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Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Indiana Officials Issue Safety Violations For State Fair Stage Collapse

The Indiana Department of Labor today cited concert and event production company Mid-America Sound Corp. of Greenfield, IN with three safety violations in the collapse of an outdoor stage at the Indiana State Fair last August just prior to a show by the country band Sugarland. Seven people died and 58 were injured after the stage collapsed when a gust of wind toppled equipment that hung over the stage.

CBS News also reports that Mid-America Sound Corp. has been issued a $63,000 fine, being the company that provided the stage rigging and chose the workers to erect it.

“The evidence demonstrated that the Mid-America Sound Corporation was aware of the appropriate requirements and demonstrated a plain indifference to complying with those requirements,” Commissioner Lori Torres stated in the report.

The department also issued a small fine against the Indiana State Fair Commission for “failing to conduct proper safety evaluations of its concert venues,” and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 30 also came under fire, accused of five workplace violations.

Sugarland was not penalized, with the agency noting that the band didn’t employ the workers and wasn’t responsible for building the stage.

One stagehand, Nathan Byrd, was among those killed in the collapse. At least nine other union members were injured.

Further investigations are ongoing. The State Fair Commission has also hired Thornton Tomasetti, an engineering firm based in New York City, to investigate the rigging collapse, while Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has hired Witt Associates, a public safety and crisis management consulting firm, to conduct a “comprehensive, independent analysis.”

The CBS News report is here.

One of many videos of the stage collapse is here.

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Enter The PSW Sweepstakes To Win An Audio-Technica Microphone Or Headphones

Enter to win an Audio-Technica microphone or headphones in the first PSW Sweepstakes of 2012.

ProSoundWeb is giving away three Audio-Technica 50th Anniversary Limited Edition products each month in January, February and March.

Specifically, for each drawing, we’re giving away:

1st prize - AT4050/LE Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone
—Special 50th anniversary edition in silver-colored metallic finish with etched-on serial number and carefully crafted wooden carrying case
—Transparent uppers/mids balanced by rich low-end qualities combine with advanced acoustic engineering for extensive performance capabilities and highest quality
—Dual-diaphragm capsule design maintains precise polar pattern definition across the full frequency range of the microphone
—The 2-micron-thick, vapor-deposited gold diaphragms undergo a five-step aging process so that the optimum characteristics achieved remain constant over years of use
—Three switchable polar patterns: omni, cardioid, figure-of-eight
—Transformerless circuitry virtually eliminates low-frequency distortion and provides superior correlation of high-speed transients
—State-of-the-art surface-mount electronics ensure compliance with A-T’s stringent consistency and reliability standards
—Switchable 80 Hz hi-pass filter and 10 dB pad
—Custom shock mount provides superior isolation
—Valued at $995.

2nd prize - ATM25/LE Hypercardioid Dynamic Instrument Microphone
—Exclusive 50th anniversary edition in silver-colored metallic finish with serial number etched on the surface
—Ideal for kick drum, toms, and other highly dynamic instruments
—Handles very high SPL at close range
—Big, warm low-frequency response with excellent presence
—Multi-level grille and rugged construction
—Offers very full sound on close-up vocals and dialogue
—Corrosion-resistant contacts from gold-plated XLRM-type connector
—Rugged, all-metal design and construction for years of trouble-free use
—Valued at $489

3rd prize - ATH-M50s/LE Professional Studio Monitor Headphones
—Special 50th anniversary edition in silver-colored metallic finish
—Exceptional audio quality for professional monitoring and mixing
—Collapsible design ideal for easy portability and convenient storage
—Proprietary 45 mm large-aperture drivers with neodymium magnet systems
—Closed-back cushioned earcup design creates an outstanding seal for maximum isolation
—Adjustable padded headband for comfort during long mixing/recording sessions
—Single-sided straight cable terminates to gold-plated mini-plug with screw-on 1/4-inch adapter
—Valued at $209

Go here to enter the latest PSW Sweepstakes. Note that entrants are asked to register to receive the ProSoundWeb Daily e-newsletter.

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Tuesday, February 07, 2012

One-Stop Shopping: Captain, What Does It Mean, This Term “Full Production”?

The sound company’s job is to advance the show with the artist and show up with a rig. Not so when the full production falls into your lap.

Sound companies handle “one-off” shows every day. It’s usually formulaic, and after a while, we do it by rote. 

But what happens when the client wants one-stop shopping? This is also known as “full production” or “turn key service,” and it’s quite a bit more involved than an average show. Generally months of planning and coordination are needed, as well as work with a number of subcontractors. It just can’t be done by the seat of the pants.

Normally, when a sound company is hired for a show, the client is a promoter or a venue. They provide the stage, they provide the power, and they provide the labor. The sound company’s job is to advance the show with the artist and show up with a rig. Not so when the full production falls into your lap.

Particularly for large, multi-stage festivals, hiring a single source to handle all the entertainment elements of the event is almost a necessity. The event director has too many other things to handle to have to worry about the details of his entertainment. 

Steve Rosenauer, director of the St. Mary’s University Alumni Association Fiesta Oyster Bake in San Antonio, Texas, once told me his definition of full production: “As a client, full production means working with a knowledgeable and experienced company that can produce a turn-key operation with regard to organizing, building and operating the necessary staging, sound, lights and equipment needs, with all meeting the negotiated specifications of the event as well as the bands. A company that does this can greatly enhance the quality of the event and provide a solid peace of mind to the entertainers and the event organizers.”

For the purposes of describing the process of a full production event, I will use the Fiesta Oyster Bake as my example. It’s a two-day, six-stage festival which kicks off San Antonio’s annual Fiesta Celebration every April. Fiesta has been ranked as the second largest party in the U.S. (Mardi Gras being first) by the National Meeting Planners Association. (And yes, they bake tons of oysters!) For years, our company, Sound Services, worked with this event. (Note that we recently chose to close the company for reasons completely unrelated to business.)

PREP MAKES PERFECT
In order to be ready by mid-April, we would start working in November. To be fair, we had been doing this event for nearly a decade, and had amassed a team of subcontractors with whom we were all very comfortable. Until a company gets to this point, preparations probably need to commence even sooner.

In November, we would begin talking about what our needs were going to be. Because city electrical inspectors were involved, we checked the City Code Compliance for any new electrical requirements. For example, one year (and for the first time), we were required to ground all of stages to the audio power distribution services, as well provide non-conductive covering of all power cables running in public areas. Not fun to discover things like this at the last minute!

We provided staging, sound, lights, backline, labor and all technical personnel for the festival. Because the client uses many more generators than just ours, they made those arrangements, but they used our generator provider so we were assured that power would not be a problem. The generator provider also stayed in contact on any change orders he received that might affect us.

Also by November, the client usually had more than half of the talent booked, so we got a vague idea of what to expect from headliners’ riders. By December, we started talking with our subcontractors, discussing what had changed from the previous year, giving them the firm dates, and requesting a firm price by January. 

After ringing in the new year, and still four months out, it was time to nail down the financials. Be very meticulous with this process!  Everything must be committed to paper, and math triple-checked in order to avoid any mistakes that could cost an entire profit margin.

It’s doubly vital to get this facet correct in the first year with an event, because the client will base future projections on those first year costs. Therefore, a mistake probably can’t be made up for next year.

Only after every cost is defined and listed, as well as those of the subcontractors, should the price be committed to the contract submitted to the client. Note: the one thing we found most often overlooked is the cost of a production manager. The hours and hours you spend working on this shouldn’t be done for free!

WORKING IN EARNEST
We would submit our contract on the first of February, with the understanding that requests on artists’ riders would probably cause an increase in total price. By this point, the client had all talent booked, so we could start working in earnest to learn just what those extra costs might be. My goal was to have all this information by the 15th of the month, still two months out.

There is a negotiation with contract riders and advancing the show that can - with some diplomacy - help reduce the number of additional line items for your client. Because most headliners’ riders are based on arena shows, for example, they will often concede some lighting instruments. 

On the other hand, you don’t want artist representatives to think your client is cheap, so know where and when to stop asking for concessions. It’s important to manage your client’s expectations in this regard as well. Most touring artists also understand that festivals differ from concerts, so if the stages are adequately stocked to begin with, most of the added line items will be for backline and spotlights.

Once we determined all of the additional artist-related expenses, we submitted a contract addendum. This addendum should include absolutely everything - a. client will begin to lose confidence if presented with more than one price addition. His budget is set in stone by this time, and your math errors and oversights are not his fault.

MINIMUM OF 40
Because Sound Services was responsible for the entire Oyster Bake Festival, not just the two stages we were physically covering, it was imperative that we advance the show with every artist. In this case, we’re talking a minimum of 40 bands, which made for a lot of work. But it accomplished several very important things. 

First, we got a thorough look at the requirements of every stage, and were assured that each subcontractor could adequately cover the entertainment line-up. If there was a particularly tough set change on a stage at a particular time, we could arrange to have extra help on hand at that time. 

Second, it gave each artist a feeling of confidence to know that individuals who care about their performances run the festival. Third, we established consistency in the way the artists were handled. The subcontracting sound companies all appreciated this.

And fourth, we could apprise artists of the “special quirks” of this festival. For example, it’s held on a university campus that is, itself, located in a neighborhood, not on a major thoroughfare. Getting to the venue is difficult when 80,000 other people are also trying to do the same, and there is no alternate route.

Sometimes when we told first-time performers to allow three hours to arrive, some balked, but we remained adamant. The ones who didn’t believe us were invariably late, which is a no-win for everyone. (By the way, returning artists were never late!)

Further, artists can’t drive to any stages except the main one, because they’re all positioned among campus buildings. For this reason, full backline was provided at every stage, and musicians were discouraged from bringing more gear than they absolutely had to have. To accommodate this, the university set up a team of volunteers to ferry musicians and their gear to the stages. It took several years to streamline this process.

Once all the advance work was complete, we created stage plots and input lists for every stage, and for both days. These were then dispatched to the sound companies working the festival with us.

GETTING CLOSER
A pre-production meeting with the festival committee and all stage managers was held six weeks to two months out. Each committee reported on their progress and, although we weren’t involved in things like pizza ovens and beer sales, it helped us to know what was going to be happening around us. 

Entertainment production is an important part of this meeting, and we made it a real bonding experience. Construction of “Stage 1,” for example, meant an entire campus parking lot has to be closed two days prior to the event, and thus it was critical that the timing be executed properly by the university security department. 

We also got to meet the stage managers and orient them as to what was expected of them. These folks are critical for smooth-running shows, and we let them know that. While their duties are light, the few things we needed from them are all important to the show.

Other things covered in this all-important meeting were issues of water, green rooms, use of volunteers (there are hundreds!) and getting musicians to the event and their respective stages. Over the years, and learning from our mistakes, we developed methods to efficiently accomplish these tasks, but until you’ve worked with an event for a long time, these issues are extremely important to thoroughly think through. For example, from experience we all learned that as much water as we thought we needed - double it!

At this time, we also walked the campus with the festival director, making note of things like trees that needed trimming or light poles tp temporarily remove. (Grounds and electrical departments need to be notified in advance to schedule work like this!)

WHO’S DOING WHAT
By one month out, we had a firm grip on exactly who was doing what. For example, if there was a sound company short a monitor engineer, this was the time to step in and lend a hand. Each subcontractor provided us with a list of personnel and how many vehicles (and of what type) they would be bringing on site. One aspect to double-check: be sure each contractor is providing enough people. For example, backline duties done properly for six stages requires more than two techs.

At this point, we would tally up all production people (including stagehands and spotlight operators) and provide the festival director with the number of parking passes and wristbands needed. Remember - on a multi-day festival, each person might need a fresh wristband each day. We also padded this number by a few more to replace ones that were inevitably lost.

Very key: the best technical person on staff must be in charge of production management. Even with the best preparations, all kinds of little things can go wrong, especially at multiple stages. One person not involved in production at any one stage has to be free to fight the fires, and this person should be well versed in technical knowledge as well as diplomacy. 

Our production manager for the festival spent each day traveling between stages, providing a break to a beleaguered engineer here, dealing with a power problem there, handling a recalcitrant band engineer somewhere else.  He also carried a radio for instantaneous contact. And, this person must have healthy legs – in a very crowded festival, a golf cart won’t work!

Three weeks out, we assembled packets for all of the subcontractors involved.  These included parking passes and wristbands, a map of the campus showing all stages and parking areas, a complete schedule of the event, and for the sound providers, stage plots and input lists. Load-in times were also provided.

Scheduling personnel is critical at this point. We staggered the load-in times so that we could make the best use of our stagehands. Stagehands have a four-hour minimum, and each is usually scheduled to work at more than one stage during a shift.  For load-out, we scheduled a much larger number of stagehands. This schedule was then filed with the labor company as a written work order, and note that this also included spotlight operators as well.

IT’S SHOWTIME!
Two days before the festival, we began to build the stages. The provider arrived with semi-trucks loaded with staging, and we again walked the site with the festival director, spotting the stages, front-of-house risers, spot towers and security towers.

The day prior to opening, we loaded in at our two stages, which then left us free to address the mayhem of everyone else loading in the next morning. The lighting contractor also loaded in with us in order to be out of the way, and this left the lighting directors free to work with headliners who might arrive early. On-site security was continuous at this point.

Day one of the festival would arrive, and we were free to conduct headliner soundchecks on our stages. Fortunately, the first act didn’t begin until 6 pm, so the atmosphere wasn’t too stressful.

The production manager was also available to address the various surprises that unfold, as they invariably will. This is where months of planning pay off and you can look really good to the client, who’s running around putting out all kinds of fires while his production people are calmly doing their jobs.

If all subcontractors are competent and well prepared, the event should run like an average one-off show. One caveat, however: it’s still a multi-day, multi-stage festival, with thousands of people swarming all over, so competent, well-informed stage managers become critical to your existence. 

They aren’t needed to get artists on and off the stage – we had already planned that out. They are most definitely needed to competently answer artist questions - “Where are our food coupons?” and “Where is our dressing room?” and the like. They also kept lots of water on ice, and plenty of ice in the ice chests.

The most important thing stage managers did, however, was manage the radios. Each stage had a radio, as did the production manager and the lead backline technician, and they were on a common channel with the event director. 

As the production staff performed its various tasks, we didn’t have time to monitor a radio, but when we had a problem or needed help, we simply asked a stage manager to contact whomever we needed. Previously we carried individual radios, but learned that this alternative approach worked so much better for everyone, plus it gave the stage managers a sense of ownership of their jobs as well. 

The best advice: “be round.” Roll with the punches and don’t get too excited by the inevitable little surprises that spring up. Make the production of entertainment as smooth as possible and don’t create tension or problems. That’s a big reason you were hired!

THE AFTERMATH
When it’s all over, the results of diligent planning and scheduling should continue to pay off. We found that handling a large number of stagehands at the end of the festival worked best if we arranged for the crew chief to assemble all of them at a pre-arranged site and make assignments from there.

Stagehands were first dispatched to the stages manned by our subcontractors, then re-routed to our stages last.  We always got this show loaded out within our four-hour labor minimum, by the way.

The production manager continued to make a circuit of the stages, being sure each stage had its allotted stagehands and collecting any left-behind belongings. We later attempted to repatriate these items with their owners.

When all the dust cleared a week or two later, we sat down and created a recap of the event, and this went into the file for next year. We also sent this recap to the festival director. Included were a summary of any issues that came up, general incidents, what worked well and what didn’t, and suggestions for improving next year’s event.

By working with the client in this fashion, we made ourselves a part of the event team, and enjoyed a multi-year contract. We also ingratiated ourselves to our subcontracting partners, who appreciated the work and reciprocated when appropriate. 

It’s just good business to develop this kind of working relationship with your clients and fellow business people, and it leaves you feeling pretty good about yourself as well.

Teri Hogan is a long-time audio professional and was co-owner of Sound Services Inc., a sound company based in Texas.

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Joe Peavey And Steve Spittle Join QSC Audio

QSC Audio Products has announced the addition of two new members to its professional team, with the appointments of Joe Peavey to the position of product manager, software and Steve Spittle to the position of business development manager.

Peavey will be working with the Q-Sys team to identify and define improvements and additions to Q-Sys software functionality as well as providing high-level technical support. He has a lengthy background in the installed sound market by his work with the family business, Peavey Electronics, specifically working in manufacturing, tech support and finally product manager of the MediaMatrix line of DSP products.

Since leaving Peavey Electronics in 2006, Peavey has focused on creating hardware and software solutions for various audio manufacturers and consulting services for integrators in the U.S. and Canada.

“In the many months since my first interactions with the company, QSC continually amazes me with their attention to the market, their workforce and quality,” says Peavey. “I am proud to join forces with an organization of their caliber and reputation on a product at the top of its game.”

Spittle, in his new role at business development manager, will focus on expanding opportunities for growth in the company’s integrated systems business. He was previously western U.S. sales manager at Avid, and a vice president/owner at Millar Electronics, a manufacturers’ rep firm located in the southeastern U.S.

“QSC makes great products and cares about its customers,” he says. “I’m looking forward to working with this dynamic team to continue to build on this foundation for growth.”

Spittle is located in QSC’s Costa Mesa headquarters, while Peavey is located in the company’s satellite offices in Boulder, CO.

QSC Audio

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Monday, February 06, 2012

Meyer Sound Promotes Miguel Lourtie To European Technical Services Manager

Meyer Sound has announced Miguel Lourtie as its new European technical services manager, where he will supervise the company’s technical support team in Europe and assume primary responsibility for sales support and design services in the region.

“Customer support is paramount at Meyer Sound,” says John Monitto, Meyer Sound’s director of technical support worldwide. “Our customers expect an extremely high level of technical expertise and customer service. With his outstanding technical skills, customer rapport, experience in the field, and fluency in several languages, Miguel is a great fit to lead our technical group in Europe.”

Lourtie joined Meyer Sound European technical services in 2007, and has played a vital role in supporting a number of major Meyer Sound projects across the continent, including the Mantziusgården Culture Center, Montreux Jazz Festival, and the Grimaldi Forum. He also serves as a seminar instructor as part of Meyer Sound’s extensive education program.

Prior to joining Meyer Sound, Lourtie founded Lourisom, an audio consulting and distribution business in Portugal and previously a Meyer Sound distributor.

“To ensure a seamless show, high-quality audio tools and the person driving the system are equally crucial,” says Lourtie. “The Meyer Sound tech support network has some of the best sound engineers in the industry, and I look forward to working even more closely with them to help our customers get the best out of their Meyer Sound equipment.”

Lourtie will continue to be based in Lisbon, Portugal.

Meyer Sound

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Full Compass Systems Appoints Jim Ripp As Assistance Sales Manager

Full Compass Systems has named Jim Ripp as its new assistant sales manager, bringing a wide range of music industry related sales and management experience to the role.

Ripp studied at the University of Wisconsin - School of Music with a dual degree in Piano Performance and K-12 Music Education. While there, he began working at Forbes-Meagher Music Company as a sales/general manager, and also served as director of education. 

In addition to handling sales and accounting functions at Forbes, Ripp managed a team of 18 and developed music training programs for youth and seniors. 

In 1993, Ripp began working concurrently for Falcetti Music Co. as a store manager, sales representative and teacher, which had him managing a team of employees and teachers while gaining experience in sales, customer service and technical support.

Roxanne Wenzel, vice president of sales and marketing for Full Compass states, “Jim is a great fit for our organization. His skills and experience will greatly complement the sales management we already have in place and help us continue our double-digit growth.”

Full Compass Systems

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Dynamics Of Product Procurement In The Commercial Electronic Systems Industry

The latest Market Intelligence Briefing (MIB) report from the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA), Channel Trends and Issues: Dynamics of Product Procurement in the Low Voltage Commercial Electronic Systems Industry, examines the continually evolving product procurement opportunities many systems integrators face in today’s way of conducting business.

The report provides a distinct difference in the varying methods – including sales representatives to two-step distributors – and outlines the trends of purchasing, product sourcing, dealer business programs, and how systems integrators evaluate their supplier sources.

An evolving distribution channel is causing systems integrators to make decisions on product procurement, providing challenges to the traditional marketplace in the low voltage systems channel.

As businesses streamline and become more efficient, the number of brands of products carried and installed has become more specific, driving the relationships between suppliers and integrators to become an important factor of the distribution model. 

The relationship between these suppliers, be it from manufacturers (nearly 50 percent of the respondents purchased gear directly from 6-25 manufacturers) or distributors, (76 percent of integrators purchase from 3-10 distributors), is becoming more important.

However, in 2007, integrators purchased an average of 38 percent of their equipment/supplies through two-step distributors, and in 2011 only 34 percent of total equipment/supplies purchased came from distributors.

Interestingly, smaller firms who procure more products from distributors cannot compete with minimum order and annual purchase requirements, allowing two-step distributors to pave a way for smaller firms to be viable and competitive.

Further, the report shows that some integrators have purchased equipment from distributors to gain advantages such as special pricing, reduced or free freight and other incentives despite having dealer relationships.

Understanding the benefits of a dealer business program are critical to the relationship regardless of which distribution model you choose. Of most importance to the integrators were product/technical training and support and “live” customer service (aka, talking to a real person).

Price also proved to be an important factor, but training and customer service remain the top two factors when determining your partners and providers in business. A strategy applied to all factors of your business from sale to installation to maintenance. 

Beyond the business programs, integrators were asked to rate their favorite suppliers, and while there were similar responses, the highly rated distributors featured easy access to “people;” a warranty tied with products, technical training, support; system design assistance tied with a good return policy; and finally sales/training support. 

Of least importance were incentives, mobile apps with technical data and coop advertising or “key city money” programs.

The report also shows a majority of integrators prefer field sales reps for audio equipment and for control and interface, security and life safety, telephony, racks, mounts, furniture, accessories, lighting and lighting controls equipment a more direct link to the manufacturers is preferred. Two-step distributors ranked higher in data cabling, security and life safety, telephony and other accessories.

Of other importance is the difference from 2007 to today in the ratings of both local sales reps and distributors in general. Reps in general were rated higher in 2011, and while the ratings for distributors also were higher in 2011 than in 2007, sales representative still ranked higher than distributors.

More detailed information is included in the report showing the important factors used in rating the various distribution models, dealer business programs, how suppliers are chosen and the preferences of product procurement.

NSCA’s MIB reports provide members with current data on key industry issues complete with statistical results, interpretation, implications, market knowledge and implementation goals. NSCA members can access the full report at www.nsca.org/mib.

NSCA

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Friday, February 03, 2012

John Penn Of SSE On The Current (And Future) State Of The U.K. Live Sound Market

“What really worries me is that artists don’t achieve the same mega-sales status that they used to."

John Penn has seen a lot in his 35-plus years in the pro audio business, which officially began with the founding of Disco Sigma Sound Enterprises in 1975 at the age of 19.

Now the managing director of that fledgling start-up - SSE Audio Group, the largest PA firm in the United Kingdom – John recently sat down with me and shared his thoughts on the sound hire market in his part of the world, as well as some of the long-term goals for the company.

Paul Watson: How is business in general, and which areas in particular have you seen the most change?

John Penn: Well, as usual, we had a very busy festival season, as we supply to more in the U.K. than any other rental company, but what’s impacted us most is that touring is way down. There are far less shows being booked, and we’re also seeing a double-whammy, where the Academy market is now fully installed, so we’re no longer supplying to those venues either.

It’s partly down to the recession in that people have got less money in their pocket, but people are now being far more careful generally about where they spend their money.

PW: And what about trends?

JP: Well, for years now, we’ve seen the trend of the market expanding, but now, there just isn’t a next generation of concert-goers to work with, so the market isn’t expanding. That’s a big change. Youngsters have all of these other things to do as social activities, such as gaming, so perhaps making sure that they see going to concerts as a sort of mission-critical thing would be a good idea.

There is still that cultural phenomenon of going to a festival and experiencing the vibe, which I understand fully, as it’s something I engaged in myself when I was 19 years old - that’s really strong. The problem is that it isn’t translating to people just wanting to go to a show as much as we would like it to.

PW: Do you think it’s due to cost of live shows?

JP: Well, even the Academy venues are moderately more expensive compared to more of the small clubs you used to be able to go to, so that is a factor, yes. And this fall, there were far less shows generally as promoters couldn’t afford to keep losing megabucks on promoting shows that don’t sell, and that’s not good for anyone.

Editor’s Note: Academy Music Group (AMG) is the U.K.’s leading owner and operator of live music and club venues.

PW: U.K. bands don’t seem to be touring anymore, opting to play festivals instead, and I guess it makes sense in a way: less outlay on production costs, the audience is already there, so artists don’t have to worry about selling tickets, and when the U.K. festival season ends, bands can go and do the same thing in Europe, or even Australia…

JP: This is exactly right – there just aren’t many tours going out, which means there’s a lot less work around. And at the same time, the work that is out is on very tight budgets. It used to be that the money came from the record companies, but that’s no longer the case; they have to make enough out of the shows not just to sustain them when the shows are out, but to sustain them until they go out again.

PW: So there’s a lot more pressure on achieving a good return on investment then?

JP: Oh, a huge amount more. Budgets are being squeezed, the artists have to be confident that they can sell the shows, and the promoters are less confident than they were, so are offering smaller guarantees. This squeezes pricing even more.

PW:With more venues installing their own systems, how do you as a rental company compensate that effective loss in business?

JP: The difference between SSE and a lot of our competitors is that we’re a much more diversified business. Our installation department and sales department are very big parts of the business, and they’re compensating for some of the loss of touring work.

We have this problem that through the summer months, we are flat out (busy), but it’s difficult when you have such a feast and famine situation where you do so much business in those three months in the summer compared with what you do between September and May.

The diversification has certainly enabled us to hold our own, but it’s not enough. We have a key problem that with the amount of investment that’s required, we can’t possibly make the money back to work at the level we are with a three-month season each year.

We have significant issues to deal with as we’re pretty much geared up in terms of staffing levels to be able to deal with working at that volume all year round, so it’s even harder for us to make money in those down times.

PW: So how much of the business is install at the moment?

JP: The installation side is a very big variable, because you win a job and you’re suddenly really busy, then for whatever reason, you don’t win any more, maybe because you’re busy doing those installs! [Laughs] The installs themselves are a bit seasonal - companies realize that there are key times of the year to get a re-fit done that don’t disrupt their businesses; thankfully, those key times are January and August, and they’re our quietest months.

PW: How will next year’s [London] Olympics affect business?

JP: Actually, we’ve already got some extra work off of the back of the Olympics. Live Nation has an event in Victoria Park that we’re doing, which will be running throughout the Olympics – and that’s a big job. I also think that there will be a bunch of other work to pick up, which I think we’re well placed to deal with.

PW: And how do you see business changing in, say, five years?

JP: Well, it’s unlikely I’ll be doing this job, because I’m 57 next year. You can’t work at 57 in the same way you can when you were 40, and I feel that difference already. People who put themselves under too much stress and pressure are never able to enjoy their retirement at the end of it.

While I’m not about to hang up my spurs and say ‘well that’s it’, like my Dad did, I plan to wind down gradually; but you have to have a vehicle to enable you to not be here, and to that end we’ve been building a management team at SSE with a global vision, because the industry’s definitely going to change.

PW: How will it change, exactly?

JP: Well, what really worries me is that artists don’t achieve the same mega-sales status that they used to.

Two of the biggest on the circuit are Springsteen and U2 – and they still sell a phenomenal amount of records, too; they’re still able to deliver relevant albums, which isn’t true of some of all the major players.

Look at the proportion of the top selling artists that are over 60: The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Sir Paul McCartney - all of the top grossing acts are in that league.

PW: And the likelihood is that they won’t be touring to the same degree in five years time either…

JP: Exactly, and there’s no one to replace them! That’s my great fear about The X Factor: everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame, but how many are able to build on that? Take That is a remarkable phenomenon – a British boy band that started 15 years ago, then came back bigger and better, but they’re the exception rather than the rule.

We need raw, groundbreaking talent. Adele is a phenomenal talent; O.K., she has a health problem at the moment, but hopefully she will get over that and go on and be a mega-seller, but it’s whether we have enough of them. That’s the big question.

PW: Staying on long-term, with more and more European rental companies providing all-in-one touring packages, do you think the U.K. market will eventually have to say, “Right, I’m going to have to buy a lighting company’?

JP: We’ve been discussing this concept for years, and first of all, the U.K. market is too fragmented, even as sound companies. Our major-player sound companies are all independents, and although the Europeans always did a bit more of the whole production than the audio anyway, you’re right, they now do the trucks, the buses, the whole nine yards.

It’s an obvious way of saving money on production, and it’s a winner-takes-all situation. We feel that’s the obvious way to go in this country, but only up to a certain point, because you’ve still got quite a few big independent lighting and video businesses. As long as you’ve got Neg Earth and XL Video as independents, it will continue as it is.

The problem is, if we’re going to maintain ourselves as a sound company, we’ve got to be a much bigger business, so that we’re reducing the overhead and cost of delivering what we’re doing; and with regard to providing 360-degree production, the other problem is that the big three lighting companies, Neg Earth, PRG, and HSL, are all turning over big money, so we can hardly say: “let’s get a lighting division and find a company to buy,” because, well, who is there?

PW: Good point. But in theory, at least, you think it makes sense?

JP: Absolutely. The one-stop shop is something that will eventually be inevitable. It’ll just be a case of finding a partner so we can make it happen.

Paul Watson is the editor for Europe for Live Sound International and ProSoundWeb.

 

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Biamp Systems Promotes Key Executives With Goal Of Bolstering Growth

Biamp Systems is further developing its executive management structure through the creation of three new key positions to provide new focus on product and services innovation; global marketing and sales strategies; organizational scalability; and even more effective service to its customers.

In support of these goals, Biamp has made the following executive appointments: Graeme Harrison has been appointed to the position of executive vice president of marketing; Matt Czyzewski has been named the executive vice president of operations; and Ron Camden has been named the vice president of worldwide sales.

“Our vision for the future requires an alignment of our organization with our goals for bringing fresh thinking and innovative products and services to our customers,” states Steve Metzger, president and CEO, Biamp Systems. “I’m very excited about the changes we’re making. Graeme, Matt, and Ron all have a wealth of experience and are extremely talented people, and their promotions will have far reaching and positive consequences for our company and our customers.”

In his new role as the executive vice president of marketing, Graeme Harrison will oversee the Biamp worldwide sales, marketing communications, and product management groups. Harrison has worked for Biamp Systems for 20 years and first started as the company’s regional manager in Europe serving Europe, Middle East, Africa and India. He then transitioned to international sales manager and most recently to vice president of international sales.

Matt Czyzewski has been with Biamp for 15 years and has more than 25 years of industry experience. Czyzewski will assume the role of executive vice president of operations, moving from his previous position of vice president of business development at Biamp. Prior to his last position, Czyzewski was the vice president of engineering. His new position will oversee the technical operations at Biamp.

Ron Camden becomes the new vice president of worldwide sales. Camden has more than 25 years of experience working in AV technologies and is passionate about sharing innovations and identifying trends. For the past 17 years, he has been the vice president of North American Sales. In his new position, Camden is charged with developing global sales strategies, and leading the worldwide sales team.

Biamp Systems

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Yamaha Announces Merger Of Two U.S. Subsidiaries

Effective April 1, 2012, Yamaha Electronics Corporation, USA (YEC), which is the U.S. sales and marketing company for audiovisual products, will be merged into Yamaha’s U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary, Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA). 

Both companies are located in Buena Park, California, with YEC originally established as a 100-percent-owned subsidiary of YCA in 1981.

The merger objectives include realizing maximum synergies, increasing management efficiency, principally in administrative business processes, and implementing closely coordinated sales and marketing of musical instruments and A/V products.

YEC offers home theater components and systems, featuring A/V receivers, amplifiers, Blu-ray/CD players, loudspeakers, desktop iPod speaker systems, home-theater-in-a-box (HTiB) pre-matched systems and the company’s exclusive Digital Sound Projectors single component surround sound solutions.

YCA is one of the largest subsidiaries of Yamaha Corporation, Japan and offers a full line of musical instruments and sound reinforcement products to the U.S. market. Products include acoustic and digital pianos, portable keyboards, guitars, acoustic and electronic drums, band and orchestral instruments, marching percussion products, synthesizers, professional digital and analog audio products, Steinberg recording products and Nexo commercial audio products.

Larry Italia, vice president and general manager of Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems Inc. (YCAS) subsidiary, states: ““The recent announced merger of Yamaha’s YEC and YCA groups has no organizational impact on the Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems subsidiary.

“There will no changes regarding YCAS staff, structure, distribution or policies. The Commercial Audio B-to-B markets and their channels are unique to most of YCA’s scope of business and was one of the reasons YCAS was established as a separate subsidiary. YCAS will not be distributing YEC consumer products, musical instruments, etc. as result of this merger.

“We congratulate our colleagues at YEC and YCA on their new organization and will be strongly supporting their efforts as always.”

Yamaha

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Counterfeit Shure Products Seized In Peru And Paraguay

Thousands of counterfeit Shure microphones were recently confiscated by customs officials in Peru and Paraguay.

The actions were the result of ongoing investigations by Shure representatives in both countries, in cooperation with local customs and law enforcement agencies.

The seized products will be destroyed under the supervision of customs agents.

In Peru, 2,303 counterfeit Shure microphones were seized by customs officials as the products were being imported into the country. The microphones included models C606, SM58, and PG58. Also confiscated were 1,594 cables and several thousand accessories, user guides, and product cartons, all branded with the Shure trademark.

The products were being imported by Fabi Export and Import, a company that is not an authorized Shure distributor or reseller.

In Paraguay, a delegation of officials from the customs authority raided a number of resellers in Ciudad del Este, including Music Shop, Music Brasil SA, and Musical World. Counterfeit products seized included SM57, SM58, Beta57A, and Beta58A microphones as well as PGX Digital Wireless components.

“Shure continues to take vigorous action against counterfeiters worldwide,” states Mark Humrichouser, general manager for the Shure Americas Business Unit. “We are committed to challenging the sale of counterfeit Shure products, not only to protect the interests of Shure and our distribution partners, but to ensure that consumers receive authentic products with the performance and quality for which Shure is famous.”

Shure

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Thursday, February 02, 2012

Powersoft Joins Crestron Integrated Partner Program

Powersoft is now a member of Crestron Integrated Partner Program with the full permanent installations catalog, which is a plug-in, developed by Crestron for Powersoft, that includes the entire range of products.

The catalog allows seamless integration of Powersoft amplifiers in Crestron-controlled environments, including video, security, evacuation and other remotely accessible devices.

The feature set includes full alarm monitoring, mute and volume control, preset selection, power on/off, and real time metering for Duecanali, M Series and K Series. In addition, Ottocanali is currently undergoing tests to be included in the list.

“This important development is yet another step in our plan to expand our presence in the permanent Installation market,” says Luca Giorgi, Powersoft pro audio business unit manager. “The future of this market will be increasingly characterized by the integration of various subsystems into a single complex environment, where the key concept is easy accessibility. We believe that we could not miss the opportunity of being part of it.”

“This is a significant step into that direction because it will greatly expand the interoperability of our products in that market, where we have already set the bar in terms of power consumption, energy efficiency and environmentally sustainable products,” adds Luca Baldi, the newly appointed permanent installation account manager.

Powersoft

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Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Oslo Audio First Rental Company In Norway To Invest In L-Acoustics KARA

Oslo Audio has become the first rental company in Norway to invest in L-Acoustics KARA WST line source loudspeakers, ordering 24 cabinets from local distributor Scandec Systemer.

The KARA loudspeakers are powered by L-Acoustics LA-RAK amplified controllers and supplemented with SB18 subwoofers.

“KARA has a flexibility that will enable us to use the system for pretty much all venues in Norway,” says Paal Klaastad of Oslo Audio. “For us the audio performance of the KARA system was never in question. As a long-time L-Acoustics user, we are confident that the sound quality is first class. The reputation of the brand ensures that the end users are also confident of the system’s performance.

“The scalability of the system, its integration with the LA-RAK platform and the ease of rigging and handling makes us confident that this will provide a good return on investment for years to come. We look forward to putting the system to use, and to collaborating with other network agents in Scandinavia.”

Oslo Audio’s new KARA loudspeakers were used for the first time at the 10-year anniversary concert of Crystal Canyon Studios, with a lineup of Kåre & The Cavemen, Ulver, Paperboys, Kitchie Kitchie Ki Me O and André Holstad.

That system consisted of the 24 KARA cabinets with 12 SB118 subs and six 115XT HiQ coaxial monitors, powered by LA-RAKs.

L-Acoustics

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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

AED Rent First Adopter Of JBL Professional VTX VT25 Line Array Loudspeakers

Belgium-based AV rental system provider AED Rent has signed on as the first adopter of the just-introduced JBL Professional  VTX V25 line array loudspeaker, as well as a strategic partner in the VTX Network.

AED Rent is known in Europe as a market leader and a total system provider.

“Our mission statement is quite simple: To develop and maintain a flexible group of companies on a Pan-European base that offers a total solution for the professional in the AV industry,” says Glenn Roggeman, CEO of the AED group. “AED Rent is not just a rental company but an equipment bank, not only in sound, but also in lighting, rigging and video equipment. What makes this business quite unique is large quantities, industry standards, state-of-the-art products, and a young rental fleet with fast and accurate service.”

“We chose to purchase the JBL V25 because I think JBL has it spot-on for the future,” he adds. “JBL has always been known as the best component builder. Today, thanks to Paul Bauman, they not only have the components, but also the speaker boxes to make a terrific system.”

The VTX V25 is a full-size, 3-way, high-directivity line array element. The VTX V25 features two 2000-watt, 15-inch Differential Drive woofers mounted in die-cast aluminum baffles, with four 8-inch Differential Drive mid-range transducers and three of the revolutionary new D2 dual-diaphragm dual-voice-coil compression drivers mounted on a 3rd generation waveguide and patented RBI Radiation Boundary Integrator assembly.

“The technology JBL is using in the V25 is on the cutting edge,” Roggeman states. “If you see how much power the system is driving, it’s way above any competition. If you see the weight of the cabinets—82 kg—this is another attractive element, because in the future, environmental issues will play a bigger role in our business. A cabinet of 110 kg that needs to be transported will be more expensive than a cabinet of 82 kg.”

“We are thrilled that AED Rent has chosen to support the groundbreaking VTX V25 product,” says Paul Bauman, senior manager, Tour Sound, JBL Professional. “AED Rent’s technical expertise and leading position in the industry will be tremendous assets in our introduction of the V25 to the market.”

AED Rent
JBL Professional
Harman Professional

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

NAMM 2012 Show Central: Daily Ongoing Live Coverage

All of the latest from Anaheim...

Welcome to ProSoundWeb’s ongoing coverage for the NAMM 2012 Show.

Held January 19-22 at the Anaheim Convention Center, the show drew more than 95,000 attendees from the world of professional audio and music, coming from more than 100 countries.

The show floor hosted exhibits from 1,400-plus manufacturers, with hundreds of new products expected to make their debut. NAMM also provides an ever-growing slate of educational courses and programs.

In addition, the show offered well over 100 live performances and events both on-site and in venues proximate to the convention center.

A couple of interesting notes:
—This was the 110th NAMM Show, making it one of the longest running trade shows in the U.S.
—The show annually generates more than $70 million in revenue to the Orange County economy (Source: calculated using Trade Show Week formula of economic impact)

PSW is continuing to provide updates from the show. Be sure to check back here often.

NAMM 2012 Show News
New Board of Directors Elected During NAMM 2012 Show
110th NAMM Show Reaches New Record Number Of Registrants

New Products

Loudspeakers
Peavey PVX Active & Passive Loudspeakers
On Point Audio OPA28 NP High-Output, Dual 8-Inch Loudspeaker
JBL Professional PRX400 Series Portable PA Loudspeakers
Yamaha DXR Series Active Loudspeakers
Electro-Voice ZXA1-Subwoofer
D.A.S. Audio Action Series Of Active & Passive Loudspeakers
JBL Professional VTX Line Array Series
Spectr Audio S Series Compact Active & Passive Loudspeakers
High-Power Loudspeakers Join Eminence Professional Series
On Point Audio ACTIVE Loudspeakers With Powersoft Amplifiers
Public Beta Version Of JBL HiQnet Performance Manager Software

Consoles/Mixers
PreSonus StudioLive Mixers With Smaart System Analysis Tools
Peavey PVi 8500 & PVi 6500 Powered Mixers
Yamaha MGP12X And 16X Analog Mixers
New Op-Amp Design For Mackie Mixers
Soundcraft Si Compact V2 Software
Mackie DL1608 16-Channel Digital Mixer With iPad Control
PreSonus QMix App: Monitor Mix Control Via iPhone/iPod Touch
DiGiCo UB MADI
Behringer iPad Mixers
Allen & Heath ZED-16FX and ZED-18 Multipurpose Mixers
Roland Systems Group VR-3 A/V Mixer
iConnectMUSE Palm-Sized Digital Audio Mixer For iOS Devices
Allen & Heath GLD Live Digital Mixing System

Microphones
Lauten Audio FC-387 Atlantis Condenser Microphone
Lavaliers, Earset To For Shure Microflex Microphone Line
Headset Option For DPA D:Fine Series Microphones
Audio-Technica AT2005USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone
TELEFUNKEN M81 Universal Dynamic Microphone
Audio-Technica Limited Edition ATM25 Instrument Microphone
Audix Band Packs Microphone Packages
TELEFUNKEN ELA M 260 Tube Mic Stereo Set
CAD Audio Updated E300S Condenser Microphone
Audix FP QUAD Drum Microphone Pack

Wireless Systems
AKG WMS 40 MINI 2 Dual Wireless Microphone System
Shure ULX-D Digital Wireless System
Sennheiser XS Wireless Series
AKG DMS 70 Digital Wireless Microphone System

Processors
BSS Audio Soundweb London BLU-805 And BLU-325 Processors With AVB
Aphex EX•BB 500 Series Module With Aural Exciter & Big Bottom Processors
Eventide 2016 Stereo Room And Omnipressor Plug-Ins

Amplifiers
Crown Audio I-Tech DriveCore Series Multichannel Power Amplifier
Crown Audio HiQnet Band Manager 2

Monitoring
AKG IVM4500 In-Ear Monitoring System
Pivitec e32 Personal Mixer With 32-Channel Ethernet AVB Capability
Sensaphonics Upgraded IEM line With New Cable, “Crystal” Colors
Sony MDR-7550 In-Ear Monitors
Aviom Pro16 Personal Mixing Systems
Future Sonics mg5pro Ear Monitors
POSSE Audio Personal On Stage Sound Environment System

Stage/Studio
“Dangerous Source” Portable Desktop Monitor Controller From Dangerous Music
Radial Engineering Firefly Tube Direct Box
Behringer FIREPOWER FCA610 & FCA1616 Recording Interfaces
Waves Audio NLS Non-Linear Summing Plug-In
iZotope Mastering Essentials For Acoustica Mixcraft Pro Studio 6
Universal Audio Apollo Audio Interface
Auralex SonoLite Bass Traps At 2012 NAMM Show
Lynx Studio Technology Hilo Reference AD/DA Converter System
Expanded Sony MDR-7500 Series Professional Headphone Series
CAD Audio HA4 Headphone Amplifier, MH110 Studio Headphones
Auralex Portable & Stand-Mountable ProMAX Panels
Griffin Technology StudioConnect & MIDIConnect For iOS
Three New USB MIDI Keyboard Controllers From Alesis

At The Show…
“How To Get a Job In the Industry” Forum At NAMM 2012
NAMM 2012 Interactive Show Floor
Plan The 2012 NAMM Show Using Your Smartphone
NAMM 2012: Live Music In the Lobby Schedule
Comprehensive List Of NAMM 2012 Exhibitor Appearances & Events
NAMM 2012 Concerts & Performances
H.O.T. Zone Hands On Training Sessions At NAMM 2012
NAMM Hosts Congressional Briefing On Lacey Act
NSCA Education And Outreach Sessions At The 2012 NAMM Show
Educational Schedules For NAMM University At 2012 Show
Sennheiser Sound Academy Two-Day Live Production Workshop Prior To NAMM 2012
Meet The Winners Of The Third Annual Readers Choice Best Product Awards

Special Events
Audio-Technica Marks “50 Years of Passionate Listening” (Includes Video)
John Lennon Educational Tour Bus Marking 15th Anniversary At NAMM 2012
House Research Institute Offering Free Hearing Screenings At NAMM 2012
Lectrosonics Promising “Silent Booth” For NAMM 2012 Show
H.E.A.R. & NAMM Team Up To Prove Free Ear Plugs At NAMM 2012 Show

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