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Norway - Clair Brothers has partnered with Bary AS, one of Norway’s largest suppliers of technical solutions and equipment for concerts, festivals, events and other productions.
Bary has reportedly ordered an extensive list of Clair Brothers equipment for demo and sales purposes, including a selection of 1AM stage monitors, 1.5AM stage monitors, 10SPOT hybrid speakers, CB-PLM12K44 amps, CB-PLM5K44 amps, kiT-Sub-Mini+s, kiT-Sub+s, CS218-M mobile subs, kiTCurve12s, kiT12s, 8CX-P-100 point source speakers, 5CX-P-70 point source speakers, and a various support products like road cases, rigging equipment, dollies, coupling links, soft covers and more.
Morten Bakke, director of business development at Bary AS, comments: “We got everything delivered a couple of weeks ago and have already confirmed three different installations with the 10SPOT and kiT-Subs - a total of app

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Europe - The last nine months has seen major changes at the new Prolight Concepts HQ with the openning of a larger warehousing and office complex  allowing for an even greater stock holding and more efficient dispatching.
Now the company has introduced a new catalogue, listing This, in turn, has allowed expansion of the product range, hence the requirement for the new catalogue.
The marketing and purchasing departments have been working hard over the last three months to get the catalogue ready. The Big One just got even bigger, with over 2200 products featured and the introduction of multiple distributed brands including LDR, Lynx Pro Audio and The Confetti Maker.
The new 2019/20 catalogue has arrived and will be officially released at PLASA Focus Leeds.
Andrew Jeffrey, managing director comments, “Our 2019/20 catalogue contains over 2,200 stock lin

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USA - Lightswitch has become the latest Behind the Scenes Pledge-a-Service partner by pledging to donate a percentage of their design fees to the charity.
For more than 25 years, Lightswitch has been committed to changing the way people experience their world. They are a consortium of internationally recognised lighting, media and visual designers who create unforgettable experiences where people live, work, learn and play. Whether for a concert, an event, an experiential environment, or an architectural project, they use a balance of artistry, practicality and technical mastery to create memorable, compelling and responsible lighting and visual design. This core principle guides their team of dedicated designers who serve clients from their full-service studios around the world.
On presenting their first cheque for $1,000, Howard Werner, partner and principal, states:

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UK & Ireland - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has been appointed as the exclusive UK distributor for PureLink's IPAV Pro series of 10Gb AV over IP transmission, switching and signal processing solutions. AC-ET sister company A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ireland will handle distribution in the Republic of Ireland.
With the Pro AV industry currently transitioning to AV distribution over IP, to create entirely new user experiences with 4K+ video content, there is a growing demand for technologies which meet tomorrow's as well as today's video performance needs. In addition, companies are seeking products which utilise a widely adopted VOIP protocol, such as SDVoE (Software Defined Video Over Ethernet).
The IPAV Pro series combines 10Gb Ethernet over IP switching technology with a toughened chassis custom made for the rigours of rental and staging. Utilisin

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EMEA - Production Resource Group (PRG) is integrating its global research and development efforts into a new operating group, PRG Innovation.
Joining under PRG Innovation will be PRG Projects, PRG Research and Development, and the VER product development initiatives. The new operating group will encompass operations in Belgium, China and the USA, which include facilities in Dallas, New Windsor, New York and Los Angeles.
Jere Harris, chairman and CEO of PRG, comments: “PRG Innovation brings all of our talent focused on product development into a single, global team, allowing us to anticipate market trends, move with agility and align product development with our larger strategic objectives. I believe that our investment and performance in market-driven innovation is one of the most powerful points of difference separating our brands from the competition. Now, that adv

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Foundation Funding - Andrew Lloyd Webber’s foundation is overhauling the way money is awarded, with three new strands aimed at supporting potential and reaching diverse communities. The foundation will award funding under the strands Unlock, Enhance and Empower. The Unlock strand will give grants if up to £5,000 to projects that increase diversity by “breaking down social, economic and geographical barriers”. This might include youth theatres or music therapy groups.
The Enhance strand will award grants of up to £10,000 to projects that provide specialist training and workplace experience for emerging artists and newly graduated professionals, while the Empower section will award funding of up to £25,000 to projects that allow practitioners to “apply resources widely” and give training to a significant number of people.
Lloyd Webber said: “Music a

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Slovenia - Slovenian National Television (Radiotelevizija Slovenija – RTV) has invested in two Robe BMFL Blades complete with side-mounting LightMaster kits which enable the units to be used as manually operated follow spots in their studios and for OB productions.
It is their first Robe purchase – although they regularly use Robe Pointes, LEDWash 600s, LEDBeam 100 moving lights on cross hire for specific shows - and the units were delivered by MK Light Sound, Robe’s Slovenian distributor.
The decision to purchase was made by Bojan Lenart, head of lighting and Bojan Repić, chief technologist for the broadcaster, together with others on their lighting team.
“There was absolutely no other product out there like this which has the side mounting control capabilities,” commented Bojan Lenart, explaining that the mission started as a hunt for follow spots w

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Spain - K-array has announced a partnership that sees Metrica Sound as exclusive K-array distributor for the Spanish island of Ibiza.
Metrica Recording Studio was developed by Javier Ferrer in 2018 with the aim to produce the first professional studio in Ibiza capable of working with the highest standards of quality and technology within the audio industry. The studio focuses on 3D and Binaural recording and is also one of the first recording studios in the world to use the Sfëar Technology in a professional environment.
“We have a selection of the best tools available on the market and we are a group of professionals with more than 15 years in the sound and music industry,” says Ferrer. “We take care of the entire recording process, from the production to the recording of voices and bands as well as the art of mixing and mastering. And now we can offer the fin

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UK - Audiologic has been appointed as a UK distributor for USA-based AV connectivity specialists Attero Tech of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Founded in 2005 by a group of engineers, Attero Tech has grown into a global provider of audio networking I/O endpoints and AV connectivity solutions, including networked AV wall plates, small form factor network AV interfaces, Bluetooth for Pro-AV, IP paging and audio monitoring products.
Adding Attero Tech to its portfolio complements Audiologic’s distribution of QSC Systems. Attero Tech’s AES 67 and Dante-enabled products are designed for compatibility with QSC Q-SYS Core DSP solutions and it has also developed control plugins for Q-SYS Designer DSP software.
Managing director at Audiologic Andy Lewis comments, “Attero Tech’s AES67 products have been specifically designed to be compatible with QSC solutions and thus constitute

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UK - Adlib has increased its inventory of Martin MAC Vipers, adding a further 14 MAC Viper Performance fixtures.
“These fixtures continue to be a great complement to the 200+ Vipers we already have in stock,” states Dave Platt, head of operations lighting & video. “The increase is purely down to demand, to meet LD requests for Hozier, The Specials, Kaiser Chiefs and Hall & Oates shows.”
And the reason for this particular fixture’s popularity? Platt is in no doubt: “The framing feature is the key. It also sits nicely within the Viper range so it is a perfect addition.”
Thanks to its many features, the Viper Performance is finding its way into a number of markets serviced by Adlib, from concert touring to TV to Theatre. “It’s our main shuttering Profile and it holds its own nicely against the competition,” concludes Platt. “The MAC Vip

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South Africa - Eilon Engineering Weighing Systems, the brand synonymous with Ron StageMaster and Ron load cells, crane scales and dynamometers, has appointed DWR Distribution as their South African distributor.
“We are happy to begin our cooperation with DWR for the distribution of our Ron StageMaster systems in South Africa,” said Noga Eilon-Bahar of Eilon Engineering. “This cooperation with DWR, who are the country’s leading supplier of all entertainment industry equipment, is an important addition to the Ron StageMaster distribution network worldwide. I am sure that together we will make live events in South Africa even safer, and I have no doubt that this collaboration will be successful.”
While Eilon Engineering was established some 40 years ago, it was in 2006 that the company decided to harness its extensive knowledge in advanced wireless communication

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USA - Freestyle Event Services (FES) is one of Central California’s largest full-service event production and AV rental companies. Their growth continues with the recent decision to join the global network of companies that provide Clair Brothers loudspeaker systems.
Jared Perry, partner at FES commentss, “It became clear that Clair Brothers was the right choice after visiting the Clair Brothers facility in Pennsylvania. It wasn’t just hearing the extraordinary sound quality of their C8 and C12 systems but witnessing the various stages of manufacturing and discussing the engineering that goes into their designs and realizing that if we had questions, we’d be talking directly to the people that design these speakers.”
“When we witnessed the precision, detail, passion and tradition built into their award-winning product,” Joe Sorensen, operations manager at

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UK - 4Wall Entertainment has completed the acquisition of HSL Group.
The deal, which was agreed in principle earlier this month, means HSL's 165,000 sq. ft. facility in Blackburn is now being rebranded as 4Wall UK, creating the first international base for the US equipment and services provider.
4Wall UK will be comprised of the former HSL sales team and staff, with former HSL MD Simon Stuart leading the sales team and assuming the role of VP of business development.
Stuart comments: "With the deal completed, we are officially part of the 4Wall family, ensuring long-term stability of our location. We couldn't be happier to join this amazing organization and thank our friends from across the pond for the opportunity."
Wes Bailey, 4Wall COO,

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World - Yamaha is launching a new series of webinars in mid-May.
The webinars, part of the company’s Audioversity training initiative, are aimed at professional audio engineers, systems integrators and venue technicians. Each webinar will run twice, at 10am and at 5pm UTC+1, to ensure that as many participants as possible from across Europe, the Americas, Russia, Africa and the Middle East can take part. Participants must register for their preferred time slot - see links below.
The first session, to be hosted on 15 May (Wednesday) by product specialists Andy Cooper and Karl Christmas, will focus on system design using CL and QL series digital mixing consoles.
The series will continue at monthly intervals and cover a wide range of pro-level topics aimed at the live production, hospitality, house of worship, corporate installation and broadcast markets.
F

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USA - Gel strings specialist Opus Lighting has announced the acquisition of Gel Services, Inc (GSI).
Opus Lighting of Colorado Springs was founded in 2008 and specialises in colour strings production. GSI, which had been producing gel strings for scrollers and provided parts and service for Wybron products for over 40 years, closed on 31 March. Its business operations were transferred to Opus Lighting on 1 April.
Brandon James, Opus Lighting principal, comments: “When I heard that GSI would be closing, I thought that this was a unique opportunity to strengthen our business and continue supporting people who still rely on colour scroller technology. We will be supporting all existing colour string orders that were outstanding with GSI’s customers and want to show them that they can rely on getting quality work and on-time delivery from Opus Lighting.”
(Jim

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Mexico - TMB has welcomed Audio Acústica as its regional distribution partner.
The Mexico City-based AV and lighting provider will now offer TMB’s signature products such as the Solaris fixtures, ProPlex devices and cables, IMS, FloppyFlex, ProPower and others, along with customer support and services.
Stephanie Kilburg, TMB sales manager, comments: “Our relationship with Audio Acústica goes back 20 years. Renowned and respected for professionalism and service, Audio Acústica is now working closely with TMB, building our brands in Mexico and helping increase public awareness of the quality and reliability of our products.”
Kilburg adds: “The benefits of having a local distributor will become immediately apparent to entertainment production, staging and installation customers in Mexico.”
José Roberto Ono, Audio Acústica subdirector, says:

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South Africa - The South African Roadies Association (SARA) and DWR Distribution backed recent training sessions for dot2.
The training that took place over 9-10 April was aimed at exposing new SARA trainees to the dot2 as well as exploring deeper topics for those familiar with it. The class was headed up by Olebogeng Boinamo, who was keen to impart his knowledge and skills with those in attendance.
The trainees were a group of mixed levels of experience, and Ole says the challenge to both teach to new and developed students was fun because it helps to put things in perspective for both him and the experienced students whilst teaching newer trainees. There was a difficulty level for everyone in attendance, offering an opportunity to learn and grow.
Freddie Nyathela, the president of SARA is always keen to celebrate his students. He says that the class consisted

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UK - KartFest, the annual fundraising event organised by entertainment technology charity Backup, is returning for its fifth edition on Independence Day (Thursday, 4 July).
Organisers expect over 300 industry colleagues and friends to join on Surrey's Sandown Park, where 33 teams will battle it out in a three-hour endurance race.
“So, get out your fake tan, your candy floss hair, your alien outfit, or your Mickey Mouse ears. In fact, do whatever gets you in the American mood, but book your place fast - the karts go fast,” says Backup.
Besides crowning the new KartFest champions, the day will include the ‘Unusual' Pit Stop Challenge, Medialease’s Fastest Lap, a BBQ lunch and drinks, music, entertainment, the award for the best dressed team award, the Backup Sundown bar and a raffle.
Each team can enter up to six drivers. Non-racer wristbands will al

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UK - PLASA has revealed plans to develop a training scheme for entertainment industry professionals carrying out work on UK construction sites.
The initiative has been announced in response to changes to the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), the leading UK skills certification scheme that ensures individuals working on construction sites have the required training and qualifications for the type of work they undertake.
PLASA has warned a number of CSCS cards historically used within the entertainment technology industry are being withdrawn, including Stage Equipment Installer, Site Visitor and Related Discipline.
“Once these cards have expired, industry professionals with relevant construction training or qualifications may be able to apply for Skilled Worker CSCS cards, but many may only be able to apply for Labourer cards, which could affect t

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UK - Harlequin Floors, flooring provider for dance, performing arts, entertainment and events, has reported “double-digit” revenue growth in 2018/19.
The growth has been recorded across the whole Harlequin Group, which has offices in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific.
Guy Dagger, Group CEO, comments: “Harlequin has experienced incredible global growth over the last year providing internationally renowned brands, venues and performing arts schools with quality performance floors and stages.
“We have seized the opportunity this growth brings to offer all our clients across the world the outstanding customer service that is synonymous with the Harlequin brand. The highlights have probably been the growth in demand we have seen from the top global providers in the production and events industries, building on our many years of experience as the ‘go-to

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Poland - Pliant Technologies is expanding its global network with the addition of Audio Plus as its new Poland distributor. Audio Plus will offer Pliant’s full range of CrewCom professional wireless intercom systems, along with its complete line of SmartBoom headsets to its customers.
Audio Plus works with MI shops, rental companies, broadcasters, integrators, theatres, cultural organisations, cinemas, clubs, educational institutions, houses of worship and other B2B clients in the region.
“Pliant Technologies is unrivalled among wireless communications systems,” says Paweł Kuhn, director of marketing at Audio Plus. “CrewCom is reliable, expandable, efficient and has many unique user features that fit perfectly with the needs of our customers. We see Pliant as an innovative company that fills a gap in our product portfolio.”
Audio Plus is one of the o

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USA - German networked audio and interconnectivity specialist DirectOut Technologies has appointed MultiPoint Integrated Technologies as its new distributor in the USA.
MultiPoint will introduce both the DirectOut brand and its new Prodigy Series product platform to the non-broadcast related pro audio market segment of the industry. Meanwhile, DirectOut’s long-standing distributor Joseph Electronics remains in place serving the studio and broadcast market.
"This would not be the first time that I have taken on the challenge of introducing a ground-breaking new technology from a perceived newcomer in pro audio business and brought it to the forefront of our industry," says Tom Bensen, founder and CEO of MultiPoint Integrated Technologies. "DirectOut, however, has the strategic advantage of a ten-year record of success under its belt, along with a team of leading-edge

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Italy - Sixty82 has recently appointed Audiosales s.r.l. as the new representative in Italy for its full trussing and staging product line.  
Effective immediately, Sixty82's Italian customers "can rely upon the qualities of a dedicated and enthusiastic team, to meet their requirements," says the manufacturer. 
Date Jonkman, Sixty82’s executive account manager, comments: “We are delighted to be working with Audiosales. They have a well-established position in the market, and a strong team of experienced people. So we are very pleased they joined the Sixty82 family.”
Stefano Rocchi, owner of Audiosales, adds: "Sixty82 is a team composed of professionals that have contributed in a significant way to the development of the staging and trussing market in the recent decades. Their payoff “The New Original” describes in the best way who the people

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Acoustic Shock - The Royal Opera House has lost an appeal against a viola player who was awarded damages in 2018 for hearing loss he suffered during rehearsals for Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Christopher Goldscheider is a former viola player in the orchestra at Covent Garden, who said he was no longer able to work as a musician due to “acoustic shock” he suffered during a weekend rehearsal in 2012.
Goldscheider said the noise he was exposed to was unacceptable, and a judge ruled in his favour in March. However, in October the ROH, which is being represented by law firm BLM, was granted permission to take the case to the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal has now upheld Goldscheider’s case, although on narrower grounds. Specifically, it overturned the High Court finding that Control of Noise at Work Regulations meant employers were required to enforce the wear
  1. Rat Sound deploys Newton in the desert
  2. ROE Visual supports Backstage Academy
  3. Pianozero joins Adamson network with SD7
  4. Music & Lights appoints Singapore distributor
  5. Submissions open for KOI-USA
  6. 4Wall Entertainment invests in Kinesys
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