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Europe - Michel Arntz has joined Robe’s international sales team as key account manager for Europe.
He will be co-ordinating Robe’s activities in 18 countries across Europe including Ukraine, and his area will also include all of Scandinavia, Poland, the Baltic states, Austria, Switzerland and most of the Balkan countries. Netherlands-based Michel is already a well-known and respected industry figure in Europe.
In addition to sales, the scope of his work will cover product communication and marketing, plus relationship building with the distributors and end users.
Michel commented that he is “super excited” to be joining Robe’s international sales manager Ingo Dombrowski and his team of regional sales managers, noting that their “drive, passion and ent

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USA - The Audio Engineering Society (AES) will be presented with a prestigious Technical Grammy Award during the Grammy Week celebration in February 2023. The news was made public as part of the Recording Academy announcing its Special Merit Awards recipients. A special invitation-only ceremony will be held on Saturday, 4 February 2023, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
With the presentation of this award, AES joins an list of previous recipients which includes such well-known names as Apple Computer, Inc., AMS Neve plc, JBL Professional, Royer Labs, Shure Incorporated, Sony/Philips, Solid State Logic, Universal Audio, WAVES Audio and Yamaha Corporation.
This Special Merit Award is presented by vote of the Producers & Engineers Wing Advisory Council and Chapter Committees.
The Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards recipients press release sta

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Spain - RCF will be exhibiting at ISE in Barcelona (Hall7 - J150), showing their current portfolio alongside the launch of new products. The focus on the show floor will be a new section dedicated to RCF power amplification technology, new passive speakers (most notably the Compact A and Compact C series), the versatile active ART 9-AX speaker series, and audio solutions from the Business Music and Installed Sound product series.
The new XPS 16K power amplifier provides extreme power density and control, boasting four 4000W continuous power outputs, routing options with four analogue and digital AES/EBU inputs/outputs, Dante Audio Networking, and a complete set of tools for signal processing and tuning. Thanks to the complete RDNet integration, the sound system manager can choose active powered speakers or externally amplified modules for their system, evaluating the best ap
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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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UK - AV and system integrator specialist Lucinda Faucheux has launched LuFau Consulting, an independent consultancy that specialises in transforming tech businesses by helping them ‘achieve their goals of driving lean, efficient and reliable supply chains while optimising workflows and driving down costs’.
“My time spent in the AV industry illuminated a clear gap in the market,” explains Faucheux. “It’s a common theme that many system integrators do not employ someone who is specifically focused on supply chain management. It is difficult to find candidates with the relevant AV technical knowledge and, with the challenges of our current economy, justify hiring them permanently. I’m confident this is a void my consultancy services can fill.”
She adds: “Lately, many businesses have been restructuring or undergoing transformations, and with LuFau Consult

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UK - “It’s been a while, but we’re going on tour in November and can’t wait to see you again.” So read the official statement announcing the recently completed UK tour by the Kaiser Chiefs.
The multi Brit-Award winning band played 13 sold-out venues, with a dynamic lightshow run on a ChamSys MagicQ MQ250M console that featured ample amounts of engaging audience lighting.
“This is a band that thrives on interacting with the audience,” said Jason Hyne who co-designed the show with Mike Darling. “Ricky Wilson, the band’s charismatic leader feeds off the crowd’s response to his actions. Our goal was to create one space for the band and crowd to share this connection.”
Facing a tight time schedule and a limited budget, Darling and Hyne worked concepts from previous tours into their new design. After only one-day of production rehearsals, the tou

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UK - Sonnox has joined the Focusrite Group. Sonnox is a well-established brand in the audio industry. Its range of plugins are used in a wide range of audio applications including mixing, mastering, live sound, broadcast, TV and film, and even scientific and forensics projects.
The Sonnox team traces its heritage back to the development of the Oxford OXF-R3 digital mixing console which was installed in recording studios worldwide.
Tim Carroll, chief executive officer of the Focusrite Group, said: “It is an absolute pleasure to welcome Rod and his entire team to the Focusrite Group. Sonnox products are globally recognized as best in class, making them a natural fit in our stable, and we are all excited about the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead.”
Rod Densham, founder and managing director of Sonnox added: “We believe that by joining Focusrite

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Europe - Renkus-Heinz has announced a new partnership with Denmark-based AV distributor Matrix Sales.
As one of the largest AV distributors in Denmark, Matrix Sales works to bring audio, lighting and stage equipment solutions to conference rooms, meeting rooms, stages and studios.
“At Matrix Sales, we take pride in offering our customers only the best AV solutions. The company originated as a rental business, and all employees have personal experience with live or studio sound, so quality is paramount,” said Thomas Christensen, CEO, Matrix Sales. “Our team is impressed with Renkus-Heinz’s audio solutions. Quality, paired with extraordinarily good support, gives us the impression of a supreme brand that we will happily represent.
“The advantages of this partnership are obvious. We know the business, the customers and their demands, and Renkus-Heinz offe

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Europe - Elation Professional has announced that AV equipment supplier Rolight has been named the new exclusive distributor of Elation lighting products in the Netherlands. The agreement, which went into effect on 1 January, also encompasses Elation’s atmospheric effects brand Magmatic.
Established for over 40 years and based in Enschede, Rolight specialises in supplying the Dutch market with lighting, video and audio equipment. Rolight provides professional equipment to a wide range of different market segments, including theatres, rental, touring and AV installation companies.
“The new partnership with Elation will help us strengthen both our lighting and effect product ranges, offering our clients a greater variety of options and strengthening our position as one of the leading providers of professional lighting equipment on the market,” stated Robin Eijlders

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USA - The 90-minute Christmas at Hillcrest concert, which took place at the church’s Nine Mile Campus in Pensacola, FL, featured purples and blues, along with a host of other inspiring hues transforming the stage.
“As we listened to the songs that were to be featured in the production, we asked ourselves does this feel like a certain colour?” said the church’s production director Gavin Crane. “Different colours also have different biblical significance, so we tried to keep this in mind as well. For example, blues convey the calmness that comes with the hope and peace of Christmas. They also represent the clear moonlit night of the first Christmas.
“Throughout each song we varied our palette to reflect the different thoughts and feelings. So, we might start a song with the deep blue or purple, then as it built, we changed the colours to fit that moment. One

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USA - The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) recently hosted an in-house event with recording engineer, mixer, and record produce Bob Clearmountain and Apogee founder and CEO Betty Bennett with CRAS’ AES student section at the school’s Gilbert, Ariz. campus.
The Apogee CRAS Takeover included Apogee product demos and interactive mix sessions, alongside more intimate student discussions. Clearmountain and Roger Robindoré hosted Dolby Atmos demos in CRAS Studio D. Apogee Product Specialist George Williams showcased Apogee products and answering student questions.
“It was gratifying to interact with the inspiring, dedicated and professional students I met during our recent visit to CRAS,” said Clearmountain. “I was impressed by the facilities, especially those offered as part of the broadcast audio curriculum. After my visit, I have high hopes

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Germany - VDC Trading is providing Van Damme cables to the motorsports industry where they are used in real time professional driving solutions. These simulation tools accelerate product development and innovation across the motorsports and automotive industries by enabling designers and engineers to experience the full ‘experience’ and performance of the vehicle they are developing without having to build a prototype.
Simulators are vital to the motorsport and automotive industries, as they not only reduce time-to-market for new vehicles but they also ensure they are totally safe when finally on the road.
Recently, Van Damme’s German distributor, Audiosteps Commerce, supplied Van Damme Black Series 18x2.5mm Speaker POWER multicore cables to a business in Europe for several simulator projects.
Andre Masterati Freitag at Audiosteps commented: “Audiosteps r

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The Netherlands - In October, MHB of the Netherlands provided sport lighting for Indoor Friesland, one of Europe’s top equestrian competitions. MHB delivered, using their recently expanded inventory of Elation KL Panel LED softlights.
Indoor Friesland returned after a 15-year absence as top national and international riders competed in dressage and horse jumping at the WTC Expo in Leeuwarden.
MHB collaborated with the event for the first time as technical AV partner, providing sport and show lighting as well as LED screens and other technical essentials.
MHB has plenty of experience designing and suppling AV solutions for sporting events, having worked with clients such as Triple Double sports marketing and EMG media group. The company added to their inventory of KL Panels in September with 100 additional units and immediately deployed the full-spectrum LED s

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UK – Kevin Foakes’ Wheels of Light: Designs for British Light Shows 1970-1990, shines a powerful light on a remarkable period of entertainment history.
The book exists because of (and treats as its central hub) Optikinetics - the UK manufacturer formed by Neil Rice and Phil Brunker in 1970 and, under the ownership of Rob Stitcher, still going strong to this day. ‘Opti’ (as it has always been known) was not the first – or by any means the only – creator and purveyor of the projection effects which characterized the era. But they were a central player: they designed and built the famed Solar 250 projector, and they are one of the few companies influencing that powerfully creative time to have survived through to the present day.
The author’s research – triggered by a modern-day DJ’s encounter with a Solar 250 projector (yes, they still make them)

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USA - Fulcrum Acoustic has welcomed Zuo ‘Rambo’ Zhao as the newest member of its engineering team. As acoustic engineer, Rambo works on developing new technologies and designing new products. He comments, “I’ve always wanted to work with Dave Gunness and know I will learn a lot from him. “However, what made my decision to come to Fulcrum is that they really invest in technology. I’ll have the opportunity to focus on the research part of R&D and look forward to contributing to the next generation of loudspeakers.”
“Rambo’s passion for loudspeakers and related technologies is immediately apparent. In his short time with us, he’s already become a valuable member of the team” says David Gunness, co-founder and VP of engineering. “We are excited to have him on board and know that he will make significant contributions.”
Rambo brings a decade of

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Singapore - KV2 has announced the appointment of Robert Tan to the post of director of sales, Asia. Based in Singapore, Tan brings over 20 years of experience as an AV consultant in the hospitality and events industries before moving into systems integration. Tan specialises in designing systems for acoustically challenging environments, be it in the live events or installed sound sector and is also a skilled business manager.
“It’s an honour to be representing KV2 in the APAC region,” says Tan. “I’ve long admired their technology and their approach to acoustics which, in my view, sets them apart from their competitors. I was introduced to the brand in 2010 and was immediately intrigued with the clarity of the ES1.0 cabinets. Since then, the product range has continued to develop with more options for a wide variety of applications.
“I have achieved some of

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Lights Dimmed - Many West End theatres dimmed their lights on the evening of 21 December, in support of Ukraine and the winter blackouts the country will face due to the ongoing war with Russia. 21 December is the darkest day of the year, with the shortest day and longest night of the year, and West End theatres, along with other London businesses and the Mayor of London, participated in the worldwide supportive act.
West End theatres have a tradition of dimming theatre lights before or during an evening performance to pay tribute to notable figures who have died, mark a moment of tragedy or show support for a cause. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged organisations and individuals to band together for An Hour For Ukraine by switching off festive and non-essential lights to help raise public awareness of the continued war impact on Ukraine and to help with f

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Italy - Sadly, we report the death of pro audio consultant and journalist Mike Clark, who passed away on 30 December at the age of 77.
Mike, Scottish by birth, arrived in Italy at the end of the sixties as a sound engineer for a band. He fell in love with the country and decided to live there.
He always worked in the field of music, first as a DJ in the leading discos of the Riviera, and then as a music expert in one of the largest shops in Italy, Dimar in Rimini.
A specialised journalist and correspondent for entertainment industry magazines including LSi, he also collaborated with many pro-audio manufacturers, including Outline.
“During the last 30 years, Mike was the most precious resource for our r&d and marcomms departments,” Michele Noselli of Outline states. “A brilliant, generous and extremely reliable person, Mike translated intricate pat

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USA/Europe - Following a positive reception from designers and specifiers at the LDI show in Las Vegas, Elation has announced that the KL Profile FC is now shipping. The unit is designed for any application where a compact ellipsoidal or wash fixture with outstanding colour range and a flexible zoom range is required.
The KL Profile FC offers full-spectrum performance from a 92 CRI engine that utilises a 305W 5-color homogenized LED array of red, green, blue, mint, and amber sources. The RGBMA engine, calibrated at a native colour temperature of 6500 Kelvin, emits diffused saturates and soft-field pastels, including tuneable white light. The carefully tuned LEDs ensure accurate colour reproduction while delivering a powerful output of 10,600 lumens.
High colour quality and colour manipulation are central to the KL Profile FC, ensuring that designs translate well to c

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USA - Monster metal band Lorna Shore’s 18 December To The Hell Fire Christmas Show at the Wellmont Theatre, Montclair, NJ, featured songs from group’s albums, including the hit And I Return To Nothingness.
Powering his way through the explosive set on his ChamSys MagicQ MQ70, lighting designer Nate Haber kept pace with his client’s music, serving up a variety of potent looks, all while preserving an instantly recognisable Christmas flavour complete with brightly lit 12ft high holiday evergreens on either side of the stage.
Helping him accomplish this feat was a Squeek Lights supplied rig that featured Maverick Force S Spot, Rogue Outcast 1 BeamWash, and Nexus 4x1 fixtures from Chauvet Professional.
“Lorna Shore wanted to set the mood of a Christmas show, but with death metal music,” said Haber. ‘Given that directive, I wanted to accentua

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USA – The new Chaparral High School in the central Texas city of Killeen opened its doors in August 2022 with a modern performing arts wing designed to elevate student learning. It is equipped with an array of luminaires from Vari-Lite, including a Neo and Vision.Net control system, VL800, Acclaim LED and Coda LED fixtures, and Aurora LED Strips.
The arts centre within the $147m school boasts a 1,200-seater auditorium, band, choir, and orchestra rooms, a black box theatre, set design workshops and teaching spaces, built by American Constructors and designed by James Fauver at PBK Architects.
“Our mission was to provide an integrated, fully networked, professional standard stage lighting system that would be intuitive to learn, access and use for both students and staff,” says Erich Friend, principal consultant at theatre consultancy, Teqniqal Systems. “Our desi

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USA - The results are in for the 2023 ESTA Board of Directors election. Incumbent Todd Spencer of Ventana Capital Investments will return as president, and incumbent Joe Aldridge will return as individual director. Hannah R. D’Amico of IATSE has been elected as the new organisational director. She will succeed Alan M. Rowe, who reached his term limit.
D’Amico first became involved with ESTA through her work with the IATSE Education and Training Department. Early in her career, she was assigned to work with members of the IATSE Craft Advancement Programme (ICAP) to develop new craft skills and safety trainings for IATSE workers. During her time with the ICAP, she was mentored by ESTA past-president Eddie Raymond; individual director, Joe Aldridge; outgoing organisational director, Alan Rowe; and ETCP Council member Kent Jorgensen, among many others. Last year she joined
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