UK - CPL (Central Presentations Ltd) has completed a full technical upgrade - staging, lighting, audio and AV - to the conference theatre at Heythrop Park Resort where the west Midlands-based company is also the house onsite technical support provider. Heythrop Park Resort is a luxury venue set in 440 acres of stunning Oxfordshire Countryside and dating back to 1710. It currently has two hotels, an 18-hole golf course, a health club & spa and state-of-the-art conference facilities including a ballroom with capacity for 300 – 400 guests (in banqueting or theatre style respectively), the Conference Theatre which can hold 400 delegates and the charismatics Enstone Room for up to 200. The latest plans have seen the addition of a marquee which can be configured as a 650-seater banqueting hall or an 800 capacity theatre space which will further expand the available res
UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET), authorised Shure Pro Audio Reseller, will be hosting Shure Wireless Mastered: Live Events, at their dedicated training facilities in High Wycombe and Leeds on 12 and 19 October. Wireless Mastered demystifies the world of wireless by providing Front of House engineers, AV technicians and production professionals with the knowledge and confidence to operate reliable, secure wireless microphone systems in today's challenging RF environment. Attendees will finish the day with an in-depth knowledge in the following areas: RF technology - how it works and how to operate a secure, reliable system they can depend on; recent changes to spectrum allocation - what they need to know, how it affects them, and what they can do to mitigate risk; digital wireless systems and the advantages they bring as part of ensuring relia
Brazil - Lawo mc²96 Grand Production Console was used by Brazillian TV programmer Globosat during this year's Rock in Rio. Globosat’s use of the mc²96 console was part of a rental package of equipment, support and training provided by Lawo for the event. The first mc²96 sale had been made prior to Rock in Rio, with two consoles having been purchased by Viacom Media Networks (USA). Through Latin American system integrator and Lawo partner LineUp Broadcast Systems, Lawo provided Globosat with a 40-fader mc²96 fitted with Ravenna, AES and MADI Cards, along with a Sample-Rate Converter and a Compact Core for the console. The console was integrated with a Lawo Nova73 Router using RAVENNA. The set-up was able to take advantage of a legacy Globosat structure resulting from the company’s involvement in the Summer Olympics broadcast from the Barra Olympic Park la
UK - An Avolites Arena lighting console was used to programme and operate the striking lighting design for producer and singer-songwriter Tom Misch at his outdoor headline show at the Summer Series music festival held at Somerset House, London. The annual festival took place between 6 and 16 of July in the courtyard of the iconic Neoclassical building on the Thames. 2017 marked Misch's Summer Series debut, joining other British and international festival headliner stars including Norah Jones, Goldfrapp and Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley. Misch's lighting designer John Partridge (JP) has been working with the British-born artist since July 2017, and the Somerset House show marked the design's first live showcase. For Misch's current tour, JP has created for the artist a pared-back design, aiming for a 'strong and purposeful' aesthetic. "The lighting design for Tom is c
UAE - After 18 years of producing some of the region’s most memorable shows, Protec – a Dubai-headquartered event technical and staging solutions company, continues to deliver extraordinary experiences through its creative technical skills. Company founder and CEO Stephen Lakin said: “We have seen the events industry evolve considerably over the last 18 years since I started the company. Technology has grown, creativity has become bolder and audience engagement now plays a crucial role in every event. Our clients are spending more time on developing bespoke events, creatively using content with technology to immerse and involve their audiences into their story’s environment. “Technology continues to play an important role and new technologies are guiding content developers to dig deeper into their creative talents to make full use of the technical reso
USA - Following crowded demo sessions at InfoComm Orlando, Florida, the d&b team is heading to New York for the 143rd Audio Engineering Society’s international convention. Between 18-20 October, demo room 3D04 in the Javits Centre will welcome visitors to d&b’s first demonstration programme held at AES. Attracting an international line up of presenters, the event is an opportunity to examine the latest ideas and technologies in audio engineering. At the d&b demo room this will include a comprehensive insight into the upcoming d&b Soundscape, set to bridge the gap between the physics of loudspeaker system design and the creation of artistic material. Currently scheduled for release in early 2018, the d&b Soundscape will operate on the user-friendly DS100 platform and enable sound designers and engineers with multidimensional source placement, ac
Austria - The inaugural MusikFestiWels that took on 14-15 July in Wels featured around 20 acts across three open-air stages in the city’s streets and squares. Martin Audio’s territory distributor k24 Technik & Vertrieb supported its customer, service provider Sound & Light Systems, who fielded a premium MLA Compact PA on the main stage, while lighting was provided by Powerland. While Sound & Light Systems provided its full inventory, this was augmented by MLA Compact enclosures from Schallmeister, enabling the main stage system to be designed around 20 MLA Compact (10 elements per side) and nine MLX subwoofers in a cardioid left/centre/right array. In addition, four XD12 provided front-fill, BlacklineX12s and WS18X subs were on side-fill duties, four W8LM Mini Line Array served as delays and LE1500 as stage monitors. Providing technical back-up we
UAE - The Dubai headquartered company that is celebrating its 18th year of business continues to show growth whilst retaining its undisputed position in the industry not only as the region’s leading event solutions provider but also a major player in the world market. The company that already owns one of the world’s largest event rental stocks that include the latest equipment in lighting, video, audio, rigging & trussing, scenic & staging, automation & SFX, conference equipment, robotics & motion tracking, has once more invested heavily in new technology and equipment over a busy season in 2017. The season has seen Protec at the core of some truly exceptional events that has taken them across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The year was kicked off by the multiple award-winning IDEX opening ceremony in Abu Dhabi, one of the season’s high
UK - The beginning of June saw Robbie Williams kick off his Heavy Entertainment Show tour on home turf at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium. The tour has continued throughout the summer, taking in stadiums, fields and arenas across the UK and Europe. The tour’s audio requirements are provided by Robbie’s long-term supplier Britannia Row Productions (Brit Row) and has DiGiCo’s flagship SD7 consoles at both the Front of House and monitor positions. Simon Hodge, Robbie’s Front of House engineer, has been using an SD7 for the last six years and continues to rely on it to handle this complex show. Jonathan Digby takes care of monitors, keeping the seat warm for Robbie’s long-standing monitor engineer, Pete Mc Glynn, who is recovering from an accident he had shortly before the tour took off. Jonathan is also deploying a SD7. “The show is complicated, so
China - Amadeus has announced a 50-speaker install with '3D Sound' control. The sound system compliments 20 giant 'soft LED' screens and performances of 700 actors in China's first live event dramatizing the historical 1938 Xi'an Incident - which is credited with creating modern China. The State-run theatre is located in the exact location where the Xi'an Incident happened. Amadeus worked with its distributor, Guangzhou Sign King ET Co., Ltd., Swiss-based company Sonic Emotion, and British manufacturer of digital mixing consoles DiGiCo to design and install the sound setup within the massive new building. Wymen Wong, of Guangzhou Sign King ET Co., Ltd., states, "Amadeus delivered the best solutions, both in terms of products and services, matching the design constraints and goals that the Show Director' expectations. The audience also expects a lot from a
China - Multinational flight case hardware and 19-inch racking manufacturer Penn Elcom has opened a new 2000sq.m distribution centre close to Beijing, which will run in conjunction with its busy manufacturing operation in Guangdong. The company hopes holding a large amount of stock for immediate dispatch in a major commercial hub like Beijing will further boost the speed and delivery of products across mainland China and to Penn’s Asia-wide operation. “We needed to invest to fuel further growth,” explained Penn Elcom chairman and founder Roger Willems, “and to capitalise on those flightcase users in all sectors who are requesting that their case makers – our clients – utilise Penn hardware by default”. The new facility will be headed by Huang Xue Lin (Linda Hwang), a multi-skilled manager and customer relations specialist who has worked for Penn Elco
UK - The School of Rock & Media Ltd (SORM) is a social enterprise based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, that works with young people and people with learning & physical disabilities. The brainchild of John Bolton and Tony Saunders, amongst its many enterprises, it provides PA & stage services to the wider industry and are currently working at grass roots festival level providing services for Nice & Sleazy Festival, 0161 Festival, Seaside Specialised, as well as providing sound & stage for Leeds & Bradford council events, and have provided sound for bands such as The Beat, The Specials, Sham 69 and Peter and The Test Tube Babies. In 2018 they will be providing sound to one of the stages at Bingley Festival, and are in discussions with 80’s Ska legends Madness for next years Specialised festival. Commissioned through Leeds & B
UK - Atlona has strengthened its UK and Ireland sales team with the appointment of industry veteran Alex Moss as senior sales manager. Reporting to Atlona general manager Ronni Guggenheim, Alex will leverage his broad industry expertise to support sales initiatives across end users, partners and systems integrators as he works to expand the company’s regional presence. Alex’s trajectory has followed parallel sales and technology paths through much of his nearly 10 years in commercial AV industry. Since late 2013 until joining Atlona on 1 October, Alex held technical sales consultant and sales manager positions at various times with Cabletime, a leading manufacturer of IPTV, digital signage and media distribution products. “With the addition of AVoIP, control and wireless collaboration, Atlona’s product offering has evolved toward a full solutions-oriented appr
Europe - The new NEXT PXH95 is the Mid-High Speaker that belongs to the PX system, a system that can offer high SPL, reliability, an aesthetic design and high sound fidelity throughout the venue. This system is designed for portable applications as well as small concerts. Side-fill or DJ monitoring are also one of the many applications that the PX System covers. When used by itself, the new PXH95 can be used in a variety of installation projects, including sports facilities, performance spaces, auditoriums, or worship facilities. This new element was engineered to be a powerful medium/longthrow mid/high-frequency cabinet in a coaxial configuration. The frequency response range varies from 150 Hz to 19 kHz, with a precise coverage pattern of 90°H x 50°V over a frequency range from 400Hz–17kHz, ensuring equal sound within the coverage area. As the PXH95 cabinet is sq
Europe - CUK Audio’s retail sales channel manager, Steve Barton, has just completed – and won - a gruelling 2,500-mile rally across Europe to raise money for the motor industry charity, BEN. A total of 28 teams took part in the event organised by Bilstein Group UK which took them through 10 countries in seven days via some of Europe’s most beautiful – and challenging – driving routes. Barton and his team-mate, Nik Edwards drove a CUK Audio-branded 2005 MG ZT-T diesel estate (don’t be fooled, they were pretty fast, aggressive drives in their time!) to take part in the Banger Rally that left Marden in Kent on 15 September to cross the finish line seven days later at Bilstein’s new state-of-the-art warehouse facility in Markham Vale. Sponsored by CUK Audio, the vehicle sported logos from several manufacturers in CUK’s MI/retail portfolio, namely dB Technol
UK - The Warehouse Sound Services is to host a presentation and demonstration day of Adamson Systems loudspeakers. The event will be held at The Backstage Centre in Essex on Tuesday 3 October 2017 at 1pm. The Warehouse Sound Services is the UK distributor for Adamson. The company has invested heavily in Adamson equipment over the last year to help get these systems established in the rental and installation markets within the UK. The company will be showcasing its S-Series and new IS-Series of premium loudspeakers, with key personnel from Adamson and The Warehouse on-hand for the demonstration. Adamson’s S-Series of tour-grade loudspeakers, including the flagship S10, will be demonstrated. The two-way, true line source sub-compact line array cabinet has been deployed in the U.K. for recent shows by the likes of Bryan Adams and Shawn Mendes, plus major events like the
UK - East Anglia-based CEG has recently launched its new website (www.ceghirepro.uk) which includes a hire catalogue allowing customer to get a real-time view of inventory information and availability. Working closely with rental management software experts, Current-RMS, CEG has created its website using the API (Application Programming Interface) provided by Current to help build these industry-first features, which give CEG’s customers access and control as never seen before. CEG’s director Ben Bowles explained: “When we started this project back in 2016, we worked closely with Chris Branson and his team at Current RMS to see how we could build our new website using the functionality built within Current. From the start of the project we were keen to incorporate some ground-breaking features into the hire catalogue and rental account sections of the website -
Denmark - A renowned live music venue in Denmark has received a major upgrade to its loudspeaker systems by d&b. A popular stop-off for countless international touring acts, VEGA in Copenhagen incorporates three performance spaces: Store VEGA, with a capacity of 1,550; Lille VEGA, with space for 500; and Ideal Bar Live, with a capacity of 250. Led by head of production Anders Mortensen in late 2016, the overhaul of the loudspeaker systems in Store VEGA and Lille VEGA intended to furnish both rooms with more responsive systems, capable of accommodating speech and a wide variety of live music genres. Three leading PA systems were considered, but the decision was made to continue VEGA's long-running association with the d&b audiotechnik brand that had seen the venue make extensive use of its Q-Series system. “We have been using d&b successfully
Italy - The famed Salone dei 500 of Palazzo Vecchio has long held great importance for the city of Florence. Measuring 54m long, 23m wide, and 18m high, it is the largest and most important room in terms of artistic and historic value in the old place and the largest room in Italy made for a civil power palace. Originally built during the Renaissance to host meetings for representatives of the democratic government of the Florentine Republic, or the Great Council of 500, the Salone dei 500 has changed overtime to accommodate every owner of the palace, transforming from a hall commemorating important battles with artworks to be commissioned by the two greatest Florentine artists of the time, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, to the boardroom of the Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, where he received ambassadors and gave audience to the people. Richly decorated and wildly p
UK - Switzerland-based Schertler Group has appointed Systems Workshop as UK distributor for its Arthur modular mixer. The Oswestry-based company will act as a showroom and distribution centre for the mixer, which has attracted a steadily growing list of international users during the 12 months since its release. Arthur offers musicians and engineers a customizable mixing solution for live and studio applications. The mixer’s input and output modules can be assembled in virtually any combination or order, from a basic compact setup with a vocal or instrument preamp and L/R Master, to a DJ / keyboard mixer with stereo inputs for keys and playback devices, right through to a large multi-channel studio configuration with multiple mic and instrument inputs and aux sends. The mixer can be directly connected to a PA system and can be expanded over time as required, or as new modu
UK - Prolight Concepts Group has taken on exclusive UK distribution of Kuzar Systems, a Spanish company located in Valencia, dedicated to the design, manufacture and distribution of lifters and lifting accessories for the lighting and sound industry. Designed for the professional user in the event and rental industry, Kuzar lifters are manufactured in Europe to both BGV C1 and CE (2006/42/CE) standards, and are also backed by a two-year warranty. The lifters feature ‘KAT’ locks that offer two positions, one for raising the lifter and the second for locking the lifter while static at height for increased safety. Each lifter features high quality, AL-KO winches loaded with steel cable and are available in either telescopic vertical lift for truss and lighting fixtures or front-loading for lifting truss and compact line array systems. When not in use the lifters pack
UK - Sheffield based Bring Me the Horizon (BMTH) embarked on their first arena tour of the UK in the latter part of 2016. The tour came in the wake of a year of successes for the band, during which they released a fifth LP That’s The Spirit and played just before Metallica on the main stage at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Kicking off at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, the tour represented the band’s largest gig to date. It saw other live shows played in Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena, London’s O2, Sheffield Motorpoint Arena, and Manchester Arena, before wrapping up at Glasgow SSE Hydro. d&b has long been a fixture at BMTH gigs, with the technology a favourite of front of house engineer Oliver Hutchinson – particularly the subs and the overall high quality of sound delivered. “I am a huge fan of d&b and would happily never use anot
UK - Free to attend, the d&b Software and system fundamentals workshop covers all you need to know about the d&b workflow and system basics. Realising the best sound possible is unimaginable without the d&b software toolkit, a key component in the planning, optimization and control of any d&b system. With a focus on the d&b software programmes, ArrayCalc for simulation, and R1 for remote control, the workshop is completely dedicated to the workflow methodology. Beginning with ArrayCalc, the session will guide you through the steps for simulating line array or point source systems, opening your project data in the intuitive R1user interface, and finally sending all relevant settings to the d&b amplifiers - with just a few clicks of the mouse. The dates are: Tuesday 10 October – Dublin, Thursday 12 October – Belfast and Wednesday 25 October
USA - Located in Downtown Jacksonville, Florida, Daily’s Place is an outdoor amphitheatre connected to the south end of EverBank Field football stadium, and shares space with a "flex field" indoor practice facility for the Jacksonville Jaguars. As a multipurpose venue, the ability to ensure quality sound throughout the space was a crucial consideration for facility management. To address this challenge, loudspeakers from the Artec-300 series and HQ series product groups of Valencia, Spain-based D.A.S. Audio were placed into service. Florida Sound Engineering Co, also of Jacksonville, FL, provides AV design, installation, and service of commercial audio and video systems for churches, theatres, ballrooms, stadiums, and other facilities. The company was contracted to install the new sound reinforcement system at Daily’s Place. Neil Cooper, senior project manager, handles s
