Commercial Integrator September 2022 - 76

MARKETS: LARGE VENUES
The Revival of Live Events
Live events are poised for a comeback. As they do, they'll be bolder than ever,
with dazzling DVLED and ground-shaking audio. By Alyssa Borelli
WITH PANDEMIC-ERA lifestyle modifications
largely behind us, live events are back
and bolder than ever. According to market
intelligence from AVIXA, live events (e.g.,
concerts, shows) as well as performance
and entertainment (e.g., fixed applications)
will see very robust growth in the coming
years. The venue and events market is
forecast to grow from $30.7 billion in 2022
to $47.2 billion in 2027 globally (a 9%
CAGR). That means we can expect to reach
continual new highs in the years ahead.
Integrators like Scott Schoeneberger,
managing partner at national integration
firm Bluewater Technologies, headquartered
in Wixom, Mich., are seeing
large-venue clients ask for more lighting,
finer-pixel-pitch DVLED displays and more
infrastructure for " crazy-like halftime shows. "
He's also seeing more requests pertaining
to concourse areas. Clients want to
know how they can make the areas part of
" cooler overall experiences " for gameday
or for other events that are happening.
Immersive art is also being brought in.
Fusing physical and digital-driven artwork,
it's a real attention-getter. " It really changes
the dynamic of the space, " Schoeneberger
remarks, adding that, even when it's not
interactive, " it's more visually interesting. "
LED on the Rise
With the cost of DVLED coming down
significantly in the last five years and pixel
pitches becoming ever narrower, concertgoers
and event attendees are going to see
a lot more DVLED displays in large venues.
Sony Electronics' vice president of B2B,
Rich Ventura, recalls Elton John's " Farewell
Yellow Brick Road Tour, " where the entire
stage was an LED. " In the past, you might
have some semblances of displays and
projection, " he begins. " But the entire
stage [and] floor, and it wasn't even just as
a background - it was a part of the prop.
When he left at the end, he was on a little
76
According to market intelligence from AVIXA, the venue and events market will
grow from $30.7 billion in 2022 to $47.2 billion in 2027 globally, achieving a
projected 9% CAGR.
elevator taking him up. Then the wall of
the LED opened up to a door and he went
through it. " LEDs, Ventura explains, are now
becoming part of the actual stage.
" The great thing about LED is it doesn't
matter the lighting...it doesn't matter the
location...you can find a way, " Ventura enthuses.
" However, with projection, you still
have to worry about the lighting, throw distances,
angles - all those things. " He adds
that, with other display technologies, it's
important to be cognizant of event location.
" [Those factors] make it especially [challenging]
if it's a traveling event, " Ventura adds.
Sony Establishes
Partner Network
In 2021, Sony launched an Alliance
Partner Network with partners across
the AV industry to offer compatible
software and hardware solutions
that bring additional power, more
creative freedom and enhanced
compatibility to its lineup of professional
displays. To see a complete
list of Alliance and Technology Partners,
visit pro.sony/ue_US/
sony-av-partners-and-alliances.
Commercial Integrator SEPTEMBER 2022
Ultimately, Ventura says, LED introduces
a whole new world for integrators, even
though some have been doing it for a
while. " I think [integrators] are seeing more
and more opportunity, " he declares.
Of course, every LED display must have
great content. " I think a big challenge that
integrators run into is picking the right
software partner [for signage], " Ventura
observes. " There are 400-plus digital signage
software companies, however a large
portion of the work is being done by a small
fraction. " He emphasizes the importance
of selecting the right one for your application's
needs. For example, a client may
want business-intelligence analytics, facial
recognition, facial detection, etc. " All those
different things are important, especially in
a public space, " Ventura advises. " You need
to make sure you have the right software
company that can support it. "
Tremblingly Good Audio
Turning to audio trends in large venues,
Bluewater Technologies' Schoeneberger
notes that stadiums are equipping their venues
with " crazy, massive line arrays paired
with the rest of the in-stadium audio and
zoned areas. " Calling it a recipe for " things
[to] get louder and more exciting, " he adds,
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PHOTO COURTESY OF ALIVE COVERAGE.
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Commercial Integrator September 2022

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