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40 Robe iBolts specified for 2025 ATP Finals
27/01/2026
“Christmas for the Cause” supported by Illuminated Productions and Obsidian Control Systems
29/12/2025
Ayrton fixtures illuminate LuckyFes’25
15/12/2025
Karat kombinieren auf Jubiläumstournee Sennheisers neues EW-DX-System mit Vintage Wireless
11/12/2025
Salut Salon auf Tour mit Sennheiser Spectera
11/12/2025
40 Robe iBolts specified for 2025 ATP Finals
Tennis fans and the citizens of Turin, Italy, were treated to a twice-nightly visual extravaganza created for the 8-day 2025 ATP Finals, the season-ending event of the ATP Tour hosted at the Inalpi Arena. A fan village area was built in the square adjacent to the arena, created by brand experience agency Filmmaster Events and lit by Sergio Cattaneo from Milan-based CUE Design, using forty Robe iBolts.
In addition to being a meeting and information point, a showcase for official ATP merch plus a host of other tennis-related brands and activities, the fan village offered a wide variety of food stalls. The tournament organisers also wanted to offer some pre-match entertainment that could be enjoyed by all who were waiting to filter into the arena to catch the tennis action.
Filmmaster Events, under the creative direction of Giulia Accatino and content designer Romain Sabella from TK2, storyboarded and produced the video content, which was played out on a 100-metre-wide by 8-metre-tall LED screen. They asked Cattaneo - with whom they have worked on previous projects - to design a lightshow to complement and support their visual narratives.
Cattaneo received the brief, and his first thought was that he needed a series of big beams, which needed to fulfil two roles. Firstly, to work with the visual show and create a sense of spectacle and excitement, and secondly, he needed a light source that could be seen from around the city and surrounding countryside. He also needed a lightsource that would combat the amount of ambient luminescence emitted by the video screen and make sure the beams still stood out. He chose the iBolt for the task and used a lot of white, cyan - the ATP’s corporate colour - and yellow, which represented the tennis ball.
Cattaneo pre-programmed the shows - one main show of four minutes long, plus a series of 30- and 50-second interstitials - using Depence3, assisted by Alessandro Scotellaro in CUE Design’s studios. They then had one night on site for focus tweaking and finessing the lighting, which included one laser that was also part of the light show, together with seventeen strategically deployed hazers. Lighting for the fan village show was supplied via ATS Srl, with the iBolts sourced from Lucidiscena.
(Photos: Giorgia Benvenuti/Andrea Padovan)
Denso shapes stage for Annalisa tour with Chauvet’s PXL Curve 12
Italian pop singer Annalisa’s recent “But I Am Fire” tour was enriched by an energetic lighting design created by Denso Studio, featuring forty Chauvet Professional Colorado PXL Curve 12 motorized battens from ZaLight Srl.
The design was in harmony with the emotional crescendo of an extensive setlist that took fans on a musical journey. This transcendent passage was complimented by visuals and choreographies that celebrated the primordial element of fire, articulated in three distinct moments - fire itself, the river, and the tiger.
“At the base of the show there was the union between vortex and fire, stylized in a ‘volcano’ pierced by a circular portal”, says Jacopo Ricci, Creative Director and Production Designer of Denso Studio. “The lighting design echoed the recurring shapes used by the scenography and consisted of two ‘V’ trusses that followed the outline of the triangular stage, pushing the system ‘inside’ the first rows of the audience and creating two front rows that gave maximum visibility for the entire depth of the stage.”
The PXL Curve battens were arranged on the extreme edges of the triangular stage, on feeders lowered so as not to obstruct the view of the audience. “In this way we used them both as effects and as a finish to the edge of the stage”, continues Ricci, who has used the PXL fixtures in the summer for an outdoor production. “Some of the most interesting looks were those that played with the individual tilts of the bars, creating geometries that were not possible before.”
Working with lighting Programmer Vittorio Campagnolo, Ricci created a variety of shapes with the PXL battens. “One of the most interesting aspects to explore in programming together with Vittorio, in addition to the power of the single chip, is the whole control part of individual zoom and tilt”, he details. “This allowed us to build very complex and articulated effects that had that pop language we were looking for in a show of this type.”
Ricci was also supported by set designer Luca Ascioti, visual director of Unolab Studio, as well as laser programmer Matteo D’Addio and lighting crew chief Gabriele d’Agruma. Production was by Friends & Partners, with Mario Zappa being the executive producer and Giovanni Chinnici serving as the production manager. Evento Musica Srl (management) and MOD Srl (service) were also involved in the shows.
(Photos: Chauvet Professional)
Martin Audio WPC helps Bella Live transform Sydney’s events scene
Sydney recently opened its doors to Bella Live, a new live music and events venue set in the City’s Hills district. Following a multi-million-dollar transformation of a 1,029 sqm storage warehouse space, by operators Momento Hospitality, Bella Live aims to become a cultural hub for Sydney’s Northwest region.
The hi-tech infrastructure is based around a Martin Audio Wavefront Compact (WPC) line array, supplied by the manufacturer’s Australian distributor Total Audio Group (TAG) and installed by Vestec Electro, who were responsible for the entire AV integration.
Set within the Bella Vista Hotel precinct, the venue’s technical specification reflects the operators’ desire to redefine the Hills entertainment landscape by hosting major national and international tours, as well as emerging and local talent. The scope of the audio coverage extends from the 10 x 8-metre stage across a 17.5-metre bar, and into VIP booths, while two fully appointed green rooms also meet rider standards.
With 8-metre-high ceilings and a capacity approaching nearly 2,000, the venue has been designed by Archebiosis Architects, to blend sleek, modern style with an industrial warehouse vibe. It can flex between a DJ set, stand-up comedy night, sporting event, or corporate event.
Vestec Electro conducted the site-wide installation under the project management of Mark Vesic and Nev Hanna, while TAG - under the guidance of technical director Anthony Russo - played a significant role in the audio design, with their system solutions and engineering (SSE) team deploying Martin Audio’s Display visualisation software and Ease modelling. Russo, in turn, engaged acousticians Gilfillan Soundwork, whose team conducted on-site measurements and computer modelling to optimise the room acoustics and reduce the long reverberation time, which led to a system of 36 massive bass traps throughout the room.
TAG’s design team then developed a solution based around hangs of twelve Martin Audio WPC line arrays (six per side) combined with eight Martin Audio SX 218 dual 18-inch subwoofers, all powered by Martin Audio iKon iK42 DSP four-channel amplifiers in 2-box resolution. The hangs were flown in custom rigging frames from the trusses, enabling the factory-fit fly frame to be deployed with ease.
Extensive CAD modelling made bass control crucial, notes Russo. Traditional left and right stacked setups would cause the usual power-alley issue, and thus the final solution was a horizontal arrangement of the subs in a continuous line beneath the stage. This enabled the individual steering of each cabinet, leading to better low-frequency summation and overall performance. To minimise energy emission from the subs at the rear, top, and sides, one hundred 30-kilo sandbags were placed on top (and around) the cabinets.
To reinforce the main system and VIP booth areas, a delay system comprising ten Martin X15s and six SX212 subs was installed. And to further meet rider requirements, a foldback system comprising seven Martin Audio LE 200 high-powered wedges and an SX118 subwoofer was supplied with two iKon iK42s, enabling an eight-send monitor mix for the main stage. This is networked and processed over a Dante network with analogue backup to a Q-Sys system backbone and is complemented by an equally high-spec performance lighting and video array.
Vestec installed a comprehensive house and stage data and analogue patching system, including a 48-channel concert splitter and multiple tie lines. This setup enables the space to manage live events and any broadcast or recording needs. The venue has already hosted major global acts, including Snoop Dogg, Will Sparks, Ne-Yo, Lil Jon and Wiz Khalifa.
(Photos: Harpreet Singh)
Ayrton Veloce Profile and Domino LT fixtures from PRG light up Shakira world tour
Lighting designer Dan Norman of Silent House used 72 Ayrton Veloce Profiles and 76 Domino LT luminaires on Shakira’s “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” world tour. PRG provided lighting, video, camera and touring personnel for the show, which commenced in Rio de Janeiro in February 2025 and is scheduled to conclude on February 27, 2026, in Mexico City.
“Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” was the seventh concert tour and the first in seven years by the Colombian singer-songwriter. “Shakira broke Taylor Swift’s attendance record in the first of her tour dates in Mexico City and set records throughout the tour”, says Burton Tenenbein, PRG’s Vice President, Music Sales. “We had worked with Dan Norman previously for Post Malone and staged some lighting demos for him early on for Shakira’s tour. We still only had two Veloce demo units at the time, but PRG became the first company in North America to acquire an inventory of Veloce Profiles, which made their first outing on the tour.”
PRG had already acquired a fleet of Ayrton Diablo, Perseo and Domino LT fixtures. “ACT Entertainment (the exclusive North American distributor for Ayrton lighting) and the Ayrton team made sure we would have all the fixtures we needed in time for Shakira’s tour”, Tenenbein adds. “Things are high-pressure on a world tour, so getting support and assurance from Ayrton’s offices around the world gave us confidence that we’d be ready for anything.”
(Photos: Steve Jennings)
Tube UK supports “Brighter Still” in Bradford
As Bradford rounded off a year as UK City of Culture in 2025, the team from Manchester-based audio specialist Tube UK provided audio for an audience of 10,000 at the spectacular closing performance “Brighter Still” in Bingley’s Myrtle Park, plus thousands more watching the event online.
Tube UK collaborated with sound designer Pete Malkin and Bradford Culture Company, the charity delivering this momentous year for the district. “Brighter Still”, presented over two evenings, was a mixed media show including large community choirs, solo singer performance, pre-recorded music, dancing and special effects, created and directed by Dan Canham and Emily Lim, featuring a community cast of over 200 people and nine professional performers. It was commissioned by Bradford 2025’s creative director Shanaz Gulzar.
The project involved the supply of a custom-designed in-the-round d&b PA system, comprising almost fifty channels of RF with personal radio mics, headset mics and handhelds, an extensive fibre network and a large Green-Go comms package covering a 120-metre range. Tube UK’s work was system-designed and project-managed by Melvyn Coote and implemented on site alongside Bradford 2025’s Director of Production Ben Pugh and Production Manager Hannah Blamire.
Coote and his sound crew battled the elements, including torrential rain, howling wind, mud, and freezing temperatures. The performance space was a 60 x 60 metre area with a circular stage in the centre, with four runways emanating from it, each at 90-degree angles to one another, and with a small circular stage or pod at the end. The action unfolded on all of these, with the 5,000 audience per show located in the four quadrants in between the runways completely surrounding the space.
A left and right array of d&b V-series with Y7P front fills and a single KSL-Sub was installed to cover each of the four quadrant areas. The four pods then had their own smaller systems to localise the voices on each pod, comprising six d&b E8 speakers rigged on 6-metre-high single poles for visual as well as sonic continuity. Each pod effectively used the main speaker systems - in the quadrants - as delays to support voices on the other pods that were up to sixty metres away, with the outward facing E8s of all the other pods supporting the localised sound image coming from its respective pod.
The sound emanated from the centre, and the pod speakers supported it, radiating outwards. This complex design was “the result of multiple strategies developed over several years to deliver the best and richest sound for this style of event”, says Coote. For control, Tube UK utilised a large network infrastructure with most of the backbone running via Netgear M4250-26G4F-POE AV Line network switches. The network architects were Adam Taylor and Harry Park.
The majority of the show sound came from a playback source and was composed by Warren “Flamin’ Beatz” Morgan-Humphries and Benji Bower, also the MD, with sound designed and programmed by Pete Malkin. This was all played out via QLab running on a pair of Mac Studio playback machines. The QLab file contained around 120 audio cues for the 45-minute show, with the Mac Studios playing via Dante into a Yamaha DM7-EX console. The console sent the audio stems to a Yamaha DME7 DSP engine, used here as a multi-point delay matrix system.
Noise central - amp rack and radio receiver city - was located underneath the west runway, and here, the incoming fibre audio control on Dante was distributed to three Yamaha Rio3224 stage boxes and three d&b DS10 network bridges with the latter feeding AES3 out to twelve d&b D80 and six d&b D20 amplifiers. The radio mic system included 42 personal mics and belt packs, of which there were a combination of Sennheiser SK6000s and SK5212s, with two SKM5200 handhelds. Each of the personal radio mics was fitted with a corresponding DPA6066 jawline headset mic.
There was up to 46 channels of RF, complete with an additional pair of handhelds. The Green-Go comms system needed to cover ten stage entry/exit points, all accommodating an ASM at each position, so a major challenge was to get these optimised, and in total, the system was running sixteen wireless and eight wired belt packs. It operated over a 120-metre range using six of Green-Go’s new Stride antennas.
Working alongside Coote, Taylor and Park was FOH audio operator John Redfern, who was mixing in an enclosed operating space, weaving in all the rapid-fire cues in a very short timeframe, while Coote provided the “live ears” on site. Matt Waltho was the PA technician, and Stuart McPartland was busy keeping on top of nearly fifty radio mics. The micing up process started at least two hours before each show.
“There were so many elements of this show that were non-standard, different and challenging”, comments Coote in summation. “The layout, the scale, the amount of radio mics involved, the location, the elements - and while our previous experience very much helped our approach and audio treatment in Myrtle Park, we still gained more knowledge in dealing with all aspects.”
(Photos: Bradford 2025/James Glossop/Pete Malkin/Tube UK)
PWS supports Snoop Dogg for NFL Christmas Day broadcast
Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) supplied comprehensive wireless and RF support for “Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party”, headlined by Snoop Dogg during the Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings game on December 25, 2025. The halftime show, which also featured Lainey Wilson and K-Pop Demon Hunters, as well as Andrea and Matteo Bocelli, was streamed live globally on Netflix from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
PWS worked in collaboration with ATK/Clair, the event’s audio provider, delivering a fully integrated wireless package and on-site RF coordination to ensure seamless audio performance for the NFL halftime production. The equipment deployment included Shure Axient Digital wireless systems using Quadversity mode, Shure in-ear monitors, Wisycom RF-over-Fiber (RFoF) and a combination of PWS-supplied TS Helical antennas, directional antennas and a newly developed LT Helical antenna, which was evaluated during the event in preparation for implementation at the upcoming Super Bowl in Santa Clara.
“Our role was to make sure the wireless environment was rock solid from rehearsals through the live broadcast”, says Jim Van Winkle, General Manager at Professional Wireless Systems. “With a global audience watching on Netflix and the stakes that come with an NFL Christmas Day game, reliability and RF discipline were absolutely critical.”
PWS supported the production with four RF technicians on site, including Jim Van Winkle, with Cameron Stuckey serving in a lead RF role, alongside senior RF technicians Kasey Gchachu and Kevin Lu. Most of the team has previously supported multiple Super Bowl halftime shows.
“Compared to some of the more complex halftime productions we’ve done, this was a straightforward setup”, adds Van Winkle. “The entertainment was positioned in the middle of the field, so there were no unusual coverage zones. We designed and deployed a clean four-corner RF setup that gave us consistent, predictable performance across the field.”
As part of the deployment, PWS utilized it’s new LT Helical antenna. Positioned on an upper concourse level within U.S. Bank Stadium, the LT Helical provided extended reach and additional spatial coverage alongside the field-level antennas.
(Photos: PWS)
Avolites D9 selected for “Carols by Candlelight” broadcast
Lighting designer Daniel Saveski, the current head of lighting for Australia’s Channel 9 (GTV9), used an Avolites D9 console (with a D7 for backup) to light the broadcaster’s “Carols by Candlelight” Christmas special. The event has been an annual Australian tradition since 1938, staged this time at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne.
Owned and co-ordinated by Vision Australia, a national non-profit organisation providing services for those with blindness and low vision, “Carols by Candlelight” is their largest annual fundraiser and is produced and broadcast by the Nine Network. Saveski has worked on the event for the last nine years in different lighting related roles, and this was the second year he has been the lighting designer.
Saveski had initially rediscovered Avolites and the D9 during the Covid lockdowns, although at that stage there were no D9s available in Australia. After Avolites became a Robe Business in late 2023 and LSC Control Systems became the new official distributor, his interest was renewed and he started actively looking at the brand and its products, especially the D9.
LSC and Avolites business development manager Clare Springett introduced Saveski to the T3 console, and he immediately purchased one. For the 2025 “Carols” event, he used the D9 to control a lighting rig comprising 65 Ayrton Rivale Profile moving lights, three Ayrton Domino LTs running on a remote Ground Control system for follow spots, together with 21 GLP Impression X4s and fifty Impression X4 XL wash lights, 24 ACME Tornados, 46 ACME Pixel Line IPs, fourteen Martin Mac Aura XIPs, twenty ShowPro Fusion Wash 48s and eight Claypaky Scenius Unicos.
On top of that were Creamsource and Creamsource Mini LED soft lights, twelve CK ColorBlast 12 TRs, twelve ETC LED PARs, seventeen sections of Starcloth drape, together with several hundred metres of LED festoon and LED tape around the set. All lighting equipment for the event was supplied by PRG. The set was designed and built several years ago and is stored and maintained by Nine Network’s staging department.
In addition to the lighting, a large upstage LED screen handled a variety of visual content. The set design further enabled Saveski to incorporate ROE Visual CB3 panels into the set of windows on the left and right stage wings and the “rosette” in the centre of the scenic pros arch, as well as the mid stage low fence in front of the house band. These were all supplied by CT Australia. Saveski also included a roof feature in the design, made up of ROE Vanish that was not visible from the front, but added depth and visual interest from the low and upward angled camera shots.
Beyond the technicalities, “Carols by Candlelight” is a special project with enormous meaning for Saveski, and together with all involved, he is hugely proud to be part of delivering it. “It is also a cherished yearly reunion with my crew ‘family’, and the show carries a profound weight as so many Australians are watching with their friends and loved ones, and our work is bringing smiles to children’s faces nationwide”, he states. All the money raised goes towards supporting specialist services for children who are blind or have low vision.
Working closely with Saveski on the 2025 edition were lighting directors Lynden Gare and Hamish Lee and screens director Matt Jones. Saveski adds he has already slated Avolite’s D7-330 and D7-215 consoles to run the 2026 Australian Open broadcast.
(Photos: Clare Springett)
Leverkusener Jazztage 2025 mit neuem Beschallungskonzept von dBTechnologies
Für die 46. Ausgabe der Leverkusener Jazztage setzten die Veranstalter im Forum Leverkusen erstmals ein neu entwickeltes Beschallungskonzept mit Audiotechnik von dBTechnologies um, das den besonderen akustischen Anforderungen dieses Venues Rechnung trägt.
Zum Einsatz kam ein für das Event neu geplantes Vio-System von dBTechnologies. Ziel war es, die komplexen Raumproportionen des Forums mit seiner ausgeprägten Asymmetrie, reflektierenden Oberflächen und unterschiedlichen Tiefenverhältnissen zu berücksichtigen und eine gleichmäßige, transparente Beschallung für alle Publikumsbereiche zu erreichen.
„Ein wesentlicher Vorteil der Vio-Serie ist der durchgängig identische akustische Charakter aller Systeme“, erklärt Jochen Gotzen, Technical Director bei dBTechnologies. „Das ermöglicht es, verschiedene Systeme flexibel zu kombinieren und einfach an die jeweilige Raumsituation anzupassen, ohne klangliche Dysbalancen zu erzeugen. Für das Forum Leverkusen haben wir uns bewusst dazu entschieden, das System über eine Rigginglösung zu fliegen, um die akustische Energie gezielt auf das Publikum zu richten und reflektierende Flächen möglichst wenig anzuregen.“
Die Hauptbeschallung bestand aus geflogenen Vio-L1610-Line-Array-Modulen, die über PA-Tower rechts und links der Bühne platziert wurden. Ergänzt wurden die L1610-Einheiten durch weitere Lautsprecher der Vio-Serie zur Abdeckung von Nahfeldern, Rand- und Sonderbereichen, darunter X206 und X310. Für den Tieftonbereich kamen Vio-S218-Subwoofer in einer cardioiden Anordnung zum Einsatz. Die gesamte Systemsteuerung, Überwachung und Feinabstimmung erfolgte über Aurora Net.
„Das Zusammenspiel aus aktiven Systemen und Aurora Net hat hier perfekt funktioniert“, sagt Gotzen. „Alle Lautsprecher waren netzwerkbasiert angebunden, jeder verfügt über einen eigenen DSP, und die Phasenlage innerhalb der Vio-Familie ist identisch. Dadurch lassen sich Übergänge zwischen Hauptsystem, Nahfeld und Outfills sauber realisieren - für das Publikum entsteht so der Eindruck einer einzigen, homogenen Schallquelle.“
Auch auf der Bühne kam Technik aus der Vio-Familie zum Einsatz. Als Bühnenmonitore wurden koaxiale W12 und W15-Wedges verwendet, ergänzt durch Vio-S118-Subwoofer für ausgewählte Positionen. Für die Sidefill-Abdeckung wurden zusätzlich eng abstrahlende Modelle der C-Serie eingesetzt, um Übersprechen ins Publikum zu minimieren.
(Fotos: dBTechnologies/Sascha Gansen)
All IP65-rated Chauvet rig for Hamilton County Fair
Aside from its colorful attractions and lively entertainment schedule, headlined this year by Diamond Rio, the Hamilton County Fair - a three-day event held at the eastern edge of the Cumberland Plateau - offers visitors spectacular views.
But with those mountain vistas comes some uncertain weather, especially as fall moves toward winter. Therefore, Justin Casey and his team at Helm Projects outfitted their 40 by 40 stage with a 100-percent IP65 rated rig consisting of Chauvet Professional fixtures.
When Diamond Rio took the stage, their lighting designer, Willis Underhill, set the tone sending fast-moving splashes of yellow and purple across the stage. He turned things down for soft songs like “You’re Gone”, bathing the stage in deep monochromatic blue, and picked up the tempo with eye candy effects for songs like “Norma Jean Riley”.
Helping Underhill - as well as the Helm Projects team members who lit the supporting acts - create this variety of looks were 36 Chauvet Professional fixtures including sixteen Maverick Storm 2 Profiles, twelve Maverick Storm 2 BeamWashes, four Strike Array 4 blinders, and four Color Strike M motorized wash-blinders.
(Photos: Chauvet Professional)
ADJ transforms USS Midway into a festive winter wonderland for “Jingle Jets 2025”
Flashback Lighting/Innovative Presentations of San Diego, California, was recently responsible for illuminating one of the city’s USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum, for its third annual “Jingle Jets” holiday event. Utilizing a variety of ADJ luminaires, including Hydro Profile moving heads as well as static Encore LP32 IP and 7PZ IP washes, the ship was completely transformed with swathes of color and moving gobo projections.
Running on select nights from November 28 through December 30, 2025, “Jingle Jets” delivered lighting displays, festive performances, and seasonal cheer for the whole family - all set against the backdrop of a historic aircraft carrier. With guests exploring multiple decks, including the expansive flight deck, the lighting design needed to be both visually impactful and robust enough to withstand the challenges of a large-scale outdoor environment.
“We were tasked with transforming the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum into a full winter wonderland of color”, says Matt Short, Executive Lighting Director at Flashback Lighting/Innovative Presentations. “To bring this vision to life, we deployed more than 140 ADJ and Elation lighting instruments and control components across two decks, including the 4-acre flight deck.”
To bathe the vast exterior spaces in color, the team turned to ADJ’s IP65-rated fixtures. A combination of twenty Encore LP32 IP and twenty 7PZ IP LED-powered wash lights were used to flood the flight deck with vibrant hues. Adding a layer of festive detail, 22 ADJ Hydro Profile automated luminaires were used to project custom snowflake gobos across the deck and onto the ship’s bridge, helping to reinforce the winter theme while highlighting the carrier’s architecture. On the lower deck, where fixtures were sheltered from weather conditions, 22 ADJ Focus Profile automated luminaires were deployed to provide additional color accents and gobo pattern projections.
Control for the entire lighting system was handled by an NX2 console from ADJ’s sister company Obsidian Control Systems. To distribute DMX across the aircraft carrier’s main deck, the team utilized the new Aria X2 wireless control protocol. Seven IP65-rated Aria X2 IPC transceivers were strategically positioned across the deck, ensuring wireless signal distribution to clusters of fixtures spread over the 4-acre space.
Additionally, 37 Elation Arena Par Zoom and ten Elation Satura Spot CMY Pro fixtures, as well as two EN12s, two EN6 IPs and an RDM6 IP from Obsidian Control Systems, were used for the “Jingle Jets” event.
(Photos: ADJ Lighting/USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum)
www.flashbackstagelighting.com
“Christmas for the Cause” supported by Illuminated Productions and Obsidian Control Systems
The sixth annual “Christmas for the Cause” fundraiser, auction, and concert transformed Eric Thompson’s Barn in Carrollton, Georgia, into a festival-style live music experience, powered by Illuminated Productions and driven by Obsidian Control Systems technology.
The sold-out event, which benefits families in the Carroll County community facing hardship during the holiday season, featured five full bands and a national headliner, Lonestar. Illuminated Productions (IP), a Carrollton-based audio, video, and lighting production company, served as the event’s complete AV and stage provider.
“Christmas for the Cause” began six years ago as a grassroots effort among friends and has since grown into a non-profit organization delivering presents, meals, and “Christmas miracles” to local families in need. As the event expanded over the past few years, the need for a professional AV company became clear.
For IP President and CEO Chris Dunson, who has previously worked with “Christmas for the Cause”, the event is special. “There are many children in our county that may not have a Christmas due to no fault of their own”, he says. “I wanted to make sure that we at IP were able to push that goal of helping as many kids as possible with this event.” He adds that they were fortunate to be able to give a third of the production cost back to the community.
IP was tasked with building the production infrastructure, including stage design, logistics, artist advancements, and more, and can call on several lighting directors whenever a show demands something beyond the ordinary. “With this event, it was no question who I wanted to bring in to design and implement the vision we had for the stage”, shares Dunson. “Daniel Boerner has been a great asset with IP for years, designing lighting and running multiple programs over the years. Daniel’s knowledge, vision, and calm demeanor make him a first choice in high-stress situations.”
Boerner served as lighting designer and programmer for the house lighting package, programming and running the show on an Obsidian Control Systems NX4 console, supported by Netron networking hardware - two Netron NS8 IP66-rated outdoor network switches, and a Netron EN6 IP Art-Net/sACN-to-DMX gateway. “The NX4 and Onyx platform was great for this type of event because of the ability to quickly get a punt/busking file going by utilizing Dylos”, says Boerner. “By pre-programming presets like color, position, beam, and intensity, I was able to use Dylos mapping to create unique effects on the fly. It has changed my workflow for the better. In a festival-style event like this, there isn’t a lot of time.”
“Daniel did a fantastic job running lighting for all of the opening bands and assisting Lonestar’s LD with integration with our existing fixtures”, notes Dunson. In addition to his role as LD for the event, Boerner serves as Technical Support and Training Specialist at Obsidian Control Systems.
(Photos: Obsidian Control Systems)
Jack Thomas makes moods with Chauvet on Story of the Year/Senses Fail tour
Senses Fail and Story of the Year’s 19-city coheadline “Scream Team” tour concluded December 13, 2025, at the Riverside Auditorium. Lighting design for the shows was by Jack Thomas, who avoided “typical strobes” and video walls and relied on the use of dark space and changes in brightness levels to convey the mood of the music.
Thomas sometimes angled his light sharply downward, creating pools of monochromatic brightness against a sea of darkness. At other times, he covered the stage with crossing beams of light. Relying on changes like these, he created a flow of varied looks for the two bands. “I’m very grateful that Ross Landis (tour manager) entrusted me with this”, says Thomas. “It gave me the opportunity to stretch my creativity. I designed, programmed, and ran lights for Story of the Year and Senses Fail on the tour, working with Mike Null on putting together the floor package supplied by Allen Deneau at Bandit Lites.”
With limited stage space and fixed lighting in set carts, there was no “wiggle room” for physical changes in the rig from one band to the other. “I just programmed each song with intent to convey its energy visually from dark subtle bridges to exciting choruses with lots of motion and intensity”, continues Thomas. “Since I’ve never been one to use a lot of conventional ‘strobes’, I sprinkled them in here and there tastefully during peak energy moments. Otherwise, I liked to strobe different groups of fixtures throughout the rig creating depth and layers.“
Thomas used twelve Colorado Solo Battens and nine Strike Array 2 fixtures from Chauvet Professional, all of which were used at times to create strobing effects. He also relied on his high output battens to light the band, positioning four units downstage and an equal number mid-stage for side lighting; the two other Solo Battens flanked the 8-foot by 18-foot drum riser.
The Strike Array 2 fixtures in Thomas’ rig served multiple purposes in his design. Arranged in three 8-foot sections behind the drum riser, the fixtures delivered bursts of brightness during explosive moments and contributed to crowd lighting for the show’s many singalongs. Mostly, though, they provided warm backlighting to embrace Senses Fail and Story of the Year on stage.
(Photos: connorlazmedia)
Snow machines and lighting fixtures from ADJ support Paramount tree lighting celebration
For the fourth consecutive year, the Californian city of Paramount’s annual tree lighting celebration was brought to life by the production team at Ambient Pro, LLC. Once again transforming a section of Paramount Boulevard into a festive community gathering space, the event combined live performances, seasonal spectacle, and a dramatic lighting reveal, all supported by ADJ lighting and atmospheric solutions.
Ambient Pro used ADJ luminaires and effects to illuminate the main stage and create a magical moment when the city’s Christmas tree was officially lit. With Ambient Pro principal Victor Nava serving as Project Manager, the production continued to evolve, scaling up both creatively and technically to deliver an immersive experience for the thousands of local residents who attended.
A defining highlight of the celebration came at the moment the tree lights were switched on, as a flurry of artificial snow filled the air above the crowd. ADJ Entour Snow machines were tasked with delivering this effect; sixteen of the snow generators - double the number used the previous year - were mounted to the main stage as well as truss pillars dispersed throughout the audience area along Paramount Boulevard. The increased coverage allowed Ambient Pro to create a more immersive snowfall, enveloping the crowd and ensuring the effect reached every corner of the closed-off thoroughfare.
Among Ambient Pro’s more recent investments are two ADJ Entourage touring-grade haze machines, which made their debut at this year’s tree lighting celebration. Positioned at either side of the stage, these atmospheric generators were used to create a thin, even haze that allowed lighting beams and aerial effects to remain visible in the open-air environment.
Lighting for the event was centered around a moving-light rig designed to deliver everything from bold aerial effects to detailed gobo projections and washes. A floor-standing truss structure enclosed the stage, which was used to rig the lighting fixtures both in front of and behind the performers on stage.
Six ADJ Focus Spot 6Z automated luminaires were installed across the downstage truss, where they were predominantly used to generate dynamic aerial beams shooting out into the audience. Complementing these, six Focus Spot 7Z fixtures were positioned along the upstage truss, tasked with filling the stage with beams, textures, and gobo projections that added visual depth throughout the performances.
Additional visual impact came from four ADJ Jolt Panel FXIP fixtures, which provided punchy strobe hits, color washes, and eye-candy effects on stage. Meanwhile, four Focus Wash 400 automated wash luminaires were used to deliver smooth, even illumination on the performers.
With a large site footprint and multiple lighting and effects zones, wireless DMX played a crucial role in simplifying setup and maintaining reliability. An Aria X2 Bridge connected directly to the lighting console transmitted DMX wirelessly to fixtures on stage that feature integrated Aria X2 transceivers, including the Focus Spot 7Z and Jolt Panel FX units. These fixtures then served as distribution points, feeding hard-wired DMX to other luminaires without built-in wireless capability.
To manage control reliably across such a large area, Victor Nava opted to run the snow machines on a separate DMX system to eliminate any risk of accidental triggering during the show. Three additional Aria X2 Bridges were used exclusively for snow control, with one unit transmitting wirelessly from FOH to receivers positioned within the audience area. From there, hard-wired connections distributed DMX to the Entour Snow machines located both at the front and rear of the crowd space. Nava and his crew arrived on site at 9 a.m. to begin building the event and didn’t leave until 1 a.m. the following morning.
(Photos: April Espinoza)
Austin Zangi reflects span of Seether’s music on tour with ChamSys
South African rock band Seether’s 24-city coheadline tour with Daughtry, which concluded November 15, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, was supported by an Austin Zangi lightshow run on a ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium console.
“All of the songs have their own feel and vibe”, says Zangi, who programmed his cue stacked show on the MQ250M using Capture as his visualizer. “My initial setlist and design was to build the show up gradually, using more lights as things progressed”, he shares. Zangi immersed the stage with deep shadowy looks. “My artists like dark and moody”, he says. “So, I tried to keep it on the darker side throughout the show only accenting certain parts such as the solos and core interaction moments with the fans.”
When he accented those moments, Zangi held nothing back, unleashing some nuclear backlighting often in intense monochromatic palettes, silhouetting the performers on stage. “I used silhouettes in a lot of the intros, breakdowns and endings as my singer prefers this compared to having front light”, he explains. “It just takes the attention more away from the individual band members and allows the audience to enjoy the music. There is quite a bit of improvised parts in some songs, and the band is just grooving during these. My monochromatic palettes were added in the last few days of programming after getting inspiration from other designers.”
Although most of his 44-universe show was cue stacked, Zangi did busk at points during some songs. “There was no click or tracks, just an authentic rock and roll show”, he concludes.
(Photos: ChamSys)
DPA’s N-Series and D:facto capture Shelby J. performances at The Epicurus
Copenhagen’s jazz gastropub The Epicurus presents exclusive performances curated by jazz pianist and producer Sir Niels Lan Doky. Featuring internationally acclaimed musicians, the project blends original compositions, jazz classics and transformed pop hits.
The venue is equipped with solutions from DPA Microphones, including the new N-Series digital wireless system and the D:facto 4018 V vocal microphone. The Epicurus recently hosted American singer/songwriter Shelby J., best known for her work with Prince, in a 25-show, four-week residency, which represented an ideal stress test for the system.
“Shelby’s voice is exceptionally powerful, dynamic and nuanced”, explains Audio Engineer Frank Goldberg. “Her high energy and movement - including venturing into the audience, directly in front of the Meyer Sound mains - placed certain demands on the microphone system. The combination of the N-Series and D:facto delivered far beyond our expectations.”
Even as the artist wove through tables and leaned into audience members, the DPA N-Series system maintained its stability, according to Goldberg: “The RF signal remained rock-steady across all 25 shows, regardless of how many audience members separated Shelby from the N-Series receiver. Even with Shelby often directly in front of the PA system, feedback was completely managed with only sparse EQ. It was simple: a high-pass filter at 80 Hz and no surgical EQ (cuts or boosts) were required in the critical mid- and high-mid-frequencies to suppress feedback or achieve clarity.”
In a world where wireless systems often require daily tweaks, especially in dense, urban RF environments like Copenhagen City Center, Goldberg was surprised by the consistency of the N-Series: “We set the system once and didn’t touch the settings for the entire four weeks”, he says.
(Photos: DPA Microphones/The Epicurus)
Ayrton fixtures illuminate LuckyFes’25
The fourth edition of Japan’s LuckyFes took place over the holiday weekend, August 9-11, 2025, at Hitachinaka City’s Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki. Hosted by Ibaraki Broadcasting Corporation, LuckyFM, and Barks, LuckyFes is Asia’s largest theme park-style festival, presenting itself as “a celebration of music, food and art”.
Four stages, set amongst Hitachi Seaside Park’s verdant surroundings, played host to a diverse range of music genres including pop, rock, hip-hop, anime songs and K-Pop, where over seventy of Japan’s most prominent artists entertained tens of thousands of festival goers over the course of three days.
Lighting designer Anderson Hinago brought Ayrton IP65-rated fixtures into his designs for two of the stages: Wing Stage and Rainbow Stage. A total of 23 Perseo Profiles and 28 Kyalami fixtures were rigged on the Rainbow Stage’s overhead rig while the Wing Stage was graced by thirteen Rivale Profile fixtures.
The fixtures were supplied by PRG K.K., a Japanese subsidiary of PRG Group and Ayrton’s exclusive distributor in Japan.
(Photos: PRG Japan)
Karat kombinieren auf Jubiläumstournee Sennheisers neues EW-DX-System mit Vintage Wireless
Die Berliner Rockband Karat feierte 2025 ihr 50-jähriges Jubiläum mit 75 Konzerten in allen Teilen Deutschlands. Zum Einsatz kam dabei die drahtlose Mikrofonserie EW-DX von Sennheiser.
Sänger Claudius Dreilich verwendete auf der Tournee einen Handsender EW-DX SKM mit dynamischer Mikrofonkapsel MM 435. Keyboarder Martin Becker nutzte für seinen Gesang ein Sennheiser-HSP-4-Kopfbügelmikrofon an einem Taschensender EW-DX SK, um in seiner „Keyboard-Burg“ beweglich zu bleiben. Für sein Mundharmonikaspiel nutzte er ebenfalls einen EW-DX-Handsender, mit Kapsel MMD 935.
Der zugehörige Vierfachempfänger EW-DX EM 4 Dante befand sich seitlich der Bühne am Monitorplatz in einem 19’’-Rack, das neben einem aktiven Antennensplitter ASA 3000 auch zwei älteren Doppelempfängern aus der langen Bandgeschichte Platz bot: einen EM 3532 und einen EM 550 G2 der Evolution-Wireless-Serie für die Akustikgitarren. Den EW-DX EM 4 Dante hatte die Technik-Crew über seine analogen Ausgänge mit der Stagebox des digitalen Mischpultsystems verbunden.
Im Bühnenrack von Gitarrist Bernd Römer kommunizierte ein Doppelempfänger EM 2050 mit insgesamt sieben Sennheiser-Taschensendern, die den unterschiedlichen Instrumenten des Musikers zugeordnet waren. Alle Transmitter wurden auf derselben Frequenz betrieben und beim Wechsel der Gitarren vom Backliner per HF-Mute deaktiviert.
Genau so verfuhr man mit den E-Bässen von Daniel Bätge, der während der Show vier verschiedene Instrumente nutzte. Verwendung fanden in diesem Fall vier Taschensender SK 500 G4 und ein Empfänger EM 300-500 G4, der auf Bätges Bassbox platziert war. Den Pegel eines jeden Taschensenders hatte das Technik-Team an das jeweilige Instrument angepasst.
Während der E-Bass per DI-Box hinter dem Effekt-Board abgenommen wurde, waren für die drei Gitarrenboxen von Bernd Römer drei Sennheiser E 906 mit Supernieren-Richtcharakteristik und schaltbarem dreistufigen Präsenzfilter vorgesehen. Schlagzeuger Heiko Jung hatte seine Snare von oben und unten mit E 904 mikrofoniert. Bassist Daniel Bätge nutzte für seinen Gesang ein dynamisches E-945-Mikrofon mit Supernierencharakteristik, dessen Ausgangssignal bei Nichtgebrauch mittels eines aufgesteckten Gating-Moduls automatisch stummgeschaltet wurde.
„Als ich 2008 zu Karat kam, war Sennheiser bei der Band schon mit diversen Funkstrecken und kabelgebundenen Mikrofonen präsent“, berichtet Michael Schüller, der bei Karat die Funktion des Technischen Leiters bekleidet. Auf der diesjährigen Tournee war Schüller am FOH-Platz anzutreffen, wo er mit einem älteren digitalen Mischpult und diversen externen 19’’-Prozessoren arbeitete. Ein E 825 S, dem man die Strapazen eines langen Tourlebens deutlich ansah, diente ihm als Talkback-Mikrofon.
Schüller ist Bühnenmeister, Beleuchtungsmeister und Meister für Elektrotechnik, doch sein Herz schlägt besonders laut für die Tontechnik, die er schmunzelnd als seine „amtliche Leidenschaft“ bezeichnet. „Um 1976 herum habe ich angefangen, mich intensiv mit Tontechnik zu beschäftigen. Ungefähr zu dieser Zeit habe ich auch Karat zum allerersten Mal live gesehen, als sie Vorgruppe für die Puhdys im Erfurter Panorama-Filmpalast waren“, erinnert er sich. „Als Teenager konnte ich mich sehr für die Musik von Karat begeistern, aber damals war natürlich überhaupt noch nicht absehbar, dass ich einmal für den FOH-Sound der Band verantwortlich sein würde.“ Schüller arbeitete früher regelmäßig als Freelancer für die Adapoe Event- und Studiotechnik OHG, deren Geschäftsführer zuvor Karat bei Live-Auftritten mischte. Seit 2012 ist Schüller bei Adapoe als Meister für Veranstaltungstechnik fest angestellt.
Bernd Römer ist seit 1976 Gitarrist bei Karat und somit das dienstälteste Mitglied der aktuellen Formation. „Vor meinen drei Gitarrenboxen befinden sich schon seit vielen Jahren drei Sennheiser E 906 - eines pro Box“, erklärt er. „Die Boxen geben unterschiedliche Signalanteile wieder, und das Setup folgt dem Prinzip Dry-Wet-Wet: Aus der mittleren Box kommt das trockene Gitarrensignal direkt aus dem Verstärker, die beiden äußeren Boxen links und rechts liefern ausschließlich Effekte wie Delay und Reverb. Michael Schüller erhält somit drei getrennte Signale und kann sie flexibel an die Gegebenheiten des jeweiligen Auftrittsorts anpassen. Er legt fest, wie hoch der Anteil des Direktsignals und der Stereoeffekte ausfällt. Die E-906-Mikrofone bleiben dauerhaft vor den Boxen und wandern nach der Show mit ins Flightcase. Sie müssen daher weder separat aufgebaut noch transportiert werden. Im Touring-Alltag ist es äußerst praktisch, dass die Mikrofone direkt vor dem Bespannstoff hängen und keine zusätzlichen Stative nötig sind - nach dem Öffnen des Case-Deckels ist meine Gitarrenanlage quasi sofort spielbereit.“
Neben den E 906 nutzt Römer seit Jahren einen EM-2050-Doppelempfänger aus Sennheisers 2000er-Serie. „Es ist zwar nicht das allerneueste Digitalmodell, im Touralltag aber eine absolut stabile Funkstrecke“, kommentiert er. „Jede meiner Gitarren ist mit einem eigenen Taschensender bestückt. Beim Instrumentenwechsel wird der Sender der abgelegten Gitarre auf Mute geschaltet, während mein Roadie den Sender der nächsten Gitarre aktiviert. Es ist ein eingespieltes Vorgehen, das schnelle Wechsel erlaubt und Bedienfehler reduziert. Ich habe verschiedene Sennheiser-Taschensender im Einsatz, deren Klangbild jedoch weitgehend identisch ist. Die Pegeleinstellungen jedes Senders sind präzise auf die jeweilige Gitarre abgestimmt, bei einzelnen Instrumenten ist zusätzlich die integrierte Kabelemulation aktiviert. Auf die Bewegungsfreiheit, die mir die Funkstrecken ermöglichen, möchte ich nicht mehr verzichten. Klangunterschiede gegenüber einer klassischen Kabelverbindung sind im Live-Betrieb praktisch nicht wahrnehmbar.“
Thomas Holz, Relations Manager bei Sennheiser, sagt abschließend: „Der sogenannte ‘Ostrock’ ist ein wichtiger Teil der gesamtdeutschen Rockgeschichte, und der Einfluss von Karat ist unbestritten. Es gibt kaum eine Band, die auf eine derart lange Historie zurückblicken kann und dabei gestern wie heute für künstlerische Authentizität steht. Wir freuen uns, durch unsere Partnerschaft mit Karat an dieser Geschichte teilhaben zu können. Karat feiert 50 Jahre, Sennheiser 80 Jahre - zwei Jubiläen, die für Leidenschaft und die Liebe zur Musik stehen.“
(Fotos: Sennheiser)
Salut Salon auf Tour mit Sennheiser Spectera
Auf der aktuellen und noch bis 2027 andauernden „Heimat“-Tournee des Kammermusikquartetts Salut Salon wird Sennheisers Spectera-Breitband-Ecosystem eingesetzt. Beim Auftritt im Konzerthaus Dortmund am 8. November 2025 befand sich die Spectera Base Station zusammen mit einer L-6000-Ladestation im kaschierten Seitenbereich der Bühne. Zwei über PoE mit Strom versorgte Spectera-DAD-Antennen waren in unmittelbarer Nähe auf Stativen montiert und auf die Spielfläche ausgerichtet.
Angelika Bachmann, Gründerin und erste Geigerin von Salut Salon, Alvina Lahyani (Violine), Maria Well (Violoncello) und Kristiina Rokashevich (Klavier) nutzten bidirektionale Spectera SEK-Bodypacks für ihr persönliches In-Ear-Monitoring und die Übertragung ihrer Stimmen. Vier weitere SEK-Bodypacks wurden für die drahtlose Mikrofonierung des Cellos, des Akkordeons und des Flügels eingesetzt.
Der Tontechniker des Quartetts, Thorsten Seeliger, ist bei der Nordlite Event Solutions GmbH beschäftigt und dort unter anderem mit dem Vertrieb von Spectera betraut. Er begleitet Salut Salon bereits seit fast zwei Jahrzehnten. Für die drahtlose Übertragung der Audiosignale nutzt Seeliger ein 8 MHz breites UHF-Frequenzband, dessen Centerfrequenz in Dortmund bei 554 MHz lag. Den Audio-Link-Modus „Live“ wählte er sowohl für die Mikrofon- als auch für die IEM-Strecken. Im „Live“-Modus kommt der proprietäre Sennheiser SeDAC-Audio-Codec zum Einsatz; die Latenz beträgt 1,6 Millisekunden.
„Bei anderen digitalen IEM-Strecken beläuft sich die Latenz auf mindestens 2,7 Millisekunden, und außerdem gibt es keine bidirektionale Funktionalität“, sagt Seeliger. „Die Audioqualität im ‘Live’-Modus ist für meine Ohren schon so gut, dass ich den vollständig verlustfrei arbeitenden, allerdings ressourcenintensiven PCM-Mode nicht bemühen muss. Außerdem müsste ich beim Einsatz des PCM-Mode das zweite verfügbare 8-MHz-Band des Spectera Systems nutzen, das ich eigentlich gern als Teil des Havariekonzepts freihalten möchte.“
Mit der Stagebox des digitalen Tonpults war die Spectera Base Station über MADI verbunden, um die Latenz so gering wie möglich zu halten. „Bei den klassisch ausgebildeten Musikerinnen von Salut Salon könnte eine zu hohe Latenz beim In-Ear-Monitoring auf jeden Fall zu einem Thema werden - zumal beispielsweise Angelika Bachmann lediglich ein einzelnes Earpiece in ihrem rechten Ohr verwendet, während sie auf dem linken Ohr direkt ihre Violine hört“, erklärt Seeliger. „Käme es hier zu einem hörbaren Zeitversatz, wäre das natürlich nicht akzeptabel.“
Der Umstieg auf die neue Drahtlostechnik sei für Salut Salon reibungslos verlaufen, berichtet Seeliger. Mit dem Endlosdrehgeber an ihren SEK-Bodypacks kämen die Musikerinnen ebenfalls bestens zurecht. Auf die Möglichkeit zur Fernsteuerung der Abhörlautstärke greife Seeliger nur zurück, wenn er ausdrücklich darum gebeten werde. „Dass statt zwei Geräten nur noch ein einzelnes Bodypack für Mikrofonierung und In-Ear-Monitoring benötigt wird, ist bei Salut Salon nicht zuletzt wegen der Kostümwechsel ein großer Schritt nach vorn“, sagt er. „Die Künstlerinnen schätzen es außerdem, dass ihre Namen permanent auf den E-Ink-Displays angezeigt werden. Wenn es Wechsel in der Besetzung gibt, passe ich die Anzeigen in der Software an.“ Seeliger nutzt Spectera WebUI auf einem Laptop am FOH-Platz.
Dass die beiden Spectera-DAD-Antennen bei Salut Salon auf nur einer Seite der Spielfläche und nicht links und rechts davon platziert sind, erklärt Seeliger mit dem auf diese Weise vereinfachten Aufbau. Abstriche bei der Abdeckung müsse man dadurch nicht machen, auch nicht zum Abschluss des Konzerts, wenn sich die vier Musikerinnen spielend durch den Saal bewegen und ihn am hinteren Ende verlassen.
Das Spectera-Breitband-Ecosystem kommt bei Salut Salon seit dem Frühsommer 2025 zum Einsatz. Die Komponenten gehören Florian Hinz von Hinz Audio, der im Wechsel mit Thorsten Seeliger als Tontechniker der Gruppe fungiert.
(Fotos: Salut Salon/Konzerthaus Dortmund)
Steve Lieberman accents Neon Garden Stage at EDC Orlando with Chauvet
Designer Steve Lieberman lit the Neon Garden stage at the 2025 Electric Daisy Carnival Orlando in November with a collection of 383 Chauvet Professional fixtures. “When you spend this much time detailing geometry and defining the personality of a stage, it’s critical to highlight the shape”, he says of the 45-foot wide stage.
Defined by bold techno aggressive triangular shapes that were formed with 40-foot long shipping container-like structures, tilted downward to form a chevron, the stage presented an image that commanded attention. “We placed various types of fixtures in line with the containers to follow the shape of the stage”, explains Lieberman, who worked with Forrest Hunt, executive producer at Insomniac. “Strobes, blinders, LEDs, moving lights were there to give the LDs the ability to change looks dramatically, while still maintaining the overall geometry to the stage, which is an important reflection of the Factory 93 brand.”
F93 is the techno brand from the event’s producer Insomniac, and a six-foot tall mirrored black “disco diamond”, the company’s logo topped the geometric structure. “We used the diamond strategically in this year’s design”, notes Lieberman. “It was positioned prominently in the upstage center position, directly under the apex of the center ‘triangle’. As we moved off stage, we added design details to help create a cohesive look that broadens the stage. We filled the triangle void on the upstage position with a video screen; and additional screens were placed on the horizontal containers offstage left and right.”
Lieberman called on 232 Epix Strip Tour linear fixtures to showcase the geometric lines of his stage. “They gave us a very refined edge detail”, he says of the one-meter RGB strips. “They offered us a bold look that didn’t overpower the audience, while highlighting the shape of the stage. They also provided us with pixel-controlled details for chasing and color FX.”
While the rig’s four Rogue Outcast 2X Wash fixtures animated the DJ booth with visual energy, its 147 Color Strike M motorized strobe-washes delivered audience lighting - and more: “We placed the Color Strikes proportionally against the rig and between the other fixture types to give us full coverage of the system”, says Lieberman. “This group of lights gave us both strobe looks and also color washes for the entire environment.”
“In addition to this, there was their role in creating scenic light”, he adds. “We set them on either side of each container, had them in one position, and never moved them.” Positioned this way, the Color Strike M fixtures illuminated the structure throughout the festival.
(Photos: Chauvet Professional)
PWS provides RF support for Latin Grammy Awards
Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) once again played a critical role in delivering wireless coordination and support at the 2025 Latin Grammy Awards and related events in Las Vegas. Partnering with Univision for the main awards ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Red Rock Entertainment for the “Person of the Year” gala at Mandalay Bay and providing additional gear and support for the Pre-Show Red Carpet, PWS ensured seamless RF performance across multiple productions and venues throughout the week.
“Supporting the Latin Grammy Awards is always a major undertaking, with multiple venues, live broadcasts and an incredible number of moving parts”, says Jim Van Winkle, General Manager of Professional Wireless Systems. “Our team worked closely with production and engineering partners to ensure every channel - from intercoms and in-ears to IFBs and microphones - performed flawlessly in one of the most RF-dense environments in the world.”
The week began with the “Person of the Year” tribute at Mandalay Bay, produced by Red Rock Entertainment. PWS provided a complete intercom package featuring Riedel Bolero and wired communications systems, including thirty wireless Bolero packs, fifteen Riedel panels, and twelve hardwired beltpacks. Two PWS RF technicians were on-site to manage system coordination for an uninterrupted communication throughout the show. The event, which brought together top Latin artists and industry leaders in a night of music and celebration, honored multifaceted singer and performer Raphael.
At the Latin Grammy Awards ceremony, held at the MGM Grand and produced by Univision, PWS delivered full RF infrastructure and staffing, with six engineers on-site to monitor and manage the complex wireless environment. The system featured a combination of Shure Axient and Sennheiser microphone systems, 85 Riedel Bolero wireless intercom packs and an expanded DECT band antenna system to accommodate the high channel count. Additional components included IFBs, in-ear monitors and a range of PWS Helical and TS Antennas strategically deployed for optimal coverage.
For the Pre-Show Red Carpet, PWS supported Univision’s broadcast team with microphones and in-ear monitors for hosts and performers, while deploying five PWS Helical antennas to ensure coverage across the busy outdoor area.
(Photos: PWS)
Britannia Row supports Jade Thirlwall’s first solo tour
Britannia Row has supplied a compact control package to singer Jade Thirlwall (Little Mix) on her first UK solo headline tour. Working with FOH mixer Olly Nendick (pictured) and monitor engineer Meghan MacAskill, account executive Jonathan “Jono” Dunlop provided a small footprint touring system to transition from festival season into theatre-size venues.
“Since the start of her career, Jade had only toured in arenas, going from the ‘X Factor’ and straight into huge gigs with an army of fans”, says Nendick. “We knew it could be more of a challenge for her to play in intimate venues as a solo performer with factors such as being closer to the PA and hearing audience noise close up, but she absolutely always delivers.”
Both Nendick and MacAskill chose the Allen & Heath dLive S5000 control surface to fit into small areas while needing to generate a big pop sound through in-house PA systems. “FOH-wise, there’s not too much for me to deal with”, continues Nendick. “There’s some distorted effects in a couple of her songs, which can be a little bit tricky with potential feedback, but I just like to use the console as it is. I wanted to keep it as simple as possible.”
Despite this being a small venue campaign, the tour has some industry veterans overseeing its success, namely tour director Ant Carr and production manager Karen Ringland. “They’re the nicest bunch of people to tour with, and Jade herself is lovely”, says Nendick. “She’s made a varied album that we’ve all been excited by. It’s great to mix live too; it’s a proper musical journey. It’s mainly a track-based show but we have live drums, live guitar, live keys and a couple of saxophones. My only real challenge was that the audience knows every word of every song, and they scream them very loudly.”
At the monitor station, MacAskill agrees: “She does have impressively loud crowds which is picked up through her mic. We’ve used processes to eliminate that noise so that she feels comfortable on stage, but she’s had to adapt to the spaces quickly and navigate her way through a much more intimate crowd dynamic.”
MacAskill’s only outboard is a Bricasti Design M7 reverb unit, and to ensure as much familiarity as possible, Thirlwall, who uses Shure PSM1000 IEMs, likes to hear her vocal very present in the mix, with the tracks and band underneath, and some click. “She likes a full mix for pitching and to cue to”, MacAskill furthers. “We do have a lot of choreography and big theatrical moments in the show, so to achieve as much clarity as possible for the vocals and cues is one of the main goals.”
One of the big moments comes when Thirlwall sings from within the audience and in front of the PA. “With the delay between the ears mix and the PA, it can be very off putting and hard to keep in time”, MacAskill explains. “We always run through this moment in soundcheck as the position changes in every venue. During the show, we made up some signals so that if there’s anything she needs, she’ll just give me a sign, and I can adapt instantly without her losing concentration.”
Following the 13-date UK run, fans in North America and mainland Europe will see the show in February and March 2026.
(Photo: Britannia Row)
Eisarena Salzburg upgrades with KV2 Audio sound system
Eisarena Salzburg (Kunsteisbahn), home of Salzburg, Austria’s eleven-time championship-winning ice hockey team, is an indoor arena with a capacity of 3,400 spectators. After more than a decade relying on a patchwork, inconsistent sound system, the venue’s Operational Team turned to a new solution powered by KV2 Audio, to deliver clear, intelligible game announcements.
Over the years, the venue’s sound system had been assembled from mismatched components and no longer met the high-performance, festival-level expectations of professional sports venues. Existing loudspeakers were mounted in three-box clusters aimed in different directions, resulting in more than a dozen conflicting coverage angles in each section - making speech intelligibility practically impossible.
To add to the problem, the glass, concrete, metal, and ice surface caused intense reflections that further reduced clarity. The hockey team’s Operations Team turned to Salzburg-based music shop Key-Wi Music. “We are always looking to support local projects”, says Gerhard Bernegger, Founder and CEO of Key-Wi Music. “As always, we evaluated solutions from major manufacturers, but we were confident that only KV2 could deliver an audio experience that met every technical requirement of the venue.”
To gauge a reliable first impression of a KV2 system, an on-site test was conducted at Eisarena Salzburg by audio-visual engineering specialists AV Mattr, who led the project’s technical management and system integration. “When I was consulted, it was clear that the only viable solution was a coherent point source system”, says Tim Niedermeier, CEO of AV Mattr. “After the on-site test, it was clear that KV2’s point source philosophy and midrange resolution were uniquely suited to Eisarena’s challenging acoustics.”
With the primary goal of achieving uniform coverage while minimising reflections - and without adjustments to the arena’s acoustics - Niedermeier worked alongside lead system designer Stefano Trevisan of KV2 Audio Deutschland to develop the audio system. “At the heart of the system are ten SL412 wide dispersion loudspeakers, which act as the main PA”, explains Trevisan. “We then deployed two ESD10 and four ESD12 loudspeakers in the near and far-range perimeter zones, driven by SL3000D and ESP2000D amplifiers.”
“A key challenge in this type of venue is wavefront tearing, an issue commonly seen in ice rinks”, he continues. To reduce this destructive filtering, all loudspeakers were aimed in the same direction toward the audience and aligned with a central delay line rather than a single point. “This method allowed us to guarantee a coherent wavefront with stable localisation across the entire spectator area.”
As expected for a venue of this type, a strong resonance was observed around 160-180 Hz. “Instead of increasing overall system levels, we pulled the main loudspeakers out of the full-range mode and attenuated the problematic frequencies directly via EQ”, says Niedermeier. “Even under these constraints, the system still delivers a focused +3 dB of punch at 70 Hz - ensuring that music cues and stingers remain impactful, while vocal clarity stays intact.”
Signal distribution is run over redundant Dante (primary/secondary) via Netgear AV-Line switches with analog fallback, managed by Linea Research ASC48 processors. FOH operation and monitoring are handled by a Yamaha QL1 using a custom-built control interface.
(Photos: KV2 Audio)
RegieTek supplies Coda Audio AiRay system for Fête de l’Humanité
The annual three-day Fête de l’Humanité (Festival of Humanity) is France’s largest popular cultural gathering. Founded as a fundraiser for its operations by the French newspaper “l’Humanité” in 1930, the first event attracted around a thousand people, a number that has grown steadily over the decades to reach a record high of 800,000 visitors in 2018.
A mix of music, politics, art, and film, the volunteer-staffed event spans multiple stages, and as well as attracting stallholders from across the world is also attended by eminent politicians and journalists. This year’s renewal at Brétigny-sur-Orge saw a Coda Audio system taking care of the Josephine Baker Stage, one of the event’s principal focal points.
Paris-based event production supplier RegieTek provided the system, which featured Coda’s flagship AiRay line array, and was designed and overseen by project lead Vincent Luce, who states: “This was the fourth year in a row that we have supplied a Coda System for the festival. The AiRay is perfectly suited to the demands of this event. The Josephine Baker Stage alternates between ‘concert’ and ‘electro’ setups.” The AiRay was used in conjunction with Coda’s sensor controlled subs.
RegieTek supplied a main system of 24 AiRays and sixteen SC2 sensor-controlled subs in “end fire” mode. Added to this, a further nine SCP-Fs per side in a cardioid arrangement (front-back-front) were combined with a line of ten SCP-Fs on the floor to provide even distribution of low frequencies. Four ViRays per side were deployed as infills, with a further four ViRays at the front of the stage as lipfills to cover the near-field. A pair of Hops12 opened up the flanks of the stage.
A total of six Coda Audio Linus T-Racks (12-channel touring racks), each containing three Linus14D 4-channel DSP amplifiers, with a further four M-Racks (compact 4-channel touring racks), each containing a single Linus14D DSP amplifier, powered the system. “The Alpha 256 stage enabled us to mount all the loudspeakers high enough, one behind the other - AiRay, SC2, SCP-F”, Luce concludes.
(Photos: Coda Audio)
Unlimited Productions teams up with JS Productions and Chauvet at Elements Festival
Octopuses served as the inspiration for the Water Stage at the Elements Music and Arts Festival, a preeminent event on the electronic and crossover music scene, held in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Unlimited Productions was asked to take on the production direction for all stages.
The team was led by production director Jan-Maarten Luijnenburg, and together with productions manager Moshe Baskin, CAD designer Gijs Mulder and John Strycharz from supplier JS Productions they made the Octopus-inspired stage come to life with help from 32 Color Strike M motorized strobe-washes and fourteen Colorado PXL Bar 16 battens from Chauvet Professional.
The Elements Festival also featured a free-flowing Air Stage, located in lush Pocono woods on the festival’s spacious grounds. Enhancing the mood at this site were more Chauvet fixtures: six Color Strike M units and 24 Colorado 2 Solo RGBW wash lights.
About half of the artists who appeared at the festival brought their own LDs. The Unlimited Productions team, working with overall lighting director Renzo Cubas and other LDs, ran shows to the other acts. “The result at all stages was a combination of detailed pre-viz work, and our team delivering programming”, says Luijnenburg. “There was close collaboration between the artists’ LDs and our LDs in the advancing process.”
Looking at the Water Stage in particular, Luijnenburg explains: “We were asked to elevate the original design from last year and take it to the next level. We kept the head with projection mapping on the circular truss, but re-designed everything else, both the staging and LED, as well as all lighting. Our goal was to create an immersive feel once you are in the octopus without closing it off.”
“With a bigger center screen we kept a canvas for artist teams as a lot of their content needs a bigger space”, continues Luijnenburg. “By making sure we have the correct spacing between the vertical panels, it can feel like one massive screen, but it also allows more creative usage of the panels with specific content. By alternating the panels with the PXL pixel lines we were able to create the vibe we were aiming for.”
“The entire aura is really different for the Water and Aire stages”, adds Strycharz. “The Air stage needed to be mystical, minimal and intimate in the woods, while the Water stage needed to be in your face once you are in the octopus.”
(Photos: Chauvet Professional)
Sam Parry chooses Ayrton for “Busted vs McFly Tour”
Pop rock adversaries Busted and McFly showcased their playful brand of rivalry on tour this autumn with a 35-date “Busted vs McFly Tour” of UK and Ireland. The two bands challenged each other musically and verbally in two energy-fuelled sets before uniting for some numbers together.
The show took place under a kinetic display conceived and designed by production and lighting designer Sam Parry of The Owl Creative Design. Key to his design was an Ayrton-heavy rig comprising Veloce Profiles, Perseo Profiles and Zonda 9 FX fixtures, supplied by the tour’s lighting supplier PRG UK.
A major focal point of the set, which needed to work equally for both bands, was a large overhead grid of four square lighting pods, each of which housed 25 Ayrton Zonda 9 FX fixtures in a 5x5 matrix. Each pod was independently rigged on 4-point hoists and capable of positioning at any angle, to allow Parry to change the performance space in many dimensions: at various points extending the area with a wide expansive roof, or hanging at haphazard angles or at times closely enveloping the bands, whilst Parry employed the pan/tilt features and colour capabilities of Zonda 9 FX for effects.
“Having Zonda 9 FX’s LiquidEffects was a little extra added value which I could use to enhance the depth of field created as the automated ceiling descended, and also create a glow during the quiet moments of the show”, says Parry. “For example, we could use the liquid effect without the full output to give a nice dimensionality - like an arch cloistered around the band - which was still visible, but with elements of darkness that could hide the band or backlight them until they were ready to launch forward into their next song.”
Parry also employed 52 Ayrton Veloce Profiles as his workhorses, rigging twelve on an upstage walkway, sixteen on a front-of-house V-truss and six each on four PRG ladder systems that flanked the large central LED wall. Completing the Ayrton line up were fourteen Ayrton Perseo Profiles located on the pyro shelf outlining the downstage edge. “The Perseos hold up well against the Veloce despite the difference in size”, says Parry. The lighting was controlled using two MA3 Full Size consoles, running the latest software. One MA3 Light console provided backup at stage end.
“(Ayrton and MA distributor) Ambersphere Solutions were instrumental in sourcing a rig that featured this much Ayrton in collaboration with PRG UK”, Parry concludes. “Their efforts helped me to create the show the artists deserved without compromise or substitution.”
(Photos: Fran Parry/PRG UK/Anthony Smith/Robyn Sully/Dylan Swann)
