Europe - Formerly known as Groupe Novelty-Magnum-Dushow, the European provider of technical solutions for the event and rental staging market has announced its rebranding as Groupe Novelty.

The move, which includes a new logo and fresh corporate identity, positions the rapidly expanding Groupe for further growth and underlines its position as a 360° provider of technical services in France and on a global scale, says the company.

"Our new name, Groupe Novelty, unifies our diverse stable of specialist businesses and sets the stage for further international expansion,” says Jacques de La Guillonnière, founder and president of Groupe Novelty. “With over 40 years of experience and hundreds of thousands of events under our belt, all of our companies a

USA - The cruise ship industry has changed dramatically throughout its history, from being simple ocean liners to all-in-one floating resorts with fine dining, shopping malls and vast entertainment options. In the early days of cruise ships, entertainment was often quite limited and usually consisted of basic activities and evening shows.

As passenger expectations and technological advancements have grown over recent decades, so has the sophistication of the entertainment offered. Designers Alex Taylor and Travis McHale from Q-L Lighting used the power of BlackTrax from CAST Group of Companies to elevate the theatrical productions on Regent and Oceania ships. This innovative technology has transformed the way lighting design is used on these ships, creating immersive and dynamic experiences.

The partnership started in 2019, when McHale led the design

USA - Bandit Lites once again delivered at the 55th Annual Dove Awards, a night showcasing the power of live performance with a visually stunning lighting design. This year’s production, led by lighting designer Mark Carver, featured a carefully crafted system from Bandit Lites that combined technical precision with artistic creativity to elevate every moment of the show.

Hosted by Tauren Wells, the Dove Awards – an event celebrating Christian music – featured performances from Anike, Anne Wilson, CAIN, CeCe Winans, Crowder, Forrest Frank, Joseph Habedank, Maverick City Music with Naomi Raine and Chandler Moore, Natalie Grant, Tauren Wells, Tye Tribbett, and a special multilingual performance of Holy Forever from Brian and Jenn Johnson, Miel San Marcos, and Gabriel Guedes.

Scott Moore of Go Live Productions, production manager for the

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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

USA - Spirit of Atlanta is a non-profit youth organisation that provides musicians and performers aged 16 to 21 with opportunities to develop skills in music, marching and performing arts through an intensive tour. With a strong emphasis on both teamwork and personal growth, Spirit of Atlanta fosters an environment where young people can learn valuable life skills.

Often considered the ‘NFL of marching bands’, the organisation competes against similar organisations across the country. This year, the group travelled over 6,500 miles – from Georgia to Texas, up into Pennsylvania, and across to Indianapolis – for the 2024 Drum Corps International World Championships.

To enhance the group’s 12-minute production with a full percussion-filled front ensemble, Spirit of Atlanta relies on a variety of DPA Microphones. This includes the brand’s 409

USA - Max Wolf Friedlich’s play, Job, recently made its Broadway debut at the Helen Hayes Theatre after a critically acclaimed off-Broadway run.

In the play, Jane, a former high tech company employee, who lost her job after exhibiting bizarre behaviour, and Lloyd, her therapist, are figuratively trapped in his office for the entire show. Both carry dark, troubling pasts with them. Confined to a narrow space that seems to grow tighter as the play unfolds, these two conflicted hearts collide, setting off a chain reaction of powerful emotions.

Reflecting the human drama that defines Job is an emotionally unsettling Mextly Couzin lighting design that encompasses the play’s complex world.

“There are two realities this play works in – the therapist’s room and the inside of Jane’s mind, populated with panic attacks and

UK - QuickLink, provider of multi-camera video productions and remote contribution solutions, has announced the expansion of its reseller partner network, providing additional support and benefits for partners through its new Certified Partner Programme.

As part of this initiative, QuickLink also introduces a new Reseller Locator platform, enabling customers to easily find authorised QuickLink partners.

The new Certified Partner Programme introduces two tiers, gold and platinum. These two tiers provide QuickLink partners with access to a comprehensive set of resources, training, and promotional opportunities.

Through the programme, QuickLink partners can access an extensive array of technical, marketing, and sales tools designed to enhance their expertise and expand their business opportunities. The programme offers exclusive training session

Europe - The Showtec Octostrip Flex is designed for creating ‘immersive atmospheres and mesmerising visuals at all sorts of events’.

The Octostrip Flex is an IP65-rated linear LED fixture consisting of eight LED strips, eight cables and a controller. Each LED strip has individually controllable RGBW LED sections, allowing the creation of intricate, dynamic lighting effects. Available in two different lengths, the 50cm version has four controllable sections per strip, while the 100cm version has eight controllable sections per strip.

The ability to flex your creative muscles begins during setup. With four 2.5m cables and four 5m cables to work with, there are countless configuration options. The strips can be mounted easily using the dedicated Octostrip Mounting Bracket or the QuickLock Bracket.

The RGBW LEDs are capable of producing a spe

UK - Bristol Cathedral was originally built as an Augustinian Abbey and dates back to 1140. Further additions to the building took place through the centuries until it became a cathedral in 1542, with its magnificent nave completed in 1877.

Today the cathedral continues a centuries-long tradition of being a welcoming space for the people of Bristol and visitors to the city, open daily with a rich programme of services and events, historic architecture and a peaceful garden.

To ensure the full enjoyment of this rapidly expanding range of activities by congregations and audiences, clergy and performers alike, the cathedral recently issued a tender for the design and installation of a modern, versatile new sound system which could perform at the highest level while also remaining relatively discreet in such a beautiful and historic building.

Bri

Austria - Arena Vienna, a cultural institution with roots in the 1970s counterculture movement, continues to be a vital hub for music and art. To meet contemporary acoustic challenges, the complex recently upgraded its outdoor sound system to a Meyer Sound Panther system. This new installation enhances the audience experience while minimising noise impact, ensuring ‘the Arena’ remains a premier live venue.

Originally transformed by activists from an abandoned slaughterhouse into a centre for artistic exploration, the Arena has become an integral part of Vienna’s cultural life, explains chairwoman Petra Ruckendorfer. “It’s not just a music venue; it’s a cultural landmark that has adapted to modern requirements while staying true to its roots as a space for creativity, freedom, and expression.”

Today, the Arena has several stages catering

Australia - With 14 years of experience in visual creativity, Mushang has expanded its advanced video production capabilities to Sydney with its latest Mushang VFX Lab. Claiming to be the largest permanent virtual production studio in Sydney, the facility is equipped to handle some of the industry’s most demanding projects in film, television, and advertising. Featuring Hollywood-grade equipment, including Brompton Technology LED processing, Mushang VFX Lab is designed to bring its clients’ most ambitions visions to life. 

While Mushang Shanghai studio focuses on commercial advertising with comprehensive services from concept to execution, Sydney-based Mushang VFX Lab places a distinct emphasis on virtual production. It provides technical and equipment support to production teams and creators needing advanced virtual production solutions.

Mushan

UK - Located in Northampton, Old House bar and restaurant, a popular destination pub in the town for more than a decade, recently underwent a complete refurbishment. The venue comprises a ground-floor bar and spacious courtyard garden, where patrons can enjoy resident DJs, live performers and televised sport, whilst upstairs, its restaurant offers gastro-pub favourites in beautifully designed surroundings.

To complement his investment in the Old House’s Timothy Oulton-designed interior, owner Sunny Kooner opted to upgrade its audio system to better meet the requirements of this multi-faceted venue.

Sunny contacted experienced AV specialist Cosmic Electronics of Harlow with a brief to design and supply a competitively priced system that could deliver premium audio throughout the venue, whilst blending in with its carefully designed aesthetic. Cosmic

Europe - Elation has delivered two additions to the SŌL Blinder series: the SŌL II and SŌL IV. Equipped with the same RGBLAW LED engine and accepting the same front lens accessories as the popular SŌL I Blinder, these new models have exponentially expanded the common blinder’s creative potential, says Elation.

With ultra-bright two- and four-cell configurations, the SŌL II and SŌL IV represent the next evolution in the SŌL series, offering ‘enhanced power, flexibility, and durability’.

Featuring RGB+Lime+Amber+White LED engines with 93+ CRI and an IP65 rating, both fixtures deliver ‘stunning brightness and precise colour accuracy’. The SŌL II’s two 350W LED engines radiate a combined 30,750 lumens of output, while the SŌL IV takes it up a notch with four 350W engines delivering 59,830 lumens. Whether used as standalone units or i

Europe - Neutrik has extended its range of ‘gig-ready’ robust stage boxes with the addition of the NA-4I4O-AES72 four-channel, AES72-4E model; complementing the new NA2 I-O DLINE range devices, with which it shares the signature ruggedised, miniature form factor.

AES72-4E defines a standard and wiring scheme for the assigning and transmitting of four channels of analogue or AES3 digital audio signals, DMX control signals, or various other COMS signals, via a single RJ45 connected quad twisted pair Cat cable, providing for lower-complexity connectivity networks with greatly reduced cable, connector, installation and termination costs and requirements. It’s a solution that substitutes the need for much more costly and high-maintenance multicore cabling in many types of applications.

The Neutrik NA-4I4O-AES72 exploits this capability within a rubb

EMEA - LEA Professional has announced the appointment of Jeff Gorton as sales director in EMEA. Jeff has nearly 20 years of experience in Pro AV sales. At LEA, he will focus on enhancing sales in the EMEA region by leveraging his close relationship with LEA’s network of EMEA distributors.

“I’m thrilled to have joined the LEA team. It’s always an honour to be associated with a company that upholds exceptional technological standards and values,” said Gorton. “We have an amazing team here, and I have no doubt we’ll do great work together.”

Gorton will help bring LEA’s entire catalogue to customers in the EMEA region, including the award-winning Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity.

"We have a permanent focus on the EMEA region and how we can

UK - London’s O2 Academy Brixton has installed a permanent L-Acoustics K Series professional sound system. This Grade II listed building, featuring a 140ft domed ceiling, Art Deco interior, and a signature stage, has anchored countless performances since its 1929 debut.

After extensive consultations with touring sound engineers and meticulous room modelling, Academy Music Group has once again partnered with Adlib to install a sophisticated L-Acoustics K1 concert sound system. This innovative design “ensures world-class audio for O2 Academy Brixton’s diverse schedule, delivering exceptional sonic experiences while radically streamlining tour setups”.

"L-Acoustics was the ideal choice for its rider-friendly reputation, superior sound quality, and reliability," says Rob Crossland, installation project manager at Adlib. "L-Acoustics Soundvision m

Iceland - With a US-themed menu and over 50 different kinds of beers available, American Bar in the heart of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik fully captures the American spirit.

Adding to the buzz of this busy nightspot themed with a décor of football helmets, sports memorabilia and a huge stars and stripes flag, there’s live music every night, a packed dance floor and large HD screens showing major sports fixtures from the US and around the world.

Quality sound is central to the party atmosphere at the bar and when audio consultant and technician Assaf Tzur arrived to tune the existing sound system, newly arrived in his role at production services and AV installation specialists Exton, he went on to propose a new system that would extend powerful, dynamic sound with even coverage throughout the L-shaped venue.

“I come from the studio wor

UK - Critics who have seen previews of the upcoming remake of Alfred Zinnemann’s classic 1973 political thriller Day of the Jackal have universally praised it for its suspenseful tautness. According to them, viewers who tune in to this globally broadcast television series, which begins in November, will be on the edge of their seats throughout the entire show.

The team at Milton Keynes-based Impact Production Services (IPS) had no such nail-biting experience when they set up the production for the London Premiere of the reimagined classic at Queen Elizabeth Hall (formerly Royal Festival Hall) at the Southbank Centre in the British capital. Everything went according to plan for them on 22 October, as they put up the lighting rig and video wall for this Limited Edition Event Design project, which was designed by Richard Godin.

Helping to en

Czech Republic - SMART Productions, headed by Josef ‘Pepa’ Ženíšek, supplied all the technical elements required for the two venues – Prague’s O2 Arena and Ostrava Arena – involved in hosting the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)’s World Championship tournament. They also co-ordinated technical production in the Prague FanZone area.

As if Czechs were not already proud enough to see their national team beat Switzerland 2-0 in the final to become world champions for the next 12 months, the event’s lighting designer Ondrej Burian worked closely with game experience director Martin Zahálka from Livebros and leaned extensively into Robe moving lights to make an impact for that final event in Prague.

24 Robe BMFL Blades, 24 BMFL WashBeams, 12 Spiider LED WashBeams and 12 Tetra2 LED battens were deployed to illuminate the int

UK - IPS has expanded its inventory of EXE Technology hoists with further investment in EXE Rise D8+ with an additional 40 1,000kg and 12 2,000kg double fall chain hoists, considerably expanding their EXE rental stock.

IPS, based in Milton Keynes, is a leading trade hire supplier to the events and production sector, offering extensive rental supply in staging, rigging, lighting, video, sound and power to a wide cross-section of clients nationwide.

Having increased its EXE Rise D8+ fleet in April with 1,000kg and 500kg units, the company has seen an upsurge in demand via its trade hire team with enquiries from its customer base, especially for the 1,000kg units. EXE has played an integral role over the summer season on some of IPS’s biggest projects and festivals across the UK, which have seen the full deployment of EXE hoists IPS now stocks. 

UK - Composer and producer for film, television and games, Hilgrove Kenrick has recently installed Audient Oria in his new Oxfordshire studio. He was already working in 5.1 with his Steinberg Nuendo and PMC setup when he heard about the immersive audio interface and monitor controller from Audient, and realised “it would slot right in.”

“It would simplify everything and allow me to monitor stereo, quad and 5.1 – no extra gear needed,” he added. Which led to him taking the leap into spatial audio. Originally concerned about how he was going to flip between stereo and surround formats, he realised Audient had solved that problem for him as well. “When it became clear that SoundID Reference was going to be integrated directly into the Oria, it really did seem to be pretty much unique in this sector of the market,” he says.

Setting up was s

Austria - The Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG) will participate in the bi-annual MEET (Messe für Eventtechnik und Theater) show for event technology and theatre, held at Messe Wien in Vienna 6th - 7th November. The WSDG team will not only host a booth (F2, Hall D) but also present an educational lecture as part of the event’s official programme.

As an international trade fair for event technology featuring a specialist conference for events and theatre, MEET blends technology and art with over 80 exhibitors. This event presents the latest innovations in event technology and provides a valuable platform for discussion among theatre and event managers.

WSDG's Dirk Noy along with Mario Reithofer will be available throughout the two-day event, where they will meet with clients, partners and industry professionals to discuss ongoing and future projec

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