Describing the project, DP’s David Price explains: “The church was built in the early 90s and they’ve been slowly upgrading for the first time since then. Now they’ve added a new PA, console and wireless, which is a big first step for them.”

The main hangs comprising of eight WPM boxes with one Martin Audio XD15 per side for outfills flown outside of the arrays. In the very centre, partially hidden by a VP, a CDD15 is placed for the main speeches of the pastor. Lastly four SX118 subs are built into the stage along with four CDD6 for front fills.

According to David, “Celebration is a very contemporary church with a large area including a stage built to be more of a theatrical performance venue that holds about 850 people. The basic shape is square that eventually curves out into a fan-shaped auditorium space.

“They wanted concert-level sound so we installed Martin Audio WPM based on its minimal impact on sightlines and its exceptional audio performance for mid-sized concerts, something they often do there. There are eight WPM boxes a side powered by Martin Audio iK81 amps with one-box resolution for maximum coverage throughout the audience area along with four SX118 subs built into the stage.

“Celebration has contemporary worship music with electric bands and several vocalists for its services,” David continues, “but they also wanted the system to be authentic for speech so we ended up installing one Martin Audio XD15 per side for outfills flown outside of the arrays because of the room’s width and fan shape.

And we added a CDD15 flown in the centre for the pastor’s mic during the message so they can bring down the arrays a bit and make the sermon feel more intimate and authentic. There are also four CDD6 set into the stage for front fills to ensure optimum coverage for congregants seated in front of the stage.”
The church’s two main entrances include CDD5TX-WR’s on the exterior perimeter and Martin Audio C8.1T ceiling speakers in the tall lobby atrium based on the speakers’ narrow pattern and ability to throw more effectively below, and C6.8T in the restrooms. An Allen & Heath D-Live console is used for FOH and wireless in-ears are driven by IP mixers that control the mix busses and the rest of the band is on the ME1 system.

Commenting on the upgrade, David adds: “The old PA was a large point-source rig with a lot of phase coherence problems, dead spots and other issues. The original subs were massive double 18’s ground-stacked on the extreme left and right and there was just no smooth bass response.
“The church was blown away with the new WPM system, especially compared to what they had before. The way we were able to array the subs and integrate the WPM’s into the room and blend the outfills and centre speakers, every seat in the space feels the same, even those right in front sound great because the CDD6’s keep up so impressively with the main PA. There just isn’t a bad seat in the house anymore which is something they’d never experienced.

The WPM, 2 x 6.5” LF drivers and a vertical column of 3 x 1.4” aluminium dome HF drivers and 131 dB peak

“According to the staff, even the feel of the worship experience is different. They’ve never seen their people engage with the service so easily, coming up to the booth and saying they could finally hear what was happening.
“They are also impressed with the speech reproduction,” David sums up. “This was the first time the pastor’s voice was in the centre as opposed to coming from the far left and right of the room. They still use the arrays and outfills for coverage but now they can bring up that centre speaker to provide a more authentic image for his voice. It makes the room feel very warm and intimate when he’s speaking. They also love the clarity and the warmth of the system’s musical reproduction.

“Bottom line, it’s one of the best rigs we installed last year. It was a very rewarding experience for us as the integrator because the church was so happy with the end result.”

For more information visit Martin Audio website

Philippe Sadoughi.

Schoeps GmbH has appointed Philippe Sadoughi to the role of Director of Sales for France. He brings to this position his 38 years of distribution experience of marketing and sales in the professional audio industry.
With 15 years as Director of Sales and Marketing for Shure in France, and 20 years as sole distributor for Sound Devices (from day one), as well as the distribution of other high-end pro audio brands such as Aphex, Symetrix, Microtech-Gefell, Audix and Lectrosonics, he is not a new player.

Schoeps Microphones is a family business that, since its inception in 1948, has earned itself a reputation as one of world’s finest manufacturers of microphones. Our entire product range is designed and created in Durlach, an old district in the German city of Karlsruhe. Schoeps is a team of 50 co-workers who develop our own original products, and manufacture all important parts including the capsules.

“Having been chosen for this task by one of the most respectable manufacturers of our industry and fabulous people is a great pleasure and honor. Working towards taking even further a premium brand like Schoeps is quite a responsibility, and I am very excited; I could not ask for better.

Lots of plans ahead to acknowledge, educate, increase and reinforce our presence in the various markets by better customer and user awareness and support. As always, I shall rely on the best partners and players to accomplish this duty.” said Sadoughi.

Mr. Sadoughi will be in charge of establishing and supervising the sales network as well as support for Schoeps microphones in all relevant markets segments, through dealers, contractors and broadcasters’ networks, as well as being the interface between the factory and users when necessary.

More on the Schoeps website

One of the highlights of the music industry’s calendar, the annual NME Awards, took place last month in London with its most ambitious AV design to date, centred around a 158 panel ROE Black Onyx staggered LED display lining the perimeter of the stage, and employing four Tessera SX40 high capacity processors combined with eight Tessera XD data distribution units from Brompton Technology.

After a year off, the NME Awards returned to London’s O2 Brixton Academy to celebrate the best of 2019’s musical talent. It was attended by Taylor Swift, who picked up the award for Best Solo Act In The World, and featured live performances from AJ Tracey, FKA Twigs, rising stars Yungblud and Beadadoobee, a collaboration between rapper Slowthai and Mura Masa, and a five-song closing set by The 1975. UK LED screen and video production company, IMAG Displays, was tasked with delivering the screen requirements, which included coordination of content for 35 awards and the multiple live performances.

“We were given a brief to provide a very unique and innovative deconstructed LED screen, and deliver the entire AV package from rigging right through to content delivery,” explains Charli Harding, co-founder and director of IMAG Displays. “The large-scale design involved LED panels, staggered stage left and right in step fashion, which was a big challenge requiring carefully balanced weight load and rigging from the roof due to the size.”

The design was created by Mark Connolly and Stuart Nunn of Black Book Production, a freelance production director contracted to the award-winning Broadwick Studio, which was the production company for the awards. “We’ve worked with Mark a lot over the years, including projects with Samsung and Nike,” explains Alex Strachan, Founder & Technical Director of IMAG. “We specified our 2mm ROE Black Onyx matched with the Tessera SX40 processors, plus backups, and eight Tessera XD data distribution units because both brands are industry leaders in LED technology and delivery.”

Work on the project began in November, with design drawings, weight calculations and content maps. The concept phase took approximately a month of planning, followed by multiple site visits and production meetings. On build up, it took two days to construct the LED wall. “There was a lot of cabling involved – around 800m of fibre multicores in total – which would have been 4000m if we hadn’t used the XDs. Brompton made build up much faster and more efficient as it seamlessly allowed us to plot the LED panels, and allowed us to continuously test as we were building,” continues Strachan.

Brompton’s Tessera SX40 processor offers support for full 4K screens at 60Hz with 12 bits per colour output, a zero-latency up/down scaler that matches the source to the screen, plus all of Tessera’s industry-leading processing features such as ChromaTune colour correction and On Screen Colour Adjustment (OSCA). In the field, the processor is often combined with the Tessera XD distribution unit, a sophisticated single box solution designed to manage the complications of mass cabling that can arise with large LED display systems.

“We knew the Awards production team would be under immense pressure on the night, managing the logistics and number of artists performing,” comments Brompton’s Senior Business Development Manager, Rob Fowler. “We had great confidence that the Tessera range would help them navigate the evening, from the screen resolution and the colouring quality, processing power and reliability, through to the easy drag ‘n drop and live editing workflows.”
“Brompton processing was key to the success of the show. It made the content creators’ journey straightforward and the job easier for the technicians on site,” concludes Harding. “Brixton is a challenging venue, and we had to work with specialised rigging companies to achieve the design. A lot of people said what we were attempting wasn’t possible but, with the help of Brompton processing, we did it!”

More on the Brompton Technology website

The charismatic singer/song writer Mika’s Revelation tour in support of his fifth studio album, My Name is Michael Holbrook, may have been postponed midway through due to the current coronavirus crisis, but it wowed audiences from autumn through to this spring.
Lighting designer for the tour was Vince Foster who, with an impressive CV which spans well over thirty years, requires little introduction.

©Sarah Womack

Foster’s design for Mika’s ‘Revelation’ was clean and uncomplicated: plenty of floor lighting, significant numbers of side fixtures and trusses in the most effective of locations. His choice of fixtures was similarly unambiguous: just four different fixtures and overwhelmingly from Ayrton. Alongside around thirty Ayrton Magic Blade-FX fixtures were approximately one hundred and twenty of one of Ayrton’s newest moving heads, Khamsin-S.

“Every moving light is a Khamsin,” opened Foster when we spoke to him about his design. “I have always been a big fan of Ayrton, using a variety of their fixtures over the years and their move into developing moving heads that have that Ayrton combination of feature-rich technology and quality engineering is really exciting.

©Sarah Womack

The Khamsin-S are everywhere on the rig: the floor, the side hangs, the ‘B’ thrust stage and on both the stage trusses and the one downstage of the B stage. The rig was designed with input from both Mika and his sister Yasmine.

We wanted an unfussy but solid music hall look to allow the audience to focus on Mika himself. The brief was essentially to create something of a ‘Baron Munchausen’ feel, a slightly tongue-in-cheek, comedic atmosphere. He is the consummate performer, a true showman with a very theatrical approach, and a gift to an LD; he is like a peacock – you shine a light on him and he shows off.”

This was the first time that Foster had used an LED light as his primary workhorse as he explained, “I’ve always felt that LEDs are not bright enough for a big, arena sized show but Ayrton’s Khamsin proves that LED has now come of age.

©Sarah Womack

Khamsin is a great fixture, it seems to have everything. It is a big beast but very quiet, and, as for its features: gobo wheels; animation wheel; two prisms; frosts – I have used them all – and of course the excellent beam range which allows me to use it equally as both a wash and a profile.”
With no video on this show (the stage uses raked rainbow coloured stripes to allude to the new album cover) the lighting was very much central to establishing the visual ambience of the set. Foster used the Khamsin-S colour palette to full effect with the set list based on rainbow colours.

©Sarah Womack

“With some colour mixing you can lose intensity, particularly when adding greens, but not with Khamsin. Having that facility in the same fixture that you can use effectively as a key light shows the light’s flexibility.
Mika spends a lot of time out on the B stage so we light him essentially in 360o and can use the Khamsins as back key lighting with support from followspots.

In situations like that, and for lighting the B stage, the shutters are very useful, sited as they are on stage, for framing set pieces like the drum risers. I also use a single Khamsin as a big back light with a rotating gobo at the upstage vanishing point for his first entrance, and another under a grill at the top of the ramp to light him from beneath.”

Alongside the Khamsin-S fixtures on the rig were nearly thirty of Ayrton’s Magic Blades-FX. “The MagicBlade-FX’s are great,” enthused Foster, “The zoom is fantastic, it can create a really wide back light that is completely beamless – like a wall of light. I have ten up on the mid truss, eight on the floor and nine out on the B stage.
On the thrust, they work really well as uplighters and you get great footlight with a nice even fill which added to the theatricality out there. I’m also a fan of the individual cell control; with seven cells you can have the outside one colour, then graduate the palette inwards and then flip it around.

©Sarah Womack

“I am really pleased that I took the option of using the Khamsin-S and the Magic Blade-FX fixtures as the foundation for this design,” concluded Foster. “The Khamsins have proved to me that they are a perfect choice if you are looking for a light that does everything in an arena environment. They have more than met that challenge.”

– Full story available here

– Ayrton is distributed exclusively in the UK by Ambersphere Solutions.

– For more information on Khamsin-S and MagicBlade-FX and the full range of Ayrton LED fixtures, visit the Ayrton website

During a fully digital presentation, with the unprecedented presentation of his new Aura PXL, Martin unveils a hyper current, fully pixelated lighting fixture.

Martin Mac Aura PXL

Mac Aura PXL.

The Aura rush

Cast not a clout till may is out, except online. While much of Western Europe and North America are in a lockdown, many solutions are blossoming within our cocoons, defining the beginning of an industrial revolution.
Many companies have been able to adapt to telecommuting, by integrating solutions which were still reserved for a few connected start-ups. Video conferencing, online Drive, connected messaging, online training and virtualization demonstrate for some of the office workers telecommuting is ultimately possible.

Another of these techniques is called Webinar, a web distributed conference in front of a large panel of digital surfers. It is through this unexpected channel that Martin unveiled his Mac Aura PXL, within two sessions in-line with its partners’ time zones. With the lack of an exhibition stand matured with clusters of lighting fixtures, instead Markus Klüsener, offered us a virtual walkthrough between slides and illustrations to discover this new spearhead.

XL Capabilities

Halfway between a Mac Aura XB and a Mac Quantum, the Mac Aura PXL remixes its success of the 2010s into a more powerful, more versatile, even more detailed version.
Sitting on the base of the Mac Allure, with which it shares the same menu, the same yoke and the same connectivity, the Aura PXL is distinguished by the update of its famous front lens, wider, featuring 19 optics behind which are housed 19 RGBW 40W LEDs.

The overall light output suddenly jumped to a value of 13,000 lumens, which is more than the double of a Mac Aura XB’s output, hitting the 15,700 lumens of the Mac Quantum. If the new generation of LED chipsets is part of this move upmarket, the biggest effort was brought to the development of very high-quality optics, the best ever produced by Martin, transmitting maximum light to achieve a record efficiency of 28 lumens per watt.

This output power comes with a greater precision in the focus management, with a very defined tight beam and a more homogeneous wide beam. Martin reached a new milestone with a bean intensity of a million of Candela, 4 times the output of the already salient XB’s output power. With a 1: 8 zoom ratio that extends from 7 to 55 °, the Mac Aura PXL navigates between Beam and Wash without any difficulty.

The RGBW colorimetry is calibrated by default on the Aura XB and Quantum’s references for a no brainer add-on to an existing fleet of equipment. Of course, as on its ancestor, an extended mode is possible to fetch the most saturated colors.

The Mac Aura PXL completes the Martin range, between Mac Aura XB and Mac Quantum. The evolution of LED sources and optics shows record flows for the Mac Aura PXL.

With a CRI greater than 74 and a TM-30 Rf of 79, the color rendering does not compete with the output power exploit, but remains of a suitable level for live applications. The variable color temperature from 2,000 to 10,000 K, as the tungsten emulation and the virtual color wheel enhance the range of possibilities.

The other features of the Mac Aura PXL are no surprise for the brand’s aficionados. They will find the dimmer, the strobe, the movements and of course, the famous Aura effect to make the whole lens shine and create precious backgrounds in video production or in a diffuse atmosphere.
With a more significant weight and size, this almost 16Kg Mac Aura PXL will surely be less swift than its little brother, with a consumption of 570 W., As the centerpiece of a new cooling system, a large fan takes place at the back of the unit. Despite this forced air flow, intelligent management reduces operating noise to a minimum, providing several ventilation modes, from the quietest to the most efficient.

The base offers an In/Out PowerConTrue1 connector, DMX XLR5 connectivity and two EtherCON Neutrik ports for RJ45 wiring. The Aura PXL plays with protocols, with the native implementation of DMX/RDM, ArtNet, sACN, but also with the proprietary P3 Martin protocol which plays a key role in its management.

The Mac Aura PXL completes the Martin range, between Mac Aura XB and Mac Quantum.

Pixel Art

Digital all the way, the integration of the P3 protocol, commonly used to quickly manage LED canvas into which video will be injected, is associated with an unprecedented control of the Mac Aura PXL’s LEDs. As a matter of fact, not only can the 19 LED chips be managed independently, like as many pixels, but the 141 RGB LEDs that provide 60 watts of illumination for the Aura effect can all be controlled separately as well!
Located in groups of 6 behind each optic, the Aura effect’s LEDs provide a matrix enabling the creation of a frenzy of colors in each lighting fixture, alternately diffused or marked by playing with the focus thanks to the main zoom.

To make operators’ life easier, Martin offers 4 DMX modes and 3 control systems.

– The first DMX mode is the most basic, enabled for the most common usage without separate control of the pixels nor the aura effect. The few additional channels compared to the Mac Aura’s library do not allow you to use the libraries of the latter but remain the fundamental base. This mode is the foundation of the other modes, which are built on the top of this one, to easily clone the lighting fixtures in festival applications, whatever the starting mode is.
– The standard mode uses 32 channels, to access the Aura illumination and internal effect libraries, under the most optimal conditions, detailed enough for most of the cases. This effect engine is remarkably similar to the one used in other Martin fixtures.
– In extended mode, each of the 19 LEDs chip can be controlled independently, bringing the DMX invoice to 89 channels.
– Eventually, the ultimate mode named Ludicrous (sic), and close to video, uses all the matrix possibilities of the Mac Aura PXL with 512 channels!

All management combinations are possible between the beam and Aura effect’s part, including transitions between DMX and P3.

DMX management is obviously not recommended in the latter case, even if it is still possible. This is where the control systems come in, since it is possible to control each Mac Aura PXL either with DMX, P3 protocol, or with a mix of both.

The P3 system offers numerous advantages. In addition to the automatic recognition of the lighting fixtures and their self-addressing, the P3 system makes it possible to harmonize all sources and to perfectly synchronize light and video. Despite we cannot separate the channels assigned to P3 and DMX in 2 separate universes, the flexibility offered by a shared network is impressive, as is the real-time feedback and the on-the-fly transitions between the 2 modes.

Synoptique DMX-P3

The free P3-System’s PC software enables you to create and test all possible configurations. 50 Aura PXLs can be daisy-chained with Art-Net, which is another advantage of using the Ethernet based system.

At the same time powerful ambient fixture, graphic beam generator, pixel matrix and eye-candy covering for the video production, the Aura PXL represents a skillful synthesis of all LED Wash light available.
Driven by a team of motivated developers and a manufacturer still heading to innovation, the Aura PXL is a big bet for Martin, both in the form and with this launch operated during this endless crisis. While it is still too early to plan an official “physical” release, marketing is scheduled for July, once the production and distribution chains are out of lockdown.

More info at Algam Entreprises website

The first South Africa and Ghana editions of the hit TV game show Family Feud brought to SA and produced by Rapid Blue were recorded in December & January at the Urban Brew Studios in Johannesburg, with lighting designed by Joshua Cutts and supplied by Blond Productions … including 12 x Robe ESPRITE LED profiles newly purchased by Blond … making their African TV production debut!

The hugely popular American Family Feud show has been syndicated worldwide to over 50 different countries and is one of the longest-running and most popular TV games shows, having started in 1976. Since 2010, it’s been hosted very successfully by Steve Harvey.
Blond Productions, based in Midrand, is a busy South African rental company specialising in supplying lighting, video and audio production to the television, film and commercial sectors.
They asked Josh to come onboard working with Mauritz Neethling as his associate LD and collaborated on a joint pitch with scenic specialist Dream Sets and set designer Michael Gill to present a full technical / creative package to Rapid Blue.
Once their bid was selected, a collective decision was made to use the ESPRITES which arrived just in time from Robe’s SA distributor DWR to make the show for which lighting was programmed and operated by Ryan Lombard, who also designed the lighting system.

Some basic style guidelines from the American show were applied to the lighting and Josh also drew inspiration from previous iterations as a formula that had worked well over the years, which included keeping a similar colour scheme. To this, they added some original and innovative aesthetic flourishes making the presentation appropriate for these two African editions.

The two series were shot over a four-week period with up to three episodes recorded per day … so the pace was hectic!
A Prolyte trussing structure was set up in the studio to ground support the set elements which were very geometric and ordered, with a network of trusses flown in the roof to provide lighting positions.

The ESPRITES were used for all the front light – their high CRI and accurate shuttering was exactly what was needed from those positions.
Josh enjoyed working with the ESPRITES. “It’s a very high-quality LED profile, with a fantastic light output that makes it extremely easy to get great-looking skin tones on camera.”
It wasn’t a beamy show at all. The set architecture defined the space, set a slick tone and included multiple inbuilt LED elements – 6 mm and 2.9 LED and plasma screen surfaces – plus some snazzy LED pixel fixtures integrated onto the set together with multiple LED battens. The high gloss black floor was very effective and reflective, and placement of light sources was crucial to make this work perfectly on camera.

For Josh, the biggest challenge for lighting was covering the wide area needed to catch all Steve Harvey’s movements – he’s known for energetically using the whole set space – and ensuring that all the different camera angles were covered. Whist doing that, he had to take care not to over-light and distract from the streamlined and super-cool appearance of the set!
In addition to the ESPRITES, there were 72 other Robe luminaires on the rig.
Forty-eight LEDBeam 100s were utilised for rear up-lighting of columns and other set pieces and for back-lighting the audience; 24 x LEDWash 300s provided general front and back light; 24 x CycFX 4s were positioned for back light onto the contestants.
Blond’s owner and founder Christiaan Ballot is delighted with his latest Robe investment in the ESPRITES. They are an ideal luminaire for Blond with the intensity, high CRI, shuttering, the uniformity of the beam with full hot-spot control and amazing colour mixing.

Apart from all these assets, once he did the maths, the ESPRITE’s transferable LED engine was a financial no-brainer for Christiaan. “Lamp life rapidly gets consumed in the studio by long operating hours and the heat, and 700 hours gets clocked up extremely easily.” He points out that the ESPRITES’ cooling system helps reduces maintenance and increases the longevity of the light source.

Blond already has several hundred Robe moving lights in its inventory, and Christiaan and the team had been keeping eyes on the LED profile market for some time waiting for something good to materialise. “The ROI on these is really excellent, it’s a light I can use all the time,” he commented, hinting at the fact that more ESPRITES will be on order soon!
Ryan Lombard is equally as impressed with the fixtures, commenting that much of the time, he ran them at ESPRITES at between 15 and 40% intensity, enabling the cameras to stop right down and enhance the depth of field and detail of the set. This was one of the looks that Josh specifically sought to achieve with lighting.

The recording was shot with a colour temperature of 48K and with no tungsten sources at all on the rig. Ryan operated all the lighting using a grandMA2 light console which also fed the set video and graphics via a VPU into a disguise P3 media server.
The technical director was Rudi Boetha and the Executive Producer was Kee-Leen Irvine.
Rapid Blue producers Kee-Leen Irvine, Ed Worster and Ryan Deacon plus the series’ international consultants all commented that the lighting was ”absolutely standout.”

Blond also supplied an L-Acoustics sound system to the series which is currently airing on E.TV on Sunday Evenings in South Africa. Christiaan really enjoyed the teamwork and modus operandi of the three companies joining forces to create and working in unison to present a total environment. They have worked with Dream sets and Michael Gill similarly on a couple of previous projects, and it’s a modus operandi he certainly intends to peruse in the future.

For more product and general info, check the Robe website

On Tuesday the 28th of April, Verge Aero, the leader in high performance drone light shows, delivered a unique aerial tribute to medical staff and essential workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The display of gratitude took place opposite the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and The Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania as part of the global #LightItBlue and local #PhillyShinesBlue campaigns, not far from Verge Aero’s Pennovation Works offices at the University of Pennsylvania.

©Verge_Aero

The aerial light show was launched from Philadelphia’s Franklin Field football stadium, adjacent to the hospital complex. 140 extremely bright drones configured themselves into giant images up to 400 feet above the ground, making themselves visible throughout the University of Pennsylvania campus and medical center as well as far away across the Schuylkill River in downtown Philadelphia.
The drone light show featured images designed to offer hope, thanks, and love. There were also reminders to wear masks, wash hands, and maintain social distancing. Giant hearts danced around, and the iconic LOVE artwork by Pop artist Robert Indiana floated gracefully over the City of Brotherly (and Sisterly) Love.

Emergency vehicles with lights flashing appeared in front of the hospital to announce the start of the drone light show. “The show was planned to ensure maximum visibility for those inside the hospital and allow them to view the show while maintaining social distance,” says Verge Aero CEO Nils Thorjussen. “There was no advance publicity. We flew the show solely for these heroes and wanted them to enjoy it in a safe environment without crowds.”

©Verge_Aero

He added, “This was an opportunity for us to donate our resources and expertise to stand in solidarity with these brave heroes, and convey the thanks of the American people. We are profoundly grateful for their tireless work, dedication, and sacrifice.”
Given the urban environment and proximity to multiple hospital helipads, the show required careful coordination across the University, especially the Division of Public Safety and the PennSTAR Flight Program, as well as with the City of Philadelphia and the FAA.
Representatives from the FAA also appeared on site to inspect the system and ensure the show would be flown safely and in keeping with FAA regulations. “We are deeply thankful to everyone who got involved and helped make it all happen,” says Thorjussen.

©Verge_Aero

In accordance with stay at home mandates, #LightItBlue focuses on buildings with existing LED lighting or video screen technology which can be remotely programmed. Thanks to its efficient system design, including advanced pre-programming and control capabilities, Verge Aero’s fleet of drones could be deployed by just two trained technicians, who were easily able to work while observing social distancing guidelines.

Originating in the UK, the #LightItBlue initiative gained traction with the USA’s events and entertainment industry from late March. Across the country, buildings, bridges and landmarks have been illuminated to salute health care professionals and essential workers.
From Niagara Falls to the Staples Center in LA, and from Chicago’s Soldier Field to Boston City Hall, blue lights have signaled the people’s heartfelt thanks. A similar lighting campaign, #PhillyShinesBright, was rolled out on World Health Day in Philadelphia to honor the frontline.

More information on the Verge Aero website

Constructed 20 years ago and located just eight kilometres from Tel Aviv, the Hall is known for its excellent acoustics, the comfort of its seating and, above all, its discerning audiences.
The multi-purpose venue includes a large auditorium of 970 seats where the new system was installed a smaller auditorium of 250 seats and dance halls, both large and small.

The 970 seats Hall and his brand new Kara system. Between the two hangs, six SB18i subs in cardioid mode.

The main auditorium hosts a full range of productions, from drama and musical theatre to classical concerts and rock and roll. The venue also serves as the home of the Israeli Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion as well as hosting the annual International Spring Festival, which features first-rate artists from Israel and around the world.

Harel Tabibi

At the beginning of the project, the Hall employed the services of award-winning AV consultant, Harel Tabibi. A public tender was produced, with Tabibi overseeing a shootout between three leading loudspeaker manufacturers.
“The tender process was extremely stringent,” says Tabibi. “Clear goals were set: the system needed to sound good for a wide variety of shows, from theater shows to rock shows, and be acceptable for technicians of visiting touring companies. L-Acoustics was the clear winner because it not only fulfilled that brief, but also offered the best value for money.”

The Kara(i) hang showing the height of the venue. Three Kiva II and eight X8 take care of the first raws of seats.

With L-Acoustics selected, Tabibi worked alongside the manufacturer’s Israeli distributor, Lightone, whose Assa Efrat produced the Soundvision file for Tabibi’s design, and installation company Charmer Group Ltd. Efrat ensured Tabibi’s design would deliver the ultimate in sound while taking into account the architectural design and the need to ensure the system would not impinge on sightlines.

“It’s the responsibility of the consultant to consider the architecture of the room, and this is a very beautiful venue,” Tabibi continues. “There’s always a compromise between positioning for optimum sound and positioning for optimum sightlines, but we work to overcome this. Being part of the project from the very beginning is a big advantage.”
Tabibi’s final design comprises main hangs of 10 Kara(i), left and right of the stage, with lower fills of three Kiva II per side, mounted lower down on the proscenium walls. Six SB18i subs are flown centrally, with two floor-stacked SB28 per side. Front fill is courtesy of four X8 evenly spaced across the stage lip. Delays for the upper balcony are three further X8, suspended from the auditorium ceiling.

“My original design was for the subs to be left and right, but Assa advised that six subs in the centre would be a better configuration for overall efficiency and to achieve a very consistent LF coverage across the room,” says Tabibi. “It works perfectly but required some ingenuity to rig.”

“There are two balconies, the second of which is very high, and two ceilings, the first of which curves away from just above the top of the Kara hangs,” adds Lightone’s Tal Cohen. “This was one of the biggest challenges and made rigging the system very complicated. To have the subs level with the top of the Kara hangs on the proscenium arch, we needed to build a special rigging frame.”

The lower fill Kiva II tiny hang. Tiny but noisy !

The installation was completed over three months, with the venue remaining open throughout. “We had to work whenever the venue wasn’t operating, which meant most things happened overnight and early in the morning,” recalls Cohen.
“We had just three days at the end of the installation where the Hall was completely empty, then another two or three days for final tuning and adjustments.”

The results speak for themselves: the venue reports that since installation, all visiting productions have opted to use the new L-Acoustics house system.
“This is an outstanding installation,” says Paz Kropero, technical manager at the Hall. “From the day the system was finished, every visiting company has used and very much like it. This is exactly what we were aiming for.”

More on :

– The L-Acoustics website

– The Light One website

– The Charmer Group

It’s been said that humor can make a serious difference in how well we deal with dark times. Nicolas (“Murph”) Murphy has no argument with that! Ordinarily at this time of year, the owner of Murphy’s Production Services is busy touring with The Piano Guys, Wax Tailor or some other client. Not in 2020!

No worries though, with live shows put on hold, Murph embarked on his own “world tour,” all without leaving the friendly and safe confines of his Salt Lake City suburb. Rather than simply livestreaming a band and calling it a day, he created a full blown, albeit virtual, tour package, complete with posters, virtual “backstage passes,” and even donates his time with a weekly streaming service: Social Antidote.

The looks he’s created for his wryly named “COVID-19 World Tour,” are also very good replicas of the real thing, using eight “lazy universes,” a ChamSys MagicQ MQ500 Stadium console and a ChamSys SnakeSys R8 Artnet to DMX Node 5 for each of its weekly broadcasts.

“Not being able to go out on tour, I figured why not make up my own,” said Murph. “It gives me something to do while sitting at home. I make tour posters with dates and print them on my wide format printer that is usually spitting out lighting / video / scenic plots. I also make laminated ‘tour passes’ for friends.”
Although purely virtual and not good for admittance to any show, each tour pass is customized for Murph’s friends, with their name, as well as job title, which is some form of “House Integration Specialist.”

As for the Social Antidote Series streaming umbrella, it was the brainchild of one of Murph’s clients. “They had a whole warehouse full for production gear not doing anything, so why not use what they have on hand and try to keep everyone from getting rusty?” he said.
“I pretty much only leave the house for groceries, or for this live stream. The software we use streams to multiple services, but doesn’t give us the viewer count to my knowledge. So, we rely on one of us looking at the different sites and putting the numbers together.”

Videoed in a warehouse-turned-studio once a week, the “tour” features a different local artist in addition to highlighting area businesses as a way of boosting community spirits.
Murph is gratified that his “world tour” is making a difference in the lives of people close to home. He’s also grateful that it gives him the opportunity to work his console.
“I have been touring with a MQ500 since 2017, right when they came to the United States,” he said. “From what has been told to me, I was the second person in the States to take delivery of the MQ500 and the first to take one on a North American Tour.”

“The COVID-19 Tour is fun, but on the serious side of my work, all of my concerts are programmed out quite well,” he continued. “So, if I’m unable to run the show for any reason, a half competent house LD could run it without too much trouble. This livestream has been no different. I come in the night before and sit down with the artist’s set list to hammer out lighting cues for seven or so songs that I have never heard before.”

When Murph needs to punt openers, or a musician wants to do a song that he hasn’t created cues for, he jumps to a page that includes his pallets in Playback form. “This way, I can have what are essentially two programmers at the same time and I can have them work independent of each other or effect each other,” he explained. “It’s one of the many versatile features that make the MQ500 so valuable.”

As rewarding as his weekly livestreamed shows have been, Murph is looking forward to getting back on the road. He describes it as “surreal,” not being able to hear the sound of the crowd during show. “When the feed is cut, you are just done,” he said.
That is, of course, until the next weekly installment of the COVID-19 tour, which in turn marks one step closer to the day when Murph is back doing live shows again. Until then, humor will see him through just fine.

More information on the Chamsys website

Robert Juliat is excited to announce the launch of Arthur, its new 800W LED Long Throw followspot capable of matching the lumen output of a 2500W HMI RJ Aramis followspot and delivering up to 29,000 lumens.
This eagerly-anticipated move marks the arrival of the LED followspot the industry has been waiting for one that opens up the use of LED followspots into large venues such as opera houses, musical theatre and live music venues, concert and touring venues, both indoors and out.

Arthur’s powerful LED engine, narrow beam angle (5.5° – 15°) and long-throw capability, ensures invincible performances with a minimum output of 2000 lux at a distance of 40m (200fc at 130 ft), while offering premium light quality with a high CRI (>90) an essential feature for a followspot whose main role is to shine a light on performers in the most sublime way possible.
A smooth flat beam with no hot spot is teamed with excellent gobo projection, sharp focus at every beam angle and independent control of image size and focus, thanks to Arthur’s variable zoom optics featuring a 3:1 beam ratio. The electronic dimmer ensures smooth, high quality dimming without clipping or cut-out at low intensity levels, and no shift in colour temperature.

Power consumption is minimised, not only by the lower power requirement of the LED source, but also because it can be switched off when inactive, unlike discharge sources which need to run constantly throughout a show. With the choice of several ventilation modes and silent-running cooling fans, Arthur is much quieter than any of its discharge rivals Arthur can rule as easily over opera houses as TV studios or concert halls.

In addition to the long-celebrated Robert Juliat features and qualities, Arthur offers unique benefits for easy service and maintenance making it especially attractive to rental houses and touring technicians with busy, time-critical schedules. Robert Juliat has designed Arthur’s lamp housing with separate, removable modules for the CPU, drivers and power supply unit in a simple plug & play system.

Arthur represents the next step in Robert Juliat’s development of top-class LED followspot fixtures, which began first with the 300W LED Roxie, and then the hugely successful 600W LED Alice and Oz, the first professional LED followspots capable of matching the output of conventional 1200W discharge units.

The most powerful LED followspot on the market, Arthur is set to become the crowning glory of Robert Juliat’s LED followspot range.

For more information on Arthur 1014 and the full Robert Juliat portfolio visit the Robert Juliat website

In a unique audio industry initiative, five leading professional audio manufacturers have achieved the first ever multi-manufacturer voice alarm solution fully compliant with EN 54-16.
This initiative is open to all manufactures interested in offering EN 54-16 compliance, proving that it is no longer necessary to source EN 54-compliant voice alarm solutions from a single manufacturer.

An EN 54 compliant rack with BSS, Peavey, Crown, d & b and Powersoft equipment.

When the EN 54-16 voice alarm standard was launched in 2008, it was designed for companies who only made the entire system. This new initiative permits voice alarm systems to be built in a modular way according to the requirements of each project, utilising a range of products from these manufacturers.
With certification having been granted for over 30 products, the system includes audio signal processing and control using Peavey MediaMatrix, audio signal processing from BSS Audio along with a wide selection of Crown and Powersoft amplifiers.

Luminex network switches are also certified to allow systems to be connected using copper or fibre. In the coming weeks d&b amplifiers will also be added to the certificate. The system supports analogue, Dante, AES3 XDAB and BLU-Link connections.

According to project leader, Roland Hemming of RH Consulting, “This project was one of the most complex audio systems ever built. Achieving EN 54 compliance for over 30 products across five manufacturers is no mean feat! It’s taken three years of rigorous testing to achieve and has now created a platform that other amplifier, DSP, microphone and network switch manufacturers can join to create a single, compliant solution. Specifiers can now build EN 54-compliant systems using a range of products from different manufacturers, which is an industry first.”

EMC test chamber: Among the tests is the control of the electromagnetic radiation produced (and of the susceptibility), EMC; here a room for measuring radiated interferences (up to 1 GHz).

More details on the solution will be released shortly along with information on how other manufacturers may obtain certification for their products to become part of the system.

For further details, please visit PAVA Facilities website

‘Accessibility’ has become a topic of mounting concern for both public authorities and event organizers over the past few years. With the MIDI 5 2D, Defender® is now launching a series of traversable modular cable protectors whose multidimensional concept pairs superior flexibility and easy day-to-day use.

Fully Modular

With most common cable protector systems, a compromise usually has to be made between barrier-free access and trafficability. But that’s not the case with the new Defender MIDI 5 2D series: it takes an entirely new approach with its modular, multidimensional, and compatible concept.
The system is equipped with a middle section module (available in lengths of 19.59 inches and 39.37 inches), a ramp, and an adapter set, which is completely compatible with the MIDI 5 2D from the widely used Defender MIDI 5 Series.

Barrier-Free Accessibility

Every MIDI 5 2D middle section has a drive-over ramp which can be passed over completely. The ramp module’s 6° angle fulfills almost all requirements and standards regarding barrier-free accessibility at events. The flat incline of the MIDI 5 2D Series makes it easy for wheelchair users to roll over the protectors with no trouble at all, and they’re also so stable that they can bear the weight of forklifts and trucks.
The MIDI 5 2D Series naturally also features the innovative Defender LaserGrip® surface: Its special ergonomic shape and surface structure reduces the risk of an entire line of cable protectors accidentally shifting out of place.

Handling and Flexibility

The MIDI 5 2D modular system can be expanded both in length and width as you like, and it also ensures easy accessibility and safety even when complex cable arrangements are used, for example, close to power generators or in front-of-house areas. The well-balanced design facilitates planning in advance as well as on-site installation.
The MIDI 5 2D module is also outfitted with carrying handles for efficient transport. The middle section has channels on the inside for safely and neatly laying sound, lighting, and power cables one by one.

The Defender MIDI 5 2D cable protector series is available now.

More information with :

– Defender® MIDI 5 2D
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Since Monday 11 May, NEXO is gradually restarting its manufacturing operations in Plailly and Saint-Pierre-de-Côle in accordance with the guidelines of the French authorities and the current demand. Most of the company’s key suppliers have now resumed their own activity.

Jean Mullor

For several months, the NEXO team has been continuously adapting itself, staying proactive and agile in the face of the unprecedented challenges caused by the coronavirus.

Jean Mullor, company CEO, explains that “our first goal remains the health of our employees, guaranteeing them a safe working environment and working practices that align with government guidelines and common-sense good behavior rules.”
Nexo R&D, Sales, Engineering support, and Administration teams will continue normal operations in the “unlockdown period”, principally working from home. Despite the difficult economic environment, NEXO has still managed to recruit new people into key positions in its Sales and R&D departments.

“We are keeping our operations running as smoothly as possible during the current situation,” continues Jean Mullor.
“Our teams are reaching out to partners across the world to provide support during these tough times, and we are looking to find ways for NEXO to make a difference during this crisis.

M12 naked…

Unfortunately, it will be some time before customers will be allowed to visit NEXO sites but our Engineering Support and Sales teams have done a great job staying connected with our network through a programme of Audioversity webinars.”

More on the Nexo website

Ayrton is very happy to introduce Kseniia Igoshkina as the latest member of its international sales team.
Based in Detmold, Germany, Igoshkina is responsible for emerging markets across the Baltic countries, the CIS states and South America.

Igoshkina joined Ayrton at the end of 2019, since when she has quickly established her position by appointing new distributors in Belarus, Armenia, Romania/Moldova, Colombia, Panama and the Caribbean. Her previous experience includes 2 years at Astera LED Technologies as key account manager based in China, after which she relocated to Europe to look for new challenges.

“My first experience of Ayrton was its famous lightshow,” she says. “I was immediately blown away by their unique products. Now, a few years later, I am working for this amazing company and I couldn’t be happier. “Ayrton’s approach is very different from what I have experienced before.
We handle many different types of project and take a very specialised, individual approach to each one. Ayrton products are so full of features that we have something to meet every requirement. It’s a perfect opportunity to create a bespoke solution for all our clients – every day is interesting and exciting.”

“Kseniia brings a freshness and dynamism to Ayrton which perfectly matches our team approach,” says Ayrton Global Sales Director, Michael Althaus. “We are excited to see the response from the emerging markets as she helps raise brand awareness in these new areas.”

– Igoshkina can be contacted at [email protected]

For more information on Ayrton and its full range of LED lighting fixtures, visit the Ayrton website

In view of the world-wide situation caused by the Corona pandemic, Messe Frankfurt has decided, jointly with its partners, to defer the eleventh Light + Building and to hold it from 13 to 18 March 2022.
Due to the present Corona crisis it had already not been possible to hold Light + Building 2020, originally scheduled for March, for which reason the decision was reached to postpone the world’s leading trade fair for lighting and building services technology to the later date of 27 September to 2 October 2020.

Messe Frankfurt, together with its partners, then initiated appropriate measures to carry out the event postponement as well as possible. Having considered the current situation again, and ten weeks after the initial postponement, in view of the joint decision by the Federal German Government and German States that major events cannot be held in Germany until at least the end of August, no properly scheduled preparation and holding of the event can be guaranteed.
When holding events of all kinds, travel conditions and regulations prohibiting assembly play a central role. It is the aim of the industry, and of business in general, to hold Light + Building, as a leading world trade fair, in conformity with its customers’ expectations and in accordance with its conception and service commitment. At the moment Messe Frankfurt cannot guarantee that this aim can be assuredly achieved.

“The current regulations, combined with continued global travel restrictions and the potential threat to individual health, make it impossible to hold Light + Building in 2020”, states Wolfgang Marzin. “At the same time, in the interests of exhibitors and visitors, we must avoid unnecessary costs in good time.
The decision has not been easy for any of us, but now we shall be directing our energies to holding the next Light + Building in its accustomed sequence in 2022.” The decision likewise affects Intersec Building. Now, as a platform for connected security technology, the format will celebrate its premiere as an integral part of Light + Building in 2022.

So for 2020 the task for the whole industry is to catch our breath, to come back all the stronger – at Light + Building 2022.
+++ Light + Building and Intersec Building will be held from 13 to 18 March 2022 in Frankfurt am Main. +++

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