Production News

Udo Rath of Qube Motion Balances Looks for CatBallou with Chauvet Professional Battens

Germany – There is beauty in balance. This guiding principle of art and design was very much on the minds of Udo Rath and the team at Qube Motion GmbH when they set out to light a two-day DVD recording show for the iconic Kölschpop band CatBallou at Cologne’s Lanxess Arena.

The concept for this show’s set was characterised by a powerful linear structure and though this was clearly a compelling look, Rath and his colleagues realized that it would have to be balanced by a contrasting design element. With this in mind, they added 60 Chauvet Professional PXL Curve 12 motorised battens to round out their stage.

“We wanted to bring something organic into the otherwise very linear set, without losing that linear structure,” explained Rath. “That is how we decided to go with the PXL Curve. Their arrangement allowed us to create a wide variety of looks. One that stood out was the wave look, it gave the impression of bending the light.”

Qube Motion, which has been designing CatBallou’s shows for eight years, created a colourful mix for this event that was done in conjunction with the band’s 25th anniversary. While there was a strong blue-magenta tone throughout much of the show, the overall design featured a vibrantly colourful mix to match the glowing nature of the band’s music.

In addition to balancing linear and curved forms, the Qube Motion team endowed their design with greater depth by changing levels of light and shadows. “We worked a lot with dynamics, tailored to each individual song,” explained Rath. “Some songs started with very minimal looks, just backlighting, and then grew into a big picture. Others came in strong and colourful right from the first beat. Our goal was to translate the emotions and feelings of the songs into light, giving the music a visual ‘outfit’.”

As part of this design vision, Rath also relied on silhouettes at different points in the show. “Beautiful silhouette effects were created thanks to the tight beam angle and pixel zoom of the battens,” he said. “We were able to create a curtain of light instead of total blackness, essentially forming a wall of light with the PXL Curves, behind which the artists were no longer visible.

“I think the PXL Curve really is a great fixture in general,” continued Rath. “It allows you to create entirely new looks. It has enough punch to deliver a proper beam even as a single unit. I also really appreciated the clever mounting system; the notches made it super easy for the techs to hang the fixtures so seamlessly that you couldn’t tell where one ended and the next began.”

The latter point was especially important in this project, given its short set up time. Rath and his team (head lighting technician Ingo Rath, white light operator, Fabian Schmidt, follow-me specialist Daniel Blum and Five Entertainment) had to work within a very tight schedule.

“There was no set up day for this single show,” said Rath. “We had only nine hours for the entire setup, so the design process had to focus not only on creativity but also on feasibility within that short timeframe.”

In the end, though, Rath and his team were more than up to the challenge. Working closely together, they created a design that was varied, compelling and, of course, beautifully balanced.

14th November 2025

GLP fixtures bring sparkling energy to DAS FEST 2025

Germany - For decades, DAS FEST in Karlsruhe has ranked among southern Germany’s largest open-air events, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each July to the city. The 2025 edition took place from 24 to 27 July and, despite variable weather, attracted more than 243,000 festival-goers. Including the pre-event, Das Fest am See, the total attendance climbed beyond 268,000. The line-up featured national and international acts including 01099, Amy Macdonald, Clueso, Faithless, Grossstadtgeflüster, Max Giesinger & Friends and Zoe Wees, all of whom kept the crowds in high spirits.

Crystal Sound has been involved with DAS FEST since its earliest days. “We’ve been looking after DAS FEST virtually since the beginning,” recalls Jonas Goldschmidt, event technology specialist at Crystal Sound. “Today, we are responsible for audio, lighting, rigging and backline on the main stage. We also handle the DJ stage and continue to support the Fest am See, which takes place a week earlier, showcases regional bands and preserves the festival’s original spirit.”

This year, Crystal Sound deployed GLP 32 JDC Burst 1, 32 Matrix Eye 4 and impression X5 units on the main stage, with a further 12 Matrix Eye 2 fixtures on the Lake stage. For Goldschmidt, investing in the JDC Burst 1 and the new Matrix Eye LED blinder range was an obvious move.

“One key factor for us is the IP rating. We service many open-air festivals throughout the year, where rain is always a possibility. With those GLP fixtures we don’t have to worry about water damage,” he explains. “Equally important was the ratio of output to weight and power consumption and in this regard, the new Matrix Eye series really won us over.”

In day-to-day use at DAS FEST, the fixtures proved just as impressive. “We often used our JDC Burst 1 units as strobes, but thanks to their RGBW plates, they also deliver a powerful eye-candy effect,” Goldschmidt continues. “They framed the LED wall perfectly and gave the stage a clean visual contour. The same applied to the Matrix Eye LED blinders, which allowed us to channel emotion and colour directly into the audience.”

The impression X5 also turned out to be a versatile tool: “It works brilliantly as side lighting, cutting through with its strong, colour-accurate LEDs. With its wide zoom range, it’s simply a wash light that every operator enjoys using.”

Goldschmidt adds that all GLP fixtures are highly versatile yet straightforward to operate, with a clearly structured menu system that simplifies everyday handling. He also praises the communication with GLP as professional, uncomplicated and always on an equal footing. The iQ.Mesh system, he notes, has been a particular asset, enabling maintenance even in hard-to-reach positions: “That’s a real advantage during live operations.”

With decades of festival experience, a well-rehearsed crew and modern GLP lighting technology, Crystal Sound delivered striking visual moments across the stages of DAS FEST 2025, ensuring that Karlsruhe’s intergenerational festival once again became a memorable experience for its audiences.

www.glp.de

14th November 2025

Gable Larramore Goes Yacht Rock Black Jacket Symphony with Chauvet Professional

USA – The historic Soldiers and Sailors auditorium lies just over 300 miles from the nearest body of salt water. But still, fans who packed the historic downtown landmark this fall couldn’t help but feel a sea breeze blowing through their hair when the Black Jacket Symphony’s “The Era of Yacht Rock Tour” stopped in Chattanooga.

The laid-back catchy music of this popular band (the kind they’ve been playing for over 20 years) set the good-time mood. Helping that vibe flow even more happily was the evocative lighting by their LD, Gable Larramore who artfully used the Chauvet Professional Rogue and COLORado fixtures in his rig to create a summer-by-the-sea look on stage.

“This being the ‘Yacht Rock’ tour, I made a ton of gradient sunset and water-coloured scenes to sell the vibe 100 percent,” said Larramore. “The main goal was to accent the music tastefully, while still being engaging and exciting. At the same time, I wanted to ensure that every one of the 14 band members was lit properly.”

Helping Larramore conjure up the captivating colours in his show, including his immersive monochromatic panoramas, were his rig’s 24 COLORado Batten Q15 fixtures which, like the rest of the lights, are owned by the band.

“Putting them in 64 channel mode really allowed me to use more resolution in my colour mixing,” Larramore said of the RGBW battens with individually controllable LEDs. “We initially had 12 units, to accent our giant riser set-up. They were all placed on the rear of the risers, which spanned most of the stage and pointed through and over band members. We ended up getting a venetian drape after the first couple of shows and another 12 COLORado units to uplight it. The drape really took the colour well, which had a lot to do with creating the transformative mood.”

Of course, like any day at sea, the production on this 18-city tour was continuously changing with one captivating look following another throughout the show. This variety has as much to do with the lights that Larramore didn’t use at any one time as it did with those he did.

“I was able to keep it fresh by being sparing with my bag of tricks and mostly avoiding having the entire rig on at once,” he explained. “The idea that ‘less is more,’ is something I keep in mind whenever I program.”

Key to creating the vibe Larramore was after was a generous helping of audience lighting. “I’m a sucker for slow flyouts,” he said. “Throwing a beam or two above peoples’ heads really adds depth to whole rig and it gets people involved in the show.”

Contributing to this audience lighting were the 15 high output Rogue R2X Wash fixtures in Larramore’s rig. However, with its five zones of LED control, the RGBW wash did much more than light the crowd.

Flown far upstage, the fixtures were often used as ‘hair light’ for the band. “When zoomed out, they provide a fantastic wash,” added Larramore. “They’re the brightest wash we have, so I also used them to make some fun graphic positions.”

This brightness, along with some vivid colours created a good time mood on stage, exactly the sort of feeling that runs deep in the waters of Yacht Rock!

photos: Rob Hereth

13th November 2025

KV2 Audio powers Adriatique’s electrifying performance in Jordan

Jordan – Iconic Swiss duo, Adriatique, recently made their debut appearance in Jordan as they performed an energetic DJ set at The Cliff. To ensure every electronic beat and techno rhythm resonated perfectly throughout the night, event production specialist Triad AV was tasked with providing a high-performance solution, resulting in a comprehensive KV2 Audio system that kept the music flowing flawlessly.

Jordan’s premier live event promoter, Overground, has collaborated with Triad AV for the past two years, building a successful partnership that has resulted in a series of spectacular events. International acts such as Black Coffee, Mrak, Ash, Artbat, Hugel, Argy, Shimza, Aaron Sevilla and Coco, among many others have made appearances in Jordan with the help of Overground and Triad AV. “We are the exclusive suppliers for Overground,” says Amjad Marar, general manager of Triad AV. “Adriatique is one of many artists we’ve worked with over the last two years and as usual, we deployed a KV2 Audio system to deliver the best live sound experience.”

Having developed events for artists of all sizes and genres for 25 years, Triad AV has chosen to work exclusively with KV2 Audio. “KV2 systems are far superior to any other audio systems out there; the power and reliability is unmatched,” Marar states. 

“We’re very familiar with The Cliff and KV2 systems, so we were well-prepared for any unexpected challenges,” he shares, reflecting on the team’s preparation for Adriatique’s show. “A combination of VHD1.0, VHD2.0 and VHD2.16 was used as the main stage hangs, with two additional VHD2.0 on the dance floor to maximise coverage across the venue.” Two ES1.0 and four ES2.6 loudspeakers were also utilised as side fills for peak SPL and dynamic range, ensuring a powerful and immersive electronic sound.   

“In the backstage area, we used the same loudspeaker setup, comprising two ES1.0 and four ES2.6 for depth and clarity, while two further ES1.0 and ES2.6 made up the DJ booth,” Marar explains. Across the venue, 12 VHD4.18 subwoofers were deployed for tightly controlled low frequency. 

“For an electronic act such as Adriatique, precision and clarity are essential,” reveals Marar. “This kind of music is all about accuracy and timing. That’s why we work with KV2, they always deliver ultra-precise, high-quality performance.” Prior to Overground’s collaboration with Triad AV, the event promoter worked with a range of vendors who supplied traditional line array solutions. “Now that we are using KV2 point source systems at all events, Overground can feel and hear a true difference.” 

The success of Adriatique’s debut in Jordan once again underscored the strength of the partnership between Overground and Triad AV while showcasing the exceptional quality of KV2 Audio systems. “Adriatique’s gig lived up to its expectations,” says Marar. “The sold-out performance was a spectacle of lights and music set against the stunning backdrop of Amman. I’ve heard so much positive feedback about the quality of the audio from those who attended; KV2 Audio always delivers the finest sound.” With KV2 Audio at the heart of their productions, Overground and Triad AV continue to elevate Jordan’s live event industry, delivering unrivalled sound quality that resonates with both artists and audiences long after the music fades. 

11th November 2025

Europe’s largest ever X-Line Advance system powers Sud de France Arena anniversary party

France – Tribal Sound deployed Europe’s largest ever X-Line Advance X2 system for the recent 15th anniversary celebrations at the Sud de France Arena in Montpellier. Designed using PREVIEW loudspeaker software and comprising 60 tops and 24 subs, the huge Electro-Voice system was powered by 19 Dante-networked Dynacord TGX series amplifiers and managed via SONICUE sound system software for a night of electronic music from an iconic all French line up.

Sud de France Arena is a cavernous space, with a seating capacity of around 14,000. To do justice to the all-electronic music line-up, the venue needed a powerful PA that could provide the musicality and energy to every corner of the space. To achieve this, the team at Tribal Sound knew that they would need to create the largest X2 system ever seen in Europe.

“We built the system by using EV’s PREVIEW software and saw that to cover the whole venue properly we would need to dry hire some more X2 and subs from another local rental company,” explains Julien Garcia, CEO of Tribal Sound. “When we flew the system and tested it, the results were exactly as PREVIEW had predicted and we had the power to cover every area without pushing things too hard.”

To achieve these results, the main system comprised hangs of 24 X2-212 per side with a further six per side used for outfills while six MFX-15 served as frontfills. low end was served up by eight sets of three X12-128 subs as an end fire array with cross over at 70Hz. MXF-15 multi-use coax wedges were again in use as DJ monitors with a pair of PX2181 subs completing the DJ booth set-up.

The team at the arena were keen to understand exactly what the Electro-Voice solution could achieve in their space, so put the X2 through its paces before the event. “To test the system before the show, they used a video of anniversary wishes from people,” recalls Garcia. “Even in the empty arena, there was extremely crisp and intelligible sound from the speakers.”

Another key factor was the small footprint the system would take up. “The arena team didn’t want the system to be visibly disturbing,” says Garcia. “The X2 is a small, discreet system with great sound quality. It provided the power of a big system but without taking up the space. The arena team were extremely impressed with the sound quality and coverage coming out of the small form factor of the X2.”

Dynacord electronics were the obvious choice to drive the system. Ten TGX10 amplifiers were used to power the tops while nine TGX20s drove the subs, frontfill and DJ booth. “For me, TGX is the best amplifier on the market,” states Garcia. “There is nothing that can break it and combined with SONICUE sound system software it gives me confidence that everything is working well. SONICUE really helps to simplify everything.”

The importance of the electronics was highlighted during the setup of the system. “We plugged everything in and the combination of the TGX amps and SONICUE software detected a fault in the cabling,” reveals Garcia. “We were able to solve that short circuit before any current was flowing to the speakers, so it was a protective measure that stopped us blowing any drivers.”

Reflecting on the overall experience, Garcia believes that the performance of the combined Electro-Voice and Dynacord sound system has opened more business opportunities for his company. “This was a public tender and we were under pressure to prove that we could deliver superior results with these brands for this kind of venue,” he explains. “We were confident that our solution would work and, in the end, the coverage was exactly what as we predicted. The event went extremely well and we had a lot of compliments from all sorts of people.”

11th November 2025

Furion FX402 Bar at Limitzz Outdoor

Belgium – Limitzz Outdoor 2025 delivered another unforgettable experience just across the border near Maastricht at the iconic ‘Onder de Brug’ location in Vroenhoven. At the heart of the mainstage design stood the Infinity Furion FX402 Bar, impressing crowds and artists alike with its powerful output and dynamic effects. Highlite International’s trusted brands played a key role in shaping the visual identity of this standout edition.

Organised by Pro Light Events, the lighting and technical production of Limitzz Outdoor was designed to surprise and immerse visitors in a fresh, high-impact atmosphere. “Even for returning guests, we aim to create a completely new experience every time,” says the lighting designer. “Lighting, video, FX and decor all come together to form a cohesive story and this year, the Infinity Furion FX402 Bar was our visual centrepiece.”

Despite initial doubts about its performance in daylight, the FX402 Bar quickly proved its worth. “Its 60W LED pods delivered impressive results, even under full sunlight,” the designer explains. “And once darkness fell, the fixture truly came into its own. The moving pods and powerful strobe/blinder pixels added depth and drama to the show, contributing to several goosebump moments.”

The mainstage lighting set-up featured a robust mix of Highlite gear, including:

• Infinity Furion FX402 Bar – the standout fixture of the event.
• Showtec Compact Par 18 Q4 and Compact Par 7 Tri – for vibrant colour washes.
• Showtec DB-1-4, Booster Pro and NET-8/3 – for reliable DMX and Art-Net signal distribution.
• DAP DMX and CAT cables, Showgear PSA-32A12M, PSA-125A4C, and Powersplit 32 – for power and connectivity.
• Showgear rain covers, half couplers, double door case and multiflex case 120 – for rigging and protection.
• DMT Pixelscreens – for seamless video integration.

 The location itself – ‘Onder de Brug’ in Vroenhoven – added a unique character to the event. “We always design with the environment in mind,” says the designer. “Every element: lighting, video, lasers, FX, decor worked together to create a cohesive experience. The lighting was the glue that held it all together, adding emotion and energy to every performance.”

The response from both visitors and international artists was overwhelmingly positive. “When artists from abroad compliment your lighting design, you know you’ve done something right,” the team reflects. “Our goal was to deliver a complete experience across all stages and we’re proud to say we achieved exactly that.”

Limitzz Outdoor 2025 once again proved that with the right tools and vision, any location can be transformed into a world-class stage.

10th November 2025

CTME Dazzles at E-Sports World Cup Opening Ceremony with Elation Lighting

Saudi Arabia – Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) again demonstrated its world-class technical expertise at the E-Sports World Cup (EWC) Opening Ceremony at ANB Arena in Riyadh, delivering an impactful visual experience with the support of nearly 600 Elation lighting fixtures.

EWC 2025 brought together over 2,500 players from around the world, competing for $70 million in total prize money. Headlined by rapper and singer Post Malone and EDM star Alesso, the star-studded opening event celebrated weeks of top-tier competitive gaming with a spectacular production that merged LED panels, projection and lighting into a cohesive, cinematic showcase.

The visual design, led by Emmy Award-winning designer Jon Kusner of 22 Degrees, featured a monumental set-up and included more than 1,500 lighting fixtures and 388 square metres of LED screen. Integrated across the stage floor and overhead triangular trusses, the LED system worked in conjunction with scenic projection deployed onto custom-fabricated triangular structures. The effect was one of rich depth and layered mountain peaks.

Partnering with Tait, MDLBeast, and an elite creative team from Possible Productions Visual Noise, 22 Degrees and Wieder Design Studios, CTME supplied LED screens, projection mapping, and lighting, supported by a cutting-edge infrastructure backbone for the large-scale production.

Andy Reardon, managing director of Creative Technology Middle East, commented: “Our significant investment in lighting technology over the past year has been pivotal in enabling us to deliver impeccable productions of this scale. We expanded our fleet with a substantial number of Elation fixtures. Their performance played a key role in shaping the immersive visual environment and elevating the audience experience throughout the event.”

The massive lighting rig included a powerful array of 200 Proteus Maximus, 182 Pulse Panel FX and 191 Pulse Bar L units. CTME’s head of lighting and power, Sam Connolly, praised the Elation gear in helping to achieve the show’s visual identity. “The Elation fixtures performed exceptionally well. They proved to be reliable, bright and versatile throughout rehearsals and showtime, contributing significantly to the visual impact and creative execution of the production.”

The high-power Proteus Maximus LED moving heads served as the main profiles, positioned between the series of triangular truss fingers and distributed around the venue. “This set-up gave us the flexibility to light any area or highlight specific moments as needed throughout the show,” Connolly explained.

The Pulse Panel FX units, integrated in line with LED battens, provided a high-powered strobe capability with continuous pan/spin and 180° tilt. Connolly shared that “The tilt and pan functionality of the Pulse Panels added dynamic movement and unique visual energy to the performance.”

The linear Pulse Bar L strobe and effect lights were positioned both behind the mountain and at the base as uplights, delivering striking eye-candy effects. “With their wide beam angle, they beautifully illuminated the mountain from below, creating dramatic silhouette moments and enhancing the show’s overall visual depth.”

Both the Pulse Panel FX and Pulse Bar L incorporate 1.5W RGB LEDs with 5W CW strobe LEDs across multiple customisable zones and feature the same effects engine and control capabilities as well.

“One of the main reasons we utilised the Elation PULSE family was for colour synchronisation,” Connolly shares. “This allowed the lighting design team to achieve perfectly matched colour tones across all Pulse fixtures, ensuring a cohesive and uniform look throughout the show.”

As a leader in AV technology, with offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, CTME has played a key role in the Middle East’s renown for producing stunning, large-scale events and spectaculars. This year’s E-Sports World Cup Opening Ceremony is yet another excellent example of CTME’s ability to bring world-class productions to life.

photos: courtesy Creative Technology Middle East

10th November 2025

Angus Cha weaves his magic with Ayrton fixtures for Cambridge European Theatre Group’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Europe – Cambridge University European Theatre Group has been touring Western Europe with the next generation of actors, directors, designers and technicians since 1957. Derek Jacobi and Trevor Nunn were amongst the inaugural company members that first toured Romeo & Juliet to the continent and the tradition of touring a Shakespeare production every December has been maintained ever since.

The European Theatre Group (CUETG) prides itself on its status as a self-sufficient student-run company that juxtaposes professional equipment with experimental sets. The latest Christmas tour, directed by Pauline Eller, took A Midsummer Night’s Dream to six European venues in just 14 days, with venues varying hugely in size from the compact auditorium of De Koelisse, Leuven to a full 350-seat Wilhelma Theatre in Stuttgart.

Lighting designer and programmer, Angus Cha and production electrician, Chris Wordsworth toured with six Ayrton Rivale Profiles and four Ayrton Zonda 3 Wash fixtures as their critical workhorse fixtures, rigged in the over-stage truss and on side ladders and complemented only by available fixtures at each venue for general cover.

“No day on tour is the same or predictable,” says Cha. “Some days have only one evening performance, but others require a load-in, programming and tech, two performances and a load out all in one day! Having reliable, powerful and flexible fixtures was therefore imperative to allow us to keep a consistent vision and look across the whole tour, especially with the range of unpredictable rigging positions, stage sizes and plotting time.”

With a central plot that revolves around a magical forest and an Athenian palace, and involves a medley of meetings between lovers and the interference of fairies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a show that gives lighting designers so much to work with, claims Cha as he explains why he chose Rivale and Zonda for the tour.

“Given the limitations that arise with a set that needs to be portable and easily rigged, we chose to use tall menacing clothed pillars as an imposing, powerful symbol of Theseus which simultaneously served as trees and barriers for the fairies and lovers to dance around and interact with. To enrich the visuals, we embedded small pixel fairy lights into the ‘trees’, allowing us to light up segments and run chases through them in reaction to the spells and dynamics that evolve throughout the play.

“We needed these custom-built practicals to be accentuated by powerful, punchy fixtures – which is where the Rivale Profiles came in – while the white canvas provided the perfect surface for layering gobos and animation.

“As a handful moments of particular tension required a combination of movement and texture, Rivale’s ability to remain visible and clear whilst layering colour, a gobo, prism and animation wheel were crucial to the design, and meant we could achieve the desired effect with only one or two fixtures. For moments when flowers were used to anoint the Lovers’ eyes, being able to use Rivale’s two gobo wheels and morph between them added that extra bit of detail that helped create a truly magical visual experience.

“Given the differing requirements at each venue, the Rivales would occasionally be used as face light, at which point the CTP/CTO flags and the great shuttering performance were genuinely amazing. I’m a huge fan of the Rivales and the amount they can achieve in their form factor is genuinely impressive.”

Cha was similarly positive about the performance of the Zonda 3 Wash fixtures: “The Zonda 3 Washes were surprisingly bright and we had no problem with flooding large stages with just a handful of them. They are also incredibly fast fixtures, which enabled some great snap pan/tilt cues (such as when Bottom transforms into a donkey) to be really reactive!”

To round off the tour, CUETG performed for a week at the ADC Theatre, its resident theatre in Cambridge. “This allowed us to finesse the design still further and enjoy some extended tech time combined with our two weeks of experience on tour,” concludes Cha.

“The Rivale Profiles and Zonda 3s proved perfect for a tour like this. Given the small size of our company, the weight and size of the fixtures and small details like the pop-out handles made working with them so much easier. This, along with their robustness and ease of rigging was very much appreciated.”

The Rivale Profile and Zonda 3 Wash fixtures were sponsored by Ayrton and its exclusive distributor for the UK, Ambersphere Solutions, working in close collaboration with CUETG’s production manager, Emma Chandler who was responsible for overseeing the logistics, load-ins and load outs at each venue.

photos: Evan Richards

7th November 2025

Steven Douglas Unfolds Narrative on Hozier Unreal Unearth Tour with Chauvet Professional

Ireland – If you give people light, they will find their own way, the great Dante declared. Having lived over 700 years ago, he obviously wasn’t referring to the kind of light put out by modern LED fixtures like the Chauvet Professional COLORado PXL Curve 12 that Steven Douglas used when working on Hozier’s global Unreal Unearth tour, but the Florentine poet-philosopher would have related to the deep underlying vision behind this show’s design.

How could he not … since this lighting design, like the album the tour supports, drew its inspiration from Dante’s timeless Divine Comedy. This connection is evident in the continuously changing levels of sometimes haunting and always evocative looks that flow throughout the multi-award winning Irish star’s show.

“Everything came from the initial creative conversations with Andrew (Hozier) about the album,” said Douglas. “The album is heavily inspired by Dante’s Inferno, so in a loose fashion we tried to sculpt the show to have different moments;  also we progressed with a kind of arc that sees us go through different levels and return to the world at the end.

“Also, because the artist’s closing song is traditionally Work Song for most of his career, the show ends on an acapella vocal moment that slowly fades out,” continued Douglas. “It was important to mirror that, so the opening cue was a single narrow light that Andrew steps into from the darkness and then grows as the song begins.”

At different points throughout the show, Douglas conveys a Dantesque sense of moving through different levels of being by having images (often unsettling ones, moving quickly across his video wall). For example, for the song Nobody’s Soldier, he uses his rig’s automated screens, having them descend from the roof. Shaped like television screens, they display “frantic images” portending a growing wave of chaos.

For the song Francesca, always a “moment that the show descends through the levels of hell,” there is a fast-moving drop represented on the screens. Douglas uses an animation wheel effect shooting though the vanish screens to give the idea the video content was being projected rather than being from a LED wall.

“The choice of content was always very deliberate on this show,” noted Douglas. “Andrew was always heavily involved in that process along with me and Brian Kenny from our content creator Lightscape Visuals.

“We went with automated video screens on this year’s tour, because we wanted to be able to change the shape of the stage,” Douglas continued. “We also wanted to be able to hide the band for moments, but then also still allow them to be seen as it is quite important to see that everyone is playing live all the time, there’s no timecode or playback on the show.”

While the automated screens were new for the 2025 edition of the Unreal Unearth tour, the COLORado PXL Curves were carried over from last year’s run. “On previous tours, I had them on the side trusses,” Douglas said of the high output battens, which were supplied by Christie Lites (for North America) and Neg Earth (Europe). “However, with the change in angles on this tour and given that we would be playing at much bigger venues, including arenas, I wanted to beef up the look on the downstage edge, so I had two rows of PXLs surrounding the band.”

Douglas used 30 PXL Curve 12 units in his rig, 16 on the downstage edge and 14 on the upstage edge. “Initially, we went with the Curves for a song called Movement, which on album Cycle Two, had a huge cue of gobos out on the audience that always worked well, but I wanted a fresh iteration of that look. However, once we had the PXL fixtures, it quickly became apparent that the versatility of their individual tilt and the zoom features made them a lot more useful for the whole show and not just that one look.”

The RGBW PXL Curve 12s also helped Douglas set the mood for each song with colour. “I’ve always been a fan of strong dominant colours with accents interspersed among them,” said Douglas. ‘Most of the colour choices on this tour were linked to some reference or other with the music.”

Sometimes, this connection isn’t obvious. For example, when Hozier performs his haunting hit Unknown, with its lyrics describing a lake of fire, one would expect to see reds and other warm tones covering the set. But instead, Douglas artfully blankets the stage in icy cold blues and whites.

How to account for that? Simple, “the song is based on the 9th Circle of Hell, which Dante viewed as a frozen place because it was furthest from the sun,” explained Douglas. Viewing the set through the master’s eyes in such a manner, this gifted lighting designer created a show that truly lives up to the term “poetic.”

photos: Kate Cummings

7th November 2025

Coldplay Circles the Globe with DiGiCo Desks on Music of the Spheres World Tour

World-wide – Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour is a global concert trek without peer. Kicking off in San José, Costa Rica on 18 March, 2022 and taking a hiatus following a ten-date residency at London’s Wembley Stadium that concluded on 12 September, 2025, the 225-show-to-date tour has performed in 80 cities across 43 countries.

Supporting 2021’s Music of the Spheres and 2024’s Moon Music albums, the stadium run has been equally significant for its remarkable sustainability initiatives, reducing CO2 emissions by nearly 60% compared to the band’s previous outing. But the trek is far from over, it’s expected to pick back up in 2027 with another massive leg in what the band have teased as “138 more shows to go.”

If the tour’s longevity is impressive, it pales in comparison to the tenures of some of its key crew, including Dan Green, Coldplay’s FOH engineer and audio producer since 1998, and Tony Smith, head of audio system design and FOH technician, who has worked with Green for 23 of those years. Almost as remarkable, the lion’s share of that timespan has found the duo working with DiGiCo worksurfaces.

“I’ve been using DiGiCo since 2011, starting on the SD7, and have carried on ever since,” says Green, who eventually bumped up his worksurface to a Quantum7 with a new Quantum engine. “DiGiCo is just so versatile, it has so many ins and outs, and its matrixing is amazing. It’s just very versatile.”

In November 2024, when the tour headed to Australia, Green and Smith had the opportunity to switch the FOH mix over to a brand new Solotech-supplied DiGiCo Quantum852 and they jumped at the chance. “The Q8 has been amazing, it just offers so much more workflow flexibility,” Green enthuses. “It’s taken everything that was great about the Quantum7 and expanded upon that. The screens are amazing, obviously and it enables me to have more layers and a lot more workspace on the desk. The Q8 is clearly the best of the DiGiCo bunch, so far.”

Green notes that he particularly appreciates the Quantum852’s onboard processing. “The expanded Spice Rack has allowed me to free up some of my plug-in chains, which I was using on outboard processors and be more integrated into the console, which is really useful to have everything under my fingertips. The onboard filters are always the first thing that I go to for any channel that’s coming into the desk. I use them to do the immediate clean-up of the low end if it’s needed, or if the top end is needed to be cleaned up and the Q8’s filters work really well. I really like their sound. They’ve got a nice analogue feel to them.”

With the band performing on no less than three stages at each tour stop, a huge number of inputs are coming into the FOH console. “I think it’s around about 200 or so, plus another 32 channels of ambient microphones as we’re recording every show. The Q8 is amazing because, as far as I know, it’s the only desk on the market that would be able to handle that amount of inputs.”

Speaking of I/O, the Quantum852 has been invaluable for its ability to provide exceptional feeds for broadcasters. “Our recordings have far too many channels to be able to send out to a broadcast engineer; there’s no way they’d be able to accept those channels, let alone mix them in a live situation,” Green describes. “The Quantum8 has so many auxes that I’m able to create submixes of all of my individual elements and send out 48 channels of stems to the broadcasters so that they’ve got a head start. In fact, they can line up their faders at zero and that’s a good starting point. They can recreate my mix and then adjust it to be tailored for whatever they’re mixing for.”

“We're really proud of what we’ve achieved with the sonics of the Coldplay shows and we always get nice comments back about the shows. Wherever you are in the venue, it’s a great experience. And it’s also great because the social feeds and broadcasts sound brilliant because of our stem system. We’ve had an incredible response to our Glastonbury performance from the BBC, so we are really pleased with how everything is sounding.”

The tour’s commitment to “going green” is embraced by all departments, including audio. “Sustainability has been a big part of what we’re trying to achieve for the tour,” Green shares. “In the audio department, we’ve tried to downscale our racks, whereas before I had a lot of analogue hardware, lots of analogue preamps, lots of outboard effects. And I’m really happy that now we’ve managed to reduce our set-up down to the Quantum8 and basically one rack by the use of Fourier plug-ins and onboard effects and processing on the desk. It’s made a big difference.”

Green and Smith actually started out with the beta version of Fourier Audio’s transform.engine two and a half years ago, before it was officially launched and were able to road test it by slowly integrating it into their set-up. “Fourier was really interesting to me as I was able to host the VST3 plug-ins that I use a lot in the studio, and I wanted to have the opportunity to bring these into a live context,” says Green. “I was really excited to beta-test it. And as soon as we got the full working version – the official release – we put it into our system and it’s been fantastic. I’ve uploaded all of my effects onto the Fourier and have really enjoyed exploring VST3 plug-ins in a way that I wasn’t able to do before.”

“With mixing live audio, I’ve always enjoyed using plug-ins because it enables me to switch things out and try different things on an almost nightly basis, if I want,” he continues. “Hardware is amazing and I love it, but it’s quite restricting in the fact that once you’ve built a rack, you’re normally stuck with that rack for the duration of the tour or the whole campaign; in our case, that’s four years! So, it’s quite hard to change things in and out on an ad hoc basis when it’s all still working. With the transform.engine, having access to all of these VST3 plug-ins enables me to experiment with any idea that I may have. Anything that pops to mind, I can basically just give it a try, let alone also being able to stack processes, which in hardware is much harder. For instance, I may have a reverb that I want to follow by a compressor. If I want to try that, I’ve got the option to be able to do that.”

“The Fourier has been really rock-solid – no complaints there at all – and it’s been a joy to test it on DiGiCo products. I’m really excited about what they’ve got to offer in the future.”

For Smith, one of his main appreciations of the Quantum852 stems from a very practical standpoint when it comes to the potentially punishing environments of outdoor shows. “Everywhere seems to be hotter these days and in some places on the tour the temperature at front of house has reached 43 degrees [C], so that presents its share of challenges for the consoles, racks and everything else,” he says. “But clearly a lot of thought has been given to how air and heat flow through the Quantum8. It runs so much cooler, which is amazing, because there’s more processing power under the hood. Knowing that shows will stay up-and-running even in the hottest conditions, for me, that’s a huge relief.”

Under the stage, in monitor world, Chris ‘Woodsy’ Wood continues to ride the faders of his tried-and-trusted Quantum7, says Smith. “Though he was tempted to move over to the Q8 when we did, Chris is more than happy with the Q7, so why change if it’s not broken?” he notes. “And aside from a Bricasti M7, there’s no outboard being used on monitors. The Q7’s Nodals get utilised, as well as all the Spice Rack and onboard effects, it’s all onboard.”

Great gear is only as good as its support and the support from DiGiCo has reportedly been sterling. “DiGiCo have just been amazing to us,” says Green. “They’ve been so supportive and the team are always there to answer a text or help us with any emergency situation. And if we have any ideas on how to do things, or any strange requests, Dave and the team are always there to help us and answer our messages whenever we send them.”

Smith agrees: “From my point of view, not being the mixer, one of my favourite things about DiGiCo is their amazing support, which you always need,” he says. “When you’re halfway around the world, things do go wrong. But if you’ve got the right support, you know you can get through it. And in the past, DiGiCo have done that. They’ve pulled rabbits out of hats, which has been amazing.”

7th November 2025

Crossfade Design Uses Ayrton Kyalami to Give a Big, New Look to Lionel Richie’s Residency at The Wynn’s Encore Theater

USA – Lionel Richie just completed his latest residency at The Wynn’s Encore Theater where Crossfade Design created a dynamic screen surround for the stage with 48 ultra-compact, laser-source Ayrton Kyalami fixtures. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America.

The legendary singer-songwriter, a Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Award winner, plays several two-week runs annually in his Wynn residencies, a schedule which will continue in 2026.  Eric Wade, one of the partners and a senior designer with Crossfade Design, has had a two-decade relationship with Richie and served as the lighting designer for his Wynn 2025 residency partnering with Richie’s creative director Brian Burke to deliver the production.

For this year’s “Lionel Richie – King of Hearts” show, Wade redesigned the 40-foot LED videowall which acted as a backdrop for the singer. “We got rid of the overhead truss and with a U-shaped truss and floor package we surrounded the screen with Kyalami fixtures for a huge look, bigger than he had before,” Wade explains. The LED videowall played custom mixed media, IMAG and VFX content created by Burke.

Crossfade Design, with offices in Garland, Texas and New Albany, Indiana, has a large inventory of Ayrton fixtures, including Kyalami, NandoBeam S9s, Veloces and Mambas. “My standard design package for Lionel goes all out with Ayrton,” says Wade.

“Aaron Hubbard at ACT Entertainment showed me the Kyalami a while ago and they were exactly what we were looking for. We have 120 of them in a permanent installation for the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Rocket Arena. And we bought another 60 for our rental inventory this spring and have been keeping them busy, including using them on a circle truss for Janet Jackson. Their look is so intense and colouring outstanding with deeply saturated colours.”

One of Kyalami’s features that Wade particularly enjoys is that “the movement keeps within its enclosure so you can place the fixtures close together and they don’t run into each other. I had some the other day placed about half-an-inch apart and they worked just fine, that’s very cool!”

Wade likes “how well integrated Zactrack and Ayrton are: The Kyalami’s 360º pan and tilt means you don’t have to flip the lights when you’re following a performer. I hope to do a 36-city tour next summer with Lionel and Earth, Wind & Fire and think Zactrack would be perfect for that show since Lionel moves around a lot on stage. I expect to use a whole bunch of Kyalami fixtures too.”

Wade also deployed Crossfade Design’s grandMA3 consoles for The Wynn residency. “Sam Brown and Brandon Wade spent three to four weeks reprogramming the show on MA3 software using three of our grandMA3 full-size consoles in our studio in Dallas,” Wade explains. “They did an outstanding job and gave us more bang for the buck with MA3 software. At The Wynn we had two full-size systems and four NPU processing unit Ls for lighting control plus a grandMA3 light on stage as a tech desk.” ACT Entertainment is the exclusive North American distributor for both the Zactrack and MA Lighting brands.

“ACT has always been 100 percent supportive of every project we do,” notes Wade. “They’re part of the team making sure we have everything we need; their support and service is unlike anybody else’s.”

At Crossfade Design Brandon Wade was systems technician and programmer, Keith Hoagland was the crew chief for Richie’s residency, Justin Kemmerer the dimmer technician and Tucker Wheatley lighting technician.

photos: Toni Wade

7th November 2025

Millions watch live German TV AR-enhanced visuals powered by Hippotizer

Germany – Multimedia visual production house LUPIXX GmbH tackled a combination of AR, large-format LED design and synchronised playback for this year’s Goldene Henne entertainment gala, harnessing the power of Green Hippo Hippotizer media servers.

The televised production, broadcast by MDR, celebrates Germany’s entertainment movers and shakers. It returned with a bold visual overhaul combining cinematic content and intricate LED mapping. For the first time, it also featured a breathtaking large-scale AR opening sequence and three additional AR-enhanced performances.

The team at LUPIXX delivered the show’s high-octane video design using Hippotizer Tierra+ MK2 and Boreal+ MK2 media servers, showcasing the creative and technical muscle behind one of Europe’s most-watched live events, with millions tuning in from home. LUPIXX produced bespoke visuals that supported both the show’s stage architecture and its diverse line-up of performers.

“Our goal was to keep the visuals dynamic and diverse while enhancing every moment for both the in-house audience and the millions watching on TV,” says Aleksei Shkurdov, video engineer and server operator at LUPIXX. “This year’s addition of augmented reality brought new creative possibilities and the Hippotizer servers gave us the flexibility and power we needed to make it all happen.”

The complex stage featured a primary kinetic LED wall with a resolution of 8192 x 1664 pixels, accompanied by an oval and eight rectangular screens, 16 LED strips totaling 8860 x 1280 pixels and a circular floor-mounted LED screen at 2688 x 2688. Sixty additional LED strips surrounded the stage, each with up to 1152 pixels in height, creating a vast network of displays that required pixel-perfect mapping and synchronisation.

“With so many screens in play, precision was essential,” explains Shkurdov. “The Hippotizer VideoMapper feature was critical in routing signals to every element of the set-up, allowing us to align all the different resolutions and aspect ratios with total accuracy.”

To handle this extensive visual infrastructure, the LUPIXX team deployed two Tierra+ MK2 media servers for AR generation and two Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers for main content playback, alongside backup servers for full redundancy. The Hippotizers were supplied by ICT and Trust, two longtime collaborators on major German live productions.

“The Tierra+ MK2 provided the processing headroom we needed to generate and composite AR content in real time,” Shkurdov continues. “Meanwhile, the Boreal+ MK2 handled playback of multiple high-resolution video layers and simultaneous 4K outputs with complete stability. We ran four 4096 x 2160 outputs at once without any issues.”

The LUPIXX team’s workflow relied on smooth coordination between video, lighting and tracking systems. grandMA3 light consoles were used for show control, ensuring seamless communication across departments and consistent show cues.

“Hippotizer’s synchronisation features made it incredibly easy to keep all the servers aligned,” notes Shkurdov. “We were managing more than 3TB of video content, so reliable sync was essential. The software handled it beautifully: no lag, no frame drops.”

 Another major time-saver was the native playback of NotchLC video in the latest Hippotizer version. “In previous years, we had to convert large video files into other formats before importing them,” says Shkurdov. “Now we can play NotchLC directly, which preserves image quality and eliminates a step from our workflow. When you’re working under live TV deadlines, that’s a huge advantage.”

The team also made extensive use of Hippotizer’s layer-based architecture, which allowed them to adjust visuals on the fly, blend multiple content sources and make real-time tweaks to match the lighting design and live performances. 

All video content was custom-created for the show by Vlad Befus, Saskia Olma and Andrey Pokrovskiy, with each piece designed to complement a specific artist and song. The content ranged from sweeping digital landscapes to abstract, rhythm-driven animations, giving every performance a distinct identity while maintaining visual coherence across the broadcast.

“Our visual approach is always about supporting the story and emotion of the music,” says Shkurdov. “We never want technology to dominate but with Hippotizer, we know the technology will work so seamlessly that we can focus purely on creativity.”

The show’s visual achievements were the result of tight collaboration between LUPIXX’s video team and the event’s broader creative crew. Credits include video operator Enrico Walther, tracking technician Hannes Kleinteich and server operator Aleksei Shkurdov.

“With Hippotizer, we can push creative and technical limits confidently,” concludes Shkurdov. “It’s the backbone of our workflow, one that lets us deliver complex, cinematic visuals that work perfectly in both the live environment and on TV.”

photos: © Amy Haghebaert//LUPIXX

6th November 2025

Carlos Katsurayama Pushes Envelope on Djo Another Bite Tour with Chauvet Professional

USA – Fans who filled venues for the sold-out shows on Djo’s fall Another Bite tour, which concluded on 20th October at the Greek Theatre, might be forgiven if they did a double take at the start of the music interlude song “Listen.” After all, it isn’t every day that you see a stage split in two:  one side a vivid amber tone, the other stark black-and-white.

The stunning colour divide was one of many intensely original flourishes that Carlos Katsurayama had up his sleeve when lighting this 12-city run (a sequel to the hugely successful summer tour) by Djo, the red-hot psychedelic rocker whose breakthrough synth-pop banger ‘End Of Beginning’ reached number 11 on the Billboard charts.

A multi-talented creative, Djo pushes the boundaries of reality in his music, to open minds to new possibilities. Katsurayama boldly mirrored this ambition in his light show for the autumn tour, which for many shows, drew on the versatility and power of 137 Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by Colour Sound Experiment.

“This show was challenging to execute because we wanted to take a less conventional approach to lighting,” Katsurayama said of his design. “Our goal was to make bold, sometimes ‘weird’ choices that captured the music’s dynamics as accurately as possible, whether that meant visually matching the sound’s intensity, or creating moments of chaos by introducing light in unsettling, unexpected ways,”

Dark space played a huge role in that vision. “We used dark space to create depth and transport the audience into different worlds, like the icy, cold atmosphere of ‘Egg’ or the psychedelic walls of light – sometimes split colours – in ‘Listen,’” said Katsurayama. “It wasn’t easy breaking those walls of light into a more theatrical space, but in the end, I think we achieved it beautifully.” 

‘Awake’ was a particularly fun song to light, noted Katsurayama, who said: “It starts with soft vocals and gentle acoustic guitar, carrying a delicate intimacy throughout most of the track. To match this, we lit Djo from selective positions in red, revealing as little as possible and keeping the stage feeling close and personal. Then, we’d blackout briefly before hitting the full band breakdown with powerful white flashes, something that seemed to get the crowd excited every single night.”

For the West Coast segment of the tour, Katsurayama relied on 45 Maverick Storm 1 Flex fixtures, 26 Rogue R2 Washes and 24 Strike 1 units and 29 COLORado PXL Bar 16 motorised battens.

Flown on centre stage and upstage truss, the high output Maverick fixtures were used to downlight the artist. Drawing on the wide zoom range of these fixtures Katsurayama was able to vary coverage areas to create different looks on stage. The Maverick units also joined with the Rogue washes to bathe the stage in vivid mood setting colours.

The Strike units delivered intense side lighting from a variety of angles, often selected to create unusual looks. Arranged along the stage deck and on the drum risers, the COLORado battens added an ethereal level to the show with their evocative deck lighting. The amber tones of these battens combined with very low intensity output from the Strike units created a powerfully transformative mood when Katsurayama artfully turned most of the stage into a sea of dark space and shadows.

Looking back on the tour Katsurayama thanks his L2 gave Colton Sellers for his work as well as giving a special shout out to Jake Hershland and Joe Keery for pushing him out of his “comfort zone and helping him find beauty in imperfection.”

The results of that magical personal journey speak for themselves. 

photos: caitytakesphotos

6th November 2025

Pop Punk Royalty Avril Lavigne Tours “Greatest Hits” Across North America with Cohesion PA in Support

North America – Cohesion supported Avril Lavigne’s most recent “Greatest Hits” tour across 66 dates in North America. The tour was a culmination of two decades of groundbreaking music for the Canadian-born artist, who has sold more than 40 million albums and has received eight Grammy Award nominations. The pop punk pioneer showcased her unmistakable voice on some her career’s biggest hits, such as “I’m With You”, “Head Above Water” and “Complicated.”

Vocal intelligibility was of paramount importance on the tour and the Cohesion PA was selected in no small part due to its clarity, as FOH engineer Paul David Hager explained: “Getting that vocal to sit right and to be warm and clear, if the vocal doesn’t connect, the rest of it almost doesn’t matter. Cohesion is clear, it’s flexible and it’s powerful.”

Production manager Adam ‘Cutlets’ Richards described how Hager specified Cohesion for this tour. “I trust his judgment above all. From the moment I heard it, it was dialled in. It sounded great from day one.”

The PA, deployed by Clair Global, featured 16 CO12 per side on the main hangs with 16 Cohesion CO10 on each side hang. Three to six Cohesion CP218 subwoofers were flown per side in cardioid configuration with an additional three to six per side on the ground. An additional Cohesion CP118+ was utilised on the riser behind the drummer.

“It’s mind-boggling what comes out of a small number of subs,” said system engineer Ted Kujawski. “They’re thunderous. They’re rock solid.”

Hager added: “You can walk behind the system and with the rejection off the back, it sounds like it’s being muted.”

On either side of the stage, three Cohesion CO8 were used for fill to cover the energised crowd in the front sections and two Cohesion CP6+ provided near-field monitoring.

Generational hits like “Sk8er Boi,” “What the Hell,” and “Girlfriend” were received loud and clear in each American and Canadian venue, regardless of where a fan was seated. As Hager noted about mixing the vocals: “You shouldn’t be able to hear any crossover points. Cohesion has the headroom and the clarity for the people in the back.”

“Clarity and no frequency control loss at 350 feet is something I did not expect. Those horns throw for miles,” Kujawski laughed! “At Jones Beach Theater, the first SPL drop was six rows from the top. I got the same full-range spectrum, only four dB lower, in the parking lot. I’ve never had that. I’m delighted because it’s doing what I tell it to do.”

“It can throw high end farther without being harsh or brutal,” added Hager, who has a long history with Cohesion that dates to David Byrne’s “Contemporary Color” tour in 2015. “That’s kind of hard, to avoid getting harsh, but it sounded big, warm and clear.”

The audio system benefited the production side as well. “It goes up as fast as any PA out there,” said Richards, who had previous experience with Cohesion on the Chicks’ 2023 world tour. “The amount we had fit perfectly in one single truck.”

“It’s repeatable,” added Kujawski. “I’m using the same filters each night in different arenas and venue sizes. We do a lot of prediction ahead of time, and if you’re accurate in the predictor, it’ll sound good. Sometimes we have to get the PA time-aligned and tuned in a 20-minute window so Paul can get line checked. I’ve gone from not powered up to show-ready in 15 minutes in an arena. When it’s measured and deployed right, it’s one of the most user-friendly PAs.”

That dependability is priceless, as Richards noted: “Day-in and day-out, you just know it’s going to work and sound great every day. I like it when the PA is hung quickly and there are no issues. It’s solid for both the engineer and production.”

The “Greatest Hits” tour sold out dozens of arenas and amphitheatres across North America in 2024 and 2025, and the Cohesion PA delivered Lavigne’s trademark songs with clarity.

“It had to sound intimate to 20,000 listeners in the room and it had to sound good even at the back of the arena,” said Hager. “You can cover a lot with less. It feels louder without being any louder. It’s pretty impressive.”

“Sound is always first and foremost,” summarised Richards. “The show should be fun to watch, but for me, sound drives a concert.”

6th November 2025

Global Citizen Festival Unites 60,000 in Central Park with JBL Professional VTX System

USA – For the 13th consecutive year, Firehouse Productions supplied the sound for the Global Citizen Festival in New York City’s Central Park, where more than 60,000 attendees gathered to see performances by Shakira, Cardi B and other international artists. To achieve even coverage across the park’s expansive Great Lawn, Firehouse deployed a JBL Professional VTX system powered by Crown amplifiers.

The system included 76 JBL VTX V25-II-CS loudspeakers for mains and delays, 36 VTX G28 subwoofers in a cardioid configuration, six VTX S28 subwoofers on the sides and 20 VTX A8 loudspeakers used for front fill and out fill. The entire system was powered by 54 Crown I-Tech 4x3500HD amplifiers.

Firehouse account manager Vinny Siniscal credited JBL’s Venue Synthesis software as a key factor in the system’s accuracy and efficiency. “Venue Synthesis really is the star of the story,” he said. “It allows us to forecast and show the client exactly what kind of coverage they’re going to get across the park. This was the second year in a row we didn’t even run a drop of pink noise. We did all the programming in advance, turned it on and it was right there out of the box.”

Firehouse has managed audio for every Global Citizen Festival held in Central Park, refining its process to meet strict Parks Department requirements for environmental protection and noise control. With limited time to offload four semis of equipment and restrictions on ground contact, efficiency and precision are essential. Siniscal noted that advancements in JBL’s rigging and amplification technology have helped streamline set up without compromising quality. Siniscal noted that in the past, his team would come in at 9pm and sometimes still be there at 9am, but now they unload at 9pm and by midnight they are able to walk away. Siniscal praised the ease of set up, saying: “The technology has gotten to the point where, dare I say, it’s easy.”

Working alongside systems engineer Nathan Allers and project manager Luis Espinal, Firehouse and JBL Professional once again delivered balanced, reliable sound for one of the city’s largest and most high-profile outdoor events. As Shakira closed the show, the audience response from the front barricade to the park’s outer edge confirmed another successful year for the production team and their trusted JBL system.

6th November 2025

Engineers choose DiGiCo Quantum 852 for Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour

World-wide – Global pop superstar Dua Lipa kicked off her 80 plus date Radical Optimism Tour in November 2024 in Asia. The tour visited Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the UK, including two shows at Wembley Stadium that saw over 160,000 tickets selling out in a matter of minutes. The tour is currently making its way across North America and will conclude in December 2025 in South America. Between her wide-reaching appeal and epic touring schedule, a rock-solid console is essential. Front of house engineer Will Nicholson and monitor engineer Alex Cerutti, are both utilising DiGiCo Quantum 852s, supplied by Britannia Row, a Clair Global Company.

At front of house, Nicholson has four SD Racks loaded with 32bit cards, plus an Orange Box with Dante and HMA cards. He relies on the Fourier transform.engine for his plug-in needs, appreciating the latest integration with his console.

“DiGiCo has always stood out for me because of the consoles’ functionality, robustness and honest approach to sonics,” he says. “I’ve made use of the transform suite to access some of my favourite plug-ins, including the UAD Distressor, 1176 and the Shadow Hills mastering compressor. The transform.engine is very solid and the automation makes it incredibly versatile. It’s now my only plug-in engine, which has made time alignment so much quicker. Having access to a massive variety of plug-ins has been of real benefit to my mix and I can test and deploy techniques that were limited before.”

For Cerutti, the large surface layout of the Quantum 852 has allowed him to customise his view and keep his workflow as efficient as possible.

“The Quantum 852 is a huge step forward. I’ve been using DiGiCo consoles on and off since the D1 and D5 days and really appreciate not having to create socket files,” he explains. “I’ve used SD7s and SD8s and keep coming back to DiGiCo consoles because I don’t have to change my set-up or mix for the console. They are as configurable as I need them to be.”

The Quantum 852 is highly versatile and the engineers are both making use of the expanded touch screen capabilities. For Cerutti, moving the layer select buttons to a touch screen makes navigation of multiple channels much easier. He appreciates the improved access to channel meters and the added diagnostic visibility, too.

For Nicholson, the spacious layout of the Quantum 852 and increased options for scale and resolution of the metering has helped him refine his display. It is features like these, as well as the spacious layout, that also keep him coming back to DiGiCo.

“I really like the big screens and loads of macro options and responsive faders mean the tactile experience is a bit more natural,” he expands. “Having multiple metering options is extremely valuable making lots of information available to me. The diagnostic meter on the bridge is a small, but excellent tool. I also really like Mustard processing and I’m also using the MSE expander on a handful of channels, which has been handy.  It’s a quality addition and, thanks to the V20 upgrades, macros have got even more capable.”

Communication between engineers is key, especially during the performance and Cerutti has created a channel macro that he is using as a talk button, allowing him to be more efficient with his rotary controls. For wider communication, the integration with their Riedel comms system has improved workflow and management of the whole comms system.

Nicholson is using a similar system, enabling fast desk state changes that quickly flip between pre-show and show states for fail-safe communication. This also comes in handy for spare microphone channels, so EQ and processing can be quickly applied if a spare is required. When a large amount of information requires processing at speed, having a smooth and reliable workflow is invaluable. Snapshots and macros are all part of making the console work for the engineers and DiGiCo’s flexible FGPA powered processing ensures it can always keep up. As the pair conclude, it is a system that is working well for them and delivering the best results for their artist.

“There are two significant benefits to using two Quantum 852s,” Nicholson notes. “One is harmonic: we have a shared sonic space. Secondly, it’s a big help for problem solving: if you’re scratching your head trying to solve an issue, having that shared language and set-up doubles your chances of success. I make extensive use of the group functionality on the Quantum 852 for my mix set-up. We have quite a few inputs, returns and groups and I really appreciate how I can quickly flip between banks to see the relevant input processing and associated routing.”
“The amount of information I have to hand and the speed at which I can access it makes everything easier,” Cerutti concludes. “We both agree that the support is excellent, too. Whether you’re mixing a support band, or a stadium artist, both Brit Row and DiGiCo are exemplary.”

6th November 2025

Robe for OLP30 Tour

Canada – Canadian lighting designer Michael ‘Herk’ Herkimer of HLX experienced a slight career epiphany when lead singer Raine Maida of popular award-winning Canadian alt-rockers Our Lady Peace (OLP) briefed him ahead of the band’s 2025 Canadian tour.

Raine asked if Herk could possibly look at a link to a 2013 Nine Inch Nails touring show video from the Staples Center in LA, among his inspirational sources. Herk has admired NIN designs for many years, so this was music to his ears and a highly memorable “I’ve been waiting all my career to get this email,” moment. He took this and other elements as a starting point and produced a totally unique look and original style for the OLP30 tour, which celebrated 30 years as a musical powerhouse.

Robe Forte and MegaPointe moving lights were prominent on the lighting rig, with six of the 50 Fortes running on three RoboSpot BaseStations, all supplied by rental vendor Soundbox.

This was Herk’s first time working with OLP. He was offered the gig when production manager Matt Blakely came on board, with whom he has worked closely on other projects for several years. Herk also took on the production and stage designer roles, the LX design and programming, plus video design and programming. It was a demanding, full-tilt schedule, for which he relished delivering a coherent and spectacular visual package.

“Clearly there was a commitment to excellence from the artist. I’ve always trusted Matt implicitly to deliver and saw an opportunity for us to work collaboratively and produce something special,” he explained.

Four large triangular trussing pods were flown over the stage, each rigged with ten ForteS to produce massive, high-impact rock show looks in addition to lighting the standard upstage positions, complete with another eight ForteS deployed upstage on the deck.

The six ForteS used on the RoboSpot systems were all rigged at acute and steep angles to the stage to keep that ‘God-light celestial look’ which apart from looking very cool, on a practical level also kept light out of the performer’s eyes.

The pod ForteS were specifically positioned for producing these big jaw-dropping moments, and with three large LED screens on stage, Herk knew he could rely on the ForteS to punch through.

He loves the speed and efficiency of all the Forte mechanical systems. “The speed of the pan / tilt function really stands out against other fixtures with a comparable output and the Forte totally delivers with good animation wheels,” he declared!

MegaPointe is a regular choice for Herk’s creative lighting work, and here they were deployed six a side on ladders, stage left and right, covering all the “high interest” areas near to the band, delivering both beam and spot looks with their “superior optics”.

They were complemented by 12 Pointes around the front of the stage.

He likes the MegaPointe for many features including for producing equally high-calibre spot and beam looks, and believes that these are still “unrivalled” compared to any other equivalent multifunctional light source.

Talking of Robe generally, he says the “reliability, robustness and continuity” deliver for him every time on all styles of design.

For Herk, using RoboSpots on a show brings “a level of precision, accuracy and dynamics that is unachievable using traditional follow kit and operation.” For this OLP design, RoboSpots facilitated the steep spot angles that were so essential to the show aesthetic, keeping it looking stylish and raw.

RoboSpot technician Mark Tissen was “surgical” in his daily efforts to optimise this element while lighting system designer Rob Mcintosh was instrumental in setting all of it up pre tour.

On the road, a barge was utilised to move the RoboSpot BaseStations around at each venue, positioning them side stage when possible, from where it was handy for seeing the rig and for efficient troubleshooting if needed. However, they also had the additional flexibility of being able to deploy the BaseStations anywhere in the venue when this space was not available.

Designing both video and lighting in tandem enabled Herk to properly harmonise both these visual entities seamlessly and elegantly with playback and IMAG under his control for outputting to screen.

His approach generally played one against the other, a treatment that produced a rawer, edgier and more genuine look as opposed to fully integrating both mediums. “Lighting would tend to juxtapose and contrast video but still support it,” he noted.

The creative goals included “leaning into the artful and unconventional wherever possible and also relying on some epic and classic looks for big moments that sweep fans up into the action.”

Video content was created by Raine Maida, who clearly takes a big interest in the live show presentation together with Dan Fusselman of DFUSS.TV from Phoenix and Toronto-based Fezz Stenton. The live video director was Taylor Green.

He highlights the value and relevance of Raine Maida’s creative contributions, mentioning that to date he’s not encountered many musicians “with such high taste and understanding of how lighting and video can play into a show.” And while initially it was slightly shocking to trade live show references with Raine and discover what productions he likes: “He is an absolute dream client with decisive and refreshing creative direction.”

Challenges included managing the simultaneous energising of Herk’s collective skillsets to complete the project on a tight deadline. “All my responsibilities / roles for this tour added up to a large additional layer with a narrow margin for error, much more so than if I had been dealing with one solo role or discipline,” and he is the first to credit the great teamwork that helped achieve this ambitious goal.

Lighting crew chief Arnold Pereira made time in his busy schedule to go on the road with them. “His character and loyalty over the years is only outshone by his incredible standards of excellence,” praises Herk.

Mark Tissen looked after dimmers as well as RoboSpots, and they were joined by hard working LX crew members Alex Jeffrey and Curtis MacNeill.

Fezz was essentially working on camera / content integration and creating some key pieces of content. “His role added a vital layer of complexity and artfulness to the show,” stated Herk who was thrilled to have him at the table during the creative meetings.

James Plouffe from Light and Dark Toronto assisted with the Vectorworks drafting and the systems designer was Rob McIntosh.

This show was programmed during two very full weeks at Herk’s studio in southern Ontario before kicking off in Calgary.

photos: Corey Kelly and Brandon Ferguson

4th November 2025

Brock McNeely Keeps Good Time Looks Rolling for Hudson Westbrook Fall Tour with Chauvet Professional Fixtures From Hoopty Lights

USA – Officially, Hudson Westbrook’s 26-city Texas Forever Fall Tour, which began 4th September in Cleveland is supposed to conclude on 21st November in St. Petersburg. But Brock McNeely, the red-hot country artist’s lighting designer, has a slightly different take on things.

“Really when you think about it, the touring never stops,” he said as he prepared for another autumn show. McNeely knows whereof he speaks. Earlier this year, Westbrook added 29 dates to his already packed summer tour, which criss-crossed the USA and there’s a promise of much more to come.

That sort of thing happens when you go from an unknown Texas Tech freshman to a Top 10 Billboard recording artist with 700-million plus global streams in a little over one year. The 21-year-old from Stephenville, Texas has already toured with the likes of Parker McCollum, The Eli Young Band, Cole Swindell and Ian Munsick this year, not to mention his own headline shows.

This heavy touring schedule can present a challenge for a lighting and production crew. So too can the wide variety of venues that Westbrook performs in. “This tour has been a really unique experience, considering the speed at which Hudson has exploded in popularity over the past year,” said McNeely. “One day we could be playing in a small bar that was booked at the very beginning of his career and the next we could be playing a sold-out headline show for 12,000 fans. We are super grateful for Josh Peikert and his great team at Hoopty Lights. They designed a very flexible rig that is not only incredibly punchy, but also scalable from the smallest to the largest stages.”

To increase its flexibility the rig that Peikert and the Hoopty Lights team designed it around four custom-made ‘mini carts’, each fitted-out with one Color Strike M motorised strobe-wash and two Maverick Force S Spots from Chauvet Professional. These fixtures that are arranged in a vertical configuration, with the Maverick units on the top and bottom of each cart, and the Strike fixtures in the middle.

“We wanted the spots spread out enough to create big beam looks that could fill the stage, with the Strike Ms are low enough to back fill the band with colour, but still just high enough to punch through with bright accents when needed,” explained McNeely. We had very little trailer space to work with, so we had to pick our tools wisely. We went with The Force S Spot because it has a great feature set in such a small lightweight fixture. And of course, the Strike Ms never fail to get the crowd’s attention.”

Arranging the carts to fit each venue, including festivals, McNeely and the production team: Isaac Sanchez (production manager), Quinton Alsobrook (tour manager) and Zebb Luster (artist manager), are able to create a wide variety of looks that reflect the mood of the music as well as Westbrook’s dynamic stage persona, while engaging the crowd. For some songs, the cart lighting is scaled down to crate soft intimate moments, while at others it joins the house rig to generate full throttle West Texas energy. 

“Our goal is to make each song look different for every other,” said McNeely. “The faster songs usually get lots of movement, colour, and tight beams from the Force S spots. They also often feature crazy pixel effects from the Strike M outer rim and massive hits from the Strike M centre. On the slower songs, we do a lot with the plates on the Strike M which gives big washy looks behind the band. Often accompanied with lots of texture that the gobos on the Force S spots provide.

“Another big tool that we get to utilise is the custom LED Signs that read ‘Hudson’ and ‘Westbrook,’ that were made by Tyler Leaf of Leaf Custom Cases,” continued McNeely. “These signs each feature 170 RGB cells and are completely pixel-mappable. They give us a super cool and versatile eye candy look that's unique to our show.”

Based on the overwhelming response from fans, that sign, along with the rest of this artfully designed rig, is going to be flashing at even more venues than those already list on the official schedule for this good time tour that never ends. 

4th November 2025

White Light Supports English Touring Opera’s 2025 Season

UK – Since 1979, English Touring Opera (ETO) has championed artistic excellence and accessibility, bringing live opera and transformative community projects to more towns and cities than any other UK opera company. With a mission to make opera available to all, ETO engages over 40,000 people annually through full-scale productions, bespoke operas for young audiences and those with special educational needs, dementia-friendly workshops and songwriting initiatives that support youth mental health.

For its 2025 season, ETO presents The Elixir of Love and The Rape of Lucretia in repertory, touring a diverse range of venues across the UK. Supporting this ambitious tour is White Light (WL), providing technical expertise and equipment to realise the creative vision of lighting designer Jamie Platt and production electrician Joe Kirk.

Jamie’s approach to lighting opera is deeply rooted in musical storytelling. “In opera, the narrative unfolds as much through musical leitmotifs as through sung text,” he explains. “Lighting becomes a second layer of narrative. I can shift the look of the stage simply because of an oboe or a violin.” This sensitivity is vividly expressed in The Elixir of Love, where a pivotal aria sees the lighting transform to reflect Nemorino’s emotional world. “We leave reality behind and enter his head and heart,” says Jamie. “The scenic practicals begin reacting to the music, shifting from naturalistic tones to colours that lift with the love and angst he’s feeling.”

In Lucretia, Jamie’s lighting takes on a more stylised role, shaping atmosphere and symbolism. “We use deep orange tones on white muslin drapes to visually disrupt a feminine space, reflecting the antagonist’s intrusion and the opera’s thematic tension.”

Touring presents unique challenges, particularly when moving between traditional theatres and concert halls. Jamie designs with adaptability in mind, favouring booms over overhead fixtures to streamline rigging. “My job is to make it as easy as possible for Joe when the shows are in-and-up in a single day,” he says.

Joe Kirk, ETO’s lead production electrician, ensures Jamie’s design is faithfully executed in every venue. “ETO is all about making opera accessible,” Joe notes. “That means transforming non-traditional spaces into fully realised theatrical environments.” His work begins with detailed venue assessments and continues through close collaboration with Jamie to maintain consistency across the tour.

To meet the demands of varied infrastructure, the lighting rig is designed to be largely self-contained. “Using LED fixtures not only supports ETO’s environmental goals but also reduces the infrastructure we need to tour,” says Joe. The rig includes ETC Halcyon Titanium, Ayrton Diablo and ETC Lustr 2 fixtures, selected for their reliability, versatility and quality of light.

Jamie praises the Halcyon units for their punchy output and excellent diffusion options, whilst Joe highlights the importance of thorough prep and clear build methods to support local crews. “Some venues may only host one large touring production a year,” he explains. “It’s vital that everyone understands how the show goes together, regardless of experience.”

Joe adds: “From prep to performance, the team at WL have supported us every step of the way. I’d especially like to thank Dom for being so easy to work with.”

Reflecting on his six years with ETO, Joe shares: “The most rewarding part has been bringing full-scale opera to communities that rarely experience it. Overcoming the challenges of each unique venue makes every performance deeply worthwhile.”

Dom Yates, WL’s head of lighting, comments: “Working with ETO over the past two years has been a joy. This collaboration demonstrates how technical excellence and creative partnership can bring world-class opera to communities across the UK, making every venue, no matter its limitations, a stage for powerful storytelling.”

As The Elixir of Love and The Rape of Lucretia continue their tour, ETO remains committed to its founding principle: “Opera that moves”.

photo: Richard Hubert Smith

4th November 2025

PRG Provides SSS4EU Drake Tour

Europe – Canadian hitmaker and award-winning R&B superstar Drake hit the road in Europe this summer with lighting, video and rigging supplied out of PRG’s UK base in Longbridge, Birmingham, working closely with USA counterparts, PRG North America, in an impressive intercontinental collaboration to ensure the artist’s production enjoys full continuity and technical integration wherever in the world the show is playing.

The European tour started immediately after the 2025 Wireless Festival, staged in London’s Finsbury Park, where Drake became the first artist to headline each night of the three-day event, performing different setlists and with a selection of other artists across the three days, utilising a super-sized version of his touring lighting rig.

PRG UK also supplied lighting and rigging for Wireless, which was a seriously scaled up version of the original touring show concept.

The first and second legs of the tour had already taken North America and Australia by storm earlier in the year with lighting and video production supplied by PRG North America.

The concept crafted by Matte Babel of two bare stages connected into a 360 environment by elevated transparent acrylic walkways running around both sides of the arena – with the audience on all sides and in the middle – gives the artist maximum proximity to his fans and started germinating last year.

Matte Babel, who joined Adel ‘Future’ Nur on the management team in 2017 and oversees brand / marketing / creative, commented: “Working with an artist of Drake’s calibre and stature is more collaborative in nature.”

He believes that the best ideas come from “understanding an artist, who they are and what they want to accomplish, so by default they are always providing an element of creative direction and my role is to develop and facilitate this.” 

After 2024’s ‘It’s All a Blur’ North American tour, a massive production with robots, dancers, lasers, flying props and a three-storey Virgil statue, Matte was keen to take things in the opposite direction, so he pitched the idea of stripping it all the way back to Drake.

“I was inspired by the simplicity of galleries that were minimal with a slightly raw and industrial feel. Spaces where lighting brings the art to life and the people, their presence, energy and reactions to the art create all the emotional stimulus needed for a show,” he commented.

The goal was to create something simple and different that people would remember. Something unexpected.

Matte’s vision started with the lighting.

To keep the floor as clean as possible, all the kit had to be in the air, which meant an emphasis on lighting and audio, knowing there would be weight restrictions, with video approached differently and with some lateral thinking.

“I wanted a giant lighting rig that was different and interesting enough to keep people engaged.”

Around that time, he saw an installation by Japanese duo Nonotak – a collaborative installation and performance project founded by visual artist Noemi Schipfer and architect-musician Takami Nakamoto – who had built custom versions of a lighting fixture very similar to what Matte had in mind.

“Their work was stunning. I actually reached out to see if they would be interested in collaborating, because the manufacturer of the fixture I wanted to use kept insisting it couldn’t do what I envisioned,” he explained.

Nonotak were generous with their insights, but Matte was under serious time pressure, so he brought them on to consult while Guy Pavelo, Drake's technical director, moved mountains to find a practical solution for making the kinetic lighting he had in mind work.

Matte also noted the substantial differences between creating a semi-permanent art installation for casual browsing where all the variables can be controlled, versus designing a fixture for Drake that has to be continuously evolving throughout a two-hour show.

“It was a stressful process, tour lighting design and concepting is really tough,” he admitted.

“You need something dynamic, but also durable enough to withstand the physical demands of touring – loading in and out of every city – while meeting the weight requirements of each venue and maintaining the visual coherence across changing atmospheres, vantage points and the unpredictable glow of thousands of cell phones.”

As luck would have it, just as he was starting to think he might have to explore other directions, Guy, who has worked with Drake for 15 years, called and said that after extensive discussions with a manufacturer, he’d found a way of making spinning lighting bars happen.

“We were off to the races,” recalls Matte, delighted that his idea of 300 or more lights that all have to spin / reset and align within seconds, plus 16 automated trusses could actually be replicated on tour. “It was a pretty incredible feat!” he enthused.

With the lighting concept locked in, next on the agenda was finding a complementary stage to get Drake as close as possible to his fans, a phenomenon he’s always been adamant about.

“We've come up with some crazy ideas for doing this along the way,” elucidated Matte, “like in Australia when he ventured onto the floor with 4000 fans and only a handful of security guards. He really wants the most intimate and democratic experience possible, so everyone feels like they're a part of the show.” 

This is a big reason Drake has always preferred playing in-the-round rather than end on and arenas as opposed to stadiums.

The full 360 design – basically an extension of what Drake needs as a performer – is an idea Matte has been playing with and imagining for a while, but says: “It has never really felt totally right until now, with the lighting trusses above and the Plexiglass floating floor all accentuating the notion of uninhibited space.”

The bottom line was keeping Drake visible from every angle while fans walked the floor freely under and around the raised walkways for different experiences and viewing points. “Like a giant free-flowing party in the middle giving him the ability to have an up close and personal experience with fans around the entire arena.”

John Torres is a New York-based lighting designer working across multiple genres and primarily theatre, dance and opera. The fundamentals that he has learned and experienced in the world of theatre and performance are the basis for all his projects, whether it is live music, fashion, gallery exhibitions, etc.

“Theatre teaches you that there is poetry within light which is essential to help establish a narrative. Drakes’ music takes people on a journey and we try to ensure that the lighting speaks to that.”

His own journey with Drake started in 2022 and for this tour, once Matte had conceived and developed the creative direction with the minimal architecture and kinetic lighting elements reinforcing the communication between artist and audience, John’s role was to interpret how the lighting rig should move and energise and relate to the setlist.

“Sometimes lighting is what sparks the initial creative conversation, other times it’s layered in once the broader design framework has been established,” he stated.

As always, the role of lighting in any show is to assist in everyone feeling and enjoying the music and the experience, in this case leveraging the huge dynamics of the kinetic lighting rig.

It was an innovative and highly collaborative approach to building an art piece – as John describes it – the ultimate goal to provide fans with an immersive and genuine experience for maximum enjoyment of Drake’s stagecraft.

John underlined that the most satisfying element of the whole process was seeing the fans for the first time as the show unfolds: “It always brings the greatest, most electric and inspiring energy!”

Assisting John on lighting programming before the tour hit the road were Kelley Shih and Eric Christian, and his associate for the project was Danielle Elegy.

Guy Pavelo is lighting director on the road, and he likes to keep busy, so in addition to making sure that John Torres’ lighting design is replicated as closely as possible on every continent, he is also the touring technical director.

Guy has worked with Drake’s team for the last 15 years and for the “Some Special Songs for EU” (SSS4EU) leg of the tour, worked closely Matte Babel on the show design.

“Guy is a genius at putting together the entire system technically and liaising with all of our valuable partners both on and off the road,” explained John Torres: “We are working in lock step throughout the pre-production and on-site rehearsal periods, with Guy is supporting the creative vision from start to finish. His contribution is invaluable.”

The design concept unlocks multiple classic positive psychological plays on light as cavernous venues bathed in light and movement were transformed for the performance, which recreates that intimate, intense and very subjective clubby atmosphere.

As a visual concept, this scenography is a perfect backdrop for Drake’s very individual style of performance delivery.

It was a bold move in terms of visuality, having the two stripped-back stages at each end of the room, with open space and maximum viewing angles where more conventional designs might normally have the comfort of stage and production infrastructure.

While refreshingly different and an ideal show playground for Drake, the idea presented some great challenges for production, one of which was keeping all the technical infrastructure extremely neat, tidy and hidden from view.

Hanging below a large 180ft x 50ft mothergrid comprising six 80ft spans, three wide and two deep, the lighting rig over the arena is hung on 16 x 70ft long pre-rigged trusses, which were specially modified by PRG.

Each of these is fitted with seven 10ft sections of spinning truss attached to Claypaky Panify 2 motorised platforms, which have also been customised by PRG’s workshop to be tourable.

Each of these 112 ‘spinners’ in turn is rigged with two lengths of Martin VDO Sceptron linear strips and two GLP impression X5 Compact moving lights, giving 1,180 fixtures on this kinetic and highly dynamic part of the rig.

The 16 x 70ft trusses are each flown on three TAIT 1-ton NAV hoists and move in and out of the arena space in a variety of configurations, sometimes so the lights are barely skimming heads, creating a hugely exciting and very dynamic environment.

Operating the TAIT Navigator system was Sydney Rush with cues worked out and developed between her, Guy, John and Matte, and Navigator programming initially handled by TAIT’s Doug Sager.

The ‘spinners’ are controlled together with all the lights via Guy’s grandMA3 console and when they start doing their tricks, a whole new layer of automation is revealed to the delight of audiences!

The movement is a major defining hallmark of this show and gives rise to all sorts of shapes, angles and offsets, sometimes moving imperceptibly and other times vary dramatically, all the time allowing Drake’s stagecraft to remain the centre of attention.

Up in the mothergrid, 64 JDC1 strobes were scattered around and, depending on the height and position of the 16 moving trusses, had very dramatically different looks and effects.

In addition to the above arena lighting are four audience trusses, one running along each side of the arena outside of the central grid area, two at 100ft long and two at 70ft and these are rigged with a total of 68 Ayrton Veloce moving lights, alternated on each truss with 13 JDC1s.

The Veloces (a new investment by PRG UK) were in the perfect location for hitting positions all along the runways and on both stages.

Also in the mothergrid were two followspots, with another two positioned on the long side audience trusses, plus another four in the audience bleacher seating, all of them run via PRG’s Ground Control remote followspotting solution with the operators tucked away backstage.

The stages at either end of the arena directly mirrored each other. Both feature grilled surfaces with a sub-deck one metre below loaded with 62 JDC1 strobes for some impressive flash-through effects.

The balance of the lighting was ensconced into the floor level of both stages, with a bank of 25 JDC1 Bursts at the back, 22 GLP Impression FR10 LED Bars in two lines – in front and to the rear – with ten Astera Titan Tubes around the front lip of the stage. 

All of these lights are meticulously positioned in the design to retain the clean lines, raw and open appearance of the stage, again giving fans the best possible views of Drake who utilises the entire set extensively throughout every show, playing directly to as much of the arena as possible.

This whole scenographic creation is geared to enabling him to achieve this.

Illuminating the runway (which is scalable in length according to the venue) are around 200 Astera Titan Tubes, which are clamped into custom brackets below the special decking, built by TAIT.

The Titans – chosen for practicality, robustness and max neatness – are charged in their cases during the afternoon, then clamped into the custom brackets beneath the runway sections and run wirelessly for the show, all controlled by Guy’s grandMA3.

Two hundred universes of lighting data were running back to Guy’s grandMA3 full size console, on which he ran the show in Europe. He has been using grandMA3 since it was first available, so it was a natural first choice that enabled him to also seamlessly control the video feeds.

Guy has an eye constantly on the bigger picture, so it is essential to his role to have these major elements under his control.

Assisting in ramping up the clubby, intimate vibes are eight strategically positioned MDG theONE hazers and fans. Hazers and fog management on a big open plan arena show like this is an art in its own right.

Lighting equipment and a crew of 14 were being co-ordinated and overseen on the road by lighting crew chief, the unflappable Ronnie Beal from PRG North America, who was involved in some intensive pre-prepping for the various lighting elements at PRG UK’s Longbridge HQ before hitting the road in Europe.

He enjoyed the “fantastic support from the UK team,” which is project managed by Yvonne Donnelly and her team at PRG Longbridge in conjunction with Jon Morrell from the LA base of PRG North America.

Video was required to work slightly differently – but equally as importantly – as a visual medium in this design in a departure from the standard screen-on-stage scenario.

With Drake’s desire to be as close as possible to the audience, the six IMAG screens were designed and positioned to ensure exactly that: keep the sightlines clean while ensuring that everyone there enjoys a great view of the artist.

Weaving all the magic together live on screen was award-winning camera director Colleen Wittenberg, who picked up the coveted 2024 Total Production (TPi) Award for Video Specialist of the Year. She is a freelance video director based in Nashville, Tennessee, who joined the production – via PRG – for Wireless and continued on the SSS4EU leg of the tour.

Her mix incorporated feeds from four operated Grass Valley LDX 135 cameras fitted with 99x zoom long lenses – sports event style – and positioned at the lower mezzanine levels on all four sides of the venue, plus an LDX 86c on a Steadicam rig fitted with a 24x zoom lens for extra depth.

In addition to these were four Panasonic PTZ 150 and two PTZ 130 Robocams. The 150s were set up in a zig zagged pattern downstage on both of the stages, while the 130s were used for the DJ section of the show, where Drake plays a DJ set-up, typically located in the bleachers along one of the venue ‘long sides’ for which a physically smaller camera set-up was specified.

The second PTZ 130 also provided a wide ‘architectural’ cross-shot looking at the whole venue, capturing the structural elements of the automated lighting rig as it morphed into different patterns.

SSS4EU was Colleen’s first 360 video direction touring project, a challenging environment enough itself, but one that she has embraced with great enthusiasm.

With all the video emphasis on IMAG, Colleen’s task was a complex one to enhance the show narrative, underline a good story, ensure Drake was visible at all times and that his considerable energy levels are communicated on screen and in sync with what is happening in the room.

This entails plenty of quick thinking and ability to imagine full vistas instantly i.e. how her mix will appear in the context of the greater overall show.

For this, she used a Grass Valley Karrera 2M/E switcher. Both M/E buses plus two auxes were used in the show. Colleen worked alongside her two engineers, Randy Ice and Braxton Carico, together with eight others on the video crew. These included Colin Mudd, video crew chief for PRG UK, who also entertaining the whole crew with his razor-sharp acerbic wit in addition to running the video operation!

As a performer, Drake is very organic, so while there is a structure and a setlist, there is also contingency for improvisation which happens constantly, making every show completely unique.

Colleen’s mix fed into six PRG M-Box video servers (three live and three hot backup) which were output to screens by Guy triggered via his grandMA3 system. The M-Boxes were running V5 software version and were the first rental units to do so, which Guy reported are “solid”.

Colleen enjoyed working with the PRG UK team, who she observed were “very responsive whenever anything was needed, or dealing with last minute replacement requests or any issues that required solving at vendor level, which is essential when moving through multiple countries.”

For PRG UK’s sales director for music Yvonne Donnelly Smith, while building and co-ordinating the European tour was intense, the biggest challenge without doubt was duplicating the USA tour lighting rig twice to achieve the unique 360 aesthetic needed for Wireless Festival, essentially the first gig of the SSS4EU leg.

Working at the Finsbury Park site was very different to staging an indoor show and the scale substantially larger than the touring show. The 360 look was achieved using three ground support systems and a huge amount of calculation, calibration and teamwork to safely build a system to accommodate the amount of dynamic loading needed for this show with all its moving elements.

All this was done in just three days, involving up to 140 combined Wireless and touring PRG crew.

Yvonne collaborated closely with her counterpart in PRG North America, Jon Morrell, throughout the project.

“We all enjoy challenges and the incredible teamwork and determination enabling us to deliver the full Drake experience for fans at Wireless was truly inspiring,” she concluded.

The tour schedule was tight with several back-to-backs and only a few days off over a ten-week period. Keeping everything rolling smoothly on the road in Europe was production manager Joseph Lloyd and 32 trucks, three carrying duplicated elements of the stage and rigging that were leap-frogged to ensure maximum efficiency and achievability in the timescale. Audio was supplied by Clair Global.

Aaron Siebert was the production manager for the earlier Australian leg of the tour, for which all the lighting and video kit was flown from PRG North America, illustrating the global reach and capacity of its operation. Paul Lovell-Butt PM’d the previous North American leg and also Australia, together with Aaron. Aaron has now returned to his role at TAIT and Joseph production managed the tour until it concluded in Europe and returned to the USA.

photos: Dylan Swann

31st October 2025

Onedot Supports Dom Dolla’s Montreal Performance with Chauvet Professional Fixtures from Solotech

Canada – "Dom Dola is taking over Olympic Park for a night that will have Montreal dancing!” So read the social media post announcing the Australian-born EDM phenom’s appearance at the famed Parc Olympique. Talk about truth in advertising!

The Grammy nominated DJ, who’s enjoying a meteoric rise in popularity 2025, transformed the famed stadium into a downtown dance club, shaking its rafters with his deep house grooves and driving beats. Moving with the music note for powerful note was an unapologetically bold and direct light show marked by sharp patterns of beams and intense colour combinations that worked with Dom Dolla’s performance to get everyone on their feet.

Designed by Onedot working with Dom Dollas team, the dazzling show drew power from Chauvet Professional COLORado PXL Bar 16, Color Strike M and Maverick Storm 2 BeamWash fixtures supplied by Solotech.

Working from drawings by Louis-Xavier Bonneau of Onedot and input from Érik Nowosielski-Lamoureux, the show’s design was meant to remain simple, powerful and efficient. “The vision was to provide bold, clean looks that would support the energy of the performance without clutter or unnecessary complexity, allowing the designer to make maximum impact with minimal elements,” noted Onedot’s Jean-Sébastien Guilmette.

The show, which was operated by Dom Dolla’s team and the opening acts operated by Jérome Robitaille of Onedot was anchored by the PXL Bar 16 battens, which were positioned in two straight 40-foot lines, one above and one below the video wall. “These powerful strips served to create bold looks behind the artist when the screen was off,” said Guilmette. “They produced strong contrasts and dramatic shadows, which are very much part of Dom Dolla’s visual signature. The battens also gave us flexibility for eye-catching pixel-mapped effects when the video wall was active.

“We selected the COLORado PXL 16 battens because they are bright, powerful fixtures capable of both narrow beam effects and wide washes,” continued Guilmette. “Their pixel control was excellent for dynamic chases and effects that complement electronic music performances. Additionally, the fixture is sleek and blends seamlessly into the rig, without compromising trim height, an important factor for mobile stages where space is limited.”

The Maverick Storm 2 fixtures were relied on for keylighting. Being IP65-rated, they provided the production team with “peace of mind” at the outdoor venue. They also energised the show with their crisp colours, while their wide zoom range allowed them to provide both strong front washes and tight, focused looks from FOH.

As for the Color Strike Ms, they were chosen as the giant dance party’s strobe fixtures. “We spread them across the top of the rig and also positioned two rows of six fixtures each on the side trusses,” said Guilmette. “This placement added depth and expanded the rig’s visual possibilities, enabling a wide variety of strobe and blinder looks that could shift the energy of the performance in an instant.”

In light of Dom Dolla’s super-charged, dynamic show, this ability to shift energy levels in an instant was very valuable, indeed!

31st October 2025

GLP brings emotion to Mercedes-Benz’s brand universe at IAA Mobility 2025

Germany – At this year’s IAA Mobility in Munich, Mercedes-Benz showcased its brand universe in the open space of the Apothekenhof (‘Apothecary Courtyard’) of the Residenzhöfe, a museum complex. The team from TLD Planungsgruppe GmbH was responsible for the technical planning, implementation and lighting design. High-performance LED systems from GLP, including the KNV Cube and the new JDC Burst 1, were at the heart of the presentation.

In addition to the freely accessible open space in Munich’s city centre, Mercedes-Benz also had a presence at the IAA Summit on the exhibition grounds, where the brand’s technical expertise was the focus. The open space, on the other hand, emphasised emotion, design and staging, and thus light as a central design element.

Early in the design phase, it became clear that replicating the distinctive radiator grille of the new Mercedes GLC – in the reception area of ​​the open space – would require an exceptional lighting module: compact, thermally stable and with enormous brightness to withstand the even, direct sunlight.

“We were looking for a powerful, square spotlight that could precisely replicate the scale of the grille’s LED pixels,” recalls Alex Orkisch, project manager at TLD Planungsgruppe. After comparing measurements with various systems, the choice fell to the KNV Cube, thanks in part to the intensive support of GLP key account director Oliver Schwendke.

The compact KNV Cube combines strobe, blinder and pixel block in a single device, delivers up to 50,000 lumens and, with its high brightness and robustness (IP54), proved to be the ideal solution for integration into the open-plan brand architecture at Apothekenhof.

“Olli Schwendke not only provided us with technical advice during this early phase, but also tremendous support with the availability, sampling and integration of the luminaires,” emphasises Richard Profe. “We were immediately sent a demo unit, which impressed us with its brightness.”

In close collaboration with GLP, the exhibition construction company and various planning partners, TLD then developed a modular structure that integrated 265 KNV Cubes into an oversized interpretation of the signature GLC grille in the entrance area of ​​the open space. Custom-made diffuser units were installed to refine the visual effect. At the same time, thermal properties, inspection access and electrical parameters had to be considered, as the luminaires were mounted in hard-to-reach outdoor areas.

The imposing and elaborately illuminated radiator grille marked the beginning of a staged ‘journey through light’, leading visitors from the outdoor area into the immersive interior of the open space. There, light, video and sound merged into an atmospheric 360° experience centred around three premiere vehicles.

For this application, 86 JDC Burst 1s were used as powerful horizon and effect lights. Building on the successful JDC1, the JDC Burst 1 offers even greater brightness, enhanced colour performance and a fully enclosed IP65 housing for outdoor use. In Munich, TLD used the devices specifically to create additional light pulses and depth in the environment dominated by very bright video screens.

“When you project video onto three large LED surfaces, you need devices that can be perceived and seen with a targeted, precise effect. The JDC Burst 1 is one of the very few devices that can prevail in this area,” says Richard Profe. With its high colour brilliance, segmented control and 185° tilt, the device proved to be an ideal tool for supporting the multimedia environment with dynamic lighting scenes.

Following the world premiere of the new Mercedes-Benz GLC, the immersive space also served as a club location on the visitor days, a seamless transition from brand presentation to evening event which placed special demands on the performance and flexibility of the chosen spotlights.

In addition to lighting design and operation, TLD was also responsible for the overall technical management and the co-ordination of logistics, infrastructure and suppliers. Approximately 3,000 square metres of exhibition space were created in just 14 days. All light shows were pre-programmed in advance to ensure smooth operations on site within the extremely tight schedule.

A ten-person TLD team from their ‘pool of experts’ was responsible for the on-site implementation, providing technical management, programming and scenic execution. Finished modules of the light sculpture were prefabricated in advance and simply assembled on site, a crucial factor given the tight schedule.

“TLD’s performance on this high-profile project was inspiring and spot-on,” says Oliver Schwendke. “It combined technical expertise, creative vision and absolute precision in execution. We are delighted that our KNV Cubes and JDC Burst 1 were able to be part of this extraordinary brand presentation.”

photos: Andreas Keller

www.glp.de

31st October 2025

Jakob Larsson’s “Visual Rooms” Immerse at Tele2 Arena for Ant Wan with Chauvet Professional COLORado PXL Bar 16

Sweden – Beautiful moments captivate us even more intensely when they are fleeting. Philosophers have reminded us of that since ancient times, recalling how quickly flowers fade after blossoming and stunning sunsets sink below the horizon.

It is a feeling familiar to fans of Swedish hip hop star Ant Wan, whose very brief career blazed across their sky like a brilliant comet only to disappear suddenly. Wan captivated the music world for two years with hits like Malaika and Komplicerat only to surprise everyone by announcing his retirement in 2025.

Just months before he withdrew from the public eye, the 27-year-old artist gave fans life-long memories when he appeared at Stockholm’s Tele2 arena. A record number of fans saw him at the famed venue that magical evening, surpassing the even crowd drawn by Madonna. Setting a magical mood for the occasion was an evocative lighting design by Jakob Larsson of Light It Production, who worked closely with artistic director Alexander Wessely.

The two collaborators created a powerful theatrical sense on the big stage with a show that was divided into three parts: the first marked by a ‘cold snow’ theme with cool colours and snow machine effects, the second characterised by a ‘fire theme’, animated by oranges and reds along with pyro effects, and the third (on a satellite stage) featured peacock blue gradients along with lasers that called forth images of Sweden’s northern lights.

Each part of the show had its own distinct ‘room’. Songs in the show’s set were matched to fit the specific spaces. Running through each room and tying the entire show together with a unifying signature look were 110 Chauvet Professional COLORado PXL Bar 16 motorised battens.

Larsson chose the PXL fixtures for his show after he did a shootout with various alternatives. “Our design had the Chauvet PXLs in every room,” he said. “Some were on the floor following the risers, making silhouettes from the back. Others were on the catwalk making walls of light, making the curtain smaller. They were also on the satellite stage, which was like a box with box truss that could go down the whole way to the stage.

“We never used all the lights at the same time, since we really wanted three theatrical scenes,” continued Larsson. “It was a massive show – 13 trailers of fixtures – but we tried to create small rooms to make it feel more intimate.”

Contributing to that sense of intimacy while also powering up bold, intense looks were the PXL fixtures, which were artfully arranged in square configurations. “One of our main goals was to create punchy light curtains with very narrow beams,” explained Larsson. “Of course, the zoom of the PXLs and their nice wash features also came in handy. Our programmer Nikolaj Brink was able to get a lot out of the fixtures. Another person who helped make our show a success was our production manager, Pantea Moafi.”

Larsson, who spent three days at Tele2, evaluating how indirect lighting would work in the sports arena, notes that the design and production team had months to prepare for show. Ant Wan was personally involved in the creative process, collaborating with the team on building the show’s rooms.

In the end, everything worked as the collaborators envisioned. “It was amazing to see that we could surprise the crowd every time with the next level of the show,” said Larsson, who added that the concert was a benchmark for him and his colleagues, describing it as one of “the coolest shows in Europe.” All in all, a fitting was for a bright shining star to say goodbye! 

30th October 2025

Linkin Park’s From Zero tour feels ‘like family’ for Sound Image crew

Worldwide - Linkin Park has sold over 100 million records worldwide and after a seven-year break from recording and touring, a new line-up drove the band’s eighth studio album ‘From Zero’ into a stadium-filling spectacle with audio design, reinforcement and global support from Sound Image.

“The most important aspect of our production, regarding this artist, is the quality of their audio and that’s why we chose our vendor,” begins Joe Skarzynski, Linkin Park’s production manager. No stranger to this camp, or advocating for Sound Image’s service, Joe has moved up through the ranks to help take the reins in the band’s new chapter as part of a production leadership team comprising Linkin Park’s longtime road collaborator, tour director Jim Digby, assistant tour director Fiona Booth and production co-ordinator Tori Merrick.

Following the devastating loss of former frontman Chester Bennington, members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Joe Hahn and Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell, have been joined by drummer Colin Brittain and co-vocalist, Emily Armstrong who are not only continuing the legacy that has resonated with millions of fans, but are now performing their biggest concerts to date.

Helping to develop the audio rig that would handle this major comeback, Sound Image, which had historically supported the band, was engaged once again. “Our number one priority is establishing a sound that can be replicated in every city and in every stadium for fans across the world,” explains Jim. “Furthermore, we need professional crew who are as excited as us to be working on this tour, which is such a special project. We need competency, consistency and customer value, and Sound Image and Clair Global understand those needs with total professionalism.

“Our artist wants to ensure that the essence of Linkin Park’s songwriting skills, the music that is embedded within them, is accurately represented through the PA sound and through the energy of their live shows. We are all tasked with keeping true to their music and making it sound great again today.”

Joe furthers: “Our engineers are doing a great job. We have people across our whole audio team who help to steer the ship in the right direction and work well in every situation, so thank you to the whole Sound Image team and, of course, to our account executive Kevin ‘Tater’ McCarthy and Sound Image president, Jesse Adamson, for giving us such an awesome crew.”

Part of keeping this tour running smoothly, especially for those impacted by grief, revolves around keeping the crew as content as possible. In the UK, mental health charity Music Support was on site for one-to-one peer support. “With such a busy schedule, everybody needs space to have their emotions heard and to be cared for as an individual within such a big team,” continues Joe. “It’s important and we try to provide as much of a family style relationship as we can. Having resources available, not from another crew member, but a trained ear that can handle complex feelings, goes a long way.” 

Jim agrees: “There's little we can do about the grind of the touring schedule, but out of respect for the team, Joe, Tori, Fiona and I, in our roles as production leadership, want to nurture when we hit these kinds of hurdles, it's what keeps us moving together.

“What we sometimes forget in our business is that as we are doing business, life goes on. The more you nurture a team of professionals, the more you can withstand the kind of rigors that we face out here without encountering a crisis. Adding decompression moments into your schedule is a necessity now.”

This ethos hasn't gone unnoticed by the crew. “It's nice to have been asked to work with such a legacy artist because their fans are quite amazing,” beams FOH engineer Jim Ebdon. “Jim Digby has put the best crew together and it's a very healthy situation. You can't often say that in touring, but here, people are prioritised. Jim is so great at recognising if we need some morale. And the band is so appreciative of their crew that it’s a refreshing, positive change. When the people on stage are interested in what you do, and when the crew are so conscientious in their jobs, it makes the difference.”

On his introduction to rap infused, electronic-led nu metal, he states: “I listened to them for two months in preparation and when we started rehearsing and I heard Emily sing live for the first time, I thought ‘this is going to be amazing’! The hairs on my arm are standing up even talking about it now. I was blown away by her vocals. The mix is big, with lots of exciting low end; their new album sound has those low, sub drops and the vocals sound great, so it’s a lovely show for me to mix every night. I didn’t get much rehearsal time with the PA system, but Sound Image and the wider Clair teams everywhere we’ve visited in Europe have done a great job.”

With DiGiCo at both ends, Jim operates on a Quantum 852 mixing over 100 inputs. He shares SD-Racks and operates across an Optocore loop in conjunction with the Quantum 338 console in monitor world. Primary inputs are split into Neve RMP-D8 Dante mic preamps and delivered to both consoles via an extensive Dante network with a Prodigy.MX joining to provide 96 to 48k sample rate and format conversion for broadcast applications.

Jim has dual Fourier Audio transform.engine in a main and backup workflow that are connected via another Prodigy.MX that handles changeover between the Quantum 852’s dual engines and Fourier. The same Prodigy.MX also manages the 128ch at 96k into Pro Tools for nightly archival and virtual soundcheck use cases.

“Mike Shinoda, being the band’s producer, engineer, writer and singer, listens to the board tape every night,” continues Jim. “He has really interesting comments for me and he's making me a better mixer every day. And Bill Chase, our systems engineer, knows exactly how the PA should sound.”

Vocalists Mike and Emily sing through DPA d:facto microphones. “It really suits them both, this capsule doesn’t colour the sound in any way and that’s perfect as we have very strong singers. For their older songs, there was a lot of vocal effects that Mike sent me the plug-ins for, but my outboard is the same as I’ve used for a long time: a Tube Tech CL-1B and a Teletronix LA-2A compressor on my vocal chain that go into a mono bus then into another vocal bus. I do have a couple of analogue compressors on drums and bass guitar, a couple of reverbs, but mainly, everything is in the Quantum 852. I love the bright screens as we’re working outside so much, and ergonomically, I like the layout of it; it’s a very nice desk to operate.”

The entire audio system has been built with robust, independent redundancy, designed by FOH, systems and network engineer Ricki Cook. “We have such a good crew from Sound Image. Ricki is extremely knowledgeable about all the equipment and what happens in the ‘engine room’, as it were,” Jim confirms.

Ricki manages the complex audio network with total confidence: “I toured with the band from 07 to 09 and was delighted to be asked to head up the early system design stages. I’ve really enjoyed introducing some new technology into the system as I’m very comfortable with it, especially given the amount of networking on this show. I like to do everything over IP but still have a large amount of MADI and other legacy audio interfaces to accommodate and my job is made easier with the use of the DirectOut Prodigy series. The band run the MPs on stage too and have taken advice and input on the design of their playback and backline systems. As a result, we’ve built a backline and audio package that gels together really well between artist and crew.”

Audio systems engineer Bill Chase is handling a substantial Adamson PA system: over 300 VGts (including delays), VGs and CS10 speakers are driven via Milan on a separate network also managed by Ricki and driven via Adamson’s network gateways and yet another Prodigy.MP loaded with AVB and Dante interfaces. Flown end fire subs and large cardioid ground sub arrays help achieve the desired impact. Bill notes: “The low-mid punch is very impressive. We want the same impact everywhere in the venue, while not losing the little details within the music and bringing out the full experience the fans expect of the band. That’s something that this Adamson rig does really well.”

The current PA design is one of five variations used throughout the tour. He furthers: “For stadiums, we have a standard large format design. There is a 24-box main hang paired with the flown end-fire sub arrays and an equally large side hang. These cover most of the stadium floor and side seating, while four 16-box delay towers and a 270 hang of eight more VGt help cover what the main and side cannot reach. The end-fire arrays place 12 VGs in front of another 12 VGs spaced 66-inches apart and angled outward. Using Adamson’s EF66 preset we can get all forward energy with very little to the rear and on stage. This really helps us get the low impact to the farthest seats without crushing the front row.”

A Sound Devices Nexus system is used for wireless test and measurement into a computer running SMAART for precise PA tuning. The Sound Devices and computers all interface with the Prodigy.MP via Dante.

Bill continues: “Nothing is ever cookie cutter with Sound Image, this rig in particular is probably one of the most intricate I’ve worked with as far as how we interface with backline and between monitors, front of house and the PA. It’s networked perfectly with a lot of control available to the artists and the techs. This kind of outcome is only possible when you build something very specific.”

The PA team is completed by PA technicians Tania Lopez Martinez and Robin Blanchard who joined the tour for the US shows this year and carrying onto the EU for the stadium shows the team was joined by PA technicians Joseph Walton and Marc Zedda, delay PA technicians Harry Thatcher, Jack Madden and Rowan Cahill.

Mixing six mixes for the band, monitor engineer Pasi Hara has a further two guest mixes and another eight crew mixes fed into dedicated combiners and antennas. All IEM are Wisycom with MPR-50 packs. Headphones are JH audio with the new JH Pearl system for all band and select crew members. 

“I have a couple of hardwired mixes for stationary crew also but I’m trying to keep things organic, so whatever the band gives me, I clean it a little and give it back to them without over processing it,” says Pasi. “By simply using some special vocal effects and distortion they’ve become accustomed to when making the new album, it allows their in-ear mixes to feel familiar when performing the newer songs live.”

The band are very open to suggestions and has a clear vision what they’re doing: “So much so that they ask us, the crew, what they can do to make the show better for us. It’s unheard of! With the dedication that has gone into this project, I don't think I’ve ever worked in a touring environment that’s been as satisfactory.”

Using the Quantum 338 with Pulse upgrade, Pasi adds: “Besides the main Optocore loop, I have a secondary loop for my local immersive KLANG:konductor IEM monitor mixing system with Optocore cards fitted within.”

Waves is mostly used for effects, but also as inserts on selected inputs such as drums, bass and vocals. Pasi records to Reaper through a pair of DiGiGrid MGBs, running 128 channels at 96k. The same computer also hosts Wavetool for audio and RF monitoring. He continues: “I start mixing with no automation and my cue notes I learn by hand. Then, I automate certain things that need to move; I leave my drums and most of the vocals alone, but we do run levels on guitars, the DJ, keys and for playback.”

The complexity of the rig took some integral pre-production time, as Pasi notes: “During our prep at Sound Image’s San Diego shop, we were treated very well. Even when we were working under a secret name, you get the same service if you're a big act or unknown. They’re a very good company to work with.”

Pasi works closely with RF technician and comms expert Katlyn Mountain. Katlyn oversees the band’s RF while also looking after Pasi as monitor technician, comms technicians Jess Hammersley and Robin Blanchard, and Stage Tech Amy Truong.

This team is deploying a package of Wisycom MTK982 dual channel IEM transmitters and Shure Axient Digital receivers with RF over fibre. “Almost everyone across the crew is on the Bolero stand-alone comms system, or Wisycom MPR50 IEMs with the new JH Pearl modification,” begins Katlyn. “We are using around 90 radios (Motorola XPR3500e) which we also have tied into the Riedel Communications stand-alone system and over 50 packs.”

Katlyn loves working on these larger, longer tours. “It has given me an opportunity for growth and a chance to learn from others around me. I’m fortunate when it comes to this tour; it allows me to have the opportunity to see and be around many different RF environments and I always strive to face them as a positive challenge. Having an amazing crew also helps keep the positivity! Touring with them has truly been a gift; this team is the closest thing you could feel to being with family.”

In closing, FOH mixer Jim Ebdon agrees: “This business is all about relationships and it seems to me, certainly in my career, that Clair Global and its brands really looks after you. As a vendor, their brands have your best interests at heart. We are a family because they’re very attentive to the small needs and that means I never have to worry; I can do what the band wants me to do, which is to concentrate on mixing them in this new, exciting era.”

Linkin Park’s ‘From Zero’ world tour is currently in South America and is set to end in Switzerland on 30 June 2026, a long stint away from home made possible thanks to a real road family. 

photos: Chady Awad

30th October 2025

KLANG and DiGiCo help Arve Gotfredsen restore artist trust

Denmark – When Arve Gotfredsen was introduced to his latest client, a Danish pop artist with an eight-piece band, he was told that they had experienced monitor issues. He knew that first impressions would be everything. Having tried a demo, he turned to KLANG to deliver the space he needed for each element of the mix, instinctively knowing this could help to resolve his client’s issues.

“I wanted to make sure we had bandwidth to allow the whole mix to interact effectively and work together. I work a lot with immersive sound in general and I was intrigued by the possibilities KLANG offers. I tried the online demo, where it’s possible to switch between a spatialised and a stereo mix. I instantly thought the spatialised mix was exactly what I’d been missing for in-ear monitoring.”

The ability to A-B test the mix was the most convincing part for Arve, an immersive audio specialist with deep knowledge of room acoustics and electroacoustics. Hearing the potential, he introduced KLANG to his client, using a DMI-KLANG card integrated into a DiGiCo Quantum 326. He appreciated the seamless console integration, which gave him the flexibility to focus on the musician’s needs.

“I didn't say too much to the musicians because I handled the mix from the console. I just explained that we had a tool that could potentially create more room in their mixes,” he recalls. “Mixing for monitors is rarely just about creating a perfect sounding mix, it’s about giving the artist what they need. For instance, one of our musicians was used to a very compressed, studio-like feel in his in-ears. So, while he appreciated the open and spatial mix, he missed that tight, compressed sound. We ended up heavily processing key elements and placed them centrally within the KLANG spatialised mix, which gave him an immersive experience while still delivering the cues he needed to perform confidently.”

Every musician has an idea of how their own instrument should sound, but sometimes a different sound is needed for the instrument to blend with the full band. Traditionally, engineers would duplicate input channels to be able to provide a sound for the individual and another for the band with different processing. With KLANG, Arve says, that is no longer necessary.

“Normally, I would need to do a channel split on almost all my input channels and create individual mixes for each musician,” he explains. “If someone thinks the hi-hats and overheads are too bright, for instance and they want it darker, KLANG allows me to move those elements around in their mix, maybe lowering them on the vertical plane to change the sound and meet their needs. When you fully exploit the spatial placement within KLANG, you rarely need to input-split, which is pretty neat. You almost feel like you have an input split of all channels for all mixes!”

KLANG’s immersive in-ear-monitoring systems have been a natural progression for Arves monitoring techniques. As he concludes, having seen the benefits and the difference it can make to performers, he is positive that he will include it in all his future projects.

“Immersive sound is the next layer for audio and should be as integral as using reverb,” Arve finishes. “If you hear a vocal coming out of a PA system and you add reverb, it delivers a whole new dimension. It’s the same with immersive sound, and I’m sure it will become increasingly prevalent. I work a lot with immersive techniques, with loudspeakers, sound placement and moving objects. For me, the level and the sound quality of KLANG is high enough to make me want to do it again. I’m sure I will come to rely on it.”

30th October 2025