Details

25 July 2025

The Netherlands - Leyard Europe has announced the opening of a dedicated showroom for the Benelux region at Strijp-T in Eindhoven, marking a strategic relocation from its previous Antwerp location. The new facility, situated in a converted Philips factory, serves as a comprehensive hub where customers can experience Leyard's LED display solutions in a relaxed, modern setting designed to showcase real-world applications.

The showroom design features five different Leyard LED display products positioned across five distinct environments, each with a different pixel pitch and each demonstrating specific use cases. This approach allows visitors to experience how Leyard's LED technology integrates seamlessly into various professional settings, with a philosophy that centres on practical demonstration rather than traditional product display.

Leyard MGP Com

Details

25 July 2025

UK - For Bristol-based Scotland Yard Soundsystem, power and quality are everything. Since its inception in 2015, the south-west England-based collective of builders, engineers, artists and musicians’ system has grown into an influential presence on UK sound-system culture, delivering a full-body audio experience backed by the muscle of Powersoft K- and X-Series amplifier platforms.

“Scotland Yard Soundsystem is a custom hand-built, DIY/open-source sound system,” comments Scotland Yard’s Jonny Bovill, reflecting on the founding of the system a decade ago. “Aesthetically we wanted to pay homage to classic dub systems that we respected and admired, while under the bonnet we wanted to give it the guts of more modern, powerful point-source systems.”

That combination has proven popular across a broad mix of events, from intimate basement partie

Details

25 July 2025

Switzerland - WSDG has successfully completed work on a Dolby Atmos control room for the Centre des Musiques Actuelles (CMA) in Geneva. CMA includes the École des Musiques Actuelles (EMA), a contemporary music school offering training in pop, rock, jazz, and other modern genres. The facility spans 3,000sq.m over two floors and features 45 classrooms, a 300-seat auditorium, a 200-person club, and state-of-the-art recording and production facilities.

The concept for both the Dolby Atmos control room and the immersive Ansermet Auditorium was initiated by Ladislav Agabekov, sound engineer and technical director at CMA. The project was made possible thanks to the strong support of Stefano Saccon, the school's director, who not only believed early on in the potential of immersive audio technologies for both education and production, but also championed and carrie

Details

24 July 2025

Belgium - A new identity has been unveiled for Antwerp’s Central Station with an illumination scheme, controlled by a system from Pharos Architectural Controls.

Antwerp Central Station, inaugurated in 1905, is an architectural highlight of the Belgian city. Known as the ‘Railway Cathedral’, it is considered to be one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. Influenced by the Belgian art nouveau movement, the station features a 75m high dome sitting atop the main hall, with a 44m high arched glass roof covering the tracks.

The lighting is part of a wider public lighting scheme, commissioned by Antwerp City Council to make the Belgian city’s nightscape safe and welcoming. Susanna Antico Lighting Design Studio was appointed to create the lighting design scheme for the Central Station. The illuminations needed to be contemporary and fut

Details

24 July 2025

UK - Broadweigh’s wireless load monitoring technology played a key role in ensuring rigging safety on Lana Del Rey’s UK tour dates this summer. Partnering with Load Cell Rental, the production deployed 83 Broadweigh 4.75t wireless load cells during rehearsals at Fly By Nite Studios and for the live show at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

The UK leg of the tour has seen Lana Del Rey perform in a series of major venues including Wembley Stadium, Glasgow’s Hampden Park, and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, with each show demanding high levels of technical precision and rigging assurance.

“The video wall in particular required close attention to guarantee even weight distribution,” explained Ian Barrett, project manager at Load Cell Rental. “We weighed all points on static hoists ahead of load-in, using Broadweigh’s LOG100 software along

Details

24 July 2025

Egypt - ETC lighting and control are powering the latest upgrade at the Asharq News Studio, located on the banks of the River Nile in Egypt. Asharq News delivers a wide range of programming - from business news to political talk shows - and continues to invest in technology that enhances its viewer experience.

ETC’s long-time partner and dealer, Oasis Enterprises, specified the lighting and control systems for the Cairo studio, following the successful instalment of ETC lighting in Asharq Studio’s Dubai facility. Building on that proven performance, ETC’s reliable and advanced technology was the clear choice to ensure seamless integration and high performance at each individual studio.

Despite the challenges presented by the studio’s limited space and the presence of a large background window, the team successfully achieved a visually strikin

Details

24 July 2025

UK - The Darkness’ rock roots were at the core of LD and programmer David Garcia’s design for their recent tour.

“The Darkness has always had that classic rock and roll feel to their music,” said Garcia (of Bigtime Lighting Design), who worked with a set created by production designer and video director, Eric Cathcart, also of Bigtime Lighting Design and crew chief Tom Rawlinson. “Our mission was to present that feeling with our lighting.”

Working with a lighting rig supplied by Zigzag Lighting, the design team did this in many ways, one of which was through the inspired use of light angles. “We chose to put ladder trusses of fixtures off stage to present the LED screens we had, which displayed The Darkness logo and IMAG images,” said Garcia. “We arranged these fixtures in straight lines to create the classic PAR can look like part

Details

24 July 2025

UK - Located at the site of a disused warehouse in Bradford, Loading Bay is a new pop-up venue created for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Throughout the year it will present an extensive and eclectic arts and entertainment programme comprising music, comedy, talks, exhibitions, theatre, live video-gaming, and exhibitions. Set across four floors, Loading Bay includes a theatre, gallery, multi-format basement room, as well as an outside courtyard space.

To ensure the best possible experience for artists, performers, and audience members alike, the venue’s team enlisted Bradford-based production specialists Pro Audio Systems (PAS) to supply and install much of the technology required for its extensive programme.

As well as installing the main front-of-house audio systems for the performance spaces, PAS also supplied a number of significant ancillar

Details

24 July 2025

Malta - Rental company Tech+ acquired a substantial inventory of Martin Audio’s premier Wavefront Precision line array, along with the popular Torus and FlexPoint enclosures, in time to service a new techno festival on the island recently. The inventory was provided by Futuretech, Martin Audio’s territorial distributor.

Run by Gabriel Mizzi, Tech+ had been able to field hangs of eight WPC on each side of XXL Techno’s beachfront stage at Little Armier Bay. This was one of two principal locations for the event (the other being the National Park in Ta’Qali) while others were dotted around the island.

While the WPC was powered by Martin Audio iKON iK42 Dante amplifiers in two-box resolution, eight SXH218, driven in bridge mode for extra output, created the sub bass rumble necessary for such an event. Additional pairs of FlexPoint FP12 provided fr

Details

24 July 2025

USA - Sennheiser has announced that PGA Tour Studios recently deployed the new Spectera bidirectional wireless audio ecosystem across its new campus in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

The PGA Tour Studios audio team required a system that could not only support a state-of-the-art facility that houses seven dedicated studios, but also seamlessly manage up to 11 shows broadcasting simultaneously in an environment that would be packed with competing RF signals.

The new system needed to offer effortless transitions between studios and a dramatically simplified management interface. Spectera emerged as the best choice for its technical capabilities, along with the way it simplified installation and allowed the engineering team to focus on production rather than infrastructure.

The comprehensive PGA Tour Studios setup includes two Spectera base station

Details

24 July 2025

UK - Unusual Rigging has announced the appointment of Matt Stott, a highly respected stage engineering specialist with over 15 years’ experience in bespoke mechanical systems and show automation. Matt’s arrival reinforces Unusual’s commitment to delivering technically ambitious solutions across theatre, live production and permanent installations.

Tom Harper, managing director, Unusual Rigging commented: “Matt joins us from TAIT and, before that, Delstar Engineering where he worked under the leadership of Paul Sadler. Many in the industry will already be familiar with Matt’s contributions to technically complex and high-profile productions including 42nd Street, Miss Saigon (2014) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2024) and to capital projects such as Glyndebourne Opera House’s upgrade and the Royal Opera House’s Lindbury

Details

24 July 2025

UK - Sterling Event Group has announced the appointment of two experienced industry professionals to spearhead its expansion into the South of England alongside its broader national growth strategy.

James Hunter joins as director, bringing more than two decades of experience in delivering world-class event projects across the UK and internationally.

Jack Sayer also joins the company as project director, bringing a wealth of hands-on production expertise through his successful career in creative event delivery. Jack will focus on technically ambitious event experiences that reflect Sterling’s trademark precision and innovation.

“We’re very proud to welcome James and Jack to the team at such an exciting period for the business,” said Richard Bowden, managing director, Sterling Event Group. “Expanding into the South isn’t just about

Details

24 July 2025

Europe - Planar and Leyard Europe have announced the addition of Filip Cogghe as vice-president of sales, marketing and service for Europe.

Cogghe joins the company with more than 25 years of experience in the AV and display technology industries, most recently serving as sales director for global and strategic corporate sales at Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe. There he played a pivotal role in forming and executing global sales strategies.

“We’re happy to have Filip Cogghe lead sales and marketing efforts across Europe,” says CEO at Planar Sidney Rittenberg. “With an impressive background that is highlighted by demonstrated sales leadership and growth as well as complex solution integration and involvement in mission-critical installations, he’s the right leader to guide this team in extending unrivalled support and visualisation solut

Details

23 July 2025

France - L-Acoustics has announced its strategic investment in French-based MagREEsource. It has also established exclusive partner rights in the professional audio industry for sustainable and sovereign, European-based rare earth magnets critical to loudspeaker manufacturing.

This forward-looking partnership introduces a breakthrough circular economy model for the professional audio industry through innovative magnet recycling and manufacturing technology, says L-Acoustics. By investing in MagREEsource, L-Acoustics is supporting a start-up partner that will allow the loudspeaker manufacturer to significantly reduce its environmental footprint while diversifying its supply sources for neodymium magnets essential to loudspeaker manufacturing. This strategic move demonstrates L-Acoustics' commitment to environmental stewardship while enhancing supply chain res

Details

23 July 2025

India - Hi-Tech Audio & Image LLP, the exclusive India partner and distributor for DiGiCo, has officially completed the Indian launch of the DiGiCo Quantum 852 at Palm Expo 2025. At the event, SNL Pro, one of India’s leading live sound and production rental companies, became the first in the country to invest in this console.

“The Quantum 852 represents a shift not just in technology, but in mindset,” says Manish Mavani, director of SNL Pro. “With an already robust inventory featuring two DiGiCo SD10s and a Quantum 338, SNL Pro’s acquisition of the Quantum 852 marks a significant milestone, bringing the seventh and most advanced flagship console into its portfolio.

“This strategic investment underscores the company’s unwavering dedication to delivering world-class audio production and further solidifies its leadership within India

Details

23 July 2025

UK - Production lighting for the vibrant and diverse Park Stage at the 2025 Glastonbury Festival was once again supplied by Bristol, UK-based SWG Events. A design by Mat Spencer – also chief LX for the project – which included nearly 70 Robe moving lights, helped deliver the lighting for a lineup including Anohni and the Johnsons, Haim, Caribou, Beth Gibbons, The Maccabees and Gary Numan.

SWG has been the technical production partner for The Park Stage since it was launched in 2007, offering a full package – lighting, audio, video, and rigging. At Glasto 2025, it was one of the largest and most prominent of eight stages in which the company were involved, deploying approximately 60 crew site-wide, explained SWG project manager Joe Bailey.

SWG also has a lot of Robe products in its rental inventory, so it was a natural choice for The Park, where

Details

23 July 2025

UK - One of the most recognisable names in British retail, Matalan has a network of more than 270 UK and international stores and caters to upwards of 10m shoppers in-store and online each year. The company’s headquarters in Knowsley, near Liverpool, features an entire ‘mock shop’ and a large-scale conferencing space for staff training, awards ceremonies and other gatherings.

A recent audio upgrade package – supplied by Liverpool-based AV and production specialists MSP – saw an Audio-Technica 3000 Series wireless system installed for use across a variety of locations, as MSP’s general manager Ritchie Neild explains: “We have a long-standing relationship with Matalan, so we tend to have a clear idea of their requirements and use-cases when it comes to AV. When it came to a new wireless solution, to be used for everything from sales training to o

Details

23 July 2025

UK - When Siyan MD Mark Baruch and his colleagues first saw GLP’s new JDC Burst 1 at last autumn’s LDI expo in Las Vegas, they knew this evolutionary strobe hybrid would make a significant impact on the lighting rental company’s inventory. Furthermore, they wanted to be at the front of the queue for delivery.

GLP fulfilled that wish, with Kerry Tymms in the UK office going the extra mile to get the first 100 heads landed, racked and into the Royal Albert Hall for a performance by Adriatique. In so doing, this high-profile show became the first deployment of the Bursts anywhere in the UK.

“Since that event they’ve hardly been in the warehouse,” Baruch admits. Recently, Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Liverpool saw 40-plus units (many edging the front of the stage) as part of the house rig on the New Music Stage, which saw a surprise ap

Details

23 July 2025

UK - Disguise has unveiled X1, a portable version of its designer software. X1 lets creators run 4K visuals directly from their own laptop or hardware - no proprietary media servers required. It’s the first time Disguise’s powerful production engine has been made available in a flexible, software-only format, giving production teams total freedom to design, map and deliver wherever their vision takes them.

Developed for professionals delivering small-to-medium live events including concerts, theatre productions and corporate brand experiences, X1 works by providing users with convenient, on-the-go access to the same, trusted software used to pre-visualise, sequence and control headline shows across the globe.

The portable new solution has already been used on several live events during an exclusive pilot, including Bullet For My Valentine at Rock

Details

23 July 2025

Europe/USA - ETC has announced a new addition to the Eos Apex family with the launch of the Eos Apex FP. Featuring the same programming surface and software as an Apex 5, minus the built-in display, the Apex FP is designed for those seeking a console that is just as powerful as it is adaptable.

The Eos Apex FP allows users to incorporate their display, using the two 16mm (5/8 in) baby pin ports to mount accessories such as monitors, tablets, laptops, and cameras. Alongside the flexible design is an array of features including customisable OLED Target keys for direct selects, reconfigurable inputs and outputs, six encoders, and one bank of RGB-backlit target keys.

Apex consoles are built with flexibility in mind, allowing you to mix and match your DMX and show control ports on a per-show basis using customisable widgets. In addition to standard etherC