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The Production Resource Group LLC (PRG), a leading provider of entertainment technology products and services, has announced a plan for its Atlanta facility to aggressively develop and promote itself locally as the leading provider of entertainment lighting in the region. Fourth Phase, the Group's entertainment lighting branch, is embracing the local market in Atlanta, one of its many strategic locations. LSD/Fourth Phase has called Atlanta home for approximately five years, and is moving forward with plans to direct its focus on regional business opportunities. The company will be expanding its sales efforts in order to build its local presence in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Simultaneously, LSD/Fourth Phase Atlanta will make a significant commitment to building and sustaining a standin

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Elektralite has launched the CP 16/24, a universal moving light controller and big brother to the renowned CP10xt - the workhorse of many club designs the world over. Whereas the CP10xt offers control of 16 x 8-channel fixtures, the new CP16 / 24 allows the user to control the very largest fixtures with its 16 x 24-channel capability (384 DMX channels). The CP16/24 is capable of programming a wide variety of different manufacturers' intelligent moving fixtures through the use of extensive libraries already patched and ready for use. There are even additional entries to cover fixtures not already specified in the library. It will also control dimmers, colour changers - in fact, virtually any device that utilises DMX protocol.

Retaining the ease of programming which made the CP-10xt such a world-wide success, it takes only seconds to learn how to enter a cue, create a chase, and construc

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A multi-purpose arts centre in Leamington Spa entered the latest phase of its redevelopment this month when new Turbosound trapezoidal Floodlight enclosures were installed by Marquee Audio as part of a high-quality sound specification, jointly designed by the Shepperton suppliers and the venue's technical manager, Chris Whalley. Flown as a three-wide centre stage cluster under six Turbosound TFL-118 (1 x 18") bass bins, the unusual configuration at the Royal Spa Centre in a confined space meant that Turbosound's Danny Cooklin, working with Marquee Audio's Scott Wakelin, had to design special flying hardware. Cooklin explained: "There wasn’t really sufficient height above the cluster for the bins so we had to create a lot of angle to enable us to array them properly."

The two sets of bins sit either side of the flybar which supports the central three trapezoidals bo

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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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The Ministry of Sound has unveiled the only DTS Digital Surround DJ station and multi-channel sound system in the world. The booth - relocated to the far end of the main room - is the first to incorporate eight decks, along with seven sound mixers and seven other input sources in a DTS Surround Sound environment. ProMedia Systems were called in to specify the system, working closely with the venue’s technical consultant, Keith Hardy.MoS selected a Martin Audio Blackline monitoring system to meet the high-system specification of its newly-commissioned DTS 5.1 Digital Surround DJ station and multi-channel sound system - the first in the world. Aware that other superclubs had adopted the Blackline F12 for their house booths, the Ministry of Sound decided to go one better, and on the recommendation of ProMedia’s Matt Bate, Hardy asked to demo a pair of Blackline F15s at the club

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Yates Group is striving to give a more contemporary feel to its traditional Wine Lodges, using the latest technology to add a younger, metropolitan concept to its brand portfolio. The new-look venues will give higher priority to dynamic music and lighting, as demonstrated by the most recent conversion - in Peterborough’s trendy leisure strip, The Broadway.

The Yates Group has a long association with Martin Audio loudspeakers, and the company’s technical manager Les Farmer, had no hesitation in returning to their catalogue to create even coverage across the new 525-capacity, 3000sq.ft bar. The requirement from the designers, Mason Wood Architects, was for discrete lighting and sound reinforcement. Thus four recessed white C516 ceiling speakers, with their own volume control, have been concealed in the far corner chill-out area of the four-zone venue, to complement the eight

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Dutch performer Frans Bauer recently played seven dates at the Ahoy in Rotterdam, the experimental nature of his stage set matching that of the music produced by the vibes/marimba percussionist. The production called on 81sq.m of 25mm LED screen, supplied by Screenco Holland, to present a graphics display in line with the music. But what was so unusual was that this display was set at an angle of 20°, enabling the orchestra to sit within the screen itself, creating a type of virtual décor environment. Explained Screenco’s Jeroen Jongenelen: "At the front of the stage a further 30 modules of 15mm LED screen were set under a plexi-glass floor, allowing the artists to walk over the screen."

This was the first time that a screen had been positioned at an angle of 20° to form a vibrant part of Hub Berkers' imaginative set decor and the overall stage environment. "It

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French PA System manufacturer L-Acoustics has announced the appointment of several new distributors. Representing the company in the territories of Belgium and Luxembourg is ASC, one of the leading multi-brand pro audio distributors in the region, involved in the sale of high quality products as well as complete audio systems since 1978. ASC also designs and services turnkey systems for the pro-audio industry as well as leisure facilities such as theatres, entertainment centres and multi-purpose venues, interior and exterior paging systems for public areas, broadcast radio and TV studios and music recording and AV studios.

On the other side of the world, Random Audio has been appointed as the Australia and New Zealand distributor for L-Acoustics. Random Audio was established in the late 1980s to service a growing demand for consultative services to the Australian professional audio ind

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Soundcraft has announced the appointment of Ian Staddon as product development director - a newly created role at the head of a team of experienced product managers. Staddon assumes responsibility for Soundcraft's strategic product development activities, including market research, new product definition and specification, project management and new product introductions.

Staddon has been with Soundcraft for more than 10 years, working in purchasing, project management, production and sales, where his most recent role has been as regional sales manager for Asia and South America. He has been in the audio industry for over 16 years, having started at Bandive where he became production manager for the last SECK range of mixers.

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DPA Microphones has released its next-generation model of waterproof microphones - the Type 8011 - which, according to the company, is the only high-quality phantom-powered hydrophone in the world.

The 8011 is the only 48V phantom powered waterproof microphone specially designed to handle the high sound pressure levels and the high static ambient pressure in water and other fluids. With a full bandwidth of 100Hz-20kHz, the 8011 hydrophone uses a piezoelectric crystal sensing element which is enclosed in a capsule so that it can withstand high pressure encountered at depths of up to 50m without being damaged or suffering changes in its performance characteristics. The sensing element gives the hydrophone a dynamic range of more than 100dB, so that even large fluctuations in the SPL emitted from a sound source, or in the distance from the sound source to the hydrophone, will cause no dis

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CT-NEC recently provided an array of AV equipment to the official opening of the newly-built Arup Campus, attended by 500 guests, including the Lady Mayor of Solihull. Arup Group is a multi-disciplinary firm of consulting engineers offering independent advice and innovative designs globally. The new premises based in Solihull accommodate specialist divisions in rail engineering, bridges, geotechnics, advanced technology manufacturing and most recently communications and IT. Despite hosting its own 150-seater auditorium with in house AV facilities, Arup’s AV consultant David Lakin required the assistance CT-NEC to provide Sharp LCD projectors and associated sound systems to relay the events in the auditorium to the remaining guests throughout the building.

Further satellite projectors showed off presentations from each of the specialist divisions within the company. The package wa

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Not content with dragging most of the aristocracy of rock all over the world, EST, probably the best known logistics experts in the industry, can still find time to get involved with other interesting and unusual projects. Currently, EST is touring with Walt Disney around most of the UK's major shopping Malls. Aficionados of Friday night's 'Later . . . with Jools Holland' might, if they were there, spot one of the well known purple and yellow trucks outside the BBC delivering and retrieving all of Jools equipment every Friday night with tireless regularity.

EST were also in the thick of things on 4 November when the World Premiere of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone took place at the Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square. EST trucked in screen support and barricades (by ESS and Mojo), presumably to keep thousands of screaming wannabe wizards back.

Forthcoming attractions for

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At the recent LDI exhibition in Orlando, Florida, ESTA (the Entertainment Services and Technology Association) awarded the 2001 Eva Swan Award to Michael J. Garl, president of James Thomas Engineering, Inc. The Eva Swan Award is presented to a member who has put forth exceptional efforts in time, expertise and personal resources on behalf of ESTA; been instrumental in shaping and promoting the strategic direction of the Association; made major contributions to the realization of the mission, goals and objectives, and enhanced the value of membership for all.

The 2001 Award was presented by Wally Blount of Columbus McKinnon, who said: "The most important attribute this person has could be summed up in one word: willingness. His willingness to give his time for the betterment of the entertainment industry; his willingness to share his knowledge so that others may learn; his willingn

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Frank Gordon has returned to take up the position of CEO at High End Systems Inc. Gordon originally joined High End Systems in March 1998 and under his leadership as CEO, High End experienced two of its most profitable years ever. With the slowdown in the lighting industry and the worldwide economy as well, High End's management team felt it was time for Gordon to come back and "work his magic".

Lowell Fowler, founder and chairman of High End Systems, says: "Frank was our first CEO from outside our industry. He showed us a lot about the business of business as a seasoned professional with a very solid background. We showed him what we like to do and he helped us become more profitable doing it. In that process, he built great respect for (and from) our customers and the other players in our unique business. I think he truly learned to like what we do, too. High End is ha

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The Alien O5 is an elegant recessed colour changer from Martin Professional, which opens up new design possibilities in retail and themed environment illumination thanks to its stylish design and interchangeable colour possibilities. The compact and powerful Alien 05 is made of die-cast aluminium and offers eight interchangeable dichroic colour positions, plus open white. The Alien 05’s adjustable spherical head can be angled and swivelled in any position. It can be used as either a recessed ceiling fixture, or be positioned in a wall as an uplight, downlight or sidelight. The beam angle is 55-degrees and a special long life MR16 lamp (3000 hours) is included. The Alien 05 is also electrically dimmable using an appropriate transformer.

Colour and intensity can be controlled for various colour presets with colour sequences also controllable. With the Alien multi-driver unit, it is

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Live touring video specialists XL Video were video equipment providers on the highly successful Depeche Mode Exciter world tour, supplying all projection equipment and crew. The tour featured a unique and groundbreaking visual element created by show designer Anton Corbijn. Corbijn has designed the band’s live stage show since 1989, with moving image playing an important and provocative role. Corbijn - a renowned photographer and film-maker in his own right - is a guru on the international arts scene. He has also been involved with producing Depeche Mode's promotional videos, album artwork and graphics.

Lee Charteris, who was responsible for much of the pre-production and team building for the Exciter tour, asked XL Video's Des Fallon to an initial meeting with Corbijn, lighting designer Paul Normandale, set consultant Charlie Kail and himself. They saw Corbijn's stage design, an

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Soundcraft and BSS Audio have announced the creation of a new centralised communications strategy, under the direction of Dave Neal. He assumes the new position of marketing and communications manager at the two companies' Hertfordshire HQ, and heads a team which sees Elizabeth Gates and Paul Bass respectively focusing on the Soundcraft and BSS Audio brands.

The new department, which carries a wealth of experience, will take responsibility for all communications functions, including PR, advertising, brochures and technical publications, website development and exhibitions. Dave Neal aims to introduce a new dynamic to the marketing initiative. "We are constantly looking at new media methods, and will be taking advantage of the new avenues of communication available to us," he stated.

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Out Board Electronics, the manufacturer of sound and power control products, is to go into creditors voluntary liquidation. The Cambridge-based company, founded in 1987, has designed and developed a number of audio control systems, most notably the award-winning TiMax matrix system, together with the SS2 fader automation system, the Octopus automated sound effects console and the QP4 manual quad panner. A shareholders’ meeting will be held on 30 November ar 10.30am when a resolution to wind up the company voluntarily will be proposed and a liquidator appointed.

Directors of the company include managing director Robin Whittaker, operations director John Drake and commercial director David Haydon, who joined the company from BSS Audio in July 2000.

Further information can be obtained from chartered accountants Martin Sklan & Co, telephone +44 (0)20 8455 8248

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Peter Boizot MBE, the man who made his fortune from Pizza Express, has unveiled his opulent new leisure extravaganza - a £15 million restoration of Peterborough’s Odeon cinema, as part of a larger, fully-featured leisure complex.

Architect Tim Foster set about fulfilling Boizot’s dream of recapturing the splendour of traditional cinema in a state-of-the-art modern facility.

Strand luminaires, control and networking components form the lighting backbone in the 1,200-capacity art deco auditorium - specified by Northern Light, who won a competitive tender issued by Theatre Projects Consultants. Northern Light also undertook all the house electrical contracting, working with builder Marriot Construction, while for the specialist lighting they reported directly to Peter Boizot’s company, Mistvalley Ltd over the duration of the 10-month contract. The lighting designer on

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TSC Music has announced a new partnership with Smith and Western Restaurants. TSC recently fitted out Smith and Western’s restaurant at Boxhill, Surrey with a state-of-the-art Hard Disc music management system to select and play the finest in country music to enhance the restaurant’s ambience. TSC will also be providing similar music systems to restaurants at Chichester and Horsham in the near future.

Douglas Scheller, TSC account manager for Smith and Western said: "When Smith & Western met TSC at a recent exhibition they were looking for a music system that was not only more reliable than their existing CD players but one that could virtually run itself. They also required very specialist country and western music to create the correct atmosphere in their authentic American themed restaurants. The perfect solution was our soundserver hard disc player, which is design

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Well-known American lighting designer Warren Flynn knows what it's like to be behind a lighting desk when the power suddenly cuts out. This is exactly what happened when Mercury Record's new signing Andrew WK appeared at 'the garage' in north London on the evening of Tuesday 23 October 2001. As Andrew and his band took the stage, a band member accidentally kicked a trip on a distribution unit feeding power to the front of house position. Fortunately, Flynn had specified an MA Lighting grandMA console and as the power disappeared the console instantly switched over to its integral uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and a screen message alerted Warren to the situation, giving him the option to save the show data or continue working for up to 15 minutes. During this time a technician was dispatched to the stage and quickly realized where the problem lay and restored the power. Flynn comment

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As part of an on-going strategic review of the services offered to clients, Earls Court & Olympia Limited (EC&O) has announced new arrangements for the provision of rigging services in its venues. Following a competitive tendering process, EC&O has appointed Unusual Rigging as exclusive supplier of rigging services for Earls Court, whilst at the same time awarding the Olympia contract to Outback Rigging. The contracts will be three-year rolling appointments, which will be reviewed annually. "We are determined to provide our customers with the very best levels of service and delivery. By appointing different companies we believe that we will be able to get real focus in each venue. Unusual and Outback are perfectly placed to provide the levels of service we’re looking for," commented Jon Sellins, group halls director for EC&O.

As a new supplier to EC&O, Mark Surtees, man

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