Rigging / Staging

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06 August 2025

UK - Having first opened in 2003, Thornden Hall Arts Centre provides support for the Performing Arts Departments in Thornden School, as well as playing host to local amateur groups and professional companies. This multi-purpose venue has a capacity of 386 and its versatility means it can be readily adapted for music, dance, drama, conferences, presentations and cinema. In addition, there are specialist music, drama and dance studios, as well as a foyer and licensed bar.

In recent years, the venue decided to upgrade the traditional tungsten fixtures within its main performance space to LED technology – a process that has been supported by Solutions On Stage. As such, the company was called upon to alter the Hall’s existing dimming system to become an LED lighting infrastructure – drawing on a hot power solution. 

The Manager of Thornden Hall Ar

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01 August 2025

UK - Keen-eyed readers will no doubt have noticed our special edition 40^th anniversary logo popping up here on LSi Online, and across our social media platforms in recent weeks. While the magazine’s official anniversary isn’t until November, we’re kicking off celebrations early as we prepare to honour the occasion this September at the PLASA Show (7-9 September, Olympia, London).

At the PLASA Show, we’ll be hosting the LSi Theatre, a dedicated seminar theatre. Here, show visitors can enjoy a carefully curated schedule of talks, panel discussions and ‘live’ editorial columns hosted by an array of LSi journalists, including Rob Halliday, Phil Ward, Louise Stickland, James Simpson, Sam Woodward, Roland Hemming, James Eade, Jerry Gilbert and more.

Topics will range from reflection on 40 years of both LSi, and the i

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01 August 2025

UK - The first wave of seminar sessions has been revealed for PLASA Show 2025, returning to Olympia London from 7-9 September.  

With sustainability, next-generation talent, industry heritage, and artificial intelligence at the heart of this year’s programme, the show sets the agenda for creative and technical evolution across the live entertainment industry.  

From high-profile panels and hands-on training to heritage showcases and career-building opportunities, the 2025 line-up promises an inclusive, educational and informative experience. Proudly sponsored by Vectorworks, entry to all sessions is available free-of-charge, making the programme accessible to all PLASA Show visitors. 

Making its debut in celebration of LSi’s 40th anniversary, the new LSi Theatre is set to bring to life many of the publication’s popular columns,

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31 July 2025

UK - The National Bowl, Milton Keynes hosted a double festival weekender for BludFest 2025 on Saturday 20 June and the debut of Forever Now which ran on Sunday 21 June. 

Bigger and louder than ever, BludFest 2025 returned for its second year to The National Bowl. With a mission to elevate fresh boundary-crossing talent alongside established stars, all while fostering an inclusive, sustainable environment for music lovers, it didn’t fail to disappoint. Curated by Yungblud, the band headlined the main stage Saturday night, alongside a heavyweight lineup including Chase Atlantic, viral hitmaker Blackbear and US rapper Denzel Curry.

The Second Stage, located in the grounds of the Bowl, was managed by SEL Live who delivered full production support over the festival weekend. The Milos MR2K 12x10 roof structure was the perfect

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30 July 2025

UK - The countdown is on for the 2025 PLASA Awards for Innovation, with the early bird submission deadline fast approaching. Industry innovators are encouraged to enter their groundbreaking products by Friday, 1 August, to benefit from a 20% discount on the entry fee.

In partnership with LSi, the PLASA Awards celebrate products that exemplify new thinking, enhance technical practice or safety, introduce novel materials or techniques, or offer new commercial advantages within the live entertainment technology sector.

An independent panel of industry experts will evaluate each entry, with up to eight awards available. One of these may be elevated to the prestigious Gold Award, recognising an outstanding new product. All nominated products will be prominently featured in the Innovation Gallery at the heart of the PLASA 

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28 July 2025

UK - Unusual Rigging worked with spidercam, part of Ross Video’s Camera Motion Systems portfolio, to deliver the rigging at one of golf’s most televised finishing holes – the 18th at Royal Portrush. The use of spidercam marks ’a significant milestone in sports broadcasting’, with a four-point cable camera system suspended directly above the green, offering stunning aerial footage while maintaining complete discretion during play.

The Open is the oldest golf tournament in the world and the only major played outside the US. spidercam allowed viewers to walk alongside the 2025 champion Scottie Scheffler, up the 18th – at times, one of the longest walks in golf.

Jason White, senior production rigger at Unusual commented: “We first connected with spidercam many years ago while working on the Olympic Games. It’s a clever system; the spiderc

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24 July 2025

UK - Broadweigh’s wireless load monitoring technology played a key role in ensuring rigging safety on Lana Del Rey’s UK tour dates this summer. Partnering with Load Cell Rental, the production deployed 83 Broadweigh 4.75t wireless load cells during rehearsals at Fly By Nite Studios and for the live show at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

The UK leg of the tour has seen Lana Del Rey perform in a series of major venues including Wembley Stadium, Glasgow’s Hampden Park, and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, with each show demanding high levels of technical precision and rigging assurance.

“The video wall in particular required close attention to guarantee even weight distribution,” explained Ian Barrett, project manager at Load Cell Rental. “We weighed all points on static hoists ahead of load-in, using Broadweigh’s LOG100 software along

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24 July 2025

UK - Unusual Rigging has announced the appointment of Matt Stott, a highly respected stage engineering specialist with over 15 years’ experience in bespoke mechanical systems and show automation. Matt’s arrival reinforces Unusual’s commitment to delivering technically ambitious solutions across theatre, live production and permanent installations.

Tom Harper, managing director, Unusual Rigging commented: “Matt joins us from TAIT and, before that, Delstar Engineering where he worked under the leadership of Paul Sadler. Many in the industry will already be familiar with Matt’s contributions to technically complex and high-profile productions including 42nd Street, Miss Saigon (2014) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2024) and to capital projects such as Glyndebourne Opera House’s upgrade and the Royal Opera House’s Lindbury

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24 July 2025

UK - Sterling Event Group has announced the appointment of two experienced industry professionals to spearhead its expansion into the South of England alongside its broader national growth strategy.

James Hunter joins as director, bringing more than two decades of experience in delivering world-class event projects across the UK and internationally.

Jack Sayer also joins the company as project director, bringing a wealth of hands-on production expertise through his successful career in creative event delivery. Jack will focus on technically ambitious event experiences that reflect Sterling’s trademark precision and innovation.

“We’re very proud to welcome James and Jack to the team at such an exciting period for the business,” said Richard Bowden, managing director, Sterling Event Group. “Expanding into the South isn’t just about

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22 July 2025

UK - Formed in 1947 above a butcher’s shop in the town centre, Macclesfield Amateur Dramatic Society (MADS) was created with one main purpose – to foster and promote theatre in Macclesfield by giving local people the opportunity to perform on stage. Fast forward almost 80 years and the Society is still going strong, having now produced over 250 main season productions, along with several one act shows, studio pieces as well as festival entries.

Since 1954, MADS’ home has been a purpose-built ‘Little Theatre’ situated on Lord Street and has been upgraded accordingly over the years; now even boasting a bar and lounge area. Following a mechanical inspection conducted by Solutions On Stage, the company was asked to carry out some remedial works within the theatre’s main performance space – to ensure it was safety compliant.

Solutions On Sta

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17 July 2025

USA - From major touring productions and festivals to high-stakes corporate events and high-profile permanent installations, Las Vegas-based 3G Productions LLC has spent more than 20 years delivering audio, lighting, video, and rigging solutions. Now, some of that same professional-grade equipment is available for purchase through the launch of 3G’s new website: UsedGear.com.

“The production industry runs on trust - in your equipment, team, and suppliers,” says 3G Productions CEO Keith Conrad. “With UsedGear.com, we’ve created a marketplace where audio, lighting, video, and rigging professionals can access the same calibre equipment used on major productions at prices that respect the realities of budgets. Top-notch, tour-ready gear, professional service, and reasonable prices are the genesis and hallmarks of UsedGear.com.”

The new site f

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17 July 2025

UK - An energetic, capacity crowd rocked out in front of the Serious Stellar stage for the Deftones Crystal Palace Park concert at the end of June.

Festival Republic’s production team, led by production manager Alice James, delivered the sound and visually strong show, for the 15,000 fans on the venue's Italian Terrace, where the undercard featured Qendresa, Health, Hi Viz and Weezer.

The 20m Stellar concert stage, flanked by video-screen goalposts, created a 35m frontage. Serious also installed four speaker towers relaying sound to the whole crowd on the long, narrow site, along with two x three storey front-of-house towers for lighting and audio engineers and a raised assisted viewing platform.

The stage was designed and manufactured by Serious Stages in the UK, by project manager Andrew Ridler, who was on site to supervise the build.

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11 July 2025

UK - Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical opened in May at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre, and Unusual Rigging played a key role in preparing the venue for a high-impact production that celebrates the event that marks its 40th anniversary this weekend.

With just 10 days between the final performance of Mrs. Doubtfire and the load-in for Just For One Day, Unusual was brought in to deliver a complete rigging transformation - supporting a technically ambitious and visually bold show.

Written by John O’Farrell and directed by Luke Sheppard, Just For One Day tells the behind-the-scenes story of the 1985 Live Aid concert and how music united a global audience for one extraordinary day. Featuring songs from Queen, U2, David Bowie, Elton John, The Who, Madonna and more, the production pays tribute to the power of co

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11 July 2025

GCC - ES:ME Group has announced a new collaboration with German manufacturer HOF, bringing the MLT Three pre-rig truss system to the GCC market. This strategic partnership enhances regional access to one of the most flexible and efficient rigging solutions available today, enabling faster deployment, improved safety, and reliable scalability for large-scale event production.

As part of the agreement, a selection of HOFKON and MLT Three units will be available through ES:ME’s local hubs in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and the wider region. The system will be integrated into technical planning and rigging strategies across a wide spectrum of events - from exhibitions and conferences to concerts, live broadcasts, and sporting productions.

“We’re excited to make this system more accessible to our regional clients,” said Markus Schmidt, COO of ES:ME G

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11 July 2025

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) has announced the call for nominations for the Stephen Joseph Award 2025, as an ongoing tribute to Stephen Joseph’s contribution to our theatre culture.

This Award recognises innovative and inclusive theatre excellence in today’s British theatre and celebrates the variety of ways contemporary theatre and its practitioners continue to break new ground in engaging audiences.

Now open for 2025 submissions, a wide variety of practice is eligible including the ongoing work of a theatre company, a specific production, an individual theatre artist or director, or an innovative theatre building design or performance space.

Submissions are welcome from theatres, practitioners, or the general public as long as nominations are accompanied by suitable evidence.

In 2024, the Stephen Jo

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08 July 2025

UK - Doughty has launched its new Tank Trap Trolley - a robust and convenient way to move and store five standard or two-wheel Tank Traps.

The compact dimensions and unique stacking system allow five Tank Traps to be stored in the footprint of a single unit. The 5mm laser profiled steel rack is bolted to a box-section chassis, which rolls on non-marking 300KG rated castors.

The rear two castors are fitted with brakes for secure parking. The Trolley is finished in a hardy crackle black powder coat which matches the Tank Traps.

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08 July 2025

Europe - The new TC45 truss line from TAF is designed to support big LED screens, heavy light fixtures, and other higher capacity loads at your large live events. Featuring a central C-profile tube with channel for mounting hanging eyes, it offers complete freedom in positioning your hanging points - from end to end of the truss segment.

Fast and easy buildup is ensured by its quicklock connection system, which includes a connection kit included as standard.

Features include 400 mm (15.75 in) heavy-duty square truss, Quicklock connection with connection kit as standard, 0.5 – 4 m lengths available, up to 20m spans, up to 1964 kg/m distributed load capacity, up to 3129 kg point load capacity. Powder coat colour finish is available on request.

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08 July 2025

USA - Integrated Production Solutions (IPS) has announced that veteran tour and production manager Henry Bordeaux has joined the company as the director of business development for the production division following a 24-year career on the road leading major international tours.

His resume includes tours and events with Fall Out Boy, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Travis Scott, Tyler The Creator, Jennifer Lopez, Jason Derulo, Nick Jonas, Avicii, Yellowcard, and Nickelodeon, as well as numerous corporate events and U.S. presidential campaigns. Bordeaux has also worked with promoters and labels including Live Nation, AEG, Sony Music and Universal Music Group.

“IPS has always been about precision and professionalism,” Bordeaux says. “With its facility expansion and studio buildout, the potential here is massive. My goal is to help IPS step confidentl

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03 July 2025

Europe - The Liftket Group has welcomed John van Look as the new global technical trainer for its Chainmaster and Moveket brands. With decades of international experience in event rigging and extensive technical expertise, van Look will be responsible for designing and delivering technical training and workshop concepts for customers and partners worldwide.

John van Look is a certified master of event technology (stage/studio) and a certified expert for event rigging (SQ Q2 Level 3). His career has taken him from working on global tours for stars such as Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake to major productions like the Eurovision Song Contest and the MDLBeast Soundstorm Festival.

“With John van Look, we are not only gaining an outstanding professional with global recognition, but also a strong communicator who knows how to translate c

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02 July 2025

Germany - Adam Hall Group has announced the release of Defender Maintenance Spray, a specially developed maintenance spray for the professional care of cable protectors and other rubber components in the event, industrial and infrastructure sectors. The silicone spray protects against ageing, prevents material wear caused by environmental influences and facilitates maintenance.

The composition of the Maintenance Spray is tailored to typical stresses in the daily operation of cable protectors, such as moisture, UV radiation, dust and temperature changes. It is very simple to apply: spray on, leave to take effect for a short time, done. This way, the spray keeps the mechanics of the hinges and catches running smoothly and makes it much easier to open and close the lids.

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26 June 2025

UK - London’s Trafalgar Square was transformed into the capital’s brightest basketball stage as the inaugural Jr NBA 3v3 Finals were held under the gaze of Nelson’s Column and the National Gallery, and featured 10 city secondary schools in an electrifying final. 

The tournament was held on Friday 6 June and operated by London Marathon Events (LME) in collaboration between the NBA and LME, designed to get more children across the capital playing basketball for boys, girls and wheelchair competitions.

The team at Henley Theatre Services (HTS) were appointed to construct the three separate NBA courts in the middle of Trafalgar Square for this prestigious one-day event, working in partnership with PopUpArena.

Three truss structures were erected to formulate the temporary courts, which consisted of two 18m x 15m courts built from 10m tall P

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23 June 2025

Europe - Stageco was chosen as a key technical provider by French production company Teckoff for a run of major shows at the Stade de France in Paris this April.

Notably, the 26 April performance by Marseille-born rapper Jul smashed the venue’s attendance record with his audience totalling 97,816 – this eclipsed the previous record set in 2022 by Indochine, another of Stageco’s clients.

Working closely with Lies Rombouts, Stageco France project manager Thierry Nataf liaised with the chart-topper’s show designers Gwen Gauthier, Paul Chapet and Cédric Babin, Stageco’s R&D technicians Jan Claes and Bart Bleys, and structural engineer Daan Van Cauteren, to ensure that the delivery of the production was second to none.

Rehearsals took place in Aix en Provence – close to the Stageco France warehouse – for a full week from 12 Apri

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23 June 2025

USA - InterAmerica Stage has announced the appointments of Nicolas Champion as VP of business development, Tom Casazza as business development manager, and Jason Osterman as senior project manager.

IA Stage COO Pete Borchetta comments: “Over the past number of months, you may have heard the news as we’ve been holding off on this announcement because we’ve been assembling an all-star lineup – and now, the moment has arrived. IA Stage proudly welcomes three of the industry’s finest: Nicolas Champion, Tom Casazza, and Jason Osterman. Each of them brings a wealth of experience, strategic vision, and a track record of excellence in sales and project management.

“Nicolas Champion’s expertise in driving business growth, coupled with his deep understanding of client needs, makes him an invaluable leader in shaping IA Stage’s future. Tom Casaz

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20 June 2025

Austria - SRS Group has added Signal to its growing family of distributors. “With their well-established presence in the Austrian market, we look forward to expanding our reach and building a strong, productive partnership in the years ahead,” says SRS.

“After numerous discussions, in-person meetings, and company visits, the decision to move forward with Signal Sound & Light Distribution came naturally. Their impressive portfolio of globally recognised partner brands caught our interest – but what truly sealed the deal was the exceptional dedication and flexibility demonstrated by their team throughout the entire process.”

Matthias Reinthaler, general manager at Signal, shares his perspective on the new collaboration: “As the Austrian Robe distributor, Signal has a global network within the industry. Some of these partners are already