Hungary - Robe moving lights were used in three major locations for the massive 2023 St. Stephen's Day celebrations in Budapest, a public holiday celebrating the foundation of the Hungarian state more than 1000 years ago, which this year attracted over 1.5m spectators to the banks of the Danube watch the main large format projection and drone show.
Multiple events were staged throughout the country’s vibrant and beautiful capital city on the day, with technical production - lighting sound, visuals, staging - for the 2023 event co-ordinated and delivered by the Visual Europe Group (VEG), working with 12 sub-companies.
The three main areas in which Robe fixtures were used were the riverside Road Movie Live concert stage with an all-action line up of top Hungarian artist

USA/Europe - Ireland-based lighting and production designer Steven Douglas selected Claypaky Volero Wave fixtures and the Panify solution for Hozier’s Unreal Unearth tour, whose North American leg wrapped this month.
The bluesy rocker’s 27-date schedule kicked off in September in support of his new EP Eat Your Young and upcoming album Unreal Unearth. The tour moves to Europe and the UK for the rest of the year with more dates to follow in 2024.
Douglas took on his current role with Hozier for the artist’s previous album cycle. He was given a lot of creative latitude with the new show although Hozier was “heavily involved in how it looks since he’s quite artistic himself”, says Douglas. The album’s theme is based around Dante’s nine circles of Hell, he notes, which the show references. “We knew we wanted a moment in the show where

Europe - Designed by Axel de Beaufort and Guillaume Verdier and the first of its kind, Artexplorer is soon to set sail. As a project that encompasses both culture and environment, it aims to raise awareness of contemporary issues by utilising a revolutionary LED tunnel, made possible by visualisation technology specialists, Leyard Europe.
Since its inception in 1995, Leyard Europe has collaborated on many innovative and transformative assignments. However, Artexplorer presented the company with an opportunity to be a part of something different.
Artexplorer is a one-of-kind work of art, featuring Leyard Europe’s LED tunnel as the main event. At 46m long, it is currently the largest sailing catamaran in the world and built to the highest environmental standards.
Enlisted by Guy Butterati, Co-Founder of AV-IT systems integrator Akumendo, which spearheaded the t
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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

Romania - The FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2023, hosted at the Constanța Masters in the City Park Mall, was illuminated by a lighting setup composed of Prolights products. For its inauguration in Romania, the FIBA 3x3 World Tour attracted 16 top-level teams from around the world who competed for the championship title.
In addition to the basketball matches, the event offered a variety of engaging activities, including a dunk contest hosted by the Dunk Elite team, a 2-point shooting competition, and a series of entertainment performances such as sports dances, street dance performances, majorette shows, and circus acts.
The diversity of the event required a lighting system capable of meeting various show needs. The FIBA 3x3 organisation relied on Audiovision, which provided a lighting setup consisting of 58 Prolights solutions: EclPanel TWC and EclFresnel 2KVW for variable CCT

UK - MCS Rental Software, provider of rental management solutions, has announced the launch of a new, innovative feature that will ‘revolutionise the way customers pick equipment to hire’.
The new feature introduces checklists to the picking process, as part of the pre-delivery inspections (PDIs), allowing users to perform comprehensive equipment assessments. This feature includes the ability to add specific notes for the picker(s), prioritise certain tasks for faster processing, and the creation of custom checklists. The checklists are versatile, supporting tick boxes, drop-down lists, as well as photos.
Nick Thomson, sales director at MCS Rental Software, explains, "We're excited to introduce our ground-breaking pre-delivery inspection feature. It's all about elevating efficiency and empowering our users to enhance their operational processes. With specific not

Lithuania - Christie RGB pure laser projection and Vive Audio technology deliver powerful cinematic experiences at Apollo Kinas, a new premium multiplex at Vilnius Outlet shopping centre.
Christie partner BMK installed a Christie CP4425-RGB and five CP2415-RGB Real|Laser illumination technology, each accompanied by a Christie Vive Audio sound system, to immerse audiences in its six screens.
“This cinema is fully equipped with many innovations to elevate the theatre experience for Vilnius moviegoers, including three chair selections in each auditorium, comfortable recliners, food delivery, self-serve shop, and most importantly top-notch laser projection and immersive audio system,” says Donatas Ivoška, head of Lithuania marketing department, Apollo Kinas. “We are very happy that we chose Christie and BMK as our partners. They completed everything on time and the

France - Bière à Lille, a week-long festival in Lille celebrates beer and brewing with dozens of special events and samplings from over 80 different breweries. Among the highlights off the festival this year was Nuit du BAL, an electro pop show headlined by Martin Solveig, along with Upsilone, Miel de Montagne and Victor Flash.
These artists performed on Friday night 22 September before a packed house at the Zénith de Lille, adding electricity to the atmosphere for their shows was a dynamic fast-moving lighting design by Valentin Lemarquier.
Drawing on the intense output of 60 Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by the Alive Group, Lemarquier created bold looks that reflected the music and personality of each artist.
Among the fixtures in his rig were 14 STRIKE Array 2 blinders that provided dramatic exclamation points of light throughout the evening. “Wi

China - ROE Visual has announced the release of its ROE Calculator APP. This application is a complete upgrade of the previous ballast calculator and has added many new options to create essential technical calculations for LED screens.
Key features include ballast calculation, pixel calculation, power requirement analysis, user-friendly interface and comprehensive data library
The ROE Calculator APP is connected to the ROE Visual website - you only require one login for the website and the APP.

Europe - Elation has introduced the KL CYC, an expressive LED cyc light and footlight fixture. Tailored for smooth and evenly illuminated cycloramas, sets, or wall washing applications, the KL CYC boasts an efficient asymmetrical reflector design to achieve blends of diffused light, enhancing the overall aesthetics of the stage and covering significant heights with ease.
With its stylized, low-profile housing, the KL CYC is also a suitable choice for footlight positions on the downstage edge, providing versatility for stage, film, television, theme park and event lighting use.
The KL CYC introduces the innovative EdgeLight safety feature, allowing users to designate a safety light in red or blue whenever desired. The new feature, which operates even if DMX signal is lost, provides guidance for performers, alerting them to the edge of the stage and adding an extra lay

UK - Virtual production facility Racquet Studios has partnered with Video Screen Services (VSS) to offer dynamic solutions for virtual productions of all types and of all sizes
Having launched in June 2023 and located in Eastbourne’s Devonshire Quarter, , Racquet Studios has been rapidly evolving to cater for a range of traditional and virtual productions across its facilities. Racquet Studios has been developed to support existing businesses and production companies through technical innovation to produce world-class creative content while creating a progressive creative economy, bringing investment, education and skilled year-round jobs to the region.
Having delivered market-leading solutions for films including The Batman, Barbie and The Marvels, VSS also provides installations for TV productions including Strictly Come Dancing and

Lithuania - The renowned state puppet theatre has undergone a largescale technical refurbishment valuing over 2.2m euros in its Grand Hall, selecting a DiGiCo mixing console to sit at the centre of a new audio system, with the aim of enabling more complex and high-profile productions.
Situated in the capital of Vilnius, and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lėlė Puppet Theatre was established in 1977 in the restored house of the distinguished Duke Oginsky. The theatre’s main performance space required an overhaul of its stage, lighting and sound equipment, so the venue approached Sonus Exsertus, stage technology design and integration company, with the brief to install an industry leading system, which swiftly let to the selection of the compact, feature-filled DiGiCo SD12 at FOH.
“Installing new technology in the main hall wi

USA - Nashville-based PTP Live has invested in 60 Ayrton Argo 6 FX lights for its live production work for music, festival and corporate clients and to bolster its rental inventory of lighting and video equipment.
The new Argo 6 FX lights expand PTP Live’s roster of Ayrton fixtures, which already includes Ayrton Khamsin S and MagicPanel 602 units.
“We’re doing a lot of shopping this year, adding a lot of new inventory,” says president Andrew Sparks. “We were looking for a fixture that was super bright, versatile and for outdoor use, and had great eye candy effects as well as general wash capabilities. We saw several different brands of fixtures, and the Argo 6 FX lights filled the bill.”
The Argo 6 FX is a versatile, fully-equipped luminaire designed for a multitude of applications. It offers all the features of a wash light and can generate many co

USA - As part of the Behind the Scenes (BTS) Mental Health Initiative, BTS and LDI are bringing the Wellness Lounge to LDI 2023, (3-5 December) in Las Vegas. The Wellness Lounge offers attendees a safe space to learn about mental and physical health through daily presentations, activities, and one-on-one consultations.
Each morning will start with Cup of Coffee Yoga where no experience, equipment, or special attire is required for a brief yoga practice with ETC’s VP of marketing, David Lincecum. Immediately following, participants can sample the benefits of breathing and meditation with University of Tennessee lighting professor and licensed meditation instructor Kenton Yeager.
In the afternoons, all attendees are invited to experience short presentations by industry colleagues on a range of topics that can improve your mental and physical wellbeing.
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UK - Linea Research has announced its technical partnership with PMC Speakers. This exciting collaboration took effect this month, marking a significant milestone for both companies.
Linea Research, recipient of the prestigious King's Award for Innovation, has a rich history of engineering audio solutions. Their commitment to excellence in design, engineering, and manufacturing has earned them a well-deserved reputation for delivering high-power amplification and DSP systems of quality and performance.
PMC Speakers is globally renowned for its premium studio monitors and reference speakers. With a history dating back to 1991, PMC products are relied upon by top studios, recording engineers, and artists worldwide.
Oliver Thomas, commercial director at PMC Speakers, states, "We are excited to join forces with Linea Research, a company that shares our commitment to

USA - The Orange Amplification festive tradition of granting Christmas wishes launches this week. For the 2023 giveaway, “expect the biggest and best prize range ever and it's free to enter!” says the company.
For many years it has been the custom to place an orange in Christmas stockings because they were considered a rare treat and the juicy segments could easily be shared. In keeping with tradition, Orange Amps would like to share its products with their many followers and put an Orange in the bottom of Christmas stockings across the globe.
Anyone can make a wish, however big or small, by commenting with their preferred Orange product on any wish granted themed post on any Orange Amps social media platforms - Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube - using the hashtag #orangewishgranted. You can also enter the competition via the form on the Orange Amps website.
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USA - Nashville-based band Big Daddy Weave has been raising the roof and bringing down the house on their ongoing 2023 Heaven Changes Everything Tour. The Dove Award winners - including founding members Mike Weaver, Joe Shirk, and Jeremy Redmon, who met at the University of Mobile and formed the band in 1998, along with the newer rhythm section of Brian Beihl and Raul Jose Alfonso - have long been popular and enduring staples of the contemporary Christian music universe.
They’re also extremely conscious of the role that technology plays in their sound, so this tour saw the addition of a pair of DiGiCo Quantum225 consoles, used for both front of house and monitors. In fact, they liked what the Quantum desks did so much that they bought them, rather than renting them for the duration of a tour as is common. They made an investment in DiGiCo technology because of the long-ter

Mexico - Xcaret is one of Mexico’s leading tourist attractions. At the end of 2021, the park’s technical team upgraded a problematic projector-based video system in its main Tlachco Theatre with ADJ LED video panels.
The new setup not only improved the clarity of the video content shown as part of the venue’s resident production but has also proven to be far more reliable than the previous system, following over a year of continuous use across daily shows.
Opened in 1990, Xcaret is a visitor attraction on the Riviera Maya that celebrates Mexico’s present and rich past. Located on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, 5km south of Playa del Carmen and 75km south of Cancún, the park showcases an area of natural beauty. Beneath a jungle canopy are a network of underground rivers and cenotes (flooded sinkholes) as well as ancient Mayan buildings, while on the coast is

USA - Christie MicroTiles LED took the stage with Something Corporate during the band’s headlining reunion show at Las Vegas’ House of Blues on 20 October and their main stage performances at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on 21-22 October as part of the When We Were Young festival.
Vocalist and pianist Andrew McMahon performed on a piano fully wrapped in Christie MicroTiles LED, which displayed images and lyrics from the band’s catalogue. Kevin ‘Clutch’ Page, principal, Procraft Media, who is also the bassist in Something Corporate, led the integration of this one-of-a-kind project.
Something Corporate returned to the stage after a 13-year hiatus. The performances also marked their first shows in 20 years with the band’s original line-up.
Bassist Clutch recalls the history of the band, and how they vinyl-wrapped McMahon’s piano with album artwork

Europe - Yamaha has announced the introduction of its new HS3 and HS4 compact powered studio monitors.
Introduced in 2013, the HS series is designed to deliver honest, precise reproduction, giving creators complete confidence that what they are hearing is a true representation of the sound.
Sold in pairs, the HS3 and HS4 feature a high performance Class D power amplifier, housed in the left speaker. This links to the right speaker with a simple speaker cable connection.
The HS3 features a 3.5-inch driver and 0.75-inch soft dome tweeter, while the HS4 has a 4.5-inch driver and 1-inch soft dome tweeter. Yamaha’s proprietary Twisted Flare Port technology reduces air turbulence noise in the rear bass reflex port, providing clear and accurate bass.
The left unit’s rear panel includes stereo combination XLR/TRS phone, RCA and mini jacks, allowing connection

USA - Main Light has announced the hiring of Brian Relph as rental account manager for their Tri-State location in Teterboro, NJ. A well-known figure in the New Jersey market with over 20 years of experience, Brian was instrumental in opening 4Wall Entertainment's New Jersey location in 2003.
"It's a great opportunity to work with Main Light, where I can focus on servicing top-tier production companies without the concern of competing with our clients," Brian remarked, highlighting Main Light's position as a dedicated dry hire provider. This sentiment is further echoed by Kathy Cluxton, COO of Main Light: "Brian's expertise and understanding of the customers and local market make him a perfect fit for our collaborative approach."
Since opening in February 2023, Main Light's Tri-State office has been steadily augmenting its roster with seasoned professionals familiar wi

USA - With fellow General Device Type Format (GDTF) and My Virtual Rig (MVR) founders MA Lighting and Robe Lighting, global design and BIM software provider Vectorworks has announced that DIN SPEC 15801 officially recognises MVR as an open standard for the entertainment industry worldwide.
"The accomplishment of DIN SPEC 15801 marks a significant milestone in the continuous evolution of GDTF and MVR, as well as the overall advancement of the entertainment industry," said Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar. "Since its inception, MVR has made remarkable progress in meeting the needs of manufacturers and designers through a standardized approach to data and 3D model exchange. This latest recognition further proves our unwavering commitment to unifying the entertainment industry and equipping professionals with the necessary tools for success."
Developed to facilitate inte

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