In 2024, HOLOPLOT’s X1 system was chosen to provide the sound for The Atmosphere stage at Tomorrowland, a custom-made circus-top tent featuring DJs. The system utilised two main arrays consisting of six X1 modules each, with six surrounds of two X1 modules each. The key challenges to overcome were the highly reflective surfaces causing echoes in the listening area, preventing an even sweet spot to fully benefit from the immersive content played at the stage. Pieter Doms, Sound Engineer at Noizboyz and Co-Founder of stereo upmixing solution Areal, is responsible for the sound design of all 16 stages at Tomorrowland…
Author: Alicia Pollitt
Lighting Designer Niller Bjerregaard lit two legs of the Swedish metal band Opeth’s tour. One consisted of fly-in shows that carried only a backdrop and called for him to busk; the second involved an extensive floor package with video panels and a media server. Also helping Bjerregaard realise his vision on the two-part tour was his ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium Console. “My ChamSys Light Desk together with Capture visualizing software and Hippo Media server, all connected to the network ports on the desk, with sACN on all used universes,” he explained. “It was so easy to set up third-party software/hardware…
Vectorworks has announced the release of Vectorworks 2025, the latest iteration of its design software suite. Vectorworks 2025 aims to transform how designers visualise and execute their creative visions. The 2025 release encompasses Vectorworks Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Design Suite, Fundamentals, ConnectCAD, Braceworks, and Vision, with the english-language editions of this version now available. “Vectorworks 2025 represents a major step forward in how our users can approach design and visualisation, opening a whole new world of visual understanding, communication, and limitless potential,” said Vectorworks Chief Product Officer Darick DeHart. “We have carefully listened to our customers’ feedback and are proud to…
The show, FANGIRLS demanded an audio system capable of recreating the atmosphere of a large-scale pop concert within the intimate setting of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. Sound Designer Tony Gayle specified L-Acoustics, working closely with The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and L-Acoustics Certified Partner Autograph Sound. This collaboration marks a significant return to partnership between L-Acoustics and Autograph Sound in the West End. “FANGIRLS is unlike anything we’ve hosted before,” explained Daniel Ronayne, Head of Sound at The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. “The show’s pop-driven score and arena-like moments required us to think beyond traditional theatre audio solutions. We needed a professional…
Pixotope will highlight its latest advancements at IBC2024, which introduce industry first capabilities. A feature of the IBC showcase is the pre-release of Pixotope Reveal, an AI-powered background segmentation solution. Reveal isolates talent from any background, allowing the placement of graphics behind the subject without the need for a complicated and cumbersome green screen setup. In addition to Pixotope Reveal, the company is introducing several key updates, including SMPTE 2110 Workflow Enhancements: With the support of Matrox Video, Pixotope Graphics now supports the industry-standard SMPTE 2110 for video input and output, integrating into IP-based uncompressed video production workflows and offering…
Entedi has announced its partnership with the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) last week at PLASA Show. Through this partnership, Entedi and RADA aim to transform the training landscape, acting as a hub for the entertainment lighting industry. By providing in-depth demonstrations and specialist equipment training, Entedi, will play a key part in ensuring that RADA’s delivery of lighting theory and the practical application of the latest technologies stays at the cutting edge. Cally Bacchus, Managing Director at Entedi, expressed: “We are incredibly excited to collaborate with RADA. This partnership represents a unique opportunity to nurture the future…
Kenny Chesney embarked on his Sun Goes Down tour, alternated between sold-out professional football stadiums and amphitheaters, relying on a Cohesion system in each venue. “We’re in several environments: football stadiums, sheds, soccer stadiums, all different. Some stadiums are 160–180 feet high,” said Production Manager and Parnelli Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Ed Wannebo. “We need a cabinet that can throw, can handle the timing, clarity, truck space—all of that. I knew the Cohesion system would be able to handle all environments without problem.” “Sun Goes Down” featured a star-studded production team of award-winning industry veterans, including Wannebo, FOH Engineer Robert…
The HOF team has welcomed a new colleague to its sales team and has gained another experienced industry expert in Milan Ostendorf. Ostendorf is a trained event technician and has 10 years of experience in the industry. He has worked both in technical sales and as a project manager. Milan will be working as a technical sales representative in the back office with immediate effect. www.h-of.de
Hov1 embarked on a tour of Sweden visiting the major cities of Gothenburg, Malmo and Stockholm. French-born but Sweden-based lighting designer, Jonathan Rikner, of NCOAB Productions chose Ayrton Rivale Profiles as a major part of his lighting rig, all of which was supplied by CT Sweden. Rikner described the size of the venues for this tour and how he uses the Rivale Profiles in his design: “The venues throughout the tour were full with an average capacity of 9500 people, and we looked forward to the highlight show in Stockholm on 31 August which played to 18,000 people.” “With throw…
SIXTY82 has announced the launch of the latest in its TPM Series of super-strong box truss, the TPM39 Series. Sharing all the features of the TPM29 Series, the new TPM39 is up to 25% stronger – yet compatible and interchangeable with M39 box truss. Designed and manufactured in Holland, the extrusion process ensures a uniform shape that is 100% square with a perfect fit which, combined with stronger alloy truss spigots, are factors in improved strength and endurance. The extruded end frame also makes the TPMSeries bounce- and smash-proof. SIXTY82 has introduced a new feature to TPM39 by the removal…
All Time Low embarked on a three-date summer run with an immersive design by Jeff Mathews of Nashville-based Borealis Live Design, which featured over 100 CHAUVET Professional fixtures. “Before they reached out to us, the band and their creative director/PM, Phil Gornell, had a good roadmap of the creative vision for this show, in terms of how it would evolve and move through multiple seasons of All Time Low’s career — and how it would seamlessly span multiple album cycles,” said Mathews, co-founder with his business partner Christian Hall, of Borealis Live Design. “They put a lot of thought and…
Fourier Audio has announced that it has been honoured with the 2024 PLASA Award for Innovation for its transform.engine. The 2024 PLASA Innovation Awards saw 44 products vying for recognition, with only eight being selected by the esteemed panel of judges. The judges commended the Fourier Audio transform.engine for being “an elegant solution for the integration of studio technologies in live events with reliability and functionality at its core.” During the recent three-day PLASA Show London, the winners were revealed, and Fourier Audio’s Co-Founders, Pete Bridgman, Henry Harrod, and Gareth Owen, accepted the award on behalf of the company. Speaking…
Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter World Tour called on Britannia Row for an L-Acoustics delivery. The Seattle rockers possessed a FOH team paired with trust and dedication to great live sound: FOH Mixer Greg Nelson and Systems Engineer Andrew Gilchrest. “Andrew and I have a similar ear; he hears what I hear, and I hear what he hears, so I trust him implicitly to run anywhere around the arena. I don’t have to double-check,” Nelson began. “And I’ve learned what he’s looking for, what ‘good’ sound is from him,” explained Gilchrest. “As a system engineer, I spend quite a bit of…
Allen & Heath returned to Milwaukee Irish Fest for the 2024 festival. The company’s consoles were deployed across all 16 festival stages, delivering sound quality and ease of use for a diverse lineup of over 100 performers. Allen & Heath Avantis and dLive consoles were entrusted to handle the audio requirements of the festival’s main stages at both FOH and monitor positions. The systems provided the flexibility needed to manage the processing demands of the festival’s biggest acts. Both consoles also feature flexible bus configurations, allowing for buses to be reallocated as monitor mixes, groups, matrices, or FX sends as…
Production/Lighting Designer Rob Sinclair is using Elation PROTEUS MAXIMUS LED Profile lighting fixtures to support country star Zach Bryan on his ongoing “Quittin’ Time” tour. Sinclair has handled lighting design duties for both the tour’s arena and stadium shows, with the outdoor shows commencing in May. Kyle Lovan operates the show with lighting programming by Andre Petrus. Lighting supply in by Upstaging. “Everything we do with Zach is about getting him as closely connected to his audience as possible,” Sinclair stated. “We do that in arenas by putting him in the middle of the room, but we couldn’t do that…
Studio and Live Sound Engineer Andrea Pellegrini worked with the Peter Erskine Quartet in Italy, delivering sound quality thanks to a selection of microphones from DPA Microphones for 22 live performances. The engineer deployed a combination of DPA 4099 Instrument Mics on the piano, saxophone, double bass and snare drum, along with 4011 Cardioid Condensers as overhead mics and a 4055 for the kick drum. “Being able to work with such a superstar quartet was an incredible opportunity,” said Pellegrini. “I brought my DPA microphones with me because I know how great they are; using those mics ensured the highest…
Video Design oversee Biffy Clyro at Victorious Festival and AEW at Wembley Stadium. All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) first foray into stadium scale spectacle 2023 blew away the record for such events when it debuted at Wembley Stadium on August Bank Holiday. “These fans are nothing if not fearless,” said Video Design owner, Alex Leinster, who oversaw the installation of one of the largest deployments of HD LED screen systems ever seen at Wembley. “The enthusiasm of the huge family audience was amazing, if there was a wind they didn’t notice” Further south, in Portsmouth, Leinster also had one eye on…
Voice Acoustic and TENNAX announce their first distribution partnership in Ireland, effective immediately, having appointed EYE AUDIO IRELAND as their chosen business partner. EYE AUDIO IRELAND only came into existence as recently as 2019, but the team behind it have many years of experience in distribution, live sound, and the installation sectors, and is delighted to work exclusively within Ireland with Voice Acoustic and TENNAX. “One of our existing distribution partners had discontinued their active speaker lines, so we were looking for something to fill that gap. I heard Voice-Acoustic by accident at PL+S 2023, and was very impressed with…
