Visions Group has revealed the appointment of two new senior hires and a series of internal promotions, underscoring the company’s continued investment in talent and resources across its group brands: Visions Live, Fisher Productions and Technical Overlay with Stuart Crane joining the group as Head of Production and Louise Milner as Marketing Manager. Crane brings a wealth of experience from senior roles at the Royal Albert Hall and White Light Ltd and will be leading the strategic direction of event production across the Group. Speaking about his appointment, Crane said: “After nearly 20 years in the events industry, I feel…
Author: Jacob Waite
Circlassica returned to Madrid for the 2024-2025 season staged at IFEMA Madrid’s big white tent, with a new edition, la historia mundial continúa (Circlassica, the world story continues), produced by Productores de Sonrisas and lit by Juanjo Llorens, who selected 40 Robe LEDBeam 150s, 22 Spiiders, 20 MegaPointes, 16 LEDBeam 350 and 14 ESPRITES. “I took advantage of numerous features on all these fixture types,” explained Llorens, “power, different types of looks and lenses, varying LED sources from RGBW multichip to a single high-power white chip, and also discharge lamps.” Llorens works with a team of “highly skilled and creative…
Oak View Group (OVG) has appointed Simon Hanna as Senior Vice President of Operations, bringing over 15 years of strategic leadership experience in global hospitality, live events, and venue operations, most recently as Chief Operating Officer at Freemans Event Partners. In his new role, Simon will oversee the operational delivery of OVG’s expanding portfolio of world-class live entertainment venues, combining commercial acumen with operational excellence. He will work closely with Rebecca Kane Burton, Executive Vice President of Venue Management for OVG International and Michalis Fragkiadakis, Senior Vice President of Hospitality Strategy for OVG International, to elevate fan experience, drive commercial…
Bose Professional has revealed announced the appointment of Joe Falcão as Chief Financial Officer. Falcão brings more than 20 years of international financial leadership to the role, having previously guided high-performing teams across the retail, e-commerce, telecom, and healthcare industries from offices around the world. Falcão’s international experience makes him ideal for the role at Bose Professional as the company continues to expand its operations since becoming independent in 2023. Previously Falcão has provided financial leadership for global brands including Dunkin and Cabot Corporation and managed teams at Invensys, iBasis, Thrasio and Orva, among others. Falcão has a proven track…
Waves Audio has introduced Waves V16 – the latest version of Waves plug-ins, designed to enhance workflow efficiency and streamline the mixing process. V16 is Waves’ latest plugin update, maintaining and improving its extensive catalogue of over 240 plugins. This version introduces usability enhancements that provide clearer visuals and improved control over their mix. To ensure consistent output levels and eliminate disruptive loudness jumps, with V16, Waves integrates Auto Makeup Gain into five iconic compressors: CLA-2A Compressor/Limiter, CLA-3A Compressor/Limiter, CLA-76 Compressor/Limiter, Abbey Road RS124 Compressor, and V-Comp. Additionally, COSMOS Sample Finder, Waves’ smart sample organiser and browser, now operates seamlessly as a plugin within DAWs,…
Metallica’s M72 World Tour, renowned for its innovative in-the-round stage and “no repeat weekend” format, has taken a bold step forward by adopting the PIXERA media server system from AV Stumpfl. This transition enhances the tour’s massive video setup, delivering an unparalleled visual experience across its eight 100-foot-tall towers, each featuring three 50ft by 30ft LED screens, totalling 24 discrete surfaces – the brainchild of Creative Director and Production Designer, Dan Braun. The M72 tour, which began in 2023 and has captivated upwards of 80,000 fans per night, relies on a sophisticated technical infrastructure to match its ambitious creative vision.…
Jim Scholefield has been appointed Chief Technology Officer of the combined Legends and ASM Global business. Scholefield has a distinguished career spanning over 35 years in technology leadership, marked by contributions across multiple industries and roles at some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Nike, The Coca-Cola Company, and most recently, serving as Global Chief Information & Digital Officer at Marriott International. “Jim is a world-class technology leader who has driven innovation and digital transformation at some of the most respected global brands,” said Dan Levy, CEO of Legends. “His expertise across hospitality, retail, and consumer-facing industries will be…
Hip-hop icon Ja Rule is touring across North America with an electrifying visual show that uses Elation’s PROTEUS RAYZOR BLADE as a multi-dimensional lighting effect. In the capable hands of Shepherd Lowrey of Cactus Creative Studio, the powerful linear LED fixture supports an entertaining show that combines raw energy and futuristic flair with reflective appreciation. SLX Productions provides lighting, scenic fabrication and design engineering for the tour, with Lowrey serving as production designer, creative producer and lighting designer. Lowrey also created much of the show’s content. He and SLX principal Ariel Afar have collaborated on past high-profile projects, including a…
Stageco was delighted to have been chosen as a key technical provider by French production company Teckoff for a run of major shows at the Stade de France in Paris this April. Notably, the 26 April performance by Marseille-born rapper Jul smashed the venue’s attendance record with his audience totalling 97,816 – this eclipsed the previous record set in 2022 by Indochine, another of Stageco’s clients. Working closely with Lies Rombouts, Stageco France project manager Thierry Nataf liaised with the chart-topper’s show designers Gwen Gauthier, Paul Chapet and Cédric Babin, Stageco’s R&D technicians Jan Claes and Bart Bleys, and structural…
Clair Global has expanded its footprint with the opening of a new location in the US territory of Puerto Rico, bringing onboard the experienced team from Wichie Sound Performance, Inc. a well-established local audio services provider. Fernando ‘Wichie’ Martínez, founder and owner of Wichie Sound, will continue to lead the Puerto Rico operations under the Clair Global banner. His guidance, combined with his team’s expertise and dedication, will be integral to delivering the high-quality service to which Clair Global clients are accustomed. The new location further strengthens Clair Global’s commitment to the region by combining local talent with global resources…
Back in high school, we all had our absolute favourite albums, the ones we played over, and over, and over again without end until adulthood intervened. For most of us, those records continue to play themselves in our mind on occasion long after our high school days are over, giving rise to some great memories. But Andre’ Petrus was lucky, he not only got to remember that special record, he is also turning it into a spectacularly dynamic visual experience as the production and lighting designer on John Legend’s Get Lifted 20th Anniversary Tour. “Getting the chance to design John…
50 Cent and Charlie XCX headlined Parklife on a Serious Stages 25m TZ roof, with a new Big Top stage, courtesy of Serious Stages, added to the festival for 2025. Serious answered the promoter’s request to increase the capacity of Parklife’s main ‘Valley Stage’ and supplied the platform for the new Big Top Stage, continuing a long history of supplying stages and buildings to Manchester’s premier dance festival. Parklife’s event production partners, Engine No 4, have constantly refreshed the site and infrastructure since the festival moved to Heaton Park in 2012. For 2025, they entrusted Serious Stages to support their…
Eat to the Beat – the specialist production, artist and crew catering division of Global Infusion Group – has expanded its operations team with four new team members and announced several senior promotions as it responds to a surge in demand and sets its sights on further international growth, with a focus on the US. With 2025 set to be a record-breaking year, the company has seen significant growth across touring, sporting and corporate events, prompting a strategic boost to its operational capacity to support new and existing clients around the world. Kim Joyce and Olivia Morris, both long-standing team…
Each Backup Partner brings its own motivation and story to the partnership, yet all share a common goal: supporting the vital work Backup undertakes to assist industry professionals during their times of greatest need. The first new partner is Core Pro Audio, a professional audio sales company and used equipment specialist headquartered in the UK, with international trading capabilities. The partnership was cemented following the hugely successful Core Pro Show 2025 at the Mount Hotel, Tettenhall in January, which attracted over 200 attendees from the pro audio scene. The event was packed with networking opportunities, educational product presentations, and hands-on…
Music can be life-changing and Beats Give Back is using that power to support underserved communities in Florida, particularly children in foster care. The nonprofit, formed in 2023, recently held its first major fundraiser at Sheltair Aviation at Tampa International Airport, raising $8,000 to support a new music education studio at the Joshua House Foundation in Tampa Bay. The event featured Funktion-One sound from Nomad Sound Systems. “My journey has always been rooted in music and Beats Give Back is a natural extension of that because it uses music to uplift and empower the next generation,” said Founder and President, Manny Lopez. “We’ve seen…
Creativity cannot be used up, wrote the iconic Maya Angelou. The more you use, the more it grows. To that, we might add, “the more it is shared, the brighter it shines.” This empowering concept is at the heart of Showlight, and it is why CHAUVET Professional and its sister company, ChamSys, have become so invested in sponsoring this beloved lighting educational/networking event that takes place in a different city every four years. In 2025, for the first time in its 44-year history, Showlight took place in France at Le Parc des Expositions et Congrès de Dijon. This year also…
In early 2025, the city of Hagerstown came together for an unforgettable evening of live music and community impact at the Ladders to Leaders Recovery Benefit Concert. Organised by Ladders to Leaders, a local non-profit that supports individuals in achieving lasting recovery, and powered by All Sound Pro LLC, the benefit celebrated those transitioning from addiction to recovery and raised vital support for three local recovery homes operated by Ladders to Leaders. “This concert was important to our community as it provided an evening to celebrate those who have faced the challenges of substance misuse and have succeeded in overcoming…
HK Audio is launching a major software update: DSP CONTROL Version 4.1. The focus is on the new Milan integration for the LINEAR 5 MK2 series, which further expands HK Audio’s industry-leading Milan-certified loudspeaker portfolio. With this update, the LINEAR 5 MK2 series is officially Milan-ready. The open AVB-based Milan network standard stands for maximum reliability, manufacturer independence and extremely low latencies – a decisive advantage for modern audio networks in live and installation applications. Another highlight: LINEAR 5 MK2 loudspeakers will now indicate Milan operation by inverting the preset LED. In addition, the fan control has been further developed…
