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UK - The team behind Optikinetics - a leading innovator of specialist lighting projection effects - has launched a Kickstarter project to help introduce [OPTI] Kino, a limited-edition ‘70s-inspired psychedelic light projector.
Created in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary, the Kino projector takes inspiration from the past whilst utilising modern manufacturing materials and techniques. “Imagine you are in the ‘70s and not afraid to let your imagination flow,” say Kino’s creators. “Opti's newest projector is here to take you back in time on a vibrant and mesmerising journey. It's all about love: love for the past, love for creativity, love for colours and above all, love for your imagination.”
Offering a retro-modern style, the limited-edition

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Crisis Grants - The Royal Theatrical Fund has launched a one-off Emergency Crisis Grant Award to assist struggling workers in the industry during the cost-of-living crisis. The grant, open for applications from 1 November, is intended to help those who are "unable to meet their essential needs" due to an unexpected change in circumstances.
The non-profit organisation cited the continuing cost-of-living crisis as a factor behind the initiative, and suggested grants could be used to pay phone bills, buy school uniform and for food. Eligible applicants must derive their main income from the entertainment business and have worked professionally in the industry for seven years, with professional training included within that time.
The RTF launched a similar small crisis grant scheme, the Fleabag Support Fund, in 2021. The scheme awarded more than £1.7m to theatre industry

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USA - NADIA is an integrated, network-based digital audio processing and distribution platform that will power future installations of Constellation by Meyer Sound. When incorporated into new Constellation installations, in addition to the processing power and inputs reserved for active acoustics, NADIA also provides separate inputs, processing, and matrixing to enable Spacemap Go spatial sound with no performance compromises for either function.
“With NADIA, we have leveraged the latest advancements in DSP technology along with Milan-based AVB networking and combined them with Meyer Sound’s four decades of experience in dedicated signal processing for audio applications,” says Andy Davies, Meyer Sound senior product manager.
“The result is a uniquely powerful, scalable, and unified platform for signal processing and distribution. NADIA has been designed for ou
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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

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Japan - A significant highlight at this year’s Inter BEE will be the presence of Brompton Technology, featured on the stands of partners including Ark Ventures Inc., AOTO Electronics, Sony Marketing Inc., Ikegami, d&b audiotechnik, and Restar Communications Corporation. Notably, the team from Ark Ventures will introduce Brompton’s TrueLight technology for the first time in Asia.
As well as TrueLight, which enables full per-pixel calibration and control of the light spectrum emitted by an LED panel with a broader spectral output by utilising extra emitters in addition to the standard RGB format, Brompton’s partners will also present other leading Tessera features, such as Frame Remapping, that are utilised by some of the world’s most renowned broadcast studios.
"At Inter BEE, Ark Ventures will showcase state-of-the-art technologies from Brompton and other ma

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UK - HireHop, the cloud equipment rental software, has been adding new features at a rapid pace and has just released their supercharged scanning module, that can also be run as a progressive web app on any device.
This new addition is free to all users, even the users using the free version of HireHop.
HireHop’s product manager, Daniel Shenker, said: “HireHop’s ethos is not just doing the minimum to say we have “a feature”, we always strive to implement features never seen or tried before and, with our new scanning app, we have invented new technology to give users more scanning functionality than ever before to further boost their warehouse productivity and accuracy. We are so proud to give our users all of these world class features, and at no extra cost.”
The new scanning app is fully adaptive and works on all mobile devices, including mobile P

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France - L-Acoustics has announced the release of the LC16D network audio converter, designed to simplify the process of interfacing legacy digital formats with the Milan AVB time-sensitive network.
LC16D is a high-capacity AES/EBU- and MADI-to-Milan AVB audio network converter housed in a compact and rugged 1RU chassis. With up to 80 legacy format inputs and outputs, LC16D can interface with up to 128 channels to and from the network. It offers dynamic mapping of audio channels and comprehensive synchronisation options, all controlled via an intuitive, embedded web interface. LC16D features flexible power options, with the innovative use of power over Ethernet and seamless Milan AVB audio connections, providing robust redundancy features as standard.
LC16D is simple to use; the embedded web interface enables full control and monitoring from any device with a web brows

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UK - Ever since Manchester UK-based fac365 secured the Optocore dealership in 2016, the pro audio RF and comms rental specialists have enjoyed increasing success with the brand, culminating in this year, with most notably the Festival Box.
Originally set up in the UK’s Greater Manchester area by Mike Hayes, fac365 supplies solutions right across the broadcast and entertainment spectrum - on both a sales and hire basis - including many interactive devices from the Optocore portfolio.
Festival Box itself is a point-to-point converter, which enables all signals and protocols to tunnel over the same fibre. It quickly established itself on tours by Billie Eilish and the Spice Girls and subsequently on Coldplay tours.
Having first debuted Optocore’s AutoRouter on the Head Full Of Dreams tour at the end of 2015, Alex Hadjigeorgiou introduced Festival Box to the band

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UK - An Audient ASP8024-HE has been installed in The Live Room, a community support project in Birkenhead, northwest England, providing a venue for musicians wanting to reconnect with their passion. The arrival of the console followed a recommendation - and generous donation - from Pete Townshend.
The brainchild of public-spirited Iain Ogilvie, The Live Room offers a lifeline for musicians who are dealing with issues of addiction, isolation and poverty. “Our goal is to support the mental health of participants through team involvement, and signposting to professional agencies where necessary. In doing so, we help them overcome challenges through the creative process.”
The concept of The Live Room came to Iain whilst he was working at the Keyboard Repair Centre in The Wirral. “I noticed an increasing number of older, retired musicians asking for repairs to their o

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UK - CJP Broadcast Service Solutions, systems integration, production and content digitisation specialist, has handed over a new virtual production environment at Solent University Southampton. The project involved creating an existing studio space into a very large, high performance, flexible environment which will serve students across a range of disciplines.
To provide the sort of facilities students will see in their working lives after graduation, the studio is equipped with the most widely used professional tools. The virtual volume is formed by a 10m x 3m LED wall, with a 4m x 2m ceiling, using AOTO RM2.3mm and MxH3.7mm LED panels powered by a network of Brompton video processors.
The screen displays virtual graphics generated by a multi-node Mo-Sys VP Pro XR server, the third university to utilise this system. At the heart of the VP Pro XR is the Unreal Engin

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Europe - During the busy August festival season, Europe’s largest stages called upon the timing and audio spatialisation prowess of TiMax SoundHub to manage immersive soundscapes, as well as vocal and orchestral localisation, on the vast productions which draw the summer crowds.
In the UK, Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a pinnacle of the Edinburgh festival and pulls in a 9,000-strong audience every night to watch a spectacular and dynamic performance featuring military bands from all over the world. In new creative hands this year with sound designer Scott Willsallen of Auditoria heading up the audio team, TiMax SoundHub and TiMaxTrackerD4 were still a requirement to spatially reinforce and track hundreds of military musicians through the nightly, multi-act, performances. Referring to the high calibre technology deployed for the tattoo, creative director, Michael Braithwaite

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UAE - Technology from LSC Control Systems is at the centre of the dimming and power distribution installations at two of Dubai’s latest fine-dining experiences. Specified and installed by Loud DXB for Solutions Leisure Group, the APS (Advanced Power System) and GEN VI systems from the Australian manufacturer provide both quality of performance and peace of mind for client and supplier alike.
At Dubai’s new En Fuego restaurant, a colourful and vibrant Latin American-themed dining destination at the Palm Dubai’s Atlantis resort, Loud specified both an APS configurable power system and GEN VI intelligent dimming/direct power system from LSC Control Systems. Meanwhile, for another of Solutions Leisure’s latest attractions, the Asia Asia restaurant and lounge with its ancient Spice Route theme, sited on Dubai’s stunning Business Bay, they again specified LSC’s GEN VI

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Finland - Singer Kaija Koo celebrates an impressive 40-year career as one of the country’s most popular artists, and anniversary activities have included staging a massive show at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium.
The high-profile one-off event featured an elegant and eye-catching production design evolved by the combined talents of Ari Levelä (set & video) and Pekka Martti (lighting), who chose to use a full grandMA3 system for lighting and video control.
The two have worked together as a visual team since 2016 and enjoy the creative benefits of pooling ideas and experiences to produce unique shows and spectaculars. This show followed an arena tour they completed at the end of 2022 featuring four powerhouse Finnish female singers, one being Kaija Koo.
Her management team was clearly impressed with their work and invited Ari & Pekka to present a design fo

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USA - The ascent of bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings from van-and-trailer gigs to A-level arena touring is a testament to his mastery of traditional styles as well as his expansion of the genre into new realms of rock-influenced extended improvisations.
On the current leg of his 2023 amphitheatre and arena tour, Strings is enveloping his growing legions of jam-band fans through a robust system based on Meyer Sound Panther large-format linear line array loudspeakers. As with all recent tours, the system supplier on this outing is Nashville, Tennessee-based Major Tom US.
The regular tour schedule took a pause at the end of September for the third annual Billy Strings Renewal Festival in the mountain valley of Buena Vista, Colorado. Here, with the timely arrival of custom cabling and infrastructure from EMG, the tour’s complement of Panther loudspeakers became one of

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Italy - It may not have rivalled the 200,000 or so spectators who used to watch chariot races there in ancient times, but the 70,000 fans who turned out at Rome’s Circus Maximus for Imagine Dragons’ show recently constituted a pretty good-sized crowd.
Making the only Italian stop on their Mercury World Tour, the Grammy- winning band from Las Vegas, didn’t disappoint.
Reflecting the mood of music and the stage ebullient persona of the band was a lively and upbeat light and video show by the Milan design studio Blearred that featured 100 Chauvet Professional Color Strike M motorised strobes from Zalight with service from Agora.
The Color Strike M fixtures were arranged on the upper frame of the three LED walls, as well as being aligned across the entire width of the stage deck and fixed to the trusses of the delay towers. From these positions, the multi-for

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USA - Floridian rockers Tedeschi Trucks’ summer 2023 tour staging was dominated by soaring horizontal LED battens which displayed pixels of video content, driven by Hippotizer Karst+ MK2 media servers. The battens were interspersed with LED fixtures to create a dazzling series of audience blinders, colour and sweeping effects to set the scene for the band’s brand of American blues rock.
The lighting design and programming was delivered to the tour by Infinitus Vox, headed by Tony Caporale, who used a Hippotizer Karst+ MK2’s NDI feed to his Depence R3 pre-viz software. This meant that during pre-production, he could view all of the lighting and video design together, before controlling the Media Server via a grandMA3 console.
“Since pixel mapping was the main focus here, the Karst+ MK2 was the right Hippotizer for the job,” says Caporale. “It offers flexibi

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Japan - Ryōgoku Kokugikan, also known as Ryōgoku Sumo Hall or Kokugikan Arena, is the only building dedicated to Sumo, Japan’s national sport, and has been home to many historic initiatives.
The origins of sumo began some 2000 years ago but in its modern form it only took hold around 300 years ago. Once established in Japan, it passed down from generation to generation.
Such is its status, there is no-one in Japan who has not heard of the Tokyo-based Ryōgoku Kokugikan. Sumo wrestlers practice here daily, dreaming of winning the Gift Cup, and since sumo is Japan’s national sport, His Majesty The Emperor sometimes comes to watch, and has seats reserved for him.
But Ryōgoku Kokugikan also hosts various other events during periods when sumo is not being held, including wrestling, concerts and corporate events.
Sumio Akashio, sound engineer at the Ryōgo

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Europe - Michael Johnson, who co-founded Nexo and served as its managing director until 2008, has passed away.
Establishing the company alongside Eric Vincenot and Thierry Tranchant, ‘Micky’ contributed to the expansion of Nexo over nearly 30 years, travelling the world and engaging with customers.
“He was not only an entrepreneur but also a patron of arts, music and theatre and an avid art collector. Please join us in remembering Micky and the legacy he leaves behind,” says Nexo.

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South Africa - Ayrton has announced a new distribution partner for South Africa - Planetworld.
Planetworld will be closely supported by current distributor, Bespoke Entertainment Solutions to ensure Ayrton’s current and prospective customers receive the very best in products, service and support.
Planetworld, already a well-established company in the consumer audio market, and familiar to the entertainment industry through its distribution of leading audio brands, recently launched its new Pro Division. The Planetworld Pro Team - formally Wild and Marr - is responsible for supplying both technical design and equipment into the pro AV systems and live entertainment markets. Ayrton will become the second major LED brand to strengthen its product portfolio, complementing its Leyard LED screen representation.
“The entire team at Planetworld and I are beyond exci

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USA - Follow-Me has announces the appointment of Chris Lose as their new designer relations liaison for the North American market.
Lose brings considerable experience and a keen understanding of the creative demands of the industry. After using Follow-Me on major world events and tours, Lose states he is “proud to spread the word about the benefits of this dynamic system and help others benefit from integrating it in their design work”.
His appointment signifies a dedication to promoting Follow-Me to the North American market. Marc van der Wel, general manager at Follow-Me confirms: “Providing designer relations to our clientele reinforces Follow-Me’s commitment to providing innovative solutions that scale seamlessly with the size and ambition of any event.”

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Germany - HK Audio has expanded the Linear 5 MK II series with the Linear 5 MK II 308 LTA long-throw mid/high unit and the Linear 5 MK II 118 Sub HPA compact high-performance subwoofer.
Linear 5 MK II 308 LTA and 118 Sub HPA round off the top end of the Linear 5 MK II series. The modular and economical sound reinforcement tools, manufactured in St. Wendel, open up new areas of application and offer system configurations that grow with the requirements and also provide high-resolution, expressive sound with a powerful bass foundation for large events.
Linear 5 MK II 308 LTA is the optimal solution for sound reinforcement of large, long and wide rooms as well as open airs. The Linear 5 MK II 308 LTA long-throw mid/high unit closes the gap between the classic point source PA and the line array in the form of a compact, horn-loaded speaker cabinet.
Linear 5 MK II 308

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The Netherlands - The Essential Festival in Oost-Maarland became a centre of music and light on 16 September, thanks to Matrix Event Support. The festival, which featured a line-up of renowned dance DJs, regional artists and singers, was set against the picturesque backdrop of the river Meuse.
Using Showtec and Infinity fixtures, Matrix Event Support brought the magic to life with their spectacular lighting designs that illuminated both the Main Stage and the Hard Dance Stage.
Commissioned by Heijnens Audio - Light - Vision, Matrix Event Support left festival-goers in awe with their mesmerising lighting design at the festival. The Main Stage, a focal point of the event, was bathed in a vivid spectrum of colours with 50 Showtec Spectral M800 Q4 Tour RGBW LED spots. Sixteen Showtec DWE Audience Blinders and five Showtec Stage Blinder 4 DMX audience blinders were strateg
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