Ibiza - Best known for his hit singles We Found Love, This Is What You Came For, Summer, and Feel So Close, Calvin Harris recently completed his six-week DJ residency at Ushuaia in Ibiza, flying out for each of his tour dates in-between. FOH engineer, Nathan Lettus, was brought on to the tour last minute, specifically requesting that an SSL console was used to support Harris mixing songs on the fly. Having been with American rock band, Chicago, for 10 years, FOH engineer Nathan Lettus is very much used to working on rock and pop music. During that entire run with the band, he was happily using a console of his choosing, until he met up with a good friend - FOH engineer for The Killers, who was using SSL. “I’d seen one of the SSL Live consoles before, but I hadn’t had a chance to play with it much; I ended up mixing most of the opening act
UK - Following on from the resounding success of its production of The Flying Dutchman in summer 2017, Theater Regensburg has once again pushed the boundaries of open-air opera with its latest offering - a version of Puccini’s semi-staged concert performance in three acts, Tosca. Like its predecessor, the event was held at the West Port of the bayernhafen business park, a freight traffic hub in the East Bavarian town of Regensburg. The stage was situated on the historic Municipal Warehouse side, while the audience of nearly 3,000 was seated opposite on the North Quay. The side of the warehouse itself served as a gigantic projection surface upon which visuals were beamed, courtesy of Digital Projection Titan laser projectors. “The video aspect was the main part of the show,” comments video operator, Wolfgang Frauendienst. “The actors and their audi
UK - The 1975’s video for new single People sees the band performing the alt rock track inside an LED cube, supplied and installed by 80six Ltd, displaying swirling lyrics and quickfire, colour-changing content. Filmed at London’s Black Island Studios, the production was an ambitious surround-video setup, powered by a Hippotizer V4 Taiga servers from Green Hippo. Directed by Warren Fu, the video featured premade content inspired by the band’s lyrics, created by Jon Emmony. Simon Harris, project manager at Bryte Design, was approached by The 1975’s tour director James Valpy to project manage the video content delivery. “Set up was simple, utilising Hippotizer’s Output Manager and VideoMapper to map the five sides of the cube, outputting six HD signals via Evision LED processors,” says Harris. “As the content was running to timecode, playback was simple
UK - The MK Gallery in Milton Keynes is a new arts venue designed by award-winning architectural firm, 6a architects. The development, which opened in March, encompasses the original MK Gallery and adds a new structure to more than double the space available, providing five exhibition galleries, a learning and community studio, and The Sky Room, a flexible auditorium on the upper floor. With 150 retractable seats (300 standing), the Sky Room is the home of independent cinema in Milton Keynes (in partnership with Curzon) and also hosts live music, theatre, lectures, conferences and more. The venue is equipped with an EM Acoustics sound system based on the EMS Series and the dedicated installation i-Series range supplied by event production specialists, Hawthorn. An EM Acoustics system was specified as part of the global design of the Sky Room. “It sounded great but I
UK - ArKaos, realtime visual processing technology provider for live performance and displays, enjoyed a busy PLASA 2019 expo in London Olympia (15-17 September) on the stand of its UK and Irish Republic distributor, Entedi. ArKaos highlighted the latest version of its flagship MediaMaster Pro 5.6 realtime video control software, which is also now available with a License Rental service that enables weekly rental periods of MediaMaster Pro usage. This greatly increases flexibility and affordability for anyone involved in specific projects or events on which they want to use this award-winning platform, says the company. ArKaos CEO Agnes Wojewoda comments: “PLASA was great! A lot of buzz and activity at the show and a lot of interest in MediaMaster Pro in particular and in the new Licence Rental options for this as well as some other ArKaos products. It’s
Spain - Every year, Arenal Sound - an open-air music festival held in Arenal de Burriana - presents an unbeatable package of music and party by the beach. In 2019, more than 300,000 flocked to the event, with tickets selling out 14 hours after going on sale, even without the full line-up being announced. DAS Audio has accompanied the festival over the past 10 years, providing new solutions and optimizing resources and service. In this last edition, DAS Audio has been on all the stages deploying the necessary equipment to cover the acoustic needs of this large-scale event and rising to the challenge posed by the location of the stages near a residential area. With this in mind, Audioprobe, the company responsible for the sound system and its installation at the festival, deployed on the Desperados main stage 32 AERO-40A, 18 flown UX-218A subwoofers and six sta
UK - The Raspberry Pi Foundation recently installed two Shure Microflex Advance MXA910 ceiling array microphones at its headquarters in Cambridge. Tthe UK-based charity required a multi-functional, reliable microphone system for one large collaboration space with the option of dividing into smaller spaces and not compromising sound quality. By selecting two MXA910’s the foundation can configure the microphones for complete coverage and ensure optimum capture of the talker when connecting with its UK and International sites or for two smaller programs happening simultaneously such as their ‘Code Club’ and ‘Raspberry Jam’ social events. With both spaces attended primarily by children, the system needed to offer excellent audio quality while being efficient and effective in its performance. AV specialists Snelling Business Systems were on hand to
The Netherlands - As part of a 15-hour performance spread over three days, Dutch National Opera performed major parts of Karlheinz Stockhausen's aus LICHT cycle. One of the world’s top five opera companies, the Dutch National Opera opted for a combination of Christie Terra for AV distribution and processing, and Christie Pandoras Box for content management and control of the four LED video walls, cameras and projectors used throughout the performance space. The performances were produced in cooperation with the Holland Festival, the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and the Stockhausen Foundation, and held at Amsterdam’s Gashouder, a former industrial hall that now serves as an event space. The audience experienced some of the highlights from the artist's seven operas, named after weekdays, during the three-day performance. This is the first time that a summa
UK - Shure UK has appointed Giuseppe ‘Peppe’ Mallozzi to its UK pro audio team. Mallozzi will work with new and existing customers and build brand awareness in the concert touring, theatre and broadcast markets. He joins Shure UK after eight years at Autograph as technical sales engineer, where he was responsible for large-scale wireless projects across the UK and wider entertainment industry. “I am very excited about my new venture at Shure UK, a company of which I have worked with for many years,” says Mallozzi. “I look forward to working with customers in London and the South and developing new relationships in an industry I am proud to be a part of.” Stuart Moots, associate director, pro audio at Shure UK, adds: "Peppe's knowledge and experience make him an ideal fit for this role. As a trusted face within our industry, he is able to hit the grou
UK - Fresh from an award-winning PLASA Show in London, Nexo and Yamaha are again teaming up on stand D2 for the BPM DJ show (5-6 October, Cranmore Park, Birmingham). Having recently won a PLASA Award for Innovation, the Nexo P12 point-source loudspeaker will be a highlight, along with the L15 subwoofer. Described by the PLASA judges as “the loudspeaker version of lighting’s [ETC] Source Four, having interchangeable horns with tool-less interchangeability”, the P12 features a system for varying high-frequency coverage patterns. Available in both touring and installation versions, the P12 is ideal for a wide range of short-throw sound reinforcement applications. BPM visitors will be able to hear the P12 and L15 in action at the show’s Sound Experience, where a range of speaker manufacturers will have three demonstration slots each day. Yamaha will also be s
UK - Owned by AB Hotels, Sopwell House is a luxury country house hotel set in 12 acres of Hertfordshire countryside. Steeped in history, the house was once home to the Mountbatten family and remained as a private residence until 1969 when it became a hotel. In 1986, it was acquired by Bejerano family who are still at the helm of the business. With more than 100 rooms, two restaurants, bars, conferencing, wedding and spa facilities as well as a swimming pool and gym, the hotel is equipped to meet every kind of business and recreational requirement. Just as the gym plays an important role for guests who do not wish to interrupt their training regimes whilst away from home, its audio system is critical to delivering a complete experience. Fitness spaces with high quality background music reinforcement are now very much the expected standard. Not satisfied that its e
Finland - Audac has announced a partnership with Electro Waves as the new exclusive distributor of their audio solutions in Finland. Electro Waves is a family-owned business that represents the newest technology and the company will manage the sales, distribution and service of the complete Audac product line from their offices in Espoo. Miko Nurkki, Electro Waves CEO, comments: “By adding the complete Audac line to our portfolio, we are now able to provide a more extensive range of services to meet the needs and requirements of our partners. We were impressed by the range and scope of their services, not to mention the quality of the Audac products. So we’re excited to enter this partnership.” Mark Asselberghs, Audac’s international sales director, adds: “We are delighted to be partnering with Electro Waves for the distribution of our complete product rang
Italy - RCF celebrated its 70th birthday in spectacular fashion with A Night in Laguna at the famous old Venice Arsenal, the hub of Italian shipbuilding in the 16th century. To help them celebrate this milestone, they flew in nearly 500 distributors, dealers and customers from all points of the globe, who arrived at the ocation via a 45-minute boat journey on 19 September. First, guests were treated to cocktails and a buffet, courtesy of two-Michelin starred chef Massimiliano (Max) Alajmo (of Le Calandre fame), along with a special 70th birthday cake. Suitably replete, guests were then invited next door, where RCF Group CEO Arturo Vicari was introduced to spontaneous applause. He emphasised the fact that what RCF had really been selling this past 70 years, as much as transducers, was “emotion” - a fact confirmed by a short company video. This was
UK - The new CA Series of amplifiers from Lab Gruppen provide a solution for commercial and industrial applications requiring distributed audio, coupled with power conservations and reduced operating expenses. The series, available through Toucans in the UK, is capable of delivery high-quality sound, over both Low-Z (4/8 Ohm) and High-Z (70/100V) loudspeaker configurations, offering extreme flexibility on every channel. The CA is available in three models, 60W, 120W and 240W, with each of these then having a single and two channel variants. Each model is equipped with rubber feet, enabling the amp to be placed on a desk or shelf without any additional requirements. Alternatively, rack mounting hardware is also supplied, allowing for one or multiple models to be housed and protected inside an enclosure. Save space in your rack mounts due to the CA Series being half-rack size
UK - Netgear has announced the introduction of a new engineering support centre for professional audio video (Pro-AV) integrators deploying AV solutions which utilise IP networking. This new service to AV installers, consultants, manufacturers and resellers is positioned to streamline audio visual solutions over IP and eliminate the complexity of AV deployments. This dedicated Pro AV engineering services team of experts has been conceived in the company’s efforts to empower those who are conducting installations and designing projects with free network design assistance, training and installation support. From pre-sales and post-sales support to technical training, to white papers and best practices, these services are positioned to help educate tech managers and integrators to become masters of AV deployments which require IP networking. In order to streamline the
Japan - Celebrating its 20th anniversary year, and extended to five days for the 2019 edition, the Rock In Japan festival also marked the Japanese debut of Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision Longbow (WPL). Running on seven stages over two weekends at Hitachi Seaside Park, music lovers from all across Japan congregated at the location. Unlike other large-scale festivals, this specialises in home grown talent and featured some of Japan’s biggest acts. Martin Audio systems are now regular fixtures at this event, with the award-winning MLA adopted for the largest, 70,000 capacity Grass Stage. “It was back in 2011 when we first introduced MLA on the Lake Stage,” reports Shuzo Fujii, president of MSI Japan. “This is now the ninth year that the system has been adopted, and its high degree of control has become essential for the festival. Grass Stage has more than 20
Italy - Billionaire is a club in Porto Cuervo, an Italian seaside resort on the Costa Smeralda in Northern Sardinia. Named as one of the most expensive resorts in the world, the area is a magnet for luxury yachts and a playground for wealthy visitors. The club caters for a chic, jet-setting clientele of international showbiz, fashion and sports stars who are entertained by leading DJs and artists. Atmosphere and style are everything to this world-renowned venue and high-end audio is a must. Billionaire’s management recently wished to upgrade its DJ booth monitoring system to keep pace with the expectations of its A-list performers and after taking account of the market, settled on Pioneer Pro Audio’s stylish and powerful XY Series speakers to take care of business. Two XY-2 mid-high speakers were installed, complemented by two XY-215S dual 15" subs. Pioneer P
Germany - With Roxy Music he celebrated international successes in the 1970s, in 2019 the now 74 year-old Bryan Ferry presented his greatest hits once again as part of a major world tour. For his concert at the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, PM Blue provided an Alcons-based sound system. For the 360-degree sound reinforcement, mainly LR18 and LR7 pro-ribbon line-array systems were used. The main PA consisted of a stacked five-cluster of LR18/90 compact line-array on a BC543 triple-18" cardioid subwoofer. Right next to it, another BC543 was used. The near field in-fill was taken care of by four LR7/120 micro line-arrays. The rearward projecting sound system consisted of six LR7/120 each on a tripod, supplemented with two out-fills each consisting of three LR7/90, between the main PA and the first rear-fill. This ground setup has proven itself and serves PM Blue as the standard setu
Spain - A dBTechnologies full-scale line array system together with the VIO S218 subwoofer powered the Lion Stage during the 2019 edition of biggest reggae live event in Europe that welcomed 202,000 attendees from 76 countries. The Rototom Sunsplash Festival was created in 1991 in Codroipo, Italy, and grew steadily until it moved to Benicassim, Spain, in 2010. This year, seven million people could enjoy all the musical events thanks to the live streaming. Giorgio ‘Kobra’ Carneli is the technical director of Rototom Sunsplash 2019: "For twenty-five years I have been responsible for the technical production of Rototom Sunsplash, specifically in the field of live event production. The first time I was able to listen to the VIO L212 system was during a demonstration at dBTechnologies headquarters in Italy, and I was pleasantly surprised by the sound quality; the real p
USA - Located on the eastern edge of Minnesota’s Twin Cities, Woodbury is a verdant community ringed by parks and golf courses. It’s also home to Woodbury Lutheran Church, which has grown from its first 315-seat sanctuary dedicated in 1968 to three area campuses over the past half century. Much has changed facility-wise since then, including, most recently, Woodbury Lutheran’s adoption of a pair of KLANG:fabrik immersive in-ear monitor mixing systems for the church’s Valley Creek campus, which also serves as the home base for the congregation’s live broadcast operation. Moving to a high-end immersive IEM system for monitoring was no small change as the campus’ existing wedge-based monitoring system had been in place and in use for more than a quarter of a century. Add to that the fact that the install took place only a week and a half before one of Woodbury
Thailand - To deliver clear, intelligible sound for sporting events, live performances and more, Mahajak Development Co recently deployed a networked AV system at Ratchaburi Provincial Stadium. With over 10,000 seats, Ratchaburi Provincial Stadium is Thailand’s premier live event facility for sporting events, performances and more. The venue recently hired Mahajak Development to upgrade their existing sound system with a comprehensive Harman Professional Solutions networked AV system. “The customer requested an audio system that could deliver crystal-clear sound during speeches, live performances and other live events,” says Pongsakorn Kanchanachayphoom, project director, Mahajak Development Co. “Mounting a speaker on the roof of the stadium proved to be a bit of a challenge, as it needed to be specifically positioned for maximum impact throughout the seating a
UK - AV and entertainment technology company Anna Valley is the solution architect and technology provider for the mixed-reality ‘window on the world’ feature in ITV’s Rugby World Cup 2019 studio. The studio in Maidstone is the base from which the host broadcaster provides insight and analysis on the Rugby World Cup 2019 tournament, from the opening fixture on 20 September, through to the final on 2 November 2019. ITV’s Rugby World Cup 2019 studio combines live-action, augmented reality and mixed reality to provide a dynamic and engaging studio environment and the ITV Sport team enlisted a group of broadcast technology specialists, including Anna Valley, to collaborate on the technical design and delivery of the concept according to their specifications. The mixed-reality ‘window on the world’ element of the set created by Anna Valley uses high-resol
UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has announced the appointment of well-known industry figure Dave Ball in a newly-created audio sales executive role. Joining AC-ET’s specialist audio division, Ball’s primary focus will be on developing business for the Dynamic Audio Device (D.A.D.) professional audio brand, which is exclusively distributed in the UK by AC-ET and in the ROI by sister company, AC-ET Ireland. Operating out of AC-ET’s Northern sales office in Leeds, he will spend most of his time on the road visiting clients and carrying out product demonstrations. Ball will also represent AC-ET’s other key audio lines, as well as complementary services such as Tourflex Cabling custom cable assembly. Ball previously held technical sales and business development roles for speaker brands and pro-audio distributors including RCF, Polar Audio, LMC a
UK - The 2019 PLASA Show was “the busiest in years” thanks to a six per cent increase in attendance, PLASA has reported. The event’s global status was also strengthened, with delegates from over 63 countries flocking to the London-based tradeshow. This was the last edition of the event that was held at Olympia’s National Hall, with the 2020 PLASA Show set to move to London Olympia’s Grand Hall to accommodate a greater number of stands and show features. “PLASA Show has clearly been improving year on year with 2019 being the best one yet,” comments Johan Gunsing, international sales manager for Adam Hall Group. “We have started to see a wider geographic audience attend the show which brings with it new opportunities, new business and increased brand awareness.” “Once again PLASA did not disappoint,” comments Gareth Collyer, Nexo’s UK sales m
