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17 November 2025

Croatia - Mastering is a busy rental and show production company based in Đurdevac in eastern Croatia, founded in 2018 by Đuro (Djuro) Kucelj, who also runs a construction business and has been an active musician for the last 40 years, playing with various bands and mixing music in clubs. Đuro’s two sons, Matija and Lovro are also involved with Mastering.

In early 2025, Mastering landed the job to supply production for one of Croatia’s leading bands, Parni Valjak, which had Robe moving lights on their lighting rider, so Đuro made his initial Robe investment. 20 MegaPointes and 24 x Spiider LED wash beams joined the Mastering inventory, which have been working constantly ever since.

Mastering’s client base covers a lot of live music, concerts, tours, and festivals plus some high-end corporate and industrial shows, but music is where their he

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17 November 2025

Poland - Łódź-based DWD Sound goes back to 2009, when founder Dawid Gabara - after years working as a sound engineer and collaborating with numerous artists - decided to establish his own production company. What began as a personal venture has evolved into a full-scale provider of stage technology, offering stage, lighting and sound solutions for open-air concerts, large conferences, corporate events and a wide range of live productions.

With the company growing rapidly in recent years, upgrading the audio department became a strategic priority. Before investing, the team conducted extensive market research. “In the end, we chose Outline,” says Gabara. “The efficiency, dynamics and sound quality were decisive factors.”

DWD Sound’s setup comprises 24 Superfly, 12 Mantas 28 and 12 DBS 18-2 subwoofers, supported by Outline’s amplifiers a

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13 November 2025

Europe - Following another successful year on the road, BikeFest Spain returns for its fifth edition from 30 January to 1 February 2026, once again uniting the live events and entertainment technology community for a good cause.

Riders from across the industry are invited to take part in the 400km journey from Valencia to Barcelona, raising funds for Backup Tech, the charity providing vital financial and wellbeing support to technical professionals across live events, theatre, and entertainment.

Since its launch, BikeFest has become a highlight of the industry calendar, combining challenge, camaraderie and charity in equal measure. Each year, participants tackle a multi-day coastal route ending at the ISE show in Barcelona. Accommodation, meals, and a dedicated support vehicle are all included in the entry fee.

In 2025, the

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13 November 2025

UAE - RCF has strengthened its presence in the Middle East with the opening of a new regional office. Located in Dubai, this strategic expansion enhances proximity to the market and strengthens relationships with distributors, rental companies, integrators, and consultants.

To lead this initiative, Yannik Dahms has been appointed Middle East technical business developer for RCF and TT+ Audio. Yannik brings extensive experience as application engineer at RCF France. With a background as an instructor and system designer, Yannik will now play a key role in enabling RCF technologies throughout the region, providing field support and overseeing team coordination for all related activities.

Fully operational since November 2025, the new Middle East office serves as a technical and educational hub, supporting regional partners and fostering the adoption of

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13 November 2025

India - UK amplifier technology manufacturer MC² has appointed Alphatec as its exclusive distributor for India. Founded in 2015, Alphatec is an established distributor of global AV brands in India.

Commenting on behalf of MC², Richard Fleming looks forward to developing a productive relationship with Alphatec: “Alphatec’s extensive coverage and detailed knowledge of the Indian market is unrivalled. Their aim is to elevate the audio industry in India by supplying professionals, businesses, and enthusiasts with the tools they need to create exceptional sound experiences. We are excited to be part of that mission and look forward to working closely with the Alphatec in this vibrant and exciting market.”
 
Devasis Barkataki, founder and managing director of Alphatec adds: “We are proud to bring another renowned global brand to the Indian mar

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13 November 2025

UK - Glyndebourne is set to launch a new apprenticeship programme designed ‘to nurture the next generation of technical and production talent within the performing arts’. The initiative aims to create a more inclusive and accessible pathway into the industry, offering individuals the opportunity to earn while they learn at one of the world’s most respected opera houses, which employs over 150 staff out of season and more than 500 during its annual Festival.

The apprenticeships present an alternative route to the traditional university education, providing paid, hands-on experience in a real working environment where the apprentices will develop skills directly from industry professionals while building valuable connections to support their future careers.

This new programme presents an opportunity for Glyndebourne to grow and develop i

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13 November 2025

Japan - Fulcrum Acoustic has announced the establishment of Fulcrum Acoustic Japan, which will serve as its dedicated distributor in Japan. Based in Tokyo, Fulcrum Acoustic Japan will represent the company’s complete portfolio of loudspeakers, amplifiers, processors, and immersive systems. The team will provide localized sales, technical support, and training to customers throughout the region.

Fulcrum Acoustic Japan will introduce the brand’s advanced technologies to the Japanese professional audio market, serving customers across a variety of markets including entertainment, hospitality, performing arts, education, and sports venues.

“Fulcrum Acoustic continues to grow as a global solutions manufacturer,” said Val Gilbert, director of business development for export at Fulcrum Acoustic. “We are excited to welcome our new team in Tokyo to

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12 November 2025

Germany - The Laserworld Group has announced that LPS Lasersysteme is the newest member of its company group. The official announcement was presented during the keynote at the Laserworld Group's recent open house event in Berlin.

Founded in 1993 by Siegmund ‘Siggi’ Ruff, LPS Lasersysteme is located in Ofterdingen, Southwest Germany, and has been committed to the development and production of its own laser systems for over 30 years. In its early days, LPS secured a significant market share in Europe with the development of professional gas laser systems and has evolved into a key player in the show laser industry.

Martin Werner, CEO of Laserworld AG, comments: "With LPS Lasersysteme, we are not only taking 30 years of profound German engineering expertise onboard, but we are also specifically strengthening our portfolio in the professional show la

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12 November 2025

Singapore - For the first time in its more than 30-year history, SRS Group is officially entering the Asia Pacific market and establishing a new branch in Singapore.

Sean McKernan, the company’s new general manager - Asia Pacific, shares: “I am thrilled to lead the SRS Group’s expansion in the APAC region and to build a strong foundation for delivering exceptional support to our customers across Asia.

“We welcome everyone to join us in celebrating the grand opening of Asia SRS Group and visit our stand no. 2825 at PIFA ‘25 in Singapore. This event marks the beginning of a long road that everyone – our team, partners, and customers – will walk together."

Samuel Sloboda, the CEO of SRS Group, celebrates the expansion and adds: “In our plans for global expansion, having a branch in Asia was certainly one of my biggest dreams. Bu

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12 November 2025

UK - The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has joined a UK-wide initiative to drive innovation in the live performance industry, partnering with the Association of British Theatre Technicians and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

The ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform (VIP) exists to spotlight and support boundary-pushing ideas that challenge how theatre is made, experienced and sustained. Developed by the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) in partnership with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and joined this year by RCS, the platform is open to all who study or work in theatre and live events industries. It invites submissions from anyone with an idea and the ambition to develop it, regardless of background, age or career stage.

Deborah Keogh, head of engagement at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: “This new partnership und

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11 November 2025

Your milestone 40^th anniversary edition of LSi is out now! Available with a special cover for those who subscribe to the print edition, the November 2025 edition is also available in a digital format which is available to read and download now.

Inside, along with reflections on LSi’s history, we’re proud to share a wealth of exciting content reflecting 40 years of innovation, creativity, product development and more from across the industry.

This includes an in-depth report on 1985’s Live Aid - which took place a few months before LSi’s launch - as Steve Moles talks to fellow production professionals who worked on the iconic fundraising event that quite literally changed lives. Meanwhile, Rob Hall

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11 November 2025

UK - Point Source Audio has named Leisuretec as a new distribution partner for the UK. The partnership launched on 4 November. “We are delighted to be partnering with Leisuretec for the UK,” says Gerry Forde, business development manager, EMEA at Point Source Audio. “Their reputation in the UK industry is second to none, and we look forward to seeing them grow our reach and market share across the country.”

“We’re always looking to partner with innovative brands like Point Source Audio that offer real value and performance benefits to our customers,” adds Mike Henden, managing director at Leisuretec. “We see our customers benefiting from many of their patented features and thoughtful engineering, including the Embrace range of innovative on-ear lavalier microphones, unbreakable boom arms, IP57 waterproof rating and paint-friendly surfaces, re

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11 November 2025

UK - The Institute of Sound, Communications & Visual Engineers (ISCVE) has announced the seminar line-up for ISCVEx 2026, taking place at Coombe Abbey on 17–18 March 2026. The programme brings together leading voices from across the AV, communications, and security sectors, tackling some of the most pressing topics facing professionals today. Registration is now open.

Paul Davidson of Teams 9 will present The Criticality of Cybersecurity in Voice Communication: Preparing for Martyn’s Law. Drawing on a long career in the Metropolitan Police and UK security services, Davidson will explore the implications of Martyn’s Law for ISCVE members, focusing on cybersecurity risks in voice communication and practical steps organisations can take to prepare.

The Hopkins-Baldwin Seminar will be presented by University

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11 November 2025

UK - Launched this month, Backstage Radio is a new digital radio station dedicated to ‘the people behind theatre, live music, and live events’ has launched this month. Backstage Radio, created by the team at Show Works aims to give the crew, creatives, and technical teams of the live industry ‘a platform of their own’.

Broadcasting on DAB+ in London and streaming online nationwide, Backstage Radio mixes music, interviews, industry news, and behind-the-scenes stories. The aim is to celebrate the people who make shows happen, from West End sound designers and touring riggers to festival stage crews and lighting programmers.

Oscar Thompson, director of Show Works and founder of Backstage Radio, said: “This started as a fun side project - a hobby that got out of hand - and now we're launching on DAB across London’s West End. Backstage Radio i

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11 November 2025

Grassroots Support - Sam Fender has donated the entirety of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust (MVT), which works to preserve the UK's grassroots music venues. The singer was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his third album People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.

He has decided to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his early career. "I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the North-East, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These venues are legendary, but they are struggling."

Since the start of 2023, more than 150 of these venues have permanently closed their doors – about 16% of the entire UK sector. In the last year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay,

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10 November 2025

Switzerland - ADJ Europe has announced the appointment of Sacom AG as its exclusive distributor for Switzerland. This new partnership will provide ‘improved product availability and customer support to Swiss ADJ customers, as well as delivering Sacom’s extensive customer base access to ADJ’s expansive product line of professional lighting equipment’.

Founded in 1951 and based in Brügg, near Biel, Switzerland, Sacom AG is a distributor of car audio, hi-fi and home cinema, DJ equipment and lighting products. Through a strong network of specialised dealers and technical experts, Sacom provides innovative brands with local support and personalized service. The company’s CEO, Yves Lamontagne, has more than four decades of experience in the audio and electronics distribution industry.

The company’s DJ & Lighting business unit is led by St

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10 November 2025

South Africa - The L-Acoustics House of Worship Tour, which visits churches and worship spaces around the world, is coming to South Africa. Church technical teams, volunteers, consultants, and anyone interested in PA design or building audio systems are invited to attend the workshop in Johannesburg on 19 November and in Cape Town on 21 November from 1pm to 5pm.

Joshua Maichele (application, Americas – house of worship global lead) and Alan Johnson (business development, Americas – house of worship global lead) from L-Acoustics will guide attendees through audio infrastructure and the creation of immersive sound experiences. This experience is designed to empower attendees with world-class audio insight, training, and innovative sound solutions tailored for worship environments. While the workshop is free of charge, booking is essential. 

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07 November 2025

Uganda - The Adam Hall Group is further expanding its international sales network and strengthening its presence in the African market: Kwetu Systems is now the exclusive distributor of the LD Systems brand in Uganda. This partnership marks an important step towards the targeted establishment of professional audio solutions in a broadly diversified market with great growth potential, says AHG.

Kwetu Systems is one of the leading providers of professional event and AV technology in East Africa. With a focus on quality, service, training and solution-oriented customer support, the Kwetu Systems team supports customer projects from the planning stage through to implementation and technical support.

“Uganda is a young, up-and-coming market where we see great potential for our LD Systems brand – especially in the area of worship installations, educati

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07 November 2025

UK - Push The Button (PTB), which specialises in theatre electrical infrastructure and production systems, has transitioned to 100% employee ownership, securing the company's long-term independence and rewarding the team that has driven its success. The transition was announced to staff on 20 October 2025 with managing director Nick Ewins, confirming that he will remain in place.

"In simple terms, this means the business is now owned collectively by the people who know it best, our amazing team,” said Ewins. “This isn't just recognition of their hard work, commitment and care for our customers; it's an investment in our future. Employee ownership will strengthen our ability to deliver innovative solutions for our clients, whilst maintaining the collaborative culture that defines us."

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07 November 2025

USA/Europe - The DALI Alliance and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) have announced a collaboration aimed at ‘strengthening the connection between lighting design professionals and cutting-edge digital lighting control standards’.

This partnership aims to empower specifiers, designers, and architects by sharing knowledge, launching educational initiatives, and fostering more substantial alignment across the lighting ecosystem. It focuses on joint efforts in education, outreach, and the promotion of open standards to enhance lighting outcomes in architectural, commercial, and public space projects.

“Lighting designers play a critical role in shaping the built environment,” said Paul Drosihn, general manager of the DALI Alliance. “Partnering with the IALD allows us to build a direct bridge to the design community, ens

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06 November 2025

USA - Sontronics has announced its ‘official relaunch’ in the United States through a new partnership with KMC Music.

Through this partnership, Sontronics will be represented exclusively in the US by KMC Music, giving artists, engineers, producers and performers direct access to its full range of British-designed microphones.

Founded in the UK in 2005, Sontronics has built an international reputation for designing ‘premium-quality microphones with distinctive looks and characterful sound’. Sontronics products are used in studios, live venues, film sets, and universities.

“This is a pivotal moment in the Sontronics story,” says Chris Cook, head of sales. “The North American market represents a key focus for our brand of British microphones. Having spoken with many of the team at KMC Music, we knew immediately that their professio

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06 November 2025

South Africa - The ADJ Lighting Roadshow toured Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban in July, and was hosted by DWR Distribution. The event provided a comprehensive and hands-on demonstration of ADJ’s latest lighting innovations.

Led by ADJ’s Jos Reulen and Rob Lang, the showcase highlighted the performance, design, and value of ADJ’s product range. The response from lighting designers, rental companies, technicians, and students was “overwhelmingly positive”.

“The DWR team, with special mention of Jaques Pretorius, really put the fixtures through their paces and Jos and Rob were very impressed, saying they had never seen such attention to detail from a distributor,” said Kevin Stannett, ADJ brand manager at DWR. “The demo rooms looked outstanding.

“In Cape Town, Johnny Scholtz completely cleared out his demo space t

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06 November 2025

South Africa - Southern Lighting, a film lighting rental company in Johannesburg, has added MA Lighting’s grandMA3 and compact XT consoles to its inventory, supplied by DWR Distribution.

Southern Lighting has been in business for more than 55 years, providing specialised lighting equipment for TV, film, and events of any size. Their recent upgrade to the grandMA3 compact and compact XT supports both their staff and freelance users.

“When it was time to upgrade our existing consoles, we reached a point where it wasn’t just about control,” say Sean Boyce and Vincent van Niekerk from Southern Lighting. “Freelancers are now being trained on MA3, and with so few experienced LDs left in the country, we have to accommodate everyone’s needs. It just made sense.”

Duncan Riley of DWR Distribution adds: “That’s why we offer ongoing MA

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05 November 2025

South Africa - Stage Audio Works (SAW) recently hosted the launch of d&b audiotechnik’s new CCL (Compact Cardioid Line Array) system, marking the series’ debut in the South African market. The event, held at the Vodacom Dome in Midrand, near Johannesburg, drew strong attendance from rental and staging companies, live event production professionals and house of worship technicians from across the region.

As exclusive distributor of d&b audiotechnik in South Africa, SAW recognises the importance of providing in-depth training on the new portfolio of products to its valued community in the local market. “We are committed to strengthening local competencies with demonstrations such as these, that are free to attend and genuinely insightful,” confirms Gary Furman at Stage Audio Works. “In turn, we are actively introducing new audiences and poten