PLASA has announced changes to its elected board including the appointment of Adam Blaxill as the new chair. Blaxill joined the PLASA Board as the Professional Services Representative in 2012 and was elected as vice-chair in 2014. He has been voted as the new chair of PLASA through a simple majority vote. Blaxill takes over from Ed Pagett who has served as chair for an extended seven years. During this time Pagett oversaw the de-merger with ESTA with the support of an executive committee which included Blaxill as vice-chair and Martin Hawthorn as treasurer. This valuable work enabled the survival and growth of PLASA. Pagett will continue to serve as a non-executive director, contributing his extensive knowledge and expertise to advise and support the association as it continues its work in the industry. As a director of Stage Electrics - one of the UK’s leading
UK - PLASA has announced the final additions to the programme for PLASA Focus Glasgow 2018 taking place at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) 17-18 January. Free registration is still open for the show which offers inspiring seminars, technical workshops, and cutting-edge training sessions. Funktion One founder, Tony Andrews will be hosting a seminar, in association with Steedsy.com, which will delve into the audio quality differences between file formats, file players, sound cards, and mixers using state-of-the-art Funktion One equipment. Observations and questions are welcome throughout the presentation. KV2 are set to demonstrate their latest loudspeaker products which are already making impressions internationally within theatre, worship, corporate, and DJ sectors. With demonstrations running throughout the show, visitors can inspect the ultra-compact passi
USA - Allen & Heath will present a wide range of classes at the inaugural AES@NAMM Pro Sound Symposium to be held concurrently with the 2018 NAMM Show. Jeff Hawley, marketing manager for Allen & Heath USA commented, “We are proud to join a select group of respected pro audio manufacturers in support of AES and NAMM to provide top-tier training for engineers of all levels and backgrounds. Allen & Heath will offer something for everyone at this symposium from focused masterclass-style sessions to a full dLive certification class with InfoComm International Renewal Units (RU).” Michael Bangs, veteran FOH and monitor engineer (Katy Perry, Eric Clapton, Aerosmith) and Allen & Heath USA live sound touring manager, will present three 60-minute Masterclass sessions to share tips and tricks accumulated over his years of experience on the road working
UK - The Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) announced the winners of its Michael Northen Award at the Annual Lighting Lunch on 18 December 2017 in London. The Michael Northen Award is supported by a further two awards: the Francis Reid Award and the ETC Lighting Award; and is awarded annually to students studying in the UK, who have demonstrated strong, imaginative and creative lighting design. Underlining its commitment to the nurturing of new talent in lighting design, the ALD placed the organisation and management of this year’s award into the hands of those closest to its effect; the ALD Student Committee. Head of the committee, Rory Beaton explains, “We have taken some time this year to implement improvements to the structure and processes of the award. As an example, to ensure greater consistency in the marking of the award we created more judges this y
World - Taking the reins from the former European master distributor AED Distribution, ETC Ltd and GmbH will now distribute High End Systems products in Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA). ETC Asia will take control of distribution for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. This is the latest step for ETC in “assisting High End Systems to even better serve their customers in the regions”. ETC welcomed High End Systems into the family in April 2017 and has already made significant investments in stocking, personnel and product support. This is set to continue, says the company, with a particular focus on EMEIA and APAC over the coming months. High End Systems general manager Becky Koester comments: “Since assuming the role of European master distributor several years ago, AED Distribution has made great strides in establishing High End Systems as a
UK - Dry-hire provider TSL Lighting has agreed to acquire corporate and event lighting specialist Blinding Light. The companies will continue to operate under their individual brands but under the leadership of TSL owner and MD Sam Tamplin and his senior team, with TSL account directors Dom Sheerman and Loz Wilcox assuming day-to-day management roles at Blinding Light. Tamplin comments: "Today's news marks the start of a fantastically exciting opportunity for both TSL and Blinding Light. The additional skills and equipment resource within our combined team will be a huge advantage to all of our clients, both existing and new. Our unique collaboration will allow TSL to continue to provide dry-hire, projects and trade rental, locally and nationally alongside Blinding Light's existing focus on the Corporate and Event market. "We are delighted to welcome t
UAE - Venuetech, recently appointed as Atlona’s chief regional manufacturer’s representative across the Middle East, Arabian Gulf and North Africa, held a technology seminar in December focused on the future of meeting and conference room solutions as end businesses transition AV operations to IP networks. Held at the Al Falak Ballroom in the Burj Al Arab luxury hotel in Dubai, The Future of Technology in the AV Industry gave the experts at Venuetech a centralised forum to communicate with system integrators and consultants working in the field. The chief focus was to deep-dive into what the company sees as the most innovative AV and conferencing technologies to address the IP transition and other important trends in commercial AV. Solutions from Arthur Holm, Atlona, Global Caché, and Televic were among those presented to the audience of 100 professionals from ar
USA - Behind the Scenes reports that Westview Productions has become its second Pledge-a-Service Partner by pledging to donate 25% of every service contract to the charity. Westview is an entertainment, energy, and immersive technology solutions company based in Denver, Colorado. Their project process encompasses all aspects of design that integrates with all construction trades to ensure a cohesive and seamless project experience. Westview has global experience in lighting, motion control, audio and A/V systems, media, and architectural systems allowing them to provide comprehensive services as a sole solutions organisation. On announcing the pledge, Tyler Wise, vice president sales and marketing, says: “Westview has always stood behind the Behind the Scenes mission. Whether it be promoting the Foundation to others in the industry or volunteering at the many events
Germany - Independent lighting and show designer Patrick Rabus used SGM's new all-in-one P-10 for the recent Itchy tour. Being on tour with the punk band posed certain challenges when it came to equipment - Rabus needed to achieve maximum output with just few resources and he chose four SGM G-4 Wash-Beams, two SGM P-5s, and six of the brand new SGM P-10. Rabus says: “The new features that SGM has implemented, such as the power-out and the degree indicator on the side of the lamp, make setting up much easier. So, if it has to be really bright and flexible, I'll take the P-10.” “For bands this size, the budget and the equipment weight are usually the main challenges. Since we were traveling with two Sprinters, there was not much room for lighting gear,” he reveleals. “In this equipment situation, I needed a fixture with a large coverage and, of course, th
USA - Worship technology provider AGI has joined the Adamson Network and is now providing sales and integration services for Adamson loudspeakers. The Oregon-based company recently installed a S-Series audio system at Capital Christian Centre in Sacramento, CA. “We had the opportunity to hear the Adamson S10 when [applications engineer] Rick Woida set up a system in our parking lot. Within moments, I knew we needed to be involved with this ground-breaking product,” says AGI CEO Greg Slape. “Being able to offer our customer base new technology in form factors designed for their market is exciting. The new IS-Series, along with the S-Series, are premium products with a very good cost-to-performance ratio, providing the HOW community with excellent premium loudspeaker solutions.” Rick Cole, lead pastor with Capital Christian Centre, explains: “AGI provide
UK - BRIT award-winning artist and songwriter Emeli Sandé has switched to a DPA d:facto Vocal Microphone for live gigs after taking advice from her sound engineers. Sandé's FOH engineer Gerard Albo, who has been mixing her recent arena tour, has long been a fan of DPA Microphones and regularly uses the company's products. However, it was while chatting with Sandé's monitor engineer Andy Williamson that the subject of vocal microphones came up. "It was actually Andy who suggested the d:facto for Emeli," says Albo. "The d:facto, in conjunction with our Sennheiser 6000 wireless system makes her voice sound very natural, with beautiful definition at the top end. This gives a HiFi feel to her live performances without much spill. On this tour, when Emeli sang and played piano in the middle of the Arena for six songs, I had no feedback issues. The microphone is incredibly
UK - Since Pearce Hire first committed to an intern development programme with local Further Education College Peterborough Regional College (PRC) over four years ago, the main Pearce Hire team has expanded with a number of permanent members of staff who honed their skills through the project. The internship programme at Pearce Hire is headed up by Jim Brown, warehouse manager, and students are given the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience of working at the HQ of this busy rental production company. Brown picks up the story: “This year there have been some new requirements set down for the students and their course work, and because we acknowledge the value the intern programme brings to Pearce Hire on a number of levels, then we were more than happy to adapt our structure to suit.” As a result, throughout 2017, Pearce Hire has embarked on v
USA - Clair Brothers has added two new companies in their growing sales network - Marshank Group and Quest Marketing. The Marshank Group serves southern California, southern Nevada and Arizona. Paul Hugo, principal of the Marshank Group, says: “I first mixed on a Clair Brothers PA back in the early 80’s at Radio City Music Hall when I was touring with Jose Louis Rodriguez. The S4 was ground-breaking back then and to have an opportunity to work with Clair Brothers, the company that has set so many standards since that time, is a lot of fun and an honour for me personally. “And with the Marshank Group, I relish the opportunity to take one of the best-known brands in the touring industry and introduce it to a large group of potential customers that didn’t know they could purchase that brand for use in their own designs and applications.” Quest Marketing is
UK - Dubai-based Protec has acquired Birmingham-based Aventeq. The UK company, which offers a comprehensive suite of services, including creative & technical design, production, lighting, audio, video, staging, rigging and venue support services, will be renamed to Protec European Events and continue to be lead by its founder Chris Bramwell. Stephen Lakin, Protec’s founder and CEO, says: “I have a lot of time for Chris Bramwell and the team. They have built up a strong business and I’m thrilled to welcome them into the Protec family. I am looking forward to the opportunity to introduce their customers to a wider global reach and more exciting tools & technology to create unique and memorable event experiences.” Bramwell adds: "Aventeq, which of course I’m thrilled to say, is now Protec European Events, has a similar passion to Protec. We are very
Germany - Kassel-based event service provider JS Event & Medientechnik recently invested in 24 x XR 440 BWS moving heads from PR Lighting, responding to the ever-increasing quality demands of events of all sizes. This was the company’s first investment in PR Lighting technology, and all fixtures were supplied by Focon Showtechnik, PR Lighting’s German distributor. Since being set up in 1999, the team at JS Event & Media Technology has been managing the technical requirements of events of all sizes, from large-scale projects to congresses and weddings. "With the XR440 BWS from PR Lighting, we are adding a genuine highlight to our rental fleet thanks to the extraordinary prismatic effects,” says Jens Berthold, managing director of JS. “The good rental prospects and excellent product references left us in no doubt that in the BWS we had found the right pr
UK - Polar is to become a commercial UK distributor for US-based AV distribution specialist ZeeVee. Polar will carry ZeeVee’s full AVoIP product range, offering solutions for all network bandwidths, budgets and applications. Stuart Leader, director of Polar’s integrated solutions division comments: “We’re firmly established as a distributor of intelligent audio solutions but our increasing involvement with video in recent years has seen our integrated solutions division assist with the delivery of many large scale, complex AVoIP projects. “To be partnering with an industry leading marque like ZeeVee, is a very exciting development which further strengthens our position. They have shown leadership and have a full product range that includes ZeeVee’s management platform, MaestroZ, which provides a unique value add, allowing for easy set-up, configurati
Australia - Harman Professional Solutions has consolidated the distribution of AKG, BSS, Crown, dbx, Lexicon, JBL and Soundcraft solutions in Australia by strengthening ties with long-time distribution partners AV Technology (avt) and CMI Music & Audio Pty Ltd (CMI). From 1 February, support, warranty and repair of Harman Professional products in Australia will transition to avt and CMI. Avt, who already distributes AMX audio video control systems, will take the complete Harman integration and installation audio product suite. CMI will represent the retail, recording and prosumer audio in addition to current Harman portfolio including Digitech and Axys Tunnel Solutions. All other Harman distribution in Australia and New Zealand remains unchanged. “At the conclusion of an extensive review process, we identified reducing complexity and taking a solutions-driven ap
Film on Hold - A controversial French film about the 2015 terror attack at the Bataclan theatre in Paris, in which 89 people died, has been put on hold. Broadcaster France 2 said the love story Ce soir-la (That Night), would be postponed until victims' associations had been "widely consulted". Claire Peltier, whose partner David was among those killed, has called for the "scandalous" film to be shelved. She has started a petition to block the film, attracting 39,000 signatures. She said it was too soon for "such a painful" story. France 2 said the film was still being edited, adding: "No transmission date had been fixed for the film..., which has not yet been seen by the station's management." Arthur Denouveaux, from the victims' group Life For Paris, told the Agence France Presse news agency: "Even if we have never asked for censorship, we are glad that modest
Germany - The Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA) presented a session on the role of AV technology in higher education at OEB Global 2017 in Berlin. The cross-sector conference focused on the latest developments in learning, with insights and best practices from leading organisations in the field. AVIXA took part in OEB Global for the first time and was a gold sponsor of the event. Moderated by AVIXA CEO David Labuskes, the session The Power of Integrated Audiovisual Experiences in Higher Education demonstrated that AV experiences were important not only as a way of drawing the best students to their institutions, but also for improving their learning outcomes. “Your next new class of students has grown up in a world that’s totally connected,” Labuskes said. “They live their social lives in the palm of their hands. They speak
Australia - Live events technical solutions provider NW Group has recently added 370 L-Acoustics cabinets to its inventory, including a substantial L‑Acoustics K2 system. The purchase has been made in anticipation of the upcoming Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games for which NW Group’s audio brand Norwest has been chosen to supply the sound system for the opening and closing ceremonies. The new system comprises a total of 124 K2, 24 K1-SB, 60 KS28, 72 Kiva II, 24 SB15m, 24 SB18m, 42 ARCS WiFo, and 18 LARAK II with 28 LA4X amplified controllers. “We have had enormous success with our V-DOSC, dV‑DOSC and Kudo inventories. They have delivered a great return on investment and have been the cornerstone of our success in the sports ceremonies market,” says NW Group general manager, Gra Whitehouse. “Adding K2 made perfect business sense. It’s a ‘do everything
USA - Adamson Systems Engineering will lead a training session as part of the inaugural AES@NAMM educational programme during the 2018 NAMM Show running 25-28 January in Anaheim, CA. The company is a first-time exhibitor and will occupy booth 17305. Jeremiah Karni, head of education at Adamson, will lead the session alongside senior applications engineer Brian Fraser. Karni says: “As part of our commitment to on-going education for our users, we’re excited to support the AES@NAMM Line Array Loudspeaker System Academy. During the half-day courses comprised of software and practical hands-on sessions, we will give a comprehensive taste of our two-day Adamson Applied Certification training and share our many years of experience in the application of line arrays and the theoretical principles behind line array technology. This is a great opportunity to bolster people
UK - Our daily online news service is taking a short break over the holiday season and will resume on 2 January 2018 (Tuesday). Thank you for reading and supporting LSi both online and in print throughout 2017. From the entire LSi team, we wish you a Merry Christmas, happy holidays and all good things for 2018! (LSi Online)
UK - The Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) announced the first full-year Lumière Scheme at this year’s Annual Lighting Lunch held in London on 18 December (Monday). The scheme, which will run in continued partnership with Chichester Festival Theatre, underlines the ALD’s commitment to emerging talent, enabling them to work in mainstream theatre with established lighting designers, fostering important relationships with those whom they may work again as assistants or associates on future projects. They will receive first-hand experience of the collaborative nature of creative teams together with knowledge of how various departments work together, creating further opportunities in the industry as they develop their careers. Having previously run two successful six-month pilot schemes, the intention is to build up to three Lumières per year. ALD chair
UK - Backstage Academy, a training provider for the live events industry, will visit schools and colleges in England and Wales from 22 January to 9 February to talk to students about career opportunities in the sector. Shure, d&b audiotechnik, VER, A.C. Lighting and Melody VR are supporting the tour, which will see a tour bus from Beat the Street visit schools and venues up and down the country from Cornwall to Newcastle to offer students a glimpse of life on the road and hands-on experience about safe load-in and load-out practices. Glen Rowe, managing director, Backstage Academy says: “I’ve sustained a career in tour management for over 20 years and am now on the lookout for young talent to take over the reins. There are so many opportunities for people to develop careers in live events we just need to go out there and show them how to do it.” Jörg P
