UK - Richard Pilbrow’s final book A Sense of Theatre, about the creation and history of Britain’s National Theatre, will be greeting visitors to this year’s ABTT Theatre Show from a prime spot just inside the main entrance – giving visitors the opportunity to pick up a copy of this remarkable book.

A Sense of Theatre, shortlisted for this year’s Society for Theatre Research Theatre Book Prize, will be sharing stand A02 with three other remarkable books about theatres and theatre history: Richard’s earlier work, the autobiographical A Theatre Project, Iain Mackintosh’s Theatre Spaces 1920-2020 – Finding the Fun in Functionalism, which charts the creation of new theatres spanning a century, and

Singapore - L-Acoustics and global logistics provider Geodis have opened their new regional distribution centre in Singapore - the loudspeaker manufacturer’s first such centre in the Asia Pacific region.

“Our mission is to strengthen our ties with clients, creating a hub from which we can provide ideal support,” explains Tim Zhou, CEO APAC at L-Acoustics. “The new warehouse will enable elevated customer service and faster delivery for their important projects.”

All L-Acoustics solutions are manufactured in Europe and prior to the opening of the Singapore distribution centre, orders for customers in the Asia Pacific region were fulfilled from France. The new centre will allow the company to better support clients throughout the region, shortening delivery times and streamlining the supply chain.

L-Acoustics and Geodis have grown a gl

USA - Brompton Technology will introduce the latest Tessera V3.5 software features at this year’s InfoComm 2024, ‘bringing significant improvements and functionality for professional workflows in live events, virtual production, broadcast, XR, corporate, and esports markets’. Additions include Frame Store, Hidden Markers, and Dark Time Insertion. Tessera V3.5 will be available to Brompton users in June. 

Frame Store adds a capability to the Tessera LED processor to store and recall 24 bitmaps. These bitmaps can either be captured from a live video source or uploaded directly to the processor. The feature is integrated into the existing Test Pattern function, resolving previous limitations in test pattern quality by supporting industry-standard HDR to deliver unparalleled depth of colour and brightness. The Frame Store function also allows users to acc

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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

Columbia - Mega star Karol G said goodbye to 2023 with two spectacular home-coming nights at the Atanasio Giradot Stadium. Part of her epic Mañana Será Bonito (Tomorrow will be Beautiful) tour, which continues until July 2024, the sell-out shows marked the end of the first phase of the tour.

Prodigy.MP was at the centre of the audio infrastructure with its flexible, fully modular hardware fulfilling a number of roles across the whole system.

The multi-format, hybrid audio signal flow was handled by Prodigy, thanks to the analogue, MADI, AES and Dante audio modules integrated into the main chassis. The flexibility and modularity of the DirectOut solution was essential in providing the production with all the interoperability options required.

Multiple mixing consoles were connected via Prodigy.MP and the Sample Rate Conversion technology mad

USA - Adamson Systems Engineering has announced a major update to the FletcherMachine Spatial Audio Rendering Engine. Unveiled in 2022, FletcherMachine has established a loyal following thanks to its intuitive user interface and a powerful object-based mixing solution, as well as its integrated reverberation and trajectory engines.

Version 2 of the software continues this no-compromises approach with a bevy of new features, further enhancing the capabilities and workflow of the system.

The FletcherMachine system is available in three versions. FletcherMachine Virtual is a free, stand-alone application for Windows and MacOS that allows users to design immersive environments on-the-go with headphones, while gaining hands-on experience that will translate seamlessly to the full version.

FletcherMachine Stage is a 3U rack mountable hardware unit,

USA - Rock band Breaking Benjamin recently wrapped their Spring tour with a lighting system from Bandit Lites. With six studio albums, two compilation albums and over 19m units sold in the US alone, Breaking Benjamin fans have come to expect consistent, powerful performances.

Bandit Lites project manager and lighting designer Craig Richter took a simple yet effective approach to the design in choosing versatile fixtures that could be deployed in multiple ways. Bandit Lites supplied Claypaky Mythos 2, Claypaky B-EYE K20, Martin VDO Sceptrons, Martin MAC Viper Profiles as well as 9 Lite Maxi Brutes.

Richter balanced the functional need of front light so the audience could see the band members once they step away from their mic stands. Additionally, when a video wall was added later into the design process, he pivoted to make sure the right fixtures wou

USA - TiMax will introduce two TiMax product integrations at InfoComm 2024. The power and spatial audio prowess of TiMax will be demonstrated live at the show in Martin Audio’s demonstration room, N112. A part of the Focusrite Group, the immersive and spatial audio capabilities of TiMax will form a part of sister pro audio brand, Martin Audio’s presentation at the show. Martin Audio loudspeakers are one of the loudspeaker brands in the ‘TiMax Recommends’ family of manufacturers proposing TiMax as their recommended immersive spatial processing solution.

A new plug-in option, available to all existing FPGA-equipped TiMax SoundHub spatial processors, adds four individual 1-in / 16-out ultra-high-quality reverb engines which give sound designers full control of all parameters as well as access to an advanced 3D room reverb-builder application.

Au

USA - Renkus-Heinz, returns to the Las Vegas Convention Centre in June for the 2024 edition of InfoComm. Attendees will be able to experience Renkus-Heinz’s advanced sound solutions firsthand, both on the main stand C9620 in the Central Hall and in the demo room N113.

Visitors to the demo room will be taken on a journey thanks to an active immersive acoustics system in partnership with Amadeus Acoustics. As the room acoustics are transformed from the hustle of an airport to the echoing halls of a cathedral to the vibrant acoustics of a concert hall, visitors will experience for themselves the transformative power of Renkus-Heinz’s beam-steering technology.

There will also be live music courtesy of violinist Drew Tetrick, who has performed throughout the world including appearances with Andrea Bocelli, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. Visitors will

France - The renowned Lido on the Champs-Élysées, a Parisian nightlife staple since the Roaring Twenties and once famous for its exotic cabaret and burlesque shows, has been completely renovated and reopened as Lido 2, a premier musical theatre.

Now presenting major works of theatre in an immersive cabaret setting, Lido 2 attracts both French and international audiences with a lighting kit almost exclusively from Elation.

Global Technique Concept, led by project manager Eddy Couloigner, oversaw the renovation and was enlisted as the lighting management service provider for the venue. In February 2023, the historic cabaret shows ended, and renovation work commenced shortly thereafter. Over seven months, the new lighting kit was meticulously installed to meet the venue's unique requirements, including a relatively low proscenium ceiling height of 5.5

USA - The OCA Alliance, champion of the AES70 standard for Open Control Architecture, has announced several new AES70-enabled products ahead of the 2024 edition of InfoComm in Las Vegas this month.

Equipment from d&b audiotechnik and Adamson Systems Engineering swells the ecosystem of AES70-enabled products, continuing the adoption of standards-based flexible, unified control.  

Specifically, d&b has incorporated AES70 support into their 5D, 40D, D40 and D90 amplifiers as well as their DS100M network-driven Milan-enabled processing platform for Soundscape, while Adamson has launched VGt, a peak performance large-format line array loudspeaker, the first member of the new Vergence Group. VGt is a self-powered unit that includes an intelligent networked DSP endpoint supporting Milan digital audio and AES70 control data. Adamson and d&b wil

UK - Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), the first institution in the world dedicated to research and teaching in tropical medicine, recently undertook a significant project to extend its teaching and event capabilities. Pembroke House, a mixed-use facility was constructed with three main teaching spaces alongside small huddle areas and group collaboration zones.

Initially engaged as consultants, leading Higher Education integrator GVAV subsequently secured the integrator scope for the Pembroke House project. Collaborating closely with Audiologic, a comprehensive spread of equipment from Q-SYS and Sennheiser was specified for deployment across the different spaces.

The Audiologic team was engaged to assist with confirming the final designs for the audio solution plus programming and commissioning of this aspect of the project. Due to the co

France - Showlight, the much-loved quadrennial networking event organised by and for lighting professionals, will return in May 2025 when it will visit the city of Dijon in France.

Highly regarded by the lighting industry, Showlight combines three days of eclectic talks with a great social programme, a sponsored student scheme and unique opportunities for manufacturers and lighting designers alike to network in a relaxed and non-pressured environment. Peripatetic by nature, the event moves from country to country for each edition.

With renowned French followspot manufacturer Robert Juliat as the headline sponsor of the 2025 event, Showlight will head to Le Parc des Expositions et Congrès de Dijon from 19-22 May 2025.

Located at the centre of France’s Burgundy region - the vineyards of which were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site a

Japan - K-array has announced a new distribution partnership with Audio Brains Co., in Japan.

Since its founding in 2007, Audio Brains has established a robust reputation for importing, selling, and maintaining audio and communication equipment. Recognized Audio Brains caters to a wide array of clients, including large music venues such as stadiums and halls, live music companies, audio firms, conference facilities, and educational institutions.

In celebration of this new partnership, a dedicated showroom featuring K-array’s products will be opened in Yoyogi, located in the vibrant Shinjuku area of Tokyo. This modern showroom will provide clients with the opportunity to experience K-array’s advanced audio solutions firsthand.

“We are excited to partner with Audio Brains, a company that shares our passion for superior audio technology an

Europe - Metallica’s ongoing M72 World Tour has begun playing its 2024 dates with the lighting design that Rob Koenig introduced last year featuring 48 Claypaky Sharpy Plus Aqua IP66-rated beam/spot fixtures.

The tour is in support of the band's eleventh studio album, 72 Seasons, which was released in April 2023. The tour commenced that month in Amsterdam and is set to conclude in September 2024 in Mexico City. The 2024 dates kick off at the end of May with nine cities scheduled in Europe through July then resumes in August and September with six-cities in the US, Canada and Mexico. 

The tour maintains an upgraded in-the-round stage design by creative director/production designer Dan Braun, which relocates the coveted  audience ‘snake pit’ to the centre of a ring-shaped stage surrounded by eight towers, each  topped by LED video cyl

UK - TiMax has welcomed Dan Roncoroni to the leadership team in the newly created role of product manager for TiMax.

For over 10 years, Dan has established his presence as a freelance AV consultant specialising in multi-channel, object-based audio design. As product manager for TiMax, Dan will help expand the presence of TiMax across the broad spectrum of performance, presentation and experiential markets.

The new role of product manager progresses the work evolved by TiMax directors Robin Whittaker and Dave Haydon, respectively product director and commercial director, following the move of TiMax into the Focusrite Group late last year. 

Dan said, “I’m looking forward to working with a set of products that has had such an impact on what I do. I’ve worked with every spatial audio product on the market, but TiMax has been my go-to solut

UK - Lighting rental company Lite Alternative has consolidated its commitment to Kinesys automation technology with the recent purchase of 15 x Apex half ton hoists and a Mentor 4 controller.

Lite Alt is one of a number of UK customers transitioning from their existing Elevation systems, choosing to continue investing in Kinesys for their future automation needs. Lite Alt’s new Apex system has already been used on tour with the Arctic Monkeys and Niall Horan.

Both productions were designed by Lite Alt’s Paul Normandale who put automation at the heart of the show visuals. Paul is known for his innovative show designs and for thinking out of the box when creating lively and interesting performance environments.

Having invested in Kinesys for at least the last 15 years with the Elevation series, both Paul and Lite Alt’s technical and autom

USA - Christie Lites has announced the appointment of Mark Ravenhill as its new client ambassador. In this new role, Mark will focus on fostering strong client relationships by understanding their unique needs and challenges. To that end, he will collaborate with clients and the Christie Lites rep team to ensure value and service at every point of contact.

Huntly Christie, CEO of Christie Lites, says: “We’re delighted to welcome Mark to the company’s leadership team. His considerable experience and insightful understanding of the entertainment lighting industry, along with the huge respect so many lighting professionals have for him, make him the ideal ambassador for our brand. Mark's arrival also signifies yet another important step in our commitment to being at the forefront of service and creative problem solving in our industry.”

During h

USA - Hosted by Reba McEntire, the 59th Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards featured a series of performances, including duets between country artists and some of today’s most influential pop stars, as well as celebrated artists like Lainey Wilson, who was named Entertainer of the Year.

With the support of Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless Microphone System and PSM 1000 In-Ear Personal Monitoring System, the ACM Awards’ expert audio team ensured that every note was heard by the audience and those watching the live broadcast on Amazon. The quality audio performance was made possible thanks to the group of industry professionals running the show, the audio equipment supplied by ATK, and the antenna infrastructure and coordination managed by Soundtronics. The Radio Frequency (RF) coordinator for the event, Steve Vaughn, weighed in on the impact Shure gear

USA - The success of Luke Combs continues as he follows his late-2023 European dates with a string of shows across the USA, scheduled to run through to October 2024.

The loudspeaker technology supporting the tour also continues unchanged, with SES of Mocksville NC providing a stadium-filling Outline system, combining the flagship GTO enclosures with GTO-LOW, Mantas 28, GTO C-12, LAB21-HS subs and LIPF-082s.

As last year, the venues require 220-degree coverage due to the size of the crowds and so the sound system is deployed as a main left / right with LL/RR arrays and then out-fill LLL / RRR arrays beyond them to deliver the required horizontal and vertical dispersion. FOH system control is again via two Outline Newton FPGA processors.

One of the few changes to the current part of the tour is the Saturday support acts and that has provided th

UK - The Grade II-listed Winter Gardens Blackpool has a proud heritage dating back to 1878. As a driving force in the regional economy of the North West of England, the venue hosts a diverse range of events in its various spaces. These include concerts, theatre productions, conferences, exhibitions, weddings, dance competitions, and international matchplay darts.

This varied programme necessitates versatile and flexible technical provisions. Recently, the Winter Gardens Blackpool team, in consultation with supplier ArranPaul, reviewed its audio systems to enhance and future-proof its inventory. As a result, they chose two HK Audio systems.

Venue Technician Allen Hendley explains: “We needed replacements for systems that were no longer meeting our needs. The new systems had to deliver high-quality audio and be powerful and portable enough to suit va

USA - Wharfedale Pro, will be returning to the Las Vegas Convention Centre this June for the 2024 edition of InfoComm. Exhibiting with North American distributor, AVL Media Group, Wharfedale Pro are leveraging the opportunity to run a full schedule of audio demos across the entirety of the InfoComm week.

“There’s no better way to experience our new products than with ‘real-life’ audio demos,” says Nick Williams, global sales director at Wharfedale Pro. “That’s why we’re excited to welcome our clients and business partners to our dedicated demo room to showcase a wide range of our solutions, from our WLA-1 Hybrid Curvature Array to our versatile and hard-working Typhon and T-Sub-AX system.”

Demonstrations will take place multiple times daily from Tuesday 11 to Friday 14 June.

In recent months, Wharfedale Pro has shared variou

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