USA - When the state of Illinois eased its stringent lockdown rules, and Chicago’s busy outdoor events schedule resumed, one person who was primed and prepped was Matthew Brotz, who runs locally based LEC Event Technology.
Knowing that Chicago is capable of experiencing four seasons in a day, he realised that not only his large inventory of GLP product would need weather protection, but also moving heads from other vendors. GLP had the solution.
“Thankfully Matt contacted us in plenty of time,” declares GLP US president, Mark Ravenhill. “After discussing the comprehensive range of options that we offer, he settled on a combination of our Rain Covers, with different cover lengths, and a large quantity of Air Domes. Despite the current problems with the global freight system, we made it in time for all of his festival dates.”
LEC’s festival season reope

China - The new Shanghai Astronomy Museum, now the world’s largest museum devoted to the celestial sciences, echoes the ‘music of the spheres’ with its bold curvilinear exterior devoid of any straight lines or right angles. On the inside, the museum’s two primary venues enhance stellar visual programs with complementary Meyer Sound immersive audio systems supplied by Shanghai Broad Future Electro Technology Company.
Designed by Ennead Architects of New York, the 39,000sq.m museum encloses three main exhibition zones - Home, Cosmos, and Odyssey - with the free-flowing architecture encompassing three dominant architectural features: Oculus, Inverted Dome, and Sphere.
Occupying the interior of the Sphere is the 8K Dome Theater, which hosts an audience of 250 for a 20-minute all-enveloping spectacle covering 4.6bn years of cosmic evolution.
Designed using Mey

USA - The Music Centre at Strathmore, Washington DC, is a modern glass-and-steel multidisciplinary arts space. Well-appointed with excellent acoustics, it is like many other performance venues in American suburbs. But last month, this fairly typical space became, in the words of one critic, “a heavenly place to be”.
That happened when Sarah Brightman walked onto its stage as part of her A Christmas Symphony tour. The classical/crossover soprano brought her magic to Strathmore and 16 other venues across the US during the tour, mixing an array of music from Puccini to John Lennon into her two-hour (plus an intermission) show.
Supporting her was lighting and show design by Nathan Taylor. The timecoded lightshow was programmed by Plymouth, UK-based LD Jason Hyne using the suite at NEG Earth, and run during the US tour by Austin, Texas-based LD Ruby Leigh of Allume Li

Poland - Opened in September 2021 and situated in the largest district of the capital city of Warsaw, Poland’s new purpose-built Ursynów Cultural Centre Alternatywy (Alternatives) was commissioned to provide a versatile public space ‘representing the very best in modern innovation’.
The venue’s name, which references a popular 1980’s Polish television series, Alternatywy 4, was selected through a competition amongst residents and encapsulated the centre’s vision of offering a rich and varied cultural programme for the entire community. Crucial to achieving its goal and pivotal to the project's success was the audio system design featuring breakthrough technology in the form of L-Acoustics L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound - specified and installed by Audio Plus.
“The South-West Warsaw community had waited a long time for a decent cultural centre,”

The Netherlands - The Olympic Qualification Tournament in curling took place in the Netherlands in December and the ice has never looked better thanks to MHB AV and Elation’s tunable Kl Panel LED soft lights. Held at the Elfstedenhal sports complex in the town of Leeuwarden, a professionally illuminated surface of the highest standard was a must for the Olympic qualifying event.
The Olympic Qualification Tournament was the first international curling tournament to be hosted by the Netherlands. Teams from across the world competed in the two-week event in the hopes of advancing to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which starts on 4 February.
Months prior to the event, MHB AV had contacted Bert Schmeits, key account manager Benelux at Elation, and as a result invested in the full-colour-spectrum and colour temperature-adjustable KL light panels. Schmeits reports tha

UK - There were some showers during the red-carpet premiere of Dune outside the Odeon Leicester Square in London, but that did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds or global press corps who turned out for the star-studded affair, produced by Limited Edition Event Design.
Impact Production Services (IPS), which provided technical services for the event, deployed a powerful the Chauvet Professional F4IP LED panel for setting up the outdoor video walls.
The IPS team used 236 of the 4.8 mm pixel pitch panels to create a 28m wide by 4m high video wall that ran almost the entire length of the red carpet. Displaying a series of dramatic images from the movie that were supplied by the film company and played back via a Disguise Media Server, the wall added a powerful and engaging cinematic flavour to the event, in addition to providing an attractive backdrop

Turkey - To advertise the launch of the Istanbul Financial Centre (IFC) in January, Istanbul film production company Autonomy partnered with Formula 1 on a dynamic commercial featuring virtual production by MGX Studios and powered by the disguise Extended Reality (xR) workflow.
Holding 1.4m square metres of office space, a shopping mall, conference and exhibition centre and a five-star hotel, the IFC is a founding partner of the Formula 1 Rolex Turkish Grand Prix 2021. The metaphor of the IFC as a Formula 1 race car “driving forward the world of finance” provided a high-energy scenario for a commercial promoting its imminent opening.
The commercial features extreme close-ups of a Formula 1 race car cockpit, complete with revving sound design, as the vehicle speeds through Istanbul and glimpses of the IFC are reflected on the driver’s helmet visor.
Since t

Norway - The first Robe Fortes in Norway were delivered to Den National Scene (the National Theatre) in Bergen, one of the country’s oldest permanent theatres, where they joined Robe Esprites that were another recent investment.
Opened in 1909, Den National Scene was initially built with a single stage, but currently hosts performances in three different spaces, which have just re-started with full capacity public shows post pandemic.
Head of lighting Geir Hovland explained that these latest moving light investments are part of an ongoing process to ensure the theatre is equipped with the best and most appropriate technology to facilitate its busy - and highly acclaimed - repertory schedule.
The positive relationship with Robe - via distributor Norsk Sceneteknikk - began in 2017 when 25 x Robe’s DL7S Profile and 15 x DL7F Wash fixtures were purchased for

Japan - Located in the east end of the Tokyo metropolis, opened in 1992, Katsushika Symphony Hills cultural centre serves the ward with a range of cultural programmes. The centre consists of two halls. The main 1,318-seat Mozart Hall, which was named in honour of the ward’s friendship city agreement with the Floridsdorf district of Vienna. The hall boasts some of the best acoustics among Japan’s numerous concert halls. Its smaller companion, the 298-seat Iris Hall, takes its name from the symbolic flower of Katsushika ward.
Both spaces offer classical and pop music concerts by Japanese and international artists. Along with dance, theatrical and art performances, the centre also offers a diverse range of events for people of all ages since its opening in 1992.
As the centre’s 30th anniversary approached, and in response to audience feedback regarding the quality o

Canada - The team at Audio Process in Toronto are long-time Lectrosonics users, and recently made the leap from their Digital Hybrid Wireless to the fully digital D Squared line.
Their cart and bag rigs run the gamut of digital receivers: DSQD four-channel, DCR822 dual-channel, and DCHR compact stereo units. Sending signal to these is a host of DBSM body-pack transcorders, the DPR-A plug-on transmitter for boom work, and DCHT camera hop transmitters. Communications are all-digital as well, thanks to the M2 Duet system’s four-channel M2T transmitter paired with M2R beltpack receivers.
“We dove into the Lectro digital world headfirst,” says lead location recordist Rob Morrice. “This past summer we did a show which follows a teenager who wins a singing competition, not unlike The Voice. It covered the behind-the-scenes of his life and the other contestants

UK - In August 2020, Harrogate Town FC were promoted to the English Football League (EFL) for the first time in their history. With promotion came new responsibilities.
The League’s regulations precluded the use of the club’s Wetherby Road (EnviroVent) stadium’s synthetic pitch, and, as a narrow window of time did not allow the work on a replacement to be completed before the start of 2020/21 season, Harrogate Town arranged a temporary ground-share at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium. Comfortably maintaining their new League status during a season largely played in empty stadiums due to COVID-19 restrictions, the club, with work on a new grass pitch completed, prepared to return home.
Other EFL infrastructure criteria also had to be met at the EnviroVent, one of which was provision for a permanent public address system, which according to the League’s regul

Japan - Martin Audio Japan (MAJ) recently staged an outdoor showcase demo at the ancient ruins of the Ama Site Park in Takatsuki, Osaka. This park was newly opened in 2021, having refurbished the land that was previously used as a university campus. Now the park is open to everyone.
Martin Audio Japan had been unable to hold any demo showcases over the last 18 months due to COVID19 restrictions. Once the pandemic calmed down the company restarted its activity programme - and planned something special.
Director of MAJ, Sam Yamashita, explained the rationale. “Holding the demonstration outside ensured there would be sufficient space for the social distancing as well as fresh air. We had originally wanted to introduce WPL to customers back in 2019, but due to COVID it was postponed.”
In any case, he concluded that showing the capability of WPL to its optimum pot

USA - In mid-December, Metallica celebrated its 40th anniversary with four days of events dubbed the San Francisco Takeover, culminating in two concerts for fan club members only at the city’s Chase Centre arena. As with nearly all Metallica shows in recent years, the band relied on a Meyer Sound reinforcement system - here a massive 286 loudspeaker in-the-round configuration.
The longstanding Metallica - Meyer Sound relationship has evolved into a partnership between musical artists and a technology supplier, a collaboration that has pushed the technology envelope for large scale audio production.
“We have never worked with a vendor or manufacturer where we’ve had the kind of close, collaborative relationship we have with Meyer Sound,” says Dan Braun, Metallica’s creative director and production designer. “They are not simply equipment providers, but real

Belgium - Dining-out long since ceased to be about simply eating. The modern restaurant seeks to provide its customers with an ‘experience’; often investing significantly in specialist designers to assist the creation of a unique atmosphere and ambience that reflect its particular vision. Amongst the plethora of ideas and styles that characterise the sector, one aspect is common to virtually every setting. Music, of whatever genre in a restaurant environment, is fundamental to the vibe, and as such, demands the best possible audio provision. Two examples of new restaurants which recently opened in the Belgian ‘capital of cool’, Antwerp, support the principle that good sound is an essential ingredient for the dinner table.
Erwin Nuyts, co-owner of Antwerp based audio and lighting integrator Discostore, was called on to create systems for both Sergio Herman’s “New I

USA - At the 183-year-old Connection Pointe Christian Church outside Indianapolis, a refurbished lighting rig and a fresh approach to design have brought a new level of immersion and engagement to services.
Last year, the multi-generational church replaced most of its lamp-based fixtures with a new all-LED system featuring many of Chauvet Professional’s latest and most advanced product, including the Maverick Force S Spot.
The new LED rig was only one of the changes, however, that would redefine lighting at Connection Pointe. Along with the upgraded fixtures, the church also got a brand new LD, one with experience lighting houses of worship as well as entertainment venues. Alexander Lehman joined the church’s team and became part of a new design philosophy that emphasized building engagement with set pieces.
“I took on the LD role here in Indianapolis tow

Norway - Bose Professional has been selected as the solution provider for Telegrafen Oslo. Located in the heart of one of Europe’s fastest-growing cities, Telegrafen offers a mixed-use experience in the Nordic Baroque-Nouveau landmark building. With almost 270,000sq.ft, the historic building provides a place for visitors to enjoy a range of activities from an upscale restaurant to meeting spaces - easily navigating between business and leisure.
“We needed a partner who could ensure high-quality sound in big, flexible spaces, larger educational facilities, restaurants, bars - in other words, we needed distinct solutions suitable for everything from fun, experiential sound to clear audio for conferencing,” explains Steffen Johansen, technical project manager for system integrator Bravo. “We needed a provider that could deliver products that met all of our needs, and Bo

The Netherlands - The city of Utrecht is the fourth largest in the Netherlands and attracts a significant number of international and domestic visitors each year. One of the most recent additions to its range of entertainment destinations is the new Holland Casino; a striking building adorned in gold.
Designed by OZ Architects, the brief was to create a diamond-shaped building, adorned in gold, that was also completely covered in light. As well as illuminating the entire building and using the façade to display content, it was also important that the building met the criteria for the BREAAM sustainability certification. Keeping light pollution to a minimum was crucial.
System integrator Livingprojects worked closely with lighting designer Siegrid Siederius on behalf of Arup to deliver the vision of Holland Casino. The façade is structured with individual panels, and

UK - Viewers were treated to a musical extravaganza hosted by British musician Olly Alexander in the form of BBC One’s The Big New Years & Years Eve Party. Filmed at London’s Riverside Studios, the two-part concert included guest performances from Kylie Minogue and the Pet Shop Boys. The show included a pause for the countdown to midnight and footage of London’s Big Ben ringing in the new year before the action headed back to the show as Olly and friends continued the party.
The party featured a captivating lighting design from Gurdip Mahal, featuring more than 40 universes of fixtures. To provide main and tracking backup control of the elaborate lighting rig, programmers Ross Williams and Rob Bradley selected a pair of High End Systems Hog 4-18 consoles, supplemented by two Full Boar 4 consoles and two new HPU Hybrid Processor units.
The main lightin

Belgium - The grace and fluidity of dancers’ movements were enhanced by an equally elegant lightshow designed by Koen De Clerck for Cogétama, a special choreographed ballet work created and produced by Glen Lambrecht Productions, commissioned by the Municipality of Aalter. It was staged at the City Hall Auditorium of Aalter and played 12 completely sold-out performances.
Koen used an all-Robe moving lighting rig to give him the flexibility and dynamics needed to light the detail, depth, and nuance of the piece, which revolved around the famous Cogétama cigar and the factory which produced it and how it affected and influenced the communities living and working around the areas of Aalter and Knesselare for over 100 years. The legacy of the cigar factory has left an indelible imprint on local culture and history.
Glen Lambrecht, a professional ballet dancer w

Italy - New visions for the future are told live, at the Bergamo Fair, through an RCF TT+ line array system - with an unconventional system configuration.
Visionary Bergamo 2021 is part of Visionary Days, a format where hundreds of under-35s discuss life challenges and ways they can shape the future. The event unfolds over 10 hours of collective brainstorming and six inspirational talks, with 500 young people involved in over 80 round tables, all while streaming live. An inspirational talk opens each session by introducing a topic and then passes the topic to the attendees to develop ideas and visions. A ‘dynamic poster’ is then drawn up and printed at the end of the event, edited by Lee, an artificial intelligence, creation by the Visionary Days team.
Produced and coordinated by GO-ON, a production studio specialising in highly innovative events, the original form

USA - Lighting director Nick Chang who has been on the road with the Kane Brown tour for the last four months, returned to his hometown of Nashville to oversee lighting for services and other events at Church of the City.
On staff at the church since March of 2021, Nick was called on to light Church of the City’s 2021 Christmas services and specified a rig of Elation Artiste Mondrian and Artiste Monet LED moving heads, as well as Platinum Seven wash fixtures, all rented through Elite Multimedia.
Nick has been contracting with Church of the City since 2020 and handled a Christmas project for them that year. This year, the church held five Christmas services in their 3000-seat auditorium at their main campus in Franklin, Tennessee, just south of Nashville. Nick co-designed lighting for the services with Church of the City production manager Jori Johnson. Nick also han

UK - Throughout December and January, the British Film Institute (BFI) is hosting 時の河 Tokinokawa, an audiovisual installation inspired by the BFI National Archive’s moving images from early 20th century Japan. This artwork is the creation of UK media artists The Light Surgeons, with sound reproduction for the installation provided by Yamaha.
時の河 Tokinokawa is being presented at BFI Southbank in London as part of the BFI’s Japan Cinema month and its new year-round BFI Expanded programme. It has been created and co-directed by Christopher Allen, producer and director of east London-based The Light Surgeons and showcases a set of newly restored films from the BFI’s Japan on Film archive through the concept of ‘a river in time’.
Presented across a line of six screens, the short presentation displays the BFI’s early cinematic views of Japan with new

Australia - Elevate Sydney, a festival held 1-5 January, unveiled the largest drone display in the Southern Hemisphere. The Elevate SkyShow, lit up Sydney Harbour for the first time with 500 drones.
Featuring technology, art and a First Nations narrative, the inaugural Elevate SkyShow blended art and technology to create ‘a new form of night-time entertainment’. The 500 Intel drones performed in between the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge to a powerful and moving soundtrack.
AGB Events was commissioned by the NSW Government through tourism organisation Destination NSW to create and produce the event. This summer festival was designed to activate Sydney’s CBD and AGB’s SkyShow provided an epic conclusion at the end of every night for thousands lining the Sydney Harbour foreshore.
AGB Events assembled a team of leading creatives to desig

Hungary - As one of the country’s leading veteran sound engineers, László ‘Taki’ Takács prides himself on capturing and delivering crystal clear audio quaility for his clients’ various music projects. For the music-based television show, Turnébusz, Taki turned to a selection of microphones. This included 4099 Core Instrument mics, 2011C Twin Diaphragm Cardioid mics and 2028 vocal mics from DPA.
During his more than 25 years working live events as a sound technician/engineer, Taki has supported many large Hungarian productions. He began using DPA mics in 2015 for a variety of rock, pop, folk and live concert events.
Turnébusz came about during the pandemic to satisfy a need to record concerts for Hungarian bands that did not have many media appearance or performance opportunities. Similar to other well-known music documentary-style shows, each episo

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