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19 April 2024

UK - De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, East Sussex, is a venue with a strong sense of community. Training is at the heart of everything they do and Mat McQuade, technical stage manager, knew this meant they needed a DiGiCo console at the heart of their venue. Sited on the beachfront, De La Warr Pavilion boasts an impressive variety of music, comedy, and theatrical performances each year.

De La Warr Pavilion also supplies various early career programmes with work experience, creative careers sessions and apprenticeships all available to young people throughout the year. Training is just one part of what they do here, but it was a strong influence on the desk they chose, as McQuade explains.

“Visiting engineers expect a DiGiCo, and it became the norm for us to hire in SD12 consoles because they’re the standard that everyone’s looking for,” he say

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19 April 2024

Spain - The growing Avolites team has welcomed aboard Gonzalo Herranz Gutierrez as a senior product specialist, who will be based in Madrid, and will be providing comprehensive support related services to Avolites customers and distributors focusing on Europe and Latin America including training new users and their own sales and support staff.

Avolites MD Paul Wong stated, “We’ve worked with Gonzalo for many years and are absolutely thrilled he’s joining the Avolites global team.

“He brings long lasting relationships, a strong knowledge of the market, and an in-depth knowledge of both Avolites lighting and media products, all of which will be key to helping us continue to grow our international footprint with a specific focus on Europe and South America.”

Gonzalo commented, “I Love the Avolites brand. The team is amazing and the t

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19 April 2024

USA – Harman Professional Solutions has introduced the Martin MAC Viper XIP, the next-generation Viper-class fixture that integrates Viper performance, Martin’s patent-pending XIP weatherproofing technology, and the most robust feature set Martin has ever developed. Drawing on features that defined the renowned Viper lineup, MAC Viper XIP sets a new standard for all-in-one performance, innovation, and reliability. 

Integrating powerful lumen output, XIP water and dust ingress protection, and whisper-silent noise levels, MAC Viper XIP is not only designed for temporary, year-round outdoor needs but equally suitable for theatre, broadcast, and other noise-sensitive applications. Featuring Martin’s tailor-made light engine, the fixture delivers 28,000 lumens consistent output, outperforming much larger products on the market.

Unleashing an impres

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19 April 2024

Lithuania - Situated in the heart of Vilnius, the newly reconstructed concert hall of the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra (LVSO), formerly known as the Vilnius Congress and Concert Hall VCCH, opened its doors to visitors in March this year. Equipped to the latest standards and featuring exceptional acoustics, especially adapted to symphonic music, the venue is poised to become one of the most attractive concert spaces not only in Lithuania but across all the Baltic countries.

The project, conceived in 2018, involved designer Marius Mateika and the services of Lithuanian architectural and building acoustic company Akustika Plius, collaborating with ADA Acoustics & Media Consultants (a WSDG company), along with the construction company INFES. Their joint efforts were instrumental in bringing the old hall up to world-class acoustical standards suitable

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19 April 2024

France - The renowned Théâtre de la Renaissance is the latest venue in Paris to choose ETC gear to upgrade its lighting. ETC dealer So What & Co supplied High End Systems Halcyon Titanium fixtures for the Parisian theatre.

Well-known spaces across France including the Bordeaux Opera, the Théâtre National Populaire, the Comédie Française and the Grand Théâtre de Provence have all recently selected Halcyon automated fixtures to light their spaces. In the heart of the 10th arrondissement of Paris, the Théâtre de la Renaissance also made the same choice with the support of So What & Co.

Halcyon’s quality, powerful output and low levels of noise were just some of the features that appealed to the technical director of the Théâtre de la Renaissance Éric Milleville when deciding on the right solution for the theatre. “The first thin

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19 April 2024

UK - Record label Warp Records has added two Funktion-One systems to its London headquarters, bringing new levels of monitoring to its studio and album playback spaces. The label, known for its roster of artists like Aphex Twin, Mount Kimbie and Flying Lotus, has been a subversive creative force in the music industry since it was founded in Sheffield in 1989.

The introduction of the Funktion-One monitor systems was instigated by head of A&R/creative director Dominic Flannigan, who was intent on improving the office listening experience.

“The main reason we want amazing monitors in the meeting room is to give a really impressive first listen to our team,” explains Flannigan. “The people from the marketing team, the licensing team, from retail, you want to blow their socks off the first time they hear a record. You want to hear it at its best

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19 April 2024

Slovenia - Writer, actor and TV personality Lado Bizovicar presented the 2024 Slovenska Muska extravaganza, staged at Ljubljana’s Stožice arena, the first time in the venue’s history that a 360-degree show had been presented, which bumped up the capacity to 13,000, with every seat sold.

The production and lighting design was created by Crt Birsa of design studio Blackout and Greta Godnic and recorded for broadcast. Crt utilised 355 Robe lighting fixtures in the 500+ luminaires on the rig, from the high-powered Forte to the scenic Patt 2013 plus seven other types of Robe product, all supplied by rental specialist Event Lighting from Ljubljana.

At the heart of this production design was an elaborate metal structure, the top part of which resembled a giant multi-level spider crawling through the roof area. This structure cleverly incorporated the v

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18 April 2024

China - Holoplot has announced Prime Connections International (PCI Group) as its official distributor for China, Hong Kong and Macau, as part of its continuing push to bring its Matrix Array systems to the Asian audio market.

The distribution partnership will see both companies enjoy significant expansion in not only the experiential and live entertainment industries but also fuel growth in speech-based applications, within the education and business sectors, says a joint statement.

“Holoplot is a perfect fit for a multitude of applications we serve,” says Jason Huang, PCI Group’s general manager. “As a Holoplot distributor, we can provide customers with transformative audio experiences that set them apart from the crowd. Holoplot’s approach allows for unprecedented control over the direction and focus of sound resulting in exceptional aud

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18 April 2024

Italy – Optimal Audio has appointed Audiosales as its distributor for Italy. Part of the Focusrite Group, Optimal Audio manufactures a multi-award winning one-stop solution of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues.

Based near Parma, Audiosales has been in business for more than 25 years, distributing leading brands to the live and install markets in Italy, and providing system design and consultancy for the widest possible range of applications.

Stefano Rocchi, CEO/managing director at Audiosales, comments: “From the outset, it was clear to us that the Optimal Audio ecosystem offered a fresh approach to commercial audio. Although technologically advanced and delivering high quality audio, the products are very competitively-priced and, crucially,

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18 April 2024

UK - This year marks the tenth anniversary of Apt-GB’s inception in 2014 – a decade of “delivering exceptional sound quality and cabinet customisation at accessible prices”.

Guiding the operation has been founder Graham Gosden, whose extensive expertise spans over three decades in design and engineering for live touring and fixed installations.

Gosden’s entrepreneurial journey began with a keen eye for opportunity and a passion for delivering excellence. Apt-GB emerged from his pursuit of a market gap, a void where discerning customers sought high-quality, bespoke products tailored to their unique AV requirements. Gosden recognised that his customers craved not just any product, but ones crafted with precision and care. Moreover, there was a distinct preference for products made locally in the UK, where quality and craftsmanship are revered

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18 April 2024

China - Inaugurated in December last year, the Beijing Performing Arts Centre (BPAC), an extension of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) nestled alongside the Grand Canal, reflects the area’s history through a striking design inspired from the area’s ancient granaries and transport ships. The centre’s innovative architecture encompasses indoor theatres and an outdoor amphitheatre. The venue will host 300 performances and an equal number of art-related activities each year with the mission of attracting younger audiences to contemporary performances.

Three of BPAC’s performance spaces boast permanently installed L-ISA configurations using L-Acoustics A Series loudspeakers: the 1,760-seat Opera House, the 500-seat Multi-Function Theatre and the extensive Outdoor Theatre, while the indoor Concert Hall features a stereo L-Acoustics profes

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18 April 2024

Argentina - Singer and former YouTuber María Becerra made history as the first Argentine female artist to sell out River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, the largest venue in Argentina, for two consecutive nights, 22-23 March 2024. A large complement of Claypaky fixtures illuminated the show designed by creative director Julian Levy and lit by lighting designers and programmers Pablo Martinelli and Joaquin Boerr from Gou Studio.

A leading voice in Argentina’s urban pop movement, the 24-year-old Becerra began her career at the age of 12 on Facebook then created her own YouTube channel.  She has more than 24m monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 5m subscribers to her YouTube channel; her video clips have netted more than 12bn views. This year she has performed at the New Year's celebration organized by Univisión in Times Square and was part of the lin

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18 April 2024

UK - Based within striking distance of London’s Tower Bridge, AV integrator Tateside recently announced the launch of its new showroom space, in collaboration with US manufacturer, 1 Sound and UK distributor, CUK Group.

The space, home to a full 1 Sound system, follows Tateside’s recent appointment as the first official 1 Sound UK partner and will drive opportunities for the integrator to share its solutions with clients first-hand.  

“We met 1 Sound at ISE 2023,” recalls Jack Cornish, technical director at Tateside. “The natural finish of the wooden loudspeakers caught our eye, and we began talking to Louis Mannarino, who explained the brand values with enthusiasm; we were sold on the products and felt they offered something different to traditional loudspeakers; these solutions fit well in our hospitality projects, where space can be a

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18 April 2024

Australia - Novatech Creative Event Technology of Adelaide, the first production company in Australia to hold stock of Ayrton’s IP65-rated Domino Wash fixtures, invested in 48 units, supplied by Ayrton’s exclusive distributor for Australia, Show Technology, and immediately put them to work on the Adelaide Festival.

Domino Wash is an all-terrain luminaire developed specifically for resisting hot or cold weather, wind, rain, hail, sand or dust.

“We’d been looking for a high-powered moving wash light with a Fresnel lens for more theatrical uses, as well as outdoor uses,” explains Novatech’s Ashley Gabriel, director of sales and marketing. “We needed one with enough punch and zoom to handle long throw distances, and a Fresnel lens which was important to us to differentiate it from the other traditional LED wash lights in our inventory.

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18 April 2024

UK - Mitch Rowland found fame as Harry Styles’ guitarist and co-writer, and the pair toured the world together for two years during Love on Tour, which saw Britannia Row Productions supply audio for all 169 shows. When the time came for Mitch to take the spotlight in his own right, the American multi-instrumentalist turned to Britannia Row for live audio services on a much smaller scale.

Forming a close-knit bond after Love on Tour, audio engineer Christian Zuniga was welcomed back into the fold as Mitch’s monitor mixer and production manager. He comments: “Mitch is not an up-and-coming artist, he’s been touring arenas and stadiums for years, so he’s used to high-level touring. However, when he presented this new project, he wanted to play in small theatres instead of opening for a big tour. Every place has been special as each venue carri

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18 April 2024

Europe - Claypaky Rhapsodya is a low-noise multi-spectral RGBAL LED fixture designed for various applications such as touring, live events, theatre, and TV production, and managed by a specially crafted, internally developed firmware algorithm.

It is an evolution of Sinfonya, particularly regarding the focus on quality of optics and colour management, and the quiet operation even at full output. Rhapsodya has a new product design that is sleek and modern, with a double power output (24,000 lm) compared to Sinfonya.

Traditional fixtures utilized four focal planes, often leading to a loss of sharpness. Rhapsodya features a new approach with Accuframe, utilising two focal planes to achieve ‘a remarkable level of precision’.

Lineguard is a new frost system that features pairs of blades for superior uniformity and reduced unwanted reflections.

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18 April 2024

Europe - Elation‘s KL Series full-colour PAR light is now available in an IP65 version, the KL PAR FC IP, that makes it an even more versatile luminaire for production settings indoors or out. This theatrical and broadcast-grade luminaire pairs modern technology with classic design, serving as a key, fill, and area wash light source for broadcast environments, film, theatre, or ‘any production requiring outstanding colour quality’.

Colour rendering quality, fully variable CCT control, and remotely adjustable LED refresh frequency– all in a traditional PAR form factor – make the KL PAR FC IP an appropriate choice for today’s fast-paced production environments. Its fully weatherproof IP65 protection gives this versatile PAR colour-changing luminaire application in all types of outdoor events and weather.

The KL PAR FC IP houses a powerful 3

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17 April 2024

Europe - Two years ago, Shure announced aggressive goals to increase recyclable and/or renewable packaging for new products. The company has now revealed that it has achieved its goal to convert to 75% by 2023 and is on track to grow to 90% by 2025 and 100% by 2030 for new packaging. The goal for existing product packaging in 2025 is 75% recyclable and/or renewable.

As part of its continuous environmental improvement efforts, Shure is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. With more than 1,500 different packaging pieces for a variety of different products, converting to sustainable packaging is a significant undertaking, especially for high-performance electronic equipment which is shipped to various locations globally to reach customers all over the world.

Key sustainable packaging initiatives include: Replacing thermoform trays with more

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17 April 2024

UK - Highlite International has announced an operational restructure and relocation of its customer support and services within the UK.

Highlite's UK operations have recently relocated to new facilities in Colchester, Essex. The move sees the expansion of the regional offices, service department and UK stockholding, as well as the welcoming of a newly-appointed sales director, David Drane, and an increase in support resources and technician team members.

The new facilities and operational changes provide Highlite with a long-term strategic move for accelerated growth and enhanced value for its customers. Allowing for a larger UK stockholding of new and popular product lines from Highlite's long-established core brands: Showtec, Infinity, DMT, DAP, Artecta, Showgear and Wentex. The space will also house a purpose-built repair and service centre.

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17 April 2024

Italy - Opened in 1990 to host hockey, Milan’s Forum is a 15,800-capacity arena which has, over the years, hosted the largest and most prestigious international sporting events including the World Championships of volleyball, hockey, boxing, figure skating and rhythmic gymnastics. It is also the home of Olimpia Milano, hosting the Championship and Euroleague. Considered the temple of music in Italy, it is a regular stop for major tours.

When the need to replace the existing audio system to improve the user experience arose, the arena operators turned to Vigolzone-based value-added Nexo distributor Ligra DS to propose a new system that would also make significant improvements in performance, particularly in the areas of speech intelligibility and uniformity of audience coverage.

“The structural conditions of the arena and the needs of the event se