66 NEWS
SONY RELEASES NEW IN-EAR MONITORS Providing high noise isolation and a secure fit, Sony’s new IER-M500 in-ear monitors offer high-quality, reliable audio that performers can trust while on stage. Built with decades of engineering expertise, they’re fully sealed against moisture, and a large acoustic chamber minimises external noise.
READY FOR THE WORLD NRG Stadium, also known as Houston Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, installed a new Fulcrum Acoustic bowl audio system by LD Systems. Based on a large-scale deployment of weather-resistant Fulcrum loudspeakers, the system managed reliable operation, regardless of whether the
concourses, suites and support spaces, meeting present-day audio expectations. In total, the system includes 1194 Fulcrum loudspeakers, although the overall weight has been reduced by 40% compared to the previous rig. Due to the retractable roof, nothing could be hung – rather, everything had to be mounted onto the venue’s ‘super truss’, which is located roughly 250ft above the field. The bowl system tuning was completed in an impressive six hours over a single day. NRG Stadium hosted seven World Cup matches, nine international teams and up to 72,220 fans per game across June and July.
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP AND TIKTOK ANNOUNCE LICENSING AGREEMENT
stadium’s roof remained open or closed. Working on behalf of the NFL’s Houston Texans, who play at NRG Stadium during the American football season, LD Systems focused on improving audio quality while keeping the venue’s existing design in place. The latest system offers high performance across the stadium, including in the
Universal Music Group and TikTok recently announced a multi-year strategic licensing agreement, strengthening their relationship while providing benefits to both musicians and creators. TikTok will continue to offer access to UMG’s expansive catalogue on its platform while enhancing commercial opportunities for UMG artists. HIVE ACADEMY HIVE has launched its new training and certification programme, HIVE Academy, designed to support its growing consumer base and help teams get the most from its media servers. The Academy offers hands-on learning opportunities based on real-world use cases, while the certification establishes a recognisable standard across the HIVE ecosystem. WHARFEDALE PRO RETURNS TO TOLKIEN DAYS A four-day festival held in Geldern, Germany, Tolkien Days 2026 attracted 14,000 visitors and offered live entertainment and other attractions to a global community of fantasy fans. Wharfedale Pro again got involved, providing a line array system, subwoofers, loudspeakers and system controllers, and ensuring consistent coverage.
WHITE LIGHT AT THE WATERMILL THEATRE
Bang Bang offered a more immersive, intimate environment where lighting played a crucial role. It needed to deliver clarity and consistency to everyone in the audience while maintaining the illusion of escapism. The White Light-supplied fixtures managed to achieve this, providing rich colours, precise control and low-maintenance performance both on the main stage and in additional performance areas.
Lighting designer Jai Morjaria delivered a bold reimagining of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Watermill Theatre, transforming the compact venue into a magical, fictional world. To do so, he tapped White Light, who delivered Martin MAC Aura and Ayrton Diablo fixtures for a custom rig. Departing from more traditional large-scale theatre productions, the Watermill’s version of Chitty Chitty
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