News

FORT WORTH, TX — Luke Byford, assistant director of musical productions for the School of Church Music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, recently miked 17 Steinway Grand Pianos for Keyboards at Christmas, a holiday show staged within a 3,500-capacity performance space at the school. Along with 51 d:vote 4099 Instrument Mics — three per piano — DPA loaned the school two d:facto Vocal Microphones for the soloists who accompanied the pianists.

HASTINGS, MN — Event Pro Inc., based here, recently added a new Yamaha CL5 Digital Audio Console and Rio3224-D and 1608-D input/output boxes to their rental inventory. The purchase was facilitated by Metro Sound and Lighting, St. Paul, MN. Pictured here are, from left, Larry Fisher, Metro Sound & Lighting; and Neal Wallace, Event Pro, Inc.

DURHAM, NC — For 685-seat Baldwin Auditorium, on the campus of Duke University here, Jaffe Holden (Norwalk, CT) provided an acoustics design and sound reinforcement system that included self-powered Meyer Sound MINA line array elements. The system was installed by Greensboro, N.C.-based Audio & Light.

NEW YORK — PRG has handled sound reinforcement for the annual Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony for more than two decades, and for the last 18 years, freelancer James Lovell, 58, has been an audio crew member as well. Lovell was on his way to New York to help with the setup for the 2013 ceremony when the Metro North passenger train he was riding on Dec. 1 derailed. Lovell was one of four passengers killed.

ORLANDO, FL — The band 38 Special has followed Martina McBride, Willie Nelson, REO Speedwagon, Trisha Yearwood, Barenaked Ladies, Cheap Trick and Heart in cancelling their upcoming performance at Orlando’s SeaWorld amidst intense public pressure fueled by the documentary film Blackfish. 38 Special’s announcement came after more than 1,500 people signed a change.org petition to encourage artists to cancel on SeaWorld’s annual “Bands, Brew, and BBQ” concert series.

LONG BEACH, CA — This week we were saddened to hear of the death of journalist and self-described “PR Maven” Diane Gershuny, who lost a lengthy battle with cancer last Monday. She was 53.

Unwilling to give up during her struggles with this disease, she nonetheless continued to create some great journalistic offerings including photos and articles in FRONT of HOUSE on last year’s Barbra Streisand tour and more recently, a detailed Production Profile on Taylor Swift’s “RED” tour in the September 2013 issue of FOH.

UNCASVILLE, CT – The Avalon Mohegan Sun, a 10,000 square foot nightclub that featured DJs Jermaine Dupri, Irie and Havana Brown during its opening weekend Nov. 23 and 24, is drawing crowds with EAW Avalon Club.two and Sub.two speakers along with high-impact lighting and video systems. Club owner Patrick Lyons launched the original Avalon nightclub in Boston 25 years ago with his brother John. John Lyons played a key role in the development of EAW’s Avalon speaker line.

HICKSVILLE, NY – Theresa Caputo, the focal point for TLC’s reality show, Long Island Medium, has taken her gift for communicating with the deceased to the live stage with Theresa Caputo LIVE The Experience. Technical director Jeff James, pictured here, relies upon Lectrosonics wireless gear to ensure that Caputo is able to connect with her audience.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Since the introduction of HARMAN’s Soundcraft Si Expression Series, houses of worship have enjoyed the consoles’ ease of use and unmatched sound quality. Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Conviction, which delivers Christianity to convicted inmates, recently upgraded its audio inventory with an Si Expression 1 digital console.

MT.CRAWFORD, VA — Audio production company Southard Audio has provided a TURBOSOUND Flex Array PA system for the Rockingham County Fair, held at the Harrisonburg, Virginia, Fairgrounds in August.