South Africa - Shaun Sebastian and Dino Moran have been recognised for their outstanding creative contribution to the #LightSAred campaign, each receiving a Shure Limited Edition microphone presented by South African distributor, Wild & Marr. On 5 August, the live events industry, under the banner of #LightSAred and supported by The Southern African Communications Industries Association (SACIA), Technical Production Services Association (TPSA) and SA Events Council, lit over 500 buildings and sites across South Africa, to draw attention to the desperate situation the industry has faced during South Africa’s lockdown restrictions. The ban on events has seen many businesses shut their doors after not having an income for almost six months. Over a two-week period leading up to the #LightSAred activation, Shaun Sebastian was responsible for creating the dynamic and
India - The pro audio community in India can now access Prism Sound’s range of converters and audio interfaces through Trimac Products, a leading audio company with offices in Dehli, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. With over 400 channel partners and representation for more than 20 pro audio brands, Trimac is well placed to bring the benefits of Prism Sound technology to the Indian market. Pankaj Kumar, Trimac’s chief operating officer, says, “Prism Sound’s products complement the products we already distribute and are a valuable and marketable addition to our roster. We are delighted to be able to offer this high end solution to our customers, many of whom are professional studios and hobbyist musicians. We also have customers in the education sector and we look forward to introducing them to the Prism Sound range.” Alongside its sales business Trimac, in
UK - Bristol-based production manager and lighting designer Tim Smith of TS-TS Productions utilised the power and practicality of Astera wireless lighting to illuminate his One-hundred Unseen, an innovative high-impact live art installation created as part of a UK nationwide campaign day on 11 August 2020 to the highlight the critical state of the live entertainment industry amidst the Coronavirus pandemic. Shows and events came to an abrupt halt in March, stranding companies, venues, organisations and a large community of freelance creatives and technicians without any income, with precious little government financial assistance, and currently, no roadmap to reopening. One-hundred Unseen featured 100 event professionals invited to take part in the art action - dressed in stage blacks with red masks arranged in a socially distanced formation on College Gr
Australia - Studio Connections will be the new home for Point Source Audio’s range of microphones and headsets in Australia. The move is a result of Point Source Audio looking to build on its already strong reputation in the country with the appointment of a new distributor dedicated to the market. Point Source Audio microphones and headsets have been available in Australia for a number of years. Various products have featured on a number of international touring productions over the years, creating an ever-increasing demand and the need for a new partner that was dedicated to this territory. Following an extensive search, Point Source Audio has decided that Studio Connections Australia is the right partner to meet this brief. “Studio Connections Australia is proud to have been appointed as the Australian distributor for Point Source Audio,” says Deborah Sloss, m
UK - Each Wednesday from 9 to 30 September, a line-up of the West End’s most well-loved singers will perform alongside some of theatre’s top musicians in West End Unplugged (live from L-Acoustics Creations), a series of four 45-minute charity concerts. Featuring top Olivier Award-winning talent from hit productions like We Will Rock You, Wicked, Beautiful, Come From Away, The Tina Turner Musical, the concerts will feature a mixture of show tunes and some of the performers’ personal favourite songs. The series is presented by choreographer Anthony Van Last and music director Ben Goddard and promises to be a joyful mix of music and relaxed chat. Guests stars include Mazz Murray, Alice Fearn, Sandra Marvin, Hugh Maynard, Aisha Jawando, Richard Fleeshman and Celinde Schoenmaker, Tim Howar, Siobhan McCarthy, Joe Stilgoe, Hanna
UK - ROE Visual will continue its support for the Backstage Academy, enabling a new generation of students to acquire relevant technical skills, working with the ROE Visual LED panels. ROE Visual firmly believes in the power of knowledge transfer. Next to the widely followed ROE Academy classes, supporting other training events and learning initiatives is self-evident in order to guarantee an influx of the next generation of young professional video technicians. The cooperation is an example of how industry-leading manufacturers can play a role in educating and inspiring the future generation of technicians. ROE Visual has supported the Backstage Academy since 2019, enabling the students to work with a range of LED panels, that are the standard choice for tours, events and film and broadcast productions. Backstage Students have enjoyed access to BP3, CB5 and the Black
Europe - Canada-based Bluesound Professional has announced the addition of two new distribution partners in Avero (Ukraine) and Kinovox (Denmark). “We are delighted to welcome another two great distributors to our European team. We are fortunate to be able to work with some of the best distributors in the business. These new relationships will help strengthen our strategic Bluesound Professional European distribution and growth,” said Graeme Harrison, vice-president and general manager, Bluesound Professional. Bluesound Professional is continuing its efforts to expand its ever-growing distribution network. Since its launch at the Integrated Systems Europe show in February 2019, the company has expanded its coverage to include all of North America, most of Europe and parts of Asia. As a growing commercial audio technology brand, Bluesound Professional encourages int
South Africa - #LightSAred, a campaign initiated by the Technical Production and Services Association (TPSA) and Southern African Communications Industries Association (SACIA), has made significant headway with government to devise a strategy for the industry’s survival during lockdown level 2. Campaign leaders encouraged stakeholders in the live events industry to remain positive, as discussions are being held with the South African government to ensure the survival of the entertainment industry and to present guidelines for reopening the sector. Sharif Baker, chair of the TPSA and spokesperson of the #LightSAred movement, along with representatives of SACIA and the SA Events Council, are in discussions with representatives from the Department of Sports Arts and Culture, including Charles Mabaso, chief director for cultural development and Topsy Musi, chief of staf
UK - PLASA has announced that registration for NRC (National Rigging Certificate) and enrolment for NELT (National Event Lifting Training) have re-opened following a short period of closure due to the pandemic. All NRC Assessment Centres and NELT Training Centres will re-open from September and will be completely COVID-compliant. “This positive move will enable candidates who registered for the NRC before the COVID-19 lockdown to resume their pathway to certification,” says PLASA. “Furthermore, these NRC candidates have been given an extra 12 months to complete their assessment.” NELT, which launched in May 2019, provides training for professionals who select and use lifting equipment commonly found throughout the events and entertainment industries. NRC is a recognised qualification for anyone actively working as a rigger in the industry. Assessment da
Risk Research - Scientists in Germany held three pop concerts in a single day to investigate the risks posed by mass indoor events during the pandemic. About 1,500 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 50 - only a third of the expected number - took part. But the head of the study, which was carried out in Leipzig by Halle University, said he was "very satisfied" with how the event unfolded. Singer-songwriter Tim Bendzko agreed to perform at all three successive gigs. The concert study, called Restart-19, was created "to investigate the conditions under which such events can be carried out despite the pandemic", researchers said. The first of Saturday's three concerts aimed to simulate an event before the pandemic, with no safety measures in place. The second involved greater hygiene and some social distancing, while the third involved half the numbers and each person stand
Armenia - Ayrton has appointed LSystemsPro LLC as its new exclusive distributor for Armenia, effective immediately. Based in Yerevan, LSystemsPro is one of the country’s leading companies for sales, design and installation of many major brands of professional lighting and audio equipment. “We work with many big event companies and large-scale venues, where we both sell and install the products we represent,” explains LSystemsPro founder and CEO, George Hakobyan. “We have been following the development of Ayrton closely and see there is great potential in the brand. We love the design and functionality of Ayrton products and believe there is great scope for the full range of their fixtures in this market.” LSystemsPro’s views were compounded by feedback received from other sales and rental companies and designers who have experience of using Ayrton pro
UK - Singer-songwriter Joe Bygraves has produced the single, Stand As One in support of charities helping the live entertainment and events industry. Its official release on Spotify, iTunes and all streaming services is today, 21 August at 12.00pm. The 24-year-old from Bedfordshire has written and performed the song, which aims to reach out to people struggling with issues surrounding mental health during and looking past the COVID-19 pandemic, especially focusing on the behind-the-scenes professionals who, in any other year, would be pulling together to create the infrastructure for world-class live performances. Joe was challenged to write the song by the organisers of the #MakeItBlue campaign started by the UK the events and entertainment industry to support colleagues in need, and to promote public mental health awareness through arts, culture and entertainm
China - Prolight+Sound Guangzhou (PLSG) 2020 is taking place from 21-24 August at the China Import and Export Fair Complex. Organisers Messe Frankfurt and the Guangdong International Science and Technology Exhibition Company say they have put all of the necessary safety precautions in place to provide a safe and effective business platform for the industry. “Participants will be able to reconnect with industry peers and explore sourcing and networking opportunities to help the industry reboot,” say the organisers, “677 exhibitors will utilise 80,000sq.m across eight halls. The fair will also provide enhanced services including online participation to facilitate interactions between buyers and exhibitors. Furthermore, over 40 seminars, forums and product demonstrations will be featured concurrently, highlighting the latest industry knowledge in the entertainment,
Europe - Wireless LED lighting manufacturer Astera has announced four new exclusive distributors for Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden reflecting the dynamics, diversity, and potential of these four key Nordic nations. In Denmark, Astera will be represented by Light Partner, Finland it is Oy Lafoy, in Norway Prostage takes up the Astera portfolio and in Sweden, Bellalite takes on the distribution. The move enables customers in each country to deal directly with a trusted and well respected local distributor, all of which have been chosen for their reach into both live show and events plus film and TV markets, in addition to their stellar after-sales service and support infrastructures, says Astera. “Astera sales to Scandinavia started to take off in 2011,” explained the brand’s sales director Sebastian Bückle. With the volume of business at that time, i
USA - Two world-renowned touring and sound reinforcement companies are joining forces to focus on building industry capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic pause. Clair Global has announced the acquisition of Eighth Day Sound Systems with the specific goal of continuing to support the dedicated relationships for touring customers from both rosters. The Eighth Day Sound brand will be maintained and will conduct business as it has for the last 40 years, under the same management and with the same staff. The company will become a stand-alone brand under the Clair Global umbrella, joining Britannia Row Productions in the UK, JPJ in Australia, and AudioRent Clair AG in Switzerland. Before the industry slowdown, Tom Arko, president of Eighth Day, and Troy Clair, owner of Clair Global, discussed how this union could further improve and strengthen future tour support.
USA - Inspired by efforts in the UK, mainland Europe and South Africa, the US live events industry is set to host its own #WeMakeEvents ‘Red Alert’ day of action on 1 September. Using the hashtags #WeMakeEvents #RedAlertRESTART and #ExtendPUA to gain momentum, the move represents a major call to action on Tuesday, 1 September, imploring the US Congress to pass the RESTART Act (S.3814) as quickly as possible, offering economic relief to America’s live events industry, which has been shuttered since March, 2020, putting millions of people out of work. Additionally, the movement is to support ExtendPUA.org in their efforts towards continuation and extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to provide relief to those without work due to COVID-19. #WeMakeEvents North American director, Brad Nelms comments: "The group has managed to gather incredible support fo
USA - Golden Age Hollywood movie mogul Jack L. Warner called it ‘The Castle of Your Dreams’. The Warner Grand Theatre is the last of a series of classic Southern California Art Deco-Moderne cinema palaces from the 1930s designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca and interior designer Anthony Heinsbergen that retains its original contours. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the theatre was renamed the Warner Grand Theatre in the 1980s, and in 1982 was designated as City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural-Monument #251. In 1996, the theatre was purchased by the Department of Cultural Affairs and has continuously operated this venue since that time. Now, the 1,525-seat historic film house in San Pedro, California hosts classic and art films as well as concerts and other live performances. It’s doing that with very modern sound thanks to newly installed D
UK - Lighting control manufacturer Zero 88 stages a product awareness livestream airing on Monday, 24 August, which will be broadcast from The Congress Theatre, Cwmbran - the nearest local theatre venue to the manufacturing facility. Usually busy with a lively programme of music and performance shows in the centre of Cwmbran, The Congress has been repurposed to function as a virtual studio during the pandemic and for the immediate future. The Zero 88 team will be highlighting some of the brand’s newest technologies and product releases during the stream and will be joined by local singer-songwriter Tobias Robertson offering live entertainment. This presentation will last 30 minutes and embrace all three primary Zero 88 product categories - control, data, and power. The stream will specifically address the new ZerOS Server, the Splitter 8 and Gateway 4 /
Financial Guidance - Guidance has been published on how arts organisations can apply for the government’s £270m repayable finance scheme. The repayable finance was announced as part of the government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund, which also includes £622m of grants. Theatres can either apply for grants of up to £3m or for loans for larger amounts. With the repayable finance package, which is geared towards larger organisations, the government aims to "stabilise cultural organisations until they can return to sustainable operations". Applications will be "assessed against rigorous cultural and economic criteria" including efficiencies made to date and ongoing viability for the future. Organisations will also be asked to demonstrate national or international significance and outline opportunities to engage local communities through education and outreach. Arts
Europe - Elation Professional’s European office recently launched The Elation Coffee Break on Facebook Livestream, an online presentation series that takes a up-close look at some of the company’s most popular product series. Elation continues the webinar series on Thursday, 20 August at 11:00 a.m. CEST with Elation technical sales specialist Alistair Smyth and international sales manager Frederik Afif looking at the innovative qualities of the Rayzor 760 and Proteus Rayzor 760 LED luminaires. The presentation will air live on Elation Europe’s Facebook page. No registration is required. The Rayzor 760 is an LED wash effect with wide zoom and innovative SparkLED pixel effect that offers all new design possibilities. Also available in an IP65 version, the Rayzo
USA - Based in the Metro Detroit area, Allen Audio Systems has offered client- and artist-focused sound reinforcement solutions for indoor and outdoor events in and around the state of Michigan for over 30 years. Now, with the addition of a sizeable E-Series system from Adamson Systems Engineering to its inventory, the company is poised to continue that mission with a wider scope and scale. “We decided to invest in an Adamson E-Series system based on the overwhelming success of the S-Series system we purchased for the Agora Theatre in Cleveland a couple of years ago,” begins Mark Allen, owner of Allen Audio Systems. “The comments about that system have all been really positive, and many touring artists have raved about it. Given that, we knew the next system we would add to our inventory was definitely going to be Adamson.” After making that initial decision, o
UK - A webinar designed to unite the live production industry in developing new working practices for a more sustainable approach has shown a “clear willingness” for change, according to The Sustainability in Production Alliance (SiPA). The panel discussion, broadcast live on social media channels as well as via a Zoom video meeting, brought together many of the leading companies and individuals who are committed to a more sustainable future for live event production. The webinar was a collaboration between SiPA, the Association of British Technicians (ABTT) and The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT). Top of the agenda was how the industry can use the current hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to create a more sustainable approach to its work. SiPA’s Carol Scott, principal advocate for sustainability at TAIT and SiPA, was joined by
USA - Clearwing Systems Integration has included Ayrton Diablo profile luminaires in provision of systems design and integration for the LED lighting upgrade at Waterford Union High School’s auditorium and other venues. The school is located approximately 25 miles southwest of Clearwing’s Milwaukee office. Clearwing was charged with modernising the high school’s outdated lighting inventory from house lights to theatrical instruments as they migrate from conventional and tungsten-based fixtures to an all-LED roster. “Flexibility and performance were the biggest factors in lighting fixture selection, along with the energy and cost savings that went along with moving to LEDs,” says Mitch Van Dyke, engineering & estimation at Clearwing Systems Integration. “The school trusted us to get the best lighting we could for their budget.” Clearwing chose A
USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has appointed AudioPros as its manufacturer’s representative serving Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island and both metro and upstate New York. This provides dealers, rental houses and regional production companies with access to EAW’s entire suite of products including its new ADAPTive Anya and Anna speakers, and Otto subwoofer. “Based on its solid reputation, we know that AudioPros will provide exceptional service to dealers and customers in the region,” says Paul Lamarre, national sales manager, EAW. “The Northeast territory is important for us as that is where our corporate headquarters is based, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with our neighbors at AudioPros.” Settling into its new greater Hartford County, Connecticut space, AudioPros is a manufacturer’s representative