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.

Robe Goes BIG at PLASA 2014
The PLASA 2014 exhibition sees the culmination of Robe’s 20th anniversary celebrations, with the Czech Republic based manufacturer making a big impact in the 1,000 square metre Robe Arena at London’s ExCeL Centre. The Robe Arena is the company’s largest exhibition area to date, and will highlight Robe’s just launched

Massive Robe Rig for 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival
Tom Kenny specified over 500 Robe moving lights for the immensely popular 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival, staged in the 15,000 capacity Ballroom of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for two consecutive days. With a glittering line up of stars – Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Usher, Nicki Minaj, One Direction, Ed

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Fall Arrest & Basic Rescue Training
A Fall Arrest and Basic Rescue Course will be held at DWR on 18 to 20 February. This will be of interest to riggers and technicians, tower climbers, workers on elevated platforms and site manager – any person who may share in conducting a possible rescue. Please see details below

Philips Selecon PL2CYC LED Luminaires for the Lyric Theatre
Photos courtesy Mariola Biela Photography Jolene Van Der Merwe joined Gold Reef City in the first half of 2008 as a stage manager and immediately fell in love with the lavish and classically-styled Lyric Theatre. She was very happy to join the Lyric family officially in October 2008 and currently

Meet the latest from Clay Paky on the SA roadshow
The Clay Paky South African Roadshow will come to you between the 13th and 24th October 2014. Meet up with the Supersharpy, Mythos and Stormy. Keeping in mind that October is one of the busiest times of the year for rental companies, Clay Paky’s Massimo Bolandrina and Giovanni Zucchinali, along

Robert Juliat Unveils New Followspot at PLASA 2014
Stand R80, Ambersphere Solutions Area Robert Juliat will exhibit at PLASA 2014 with its exclusive UK distributor, Ambersphere Solutions, where a new Robert Juliat followspot will be unveiled. Rumours of a new product from these masters of followspot design have been permeating the industry over the last few months.

Inspired Stages gives self worth to teens
Five days, 150 teenagers music, dance, production and technical and you get Inspired Stages, a school holiday workshop that gives insight to the entertainment industry. This event took place from the 14 to 18 July at the GrandWest, Cape Town. It’s amazing to see the results when people give something

Robe BMFL’s Light Boston City Hall
Courtesy Louise Stickland Twelve of Robe’s new BMFL Spot luminaires – launched worldwide on September 2nd – were utilized by Lighting Designer Preston Hoffman of Pulse Lighting for a stunning installation that illuminated Boston City Hall, transforming it into a bold and vibrant backdrop for the 2014 Boston Calling Music

Robe BMFL South African Launch a Massive Success
As the worldwide launch of Robe’s new long-throw 1700W BMFL Spot luminaire continues apace across all continents, two South Africa launch events staged in Cape Town and Johannesburg attracted nearly 200 people from multiple industry sectors, including all the major industry players in SA. The two SA events were organised

Robe for Eminem X Rihanna Monster Tour
Lighting Designer Daniel K Boland specified 64 x Robe ROBIN Pointe moving lights for the much talked about Eminem X Rihanna ‘Monster’ stadium tour which played six sold-out dates in three key cities across the U.S. – at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and Comerica Park

dB Audio Namibia supply technical for O&L Value Stars 2014
The Ohlthaver & List Group of companies – with 13 subsidiaries including Namibia Breweries (home of Windhoek Lager), Namibia Dairies and Pick & Pay Namibia – was voted ‘Best Company to Work for’ three consecutive years in Namibia and twice in the whole of Southern Africa. This remarkable achievement is

The Playhouse light up
The Playhouse Company in Durban has taken delivery of new lighting equipment, which will be used in the Opera and Drama Theatres within the venue. The order, supplied by DWR Distribution, included 40 x Robert Juliat 329 H 2KW/2.5Kw Fresnel Spotlights with Barndoors , 60 x Philips Selecon Rama 1kw

Cabling heroes
To the heroes in the DWR Cabling Department, headed by Philimon Maepa, thank you for delivering a product that is truly outstanding. The quality and quantity of product that is manufactured by this team is truly amazing. They produce everything from data cables to custom FOH and socopex cabling right

A step up new stairs
DWR Distribution is pleased to offer the industry a new staircase solution for Prolyte Stage Decks. There is a 3 Step Module and a 5 Step Module, both manufactured locally by DWR but inspired by Prolyte. The stairs have been constructed from weatherproof aluminum, are lightweight and compact to store

Robe Provides A Splendit Solution for Normal People
Photos courtesy Louise Stickland Splendit is a Belgian lighting and sound rental company based in Liedekerke and headed by Marijn Broeckaert, who has a great passion for the industry and is also an LD / programmer in his own right. He formed the company in 2007 with the ambition of

Rob Young of Theatre & Studio joins DWR
Rob Young of Theatre and Studio Engineering Services has joined DWR Distribution. Established in the mid-1980s, Theatre and Studio Engineering is well known in South Africa for serving the theatre and entertainment market with design work and the manufacture of mechanical equipment and structures. Rob Young took over the company

We talk to Glenn Duncan a top SA lighting programmer
Modest and a gentleman always, we were very grateful to be able to chat to Glenn Duncan and ask him a few questions about touring both locally and abroad, and about his experiences as a lighting operator. What show are you currently working on and can you name some

Robe BMFL demo TODAY
Today, 11 September, the Robe BMFL Demo takes place in South Africa at the Joburg Theatre. You are welcome to join us any time between 10am and 6pm! Meet up with Harry von den Stemmen and the DWR team. Thank you also to all the visitors who joined us in

Fineline Enjoys Eden Sessions
Bristol based lighting and visuals rental specialists Fineline supplied lighting, LED screen, rigging and crew to the 2014 Eden Sessions, a diverse series of music performances staged at the Eden Project in Cornwall, UK, one of the most atmospheric and magical settings in the country. For the second year, Fineline

Avolites to showcase brand new ‘Quartz’ compact console at PLASA
UK – Avolites is going down the ‘size matters’ route at this year’s PLASA London, showcasing new wings to enlarge its industry-leading consoles, and unveiling a brand new, compact console aimed at the touring market. The Avolites team will be on stands M10 and M20 at London’s ExCel for PLASA,

Goodbye to Pasquale Quadri
Pasquale Quadri, Founder and Chairman of Clay Paky SpA, the world leader in show lighting, passed away Seriate, 7 september 2014 – Pasquale Quadri, Founder and Chairman of Clay Paky SpA, the world leader in show lighting, passed away in his home in Torre De Roveri. Pasquale “Paky” Quadri was

Clay Paky lights in CBeebies show “Swashbuckle”
UNITED KINGDOM – Kids have the wildest imaginations and so what better concept for a children’s game show (whether filmed in a studio or not!) than one that involves pirates and treasure! CBeebies show Swashbuckle is back for a new series! The idea is for the audience to join Gem

Avolites Basic to Advanced training in JHB, DBN and CT
You are invited to join DWR Distribution for a Basic to Advanced three day training course. The course will be held in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. See details below. Save As PDF

Robe BMFL World Tour Announced
The global launch of the hugely anticipated new lighting fixture from Robe – the Bright Multi-Functional Luminaire – BMFL – took place on 2nd September via a worldwide multi-lingual video broadcast across three time zones. Watched by nearly 11,000 people who pre-registered on the special Robe Premier launch website, complete

Philips Vari-Lite VL4000 Spot luminaire’s exciting showcase at PLASA 2014
UK – The latest addition to the Vari-Lite range, the VL4000 Spot, is set to take this year’s PLASA London by storm where it’ll be showcased on the Philips Entertainment stand L80 at ExCeL exhibition centre. PLASA London visitors will be able to see the VL4000 Spot in action during the

Angus & Julia Stone mesmerise capacity crowds with Titan Mobile & Fader Wing
UK – London’s stunning Wilton’s Music Hall welcomed brother and sister folk-pop duo Angus and Julia Stone for a pair of sold out shows, featuring LD Toby Hoggarth controlling lights from an Avolites Titan Mobile and Fader Wing. The Stone siblings, hailing from Australia, delivered a powerful and emotive set that,

Robins 100 LEDBeams for Rivers Church
The Rivers Church in Sandton recently purchased 26 x Robin 100 LEDBeams wanting a discreet fixture that could be used for effect and mood lighting. Rivers is part of the Hillsong Family and the church is active with worship services, various projects and seminars and community outreaches. “There are many

MJ light up Slots Factor Media Launch
Carol Thorns and her special bubble, a clear glass-like luminescent sphere attached to a glowing stage base, created a magical contribution to the Slots Factor Media Launch, hosted at 3 Sixty° Liquid Lounge at Montecasino. MJ Event Gear used Robe Robin fixtures to enhance the lighting already in the venue.

The Clay Paky B-EYE creates spectacular looks for Norwegian band Postgirobygget
Norway: The triple award-winning Clay Paky B-EYE has been dubbed a ‘fixture without limitation’ due to its ‘100% perfect’ performance whilst on tour with popular Norwegian pop-band Postgirobygget. The A.Leda B-EYE is the latest LED effects light to be released from Clay Paky and has already accrued a PIPA 2014

New Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Chooses Robert Juliat followspots
When San Antonio’s Tobin Center for the Performing Arts opens in September its H-E-B Performance Hall and Alvarez Family Studio Theater will boast Robert Juliat Cyrano and Buxie followspots, respectively. The new Tobin Center rises behind the façade of the former San Antonio Municipal Auditorium along the famed River

TUT backs Community Theatre Arts Festival
by Wandile Mgcodo and Hardus Koekemoer The Tshwane University of Technology’s Faculty of the Arts, in partnership with the City of Tshwane and DWR Distribution, will launch “HELLO,” a Community Theatre Arts Festival this weekend. The Festival aims to expand the boundaries of theatre by interacting with local and emerging

MJ glow at Neon Run
South Africa’s most Electric Night Event, where individuals run, cycle, skate or walk a five kilometer route at night covered in neon accessories and body paint is taking the nation by storm! Events are held across the country, and when recently hosted at the Wanderers Stadiumin Johannesburg, MJ Event Gear

Robe Premiere on-line launch and a product demo
The whole industry is chatting about the upcoming worldwide Robe Premiere taking place on 2nd September – a global live broadcast to launch something very special. Robe reports an unprecedented interest in registrations for the anticipated event… anyone wanting to catch the action should check www.robepremiere.com soonest! Registration closes on

Robe MMX Blades for Royal Court Theatre Production
Story by Louise Stickland, photos thanks to Johan Persson Lighting for the recent edgy Royal Court Theatre (RCT) production of Tim Crouch’s ‘Adler & Gibb’ was designed by award winning and leading theatre lighting designer Natasha Chivers, who included two of Robe’s MMX Blade fixtures in her lighting scheme which were

Robe Pointes Tour with Chris Young
Courtesy Louise Stickland, photos thanks to Kevin Fisher Twenty-two Robe ROBIN Pointes enhance the set for country music star Chris Young’s U.S. tour in support of award-winning country singer / songwriter Dierks Bentley. Bandit Lites are supplying the lighting equipment to Production Designer Chris Lisle, and the Pointes were specified as

Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash FX on One Direction
Worldwide – Global phenomenon One Direction embarked on their worldwide ‘Where We Are’ tour this spring, performing in some of the biggest stadiums around the globe to millions of screaming fans. For shows of this size and scope, go-to lighting designer for the live music industry Paul Normandale needed a mind

Avolites and Avolites Media deliver the magic at Secret Garden Party
UK – The busy summer of festivals has shown no signs of slowing down just yet, with Avolites and Avolites Media storming onto the scene for another fantastic weekend at Secret Garden Party 2014 with five stages controlled by Avolites, and Avolites Media featured on the main stage. The festival,

New address for DWR Durban
The Durban office of DWR Distribution has relocated to Springfield Park. Besides the welcome parking bays for clients – it really was a tight fit at the previous address – Nick Barnes from DWR Durban is pleased to have the additional office space and a facility for future training. “The

Prime Circle Biography
Since they first burst out of Witbank some 11 years ago, Prime Circle’s career has been an inspiration that has spawned hundreds of garage bands across South Africa, with starry-eyed young rockers hoping that one day, they might make it big the way Ross Learmonth, Dirk Bisschoff, Marco Gomes, Neil

About Prime Circle’s latest album Let the Night In
SA Music Award-winning South African rock outfit Prime Circle are excited to be exploring adventurous new musical horizons on their sixth studio album, Let the Night In, which was released recently. Denholm Harding, the producer of Let the Night In, describes it as “the most stylistically diverse record Prime Circle

Gearhouse Group supplies Armin Only Intense
Gearhouse Group has become the premier supplier of technical production services to the events staging industry in South Africa over more than 20 years of the company’s existence. Their range of services, turnkey solutions and cutting edge technology ranks the company among the world’s leading companies of its kind.

Vectorworks available from DWR
DWR Distribution is pleased to be an agent of Vectorworks in South Africa. “This really is awesome,” said Nick Britz of DWR. “Vectorworks has become a standard in the South African industry for technical drawings and it also integrates very well with ESP Vision.” Training of the product will be

AVS light up Nelspruit
The first recorded pioneers to settle in Nelspruit – around 25 kilometers of the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga – were the three Nel brothers. It is documented that they migrated to this tropical climate with their livestock in the cold winter months around the 1860s, and during those

Making waves in the desert
When they work, they work hard and when the play they go fishing. But now, Namibian rental company, Mikel-Jes Productions, have purchased a 10m x 8m Prolyte MPT Roof with Wings, 16 x StageDex, Prolyft Motors and Robe fixtures including 12 Pointes, 6 Robin 300s and 12 LED Beam 100s

Chilfest 2014 A Huge success
Courtesy Louise Stickland Chilfest 2014 – the three day music extravaganza staged in Tring, Hertfordshire, UK and produced by leading production industry technical solution specialist Universal Event Productions (UEP) – was another resounding success! The event, compered by the legendary Keith “Cheggers” Chegwin brought two days of the very best

PRG Provides Lighting, Rigging and Crew Solution for Arcade Fire at Earls Court
Here’s a nice one to read and it includes former South African, Jason Dixon PRG UK worked closely with Arcade Fire’s Design Team and Touring and Production Management to supply the lighting, rigging and crew package for the indie rockers’ headline European Tour, including the fantastic shows at Earls Court in

Europa Lighting upgrade
By Schalk Botha From humble beginnings, JMVR restaurant owner, Mike van Reenen, had the right idea when he opened his first venue “Soccer Shack” in Pretoria 15 years ago. Today he owns and manages five very successful venues in Pretoria, one of which is Europa Night Club situated in Sunnyside.

Miss South Africa 2014
Story courtesy Pro-Systems Joshua Cutts of Visual Frontier relishes creative challenges, so being asked to design lighting and set for his first beauty pageant – Miss South Africa 2014 at Sun City Superbowl – ticked a few boxes and presented some aesthetic challenges. – Which were a long way away

A Handful of Keys 20 years on – we chat to Hutch
Nobody, least of all it’s set and lighting designer Denis Hutchinson, had an inkling that twenty years down the road, A Handful of Keys would be South Africa’s most successful musical to date, clinching at least nine international awards along the way. This year the much loved performance, featuring two

Robin 100s & Titan Mobile for Spirit Word
Spirit Word in Stilfontein, 8km from Klerksdorp in the Northwestern province, South Africa, recently purchased 6 Robin 100 LEDBeams and an Avolites Titan Mobile to be used for their live broadcasts and church services. The ministry was established in 1980 by Pastor Kobus van Rensburg. He sadly passed away at