Very early on in my time at TPi – around 2016 – I was invited to The O2 arena for a special demonisation by PRG showing off its then brand-new GroundControl product, which looked to revolutionise the way productions used followspots. The company’s remote station removed the need for operators to climb ladders into the rafters to work a manual spotlight. Nearly a decade on, the remote followspot, in numerous guises, is now ubiquitous, and this solution has also created a discourse around the term ‘tracking’. As of 2024, tracking has gone far further than just a solution for followspots,…
Author: Jacob Waite
Since 2020, there have been several experienced people within the live touring world who have successfully managed to achieve a career one step removed from the road while still a key part of the industry. While there have always been options working for a manufacturer or a rental house, in recent years the proliferation of design collectives or production companies suggest there is a viable way of being part of a touring camp without travelling. One such individual, who back in 2014 was already seeking a way to transition away from the road was Joe Sanchez. Having production managed several…
Having begun his stint with James Arthur at the end of 2018, Tour Manager, Alex Howell of 1066 Touring and a core team have worked together across multiple global campaigns since then and 2024s Bitter Sweet Love Tour was no different. “This run felt and operated like the pre-COVID-19 shows, which was brilliant,” noted Howell. “The pandemic brought so much uncertainty for the industry for such a long time, so it is good to be back to normal and doing what we enjoy.” Kicking off his tour in Hamburg in January, the artist wrapped up the European leg at The…
Considered one of the leading developers of professional audio signal processing technologies and plug-ins for multiple markets, Waves Audio recently unveiled its newest offering for the touring domain – SuperRack LiveBox. This innovation facilitates a seamless experience in running VST3 plug-ins from any brand, all housed within a single user-friendly box boasting Dante or MADI connectivity options. “We have been dedicated to crafting solutions for the live market for a considerable period. Given that our development team comprises seasoned live engineers, we possess an innate understanding and familiarity with our clients’ needs, desires, and challenges,” shared Val Kotler, Waves Senior…
Symphotech has revealed that it has closed its doors. In a recent social media post, the company stated the following [sic]: The decision comes at a time that the lingering impacts of the global pandemic on the events industry are widely felt in the sector. Increased pressures on the small and mid-sized events and venues that are so important to us all are unfortunately resulting in unavoidable late and non-payment to suppliers like ourselves. Despite tireless efforts by the new management team to navigate these inherited losses, coupled with the burden of fighting historical legal claims which arose under previous…
The opening ceremony of the China-ASEAN Year of Cultural Exchange was held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China. Over the past decade, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and the leaders of ASEAN countries, China and ASEAN have scripted a new chapter of pragmatic and friendly cooperation, achieving a series of fruitful results in cultural exchanges, which serve as a ‘vivid example of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind’. In 2023, Chief Director, Chen Weidan assisted in the cultural exchange between China and Cambodia through the Southeast Asian Games. On 17 November 2023,…
Melodifestivalen 2024 marked the 64th edition of the Swedish music competition, orchestrated by Sveriges Television (SVT) and spanning a six-week period from 3 February to 9 March 2024. The victorious duo, Marcus & Martinus with their rendition of Unforgettable, earned the honour of representing Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, hosted on home turf in Malmö. Across six Swedish cities – Malmö, Gothenburg, Växjö, Eskilstuna, Karlstad, and Stockholm – six weekly shows captivated audiences. In recent years, lighting and video have become integral components of the spectacle. Green Wall Designs’ Fredrik Stormby, recently named the Lighting and Screen Content…
Britannia Row Productions recently deployed a comprehensive audio package for the 2024 BRIT Awards, extending its enduring collaboration with The BRIT School. On a night where former BRIT School scholar, RAYE, won a record-breaking six accolades and 70% of 2024’s winning acts were either female or non-binary, it felt like a full circle moment with Brit Row extending opportunities to aspiring female sound professionals from The BRIT School. Faye Knight, a Production Arts Student at The BRIT School, and Holly van der Rest, an Apprentice in Live Sound at Britannia Row Productions, were warmly embraced into the Brit Row team…
Music First Partnership has expanded its team with the appointment of experienced Music Travel Manager, Cath Goldby. Goldby has been appointed to manage music and entertainment tours across the UK, Europe and the world and will work closely with the rest of the Music First Partnership (MFP) team. She brings with her more than 25 years’ of music touring experience and a breadth of industry knowledge and contacts, having worked on a range of high profile tours over the last three decades. Prior to joining the MFP, Cath spent five years as a Senior Tour Specialist at TAG and more…
Taking place in London, Glasgow, and Belfast this March, Country to Country (C2C) Festival brought a taste of Nashville to the British Isles with help from Clair Global, Sound Image and Britannia Row Productions. Now in its 11th year, C2C draws audiences in the tens of thousands. The 2024 line up saw Brad Paisley, Lauren Alaina, Kane Brown, Elle King and many more Clair Global clients take the stage, with their teams trusting the Clair Global Group to supply bespoke control packages. Jesse Adamson, Sound Image President, explains how the company is ideally poised to support sound engineers and tour…
CJD Productions recently provided 11 channels of wireless microphones and IEMs in the heavily-congested Times Square RF environment, ensuring dropout-free performance with RF Venue wireless audio essentials including DISTRO4 RF distribution amps, COMBINE8 IEM antenna combiners along with CP Beam and the patented Diversity Fin antennas. “People regard Times Square as one of the hardest RF environments in the world to work in,” stated Chris DiCorpo, FOH Engineer/Production Manager for the Boston-based band Couch, who performed during the 2023 Times Square Live (TSQ Live) Friday Concerts series utilising 11 channels of wireless microphones and IEMs. With no wide-open spectrum free of…
Nearly a decade after launching its popular elektraBar linear strip fixture, elektraLite now proudly unveils its new elektraBar Vibe. Measuring one metre in length, the company’s newest professional lighting bar takes a decidedly different approach than its predecessor. The Vibe sports 128 columns of seven RGBW LEDs for a total of 896 “pixels” each providing 0.3 watts for a combined 268.8 watts of emitter output. Boasting a generous beam spread of 120°, multiple elektraBar Vibes can be linked together via side-panel locking plates to create a near seamless line of brilliant visuals for the stage. Fully DMX compatible, the product…
Meyer Sound has revealed the acquisition of Audio Rhapsody, a nascent startup founded by acclaimed sound designer Jonathan Deans. This landmark partnership is the latest milestone in Meyer Sound’s legacy of innovation in theatre sound. From collaborating with legendary sound designer Abe Jacob in 1980 to bring the iconic UPA loudspeaker to Broadway to developing the new NADIA network-based digital audio platform, the company has continually pushed the envelope to create solutions that empower creators to deliver the ultimate sonic experience. Deans, one of the world’s preeminent sound designers, is renowned for his pioneering work in immersive sound and his…
Melbourne-based Link Audio has been named the new distribution partner for the LD Systems pro audio brand in Australia. With this expanded partnership – Link Audio has also been responsible for the exclusive distribution of the Gravity brand since 2021 – the event technology manufacturer, headquartered in Neu-Anspach, Germany, is aiming to establish the diverse sound and sound reinforcement solutions of its pro audio brand on the continent and distribute them even more extensively. “We are delighted to have found an exclusive distribution partner for LD Systems in Australia in Link Audio,” said Markus Jahnel, COO of the Adam Hall…
Powersoft has revealed plans for a new HQ, aptly called the Powersoft Human Audio Experience Center. The recent signing of a preliminary lease agreement with Bluesky Immobiliare, which will own the property, sets the stage for a plan aimed at bolstering Powersoft’s path of growth and innovation. Located in an area of Scandicci, Florence, undergoing urban redevelopment, the Powersoft Human Audio Experience Center is designed by Atelier(s) Alfonso Femia, an internationally acclaimed architectural firm with offices in Genoa, Milan and Paris, and represents the pinnacle of design, efficiency and functionality. The new headquarters, covering more than 9,200m² across four floors,…
After a 31 year absence, Luxembourg marked its return to the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 by staging the precursor Luxembourg Song Contest event, organised and broadcast by RTL, featuring Claypaky lighting fixtures. Prior to 1993, Luxembourg had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 37 times, winning on five occasions. However, in 1993, Luxembourg was disqualified from competing the following year then opted out of the event until the announcement of the country’s return last year. The national entry for Eurovision’s 2024 competition was to be selected through a televised final. The final round show and the concluding super final, narrowed…
With over 200 lights on the main rig and a gathering of industry peers and decision-makers, the TPi Awards provided an extraordinary opportunity for NRG students to showcase their skills. In December, NRG put out a call for students interested in joining Robe’s Creative team. The response was overwhelming, leading to a rigorous selection process. Seven students were chosen and invited to Robe UK for training in RoboSpot and Avolites, along with a preview of the event rig. One student was assigned to assist Robe Lead Creative Designer Nathan Wan in the main room, while another was tasked with lighting…
Hot on the heels of their latest number-one studio album, Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est la Vie, the iconic British ska/pop band and their close-knit touring team descended onto venues in the UK with a campaign living up to the name of their latest record and subverting the conventions of past shows. Signature gimmicks made way for vaudevillian storytelling using kabuki drops, curved and automated video screens, a three-piece brass section, dynamic lighting design with a small footprint, and the odd T-shirt gun for good measure (more on that later). Despite the ramp up in production values, those behind…
