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.

Friends unite at KKNK festival
Once you get bitten by KKNK (Klein Karroo Nasionale Kunstefees) bug, it’s a festival you’ll want to attend every year. Families travel from all over the country to enjoy the music, drama, works of art and delicious food and a place where the crew work hard and ‘kuier lekker’ (socialize).

DiGiCo S-Series Training
Kyle Robson invites you to join him for DiGiCo S-Series Training on 18 July 2023 from 9 am to 4 pm at DWR Distribution, Johannesburg. The course will cover the following topics: Introduction and console design Console navigation, layout and operation I/O configuration and patching Networking and external control Tips

Waves Plugins Are Now Compatible with OBS Studio – Enhance Your Audio Quality in Live Streams, Podcasts and Recordings
Knoxville, TN, June 5, 2023 — Waves Audio, the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies and plugins, announces that Waves plugins now run in OBS Studio, the leading software for live streaming and video recording for Twitch, YouTube and more, enhancing audio quality in OBS Video Streams. Running Waves

Claypaky Xtylos and Scenius Shine at Grand Opening Party for Dubai’s Luxurious New Hotel, Atlantis The Royal
June – The new luxury hotel and resort Atlantis The Royal launched in Dubai with a grand opening party with the theme of “This Is it” and a guest list of celebrities, royalty, government ministers, travel influencers and global media. Mark Butts, Founder of Pasadena, California-based Preset Productions, chose 289

grandMA3 in Control Making Eurovision History
The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) was staged at Liverpool Arena in the UK on behalf of 2022’s winner Ukraine, which was unable to stage the event due to security concerns related to its ongoing war with Russia, which invaded its neighbour in February 2022. Among the highest-profile televised

Army of Hippotizer Boreal+ Media Servers take on epic WrestleMania visuals
Inglewood, CA, USA – Inglewood California’s 70,000-capacity SoFi Stadium hosted the 39th annual WrestleMania with a blockbuster two-night event enveloped in LED screens and scenic video technology driven by an army of Green Hippo’s Hippotizer™ Boreal+ Media Servers. More than 161,000 fans witnessed WrestleMania over two sold out evenings,

Astera AX3s Assist My Mother’s Courage
My Mother’s Courage is a bold new theatrical co-production by Teatro de la Abadia in Madrid, Ur Teatro Company and Palma de Mallorca’s Teatro Principal in Spain, recounting a gripping multi-layered narrative based on Jewish Hungarian-born George Tabori’s true story recalling how his mother Elsa Tabori escaped from Auschwitz and

Waves Displays eMotion LV1 Live Mixer
With recent V14 update, eMotion LV1 mixer now supports multi-server DSP and 32+2 tactile faders InfoComm, Orlando— Waves Audio (booth 5868), the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies and plugins, announces the V14 update for the Waves eMotion LV1 live mixer. With this update, the LV1 now

Waves Audio Exhibits IONIC 16, a SoundGrid Stagebox with Superior Audio Quality
InfoComm, Orlando, FL, June 14, 2023 — Waves Audio (booth 5868), the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies and plugins, is exhibiting IONIC 16, a 16-in / 12-out SoundGrid stagebox with Waves Signature Preamps. With Waves’ new IONIC 16, you can now step up to superior stagebox

New heights for JK Productions with their new S31
Jeremy Kusner, owner of JK Productions for the past 22 years, is excited to step into the future with the investment of a DiGiCo S31 digital mixing console. JK Productions is a company unlike any other in South Africa. While the Johannesburg based business offers a full technical solution for

Broadcast Studio Lighting Training
With a great response last year, it brings DWR Distribution great pleasure to once again host the Broadcast Studio Lighting Training Course presented by Andre Rossouw from 12 to 13 July from 9am to 4pm. The two-day course which will focus on studio lighting, will cover the following topics:

Patrick Manicom joins DWR Cape Town
DWR Distribution is pleased to announce Patrick Manicom as the new Workshop Assistant in Cape Town. Patrick was introduced to the entertainment industry by his sister, Jade Manicom, a lighting designer, who wanted him to experience the world she loved. “I first learnt about DWR in 2020 via my sister

Rotterdam Rave kicks-off 2023 with MDG at Rotterdam Ahoy RTM Stage
Techno-based Rotterdam Rave runs 9-10 underground rave events a year which draw in excess of 50,000 visitors. Originally located in old industrial buildings, the sold-out events have grown rapidly in size, and the organisation recently adopted the 8000-capacity RTM Stage at Rotterdam Ahoy as the newest addition to the Rotterdam

Music Stand Lights by Littlite
Littlite offers two series of lights for music stand illumination. MS SERIES-MUSIC STAND LIGHT (LED & HALOGEN) Littlite MS SERIES Music Stand lights. Works on any standard music stand with a flat edge such as the standard Manhasset stand. Friction mount on the side or top of the stand. Puts the

Meet the KLOTZ DX10 passive DI box
Mixing desks love balanced signals, but not all signal sources provide them! Guitar or bass amps and keyboards rarely have balanced outputs, and guitars cannot be connected directly to a mixer. This is where the KLOTZ DX10 comes in! A DI-box converts a high-ohm unbalanced signal into a low-ohm balanced

DiGiCo Quantum consoles deliver exceptional audio at King Charles III’s Coronation Concert
With star-studded concerts solidifying their place in the fabric of regal festivities, the Coronation Concert emerged as a music extravaganza. Held at Windsor Castle on the 7th of May in celebration of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, artists such as Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea

LD Luke Elrod takes Brett Young fans sky high with Vari-Lite VL3600 effects
Los Angeles, CA, USA – American country singer Brett Young’s Five, TOUR, Three, Two, One Tour swept into LA’s famous The Greek Theatre in May with an upbeat, colorful lighting design by Luke Elrod. During the show, he enveloped the audience in starry gobo-effects and bright, rich colors using

grandMA2 User Training Cape Town
The grandMA2 User Training is a starter course intended for beginners with existing knowledge from grandMA2 online tutorials on the MA Lighting YouTube channel. The course will be presented by Jaques Pretorius from 14 to 15 June from 9 am to 4 pm at DWR Distribution, Cape Town. Aim This course aims

Astera Launches Two New Fresnel Products
Wireless LED lighting specialist Astera launches two new fresnel products – the PlutoFresnel for medium to small spaces and applications and the LeoFresnel, a cable-free LED alternative to the classic 1K fresnel ideal for scenarios requiring more power and punch! These are the first battery powered fresnel lighting fixtures developed

zactrack for Newsies & The Bodyguard
Two UK theatre musical productions, “Newsies” and “The Bodyguard”, produced by Runaway Entertainment and Michael Harrison and David Ian for Michael Harrison Entertainment and Crossroads Live respectively, both with lighting designed by Mark Henderson, have been using a zactrack SMART real-time tracking system for lighting and follow spotting. In

L-Acoustics and DiGiCo demo in Cape Town!
Join Stuart Ramage and Marc Kirby from the Grand Arena, GrandWest along with Kyle Robson from DWR Distribution for a demonstration featuring the L-Acoustics K-Series and the DiGiCo Quantum 338. The demo will be hosted on June 7 and you are welcome to pop in any time between 10 am

Theatrixx appoint DWR Distribution
Dylan Jones from DWR Distribution looks forward to assisting clients with the Theatrixx range. South African-based DWR Distribution is delighted to expand its AV range to include high-quality and robust converters, rack mount modules and signal processors from Theatrixx Technologies. “Catch!” said Jacques Tessier, President at Theatrixx Technologies sitting opposite

DWR attend Robe training in the Czech Republic
DWR Distribution’s Tyler Pugin recently visited the Czech Republic to attend a three day Robe Advanced Technical Training programme. Tyler looks forward to sharing this knowledge when presenting a Robe Maintenance course in South Africa at the end of July. The comprehensive Robe technical training covers everything from understanding

Warm Greetings from the Training Team
Happy Friday everyone! DWR has a busy schedule planned for June, with courses in Johannesburg and Cape Town. To those living in Durban, we have not forgotten you! Keep an eye out over the next few weeks for the Lighting Fundamentals and Lighting Design workshop announcements planned for July.

Over 600 Robe Moving Lights help Dazzle at 2023 Eurovision Sing Contest
Award-winning lighting designer Tim Routledge and a hugely talented team of creatives and technical specialists – working across multiple disciplines – helped deliver a dazzling, slick, streamlined and highly emotional 2023 Eurovision Song contest event at Liverpool Arena in the UK on 13th May. All the glamour, craziness, and

DiGiCo SD Advanced Training JHB
A DiGiCo SD Advanced Training session, specially hosted for those who have already completed both the DiGiCo SD Basic and Intermediate training, will be held from 13 – 14 June 2023 from 9 am to 4 pm at DWR Distribution, Johannesburg. Kyle Robson looks forward to taking you on a

Vectorworks Spotlight 2023 Intermediate Intro in Cape Town
You are invited to join Jade Manicom as she presents Vectorworks Spotlight 2023 Training from 19 to 20 June in Cape Town. The introduction to intermediate session, restricted to 12 delegates, will leave users equipped to create venue plans and 3D renders. Take the next step and elevate your

Waves Training, JHB
Advance your audio skills at a Waves Training session to be presented by Kyle Robson on 15 June 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

Innovative ROXX partners with DWR
DWR Distribution is delighted to be appointed as the official partner in South Africa for ROXX, the innovative lighting brand gaining respect and momentum from top lighting designers. While ROXX is a young company, only established in 2019, the three founding partners, Daniel Garcia, Michael Herweg and Thorsten Sattler, have
Clear-Com’s Arcadia Central Station System
Arcadia® Central Station is a scalable IP intercom platform integrating FreeSpeak® wireless and HelixNet® wired intercom user stations with Dante, 2-Wire and 4-Wire interfaces in a compact 1RU device. Arcadia’s compact 1RU form factor is capable of mixing 180 audio signals, features front panel intercom user station, fast and easy

Neutrik NL2FXX-W-S
NEUTRIK’s new NL2FXX-W-S offers an improved latch, easier assembly, higher power handling capacity, and eye-catching brown coloration to indicate 2-pole operation. It’s NEUTRIK’s best 2-pole speakON ever! speakON connectors are the industry-standard for loudspeaker connections. This product series offers extremely reliable and robust cable connectors with a proven twist lock

Clear-Com Will Present IP-Based Intercom Solutions for Broadcast and Media at Broadcast Asia
Clear-Com® looks forward to returning to Singapore for Broadcast Asia 2023 where the company will showcase a broad range of intercom applications on Stand 6F1-05, including innovative new product features of their flagship Eclipse® HX Digital Matrix Intercom System, such as Dynam-EC™ real-time production software, IP-based V-Series IrisX™ user panels, and industry-leading role-based

Arkaos VS4 4K Media Server
VS4 is a feature-packed, intuitive and fun to use visual tool as well as s cost-efficient 19 inch rack mounting solution for all scenarios requiring full control over a range of media inputs. Running seamlessly with the latest ArKaos MediaMaster software, VS4 interfaces and works harmoniously with any lighting console,

ASM’s highly efficient space saving scenery hoist
ASM’s most known scenery hoist is the HCWA was originally designed to replace the manual theatre counterweight system, ASM engineers developed a compact, silent and versatile rope hoist. It resulted in one of the slimmest hoists featuring a width of less than 200 mm that answers to every silent and

Antari M-7X Stage Fog Jet
The M-7X is the upgraded version of the M-7 RGBA LED fog machine. With the improved heater it can deliver more powerful, higher volume and much quicker fog burts. Features included: Neutrik TRUE 1 Connector RGBA LEDs on board Optional Wireless DMX available New structure design for multiple angle rigging

Visual Productions and ACT Entertainment join forces in the US
Visual Productions (VP) is proud to announce that it has entered into a new distribution agreement with ACT Entertainment in the United States. Visual Productions, the Dutch lighting control system manufacturer, has developed a modular range of DMX and DALI light controllers that speak the language of system integrators. Products

A happy award for DWR
What a lovely surprise on a Monday morning!!! Hendrik Nemalili, director of Murangi Productions, delivered “The Great Experience and Great Customer Service” award to DWR Distribution. It made us all smile, and we are grateful! Thank you! Pictured with Hendrik (second left) is DWR’s Amanda Miranda, Robert Izzett and Duncan

dot2 training in Cape Town
You are invited to discover all the features of MA Lighting dot2 lighting course at a practical two-day training workshop presented by Jaques Pretorius from 13-14 June, 9 am to 4 pm in Cape Town. Become familiar with the functions of the dot2 lighting console, the interface and main

Theatre Audio Training Workshop in Cape Town
Please join DWR Distribution for the Theatre Audio Training Workshop presented by Christo Davis on 6 June from 9 am to 4 pm in Milnerton, Cape Town. A sought-after sound engineer in the international theatre industry, Christo’s career spans over 20 years as a FOH operator for shows like

Lighting designer Michael Taylor-Broderick on the grandMA3
Lighting designer Michael Taylor-Broderick, from DWR Distribution, reflects on the grandMA3 “We have to learn… that it does not matter what we expect from life, but rather what life expects from us.” -Victor Frankl In his book, Victor Frankl says the following, “We have to learn… that it

Absen MR Series, a professional floor display
Always pushing the envelope, Absen’s MR Series, available in South Africa from Dylan Jones at DWR Distribution, is a high-intensity, professional floor display with safety in mind. Innovative Integrated Design The MR series adopts the two-in-one integrated design of the cabinet and the frame, which makes the panel thinner and

Smooth leaps into the future with DiGiCo Quantum 225
With technical knowledge in live events, touring and broadcast, South African audio engineer Simphiwe Mhlanga has acquired a DiGiCo Quantum 225 Digital Mixing Console, the ideal tool to further his craft. Supplied by DWR Distribution, the powerful Quantum 225 incorporates all the new design features of the Quantum 338

Hale Centre Theatre Invests in zactrack
Hale Centre Theatre is a family company headquartered in Sandy, Utah, USA, and dedicated to enriching lives through its world-class productions, which include a range of traditional Broadway and off Broadway plays and musical theatre shows – around 10 per season – staged in two venues under one roof. The

DiGiCo Reveals Codename Stingray – Quantum852
The new flagship in the DiGiCo family, big on power, but with an eco-friendly heart DiGiCo is proud to announce the launch of the next generation of large format live audio production mixing consoles. As you would expect from a brand-new console from DiGiCo, it has been designed from

DWR named new South African distributor for Neutrik
As its regional roll out continues, Neutrik EMEA GmbH has wasted no time in appointing Johannesburg based DWR Distribution to represent the brands NEUTRIK, REAN and CONTRIK throughout South Africa. “We were looking for a new partner in South Africa and through my network and enquiries, everybody was pointing

A Quantum 225 to work hard for Sound Stylists
Carel du Plessis, Technical Manager at Sound Stylists, with Kyle Robson from DWR. Sound Stylists, the first company in South Africa to invest in DiGiCo, has purchased a Quantum 225 audio mixing console from local distributor DWR Distribution. “We had many SD consoles, but I noticed that everyone was going

Taking truss to the extreme
Switchblade Films explains how quality trussing has increasingly become an essential tool for on-location production equipment Story courtesy ProAVL MEA (See: https://www.proavl-mea.com/details/71794-taking-truss-to-the-extreme) “Dermot [Brogan, stunt and rigging coordinator] and myself – who both come from a river guiding and outdoor background – run the company’s reality TV projects

Astera Enjoys Busy & Successful Prolight+Sound Expo
Wireless LED lighting specialist Astera enjoyed a busy and successful 2023 Prolight+Sound expo over four days at the Frankfurt Messe, complete with a brand-new booth design and lighting concept that highlighted their current range of handy and ingenious ‘must-have’ lighting solutions for live events and broadcast applications. Astera’s sales &

KLANG Immersive in-ear mixing training
KLANG immersive in-ear mixing is more than a system; it’s a personalised experience. Join Kyle Robson for an Immersive in-ear mixing training session on 8 June from 9 am to 4 pm at DWR Distribution in Johannesburg. The course includes a Klang Product Overview and then Kyle will present a

L-Acoustics System & Workflow training, JHB
You are invited to join Richard Smith as he hosts an L-Acoustics System and Workflow training course on 1 June from 9 am to 4 pm at DWR Distribution, Johannesburg. Please note that delegates who pass this course and receive certification will be able to attend future L-Acoustics training. The

grandMA2 User Training at DWR
The grandMA2 User Training is a starter course intended for beginners with existing knowledge from grandMA2 online tutorials on the MA Lighting YouTube channel. The course will be presented by Jaques Pretorius from 24 to 25 May from 9 am to 4 pm at DWR Distribution, Johannesburg. Aim This course aims to