a multi-discipline animation and creative studio based in Düsseldorf, Stuttgart and Frankfurt.
“A range of creative and technological aspects come together to stage this type of productions, it’s not something you just take from the shelf. At ETC-Europe we have specialized in-house knowledge to bring all the key technological components together”, comments Alexander Klaus, managing director at ETC-Europe. “With our partners in this project, we wanted both to inform clients on the possibilities that virtual production can create, but also to raise awareness on the technological complexity, when all the aspe

USA - Accustomed to lighting and supplying production to large festivals and live music venues, John Garberson was concerned that the smaller livestream production area he put together in his company’s Phoenix warehouse after the COVID-19 outbreak would limit his creative possibilities. He has since learned otherwise.
True, the 18’ by 20’ space doesn’t afford the opportunity to wow crowds with big looks, the way he has done for years at events like the Pot of Gold and West Coast Music Festivals, but lighting livestreams isn’t just about scaling down, it also involves the challenge of reorienting the focus of design.
“This has been like a learning lab experience,” said Garberson, director of Creative BackStage, which produces a new LIVE From Backstage livestream series with Pro Production Services. “At first I thought this would just be limiting, but I’ve come to see livestreams as a new challenge. It’s critical to figure out things like how to balance colours for the camera, so the band looks good, especially on the smaller screens that are often used to watch livestreams.”
Based on the looks they created for reggae band Black Bottom Lighters on the most recent instalment of their series, Garberson and LD Elie Knight have learned this lesson very well. Drawing on the colour-rendering capabilities of their rig’s Chauvet Professional Maverick MK2 Spot and Rogue R2 Wash fixtures, they reflected different moods on stage by bathing it a smoothly flowing procession of palettes.
To add depth and nuanced subtlety to the

Mexico - Ballerina Elisa Carrillo, principal dancer at the Staatsballett Berlin and 2019 winner of ballet’s top prize, the Prix Benois de la Danse, travelled to her country of origin to present a series of ballet performances called Gala of Stars, Elisa and Friends. The special shows, which took place last year in some of the most renowned venues in Mexico, including the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, were lit by Rafael Mendoza using Elation Artiste Picasso LED profile luminaires.
Gala of Stars, Elisa and Friends featured performances by renowned figures in classical and contemporary dance from some of the most important ballet companies in the world such as the American Ballet Theatre, the Mariinsky Theatre, the Berlin State Ballet, and the Mikhailovsky Theatre.
Mendoza has served as lighting designer for the Elisa and Friends ballet gala for years, effectively from the beginning of the project, and has years of experience lighting ballet, dance and opera behind him. He comments: “Mexico, with its different dance expressions and genres, classical dance, Mexican folklore, contemporary dance and many that have been added in the last 40 years, all involve the wonderful human body expressing itself in different ways.
“I design lighting thinking about the body and movement, adding symbolism or other elements that, for example, in ballet is often defined in the script. Light often defines the space, defines the time, and defines interior or exterior places where you want to take the viewer. Colour is often chosen depending

USA - CP Communications has announced the next generation of Mobile Viewpoint’s IQ-Sports Producer (IQ-SP) family of automated live sports production systems.
Powered by AI and supporting a range of outdoor and indoor sports from football to hockey, the updated series brings several key technology enhancements and adds a new entry-level model - IQ-SP Lite - built for customers focused on single-sport productions with one output stream.
Designed to remove the need of an onsite camera crew, IQ-SP makes professional sports production affordable for minor leagues, training camps, universities - and now, with IQ-SP Lite - smaller colleges and high schools previously hindered by budget constraints. CP Communications is the exclusive North American distributor of Mobile Viewpoint solutions.
Mobile Viewpoint developed IQ-Sports Producer to easily capture, stream and re-publish sports events with ease, and also gives players and coaches an affordable solution for recording practices and create game footage. Mobile Viewpoint has strengthened the AI capabilities in the new generation of IQ-SP systems, which will prove especially invaluable as live sporting events gradually return during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foremost amongst the new AI features is automated highlight creation. IQ-SP can automatically detect scoring plays, and create individual replay clips or post-game highlight packages for publishing to social media and other outlets with minimal manual intervention, saving producers significant turnaround time, effort, and staffing costs.

Canada - Driving over an hour on the highway, headed northeast from Montreal, motorists find themselves at Parc Bellerive, a secluded, peaceful expanse of green on the banks of the River Richelieu.
Time seems to stand still here. Being far enough away from the big city, the clear and fragrant night sky is free of light pollution. This creates an idyllic setting for star gazing. It also provides a beautiful canvas on which to project colourful and dynamic aerial effects.
This attribute was not lost on Érik Nowosielski-Lamoureux when he was called upon to light a two-hour drive-in concert headlined by Québécois recording stars Les Colocs for Canada Day.
“Saint-Ours is a small city about 100km from Montreal, so the sky over the riverside park was completely dark,” said Nowosielski-Lamoureux. “I used this aspect to create interesting looks in the sky. Because the show was a drive-in event, cars could be quite far from stage. The bright output of my Rogue R2 beams made it easy for me to light up almost all the area above the cars. By doing this, I gave the cars in the back of the site some visuals to enjoy, even with the stage being pretty far from them.”
Nowosielski-Lamoureux positioned six Rogue R2 Beams along the upstage deck at various heights. The fixtures on either edge of the stage were raised three feet, while the two units further in were placed four feet high and the two centre units were on 6ft truss totems.
From these positions, the Rogue R2 Beams did more than create interestingly patterned aerial displays, they also

Turkey - Turkuvaz Media Group (TMG) is Turkey’s largest private media group operating in television, radio broadcasting as well as news and printed media. When seeking to build a new media centre in Istanbul, TMG turned to TSL Products’ audio monitoring, advanced broadcast control and technical display solutions, across 10 studios and control rooms.
Built with systems integrator Teratek, this project consolidates TMG’s distributed studios into one location to improve efficiency, future-proof its capabilities for 4K broadcasting and create a scalable system that is prepared for the group’s future growth.
TSL’s TallyMan advanced control system is one of the only systems available that offers an expansive protocol library by default, allowing TMG to control many different devices without the need for expansive development or additional cost.
The TallyMan system is deployed in each of the 10 studios to control routing of Riedel MediorNet and Grass Valley Sirius, as well as controlling logo generator, keyer and bypass switch equipment, combining control of equipment from multiple manufacturers into a single platform. The system also manages and distributes tally across the entire TMG facility.
“Routing control helps users manage signal routes throughout a facility,” explains Gokmen Turhan from system integrator, Teratek. “TSL’s router control functionality provides the flexibility and control to build an appropriate signal path for any given operation and will prove to be a beneficial solution for Turkuvaz Media Group.”
Us

USA - Meyer Sound has announced the release of MAPP 3D, the most extensive upgrade to its industry-standard system design tool since the original MAPP Online software program was introduced in 2001. MAPP 3D works on both the Mac and Windows platforms, employs local processing (no Internet connection required) and is now available as a free download from the Meyer Sound website.
As the name implies, MAPP 3D provides highly accurate, three-dimensional renderings of predicted sound system performance within detailed, wire-frame venue drawings. Equally important, MAPP 3D now offers complete integration with the Galileo Galaxy Network Platform and Compass control software for a seamless workflow from initial design through on-site tuning. Comprehensive processing parameters for complex systems can be optimized using MAPP 3D predictions, with the resulting processor settings pushed directly into multiple GALAXY processors with the click of a mouse.
In addition to traditional calibration test signal sources, MAPP 3D supports M-Noise, an emerging industry standard to determine the maximum linear SPL for music. This combination provides the industry’s most accurate prediction of a sound system’s maximum capability when reproducing music.
“The release of MAPP 3D marks a milestone in the development of sound system design software, not only for Meyer Sound, but for the industry as a whole,” says Perrin Meyer, Meyer Sound director of emerging technologies. “The detail in the renderings is spectacular and the flexibility of the user interface is unprec

Croatia - The city of Zadar lies on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, and is renowned for the Roman and Venetian ruins that characterise its Old Town peninsula. For all its historic architecture, the city could never be accused of living in the past, hosting a vibrant progressive culture centred around its bustling shops, cafés and nightspots.
Located within a refurbished, revitalised old cinema building in the heart of the city sits Guma, a flexible 300-capacity venue that combines traditional hospitality with a lively atmosphere, and describes itself as the ‘living room’ of Zadar’s cultural community. Guma’s attractive interior design is complemented by a selection of urban music which appeals to a discerning crowd who can relax with friends in its comfortable surroundings by day, and hit its dance-floor in the evening.
The Guma team recently took the decision to upgrade the sound system, believing there was room for improvement on their existing provision. Any new system had to be flexible enough to meet the demands of a wide range of applications including cultural and literary presentations, but have the power and clarity to deliver sets by not only local, but the regional and national DJs who regularly visit. A further requirement was that the audio needed to be accurately contained within the space to avoid disturbance to the venue’s nearby neighbours.
Marketing Manager at Guma, Frane Skoblar comments, “We needed an outstanding audio experience for our customers. Everything we provide has to be exceptional and we felt that we had fal

USA - Audio-Technica has announced two limited-edition iterations of its AT2020 Cardioid Condenser Microphone featuring a reflective silver finish: the AT2020V (standard) and the AT2020USB+V (USB model). The visually striking finish is meant not only to celebrate the mic’s clear, natural sound quality, but to mirror the creative force of its user, making these mics suitable for YouTubers, livestreamers and other content creators.
These side-address condensers are equipped with low-mass diaphragms, custom-engineered for extended frequency response and superior transient response. The mics’ cardioid polar pattern reduces pickup of sounds from the sides and rear, improving isolation of desired sound source. All models in the AT2020 mic line - the price/performance standard in side-address studio condenser microphone technology - offer a wide dynamic range and handle high SPLs with ease. Both of the limited edition V models come with AT8458a shock mounts to attenuate any noise, shock, or vibration transmitted through a mic stand, boom, or mount.
The AT2020V is designed for vocal pickup in home-studio applications and features an analogue XLR output for easy connection to a digital converter or mixer. The AT2020USB+V, is suitable for podcasting, streaming, home studio recording, and voiceover use.
The AT2020USB+V features a built-in high-output headphone amplifier with volume control that allows direct monitoring of the microphone signal with no delay. It also offers a mix control that blends microphone and pre-recorded audio.

USA - ADJ has introduced its new range of Encore Profile Pro professional LED-powered ellipsoidal fixtures, complete with a wide selection of lens options.
Designed for theatres and other performance spaces looking to embrace the power-saving and heat-reducing benefits of LED, without compromising on performance or features, two models are available. The Encore Profile Pro WW has a powerful warm white LED engine, while the Encore Profile Pro Color offers full colour mixing from a 6-in-1 LED source.
The Encore Profile Pro WW features a potent 260W warm white LED light source with a color temperature of 3200K. It generates an even field of light, with no hot spot, and boasts a high CRI in excess of 97. When used with a 26° lens, it measures a total light output of 10,000 lumens, while the LED engine has an average lifespan of 50,000 hours.
The Encore Profile Pro Color utilises a 250W 6-in-1 RGBWAL LED engine, which also boasts an impressive 50,000 hour average operational life. Through independent dimming control of the red, green, blue, white, amber and lime LED elements, this fixture can be used to generate a huge gamut of colours ranging from vibrant primaries to subtle hues. It can also be used to generate colour-corrected white light, with a macro function providing easy selection of a range of different Kelvin color temperatures. It has a light output of 6,000 lumens (measured with a 26° lens) and offers a CRI in excess of 90.
These robust and reliable fixtures can be used with ADJ’s range of interchangeable lens tubes, however they ha

UK - AnyBrand is introducing face coverings treated with HeiQ Viroblock technology, a “tested and proven COVID-19 barrier” that counteracts the airborne transmission of the virus.
HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 Swiss technology has been tested to be effective against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in the laboratory and the ISO-tested 18184, which is added to the fabric during the final stage of the textile manufacturing process.
AnyBrand founder Colin Graham states: “The new every-day problems we face need high tech and sustainable solutions. Partnering with HeiQ allows us to do this with a unique and invaluable edge.
“We don’t have the cure all solution, but we do have a ‘silver bullet’ that could make the all-important difference to minimise the social distancing requirement that has decimated the live events sector.
“We believe our brandable face coverings present live events with a better chance of accelerating the reopening of its doors with higher capacity audiences, when used alongside other COVID-19 safety measures.”
Carlo Centonze, CEO of HeiQ Group, said: “We are pleased to partner with AnyBrand in the UK to develop life-saving products and applications for our technology.”
The first face coverings have arrived in the UK this week and AnyBrand is geared up to deliver large quantities of a variety of specifically branded, reusable face coverings within weeks.

USA - LSi is sad to report that Howell Binkley, one of the most distinguished theatre/dance lighting designers of his generation, died on Friday 14th August in Jacksonville, North Carolina, of lung cancer. He was 64. "He was just a special spirit," his widow, Joyce Storey, told the Winston-Salem Journal. "He was adored by so many and will be missed by all."
According to the Journal, Binkley, a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, attended Atkins High School, where he was first drawn to theatre. He worked at the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem and graduated from Reynolds High School in 1974. After attending East Carolina University, he moved to New York in 1978, and began working with the Acting Company and Paul Taylor Dance Company.

Early on, he established himself in the dance world, working with the Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, MoMix, Peter Pucci Plus. Hubbard Street Dance, and American Ballet Theatre. Most famously, he was the cofounder and resident lighting designer for Parsons Dance, creating 85 original pieces for that company.
Binkley worked extensively in regional theatres, including the Goodman Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Alley Theatre, Guthrie Theater, McCarter Theatre, Hartford Stage, Signature Theatre, The Old Globe, and Shakespeare Theatre Company. He also designed six entries in the Kennedy Center’s Sondheim Celebration.
He made a notable Broadway debut in 1993 with Kiss of the Spider Woman; other productions included: How to Succeed in Busi

UK - A webinar designed to unite the live production industry in developing new working practices for a more sustainable approach has shown a “clear willingness” for change, according to The Sustainability in Production Alliance (SiPA).
The panel discussion, broadcast live on social media channels as well as via a Zoom video meeting, brought together many of the leading companies and individuals who are committed to a more sustainable future for live event production.
The webinar was a collaboration between SiPA, the Association of British Technicians (ABTT) and The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT). Top of the agenda was how the industry can use the current hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to create a more sustainable approach to its work.
SiPA’s Carol Scott, principal advocate for sustainability at TAIT and SiPA, was joined by a host of live production industry and environment leaders, including: Jon Bausor - multi-award-winning international stage designer and creative director; Spike Brant - production designer, CEO of Nimblist and advocator of sustainability; Ian Garrett - USITT Memmber and designer with Toasterlab; Huntly Christie - CEO of Christie Lites and Dr Chris Jones, research fellow at University of Manchester who is currently examining the key impact areas of the music industry on the environment.
“The webinar was a great success - the audience engagement was fantastic, with the live stream figures going into the thousands,” says Carol Scott. “There is a clear willingness in our industry to

USA - Harman Professional Solutions has announced the JBL VTX B28 subwoofer.
The VTX B28 is a JBL Professional dual 18-inch subwoofer designed to complement the company’s flagship VTX full-range sound reinforcement systems. Differential Drive technology endows the drivers with exceptional performance, while patented SlipStream port technology offers improved airflow and reduced audible turbulence at any operating level, says the company.
The VTX B28 houses a new, integrated rigging system that follows in the footsteps of the A8 and A12 rigging designs, and allows the B28 to be suspended in omnidirectional or cardioid arrays of up to 16 enclosures. The rigging and a comprehensive collection of tour-tough accessories make the B28 a flexible solution for both mobile and installed sound system applications. The B28 integrates seamlessly with HiQNet Performance Manager and Line Array Calculator (LAC) software, and features the same industrial design as A- and B-Series loudspeakers, giving the entire system a cohesive look.
“The VTX B28 is our new premium subwoofer, and a perfect addition to VTX Series line array systems,” said Harman Professional product manager George Georgallis. “As with the B18 subwoofer, we started by taking the best aspects of the previous-generation S28 and G28 and improving performance. Then we optimised the design for a dual 18-inch system, and the result was the B28. We worked very hard to ensure the B28 could meet the most demanding applications, but also focused on configurability, a full suite of accessories, and sof

Australia - Brisbane’s Ekka show - the largest agricultural event in Queensland - was cancelled this year due to COVID-19, but in a bid to lift spirits, the fireworks show went ahead thanks to the donation of fireworks, audiovisual, lighting and programming by Skylighter Fireworks, NW Group, Chameleon Touring Systems and JLX Productions.
The Fullscreen Fireworks Show, presented by 7NEWS Brisbane, was specially designed for television audiences to stay home and watch on TV for the best vantage point.
Over 50 fireworks, lighting, sound and vision crew worked on the event - another example of our industry donating their time, expertise and gear to a worthy cause even though they have been hardest hit by COVID-19.
NW Group’s involvement in the event came about whilst Ray Moss, general manager for NW Group in Queensland, was having a catch up with Tony Laffan who heads up the entertainment department at Ekka.
“Tony mentioned Max Brunner from Skylighter Fireworks had offered to donate a pyro show on the eve of what would have been Ekka 2020 given the event had to cancel due to COVID restrictions, and in passing that 7 News Brisbane were in negotiation to take the show live to air,” explained Ray. “Ekka has been a loyal NW client for around 16 years so the decision was really a no brainer for us to be involved.”
Skylighter, like the rest of the entertainment industry, is in full shutdown due to COVID gathering restriction (and lost the back end of trading in 2019 through mass cancellations during the devastating bushfires),

Australia - Smiles and high spirits abounded at the HBF Stadium in Perth, Australia at the country’s first large scale live music event since March.
Unlocked, staged mid-July, was possible due to the Western Australian state lockdown entering Phase 5 on 27 June, and Zaccaria Concerts’ ‘Castaway’ and VenuesWest took the opportunity to present a sizzling array of Western Australian electronic / DnB talent including Crooked Colours, ShockOne with Reija Lee, Slumberjack and Tina Says.
The venue was sold out to an enthusiastic audience of just under 3,000 people, reduced to 50% of its normal capacity and run under new safe operating procedures (SOP) regulations.
Lighting and LED screens were supplied by Perth-based rental and production specialists Showscreens, headed by brothers Ryan and Bryce Varley, who dipped into their 150 plus stock of Robe moving lights choosing BMFL Spots, MegaPointes and Spiiders to be the core of the lighting rig.
A total of 20 x Robe BMFL Spots, 24 x Spiider LED wash beams and 20 x MegaPointes, together with strobes and 4-lites were rigged on the three overhead trusses and the stage deck.
BMFL Spots on the front truss provided key light and specials while Spiiders were a solid and effective choice for full stage washes and additional effects, and more BMFLs, MegaPointes and Spiiders on the mid and upstage trusses added to the layering of lights.
On the floor, Spiiders were used for cross stage key light, shooting in from the downstage corners, with MegaPointes and BMFLs deployed along the back below

Czech Republic - Conceived as a multi-purpose cultural centre combining exhibition rooms with concert halls, the Rudolfinum is one of the most architecturally remarkable buildings in Prague. It is also the home of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, which first performed in the Rudolfinum’s world-famous concert hall in 1896 under the baton of famous Czech composer, Antonín Dvořák.
The 1,100-capacity Dvořák Hall, also one of the oldest concert halls in Europe, is renowned for its remarkable acoustics and is a sought-after venue for recording classical works. KV2 Audio recently designed and built a completely custom audio solution to address specific acoustic issues whilst meeting the strict architectural and aesthetic requirements of the listed building.
The acoustics that lend the Dvorak Hall its distinctive sound is also the reason for which the venue has battled for years with the reproduction of amplified speech.
"We have been struggling for a long time with insufficient intelligibility of the spoken word in the Dvořák Hall,” admits Radomír Stöhr, technical administrator of Rudolfinum. “It was never ideal due to the particular nature of the acoustics which have a very long reverberation, especially in the mid frequencies."
Jiří Krampera, sound system designer and the founder of KV2 Audio, was called in to see if he could resolve the problems. David Mareček, CEO of the Czech Philharmonic, welcomed the cooperation with KV2 Audio: “We have excellent experience with KV2 sound systems, in particular with the annual Open Air co