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02 September 2025

UK - The Sennheiser Group has joined forces with Rise AV, a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing gender diversity and inclusion in the audiovisual (AV) sector. As a gold sponsor, Sennheiser supports Rise AV’s mission to create pathways for women and underrepresented talent. By supporting Rise AV, Sennheiser contributes to a shared vision: an AV industry where talent is recognized regardless of gender, and where inclusive structures enable long-term change.

“When individuals from diverse backgrounds come together, they spark creativity and innovation in unexpected ways. By supporting Rise AV, we’re working to ensure more voices are heard, supported, and able to shape the future of audio,” says Daniel Sennheiser, co-CEO of Sennheiser.

The sponsorship includes support for Rise AV’s flagship Mentoring Programme and the Elevate leaders

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02 September 2025

UAE - PPDS, the global provider of Philips Professional Displays and complementary solutions, has announced a new strategic distribution partnership with FVC, expanding its reach and strengthening its presence across the Middle East and parts of North Africa.

Under this new agreement, FVC will represent and distribute the full PPDS portfolio of Philips Professional Displays – including the latest digital signage, direct view LED displays, and professional TVs.

Headquartered in Dubai, FVC is a value-added distributor with a long standing reputation for bringing leading edge audiovisual and unified communications technologies to the market. The partnership ensures that systems integrators and end customers in the region can access the PPDS portfolio, supported by FVC’s extensive partner ecosystem and technical expertise.

Mr K S Parag, manag

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02 September 2025

Europe - Stage Precision has joined the OpenAV Cloud, a global, nonprofit initiative dedicated to building an open, connected audiovisual industry. The OpenAV Cloud fosters interoperability through open APIs and shared protocols, ensuring that AV systems, tools and platforms can communicate seamlessly across brands, disciplines and geographies.

By becoming part of the OpenAV Cloud community, Stage Precision is reinforcing its long-standing mission of delivering customers true freedom of choice, flexibility and system integration without lock-in.

At the heart of this commitment is SP Grid, Stage Precision’s flagship platform for managing and synchronising live data across complex AV workflows. SP Grid acts as a universal data backbone, bridging tracking systems, media servers, lighting desks, automation controllers, and more, so creatives and engine

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01 September 2025

France - Harman Professional Solutions has announced the appointment of Freevox as the distributor of its AMX video and control solutions in France, effective 1 September 2025. This new agreement builds on Freevox’s existing role distributing Harman Professional’s audio brands, including JBL Professional, BSS, Crown, Soundcraft, Lexicon, and dbx.

“Expanding our relationship with Freevox to include AMX is a natural next step,” said Scott Aslett, sr. commercial director, EMEA, Harman Professional Solutions. “Their deep technical knowledge, strong customer relationships, and proven track record in the French market make them an ideal partner to represent our control and video solutions. We’re excited to see how this collaboration will elevate the AMX brand in France.”

With headquarters in Paris and a long-standing presence in the French AV

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29 August 2025

USA - Squeek Lights has strengthened its rental and production inventory with the addition of 12 Antari F-12 Nebula fazers. Known for delivering high-impact stage atmospherics, the F-12 Nebula offers a key advantage for Squeek Lights’ diverse client base: dual-voltage flexibility that eliminates common power issues during touring and rentals.

“The F-12 solved a major issue for us,” said Victor Zeiser, managing partner of Squeek Lights. “With the ability to run on both 110 and 208V, we no longer face the risk of units being damaged on the road. It’s a straightforward, reliable machine that produces an impressive volume of haze.”

Built for durability, precision, and ease of use, the Antari F-12 Fazer is engineered for efficiency. Its new low-temperature heater design allows the 1300W water-based machine to operate at a lower temperature, pr

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28 August 2025

UK - Backup Tech, the charity supporting those working behind the scenes in the entertainment technology industry, has launched a Workplace Wellness initiative developed by newly appointed Backup ambassador, Gemma Fletcher. The programme aims to help those working on the technical and production side of entertainment by providing some self-help tools which can easily be implemented in their everyday work routines to check in on their own wellbeing.

In her role as an ambassador, Fletcher will champion the charity's mission throughout the entertainment industry, spreading awareness of its work and helping create wellbeing-related initiatives that tie in with Backup's remit, as well as recruiting corporate partners and supporting individual fundraising efforts.

In line with this, the initiative recognises that entertainment industry workers oft

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28 August 2025

Mexico - Claypaky, in collaboration with Hermes Music, its official exclusive distributor in Mexico, held a Shield family open day at the Bombay restaurant on the shores of the Nichupté Lagoon in Riviera Maya, Cancun.

Claypaky’s Shield family of IP66 fixtures is designed to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in all weather conditions, from the roughest storms to the tiniest speck of dust. These fixtures meet the needs for outdoor installations and for rental companies serving both indoor and outdoor productions.

The open day event brought together lighting designers, technicians, programmers and rental company owners in an exclusive meet-and-greet atmosphere. Claypaky's latest innovations with IP66 protection were showcased, especially its robust and versatile Aqua line, in a realistic environment of humid weather and high temperatures.

D

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28 August 2025

Australia - Elite Event Technology, a production and rental company, headquartered in Canberra with operations in Sydney and the Illawarra, has made a major investment in audio technology with the acquisition of a new Tour Sound System from Harman Professional.

The new system features 96 JBL Professional VTX A-Series line array speakers, including the A12, A8, and A6 models, paired with 50 VTX B-Series 18-inch subwoofers, all driven by Crown amplifiers. This configuration is engineered to ‘deliver pristine, high-impact sound for large-scale live events such as music festivals, concerts, and cultural showcases across the country’.

Elite Event Technology acquired the system through MadisonAV, HARMAN Professional’s authorised distributor for Australia, ensuring seamless support and integration. In recent years, Elite Event Technology has been a st

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28 August 2025

Australia - The Freedman Group, parent company of professional audio brands RØDE, Mackie, and newly acquired Lectrosonics, has announced a new partnership with fellow Sydney-based technology leader Audinate. The agreement will see the integration of Audinate’s Dante platform integrated into a suite of next-generation products across The Freedman Group’s portfolio, unlocking advanced networking capabilities for creators and professionals worldwide.

Commenting on the partnership, Peter Freedman, founder of The Freedman Group, said, “I’ve known Audinate’s CEO, Aidan Williams, for many years, and it’s been inspiring to watch Dante grow from a bold idea into a world-leading technology. I’m truly delighted that we can now bring Dante’s unmatched networking capabilities to RØDE, Mackie, and Lectrosonics, unlocking e

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26 August 2025

UK - This year’s PLASA Show (7-9 September, Olympia, London) will debut a new Careers and Networking Hub, which the show’s organisers say is set to be “a vibrant, inclusive space designed to support early-career professionals, apprentices, students, and anyone seeking their next step in the live entertainment and events industry”.

A collaboration between PLASA, The Power of Events, Production Futures, and Access Industry, the hub will feature: speed networking sessions with top industry professionals; professional development support, including CV and LinkedIn reviews and free headshots (limited availability); live talks and panel sessions exploring careers and opportunities in live events; and a welcoming lounge space with comfortable seating and coffee, open to all ages and experience levels.

Apprentice ambassadors from Acc

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26 August 2025

Israel - Be'er-Sheva-based lighting rental specialist Koltech has invested in 24 new Robe Esprite moving lights to add to its ever-expanding rental inventory, which now includes over 150 Robe moving lights.

The company was founded in 2007 by Yossi Bendavid – better known industry-wide by his nickname ‘ZakZak’, which means talkative.

ZakZak purchased the Esprites as he believes the fixture is “a great all-round workhorse luminaire and a professional-level spot fixture that is the lightest, brightest and most efficient currently available in its class.”

He is a lighting designer as well as running the company, and he and his crew, including other regular lighting designers like Mor Avitan, were impressed by the Esprite’s framing shutters and the gobos as well as the pure flat beam output, completely devoid of hot spots and edge-frin

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26 August 2025

Fringe Figures - Total ticket sales at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe have stalled compared to last year, marking the first time since COVID that there has not been a year-on-year increase. There were 2,604,404 tickets sold across the festival in 2025 to 53,942 performances of 3,893 shows from 62 different countries, figures slightly down on the 2024 event, when 2,612,913 tickets were sold to 3,746 shows.

Figures are not broken down by genre, so it is not possible to discern how theatre has performed compared to comedy, for example. Commenting on the 2025 figures, Tony Lankester, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “It is clear that, despite many ongoing challenges facing the Fringe community, it remains the single best platform in the world for artists to showcase their work.”

Revamp - Glasgow

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22 August 2025

USA - International logistics provider Freight Minds has expanded its US operations with the opening of a new office in New Jersey. This expansion is part of a long-term global strategy to align its freight services with the evolving needs of live events, touring entertainment, sports, broadcast, TV and film, and commercial productions, while building the infrastructure to support sustained growth and exceptional service delivery.

Building on its established presence in London and Los Angeles, the New Jersey office extends Freight Minds’ reach across the US, including key markets such as Chicago, Miami, Nashville, and other major cities. This growth strengthens the company’s ability to deliver localised expertise, agile operations, and around-the-clock support across all US time zones.

Founded in 2021 by industry veterans, Freight Minds applies d

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21 August 2025

UK - Respected throughout the industry and organised in association with LSi, the PLASA Awards for Innovation celebrate innovative products from across the live entertainment technology industry.

If you have introduced a product within the past 12 months that demonstrates a new style of thinking, improves technical practice or safety, introduces new materials or techniques, or offers a new commercial advantage, then this is your chance to showcase your innovation at the PLASA Show, and be in with a chance of winning one of these prestigious awards.

But be quick – entries close soon! The deadline for entries is midnight on 26th August (BST). 

Each successfully entered product will be judged by an independent panel of industry experts who have the authority to present up to eight awards of equal standing, one of which can be

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21 August 2025

India - Bhopal-based Phoenix Networks Global Pvt, a premier technical solutions provider in the state of Madhya Pradesh, has made a significant step forward by investing in a full-scale Martin Audio WPC.

The biamped WPC line array forms the heart of a larger audio upgrade which also includes Martin Audio SXH218 subwoofers, powered by iK42 4-channel DSP amplifiers and LE200 stage monitors. The order was fulfilled by territory distributors, Vardhaman Megatech Pvt Ltd (VMT).

This marquee sale is a strategic investment for Phoenix Networks, equipping them with a globally trusted solution that will enhance their technical capabilities, operational efficiency and long-term service delivery across both indoor and outdoor environments. They are confident that WPC will bring world-class performance and engineering to every project it undertakes.

“It

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19 August 2025

Georgia/Armenia - Van Damme has expanded its distribution network with the appointment of Pro-Sound and Light as its exclusive partner to cover Georgia and Armenia. The appointment provides Van Damme’s first dedicated local presence to support customers in both countries.

Pro-Sound and Light is an established distributor and systems integrator with a deep understanding of the challenges and complexities of the local market in both Armenia and Georgia. Van Damme joins a high-level roster of international AV brands that the company already represents, including Electro-Voice, Kramer, Eve Audio, Avonic and Dynacord.

“We are delighted to name Pro-Sound and Light as our exclusive distributor for Armenia and Georgia,” said Adam Jafrabadi, export director at Van Damme. “We know that these countries are part of an important and growing market with hu

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19 August 2025

USA - Odiho has become the latest pro AV manufacturer to name AVlex as its US distributor. It joins the likes of MiPRO, Superlux, Frenetik, Amadeus Acoustics and PressOn in a roster of brands stocked and supported by AVlex.

Odiho delivers real-time HD audio to smartphones without the need for a dedicated app, allowing sports fans to get closer to the action in a stadium, galleries to provide tour guide solutions and corporate events to offer sound and multi-lingual content. The solution provides a simple way to enhance experiences and acoustic comfort, relying on technology that everyone has easy access to.

“Odiho has already proven itself as a popular solution for some of the biggest events to take place in Europe, including the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and we are certain that it will be just as popular in the US,” states Philip Van Peborgh, CO

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19 August 2025

China - 2025 celebrates a landmark 25 years of Absen at the forefront of LED display innovation. Since its inception in 2001, the company has evolved into a global force, delivering LED solutions to over 140 countries and regions.

With more than 60,000 installations worldwide, from high-profile installations at live events and sports venues to corporate lobbies, control rooms, and virtual production studios, the company’s impact is visible in many well-known and demanding environments.

As Absen looks to the future, its mission evolves with it. The company has unveiled a refreshed brand tagline: previously ‘Trusted LED Supplier’ to ‘Global Leader in LED Display Technology and Solutions’. This shift reflects Absen’s ambition not only to deliver exceptional products, but to continue shaping the future of the LED industry through sustainable

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19 August 2025

Under Pressure - The Royal Ballet and Opera is under pressure from numerous Ukrainian creatives and UK MPs to remove the Russian soprano Anna Netrebko from its upcoming season. Signatories of a letter to the Guardian describe the singer as a “longtime symbol of cultural propaganda for a regime that is responsible for serious war crimes”. They are urging the RBO to reconsider Netrebko’s starring role in its production of Tosca beginning next month, as Russia’s attacks on Ukraine continue throughout the summer.

Netrebko, a leading Russian soprano who has performed all over the world including multiple stints at the Royal Opera House, was photographed holding the pro-Russian separatist flag beside a pro-Kremlin former Ukrainian politician in 2014 when Russia captured Donetsk. The singer later said she did not understand the meaning of

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18 August 2025

The Netherlands - Fulcrum Acoustic has announced the appointment of Audio Acoustics as its exclusive distributor in the Netherlands.

Audio Acoustics has a strong presence in the audio, video, and lighting markets. The company is part of a holding that also includes Controllux, Lumen Solutions, and TDE Lighttech.

“We’re excited to partner with Audio Acoustics to support our expansion in the Netherlands,” said Val Gilbert, director of business development for export at Fulcrum Acoustic. “Their knowledgeable team and established reputation in the region will help us better serve local customers and bring Fulcrum’s performance-driven solutions to more projects.”

“We’re proud to represent Fulcrum Acoustic in the Netherlands,” said Jeroen Knol, commercial manager at Audio Acoustics. “Fulcrum's innovative technologies and dedicat

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14 August 2025

New Zealand/USA - Concert Stuff Group (CSG) has announced its acquisition of stadium and event flooring provider HD Flooring. This move further strengthens CSG’s commitment to delivering world-class infrastructure and safety solutions to concerts, festivals, and large-scale events worldwide.

Founded in early 2020 by Craig Edwards, HD Flooring quickly became a market leader, supplying quality flooring solutions to New Zealand’s major stadiums and events - even amid the challenges of the pandemic. With a reputation built on innovation, reliability, and deep expertise in crowd safety, HD Flooring has been instrumental in elevating event standards across the region.

Craig brings over 15 years of experience in crowd management, barrier systems, and event safety. After a stint running barriers at a staging company, he joined Mojo Barriers Australia in

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13 August 2025

Australia - For over three decades, Brisbane-based company IJS has helped clients navigate the often-complex landscape of technical production, providing high-end audio, lighting, staging and backline for concerts, festivals, corporate events and beyond. Further strengthening its technical capabilities, IJS recently welcomed DiGiCo’s latest digital mixing console, the Quantum 852, into its ranks.

“It’s important that our consoles are rider-friendly, reliable, and remain current with market trends,” explains IJS general manager, Jay van Lieshout. “DiGiCo consoles are highly sought after, thanks in part to the workflow advantages of the DiGiCo ecosystem. In short, engineers love them, so it just makes sense for us to stock them in our hire inventory.”

Over the past decade, IJS has compiled an impressive inventory of DiGiCo consoles, includi

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13 August 2025

USA - LEA Professional has announced a partnership with Excellence Marketing, a manufacturer’s representative based in Minnesota. This collaboration strengthens LEA’s efforts to enhance its presence across the US and to provide LEA’s catalogue along with support to integrators in the Upper Midwest region.

Founded in 1988, Excellence Marketing has established a reputation as a trusted partner to both manufacturers and resellers. With more than three decades of experience, they offer expertise, deep industry relationships, and a customer-first approach that aligns with LEA’s mission of empowering integrators with innovative and scalable technology solutions.

"We are dedicated to delivering the best possible service to our customers," said Mark Mitchell, president of Excellence Marketing. "We are proud to introduce LEA Professional’s technolog

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13 August 2025

Europe - Dillinger Labs, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eleven Engineering, has appointed Netherlands-based Tempesta Trading B.V. as distributor for the Benelux Region (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), effective immediately.

“In a short period of time, Dillinger Labs and its wireless SKAA-enabled speakers, subwoofers, headphones, and standalone professional transmitters/receivers have taken off not just in North America, but worldwide,” said Rex Whitehead, Dillinger Labs president. “One quickly growing area is the Benelux Region, and so we needed a distribution partner that not only knows the area well, but has a well-established presence in the marketplace. Tempesta Trading B.V. is the ideal choice to distribute Dillinger Labs’ throughout Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.”

Since its founding in 2009, Tempesta Trading B.V. h