LichtUnit GmbH was commissioned to design the stage and lighting concept for German comedian Marc Metzger’s recent 25th Anniversary show and incorporated Elation Professional’s award-winning Sniper multi-effect and laser simulator into the design.

British breakout band Bastille burst onto the American scene less than a year ago, and has grown from a band with one hit single to a certified concert headliner due largely to its electrifying live shows. The Virgin Records-signed group began its first headlining North American tour this spring, and Thunder Audio Inc. has been an integral part of the production since before it even touched down on US soil.

Our appetite for live music festival is insatiable; every year more and more events are added to the European summer festival circuit. Producing broadcast quality content at live events is becoming increasingly important, as the audience for these performances stretches far further than the lucky few who get tickets. Live event teams face a difficult balance between keeping festival crowds entertained, as well as capturing the essence of the festival for the millions watching via live web streams, catching highlights on TV or enjoying ‘bonus’ material on artists’ future releases.

At The 48th Annual CMA Awards—airing live today on the ABC Television Network from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville—mobile production specialist TNDV will take the reins on the production of CMA Backstage Pass.  This live, multi-camera streaming media experience will give viewers the ability to use their tablets and mobile devices to get an exclusive look at what’s taking place behind the scenes before and during the live CMA Awards telecast.

Each summer, Malta’s capital Valetta becomes the home of over 50 000 music fans from all over Europe. Offering visitors a free and exclusive opportunity of experience some of the world’s best artists, the Isle of MTV is held annually at the Il Fossos Square in Malta’s capital Valetta. While previous artists have included Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas and David Guetta, in 2014, the line-up included Nicole Scherzinger, Enrique Iglesias and Dizzee Rascal, as well as Kiesza and Hardwell.

Experienced production designer Cosmo Wilson fondly remembers the first time he used GLP impression fixtures: it was on AC/DC’s 2008-2009 Black Ice Tour, where he lit the memorable giant train set-piece, an iconic element of the show. “I found that the saturation was stellar,” he recalls. Prior to that he had been strictly a traditional ‘Par Can LD’ — critical of the look of the early LED sources and throw distances.

For young synth-pop bands such as St. Lucia, live shows are always high in energy, but less likely to be high in production. But on the 10-week fall tour supporting When the Night, Production Manager/Designer and FOH Engineer Gordon Droitcour was able to match the tour with the production value worthy of the outfit’s first full-length album.

Black Veil Brides brought their loud flourishing and highly visual neo-glam metal and rambunctious rock to the UK on the first leg of their “The Black Mass” world tour 2014-15 including a touring specials rig of 14 x Robe Pointes, which in the UK was supplied by rental company Siyan.

XL Video, the UK’s leading live music video production specialist, is supplying LED screens, and IMAG projection system and camera / PPU for the continuing Il Divo “A Musical Affair” tour, now on its final leg through the UK and Europe.

The hilarious, ‘80s-themed musical Rock of Ages has been packing in audiences on Broadway, Las Vegas and now on tour in the UK through November. Rock of Ages features classic hits like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “We Built This City,” “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “Here I Go Again,” performed with nonstop intensity by a colorful cast of characters—all heard through HARMAN JBL’s AXYS loudspeakers.

Life is Beautiful is a three-day music and lifestyle festival in downtown Las Vegas from October 24-26 taking place over 21 city blocks. Performing at the festival are 67 musical acts that range from the Foo Fighters to Lionel Ritchie, Kanye West and many more. In order to facilitate Internet broadcasts of the performances, event sponsors hired Nashville-based Camp Digital as the on-site video production company.

To launch their much-anticipated new album Ghost Stories, Coldplay played a pair of intimate live shows in California, which were filmed and broadcast on network TV stations around the world. The high profile event marked the debut of a second DiGiCo SD7 mixing console on the band’s live setup.

The Vanemuine Theatre in Tartu, Estonia, has just premiered its own fabulous new production of the epic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, “Phantom of The Opera”.

Twelve Robe ColorSpot 700E ATs - among other fixtures - were specified by LDs Leonardo “Maçã” Oliveira and Rogério “Carioca” Fernández from lighting rental and services company ShowDesign for Brazilian artist Fábio Jr.’s "O que importa é a gente ser feliz" tour which started at the Citibank Hall in Sao Paulo.

A back-wall of 72 x Robe CycFX 8s and Pointes helped create awesome effects for Carrie Underwood’s all-action high profile Introduction for NBC’s 2014 Sunday Night Football.