UK - Having just equipped the luxurious five-star Blue Waters Resort & Spa in Antigua with Harman’s JBL Professional loudspeakers and Crown amps, Colin Pattenden (of CP Sound) kept up the Afro-Caribbean vibe back in London at the pioneering Pier One Club, situated in the more down-home location of Canning Town’s backstreets. Once again, he found the solution in JBL, but this time the requirement was the polar opposite to that in Antigua in terms of sonic power. Pattenden had worked with venue owner William Lule for nearly two decades, and when the latter wanted to relocate his pioneering venue from Dalston - to an out of the way location which would not be as problematic in terms of noise as the heavy populated Kingsland Road - he found the site in a remote area of East London. With a trained ear and a discerning clientele for the heady Afro Beats mix CP Sound
Greece - The week-long Summer Nostros Festival (SNFest) is an international multifaceted arts, sports and education festival held in Athens every June, that is free for all to attend and welcomes people of all ages. Like every year, SNFest 2019 was hosted by the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Foundation. This is the organisation responsible for the entire construction in 2017 of the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Centre in Athens where the festival is held, for the third year, right on the Athenian sea front. The venue, which also hosts the Greek National Opera and holds cultural exhibitions all-year long, and houses the national library, has already racked up numerous awards both for its innovative, environmentally-friendly construction and its hosted exhibitions. For this year’s SNFest, Mega-Sound (part of the Oikonomopoulos Group) - Clair Brothers’ distributor in Greece,
UK - Out Board and EM Acoustics have joined forces to present a combined series of demonstrations offering offer a unique opportunity to experience TiMax spatial mixing, immersive 3D effects animation and vocal localisation with live stage-tracking using TiMax SoundHub and TrackerD4 on a multichannel immersive EM Acoustics system. Mark your diaries for Tuesday 3rd-Thursday 5th March 2020 as this amiable event will take place at SARM Music Bank Studios. Out Board’s Dave Haydon and Robin Whittaker will be running sessions that cover: • TiMax SoundHub new HARDCore FPGA processing, PanSpace auto-calc spatial rendering and TimeLine showcontrol workflows. • TiMax TrackerD4 all new Precision Stagetracking for live performer vocal localisation and fx panning.
EM Acoustics will formally demonstrate the Reference Series R10 flagship point source louds
UK - Green Hippo has further strengthened its London team by appointing Abi Roberts as project and marketing coordinator. Roberts joins from the legal world, where her attention to detail and communication skills led to a role liaising, and maintaining relationships, with a range of clients. She is now channelling this experience into managing a range of Green Hippo marketing, including digital and social media, trade shows and providing marketing support for the distribution network. “I’m thrilled to join such a vibrant company with a clear vision for growth in 2020,” says Roberts. “The AV industry presents an exciting change of direction for my career where I can apply my experience to create some exciting new materials for our customers. I look forward to working with you all in the near future.” Roberts joins Green Hippo as the company moves its L
Poland - Shure Incorporated has announced plans to enhance its market development initiatives in Europe with the appointment of Jacek Rusek as integrated systems market development manager for Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. In this new role based in Warsaw, Rusek will build direct relationships with end customers in the region to better understand their requirements and find solutions that best meet their needs. He will work closely with Shure distributor Polsound to help Shure expand its market growth and position in Poland. “We are pleased to welcome Jacek to Shure,” commented Rob Smith, senior director, integrated systems sales for Western Europe, at Shure. “His background in video conferencing and unified communications as well as his expertise in sales, product management, business development, and technical training, are very beneficial. Jacek wi
Spain - Equipson announced at ISE a new and expanded Work Pro Arion line array range. The Work Pro Arion Series is a DSP-powered Line Array ecosystem that already includes the popular Arion 21A system and double 10” format SL210A satellites. This system can be configured to suit a wide variety of applications, from medium to large venues where power, quality, and controlled directivity are required through to theatres and concert halls. At ISE, Equipson also launched the Arion 10A and the Arion 5A, which are ‘significant redesigns’ of previous products. Arion 10A is a single 10" version of the Arion 21A that incorporates Work Pro’s internal DSP technology and high-quality amplifiers from Danish brand Pascal. In keeping with the Arion 21A, the new Arion 10A uses top of the range transducers that were designed and manufactured in Europe. Its amplifier and D
The Netherlands - punQtum B.V. has announced a cooperation with Cymatic Audio in the fields of logistics, service and procurement. Arie van den Broek, founder of both companies, comments: “When it comes to back-office operations, it made sense to join forces to avoid unnecessary costs. However, this arrangement will not affect the distribution channels of either company. punQtum remains a strictly business-to-business direct sales operation, whereas Cymatic Audio products will remain available through our valued dealers and distribution partners in the market.” punQtum was established in 2019 to focus on professional tools for the live event and professional audio industry. With a firm commitment to the pro audio community, punQtum has set out to develop tools that are based on open technology standards and designed to make a difference. “We listened carefully t
Europe - Audio-Technica has announced a partnership with Audio Pro Business which will see the Swedish speaker manufacturer join Audio-Technica’s portfolio of distributed brands in the UK, Ireland, France and Spain with effect from 1 March. Audio Pro Business commercial installation speaker solutions will join brands such as Audio-Technica, Allen & Heath, Genelec, Audient and Artnovion in Audio-Technica’s offering. With a 40-year history in speaker design and manufacture, pioneering technologies such as wireless audio and lighting rail quick connections, Audio Pro Business wireless speakers allow easy installation, flexibility and audio quality while allowing customers to connect to modern streaming media services. Gary Maguire, commercial director Audio-Technica EMEA, says: “We are delighted to be representing Audio Pro Business in our UK and Ireland
Indonesia - FOH audio engineer Sony Soebowo chooses tools from Waves Audio, including the eMotion LV1 Live Mixer and Waves plugins, mixing for two of Indonesia’s most popular performers: the band Naif, known for their retro sound and style, and Raisa, Indonesia’s popular pop/R&B star and winner of numerous awards. Soebowo’s setup includes a Waves eMotion LV1 live mixer running on a Waves Axis One computer with a SoundGrid Extreme Server-C, a SoundStudio STG-1608 for FOH I/O and a SoundStudio STG-2412 for stage box I/O. He usually makes do with a single screen, as he uses DCAs (Digitally Controlled Amplifier) as his groups function since the mix is already set - resulting in little need for major tweaking during the show. For recording and playback/virtual sound check, he uses Waves Tracks Live. The bands use IEMs, and as backup, or if there are wireless frequ
USA - When Jason Martin, coms A1, and Dave Cheramie, coms A2, were tasked with integrating a new, modern intercom system for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at NRG Stadium, the duo found a solution to meet all of their production needs with Pliant Technologies’ CrewCom wireless intercom system. For the 125,000sq.ft stadium, it was crucial for Martin and Cheramie to deploy a coms system that could provide dependable wireless communication and extensive range throughout the three-week long event, which is streamed live to FOX. “When searching for a coms system for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, no other solution compared to CrewCom,” adds Martin. “It was a no-brainer to deploy the Pliant system as other systems we tested failed to perform in the large stadium with its high, domed ceiling. The competing systems also presented multipath interference is
USA - Kool & The Gang’s production manager and FOH engineer Ed Irons uses DPA’s 4099 Instrument, 2011 Twin Diaphragm Cardioid, 4011 Cardioid and d:facto 4018 Vocal Mic to deliver Kool & The Gang’s signature sound to live audiences around the world. “Once we heard the DPA mics, we were hooked,” he says. “The horn section for Kool & The Gang is a franchise sound. With the 4099s, it is so easy to dial in on the fullness of the group. Most notable is the ease with which I capture the true character of each instrument; whether it’s a sax, trumpet or trombone - they all sound awesome with DPA.” Kool & The Gang utilises three 4099 Loud Instrument Mics and one 4099 Extreme on their horns section, along with two 4011s for mic’ing the percussion rig. Most recently, they began using the 4099 Instrument mic on bass. “Although the 4099s sound gr
South Africa - Ultra Events Technical Solutions has recently taken delivery of a DiGiCo SD12 digital mixing console. According to Costa Champianis, director at Ultra Events, there were limited number of large-format DiGiCo consoles available for dry hire in the region, which was having a negative impact on technical services provider’s ability to meet the demands of international riders. “Over the past few years, there has been a shift in rider requirements, showing a definite preference for DiGiCo’s larger consoles by the majority of touring artists,” explains Champianis. “In October last year, we were contracted to provide technical services for the Norwegian pop band a-ha, who had booked touring dates in both Cape Town and Johannesburg through Breakout Events and Rogue Entertainment in mid-February. We were able to meet the requirements of about 70% of th
The Netherlands - AV technology tradeshow Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2020 completed a 15-year residency at the Amsterdam RAI expo centre with a special event held on the show’s last day, 14 February (Friday). Politicians and executives saluted the venue and the city of Amsterdam while looking ahead to the future, with the tradeshow set to move to the Fira de Barcelona for its 2021 edition. Despite health concerns brought about by the coronavirus outbreak and major travel disruption caused by Storm Ciara, ISE 2020 took place as planned, but with markedly lower attendance of 52,128 unique visitors compared to 81,268 in 2019. Mike Blackman, MD of Integrated Systems Events, comments: “This year’s show demonstrated to us just how determined our attendees were to come to ISE. Many of our exhibitors exceeded their targets for customer engagement and lead gen
UK - RCF UK has appointed Tom Martin to the role of UK technical sales/support. He will be supporting all RCF dealers south of the M62. During his career so far, Martin has worked across many sectors, including tour/product management, FOH engineering, corporate production and audio installations, and many large-scale events including The Olympics, The Brits and MTV Awards. Dean Davoile, UK sales director, comments: “As RCF continues to grow we needed to find someone that was capable of supporting our dealers and demonstrating across all our product ranges. Tom is that person; with his extensive experience in Live, Installed and AV applications, he fits the bill perfectly.” Martin adds: “I am looking forward to getting my teeth into the RCF product lines and working with some great people, both in the UK and Italy.”
Australia - Urban Theatre Projects (UTP) is dedicated to telling real-life stories which portray the many facets of modern-day Australia through site-specific cultural experiences. Many of its projects are presented in Blak Box, a portable venue that uses Alcons Audio pro-ribbon systems for a fully immersive audio experience. UTP’s latest production was Momentum, which was presented in Blak Box at Barangaroo Reserve, Sydney, throughout the first half of November. Alcons Audio systems for all Blak Box productions are supplied by David Betterridge of Sydney-based Loud And Clear Audio Pty. The Momentum system comprised six pro-ribbon VR5 mini monitors and two BF151mkII compact subwoofers, powered and managed by two Sentinel3 amplified loudspeaker controllers. The VR5s were evenly-spaced around the perimeter of the internal wall, with the BF151s placed in opposin
UK - Northern Light was commissioned to design, supply and install a new lighting and AV system by The Robertson Trust for Stirling. They were asked to provide systems which were as flexible as possible and allow the room to be used in many different configurations as the final configuration of the rooms was yet to be determined. The proposed systems included: overhead suspension bars and lighting grids, power distribution, LED fixtures, projection, installed sound, fixed control rack, facility the new conference space within the Barracks Conference Centre, panels with cable infrastructure and a lectern. Northern Light was also asked to provide video conferencing and presentation systems for the meeting rooms within the barracks building. The systems had to be capable of interoperability between the systems as the room will be hired out for many different clie
South Africa - DWR Distribution has appointed Andrew ‘Andy’ Pettit in the role of sales and technical support for the Cape Town market. He will be joining Bradley Bruchhausen at DWR’s offices in Milnerton, Cape Town from mid-February. “I am very excited to be taking on the role of sales and technical support at DWR Cape Town. I believe that the position will present some much-welcomed new challenges and will allow me to grow both personally and professionally,” says Andrew. “I am honoured to be a part of the DWR family and am looking forward to a bright and rewarding journey with the team.” Andrew is no stranger to the technical entertainment industry. After matriculating, Andrew attended The Cape Audio College where he achieved his Diploma in Audio Technology while working as a freelance technician. Following graduation in 2015, he joined SOLID Group, a
USA - Visitors to Arcadia Earth can’t help but feel at one with the assortment of environments represented in the art installation’s 15 rooms in Manhattan’s NoHo district, ranging from the depths of the sea to the tops of glaciers. They will also be touched by the dangers posed to each from climate change, from overfishing and plastic pollution to deforestation, as envisioned by environmental artist Valentino Vettori. But what brings it home emotionally is the score and ambient sound created by Dave Hodge of Finger Music, with specific music and sound design for each of the rooms, delivered subtly but powerfully. The audio is riding on a networked backbone with components from Focusrite’s RedNet range of Dante-networked audio converters and interfaces. Four RedNet A16R 16-channel analogue I/O interfaces provide 119dB of 24-bit/192kHz dynamic range and Focusrite’s s
UK - The Factory Live is a new venue in the UK's south coast town of Worthing. Already attracting much critical praise, its audio system of Yamaha DZR and DXS XLF loudspeakers is impressing audiences and artists alike. The 300-capacity venue is the brainchild of managing director Steve Gardner. Having taught himself to play piano upon retirement from a successful corporate life, Steve was approached by an old school friend who had an empty building in the town of Worthing, formerly used by the local college as a music and dance training centre. Spotting an opportunity, Gardner started the successful Soundhouse and Dancehouse rehearsal businesses. It was natural for him to approach nearby high-end audio retailer The Audio House when equipping the rehearsal studios, developing a close working relationship with company founder Gerry Heeley. As Soundhouse and Danceho
UK - When the £84m International Convention Centre Wales (ICCW) opened in September last year, it was not only the first of its kind in Wales, but this joint venture between the Welsh Government and the Celtic Manor Resort has contrived to deliver 26,000sq.m. of total floor space for meetings, conferences and exhibitions (around the size of four international rugby pitches). For visitors driving down the adjacent M4 motorway, the 10m tall red steel dragon provides an unmistakable landmark. Incorporated within this is a 4,000 sq.m., pillar-free, reconfigurable main hall, and it was this space that threw up many challenges for the technology contractors, Stage Electrics. Their solution was to specify an end-to-end audio workflow from the extensive RCF catalogue, tying nearly 800 loudspeaker products (and over 1,000 RCF components in total) into a multi-use PA in the main hal
India - It’s a rare occasion when a live concert features more musicians on stage than there are spectators in the audience, but such was the case for a Guinness World Record-breaking performance in Mumbai on 24 January. To commemorate the premiere of Amazon Prime’s series The Forgotten Army, Live 1000 - a group of 1,046 musicians - performed selections from the series’ score for a crowd of about 200, supported by an Adamson S-Series audio system from production technologies provider Sound.com. “When we were first approached to take part in this very special event, it was clear that the sound system needed to be compact and discreet as to not impede the audience’s sightlines, considering the unique layout of the seating and stage,” begins Warren D’souza, the founder and managing director of Sound.com. “We knew Adamson’s tour-proven S-Series wo
Italy - In 2020, HP Sound Equipment and its pro audio brand K-array will be marking their 30th and 15th anniversary respectively. The two anniversaries will be celebrated throughout the year during various events for K-array and HP Sound Equipment clients, suppliers and staff. The Italian manufacturer got its start in 1990 in studio design and installation, specifically for radio and television, operating as parent company HP Sound. Its three founding partners - Massimo Ferrati, Alessandro Tatini and Carlo Tatini - sought out to develop their own line of MI-based equipment and by 2005, it turned its sights to live sound reinforcement and formed K-array. Practising primarily as a rental company, K-array was driven to find an alternative to the traditional design of a PA system as the sheer volume and weight of these wooden transducers caused the cost of transport to be
USA - Agnieszka Roginska has begun her term as president of the Audio Engineering Society. Currently celebrating her 20th year as an AES member, Roginska has served in numerous leadership roles within the Society. Professionally, she currently holds the positions of Professor of Music Technology and the vice-chair of the Music and Performing Arts Professions Department at New York University. In her role as Professor of Music Technology at the university, Roginska’s work involves conducting research in the simulation and applications of immersive and 3D audio including the capture, analysis and synthesis of auditory environments, auditory displays and applications in augmented acoustic sensing. She is the author of numerous publications about the acoustics and psychoacoustics of immersive audio and auditory displays. “It is an honour and a privilege to begi
USA - Approaching the centennial of its current building, the First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi has been an institution in the area since it was built in 1926. Facing the lawn of the Mississippi State Capitol in downtown Jackson, the church’s sanctuary seats 3,000 worshippers and streams and broadcasts its services online to thousands of viewers any given week in 60 to 80 countries. The sound in First Baptist’ sanctuary has been served for several years now by a DiGiCo SD5 console and its two SD-Racks for front of house. Recently, it was joined by a new DiGiCo SD10 console as the church’s primary broadcast console for streaming the audio for services and other events, along with a DiGiCo Orange Box multi-format converter equipped with a DMI (DiGiCo Multichannel Interface) card for Dante connectivity. Both consoles, which were installed and integrated b