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29 April 2025

Netherlands - Following a devastating fire in 2022, the NBC Congrescentrum in Nieuwegein has emerged from its ashes not just rebuilt, but technologically transformed. This premier Dutch event venue, which evolved from a modest meeting space in 1992 to hosting up to 4,000 guests today, now features a sophisticated L-Acoustics K Series sound system with a design innovation: when two large halls combine into one space, four precisely positioned line arrays seamlessly integrate to deliver consistent audio coverage throughout.

L-Acoustics Certified Partner AudioBizz collaborated with René Doeser, project leader for the NBC, from Dutch system integrator AVEX to overcome NBC's primary challenge: creating a versatile system that not only satisfies demanding production riders but also integrates seamlessly with the venue's architectural aesthetics.

"We creat

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29 April 2025

USA - Situated in Fredericksburg, VA, the 1,200-seat multipurpose Dodd Auditorium, at the University of Mary Washington (UMW), has been treated to a new, fully DSP-optimised Wavefront Precision line array from Martin Audio.

The installation, which comprises hangs of seven elements per side, was undertaken by Martin Audio partner, Soundworks of Virginia.

Soundworks had worked at the venue many times over the years as a rental provider, notably at commencement ceremonies. Their CEO Steve Payne observed, “At these events all parents really care about is hearing their kid’s name read out clearly. But this was always a challenge over a 250ft throw distance.” But this is just one of a variety of events hosted at the venue, including all types of performance arts, lectures and movies.

Soundworks had traditionally front-lined another PA system,

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29 April 2025

UK - Media City’s new Content Studio and co-working space at White Tower in Salford offers a blank canvas for influencers, photographers, producers, film makers, and other creatives, where they can share ideas, collaborate on projects, and make connections.

An important feature of the new Studio is its audio system, which was delivered by experienced Salford-based specialists Hollowsphere AV, who recommended and installed a Pioneer Pro Audio system from the company’s CM-Series of commercial audio products. With a brief to provide a system for background music and performance, the system needed to provide warm, clear sound, whilst also having the aesthetic qualities to discreetly complement the Content Studio interior.

Adrian Ball of Hollowsphere comments: “We were recommended for this project having completed a previous job at Media City’s Ho

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29 April 2025

UK - After receiving a generous grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, part of the Creative Research Capabilities Project, Professor Andrew Knight-Hill (Professor of Music and Sound Arts) and Dr Dave Hockham (Associate Head of School Student Success) commissioned the Stage Electrics team for two new installations.

This government investment into creative research practices recognises the significant contribution of the creative industries to the UK economy and has sparked innovation in the University of Greenwich’s creative research community.

Speaking about the Bathway Theatre, Professor Knight-Hill stated: “The vision for this space was to create a flexible environment that fosters possibility - allowing people to realise whatever they can dream, breaking the concept of a traditional stage, and dissolving the boundary between stag

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29 April 2025

Poland - Fryderyki 2025 is Poland’s leading music awards ceremony. The gala performance, held in April 2025, was the culmination of a celebration that spanned Poland.

Held in the Tauron Arena in Kraków, the show was built around the power of DiGiCo Quantum consoles, with four Quantum 338s for front of house and monitor mixing, plus an additional Quantum 225 dedicated to public speaking and host mixes. The entire system was supplied by Brawlers, the audio production company owned by Remigiusz Kasztelnik, who was also on site to produce the audio for the event.

Organised by the Association of Audio-Video Producers and the Phonographic Academy, this celebration of Polish music took place in three different cities. On 23 March, nominees in the jazz categories gathered in the Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. A week later, on 30 Mar

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29 April 2025

UK - Bespoke wedding and events venue, Blackbrook Barns in Sussex found its match in the Optimal Audio ecosystem which married its need for a simple-to-use system with the delivery of a diverse range of audio styles – from the soft melodies of a ceremony to lively evening celebrations – across the multi-zoned venue.

The venue team needed an audio system that would keep pace with the ebb and flow of a meticulously planned wedding day and a key challenge was the creation of an experience that covered a range of uses, including background music, speeches, live performances, and live DJs, without complicating operation to ensure that staff could focus on delivering a flawless event rather than managing a complex sound system.

Local installer Richer Sounds, with the support of Logan Helps from Audio-Technica, designed and installed an ecosystem that w

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29 April 2025

UK - The ISCVE has announced the appointment of Jim Smith as its new president, officially introduced at this year’s ISCVEx event.

Smith brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for the audio, communications and AV industries and at ISCVEx, he shared his gratitude and optimism for the future of the Institute.

“I’m deeply honoured and excited to take on the role of president of the ISCVE. I look forward to building on the strong foundations already in place and supporting the delivery of key initiatives, such as the Good Sound Charter and Training for Microphone Users. I’m especially keen on supporting the development of new and yet to be conceived initiatives with a particular focus on AV and ESG (Environment, Social and Governance).

“In the last couple of years, the Institute has forged valuable partnershi

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29 April 2025

Hall of Fame - Rap group Outkast, pop star Cyndi Lauper and 1960s pioneer Chubby Checker have all won places in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This year's inductees were revealed live on American Idol, with the UK represented by hard rock band Bad Company and Joe Cocker, 11 years after his death from lung cancer. Performers become eligible for inclusion 25 years after the release of their first commercial recording. The nominations are voted on by more than 1,200 music historians, industry professionals and previously inducted artists.

The full list of performers to be inducted this year is: Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden and The White Stripes. Salt-N-Pepa, the first commercially successful female rap group, will also receive the musical influence award, alongside Warren Zevon. There are also musical e

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28 April 2025

France - The Showlight quadrennial is a rare event that you do not want to miss. Three days of lighting professionals networking and exchanging ideas, listening to speakers at the top of their profession, all in the beautiful setting of Dijon, France. This gathering only happens once every four years – and it’s for everyone.

Historically, Showlight is conducted solely in English but this year is different. Located in France and supported by French lighting manufacturer and headline sponsor, Robert Juliat, we look forward to welcoming many French-speaking delegates as well as international attendees.

To make sure nobody misses a word, for the first time Showlight is offering simultaneous translation of the Papers and Q&A sessions across four languages. Delegates can choose to listen – and ask questions – in English, French, Italian and Spa

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28 April 2025

Europe - In a significant achievement for both consumer safety and intellectual property rights, L-Acoustics has successfully won legal judgments against two European counterfeiters of its professional audio equipment. These legal actions underscore the company’s unwavering commitment to ensuring audience safety and protecting the market for legitimate partners.

Working through its dedicated Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force, L-Acoustics pursued legal action in both Germany and Norway against companies that were acquiring and renting fake L-Acoustics products, including loudspeakers and electronics. Initial analysis of the seized counterfeit products revealed alarming safety concerns, including metal components only half the required strength of authentic L-Acoustics specifications – resulting in a 48% decrease in safety factor.

In Germany, the cour

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28 April 2025

Venezuela - Grupo Zónico, a leading name in event production and entertainment technology with over 20 years of experience, has been appointed as the official distributor of the Outline Newton audio processor in Venezuela.

Hugo Morillo, director of Grupo Zónico, states: “Newton has been a go-to solution for the most demanding live productions worldwide. Its exceptional audio quality and seamless integration with systems from any brand allow system engineers to overcome complex challenges with greater efficiency and reliability.”

Newton has been deployed at multiple consecutive editions of Glastonbury and Coachella, as well as world tours by artists such as Roger Waters, Tool, Snow Patrol, Sam Smith, Kenny Chesney, and Joe Bonamassa.

At the latest World Youth Day in Lisbon, the challenge of delivering Pope Francis’s message in

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28 April 2025

Denmark - Litecom has made a major investment in new Robe moving lights. The company is based in Copenhagen and has a branch in Stockholm, Sweden and works extensively across the two countries and throughout Scandinavia.

2024’s purchases include 50 x Forte Profile moving lights, 60 x Painte Profiles and 136 x Spiider LED wash beams, all delivered by Danish distributor, Light Partner. This was followed by a further investment of 24 more Fortes, another 50 x Paintes plus three BMFL FollowSpots.

“This decision was based on boosting our inventory with reliable stage lighting products that are universally useful across all our projects,” explained Litecom lighting designer Martin Wallin.

Wallin has been with the company for 19 years and oversees all the major broadcast projects, which have included supplying lighting to the Eurovision Song C

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28 April 2025

France - "Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist." Kelian Sevrée and the team at Concept K embrace that concept, and they proved its merit in style at the 2025 Dystopia festivals, held in two separate locations, Mulhouse and Rennes.

At both sites, they departed from the standard practice (that says you must have a massive video wall on a festival’s main stage). Instead, they animated their two main stages, both of which were devoted to hardcore music, with brawny collections of lighting effects, including the Chauvet Professional Color Strike M, as well as some compelling cubic set pieces.

“Unlike what is done in most modern productions, we chose not to include a video screen at the back of the stage,” explained Sevrée. “Given the scale of the event, we were able to break away from this standard element, a

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28 April 2025

India - The Chambal riverfront in Kota, Rajasthan is an urban development that has rejuvenated a 6km stretch of land into a thriving cultural and tourist destination.

Designed to celebrate the architectural heritage and cultural richness of India, the riverfront features 26 distinct ghats, each representing a different regional style. Among these, the Rajputana Ghat highlights the art and traditions of nine regions of Rajasthan, while the Sahitya Ghat pays homage to literary giants with statues of renowned authors and a library housing thousands of books.

Beyond its cultural significance, the restoration of the Chambal Riverfront plays a crucial role in ecosystem revitalisation, renewing the connection between the community and the river. The west-side garden of the project combines art, lighting, and horticulture, offering visitors a captivating exp

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28 April 2025

USA - The 2004 comedy-drama The Terminal had Tom Hanks’ character trapped in New York’s JFK airport due to a diplomatic snafu, but the subtler story under that narrative was how the airport had almost every service one needed to stay there, from food to retail.

From an arts perspective, that’s not unlike what one can find at Segerstrom Centre for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California. Its 14-acre campus is home to Segerstrom Hall, a 2,994-seat, opera house-style theatre, the campus’ largest facility and a venue for Broadway musicals, ballet, and other large productions.

The complex also hosts the 1,704-seat Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall and the 375-seat Samueli Theater – a multi-purpose facility, for jazz, cabaret, theatre, and special events – as well as the 53,000sq.ft Orange County Museum of Art. And many organisations

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28 April 2025

USA - EAW has launched the NT206L, the first in the NT Series of speaker products aimed at simplifying audio setup and operation for production events.

NT206L is a compact, self-powered line array loudspeaker designed for production companies, system integrators and venues seeking high performance, ease of deployment and operation, along with cost efficiency in a lightweight design. This new EAW Premier Class (P-Class) offering marks the first product conceived and designed entirely at EAW’s new facility in Franklin, MA.

Engineered for power and precision, NT206L features two 6.5” low-frequency drivers with 2” voice coils and a 1.75” high-frequency driver, brought to life by 1500W of onboard power.

A newly patented EAW waveguide leverages EAW’s Focusing technology to provide exceptional high-frequency response. NT206L also debuts a

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25 April 2025

USA - When world-renowned immersive arts collective Meow Wolf transformed its Convergence Station venue into an unforgettable dancefloor experience for the Deep Dark & Dangerous’ Danceportation takeover, Lost Horizon Productions was entrusted with delivering exceptional audio to match the venue’s otherworldly setting. The result was a seamless fusion of immersive art and cutting-edge Funktion-One sound.

A sprawling, 90,000sq.ft creative universe, Convergence Station blurs the boundaries between art installation, interactive museum and event space. For Danceportation, the venue played host to 14 artists from the Deep Dark & Dangerous roster, who performed across two stages surrounded by Meow Wolf’s distinctive environments.

Lost Horizon Productions, a full-service event production company based in Colorado, was tasked w

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25 April 2025

Chile - The LXIV edition of the Viña del Mar Festival took place 23 February through 1 March, and for the first time, it was broadcast live worldwide to more than 5m viewers. To ensure quality performances for the audience and artists alike, Viña del Mar relied on the Shure Axient Digital Wireless System.

With an impressive artist lineup, the Viña del Mar festival has wrapped up another edition where great audio played a crucial role. The technical team relied on 70 channels of Axient Digital technology, 62 channels of PSM 1000 Advanced In-Ear Personal Monitoring System, and four channels of Axient Digital PSM Advanced Digital In-Ear Monitor System, among other Shure gear.

Thanks to its robustness and reliability, Axient Digital and PSM delivered quality audio and solid RF throughout the festival, despite the challenging technical environment.

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25 April 2025

UK - Life City Church is a modern, vibrant, multicultural church based in the heart of South London. Music plays a major part in the daily worship, with live bands regularly providing a focus for Sunday meetings, supported by a new sound reinforcement system from K-array, supplied by Audio Related Technology.

With an ever-increasing involvement of live music in its regular activities, Life City Church was looking to update its entire sound and lighting package and turned to Simon Griffett of Chesham-based Audio Related Technology for recommendations. The church’s older Turbosound PA had served it well but had become tired and was inconvenient to move around, as while looking for a permanent home the church was operating out of Woodcote High School in Coulsdon.

“We wanted a portable line array system for a predominantly live band mix,” said Life

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25 April 2025

Europe - 2024 was a notable year for Nina Chuba and 2025 is set to be even busier, with a summer of festival appearances already scheduled. Her first large-scale arena tour, starting in October 2025, has sold-out for most dates. Christopher ‘Toffie’ Plaschke has been Nina’s front-of-house engineer since the beginning of her live career. In 2023, he also took on the role of production manager, switching to DiGiCo consoles and sticking with them for every show he has done since.

“Nina is an incredible artist, and I’m truly grateful to be part of her journey,” Plaschke explains. “I used the Quantum 338 throughout the year, for both the tour and festival dates. The experience was fantastic, especially with the additional routing options. Whatever musical ideas I have, with a DiGiCo console, I never face limitations – it always supports my ideas.