TAFtool 5.0 is TAF’s latest version of its advanced software that allows you to build 3D structures in a virtual environment with TAF products and with real-world dimensions. Try out your new ideas. Create bespoke or custom projects. Enjoy standard/profile/top views of your structure, rotate the camera angle, zoom in, zoom out. Save your progress for later. When done, export to PDF with a list of all products and dimensions for requesting an accurate price quote from TAF. TAFtool 5.0 comes with many improvements that includes a more polished interface, refined icons, a larger library of TAF products and support…
Author: James Robertson
Absen has launched 20 showrooms across key locations worldwide, available for scheduled visits by appointment. The state-of-the-art showrooms are strategically situated in; China (Shenzhen, Huizhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Hong Kong), the United States (New York, Orlando, and Los Angeles), the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. This global expansion underscores Absen’s ongoing commitment to offering cutting-edge solutions and exceptional localised services. Now with a grand total of 78 showrooms(incl. channel partners’ showrooms) across five continents, Absen continues to strengthen its global footprint, ensuring customers receive top-tier products and localise…
Smode Tech has partnered with Cercle Odyssey, the world’s first large-scale 360° immersive concert. As an official partner, Smode Tech is providing its real-time media server technology, SMODE, for Cercle Odyssey’s global tour, which is pioneering an ambitious new form of entertainment fusing spatialised sound, video, olfactory experiences and classically influenced storytelling on a monumental scale. The Cercle Odyssey tour began in Mexico City before heading to Los Angeles, and will be culminating in Paris for a spectacular finale from 28 May to 1 June. Highlights from the Paris leg of the tour include Max Richter, ARTBAT and WhoMadeWho, NTO…
Brompton Technology has announced the appointment of Steve Leyland as its new Chairman of the Board. Leyland’s appointment follows the resignation of Brompton’s previous Chairman, Neil Gaydon, for health reasons. Gaydon joined at the time of Brompton receiving investment from specialist private equity provider Connection Capital in 2022 and has played a central role in developing Brompton’s growth strategy. “We are very grateful to Neil for all his support and wish him the very best,” said Richard Mead, Brompton’s CEO. A seasoned executive and respected voice in the AV industry, Leyland brings with him decades of international leadership experience, including…
In support of their ninth album AfterLife, Five Finger Death Punch toured across Europe and North America to bring their signature metal sound to packed arenas. Debuting in August 2022 and concluding in September 2024, the tour featured hits from the album that rose to number-one on Billboard’s Top Hard Rock Album chart. At all 100+ intercontinental stops the crew deployed a Cohesion PA. Five Finger Death Punch and their team prioritised connecting with the audience during their high-energy shows, so vocal intelligibility and musicality from the PA were as important as seamless coverage and output. “It had to be…
The Human League’s Generations Arena tour kicked off its UK leg in December 2024. By the band’s third show they’d already elicited a five-star review from the Guardian, who described the show as: “An evening of immaculate electro pop, delivered with grace, precision, and elation.” Behind the scenes was no exception, with seasoned Production Manager Sarah Hollis of Hollistic Productions at the helm. Hollis has been Production Managing tours since the late 90s and has worked with The Human League since their 2008, Steel City Tour. “I was also the stage manager on that tour,” she explained, “which was a…
During the 30th edition Prolight + Sound at Messe Frankfurt, Highlite International presented a wide range of new and updated products across its renowned brands: Showtec, Infinity, DAP, DMT, Showgear, and Wentex. Visitors were treated to product premieres, hands-on demos, and an immersive showcase powered by the latest in lighting, audio, and rigging solutions. Highlite expresses its gratitude for the overwhelming response and enthusiasm of the visitors. The vibe felt invigorating and attendees were inspired by the presentation of the stand as a whole, with the many new products available for hands-on experience. From Showtec there were many exciting new…
In February 2025, DC Zon Entertainment developed a remarkable stage display solution for the Welcome Back Tour of the K-pop girl group 2NE1 at the Malaysia National Hockey Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. The event showcased the quartet delivering an outstanding selection of over 20 songs, highlighting their musical diversity and captivating stage presence. The performance was further enhanced by a meticulously crafted stage design, which incorporated INFiLED AP series LED screens. In line with the organiser’s needs and the features of the concert venue, DC Zon Entertainment engaged in clarifying a series of essential setup points specifically designed for this…
While rehearsing for Michael Kiwanuka’s recently completed Small Changes tour Lighting Designer, Ed Warren noticed the way light hit a mirror ball over his video wall and drape backdrop leading to a creative opportunity. “It was a happy accident,” said Warren “When we ran through things in rehearsals, I decided to hit the mirror ball with a single spot from below, wash out some blue light, add a bit of haze, and it worked perfectly — of course with the help of incredible visuals from my video designer Ed Hoare. We came up with a look that made it seem…
R90 Lighting recently received a delivery of PARAGON LED profile fixtures just in time to deploy them on a private event with Gwen Stefani—one of the first major U.S. shows to utilise Elation’s new flagship lighting fixture. “We didn’t have a single hiccup involving these lovely new lights,” said Joe Cole, owner of R90 Lighting, after the event. “Everything was great right out of the box, and the spares stayed in their cases. New products usually have some wrinkles to iron out, but these fixtures were dialed in from the start. We look forward to seeing these in action over…
Cyndi Lauper took a final lap of the UK and Europe with her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour with PRG entrusted to supply a full 360 package, including lighting, video, rigging and audio, for the arena run. The show is an eclectic mix of bright colours bringing Lauper’s iconic image into 2025, designed by Tom Sutherland and the team at DX7 Design; along with Brian Burke of Brian Burke Creative. The main event is a unique ‘accordian-style’ video screen lined with LED lighting fixtures, made up of 234 ROE Active CB5 video panels and surrounded by Pixel Line…
Gonher Group has become the exclusive distributor for HK Audio products in Mexico with immediate effect. The new distributor has experienced sales professionals for pro audio applications along with extensive sales networks and an outstanding understanding of service within its Audyson and Gonher Pro divisions. This will help Gonher to fully represent HK Audio’s wide ranging portfolio of professional loudspeaker systems in Mexico. “We are delighted to add HK Audio’s impressive product range to our extensive portfolio,” said Jorge Gonzalez, Director General of Gonher. “HK Audio already has a good presence in Mexico and we plan to take the brand…
Unusual Rigging returned to the Royal Albert Hall for the 2025 Olivier Awards on 6 April, bringing its expertise and large-scale technical capability to one of British theatre’s biggest nights. No stranger to either the venue or the event, Unusual was tasked with delivering the full scope of rigging and draughting requirements for this year’s spectacular ceremony — supporting an ambitious production with sustainable, reusable rigging infrastructure. “We were brought on to handle all the rigging and draughting requirements for the show,” said Luke MacBride, Design Engineer at Unusual Rigging. “Our scope included the design and installation of a mother…
Midas Consoles has unveiled the HD-Mix app V1.0, an innovative app designed to give audio professionals remote control over the renowned Heritage- D series consoles offering legendary functionality and workflow with unmatched convenience and control wherever your creativity takes you. It is available for download from the App Store / Play Store for use on iOS (Version 12 or later) and Android systems (Version 9 or later). HD-Mix V1.0 redefines what it means to mix remotely, offering an experience that feels just like being at the console itself. The app provides seamless connectivity, automatically detecting consoles on the same network…
TAG has strengthened its sales, business development and operations capabilities across all regions and divisions with four new appointments. Jens Penny, Chief Executive Officer at TAG, announced the appointments as part of the company’s global growth strategy. Penny said: “I am delighted to announce that Peter Snowdon has been appointed Vice President – Corporate Sales & Account Management; Justine Liddelow as Vice President – Entertainment Sales & Account Management; Lorraine Greig as Vice President – Operations, USA; and Louise Davies as Vice President – Operations, EMEA. Greig, who is based in Los Angeles, has been with TAG for more than…
Constell8 – KLSTR, a developer of advanced technology for the entertainment and live events sector, today announces a strategic partnership with Ayrton, an international leader in innovative lighting solutions. Through this partnership, selected new and upcoming Ayrton lighting fixtures will come standard with integrated Constell8 – KLSTR technology. Customers will benefit from seamless integration, more efficient operation, and significantly enhanced lighting experiences. Additionally, Constell8 – KLSTR offers full retrofit support for existing Ayrton models, allowing older fixtures to benefit from the latest technological advancements. This collaboration highlights both companies’ commitment to innovation, reliability, and user-friendly solutions for the events industry.…
In a joint venture, Backup Tech, The BACK LOUNGE and UK Live Event Freelancers Forum, are launching a series of three Financial Literacy workshops and resources around being financially informed for freelancers working in the live entertainment industry. Presented on Zoom and hosted by The BACK LOUNGE’s Suzi Green and Paul Jones from UK Live Event Freelancers Forum, along with invited guest speakers on specific topics, the three, one-hour workshops, each of which will be stand-alone, will work synergistically to inform those working for themselves as sole traders or small businesses. The series aims to provide practical advice balanced with…
Ambersphere Solutions will serve as the sole UK distributor for ROXX products, offering full access to the brand’s innovative range of professional lighting fixtures. This includes their acclaimed CLUSTER Series, industry-leading LED solutions, and advanced IP-rated fixtures designed for both indoor and outdoor applications. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome ROXX to the Ambersphere portfolio,” said Lee House, Managing Director of Ambersphere Solutions. “ROXX products bring a fresh and exciting dimension to our offering – combining exceptional engineering with beautiful design and uncompromising performance. We believe their vision perfectly aligns with our commitment to delivering the best tools and support…
