International News

LONDON – For the fourth year running, RG Jones Sound Engineering (which is celebrating its 85th year) provided the audio production for Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage. The soundco supplied a Synco by Martin Audio PA, a custom designed Synco sub-bass array and Synco stage monitor systems. Additional crew and matching equipment came from fellow Synco Network members Ampco Flashlight of Holland.

SCANDICCI, Italy — Powersoft has patented a new technology that incorporates solar power with bi-directional wireless A/V communications. The first product with the concept, the DEVA 1S, consists of a power/control module and an interface module. The power/control module has a solar panel, batteries, processing, WiFi communication and amplification. The interface module consists of loudspeakers, light and optional devices such as camera, microphone and telemetric sensors.

SYDNEY — Having owned and used analog Soundcraft consoles for more than 10 years, Alan Jurcan, managing director of GenX Productions, had more than a passing interest in experimenting with their digital consoles.

LEICESTERSHIRE, U.K. – The 9th Annual Download festival drew more than 70,000 over three days to Donington Park in central England to hear Def Leppard, Pendulum, System of a Down, Linkin Park, Alice Cooper and others. SSE Audio again supported the event, but this year with a digital network enhanced by the Dante compatibility available via the Lake LM 26.

FLORENCE, Italy – Powersoft is offering an NWare plugin for Peavey's MediaMatrix NION System. NWare software controls MediaMatrix digital signal processors and peripherals. The new plugin lets users control and monitor Powersoft K Series and Duecanali amplifiers through a single graphic user interface within NWare software.

FALKENBERG, Sweden — Late May saw Swedish truck body manufacturer SKAB Group treat its employees and their families to a company party. With DiGiCo SD8 and SD8-24 consoles mixing the performances, the party went with a swing, not to mention some heads-down boogie.

LONDON — Mike & The Mechanics, the side-project formed in 1984 by Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford, recently played London’s Royal Albert Hall to launch their 2011 Hit The Road tour. Featuring a new lineup which includes UK R&B star Andrew Roachford, the tour coincides with the release of their first album in six years entitled The Road.

PARIS — On-Off, supported by Midas distributor EVI Audio France, used a Midas digital network consisting of three PRO6s together with three DL431 mic splitters for La Nuite Africaine at the 80,000-capacity Stade de France. The event featured 18 bands including Alpha Blondy, Manu Dibango, Mory Kanté and Magic Systems.

LIVERPOOL and NEWCASTLE, UK — Adlib's specialist sales division, a certified provider for  L-Acoustics, has sold a KARA PA system, fully flight-cased and complete with LA8 amplifiers, to sound, lighting and AV rental company Nitelites.

CAMBRIDGE, U.K. – RG Jones Sound Engineering has equipped the chapel at Cambridge's Trinity College with its first sound reinforcement system since it was founded in the mid-1540s. It includes 127 Harman's JBL Control 52 ultra-compact satellite loudspeakers, accessed via a BSS Soundweb DSP design to optimize the sound broadcast from seven fixed microphone positions at the lecterns.

CORNWALL, U.K. – Evosound Pro Audio managed PA requirements for the recent Night Surf event held at Lusty Glaze in Newquay, Cornwall, using its Allen & Heath iLive digital mixing system to run FOH and monitors for bands. The event featured headline performances by Reef and The Kooks.

READING, U.K. — Wavelength Entertainments Ltd have made the strongest statement yet about their intention to standardize on RCF solutions for the wide range of parties, high level corporate events, charity and fresher balls they support, with the purchase of four TT08-A, four TT25-A and four TTS28-A subs from the Italian company’s Touring and Theatre range.