DiGiCo Quantum and SD Training at Solotech Heywood Leave a reply Where and When Solotech Unit 101 Phoenix Close, Heywood OL10 2JG Thursday 25th April 2024 10am – 4pm The session will include: Hands-on training on SD Series & Quantum consoles Practical application Questions and answers with DiGiCo’s Mollie Autherson Refreshments will be provided. Registration To sign up for this free one day training event please register via our Eventbrite page: https://bit.ly/solotech-digico-heywood-april-2024 Buffet lunch will be provided – please advise if you have any specific dietary needs. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Solotech at PLASA Leeds 2024 Leave a reply Solotech is exhibiting at PLASA Focus 2024 in Leeds – register for free to attend. What: PLASA Focus Leeds 2024 Where: Royal Armouries, New Dock Hall LS10 1LT Stand N E05 When: Tuesday 14th May 10am – 5pm Wednesday 15th May 10am – 4pm We’re delighted once again to be exhibiting at this year’s PLASA Focus. We’ll have the sales team on the stand to discuss all your latest projects and ideas. Register now and come along to meet us on Stand N E05 The Solotech stand is positioned in the foyer area of New Dock Hall, right by the entrance. Come down and talk to us about the latest pro audio equipment and services. Click on the link below for free registration
IDLES Tour Europe with Martin Audio Wavefront Precision Leave a reply When IDLES embarked on their 2024 Love Is The Fing European tour, their production included a large complement of Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision line array elements for the main PA, supplied by Solotech. For the 2024 European campaign, Solotech Account Manager, David Preston, specified a Martin Audio WPL/WPC/WPS system after conversations with IDLES’ production.This fully-optimisable solution duly won the approval of production manager, Shaun Kendrick. After a couple of warm-up nightclub gigs—at Pryzm in Kingston and Marble Factory in Bristol (where the band hails from) they were ready to take on Europe to promote their new album, Tangk, on what was the band’s biggest EU tour and first full production tour. “At mini arena level the Solotech team perfectly delivered the Martin Audio WPL system’s potential and capability with power, clarity and a real overall quality reinforcement” – Production Manager Shaun Kendrick Read the full story here: FOH Online – IDLES upgrade to Wavefront Precision for European Arena Tour idlesband.com Photo Credit: Tom Ham
Solotech UK Group Gender Pay Gap Analysis Leave a reply Solotech UK Group has published its Gender Pay Gap Report for the tax year period 2023-2024. As a legal requirement, any UK company with over 250 employees has to publish statistics on salary and bonus information relating to the differences between male and female employees. You can download a pdf of this report here: Solotech UK Gender Pay Gap Analysis
DiGiCo Quantum 225 fits the bill at Komedia Leave a reply Komedia Brighton is a venue punching well above its weight. Situated in the heart of Brighton’s North Laine district, it hosts a variety of performances, from the comedy that cemented its reputation, to the massively popular programme of arts that it hosts now. When the time came to retire its long-standing front of house mixing desk the team knew they would need something that was up to the task. The DiGiCo Quantum 225, purchased through James Pergande at Solotech, was their number one choice. Emma Henderson, technical manager of the Komedia Brighton, explains: “Our previous console was pretty tired, and it was getting to the point where we were having to spend time explaining the features to visiting engineers, which isn’t ideal. Having a robust, industry standard mixing desk was important. It needed to do a lot; not just sound great, but fit into our budget and have easily accessible features that would be recognisable to as many people as possible. To read more see the LSI Online Article
Michael McIntyre Moves To Martin Audio WPL Leave a reply Having supported Michael McIntyre tours for many years with Martin Audio systems, Solotech UK have again been entrusted with providing sound reinforcement on the stand-up comedian’s current ‘Macnificent’ 2023-24 arena tour. MLA had successfully graced the last two tours, but this time Solotech switched up to Martin Audio’s newer flagship large-format line array, WPL. The Off The Kerb production team behind the tour remains the same, with Neil McDonald once again overseeing the tech. “It’s a pleasure to be working again with Neil and the team at Off the Kerb,” stated Solotech UK Senior Account Manager, Robin Conway. “We discussed the tour back in late 2022 and the only thing we’ve changed is the model of PA. The design is very similar, and Wavefront Precision is a newer and more lightweight cabinet than the MLA,” he adds by way of explanation. “I was 100% confident it could achieve the same success as MLA has on the previous tours.” Read the full story from Martin Audio here: https://martin-audio.com/news/press-release/macnificent-michael-mcintyre-moves-to-martin-audio-wpl-for-arena-tour
Solotech Live Productions’ Mickey Curbishley talks at the ILMC Leave a reply A few weeks ago, we were proud to continue our partnership with the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) at their Futures Forum in London. This one-day discussion and networking event has one eye very much on the future and looks to discuss, understand, and address topics that the live music industry face in the coming years. Among the discussions was the green agenda. Specifically, what we as an industry, can do to help mitigate our impact on climate change. As an industry luminary with more than forty years’ experience, Mickey Curbishley, President of Solotech’s Global Live Production Division, was asked to lend his own thoughts on the topic. He kicked off by talking about a particular tour, one that really helped to move the needle in the industry. “One of the earliest projects I remember impacting sustainability was the Jonas Brothers “Happiness Begins” tour back in 2019.” “They designed a show which used around 600 moving lights. Initially this was designed using a traditional incandescent lamp, and when we calculated the power requirements we realised we needed 4 x 300 amp supplies.” “Most of the venues could supply 2 x 300-amp feeds, which meant that we would be bringing in generators for a great deal of the shows. Over a 6-month period the financial and environmental cost was staggering!” “Working with Baz Halpin and the team at Silent House Productions, we came up with an idea to use a new range of LED lights, instead of the incandescent lamps. It didn’t take much time to persuade everyone of the benefits.” “Unknowingly, the Jonas Brothers had a really positive impact on the touring industry. As for Solotech, we have continued along the path of migrating as many of our lighting fixtures as possible to LED.” But Mickey acknowledges that there’s a long way to go. Working closer, smarter, and more efficiently is how the industry can help to deliver a real impact. “We all have our part to play” “The longer the lead time we have to plan, organise, and prepare to get ready for that first show, the less of an impact we, as a business, will have on the environment.” “The show will always go on, we will make sure of that, but shorter turnarounds create more pressure on the supply chain. We have to keep working closely with our clients and promoters and educate them where we can.” “We’ve come a long way, and there is a lot of new, fresh energy coming into the industry, and that’s great, but we have a long way still to go. We’re all on a journey. Through product innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence, Solotech are determined to help make a difference.” International Live Music Conference
AtkinsRéalis Brand Identity Launch Leave a reply SNC Lavalin, a global engineering and construction company, recently unveiled its new brand identity, AtkinsRéalis, to enhance its capabilities and extend its international reach. The new identity underlines the company’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions across a wide range of sectors, including infrastructure, transportation, energy, and more. Such an important milestone for a major company required a simply spectacular brand launch. Commissioned to organize the event, OPC Événements called on Solotech to help make the experience a success at the Palais, Montreal’s convention centre. “Our team was particularly efficient, producing a 3D plan of the event in just three days” – François Paradis, Sales Representative, Live Productions Division, at Solotech In less than a week, Solotech’s experts worked hard to submit a comprehensive proposal to the customer, which included a 360-degree audiovisual solution (audio, lighting, video, rigging, and staging), in addition to our LiveSphere webcasting solution, which enabled employees at AtkinsRéalis’ 309 offices around the world to experience this unique evening live. “Solotech was an invaluable contributor to the successful global launch of AtkinsRéalis’ new identity,” said Martichou Plamondon, President, CEO and Partner at OPC Événements. “The team’s extensive scenography and technical expertise, their understanding of specific needs, and, above all, their active participation in the project enabled us to deliver a world-class event.” “I’m proud of all the members of our team who contributed to the delivery of this project,” adds François Paradis. “We developed custom solutions, notably to allow the main screen to move above the stage. We delivered a spectacular project with the professionalism and efficiency for which Solotech is renowned.”
Meet Our Team: Diana Silva Leave a reply Solotech showcases the talent that underpins its unmatched expertise. We spoke to Diana Silva, Bid Manager. In this episode of Meet Our Team, we introduce you to a member of Solotech’s exceptional team: Bid Manager, Diana Silva. During our conversation, we delved into the professional journey of Diana as she shared the path that brought her to Solotech. Diana provided insights into her role, offering a glimpse into the intricacies of managing bids and what she finds most fulfilling about her work at Solotech. Watch the interview now: Adding a twist to the conversation, Diana wanted to showcase her trilingual skills by conducting the interview in Spanish as well! Watch the interview in Spanish here:
Allen & Heath Training in London from Solotech Leave a reply In association with UK distributor Audio Technica, Solotech is hosting a FREE one day training session on the Allen & Heath range of digital consoles. Course: Allen & Heath Digital Console Overview Date: Tuesday 26th March Time: 10:00 – 16:00 Location: Solotech, 3 Cumberland Avenue, Park Royal NW10 7RX Solotech and Audio-Technica, the exclusive distributor of Allen & Heath products in the UK, are hosting a free training event that aims to give attendees an overview of the full range of Allen & Heath digital mixing consoles including the D Live & Avantis. Held at Solotech in Park Royal, West London, the training will be delivered by Nick Turner and Tom Ackroyd, Audio-Technica’s Allen & Heath product specialists. Lunch and refreshments will be provided on the day (please advise of any dietary requirements. Click on the link below to register via Eventbrite. Places are strictly limited and allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/allen-heath-digital-cosole-training-tickets-858848849027?aff=oddtdtcreator
Burtynsky: Extraction/Abstraction at the Saatchi Gallery Leave a reply Solotech supplied an audio and video solution in support of the new Burtynsky exhibition at Saatchi Gallery on the King’s Road in London, UK. Canadian born photographer Edward Burtynsky is recognised as one of the world’s most accomplished contemporary photographers. His large scale industrial images portray how modern civilisation has dramatically transformed the planet. BURTYNSKY: Extraction/Abstraction marks the largest exhibition ever mounted in the 40+ year career of this world-renowned photographic artist. A centrepiece of the exhibition is the immersive presentation of In the Wake of Progress (2022). Co-produced by Canadian music legend Bob Ezrin (known for his work with Pink Floyd, Andrea Bocelli, Peter Gabriel, Taylor Swift and many others), In the Wake of Progress is a 22-minute piece combining video and photographs from throughout Burtynsky’s career, fully choreographed to an award-winning original score composed by Phil Strong. It was for In the Wake of Progress that Solotech provided support, with the company supplying audio, video and rigging for the project. Three Barco UDX projectors delivered the images onto three separate screens while a Yamaha QL1 was deployed for audio signal distribution. d&b Y10 loudspeakers were mounted above and to the sides of the screens, with a pair of d&b B6 subwoofers providing the low frequency reinforcement. d&b E6 speakers were used for infill with the system powered off four d&b D20 amplifiers. A complementary experience to the Saatchi Gallery exhibition, Burtynsky’s images were also displayed at Outernet London’s The Now Building, a venue Solotech worked extensively on. The giant screens of the main building brought the iconic images of industrial pollution to a much wider audience. Solotech Senior Project Manager Dave Shepherd looked after the project for Solotech: “It was a pleasure to get involved with the Burtynsky exhibition, particularly as it highlights the dramatic effect industrialisation has had on our planet. Indeed the ‘green’ issue is something we as a Live Production company are having to take extremely seriously. Moving forward we are committed to significantly reducing the carbon footprint of global touring. If you’re interested in catching this ‘must-see’ thought-provoking exhibition, head over to saatchigallery.com for further details. edwardburtynsky.com Solotech Delivers L-Acoustics L-ISA for Outernet
DiGiCo Quantum and SD Series Training Returns in London Leave a reply Where and When Solotech 3 Cumberland Avenue, Park Royal, London NW10 7RX Tuesday 9th April 2024 10am – 4pm The session will include: Hands-on training on SD Series & Quantum consoles Practical application Questions and answers with DiGiCo’s Mollie Autherson Refreshments will be provided. Registration To sign up for this free one day training event please register via our Eventbrite page: https://bit.ly/solotech-digico-april-2024 Buffet lunch will be provided – please advise if you have any specific dietary needs. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
