Croatia - Popular duo 2Cellos released a new music video together with a hi-energy rendition of Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer this month which was recorded in an abandoned military warehouse near the Croatian city of Pula. Lighting was created by the band’s long-term LD Crt Birsa of Blackout using an all-Robe moving light rig. Lighting was the critical and only visual technical element for the dramatically stark, moody noir-style video directed by Kristijan Burlovic and as such it became almost a fourth band member joining Stjepan Hauser, Luka Šulić and drummer Dušan Kranjc. Crt chose 38 x Robe MegaPointes as the key lighting fixtures, creating a tunnel effect down the length of the 33m tube like space which was pitch black inside. His design also used 16 x Robe BMFL Spots, three LEDBeam 150s and 10 x LEDWash 600+s, all supplied by Pula-based rental co
USA - Although TobyMac’s Hits Deep Tour has been an annual late-winter tradition for a number of years now, this year’s trek was particularly joyous as it represented one of North America’s first proper arena tours following the pandemic blackout year. True to form, Nashville-based Blackhawk Audio, the long-time touring sound provider for the seven-time Grammy Award-winning Christian hip-hop/pop artist, carried DiGiCo consoles - SD10s at both FOH and monitors, plus a smaller-format SD9 support desk at FOH - which were used to mix 18 arena shows in 13 cities during February and March. In addition to TobyMac, the 2021 Hits Deep Tour featured a full lineup of special guests, including Tauren Wells, We Are Messengers, Unspoken, Cochren & Co., and Terrian. All of the supports acts performed each night in a seamless awards-show format, bouncing between the main sta
USA - New York quintet Lousy Sloughter delivered their Couch Tour from High Peaks Event Productions’ livestream studio in early April. For 50 minutes, the band wove its way through a blend of blues, funk and jazz. With them every step of the way was a fluid, artfully crafted lighting design by Christine Sharp that drew on the colour and gobo rendering prowess of over 30 Chauvet Professional fixtures. “The looks I create are pretty varied depending on the genre of music, even and down to the song being played,” said Sharp, who runs High Peaks with her husband Roger. “For a low-keyed show, or an acoustic performance, I try to create an aesthetic frame around the musicians on stage. If I know the vibe of the song, I saturated the stage with colours that reflect the feelings, at least as I interpret them.” Following this design approach, Sharp kept the area
USA - Chroma-Q has been pre-production testing in collaboration with Green Voltage zero emission generator units. Working with a selection of Brute Force lampheads, the crew, plus Green Voltage director and experienced operator Adam Baker (Wonder Woman 2, No Time to Die) tested the LED Wendylight alternative, together with Green Voltage’s 5kW VOLTstack E-Gen remote power systems. The Chroma-Q product range has become a regular feature on lighting lists the world over, delivering low energy illumination to all manner of productions. Deceptive in both stature and output, the Brute Force draws just 15 amps @ 240V making them suitable for use in conjunction with the GV power units. With the Brute Force running at full power, the generators provided over 2.5 hours operation. The fully dimmable LED fixture, with its extended CCT range between 2,000K an
USA - Home Church has been a rock for Christians in the South San Francisco Bay Area since 1977. This past year, they vowed to keep their congregation connected during the coronavirus lockdown via online and outdoor services. There was just one problem: Their aging analogue wireless audio equipment had almost become obsolete because the available radio spectrum in the region is changing and shrinking almost by the day. Home Church turned to worship A/V experts Zamar Media Solutions, who specified Lectrosonics’ fourth-generation, all-digital D-Squared system, including two DSQD four-channel receivers, six DHu handheld mics for the praise musicians, and two DBu belt-pack transmitters for the pastors’ headset mics. “I’m the nerd that went out there to evaluate the situation,” begins system designer Tim Fairbairn. “Because of the repack of frequencies in the Ba
Poland - The Workshop Musical Academy in Warsaw is a performing arts school focused on developing young musical artists' interests and skills and preparing them for original theatre, film, and music projects. With classes held in two professionally-equipped rooms, including the school’s own recording studio and a performance hall, the facility was looking for an AV system to amplify performances. Earlier this year, the Workshop Musical Academy made the decision to upgrade its performance hall sound system. The school frequently hosts a wide range of productions, from solo performances to full theatre and concert performances. The academy brought in local AV integrator ESS-Audio, to design and install the new sound system, the integrator has been providing comprehensive audio and integration solutions for more than 30 years, and recently became a provider of amplifiers from
UK - Vestel Visual Solutions has been selected by Wycombe Wanderers FC as its official AV partner. Vestel’s digital signage and interactive displays have been deployed throughout Adams Park as part of a major infrastructural project to digitally transform the stadium and boost fan engagement. Over 50 Vestel displays have been fitted to enhance key supporter areas across the ground. Within the club shop, which fronts Adams Park, a 75” PDX75 screen provides a window display, with 2500 NIT brightness ensuring incoming fans can see the latest content in vivid detail as they approach the stadium - visible even in the summer. Within the store itself, a slimline 55” UHD model, alongside multiple 37” stretched displays, offer eye-capturing visuals to promote the latest club merchandise, as well as wider news from the club including ticketing information for upcoming matches
USA - St. Mary’s Cathedral is one of the most popular Catholic churches in the Portland, OR area. It serves as its parish’s diocese, hosting weekly masses, services and sometimes daily visits for a large, devoted congregation. The church needed to ensure its audio-visual equipment could convey its important messages in a smooth, intelligible manner - something that was previously lacking due its domed cathedral and marble walls. When it came time for an AV upgrade, St. Mary’s turned to Alpha Sound. With 40 years’ experience, the Alpha Sound team was ready to tackle the live acoustical issues at the cathedral while also choosing equipment that would not impede the church’s elegant décor. To accomplish this, the installer selected more than 20 mics from DPA Microphones, the largest DPA install to-date in the area. “Everything about this space is elegant and
USA - As the bassist and backup singer for Bon Jovi, Hugh McDonald admits that his performances rely on trusted legacy equipment and he doesn’t concern himself too much with following the latest performance gear and technology. But after a year of cancelled tours and countless hours using the integrated webcam and microphone on his laptop, McDonald recently recognised that, in his own words, “There has to be a better way to do this.” After a brief chat with some industry friends, he found the upgraded gear he needed: the ClearOne Aura Versa 50 audio and video solution. “When I finally had to do a recording, and I was setting up the laptop, positioning it in the room, it really felt cobbled together, like a subpar solution,” McDonald said. “The band ended up doing a lot of video from our homes for various organizations, plus solo videos to prepare for a liv
China - Installed for China’s Consumer Rights Day gala, a 1,000sq.m LED wall dazzled viewers with graphics, all powered by Pixotope. Broadcast live on 15 March, the two-hour slot was dedicated to “informing consumers of consumer habits and business practices from major brands”. Great Wheel, a production company working within China Central Television (CCTV), designed and implemented the live graphics using Pixtope’s engine. Since early 2020, China Central Television has been rapidly expanding its virtual production capabilities for its programme delivery, with Pixotope becoming the station’s primary virtual production solution for a range of AR projects. Traditionally, CCTV opted to build real-world sets for its Consumer Day television broadcast, but the studio found it could significantly improve both the quality and flexibility of its productions af
UK - Channel 4’s Lucy, the Human Chimp documentary aired this month with a mix of archive footage and newly filmed ‘jungle’ reconstructions, with the latter made possible by Bristol-based virtual production studio Vero. The film, which tells the real-life story of chimp Lucy’s return to the wild after being raised in human surroundings, required cutting edge technology to re-enact scenes of Lucy’s carer, Janis Carter, living on an uninhabited island off the coast of The Gambia. Production was scheduled to take place in the real-world jungle surroundings but, due to the COVID pandemic, had stalled. With no international travel permitted, and flights grounded, the team were searching for a new solution. Multi-award-winning production company KEO Films approached VERO on behalf of Channel 4, with a view to using Vero’s pioneering studio space. Thi
UK - Version 2, which specialises in lighting hire specifically for the television industry, has expanded its stock of MDG products with the addition of two ATMe haze generators. “Our clients trust us to specify the right products and we know that MDG produces the best haze for the television market,” says Nick Edwards, managing director of Version 2. Edwards has 25 years of dedicated television lighting experience, having held technical, commercial and management positions at PRG, Panalux and Aurora, after his training at the flagship training facility in BBC Wood Norton, prior to founding Version 2 in 2016. This experience puts him in a strong position when it comes to choosing the best products for his clients, many of whom have worked with him for years and trust his technical know-how. “All our equipment investments have been rigorously researched and teste
Russia - As part of the 17th CPS-2021 International Cinema Production Service Trade Show, Russia’s biggest and most high-tech XR studio facility was opened in a grand ceremony at the AMEDIA production company. The facility is named Pavilion 7. TDS and Spektr Video initiated the project. The companies fitted the studio facility with the most advanced equipment, including a Pixotope virtual studio, a Mo-Sys camera tracking system, high-resolution LED screens, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000 graphics stations, Xsens and Dynamixyz motion capture and facial animation systems, among others. Pavilion 7 has all the capabilities and resources to meet the toughest production challenges with VR and AR technologies, such as live virtual studio broadcasting of events and TV shows, in-studio filming of vehicles passing remote locations, in-studio filming of remote acting areas, hosting of
USA - The Denton Bible Church (DBC) in Dallas, TX recently underwent a large redesign of its audio capabilities and added a new DiGiCo Quantum338 console for both front-of-house and monitor mixing as well as a new DiGiCo SD12 console as its new broadcast audio console. The 3,500-seat sanctuary is tied together on an Optocore Digital Fibre network, at the heart of which is one of Optocore’s new AutoRouters. The audio network was installed and set up by Digital Resources, who are based close by in Southlake. Lance Eddleman, audio sales manager, implemented the Optocore AutoRouter solution for the church when he was presented with its ease of use and flexibility. Lance worked closely with Optocore North America’s Brandon Coons and Group1 Ltd to ensure the AutoRouter would be a good fit for the church. The AutoRouter works as a central patch bay and replaces the typi
UK - Scheduled to open in Summer 2021, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella features a new score by Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Oscar-nominated David Zippel, with a script from Killing Eve’s Emerald Fennell, recently multi-Oscar nominated for Promising Young Woman. But before Cinderella can go to the ball, the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London’s West End needs to be transformed to host the spectacular production. And, with Cinderella’s fairy godmother currently shielding due to COVID restrictions, Unusual Rigging was called upon to work its magic instead. Jeremy Featherstone, design engineer, Unusual Rigging explained: “Unusual was brought on board by production manager Paul Hennessy to provide all the rigging for the new show. This involved modifying the flying system that’s already there, adding an additional 60 drop pulleys onto the grid in order to
UK - When the COVID-19 pandemic forced UK theatres to close in December 2020, the National Theatre’s pantomime, Dick Whittington, at the Olivier Theatre had only previewed four times. The performance on the 15 December was filmed and shared on YouTube over the Christmas holiday period with the National Theatre looking to reach as wide an audience as possible despite the closure. “It was a stunning production and great fun to work on, but a shame people couldn’t experience that magic first-hand,” says its multiple award-winning lighting designer, Jessica Hung Han Yun. “But at least the streaming made it accessible to more people.” The Olivier Theatre had already been re-configured in-the-round before the pantomime took place, reducing its capacity to approximately 500. A new temporary lighting rig, designed by lighting designer and NT lighting associa
Italy - More than 200 years old, the Teatro Donizetti opera house in Bergamo, Italy, recently underwent a comprehensive three-year renovation and restoration project. The work was aimed at upgrading every aspect of the historic venue, from structural and safety considerations to improving the functionality of the building for the benefit of artists, audiences and the in-house staff. Detailed attention was paid to every aspect of the renovation, which was completed during the venue’s Coronavirus pandemic-enforced closure. A fundamentally important part of any music venue is its audio system and following extensive work on the acoustics of the horseshoe-shaped, three-tiered interior, integrator and specialist in theatre technology Decima 1948 was appointed to install a new system. Decima has wide experience of handling sensitive projects in heritage settings. As a syst
Qatar - In the main hall of the Qatar University Sports and Events Complex (QUSEC) a combination of close co-operation and Yamaha and Nexo audio technologies saw systems integrator and installer Techno Q win the award for Best Flexible Space Experience for the project at the 2020 AVIXA AV Experience Awards. The main hall at QUSEC was designed to host sports like basketball and tennis, as well as exhibitions, banquets, conferences, presentation ceremonies and more. To deliver sound that matches its construction quality, a major, multi-functional Yamaha AFC acoustic conditioning system, using Nexo loudspeakers, is a feature of the design. One of the main audio challenges for Mohanad Is-Hak, senior projects manager at Techno Q, was that the space would vary in volume between 22,400m3 and 35,900m3, thanks to a 70m x 40m height-adjustable ceiling, which created obvious acou
Germany - The Staatsschauspiel Dresden joins a long and growing number of high-profile performing arts venues that are investing in Robe’s T1 series of moving lights, a product line tailored to meet the exacting demands of this sector. The 52 T1s – 20 x T1 Profiles and 32 x T1 Fresnels – were specified by Staatsschauspiel’s head of lighting and video, Andreas Barkleit, after careful consideration. The Staatsschauspiel Dresden runs two venues – The Schauspielhaus in the old town with 788 seats and the Kleines Haus in the Neustadt area which offers three halls with 400, 150 and 99 capacities respectively plus the Kleines Haus Mitte which can accommodate up to 60 people. The main focus is on theatrical performance, but the vibrant programme – in a standard year – will also feature music, dance, concerts and spoken word performances. Andreas has been
USA - For Floridians, one of the perks of living in the perennially warm Sunshine State is that their concert season never needs to end, even during a pandemic, when shows can be taken outside and properly socially distanced year-round. Dr. Phillips Centre’s Frontyard Festival in Orlando, presented by AdventHealth, is a good example. The festival features more than 350 live performances, films, and other events, staged daily, on the front lawn of the Dr. Phillips Centre for the Performing Arts, with as many as 2,000 guests seated in distanced private boxes spread across the yard. To ensure that all productions over the festival’s six-month run would be heard loud and clear, local sound reinforcement provider OPAV has been deploying K2 and Kara loudspeaker systems from L-Acoustics. The performance area, known as the Mainstage at Seneff Arts Plaza, features le
USA - The town of Clinton, NY is the home of Hamilton College. Precision Audio Services has provided audio engineering services to the college’s Music and Theatre Department for several years, and this spring the company heads up a sound system upgrade in Wellin Hall. The 700-seat hall has served as the central hub of music education and concerts for the college since its construction in the 1980s. The bare concrete and polished wood walls combined with flown wooden acoustic panels above the audience creates a highly reverberant environment. However, these properties that make the environment desirable for acoustic performances, also make sound-reinforced events a significant challenge. "With an RT60 of almost 2.5 seconds, achieving a clear mix and vocal delivery is typically a major source of frustration for visiting mix engineers,” says Michael Lawrence from Prec
Canada - The Jack Singer Concert Hall, the largest venue in Calgary, Alberta’s Arts Commons complex, has installed a new and highly “hybrid” Meyer Sound reinforcement system. It replaces a Meyer Sound system based on the same concept that had contributed to the success of the 2,000-capacity venue for more than 16 years. Both the new replacement system and the prior system were designed by GerrAudio, Meyer Sound’s Canadian distributor, in consultation with the venue technical staff. “Meyer Sound and Gerr had worked together back in 2004 on what proved to be a wonderful solution for this venue,” says Brian Beaulieu, associate director, venue operations at Arts Commons. “Everyone was very consultative and worked closely with our team to again come up with the best solution.” As before, the theatre’s system is anchored by a flown centre cluster, thi
UK - David Howard appreciated the flowing quality of cellist Jo Quail’s music when he was called upon to light a virtual concert by the London-based artist. “Jo’s music is truly a joy to bring to life with light,” he said. “The pieces are very strongly connected and rooted to their respective inspiration. This provides a brilliant foundation to draw upon. Using looping and layering techniques, the music itself has a quality and structure that encourage lighting elements to reflect and visualize the sounds Jo produces with her cello. The visual experience builds with the music.” Featuring six individual compositions taken from a variety of Quail’s discography, the concert took place in an improvised demo space, since the production team did not have access to a livestream studio. Helping Howard create a variety of looks within this space was an extensive c
Cyprus - On Friday 2 April, World Autism Awareness Day, the Dreaming Hearts livestream event was broadcast from the historic Kourion Ancient Theatre on the island of Cyprus. Organised by local event and production company Sound & Vision by DJ Nick, the hour-long broadcast featured short, high-impact sets from four local DJs performed in front of an epic backdrop. More than 70 high-tech ADJ lighting and atmospheric fixtures were positioned around the theatre, which has stood on the site for more than 2000 years, creating a juxtaposition between the old and the new. Based in the city of Limassol, Sound & Vision by DJ Nick has over 30 years of experience in the AV industry, having served customers on Cyprus since 1989. It provides technical production, as well as organisation and entertainment services, for events of all sizes. The company has relied on ADJ
