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USA - "Dark, quiet and dramatic" could be the tag line to Sting's 2004 Sacred Love tour. Another description might be "theatrical", although this is extremely high-techtheatricality. Three enormous video screens dominate the stage, complemented by moving trusses and drapery for days. Part of his much larger world tour, which shifts to arenas in the summer, this current leg is touring theatres around the US.

Lighting

Lighting designer Stan Crocker went for a highly flexible mix of powerful fixtures and short moving trusses. "I gave up lighting instruments to get the ChainMaster Vario-Lift motors in the budget," recalls Crocker, "and I don't regret it!" His rig consists of four Coemar SuperCycs, 33 Martin MAC 2000 Profiles, 32 MAC 200

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Germany - L.U.C.A.S - originally introduced in 1998 - is a lightweight ultra compact active system. The new L.U.C.A.S 600 was influenced by the ideas, suggestions and experience of users collected over the past few years allowing it to do everything that made its predecessor popular and much more. The system is now significantly more compact with a 12" speaker with the subwoofer sized between L.U.C.A.S XT and L.U.C.A.S 1000.

There is also improved low-end performance with a newly tuned enclosure and special 12" woofer. The new 1" driver in the L.U.C.A.S 600 satellites provide more output and a very natural reproduction of the mid/high frequencies. The re-designed control panel is now accessible from the top with a separate bass control as well as limiter LEDs, in addition the system includes Neutrik Combo input jacks.

L.U.C.A.S 600 fits into the L.U.C.A.S family

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Switzerland - Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the latest addition to the European audio-visual sector exhibition circuit, took place in Geneva's cavernous Palexpo complex in early February and was generally considered to have been a success on several fronts. The event, which is jointly sponsored by CEDIA, ICIA and NSCA, was spread over three days and included an extensive education and training programme alongside the exhibition in which around 120 companies promoted their products and services.

In a bullish build-up, the three associations promised to deliver "a unique trade exhibition and conference designed as a business-to-business event by industry insiders for the entire industry". Exhibitors did indeed cover the various industry sectors that are increasingly being integrated - commercial and residential sound, display, ommunications, security and audio-visual

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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UK - In a bold move likely to impact on the region for years to come, the management of Cheltenham Racecourse has decided to go 'all out' in their development programme with the construction of a flagship new 4,000-capacity entertainment venue - The Centaur at Cheltenham.

The Centaur is a multi-purpose indoor venue, and ranks as one of the most modern and flexible entertainment centres in the South West of England. The response to initial marketing of the arena has been quite remarkable, and the bookings diary is already looking extremely busy for the next 24 months.

This purpose-built auditorium can accommodate 2,200 people seated and 4,000 standing. The state-of-the-art LiteDeck staging system from LiteStructures forms the basis for a variety of function layouts, ranging from sporting events and concerts, to conferences and exhibitions.

Peter Allison, technical manager for

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UK - Age-Sex-Location is a comical but philosophical work by Marcus Markou and Richard Redman, about how emerging technology allows us to explore the age-old issues of identity, fear, dreams and the illusion of reality.

Premiering at Hammersmith Riverside, Age-Sex-Location is aimed at a young audience who might not necessarily be attracted to conventional theatre productions. Writer Marcus Markou decided he always wanted projection to be a fundamental element of the production; it seemed an obvious theatrical mechanism for a story set in cyberspace.

Video and lighting designer, Sven Ortel and video co-designer Dick Straker (both of Mesmer Productions) came onboard via director Pip Pickering, and all worked closely with Markou to define the design of the performance space. Straker and Ortel asked XL Video to supply the video kit, with hardware co-ordination handled by XL proje

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USA/Turkey - Switchcraft, the American manufacturer of audio and video patchbays, connectors and cable assemblies, has recently strengthened its international distribution by appointing Radikal Limited to distribute its products to the broadcast and professional audio markets in Turkey.

Stephen Waldron, Switchcraft's director of international sales, said: "Radikal has been supplying Turkish broadcasters since 1997 and we are very pleased to enter this new relationship that will increase the supply and support of our products and introduce the Switchcraft range to new customers and markets."

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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Denmark - "Back in 1987 when Lydkompagn9et was formed there were two dominant sound companies in Denmark - CSR (Copenhagen Sound Reinforcement) and DPA (Danish PA). CSR no longer exists and DPA has merged with Sound Co. Neither considered Lyd' a serious threat, both companies underestimated their strong business orientation and the company's determination to sweep away old practises."

That's Lars Fredriksen, a Danish freelance sound-man of some 20 years' experience, who only recently has chosen to leave the road and find a more settled career in sales. Readers may recognize the Lyd' name - they featured in L&SI when they serviced the Eurovision Song Contest from Copenhagen in 2001. But Nordíc is the new brand - I asked Nordíc's MD Lars Aunsberg, why the change of name? "Two reasons; our customers from Germany and the UK couldn't pronounce the old name; and secon

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Switzerland - A sophisticated new multi-level dance venue recently opened close to the Swiss city of Lucerne. The technical infrastructure features a successful integration of equipment from the Harman Pro product portfolios, with contractors Habegger Media Performance AG selecting BSS Soundwebs as the preferred routing matrix and DSP control.

Habegger specified a pair of BSS 9088ii (respectively configured for Mic and Line), with local remote control provided by two BSS 9012 'Shrimp' wall panels. JBL Control Contractor series loudspeakers form the main PA system across the venue's three storeys, powered by Crown CTs amplifiers, and equipped with a dbx DriveRack 260. The club consists of two dance floors, which can be operated independently, or with a single sound source. In addition there is a lounge, four bars and further different small areas and alcoves covered by JBL Contro

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Germany - During the recent tour by the group PUR, one tool played a key role in communications: the Telex BTR-700. The Leonberg-based radio equipment specialists Bareither+Raisch was responsible for the communication between technicians during the recent tour by what is currently Germany's most successful pop group, Pur. The venues were 40 of the largest concert halls in Germany. Bareither+Raisch's most important behind-the-scenes weapon, according to Stefan Raisch, was the BTR-700 from Telex. When the tour was over, Raisch expressed his satisfaction with the performance of the system: "The BTR-700 provided perfect communication between the stage, FOH and the follow spot operators arranged in echelon behind the FOH, all of whom were a considerable distance apart. Quite aside from saving us the time and expense of setting up long cable runs, the BTR-700 impressed everyone - t

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UK - Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) presented its Design and Technology Futures Forum 2004, an industry-meets-academia event designed to encourage interaction between the professional production industry and the college. This inaugural event was organized by Kathy Sandys, lecturer in Theatre & Performance Design. Its ultimate aim, explains Sandys, is to ensure that LIPA continues to produce graduate students equipped with the relevant practical and theoretical skills to be employable when they leave.

The forum attracted nearly 60 people from all areas of the industry. Speakers included Bandit Lites UK director Mark Powell, and two LIPA graduates - Matt Gant and Sion Clarke - both now working as TV production designers. Powell paid tribute to the great creative energy at LIPA, and the commitment of the teaching and support staff to ensuring that students receive q

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UK - ELP recently installed a temporary theatre grid into The Royal Festival Hall (RFH) which the company says will significantly improve rigging efficiency for touring theatre productions.

Although normally a concert platform, with no proscenium arch or flying grid, the RFH does host traditional theatre, including recent productions of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake by Russia's Stanislavski Ballet. Typically, rigging contractors are brought in to transform the hall into a working proscenium arch theatre, with a flying grid and track system for moving scenery and lighting during performances.

However, ELP's MD Ronan Willson, AutoCAD specialist Tim Williamson and project manager Toby Dare came up with a unique approach which eliminated most of the problems encountered by previous systems.

A Supertruss structure, interlaced with a series of aluminium 'I' beams, increased the he

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UK - Continuity was the key to this year's BRITs, with the familiar and experienced production teams brought in once again by producer Mick Kluczynski of MJK Productions to create what was perhaps the slickest BRITs show to date. Presented by Cat Deeley, the show included performances from Black Eyed Peas, The Darkness (who stole the show with three awards) and 50 Cent, as well as a duet of the Cure's 'Lovecats' from newcomer Katie Melua and jazz sex-thimble Jamie Cullum.

Sound

The hugely experienced Derrick Zieba was brought in again by MJK to design and co-ordinate the sound system. Also returning to the fray, Britannia Row Productions provided the sound and co-designed the system with Zieba, this year fielding an EV X-line speaker system. Zieba has been an enthusiastic user of Yamaha mixing desks for many years and was one of the first designers to make the transiti

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Italy - Proel S.p.A. export department has recently been expanded with the arrival of Stephen Smith as technical sales support for the Sound Reinforcement and Lighting product divisions. UK born but living in Italy for the past seven years, Steve has a degree in Psychology at BSc level. In Italy he has gained a wide range of experience working with P.A. and lighting rental companies, participating in several European and World tours as well as many local live and television productions.

His jobs have included collaborations with: MTV Italia 'Supersonic'- (a live program which has hosted important international artists such as REM, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mana, Alanis Morrissette and The Cranberries) and numerous other festivals.

His work has mainly involved mixing sound both on stage and FOH and as backline/ stage technician although he also has experience as a production elect

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UK - XL Video is supplying all the production video hardware via Blink TV to Production North for Busted's first UK arena tour, to be production managed by Iain Whitehead. The tour is completely sold out, and causing a stir as the UK's immensely popular pop-punk-rock band capitalize on their Brit Award for Best Breakthrough Act, and three top 10 singles in just over 12 months.

For the in-your-face, hi-energy performance - more akin to an AC/DC or Offspring gig than a pop show - the video is directed by Ruary Macphie (who's other 'recents' include Robbie Williams, David Gray). He's using one of XL's three-camera packages for IMAG, with one camera at FOH and two in the pit on track-and-dolly, to produce action-packed visuals that match the band's intense energy.

There are two side screens, and a large 60sqm LED screen onstage. All screens take a collage of IMAG and pre-recorded

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USA - Super Vision International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUPVA) a world leading manufacturer of fiber optic and LED lighting products announced today that Ashby Trade Sign Supplies LTD has selected Super Vision as its exclusive supplier for LED sign lighting systems. Super Vision's FlexLEDs and #61652 product is an energy saving LED lighting system for channel letters. Acknowledged as the UK's foremost supplier of aluminum sign blanks, Ashby is noted for speed and flexibility of service and with a customer base of over 4,000 sign makers. Ashby is pioneering the introduction of LED (light emitting diodes) in the U.K. sign industry.

"While we have always been lead by the sign makers requirements, our research indicates that the advantages of LEDs, with 80 percent energy saving over neon, reduced installation and maintenance expenses will undoubtedly win over sign specifiers and retail

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UK - Nottingham based concert PA hire company, Sound of Music Ltd, recently purchased a 40-channel Allen & Heath ML4000 live sound VCA console to update its existing hire equipment.

"The events for which we are providing sound reinforcement are increasingly high profile and high-tech making our original desk rather dated. We needed an innovative console with plenty of AUX sends, dual functionality to handle monitors from FOH if we needed to without compromising on FX sends and superb features like VCA capability for grouping," comments Sound of Music's audio engineer, Sash Pochibko.

"When Allen & Heath launched the 'B' option offering extra stereo channels for the ML series at the PLASA show last year, the ML4000 was the ideal mixer for our needs. Not only did it fall in our price bracket, it fulfilled our spec requirements. The brand status also complements our

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Denmark - On 16 March 2004 Seelite A/S and DPA SoundCo A/S signed a collaboration agreement and to simplify business procedures and the communication flow for customers and partners, DPA SoundCo will move their office to Seelite's administration building in Copenhagen on 1 April 2004. The agreement, will strengthen the two companies' position on the market resulting in a collaboration that makes it one of Scandinavia's largest suppliers of technical turnkey solutions for the event and entertainment industry, concerts and theatres, fairs and exhibitions, film and TV production and the corporate market.

"The fact that we share office is not to be interpreted as a merger between Seelite and DPA SoundCo. We remain two independent companies merely sharing office, skills and resources", says Sten Adlet Jensen, managing director of DPA SoundCo. He adds: "We have chosen e

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UK - Manchester based corporate sound rental specialist, Audio Alliance has recently supplied a comprehensive system for Levi Strauss & Co's latest Pan-European Sales Launch in Porto, Portugal. Audio Alliance was working in conjunction with Production Company Airplay performing to an audience of Levi's sales teams from across Europe.

Such a demanding and varied event needed a well-designed system, which Audio Alliance supplied and installed in the 1000 seat purpose built theatre. Airplay's senior account manager, Rachel Jebb explains why she chose this particular sound rental company: "We've worked with Oli Driver and his team from Audio Alliance for several years and their knowledge and professionalism during a challenging project is essential. We knew we'd need the skill set and composure that they offer, for a job that requires lots of input and flexibility and as ever O

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UK - Continuing the series of successful opera productions staged at London's Royal Albert Hall, the presentation of La Boheme continues to build on the high production values set in previous years. Directed by internationally renowned Francesca Zambello and featuring Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by David Parry, the piece played in the round in the splendid surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall to audiences totaling around 50,000 people during February and March.

Once again, Out Boards' TiMax delay matrix system was specified because of its unique localization capabilities, enabling the vocal reinforcement system to be as transparent as possible while delivering the highest levels of intelligibility. Remaining in the digital domain between the D5 console and TiMax, thus removing unnecessary D-A and A-D conversion, further enhanced quality.

Out Boards' Robin Wh

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UK - Stage engineering and automation specialists Stage Technologies was recently presented with the official grant and emblem for the Queen's award for enterprise. The company was granted the award last April for excellence in the International Trade category and was officially presented with the accolade on behalf of her Majesty The Queen by Colonel Kay OBE, TD DL.

Originally introduced in 1996 The Queen's Award for Enterprise is one of the most highly competitive and sought after accolades a UK business can achieve. Thousands of applicants from some of the most successful businesses in every industry apply for an award but only a few achieve a high enough standard to warrant such an honour.

Mark Ager and John Hastie founded Stage Technologies in 1994 with a mission to develop and supply theatres and entertainment venues internationally with computer-controlled systems to mo

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