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04 March 2025

Sweden - The Borås Arena is home to top-tier Swedish football club Elfsborg and Division 1 South team Norrby. The 14,500-capacity stadium was opened in 2005 and, last year, a new sound system was designed and installed by local musical instrument and professional sound specialists Musiklagret, who are also a sponsor at the arena.

With speech articulation and uniform coverage at the top of the performance criteria, Musiklagret proposed a Nexo system using 40 x P15s and 20 x P10s from the French manufacturer’s industry-standard P+ Series point-source range.

“Nexo P+ Series was selected for its frequency range, the resolution of the HF, and the facility to change horns to achieve optimum coverage,” reports Niklas Frick from Musiklagret’s Rental and Installation division.

P+ cabinets are installed in pairs at 90-degree angles around the

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04 March 2025

USA - Popular underground rap duo $uicideboy$ completed their Greyday2024 US and Canadian tour with a production design – lighting and set – created by Ian MacDonald, who used Robe moving lights to help deliver a raw, in-the-face, lighting aesthetic. MacDonald is based in Ottawa and has worked with the band since 2021.

This latest tour design featured 42 x Robe iForte LTXs, 34 x Spiiders and four iForte Follow Spots, all supplied by Fuse, who purchased the iFortes for this project, which was co-ordinated for them by account managers Matt Kirkpatrick and Kevin Foreste.

Known for their stark, visceral, often brutal lyrics and fearless narratives touching controversial, complex, and difficult topics like suicide, addiction, and depression, communicating these messages and stories live is challenging and offers creative scope. While imaginat

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04 March 2025

China - Recently, Wuping No. 1 Middle School in Hubei Province celebrated its 100th anniversary, during which it has adhered to a philosophy of "cultivating people with moral integrity and all-round development". During that time it has trained more than 50,000 graduates, many of whom have become high ranked in governing the country, studying, and developing industries.

To mark the occasion, a special Forever Azalea concert was performed in the concert hall of the newly built Science and Art Museum, presenting an audio-visual feast to alumni, guests, teachers and students. Martin Audio's signature sound and consistent coverage created the live atmosphere for the concert, which the school is seeing as a new starting point.

Going forward, this auditorium will be used for a variety of concerts and operas, as well as other cultural and artistic

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04 March 2025

USA/Denmark - LC Innovations has announced that by permission and an agreement with PRG, the Macula remote followspot system is now available for sales in North America.

LC Innovations is a branch of Litecom Group, based in Denmark. Founders and owners Morten and Rasmus Bremer created this branch of the company for their latest innovation, the Macula Remote Follow Spot. The 100% open-source software means the Macula system is able to control any moving head in the intelligent fixture market.

Emil Krog, product manager of Macula explains: “The High Resolution Fluid Head in the Macula system adds the organic feel of handling a followspot and allows for a tighter focus on the performer than previously achievable. Plus, the new firmware version 0.99 includes support for PosiStageNet (PSN) transmission. This upgrade allows the system to send real-time p

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04 March 2025

USA/UK - The Sleep Token experience is all about the music; the band are completely anonymous, so there are no egos or names to get in the way. Thom Pike, front-of-house engineer, has been with the band ever since their third gig in 2018.

For their latest tour, his mixing desk of choice was a Quantum 338. Monitor engineer, Samuel Schmitt, a long-time DiGiCo fan, choosing them consistently throughout his career, is also using a Quantum 338. Both engineers explain why DiGiCo desks are the right fit for this high-profile tour.

“It was the start of a new cycle and a new era in terms of venue sizes,” Pike recalls. “Solotech were able to help us out in terms of budget, so for our first gig at Wembley Arena I went straight to a DiGiCo. By the end of that tour I was in love with the console. I feel like there are no limitations. The desk does exactly w

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04 March 2025

UK - When techno icon Frazi.er and house kingpin Ewan McVicar came together late last year at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, the two titans of the Scottish electronic music scene staged a spectacular. Placing themselves in the centre of the venue in a 360° setup, the two delivered "a performance masterclass which received excellent reviews in every quarter".

The show’s audio was provided by East Anglia-based Audio Plus, who have supplied systems for touring, festivals, special events, and installation for more than 30 years. Audio Plus deployed a Funktion-One Vero system for the event, driven by XTA amplification. Audio Plus has used XTA amplifiers since the 1990s and in recent years has transitioned to using the XTA DPA100 unit for all its work.

Project manager Tino Reschke comments: “The loudspeaker arrangement was planned in collaboration with Fun

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04 March 2025

UK - Just as espresso becomes a martini, Bear café bar spaces transition effortlessly from day into night and the brand has opted for Optimal Audio commercial audio systems installed into all its latest venues to guarantee the seamless shift.

Bear has five stores from Uttoxeter to Wimborne and atmosphere tops the menu in each. With the help of nationwide audio installation partner, York-based Rock-Tech AV, Bear evaluated several commercial audio systems before aligning with Optimal Audio.

Craig Bunting, one half of Bear’s founding partners, explains the appeal. “Primarily, our requirements were for a system that could handle multiple zones and provide excellent sound quality. What we achieved with Optimal is a warm, inviting sound that complements the Bear atmosphere and so many features suit our needs.

“Simple control for the in-store

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04 March 2025

Europe - Stage Precision launched its open Beta version of SP Grid, the next evolution of its technology, at ISE 2025. Designed to redefine how professionals create, manage and deploy digital experiences, SP Grid transitions Stage Precision’s core offering from a standalone software product to a comprehensive development, data management, control and integration platform, giving users the power to connect every element, every device, every data point seamlessly and in real time.

SP Grid is a no-code or low-code platform, aimed at simplifying the deployment of complex digital environments, providing a foundation for building, deploying and managing digital experiences of all sizes. The platform empowers system integrators, designers and developers to craft tailored solutions for spaces, studios and events.

“We have already received fantastic feedb

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04 March 2025

Creative Consent - Organisations including the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, Equity and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain are urging the government to ensure creative work cannot be mined by artificial intelligence unless its creator has given express consent.

The government is consulting on targeted protections for the arts following a backlash against its controversial new plans, under which AI would be able to train easily on content unless its creators forbade it. But unions have warned that “the clock is ticking” to put safeguards in place against the “industrial-scale theft” they claim is already unfolding.

Equity and the WGGB have now demanded an opt-in model for creative workers, under which they must give permission for their work to be used by AI, as well as fair remuneration for artists where their content is used,

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03 March 2025

Poland - Late last year, Atlas Arena in Łódź hosted an extraordinary live event, Jimek & Guests: Subclassics, Poland’s first-ever symphonic spectacle in a 360-degree format. The orchestra was sited in the round, which provided the audience with a unique perspective.

The audio system was built around the power of the DiGiCo Quantum series, with two Quantum 338s, with Pulse upgrade, at the front-of-house position and Quantum 852 and SD12-96 consoles at the monitor position.

Radzimir Dębski, professionally known as Jimek, is a composer and conductor, well known for blending classical sounds with modern music genres. His Subclassics concert was a blend of symphonic compositions and iconic hip-hop tracks featuring many guest artists.

“There’s no adventure if you know what to expect. Only uncertainty leads to fulfilm

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03 March 2025

Europe - City Theatrical has introduced its new European e-commerce website, now live at QolorFLEX.co.uk, which is designed as a single source for LED neon, strip light, drivers, and accessories for lighting professionals and LED installations in Europe.

This site offers an optimised online shopping experience for new and existing City Theatrical customers alike who are looking to buy LED neon, strip lights, drivers, and accessories, for LED lighting projects of all sizes in the European entertainment lighting market.

The QolorFLEX.co.uk website was specifically designed for European lighting professionals to be able to quickly view what's in stock now at City Theatrical’s London office among the LED lighting solutions offering, find what they need quickly with easy ways to sort and filte

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03 March 2025

Australia - Follow-Me has announced a new partnership with ULA Group in Australia and New Zealand.

The partnership marks a milestone for both companies, expanding access to Follow-Me’s performer tracking technology across the region.

Follow-Me Track-iT combines RF tags worn by performers and strategically placed anchors to provide real-time positioning data, and extends the functionality of the Follow-Me 3D SIX system. It has most recently been used on several high-profile shows, including Mamma Mia! The Party in Rotterdam and on Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour, which is running until July 2025.

With nearly 35 years of experience in the industry, ULA Group is responsible for providing lighting solutions across an extensive range of markets.

“We’re delighted that Follow-Me has landed in Australi

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03 March 2025

UK - Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, which debuted in 1602, and tells the story of shipwreck-surviving twins Sebastian and Viola, is a witty, insightful, and often profound mix of mistaken identity, gender disguise, love, confusion, jealousy, and ultimately joyful discovery.

This swirl of sensations has delighted audiences for centuries, but it can also pose a challenge for any modern designer hoping to capture the play's sweeping emotions in light.

Zoe Spurr not only welcomed this challenge; she met it in brilliant fashion when lighting the Royal Shakespeare Company's December production of Twelfth Night at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Her artful design reflected myriad moods, earning her widespread praise, including from a newspaper critic who singled out her work for "helping to shift the tone" of the play.<

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03 March 2025

Germany - Absen celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated showroom in Mörfelden-Walldorf on Thursday, 27 February. The display area has been transformed to showcase a wider range of Absen’s LED solutions from its ProAV, AbsenLive, and DOOH product portfolios, offering an immersive experience.

Tania Zhao, vice-president and president of display business group at Absen, expressed his excitement, stating: “Our Germany base is a vital resource for our teams and we are delighted to unveil this newly renovated Absen showroom. This innovative space provides a unique opportunity to showcase our diverse product displays, from our wide range of market segments to our European customers and partners.

“The updated showroom will further support the regional sales team and continue to strengthen our efforts across Europe, with a more timely and ef

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03 March 2025

Spain - In the stunning setting of the Museu de les Ciències de Valencia, an exhibition centre that invites visitors to explore the evolution of life, science, and technology through interactive experiences and scientific animations, Nox Audiovisuales chose Prolights technology to illuminate the Generali event held at this exclusive venue.

By testing some of Prolights' most innovative products, Nox Audiovisuales confirmed their quality, durability, and reliability.

The moving head Astra Hybrid330, capable of creating spectacular aerial effects, was chosen to project the client's corporate logos and to provide scenic lighting for the event. Astra Wash19PixIP moving washes were strategically placed around the venue to bathe the location in the event's colours.

The Smart BatPlus and Smart BatWash fixtures were used to colour the hospitality are

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03 March 2025

USA - Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park featured an impressive artist line-up, with lighting and production design created by Robert W. Peterson of Real World Lighting.

Peterson added 86 x Robe iForte LTX moving lights to his lighting plot, together with 46 x iFortes, 38 x iSpiider LED wash beams, 20 x Robe Tarrantula large LED wash beams and 20 x LEDBeam 350s, all supplied by Solotech, project-managed for them by Austin Schussler and Steven Morgan with Joseph Logsdon providing excellent account oversight for the whole project.

The five-hour CBS special concert kicked off at 7pm. It was directed by Sandra Restrepo and broadcast live offering a series of back-to-back performances beamed across multiple time zones live from ‘Music City’. It was headlined and co-hosted by f

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03 March 2025

Australia - ARX has announced that its USB DI Series has now been completely upgraded to offer user selectable sample rates from 44.1 to 96KHz @ 24 bit for improved D/A conversion, signal to noise ratio and lower distortion.

18 years ago, at the 2007 Frankfurt Pro Light & Sound, ARX released the audio industry's first Transformer Isolated USB audio interface, the USB DI. In the following years the USB DI series has been expanded to its current range of six models of digital/analogue interface units, each with its own unique problem-solving feature set.

One of ARX's best sellers globally, USB DI Series units have been chosen for applications from the Olympic & Commonwealth Games and Australian Open, to the Montreux Jazz Festival.

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28 February 2025

Belgium - Chauvet has moved its European distribution hub to a new and greatly expanded facility. The new facility in Deinze is only about 9km from Chauvet's previous EU Hub in Kruisem, but in many ways, it is a long distance apart from its predecessor in terms of the capabilities it affords the Chauvet team to stock, sell, service and support their increasingly popular line of lighting products, including the award-winning Maverick, Ovation and MagicQ Stadium series.

Joining Chauvet facilities in the eastern and western United States, Mexico, the UK, France and Germany, the new 8,000 sq.m Belgian hub will support the complete line of Chauvet Professional, ChamSys, Chauvet DJ and Iluminarc products.

The building's six loading docks and 14,000 pallet spaces will expedite the processing of product shipments, resulting in even faster delivery times. Als

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28 February 2025

Germany - The world premiere of The World of Hans Zimmer - An Immersive Symphony: The Theatre Experience took the audience at the Metronom Theater in Oberhausen on an impressive musical journey through the works of the film composer.

Presented by Semmel Concerts and accompanied by lighting, sound and stage technology from Satis & Fy, this hit show delighted more than 22,000 fans at 15 sold-out concerts from 23 January to 2 March. Hans Zimmer himself spoke to the audience in the form of a larger-than-life, three-dimensional projected image.

Behind the scenes, monitor engineer Thorben Ströhlein and RF manager Werner Schmidl also welcomed a special technical guest: Sennheiser’s Spectera, which they used to provide some of the musicians with in-ear and line/mic signals as part of the Spectera Pioneer Program.

Contact with the Pion

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28 February 2025

Thailand - Now a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Thailand, the Bakery Music record label was founded in 1994 and pioneered the independent music industry in Thailand, inspiring the creation of many other indie labels in the country.

A recent Bakery Rock Concert Live in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand featured performances from the label’s leading artists including Moderndog, Pru and Flure, with a Nexo sound system deployed by local distributor and concert sponsor Fuzion Far East.

The main FOH system featured left and right hangs of 12 x Nexo Geo S12 speakers supplemented by Nexo RS18 subwoofers, with Nexo Geo M12 used as front-fills to deliver audio clarity to those audience members closest to the stage.

For the artists, Nexo P15 and PS15 R2 wedge monitors provided precise and powerful sound with precision coverage, with