PLASA Show once again returns to Olympia London to showcase the future of live entertainment technology. From 3-5 September, the expanded show will set the stage for 239 brands, 112 educational sessions, and thousands of industry professionals. Free tickets are available until 31 August, increasing to £15, then £20 on the door.
International brands
Iconic brands will present their latest products and services under the equally iconic vaulted glass ceiling of Olympia. Lighting professionals can look forward to meeting Artistic Licence, Astera, Ayrton, Chauvet Professional, Claypaky, Elation, ETC, GDS, GLP, MA Lighting, Martin, Robert Juliat, ROXX, SGM, TMB, and Varilite. Plus, headline sponsor Robe will run impressive live demonstrations throughout the show.
Pro audio professionals can connect with brands such as Allen & Heath, AED Audio, BishopSound, d&b audiotechnik, DiGiCo, EM Acoustics, FBT Audio, Glensound, KV2 Audio, JBL, L-Acoustics, Midas, Nexo, Omega Pro Audio, OutBoard TiMax, Peavey, RCF, Sennheiser, Shure, Tannoy, and Yamaha. Plenty of Audio-Visual brands will be in attendance too, such as Canford Audio, Clear-Com, Epson, Green Hippo, Luminex, PSCo, Rigging Services, Rosco, and Tight AV.
Those who work with staging and rigging technology can shake hands with the likes of BroadWeigh, ChainMaster, CM-ET, Dirty Rigger, Doughty Engineering, Harlequin, Holotronica, J&C Joel, Lift Turn Move, Next Truss, Steeldeck industries, Total Solutions Group, and UK Rigging.
And if that wasn’t enough, PLASA Show also welcomes several new brands to the show this year, including Microphone Dude, Claywell Digital, Mighty Tough Cases, AV Tapes, Innovate Audio, Sumolight, SpectralBot, Hex Event Solutions, Offstage Controls, and Vampire Squid.
Educational sessions
This year’s seminar programme, sponsored by Vectorworks, boasts back-to-back sessions delivering creative inspiration, business advice, and technical insights. Lighting highlights include Eurovision with Tim Routledge; the Olympics with Durham Marenghi; Women in Lighting on the role of lighting in storytelling; and technical deep-dives with ETC, Avolites, Cast and Vectorworks.
Audio content comes courtesy of Innovate Audio and their panLab spatial audio processor; London’s Frameless art gallery in association with LSi; the ASD on radio mic fitting; Sandy Brown on acoustically challenging spaces; and OutBoard’s investigation into “What’s Immersive?”. AV is also well catered for with sessions on Green-Go with Canford; advanced video technologies with Frame:work; intercoms with Clear-Com, RFID with Rentman; and IPMX with Avixa.
Business is high on the agenda too, with a session on redefining leadership with Production Futures; parenthood with Women in Live Music; neurodiversity with Backup; the future with award-winning author Mark Stevenson; sustainability with the ALPD; and Brexit with PLASA.
Attendees can enjoy presentations on technical achievements, including TAIT reporting on the Soundstorm festival; Electric Airshows on lighting drones; Unusual Rigging on the West End’s Mrs Doubtfire; and James Simpson on his LSi column, Future Tech. And visitors can go deeper into health & safety with Tom Goode; BS7909 with James Eade; EN17206 with TAIT; Technical Standards with the ABTT; and theatrical experimentation with PEARL.
Training and demonstrations
In addition to the well-stocked seminar programme, PLASA Show will see several hands-on training and immersive demonstrations. Visitors can take advantage of Dante Certification across levels 1, 2, and 3, as well as an additional elective course – visitors are advised to sign-up on the website in advance to these popular sessions to secure a space. Elsewhere, ChamSys will offer three days of practical training sessions, covering MagicQ, QuickQ, guest lighting designer sessions, and end of day Q&A.
Audio professionals can explore live demonstrations from KV2 Audio, JBL, and RCF, with plenty of new products on show. Plus, the d&b Soundscape theatre returns to run various sessions and demonstrations throughout the show. And for lighting professionals, Minuit Une will demonstrate their impressive award-winning IVL Photon luminaire.
Vintage audio and lighting
Following its debut last year, CH Vintage Audio will return to the show, in tandem with LSi’s Classic Gear Live. Together they will showcase vintage audio and lighting products used in some of the most iconic concerts, albums and shows. Including, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon sound system, The Beatles’ Abbey Road monitors, and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust tour equipment from 50 years ago.
Celebrating innovation
The PLASA Awards for Innovation will of course be at the show, celebrating this year’s most impressive technology. In association with LSi and sponsored by Medialease and Yutree, the awards are highly regarded for their independent and unbiased judging process. Visitors can see the nominees on the Innovation Gallery during the show and see who wins during an intimate ceremony at 6pm on Monday in seminar theatre 1.
Futhermore, both exhibitors and visitors are invited to the show bar afterwards for the official #WeMakeEvents afterparty – offering a valuable way to chat with people from across the industry.
Spaces for socialising and support
Introduced at PLASA Focus Leeds earlier this year, the EventWell Hub will debut at PLASA Show, offering a quiet space with professional support – the perfect refuge should you experience anything unsettling at the show.
Elsewhere, Women in Lighting will host a networking session in partnership with Ambersphere and Ayrton. Find them at the bar from 3:30pm on Monday. Also at the bar, visitors can enjoy quality music courtesy of Martin Audio and The Bug Club – a professional DJ booth, in a converted VW camper van, kitted out with Martin Audio!
Sophie Atkinson, PLASA’s Head of Events, says, “This year’s show has really grown, with a significantly bigger show floor plus exciting new features and friendly get-togethers. With the industry keen to safeguard against future challenges, we have made sure that the show’s content is both valuable for businesses and accessible for new entrants. I invite you to take advantage of all there is to offer and join the conversation at the forefront of the live sector.”
PLASA Show will take place at Olympia London from 3-5 September. Find out more and register for your entry badge at https://www.plasashow.com/
