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UK – Supporters and trustees of Backup - The Technical Entertainment Charity - gathered in London on Monday evening to help raise the profile of the charity’s new name and logo in entertainment industry. Around 80 guests attended the event, which included live entertainment from Jay Johnson.
Backup exists to provide financial support to technical professionals working in live events, theatre, TV and film, helping them to get back on their feet when their lives are disrupted by illness or injury to themselves or to family members. Previously known as Behind The Scenes UK, the charity changed its name to Backup in 2016.
Backup’s chairman, John Simpson, welcomed guests to The Hospital Club in London’s Covent Garden, which generously sponsored the event. He reiterate

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UK - An extraordinary new exhibition at the Barbican uses a military camera capable of detecting an individual from 30.3km distance, day or night, to make a visceral three-channel video installation about the journeys of refugees fleeing conflict.
Christie M Series 3DLP projectors were designed with features able to show the luminous footage, with remarkable detail and clarity, at a greatly enlarged size. The immersive quality of the projection not only underlines how technology is putting new tools in the hands of artists, but how those tools combine to create new art forms, content possibilities and – ultimately – new experiences to keep audiences engaged. “We’ve had a record 20,000 visitors in three weeks with over 2,400 on the opening weekend,” said Alona Pardo, curator at the Barbican.
For Incoming, conceptual documentary photographer and Deutsche Börse

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USA - Lighting designer Herrick Goldman used Elation Professional’s colour-changing Colour 5 Profile LED ellipsoidal spot as part of a large lighting package for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s recent production of Alice in Wonderland.
The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s version of Lewis Carroll’s timeless classic ‒ first created in London 20 years ago by a design team at the English National Ballet ‒ ran 10-19 February at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts in Pittsburgh.
“It was a fun challenge to update the work to a much more modern and vibrant aesthetic in collaboration with choreographer Derek Deane,” Goldman commented about his work on the ballet. “When Derek told me he wanted a modern Vegas feel to the show, [director of production] Curtis Dunn and I immediately began discussing adding LEDs to the plot. We were able to use 26 Elation
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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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USA - The Long Reach Long Riders (LRLR) celebrated their upcoming ride through Southern California with a raffle and live auction to benefit Behind the Scenes during the USITT Conference in St. Louis last week.
Sales of raffle tickets, some key donations, and sales of BTS and LRLR-branded swag raised over $15,000 for the charity. The LRLR 2017 ride, dubbed the Avocado Adventure, starts on 16 June in Escondido, CA. The riders cover all their own expenses so everything they raise goes to the charity. Sponsor a rider today at www.behindthescenescharity.org/lrlr.
Festivities led off with the traditional kazoo parade led by Bill Sapsis and USITT executive director David Grindle and many of the LRLR. Following the parade, BTS Pledge-a-Product partners InCord (Orchestra Pit Safety Netting Systems) and ETC (irFR and aRFR application for iOS and Android devices) presented chequ

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South Africa - Thanks to considerable growth with DiGiCo sales in South Africa, DWR Distribution has welcomed Jaco Beukes to the family. He will officially join the company on 20 March 2017.
“We had no idea that DiGiCo would grow as fast it has,” said Duncan Riley of DWR. “It has been less than a year that we acquired the agency and the only way we can continue to support this great product is to invest in great people.”
Jaco Beukes will be assisting Kyle Robson, who handles DiGiCo sales. “I want to take this opportunity to say well done to Kyle and the DWR team so far. It’s an honour that this brand has grown the way it has, and it’s going to be great to have Jaco here,” added Duncan.
Hosting DiGiCo roadshows, revealing new products, training and supporting festivals, Kyle has been the face behind DiGiCo in South Africa. “With the growth of a p

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USA - Allen & Heath digital mixers are once again at the forefront of this year’s South by Southwest Music and Media Conference (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, USA.
Mixers from across the dLive, GLD and Qu ranges are employed in many participating venues across the city during the six-day event, most notably for the renowned British Music Embassy showcase.
Hosted at the Latitude 30 club, British production company, CATO Music, has installed three dLive systems to manage FOH, monitors and broadcast duties for up to 12 bands a day.
With a new band appearing approximately every 40 minutes, a quick setup and easy navigation for each visiting band engineer are the key system requirements. Secondly, the system needs to provide a multi-track recording feed for the BBC, which plans to broadcast much of the British Music Embassy programming.
A dLive S5000 Surface wi

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Australia - The prestigious Robert Blackwood Hall at Melbourne’s Monash University has been equipped with a versatile inventory of Nexo sound reinforcement technologies, including a new Geo M6 compact line array as main PA.
Monash is a public research university based in Melbourne, one of the oldest in Australia. Named after its founding Chancellor, Sir Robert Blackwood, the Robert Blackwood Hall has become Melbourne’s most prestigious venue outside the Central Business District, now celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Group Technologies, the Melbourne-based design and installation company, was briefed to specify and supply new audio facilities appropriate for the Hall’s different uses. “Acoustically, it ranks with the best available in Australia,” explains GT director Mark Ladewig. “It has been the venue for numerous commercial recordings for the ABC, Melbou

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Ireland - Coinciding with the company’s 50th anniversary, Irish broadcast, AV and video conferencing experts, Eurotek have taken delivery of BlackTrax real-time motion tracking system. The purchase meets the exponential requirement for clients within the broadcast technology, Audio Visual, VFX and communications industry requiring real-time motion tracking throughout Ireland.
“Eurotek has made a commitment to focus on growth, and new projects in our home country are central to this expansion. The projects we work on are getting much more complex, and systems like BlackTrax will enable us to deliver impactful and compelling presentations to clients,” said Noel McMahon, technical sales & business development at Eurotek.
“The BlackTrax system is already used by our sister company AVtek for live event projects, so we’ve invested in a further system.
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Japan - AV Stumpfl, the Austrian AV technology manufacturer, recently announced the Japanese company Mix Wave, Inc. as their exclusive media server and show control distributor for Japan. Mix Wave is well known for professional AV product distribution and related services in Japan.
AV Stumpfl’s global business development manager Horst Damoser commented on the announcement, which was made public for the first time at this year’s ISE exhibition in Amsterdam: “Japan is without doubt a country with very discerning AV technology customers, for whom superior product quality is of great importance. We have a very successful and constructive relationship with our projection screen customers in Japan and are looking forward to growing the media server and show control side of things with the help of Mix Wave. Their great reputation and their experience with media server relate

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UK - Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru recently staged a Welsh-language version of Macbeth at Caerphilly Castle. This new, site-specific production ran last month and was the company’s first show to be performed in this historic ruin. Following its work on several other site-specific projects, White Light was asked to provide the lighting equipment on this production.
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru was formed in 2003 with the aim of offering a variety of productions that enrich Wales’ theatre culture in all its form, especially through the medium of Welsh. The lighting designer on Macbeth was Joe Fletcher and the production and lighting assistant was Joshua Kroon. Joshua comments, “I worked closely alongside Joe to help create the systems and structure that would facilitate his design. This was an extremely ambitious production and key planning at every single stage w

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UK - The Association of Lighting Designers (ALD), in conjunction with Royal Central Research, is hosting an afternoon of talks and panel discussions at Bankside (Central Bankside, Emerson St. SE1 9DU – Saturday 8 April, 2017 – 2pm) to celebrate the warm reception of Nick Moran’s recently published book, The Right Light (Palgrave 2016).
The Right Light documents the findings of Royal Central’s Nick Moran’s project, which asked such questions as ‘How do top theatre lighting designers decide what is the right light for each moment of a live performance?’, ‘How much of the process is technical?’, ‘How much craft? And ‘How much art?’ Answers to these questions, gleaned through interviews with 19 leading UK based lighting designers, form the basis data for this fascinating research study.
The event, introduced by Peter Mumford, multi-aw

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Germany - At this year's Prolight+Sound (4-7 April) in Frankfurt, the Adam Hall Group – a manufacturer and distributor of event technology solutions – will unveil several world premieres in Hall 3.1, booth E60-F70. At the same time, the German company will announce its collaboration with the legendary Porsche Design Studio.
At the start of the exhibition, our pro audio brand, LD Systems, will unveil its near-production concept for a future-oriented sound product, which has been developed in collaboration with Porsche Design Studio. “Our development team, together with the designers from the Porsche Design Studio, have done a first-class job. We are introducing a brand new kind of design into the industry. I am really looking forward to seeing the reactions in the market,” says Alexander Pietschmann, CEO of the Adam Hall Group.
“This integrative design has n

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Germany – ETC is powering up to demonstrate a selection of its latest and most popular lighting and rigging solutions at this year’s Prolight+Sound, taking place in Frankfurt from 4–7 April. ETC representatives from around the globe will be available to answer questions regarding lighting control, luminaires, rigging and complete system solutions, in hall 3.0 on stands E47, E51 and F51.
Visit stand E51 to see the recently launched Gio @5 console. This lighting desk brings the professional-grade control of the Eos Ti and Gio consoles within reach of users with tighter spaces – and tighter budgets. Receive a demo using the Gio @5, another Eos-family console, or Cobalt Wings, and see in action a selection of ETC’s Source Four LED Series 2 luminaires.
On stand E47, product specialists will show all the features of the entire ColorSource family of products. Develo

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UK - Working alongside lighting designer/director Sturat Pring, LED Creative provided an array of their Alpha 60 RGB Wand Kits to add highlights to an absorbing performance by Ray BLK for Deezer Next, a new programme supporting music’s next generation.
Using the Alpha 60 to great effect, Stuart positioned the wands to create an intricate layered backdrop that pulsed in time with the rhythm, adding subtle accents to a suite of soulful, stripped back versions of songs by the newcomer.
Available as ‘plug and play’ rental kits, the LC Alpha Soft RGB Wands are available in a choice of length and colour temperature to provide a versatile, highly controllable illumination solution. For the Deezer installation the LD cleverly added a sense of depth to the intimate studio choosing to ‘float’ the wands within a haze filled darkness, creating a simple monochromatic ambi

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UK - Matthew Bourne’s latest show Early Adventures is making a triumphant return as part of the company’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The show sees Matthew Bourne return to his roots with a programme of early pieces that launched his career and saw the birth of his enigmatic style. Following the company’s work on Matthew Bourne’s previous show The Red Shoes, White Light has been called upon once again to provide the lighting equipment.
Early Adventures is a triple bill of classic Bourne work: The Infernal Galop, Town and Country and Watch with Mother. The set has been designed by long-time collaborator Lez Brotherston with a lighting design by Andy Murrell. Andy comments: “My role was to create a design that would be suitable for the overall show whilst also ensuring that each piece had its own individual identity. For i

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South Africa - Eventech, a Centurion based rental company has purchased 12 new Prolyft Aetos motors which will be used for their ground support, for flying PA, or which can be rented out.
“We chose Prolyft for various reasons,” said Wynand Veldsman of the company. “Reliability, safety and it was time to upgrade our current motors. Prolyft is often specified, and when used on events, the motors are quiet, aesthetically pleasing and look neat in a rig.”
The motors were purchased from DWR Distribution. “We are pleased to see the growth of Eventech and all the exciting projects they have in the pipeline,” said Robert Izzett from DWR. “When a good crew is complimented with good equipment, you can’t go wrong.”
(Jim Evans)

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Spain - Held at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress draws together leaders from the world’s largest and most influential companies in the mobile ecosystem, as well as government delegations from across the globe.
Creative Technology (CT), contracted by the Fira and working with creative communications and brand experience agency Line Up for the GSMA, provided their full suite of services to support the Mobile World Congress Conference and Ministerial Programme.
Project managed by CT’s Mick Jones and Nick Whitehead, these programmes utilised video, projection, cameras, audio, digital signage using CT’s Mercury system, PowerPoint management software using CT’s Apollo system, full networking, IT infrastructure and streaming services.
Almost 100 crew members from every CT service and department were on site for this project, for

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UK - An Avolites Arena console has been selected to control the custom designed, automated house rig on debut electronic dance music series Issue 001 at London's new, experimental cultural hub, Printworks. The 001 series sees some of the industry's most progressive electronic dance music promoters including Junction 2, Melt Festival and Knee Deep host top and emerging dance music talent.
The Arena was selected and installed alongside the rest of the event's lighting package by Poole-based lighting and rigging expert Wolf Lighting. The console is networked in the venue's 'crown jewel' event space; a 16.8m high, 120m x 30m area dubbed 'The Press Halls' on account of the original printing presses that still flank its sides.
"There was never a question of not using an Avolites console for the Printworks project," says Jonathan Oliver, director of Wolf Lighting. "We needed

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UK - The Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers (ISCE) reports increased attendance and much enthusiasm for its annual exhibition and seminar day, ISCEx 2017, a one-day event held at Coombe Abbey Hotel and Country Park.
Open to members and non-members, the ISCEx exhibition and seminar programme was preceded by the Institute’s annual general meeting and networking dinner events, held the previous day.
The ISCEx 2017 seminar programme was kicked off by Alberto Fueyo, Acoustic Engineer from AMS Acoustics highlighting the technical considerations required when designing PA/ VA sound systems with digital amplifiers and in particular the expected maximum sound pressure levels (SPL) compared to those traditionally experienced with analogue amplifiers.
The second seminar of the day, presented by Dr Peter Mapp, required the drafting of additional seating for a

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UK - Audio specialist Sennheiser has partnered with Pink Floyd to demonstrate its AMBEO 3D audio technology in action as part of the sound expert’s work for The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains, which opens to the public at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on 13 May.
One of the most anticipated elements of the exhibition is a new immersive mix of Comfortably Numb from the Live 8 concert – the last time David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright played onstage with former member Roger Waters – created using Sennheiser’s AMBEO 3D technology in a brand-new format using 25 speakers. AMBEO 3D places sound both around and above the listener, delivering an immersive audio sensation unlike anything visitors have experienced before.
The 360° surround mix was presented earlier this month at Abbey Road Studios in London, where Pink Floyd r

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Canada / Philippines - Stage Craft International has cemented its status as one of the top production technology distribution firms in the Philippines with the recent addition of Adamson Systems Engineering to its line card.
Based in Mandaluyong City, Stage Craft represents some of the world’s top audio brands throughout the Philippines and built their reputation on the philosophy of delivering only premium, high-performance products for their customers. Marc Paraiso, the company’s head of sales and marketing, says that philosophy is what drove the decision to adopt the Adamson brand.
“While there is a plethora of loudspeaker manufacturers out there, with most of them represented in the Philippines, we feel Adamson has a big advantage in terms of technological advancement, making it a cut above the rest,” Paraiso comments.
“We love the idea of Adamson c
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