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19 May 2025

South Africa - Founded and headed by the charismatic Kagiso Moima Wa Masimini – KG to those who find the pronunciation a little complex – Blackmotion is a busy, innovative, and well-respected technical production and rental company based in Kew, Johannesburg.

KG’s passion for lighting has driven the company’s successful path since 2005 and there are now over 100 Robe moving lights in its inventory, which has been part of the success, and these fixtures are constantly busy servicing a range of high-end corporate, business, and social events.

Backmotion invested in Robe right from the start. In 2005, and for the next four years, KG was initially focused on lighting design work. The trajectory shifted around 2009 when he started purchasing kit, and the first moving lights – six Robe ColorSpot 250E ATs – joined the company.

KG continu

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19 May 2025

UK - Essential Event Management (EEM) is a full-service events organiser with a growing client base of faith-based organisations and charities. Peter Purkiss is lead events production co-ordinator at EEM and trialled the UNiKA Pro Series DIs on the recommendation of UK distributors AUX Import.

Purkiss comments: “At EEM our work is varied. Anything from single smaller meetings to tours, roadshows and festivals. I am interested to try new audio solutions, especially when recommended by Mike and Callum at AUX Import, and the UNiKA DIs looked right, felt solid and were reasonably priced. A lot of our stages are acoustic guitars and keyboards oriented, and the UNiKA DIs sound great for this. We now have every Pro Series DI model with a jack input.”

Mick Brophy, business development manager at Mega Audio adds: “It’s great that EEM has adopted the U

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16 May 2025

Europe - In celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), Dante developer Audinate Group has announced a collaboration with the Netherlands’ Het Nationale Theater and XRAI to implement AI-enabled smart glasses with real-time subtitles for theatre-goers. GAAD promotes digital access and inclusion for more than one billion people with disabilities or impairments.

Starting this autumn, attendees at select performances by Het Nationale Theater in The Hague and on tour, including those who speak little or no Dutch or have hearing loss, can wear smart glasses for free that display subtitles in different colours to indicate which actor is speaking. Affectionately dubbed ‘LiveText’, the official launch is scheduled to take place at the end of June during the Holland Festival, the largest international performing arts festival in the Nether

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16 May 2025

UK - The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) has outlined ways industry can raise awareness and find solutions to the skills gap - the primary focus of Global Lifting Awareness Day (GLAD) 2025 on 12 June.

GLAD, upheld by the theme Lifting Careers, Building Futures, is dedicated to tackling the growing skills shortages across the lifting industry and promoting practical tools to attract new talent. The day is a launchpad to inspire the next generation to explore careers in lifting.

LEEA will exclusively reveal the findings of its State of the Lifting Industry survey on GLAD. However, it has urged members and other stakeholders to create their own campaign contributions that can be submitted in advance and promoted via LEEA platforms on the day. LEEA wants to hear directly from the lifting industry about what they’re alre

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16 May 2025

Germany - Acoustics and media technology consultancy ADA Acoustics & Media Consultants GmbH (ADA-AMC) has officially been renamed WSDG Berlin GmbH, marking the next step in the company’s evolution and deeper integration into the international WSDG network. The change took effect at the end of March 2025.

Founded in 1990 by acoustician Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Ahnert as ADA – Acoustic Design Ahnert – the company has been a pioneer in the fields of electroacoustics, acoustic simulation, and AV system design. Since 2017, WSDG has held a majority stake in the Berlin-based firm and has played a key role in shaping its development. The name change underscores the continued collaboration and alignment with the global WSDG organisation, while preserving the engineering excellence and values established over more than three decades.

“This new name refle

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16 May 2025

UK - The Theatre nominations for The Profile Awards 2025 have now been published on the TPA website. The Theatre section is judged by eight of the UK’s leading theatre, dance and opera critics chaired by David Benedict (Variety). Every single new production seen is automatically eligible for consideration and, as each judge may see around two hundred shows over the year, that is a significant amount of work that gets covered. (https://profileawards.com/theatre-nominations-2025/)

The Profile Awards Theatre Sponsors are:

@chauvet_pro  - Outstanding Achievement in Theatre Award

@elationlighting - Outstanding Achievement in Dance Award

@elctronictheatrecontrols - Outstanding Achievement in Opera Award

@fix8group - Outstandi

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15 May 2025

USA - ACT Entertainment has been selected as a US distributor for the live sound portfolio from Avid. ACT and Avid will officially debut this partnership at InfoComm 2025.

ACT Entertainment has a proven track record of building infrastructure and market presence for premium brands, such as Ayrton, MA Lighting and PK Sound. This new partnership represents a significant expansion in Avid’s US strategy and underscores its commitment to serving the professional live sound community with exceptional service and support.

“The partnership with Avid represents another major step forward in our strategic initiative to build the ACT Entertainment portfolio with class-leading solutions across all categories of entertainment technology,” says ACT CEO Ben Saltzman. “We have long admired Avid’s commitment to innovation, and we believe this collaboration

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15 May 2025

Singapore - For the third successive year, Martin Audio and Generation AV entertained all APAC distributors at their Singapore Experience Centre to celebrate growth and discuss future opportunities.

Attending the recent event, Dom Harter, Martin Audio managing director, shared updates from across the Audio Reproduction division of the Focusrite group, which also includes Linea Research, Optimal Audio and TiMax. Harter confirmed: “More partners are representing multiple brands, and while we want to ensure that each brand continues to flourish in its own right, there are increasing opportunities for convergence and valued-added solutions to customers.”

Addressing the notable interest in spatial audio which naturally leads to the potential sale of additional loudspeakers and electronics, the agenda included dedicated demonstrations of TiMax panLab a

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14 May 2025

Europe - ARRI has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its subsidiary Claypaky to new strategic owner, EK Inc, headquartered in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, China. Operating one of the most advanced lighting production and development facilities in the industry, EK Inc. offers a strong foundation for Claypaky, which is a world-renowned brand recognised globally as a leading provider in the high-end professional entertainment lighting market.

“This decision is part of our strategic realignment as we focus more strongly on our core business,” says Chris Richter, managing director of ARRI. “Clearly recognising Claypaky’s potential, it was important to us to find a new owner who pursues next level growth based on a deep understanding of the market and a long-term strategic vision - for both Claypaky and its customers.

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14 May 2025

World - Absen has successfully launched 20 more showrooms across key locations worldwide, available for scheduled visits by appointment. The showrooms are strategically situated in China (Shenzhen, Huizhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hong Kong), the United States (New York, Orlando, and Los Angeles), the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

This global expansion underscores Absen’s ongoing commitment to offering cutting-edge solutions and exceptional localised services, says the company. Now with a grand total of 78 showrooms (including channel partners’ showrooms) across five continents, Absen continues to strengthen its global footprint.

Absen opened its newly upgraded showroom in Germany in February 2025. The advanced display area is designed to provide a

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14 May 2025

Germany - Digital Signage Summit Europe will take place on 21-23 May at Hilton Munich Airport with ChromeOS by Google as the headline sponsor. The event, organised by invidis in partnership with Integrated Systems Events (ISE), will also be supported by Lenovo as premium event partner, M-Cube as technology partner, along with several other notable brands.

DSS Europe 2025 is poised to include the largest speaker line-up to date, as well as enhanced features and a variety of new experiences aimed at promoting networking, knowledge-sharing, and innovation. 

New for 2025 the DSS Europe app, sponsored by Lenovo, is a major highlight of this year’s summit. The app features an advanced matchmaking engine that suggests meaningful connections between delegates, as well as between delegates and exhibitors, based on shared interests. Users can seaml

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13 May 2025

France - Robert Juliat is proud to welcome Showlight 2025 to France for the first time in its history as it opens its doors in Dijon from 19-22 May.

This global quadrennial networking event for lighting professionals is itinerant by nature, choosing a new country and a new venue at each outing. France has a rich tradition in the arts and lighting which Robert Juliat is thrilled to showcase on an international stage.

“As a company that has been at the heart of the lighting industry for over a century, Robert Juliat is honoured to be the headline sponsor of Showlight 2025,” says Robert Juliat’s third generation managing director, François Juliat. “Bringing this prestigious event to France, the home of our heritage, is a moment of immense pride for us. For over 100 years, Robert Juliat has been synonymous with excellence in li

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13 May 2025

Europe/USA - Showstop Procedure courses have welcomed 125 event professionals since launching with The Pink Bows Foundation in the US at Houston Texas in March, followed by sessions in the UK and Denmark. 

Course Facilitators Mark Hamilton and Steve Allen delivered two accredited Showstop Procedure courses, hosted by Roskilde Festival, 10-11 May. They welcomed attendees from across Europe including Paleo Festival and Engage Festival. The next (sold-out) courses will run in Dublin (Ireland) and Glasgow (Scotland) in the coming weeks, with future courses scheduled from September being announced shortly.

Steve Allen comments: “The overwhelmingly positive feedback we’ve received from highly respected industry safety and production specialists, along with all of the courses selling out, has been humbling. We’ve updated th

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13 May 2025

Copyright Matters - The government has suffered another setback in the House of Lords over its plans to let artificial intelligence firms use copyright-protected work without permission. Yesterday (Monday), an amendment to the data bill requiring AI companies to reveal which copyrighted material is used in their models was backed by peers, despite government opposition. It is the second time parliament’s upper house has demanded tech companies make clear whether they have used copyright-protected content.

The vote came days after hundreds of artists and organisations including Paul McCartney, Jeanette Winterson, Dua Lipa and the Royal Shakespeare Company urged the Prime Minister not to “give our work away at the behest of a handful of powerful overseas tech companies”. The amendment was tabled by crossbench peer Beeban Kidron and was passed by 272 vote

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12 May 2025

Australia/USA - The Freedman Group, parent company of audio brands including Rode, Mackie, Aphex, SoundField, and Event Electronics, has announced the acquisition of US manufacturer of professional wireless audio systems Lectrosonics.

Founded in 1971 and headquartered in New Mexico, USA, Lectrosonics has been at the forefront of UHF wireless audio technology for film, broadcast, and high-end theatre applications for over five decades. The company received an Academy Award in 2017 for its revolutionary Digital Hybrid Wireless Technology – further cementing its status as the gold standard in professional wireless audio and the equipment of choice for audio professionals worldwide.

"We are thrilled to welcome Lectrosonics to The Freedman Group family," said Peter Freedman, founder and owner of The Freedman Group. "For decades, Lectrosonics has been sy

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12 May 2025

UK – The Theatres Trust reports that it has been able to support 21 ambitious theatres with vital projects that will ensure these important cultural spaces can continue to serve their local communities for many years to come.

In the eighth round of the Small Grants Programme with The Linbury Trust, 21 community theatres received grants of up to £5,000 to support vitally important projects.

The vast array of projects funded in this round illustrates the many ways that theatres are keen to improve their buildings to welcome wider audiences and host a broader range of performances and activities.

Arts Centre Washington in Sunderland, Barn Theatre in Welwyn Garden City, Corn Exchange in Newbury, Little Angel Theatre in London, The Place Theatre in Bedford, and The Y Centre in Leicester receive funding for projects to improve their acc

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09 May 2025

UK - L-Acoustics staged its Keynote 2025 event at London’s Roundhouse Theatre. The invitation-only gathering drew attendees from 40 countries to witness the unveiling of a comprehensive suite of audio innovations and strategic partnerships.

“The emotional connection between a performer and the audience results from the perfectly crafted collaboration between artists who create the source, engineers who perfect the system, and venues that curate the space to deliver exceptional experiences," said Laurent Vaissié, co-CEO at L-Acoustics. "The innovations announced at our 2025 Keynote support our vision to create the best shared sound experiences."

The audio innovation ecosystem introduced by L-Acoustics includes a suite of products and solutions built to harmonise artistry, engineering, and venue acoustics, rooted in three essential pillar

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09 May 2025

Europe - Belgrade, Serbia-based Light and Sound Design (LSD), headed by Milan Scepanovic and run by him and his team, became a Robe distributor for the Serbia with Kosovo region in 2023 and have been very successful with the brand.

Their area of operation has now been extended to embrace the entire Balkans region – adding Bosnia & Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Montenegro to their list.

Avolites and LSC Control Systems – also Robe businesses – have chosen to go with LSD distribution to stimulate their presence throughout the Balkans and additionally in Albania, together with all the strategic advantages this will bring to LSD’s customers.

LSD is a stocking distributor, and for speed, efficiency and quick turnaround will always aim to have a large stock of Robe moving lights in the warehouse, ready for immediate dispatch. The rea

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09 May 2025

UK - Sixty82 has announced the opening of its new UK office at Production Park in Wakefield - the dynamic hub for live events, touring, and production industries.

Having successfully served the UK market for years via distribution, Sixty82 is now taking the next step in its growth by establishing a full presence in the country to further enhance the already strong product support, improve lead-times and listen even more closely to its UK customers.

The UK office will be led by managing director Tom Richter, who brings a wealth of experience from his time as UK head of integration at TAIT. Working alongside him is technical director Johnny Marshall, a well-known and highly respected figure in the trussing and staging industry.

“Sixty82 has always believed in being where our customers are,” said Tom Richter. “With our new office and exten

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09 May 2025

Europe - Designer and manufacturer of high-performance, precision-engineered lighting, Light Forms, has announced the appointment of their first European distributor – VisionTwo based in Germany.

VisionTwo is a distribution company for professional theatre, architecture, TV/studio and event technology, supplying modern and innovative lighting technology. This made them the ideal choice to become the dedicated European distributor for Light Forms.

The agreement will offer VisionTwo’s clients access to the Light Forms suite of made-to-measure high-performance lighting solutions. This includes MoonFull,  Moonband 60, Moonring, Lightplane 2.5, Lightplane 1S, Round Lightplane 1 and Lightplane 1 Concave.

Harry Prior, managing director from Light Forms said: “With an eye on growth, we knew that securing better distribution and supply across E

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09 May 2025

UK - London-based integrators, Tateside, has hired two new employees on an apprenticeship basis as part of their commitment to fostering the next generation of AV industry professionals. As part of their training, George and Joe will shadow the Tateside team on projects, undergo technical training and spend time with different departments to gain an understanding of the integration business and the world of AV.

“Many of us started out in AV quite young, and we want to give others the opportunity to do the same,” says Jack Cornish, technical director at Tateside. “It can be difficult for people to find a clear career route into the integration business, so through these apprenticeships, we are offering a path to a future in AV that will hopefully inspire these young people to continue their journey within the company or the wider industry.”

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08 May 2025

USA - Michelle Guadalupe Felix Garcia must be one of the few sound engineers on the planet to have been personally asked by Chris Martin to help Coldplay record at their studio.

How she got there is a story of pure determination and an ambition to raise awareness that has led to the formation of the Audio Accessibility Alliance (AAA), a Clair Global backed industry think tank that aims to open conversations and create meaningful change around disability in entertainment technology and live event production.

When Michelle, who is a blind sound engineer, contacted Live Nation about possible employment opportunities, it marked the beginning of a high-level industry wake-up call.

Live Nation's director of production David Helberg, and VP of concert production Mike Marchetti, invited Michelle to The Conference: Live at Lititz in December

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08 May 2025

USA - After Matt Stephens and Josh Watson of Afterglow Lighting were introduced to Elation’s new Paragon LED profile fixture at LDI in December – courtesy of Chris Healy from the manufacturers’ rep firm Healy Sales – they knew they wanted a closer look, and it didn’t take long before a full demo of the LDI award-winning LED moving head was arranged.

“We’ve been extremely impressed with Elation’s innovation and design over the past decade, and the Paragon is another standout example,” stated Josh Watson, production manager at Afterglow. “We had a gap in our inventory that needed filling, and this fixture was the perfect choice. We were immediately drawn to its IP54 rating, shutters, output, and weight – key features that really stood out to us given its size.” He added: “Our relationship with Chris Healy is one of the main reasons we

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08 May 2025

UK - There’s no denying that event production is evolving, and the demand for high-quality, seamlessly integrated technical equipment has never been greater. As events have grown larger, more immersive, and increasingly complex, the role of technical suppliers has shifted. Gone are the days of simply delivering functional equipment; today, every piece of kit must meet rigorous performance standards while blending seamlessly into its surroundings.

At DCLX, the goal is to create an environment where technology enhances rather than distracts, allowing audiences to engage fully with the event’s creative vision. From cables to weights, lighting fixtures to truss systems, every element we supply is carefully considered to ensure the highest level of quality and reliability.

“Truss plays a foundational role in event production, providing the structura