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UK - To celebrate the rebranding of the company and the launch of its new website, Northern Light is running a competition to find a name for the character illustrated in the logo. As part of the continuing brand strategy development - which started with a revamp of the logo in June 2006 - work began on completely redesigning and repopulating the corporate website last year.

The new look site has a much more contemporary look and feel and will evolve over the next few months to incorporate e-commerce capabilities such as an online shop and hire booking system, says the company.

Lois Ferguson, marketing manager at Northern Light, said: "As it stands, the relaunched website is very much in phase one of our redevelopment plans. We have updated the information on our services -

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UK - George Michael is to play the first concert at the new Wembley Stadium, it has been confirmed. The former Wham! star will perform at the 90,000 capacity venue on 9 and 10 June as part of his British and European stadium tour.

Alex Horne, managing director of Wembley Stadium, said it was "fantastic news" that Michael would perform the first concert at the prestigious venue, adding: "He's no stranger to this great stage having performed at the old stadium with both Wham at Live Aid and as a solo artist." Muse will also be among the first acts to play the revamped stadium, having previously announced a date on 16 June.

The new £757 million venue was due to reopen in August 2005 but was delayed following a series of hold-ups and legal wrangles that led to a number of musical and sporting events being postponed. Among them were concerts by Bon Jovi, R

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USA - Sarasota County Fairgrounds, a multipurpose venue with a seating capacity of 4,000, was the venue for a bout between local China Smith aka 'The Dragon' and an unknown, where Smith punished his opponent with a 'knock out' in the first round.

The 72kW PAR Can show was controlled using an LSC maXim XXLP, provided by Piston Sound. The owner of Piston Sound, Leon Pitts purchased the maXim more than 12 months ago, and has used the console on a number of productions including large and small concerts, fashion shows and now boxing matches throughout the Florida region. The maXim's powerful features and user-friendly design made controlling the lights simple and a blessing for the production crew, he says.

The maXim is available in six models, from 24 faders to 120 faders, and the optional PaTPad moving light controller further extends its capabilities by adding features like pal

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

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Europe - Lighting&Sound International magazine is making an unprecedented special offer to European industry professionals at the forthcoming ProLight&Sound exhibition in Frankfurt (28-31 March).

For the first time ever, L&SI is offering full-time professionals on the European mainland the chance to sign up for one year's FREE subscription to L&SI magazine - a subscription that would usually cost around 75 euros (£50). Visitors to the show can sign up for this great offer by visiting the PLASA/L&SI stand at the Hall 8.0 Walkway, stand J80. (Look for the VPLT, ESTA & PLASA signs).

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Projection specialists E//T//C UK is increasing its stock of high power video projectors with the acquisition of Christie Roadie 25k projectors. The company has also taken delivery of Christie's new Roadster S+20K projection system, a mid-range projector, purpose-built for the event-staging community.

Andy Joyes, E//T//C UK's video hire manager was impressed with the performance of the new projectors: "The Christie 20Ks are bright and offer razor-sharp images for both video and graphics applications. They have a high panel resolution, meeting most content requirements, a very compact footprint and deliver an extremely high output. The Roadie 25K is also a stunning projector and has already been booked out on several of out forthcoming shows."

Continuing on from E//T//C UK's recent success with 360° animated projections using its proprietary OnlyView control

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USA - Wicked, the hit musical about the witches of Oz, has returned to the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles for an open run, with three grandMAs and one grandMA light controlling lighting and video projections. Wicked previously played in LA during the summer of 2005.

The four grandMAs are networked together for the musical. The main console is utilised by Warren Flynn, associate lighting designer and programmer for automated lights. A second grandMA is used by video programmer Hillary Knox to programme projections; another is dedicated to focusing and work calls. The grandMA light is a slave for conventional lights.

Flynn's grandMA controls six Martin 3k Atomic Strobes and 36 Vari*Lite 2k Spots, 26 2k Washes and 21 3k Spots. "We have three separate cue lists; the conventional cue list triggers moving lights and moving lights trigger projection," he says

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Germany - For the third year in succession Visual Productions from the Netherlands will be exhibiting at Prolight&Sound in Frankfurt. Visual Productions is the company behind the lighting control software VisualDMX. This software is aimed primarily at light jockeys, live events, clubs and bars for both live and pre-programmed control for Intelligent and conventional fixtures. "The hardware interfaces that we produce make the software applicable for both freelancers and installation projects to consider," says a company spokesman.

"VisualDMX will be controlling the lights on our stand, using the latest software release, demonstrating new features and highlighting the intuitiveness of VisualTouch, our touch screen interface."

Alongside demonstrations of the latest version of its current software, Visual Productions will be launching a software lighting contro

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UK - Blitz, the technical staging specialists and part of the Blitz Charter Group, recently employed a range of AV technologies when it worked in partnership with 2LK Design Ltd at the Business Travel Show at Earls Court, London, to provide an interactive stand for Virgin Trains.

Arranged and managed by Stephen Rickard at Blitz, the stand operated as an input station; it incorporated an array of AV equipment designed to encourage visitors to key in their thoughts and ideas about possible future inventions and lifestyle ideas that might improve the travelling experience.

These visitor contributions then appeared interactively in 'clouds' above a full motion image of the Virgin train, displayed on six horizontally mounted seamless plasma screens. This method of data capture ensured that Virgin would be able to provide specific and relevant information about Virgin Trains to the

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UK - Seven years after its Frog series was originally introduced, Zero 88 has updated its popular console range with a much-anticipated new series - Leap Frog 48 and Leap Frog 96. Developed using feed back from operators of our current Frog consoles the new Leap Frog range maintains Zero 88's philosophy of providing "great value feature packed products", the company says.

Current Frog users will find a familiar ergonomic hardware platform but the hardware set has been expanded considerably: the new desks feature two DMX universes as standard, USB storage, external touch screen support, multiple onboard LCD displays, multifunctional keys and the desk supplied in a custom flightcase.

The key change however is in the software platform. Consistency of operation with the existing desks is maintained but the new software allows users to achieve more. Up to 200 fixtures can

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Russia - Building on the success of its flagship event, Integrated Systems Europe, Integrated Systems Events, a joint venture company of CEDIA, Infocomm International and NSCA, has entered into an agreement with MidExpo International Exhibitions and Fairs to produce Integrated Systems Russia in Moscow 8-10 November 2007. Integrated Systems Russia will be held in conjunction with MidExpo's Hi-Tech House and Building Exhibition and will take place at the Gostiny Dvor.

Integrated Systems Russia will include a comprehensive programme of workshops, seminars, round table discussions and company presentations. Aimed at custom installers, dealers, resellers and influential buyers, the educational programme will "not only inform, but also influence and inspire the key decision makers", according to the organisers.

Attendees are expected to convene from across the vast CIS reg

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Qatar - MTFX played a major role in the Opening Ceremony of the 15th Asian Games at the Khalifa Stadium in Doha in December, following more than nine months of planning.

MTFX was approached in April 2006 and asked to develop a very large low fog effect to fill the entire stadium floor in order to represent the sea as a ship passed across the stadium. After the development of several prototypes, the effect was achieved and the whole system manufactured and tested just two weeks before the shipping date.

The company also provided CO2 jets and a series of Sequenced Flame effects. As these were being built on to the top of 10m high structures which represented the City of the Future, each flame effect had to be custom-built on to each unique piece. Despite the adverse weather conditions, with the worst storm the country has seen for 25 years, the long months of planning and develo

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Sweden - Newly-appointed Apex distributor Electrosound has supplied andinstalled Sweden's first Intelli-Q22 sound optimiser at the well-known nightspot and video gallery Berns Club in Stockholm. The club boasts a high-quality profile, which is reflected in the sound system. The Intelli-Q22 is the first of "a new breed of fast, easy-to-use, digital problem solvers" from Apex, the company says.

According to Apex, one of the Intelli-Q22's strengths is the fact that it combines a wide range of sound enhancing applications like a 30-band graphic equaliser, a 10-band parametric equaliser, shelving filters, variable high & low - pass filters, delay, multi-band compressor, and a BrickWall limiter per channel.

"The talk of the town is that this room is the best-sounding place people have ever been to. The installation of the Intelli-Q lifted the whole sound picture to a

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USA - Red-haired zany comedian Carrot Top (Scott Thompson) is headlining at the Luxor in Las Vegas with the aid of Elation Professional Design Spot 250 moving head fixtures. Twelve of the automated 250W fixtures were recently installed at the Luxor venue, where Carrot Top is currently giving 280 performances a year, to provide "a new element to the show," said Dan O'Leary, production and tour manager for Carrot Top. "There were already 120 automated lights in the room, but we wanted something that would add a whole new dimension and give a completely different look," explained O'Leary.

"However, with so much lighting and trussing and a big video screen filling the stage area, space was at a premium. There are only a couple inches' clearance on either side of our video truss when you fly it up. We needed a fixture that would fit into our limited stage spa

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Czech Republic - The first Czech and Slovak music TV award ceremony - TV OCKO Music Awards 2006 - took place in Prague last month. During this four-hour evening ceremony, 20 prizes were awarded to various top artists. 14 acts played live.

The PA system of choice was an 18 dV-Dosc L-Acoustics line source array coupled with SB218 subs and completed by ARCS as fills. The reference floor monitor 115FM was chosen for the stage monitors.

FOH mixing engineer Petr Pelisek stated: "Lucerna is a very complex venue when it comes to acoustics and the dV-Dosc rig proved to be the optimum solution in combination with the choice of digital desks."

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Fleetwood Mobiles has announced the appointment of Ian Davidson as its new commercial director, with immediate effect. For more than 30 years, Davidson has been a key player in the professional audio industry and has managed many facilities including Townhouse and Olympic Studios and Manor Mobiles. Davidson has also worked as operations director at Abbey Road Studios and, more recently, De Lane Lea Studios.

Commenting on his appointment, Fleetwood Mobiles founding director Tim Summerhayes says: "We are really pleased to have Ian as part of our team. His extensive contacts within the industry, along with his experience in audio post production for film and TV, will be an invaluable asset to Fleetwood's new post facility in Denham."

Davidson takes over from Ian Dyckhoff who left the company in February to pursue new opportunities within the Pro Audio industry.

(

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Germany - Alcons Audio - exhibiting for the fifth time at ProLight&Sound - will be promoting the BF151 which is the latest addition to the B-series. A front-loaded bass system, it is designed for both permanent and portable applications. Featuring a single 15" long-excursion high-power woofer, in combination with Alcons' Signal Integrity Sensing pre-wiring, the BF151 promises to deliver "high quality, tight and accurate bass response".

Another highlight of the stand will be the Digital Drive Processor (DDP). The exchangeable processing device is complementary to the Alcons ALC controller-amplifiers and caters for improved ease-of-use in the handling and controlling of Alcons sound systems.

Joining the established LR14 line array system is the LR14/90, an ultra compact pro-ribbon line array with a 90° x 15° projection loaded with the Alcons RBN401 pro-rib

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USA - Aviom has announced the promotion of Craig Sibley to the position of House of Worship marketing manager. Since joining Aviom in 2005, Sibley has been one of the driving forces behind the company's success in bringing its signature personal mixing system to churches.

"Whether he's being an astute audio professional, a musician or a worship leader, Craig exudes passion in what he does," explained Aviom marketing director Jason Frenchman. "He loves Aviom and he loves the church, so he's at his best teaching and helping them understand what a huge benefit our technology brings to worship and the joy of music. That's why he's a great resource for churches and an ideal spokesman for us."

Sibley will continue his seminar and conference instruction schedule, but his role will expand to include providing key input into all aspects of Aviom's house of worship m

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UK - The eclectic mix of club, laid back eatery and live music venue that is Cargo nestles in the backstreets of trendy Shoreditch in London's East End. It has recently benefited from an upgrade of its existing Turbosound loudspeaker system, with a new TA-500 Aspect Wide system installed by Marquee Audio.

The venue stages a mix of club nights and live performances. "There's something for everyone here," says Cargo's marketing manager Joe Roberts. "We want to appeal to all tastes, from your hard core clubber to those that want to have something to eat and then see a live band. We are now getting the bigger name, more experienced musicians in here, and they wanted a better monitoring system than we originally had. This has been part of the reason we upgraded our system. If you want the best, you need to have the right equipment."

Head of sound, Matt Smith, wh

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France - Allen & Heath's French distributor, Audiopole, hosted an evening boat trip on the Seine river in Paris during the recent SIEL show, inviting 500 guests to an evening of musical entertainment with Allen & Heath's new iLive digital mixing system as the centrepiece.

Guests included leading sound engineers, key rental companies, and dealers, and there was a special appearance by French electro legend, Jean Michel Jarre.

The crowd was entertained by the 8-piece jazz/rock David Koven band, managed by the iLive system at FOH, driving a Turbosound speaker system. Audiopole also installed the new GL2800M dedicated monitor console to handle monitor mixes for the band.

FOH engineer, Patrick Clerc, made use of the two tap delays and reverb from iLive's internal effects, and the system's DCA groups. "I am very impressed with the system's sound quality, particularly the reve

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New Zealand - With the release of the third and final model in the 'standard setting' Selecon Performer series of followspots, the range is now complete. Attendees of the ProLight&Sound show in Frankfurt (28-31 March) will be amongst the first in the world to check out the long-throw Toru 4°-8° followspot during its official debut.

Toru (the Maori word for 'three') delivers the same lift in efficiency, performance and operator features that were first realised in the wider angle Rua (9°-16°) and Tahi (18°-24°) models which were launched last year.

Delivering 1000 lux at 90m - 4° and 1000 lux at 53m - 8°, Toru provides the output to cut through the brightest outdoor or large venue entertainment lighting rig, near the output of Xenon units yet costing much, much less and only requiring a domestic outlet to power the unit, says Selecon.

Four Perf

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UK - A record number of companies exhibited at the ISCEx2007 Exhibition and Seminar, at which many delegates raised fears over Ofcom's proposals to sell off the current radio microphone frequencies.

More than 30 companies and 200 people attended the event, staged by the Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers at the Park Inn Hotel Watford, to exhibit the latest developments in microphones, loudspeakers, public address, voice alarm, induction loop systems, conference systems, intercoms and voice over IP.

The informative seminar programme on 27 February included topics as varied as designing church sound systems, co-operation between universities and industry and even how a major contract was won, but somehow all went wrong.

One seminar, given by Alan March of Shure Distribution UK, proved a big topic of discussion. His talk, entitled The great TV spectrum sell-off<

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