Ireland - Load cell company Broadweigh will support the Wires Crossed tightrope event in Galway, Ireland by supplying Monkey Rigging with the necessary kit to monitor the loads. The event, which was originally scheduled for August 2020, but has now been postponed due to COVID-19, is a European wide community participation project revolving around 'funambulism' - the art of tight-wire walking using a balancing pole. During the event, 400 tightrope walkers from all over Europe will cross the Galway River for a duration of 2020 minutes.
Andrea Mamolenti, founder of Monkey Rigging, comments: “Monkey Rigging is working with Andrea Loreni - the only funambulist in Italy on the measurement of the tightrope walker setups. We are also collaborating with him for the technical design o

Denmark - For more than five decades, the Kulturcenter Limfjorden has served as a cultural hub for the people of Denmark’s Skive municipality. First opened in 1967, the facility is an example of an essential, regional multi-purpose venue; located in the historic town of Skive, it invites locals and tourists alike to enjoy a rich mixture of theatre, cinema, live music and more.
As is so often the case with venues that serve a broad variety of needs, when the Kulturcenter recently began the search for a replacement for its ageing sound reinforcement system, the top priority was finding a solution capable of meeting every challenge. The choice was TW AUDiO VERA20.
"The Goal for Kulturcenter Limfjorden was simple - to find the right sound system to do 99% of the shows that come through our concert hall, without the need for renting any external equipment,” explains And

France - From its inception, Lyon-based 13-2 Studio has been motivated by the need to provide innovative solutions for its customers. This drive has led the French company to create the Immersive Cylinder - a fully portable, temporary space that can host bespoke content and be used for presentations, training, entertainment, and many more applications besides.
“When we created this cylinder, we had the one objective in mind; put the human back in the centre of VR technology,” comments Amaury Chevrier, owner of 13-2. “We realised that there was a lot of 3D and immersive content in the market but when you’re wearing a VR helmet, you’re on your own. We wanted to create a new kind of immersive space.”
After months of research, tests, and prototypes, 13-2 Studio were led to create what has been billed as the first shared VR experience in France. The finished cyl
featured content

Indochine X PixMob Fan Immersion

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's - 40 thousand LED pixels on a ceiling!!! Indochine's whirlwind tour transports fans to another level of the live experience - immersing them from floor to ceiling with PixMob's X4 wristbands, and an LED ceiling made entirely of its NOVA Minis! With the vision of Indochine's creative team, PixMob used its LED fan-technology to turn attendees and venues into an ocean of effects, and a starry sky of LED magic. Très très cool!

Read more about the Indochine tour in the latest issue of LSi

Belgium - Robbe Verburgh wants more EDM DJs to start streaming. So much so, that he’s created VR Stream, a complete mobile streaming solution in a van that allows DJs to do a show and get it up and running online from anywhere, even their own back yards.
To promote his new service, Verburgh created a streaming marathon in his backyard, or more precisely the warehouse of the company he works for, DV Sound. To draw attention to the event, which took place 17-18 May, he lined up Gianni Foquaert (aka DJ Flavour Drop), known for his own pioneering radio concept, as host of the event. Then, to ensure that his 21-hour (over two days) stream was energised by wave after wave of supercharged looks, Verburgh retained the services of Cedric Duré.
The teenage owner of Outdream, Duré obliged, creating an intense outpouring of pixel mapped movement and colour that never seemed t

UK - Stage Electrics has been awarded the key contract to supply and install three new Zero 88 Chilli By-Pass Dimmers, ETC Element 2 Desk and new DMX infrastructure around the stage and FOH for the Shaftesbury Theatre in Dawlish.
This is the first step for the Devon theatre in moving from a traditional tungsten rig towards a more energy efficient LED solution.
Replacing the old dimmers with the new Zero 88 Chilli bypass dimmers offers the ability to swap between dimming or hot power, whilst the 10 new DMX points around the stage and front of house allows for increased flexibility for future productions.

Denmark - At the end of 2019, after three years constantly on the road, Danish lighting, video and set designer Peter Fisker wanted to spend a bit more time at home. Fortuitously, a part-time teaching post became available at EUC Nord in Frederikshavn, who needed a tutor for the lighting module of their well-known and respected Event Technicians course.
The college administration asked if he was interested in applying, and he jumped at the chance as this would enable him to stay home part of the year whilst also retaining the flexibility of touring and lighting shows via his design company, HeCameToEat.
The vocational Event Technicians course allows rental and event production companies, music, and theatre venues, etc. to take on trainee technicians who work at their companies and learn the theoretical, practical and creative skills needed to master the craft over a f

USA - When Celine Orlando in Edison, New Jersey, the city’s newest entertainment venue, was being built, they knew they could rely on local industry pro, Kevin Clouden, GC Pro’s Business Development Manager to procure a reputable sound system. Clouden has been a top seller of pro audio gear in South Florida for the past several years. Celine’s owners knew Clouden’s expertise would steer them in the right direction - sonically-speaking.
Boasting a capacity of nearly 1,000 occupants, Celine Orlando is a multi-faceted entertainment space that hosts live music, corporate events, and private parties. It was created to fill the need for a centrally located, high-end entertainment complex.
Celine Orlando hosts five different spaces: a Speakeasy that takes guests back to the prohibition era, complete with antique furniture, elaborate drink menus, and an attention to de

Australia - ATEN Australia and New Zealand has announced a new partnership with Exertis Pro AV Australia. The lKVM manufacturer has signed a distribution contract with Exertis Pro AV Australia with the strategic aim to expand its AV market share in Australia and New Zealand.
Exertis ProAV Australia is owned by Stampede and parent company DCC Technology, which is one of Europe’s largest AV distributors. Exertis Pro AV Australia will distribute ATEN’s broad range of AV products, including their advanced video distribution, collaboration technology and control systems.
“This partnership with Exertis Pro AV Australia is one of the key steps in our expanding strategy in the Australia and New Zealand AV market,” says Wesley Wong, director of ATEN Australia and New Zealand.
“Exertis ProAV Australia is a new name in the local market but we believe with the st

Europe - Planning for the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2021 tradeshow is “well underway” say organisers, Integrated Systems Events.
The 17th edition of ISE is set to take place at its new home at the Fira de Barcelona, Gran Vía on 2-5 February 2021. The exhibition centre plans to reopen for business in September. This will follow the successful completion of a collaboration with risk mitigation consultancy AON and the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona which will determine the specific security criteria for holding B2B events at the venue later this year.
Over 850 technology and solutions providers have already committed to participate at ISE 2021. Over 55,000 sqm of exhibition floor-space has been confirmed for nine dedicated technology zones. This represents a 5% increase on the total floorspace booked for the 2020 show.
A significant development for ISE 20

Italy - The facade of Palazzo Madama in Rome has been lit up in the colours of the Italian flag from18 March until the end of the COVID-19 medical emergency.
Audio-Luci-Store, an online division of the company Il Microfono, took care of the lighting set-up. Sabino Coppolecchia, owner of Il Microfono, said: “At the end of 2019, Audio-Luci-Store received a request from the technical staff of the Italian Senate. Our task was to provide a lighting system for the imposing facade of Palazzo Madama, in order to illuminate the building on very special occasions, like the International Day for the elimination of violence against women or Telethon.
“Basic requirements were for a quick and simple installation, so that the internal staff of the Senate could be able to interact with the fixtures in complete autonomy, without need of technical support.”
According to the

UK - Immersive audio specialist Sonosphere has announced that commercial director Jamie Gosney and creative director Henrik Oppermann have been appointed to the company’s board of directors.
Sonosphere was formed in 2019 and specialises in all aspects of immersive audio from content creation, system design, consultancy through to installation. Find out more about the company in LSi's May/June 2020 issue.
Sonosphere also provides education, having developed an Ambisonics Workflow for Immersive Content Production training course. The course has recently been taken online to ensure continuity while face-to-face training is unavailable.
Jamie has over 40 years’

UK - The damage across the UK culture, media, sports and digital sectors caused by the coronavirus outbreak has been laid bare in a government survey published this week.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has released the results of its Business Survey, showing the impact of coronavirus on organisations across the four sectors. The survey received 3,936 responses submitted between 23 April and 22 May.
Headline findings reveal the devastating impact of the pandemic on businesses, with more than a third (1,646) of respondents reporting their revenue has decreased by 100% year-on-year, whilst just 97 have seen an increase during the period.
In terms of how long businesses can continue to operate viably, the majority (1,156) of respondents selected ‘up to six months’, whilst 1,102 indicated that they could stay afloat beyond six month

Europe - The new Microflex MXN5-C Networked Loudspeaker from Shure provides speech reproduction for AV conferencing applications. PoE-enabled with an onboard amplifier housed in a low- profile design, this networkable loudspeaker is optimized for easy installation in drop-ceiling configurations. It integrates seamlessly with the company’s conferencing audio ecosystem of networked hardware and software for a complete audio solution.
The MXN5-C features pre-tuned frequency response optimized for voice intelligibility in AV conferencing applications.
Its low-profile, shallow-can design is compatible with most drop-ceiling installations and includes two Dante inputs and one Dante output. The clean design elements allow for a subtle blend into drop-ceiling environments with a removable and paintable grille.
“This new loudspeaker is part of a complete solution from

USA - One year ago, Focusrite officially launched the Focusrite Pro Podcast. In the nearly 25 episodes that have been posted since the series’ inception, show host and producer Daniel Hughley (Focusrite marketing manager) has guided discussions offering insights into the technology behind current audio trends.
Topics have included Dolby Atmos and Audio-over-IP, podcasting basics, the future of the Audio Engineering Society, the production of Live from Darryl’s House, advice on evolving one’s career in audio and much more.
On the occasion of the one-year anniversary, Hughley is taking the opportunity to reflect on the show’s journey over the last 12 months. He notes: “The evolution of the Focusrite Pro Podcast is very close to my heart. We started with just a crazy idea

UK - When Amate Audio’s UK distributor Stage Concepts was commissioned by Ice Tech to design, supply and install custom trussing with PA and lighting for its new build Cambridge Ice Arena, it turned to the power and performance of the new Nítid N15 active point source system.
The brief for the €6.3m leisure facility specified a striking appearance and the capability to easily add more lighting, and offer natural positioning for the PA.
Working together closely, Stage Concepts and Amate Audio designed a system offering the minimum of complexity while providing highly consistent sound pressure levels throughout the whole arena.
Six Amate Audio Nítid N15 active point source systems were flown in each of two double layer hex design trusses positioned above the ice. Precise positioning of the N15s, to achieve optimum coverage, was determined using Amate Audio’

USA - Production company Toucan Productions has started to livestream weekly DJ sets from its facility in Oklahoma City using a festival-worthy setup that includes nearly 100% Elation lighting gear. Dubbed Secret Shop and hosted on Twitch TV, the livestream broadcasts feature multiple 45-minute DJ sets and run every Wednesday from 8:00 pm to midnight Central Daylight Time in the U.S.
Arvol Dingess and Parker Shore, both of Toucan, have been instrumental in getting the Secret Shop livestreams up and running, an idea that emerged from Covid-era downtime. “Sometime in May, Arvol, our video lead at Toucan, hit me up with the idea to do a streaming show from the Toucan shop and I jumped on it,” said Shore, an Oklahoma City native who has been a lighting specialist at Toucan for the past five years. “We did some cocktail napkin sketches of the rig, built it an

UK - This summer, Guildhall School of Music & Drama’s opera double bill has been transformed from the physical to the digital stage, with the creative team and artists from across the School bringing the productions to life from their homes using digital technology. It is now available to stream for free until Wednesday 1 July 2020.
A 20th-century reimagining of one of the earliest English operas Dido and Aeneas - Purcell’s tragic love story featuring the famous aria Dido’s Lament - is contrasted with Respighi’s La bella dormente nel bosco, a witty take on the Sleeping Beauty story.
The School’s production would have been the UK premiere of Respighi’s rarely performed work. All students, staff and guest artists have been working from wherever they have been living during the lockdown, across at least 14 countries and four con

Norway - When multiple Norwegian Grammy-winner Emilie Nicolas played two shows in one day at the Oslo Opera House in late 2019, an Alcons Audio pro-ribbon solution was specified.
Emilie’s pop anthems and atmospheric ballads have a very wide dynamic range, from the quietest, nuanced vocal to the power of her up-tempo songs. Making sure that every detail was enjoyed by the sold-out audiences, front of house engineer Stian Sagholen only had one PA system in mind.
“Stian contacted us after a show at Nidarosdomen (Nidaros Cathedral), Trondheim in May and said there was no other option than an Alcons system for the Oslo Opera House shows,” says Arnstein Fossvik of audio production company Trondheim Lyd.
Trondheim Lyd supplied an Alcons LR18 compact line array system comprising 36 LR18, four VR12 mid-size versatile monitors and four LR7 micro line arrays for fills

South Africa - Rental and technical production company Blond Productions invested in its first Astera products - Titan Tubes and AX3 Lightdrops - for the first series of reality dating show Love Island France. This was filmed earlier in the year at a luxury villa on the Lothian wine estate in Elgin Valley, on the banks of the Palmiet River about an hour’s drive from Cape Town.
Paris-based director of photography (Florian Sinopoli works worldwide on various TV shows and series, and last year also lit Celebrity Love Island in South Africa for producers ITV Studios. He initially specified the Asteras, although Blond Productions’ owner Christiaan Ballot was already considering making an investment in the brand after numerous recommendations, “It was really just a question of awaiting the right moment,” he explained.
The Asteras were supplied by Joha

China - Shanghai ACE, a branch of ACE (International) Co, recently installed an end-to-end Harman Professional Solutions networked audio system at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre complex.
At 15.8m sq.ft, the NECC in Shanghai is the largest convention facility of its kind in the world. The massive complex has a four-leaf-clover shape, with four main exhibit halls branching off from a central plaza. In preparation for the inaugural China International Import Expo, an international trade fair proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the facility underwent extensive renovations.
The NECC hired Harman distributor Shanghai ACE to upgrade the facility with a complete Harman networked audio solution including JBL loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, dbx and BSS signal processors and Soundcraft mixers.
“Due to the rigid security of state leader conferences, t

USA - Audio-Technica U.S. has announced two appointments to its product management team.
Kurt Van Scoy has been appointed to the position of executive director of product management for ATUS. In this position, Van Scoy will be responsible for directing the product development/management efforts at ATUS. In addition, Kurt will oversee the A-T as global product manager, based in Japan.
In addition, Gary Dixon has been promoted to the position of product manager for ATUS. In his previous position as sales engineer, installed sound, Dixon served as a technical resource for the Audio-Technica sales channel in the broad contractor market, where he helped ensure the proper and successful implementation of A-T products and technology in the marketplace while determining the application needs of customers.

Latest Issue. . .