Details
Russia - Arena Club In the town of Severomorsk near Murmansk in northern Russia recently emerged from the site of an old cinema, outfitted in the latest lighting technology from Martin Professional, and has quickly become the region's most popular entertainment venue.

Martin distributor A&T Trade was commissioned to create a club atmosphere for the multifunctional space, one that included dynamic as well as static lighting. "Use of the installation depends on the type of event," says Denis Bessonov, director of the company MasterMedia. "The fixtures support the work of the professional artists as well as creating different lighting effects on the dance floor. They are used to reflect the mood of the various musical styles."

Arena is housed in a two-story buil

Details
UK - Adlib Lighting supplied equipment and crew to Mika's recent tour. Adlib designer Ian Tomlinson was brought onboard by tour manager Jamie Butterworth - the two have previously worked together on Mylo.

Adlib's head of lighting Pete Abraham says: "It's exciting to be working with such an amazing breakthrough artist as Mika. There's a massive buzz about him and he's a great live performer. Ian came up with a highly adaptable and dynamic rig that fitted a variety of venue sizes." These ranged from the Birmingham Barfly to Koko in London.

Tomlinson started with floor-based trussing to build a structural outline for the stage. To give it a quirky flavour - matching Mika's interesting performance style - he chose a semi circle of truss that rested on the floor at the back creating an arched effect, flanked by two quarter circles, which also appeared as arches.

Onstage

Details
Germany - Danish manufacturer DPA Microphones will be co-exhibiting with its German distributor, Mega-Audio at ProLight&Sound 2007, Frankfurt.

Among the wide selection of DPA products on display will be the SMK4061 Stereo Microphone Kit, billed as a cost-effective and flexible stereo recording solution aimed at project studios and for discreet mic setup on stage. The kit packages two DPA 4061 high quality omnidirectional miniature microphones with a variety of mounting accessories.

Another recently introduced product is the BLM4060 Boundary Layer Microphone for use in boardrooms, conference facilities, courtrooms, teleconferencing and any application "requiring excellent vocal pickup". The BLM4060 is a transducer designed to work under optimum conditions when placed on a tabletop, and also performs well on any hard, flat surface that reflects sound.

Also on show at

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
Germany - Midas will be displaying a grand total of five XL8 live performance systems at Prolight + Sound 2007, Frankfurt. One of the systems can be found on the PADCO stand and another, a full flight cased touring system, on the Bosch Communications Systems, EVI Audio stand.

For those who want to hear a XL8 through a large PA system, two more will be performing front of house duties for all three stages at the Agora Tent, handling a range of live performances throughout the day and into the night, while the fifth XL8 will be installed in a private VIP room where Midas will host hands-on demos for the duration of the show.

XL8 is the first of a new generation of open-architecture, cross-platform, integrated audio control and distribution systems, which brings control of not only audio, but other aspects of live performance to a single, intuitive control centre. XL8 represents

Details
Norway - Video projector manufacturer Projectiondesign is joining forces with Dataton at ProLight&Sound in Frankfurt this year, to demonstrate the scale and impact of multiple projected images in both rental and fixed-install applications.

On the Dataton stand, five DLP Projectiondesign projectors - one F20sx+, three F30 sx+ and one Cineo30 1080 - will be integrated with Dataton's Watchout software platform for edge-blending and large-screen presentations. All projectors utilise Texas Instruments new BrilliantColor technology for the reproduction of images.

First unveiled in 1999, Watchout is a PC-based platform that allows for the creation of automated, multi-display presentations at corporate events, trade shows and live theatre productions, and also in installed applications such as theme parks, corporate headquarters and shopping malls.

"For some time now we have be

Details
UK - Dimension Audio, the specialist PA company within the publicly-listed Avesco Group, has purchased a new Electro-Voice XLC compact line-array system. Dimension will also become one of the first customers in the UK to take delivery of the new XLC127DVX cabinets, featuring all-new drive units. Dimension's order includes EV 215 and X-subs, and a number of the new Tour Grade Series amplifiers, launched a few months ago.

Dimension's head of audio Mark Boden comments: "As a PA provider, we wanted to expand our services to cater for larger events, particularly targeting the live music sector. The XLC system, whilst suiting our needs now, is easy to expand. XLC is priced competitively which allows us to be competitive as we build up our business in new areas as well as consolidating in the corporate events market."

Shuttlesound, the UK distributor of Electro-Voice produc

Details
UK - HSL supplied a 12-way Kinesys automation system, 220 ChromaQ ColorBlock DB4s and 4 Robe DigitalSpot DT5000s to LD Rob Sinclair for the latest leg of Keane's Under The Iron Sea world tour, which featured a series of sold-out UK arena shows.

The lighting supply was a joint production between HSL and its Blackburn neighbours Lite Alternative. This combination worked well on the recent Human League tour which Sinclair also directed.

HSL's Mike Oates says: "It's great to be working with Rob again. He has a unique vision and creative direction, and is always coming up with new and innovative ideas and presenting us with new challenges."

Sinclair wanted his lighting design to be flexible enough to give the band plenty of space when they needed it, whilst also to being able to close the show right in at more intimate moments. He chose to do this using pantograp

Details
Croatia - Prism Sound's recently appointed distributor Intercom is putting the finishing touches to its new audio facility in Zagreb, which will be officially opened at the end of April 2007. Housed in the centre of the Croatian capital, Intercom's Piece Of Cake Studios will incorporate two control rooms, a critical listening room and studio offices.

Intercom managing director Damir Begovic says: "The primary purpose of Piece Of Cake Studios is to serve as a regional demonstration facility for the pro audio equipment brands that we distribute in South-East Europe. We believe that hearing is believing and with fantastic pro audio brands on our roster it made sense to have a properly equipped facility where prospective clients could literally get their hands on this equipment and try it for themselves."

Piece Of Cake Studios will also be available for commercial projec

Details
UK - Keane's audio crew chief, Ant Carr, has selected a 24-channel Allen & Heath GL2400 multipurpose console for the band's new studio, a converted barn in the South of England.

As well as a rehearsal space, Keane will be using the premises to write new material. The band is currently rehearsing for its forthcoming UK arena tour, which will be closely followed by a tour of South America in April.

Freelance engineer, Ant Carr, started working with Keane when he was part of the Skan PA Hire team in Reading, where he covered system tech duties for several band engineers. "I had a look at what consoles were available before deciding on the GL2400," he says. "I had a set budget and in all honesty, there wasn't another desk available for the price that could provide the professional features that the band needs."

(Jim Evans)

Details
USA - Daft Punk's conceptual show, featuring a fusion of lights, LED and video required the addition of a separate stage at the Bang! Music Festival in Florida.

Andre Serafini, technical production manager for the event, explained: "This was very much eleventh hour. As soon as we saw the renderings of their huge triangular set, a mass of Pixel Line, Versa Tubes and video wall we knew there was no way we could put other acts on in front of them without revealing the magic."

Promoters, Haddad Productions, also saw the dilemma and without hesitation ordered in another 60 x 40 outdoor stage. "We also had to pull in another PA system," continued Serafini. "My company, Beach Sound Incorporated, already had the other four stages covered, but we were max'ed out equipment wise with some simultaneous corporate events elsewhere in the States taking the last of ou

Details
UK - Soon after taking over the former Wardour Street nightclub, The Trap, and converting it into Stringfellows Soho, the impresario after whom it is named had a change of mind. Peter Stringfellow decided that while his table dancing concept would work in Soho on the midweek nights, the weekends would be better suited to a full-on luxurious nightclub, capable of taking on the West End's elite. And by changing the venue's name to The Wardour he knew he would also avoid confusion with his Covent Garden club of 26 years.

By this time London-based Viba Sound had already filled the Wardour Street venue with distributed 12" ceiling speakers. "While these would have been fine for the girly nights, with the new direction something with much more punch was now required for the dance weekends," said the company's Peter Kellet. So he opted for a complete Nexo solution.

The

Details
Germany / USA - During the same financial quarter in which Bosch completed their acquisition of pro audio industry leader Telex Communications (resulting in the formation of Bosch Communications Systems, a business group of the Bosch Security Systems division, on 1 January 2007), substantial cash investments were put into effect at the Straubing, Germany and Morrilton, Arkansas facilities manufacturing the Dynacord and Electro-Voice product lines.

Bosch's immediate commitment to the improvement and expansion of these factories literally adds concrete to the common goals that brought Bosch and Telex together - high quality without compromise, brand stability and long-term growth. By keeping production rooted in each brand's country of origin, Bosch reinforces a dedication to brand quality and, of course, the associates who live near and work at these plants.

Following millions

Details
USA - Tapco has announced that brand group vice-president John Boudreau is now heading up the development and direction of Tapco products. "With Boudreau at the helm, Tapco is brought under the same leadership that drives the Mackie brand," the company says.

"I am really excited to work on the Tapco brand and to have the opportunity to reach young artists and music enthusiasts of all kinds," said Boudreau. "With Loud resources behind Tapco, we are able to offer entry-level audio products of unparalleled quality. We have great things in store for 2007, too, including three new products at NAMM which demonstrate commitment to delivering complete line sound and project studio solutions at exceptional value to our customers."

New in 2007 for Tapco are two sound reinforcement products - the Thump TH-15A active loudspeaker and the Series 69 passive loud

Details
UK - Cable specialist VDC Trading has supplied the cable and connectors needed to install three new studios at EMAP Radio's Mappin House in London. The new studios, which are now up and running, are being used to provide on-air facilities for the Kiss services across London and nationally on DTT, Sky and DAB. The Kiss network shows, which originate in London, also come from these studios.

EMAP Radio's National Director of Engineering, Alex Lakey, says the studios were installed as a replacement for facilities that were built seven years ago when Kiss moved to Mappin House from its old base on Holloway Road. "After seven years of abuse by Kiss DJs, the mixers were well past their sell-by-date and the original installation had been modified too many times," he explains. "We also needed to add extra facilities when the Kiss brand was extended into the former Vibe FM

Details
Belgium - Following successful line-array installations in Belgian concert halls such as Roma in Borgerhout(W8L/W8LD) and the AMT complex in Antwerp (W8LM), cultural centres are becoming more and more intrigued by what Martin Audio line arrays have to offer, says the company.

Martin Audio territorial distributors, Ampco Belgium, report that after careful market investigation, followed by a W8LM demo, it became clear that this would provide the best solution for De Schakel's main hall in Waregem. Measuring 19m wide and 20m deep, the 536 seats stretch right down to the front of the stage - thus to give every seat almost identical sound quality and coverage was no easy task. But the W8LM Line Array concept proved it could cope with this demand and deliver from a small footprint precisely what the customer wanted.

Local supplier, installer and rental company Big Dynamic was appoin

Details
UK - Lifting and rigging sales specialist Lift-Turn-Move (LTM) will show a range of their standard products at ProLight&Sound, Frankfurt. LTM will also highlight its latest training initiatives, an element that key individuals in the company have pioneered and actively promoted in the industry for the last 12 years.

LTM offers an extensive range of lifting and rigging equipment including the Lodestar and Prostar electric chain hoists which will be promoted at the show. Also on show will be the compact CM Prostar hoists, with increased capacities and speeds. This higher speed version will lift at 6 or 10 m/min (increased from the industry standard 4m/min). A small, lightweight 250kg at 4m/min version is also available.

LTM started manufacturing hoist controllers a year ago and has constructed systems for both direct control and low voltage controlled hoists. The past twelve mon

Details
UK - Kinesys automation and control systems have been specified for several recent high profile concert tours including The Killers, The Feeling, Muse, Nelly Furtado and Keane. The Kinesys system is being increasingly chosen by lighting designers to add a new visual dimension to their creative canvas, says the company.

A 14-way Kinesys system - along with all rigging and crew - was supplied by Summit Steel for the UK section of The Killers tour. This was a sub-hire to lighting rental contractors Siyan. Lighting designer Steve Douglas' upstage truss featured four contemporary chandeliers - consisting of steel wire rope drops of lights - rigged onto a truss flown on two Kinesys motors. This was brought in and out at the appropriate moments.

Downstage were three box shaped lighting pods, each suspended on four Kinesys motors - all half tonne CM Lodestar JJs running at up to 21-me

Details
UK - Bandit Lites is once again supplying lighting equipment and crew to the X-Factor Live arena tour, which is playing a record number of shows over six weeks around the UK. This is Lighting Designer, Matt Jensen's first tour with X-Factor, which is production-managed by Sarah Hollis for Production North and project-managed by Bandit's Lester Cobrin.

Jensen's design is big and 'televisual' in keeping with the environment from which the show originated, and it is also what "the majority of the audience would expect," he explains.

The set was designed by Production North's, Iain Whitehead and includes a central staircase walkway and a series of hydraulic lifts from below the stage, which gives the show an epic feel. There are three upstage LED screens with the central screen splitting to form a stage entrance.

With ten artists on the bill, the other aesthetic

Details
UK - Wembley Arena has beaten off international competition from Zurich, Barcelona and Ireland to win the Best International Arena Award at the recent 18th Pollstar Concert Industry Awards held in Los Angeles.

This is the fourth time Wembley Arena has been awarded this accolade, and the first since the £36 million refurbishment of the Grade II listed building, undertaken by Quintain Estates and Development, who own the Arena and an additional 70 acres of land surrounding Wembley Stadium.

The new-look Arena, re-orientated to face the Stadium, has attracted a record number of fans since reopening its doors in April 2006 after a 15-month refurbishment programme.

The transformed Arena is part of a mammoth £2.6 billion regeneration project that will include a 17-screen cinema and a boulevard lined with restaurants bars and cafes. The scheme is expected to inject

Details
Germany - Renkus-Heinz will be hosting a series of seminars and workshops during ProLight + Sound at Frankfurt. This year's topics include: MCR (Multi Channel Reverberation) Systems, RHAON/SYGMA, ICONYX Certification, EASE 4.2 and Media Matrix/Networking.

During the MCR (Multi Channel Reverberation) Systems seminar, participants will be given an in-depth view of a modern Multi Channel Reverberation system now being successful operated in several theatre installations in Europe. Peter van der Geer from Team Projects will demonstrate the benefits of having such a system in a theatre or concert hall.

In the RHAON/SYGMA seminar, Ralph Heinz will guide delegates through the company's new digital platform RHAON, which through using a CobraNet based platform enables signal distribution, full supervision and control as well as remote access and control of the internal digital sound pr

Details
UK - Cheerleading event organiser Future Cheer has invested in its own PA system for its increasingly popular events in the UK. The Electro-Voice RX system, powered by EV amplifiers and used in conjunction with EV radio microphones, received its championship debut at Loughborough University this month.

In the hands of its resident sound engineer Everard James, Future Cheer's RX system made its first appearance at one of the five regional competitions leading up to the national championships.

The Heart of England Cheer & Dance Championships were staged in the 2,000sq.m Sports Hall at Loughborough University and featured cheerleaders from 48 competing teams. James positioned RX212 and RX115/75 stacks left and right of the performance area, driven by EV CP4000 and CP3000 amplifiers, and teamed with a new DX38.

The RX system was specified by James, an experienced DJ and recordin

Page 2046 of 3465

Latest Issue. . .

PLASA Media Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 4111709 - VAT Number GB 762 5913 14
PLASA Media Ltd, Redoubt House, 1 Edward Road, Eastbourne, BN23 8AS, UK Tel: +44 (0)1323 524120

 

login