Event: Northern International Audio & Visual Show
Dates: April 26-28, 2024
Venue: Amari SPICE Penang, No: 2 Persiaran Mahsuri, Bayan Baru, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Supported by the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau
HI-FI/AV shows in Malaysia have had a storied past. Back in the mid-1990s, there was one event, then two and then one again… and for a couple of years during the Covid-19 wave, none at all, which was only to be expected. A regular event returned after pandemic-era restrictions were eased in 2022, plus a couple of new ones. Importantly, one of them was in Penang and held on a small scale – the Northern AV Show. While Kuala Lumpur has been the epicentre of Malaysia’s hi-fi and AV scene, there are hubs of enthusiasts in other cities, chief of them being Penang. And this new show is promising to be an annual one with ambitious visions.
At the helm of the Northern International Audio & Visual (NIAV) Show – as it is now branded – is Wilson Teoh, who heads event organiser Gryphon Productions. Teoh is no novice in the field, having starting out in the late 1990s as a concert promoter and production personnel for international artistes.
“We promoted and worked on shows such as Slash, Tom Jones, Alicia Keys, Il Divo, Incognito, Sarah Brightman, My Chemical Romance and many more. Then we brought in international DJs and organised music festivals of the EDM kind. From there, we worked on large New Year’s Eve countdown events for a South Korean electronics corporation and a couple of popular malls in the Klang Valley,” Teoh recalls.
His company’s forte, he added, is in the production of international concerts, music festivals, and also tailor-made events. Teoh has devoted the past 25 years collaborating with multinational corporations, luxury brands and property developers “to craft and organise events on their behalf”.
“It was when we branched out to curate bespoke events for corporations and luxury brands that we started to realise the need to put together events with specific goals and objectives. People want new experiences. Not the same old, same old,” Teoh said.
Which brings us to the NIAV Show. Teoh’s networking skills brought in support from the Penang state government via the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau. Its CEO Ashwin Gunasekeran was sold on the idea of an annual AV show on the island since Penang’s audio and home theatre enthusiasts had always looked to the Klang Valley for their fix.
At a press event recently to launch this year’s NIAV Show, Penang tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said plans to boost Penang’s tourism business included bringing in more international flights to the island. Events like the NIAV Show, he added, would enhance Penang’s appeal to both domestic and international travellers.
Back to Teoh, why a hi-fi/AV show when there are other more profitable events for the taking?
“Why not? LOL! Well, coming from the live international concerts scene, I do enjoy a good sound system in my spare time. Music was something I enjoyed since my early teens and hi-fi itself was something I started out on back in 1990 as a poor graduate.”
He said he observed that similar events in the region were “lacking strong content and concept”.
“It’s very dry to be honest. Book a venue, sell out the rooms, etc and it’s a show. There is no character, no connection. With the experience we have in organising and participating in the production of music festivals, it struck me to bring that ‘technology’ for AV shows. EDM music festivals are organised with a strong concept. It is not just setting up a stage and plonking a DJ, then off you go.
“There is a journey for the attendees. You need to give them an experience that will keep them coming back for more.”
So, how different will the NIAV Show be, using other similar shows in the region as a reference?
“Firstly, we are building the NIAV Show into a festival with many components. It is with the festival platform that the show will be fun to attend. You want to constantly engage the attendees with things to do. We have to keep them busy with new experiences.
“Secondly, we are going beyond hi-fi. It is about all that you see and hear. We have focused a lot on the content. It can even be digital art or projection mapping. Content that will give attendees a fresh perspective and a new experience at AV shows.
“An important agenda of NIAV is to highlight local talent. We are supportive of locals who are presently designing and manufacturing AV components. There are enthusiasts who are manufacturing music servers, amplifiers and speakers but no one is giving them a platform to shine. They deserve one.”
Beyond the music snd hardware, Teoh wants the show to also be an educational experience.
“Over and above seeing and listening to AV setups, we will have TEDx-style talks. Not only from AV specialists but also sound engineers, DJs, musicians and more. We want it to be truly educational and not just another jual ubat (sell medicine) session. Topics which will benefit the average AV enthusiast. Plug the brand later on, towards the end.
“We have also invited a few international YouTube hi-fi/AV content creators to NIAV. This is going to be interesting as we are bringing those reviewers out of their comfort zone, travelling all the way to Asia to be part of an AV show as in they will be on a panel for discussions.”
After each day’s busy programmes, Teoh said visitors and exhibitors can let their hair down at the event’s live music offerings in the evenings.
“There will be some light live performances during the exhibition but in the evenings, you can enjoy our concerts, all three nights. We call it Groove Sessions. It will be held at the Rooftop Garden of the SPICE Convention Centre. That is about ending the day with music as it is meant to be. Live!”
Local artistes from different genres will be making an appearance, Teoh added.
“The night will begin easy and progressively get heavier. It is important to provide a platform for them to entertain and also market themselves. Basically, we hope they can get more bookings after NIAV. I informed the artistes, please market yourself. Don’t just perform, take a fee and go. It is a business after all. Bills need to be paid.
“It might come across as strong but NIAV is not a pasar malam (night market) style event. We do not take the exhibitors’ fee and then just show them their space. We work with the exhibitors, we want to know what they will be exhibiting, we support their agenda to the best of our ability.
“There will be some first-time exhibitors at NIAV. We have been advising them on their presentation, on what is needed for them to have very presentable display. We have to assist them so that they have a fruitful outing..”
One significant feature is the ticket-free entrance for visitors. Is this a viable long-term plan?
“Of course not, this is not a viable long-term business model. But what makes a show successful? There is one critical component. It’s called ‘footfall’, if I may borrow the terminology used by shopping malls. Without good-to-great attendance, the exhibitors will not see value in participating. Without the exhibitors, what show do I have?
“Also, as a new event, we need for people to experience it. To see it’s worth. That is why even Groove Sessions is free despite the cost of setting up a stage and booking the artistes. We have to be patient. We need to build our base strong. We have to invest, taking a calculated risk. Later on, we can think about charging an entrance fee.
“We are fortunate to have the Penang state government’s support, via the Penang Conventions & Exhibition Bureau. It is with these two parties’ support that the exhibition fee is subsidised.
“Everyone is noticing the rising cost of living and doing business. Of late, AV shows are increasing their fee from year to year. But we are taking a different route. We want to make it affordable. We want to allow easy entry for exhibitors, they need not be weighed down by the financial burden of participating as they explore the northern region as a new market.”
Where does he see the NIAV Show in, say, a decade, in terms of growth in size and beyond its home venue?
“Many aspire for massive growth in the future, branching out to the region. Me personally, I do not see NIAV going beyond our own borders. However, it will definitely be brought to KL. Gelombang (an event Teoh organised in 2022) is taking a short rest, while we focus on building up NIAV. Soon, the Gelombang wave will return to KL in a big way too.
“As for NIAV itself, I would like to see it as one of the noted shows on the international AV show calendar. This will assist in promoting Penang as a choice destination for business events and tourism. After all, Penang is my hometown. Might that be the answer as to why NIAV?”
So far, some 30 exhibitors have signed up for the event, and Teoh isn’t too keen to add more for this year. For now, he added, “we’d like to keep it premium and exclusive”.
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