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UK - James Thomas' Pixel range LED fixtures are being used to light the stunning Toyo Ito Pavilion sculpture, in a scheme by architectural lighting designers from Cook & Associates Design Consultants (CADC). The Pavilion is a white metal construction designed by the renowned Japanese architect, originally created for an exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in 2002. It's now been installed at the Battersea Power Station site.

Glass panels have been fitted to the previously open elements of the Pavilion. The eye-catching temporary building will now be utilized as the marketing suite promoting the Power Station's redevelopment. The four exterior walls of the Pavilion are now lit with five PixelPAR 90(A)s, fully weatherized architectural fittings. The fixtures are attached to poles, t

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UK - Audiolight has announced the launch of the Aurora, a DPSS white light laser which runs off a normal 13-amp mains socket, and projects sharp, high quality images and text messages at 1200mW output. The full spectrum of colours produced from the Aurora makes it suitable for corporate advertising, as well light shows for nightclubs, bars and outdoor events.

The system comes ready to use, with PC, Zion 3D software, laser and all necessary cables. The Zion 3D laser show software is a powerful package which provides an easy-to-use interface, enabling quick rendering of 2D, 3D and text based graphics, auto-tracing and animations, and also includes a number of pre-programmed shows. The compact Aurora can be quickly and easily set-up, and because it does not require three-phase or water, it can be rigged in virtually any location, plugged in, and running within 10 minutes. The Auror

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Australia - Entec has released the Compact Flash module for its DMXStreamer. This module is an add-on to the DMXStreamer that enables the use of standard Compact Flash cards of up to 2Gbytes to store shows and playlist information. As an indication, 2Gbytes guarantees a minimum of 30 hours of continuous recording of 512 channels of DMX at the maximum frame rate of 44 frames per second.

The data is stored in standard PC format and can be easily transferred for backup or onto other units. The module is supplied with a 64MB card and must be ordered at the same time as the DMXStreamer.

(Lee Baldock)

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

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China - Fujian Broadcast and Television Group is a popular Chinese television station, which broadcasts a wide range of programming and special events. Martin Professional's Shanghai office recently supplied 60 intelligent fixtures for a recent tribute show in celebration of the station's founding.

Lighting designer Zhao Vanan of Fujian Television created a spectacular, contemporary look for the show that was highly complementary to the ultra-modern set design. Behind three large set pieces hung a 12m wide by 10m high wall of lighting that included MAC moving heads, moving mirrors and conventional fixtures.

MAC 2000 Profiles served as backlighting with stage-positioned MAC 2000 Profiles used for pattern projection onto the large set pieces. MAC 600s coloured the scenery from different angles. The large, black, empty space above the stage was solved using a large triangle tru

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UK - PA/VA specialist Millbank Electronics has recently supplied Metronet - the company responsible for upgrading and maintaining two thirds of London's Underground network - with their new DsPAC Class D 3U mainframe amplifier.

The DsPAC was specified by Metronet to augment the original Millbank PowerPac system in Bank underground station. Situated in the heart of London's financial district, with more than 45 million passengers passing through each year, Bank is one of the most used underground station in London.

Installed and integrated by London-based contractor Qubic Transportation Systems Ltd, the DsPAC integrated seamlessly to the system, and has dramatically augmented its capacity as a contemporary VA system. Metronet's commercial asset engineer, Neil Wilkinson, commented: "The DsPAC is a superb product. It offers Metronet a powerful tool, which has seamlessly up

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UK - A new nine-screen multiplex cinema has opened at The Kassam Stadium, home to Oxford United Football Club. With two showcase screening rooms (and four of the nine screens running full digital formats), the cinema forms part of the major Ozone Leisure and Entertainment Park, developed at a cost in excess of £25 million by owner Firoz Kassam, and also featuring bingo, bowling lanes, health and fitness centre and restaurant facilities.

The Park is operated by the stadium's owners, Firoka Leisure Group, and the work was completed in just 12 weeks by designers and architects, NBDA Ltd. The audio and projection infrastructure was designed and fitted by cinema specialists, Sound Associates, who chose Cinemecanica projection and a combination of Martin Audio's purpose-designed Screen 4 and Screen 2 loudspeakers, both biamped, Martin Effect 3Rs (for surround sound) and Screen Sub 1

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UK - As part of Utopium Lighting's expansion and development, the company has appointed Matthew Croft as an account manager. Croft has moved from VLPS Lighting Services and took up his role at Utopium Lighting on 1 March.

Croft started work in the stage lighting business in 1991 after graduating from Manchester University. After a couple of years' technical experience in the warehouse, he headed off on 'tour' for the next six years with Rolling Stones, Van Halen, M People and Take That, among others. The last six years, he has worked as an account handler at Vari-Lite, looking after some of the company's biggest and newest clients.

"I am really happy to be back at the sharp end of our business with a close connection to the clients, the crew and the equipment offered. Utopium Lighting is a great place to be working. There is a young and enthusiastic atmosphere with a prof

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The Netherlands - Since its official launch at the end of January, Midas Consoles Holland has made a number of significant console sales, including 20 Venice consoles of different types, five of the new 8-bus Veronas and a 48-channel Heritage 2000. Among the most recent sales was a 48-channel Heritage 1000 to Dutch rental company Van den Berk Stage Equipment.

Van den Berk is active in both concert touring and the festival markets, but specializes particularly in theatre tours, and required a console that would be capable of handling the demands of all three environments. Proprietor Toine Van den Berk compared several brands including a demo console from Midas Consoles Holland before making his choice. "I felt that a digital console was not an option given the still relatively complex nature of the equipment and the fact that the sound quality, in my opinion, still does not

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USA - Surprise moves at Texas-based High End Systems (HES) recently have seen the departure of the company's well-known chief technology officer Mike Wood after nine years with the company, as well as other members of the R&D team, and Bill Morris, vice-president of worldwide marketing. The departure of Wood, a former chairman of PLASA in the UK and one of the industry's most respected figures, has caused the most ripples, not least because he is also the current president of ESTA - North America's Entertainment Services & Technology Association.

However, while the industry at large ponders that, High End has announced the other, more positive side of the latest restructuring, which sees the return of company co-founder Richard Belliveau to a full-time role - as chief technology officer - and HES' stated aim of focusing its energies on digital lighting, and lessening its depende

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UK - Stage Electrics has moved its Central Stores operation. To ensure the minimum disruption to customers, the stores closed at lunchtime on Saturday and re-opened at 08:00 Monday morning - by which time 4,500 product lines were moved. "I have been planning this move for eight months," said distribution manager Darren Williams, "and it has gone like clockwork, thanks to everyone's help."

Stage Electrics Central Stores is now housed in 17,000sq.ft with 5,000 linear feet of space. The building holds 320 pallet spaces as well as the store for the expanding contracting installation arm of Stage Electrics. "This new space will allow us to work more effectively," says Dave Friend, the company's central stores manager, "and will revolutionise the way we pick and process orders ensuring we improve the service to our customers. With a Central Stores Te

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UK - CCT Lighting has announced the appointment of Brian Henshall to its sales team. Henshall has a depth of product knowledge gained while working for Kelco, Lightfactor Sales and Powerhouse Distribution, and will be great asset to the growing business of CCT, the company says. He will be responsible for sales of CCT's own brand products, including the new Freedom followspot and the Freedom discharge units. He will also be involved in the sales of other brands from Europe including Futurelight, Eurolite, Anytronics and all consumables.

(Lee Baldock)

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USA - VLPS Lighting Services provided a full lighting package to Footstar's National District Managers' meetings - a corporate tour which traveled to each of the company's regional divisions (West, South, and North) with a customized set and full event production designed and provided by Available Light Productions.

"We've been working with Footstar for about eight years, but this year they brought us in at the very beginning to plan the technical and creative elements of their event, including picking out the meeting's theme and the different venues in Las Vegas, Chicago, and Orlando," said Kirk Garreans, principal of ALP. "I designed the lighting, along with Matt Lemmon of True Light Productions, to feature a variety of presentations from corporate speeches to panel discussions, award ceremonies and musical entertainment."

"I chose to use VLPS beca

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UK - Celebrating its 50th year, integrated systems company Snelling Business Systems has provided audio-visual solutions to a wide range of local industry applications in their native East Anglia - including The University of East Anglia, North Norfolk District Council, City College Norwich, The Zuckerman Institute for Connective Environmental Research and Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital.

Now the company is embarking on a phased programme of teaching room fit-outs for Norwich Technical College - for whom they have long been preferred contractors - and have placed an initial order with Wharfedale for 40 of their Programme 50s for audio playback. These two-way, ported systems - housing 5.5" woofer and 0.75" titanium driver - are ideal, since they provide a wide frequency range coupled with high power handling in an attractive, acoustically-efficient enclosure. Snel

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USA - More news concerning High End Systems: Florida-based Super Vision International - a leading manufacturer of fibre optic and LED lighting products - has acquired, U.S. Patent number 4,962,687 from High End Systems. The patent covers the invention of a 'Variable Color Lighting System' developed by Richard Belliveau.

The patent development dates back to pioneering inventions by Belliveau in the late 1980s which resulted in multi-colour lighting systems for entertainment applications including High End's famous Colour Pro products. Super Vision's interest in the Belliveau patent was due to the broad coverage of this patent in the use of networked, centrally controlled, addressable colour changing lighting systems incorporating pulse width modulation and variable digital control circuitry which can vary the intensity of individual lamp elements to generate unlimited colours. Su

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China - Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour was transformed during Chinese New Year with the most spectacular light extravaganza ever to have been produced for the city. Called The Symphony of Lights, the $15.5m production was staged by Australia's Laservision for the Hong Kong Tourism Commission as part of the city's exciting revitalization program to create a dramatic 'New Look' Hong Kong and increase tourism to the city.

At countdown to the New Year, the Victoria Harbour foreshores erupted into a blaze of colour as the night skies were lit by hundreds of thousands fireworks, lasers, fibre optics, flares and pulsing lights. Tall city buildings and glistening waters of the harbour were washed in multi-coloured light and the tops of buildings exploded with sprays of molten light. Harbour spectators in their millions stood breathless as they watched and listened to the shows exhilarati

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UK - UK Pop band Atomic Kitten's "Greatest Hits" arena tour is being lit by award-winning lighting designer Baz Halpin (TPi Lighting Designer of the Year 2004), with lighting equipment - and all accompanying rigging - supplied by Bandit Lites UK. Halpin's design celebrates the Kitten's farewell tour. The creative thrust was to keep it looking up-tempo with the occasional moody interlude for the Kittens, who are joined onstage by a four-piece band and six male dancers.

Halpin designed a very symmetrical 'wide look' lighting rig, his colour and movement chases introducing plenty of dynamics. This was juxtaposed with the highly asymmetrical stage set, designed and supplied by Productions North. The rig also had to be adaptable to fit into the non-arena venues on the itinerary. Club-style visual effects and props included a 5ft mirror ball, suspended on a CM Prostar motor

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UK - Lighting rental house Siyan - headed by Bryan Leitch and Nick Valdez - has been using Robe Show Lighting ColorSpot 1200s moving lights on several recent high profile shows and events. These have included The Thrills at Brixton Academy, the NME Brats tour at Brixton Academy, the NME Awards at Hammersmith Palais and a special SJM/Solo promoted show starring N-E-R-D featuring Justin Timberlake, which was recorded by MTV at Hammersmith Apollo. Siyan has also just bought a further 20 Robe ColorWash 250 XTs form Robe UK to add to existing hire stock - bringing their total to over 60.

Vince Foster was the lighting designer for N-E-R-D featuring Justin Timberlake, working with MTV director Russell Thomas, Solo's Mark Ward and MTV Europe production manager Andy Derbyshire. It was the first time Foster had worked with Siyan. They supplied the rig to his spec, and he was extremely pl

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UK / Italy - UK manufacturer Zero 88 will be launching its latest lighting console, the Diablo, at the forthcoming SIB show in Rimini. The Diablo is a new, cost-effective and flexible lighting controller suitable for controlling moving lights and generics. It is one of the easiest lighting controllers to program and operate and is aimed at users wanting a small, powerful console, say the company. Unlike many small controllers, it is not simply for club or DJ use: the Diablo can be used in a range of venues from small theatres, to schools, TV or clubs.

"During the ongoing development of the Frog range we had lots of feedback from users wanting the intuitive philosophy and ease of use of the Frogs, but in a simpler and smaller package," explains Zero's Graham Eales. "The Diablo is a powerful little desk, which will bring sophisticated moving light control to a host

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Germany - At the forthcoming Frankfurt ProLight&Sound exhibition in Frankfurt, Dutch pro audio manufacturer Alcons Audio will celebrate its first anniversary: while last year's show featured the basic Alcons line-up, this year a stream of new products will be presented by the company.

Making its debut at Frankfurt will be the LR16: not only will a complete system be on the stand, but in order to give an idea of what Alcons' pro-ribbon technology means in terms of output and quality, the company is also organizing off-site demonstrations of The Ribbon line-array system.

In addition to the Ribbon system, the LR16 Bass will be introduced. Featuring double 15" Neodymium drivers in compact bandpass configuration, for high efficiency and low weight (102dB 1W/1m. @ 43kg.), the system forms a bass extension to LR16, when additional pressure-bass is required. The LR16Bass can be f

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Germany - Electro-Voice has introduced the NetMax N8000 - a modular digital audio matrix boasting networking capabilities and the integration of what the company is calling revolutionary safety concepts. The 2U master frame of the NetMax N8000 audio matrix offers slots for audio input and output modules as well as Cobranet.

The new Electro-Voice signal processor is capable of executing 300 MIPS per frame, with possible expansion to 600 MIPS per frame. Up to 32 channels of input and output are available per unit. The possibilities of the system, which accepts 8-channel input and output modules, are virtually unlimited in network configurations, say EV. You can, for example, link any number of N8000 units via Cobranet and Ethernet. The new, modular matrix is suitable for all fixed installation and mobile professional audio productions - or any application requiring system integrat

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UK - Canegreen provided its Meyer Sound Milo line-array PA system for the UK leg of the recent Jethro Tull tour. Canegreen has a long history working with Jethro Tull, so were fully aware of front-man Ian Anderson's interest in achieving a good live sound. The Uk dates in February took in a range of spaces among 14 'theatre style' venues that included the Watford Colosseum, Manchester Apollo and the Brighton Dome. Canegreen suggested that the band try the most recent equipment, in the form of their Meyer Milo line-array system.

"We have used the Milo system with several artists in larger venues and outdoors with excellent results, so it was great to bring that quality of sound to audiences in smaller venues with an artist who is passionate about the sound," explained Canegreen's MD Yan Stile. With the varying dimensions and characteristics of each venue, the speaker se

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