UK - Britannia Row Productions Training (BRPT) has been awarded £152,000 as part of the UK government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) announced by the Culture Secretary to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future. Britannia Row Productions Training is one of 2,049 cultural and creative organisations across the country to have been awarded £409m of urgently needed support (up to 24 October 2020). The Culture Recovery Fund grants programme is being administered by the Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks. BRPT was founded in 2012 to provide holistic trainin
USA - JAM Industries has acquired Connecticut-based The Music People (TMP), parent company of the On-Stage and TMP-Pro divisions. Founded in 1979 by Jim Hennessey, TMP will operate as a division of JAM, managed by TMP’s co-presidents John and Sharon Hennessey, who now report directly to JAM Industries president & CEO Martin Szpiro. “Since being acquired by DCC Technology in September 2018, JAM has the resources to operate as an acquisition engine,” Szpiro says. “While the purchase of TMP is our first acquisition since being acquired by DCC, it is by no means the last. We are aggressively pursuing MI and pro audio companies that compliment and extend our current portfolio of offerings. “Over the last 48 years, JAM has grown organically and through acquisition into a $400m company comprised of eight divisions that serve a broad range of musical inst
USA - When Richmond, VA-based Soundworks took delivery of their Martin Audio WPS and WPC line array systems in February this year, they little knew that the world was within one month of lockdown. “The pandemic shut down all of our bookings from mid-March forward,” recalls CEO, Steve Payne. The company had to wait until the end of summer for the maiden voyage for both systems - in the shape of two socially-distanced outdoor concerts by the Richmond Symphony Orchestra. Soundworks have been contracted to provide sound reinforcement for all Richmond Symphony Orchestra’s community outreach concerts since 2015. “Each season the RSO will incorporate the performance of a popular local or regional artist into one of their ‘Big Tent’ gigs,” he explains. “The arranger will write scores for orchestral accompaniment to six or so of the guest artist’s songs. Past musi
Europe - Shure is strengthening its focus on software solutions by announcing a strategic investment in Finnish software company Ab Wavemark Oy. Known for its software solutions for theatre, broadcast, and content streaming applications such as Wavetool and WTAutomixer, Wavemark has recently expanded its software portfolio into streaming applications. It now offers WTAutomixer, a plug-in enabling seemless auto-mixing for uses like podcasting, remote learning, and house of worship services. WTAutomixer automatically controls the gains of multiple microphones and is ideal for live streams, discussion panels, talk shows, religious services, and for any application that requires the use of multiple microphones. Wavemark software has been used in conjunction with several high-profile theatre applications using Shure Axient Digital Wireless Systems. Shure’s software
UK - At the beginning of this year, singer/songwriter Niall Horan had to take the decision to cancel his Nice To Meet Ya world tour. But earlier this month, he announced a special, one-off live streamed show from London’s Royal Albert Hall and promoted by livestreaming company, Driift. Audio equipment for the show, which achieved a massive 150,000 ticket sales, is supplied by Wigwam Acoustics with Ant Carr, Niall’s long-term head of touring and production, at the helm and regular crew members Matthew Kettle and Joe Campbell handling broadcast and monitor positions respectively, both deploying DiGiCo SD5s. Featuring songs from his two hit albums Flicker (No1. in the USA) and Heartbreak Weather (No.1 in the UK), the show streamed on 7 November and gave loyal fans a chance to be part of what they are so sorely missing. It is also providing much ne
Austria - In 2005, the Oval, designed by lauded Roman architect Massimiliano Fuksas, opened its doors at the Europark shopping mall in Salzburg. The 227-seat cultural showcase stages unique shows ranging from music, drama, cabaret, cinema and more, and has earned a firm place in Salzburg's already rich calendar of events. Under the direction of Europark managing director Christoph Andexlinger, the Oval has added another attraction to its offering since July 2020: L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology from L-Acoustics. Right from the start, the room’s extraordinary architecture, which features a steep atrium grandstand and a 13m-wide stage that is only 15m from the control room, posed significant challenges to conventional L-C-R sound reinforcement systems. "Thanks to L-ISA, not only was the conventional technology replaced, but a completely new, immersive listening ex
UK - Members of the events industry lit up part of Scotland’s Nevis Range – including the summit - on 16 October. Say the organisers, “This is part of our campaign to highlight our presence to the Government and that we need assistance to keep business surviving. Scotland's events artists, technicians and crew are fighting to resurrect the industry. “We are looking for better grants as opposed to loans and a date to begin working towards reopening our sector safely. The present financial support schemes are limiting and many freelancers in particular are not eligible due to the criteria set out on the forms. Many people are falling through the gaps. “We are representing live events and all of those people and businesses who are affected in the supply chain. We are also here in solidarity for everyone who has been affected greatly by COVID -19 - from tourism,
The Netherlandsd - Further to JHS announcing its appointment as exclusive distributor for Kustom amplification for the UK, Ireland, France and Germany last month, the distributor confirms it will also be handling Kustom in Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. JHS Export Manager Adam Butterworth commented: “The Kustom amp range is iconic and fits really well into our Benelux portfolio of distributed brands. Dealers can benefit from a great opening offer this month across the whole range with each amp Kustom caters for a diverse range of musical styles including the new KMOD20 1 x 8" combo. New lines also include the Sienna Pro Series of acoustic guitar combos.
France - When his international tour with the San Francisco symphonic orchestra got cancelled due to the spread of the pandemic, renowned French cellist, Gautier Capuçon, decided to bring music back to the towns and villages of France – all while respecting healthcare and social distancing measures – with a free tour entitled Un Été en France. And when his concert in Mansle got threatened by the weather on the 11 August, he was able to rely on a sound engineer and sound equipment that could adapt to the various challenges that were bound to rear their heads on that day. “When Gautier Capuçon's team announced that he was going to tour France, the towns and villages wishing to host the shows were invited to contact him,” explained sound engineer Léopold Randon de Grolier. “He received well over 600 requests in 48 hours.” Depending on the dates, the Fren
Japan - Adding powerful sound to its striking visual displays, Art Aquarium collaborated with HIBINO Corporation to enhance its exhibit with a state-of-the-art Harman Professional audio solution. Established in 2007, Art Aquarium has exhibited all across Japan and overseas at places that communicate history and culture, including Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall, Kyoto’s Nijo-jo Castle as well as the 21st-Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa. With more than 10m visitors, Art Aquarium has expanded overseas into Milan, Italy and Shanghai, China. Wanting to elevate the ‘Kingyo’ Aquarium to reach the vision of its creative director, Art Aquarium required an innovative, cutting-edge audio system that provided pristine sound quality and an enhanced guest experience. “The client wanted a high-performance audio solution that would provide as much power and clarity
China - The Songcheng Group is the first performing arts company in China to go public and is also a global top 10 theme park group. With its core competence in performing arts, Songcheng Performance has built a number of established brands including Songcheng and the Romance show series. The company owns 74 theatres with a total capacity of 175,000 seats, which exceeds the combined number of seats available in two of the world’s most famous theatre districts, namely London’s West End and Broadway in New York. The spectacular Romance series of large-scale, hi-tech productions has broken box office records with more than 8,000 performances per year to an annual audience of over 35m people. Recently, six of Songcheng’s 10 dedicated Romance theatres – many of them sited in dedicated Romance theme parks across China – have upgra
UK - The Sugar Hut nightclub, bar and venue - made famous through its association with reality TV programme The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) -returned to TV screens earlier this month boasting a new refurbished look featuring Void Acoustics kit. The venue has recently been acquired by the same experienced club operator who also owns London super club Studio 338 – a large music and arts venue on the Greenwich Peninsular, and sister club The Bridge (also in London). The team has consistently chosen Void as their audio system of choice for the last decade, starting with their install at Studio 338, which currently boasts a 4-point Air Motion system covering their large capacity multi-room club including one of the largest outdoor terrace arenas in Europe as well as a Loft Room and VIP level. Sugar Hut has been celebrating 10 years of TOWIE. The venue’s re-opening
World - When Kim Kardashian-West celebrated her 40th birthday this year, her husband Kanye West gifted her a hologram of her late father. Presented on the Holopops Ultra Holographic Projection System, the event was the debut outing for the innovative product but thanks to the occasion it secured a global launch that most manufacturers can only dream of. Since then that single tweet has received over 35,000 quote tweets and over 18,000 retweets, with over 235,000 likes. Similar posts on Facebook and Instagram also went viral with over 14 million views of the hologram on Instagram alone. Liz Berry, CEO of Hologramica and inventor and creator of Holopops, explains: “A social media frenzy started when Kim Kardashian West tweeted: ‘For my birthday, Kanye got me the most thoughtful gift of a lifetime. A special surprise from heaven. A hologram of my dad. It is
UK - Shure supported students at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama who performed two new British musicals Catch Me and The Limit for their end of year productions with the equipment required to support a socially distant performance. Final year students at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama are required to perform what is usually a public musical to a live audience as part of their assessment. Due to COVID-19, their annual performance of Merrily We Roll Along had to be cancelled, leaving students with no end of year project and no opportunity to showcase their work to industry connections. In this case however, Adam Lenson director and course leader, Paul Barker got creative. The school made the decision to put on a socially distant performance which would be recorded live and streamed via YouTube allowing agents and industry c
Portugal - In April last year Porto-based rental company, LVT Audio, purchased a large Martin Audio MLA Compact and Mini array. Director Miguel Lindo notes: “Since the very beginning of our company we have placed our trust in the Martin Audio brand.” Their upgrade to MLA came after they experienced the system at the Rock In Rio festival in Lisbon, sensing that they would have plenty of deployment opportunities in a work roster that prior to the pandemic included all types of show, from arenas, festivals and touring, to corporate events. They were helped in their choice and set-up by fellow countryman and friend, Joe Lima, who now works as product support engineer at Martin Audio North America. “He is the best professional we know,” exclaims Lindo. “In March this year he trained our entire team.” LVT Audio’s most recent deployment has been at the hi
Switzerland - The Muehle Hunziken (Hunziken Mill) in Rubigen, southeast of Bern in Switzerland, is a popular concert venue that has been in existence since 1976. Since the former windmill’s conversion, it has hosted more than 4,000 concerts, featuring around 15,000 artists of all styles and genres. The Mill houses an elaborate collection of quirky works of art, much beloved of its patrons, and regularly attracts internationally renowned artists to play intimate shows in its 500 capacity auditorium. In spite of the prevailing Coronavirus restrictions, this summer, the management team at Hunziken Mill took the decision to upgrade the venue’s audio system. The existing system was at the end of its viable life, and was proving unreliable and increasingly expensive to maintain. Chief technician and resident FOH engineer at Hunziken Mill, Tom Binggeli, arranged for
Italy - Since pledging to donate a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of its touring amplifiers to the Crew Nation charitable fund, Powersoft’s three-month campaign has generated €48,437 - and the company has since vowed to continue the incentive until the end of 2020. Nurit Siegel Smith, executive director of the Music Forward Foundation - the charitable 501c3 organisation that administers and powers the fund - was full of praise for the substantial contribution already received from Powersoft. “We are amazed by the incredible pledge Powersoft made toward the Crew Nation fund and for the crewmembers who are the backbone of the live music industry,” she said. “Live music inspires millions around the world, but the concerts we all enjoy wouldn’t be possible without the countless crewmembers working behind the scenes. Their pledged donation will
UK - Vaudeville Sound made use of binaural audio technology for the podcast Amazing War Stories with Bruce Crompton. Vaudeville Sound, an award winning sound design and mix company, introduced the idea of creating the podcast in 3D Immersive sound, to surround the listener in the true stories taken from museum collections to help safeguard the nation's historical treasures before they are lost forever. As the shows were being compiled during lockdown, the voice recording and mix sessions were run remotely. Live output of the mix was shared with the director so the team could run through mix notes and make changes on the fly. Avid Pro-tools was used to edit and mix all shows with an array of tools from Nugen Audio, Noise Makers, Zynaptic & Blue Ripple Sound. With detail of sound design and field recordings at film level, it was vital to use the correct sound
Canada - Bluesound Professional has announced the launch of the second instalment of its podcast and video content series called Surroundscapes, featuring ‘new and thought-provoking ideas from invited expert guests from around the world who are working to redefine the workplace as we know it in the post-pandemic world’. This series is targeted at commercial A/V integrators, consultants, as well as business owners, interested in the idea of using A/V technology to create memorable immersive experiences in commercial spaces to help accommodate our new normal. Hosted by Graeme Harrison, VP and GM of Bluesound Professional, Surroundscapes Series 2 is focused on the Future of the Workplace theme, exploring current trends, how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected things and what the workplace might be like as we look to the future. “The workplace has been c
USA - The Audio Engineering Society has announced the winners of this year’s AES Awards for distinguished achievement in the field of audio and service to the Society, presented during the Opening Ceremonies of the AES Show Fall 2020 Convention on 27 October. The awards were presented in the online ceremony by AES president Agnieszka Roginska. The AES Show opening ceremonies are available on-demand for AES Show attendees at AESShow.com. The AES Board of Governors Award, given to members rendering exceptional service to the Audio Engineering Society, was presented to Jorge Azama, for chairing the successful AES Latin American Conference in September 2019 in Lima, Perú. The AES Honorary Membership Award was given to Imogen Heap, for outstanding contributions to the world of music and technology and to Karrie Keyes, for her leadership in creating opportunities f
USA - Four units from Tracktion’s DAW Essentials Collection of DSP Effects are now available separately - the simple Equaliser, the full featured Compressor, the Reverber8 and the Delay Studio. The Equaliser delivers all the key functions needed to sculpt and mix frequencies making it suitable for even the most demanding of mix engineers. Its ample capabilities include an integrated analyser for rapid identification of frequency ranges, configurable eight bands for precision adjustments and a scalable interface to take advantage of modern hi-res displays and aid visualisation. Designed to be transparent ‘even under the most demanding, dynamic, crushing scenarios’, the clear controls of the mono / stereo chain Compressor allow users to swiftly dial in their desired effects. The expander mode offers further versatility, the central display gives visual feedback on
USA - Danley Sound Labs has presented the BC215, the newest member of the BC family of subwoofers. The BC subwoofer class was developed out of what was a military project with Danley. The design criteria was to have an extremely high-output, low-frequency device fitted between the skids of a helicopter. From that project the BC412 was born and subsequently the BC215 and BC218. The BC215 offers the same low-frequency directivity as its predecessors by utilising the same horn design philosophy, but this version also features multiple horn exit options, which allows for numerous possible configurations. The dimensions (45” x 45” x 24”) of the BC215 allow for it to “stand-up” and fit below a standard 48-inch stage deck or can be configured to “lay-down” and have a 24-inch profile when the horn exit is changed. The “stand-up” configuration allows for the B
The Netherlands - Opened in 1984, Omniversum in The Hague was the first IMAX Dome theatre in Europe. Showing spectacular films on a giant domed screen that makes the audience feel part of the movie, a new, €1m projection system was recently installed to improve the experience. To make sure that the quality of the sound matched the images, a new Alcons Audio pro-ribbon system was also installed. The Alcons Audio pro-ribbon installation complements a new Evans & Sutherland ESX projection system, which uses a blended array of five Christie D4K40 RGB laser projectors to produce a seamless, uniform image across the 23m diameter dome. Delivering high quality sound reinforcement in a dome-shaped room like Omniversum provided many challenges. These included acoustic issues, because the large projection surface also creates a lot of rearward reflection from the speakers,
Germany - MOG Technologies has completed more than 350th installation in the German market, reports the company. With the support of Broadcast Solutions, who’s been a partner for a long time, MOG has successfully delivered its 354th order to Germany with SWR’s latest purchase of 10 units of mDECK Densu X-2. As a solution to increase flexibility in daily operational tasks, mDECK was developed to help production teams to record, ingest, transcode and play multiple channels of any media formats, while supporting file-based and baseband contents simultaneously. mDECK is also able to perform hybrid operations that can vary, according to its different models. “From well known Central Ingest System to Powerful Professional Media Decks, MOG has been present in the German market for years, and we couldn’t be more proud for once more, achieve this huge milestone,” says
