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USA - Solotech has acquired XR Studios, a full-service agency specialising in extended reality, including augmented reality technology for live broadcast and virtual productions.
Located in Los Angeles, XR Studios serves high-end clients in multiple segments such as TV, music, Fortune 500 companies, and live events. XR Studios pioneered innovative performances such as Katy Perry’s American Idol finale and MTV’s 2020 Video Music Awards. Other notable clients include Billie Eilish, Leon Bridges, Amazon, Verizon, Twitch, and many more. Going forward, the company will continue to operate as a separate entity and brand.
Through the acquisition, Solotech's Media and Entertainment Technology division will make a significant step towards realising its vision of devel

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UK - With government advice putting the decision-making onto the shoulders of the public and consumer confidence eroding as a consequence, the live events sector is stressed to the limit, says industry organisation #WeMakeEvents (WME).
Despite a devastating 2020 and a challenging 2021, businesses in the industry have worked hard to exceed revenues last recorded in November 2019 by the same month in 2021. But, says WME, the current climate has already eroded this by 80% during December 2021 and is forecast to continue through January.
From the UK’s first lockdown in Spring 2020 until summer 2021, companies in this sector only received around 12% of the Cultural Recovery Fund (CRF) awards whilst many of the freelance technical specialists who work in the industry are still catching-up on their finances, having had no work for over a year.
WME says in a statement:

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World - As the LSi and PLASA teams finish up for the festive break, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued readership throughout 2021.
Whilst the pandemic continues to cast its long shadow, it has been encouraging to see the gradual return of the full spectrum of live events, and to bring you technical reports from some of the brightest concert touring, theatre and festival productions across both LSi Online and the magazine.
Our daily online news service will resume on Tuesday, 4 January 2022. Until then, if you fancy a read, you can access LSi’s full 36-year back catalogue free online here.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays - we wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
The LSi team
featured content

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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Czech Republic - Debuting in fall 2021 at the O2 Arena in Prague, Martin Hruška’s Queen Relived tQueen tribute show uses automated platforms, cubic structures and an array of ingeniously configured geometric structures to immerse audiences and bring them closer to the Freddy Mercury experience as performed by the band Queenie CZ.
“The show revolves around the concept of depth,” said Hruška, who designed the stage, lighting rig, and video graphics for the show, in addition to writing its storyline. “I wanted the automation platform to change perspectives, I had a long catwalk dive deep into the audience. The idea was to break down barriers and connect the people to the band and to the music of Freddy Mercury.”
A total of 16 trucks were used to transport the show’s gear into the arena. Accentuating the intricate web of shapes and forms was an inten

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USA - It took a while for the Philadelphia Orchestra to get a home of its own. In fact, it was almost 100 years, as plans first begun in 1908 were disrupted by bureaucratic delays, a Great Depression, a couple of World Wars, and other speed bumps.
Eventually, the Kimmel Cenre for the Performing Arts opened in December of 2001. Its vaulted glass ceiling encloses the entire structure, providing a large common lobby for all the facilities, including the centrepiece of the venue, the 2,500-seat Verizon Hall.
To coincide, a new and comprehensive DiGiCo digital-audio ecosystem for Verizon Hall comprising a Quantum338 console, two SD-Racks, and a 4REA4 Processor with multiple controllers was installed. These were sold by Horsham, Pennsylvania-based Bauder Audio, which also consulted with the Kimmel Cultural Campus technical team during their own in-house installation of the g

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Russia - The Bazar, located inside the Krasnaya Polyana resort in Sochi, combines a restaurant, nightclub, and karaoke bar.
The nightclub is known for its programme of pop, R'n'B, and deep house music as well as jazz performances, stand-up comedy, and more.
RCF’s Russian distributor Aris developed the audio solution for Bazar. The task included isolation from external noises, between the bar and karaoke areas, and adjacent buildings. Despite the tight deadline, both sound insulation and system installation were deployed on time.
Evgeny Shuev, head of Aris’s Bureau of Acoustic Researches and responsible for system design and acoustic simulation with ARIS Acoustician Vasily Aleshkin, responsible for sound insulation (measurements and calculation), carried out the system design and simulation in accordance with the requirements of the international standard ISO

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USA - The Proteus Excalibur from Elation Professional is a powerful IP65 beam moving head fixture. The newest member in Elation’s Proteus range of IP65 automated fixtures, Excalibur’s power, long throw beam and wide front aperture make it suitable for creating aerial light columns, sweeping beams, throws of CMY colour, and prismatic/air FX rivaling existing Xenon searchlights, says Elation.
“Capable of creating effects as magical as its legendary namesake, the Proteus Excalibur is ideally suited for theme parks, cruise ships, outdoor special events, large-scale shows and concerts, or any situation where a massive beam or very powerful prism and flower effects are required.”
Excalibur is billed as ‘the brightest IP65 full-featured beam fixture ever created’, producing up to 200,000 lux at 20m (7,500 lux at 100m).
Rivaling existing Xenon searchlights a

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UK - Newly-crowned MOBO Awards Best Male Act Ghetts performed an energetic, crowd-pleaser gig at London’s Roundhouse in November backed by hi-res Desay LED screens from Production AV.
The audience didn’t miss a beat as the Production AV team filmed the London rapper’s high octane show, using manned cameras positioned at FOH and in the pit. These were complemented by Production AV’s Agile remote cameras placed at the end of the stage catwalk and below the audience balcony.
Overseeing the visuals for Ghetts and his tour manager, Neicee Oakley, was Production AV’s project manager Nathan Dunbar, whose concert touring experience and expertise spans large scale productions such as Glastonbury and the MTV World Stage, as well as artists including Little Simz.
Dunbar says: “Ghetts’ touring team approached Production AV to deliver a complete visuals solution

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Mauritius - Located in the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius, Lakaz derives its name from the locale Creole language term for home or house. It’s an apt description of the prevailing atmosphere at this well-known venue, where locals and tourists (over a million visit the island every year), feel right at home.
During the pandemic lockdown, the normally busy club, took advantage of the lull in traffic to make its atmosphere” even more inviting for guests by replacing its old fixtures with LED units from Chauvet Professional. Designed and installed by One Touch Domotics, the upgrade did more than make the club more inviting, it also provided Lakaz with an entirely new way to weave lighting into its entertainment offerings.
“Lakaz has been around for many years and is one of the most popular party spots in Mauritius, but it was time for a change with lighting,

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UK - Leeds-based rental company Production Light & Sound was founded in 2000 by the late Jason Salvin and is now headed by Sarah Buckmaster who has been working for the company for the last 16 years and a director since 2018.
The scope of the company’s work includes draping and staging in addition to lighting and sound production and embraces all areas of technical production - live music, concerts, festivals through to slick corporate and business events.
At the start of 2020, Production Light & Sound made a large purchase of Robe RoboSpots - four systems, complete with motion cameras - and were, like so many enterprises, looking forward to a bumper year ahead. Then came COVID.
“With theatres, venues now opening up, shows restarting and gigs, tours and events being scheduled and re-scheduled post COVID, we hope there’s going to be plenty of work a

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Spain - ISE has announced details of its 2022 programme of conferences, education offerings from AVIXA and CEDIA, and show floor stages and networking lounges.
Seven conferences will target key vertical markets served by the pro AV industry. Topics that will be covered include creating safe, sustainable, smart buildings; re-shaping the workplace; the new agenda in digital signage and exploring the strategies, learning models and trends that are driving the deployment of digital learning technologies in universities, schools, corporate bodies and training facilities.
Presented in Spanish, the AV Experience Zone produced by AVIXA will showcase AV projects and present customer testimonials from experienced professionals in the sector. The showcase will be of interest to end-users from major vertical markets, professional technicians, and includes sessions for students acr

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More Cancellations - Almost half of London's major theatres were forced to cancel performances last weekend because of Covid infections, as Omicron plays havoc with live events. Of the 46 full members of the Society of London Theatre that had shows running, 22 scrapped performances.They included Hamilton, Matilda, Wicked, The Lion King, Cinderella, Cabaret and Come From Away.
Producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh said it was "hugely disruptive" and the industry was in a "dreadful state". He told BBC News: "It's literally day-to-day. We spend all morning trying to work out if we can do the show or not. The important thing is, when we do it, it is safe, and the public have been remarkable in that they are, in our experience, turning up mostly to the shows."
Bookings for the first part of 2022 are well below expectations, which i

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Sweden - Property company Vasakronan has a commercial property portfolio comprising 170 properties with a total area of 2.3m sq.m. Arena Sergel in the heart of Stockholm is the company’s most recent project and combines the Vasakronan HQ with one of Sweden’s most modern and innovative co-working locations.
To ensure wellbeing at every level, Efterklang - experts in sound design, acoustics and vibration control - were called in to design an efficient and attractive sound environment, which was implemented thanks to a comprehensive Genelec Smart IP solution supported by 4000 Series installation loudspeakers.
Efterklang was asked to design a sound environment that would support the different needs, functions and flows in Arena Sergel. Margareta Andersson, sound architect and section manager at Efterklang, explains: “The key is a well-balanced interplay between acous

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Mexico - The most important civic ceremony in Mexico is the Grito de Independencia (Mexican Independence Day) which is commemorated annually on 15 September with a national holiday.
Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, the 211st anniversary went ahead this year with excellent results, thanks to the efforts of many people, led by More Music production company and Martin Audio sound systems, which were used exclusively.
Among the aspects that stood out were the spectacular fireworks show and video mapping projection of the pyramid, located in the Zócalo square of the Mexican capital. Other highlights were sets by Mexican singer Lila Downs performing the song Latinoamérica, composed by the Puerto Rican urban music duo Calle 13.
To optimise all these showcases a professional sound design that would adapt to the ‘new normal’ was vital, since although there

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UAE - Following its expansion in Israel, USA, Europe and some regions in APAC, Pixellot has announced it is now operating in the UAE. The company has partnered with CAM Plus Sport, a Dubai-based sports system integrator, to enable amateur sports clubs and schools across the United Arab Emirates to create broadcast quality live streams and on-demand recordings of sports matches.
Eleven permanent systems have already been installed within months of the start of the partnership.
CAM Plus Sport launched during the pandemic as local sports began to open up again after a period of lockdown. While attending a Second Division football match, the company’s founder Ismail Al Mazmi noticed that spectator numbers were limited, and there were no cameras recording the matches for those who could not attend. Additionally, many parents were unable to watch their children playing spo

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UK - Lighting, sound and video specialists, Colour Sound Experiment, supplied 48 Ayrton Karif LT LED beam spot fixtures to lighting designer Samuel Tozer of Vision Factory when he lit the drum and bass DJ duo, Hybrid Minds, for a one-off performance, produced by NTRP, at Brixton Academy in London in October.
The recently-released Ayrton Karif LT was the main lighting fixture in Tozer’s rig which was almost exclusively composed of Ayrton Karif LT and Ayrton Eurus.
Tozer specified Karif LT because he needed a multi-use hybrid fixture in a compact body, with the capacity for the narrow beam looks traditional to D&B music, but also able to deliver wide textured prism looks. “The Karif could give me all of these things and is small enough to use in large quantities to give me plenty of creative scope,” says Tozer.
Twenty-four Karif LTs were rigged evenly on

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USA - To provide indie-dance duo Sylvan Esso with lighting as dynamic, expressive and riveting as their music for their 2021 Shaking Out the Numb Tour, lighting designer Zach Sternberg designed a rig featuring Martin Professional lighting solutions.
Founded in 2013 in Durham, North Carolina, Sylvan Esso is made up of singer-songwriter Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn. By combining elements of folk, indie rock and electronic music, Meath and Sanborn developed a sound that toes the line between digital, upbeat music and earnest, vulnerable lyricism, earning them a devoted fan base in the process.
This past fall, the Grammy-nominated duo embarked on their Shaking Out the Numb Tour in support of their third studio album Free Love, which they released in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the tour, lighting designer Zach Sternberg created a streamli

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Croatia - Perinic Sistemi is the latest company to be appointed an exclusive distributor for Sixty82 and will be covering the Croatian market with immediate effect.
Perinic Sistemi has been operating in the Croatian market for over 25 years. Beginning life as a rental company for sound systems, the company expanded its business over the years to include the full range of equipment needed for the entertainment industry.
“The main reason we chose to be a Sixty82 distributor is because of the long term relations we have with the company’s top-quality and experienced personnel who have always been extremely professional, fast and patient with all our questions and requests,” says Iva Perinic from Perinic Sistemi. “The products are high quality, made to last, and at the same time easy to use.”
Perinic Sistemi will distribute the whole SIXTY82 product line,

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UK - Hull-based rental and production company HPSS invested in more Robe MegaPointes to provide spectacular results for the city’s 2021-22 festive illuminations, which feature 16 of these multifunctional fixtures.
These were distributed on the rooftops of three landmark city centre buildings in a concept and system design by HPSS’s Graham Roberts.
Graham and HPSS have delivered this project for the past few years, working alongside Jonathon Black from Hull City Council. Each time the challenge is to create something new, fresh, and different, but based on the same principle of energising the heart of the city, and bringing it alive with vibrance, colour and movement in a visual scheme that can be enjoyed by all.
The festive lighting system was also integrated with some of the city centre’s existing lighting and AV control infrastructure which was installed

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UK - #WeMakeEvents is calling on central government and local authorities to urgently provide sector-specific support for the UK live events industry in light of the omicron variant.
Since the UK’s emergence from lockdown in July, the events sector has made great progress, says the campaign. “Whilst it was not plain sailing nor 100% recovered, theatres, gigs and events proved their resilience, and many were looking forward to the boost of the traditionally strong December trading when most generate around a third of annual revenues.”
#WeMakeEvents states: “We are seeing countless theatre productions and concerts cancelling due to staff sickness and absence, and tours are being postponed, curtailed, or delayed as once again the risks are too great, the uncertainty is devastating. In addition, the government mixed messaging has meant consumer confidence has crash

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USA - Main Light, LLC has hired Patrick Bellino as an inside sales representative. His responsibilities will include working with both rental and sales clients as well as interfacing with the shop to ensure the smooth fulfilment of client’s orders. Bellino will work from Main Light East in Wilmington, DE and will report directly to Main Light rental manager Rick McKinney.
Bellino previously worked as a rental representative with the Christie Lites office in New York where he focused on the Broadway theatre market and as an account executive with 4Wall Entertainment.
Main Light’s business model as the leading industry source for dry hire equipment is something that is excited to be part of, as he explains. “Dry hire is a really great model,” says Bellino. “It lets us help everyone. We're not directly competing on jobs against other companies instead we get to
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