The 2023 Lollapalooza Berlin event at Olympiapark in the heart of the city was notable for a sizzling artist lineup as well as being a major Robe moving light installation, with almost 500 Robe fixtures over 75 on the Alternative Stage, over 125 on Main Stage North and over 250 on Main Stage South, plus some on Perry’s stage.

Lighting production was delivered to the Main Stage North by rental specialists TSE, Main Stage South by Media Resource Group (MRG), Alternative Stage by Sound Projekt (SPS) and Parry’s stage by Colour Sound Experiment.
Robe’s ‘On the Road’ show truck was also on site, located backstage left at Main Stage North, as for the first time at this event, TSE located their WYSIWYG pre-viz studio in the truck offering all lighting designers access to the service.

With all-day personal support by Thomas Heydthausen from Berlin-based pre-viz specialist prefocus, most LDs gladly accepted the offer and enjoyed the access to the hardware, hospitality and the cool vibe and yet quiet space.

Apart from its role in the creative production process, the Robe truck top deck functioned as a cool networking area welcoming all crew and anyone from the technical production community on site, who could enjoy their ‘down’ time with a perfect view across almost the whole festival ground and extraordinarily good weather, which saw the mercury top 30 degrees.

Footsie2

Six of Robe’s new Footsie2 footlight fixtures with wide diffusers and integral cable tray were made available on the thrust of Main Stage North, the first time the product has been used at a European festival! The Footsie2s were embraced by Imagine Dragons and their lighting designer Mitchell “Mitch” Schellenger, and tour lighting programmer Dennis Brasser, who could swiftly integrate them into their show.

Their show lighting production design typically had footlights along the thrust on podiums lower down from the stage, which was not possible at Lolla Berlin, so the Footsie2s were welcomed, and Mitch loved everything about this innovative new product!

Apparently so did the band, and especially lead singer Dan Reynolds who could clearly see the audience with whom he has such a great connection without being blinded. He also loved the idea of the BluMark™ stage edge indication. Illumination from the Footsie2’s also perfectly highlighted the artists at the front of the catwalk during the band’s dramatic and frequent confetti blasts!

Main Stage North

Thomas Stütz was TSE’s project manager for Main Stage North which utilised 12 x iFortes and 8 x iSpiiders on the front truss – picked for their power, intensity and of course IP rating as this position was exposed. They were accompanied by thirty-four Spiider LED wash beams positioned on the main overhead trusses, together with 30 x Fortes.

Alongside them were 36 x MegaPointes, also integral to the design, positioned on the side ladder trusses in a Matrix of 5×3 each side, and some on the deck. Robe’s MegaPointe ranks as one of the ‘must have’ all time festival favourite fixtures ever!
Robe products were also chosen because of their wide acceptance by international productions, their rider friendliness and the great creative design possibilities that using them offers to any performance environment.

Main Stage North production lighting design was created by Klaus Gräwert and Janine Lutz who commented that it was “ideal” to be able for the front IP rated fixtures to be twinned with identical standard Forte and Spiider products on the rest of the rig, all with the same control parameters and characteristics.

Imagine Dragons brought their own touring RoboSpot systems including BMFL FollowSpots & BMFL FS LTs rigged on the back truss, plus two on the FOH towers. They have been touring Europe with this for the summer.
A total of 60 TSE crew and staff were on duty across all the shifts, headed by project leaders Thomas Stütz and Marty Lemke and working closely with Janine Lutz, who also took on the head of lighting role.

Main Stage South

Alternating in flip-flop style, the South Stage lighting technical production was supplied by another major German rental company, the Media Resource Group (MRG), and project managed by Kilian Körber.

Robe MegaPointes were a major part of the lighting scheme for this stage, with 120 on the rig, together with 30 x BMFL Blades, 70 x Spiider wash beams, 27 x Tetra2s and eight PATT 2013s. The production lighting design started in classic festival style with a spot / wash base combination, augmented as additional rider information from individual artists became available.
This year, the leading specification came from David Guetta whose lighting design by the team at High Scream most influenced the Stage South. Their specification focused on beam lamps with reliability and precision, in this case the MegaPointe, to help unlock the creativity and WOW factors of their aesthetic.

Kilian commented that the “essence” of festival designs is always to have this latitude to fit every artist in terms of fixture types and positioning. “As a service provider, this allows us to offer a ‘full spectrum’ that is easy for everyone to utilize. Robe is rider-suitable, and everyone gladly accepts the fixtures, so the lights are perfect for these scenarios.”

MRG also enjoys working with state-of-the-art technology, so having a range of IP rated fixtures now available from Robe was greatly perceived by MRG, and they already have a significant amount of Robe iSeries products ordered. Finally, rain domes, which often look bizarre and strange, will be a thing of the past!
Paris-based ambient electronic / dance duo The Blaze added another 24 of their own floor based MegaPointes to the 120 already in the rig on Main Stage South, while for American singer and rapper Macklemore, MRG provided an additional floor package comprising MegaPointes, strobes and Robe PATT 2013s.

Accommodating David Guetta’s precise set and lighting requirements was one of the challenges of this year’s event, and getting this right was relished by Kilian and his crew. “Seeing the results of all that work, detail and pre-preparation was very satisfying,” he commented on the spectacular results as the superstar DJ and producer fired up the festival with his indelible array of bangerz and trailblazing dancefloor hits.
grandMA3 fullsize consoles were used for lighting control and all apart from two visiting lighting operators used the house control desks.

For Kilian, having the visualization suite in the Robe show truck was a big plus. It provided a hub for LDs and operators to work and a place for them and others to relax prior or after their shows if they chose. Up-to-date MVR files were supplied for the individual days and shows, and most operators both utilized and were impressed by the facility.

“Personally, I found it a great place to work and hang out! It would be great to do it again next year!” he enthused, clearly enjoying the vibes and atmos of another great Lolla Berlin. “It is simply an impressive festival with no expense or effort spared to make it an enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone,” he concluded.

MRG has been using Robe products for many years and has a large rental inventory spanning several product ranges. The company has been a supplier of the Lollapalooza Berlin event since 2022. Main Stage South video features a large upstage video screen and two side IMAGs, and the action was streamed live via Telekom Magenta.

Alternative Stage

Lighting for the Alternative stage with performances from Kiel-based Leoniden, known for their energy, attitude, and invention; indie rockers Lovejoy from Brighton in the UK; American indie pop band AJR from New York City featuring three multi-instrumentalist brothers that alt rocked the house, among many others, was supplied by Sound Projekt Veranstaltungstechnik from Stralsund (SPS).
It included 72 x Robe moving lights, a combination of iPointe 65s, MegaPointes, Spiiders and iSpiiders among which were rigged (with other fixtures) on the overhead rig and deployed on the floor, again all chosen as universally rider-acceptable.

Alternative Stage project manager Fabian Schwabe commented that working festival stages always requires the most flexible stage setups that can be used by multiple productions and artists. “That’s why we used MegaPointes and Spiiders both in the air and on the deck in consultation with the festival organisers,” he explained. These were supplemented by weather-proof iPointe 65s and iSpiiders in the front truss.

“It was perfect to have a front truss with identical IP-rated fixtures to those further back,” he elucidated, a practicality that Robe has spent a lot of time in developing.
Sound Projekt has also been working with Robe for many years and likes the overall usability, popularity, and reliability of the product ranges. The Alternative Stage lighting operator, for those not bringing their own, was Max Struppe using grandMA control.

Lighting for Perry’s Stage, named after Perry Farrell from Jane’s Addiction, the event’s creator was supplied by Colour Sound Experiment from the UK, who have also been a long-term supplier of the Berlin edition. Their rig this year included Robe Spiiders and two RoboSpot remote follow spot systems in combination with BMFL Spots.

For more information, you can visit www.robe.cz

On the evening of October 27, The Appel Room of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York hosted a diverse celebration of music and technology. To mark the first commercial installation of the NADIA™ integrated digital audio platform for Constellation® acoustic systems, Meyer Sound brought together acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble, the Mark Morris Dance Group, Steve Miller, and the Bruce Harris Quintet, the latter introduced by Wynton Marsalis, managing and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Co-presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) and Meyer Sound, and dubbed “NADIA’s Music Hall,” the invitation-only event underscored the extraordinary acoustical versatility of the Constellation acoustic system, which subtly optimized the room’s aural ambiance for each performance.

Company co-founders John and Helen Meyer were in attendance, with Executive Vice President Helen Meyer and Constellation Project Director John Pellowe making introductions and conversing with the performers.

From left to right Helen Mayer, John Meyer and Wynton Marsalis.

“We’re excited about this evening because we are about to bring you a unique variety show,” said Helen Meyer in her opening remarks, “featuring some of the world’s most celebrated artists from contemporary dance as well as classical, rock, and jazz music.
And we’re doing this so you can hear and enjoy how these different musical genres sound naturally their best using The Appel Room’s Constellation acoustic system, recently upgraded with the NADIA platform.”

Violinist Joshua Bell, music director of the illustrious Academy of St Martin in the Fields, led the Chamber Ensemble in works by Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Shostakovich. Between selections, he noted his own prior experiences playing in Constellation-equipped halls “from Berkeley to Singapore.” “Constellation is almost miraculous in what it can do. It is a wonderful use of advanced technology to add to our art form of [classical music], which is pre-technology.”

Steve Miller

Legendary guitarist and songwriter Steve Miller who recently joined the Board of Directors of Jazz at Lincoln Center recounted his fruitful relationship with John Meyer extending back to 1967 when Meyer created a custom amplifier for Miller’s appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival.
“John is a perfectionist and the sound in this room is an example of that,” said Miller. “I love playing here.” Miller then treated the gathering to a mesmerizing acoustic treatment of his 1977 hit, “Jet Airliner.”

The evening closed with an interlude of lively jazz from the Bruce Harris Quintet, introduced by Wynton Marsalis. Marsalis took the occasion to comment on his own experience playing in halls around the world, some equipped with Constellation and others sorely in need of the technology.

“On behalf of Jazz at Lincoln Center, I’m pleased to co-present this evening to showcase the debut of NADIA, a high-powered processing engine designed for the venues of the future. NADIA is the new heart of Constellation, which has changed the world of concert halls. When I ask presenters about Constellation, it seems everyone knows what it is, even if they don’t have it. And when I play dry rooms that are not ambient, where the sound really needs a lot of help, I say, ‘Call Helen and John Meyer, the hippest people you are ever going to meet.’”

“John and I were amazed by the response from both the artists who performed and the guests who attended this truly special evening,” said Helen Meyer following the festivities. “This was a celebration for NADIA, the new digital platform for Constellation, which we proudly named after our granddaughter. It proved to be the ultimate showcase of how we strive to give artists and audiences the best possible experience at the intersection of technology and art.”

Constellation Project Director John Pellowe.

NADIA’s Music Hall was designed and produced by Copper Leaf Productions, Marjorie Randell-Silver, Owner/Creative Director. For the edification of guests not fully familiar with Constellation, John Pellowe gave a presentation, with musical examples, of how the technology can create a wide range of natural-sounding acoustic environments.

The new NADIA platform, including core processor and input/output modules, replaced the prior generation D-Mitri units from The Appel Room’s original installation of Constellation in 2013. Constellation has transformed hundreds of venues worldwide.

More information on:

– The Nadia’s Music Hall website
– The Meyer Sound website

Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) is a popular contemporary blues band, known for superlative musicianship and gripping live performances, so Nashville based lighting designer Tony Caporale of design studio InfinitusVox was delighted to be asked to design a new lighting scheme for their live shows.

Tony has enjoyed an action packed 2023 schedule and TTB is a brand-new client. They reached out to him after seeing some of his other work, particularly the Goose tour earlier in the year, for which he was lighting programmer, working closely with LD Andrew Goedde.

A long-term Robe advocate, when Tony started drawing up the plot, he reached for some of his most trusted moving lights Fortes, Spiiders and MegaPointes, to help add that special magic and sparkle for TTB’s stage presentation.

It started as a summer shed and theatre tour and crossed over to arenas towards the later US dates, so the rig needed to be scalable and adaptable. Tony’s lighting also had to accommodate a raft of guest musicians and singers, all adding to the general stage dynamic. With a 12-piece band to cover, he needed some bold and large lighting looks to complement their impressive set up.
All the band are very tuned into and aware of each other, such is the nature of the blues and more improvisational playing, so emphasizing the scale but retaining the correct band footprint and distances so they could best communicate freely was another lighting challenge.

“I decided to effectively ‘wrap’ the trusses around their stage set up, including the floor lighting carts on the deck as well, so it could envelop them on one hand, but I could also have lights shooting out to the audience and transferring the energy offstage,” he explained.

When he showed Susan Tedeschi, a band founder together with husband Derek Trucks, the initial ideas, she loved the essence of the band being surrounded by lights. He also illustrated aspects like the Spiiders’ Flower Effect, which she instantly latched onto, making Spiiders an absolute must have for the tour!

Tony mentioned that he also sent Susan and Derek some links to Robe product videos when proposing the lighting design. “Many musicians have a high level of interest when it comes to the technology you are using and how they are being lit, so I often send them product info so they can see for themselves.”

Robe Spiider

The 70 x Spiiders were arranged in clusters on the mid and upstage trusses, enabling nice arrays of beams and pixels with two clusters of five on three mid stage trusses and sections of 20 fixtures lower down on the upstage trusses, all accentuating the depth and bringing added dimensionality to the stage.

Having the Spiiders rigged in this pattern meant the band could be illuminated and picked up in sections or if they were soloing or engaging in a special moment. They could also produce ACL-style ‘beam technology’ looks, and having these Spiiders in this arrangement just generally facilitated some very cool back lighting.
For the song “Midnight in Harlem” Tony created an animated, twinkling starry sky with Spiider pixels on a slow dimmer chase. Caporale also utilized a Hippotizer media server running through the grandMA control system to produce many more fluid and flowing effects.

The fifty Fortes were positioned on the overhead and side trusses and in the floor carts. Tony had used them on the last Goose tour with Andrew, and loved them, choosing them for this project “because I knew I needed a bright, rock-solid fixture.”

Robe FORTE

The Forte shutters and beam shaping were invaluable in precision coverage for the substantial line up, and Tony noted that even TTB’s regular lighting director Brian Pirrone, known to be extremely particular about having accurate specials and key lighting “was impressed!”

Forte was needed for its output, especially the luminaires on the downstage truss, and they worked equally well as a rear keys, including a row of four upstage center, used to throw quality back lighting onto Susan and Derek.

“We learned so much about what these lights could do and how versatile they are on Goose, so I took some of that knowledge and used it for different applications on this design.”

MegaPointes were the third essential layer of lighting for the design. Twenty MegaPointes were scattered in between the Spiiders and used for “fun patterns, and extra fire power” he explained. “We also used them on Billie Eilish last year, and while there were less units compared to Spiiders and Fortes, as MegaPointes do … they went a long way and produced some stunning and diverse looks.”

Robe MegaPointe

They were great for highlighting Susan and Derek with interesting asymmetric and defocused looks from behind. “I always have some MegaPointes on the plot” confirmed Tony “I love the speed; the prisms are fantastic, and you can simply do a lot with not so many fixtures.”

The overall vibe of the show was organic and relaxed with a need to amp things up for the up-tempo sections and jams, so they needed to get super intense with the lighting at times, following the music.
“It’s basically a very musical lightshow” said Tony, noting again that input from Brian on the basic do’s, don’ts and other vital tips massively helped the harmony and success of his design, and understanding of where it needed to grow.

With no video onstage, all the visual emphasis was on the lighting, and that needed to be dramatic and emotional at exactly the right times without ever distracting from the music.

Tony loved the fact he was able to get a bit experimental while developing this show. The antithesis of a tightly timecoded highly cued set, the go-with-the-flow improvisation style demanded that the design worked for this way of operation, and could produce a different lightshow each night in line with a band who play a unique set each time they take to the stage.

“It was a different but very invigorating and exciting way to work,” he concluded
Lighting equipment was supplied by Gateway Studios & Production Services out of St Louis, and project managed by Mikey Cummings. The lighting crew chief was Sandy Paul, LX1 was Max Mackintosh, LX2 was Chazz Malott, Jim Crandall was LX2 and rigger, with Sarah Jaffee taking care of dimmers/networking.

For more info on Robe lighting, you can visit www.robe.cz

Ryan Schaminee is a Netherlands-based freelance gaffer and lighting board operator who also works internationally on a wide variety of commercial, television and some film projects utilising Astera products almost every day.

He finds the Astera ranges reliable, highly flexible and appreciates the great quality of light, all attributes that assist him in thinking quickly and laterally to come up with inventive and cool looking lighting solutions that are spot on.
For a recent commercial shoot for Versuni – home to some of the world best known and most loved domestic appliance brands – Astera HydraPanels enabled Ryan to do just this!

He needed to back-light a large 2-metre-high by 4-metre-wide cabinet structure which was built in Westerpark Studio, Amsterdam to showcase an impressive array of awards that have been won by various Versuni brands. The cabinet was an idea pitched by producers Urbain Studio, who then asked Ryan to advise on the best lighting.

Ryan wanted to dramatically highlight the awards in white and be able to change the colours behind each trophy individually for contrast, and with no light spillage.
It was a one-day shoot, so the lighting set up was pressured and needed to be quick and efficient for which Hydra Panels with their individual pixel / zone control and magnetic beam modifiers immediately stood out!

Thirty-two fixtures were sourced for the shoot which were supplied by several different rental companies, and in the process, Ryan even purchased a set of four for himself, so impressed was he with the fixtures!
“I have always wanted some since they were launched,” he admitted, “So this was the perfect time and it made up the numbers!” These were supplied by Astera’s Benelux distributor, Controllux.

The scaffolding rig built to support the HydraPpanels was constructed by Ryan and his team and the units were attached using the spigot connectors.
The HydraPanels were run powered and (data) controlled wirelessly, with Ryan taking advantage of being able to daisy-chain units together which saved more time on cabling and meant fewer power sockets were needed.

On the same shoot, Ryan also used 7 x Astera AX2 PixelBars to illuminate the studio background in Versuni’s corporate colours. All lights were programmed and run via a grandMA3 on PC command wing.

The commercial was directed by Pierre Nivière, the DOP was Marlon Fokker, the best girl was Tara Bisoen and the sparks / LX was Joep Fransen.
Ryan commented that they all enjoyed the teamwork and collaboration of producing a great-looking commercial for the client. On another recent commercial, he used 2 x HydraPanels on a stand that was swiftly moved to cut between different camera angles, again proving their ultimate usability.

Ryan notes that the magnetic diffusion filters that come with the lights are exceptionally quick to add or remove as needed, and the battery power of all the Astera ranges has always impressed him. “Being 100% wireless with DMX control is brilliant – you have all the options.”

He has been using Astera products since the AX1 first hit the market a few years ago and has become a firm advocate of the brand for all the above reasons. “I use Astera on every shoot and every day now. I think the brand is extremely strong, they are innovative, in tune with the market and make excellent products.”

Astera HydraPanel Video Demo

For more info, you can visit the Astera LED

The Tivoli music venue at Vredenburg, one of the most well known music venues in The Netherlands, recently installed 64 Ayrton Eurus S Profiles within two of its halls – Ronda and De Grote Zaal – via Ayrton’s exclusive distributor in The Netherlands, Ampco Flashlight Sales.
This large venue built in 2014 has six unique halls with a total capacity for 7500 people. De Grote Zaal, the original building from 1979, was built as a Symphony Hall with a seating capacity of 1717, or standing room of 2000.

“Being a symphony hall, many orchestras perform here,” says Jolijn van Iersel, Lighting Technician for the venue, “but the stage also hosts pop and rock shows including, in 2003, the Rolling Stones. More recently the likes of Iggy Pop, The Four Tops, Wadruna, Phillip Glass, King Crimson, Nils Frahm, Steve Hackett, The Temptations, Paul Carrack have also played here.” De Grote Zaal also hosts corporate events and award shows.

Ronda, also with a capacity of 2000 and in use since 2014 for rock, pop and dance events, has a more intimate feel: “Everywhere you stand is quite close to the stage because the hall is wider than it is deep.

Artists that have performed here include Billie Eilish, Wilco, Massive Attack, Level 42, Mogwai, The Hives, Feist, One Republic, Angie Stone, Rudimental, and Ben Howard.”

The team at Tivoli was looking to update its aging lighting system which used discharge lamps. “The fans were quite loud as well, which created a problem for performing orchestras. It was time to update the lights and look into the newer technology,” explains van Iersel.

“The basis of what we were looking for was a light that would at least equal our existing fixtures and be rider proof. In addition, it had to be up to date with LED technology, have shutter blades, and be future proof with, for example, an Ethercon port. Our preference was for a white LED source with CMY and, most importantly, the ability to be very quiet.”

Having worked with Ayrton lights before while touring, Ayrton was not new to van Iersel who was keen to see what Ayrton could offer that would match these criteria. “We’d been researching lights for a while already but, like the rest of the world, Corona slowed everything down.
We investigated several brands, working with Ampco Flashlight Sales which organised extensive demos and shoot outs to help us find the right product, and discovered the Ayrton Ghibli, Khamsin and Huracán. It wasn’t until we went to PLASA London in 2022, that we saw the Eurus.

“Eurus immediately grabbed our attention because of its size and because it met all our demands. Amongst all its features, we looked specifically into the colour mixing and CRI, the diversity of the gobos, and the working of the blades.
And most importantly we checked the output in Silent Mode, and tested for fixture/fan sound in that setting. It ticked all our boxes!”

The Eurus fixtures are rigged in each venue for use as stage lights, front lights and as floor packages, handling the diversity of use across two very different performance spaces with ease. “In Ronda, for the dance and rock shows, we use the full force of the light and add a few more into the hall for dance events. The speed of Eurus is good for those shows, and the light has a good balance with the other fixtures in the rig.

“The throw distance in both venues is about 25m, but in De Grote Zaal you hit the crowd quicker because of the arena setup. This is also why we chose the Eurus as the beam is perfect for this distance. And for the classical performances in De Grote Zaal, in super silent mode, there is still plenty of light output to illuminate everything nicely.”

Feedback on Eurus from technicians and lighting designers has been very positive. “People enjoy working with them,” confirms van Iersel. “Our own technicians like them, and we’ve had really good reactions from visiting crews as well. Everybody is pleasantly surprised by the physical weight of the light. They like the colour mixing, the variable CTO wheel and the variety of the gobos.
Our dance operators in particular are very enthusiastic about the clearly different looks they can achieve switching between gobos, and how well the light output holds up. The difference between the narrow beams and how wide they can go is a much liked feature too. The same goes for the framing package.”

The durability and reliability of Eurus has also been a key bonus for the venue techs: “Our new Ayrton Eurus S are a relief for our technicians,” confirms van Iersel. “The internal design is solid and reliable and they’ve proved very durable and continue to do their jobs as expected.
Ayrton provided us with in-depth maintenance instructions for quick troubleshooting if necessary, and we are delighted with the service we received from Ampco Flashlight Sales as our lighting supplier. The communication has always been really straight forward and accessible, which is key for us as a solid base for working together.”

Ampco Flashlight Sales is the exclusive distributor for Ayrton in The Netherlands www.ampco-flashlight.com

For more information on Ayrton Eurus and the full portfolio of Ayrton LED and laser-sourced fixtures, visit www.ayrton.eu

Ayrton is excited to announce a new distribution partner for South Africa Planetworld. Planetworld will be closely supported by current distributor, Bespoke Entertainment Solutions to ensure Ayrton’s current and prospective customers receive the very best in products, service and support.

The team at Planetworld will work with Bespoke Entertainment Solutions to promote and support Ayrton in South Africa.

Planetworld, already a well-established company in the consumer audio market, and familiar to the entertainment industry through its distribution of leading audio brands, recently launched its new Pro Division. The Planetworld Pro Team, formally Wild and Marr, is responsible for supplying both technical design and equipment into the Pro AV Systems and Live Entertainment markets. Ayrton will become the second major LED brand to strengthen its product portfolio, complementing its Leyard LED screen representation.

“The entire team at Planetworld and I are beyond excited to be adding Ayrton to our growing portfolio of world class brands. Ayrton’s rich history of producing class-leading lighting solutions combined with Planetworld’s distribution, marketing and sales capabilities gives us the ability to truly amplify experiences across the entertainment industry in Africa,” states Planetworld CEO, Maurice van Heerden.

Bespoke Entertainment Solutions, which has an outstanding knowledge of the South African entertainment market at grass roots level, and long-standing experience of the Ayrton product range through its technical director, Suren Lutchman, will provide support services to Planetworld in a partnership that ensures Ayrton’s opportunities are maximized across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“It has been and will continue to be a great pleasure and an awesome experience working with the Ayrton team in establishing the brand in South Africa, especially post-Covid,” says Lutchman. “The partnership with Planetworld will be an exciting new endeavour and we look forward to working closely with the team to carry the Ayrton brand forward.”

“To combine Suren’s sure-fire competence in the field and his service expertise, with the incredible team and infrastructure offered by Planetworld is such an exciting prospect,” says Michael Althaus, Ayrton’s Global Sales Director. “Not only will the new partnership strengthen the Ayrton presence exponentially in the South African entertainment sector, but it also offers huge potential to the install vertical.”

The new distribution collaboration starts with immediate effect.

For more information on Ayrton, visit www.ayrton.eu

LC16D is a high-capacity AES/EBU- and MADI-to-Milan AVB audio network converter housed in a compact and rugged 1U chassis. With up to 80 legacy format inputs and outputs, LC16D can interface with up to 128 channels to and from the network.

It offers dynamic mapping of audio channels and comprehensive synchronisation options, all controlled via an intuitive, embedded web interface. LC16D features flexible power options, with the innovative use of Power over Ethernet and seamless Milan AVB audio connections, providing robust redundancy features as standard.

LC16D is simple to use

The embedded web interface enables full control and monitoring from any device with a web browser and internet connection. The ten user configurations make storing and loading different channel mappings easy, while comprehensive clocking options make synchronisation effortless and distribution of clock sources across connection formats possible.

LC16D acts as a bridge between legacy digital formats and a Milan AVB network, offering expanded connectivity and audio interfacing options in a budget-friendly format. It has a wide range of applications in the rental, corporate, and fixed installation markets, as well as for broadcast, residential, and recording studios.

At festivals, large-scale broadcasts, or other special event applications that use several interfaced digital consoles, LC16D’s integrated asynchronous sample rate converters on each AES/EBU input eliminate the need for complex synchronisation management, allowing digital consoles to continue using their independent clock domains.

This simplifies the connection process and creates a plug-and-play AES/EBU-to-Milan AVB interface while also expanding the connectivity capacity of the drive system.
LC16D can be used as a floating converter for fixed installations deployed anywhere a legacy digital connection needs to interface with a Milan AVB network.

Scott Sugden.

The combination of AES/EBU and MADI inputs allows any digital console to be connected simply and efficiently, while the converter’s outputs can be utilised to generate and distribute additional feeds as required.

“The first ever network converter from L-Acoustics, LC16D bridges legacy formats to the future of networking,” said Scott Sugden, Director of Product Management, Electronics at L-Acoustics. “The powerful, feature-rich, and cost-effective LD16D will ease and accelerate the adoption of the Milan AVB protocol.”

LC16D will ship in Q4 of 2023.

View the LC16D launch video below:

For more information about LC16D, please visit the L-Acoustics website

Robe Deutschland GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Robe Lighting s.r.o., has taken over exclusive responsibility for the sales and service of all Avolites products on the German market as of November 1st, 2023.

Dieter Gross, CEO of Robe Germany, commented, “Following the acquisition of Avolites by Robe it was a logical step to hand over sales in the region to Robe’s German subsidiary. We respect Trendco’s excellent work over the decades and thank them for their harmonious cooperation during the handover period.”

Tillmann Schulz, Sales and Business Development Manager for Avolites at Robe Deutschland GmbH.

Tillmann Schulz has been appointed Sales and Business Development Manager for Avolites at Robe Deutschland GmbH. He is passionate about the Avolites brand, and notes, “Robe has been using Avolites control products internally for a long time and I am delighted to be representing these new, user-friendly solutions in the German market.”

In collaboration with Robe Germany’s product specialist and technical sales Martin Opitz and business development manager Jens Langner, Tillmann will also offer Avolites training and create further tutorial and learnership opportunities.
Technical support will be provided by the service department of Robe Deutschland GmbH in Neuching near Munich.

The entire Robe Deutschland team is excited about the addition of Avolites to the product range: “This is a great opportunity for us with an outstanding set of products, and we’ve appointed a hugely talented and enthusiastic individual in Tillmann and look forward to a great long-term working relationship,” stated Martin Lönner, COO of Robe Deutschland.

“Integrating Avolites’ strong products into the Robe lighting ecosystem enables us to respond comprehensively to ever-increasing demands for creative, intelligent lighting solutions,” adds Jens Langner.
With immediate effect, Tillmann will be the first point of contact for all matters relating to Avolites. He is looking forward to this new collaboration and to showcasing current Avolites innovations like the D9 full visual control console, the T3 portable solution and the PRISM range of live production tools to a wide variety of lighting and visual designers all over Germany.

For more info you can visit www.robe.cz

Michael Johnson, who co-founded NEXO and served as its Managing Director until 2008, has passed away. Establishing the company alongside Eric Vincenot and Thierry Tranchant, “Micky” contributed to the expansion of NEXO over nearly thirty years, travelling the world and engaging with customers. He was not only an entrepreneur but also a patron of arts, music and theatre and an avid art collector.

Please join us in remembering Micky and the legacy he leaves behind.

Rivale Profile is a phenomenon in the world of motorised spotlights. In terms of luminous efficiency, with its new-generation 450W LED engine, it significantly outperforms its 650W Ghibli predecessor.

Full-featured and extremely versatile, with an extra-wide 4-52° zoom, a motorised profile module, IP65 rating and continuous Pan Tilt rotation, it weighs just 28 kg in a compact case.

Here is a video presentation by Ayrton

AYRTON – Rivale Profile – Presentation from Ayrton on Vimeo.

More on the Ayrton website

HARMAN Professional Solutions, the global leader in audio, lighting, and video and control technologies, announced today it has entered into an agreement to acquire FLUX SOFTWARE ENGINEERING (“FLUX::”), pioneers in immersive audio production, audio processing plug-in design, and audio analysis.

The acquisition will broaden HARMAN Professional’s offerings across multiple applications with world-class immersive technology, in addition to establishing a foundation for future innovation by bringing together FLUX::’s team with the hardware and software engineers of HARMAN Professional. When closed, the purchase will include FLUX::’s immersive, processing, and analysis solutions across live production, installation sound, content creation, and post-production.

Brian Divine, President of HARMAN Professional Solutions.

“The FLUX:: acquisition is part of a technology investment HARMAN Professional is making to bring outstanding immersive experiences for live and recorded productions,” said Brian Divine, President, HARMAN Professional Solutions. “From creation to real-time immersive delivery, we aim to empower artists, designers, and engineers with a comprehensive product offering across the entire system. The foundational technology developed by the talented FLUX:: team opens many opportunities for future integration with our portfolio of brands.”

France-based FLUX:: was founded in 2006 by then seasoned sound recording engineer and current CEO, Gaël Martinet, for the purpose of creating intuitive and innovative audio software tools. Now, the portfolio of nearly 20 products is used globally by talented professionals across many applications.

SPAT Revolution.

Gaël Martinet, founder and CEO of FLUX SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

“The future integration of our software technology with HARMAN’s industry leading brands make for exciting opportunities not only for touring applications, but for installed audio where spatial audio will play an increasingly important role,” said Gaël Martinet, Founder and CEO of FLUX SOFTWARE ENGINEERING.
“We’ve been pioneering and engineering immersive audio solutions for many years and to be among these HARMAN brands, namely JBL, which developed some of the earliest loudspeakers, is very compelling for our team and for customers.”

Closing of the acquisition is anticipated before the end of 2023.

For more information visit the FLUX Audio website

Marrageddon, the hugely successful first hip hop festival from King of Rap, Marracash, involved two massive concerts in the two cities that are symbolic of the rapper: Milan and Naples.

Ayrton Cobra extends to the furthest reaches of the grounds at the Marrageddon Festival.

Marrageddon gathered no less than 84,000 people at the Hippodrome La Maura in Milan on 23 September and more than 55,000 at the Hippodrome di Agnano in Naples on 30 September, turning both into unprecedented shows.
The festival hosted not only the big names of Italian rap Fabri Fibra, Paky, Shiva, Salmo, Guè Pequeno, Lazza, Madame but also dozens of emerging artists, integrating fireworks, lasers and 1,000 square metres of LED wall, as well as suspension cables to fly Marracash above the dance troupe.

Lighting designer Giorgio De Cassan of Ombra Design, who was entrusted by the rapper with the entire creative direction of his Italian tour, lit this revolutionary event. The LD opted for 40 Ayrton Cobra laser-sourced fixtures, supplied by Mister X Service.

“Ayrton was chosen for the quality and reliability of its lights. This is by no means the first time I have used Ayrton, and I take every opportunity I can to include fixtures from this brand in my designs.
“We chose to use Cobras for their highly collimated beam, which helped me to reach even the furthest sectors of the open race courses without losing the sharpness of the beam. Thanks to their IP65 protection rating, it was possible to position them on the stage wings outside the cover of the roof and they worked perfectly despite the storm that hit us in Milan.

“With Lorenzo De Pascalis, the project’s show designer, we opted for a classic festival design but with very aggressive trims on the main trusses, which also allowed the lights to play a leading role without being overpowered by the 1000sqm LED wall. In this way the LDs of the artists prior to the headliner could easily adapt their show to the rig, while for the main act we were able to make use of 18 variable speed motors to break up the design and achieve particular looks.

“The Cobras were instrumental in widening the lighting design beyond the confines of the roof space. In fact, it was necessary to adapt the width of the lighting design to the amount of people and the colossal size of the venues. Thanks to the high power of the Cobras’ laser source and their high degree of weather protection, it was possible to have motorised effect lights in those locations that were completely exposed to the elements.

“There is no moving head with which you can achieve a cleaner look than with Cobra. This was the eighth project where I had the opportunity to work with this unique machine and I will definitely use it again. One goal we have set ourselves for the next projects is to get enough Cobras to use it as the only beam fixture in the rig.

“A particularly critical scene for the show was during Marracash’s ‘no love songs’ number, where the lights had to be able to dialogue with the red laser beams without overpowering them. On this occasion, the Cobra’s laser source in combination with the red colour filter came in very handy. It was possible to focus a very narrow beam and at the same time be very bright, despite red being a notoriously difficult colour to bring out.

“As far as programming is concerned, they are extremely versatile and I find the fixture profiles really well made. Personally, I find this product very reliable and, from memory, don’t remember ever having to change one because of problems. In Milan, we even encountered a big thunderstorm with hail that did not disturb the Cobras in the slightest.”

For more information on Ayrton Cobra and the full range of Ayrton LED and laser-sourced lighting fixtures, visit www.ayrton.eu

Ayrton is distributed exclusively in Italy by Molpass. For information on Molpass visit www.molpass.it

It’s no longer a rumor… NOVELTY is pleased to announce the signing of an exclusive negotiation with the company LAGOONA.

Based in Strasbourg (67) and Belfort (90) – LAGOONA is a technical service provider and integrator in sound, lighting, video and stage structure, with an equipment park that already includes industry standards.

The NOVELTY-MAGNUM-DUSHOW Group aims to continue its policy of supporting customers in various regions. The agency LAGOONA by NOVELTY will also benefit from the entire technical, logistical and administrative infrastructure of the Group, and will become our first establishment in the Grand Est region.

The management and all LAGOONA’s teams will remain unchanged.

Jacques de La Guillonnière
President Novelty-Magnum-Dushow Group

Christian Lorenzi
Deputy General Manager Novelty-Magnum-Dushow Group

Olivier Hagneré
Deputy General Manager
Novelty-Magnum-Dushow Group

ETC introduces the High End Systems Hyperstar, a new companion to the Lonestar automated luminaire. Powerful and compact moving light Hyperstar is optimized for projection versatility, Hyperstar will help lighting designers create beautiful designs for a wide variety of venues.

Hyperstar is the same size as Lonestar, and is just as bright, compact, and affordable.
The new Hyperstar has been optimised for versatility in projection, enabling you to create a wide range of lighting designs for a whole range of shows thanks to its luminous flux of over 15,000 lumens from a 290 W white LED source.

Son faible poids de 21 kg et ses dimensions compactes sont des atouts en toutes situations.

While the Lonestar has already made a name for itself for its projection capabilities and cutting quality, the Hyperstar, which is just as compact and bright, is even more affordable and does away with the profile module to incorporate even more effects possibilities instead.
With 9 rotating gobos, 11 fixed gobos, an animation wheel, a double frost and a double prism, lighting designers have an almost infinite choice of volumetric effects and gobo projections for unique textures and morphings.

Une température de couleur réglable de 1800 à 7000 K par le CTO progressif.

By superimposing the projector’s various effects, users have access to a huge range of possibilities, thanks to its extensive zoom range (3.5° – 55°) and its colour capabilities, which combine linear CMY and CTO trichromacy with a colour wheel.

To learn more about Hyperstar, look at this video

Tania Lesage, Market Manager at ETC, describes the Hyperstar system in the following terms: “This is a projector designed for shows of all types and sizes. With its power, innumerable effects and colour capabilities, the Hyperstar demonstrates ETC’s commitment to unrivalled professional quality and service, all in an affordable format and price range”.

Le binôme Spot Hyperstar (à gauche) et Profile Lonestar, de même format, même flux et même système colorimétrique.

More information on the ETC website