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USA - The winners of the second annual Knight of Illumination Awards USA (KOI-USA) ceremony have been announced.
The event, which took place at The Joint in The Hard Rock Hotel on Friday, 22 November, saw almost 400 industry professionals celebrate the creative talents of lighting and video designers.
Following an indoor drone display courtesy of Verity Studios, 26 designers were "knighted" for their work on productions in the Theatre, Live for Broadcast and Concert Touring & Events categories. These awards were followed by the presentation of the Paky Lifetime Recognition Award created by co-headline sponsor Claypaky.

The 2019 KOI-USA winners are as follows:

Theatre
The Notch Award for Projection Design: Roma Flowers for A Bon Coeur
The ETC Award for Dance: Brandon Stirling Baker for Reflections
The Al

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UK - Lighting control manufacturer Zero 88 has launched a new website, www.zero88.com, complete with a modern design and a host of relevant product, project and general information that’s quick and easy to navigate.
The site is optimised for smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops, with embedded product overviews and training videos organised in a user-friendly layout. Finding and downloading the latest software versions is now more straightforward, and users can also download the back catalogue of software releases - a useful resource to aid showfile compatibility.
Zero 88 product manager Jon Hole, who is part of the team driving the development of the new portal, comments: “The website has been designed to meet the needs of today’s end-users, including lighting creatives and specifiers who are regularly accessing the internet on the move using mobile hand-h

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Ireland - Stage Electrics has won a £2m contract for the Grangegorman campus East Quad at TU Dublin, Ireland’s first Technological University.
The new campus, part of a wider development at TU Dublin, will provide learning and teaching facilities as well as dedicated space for research technology. The East Quad buildings include the schools of art, design and printing, conservatory of music and drama, and media.
Stage Electrics is supplying full lighting, sound communication and audio-visual systems to a 400-seat rehearsal hall, a recital hall, a performance hall, a black box theatre, TV studios, and post-production studios throughout the building. Work will commence on site shortly and is expected to be completed by late spring 2020. 
(Jim Evans)

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USA - disguise has announced a partnership with Evolve Media Group as the latest rental and sales partner in the US.
Evolve is a technology-focused company that provides its suite of services exclusively to the live event industry. The US-based company offers three key services comprised of rental, sales and education through their Academy.
“We are thrilled to welcome Evolve to the disguise global partner network as our newest rental and sales partner in the US. We are looking forward to working with them as they offer training in their Orlando and Las Vegas locations and help their existing customers to better understand how the disguise workflow can streamline their content management needs,” says Grif Palmer, VP sales and general manager for disguise Americas.
Evolve CEO Tyler Mayne adds: “disguise media servers are not just requested but required by ma

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Ukraine - Lighting manufacturer Prolights has appointed Light Converse as distributor for Ukraine. Founded in Kiev in 1997, Light Converse has developed strong relationships throughout the show lighting worlds, particularly in the world of stage, theatre, architectural and TV.
Aleksandr Berenok, owner of Light Converse, comments: "Prolights has rapidly become an important landmark in this industry. Their can-do attitude and thirst for innovation are among the reasons why we decided to work alongside them. We have seen Prolights continually put exceptional customer support, personal customer relationships and high-quality products at the forefront and this completely aligns with how we operate. We look forward to a long and successful relationship as their distributor." 
Paolo Albani, international sales manager for Prolights, adds: "We are really proud to start workin

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World - Live event staging company All Access has refreshed its visual identity - complete with a new logo and website - to better reflect the products and services it delivers.
The rebrand includes a new logo with 'All Access' in red and black and the company's classic strapline 'All the time' placed underneath.
"Many consider the original logo to be an icon in the industry and symbolic of quality," says the company in a statement. "However, just as the entertainment industry as a whole has evolved, All Access has evolved. The cleaner, more modern lines of their new logo are a better reflection of the brand today while paying homage to their past."
The new website, allaccessinc.com, highlights All Access' five main markets - concert touring, festival staging, special events, sports and activations, and broadcast - and features a redesigned database for

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Get Back - One of the live industry’s worst-kept secrets has been confirmed: Sir Paul McCartney will headline Glastonbury in 2020. The former Beatle will top the bill on the Pyramid Stage on Saturday 27 June, a week after his 78th birthday. He last played the Somerset event in 2004, and organisers have long been keen to get him back for an encore. Next year will be Glastonbury's golden jubilee and co-organiser Emily Eavis says: “There really was no one that we wanted more for the 50th anniversary.”
Together Again - Mötley Crüe are to reform for a stadium tour of the US - less than five years after they played what they said would be their final ever show. Def Leppard and Poison will join them, but dates and venues are yet to be announced. Before their supposed farewell tour in 2014-2015, the band had signed what they said was a "cessation of touring agreement"

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UK - Following a successful trial, NEC Group Arenas (Arena Birmingham and Resorts World Arena) has committed to rolling out mental health First Aid support across a number of their shows.
The Mental Health First Aiders, who are both employees of NEC Group and CBRE, will provide practical mental health reassurance and support on show nights for both audiences and fellow employees. Their help can range from providing a non-judgemental listening ear, to offering a space to relax or signposting to further support.
So far, support has been offered at Ariana Grande at Arena Birmingham and Little Mix at Resorts World Arena, receiving a wealth of positive customer feedback. The NEC Group currently has 20 employees trained as MHFAs, with plans to roll out the initiative further across a number of upcoming shows.
One customer who used the mental health service at Ariana Gr

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UK - The aptly-named GreenHouse at Manchester’s MediaCityUK was the chosen setting for a Green-GO training workshop presented by audio, video and broadcast solutions specialist Canford. As the UK and Ireland’s distributor for the scalable, digital comms system since 2016, Canford has seen demand rise sharply in festivals, live events and broadcast applications.
“The Canford team regularly delivers bespoke, on-site product demonstrations, both for new clients taking their first look at Green-GO, and for those who are already regular users but want to further explore the system’s more advanced possibilities,” explains Erika Dobie, BDM and Green-GO commercial manager at Canford. “Now, with Green-GO experiencing record-breaking demand, the time was right to host the very first UK Workshop event.”
Held on 5 November, the packed workshop session attracted renta

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Europe - Sixty82 has appointed European Tour Productions (ETP) as its exclusive distributor in Denmark.
ETP's main competencies are project management, rental equipment and engineering for the experience industry. Since 1994, the company has carried out projects for organisations and firms in Denmark and abroad and has an extensive experience with cultural events of all sizes.
"We chose to partner with ETP as they represent the strongest importing distributor in its territory, with a historical strength in the trussing and staging marketplace," says Sixty82 CEO Fokko Smeding. “This agreement further iterates both the company's enthusiasm to drive growth and extend relationships with its customers. With their extensive experience in the industry, we believe that the team at ETP is highly equipped to fulfil our customers' every need.”
Date Jonkman, executive

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UK - On 5 November, Bristol-based specialist installer Stage Electrics marked 40 years in business with a staff party held at Bristol Zoo.
The company was formed in 1979 by a group of theatre lighting and sound equipment enthusiasts and has since grown from three staff to over 120 whilst amassing an impressive portfolio of sales and installations.
Offering a range of services, including installation, product sales and testing, inspection and maintenance services, Stage Electrics has a sales team of over 20, including a field sales team. Its export business has also seen significant growth in recent years.
“We tailored our service to suit our customers, who all have differing needs,” explains sales director, Anna Western. “Some clients like to see their contact person on a regular basis, while others like to have someone available on the end of the phone.

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Canada - Coda Audio has announced the appointment of SC Media Canada as its exclusive distributor in the territory. An influential presence in the Canadian market for 35 years, SC Media represents industry-leading manufacturers and has built its success on a combination of close customer relationships and the expertise of its strong technical support team.
Paul Ward, director of global business development for Coda Audio International, comments: "We're delighted to be partnering with SC Media in what is a large and very important market. The rapidly increasing global demand for our products reflects the growing awareness of the very real advantages they bring to the live and installed sectors. Our distribution partners play a vital part in communicating this message and SC Media’s strong core values and obvious passion for audio gives us great confidence in their ability

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South Africa - DWR Distribution is co-hosting the Robe Roadshow South Africa. Present at the event will be Josef Valchar, CEO of Robe Lighting, and Harry von den Stemmen, international sales director, who will be introducing the new Esprite and Tetra this December.
The roadshow kicks off in Cape Town at the Roxy Revue Bar at the Grand West Casino on 2 December. Those living in Durban are welcome to pop in at the Grace Family Church in Umhlanga on 4 December. The last stop will be at DWR Distribution Johannesburg on 6 December. Demonstrations will be held on the hour from 10am to 4pm each day.
While the event is free of charge, attendees are asked to RSVP at the DWR Distribution website.
(Jim Evans)

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UK - Edinburgh-based production services and dry hire company, Blue Parrot, has taken delivery of Scotland’s first Ayrton Perseo-S IP65-rated LED fixtures. The occasion also marks Blue Parrot’s first investment in Ayrton fixtures which are destined for a very busy life in hire stock.
“We've just received our shipment of 14 Ayrton Perseo IP65 units and we're very excited,” says Blue Parrot managing director, Jonnie Clough. “We’ve been searching for a solid solution for an IP fixture of this kind for ages.”
Perseo is Ayrton’s first multi-function, compact, powerful, IP65-rated fixture developed for intensive outdoor use. Perseo produces 27,000lm from its 500W LED source, and sports a fully weather-proof housing with a new water-resistant menu navigation system to handle “whatever the weather can throw at it”.
Clough was first introduced to Perse

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USA - Behind the Scenes reports that its recent Survey to Assist in the Development of a Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative in the Entertainment Industry received “an incredible response from the industry” with over 3,300 people completing the survey.
An initial look at the survey results confirmed that the long hours, pressures of deadlines, lack of resources, and uncertainty of employment have taken a very hard toll on our industry. These affect not only mental health, but physical health as well, and impact relationships with family and friends. Unsurprisingly, over 90% of respondents have experienced anxiety while over 80% have suffered from depression.
What is also apparent from the responses, and very encouraging, is that many individuals want to step up and help colleagues they feel are struggling but simply don’t know how and are very

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Czech Republic - Prague-based Elvia-Pro has taken on the distribution of German fibre network specialists BroaMan in the Czech Republic, following a request from private commercial station, TV Nova.
Formed in 1993, Elvia-Pro specialises in management, engineering and project work within the broadcast sector, and manufactures and installs equipment for OB and DSNG trucks, specialising in main broadcast organisations such as Czech TV, TV Nova, TV Prima, TV Barrandov and production houses.
It was TV Nova who were largely responsible for the new distribution arrangement. “They came to us with a request for BroaMan devices,” recalls Tomáš Kocáb, Elvia-Pro’s sales product specialist. BroaMan technical sales manager Maciek Janiszewski made a professional presentation at TV Nova, leading to the new distribution deal, which was formalised on the BroaMan stand at the IB

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The Netherlands - AV solutions manufacturer Peerless-AV has announced the opening of a new warehouse in Weert.
This is the latest step in the company’s European expansion and Brexit strategy. Located on the Netherlands and Belgium border, Weert is strategically positioned with sea and land transport links.
“The opening of our new warehouse in Weert means we can continue to exceed customer service levels with reduced delivery times and increased flexibility to fulfil the continued growth and demand we are seeing for our products in Europe,” comments Keith Dutch, managing director for EMEA at Peerless-AV. “There will be no change to the operation of our UK warehouse. We’re pleased to say that both the warehouse in UK and Jebel Ali Freezone in Dubai have been stocked heavily this year owing to ongoing growth across EMEA generally.”
(Jim Evans)

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USA - Producers, musicians, DJs and music industry professionals came together at the Capitol Studios in Hollywood earlier this week to honour producer Quincy Jones with an AKG Lifetime Achievement Award.
Held in Capitol’s historic A and B studios, guests were treated to a performance by Quincy Jones protégé and multi-Grammy award winner, Jacob Collier, along with a variety of immersive experiences that celebrated the microphone and headphone brand’s iconic past while showcasing its rich future. The evening culminated with host and broadcast journalist Nic Harcourt presenting Quincy Jones the AKG Lifetime Achievement Award, for Quincy’s contribution to music since the early 1950s.
“For almost seven decades in this business as a musician, composer, arranger, conductor and producer, I have always gone for the music that gives me goosebumps. And whether it was

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Columbia - RCF has appointed the newly-created RCF LATAM as its distributor for Central America, Colombia and the Caribbean.
The company has strong roots in the professional audio industry, boasting more than 20 years’ experience.
Although RCF LATAM’s main office is located in Miami, collaboration with new commercial partners in Colombia will now ensure full availability of inventory.
RCF LATAM director, Jose M. Gonzalez, comments: “Our company is fully committed to the distribution and positioning of RCF as a leading brand within the designated markets. The owners of RCF LATAM have successfully distributed the RCF brand for several years, and their aim is to develop the brand in the weakest markets and support its presence generally in Latin America.”
RCF export sales manager, Luca Agazzi adds: “We wanted a new company focused 100% on RCF, that

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Italy - RCF has been announced as the main sponsor of a 100,000-seat outdoor venue - the RCF Arena.
The arena, stated to open on 12 September 2020, will be the largest in Italy once completed. It is being built in an area called Campovolo, just outside the manufacturer’s hometown of Reggio Emilia, and will feature a permanent installation of RCF’s TT + audio system plus 10 delay towers.
Arturo Vicari, CEO of RCF Group, comments: “RCF was born in 1949 in Reggio Emilia. From here we brought the excellence of Italian sound throughout the globe and today we are among the major players in the market.
“Giving our name to RCF Arena is a source of pride for us, but also a mission and a commitment. We have a strong bond with this region, and we intend to treat it in the best possible way. With this wonderful project, we will bring our innovation and technology t

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On The Campaign Trail - Actors and theatre staff are being urged to make sure they have made arrangements to vote in next month’s election amid warnings that those working away from home on Christmas shows could be disenfranchised.
Matt Hood, Equity’s assistant general secretary, described the election date as “inconvenient for many”, adding: “For our members, many of whom will be working away from home on tour, in panto or filming, it runs the real risk of them losing their right to vote.”
Thomas Hescott, chief executive of Stage Directors UK, comments: “November and December is an extremely busy time of the year for our members, many of whom are working away from home on Christmas shows. The short notice means many of our members are already away working and so have little opportunity to organise postal ballots. We are concerned that our members will s

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USA - ACT Lighting is now the exclusive North America distributor of Luxibel.
Luxibel is the professional lighting brand by AED Group, which also offers the truss series Expo Tools, which are suitable for the exhibition market but may also be used by rental and staging companies.
"Luxibel's well-designed, high-quality, reliable, and high-value products are an ideal addition to the brands ACT distributes exclusively in North America," says ACT Lighting CEO Ben Saltzman. "We are excited to bring Luxibel's product line to the attention of our customers and will be introducing them to the wide array of tools that are available."
Damon Crisp, international sales manager for Luxibel, adds: "ACT Lighting is well known for its unmatched service and stellar market reputation and represents the world's top brands. Luxibel is honoured to join the ACT association and this se

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Europe - Sixty82 has opened a new office in Drachten, The Netherlands, to exclusively service the German market.
“The start of Sixty82 German Division is a reaction to the expanding needs of the live events industry for rapid delivery times of first-rate products and a service that is second to none,” comments Fokko Smeding, CEO of Sixty82. “With the German division, we believe that we can ensure our customers are provided with expert technical support from experienced people. Therefore we hired specialists Michael Kempe and Christian Schoof to provide extra service and attention to the German market.”
Sixty82 has also appointed Germany’s Cast as its official competence centre and premium reseller. This partnership will “ensure high availability of Sixty82 products all over the country, while simultaneously providing strong support and after-sales service

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UAE - ETC celebrated the opening of ETC Dubai - The Studio with a launch event at the new premises in Dubai Media City. The site, which features a black box space for product demonstrations and an area for console training sessions, welcomed industry professionals from across the globe to the inaugural event.
Attendees met with product specialists from ETC and High End Systems and received demonstrations of the newest innovations including High End Systems’ new automated fixtures SolaWash 1000 and TurboRay.
The latest member of the Sola Series, the SolaWash 1000 features a full framing system and is available with either an Ultra-Bright or High CRI engine. Alongside this was TurboRay, the distinctive fixture creates dynamic effects from its animation and gobo wheels and can be used as a powerful hard edge beam or narrow-angle washlight.
Visitors to the opening
  1. Backstage Academy partners with KV2 Audio
  2. PSAV acquires eclipse
  3. Industry marks steady growth - PLASA research
  4. Graduation day at Backstage Academy
  5. Industry backs mental health initiative
  6. Prolights appoints distributor for Switzerland
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