Audio engineers around the globe have consistently turned to DPA Microphones to provide that level of sound reliability and clarity that impresses professionals and enraptured audiences. Such was the case for recent U.S. events including the Catalina JazzTrax Festival, Belmont University’s Oratorio Chorus and Orchestra, Danny Elfman at the Hollywood Bowl and the upcoming Los Angeles Ballet’s performance of the “Nutcracker” at the Dolby Theater. The annual Catalina JazzTrax Festival set on Catalina Island has been made possible for the past 26 years by Production Manager and Audio Engineer Gregg Hudson of Hudson Audio. Hudson has also been aided by…
Author: Jacob Waite
While many attending LDI 2022 in Las Vegas admired Claypaky’s demonstration of Volero Wave LED bar, OSA International’s Mark Fetto went one step further by investing in the entire LDI rig. “We jumped on them,” he said. “Volero Wave was the coolest new product we saw at LDI.” Volero Wave is composed of eight independent moving bodies which give designers eight separate heads, each capable of moving on a 220º tilt. Each head contains a brand new mirror-based optical system combined with 40W RGBW LEDs, which express a higher light intensity than any other LED bar currently on the market.…
Lottery Winners have collaborated with Gigseekr on a headline UK tour, to help bring their highly acclaimed live performances to an expanding fanbase. Catchy tunes and great musicianship were intertwined with frontman Thom Rylance’s ever-changing interaction, bringing smiles to audiences at venues across the UK from September to December 2022. The 19-date tour culminated with a 2,000 plus capacity sell-out show at Manchester’s Albert Hall, complete with special edition Christmas Jumper merchandise. Gigseekr first met the band when on a festival take-over at Liverpool Sound City, and continued to build a rapport as they played a busy summer of festivals,…
In partnership with Chinese authorities, L-Acoustics was recently involved with tracking down five counterfeiters who were subsequently found guilty and sentenced to jail for producing and selling counterfeit L-Acoustics loudspeakers in China. The suspects were arrested, and a batch of counterfeit signs, moulds, and other items was seized in Shiji Town, Guangzhou. A public hearing was held in The People’s Court of Panyu District where the suspects presented their defence against the filed physical and documentary evidence, expert opinions, witness testimonies, and the victim’s statements. The court found the suspects guilty of counterfeiting a registered trademark and were initially sentenced…
James Eade has announced the availability of electrical safety training courses for 2023. Eade, who has trained almost 500 professionals in event, touring, theatre, film and television during 2022 alone, is chairman of the British Standard 7909 committee and author of The IET Practitioner’s Guide to Temporary Power Systems and the IET Code of Practice on In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (ISITEE), 5th edition. Eade was commissioned to serve as Head of Energy for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In this role, he oversaw all energy-related procurement and management of on-site temporary power systems. The work included some significant…
Analog Way’s version 3.0 software update significantly improves the livestreaming performance of Midra 4K presentation switchers, now enabling full HD quality livestreaming at 30Hz, providing much better image quality and customer experience during hybrid events. A significant improvement in version 3.0 is the support of High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Wide Color Gamut (WCG) workflows for even more impressive live presentations. Without requiring any external converters, it also brings the ability to convert SDR to HDR, HDR to SDR, or even HDR to HDR for dynamic range and wide colour gamut needs. With version 3.0, Midra 4K presentation switchers now…
Hi-Tech Audio & Image, DiGiCo’s distributor for India, has achieved another DiGiCo landmark by supplying Udaipur-based rental company, Bharat Music, with its first DiGiCo SD10. “From small conferences to complex open-air concerts, DiGiCo has been the industry’s preferred choice for many years now,” said Vicky Sahu, Director, Bharat Music. “Looking at technical features and market demand, we felt that DiGiCo definitely fits our work profile.” Immediately after purchasing the SD10, Bharat Music supplied the console to various eminent Bollywood artist’s live shows including Papon, Guru Randhawa, Mika Singh and Stebin Ben. As an emerging audio-video rental company in Rajasthan, Vicky…
Harvey Goldsmith CBE has joined Entourage Pro in a bid to further expand the freelance crew network and technology insights company’s standing in the live entertainment industry and help communicate the site’s suite of services to the global sector. Goldsmith has acted as promoter for Live Aid and Live 8, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Jam, Teenage Cancer Trust, Madonna, Queen, Hans Zimmer and countless other international artists, and has recently launching the Nvisible Agency. He will assume the role of non-exec director at Entourage Pro with immediate effect. “I’m excited to join this young, pioneering company,” he said.…
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Walker Hayes recently embarked on his first headline arena tour, with the help of The Darkroom Creative (Seth Jackson and Nathan Alves), who were responsible for the stage lighting. Helping them build their set was a bunch of classic but timeless ‘impression’ LED fixtures from GLP – notably around 60 of the compact X4 S LED washlights and X4 Bar 20 battens, agile workhorses which helped make the production budget stretch. The inventory was provided, as is so often the case on Darkroom’s projects, by Bandit Lites. The Glad You’re Here tour, as it is known, is the…
Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Cinnamon’s Production and Lighting Designer, Pete Hutchison of Illumination Creative Design, knows all about Cinnamon’s determination to entertain every member of his audience and give each and every one of them an unforgettable experience, whichever part of the stadium they are seated in. “This Is The Beginning Of The Rest Of Your Life is a maxim which forms a big theme for Cinnamon and outlines his intention to bring the party to his fans. His set and lighting are designed to deliver big moments, which include lots of pyrotechnics, video and lighting effects, and are based on…
Almost a decade on from clinching Best British Newcomer at the 2014 Kerrang! Magazine awards, Southampton metalcore outfit Bury Tomorrow have just completed an extensive UK and European tour in support of their well-received Cannibal album. Throughout the tour the band’s FOH Engineer, Dave Billings and Monitor Engineer, Chris Cole relied on an array of Audio-Technica microphones, wireless and Allen & Heath dLive and SQ digital mixing systems. At the heart of the band’s set-up is Audio-Technica’s latest 3000 Series digital wireless, used across guitars, vocals and for in-ear monitoring duties, while drums are delivered via Artist Elite AE3000 cardioid…
With Finland’s 24 hours of sunlight in the summer and 24 hours of darkness in the winter, Linnanmäki has, for the past 20 years, marked the final days of its open season with a Carnival of Light (Valokarnevaali), when visitors are entertained on site by samba groups and visual artists in illuminated costumes. Having designed the pyrotechnic and light show for last year’s event, Helsinki-based Visual Monkeys was invited back to light the entire amusement park in 2022. Lighting Designer, Rölli Ridanpaa, who likes nothing better than to light the unconventional, was the ideal man to transform the amusement park…
AV Stumpfl will present its new AnyShape projection screen system and PIXERA multi-user workflow features at the upcoming ISE trade fair in Barcelona, Spain. AnyShape technology makes it possible to order custom built projection screens with a great variety of different frame shapes straight from the factory. The ability to build frame shapes that are not rectangular, like e.g. circles, rounded edges or semi circles, can revolutionise the way in which designers creatively use projection surfaces. AV Stumpfl’s global business development manager for screens, Jan Walter, explains the exciting characteristics of AnyShape technology: “It’s really a paradigm shift. Instead of…
Marc-Antoine Girard — also known as DJ Phoenix — of Ottawa, Canada has reinvented the DJ livestream by immersing himself in a virtual world of his own creation with a large virtual lighting setup creatively driven by Obsidian Control Systems’ ONYX platform. The unique DJ sets stream three times weekly on Twitch with Girard controlling lighting and special effects, virtual camera views and video projection content while mixing electronic dance music and interacting with viewers in a virtual nightclub environment. Stuck at home during the pandemic with no live gig to attend, Girard saw a virtual music festival online and…
Following the release of their fourth studio album, The Dream in 2022, alt-J and their production team hit the road with lighting design by Davy Sherwin. A striking scenic element of the design was created using 60 Astera NYX bulbs hung on a series of asymmetric drops from the overhead trusses and attached to specially modified microphone stands to create ‘forest’ of lighting, supplied by Liteup. Sherwin wanted to bring a fresh look to the stage and something that was simultaneously intimate, quirky and interesting, and the NYX Bulb drops were one of the first visual pictures that came to…
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award-winning musical, Cats, has embarked on a large-scale international tour throughout Europe, direct from its sell-out seasons at the London Palladium. Rather than touring traditional theatre venues, the tour takes in significantly larger arenas which typically pose challenges for sound designers wanting to replicate the sonic intricacies and detail expected from such a high-profile production. With audio production supplied by Autograph Sound, sound designer, Greg Pink had no hesitation in turning to KV2 Audio loudspeakers to fulfil the task in hand. “Having been designing musicals for over 30 years, I have used PAs from many different manufacturers,…
OVO Arena Wembley has completed its Greener Arena certification via AGF, becoming the third arena in the UK to do so. This leads the way towards a more sustainable future for the entire live events industry, and as the oldest arena in the UK, the OVO Arena Wembley also has the lowest embodied carbon impact, proving that a building’s age can most certainly be a virtue. Following an eight month certification process, which provides external verification that carbon reduction and transition strategies are at the heart of all venue operations, from catering to materials used and circularity, the OVO Arena…
ams OSRAM has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Claypaky entertainment lighting business to German-based ARRI. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. Claypaky, established in 1976 and acquired by OSRAM in 2014, is headquartered in Seriate, Italy. Claypaky has strengthened its technology leadership through LED-and laser-based portfolio extensions, and offers an innovative, award-winning portfolio of moving body and moving mirror projectors, colour-changers, followspots, projectors and various lighting effects. Claypaky is a leading partner for the world’s most renowned shows, global events, and theatres. ARRI AG, headquartered in Munich, Germany, is a leading designer and manufacturer of…
