Plasa outgrows Olympia’s National Hall

Plasa returned once again to Olympia London to welcome all of those interested in the field of AVL. Despite the clash in dates between Plasa and IBC, the venue was still packed with individuals from across the UK and beyond, looking to explore everything Plasa had to offer. After relocating to a smaller venue in 2016, Olympia’s National Hall, Plasa announced that it will be placed in Olympia’s newly renovated Grand Hall from next year due to an increase in visitors and exhibitors.

From colourful lights to the smoke-filled bubbles floating out into the venue, it was filled with wonder and curiosity, especially for those new to Plasa.

Taking centre stage on the ground floor was Robe, showcasing its products with a Back to the Future themed lighting feature that took place every half an hour. This could be seen around the stage and at the gallery level, both of which were always packed with eager viewers who wanted to see the show.

Up on the first floor, individuals were greeted once again with many other companies within the AVL field. At the gallery level, individuals were able to gain a different perspective of the show by observing below. Tucked away in its corners were audio lounges and Stage to Studio, a small stage where musicians demonstrated the use of some of the audio products on show. There were also theatres that offered a selection of seminars for anyone keen to learn more on various AVL topics. Among the large range of speakers was Patrick Smith, an AV integrator and production supplier for SFL, who spoke on Sunday about ways to improve church audio. He, alongside many other speakers, was very keen to talk about his experiences as well as sharing knowledge.

Sunday is known to be the quietest time for Plasa, with Monday being its most popular day. ‘The show has been busy,’ said Louise Stickland, who represented several lighting companies at Plasa, such as Robe. ‘Sunday was very hectic but Monday has been even more so. Generally, I think there is a good buzz, lots of interaction and I’m hearing lots of chatter. This show on the Robe stand is going down really well. A lot of people talking about that, so that’s good and there’s lots of interesting people, lots of young people and students.’

Ever since relocating to Olympia, Plasa has grown increasingly popular. With this latest announcement, moving once again to a different venue will provide the event with the chance to expand even further. With this year’s large crowds and welcoming atmosphere, the expansion will surely be beneficial to everyone involved.