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City Limits - Five British cities competing to be the European Capital of Culture in 2023 have been left reeling after it emerged the European Commission is to exclude them from the competition. The news comes less than a month after final submissions were made by Dundee, Leeds, Milton Keynes, Nottingham and a joint bid by Belfast, Derry and Strabane.
A letter sent by the commission to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said the UK’s decision to withdraw from the EU meant “the participation of the UK in the European Capital of Culture will not be possible”. Expectations had been high that a British city would be selected for the first time since Liverpool in 2008. A judging panel had been due to convene next week to assess the British bids.

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USA - Community has expanded the system design versatility of its I Series family with the new IV6 Modular Vertical Array 600 system. Aesthetically designed for installed indoor or outdoor applications, IV6 is a scalable, adaptive sound reinforcement system featuring wide-dispersion IV6-1122 array elements (12-inch, 2-way) available in two complementary vertical coverage angle versions (5° and 15°).
Built-in Passive Acoustic Optimization (PAO) settings on the rear of each loudspeaker allow up to 55 different frequency response profiles to be independently selected for each element in the array, providing unmatched SPL and frequency response consistency throughout a listening area without requiring costly additional amplifiers or DSP channels. Community’s exclusive PAO module included within EASE® Focus 3 software quickly calculates the ideal PAO settings for each louds

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Spain - After 647 shows and a massively successful run of almost two years at the Beatrix Theatre in Utrecht - delighting more than 800,000 fans - Stage Entertainment Holland’s blockbuster production of The Bodyguard has opened at the Teatro Coliseum in Madrid.
Imaginative and eye-catching lighting is again designed by Luc Peumans of the Belgian mixed-media visual design practice, Painting with Light.
Luc was integral to the original Dutch production’s creative team, who were all commissioned to bring their style and magic back to the show in the vibrant Spanish capital. This included Carla Janssen Hofelt, responsible for the impressive automated video set featuring content produced by Ad de Haan.
Juxtaposed against this, Luc’s lighting captured the drama of the story and presented it in the distinctive cinematic aesthetic they developed for the Dut
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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

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UK - For the second year running, Robe’s newest moving lights - including the just launched MegaPointe multi-purpose moving light – featured prominently on the UK’s much anticipated 2017 X Factor final series. Six weeks of nail-biting live show excitement with lighting designed by Tim Routledge will reveal some incredible singing talent and culminate on the final at Wembley Arena this weekend.
The show was staged for the first time at LH2 Studios in Park Royal, north-west London, and joining the 43 x MegaPointes on Tim’s rig were another 270 Robe fixtures - 112 x Spikies, 52 x Spiider LED wash beams, 37 x BMFL Blades, 34 of the brand new LEDBeam 150s, 35 x onePATT single cells which are also new and a BMFL RoboSpot, adding up to a grand total of 314 x Robe lights.
Another stunning set by Florien Wieder of Wieder Design included multiple LED screens and a

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USA - LiteGear Inc., designers and builders of LED lighting products for professionals in the Cinema, TV, and HD Video industries, made its first Pledge-a-Product donation to Behind the Scenes on the show floor at LDI 2017. Pioneers behind the popularization of flexible LED lighting for use in Cinema and TV lighting applications, LiteGear presented a cheque for $7750 representing a percentage of the profits from sales of their new flagship fixtures, LiteMat+ Plus, to support the charity.
On presenting the cheque, LiteGear CEO, Al DeMayo, stated, “We are very proud to be part of such a great charity. The support for entertainment industry members is an admirable cause that LiteGear can really get behind.”
Tobin Neis of the BTS Foundation Board of Directors commented, “Behind the Scenes is thrilled to have LiteGear as a part of our Pledge-a-Product programme and f

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Germany - Eighty Anolis ArcSource 4MC LED fixtures were specified to illuminate the indicator for a new heat storage tank (Wärmespeicher) installed in the Drispenstedt residential district of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony.
The impressive 17.5m high 4m wide structure which resembles a quirky piece of contemporary sculpture was designed by pape+pape Architekten from Kassel. It contains an internal cylindrical water feature which is illuminated by the ArcSources which are programmed to indicate how much of the energy generated from the nearby natural gas-fired combined heat and power plant (CHP) is currently stored and available for use.
The lighting installation was commissioned by energy company Energieversorgung Hildesheim (EVI) and the lighting design was imagined and delivered by locally based architectural lighting specialist SSP Design, with Matthias Schiminski and H

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USA - It was an evening of memories, music and celebration as Kenny Rogers celebrated his retirement from an illustrious career. Bandit Lites provided the lighting for Blackbird Presents, All In for the Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration, a one-night only send-off to one of music’s most successful artists of all time.
In a recorded production to be televised at a later date, the music industry’s finest, including Kris Kristofferson, Chris Stapleton, Alison Krauss, Lady Antebellum, Wynonna and Naomi Judd, Lionel Richie, Idina Menzel, The Flaming Lips and Little Big Town performed the hits of Rogers, before the evening culminated in legendary duet partner Dolly Parton taking the stage with Rogers himself.
Lighting designer Mark Carver crafted a lighting look that would match the Gambler’s classic style while creating looks that would trans

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UK - Based on the 1984 cult film by Lloyd Kaufman in which an aspiring earth scientist transforms into an unlikely superhero after falling into a vat of toxic waste, The Toxic Avenger - The Musical is now earning critical praise in the UK. Driven by an intense rock score by Bon Jovi band member David Bryan and a book by Joe DiPietro, the show is running in London’s West End.
Contributing to the bold design of the musical is a richly textured lighting design created by Nic Farman that features a collection of Chauvet Professional fixtures. The London-based LD deployed 10 Maverick MK2 Spots, six Maverick MK1 Hybrids, 14 Ovation E-910FC profiles and eight Ovation B-2805FC batten fixtures throughout his rig to help create the Toxic Tromaville world the show is set in.
“I wanted the lighting design to be a key storytelling element,” commented Nic. “I’ve wor

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UK - London TV and feature film post production studio, halo, has carried out a major £300k upgrade of its main Studio 1 film dubbing stage, which it acquired towards end of 2011 after taking on the lease at 25 Noel Street in Soho.
As one of only three cinema-scale audio mix rooms in central London, halo had earmarked this as the first phase in a comprehensive refit of the 10,000sq.ft building, converting the stage into a Dolby Atmos environment, based around 46 JBL loudspeakers.The speakers, along with the Crown DCi-N network amplifiers and BSS Soundweb DSP, were supplied by Sound Technology, who distribute these and other Harman brands in the UK and Ireland.
Providing technical support from Sound Technology was senior application engineer, Ben Todd. He explained that with Atmos gaining traction in the industry, halo had felt the time was right to bring their main st

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USA - Mark Waker, owner of the New England-based integration and consulting firm Balanced Input, faced a variety of challenges for an audio upgrade at Phillips Academy Andover’s historic Cochran Chapel in Massachusetts.
In addition to two lines of large pillars that run the length of the building and obstruct the passage of sound, the Chapel walls have 10ft high wood panelling running around the space along with the wooden pillars and pews, all of which contribute to reflectivity that can further impact audio reproduction. Fortunately, Martin Audio CDD12 speakers would help in providing a one of a kind solution to overcome these challenges.
Phillips Academy, a private boarding school founded in 1778 with a list of prominent alumni that includes former presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, originally dedicated the Cochran Chapel in 1932. The historic space

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Ukraine - Four years in its construction, Ukraine’s impressive Lavina Mall has opened the doors to its vast 140,000sq.m shopping and leisure concept – the largest in the country.
Housed within and occupying a staggering 20,000m2 is Galaxy Amusement Park, one of Europe’s largest theme parks. At such a superlative destination reliability is at a premium. Dependability is the prime driver, and so the uniform and fail-safe sound coverage for the entire amusement park is under the steadfast control of Powersoft Ottocanali power amplifiers, specified and installed by integrator and Powersoft’s Ukraine distributor, MAG Audio.
A consistent audio soundtrack is integral to the amusement ride experience and at Galaxy this is distributed via a network of over 400 loudspeakers, installed at the 20m ceiling height and zoned around the indoor park and its attracti

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Sweden - On one of the brightest nights of the year in Kumla, Sweden, lighting designer Fredrik Jönsson showcased a drama-filled lightshow using products from the SGM P-family. The show took place on a man-made hill, with smoke pouring from the ground, complementing the spectacular artistic light show on this bright summer night.
The light show took place during a gala dinner during a world leadership conference. It did not take long to choose the man-made hill, as it was the highest point for miles and with an already fixed art-installation with large outdoor installations called Art on the Hill. With a concept of dining at a very scenic place, the event company Bright Blue decided to build a huge tent with see through sides and roof on a scaffold construction on top of the peak.
Kvarntorpshögen was made during World War II, when extracting oil from slate. Al

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UK - The Band is a new musical written by Tim Firth, featuring the music of Take That. Cast through the 2017 BBC reality television show Let It Shine, it is produced by David Pugh and is currently touring the UK through until July 2018, with more dates being added.
With so many theatrical venues playing host to the production, Kate West, production manager has brought Unusual Rigging on board for the duration of the tour to provide motors, truss and rigging for LX and sound positions and for some scenic items, as well as supplying staff for the get-in and get-out at each tour move.
While The Band is not a particularly complex show in terms of rigging, as with the nature of touring productions, some venues are more challenging than others and Kate needed peace of mind that the points could be installed relatively quickly in each venue to enable the

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New Zealand - Since 1984, Grouse Lighting Aotearoa in Wellington, New Zealand, has been renting high-quality lighting gear locally and nationally for everything from weddings to grand opera. With services spanning design, installation, production, and operation, their lighting control platform needs to be fast, efficient, and scalable.
That’s why managing director Allan McShane has made Grouse Lighting a High End Systems Hog house for coming onto eight years. To keep it all in the Hog family, Grouse Lighting has purchased two Road Hog 4 consoles to replace their trusty but aging Road Hog 3s.
“The Road Hog 4s are our general workhorse desk and are used on all sorts of events; from large-scale orchestral concerts to corporate presentations,” Allan states. “Grouse Lighting supports any job that requires lighting, from something as simple as hanging festoons in a g

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Russia - Mercury Space Moscow is a 975sq.m, ultra-luxury, multifunctional venue located on the 40th floor of Mercury City Tower in the Russian capital. The owner of this new space, which has been designed for celebrity events and parties, wanted a sound system that would set it apart. When Sonoruss, L‑Acoustics certified distributor for the region, suggested an L‑ISA immersive audio system - the first nightclub installation in the world - it was agreed that there was no other choice.
L‑ISA, which stands for Immersive Sound Art, is an immersive audio technology, combining L‑Acoustics’ sound design and world-class loudspeaker systems with sophisticated processing tools to create a hyperrealistic soundscape at live shows.
“We introduced the venue’s owner to the new multichannel L‑ISA system, using Kiva II and KS28 when they visited the L‑ISA Lab in Highg

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Poland - On a late September weekend, the 54th edition of the popular song festival, the National Festival of Polish Song, was held in the Millennium Amphitheatre in the city of Opole in south-western Poland.
This festival is the annual celebration of the Polish music scene, transmitted live by the national public broadcaster TVP to a multimillion audience. This year it was also a tribute to one of Poland's greatest artists Maryla Rodowicz, who celebrated her 50th anniversary on stage at the festival. DiGiCo’s SD5, SD12 and SD-Racks, equipped with the latest 32-Bit Mic Pre-Amp cards, played a central role in the event.
Almost three weeks of preparation and six days of intensive artist, sound, lighting and camera rehearsals took place from early morning to the dark of night, with dozens of people involved in the production of this three-day event.
The digital mi

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USA - Atlona has named Denver-based Momentum Group as its manufacturer’s representative for much of the western US. Momentum Group will represent Atlona north to south through Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and western Texas, working closely with Bruce Moses, Atlona’s national sales manager, Western region.
“We play very strongly in the corporate AV vertical, and Atlona’s traditional range of switchers and extenders are among the most versatile and visible options on the market today to serve the needs of board rooms, huddle rooms and other meeting spaces,” said Dan Keller, director of commercial sales, Momentum Group.
“What excites us more is Atlona’s aggressive move into AV over IP, which is quickly becoming an important need across all commercial AV verticals we serve including corporate, education and government. The OmniStream range is made for

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UK - The d&b audiotechnik GB team has scheduled another installation showcase on Thursday 11 January 2018. The presentation, exploring the latest pro audio solutions for optimal sonic results and unobtrusive design, is hosted by the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD) at 11:00 and again at 14:00 at the Embassy Theatre in Swiss Cottage, London.
“This is another great opportunity for anyone who would like to know more about the dedicated installation products and what can be achieved, even in the most challenging of venues,” says Steve Jones from d&b Education and Application Support. “With lots of listening, we’ll experience the smart and scalable xS-Series loudspeakers – the 10S, 12S and the 2016 release 24S, alongside their counterpart subwoofers.”
The presentation will also cover the d&b 10D and 30D amplifiers, with their installa

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Poland - DirectOut has appointed LP Systems SP as its distributor for Poland.
LP Systems managing director Paweł Mathia comments: “In the current era of remote productions, budget limitations, and increasing quality and reliability in radio, live and television productions, DirectOut products will be used heavily in the future. Based on IP, MADI and other sophisticated technologies they are ideally suited for achieving the ambitious goals that LP Systems has been pursuing since its beginning. The DirectOut products and solutions meet the challenging media market demands and will be a cornerstone of the market's transition.”
“We are always looking for technically experienced and motivated distribution partners, who act as consultants and service providers in addition to the pure sales business - and LP Systems meet these requirements perfectly,” says Jan Ehrlic

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UK - London and Dubai based event technical design and production specialist Maestra has welcomed four new team members in London, in time for the busy autumn and winter season.
Justin Hammond, managing director of Maestra London, commented: “We are delighted to welcome everyone on board, and have been really impressed with the calibre of people interested in making a commitment to working with Maestra at this very exciting time in our development.”
Lizzie Bishop joins as senior project manager, Alice Dapling comes on board as a senior production designer; Sirajuddin Mohammed is focussed on the financials and accounts, while Jenny Bumanglag strengthens the operations division.
Lizzie Bishop graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Geography, then started off her career in events as an Events Co-ordinator for Wise Productions, specialising

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USA - Elation Professional’s Artiste Dali LED moving head won the accolade for Best Debuting Product: Lighting at the recent LDI trade show in Las Vegas. It is the second notable industry award in the past two months for the Artiste Dali, having won a PLASA Award for Innovation in September.
The award came just a day after the Elation Chorus Line 16 LED batten was awarded a Gold Star Product Award by the editors and writers of PLSN magazine, and with the Proteus Hybrid also a 2017 PLASA Innovation Award winner and the Artiste DaVinci WH a Best Moving Light Award winner at the recent WFX show, the Elation trophy case is bulging.
The LDI 2017 Best Debuting Product Award was presented at an awards ceremony on Saturday, 18 November, on the AG Productions' megastructure stage at LDI: Live Outside at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. “It’s a chilly evening but this def
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