UK - Edinburgh-based DM Audio is the latest company to join the Adamson rental partner network, having recently purchased a S10 line array system from Edinburgh certified re-seller, Live Systems. The system consists of S10 line array loudspeakers with S119 subs powered by Lab Gruppen PLM20K44 amplifiers together with a full rigging package. Dino Martino, director of DM Audio, comments: “We had been looking for a new line array system for some time and had evaluated all of the alternatives currently on the market for function, sound quality, rider-friendliness and value. We trialled Adamson line array systems on some of the events that we supplied over the summer and the S-Series really stood out for us as the best system for our client base, with exceptional sound quality, well thought-out rigging and amazing coverage. Another important factor for us is the aftercar
South Africa - DWR Distribution will now be the sole distributor for Audix Microphones in South Africa. Audix has been a well-known name in professional music for over three decades, with acclaimed international artists using its microphones, including Willie Nelson, Todd Sucherman of Styx, and Morgan Beatbox. “Over the past two years, our company has seen tremendous growth in the audio products we offer to the industry,” comments Robert Izzett from DWR. “The one thing we did not have were microphones. Audix is one of the leading brands across the globe, and what makes the company special and approachable is their passion for the end user. By investing in research and development over the past thirty years, and listening to their customers’ needs and requests, Audix has developed innovative and performance driven microphones.” “We are excited to have
UK - On 25 October at London’s St. Bartholomew-the-Great at Smithfield, storytelling singer-songwriter Hazel Iris celebrated the release of her first full-length album, Nine Sisters. Shure supported the event with KSM8, BETA52, SM137, SM81, KSM141, BETA98, SM57’s and SM58 microphones and PSM300 in ear monitoring systems. Peter Junge, engineer in charge of recording and filming the event, comments: “For the Hazel Iris album launch, we used Shure microphones on every instrument. Not only was the live-sound superb but the recording also came out really well. Listening back I was very surprised by how focused it all sounds and how little issue with bleed or ambience we have on the signals. Very often, when using that many condenser microphones in a church, there can be a problem. However, the sound is nicely separated and I’m pleased I'll be able to make a
Romania - Romania’s five-star Black Sea hotel, Nyota, offers luxurious accommodation coupled with conference and theatre facilities to cater for tourism and business. A premium solution was required, according to systems integrator and Powersoft distributor Marius Craiu, sales & marketing manager of AudioVision Store, who spec’d Powersoft Ottocanali power amplification systems to manage the zoning and room audio systems. The hotel needed the AV system to cover all areas, with priority for EVAC announcements and both local and remote control of the zones. Systems integrator and Powersoft distributor Marius Craiu explains: “The hotel’s prime objective was for it to be simple to use and reliable. We began working with the hotel before building was started and although the initial specification was settled early on, there were inevitable modifications al
USA - Fusion band Intocable have enjoyed a 25-year career, winning three Grammy awards and and playing record-breaking stadium concerts. Their latest Highway tour has taken them all over the US since June and culminates in November in Houston, Texas. The band's tools of choice at both FOH and monitors are SSL L300 consoles, and Jose Ramon Quintero has engineered with both, previously as monitor engineer, and now as FOH engineer. "When I started with the L300 on monitors, the band immediately noticed a huge change in the mix and in the 'room image',” he says. “There is a great separation between the instruments, and there’s a much warmer, more analogue sound than the console we were using before." According to Quintero, the band's reaction to the technology was an important moment, as they are all accomplished musicians, and most have their own personal st
UK - Technical event production provider Blitz has invested in Yamaha’s flagship digital mixing system, Rivage PM10. The company has a long association with Yamaha and a substantial inventory of QL and TF series digital consoles, as well as CL5s and the legendary PM1D, one of which was used for over a decade on Phantom of the Opera in London’s West End. As a former touring and theatre mix engineer, Blitz director of sound Aron Ross appreciates the advanced capabilities of Yamaha digital mixers. Working alongside the company’s chief sound engineer, Rob Handyside and head of theatre and sound project development, Martyn Hunt, all were keen to work with the Rivage PM10 digital mixing system. “We are really excited about the new technology and the enhanced capabilities that Rivage PM10 offers,” says Aron. “The Rupert Neve Designs SILK processing i
UK - Pop rockers The Feeling recently celebrated the 12th anniversary of their debut album with their Twelve Stops and Home tour - supported by an Allen & Heath dLive digital mixing system. Supplied by SSE Audio, the full set-up included an S7000 surface on FOH, accompanied by a DM64 MixRack on stage. Both FOH and monitors were mixed from the S7000 with the dLive’s 128 input processing channels enabling duplicates of input signals to be made for discrete FOH - MON processing. Additionally, the MixRack was fitted with a Dante card for multi-track recording. “The 128 processing channels and 64 buses were perfect for duplicating channels for monitors and band members who needed further processing in their IEM’s. I never had to compromise on anything, giving the band what they needed on stage and for what I needed out front,” comments FOH engineer Jon Le
UK - British heavy metal titans Saxon are on the road again, touring Thunderbolt, their twenty second studio album. Jacky Lehmann, the band’s trusted Front of House engineer has chosen to use a combination of DiGiCo’s SD12 and S21, purchased from DiGiCo’s German distributor, United Brands, ensuring the band’s classic sound benefits from the most up to date audio technology. DiGiCo has been Jacky’s choice of console since 2011 and since he joined the Saxon crew in 2012, he has mixed over 300 shows. For the current tour, he deploys the SD12 with a D2-Rack, which he purchased himself, and an S21 and D-Rack for smaller shows and corporate events. “I started with an SD9 / D-Rack setup, which was my main rig for a lot of Saxon shows in Europe at the time,” says Jacky. “I was looking for a smaller console for fly-in shows, so in 2013 an SD11i joined my
UK - Martin Audio has announce the promotion of Bradley Watson to the new position of international sales director. One of the company’s longest serving executives, Watson was instrumental in building domestic sales during the first decade of the millennium before leaving in 2010, but maintaining a close relationship in his capacity as an installer. Presented with the opportunity to re-join the company in September 2016, and assume the new role as sales manager EMEA he described the opportunity as “a perfect scenario”. Speaking of the latest promotion, Watson said, “Since my return to Martin Audio I have been proud to be part of a team that’s been instrumental in bringing over 30 new products to market in just over 24 months. “As EMEA sales manager, I inherited many long-standing relationships and distribution partnerships that my predecessor an
USA - Brave Church, located in Englewood, Colorado, is a church on a mission. This inspired the desire for an impactful sound reinforcement system in their new Broomfield sanctuary that could more than keep up with Brave Church’s unabashedly contemporary services, as well as defining the need to update the audio infrastructure at their main sanctuary in Englewood. “Brave Church had already planned to launch their first multi-site facility in Broomfield in a building that is thirty miles northwest of the main campus,” explained Kurt Butler president of Butler Engineering & Technology Group (BETG) who provided consulting and technical infrastructure design services to church leadership. “BETG designed the audio system using the Clair Brothers kiT12+ and kiT-Sub+ powered loudspeakers and subwoofers. The kiT Series was a perfect match with the performance criteria,
Lithuania - At the end of September, Pope Francis kicked off his four-day Baltic tour, which included Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, with a holy mass in Sàntakos Park in Kaunas, Lithuania. The event attracted over 100,000 faithful to the park where local rental company, NGR Service, provided an extensive sound system, deploying two SD12s for the live mix, as well as the broadcast and press feeds. “NGR was chosen for this important event because of the quality of its equipment, of which DiGiCo is an important part, and its exemplary service,” says Ramūnas Alenskas from DiGiCo’s Lithuanian distributor Sonus, which supported NGR with additional stage boxes and cabling. “They used the two DiGiCo SD12s along with two SD-Racks, a D2-Rack and an SD-Mini Rack, which were deployed for their sound quality and their ability to connect to all six racks in fully redundant mode
Japan - Astro Spatial Audio (ASA) has announced its entry into the Japanese market with the appointment of Audio Brains. As the official Japanese solutions partner for ASA, Audio Brains will provide training and support whilst spearheading the expansion of Astro Spatial Audio’s immersive audio technology into the country’s live entertainment sector. As part of the renowned MSI Japan group, Audio Brains has a portfolio of brands including Powersoft, AVID, Symetrix and Martin Audio – including the Sound Adventures immersive audio package, which is driven by Astro Spatial Audio. Audio Brains director, Sam Yamashita comments, “Astro Spatial Audio can be used with any loudspeaker you choose, whereas other systems are made by specific manufacturers for use exclusively with their own speakers. It is the best solution for achieving a fully immersive audio experience wh
USA - Known locally as The Rock, M.M. Roberts Stadium is home to the University of Southern Mississippi’s Golden Eagles football team. It originally opened in 1932 with 4,000 seats and has since expanded to hold 36,000-plus Southern Miss fans. Its most recent expansion happened a decade ago, and although the expanded infrastructure and seating is in great shape, the sound reinforcement system that went in didn’t fare as well. After an overhaul installed by AV integration firm Sound & Communications, of Flowood, Mississippi, M.M. Roberts Stadium now commands a full Danley Sound Labs loudspeaker, subwoofer, and amplifier/DSP system. “The old system didn’t stand up to the elements, and pieces of the speaker cabinets and components were failing,” explained Jeff Crowe, director of operations with Sound & Communications. “The coverage was going, the high end wa
Norway - Celebrating its 25th anniversary next year, Skudefestivalen is one of Norway’s largest coastal culture festivals. This year marked the first European outing for EM Acoustics’ new HALO-A large-format line array system, where it made a big impression on visiting sound engineers for the festival’s main stage performances from many of Norway’s top acts, including Jan Ove Ottesen, Heine Totland, Plumbo, Just 4 You, Keipstein and Slogmåkane. The HALO-A line array was supplied by Haugesund-based AV rental specialists, Livepro, with support from EM Acoustics’ Norwegian distributor, Norstage. Livepro’s system engineer, Geir Larsen, has become the first adopter of HALO-A in Europe. “This is a huge improvement over the sound systems we’ve used in previous years,” he said. “I’m really impressed with the way it sounds, even in a tent which is not the frien
USA - Morris Integration has expanded audio capabilities at Missouri’s First Baptist Church of Arnold using Allen & Heath’s dLive consoles. The systems upgrade is based around an Allen & Heath dLive S7000 control surface at FOH and a dLive S3000 for monitors. Services at the church range from traditional to contemporary, using an average of 80 inputs on any given Sunday. With an Allen & Heath dLive DM48 MixRack serving the house and a DM32 MixRack standing-in at monitor world, both MixRack processors utilise gigaACE networking cards to provide 96kHz audio and control transport via Ethernet over standard Cat 5e cabling. “Not all that long ago, it would have been crazy to think you could transmit that much audio over Cat5,” says Morris Integration design engineer, Collin Adams. “But here we are today, and it’s reality. Being able to draw upon th
Europe - Following early previews at this year’s Prolight+Sound Frankfurt and InfoComm USA, Alcons Audio is now shipping the LR18B. The LR18B is the dedicated low-frequency extension to the LR18 compact mid-sized pro-ribbon line-array system. It can also be combined with any other Alcons pro-ribbon system as subwoofer in both permanent and portable applications. The front-loaded system delivers a super accurate bass and sub response with highest output under lowest distortion. The Max-Vent port design combines further increased output with low power compression. The LR18B is designed for optimal deployment flexibility - it can be used as single subwoofer or in multiples end-fire or cardioid array as well as together with LR18 or in separate sub-only arrays. All functionality is possible in stacked or flown configurations. Philip de Haan, head of Alcons R
UK - Adlib was the audio supplier for the Giant Spectacular show staged in Liverpool, produced by the street and outdoor theatre company Royal de Luxe. The extravaganza attracted an estimated 1.3m people to the city centre over the weekend of 4-7 October to see this tale of epic proportions, and the fate of the much-loved oversized marionette puppets unfold. Characters comprised The Explorer, the Little Boy Giant, his dog Xolo, and a surprise appearance by the Little Girl, who re-entered the story on the Sunday for the finale. It was the third Liverpool Giant Spectacular, and having delivered the previous events in 2012 and 2014 so successfully, Adlib was commissioned by production manager Stu Stalker of Event Design Co (EDC) and Royal De Luxe’s production manager Jeff Havart to provide audio. Adlib provided on-board sound systems mounted to the s
South Africa - Encounter Christian Church is a 600-seat church based on the second floor of a shopping centre in Centurion, South Africa. While looking for solutions to expand on their current audio system, the church met up with DWR Distribution, who recommended Quest and DiGiCo to accommodate the growing ministry and worship team. Positioned on the second floor of a shopping centre in a residential area, the sound levels had to be considered. “We replaced the entire sound system with the Quest range of loudspeakers and amplifiers,” explains Kyle Robson from DWR. “The existing audio console was upgraded to a DiGiCo S21 and the full install was complete within a day. The system was designed to focus audio coverage on the audience so that the spill out of the building was minimised. Since the new system has been installed there hasn’t been a complaint from the neighb
Iceland - AV equipment supplier HljóðX recently deployed Harman Professional Solutions audio systems and lighting solutions at Iceland's Secret Solstice music festival, including a JBL VTX line array system, Crown amplifiers, Soundcraft digital mixing consoles and Martin lighting fixtures. Held in Reykjavík during a period of 24-hour sunlight in the Arctic Circle, the annual music festival features non-stop performances across four outdoor stages and an indoor club venue. Festival organisers hired HljóðX to provide sound and lighting systems for all five venues that could accommodate the festival‘s diverse line-up of high profile artists, including Slayer, Gucci Mane, Bonnie Tyler and Steve Aoki. HljóðX outfitted each stage with JBL VTX V-Series line array loudspeakers, Crown I-tech amplifiers, Soundcraft mixers and Martin lighting fixtures. “The event envir
UK - Production Services Ireland (PSI) capped a busy Halloween period by supplying technical infrastructure and support for Belfast City Council's Halloween Monster Mash and Samhain Live Halloween TV special, which was filmed in Derry/Londonderry. PSI specialises in lighting, rigging, audio and video - for sale and hire. In the build-up to Halloween, the company also supplied riggers for the visiting U2 and ELO productions at Belfast’s SSE Arena, and full technical production for Harlem Gospel Choir at the Ulster Hall and a major public event in Lisburn. Monster Mash afforded PSI an opportunity to deploy its Adamson PA inventory, which the company acquired in April when it became a certified reseller and rental partner. It also supplied lighting, video, rigging and staging for the themed event that welcomed thousands of people to the Titanic Slipways. Sound re
UK/USA - Stereophonics released their 10th album last year, Scream Above the Sounds, which comes almost 20 years after the Welsh rockers first stormed the BRITs back in 1998 and won the award for British Breakthrough Act. The band's longevity speaks for itself: eight million albums sold in the UK alone, six number one records, a BRIT Award, three Kerrang! Awards, a pair of Q Awards, and 40 singles to their name. On the road, Harm Schopman is looking after frontman Kelly Jones and co. from side-stage using his trusted DiGiCo console, supplied by rental company Capital Sound. Although in charge of monitors for this tour, Harm has been responsible for various roles on numerous touring productions. “On Stereophonics, I originally looked after [FOH engineer] Dave Roden as the systems tech, mostly on the arena tours,” Harm explains. “It's only in the last
Italy - Powersoft has chosen Audiosales Entertainment Solutions to distribute its networked multimedia system Deva in Italy. Audiosales has been distributing Powersoft amplifiers in Italy since 2015 and has spoken of its immense pride in bringing what it calls “one of the most innovative Powersoft solutions” to the Italian market. "There’s an increasing number of system integrators and installers who need to bring true innovations to their customers,” comments Stefano Rocchi, managing director of Audiosales. “We are sure that these companies will immediately appreciate the enormous possibilities of such an innovative and, in many ways, revolutionary tool." He adds: "Personally, I am thrilled by the idea of presenting our customers with a solution that is already recognised all over the world and appreciated for its versatility. We know all about the q
Spain - Adamson Systems Engineering and its Spanish distributor SeeSound have welcomed SBA Radical Sound as the latest E-Series rental partner in the country. SBA CEO Ramón Fernández comments: “We decided to invest in Adamson’s E-Series ahead of a very busy festival season. We needed a system that sounds great, rigs easily, and will satisfy the rider requirements of the biggest touring acts, no questions asked. The E-Series checked every box, and having Adamson and SeeSound behind us for support means we can confidently service even the most demanding applications.” SBA Radical Sound’s new E-Series system is comprised of 24 E15 three-way, true line source enclosures along with a complement of 16 E219 subwoofers, and the company didn’t waste any time getting it out for some major events. SBA Radical Sound, with support from COBRA sound light and ZL Pro
USA - As part of the LA-based Legends Football League, the Nashville Knights are a 7-on-7, tackle football team that incorporated into the league in 2018. Playing their inaugural season in the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, the Knights wanted to offer an in-game experience that would create a lasting connection with their fans. Needing to supplement the production gear inside the multi-purpose event venue, the Knights worked with Elite Multimedia Productions who oversaw a complete game-day audio, video and lighting design. “We try to design our in-game experience to be similar to what they do in the NFL to heighten the experience for our fans and provide a deeper connection to the action on the field,” says Candice Leisengang, operations manager. “When we started looking for production companies, we really needed someone who had the ability to do live audio, ca
