UK - Teams from SLLFX, JK Entertainments and Pfphotographics joined forces to light The Hub at St. Mary’s in Lichfield red. The event was part of a day of action from the UK live entertainment industry to highlight the challenges the sector faces at a time when events are essentially banned. The Hub at St. Mary’s was one of more than 700 buildings across the UK that were lit in red on Tuesday, 11 August. The #LightItInRed night of action served to highlight the cultural institutions and companies that form a vital sector of the UK’s culture and economy. “It seems there is no industry untouched by the impact of COVID-19. However, some sectors have been hit harder than others and it's important for people and more importantly the government to realise that it's an entire ecology that is affected when it comes to the impact on the Arts,” says Anthony Evans, crea
USA - Fireworks by Grucci, the latest partner company to invest in Verge Aero’s drone show technology, recently completed a project with a difference for YouTube superstar MrBeast when he decided to have a little fun with some serious fireworks in the Nevada desert. MrBeast - real name Jimmy Donaldson - is a YouTube phenomenon, attracting over 38m subscribers with his videos of elaborate challenges, attention-grabbing stunts and jaw-dropping philanthropy. With each video quickly drawing tens of millions of views, he brings his unique brand of fun to an impressive worldwide audience. For his latest video, I Bought The World’s Largest Firework, MrBeast commissioned Long Island-based Fireworks by Grucci to design and produce all the professional fireworks effects. Filmed at a site not far from the fabled Area 51 (a location long associated with strange lights i
Hong Kong - A charity concert aiming to raise funds for industries hit the hardest by COVID-19 recently employed an array of SSL Live consoles for the historical event. The Live is so much better with Music Eason Chan Charity Concert was the first ever event held by the HK LPPIA - Hong Kong Live Performance and Production Industry Association, and was streamed worldwide on YouTube, Facebook Live and Tencent QQ platforms with an estimated 10m live views. The consoles were supplied by Miso Tech Co Ltd, Hong Kong. The event was in fact made up of two separate shows. The first was a sunrise show broadcast from Victoria Dockside against the backdrop of the Hong Kong skyline, which was recorded in one take on the previous day to prevent the gathering of large crowds. The second show at sunset was a rebroadcast of the sunrise show, followed by a fully live performance
USA - The Loop, a public architectural feature in Downtown Long Beach, California, recently joined the nightly neighbourhood celebration to honour first responders with a spectacular light show. With original content design by Ryan Mueller and the team at TheatreDNA Creative, the structure that sits on a 7,700sq.ft lot at the southeast corner of Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue is a steel mesh infinity loop that sparkles and dazzles with a variety of shows that rotate randomly throughout the night. Westview provided the fixture installation and programming, as well as a robust controls system with remote management. The newest element is a daily five-minute light show at 7:00 p.m. designed and programmed by Westview. Its computer-driven LED system can display an infinity of colours, making for a spectacular array of lights to brighten up the city. This latest initiativ
Brazil - Broadcaster Rádio Itatiaia, with a network of 52 affiliate stations in the state of Minas Gerais, has installed a new Lawo routing system to switch, process and distribute programming from its headquarters in Belo Horizonte. Lawo integration partner Rádio Partes installed the system, which features Power Core mixing engines, Nova17 routing frames, and custom touchscreen controls designed with Lawo VisTool Unlimited graphical control software. Project planning began in 2018, with the goal of replacing an aging digital router with a true AES67 system that could work with AoIP equipment from a variety of manufacturers, and be easily expanded to accommodate future needs. Itatiaia also wanted a system with DSP capabilities to enable audio shaping of sources on-the-fly, and, being a network content provider, operational redundancy at every level. Rádio Ita
USA - On 12 March, Season 12 filming of NBC’s primetime series American Ninja Warrior was postponed in the middle of production in Los Angeles, and just one day before the reality competition was set to get underway beneath an Elation lighting rig with Obsidian control system. Delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show eventually headed into production again in July with a crew happy to be back to work and a number of health measures to abide by. Lighting was under the capable hands of two long-time industry pros and Warrior lighting veterans, Adam Biggs (lighting design) and Ed Motts (lighting direction). “We were all ready to shoot when the producers called us in and announced they were postponing the show as a health measure so we immediately started loading out that night,” recalled Motts, now in his eighth year with the show. “Then we sat at home like
UK - Audience and community engagement, music education and global co-operation have always been at the heart of the London Symphony Orchestra’s activities. Working with long-term partner Yamaha, the orchestra has accelerated its digital outreach programme in recent months, helping its musicians to perform together again and for worldwide audiences to enjoy the unique experience of live classical performance. Familiar to millions through its music for films, including the Star Wars and Harry Potter series, as well as classical music fans, as lockdown took hold the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) was reaching out to new and existing audiences through online archived performances. Working with Yamaha, a commitment to taking its live performances to a global audience is now bringing musicians and music fans closer together in these challenging times. A nu
Thailand - The Bangkok headquarters of TMB - previously known as the Thai Military Bank - is a 33-story building located in the Chatuchak district of the city. Inside the facility is a 500-seat, multi-purpose auditorium on its seventh floor that hosts conferences, press events, presentations, and even live music. “The auditorium at TMB sees some very diverse use and it gets quite busy,” comments Alfonso Martin, head engineer at Sonos Libra, the contracting firm that designed and installed the Dante-based audio network. “We knew from the start that the AV system needed to be cutting edge, it needed to be scalable and it needed to be high quality. When we submitted a bid to upgrade the facility, we knew from the start it needed to be done with Dante.” Martin believes his company won the bid in part because they can offer Dante capabilities that enable flexible a
Belgium - Completed shortly before the COVID-19 lockdown led to it to suspend operations, but since reopened, the 2000m² indoor JumpSky Inflatable Park, which is located in Gent’s trendy Dok Noord shopping area, treats young eyes to a veritable metropolis of inflatable structures of every conceivable shape. Adding to the delightful panorama is a crayon box palette of bold and vivid colours from Chauvet DJ SlimPAR Pro H USB fixtures that glow throughout the massive room. “This is a playful venue, so I wanted to use all the colours in the rainbow,” said Wim Zwarts, owner of DiverZe, which designed and installed the lighting and sound system at JumpSky Inflatable. “Colour is transformative, so we sought to include as much of it as possible in our design. Thanks to the closed character of this venue, we are able to use the UV function of the SlimPars to give us an even
USA - Launching a national radio promotional tour in the midst of a pandemic is not an easy task, but rising country newcomer Elvie Shane is no stranger to hard work. With his blue collar upbringing and gospel-bred roots, the BBR Music Group/Wheelhouse Records recording artist recently released the ballad My Boy. Bandit Lites is providing a lighting package for Shane’s virtual concerts which are being live streamed on radio stations around the country. Lighting designer Keith Hoagland crafted a lighting design that would translate on camera and computer screens all the while matching the energy of soulful vocals, rollicking guitar tones and pounding beat. Hoagland chose iWhite LED fixtures as the key lights due to their dual warm and cool colour temperatures. Color Chorus 48 units, with their lower power consumption and bright output were utilised. Six P
USA - During the construction of The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Centre at Auburn University, Alabama, Taylor Dyleski, director of production, was searching for a coms partner to deploy and install an intercom solution for the large indoor/outdoor space. The Gogue found a dependable partner and the appropriate communications system with Pliant Technologies’ CrewCom wireless intercom system, as the manufacturer joined the project mid-construction and was able to provide a system that fit the theatre’s exact needs. “With Pliant being a local manufacturer, they came down to the construction site and we walked around the bare-bones, concrete building, taking measurements and readings, to figure out how much product we would need to build a dependable, full-coverage coms system,” says Dyleski. “Not only does Pliant offer a solution that fits our current ne
Poland - The town of Tomaszów Lubelski in southeastern Poland is home to a new, modern sports and recreation centre. The complex includes a large swimming pool, smaller recreational pool, 60m slide, multiple exercise rooms and a café. When local pro-AV distributor, ESS Audio, was asked to design and deliver a complete full audio solution for the centre, they turned to LEA Professional for their audio amplification needs. ESS Audio has been providing pro AV design, consultation, training and distribution services in Poland for 30 years. “We have worked with the team at LEA Professional in different capacities over the years and knew the wealth of their experience,” said Maciej Baranski, system designer, ESS audio. “They were the perfect partner for this unique installation.” This project features the addition of a new, six-zone, 100V audio system. So, th
UK - Chris Hale is working out of his garage in Ashford, Kent. Ritchie Reed is 180 miles away in Nottingham. Yet, both are coming together (virtually) every day to offer a valuable service to designers, programmers, event specialists, and integrators with their 30-minute Chauvet Online Demo Sessions. Working in tandem, the two lighting professionals take a holistic approach to their educational sessions, which air daily at 10am BST, demonstrating fixtures in a way that reflects how they are actually used in real world applications. For example, rather than showcase one fixture in isolation, they will look at paired fixtures, such as the Maverick MK3 Profile and Maverick MK3 Wash; or Rogue Outcast Hybrid IP65 and Rogue Outcast Beam IP65. “For us, it makes more sense to look at fixtures from the perspective of how they are going to work together in real life,” said
Thailand - To elevate experiences of its meeting spaces, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority in Bangkok collaborated with Mahajak Development Co to install Harman Professional Solutions networked AV and lighting solutions. Established in 1958, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority is a state-run electricity and power provider that services Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan. The facilities span across three towers and include a convention centre, an auditorium, a food centre, nursing home, an exhibition hall and multiple office spaces. To commemorate the enterprise’s 61st anniversary, Metropolitan Electricity Authority hired Mahajak to install networked AV and lighting systems throughout the facilities. “The client wanted sophisticated AV and lighting solutions to support their meeting rooms, offices and convention centres,” said Pongsakorn Kanchanachaypho
Canada - Scotiabank Arena sits in the heart of downtown Toronto, near the banks of Lake Ontario. A multipurpose arena hosting the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs games, the venue took centre stage in the 2019 NBA Finals when the Raptors clinched the franchise’s first championship. The Toronto community’s love of the Raptors was highlighted during that Finals not just by the fans in the building - but also those packing the public square right outside the venue. The Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) organisation provides a public area for fans to congregate during both home and away matches. The official name of the location is Maple Leaf Square - but when the Raptors play it transforms into the colloquially named ‘Jurassic Park’. The location provides a nearly three-story-tall, high resolution LED wall for viewing games outdoo
UK - Occupying around 14 acres of landscaped grounds known as the Armagh Astropark, and flanked by the Armagh Observatory, Armagh Planetarium, is presently undergoing a major multi-phased renovation as part of the Education Authority Northern Ireland. Long-standing local AV technology integrators and suppliers, Rea Sound, are on a select supply list for the complex, and having successfully tendered, have been upgrading the facilities with an end-to-end Martin Audio solution; this began over a year ago as part of what will become an advanced, site-wide audio-visual upgrade. The initial scope covers all spaces with the exception of the dome, which will be subject to a separate contract at a later stage. Rea Sound project manager, Roger McMullan, confirmed that his company has carefully tailored Martin Audio systems - from O-Line micro line array down to the new Ado
Australia - To future-proof classroom AV technology at CQUniversity, Videopro, has installed a Harman Professional AV solution that includes AMX SVSI Networked media systems. With campuses across 25 locations in Australia, CQUniversity offers undergraduate, postgraduate, short courses and certificates in engineering, information technology, business and visual arts, among others. As a pioneer in the field of collaborative learning, many of CQUniversity's campuses are home to multi-pod collaborative classrooms. Integrated with video conferencing facilities that enable high-definition audio and video connectivity, the classrooms allow students to connect with lecturers across CQU’s network of campuses. CQU engaged Videopro to develop the next-generation AV platform for these critical teaching spaces "The university's new collaborative learning environment required a r
Finland - With Finland allowing live events within government restrictions, the nation’s favourite country artists, Steve ‘N’ Seagulls continue to do what they do best, touring the country with the bluegrass re-workings of rock and metal anthems that won them YouTube stardom, all mixed from compact dLive Wings system. Public events for up to 500 people are currently permitted in Finland, with larger audiences possible at outdoor events where there are several sections or demarcated areas intended for audiences. Indoor events with more than 500 persons may also be permitted in the country from the 1st of August onwards with special arrangements. As on previous tours, engineer Antti Laitila has created a FOH and monitor mixing rig for the five-piece band of multi-instrumentalists based on a dLive CDM32 MixRack and a 19” C1500 Surface. Careful planning allows Ant
Ireland - Peter Canning from Dublin-based lighting and visual design specialist High Res specified 24 x Astera Titan Tube wireless LED fixtures to provide atmospheric lighting for an eye-catching video featuring singer Hozier recorded at Croke Park stadium, one of many high points during a special RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) Comic Relief telethon. The event united the cream of Irish comedy and entertainment to raise a laugh and much-needed funds for the Irish charity sector on Friday 26 June. In a tribute to all HSE (Ireland’s health service) staff and other key frontline workers, Hozier performed the Simon & Garfunkel classic, Bridge Over Troubled Water, a highly symbolic song that made significant impact in concluding the fundraiser, for which he was backed by a 16-piece orchestra. Peter designs and lights numerous television and entertainmen
Zimbabwe - PPC Zimbabwe, the African nation’s largest cement maker, recently introduced its new Surerange series. Heralded with the kind of fanfare typically associated with the release of a film or rock album, the product launch featured a lavish livestream presentation with exuberant dancing, music by performers dressed in construction worker outfits, and a colourful fast-moving light and video show from Events Evolution that featured Chauvet Professional fixtures. Lighting and set designer Blessing Bero worked his magic in the livestream, which was videoed at the SK Borrowdale theatre, with help from nine Maverick MK2 Spot and four Rogue R2 Wash fixtures. The Maverick units were flown in groups of three on upstage truss, while the Rogues were hung in pairs from the same structure. Orienting these fixtures downward, Bero used them to add depth to the stage with gob
Sweden - Full production and rental company Soundstar, based in Skövde, invested in some of Robe’s MegaPointes and Spiiders at the end of last year as they needed lighting fixtures with “more punch” than their rental stock at the time. The company - normally - delivers audio, lighting, video, rigging, and has an OB-truck, for the full complete technical solution, and is working on a wide selection of corporate and industrial events and conferences. It was founded in 1991 by Per Larsson initially as a DJ service company and has steadily grown into a solidly well-respected production house. “We wanted fixtures weighing around 25kg for easy handling by one person,” explained Soundstar’s Daniel Wiklund. They completed several projects with the new Robe lights before the Covid-19 lockdown including two big conferences for Volvo Cars, and a 40-year celebr
USA - Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV) is a non-denominational Christian church located in Phoenix, Arizona, with multiple other locations throughout the state. In 1996 it purchased the property now known as the Peoria campus, moving to the site in 2000 and opening a 3,500-plus seat auditorium four years later. At the church’s broadcast campus, it recently added a number of GLP fixtures to its stage, purchasing eight S350 moving head profiles for key light purposes, and 32 X4 Bar 20 battens as part of a long-term rental package, from 4Wall of Las Vegas. At the same time, CCV has added 10 of GLP’s E350 moving heads (the S350’s brighter sibling, with an extremely narrow iris) for its newly opened Verrado Campus. According to CCV’s production designer Trevor Rigsby, all new campus auditoriums will henceforth have a package of E350s as their go-to moving s
Australia - TDC – Technical Direction Company, was approached by production company Exit Films to work together on creating a full virtual production for an NRMA Insurance TV commercial. This was the first time a virtual LED background was used in Australia to replace a traditional green screen on set. TDC knew that to be able to fully deliver the vision of award-winning director Marc Forster they had to use equipment offering superior performance and reliability, so chose the combination of Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED processors driving ROE Visual LED panels. The commercial, which focused on road safety during the holidays, followed an eight-year-old girl and her magical CGI toy bunny working together to save her dad from distracted driving. The team’s main challenge was to convincingly portray the fast movement of the car, which is generally a difficult e
Azerbaijan - PROAV recently carried out a new sound design at the Agstafa Agro Industrial Complex in Agstafa City, specifying Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision Mini (WPM) line array. PROAV managing partner, Elshan Aliyev, stated, “When WPM first came onto the market, such was the trust we had in the Martin Audio brand name, we were happy to place an immediate order and we were the first to do so. When this latest opportunity came about we had no hesitation in specifying it again.” As Azerbaijan's agricultural development project, Agstafa Agro Industrial Complex plays an important role in providing the population's food security and increasing the country's export potential and sustainability. It has been operating in the west of Azerbaijan since 2009 and serves 15,000 hectares of land, using advanced agro technologies. Within the large complex is a multifu
