KOI-USA 2018 Announces Judging Panel for Concert Touring & Events Category

	The Concert Touring & Events judging panel for KOI-USA. Clockwise from top left: John Featherstone, Marian Sandberg, Barry Lather, Angie Warner, Yelena Filipchuk, John Huddleston.

The inaugural American Knight of Illumination Awards (KOI-USA), which brings this celebration of the achievements of show lighting and video designers to the United States for the first time, announce the full judging panel for the five awards in the Concert Touring & Events category.

Concert Touring & Events judging panel:

* John Featherstone, principal lighting designer and founder of Lightswitch and chair of the judging panel, has worked with The Pretenders, Van Halen, Duran Duran, and Bryan Adams, to name but a few

* Barry Lather, creative director, began his career starring as a dancer in Michael Jackson's film Captain EO, and has since gone on to direct world tours for Usher, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, and Carrie Underwood

* Angie Warner, touring manager for Guns'n'Roses, has more than 18 years' experience in the industry and has previously worked with NSYNC and Imagine Dragons

* Yelena Filipchuk, artist and co-founder of installation art collective HYBYCOZO, creator of large-scale, laser-cut geometric sculptures

* Marian Sandberg, Live Design content director, has been writing in the entertainment technology industry for more than 20 years

* John Huddleston, director of event production supplier, Upstaging Inc.

"We work in an industry full of talented, passionate, and incredibly creative people," says Featherstone. "I could not be happier that the prestigious Knight of Illumination Awards has come to North America so that we can recognize this on both sides of the Atlantic. I am so looking forward to judging the nominations in the company of such a diverse and talented panel of judges. It's going to be quite the task, but if anyone is up to it, this group is!"

Looking forward to commencing her duties as a Concert Touring & Events judge, Sandberg outlines what she will be looking for: "Lighting and video, whether subtle and understated or over-the-top and explosive, infuses energy into the live experience that every audience member or guest can feel, whether or not they can explain it. That's what makes a great design."

Nominations for the first Knight of Illumination Awards USA are open until the July 31, 2018. Nominations can be made in all three awards categories -- Concert Touring & Events, Theatre, and Live for Broadcast -- via the Knight of Illumination USA website www.knightofilluminationawards.com and at the URL below.

Once nominations have closed the panel will meet to select the three final shortlisted designs and one winner for each award.

The winners will be unveiled at the 2018 ceremony and gala dinner at The Foundry, SLS Hotel, Las Vegas on October 20, coinciding with the 30th anniversary celebration of LDI.

The KOI awards were conceived by renowned LD Durham Marenghi and Jennie Marenghi, and Italian lighting manufacturer Claypaky who, along with ACT Lighting, are headline sponsor of the KOI-USA Awards. The awards and ceremony are managed by America's entertainment technology trade show, LDI, in partnership with specialist content creation company The Fifth Estate on behalf of the KOI committee.