Here at TPiMEA, we’ve walked around more than our fair share of dusty warehouses over the years, and while it’s always a privilege to be allowed access to the innerworkings of any organisation, after a while, the novelty can wear thin. However, as soon as the invite came through for CTME’s CONNECTME24 event, there was no doubt that this would be an occasion well worth the trip. A multiday showcase of the latest tech presented by the highly skilled CTME team in the company’s brand-new Dubai facility, the event set the standard for the industry across the region. From the…
Author: Peter Iantorno
When TPiMEA visited Onyx Arena prior to its opening [TPiMEA48], we were promised a state-of-the-art, multipurpose venue capable of hosting “anything from conferences and sporting events to concerts and everything in between”, and sure enough, the arena got off to a flying start, with MDLBEAST bringing a trio of shows over consecutive weekends, starring the likes of Don Toliver and Axwell, Jack Harlow and Salvatore Ganacci, as well as Bebe Rexha and Afrojack. The design concept for the shows was created by the MDLBEAST creative and production teams, led by Creative Director Quentin Greyling and Production Director, Jonny Gaskell, alongside…
Ask most events industry clients what they want from their suppliers and the words ‘sustainability’ and ‘innovation’ often appear high on the list of priorities. They are two qualities that are becoming increasingly valued, and organisations are placing more and more emphasis on ensuring that both are being delivered at every possible touchpoint. One person leading the charge in both fields is Jason English, CEO at Al Laith and Chief Ecosystem Officer of the wider CG Tech Group. Alongside his more than 20 years of senior management experience, English is one of the handful of South African-born leaders to be…
Having cemented himself on the global touring scene, Hans Zimmer’s live performances where he gives rousing renditions of some of his most iconic musical masterpieces from movies such as Gladiator, Interstellar and The Lion King have garnered praise the world over. As part of his packed touring schedule, the German maestro recently brought his extensive orchestra to Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena for two sold-out shows. Production Director Jim Baggott of Nvisible Productions called upon Clair Global UAE and Creative Technology Middle East to provide local support for the shows. “Clair supported us with all our audio needs throughout rehearsals and the…
Procom Middle East, in partnership with Ayrton, is hosting a two-day lighting design seminar at its training centre in Dubai on 8-9 October. The seminar will be conducted by renowned lighting designers, Mikki Kunttu and Martin Kuhn, who bring over 30 years each of experience spanning rock, opera, major trade fairs, and the largest television shows. The event will cover the core principles that underpin effective lighting design across various scales; the creative journey of developing memorable lighting designs; and the psychology of how light affects human perception and emotions. There will also be panel discussions with industry experts to…
Can you talk through a few of YES TECH’s latest products and solutions suited for the Middle East market? One of our most popular offerings is the MG Series, which we’ve recently enhanced to better meet the growing demands of the market. The MG9 is a standout product – it’s built for both indoor and outdoor settings and is equipped with our cutting-edge TET technology. This one delivers an impressive LED thrust ranging from 80-100N to reduce lamp fall rates greatly. It can handle 4.6T loading capacity and has an anti-fatigue performance that’s five times better than before for unparalleled…
Digital Projection distributor Procom Middle East is hosting a Digital Projection Open Day at its Dubai office in 27 September. The event will see the unveiling of the next-generation electronics platform, NEXUS, as well as several cutting-edge projectors in action such as the TITAN Laser 37000 WUXGA, 47000 WUXGA, M-Vision 27000 WU and more. The new E-Vision 16000i WU will also be revealed, and there will be a Digital Projection presentation focusing on the future of projection technology and the innovative product line Digital Projection provides. For more information and to book your time slot, visit: www.procom-me.com
While K-pop has already become well-established on the global stage, with numerous notable productions taking place all over the world [including our cover story for this issue], Mandopop by comparison is still emerging on the international stage. The genre was recently given its Dubai debut as legendary Mandarin singer/songwriter Jeff Chang brought his iconic sound to Coca-Cola Arena for one night only, with SLS Production Middle East entrusted to supply a complete technical package for the performance. “Our team at SLS Production embraced the challenge of meeting the diverse needs of this event head-on. We meticulously managed every aspect –…
Saudi Arabia has celebrated many ‘firsts’ over the past few years, and the Kingdom recently added to the list with the first-ever operatic work produced in the country. Commissioned by Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture and produced by Arabian Opera and Hwadi, Zarqa Al Yamama is performed entirely in Arabic and tells the pre-Islamic story of a woman with the power of foresight who attempts to warn her tribe of impending danger. At the heart of this ground-breaking production was a state-of-the-art projection system, deployed by VLS Middle East, with content produced by Roberto Vitalini of immersive experience specialist, Bashiba.…
Hosted in in April at the plush open-air ground at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal, the Kathmandu Music Festival 2024 was a two-day extravaganza marking the new year on the Bikram Sambat calendar. The festival included live performances by the likes of Atif Aslam and Anuv Jain, as well as renowned Nepalese pop bands such as The Edge Band and The VEK Band. Brought in to handle the festival’s audio requirements was Phoenix Networks, taking on its first gig outside India. The company is the largest Meyer Sound stockist in India, and it transported the entire system for…
There’s no doubt that the live events landscape in the Middle East has undergone a seismic shift over the past couple of decades, going from an emerging market to a territory of true global importance. One person who has contributed significantly to the region’s exponential growth is Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) Managing Director, Andy Reardon. From the moment he relocated his family and moved to Doha to establish CT’s Qatar branch in 2011, Reardon has never looked back, embracing the Middle East and all its quirks and throwing himself into the expansion and development not only of the company…
One criticism that is often levelled at Dubai and the Middle East in general is the perceived lack of pathways for those just starting out in their careers in live events. While some of the region’s larger organisations have launched their own training and internship programmes, there’s undoubtedly more that could be done to nurture the next generation of live event professionals. Aiming to satisfy that need when it comes to the audio side of the industry is Skill Tech Audio Engineering Institute – an organisation that claims to be “not just about teaching sound engineering, but also shaping futures”.…
