Lithuania - Audiotonas recently won a tender to renew the audio system at the 400-capacity Juozas Miltinis Theatre in Lithuania. Situated in Panevezys, the fifth largest city in the country, the Grand Hall has been upgraded with a Martin Audio Wavefront Precision (WPM) line array. According to Audiotonas chief audio engineer (and system designer), Vytautas Stasiukaitis, an old-school point source PA system, more than 20 years old, was no longer fit for purpose. “The performance was not acceptable by today’s standards, and so the theatre wanted a high-tech sound system in which performance features could be optimised according to the architecture of the room,” he explains. “As the most cost-efficient system which met all the requirements of the Theatre Wavefront Precision was the way to go.” It was the facility’s first experience with Martin Audio and the so
UK - Cheltenham’s Imperial Gardens became a cinematic hotspot of international sport, films and music over the summer as the town’s Big Screen Festival took place, utilising Production AV’s substantial stock of Desay M6 outdoor LED screen panels to make up the visual display. Production AV’s Nathan Dunbar project managed the supply, delivery, build and operation of the screens. The main screen was made up of 18 panels of the modular Desay M6 outdoor LED screens, which the team fitted together to create the large-scale LED wall. A host of content was shown to audiences enjoying the summer weather, including live BBC streams of the Tokyo Olympics and Channel 4’s Paralympics, BBC Proms as well as family films and local business advertising. The event was part of a drive by Cheltenham Borough Council to bring residents back into the centre of the town and drive s
UK - Recently established lifestyle restaurant and bar, Socialite has worked alongside Flipside Soundsystem to create an enticing musical atmosphere in the heart of Brighton’s Lanes. The building, which used to be a Cath Kidston store, benefits from an open concept layout with; a lavish cocktail bar, a private dining area, a generous performance space and topped off with a casual roof terrace. With the aim of being an all-in-one bar, the space was in need of an AV system that could occasionally simmer into the background, allowing conversation to flow, while also being able to support live music and DJ events. “After having a brief look around the site, working out its functionality and what the concept was – I knew, pretty much from the get-go, that musicality was the main focus of this place,” recalls Flipside managing director, James Cooper. “From then, we
USA - The Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival returned to Las Vegas 17-19 September, transforming 18 downtown city blocks into a hub of music, art and culture. The event roared back to life, drawing a record 170,000 attendees for its three-day line-up of performances by Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, A$AP Rocky, Green Day, and more than 100 additional acts. Between shows, festivalgoers took in comedy events, culinary demonstrations, and multidisciplinary creative installations by local, national, and international artists. Life is Beautiful planners couldn’t were thrilled that music festivals are back. “We were the first festival to put a line-up out and say ‘We’re going to do this’,” Craig Nyman, the festival’s head of music and live performances said. “I think that really sparked a bit of hope and energy in the industry and let people feel that.
USA - When faced with shelter-in-place regulations amid the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE, like many churches around the world, decided to shift from in-person gatherings on Sundays to recorded services so churchgoers could watch from home. The initial offerings relied on existing audio and video equipment, which was more than 20 years old. The church’s streaming feed lacked detail, balance and consistent room ambiance, and the lack of intelligibility of the spoken word made it difficult for remote churchgoers to hear the service well. To help solve this problem last fall, Tony Thurman, Westminster’s director of music, and members of the church’s property committee, initiated talks with Robert Bullington of Front Row Seat Productions, a local AV contractor, to come up with a new sound system. Together, the tea
Vietnam - Dotted throughout Vietnam, the government has built private theatres to host regional and national cultural performances for the country’s military. These 700-seat venues serve government officials and military leaders with regular programmes of choir performances that convey messages of patriotism and national pride by promoting the unique history and culture of the Vietnamese republic. One such theatre in the capital of Hanoi recently received an upgrade to its sound system, installing the new K3 line source array, integrated by local L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor, ProAVL Vietnam. ProAVL managing director Thang Le has been an L-Acoustics user for over a decade, turning to the manufacturer’s sound systems for their quality and flexibility for projects that spanned installations in civic venues and high-end residential markets, as well as for
UK - Amon Tobin’s life and work in production and sound design spans over 25 years. His different approach to intricate, cinematic electronica continues with the recent release of the album How Do You Liveon Nomark Records. To give listeners in London a preview of the work, the label partnered with Pitchback Playback and L-Acoustics Creations to offer an immersive experience in a 24.1 immersive sound space designed by L-Acoustics. Pitchback Playback hosts listening sessions for music lovers staged in total darkness to eliminate distractions and ensure that everyone present enjoys an opportunity to fully engage with remarkable albums from start to finish. With the lights out and optionally blindfolded, the sense of hearing is heightened in the absence of visual stimuli. This allows guests to fully surrender to sound and the physical sensations and detailed nuances of
Germany - Founded in 2012, Ruhrtriennale is a three-yearly cycle of music and arts events, which take place from August to October in Germany’s industrial Ruhr region. The prestige of staging this year’s opening production fell to Ensemble Modern, a global collective of soloists, whose sound designer Norbert Ommer chose a Yamaha Rivage PM10 digital mixing system for the surrealist, unconventional opera Bählamms Fest. Ruhrtriennale is a festival which embraces a wide range of performances, all taking place in venues created within the region’s industrial architecture. A new artistic director is appointed for each cycle. For 2021-2023 it is renowned German theatre producer and director Barbara Frey. To open the 2021 programme, Barbara chose the premiere of Bählamms Fest, a production which blurs the lines between reality and virtuality, based on the
UK - Wigwam Acoustics, part of the Solotech UK Group, supported multiple stages for both Parklife and Isle of Wight festivals, with just 24-hours to repurpose the Parklife systems into the package for the Main and Big Top stages on the Isle of Wight. With so many festivals happening over such a short period of time, Wigwam's hire department and its UK partners SSE Audio, Capital Sound and BCS Audio have been at full capacity during the 2021 summer season. The team has had to get used to quick turnaround of gear to support back-to-back festivals. It is a testament to their experience and expertise that these events were handled successfully. Located on the grounds of Heaton Park, Manchester, Parklife is the UK’s third-largest festival. Working with system technician Paul Stevart, Wigwam supplied the Main, Valley and Palm House stages while UK partner BCS Audio was b
USA - Harman Professional Solutions has introduced the JBL Eon One MK2 battery-powered column PA. The JBL Eon One MK2 features a five-channel digital mixer, comprehensive Lexicon and dbx DSP, Bluetooth 5.0 functions and full app control into a lightweight, rechargeable battery system that weighs just 42.5 pounds. “We designed the Eon Oone MK2 to meet the needs of a huge range of users,” says Brandon Knudsen, loudspeaker product manager, Harman Professional Solutions. “It’s ideal for anyone from buskers seeking pro-grade sound without AC power, to educators and hospitality providers who want fast setup and ease of use, to houses of worship and rental companies who need portable solutions for indoor and outdoor applications. You get all of this fidelity and functionality in a system that won’t break the bank - or your back.” The C-shaped array of eight
Finland - Genelec has unveiled the first model in its new Signature Series with the introduction of the two-way 6040R Smart Active Loudspeaker, created in conjunction with Finnish industrial designer Harri Koskinen. Koskinen’s long association with Genelec began 20 years ago with the introduction of the timeless 6040A model, the first Genelec loudspeaker to feature the distinctive minimalist curves of the Minimum Diffraction Enclosure (MDE) - a cabinet design by Koskinen that now forms the core of much of Genelec’s current loudspeaker range. The 20th anniversary of the 6040 launch has given Genelec the opportunity to re-imagine the technology within the 6040 as part of a new Signature Series. The re-engineered 6040R now features the same LF driver design and proprietary bi-amplified Class D power amplifier technology as Genelec’s professional loudspeaker
USA - Following the success of its ADAPTive Line, Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has announced its latest addition, the AC6 2-Way Full Range ADAPTive Column. Capable of generating a max SPL of 143db and 120° of horizontal nominal beamwidth, it’s targeted at installations, houses of worship and small performing arts centers. Although slightly smaller than its predecessors, the AC6 includes just as many features. Managed via EAW’s Resolution 2 software, the AC6 can compensate for coverage and directivity with its Adaptive Performance technology. By integrating all factors and aspects of the loudspeaker, the AC6 can produce three-dimensional coverage in any venue, says EAW. “With the ongoing success of our ADAPTive line arrays, we are excited to introduce a loudspeaker equipped with the same powerful DSP toolkit that EAW is known for, but inside a small-format colum
UK - Independent record label Defected Records has occupied a significant space in the UK music industry for more than 20 years. Defected’s vision sees the brand set its sights on becoming an influential broadcasting and media hub. Integral to this ambition has been the full renovation of Defected’s East London HQ, which is set on two levels, and houses offices for the majority of its workforce. Fully renovated in 2020 by design agency Brinkworth, the centre also has a basement floor with events facilities, as well as a recording studio. Defected’s basement hub will host a weekly programme that brings together artists, fans, creatives and entrepreneurs. The hub has been equipped throughout with a comprehensive, zoned sound system from audio partner Pioneer Pro Audio. Integrator Cosmic Electronics was chosen to carry out the audio system installation,
USA - When The Muny, America’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre, was given the green light to commence its 103rd season, Masque Sound once again returned to the historic venue with a custom audio equipment package. Working directly with sound designers John Shivers and David Patridge, Masque Sound helped the team reboot its outdoor season after presenting an online season in 2020 due to COVID-19. With the support of the City of St. Louis Health Department, The Muny’s 2021 season operated at full capacity, including the 1,500 free seats available for each performance on a first-come, first-served basis. The five-show season began with Smokey Joe’s Café and was followed by The Sound of Music, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, On Your Feet!, and Chicago. “Masque Sound graciously added equipment that we asked for from p
Australia - The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has often been a first adopter of new technologies in the audio sector. The centre recently made the choice to add two new DiGiCo Quantum 338s to its digital mixing repertoire. Soundcorp - a Diversified company (SADC) are a supplier and integrator of professional AV systems nationwide. As one of MCEC’s approved suppliers, they were on hand to coordinate delivery of the consoles and provide local support. “The Quantum 338 offers a fairly dramatic step up in connectivity and processing within the DiGiCo workflow, and so was the logical choice when MCEC enquired about the acquisition of new workhorse systems,” notes SADC’s Scott Jamieson. “As its team is already very familiar with the DiGiCo eco-system, we were excited to provide them with the latest Quantum iteration as the upgraded capabilities
Spain/UK - PLASA has reached an agreement with Spain’s AFIAL to strengthen their partnership and deliver more benefits to members. The new relationship will allow the two trade associations to expand their joint activities, which in the past year have included collaborations for the #WeMakeEvents campaign. Described as “the most important national AV association on the Spanish scene”, AFIAL represents manufacturers and importers of sound, lighting and AV technology in Spain and owns the Madrid-based AFIAL exhibition. A joint statement says: “This collaboration was born from a solid and necessary union during the pandemic, that has evolved allowing the associations to continue to work intensely to support their members and the sector. This agreement will bring benefits for the members of AFIAL and PLASA.” PLASA MD Peter Heath, director Nicky Greet and bo
UAE - Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) has announced further senior appointments. Chad Smith is named project manager in the live events division. He has over 11 years of experience throughout the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia. Projects he has worked on include as Diriyah Season, World Air Games, Amway ALS & NPF Business Forum in Singapore, UAE National Day and many globally broadcast sporting events to take place in Saudi Arabia. Nick Fenton has joined CTME as an AV project manager with over seven years of experience in the live events industry across the Middle East and South Africa. Over the years, he has worked on various large-scale projects, such as Jazz Fest, Red Fest, Arab Hope Makers, World Economic Summit, Dubai Rugby Sevens and Atlantis New Years Eve events. Sam Connolly has been appointed head of lighting for the Middle East region. H
Italy - Powersoft has announced that version 2.2 of ArmoníaPlus - an update which enables integrators to share projects and work collaboratively in the cloud - is now available to download from its website. The update makes it possible to access and collaborate on projects remotely from anywhere in the world, says Powersoft. Primarily designed for systems engineers, but available in both ArmoníaPlus skins (Install and Live Sound), the new feature allows users to save projects in a Microsoft-based cloud, in addition to on a local drive. Project owners are then able to access and work on files remotely from any internet-connected PC, as well as invite their colleagues to collaborate on the project via a simple email link. When used to share projects, ArmoníaPlus 2.2 offers ‘an intuitive, user-friendly platform tailor-made for collaboration’. After jo
UK - Martin Audio has announced the latest release of its control software VU-NET (2.2.2), which alongside new firmware for iKON amplifiers, implements new features. First, pre-set support has been added for Martin Audio’s constant curvature loudspeaker, Torus T12, including when it is also used in conjunction with its partner cardioid subwoofer, SXC118. Secondly, Martin Audio iKON amplifiers can now be added to the Q-SYS ecosystem within the Q-SYS Designer software. Features can be controlled from the software, Q-SYS compatible UCIs and GPIO logic ports integrated into Q-SYS cores and peripherals. These control features include gain and muting, sleep and standby and alarm notifications, as well as amplifier snapshot recall. Dom Harter, managing director, comments: “The much higher than forecast demand for Torus has taken us a bit by surprise so we are delighted t
UAE - The Dubai Expo opened its doors last Friday, 1 October, with Van Damme cabling playing a key role. NMK Electronics, Van Damme’s export partner in the Middle East, was asked to provide Van Damme cables for the Expo which was rescheduled from 2020 due to the pandemic. Van Damme Quad Microphone, Black Series 2×1.5mm speaker as well as Tourcat 6A S/FTP was selected for the job. Many kilometres of each are being used to ensure crisp sound to the many speakers throughout the venue. as well as for the many lighting fixtures needed for the miles of pavilions the expo has. All of the cables were chosen for their ruggedness and ability to stand up to pressures of a busy and dynamic environment, as well as outstanding flexibility and performance. NMK was able to supply the cable from a significant stock holding in its warehouse in Sharjah. To finish, Neutrik and Switchc
France - The centrepiece of Roland-Garros in Paris, the 15,000-capacity Court Philippe-Chatrier, host to one of the most anticipated events in the tennis calendar and the only Grand Slam tournament to be played on clay, has received a major makeover with the completion of a new retractable roof and night lighting installation. The project also marks a new era of sound for the fabled court, with the installation of an L-Acoustics K Series PA, which was managed by the French Tennis Federation (FFT) with the support of French acoustic and audio consultant, Scenarchie, and installed by integration company, SNEF. The global renovation programme at Court Philippe-Chatrier was launched three years ago after the court was almost completely rebuilt to accommodate the strengthening required for the retractable roof, which weighs half that of the Eiffel Tower and was finally comp
UK - Outdoor event specialist Ethix has been supplying its services to high end corporate clients and the live events market for the past 20 years. The company made its first investment in DiGiCo consoles a couple of years ago, purchasing two SD12 consoles and SD-Rack systems through HD Pro Audio. Before lockdown, the consoles were working constantly, and the investment now sees them ready to take on the challenges of the restart of live events. “The SD12 ticks all the boxes,” says Ethix director, Paul Jones. “It’s the most popular console across the festivals that we work on and we had noticed for some time that the monitor engineers’ desk was almost always an SD12. “The SD12 is such a versatile console and can do anything from a basic, generic set up to those that are really complex. We can do pretty much anything with it and it’s really rider friendly,
Canada/USA - Having famously removed his left ear, Vincent Van Gogh would have missed the full impact of the Immersive Van Gogh exhibitions currently selling out in nine North American cities and coming to at least eight more before the end of 2021. What the visitors hear is integral to the complete experience, with the all-enveloping projections of the artist’s paintings enhanced by an original musical score reproduced through Meyer Sound loudspeaker systems. All audio and video technology for the nationwide rollout is supplied and installed by Production Resource Group (PRG). Immersive Van Gogh is produced by Toronto-based Lighthouse Immersive, with the company’s director of production Sean Richards charged with supervision of technical systems at all locations. Richards notes that while the importance of visuals is obvious, the role of audio often is ove
USA - Audinate has announced full availability of the Dante Application Library software development kit (SDK). Previously available to a select few, Dante Application Library is an SDK for PC and Mac that provides software developers with an ‘easy-to-use conduit to the greatest installed base of audio devices on earth: products and solutions connected via Audinate’s Dante, including microphones, speakers, signal processors, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and more’. “Dante is the native language of professional audio,” comments Nick Mariette, senior product manager at Audinate. “The success of any audio software application hinges upon customers being able to easily connect to audio devices in the system they are using. More and more audio devices connect via Dante’s AV over IP. Dante Application Library brings Dante network functionality directly into applications,
