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01 May 2025

USA - Friendship Village retirement facility in Kalamazoo, MI, recently commissioned a complete overhaul of the audio-visual infrastructure at its Kiva Auditorium.

Set on a 72-acre campus, the Auditorium is used for events, meetings, and community activities and is now also perfect to host smaller shows and concerts.

Design consultant Tim Heneveld (from HAV Design) specified Martin Audio’s O-Line micro-array solution for the sound reinforcement, installed by system integrators, Division 16 Technologies. The design company had been selected by the Friendship Village team after intensive research into which AV design company could best meet their requirements. 

Heneveld noted that the old sound system had been prone to feedback, and thus the new system would need to demonstrate extremely high intelligibility/clarity, with the sound delivered

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01 May 2025

USA - Brigham Young University-Idaho has invested in 14 Ayrton Cobra2 fixtures for its Rexburg campus.

Cobra2 is a phosphor laser source luminaire with an extreme range of focus and excellent colour reproduction. Its IP65 rating makes it a suitable choice for outdoor conditions.

Patrick Laing, lighting designer with BYU-Idaho’s AV and Broadcast Productions, says the university already had Ayrton Khamsin, Ghibli, Argo 6 FX and Zonda 3 FX fixtures and was looking for an IP-rated beam to cover more outdoor student events. 

The brightness of Cobra’s laser source easily cuts through other lighting, and its gobos and prisms, infinite pan and tilt, and saturated colours will offer Laing new creative options for a range of student activities. The fixtures have already been used in BYU-Idaho’s Hart Auditorium for a concert by a YouTube sensatio

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01 May 2025

USA - Bandit Lites has announced the addition of the ACME Tornado to its line-up of concert touring inventory.

“The ACME Tornado seamlessly integrates multiple visual effects into a single, versatile fixture, empowering designers to explore and realise their most ambitious creative visions,” said Bandit Lites VP of business and innovation, Jake Tickle.

“The fixture’s colour mixing, sharp gobos, and versatile zoom range provide the tools needed to craft immersive, stand-out looks. By adding the ACME Tornado to our rental fleet, Bandit is reaffirming our commitment to offering designers the latest, most dependable technology to bring their visions to life on the road.”

The Tornado will initially be featured on Trevor Drawdy’s lighting design for country superstar Hardy’s upcoming tour, as well as Mike St-Jean’s lighting design f

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01 May 2025

UK - British loudspeaker manufacturer, EM Acoustics, is set to return to the Royal Armouries in Leeds this May for the 2025 edition of PLASA Focus Leeds, reaffirming its commitment to the professional audio community in the UK. This year's appearance comes on the heels of an exceptional 12 months for the company, marked by a series of landmark installations and the launch of several key products.

At PLASA Focus Leeds, the EM Acoustics management team will engage with both long-standing partners and new visitors. Attendees can expect an introduction to the company’s extensive product portfolio, with special emphasis on its latest innovations. The show provides a valuable opportunity for the team to demonstrate the brand’s engineering excellence and deepen connections within the industry.

A key highlight at this year’s exhibition will be the newl

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01 May 2025

Europe - At Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt, Obsidian Control Systems previewed the NXW – a sleek, portable, and fully featured PC control wing designed to bring professional-grade power to any Onyx setup.

Through its USB-C connection, the NXW provides a responsive, professional hardware surface to operate Onyx on any PC system without compromises. Designed for freelancers, touring professionals, and fixed installs alike, the NXW delivers everything lighting operators love in a compact, road-ready form. From RGB-backlit motorized playback faders to RGB-backlit keycaps and customizable multi-function buttons, every detail is crafted to boost speed, precision, and creativity.

“The NXW might be small in size, but it’s packed with features our users have been asking for,” says Koy Neminathan, business development director at Obsidian. “Whether yo

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01 May 2025

USA - Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) is expanding its New York-based team with the appointment of Josh Lampf as B2B and business development lead, and Chris Budin as operations coordinator. 

In his role Lampf will represent PWS at trade shows, networking events and industry gatherings, making key connections. He will also collaborate with engineers to leverage cutting-edge technology and help PWS build strong client relationships, delivering solutions that enhance overall customer satisfaction.

Budin will manage business logistics to ensure the company continues to run smoothly, overseeing various tasks such as monitoring projects and ensuring deadlines are met while working closely with employees and management. His new role will rely heavily on his production and project management skills.

“We are excited to welcome Josh and Chris t

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01 May 2025

USA - Atlona has promoted Paul Krizan to product line manager effective immediately. Reporting to Atlona executive director Jamey Swigert, Krizan will drive the innovation cycle for Atlona, leading the product management and hardware engineering teams as they bring the next generation of Altona’s AV products to life. He will also maintain and evolve the existing portfolio of Atlona collaboration, connectivity and control products worldwide.

Krizan joined Atlona as product manager, networked AV in 2020, where he was responsible for managing the complete product lifecycle for the company’s AV over IP solutions. His achievements include the development and launch of OmniStream 2.0, a free firmware upgrade that added 4K/60 4:4:4 video support, improved bitrate efficiency, integrated multiview processing and near-zero latency to existing OmniStream hardware.<

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30 April 2025

UK - The Profile Awards for Theatre and Television are once again to be held at the Alexandra Palace Theatre on the last day of the ABTT Show, which this year is Thursday 5 June.

Organised by Durham and Jennie Marenghi in association with the ABTT, the ALPD and the STLD, Ayrton returns as the event’s headline sponsor. Lucky winners are set to take home Patt 23M fixtures on stands, a miniature LED version of the Rank Strand Pattern 23 profile fixture with an engraved base.

The Theatre category of The Profile Awards is currently being judged by eight of the UK’s leading theatre, dance and opera critics, chaired by Variety’s David Benedict, and were not open to nominations.

The TV category is judged by a panel chaired by STLD honorary secretary Stuart Gain and comprising theatre LD Peter Small, TV LD Martin Kempton, and TV directo

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30 April 2025

UK - Production Futures, the organisation founded to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in every sector of the production industries, has announced its Industry Partners Pledge with the aim of ensuring that every business in the entertainment production industry can offer training, a placement, or an apprenticeship by 2030.

The initiative seeks to build a more accessible and inclusive industry by nurturing the next generation of talent and promoting a diverse workforce.

The Industry Partners Pledge was announced at Production Futures’ On Tour show at the AO Arena in Manchester, which proved to be the organisation’s busiest ever event with more than 2,000 people in attendance.

To further support its aim of increasing knowledge and accessibility in the sector, t

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30 April 2025

China - Sheng Live Show is a large multi-use entertainment venue in the city of Ganzhou. Presenting a wide range of DJ sets and live performances, the venue is the second project by the Sheng Live Show brand, who approached supplier ST Audio to consult over a complete audio package. This was to include a system design, supporting the local integrator’s team, tuning and after sales support.

Since its establishment in 2012, ST Audio has operated as a distributor for mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, partnering with five leading international brands to deliver premium professional audio solutions to the market. These comprise amplifier manufacturers XTA and MC² and loudspeaker manufacturer EM Acoustics from the UK, loudspeaker manufacturer Radian Audio from the USA, and Australian pro audio manufacturer ARX. ST Audio specialises in supplying comprehensiv

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30 April 2025

UK - Indie rockers The Wombats are currently touring the UK and Europe with a bold new visual identity, powered by the first touring deployment of the VLHive 151 Digital FX lighting fixture from Vari-Lite.

The show has been designed by lighting designer Rosie Haigh, who is also Vari-Lite business development manager at Signify. Haigh’s design embraces a dynamic, textural approach that brings the band’s latest album, Oh! The Ocean, vividly to life on stage, without a single LED screen in sight.

As part of the creative brief, The Wombats asked Haigh – who has worked with the band for over two years – to move away from video walls, while still delivering rich depth and high-impact visuals upstage. In response Haigh harnessed the creative power of the VLHive 151 – a fully digital lighting fixture that merges high-output light, advanced

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30 April 2025

Switzerland - Basel-based lighting and scenic designer Lukas Marian chose Claypaky Tambora Batten Squares and Sinfonya Profile 600 fixtures for the world premiere of Oresteia. The dance production by choreographers Frank Fannar Pedersen and Javier Rodriguez Cobos debuted with the St. Gallen Dance Company at the Konzert & Theater St. Gallen.

Based on Greek mythology, Oresteia features an immersive scenography and lighting design by Marian with embedded Claypaky fixtures that achieve a special aesthetic. The original Oresteia is a trilogy of fifth-century BCE Greek tragedies by Aeschylus concerning the murder of Agamemnon by Clytemnestra, the murder of Clytemnestra by Orestes, the trial of Orestes, the end of the curse on the House of Atreus, and the pacification of the Furies.

“I had complete freedom in planning the de

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30 April 2025

UK - Eikon Group specialises in mastering, localising, and distributing digital entertainment content. With offices in London, Los Angeles, and Sydney, it operates 24/7. Given the vast amounts of digital video content coming in and out and being archived, there's a massive amount of traffic across their network.

Eikon’s London office has three theatres, six media suites, and two theatrical media suites, all of which are in constant use. The 37 Dante-enabled devices in the office were originally on a single VLAN, but as the business evolved, subscription management became problematic. Patrick Roche, senior media systems engineer, was brought on board to streamline their processes. The studio used a Q-SYS Core 500i just for cinema routing in the main theatre, and Roche realised it was massively underutilised.

“The driving force for implementing Dan

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30 April 2025

USA - Stray Production Services, a full-service event production company based in Lititz, Pennsylvania has announced an investment in Elation’s Paragon LED profile moving head. The move strengthens the company's already robust inventory of Elation gear and sets the stage for Paragon to become a workhorse fixture across various indoor and outdoor productions.

Stray is located on the Rock Lititz Campus, a production campus and home to dozens of leading production vendors in the live events industry. Only a short drive from New York, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia, Stray specialises in events of all types, including large-scale installations. Its extensive Elation inventory is a key part of its production capabilities but as its outdoor event roster continues to grow, so does the need for powerful, IP-rated fixtures.

“We wanted quality

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30 April 2025

Hungary - Lightware continues to strengthen its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives by fostering diversity, inclusion, and community engagement within the technology sector.

Guided by a commitment to building a sustainable and equitable future, Lightware’s ESG strategy focuses on advancing high-quality development and manufacturing, fostering innovation, promoting gender equality, reducing environmental impact, and maintaining the highest standards of ethical governance.

As part of its ESG efforts, Lightware participated in Girls in STEM Day on 10 April, a nationwide initiative in Hungary designed to encourage young girls to explore careers in engineering, science, and technology. Recognising the ongoing underrepresentation of women in technical fields, Lightware is committed to inspiring future generations to pursue ST

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30 April 2025

Austria - The five-star hotel Das Central in Sölden, Tyrol combines mountain panoramas, modern luxury and high standards of wellness. The Summit Spa with its all-round glazed infinity pool has also recently been added to the list of facilities. The two-storey spa area was built in 2023 as part of an extensive renovation, which also included a new audio system.

For the multi-zone sound system in the various indoor and outdoor areas, the integrator responsible – Wilderness Studios – opted for a lean LD Systems setup based on the Questra design and management platform.

Excellent sound, high-quality design and ease of use − these were the three main requirements the hotel management had when they approached Wilderness Studios. “The Central is a luxury hotel. As such, it was important to offer high-quality systems that not only sound classy, but

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30 April 2025

India - Canadian manufacturer of professional audio solutions, Adamson, will be represented by local distributor StageMix at this year’s Palm Expo in Mumbai. Taking place between 29 and 31 May, Palm Expo is the leading professional audiovisual exhibition in India. StageMix will be responsible for the debut of Adamson’s new VGt series of large-format line array loudspeakers, the first member of the brand’s Vergence Group.

“India represents an exciting and fast-growing market for Adamson, and we are thrilled to introduce our VGt loudspeakers at Palm Expo,” confirms Pieter van Hoogdalem, business development strategist at Adamson. “StageMix will present a range of Adamson solutions, but the spotlight will be firmly on the VGt and its potential for large-scale live events and venues.”

VGt is a peak-performance large-format line array loudsp

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29 April 2025

UK - For the first time, PLASA Focus Leeds has launched an official mobile app, now available to download on both Apple and Android devices. Introduced following the success of the PLASA Show London app in 2024, which saw strong uptake among visitors, the new app is designed to maximise engagement and efficiency at the 2025 show.

Taking place at the Royal Armouries, Leeds on 13–14 May 2025, the event will once again welcome thousands of professionals working across live events, AV, lighting, audio, rigging, staging and more. The PLASA Focus Leeds app serves as a comprehensive, digital companion for navigating the show, enabling you to:

 - Access and print visitor badges directly from the app

 - Browse a full exhibitor and product list in advance

 - View the detailed seminar and workshop schedule

 - Use the inter

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29 April 2025

UK - Unusual Rigging is undertaking a pioneering sustainability initiative that aims to embed environmental and social sustainability across its operations and supply chain. With ambitions that extend beyond internal improvements, the project is designed to identify key areas for action aligned with recognised industry frameworks.

To deliver this work, Unusual is working with Hope Solutions, a leading sustainability consultancy operating at the intersection of climate science and live events. Known for their work with clients including Coldplay, Netflix and Live Nation, Hope Solutions brings deep expertise in carbon measurement, stakeholder engagement, and long-term sustainability planning.

The project is being led internally by managing director Tom Harper - who holds a Masters in the Circular Economy MBA - and supported by facilities and resource m

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29 April 2025

Japan - Ampetronic, designer and manufacturer of assistive listening solutions is sponsoring the UK Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Ampetronic is ensuring clear audio is accessible to all UK Pavilion visitors so they can fully engage in this entertaining experience that demonstrates the best of British creativity and innovation.

Expo 2025 opened on 13 April and will run through 13 October. More than 28m visitors from Japan and internationally are expected to attend the Expo, themed Designing Future Society for Our Lives.

Visitors to the UK Pavilion will meet the UK’s Expo 2025 mascot, PIX, and be invited to participate in an immersive and interactive exhibit. The exhibit is an animated 20-minute journey that features a heartfelt story of a Japanese father and daughter and their experiences working in, living in, and visitin