Bold creativity met musical innovation at Montecasino Teatro in June, as Bad Weather delivered a striking visual design for Red Bull Symphonic Johannesburg. Across three sold-out nights, the genre-fusing event saw the worlds of orchestral music and Amapiano collide in spectacular fashion. And Martin Professional lighting fixtures, led by the MAC One, formed the core of the show’s immersive visual identity.

The production brought together Kelvin Momo, one of Amapiano’s most influential producers, with acclaimed conductor Adam Howard and the Egoli Symphonic Orchestra. Together, they reimagined Momo’s deep, soulful sound through the grandeur of a full classical ensemble.

Norwood Productions has strengthened their lighting inventory with the addition of Martin Professional ERA Performance 400 CLD Profiles and MAC Aura XIPs, a move that reinforces their commitment to growth, creative excellence, and future-ready production services. The fixtures were selected not only for their performance, but also to enhance both internal capabilities and rental opportunities. It’s a decision that supports Norwood’s multi-purpose business model while keeping their live event and corporate clients ahead of the curve.

When devastating storms tore through Somerset West in December, the Playhouse Theatre was among the buildings hardest hit. The roof was severely damaged, and much of the venue's infrastructure was compromised. But rather than seeing disaster, the team behind this beloved community theatre saw an opportunity – to rebuild stronger, better, and more modern.

Will van der Leij, a multi-talented member of the Playhouse team who oversees technical operations and also performs as an actor, reached out to Matthew Mitchell (Electrosonic, Cape Town) to explore new solutions for lighting and control. The theatre had long relied on an extremely outdated Strand dimmer system running generic fixtures – a setup that no longer supported the busy and diverse productions the venue hosts, from school plays and ballet recitals to major community events.

Pretoria-based Stage Effects has taken delivery of the very first 48 x Martin Professional MAC One fixtures in South Africa! These compact yet powerful Beam/Wash fixtures, featuring a unique Fresnel lens and Aura effect, the MAC One’s are a perfectly complement to Stage Effects’ already impressive inventory of Martin Atomic Bolds, Sceptrons, MAC Aura XIP and Martin MAC Ultra fixtures. Designed to integrate seamlessly within the Martin P3 ecosystem, all of these fixtures open up new creative possibilities for stunning lighting designs.