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UK - The White Light Group is the lighting supplier for the transfer of the smash-hit musical Les Misérables to the Queen's Theatre, with White Light Hire supplying the conventional lighting and The Moving Light Company the expanded automated portion of the rig.

Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed production of Les Misérables played at London's Palace Theatre from 1985 until 27 March this year, however it has now moved along Shaftesbury Avenue to make way for The Woman in White, the new musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Though outwardly appearing as a straight transfer, the new production features an entirely new version of John Napier's acclaimed set designed to fit within the Queen's smaller stage. Given the chance to re-think and update his Tony-award winning design for the

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USA - A new company has been formed to chronicle, produce and distribute a shared history of production touring from the perspective of industry professionals. Roadcases, founded by Paul Dexter and Larry McNeny, is in its early stages of development, beginning with a website along with a new idea for a cable television series and a future book.

Dexter has been writing steadily in American industry magazines since early 2000. "I wrote an article early on called 'Is there Life After Rock'n'Roll Touring?'" says Dexter. "After touring, going out into the real world with rock'n'roll attitude was a huge shock. I need freakin' therapy now and I've discovered that I'm not the only one."

McNeny and Dexter met on Ozzy Osbourne's 'Diary of a Madman' Tour in 1981-82. McNeny was the tour manager, as he had been for the BeeGees and Eric Clapton, and Dexter was Ozzy's l

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USA - California's largest resort-casino, the Pechanga Resort & Casino, owned and operated by the Pechanga Native American Indian Tribe in Temecula, recently overhauled the audio system in its Showroom Theater with the addition of a new L-Acoustics V-Dosc concert system. The system design and installation was a collaborative effort between Muzak's Riverside-based systems division and AMT Systems of Santa Clarita.

The 1,200-seat venue, which has hosted performances from the likes of Olivia Newton-John, The Temptations, Hall & Oates, Kenny Loggins, George Carlin and Chicago in the past couple of months, now boasts a stereo, four-way loudspeaker system with six V-Dosc cabinets per side. Additionally, a total of 16 SB118 single-18" sub cabinets are located down on the stage, and all systems are powered by L-Acoustics' LA 48a amplifiers.

Muzak senior systems consultant Daryl

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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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UK - Fuzion plc has confirmed the sole UK distribution rights to a new European brand, t&m Systems, ending a two-year search. The extensive range of complementary loudspeakers and amplifiers has been part-engineered to meet the requirements of the UK market. "The Fuzion policy has always been to embellish our product portfolio in communication with our customer base," said sales and marketing director, Paul Ward. "It has been a constant source of frustration that a gap has existed below our Nexo range, and thus a huge market requirement in the bar, AV and small installation sectors has remained unfulfilled."

But now that looks set to change. "We've been searching constantly for the right partnership and t&m have been sufficiently flexible to allow us design input - which means that products, such as the t&m8 Pro, will be based around our customers needs

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USA - Reinforcing its position as a complete provider of state of the art audio networking technology, Biamp Systems, announced new additions at the NSCA (Booth #2623) to its Digital Audio Platform, that take its already impressive functionality to a new level. The addition of the TI-2 telephone interface card and the EXPI-D and EXPO-D digital I/O expanders enhance the power of the AudiaFLEX while maintaining its ease of use.

"The addition of these new technologies gives contractors and consultants ways to cost effectively expand the depth of functionality of a truly networked audio system while ensuring that it can be used at any level of facility," said Matt Czyzewski, VP of Technical Operations, Biamp Systems. "Now with the use of digital I/O expanders, our clients can accommodate the growing number of digital devices that need to be hooked to our networked sy

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Australia / Germany - ARX Systems, the Australian manufacturer of professional audio equipment has announced the formation of a strategic partnership with well-known German audio development company Algorithmix GmbH to develop, design and manufacture a range of specialist digital audio products under the 'ARX Digital' banner.

Based in Waldshut-Tiengen Germany, Algorithmix is headed by Christoph M. Musialik Ph.D, currently the European Chair of the AES Technical Committee for Signal Processing. Initial Products in the new DSP-based range will be released into the market in fourth quarter 2004.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Allen & Heath has appointed a new sales executive to manage UK sales activity at the company's headquarters in Cornwall. James Langridge, who has previously worked for BT and Natwest, will be responsible for liaising with Allen & Heath's network of dealers,providing them with product advice and support.

"I've been interested in music all my life and have been DJ'ing for the past five years. I bought a Xone:62 last year and play at a few club nights locally. Now, I'm proud to be working for the company that designed and made my mixer!"

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - LD Vince Foster specified 12 James Thomas Pixelline LED battens for the current Sugababes tour directed by Paul Domaine. The Pixelines are mounted vertically in pairs along the bottom deck of the set - which Foster also designed - and ensconced into the cladding to emphasize its architectural lines.

Foster has been a keen fan of Pixellines since the fixtures were first launched, and initially used them for Massive Attack's 2003 tour. He also used them recently for an MTV special at Hammersmith Apollo, starring N-E-R-D featuring Justin Timberlake, and has specified them for the upcoming Phil Collins tour.

The Sugababes tour is being operated by Stephen Abbiss, The Pixellines are used simply, sparingly and often subtly for effects in specific songs. For 'Caught In A Moment' they create blue liquid effects, mimicking the video content for that number. They also throw an elec

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UK / Germany - Cadac is celebrating 20 years of dedicated design for live sound applications, showing its S-Type Compact Live Production Console alongside the production version of the D16 Digital Input Mix Matrix on Stand 4433 at the 116th AES Convention, taking place in Berlin from 8-11 May 2004. The first Cadac theatre consoles came off the production line in 1984, with desks going onto the long-running musical Starlight Express, and to Broadway courtesy of Masque Sound.

20 years on, Cadac is focused on combining the best of digital and analogue technology in its latest generation designs, with the D16 going into production in Summer 2004 and plans for a full-scale integrated digital console to be announced later this year. Cadac's R&D team has worked closely with operators and sound designers to develop the D16 concept, majoring on extending the control facilities through Ca

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UK - Blitz Communications recently demonstrated its widescreen expertise at the IVCA (International Visual Communications Association) Awards 2004. Held in the Great Room at the Grosvenor House Hotel, on 26 March 2004, the prestigious award ceremony is a yearly event that recognises and celebrates the best in visual communications in the industry.

Blitz, working closely with THA (Thomas Hannah & Associates), the appointed production company, was commissioned by IVCA and THA to supply the equipment and technical expertise for a panoramic widescreen video backdrop to the award ceremony and entertainment.

Blitz used an 18.3m wide by 4.9m high screen combined with Vista Montage projection (supplied by Joys Production Services) along with six Barco R8 projectors to produce a panoramic vista, and a four-camera channel portable production unit with video record, plus video hard drive

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USA - The Ghost Bar on the 55th floor of the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas has recently upgraded its lighting with a design created by Adam Gregory of Kelly Communications. The installation features Martin Architectural Alien 05 stem mount fixtures hung from the ceiling above a series of curled acrylic photographs. Light from the Aliens penetrates the images, stretching the figure out onto the wall behind. The Alien fixtures (600mm stems) typically project a subtle blue but the Alien's palette of other colours is also integrated from time to time with six different looks programmed on a Martin 2518 controller.

The Palms is a $265 million resort just off the Strip with a diverse mix of top end entertainment venues under one roof. High above the Vegas Strip, Ghost Bar is an open-air venue with unparalleled views. The lounge boasts 12ft. glass walls and a glass floor on the ope

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USA - Element Labs Inc reports that Large Screen Video Imaging has taken initial delivery of a 50sq.m order of Versa Tile. The equipment has been placed in LSV's rental inventory, and the purchase makes LSV the first rental partner for Versa Tile in the US.

John Rigney, president of Large Screen Video, commented: "We are very excited to have this product in our arsenal. Everyone who sees it goes 'Wow, that's cool!' It's clear that Versa Tile's innovative and unique nature will keep our inventory very busy."

Since its launch last year, Versa Tile has received numerous industry awards and has been featured on the Super Bowl half-time show and a variety of other events. Large Screen Video is a rental and staging company specializing in LED display products and has offices isCalifornia, Texas, and Florida.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Telectra, manufacturers of the ice lighting range announced recently that it is now available to order direct from the company. The initial product consists of eight hexagonal ice lighting tiles fixed to a batten which has its own power supply and on-board thermal management system adapted from Telectra's aerospace experience in electronic engineering.

Each tile contains 48 pixels which are individually addressable RGB LEDs featuring a Beadlight diffusion screen (patents pending). The Bead light technology (patents pending) employed within the system was originally developed for the aerospace industry to gain the advantages of LED lighting such as low power consumption and low heat emission, without the disadvantage of directional glare often associated with LED's.

The battens are connected to a controller, which are supplied with one batten communication card capable of

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UK - Installation Europe in association with TOA Corporation are inviting installers, consultants, distributors and manufacturers to nominate projects for the 2004 Golden Ears Award. The Award will celebrate excellence in the design of electronic systems in commercial buildings.

First prize is a dream tour of the Far East, sponsored by TOA Corporation to celebrate the company's 70th anniversary. For an entry form, please visit the website below.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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UK - Entertainment technology specialists Kelco UK Limited believe it is set to bend the collective ear of the UK clubbing scene with its most recent sound installation in Nottingham. Stealth is the latest club of note to open anywhere in the UK and aims to revitalize a club scene which many have claimed is on the verge of stalling. Details of the club and its exact style and content are a closely guarded secret.

Kelco managing director David Kelland commented: "I obviously can't comment on any other aspect of the club, but I can guarantee that the sound system that we have designed and installed is as good as it gets. There is no way that words and specifications alone will be able to do justice to the systems; it really is something that has to be experienced to appreciate what has been achieved."

The two main floors of Stealth will see the first UK installation of

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USA - American DJ has introduced the DJ Spot 250, a 250W DMX halogen moving head effect. Designed for mobile DJs and smaller clubs, the DJ Spot 250 substitutes a halogen lamp for the more pricey discharge lamps found in moving heads used by larger venues.

Scott Davies, general manager of the American DJ Group of companies said: "American DJ is always striving to make the latest lighting technology available to our core customers - mobile DJs, working bands and small clubs, these lighting users were telling us they wanted to join the trend to moving head effects, but without having to pay a thousand dollars or more for a fixture. So we came up with the idea of designing a moving head with a less expensive halogen lamp. The DJ Spot 250 provides sufficient brightness for the average DJ or club's needs, plus it's got 360-degree moving head rotation, DMX compatibility and all th

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USA - Light Stream Controls (LSC) has introduced a new hybrid lighting controller that can play 'two roles' onstage at the same time. The DMX Operator Pro is a 2-in-1 stage lighting control board that can function as both an intelligent lighting controller and a parcan dimmer.

Equipped with a total of 136 DMX channels, the DMX Operator Pro utilizes 128 of its channels for intelligent lighting control and eight for par can Dimming/On/Off. Designed to offer the convenience of total lighting control from a single board, the DMX Operator Pro is great for small- to-mid-size theatres, concerts, churches, touring companies, or any stage production where both parcans and DMX special effects are used.

"In the past, if you wanted a multi-functional controller that could handle both DMX effects and parcan dimming, you basically had to buy a large stage board that could cost up to s

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Japan - Tokyo City Keiba is a horseracing track located in Ooi, Tokyo, one of four built in the 1950s in central Japan. Since its opening, Tokyo City Keiba has entertained huge numbers of fans and, since 1986, has made a great success of its night time Twinkle Race.

With the help of Martin color changing projection, Tokyo City Keiba is continuing to change the horse track's entertainment concept. In 2003, a new entertainment facility called L-Wing was opened with restaurants, indoor gardens and color projection from Martin Architectural Exterior luminaries enriching the gamblers' visit. One result has been that women are now starting to visit the racetrack to enjoy the atmosphere.

At dusk L-Wing delights the crowd with colour changing projection, and during the Twinkle Race L-Wing paints the paddock in soft shades projected by several exterior lights. Delicate colors, kept dis

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USA - VLPS Lighting Services, Inc. has announced that the Software Version 5.0 upgrade is available for all Virtuoso consoles. The new version is the first to run natively in the Mac OS X operating system, and the upgrade includes the latest release of Mac OS X Panther.

New features include inhibitive sub-masters, track and fill cue editing, a media window providing graphical browsing and selection of digital media content, and a high resolution encoder mode for precision control of 16-bit parameters. Other enhancements include luminaire type-specific parameter labelling in the console status windows and timing/function filter displays, expansion of DMX512 support to over 700 universes (using external Virtuoso Ethernet Nodes), and expansion of the Beam Palette to 200 selects. The Virtuoso SV 5.0 upgrade is now available exclusively for purchase through VLPS Lighting Services.

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Chinese manufacturer Pearl River recently signed with Italian distributor EtaBeta Electronics. The company was demonstrating a wide range of fixtures at SIB including its Pilot 575 moving head, which is available in 100/120V and 200/240V versions, and includes various colours (two wheels of six dichro colours plus white), gobos (seven interchangeable glass gobos plus fixed wheel) and effects (including three and five-facet indexable prisms).

EtaBeta's other brands include Opti, and Neil Rice was on hand to demonstrate the Opti range - new products included a clip-on gear-driven 50mm effects cassette for the company's range of projectors, and a variable speed Solar and K4 wheel rotator, which is also operable via the same remote IR controller which Opti introduced recently for its range of slide/gobo autochangers Also from Opti was a new clock projection attachment which now includes a

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Space Cannon introduced an extensive line-up of new architectural lighting fixtures utilizing high-power Luxeon LED sources. These included the Helyos external colour-changing fixture; the Heos in-ground colour changing fixture for internal applications; the Olympus colour changing washlight for indoor and outdoor use; the Athena striplight - ideal for colour-washing individual window spaces; and the Poseidon underwater colour changing washlight. These fixtures were in addition to the range of conventional source fixtures, including the Pegasus - a 150W/250W unit which uses a patented colour-mixing system consisting of two dichroic tubes, one of which slides in and out of the other to produce a wide range of colours and shades. Using the same colour change system is the Focus, available in 575W, 600W, 700W or 1200W versions.
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