International News

GRENOBLE, France — Digigram named Hervé Odini international sales director. Odini will be responsible for all three of Digigram’s international sales offices: Grenoble, which handles the EMEA region; Singapore, for Asia and the Pacific; and Arlington, Va., for the Americas. He will also head up the field marketing department based at company headquarters in Montbonnot, France.

OSLO, Norway — For AC/DC’s Black Ice tour, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and co-songwriter Malcolm Young, pictured here, relies on Lectronics for its wireless mobility, which lets him roam about the stage. “Malcolm was using a wireless system, then went back to a cabled setup,” said the performer’s guitar tech, Geoff “Bison” Banks. “All the other wireless systems that we tried—and we’ve tried them all—colored his sound.”

MILAN, Italy — To promote their first new album in 13 years, called Saudades de Rock, Extreme launched their “Take Us Alive” tour last year. Guitarist and vocalist Nuno Bettencourt was singing the praises of the mics brought along on the tour, including two Sontronics STC-80 dynamic mics, two Sontronics Orpheus condenser mics and a Sontronics STC-1 condenser mic.

HIGH WYCOMBE, U.K. — The Prodigy has been called the world’s “bassiest” band, but when they headlined the second stage at last summer’s V Festivals in Chelmsford and Stafford, there was a challenge.

LONDON — Britannia Row Productions supplied Butterfly Outline arrays to amplify Will Young’s U.K. tour for the second time. That tour wrapped up with a mid-December show at London’s Roundhouse.

LONDON — Insync Productions generated 3,491,000 watts of sound for the wide range of shows on which they were responsible for AV production, much of it pumped out through Martin Audio sound reinforcement systems.

LONDON — Twickenham Stadium, England’s National Rugby Team stadium, recently raising its seating capacity from 75,000 to 82,000 and updated its audio system as well using D.A.S. sound systems. Sysco performed the upgrade, led by Hugo Roche. Roland Hemming, an audio consultant and job project manager who also works for D.A.S., was also involved with the project. Hemming also works for D.A.S. Audio’s distributor for the U.K., Sennheiser UK.

AUSTRALIA  — Dutch violinist and conductor André Rieu recently brought the world’s largest transportable set to stadiums across Australia, staging a classical spectacle for anticipating audiences. Montreal-based Solotech met Rieu’s demand with a Meyer Sound system based around the MILO line array loudspeaker and the SB-1 parabolic long-throw sound beam for reaching the farthest seats in the vast space.

JOHANNESBURG — Gearhouse South Africa supplied full technical production, design, crew and equipment—including lighting, visuals, video, audio, set, staging and power—to the official City of Johannesburg’s New Year’s Eve 2008-2009 celebrations.

MALAYSIA — With its giant dome already established as a distinctive feature of the Malaysian skyline, the 12,000-capacity Stadium Tertutup offers the very latest indoor sports and conference facilities. An Alcons Pro-Ribbon audio system ensures that event attendees enjoy quality sound.