International News

OSLO, Norway — A network of two Midas XL8s and three PRO6 consoles linked via AES50 (SuperMAC) reinforced the technical harmony of the Nobel Peace Prize concert at the Spektrum in Oslo. The Midas digital setup was implemented to handle 10 artists including Diana Ross, Il Divo, The Script and Robyn — each accompanied by a large orchestra — and to broadcast the event worldwide.

The Netherlands — DiGiCo’s latest console, the SD8, is touring the Netherlands with a version of The Who’s rock opera, Tommy, being performed by a Dutch four-piece band called Di-rect and supported by soundco The Purple Group. Pictured here, L-R, is Di-rect lead singer Tim Akkerman and David Hol, FOH engineer.

MACAO, China — Zaia,the latest from Cirque du Soleil, is using speakers and digital audio tools from Meyer Sound for the 90-minute production in an 1,800-seat theater at the Venetian in Macao, Cirque du Soleil’s first resident show in Asia. Zaia melds acrobatics and visuals with otherworldly sonic landscapes to create a multisensory experience.

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.