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On the Ianiro stand, Artistic Licence's Mark Thompson was showing the intelligent Pixi-Led array which demonstrates Remote Device Management (RDM) in operation, with each individual fixture feeding back status information to the controller - the same technology Artistic employed in the Broadgate installation. Also with Ianiro was High End Systems, whose Fons de Vreede, Phil Mercer and Tony Magana were on hand with the Catalyst digital media server system and the Catalyst DL1 moving head.

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Spotlight was present in its role as both manufacturer and distributor. Its own new products included the Evolution series of high performance profile spots, which now consists of eight models available in both halogen and discharge versions, and ranging from 1000W to 2500W. The discharge units feature a built-in electromechanical dimmer which allows the fixture to be dimmed through a dimmer channel in the same way as a halogen profile spot, while taking advantage of the higher performance levels of discharge sources.

Spotlight also introduced the ARC Video Performer system. The ARC is an intelligent yoke-mounted video projector, which in combination with the Video Performer digital media server system provides a complete package for video content manipulation, processing and projection. In its distribution role, Spotlight was joined on stand by a number of leading brands including Com

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Studio Due's highlights included the 'Photowall', a 1200e large format scrolling projector, and the CS2 (2 x 250W) and CS4 (4 x 250W) moving multi-par fixtures. Also new is the Silver Line of architectural lighting products, including the Hercules 800e and 600m models, the CityColor 400 and 300 models and the MiniCity 250/SL, 150/SL and 100 models - all of which are IP66-rated.
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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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Of the lighting players, Clay Paky's launch of the impressive Alpha range of 575W moving head fixtures was one of the highlights of the show. The three Alpha models are the Alpha Spot, Alpha Spot HPE and Alpha Wash. 'HPE' signifies 'High Performance', and accordingly the Alpha Spot HPE boasts a redesigned optical system, a 10-40° zoom and electronic focusing. With CYM colour-mixing and a seven-colour wheel, linear CTO for colour temperature correction and pastel shades, plus its three gobo wheels (of which two are indexable, interchangeabe and bi-directional), two prisms (2-facet and 5-facet), three frost filters, 0-100% dimming and stop/strobe effect, the Alpha Spot is a fully-featured unit. Another new feature is its 'fast-clamping' capability which provides quick switching of graphic effects discs.

The Alpha Spot is a lower-budget option, with a 15-35° zoom, two colour wheels and

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Swefog showed its smart new Live T26, the design of which includes a handy carrying bar and a nozzle that wouldn't look out of place on a drag racer. The unit utilizes Swefog's X-Power heavy duty 2,600W smoke generating system, and produces 1,800m/min output.

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UK - For performing arts professionals and students based in Scotland, it's a long trek to trade shows in the Midlands and south to see the latest products and talk to equipment manufacturers. So this year the Department of Technical and Production Arts at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) added a Sponsors Trade Show to run alongside its annual graduate exhibition. Spearheaded by Ros Maddison and David Ripley (RSAMD's head of Technical and Production Arts and production manager respectively), the combined event was held on 24-25 March.

The show fulfilled three functions: to give the Academy's sponsors something in return, by bringing their products out 'to the market' and providing a forum to informally talk direct to the students; to give the students the opportunity to talk to the companies, to discuss products, working practices, work placements and employ

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UAE - The Middle East is an exciting market for lighting, sound, AV and systems integration providers. For example, the UAE is slated to invest $28billion in new architecturally-driven projects over the next five years. Across the Middle East region, research has indicated that the sound and lighting industry will be worth $2billion per year within five years.

This huge level of investment aims to open up massive new income streams to these previously oil-dependent states, with tourism and leisure on the grandest of scales being the big earner of the future. All good news for suppliers and installers of entertainment, presentation and communication systems.

Against this background, IIR Exhibitions has put the Pro Audio & Light Middle East - PALME - exhibition firmly on the international trade show calendar after just two events. This year's show, which took place in February,

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UK - Firework display specialist Rocket Pyrotechnics has announced the acquisition of fireworks display company SWPF. Paul Franklin, MD of Rocket Pyrotechnics said: "Due to Rocket's rapid growth and success, we have been looking for other fireworks companies to acquire as part of our expansion plans. We were particularly interested in SWPF as its infrastructure could easily be integrated into Rocket's and we felt that John Kennet, (MD of SWPF), would be a great attribute to our team."

Rocket's forte is fireworks displays choreographed to live music, where as SWPF's forte is fireworks displays choreographed to pre-recorded music, using the Fire One firing systems. This combination makes Rocket a powerful player in the pyro-musical field. Kennet and his team will also strengthen Rocket's indoor and special effects department, which provides indoor pyrotechnics, confetti

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Switzerland - L&SI was recently a guest at the Geneva Motor Show, courtesy of Barco's Media and Entertainment division. And not without good reason did Barco extend their largesse . . .

Inevitably there was good and bad at the Geneva Motor Show. Bad was the profusion of aggressive-looking cars - you know the type? The shape of car is all squat and muscle - something akin to an automotive Pit Bull Terrier. It's a sad day for western males when even an MG saloon appears obliged to prop up the failing ego . . . whatever happened to those sleek, rounded, curvaceous sports cars of the 60s?

The good news was presentation. Pal Expo Geneva is vast, with acres of floor space, typical of a truly international exhibition centre. But for the car show certain rules are in evidence, primarily one that limits stand design and floor usage. Stands, or at least their vertical scenic elements

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France - Digigram, one of the world leaders in innovative digital audio network solutions, has released a new driver set v2.00g for its miXart 8 range of multi-channel sound cards, which include: miXart 8, miXart 8 AES/EBU, and miXart 8 CN. For the first time, the driver set features an ASIO driver in addition to the existing WAVE and Digigram np drivers. An open source Linux driver project for this range of sound cards was launched in September 2003.

Marc Bénard, Digigram's sound cards product manager said: "ASIO has become a recognized standard for multi-channel applications in music and audio content production, as well as video post-production and DJ applications. We are proud that professional users and ambitious amateurs now can capitalize on both ASIO's low latency and the miXart 8's sound quality."

The miXart 8 is a platform that combines powerful Digigram o

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UK - SSE hire has just taken delivery of two Midas Heritage 4000 monitor consoles to add to its already considerable Midas inventory. Already the biggest Midas owner in the UK, the addition of a further two Heritage 4000s serves underline SSE's continuing commitment not just to Midas but to large format analogue console technology. In addition to the Heritage 4000s, SSE has also ordered three Midas Verona's.

SSE's John Penn comments: "We have a hugely busy summer season in front of us, and we needed more consoles. We were going to invest in more Heritage 3000s, but when the Heritage 4000 came out, it made more sense for us to invest in a desk that has even more facilities and the extra capacity to handle heavy-duty monitor applications, but can still go out in the place of a Heritage 3000 if necessary. And of course, it's a Midas, and Midas has proved since time immemorial

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France - Early spring in Paris and the 22nd SIEL show opened its doors to what the organizers claimed were 25,893 visitors. Essentially a national show attracting a largely French audience, SIEL is unsurprisingly dominated by French Distributors. There were few international manufacturers exhibiting independently and those that were hailed mainly from the European mainland.

There was a very relaxed feel to the show with practically everyone stopping for a long lunch at around 1pm (how civilized!). This year the show was divided into two distinct areas with entertainment lighting and sound exhibitors on the upper floor and the rather livelier and more colourful nightlife and events show on the ground.

Siel was attended by many of the usual suspects along with a few interesting new faces showcasing some fascinating and innovative products. LED technology at last seems to be est

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UK - The Coliseum, home to the English National Opera, was in the final stages of its £41m refurbishment when I visited in early February. Having experienced hideous delays resulting in both the cancellation of Nixon in China and the advertised first night of Rheingold, ENO tentatively opened its doors on 27 February with the first part of Wagner's pioneering tetralogy, The Ring Cycle. Whilst the opening show received mixed reviews the interior itself procured gasps of admiration from FOH staff and punters alike.

Originally a variety house designed by the renowned architect Frank Matcham, the Coliseum has been home to the English National Opera since 1968. This restoration is the first major programme of repair since it opened in 1904: the venue has undergone several face-lifts in the past, some of which have eradicated many of the theatre's beautiful original features.

Respo

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UK - Experienced industry executive, Garry Broadbent, has been confirmed as the new MD of CRS Ltd and Powerent. Broadbent will take the reigns at two of the Longville Group's specialist equipment rental companies after a complete restructure by the new board which was appointed at the end of last year. CRS is one of the country's leading climate control hire specialists and Powerent provides power and generator solutions.

Broadbent was one of the original founders of CRS in 1995 and moved with the company, becoming sales director, when the Longville Group acquired it in 1999. Broadbent not only has a background in sales but also mechanical engineering, which is crucial in what is a technical, installation and solution driven market.

Broadbent said: "The restructure at Longville has created a great opportunity for our businesses to focus on their own unique strengths and c

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Italy - Eros Ramazzotti is one of Italy's top exports music-wise: the Roman singer/songwriter is in fact currently globetrotting with his high-tech World Tour, performing hits and tracks from '9', his latest BMG album, to packed crowds throughout Europe - from Moscow to Lisbon - then over to South and Central America, before coming back for a summer leg in European open-air sports arenas.

Producers Clear Channel Entertainment Italia called in Canadian set Designers Serge Denoncourt and Francis LaPorte and LD Alain Lortié who, along with production manager Giorgio Ioan and musical director Claudio Giudetti, came up with a world-class multimedia spectacle. Ioan says: "Eros decided he wanted a complete change and the show really is different - with a great deal of work going into the actual concept, the lighting, sound and video."

Ioan went to Canada and met the design

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Finland - Genelec is launching a new line of near-field, two-way systems - the 8000 Series - comprising three new products: the 8030A, 8040A and 8050A, which replace the 1029A, 1030A, and 1031A, respectively.

Following the footsteps of the 7000 series of LSE subwoofers, the 8000 series takes a new approach to enclosure design, driver technology, and active electronics, say Genelec. All three models utilize all aluminium, minimum diffraction enclosure (MDE) design, with large internal volumes, curved edges, and significant mechanical strength.

Ilpo Martikainen, MD of Genelec, commented: "Genelec changes models only when real performance improvements can be achieved. The design brief for the new 8000 series called for a reduction in various linear and non-linear distortions. After careful analysis of what improvements were technically and economically feasible, our engineer

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Iraq - Capital Productions' contract with Combined Services Entertainment (CSE) - which provides entertainment to HM Forces serving worldwide - last year extended to Iraq.

With a high number of British troops stationed in Basra, the shows tend to be more complex. Here Capital created the staging, barriers and ground support system, supplied the backline kit and sub-contracted the lighting from Brian Leitch's company, Siyan.

Capital's Paul Timmins told us: "I'm always striving to improve on the equipment and I desperately wanted to use the Martin line array system. It's the first time these premium speakers have been in the sand."

An array of eight W8L enclosures and six ground-stacked WSX subs were positioned either side of the stage, supported by a further six Martin Audio W2s for barrier fills. With air support provided by the Royal Air Force, some 24 tons of e

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Ireland - On 19 February, Pink, the bad girl of pop, made a dramatic entrance onto the stage at the Point Theatre Dublin as she was lowered smoothly to the stage in a rusty steel bird cage (pictured right). Pink opened her show with the hit song There You Go, telling the 8,000 strong crowd that the evening was to be an 'illusion of music'. . .

Brilliant Stages were approached by production manager Rich Barr to work on the Mark Fisher design for the European leg of Pink's world tour. The company supplied two 'smart' hoists - to lower the cage to the stage - preferred for their ability to ramp up and down from a soft start to produce a smooth descent. The set pieces include two exaggerated speaker stacks mounted to an upstage raised walkway, accessed via two open-tread aluminium staircases on stage left and right.

The 64 speaker cones, constructed from fibreglass, are up to 3ft

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USA - Well-known for his past work with Primus, as well as the current line-up of Guns n' Roses, drummer Brain (Bryan Mantia) has been pursuing a parallel career in computer music and beat programming for the past few years. Using two portable Metric Halo setups, Brain is able to bring his programming talents to bear on multiple projects simultaneously.

"I do a lot of programming for albums," Brain acknowledges. "I just did a load of stuff for the new Vanessa Carlton album. I also just did an album with Buckethead, the guitarist from Guns n' Roses. His new album has a lot of programming."

Brain now uses a pair of G4 Titanium laptops. Looking for a high quality digital audio interface, he reports that friends in the industry, such as producers Michael Beinhorn and Roy Thomas Baker, recommended that he check out Metric Halo. "Everybody told me about the

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UK - The new Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, is a unique interdisciplinary project that has brought together experts in the areas of musical composition, signal processing, internet technology and digital hardware. This new centre, established in a purpose-built facility located alongside the engineering departments of Queen's University, will certainly create interest amongst the engineering community in Northern Ireland and particularly those interested in new genre electronic music production using innovative digital signal processing techniques and hardware implementations.

The centrepiece of SARC, the Sonic Laboratory, is a facility for cutting-edge initiatives in the creation and delivery of music and audio. According to QUB, the Sonic Laboratory offers a high degree of flexibility for experiments in 3D sound diffusion and

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USA - High End Systems (HES) New York has relocated its office to a new suite number within the same building, and with the move, has increased its technical support. Joe Haller joins the automated lighting manufacturer as a fixture specialist for HES legacy products and the new digital product line of Catalyst and DL1. Haller worked for the past five years at High Output in Boston, where he was the electronics department manager.

Haller comments: "While at High Output, I became knowledgeable about High End Systems products for a range of projects from the in-house production rentals to theatrical tours. I wanted to get out of the rental game and always wanted to get into the manufacturing side. High End Systems lights are the first I ever worked on and programmed. I'm happy to be here and excited about the direction of the company. It's also good to see an air of excitemen

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