Portugal - World Youth Day is a celebrating event that Pope John Paul II initiated in 1985, every edition of which has been held in a different country; after repeated rescheduling due to Covid pandemic, 2023's finally happened last August in Lisbon, Portugal, before a 1.5m pilgrim audience.
Ensuring live audio coverage to a gathering of such magnitude isn't a small technical achievement, in terms of event technology, over an area of 3-by-1km, pilgrims prayed and sang and danced at the sound of 109 PA towers hosting a total of 1,100 loudspeaker systems driven by 327 amplifiers, whose signal reached through 103km of optical fibre, across 300 network switches.
In order to safeguard the signal being matrixed and transported to this plethora of audio systems, two Outline Newton FPGA-based signal processors had been specifically custom-modified by their very Italian manufac

Hungary - The Sziget Festival celebrated 30 years in 2023, earning its place as one of Europe’s largest, most popular and diverse music and cultural festivals which is staged annually in August on Óbudai-sziget (Old Buda Island), a leafy green 108-hectare island on the Danube just a stone’s throw from central Budapest.
Robe moving lights had a big presence this year across three major performance areas - the Main Stage, the massive FreeDome Tent and the dropYard rap stage - as well as on some of the other venues around the site that hosted over 1,000 performances on the ‘Island of Freedom’ as it’s known for the duration.
Headlining the Main Stage this year were a host of internationally acclaimed artists like Imagine Dragons, David Guetta, Billy Eilish, Florence + The Machine, Lorde and Macklemore, plus a plethora of other top level artists, together with ev

USA - As the longest-running music television series in history, Austin City Limits is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. The PBS Austin production got its start in 1974, with Willie Nelson performing on the very first episode, and has since helped Austin, Texas establish itself as the “Live Music Capital of the World”. One of the most notable pieces of the show’s history is its connection to the Austin City Limits Music Festival, which takes place each October.
Unlike the festival, which hosts thousands of attendees across eight stages over two consecutive weekends, the TV series presents up to 20 performances each year from Downtown Austin’s historic, 2,800-seat Moody Theatre. Among the most recent artists to take the stage was the Grammy-winning duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, who performed with the Austin Symphony to kick off Season 49 of the show.

UK - 22live, the UK’s next generation pro-audio service provider, has been appointed an international dealer for Rational Acoustics in the UK. The move enhances Rational Acoustics’ presence in the UK, allowing 22live to actively promote and support all Rational Acoustics products and with a particular focus on Smaart measurement and real-time analysis software; largely regarded as the industry standard measurement tool for live events.
22live, upon launch, immediately invested in Smaart as a fundamental part of all of its proprietary drive systems. Simon Gladstone, 22live technical director comments: “22live drive racks use a number of standard components which we deploy alongside every PA system whether it’s d&b audiotechnik or Martin Audio which are our two core loudspeaker brands. We use the MIPRO ACT-800 series wireless system for deployment of analyser micro

Switzerland - Follow-Me has partnered with Swiss company cast Switzerland SA. Formed in 2009 and established as an independent trading company in 2021, cast Switzerland SA has two locations in Switzerland to provide sales and support to both the Swiss German and Swiss French regions.
Managing director Michel Vuilleumier and business development manager Swiss German area, Peter Häusler, head the team at cast Switzerland AG. With his extensive background in lighting and technical operation, Häusler approached Follow-Me seeing the advantage in Follow-Me systems for both designers and operators, merging art and technology for follow-spot and tracking solutions. Luca Idone (Swiss German) and Lionel Métraux (Romandie) strengthen the team for cast with their technical knowledge and support in assisting all customers.
Follow-Me systems give you full independence and creativ

Singapore - Content security provider Friend MTS has continued its recent expansion by opening a new office in Singapore.
The new office will serve the Asia Pacific region, providing sales and support services for customers throughout the territory. These teams will help rights holders, broadcasters, and OTT operators to enhance their content security and revenue protection strategies through the deployment of advanced, end-to-end content security solutions such as dynamic server blocking, large-scale monitoring, subscription and distribution-level watermarking and effective enforcement.
Friend MTS has continued to grow since the investment from North Edge in 2022 and has recently added many new senior staff to the team, including a CEO, and SVPs in sales and engineering roles. Additional resources have been added to the sales function in all territories, and the comp

Australia - Opening its doors in Alexandria, Sydney on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 October, TDC Studios will give film, TV, events and advertising industry professionals up-to-the-minute insight into research and development, an opportunity to try and test out technology and participate in discussions about XR and Virtual Production.
“Australia is becoming a centre of excellence in digital filmmaking,” said David O’Connor (DOC), technical project manager at TDC Studios. “Virtual production has grown significantly over the past few years and we’re seeing a boom in high-end production techniques that mirror that growth.”
For this event, TDC Studios will be showcasing innovations with technology from ARRI, Barco, GhostFrame, Megapixel VR, Pixotope and others to demonstrate the very latest in XR technology through demonstrations of XR broadcast workflows, augmented

Italy - The Tones Teatro Natura, a former quarry in Crevoladossola provides stunning scenic surroundings for concerts and other performances. Work on this distinctive venue, which is located in the former Cava Roncino, began in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown. The permanent open-air site, which is a project by Tones on the Stones, opened in July 2022.
Surrounded by the roughhewn quarry, the beauty of Tones Teatro Natura was on full display during a recent concert by the CM Orchestra, an ensemble of 60 musicians with a repertoire that crosses various eras and styles. Enriching the occasion was the guest of honour, Mario Biondi.
Accenting the scenery were the colours of a refined lighting design by Nicolò Damiani of MG Service, using Chauvet Professional fixtures distributed by Zalight. Service was provided by Marco Gervasio and the team at MG Service.
“I used

Spain - ETC distributor Stonex selected ETC stage machinery and lighting to complete the Lekuona Fabrika Cultural Centre in northern Spain. Prodigy P2 hoists, QuickTouch+ controls as well as ETC luminaires were selected for the project.
Based in Errenteria near the north coast of Spain, the Lekuona Fabrika is a multifunctional cultural venue which frequently hosts exhibitions, festivals, productions and more. The venue is a 613m² open-plan flexible space that can be divided into three rooms offering up to six different configurations using movable walls and retractable seating bleachers.
Due to coastal laws the Lekuona Fabrika has a height restriction as it is located next to the river. In addition to this, its technical director and creator of the project Javier Cruz explains: "There is also the issue that we lose even more height because of the movable walls that cl

Germany - The Rockharz Festival, originally started under the name Rock gegen Rechts (Rock against the Right), has constantly evolved and adopted new, important values: sustainability, environmental awareness, regionality, and inclusion.
At the beginning of July 2023, almost 24,000 music fans descended on the grounds of the Ballenstedt airfield for four days to enjoy the performances of Blind Guardian, In Flames, Arch Enemy, and many more for the festival’s 30th anniversary edition. To make this year’s Rochharz a great experience for all visitors, the organisers decided to use cable protectors from the Defender Midi 5 2D modular system.
"When it comes to accessibility, most people only think of wheelchair users," says Marco Spiller, chairman of Lebenshilfe Braunschweig and organiser of Rock in Rautheim, a metal festival that was awarded the Lower Saxony Inclusion

Italy - 1 Sound has partnered with Mods Art for distribution in Italy. Earlier this year, Mods Art showcased 1 Sound products at their booth at the MIR Live Entertainment Expo in Rimini. 1 Sound EMEA sales executives Leonardo D’Andrea and Leonardo Dani joined them for brand support and the agreement was made official.
Since making this partnership official, Mods Art represented 1 Sound’s sponsorship at the Meet Music Festival in Tuscany and has begun arranging 1 Sound audio demonstrations in Italy.
Mods Art, established in 2010, was born with the intention of creating a point of connection between manufacturers and installers. They offer a wide range of pre- and post-sales services and support which aligns with 1 Sound brand values.
“We are so excited to have Mods Art on our team. They are experts in their field and we are happy to have this partnership wi

USA - Founded in 1829, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is famous for its multi-disciplinary blend of technology, the arts and design. The acclaimed university provides a wide range of academic opportunities for its more than 19,000 students and more than 135,000 graduates from 50 states and over 100 nations.
Recently, RIT completed a highly anticipated building project on its campus called the Shed, short for Student Hall for Exploration and Development. This new creative hub will centralise the university’s makerspace and performing arts studios and theatres.
An important visual detail of the inspiring structure is the new 3072 x 3584px Planar LED marquee, a key component of the Shed’s celebration space, which was donated by RIT’s alumnus Austin McChord.
The successful entrepreneur is an avid supporter of his alma mater and favours the experiential

Georgia - A wide range of Claypaky lighting fixtures dominated the rig at the recent Imagine Dragons concert at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi. 62 Claypaky Arolla HP, 32 Sharpy Plus, 12 Mini B Aqua and six Sharpy Plus Aqua were provided by Black Sea Arena for the event.
Grammy Award-winning Imagine Dragons are currently on their fifth world tour. Their appearance in Tbilisi was part of Starring Georgia, a two-year campaign promoting the country as a venue for entertainment events. It showcases diverse visiting artists who demonstrate the ability of music to unite people of different generations. Bruno Mars is the next to appear in the Starring Georgia series.
Imagine Dragons performed before an audience of more than 30,000 at the stadium. The new stage, also from Black Sea Arena, was transported to the venue on 35 trucks for the show.
“Imagine Dragons wa

Italy - The Mario Del Monaco Municipal Theatre in Treviso was an appropriate venue for the Angels for Angela charity concert, which took place on Saturday 24 June 2023 and featured Angel City Chorale. K Service provided audio and lighting products for the occasion, including eight Showtec Phantom Hybrid 12R moving light beams.
The concert was organised by La Musica di Angel Onlus with proceeds going towards music therapy projects at a local hospital. Angel City Chorale is a choir that hails from Los Angeles and is perhaps best known for its performances on the 2018 edition of America’s Got Talent where it reached the semi-finals. With more than 180 members, the choir performs songs in a wide variety of music styles including classical, gospel, jazz, pop and world music. The programme for Angels for Angela included gems This Is Me from The Greatest Showman<

USA - Following the success of its open day in May this year, Martin Audio North America has moved the location of its next open day from Maryland to Texas, where it will adopt a similar formula on 3 October.
The destination this time will be the Coppell Arts Centre in Dallas where a morning session at 10am will be followed by a later presentation at 2pm.
Explaining the choice of venue, Lee Stein VP of sales, North America, says: “Texas is a key state for many influential system integrators, and it also has a thriving live sound community. We’ve also used this venue previously and it’s well suited to our demos.”
The product demonstrations themselves will once again be led by UK-based presenter-in-chief Robin Dibble, supported by the entire US team.
As with the recent UK open days, Martin Audio will line up many of its premier systems, including WPM,

UK - Gary Numan, celebrated reaching an impressive 1,000th gig milestone by performing three consecutive shows at London's Electric Ballroom. To mark this remarkable journey, lighting designer David Howard was enlisted to create an immersive backdrop that encapsulated every essence of Numan's career.
Independent lighting designer David Howard boasts a diverse portfolio spanning music tours, special events, and more. From working with artists like Jo Quail and The Hoosiers to contributing his expertise to prestigious events like Glastonbury and MCM Comic Con, Howard's creative flair knows no bounds.
First introduced to wysiwyg whilst studying at university in 2013, David Howard instantly recognised its transformative potential. The lighting design software opened doors to unprecedented creative possibilities, enabling him to turn abstract design concepts into tangible

France - In the heart of the French Alps, event staging company CarpeDiem Evènement has been setting the stage for a new virtual recording studio, Studio 321, with the help of Digital Projection M-Vision Laser projectors.
Having recently moved into larger offices, CarpeDiem Evènement seized the opportunity to transform an unused 321 sqm space into a virtual studio, offering state-of-the-art AV equipment and the best facilities for brands and companies in the region and beyond.
The studio features a main virtual production studio space for recording and an adjoining 40-sqm production office. In the main virtual production area is a 24m x 4m white cyclorama wall with a 90° rounded floor angle, as well as a white floor covering - allowing for the recording of small and large productions, from photo shoots and company presentations to cinematic video productions, using

USA - Hip hop artist Nate Feuerstein, known as NF, is out on the Hope Tour, his first headlining arena trek in support of his new album of the same name. Visiting 47 venues across North America, Europe, and UK this year, the recent US leg of the trek featured special guest Cordae. But there’s another pair of talent that’s critical to the tour’s success: FOH engineer Travis Stoker and monitor engineer Murphy Johnson, both of whom are piloting DiGiCo SD5 consoles provided by tour vendor PRG.
The desks were reportedly chosen for a number of factors: sound quality, as well as programmability and flexibility - critical capabilities for a tour so heavily dependent upon tracks and a thunderous drum kit that takes up as much as half of the production’s 60-plus inputs.
“The biggest thing for me with the SD5 is that the amount of programming you can do on these

Australia - Prolights' Astra Wash37Pix lights illuminated DJ Golden Features tour, a project curated by lighting designers Nicholas Bechen and Ben Kocsis. This collaboration was made possible thanks to the contribution of Ei Productions, the supplier of lighting equipment for the tour.
"Golden Features, his manager, and I spoke a lot over probably two years about ideas and thoughts and what his intentions were for this tour," commented Nick. "We had a fair idea we would have to scale it back from the get-go, so we didn't go big and made it work pretty well in the end. I'm really happy with it. We seem to have walked away from the tour with a pretty decent show; the quality of the music being delivered helps make big lighting look and feel easy."
Ei Productions provided the gear for Sydney's Hordern show, giving Nick a chance to use Prolights Astra Wash37Pix with 11 uni

Denmark - The function room of the Community Centre in Assentoft is used for a wide variety of events, with meetings, formal dinners, parties and screenings of sports events all taking place in the venue. The facility’s management team recently decided to invest in a new audio system as they felt an upgrade of their facilities was necessary to improve the experience of the different groups using the facility.
The system in place was more than 25 years old and site manager Steffen Larsen engaged installer Simon Voigt Laursen of Avdeo to supply a solution. The project’s aim was to deliver audio quality from an easy to operate, zoned system.
Simon designed a complete Optimal Audio solution based on the Zone 4P 4-zone audio controller with DSP, amplification and WebApp. He comments:
“It is an absolute pleasure to work with this product. The Zone 4P DSP is the e

China - Big Blue Technology Co is a subsidiary of Blue Focus Group, one of China's Top 500 Fortune enterprises and a prominent marketing technology group. Big Blue Technology holds a significant position in the Blue Focus Group Metaverse business segment and specialises in virtual production technologies, innovative Metaverse technology, and cutting-edge extended reality solutions.
In early September, Big Blue Technology welcomed over 400 guests to the grand re-opening of its second virtual production studio in China, Blue Box XR Studio. Based in Beijing, the upgraded studio offers a wide range of applications, from advertising to TV productions to broadcast to XR virtual product launches and more. It features a state-of-the-art LED setup, including ROE Visual LED screens and industry-standard Brompton Technology LED processing.
Located in Chaoyang District, Beijing's

USA - An investigation led by L-Acoustics late last year resulted in the seizure of an extraordinary 136 counterfeit products from Tampa-based rental company Se7ven Sounds Music, Inc.
Along with the seizure, L-Acoustics filed a complaint against Se7ven Sounds for trademark infringement, counterfeiting and unfair competition. This month, the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division ordered Se7ven Sounds Music to pay damages of $5m to L-Acoustics, a significant achievement in the professional audio industry. L-Acoustics also won the right to destroy the 136 counterfeit products confiscated during the investigation.
The final judgment holds that the "defendants infringed the L-Acoustics Trademarks by intentionally and willfully engaging in the unauthorized manufacturing, importation, offering for sale and/or rental, and sale and/or rental o

UK - CVP will be holding its third annual Production Technology Showcase this year at four different locations in Europe and the UK. The events of this year’s expanded programme kick off on Thursday 5 October at CVP’s European HQ in Brussels, before moving on to be hosted in Glasgow, Manchester, and Bristol during November.
The CVP Production Technology Showcase provides a platform for visitors to explore the latest production solutions, technology, and insights across a wide range of the company’s products and services, from engineering and repairs to finance and technical advice. This year’s showcase includes ARRI ALEXA 35, DJI Ronin 4D, RED Komodo X, Blackmagic and the latest releases from the Sony Cinema Line and Canon’s EOS range.
Workshops will run throughout the day - across two days in Manchester and Bristol - and the focus will be on real-world case

Australia - Sydney-based TDC is at the forefront of the virtual production market. The Australian company, established since 1981, owns and operates purpose-built VP facilities in Sydney, supported by a team of experts. The team can partner with a production from concept to completion, while providing a deep knowledge of the processes and technology needed for video display, real-time rendering platforms, server hardware, playback platforms, camera tracking, remote connectivity, and content delivery.
It has delivered large scale virtual production facilities for TV, commercials, corporate films and blockbuster movies including Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder and hit psychological thriller Mercy Road, which was Australia’s first fully virtual production shoot. Mercy Road was released in Australia and the US in August, 2023.
VFX supervisor Andrew

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