The Two Biggest Talking Points at LDI 2018 with Chris Prosio & Alison Maxson of Absen

 

2018 marks the 30th anniversary of the Live Design International conference in Las Vegas, the premiere Pro AV show for the best in innovations in the live audience experience, from concerts, to theme parks to houses of worship. Live venue manufacturors have always been a key group for innovation in Pro AV; by always looking to bring the best experience for the audience, an experience that consistently feels unique, those professionals have to search for changes in design, technology or implementation.

This year, two main issues are going to be the buzz at LDI: rigging weight and labor time. As LED tiles get bigger, crisper and in effect heavier, how can manufacturors cut down on the bulkiness? How can they maximize set-up and tear-down time? How do you maintain safety and attention to detail with these pushes for efficiency? Here to give their thoughts on these important industry questions and what they’re most excited about at LDI are Chris Prosio, Director of Sales for Rental & Staging, and Alison Maxson, Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications at Absen.

“One of the big factors from an ROI is how quickly the teams, the riggers, the AV technicians out there unloading and loading, how quickly can they get them up, how quickly can they can get them down,” Maxson said. “The faster they can move, the faster they can turn through from one show to another, is going to ultimately lead to being able to book more shows which is more money in their pocket.”

This year, Absen is showcasing a new product that looks to bring solutions to these industry growing pains: ALTAIR, an LED display designed for touring. A lighter framework, fast installation, safe-guards for load in and load out, and brighter more efficient performance make it an exciting contender at LDI. Absen hopes to show off not only its aesthetics but practical capabailities by putting it to work for their entire booth setup; more than 60% of the booth will be ALTAIR LED tiles. At the end of the day, Absen represents a perfect example of how manufacturers are looking to stay ahead of their user’s needs. “You’re dealing with numbers of tiles, right? So each tile is built up of a structures. In the past, that structure has been aluminum or maybe steel,” Prosio said. “One of the ways we’re addressing this is changing how that structure is built. We’ve been using magnesium, which is a lighter metal.”

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @ProAVMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

design
Where Design Meets Durability: Why Commercial Surfaces Must Support Safety, Cleanability, and Long-Term Value
June 8, 2026

When a commercial space fails, it often fails quietly: a lobby floor that becomes slippery when wet, a hotel bathroom that is difficult to clean, a healthcare surface that cannot withstand constant disinfection, or an office finish that looks great until afternoon glare makes the room uncomfortable. These are not purely aesthetic problems; they are…

Read More
creative career
Crafted Journey How To: Building a Creative Career Across Scripts, Stages, and Sound
June 8, 2026

Creative careers rarely move in a straight line, especially for writers working across stage, screen, audio, books, and independent film. Sustaining that kind of life often means finding opportunities wherever they appear, building a strong network, staying open to different formats, and saying yes to collaborations that can lead somewhere unexpected. The stakes are…

Read More
EMR
EMR Strategy, Consulting, and Career Pivots with MedSys Co-Founder Mark Embry
June 8, 2026

Electronic medical records (EMRs) have moved from a back-office upgrade to a frontline determinant of care quality, clinician burnout, and hospital economics. With U.S. hospitals often spending tens to hundreds of millions—sometimes exceeding $100 million—on EMR implementations, the stakes have never been higher for getting both the technology and the human adoption right. As…

Read More
radiology
Growing Without Compromise: How Vision Radiology Balances Scale, AI, and Clinical Quality
June 4, 2026

Radiology sits at the center of a modern healthcare squeeze: imaging volumes are climbing, hospitals need faster reads, and there simply are not enough radiologists to meet demand the old way. At the same time, remote work and AI are reshaping what a clinical practice can look like. The challenge is no longer whether…

Read More