For the 15th year, Riedel Communications provided advanced intercom and signal distribution technologies and on-site engineering support for the record-breaking 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). Staged 18 to 22 May at the Rotterdam Ahoy, this year’s broadcast marked the ESC debut of several new Riedel solutions, including the top-of-the-line Artist-1024 digital matrix intercom node and SFP modules from the new MediorNet IP range of signal processing solutions. Back after a pandemic-induced cancellation in 2020, the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest drew an audience of 183 million viewers across 36 markets — with a live audience for the Grand…
Author: Jacob Waite
Astera LED adds an extra dimension to its portfolio of lighting products with the creation of PixelBrick – a multi-functional light source with the power and finesse of Titan LED engine coupled with the practicality of AX3 LightDrop. PixelBrick is compact, 1.1kg light and up-lighter. Like Astera AX3 LightDrop, PixelBrick can be hung anywhere and become a universal light for accenting and texturing buildings or façades as an IP65 rated fixture. PixelBrick has 450 Lumens and 1200 Lux at two metres – both at 3200K and can also be used like a PAR as a general-purpose fixture complete with a…
The Meyer Sound Spacemap Go US Roadshow will roll across the country through the summer and fall with stops in 10 cities, including sessions in conjunction with the Church Facilities Conference & Expo (CFX) in Dallas on 21 to 22 September and InfoComm 2021 in Orlando on 26 to 29 October. The Roadshow demo sessions are principally focused on Spacemap Go, Meyer Sound’s breakthrough spatial sound design and live mixing tool, although the touring system also showcases other new technologies as incorporated in the ULTRA-X20 compact loudspeaker and VLFC very low-frequency control element. “We are taking Spacemap Go on the…
Sennheiser brings simplicity to wireless with Evolution Wireless Digital. The series introduces an easy, app-based workflow while retaining the professionalism, multi-channel capability and reliability that users have come to expect of UHF and 1G8 microphones “We talked with dozens of bands prior to the development of Evolution Wireless Digital,” explained Sennheiser Evolution Wireless Digital Product Manager, Oliver Schmitz. “Many band members are in fact multitasking, driving the gig bus, setting the wireless up, performing on stage, doing the accounting, the marketing, you name it. They do not want to become experts at RF, they do not want to scan a…
For the 160 entertainment-starved fans in attendance at the open-air stage at Freilichtbühne Coesfeld on 15 May, Lonely Hearts Club’s show, represented a small, hopeful step back to enjoying live performances as COVID-19 lockdown rules begin to ease with safety protocols still in place. Part of a regional test to demonstrate how outdoor events could be conducted safely, the concert ended at 9pm, so people could return home in time to comply with Germany’s 10pm curfew. The early closing time made sense from a health and safety standpoint, but it nevertheless posed special challenges for André Entrup and his team…
Eurovision Song Contest 2021 took place at the Rotterdam Ahoy in May, where winners Italy triumphed over the other 25 finalists with their song Zitti E Buoni performed by Måneskin. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the audience in the venue was limited but a huge Europe-wide TV audience of over 180m watched the event live, courtesy of the host broadcaster NPO/NOS/AVROTROS on behalf of EBU. Utrecht-based Ampco Flashlight were the ESC’s official technical supplier for audio, lighting and rigging, working with Erwin Rintjema, ESC’s Head of Production, who was responsible for the whole technical production this year and Jeroen ten Brinke,…
Powersoft has welcomed Sidev as its new distributor for France, working alongside Powersoft’s other French distributor, DV2. Founded in 1991 and based near Lyon, Sidev has been a key player in providing audio-visual solutions in France for over 30 years. In that time, the company has grown to offer the largest sales and pre-sales team in the French market, as well as two showrooms in Paris and Lyon, and a yearly turnover of over €60 million in 2020. Sidev is, since 2010, part of the Midwich Group a world leader in the audio-visual sector with a presence across Europe, Asia-Pacific…
ADJ Group says goodbye to a valued colleague and treasured friend, José Mario Estrada. Known to everyone as Mario, he was an important member of the ADJ México Sales Team whose warm smile, sociable personality and gracious nature will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. Estrada contracted COVID-19 in April, was admitted to hospital and fought the virus valiantly, but sadly lost his battle the following month. He died on 12 May, the day after his 53rd birthday, and leaves behind a loving wife and son, as well as many other extended family members and friends. “Mario shared…
Set against a magnificent red rock canyon backdrop in the Utah desert, Tuacahn Amphitheater in the state’s southwest corner is one of the most picturesque settings you’ll find anywhere for outdoor theatre. Lighting Designer, Cory Pattak recently lit a production of Beauty and the Beast amid the spectacular surroundings and used the venue’s new IP65-rated Proteus Maximus moving heads as workhorse front light fixtures. Pattak, in his fourth-year lighting large-scale musicals at the amphitheater, was instrumental in the venue purchasing the 50,000-lumen LED luminaires, which were supplied by Felix Lighting. “Ever since the Proteus Maximus was announced, we had been…
TSL Lighting has joined the events sustainability organisation isla, to re-emerge from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic with a positive, forward-thinking outlook. TSL’s management team has for many years championed more sustainable practices, including sourcing renewable energy for its sites, working alongside youth groups and volunteer associations to donate ex-rental equipment and of course re-using its stock as a rental business. Director, Loz Wilcox believes that the downtime over the past 12 months has allowed them to reflect and further implement environmentally friendly initiatives. Becoming a member of isla marks the significant next sustainability step for the company. TSL…
Claypaky has rolled out an updated version of its e-assist website. The platform is conceived to be the ultimate gateway to Claypaky technical assistance and features the access to technical documentation of Claypaky products in a fully revamped and modern, easy-to-use layout. The new Helpdesk functionality allows you to get in touch with Claypaky technical support team in a very efficient way to ask for simple information, notify of a problem with a fixture, ask for spare part information, and much more. Through the Helpdesk you will have the possibility to send a picture, a pdf, or a video as…
Last year, during the height of the pandemic, Martin Castañon, Victor Ortiz and the team at Darvik Productions stayed busy, while bringing the joy of music to the public by running Concerts in Your Car, a series of drive-in shows at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. In the process they learned quite a bit about teamwork, determination and self-reliance. They also sharpened their skills lighting an elevated 360ﹾ stage. All of these attributes came in handy this Memorial Day Weekend, when they handled the production of Ziggy Marley’s concert at Petco Park. Although the socially-distant live audience at this show was…
When the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the FACEIT production team travelling to the United States to stage its Flashpoint Season 2 tournament for Counter-Strike:Global Offensive, the company decided to switch the production venue to Twickenham Stadium in the UK and use Panasonic’s PTZ camera and robotics solutions. FACEIT is the leading independent competitive gaming platform for online multiplayer PvP gamers with more than 20 million users, and a total of 40 million hours spent on the platform each month. In addition, the organisation has its own TV and Media production unit that provides professional gaming coverage of some of the largest…
Heading up the production lighting department for Eurovision Song Contest 2021 was Lighting Designer, Henk-Jan van Beek of Light-H-Art, who worked closely with Associate Designers, Bas de Vries and Martin Beekhuizen, participating country delegations – many of which had their own consulting LDs and artists directors – to create 39 individual performances within the overall show design. Henk-Jan specified 740 Robe moving lights for the event, which made up over a third of the total lighting rig which came in at a count of 1,782 active fixtures. Lighting, audio and rigging was delivered by ESC 2021’s official technical supplier for lighting,…
Amadeus has released a major software update for the company’s HOLOPHONIX spatial sound processor. The version 1.7 software update features a new web-remote user interface completely redesigned from the ground up for better performance and a faster workflow, and includes a host of new features both powerful and useful for immersive creative projects. The new version 1.7 update is free to all current HOLOPHOPNIX users and is included with all new HOLOPHONIX hardware system purchases. HOLOPHONIX immersive sound processors are installed and have been used for some of the world’s most innovative venues including Paris-based The Pantheon, Chaillot National Theater,…
Eastern Acoustics Works (EAW)’s NTX201L is a high-performance solution that streamlines setup to deliver maximum results in minimal time. It is a 2×10” articulated array with an integrated 1600W two-channel amplifier and universal PFC power supply. The NTX210L operates in the 55hz to 18khz range with a max SPL of 140db and has a 90° horizontal and 12° vertical nominal beam width. Different from other powered line array products, the NXT’s patented OptiLogic technology provides automatic array self-detection via onboard infrared sensors and accelerometers, and near instant optimisation including air loss compensation and more. The NTX series features integrated Dante…
Faber Audiovisuals joined forces with many of The Netherlands’ world-class technical production companies to deliver the hugely successful Eurovision Song Contest 2021 at Rotterdam’s Ahoy Arena. Sint-Annaparochie-based Faber Audiovisuals were selected as official supplier for all video display technology, providing both the video hardware and the skilled team of technicians that installed and operated it. “Eurovision is an unparalleled show,” said Faber Audiovisuals CEO, Cees-Jan Faber. “To be able to deliver to such high expectations during a pandemic is an achievement that makes us extremely proud.” Set Designer Florian Wieder, who celebrated his seventh Eurovision set design in 2021, created…
Scottish music event brand, Terminal V, is going cashless and has signed up with Event Genius’ cashless services, egPay, representing the firm’s first ever cashless events in Scotland. The deal sees all five of the brand’s UK events going cashless with Event Genius including four 5000 capacity summer events featuring the very best of global techno including the likes of Patrick Topping, Floorplan, Adam Beyer and Ben Klock. Beyond the summer, the flagship Terminal V Halloween festival will also be deploying egPay cashless technology and will run over two days for the first time, across 30th-31st October, with 40,000 fans…
