“It’s great working with Steven, he’s very hands on with everything,” began Steven Wilson’s Tour Manager, Dave Salt, who has chosen Britannia Row Productions to provide sound reinforcement for the prog rock musician’s The Overview Tour. “Touring only happens when Steven feels its right to do it,” continued Salt. “It’s never rushed. Steven had not toured as a solo artist for over six years, and we had to up the game for this tour and make sure we had the best available people and PA system to deliver the results to his audience.” Salt’s primary focus, to look after Steven…
Author: Alicia Pollitt
Although DiGiCo has only just revealed the true identity and specifications of its Quantum112 – previously codenamed “Pufferfish” – the new ultra-compact flypack mixer is already being put through its paces by Ed Sheeran’s FOH engineer, Simon Kemp, and production manager, Chris Marsh. The tiny desk had its first official deployment on National Public Radio’s Tiny Desk Concerts video series, recorded live on Friday, September 12 at NPR Music’s office in Washington, DC. The very next day, the still-secret digital mixer was whisked off in its Peli case to Williamsburg’s Domino Park in Brooklyn, New York for an exclusive TikTok LIVE…
Loudspeaker manufacturer Funktion-One has appointed Audio Gears as its distributor for Japan and Taiwan, building on the company’s successful presence in Thailand and Vietnam. Audio Gears Japan will be headed by CEO Osamu Satoh and Audio Gears Taiwan by CEO Joyun Huang. With offices in their respective countries, both executives and their teams bring deep industry knowledge, local market expertise and a shared commitment to delivering exceptional audio experiences. Parent company Audio Gears is led by founder Jesada “Jack” Pattanatabut (CEO), owner of Production Company and a highly respected live sound engineer, together with Bob Siripremanant (COO), owner of After…
HK Audio has named Rock Distribution as its new official distribution partner for Estonia. The company is now the exclusive distributor for HK Audio in the country, offering the German manufacturer’s products to the local market since 1 August. The move sees HK Audio strengthen its position in the Baltic states. It also allows the manufacturer to see the benefit of Rock Distribution’s years of experience and strong network in the professional audio sector. ” I am very pleased to announce that we have taken over the distribution of HK Audio in Estonia,” said Edijs Rudzis, CEO of Rock Distribution.…
After performing a hundred shows across two Las Vegas residencies from 2021 to 2023, plus 2024’s Super Bowl halftime spectacular, Usher would have been more than justified in taking some downtime. Instead, he opted to record his ninth studio album, Coming Home, and announced a supporting global arena tour, “Past Present Future.” Overwhelming fan demand for the eight-time Grammy Award-winner prompted the tour’s expansion to 83 dates across the world. At all stops, Usher’s critically acclaimed performances, featuring dozens of songs from across his legendary three-decade career, were backed by a robust Cohesion PA. FOH Engineer Demetrius Moore joined the…
As 2025’s UK City of Culture, Bradford is playing host to an extensive programme of events in the arts and entertainment field, and has invested in a number of innovative creative spaces to provide opportunities for people to engage with cultural events. One of the most versatile is The Beacon, a custom-made mobile venue, which is being constructed, dismantled and moved between four different parks across the 141 square-mile district. A packed schedule of events at each site includes weekday shows and weekend festivals, featuring music, comedy, clubs, classes, family activities and more. Experienced Bradford-based specialist Pro Audio Systems (PAS)…
Annual UK EDM festival Creamfields opened its gates once again this summer to more than 80,000 attendees over the course of a weekend. The event held in Daresbury, Warrington hosted 300 artists across 30 stages, including headlining artists Anyma, Martin Garrix and Fisher. At the centre of the festival sat the Apex Stage, an arena enclosed under an enormous festival tent. The superstructure’s capacity of 30,000 has made this the largest indoor festival space in the world. Helping to bring the artists vision to life was Video Village, a local UK-based facilities company. Tasked with recording and live streaming multi-camera coverage to social media as well as providing feeds for…
In the last year alone, we know that the live music industry has seen a sharp rise in awareness around environmental sustainability. Venues and artists are now demanding greener tours, tighter carbon bookkeeping, less waste, and more care in how travel, eating, and stays are planned and even attended. For bands on the road a lot, sustainable travel isn’t just a choice, it’s becoming part of the business of staying relevant, credible, and cost-efficient. High-profile events are already setting the bar with a recent example being Coldplay’s recent Music of the Spheres tour, which reduced its CO₂ emissions by 59%…
On 9 August 2025, the summer edition of Lakedance took place in Best, the Netherlands – a festival that has become a staple in the Dutch event calendar. With around 20,000 to 25,000 visitors, the lakeside venue was filled with sunshine, music, and a meticulously crafted production with products from Showtec and Infinity. Organiser First Vision once again succeeded in creating a unique atmosphere, thanks in no small part to the creative and technical partners who left their mark behind the scenes. The creative concept was led by Lastblast from Eindhoven. They were responsible not only for the festival’s visual…
Rascal Flatts have made a huge impact on the country rock/pop genre since their breakout hit Prayin’ for Daylight won them an army of fans. Members Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass), and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar) went on to win over 40 awards and undertook countless tours with audio support from Sound Image. Yet, following a 20-year artistic partnership, the trio planned to disband after a 2020 farewell tour that never was. Its cancelation, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, meant the band didn’t get to perform their goodbyes and went their separate ways in 2021. In 2025,…
MILOS MR2K roof structure takes centre stage at this year’s Sausage and Cider Festival with HTS Creative Production. The UK’s only touring Sausage & Cider Festival rolled out the MILOS MR2K roof structure with HTS to 15 locations during the 2025 season. Commencing in Wollaton Park, Nottingham, at the end of May and concluding in St Nicholas Park, Warwick. As one of the UK’s most popular summer events – the Sausage and Cider Festival demands a stage set-up that delivers both spectacle and safety. HTS were commissioned to deliver the stage structures for all locations, working closely with PKUK, who…
Las Vegas based designer Jeff Maker believes every song evokes an emotional state. The mission of a lighting designer is to reflect this aura on stage while supporting the music. In the case of Maker and his client, I Prevail, those moods are deep and varied, but they all share one thing in common: head-banging intensity. Setting the tone for this intensity during the band’s Summer of Loud Tour, which united multiple metal giants, were the 12 pyro effects that Maker positioned upstage, mid-stage, and downstage. Throughout I Prevail’s shows on the tour, the fiery effects underscored the core character…
Robert Juliat has announced the official launch of Morgane, its new 825W LED 13°-24° followspot, which is now ready to ship worldwide. Made for the demands of today’s productions, Morgane combines the renowned craftsmanship of Robert Juliat with a new approach to performance and design, offering a modern, versatile and low maintenance solution. Morgane (ref 1489) is the smaller sister of Tristan (ref 1189), the long-throw (7°-14.5°) model which was launched in 2024. Together, the pair represent compact and powerful upgrades that replace Robert Juliat’s traditional 1800W MSR followspot. Like its larger sibling, Morgane offers a significant increase in output…
As Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake embarked on its landmark 30th anniversary tour, White Light (WL) once again supplied the lighting rig for this iconic production. Since its groundbreaking premiere, this bold reinvention of Tchaikovsky’s classic has become the most successful dance theatre production of all time. First staged at Sadler’s Wells in 1995, it has since become the longest-running full-length dance piece in both the West End and on Broadway, earning over thirty international accolades, including Olivier and Tony Awards. Featuring a lighting design by Paule Constable, Swan Lake continues to captivate audiences with its visual storytelling. WL is honoured to…
IPS (Impact Production Services) has announced a major investment in 100 Claypaky Ultimo Sharpy fixtures, creating the largest UK rental stock of the next-generation beam moving head. The fixtures are available to hire now from IPS. With an IP66 rating, the unit is built for extreme conditions and delivers faster movement, bolder colours, and brighter output than ever before. Its sleek, lightweight design makes it an adaptable choice for touring, broadcast, live music, festivals, corporate events, and outdoor spectaculars. IPS’s investment includes the infrastructure to support the deployment of the new fixtures at scale, reinforcing its commitment to providing the…
Delta Live has underlined its position at the forefront of live sound with significant investments in cutting-edge audio systems that have been deployed across some of the UK’s most iconic live events and venues. The BBC Proms, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and London’s Roundhouse are all beneficiaries of the company’s investment in 2025, which has seen a range of new equipment, audio systems and vital infrastructure deployed across the venues. In May 2025, Delta Live renewed its partnership with the Roundhouse in Camden to be its exclusive audio solutions supplier, and has since been overhauling the venue’s digital infrastructure, cabling, rack…
The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) has announced the updated release of Guidance Note W3: Mental Health & Well-being in the Workplace, published, Friday 10th October, to coincide with World Mental Health Day. This updated version of Guidance Note W3 includes revised content, new graphics, and dedicated guidance on being a witness to bullying—offering essential advice for those who observe bullying and harassment in the workplace. These enhancements aim to promote a safer, more respectful, and supportive culture within the performing arts sector. To support the launch, the ABTT will host a free online seminar on Thursday 17 October…
Elation has announced that Jacob Coakley has joined the team as Marketing Brand Manager. In this cross-departmental role, Coakley will lead efforts to align brand messaging and execution, ensuring a cohesive brand strategy across all channels. “Jacob’s breadth of experience in the industry makes him an invaluable addition to the Elation team,” stated Eric Loader, Elation Global Vice President of Sales. “His role at the intersection of marketing, sales, and product development will be key in aligning our strategy and driving market messaging to support our continued growth. We look forward to the energy and insight he brings.” Coakley has…
