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28 May 2025

Thailand - Held in April, Songkran is a festival which celebrates the traditional Thai New Year. The three-day public holiday is marked by the widespread throwing of water, which takes place on a grand scale amidst joyous celebrations. Numerous other events take place alongside the giant annual water festival, helping to create an atmosphere of community togetherness and fun.

In the city of Chiang Mai, as well as a host of street shows, the focus of Songkran was the large gathering outside the MAYA shopping centre, where a large stage hosted a wide range of performances including DJ sets, live artists, dance, and more.

Handling the audio for the 10,000-strong audience in this open-air setting was Bangkok-based Coconut Sound, who supplied a Coda Audio system. A valued customer of Coda’s Thailand distributor Modern Solutions Plus, C

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28 May 2025

China - Zhujiang New Town is a new business, tourist and cultural centre in the Chinese port city of Guangzhou, home to Huachenghui (Mall of the World) where it’s said that locals can eat out every night for a month and never dine at the same place twice.

Come nightfall, Shisantang LiveShow is the destination for after work relaxation and for clubbers to enjoy a varied programme of indie rock and electronic music in a vibrant, neon-lit venue, all powered by a Nexo sound system installed by Hertz Audio.

For a space in which a line array might have seemed most appropriate, the sheer power of Nexo’s P18 point source loudspeaker makes it the FOH solution of choice at Shisantang LiveShow, partnered with Nexo L18 subs. Four clusters of P18/L18 cover the main audience area in front of the stage with Nexo PS10R2s filling in the front rows.

More P

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28 May 2025

Japan - Shimokitazawa ReG is a music venue in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, close to Shinjuku and Shibuya districts. At 230-capacity standing, Shimokitazawa ReG is an intimate venue, which only enhances the excitement of seeing some of Japan’s brightest independent bands there.

The PA has been designed to be felt as well as heard, in a full mind-body experience. To deliver that feeling, the mixing console is a DiGiCo Quantum 338 supplied by Hibino, DiGiCo distributor for Japan.

The venue’s size ensures that every audience member has a perfect view of the stage, but it also means that every piece of equipment must earn its place and be of the highest possible quality. The venue opened in 2010 with a DiGiCo SD8, which has provided excellent service and has been enjoyed by musicians and staff alike for the last 15 years. When the time came to update, the ch

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28 May 2025

USA - The Mid-Atlantic region has recently become something of an enclave for Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision line array series - and in particular WPC.

A flurry of recent sales in the Mid-Atlantic has helped weave a powerful network of users, giving each access to lucrative cross-rental opportunities when large event support is required.

This was highlighted by Martin Audio USA’s Northeast regional sales manager, Martha Callaghan. She reports that Kennedy Event Services recently bolstered their existing WPM inventory by upscaling to 16 WPC, supported by 12 SX218 subwoofers in the tri-state New York Metro region. 

Midway Productions also added 16 WPC to their 32-strong WPM fleet, as well as investing deeper in iKon amplifiers. They are based in Christiansburg, VA, servicing the many large higher education systems in the region, such a

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28 May 2025

Canada - Mr. Light Solutions, a full-service production company based in Toronto and led by founder Matthew Reicker, recently deployed a robust lighting data distribution system built around Obsidian Control Systems’ Netron product line for season one of a yet-to-be-announced streaming series.

Filmed in both studio and outdoor locations around Toronto, the winter-themed series faced some of the harshest weather conditions in recent memory - including temperatures dipping below -20°C, heavy snowfall, and freezing rain.

Reicker has worked on many different types of productions in his nearly 15 years in the entertainment lighting industry - theatre, corporate events, concerts, and film - and in many capacities from lighting designer and programmer to crew chief and production manager. A member of IATSE Local 873, he launched Mr. Light Solutions in 20

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28 May 2025

USA - Green Hippo has announced the shipment of its new, award-winning 4U Hippotizer MX Series Media Servers, Hyco MX and Meuse MX. 

Made for demanding live event production, Hippotizer Hyco and Meuse provide ‘unrivalled playback and generative performance’. With expanded storage capacity, users can manage larger projects and assets with ease. Enhanced generative content performance, especially with platforms like Notch and TouchEngine, ensures smoother, more responsive creative workflows.

Additionally, increased playback performance means more reliable, high-quality output even under demanding real-time conditions. Finally, these systems will be equipped with 4x 4K outputs and two optional input slots providing the flexibility and performance for any job.

The full Hippotizer MX Series offers five new customisable, dependable, and futu

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28 May 2025

Sweden - Born in the Nordics and headquartered in Stockholm, Eidra is a consultancy collective that brings together a group of 17 leading companies and over 1,200 consultants, creatives and engineers.

Following significant growth, the company required a new HQ that would better reflect its identity and create an inspiring environment for both employees and visitors. Corporate technology solutions specialists, Ximple AB, were contracted to design and deliver the AV solutions throughout the building – including a sophisticated Genelec Smart IP loudspeaker solution for the common and social areas.

“We were fortunate to have been involved at the planning stage to work with the client to create an office that went beyond the ordinary,” explains Ximple co-founder, Andreas Savela. “The goal was to develop technical solutions that enhance a modern an

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28 May 2025

USA - Located in the heart of the vibrant and historical town of Beloit, Wisconsin, Henry Dorrbaker’s Pub & Play is a dining and gaming destination popular for its elevated menu, lively bar scene, and versatile indoor-outdoor entertainment spaces - including 12 customised duckpin bowling lanes and indoor mini golf course,

To create an exceptional audio experience for their diners and players, the team at Henry Dorrbaker’s turned to Brent Hayes, president of the Cherry Valley, IL-based AV integrator SVL Productions, to design and install a sound system to elevate the upbeat atmosphere inside the venue. The goal was to provide polished background music, flexible zone control, and capabilities fit for the fast-paced and ever-changing needs of live entertainment, all while ensuring simple remote management for the venue's staff.

SVL specified LEA

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28 May 2025

USA - Harman Professional Solutions has announced the appointment of Sebastien Laffoux as director of lighting sales for North America. In this role, Laffoux will drive strategic growth and lead the sales organisation for Harman’s portfolio of professional lighting solutions, with a focus on expanding market share across the live entertainment, install, and architectural sectors.

Laffoux brings more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in the professional lighting and entertainment technology space. Prior to joining Harman, he served as vice president of sales at ARRI, where he oversaw B2B and SMB sales operations across North and South America.

“Sebastien brings a high degree of business acumen to the Martin sales team, as well as a deep understanding of consultative selling techniques and how to grow the sales pipeline,” said Mike Sc

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27 May 2025

UK - Sterling Event Group has announced a major expansion in facilities, a strengthened specialist team, investment in the latest production technologies, and a new brand identity.

With an impressive 25-year track record of delivering high-end production for corporate, private, public sector and live entertainment events, Sterling is now scaling its capabilities to support national and international growth. The company has built deep-rooted relationships with clients across the North of England and has consistently delivered strong growth year on year.

Sterling’s move to a new 102,000sq.ft warehouse at Manchester’s ICON Business Park more than doubles its existing capacity. The site will house a comprehensive inventory of professional-grade production technology, which is meticulously serviced and maintained by Sterling’s in-house team, for dep

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27 May 2025

Switzerland - Robe was an official technical partner of Eurovision 2025 in Basel, where lighting designer Tim Routledge and his team, together with London UK-based lighting supplier Neg Earth Lights, helped deliver an outstanding production for the world’s largest live music broadcast event, staged this year at the St. Jakobshalle arena by Swiss host broadcaster SRG SSR, co-ordinated by the EBU (European Broadcasting Union).

The stage and production design by Florian Wieder included an impressive 750sq.m of transparent upstage LED screen, striking mountain set pieces and a three-dimensional industrial scale video frame at the front which defined the space. This worked in conjunction with a 250sq.m black video floor, assorted other video and mapped surfaces including scenic mountains plus approximately 4,500 lights to deliver nearly 50 distinctive

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27 May 2025

India - Obsidian Control Systems recently delivered a three-day training in India supported by VMT, the brand’s official Indian distribution partner. Spearheaded by Obsidian’s business development director Koy Neminathan and lighting designer Giancarlo Vannetti, the training series attracted over 100 lighting professionals eager to get hands-on with the NX1, NX2, and NX4 consoles.

Designed to empower and elevate, the sessions offered deep insights into Obsidian’s advanced architecture and functionality. “Watching participants gain confidence with the NX1, NX2, and NX4 through hands-on experience was truly rewarding. The passion for lighting control in India is inspiring, and we’re excited to see how these professionals take their skills forward,” noted Giancarlo Vannetti.

Neminathan echoed this sentiment: “It was incredible to see the e

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27 May 2025

Spain - INFiLED has announced the launch of its INFiLED Certified Engineer (ICE) training programme – a comprehensive initiative aimed at equipping technical professionals in the EMEA region with the hands-on skills and knowledge needed to install, configure and maintain LED systems with confidence.

The ICE training course is designed for engineers, technicians and support professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of INFiLED’s LED technologies and develop the practical competencies required to deliver the highest standards of service. The course covers both theoretical knowledge and real-world application, providing a full overview of INFiLED's LED ecosystem.

Key topics covered in the training include the basics of LED display systems and INFiLED’s product range, system set-up, calibration and configuration, troubleshooting and fault-

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27 May 2025

Singapore - Locally-based lighting designer Adrian Tan of The Light Project recently utilised 32 x Robe Esprite moving lights – 16 x Profiles and 16 x Fresnels – to light a production of Swan Lake staged by the Singapore Ballet at Esplanade Theatres by the Bay.

Twenty-eight of these fixtures were part of a new lighting package which has been added to the theatre’s house rig, and, as Adrian needed a couple more of each type to complete the detail of his design, more were sourced through Robe’s Asia Pacific office, also in Singapore.

This was the third re-light of this Swan Lake production at the high-profile venue, the second time that the Singapore Ballet has been accompanied by the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra, and the first time that Esprites were used as the main workhorse lighting fixture.

Adrian has worked at

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27 May 2025

UK - The Profile Awards 2025 Television nominations have been released by the STLD and are now published on the TPA web page.

The TV section of The 2025 Profile Awards is judged by a panel consisting of theatre lighting designer Peter Small, TV lighting designer Martin Kempton, TV director Stephen Neil and chaired by STLD honorary secretary and lighting designer Stuart Gain. (https://profileawards.com/television-nominations-2025/)

The Profile Awards TV sponsors are:

@rosco_labs - TV Entertainment Series Award

@lightscontrolrigging - TV Entertainment One-Off Award

@chamsysltd - TV Drama Award

@elpelstree - TV Small studio Award

@cameo_light - TV Non Scripted Entertainment Award

@led_creative_limited - TV Continuing Drama Award

@

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27 May 2025

Canada - The Palace Theatre is one of the most renowned and recognisable buildings in Calgary. Its unmistakable marquee beckons to passersby, inviting them inside for a live performance immersed in the opulent neoclassical architecture of decades past and pristine sound from a new audio solution.

The performance venue has invested in a T8 robotic line source system from fellow Calgary institution PK Sound. Installed by Laser Productions with design and tuning support from the manufacturer, the new solution precisely and mechanically sculpts acoustic coverage to the storied theatre’s unique architecture for optimal intelligibility and impact.

“We haven’t had an audio upgrade in a while here at The Palace, so the PK Sound T8 system has made a huge improvement in the space,” comments Dexter Bruneau, the venue’s head of audio. “PK’s robotic

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27 May 2025

South Africa - When Dr Ismail Mahomed, writer, director, and former artistic director of the National Arts Festival, reached out for help after TX Theatre Productions in Tembisa had their console stolen just before their annual festival, DWR Distribution responded with a donation of a Signify Vari-Lite FLX S24 lighting console, a 24-fader surface designed to create beautiful looks fast and easily.

In the heart of Tembisa, TX Theatre Productions has been a hub for drama, music, and dance since 2008. Founded by Mxolisi Masilela and registered as an NPO in 2014, this multi-Naledi Award-winning company produces around 50 shows annually, regularly earns plays at festivals like the National Arts Festival, and supports local talent through awards, publications, and its Writers Lab.

Tembisa was established in 1957 during apartheid-era forced removals, reloca

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27 May 2025

USA - Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton, Mississippi is everything you’d expect from its name: theologically conventional and traditionally oriented. But while the church’s services tend towards the expected, there is a refreshingly current take underlying it. Their otherwise conventional worship style, complete with an instrumental mixture of traditional orchestra and modern band, has a state-of-the-art technical foundation.

That technical underpinning just became even more modern, thanks to the integration of an array of technology platforms from DiGiCo, KLANG, and Fourier Audio.

Installed by Franklin, Tennessee-based Integrated Production Solutions (IPS), the church now has a pair of DiGiCo Quantum338 consoles at front-of-house and broadcast; Fourier Audio transform.engine plugin interfaces, seamlessly integrating and enabling the use

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27 May 2025

Europe - The Outline Newton processor played a pivotal role in delivering the complex and immersive audio required for Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds – The Spirit of Man Tour, which toured arenas across the UK and Europe.

Now entering its third decade of touring, the show continues to push technical boundaries.

RG Jones Sound Engineering has proudly been part of this journey since 2009, supplying the full audio system for every UK arena tour since.

“This job demands meticulous planning and precision deployment across a wide variety of venues and technical challenges,” explains Jack Bowcher, senior project manager at RG Jones. “I know the audiences attending Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds are made up of people who really do know every note; this music is as iconic as Tubular Bells or Dark Side of

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27 May 2025

USA - Kali Audio has announced the SM-8, an 8" model in its top-tier Project Santa Monica, or SM-Series, line of studio monitors. Combining Kali’s proven three-way coincident architecture with ‘uncompromising components and craftsmanship’, the SM-Series delivers ‘unparalleled imaging, accuracy, and detail for critical production applications’.

The SM-8 is a three-way monitor with an 8" woofer, and a 4" midrange with a coaxial 1" metal dome tweeter. Like Kali’s IN-Series loudspeakers, the SM-8 is an acoustic point source, and special care has been taken with the unique geometry around the midrange to ensure a seamless transition to the edge of the speaker. This gives the loudspeaker an ideal directivity characteristic, resulting in an engrossing stereo image where details are lifelike and crisp.

The transducers on the SM-8 are similarly pr