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This month, pyrotechnics specialist, Walk The Plank, are going from one extreme to the other. On 10th June they will bring the 600-year old Newark Castle to life as part of the Newark on Water Festival, and then hot-foot it to Singapore for their first international commission - three performances of the spectacular Tower of Light show as part of the Singapore Arts Festival, 22-24 June. The two shows are typical examples of the breadth of Walk The Plank's work. After their successful participation at the Newark on Water Festival last year, they have been asked to animate Newark Castle's impressive facade. This year, they will be using powerful Xenon projection equipment (the biggest in the country) and huge 25m fabric drops, as well as fireworks, lighting and music.

Singapore’s Tow

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PLASA has completed the first phase of its major industry research project.

The research will provide PLASA Members with an invaluable insight into their industry. As well as being able to estimate the global market size for professional lighting, sound, staging and AV products and services, the research also gives a very detailed picture of the market in the UK. For the first time, PLASA has information about the value of the product sectors, how fast they are growing and the size and growth of the various vertical sectors into which its members sell.

Was the research really necessary? Matthew Griffiths, MD of PLASA believes so: "We have over 400 members, but until now, we haven’t been able to say very much about the nature of the industry that we represent." With members’ interests straddling four key product sectors - lighting, sound, AV and staging - and se

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Performance Exhibitions Ltd has announced the launch of Performance 2001 - an exhibition including conferences, seminars and workshops aimed at the live performance industry. To be staged at the Newcastle Telewest Arena on 17-18 November 2001, the exhibition will bring together manufacturers, venues, producers and promoters, plus a complete range of associated services. Colin Rowell, director of ShowBlokes, whose vast portfolio includes production stage manager of The Tube, stage director for the MTV Awards and stage manager for the Brit Awards, recently returned to the North East, and is involved in live events in the area. He says: "I feel that this exhibition will offer companies a platform for exhibiting to a large audience. It will put the North East on the exhibition circuit where it belongs for this important segment of the industry." Over 1500sq.m of exhibition space wi
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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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Television Film Services (TFS), the location audio equipment supply company recently founded by film sound recordist Keith Silver, has chosen Sennheiser wireless microphones and in-ear monitoring systems with which to equip its inventory. Having already purchased a large number of SK 50 transmitter and EM 1046 modular receiver-based 5000 series systems, the company recently supplemented this with a further 16 channels of rackmount 3000 series systems, bringing the total number of channels to 45. The company also purchased six channels of Sennheiser Evolution 300 series wireless IEM. Founded just 10 months ago, TFS has already supplied equipment to both BBC and Channel 4 productions, as well as to a growing number of corporate and feature film clients.

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HHB has announced publication of its 2001 catalogue. Widely considered as one of the definitive guides to everything that's important in professional audio, this year's edition contains essential information on 1500 products from more than 150 manufacturers, and includes details of a number of important new product introductions. The company has introduced a Quick Search Guide making it easier for the reader to locate the equipment category of their choice where the relative specifications of available products can be conveniently compared. Simultaneously published in a searchable format on HHB's website, the 152-page catalogue has already been mailed to existing HHB customers and is available free on request to qualifying UK audio professionals.

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Italian acoustic specialist FBT has launched the MaxX 6 (passive) and 6a (active) speaker enclosures. The latest addition to FBT's gas-injection moulded polypropylene range, the MaxX 6/6a is a two-way system, fitted with B&C drivers - a single die-cast aluminium framed 15" unit fitted with a neodymium magnet and 3" coil, plus a custom 2.5" compression driver with a 1.4" throat. Frequency response is from 40Hz-20Hz, sensitivity is 98dB (at 1W/M), a maximum SPL is a loud 128dB for the 6a (129.5dB for the 6) and the enclosures have a dispersion of 90 x 60 degrees.

Complementing the 700W MaxX 6 (which will handle up to 1400W short term at IEC 268-5), the bi-amped MaxX 6a makes full use of the acoustic quality of the passive version and in addition to a sophisticated amplifier stage, includes FBT's proprietary ADAP processor. The manufacturer's design team says that ADA

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DPA Microphones has appointed Craig A. Parrish (pictured, left) as sales and marketing manager and Henrik Bronner (pictured, right) as area manager (Americas). Both Parrish and Bonner join DPA with strong backgrounds in international sales and marketing and come from most recent positions as marketing manager and business development manager, respectively, for a Danish manufacturer of large-format scanners for the reprographics industry. Craig Parrish, who is an American that has resided in Denmark for many years, has an MBA degree in International Business and has 18 years’ experience in export sales and international marketing. Henrik Bronner has been hired to strengthen the company’s sales and marketing efforts in North and South America. Bronner has lived in the United States for more than seven years.

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I hadn’t been to Showtech before, but I understand from those that have, that the Show started out life like ABTT - lots of standard shell-scheme type stands, set out like so many rows of beach huts in a Victorian seaside resort on the South coast of England - as befits an environment apparently conducive to our brethren from the theatre set.

Now, however, the Berlin show is more like an ABTT on growth hormones! Five big halls, segregated more or less by type of product, and large, designed stands that better reflect the egos of the firms concerned than the little market stalls of old. Yet the traffic, in terms of numbers at least, seemed to be dwarfed by the scale of the venture. That’s not to say that the visitors were not of a very high calibre, as was certainly the case. This was more like shopping at Harrods, wide aisles, no crush and exclusive clientele. So the parall

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Music Live, organised by Mammoth Events, has become the joint sponsor of the JHS Corporate Golf Day. This annual event has been held for over 20 years at Garforth Golf Club, Leeds, in early June, and playing guests from the distribution, manufacturing and retail sectors of the music trade make up the major attendees. Music Live is the largest consumer show of musical instruments and allied equipment, and is open to the public at the NEC Birmingham, 2nd-4th November, 2001.

Any industry trade person with an official golf handicap, wishing to be considered for inclusion on next year's invitation list, is asked to contact Anne Thornton at John Hornby Skewes & Co on + 44 (0)113 286 5381.

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World-renowned mixing console manufacturer Midas will make PLASA 2001 the venue for the launch of the new Legend Series, a brand new range of live performance mixing consoles. The first Legend console in the range to be introduced will be the Legend 3000 . . .

Midas product manager David Cooper said the Legend: " . . . offers complete flexibility for both rental companies and installers alike at a price point significantly below that of the Heritage range. As well as offering all of the great features you would expect from a Midas console including some that are totally unique, we demanded three things: firstly that it be reliable on the road, secondly that it must be easy to service, and thirdly perhaps most importantly that it should sound like a Midas. We have achieved this in a number of ways. The inclusion of XL4 preamps and XL3 EQ ensures that traditional and unmistakable

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Luciano Pavarotti recently returned to his home town of Modena, to host the annual open-air Pavarotti & Friends charity concert, with funds this year going to alleviate the plight of Afghan children.

The event was held, as always, in front of a packed crowd and transmitted live by Italian state broadcaster RAI’s channel 1. Daniele Tramontani is in charge of sound for the star-studded show. "Initially, it seemed a live recording wasn’t going to be done, but the organizers decided to put together a well appointed studio in a container backstage, so as well as supervising the FOH system, I was also responsible for the realization of the recording and broadcast mixing set-up - in short, everything apart from monitors!"

Sound engineer Stefano De Maio mixed FOH, with a 72-channel Cadac M-type master desk, a Midas XL3 for the orchestra, and a Heritage 1000 for guest mu

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At the recent Showlight 2001 conference in Edinburgh, a new logo for the Light Relief benevolent fund was unveiled by Tony Gottelier and Rick Fisher.

Light Relief is the industry-sponsored fund, supported by PLASA and the ALD, to assist people in the industry when they are affected by catastrophic personal events. "The lot of the freelancer is not always a happy one, just look at the state of Rick!" joked Gottelier, pointing at ALD chairman and lighting designer, Rick Fisher. The duo were attending the Showlight reception, sponsored by Fourth Phase, on the serious matter of launching the newly-designed Light Relief logo and its attendant leaflet, and to raise the profile of the industry’s benevolent fund.

The pair appealed to the manufacturing and service companies to come forward with offers of help. "We need you to come up with creative initiatives to raise ca

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After a career spanning 15 years in publishing (latterly as advertisement manager of AV Magazine) Lucy Donovan has joined FrameSet as sales manager. The Hampshire-based conference staging specialists - whose expansion programme will be accompanied by a major rebranding exercise - sees the recruitment of Lucy as an integral part of their new marketing thrust. Lucy arrives following a short stint with Quantum Publishing’s Exhibitions Division. "I love the AV industry and this feels like coming home - it’s a challenge that I am relishing immensely." Lucy Donovan has a nationwide remit and will be reporting to managing director, Chris Lillywhite.

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Strand Lighting has made a major breakthrough into the world of film and location lighting by announcing large orders for their QuartzColor lighting range from leading London rental houses. The company’s exclusive location lighting distributors, LCA, confirm that the two largest specialist companies - Lee Lighting and AFM Film & TV - have placed significant orders with the Greenford company for QC luminaires, resulting in the former adding 400 tungsten heads and the latter 200 to their respective rental stocks. The Lee order is made up mostly of 10K, 1K and 650W luminaires while AFM have purchased a complement of 1K, 2K and 5Ks. LCA director Graham Kerr believes the pledge of faith has much to do with Strand’s improved support infrastructure. "We have put the spares situation in order, giving companies of the calibre of Lee and AFM the confidence to switch to Strand,&quo

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A raucous farewell to the Hackney Empire, as it closed for a total refit, was provided during a two-week production of The Wiz - based on the ‘70s funk version of The Wizard of Oz. Paul Gavin’s company Purple Sheep Lighting, who service a number of events at Hackney Empire, ensured that the giant ensemble were heard loud and clear - in front of a band positioned high up on enormous risers - by specifying Martin Audio enclosures throughout. These included a front-of-house system comprising four flown Blackline H2s and a pair of H3s, reinforcing the house system - run in conjunction with the proprietary DX1 management system - with F12s and F15s operating in stage monitor mode. The entire system was powered by Martin Audio’s new amplification series, consisting of MA4.2s and MA2.8s. Paul Gavin commented: "We opted for the F12 and F15 floor monitors because they were

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Two mighty projectors and the largest projection screens ever seen inside a marquee gave VJ management and live video production company, The Picture Works Ltd, all the scope they needed to produce some mind-altering images in the 6,000-capacity Radio 1 Presents Essential Twilo tent at the recent Homelands Festival in Winchester. Specialists in dance event visuals, The Picture Works have been contracted to provide the video content and reinforcement since the inception of Homelands and this year delivered the visual support in five of the six dance arenas. This time around they dry-hired a pair of Christie Digital X10 Roadies from trading partner AT communications in Sutton Coldfield, one of which was making its debut. As a result, said Robin Wealleans, director of The Picture Works, from early in the afternoon they were able to throw sharply defined images over the 20m distance onto the

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Universal Lighting & Audio Pty Ltd., with offices in Queensland and Melbourne, Australia, is now the exclusive Authorized Reseller of High End Systems automated lighting products as well as the Flying Pig Systems Wholehog II console in Australia. Bytecraft, a Melbourne-based production house, will continue as a Special Projects Production Partner for High End Systems. Both Bytecraft and Universal will provide technical and spare parts support of High End Systems equipment in the marketplace. High End Systems' John Wiseman, vice-president of worldwide sales, says: "With Bytecraft's worldwide influence and strength as a production house and Universal Lighting as an exclusive reseller, we're looking forward to seeing more of our products being bought and specified on projects Down Under."

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Albert Wong has been named High End Systems' new regional sales manager for Singapore. He takes over the duties of Jimmy "JR" Chai, who recently left to pursue other interests. Wong will handle all matters pertaining to High End's automated lighting and controller sales in North and Southeast Asia, and will manage operations at HES Singapore. Wong has 12 years of experience in the industry. He recently was sales manager at a pro audio and lighting company, where he worked for the past nine years. "I am really excited being on the High End team," says Wong. "I am going to enjoy working here, especially with the growing potential in the Southeast and Far East Asia markets."

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Recently arrived at industry specialist PR agency JGP, Noelle Lane brings a background in IT - with some media experience tucked away. With a keen interest in music and songwriting, Noelle will work as PR assistant alongside Jerry Gilbert. She says she is relishing the challenges ahead. "I’m really excited about entering an industry where my personal interests overlap those of business. I feel I’m finally embarking on a career worth getting out of bed for."

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Hayden Laboratories, exclusive UK dealers for US audio manufacturer the Rane Corporation, recently hosted a product conference and seminar that highlighted the many advantages of the Rane’s Audio Conferencing Equipment & CobraNET Network Audio units. The day-long seminar was held in High Wycombe. Speakers included Steve Macatee, Rane’s director of new product development and training, and Dean Standing, director of sales for Rane. The seminar was designed for those involved in selling, specifying and designing audio & video conferencing systems and network audio. It was attended by a selection of interested parties from different areas of the professional audio industry consultants, sound designers themed entertainment, venues and broadcast plus business to business integrators. All keen to know more about this innovative range of products.

The seminar offered a general ove

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German lighting control manufacturer MA Lighting has announced details of the V2.60 software for its GrandMA, GrandMA Light and GrandMA Replay Unit. The updated software includes a new time code function with up to 100 individual time code settings and individual sequencers, with editing choices in graphic- or list-mode; Command line with entering and editing-functions for all control functions; extended new functions for direct and comfortable handling; command line history offering the possiblity of repeating and editing all commands by scrolling through a log of all commands that have been entered since console power-up; an ‘Agenda’ function with timed schedule for use in theme parks, daily shows or in architectural lighting, fully equipped with astronomical real-time clock; a new ‘move in black’ function for automatic prepositioning of any feature whilst shutt
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