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20 June 2025

India - KOCA is the latest addition to the culinary landscape in the Indian city of Gurgaon. The first restaurant venture of Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh, KOCA - Kitchen of Celebratory Arts - is a fine dining establishment characterised by chic contemporary interiors and an elegant yet high-energy experience.

Background music is a key element of KOCA’s atmosphere, as are the DJ sets which are a feature of the venue. A quality sound system was an essential requirement for the KOCA team, so they engaged supplier Alphatec and integrator VMS Delhi, led by technical lead Mr Sandeep Duggal, to provide an appropriate solution.

The team chose a Coda Audio system for the interior areas of KOCA. It was of great importance to the venue that as well as providing powerful but smooth audio, the aesthetics of the loudspeakers did not compromise the decor.

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20 June 2025

UK - The Art-Deco Grade II listed Queens Hotel has been an impressive presence on Leeds’ City Square since its construction in 1937. Designed by W.H. Hamlyn and faced with white Portland Stone, it is a striking landmark which over the years has hosted many notable guests. Royals, world leaders, and international film stars have all experienced the comforts of The Queens.

At the end of last year, The Queens was the focus of an art installation which saw LeedsBID (Leeds Business Improvement District) collaborate with Barcelona-based creative studio Onionlab on To Leeds With Love, a visual spectacular which used the elegant architecture of the Hotel as a canvas for multiple projections themed around The Twelve Days of Christmas.

The ambitious and innovative project, which embraced state-of-the-art technology and world-class design, r

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20 June 2025

UK - Stage Electrics Group has announced changes within its senior executive team. Andy Preece, group finance director, will retire from his executive role effective 31 July 2025, the end of the group’s financial year, and will assume a new position as a non-executive director.

Dave Coull, group CEO of Stage Electrics, said: “Andy’s breadth of experience and expertise have not only benefited the organisation financially and strategically but have also helped shape and develop our company culture over the past four years. As he moves into his new role as non-executive director, I’m confident the group will continue to benefit from his insight, non-executive oversight, and unwavering commitment to our continued growth and success.”

Nathan Athay, the company’s current finance manager, will be promoted to the role of group finance director an

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19 June 2025

Saudi Arabia - Harman Professional Solutions has announced the expansion of its long-standing distribution agreement with Masterpiece in the Middle East. Effective 1 July 2025, Masterpiece will begin offering the full Harman Professional audio brand portfolio in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Already a distributor for Harman audio brands in the UAE and broader GCC region, Masterpiece’s expanded role in Saudi Arabia will now include the complete professional audio lineup: JBL Professional, BSS, Crown, AKG, Soundcraft, Lexicon and dbx. This move reflects Harman’s continued investment in strengthening channel coverage and ensuring high-quality service and support across key markets.

“We are proud to expand our Harman distribution footprint to include the full audio portfolio in Saudi Arabia,” says Simon Daniel, general manager, Masterpiece.

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19 June 2025

UK - The Piano, which just wrapped its third season, is a popular UK reality competition that invites undiscovered, amateur pianists to perform emotionally charged music amid the bustling sounds of some of the country’s busiest train stations. The concept of the show was borne from the practice of commuters sitting down to play the upright pianos commonly found in England’s train depots.

Capturing those moments with high-quality sound in unpredictable public spaces requires precision, creativity and exceptional gear. With this in mind, sound supervisor and founder of Audio Dept UK, Richard Meredith, turned to his trusted toolkit, led by DPA Microphones, for the recordings, as well as Wisycom wireless RF solutions.

“The show’s premise is so pure - it’s just people sitting down at a public piano and expressing themselves,” explains

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19 June 2025

Canada - Founded in 1878 in London, Ontario, Western University is one of Canada's top research-intensive universities. Western recently crafted a special events space in the new Ronald D. Schmeichel Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre (SEI). The multipurpose room was designed to host a wide variety of functions, ranging from keynote speeches to musical performances. However, the room’s architecture, which features extensive concrete, glass and high ceilings, presented significant acoustic challenges.  

Western University’s Classroom Technology Group partnered with leading experts in audio integration, ultimately selecting EM Acoustics’ Reference Series as its core solution. With the space intended to host high-profile speaking events, ceremonies and presentations, the emphasis was on implementing a system that would provide clear and uniform spee

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19 June 2025

UAE - Lou Agha’s system integration company, Exacting Diseno Technical Services, are gaining a reputation for installing premium Martin Audio sound systems in some of Dubai’s smartest upmarket bars and lounges.

Working closely with territorial distributors, Pro Lab, they recently equipped Coco Grill & Lounge for owner Naz Choudhury, whose concept is to integrate a Shisha Lounge with Dubai’s first Redemption Bar. It follows the operator’s initial launch of the Coco brand in London, overlooking Tower Bridge - and offers the same views from its downtown location, this time of the Burj Khalifa. All operations are alcohol-free, with upscale mocktail bars.

Lou Agha had been introduced to the project via a consultant. “When the client asked what sound systems I used, he was pleased it was Martin Audio, as this was the brand he was using in Lon

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19 June 2025

USA - In early 2025, the city of Hagerstown, MD, came together for an unforgettable evening of live music and community impact at the Ladders to Leaders Recovery Benefit Concert. Organised by Ladders to Leaders, a local non-profit that supports individuals in achieving lasting recovery, and powered by All Sound Pro, the benefit celebrated those transitioning from addiction to recovery and raised vital support for three local recovery homes operated by Ladders to Leaders.

“This concert was important to our community as it provided an evening to celebrate those who have faced the challenges of substance misuse and have succeeded in overcoming the issue,” said Alicia Divens, event organiser and board president of Ladders to Leaders. “Music is an amazing art form that has the ability to bring people together. The benefit concert was a huge success

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19 June 2025

USA - To honour the legacy of the Allman Brothers Band, the musical supergroup known as The Brothers recently returned to New York City’s storied Madison Square Garden for a pair of shows in April.

Led by former ABB guitarist and Gov’t Mule founder Warren Haynes and featuring drummer Jaimoe, the last surviving original member of the Allman Brothers Band, the ensemble also included former ABB guitarist Derek Trucks (nephew of ABB drummer the late Butch Trucks), bassist Oteil Burbridge, and percussionist Marc Quiñones, plus Joe Russo, Reese Wynans, and Isaac Eady, as well as special guest Chuck Leavell on piano.

It was an emotional reunion. The Brothers last played MSG in March 2020 to celebrate 50 years since the founding of the Allman Brothers Band.

Fortunately, some very 21st century technology was on hand for the two shows, in the form

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18 June 2025

UK - On 24 June, console manufacturer Solid State Logic will be livestreaming the launch of ‘a revolutionary new technology, set to transform the future of professional music production’. The livestream, which is open to all, will occur at 3:00 p.m. local time and will be broadcast on the SSL website and official YouTube channel from launch sites located around the world in Japan, China, the UK, and the USA.

In addition to revealing its latest transformative technology, the event will celebrate breakthrough advancements by SSL, which continue to redefine professional studio workflows and reshape the art of music production and engineering to this day.

​Looking back to 1985, the 4000E console was prolific in control rooms worldwide, transforming how artists, engineers, and studios made music. That same year, SSL's founder Colin Sanders led a tea

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18 June 2025

USA - Music can be life-changing and Beats Give Back is using that power to support underserved communities in Florida, particularly children in foster care. The nonprofit, formed in 2023, recently held its first major fundraiser at Sheltair Aviation at Tampa International Airport, raising $8,000 to support a new music education studio at the Joshua House Foundation in Tampa Bay. The event featured Funktion-One sound from Nomad Sound Systems.

“My journey has always been rooted in music and Beats Give Back is a natural extension of that because it uses music to uplift and empower the next generation,” says founder and president, Manny Lopez. “We’ve seen firsthand how even a few guitar lessons can change a child’s outlook. In many cases, it’s a lifeline.”

More than 1,000 people turned out for the fundraising event, which

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18 June 2025

UK - Polar recently returned to the Old Savoy Theatre in Northampton to stage Polar Expo, a day-long event where integrators, AV consultants, rental companies and sound engineers were able to see, hear, and explore the full Polar catalogue.

Previous Polar demo days, focused on specific brands, had proved to be a popular draw for a wide range of technology professionals, prompting the company to expand the formula to stage its largest such event to date. According to sales manager Andy Plunkett, who coordinated the event, the Savoy Theatre takeover was another valuable exercise in giving visitors a close-up, hands-on experience of the Polar portfolio:

“We showcased the entire portfolio across morning and afternoon sessions in the Theatre and adjoining Dore Suite. There’s just no substitute for hearing our high-performance loudspeaker ranges in a r

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18 June 2025

France - When Alpexpo recognised that event organisers needed something between Grenoble’s massive arena and intimate live venue, they devised a 'box in a box' concept that carves out a 3,389sq.m auditorium within their existing Greater Hall, powered by an L-Acoustics L Series professional sound system.

This transforms what was once a traditional exhibition space into a venue that adapts seamlessly between intimate seated concerts for 1,495 and energetic standing shows for 2,100.

"Our challenge was creating an adaptable system that could be everything to everyone – pristine audio whether hosting a morning keynote or an evening concert – and the transformation had to be instant," recalls Antoine Maurel, sales & installation manager at L-Acoustics certified partner M+ Equipment, part of M Group. "They wanted to build a complete auditorium ins

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18 June 2025

UK - Celebrating three decades of partnership between The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) and Sennheiser, the global audio specialist continues its commitment to nurturing emerging talent through the Sennheiser Student Scholarship programme.

This long-standing collaboration provides students with access to world-class audio expertise and industry resources, and Josh Dooley, a BA (Hons) Sound Technology student whose remarkable journey demonstrates extraordinary resilience and passion for audio engineering, has been selected as the 2025 scholarship recipient. His inspiring story of overcoming significant personal obstacles to pursue his musical ambitions captivated the judging panel, featuring Tim Sherratt, strategy manager at Sennheiser, and acclaimed theatre sound designer, Ben Harrison.

Growing up in a disadvantaged area of

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17 June 2025

UK - The PLASA Awards for Innovation are back for 2025, and entries are officially open.  

Celebrating the most forward-thinking technology across lighting, audio, AV, staging, rigging and beyond, the awards recognise products that bring something genuinely new to the table, whether it’s a technical step forward, a sustainability breakthrough, or a clever commercial edge. 

Run in partnership with LSi, the awards are independently judged by a panel of experts who know what real innovation looks like. All shortlisted ent

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17 June 2025

The Netherlands - A new addition to Amsterdam's vibrant nightlife, SHU has quickly established itself as a premier destination for evening entertainment. The exclusive, guest-list-only venue transitions nightly from relaxed cocktail lounge to energetic dance floor. SHU was created by experienced venue owners who identified an opportunity to serve professionals seeking a more refined nightlife experience.

When developing the venue's sound concept, SHU's owners approached L-Acoustics certified partner Audio Solvation via production company, Air Light Holland, with a specific challenge: deliver sophisticated audio that could transform the space each night while respecting the urban location, which includes residential apartments directly above the venue. Having successfully implemented L-Acoustics systems in their other establishments, the owners knew this tech

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17 June 2025

Australia - Dating back to 1824, St. John’s Anglican church in Launceston, Tasmania is the oldest church in the city, having recently celebrated its 200th anniversary. To mark the bicentennial the church committee commissioned a major upgrade, largely to enhance speech intelligibility. Guz Box design + audio, headed by founder Tim Kuschel, were tasked with overseeing the acoustic and electroacoustic design works.

This was back in 2020, but hampered by Covid restrictions and a lack of data, it wasn’t until March 2021, in the post-Covid era, that the Canberra-based consultant fully realised the overwhelming number of architectural constraints he would be facing in this heritage-listed building – not least the demanding acoustics, with multiple reflections created by a 22m-high dome.

The reason intelligibility was such a concern was because a larg

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16 June 2025

UK - With its origins in the celebrated MiNT Club in Leeds, MiNT Festival is Yorkshire’s biggest dance music event. The festival, which evolved from a collection of local gatherings, takes place near the city on a purpose-built arena at the 130-acre Newsam Farm, attracting thousands of Leeds music lovers to its multiple stages.

Now a prominent event in the UK festival calendar, MiNT’s reputation was further enhanced by this year’s edition which featured Josh Baker's You&Me, Morgan Seatree's Unfussy, plus Patrick Topping, Kettama, East End Dubs, and more. East Anglia-based Audio Plus provided sound across the site.

More than 30 years in the business has seen Audio Plus become a widely trusted partner for touring, festivals, special events, and installations, and the company has taken care of MiNT since its inceptio

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16 June 2025

UK - On 4 June, the Association of British Theatre Technicians hosted its Annual Awards after a busy first day of the ABTT Theatre Show at Alexandra Palace, London. This event is a cornerstone of the ABTT, dedicated to honouring outstanding contributions to the theatre and live events sector and recognises the achievements of those who are shaping the future of the industry.

Ted Moore, director at sponsors TAIT, said of the Awards: “TAIT is really proud to be here once again to sponsor the ABTT Awards, which I truly believe are the best award presentations anywhere in our industry. We wish all the nominees good luck and give congratulations to whoever the winners may be.”

The five Product Awards recognise the achievements of products which are substantially new to the market during the last 12 months and are available now for purchase, immediate

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13 June 2025

USA - PPDS, provider of Philips Professional Displays has announced a global alliance with Shure to deliver an advanced range of full room audio visual solutions.

Announced during a live launch event on Philips booth at InfoComm 2025 in Orlando, this collaboration sees PPDS enter into a global alliance with Shure, combining the power of Philips Professional Displays with Shure’s premium audio systems.

This development sees PPDS enter a global alliance with Shure, who provides integrated, easy-to-deploy IntelliMix Room Kits for Microsoft Teams Rooms, bringing audio visual together for total solutions in conferencing and collaboration in corporate, government, and educational environments.

Speaking at the official signing, Ron Cottaar, director of global marketing at PPDS, said: “Our collaboration with Shure further extends our commitment t

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13 June 2025

Spain - Warner Music Spain and Warner Chappell Music are behind a creative hub in Madrid called The Music Station, an artist-friendly complex combined with a new, non-traditional working environment for the company's employees.

Designed and built within Madrid’s former Príncipe Pio North Station, the facility houses several music production spaces, all outfitted with equipment from Solid State Logic, including an Origin 32-channel analogue mixing console in the flagship tracking and mixing room, and U Series controllers and SSL 2+ interfaces in breakout production spaces.

“We have five studios; one is equipped for Dolby Atmos where the Origin is installed, then we have two production suites and then two additional rooms with vocal booths for songwriting and small recording sessions,” says Álvaro Marin, lead audio engineer, one of three in-hou

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13 June 2025

USA - RCF has unveiled its latest innovations in installed audio at InfoComm 2025. This year’s showcase features a comprehensive lineup of solutions engineered for performance, durability, and versatility in both indoor and outdoor fixed installations.

Taking centre stage is the X Series, a line of high-power speakers built to deliver intelligibility and reliability. Housed in IP55-rated, UV-protected, and corrosion-resistant polyurethane enclosures, the X Series is purpose-built for stadiums, sports venues, and large outdoor environments. These systems offer precise, powerful audio even in the most challenging conditions.

Drawing on RCF’s legacy in concert sound and large-scale installations, the X Series integrates Precision Transducers and the XPS 16K DSP-powered four-channel amplifier, delivering sound quality tailored for high-energy sports

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13 June 2025

USA - TT+ Audio has unveiled a new lineup of professional touring solutions at InfoComm 2025. Highlights include the GTX 7C cardioid line array, the GTS 16C flyable cardioid subwoofer, the versatile GT 8 point‐source speaker, and the high-power GTS 19G single 19″ subwoofer. Built on the XPS 16K amplification platform, the GTX series delivers precision engineering and electro-acoustic performance for even the most demanding live-sound applications.

“The new GTX series embodies our philosophy of integrating cutting-edge technology with best-in-class performance,” says Alessandro Manini, R&D director at TT+ Audio. “At InfoComm, we are introducing significant additions to the GTX line, including the no-compromise performance of our new DSP-controlled cardioid line array, with a must-attend Demo at RCF demo room.”

The compact GTX 7C cardio

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13 June 2025

USA - Back in the year 2000, RMB Audio - one of Martin Audio’s longest serving global partners - installed a Wavefront W0.5 miniature high performance speaker solution in Heritage Baptist Church in Zebulon, NC.

The splayed array was designed to provide coverage of a church seating 600 with a balcony, below a vaulted pentagonal roof. Audience seating on the floor in the sanctuary formed a 200° fan from the pulpit, which required some angle separation between the cabinet hangs to provide an overlap from the 100° horizontal pattern.

Due to Martin Audio’s advanced engineering and build quality, this gave the church an excellent return on investment. But when it came to refreshing the speakers, a cell defect was detected. Realising that components for this vintage system were no longer available, an alternative was required.

Cooper Cannady,