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UK - August saw the Royal Bath & West Showground in the West of England's rural Shepton Mallet besieged by 'pilgrims' from all over the country attending the annual Christian New Wine Festival, followed by Soul Survivor.

During the changeover to Soul Survivor, the ranks of 11,000 people swelled to 14,000 - stretching the site's services to the limit - when the 96m x 69m Albion Woods Big Top was reconfigured for the more youth-oriented event.

Some of the traditional problems experienced by the promoters were eased this year when both events converted to a Martin Audio Compact Line Array (W8LC) for the first time, provided by Wigwam Acoustics.

"There had always been a desire to fly a directional system, to reduce the spill outside the tent and minimize the impact on the sur

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UK - Surprising as it may seem to some of the skeptics, since his appearance on "I'm a Celebrity...", Peter Andre has shown a phenomenal increase in popularity throughout the UK - and as such has recently completed a five-week sell-out UK tour. Basingstoke-based rental company Eurohire - providing audio, lighting and risers - chose EM Acoustics Quake subwoofers as the ideal solution for the low-end.

The system is built from EAW KF 800 series products primarily - KF850's ground-stacked four per side and KF853's flown - with just four Quake subwoofers each side. The whole system is processed by XTA DP224 controllers, and powered by LabGruppen amplifiers.

FOH engineer Graham Ewins commented: "I found the Quake subs to be extremely responsive, and surprisingly powerful for a single 18" driver. Stacking four in a block each side gave us excellent low-end throw r

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International - Bryan Ferry is currently touring the globe with Audio-Technica microphones, including the AE5400 large-diaphragm, cardioid condenser - his long-standing choice of stage mic. Ferry has used an AT4054 capacitor microphone exclusively for his vocals for several years but has recently taken up with the A-T Artist Elite AE5400 - the successor to the AT4054 - with a significantly richer LF response and a switchable HP filter, say Audio-Technica.

These mics allow Ferry to switch from voice to harmonica, cupping the capsule without fear of feedback or any 'muting' of the harmonica's tone. The live mic list also includes AT4050 condensers on piano and guitar cabs, two ATM35 high-intensity, clip-on, cardioid, condenser instrument mics on harp, an ultra-miniature hanging AT853a cardioid condenser mic on violin, an AE2500 Dual Element, dynamic/condenser on kick drum, ATM25

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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 - ShowCAD will again be exhibiting at PLASA, demonstrating new features of its Artist show control system. Artist is now linked with Cast Lighting as a Registered WYSIWYG Developer, enabling users to program/visualize lighting plots virtually using their WYSIWYG software. ShowCAD has also linked up with Pathway Connectivity to utilize the Pathport Ethernet DMX distribution system. This powerful system is also ACN-ready, and gives Artist up to 32,000 DMX channel capability.

Automaton is a new product - ShowCAD's long awaited low-cost stand-alone show controller which can be programmed from a computer on or off-site using a web browser, and will then replay the programmed shows without the need of a host computer. ShowCAD will also be demonstrating how to integrate Artist with IP commands, as well as the standard MIDI, RS232, and digital connections. Also, the company reports,

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UK - Thousands of loyal folk fans gathered in August for one of the most eagerly anticipated folk festivals of the season, Cropredy. The long-running festival, which has been a regular fixture since the late 70s, was headlined again by Fairport Convention - the original founders of Cropredy. The festival also featured the Oysterband, Jethro Tull and Nick Harper. SSE Hire was once again the chosen audio contractor for the event. The PA system was the Nexo Geo T with a Midas Heritage 3000 console out front and a Midas XL348 onmonitors.

Huw Richards, FOH engineer for SSE commented: "Every engineer had something positive to say about the system this weekend - all were really happy. It's the first time I've used a line array at a folk festival and I was really impressed at the quality of the output, especially with such a wide range of acoustic instruments in use. Overall it was

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USA - Utah's Salt Lake City Olympic Legacy Theatre uses a pair of Jem Glaciator heavy foggers to create a special cloud effect during the opening and closing scenes of a feature movie that is presented several times each day.

Supplied by Las Vegas-based atmospheric and effects specialists Water FX, the Glaciators are used to create a three-dimensional cloud at the beginning of the film, a curved 37ft (11.3m) fog barrier that covers the projection screen. The fog creates a curtain onto which three projectors cast images of blue clouds. The fog curtain is controlled via fans and manifolds, and at one point a hole is blown through the cloud to create for the audience the effect of flying through the clouds.

At the end of the movie, viewers journey back through the clouds. Some 150ft (45.7m) of ducting, plus 120ft (36.6m) of manifold and 100ft (30.5m) of tubing with a large diver

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USA - Loud Technologies Inc has announced a cross-licensing agreement with Echo Digital Audio, which will see Loud Technologies license FireWire audio technology from Echo, while Echo licenses Mackie-branded application and plug-in products from Loud. "This partnership leverages each company's strengths," commented Tony Rodrigues, business development manger at Loud. "Echo is a recognized leader in the development of high-quality audio devices for computer-based audio workstations. Combining their expertise with Mackie's exceptional analogue and digital audio technologies will result in a new generation of high-performance audio I/O products that will bring a host of innovative features and capabilities to the desktop and professional recording markets."

As part of this agreement, Echo will begin bundling Mackie-branded software products with their PCI and F

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UK - A high-profile vodka bar in Bedford has become a showcase for the latest fashions in LED lighting. Purchased recently by Mark Walker for his girlfriend Deborah, Bar Soviet is equipped with the latest Mood panel and high-power Solar MR16 RGB downlighter technology - supplied by Ian Kirby's Lighting Effects Distribution.

Having finally taken over the premises which he had tried for four years to acquire, the new owner - who also runs the company Laser Light International - wasted no time. First he applied for a PEL (which he hopes will give him a 3am license) and then he contacted his friend, Glasgow-based Nadar Shahzad of Blue Audio. Shahzad reports, "Mark wanted the venue to constantly change colour. Although he hadn't seen the Mood panels, we had been sent a demo unit last year - and I knew this would be the perfect solution for him."

Offering a split screen di

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UK - The Product Excellence Awards at the PLASA Show has been a popular feature of the event for many years, highlighting the significance of the show as a focus for new developments for the industry. To reinforce this role, the PLASA Awards have undergone an important change for the 2004 event (12-15 September), in order to focus on genuine innovation.

For the re-branded PLASA Awards for Innovation, the judges will be looking for products which advance the industry, demonstrate a new style of thinking, represent a key step forward in safety terms, or improve technical practices. There will be eight Awards for Innovation at the judges' disposal and currently over 60 nominations have been received, with just three weeks before the deadline of Friday 3 September. Exhibitors who still wish to nominate a product are urged to submit their applications as soon as possible. Nominees w

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UK - Mission Pro, the professional division of the British company at the leading edge of loudspeaker innovation for over 25 years, is exhibiting on Stand CC42 at PLASA 2004, Live at Earls Court, from 12-15 September.

The highlight of the Mission Pro stand will be the award winning TecSonic portable PA system. TecSonic is a groundbreaking, lightweight package that includes a specially designed full range panel loudspeaker, an efficient mixer-amp and all the accessories needed to provide an ideal sound reinforcement solution for PA presentation and background music applications. For easy and safe portability, the complete system is housed in a sturdy and protective carrying case.

Also on display will be the SM6A active studio monitors, which have already received excellent coverage in numerous MI Pro publications. The SM6A features a 150mm Paramid cone bass unit, coupled to a 2

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UK - James Thomas will show its comprehensive ranges of trussing, tower and ground support systems - including the new Mini Tower trussing system - and theatrical lanterns. The latter include the legendary aluminium PAR can, cyc lights, spot banks and light battens.

The Mini Tower system is a small ground support tower designed to lift loads of up to 1000 kg to a maximum height of 7.5 metres in a three or four tower configuration; 7.5 metres in a goal post (two tower) configuration. JTE is also showing examples of its large range of standard aluminium trussing, ground support and roofing structures. JTE trussing and aluminium products are in clubs and destination venues of all types, large scale festivals, theatres, concert tours, theme parks, visitor attractions and retail environments. The most popular aluminium products include GP (General purpose) trussing, SuperTruss, Super

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USA - Color Kinetics and Spectrum Manufacturing Inc, a subsidiary of UK-based A.C. Lighting, have announced a patent licensing agreement through which Spectrum will expand the Chroma-Q line of products with a new LED-based offering. The first new product, called Color Block, will be unveiled by A.C. Lighting at the PLASA show in London (12-15 September).

"Color Kinetics works proactively to help OEM and Licensing customers enter and find success in the intelligent solid-state lighting space, and we're very pleased to extend the advantages of our intellectual property to Spectrum, whose Chroma-Q line will now feature the proven benefits of LED technology," said Bill Sims, President and COO, Color Kinetics. "This agreement represents the latest achievement in maximizing the value of our technology know-how and supporting industry-wide adoption of intelligent solid-

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UK - One of the world's leading cruise ships, the QE2, has undergone an extensive technical refurbishment of its Grand Lounge, the largest entertainment venue on the ship. A new Martin Audio sound system has been installed to handle the Lounge's diverse programme of events.

The Grand Lounge stretches over two decks of the ship, accommodating 450 people in cabaret-style seating on two levels. Twice a night, the ship's on-board cast present theatrical production shows, and occasionally guest cabaret artists perform, as well as dance bands. Cunard's entertainment technical manager Andy Pygott had to search for a sound reinforcement system that was flexible enough to handle these shows, as well as all the other events that are hosted by the Grand Lounge throughout the day.

"We were looking for a system that would deliver even sound coverage across the whole room, with a part

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UK - Sunbaba Screens, suppliers of printed and plain banners, screens and PA scrims are showcasing the newly developed 'DigiSound' at PLASA 2004. As part of their continual product development program the Sunbaba Screens team have developed a new scrim material - "DigiSound", which allows sound to pass through it with almost no signal degradation. This revolutionary fabric can also be printed upon with full colour images.

Scrims, which were initially made of just plain fabric, are traditionally used to hide and protect PA systems, but increasingly they are used as giant advertising hoardings with full colour digitally printed images, and make up an integral branding opportunity at most events. The unique symmetry of the yarn in 'DigiSound" allows brilliant images to be reproduced, while maximizing the mesh openings. This type of weave increases the sound flow, com

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UK - Following the news from Color Kinetics on its new licensing agreement with Spectrum Manufacturing, A.C. Lighting has given full details of the first in the new Chroma-Q line of high output LED products manufactured under the agreement. The Chroma-Q Color Block DB4, which was previewed in prototype form earlier this year, is a block of four DMX-controlled colour mixing LED lights which, due to its modular design and comprehensive range of fixing options, allows users to create a complete LED system using stock of just one generic fixture type.

The Color Block can be used individually or in a number of configurations. By changing a few quick-release clips or brackets, the units can be easily stacked together to make blinders or locked together in rows to make battens. Fixing options include wall, floor or truss-mounting using a yoke attachment, or by utilizing the built-in M

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UK - 5 Star Cases Limited and AV rental company PSCo will be introducing a revolutionary lifting solution to the AV industry at this year's PLASA show. The companies have worked closely together developing the mobile lifting solution. The screen and lift is housed in a flight case, to lift the 84" plasma screen. PSCo hold the sole rental rights for the screen which remains the largest in the world.

The lift can elevate over 200kg in weight, moving the 84" plasma to over 3m in height at the touch of a button, thus enabling the manoeuvre of the plasma screen into position safely and with minimal manpower. The new flight case, designed and manufactured by 5 Star Cases will be on display on its PLASA stand S70, along with PSCo's 84" plasma screen.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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Greece - The 2004 Olympics are being broadcast to thousands of fans and spectators at the event at numerous locations in and around the historic city of Athens, using state-of-the-art Barco equipment, the company reports. Other regions, such as ancient Olympia, Thessalonica, Volos, Heraklion and Patras, as well as municipalities around Greece, are also involved in the franchised Olympic Celebration sites program. With expected ticketed visitor numbers reaching well over 5.3 million, the Barco LED display and projection solutions used in the various sporting venues and entertainment locations around the country have their work cut out.

Over the last months of the preparation for the games, Telmaco, the main system designer and integrator, in cooperation with Barco, has installed two SLite 22 LED displays at the Karaiskaki Stadium in Faliro Piraeus and the Kaftatzoglio Stadium in

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UK - Outline's patented Butterfly line array had its UK debut this summer, at the only live gig performed in Europe by The Isley Brotheres. Kool and the Gang and the sensational Amy Winehouse supported the Isley's, while the Sunday featured Michael Ball. Capacity audiences on both days enjoyed the summer sun at Penshurst Place in Tonbridge, Kent.

The show moved on to Harewood House near Leeds for 7-8 August and the Saturday night saw Will Young play to a capacity audience of over 16,000 eager fans. The show used Outline's Butterfly Line Array and a full 20-way stage mix which used Outline's H.A.R.D 212 monitors.

The front-of-house system consisted of 16 Outline CDH483 mid/high packs per side and 16 Outline 'Victor' live sub-basses (eight per side), the whole system powered by Outline TP 6.5 PWM digital amplifiers and controlled by Lake Contour system processors. Sigma AV Ltd,

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Russia - Exactly 53,212 spectators were in attendance on the 31 July, 2004, beneath the huge new canopy held aloft by 16 supports, as Berlin's Olympic Stadium - four years out of commission for rebuilding - re-opened with a magnificently staged spectacle.

Charged with the installation of a brand-new sound reinforcement system and supported by EVI Audio, the Berlin-based sound and events specialists TSE AG opted for a large Electro-Voice sound reinforcement system and a Dynacord PA. In addition to outstanding sound quality, the new equipment offers reliable and convenient system control and monitoring. In this, Electro-Voice's IRIS software and remote-controlled amplifiers play key roles. Explains Oliver Sahm, project and sales manager permanent installation Europe: "Having to install the loudspeaker enclosures in the roof is hardly conducive to easy maintenance. Thanks to E

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UK / USA - Artistic Licence has announced the re-launch of its LED based digital lighting range in the United States. The ET-LDI show in Las Vegas will provide the venue from 22 to 24 October. Artistic Licence offers a wide range of LED based colour-mixing products. The range includes 'off-the-shelf' products along with a projects department focussed on bespoke design. Artistic Licence has recently completed two major projects in London, totaling over 100,000 LEDs. The Projects department continues to expand with 'in-progress' sites in Melbourne, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.Artistic's managing director, Wayne Howell comments: "We are very excited about the US re-launch of our LED range. We have a diverse product range and a committed projects team that has a lot to offer the US market. Many of our competitors take an 'if it's not in the catalogue, we don't do it' a

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Hong Kong - To meet growing demand in the rental market for high-quality and durable video screens, Lighthouse Technologies has introduced the LVP1950F 19mm LED pixel pitch video display panels. The first screens are already in use at the Amsterdam Arena, home of Ajax FC, and debuted at the Singapore National Day festivities on 9 August.

Ideal for large-size outdoor applications, the LVP1950F provides excellent color reproduction, 14-bit technology and M4 uniformity control. The screen is packaged in sleek, lightweight panels that make it easy for quick installation and break down. Other features of the LVP1950F include 5,000 nits brightness; 140° horizontal viewing angle; 51° vertical viewing angle; 2,757 per square meter pixel density; 4.4 trillion colour capability; 14-bit processing depth; 60-frame-per-second frame rate; Data input for NTSC, PAL, XGA, RGB HV, RGB S, YUV,

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