Details
UK - Richard Ashcroft ended his latest tour in style rocking out in front of a hugely enthusiastic 'home' crowd of 26,000 at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester.

Bandit Lites supplied tour production lighting and crew for LD Jonny Gaskell throughout May, project managed by Bandit's Lester Cobrin.

Gaskell's work with Ashcroft dates back to the days of the phenomenally successful Verve. For the Old Trafford show, working with Tim Flemming, he also designed and produced a series of custom video visuals, which were beamed onto an LED backdrop onstage and integrated into the lightshow for Ashcroft's set.

The rig comprised three overhead lighting trusses and six vertical truss towers on the floor. The system included 28 Martin MAC 2K profiles, 34 High End Studio Beam wash

Details
USA - A grassy desert oasis in Indio, California 125 miles east of Los Angeles has become home to the annual two-day Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the end of each April. Now in its seventh year, Coachella concert-goers enjoy music from some of rock's biggest stars and upcoming bands with a stunning backdrop of polo fields, mountains and palm trees.

Coachella is slated as one of the most forward-thinking music and arts festivals in America. This requires a sound system that can live up to this ethos. Accordingly, rental company Rat Sound provided Turbosound Aspect loudspeakers for two of the five main performance stages. This year, the attraction of Madonna's festival debut drew record numbers of fans - reportedly in excess of 60,000 on each day - out into the heat, which soared close to 100 degrees. Thousands packed into and around the Sahara tent, which was double

Details
Italy - Il Migliore is a quiz show hosted by Mike Bongiorno, which selects its contestants within specific professional categories - teachers, naval officers, engineers, pilots and archaeologists - for a battle to the last question. The program bases itself on the English format coined by Celador, which was broadcast on ITV1, Britain's Brainiest, which received a 33.5% audience share.

Aldo Solbiati, director of photography on the show, says: "At various stages of the quiz, before the commercial breaks and when we return to the studio, the 'bamboo' camera follows along the entire length of the studio in a move that encompasses the stage of the host, the nine contestants' podiums, and the audience gallery. This 'dynamic' situation, repeated many times throughout the show, intensifies its own movements thanks to beams of light which have been studied to combine w

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
USA - The Black Eyed Peas have plenty to celebrate as they make their way around North America on the 2006 Honda Civic Tour. The tour commemorates The Black Eyed Peas' sixth anniversary together, and marks the stage-wide adoption by the multi-platinum band of Sennheiser Evolution Series wired and wireless G2 microphones and instrument systems. The Pussycat Dolls, who are opening for The Black Eyed Peas on the tour, are also fully-equipped with Sennheiser Evolution Wireless G2 microphone and personal monitor systems.

According to production manager and production designer, Anthony Randall, The Black Eyed Peas' four vocalists - Will.i.am, Fergie, apl.de.ap and Taboo - have already been using Evolution Wireless in-ears for three years. Also, two of their four backing musicians upgraded to the second generation EW 300 IEM G2 systems for the tour. But this year, The Black Eyed

Details
UK - Sennheiser has introduced the e 602 II cardioid dynamic microphone to its line-up of evolution series microphones as a successor to the popular e 602. The e 602 II is designed especially for use with kick drums, bass guitar cabs, tubas and other low-frequency instruments. More than 40% lighter than its predecessor, it features a more robust, lightweight aluminium housing which allows for greater stability when positioning the microphone on a long boom arm. The shock-mounted capsule offers a fast attack, coupled with an extended low-frequency response, enabling the e 602 II to provide smooth, deep and clear reproduction of bass instruments for sound reinforcement and recording applications.

The e 602 II features lightweight, high-performance voice coil construction, a shock-mounted capsule, fast transient response and extended low-frequency response. The mic is suitable for

Details
France - L-Acoustics reports that one year on from the launch of its Kudo system, the product has generated unprecedented sales records for the company. There are already 2,000 cabinets in use worldwide, utilized by more than 60 service providers; over 1,500 events have already taken place with Kudo as the main sound system and 40 fixed installations are in operation, say the company.

Kudo has demonstrated its ability to adapt to different formats with an unmatched flexibility level: horizontally or vertically, with a directivity of 55° or 110° symmetric, or 25/55° or 55/25° asymmetric. Two tours in 2005 illustrate Kudo's flexibility: the Mamma Mia! world tour, uses two hangs of 10 Kudo as the FOH system in theatres ranging from 500 to 5,000 capacity. The Simple Plan world tour has used 2 x 21 Kudo hangs as the FOH system in arenas from 5,000 to 20,000 cap

Details
Germany - beyerdynamic's TTS 300 system is allowing visually impaired fans can enjoy live football commentary along with the electric atmosphere at German stadiums during this year's World Cup. Dedicated live commentary is delivered via a specially adapted mobile TTS 300 System, which includes custom headsets for the fans, a transmission unit for the commentator and a transport case with integral charger.

During last season this system was used and appreciated by fans at several local clubs. Holger Ahrens, visually impaired member of the 'Sportfreunde Ronhof' fan club, said: "The technology was good and reliable throughout play. The system enables a clear reception of the factual reporting and, at the same time, allows users to participate directly in the stadium atmosphere."

Spielvereinigung Greuther Fuert, a Bundesliga football club, has now installed permanent sea

Details
Denmark - TC-Helicon is excited to announce the immediate availability of a new range of simple setup compact monitors mountable on standard microphone boom stands eliminating the need for bulky floor monitors. The VoiceSolo range comprises the passive VSM-200P monitor, the active VSM-200 monitor (EUR 320 and GBP 220 retail ex. VAT), and the active VSM-300 with advanced connectivity and personal mix controls. All three VoiceSolo monitors are shipping now.

Commenting on TC-Helicon's venture into the live monitor market, CEO Kevin Alexander, states: "The availability of VoiceSolo marks a turning point where singers can enjoy being in control and hearing themselves just as other instrumentalists with amps have been for years. VoiceSolo monitors are compact, easy to set up and most importantly, they cut through the mix so your can hear great vocals."

The VoiceSolo monito

Details
UK - Drapes specialists J&C Joel has produced a new fabric sample card, illustrating 54 of their most popular and wide ranging fabrics 'in the flesh'. The idea is to give clients a practical, user-friendly reference media - that hangs on the wall - offering an immediate impression of what specific fabrics feel like to touch. Information relating to each sample includes construction, dimensions and fire retardancy, and is printed in English and Mandarin - reflecting J&C Joels' increasing export trade with Asia.

The reverse of the sample card showcases the diverse range of J&C Joel projects. It includes some fabric related projects - like Belfast Opera House, The Coliseum in London and Blackpool Grand - all Matcham Theatres, where J&C Joel's fabric expertise has been instrumental in recreating period internal draping and curtaining. There's also plenty more projects involving stag

Details
USA - D-Tools Inc, a specialsit in system integration software, today announced that StarTech.com has joined the D-Tools Manufacturer Vantage Point (MVP) program. StarTech.com is an ISO 9001:2000 registered manufacturer of a broad range of unique, audio/video and IT products. StarTech.com's Converge A/V line includes a comprehensive selection of A/V converters, extenders, splitters and switches supporting cutting-edge, legacy and IT-based systems. Detailed information on StarTech.com's products is now available to users of D-Tools' award-winning System Integrator software.

"Having instant access to hard-to-find AV and computer parts is crucial for successful system integrators," said StarTech.com product manager, John Mardinly. "We joined the D-Tools MVP program to help ensure that system integrators and custom installers would have direct access to the largest se

Details
USA / UK - Color Kinetics Inc has announced that Dialight Corporation, the US subsidiary of UK-based Dialight plc (FTSE: DIA.L), will license Color Kinetics' full patent portfolio to support its LED application initiatives in the architectural, entertainment and general illumination markets. The worldwide license applies to sales of Dialight products in all markets covered by Color Kinetics' patent portfolio. The agreement also gives Color Kinetics access to Dialight patents as they may relate to enhancements to Color Kinetics' technology.

Dialight specializes in the application of LED-based lighting technology and enables OEM partners to develop complete LED-based lighting solutions. Dialight says that the agreement with CK will allow it to offer its partners the unique features that are covered by Color Kinetics' patents - complementing Dialight's SpectraMix control system and

Details
USA - Starting from humble roots in a Montgomery, Frazer United Methodist Church has served its growing congregation for over a century. By 1990, Frazer had the largest worship attendance of any United Methodist church in the U.S., enough that seven services are held every Sunday. To accommodate its large and active congregation, Frazer constructed the new 2,000 seat Wesley Hall worship centre.

Frazer's front-of-house engineer, Steve Wolfe wanted to be sure the church selected loudspeakers offering both high intelligibility and musicality. Working with project manager Brian Smith of the Whitlock Group, a listening session with two candidate loudspeakers was set up to help determine their best choice.

"With the shootout, we were able to make an A-B comparison, which was great," says Wolfe. "The heads of the church made the decision, and based on sound, the Meyer

Details
USA - The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) began its 71st season at its three-theatre location in Ashland, Oregon operating in true rotating rep, meaning a different show plays each afternoon and evening; 11 plays are currently rotating at the 360-seat Black Box New Theatre, the 600-seat Angus Bowmer Theatre, and the 1200-seat outdoor Elizabethan Theatre.

Michael Maag, master electrician for OSF, orchestrates an impressive routine to light these performances, with around two-and-a-half hours between curtain down on one show and house open on the next. The lighting crew changes colour, gobos, and shutter cuts on the rep lights in each theatre. With such a demanding schedule, there are very specific requirements. They needed fixtures that would operate easily and quietly, while still giving excellent colour. Maag chose the Wybron Nexera CMY colour-changing fixtures for two of the

Details
Germany - Meyer Sound made the initial public presentation of its new M'elodie ultracompact high-power curvilinear array loudspeaker to great acclaim in a series of high-profile demonstrations in Germany in May. M'elodie is the newest and smallest member of the company's MILO family of loudspeakers, which grabbed the industry's attention with the 2003 release of the original MILO, and has subsequently grown into a complete product line of curvilinear array solutions.

Named for John and Helen Meyer's granddaughter, Elodie (sister of Milo), M'elodie was rolled out in four events staged in Hannover and Wiesbaden attended by owners and engineers from major rental and installation companies from all over Germany. The demonstrations, the first public showings of M'elodie anywhere in the world, were organized by Jim Sides, managing director of Meyer Sound's German office, as part of th

Details
Spain - A new nightclub, Mission 439 has opens its doors to the Guipuzcoan night life. The locale has become the top showcase for DJs wanting to promote their work in the Basque country. Located in the city of Irura, each Friday and Saturday night it draws clubbers from as far away as France to see the latest national and international DJs.

The sound for the club disco has been installed by sound and lighting company Audio Skan based in Guipúzcoa and headed by Santiago García Bou who designed both lighting and sound. The audio system is made up of eight D.A.S. Audio Reference series RF-215 systems reinforced by eight Sub-218 for the low frequencies powered by external amplifiers.

The power capacity of the loudspeaker systems and their high efficiency provide high level sound for club's busy dancefloor, say D.A.S. According to Santiago García Bou: "The choice of the D.A

Details
UK - AVW has again won the prestigious Product of the Year Award in the Engineering category at this year's ABTT Theatre Show - for Pegasus, its new Power Flying System. The company previously won the award in 2002 for its Impressario motion control system.

Anton Woodward, managing director of AVW, was presented with the award by Secretary of the ABTT, Robin Townley at the annual ABTT awards dinner, and commented: "We are very pleased to win this award, though of course Mike Barnett should take most of the credit!"

The Pegasus Power Flying solution, comprising the Alpha, Beta, Delta, Omega and Pi hoists is designed to complement the Impressario stage automation system, so that AVW can offer the complete power flying solution. In collaboration with respected mechanical design engineer Mike Barnett, AVW has designed a range of hoists for use in theatre and entertainmen

Details
UK - Britain's pre-eminent jazz performer Courtney Pine has been working with Shuttlesound's technical team to customise a microphone for his bass clarinet. The new prototype made its debut at a special concert staged in the remarkable Turbine Hall at Tate Modern in London. Part of the first ever arts festival to be held at Tate Modern, Pine was playing the world premiere of his new film score for the recently restored cult film Borderline.

Pine approached Shuttlesound to find a solution to the problem of micing his bass clarinet for the live performance. This particularly long wind instrument, which produces sound from top, middle and horn, should ideally be served by two microphones. However, as Pine's microphone of choice is an EV RE920TX condenser in conjunction with a RE1 wireless system, this would have meant two beltpacks strapped to the instrument, making it cumbersome.<

Details
UK - Theatre sound specialist Orbital is pleased to announce another hugely successful showcase as part of The ABTT Theatre Show (14-15 June, Royal Horticultural Halls, London). Having exhibited at the show for eight consecutive years', the company claimed a record traffic flow on their stand over the two-day event, which underlines the Show's position as a key event in Orbital's marketing calendar.

Scoring a hat-trick for Orbital at the ABTT's annual industry awards and gala dinner, its CSC Show Control software scooped the Sound Product of the Year award. Representing the third time the company has received this prestigious accolade, CSC is solely distributed by Orbital, and offers a unique blend of flexibility and ease of use. It delivers an advanced software based sound playback and system control to a wider audience.

Robin Townley, the ABTT's Honorary Secretary, pr

Details
Finland - Top Finnish metal superstars Nightwish used 28 Robe Show Lighting ColorSpot 1200 AT moving lights and 24 Wash 250 XTs on the final concert of their Once world tour, staged at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki.

The fixtures were specified by the band's LD Tommi Stolt and supplied by one of the leading Finnish rental companies Akun Tehdas. The Nightwish crew chief Villie Kauhanen asked Akun Tehdas to supply lighting again, after they serviced band's last Finnish tour. The company has a good reputation in terms of equipment and crew on the road in Finland - which now includes a selection of Robe Show Lighting products.

The Robe's where positioned on main rig over the stage and back wall horizontal trusses. They were creating basic effects for the show. Stolt particularly likes Robes for their high output and fast movements. The 1200 ColorSpots also have good gobos.

Details
UK - Out Board have supplied Star Events Group with a pair of CM6 chain-hoist controllers and their new LiftSafe product, as the main control system for eleven 2-tonne CM Lodestar hoists deployed to fly the massive new Wembley Arena mother-grid built and supplied by the company.

Star rigging consultant Phil Broad's brief to Out Board was to provide a failsafe system that would halt all the hoists if it detected any one or more of them stopped or failed to move. This was achieved by fitting each of the hoists with Out Board's high-resolution optical encoder modules, the outputs of which were all connected back to the new LiftSafe Hoist Controller Safety System located in the CM6 controller rack high in the roof of the Arena.

LiftSafe provides a bridge for the CM6 hoist controllers' linked Remote GO button which gets interrupted immediately if the system senses a break in transm

Details
China - PALM Expo 2006 was slated as China's premier international exhibition for the entertainment technology industry. Running from 31 May to 3 June, it spanned 60,000sq.m over its four days and covered a total of 12 halls at the China International Exhibition Centre in Beijing, where Turbosound exhibited in conjunction with Chinese distributor Phoenix Audio & Lighting Technology Ltd.

TA-890 touring enclosures and TA-880 trapezoidal install products were on show, along with the TSW-218 double 18" horn-loaded sub from the widely acclaimed Turbosound Aspect range of loudspeakers. Also making an appearance was the TCS-101C and TCS-151C from the TCS Compact series.

"We also displayed the TCS-C50T ceiling speaker - a product designed specifically for the voice evacuation, paging and background music markets - and custom designed TCS Compact products, which illustrate th

Page 1932 of 3465

Latest Issue. . .