Details
UK - Quest - The Legend of the Green Knight is a totally new family spectacular performed in a fully heated Big Top on Clapham Common, running from 16 December 2004 to 3 January 2005. Sunbaba Screens has provided specialist printed backdrops for the festive theatre production.

A huge 135 sqm full colour backdrop being used for the event was digitally printed by Sunbaba Screens on the company's "Ultra-Mesh" fabric, while a number of smaller screens were designed and printed to hang over the doors of the temporary structure which houses the production.

Trevor Booth, technical director of Sunbaba Screens explained: "We worked closely with Quest to produce a backdrop which would suit their precise requirements and set the scene for the production. We have worke

Details
USA - Moon Lighting & Sound of Reno, Nevada, has joined the L-Acoustics Network Owner roster with its purchase of new dV-Dosc and V-Dosc rigs complemented by SB218 sub enclosures. Company owner Ken Van Gelder, who has been providing production services to the Reno and Lake Tahoe communities for over 19 years, says: "Having the distinction of being a V-Dosc provider puts a regional company like ours in a different class. Excellent sound quality, accurate predictability, and ease of rigging make these systems some of the first choices on national tour riders, and the amazing hi-fi quality and huge stereo image of this product is simply unparalleled."

Since acquiring the new loudspeakers, Van Gelder has noticed a dramatic difference when advancing shows with production managers and engineers. "Rather than trying to talk them out of the first choices on their riders,

Details
UK / Brazil - Audio design specialist Audient has appointed Libor Comercio & Importação Ltda as its exclusive distributor in Brazil. Libor owners Henry and Ivone Spong say they have long been fans of the products produced by David Dearden and Gareth Davies. "Many of the DDA consoles sold in the 15 years that Libor has been in business are still in active service, and are prized by their owners as great sounding, reliable consoles. It's an enormous pleasure, therefore, to sign on with Audient and be certain that we could sell their products, safe in the knowledge that we would be continuing a tradition of offering the best products on the market at an affordable price," says Henry Spong.

Ross McFarlane, product specialist for Audient has just returned from a trip to São Paulo, during which he presented Audient and LA Audio products to around 50 of Libor's key custom

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

Details
UK - When rock and roll landed at London's Earls Court for sell out shows by Morrissey and Muse (two nights) this month, Star Events Group supplied its rolling riser stage system. The 60ft x 40ft system was built in a mere five hours, saving critical time on a tight time schedule.

Project manager, Phil Addyman said: "This used to be a quiet time of year for us, but we are amidst a very busy December season of outdoor shows, supplying Vertech ice-rink platforms and these rolling riser stage shows emphasize how the company has moved forward to be busy at all times of the year."

Star Events Group will finish the year with New Years shows as far a-field as Edinburgh Hogmanay and Milan (the latter managed by the new international arm of the company; Star Orbit Italia).

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

Details
UK - Polaron plc, (POL.L) ("Polaron", the "Company" or the "Group"), the AIM listed broad-based technology group, announced recently the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Rossula Ltd, the holding company for Lightfactor Sales Ltd and LightProcessor Ltd - two leading UK entertainment products companies. Lightfactor distributes a range of lighting and audio products and LightProcessor manufactures entertainment lighting control equipment. The total consideration of £350,000 is to be satisfied by £250,000 of cash and the balance by the issue of new Polaron shares.

Mick Hannaford, the majority owner of Rossula, will continue to operate as a managing director for entertainment lighting within Polaron's controls division. Revenues for the year ended March 2004 were approximately £2 million. Polaron also announced that trading continues in lin

Details
UK - XL Video is supplying Blink TV with all video production, equipment and crew for the current Will Young arena tour. The tour features a combination of IMAG video from XL's 4 camera PPU and pre-recorded footage specially created for the tour by show producer Michael Gracey. The live images are mixed by video director Phil Woodhead, and the video production package is co-ordinated by XL Video's Des Fallon and Blink TV's Tom Llewellyn. XL's chief engineer Stuart Heaney looks after their crew of seven and the tour's production manager for 19 Management is Kenny Underwood.

Video plays a central role in Young's stage show, with visuals running for over half of the set. Sydney-based video artist Michael Gracey initially met Will Young when his company Babyfoot Productions shot the "Your Game" promo on location in Australia - and they immediately hit it off. Young has tak

Details
Our daily news service is taking a short break over the Christmas period and will resume on 4 January 2005.

We would like to wish all our readers a very happy Christmas holiday and a successful 2005. Thanks to all of you for your continued support for L&SI Online and Lighting&Sound International magazine.

Best regards,

The PLASA Media Team.

Details
USA - As of 1 January 2005 all Strand 500 series control consoles ordered after this date will ship with the latest edition of WYSIWYG Perform Console Edition. Connecting the newest version of WYSIWYG CE to a Strand ShowNet network allows users to match the full capacity of their Strand Console to WYSIWYG for the first time. Users will no longer be limited to 512 DMX addresses and will now be able to display up to 8,000 devices on a 500 series system. Automated lights are consuming DMX addresses at an ever expanding rate and the new WYSIWYG Perform Console Edition frees users to display and control lights up to the capacity of their consoles without additional cost. WYSIWYG Perform CE will also be provided on Strand 300 series Memory 125, 250, 400 and 600 channel desks.

Gil Densham of Cast Lighting has been working closely with Strand Lighting over the years in the WYSIWYG devel

Details
USA - The Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) announces the launch of its new and improved website. The ESTA website has been completely redesigned providing easier navigation, faster access to important information, and search functions throughout. The Member Directory, one of the most used references in the industry, is now searchable on a variety of fields allowing you instant access to contact information. The site contains detailed information on the Technical Standards Program, including published documents, standards in public review, working group information, and meeting schedules. Information about ETCP, the Entertainment Technician Certification Program, is available at www.etcp.esta.org or by linking from the main site.

The website also includes the popular Job Board and information on ESTA's indu

Details
USA - The Queen Mary 2, the largest and most expensive cruise ship ever built, set sail from her homeport of Southampton, England on her maiden voyage - a Trans-Atlantic trek to Fort Lauderdale, Florida - with a full complement of Technomad WeatherTech Loudspeakers distributed throughout her exterior entertainment decks. Harbour Marine Systems (HMS), a Miami-based systems integration specialist serving the nautical industry, was contracted by the Queen Mary 2's owner, Cunard Line, to outfit the new luxury liner's pool and entertainment decks with the state-of-the-art, high-fidelity Technomad WeatherTech loudspeakers.

The QM2 measures 1,132ft from stern to bow, some 113 feet longer than the original Queen Mary, and holds 2,620 passengers and 1,253 crew members when fully loaded. The distributed, exterior sound system called for high-fidelity audio to match the ship's lofty stand

Details
UK - Blitz, one of the UK's leading providers of audiovisual equipment and services, showcased some of its most innovative sound solutions at the 250th anniversary celebration for the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). The event, which was held at the Royal Albert Hall was attended by over 2,500 delegates.

Richard Rogers, Blitz's sound designer, commented: "Owing to the very tight schedule, we pre-programmed the show in advance on our latest Yamaha PM5D digital mixing desks. We used 28 Sennheiser radio mics on the circular stage with a radio earpiece for the host, Michael Buerk. Our system also took into account that the event was being recorded to CD for subsequent web casting. We also delivered zoned onstage foldback to five separate zones via Mission NXT FS2 loudspeakers - sneakily hidden in coffee tables!"

In addition, B

Details
UK - Since the appointment of Tony Dickson as UK sales manager of Tomcat UK in May 2004, two further new additions have been made to the Tomcat UK staff, namely Patrick Lockwood and Paul Jordan.

The company say that the impact of this new team will be that Tomcat UK will be able to offer a much wider range of services to its customers including technical appraisal, site surveys, theatrical installations and also the supply of industrial lifting and mechanical handling equipment and structures, which will be dealt with through its Lifting and Handling Solutions division based at Bromborough, utilizing the skills of Dickson, Jordan and Lockwood.

Lockwood, who joins Tomcat UK as a sales engineer, first started in the industry as a welder for James Thomas Engineering in 1990. Working his way through the company, Lockwood ran the welding shop for approximately two years. With his k

Details
UK - The increasingly popular d&b audiotechnik 'Sound system design' seminars will be brought within reach of audiences in Leicester, Glasgow and London early in 2005. Addressing the acoustic signal path between the loudspeaker and the listener's ears the seminars focus on sound system design; there's no fluff, no puff; just comprehensive electroacoustics with all the physics you'll need thrown in. The style is friendly and the demonstrations memorable say the company!

January also sees the launch of a new module exploring the theory behind Line arrays in a dedicated workshop at De Montfort Hall Leicester on 12th January 2005. For full details and registration for any of the events please check either the calendar or training sections of d&b audiotechnik's website via the link below.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

Details
Finland - The makers of FogScreen have reported that volume production of the system has now started, with lead time currently at one month for FogScreen Inia, a 1.5m x 2m (59" x 79") sized model. The company also reports that the screen's quality has been improved during 2004, and the level of condensation water dripping from the unit has been reduced. Also, FogScreen Inia is now DMX-controllable, say the company, while interactivity add-on are also available, making it possible to write and draw in the air with a pointer stick.

Units have now been sold to USA, Japan, Germany, Finland and Russia, and the company has announced exclusive distribution arrangement in Germany and Japan with effect from 1 January 2005, plus dealers in the USA and South Korea. The company also reports that its sales have doubled every four months since its start-up in July 2003, and the fir

Details
Australia - Juliusmedia college is offering one full time fully funded scholarship and two part funded scholarships available for the Advanced Diploma of Technical Production, a one year course starting 21 February in Sydney.

This is a new qualification which is nationally endorsed. It comprises entertainment technology management units including advanced OH&S and team leadership, along with electives in audio, lighting, vision and staging. It is conducted at Rydalmere college, with practicals at various venues across Sydney. The course includes internships and work placements during 2005.

The Advanced Diploma is a full time course, with an accelerated program delivery. The pre-requisite is normally completion of the leaving exam in Year 12, however there are entry exemptions for exceptionally motivated students.

The fully funded scholarship pays course fees and any college

Details
Hungary - Hungarian soul/funk nine-piece Freeport, introduced the Pro Series microphone range from Audio-Technica, at the Wigwam Rock Club in Budapest, as part of the annual Hangfestival (Sound Festival) last month. Audmax is the exclusive distributor of Audio-Technica in Hungry and organized the first A-T workshop, with Freeport providing the musical demonstration.

The musicians used a variety of Audio-Technica microphones, including AE3300 on lead vocals, PRO61 on backing vocals, PRO63 on saxophones, MB2k on trumpets, PRO63 on guitar cabinets and ATM25, ATM23He, ATM33a and PRO63 drums.

Around 400 visitors attended the event including some of the most important broadcast suppliers and contractor companies and musical instrument dealers. The Hangfestival is the Hungarian event for professional sound technicians and is organized by Garry Electronic.

Zsölt Zold of Audmax comm

Details
UK - When it was time to upgrade the mid-sized mixing consoles in their hire fleet, Britannia Row Productions has opted again for Soundcraft. With their brace of SM12s reaching retirement age, the recent PLASA Show gave technical head, Jerry Wing and his team, an opportunity to assess the market - and on the stand of Harman Pro, they confirmed an order for a pair of 32-channel MH3s with Soundcraft's James Baker and LMC Audio London.

"There are a fair number of desks on the market that fell into the medium-size bracket - but few could match the number of features offered by the MH3," said Wing. "Also, we needed to opt for a desk that we knew was going to be requested by engineers. The MH3 represents a good package, offering value-for-money."

That value is contained in a desk that is ideally suited for both front-of-house and monitor use - offering complete

Details
UK - Large format projection specialists E//T//C UK projected into the Shell Building for London's New Year's Eve 2004/05 celebrations, working for show and event producers Jack Morton Worldwide (JMW).

The projections were part of London Lights a pyrotechnic and lighting extravaganza designed to catch the spirit of London as the year rolled over and reinforce the city's bid for the 2012 Olympics. The event took place along the Thames, encompassing the South Bank between Jubilee and Westminster Bridges, including landmarks like the London Eye and Big Ben. Over 135,000 people on the streets, plus TV audiences of several million enjoyed it live.

E//T//C's Ross Ashton decided to change the projection format slightly for this event, covering the full surface of the building with eight PIGI 6Kw projectors. (In the past, they've used 6 for the images, with two for accompanyin

Details
The Netherlands - With exhibition space sold out, and a packed schedule of product launches and events, the second edition of Integrated Systems Europe (26-28 January 2005, Amsterdam) will be double the size of last years event, say the organizers.

The exhibition will feature over 200 exhibitors from all areas of systems contracting, and provide a platform for the broad commercial and residential systems integration market - including AV and communications integration and automation, digital display and signage solutions, control and surveillance systems, home theatre and custom installation.

New features at ISEurope 05 include the UK Pavilion, the CEDIA Home Cinema installation, the IMCCA Conference Pavilion and a Digital Signage area. ISEurope 05 will also feature an education programme beginning on 24 January, and an essential ISEurope Business Conference event on 25 Janu

Details
UK - Despite being relative latecomers to the digital revolution, Blitz Sound recently purchased its second Yamaha PM5D digital sound desk from Marquee Audio - five months after buying the first.

Managing director Richard Rogers was first exposed to Yamaha's latest generation console - which shares design elements of both the DM2000 and PM1D - at a Marquee Audio open day at RADA. "As soon as I saw it I knew there was no other choice, and that we had to have one."

He praised the role of Marquee Audio as being instrumental in the company's move into digital. "This not only applies to the PM5D, but also our previous purchases into the theatre market. We've taken advantage of their excellent product knowledge, and it is comforting to have that support as we move further into networked audio solutions."

He continued: "I had anticipated that the desk would

Details
UK - John Lethbridge, who has been handling sales in the Middle East for Pulsar for the past three years, will be expanding his role within the Pulsar sales team with immediate effect. Lethbridge will be supporting technical sales manager Snowy Johnson and sales manger Jon Petts in the UK, and head of sales and marketing Andy Graves in certain overseas territories, say the company.

Lethbridge, as former managing director of Cerebrum Lighting, became a Pulsar distributor soon after both companies first began trading in 1970, and was also founding president of Celco Inc in Farmingdale, NY. He brings with him a wealth of experience, gained both in the UK and overseas.

(Lee Baldock)

Page 1729 of 3465

Latest Issue. . .