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The Netherlands - Indie rock stalwarts Kensington have been widely praised by critics for bringing layers of added dimensions to their music without sacrificing any of its immediate power to engage emotionally. For six days this September, the quartet from Utrecht were supported by a light and video show that reflected the multi-faceted appeal of their songs.
The intricate and tightly coordinated show turned the 17,000-capacity Ziggo Dome into an immersive 3D galaxy of images that flowed in perfect harmony to the music being produced on stage. At the centre of it all was a massive 800m² ‘tree’ made of blow-through and solid LED panels that worked cohesively with intense, fast-moving displays of light.
Like the entire production, the mesmerizing video-and-light combination was the product of intense collaboration, as well as some seamless integration between two Ch

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UK - The Roadie Cookbook has raised thousands for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for professional touring crew.
The Roadie Cookbook was curated during the first lockdown by production manager Nick Gosling and industry friends production coordinator Julie Cotton, band assistant Athena Caramitsos, backline tech Rich House and industry publicist Kel Murray.
The book showcases a collection of 50 recipes, anecdotes and advice from seasoned touring professionals working at all levels. It features contributors who have toured with Dolly Parton, Bryan Ferry, Chemical Brothers, Kylie Minogue and many more.
Following World Mental Health Day, the friends can now reveal the book has raised well in excess of £13,000, with 100% of profits being donated to charities Music Support and Stagehand.
World Health Organisation (WHO) describes the object
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Ticketing Issues - A new Ticketmaster pricing system, which alters the price of tickets based on demand, is being criticised by both fans and industry experts. Called dynamic pricing, it has been used in the UK for recent sales by Harry Styles, Coldplay and Blackpink. The system is regularly used in the US, where the resale market is a lot bigger, and touting is more prevalent. Ticketmaster say it is being used to try to stop touts, and to give more money to artists. But fans say they are being priced out of concerts, with some tickets doubling in price.
On the Ticketmaster page for Harry Styles' tour, a notice explains: "These tickets vary in price driven by demand from fans, similar to airline tickets and hotel rooms. We give fans an opportunity to safely buy official tickets for the events they love, right up to the date of the show."
The pricing system means Ticket

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USA - Behind the Scenes has two upcoming webinars: Bystander Intervention in the Entertainment Workplace on 16 October at 4pm Eastern and Understanding Substance Use and Abuse in the Entertainment Industry on 17 October at 7pm Eastern. Both webinars are free, but require advance registration to be sent the login link.
A BTS survey strongly indicated that bullying, harassment and intimidation is a common workplace stressor throughout all sectors of the entertainment industry. Do you know how to safely intervene if you see a co-worker being bullied or intimidated? Did you know there are different ways to intervene to match your comfort level? In just 90 minutes you will learn five easily accessible tools and get real life examples to use in any workplace to safely intervene without worrying about retaliation.
The Bystander Intervention webinar, presented by

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UK - CP Electronics – part of Legrand UK & Ireland – has appointed Gilles Silva as its new director of product development.
Having gained almost 20 years’ experience – 14 of which spent in Legrand Brazil’s R&D team – Gilles’ new role will see him take a lead on product innovation at CP Electronics. Focusing on energy efficiency, in line with Legrand’s latest CSR roadmap, Gilles will lead a team of 14 people in the UK, as well as closely working with R&D centres in France, the USA and China.
As part of his new role, Gilles will develop and deliver new products as well as analyse technology trends.
Gilles said: “This is an exciting time to join the CP Electronics team. We have a clear plan to deliver products that help drive energy efficiency, all while developing them sustainably. Our goal is to develop solutions that make installers

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USA - Four draft standards are available for public review and comment on the ESTA website at http://estalink.us/pr. The downloads are free. The documents in public review are:
BSR E1.20, Entertainment Technology -- Remote Device Management Over USITT DMX512 Networks. The existing E1.20 - 2010, Entertainment Technology - Remote Device Management over USITT DMX512 Networks, is being revised to clarify ambiguities, fix bugs, and incorporate some additional features. E1.20 is an extension to USITT DMX512 and ANSI E1.11 that allows for bi-directional communication on the primary data link. This allows a controller to discover RDM-enabled devices on the link, to set starting addresses and other configuration settings, and to request status messages. The project also is to reinstate E1.20 as an American National Standard. It has lost that status due to being over-age. Comme

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Freelance Survey - More than half of theatre freelancers feel insecure about their jobs as a result of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, a major survey has found. According to the Big Freelancer Survey, almost a third (27%) of respondents also said their debt levels had increased since the pandemic. In addition, it found that in the past 12 months, half of all respondents had witnessed at least one form of harassment and/or discrimination – totalling 1,701 incidents.
The survey of 1,497 freelancers was conducted in February 2022. It is the second in a planned series of five Big Freelancer Surveys until 2025, following the publication of the results of the first survey in 2020 of more than 8,000 participants. In its second iteration, the survey aims to provide insight into the impact of the pandemic and ongoing pre-pandemic issues on freelancers, alongside the insecu

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UK - Get your carving kits out and let your Halloween creativity run wild in the Backup Pumpkin Challenge, which is back for some spooky fun and fundraising this October.
Supported by Collaborative Creations, and now in its fourth year, the competition is open to anyone from the technical entertainment and creative industries. Entrants can use their in-house skills and equipment to enhance their carved pumpkin.
"We’re delighted the industry has got behind it every year.” says Tom Wilkes of Collaborative Creations “We’ve been amazed at what people have come up with over the years and it’s a great way for the industry to raise money for a fantastic charity."
The pumpkins will be judged in the following four categories: Best Overall Design (judged by panel), Best Use of Tech (judged by panel) Most Overall Likes (on Instagram).
Entries have to be post

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Budget Reaction - The theatre sector’s challenges, including the impact of increased energy bills, have not been addressed by the government’s ‘mini-budget’, industry bodies have warned. The mini-budget was the first delivered with Liz Truss as prime minister and Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor of the exchequer. Points outlined in brief included an energy package costing £60bn for the six months from October this year, VAT-free shopping for tourists, and duty rates for beer, cider, wine, and spirits axed.
The theatre sector had been hoping that the current rates of Theatre Tax Relief - 50% for touring productions and 45% for non-touring shows - would be maintained for at least another year. However, an official statement from the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre said it was concerned that "specific challenges" had been overlooked.
It said: "The UK’s wor

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UK/USA - This month, Theatre Projects celebrates 65 years in business. All month long, Theatre Projects will be sharing memories on social channels and inviting followers to contribute their own stories and photos via an online memory book.
Now an international mainstay in performance design, Theatre Projects came from much humbler origins. The firm began as a lighting rental company in late-‘50s London. Richard Pilbrow and Bryan Kendall started the company by buying up a small bundle of lighting stock for £150, a loan from Richard’s father. Over time, seating and space design, stage and rigging design, AV system design, strategic planning, and other services became part of the Theatre Projects scope, and today the six global offices are all composed of multiple, dynamic teams that love to engage with almost any venue-related issue.
“In the last 65 years, we hav

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UK - On Saturday 3 September, a team of entertainment technology industry professionals cycled from SFL in Reading to the Royal Albert Hall in time for PLASA Show in London. The annual BikeFest event raises money for industry charities, while nurturing cross-industry camaraderie in a fun and challenging way.
PLASA’s managing director Peter Heath, comments, “BikeFest is all about the people in our industry, many of which have suffered terribly over the last couple of years – but who are still absolutely committed to the entertainment technology industry. Through BikeFest, we not only raise funds for an increasingly important cause, we build bridges across the industry, which in turn strengthen the entire live sector.”
A team of approximately 20 cyclists braved the journey this time, representing some of the biggest names in the entertainment technology industry.

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Solidarity - One of Russia's most popular singers, Alla Pugacheva, has called on the Russian authorities to declare her a "foreign agent", in solidarity with her strongly anti-war husband Maxim Galkin. A showbiz star too, he was labelled a "foreign agent" on Friday after condemning Russia's attack on Ukraine.
On social media, Pugacheva called her husband "a true incorruptible Russian patriot, who wants... an end to our lads dying for illusory aims". She said the Kremlin's "illusory aims" in Ukraine "make our country a pariah and the lives of our citizens extremely difficult". Galkin, a comedian, TV presenter and singer, wanted "prosperity for his motherland, peace, free speech", she added.
In The Courts - Evolution Productions is suing St Albans council for £600,000 after its pantomime at the Alban Arena was cancelled when asbestos was found in the venue. The t

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UK - Barney Jameson has joined the leadership team of online platform Second Warehouse. Jameson takes on the role of chief marketing officer as the redesigned Second Warehouse rolls out across Europe and the United States.
Jameson is the founder and managing director of marketing agency The Inside Story. He will continue in that role alongside his duties as Second Warehouse CMO.
Second Warehouse has secured fresh funding, a new headquarters in the United States and strengthened leadership team including CEO Phil Van Peborgh, head of sales Will Lewis and founder Stuart Kerrison.
“Second Warehouse is very dear to my heart and I’ve been delighted to watch it make such a strong return from the challenges of the pandemic,” says Jameson. “There are big plans underpinning the platform and a strong team of industry leaders steering the way forward. I consider it

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USA - There is less than two weeks left to order 2022 Behind the Scenes Holiday Cards at btshelp.org/holidaycards. Orders for card packs and personalised cards are due by 27 September. This year’s collection features a mix of seven different designs created especially for the charity by Phil Foster, Jennifer Gillette, Robert Mendoza, Nancy Orr, Todd Potter and Lauren
Cards are available in a variety of options: card packs of 10 with a standard greeting, personalised cards with a company logo and custom message, and electronic cards in multiple file formats and an array of price points starting at $20.
Sending a BTS holiday card helps spread the word about the charity and lets your recipients know you are supporting industry colleagues who are ill or injured and the BTS Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative.

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Tribute - Theatre shows across the UK, including Hamilton and Mary Poppins in the West End, have begun taking performances on the day of the Queen’s funeral off sale. There has not yet been an official statement regarding the protocol for theatre performances on 19 September, when the funeral will take place, from the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre.
Official guidance from the government previously stated that theatres would not be under any obligation to close on the day of the ceremony. However, a number of shows across London have taken themselves off sale for that date. The Twitter account for Mary Poppins said the show would be paying tribute to the Queen’s "extraordinary reign". Tickets for Mamma Mia! are also no longer available on 19 September and the Royal Albert Hall has announced that it will close on that day and has postp

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USA - The Behind the Scenes Mental Health Initiative will present a free webinar Bystander Intervention in the Entertainment Workplace once a quarter over the next year.
These webinars follow on the success of last spring’s trainings, with previous attendees commenting, “This is the type of training that will help us transform both our working and personal lives for the better,” “This workshop was so helpful in concisely identifying issues and strategies to deal with them. I feel empowered to address awkward situations in my future,” “This training is engaging, good for participation and interaction, and is full of great examples and a variety of methods to use to help others who may need help,” and “The best part of the Bystander Intervention training for me was the many different ways of approaching a situation which I'd never thought of. We all have

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UK - Backup Tech has launched the Backup Photographic Competition, aiming to capture live entertainment, the people that make it possible and the backstage atmosphere. The competition is held in association with headline partner and sponsor the Lightpower Collection, and was launched at this year’s PLASA Show at Olympia London.
The Lightpower Collection is a long-time supporter of Backup and was looking for an idea that would shine a light on Backup and the work it does within the industry, that directly related to its impressive photographic collection.
“We’re delighted to collaborate with Lightpower Collection on this new and exciting way to raise awareness of our industry and in particular the people that make live entertainment possible,” says Backup’s vice-chair Piers Shepperd. “The overall theme of the competition is ‘Entertainment Production’,

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Energy Efficient - London mayor Sadiq Khan has pledged £1.2m to help creative spaces, including theatres, become more energy efficient, as heating costs spiral. Local authorities within Creative Enterprise Zones – which were established across London in 2018 with the aim of giving artists more affordable workspaces – will have access to the fund. Grants of up to £200,000 will be made available to invest in practical solutions that will lead to greater energy efficiency, aiming to help organisations counteract the pressure of rising heating bills.
Last month, theatres across the UK, including Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds and the Lowry in Salford, warned of extortionate increases to their heating bills. Theatres and other cultural spaces within the nine Creative Enterprise Zones – Croydon, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets, Haringey, Hounslow,

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Europe - Blumano, engineering consultancy and advisers for safety and stage machinery design, has announced its expansion with Blumano Deutschland. This base, located in the heart of Western Europe, will work closely with Blumano’s network of offices in Ireland, the UK, Italy, South Korea and the Netherlands.
Laura van Haperen joins this organisation and brings impressive experience and her qualifications as a DGUV V 17/18 (formerly BGV C1) expert in Germany. Her career as a safety expert in machinery and equipment for stages and other production facilities includes collaborating with leading companies in the entertainment industry. She has also improved quality management issues regarding business and technical processes throughout her work with automated stage machinery manufacturers.
Laura and Blumano's other directors met during standardisation meetings within CE

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Theatres at Risk - The Theatres Trust has launched a new programme, Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities, to help reduce the threat to at-risk theatres and strengthen theatre communities. The national advisory body for theatres, has been awarded a grant of more than £294,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund as well as funding from the Pilgrim Trust and Swire Charitable Trust to establish the initiative. The three-year project will focus on supporting communities operating a theatre building and communities considering taking over a theatre building.
Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities will feature a grants programme to fund strategic and organisational development work for three to six theatres a year, a new training and knowledge-sharing programme, and a series of free webinars open to all theatres to develop expertise across the sector.

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Pay Offer - West End backstage and front-of-house workers have voted to accept a revised pay offer from the Society of London Theatre – which includes a 10% increase to minimum pay rates. The accepted pay offer will see a number of other revisions implemented in the SOLT/BECTU Collective Bargaining Agreement, which covers pay and working conditions for front-of-house and backstage staff in roles including wardrobe, sound, box office and stage door.
These include the removal of a ‘force majeure’ clause - allowing for lay-offs in the event of further Covid restrictions - which was among a series of variations to the agreement that were negotiated to get the industry back on its feet after the pandemic lockdowns, from 31 March, 2023. The new rates of pay will apply from August 22, with other arrangements in the variation agreement to also end on this date. These i

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Eurovision Countdown - The shortlist of UK cities that could host next year's Eurovision Song Contest has been revealed, with seven locations in the running. Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield will vie to stage the event in May. Twenty cities expressed an interest, the BBC said, and those not making the shortlist include London and Belfast.
The BBC said the seven-strong shortlist was based on the cities' ability to show they have "the capacity, capability and experience to host an event of this scale and complexity".
A statement added that the process was "heavily weighted towards demonstrating past experience in hosting major international events, as well as being able to demonstrate their credentials in hosting a celebration of contemporary music".
London would have met those criteria but didn't make the cut, at a time wh

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UK - This year’s Gottelier Award nominations have been announced, with voting now in process. Named in memory of renowned industry innovator and commentator Tony Gottelier, this special award recognises the invaluable contributions of the people behind the products.
LSi readers, registered PLASA Show visitors and PLASA members are eligible to vote for the Gottelier Award. The recipient of which will be announced during the PLASA Awards for Innovation ceremony at PLASA Show on Monday 5 September. The nominees for the 2022 Gottelier Award are:
David Edelstein – Managing Director of Triple E
David Edelstein, founder of Triple E, invented the Loose Pin Hinge in 1984 after spotting a huge gap in the market. The product went on to receive an ABTT Product of the Year award and has since inspired many imitations. David went on to design and launch UniTrack in

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Tribute to Olivia - Producers of the West End production of Grease have dedicated the rest of its run to the memory of Olivia Newton-John, who has died aged 73. Newton-John, best known for playing Sandy in the 1978 film Grease, died on 8 August, with a statement from her family saying she passed away “peacefully” at her Ranch in Southern California, surrounded by family and friends. “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer,” it said.
A stage production of Grease is currently running at the Dominion Theatre in London, which is produced by Colin Ingram for InTheatre Productions, Donovan Mannato, Playing Field, Gavin Kalin and Curve.
Paying tribute, the producers said: “Olivia Newton-John is an icon who has inspired countless young performers across the world, not least our compa
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  4. PLASA Awards for Innovation deadline approaches
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  6. The Week in Light & Sound
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