Business

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USA - Xytech, provider of facility management software for the broadcast and media industries, has been purchased by San Francisco-based Banneker Partners, a software-focused private equity firm.
Xytech says customers can expect a seamless transition and the company will update its customers and partner in the coming days.
Xytech CEO Richard Gallagher comments: “When I created Xytech, my primary goal was to bring facility management into the next generation to help media facilities - both large and small - be more efficient and productive. For more than three decades, this has been Xytech’s focus, and we are proud of what we have accomplished. Banneker, with its investment focus on software solutions aimed at specific verticals and willingness to invest to scale operational delivery, product innovation and sales and marketing, is the perfect partner for Xytech’s

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UK - PLASA will run a free webinar on the Culture Recovery Fund Emergency Resource Support Fund Round 2 to help prospective candidates plan and submit a strong application ahead of deadline.
Taking place on Tuesday, 11 January, from 10am-12pm, the webinar will be hosted by Caroline Taylor and Vanessa Rawlings-Jackson, both experienced funding specialists with a proved track record of helping to secure millions in Arts Council funding, including rounds 1 and 2 of the Culture Recovery Fund.
Those who join the virtual event will learn who can apply, what Arts Council is looking for in a good application, and other key information. The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session.
“Whether you are unsure of your eligibility or are already putting together an application, don't miss out on this valuable opportunity,” says PLASA.
To register for this webina

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UK - The Back Lounge founder and Tour Production Group (TPG) facilitator, tour manager Suzi Green, is spearheading a new series of free workshops for the live music industry.
Following the strong response to the Resilience Workshops in summer 2021, Green is combining the core principle areas of the TPG - sustainability, mental health and diversity - for a three-part, community-focused series.
Green, whose clients include Placebo, PJ Harvey and Katie Melua, is passionate about both personal and wider industry wellbeing, having founded mental welfare digital support group The Back Lounge during the pandemic, as well as taking on a facilitator role with the TPG, a UK-based and internationally attended association of live music touring professionals.
With 2022 likely to see an upscaled return to work, she believes now is the time for meaningful education that can b

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UK - TSL Lighting has invested in Elation Professional’s Paladin Cube, a compact LED floodlight with IP65 protection that marks the company’s first purchase into Elation’s product range.
TSL is a stage lighting company that operates across the UK and beyond. In operation since 2006, the company provides quality lighting, rigging and design for a wide range of live events, working from a modern facility and warehouse in Basingstoke.
“We chose the Paladin Cube for its size, shape, output, availability and price,” stated TSL managing director Sam Tamplin. “We’re happy with it and think it'll be a good little workhorse fixture for us indoors and outdoors.”
The Paladin Cube is a compact LED floodlight with IP65 protection that has versatile use as a wash light, blinder/strobe or eye candy effect. It houses nine 15W RGBW cells for a full spectrum of col

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Turkey - A 48-channel Audient ASP8024-HE was the console selected for ISF Studios, one of the largest animation and production studios in the Turkish capital of Ankara. ISF Studios is responsible for Rafadan Tayfa, the country’s most popular children’s animated series with an audience of 3.5m, as well as the original 2017 cinema film, Rafadan Tayfa: Dehliz Macerası which boasted 1.8m admissions in the first weeks.
Mustafa Tarkan Ergün, the producer/mixing and mastering engineer at ISF Studios explains their decision to go for the British console: “It was our first choice in terms of the warm, analogue sound, the numerous functional possibilities as well as its affordability - which doesn’t sacrifice quality.”
Other projects include live recording of the national anthem in the and ISF Studios was also instrumental in the renewal of the national

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UK/USA - WILA Lighting has announced its expansion into the US market. WILA Lighting’s growth into the US market has been facilitated by its close affiliation with Experience Brands, a global lighting conglomerate comprised of medium-sized production and innovation facilities that work closely with its specific markets. The goal of the group is to combine the experience, capacity, and capabilities of the individual businesses to achieve maximum service and performance to the customer.
Benefitting from Experience Brands worldwide distribution network, extensive product facilities, and shared infrastructure, WILA Lighting will complement the extensive Experience Brands’ portfolio, to fulfil project requirements across a range of sectors.
Earlier this year, WILA achieved recognition for its green credentials with the confirmation of its status at the highest level o

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USA - The Long Reach Long Riders and Behind the Scenes will host their annual fundraising raffle at the USITT Conference 3-5 March in Baltimore.
This year’s raffle will celebrate the 19th anniversary of the Long Reach Long Riders annual charity motorcycle ride. The Riders, who have raised over $800,000 for charity in their years of touring, will be riding 18-24 June on the Blue Ridge Ramble tour through the Appalachian Mountains.
The Behind the Scenes Boutique will also be open for business during the show featuring an assortment of great Behind the Scenes swag and the famous Long Reach Long Rider T-shirts and kazoos.
Tickets for the raffle are an affordable $5 each or 5 for $20 and can be purchased at the Behind the Scenes booth throughout the show. Winning tickets for nine regular prizes and one grand prize will be drawn at 1pm on Saturday, the final day of St

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USA - Bose Professional has announced the introduction of Better Connected, a video podcast series addressing the challenges of communicating effectively and developing deeper human connections in an increasingly virtual world. With hybrid working set to define the future of professional communication, understanding how to establish connections with dispersed teams - and the role of technology in achieving this - will be integral to business success.
The Better Connected series has been curated to celebrate what is possible through the power of remote collaboration. During conversations with high-profile contributors, viewers will have the opportunity to hear about and be inspired by their experiences as we adapt to a new era of hybrid work.
Over three episodes, host Justin O’Connor welcomes household-name guests to explore how to foster authentic inter

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USA - Main Light has expanded its truss inventory with GT Plus truss from Tyler Truss. Both Main Light East and West now have the standard 10’, 8’, and 5’ lengths in stock in addition to bases, corners, Tyler’s indexable spigots, and necessary accessories. GT Plus truss features redesigned leg sleeves and locking leg collars that allow for smoother operation.
The GT Plus truss inventory purchase continues Main Light’s commitment to building inventory that offers benefits for their clients. “By having the moving lights safely and securely travel in the truss, this eliminates the need for road cases, which means less space is needed on the truck,” states Randy Mullican, general manager for Main Light. “GT truss saves on space, weight, and reduces fuel consumption, which our clients really appreciate. It also speeds up the load-in and -out times as well, again

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Further Action - Labour is calling on the government to urgently take further action to support the arts sector - including widening eligibility for the Culture Recovery Fund - warning many “treasured theatres” face collapse without support. The call on the government follows an announcement from chancellor Rishi Sunak that £30m has been added to the CRF.
However, Labour said more needs to be done to ensure the “support is effective” and reaches “those most in need”. The party’s demands include: widening the scope of the Culture Recovery Fund Emergency Resource Grant so that previous recipients, commercial productions, and individuals can apply; speeding up payment through the Culture Recovery Fund so that the self-employed, and freelancers in the culture sector can have their contracts honoured, and an urgent review of the Live Events Reinsurance Scheme, whic

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UK - Sonosphere has welcomed the new year by remembering a busy 2021. Most significantly, the company was involved in the 5G Festival (5GF) project, central to the continuing advancements in using 5G technology in a new way for the entertainment industry. In addition, the Sonosphere management team completed a buyout of the company, with Duncan Bell joining as commercial director; this was swiftly followed by the team supplying immersive audio for the public launch of Ed Sheeran’s new album.
2022 is set to be as busy, with multiple projects in the pipeline including a major interactive multimedia exhibition that will open in Germany in the New Year, spatialising the work of a Saudi Arabian producer and composer, and an immersive audio installation into a major London venue.
“The November 5GF trials were a seminal moment for the entire consortium of companies invol

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USA - Charity Behind the Scenes has announced a series of Mental Health First Aid virtual training classes throughout January and February.
The Mental Health First Aid course takes the fear and hesitation out of starting conversations with someone you are worried about by teaching you how to recognize the signs and symptoms, how to listen and give reassurance, and how to refer that person to appropriate professional support and services. The course is delivered in two parts - a self-paced online course followed by a six-hour virtual live instructor-led session.
Participants will learn about the risk factors and warning signs of mental health and substance use problems including information on depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis and substance use; the five-step ALGEE action plan to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or is in crisis, and the avai

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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 developing new technological solutions that are at the crossroads of three markets: fans and artists, con

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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

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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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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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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 - #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 - Registration is now open for the 2022 New World Rigging Symposium, which will take place online on 5-7 April 2022. Produced by ESTA and USITT, the NWRS brings together professional riggers, engineers, manufacturers, venue managers, educators and students to further their rigging knowledge, hear about challenging projects, get up to speed on new technologies, discuss current industry challenges, and get their questions answered by a host of subject matter experts.
The NWRS also offers valuable information to those working in other areas of the industry who want to further their knowledge of rigging. The three-day symposium will also include breakout rooms where attendees can get in-depth information from our sponsors as well as virtual networking opportunities with attendees and presenters.
The event will carry ETCP education renewal credits for re-certification.

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UK - Bluesound Professional has announced the addition of a distribution partner serving European Baltic States, further expanding their global distribution. The new distribution partner, Audiotonas, is the regional distributor serving Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
“We are delighted to be able to welcome Audiotonas as a new distributor for the Bluesound Professional team, as they are a key leader in the industry and in their respective market,” says Graeme Harrison, vice-president and general manager of Bluesound Professional. “This new relationship will help strengthen our strategic Bluesound Professional European distribution and growth. We are extremely fortunate to be able to work with some of the best distributors in the business.”

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UK - In the latest instalment of the conneCT education sessions, Creative Technology invited a diverse group of designers, creatives, and users from various industries to a special UK presentation of Holoplot X1, the Berlin-based pro audio company's latest offering in the world of immersive audio.
With no visual content to pull focus on this occasion, audio was given the opportunity to step into the limelight. Holoplot treated everyone in attendance to a comprehensive demonstration sequence curated to showcase the system's possible uses in various configurations. A real mix of content across different market sectors provided familiarity and context for those assembled in the room.
The immediacy of feedback and response from guests was evident. “Having been in this industry for over 45 years, one can become a little jaded and cynical when it comes to new equipment. 'O

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USA - Technical Arts Group (TAG) has invested in Ayrton Perseo Beam and Ayrton Domino fixtures, both IP65-rated, for its inventory. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.
TAG was formed earlier this year and specialises in lighting, audio, video, staging, special effects and event management. The company has offices in Secaucus, New Jersey and Miami, Florida.
“We were getting more post-COVID event work than we had equipment for, so we needed to increase our overall fixture count and quickly,” says Kevin Mignone, CRO at TAG. “We are also seeing more outdoor festivals happening than ever before, where IP-rated fixtures are a necessity. Doug Mekanik at ACT arranged an Ayrton demo and we liked what we saw. The gear was in stock and we placed our order, increasing our inventory by a hundred fixtures nearly overnight.”
  1. Audinate to acquire Silex Insight video business
  2. The Week in Light & Sound
  3. The Rady Shell invests in Follow-Me
  4. Adlib invests in Data Strategy’s QC-Check
  5. Blue Parrot takes delivery of Ayrton Perseo Beam
  6. ALPD’s pilot Lumière Scheme underway
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