USA - Audio-over-IP has proven its worth in countless installed-sound applications. Now, as concert touring has become the single largest source of revenue for most music artists, AoIP (specifically the Dante protocol) is going out on the road, saving space, weight and time - all critical elements in the economics of touring. Redhook, NY-based Firehouse Productions has been an early adopter in the transition to Dante and this year has both Jack White and Nine Inch Nails on tour using AoIP systems they’ve built using Focusrite RedNet components. Jack White and band hit the road on in April in his erstwhile hometown of Detroit in support of his new LP Boarding House Reach, which was released a month earlier. The tour is covering the U.S. and Europe, and the audio control system assembled by Firehouse Production utilises an array of RedNet units that will allow
UK - Liverpool-based rental and production specialist Adlib supplied lighting and sound equipment and crew to the recent Just Passing Through acoustic tour by American singer / songwriter and musician Ray LaMontagne. The UK dates saw the artist get up close to his fans in an intimate touring environment, joined onstage by Wilco bassist Jon Stirratt. It’s the first acoustic tour by LaMontagne for seven years and has been “extremely successful”. The production team was led by production manager Mark Jones. Adlib provided an L-Acoustics K2 sound system with system tech Mike Thorpe and the lighting rig was looked after by Adlib’s Kevin Byatt. The K2 was actually specified by Mark Jones and LaMontagne’s FOH engineer Ryan Pickett was very happy to go with that decision, “It’s such a smooth and ‘musical’ speaker and that’s why Mark chose it a
China - Daydream Festival, first staged in Belgium in 2010, is a multi-national music festival that has travelled to Mexico, Spain and the Netherlands, and landed in China in April 2018. Daydream China boasted more than 54 international artists playing across three stages in Shanghai International Music Park. The organisers chose NEXT-proaudio for the Bass Dream Stage, with the equipment supplied by Real Music, local distributor for NEXT-proaudio. The main hang was 10 LA212x per side, and 24 LAs418 stacked in front of the stage as low-end-fill. The DJ monitor featured two LAs118 plus three LA122 per side and another four X15 deployed as the floor monitors. Richie Wang, Real Music’s CEO, adds: “The sound pressure on the Bass Dream Stage with LA212x was amazing.” (Jim Evans)
Finland - Hippotizer is the media server of choice for Finnish National Opera and Ballet’s landmark production to mark 100 years of Finland’s independence. The Finnish National Opera and Ballet (FNOB) marked 100 years of Finnish independence with a number of exclusive events. Its headline event, Land of Kalevala, premiered in November 2017 running for 26 performances until February 2018. Taking place in the FNOB’s home base, the Opera House in Helsinki, Kenneth Greve’s ballet spectacle explores the very essence of Finland and the Finns through dance. The team behind this occasion was very carefully assembled, with Mikki Kunttu taking charge of set, lighting and projection design. The main concept of the stage design was 38, 12m tall pillars flying through space, creating different three-dimensional scenes and transitions. Mikki’s wish was to crea
UK - HD Pro Audio is holding a Professional Audio Technology Showcase in conjunction with the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) on 2 July (Monday), from 12:00pm to 5:00pm at the Electric Theatre in Guildford. The event will feature the dLive mixing console platform from Allen & Heath, the latest plugins from Waves, the 3D IEM system from KLANG:technologies, Shure Axient digital wireless microphones and loudspeakers from EM Acoustics. Specialists from each manufacturer will be on hand to present their respective products and technologies, and assist with hands-on demonstrations. Matt Russell, lecturer at ACM, comments: "At ACM, we pride ourselves on offering real-world immersive learning experiences for our students. We are therefore thrilled to be working with HD Pro Audio to host this Professional Audio Technology Showcase Event where our students can meet those
Hungary - Event management company TéDé Rendezvények has invested in a Martin Audio Wavefront Precision Series (WPC) system. The order comprised iKON iK42 amplifiers and was completed via Martin Audio distributor BG Event Kft. The new PA debuted at the two-day Bősi Motoros Találkozó (Bősi Motorcycle Meeting), with 10 bands entertaining 2,000 people. “We received a lot of positive feedback from visiting technicians, many of them amazed by the sound of the system. It not only delivered power but pure, highly intelligible sound in every way.” According to Balázs Szentiványi, purchasing manager at BG Event Kft., the idea of upgrading the rental company’s inventory came about as soon as Martin Audio announced the Wavefront Precision family. He says: “TéDé already owned a W8LM Mini system and since they are on a healthy growth path they were in need of a l
Hungary - Out Board has appointed Votec Kft. to distribute TiMax SoundHub spatial audio and showcontrol processors and TiMax Tracker performer tracking systems throughout Hungary. The relationship was triggered by owner Sándor Elek’s “passion for ground-breaking audio products” and is reinforced by Votec’s in-depth technical experience of delivering high-end live sound for events and installations. Elek comments: “We had a productive workshop session with Dave Haydon here in Szeged and are very pleased to distribute the impressive TiMax range of products in Hungary. It is a product that has a great deal to offer theatres and AV installations here, and the key for us now is to focus on educating our customers about its unique benefits.” Out Board director, Dave Haydon, adds: “TiMax sits best with sales and support partners who share our passion for
Russia - Funktion-One Russia has supplied and installed a permanent sound system for Volgograd Arena - one of the World Cup 2018 stadia. Working closely with the Funktion-One design team in the UK, the company’s Russian arm specified a system comprising 638 Funktion-One loudspeakers and 50 MC2 Audio amplifiers. The project, which began in spring 2017, demanded significant support and commitment from both manufacturers in order for Funktion-One Russia to meet all criteria and deadlines en-route to delivering the audio installation. Funktion-One sales director, David Bruml comments: “We are extremely happy with the sound system installation at the Volgograd Arena and are grateful to our Russian partners for their unwavering support and excellent communication throughout. The whole company was energised by this major contract, which is amongst the largest Funktion-On
Europe - Bullet For My Valentine have recently embarked on their summer trek across the UK and Europe, supported by two Allen & Heath dLive S Class systems. Supplied by SSE Audio, the band’s set-up includes two S5000 surfaces, each paired with its own DM64 MixRack, covering FOH and monitors, with gigaACE split and Dante Cards for virtual soundcheck. “The Allen & Heath Range has been a ‘go to’ for a number of years now for me. I used to mix BFMV on iLive, then the GLD for fly shows, before making the move to dLive at the end of 2017,” comments FOH engineer, Adam Boole. He adds: “The effects on the board are great. The depth of the sound is deep, warm and very precise. Functionality wise I’ve not managed to get into a situation I can’t get out of with this console, there’s always a way and it is limitless.” The band themselves are
USA - The 130 year-old Cathedral Church of the Advent holds a place in the National Register of Historic Places and is the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. It’s also home to 4,000 congregants, who fill its sanctuary for five services every weekend. The church’s music programme has earned accolades, and includes a modern music ensemble for its last service on Sunday. Georgia-based AV design and integration firm, dB Integrations, recently remedied Cathedral Church's sonic woes with a single Danley GH-60 Genesis Horn loudspeaker, two Danley SM-60s for side-fill, a Danley SBH-20 column loudspeaker for choir-fill, and a Danley TH-118 subwoofer. In addition to delivering impactful, highly-intelligible music and speech reinforcement, the new Danley system performs without taking away from Cathedral Church's impressive architecture, woodwork, and stained glass. <
USA - The Racine County Courthouse in southeast Wisconsin was built in the 1930s and, at 11 stories, remains the tallest building in the county. The bold, art deco style of Chicago architects John Holabird and John Root earned it a place in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and it continues to actively serve as the seat of justice for Racine County. The professionals at local A/V integration firm Sound Specialty Company have been working their way through the Racine County Courthouse’s 12 courtrooms. In each, they have installed an Ashly ne8250 eight-channel 250W network amplifier to provide clean and reliable audio reinforcement. The most recent Ashly ne8250 to go in includes an optional Dante networking card to allow easy setup for court recordings. “We’ve been working with the county for a long time, but it has only been in the last three year
South Africa - As Stellenbosch University celebrated its 100th birthday, the 19th SU Woordfees took place earlier this year. For the first time, DWR Distribution were part of the festival, sponsoring dot2s and a DiGiCo SD12 console. Presented by the Stellenbosch University, SU Woordfees brings the entire town on board and before long, restaurants, schools, the city hall and theatres such as the HB Thom, become home to lovingly produced creations. “In the current South African economic climate, festivals do not have the financial backing they deserve,” says Duncan Riley of DWR. “Technical companies are often willing to work alongside the organizers for very little income just to keep the arts alive. This year DWR approached event companies involved and asked if we could also help carry the load by sponsoring consoles and providing a team on site for technical supp
Japan - Billboard Live Tokyo recently upgraded their sound system with a full JBL by Harman Professional VTX Series solution provided by Hibino. Billboard Live is a club and restaurant that hosts more than 200 performances each year. Celebrating their 10-year anniversary in 2017, Billboard Live decided to upgrade their sound system with an audio solution that would earn them global acclaim for another 10 years to come. Billboard Live hired sound and visual specialists Hibino to supply a top-tier sound system that could deliver stellar sound for any type of music - from the subtle nuances of acoustic performances to full-scale pop productions. After hearing the clarity and precision of the JBL VTX Series speakers, Billboard Live knew they were the right fit. “The level of detail that the VTX Series provides is exactly what we were looking for,” said the plann
USA - Victory Christian Centre in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has enhanced live audio production by installing Solid State Logic L200 consoles at FOH and monitor positions. The consoles were supplied by SSL partner CCI Solutions. Victory Christian Centre was founded in 1981 by pastors Billy Joe and Sharon Daugherty and has grown to become a large and multi-faceted hub, incorporating a school, college, plus a wide range of ministries and outreach initiatives. The current lead pastors are Billy Joe and Sharon Daugherty's son, Paul Daugherty, and his wife Ashley. The Tulsa campus sees around 8000 people attend services during one week at Victory, using the 3,800-seat auditorium for four main services on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Chris Trowbridge, technical director and Front of House engineer, comments, "We run a high production value, concert-style service. Comparativ
France - For more than a century, the streets of Pau city in the south of France are transformed into a race track as the city welcomes the Grand Prix of Pau. Over two weekends in May each year, visitors enjoy a spectacular festival of motor sport events. The festival includes the Pau Grand Prix, a main event of the FIA F3 European Championship, and the Historic Grand Prix, which combines race track competitions, parades, vintage car shows and private track sessions Since 2017, the festival has also included the FFSA GT French Championship, the French Formula 4 Championship, and European Formula Renault 2.0 racing. The 2005 Pau Grand Prix saw victory for a young Lewis Hamilton, who later went on to become Formula One World Champion. Rain during the first weekend of the 2018 event provided nature’s ubiquitous challenge for both the racing drivers and the PA syst
UK - It has been another outstanding year for multi award-winning UK songstress, Paloma Faith. Paloma and co. are now touring on the strength of her fourth album, The Architect and her engineers are using DiGiCo consoles to run the show, provided by UK rental company, Adlib. Mixing the Paloma show is no mean feat, it seems. The show's channel-count out front is at 75, which is broken down into drums and electronics, 20 lines of keys, guitars, vocals, and various drum triggers. The sheer size of the show meant a DiGiCo console was a must-have, says Paloma's FOH engineer, Andy Williamson. “I could have done this show on an SD5, but we're using that on monitors [with James Neale], so I'm on the SD7; and I have to say, this show really is an exercise in chopping,” Andy says. “There is that much going on, it had to be a DiGiCo to make it work - and I have a c
USA - Since their start in California’s Newbury Park in 2011, alternative indie rock band The Neighbourhood has gone on to chart multiple times in the US, release three albums, tour internationally, and perform multiple times at Coachella. The band stepped up to an Allen & Heath dLive Digital Mixing System at FOH and monitors, with two C1500 Control Surfaces, a DM32 MixRack and a DM64 MixRack. Monitor engineer Jason Hines sums up the dLive system as being “intuitive and flexible.” Hines noted a number of particularly useful features for touring monitor engineers. "The flexibility of the External Input to PAFL Source in the Surface Audio Preferences and PAFL Settings is amazing. The way it is designed takes the annoyance out of talkback systems on stage. Another great feature that I love is the option of having an IEM fader and a wedge fader.” Michael Bangs
UK - On a high from last year’s 40th anniversary celebration, PLASA Show returns to London Olympia on 16-18 September, providing a stage for the world of live entertainment technology. The show continues to explore the cutting-edge of innovation and creativity and brings the biggest brands to thousands of visitors. Audio heavyweights L-Acoustics, Peavey and Adamson, and lighting pioneers Robe, DTS, ETC and Philips are among the 200+ brands exhibiting at the show. And, with last year’s showfloor selling out, extra stands have been released for smaller companies representing all sectors of the industry, from DJ and club, to worship and education. The show provides invaluable opportunities for those with an interest in working with lighting consoles and loudspeaker systems by providing dedicated training sessions and demos. There will also be more hands-on experience
UK - Technical production supplier Blitz has announced the appointment of Martyn Hunt as theatre and sound project development manager. Hunt will work towards growing the company’s portfolio within the theatre sector. He will also act as technical support on a daily basis for all theatre productions. Hunt has worked worldwide designing and engineering sound in theatre, live events and broadcast. He started out in in regional theatre 30 years ago and quickly moved to the West End. Hunt has since held the role of head of sound on a number of long-running productions. Aron Ross, sound director of Blitz, comments: “It is a real pleasure to have Martyn as part of the team here at Blitz. His wealth of industry experience and technical expertise will prove invaluable as we grow our client base. He also brings a fantastic work ethic and sense of humour to everything
USA - LifeWay Students, part of LifeWay Christian Resources, holds summer camps that travel across the nation. The annual X. WKND kick-off event is an opportunity for all the summer camp staff members to come together as one before heading out on the road. Held inside the Shocco Springs Conference Centre, production designer Jake Brantley wanted to give the 2018 event an in-the-round worship experience, so he worked with Elite Multimedia Productions who provided a full rig of audio, lighting and LED video. “This year we wanted to do something a little different, so we started talking about what was possible in a gymnasium with very limited rigging points,” says Brantley. “We started playing around with the idea of doing it in the round, but one of the challenges was that the highest point in the ceiling is only at 26ft, so we decided to push our LED video surfac
UK - Originally constructed in 1808, Glaziers Hall is characterised by a blend of refined tradition and contemporary design. Sat beside the Thames, the building offers seven strikingly individual spaces for corporate events and functions. It also adjoins the historical London Bridge - a distinction made all the more tangible following the completion of the London Bridge Arches, a new subterranean space where the foundations of the bridge’s original wharf are visible. Beyond the bare brick walls of the venue flows the Thames, while within the acoustically challenging space, an almost invisible K-array solution delivers smooth and precise audio coverage. Previously a back-of-house zone, the newly transformed space is the seventh function area available for hire within Glaziers Hall, offering three long, arched vaults where original bricks are complimented by minimalist
The Netherlands - Poppodium (Pop Stage) Patronaat is a popular three-room venue in Haarlem, a historic city outside of Amsterdam. The venue has recently upgraded the audio systems in two of its rooms by installing four SSL L200 consoles at front of house and monitor positions, all supplied by SSL Live distributor Audio Electronics Mattijsen (AEM). Patronaat was started in 1984, in the renovated patronage hall / gymnasium of a former school building by the Pop Music Foundation of Kennerlerland. The venue went from strength to strength, and in 2005, after a brief relocation, a new Patronaat building was officially opened on the original site. The Foundation has been a long-term beneficiary of a substantial arts subsidy - common in cities around the Netherlands - and a founding principal of Patronaat was to use that subsidy, and income from bigger touring acts, to give smaller,
Europe - Following its launch at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt in April, Outline has announced the availability of a major firmware upgrade for the Newton DSP hub. It is accompanied by a complementary release (v1.6) for their Dashboard computer / remote control programme. The new v0.76 upgrade is comprehensive and its main features include the inclusion of two layers of IIR filters on every input channel, plus a further two layers of filtering on every output (in addition to the existing four), one IIR and the other a dedicated all-pass, both with phase trace visible via Dashboard. Output channels may now be grouped to facilitate control over multiple outputs simultaneously (including group ‘flat’ where all parameter values within the group are reset to zero) while it is now also possible to create temporary links within input and output channels. A ne
France - In December 2017, France’s Sorbonne prepared to ring in the new year and a new era of highly intelligible audio with the installation of an L-Acoustics Syva system in the university’s Grand Amphitheatre. The configuration was designed to address the challenges of a reverberant space while complementing the architecture of the room, originally inaugurated in 1889 and classified as a national Historical Monument since 1975. “The events we hold in the Grand Amphitheatre of the Sorbonne range from conferences, speeches, and awards ceremonies to concerts, and are all highly prestigious,” says the venue’s AV technical manager Mathieu Miot. “However, this is a very reverberant space with few sound absorption elements. Our old system was desperately lacking in directivity and resulted in a significant loss of intelligibility. We needed a system that would
