Drawing an international audience, PLASA Show 2025 transformed Olympia London’s Grand Hall into a hub of live entertainment technology from 7-9 September.
Welcoming over 30 new exhibitors, and with a focus on sustainability, skills and the people behind entertainment technology, this year’s show welcomed a 2.6% increase in overall attendance despite severe train strikes that challenged travel across the capital.
The surge in international visitors and the record number of students in attendance highlight how the industry continues to broaden its horizons and attract fresh talent.
A growing, international audience
Visitor numbers rose by 14% on the opening day and 5% on day two, with 11.3% of total attendees arriving from overseas, a 24% increase on last year’s international representation. Strong overseas presence came from Sweden, Italy, Ireland, the USA, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark and Germany.
Student participation also reached record levels, with registrations up by 39.5% and attendance up by 31.5% year on year.
First-time exhibitors Frameled said: “The turnout was incredible. The vibe was electric, and we welcomed visitors from over 25 countries. With the launch of our latest product, interest was huge. The response from both new and existing contacts exceeded our expectations. Our goals going into the show were ambitious, but we’re proud to say they were not only met – they were surpassed.
“The strong international presence and high engagement made it clear: PLASA Show is the place to be. We’re already looking forward to returning next year!”
Theatrixx Technologies agreed, commenting: “PLASA Show remains the cornerstone trade show for the UK live events industry, and this year once again proved its value for us. From a modest booth to a full custom build, the company has established PLASA Show as its key UK platform to connect with rental, live event, and integration professionals.”
Sponsors, headline acts, and major reveals
Headline sponsor Robe once again provided a show-stopping centrepiece. Its new production Excalibur and the Lights of the Round Table reimagined the legend of Camelot with a bespoke soundtrack, dynamic choreography and breathtaking acrobatics. Meanwhile, on its stand, Robe expanded its show presence with the launch of six products: T3 Profile, iPainte LTM, SVOPATT Classic, Footsie1 MC, Footsie2 MC and the PowerDolly.
Chauvet Professional’s Maverick Force X Profile made its global premier, as did Litec’s S Series of trussing, which could be discovered on the A.C. Entertainment Technologies and Area Four Industries stands. Other major product launches included Luminous Show Technology’s Hydra-Storm Rain Machine; Doughty’s Lightweight Quick Trigger clamp; TAF’s PTC35 and PTC45 truss; MGC Entertainment’s Lexvision Magic Wash; Prolight Concepts’ Elumen8 Cygnus Series, with the Equinox Fusion Patriot 1940FXP shown for the first time; Fiilex’s K40 Color and K10 Color; the UK premiere of GLP’s Nexus Lights; and the first-time showcase of Highlite’s Infinity Furion Bar.
Shure introduced the ANX4 wireless receiver for Axient and ULX-D systems, also hosting a mysterious ‘black box’ stand, where visitors could enjoy drinks and live music, in celebration of the company’s 100th anniversary. Elsewhere, Focusrite Group brand TiMax revealed the latest updates to its spatial audio offering, while Sound Devices presented its new Astral Wireless family.
As well as welcoming 30+ new exhibitors for 2025, returning brands were equally upbeat. Area Four Industries commented: “PLASA continues to be an essential show for us and a firm favourite in the events calendar, and we were excited to expand our presence this year with a new central stand location.”
Seminar programme rich in ideas and expertise
PLASA Show 2025 staged one of its most diverse seminar line-ups yet, spanning design, production, sustainability, skills and wellbeing.
Opening day highlights included Ukrainian Strength, Creativity & Resilience: An Industry on a Mission, where Louise Stickland spoke with Volodymyr Andrusyshyn (Alight) and Elena Miloradova (OperTec) on keeping Ukraine’s production industry alive during the on-going war. Next, lighting designer Tim Routledge revealed how he doubled the Eurovision lighting rig during Made in Switzerland: Lighting the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
Against All Odds: Live Aid, 40 Years On brought together Steve Moles, Kate Lyon, Jimmy Barnett and Andrew Zweck to share first-hand memories of that historic concert. Backstage Health: Addressing Women’s Health in Live Events & Touring, with Malle Kaas, Jessica Allan and Dr Arun Castro, tackled vital wellbeing issues often overlooked for women.
On Monday, LSi Rewind Live – 1985 And All That looked back at the year of LSi’s inception with Jerry Gilbert, Steve Warren, Dave Crump, Steve Moles and Tony Andrews sharing insights from their long and varied careers. Jason Ahn explored the psychology of light in Lighting Designers Have Always Worked Neuroaesthetically, while Getting Started with Sustainability offered practical, early-stage advice from David Catterall, Rachael O’Sullivan, Phoebe Currie and Christian Wallace. Technical insight came from Michael Harpur in Designing Pulp’s ‘You Deserve More’ Tour: A Vectorworks Workflow for Live Production.
Career development remained central. Skills Shortages Uncovered: The Real Impact of Apprenticeships in Entertainment Production, featuring Hannah Eakins, Leigh Yeomans, Jess Miller, Toby Dare and Oscar Body, examined how apprenticeships can bridge the talent gap. The programme also included From Concept to Concert: Behind the Scenes of Central Cee’s Tour and More with Sam Woodward, Jonny Chandler and Adam “Bullet” Bettley revealed the logistics behind a major arena production.
Demos & Training: hands-on technology in action
PLASA Show 2025 gave visitors even more opportunities to experience technology first-hand through an expanded Demos & Training programme. The AbsenLive Experience Zone immersed attendees in large-format LED displays, including the display that recently toured with Oasis. RCF and KV2 Audio also hosted purpose-built demo rooms where their latest high-performance loudspeakers could be experienced at full scale. ChamSys complemented these showcases with practical lighting control training, from MagicQ introductions to advanced busking sessions. Select sessions were hosted by guest lighting designers David Howard and Joe Beardsmore.
KV2 Audio reflected on the impact: “PLASA Show has been a UK highlight for KV2 Audio since our company’s inception. We enjoyed a constant stream of high-quality conversations across both our stand and dedicated demo room, which is always a key attraction for visitors. PLASA continues to be an excellent platform for connecting with industry professionals and sharing our latest innovations.”
These lively demos and training sessions underscored the show’s reputation as a place not only to see cutting-edge technology but to experience it in action and learn directly from the experts behind it.
Empowering the talent of tomorrow
One of the show’s most significant additions was the Careers & Networking Hub, in collaboration with PLASA, The Power of Events, Production Futures, and Access Industry.
The hub was designed to offer practical support to both emerging and established professionals in the live events sector, with special emphasis on creating opportunities for students, freelancers and those making their first steps into the industry.
Over the three days, the hub was buzzing. Attendees could access CV and portfolio help, mentoring sessions with industry leaders, free professional headshots, and meet employers actively recruiting. Workshops and drop-in sessions delivered advice on career pathways, technical skills and wellbeing in the workplace.
Returning to PLASA Show for a third year, RWS Global said: “This year marked our first time participating in the show’s new speed networking sessions. We found these to be a rewarding and valuable way to connect with professionals who were eager to discover what we do and how we can help them take the next step in their careers.”
This addition anchored one of the show’s key strategic drivers – celebrating people in technology, supporting skills development, and ensuring the next generation are seen and heard.
Celebrating 40 years of LSi
The 40th anniversary of LSi was woven throughout the show, with the new LSi Theatre hosting a carefully curated schedule of talks and panel discussions presented by an array of LSi journalists and special guests, including Tim Routledge, Rob Halliday, Phil Ward, Louise Stickland, James Simpson, Sam Woodward, Roland Hemming, James Eade, Jerry Gilbert and more.
Alongside a full LSi archive of back issues available to browse as part of Classic Gear Live, the celebrations culminated in the LSi Party on the show bar, where hundreds gathered to say ‘cheers to 40 years’ of the industry’s favourite media resource.
Collective voice: ETIA forms to strengthen industry
During PLASA Show 2025, a significant new partnership was announced: the launch of the Entertainment Technology Industry Alliance (ETIA). Seven European media and event technology associations – including PLASA, PSA, AFIAL, APESA, AVITA, the Event Confederation, and VPLT – came together on 8 September in a joint panel at the show to form this alliance.
ETIA represents manufacturers, distributors, dealers, system integrators, production companies and technical service providers from Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Spain and the UK. The alliance aims to pool expertise, offer a strong voice in legislative and regulatory forums, and focus initially on sustainability, particularly in developing standards for environmental impact, product life-cycle analysis and comparable robust data across the sector.
Innovation and recognition
Innovation was celebrated through the PLASA Awards for Innovation, in association with LSi. From 37 product entries, the independent panel of judges selected seven winners and two commendations, awarding the Gold Award to Sennheiser’s Spectera for its groundbreaking design in wireless microphones and IEM signal-chain.
Other winners included Disguise’s Ask AId3n; Doughty Engineering’s Lightweight Quick Trigger; Luminous Show Technology’s Hydra-Storm Rain Machine; Powersoft’s Nota 142; Robe’s ProFrost; and Vari-Lite’s VLHive 151 Digital FX. Commendations went to Hive’s Beeblade Nexus and d&b audiotechnik’s CCL loudspeaker.
Community spirit and what comes next
Throughout Olympia the show was alive with connection and celebration. The ever-popular Classic Gear Live drew crowds eager to revisit iconic lighting and audio gear, hosted by lighting designer and LSi journalist Rob Halliday, and Chris Hewitt of CH Vintage Audio. The LSi Party sparked laughter and memories. The Sensory Calm Space offered quiet respite amid the hustle.
The PSA captured it best: “In our opinion, there is nothing that beats a face-to-face conversation, and PLASA provides this opportunity a thousand times over – and as the PSA, an association that supports people in the live production industry, those conversations mean everything.”
Exhibitors left with optimism. Prolight reflected that PLASA Show remains “the perfect platform to strengthen our UK presence. Despite travel disruptions, our stand stayed busy across all three days – proving once again how vital PLASA Show is in the industry calendar.”
Sixty82 echoed this, saying: “PLASA Show remains an essential platform, particularly when it comes to engaging with the UK market, and this edition has reinforced its value in that respect.”
Sophie Atkinson, PLASA’s Head of Events, concludes: “PLASA Show 2025 has exceeded our hopes. From the celebratory atmosphere marking 40 years of LSi to the energy on the show floor and the packed seminar theatres, the appetite for innovation and collaboration is stronger than ever.”
PLASA Show will return to Olympia London from 6-8 September 2026, continuing its mission to connect, inspire and celebrate the people and technology that make live entertainment possible.
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