Event News

Spain – Registration is now open for Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the world-renowned annual tech show for the systems integration and audiovisual industry. Returning to the Fira de Barcelona Gran Vía from 4-7 February, the ISE team is promising the most dynamic and engaging show yet, with a host of new initiatives and features, an expanded and more easily accessible content programme, as well as the unveiling of Hall 8.1 accessed via the conveniently located North Access point.

Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events, shared his excitement: “ISE 2025 will be our most ambitious, inspiring and motivating edition to date. ISE is the global destination to get your connection restored with the industry through virtually-impossible experiences, unrivalled networking opportunities and state-of-the-art technology, as well as even more chances for career and personal development.

With the show floor already 20 percent bigger, the addition of exciting new features, and a world-class content programme that digs deep into the most significant megatrends shaping our industry, ISE 2025 will be the place for people wanting to keep pace with and advance the industry of tomorrow.”

From Tech Zones and show floor features, keynote speakers and incredible AV installations, ISE is a hotbed of inspiration, situated in the creative technology hub of Barcelona. As well as enjoying an eye-popping array of technologies on the show floor, visitors can explore how this technology is applied in real-life projects throughout the city, with ISE’s impressive collection of Tech Tours.

ISE brings the global AV and systems integration industry together. At ISE 2025 there will be unparalleled networking opportunities to connect with peers, industry leaders and potential partners. From dedicated networking events to informal meet-ups, ISE is the place to make those invaluable connections that drive your business forward. See, hear and get hands on with tomorrow’s tech today. Across seven dedicated Tech Zones, including Audio, AV Broadcast, Digital Signage & DOOH, Lighting & Staging, Multi-Technology, Residential & Smart Building and Unified Communications & Education Technology, leading brands will give attendees the opportunity to experience the boundaries of possibility and then push beyond.

ISE 2024 saw more than 1,400 exhibitors and attracted 73,891 unique verified attendees from 162 countries. A total of 363 expert speakers shared their knowledge and insights and the 2025 edition of ISE is set to break those record numbers again.

This year’s content programme has been expanded to include a wider range of topics and sessions, offering deeper insights into the megatrends that matter, including AI, audio, cybersecurity, retail, sustainability and more. Attendees can also look forward to new ways of learning with the introduction of ISE Tracks. The ISE 2025 content programme will feature six Summits and five Track Streams that pick up on the megatrends. From Tuesday to Thursday, visitors can take part in Track sessions on a specific topic. On the registration website, search for a preferred Track. Buy the preferred Track via a Day Pass and attend any Track session on the same day or buy a Three-Day Pass and attend any Track on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Nestled in the heart of Congress Square, Innovation Park is set to be an essential destination for industry leaders and forward-thinking start-ups alike. This vibrant initiative offers a unique opportunity for emerging businesses to present groundbreaking ideas and forge meaningful connections with key players in the industry. Featuring a dedicated Pitching Stage, curated by the renowned venture capital experts at Plug & Play, Innovation Park will host dynamic pitch sessions across all four days of the show. This is an indispensable chance to engage with the future of innovation and explore collaboration opportunities that can shape the industry landscape.

For the 2025 edition, ISE will expand into Hall 8.1 featuring cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions from leading exhibitors, providing attendees with a comprehensive view of the future of AV and systems integration.

Featuring three entrances, the opening of Fira de Barcelona's North Access will enhance accessibility of the venue and facilitate faster access to halls 4-8 and the Audio Demo Rooms. This improvement reflects ISE's commitment to providing a seamless and enjoyable experience for all attendees.

Registration for ISE 2025 is now open. Early registration is advised to ensure plenty of time to arrange any necessary visas. To register, visit www.iseurope.org.

ISE has again teamed up with accommodation specialist bnetwork. The cooperation guarantees first-class advice and best room rates for safe accommodation. Moreover, bnetwork’s distinctive “sustainable choices" filter highlights hotels with CSR programmes and sustainable development initiatives. To inspire a culture of responsible booking, the bnetwork booking tool provides live updates displaying the positive impact made by guests who choose these eco-friendly accommodations. Find best rates and more information under https://isehotels.bnetwork.com/

7th October 2024

Successful PLASA Show 2024 raises welcome funds for industry charity, Backup Tech

UK – The Backup Tech team was thrilled to once again be part of the #WeMakeEvents hub at the PLASA Show 2024. From this base, the Backup team and its ambassadors were able to connect with industry professionals and raise awareness of the important work Backup is doing in the industry.

Every year, the show represents an opportunity to meet up with old friends, enjoy great conversations and make new connections. This year, the larger footprint meant that the hall was a buzz with even more new technology and creativity. Spaces where attendees could relax and regroup were an important part of the wellbeing strategy and the wellbeing hub, crewed by the EventWell team, provided an additional quiet space for anyone who wanted it.

“Backup received multiple donations during the show, thanks to a lot of hard work from our fundraisers and the generosity of PLASA attendees,” says Backup chair, Piers Shepperd. “These funds are vital, enabling Backup to continue its work in supporting members of our industry when they need it most. This year the fundraising strategies were even more inventive.”

Sherry Coenen ran a successful social media campaign to decide whether to ‘Shave or Save’ her hair. At the #WeMakeEvents after-party the result was revealed and at time of writing, Sherry had raised over £5,600 for Backup and had sent 28 inches of hair to the Little Princess Trust, a charity that provide bespoke, hand-made wigs to children undergoing cancer treatments or suffering hair loss. It was a fantastic way to end the second day of the show and Sherry’s efforts are truly appreciated.

Backup partner, Ambersphere, showed its support at the show by dedicating one side of its stand to promoting the charity and donating funds raised from its alcohol-free beer bar.

The #WeMakeEvents BikeFest UK sponsored bike ride saw 11 keen cyclists complete three courses for Backup. They varied in length from 100 miles to 20 and all riders joined forces to complete the final leg together. The ride raised almost £1,000 and enjoyed a beautiful journey through the English countryside.

PLASA’s Annual Awards for Innovation are presented at a special ceremony during the show. In addition to celebrating innovative products, the entry fee from companies entering their products for the Awards is donated by PLASA to Backup raising a fantastic £3,000.

Another success for the Backup team during the show was their first ever interactive wellbeing session. The session was a new way to experience an industry panel discussion with the aim of making information more accessible and empowering greater audience participation. The session was hosted by PLASA MD, Peter Heath and included industry charity Music Support and support groups Roadies In Recovery and The Back Lounge. The panel led the personalised interaction, allowing audience members the opportunity to share experiences and ask questions about what support and information is available to people working in and learning about the industry.

Piers was delighted to be part of the session and enjoyed spending time at the show, as he concludes.

“The PLASA Show has always been an opportunity to find out something new, whether that’s a new connection, or innovative equipment and ideas,” he says. “Backup is grateful to PLASA for the opportunity to meet so many of our industry peers and to share information about how to access industry support. Raising awareness of the work we do means a great deal. It’s fantastic that so much money has been raised during the show and we are simply amazed by the commitment that all our fundraisers show.”

4th October 2024

POLAR at Hospitality Tech Expo

UK – POLAR, established UK supplier of key technology brands will be exhibiting at the forthcoming Hospitality Tech Expo at ExCel London, which takes place on the 15th and 16th of October. Described as the ultimate space for hospitality technologies, the event provides a platform for every conceivable technology deployed in the sector.

A prime example of the innovative technologies which POLAR represents is the management platform ask UMA, which can significantly enhance the operations of cafes, hotels, bars and restaurants by optimising space management, integrating smart building systems, personalising guest experiences and streamlining staffing. POLAR’s team of experts will be on hand to explain how the platform automates energy use, improves comfort and supports health and safety compliance, as well as providing valuable data insights for better decision-making.

ask UMA delivers sustainable solutions for the hospitality sector by supporting eco-friendly practices, social responsibility and good governance. Minimising environmental impact, creating positive experiences for employees and customers, and addressing regulatory compliance, all fall within the ask UMA remit.

As well as presenting the myriad advantages of this versatile management platform, POLAR representatives will be available to discuss a variety of other relevant technologies from its extensive portfolio which can significantly enhance the guest experience in hospitality settings, including zoned audio, sound masking, personal address and paging systems and acoustic treatment.

POLAR’s Mark Bracken will be on stand J70 and is looking forward to welcoming visitors: “We’re looking forward to explaining the advantages and efficiencies that our wide-ranging portfolio of innovative, cutting-edge products can bring to hospitality businesses of all types.”

4th October 2024

LDR at Entech Roadshow in Australia with CLEARLIGHT SHOWS!

Australia – CLEARLIGHT SHOWS, the Australian distributor for Luci Della Ribalta, will be present at the ENTECH Roadshow, the trade show for AV and entertainment technology professionals that visits every major city in Australia.

ENTECH is a highly interesting travelling event that will stop in major Australian cities starting from October 2024, including Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, bringing a fresh perspective on the industry to every local market.

As confirmed by the ISE 2024 exhibition in Barcelona, the "integrated systems" sector has entered a phase known as "post-converged."

The worlds of unified communications, IT, AV, lighting, video, audio, signage, staging and control have moved beyond the transition period of becoming networked and software-controlled, entering a new phase where new business models, products and markets are emerging.

LDR, which also participated in ISE Barcelona 2024, is part of this sector, offering top-quality lighting solutions that are regularly used and in demand in every corner of the world.

“Our distribution network has solid foundations and for years we have been present in markets and areas far from our headquarters in Italy,” says Lisa Papi, managing director of LDR.

“CLEARLIGHT SHOWS does excellent work in distant Australia and we are very pleased that they are participating in this event, which, as we interpret it, seems to develop a very interesting travelling format that will allow many important players and companies to get in touch with our products,” Lisa continues.

“We are certainly looking forward to some feedback after the event, confident in the excellent work that the CLEARLIGHT SHOWS team will do.”

“We are very proud to show the LDR Astro 600 Followspot at ENTECH 24 again this year. We have had a great response to both the Astro 600 and Astro 250HP followspots in Australia and are looking forward to seeing all our interstate customers again in October,” says John McKissock managing director at CLEARLIGHT SHOWS.

Here are the dates of the roadshow for those who will be in that part of the world:

Brisbane Showgrounds, 8th October

Sydney Hordern Pavilion, 10th October

Melbourne Showgrounds, 15th October

Adelaide Showgrounds, 17th October

Perth Showgrounds, 22nd October

30th September 2024

Production Futures Podcast goes ON TOUR

UK – Production Futures, the organisation founded to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in every sector of the production industries, has announced the dates for its autumn ON TOUR events. They will take place between 10am and 3pm on Tuesday 15 October at the Backstage Centre in Purfleet and Wednesday 27 November at Production Park in Wakefield. That latter event will see the presentation of this year’s much anticipated Production Futures Breakthrough Awards, where as well as receiving the kudos of being named a winner, successful nominees will benefit from direct contact with the sponsor of their award.

The events will enable young visitors to directly connect with representatives of Production Futures’ brand partners to explore employment opportunities in the production sectors. Both occasions will enjoy packed schedules including panel discussions, advice, workshops, special guests, networking opportunities and more.

Production Futures has also announced that its successful TALKS podcast will now be featured as part of each show, with inspirational guests being interviewed in front of a live audience.

Hannah Eakins of Production Futures comments: “The team look forward to welcoming a significant number of young people to our autumn events and guiding them toward the myriad opportunities that exist for them within the production sector. Our ON TOUR events have proved incredibly successful in helping to encourage and develop emerging talent, and we’re grateful for the support of our enterprising brand partners who see the huge value in helping to secure a strong future for our industry.

“We’re very excited to be taking our TALKS Podcast out on the road with us; we love talking to inspiring people, exploring hidden job roles, and exploring the training opportunities that are out there for young people. As everyone knows, we’re huge advocates for diversity and employability, and are on a mission to ensure that every young person has access to opportunities working in creative and technical jobs. Obtaining firsthand advice from our dynamic and insightful guests can play an important part in achieving those aims.”

27th September 2024

Disguise Event Demands Greater Diversity in the Creative Industry

UK – Disguise, in collaboration with Bluman Associates and the European chapter of frame:work announces "Be Seen. Be Heard," a half-day event dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion within the creative video and live events industries. The event will take place on the 9th October at Bluman Associates, London.

"Be Seen. Be Heard" aims to be a catalyst for change, empowering individuals from all backgrounds to be offered the opportunity to be part of and thrive in the creative community.

The speaker line-up includes diverse industry voices including Disguise founder Ash Nehru, Production Futures CEO Hannah Eakins, Petok Productions founder Pembe Tokluhan, The Fifth Estate Ltd creative director Sarah Rushton-Read FRAY Studio creative technologist Kira O'Brien, Bluman Associates owner Pod Bluman frame:work director Sarah Cox, Disguise head of live events Emily Malone and Creative Technology’s head of film and entertainment Connie Glover.

“The creative video and live events industries have been inclusive in accepting neurodiversity and non-typical individuals, yet there is so much work to do. Whenever I attend any industry event, there is just not enough diversity that there should be. "Be Seen. Be Heard" is designed to build on this foundation, working towards a future workforce that reflects the full diversity of society,” says Bluman Associates owner and co-host Pod Bluman.

By bringing together professionals and emerging talents across live events, theatre, film production and broadcast, this event will help amplify diverse voices and create opportunities for those often underrepresented in the industry. Attendees will participate in interactive sessions, gain insights from keynote speakers and expand their networks with like-minded individuals.

“Our mission is to create an inclusive environment within the creative video community by celebrating success stories, sharing valuable insights, and providing opportunities for underrepresented groups to thrive,” comments Disguise head of live events Emily Malone. “We are committed to fostering a culture where diversity is not just accepted but celebrated and where every individual can succeed.”

The half-day event will kick off at 14:00 with a welcome, setting the tone for the day’s focus on diversity and inclusion. Attendees will then hear success stories from diverse industry professionals and then have the opportunity to take part in panel discussion on ‘Reimagining our industry for the Next Generation’ with Sarah Rushton-Read (The Fifth Estate) and Hannah Eakins (Production Futures). The event will conclude with an interactive session where everyone is welcome to contribute and make a commitment to change the industry for the better.

Through engagement, education and networking, this event will inspire positive change and help foster a more diverse and inclusive industry.

Who Should Attend?

Individuals passionate about promoting diversity across the entertainment industry.
Those seeking to build or advance a career in live events, theatre, film production or TV broadcast.
Creatives and technicians eager to learn from industry leaders and connect with peers.

If you work in the creative video and live events industry and want to see more diversity in the field, register at https://www.disguise.one/en/be-seen-be-heard

27th September 2024

Allen & Heath Announces Free Live Sound Training at AES Show 2024 in New York City

USA – Allen & Heath, a leading innovator in professional audio mixing consoles, has announced that it will once again be offering free live sound training at the upcoming AES Show in New York City. The training will take place 8-10 October at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

In addition to long-form dLive Certification classes, training sessions will cover a variety of topics relevant to live sound engineers, including Mixing Monitors from FOH, Vocal Processing, Groups, Matrices and DCAs, Active Dynamics and Gain Staging.

The training will be led by industry veterans Michael Bangs and Jake Hartsfield. Bangs, whose career includes experience as a monitor engineer and production manager, has worked with A-list artists, including Aerosmith, Katy Perry, Tom Petty, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kid Rock. Hartsfield is a seasoned live sound engineer, having mixed for artists like Vulfpeck, Ben Rector, Fearless Flyers and more.

"We're excited to offer these free training sessions to attendees of the AES Show," said Tom Der, director of market development at Allen & Heath USA. "We're committed to providing our customers with the knowledge and skills they need to get the most out of our products. These sessions are a great opportunity for engineers of all levels to learn from some of the best in the business."

In addition to the free training sessions, Allen & Heath will also have a booth in the main exhibit hall, showcasing its full range of products including dLive, Avantis, SQ, CQ, and Qu series of digital mixers. Guests at the booth will have the opportunity to hear dLive's new RackUltra FX engine, which adds next-gen vocal processing, saturation, and reverb designers to the flagship console series.

23rd September 2024

Astera LunaBulb Wins 2024 PLASA Innovation Award

UK - Astera’s new LunaBulb product (launched in May) has won a coveted PLASA Award for Innovation, which was received during the association’s annual expo at Olympia in London, UK in early September.

This adds to its growing collection of accolades which has also recently included a Best of Show award conferred by film-tv-video at the EuroCine expo in Munich in July.

The PLASA Innovation judging panel commented that LunaBulb “combines a broad feature-set in a much-loved conventional aesthetic,” which clearly impressed as much as it has many Astera customers and users.

LunaBulb is also the first LED lighting product to win innovation / new technology awards at both a film expo and a staging / event tradeshow in two different countries.

It is one of the most lightweight professional luminaires ever created, weighing just 81 grams (0.179lbs) and is incredibly versatile for indoor and outdoor use. Key features are DMX control, full-colour RGBMA and a CCT range from 1,750K to 20,000K and five built-in wireless technologies (CRMX, RDM, Bluetooth, WiFi, IR and UHF), and naturally it is compatible with Astera's ecosystem.

The innovative and sustainable LunaBulb also supports third-party accessories like 3D-printed shades and comes packaged in fully recyclable, FSC-certified materials with an expected lifespan of at least eight years.

Astera enjoyed a very busy three days at the 2024 PLASA event, and LunaBulb was one of the stars of the show for the German headquartered manufacturer that exhibited alongside its UK distributor, Ambersphere Solutions.

Interest in LunaBulb was intense!

Attendees loved its lightweight design, ease of use and advanced technology, including the DMX control and wide CCT range. Many appreciated the wireless capabilities and all-weather durability.

LunaBulb’s success is the result of a fusion of hard work and invaluable insights from lighting designers, technicians, crews and film-makers from multiple sectors. Their real-world feedback has helped shape the product into an essential tool for set, lighting and event design.

Astera’s head of product management, Ben Diaz, commented:, “The energy at PLASA was fantastic! With a focus on new technologies constantly pushing the boundaries of creative lighting design, Astera enjoyed a great show. It was excellent to be part of an inspiring event that highlighted creativity, collaboration and the industry’s future.

He collected the Award together with Astera’s sales director, Sebastian Bückle.

Winning the PLASA Innovation Award means a lot explained Ben. “Firstly, PLASA is an important part of our history as an entertainment industry in the UK and internationally, and many of us grew up discovering entertainment technology by researching new innovations appearing at PLASA London.”

He continues: “This award is great because it is awarded by members of the association with extensive technical knowledge and a genuine understanding of the community and what they are rewarding here is not a purely market-oriented approach but the arrival of a new technology that will make users’ lives much easier and lighting designers’ projects much more attractive.”

Ben added that “special thanks” should go to Astera’s technical director Simon Canins and the entire team for their dedication, commitment and contributions to LunaBulb’s development.

Astera has previously been recognised for iconic products like its Titan Tube and Astera’s PlutoFresnel won a 2023 PLASA Innovation Award. These latest awards for LunaBulb further boost the brand’s reputation for producing pioneering lighting technology.

photo: Astera

20th September 2024

PLASA Show celebrates “the best show for many years”

UK - Celebrating its “best show for many years”, PLASA Show once again took residence in the Grand Hall of Olympia London from 1-3 September, demonstrating continuous growth with 10% more floor space and a steady 5% increase in visitors.

Miles Hillyard, business development manager at PRG, says: “We are thrilled to announce the resounding success of this year's event, where we were delighted by the incredible turnout and the palpable excitement in the room. The overwhelming response from attendees truly highlighted the strength and vibrancy of our community.”

Graham Hill, business development manager at Elation, says: “PLASA Show continues to gain momentum and for us, the show was consistently busy throughout, with an excellent quality of customer.”

Reaching a pre-pandemic atmosphere, the show floor vibe was electric. Despite the unexpected heatwave, Sunday’s attendee numbers saw a +9.5% increase compared to 2023 and day two’s footfall exceeded 2019 figures.

The show floor hosted a healthy cross-section of industry visitors, from entry-level to C-Suite, welcoming 15% more students compared to 2023, while 79% of attendees declared having influential purchasing power. Key job roles included directors, CEOs, technicians and programmers, followed closely by engineers, lighting designers, technical directors and project managers. Over a third of attendees work across concert touring, theatre and live events, with sectors like corporate AV and events, broadcast and film also being generously represented.

To navigate the larger show floor, visitors were invited to download the new PLASA Show app, which stand-out feature was an interactive map, directing visitors to exhibitors and sessions with ease.

Stephen Button, UK and Nordic trade marketing manager for Pro Audio at Sennheiser Professional and Neumann, says: “PLASA Show continues to be a critical event in our calendar, offering invaluable exposure and the chance to demonstrate our commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound.”

Charlie Henden, marketing manager for Leisuretec, says: “The steady flow of visitors to our stand provided a number of opportunities to demonstrate our solutions and engage in meaningful conversations. The high level of interest in our offerings led to many promising leads, reinforcing our belief in the value of participating in the show.”

Visitors got first glimpse of new products, soon to be rolled out across the industry.

PLASA Show’s headline sponsor, Robe, wowed visitors with live demonstrations, complete with acrobatic performers and utilised the show’s powerful platform to launch four products: the iForte Fresnel, the Painte Fresnel, the SVOPATT and the SVB1 – with recent release – iBolt scooping a PLASA Award for Innovation.

Robe, comments: “It was an honour to headline sponsor PLASA Show again for 2024! We were proud to debut brand-new Robe products, demonstrate our spectacular main show ‘The Fifth Dimension’, and interact with new and old faces from all across the world. The team are excited to return in 2025 for another year of live demonstrations and entertainment!”

Elsewhere from the lighting department, show sponsor, beamZ introduced its new linkable Neutron-Dot, Avolites debuted the Diamond 7 console, Claypaky unveiled Tambora Rays, Tambora Stormy and Mini-B Sparky Aqua, FBFX introduced the DMXPro lighting controller and Vari-Lite released the VL3600 LT. New to the UK market, Ayrton exhibited the Veloce Profile and Rivale Wash, ChamSys showcased its latest GeNetix GD4IP DMX Splitter and Chauvet Professional displayed both the new Maverick Silens 1X and 2X Profiles.

AV professionals saw the international debut of the Theatrixx xVision Nomad TPEP LED, while audio enthusiasts saw the launch of the DiGiCo Quantum326 and Quantum326T, EM Acoustics’ R6 loudspeaker, L-Acoustics’ X8i system and Glensound’s GTM Mobile, which won a PLASA Award for Innovation.

Rigging and staging also dominated the floor, with a PLASA Show debut from show sponsor, TAF, while returning exhibitors, Area Four Direct UK, Harlequin, Steeldeck and Total Solutions Group filled sizable stands.

Theresa Gibson, head of marketing for Area Four Direct UK, comments: “PLASA Show is the perfect platform for us to connect with existing customers, catch up with industry friends and forge valuable new relationships, attracting visitors to our stand from all corners of the UK, Ireland and Europe.”

This year’s show welcomed 31 new exhibitors, who anticipate big business rewards.

Luke Edwards, commercial sales developer for KLSTR, says: “The enthusiasm of the visitors about KLSTR was incredible, and we had valuable conversations with potential partners and clients. Exhibiting helped solidify our presence in the industry.”

Morten Bakke, international sales for Pro Tour Systems, adds: “The response from the UK market was overwhelming, and in hindsight, we realise that we should have had a larger stand and more representatives to handle the high level of interest!”

Ben McCarthy, managing director at Premier Events, says: “We have had a great three days at PLASA Show, it was our first time exhibiting and we were blown away with how many people came to our stand. We will be back in 2025!”

The packed programme featured experts from iconic productions.

Inspiring presentations on world-famous festivals Glastonbury and Tomorrowland were among the more popular sessions, alongside explorative sessions on ‘Tools for Tech’ and ‘How Light Affects Human Behaviour’.

To generate awareness of our industry’s impact on global sustainability, a selection of eco-conscious-themed sessions from the likes of Unusual Rigging, addressed areas of improvement, while PLASA’s Business Breakfast hosted expert sustainability consultants and encouraged open discussions. Wellbeing sessions on ear protection by HELA and mental health in the workplace by ABTT also raised important action points.

The programme wasn’t short of technical deep dives either, seeing the return of the ever-popular session on power regulation, led by James Eade and visitors got a glimpse into the future, with LSi columnist, James Simpson’s ‘Future Tech’ digest.

Visitors watched the exclusive premiere of the highly anticipated live event career video, spearheaded by Adlib and supported by many industry associations, including PLASA. The engaging video details every possible job available in a live gig production line, which is set to be a useful tool for encouraging students into the industry from a young age. Meanwhile, Production Future’s talk on career pathways also engaged students.

The show was bursting with free-to-attend training sessions and demonstrations.

Dante returned with its exclusive AV training sessions, focusing on Dante ‘in a live environment’, in association with Entourage Pro and Dante ‘fundamentals’, in association with Production Futures.

Elsewhere, Nicolaudie ran focused workshops on its DMX lighting software from sub-brands, Daslight and Wolfmix. Plus, new exhibitor and show sponsor, AbsenLive, transformed its room into an immersive festival experience, kitted out with huge LED displays and a stage full of instruments, encouraging visitors to take the spotlight.

Darren Jackson, business development manager - UK & IRL for AbsenLive, says: “This was the first ever PLASA Show for AbsenLive. Monday was fantastic, a throwback to the ‘good ole days’ as the calibre of visitors was very good and the numbers incredible. It was undoubtedly one of the best PLASA Shows for many years, the whole show has a great atmosphere too.”

On the audio front, visitors were treated to focused sound blasts during drop-in demonstrations. KV2 Audio showcased its award-winning SL 4.12 system, featured across world-famous nightclubs and theatre shows, alongside its newly released active 2.5-way double 8” EX 28.

RCF demonstrated the new NXL14-A and NX 932-A active full-range speakers, among others, which were brought to life through sonic choreography by TT+ AUDIO business development manager, Andy Magee, who channelled an array of FOH engineer experience and expertise.

Dean Davoile, head of UK operations for RCF, says: “This was our best PLASA Show ever; we saw a complete cross-section of customers, often visitors were struggling to get into the demo room! We have already written new business from PLASA Show.”

Vintage tech from iconic events took visitors on a trip down memory lane.

Back by popular demand, the treasure chest of iconic vintage tech – ‘Classic Gear Live’, once again attracted a swarm of visitors and evoked a wave of nostalgia. The impressive collection from CH Vintage Audio and LSi magazine spanned an impressive 100 square metre display and visitors witnessed the likes of Pink Floyd's PA and mixers, Starlight Express and The Phantom of the Opera 80s lighting consoles and 50 years of OptiKineticsSolar250 projector.

Plus, enthusiasts got to speak to the original operators of the tech, including The Phantom of the Opera sound designer and industry veterans from Strand, Vari-Lite and OptiKinetics.

Rob Halliday, host of Classic Gear Live, says, “… the Classic Gear Live stand was back bigger and better, with a wider selection of classics and another great field of experts there to talk about them. It became a remarkable social hub, of people telling stories and sharing memories of these – and other – products that have shaped and defined our industry over the years.”

The year’s most innovative and sustainable tech was recognised with award status.

In association with LSi magazine, this year’s PLASA Awards for Innovation saw a competitive 44 entries, many of which could be seen up close on the Innovation Gallery. Nine lucky nominees scooped a coveted award, with Vari-lite earning the Sustainability Award for its VL2600 SE profile fixture.

Dave Whitehouse, product development specialist for Robe, says: “We are incredibly honoured to receive a PLASA Innovation Award! This recognition of our Robe iBolt goes beyond acknowledging its technical excellence; this prestigious recognition from PLASA will undoubtedly support the continued success of the iBolt.”

In addition to celebrating innovative products, the awards donate a significant portion of the proceeds to charity. This year, £3,000 was raised through entry fees and donated to Backup Tech.

In a different approach to recent years, the 2024 Gottelier Award was presented to winner Robin Elias during a Gottelier Award winner alumni panel session, accompanied by the late Tony Gottelier’s original business partner, Peter Wynne Willson. Robin Elias, comments: “I can’t quite believe I have won this fantastic award. Thank you so much for voting for me. I have rigged almost everything over the last 50 years, but I didn’t rig the vote, honest! This award really is for riggers everywhere; the true stars of the events industry.”

Community was at the core of PLASA Show with dedicated networking zones.

The 2024 show brought two new chill-out zones: the PLASA Beach Bar, led by industry marketing agency, The Inside Story, which transformed a regular bar area into a fun-filled lounge with deck chairs and cocktails. Elsewhere, upstairs hosted a quieter sofa area away from the hustle of the show floor.

The heart of the show was the #WeMakeEvents after-party, which was kicked off by a charity head shave, raising £5,606.26 for Backup Tech. Then, exhibitors and visitors alike came together to enjoy complimentary refreshments and a DJ on the decks, courtesy of Headliner.

Jessica Allan, charity co-ordinator for Backup Tech, says: “The new bigger show footprint gave an electric atmosphere, giving us some great interactions with existing and new connections looking to support the charity. Backup is incredibly grateful to PLASA for their continued support of the industry charity and for helping us raise awareness!”

With plans for 2025 already underway, PLASA Show is set to continue this trajectory of success.

Sophie Atkinson, PLASA head of events, concludes: “This year’s PLASA Show has once again exceeded expectations, reflecting not only the growth and innovation within our industry but also the incredible energy and passion of our community. We were thrilled to see such a remarkable turnout and engagement, and we look forward to continuing this momentum into the next event. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this year’s show a resounding success!”

PLASA Show will return to Olympia London from 7-9 September 2025.

18th September 2024

Showlight 2025 – The Call for Papers is Hotting Up!

France – It was great to see so many people at PLASA Show London last week and witness the excitement caused by the news that Showlight returns next May. Some people even stopped by to say just how excited they were and were already looking to book hotels!

There was a healthy contingent of students enquiring about the subsidised student scheme and huge interest in the new introduction of afternoon workshops for 2025. The format of the workshops is shaping up nicely and Showlight is encouraging manufacturers, designers and students to put forward their ideas for more workshops. If you have a proposal, contact the Papers Committee on papers.committee@showlight.org

Showlight has already received a great number of Papers proposals following the Call for Papers in June and is looking forward to more coming in. Remember to submit your Papers ideas for consideration by the Papers Committee as soon as possible. The Programme of Papers is the heart and soul of Showlight and it wants to be able to bring the best and most entertaining topics. Showlight wants to hear from lighting designers working in all disciplines: film, television, architectural, art installation, theatre, opera, event and concert lighting; anything to do with the art of lighting design in all its multiple facets and applications!

So, don’t forget to put the dates in your diary (19-22 May 2025) and if you want information on becoming a Showlight exhibitor, sponsor, speaker, student, or delegate, just send an email. Contacts can be found at https://www.showlight.org/contact

And keep your eyes open for when tickets go on sale, sign up to the mailing list on the website (www.showlight.org) to be the first to hear!

Showlight is organised entirely by volunteers, literally from the ground up: a new country, a new venue every time, providing the setting for unrivalled networking opportunities. Will you be there?

Le Parc des Expositions et Congrès de Dijon, 19 - 22 May 2025.

17th September 2024

Area Four Direct UK Enjoys a Successful PLASA 2024

UK – The Area Four Direct UK (A4IUK) team enjoyed a busy, productive and successful PLASA (Professional Lighting & Sound Association) Show 2024, which returned to the Grand Hall, Olympia, London from 1st – 3rd September.

This year saw a new immersive stand design constructed from MILOS M520 Quatro truss, incorporating three video walls forming a vibrant backdrop of dynamic rolling video content showcasing the Area Four Industries brand portfolio represented in the UK including MILOS, LITEC, EXE TECHNOLOGY, XStage, TOMCAT and JTE.

PLASA London is still the most prominent national expo for A4IUK in the live entertainment, technology and rigging sector. It provided an excellent platform for A4IUK to showcase its industry-leading products, connect with fellow professionals and engage in fruitful conversations on upcoming projects.

Area Four Direct UK located on stand J20 enjoyed a buzz of busy footfall throughout the event. The stand had been designed to showcase key product lines including the full range of EXE TECHNOLOGY hoists and control systems. Displayed on the stand were the 2.0t and 1.6t extra-large frame single chain fall EXE RISE D8+ hoists alongside industry-standard 1000kg, 500kg and 350kg models. Featuring advanced safety features and precision control, market-leading brand EXE trailblazes the future of automation and rigging with an increasingly strong and growing foothold in the UK market.

Visitors had the opportunity to learn more about EXE FLEXA range of load cell options, which provide a critical task in monitoring suspended loads in working environments. Guests were also given an advanced product preview of the revolutionary EXE FLEXA DYNAMIC system which is due to launch at ISE in 2025 and was received with great interest from across the sector, generating insightful conversations and enthusiasm with key industry professionals.

Matt Millward – head of automation said: “PLASA 2024 was a great success for A4iUK and our automation brands, with our EXE RISE chain hoists on display and in the air of the Olympia exhibition hall, supporting a number of our customers’ stands. On show we also had EXE DRIVE motor control and EXE FLEXA load monitoring solutions, both product sectors receiving a lot of interest from our visitors and generating many interesting conversations.

“Within the EXE FLEXA display, we showed a product preview of our exciting new EXE FLEXA DYNAMIC system. Offering real-time load monitoring across multiple sites with numerous users and access rights. This system lends itself to applications requiring greater numbers of load monitoring devices with the flexibility of centralised administration.”

Long-established truss brand MILOS showcased a range of products and structural solutions, whilst LITEC featured popular truss lines and a couple of innovative products including the pioneering Backbone Frame Indoor System which attracted great interest and the latest in LITEC barrier systems, complementing the extensive LITEC product portfolio.

Peter Stressing – UK brand manager, MILOS said: “Moving on from our famous red exhibition truss, the stand itself was constructed from MILOS M520 Quatro providing an impressive footprint and visually striking display. A selection of the vast range of MILOS and LITEC trussing products was on show, along with various accessories and fittings. Alongside this, Xstage was represented by a selection of the popular S9 Decks.

“The design and layout of the stand worked very well for us, and from a MILOS perspective, we saw many new and existing customers and it proved an excellent showcase for our products.”

During the show, the A4IUK stand was a hub of activity, welcoming a wide range of industry professionals from across the sector, including technicians, production professionals, business owners, rigging experts, installation specialists and technical venue personnel. Our sales team, product specialists and international technical colleagues were on hand to provide live demonstrations, discuss tailored solutions, and share their expertise over the three days. We engaged with visitors from all corners of the UK, Ireland and Europe who had travelled from near and far.

As a committed thought leader in the entertainment and rigging sector, this year, A4IUKwas delighted to be involved in delivering two educational seminars sharing valuable knowledge and industry insights presented by Area Four Industry’s technical director, Norbert Tripp. The first focused on: ‘Best Practice for the Stability of Temporary Structures’ and the second in conjunction with Arne Svendsen from Creative Technology, Norway, covered the topic of: ‘Bigger Stage, Bigger Problems and How to Combine Structural Engineering with Practical Handling.’ Area Four Industries’ commitment to educational leadership, alongside its popular global A4ITV channel, is rooted in the belief that shared knowledge elevates the entire industry, enabling growth and innovation across all facets of live entertainment, rigging and production.

Theresa Gibson, head of marketing concludes: “PLASA London is always a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry friends, customers and new prospects whilst showcasing our latest products and innovations, hearing first-hand from professionals about their needs and challenges.

The success at PLASA Show 2024 has further strengthened Area Four Direct UK’s position as a leader in the entertainment technology industry with its strong product portfolio. As the company continues to innovate and expand its product offerings, it remains committed to driving forward the future of safe, reliable and high-performance structural solutions for the entertainment and live event sectors.

Area Four Direct UK extends its sincere thanks to everyone who visited the stand and contributed to the success of the show. The team looks forward to future collaborations and further engagement with industry professionals and returning to Olympia London in 2025!”

17th September 2024

Robe Bounces into Fifth Dimension at Brilliant PLASA 2024 Expo

UK – Robe lighting enjoyed a brilliant PLASA 2024 expo in London Olympia, tapping into the hustle and energy of the show which is again a vibrant landmark on the UK production technology industry calendar.

Four new products were launched by the Czechia-based manufacturer: the iFORTE Fresnel, the PAINTE Fresnel, the SVOPATT and the SVB1 WashBeam moving light, all attracting plenty of interest as Robe continued the celebration of its 30th year.

Robe also premiered its new live exhibition performance extravaganza, “The Fifth Dimension” complete with three live performers including aerial acrobat and dancer Oskar Skrypko, who caused such a stir at Prolight earlier in the year!

All of Robe’s businesses – Avolites, LSC, Anolis and Artistic Licence – occupied their own areas surrounding the main Robe stand, demonstrating the bi-directional synergies between all of these and capitalising on the buzz and positivity of the expo.

And topping off another amazing PLASA London for Robe, the incredible iBOLT – also launched this year – winning a coveted PLASA Award for Innovation.

The Fifth Dimension show featured some gravity-defying dance moves and acrobatic stunts, complete with a pumping soundtrack and an outstanding visual show containing all the newly launched lighting products together with several others that have been launched throughout 2024.

All elements of this bespoke nine-minute high-action show – design, lighting, video, audio, choreography, SFX, programming and staging – were produced by Robe’s in-house creative team led by Nathan Wan and Andy Webb, delivered with the highest possible production values to show off the new featured products.

For the first time ever at a trade show (as far as Robe is aware) a combination of trampoline and Chinese Pole acrobatics was used in The Fifth Dimension to enthral crowds every 90 minutes of the show day, a phenom that attracted huge crowds to that end of the expo hall.

The fluid narrative and structure allowed the performance to be developed into multiple layers and ‘dimensions’ each associated with a different group of new Robe lighting fixtures, all playing their own roles in the production.

This also highlighted the variety of tasks for which the different products can be used, from skin tones and keylighting to pure effects, drama, playfulness, backlighting, set washing, dressing and much more, all illustrated with great flair and creativity.

Over 200 lighting fixtures, 44 DMX universes, 920 pixels and nearly 1000 cues were executed in the nine-minute show which was programmed on an Avolites Diamond D9-215 console that ran to timecode.

Using the D9’s timeline feature and the key frame shapes functionality, individual cords, drops, punctuation points and intricate sounds of the music could be swiftly picked out to have visual effects applied that played out with the lighting, something that was appreciated by the team when drilling down into the detail and the more complex elements of the programming.

An Avolites AI Q3PRO server was utilised to run the video and five LED screens were prominent on the stand and incorporated into the show for scenic information. They were positioned around Oscar’s main central jump perch, which was recessed into the back wall, from where he launched himself at serious velocity to the custom trampoline installed below in the upstage area.

When the show was not playing, the screens displayed clear and detailed infographics related to the many activities happening on the Robe booth which included the ‘Voice of God’ presentations, and also the two demo areas which were busy throughout the expo, with people wanting a closer look at products.

The newly launched SVOPATT fixtures brought some cool looks to The Fifth Dimension from their prominent mid truss positioning, especially when utilising the zoom function on each of the seven individual LEDs per cell plus its central LED strobe chip. These two elements look equally good as stand-alone effects or blended in multiple combinations.

These were joined by 16 new SVB1 fixtures, comprising a single SVOPATT cell on a moving head base, which with some sick and nifty programming, looked hugely impressive.

Robe’s T32Cyc units showed their flexibility in tight and challenging-to-access spaces with shallow throw distances, mounted above the printed side panels to the stage, used for keylighting these in close proximity.

Nathan wanted a TetraX feature as part of the show and this showstopper was built from 28 TetraXs upstage which mesmerised the crowds, silhouetted the performers and produced a barrage of whizzy and mind-boggling effects. They were contrasted with 14 Tetra2 LED moving battens positioned in the set ‘windows’ sweeping curtains of light across the stage.

Ten PLASA Award-winning iBOLTS were central on the main rig. Nathan wanted to illustrate how these incredibly bright and high-powered fixtures can be seamlessly integrated into indoor shows, as well as being great super-bright searchlights when outside.

Thirty-five Robe PAINTES in the rig shaped those ‘big rock show’ moments and hard-edged looks that everyone loves, with SpiiderX wash beams providing stage and set wash coverage, filling the area with quality light.

Several of Robe’s T15 PCs and Fresnel luminaires rigged over the stage augmented the top wash positions, together with the just-launched FORTE Fresnel, with more T15 PCs and Fresnels on side booms which were perfect for shooting across the stage from these essential positions.

Additional floor-based keylighting came from FOOTSIE Slim units deployed along the front of the stage and LEDBeam 350s were above the trampoline in a U-shape to light Oscar’s dramatic high-velocity bounces, dives and flying leaps, while four SpiiderXs either side of the trampoline provided cross lighting and pixel eye-candy.

Last, and by very much no means least, six MegaPointes were positioned in front of the LEDBeam 350s (possibly the most popular moving light in the company’s 30-year history) also above the trampoline, a nod to vintage Robe. In addition to looking amazing, they served as a possible teaser for something yet to come and showed everyone at the expo that these beam-babies of 2017 continue to stun and amaze with their brightness, clarity and infinite effects combinations!

Every available centimetre of space on the booth was utilised expediently, ensuring that Robe enjoyed presenting the busiest and most visually stimulating stand on the expo floor at PLASA London 2024.

In addition to devising the Fifth Dimension show, the creative team designed the stand layout and spaces for all the Robe group of companies and brands, who also attracted their own interest and audiences.

The Avolites booth was stage right in relation to Robe and also enjoyed huge energy with the launch of their D7 console. Avolites MD Paul Wong commented: “This year was probably the best show in recent years for Avolites!

“We presented a strong product line-up on our stand, especially with the new D7 console that showcased the depth, detail and flexibility of our commitment to visual (video and lighting) control. Of course, it was a great opportunity to catch up with all our loyal supporters and meet lots of new ones. We were delighted to see such a very busy stand and be part of the Robe Family of Businesses, which is a testament to how much we’ve progressed in the last 12 months.”

“PLASA was a really positive experience,” said LSC’s founder and managing director, Gary Pritchard. “Being in two high-profile locations allowed us to get the full benefit of the show’s top quality visitor base. The level of interest in our products and the awareness of their advantages, was very satisfying.”

The UNITY range of power distribution and dimming systems was hugely successful and is an increasingly major consideration for consultants and specifiers of which many visited LSC throughout the show days.

Also shown was LSC’s new NEXEN range of Ethernet/DMX converters, offering reliable conversion of the entertainment industry’s most-used protocols, including Art-Net, sACN, DMX512-A, RDM and ArtRDM.

Other highlights included the latest major software update to the Mantra lite control software: Mantra V4 sees the addition of colour mixing options for seven plus colour LED systems and full support for multi-intensity fixtures among other new features for this powerful entry-level lighting control console.

Being part of the Robe family increased the level of interest in the LSC product range both from their own customer base and worldwide dealer / distribution network. “It has opened the door to many new opportunities internationally, and all at LSC are very excited to be part of this new and fast-paced adventure,” concluded Gary.

Robe’s architectural and architainment specialist brand Anolis showcased its new Agame colour changing ‘window reveal’ light together with a selection of fixtures from the Ambiane, Eminere and Calumma families.

Anolis’s Ashley Popple noted that they saw a variety of quality customers. “The show has been great. It’s always good when the Robe team gets together. We have seen many friends and made lots of new ones. Hits for us at the show have been the new inground Lyrae fixtures with NFC tilt control and our Agame niche light.”

Artistic Licence’s product application specialist Tim Smith had a great PLASA. “It’s been fantastic to meet customers and industry colleagues new and old, as well as connect them to the other brands in the Robe family,” he stated.

“We had a great time discussing how best to apply and specify the Artistic Licence products as well as unpacking some of their more innovative features and capabilities. Of particular interest to visitors this year, the sunDial and candlePower LED dimmers with their customisable dimming curves, in addition to our artLynx gateways and DMX wall controllers for whole venue or auditorium control.”

Rounding off a PLASA expo with an Innovation Award is always a high!

Robe product specialist Dave Whitehouse collected this at a special ceremony on the second day of the show.

He also echoed others in saying that PLASA 2024 was “even more special this year with the entire Robe Group around our stand.”

His show highlights included the launch of the classically shaped SVOPATT, the highly versatile SVB1 WashBeam, and the compact PAINTE Fresnel which is packed with advanced beam control features that lighting designers love.

Dave shared everyone’s enthusiasm – including the Innovation Awards judges – for Robe’s iBOLT. “It is fantastic to see this outstanding product celebrated not only for its cutting-edge effects package but also for its industry-leading safety features. Winning the Award is a remarkable achievement for the entire Robe team,” he concluded.

photos: Marko Polasek and Paula Duck

17th September 2024

Avolites new Diamond 7 console and Prism One media software get UK debut at PLASA London 2024.

UK - Avolites Ltd (a Robe business) chose this year’s PLASA show to debut its new Diamond 7 (D7) console in the UK, the newest addition to the Avolites Diamond collection.

The two variants, the D7-330 and D7-215 received lots of attention across the show days from students and industry professionals; not surprising as it is the only console on the market to offer high-end performance that can travel anywhere you go!

Also making its debut at the PLASA show was Prism One, the latest version of Avolites’ Prism media software (soon to be released) designed principally for lighting designers.

Key new features include an added preview window, crossfade on a layer, hardware decode acceleration for H.264/H.265, control over multiple banks and layers, live input and NDI input, as well as virtual return and region of interest on outputs.

All of these were demonstrated to an enthusiastic audience who were surprised at the ease of use of the Prism software, much like Titan, Avo’s long-standing lighting control software.

Other Avolites hardware highlighted on the stand included flagship lighting control console, the Diamond 9, with both variants D9-330 and D9-215, along with the T3 and T3-W, Avo’s smallest-footprint professional lighting control product.

The Tiger Touch II and Quartz consoles from the Essential Collection were once again popular with stand visitors and constantly in use. All the Avo console stations complemented the company’s powerful ‘Production Grade’ Q3 media server, demonstrating the Synergy feature set (which unites lighting and video control, offering creative programmers a streamlined workflow for all visual elements on stage).

The eight-seater theatre-style Titan software training area was also new at PLASA.

Visitors could listen to a 30-minute session throughout the day covering Titan Basics, Effects Engines and Synergy or Advanced Programming. All the sessions were at or near capacity, with peak times heavily oversubscribed and this popular addition to the stand is likely to become a regular feature going forward.

Paul Wong, Avolites’ managing director, said: “We presented a strengthened product line-up with the inclusion of the D7 which showcased the depth of our video and lighting control portfolio, and the show was a great opportunity to catch up with our loyal supporters. This year was probably the best PLASA in recent years for Avolites. We were delighted to see a busy stand across all the show days, which is a testament to how much we’ve progressed in the past 12 months.”

photos: Steve Bright

17th September 2024

LSC Control Systems displays powerful line-up at PLASA 2024

UK – Award-winning Australian manufacturer, LSC Control Systems, enjoyed a successful PLASA Show in London this year. The company showed its renowned solutions alongside its UK distributor, A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) and also on the stand of its new owner (and headline PLASA Show sponsor) Robe lighting s.r.o.

“PLASA this year was a really positive experience,” said LSC’s founder and managing director, Gary Pritchard. “Being in two such high-profile locations allowed us to get the full benefit of the show’s top quality visitor base. The level of interest in our products and the awareness of their advantages, was very satisfying.”

As a leading specialist in data distribution, power and lighting control, LSC’s increasingly popular solutions offer advanced protections and monitoring capabilities, giving the benefits of safety, reliability and peace of mind to busy teams working in venues and on productions around the world.

Central to its extended presence at PLASA this year was its hugely successful UNITY range of power distribution and dimming systems, increasingly a major consideration for consultants and specifiers worldwide. Recent UNITY projects include Disney cruise ships and prominent theatres, both internationally – including Hanoi’s Ho Guom Opera House and at home in Australia – including the Western Australia Academy for Performing Arts (WAAPA) and the Geelong Arts Centre in Victoria.

Also displayed were LSC’s latest product additions including the GEN-X, an enhanced version of the popular GEN-VI (pronounced ‘GEN6’) dimming and power distribution system, which introduces an Ethernet input alongside the DMX, allowing for direct control via sACN and Art-Net.

Another development, the APS-X brings Ethernet functionality to the inputs of the APS (Advanced Power System). Designed as an elegant solution to the challenges of powering large numbers of LED screen panels, audio amplifiers or moving lights, the APS sequentially switches the outputs and controls inrush currents, earth leakages and overloads.

Other highlights included the latest major software update to the Mantra lite control software: Mantra V4 sees the addition of colour mixing options for 7 plus colour LED systems and full support for multi-intensity fixtures among a number of new features for this incredibly powerful entry-level lighting control console.

In picture: Richie Mickan (product manager), Gary Pritchard (founder and managing director) and Pete Floyd (international sales manager).

16th September 2024

Fourier Audio Wins 2024 PLASA Innovation Award

UK – Fourier Audio has announced that it has been honoured with the prestigious 2024 PLASA Award for Innovation for its transform.engine. Launched earlier this year, the transform.engine has made a significant impact in the industry, propelling Fourier Audio to the forefront of innovation.

The 2024 PLASA Innovation Awards saw a record-breaking 44 products vying for recognition, with only eight being selected by the esteemed panel of judges. The judges commended the Fourier Audio transform.engine for being “an elegant solution for the integration of studio technologies in live events with reliability and functionality at its core.”

During the recent three-day PLASA Show London, the winners were revealed, and Fourier Audio’s co-founders, Pete Bridgman, Henry Harrod and Gareth Owen, proudly accepted the award on behalf of the company. Speaking about the achievement, Gareth Owen expressed his gratitude, saying: “We’re honoured to receive a PLASA Innovation Award for the transform.engine. We’ve been blown away by the response from the industry, and it’s wonderful that the hard work and talent of the Fourier R&D team has been recognised in this way.”

Housed in a 2U touring-grade chassis with dual redundant power supplies, the transform.engine is a Dante-connected server designed to run VST3-native software plug-ins in a live environment, bringing premium studio software to live sound and broadcast applications. The device gives engineers and creatives access to the very best studio-grade processing on a robust platform that is specifically designed for the rigors and complexities of live productions.

For paramount reliability, Fourier Audio’s patent-pending audio software engine provides a robust sandbox with plug-ins ring-fenced from each other. Should a plug-in crash, the rest of the system will not only be unaffected, but the transform.engine will immediately restart that plug-in, quickly restoring the original integrity of the mix.

The Fourier Audio device is fully capable of operating in conjunction with virtually any professional digital console on the market via Dante, using the Windows/macOS application to control the engine. The transform.engine can also process audio standalone with no computer required. Controlled remotely by a Windows/macOS application, with plug-in user interfaces ‘teleported’ and controlled in ultra-low-latency over the network, the product has been tuned to deliver the lowest-latency solution on the market for hosting VST3 plugins, while preserving the reliability and performance of the server.

In picture: Adam Blaxill chair of PLASA, Fourier Audio’s Pete Bridgman, Gareth Owen and Henry Harrod, and Peter Heath, PLASA managing director.

16th September 2024

GLP ‘vintage picturehouse’ concept the perfect foil for JDC2 IP’s PLASA showcase

UK – In temporarily converting German Light Products’ ‘GLP’ acronym to ‘German Light Picturehouse’ for the duration of this month’s three-day PLASA Show in London, GLP UK’s Simon Barrett attributes the event’s success to a massive team effort, both from in-house and with the outsourced contractors.

Notably, he credits Kerry Tymms, who had come up with the idea of a vintage cinema – even down to authentic ticket stubs – as the backdrop to showcase the new innovative JDC2 IP hybrid as it sets out on its journey. This was in recognition of the massive upgrade path the fixture has taken from its predecessor, the JDC1, which provided the bedrock for the JDC concept.

In again occupying their prime stand location directly inside the main entrance hall, it was very much a case of mission accomplished. “Since coming out of the pandemic, this year’s show has been the busiest, and most diverse year from a visitor perspective,” says Barrett. “We have seen more international people than normal, which wasn’t the case a few years ago, and more lighting designers than we would normally expect to see.

He was determined that the sole focus would be on the JDC2 IP. “It was the fixture’s first big outing and we wanted to show it as being a powerful and innovative fixture,” he says. “I think often in a trade show scenario, lighting products can get lost on a plinth so we wanted to put JDC2 in a real-world environment and make it look interesting.

“In particular, we wanted to show it could be a replacement for the JDC1. Lighting teams will use it as a DMX-controlled fixture and then every so often during an event the core content can flow out over it from the video team and it’s that versatility that we wanted to demonstrate.”

To develop Tymms’ idea, GLP brought in a content creator and a graphics specialist and used the resulting cinema tickets as invitations, sent out to customers in advance. This was handled by content and graphics specialists Sophie Pierce, of Brightwell Creative and Alex Harvey-Brown, of Savannah Media. They then turned to Quantum Creative’s Joe Lott and Andrew Bruce. “Joe was the programmer for the video; he took the content and skilfully blended the JDC2s into the lighting desk,” says Barrett. “We also used project manager Josh Palmer to install everything this year, which made a lot of sense.”

The three-minute movie ran continuously, every 15 minutes. It set out the timeline of the company over its 30-year evolution, starting with founder Udo Künzler in the early days, before picking out key moments along the way, culminating in the JDC2 IP.

This highly sophisticated presentation was appreciated by some notably high-profile LDs. “The work that went in to make it happen was considerable and I’m blessed to have such a wonderful team to come up with such interesting ideas,” Barrett comments. From the UK, this comprised Kerry Tymms, Paul Fielder, Nigel Bennett, Mandy Tyrrell, Greg Westwood, Matthew Powell and Simon himself, as well as Kasper Gissel from GLP HQ. The latter was joined by Manuel Paulus, who brought over from Germany GLP’s ‘next big thing’ for a special behind-closed-doors VIP preview event set-up at nearby Riverside Studios. “It was extremely well received and guests were genuinely excited,” notes Barrett.

Reflecting generally on the show, he says he is confident that the company had achieved what it had set out to do. “The concert production community is now a lot more aware of the many capabilities and nuances of the JDC2 IP than previously,” he concludes, “and we know it’s already starting to appear on riders.”

www.glp.de

16th September 2024

Luci Della Ribalta Shines at 2024 PLASA Show: A Bright Start to the Trade Fair Season

UK – In London, where the weather is still pleasantly summery, the 2024 edition of the PLASA Show has just wrapped up. This trade fair, with a prestigious history, has been on the road to recovery over the past two or three years after some challenging times.

Luci Della Ribalta was once again present, continuing its commitment to trade shows and events, with the goal of staying close to a well-informed and discerning audience.

Thanks to distributors Gobo Plus and Prolight, to whom LDI extends its sincerest thanks, the company had the opportunity to meet many people and experience a vibrant edition that left it with a strong sense of positivity.

“The atmosphere was incredibly positive and during our time at the show, we connected with many industry players, building a solid network that we will, as always, work to develop in the coming months,” said Lisa Papi, managing director of LDR.

The PLASA Show, which has always been closely tied to the world of pure entertainment, musicals and theatre, consistently attracts professionals who are both curious and demanding when it comes to products and technologies. That’s why LDI chose to showcase some of its most acclaimed products, focusing particularly on the renowned Astro followspot range, a type of product that very few companies in the world handle and master as LDR.

“There was genuine interest in the products from visitors, who came to our stands with clear ideas and questions,” Lisa noted. “This interest has encouraged our distributors to continue their efforts in presenting and demonstrating our products, and several demo days dedicated to the UK market are already planned for the coming weeks,” she concluded.

The September PLASA Show traditionally marks the beginning of the trade fair season and LDR will continue to lead the way! Upcoming events include LDI in Las Vegas, followed by ISE in Barcelona – now an unmissable event – a stop-over in Frankfurt for the PLS before returning to Italy for MIR in Rimini.

16th September 2024

Highlite showcases new products at PLASA Show 2024

UK - At the PLASA Show 2024, held at Olympia London 1-3 September, Highlite showcased a wide range of products from several of its brands including Infinity, Showtec and DAP. The range included some of its most popular products as well as some impressive new products that are sure to be a great success.

New additions to the Infinity Raccoon range included the Raccoon S420/4 strobe with over 70,000 lumens strobe power, Raccoon W40/4 wash with over 41,000 lumens RGBW wash light, Raccoon P7/7 high-end par with 7 RGBCALDB LEDs, Raccoon Junior P4/7 high-end PAR with four RGBCALDB LEDs and Raccoon Junior P7/4 high-end PAR with seven RGBM LEDs.

Showtec's new products included the Titan Strobe FLEX FX and the Octostrip FLEX Set - 1m. The Showtec Titan Strobe FLEX FX is a set of eight high-power LED strobes and a dedicated controller, each pod containing a powerful 100W cold white COB strobe LED and a ring of 12 individually controllable 2W RGBW LEDs. The Octostrip FLEX Set is an IP65 rated set of eight RGBW LED strips with a dedicated controller, each strip has eight controllable LED sections and a maximum power of 27W.

DAP showed the new Frigga column PA with the new TA touring amplifiers and SI installation amplifiers.

Other highlights included outstanding models such as the updated Showtec LAMPY 40 V2 with LAMPY Re-Load 4, Phantom 12R Hybrid, Shark – The Meg – Beam One, Shark Wash Zoom Two, Infinity iFX-640 and B401 Beam, DAP NRG PA speakers and several practical accessories from Showgear.

6th September 2024

CVP Belgium to present Kit Fest

Belgium – CVP, one of Europe’s leading resellers and providers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has announced that Kit Fest Belgium will take place on Thursday, 26th September, from 11:00 to 18:00 at the CVP Belgium Showroom in Vilvoorde.

Originally conceived in 2019, the CVP Kit Fest is an exciting event designed to showcase the latest product solutions away from the hustle and bustle of a tradeshow environment.

This event brings the latest products from Canon, Blackmagic, Sony, Atomos and Cooke, fully rigged and ready to test in the company of technical and creative experts. It provides an opportunity for visitors to get hands-on with the latest launches from 2024 and network with other members of the industry.

Some of the highlights that visitors will be able to see include:

Blackmagic PYXIS and URSA Cine 12K
Canon EOS C400
Atomos Shinobi II
Sony Z200
DJI Neo

CVP experts will also be available throughout the day to discuss:

USED Marketplace: The destination for buying and selling pre-loved equipment. Find out more at: https://cvp.com/department/used-and-showroom
Finance: Various financing plans to fit your budget and personal requirements.
Special Projects: Specialists in virtual production, education, esports and more, can help you move your projects forward.
Fast Shipping: stock a vast range of equipment, ready for next-day delivery across most of Europe. Our logistics team ensure that the gear you need arrives precisely when and where you need it.

6th September 2024

Stage Electrics Takes its Showcase on Tour: Brighton Event Announced

UK – Following a resounding success and sell-out event in Bristol earlier this year, Stage Electrics has announced that its highly anticipated Showcase is hitting the road. The first destination is Brighton, promising an exceptional opportunity for people interested in entertainment technology to connect, explore and experience the newest products from their favourite brands.

On confirming the next Showcase location, Dave Coull, Group CEO, said: "We are excited to bring the Stage Electrics Showcase to Brighton. This is a chance to connect with our valued customers and demonstrate many of the market-leading products and services we provide. But the Showcase isn't just about the latest technology; it's about building relationships, sharing knowledge and helping our clients find the right solutions for their performance spaces and venues. Showcasing the innovation and expertise that define Stage Electrics, we look forward to seeing you in Brighton this October."

The Stage Electrics Showcase in Brighton will feature an impressive line-up of leading brands, such as Chauvet, ETC, Aryton, Robe, Prolyte, Admiral Staging and many others, offering attendees a unique chance to engage with the latest products and innovations in the industry. Whether you're looking to expand your network, discover new equipment, or seek expert advice, this event is tailored to meet all your needs.

The event will take place in the Brighton Centre on the 22nd October. Free tickets are already available online.

Secure your ticket now and be part of this exciting event. For more information visit Eventbrite.

5th September 2024

Vari-Lite VL2600 SE Series wins exclusive PLASA Sustainability Award

UK – Vari-Lite, the originators of the modern moving head light fixture and Signify entertainment lighting brand, has announced that the VL2600 SE Series has received the PLASA Award for Innovation in Sustainability at the recent PLASA Show London 2024.

The award is a special category in the PLASA Awards for Innovation, a respected industry award celebrating future-focused technology that improves safety, efficiency and performance through new methods and materials. Product entries were judged by a team comprising 13 independent technical specialists from an array of backgrounds. The Sustainability Award is only awarded at the judges’ discretion and it has only been awarded three times in the last ten years.

“This award from PLASA is a great honour, and it exemplifies why the VL2600 SE Series is the smart choice product with a sustainable future,” says Martin Palmer, Vari-Lite marketing and product management leader at Signify. “The VL2600 SE Series offers significantly increased output to new and existing fixtures. It’s possible to rent a VL2600 luminaire on every continent on the globe and this new SE Series increases sustainability by extending the life of these highly specified light fixtures with notably higher output and the same outstanding features. It was exciting to have the judges validate the impact of this approach.”

To be eligible for the Sustainability Award, product entries were required to show a significant reduction in the environmental impact of the product life cycle. According to PLASA’s article in Lighting and Sound International: “The judges found that the upcycling commitment and longer product lifecycles enabled by [the Vari-Lite VL2600 SE Series] sets the benchmark for other manufacturers to follow.”

“Sustainability is core to our DNA at Vari-Lite,” adds Sameer Sodhi, Vari-Lite business leader at Signify. “Signify is a world leader in sustainability, and so it is never our intention just to release a plethora of new products superseding or making irrelevant our current portfolio. That’s why the new VL2600 light engine leverages advancements in LED technology to increase the output of the current family of fixtures, reducing cost and impact on the environment.”

5th September 2024

Martin Audio US announces next Open Day

USA – Martin Audio US has announced its next Open Day. This will take place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on 30 September, with separate presentations at both 11am and 2pm.

Hosted by VP sales, Lee Stein, the event will showcase highlights from Martin Audio’s current portfolio, with audio demonstrations and presentations by vertical market specialists, Brad Berridge and Brad Stephens.

Beginning with their latest range of passive coaxial point source speakers, FlexPoint and the powered counterpart CDD-LIVE, they will then progress through to the specialist three-way 15” speaker of THS, onto the constant curvature series, TORUS and finish with a complement of Wavefront Precision optimised line arrays, all supported by performance subwoofers including cardioid SXC115 and SXC118, as well as SXH218, capable of 148dB peak. In addition, they will have XE stage wedges on parade.

The entire Martin Audio US team will be on hand to answer any questions, and refreshments and snacks will be provided throughout.

The move to Nashville for this latest event had been a strategic one, said Stein. “We are proud to say we have our strongest ever line-up of products and we want to showcase them to production companies – corporate, national and regional – as well as integrators, churches and the local education markets,” he said. “There is a high concentration of all the above in Nashville. It’s important for us to demonstrate how Martin Audio can solve both every day and unique challenges that they are faced with.”

For registration: https://martin-audio.com/events/us_sept2024openday

5th September 2024

Educational film shines spotlight on numerous job opportunities for young people in ‘Live Events’ industry

UK – A national campaign is being launched to educate young people about the vast range of exciting career opportunities available in the ‘Live Events’ sector.

The campaign is being co-ordinated by leading events technology provider Adlib in partnership with key industry organisations such as PLASA (The Professional Lighting and Sound Association trade body), The Power of Events (UK), Production Futures and LIVE (Live Music Industry Venues & Entertainment), a federation of live music associations.

Adlib has produced a 20-minute film which highlights the myriad of different jobs within a dynamic industry that is currently estimated to be worth over £70b to the UK economy.

Andy Dockerty, Adlib’s founder and director, says: “The events industry is one of the largest sectors in the UK with many of its specialisms developing rapidly. Most elements of the delivery of live events are unknown outside of the events industry and consequently not made available as an option to young people. As an industry we need to be directly engaging with schools, colleges, universities, local authorities and government to enable us to get the message out there about the fantastic opportunities and careers in the live events industry which isn’t just about the performers.”

The film specifically captures what goes into the staging of a major live music event and focuses on all the various specialisms that are needed to deliver a successful project from the initial communication to the finished delivery.

Andy, who is also vice-chair of PLASA and a member of the Liverpool City Region Music Board, adds: “On completing the film, we were delighted that industry-established organisations were keen to work together to collectively ensure school children from 12 upwards have a far greater awareness of the live events industry.”

Leading showcase organisation The Power of Events were keen to collaborate with Adlib to distribute and support the film as part of their recently launched UK-wide school’s engagement programme. Founder Rick Stainton comments: “This brilliant video will add an additional invaluable layer of engagement and education to young people in our nationwide programme to encourage them to consider the UK Events Industry as a viable career; the insight into the huge range of jobs roles on offer will match their broad variety of backgrounds and interests.”

Sophie Beasor, head of operations and engagement, added: “The Power of Events is thrilled to lend its unique cross-seven sector reach to The Making of Live Events campaign. The video and related content will help reaffirm the industry’s commitment to inspiring the next generation of event professionals across the UK as part of The Power of Events’ Schools Engagement Programme.”

Production Futures an established leader in linking education to industry will utilise Adlib’s film as part of their initiative to inspire young people into careers behind the scenes of stage and screen. CEO Hannah Eakins said: “Production Futures is excited to collaborate with Adlib, LIVE, PLASA and The Power of Events on this important mission to highlight all hidden job roles across the production industry. We can’t wait to share the video with our diverse community of young people, parents, teachers, tutors, career advisors and production newcomers.”

Jon Collins, CEO of LIVE, says his organisation will help to ensure, through its communication and lobbying infra-structure, that the film and the industry will be represented at government levels. He said: “Live music brings joy to millions and is economically significant. Delivering gigs, festivals and tours needs a dedicated, expert team supporting the talent on stage. Raising awareness of the range of roles available and the routes into those roles, can only strengthen our sector. Congratulations to Adlib for leading on this excellent initiative that will help foster the next generation of off-stage talent.”

Meanwhile Andy Dockerty says PLASA will liaise directly with the industry to develop work experience opportunities with sector members. Dockerty said: “This industry collaboration is a huge commitment from the sector to inspire young people and to make them aware of the vast opportunities available to them across this incredible industry.”

Adlib’s film (http://liveevents.careers/) was launched at PLASA’s Live Entertainment Tech Show in London 1-3 September and will then be showcased at events around the UK over the next 12 months.

5th September 2024

Follow-Me launches Track-iT Weatherproof Anchor at PLASA Show 2024

UK – Follow-Me BV, the leading Dutch manufacturer of 3D performer tracking solutions for the AV and entertainment industries, has announced the launch of its Track-iT Weatherproof Anchor. This brand-new product will be showcased by Entedi, Follow-Me’s UK sales partner, on stand G33 at the PLASA Show, Olympia London, 1-3 September.

The Follow-Me Track-iT Weatherproof Anchor is designed to integrate seamlessly with Follow-Me Track-iT systems, using ultra-wideband technology, multiple anchors are strategically positioned to pinpoint tags placed on the performer, building on scaleability and improving tracking capabilities in outdoor environments.

Its IP65 rating ensures the Track-iT Weatherproof Anchor can withstand anything from dust and downpours, delivering consistent and reliable results whatever the weather. Built to perform reliably in a variety of conditions, the units meet rigorous safety and performance standards, FCC certified for use in the United States and CE marked for use in the European Union and United Kingdom.

For followspot tracking, Follow-Me products can control a whole variety of lighting equipment, including moving heads and conventional fixtures with its well-received proximity feature, enabling these fixtures to light up based on the position of the performer on stage.

Follow-Me technology includes 3D stage mapping and camera calibration, so the system can easily recognise changes in height and objects to avoid, identified in the stage area. Whether for a small outdoor stage or a large venue, the system is flexible and scalable to meet the unique needs of any event.

Visitors to PLASA are invited to stop by the Entedi stand to view the Follow-Me Track-iT Weatherproof Anchor. Discover how this innovative new product can enhance outdoor performances and installations with its reliable and precise tracking capabilities.

2nd September 2024

Claypaky New Products at PLASA 2024

UK - Tambora Rays is the perfect blend of volumetric effects and single pixel mapping for unparalleled performance: the 9x3 rows of high-power RGBWW LEDs will inspire your creativity. With pixel-to-pixel control, a total of 27 single LEDs can be managed for enormous creative potential and stunning lighting effects.

This compact and lightweight powerhouse can be used in grids, as a stage or screen border, arranged in vertical or horizontal arrays, or as columns or flying bars thanks to the mechanical accessories.

But there is even more: Tambora Rays, Tambora Flash and Tambora Stormy share the same design and body structure. This means that you can let your creativity run wild and combine the three for stunning visual and graphical effects.

Following the success of the Tambora range, Claypaky has now further expanded it with the introduction of Tambora Stormy. This advanced pixel-mappable strobe light is designed for powerful and versatile applications. With mechanical accessories, you can combine it with Tambora Flash and Tambora Rays for new creative possibilities in both horizontal and vertical configurations. Its efficiency, compact size and easy rigging make the Tambora Stormy a must-have for various set-ups.

The Tambora Stormy is packed with high-performance SMD RGBW LEDs for powerful, seamless wide-angle projections, fast feedback and rapid-firing strobe effects. With 27 individually controllable segments, you get dynamic colour effects and pixel-mapping combos for creative lighting designs. Each segment offers fast feedback, individual colour control and smooth dimming, letting you tailor your lighting to any scenario.

Let’s introduce Mini-B Sparky Aqua, a game-changer in the world of compact and lightweight mini moving-heads. This IP66-rated fixture is making waves with its rugged design and powerful performance, ideal for both indoor and outdoor environments where durability and effects are essential.

Built to withstand the elements, Mini-B Sparky Aqua doesn’t compromise on brightness or reliability. Its high-output RGBW SMD LEDs, arranged in ten individually controllable concentric circles, not only deliver intense colours, but also ensure even light distribution across a wide 120° flood and extreme strobe effects. Whether illuminating a stage during a concert, enhancing architectural or theatrical features, or creating dynamic light shows for TV broadcasts, this fixture excels in versatility and impact.

RHAPSODYA is a high power, low-noise multi-spectral LED-based fixture designed for a variety of applications, including theatre, TV production, touring and live events.
VOLERO CUBE is a brand new, multi-function, multi-effect moving head is a real ‘4-in-1 fusion fixture’ boasting four powerful 60W RGBW LEDs and plus-shaped cool white LED strips for strobe that can be pixel-to-pixel controlled allowing for blending different levels of effects and unleashing your creativity like never before.

MINI-B AQUA PX is a mix of flexibility, lightweight design and lightning-fast pan and tilt movements. Born out of a strong demand from lighting professionals for a mini-washlight that’s not only compact and agile but can also brave the elements and play with the lighting creativity. Mini-B Aqua PX inherits the core strengths of its predecessors, adding the pixel-to-pixel control of each LED.

HY B-EYE K15 AQUA is the newest addition to the IP66 Shield family. It guarantees true IP66 protection and has undergone rigorous testing to withstand transportation vibration, shock, extreme temperature fluctuations, hailstones impacts, electrical stress, harsh environments, UV exposure and more.
TAMBORA FLASH is a hybrid fixture that can act simultaneously as a strobe, wash and blinder, specifically designed with a modular approach for use in a linear array, to offer new creative opportunities to lighting designers.

SKYLOS emerges as an ultra-versatile and weather-resistant fixture boasting remarkable light output and exceptional construction features. Particularly valued in the touring sector, Skylos meets the demand for dense, solid beams of light and ever-increasing light output.

AROLLA AQUA represents Claypaky’s latest top-of-the-line weather-resistant light, a truly versatile workhorse IP66 fixture with technical and construction features previously unimaginable for this type of light.