UK - Whitwam AV Integration has solved intelligibility issues and improved audio coverage at St. George's Chapel Windsor with the installation of a new K-array loudspeaker system. Originally built in the 15th century by King Edward IV, the chapel has been the scene of many royal services and weddings. Whitwam AV Integration has installed a modern and sympathetically styled audio-visual system that has transformed the way that words and music are experienced throughout the building, blending with the magnificent and historically rich setting. The loudspeaker system from K-array focuses on providing superior vocal intelligibility in what is a generally challenging acoustic environment with a typical RT60 of three or four seconds, so the audio design emphasised the placement of sources relatively close to the listener to increase direct sound and reduce reflections.
South Africa - Situated in the heart of Cape Town, GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World is the largest venue of its kind in South Africa, featuring a Las Vegas-scale casino, two hotels, conference facilities, dining establishments, an ice rink and the Grand Arena - a 5,000 capacity multi-purpose venue that has played host to acts such as Bryan Adams, Sting, James Blunt, Rammstein and Kylie Minogue. In 2020, the arena underwent a thorough refit of its audio system, with the replacement designed around DiGiCo’s Quantum 338 digital mixing console, chosen to fulfil the requirements of international touring riders and deliver quality audio, processing and connectivity within a space-saving format. The Grand Arena first started researching new technology in 2017 when the current infrastructure was approaching the end of its lifespan, and an upgrade needed to be found.<
UAE - Equipson's award winning LightShark range took centre stage at Expo 2020 in Dubai when it was used in both the Spanish and Angolan Pavilions for DMX control of different exhibition and stage spaces. "The software's FX engine allowed us to integrate the lighting with the rest of the audio-visual systems in an agile and simple way," says Marvin Ryan, a technician from the Philippines and head of lighting at the Angola Pavilion. His views were reinforced by Juan Gonzalez, technical manager for events at the Spanish Pavilion, who highlighted the simplicity of LightShark's user interface. “With hardly any previous experience in handling the system, it was very easy to start operating it almost from day one,” he says. Designed to showcase the best of art, architecture, innovation and technology, Expo 2020 Dubai runs until the end of March and features more t
USA - The Slow Burn Theatre Company’s production of Kinky Boots at the Broward Centre for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale featured an engaging Clifford Michael Spulock lighting design that included Chauvet Professional Maverick, Rogue and COLORado fixtures. Spulock wove his lighting around scenic designer David Rockwell’s set pieces endowing them with an extra degree of realism that made the drama unfolding on stage more engaging. The red brick ‘Price and Son’ shoe factory in Northampton, England takes on a, ethereal, timeless look when bathed in warm light, setting, a suitable tone, given that plans that will make dreams come true are hatched in the factory. The factory set piece has two levels of translucent windows. Spulock gave them a magical glow by placing COLORado Batten 144 Tour fixtures behind this wall. Drawing on the colour mixing prowe
Poland - Lighting and production rental company Transcolor has invested in new Robe moving lights and remained busy throughout the pandemic with its five full-size studios and rehearsal rooms which have been utilised for television and movie productions, promo and advertising shoots and other assorted events. Two of the studios are among the largest in Warsaw, and these have continued with regular TV productions and clients as well as hosting a range of new clients producing digital and streamed events. Transcolor’s head of technical Szymon Kosicki explained that, like everyone, they have faced major challenges, but Transcolor has always been un, with a relatively compact administration setup for such a large operation. Simon is responsible for the kit and its prep for the various projects and shows. The demand for the studios has soared over the last two years as m
USA - The Knoxville Museum of Art held its annual fundraising soiree, L’ Amour du Vin, complete with ‘fine wine, culinary marvels, and both a silent and live auction’. Bandit Lites has been a long-time partner with the museum and donated the lighting system to help set the creative atmosphere for the space. “No one brings a vision to life better than Bandit Lites,” says Carla May Paré, director of fundraising events. “This year, inspired by a painting by artist Gordon Cheung, the lighting design for L’Amour du Vin created an immersive, magical, and epic visual backdrop highlighting both the contemporary focus of the artist’s work and nods to historical ideologies - old word meets new world. The artist himself was blown away by the design, including a new element - his work projected onto the ceiling of the KMA’s Bailey Hall.” In addition to light
Slovenia - Broadcast on the RTV network, the 44th annual Popevka song contest featured performances by 11 entrants, each one of them lit in a way that reflected its style and personality. “This is a very big event in Slovenia with deep cultural significance,” said Crt Birsa who used over 100 lighting fixtures in his seven-universe show. “We were dedicated to conveying the full passion of every performance.” Birsa’s task of reflecting the nuances of Popevka was complicated by scheduling difficulties. With the show’s start delayed because of COVID safety concerns, he came to the studio to complete programming the lighting design late, because of a pervious touring commitment. This experience gave him a new appreciation for the flexibility of his ChamSys MagicQ Software. “I actually had to start by using my PC Wing at load in before going to th
Spain - The Teatro de la Zarzuela theatre in Madrid has invested in Ayrton moving head LED spots to enhance the lighting of its space. The theatre now has eight Spot Ghibli and six Levante-S wash moving heads supplied by Stonex to improve the creative possibilities of the theatre’s future productions. Technical director of La Zarzuela Antonio López comments," The Ghibli are silent, their energy consumption is low and their light source is very high, with extremely precise positioning, slow and smooth movement.” The Ayrton Ghibli premiered in the play The Green Envelope and has been key to bringing the show closer to young audiences. Its illuminator, Juanjo Llorens, says that "the versatility of the Ghibli gives dynamism to the play because the viewer appreciates that something is always happening. Its quality relies on dimmer smoothness and precision. All t
Spain - On 12 February, the Academy of Film Arts and Film Sciences presented the best Spanish films of the year at the 36th Goya Awards. The award ceremony, which is broadcast on television and streamed live from Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, brought together the who’s who of the Spanish film scene and was lit up by over 130 Cameo moving heads. Adisar Media from the Mediapro Group, in collaboration with lighting designer Iñaki Irastorza, was responsible for the lighting technology implementation. Overall, 24 Cameo Opus X Profile Moving Heads were used as front lights, which, with their light output of 33,000lm and >90 CRI value, were a suitable choice of front light. Irastorza also used a total of 48 Cameo Opus H5 Beam Spot Wash Hybrid Moving Heads, supplemented by 16 Cameo Evos W7 LED Wash Moving Heads, while 24 Cameo Opus X Wash Moving Heads provided th
USA - To transform the pedestrian bridges over the Rock River area of Janesville, Wisconsin into a vibrant and welcoming public space, Bluechip Labs deployed a range of durable Harman Professional audio and lighting solutions. Centred around Resilience, a sculpture designed by artist Deedee Morrison at the centre of the new Heritage Pedestrian Bridge, the installation consists of dynamic lighting and sound for three bridges and two new parks that give Janesville a recreational area and outdoor city centre. Private revitalisation group ARISEnow commissioned the installation as part of an urban revitalisation campaign to showcase Janesville’s history and natural beauty, reinvigorate the community and engage with visitors. Due to the Rock River’s fluctuating water levels and Wisconsin’s intense seasons, the city wanted a lighting and audio system for the bri
Finland - Part of the K Group, the second-biggest grocery trade operator in Finland and one of the biggest in Northern Europe, K-Supermarket operates some 250 stores at the top end of the market. At K-Supermarket Hertta in Herttoniemi, Helsinki, Markus Ranne, the independent merchant who runs the store, decided to elevate the experience still further with the use of sensory marketing - a combination of scent and sound design to attract customers and encourage them to linger. He called on Helsinki-based sensory marketing specialists Sevende Aromas to design the environment - for which they specified Genelec 4000 Series installation loudspeakers. “Sounds can affect people’s comfort and shopping behaviour in most commercial spaces and environments such as supermarkets, hotels, offices, bars and restaurants. The sense of hearing is our third most dominant sense,” say
UK - Last August, after a two-year hiatus following a £60m refurbishment project, Theatre Royal Drury Lane opened its doors to Frozen the Musical. The story’s plot and scenery are brought to life in full, frosted glory thanks to ultra-realistic visuals displayed on the upstage LED wall. Using Brompton Tessera processing to help accurately recreate shimmering snow peaks, fjords and mesmerizing auroras in incredibly fine grades of colour, bit depth and brightness, audiences are transported into the magical world of Arendelle. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the team worked in close collaboration with Finn Ross of FRAY Studio who oversaw video design; Jonathon Lyle of Ammonite, in charge of developing system design; and video equipment rental company, Blue-i Theatre Technology, to bring this show to the heart of London’s West End. “We had us
Denmark - The largest music venue in the Nordics has refreshed its acoustics with the evoke system from Flex Acoustics to provide optimal conditions for any kind of music, from rock to classic. An event on 9 May will mark the world premiere, with a live presentation for architects, acousticians, and sound engineers taking place in Aarhus, Denmark. Evoke is a powerful variable acoustics technology that transforms a hall acoustically in five seconds - with barely any visual change to be seen. Using the evoke technology, multipurpose halls can present a wide variety of styles of music with literally optimal acoustics: from choir, chamber music over brass bands to rock concerts and even cinema. All with ideal reverberation time in every frequency band to ensure an optimal sound experience and performance. The Evoke system consists of several panels of any
UK - Lighting control manufacturer TheisCraft has announced the launch of its Multiload Spectrum range. This ‘end-to-end solution’ offers ‘an entirely new take on DALI: a flexible range of products that, when used together, create a system that requires no commissioning whilst still providing all the benefits of DALI control’. Jon Theis, director of ThisCraft, says: “Although DALI is far superior to other lighting control standards, not all loads, light fittings or non-dimmable devices are DALI compatible. DALI installations are also typically more expensive than other light dimming protocols due to commissioning costs, which can account for up to a quarter of an initial project price using a standard DALI solution. Plus, any changes to a fully installed addressable DALI system will incur additional site visits and commissioning costs.” He continues: “The
USA - More than 50 Powersoft amplifiers are powering a high-impact audio set-up at Q2 Stadium, the new home of the first professional sports team in Austin, Texas, USA. The $260m venue, completed last year, is the home stadium of Austin FC, an association football team competing in Major League Soccer (MLS)’s Western Conference division. Designed to accommodate 20,500 fans on match day, the sport-first stadium is also suited to other applications, including entertainment, leisure and outdoor activities. According to Idibri, the local consultancy which designed the audio, acoustics, video and data/IT for the new venue, Q2 is a ‘3.0 stadium’ - that is, a venue packed with technology that enhances the audience experience both in its main role (as a sports ground) and during other, non-sporting events. Special attention was paid to being able to use the stadium as a
France - A full APG audio system is providing the soundtrack for a new hybrid shop and hospitality space by French motorcycling, automotive, surfing and fashion brand Morex Custom. Located on the outskirts of Rennes, the 450m² Morex Custom House includes a bar/restaurant and concept store designed to showcase the best Morex Custom offerings. Customised motorcycles and cars take pride of place in both the bar area and the boutique shop, where customers can also pick up apparel, accessories, motorbike helmets and custom-made surfboards. Given the brand’s association with the roar of the road and sea, it was crucial that the new venue had had a powerful yet versatile sound system, according to Kévin Morel, co-founder of Morex Custom. “The sound environment in a venue like ours is very important - our customers need to feel the music and enjoy it,” he explains. “
India - Located in the Mumbai suburb of Bandra the Woodside Inn has received a substantial sound system upgrade, with integrators Zoodio Pro specifying a Martin Audio system. The newly-installed system comprises Martin Audio Blackline X10 for the main PA, supported by a Blackline X115 subwoofer which Zoodio owner, Dylan Hilton says offers tremendous output from a compact speaker. CDD6s have been added as in-fill for the rest of the dining area and the smoking zone. Like all the Woodside Inn operations, the Bandra outlet specialises in craft beers and inventive cuisine in the gastropub tradition. And since it is an all-day operation, they wanted ambient music to be broadcast during the day, with a livelier night-time trade - playing retro, old-school rock and pop to crowds of up to 150. Provision has been made with BlacklineX for a small band to perform, and it will als
Slovenia - Slovenians prepared for the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest with their own selection event which was organised by Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTV SLO) and staged at their main studios in capital city Ljubljana over three weekends, featuring two semi-finals and a final, all broadcast live on National TV. Lighting designer Crt Birsa utilized 66 x Robe moving lights including 13 of the new high-powered Fortes, to ensure the challenge of lighting his seventh ESC selection offered plenty of vibrance and flair. He was tasked with creating 24 different environments in which the contestants could perform their entries, for which he collaborated closely with set / scenic designer Greta Godnic, video content creator Den Baruca and director Nejc Levstik. Crt was using Fortes for the first time. These were supplied - together with all the supplemental show lighting which a
Austria - Ibiza meets southern Styria: What started as a modest, seasonal bar on the shores of Lake Aldrian in Tillmitsch in southern Styria, has developed into one of the region’s premier hotspots. Ankerpunkt is the vision of DJ Leo Rath and his wife Manuela. The beach club is now open all year round and boasts its own beach, a bar and restaurant along with lawns and terraces. Music takes centre stage and accompanies guests throughout the day and into the party night. "I am a DJ myself and the right sound for Ankerpunkt is an important concern for me," reports Leo Rath, who wanted to bring a touch of Rimini and Ibiza flair to Styria with his club. "After some research, I became aware of KV2's sound systems. The sound quality of KV2 just totally convinced me and I quickly realised, this is what I need for Ankerpunkt.” The owner turned to event and club specialists
UK - Award-winning arts and performance venue, Reading Rep Theatre has benefited from an energy and space efficient, high impact lighting solution by choosing to invest in a plethora of the latest Acclaim LED Fresnels from Strand. The fixtures were originally specified by theatre consultancy, Drama by Design, the company responsible for the entire £1m conversion from Salvation Army Hall to 170 seat, technically adaptable, multi-purpose venue. The fixtures have been well received by both the technical department and incoming designers. Head of production for Reading Rep Theatre, Jordan Harris, says: “The project went well, and the theatre is now a creatively welcoming space to work and visit. We love the Strand Acclaims, the dimming curve is great, and the light quality is excellent. In addition, the fixtures are lightweight, small and easy to set up and programme.
China - Representatives of the automobile industry celebrity guests gathered recently in the Chinese city of Hangzhou for the Super 818 Car Carnival Night, featuring an ambitious audio-visual programme, orchestrated by a networked DiGiCo system. The system was provided and operated by the technical design team from DiGiCo’s distributor for the region, specialist sales and installation company, Racpro. Staged in Hangzhou’s 80,000sq.m Olympic Sports Centre, the event was created by auto internet services provider, Bitauto App, and broadcast giant, Zhejiang Satellite TV. The highly specified and creative gala presentation was designed with two performing spaces in the stadium, with the programme alternating between a performance stage featuring China’s top artists, and an interactive car zone. The star-studded artist roster for the evening was a major production, w
Slovenia - Lighting designer Crt Birsa and rental company Event Lighting’s CEO Jernej Gustin thought laterally - with the help of 48 x Astera Titan Tubes - when lighting a livestream event staged at the Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies (KSEVT) in Vitanje. The spectacular award-winning circular building is a concrete monolith comprising two low cylinders that create an impression of levitation and rotation. Inside, the central hall is surrounded by a main exhibition area, and both are connected by a round opening in the middle - a feature that makes it a challenging space to light, and one that Crt also used to his advantage. Forty of the Titan Tubes were hung on steel wires between 1m and 3m in length attached to the ceiling, arcing 270 degrees around the circular space, and rigged utilising the venue’s own exhibition hanging system which made it str
USA - Oregon-based audio production and installation company Alpha Sound has reported two successful Nexo ID series installations this year in local churches. Central to the high levels of performance achieved in St Paul’s Episcopal Church and Kingwood Bible Church, both in Alpha Sound’s hometown of Salem, is the deployment of a pair of Nexo’s new ID84 columns as the main speakers, supplemented by ultra-compact ID14s covering smaller areas of the churches. Alpha Sound’s Devin Sheets reports, “When we first got our hands on the ID84, we discovered something very different from a conventional column loudspeaker. Firstly, the soft dome tweeter array lends what I would describe as an almost ‘hi-fi’ sonic characteristic, with an open, natural high end that’s perfectly suited to speech reproduction, which makes up so much of a typical church service. “Then
Italy - To provide a streamlined technology platform that supports business activities and community events alike, Intermark Sistemi recently outfitted Barton Park Green Business Centre with a complete AMX by Harman networked AV solution. Located in the central Italian city of Perugia, Barton Park is a multi-use community space built by Barton Group to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The park is open to the public, welcoming anyone to immerse themselves in nature, meet friends and attend events in its 2,000-seat theatre. The park is a popular hangout for local families, workers and students. Inside Barton Park is the Green Business Centre, the new headquarters of Barton Group. The facility is used by staff members and visitors to organise meetings, training courses, workshops and conferences. In order to ensure successful events and operations, the centre required a ne
