UK - Although 2020 was a dark year for many, there have been glimmers of light along the way; software provider Stardraw.com has been pleased to record two significant milestones during the 20th anniversary year of its incorporation. First, in 2020, for the first time in the company’s history, more than 250,000 user sessions for Stardraw Design 7 were logged. Secondly, as a result of new processes and practices introduced in 2019 to streamline the Product Request Service, the queue of approved product requests was reduced to zero for the first time ever. “While we may not have felt like celebrating our 20th anniversary and, like so many others, our business has been impacted by the pandemic, we’re thrilled to have achieved two landmark milestones during what was inevitably a difficult year,” says Stardraw CEO, Rob Robinson. “A ‘user session’ is defined as someo
Israel - Over 150 theatrical venues, concert halls, music clubs and sport arenas across the whole of Israel – in cities and communities large and small – were lit up in red on 26 December 2020 in a ‘Red Alert evening of action’ designed to highlight culture and the arts and the immense amount of enjoyment, entertainment and value that it brings to all. The spontaneous event – that began like so many of these organic movements as an animated conversation – was organised by multidisciplinary artist, musician and lighting designer Nadav Barnea, together with lighting designer Baruch Shpigelman, and it energised and united engineers, technicians, designers and directors working in every discipline in the sector - lighting, sound, video, staging, rigging, visual, scenic, cameras and broadcast. Delighted to participate was another leading Israeli lighting design
USA - Audinate is offering a free seminar during NAMM 2021 on the topic of Getting Back to Music Education and Professional Live Performances. The seminar explores how Dante is enabling many different types of live performances while maintaining social distancing and room occupancy safeguards for all. Also available is a new overview of the Dante AV video-over-IP solution from Audinate, and Level 1 and 2 of the popular Dante Certification Course. That means no matter where you are in the world, and no matter your familiarity with Dante, you can gain valuable training and practical insights on using Dante in real-world, AV-over-IP integrations, says Audinate. The seminar and training sessions go live on 18 January, however, video will be available on demand through February. Registration for the events is available now at
USA - Companies joining the Behind the Scenes Pledge-of-Support Programme make a long-term commitment to support the work of the charity through the sale of their products or services. The organisation reports that despite the unprecedented challenges of the past year, these companies stepped up to honour their commitment with 2020 donations and Behind the Scenes is extraordinarily grateful for that support. “Our deepest thanks go to Concert Shop, ETC, Evoke Collaborative, Gray Matter Visual, HG Lighting Design, InCord, J-4 Design, Light Touch Designs, Lightswitch, Litegear, Rosco, TMB, and Westview Productions,” says BTS. “We encourage you to support these companies in whatever way you can, because they are supporting you during good times and bad.” To join the programme, companies pledge a percentage of profits of the sale of a product or service to the chari
Europe - Elation Professional is set to resume its Innovation Hour livestream presentations on 21 January with a discussion of the various types of colour mixing systems found in today’s modern automated luminaires and the pros and cons inherent in each. The ability to create millions of different hues from a single lighting fixture is perhaps the greatest benefit of an intelligent luminaire. Elation national sales manager John Dunn and global product manager Matthias Hinrichs will be live on 21 January (Thursday) at 10:00 a.m. PST as they examine additive and subtractive colour mixing including the different types of RGB colour mixing systems, CMY colour mixing, DTW, and Elation’s proprietary SpectraColor system. The Elation Hour and Elation Innovation Hour are virtual presentations and discussions that address lighting and lighting markets, products and product
Germany - Coda Audio has announced the appointment of Wilhelm & Willhalm Event Technology Group as a dealer partner in southern Germany. Founded 30 years ago, Wilhelm & Willhalm is based in Munich and will offer the complete Coda Audio portfolio with immediate effect, including all high-end reinforcement systems for pro sound applications, as well as a comprehensive range of loudspeakers for fixed installation. Ton Groen, Coda Audio Deutschland managing director, is upbeat about the new sales alliance. “We are more than happy about this partnership,” he says. “Wilhelm & Willhalm has long been one of the most important players in our industry. We expect this new cooperation to result in an even greater market share for our high-quality systems, significantly widening distribution of our solutions. We have gained an excellent sales partner in Southern German
Australia - Meyer Sound has launched a direct, non-exclusive reseller network for the sales and marketing of its loudspeaker solutions in Australia and New Zealand starting January 2021. The new business model allows for greater factory-direct support to Meyer Sound customers in this growing market. “Audio Brands Australia has been a fantastic partner and has helped us grow Meyer Sound’s brand awareness over the past three years,” comments John McMahon, senior vice-president. “Learnings from the pandemic suggest that moving to a more direct model will benefit customers in this important market.” Over the decades, Meyer Sound products and technologies have earned widespread acceptance in Australia and New Zealand, with a number of systems installed in recent years. Examples include Telstra Theatrette Melbourne, Australian Outback Spectacular, and Townsville Ci
Norway - Chauvet has named Scandec as its exclusive distributor for Norway. The arrangement covers both Chauvet Professional and Chauvet DJ products. “Until now, lighting has been missing from our portfolio of products,” comments Roar Birkeland, CEO of Scandec. “Before adding any lighting brand, we wanted to be completely certain that it offered the quality that our customers associate with the Scandec name. The wide range, quality and reputation of Chauvet attracted us to them. Now we are very excited to offer our customers complete solutions that include excellent lighting products.” Stéphane Gressier, international sales director of Chauvet, adds: “We couldn’t be happier to have Scandec as our exclusive distributor in Norway. The dedication and energy that the Scandec team brings to the table will help us build on the momentum we have established in Nor
India - Assistive listening specialists Contacta Systems has entered the Indian market with a new partnership with pro-audio distributors, Audcomm. The relationship will introduce the complete Contacta range of hearing loops, RF, IR and window intercom systems to Audcomm’s customers across the country. Managing director, Puneet Kumar Kain, said the partnership will enable them to access new opportunities: “This is an exciting cooperation for Audcomm which will further strengthen our distribution network. “With more than five decades of innovation in assistive listening technologies, Contacta’s high-quality portfolio will assists us in maximising opportunities which we couldn’t previously because of not having the right products in our range. We will ensure success for Contacta in India and look forward to a long-lasting partnership.” During the
USA - When the 2021 NAMM Show had to be cancelled due to continued COVID concerns, the association pivoted its focus by creating a digital alternative known as Believe in Music Week, running from 18-22 January. L-Acoustics reports that it is fully supporting NAMM this month by sponsoring a virtual marketplace booth, where it will be hosting a comprehensive line-up of eight video sessions on a variety of topics, all with live Q&A. Visitors can also book online meetings with L-Acoustics team members, chat live, and receive special access to swag and an exciting giveaway. Of particular note will be the booth’s keynote session, Contour XO IEM Origins Story, moderated by FOH engineer Chris Rabold (Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé). This will be a Zoom ‘fireside chat’ discussion with L-Acoustics founder and president Dr. Christian Heil and JH Audio founder an
Italy - D-Tools System Integrator is a comprehensive software solution for AV system integrators that improves operating efficiencies by streamlining the entire project workflow - all through a data-driven process that leverages an extensive, integrated product library which now includes Powersoft’s product range. Powersoft’s partnership with D-Tools provides D-Tools software users with Powersoft’s detailed specification, along with dealer-specific pricing, which minimises time users spend on building catalogues or AV proposals. The software benefits users further by managing budgets and sales, improving opportunities, accurately tracking revenue and expenses, and, due to all of this, increasing profitability, says the company. In the webinar, Powersoft will teach users how to work with Powersoft’s products within D-Tools’ software. AV system integrators wil
Pistol Package - Trainspotting director Danny Boyle is to make a six-part TV series about 1970s punk icons the Sex Pistols. Based on guitarist Steve Jones's memoir, it will star Anson Boon as John Lydon and Louis Partridge (Enola Holmes) as Sid Vicious. Filming is due to start in March for US TV network FX. No UK broadcaster has been announced yet. "Imagine breaking into the world of The Crown and Downton Abbey with your mates and screaming your songs and your fury at all they represent," said Boyle, announcing his new project. "This is the moment that British society and culture changed forever. It is the detonation point for British street culture, where ordinary young people had the stage and vented their fury and their fashion - and everyone had to watch and listen.” Air Conditioning - London’s 100 Club is to pioneer trials of
Europe - BroaMan and Spiritland OB will co-host a Zoom-based webinar on 14 January, at 14.00hr GMT (15.00 CET, 9.00 EST). BroaMan’s point-to-point fibre transport solution, based on the Repeat48WDM platform, was selected by one of the UK's leading OB trucks - Spiritland One - to provide a multi-format stagebox system to run multiple video, audio and data signals between stage and truck. Co-hosts, Spiritland co-founder, Antony Shaw, and BroaMan technical sales manager, Maciek Janiszewski, will present a case study on this advanced system design, and how they evolved such a compact custom solution. The session will incorporate an interactive Q/A. BroaMan itself offers customised fibre solutions as well as standard devices for every application that requires IP/SDI/HD/3G video transport or routing. Webinar is at
The Netherlands – Tasked by a Regional Public Health Service with finding an effective solution for a new COVID-19 testing centre to enable its 18 test bays to signal for technical assistance, Backbone International turned to tried-and-tested event production technology from digital communications specialist Green-GO. The company, a leading production management and temporary infrastructure specialist with operations worldwide, is well used to delivering the best technical solutions for any number of environments. Faced with this signalling challenge as part of a systems integration project for a testing facility in Eindhoven, they turned to Green-GO, and its Beacon call indicator units. Developed for the event production industry, the Green-GO Beacons have a transparent outer case and light up when receiving a call. Backbone’s Daniël Zwaan explains, “The testin
Norway - Bølgen Kulturhus in Larvik is a multi-purpose, multi-use venue that welcomes thousands of patrons annually for concerts, cinema, and theatre presentations, as well as conferences and events of all descriptions. With the recent installation of an Adamson Systems Engineering E-Series PA in its main hall, Storsalen, Bølgen has extended its already substantial capabilities to present the wide variety of programming it offers and the diverse range of events it hosts. Previously, Norwegian distributor Benum provided Bølgen with Adamson rigs for the venue’s other two, smaller performance/event spaces: eight IS10, four IS119 subs, four PC5, and two D120 amplifiers in ‘Sanden Scene’; and eight S7, two IS119 and two D120 for Blåboksen. In the Storshalen space, Benum has now installed a system comprised of 20 E12 (flown 10 per side), six E219 subs, and four S7p
Europe - German networked audio and interconnectivity specialist DirectOut has announced a collaboration with the Italian-based team of Vivivaldy to establish a tailored service for uncompressed audio transmission over public WAN connections. Driven by the success of the first Lockdown Rock projects which allowed artists and audio professionals to work together remotely in real-time, the experts from both companies decided to join forces and create an ‘out-of-the-box’ solution. Luca Giaroli, product manager at DirectOut, comments, “Our products deploying Ravenna technology have already proven their worth in remote production and broadcast environments. Since the constraints of the pandemic have forced large parts of the audio industry to shut down their businesses, we were thinking about lowering the entry-level of this technology for the pro audio industry. For
Europe - Global event production company PSAV has announced that it will begin to operate under the Encore name as part of a planned move to align its portfolio of companies, including Hawthorn and AVC Live, under a master brand. Announced in March 2020, the move “solidifies the company’s desire to unify its operations and deliver industry leadership through end-to-end creative, production and technology services to its meeting planner customers and hotel partners, taking them far beyond traditional AV services”. “This is an exciting day for our family of companies,” said Ben Erwin, president and CEO. “In a world changed by the pandemic, the Encore brand and new icon signal a forward focus. It puts our customers at the centre as we offer new platforms and tools to enable them to continue to meet and seamlessly connect in person and virtual audiences. We hav
Serbia - Ayrton has appointed Sky Corporation as its new, exclusive distributor for Serbia. Established in 1999, Sky Corporation specialises in distribution, retail and systems integration, and is a regional leader in event and production technologies and services. “At Sky Corporation we believe that high quality products and top performance are paramount in numerous applications and projects, and that's where Ayrton steps in,” says Sky Corporation director, Milan Cvetinovic. “In the entertainment industry, Ayrton products are high-end and we are happy to have the opportunity to introduce the Ayrton quality to our market. We have used all kinds of top-quality products in our production company but Ayrton is way above all of them. “We firmly believe that Ayrton will help us to build more value into the company and to our clients.” “We are delighted to
UK - 2021 sees the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) celebrate the diamond jubilee of its foundation. The Association will be marking this milestone with a year of online activities, and a resumption of the popular face to face in-person events when restrictions allow. It will also take the opportunity to dip into the rich depths of the ABTT Archive in order to share videos and interviews. Plus there will be more seminars, new awards, and events throughout the year. “It is a privilege to be part of the ABTT in its 60th year and to participate in its diamond jubilee,” says Robin Townley, CEO of the ABTT. “It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the role it has played throughout its existence in supporting those engaged in the design and construction of places of entertainment as well as those delivering technical and production support to live perform
UK - PLASA is hosting two free webinars this week on how to apply for the second round of grants from the Culture Recovery Fund (CRF). Taking place on Wednesday 13 January from 10am-12pm and Friday 15 January from 2pm-4pm, these webinars will be hosted by Caroline Taylor, an independent expert with a proven track record in successfully applying for £15m in Arts Council England funding, including the first round of the CRF and the ACE Emergency Fund. During each webinar you will explore the main application questions in detail which will help you submit a strong application. You will also learn about Grantium, the new Arts Council application portal which you are encouraged to register for prior to the webinar. Additionally, each webinar will have a dedicated Q&A section to answer any specific questions you may have regarding the application process. Following the
UK - With SpotTrack, the specialist entertainment software tool for making, modifying and maintaining followspot cue sheets, sold on a per-show basis, it provided an immediate measure of the shut down of the entertainment industry across the world last March: all sales stopped. But equally, it proved a barometer of an industry flickering back to life later in the year, with SpotTrack put to use on a number of the high-profile productions which re-opened for limited runs from the summer on. At the Troubadour Theatre in Wembley, lighting designer Ken Billington and associate LD Dale Driscoll put SpotTrack to use on Sleepless In Seattle, which had actually loaded in pre-lockdown and was then one of the first shows to get going again once London’s lockdown was lifted. Based on the movie of the same name, the show played a limited but well-received season, helping
USA - “New Year’s Eve at Lincoln Theatre has become one of our favourite traditions,” alt rockers BIG Something declared when announcing plans for a two-night NYE stand early in December. But during a pandemic, even traditions continued are traditions changed. This was true for BIG Something as well as the design team that lit their livestream shows. Rather than playing to a full house, the energetic six-piece band, which typically feeds voraciously off crowds, had to perform their NYE concerts in a virtually empty venue. Their lighting designer for the evenings, Daniel Thibault of Life Is Art Studios, also had to alter his normal way of doing things. Instead of running with the big beams and sweeping aerial effects that they normally favour, he and his team opted to work with more tightly focused wrap around looks that translated better to video. “Everyb
USA - Albert Grossman – music industry guru and manager of Bob Dylan, The Band, Janis Joplin, Odetta, and Peter, Paul, & Mary, among many others – founded the Bearsville creative complex in the 1970s in Woodstock, New York. Sadly, Albert died while the Bearsville Theatre was still under construction, and his widow, Sally Grossman, saw it through to completion in 1989. The John Storyk-designed theatre remains part of a complex that included restaurants, residences, the Utopia production studio, and a recording studio. The Rolling Stones, Isley Brothers, Ozzy Osbourne, REM, Peter Tosh, Phish, Dave Matthews Band, and many others recorded at the studio. The theatre is set to re-open with a Danley sound system in place. “Woodstock obviously holds a special place in music history, starting with the ‘Sound-Outs’ of the 1960’s that inspired the much larger Wood
USA - At short notice, Elizabeth Coco eagerly embraced the opportunity to light three concert videos for the First Baptist Church of Glenarden outside Washington DC. “Every year the church does spectacular Christmas and New Year’s Eve services, but due to COVID they had to reinvent things,” recalled Coco. “We did a series of filming over the course of seven days that included gospel performances from the church, as well as some partnering houses of worship in the area. From this, we created videos for the holidays as well as one for release later in 2021. I really enjoyed the challenge of taking on this project.” In the process, Coco not only expanded her creative horizons, she also discovered the capabilities of the Chauvet Professional Maverick series, as her “surprise rig” included six MK3 Spot and 12 MK1 Spot fixtures. “The performance of thes
