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15 October 2024

UK - Optimal Audio opened the virtual doors to its training academy. Open 24/7, the Optimal Audio Academy has certification-based courses ‘conveniently available to the world and any time that suits’.

Simple to navigate, the Optimal Audio Academy provides modular courses to help system integrators and installers to understand how to best maximise the portfolio and most importantly, WebApp.

Comprised of a streamlined product offering that works seamlessly together, the Optimal Audio ecosystem is particularly suited to multi-zoned commercial installations, such as retail and hospitality venues. WebApp, the ‘secret sauce’ of the ecosystem, makes short work of customisable installation parameters and provides an intuitive interface for the end user that’s as straightforward as any smart home appliance. Set up is already as simple as possible bu

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15 October 2024

USA/Europe - Elation has introduced Limelight, a range of high-powered colour-mixing wash luminaires.

The Limelight PAR is a versatile workhorse fixture, designed for even stage washes, side or front lighting, backlighting, and dramatic silhouette effects. It offers precision to accent scenery, sets, or specific areas of the stage for both functional and aesthetic lighting needs.

Available in two configurations, Limelight PAR S boasts seven 60W RGBL LEDs, while Limelight PAR L raises intensity further with 12x 60W RGBL LEDs. The added Lime emitter gives a substantial boost to overall output and fills in the entire spectrum to create a more expansive colour gamut. Limelight PAR L delivers an output of 8,213 total lumens, while the PAR S version brings 5,345 lumens to the table. Both fixtures are IP65-rated LED colour changers, built to perform ‘in a

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15 October 2024

UK - Andy Booth has joined the d&b solutions team as senior contracts manager within the integration team. Andy will play a key role in overseeing projects across our brands, White Light and SFL.

Andy brings considerable expertise in lighting, audio, and large-scale project management, having worked on impressive international projects such as theme parks in the UAE, as well as notable projects in Singapore and Africa. His longstanding collaboration with White Light includes high-profile projects like Jonnie Walker Princes Street, Rose Bruford College, Sky News Studios, World Heartbeat Music Academy, and the Royal Festival Hall. A career highlight for Andy was leading the house and work lighting refurbishment of the Royal Albert Hall, delivered for White Light.

“I’m thrilled to join d&b solutions,” says Andy. “Having already worked wi

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15 October 2024

USA - Justin Munana, aka Collie, of design house Nimblist employed an abundance of Elation Artiste Monet LED framing profile luminaires for Chris Brown’s recently concluded 11:11 tour. One hundred thirty-eight fixtures were distributed across the rig to ensure a consistent wash over the entire set, contributing to the elaborate and visually striking production. Fuse Technical Group provided lighting and video.

The tour followed Brown's November 2023 release of 11:11, which topped the Top R&B Albums chart. Beginning in Detroit on 5 June and concluding in Los Angeles on 6 August, the tour featured a complex production, with Justin overseeing the performance environment design.

The theatrical production features several intricate elements, such as lifts and elevators to move performers and set pieces, a rotating B stage, kinetic

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15 October 2024

UK - Martin Audio has announced the appointment of Simon Honywill as its new market development manager for live sound, production, and immersive audio markets.

Honywill’s appointment follows a long association with Martin Audio. "I’m utterly thrilled about this new role," he said. "After years of working as a sound engineer, I’ve been looking for a way to bring my expertise to a broader market and make a bigger impact. This role with Martin Audio offers me exactly that opportunity. I’ve always admired the company’s innovation, and now I have the chance to be part of shaping its future.”

As market development manager, Honywill will spearhead efforts to expand Martin Audio’s presence in the live sound and immersive audio markets. His new responsibilities will involve working globally, with a particular focus on Europe and the Middle East

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15 October 2024

USA - Grammy Award-winning artist Gary Clark Jr is touring the world with his new album JPEG Raw, complete with a lighting scheme designed by John Adamo and Robert Fuller.

For the first US leg of the tour, John utilised Robe Footsie2s (RGBW) footlights and TetraX moving LED bars on his lighting rig, which were supplied by Bandit Lites.

Virginia-based John, who has been working with the singer and musician since 2018, said his starting point for this completely new production design was … the music. The artist’s collage of soul, blues, rock and funk is often complex and multilayered. John and Robert wanted to deliver an impactful design that complemented the dynamic range of the music.

Robe’s TetraX was chosen for its versatility as it can be used as a wash, beam or eye candy fixture as well as its ability to create subtle effec

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15 October 2024

USA - The OCA Alliance, the trade association supporting the AES70 standard for Open Control Architecture, has announced the public availability of the latest revision of the standard, AES70-2024, which introduces ‘several valuable additions’. Along with new classes, the update features new methods, a new specification for using the OCP.1 protocol, and several documentation updates.

Fully backwards compatible with existing implementations, AES70-2024 continues to expand the technical foundations of the growing and evolving OCA ecosystem. Summaries and overviews of the most recent additions to the standard can be found on the OCA Alliance website: https://ocaalliance.com/latest-updates/

“AES70 is very much a living and evolving standard, and we are grateful to the developers and contributors who continue to support and expand it,” says Ethan W

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15 October 2024

Live Issues - Many UK towns and cities have seen a drastic reduction in live music because bands and singers are playing half as many gigs on tour as they did in the 1990s. Artists are playing 11 shows on an average tour on the grassroots circuit this year, compared with 22 in 1994, according to new figures from the Music Venue Trust. Those figures also "reflect what we're hearing about the mid-capacity and arena level" tours, said Jon Collins, chief executive of the live music trade body, Live.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told a music industry conference on Friday that "too many parts of the country have become cultural deserts" after more than a hundred music venues closed last year. That is the chance to live a larger, richer life, that should belong to us all, denied to a generation," she said. "And pop is getting posher."

The Music Venue Trust

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14 October 2024

Poland - Pol’and’Rock is a three-day event held at the Czaplinek-Broczyno Airfield that bills itself as ‘the largest free festival in Europe’. Inspired by Woodstock, Pol’and’Rock drew over 800,000 fans this year for the 30th edition of the festival.

Artists from nu metal and alt rock, to classic rock and hip-hop performed on the festival’s two stages. Among them were international acts like Guano Apes, Clawfinger, Modestep, Flogging Molly and Motionless in White, as well as Polish stars, including Coma and T. Love.

Supporting their performances was a light show designed by Jacek Chojczak and the Green Beam Design team. At the centre of the massive main stage (it measures 80m x 20m with a 21m trim) was an automated RGB ring that captivated the crowd by changing positions throughout shows. Thanks to its half rounded stealth filer

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14 October 2024

Europe - Australian lighting designer David Gordon – known industry-wide as Gordo – wanted to create a different lighting ambience that was transportable and transposable anywhere around the globe for the ongoing Living Room Sessions world tour by indie folk rockers Angus & Julia Stone.

He turned to 48 of Astera’s powerful and handy NYX Bulb products to help produce this smart, eye-catching, and highly individual aesthetic which packed neatly into a Pele case.

The NYX Bulbs were purchased by the band for the tour and for future use. They pack into a bespoke moulded tray for transit which is fitted into a Pele type 1607 case, weighing around 20kg when full, which is “great for freight” as well as being sustainable.

The NYX Bulb lighting concept is built around a theatre show set up. Onstage, 30 x NYX Bulbs are (typically

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14 October 2024

Poland - Produced by Euforia Festivals, Tranceformations is one of Poland’s largest EDM Festivals. It takes place annually at the Centennial Hall, a UNESCO-listed building in Wroclaw, capital of Lower Silesia. The historic venue, built in 1913 to a design by architect Max Berg, holds 10,000 people beneath its 42m high x 67m diameter dome.

This was the location for the sixth edition of Tranceformations which hosted a line-up of international Trance music artists including Aly & Fila, Brinary Finary, Jordan Suckley, Nilsix, Thrill Seekers, Solarstone, Genix, Marcus Schulz, A.D.D.A, Roger Shah and Simon Paterson.  

Lighting designer, Marcin Chrzanowski of CM Light, Poland, used over 500 moving lights and 55 high-powered lasers to bring to life the light show, transforming the mid-air into a colourful work of art, with the DJs and artist

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14 October 2024

France - The Festival d'Avignon celebrates its 78th edition in 2024. Founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar, this major international performing arts event attracts thousands of enthusiasts each summer to various venues around the city.

At the heart of the festival, the Cour d'Honneur of the Palais des Papes is an emblematic venue, offering the setting for a variety of performances. This year, eight Claypaky Sinfonya and six Claypaky Rhapsodya fixtures were installed, combining the latest technology with high artistic requirements.

Before making their choice, the festival's technical team carried out rigorous tests at FabricA, a theatre in Avignon with dimensions similar to those of the Cour d'Honneur. These tests allowed the performance of the spotlights to be accurately assessed.

Manuella Mangalo, general lighting manager, explains, “I wa

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14 October 2024

Singapore - Arts venue, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, has recently invested in its first consignment of Ayrton fixtures having purchased 21 Argo 6 Wash and 12 Rivale Profile units for its Recital Studio.

The fixtures were chosen after a thorough evaluation process by Esplanade’s technical theatre managers and lighting team who judged the Ayrton fixtures to be a good balance of performance and reliability which met all their technical requirements. “Ayrton's products stood out for their versatility, innovative features, and the positive feedback we received from other industry professionals,” said Heryadi Yusof, head of lighting, technical production, The Esplanade Co Ltd.

The Ayrton Argo 6 Wash and Rivale Profiles proved well-suited to the intimate 245-seat Esplanade Recital Studio, meeting all the tender specifications and criteria set out

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14 October 2024

UK - Essex-based event production and AV installation company Spotlight Sound has announced its partnership with Hylands Estate. Spotlight Sound is now the accredited event production partner for the 574-acre estate.

Chelmsford-based Spotlight Sound was founded in 2009 by director Sam Dimond. In that time, the business has grown exponentially and now supports events with production and audio-visual equipment across Essex and throughout the UK. Spotlight Sound has worked on the BBC Make A Difference Awards, The London Football Awards, and many other high-profile events. During the Covid pandemic they spectacularly lit up Hylands House as well as other venues across the city in NHS colours to thank our emergency services for their work on behalf of Chelmsford City Council.

Sam Dimond says. “Our partnership with Hylands Estate means

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11 October 2024

UAE - Trussing and staging specialist Sixty82 has announced that J&C Joel has joined its distribution network in the Middle East. J&C Joel will now serve as the official distributor for Sixty82 in the region.

This new collaboration enhances Sixty82’s ability to extend its reach and provide even greater access to its high-quality trussing and staging solutions across the Middle East.

“We are grateful to J&C Joel for joining our network, which reinforces our commitment to expanding our distribution capabilities and delivering exceptional products and technical expertise to our valued customers,” says Fokko Smeding, CEO of Sixty82.

James Wheelwright, CEO of J&C Joel, stated: “We are thrilled to partner with Sixty82 and bring their innovative trussing and staging solutions to the Middle East. This partnership aligns with o

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11 October 2024

Hungary - Robe fixtures were prominent on a number of lighting installations designed by Centrum Production and delivered by VEG (Visual Europe Group) for the 2024 Hungarian National Day Celebrations in capital city Budapest.

iBolts, iFortes and iForte LTXs together with MegaPointes and Tarrantulas were utilised across five key sites on the main day of celebrations which included performances, attractions and events taking place along a 5km-long stretch on both sides of the River Danube that dissects the Hungarian capital city.

The project was managed for VEG by Kristof Nagy and the five areas utilising Robe products were the 118m-wide Hungarian Parliament Building, the Hungarian National Gallery, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Elisabeth Bridge and the Mandoki Soulmates stage.

The imposing and majestic Parliament Building on the Pest side of th

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11 October 2024

UK - Launched in June 2023, Eastbourne, Sussex-based Racquet Studios was born from a film and photographic creative agency that recognised the potential of virtual production. A year in the making, and after rigorous testing and trialling, facilities for virtual film production, education, and specialist research and development were created, relying on Brompton Technology LED processing to power the LED setup.

Since opening, the facility has successfully supported business and production companies through technical innovation and created a progressive creative economy. It has now relocated to new premises to expand its capabilities and be closer to key partners, which include the University of Sussex, East Sussex College, and various independent training bodies.

“We have always intended to develop clear pathways to education through our facilities

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11 October 2024

Czech Republic - Žerotín Castle in Valašské Meziříčí has a new look and style for after dark with an installation of Anolis Calumma M and L LED fixtures, which were chosen to illuminate this heritage-protected building that houses a museum and gallery centre covering the whole Zlín region.

The initiative to light the building was led by Valašské Meziříčí’s city council working with lighting design studio Archlights.cz from Usti nad Labem, who provided expertise and selected the Calummas for the job.

The architectural lighting practice has utilised Anolis – a Robe business – products on several other jobs with great success, so it again looked towards the brand for a stylish, high-quality lighting solution.

The brief included creating some very specific colours to match the brickwork and general ambience of the Baroque-sty

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11 October 2024

Norway - Just off the coast of the North Sea lies the Norwegian island municipality of Askøy. Bounded on all sides by coastal fjords, the municipality of 30,000 people is home to several boat-building companies, football clubs, and a bustling seafood industry.

The island’s population greatly expanded after the opening of the Askøy Bridge in 1992. To expand its options for local artists and theatrical performances, the local government recently commissioned the creation of a new cultural hall – the Kultursalen Kipo. Powering all the loudspeakers in the acoustic enhancement system are Connect Series amplifiers from LEA Professional.

Venue staff contacted Benum Norway A/S to design the audio system for the cultural hall. Based in Oslo, Benum is well-versed in the challenges associated with performance venues like Kultursalen Kipo.

“Norwa

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11 October 2024

Canada - Simon Fraser University (SFU), consistently ranked among Canada's top research institutions, has taken a pioneering step into immersive communication and spatial acoustics processing. Thanks to a recent grant, SFU established an acoustics lab equipped with 128 Renkus-Heinz C Series loudspeakers to support its research in the field.

Located across British Columbia’s three largest cities – Burnaby, Surrey, and Vancouver – SFU offers diverse programmes ranging from anthropology to marine science. The university's drive to leverage technology for societal benefit led to the creation of a new lab focused on 3D multimedia applications, including surround sound, video, and spatial acoustics, commonly referred to as "immersive communication."

Senior professor Rodney Vaughan spearheaded the project and partnered with TiMax, Advanced Audio, Dire