Adlib has expanded its year-round schools outreach to tackle a persistent skills and awareness gap in the live events industry, making technical careers more visible to students before key education choices are made. Despite relying on skills from engineering, design and computing, the sector’s backstage roles remain largely absent from early careers awareness. The UK’s live events industry is a multi-billion-pound economic engine and cultural powerhouse, combining creativity, technical expertise and large-scale logistics to deliver experiences that drive economic growth and support a substantial workforce across many disciplines. Despite this scale, entry routes into many of these roles remain less…
Author: James Robertson
Peter Heath is stepping away from his role as managing director of the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA). He will remain in the position while a replacement is found and intends to continue to represent the Association through the #WeMakeEvents campaign and in a consultancy capacity post-retirement. Since joining in 2016, Heath has helped transform PLASA’s industry perception – making it more approachable and collaborative while strengthening its financial position, supported by staff, the managing governing body (MGB), and the executive team. Over the past decade at MD, Heath has overseen a number of significant developments for the Association,…
CES Power has completed the acquisition of three Ireland-based businesses – GH Energy Rental, Event Power and Purecore. The acquisition supports CES Power’s global growth strategy, targeting sustained year-on-year revenue growth. Together, the three new businesses will enhance CES Power’s existing fleet of generators, lighting towers, transformers, distribution boards, cabling infrastructure and specialist power management systems, making it the largest power fleet in the UK and Ireland. This expanded capability will increase capacity to deliver complex, multi-site projects across both the events and industrial sectors. All three businesses’ staff will join CES Power as part of the acquisition, increasing the…
MDG has appointed Matt Wiseman as its new European Sales Manager, with immediate effect. Wiseman will be responsible for MDG’s European distribution network, driving business growth and supporting customers and distributors on a one-to-one basis through demo processes, product training, special projects and trade show support. Wiseman brings with him over 30 years of industry experience, predominantly with rental companies and manufacturers in the lighting world, including Theatre Projects, Midnight Design, Essential Lighting, Vari-Lite, PRG and Rosco where he was European Sales Manager. Since 2014 he has been at the forefront of MDG sales in the UK. “This is where…
In response to requests by its users, Outline has updated Newton’s firmware. The update implements a most significant workflow addendum that allows users to seamlessly save and recall whole-platform snapshots of all its functional parameters and settings right on its board. The possibility of saving and recalling a complete Newton operational status as snapshot turns in handy for addressing different usage scenarios in multipurpose rooms and venues, whereby different portions of sound system need to be activated (and/or optimised) at specific configurations of walls’ and floor partitioning, for example – or when specific event types in the same venue rely…
HIVE has announced its new Q-SYS Verified Plugin for HIVE Beeblade media players. As a contributor to the Q-SYS Ecosystem, HIVE collaborated with Q-SYS to create a market-ready control solution that integrates HIVE media playback, monitoring and control directly within the Q-SYS Full Stack AV Platform, giving system integrators seamless access to player functionality within their existing AV control environments. The plugin enables HIVE media players to be fully controlled and monitored within Q-SYS Designer, the software used by integrators to configure and deploy Q-SYS control systems. Through the integration, users can access real-time status data, manage playback and monitor…
John Offord, the founder and first editor of Lighting&Sound International magazine and a well-known figure to many in the live entertainment technology industry, has passed away after a short illness. John’s career spanned a time of rapid transformation in professional stage lighting, sound reinforcement, staging and effects. Over a 40-year period, he was a key player in developing the news and informational structure which supported the entertainment technology industry’s growing behind-the-scenes community of technicians, manufacturers and suppliers, and which lasts to this day. John was born in 1942 in Lewisham, London, the eldest of four siblings, and was destined to…
UK dsp and amplifier technology manufacturing partners XTA and MC² have appointed Modern Solutions Plus as their exclusive distributor for Thailand. Modern Solutions Plus distributes a number of leading global brands in Thailand as well as being a successful designer and integrator of audio systems across the country. Commenting on behalf of XTA/MC² Richard Fleming looks forward to establishing a productive relationship with Modern Solutions Plus: “Modern Solutions Plus is a long-established, highly-regarded company with an excellent understanding of this rapidly expanding market. Its expert team combine a detailed knowledge of the products they distribute with vast experience of advising…
Building on the success of YES Tech MT transparent series, YES TECH is launching the MT II, an upgraded version that is stronger, more stable, and highly versatile. Transparent screens often face a trade-off between lightweight aesthetics and structural durability. The MT II is upgraded with a magnesium-alloy frame, and it can be hung up to 20m, which significantly enhances structural strength and improves resistance to wind and impact. Additionally, its optimised waterproofing reduces the risk of water ingress, enhancing both operational safety and the longevity of the display in outdoor environments. The MT II can easily switch between transparent…
The Live Events Stage is back for 2026 with TPi curating talks and panels from Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 February 2026, and Production Futures taking over the stage on Friday 6 February. Located at the end of Hall 6, the stage will once again offer a behind-the-scenes look at some of the world’s most incredible live events, featuring the people who bring them to life. Supported by headline sponsor MA Lighting and Ross Video, who are sponsoring Wednesday’s panel, the stage will host four days of panels and interviews with visionaries from across the entertainment sphere. From audio engineers…
At Integrated Systems Europe 2026, 3-6 February in Barcelona, Adam Hall Integrated Systems will be showcasing a wide range of new solutions and products from the areas of commercial audio, lighting and control. The next major update of the LD Systems QUESTRA design and management platform to version 1.4 will take centre stage. In addition, AV system integrators, specialist planners and installation technology service providers can look forward to audio and video extensions to the TICA and TIVA series as well as a new DSP audio matrix that has been specially developed for installation projects and is fully integrated into…
Amadeus Acoustics will launch Amadeus Immersive Sound Next Generation at ISE 2026. Developed in response to increasingly complex venue architectures and rising creative expectations, the Immersive Performance module, ART::IP moves immersive sound beyond single-zone concepts into a truly scalable, multi-zone, three-dimensional spatial platform. This makes ART::IP the most advanced immersive sound tool available on the market today. While previous immersive solutions delivered compelling spatialisation in standard room layouts, ART::IP is engineered for real-world complexity: multiple audience zones, varied loudspeaker functions, optimised algorithms for acoustically challenging areas such as under balconies, and hybrid stage–surround systems. Shaped by real-world user feedback from…
HOF has permanently reduced the prices of the MLT TWO and MLT THREE. The Design, materials, load ratings, and functionality continue to meet HOF’s standards. Rotating steel forks, flexible curving options, and the well-thought-out system logic trusted by professionals remain integral components of the series. So nothing changes in terms of the product. “The MLT is our benchmark – technically and functionally,” said Dennis Klostermann, Co-CEO of HOF. “With the new pricing structure, we are making a deliberate strategic decision: we are expanding the applicability of the original without compromising quality, safety, or performance by even a millimetre.” www.h-of.de
Rise AV has announced the launch of its 2026 Mentoring Programme in the UK, expanding for the first time to APAC. Both programmes will run concurrently from May 2026, providing six months of structured mentorship and professional development for women at all career stages. Thanks to the generous support of our industry sponsors, participation in this programme is completely free of charge. Following the huge success of the 2025 UK programme and significant demand from professionals across the Asia Pacific, Rise AV is expanding the initiative into the region for 2026, beginning in Singapore and Hong Kong. The UK and…
Drawing on the colour-rendering prowess of his CHAUVET Professional Maverick and Rogue fixtures, which were supplied by Josh Peikert and his team at Hoopty Lights, LD Braxtin Pieper is transforming the stage for Shane Smith and the Saints Ugly Christmas Sweater Tour, with a palette that combines, blues, purples and oranges. Not all of his bold looks feature traditional holiday colour combos, but each plays well off the set’s seasonal scenic elements. “I believe in a lot of multi-colour palettes,” said Pieper. “For example, our combination of desaturated magenta on one side of the stage and CTB on the other,…
Following its UK launch in January 2025, Rise AV has announced its expansion into the Asia Pacific with the formation of its first overseas council and mentoring programme. The Rise AV Mentoring programme, beginning in Singapore and Hong Kong provides six months of structured mentorship and professional development for women at all career stages. Applications are now open for female mentees and industry-leading mentors of all genders. Thanks to the generous support of industry sponsors, including QSC and ROE Visual, participation in this programme is free. To ensure Rise AV’s initiatives in APAC reflect the region’s unique professional and cultural…
In a statement, the Prolight + Sound team have announced the discontinuation of the trade show in Frankfurt. The team recently announced that due to insufficient demand, they would be moving Prolight + Sound to take part within Light + Building 2026. They have now announced that Prolight + Sound will no longer take place in Frankfurt. Read the full Statement below: “Over the past few weeks, we have held many conversations and conducted an in-depth review of how we can shape the future of Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt. Unfortunately, it has become clear that there is insufficient demand…
Bristol is planning to establish a clean power hub for its summer programme that guarantees renewable energy for music festivals, high attendance cultural events, & film and television productions. A new pilot partnership between West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, Bristol City Council, the ACT 1.5 project, development support from Grid Faeries x Ecotricity, and multiple clean power providers will see a new temporary mobile power hub established within the city, that can be utilised by a selection of music and cultural events and ongoing tv and film shoots. This pioneering leap builds on the world record breaking low emissions…
