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UK - At one of the best PLASA trade shows for Le Mark in recent years, showing recent additions to its ranges including both Setwear and IronClad gloves, personal entertainment industry work wear and accessories.

"We were extremely pleased to be complemented by industry professional on our booth layout, with terms including 'true need' and 'long overdue' regarding the new product lines we displayed. Our traditional lines also saw excellent interest and strong sales with new export distribution deals confirmed at the show for both Greece and Russia," says the company's MD, Stuart Gibbons. He added that it was "a great show" which also saw the launch of the company's new 'Survival Kit' catalogue for 2007.

(Lee Baldock)

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Digidesign introduced the D-Show Profile to its Venue live sound environment family at the PLASA Show in London this week. This compact mixing console is a size-conscious alternative to the popular D-Show, the flagship console of the Venue line. D-Show Profile offers full compatibility with all existing Venue hardware components, total file portability, and an incredibly compact footprint-all of which ensures the exact same sound quality, reliability, and flexibility for which Venue is now well known, the company says.

"D-Show Profile represents Digidesign's overall commitment to address the needs of a wide breadth of sound reinforcement applications," says Digidesign market manager for live sound products Robert Scovill. "With Profile, we've paid particular attention to feedback from vendors and operators who work in many different styles of operation. We feel that D-Sh

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USA - Zaxcom, the manufacturer of pro audio equipment for the television and film industries, has announced that its popular TRX900 wireless microphone system is now available with the Zaxcom Recording Wireless feature. This patent-pending option records up to 12 hours of audio directly to an internal memory card for later use in the post house, eliminating concern over audio loss due to RF or EMI interference during transmission.

The system's new internal recording capability is particularly useful for reality television productions or other programming where ad lib dialogue is used frequently. Because the audio is recorded directly to the body pack, there's no chance of missing anything, even if the sound mixer wasn't expecting dialogue from a given actor or reality show participant. The sound mixer's job is further simplified by the fact that perfect reception is no longer a

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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 - On August 24 and 25, at a hangar at Berlin's Tempelhof airport, Volkswagen unveiled its IROC concept car to the world's media. Such a major press event, with film crews from television and internet companies, as well as business and motoring press from around the globe, required production values that would match the buzz surrounding the launch.

Responsible for meeting this challenge was eventlabs, a German event agency. Together with technical management company 360GRAD and award winning lighting designer Jerry Appelt, they did indeed create a spectacular event. Jerry Appelt knew the size of the venue required something outstanding, and decided that the G-LEC PhantomFrame would be perfect as the central element of the set.

To produce the reveal of the IROC (so named because the production model may revive the Scirrocco name), Jerry Appelt and 360GRAD designed a massive d

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UK - Cadac Electronics Plc unveiled its new S-Digital mixing console at PLASA '06 this week at Earl's Court in London. The Cadac S-Digital, designed from the ground up specifically for theatre sound applications, "sets a new yardstick in digital console design for live sound", say Cadac.

In a major departure from conventional paradigms, the S-Digital is conceived to reflect the surface architecture of Cadac's industry standard J-Type analogue console. It combines the J-Type's hallmark audio quality, tools and features with the operational and creative benefits of audio manipulation and control in the digital domain - producing a digital console that sounds, looks and behaves like a familiar analogue desk.

The Cadac S-Digital builds on the company's 20-year history at the forefront of theatre sound. In its basic configuration, it offers a minimum specification of 72 i

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UK - D-Tools Inc, the system integration software specialist, has announced that it will team up with former D-Tools product designer and president of designecentral Inc, Bill Battaglia, to add resource allocation and procurement functionality to the next version of its award-winning System Integrator software.

designecentral's software, an internet-based solution that will add functionality to System Integrator 5, comes in three editions: the Management Edition allows systems integrators to upload D-Tools project information, manage the project hours and assign resources to the project automatically; the Resource Edition allows the user to see tasks assigned to them through the project information, mark them as completed and enter actual hours; and the Procurement Edition, which will be released in the first quarter of 2007, allows the warehouse processing agent to look at the

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UK - Over the past two years, Birmingham-based Dolphin Media has systematically been upgrading the news studios of all 13 regions in the ITV network, using rear-projected 160in dnp optical screens from Paradigm Audio Visual. But they were forced to break from their standard model when it came to equipping the three ITV Meridian studios near Southampton.

Covering the East, South and West services of the Meridian region, the station wanted to replace the Perspex prints in their three news studios on the Solent Business Park with widescreen projection - but only had the minimum of rear projection space behind the existing set in which to work.

The challenge was to mount a rig that would enable projection onto the TV Studio version of dnp's Giant Wide Angle Studio screen. While the images are shot in 4:3 aspect ratio, the custom-cut screen (trimmed to 3209mm x 1309mm) would be des

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France - Now in its 60th year, the Avignon Festival started life in the post-war period of reconstruction in France. Alongside a contemporary art exhibition, which included works by Picasso, Matisse, Braque and Léger, a young stage director called Jean Vilar breathed new life into the art of French stage-craft with the production of three new plays. This mission, of bringing new works to fruition and showcasing French and foreign contemporary drama and dance, continues, attracting an ever growing audience - with over 100,000 visiting in July this year.

The Festival uses about 20 unusual performance venues in and around Avignon, including cloisters, churches, an old stone quarry and school halls. However, the most prestigious performances of the Festival are staged in the Honor Courtyard of the Palace of the Popes and it was here that éric Lacascade directed Maxim G

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UK - Serious Stages designed and co-ordinated the construction and installation of a completely customised floating stage on the lake at Kenwood House, London, for the 2006 Summer Season of classical, jazz and pop concerts produced by the IMG Group.

This radical approach was adopted to help contain the environmental noise spillage, by completely isolating the stage so it had no contact with the ground.

The stage, measuring 18 metes wide at the front, 12 at the back by 12 metres wide, featuring 10 metres of headroom. weighed approximately 70 tonnes and was floated on twenty-seven 4.8m x 2.4m wide pontoons, each a metre deep. The pontoons were commissioned by Serious and made by Steeldeck.

The lake sits at the base of surrounding natural amphitheatre like terrain, and the stage shape was developed to offer the tunnel like effects of shrinking perspective to the audience sittin

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UK - Arena Seating supplied the seating for the UK leg of the Rolling Stones Bigger Bang World tour.

The Rolling Stones sold out stadiums across the UK and showed fans they are still at the top of their game, performing classic tunes and songs from their latest album, in a spectacular show.

Arena's Seating's Dave Withey liaised with promoters Live Nation to draw up seating plans and ensure over 45,000 seats were installed safely for audiences at Twickenham, London; Hampden Park, Glasgow; Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

The installation of each show was challenging, as Withey explained: "This tour was carrying a huge production with a lot of equipment on the pitch of the stadiums due to the rolling 'B Stage'. This meant we had less time than usual to install the seating between the main production and the doors opening, but the tour

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UK - Following an extensive field test period, the new MAC TW1 tungsten automated wash fixture from Martin Professional is ready to hit the market. Seen at PLASA '06 in London this week, the 1200W MAC TW1 brings to the stage and studio all the optical brilliance and feature quality of the MAC range - with the warmth of tungsten halogen. It has an array of avant-garde features to equip the lighting designer with the broadest possibility of effects, colours and design.

Unlike other fixtures in its class, the MAC TW1 is an "all in one" solution, meaning one version of the fixture can travel the world without the need for inconvenient adjustments or the expense of having multiple models on hand. The MAC TW1 can be fitted with a 230V, 240V or 115V lamp, as well as a new breed of 80V lamp that offers a far superior output to traditional mains voltage lamps.

The MAC TW1's i

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The Radisson SAS Resort on the island of Djerba (Tunisia) has been equipped with the most modern dimmer technology from MA Lighting. The luxury hotel with its approximate 300 rooms and suites focusses on MA digital dimmer, WM' 12 x 3 kVA for the complete installation. The units have a robust coated 19"/ 14 HE steel housing for mounting on walls. They were installed in August by the Tunisian MA distributor MediaCom.

The 44 wall-mounted digital dimmers consist of 12 single 3 kVA dimmers (without RCD) have a large graphic display which shows status values and special functions as well as phase control display. The lighting control, which ranges from classic lights to professional projectors, is via Creston.

Patio Rosinus was responsible for the lighting design of the hotel, with Moris Brill Lighting Design as the executive company.

(Chris Henry)

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UK - After a number of previews at international shows over the recent months, Alcons is now shipping the SR9.

The SR9 is a passive 2-way ultra-compact loudspeaker, specifically designed for applications where ultimate fidelity response needs to be projected with wide horizontal and precise vertical coverage. Typical (short to medium throw) applications for the SR9 range from low-profile stage-lip/front-fill to upper-/under-balcony, up to "stealth-mounted" system in stair risers or walls.

As 'signature' of all Alcons' designs, the SR9 combines clarity with high SPL. Loaded with the RBN401 pro-ribbon driver, with its patented horizontally controlled dispersion and 800W peak power handling, the SR9 system features 120° horizontal coverage with a super fast transient response for unsurpassed intelligibility and a digitally dynamic response.

The narrow 15° vert

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USA - Total Structures is now stocking truss products in Las Vegas. The truss is being stocked at long-term Total Structures' customer Silver State Wire Rope and Rigging.

Vice-president of Total Structures, Adrian Forbes-Black, explains that the stock consists of a diverse range of truss. "Although our own Californian warehouse is only five hours away from Las Vegas, when we spoke to our customers there they told us that very often if they can get something immediately they will buy it rather than try to sub-hire elsewhere. Even though we can get to Vegas from Ventura in under a day, even this delay can make the difference between getting the sale or not. To improve matters further we have also decided to keep a stock of less common lengths there. This includes items such as four foot and three foot trusses which may not normally be held in large numbers by rental houses or

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UK - Live event company Show Presentation Services (SPS) has been awarded the contract to deliver exciting new audio-visual services to customers at the NEC, in Birmingham. The company is the NEC's first ever in-house service provider that can offer everything from simple AV technology to fully-crafted and supported production.

Paul Thandi, recently announced CEO of the NEC Group, said: "Service is at the core of our business, and improving our customer offer to provide and deliver first class audio visual services is part of the vision shared at the NEC. This initiative underlies our continual focus on putting our customers first and leading the marketplace. Ultimately we want to ensure that every live event has tomorrow's technology, wrapped up in excellent service and delivery focus. We are delighted to have SPS on board to help achieve this."

Robin Coles, managin

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UK - HSL supplied lighting and sound for 12 live music and DJ venues at the 2006 Bestival. This involved five artics of equipment and a team of 32 crew co-ordinated by site project manager Ian Stevens.

The hugely popular 'boutique' style music festival now in its third year on the Isle of Wight expanded dramatically in size, capacity and surface area this year - almost doubling - for producers Loudsound. Headline acts included The Pet Shop Boys and the Scissor Sisters.

HSL has also been involved with Bestival since its inception, and once again worked closely with event production manger Lee Charteris and Loudsound's Jim King and Jo MacKay in co-ordinating all the site's technical production and infrastructure.

They brought ML Executives onboard to supply the main stage's VDosc sound system and also co-ordinated with Star Events, site-wide suppliers of staging and structures

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Spain - The third edition of AFIAL's Convention looks set to be a success, according to the Spanish trade association, with a strong level of participation already confirmed. AFIAL began to contract space in July, and has now sold more than 70 % of the total floorspace of the exhibition.

This reflects the interest of Spanish companies in this exhibition, which has become the prime market focus for Spain's national entertainment technology industry. Contracted exhibitors to date include Adagio, Ben-Ri, D.A.S. Audio, Equipson, Gemini, Guil, Pinanson, Seesound, Stonex and Yamaha, among others.

Further information on the exhibition is available from the AFIAL website provided below.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - The new Mania EFX800 from Martin Professional is a 150W discharge effect light - a broad, sweeping flower effect punched through a rotating glass colour paddle producing a dynamic, ever-changing look and feel, say the company.

The EFX800's light output has a wide 170° spread which rotates and sweeps - wider than any flower effect light in its class, meaning more space can be covered with fewer fixtures. A separate gobo wheel houses 12 gobo designs with fast strobe effects achievable via a separate shutter.

Martin says that the superior quality and ease of servicing of the Mania brand, plus its long-life discharge lamp (6000 hours, included) offers users great savings. Designed primarily for installation use, this versatile effect light includes a number of mounting options yet is durable enough for life on the road. The compact EFX800 is DMX controllable for ultimate

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UK - Now that the dust has settled on this year's PLASA Show, the organisers of next year's show - the newly-formed PLASA Events Ltd - are looking forward to building on this week's hugely successful 2006 event - the last to be organised on PLASA's behalf by Clarion Events.

Exact visitor figures will be released in due course, following the independent ABC Audit of the figures. However, early indications are that PLASA '06 may even have surpassed last year's PLASA Show (which was memorable for its frenetic business activity) with a notable increase in visitor numbers, and a very strong international attendance.

Many of the exhibitors that the PLASA Media team spoke to across during the four days of the show praised both the quality of the customers they had been seeing, and the large numbers of international visitors from all around of the world. Despite a relatively 'quiet' S

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Canada - Pyrotek has welcomed back Gordon Hyndford as project director after a long absence from the company. Hyndford started Pyrotek in 1981 with current owner, Doug Adams, but left the company to explore life on the road. He soon found success touring with rock and roll acts such as The Rolling Stones, Prince, Bon Jovi, and Janet Jackson as well as working with corporate shows like the Pope, American Standard and many others.

Hyndford says: "The knowledge I have gained in lighting, pyro, scaffolding, temporary power, and automation control over the last 23 years has been invaluable and rewarding. However, at some point you have to get off the road. What better place to go then back to where it all started."

Hyndford will be based in the Toronto office, but will also be overseeing some installations in the field for Pyrotek and Laser Design. Adams says: "I am

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UK - This year's PLASA Show saw the release of the new Goboland Steel Collection 2007 catalogue. Just months after its first presentation at PALME in Dubai and at ABTT in London, the new edition was very well received by the PLASA audience, say the company. The new catalogue now contains a thousand designs covering a comprehensive range of break-ups, foliage, multi-lingual greetings and more.

All of Goboland's steel designs are now available on glass: to do this, all of the designs have been recreated with the glass gobo manufacturing process in mind, so all the steel 'bridges' have been removed. Furthermore, a number of designs have been sensitively redesigned for reduced image sizes, allowing the use of these designs in fixtures which take smaller size gobos.

The new catalogue also sees the inclusion of the existing range of gobos from leading lighting filter specialist Lee

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