Procom Middle East has been named K-array’s exclusive distributor for United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt and Lebanon in the Middle East region. Based in Dubai, Procom has consolidated the distribution of top professional audio and lighting brands since its establishment in 2010 with a catalogue that covers a full range of professional equipment including, audio, lighting, video, truss, cables, connectors and power distribution equipment. Offering superior expert and specialised technical support for all its products, Procom will provide K-array customers with training and after sales support along with access to ample stock…
Author: Stewart Hume
Dubai-based event production specialist Maestra announces the launch of a new independently owned London venture, which will be headed by Justin Hammond. Maestra London has a new office and warehouse premises at the high-profile riverside Royal Arsenal development and has made an initial £500,000 investment in new technology, which has included the purchase of premium brand audio and video equipment. A full-time staff of 10, plus Hammond makes the company immediately operational from 4 January 2016, with further equipment and personnel to be announced. Maestra London will further embrace, develop and expand the imaginative flair and high production values that has…
From its modest beginnings at the OppiKoppi farm in 1994, this diverse festival celebrated its 21st anniversary by welcoming one hundred and sixty two artists to perform over three days on seven stages, to around 20,000 revellers. Located in Northam, Limpopo province, north east of Pretoria, this South African festival boasts an unrivalled reputation as the live music event of the season. OppiKoppi 2015 welcomed the opportunity to embrace the latest software technology in the form of ArrayProcessing, from d&b audiotechnik. This revolutionary function within the d&b ArrayCalc simulation software allows users to optimise the listening experience across an entire…
Media Interactive Agency, under the artistic direction of Cynthia Chbat Mounir, contacted GDL to turn the presentation of the new model from car manufacturer, Infiniti, into a show. Under the Art Director’s supervision, Production Director Mirco Resta and Lighting Designer Emiliano Morgia sought the best possible venue to present the car. They looked for a place that would meet the customer’s specifications regarding logistics, and stage and lighting equipment, and found an ideal venue at Studio City. They chose a completely soundproofed, 50ft high-room, which perfectly met the customer’s special request: to put together impressive scenery, lights and video projections.…
South African R’n’B singer Cassper Nyvost’s #FillUpTheDome concert on 31 October 2015 featured over 130 Robe lighting fixtures and played to a sold-out audience of 20,000 in the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg. Nyovest himself approached Cape Town-based design agency Formative to provide creative direction and technical production, including video content design, for the show. The pressure was on to do something awesome production-wise, and Formative Creative Director Grant Orchard, whose lighting was a co-design with Technical Project Manager Thomas Peters, led the realisation. Orchard, Peters and Formative first met Nyovest during the 2015 MTV Africa Awards where they were producing…
The young students in the Truida Kestell’s Primary School gospel choir performed before family, friends and community at the annual Truida Kestell Choir Festival. Adding to the occasion was a special stage lighting kit, the sort normally reserved for a full theatrical production rather than a school choir performance. Lighting Designer Fanie vd Walt, owner of Fanjan Productions, was able to create this stage package without overshooting the festival’s budget by using a collection of value-driven fixtures from Chauvet, acquired from South African importer Audiosure. To give the stage the punch one would normally expect from a larger production, the…
The Spendlove Group has announced the launch of Force Logistics, a UAE-based company specialising in event logistics and freight forwarding. The latest addition synergises the Spendlove Group’s capabilities with the knowledge and expertise of Force Logistics’ Managing Director, Anthony Miles, a global event logistics expert. The business will offer a complete suite of flexible freight forwarding services including airfreight, sea freight, land transport, removals and project cargo for fairs and events. The newly launched company has already secured contracts with theme parks, set construction companies and global brands. With an integral role in the Spendlove Group’s grand plans for expansion…
Lighting Designers Willie Botha and Matthew Meyer employed an array of Philips Showline SL NITRO 510 LED for the annual Rocking The Daisies festival, one of South Africa’s biggest music events. The 12 SL NITRO 510 strobes, supplied by event producer and supplier Kilowatt AV, were rigged at the Electronic Dome EDM stage. “Our concept was to immerse the crowd in a high-octane visual experience,” explained Botha. “We wanted it to feel as if the action started on the stage and then stretched out over and around the crowd.” Meyer and Botha therefore positioned the strobes behind the DJ booth,…
Sennheiser has announced a partnership agreement with Jordan-based Advanced Solutions. As an authorised partner, the reseller and systems integrator will now offer products from Sennheiser’s System Solutions range which includes conference and translation, tour guide, and a wide range of wired and wireless microphone systems. According to Sami Janho, General Manager at Advanced Solutions, the timing is now right for the aggressive expansion of Sennheiser’s market share in Jordan. He said: “A reasonable portion of the market now demands reputable and reliable products accompanied by a high level of service. Organisations are keen to explore best-in-class solutions which provide a…
Dubai-based event management agency, HQ Creative, successfully delivered the official UAE National Day celebrations in Dubai on 1 December 2015 – the third time the company has produced the event. With just eight weeks lead-time, HQ delivered a show staged entirely upon the water with Dubai’s dramatic skyline as the backdrop. The event was held at Dubai Design District on a body of water that will soon be connected to the Dubai Canal system, providing HQ Creative with a rare opportunity to use a unique location. Holding the event on water presented challenges for the team. Technical Director, Andrew Stevens, commented:…
After staging events for 15 years, across 30 countries, to over two million people, Sensation has become a worldwide phenomenon. United in white, thousands descended on Meydan racecourse to witness the incredible production – TPMEA’s Ste Durham was among them. Since its inaugural outing on 5 July 2008 in Sensation’s native Amsterdam, the aquatically themed Ocean of White show has toured five continents, recently washing up at Dubai’s striking Meydan Racecourse. The set design included gigantic white jellyfish, towering jets of water, and a fully-stocked arsenal of special effects. Alongside showcasing the quite frankly eye-watering production, Sensation actively nurtures a…
Hot on the heels of a successful European tour, record-breaking pop band Take That jetted to the UAE for two exclusive shows. The larger of the two, held at the Dubai Media City amphitheatre, required both inventory and expertise from a number of local suppliers. TPMEA’s Ste Durham visited the site. On a busy weekend in the UAE, legendary British ‘man-band’ Take That treated thousands of fans to an adapted version of their III Tour at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. With tickets to the intimate performance at Hard Rock Cafe, Dubai Festival City the following day hard to come by, this…
