direct from: www.etnow.com Regulars Contents this month Jobs and Careers Web Directory Features Issue: 344 Martin MAC Encore Performance CLDs extend Dorfman’s move towards total LED page 16 October 2021 Lighting designer Cédric Davignon chose to work with ten Robe Spiiders and 13 MegaPointe moving lights for The Monumental Tour. The CFT has burst back onto the scene with South Pacific. CFT is indeed back, and with a state-of-the-art EM Acoustics sound system to boot. High spirits as PLASA reunites the live sector page: 12page: 15 page: 2 page: 31 pages: 28 to 31 PLASA Show returned to Olympia, receiving high acclaim and marking a return to normality following the 18 month closure of the live sector. Hawthorn has transformed into Encore! Visit our new hire website hire.encore-emea.com w: encore-emea.com t: 01664 821 111 e: hire-uk@encoreglobal.com Set the scene this holiday season with Polar Crisp series atmospheric snow effects Magmatic atmospheric effects is offering two dependable snow machines in its Polar series of high- volume snow effects that make it easy to create wintry scenes of natural-looking snow. Perfect for any seasonal production, in stock and ready for delivery are the compact and lightweight Crisp and the road case-protected Crisp Max with 20-litre fluid tank. More on page 10 CFT triumphs with South Pacific and EM Acoustics page: 18 Robe Gets Monumental in Francecontents this month October 2021 page no. Features page : 5 page : 6 page : 7 page : 6 TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENT Revised in July 2020 Available now from www.etbooks.co.uk 16 Martin MAC Encore Performance CLDs extend Dorfman Theatre’s move towards total LED After making substantial investments in Martin by Harman MAC Encore Performance LED fixtures in separate tranches over the past three years in part of a major overhaul of its three theatres, the National Theatre recently completed the upgrade to the Dorfman Theatre, as the space heads towards becoming 100% LED. Their investment in MAC Encore Performance CLD fixtures for the first time moves it into an entirely sustainable LED environment, including focusable house lights. 17 Kunstmin Dordrecht Invests in Robe T1s Schouwburg Kunstmin is a theatre and performing arts venue in the Dordrecht, which has invested in Robe’s T1 Profile LED moving lights, a stylish and refined energy-efficient luminaire designed with the demands and precision of theatre lighting at its core. The sale was just before the pandemic shut down the industry in March 2020, and with re- opening now on the horizon, the theatre is looking to add more T1s to the inventory. 18 High spirits as PLASA Show reunites the live sector PLASA Show returned to Olympia London from 5-7 September, receiving high acclaim and marking a return to normality following the 18 month closure of the live sector. As the first entertainment technology trade show in two years, there was a level of risk involved. However, PLASA Show 2021, along with the ABTT Theatre Show which co-located for one year, succeeded in reuniting the industry for three high spirited and productive days in Olympia’s Grand Hall. 20 PLASA 2021 Photonews John Offord takes to the show frloor with the ETP editorial camera. 12 Robe Gets Monumental in France The Monumental Tour is a brilliant and innovative visual and musical concept initiated by DJ and music producer Michael Canitrot and visual activists AV- Extended. Lighting designer Cédric Davignon chose to work with ten Robe Spiiders and 13 MegaPointe moving lights to create his lighting design which complemented stunning large-format projections beamed onto the newer of the two Ile de Ré lighthouses, transforming its octagonal tower and base building below into a magical kinetic canvas for the performance. 13 CPL Supplies Video production for Camper Calling Festival The CPL crew, led by Lee Gruszeckyj, were delighted to be back working on a festival site again providing video design and production for Camper Calling 2021 which took place over four days at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire during the UK’s August Bank Holiday weekend. CPL working via Urban Audio Productions supplied a video equipment package comprising screens, cameras and control. 14 Ayrton sponsors the Women in Lighting project Ayrton is a new sponsor for Women in Lighting, the international support and networking project for women in both architectural and entertainment lighting. Ayrton’s primary aim is to raise awareness of, and expand, this global network across the entertainment lighting industry. 15 Chichester Festival Theatre triumphs with South Pacific and EM Acoustics After many months of forced closure due to COVID restrictions, the Chichester Festival Theatre (CFT) has burst back onto the scene with Daniel Evans’s glorious revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, South Pacific. “Chichester is back with a bang!” says one critic, echoing the sentiments of most, whilst the Guardian dubbed it “A roof-raising triumph.” CFT is indeed back, and with a state-of-the-art EM Acoustics sound system to boot.from the editor direct from: www.etnow.com Entertainment Technology is published 12 times a year in conjunction with the leading industry portal www.etnow.com Editor: John Offord Technical Editor: Jackie Staines Published by: Entertainment Technology Press Ltd The Studio, High Green Great Shelford Cambridge CB22 5EG Telephone: +44 (0)1223 550805 Fax: +44 (0)1223 550806 Website: www.etnow.com email: editor@etnow.com © Entertainment Technology Press Ltd. Subscription Rates: Annual Subscription for 12 issues (UK): £27.50 Annual Subscription (overseas): £50.00 Subject to acceptance, subscription is free to UK based industry professionals. Subscribe online at: www.etnow.com/etmag/ Opinions expressed in Entertainment Technology are not necessarily those of the publishers. All rights are reserved and reproduction of any part in whatever form is prohibited without the prior permission of the publishers. etnow.com (entertainment technology news on web) is the industry portal site with news from around the world added daily under various sector headings coupled to an extensive archive. The site also features a books section where titles from Entertainment Technology Press can be ordered online via our secure Sage Pay credit card services. Issue: 344 ABTT Restart Party On Tuesday 14th September the ABTT Industry Supporters’ Group hosted an evening reception in the Riverside Room and Johnson Roof Terrace at the impressive 2 Savoy Place, home of the Institute of Engineering Technology. The ABTT ISG, consisting of nearly 150 manufacturers, suppliers and service providers, welcomed representatives from among its own members and also extended an invitation to past contributors and delegates of the ABTT’s International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference, the last edition of which was ITEAC 2018. In addition corporate supporters of the Theatres Trust were also invited. The evening began with numerous but concise remarks to update the gathered company about a variety of activities in which the ABTT had been participating over the last 18 months. Richard Bunn, ABTT chair, began by welcoming everyone present. David Staples celebrated the publication, in association with Routledge, of the latest ABTT title, Modern Theatres 1950-2020 edited by him and with drawings by David Hamer. The book has three sections: part one Aspects of Modern Theatres; part two Thirty Significant Theatres 1950 - 2010 and part three Snapshots of Twenty Recent Theatres 2009 - 2020. The list of contributors is extensive, theatre architects are joined by acousticians, theatre consultants, engineers, producers and arts policy-makers and the drawings continue to build on the reference library of projects commenced in the 2010 ABTT publication Theatre Buildings: a design guide. Jon Morgan, director of the Theatres Trust, outlined the progress that had been made in developing the Theatre Green Book in which the ABTT, Theatres Trust and Buro Happold have been collaborating with tremendous contributions from throughout all sectors of the theatre industry. The project will create three volumes of guidance on sustainable practice and operation: volume 1 on Sustainable Productions is already available and being trialled by over 50 producing organisations; volume 2 on Sustainable Buildings has just had a first industry review and volume three on Sustainable Operations will be out later in the year coinciding with the Theatres Trusts Conference 21 on 4th November at the Lyric Hammersmith. Margaret Shewring, as editor, reminded everyone that Theatre Buildings: a design guide was undergoing a full revision in time for publication next year and that together with comprehensively updated guidance from the deeply knowledgeable contributors the all knew reference projects would make the book a third companion reference to the 2010 edition and Modern Theatres about which David Staples had spoken earlier. Paddy Dillon introduced ITEAC 2022, the next edition of the ABTT’s quadrennial conference which will be held next year with a new hybrid format to allow global participation and much more sustainable modes of contribution and engagement. Nikki Scott, ABTT vice chair, announced the new ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform, developed in collaboration with Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The Platform has been developed to support innovation, creativity and partnership in the UK theatre industry. Anyone with an idea for a new or more effective way of doing something in the making of theatre is encouraged to submit their innovation. Following review ideas are posted on the Virtual Ideas Platform. ABTT ISG members have early exclusive access to each new batch of ideas which then become available for public view. In conclusion, members of ABTT Industry Supporters who had specifically supported the event added their welcome and expressed their pleasure at being able to meet ‘face-to-face’ after such a long interval. Mark Ager introduced XM Automation, of which he is a director, a new provider of expertise helping to support theatres in their use of automation and grow businesses that want to expand their offering in the live entertainment automation market. Elena Giakoumaki added greetings on behalf of Charcoalblue for which she is a principal and noted her colleagues pleasure at being able to contribute to Modern Theatres and the revision of Theatre Buildings and to be able to support the Theatre Green Book, Theatres Trust Conference and ITEAC. Ted Moore welcomed everyone on behalf of TAIT, founder sponsors of ITEAC. Ted also took the opportunity to announce the intention to re-schedule the inaugural ABTT Regatta which had been planned for July 2020 but which had to be postponed due to circumstances and which is now proposed for 15th July 2022. Finally Robin Townley, ABTT CEO, offered wholehearted thanks to everyone for coming and announced the bar to be open.October 2021 news 4 ArtisticLicence.com The railSplit range DMX512/RDM splitters DMXRDMextremeRJ45 Creative Technology UK Appoint New Head of Client Relationships Creative Technology’s UK operation has recently created a new senior-level position, head of client relationships. This role will enable a more personal and dedicated level of client contact, covering all sectors across the business activities within Creative Technology (CT). It will focus on promoting the capabilities of CT to the corporate live events industries as well as helping to define the client experience in all aspects. Lee Dennison has been appointed to fulfil this new role. With over 25 years of experience in the live events industry, Lee brings extensive technical knowledge as well as a deep understanding of how to build and maintain strategic relationships and partnerships. Lee has previous experience at Autograph Sound Recording and DeltaLive. More recently, Lee was part of the senior management team at White Light Ltd, performing the role of head of business development. He now joins CT where he will leverage his knowledge and experience to support the current and future CT client base. Dennison comments: “The world has changed so much in the last eighteen months, and we have seen technology rapidly evolve to support new ways of communicating and engaging with audiences. It’s an exciting time to join CT and I am looking forward to helping our clients explore technologies and solutions we offer, to help achieve their objectives. “Creative Technology is a brand I have always held in very high regard. The nature and scale of their work is something I am excited to be part of. I’m really looking forward to supporting the existing client relationships that CT have and introducing new ones as we move forwards.” “We’re really excited to have Lee on board,” notes Nick Askew, head of corporate. “Lee is well known and respected in the industry and alongside Lee, myself and the team are looking forward to developing new relationships and strengthening existing ones over the coming months, focusing on delivering high quality projects for all our clients. We want to continue to share our knowledge and learnings with our clients but also know that requirements have and will continue to change as events return and Lee will help to make sure we’re satisfying all requirements. Martin Dudley and ChamSys Captivate at Heaven 17 Roundhouse Show Art may aspire to the sublime, but it must first work its way through reality. Martin Dudley was reminded of this truism in early September when he and collaborator Malcolm Garrett created the light show for Heaven 17’s shows at the City Hall in the band’s home town of Sheffield and the iconic Roundhouse in London. Having worked with Heaven 17 for five years, Dudley was eager to light these very special shows, which would have the band perform in full the two albums that Heaven 17 founder Martyn Ware wrote and recorded with the Human League. He also appreciated how their evocative sound lent itself to rich imagery. Then there was also the opportunity to play his lights off against the stunning video images created by Garrett, who was responsible for the original sleeve artwork for the two albums in 1979 and 1980, as well as many other iconic LP sleeves of the era. However, before he could delve into this bit of heaven, he had to deal with the very earthly matter of time pressure. “I had been listening to the two Human League albums that made up this show for some time, but there was no time or budget for extensive pre-programming,” said Dudley, owner of Martin’s Lights. “We were lucky to have about a day and a half to set up the screens and lights in rehearsals immediately before first of the two shows. This was the first time I had seen the visuals, so I sat down with Malcolm to select colour palettes for each of the 24 songs in the show.” Helping Dudley meet this time-sensitive challenge was his ChamSys MagicQ MQ80. “I had pre-patched the fairly extensive Roundhouse lighting rig into the MQ80 already, so on the show day at that venue I just had to plug it in and make sure it worked,” he said. “One of the really nice advantages of ChamSys products is their sheer speed of programming. If you know what you want to see, you can push on through it very quickly. In the end, I got about half the show programmed on rehearsal day one, and then the rest on day two.” To the appreciative fans, the video and light show supporting Heaven 17 looked anything but rushed. Flowing seamlessly with the band’s performance, the show was built around four prominent video panels that seemed to float over the stage each of them referencing artwork from the Human League’s debut album 'Reproduction'. “The video panels were the most important visual aspect of the show,” said Dudley. “Everything about the lighting was designed to work with and around them.” Toward this end, Dudley relied on changes in intensity levels (both subtle and stark), provocative light angles, and absorbing colours to create a compelling look on stage throughout the 24- song set. He credits his MQ80 console with helping him achieve these impressive results. “A good thing about the MQ80 is its user-friendly intensity window,” said Dudley. “I could change settings quickly and easily with the cursor. The console also made it very easy to play with different color FXs. As always, I also used a ChamSys Extra Wing for individual front light specials on each member of the band, as well as for things like audience blinders, haze, and walk-in looks. The really nice thing about ChamSys in general is that it’s so intuitive, it makes it easier for you to focus on the show.” Using his console, Dudley created visuals that wrapped themselves around the character of each song, from the stark, sparsely coloured brooding looks he produced for Heaven 17’s first (1981) hit 'Fascist Groove Thang,' to his own favourite 'Dreams Of Leaving', where delicate lighting matched the desert colours of the floating screens without detracting from their emotional impact. Working in harmony with the arresting video images, his lighting gave the stage an “other worldly look.” But, as if so often true of such moving spectres, it began with a real process; in this case that of a talented LD working with a supportive console.Issue: 344 news 5 dLive Goes Deeper and Wider Allen & Heath has announced dLive V1.9, the largest firmware release in the history of its flagship dLive mixing system, drawing on feedback from engineers across the live sound, recording, streaming and installation markets. “With over 45 user-requested features and numerous improvements, dLive V1.9 is by some distance our biggest release to date,” explains Jack Kenyon, dLive product specialist at Allen & Heath. “We have customers using dLive in every application imaginable, and the unprecedented scale of this update delivers something for all of them. With a host of new sonic tools and an accelerated workflow, dLive once again raises the bar for other console manufacturers.” Exciting new features for dLive users to explore include powerful RTA and sonogram tools, new DEEP expander and compressor models, a 12-band PEQ option for mixes, and Sennheiser wireless integration. An exhaustive overhaul of dLive’s RTA engine presents engineers with an array of new options for audio analysis. Two RTAs are now available, with dual-surface applications able to benefit from independent RTAs. Visualisation is no longer limited to a 31-band bar display, a new line display and sonogram view is provided, with the latter capable of displaying the difference between RTAs for system tuning. Critically, the bar and line visualisations can be displayed underneath the PEQ curve, enabling engineers to make swift EQ decisions. To give engineers the full picture, the new RTA tools can always be visible, whether that’s on a dedicated screen, on the PEQ screen and widget, in a dedicated RTA widget, or on an external monitor. dLive’s arsenal of zero-latency DEEP Processing tools is bolstered in V1.9 with multiple new additions. Two expanders offer increased gain-before-feedback and improved audio separation in live applications. Source Expander allows quick and easy control of threshold and depth for set- and-forget operation, while Dual Threshold Expander is provided for challenging environments where expert control is required. Bus, a new compressor, is modelled on a legendary hardware unit renowned for its ability to glue together mixes, and the OptTronik compressor has expanded to include a new model for an alternative flavour of classic 2A compression. Engineers working with IEM mixes will welcome the addition of NEQ12, a 12-band parametric EQ with selectable hi/ lo pass filters that can replace the GEQ on any of the dLive’s 64 mix outputs. Wireless integration has been opened up to include Sennheiser 300/500, 2000 and 2050 wireless microphones, which can be monitored from the dLive Surface or Director software. Key wireless information, including mutes, signal level and battery bars, is visible from the bank screen, with detailed information and control accessible via the Preamp tab. “We are excited to see our hugely popular evolution wireless 300 and 500 plus 2000 series microphones integrated with dLive,” shares Tom Vollmers, head of professional portfolio at Sennheiser. “This will make life for sound engineers easier and this is exactly what you are looking for in a stressful live situation.” The extensive feature list for V1.9 also includes preamp sharing with automatic Gain Tracking across multiple dLive systems, LCR+ Main mode with divergence control, screen bookmarks, new screen widgets, and much more. dLive V1.9 is available now from the Allen & Heath website: www.allen-heath.com/dlive-v1-9 Christie reinvents an industry workhorse with the unveiling of the new M 4K25 RGB pure laser projector Christie has announced the M 4K25 RGB pure laser projector, the smallest, lightest, and quietest all-in-one RGB pure laser projector on the market. The new M 4K25 RGB continues the original M Series legacy of reliability, ruggedness, and innovation. First introduced in 2007, the original M Series was a game-changer for the Pro AV industry. “The M Series packed a lot of features in a small package,” says Larry Paul, executive director, technology and custom solutions, Christie. “Features like the intelligent lens system and embedded Twist for blending and warping were unique at the time, plus its small size and weight, helped it to become Christie’s best-selling line of projectors and lenses.” The new 25,000 lumen 4K UHD resolution M 4K25 RGB pure laser projector reinvents the series, with Christie engineering packing industry-leading features into a small, market-leading form factor weighing in at 92lbs. RGB pure laser technology delivers twice the colour of the original M Series for vibrant, bright images that approach Rec. 2020 colour volume, a colour standard closest to what the human eye can see. With TruLife+ electronics all the needed connections are built-in, eliminating the need for optional input cards. TruLife+ also features electronic colour convergence (ECC), which allows users to correct colour convergence imperfections and individually adjust red, green, and blue via remote, so there’s no need to climb a ladder to make adjustments. Our intelligent lens system (ILS1) makes swapping lenses easy for rental and staging, and offers motorised zoom, focus and offset via remote. Existing Christie owners can use their M, J and Crimson Series lenses, as well as the M Series rigging frame, with the M 4K25 RGB for added cost savings. Christie’s proprietary precision pixel-shift technology, which reduces or eliminates typical artefacts found in other pixel-shifting technologies, provides UHD 4K resolution at up to 60Hz. With the optional Mirage upgrade, the M 4K25 RGB can support up to UHD 4K at a full 120Hz for 2D and 3D stereoscopic applications, and the optional Mirage Pro upgrade can support frame rates up to 480Hz at UHD resolution. The original M Series projectors are trusted around the world, including at The Barbican in London, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and China’s Dai Show Theater, to deliver bright visuals in a reliable and rugged package. Christie M 4K25-RGB ships November 2021. PM – LP244XY Series with LSC2440YS 24-Way Speaker Multicore The LSC2440YS is probably the highest-quality and most rugged 24- way speaker multicore ever produced by KLOTZ AIS. Designed for resilience in the tough world of live performance, the multicore has 24 stranded bare copper wires (class 6, VDE 0295), colour-coded and numbered, and 4.0 mm2 conductor cross-section, all enclosed in an exceptionally durable PVC jacket offering extreme cold resistance. With an additional braided textile layer for stability, the PVC jacket retains its stability and tensile strength under the most extreme conditions of up to -40°C. This 24-way speaker multicore can replace up to three eight-way speaker cables for PA systems such as d&b and L-Acoustics. Its use can significantly cut setup and breakdown times and enables even large-scale line array systems to be hooked up clearly and cleanly without confusion. With precisely these applications in mind, KLOTZ designed three different models of its LP244XY Series eXtreme multicores with PA-COM 25 pin connectors. The LP244XY Series is available in a heavy-duty version with Remke solid metal strain relief and silver-plated or gold-plated contacts. KLOTZ also supplies a budget version with ZEP plastic strain relief and silver-plated contacts. The speaker multicores have PA-COM female connectors without ring on one end and PA-COM male connectors with ring on the other for quick, simple length extension. LP244XY models: LP244XY3C – Remke heavy-duty metal strain relief, gold-plated contacts LP244XY3S – Remke heavy-duty metal strain relief, silver-plated contacts LP244XY1S – ZEP plastic strain relief, silver-plated contactsOctober 2021 news 6 Shure SLXD Digital Wireless System Delivers Robust Performance for Lucky Voice Shure has announced that, in collaboration with Pro Audio Systems and PSA4AV, they have upgraded the microphone system at Lucky Voice’s Holborn venue, with the new- to-market SLXD digital wireless system. Lucky Voice first opened its doors in 2005 on a mission to bring the joy of singing to the UK with karaoke venues. Lucky Voice is on a mission to spread the joys of karaoke far and wide, growing a franchise and licensing business to add private karaoke rooms into venues as varied as clubs, theme parks, hotels, and beyond. In 2019, Lucky Voice opened the doors to a brand new 5000 square foot venue in Holborn, which is home to ten state-of-the-art karaoke rooms and had a requirement for a minimum of 20 microphones. Supplied by Pro Audio Systems and installed by PSA4AV, Lucky Voice had a requirement for a high quality, wireless microphone system that was going to stand the test of time. Craig Walmsley, senior technician, PSA4AV states: “Lucky Voice have been previous users of Shure and we knew that was the only brand that was going to meet all the requirements of the brief. We were really pleased to be the first to get hold of the brand new SLXD Digital Wireless system, in partnership with Peter Butler at Pro Audio Systems who worked closely with us on this project. Phil Yates, operations director, Lucky Voice comments: “In tandem with losing one of the frequencies we were using for our previous microphone system, we decided when re-opening the Holborn venue post-pandemic, it was time to upgrade our microphones. The microphones we had installed weren’t standing up to the test of the environment and the Lucky Voice brand is centred around providing the best premium karaoke experience. The Shure SLXD Digital wireless system has been representative of our brand values. The system is reliable, sounds amazing and most importantly for a venue like ours, it is sturdy and robust. We are very happy with the solution and more importantly, our staff and customers are too.” With another two venues in London and one in Brighton, Lucky Voice plans to roll out the Shure SLX-D wireless system across their estate. Stuart Moots, director pro audio, concludes: “When SLX-D was introduced last year, it was designed to offer the same robust reliability and legendary audio that has been core to all Shure products and in a scalable system. It is great to hear that Lucky Voice, and all those involved, chose SLX-D for these reasons and that Shure are able to provide the best solution for their venues.” A.C. Special Projects Return to Somerset House More than a decade after it first installed the artistic lighting at the stunning 18th century Somerset House, A.C. Special Projects (AC-SP) returns to the site to perform an upgrade to the vestibule lighting. Somerset House is London’s working arts centre built on historic foundations around one of the most beautiful courtyards in Europe. Situated at the very heart of the capital, it is home to the UK’s largest creative community. Welcoming around three million visitors a year to public events, creative enterprises, artistic practice and more, Somerset House has for a number of years utilised LED lighting to bring elements of the building and its architecture to life, as well as maximising colour changing capabilities to support specific events. Mick Figg, head of buildings at Somerset House comments: “AC- SP have been looking after the architectural lighting at Somerset House since 2008. This recent vestibule lighting upgrade has been done with the aim to draw in visitors from the strand and act as our main entrance for events. The colour changing element of the fixtures enable us to create a more immersive experience for our guests and really set the scene for events.” AC-SP supplied and installed over 100 Anolis ArcLink 4 fixtures mounted in IP rated encapsulate tubes for this project, alongside all the cabling. Typical LED battens would have been too large for this installation and become visible, this solution allows the fittings to be installed subtly and not detract from the architecture of the building. AC-SP’s project manager, Chris Little comments: “Somerset House approached us to upgrade and install the fixtures in their vestibule. As one of the first areas visitors see, the lighting here is integral for making good first impressions, therefore, we wanted the fixtures to be fitted discreetly, but also provide a quality output – this is why we installed the Anolis ArcLink 4 – the open beam angle allows for a powerful output and smooth, even coverage of the area. We also installed the cabling discreetly within the ceiling so as not to take away from any of the aesthetics of this beautiful building.” Mick concluded: “The new fixtures provide a much better output and bring a new lease of life to the Vestibule, especially in the evenings. It is always a pleasure working with the team at AC-SP. The installation of the new fittings and cabling was carried out to the agreed programme and completed to a high standard.” Meet The High Output X-Effects LED Projector Rosco has announced an addition to the X-Effects LED family of projectors. Known for creating dynamic lighting effects, the X-Effects LED Projector has been a pivotal tool in a wide range of applications including art installations, film and television productions, and amusement park venues, just to name a few. Now available in a High Output (HO) option, the newly added X-Effects LED HO is perfect for large scale projects or when the projector must be positioned from a greater distance. X-Effects LED HO Features: 50% brighter with 3000 lumens, capable of reaching over 100 lumens at 65ft, 90 Watts of power at maximum output, use indoors or outdoors (IP65 rated). Using a maximum 90 Watts of power, the X-Effects LED Projectors feature up to 3,000 lumens of output and can maintain over 100 lumens at 65ft+ (20m+). The X-Effects LED Projectors are IP65-rated for indoor or outdoor use, offering the versatility to create dynamic lighting effects anywhere they are required. Whether you need to shine your effect on a building across the street or on a wall five feet away, the X-Effects LED Projectors have the proper lenses to meet every projection need. The X-Effects LED Projectors can achieve a variety of different lighting effects by changing gobos or adding colour into either the static gobo/filter position or into the two rotating dynamic effects glass positions. Lighting effects should be seen, not heard. The X-Effects LED Projectors are passively cooled enabling them to operate without noisy fans. The X-Effects LED Projectors feature on-board controls of the fixture’s output, as well as the speed and direction of both effects glass gobos. The fixtures can also be controlled via DMX and are RDM compatible.Issue: 344 news 7 ETC Introduces Lonestar The High End Systems Lonestar brings the renowned brightness, quality and performance of our bright white LED framing fixtures in a more compact and powerful package. With 15,400 lumen output and a rich feature set, Lonestar is a perfect addition to lighting systems in small to medium-sized venues. The luminaire’s rich colours, powerful zoom, full curtain framing, diffusion and prism effects make Lonestar a versatile and affordable tool for designers who want maximum performance from a mid-sized automated fixture. Automated lighting product manager Matt Stoner comments: “With the Lonestar, we aggressively reduced fixture size and cost to make a luminaire that fills the needs of venues of all sizes and design aesthetics. With punchy output, framing, and a full complement of effects and colour capabilities, Lonestar will bring high quality and professional feature sets to a size and price where professional quality was formerly out of reach.” Tania Lesage, brand manager for High End Systems, adds: “Lonestar is a simple yet powerful mix of three ingredients: an impressive feature set, ETC’s quality service, and a great price tag. From upgrading your lighting in churches or clubs to switching your school stage to all LED, Lonestar does any job in the most effective, reliable, and economical way. We are very excited to bring this product to the market.” www.etcconnect.com Audient Launches ‘Back on Track’ Console Promotion to UK Customers Audient is offering an exclusive, time-limited promotion giving aspiring console owners in the UK the opportunity to upgrade their set-up with one of its world-renowned ASP Series consoles. Valid between now and the end of October, Audient has teamed up with Azule finance company to provide bespoke financial packages to buyers of Audient consoles. In addition to the finance package, those who already own a mixing desk – from any manufacturer – can trade in their ageing console, bringing the monthly payments for a new ASP4816 or ASP8024-HE down to an even more manageable level. The financial deals have the possibility of being underwritten by the UK Government Recovery Loan Scheme. UK sales manager, Bryn Wildish explains: “We want to assist the ongoing recovery of the audio industry by giving studios a helping hand. Being able to upgrade to your own Audient console for a relatively small monthly fee, means studio owners really can get ‘back on track’. Similarly, if your old desk is costing you too much to run, upgrade now, get on with the business of recording and alleviate some of the financial worries.” To find out if you could be eligible and register for further details of the promotion, simply fill in a short form at this link: Back on TrackOctober 2021 news 8 BH Sound & Lighting and Chauvet Professional Support Eclectic Acts at Outcider Festival With all due respect to ale, if there is one drink that represents England almost as much as tea, it’s cider (hard cider to Americans). Britain leads the world in the production and consumption of cider. Almost six out of ten apples grown in the country every year are used to produce the tasty brew. There are a number of good reasons for that. Aside from its own merits as a beverage, cider is often at the heart of good time gatherings. This was plain to see at the seventh annual Outcider Festival, a summer weekend event in England’s West Country that brought together an eclectic blend of over 30 different bands, artisans, food purveyors, and a generous selection of locally brewed scrumpy. Although the main stage setting was decidedly rustic (the festival took place on a farm), the lighting kit supporting the high-energy performances was strictly up-to-date, featuring Chauvet Professional LED fixtures supplied by BH Sound & Lighting Hire. James Marshall of BH joined with Finlay Wort in designing the lighting kit. Their focus in this collaboration was on versatility, as they knew they’d have to support an extraordinarily diverse mix of acts from polka punk legends The Dreadnoughts and ska bands, to Sunday morning “cider- obics” and rock sing-alongs. “Fixture positioning, and keeping plenty of options open on the console were the keys,” said Marshall, who has been lighting the festival since its inception in 2014. “As the LD, I wanted to give myself loads of choices through the use of groups, palettes and effects.” Marshall, who busked the wide variety of acts using his ChamSys MagicQ MQ70 console, described the process of running the boards during the festival: “You can never have too many options. You just keep programming, adding new looks and updating existing ones between bands to ensure each band has a fresh look, but most importantly, you have to follow the music and style.” Toward this end, Marshall split his eight Rogue R2 Wash fixtures into two groups to create more coverage options. “We had R2 Washes above and at the back of the stage for use as effect lighting,” he said. “One way we gave ourselves more versatility was to utilise the zones and inbuilt programs in the R2s for a wide array of eye candy effects throughout the weekend. “Focusing the rear R2 Washes down and the top R2 Washes up was really effective in creating a tunnel of light effect, with the band appearing at the end of it,” continued Marshall. “From any angle, this was really effective in immersing the audience in a deep and intimate experience with the performers on stage.” Also in the festival kit were 16 COLORdash Par-Quad7 and four Strike 4 fixtures. “The Quad 7s were grouped close together in pairs at various positions and used as effects lights to almost mimic 2-cell blinders, but with color, random chases and strobing effects,” said Marshall. “This opened options for creating widely different moods on stage depending on the band.” As for the Strike 4 units, they were placed behind the band and above the stage. From these positions, they filled a variety of rolls, serving as blinders and strobes in addition to being used to silhouette performers. Even with its versatile LED lighting system, however, the performance area still retained its bucolic charm. “This is a working farm and the stage is actually a permanent feature of the barn,” said Marshall. “It’s used for sheep shearing when there aren’t bands gracing it during the festival.” Marshall noted that the four chutes on the stage that lead down to sheep enclosures had to be boarded up during the festival “to ensure none of the band members accidentally disappeared mid-solo.” Though given the effectiveness of the festival’s lighting system, they certainly would have had an easy time seeing their way back up. Martin Audio Showcases New Product Portfolio and Celebrates 50 Years Martin Audio returned to its celebrated Open Days for the first time in two years, following the easing of Covid restrictions, which also included both a legacy product walk-through and a lavish party in nearby Marlow to honour the company’s 50th anniversary. The sessions adhered closely to all Covid guidelines, including tests on entrance and at the end, MD Dom Harter gave a heartfelt appreciation to the audience. “It’s the first time many have been back in a room of loudspeakers for 18 months,” he said. “We are extremely grateful for everyone’s time and attendance, our industry will never be tested like this again.” Ninety minutes earlier he had opened proceedings with a background about company founder Dave Martin, emphasising that: “His vision and many of his principles continue to be followed today.” Guests had already been able to enjoy a museum-like walk-through of legacy product including many of Dave’s earlier models like the legendary stack and F2 system. However, today’s portfolio contains a depth of product to cater for all applications, especially with the arrival of the TORUS constant curvature system and the new DISPLAY 3 software, which took pride of place in the demonstrations. Dom Harter explained the thinking behind TORUS, and how it plugged a gap in the portfolio for a 15-30m throw speaker. “The system took three years to develop, requiring a lot of mathematical modelling along the way, and we wanted to push the acoustic boundaries and deliver the best constant curvature array. We looked at typical issues and how we could overcome them, such as comb filtering and lack of sensitivity in the mid-band.” TORUS was not the only product to receive its formal demo debut, as both ADORN pendant and ceiling speakers were also finally on show with the audience being wowed by the clarity and musical presence of these commercial loudspeakers. Other demonstrations included the BlacklineX series and CDD, described by Robin Dibble as “the single most successful loudspeaker that we have ever produced.” Of this Coaxial Differential Dispersion platform, he exclaimed, “It’s the CDD drive unit that’s the real key, combining the point source benefits of coaxial designs with the consistent coverage of Differential Dispersion technology. It delivers the same tonal response wherever you are standing,” he promised, “and our waveguides have overcome many of the historical drawbacks associated with coaxial.” Martin Audio have developed FIR settings to optimise the system with iKON amplifiers, while the vast range includes both marine and weatherised versions. The demonstrations closed out on a high with a look at the flagship Wavefront Precision optimised arrays. Harter noted that Martin Audio is now 11 years into the programme (since the launch of the original MLA) to control where the sound goes and deliver summation of sound at the audience plane. Put simply, Harter explained, “it’s how sound arrives at the listener that’s important.” Scalable resolution was explained alongside its many benefits before a showcase of WPM, WPS and WPC ratcheted up the SPL for a rousing finale. Almost 100 guests also joined Martin Audio’s 50th birthday party which included staff past and present, customers and a special guest. Gisele Clark, close friend to Dave Martin, had made the trip from France to share some special memories and the evening was a fitting celebration to the past but also provided optimism and excitement for the future. Open Day and Party video: https://youtu.be/j05mJRDiYg0news 9 Issue: 344 Astera Launches New PixelBrick product Wireless LED lighting specialist Astera adds another ingenious dimension to its expanding portfolio of lighting products: the PixelBrick. This hugely flexible luminaire is a truly multi-functional light source with the power and finesse of Astera’s famous Titan LED engine coupled with the practicality of its popular AX3 LightDrop product, all in a completely new and fully adaptable housing. Perfect for concerts, events, filming, or broadcast scenarios, PixelBrick is compact, light (1.1kg) and exceptionally handy as an up-lighter – like an AX3 – or it can be hung anywhere and become a universal light for accenting and texturing buildings or facades. For exterior use, it is IP65 rated and therefore resistant to rain and other elements. The 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 bracket. PixelBricks can be easily joined together and built into an impressive array of geometric shapes and clusters. With the help of adjustable connectors, shapes like circles, hearts, numbers, etc. plus other illuminated scenic pieces or signage can be created. These can be used in a plethora of contexts, like performance spaces, on live events, on location or in the studio for film projects and photo shoots. The lights can be arranged in matrix patterns or as numbers and letters spelling out a name, a word or a tag, and they can be pixel- mapped to produce yet more stunning effects. The combination of the punchy and infinitely usable LED light source and wireless control is a brilliant solution for so many aspects of a stage or an event space. Diffuser Domes are available to switch the PixelBrick beams to softer eye and camera ‘candy’ effects and pixel looks. PixelBricks are physically interconnected via a bespoke engineered track system on all four sides which gives maximum scope for creativity. These tracks can also be used to mount airline track accessories like TrackPin, Hangar, Handle, etc., and brackets can be mounted to the PixelBrick using the same track system. The Titan LED engine is robust and proven technology with great reliability, and the fixtures have an onboard battery pack offering five hours of full-brightness operation. Other major features include RGB mint amber for creating stunning colours from the richest saturates to the most delicate pastels, authentic white tones from 1,750 to 20,000 K and an impressive CRI and TLCI of 96 or above. Several different beam options are available. The fixture’s native 13-degree angle can be customised with the use of a 17-degree diffuser for a soft-light effect or a 30-degree flood filter to enable smooth coverage of larger surfaces and areas. The PixelBricks can be wirelessly controlled via the inbuilt LumenRadio CRMX DMX receiver and the units can also be run via wired DMX through an Astera PowerBox. Up to four PixelBricks can be daisy- chained using a single power / data combination cable, and units are compatible with the Titan PowerBox. Additionally, the AsteraApp can be used for local control, either via the ART7 AsteraBox or by directly connecting the PixelBrick fixtures to the App when ART7 is not being used. The rear panel display has dedicated buttons for brightness and colour adjustment, just like the Titan Series tubes, for super-fast tweaking when running in stand-alone mode. A handy PixelBrick set of eight units is available from Astera, complete with filters, a PowerBox charging flightcase complete with cables and connectors. The PowerBox can be used for in-case charging and to wire the lights – power and data over a single cable – for longer installations. A complete accessories set is available for eight PixelBricks which expand the flexibility of this fixture event further. Astera sales director Sebastian Bückle stated: “We are really excited to bring this ultra-adaptable light that can be used for a zillion different occasions to the market. I think our customers will have plenty of fun with PixelBrick and use it imaginatively, discovering many previously impossible ways to light people, objects and environments!”Next >