Europe - ETC Ltd and ETC GmbH have appointed three new employees to work on the High End Systems brand. Tania Lesage has joined as High End Systems brand manager; Markus Farncombe-Fischer - as regional sales manager, and Konstantinos Vonofakidis as field project coordinator.
In his new position, Konstantinos will be responsible for High End Systems projects in the Southern European, African, Middle Eastern and Indian territories. He will manage sales arrangements for key accounts in these regions and work in cooperation with distributors and dealers.
Konstantinos joins ETC following a role as international sales manager for the High End Systems brand at AED group. He worked there for three and a half years and during this time managed sales and concentrated on developing

UK - Design and technical theatre consultancy Theatreplan has been chosen to work alongside architects Bennetts Associates on the major redevelopment of the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh.
The designs from Bennetts Associates for the redeveloped theatre have been recently unveiled and show a design that respects the original building but reimagines it for the 21st century. The scheme will see an overhaul of the theatre’s interior and exterior and will cost in the region of £20m.
Mathew Smethurst-Evans, executive director UK for Theatreplan, comments: “Theatreplan is thrilled to be part of the team rejuvenating this historic theatre and modernising its facilities to meet the needs of the 21st century.”
Duncan Hendry, chief executive of

The Netherlands - One of the bonuses of working with innovative and influential artists like dance music producer DJ Hardwell is that you get to work on some interesting shows.
Symphony: The Global Revolution of Dance was one of those moments for lighting and visuals designer Andre Beekmans of The Art of Light and operator Jaap Kamps.
The event was a live performance and collaboration between the globally popular and world leading electro DJ and multiple Grammy winning Metropole Orkest at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, celebrating 30 years of dance music. It was staged to coincide with the renowned Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) conference.
Andre and his Eindhoven based creative visual practice The Art of Light - who have designed and co-ordinated Hardwell’s lighting for some years - were approached by organisers Fourmation Events and MOJO and asked to create
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

Mexico - October saw Papa Roach and Good Charlotte making a triumphant return to Mexico as headliners of a rock spectacular, powered by Loto Audio and Funktion-One, in the nation’s capital.
Promoted by Zepeda Bros, the team responsible for a string of successful rock events, including Knot Fest Mexico - the show delivered over four hours of live rock music at the open-air gardens of the Arena Ciudad de Mexico.
To ensure the audience received the full power and impact of the performances, Loto Audo supplied a complete Funktion-One Vero sound system.
The system garnered praise from all the acts’ FOH engineers - providing proof positive of Vero’s abilities across all genres of music. For the opening act, Lack of Remorse, FOH duties fell to Hugo Garzon - one of the most sought-after sound engineers for metal rock bands in Mexico.
Garzon comments: “I

Canada - Solotech has announced the appointment of Nicolino Iannotti as vice-president, finance, effective 7 January, 2019.
Iannotti holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Concordia University, and the CPA, CMA and CA professional designations. He has 20 years of experience in accounting, external reporting, audit, and financial planning & analysis in large-scale companies such as Gildan and Deloitte.
“As a leader in financial management in the United States and Canada, Mr. Iannotti will be a great asset to support Solotech’s growth on a global scale”, said Nicolas Lavoie, chief financial officer.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Orlando-based Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) has introduced new Ecoflex10 low-loss coaxial cable assemblies designed for today’s demanding wireless audio applications. Ecoflex 10 is a low-loss coaxial cable that features a flexible design and durable jack suitable for touring use.
“Ecoflex 10 is terminated with BNC connectors and sold in standard lengths of 25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 feet,” explains Justin Van Winkle, PWS production manager. “The connectors are reinforced with heavy duty adhesive-lined shrink tube which makes the cable even more durable for live wireless applications.
“The 10.2 mm thick cable offers a stranded, oxygen-free copper centre conductor which makes it very easy and flexible to install,” continues Van Winkle. “SSB’s proprietary techniques, continuous centre conductor calibration and compression as well as the applicatio

UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has supplied a new stage lighting rig for the indigo at The O2, a live entertainment sister-venue to The O2 Arena which regularly hosts exclusive after-show performances by superstar artists, including Ed Sheeran, Coldplay and Prince.
The 2,800 capacity venue has established itself as one of the Capital's most popular settings for big events on a smaller scale, hosting live music gigs; after-show parties; sports and club nights; stand-up shows including Jimmy Carr; and TV events such as the British Comedy Awards and the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.
With such an impressive roster of artists using its production facilities, when the stage lighting rig was in need of an upgrade after 12 years of service, indigo at The O2's technical manager, Rob Burrows needed a system which was nothing less than cutting-edge to satisfy cli

USA - With two hospital locations, 12 primary care clinics, six rehabilitation centres and nine specialty care sites, Children's Minnesota is one of the largest paediatric health systems in the United States. Star Studio is the hospital's in-house television studio with production spaces located on both the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses. Star Studio programming is shown on Children’s own 24-hour television channel. In addition to pre-recorded programmes, Star Studio also produces 12 live and interactive shows a week.
To increase production efficiencies and to provide better audio quality for the studio's interactive game show programmes and recorded content, Ben Diger, Star Studio broadcast engineer at Children’s Minnesota, began using Dante-enabled equipment and the Dante Via software for the multi-channel routing of computer-based audio.
"With live and pre-re

Sweden - The country’s most northerly professional ice hockey team, Luleå HF, is enjoying new excitement at its home games, following the implementation of an impressive €4m audio-visual experience at the Coop Norrbotten Arena. A key part of this state-of-the-art package, installed by the Bright Group Sweden AB, is a high SPL Nexo Geo line array system.
The 6,300-capacity sports and event arena is home to the Luleå Hockey Association, which was keen to improve the live experience for its supporters and visitors, especially in the light of a new TV deal to broadcast all the games in Sweden’s premier ice hockey league.
Following its recent success at the Hartwall Arena in Finland, the Bright Group was ideally placed to design a dramatic new AV installation, including a powerful Nexo line array sound system, new arena lighting, projectors for ice projection, Black

Australia - Completed in 1862, Queensland’s stately Old Government House provided a dramatic backdrop for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
Tying the stunning 19th and 21st century visuals together into a balanced panorama was a colourful lighting design by Tim Allder of Chameleon Systems that featured 110 Chauvet Professional COLORdash Par H12IP fixtures, supplied by Showtools International.
To light the runways that ran on three sides of the iconic building, Allder had his COLORdash fixtures positioned on top of ground support vertical towers. Each tower had a 4-meter pipe on top that held five of the RGBAW+UV LED wash lights.
“We relied on the COLORdash fixtures to set the mood on the walk-in, as well as to light the building’s columns,” said Allder. “The building provided an excellent backdrop for the catwalk with lots of depth for us to play with, and

UK - Sheaf St is the public area of Duke Studios, a hub of creative work spaces in Leeds and comprises a cafe, bar, event space and outdoor terrace. These spaces create a 400-capacity warehouse venue that can accommodate everything from live music and comedy to conferencing and dance music events.
When the Leeds Tech Hub Fund awarded Duke Studios a grant, it’s director James Abbott-Donnelly, took the decision to allocate significant funds toward dramatically upgrading the sound, light and projection facilities in Sheaf St to support a truly flexible and adaptable approach to staging every kind of event possible. Having done his research and spoken to a number of market leading brands, he concluded that Pioneer Pro Audio best understood the needs of the project and also that its range of speakers perfectly fitted the brief.
The Audio Group was engaged to install syst

Europe - Absen has appointed Alex Couzins to the newly created position of head of brand and marketing for Europe in a move that sees the company underline its commitment to the region.
Alex, who joins from systems integrator AVMI, will be part of Absen’s corporate marketing team where he will be responsible for European brand marketing and providing local marketing support for the group’s VAPs (Value-Added Partners), referring to Absen’s ecosystem of highly trusted and experienced distributors and systems integrators.
The role will involve collaborating with peers across the business, including China and the US, to develop and implement the company’s marketing plans and brand strategy at a European level.
On his appointment, Alex commented: “I’m excited to be joining Absen at this exciting time. The company has a fantastic reputation for high-qualit

USA - Volt Lites, Inc. of Burbank, California has taken delivery of a complement of Ayrton Ghibli and Mistral TC fixtures, expanding its lighting roster with its first-ever Ayrton purchases.
Helmed by co-founders Harrison Lippman and Matthew Shimamoto, Volt Lites is a lighting production shop for the greater LA rental community and a wider national clientele.
“Both the Ghibli and Mistral-TC are exquisite LED profiles that hit all the marks and complement each other,” says Lippman. “The Ayrton line has really impressed us, and we’re excited to get the new fixtures into our clients’ hands: Volt Lites is one of the first companies to offer Mistral-TC in the US. The fact that ACT Lighting added Ayrton to their line card means we’ve been able to add Ayrton fixtures to our inventory.”
Both fixtures have already been in demand by Volt Lite customers.

Australia - This November, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with CineConcerts and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, performed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, South Australia. It was the first ever use of L-Acoustics L-ISA Hyperreal Sound in the southern hemisphere and took audiences even deeper into the magical world while the symphony orchestra performed the entire score live to picture.
L-ISA was deployed by leading Australian technical production company Novatech, which has been using L-Acoustic systems for events of all sizes and scope around Australia, from music festivals to live concerts and corporate events, for over a decade. A keen innovator and early adopter of creative event technology, the company has always endeavoured to improve the experience for guests and artists alike and has inv

Philippines - K-array is making waves on Philippine shores with local partner Westco which is led by president engr. Roddy Peñalosa.
To officially launch the brand, an exclusive unveiling was held on 8 November at the Vu’s Bar of the Marco Polo Hotel in Ortigas. Mark Vincent, sales director – APAC, and Daniele Mochi, project support specialist & K-academy manager from K-array Global joined the city’s top influencers and Manila’s renowned engineers, architects and interior experts to enjoy the customary K-array experience of a night filled with beats and bass, high quality sound and a touch of Italian refinement.
“When the audiences realised the power and capacity of the offerings, it became clear how K-array can figure in the Philippines’ booming spaces,” says Vincent Jason V. Peñalosa, Westco VP sales & marketing. “The needle of the K-array

USA - ESTA has announced that A. Scott Hoyt will receive the 2018 Swan Award. This award is only given when an individual has served the association above and beyond the call of duty.
Scott’s service on the ESTA board of directors began in 2007. In 2012 Scott was elected to the office of treasurer and served as the treasurer of the PLASA Governing Body as well. As treasurer, he was a member of the executive committee as well as an ex-officio member of the Technical Standards and ETCP councils. His second and final term as ESTA’s treasurer comes to an end 31 December, 2018.
Though he has completed his service as Treasurer, Scott continues to chair the oversight committee of the business peer group and serves on the member advisory group.
(Jim Evans)

USA Chauvet Professional makes it possible to cover a wider area with an even coloured wash on indoor and outdoor stages. Introduced just in time for festival season, the company’s new IP65 rated COLORado Panel Q40 features a magnetic flood filter that produces a very wide, but still even wash.
Powered by 40 15-watt RGBW LEDs, the rectangular wash fixture has a bright output (up to 9,480 lux at 5m) and creates perfectly smooth edge-to edge colour mixing. An adjustable beam angle of 15° or 24° adds to its versatility.
“We developed the COLORado Panel Q40 in response to the demand on the part of designers for a reliable IP65 rated wash with a wide coverage area that could be used at festivals, amphitheaters and similar outdoor venues without sacrificing colour quality,” said Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “The bright output of the COLORado Panel Q40 also makes

UK - With Oscar-winning film credits such as Gravity and Slumdog Millionaire in its portfolio, Pinewood-based Sound 24 is one of the leading post production sound facilities specialising in film and TV.
While Glenn Freemantle picked up a 2014 Oscar for best sound editing on Gravity, his Sound 24 partner Niv Adiri shared the award for best achievement in sound mixing on the same movie, while both have many BAFTA award credits to their name.
Both are discerning when it comes to sound production, and in upgrading their studio at Pinewood to an immersive Dolby Atmos mix room they have chosen Harman’s JBL 7 Series reference monitors for all monitoring; front, surround and overhead. The system incorporates JBL’s new Intonato 24 monitor controller for Atmos. All were supplied by reseller Jigsaw 24.
As Adiri explained, “We have used the room fo

USA - The Classical Academy (TCA) in Colorado Springs recently debuted its new performing arts auditorium with a production of The Little Mermaid enhanced by an all LED Elation Professional lighting system designed and installed by Second Opinion Audio.
Second Opinion Audio designed all of the audio, lighting, video and motor control systems for the new performing arts space. “This is a total state-of-the-art system and we needed to have the lighting system reflect that,” said Second Opinion Audio founder Bob Langlois. “LED was the direction we wanted to go for maximum flexibility for the client. There is no other auditorium of this size that can claim this technology.”
The Elation lighting rig is made up of both dedicated white light luminaires (24 WW Profile warm-white ellipsoidal spots, 12 DTW Par 300 variable white LED Par lights) and full colour LE

Germany - Dynacord’s award-winning IPX amplifiers for fixed installations have made their world debut in one of Europe’s most significant stadium projects – the rejuvenation of the historic Berlin Olympiastadion.
Long known as one of the best-sounding stadiums in Germany, the historic location was outfitted in 2004 with an Electro-Voice system in time for the 2006 World Cup final. After 12 years of faithful service, that system has been upgraded to benefit from the power, energy-saving and networking flexibility of the Dynacord IPX range of amplifiers.
In addition, the stadium’s existing 171 Electro-Voice XLC loudspeakers have been upgraded to the DVX version for more powerful sound and increased intelligibility.
With an overall ambition of reducing the total cost of system ownership, the new solution had to feature IP connectivity, Dante audio and green

UK - Tim Fawkes has worked for Prodigy since 2012 and been their lighting designer for the last year. He’s currently fully embroiled in creating a lighting riot for the current No Tourists, tour promoting the Prodigy’s seventh album.
HSL is again the lighting supplier, and the band are playing arenas and living up to their reputation for being among the most exciting live acts around.
Tim went for a massive, wide and “epic” look for the stage. “I wanted to get away from the postage stamp look of some shows in arenas, where only a tiny part of the actual venue is involved,” he explained. In addition to feeling the energy and atmospherics of the lighting, the band wanted to embrace the whole audience and pull them kicking and screaming into the Prodigy live trip and lighting plays an absolutely instrumental part in this process.
Tim was also invo

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