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Japan - Rock in Japan made its post-COVID-19 return this year and did so in very different fashion. The five-day event was reborn as an urban style festival in a new location, having moved to the Soga Sports Park in the coastal resort of Chiba from its previous home of Hitachinaka.
The change of location had been a major concern for those managing and promoting the shows, as Soga Sports Park is located near residences and in a densely populated shopping area. Additionally, it was the first time that a festival had taken place here. The potential of noise pollution problems caused challenges for the production team.
“We had to adopt a completely different the approach,” stated Shuzo Fujii, president of MSI Japan, the sound production company. “Up until now, we have

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Belgium - Girl band K3 are back on the road performing to their enthusiastic young fanbase, complete with a tightly choreographed show produced by Studio 100 and lighting designed by Jeroen Opsteyn from creative outfit Painting with Light (PWL) who worked closely with choreographer, Tommy Gryson.
Wanting to keep the focus firmly on the performers, a minimalist ‘bare stage’ production concept was developed without video but with a big emphasis on lighting to provide the visual atmospherics including a kinetic essence that flowed throughout the performance with the dance movements.
This was delivered by Opsteyn with a carefully chosen rig that includes 40 x Robe Tetra2 moving LED batten fixtures that play a key role in the lighting design, which, together with a series of smartly designed props and costumes and the tight choreography, help bring the stage alive with

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Spain - It’s been a busy summer for BTM Sound as a full programme of concerts and festivals returned to Catalunya in 2022 following two years of COVID-19 lockdowns. The Girona-based events services specialists deployed Nexo systems at festivals at Porta Ferrada with performances from Iggy Pop, Herbie Hancock and Jamie Cullum, Mas Sorrer and Sons del Món on the Costa Brava at Roses, where headliners included Andrés Calamaro, Gipsy Kings and Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals.
In a stunning location overlooking the Mediterranean, the Nexo System at Sons del Món comprised of 12-box line arrays of Geo M12 to cover an audience depth of approximately 60m, with eight pairs of MSUB18 sub bass cabinets across the front of the stage. Nexo’s P12 point source speakers were used for font and side-fills, and performers enjoyed precision coverage from Nexo’s 45N12 stage monitor
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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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USA - Canacopia is a one-day festival sponsored by Forty8 Live!, dedicated to the appreciation of adult canned beverages. Taking place on 10 September, non-stop musical performances were held throughout the day, culminating in a headline performance from Grammy winner, Zedd. Creative BackStage worked with Zedd’s team to build a rig for the mainstage, which featured 112 Chauvet Professional fixtures.
The dynamic lightshow supporting the headliner’s performance was designed by Zedd’s LD Steven Hernandez. John Garberson of Creative BackStage spent months working with Forty8 Live! and the Zedd team to bring the event to life.
Garberson had a clear vision in mind when putting together the rig - it had to be bright enough to create bold looks during daylight hours for opening acts, which included Evening Elephants and The Brook & The Buff, and intense enough to s

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UK - Cliff Eldridge has been named as the new chief financial officer of online platform Second Warehouse.
Eldridge is best known for his tenure as CFO at Meyer Sound. He spent more than two decades with the company, supporting the growth of the American manufacturer before deciding to step back from the role in early 2022.
“Cliff’s appointment is a serious statement of intent from Second Warehouse,” said CEO Phil Van Peborgh. “We have worked carefully to ensure we have all the right foundations in place to position Second Warehouse as the trusted platform for pro AV cross rental, and Cliff is a vital part of that strategy. His depth of experience and the respect he commands across the industry make him a valuable addition to our leadership team.”
“It is a real honour to join the leadership team of Second Warehouse at such an exciting moment for the

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UK - Jamie Gomez has been appointed to the position of global marketing manager for Martin Audio and Optimal Audio. Jamie moves to his new position from within the wider Focusrite Group, where he was GMM for Focusrite Pro. A marketing professional with a strong audio background who specialises in brand development and digital marketing, Jamie spent time with Pioneer Pro Audio, before his move into the world of networked audio, recording and post-production at Focusrite PRO.
Jamie Gomez comments: “The opportunity to return to the world of sound reinforcement and loudspeakers with not one, but two exceptional brands, is a unique and irresistible challenge, and one which I’m very excited to take on. With Optimal Audio, the chance to work on what is effectively an exciting start-up brand with an innovative edge in the commercial sector, dovetails brilliantly with the Martin

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USA - Harman Professional Solutions has introduced the Martin Exterior Linear Pro series. This range of permanent, compact, LED-based outdoor and indoor architectural fixtures ‘harnesses the latest linear technologies, enabling dramatically low power consumption while delivering powerfully robust lumen output’.
The new models are designed for architects, system integrators, electrical contractors and other professionals, needing striking direct and indirect illumination of walls, ceilings, textured and decorative surfaces in stadiums and arenas, cruise ships, theme parks, hotels, casinos, bridges, tunnels, or similar applications.
“In developing the Martin Exterior Linear Pro Series, we have created a range that offers truly superior architectural integration capabilities, putting intense focus on energy consumption and efficacy,” said Robert Svensson, produc

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USA - Vari-Lite has announced the Neo X15 and Neo X5, a family of high-performance lighting consoles designed for mixed-use facilities such as performing arts centres, stadiums and arenas, houses of worship, studios, schools; and more.
“Large format entertainment lighting consoles are typically either focused on theatrical lighting or live event lighting, but traditionally not both,” explains Jon Hole, global product manager, Vari-Lite Controls at Signify. “However, many facilities are multifunctional and need the capabilities of a premium console that works for all the different types of events and user experience levels in the space. X Series consoles offer a feature-rich, customisable platform that is perfect for both theatrical and live event lighting - at a price point that won’t take up the entire upgrade budget.”
The new X15 is Vari-Lite’s flagship,

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UK - Applications are open again for Lighthouse Young Technicians, a training course for 12 young people aged 16-19 eager to get to grips with lighting, sound and stage management in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings.
Guided by industry specialists, young people navigate all elements of technical theatre to gain the experience that may set them on course for a future career.
“As a young person making your way in technical theatre, it is very important to do what is right for you,” says Poole-based international lighting designer and course tutor James Smith.
"There is no right way to start a career in technical theatre - for some the answer is university, for others it could be an apprenticeship, or a job at their local theatre where they can build their skills. All roads will end in the same place where the aim should be to produce good quality collab

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Slovenia - The venue known today as Dom kulture Kamnik (DKK), located to the north of Ljubljana in Slovenia, was built in 1953 as part of the Kamnik Chemical Industry. Constructed by the workers themselves, DKK was designed to be a cultural entertainment centre to serve the local community. Although the main stage incorporated hoists, the venue was primarily used as a movie theatre until it temporarily closed its doors in 1991.
With the idea of revitalizing live performances came the decision to renovate the building. Over the past two decades, a variety of improvements have been made, including the recent installation of a stage machinery system from ETC Rigging, comprising Prodigy P2 hoists, Helix cable management, a ColorSource Raceway prewired power and data distribution system, and a QuickTouch Preset controller.
“Back in 2017, we were at DKK installing an ETC C

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UK Specialist consultancy 3LR Lighting has appointed Stuart West as business development manager for lighting, control and software. West brings more than 25 years of entertainment production experience to the role, having enjoyed a varied career in technical theatre production, venue management and building operations.
Founded in 2019 by Matt Lloyd, 3LR is an architectural and broadcast lighting consultancy which works closely with ETC, Rosco and other leading professional lighting brands and provides expert advice on lighting in TV and film studios, auditoriums, cruise ships and public spaces. Lloyd says: “I’ve known Stuart for a very long time, and he has such a varied and unique skillset that the chance to bring him into 3LR was simply too good to miss. He has so much to offer our clients.”
West’s interest in lighting began in a childhood surrounded by ent

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UK - Andy Bell, former operations director at KB Event, has joined Truckingby as events operations director.
Andy has over 23 years' experience in live event trucking, working with bands and artists such as Ed Sheeran, Rod Stewart, the Stereophonics and many more.
“I’m looking forward to bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge into Truckingbyand being a valuable part of their team in expanding their live events division,” says Andy.
Kevin Hopper, Truckingby managing director said Andy’s appointment to the company adds additional strength and knowledge to our live events logistics operation, we are all looking forward to working with him, and wish him all the best for the future with Truckingby.”

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Expensive Tastes - Tickets for next year's Glastonbury Festival will cost £340, organisers have confirmed. Festival-goers will be charged £335 plus a £5 booking fee for standard tickets, plus a £50 deposit. The last time tickets went on sale, in 2019, they cost £265 plus the booking fee for what should have been the 2020 festival, but was postponed due to the pandemic.
The music event will return to Worthy Farm in Somerset from 21 to 25 June 2023, and tickets - which usually sell out in minutes - will go on sale on 6 November. Fans must register before purchasing in a bid by organisers to stop ticket touts.
Bittersweet - The Lord Mayor of Liverpool said winning Eurovision was "bittersweet" and vowed to do his utmost to honour the Ukrainian sister city. Councillor Roy Gladden has written to the Mayor of Odesa after Liverpool secured the right to host the 202

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USA - This month, the American Society of Theatre Consultants (ASTC) welcomed Michael Nishball as its newest full member. Membership into the ASTC, follows a highly selective process that considers a candidate’s range of capability and experience, their past industry achievements, and the quality of service they provide to clients.
“I can think of no person more deserving of full membership,” offered Scott Crossfield, Theatre Projects principal and fellow with the ASTC. “Michael’s experience in equipment and systems design is unparalleled, and he is the type of person we want in the ASTC: committed to the industry, dogged about the appropriate use of technology in the design of performance spaces, and invested in safety for audience and performer as his number one priority.”
Michael is Theatre Projects’ principal theatre equipment designer and one of the

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UK - Audio-Technica has announced the appointment of Jack Spenn to the role of business development manager for the south of England. Based in Bristol, Spenn’s portfolio comprises Audio-Technica and its distributed brands (Allen & Heath, Optimal Audio, Audio Pro Business and Artnovion) in the UK.
Spenn brings considerable experience within the audio installation industry to the position, having studied acoustics at Salford University before working for Masons Sound, GVAV and most recently Enlightened in Bristol. His hands-on knowledge of AV and sound system design, installation and optimisation in live music venues, hospitlity, education and HOW means Spenn is well-positioned to service and support customers across market segments.
“I’m really looking forward to continuing to build the great brands under the Audio-Technica umbrella in the UK,” says Spenn.

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UK - HH Electronics has announced the launch of its M-Series high power, 2U rack amplifiers. The series is designed to provide maximum performance for demanding applications everywhere from bars, restaurants and clubs, to houses of worship, live music and education settings.
There are three models available. The M-750D, M-1500D and M-2600D all draw on HH’s five decades of pioneering heritage in the field of amplifier design and development. Designed and engineered in the UK the series boasts high quality, heavy duty toroidal power supply, robust chassis, reliable linear power stage, and comprehensive protection system.

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Sweden - Claypaky reports that its Xtylos Aqua fixture was honoured with the Innovation Award at LLB Expo 2022 in Stockholm. LLB Expo is the largest Nordic meeting place for professionals in audio, lighting, video and AV technology. The fair is held every other year and attracts more than 3,000 visitors; this year it took place at the Stockholm International Fairs exhibition centre.
The coveted Prize for Innovation was awarded to Xtylos Aqua, a small form factor, IP66-rated fixture powered by Claypaky’s proprietary RGB laser source. It offers the same effects and features as the popular original Xtylos while being able to withstand harsh conditions and the elements thanks to its marine-grade C5-M protection.
Since the introduction of the Xtylos fixture, Claypaky has been focused on developing pioneering technologies that offer new ways to motivate designers to reach

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UK - Production Futures exists to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries. The organisation’s Breakthrough Awards, presented in association with TPi magazine, recognise the impact of up-and-coming talent in all areas of production, with nominations made by tutors, mentors, colleagues or peers.
This year, the six winners received their awards at the Production Futures ON TOUR event which took place in late September at Production Park in Wakefield. The event was the first of a series taking place across the UK in the coming months and saw more than six hundred young people through its doors. Thirty-five brand partners from the worlds of audio, lighting, TV, virtual events and global logistics, were on hand to offer in

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USA - Since her first Grammy Awards performance, Lorde has entrusted FOH mixing engineer Philip J. Harvey for her live audio needs. Currently, Harvey is wrapping up his work for the singer’s Solar Power 2022 Tour across the US, where a high-quality, comfortable and accurate audio solution was of utmost importance.
Pulling from his experience as a self-taught audio tech working in clubs and on the road with bands such as Medeski Martin & Wood, Mumford and Sons and My Bloody Valentine, as well as Jack White’s The White Stripes, The Raconteurs and Dead Weather, Harvey knew what brand would check all the boxes. He worked with audio provider Clair Global to select a number of instrument and vocal mics from DPA Microphones.
“With the recent addition of the new 4055 Kick Drum Microphone, the entire drum set is DPA,” Harvey explains. “We also have a 2011C Twin Di

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South Africa - The Saturday Showdown is South Africa’s newest and hottest prime-time TV sports games show. Lighting designer Ryan Lombard was delighted to be asked onboard and he seized the opportunity to use Robe moving lights, including MegaPointes which were a new investment for rental specialist and lighting supplier, Blond Productions.
The show, recorded at Urban Brew Studio 10 in Johannesburg, and produced by Red Pepper Productions for broadcaster Mzansi Magic, is a hi-energy action-packed sport-themed entertainment game show with big prize money.
Ryan took Michael Gill’s set design as the show’s visual blueprint as he started to think about lighting. The two have worked collaboratively on several recent TV projects and enjoy a great synergy and creative language.
Ryan assessed the Showdown environment which included a ‘studio’ area where

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USA - After 122 shows over four years, rock band Kansas wrapped up the Point of Know Return Anniversary Tour. With fans still clamouring for the show to carry on, the band embarked on a tour celebrating their classic hits with a lighting system designed by Scott Pearson and provided by Bandit Lites.
With nine gold albums, three multi-platinum albums and six decades of touring, Kansas is one of the more formidable rock bands consistently touring.
“During COVID-19, I personally have become very close to several members of the Kansas entourage, especially Phillip Ehart and JR Rees,” said Bandit Lites chair, Michael T. Strickland. “We bonded in the early days and have stayed in constant communication for over two years. There is not a finer, more talented organization that Kansas. Their involvement and work on COVID-19 relief was second to none and we all ow
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