Mexico - Serpro Producciones, one of the largest audio and lighting rental companies in Mexico, has taken a major step toward increasing its ability to serve customers by adding 90 Chauvet Professional Maverick MK2 Wash fixtures to its inventory. The company invested in the RGBW LED moving washes after carefully evaluating a wide variety of options.
“We looked at a number of different alternatives, and it became very clear that the Maverick MK2 Wash was the best choice for us and our customers,” said Edi Sosa, the company’s lighting manager. “We were impressed by the Maverick’s compact and rugged construction, as well as the power of its LEDs. Its optics are also amazing. Other fixtures that we looked at had lenses that were similar in shape to the Maverick’s, but

Mexico - Merida, the capital of Yucatan State in Mexico is a thriving, buzzing hub of culture and industry, rich with Mayan and Colonial heritage and a lively contemporary arts and live performance scene.
Based on the north west of this picturesque city is Total Show Pro, a full technical production company delivering lighting, sound, video and staging - design and equipment - founded by Claudio Pasos four years ago. Shortly after this they invested in their first Robe moving lights with 10 x LEDWash 600s and then in 2015 added 10 x Robe Pointes to the inventory.
There are three main project divisions to the company, the first one deals with weddings, which is a massive business in the area with so many beautiful locations and architectural masterpieces as well as the Gulf of Mexico coast only 35 kilometres away.
The second division deals with the corporate event

Asia - As part of its global growth strategy, J&C Joel – one of the world’s leading manufacturers of flame retardant fabrics, drapery and stage engineering solutions - has announced an expansion of its operations in Asia.
With more than 70% of its sales already coming from international trade, the British business now exports to over 80 countries worldwide, providing theatre and stage drapes, cyclorama canvasses, backdrops, bespoke fabric shapes, as well as stage machinery and acoustic solutions.
In recognition of the increase in export, the firm is looking to further develop their presence Asia region and make a major investment into its infrastructure to better support its growing customer base and improve service levels.
The company is opening a new 10,000 sq ft purpose built facility in Vietnam and a new office in mainland China. These new locations,
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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

UK - Wayne Howell, CEO of Artistic Licence and inventor of Art-Net has announced the publication of the first edition of his book Light Bytes - Inside Art-Net and sACN.
The book - a practical reference on the Art-Net and sACN lighting protocols - was launched in preview edition at the 2016 PLASA London show. Already enjoying strong sales, the book has now been updated to cover the latest version of sACN (E1.31-2016), and includes a foreword by Iain Ruxton, design associate at Speirs + Major.
(Jim Evans)

UK/USA - Focusrite is debuting two new Scarlett OctoPre mic-pre units: the standard Scarlett OctoPre and the Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic. With eight channels of Focusrite's second-generation Scarlett preamps and built-in Focusrite precision 24-bit / 192 kHz conversion, Scarlett OctoPres present an ideal way of adding eight extra mic/line inputs to a DAW or digital console, says the company. And there are eight analogue line outputs too, perfect for stand-alone use in a live sound environment.
The preamps feed precision 24-bit Focusrite A-D converters that operate up to 192kHz sampling with 109dB dynamic range, making the OctoPres suitable for hi-res audio recording. Dual ADAT ports enable eight channels to be used at sample rates up to 96kHz, while four channels can be transferred at 176.4/192kHz sampling.
The Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic model adds eight channels of 24/192kH

The Netherlands - Panasonic will introduce a new 20,000 lumens projector at ISE 2017 this week, a laser light source companion to the PT-DZ21K.
The PT-RZ21K is a three-chip DLP Solid Shine laser series aimed at the rental, events and large venue market. It is compatible with existing Panasonic lenses and comes in a similarly compact, lightweight body as the DZ21K, which became an industry essential since its launch in 2012.
The RZ21K generates up to 20,000 lm of brightness at WUXGA or SXGA+ resolution using dual solid-state laser drives. A durable dust-proof optical system means that the projector offers extended maintenance free operation beyond lamped rivals.
“The industry is ready to make the switch from lamp to laser,” said Hartmut Kulessa, European marketing manager at Panasonic. “Panasonic research identified that many projection projects are not bein

The Netherlands - ROAMEO from RTS is a professional, easy-to-use and future-proof wireless intercom solution based on the license-free DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) standard with a protected frequency band. It provides high-quality audio over a seamlessly integrated digital wireless beltpack and associated access points.
Featuring a modern, rugged design, ROAMEO is suitable for a wide range of professional intercom applications where wireless communication is critical, including broadcast production studios, theatre and sport event productions, houses of worship, commercial buildings and outside broadcast (OB) trucks.
Operating like a wireless keypanel, ROAMEO can be fully integrated into all existing wired digital RTS matrices. The system allows users to address either individuals or specified groups. The system consists of the TR-1800 beltpack,

USA - Bandit Lites provides its clients access to its Venue One rehearsal facility, consisting of virtual programming suites, accommodations for 80,000 pound hang capacity, bus parking and easy access. Up and coming urban pop dance artist Taylor X utilized the space for her recent music video shoot for the song, No Ceiling.
In addition to using the Venue One rehearsal space for the shoot, Bandit Lites supplied VL 3000 Spots, GLP X4S, Martin Atomic Strobes, and ETC Source Four Pars, giving lighting designer Erik Parker the tools to tailor a high energy look.
“My role in this shoot was to add the ‘rock and roll’ effect in the video with moving lights, but the looks were much more about lease-flare and how the lights interact with the lens than what an audience member would see,” said Parker. “For a live production I try to make large pretty pictures to b

USA - Lamar University serves 15,000 students on its Beaumont campus in south eastern Texas and one of the biggest sports on campus is basketball. Their basketball team, the Cardinals, has played in eleven NCAA tournaments.
Now over 30-years-old, the 10,080-seat Montagne Centre hosts all of the Lamar Cardinals’ home basketball games, as well as graduation ceremonies, athletic banquets, rock concerts, and touring entertainment. Until recently, it was limping along using the original sound reinforcement system that came with the building. Those forty-plus boxes have now been replaced by a single Danley J1-94 Jericho Horn and five Danley SM-80 full-range loudspeakers for fill.
“The old system lacked fidelity, coverage, and intelligibility, all of which was compounded by the fact that boxes were failing,” explained Chase Daigle, system designer at Beaumont-based MSC

Italy - A classical music concert, Noi Per Napoli, was hosted at Naples’ Teatro Delle Palme theatre managed by Allen & Heath’s Qu-SB ultra compact digital rack mixer.
The event comprised performances from members of Naples’ San Carlo Opera House, who performed waltzes, classic folk songs and operetta. Audio requirements were managed by PA company, Megaride, and comprised a chorus of 40 people, a piano, harp, two violins, a cello, and the principal singers, two tenors, a baritone and a soprano. The faderless Qu-SB, with additional AB168 IO rack, provided FOH and monitor mixes, set up and controlled via the Qu-Pad app.
Sound engineer, Luigi Esposito, commented, “Qu-SB is a fantastically flexible, fast mixer. Simply plug in your inputs on stage, and then enjoy the freedom to set up your channels and change your settings from anywhere in the venue using the Qu-

USA - Whether working as tour manager for Mike Posner or mixing for such groups as Rixton and MisterWives, Robert Dugan has found one common element that keeps his artists happy: Sensaphonics 2MAX.
“I’ve been using Sensaphonics since I started working with singer/songwriter Mike Posner in 2011,” says Dugan. “He turned me onto them, and I’ve been using them ever since. The 2MAX is so well balanced, with such accurate bass response, it feels like you’re listening to a full PA. I like referencing through them, even for studio work.”
On the road, Dugan uses the 2MAX even when he's not mixing monitors. "When I'm mixing front of house, I record my house feed most nights, then listen to it through the 2MAX on the bus or in my hotel. I know I'm hearing all the details, and it's a great way to keep both myself and the band happy with the mix."
Recently, Duga

South Africa - The Joburg Theatre has invested in seven more Robin LEDWash 800s to supplement their existing stock and which have been the workhorses on productions like Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, the new pantomime adventure from Janice Honyeman which ran until 30 December 2016.
“We chose the Robin LEDWash 800s two years ago because of their popularity amongst visiting companies,” said Enos Ramoroko, technical manager at the Joburg Theatre. “The lamp shaper is quite handy for theatre, and we have received positive feedback from lighting designers who love their output and colour mixing.”
While the Robin LEDWash 800s were a hit on Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, they have been used on all shows performed at the Mandela Stage over the past year with highlights including Supreme Divas and Burn the Floor, the ultimate ballroom

USA - Time: its passage and the way it shapes our lives, is at the heart of Gulf View Drive, the third and final drama in Arlene Hutton’s classic Nibroc Trilogy, which follows the lives of a young couple over a decade during the post-World War II era. Helping to convey this evocative theme at the Rubicon Theatre’s production of the play is a powerful Mike Billings lighting design that creates a visually rich and textured sense of time’s inexorable flow with help from the Chauvet Professional Ovation E-910FC colour mixing ellipsoidal.
“Early in the design process, the creative team discussed the colour arc for this show, which was incorporated into costumes, scenery and, of course, lighting,” said Billings.
“The show is set in 1953 Florida. It starts off very warm during a hot day. Then as the story unfolds, things become more tense, which we c

UK - Hawthorn celebrated turning 30 in style on Saturday 4 February, when more than 500 clients, suppliers and colleagues partied the night away at the company’s Leicestershire headquarters.
The full service technical production company drew on its expertise to transform its 105,000ft warehouse space into a glamorous party venue where guests enjoyed a night of fun, food and drink.
Guests were kept well entertained throughout the evening with live entertainment, as well as fun including karaoke, retro games and roving entertainers. Delicious food was served by Smart Hospitality and guests were treated to a menu of special themed cocktails kindly donated by Ambersphere.
Chris Green, lighting designer for the event, made full use of the in-house inventory, showing off fixtures such as the Clay Paky A.leda B-EYE K20 & K10, Alpha Spot QWO 800 and over 100 penda

Canada/USA - Adamson Systems Engineering is introducing a comprehensive and standardized Educational Programme for 2017 and beyond. The tiered programme offers a hybrid of general live sound principles and product-specific training to members of Adamson’s global network and the public, from novice technicians to the world’s top integrators and engineers.
“While Adamson has long held training programmes at a variety of skill levels, we are now globally standardizing our Education Programme to ensure our users can deliver the same level of quality worldwide,” comments Jeremiah Karni, head of education at Adamson. “Sharing our extensive experience in designing and deploying loudspeaker systems with our users is very rewarding, and we value their feedback for the continuous improvement of our product range.”
The Adamson Education Programme begins online with pr


South Africa - DWR Distribution has appointed Lee Baird as marketing coordinator. No stranger to the industry, Lee worked alongside her partner, Rob Young, at Theatre and Studio for six years, during which time she visited various theatres in the country and maintained the day-to-day running of the office. “Working with Rob was the best part of the job,” smiles Lee. “And it’s great to work alongside him once again at DWR.”
Lee will be positioned in the marketing department and she will also be instrumental in helping to arrange projects like DWR’s Mediatech exhibit (Johannesburg, 19-21 July 2017), fundraisers for the SOS Charity fund and ensuring the industry has t-shirts to wear!
“It’s really an honour to welcome Lee to our team,” said Duncan Riley of DWR. “She is an organised and diligent person whom we have known for a few years now, and I


The Netherlands - Peerless-AV brings its LED business focus to the forefront with the international debut of the new SmartMount Universal LED Mounting System in both Full Service and Fixed Flat-to-Wall configurations at ISE 2017 (Hall 12, E57). With an ultra-lightweight aluminium frame, X, Y and Z adjustment and support for multiple LED display sizes and brands, the system is one of the most versatile, easy to assemble and install indoor LED mounting solutions available on the market.
Visitors to the stand will see a 7x4 video wall featuring 2.42mm pixel pitch indoor LED on the SmartMount Universal Flat Wall LED Mounting System and a 6x6 video wall featuring 1.2mm and 1.5mm pixel pitch indoor LED on the SmartMount Universal Full Service LED Mounting System. The Full Service system is built with three scissor arms, demonstrating the pop-out mechanism for recessed wall,


The Netherlands - Symetrix has announced its membership of the Media Networking Alliance (MNA).
Commenting on its decision to join the AV industry alliance of manufacturers and end-users, promoting awareness and adoption of the high-performance AES67 AoIP interoperability open standard, Symetrix founder and CEO, Dane Butcher, stated: “As evidenced here at ISE, integrators’ expectations of open standards interoperability are on the rise. Symetrix looks forward to participating in the MNA and helping to advance the work of this most valuable organisation.”
Symetrix’s, extensive range of DSP audio control products are specified within media network installations for event, enterprise, education, retail, hospitality, and broadcast facilities, worldwide. The company’s product portfolio currently includes Dante-enabled DSPs; an area in which it was an early


The Netherlandds - Black Box has unveiled Boxilla, a premier enterprise-level KVM and AV/IT system management platform, featuring a comprehensive and centralised command centre, which provides “unparalleled performance, ease of use and security”, the company says.
KVM and AV/IT system management professionals face increasing complexity associated with diverse infrastructures and multiple types of end points including physical or virtual machines, applications and networks. Boxilla’s comprehensive ability to manage high-performance KVM, KVM over IP, virtualised end-points, and various AV/IT devices on one centralised command centre, empowers administrators to manage multi-environment KVM and AV/IT deployments using a powerful web-enabled and common user-interface.
Boxilla is designed for enterprise-level deployments with large-scale, mission-critical appli

The Netherlands - NEC Display Solutions Europe has announced two laser-based additions to its PA Series of LCD projectors, taking low-maintenance operation to a new level. The new additions, the PA803UL and PA653UL models leverage a filter-free design, eliminating one of the biggest operational overheads normally found in installed projectors.
Designed with minimal maintenance in mind, the two new laser projectors also boast a fully-sealed optical engine, allowing brightness levels to remain high and consistent without risk of dust-based ingress and image degradation.
Other key features and benefits include high lumen output (8,000 ANSI lumens from the PA803UL, 6,500 ANSI lumens from the PA653UL), highly flexible installation options with 360 degree positioning support in any direction. The projectors also feature motorised zoom and focus, interchangeable lens options


The Netherlands - Allen & Heath has announced support of the AES67 standard through the most recent version of its M-Dante audio networking card, which provides a 64x64 interface to Audinate Dante networks, and is one of several options that can be installed in a GLD, dLive, ME and iLive digital mixing system.
AES67 is an interoperability standard created by the Audio Engineering Society, which specifies a common set of protocols to enable audio transport between different Audio-over-IP platforms.
Available through a firmware update to the M-Dante module, the Allen & Heath mixing systems can now connect to a growing number of devices and systems which support AES67, including Ravenna, Livewire, and QSC Q-Lan.
“AES67 is the latest addition to a number of standards and protocols that we support on our products, including Dante, Waves SoundGrid, MAD

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