Sooner Routhier designed lighting for Muse’s world tour with 98 Robe (74 x MegaPointes and 24 x BMFL Spots) for the arena shows, boosted to 124 Robe fixtures (72 x MegaPointes, 30 x BMFL Spot, 12 x BMFL FollowSpot LTs) for the stadium gigs.
It was her first lighting design for the band and she enjoyed to be one of collaborators of artistic director Jesse Lee Stout for the tour.

US rental company Upstaging supplied Lighting equipment worldwide, overseen for them on the road by crew chief Seth Conlin. Sooner programmed the show with her lighting director / operator on the road, Aaron Luke .

Universe

Jesse and his company, LA-based Metaform Studio, delivered the tour’s creative direction and scenic design. Jesse also oversaw everything aesthetic including the album art, photoshoots, video games and the production of a post-tour live movie, all of which will carry the same narrative theme… the ‘Simulation Theory Universe’, which was inspired by a spacey mix of1980 and 90s sci-fi and video games.

While directing the album art and jamming on ideas from Ghostbusters meets Kill Bill to Æon Flux and many more – the spaceship emerged. This was ported to the video and then – in a completely different format – to defining the shape of the stage, showing a “consistent artistic statement” embroiled in a big rock show that reinforced the band’s power and presence.

The narrative demanded a large upstage convex IMAG screen which was crucial to the set because Jesse didn’t want people getting distracted or looking to the sides in the classic IMAG position. The other major architectural aspect of the stage was an elegant runway thrusting out from the front which enabled Matt Bellamy, in particular, to get close to the audience and fans, a vital connection at the heart of any Muse performance.

The whole team wanted diverting from past productions that had featured imposing moving architectural pieces. With Simulation Theory, they wanted to get more theatrical, raw and to introduce drama and suggestion with other performers as NPCs (non-player characters), video game jargon for minions that surround and support the main characters.

The performers were tightly choreographed by Andrew Winghart with a succession of highly strategic robotic moves as they formed tight and stylized geometric shapes that reinforced the storyline. Their reflective costumes and LED masks – also worn by the band – imitated VR masks – emphasising the consciousness about the future of VR / AR that also threaded through the storyline.

When it came to lighting, Jesse wanted an intelligent and out-of-the-box approach and knew that Sooner was a great choice. The two have worked on several previous projects – including The Weeknd and Imagine Dragons. Once Sooner was confirmed as lighting designer, she put forward several elementary design ideas, from which specific directions were established and developed.
“Lighting was crucial,” commented Jesse, explaining that as Simulation Theory Universe was a ‘Cyber Noir’ environment, lighting became a character in the plot. Jesse had already developed the initial stage shapes to which Sooner added some illuminated ramps plus some suggestions that turned the intergalactic journey from tactical to a strategic.

The colours and colour combinations were bold, rich and uncomplicated for maximum impact, and in true Noir style, Sooner’s light sculpting helped bring a sense of nervy anticipation to the performance. Jesse had already added multiple LED aspects into the show – glasses worn by the band, performer uniforms and props, Matt Belamy’s bespoke ‘power glove’, his LED outlined piano, the LED drums and ‘wireframing’ the whole stage space in scenic LED.
Jesse and Sooner also discussed detailed lighting looks for specific moments in the set, especially utilizing the MegaPointes on towers out in the audience. Another goal was for the lighting to be ‘immersive’.

Sooner chose Robe fixtures based on good past experiences with the brand with demanding artists like Depeche Mode, the Weeknd, Halsey and others, and for their power, punch and features. For the arena version of the show, 32 of the MegaPointes were deployed on the handrails surrounding the set, with 22 along the thrust and on the B-stage at the end, with 20 on truss towers around the audience bleacher seating.

The 24 x BMFL Spots were flown above the B-stage in the middle of the auditorium, and all 24 were remote-controlled via a BlackTrax system, together with other fixtures. The BMFLs were used primarily for front light and worked extremely well, keeping up precisely with every movement onstage and “packing the horsepower” to make the band stand out.
In the stadium setup, 44 x MegaPointes were rigged on the set handrails with 28 on the audience towers. Thirty of the BMFL Spots were rigged on two separate delay towers behind the FOH setups – 15 on each tower, giving an awesome front array. The 12 x BMFL FollowSpot LTs were flown on the same two delay towers, six on each.

Sooner needed properly multi-functional lights that were equally good as a beam, spot or wash so MegaPointe was an obvious choice. “With numerous intricacies and detail in the music that I wanted to highlight and accentuate, I needed a reliable quick-response light like the MegaPointe,” she explained.
BMFLs she has used before many times and loves the quality of light and the “beautiful” skin tones, together with the “perfect” colour temperatures and other features. In addition to these Robe fixtures there were other moving lights on the rig, plus lots of LED battens and strobes.

Lighting director Aaron Luke commented on how well all the fixtures had held up over 10 months on the road. He thinks the MegaPointes are “versatile and feature-packed” in a compact housing and, like Sooner, that they offer a true hybrid spot / beam “without compromise”.
The major challenge in lighting the tour was dealing with swapping between the arena and stadium sections. Creatively, this also entailed some clever thinking to produce a lighting design that could scale up and down effectively and easily.

Sooner has really enjoyed all the challenges of this design and working with the “amazing team” who have made it all happen. The tour’s live video (camera) director was Tom Kirk. Video playback content was produced by Silent Partners, Hidden Road Studios and frame48. and programmed by Zak Peletz which included a lot of Notch realtime effects. Playback video was operated via the lighting desk, with Grant Draper looking after the d3 server backstage.

Get more on the Robe Website

The High End brand enjoys this month a new range of effect washers. Based on LED RGBW matrixes, the SolaPix Wash projectors enjoy a bold pixel management with a 4.5 ° – 60 ° zoom. The ‘FleX Effects Engine’ effects engine increases the scope of use of this type of projector.

Heading the High End Servant Department, Matt Stoner describes these newbies. “Since the creation of the ShowPix, High End has integrated pixel management into all its fixtures. The SolaPix family is based on this technology, with new optics and increased power to let one use it in all kinds of situations. If the lenses output and performance have increased, their size has been reduced to make room for the HaloGraphic system, our latest patent allowing to illuminate the outline of the LEDs.”

“The FleX Effects generator is a system of media library macros. Once selected, each media can be used on the SolaPix matrix, with speed settings, fade and the addition of combinations of three distinct colors. Combined with the many projector settings coming as standard, this allows full control over the effects of the SolaPix.”

High End SolaPix 7

High End SolaPix 19

The principle of the SolaPix range is to propose a LED moving head based on a combination of 7 or 19 lenses arranged in a disc. The power provided by the use of 40W Osram Ostar RGBW LEDs around a massive zoom of 4.5 ° to 60 ° allows a smooth transition from a sharp Beam to a broad saturated Washlight.

For demanding users, SolaPix brings intuitive pixel management, either individually or with pixel mapping, or simply thanks to the incredible combinations of the FleX Effects internal effects engine. The wackiest designs come to life by simultaneously using DMX, ArtNet or sACN controls from a light console and server media. High End also introduces an absolutely yet unseen edge-wrapping effect, the patented HaloGraphic Pixel Definition, with endless use possibilities.

A video presentation

More information on the ETC Website

After the appointment of Cast as its exclusive distributor in Switzerland, starting a german division, Sixty82, appoints ETP in Denmark.

Sixty82 german Division

“The start of SIXTY82 German Division is a reaction to the expanding needs of the live events industry for rapid delivery times of first-rate products and a service that is second to none,” says Fokko Smeding, CEO of SIXTY82.
“With SIXTY82 German Division, we believe that we can ensure our customers are provided with expert technical support from experienced people. Therefore we hired specialists Michael Kempe and Christian Schoof to provide extra service and attention to the German market.”

Germany is one of the biggest markets within Europe so, to put a strong sales structure in place, some planning was needed: and because SIXTY82 is so familiar with the German market, it is also happy to announce its newly formed partnership with CAST as its official competence centre and premium reseller. This close partnership will ensure high availability of SIXTY82 products all over the country, while simultaneously providing strong support and after-sales service.

ETP in Denmark

European Tour Productions (ETP) has been named as exclusive distributor in Denmark of Sixty82. ETP’s main competencies are related to project management, rental equipment and engineering for the experience industry. Since 1994, they have carried out projects for organizations and companies in Denmark and abroad. As a result, they have extensive experience with various cultural events of all sizes.

The team at ETP has a combination of professional project management experience and technical know-how, together with a wide range of equipment from reputable manufacturers. This optimizes the project process for the benefit of all parties involved.

Flemming Pedersen, CEO of ETP, comments: “We were seeking a truss and staging manufacturer that could fullfill not only our day-to day needs, but especially help us with the many special requests we receive from our customers. When we learned about the success of SIXTY82, we decided that it was time to make a move and join the family. Due to our joint passion for the industry, we believe that this partnership can have a real impact on the current market. SIXTY82 has the knowledge and experience to provide our increasing requirements to satisfy the market.”

Cast in Switzerland

CAST’s knowledge of the market will be invaluable in supporting SIXTY82 in providing its Swiss customers, on both academic and industrial levels, with a service that is second to none.

“As we learned about the birth of SIXTY82 in 2018, it was obvious that one day we would join this marvellous team, led by people we have trusted for more than 25 years! It is wonderful that today is that day!” says Silvio Cibien, CEO of CAST Switzerland.

For more information visit the Sixty82 website

The extended L-ISA deployment featuring 5 hangs of 9 Kara and the extensions are comprising of 8 Kara. The central cardioid sub hang sports 6 KS28. The side hangs features the brand new A15.

Now in its fourth season, Sing! China is a highly popular re-branded version of The Voice of China. L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound from L-Acoustics delivers remarkable audio at this TV show. Sing! China is based on the original format of The Voice talent show phenomenon that has been successfully franchised from the original The Voice of Holland into over 30 countries worldwide – and is still growing.

It follows the familiar format, with blind auditions in front of a panel of four mentors, leading to a series of public votes with the winner receiving a record contract. Much of its impact comes from large, engaged audiences for its pre-recorded studio shows and the epic stadium-based live finals, so the influence and atmosphere generated by the live aspects of both are vital to its success. The sound, in particular, has to be remarkable.

A combination of L-Acoustics L-ISA technology and DiGiCo consoles, supplied by Rightway Audio Consultants, have been used for the studio shows and live finals since the first season of The Voice of China in 2012, with the systems evolving in line with emerging technologies and improvements in power and quality.
A drive for constant innovation and offering an exceptional audio experience led to the employment of L-ISA technology, with the PA design deploying five central hangs of nine Kara, with two extension hangs of eight Kara positioned far left and right.

Both the Sing! China studio shows and live final were mixed using a DiGiCo SD7 Quantum, with the addition of an L-ISA Controller for the studio shows.

According to Rightway engineers WenHao Li along with LangBin Zhou and Haozhi Zhao, who set up the show, introducing L-ISA was a big step forward for the production. “It’s the first time that L-ISA has been used for a talent show in China,” they explain.
“It brought a new listening experience to the audience and the mentors, and the contestants definitely benefitted from the incredible detail that the system brings to any space.”

Jin Lei, the Director of Sing China, was equally impressed with the new rig. “It sounded like we were experiencing a big budget Hollywood production,” he says. “The sound was amazing. After the first recording I asked mentors how they felt, and the feedback was outstanding. They said it felt like they were surrounded by the music, and the vocal itself stood out clearly, but not harshly.”

This year, the ambitious Sing! China final was held at Beijing’s 90,000 capacity national Stadium, affectionately known as The Bird’s Nest. Rightway designed the PA system for the finals using L-Acoustics Soundvision acoustic modelling software to ensure optimum coverage.

L-Acoustics X15 HiQ backed by Syva Low provided stage monitoring for the Sing! China studio shows.

The main hangs were K1 and SB28 subs with Kara fill and X15 HiQ used for stage monitors. The front of house console was a DiGiCo SD7 Quantum, working with SD9 and SD5 consoles on monitors. Audio signal transport was via both digital and analogue.
“When you design a sound system for a venue this size, everything is a challenge!” note the engineers. “The team needs to set-up the system in a fairly short time and there are many logistical issues to solve.”

“We needed PA elements that are built to withstand anything that the unpredictable Beijing weather could throw at us,” they conclude. “And of course, we needed a long throw for the massive space we were in, as well as the best sound quality available. With the combination of L-Acoustics and DiGiCo, we certainly got that!”

More information on L-ISA

The great new Italian 100,000 seats concert venue -RCF Arena- will officially open on September 12th, 2020 in Campovolo, the Reggio Emilia airport well known for already hosting huge concerts.

Arturo Vicari

“RCF was born in 1949 in Reggio Emilia. From here we brought the excellence of Italian sound throughout the globe and today we are among the major players in the market”, says Arturo Vicari, CEO of RCF Group.
“Giving our name to RCF Arena is a source of pride for us, but also a mission and a commitment. We have a strong bond with this region and we intend to treat it in the best possible way.

With this wonderful project, we will bring our innovation and technology to our back yard, in Reggio Emilia.” It is a prestigious signature that fully reveals RCF’s devotion and commitment in the continuous search for sound quality in this new Music Valley.

On the right, the taxiway and the runway of the airport, on the left the illuminated future highway to hell of good music !

With 100,000 seats, the RCF Arena becomes the largest outdoor arena in Italy. It was created in the area already known as Campovolo and will be ready and operational by September 2020.
The venue will allow for a capacity of 10,000 to 100,000 people, with a raked audience floor of 5% to ensure optimal visibility and acoustics.

The stage is placed in the lower part of the Arena in a central position and with a maximum viewing angle of 110° – optimal value to allow the public good visibility throughout the entire Arena.

As of today, we can see on the left the future concrete plateform ready to welcome and kind of stage and in front the place for the 100,000 people. The 5% slope will also prevent the sound to spill over the Arena although behind it, few people live. The 10 permanent towers for the double rows of delays are already set.

“RCF audio systems have amplified the music of national and international artists in every corner of the globe, and in some wonderful arenas,” continues Vicari. “The RCF sound is based on the expertise and reliability of a company made up of people and passion. We have just turned 70 and we still want to play.”

A final architect’s view of the former Campovolo soon be renamed RCF Arena.

The RCF Arena is equipped with the most modern technologies for the best concert performance. It will also include an RCF TT + permanently installed audio system, the flagship line of RCF audio systems for live events, with 10 additional distributed systems (delay towers) in fixed steel structures, also used as supports for video/lighting equipment. At the same time, the orientation of the system will be optimized to ensure the lowest noise impact towards the inhabited areas of the city.

Claudio Maioli, Ligabue manager, shows and explains in italian what will be the RCF Arena

The inauguration of the RCF Arena will feature a concert by Ligabue, who lived here some of the best concerts of his career. In 2015 he established a European record when a paying audience of 150,000 — the most for a single artist — heard him amplified with an RCF audio system. Thee return of major international acts is also anticipated, following the 146,000 for U2. RCF Arena is a place that will have no equal in Italy in terms of capacity, communication routes and accommodation services.

More informations on the RCF website

CODA Audio announces the appointment of highly respected SC Media Canada represented by his President Jean Daoust as its exclusive distributor in the territory.

An influential presence in the Canadian market for 35 years, SC Media represents industry-leading manufacturers and has built its success on a combination of close customer relationships and the expertise of its strong technical support team.

Paul Ward, Director of Global Business Development for CODA Audio International, comments: “We’re delighted to be partnering with SC Media in what is a large and very important market. The rapidly increasing global demand for our products reflects the growing awareness of the very real advantages they bring to the live and installed sectors.
Our distribution partners play a vital part in communicating this message and SC Media’s strong core values and obvious passion for audio gives us great confidence in their ability to grow the brand in the Canadian market.”

Jean Daoust, President of SC Media Canada adds: “We are very proud to be associated with a company of CODA’s standing. We are excited to partner with another supplier that is forward thinking and puts great investment in technology.”

More on Coda Audio website and on Scmedia Canada website

Lighting designer for a new production of ‘Lord of The Flies’, Alex Berlage used 36 battery-powered wireless led tubes Astera Titan to produce lighting, effects, architecture and scenic elements at the Sydney Theatre Company, Directed by Kip Williams.
Lord of The Flies presented an ideal opportunity for an experimental approach that blurred and blended the roles of lighting and space … which enabled the Titan Tubes to help create the scenography.

Photo © Zan Wimberley

Each tube was flown on the two individually controlled Orbisfly winches so they could be used to change shape of the space and interact with the cast. Towards the end of the play, eight were unclipped from their catenary flying wires and used as luminous sticks by the cast.
It’s the first time that Alex has utilized Astera products in one of this shows, and the decision came when he, Kip and set designer Elizabeth Gadsby had all decided that a wireless kinetic lighting element would assist in creating the specific desired aesthetic.
They started looking around for suitable options together with Corinne Fish, full-time lighting supervisor for the Sydney Theatre Company and chief LX on Lord of the Flies.

She was working closely with Alex, managing any hires, managing the lighting budget, running the crew and technical schedules, plus organising, planning and overseeing all rigging / power / data schematics, etc. On this production, Corinne had the additional responsibility of delivering the kinetic system, which involved everything from sourcing appropriate equipment for the budget and ensuring this could meet the design brief.

The cast of STC’s Lord of the Flies, 2019. Photo © Zan Wimberley

Chameleon lighting were the main lighting suppliers, so Corinne and Alex gave them a brief for the tubes and winches in terms of what they needed to achieve. This included fixtures bright enough to punch through fully lit scenes, and with enough battery life not just for the two-hour show, but also to last for hours of extended technical rehearsals without having to be recharged … and Chameleon came back with some fixture options to consider.

Alex immediately loved the quality of the Titan Tube output, plus the colours and intensity. As the show lighting started to evolve, he enjoyed changing the rhythm and pace of the action with the Tubes and having the ability to suddenly flip into bright, rich colours or mesmeric flashing and chasing effects, WOW’ing and surprising the audience. Working with the Titan Tubes was “a thoroughly enjoyable process,” he says. “The more we used them the more we discovered their versatility.”

The kinetic system comprised the 36 Titan Tubes, which were picked up at each end by a total of 72 winches. Custom brackets were 3D printed for either end of the tube which allowed a more slimline fixing point, and also enabled the Tubes to transition from hanging horizontally to vertically via a 90-degree hinge.

The cast of STC’s Lord of the Flies, 2019. Photo © Zan Wimberley

Small clips (similar to carabiners, but easier for the cast to release) were attached to the brackets for the scene where the eight Tubes were unclipped from the winch system. When attached to the winches, paracord was used to tie them to the clips, extending 9 metres.
The paracord also tied onto a swivel / weight assembly to counteract twisting or spinning as the Tubes flew in and out vertically. The weight also ensured that the load on the winches didn’t drop below the minimum required to keep tension on the lines. When the tubes went vertical, one of the two pick-ups effectively became a slackline.

The DMX controlled winches were positioned across four house fly lines, with 9 tubes / 18 winches per bar. They were also supplied by Chameleon, and picked for their small size, quiet operation and smooth running.
All the winch positional moves and the Titan Tubes were programmed into the house ETC Gio console by Corinne. As the show was so complex, the general lighting rig was programmed and run an EOS Ti console by Blake Garner, a setup that left Corinne to focus on the Tubes and kinetics.

Mia Wasikowska in STC’s Lord of the Flies, 2019. Photo © Zan Wimberley

Corinne “really enjoyed” using the Titan Tubes. “They are a great, lightweight unit – and worked wonderfully as a solution for this show,” she commented, also impressed with the colours and battery life.
She thought the Titan menus were easy to figure out and synched painlessly to their WDMX transmitters.
Alex generally loved the adaptability, intensity, colour range and seamless transitions between colours … and says he will definitely be using them again!

More on the website Astera

The Finnish National Opera & Ballet (FNOB) has upgraded its media server with the green Hippo latest Hippotizer V4 systems. Green Hippo’s exclusive Finnish distributor Msonic Oy, supplied seven Hippotizer Karst+ DVI, two Hippotizer Boreal+ DP and six Hippotizer Montane+ RTX servers – all with dual SDI input cards.

The new equipment were proposed by Johan West, video product manager at Msonic. A long-standing Hippotizer user, West has a close relationship with the FNOB since specifying their very first Green Hippo systems back in 2008. Since then, he has been responsible for training the opera house crew, as well as advising on the use of Hippotizer on many productions.

Image Caption: L-R: Lighting manager Kimmo Ruskela and video programmer Heikki Riihijärvi from Finnish National Opera & Ballet, with Johan West, video product manager at Msonic.© Msonic.

“A series of new pieces are premiering and the designer wanted to use Notch and live camera feeds mixed together with content, in realtime,” West explains. “We had to think about camera feed latency, latency of LED/video projector processing/signal distribution.

Everything specified had to meet some rules: latency had to be kept as low as possible, it had to be flexible and it needed to work with existing signal distribution formats.” He adds, “Hippotizer’s 3D toolkit, SHAPE, also plays a big role here. The opera house uses moving projection surfaces that are mapped using Shape. Also, some of the automation is pinned using automation objects in Shape.”
The new servers have been specified to manage content seamlessly on the FNOB’s projection screens, as well as its newly-purchased ROE Visual CB3 LED wall. The main auditorium’s three Barco HDQ-2K40 projectors and Barco UDX 22 laser projector are run from one Boreal+ DP and one Karst+, each with a backup system, located in the control room rack.

Three Montane+ RTX servers are dedicated to the new leds wall, which is set to be used on many forthcoming productions, while another Karst is used for pixel mapping various fixtures via ArtNet. Again, all are fully backed up. Another Karst – again with backup – is used in Almin Hall, the opera house’s 500-capacity ‘black box’ auditorium, and yet another is based in the opera house’s 3D studio, where shows are programmed and tested.

Video programmer Heikki Riihijärvi, responsible for Hippotizer operations at FNOB, comments, “Because we are a repertory house, with one show rehearsing in the morning and another performing in the evening, we need a great deal of flexibility from our systems, and that has greatly improved with this Hippotizer upgrade. Also, as we are preparing to run 4k throughout the venue, the new servers give us the possibility to meet those expectations in the future.”

More informations on the Green Hippo website

Following a request from TV Nova, a private commercial station, Prague-based Elvia-Pro has taken on the distribution of German fibre network specialists BroaMan in the Czech Republic.

Formed in 1993, Elvia-Pro specialises in management, engineering and project work within the broadcast sector, and manufactures and installs equipment for OB and DSNG trucks, specialising in main broadcast organisations such as Czech TV, TV Nova, TV Prima, TV Barrandov and production houses. In fact it was TV Nova who were largely responsible for the new distribution arrangement. “They came to us with a request for BroaMan devices,” recalls Tomáš Kocáb, Elvia-Pro’s Sales Product Specialist.

BroaMan Technical Sales Manager Maciek Janiszewski made a professional presentation at TV Nova, leading to the new distribution deal, which was formalised on the BroaMan stand at the IBC Show in Amsterdam.
“Aside from TV Nova, we had also received further BroaMan inquiries from TV Prima, while a film school requested a Repeat48,” Tomáš continued.

The company will now embark on an aggressive marketing campaign, as Tomáš Kocáb explained. “We have shown our Mux22 demo units to all the main broadcasters, and we also have Repeat48 in our professional ProfiCam Centrum showroom in Prague. We also present all BroaMan products on our professional web page (e-shop).”
Tomáš is clear why Elvia-Pro’s customers are turning increasingly to BroaMan. “The opportunity to develop an elegant and efficient solution for multi-signal transportation is exactly the reason for taking this band on,” he says.

Dawid Somló, BroaMan’s Sales Distribution Manager, responded, “There is no better reference than the customer’s recommendation, and it was the engineers from TV Nova themselves who said that they would be most willing to cooperate with Elvia-Pro in the Czech Republic. After the first projects developed together with Elvia-Pro I had the same impression. I can definitely vouch for their professionalism and knowledge of the market.

“However, a lot of hard work awaits us. I expect a strong and aggressive commercial policy from their team so that the BroaMan brand becomes a natural choice in the field of video and related signal fiber transmission in the Czech broadcasting market.”

For further information visit the Broaman website

Claypaky at LDI is going to present its New Sales and Technical Team based in the United States: Dennis Knopf (Senior Business Development Manager), George Masek (Senior Product Specialist), Ray Whitton (North American Business Development Manager), Julie Smith (Product Support).
The booth staff will include also the Claypaky CEO Marcus Graser, Head of Global Marketing, Alena Turiakova, Francesco Romagnoli, Marco Zucchinali, Giovanni Zucchinali and of course the whole Technical Team.

Claypaky Sharpy Plus Aqua

Xtylos will be presented for the first time in America. Every hour, a ten-minute Presentation and a five-minute Light Show will be devoted to all new products. Every day, George Masek will take a special in-depth look at the Xtylos three times a day.
Visitors will also have a good time with a special game dedicated to “Xtylos” at the booth!

Designed in the spirit of the Sharpy Plus platform, the Sharpy Plus Aqua luminaire is an IP65-rated moving head fixture dedicated to outdoor events, touring, permanent installations, cruise ships, and much more.

A large moving mirror is also coming in the Claypaky range, named ReflectXion, offering 540° pan and continuous tilt movement at adjustable speeds. Mirror is the same on both sides, giving you two highly reflective surfaces with which to direct light beams.

Claypaky ReflectXion

HY-B-Eye, Sharpy Plus, Axcor Wash 600, Mini-B, CloudIO will also be presented for the first time in United States.

More on :

• the claypaky website
• ReflectXion
• Sharpy Plus Aqua
• Xtylos test on SoundLightUp

Protones’ owner Florian Buhr, left, with Martin Kühlechner head of audio Protones.

The first SD7 Quantum DiGiCo console sold in Germany is to Protones Veranstaltungstechnik, a newly appointed DiGiCo and well established rental and installation supplier in northern Germany.
Protones is a rental company with many German pop and rock bands on its client list, as well as servicing and audio refurbishment contracts with several worldwide cruise lines, theatres and other key installations.

Martin Kuehlechner, with his new and powerful DiGiCo desk

“Working in both rental and installation markets, we employ a lot of DiGiCo consoles and are completely won over by the sound and build quality. It was a logical step to become an official supplier,” explains Martin Kuehlechner, head of audio Protones.
The new SD7 Quantum will complement Protones’ existing fleet of DiGiCo consoles comprising the SD12, S31 and S21, and boost the company’s offering in its new role as the main DiGiCo rental supplier in the region.

“The SD7 Quantum offers everything a sound guy could ever aspire to have at their fingertips,” continues Kuehlechner. “The nodal processing gives so much power and problem-solving solutions, there was no question that this is the desk we wanted to provide for our engineers and clients. We had the first Quantum to ship to Germany, and now everyone wants to work with it, and we’re receiving plenty of dry hire requests.”

Protones stock list now includes a SD7 Quantum, SD5, 2 SD12s, 1 S31, 1 S21, 5 SD-Racks with 32Bit In- and Out-Cards, 1 D-Rack, 1 D2-Rack, a Little Red Box and a Little Blue Box. The new SD7 Quantum was supplied by DiGiCo’s German distributor, United Brands Germany, with whom Protones will collaborate with to fulfill future installation projects, as well as regional sales, service and training for the DiGiCo brand.

When you love a brand, show it ;0)

One of its first tasks as the new DiGiCo partner was upgrading the sound system in a cruise ship theatre to a SD12, along with stage boxes and redundant ProTools set up, in collaboration with the cruise ship’s sound designer, resulting in improved sound quality, better workflow for the engineers and equipment reliability.

“Protones is a fantastic addition to the DiGiCo network, bringing a wealth of expertise and experience covering the pro audio spectrum,” comments Jens Bubbes Steffan from United Brands. “We’re in daily contact with the Protones team answering questions and fulfilling requests to keep customers satisfied.”
“We are more than happy with our investment,” concludes Kuehlechner. “Bringing together the installation and live rental markets through DiGiCo demonstrates our wide potential to the customers. Everyone loves the sound, the workflow and the way DiGiCo ticks.”

Should you need more info on the SD7 Quantum

RCF spa has appointed RCF LATAM as its distributor for Central America, Colombia and the Caribbean, a newly-created company that has strong roots in the professional audio industry, boasting more than 20 years’ experience.

Stated RCF LATAM director, Jose M. Gonzalez, “Our company is fully committed to the distribution and positioning of RCF as a leading brand within the designated markets.
“The owners of RCF LATAM have successfully distributed the RCF brand for several years, and their aim is to develop the brand in the weakest markets and support its presence generally in Latin America.”

This was backed up by RCF Export Sales Manager, Luca Agazzi. “We wanted a new company focused 100% on RCF, that comprised experienced audio industry professionals.” He confirmed the enduring relationship with RCF LATAM’s Frank Peruyera (via Tropical Music and All Music) and Jannios Jiminez (via Italian based Art Music Group).
Jose Manuel Gonzalez has also been in the business for many years, he said, representing both RCF (during his time at All Music) and other premium audio brands.
“This move makes the business neater and more systematic,” continued Mr. Agazzi. “Colombia has always been influenced by trade coming from the US, so gathering the business in one company will ensure improved control and stability in the area.”

The new company marked its debut at InfoComm Colombia (October 23-25) in Bogotá, receiving a positive response to the new initiative. Stated Mr. Gonzalez, “We were welcomed with great enthusiasm by RCF’s customers, as they had been waiting for a change in the brand’s distribution in Colombia. Customers are now showing considerable interest in the new lines that have been developed.” These include, in particular, the HDL, HD and NX series as well as the transducers.

Although RCF LATAM’s main office is located in Miami, collaboration with new commercial partners in Colombia will now ensure full availability of inventory.

Further information from the RCF website

Sixty82 has appointed Unusual Rigging & Engineering LLC as its exclusive distributor in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, for its full product range : trussing and staging. Since 1983, Unusual Rigging has been providing rigging and stage engineering solutions for the entertainment, special event, exhibition industries worldwide.

Denis Bramhall, Managing Partner of Unusual Rigging LLC, Fokko Smeding CEO of Sixty82, Rainier Smeding, Sixty82 and Cyd Acanto, Unusual Rigging.

In 2009 the team bringing to Dubai a wealth of experience and expertise. The team of Unusual Rigging has spent their working lives on the production side of the entertainment industry: their specialist teams boast a wide range of disciplines, and all are passionate about what they do.

“At Sixty82, we share this passion for the industry,” says Fokko Smeding, CEO of Sixty82. “We therefore we believe that Unusual Rigging & Engineering is a perfect fit to meet the needs of our ever-expanding customer base.”

Rainier Smeding, Sixty82’s sales and marketing manager, adds: “We are extremely excited to be working with a team that has this kind of knowledge and expertise. With these dynamic and experienced people, we can focus on next-generation structures, based on the highest knowledge and working skills, as well as safety regulations.”

Denis Bramhall, managing partner at Unusual Rigging LLC, commented: “We are delighted to take on the role of distributor for Sixty82 in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. By adding their products to our portfolio, we are offering our customers in the region something new and something which complements our current range.”

For on the sixty82 website