USA - The Backseat Lovers are on the road with an innovative and interesting production and lighting design created by Meagan Metcalf, who has been working with the indie rockers from Utah since 2022, with 22 x Robe Esprites and 24 Tetra2 moving lights at the heart of the lighting rig.
Meagan was offered an initial short tour with the band in early 2022 after her work with Caamp, who share the same management. While everything was quite low key then, Meagan loved being imaginative with a small lighting rig, enjoyed the music and knew that the band were ones-to-watch, a roller-coaster that gained serious velocity following the release of their debut label album, Waiting to Spill, at the end of last year.
The Backseat Lovers are now on a much larger full production tour playing 3,000-5,000-capacity rock clubs and theatres, selling out every time and amplifying the

UK - At this year’s PLASA Show (3-5 September, London Olympia), LSi magazine’s popular column Classic Gear will be brought to life on the show floor via a new attraction called Classic Gear Live. In association with CH Vintage Audio, the display will enable visitors to experience for themselves a range of defining products from the last 50-plus years and meet some of the people who made and used them.
Throughout its 38-year history, PLASA’s LSi magazine has looked forward, covering the never-ending stream of innovations in the live production industry, and the shows and people that create and use those innovations on spectacular new shows, events and installations. For 17 years of that history, LSi has also looked back, with Rob Halliday’s popular Classic Gear column taking a light-hearted, nostalgic look at the products that have shaped our indu

USA - Dude Perfect recently wrapped their high octane 24-city Panda-monium Tour with a lighting system designed by 46 Entertainment and provided by Bandit Lites. Former college roommates Tyler ‘Beard’ Toney, Cory and Coby Cotton, Garrett ‘Purple Hoser’ Hilbert, and Cody ‘Tall Guy’ Jones famous for their crazy stunts and trick-shot battles have amassed 59.6m YouTube subscribers and 11.8m Instagram followers.
For Dude Perfect’s second tour, Davis Kornegay and Mason Felps utilised a larger LED surface for the eye-popping family-friendly content of silly competitive battles, audience-involved games and dynamic tricks.
“The interactive content is really the backbone of this show,” said Felps. “This year’s design was less beams and more tasteful colour washes/looks. Davis did a great job on the design this year.”
Bandit Lites supplied

Poland - Poland’s largest lighting rental company, Transcolor, has invested in Robe iFortes, currently the highest-powered LED fixture from Robe’s expanding iSeries of IP rated products.
The purchase - the first iFortes to be delivered in Poland - underlines Transcolor owner and boss Lucjan Siwczyk’s trend setting policies by purchasing innovative equipment.
Lucjan explained that they looked carefully at some different options when sourcing high powered IP rated luminaires before deciding on the iForte, although the company already has a consistent track record of investing in Robe over the years, among other brands, so it was always a strong contender.
“Lighting designers and show producers are often wanting to work with IP rated products now. Obviously for any outdoor work and for various other circumstances,” Lucjan commented, adding that an advanta

USA - RZI Lighting of New Orleans has stocked Elation lighting gear for much of its 24 years in the stage lighting business and again has added Elation products to inventory. The additions - Proteus Maximus, Proteus Smarty Hybrid, KL Panel, Fuze Profile, Paladin and Prisma Wash 100 - reflect the breadth and wide variety of stage lighting and installation projects that RZI work on.
“We continue to collaborate with Elation because they provide industry-standard lighting options at competitive prices and offer a broad product line that covers the many markets we work in,” stated Ray Ziegler, owner of RZI Lighting. “Not only do clients often request an Elation product by name, many of our Elation lights have proven so versatile that they can substitute for other gear on the spec. Our clients inevitably come back after the event and tell us that they loved them!”

Serbia - LD Anđelko Popić and team at Chameleon Rental opted to reflect the spirit of the Lake Festival in Bačka Topola by building their production design around three concentric circles that expanded outward from the stage’s centre.
This arrangement gave designers the freedom to create widely different settings for the festival’s various acts, allowing them to move from the intimate, when almost all light came from the smaller centre sphere, to the more elaborate, when crossing beam patterns from fixtures on different circles created complex patterns.
To enhance this flexibility and add power to their circular design, the Chameleon Rental team anchored their rig with 88 Chauvet Professional fixtures from their company’s own extensive inventory.
Playing a key role in this rig were the eight Rogue R2X Beam fixtures flown on the smaller centre stage circ

Italy - Prolights Sunblast 3000FC transformed the arcades of Bologna, a worldwide symbol of the city and UNESCO heritage site, into a light show. The project, conceived and promoted by singer Cesare Cremonini, involved illuminating 2km of arcades, from Piazza Santo Stefano to the Basilica of Madonna di San Luca, during the Bologna Portici Festival.
"The arcades are the true stage of everyday life for us Bolognese, and I wanted to pay tribute to Bologna with a tailor-made lighting project for the portico of San Luca, a symbol of worship but also an emotional connection for all of us citizens," stated Cremonini.
The technical manager Antonio Onorato, in collaboration with the agency Giò Forma, projected an unprecedented lighting design: a 30-minute loop of lights, synchronised with Cesare Cremonini's songs, transformed the arcades into a unique and emotionally charged l

Belgium - Creative visual practice Painting with Light (PWL) was asked by the Agoria Sports and Entertainment Technology club - a networking hub for Belgian technology leaders - to show direct and design lighting for an epic mixed media visual spectacle - lighting, lasers & fireworks - which was the finale segment of the official 2023 Belgian National Day celebrations.
This year, the occasion also coincided with the 10th anniversary of the coronation of King Philippe of Belgium, making it extra special. The overall event, which included a two-hour music Festival, was titled Happy Belgium.
The 15-minute finale show was developed for the Syndicat d'Initiative-Bruxelles Promotion (SIBP) and staged against the imposing and dramatic backdrop of Cinquantenaire Arcade, a grand 30m-wide, 45m-high triple arched architectural monument in Brussels’ Parc du Cinquanten

UK - Following on from a record-breaking BikeFest in Spain earlier this year, the #WeMakeEvents fundraising bike ride returns to London this September to raise money for industry charities Backup Tech, Music Support and Stagehand – and the team is calling for new recruits.
Since being spearheaded by PLASA and Backup seven years ago, BikeFest has grown into a popular industry event, taking place in Spain and the UK each year in the lead up to ISE in Barcelona and PLASA Show in London respectively. Each BikeFest event raises thousands for industry charities, with BikeFest Spain 2023 raising an incredible £50,000, helping industry professionals suffering with ill health or financial hardship.
And soon the BikeFest London team will be back in the saddle, ready to cycle up to 80 miles on Saturday 2 September, in time for PLASA Show at Olympia London from 3-5 September. T

Germany - Lang AG has expanded its rental inventory with the addition of 50 additional units of the PT-RQ50 projector from Panasonic. With this move, the company doubles its rental stock of the 3-chip DLP projector to a total of 100 units.
With this acquisition, the company is responding to the increasing demand for high-quality, high-performance projectors.
Lang AG CEO Tobias Lang summarizes the motives for the additional purchase: "Panasonic's PT-RQ50 is the best 4K projector available on the market - especially for demanding events and large-scale events. We have increased the supply to be able to meet the increasing demand."
Jan Markus Jahn, head of media entertainment business division at Panasonic Europe GmbH, further explains, "We are delighted with the trust that LANG has placed in the PT-RQ50 and are proud that our projector is able to impress

Indonesia - Melodia Sound and Lighting Systems has partnered with 1 Sound to be their official distributor in Indonesia.
1 Sound products will be sold exclusively through Melodia for Indonesia sales. Although Melodia carries many brands and has grown to have several company office locations, Melodia carries the same values and heart that they had starting as a small store in the 1980s. 1 Sound and Melodia share a mutual bond over their company values of having a passion for their work, sharing knowledge, and fostering excitement within the industry.
Rudy Winarto and the Melodia Team gave 1 Sound sales executive, Leonardo Dani, a warm welcome this week as they toured Melodia’s facilities. Together, they are launching 1 Sound in Indonesia at the SMEX Music Expo followed by a launch event in Bali, that will take place 8 August at the Aston Kuta Hotel.
“I am ve

Las Vegas Bound - Kylie Minogue is going to Las Vegas. The singer has announced her first exclusive residency in Sin City, following in the footsteps of Adele and Celine Dion. She has not toured in North America since 2011, so her shows at the Voltaire nightclub at The Venetian in Las Vegas will be a major US return.
Minogue has promised extravagant costumes and dances, saying that at this point in her career she has "earned the right to" play Las Vegas. "I've performed a couple of times at Vegas, but as part of a tour, and particularly when I did the Showgirl tour in 2004 - at that time we said, 'oh, this feels like a Vegas show', the Australian pop star said at a Los Angeles news conference.
The show will be based in a smaller venue that allows Minogue to give guests and fans a more personal show. "I want it to be the kind of essence of what a Kylie show has b

UK - Henley Festival, known for its refinement and elegance, made a triumphant return this year, commemorating a significant milestone. RG Jones, the provider of sound systems, celebrated four decades of collaboration with the festival. The riverside location presented audio challenges, particularly with the Floating Stage.
Overcoming the technical feat of achieving consistent audio coverage for both the audience inside and outside the auditorium, given the relatively short front-to-back distance and expansive space, RG Jones, under the guidance of designer Simon Honywill, tackled the challenge with the acclaimed MLA Compact system from Martin Audio. The advanced control technology of MLA enabled precise adjustments to meet licence conditions, ensuring optimal sound levels and minimising offsite noise.
The festival showcased an extraordinary line-up featuring Rag'n'Bon

Italy - Powersoft is preparing for a new era of growth in Japan following the opening of a dedicated office in Tokyo.
The Japanese office is the Italian company’s fourth, joining its headquarters in Scandicci, its US business in Flanders (New Jersey) and its China representative office in Beijing.
Spearheading Powersoft’s expansion in Japan is its newly appointed market development manager, Haruka Murayama, a pro-audio veteran who brings nine years’ industry experience to the role. Murayama most recently spent five years in sales with Bose Professional’s Japanese subsidiary, where she became familiar with X Series, Powersoft’s high-powered live sound amplifier platform, and previously worked for the Japanese distributor of Harman, Shure and DPA Microphones.
The opening of a representative office in Japan is part of Powersoft’s strategy for growth by i

UK - Lancashire-based event management specialist Glasgows has been a leading UK supplier for more than 35 years, working with a wide range of organisations. In 2021, Glasgows provided production for Green Zone at the UN’s Climate Change Conference, COP26, a measure of the esteem in which the company is held.
Until recently, the company had hired in audio systems to cover the needs of specific events, but a change in the circumstance of a regular supplier prompted Glasgows to explore the possibility of investing in own equipment. As champions of sustainability the company seeks, wherever possible, to reduce its impact on the environment, so as well as addressing an immediate logistical challenge, the company saw an opportunity to invest in a long-term, future-proof solution. Having decided that an outright purchase was the way forward, they consulted with Bradford-based su

UK - The ABTT’s International Theatre, Engineering and Architecture Conference (ITEAC) has announced its most ambitious schedule yet, including over 50 sessions from around the world for its 2023 edition at the IET, London on 19-20 September 2023.
With contributors from Australia, America, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Japan, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea and Wales – ITEAC 2023 brings more variety to the table than ever before. A full timetable has now been released. The programme includes a variety of live seminars and discussions informed by short films and pre-recorded presentations from prestigious projects and commentators.
Delegates can expect discussion, debate and sharing of best practice, with those attending the IET London event able to create new connections and forge lasting collaborative relationshi

Australia - Following record-breaking attendance in 2023, Australia's largest festival, Vivid Sydney, is inviting expressions of interest (EOI) for its 2024 event programme.
In 2023 Vivid Sydney attracted more than 3.28m attendees who experienced the 300+ light, music, ideas and food events of the programme. Now, artists, musicians, thought leaders and food creatives are invited to submit an EOI to be part of the 2024 programme under the unified, creative vision – Vivid Sydney, Humanity.
Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox said Vivid Sydney presented an opportunity for those in the creative sector to showcase their talents to a large and far-reaching audience as part of an event that exemplifies Sydney’s standing as the major events capital of the Asia Pacific. “Vivid Sydney is a globally recognised event that brings together creativity, innovation and technolog

UK – Consultancy 3LR Lighting has announced another addition to its portfolio of leading lighting brands, with the inclusion of LED manufacturer, Schnick-Schnack-Systems.
From its manufacturing base in Germany, Schnick-Schnack-Systems produces individual, ready-to-use lighting solutions with associated controls for a broad range of applications, especially television and film studios, architectural projects, system integrations, cruise ships and events. Its range of LED components includes strips, tiles and dots designed for decorative use in all types of environment, for indoor or outdoor use.
“With 3LR we merge two excellent teams,” says Solveig Busler, speaking on behalf of Schnick-Schnack-Systems. “With the expertise of 3LR we have a brand representative that understands our product range and will make it easier for the customers to explore our products. 3

UK - Void Acoustics is proud to be associated with Art Designers This is Loop whose large-scale audio-visual sculpture Emergence has recently been shortlisted for a CODAaward.
Emergence is an immersive audio-visual installation which features Void Acoustics’ sculpted Cyclone 55 fixture. This weather-protected IP-55 rated speaker was ideal for the artwork, which is predominantly displayed in outside environments.
Artist Alan Hayes is one of the partners of This is Loop - a collaborative artistic partnership which tours large-scale experiential architectural installations and sculptures to city centres and events across the UK and the world.
As the creator and architect of Emergence, Alan was adamant about his decision to work with Void Acoustics on this particular sculpture. The brief was to provide the audio aspect of the installation whi

USA - Gateway Productions in Newburyport, Massachusetts has purchased 28 Ayrton Domino Profile fixtures for use on productions and installations and to add to its rental inventory. Domino is an IP65 multi-function luminaire with extraordinary light power and a full feature set that’s designed for intensive outdoor use. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.
Gateway Productions services all special events and provides a wide range of AV equipment rentals. The company produces more than 1,000 events annually helping with every step of the process from initial ideas to planning, logistics and execution. The Domino purchase marked the first Ayrton acquisition for Gateway, which immediately installed them for an eight-month run at The Brooklyn Mirage, an open-air music venue at the heart of Avant Gardner.
Avant Gardner is an 80

UK - Following on from a Spring visit to Australia and New Zealand, Kurt Vile and The Violators hit the road in the UK and Europe touring in support of the 2022 studio album, Watch My Moves. The Philadelphia psych rock star’s audio crew continues to choose Britannia Row Productions for equipment rental and international tour support.
FOH engineer Aaron Brody began working with Vile six years ago, and as of last year, has been pulling double duty as Tour Manager. “We’ve been with Brit Row since I started working with Kurt, when I was originally mixing monitors. He’s actually the first artist I've toured with overseas, and this has given me the ability to rent a production package,” he says.
“I love working with Brit Row; the prep days in their shop are the best! It’s important to know, when you’re mixing and tour managing, that your gear is going to be

UAE - As house riggers at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, Unusual Rigging & Engineering is used to handling the requirements of the array of different events that are hosted there. However, The International Indian Film Academy Awards 2023 presented URE with its biggest project at the venue to date.
URE’s Richard Hoare explained: “IIFA is a massive event - the Bollywood equivalent to the Oscars - held annually, it celebrates the best talent the Indian film industry has to offer. This year we were asked to supply our venue rigging services for the event. This involved more than 316 points to suspend more than 105 tonnes of production equipment. This was 100+ more points than we rigged for the 2022 event and three times the amount we’d expect to put in for a normal show.”
One of the big challenges this year was time. The venue was booked back-to-back with ev

USA - Audio-Technica has recognised Mavric Incorporated with its Samurai Award for the 2022/2023 fiscal year, for representing Audio-Technica in the US Southeast, covering Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama.
Audio-Technica held the awards ceremony to honour its dedicated force of manufacturer’s representatives on the eve of the InfoComm Expo on 13 June, 2023, in Orlando.
Mavric Incorporated was congratulated for outstanding sales performance and bestowed with Audio-Technica’s Samurai doll. Mavric Principal Pete Petty accepted the award, which was presented by Reid Peterson, Audio-Technica US executive director, system solutions, and Jeff Beck, Audio-Technica US territory sales manager, system solutions.
Peterson said: “We are proud to honour Mavric once again with our Samurai Award. Pete Petty and the res

UK - Production Futures exists to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries. The organisation has announced that its flagship On Tour event will take place at Production Park, Wakefield on Thursday 28 September.
Featuring international special guest speakers, panel discussions and learning zones, the event will place emphasis on the theme of transferable skills across the production industries. Production Futures’ diversity partners will also play an important role on the day with Black Lives in Music, The Association for Black Event Professionals, Women in Live Music and The Network of Women in Events, all represented. New features for this year’s event include new ‘speed networking’ and ‘recruitment’ areas.<

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