Entertainment Lighting Services (ELS), Los Angeles' largest full-service lighting, rigging and staging company is moving to an even bigger facility this summer. The company will make the move from its former North Hollywood headquarters to a newly renovated 70,000sq.ft Sun Valley location boasting the largest lighting and rigging inventory in the West.

The new ELS facility has a 58,000sq.ft warehouse with six truck docks, ample parking, a 12,000sq.ft office space and an impressive 1,200sq.ft showroom. Also included in the expansion is a state-of-the-art computer-aided design lab, with future plans for an instructional classroom. "In the last decade alone, we've experienced incredible growth - quadrupling the company revenue - and we're tapping into more markets every day," comm

Pop artist Pink is on her first headlining tour with a stage full of colors - rich, pure dichroic colors - from High End Systems automated luminaires. LD Ethan Weber specified a mix of 45 Studio Color 575 and Studio Spot 575 automated luminaires to paint Pink's ‘Get the Party Started’ tour, which runs from 2 May to 2 September in North America.

"I was hoping to use some Studio Beam and x.Spot fixtures," Weber says. "But it's a budget-conscious tour and we decided to go with quantity at the expense of some effects, which has worked out very well. I ended up with 45 fixtures which gives some pretty big looks in the theaters we've been doing."

This is Weber's first time to design, program and tour with the Studio Series, and he says he's found some "pretty good and interesting effects" in the Studio Spots. All equipment is provided by lighting c

GAMProducts, the Hollywood-based theatrical lighting company, has launched a new website. The totally redesigned site offer many new features including almost 200 short videos depicting GAM products in application, along with complete pricing information, technical data and specification on most products. An online photo gallery from contributing designers around the world also shows GAM products in real applications.

There’s also a Virtual TwinSpin option to assist designers. Using this feature, designers can animate hundreds of GAM patterns; they can also conduct a Pattern Search and find patterns by number, name or subject. The Color Theory section offers tutorial information on colour and includes explanations of CIE Chromaticity charts, tri-colour mixing, Kelvin and the Black Body Radiator.

(Ruth Rossington)

featured content

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

Gradav have released the latest version of their comprehensive catalogue. Following the same format as previous catalogues, but redesigned to improve the layout, the publication covers the full range of lighting, audio and trussing equipment that the company handles - from AKG to Zero 88 - as well as communications, rostra, and special effects.

For a copy call Gradav on +44 020 8803 7400.

Formula Sound has recently reissued the Shadow Standby mixer, providing an invaluable lifeline to clubs and venues that rely on music. The Shadow can be installed as part of a new sound system or easily retro-fitted. It has all the switching required to replace the main mixer instantly in the event of trouble. Simply switching on the unit causes internal relays to re-route four stereo music input sources, one microphone and all output connections. PFL (Pre-fade listen) switches are provided on the four music channels for cueing purposes, and two band equalisation is provided via pre-sets on the back panel, for the mic channel.

(Ruth Rossington)

To address a growing workload, Worcestershire-based M+D Design has split its operation into two new companies - Ikon AVS and Nebula Audio. The move is intended to create a more viable framework for the two key aspects of M+D’s operation - that of equipment manufacturer/supplier and that of installer. Ikon AVS will therefore concentrate on the manufacture and supply of products such as the company’s award-winning Podules and fault-monitoring systems, whilst Nebula Audio will be primarily a ‘systems house’ offering fully engineered solutions, including design, specification, procurement, installation and commissioning in audio visual and distributed digital audio systems for stadiums, shopping malls, exhibitions and conference halls.

(Ruth Rossington)

Shure Incorporated has now completed the purchase of the 267,000sq.ft building and accompanying 18.6 acres of land at 5800 Touhy Avenue in Niles, Illinois from CenterPoint Properties Trust for $28 million. The seven-storey steel-and-glass structure is an award-winning design by respected architect Helmut Jahn. As part of the purchase agreement, CenterPoint will acquire Shure's existing 206,000sq.ft facility in Evanston, which the company has agreed to lease back for a period of one year with options for extension, if necessary.

Shure, which has been based in the Chicago area throughout its 77-year history, will begin relocating its corporate headquarters to the Niles location later this year. Present plans for the land include the immediate construction of an attached two-storey annex with more than 40,000sq.ft of additional space. This building will house several special technology fu

HK Audio increases its presence in Southeast Asia. Sound & Vision Systems in Wellington, New Zealand, starts distributing the complete HK Audio product range in New Zealand with immediate effect. The corresponding agreement was made between Eric Jackson, general manager of Sound & Vision Systems and Andreas Mayerl, international sales and marketing director, during his recent visit to New Zealand.

Andreas Mayerl told us: "In Sound & Vision, we found the ideal partner for the distribution of our product range. Their huge experience and the well-adjusted team make sure that HK Audio is represented in every market segment and not only importing and sales but also the after sales service of HK Audio products in New Zealand is ensured excellently."

Sound & Vision Systems is a long-established distributor of pro audio equipment in New Zealand and its sales and marketing team enjo

After two years of writing, refinement and editing, authors John Eargle and Chris Foreman have introduced JBL Audio Engineering for Sound Reinforcement. With sections on audio basics, components, system design and various applications, this fills the need for a reference guide that covers the range from basic information to the latest technologies of line arrays and digital signal processing. The book, which is distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation, is now available.

"Following in the footsteps of classic audio books by Don Davis and Gary Davis, we feel this reference work by Chris and John will become the new standard for audio professionals, educators and enthusiasts," says Michael MacDonald, president of JBL Professional. "John and Chris have over 70 years of audio experience between them. They pass along their knowledge in a way that is very deep and technica

April in New York saw Fourth Phase projecting images onto two large columns in the main concourse at Grand Central Station for Earth Day New York's Earth Week Celebration. Projected for a week from 11am-8pm, the images reached an estimated audience of half a million people daily.

Designed and produced by Earth Day New York's executive director Pam Lippe, the show included works by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol and featured images chosen to portray the beauty of the earth and the importance of protecting it. Art Lavis of Fourth Phase USA explained that large format projection equipment lent itself well to one of the main themes of the show, which was the transitory nature of our world: "When pictures of endangered species slowly faded into nothing it really got the message across - this could not have been achieved with traditional signage or banners. Furthermore, as the di

British pro audio manufacturer Carlsbro has increased the power of its acclaimed Headline range of loudspeakers. The Headline 312 and 315 cabinets have had their ratings increased from 300W to 500W RMS (1000W program power) and the Headline Sub 515 now produces 500W of pure bass (1000W program power).

Andrew Bishop, Carlsbro's managing director, explained: "I've been asking dealers and musicians exactly what they want from their PA gear and the overwhelming response was ‘More power!’ So that's what I decided to give them. The brief I gave to the R&D department was to increase the power output of the cabinets but make sure that the sound quality and reliability of the units were not in any way compromised. We've managed to achieve this goal and give the customer the best ever deal. All in all, it adds up to more watts for your money."

(Lee Baldock)

A new star is rising just 15 miles north of Albuquerque at the Santa Ana Star Hotel Casino. The hotel’s facilities have been expanded and now include a major new Events Centre, which is equipped with a new lighting grid fabricated and supplied by Total Structures, Inc.

Billy Tubb of APAC, an Albuquerque theatrical consultant, teamed up with Eric Kennedy, a local freelance lighting designer, to design a modern lighting rig which would incorporate both static and modern moving light fixtures for the events centre. The upstage and downstage trusses were specified as conventional pre rig truss, whereas the grid over centre stage area comprises Intelligent Pre-Rig Truss (IPRT) with straight legs radiating from a central circular hub, to form the Zia, the state symbol of New Mexico.

The circular IPRT provides the support for a small projection screen for gobo images and the whole g

In early 1993, David Leggett, managing director of A.C. Lighting Ltd, called Bob Gordon in Los Angeles to arrange a meeting. At that meeting, in the Delta Crown Room at LAX, they agreed to explore the creation of A.C. Lighting Inc. Gordon came up with a business plan and A.C. Lighting Inc opened for business on July 1, 1993, starting out with no customers (just Gordon's database) and one North American exclusive product. In August of 2000, Bob acquired the controlling shareholding of A.C. Lighting, Inc.

Now, exactly nine years after the formation of A.C. Lighting, Inc their name is changing to A.C.T Lighting, Inc. This change in name does not represent any change in the way the business is run or in the ownership of the company, but is a recognition of the separate and distinct identity that A.C. Lighting, Inc. now holds in the US market.

The new name for A.C. Lighting in the U.S. is

The experience of commercial audio specialist Janusz Hawrot (MInst.S.C.E) will provide TOA with a valuable representative in the north of England. The newly-appointed technical sales executive will be based out of Manchester, enabling the public address and voice alarm specialists to divide up the country, with Ian Bridgewater acting in a similar capacity in the south.

Hawrot has dedicated his professional life to the public address industry, and the last nine years have been spent with Provoice, the audio division of security and fire alarm specialists, Protec. "This is very much a career move as it provides an opportunity for me to expand into a wider field of audio," he said. "I will not only be covering the same markets as I did with Protec but the position will allow me to broaden my horizons into other market sectors."

TOA’s marketing director, Brett D

Halo Live, the new live tours and events division of Halo Lighting, has kick-started a summer of Radio 1 dance music events, supplying an exciting lighting production to the Radio 1 arena at the Homelands England event 2002, which took place at Matterley Bowl near Winchester over the Jubilee weekend and was enjoyed by 50,000 people.

Halo Live's lighting scheme was co-designed by Steve Marley and Yann Guenancia, who utilized a diverse range of fixtures and programming techniques to fulfil Radio 1’s demanding brief, and to create a stunning visual show. With the Radio 1 Open Air Stage being purely a DJ environment, it was very much down to Marley and Guenancia to use their imaginative savvy - and plenty of artistic licence - to create a colourful lightshow with a full range of peaks and dramatic effects.

The core of the rig was Studio Due City Color fixtures, used to produce larg

Demand for PA systems for corporate events, conferences and product launches is bouncing back, reports professional audio systems specialist Shermann Pro-Audio. The internationally respected company, which is based in Newtown, mid-Wales, has noticed a definite upturn in business in the last few months as confidence slowly returns to the UK's corporate sector after a period of economic uncertainty.

Through a network of professional users, installers and dealerships across the country, Shermann's loudspeaker systems are in widespread use at major music festivals, rock concerts, conferences, product launches and publicity events at home and overseas. "I think a lot of companies are now playing catch-up after everything ground to halt following September 11," explained Ken Hughes, owner of Shermann. "They have realized the value of publicity campaigns and promotional events

As official communications partner of Manumission for the third year - Orange has teamed up with Vestax to provide a dramatic sonic makeover for Bar M. Their commitment to the Bar M faithful is plain to see, with the installation of a mighty full-range Turbosound rig. There are 14 TQ-310 two-way speakers fitted in three independently controllable zones, plus three THL-828.2 sub units. The BBS amp racks are accompanied by a Yamaha digital control unit.

But it’s not just the punters that Orange has thought about - in conjunction with numerous DJs and industry anoraks, they have designed, built and installed a DJ booth to rival all others. The ‘enjoymusic’ booth features three Vestax PDX 2000 turntables, a PMC-400 mixer, a DFG-X2 three-band isolator unit below each deck and a DCR-1200 isolator with anti-phase on the output below the mixer and all complimented by a pair o

BSS Audio’s new ProSys PS-8810C DSP device has past its first test - at the highest level - networking the world’s first all-digital tour for pop music icon Neil Diamond. Supported by Maryland Sound Industries, Diamond’s audio output boasts an exclusively digital signal path between its microphones and loudspeakers. The real triumph for BSS Audio’s fixed-path DSP, however, is that it is the first in a new generation of Harman Professional ‘partnership’ products, utilizing the IQ communication protocol from Crown and providing audio networking via CobraNet technology. One of the key components in this application was the use of Crown’s new IQ-PIP USP2/CN CobraNet module.

With the established IQ system, the PS-8810 has the ability to network with Crown amplifiers and other IQ-compliant devices. This means that systems with control and monitoring

Wolfgang Neumann extended an association with Soundcraft boards stretching back more than 20 years, when he purchased a 48-input SM20 touring monitor board to boost the rental stock of his company, Sirius Schalltechnik Service GmbH. He told us: "I was looking for a very small board that was packed with features. The SM20 offered precisely that, and the exceptional price convinced me."

Sirius Schalltechnik’s monitor engineers praised the desk’s ease of use. "They particularly liked the compact nature of the console and the inline BSS Varicurve control section, which is a nice-sounding EQ," said Wolfgang. Presently out with top German band, BAP (and their monitor engineer Dirk Happel), the SM20 is well-suited to deal with the growing trend towards personal in-ear monitoring.

Wolgang Neumann’s introduction to Soundcraft began in 1980 when he purchas

A new section of Shure's website (www.shure.com/cc), housing useful content for contractors and consultants, will make its official industry debut at InfoComm 2002. Appropriately named Contractor's Corner, the specialized web pages offer quick and easy access to a host of features ranging from CAD product drawings and technical product information to downloadable software for all PC-based Shure products.

Site visitors navigating the pages of Contractor's Corner are greeted by drop-down menus offering instantaneous access to PDF files of user guides and spec sheets, selectable by product category. Moving further through the site, users will find a downloadable viewer for the numerous CAD files offered in DXF format, as well as educational resources. Also included is a link to the Shure Knowledge Base, technical articles written by Shure's App

The British Entertainment and Discotheque Association (BEDA) has announced its exclusive support for International Leisure Industry Week 2002 (LIW). BEDA will be using the show to host both its Annual General Meeting and Chairman's Lunch. In addition to these networking events, the BEDA Village on the show floor at LIW 2002 will showcase the latest light and sound innovations from BEDA's supplier members.

BEDA is the only trade association for the nightclub and discotheque market in the UK and its members are responsible for running the nation's nightclubs, as well as buying and specifying the lighting, sound, design, furniture, fittings, food and drink in all the clubs and discos in the UK. At LIW, BEDA supplier members will be exhibiting within the BEDA Village and displaying the extensive range of new products within the lighting and sound industry.

Also on the show floor at LIW

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