Europe - The MTN Shop, an e-commerce platform offering entertainment, manufacturing and recreational products from industry-leading brands, has updated its websites (shopmtn.eu / shopmtn.com).
Visitors will now benefit from seamless navigation across multiple industries, with over 30 brands available from one place. The shop offers more than 10,000 products across three categories - entertainment, industrial and rope access. One major change to the MTN offering is the addition of film industry rigging gear to service the full range of entertainment rigging professionals.
Apart from enhanced aesthetics and a more advanced navigation, the websites benefit from optimised filtering and search, a live chat function, and secure online payment options. ShopMTN.eu is fully comp

USA - At InfoComm 2018, Shure announced that it will offer an Integrated Systems Certification programme through the Shure Audio Institute (SAI). The programme will feature extensive integrated systems training courses for channel partners, AV professionals, systems integrators, and audio engineers.
The SAI was established in 2015 to provide the dedicated training needed to support the Company’s growing product portfolio and serve customers as an industry-leading source for audio and AV professionals.
Shure’s Integrated Systems Certification programme consists of two levels:
Level 1 focuses on sales, with courses including Audio Basics for Meetings and Conferences, Wireless Basics, Integrated Systems Portfolio Overview, and Best Practices for Interacting with IT Professionals.
Level 2 covers the technical side of product training and understanding. Cl

UK - Illumination specialists LED Creative is supporting scenic designer Joshua Grace on UKTV’s Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier.
Recorded over eight episodes in front of a live studio audience at London’s Hospital Club Studios, the show features comedian Jon Richardson exploring the severity of his various anxieties before carefully filing them away in his ‘worry index’.
Grace’s imaginative set makes clever use of primary colours to highlight the ‘filing system’ theme, with rows of files forming the immersive backdrop that borders the circular stage. Linear LED illumination has also been used to provide the clean, bright edges which pick out the contours above and below the raised podium area.
Working alongside the production crew, LED Creative provided their Alpha 60 and Bit 8-Way Control system to help create the show’s bright, vibrant l
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

USA - Country music artist Morgan Wallen is relatively new to the music scene, having released his debut album If I Know Me in late April of this year. His star is clearly on the rise however as Up Down, his lead single from the album, was recently certified gold. Wallen has been on the road since February with an Elation rig that includes the new Artiste DaVinci, and will be out all summer opening up for Luke Bryan.
Lighting design and event production studio, Genetic Productions, provided the lighting gear for Wallen’s inaugural headlining tour, Up Down, which played dates February-April across the US Genetic’s Zac Coren served as lead LD and programmer for the tour, which was designed using Capture Nexum software.
“At Genetic, we do a wide range of events, from corporate meetings and high-end social events to touring, so we needed a fixtu

UK - GLP’s impression LED fixtures recently demonstrated that in addition to raw power, the advantages of multi-functionality and subtlety are paramount when it comes to lighting dramatic performance in smaller theatre venues.
A specialist in this genre, designer Lee Curran was originally exposed to the German company’s lighting catalogue at Shakespeare’s Globe where the X4 Bar 20s were specified as part of the new lighting rig at the time. “I remember demoing the units with Malcolm Rippeth and Victoria Brennan, and being surprised at what they were capable of,” he states.
Then shortly before embarking on the production of The Lady From The Sea at the Donmar Warehouse, he used a single X4 Bar 10 on English Touring Theatre's production of The Weir, to provide a variety of light through a window in a very tight space with almost no throw distance.

USA - Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) has announced that the LA Opera, located in the Music Centre's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles has invested in the company's new LED-based Philips Vari-Lite VLZ Profile fixtures as part of its stage lighting rig.
LA Opera's current production of Verdi's Rigoletto, with lighting design by Robert Wierzel, is the first production in its history lit with a predominantly LED lighting rig.
Jeff Kleeman, LA Opera's technical director, says, "We already hold a stock of Vari-Lite VL3500 Spots and Washes, VL3000s and VL4000 BeamWash fixtures, so we were very interested in the VLZ Profile when they became available recently.
"Initially we were drawn to the impressive 24,000 lumens output - they are bright, even brighter than our VL3500s. We've had zero issues with the exceptional light source, which creates

USA - Yamaha has launched the VXL1-16P, a Dante-enabled, Power over Ethernet (PoE) loudspeaker, designed for the corporate installation market.
The PoE functionality allows power to be supplied over a Cat 5e (or higher) Ethernet cable, meaning only one cable is needed for power, control and audio distribution.
Launched at InfoComm2018, the VXL1-16P is a slim (5.4cm/2.1inch wide) line array loudspeaker, optimised to deliver high quality audio into rooms that demand vocal clarity from a stylish design, but where space is limited.
The VXL1-16P receives audio via a Dante network, with power supplied from a PoE compliant L2 switch, such as the new Yamaha SWR2311P-10G, which can supply both PoE and Dante audio/control signals.
The VXL1-16P’s Dante/PoE provision means that an entire speaker system can be constructed as a network, allowing existing IT infrastruct

USA - Audio-Technica has upgraded its entire line of network microphones and devices, offering new AES67-compatible versions of all its previous models.
The updated models carry an ‘a’ suffix in their names and include the ATND971a boundary microphone, ATND8677a microphone desk stand, ATND8734a power module, ATND931a gooseneck microphone and ATND933a hanging ceiling-mount microphone.
These new network microphones and devices are designed for audio-over-IP interoperability, connecting directly to any AES67-compliant network, including those that utilise Livewire, Ravenna and Q-LAN AoIP technologies. There’s been no change in functionality.
The latest firmware increases the Dante Domain Manager features, adding role-based security, cross-subnet routing, SNMP alerts and more. With increased connectivity for audio streams and expanded Dante features, these n

USA - Panasonic Business is set to introduce the SQ1 series, new large-format 4K professional displays at InfoComm 2018.
Available in 86 and 98-inch models and boast 500cd/m2 brightness, along with Intel Smart Display Module (SDM) for improved processing and integration capability, the displays are built for self-contained or networked signage and ideal for use in corporate, education and retail environments.
“At Panasonic, we are committed to continually improving our display line up in terms of its performance, versatility and efficiency, no matter what the intended application or venue is,” says Hartmut Kulessa, European marketing manager at Panasonic. “Incorporating the Intel Smart Display Module allows Panasonic to offer a sleek, slim and scalable display solution which simplifies interface integration, signage installations and platform management.”

UK - Allen & Heath has launched SQ-7, a new flagship console in its 96kHz SQ series.
Hot on the heels of the successful launch of SQ-5 and SQ-6, the new SQ-7 takes the XCVI 96kHz FPGA engine and adds extended control and I/O in a larger format, boasting 33 faders, 32 on-board preamps, 16 custom soft keys and 8 user-definable soft rotary controls.
SQ-7 is a 48-channel console, compatible with a range of remote I/O expanders, including the portable DX168 96kHz stage boxes. Inputs and mixes can be individually assigned to 192 fader strips across 6 layers, while 16 softkeys and 8 user-assignable soft rotary controls allow the mixer’s workflow to be customised to the needs of each show and operator.
Forthcoming Dante, Waves and SLink audio networking cards further extend the scope for expansion, system integration, FOH / monitor splits and recording.
Optio

UK - Solid State Logic (SSL) has unveiled the L100, a new console part of the Live range and suitable for space-restricted installations, sub-mix positions or corporate productions.
The L100 has a compact 12 + 2 fader configuration frame and sports the same high headroom, low latency SSL Tempest Audio Engine as the other SSL Live consoles.
Other features include showfile compatibility and all of the same I/O options, including SSL SuperAnalogue stageboxes (over MADI or Dante), local analogue and digital I/O, and Blacklight.
Antony David, SSL managing director, comments: "The launch of the L100 will deliver the SSL Live audio performance and technology to a whole new range of users that previously might not have been able to specify SSL Live.”
(Jim Evans)

South Africa - Portuguese audio manufacturer NEXT-proaudio has appointed Sound Harmonics as its exclusive distributor for South Africa.
The South African company has already started marketing NEXT-proaudio products.
Sergio Pinto, NEXT-proaudio sales manager, comments: “We are pleased to welcome Sound Harmonics on board. They are a high-profile supplier that offers high quality solutions to the market with an unparalleled support in the professional segment.
“We see great potential in South Africa’s market. This is a truly exciting progression that will ensure professional support to NEXT-proaudio customers in this market.”
Joseph Mandy, Sound Harmonics director, adds: “We are very excited to be partnering with such a passionate group of people at NEXT-proaudio, and even more excited to bring this robust and exceptionally sounding brand to South

UK - UK console manufacturer Solid State Logic (SSL) has appointed SSE Audio Group (incorporating pro audio dealer Wigwam Sales) and Luton-based 2B Heard as dealers for its Live range of consoles.
The appointments coincide with the launch of SSL’s latest Live console - L100 - at InfoComm 2018 in Las Vegas.
SSE sales director Alex Penn comments: “From the launch of the L500 in 2013, we knew it would only be a matter of time before the Live consoles started to appear on riders for our Hire department.
“There was a lot of early adoption in the US, something we saw from our UAC partnership with Sound Image. We first used the desks over here in the UK with the Country to Country Festival in 2016 and we bought our first console, an L200, for Blink 182’s 2017 tour. We then added to this with a pair of L500s for the J Cole tour and they’ve since been out with

UK - The recent adaptation of Frankenstein at Manchester’s Royal Exchange by celebrated playwright April de Angelis, marked 200 years since the publication of Mary Shelley’s famous gothic horror.
To help maintain the suspense and ratchet up the tension, lighting designer Johanna Town, used four MAC Encore Performance WRM, provided by HSL, in her armoury of effects.
The whisper-silent performance of the warm white fixture was critical for the in-the-round space, as she acknowledged.
"Since the Royal Exchange Theatre is in the round, and the audience sits amongst the lighting fixtures, we needed a moving light that was super quiet - and I have to say we were extremely pleased with the Martin MAC Encore. The lantern has a beautiful tungsten feel to warm white but at the same time is also able to be used for cold attack effects. The beam has a really nice

USA - Bandit Lites’ crew headed out to the Hangout Music Festival, the one of a kind weekend where nearly 40,000 people flock to the sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico to hear artists such as The Killers, Zedd, The Chainsmokers, Halsey, Logic, Kendrick Lamar, Odesza, Foster the People and Sza.
The festival may be in its ninth year, but each year boasts new elements with this year’s additions including a roller rink, full salon, and added water stations along with returning favourites such as beach volley ball, an ocean side Ferris wheel, yoga sessions, wedding chapel and VIP poolside lounging.
Bandit provided the lighting for three of the festival’s stages, including the mainstage, taking careful consideration of supplying a variety of gear that would accommodate the wide swath of artists traveling with their own packages.
“Hangout is the official sta

UK - For the first time, the Odin Demo-tour will visit the UK this summer. In June and July, the Odin line array system will feature at various festivals and events, from Ipswich to Cornwall, and from Kent to Essex.
The Odin team will be there explain all the possibilities of the T-8A satellites and the S-18A subwoofers and you can experience the Odin loudspeakers hands-on.
The dates are: Woodlands Festival, Kent, 8-10 June; Demo Day, Kesgrave, Ipswich, 20 June; Elements, Hornchurch, 4-8 July; Karis May Darling Foundation Family Variety Day, Corringham, 12-14 July; Vicars Picnic, Maidstone, 20-21 July; Leopallooza Festival, Bude, 27-29 July.
(Jim Evans)

USA - Back in 1840, local people discovered the medicinal benefits of the sulphur springs outside a small trading post in south-central Indiana. This led to the emergence of what would become a nationally famous spa in the town of French Lick (named for a French trading post built near a salt lick).
This spa eventually gave rise to an early 20th century resort, which attracted a diverse range of famous visitors, from Joe Louis and Franklin Roosevelt, to Irving Berlin and Al Capone. Years later, the town would take a further step into the limelight with the opening of the French Lick Resort Casino.
Recording artists like Willie Nelson, Styx, Joan Jett and Eddie Money routinely journey to this remote section of Indiana to perform at the popular resort. Lighting their shows, as well as the high-profile conferences that take place there, is the house LD Alan Hamilton, who

Australia - The Roundhouse at The University of New South Wales Kensington campus has been hosting major rock gigs, corporate functions, and student parties for five decades. Recently re-opening after a major refurbishment, the heritage venue now sports an updated and refreshed lighting rig driven by High End System’s flagship Hog 4.
Sydney integrator The P.A. People were responsible for helming the fitout, ensuring that lighting, audio and AV were integrated for seamless control. “The Roundhouse wanted industry standard equipment and consistency,” said Chris Dodds, managing director of The P.A. People. “That’s why they now have a d&b audiotechnik PA, DiGiCo audio consoles, Shure microphones and a Hog 4 lighting desk. The Hog 4 has integrated nicely with the UNSW’s existing inventory of Hog family consoles, meaning their regular operators don’t need to lear

Sweden - Lumini is a lighting rental company in Billesholm just outside Helsingborg, that is owned and run by Peter Johansson and has recently invested in 28 x Robe LEDBeam 150 fixtures and also DL4S profiles.
The LEDBeam 150s are the newest purchase, and will be used primarily for illuminating tables during conference and dinner events, especially when the venue has low headroom.
The eight DL4S’s were an earlier investment for multiple reasons, with the near-silent operation being a big consideration, especially useful for some of the high end corporate work in which Peter is regularly engaged.
Peter loves the LEDBeam 150s. “The zoom range and the excellent colour mixing are ideal for the style and format of many of the events that I light,” he stated, adding that the incredibly light weight of just 6Kg is perfect for rigging in all sorts of places when t

Thailand - Transmission Festival Asia returned to Bangkok in 17 March, bringing with it a frenzy of EDM - mixed by world-renowned DJs and delivered with the help of a Funktion-One sound system.
For over a decade, United Music Group’s Transmission Festival series has delivered EDM spectaculars to an increasingly appreciative – and ever-expanding – global audience. Each year, the team serves up a fresh edition of the event, which brings together an impressive roster of acclaimed DJs to perform in a continuous chain of sets, thematically linked under a single overarching narrative.
For this year’s Transmission Festival Asia 2018, Spirit of the Warrior was adopted as the theme, a concept introduced and expanded throughout the night by specially created video content displayed on giant video screens. A loaded package of lights, lasers, live performers and py

Poland - Painting with Light was commissioned by interactive and media-based attractions specialist Alterface to light the new Bazyliszek dark ride which has just opened and is creating a buzz at the rebranded Legendia theme park in Katowice.
Alterface, Jora Vision and ETF partnered to create this one-off experience in Poland’s oldest family amusement park.
Painting with Light had previously worked with Alterface, also based in Belgium, on the Comics Station project in Antwerp. Luc Peumans led the project for the Genk-based creative lighting and visual design practice.
He worked closely with Alterface project manager François Danhaive and their overall ride producer Benjamin Walravens, plus Jora Vision’s art director, Simeon van Tellingen and project manager Robin van der Want.
Luc capitalized on his extensive theatrical lighting experience to create

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