USA - Victor Zeiser of Squeek Lights is using Elation Professional’s new DARTZ 360 LED moving head along with Elation Protron 3K Color LED strobes to support the diverse sounds of hardcore rock band Beartooth on their current North American tour. The headlining tour, in support of the band’s new studio album Disease, kicked in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and plays a packed schedule of dates, concluding in Columbus, Ohio, next month.
Zeiser, who first met the hardcore rockers when they were an opening act for one of his other clients, Silverstein, and had put together a small timecoded show for the Ohio-based group’s last headliner tour, was well familiar with the band. So when Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo and company came looking for a designer for their fall Dis

Norway - Covering an area of 150 acres of wild Nordic terrain, Kristiansand Dyrepark and amusement park is one of Norway`s favourite visitor attractions and its favourite show is Kaptein Sabeltann (Captain Sabertooth). This year, the zoo decided to up the specification for audio on the show and has invested in a DiGiCo SD9 and S21, which have helped to address its complex signal distribution, an issue that its engineers say was easily solved with the DiGiCo system.
Kaptein Sabeltannis one of Norway’s most popular children’s characters and has been captivating audiences through stage, film, television, cartoons and books. The show has been performed at Kristianzand Zoo since it was first written in the early 1990s and, in 1994, won a Formoe a Spellemann prize, the Norwegian equivalent of the Grammy Awards, for Captain Sabertooth and the Treasure in Luna Bay.

USA - Twelve months on from the launch of LightShark at the 2017 LDI show, WORK PRO returns to Las Vegas to launch a completely new range of control hardware: Pyron.
Bringing together the company’s established background in digital audio and lighting control with their R&D team's experience of remote firing systems and pyrotechnic control, WORK PRO's Pyron range comprises several wirelessly controllable devices designed to provide event organisers and touring companies with complete control of stage effects and hardware ranging from stage pyrotechnics, audio and lighting effects to CO2, flame and cold fire spark machines.
At launch, the Pyron range includes an advanced suite of control software, two different DMX-equipped, battery-operable hardware consoles (the FDC W and the more fully-featured FDC A) and the FD P1 wired or wireless trigger pad, all of which are
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Indochine X PixMob Fan Immersion

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's - 40 thousand LED pixels on a ceiling!!! Indochine's whirlwind tour transports fans to another level of the live experience - immersing them from floor to ceiling with PixMob's X4 wristbands, and an LED ceiling made entirely of its NOVA Minis! With the vision of Indochine's creative team, PixMob used its LED fan-technology to turn attendees and venues into an ocean of effects, and a starry sky of LED magic. Très très cool!

Read more about the Indochine tour in the latest issue of LSi

USA - At LDI 2018, ArKaos will preview its powerful and flexible MediaMaster 5.4 and GrandVJ 2.6 video and media control platforms. Both now offer two significant new features: TrackDJ is designed for the seamless synchronization of video clips with a live DJ or to beat-match short video loops; while Full Fixture Control has also now been added to the ArKaos Video Mapper
ArKaos has had a busy and productive summer out and about at festivals and shows, talking to numerous lighting and video operators, DJ’s VJ’s, LDs etc., working in many different environments, and several have also visited ArKaos’s base in Brussels.
Their comments and feedback have helped shape the latest product developments and ensure that ArKaos keeps in touch and on-trend with what the fast-moving world of show visuals is demanding.
TrackDJ is a straightforward solution for better int

UK - Nuffield Southampton Theatres (NST) is one of the UK’s leading professional theatre companies. Their success, both nationally and internationally, has enabled the company to open a second venue in the new, £28m Studio 144 development in the centre of Southampton.
Whilst the core of NST’s work remains traditional theatre, the new venue, NST City, aims to bring wider cultural to Southampton by offering more in the way of music, cinema and even circus as well as classic theatre. When it came to equipping the new venue, theatre consultants, Arup, specified a wide range of EM Acoustics’ ubiquitous EMS Series loudspeakers across the three performance spaces.
NST’s head of sound, Jon Roache, wasn’t involved in the specification process, but was pleased with the choice of EM Acoustics. “I’d been using and dealing with EM for a fair while in a previous job,

Croatia - The Istrian National Theatre is located in the medieval port city of Pula on the Istrian peninsula in Croatia and is one of the most important cultural institutions in the region, renowned for the quality and innovation of its productions.
It has a 720-seat main auditorium and they produce around 10 new works per year, mainly drama or modern dance, plus one children’s production. The original building dates back to 1871 when the theatre opened. It was reconstructed in 1918 and extensive further restoration and upgrade work was undertaken in 1989 including the installation of a new fly tower, which made it capable of staging far more ambitious productions.
Recently, the theatre has invested in Robe moving lights – following a growing trend for theatres not just to look for more flexible and adaptable options, but also to look at LED and other long-term ene

UK - Around 500 industry family, friends, acquaintances and business associates hit HSL’s Blackburn HQ to enjoy two social open days to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary.
The event included an exhibition space which was dedicated to 32 of HSL’s key suppliers and partner companies including high profile brands and manufacturers like Avolites, Chauvet, High End Systems, J&C Joel, Martin by Harman, Robe, SGM, Philips Vari*Lite, Unilumin and many more, who showcased their latest technologies and enjoyed the general conviviality.
HSL’s Simon Stuart worked closely and tirelessly to make HSL30 happen with a short lead time, just before the autumn touring season kicked in. He worked alongside Jeff Demain as the co-show producer to get the building prepared while event organiser Mark Walsh took care of the administration. In fact, almost everyone working at

UK - Stage Electrics has announced the appointment of Adam Blaxill as operations director. His responsibilities include managing Stage Electrics’ engineering workshop, service department, purchasing function and sales warehouse. He continues with his marketing responsibilities.
Maria Townsend, Stage Electrics’ group CEO, commented, “Adam was the obvious candidate for this role. He has a great deal of knowledge of the Stage Electrics operation, as well as the technical entertainment industry. His appointment strengthens the team and allows us to continue our plan of further sustainable growth.”
(Jim Evans)

USA - ADJ is proud to announce will use the 2018 LDI trade show to unveil its latest technology breakthrough: IP65-rated moving head beam fixtures. The new Hydro Beam X1 and Hydro Beam X2 will bring weatherproof moving heads within the reach of production companies and installers working on projects with budgets that up until now would not have allowed for IP-rated fixtures.
With robust construction and IP65-ratings, the Hydro Series fixtures are designed for both indoor or outdoor use. Their durable casings protect them from dust, sand, moisture and liquids, making them ideal for use in all situations from dusty deserts in California to rainy fields in England. Suitable for festivals and outdoor events, as well as installation in open-air clubs and other outside entertainment spaces, the fixtures offer an extended operational life and reduced maintenance requirement due to

USA – At LDI 2018, ETC and High End Systems will join forces in one large-scale, combined booth to “showcase lighting solutions for every show and venue”. In addition to new fixtures, controls and rigging options, both companies will debut new moving lights on the tradeshow floor.
The booth showcases several new automated fixtures this year, among them are Relevé Spot fixtures, a mover that combines nearly a decade of LED optical engineering with forty years of theatrical experience. This affordable automated fixture includes impressive colour mixing capabilities, a perfectly subtle theatrical frost, and a unique Ani-gobo wheel that was designed with your theatre in mind.
The latest and brightest additions to the Sola Series, SolaSpot 3000 and SolaFrame 3000 will light up High End’s side of the booth. For a more compact frame option, the SolaFrame 1000 will be

USA - Doughty Engineering is set to launch the new Fifty Clamp at this year's LDI. The clamp which will make its debut on booth 1827 has TUV approval, a safe working load of 50kg and has been designed to fit tube diameter 38mm-51mm. Made from pressure die cast aluminium ensures it prevents damage to thin wall truss. It is captive with M10 or M12 bolts and comes supplied with an M10 fixing kit.
Mark Chorley, design engineer at Doughty commented: "We've been working on the Fifty Clamp for a little while, so we're very excited to be launching it at LDI this year. Our Twenty Clamp is one of our best-selling pieces of kit and we realised that a clamp which could take a safe working load of 50kg would be a welcome addition to the range."
Doughty's Omega Space Saver will also make its debut at the show. Mark continued: “We actually brought the prototype version with us to

The Netherlands - Ayrton has appointed Ampco Flashlight Sales as its latest exclusive distributor in its expanding international sales network. Based in Utrecht, Ampco Flashlight Sales will be responsible for the distribution of the entire portfolio of Ayrton products across The Netherlands, with immediate effect.
With a history that stretches back 30 years, Ampco Flashlight Sales is a distributor, systems integrator and project house for both professional lighting and audio products. Its rental division has recently invested in Ayrton Ghibli and MagicBlade-FX to add to its hire stock.
“To be a distributor for Ayrton is a gift,” says Ampco Flashlight Sales general manager, Peter de Fouw. “We have been looking at Ayrton with interest for a couple of years. Then came the release of the new progressive fixtures which really spurred us to talk to Ayrton and progress

Europe - On Tuesday 9th October, the EU released a revised version of their proposed new Ecodesign and Ecolabelling Lighting regulations. These are the intended final versions of these regulations.
The full texts are available to read via the links below.
From an entertainment lighting perspective, this version is almost entirely unchanged from the draft published in July. There is a minor addition of a new exemption for some specialist fluorescent lamps used in the film industry. And the exemptions established in the July draft, which cover many areas of entertainment lighting, remain in place.
However, this draft does not address any of the issues that the entertainment lighting industry’s Ecodesign Task Group have been trying to raise with the EU since the publication of the July draft.
This means that some key issues remain:
- requirement for lig

UK - After a successful year of headline festival slots and TV appearances, Rob Broderick, a.k.a. Abandoman recently embarked upon a sell-out tour to take his comedy hip-hop around the UK. Like his multi-talented client, LD Robbie Butler also went outside the box to create something original. Helping him in this endeavour were 21 Chauvet Professional Rogue R1 FX-B and 21 Maverick MK Pyxis fixtures.
Although lighting for a live music venue tour, Butler followed his client’s wishes and created the kind of “stadium looks” more commonly associated with large rock concerts.
“Rob (Abandoman) is a big fan of Kanye West, so he wanted the show to rival a Kanye concert in terms of production value,” commented Butler. “All this had to be achieved on a modest budget, and the show had to be able to turn around within the space of a half hour, so there were significant

Canada - Lighting designer Robert Sondergaard of Electric Aura Projects and Solotech recently deployed Martin by Harman VDO Sceptron10 LED lighting fixtures to create a dynamic and innovative stage design for Toronto’s Veld Music Festival.
Now in its seventh year, the annual EDM and hip-hop music festival was held in Toronto’s Downsview Park. The line-up featured Marshmello, Martin Garrix, DJ Snake, Benny Benassi, Lil Yachty and more. Each year the festival strives to create an ambitious and eye-catching stage design, and this year they wanted to incorporate the VELD logo as a dynamic centrepiece.
Festival organisers hired production and lighting designer Robert Sondergaard, who collaborated with video and sound provider Solotech to create an ambitious design using Martin VDO Sceptron10 LED Fixtures and custom-fabricated set pieces.
“The big thing they wa

UK - Monitor engineer Gavin Tempany has been out on tour Kylie Minogue. He has chosen a Solid State Logic L500 Plus for the shows, supplied by UK tour and events company Capital Sound Hire.
Kylie's latest world tour follows the release of her new album, Golden. It's a project heavily influenced by the Nashville country scene, which follows through onto the stage via set, costume, and narrative in a typically theatrical set. Kylie is joined on stage by five musicians and two backing singers, and all are supported at monitor world by experienced engineer Gavin Tempany (Dave Gilmour, Hans Zimmer, Will Young, OMD) and a Solid State Logic 500 Plus console.
While Tempany describes the 50 or so instrument and vocal inputs from show as "not too much compared to my usual madness", the aesthetics and design of the show have created a few side challenges. First, the moni

Argentina - Microphones from Audio-Technica are being used to capture both live and broadcast audio at Youth Olympics Games, taking place now in Buenos Aires.
The Youth Olympic Games, held every two years (Winter and Summer games staggered in years opposite the adult games), are an international multi-sport event organised by the International Olympic Committee. Buenos Aires 2018 is the scenario for 32 sports and 36 disciplines.
A wide selection of Audio-Technica microphones are being employed, including BP4071 Line + Gradient (Shotgun) Condenser Microphones, BP4073 Line + Gradient (Shotgun) Condenser Microphones, AT899 Subminiature Omnidirectional Condenser Lavalier Microphones and BP4001 Cardioid Dynamic Microphones (handheld, for interviews).
“We are pleased to be participating in the technical setup at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games,” stated Audio-

UK - Green Hippo, in partnership with Kinesys, is running a two-day Automation Masterclass. Held in Kinesys’s London demo room – just 20 minutes’ drive from Heathrow airport and fully-equipped with chain motors, rotators, trolleys and truss – the course is designed for anyone looking to explore integrating moving elements with Hippotizer. No prior knowledge of Kinesys automation systems is required, though a good understanding of Hippotizer and basic SHAPE functions will help attendees get the most out of the sessions.
Course content includes: Classroom component to comprehensively cover all aspects of automation, including connecting to an automation system, to visualising and pre-programming your show; Hands-on sessions in Kinesys demo room where students will work with hardware, practicing object alignment, parenting and automation scripting; Use of Kinesys Vector

USA - Obsidian Control Systems will be showcasing the first three lighting control products under the ONYX lighting control platform. Designers, programmers and operators are invited to Obsidian Control Systems Booth 1135 for a first look and hands-on demo of the powerful NX 2, the portable NX Wing and the convenient NX DMX.
The NX 2 is a compact yet fully-integrated lighting controller with all the connectivity and power the ever-increasing size of shows demands. As a member of the innovative ONYX platform from Obsidian Control Systems, the NX 2 is feature rich and never restricted in its capabilities.
Utilizing the latest in industrial components, the NX 2 contains a powerful Intel Hexa-Core processor, high-speed NVMe SSD drive and 16GB of DDR4 RAM. Fast boot times, instant operation and the ability to process 64 Universes right inside the console without the need f

USA - Following a very successful LDI last year and substantial growth in its American market, Kinesys returns to LDI to meet industry influencers, decision makers and movers & shakers - creative and technical - who will visit over the three days.
Kinesys will be highlighting its innovative new Apex hoist system, as well as its industry standard Elevation 1+ system and will be getting interactive on the stand, where visitors can control both Apex and Kinesys converted CM Lodestar hoists running with Elevation 1+, side by side. This is designed to provide a real hands-on and tactile experience, so people can appreciate what the two different systems can offer in terms of performance and smoothness of operation. It will also provide an authentic comparison between these two versatile platforms of chain hoist control.
Attendees can also check out the Kinesys’ DigiHo

USA - UK lighting control manufacturer Zero 88 will have a strong presence at the 2018 LDI expo, for the first time in several years following on from the success and buzz of their FLX range of lighting consoles, first launched in 2015.
Zero 88 product specialist Jon Hole, commented, “LDI is well known for the high-quality of its visitors which includes a big percentage of lighting designers, directors and programmers. In addition to all those from North America, Canada and Latin America, we are also expecting to see people from Asia and the Pan Pacific regions. It should be an excellent chance for us to get the brand and products in front of new contacts and a completely different audience.”
An international Zero 88 product specialist team will be demonstrating the FLX and FLX S ranges of powerful and intuitive lighting desks on Booth 962 (co-exhibiting alongside

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