Insights

Discover the best fun, frolics and festivals in Perth Some might say Perth is about as close to paradise as you can get on Earth, and with good reason; it has great beaches, great weather and apparently is also responsible for Hugh Jackman. Perth is a long, long, long (did we say long?) way from just about everything and anywhere, but that’s alright because it also happens to be home to some amazing events. All year round, you can rest assured there’s an experience for you and your friends to enjoy, while simultaneously making the rest of your crowd envious when you share the snaps of your memories on Facebook. Here’s the rundown of some of winter’s best events, courtesy of Western Australia’s capital city: The Comedy Festival In Perth, you can get your annual dose of the best medicine. That’s right, we’re talking about laughter. The Perth Comedy Festival erupts in spectacular fashion, starting with a glamorous Gala event, and Perth’s funniest and largest night of comedy. Here, Australia’s up and coming talent, finest acts and some of the best comedic stars the planet has to offer, gather under one roof in a night of abdominal stretching humour. Each year is bigger and better than the year before, offering stand up, satire, improvisation, musical, magic and a host of other forms of comedic relief.So if you want a smile on your dial, be sure to check it out! . Christmas in July That isn’t a typo. Australia really does enjoy two Christmases. All the hallmark tell-tale signs of Christmas are plain to see in July; the flurry of shoppers rushing to stores far and wide (can you say mid-year sale?), the mulled wine flowing (yes, really) and the beautiful coloured lights that are put up in homes (head to the Mandurah canals for the best Christmas in July lights!) It is the epicentre of retail sales; from restaurants to clothing stores, nightclubs and movie houses, you can enjoy discount prices and rates. It truly ‘tis the season to be jolly, so while you may not be able to frolic in the snow, you can always enjoy the sun, sea and Santa Claus in Australia during July. The Winter Garden Are you a diamond-in-the-rough ice-skating talent that is set to amaze at the next Olympics, or perhaps, Bambi on ice looking to just enjoy a day of relaxed skating? Regardless of your prowess on the ice, the Winter Wonderland is sure to be right up your alley. This festival, held in June/July each year,will be sure to put any reservations about the possibility of magic firmly to rest. It is held in Fremantle, with entry to the festival being absolutely free. However, some of the activities on offer will require the purchase of tickets. The attractions that you can look forward to include: Australia’s largest outdoor ice rink Falling snow A titanic pop-up slide Numerous carnival rides A host of music and entertainment for all ages What’s more, there are a handful of specially selected local Fremantle businesses and food providers that are on hand to serve delectable treats and succulent meals to keep you fuelled throughout the day. Winter Arts Festival This titanic festival is an enlightening sensory experience. There are displays of art and culture to suit every taste and challenge every imagination. The festival runs for a period of three months, from the beginning of June to August, featuring theatre, music, comedy, cabaret, dance, film, literature, family and visual arts. Popular favourites at the festival include: The Caucasian Chalk Circle—Black Swan State Theatre’s first international collaboration with the National Theatre of China. Comic Tragics—an exploration of graphic art at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. The Little Shop of Horrors at His Majesty’s Theatre – A scintillating musica. Winter Arts Bar – An experience featuring multimedia projections and live performances in a tunnel under St Georges Terrace. If you’re tired of the monotony of modern day life, you owe yourself at least the opportunity to be inspired by new ideas and creative expression. There’s virtually no excuse not to enjoy your time in Perth in winter, whether long or short, there’s always something to capture your imagination. As a leading provider of professional audio, visual and lighting equipment in WA, we have a pulse on life in Perth. If you have an event coming up, (corporate, community, private or otherwise) and need some audio-visual gear, be sure to contact us and we can certainly help you out!

Perth has an awesome outdoor culture and festivals are part and parcel of enjoying your free time under the sun. What is it that we enjoy about outdoor festivals? Is it the fresh outdoor air, chilling out with friends, trying new food, watching the footie, listening to cool bands or simply drinking a few beers? Whether you’re into music, sports, arts & culture or food, Perth can offer an outdoor event that will interest you. Here are just a few of Perth’s well-known annual outdoor festivals: Perth Fringe World Festival Perth’s FRINGE WORLD Festival is a multi-arts celebration which takes place annually over 31 days in the height of summer. Fringe World is an open access festival, which means that artists from anywhere in the world can register to perform and Perth Fringe World Festival presents both local and a wide range of international artists. The acts feature a variety of genres, including circus, cabaret, comedy, music, dance, theatre, film and visual art. Perth’s Fringe is now the third largest Fringe in the world and the largest annual performance platform in Western Australia. The 2016 FRINGE WORLD Festival played host to 700 shows at over 150 venues across Perth and in local communities further afield. Over 350,000 tickets were sold and attendance at free and ticketed events topped a staggering 900,000. Taste of Perth Taste of Perth is a wonderful celebration of Perth’s unique and progressive dining scene, bringing together the latest, greatest and hottest of Perth’s restaurant scene to one central location – Langley Park from. Over three indulgent days, you can enjoy over 40 restaurant dishes and mingle with award-winning chefs and like-minded foodies as you browse through the artisan stalls of hand-picked premium food and drink producers, take part in one of the many interactive foodie attractions or simply relax and enjoy live entertainment in the stunning surrounds of Langley Park. You can also relish top chefs’ exquisite signature dishes in ‘taste’ sized portions. Perth International Arts Festival Taking place over three weeks, Perth is home to the Perth International Arts Festival (PIAF), which guarantees a range of artistic expression in many forms. Whether it’s movies or a standstill exhibition, you can choose to see only what interests you. By making use of perfect lighting and crystal clear sound, you are able to experience the best in art at this festival. Margaret River Gourmet Escape If food and wine is what you love, then the Gourmet Escape in Margaret River is perfect for you. In the surrounds of the beautiful world-famous Margaret River wine region, the Gourmet Escape offers a fantastic line up of amazing food, fine wines, great beer and top international celebrity chefs. The festival offers an action packed weekend programme filled with cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, master classes, intimate Q&A’s and panel discussions. In just one day you can explore, indulge and share in some of the best produce from Western Australia. This culinary extravaganza will deliver a world-class festival, with special events that offer Australian and international visitors food and wine experiences like no other. What to pack Sunscreen Water Light jersey or scarf Cap or hat Cash (some events may not have card facilities) Small bag or deep pockets Dress comfortably – no heels ladies, try wedges instead! Pick and choose from a wide variety of festivals across Australia, and spend your time enjoying what you love!

Hire quality sound systems for parties The importance of hiring quality audio equipment cannot be overstated because good sound really adds a great atmosphere to any setting. The right songs coming from the right audio setup, can inject great energy into your event. Avoid hiring audio systems that are on the lower end of the cost ladder quite simply because it is a disaster waiting to happen. A number of generic party hire places Hire low-quality products, which are the same price, or sometimes even more expensive, than hiring quality products from the AV professionals. The sound quality of cheaper products is obvious because it diminishes the experience. The longer the speakers are used, the more heat is generated and the quality of the sound starts to decline. When hiring quality sound systems you need to ensure it comes from specialists who are more than qualified to advise you on what you need, because hiring quality equipment will ensure a clean and clear sound. When planning your party, it is important to think about exactly what you require, and there are several factors to take into account. You can’t just pick up a box, plug it in and think that it’s going to bring the house down. There are various speakers, available in a variety of sizes, each of which are designed to deliver a different sound. 400 watt  speakers in total  are fine for simple events such as fundraisers or a dinner/dance setup because they are not designed for high output. They will heat up and are not designed to continually produce med – high level of output for long periods of time. The result is bad sound will then heard.  However, when you’re looking for a party on the dancefloor then you need to consider 700 -1000 watts ( in total ) of sound amplification.  These are built for big sound all night. But beware that the cheaper brands say they have a 800watt amplifier but it can only produce this for a few seconds were the real industrial professional equipment produces 800 watts continuously. If your budget is limited, then chat to the experts about a package that can work for you.  Continuous Wattage is key – make sure you have enough for your requirements, and that it is included in your sound system package. Good sound has a lot to do with the output. Do you want to hear distortion or clarity at high volume? It is worth investing in quality equipment for a good party. The right sound specialists will ensure you hire the right equipment, which they will set up for you or you can pick it up from them if you want to save some dollars. . Using the right company also means you don’t have to worry about the sound because they will ensure your event is a sound success. You won’t be sorry, your guests will have a great time and you’ll be left with good memories. Always remember that you can never go wrong with a good sound system hired from the right company.

Watch the game on the big screen, in amazing HD, at your local sports bar When it comes to watching the game in a sports bar or restaurant, size matters – big time. There’s nothing like a rowdy, beer-drinking crowd jam-packed into a venue while watching the game on the big screen. Unless of course it’s a small screen and you can’t really see what’s going on from your beer-soaked seat at the back of the pub. In this case you might as well go home, watch the game from your couch, and feign excitement when your team scores, while hugging a pillow instead of the drunk stranger next to you. Watching sports games at public venues is great fun but you do want to be able to see the game. That’s when size comes into it. You want a big screen, especially when the venue is large and there are loads of people. Those venues with multiple large screen will always draw the crowds for the big games as opposed to those places that make do with home-sized screens, which might be fine in your living room, but won’t cut it at your local pub. When you and your mates are deciding where to watch the game, you never go to the place with the smallest screen, you go for size, and cold beers of course. Now while most places serve cold beer, not all screens are equal – not by a long shot. The place with the bigger screens, can simply accommodate more people who can watch the game easier. It makes the game visible from a long distance and allows for you to fill large venues with large amounts of people, most of who are drinking and eating. It makes practical and financial sense. In days gone by, there used to be multiple small screens scattered over any sports bar and maybe one large screen with poor quality. With the price of screens having gone down and the quality gone up, there’s no excuse for that kind of display. And the best screen is if the venue buys commercial. Commercial screens have a much brighter output, more robust and made with high performance in mind.  There is no use having a big domestic TV if you cant see it. Nowadays you should be able to see a big size screen from pretty much anywhere you sit or stand, and the quality should be flawless. Going beyond the normal size big screen TV’s the next step is large scale LED technology. These are made up of panels you keep bolting together to make any size you want.  These are made for outdoor and indoors with the better the pitch the better the image. Someone who decided to go large on a big scale was Crown; Perth’s newly renovated Sports Bar. They went all out,  engaging the services of Megavision to help them install three massive LED screens, which wrap around three walls of the bar. The 130m² of wrap around screens is truly impressive, has taken sport watching in Perth to the next level and is drawing large crowds who are loving watching their favourite sport in almost life size high definition.  2 x “small screens”  are 8 m wide x 4.5m high and the large screen is 13m wide x 4.5m high.  522 panels all together of 3.9mm pitch to give you over  8.5 million pixels to look at. If you are looking to up your game when it comes to watching sport on the big screen go large with Megavison or go home….and watch on the couch.