USA - The 2025 edition of The Maine’s 8123 Fest transformed the Mesa Amphitheatre in Arizona into an electrifying experience enhanced by ADJ Lighting’s Jolt Panel FX, Jolt Bar FX, and 32 HEX Panel IP fixtures. Utilised to extend the video elements of the show across the entire stage, these fixtures played a crucial role in production/lighting designer Carlos Katsurayama’s rig, creating an immersive visual spectacle for fans of the alt rock band.

Founded in 2007, The Maine is associated with a variety of rock music genres, especially alternative, pop punk and emo. The band has built a dedicated following through their heartfelt anthems and strong fan engagement, which reaches its zenith at their very own festival, 8123 Fest. First held in 2017, to celebrate the band’s 10th anniversary, 8123 Fest has become a biannual gathering of The Maine’

USA - A ‘groundbreaking entertainment destination’ is set to debut in late 2025. The journey to VAI Resort’s highly anticipated opening night is already underway, with TAIT engineers actively transforming the vision into reality at the Glendale, AZ resort through the cutting-edge infrastructure of the VAI Amphitheatre.

This venue is now open for artist bookings. Designed with the artist’s experience at its core, VAI’s amphitheatre stage – engineered by the live entertainment innovation pioneers at TAIT – ensures that every artist’s needs are met to the highest standard.

Audiences can look forward to ‘an unparalleled connection to live entertainment’, with sweeping views of the stage from the comfort of their luxury hotel suites. Artists will experience a venue built specifically for A-list performances, complete with state-of-the-

USA - Australian-born singer-songwriter Leah Martin-Brown, now a solo artist signed to Frontiers Records, explores pop territory without sacrificing the hard-rock energy of her formative work. Her voice is channelled through Audix microphones – the OMX series (especially the OMX-E) onstage and the A231 for studio recording. Just after hosting the video premiere of her third single Shush, she spoke with Audix about her musical roots and her new favourite microphones.

“I didn't know that I was a good singer until maybe fifth grade, when we had this assignment at school where each of us had to get up and sing,” she begins. “I sang the part, and my teacher reacted, ‘Oh, so you’re a singer?’ I was, like, ‘I am? Why yes, I am!’

“I had always been aware of the Audix brand, starting with knowing they made great drum mics,” Mart

Poland - The Mazowsze National Folk Song and Dance Ensemble was established in 1948 and is dedicated to the preservation and performance of traditional Polish folklore. In 2024, the venue completed extensive audio upgrades, with major changes to the sound system in the concert hall, designed by sound designer, Krzysztof Polesiński.

Powering the upgrades are two DiGiCo Quantum 852-T consoles and two further DiGiCo Quantum338 consoles, also equipped with Theatre software and Pulse upgrades for touring use, all supplied by Polsound, DiGiCo’s Distributor in Poland.

The Mazowsze Auditorium is housed in the Karolin complex, which offers a full cultural experience. There is everything from hotels to education on site, with the ensemble performing dance, drama and music, also exhibiting artwork, running arts and crafts workshops and much more. Ja

USA - Motown is a good distance from Music City (533 miles, to be exact), but inspiration has a way of transcending geographical space. It was on a trip back home to Detroit for the holidays that Alexandra Kay's lighting designer, Corbin Alvae saw a stylised heart in an advertisement. It struck him with a vision for the set piece for his client's current 30-city Cupid's A Cowgirl tour.

"The concept for this design really came when AK talked about this being the start of a new phase of her career," said Alvae. "We called it the Lover Girl Era. So, when I was designing this with her and her management, I really wanted something to stand out as a good centre prop to bring this show together. One day visiting home in Michigan for the holidays, I drove by a massive red heart, and it just hit me with a lot of inspiration to tie together not only

India - The Urban Foundry is a popular all-day bar and eatery in the the NIBM area of the Indian city of Pune. The industrial theme of the venue creates an ambience in which customers enjoy a wide range of local and international cuisine. Music plays an important part in maintaining the atmosphere in The Urban Foundry’s always busy setting, and the venue’s management recently enlisted the services of distributor Generation AV and Pune-based integrator Audio Groove, to supply and install a quality sound system for the venue.

An HH Audio system based on the company’s Tessen Series of installation speakers was the right choice according to Kishore Shetty of Urban Foundry: “Both Generation AV and Audio Groove have been exceptional partners in every aspect of this project. From the outset their team did a fantastic job of recommending a system that suited

USA - Harman International has announced that it has become a NASCAR technology partner aimed at delivering premium audio experiences for racing fans through future racetrack audio upgrades.

This partnership enables NASCAR to design and implement high-quality integrated audio systems using Harman Professional Solutions brands, including JBL Professional loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, BSS digital signal processing, and more.

“JBL and NASCAR are two iconic brands that were founded just two years apart in the 1940s, and will now work together to enhance one of the most thrilling and widely attended sports in the world,” said Brian Divine, president of Harman Professional Solutions. “On any given day, thousands of fans around the world experience audio through a JBL system, and we are excited to collaborate with NASCAR through this technology part

UK - Opened in 1882, the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Portsmouth is the mother church of the Catholic diocese and seat of the Bishop of Portsmouth.

Services in the church’s striking nave – designed in Gothic Revival style – are now being delivered via an Audio-Technica System 20 PRO 2.4GHz digital wireless system, supplied and installed by church installation specialist System Design Audio. The company can trace its history back to 1967 and its relationship with St John’s began in 2010.

“We’ve used Audio-Technica wireless systems in many house of worship projects over the years,” says System Design Audio managing director Peter Hearn, “and I was very interested in System 20 PRO as soon it was launched. We typically need a very robust, reliable and easy-to-use solution for our clients and the licence-free nature of 2.4GHz sys

India - In celebration of reaching a 25-year foundation tenure, Magarpatta, a 450-acre gated community consisting of commercial areas, residential compounds, hospital, school, 25-acre urban park, and a shopping mall, commissioned the facade illumination of their city gates. To mark a quarter-century, they wanted to create an awe-inspiring lighting display at the main entrance.

The gates at the entrance were adorned with dynamic lighting to enhance the appeal for both residents and visitors. Semblance Studio, a local lighting design firm from Pune, chose K-LITE to provide the lighting solutions.

K-LITE supplied products including Form-17, underwater lights, and Aster 15 solutions which combined to form a cohesive lighting scheme. Form-17 fixtures were installed in the niche of the entrance and Aster 15 were placed in the niches of the entrance lateral

Thailand - Opened in 1945, Bangkok’s Rajadamnern Stadium – the oldest Muay Thai stadium in Thailand – stands as one of Thailand’s most revered sporting venues. Known as the birthplace of Muay Thai (Thai boxing) as a globally recognised professional sport, Rajadamnern is the world’s first dedicated Muay Thai stadium and has played a pivotal role in shaping the sport’s rules, cultures, traditions, and global reputation. The venue also stands out for its one-of-a-kind circular design, ensuring an unobstructed view from every seat.

While the stadium’s historical significance remains unchanged, the grand vision of the Rajadamnern management team was to establish the venue as a premier global destination for sports and cultural experiences. Their mission was to create something unique; the time had come to reimagine the Rajadamnern experience – esp

UK - The OffWestEnd Theatre Awards (Offies) celebrated the creativity and talent that define the UK’s independent theatre scene. Marking its 15th anniversary, the ceremony unveiled a bold new direction, moving away from the traditional category model. Instead, the Offies introduced eight areas of exceptional contribution, reflecting the diversity, artistry, and ambition that make fringe and Off-West End theatre so vital.

The ceremony took place at Central Hall Westminster, a historic venue for theatre. Nestled in the heart of Westminster, it has hosted many performances and events over the years - including the first-ever public debut of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1968. Fast forward to 2025, and the Offies took centre stage, hosted by drag artist Divina de Campo, celebrating a total of 48 w

Germany - The Weissenhaus Private Nature Luxury Resort in Germany has launched Big Barn Studios, a creative musical retreat housed in a thatched barn at the centre of the picturesque 185-acre site. The residential recording studio’s control room features a Solid State Logic AWS 948 δelta SuperAnalogue console and has been outfitted to handle Dolby Atmos projects.

The entire project is the brainchild of Jan Henric Buettner, a German entrepreneur with a background in telecommunications and the internet. 20 years ago, he purchased a dilapidated historic estate and village in the north of Germany, overlooking the Baltic Sea, and turned it into a privately operated luxury resort, which opened in 2014. Several years ago, after seeing Bohemian Rhapsody, the biopic about rock band Queen, Buettner was inspired to construct a recording studio in an unused

USA - When 50 Cent set a six-date residency at Planet Hollywood’s PH Live auditorium in Las Vegas during the festive season – including a memorable New Year’s Eve show that ended at midnight – he set out to create a retro party atmosphere under the banner of In Da Club featuring his many hits.

Assisting him was a top creative team that included experienced lighting designer Nate Files. With a project portfolio that is impressively versatile, he jumped to the call when contacted by production designer Kley Tarcitano. Although he would be working with the artist (and GLP’s new JDC2 IP hybrid strobe) for the first time, he was familiar with the venue, having helped produce several shows there with DX7 Design, including Miranda Lambert.

However, he was aware that he would not only need to work within an ageing existing house lighting rig but al

USA - Latin music’s glitterati turned out to perform at the Premio Lo Nuestro 2025 Awards for a night of celebration and recognition, with each act enveloped by a huge LED screen controlled by Green Hippo Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers.

Taking place at Miami’s 19,500-capacity Kaseya Centre, the ceremony was broadcast on TV by Univision and hosted by Mexican actress Alejandra Espinoza, Italian singer Laura Pausini and Mexican singer Thalía. Global star Shakira was the most awarded artist.

The night warranted an array of video content, ranging from artist portraiture to city- and building-scapes, from strobe video effects to key performer and award category messaging. The pre-made content was created by several companies, including Madman, Framework, Hidden Road Studios, David Ayala, and Bowie Productions. Live feed from multiple ca

Sweden - Dear Evan Hansen, the award-winning musical about a high school senior with social anxiety, received its Swedish premiere in Stockholm on 23 January at the Intiman Theatre. The show has been creatively lit by renowned Swedish lighting designer, Palle Palmé, using only Ayrton Rivale Profiles. Ayrton is distributed exclusively in Sweden by Topstage.

Palmé explains his decision to use only Rivale Profiles in his design. “My first design intention was to create different sized ‘rooms’ using light, so I looked for a mid-size moving light with great shutter blades and an extraordinary colour mix.

“I was very happy with Rivale’s shutters which are extremely accurate compared to those of other brands. They allowed me to sharply shutter the ‘rooms’ and focus the audience on where the action takes place.

“I also foun

Israel - The Israel Expo Centre in Tel Aviv has undergone a significant audio upgrade with the implementation of L-Acoustics L-ISA Hyperreal technology for the two-and-a-half-month Tozeret Haaretz event series. This marks a pivotal shift from traditional temporary sound systems to a consistent, high-precision audio environment capable of accommodating varied performance requirements while maintaining exceptional sound quality.

Sincopa, an L-Acoustics certified provider with over 20 years of industry expertise, engineered a flexible 7.1 frontal configuration that addresses the venue's specific acoustic challenges while providing accurate sound reproduction for audiences of up to 6,500 attendees.

The technical implementation features five main hangs of one L2 and one L2D, complemented by two extensions of nine Kara II loudspeakers on each side

UK - The National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) in London has won numerous awards for its musical theatre and musical productions. What makes it special is that the actors are all teenagers and young adults between the ages of 11 and 23 who are cast during extensive auditions. The list of famous graduates is long and ranges from Jessie J to Idris Elba and Jude Law.

In the 2024 summer season, the NYMT performed three musicals at London’s Southwark Playhouse Theatre: Into the Woods, Catastrophe Bay and Our House. Three different lighting designers were in charge of the lighting design. All of whom share a few things in common: the joy of working with young people on and off the stage – and a lighting rig consisting of various Cameo lights.

As the three musicals were performed virtually back to back, the three lighting design

USA - A 50th anniversary is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone, but in the fleeting world of television, even a decade on air is a rare achievement. When Saturday Night Live prepared to celebrate its golden anniversary, perfection was the only option. The high point of the show’s multi-event commemoration was SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert, broadcast live on NBC, SNL’s long-time network home, and streamed on Peacock from Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, as well as at select IMAX Theaters at Regal Cinemas.

As much known for its musical performances as for its comedy, SNL has been a progressive stage for music throughout its 50 years, with performances by artists of every era of those years as well as a launchpad for new voices.

Artists returning to recreate the magic for this singular event included Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Dave Grohl,

Singapore - Mandai Wildlife Group’s Night Safari has unveiled its latest attraction, the Pangolin Trail, an extension of the renowned Creatures of the Night trail. Comprising of several enclosures that showcase the natural habitats of nocturnal animals, the Pangolin Trail experience is enhanced by Martin architectural lighting fixtures, designed and deployed by lighting consultants, Light Collab.

The design brief called for a seamless integration of light and darkness to mimic the serene effect of moonlight, creating an environment where nocturnal animals would feel at ease while remaining active and visible to visitors. Light Collab worked closely with the Martin APAC team to implement a carefully curated lighting system using 27 fixtures from Martin’s Exterior Wash family. These luminaires were strategically placed a

Poland - Recognised as one of the world’s leading EDM festivals, Don’t Let Daddy Know (DLDK) has evolved from an Ibiza club night into a global phenomenon, staging high-energy events in over 20 countries.

The latest edition at Ergo Arena in Gdańsk, one of Poland’s premier multifunctional venues, featured a world-class lineup - including Axwell, Benny Benassi, and Nicky Romero - drawing thousands of passionate electronic music fans.

To deliver an audio experience worthy of the event’s scale, Poland-based rental firm Gondek Sound - a prominent player in the region’s high-profile EDM scene - supplied an Outline sound system engineered for precision, power, and clarity.

The main PA comprised Outline GTO C-12 arrays, reinforced by DBS 18-2 subwoofers for deep, controlled low-end. Out-fill coverage relied on Outline Sup

UK - For Edinburgh's popular two-day FLY Festival at Princes Gardens, Nick Jevons opted to go with a single lighting fixture model for the 40m-long main stage: the Chauvet Professional Colorado PXL Bar 16 supplied by Liteup. The festival featured the music of internationally acclaimed DJs from Peggy Gou to Henrik Schwarz.

"Convincing others that the concept of having one fixture type would work to deliver enough different looks for a two-day dance festival was a challenge," said Jevons. "I’m proud to say the results did not disappoint."

Persuading everyone to go alone with his one fixture plan was one of the challenges Jevons faced, the other was to ensure that the two rows of 1,000 x 139 x 273mm (39.37 x 5.47 x 10.75 in) fixtures in his design, each consisting of 40 units, were aligned in two straight lines. He credits the production team

USA - Owned and operated by the Muscogee Nation, the River Spirit Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma is a premier entertainment destination offering a range of gaming, dining and live entertainment experiences. Among its highlights is the new Gridiron Sportsbar, the largest sports viewing bar in the State.

Headquartered in Ireland and London, AV design specialists, Audiotek, were introduced to the project by builders and fabricators i5 Design and were tasked with designing and installing a new, advanced audio and video (IPTV) system throughout the space, which also incorporates two TopGolf swing suites (golf simulators), the Locker Room banquet suite and VIP lounge.

The system needed to support a variety of content, from live sports broadcasts to special events, with consistently reliable and high-quality audio and video. AV-over-IP services needed to be inte

Singapore - Claypaky fixtures scored big at the World Table Tennis Grand Smash Singapore 2025, where a large complement of Sharpy X Frames and Sharpy Washes were deployed for competition lighting and for audience-pleasing sports presentations that kept fans’ energy high.

The six-year-old organisation which runs commercialised table tennis tournaments, WTT considers its Grand Smashes to be the pillars of the sport and the most important events in the table tennis calendar. The WTT series started its Singapore leg in 2021 with Gabriel Chan acting as lighting designer/programmer. Singapore hosted the inaugural WTT Grand Smash tournament in 2022 and has since been the cradle of Grand Smash tournaments around the world.

According to Gabriel Chan the lighting design for the Singapore Grand Smash needs to fulfil three functions. The fiel

USA - The Dolby Theatre was filled with anticipation as audio engineers and broadcast professionals utilised Shure’s technology to deliver quality audio at the 97th Academy Awards.

With a dedicated team of experts and a robust lineup of Shure gear, including TwinPlex lavalier microphones and Axient Digital wireless systems, the event's audio production once again set the standard for live television broadcasting.

The crew list included A1 broadcast, Paul Sandweiss; music mixer, Biff Dawes; orchestra mixer, Tommy Vicari; monitors, Michael Parker; orchestra monitors, Tom Pesa; FOH, Patrick Batzell and RF frequency coordinator, Steve Vaughn. 

Jeremy Peters, monitor engineer for Doja Cat, comments: “We started using the Nexadyne microphone to capture the full spectrum of Doja Cat’s vocal abilities, from her softer rapping to her powerful,

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