The latest addition to Saudi Arabia’s growing sporting credentials, the Riyadh 2023 World Combat Games saw more than 1,500 athletes from 120-plus countries compete in a range of combat sports and martial arts competitions. The event got underway with a grand Opening Ceremony that highlighted the cultural, historical, and artistic appeal of the host country and celebrated the outstanding skill and dedication of the competitors, paying particular attention to the para-athletes. Tasked with delivering the Opening Ceremony was Riyadh-based TIME Entertainment. “With a major event such as the World Combat Games 2023 being hosted in Saudi Arabia for the first…
Author: Peter Iantorno
In almost 30 years of making lasers, KVANT has gone from a small business selling laser teaching aids in its native Slovakia to a multinational and multifaceted group that not only offers its award-winning products for sale and rental but also develops custom solutions and even takes on multimedia show production. With several impressive Middle East projects already under its belt, the company recently took the step of launching a Dubai office, headed up by Managing Director, Peter Prokopčák. With the company keen to expand its presence in the region, KVANT Events – Middle East was born. “With interest in…
Following the recent announcement of a strategic partnership between d&b audiotechnik and Dubai Opera, which saw the audio specialist named an Official Technology Partner for the world-class venue and a brand-new Soundscape system installed in its Studio space, d&b invited a selection of audio industry experts – along with TPiMEA – for an evening of performances, networking, canapes, and drinks. Brad Maiden, d&b Middle East’s VP of Business Development, explained the purpose of the event: “The d&b Middle East Showcase in the Studio at Dubai Opera was our way to celebrate d&b audiotechnik’s Official Technology Partnership with one of the…
When Shelley Frost packed up her life in South Africa and moved to Dubai back in 1997, nobody could have predicted what the future would hold for her. A harpist by trade, the musician spent 10 years living and working in the UAE, immersed in the industry, all the while slowly realising that there was a gaping hole in the market that was practically begging to be filled. Now some 26 years since making the life-changing move, it’s fair to say that Frost is a true titan of the region’s live events scene. Despite being the busy head of a…
They say that from small things, big things will one day grow, and that is certainly true in the case of Solas. The brainchild of Managing Director, Edward Crossan, the company originated primarily as a supplier of exhibition equipment, with Crossan identifying a gap in the market to rent out items such as TVs, trussing, and small audio systems to exhibition fabrication companies and agencies, while also providing accompanying services and technical support. It’s fair to say that the company has come a long way since its early days and Solas is now a leading full-service technical production company that…
Founded in 1991, Showforce provides crew services worldwide with offices in the UK, Qatar, and UAE. Now the company has added to its global footprint, opening a branch in Saudi Arabia, with Business Development Manager Zachariah Smith relocating to Riyadh to spearhead the operation. While this is Showforce’s first KSA office, it’s far from the company’s first foray into the country, with projects dating back to 1994, such as providing crew for the Royal wedding in Jeddah. In more recent years, with the Kingdom’s events industry growing at an astounding rate, the company has contributed to the success of events…
GLP has appointed Dubai-based Provision AVL as its distributor for the entire Middle East region. “We are pleased to add GLP’s world-class product range to our portfolio and offer it to our customers,” stated Kevin Boujikian, General Manager of Provision AVL. “As one of the leading brands in the industry, GLP’s products are recognised by professionals for their technology and quality. We are confident that this partnership will be a great success. Our customers look forward to having access to the latest lighting solutions from GLP at all times. We look forward to working closely together and building a strong…
In a live events industry saturated with ‘one-stop shops’, there’s something to be said for specialising in an individual discipline and carving a niche in the market. While some clients will favour the ease of dealing with a single company for every element of an event, for some more complicated, high-profile productions, there’s a need for each discipline to be handled by an expert in their field. One company that is perfectly positioned to serve this demand is Agora, which has quickly become a major player in the region’s sound reinforcement space, offering its specialist approach to audio to some…
With a long history stretching back beyond the 15th Century, Istanbul’s Maiden’s Tower is one of the city’s most iconic and important buildings, and the subject of many stories and fables. With the building in need of a complete renovation, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism commissioned contractors ASTEL to conduct an international competition for a light show not only to highlight the beauty of the tower but also to be visible from far and wide, which was to run fully automated every night. The contract was won by Martin Kuhn of Berlin-based MKLD Lighting Design & Consulting, who…
While live events tend to take a backseat during summer in the Middle East, the quiet period provides a valuable opportunity to pursue training and travel that the busy events season often leaves little time for. This summer, ES:ME Entertainment Services CEO, Alex Wuerfel used the time to embark on a trip to Africa to provide training support for one of the company’s AV Alliance partners, Rwanda Events. The idea for the trip came about after an AV Alliance gathering in Dubai where Wuerfel met Rwanda Events CEO, Christian Gakwaya and discovered that there were ample opportunities for knowledge exchange…
Since it opened in 2019, Coca-Cola Arena has provided a much-needed elite indoor facility in Dubai, catering to numerous incoming A-list artists and world-class productions. Ahead of the new events season, the venue took delivery of a state-of-the-art audio control package, overseen by Director of Technical and Production Malcolm Giles, to further enhance the event experience for incoming productions and audiences alike. General Manager Mark Jan Kar detailed the new investment. “We have purchased a fully packaged control package to compliment the Arena’s JBL PA System,” he began. “It consists of DiGiCo Quantum 5 and 338 consoles, Shure PSM 1000…
Creative Technology (CT) has become the first in the Middle East to invest in ROE Visual Vanish V8T LED. “We are thrilled to be the first in the Middle East to introduce the ROE Vanish V8T to our clients with a substantial investment of 720 sq m,” commented Andy Reardon, CTME’s Managing Director. “This investment underscores our commitment to providing our clients with the latest and most innovative solutions in event technology.” With its remarkable 50% transparency, the cutting-edge LED panel marks a significant advancement in outdoor display technology. Designed with ease of use and transport in mind, the V8T…
