Europe - Santiano, a quintet from Germany, creates a captivating fusion of sea shanties, European folk, schlager, and modern pop music with a distinctively rustic feel. This year, the band celebrates their 10th anniversary with the release of a new album Die Sehnsucht ist mein Steuermann - Das Beste aus 10 Jahren (The Best of 10 Years) and has embarked on an extensive anniversary tour. The band’s monitor engineer, Ravi Rai, has opted for KLANG’s immersive in-ear monitor mixing solution, for which he is using a DMI-KLANG card-equipped DiGiCo Quantum 338 digital mixing console provided by rental company GrandPA Beschallungs & Lichttechnik. As an experienced sound and monitor engineer of nearly 30 years, Ravi has worked with Santiano for 11 years and recalls the challenges faced when transitioning the band from wedges to an in-ear monitoring system.<
Australia - Hosting the UCI Road World Championships - an eight-day celebration of cycling - requires a high level of co-ordination and planning. To ensure that everything runs smoothly for its flagship event, the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) convenes a congress in the host city to make all the resolutions to facilitate the event, deciding on management, budgets, admitting national federations, ethics, and upholding the UCI constitution. Ahead of the championships in the city of Wollongong, the event organising committee called on the skill set of Congress Australia to ensure the smooth delivery of the UCI Congress. When it came to the conference solution, the Dicentis conference system by Bosch turned out to be the best solution for the event. The multi-day event in September took place across two venues in the city, Novotel Wollongong and The University of Wol
USA - Mixhalo, a low latency networking technology that unlocks high-fidelity, augmented audio for fans at live events, has announced L-Acoustics’ comprehensive spatial audio ecosystem, the L-ISA 3.0. will now come pre-loaded with Mixhalo’s proprietary wireless networking technology as part of L-ISA 3.0 release. Mixhalo is the first external application L-Acoustics will offer via L-ISA Processor II. Clients using L-ISA Processor II will now be able to leverage Mixhalo to deliver ultra-low-latency spatial audio directly to fans via their own phones and headphones. Because Mixhalo’s technology automatically and dynamically time-aligns with loudspeakers, it can complement a PA system perfectly, offering multiple mixes - such as a guitar mix in music, real-time play-by-play in sports, a foreign language interpretation at a conference, or L-ISA spatial audio over headphones
UK - Long-established holiday destination Butlin's offers ‘action packed family breaks, adult only Big Weekenders and memorable conferences and events’. To enhance the overall guest experience, Butlin's has partnered with technical production and AV hire company Sound of Music to introduce Sennheiser Digital 6000 wireless microphone systems across all three resorts. In addition to providing audio quality, the rider-friendly Digital 6000 offers flexibility and versatility for hosting events of varying sizes in Butlin's entertainment venues. Whether it is a large conference or an intimate gathering, Digital 6000 can be easily adapted to meet the needs of most events. Andrew Sugg, technical entertainments manager at Butlin’s, was first introduced to the Digital 6000 just before the COVID-19 pandemic began. The team were experiencing interference issues, so Kevin Gwy
China - Macau TDM (Teledifusão de Macau) provides public broadcasting news services in this special administrative region (SAR) of greater China. Running five digital terrestrial television channels, a satellite television channel and two radio channels, it has extended its HD network with the addition of four BroaMan Mux22 interfaces, provided by Hong Kong-based system integrators, ProHarmony Technology (PHT). Macau itself is situated on China’s southern coast, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong, and the new installation is specifically to service requirements at their Macau HQ. PHT is a long-term service partner of the broadcasters, having worked with Macau TDM over the past 10 years; the latest provision of Mux22s expands the existing system, giving them six in total. The multiplexer itself supports every signal in use in the professional environment, co
USA - When audio-visual specialists ITI Systems installed a sound system at the new B/SPOKE Studio in South Boston, MA recently, it was their fourth such integration for founder Mark Partin’s cycling concept - and all four feature Martin Audio CDDs and subwoofers. The Beltsville, MD-based integrators originally came onto Partin’s radar after he visited a club in New York that they had fitted out and was impressed with the sound quality. He knew what he wanted when it came to equipping his new boutique fitness studio concept, specialising in Indoor Cycling, Strength, and YOGA classes. “ITI has now had the privilege of installing Martin Audio at all four locations over the past nine years, starting with B/SPOKE Downtown,” said system designer and project manager, Eugene Yi. Once again, he specified a combination of Martin Audio mission-critical solutions, focusi
UK - With record attendance, PLASA Focus Leeds 2023 proved itself yet again as the go-to trade event for the entertainment technology industry in the north of the UK as it returned to Royal Armouries from 9-10 May. This year’s show saw a strong 20% increase in attendance from 2022 and a 5% increase from 2019, confirming the rising importance of in-person connections. Furthermore, this year saw 18% more students attending – a promising sign for the long-term prospects of the live sector. Always popular for its inclusive layout and friendly atmosphere, PLASA Focus Leeds welcomed a diverse array of visitors, with organisers reporting that one in five were business directors or owners. The most common professions represented by visitors were engineers, technicians and programmers. Moreover, a third of visitors were final decision makers. Tony Torlini, general m
UK - At PLASA Focus Leeds, Highlite International exhibited many of its lighting, audio, and audio-visual products, including a number of new entertainment solutions and innovations from Showtec, Infinity, DAP and Artecta. For Highlite International, PLASA Focus Leeds offered a great opportunity to meet customers to discuss the latest developments in the entertainment market. The Highlite stand was the setting for a comprehensive presentation of a wide range of new products for entertainment lighting from Showtec and Infinity, audio solutions from DAP and architectural lighting from Artecta. Showtec exhibited their updated Lampy DMX console with V2 software, which promises a huge step forward in functionality with multicell capabilities, a new professional colour picker, multi-touch support and up to 6 universes in combination with the new Lampy Re-Load 4 expansion kit
USA - Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) will showcase a variety of new accessories to support its AC6 2-Way Full Range ADAPTive column loudspeaker at the 2023 InfoComm Show (Booth 5243 and in its demo room, W222A), including a pole mount, stacking plate and stinger offerings. Suitable for production companies and partners, EAW’s newest AC6 accessories increase loudspeaker portability, allowing for ease of travel and the expansion of its mounting options. All three AC6 accessory options create an enhanced user experience for production companies. Pole mounting and stinger accessories ease mobility of the loudspeaker, enabling users to take AC6 anywhere on the road for demo tours, live events and more. Additionally, with a stacking plate, two AC6 loudspeakers can now be combined, allowing for the movement of multiple speakers as a single unit. “The addition of these new a
USA - Step into Muldraugh Hill Baptist Church of Lebanon, Kentucky, on any given Sunday as the music and ministry are brought clearly and vividly to life thanks to a recent audio transformation from JCA Media and LEA Professional amplifiers. This modest town, which sits directly in the centre of the Bluegrass State, is no stranger to exceptional music. Lebanon was an entertainment hotspot for three decades in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, hosting classic musicians like Chuck Berry, B.B. King, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Jerry Lee Lewis at local clubs. So, it’s no wonder that great acoustics are important to the culture and history of this small town. The nearly 150-year-old Muldraugh Hill is among many Baptist and other denominational churches in the area that are transforming the dynamic of their services through audio, video, and lighting. JCA Media is key to tho
South Africa - Sound Stylists has purchased a DiGiCo Quantum 225 audio mixing console from local distributor DWR Distribution. “We had many SD consoles, but I noticed that everyone was going the Quantum route,” explains Kevin Glover, owner of Sound Stylists. “We were fortunate to sell our former consoles to new owners who will get good use out of them, which allowed us to upgrade to the Quantum series.” The timing was right. Business has been good for Sound Stylists, the company has enough work to not overextend themselves - well, on most days anyway - and Kevin has always kept ahead, making sure his equipment stays relevant. “When Kyle Robson from DWR said he had 225s coming in, I asked him to put one aside for me,” says Kevin. While Sound Stylists have their fair share of international gigs, DiGiCo’s dominance on technical riders was not Kevin
UK - DiGiCo has announced the launch of ‘the next generation of large format live audio production mixing consoles’. Quantum852 delivers ‘a massive leap forward in processing power’. It is neatly packaged with 1000 nit LCD screens for full daylight operation and a newly designed worksurface, giving users the confidence that, true to the DiGiCo ethos, Quantum852 has been designed not just for now, but for the future, says the company. Quantum852 also includes a raft of eco credentials. Its lightweight alloy construction reduces weight, which in turn helps mitigate its environmental impact during transportation. It has a reduced operating power, thermal cooling fans along with convection cooling and temperature dependent cooling. Further reducing Quantum852’s environmental footprint is the inclusion of sustainable and recyclable materials. Quantum852’s tech s
UK - Maidstone's MuMu nightclub recently underwent a major refurbishment after a significant fire in 2021. The nightclub had to shut down for several months to carry out repairs and refurbishment. However, with the recent installation of a Martin Audio stereo monitoring solution by Middlesex Sound and Lighting, the lounge and bar is now back and ready to deliver. The venue, which includes a traditional Irish pub, a speakeasy, a hidden laundromat room, an eatery and restaurant, a newly refurbished cabaret bar, and a basement club area, presented a challenging opportunity for the team at Middlesex Sound and Lighting. "The whole space is like a labyrinth,” recalls Darrel Olivier, director of Middlesex Sound and Lighting. “The main room is accessed via a small corridor which leads upstairs and along the way, there are these washing machines with quirky content displaye
Germany - Located in the southern town of Leonberg, Bowl & Co takes bowling to a new level. Visitors can enjoy a choice of 18 lanes, with Spark technology on eight lanes enabling the projection of custom photographs, game results and stats directly onto the lane, or play enhanced games with targets displayed directly on the tracks. And when the bowling is over, then it’s time to relax in the bar and restaurant, play darts or billiards, or perhaps take in a movie at the on-site IMAX cinema. Central to the delivery of the visitor experience is a Nexo ID Series sound system installed by local audio-visual technology specialists Fein Media. Designed in collaboration with the Nexo Engineering Support team, the system provides the power and headroom to go way beyond background music and announcements, creating a party atmosphere in the venue, particularly on the regular DJ n
USA - Fulcrum Acoustic has announced the promotion of Todd Foster to vice president sales. Since 2013, Foster has spearheaded the development of the company's North American market. Under his leadership, Fulcrum Acoustic has experienced substantial growth of its domestic business and sales force. “Todd’s strategic approach to sales has been instrumental in the expansion of Fulcrum’s footprint domestically,” explains Stephen Siegel, president of Fulcrum Acoustic. “As we look to expand our export business, it’s natural to move Todd into a position where he can bring that same approach to the global sales team.” “The last 10 years have been an exciting time at Fulcrum,” says Foster. “I’ve enjoyed being a part of this growing company and supporting our North American market. I look forward to serving our international clients and expanding support fo
USA - Renkus-Heinz has further strengthened its sales and marketing team with the appointment of Dan Housel as applications engineer. Housel has extensive music and professional audio experience, most recently working in pro audio sales at Group One Limited. Before that, Housel worked for Enko Systems, Inc. in AV design, engineering, installations, programming and sales. “I’m excited to join Renkus-Heinz in the role of applications engineer. I’m confident that my years of experience in the music and pro audio space will be an asset to the technical support team,” Housel said. “I’m looking forward to helping our customers realize the best possible experiences and results with our products.” As a member of the Renkus-Heinz technical support team, Housel will work closely with product manager Brandon Heinz.
UK - Shure has announced the appointment of Laurent Rault as its new senior sales director to lead the company’s retail business in Western Europe, one of the key markets supporting Shure’s growth. Laurent Rault brings to Shure more than 25 years of experience in audio, with a focus in the consumer electronics industry. Rault has solid knowledge and a background in managing all facets of distribution across Europe, including distribution partnership management, direct account management, digital commerce, product marketing, and digital marketing. “We are excited to welcome Laurent to the team,” said Abby Kaplan, vice president, global retail sales, at Shure. “He has achieved extraordinary results during his tenured career, and we are convinced his expertise and deep industry knowledge will lead the European team throughout a successful journey in the coming
UK - Harman’s JBL Professional and UK distributor Sound Technology has announced immediate UK availability of the JBL GSF3 and GSF6 Garden Ground Stake aimable full-range landscape speakers, and GSB8 and GSB12 Garden In-Ground Subwoofers. The compact, weather-resistant GSF Garden Full-Range landscape speakers provide fidelity and aimable coverage for a wide range of outdoor applications. GSF3 is a full-range two-way coax with a 3” low-frequency plus a tweeter. GSF6 is also a higher output two-way wide bandwidth coax, with a 6” low-frequency and a tweeter. In addition to the ground stake (which simply presses into the ground), the GSF3 and GSF6 include a versatile L-bracket to secure to horizontal surfaces such as decking, or vertical surfaces such as the sides of buildings and posts. The JBL GSB8 and GSB12 In-Ground 8-inch and 12-inch Landscape Subwoofers
Europe - Delayed, as so many were, by the global pandemic, Roger Waters’ This Is Not A Drill tour, his seventh as a solo artist, eventually got underway in July 2022 and is scheduled to wrap in June 2023 at the AO Arena in Manchester. By that point it will have staged over 80 shows, all in indoor arenas ‘in the round’, starting in North America, Canada and Mexico before heading to Europe, Scandinavia and the UK. Audio system design and supply for This Is Not A Drill is by Clair Global / Eighth Day Sound, using a vast d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker system with Outline Newton Processors at its heart. The audio setup is not straightforward. System tech Wayne Hall describes the role of his Newtons: “We are using three Newtons mainly because we have a complex arrangement of sends from the consoles to the loudspeaker system and also because we r
USA - AVL Media Group has announced that it has been appointed as the exclusive distributor of Wharfedale Pro products in the USA, effective immediately. AVL will bring Wharfedale Pro's audio solutions to customers across the USA. "AVL Media Group is thrilled to be partnering with Wharfedale Pro to distribute their products in the US," says Stephen Kosters, CEO of AVL Media Group. "Wharfedale Pro's commitment to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with AVL Media Group's mission to provide our customers with the best possible audio and video solutions. We are excited to offer our customers a wider range of options to suit their audio needs, and we look forward to a long and successful partnership with Wharfedale Pro." As part of this partnership, AVL Media Group will be responsible for the distribution of Wharfedale Pro products, including loudspeakers, subwoofers,
USA - Bringing together faith, family and friends, the Golden Isles Church of God serves the greater community of Brunswick, Georgia, and the outlying barrier islands. Spanish explorers seeking gold descended upon the territory more than 400 years ago, only to find golden isles rather than gold, hence the region’s name. The traditional styling of the church’s mid-sized sanctuary - with hardwood pews, high lofty ceilings and a raised central dais - hampered the speech intelligibility of events and services. To better serve the congregation’s evolving worship needs, the church decided to modernise the sanctuary’s decor and functionality. Renkus-Heinz’s expertise in taming acoustically challenging spaces greatly benefitted the retrofit. The church turned to Brian Bush, co-owner of All Seasons Audio, to redesign and retrofit the sanctuary’s audio system. All S
USA - Over the summer of 2022, Santana, together with Earth, Wind & Fire, got enthusiastic fans singing and dancing throughout North American arenas during their Miraculous Supernatural Tour. While the fans were thrilled to see and hear Santana on stage, Kevin Madigan, Santana’s FOH engineer made sure the sound would be top-notch by employing two Austrian Audio OC818 large-diaphragm condenser microphones to record Carlos’s guitar and one OC707 true condenser vocal microphone for his vocals. “We needed something to reproduce that guitar tone everybody knows, and to handle high SPL show after show,” said Madigan. “The mics worked out great throughout the year on the Santana tour and residencies, and we’ll be using them again next year.” Madigan has over 20 years’ experience mixing live events and recording in the studio, working with acts like
Japan - The Tsukuba Capio complex in Japan’s Tsukuba city, Ibaragi, incorporates indoor sports halls, theatres and meeting rooms, while Tsukuba itself is renowned for being a scientific city of the future city. Opened in July 1996, Capio Hall has provided an authentic atmosphere for theatre and dance, with its distinctive seat arrangement and high-quality stage facilities. Capio Hall recently underwent a major sound system overhaul, and new rigs were introduced, including the new Martin Audio Torus as the main PA. Nobuhito Endo, technical manager of rental company Sigma Communications, who support the theatre, set out the reason for the upgrade and his choice of Torus. “Originally, the proscenium centre loudspeakers were exposed, and a cluster of several point-source systems was flown from the grid. Naturally, we considered utilising a line array replacement
Japan - To provide Billboard Live’s latest venue in Yokohama with a live setup suitable for a wide range of performances, Hibino and SC Alliance collaborated with Harman Professional Solutions to select and implement a range of JBL Professional audio and Martin professional lighting solutions. In addition to venues in Tokyo and Osaka, Billboard Live recently launched a third location in the up-and-coming Kitanaka area of Yokohama. The venue boasts a floorspace of approximately 1,000sq.m and a 300-seat capacity. Along with hosting internationally renowned performers and local artists, the venue also provides an unrivalled culinary experience thanks to a carefully curated menu by Japan’s finest chefs. To elevate the overall guest experience with state-of-the-art live sound as well as immersive and impactful lighting, the Hibino and SC Alliance installation team depl
