International News

ESSEN, Germany – The Aalto-Musiktheater Essen updated its old communications gear for a Riedel Artist digital matrix intercom system. Systemhaus Giebel Electronic- & Kommunikations GmbH handled the installation on behalf of Gemeinnützige Theaterbaugesellschaft Essen mbH.

LONDON – A Midas XL8 Live Performance System has once again been used at front of house for the U.K. music industry's annual awards ceremony, the Brit Awards. This year's ceremony was broadcast live from the O2 Arena with an XL8 spec'd by sound designer and live sound coordinator Derrick Zieba, who's been working on the awards ceremony since 1994. Britannia Row Productions supplied the gear.

LONDON – Entec is supplying a sound system for the ongoing Skunk Anansie world tour, which recently embarked on its latest European leg. The U.K. rock band reformed in 2009 and released their fourth studio album, Wonderlustre, in September 2010. FOH sound engineer Paul Ramsay and Entec have worked with the band since 1996.

BASEL, Switzerland – The Atlantis in Basel, commonly known as ‘tis, has served as a jazz club, theater, rock and dance club since it moved from its original location as a café in 1947 to Basel's Klosterberg district in 1957. The venue now serves as a club, lounge and restaurant.

HOBART, Australia – Production Works is the first soundco in Australia to upgrade its Midas PRO6 digital audio system to a Midas PRO9. The PRO9 package, supplied by Victoria-based Midas distributor National Audio Systems, tops the Midas PRO Series and features an 88 channel input count and 35 buses, with the dual stage boxes offering placement flexibility up to 200 meters apart and 500 meters from the FOH position.

RIO DE JANEIRO – Loudness Sonorizacao of Sao Paulo, Brazil provided a JBL VerTec line array system for an outdoor Rush concert, part of the band's Time Machine Tour. It was staged at the Praca de Apoteose (Apotheosis Square).

BLACKWOOD, U.K. – Chris Trimby, sound engineer for the Manic Street Preachers, has adopted the Midas PRO6 as his console of choice, won over by its analog feel and sound quality. "It's laid out very intuitively," he said. "Everything's only one or two button pushes away, whether you're hitting a channel or hitting the EQ button. You can maneuver yourself round the board very quickly. The pre-amps, probably the most important part of any console, are fantastic."

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – The Thinking Schools Ethiopia project, supported by the not-for-profit Thinking Foundation, has been getting a boost in its efforts to improve education within the populous and poor nation from Sennheiser's donation of audio gear. The wireless gear is being used for professional training sessions and video productions.

LONDON – Wigwam Acoustics provided a d&b audiotechnik J-Series loudspeaker system for Hillsong Conference Europe 2011, a religious gathering that filled the O2 Arena for three days of conferences, keynote speeches, rock ‘n' roll-style celebrations and presentations in the form of dance and theatre.

LONDON – London Audio provided a new sound reinforcement system comprised of 15 custom-painted 100V constant-voltage EDGE25PW at the historic Painted Hall in King William Court at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

VERONA, Italy – The Verona Opera Festival, which has been performing at a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre since 1913, has never used any sound reinforcement.

SYDNEY, Australia – A public memorial for Bruce Jackson will be held at the concert hall at the Sydney Opera House on Feb. 25, starting at 10 a.m. Jackson, who is credited with numerous live sound innovations and was a sought-after engineer who worked with Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, among others, died after the single-engine plane he was soloing crashed in Death Valley National Park in southern California on Jan. 29. He was 62.