Stay up to date with the latest happenings in the live events and technical production industry. From product launches and training sessions to behind-the-scenes stories and project highlights, our news section is where you’ll find it all.
Get the scoop on what’s new at DWR, follow our journey with industry partners, and discover the people and moments that make our community so unique. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, information, or innovation — this is the place to be.

KLOTZ – HC72P25 hybrid cable with 2x CAT7 patch and 3G2.5 power cable!
Meet the new Klotz HC72P25 hybrid cable with 2x CAT7 patch and 3G2.5 power cable! This hybrid cable (data & power cable) has a robust, highly flexible soft PVC outer jacket and enables a wide range of applications as a connection to modern, computer-controlled devices and systems. Two flexible

Church Lighting Workshop with Hillsong Australia’s Lighting Designer
Join Australian lighting designer Jarrad Donovan, consultant for Hillsong Australia, and MA Lighting’s Luke Chikkala for an inspiring workshop tailored for technical crew and volunteers based at Houses of Worship. This remarkable experience is proudly presented by MA Lighting and DWR Distribution, offering you the chance to equip yourselves and

DiGiCo and Fourier Audio prepare to plug in live sound
Chessington, October 2nd, 2023 — DiGiCo announces the acquisition of UK-based live sound software developer and manufacturer, Fourier Audio. The deal further strengthens DiGiCo’s investment in live sound innovation, building on their acquisition of immersive in-ear pioneers KLANG:technologies in 2018. Fourier Audio’s team of software engineers and sound designers are focused on

New Style for Robe PAINTES
Johannesburg, South Africa-based rental and production company Sound Stylists has invested in 24 Robe PAINTE moving lights, the first part of an order that has been delivered via South African Distributor DWR, with more to follow soon. The new moving lights join around 300 other Robe luminaires in the

The Cirk: a thrilling tale of passion, innovation, and artistry in South Africa
The Cirk, founded by Orlando Vargas in 2018, is an entertainment and performance company in South Africa that specializes in thrilling audiences with a blend of aerial and ground acts, all meticulously choreographed to create enchanting shows. Currently, they have found a new home at Cresta Shopping Centre. To support

Meet the new Sharp / NEC PA1505UL
Sharp/ NEC is pleased to announce the new PA1505UL, featuring unprecedented White Point performance, factory pre-calibrated for the perfect white, 12-bit colour signal processing and wide colour space, expect extraordinarily vivid colour saturation and contrast levels. Models available: PA1505UL 15,000ANSI Lumens, Laser, LCD, WUXGA, 16:10 PA1705UL 17,000ANSI Lumens,

Durban based AV Company invests in L-Acoustics KARA II
The AV Company, headquartered in Durban and led by Craig Browning and his son Keagan, has just taken delivery of an L-Acoustics KARA II system from DWR Distribution, which immediately was put into action for a finance conference held at the Sandton Convention Centre. The investment is a dream

Mbulelo and 50c join forces to acquire a grandMA3
Mbulelo Msutwana and Phumelela Mthembu (also known as 50c) both hailing from Durban, are seasoned lighting technicians and designers. With a combined experience of over two decades in the entertainment industry, they are thrilled to announce their acquisition of a grandMA3 onPC command wing XT, which was purchased from

Waves Audio Introduces Waves Online Mastering, an AI-powered Audio Mastering Service
Knoxville, TN, September 18, 2023 — Waves Audio, the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies and plugins, introduces the AI-powered Waves Online Mastering service, allowing users to get high-quality masters, quickly and easily. Waves has leveraged over 30 years of award-winning audio technology and expertise to offer

Hirezone Invests in grandMA3 compact XT console
Hirezone Audio Visual, a technical supply company situated in Durban, has acquired a grandMA3 console from DWR Distribution. They’ve chosen the compact XT model to flawlessly cater to their corporate event needs. Richard Gild, owner of Hirezone, is a careful thinker when it comes to making choices. He doesn’t rush

REAN Air-tight Chassis
The Neutrik Group is pleased to announce the new REAN Air-tight series including Ethernet, XLR (available now) and Power Chassis (in Q4). When plugged in or closed with rubber caps, the receptacles are AIRTIGHT and thus offer protection class IP65 out of the box. Why airtightness matters In

EPH creates rugby and musical experiences with Absen
The Springbok farewell breakfast, presented by FNB, took place at the Sandton Convention Centre right before the commencement of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. This occasion served as a perfect platform for EPH Group, a leading South African technical supply company, to exhibit their newly procured Absen NT 2.9

Anolis Enjoys Busy PLASA 2023
LED architectural and architainment lighting manufacturer Anolis Lighting – A Robe Business – enjoyed a busy, productive, and successful PLASA 2023 expo at London’s Olympia, where its stand was prominent in the ‘village’ of parent company, Robe Lighting. Anolis highlighted its new CalummaTM, AmbianeTM and EminereTM product ranges during


AVU delivers an unforgettable performance at Disney 100 Concert!
Once upon a recent time, the Incredibles of Don’t Look Down Production and Agency brought a magical dose of joy to South Africa through the Disney 100 Concert, held in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. To transform their creative dreams into reality, they required the expertise and imagination of Guillaume

The Théâtre du Splendid in Paris is equipped with Robert Juliat Sully modules for a successful conversion to LED technology.
The Théâtre du Splendid, an emblematic Parisian venue known for its rich artistic past, has chosen to convert its fleet of Robert Juliat 600SX tungsten profile fixtures to LED using Robert Juliat Sully LED modules, to comply with the fast-approaching regulatory requirements for energy transition. With a capacity of

Another Double Innovation Award Winning PLASA for Robe
Robe received two more PLASA Innovation Awards – for its Footsie and iFORTE LTX products – at the 2023 PLASA entertainment technology expo staged in London last week, capping off another busy and brilliant 3 days for the Czech moving light and LED manufacturer. Robe also celebrated its acquisition

zactrack Builds Bridges in Spain
Madrid, Spain based lighting designer Felipe Ramos specified a zactrack SMART system for tracking several key lighting fixtures for a production of The Bridges of Madison County, directed by Alberto Negrín (also the set designer), produced by Mad Bridge and Grupo Smedia and staged at the Gran Vía Theatre, Madrid.

Astera PlutoFresnel Wins PLASA Innovation Award
Wireless LED lighting manufacturer Astera was delighted to win a coveted 2023 PLASA Award for Innovation for its new PlutoFresnel product. The Awards – which recognise and reward next-generation products and those behind them – were announced during the 3-day PLASA London entertainment technology expo staged at the Olympia

Eventech invest in L-Acoustics KS28 subs
Warm congratulations and heartfelt gratitude to Eventech for their acquisition of additional KS28 subs, expanding their existing L-Acoustics inventory. DWR Distribution would like to extend appreciation to Henry Jenkins for his unwavering support over the years, as well as a sincere thank you to Wynand Veldsman. Eventech is a

Waves Training – Johannesburg
Advance your audio skills at a Waves Training session to be presented by Kyle Robson on 3 October from 9 am to 4 pm at DWR Distribution. Waves is the world’s leading developer of audio plugins and signal processors for the professional and consumer electronics audio markets. Heard on hit

Maintenance Training for Robe Fixtures in Cape Town
Come and learn from Tyler Pugin as he guides you through the process of troubleshooting, cleaning, and maintaining your lighting units at the Robe Fixture Maintenance Training. This event will take place on September 21, running from 9 am to 4 pm. Join us at DWR Distribution in Cape

Janet Jackson and zactrack on Together Again Tour
Iconic American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer Janet Jackson has just completed her “Together Again” major North American tour with tour direction, production design and technical direction by Eric Wade from Dallas, Texas-based Crossfade Design. Eric has worked with the artist for two years, and he developed this show in

Robe at PLASA
Robe looks forward to the buzz and energy of another PLASA expo at Olympia, London, 3rd – 5th September, where it will be launching three fantastic new products and debuting a brand-new live performance concept on stands A70 & C28. Designed to create drama, excitement and anticipation, visitors will be

South Africa blown away by L-Acoustics A Series
DWR Distribution recently hosted L-Acoustics A Series Demonstrations in South Africa’s three major cities and was grateful for the welcome turnout from an industry eager to experience exceptional audio technology and to meet up with like-minded individuals. The roadshow, held at the Roxy Revue Bar at the GrandWest Casino

Neutrik visits South Africa
A warm South African welcome extended to Christoph Hellmuth from the Neutrik Group who returned to the country after fifteen years to touch base with newly appointed distributor, DWR Distribution. Travelling to Johannesburg and Cape Town gave him further opportunities to engage with clients in the dynamic live events

Fischer Amps now available at DWR Distribution
South African-based DWR Distribution is pleased to announce the expansion of its audio offering with the inclusion of Fischer Amps. With over twenty-five years of experience in pro audio and hi-fi, Fischer Amps delivers outstanding solutions for sound engineers and artists. Known for innovation, the robust products, designed and produced

Endeavour AV acquire Absen panels
Endeavour Audio Visual Solutions may be the new kid on the block, only established in Johannesburg in 2021, but company owners Richard Horwell and Kelvin Tilley jointly have fourty years’ experience in the live events industry. They have just taken delivery of Absen NT2.9 panels through DWR Distribution which

DWR offers Sharp/NEC Laser Projector & Lens Combo
DWR Distribution is excited to announce an exclusive promotion featuring Sharp / NEC laser projectors. Consider taking advantage of our offer on the PA804UL Laser Projector (Black) bundled with the NP41ZL lens, or explore the PA1004UL Laser Projector (Black) package, also including the NP41ZL lens. These exceptional deals are

Robert Juliat Dalis 860 sparkles for “Magnifying the Beauty” Cartier Show
The name Cartier is synonymous with quality and perfection, evoking a vision of the interplay between precious cut jewels and the light that plays across their surface. The launch of a new collection is always a much-anticipated event and the locations carefully selected to honour the age-old skill

Clear-Com Intercom System Enhances Communication and Boosts Productivity for Zenway Productions
SINGAPORE, USA – August 31, 2023 – Zenway Productions, a leading Singapore-based AV rental company, has recently implemented the state-of-the-art Clear-Com® FreeSpeak II® Wireless Intercom System, revolutionizing their communication infrastructure. The new intercom system has proven to be an invaluable tool, addressing key challenges and significantly improving communication efficiency

Norwood Productions expand with Absen NT
The saying “achieving overnight success after years of hard work” perfectly summarizes the journey of Chris Norwood, the visionary behind Norwood Productions, a Johannesburg-based technical supplier. Over the years, he has poured his time, sweat, and unwavering determination into his endeavours and seeing his recent procurement of Absen NT2.9

DiGiCo brings new Quantum852 powerhouse to PLASA Show 2023
Stand G11 at this year’s PLASA Show, set to take place next month from September 3rd to 5th at Olympia London, will see DiGiCo showcasing its comprehensive range of world-class mixing consoles. This line-up includes the Quantum338, Quantum225, S21, and the latest addition to their collection: the next generation of

AV Unlimited paints the stage with Absen
Congratulations to AV Unlimited, a Johannesburg-based technical supply company, on purchasing a significant number of Absen NT2.9 panels in flightcases from DWR Distribution at the beginning of August. Brothers Arnaud and Guillaume Ducray, owners of the company, are highly regarded in the industry for their dedication to excellence. Their

KLANG Immersive in-ear mixing Training – JHB
The KLANG immersive in-ear mixing offers perfect monitor sound, the key ingredient to a perfect live performance. Participate in an immersive in-ear mixing training session with Kyle Robson on September 27th, running from 9 am to 4 pm at DWR Distribution in Johannesburg. The workshop will allow attendees to enjoy

Norwood Productions Invests
“It’s all about the people,” states Chris Norwood of Norwood Productions, explaining his people-first management style, and echoing a phrase actively embraced and promoted by Robe’s South African distributor, DWR. However, good, reliable and flexible kit also helps a business thrive, and Johannesburg-based Norwood Productions has invested in some

Prolyte Arc Roof is a dream come true for AVS Hire
AVS Hire is the first technical support company in Mbombela, formerly known as Nelspruit, to invest in a Prolyte Arc Roof staging system supplied by DWR Distribution. DWR’s Robert Izzett presented practical training to set up the 8m x 6m arc roof, which will be used on two gigs taking

DWR Distribution appointed South African HARVEY® agents
DSPECIALISTS, a Berlin-based company established in 2003 specialising in digital audio and measurement systems, has appointed DWR Distribution as their South African HARVEY® distributor partner. HARVEY is a freely programmable audio DSP that offers numerous control interfaces. HARVEY® was developed by DSPECIALISTS for fixed installations in theatres, churches, hotels

Sound Stylists invests in Robe Pointe workhorses
With the South African Winter months usually a time to gear down a notch and prep for “silly season” which takes place in the last quarter of the year, it has been anything but for most technical supply companies who just have not stopped. Johannesburg based Sound Stylists is no

Robe LEDBeam 350s are Ultra Popular in Cape Town
Cape Town based rental and production company Ultra Event Technical Solutions has been extremely busy since the industry re-energised post-covid, a challenging time that nonetheless saw them retain their complete staff through resourcefulness, creative thinking and adapting the facilities and skill base they had to a pandemic economy! Thankfully

Expo City Dubai Converts to grandMA3
Expo City Dubai is “a human-centric” metropolitan vision of the future currently in the making, and being developed as a large district with offices, homes, exhibition spaces, convention centres and entertainment venues on the site of Dubai’s impressive Expo 2020. Right at the heart of this is the Al

Waves Audio to Be Awarded with Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy®
Knoxville, TN, August 16, 2023 — Waves Audio, the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies and plugins, will be among the recipients of the upcoming 75th Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy® Awards, held Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. The award will be presented by the Television Academy to

Astera & LumenRadio Open Day in Cape Town and Johannesburg
You are invited to join Marlene Riley from DWR Distribution for an Astera and LumenRadio Open Day, an ideal opportunity for the film, photography, event and theatre markets! Visitors in Cape Town can visit the DWR office on either on 28 or 29 August, any time between 10 am

grandMA3 for Norwood Productions
Norwood Productions, a South African company that offers a full turnkey experience from assisting with event planning to supplying technical equipment, has taken the plunge and purchased a grandMA3 onPC command wing XT from local MA Lighting distributor, DWR Distribution. The owner of the company, Chris Norwood, is thrilled.

Meet Tina Le Roux
Tina Le Roux* is a lighting designer and the production manager at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in KwaZulu-Natal. Known for her endless dedication and talent, Tina never, ever gives up. We asked Tina a few questions and as she does, she moved our hearts with her story of love for

Nomvula Molepo shares her story
Meet the beautiful, talented and dedicated Nomvula Molepo, Head of Technical and Stage Services at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg. Nomvula literally blocked out any voices that said “she couldn’t” and went out to prove that “she could”. In this Q&A, she also thanks her mentors who recognized her steadfast

Chatting to Tanya Brown, Head of Rigging!
Meet Tanya Brown, Head of Rigging at the Gearhouse Group of Companies, an equipment and technical solutions company in South Africa. We sent Tanya a few questions and were inspired, as we know you will be, by her story. Were there signs from a young age that pointed

Jason Johnstone to expand Pro AV market at DWR
DWR Distribution has appointed Jason Johnstone, a longtime friend from the industry, to accommodate its growth in the world of professional audiovisual and system integration. Jason will work closely with Dylan Jones, DWR’s brand manager for products including Absen, Green Hippo and Magnimage. With experience that stretches over two decades,

Callan van Zyl joins the DWR sales team
South African-based DWR Distribution takes pleasure in welcoming Callan van Zyl to the Johannesburg sales team. Callan is a skilled sound engineer, rentals manager and product listings manager with a background in the live and film events industry. A love for audio came naturally to him, and during high

zactrack gets into the Starlight Zone
The Guinness World Record breaking German version of long-running musical phenomenon Starlight Express celebrated 35 years of performance in June 2023 … and zactrack celebrated its own slightly shorter ‘milestone’ all the same … in November 2022 with a Starlight Express 5 year ‘show anniversary’ dating back to 2017 when

DiGiCo delivers to a jam-packed audience at Loftus
Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria came to life with three performances over a four-day period with the Bethel Music SA Tour, Theuns Jordaan Tribute concert and the Boots and All Country Festival featuring Kip Moore, with all shows skilfully produced by The Hit Factory. MGG was appointed full technical supplier