USA - Tears for Fears has wrapped the North American leg of their Tipping Point World Tour 2022 in support of the duo’s comeback album of the same name. Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal treated fans to favourites from their new album as well as classics from throughout the years in an amphitheatre tour with lighting design by Joe Cabrera II who chose 48 Ayrton MagicBlade R fixtures for effects lighting. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.
This leg of the Tipping Point World Tour 2022 kicked off at the end of May in Cincinnati and concluded a month later in New York’s Jones Beach. The duo’s eponymous album, their first since 2004’s Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, was released earlier this year.
Cabrera, of Los An

UK - Last week, Alexander Stadium was brought to life for the opening ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Engaged by Birmingham Ceremonies (a Joint venture between Gary Beestone Associates and Done and Dusted), Creative Technology provided LED display technology and playback services for the show, working closely with Total Fabrications for the structural elements and BAFTA award winning artist and creative director Tal Rosner for the content.
Centre stage on the stadium floor the ‘Bullring’ was made from a specialist outdoor and waterproof LED, created measuring over 260m in circumference, incorporating ramps for vehicle access in several locations and a seamless removeable section allowing larger scenic access including the massive mechanical bull.
At one end of the stadium a massive telescopic LED tower incorporating 250m2 of CT’s flag

UK - The deadline for entries for this year’s PLASA Awards for Innovation is fast approaching. Those wishing to enter products for this year’s awards are encouraged to do so as soon as possible, with the deadline for entrants to enjoy maximum publicity being Friday 5 August. After that, entries will be accepted until Wednesday 17 August but will miss out on key marketing opportunities associated with the awards. PLASA Show 2022 exhibitors, PLASA members and non-exhibitors are invited to enter their products to be in with a chance of winning one of the coveted awards.
Organised in association with LSi, the awards celebrate innovative products from across the live entertainment technology industry that can demonstrate a new style of thinking, improve technical practice or safety, introduce new materials or techniques, or offer a new commercial advantage.
Each successfu
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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


In Decline - Britain has 20% fewer nightclubs than it had when the country first went into lockdown in March 2020. Nightclubs have been in decline for the last 15 years or so and figures released by the Night Time Industries Association highlight that the trend of closures is continuing. That's despite the government offering billions of pounds in grants and loans throughout the pandemic to support hospitality businesses which were forced to shut down.
The NTIA recorded the lowest number of nightclubs on record - 1,130 - in its latest set of data, based on the situation in England, Wales and Scotland. In March 2020, when the figures were last published, the number was 1,418. The body is now warning that the "culmination of pandemic debt, growing energy bills, workforce challenges, supply chain, increased insurance premiums, landlord pressures and product cost increase

France - Focal sound has launched the 100-T Series line. This new range of in-ceiling and outdoor loudspeakers is designed for large residential, commercial and professional spaces, such as shops, hotels and restaurants.
The new range takes its technology cues from Focal’s established 100 Series, with new features and international certifications to meet the requirements of large-scale integrated systems.
The 100-T Series includes five loudspeakers: three in-ceiling products (100 ICW5-T, 100 ICW6-T,100 ICW8-T) and two IP66-certified outdoor loudspeakers (100 OD6-T and 100 OD8-T), rated for their guaranteed protection against dust and water.
These loudspeakers are direct descendants of Focal’s 100 Series in terms of design, technologies - Polyglass cone, aluminium tweeter - and its sound quality even at low volume. They are compact, slimline and have magnetic

Australia - Irish playwright, poet and author Oscar Wilde and his only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray tells a provocative and dreamlike story of a young man living in a Victorian-era England who relinquishes his soul for eternal youth and beauty.
Under the direction of Kip Williams, artistic director of Sydney Theatre Company (STC), actor Eryn Jean ‘EJ’ Norvill plays 26 separate roles capturing the audience’s attention throughout a two-hour performance.
To bring each role to life, TDC – Technical Direction Company worked with the team at Sydney Theatre Company to develop an on-stage technical solution for five moving LED screens and media server technology.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray uniquely uses live camera, pre-recorded and display technology as part of the stage design. The amazing stagecraft was developed by Sydney Theatre Compa

Vietnam - Phuc Giang recently supplied Xu Restaurant Lounge and Cocktail Bar with a JBL Professional distributed audio system.
Established in 2005, Xu Restaurant Lounge and Cocktail Bar is a social gathering place located in the centre of Ho Chi Minh City. In addition to its menu of cocktails and cuisine from Vietnam, Xu offers premium musical entertainment in the form of live bands and guest DJs. During the 2020 lockdowns, Xu took the downtime as an opportunity to upgrade their sound system with the help of Phuc Giang. To provide immersive musical experiences for guests, musicians and DJs alike, Phuc Giang installed a sound system using JBL EON powered speakers and subwoofers.
Staff reported that Xu Restaurant Lounge and Cocktail Bar needed a seamless and easy-to-use sound system that would deliver clear and balanced audio in all areas of the restaurant, and that the

USA - QSC has announced that David Angress has joined the organisation as senior vice president and general manager of the company’s new pro audio division.
“Throughout the years, I have always had the greatest respect and admiration for QSC – its people, its culture and its portfolio of innovative, market-leading products,” says Angress. “The pro audio division is gearing up for an incredible phase of transformative growth and I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to serve as its leader going forward.”
Angress, a seasoned veteran of the music and pro audio products industry, brings a wealth of experience in senior executive leadership with roles at brands including ADAM Audio GmbH, Guitar Centre, Harman, and AKG. As principal at Angress Consulting for the last 12 years, he has utilised his extensive international experience in marketing, prod

UK - Void Acoustics has announced the appointment of Dan Moors as head of sales & marketing. Dan joins the team having previously worked in the construction and PPE sectors, and he is motivated about the challenges of working in a brand-new industry and at a time of record expansion for Void Acoustics.
“This is the first time I have worked in the professional audio industry which is clearly both dynamic and fast-paced, and I am embracing it 100%! I have a lot to learn from a product perspective, but there is real synergy with what I have done previously with similar supply chain structures and distribution networks. In addition to which, joining Void at this exciting phase of its development is a fantastic opportunity and one I am really looking forward to being a part of.”
Alex Skan, managing director Void Acoustics comments, “We are pleased to welcome Dan

UK - Neutrik UK has announced the appointment of Jason Rajack to the position of business development, industrial. The appointment recognises the Neutrik Group’s strategic commitment to expanding market penetration for its signal, data and power connector products beyond its traditional core AV media and broadcast sectors.
Rajack brings over 25 years’ experience in business development, sales and project management to the position, with a track record in product design and applications, expanding diverse global markets, strategic planning and engaging customers globally; including with companies like Thales, Bombardier, BAE, Bombardier, Hitachi and TFL, across Mil/Aero, Oil & Gas, Marine Industrial sectors.
“Jason’s extensive experience in the wider connectivity market will serve to further accelerate the growth of our customer base beyond our core AV and b

UK - Out Board returns to this year’s PLASA Show (Olympia London – 4-6 September 2022) on stand J5, amidst one of the company’s busiest years, both in global sales and in product development.
On-stand there will be the opportunity for a hands-on tryout and audition of the latest TiMax 600-Series Mac and PC software, which boasts significant augmentations to TimeLine and PanSpace object-based spatialisation functionality, along with UI workflow enhancements derived from extensive user-feedback. The 600-Series software also addresses vital compatibility with the latest Windows 11 and Mac M1 platforms.
Visitors to the stand will be able to learn a little more about a new TiMax TrackerD4 precision stagetracking plug-in for integrated lighting control which is currently in beta test. The new plug-in, at the show for a sneak offline preview, intelligently directs and f

USA - Bob Harmon, CEO and president of Eggshell Light Company of Honolulu, has had success using his stable of Proteus Hybrid luminaires to light shows at the Waikiki Shell ever since he acquired the multi-functional weatherproof lights in 2017. Still going strong after five years, Elation’s IP65 moving heads are reliably weathering another season at Honolulu’s renowned outdoor venue.
“I use a variety of manufacturers’ products but by far the most robust in holding up outdoors and dealing with heat and humidity are the Proteus Hybrids,” commented Harmon, noting that Eggshell has added more Proteus Hybrids to inventory since that first acquisition. “At the Waikiki Shell, they stay outside for four months at a time and work just flawlessly. They have been very reliable for us over the years.”
Eggshell handles lighting for a large number of one-off shows at

USA - Popular Richmond, VA live music venue, The Broadberry, has taken delivery of a new Martin Audio Torus constant curvature array, supplied by locally based rental partner, Soundworks of Virginia.
Soundworks has been working with the 550-capacity venue, owned by Lucas Fritz and Matt McDonald, providing sound for their outdoor concerts since the Spring of 2021.
Explaining the rationale behind the venue upgrade, Fritz says they had been making do with the old system that was in the venue when they took over in 2014. “We were well overdue for a PA overhaul, especially given the calibre of artists we were continuously bringing to the market. We had been working with Soundworks and knew they wouldn’t lead us astray.”
The venue’s production manager Justin Lewis confirms that the previous system had been poorly deployed - and he had a firm idea in mind for it

South Africa - Blond Productions supplies technical production for a slew of popular reality TV shows which have included several iterations of Big Brother over the years. There was much anticipation this year when the South African version – Big Brother Mzansi – returned for the first time since 2016 produced by Red Pepper and broadcast on Mzansi Magic.
Blond’s Ryan Lombard (head of the show lighting department) designed and operated the lighting, working closely with a new set design created by Michael Gill, and several of his go-to Robe moving lights including Esprites, LEDWash 300s and six of Blond Productions’ new iSpiiders.
Blond made this initial purchase of 12 x iSpiiders for I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here (Germany) which was shot in the South African bush for which they needed some hardy, weatherproof, LED wash fixtures

USA - For ARRI’s contributions to the industry, the company will receive the Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award at the 74th Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards.
ARRI receives the award for its more than a century of designing and manufacturing camera and lighting systems as well as its development of systemic technological solutions and service networks for a worldwide complex of film, broadcast, and media industries.
Named after Philo Farnsworth, the inventor of the first fully working all-electronic television system and receiver, the Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award is a non-competitive award presented by the Television Academy as part of the Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards. Since 2003, this prestigious accolade has honoured “an agency, company, or institution whose contributions over time have signific

USA - “I’m ready to get back out and feel the nights come alive,” Jason Aldean said when announcing this summer’s 34-city Rock N’ Roll Cowboy tour. The country music superstar’s lighting designer, Keith Hoagland, knew just how he felt. After two years of contending with COVID lockdowns and restrictions, both were ready to spread their creative wings and fly.
From Hoagland’s perspective, the tour represented a welcome opportunity to roll out some big, bold looks with new tools, such as the Chauvet Professional Color STRIKE M motorised strobe/wash and STRIKE Array, which like the rest of the lighting rig, were supplied by Bandit Lites.
“We really wanted to come at this tour from a new direction,” said Hoagland of CKP Lighting. “The Luz Studio team did a great job developing this scenic concept mainly driven by video. Manager Chris Parr, project manage

Hungary - The infectious beats of EDM music fused with the vibrance of festival culture returned to the picturesque shores of Lake Balaton at Zamárdi (AKA The Hungarian Sea) with the 2022 Balaton Sound event which was completely sold out. An impressive line-up included Martin Garrix, Alesso, Marshmello, Sven Väth and many more international artists performing across multiple stages.
Robe moving lights had a big presence on the main stage with over 200 fixtures in a high impact production design created by LD Mark Kontra and delivered by Budapest-based rental company, Colossal LTD.
Apart from the Main Stage, there was even more of a Robe buzz on site this year as the brand’s own Show Truck rocked up – fresh from a four-date tour in Switzerland – and became an integral part of the backstage village. The Show Truck’s tent extension provided a hub for the media

USA - Chauvet has announced a new generation of IP65 rated moving heads: the Maverick Storm 2 BeamWash, Maverick Storm 4 Profile and Maverick Storm 2 Profile. Maverick Storm 2 BeamWash is the first available, and its intensely bright and versatility makes it ‘powerful enough to excel at even the largest stadium and amphitheatre applications’.
“Our company has been increasing our commitment to developing IP65 solutions that stand out for being way more than weatherproof, including our Maverick Storm series,” said Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “With the class-leading weight and versatility of the new Maverick Storm 2 BeamWash we’ve taken this category to the next level.”
In addition to its bright output of close to 10,000 lumens, the new fixture, which features 19 50-watt RGBW LEDs in its centre pixel array, and an outer ring of 0.2-watt RGB LEDs, offers

UK - Lift Turn Move (LTM) has promoted Robert Price to general manager of the Wirral-based supplier of lifting and rigging equipment to the industrial and entertainment markets.
Price, previously head of sales, will lead ongoing growth of the business, following the 2018 acquisition by GIS AG, the Swiss electric chain hoist and light crane manufacturer. LTM distributes the full range of GIS hoists, control systems, material handling equipment and components. The company will name a replacement head of sales, who will join a team of 12 employees, in due course.
Price, who has been at the company since 2019, is continuing a second spell at LTM, having originally joined in 2011 and leaving three years later to explore other opportunities. An experienced industry professional, Price started out at Pfaff-Silberblau in 1998, where he sold GIS hoists so his association with G

USA - Christie Lites has announced the opening of new strategic locations in Seattle and Nashville, USA. These shops add valuable local industry expertise, plus a diverse and well serviced inventory, to Christie Lites’ existing network across the USA, Canada, and the UK.
Christie Lites CEO, Huntly Christie, says: “No one can deny that it has been a tough couple of years for the entertainment industry. Almost every business in the sector has had to make some very painful tactical decisions to survive, including Christie Lites. However, I am delighted to say that 2022 is seeing a phenomenal upturn in productivity, prompting us to add these two strategic new locations. Nashville is an epicentre for the music industry and the Seattle shop will bolster Christie Lites’ support for the Pacific Northwest and demonstrate a commitment to key local clients.
“Seattle and N

Poland - Erected in the 19th century at the request of Ksawery Konopacki, the Konopacki Palace is located on Strzelecka Street in the heart of Warsaw's bohemian Praga district, known as Nowa Praga (New Praga).
After major reconstruction works on this Neo-Renaissance style building, the Konopacki Palace finally re-opened its doors as the second home of Praga Cultural Centre in September last year. It offers its auditorium, gallery and outdoor terrace for various functions including music concerts, art and an open-air cinema. Such versatility of events required an equally flexible sound system, with L-Acoustics Polish distributor, Audio Plus, delivering Syva, X Series and A Series systems to one of Warsaw’s newest cultural sites.
The diverse genre of events at the Konopacki Palace required a tailored sound system that would keep up with the ever-changing roster of ent

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