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10 July 2024

Italy - Powersoft has announced the expansion of its global team with the appointment of two new business development managers and three new solution engineers.

With over 20 years of industry experience, Jonathan Wu, newly appointed business development manager for China, possesses a deep understanding of the pro-audio market. He aims to enhance user experience and product knowledge for Chinese clients, as well as continue to raise Powersoft’s brand awareness in China.

Jinfu Chen, business development manager for the Southeast Asian market, will focus on Indonesia, Thailand, The Philippines and Vietnam ensuring growth objectives by creating direct relationships with key integrators and consultants and utilising regular meetings and training sessions within the distribution network. Chen has an extensive background in the industry, having previously

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09 July 2024

UK - PLASA and LSi are calling for nominations for this year’s Gottelier Award. Named after the late lighting designer and innovator Tony Gottelier, the revered award recognises the invaluable contributions of the people behind the products.

Launched in 2007, the Gottelier Award aims to recognise product developers who have made a significant and sustained contribution to the advancement of entertainment, presentation, or installation technology over many years.

Last year’s winner was Howard Eaton whose self-named company, Howard Eaton Lighting Ltd, is known for delivering bespoke solutions to countless theatrical productions around the world – from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s flying car, to the crashing chandelier in the Phantom of the Opera, to the flying Olympic rings at London 2012.

After his win, Eaton said: “It is quite somethin

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25 June 2024

UK - We are sad to announce the death of Mick McManus, who has died at the age of 73. Although he left the sound and lighting industry many years ago, Mick was among the founding fathers of what became known as the disco industry, during his time as a director of pyro and effects giants, Le Maitre.

Jerry Gilbert writes, “An outrageous, larger than life character Mick generally kept the first generation of disco troops upbeat with his non-stop volley of jokes.

Like so many, Mick started as a DJ with Roger Squire’s agency, where he was booked out as ‘Barry Martin’ to avoid confusion with the popular wrestler of the same name. He first came into contact with sound and light manufacturers during his time at Wing Disco Centre in Bromley, the popular retailer.

He also ran Croydon-based Tulip Music with his colleague and lifelong fr

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18 June 2024

Europe - Ayrton has announced the appointment of Briony Berning as its new design, training and business development engineer as part of the continuing expansion of its international team. The appointment takes place with immediate effect.

Berning’s multi-faceted role will be to formalise Ayrton’s product training on fixtures, key technologies and developments to the markets and its global network of distributors. Alongside this she will develop the theatre markets on a global scale, paying close attention to the specific needs of these sectors and the relevance of Ayrton products within them. Finally, she will maintain a close relationship with her specialism, the theatre market, to keep abreast of developing trends and technologies and ensure Ayrton product development continues to answer these needs.

UK-born yet spending her formative years in

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10 June 2024

USA - TAF USA has welcomed Carter Klute to its team as its new sales representative. Carter is responsible for contacting new customers in the United States and Central/South America, as well as providing timely and knowledgeable service to existing TAF USA customers.

Originally from the Midwest, Carter has now made New Smyrna Beach, Florida, his home and base for his activities with TAF USA.

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07 June 2024

USA - The Void Acoustics team returns to InfoComm 2024 in Las Vegas next week, where the company’s sound systems can be seen at booth C9507 in the Central Hall. Matt Young, Void’s sales manager for North America, supported by the company’s leadership team, will be on hand.

Based in Denver, Matt joined Void Acoustics last year and has spent the past twelve months spearheading its expansion across North America.

With 26 years of experience in the pro audio industry across the premium home audio, commercial and luxury residential sectors, Matt earned his stripes working for household names like Yamaha, Sonos and Bose.

Reflecting on his time at Void Acoustics, Matt said: “Void isn’t your standard speaker brand – every product is an art piece that people want to see, hear and talk about. The fact that Void combines the latest technolog

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06 June 2024

UK - We are saddened to learn of the passing of Dave Blencowe, founder of dB Production Services and director of Showbitz. Dave passed away unexpectedly on the evening of 10 May. The following tribute comes from his colleagues at Showbitz.

Dave's life was quite compartmentalised with little overlap between his various roles and work. We have pulled this together from friends and family and tried to weave the strands together - any inaccuracies are ours!

Gordon David Blencowe was born in 1960 in Oxfordshire. The family often holidayed in Norfolk visiting the North Norfolk railway and Dave and his father would take holidays visiting the narrow-gauge railways in North Wales. He had a soft spot for the Talyllyn Railway which came about from these childhood holidays as did his lifelong love of Heritage and model railways. He always referred to himself as

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04 June 2024

UK - TiMax has welcomed Dan Roncoroni to the leadership team in the newly created role of product manager for TiMax.

For over 10 years, Dan has established his presence as a freelance AV consultant specialising in multi-channel, object-based audio design. As product manager for TiMax, Dan will help expand the presence of TiMax across the broad spectrum of performance, presentation and experiential markets.

The new role of product manager progresses the work evolved by TiMax directors Robin Whittaker and Dave Haydon, respectively product director and commercial director, following the move of TiMax into the Focusrite Group late last year. 

Dan said, “I’m looking forward to working with a set of products that has had such an impact on what I do. I’ve worked with every spatial audio product on the market, but TiMax has been my go-to solut

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04 June 2024

USA - Christie Lites has announced the appointment of Mark Ravenhill as its new client ambassador. In this new role, Mark will focus on fostering strong client relationships by understanding their unique needs and challenges. To that end, he will collaborate with clients and the Christie Lites rep team to ensure value and service at every point of contact.

Huntly Christie, CEO of Christie Lites, says: “We’re delighted to welcome Mark to the company’s leadership team. His considerable experience and insightful understanding of the entertainment lighting industry, along with the huge respect so many lighting professionals have for him, make him the ideal ambassador for our brand. Mark's arrival also signifies yet another important step in our commitment to being at the forefront of service and creative problem solving in our industry.”

During h

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04 June 2024

USA - Linea Research and Optimal Audio have announced the appointment of Jeff Miranda as US national sales manager.

Having previously served as national sales manager for both brands with Allied ProTech, their former US distributor, Miranda comments, “This is an exciting move as it will allow me to focus more closely on Linea Research and Optimal Audio, and the solutions they offer. We have a well-established dealer base managed by our existing network of independent sales representatives, and with new products recently introduced there’s a lot to build upon.”

With both brands being part of the Audio Reproduction division of Focusrite Group, managing director, Dom Harter, explains, “Bringing Jeff on board allows him to continue his valuable work with both brands, ensuring continuity in our relationships and setting them up for continued growt

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03 June 2024

UK - Visual Elements Ltd. has announced that Sam Tullett will join its board as sales director. Tullett brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in sales, particularly in developing multiple revenue streams for the business. His key role at Visual Elements will be to launch the company’s new dry-hire department and, in conjunction with Visual Elements’ account managers, promote the growth of our existing business.

Tullett will continue as managing director at STLS and join Mike Townsend and Amanda Townsend as sales director at Visual Elements. “Customers at both companies will retain their existing points of contact and can expect the same high levels of service and quality they have come to know and trust,” a statement says.

Mike Townsend of Visual Elements comments: “This is an exciting time for Visual Elements - Sam’s investment as

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30 May 2024

USA - The Audio Reproduction division of Focusrite Group US, which comprises amongst others Martin Audio and TiMax, has strengthened its senior team with the recruitment of theatre sound designer, Brad Berridge - previously director of sound operations for Feld Entertainment.

As the newly-appointed market development manager – theatre, immersive and education markets, Berridge will bring his experience to the role to call on theatrical sound designers, venues, theatre production providers and audio engineers, whilst in the education space he’ll be calling on those that offer live sound as well as theatre degrees and training.

Berridge is already very familiar with Martin Audio given his eight years overseeing the sound for all Feld productions, many of which used Martin Audio solutions including Disney on Ice, Marvel Universe Live, Monster Jam: T

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29 May 2024

UK - The Production Services Association (PSA) has announced the election of Liz Madden and Tom Rees as co-chairs of the council. Both Liz and Tom have been active council members of the PSA for a long time and bring a wealth of knowledge to the role. Their joint goal is to increase direct support for members and further evolve industry representation, education and awareness of the business of technical production across the live events industry ecosystem.

Liz Madden commented: “We are looking forward to working with both council members and members to continue the growth and development of the PSA. The live industry faces ongoing challenges, and we will continue to provide support to members and the industry as a whole. Skills shortage is currently a key issue for the industry, and we are working on a training and education programme to address this.”<

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29 May 2024

Germany - Q-SYS, a division of QSC, EMEA has announced the appointment of Chant Utukian as managing director, MEA.

Utukian joined the company in 2021 and has played a pivotal role in establishing the brand in the UAE and building a robust regional team.

“Chant’s strategic approach to managing distribution and business development has significantly increased sales revenue and expanded our market share in MEA,” says Markus Winkler, executive vice president, EMEA & APAC. “I look forward to seeing the region continuing to grow under Chant’s leadership.”

“This is an exciting time for Q-SYS as we transition to a hybrid business model in the GCC,” says Utukian. “I look forward to solidifying the Q-SYS brand in the region and further developing our team."

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29 May 2024

Denmark - Aarhus-based LED lighting manufacturer DVT Light has appointed Theis Wermuth as its new commercial director. Well-known as an international lighting and show designer via his design studio Create This, Wermuth also has a background working with leading professional lighting manufacturers.

DVT Light was founded in 2021 by Mikkel Bandholm and Peter Johansen who has been inventing products for entertainment since the 1970s.

As commercial director, Theis will be focussing on sales, marketing, and building a distribution network to assist in helping to establish the brand globally. Theis will also energise an extensive network of contacts of lighting professionals.

He states, “I am thrilled to join DVT Light. It is a fantastic opportunity to work with such an innovative and dynamic team. I look forward to contributing to the company's

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28 May 2024

UK - The Fly By Nite team and the wider industry has been paying tribute to the company’s founder and managing director David Coumbe who passed away, aged 68, on 17 May after a short illness.

“David’s passing has come as a huge shock to the Fly By Nite team and the wider live events and touring community. We would like to thank all those who have reached out over the last few days to offer their condolences at this sad time, the outpouring of love and support we have received from across the industry has helped us through this difficult period,” says the company. “David was a much-loved colleague and highly respected leader, whose vision helped to build the foundations of the company’s long-term success.”

Since its foundation in 1989, Coumbe had grown Fly By Nite into one of the world’s largest music production and logistics businesse

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28 May 2024

USA - Robe has announced the passing of Craig Burross, chief sales officer at Robe Lighting Inc. A statement posted on the company’s social media channels reads: “It is with complete devastation and with very heavy hearts that we announce the passing of beloved industry veteran Craig Burross.

“From his early career at High End Systems, to his work with Vari-Lite, Craig most recently served as the Chief Sales Officer for Robe Lighting, Inc. where his passion for the entertainment production industry made him one of the most recognized and respected members of our industry.

“Away from the office, Craig was a husband, father, and grandfather to a family whom he loved dearly. His wife Kat was often by his side at industry events, and his son Chase is also a member of the Robe North America team.

“When speaking about Craig, one can hones

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28 May 2024

UK - LSI Projects has announced the passing of its business development manager, Richard Bunting. A statement from the company reads: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Richard Bunting, our esteemed business development manager. Richard's unexpected departure has left us all in shock and mourning, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of working with him.”

Richard joined LSI Projects in 2005, bringing a wealth of industry experience and a passion for the industry in which he had been involved in for more than 30 years.

The statement continues: “Richard was a respected colleague and an inspiration to many. His ability to build strong relationships, both within the team and with our clients, supply chain and the consultant community, was unparalleled, helping LSI solidify its reputation as a truste

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22 May 2024

China - UK-based Linea Research has strengthened its global presence with a series of key, strategic distribution appointments.

As Prolight + Sound Guangzhou prepares to open its doors, Linea Research has announced Guangzhou Guidance as its distributor for China. Guangzhou Guidance will manage the Linea Research product ranges across mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

The team at Guangzhou Guidance, headed by Rico Xu, will take responsibility for the full spectrum of Linea Research products in the region, from the M Series amplifiers for touring to the C Series for installation, through the XiB4 range of four-channel DSP amplifiers to Linea’s Advanced System Controller, the ASC48.

Guangzhou Guidance’s Rico Xu, said, “We are very pleased to begin the sales and technical service partnership with Linea Research with exhibition of the pro

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22 May 2024

USA - Renkus-Heinz has announced two new team members. Joe Kaveney assumes the role of industrial engineering manager and Andrew Gizara joins as electrical engineer. 

Kaveney’s career spans from earning a US patent in the solar industry to implementing approved processes in the aerospace sector. Alongside his professional accomplishments, Kaveney's lifelong passion for music includes playing instruments, producing live events, and building interactive art installations. 

“I feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to leverage my passion for music and sound with my professional experience in process design and efficiency,” says Kaveney. “It is my pleasure to assist with the industrialization of our business by establishing a robust fabrication process with an optimized supply chain – ultimately resulting in a truly lossless pro-aud

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17 May 2024

UK - A celebration of the remarkable life of Richard Pilbrow - lighting designer, theatre consultant, producer, author, educator, mentor, friend, and so much more – is being held today (17 May) at the Dorfman - formerly Cottesloe - at the National Theatre.

The Pilbrow family, along with the ALPD and the ABTT invite those who knew Richard to join them at the venue from 1.30pm. “All are welcome,” a statement says. Like the great producer Richard sometimes was, we want a sold-out event, maybe even bursting a little at the seams - but not to end up with people unable to get in.”

Anyone who can’t make it but would still like to commemorate Richard is asked to do so by supporting the entertainment charities Backup Tech (in the UK) or Behind The Scenes (in the US).

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17 May 2024

USA - Bandit Lites has announced that Kelly Feild has joined the team as the director of touring personnel.

In addition, Feild will also head expanding Bandit’s college outreach as well as interviewing and hiring additional touring personnel of all experience levels and backgrounds.

Feild’s background in live events began early, in high school. She then earned a BBA in Music Business from Belmont University. Following graduation, she worked at Belmont’s event services as their Coordinator of Scheduling before joining Bandit Lites as a lighting technician. She worked on multiple tours and eventually set out as a freelancer.

“I started at Bandit with a business degree and almost no technical experience,” Feild says. “Bandit taught me everything I needed to know to successfully tour as lighting tech. I know how to do the office part

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14 May 2024

UK - The ABTT has announced that Liz Sillett will be its new chief executive officer, starting in the role later this month.

Liz joins the ABTT having been at The Old Vic where she was director of operations and external relationships since 2017, having worked in the arts in the UK for over 25 years. This has included senior leadership roles at Orion Management working in and supporting multiple venues across the UK, several senior roles at The Old Vic and various consultancy projects.

Liz’s experience spans traditional theatres, unconventional venues including immersive experiences, temporary spaces and pop-ups as well as events and hospitality.

Liz brings to the role a thorough understanding of venue operations (both front of house and backstage) as well as extensive experience of capital projects. Liz has been a member of the ABTT for ma

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09 May 2024

UK - Stage Electrics has announced the appointment of Mark Holdway to the newly created position of head of visual display systems projects. With over three decades of experience in delivering video display solutions, Mark brings considerable expertise to his new role. He has previously worked on projects for corporate clients such as the London Stock Exchange Group and broadcasters such as the BBC, Sky and ITV.

Dan Aldridge, commercial director & head of projects at Stage Electrics, comments, "Bringing Mark into this crucial role underscores our commitment to expanding the range of high-quality products and services we offer to both existing and new customers. Mark’s extensive experience and proven track record in the industry make him an invaluable addition to our team."

"Video display equipment is so often interconnected in its application w