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UK - Star Events Group Ltd was approached to offer a staging solution for three regional football stadiums - Hull, Ipswich and Nottingham Forest - for the UK leg of the REM World Tour, and, made innovative use of Orbit Flexidome technology. The brief from promoters CCE was to maximize audience capacities whilst maintaining the large, festival appearance of a traditional Vertech stage and, of course, accommodate REM's exciting and creative lighting and video set. After the first round of site surveys it became obvious that the way to maximize the capacities would be to construct as much of the stage as possible in the terraces of the stadiums. Once the limited height to the underside of the stadium roofs was taken into consideration, it became apparent that a new approach would be re

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UK - There's just two days now before one of the most energetic and creative PLASA Shows opens its doors in London. The show, which begins on Sunday at Earls Court 1, will feature over 300 companies, 1,000 new products, 30 seminars, workshops and presentations, and hundreds of events, parties and launches.

But the key thing about an exhibition is always the people and PLASA is known for being one of the best events for networking - everyone comes together at PLASA. And PLASA 2005 is taking that networking opportunity a stage further with the introduction of 'speed networking'. This will be a chance to increase your business contacts with people specifically involved in your sector of the industry. The PLASA Show organizers will be looking to recruit willing participants on the show floor, and the whole session will only take up 30 minutes of your time! And, who knows, you might

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UK - XL Video is exhibiting at PLASA for the first time, aiming to introduce the company to the business and live event communications sector of the AV industry, as well as demonstrating the potential for crossover of equipment from concert touring with which XL is most commonly associated.

The UK and Europe's largest touring video rental company, XL Video works across all sectors of the business, leisure and entertainment industry and has bases in England, Belgium, Germany and America.

XL PLASA the company is showcasing a selection of key products - including the latest exotic LED screen technology from Barco and Lighthouse Technologies, and Soft-LED drapery from Mainlight Industries.

XL will illustrate how video equipment and techniques from the world of rock 'n' roll and concert touring are crossing over into theatre, conferences and other live events.

New products incl

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 - Lightfactor Sales is showing a variety of its core theatre and performance orientated products from Italian manufacturers SGM and LDR; Wireless Solutions from Sweden; Xilver from the Netherlands and LightProcessor from the UK.

New from SGM is the Synthesis, the first of a new generation of moving head fixtures designed and built for top-level applications. Among its 'firsts' are two types of interchangeable 700W lamps, with automatic hot re-strike, colour mixing, a precise linear dimmer, automatic electronic pan/tilt unlocking, silent operation and excellent brightness.

It is also the world's first moving head fixture fitted with wireless DMX as standard, with an operating radius of over 500 metres.

SGM's PALCO LED colour-changer has been selling strongly to leading rental companies including Fineline, Essential Lighting and PRG and have been used on a myriad of applica

Details
UK - The 2005 PLASA Show opened its doors at 10 o'clock this morning, and the crowds streamed in to the show floor, which looks better and brighter than ever. Sunday at PLASA is DJ day, of course, and the annual Gemini DJ competition will once again prove a big draw for budding mix artists, with the contest taking place in the DJ lounge at the rear of the hall, and the final taking place at 4.30pm. There's plenty more going on as part of DJ Sunday, supported by iDJ magazine, offering all kinds of opportunities to learn about the art and practice of DJing.

Appropriately for DJ Sunday, seminars today include a session on Digital Turntablism and Mixing, chaired by David Eserin, editor of the Technoscan section of DJ Magazine, the session features world-renowned DJs Chris Liebing and Jonathan Lisle, and Eitan Zilkha of Sapphires. Following the session, Jonathan Lisle will be perform

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UK - "Debuts, demos and sneak previews" is the theme of the High End Systems' stand at the PLASA Show.

Debutees are headed by the Studio Command dichroic colour-mixing automated wash luminaire, which uses a 700 MSR (or alternatively a 700 MSR/2) source, emitting a large diameter beam from a compact head.

Also new is the DL2, the industry's first automated luminaire with an integrated digital media server on-board with preloaded content; and Axon v2, the rack-mount version of the DL2.

Under the "sneak preview' heading is Catalyst 4. This latest version of software now features show control cue lists, pixelMAD functionality and more than 60 new visual and colour effects, with over 3,000 new combinations of effects.

The booth is also displaying the combination of Catalyst with the Main Light SoftLED curtain.

The Flying Pig Systems console section of the stand

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UK - Following what PRG Europe calls "overwhelming demand for a return of the VL5 wash luminaire", Vari-Lite debuted its new product, the VL500 wash luminaire, yesterday at PLASA.

Based on the 1994 Emmy® Award-winning VL5™ Wash luminaire, the VL500 offers users significant performance enhancements over its predecessor. It's available in four base models: VL500, VL500D, VL500 80V, and VL500A.

The VL500 is available with either a 120V/1200W lamp or a 230V/1000W lamp. The most economical and lightest version of the luminaire, the VL500 is designed for those who require the 3200-degree colour temperature along with the most space-efficient unit. No external ballast or dimmer is required.

The VL500D is also available with a 120V/1200W lamp or a 230V/1000W lamp, plus an internal yoke-mounted IGBT dimmer. While retaining the 3200-degree colour temperature, with a

Details
UK - ADB Lighting Technologies at PLASA 2005, on stand K39, has the PLASA Award-nominated WARP/M, a unique, fully automated zoom profile spotlight, derived from the manual WARP profile launched two years ago, making its PLASA début.

WARP/M is specifically designed for venues where light output, silent operation, repositioning accuracy and networking capability are prime considerations.

Several hundred WARP/M units have already been shipped to such venues as the Glyndebourne Opera House in the UK, The Oriental Arts Centre in Shanghai and the Staatsoper in Munich.

At Showtech, Berlin, in June, WARP/M won the Product Award 2005 in the Lighting and Projection Technology category.

ADB is also showing a selection of its other luminaires, digital dimmers and control systems, including the MENTOR 4-in-1 console with the latest ISIS® software upgrade, and the new ISIS&re

Details
UK - Yesterday was a full-on first day at PLASA 2005, with both exhibitors and visitors in agreement that PLASA retains its position as the leading international show within the entertainment, corporate, event, architectural and installation industries.

Visitor numbers bucked industry trends by remaining strong, with professionals from all over the world arriving in London to discover the latest creative and technical innovations from 300+ exhibitors, representing all the leading brands.

As ever, the mood on the show floor was upbeat and positive with the focus very much on making this one of the most dynamic events ever. Feedback from exhibitors and visitors indicated that everyone was making the most of the opportunities for business.

A host of top DJs, including Richie Hawtin, Jonathan Lisle, Chris Liebing and James Zabiela were at PLASA for the launch of 'DJ Sunday'. Not

Details
UK - James Thomas Engineering has expanded its Pixel range of touring LED fixtures at the show with the launch of what the company calls 'contemporary and chic versions' of classic products.

The new PixelEight is an LED version of the familiar '8-lite blinder', designed for audience illumination other long throw applications. Making the most of generic LED benefits as well as an internal Effects Engine, the PixelEight produces unique colour strobing effects and allows independent pixel mapping, while providing the useful assets of low temperature operation and robust engineering.

The PixelLine 96 Batten is the latest in the company's series of LED battens and contains 96 Luxeon LEDs in two rows to enable the seamless forming of lines with multiple fixtures.The successful PixelBrick fixturehas been updated and the weatherised unit is complemented by a new 2-unit rack-mounted RG

Details
UK - XLNT Advanced Technologies, developer of the CyberHoist / InMotion 3D motion control system, has unveiled several major additions to the product lineup.

Two new CyberHoist intelligent hoist motors will join the original 500 kg-capacity, 0-20 meters per minute (1 foot per second maximum) variable speed CyberHoist 500.

The new high-speed CyberHoist 250 motor is capable of lifting 250kg at variable speeds of 0-40 meters per minute (2.17 feet per second) - the company says this is designed to produce smooth, fast and agile moves. Like all CyberHoist motors, it features an integral processor and Ethernet networking.

Topping the motor range, he new invertible, high lifting power CyberHoist 1000 features a 1000kg (1 ton) lifting capacity and fully variable speeds of 0-10 meters a minute (0.54 ft / sec). Suitable for inverted and non-inverted use (usable with the motor facing u

Details
UK - Martin Professional has launched two important new luminaires at PLASA - a fresnel version of its MAC 250 Series of moving heads, the MAC 250 Wash, and the high power MAC 700.

The MAC 250 Wash joins the MAC 250 Krypton and MAC 250 Entour profile spots to complete the new generation MAC 250 Series. The MAC 250 Wash is designed for environments where powerful colour wash effects are required from a compact 250-watt fresnel moving head such as touring and special event applications, television studios, club installations, and retail and leisure environments.

Features include efficient reflector technology for greater output, fast and quiet movement, a variable frost filter for zoom effect and a CMY color mixing system with a complementing color wheel.

A multi-layered, dichroic reflector gives the MAC 250 Wash an exceptional output. A Philips MSD 250/2 discharge lamp and th

Details
UK - Color Kinetics is showcasing a wide range of new systems and technologies designed, the company says, "to support greater adaptability, ease-of-use, and streamlined installation for both white and coloured light applications".

The new offerings range from optimised versions of existing products, to the official PLASA showing of IntelliWhite™ and the company's first multi-output power/data supply.

The ColorBlast 12 Powercore offers the essential attributes of the popular ColorBlast 12 in a complete line voltage system, using Powercore™ technology, which integrates power and data management directly within the fixture. This eliminates the need for external power supplies, as well as dramatically reducing installation cost and complexity. The company says that unlike other LED-based systems of its kind, ColorBlast 12 Powercore accepts a universal power in

Details
UK - Clay Paky has launched the Alpha Spot HPE 1200, described as the 'highlight of the Alpha range'. Its luminosity is guaranteed, says the manufacturer, by the combination of a top performance optical unit and a 1200 W discharge lamp.

Featuring a large, newly designed effects section, CMY colour mixing and a 10°- 40° linear zoom, the luminaire is also the quietest of the range.

Features include a metal iodide 1200W lamp, and an effects section providing a graphic system comprising 20 gobos and an animation disc; two rotating gobo wheels, each with six bi-directional, indexable and easily interchangeable decorative glass and dichroic gobos, selectable 'Gobo shake' function; morphing effect; one wheel with eight fixed and easily interchangeable gobos and variable rotation.

There also two bi-directional rotating prisms, three frost filters, stop / strobe effect and a high s

Details
UK - PLASA has announced the launch of a new National Rigging Award, designed to give riggers across all sectors of the industry a recognized framework by which their knowledge and expertise can be measured.

Initiated by the rigging sector, who looked to PLASA to further develop the template for a National Rigging Certificate, the Award has become vital in a climate where there is a growing focus on health and safety, and an increasing expectation from the insurance sector.

For the last 10 months, PLASA has been working with government bodies and members of the rigging community on the development of the Certificate, a consultation process which has been underpinned by the formation of the PLASA Rigging Advisory Group.

The Group is now working on the fine details of the criteria and assessment process, but once finalized, the scheme will include a tiered progression structur

Details
UK - One of the highlight product launches of the PLASA Show was made yesterday on the Allen & Heath stand as the company launched its digital live mixing console, the iLive. Developed for live sound applications, iLive's 'ground up' design features an extremely flexible architecture with large-scale audio distribution and control. iLive is designed to bring an analogue feel to digital mixing and draws on the company's extensive experience in live sound and digital technology, say the company.

The heart of the system is the iDR-64, a 19" rack-mounting modular mix engine providing 64 channels into 32 mixes, which can be assigned as auxes, groups, matrix and main outputs. The iDR-64 is a stand-alone mixer comprising the 8-channel audio interface cards, DSP processing, and communication ports. The unit is controlled via an Ethernet network and can be connected to a variety of

Details
UK - The winners of the PLASA Awards for Innovation were announced last night during a well-attended awards ceremony hosted by PLASA CEO Matthew Griffiths on the main show floor at Earls Court. The Awards, which focus on the best design and development work going on across the industry, came at the end of a day that reaffirmed PLASA's reputation as a forging ground for future innovations.

The Awards, which are judged by a panel of professionals, attracted 66 nominations, leading to eight technical awards and an additional award for environmental impact.

The winning products were:

  • Artistic Licence's Visual Patch is going to prove the ultimate time saver for converged lighting and video applications. It creates an on-screen geographic map of two or three-dimensional pixel array, whilst automatically also assigning DMX512 start addresses. Described by the judges as anot

Details
UK - British LED luminaire specialist Tryka has launched several new products at the PLASA Show - one of which is receiving a particularly favourable response, say the company. The company has chosen the PLASA Show as the launch-pad for two new and ground-breaking DMX drivers. The IDS-4 and IDS-12 Intelligent Drive Systems offer four and twelve outputs (RJ45) respectively and are able to control up to 144 LEDs each. Both models encompass seven modes (static colour, crossfade, criss-cross fade, cyclic wash, solid chase, fade chase and DMX) - each with several pre-set functions. The units, based on the unique 'colour cool' technology which is patented in Europe, USA, Australia and Japan, use Pulsed Amplitude Modulation to drive the luminaires. Other features of the IDS drivers include thermal feedback control, easy plug and play set-up, and full DMX address mapping.

Meanwhile, on

Details
UK - PRG Europe has reported a strong response to Vari-Lite's new VL500 luminaire, with orders for the new fixture flooding in. Following what the company has called an "overwhelming demand for a return of the VL5 wash luminaire", Vari-Lite is debuting the VL500 at the PLASA Show. Based upon the 1994 Emmy Award-winning VL5 Wash luminaire, the VL500 offers users significant performance enhancements over its predecessor, say the company.

The VL500 is available with either a 120V/1200W lamp or a 230V/1000W lamp. The most economical and lightest version of the luminaire, the VL500 is designed for those who require the 3200-degree colour temperature along with the most space-efficient unit. No external ballast or dimmer is required.

The VL500D is also available with a 120V/1200W lamp or a 230V/1000W lamp, plus an internal yoke-mounted IGBT dimmer. While retaining the 3200

Details
UK - E:cue has launched its 'Butler' Ethernet to DMX gateway, which features 1024 DMX channels and an integrated replay unit.

The Butler allows up to two DMX lines to be controlled an e:cue programmer or media engine. Soft-Patch allows two different DMX lines to be inserted or the same line can be repeated several times. The DMX signal is available via RJ45 connectors or, optionally, XLR adaptors.

The Butler can also be used as a standard replay unit, and an internal SD card provides memory for several shows generated by the e:cue programmer including the use of liveFX functionality. Show size is limited solely by the SD card capacity, and if a show requires more than two DMX universes several Butler devices can be linked via e*net and synchronised during replay, while the integrated IR receiver provides a simple method of recalling shows from any IR remote controller.

(Mike

Details
UK - Simon Brophy, the former head of lighting at the Millennium Dome who was earlier this year found guilty of defrauding the New Millennium Experience Company, was yesterday sentenced to a four-and-a-half year prison term.

Brophy, who was given the £70,000 per year job at the Millennium Dome in 1998 despite his lack of experience, and used his position to award contracts to Pro Design - a company he had set up with his mother Ruth Barclay and his friend David Gordon as directors. £3.9m of lighting contracts were awarded to Pro Design - £2.8m of which was paid to the company before the fraud was uncovered. Equipment was rented by Pro Design from another lighting company and then hired out to the Dome at hugely inflated rates. In all, the investigation found that Brophy stole a total of £1.1m from the NMEC. During the trial, it was also found that that Pr

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