Details

05 November 2024

UK - TiMax has announced the launch of TiMax panLab. Continuing its mission to democratise access to spatial audio, the new macOS application packs an augmented feature set to enable users to take spatialised audio designs further in both entry-level and large-scale systems.

TiMax panLab is the first major product release since both TiMax and panLab joined the Focusrite stable, marking the first step in a roadmap of product updates. At launch, TiMax panLab adds 3D rendering capabilities to QLab, alongside a wide range of mixing consoles and system processors and now for the first time, TiMax SoundHub.

The simplicity of the 3D user interface in TiMax panLab provides a powerful tool for creators to intuitively craft multi-dimensional audio soundscapes. The finely honed UX design of the original panLab spatial programming platform, skilfully developed b

Details

05 November 2024

USA - Bose Professional has announced the global availability of EdgeMax EM90-LP and EM180-LP, expanding the EdgeMax line of in-ceiling directional loudspeakers. The LP models bring powerful EdgeMax sound and asymmetrical coverage to smaller rooms and more challenging spaces, and work together with the original EdgeMax loudspeakers to deliver consistent performance across projects where specifications and installation conditions vary.

EdgeMax LP models have been specifically designed for smaller rooms with lower ceilings and challenging installation requirements. The new EdgeMax LP loudspeakers have a 4” backcan depth, 60% shallower than the original models, which makes EdgeMax LP suitable for rooms with above-ceiling limitations and tighter clearances. The new EdgeMax LP models also feature an 80° vertical coverage angle that is ideal for conference room

Details

05 November 2024

USA - Wireless load monitoring brand Broadweigh has announced its presence at this year’s LDI Show in Las Vegas this December. Visitors to the show can find Broadweigh at booth #2019 where the 9-tonne load cell will get its North American debut. The team will also be giving an exclusive preview of its innovations set for release in 2025.

“This is an exciting time for the Broadweigh brand," said Matthew Youngs, marketing manager at Broadweigh. “Our innovations are developed with a deep understanding of the demands faced by today’s live event professionals. We are therefore thrilled to bring our latest solutions to LDI and demonstrate how our products support a safer, smarter approach to event rigging and structural monitoring.”

Broadweigh’s wireless anemometer will also be on display on the booth, illustrating how it enables precise monito

Details

05 November 2024

Japan - Following the success of last year’s event, Brompton Technology has announced its return to Inter BEE 2024. The expo will see an expanded presence of Brompton’s LED video processing technology, which will be featured on the booths of key partners including INFiLED Japan, Ark Ventures, Sony Marketing, Leyard Japan, AOTO Electronics, Innovator One Co and d&b audiotechnik.

Brompton highlights at this year’s show include the latest Tessera v3.5 features, such as Dark Time Insertion, Frame Store, Hidden Marker Improvement, as well as the recent Q-SYS plugin integration. These enhancements further cement Brompton’s leadership in the virtual production (VP) and high-end LED installations sectors.

“We are honoured to be featured on our partners’ booths at Inter BEE 2024,” says Elijah Ebo, director of APAC Operations at Brompton. “

Details

05 November 2024

Hammer Blow - Theatres across the country are braced to absorb yet more costs under Labour’s first Budget in office, with large tax rises labelled another "financial hammer blow” for pinched organisations. Chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves’ increase to both national insurance for employers and the national living wage has left theatre buildings saddled with potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds more in annual expenditure.

Curve chief executive Chris Stafford told The Stage: "While we actively support increasing the national living wage, this rise in cost alongside the hike in national insurance payments is another financial hammer for theatres and producers. Based on very early projections, the Budget will hit our bottom line by at least £350,000 next year. This is on top of the money we will need to allocate to implement Martyn

Details

04 November 2024

USA - Working with lead designer AECOM and Turner Construction, Clair Global Integration (CGI) was engaged to design and install innovative technical solutions to the Intuit Dome basketball arena, home of the LA Clippers.

In addition, the $2bn, 18,000-capacity venue announced Clair Global touring client, Bruno Mars, as its opening act, placing Clair's rental and installation divisions in close collaboration for the Inglewood, CA, arena's first live event.

"The great thing about the LA Clippers is their dedication to the fans – as an organisation they wanted this facility to engage sports and music fans instantly," says CGI VP of sports integration, Demetrius Palavos. "Steve Ballmer, LA Clippers chairman, has a background in powerful technology and understands perfectly how it can become a lever to meaningfully interact with patrons."

Ballme

Details

04 November 2024

USA/Italy - Princess Cruises has chosen Robe Lighting for Sun Princess, the latest addition to the Princess fleet.

With a capacity of 5,900, the Sun Princess boasts various entertainment venues and concepts. The ship has been equipped with a comprehensive Robe Lighting package, including four Forte FSs, four RoboSpot systems, 27 Esprites, 76 Paintes, 22 Spiider LED wash beams, 24 LEDBeam 350s, 43 LEDBeam 150s, 57 Spikie+ and 14 T11 Profiles with gobo modules, plus 21 ParFect 150s, 42 Tetra1s, 30 iPaintes, 13 iSpiiders, 17 iBeam 350s, 5 iTetra2s and 19 iBar 15s.

The Princess Arena, the most technologically advanced Princess Theatre design, offers three configurations to maximise sightlines and deliver a truly captivating experience. The Dome, featuring a pool by sunlight and a stage for shows by starlight, is a glass-enclosed space inspired by the hil

Details

04 November 2024

USA - Claypaky Xtylos played a key role in Limp Bizkit’s 2024 Loserville Tour, the nu-metal band’s 24-stop North American summer road show. Las Vegas-based OSA International provided the full production package for the tour, including audio, lighting and cameras.

The Loserville Tour kicked off in Wisconsin in July and wrapped in San Bernardino, California at the end of August. Justin Wade, who has worked with Limp Bizkit for about two years, served as lighting designer, programmer and operator for the tour.

“I was looking for a punchy beam that would cut through outside natural elements for this all-amphitheatre tour,” Wade explains.  

“Mark Fetto at OSA International steered me to Xtylos, whose laser source makes it a lot stronger than many other beams. And at a time when so many lights are getting bigger and bi

Details

04 November 2024

USA - The 67th annual Monterey Jazz Festival featured performances by artists like Mavis Staples, Stanley Clarke, and Samara Joy. The festival was powered by a Meyer Sound Panther system paired with 2100‑LFC elements, all provided by McCune Audio. Meyer’s technical design specialist, Tom Dalske, provided ground support throughout the event.

“It was great to see an updated Meyer Sound rig in the arena this year,” says Dalske. “We had a fun time interacting with the crowd at the sound booth, and there was a lot of positive feedback. It was exciting to see the reactions of some of the guest engineers who hadn’t yet mixed on Panther. I really enjoyed being a part of such a historic show, and hearing Morgan Freeman on the PA.”

The festival’s sound was driven by an impressive setup featuring 16 large-format linear line array loudspeakers, f

Details

04 November 2024

UK - Matt Pitman, founder of design studio Pixelmappers, and long-time production and lighting designer for Dua Lipa, employed a massive rig of Ayrton fixtures for the singer/songwriter’s headline appearance on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage this summer.

Pitman chose a homogenous array of Ayrton fixtures that included the new Rivale Profile and laser-sourced Kyalami, supplied by Lights Control Rigging (LCR) as part of his touring rig, alongside Ayrton stalwarts Cobra, Bora, Perseo Profile and Domino LT, which formed the main house rig and audience lighting supplied by Neg Earth Lights. The Ayrton fixtures were purchased from Ambersphere Solutions, Ayrton’s exclusive distributor for the UK.

In one of the first major touring productions to use Kyalami since its release in May, Pitman chose 64 of the compact fixtures which – ‘due to some clever r

Details

04 November 2024

UK - Later this month, Chauvet and its family of brands will take part in Light24 (Light Expo, London) which is built around the theme Step Into The Light. The company will be at the expo to showcase a wide range of solutions that will not only invite visitors to step into the light, but also create and control it in myriad ways, by doing things like using advanced graze and cove fixtures, outputting up to 48 universes from a rail mounted system, and much more.

The entire Chauvet family of brands will be on display at Light24 booth 45, with much of the emphasis being placed on the latest lighting and control innovations from Iluminarc, ChamSys and GeNetix.

The Chauvet booth will offer demonstrations of products like The Logic line of interior architectural lights from Iluminarc. Featuring streamlined form factors that will fit beautifully in

Details

01 November 2024

World - British indie rock band Glass Animals continue their global Tour of Earth headlining some of the biggest venues of their career, including Madison Square Garden and London’s O2. The band’s show is supported by Ayrton lighting fixtures, a zactrack Smart automated follow spot system and grandMA3 consoles, all brands which are exclusively distributed in North America by ACT Entertainment.

The tour kicked off in Atlanta in August and will wrap up in Australia and Hong Kong at the end of the year. “Glass Animals are incredibly kind and humble people and are very involved with the creative process. Their input has allowed [Cassius Creative cofounders and lighting designers] Chris ’Squib’ Swain and Dan Hill to push the boundaries and design within a framework that has great creative identity,” says Alex Noel, tour lighting director and

Details

01 November 2024

Europe - Since their formation a few years ago, The Smile, an English rock band featuring Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, along with Tom Skinner, has captivated over one million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Following the release of their second album, Wall of Eyes, earlier this year, the band delighted its fans with 21 performances between March and June, starting at Dublin’s 3Arena and playing to packed venues across 14 countries, including the UK, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece and Italy. The Smile's live shows featured an upstage LED wall supplied by long-time collaborators Universal Pixels, with Brompton Technology’s LED processing delivering the dynamic visuals.

Phil Mercer, commercial director at Universal Pixels, comments: “We’ve worked with Radiohead and their various side projects since 2017, just a

Details

01 November 2024

USA - Whether you’re a golf enthusiast or have never swung a club, Atomic Golf in Las Vegas promises an exciting experience as you compete in interactive games that feel more like party activities than serious competition. Spanning four floors with over 100 high-tech golf bays and eight putting areas, Elation lighting effects boost the festive ambiance and enhance the interactive entertainment experience.

Atomic Golf is located on a seven-acre site next to the STRAT Tower, just north of the Las Vegas Strip. What sets it apart is its state-of-the-art technology, including advanced lighting systems, which prominently feature Elation’s Proteus Maximus LED profile luminaire, enhancing and supporting the venue's lively party atmosphere. Multiple fixtures are mounted above the top level of driving bays, providing bright light that projects hundreds of feet ont

Details

01 November 2024

Poland - In January 2024, disaster struck the Fabryka Lloyda venue in the Polish city of Bydgoszcz. The infrastructure of this cultural space, which had been transformed from a shipyard hall into an events and concerts venue, was destroyed by fire. Over the years its owners had created a special atmosphere which attracted large audiences as well as top Polish artists.

In 2019 audio specialist Skene had installed a Coda Audio system based around its powerful and compact ViRAY line array, contributing much to the venue’s strong reputation. 

With more than 30 years in business, Skene has extensive knowledge and experience of sound system design, configuration and commissioning, and has collaborated with Coda Audio distributor Tommex as a partner for more than seven years, successfully completing numerous projects which utilise innovative solutions fr

Details

01 November 2024

USA - When lighting designer Rodger Pugh, his co-designer Craig Richter and production manager Joey Dileo began working on the lighting for Halestorm’s current tour, they collectively developed a clear vision for the show’s final design. Through this collaboration, they came up with a concept that was “somewhere between an ‘80s rock show and a ‘90s high school prom”.

“For a rock show, you naturally want those big, punchy, high-energy moments, but we also wanted to give the audience room to breathe during the softer, more introspective parts,” said Pugh. “For the high-energy, punchy parts, we leaned into bold, saturated colours – like deep reds, electric blues, and intense purples – to give the space a sense of urgency and power. At other points we went with more subtle tones. With this tour, we tried to balance the two elements.”

Details

01 November 2024

USA - The METalliance (Music Engineering & Technology Alliance) has announced that WSDG (Walters-Storyk Design Group) has become the newest pro partner of the organisation and the first recording studio designers to be invited as a member. Pro partner membership is limited to companies that have shown the ability to manufacture and distribute products and services that meet the organisation’s professional audio standards.

The METalliance's George Massenburg commented: “WSDG’s incredible legacy of innovation and excellence in recording studio design speaks for itself. They embody all of the core traits inherent to the mission of the METalliance and we are thrilled to include them in our organisation. All of our Pro Partners must be unanimously agreed upon to be included, and with WSDG that was an incredibly easy decision to reach.”

“All

Details

01 November 2024

USA - 11 cloud-based Powersoft Unica 9K4 amplifier platforms are delivering energy efficiency and ease of use for the new-look Jenny Craig Pavilion arena in San Diego, California.

Located on the campus of the University of San Diego, the 5,100-seat Jenny Craig Pavilion (JCP) is home to the San Diego Toreros men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the San Diego Toreros women's volleyball team. The indoor arena broke ground in 1999 and was refurbished in 2015, when it was equipped with a redesigned floor and LED scoring tables – though the recent upgrade, completed in May, was the first major overhaul of the ageing audio system since its opening.

“I’ve used Powersoft amplifier platforms many times over the course of my career, but these new ones [Unica] were hot off the manufacturing press, if you will,” says John Pierce, chief technolog

Details

01 November 2024

USA - Pliant Technologies has announced the appointment of a new manufacturer’s representative, RTSales, which covers Puerto Rico, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee.

“RTSales will represent Pliant’s entire suite of innovative, professional wireless products, including its CrewCom and MicroCom intercom lines, along with its complete line of headsets and accessories,” says Gary Rosen, vice-president of global sales, Pliant Technologies. “We look forward to expanding our sales in these territories with the RTSales team of seasoned sales and support professionals.”

For over 40 years, RTSales has earned a reputation as an effective and efficient resource for pre-sale technical support, purchasing and procurement, sell-through support, and after-the-sale service and technical training. With offices

Details

31 October 2024

Europe - Avolites has announced three new distributors in key European countries – Austria and Norway, plus Serbia and the other Balkan countries of Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania.

Avolites’ managing director, Paul Wong, commented: “We have been working hard to boost our distributor network with new strategic partnerships worldwide and are thrilled to warmly welcome these three new distributor partners in Austria, Norway & Serbia and The Balkans. They will enhance our commitment to users in Europe and the Balkans and continue our strategy to strengthen the Avolites brand’s global presence.”

In Austria, Signal, a Robe distributor for several years, is taking on the Avolites distributorship. “Distributing Avolites really makes sense regarding turnkey solutions where before we could only offer lig