USA - It took a while for the Philadelphia Orchestra to get a home of its own. In fact, it was almost 100 years, as plans first begun in 1908 were disrupted by bureaucratic delays, a Great Depression, a couple of World Wars, and other speed bumps. Eventually, the Kimmel Cenre for the Performing Arts opened in December of 2001. Its vaulted glass ceiling encloses the entire structure, providing a large common lobby for all the facilities, including the centrepiece of the venue, the 2,500-seat Verizon Hall. To coincide, a new and comprehensive DiGiCo digital-audio ecosystem for Verizon Hall comprising a Quantum338 console, two SD-Racks, and a 4REA4 Processor with multiple controllers was installed. These were sold by Horsham, Pennsylvania-based Bauder Audio, which also consulted with the Kimmel Cultural Campus technical team during their own in-house installation of the g
Russia - The Bazar, located inside the Krasnaya Polyana resort in Sochi, combines a restaurant, nightclub, and karaoke bar. The nightclub is known for its programme of pop, R'n'B, and deep house music as well as jazz performances, stand-up comedy, and more. RCF’s Russian distributor Aris developed the audio solution for Bazar. The task included isolation from external noises, between the bar and karaoke areas, and adjacent buildings. Despite the tight deadline, both sound insulation and system installation were deployed on time. Evgeny Shuev, head of Aris’s Bureau of Acoustic Researches and responsible for system design and acoustic simulation with ARIS Acoustician Vasily Aleshkin, responsible for sound insulation (measurements and calculation), carried out the system design and simulation in accordance with the requirements of the international standard ISO
USA - The Proteus Excalibur from Elation Professional is a powerful IP65 beam moving head fixture. The newest member in Elation’s Proteus range of IP65 automated fixtures, Excalibur’s power, long throw beam and wide front aperture make it suitable for creating aerial light columns, sweeping beams, throws of CMY colour, and prismatic/air FX rivaling existing Xenon searchlights, says Elation. “Capable of creating effects as magical as its legendary namesake, the Proteus Excalibur is ideally suited for theme parks, cruise ships, outdoor special events, large-scale shows and concerts, or any situation where a massive beam or very powerful prism and flower effects are required.” Excalibur is billed as ‘the brightest IP65 full-featured beam fixture ever created’, producing up to 200,000 lux at 20m (7,500 lux at 100m). Rivaling existing Xenon searchlights a
UK - Newly-crowned MOBO Awards Best Male Act Ghetts performed an energetic, crowd-pleaser gig at London’s Roundhouse in November backed by hi-res Desay LED screens from Production AV. The audience didn’t miss a beat as the Production AV team filmed the London rapper’s high octane show, using manned cameras positioned at FOH and in the pit. These were complemented by Production AV’s Agile remote cameras placed at the end of the stage catwalk and below the audience balcony. Overseeing the visuals for Ghetts and his tour manager, Neicee Oakley, was Production AV’s project manager Nathan Dunbar, whose concert touring experience and expertise spans large scale productions such as Glastonbury and the MTV World Stage, as well as artists including Little Simz. Dunbar says: “Ghetts’ touring team approached Production AV to deliver a complete visuals solution
Mauritius - Located in the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius, Lakaz derives its name from the locale Creole language term for home or house. It’s an apt description of the prevailing atmosphere at this well-known venue, where locals and tourists (over a million visit the island every year), feel right at home. During the pandemic lockdown, the normally busy club, took advantage of the lull in traffic to make its atmosphere” even more inviting for guests by replacing its old fixtures with LED units from Chauvet Professional. Designed and installed by One Touch Domotics, the upgrade did more than make the club more inviting, it also provided Lakaz with an entirely new way to weave lighting into its entertainment offerings. “Lakaz has been around for many years and is one of the most popular party spots in Mauritius, but it was time for a change with lighting,
UK - Leeds-based rental company Production Light & Sound was founded in 2000 by the late Jason Salvin and is now headed by Sarah Buckmaster who has been working for the company for the last 16 years and a director since 2018. The scope of the company’s work includes draping and staging in addition to lighting and sound production and embraces all areas of technical production - live music, concerts, festivals through to slick corporate and business events. At the start of 2020, Production Light & Sound made a large purchase of Robe RoboSpots - four systems, complete with motion cameras - and were, like so many enterprises, looking forward to a bumper year ahead. Then came COVID. “With theatres, venues now opening up, shows restarting and gigs, tours and events being scheduled and re-scheduled post COVID, we hope there’s going to be plenty of work a
Sweden - Property company Vasakronan has a commercial property portfolio comprising 170 properties with a total area of 2.3m sq.m. Arena Sergel in the heart of Stockholm is the company’s most recent project and combines the Vasakronan HQ with one of Sweden’s most modern and innovative co-working locations. To ensure wellbeing at every level, Efterklang - experts in sound design, acoustics and vibration control - were called in to design an efficient and attractive sound environment, which was implemented thanks to a comprehensive Genelec Smart IP solution supported by 4000 Series installation loudspeakers. Efterklang was asked to design a sound environment that would support the different needs, functions and flows in Arena Sergel. Margareta Andersson, sound architect and section manager at Efterklang, explains: “The key is a well-balanced interplay between acous
Mexico - The most important civic ceremony in Mexico is the Grito de Independencia (Mexican Independence Day) which is commemorated annually on 15 September with a national holiday. Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, the 211st anniversary went ahead this year with excellent results, thanks to the efforts of many people, led by More Music production company and Martin Audio sound systems, which were used exclusively. Among the aspects that stood out were the spectacular fireworks show and video mapping projection of the pyramid, located in the Zócalo square of the Mexican capital. Other highlights were sets by Mexican singer Lila Downs performing the song Latinoamérica, composed by the Puerto Rican urban music duo Calle 13. To optimise all these showcases a professional sound design that would adapt to the ‘new normal’ was vital, since although there
UK - Lighting, sound and video specialists, Colour Sound Experiment, supplied 48 Ayrton Karif LT LED beam spot fixtures to lighting designer Samuel Tozer of Vision Factory when he lit the drum and bass DJ duo, Hybrid Minds, for a one-off performance, produced by NTRP, at Brixton Academy in London in October. The recently-released Ayrton Karif LT was the main lighting fixture in Tozer’s rig which was almost exclusively composed of Ayrton Karif LT and Ayrton Eurus. Tozer specified Karif LT because he needed a multi-use hybrid fixture in a compact body, with the capacity for the narrow beam looks traditional to D&B music, but also able to deliver wide textured prism looks. “The Karif could give me all of these things and is small enough to use in large quantities to give me plenty of creative scope,” says Tozer. Twenty-four Karif LTs were rigged evenly on
USA - To provide indie-dance duo Sylvan Esso with lighting as dynamic, expressive and riveting as their music for their 2021 Shaking Out the Numb Tour, lighting designer Zach Sternberg designed a rig featuring Martin Professional lighting solutions. Founded in 2013 in Durham, North Carolina, Sylvan Esso is made up of singer-songwriter Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn. By combining elements of folk, indie rock and electronic music, Meath and Sanborn developed a sound that toes the line between digital, upbeat music and earnest, vulnerable lyricism, earning them a devoted fan base in the process. This past fall, the Grammy-nominated duo embarked on their Shaking Out the Numb Tour in support of their third studio album Free Love, which they released in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the tour, lighting designer Zach Sternberg created a streamli
UK - Hull-based rental and production company HPSS invested in more Robe MegaPointes to provide spectacular results for the city’s 2021-22 festive illuminations, which feature 16 of these multifunctional fixtures. These were distributed on the rooftops of three landmark city centre buildings in a concept and system design by HPSS’s Graham Roberts. Graham and HPSS have delivered this project for the past few years, working alongside Jonathon Black from Hull City Council. Each time the challenge is to create something new, fresh, and different, but based on the same principle of energising the heart of the city, and bringing it alive with vibrance, colour and movement in a visual scheme that can be enjoyed by all. The festive lighting system was also integrated with some of the city centre’s existing lighting and AV control infrastructure which was installed
The Netherlands - SLF Group and Black Out Lighting used Showtec and Infinity lighting solutions to create a spectacle at Medammecour Draait Door. Over 100 Infinity, Showtec, and Showgear products were used throughout the week of performances. As the carnival season rolls around each year, the province of Limburg readies itself for some entertaining, festive, and spectacular performances. One such recent tradition is the Medammecour, a travelling tour of Carnivalesque musical performances. In a typical year, the Medammecour tours from town to town, putting on performances across Limburg. On 14-21 October, Medammecour Draait Door was held in the Rodahal in Kerkrade, allowing social distancing restrictions to be observed while accommodating up to 300-spectators per evening. The event featured many of the regular cast and performances that have contributed to the success o
Bulgaria - The new International Congress Centre Burgas (ICCB) on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria has installed an Elation lighting system in its largest event space designed and delivered by Elation Professional’s Bulgarian distributor, ProAudio. The city of Burgas is an industrial, transport, cultural and tourist centre, and a natural location for an international conference centre. ICCB with its variety of event spaces, transportation access and nearby first-class hotels, fulfills that role. The modernly equipped complex houses six different spaces including three main event halls used for conferences, exhibitions, concerts, television broadcasts, gala dinners and more. Building designers ATM Architects chose distributor, ProAudio to develop audio, video and stage lighting solutions for the venue. In the centre’s largest space, the 500-capacity Chernomorie Hall
France - Dushow recently helped deliver the world’s biggest concert, Global Citizen Live, as lead technical partner for the Global Citizen Live event in Paris. Serving as the main official service provider for the broadcast event which featured Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Black Eyed Peas, Christine and the Queens, Doja Cat and Måneskin, as well as special guest performances by Angélique Kidjo, Charlie Puth and Fatma Said, and raised more than US$1bn to fight climate change, famine and vaccine inequity. Dushow partnered with its video-specialist subsidiary, Alabama, and sister company Magnum to deliver a complete technical solution encompassing audio, LED, lighting, video, cabling and power. This tour de force was made possible thanks to the wider Novelty Magnum Dushow group offering organisers a single point of contact for the complex 20,000-person show. T
UK - Louisville’s 22,000-plus-seat KFC Yum! Centre is the largest arena in the United States by seating capacity designed primarily for basketball. Since the multi-purpose venue first opened in 2010, it’s been home to the University of Louisville Cardinals men’s and women’s basketball teams, did a brief stint as the primary gridiron for the Indoor Football League’s Louisville Xtreme, and hosted countless concerts from artists as varied as Metallica, Alan Jackson, and Celine Dion. A DiGiCo S31 console has recently been installed as the venue’s new FOH console, and an S21 desk that acts as the router for a newly expanded video production facility used to support the venue’s sporting and other events. In addition, the new console installation includes a DMI-Dante interface card in each console, part of the venue’s extensive Dante infrastructure, and three
Spain - Sala Apolo is one of Barcelona’s most emblematic venues, a vibrantly-evolving world of live performance, art and entertainment. More than 75 years since it first opened as a dance hall, it has adapted to the city and its times to become a noted reference hub for music of all kinds. A concert and nightclub hotspot, Sala Apolo has earned itself the title “club of clubs” and with that, a following that extends throughout Barcelona and beyond. As for many venues, quality of sound here is considered fundamental. For Sala it’s not just a question of listening quality but maximising its programming potential, to be as prepared as possible for all events. Now, with a Soundscape-ready KSL line array system newly installed using d&b’s latest commercial tool - Subscription-Series - Sala Apolo has confidently put itself ahead of the game. Subscription-Series
The Netherlands - Oktoberfest Sittard held an open-air Wiesnfest in October to the delight of 18,000 visitors. This annual folk festival welcomed lederhosen-wearing punters who enjoyed mugs of beers, ate bratwursts and saw live performances by Dutch and German artists like Rowwen Hèze, Beppie Kraft and Wir Sind Spitze. Reflexion Evenemententechniek provided the technical equipment at open-air Wiesnfest, and T.Y.S Entertainment Architects was responsible for the light design throughout the festival, including the installation of an extensive arsenal of Infinity effect lighting and Showtec stage lighting. Six Infinity Furion S-601 Profile moving heads were used as stage front light. They were an ideal fit with the back effect lighting, consisting of 11 Infinity Furion S-401 Spot and 15 Infinity iW-1941 RDM moving heads. the fixtures share the same CMY+CTO colour mix sys
UK - Doughty Engineering was the supplier of choice for Audio Light Systems when the company was contracted to kit out a lecture theatre and public event space at Norwich University of Arts (NUA). Neil McLucas, project manager at Audio Light Systems explained: “We were brought on board by NUA to supply and install cabling infrastructure with numerous facility panels, production lighting boxes, a bespoke truss/ hoist system, sound reinforcement and AV infrastructure, to allow for a multipurpose space.” Audio Light Systems has worked with the team at Doughty on several projects over the years and knew that Dan Phillips, Doughty’s special project manager would understand the exact requirements of the project and deliver a workable solution. Dan commented: “Having been briefed by Audio Light Systems, we came up with a range of kit including all the facility panels,
USA - Fourier Audio reports that their product, Fourier Rewind, has made its Broadway debut on MJ: The Musical. In celebration, the British pro-audio start-up also announced the launch of a 14-day free trial of the Rewind, as well as the general release of a new 64-channel ‘Professional’ edition of Rewind, targeted at freelance audio professionals in theatre, broadcast, music and live entertainment industries. Designed by eight-time Olivier award-winning and Tony nominated sound designer Gareth Owen, MJ: The Musical is one of the most hotly anticipated Broadway productions of recent years, featuring the hits of Michael Jackson. Fourier Rewind is a key component of the production’s audio infrastructure, giving Gareth and his team the ability to rewind up to 15 minutes into the past of all audio streams in the system at the front of house desk. Co-fo
UK - The Australian Pink Floyd Show’s 2021 UK tour played 28 shows across the country between October and December, most of the dates having been rescheduled from their 2020 slots. The final two shows of the 2021 UK leg were at the Birmingham Utility Arena and Glasgow’s SSE Hydro where ticket demand was so high that a large number of extra seats were sold at both venues. As per previous UK TAPFS tours, the sound system was provided by Capital Sound, part of the Solotech UK Group. Also as previously, they deployed part of their Outline inventory for it, the standard system configuration through most of the dates being L/R main hangs of 14 Superfly and three Mantas 28 (as down-fills) plus side-hangs of two Superfly and six Mantas 28s each, with 12 GTO-SUBs and six LIPF-082 dedicated lip-fill speakers. The system was powered and controlled by Powersoft X8 amplifiers and Ou
Canada - Released in November 2021, supernatural comedy Ghostbusters: Afterlife continues the spooky story line of the first two movies. Directed by Jason Reitman and set in Oklahoma, the film was shot in various locations and sound stages across the Province of Alberta, Canada in the months before the pandemic from July to October 2019. The crew travelled to Calgary and neighbouring communities, also working in Crossfield, Beiseker, and Drumheller over several months of principal photography. To handle the fast-paced needs of the production, set lighting programmer Benoit Richard used an extensive Hog 4 control system to network the production. As a Ghostbusters fan, Benoit is quick to thank Gaffer Michael Ambrose for getting him this gig. “Nothing would have been possible without Michael calling and offering one of the jobs of a lifetime. I was a tee
Belgium - The Big Fire That Never Happened drew much attention and widespread praise at Ghent’s internationally acclaimed Lichtfestival in November. Conceived by Belgium-based Austrian artist, Michael Langeder, the exhibit set the tower of St. Nicholas Church in the city centre ablaze in simulated flames, a conflagration that looked so authentic, it prompted calls to the fire brigade. Creating this realistic scene was no simple task. Aside from having to hoist gear up the church’s 40m high tower (a 15 minute journey each time), the design team had to do extensive trial and error tweaking to get make their fire frighteningly believable. Helping them in this undertaking was the extensive colour-rendering prowess of their IP65 rated Chauvet Professional COLORado and COLORdash fixtures, supplied by John & Jane Premium Technical Event Support. Liam van Tornho
USA - Miami-based lighting and creative director Yamil Charif who heads up design company YC3 delivered a high impact stage production for Pitbull’s recent I Feel Good tour, with 32 shows across the US and 100 Robe moving lights - MegaPointes and BMFL WashBeams - as the backbone of the lighting rig. Yamil has worked with the artist for the last four years as lighting and video director and for this one, he was offered the chance to work on the full production design, together with a talented team whose collaborative effort embraced all technical disciplines plus associated areas like wardrobe and choreography. The result was a live performance experience delighting fans nationwide, and a tight logistical operation under the production management of Victor Martinez. The tour’s lighting, video and rigging vendor, LPS Production, had Robe fixtures in stock whi
Canada - When construction began on Ontario’s new luxury hotel LEA Professional was chosen. Located just steps from Lake Ontario, The Pearle Hotel & Spa officially opened to guests in November. The hotel, which is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, boasts 151 guestrooms, two dining facilities, expansion meeting space, two large ballrooms and a spa. Branch AV, one Canada’s newest audiovisual solutions company, was tasked with designing and integrating the entire AV system from the ground up. The company, which was established in 2020 by Bob Guy and George Puthenkulam supported by a team of experienced audiovisual professionals, works across various industries including performing arts, government, education and entertainment. The team are laser focused on providing the best user experience for their clients. For The Pearle hotel’s AV needs, the integrato
