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Italy - Artistic Licence has announced a distribution agreement with Molpass S.r.l. in Italy. With an emphasis on the theatrical market, Artistic's lighting control infrastructure products will augment other premium brands in the Molpass portfolio.
Founded in 1995, Molpass is a technical solutions in the entertainment sector, with a particular focus on the audience experience. Recognising the demand for a high-quality dimming product for replacement LED bulbs, Molpass approached Artistic Licence for a trial of their award-winning sunDial trailing edge mains dimmer.
Following a positive response from a number of prestigious Italian theatres, a broader distribution agreement was the next logical step.
Giorgio Molinari, CEO of Molpass, comments: Professional venues simply cannot accept the poor low-end response typical of many dimmers that are claimed to be LED co

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Brit Awards - Next year's Brit Awards have been pushed back by three months to May, to have a better chance of staging a full live ceremony featuring live performances. The 41st edition of the music awards show was due to take place in February at London's O2 Arena. But uncertainty around the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the music industry to delay it.
Organisers said they want “outstanding production levels, superstar performances and live excitement”. Geoff Taylor, chief executive of The Brits and industry body the BPI, said: "We believe that the best way to achieve this in 2021 is to move the show back a few months to May. We are already at work planning a spectacular event that will remind us how important music has been in getting us all through these difficult times."
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Europe - Shure is introducing the new Shure Tech Portal, an interactive technical resource library developed for systems integrators, dealers, audio engineers, service providers, consultants, and other professional and technically-minded users.
The portal provides fast and direct access to complete product and technical information, document downloads, and resources to support the specification, design, deployment and operation of Shure products across all markets and applications.
The Shure Tech Portal is an intuitive, fully searchable online platform that offers professional users streamlined access to comprehensive Shure product information. With a complete document library for each product, key specifications, global SKU and variant information, software and firmware downloads, imagery, FAQs, and more, Tech Portal users can get all the information they need, all in

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Greece - Ayrton has announced Athens-based Megaevent as its new, exclusive distributor for Greece. Founded in 2001, Megaevent has provided distribution and support of leading products in lighting, sound and AV equipment across all sectors of the entertainment market for nearly 20 years.
“We always look forward to new technologies and our target is to provide these together with the best after-sales support to all our customers,” says Megaevent CEO, Sotiris Kolios. “Through our many years of experience we have selected the best partners to work with, centred on respect for companies with great R&D and continuous evolution.
“Ayrton has proven to be one of them: we have watched Ayrton’s progress over the years and, like most of the lighting designers in Greece, hold their brand in high regard. We believe their products to be leaders in every aspect, and are

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UK - Music Support continues to hold weekly online support group meetings to allow the music industry’s 12 Step recovery community to continue to connect during these challenging times, with numbers of attendees growing weekly. Meetings take place every Monday 18:00-19:00 GMT throughout the summer, providing a confidential and non-judgemental space for people to share and encourage one another on the journey of recovery.
“We’re pioneering a change of culture within the industry that suggests another lifestyle is possible within it and as beacons of that, we host a weekly online support group meeting for those in our business who are members of any 12 step fellowship,” says the team behind Music Support.
“We acknowledge that although each fellowship uses different words, they speak the same language of hope – and that’s why now more than ever, it is imper

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UK - PLASA’s new campaign #WeMakeEvents has garnered a 'huge response' from the industry.
The campaign was launched last week in a bid to raise awareness of the negative impact the COVID-19 crisis on the live events industry.
A cornerstone of the initiative, the #WeMakeEvents video has so far amassed 20,000 views and 3,000 shares.
PLASA says that 1,000 industry professionals have signed their support for the campaign via its webpage, and key industry organisations and brands have also endorsed it.
On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Glastonbury Festival - cancelled this year due to COVID-19 - PLASA MD Peter Heath was promoting #WeMakeEvent

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UK/USA - Studiomaster has appointed Italian Speaker Imports (ISI) as its exclusive authorised US distributor. Formed in 2014, the New York State headquartered company boats a roster of brands that includes FBT, JTS and Bespeco.
In a deal cemented at this year’s NAMM show, ISI adds the British PA company and its ranges of audio mixing consoles, amplifier products and loudspeakers to its existing portfolio.
ISI’s owner and president, John Krupa, states, “The partnership represents the combination of high-quality products and outstanding service and integrity. A significant aspect of ISI’s mission is to work with premium global brands in the audio industry and bring outstanding quality products to the U.S. market. Studiomaster offers superior products that are held to the highest standards of quality control, resulting in a range of sound mixers, amplifiers, and l

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UK - #LightItInRed is a UK based direct action lighting initiative that is scheduled to take place on the night of Monday 6 July 2020 to draw attention to the critical condition of the UK live event and entertainment industry and its need for special government support to see it through to re-starting.
Currently, unlike other industries, there is no set date for live events, shows, festivals and performances to restart after the Covid-19 shut down.
The #LightItInRed action was inspired by #NightofLight in Germany on 22 June, which saw over 9,000 buildings, monuments, structures, towers, landmarks, castles, offices, houses, spaces and places illuminated in ‘Emergency Red’ to raise awareness and grab the attention of the public and the government.
#LightItInRed initiators, Steven Haynes from Clearsound Productions and Phillip Berryman from The Backstage Theatr

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Germany - Stage|Set|Scenery is set to take place from 15 to 17 June 2021 on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. The event is co-organised by Deutsche Theatertechnische Gesellschaft (DTHG) and Messe Berlin.
“As a result of the coronavirus pandemic the theatre and event industry faces huge challenges. As we prepare for the topics at next year’s Stage|Set|Scenery we are closely coordinating with industry players and experts from the various sectors“, says Wesko Rohde, managing chairman of the board of Deutsche Theatertechnische Gesellschaft (DTHG).
“Our aim next year will be to build on Stage|Set|Scenery as a perfect interactive platform. It is particularly in times like these that we see how important a creative dialogue on specialist subjects is. The combination of technical creativity and artistic innovation has a stimulating effect and unites people to achieve a co

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Europe - In his latest selection of Back-To-Basics videos, Area Four Industries’ rigging advisor (and commando), Eric Porter, reviews the crucial subject of Shackles, Slings, and Cables. As Eric points out, no matter how long you have worked in the event industry there will always be ‘blind spots’ in any rigger’s expertise. These four short videos go a long way in ensuring that safety always remains uppermost in the mind of any rigger.
In the first video, Eric takes a look at the two main types of shackle: the D shackle and the bow shackle (also known as the omega or anchor shackle).
Eric demonstrates that the D shackle should only ever join two components - one on the ‘D’ and the other on the Pin, while the bow shackle is allowed to take two items on

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Germany - ETC and High End Systems participated in the Night of Light initiative this week.
ETC lit the historic mining tower in Hausham - close to the ETC GmbH office in Holzkirchen - as part of the ‘Night of Light’s’ nationwide display. The 40m-high monument was lit by ETC’s Source Four LED Series 2 Daylight HD, Source Four PAR, Source Four XT HID, ColorSource Spot, ColorSource PAR and High End Systems SolaPix 19 fixtures.
The initiator of the project, Tom Koporek from LK-AG Essen comments: “The event industry will not survive the next 100 days. The current conditions and restrictions make the financial set-up of events virtually impossible.” Alongside the organizers who have been greatly affected by the pandemic, there are also around one million employees and an industry that generates over ten billion euros at stake.
ETC and High End Systems reco

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Germany - On 22 June, over 9000 buildings, monuments, cultural sites and spaces plus other objects were illuminated in ‘emergency red’ by over 8,300 participating companies - primarily in Germany - for #NightofLight2020.
As previously reported, #NightofLight2020 was initiated and carefully planned by a team of lighting and AV professionals led by Tom Koperek from Essen-based event marketing agency LK AG to raise awareness of the critical economic plight of the live event industry in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Moving light manufacturer Robe lighting enthusiastically supported via German subsidiary Robe DE which also assisted in supplying kit for some key locations from the current demo stock.
In addition to the many installations already independently utilising Robe products, the company’s HQ in Valašské Meziříčí, Czech Republic, and the Ger

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South Africa - In mid-March, South Africa was placed under lockdown to try to deal with the imminent threat posed by the rapid spread of COVID-19. Almost 100 days later, the events industry is still under severe restrictions, with no indication from the government when large-scale events will return.
“The lockdown has been very hard on people in our industry, especially for the freelance crew, technicians and engineers,” says DWR’s Jannie de Jager. “After a couple of days into lockdown, it quickly became apparent that boredom was going to be one of our greatest enemies, and would negatively affect the mental health of everybody if we let it.”
Jannie and the lighting team at DWR, therefore, decided to challenge lighting designers in South Africa to put their skills to good use during the lockdown by designing a light show using the MA2 PC platform. “We ar

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Germany - The plight of the German events industry due to the COVID-19 crisis was highlighted during a campaign that saw thousands of buildings across the country illuminated in red on the night of 22 June (Monday).
The Night of Light campaign attracted more than 8,000 participants, including production houses and manufacturers, who used lighting and projection tools to light the facades of more than 9,000 buildings in over 1,500 locations.
The initiative aimed to spotlight the struggles of the events industry, with the red light chosen to symbolise the ‘red alert’ level that the industry is under due to state-wide restrictions on large-scale live events.
Germany’s event industry comprises more than 150 sub-sectors and is one of the country’s top employers, with around a million direct employees. It generates a combined turnover of around €130bn, accord

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UK - PLASA has launched #WeMakeEvents, a new campaign with the aim of amplifying the industry’s voice and gaining meaningful Government support. Central to the campaign is a video highlighting the vital role of supply chain companies along with the freelance community and the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic upon the live events sector.
PLASA is calling for people from across the industry to share the video across social media to give much needed exposure to the supply chain to events including production and rental companies, manufacturers and freelancers, to raise awareness of the need for longer term financial support.
In addition to sharing the video, PLASA has published two infographics illustrating the complexity of the live events supply chain and

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USA - The 2020 Behind the Scenes holiday cards are on sale now at the BTS Boutique.
This year, BTS is offering new file formats and customisation options for the electronic cards and an expanded array of price points starting at $20. These join the printed card packs of 10 with a standard greeting and personalised cards with a company logo and custom message.
Six new designs are featured this year. Robert Mark Morgan and Lynn Muniz join returnees David Gallo and Robert Mendoza, and Scenic Art Studios has contributed designs by Michalyn Monson and Angelina Vyushkova.
Sending a BTS holiday card helps spread the word about the charity and lets your recipients know it’s important to you to assist industry colleagues who are seriously ill or injured as well as support the Behind the Scenes Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative.
Orders for printed

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USA - NEP Group in partnership with Skyway Studios has installed the first general-production LED' smart stage' in Nashville to support the local entertainment market as well as national broadcasts and live events.
Using the latest in Ultra High-resolution LED, the NEP-Skyway Smart Stage transforms the typical flat-wall stage into a true 3D environment, allowing for unlimited creative possibilities and a more natural exchange between the talent and the virtual space. Presenters and performers can walk on stage and immediately feel comfortable in the space, reducing or even eliminating the need for additional rehearsal time.
Designed to accommodate a full national touring act performing a complete concert in the space, the stage is the largest of its kind for production rental and offers a dynamic, virtual backdrop for a wide range of productions - including concerts, t

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Europe - The ARRI System Group, part of the ARRI Group and virtual production technology company On-Set Facilities are coming together to service and deliver virtual production projects and provide integrated solutions for virtual production studios.
Director of technology and owner of On-Set Facilities Asa Bailey comments: “I’m very proud to have signed with ARRI to partner with the System Group. With this alliance, we can use our knowledge of virtual production systems to supply global clients with a lot more first class on-set technology. We can now design and provide complete, turnkey, on-set VFX and virtual production studio solutions with total confidence and better meet the growing on-set technology needs of major studios, production companies, and broadcasters.”
Founded in the Snowdonia Mountains of Northern Wales, building real-time, on-set computer sys

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UK - A cooperative of top-flight crew and suppliers have come together to launch The Collective Sessions to provide a cost-effective, ‘stream worthy’, fully functional live space, equipped with a full-scale production and adhering to COVID safety guidelines.
Offering adaptable space at Millennium Studios for rehearsals, live-streaming or the recording of live performances, the initiative is the brainchild of Simon Schofield, who has coordinated video teams for the likes of The Rolling Stones, Metallica and Arcade Fire, along with Suzi Green, tour manager for clients such as PJ Harvey, The Chemical Brothers and Marina. Having watched their livelihoods disappear overnight due to the pandemic, they felt strongly there must be a way to help both themselves and colleagues in the same situation and provide an economical platform that would benefit others. 
Completing

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UK/USA - Minnesota-based Williams AV will represent Ampetronic in the USA and Canada for all loop systems and support services from 1 July.
This extends the companies’ strategic partnership into the USA and Canada having first announced a similar relationship for the UK and Europe in April.
Ampetronic MD, Julian Pieters comments: “Ampetronic and Williams AV are long established as global champions for assistive listening, sharing a dedication to meeting the needs of hard of hearing people. This announcement comes at a time when we are seeing rapid growth of the North American and global hearing loop markets along with strong growth in the adoption of all installed hearing assistance.
“We are delighted that Williams AV have chosen Ampetronic’s hearing

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UK - PLASA is gearing up to launch a new video highlighting the vital role that the supply chain and backstage crew play in the production of concert touring, theatre, and live events. It is hoped that the video will shine a light on product manufacturers, production & rental companies, crew, designers, programmers and more – all in vital need of on-going Government support and often overlooked in mainstream media coverage of the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the entertainment industry.
Earlier this month, PLASA released two infographics illustrating how the live events supply chain will be impacted without further government support. The graphics reflect the number of people it takes to deliver just one performance - on average 443 professionals, spanning planning, design, preparatio

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USA - Lighting for houses of worship will be the focus of The Elation Hour virtual presentation, taking place this Wednesday.
With the knowledge that dynamic lighting systems can positively impact the overall worship experience, houses of worship are finding success in growing their ministries through flexible stage and house lighting systems.
Those who tune in will gain insight into how dynamic lighting can enhance both live and broadcast worship from three houses of worship market lighting specialists. Hosts John Dunn and Bob Mentele will welcome Josh Holowiki from E2i Design, Griffin McCravy from Church of the Highlands, and Chris Eguizabal from Harvest Christian Fellowship for a special Elation Hour discussion about elevating the worship experience utilizing lighting and control technology.
The discussion will take place on Wednesday, 24 June at 10:00 a.m. P

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Operatic Moves - Glyndebourne Opera House in East Sussex is planning to present live opera outdoors in August, seven weeks on from cancelling its entire summer season. Mesdames de la Halle (1858), Jacques Offenbach's one-act opera about vegetable sellers in Paris, will be staged with 12 singers but no chorus. Props and costumes will come from past operas, while the number of musicians will be reduced from 40 to 13. The audience will be limited to 200 people, with tickets costing £100 each.
Audience members will be seated outside in accordance with social distancing guidelines, while performances will be cancelled on the event of bad weather. "Experiencing live music and theatre, together, in an inspiring environment is what Glyndebourne is all about," said artistic director Stephen Langridge. "We are fortunate in having plenty of outside space available to us, and wi

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UK - Specialist video integration effects company Lucid Technologies and sales, installation, hire, and production company Black Light have announced the launch of Edinburgh-based Black Light Virtual Studio powered by Lucid Technologies.
Lockdown prompted Black Light to immediately turn up the heat on discussions already ongoing with Lucid Technologies. The two companies have worked together to create a permanently installed, Edinburgh-based XR studio which enables customers to continue with production in a safe and socially-distanced environment - as though they were anywhere in the world.
The Black Light Virtual Studio powered by Lucid Technologies is a 5m3 studio and one of the largest in the UK. It easily allows for more than one socially-distanced person to perform within the space. As an environment to produce live or pre-recorded events it enables pr
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