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Finland - Barcelona-based Amate Audio has announced the appointment of BLC Turva as its exclusive official distributor in Finland.
The appointment of the large scale IT and network services company supersedes the previous multiple distributor network in the country, and marks BLC Turva’s inaugural distribution of a dedicated professional audio loudspeaker brand.
Spearheading the entry of BLC Turva into pro audio is project manager, Juho Kekarainen. Kekarainen has five years previous association with the loudspeaker company as its principal representative at Tecline OY.
Amate Audio’s head of sales, Jordi Amate, states, “Juho was previously ‘our man in Finland’ for five years and it is a major opportunity to partner with him again in his new position within BLC Turva. Our partnership in the past was highly productive, with high levels of sales in the c

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Options Open - Integrated Systems Europe is keeping all options open for ISE 2021 which is scheduled to take place in Barcelona 1-4 June this year. Mike Blackman, managing director, Integrated Systems Events, has told exhibitors that the organisation is “working hard alongside each of you to bring a successful ISE 2021”.
Blackman states, “Together with each of you, our shared goal is to deliver a show that prioritises safety and brings a return on investment to our show community. With the rapid implementation of vaccines, and the current reduction in daily new cases, we see the COVID situation in many European countries (including Spain) improving at an increasing pace. Based on this positive trend, we anticipate a climate that will make it possible to run an in-person event in Barcelona. However, we are realistic that current attitudes to travel may mean a lower volum
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World - Hippotizer’s Nevis+ Media Server is proving to be an essential tool for smaller productions around the world, offering the features and power of its ‘bigger brother’ stablemates but in a more compact and affordable package.
Some of the world’s leading visual design companies have embraced the creative possibilities of the Nevis+ since it was launched in July 2020, using it as a simple-to-use training and demo option as well as specifying it for small to mid-size events.
Maggie Zhu at KUPO (Keep Ur Performance Outstanding) Shanghai was one of the first investors in a Nevis+.
“The main attraction of Nevis+ is its price, coupled with the fact we can use all of Hippotizer's comprehensive software features,” she says. “For us, the main market for Hippotizer is for performance and theatre. Nevis+ is the right solution for these events, as one mach

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USA - Michael Cannon, co-founder and former CEO of 4Wall Entertainment, has acquired Main Light Industries, Inc (MLI), a dry hire provider of entertainment equipment. MLI will remain headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and retain all of its employees but its founder, Aidas Gimbutas, will be stepping away from the company.
Gimbutas comments: “Deciding to sell your business is never easy. Of course, a business owner is looking to capitalize monetarily, but I did not seek a new owner based on this alone. I could not have found a better person than Michael Cannon to accept ownership of Main Light. Michael is investing in what is obviously, a tough time for the industry. He is continuing full-time employment for our dedicated and loyal staff; he respects our customer service approach, and he is here to not only continue but will strengthen Main Light’s ability to provide our

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France - Robe Lighting France delivered its first Robe Awards event, a lighting design and programming competition that saw 10 finalists battle it out by utilising a full Robe lighting rig.
The competition, which attracted more than 160 entrants, was initiated after Sebastien Dendele, president of rental company MursDeLeds (MDL), and well-known TV lighting operator Yannick Duc discussed the idea of organising a lighting competition after MursDeLeds had installed some Robe fixtures in a Paris club.
Robe France account handler Jean Philippe Fouilleul was then approached, who in turn involved his colleagues Bruno Garros, Elie Battah and Vincent Bouquet who floated the idea of engaging lighting designers and operators.
The competition kicked off in December 2020 and was open to anyone in France familiar with professional lighting consoles and visualisation software

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USA - Behind the Scenes holiday cards will be available again this year. Proceeds from card sales help provide grants to entertainment technology professionals, or their immediate dependent family members, who are seriously ill or injured, and support the charity’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative.
Each year designs have been created and donated to the charity by everyone from Tony Award winners to high school students. The design guidelines (btshelp.org/carddesign) are very simple and you can also view previous examples (btshelp.org/cardexamples).
If you are interested in designing a card, Behind the Scenes will need your commitment no later than15 April and your artwork by 15 May 15th. Please contact Lori Rubinstein at info@btshelp.org or 212-244-1421.

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Finland - Musician, producer and mixing engineer Jyrki ‘Speedy’ Saarinen installed an Audient ASP4816 mixing desk in his Mediagents Helsinki studio last summer as part of a renovation project.
Speedy splits his time equally between his studio and working for Finnish National Broadcasting Company, YLE. Here he has mixed and recorded hundreds of different events for them over the years - everything from music festivals to sport events, for broadcast on TV and radio. He mixed for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki - the first surround sound broadcast in Eurovision history.
“We needed an analogue console for recording and especially for mixing,” says Speedy. “We searched the market for the alternatives and noticed that ASP4816 fitted our needs well. The Audient signal chain including the EQ’s have turned out to be very useful. They don’t add noise

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UK - The Institute of Sound, Communications and Visual Engineers (ISCVE) has announced two online seminar presentations for its Annual Members’ Day. The online seminars are open to ISCVE members and non-members and will be presented by leading AV industry and Audio industry figures following the ISCVE’s annual general meeting.
The first presentation, taking place online on 10 March 2021 2:30-3:15pm, is titled AV Over IP using NDI and will be presented by Liam J Hayter, senior solutions architect EMEA, NewTek. The presentation will be taking a look at how NDI AV over IP technology can deliver next generation AV solutions, from meeting rooms to auditoriums, to TV studios and video conferencing.
The second presentation (4:00-4:45pm) is titled Brexit and the implications for our Industries and will feature presentations from Andy Simmons, UK & Eire sa

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Denmark - Rental operation Live Company made a major investment in Robe Esprite and LEDWash 300X moving lights, together with a RoboSpot remote follow spot system, in March 2020 just before the pandemic hit effectively closing the live concert and event industry worldwide.
“We felt it was a bit like some ironic sort of April Fool’s joke,” commented Live Company’s Peter Clausen, one of the owners together with Mikkel Bedsted and two other business partners.
However, they are pleased with their kit, and the Esprites have been busy despite a challenging year working at a fraction of the normal pace as Live Company is lucky enough to have had a steady flow of work throughout the pandemic.
Live Company purchased the 22 x Esprites for Cirkusrevyen, Denmark’s premier revue show which is staged at a big top venue in Dyrehavsbakken, a northern suburb of Copenha

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UK - Audio consultancy and networking specialist RH Consulting has been counting networked audio products and licensees since 2013 in an effort to chart the adoption of audio networking in the pro audio, AV and broadcast markets. The report covers all the major protocols including Dante, RAVENNA, AVB, Milan and others, and comes in two parts: the headline totals, followed in a few weeks with more comprehensive data on protocols, compatibility and rate of adoption.
Part one logs a total of 3,306 networked products currently shipping from 420 manufacturers, and that number is going up all the time. That’s nearly two new products every day in the past year. “We were pleased to note that the current pandemic doesn’t seem to have had a great impact on new product launches - Dante, for example, has passed the milestone of 3,000 shipping products,” observes RHC’s Roland

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Finland - Genelec is supporting the female creative collective She Knows Tech (SKT) in its first-ever online conference, the She Knows Tech Summit. Taking place from 5-8 March and coinciding with International Women’s Day, the Summit is open to everyone, regardless of their gender identity, and is packed with masterclasses, workshops, panels and networking events covering music production, audio engineering, music technology and more.
Budding musicians, producers, engineers, songwriters, artists, and multi-faceted creators are all welcome to the Summit, where they will learn how to take total control of their artistry, from songwriting and performing, to production and engineering.
SKT CEO and founder Jasmine Kok comments: “Our core mission is to close the music industry’s gender gap and to dispel the notion that women are not interested in music production and

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UK - SLX, technical supplier to theatre, broadcast and live events, will support and supply Surrey-based Guildford School of Acting (GSA) with its ambitious spring season, which is set to see a total of six live productions across two venues, all available digitally by booking at https://gsauk.org/events.
The Production Arts Centre (PATS) is set to host Hamlet, An Image of an Unknown Woman and Red Velvet in March and will be supported by professional lighting designers Jo Town and John Rainsforth. The events are available digitally by booking at https://gsauk.org/events.
The Bellairs Theatre, located in the Ivy Arts Centre at GSA on the University of Surrey campus, is also due to have a busy spring schedule with a production of Titanic the Musical with final year BA Musical Theatre students, Babe the Sheep Pig performed by students un

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UK - Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed the four steps England is set to take towards “cautious yet irreversible” easing of lockdown restrictions over the coming months. The roadmap indicates that theatres, cinemas and other indoor entertainment attractions could reopen with reduced capacity and social distancing measures in place as part of step three, provisionally set to take place from 17 May. Johnson specifically said that as part of step three “theatres and concert halls can reopen their doors”, with pilots of larger events set to take place using enhanced testing. If coronavirus rates continue to fall as predicted, step four could see all restrictions lifted in England from 21 June. This will mean all sectors should be able to reopen.
The #WeMakeEvents campaign has issued the following statement in response to the announcement: “We welcome

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South Africa - DWR Distribution will present Basic Rigging Training in Cape Town, a two-day workshop presented by Robert Izzett which covers basic rigging hardware and calculations according to SANS 10366. The course, limited to 20 delegates, will be held at the on 15 & 16 March 2021 at the Cape Audio College in Observatory.
With a focus on safety, delegates can look forward to gaining a better understanding of the rigging laws applied in South Africa, and on a practical level, the handling and use of rigging hardware, shackles, steel wire ropes, trussing, endless rounds and chains.
“The main emphasis of the course is for technicians to familiarise themselves with the technicalities of hardware,” said Robert Izzett. “Not every shackle is a shackle and not knowing the difference can have serious consequences. There is also a misconception that there ar

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USA - Registration is now open for the New World Rigging Symposium (NWRS), produced by ESTA and USITT, which will take place online 6-8 April, 2021. The NWRS provides a virtual opportunity for riggers and those interested in the entertainment rigging industry to network, discuss current issues and new technologies, and help shape the future of the industry. The cost has been reduced to $99 and the symposium carries up to nine ETCP education renewal credits for re-certification.
Participants will be given a range of opportunities to further their technical knowledge in sessions on video wall rigging, automation and motorization, performer flying and rescue, and types of ropes. They’ll have a chance to learn about how the installation of a tension grid is working in a major facility, to get their questions answered by a panel of the industry’s most knowledgeable structural

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USA - Solotech continues its expansion programme with the acquisition of Nashville-based Morris Light & Sound. The purchase was announced yesterday by Martin Tremblay, president and CEO of Solotech.
Morris Light & Sound was formed nearly 30 years ago by industry ipersonality Dale Morris to outfit tours for the country music supergroup Alabama. Morris changed the landscape of touring by creating a business model that not only represented and managed artists but also provided full production services all under one roof.
“The audiences that Alabama drew were unprecedented in country music at that time,” Morris stated. “We needed a sound system that would project their music over the sounds of the crowd, so I turned to an audio company in L.A. who configured sound systems for rock groups which was what we needed to start in production.”
The InteRise

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UK - Leisuretec, trade distributor of professional and commercial audio, lighting and video equipment, has partnered with Void Acoustics to distribute its professional audio products in the UK.
Leisuretec will become Void’s largest distribution partner in the UK, supplying AV installers, hire production houses and events companies with strong stock holding, knowledgeable technical sales support and efficient after-sales service.
Mike Henden, managing director of Leisuretec, comments: “We are very excited to bring Void into our diverse portfolio of professional audio brands. Not only do their speakers sound incredible, they behold an attractive aesthetic that will offer our customers a unique and stylish alternative when planning their projects.”
“We are delighted to welcome Leisuretec Distribution Ltd to our already expansive network of Void dealers in t

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Income Loss - Three quarters of creative freelancers or organisations working in areas dependent on live audiences have seen their income drop by more than half since the pandemic began, new figures from the Creative Industries Federation have revealed. Failure to ease the hardship being faced by many in the sector could result in “crippling inequalities” in future, and consequences that stretch beyond the creative industries, the federation warns.
According to its newly released statistics, creative freelancers were experienced the biggest drop in revenue, and are 20% more likely than organisations to have seen a reduction in income of three quarters or more since the beginning of the pandemic.
Following the findings, the Creative Industries Federation is calling on the government to take urgent support measures for the sector in the forthcoming Spring Budget. The

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UAE - Pixel Artworks has announced the official opening of its new Middle East office and immersive showroom, located in Dubai’s Design District (d3).
Pixel Artworks employs a combination of experiential design and technical expertise, together with animation, immersive audio and interactive elements, to create ‘virtually limitless concepts from giant airport activations to choreographed live shows to 360-degree immersive environments’.
Dan Alldis, global development director, Pixel Artworks, said, “With 15 years of innovation, creativity and technical expertise behind us, we’ve been able to deliver some of the Middle East’s most ambitious AV installations over the past two years. When you see some of the incredible work we have produced, it is easy to forget that it starts with a single pixel – so we are excited to be able to welcome visitors to our new

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Thailand - Void Acoustics has announced a new partnership with new company Aura Visual System based in Bangkok. Aura Visual System is headed up by Pankom Klaykum who has an extensive career in AV product distribution across the region as well as a strong knowledge of Void products.
“We share a similar drive for the provision of excellent audio to our customers, and my team and I are excited to be aligning with Void Acoustics as their exclusive distributor for Thailand,” comments Pankom.
“Whilst we have done some business in Thailand in the past, there is a huge amount of potential for Void with the country being an important tourist destination and with Bangkok being a major entertainment hub in South-East Asia,” says Sean Iskhandar, APAC sales manager for Void Acoustics from his base in Singapore.
Pankom explains further: “The club sector is a promi

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UK - The Royal Albert Hall has launched its 150th anniversary year with a 90-second tribute to live music entitled Your Room Will Be Ready, narrated by Mick Jagger, directed by BAFTA-nominee Tom Harper and scored by Academy Award-winning composer Steven Price.
The short film, which focuses on the anticipation and energy of live events, pairs images of the empty venue with more than 40 pieces of archive event footage from 1933 to the present, accompanied by Sir Mick reading from For Friends Only by W.H. Auden.
Sir Mick said: “Without doubt, the Royal Albert Hall is one of the greatest concert venues in the world and so I was delighted to be asked to read a short poem by W.H. Auden as part of this excellent short film by Tom Harper.
“I have some wonderful memories of performing there with the Stones in the 1960s when once or twice it did get a b

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UK - In 2020, the first #ILoveLive prize draw raised £546,000 for the charity Stagehand helping music and road crew in desperate need. Launched this month is #ILoveLive 2, featuring more prizes from artists, promoters, venues and festivals.
Artists involved include Foo Fighters, Mumford & Sons, Iron Maiden, Muse, Spice Girls, Simple Minds, Passenger, Fleetwood Mac and many more.
David Stopps, Ian McAndrew and Tom Schroeder, alongside Andrew Lenthall and Mike Lowe from Stagehand, began the #ILoveLive Prize Draw campaign to help raise funds for all the music stage and road crew in the live music events industry that have been affected by the pandemic.
David Stopps said: “When I heard about the tenth suicide among stage crew in late August, I knew I had to do something. Stage crew are not only suffering great financial hardship but most are also experiencing

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UK - The UK government is being urged to recognise the “human and economic devastation” inflicted by the pandemic on the live events supply chain as part of a new awareness campaign launched by #WeMakeEvents this morning.
The Government Can’t See Us, Can You? unveils the devastation the pandemic has wrought on the live event supply chain as told through the stories of industry professionals. The movement has issued an open letter to Rishi Sunak asking the government to support out-of-work individuals and businesses and engage with the sector to develop a re-opening plan and a government-backed COVID-19 cancellation insurance.
The initiative is also calling on the public to join the conversation on social media by using #GovCantSeeUs and by writing to their MP.
Al

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Europe - Elation continues the Elation Coffee Break webinar series on Thursday, 18 February at 11:00 a.m. CEST with technical sales specialist Alistair Smyth and international sales manager Frederik Afif looking at the innovative qualities of the Paladin series of versatile wash/blinder/effect lights
Since its debut on the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, the IP65-rated Paladin range has emerged as industry staple luminaires useful for a wide variety of applications from vibrant stage wash and dynamic uplight to flexible effect light, audience blinder/strobe and eye candy effect. Valued for its versatility, as well as its all-weather toughness, the range encompasses the Paladin, Paladin Panel, Paladin Brick and Paladin Cube.
The Elation Coffee Break is an online presentation series from Elation’s European office in Kerkrade, the Netherlands that takes an up-close look
  1. DTS set to reveal new-look website
  2. Hannover broadcaster invests in Rivage PM7
  3. disguise addresses diversity in technology
  4. PLASA and ABTT join forces for 2021 event
  5. Sound is Essential contest winners named
  6. Matrix Sales appointed Visual Productions distributor
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