New Zealand - Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, situated in the heart of downtown Tauranga, is the Bay of Plenty's premier performing arts facility. Designed to serve both the local community and international touring productions, the venue provides spaces for a diverse range of performances.

At the core of Baycourt is the Addison Theatre, a 500+ seat venue equipped with a bespoke orchestra pit and a world-class fly tower. To maintain its reputation for excellence, the venue continuously invests in top-tier technology, ensuring performers and audiences experience outstanding stage productions.

As part of this commitment, Baycourt recently completed a major lighting upgrade with the support of Show Technology, focusing on enhancing its stage capabilities with a suite of Prolights fixtures, ensuring high-performance lighting solutions for its produ

Mexico - Responding to the growing demand in Mexico for its line of lighting control solutions, ChamSys has announced it will begin direct distribution of its products in that market with the establishment of ChamSys Mexico operated in partnership with Chauvet Mexico. 

As part of the new plan, the entire ChamSys and GeNetix line of products will be stocked, distributed, and serviced out of Chauvet Mexico's strategically located 1,200 sq.m centre in Lerma. This includes the entire range of ChamSys MagicQ Stadium and Compact Consoles, which have been used to power designs at major events like the Los 40 Music Awards, and tours by stars like Alejandro Fernandez ("El Potrillo"), Manuel Carrasco, and Korn.

Mexico City-based LD Julio Centeno (designer for Natanael Cano and Dani Flow) said: "ChamSys is one of the most user-friendly platforms for lighting d

Spain - On 1 February, Basque band Esne Beltza bade farewell to their fans with a spectacular final concert at Bilbao Arena in Miribilla. With 8,000 people in attendance, the event was a true celebration of the band's career, featuring a visual production that matched the energy of their music.

At the heart of the lighting design were 24 Ayrton Rivale Profile fixtures, used extensively to enhance the atmosphere of the show. The concert marked one of the first major events in Spain to feature Rivale Profile, showcasing its power, precision, and efficiency in a large-scale production.

Lighting design was led by Jon Mentxaka, who crafted an immersive and dynamic lighting setup for the farewell show. Rivale Profile units were positioned to create a strong backlight effect, reinforcing the depth of the stage while ensuring seamless integration with the la

USA - Popular underground rap duo $uicideboy$ completed their Greyday2024 US and Canadian tour with a production design – lighting and set – created by Ian MacDonald, who used Robe moving lights to help deliver a raw, in-the-face, lighting aesthetic. MacDonald is based in Ottawa and has worked with the band since 2021.

This latest tour design featured 42 x Robe iForte LTXs, 34 x Spiiders and four iForte Follow Spots, all supplied by Fuse, who purchased the iFortes for this project, which was co-ordinated for them by account managers Matt Kirkpatrick and Kevin Foreste.

Known for their stark, visceral, often brutal lyrics and fearless narratives touching controversial, complex, and difficult topics like suicide, addiction, and depression, communicating these messages and stories live is challenging and offers creative scope. While imaginat

USA/Denmark - LC Innovations has announced that by permission and an agreement with PRG, the Macula remote followspot system is now available for sales in North America.

LC Innovations is a branch of Litecom Group, based in Denmark. Founders and owners Morten and Rasmus Bremer created this branch of the company for their latest innovation, the Macula Remote Follow Spot. The 100% open-source software means the Macula system is able to control any moving head in the intelligent fixture market.

Emil Krog, product manager of Macula explains: “The High Resolution Fluid Head in the Macula system adds the organic feel of handling a followspot and allows for a tighter focus on the performer than previously achievable. Plus, the new firmware version 0.99 includes support for PosiStageNet (PSN) transmission. This upgrade allows the system to send real-time p

Europe - Stage Precision launched its open Beta version of SP Grid, the next evolution of its technology, at ISE 2025. Designed to redefine how professionals create, manage and deploy digital experiences, SP Grid transitions Stage Precision’s core offering from a standalone software product to a comprehensive development, data management, control and integration platform, giving users the power to connect every element, every device, every data point seamlessly and in real time.

SP Grid is a no-code or low-code platform, aimed at simplifying the deployment of complex digital environments, providing a foundation for building, deploying and managing digital experiences of all sizes. The platform empowers system integrators, designers and developers to craft tailored solutions for spaces, studios and events.

“We have already received fantastic feedb

Europe - City Theatrical has introduced its new European e-commerce website, now live at QolorFLEX.co.uk, which is designed as a single source for LED neon, strip light, drivers, and accessories for lighting professionals and LED installations in Europe.

This site offers an optimised online shopping experience for new and existing City Theatrical customers alike who are looking to buy LED neon, strip lights, drivers, and accessories, for LED lighting projects of all sizes in the European entertainment lighting market.

The QolorFLEX.co.uk website was specifically designed for European lighting professionals to be able to quickly view what's in stock now at City Theatrical’s London office among the LED lighting solutions offering, find what they need quickly with easy ways to sort and filte

Australia - Follow-Me has announced a new partnership with ULA Group in Australia and New Zealand.

The partnership marks a milestone for both companies, expanding access to Follow-Me’s performer tracking technology across the region.

Follow-Me Track-iT combines RF tags worn by performers and strategically placed anchors to provide real-time positioning data, and extends the functionality of the Follow-Me 3D SIX system. It has most recently been used on several high-profile shows, including Mamma Mia! The Party in Rotterdam and on Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour, which is running until July 2025.

With nearly 35 years of experience in the industry, ULA Group is responsible for providing lighting solutions across an extensive range of markets.

“We’re delighted that Follow-Me has landed in Australi

UK - Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, which debuted in 1602, and tells the story of shipwreck-surviving twins Sebastian and Viola, is a witty, insightful, and often profound mix of mistaken identity, gender disguise, love, confusion, jealousy, and ultimately joyful discovery.

This swirl of sensations has delighted audiences for centuries, but it can also pose a challenge for any modern designer hoping to capture the play's sweeping emotions in light.

Zoe Spurr not only welcomed this challenge; she met it in brilliant fashion when lighting the Royal Shakespeare Company's December production of Twelfth Night at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Her artful design reflected myriad moods, earning her widespread praise, including from a newspaper critic who singled out her work for "helping to shift the tone" of the play.<

Spain - In the stunning setting of the Museu de les Ciències de Valencia, an exhibition centre that invites visitors to explore the evolution of life, science, and technology through interactive experiences and scientific animations, Nox Audiovisuales chose Prolights technology to illuminate the Generali event held at this exclusive venue.

By testing some of Prolights' most innovative products, Nox Audiovisuales confirmed their quality, durability, and reliability.

The moving head Astra Hybrid330, capable of creating spectacular aerial effects, was chosen to project the client's corporate logos and to provide scenic lighting for the event. Astra Wash19PixIP moving washes were strategically placed around the venue to bathe the location in the event's colours.

The Smart BatPlus and Smart BatWash fixtures were used to colour the hospitality are

USA - Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park featured an impressive artist line-up, with lighting and production design created by Robert W. Peterson of Real World Lighting.

Peterson added 86 x Robe iForte LTX moving lights to his lighting plot, together with 46 x iFortes, 38 x iSpiider LED wash beams, 20 x Robe Tarrantula large LED wash beams and 20 x LEDBeam 350s, all supplied by Solotech, project-managed for them by Austin Schussler and Steven Morgan with Joseph Logsdon providing excellent account oversight for the whole project.

The five-hour CBS special concert kicked off at 7pm. It was directed by Sandra Restrepo and broadcast live offering a series of back-to-back performances beamed across multiple time zones live from ‘Music City’. It was headlined and co-hosted by f

Belgium - Chauvet has moved its European distribution hub to a new and greatly expanded facility. The new facility in Deinze is only about 9km from Chauvet's previous EU Hub in Kruisem, but in many ways, it is a long distance apart from its predecessor in terms of the capabilities it affords the Chauvet team to stock, sell, service and support their increasingly popular line of lighting products, including the award-winning Maverick, Ovation and MagicQ Stadium series.

Joining Chauvet facilities in the eastern and western United States, Mexico, the UK, France and Germany, the new 8,000 sq.m Belgian hub will support the complete line of Chauvet Professional, ChamSys, Chauvet DJ and Iluminarc products.

The building's six loading docks and 14,000 pallet spaces will expedite the processing of product shipments, resulting in even faster delivery times. Als

India - Lighting designer Jasangat Sonpal selected 62 Claypaky Sharpy X Frames for a dynamic concert starring Shaan, one of the most popular singers of Indian cinema, at Phoenix Market City in Bangalore, 20 December 2024.

Shaan is a playback singer, composer, actor and television host who records in multiple languages. He is considered among the greatest playback singers, or ghost singers, whose pre-recorded songs are dubbed into motion picture soundtracks replacing the actors’ voices.

For his own high-voltage concert, Shaan opened with some Bollywood classics to the delight of his fans. He took them on a journey through his colourful career, including ‘the four stages of love’ featuring soulful numbers and ballads. He also added a local touch, performing Kannada folk music that earned cheers from the crowd.

Having worked with Shaan for

India - A new light and sound show at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Khajuraho Temples in Madhya Pradesh is captivating audiences with a mesmerising blend of projection mapping, holograms, dynamic lighting, and 5.1 audio.

Created by Tricolor India Schauspiel, this visual spectacle is powered by seven Christie D23WU-HS 1DLP laser projectors, delivering brightness and image quality to bring the rich history of these thousand-year-old monuments to life. This new 35-minute show, commissioned by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and voiced by actor Amitabh Bachchan, takes visitors on an immersive journey through time, narrating the temple’s storied past like never before.

“The primary objective was to create an engaging evening attraction for visitors,” said Himanshu Sabharwal, chief creative officer, Tricolor India Schauspiel.

USA - CMA Award winner Cody Johnson kicked of 2025 with the Leather Deluxe Tour, celebrating the release of his new album of the same name. The tour launched only a few short weeks after he wrapped his 2024 touring schedule in mid-December playing 30 sold-out concerts. Known for his traditional country sound, Johnson’s authentic storytelling and electrifying shows has solidified him as one of the hottest acts around.

Bandit Lites provides the lighting package for lighting designer Richard ‘Wookie’ Whitley. Comprised of Ayrton Khamsins, Ayrton Argo FX, Chauvet Pro Strike Array 4, Strike Array 2 and GLP JDC-1, Wookie designed a system that would wrap around the band while tapering down from downstage to upstage.

“I’m very happy with the outcome,” he said. “It gives some great looks without any crazy positioning or grouping as wel

USA - Pharos Architectural Controls will once again be joining the lighting industry at this year’s LEDucation, where they will be showcasing a host of new product updates.

LEDucation is the largest LED-only tradeshow in the United States, offering the opportunity for industry professionals to discover solid-state innovations and access professional development sessions.

Pharos will be on stand GB-706, unveiling updates to its most popular products and services. This includes the next significant release of Expert software, that will add support for the Pharos RIO G4 – a four-port network gateway for DMX distribution.

Expert software version 1.2 launches with support for two new capacity variants of Expert Control: Expert Control 4 and Expert Control 6. The four-universe Expert Control 4 has a capacity of 2,048 DMX channels and the Expert

Hungary - As part of a complete renovation of the Avas Lookout Tower in Miskolc, a dynamic lighting scheme, controlled by Pharos Architectural Controls, now illuminates the famous landmark during the darker hours.

Standing 72m tall, the Avas Lookout Tower was designed by Hungarian architects Miklós Hófer and György Vörös. Built in 1966 to replace an outdated tower made of wood, the new Avas tower stands as an emblematic feature of the Miskolc landscape, serving as a key monument to the social-realist history of the city. The renovation project features a refurbished visitor experience, while the area surrounding the tower has also been dramatically improved.

Pharos was appointed by the city’s local government to equip the Avas tower with the capability to run a decorative lighting system. The Pharos team worked alongside Lisys-Project – spec

UK - When the highly anticipated stage version of the blockbuster film The Devil Wears Prada debuted in Chicago in the summer of 2022, it was to mixed reviews.

By the time it arrived in London’s West End at the end of 2024 it was with an entirely fresh production, including a new creative team and an original score from Elton John.

Paule Constable, who lit the show in Chicago, had praised GLP’s then newly launched Impression X5 washlight. And when LD Bruno Poet took over the reins in the UK, he went even further – specifying around 120 GLP fixtures across the entire Impression X5 Series, punctuated by JDC1 hybrid strobes.

Poet has been a devotee of GLP’s LED solutions for a number of years, making expansive use of their X4 Series, notably the award-winning Bars (on the highly acclaimed Sigur Rós tour and Tina: The Musical).

UK - Production Futures has announced that its next On Tour event will take place at the AO Arena, Manchester on Monday 28 April. The venue is one of the largest of its kind in the UK, and will host a Production Futures event for the second time, following the success of last year’s arena debut.

Set to attract a wide range of young people from across North-West England and beyond, this free-of-charge event will promote employability, transferable skills, diversity, free training, networking, and will present paid work opportunities to newcomers across the live event and broadcast production industry.

Manufacturers, supply and production companies, venues and distributors will have representatives present at the event to provide advice, information and insights, and discuss specific job and training opportunities. Production Futures also wo

Ireland - CJP Broadcast Service Solutions, systems integration and content digitisation specialist, has built a new green screen studio for TG4, the major Irish-language broadcaster based in Galway. The new facility, which has taken over an existing studio, will be used initially for weather and continuity, but the broadcaster is eyeing future possibilities around sport’s continuity and virtual production for children’s TV.

TG4 had been using a very small space for its weather forecasts, which was inflexible, impractical and quite uncomfortable for its presenters. Reorganisation of its facilities meant another studio became available and TG4 looked to the industry to convert it for chromakey.

In an open tender process, CJP suggested the maximum flexibility could be achieved with an L-shaped screen, 5m long on each side and to a height of 3m. The

UK - Brick and Mortar, a high-tech boutique grading studio in Glasgow, was set up with the intention of providing filmmakers with a facility to rival the best in London’s Soho – traditionally the home of UK post-production expertise – both in terms of technology and talent.

To establish Scotland’s first DCI-compliant grading studio, Brick and Mortar picked a Christie CP4420-Xe Xenon projector with 2.0KW LB Xenon and Premium High Contrast Zoom lens.

Bringing the post-production prowess of Soho to Scotland was the brain-child of colourist, Tom Cairns and creative director, Jack Lang, who recognised that many filmmakers are not located near London and wanted to provide a high-tech alternative.

They teamed up with Savalas Post who not only had an established audio team and a high-end Dolby Premier mix theatre, but a location in Film City

UK - Established in 1971, Harlow Playhouse has since been a cornerstone of the cultural landscape in Harlow, Essex. The venue hosts an array of performances across two theatres: a 400-seat main auditorium and a 120-seat studio theatre. Showcasing a variety of events, from music and comedy to musicals and drama, Harlow Playhouse plays a pivotal role in the local arts scene.

Following the success of two capital funding bids, the venue was first able to enhance its audio system, a project successfully managed by sister company d&b solutions. To further its commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency, Harlow Playhouse secured a second capital bid to upgrade its lighting system. The venue approached White Light, a d&b solutions company, to oversee this major investment.

Operations manager Emily Parsley spearheaded the lighting overhaul

USA - ADJ Jolt Bar FX linear LED lighting fixtures and VS3 LED video panels created a vibrant and versatile backdrop for the first North American leg of Lawrence’s Family Business tour. The heavily themed shows utilised video content extensively, while the on-stage lighting was essential to the production design as well as for complementing the band’s high-energy musical performances.

Fronted by siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence, who have been writing and performing together from an early age, Lawrence is an eight-piece soul-pop band comprised of musician friends from childhood and college. The band has gained a devoted following for its high-energy, keyboard-driven sound, which features tight, energetic horns and explosive lead vocals.

In support of the band’s fourth studio album, also called Family Business, the successful

The Netherlands - Theater De Maagd, a converted church-turned-theatre in Bergen op Zoom has recently undergone technical modernisation, part of which included transitioning from halogen to LED lighting.

Ampco-Flashlight Sales, Ayrton’s exclusive distributor for The Netherlands, recommended Ayrton Diablo TC, as a versatile and advanced LED fixture that perfectly aligns with the theatre’s vision for its future, installing 16 Diablo TCs as front lighting and an additional six units for use on stage.

The drive for innovation and a new way of working was precisely the reason the theatre chose Ayrton Diablo, as Cees Snellink, head of technology at Theater De Maagd, explains: “Switching to Ayrton Diablo saves us time and money because we now need much less physical setup compared to the conventional halogen lighting we used previously. Much of the pre

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