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USA - Wybron has promoted Dusty Hudgins to sales manager. In this position, Hudgins will be responsible for the day-to-day management of Wybron's sales force and will also assist Wybron dealers and customers with their questions and issues.

Hudgins has been involved with lighting design projects since 1978. He joined Wybron in 2005 as a regional manager, covering the Southeast and Western United States.

"Dusty has demonstrated his leadership over the past two years in the organisation," said Larry Turner, CEO of Wybron. "His experience and intimate knowledge of Wybron's customer base have been instrumental in the rapid growth of Wybron during the past two years. Wybron is positioned to grow its top line more than 15% in 2007 from 2006, and Dusty has helped us achi

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UK - Le Maitre's Events Department has announced the appointment of a new team member.Emerson Wellens has been appointed as Special FX Technician, following the departure of head pyrotechnician, Mark Thomas.

Wellens will assist with technical queries from clients, as well as designing and firing shows, generating risk assessments and method statements, advising clients on the effects to be used for their projects, undergoing site visits and preparing proposals for shows.

(Lee Baldock)

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Australia - Stage One has formed a new company, Qmotion Australia Pty, based in Sydney, Australia. The company has been established to develop the potential of the Australasian market, specifically in the specialist area of automation for the event and entertainments industries.

"For some time we have been aware that there is a huge potential market for our automation services in Australia, Asia and across the whole of the Southern Hemisphere," said Jim Tinsley, technical director of Stage One. "As a consequence, we have spent a great deal of time researching this expanding market and we felt the time was right to set up a company dedicated to developing business in these geographical areas."

Qmotion Australia will be led by Greg Gowans, an experienced automation specialist. He was originally a client of Stage One when they worked together on the Melbourne

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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USA - Cerwin Vega has announced the introduction of direct distribution to the UK market. The decision to sell directly to Cerwin Vega dealers was made in an effort to better service the current Cerwin Vega dealer network and to allow Cerwin Vega's UK sales team to more proactively reach new dealers, says the company. The BPM Show taking place 10-11 November in Donington Park will be the venue for the official introduction of Cerwin Vega's new direct distribution to the UK.

"Selling directly to Cerwin Vega retailers will put us in the unique position of being able to work closely with our dealers to see exactly what they want and how they want it," says Jamie Ward, UK sales director for The Stanton Group. "At the end of the day, Cerwin Vega wants to better understand their customers so we can deliver the best possible service to them."

(Jim Evans)

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USA - ETC has introduced ETC Knowledge Base, an online search engine giving end- users access to a variety of information, from basic product set- up instructions to Release Notes, FAQs and more. When customers have questions about a particular ETC product, they now have the option of researching the topic on their own, whenever and wherever. It's like having an ETC Tech Service phone operator in every personal computer, suggests the company.

Another function of the Knowledge Base gives users the ability to email ETC articles to others - within the article itself. When they come across information they think is helpful, they can send it to other people.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Lighting designer Hadyn Thomas is using Robe ColorSpot and ColorWash 575E AT moving lights and a Robe DigitalSpot 5000 DT on Bowling For Soup's current UK and European tour.

The Texas based comedy-influenced punk-pop band are enjoying the success of their Get Happy 2 tour and latest When I Diesingle, along with their largest production tour to date. Thomas has worked with them since 2003, and was left to come up with a lighting plot that would match the fast-paced energy and action happening onstage.

He wanted to get a wide dispersion of lightsources all over the stage area at different levels, so the rear truss consists of five box trusses bolted together, measuring a total of 12m long by 2.5m deep, with the top edge raked forward.

Six Robe ColorSpot 575E ATs are rigged onto this, with another four mounted on top of four vertical truss sections stood on t

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Poland - Hey, one of Poland's leading rock bands, recently played a concert in Warsaw's Roma Theatre, arranged by MTV as part of its Unplugged series. This was the second edition of the popular MTV series in Poland. Lighting designer and operator Pawel 'Spider' Pajak reported: "We've used a combination of LEDs and generics to create a nice and warm atmosphere in the auditorium. The most important thing was to find the best way to combine the look of the band and their live performances on the stage with the specific atmosphere of MTV Unplugged and the TV recording requirements.

"We had only two days for installation and rehearsals with the band," Pajak continued: "It was therefore very helpful to use two consoles, a grandMA full-size and a grandMA light, at the same time for the programming. It saved us a lot of time. During the show the consoles were

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USA - Middle Atlantic Products is introducing its RSH Series Custom Rackmounts that include enhanced thermal management features. The enhanced RSH Series better enables systems integrators to provide a clean, finished look for enclosures that house non-rackmount components and offering advanced ventilation and cable management at no extra charge, says the company.

Enhanced RSH Series Custom Rackmounts provide increased ventilation on the shelf sides, as well as the base, to promote optimised thermal management. The newly enhanced ventilation on all RSH Series Custom Rackmounts improves overall airflow by accounting for components that vent hot air to the sides.

"As audio/video technology continues to evolve, the requirements for efficient ventilation of the technology have also advanced," said Dean Wheelan, application engineer, Middle Atlantic Products. "The ne

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USA - Each year, the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) conducts research to zero in on industry financial ratios. The recently released 2007 Financial Analysis of the Industry focuses on three main areas of interest: company background, balance sheet and summary information, and sales ratios.

"The Analysis is a proactive yardstick to help measure your bottom line against other like-size companies in the industry," said senior director of member services Jodi Montgomery. "It provides information on what the most profitable companies are doing. In addition, the Analysis outlines the technologies, vertical markets and sales methods that contribute to their profitability."

Company sizes were split into five different ranges - beginning with companies who earned less than $1 million a year up to one in 10 reporting gross revenues of more than $20 m

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Denmark - The Mania SCX800 is the latest in Martin's Mania series of powerful, compact and feature packed scanners. Driven by 150 watts of discharge power, the SCX800 is a one-of-a-kind rollerscan effect with all new gobo designs, four "fat" beam projection and a continuously rotating mirror drum for all-night dance floor mayhem, says the company.

This scanner effect houses "the highest quality optical system for maximum light output and true high-definition image quality". It combines with a long life 150W discharge lamp (6000 hours, included) to kick out a powerful array of graphics and colour.

Included are eight interchangeable, indexable rotating gobos in a multitude of colours for a barrage of effects.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Lighting equipment and crew for Donny Osmond's recent UK arena tour was supplied by Bandit Lites UK who, along with Bandit Lites Inc in the US, have enjoyed a long relationship with the artist. Bandit UK's chief executive, Lester Cobrin comments: "Donny Osmond is one of the most legendary pop artists and a consummate entertainer. He also takes a keen interest in the technical aspects of his show, so production values are always high on the agenda".

This was lighting director Jimmy Hatten's second major tour with Osmond, and the first in the UK. The set, designed by Michael Cotton, featured four large truss-framed video screens giving a shrinking perspective look to the stage. The lighting design on which this tour is based was created by Mike Frogge - Osmond's long-term LD - for a DVD shoot in Wales earlier this year. Hatten and Frogge have collaborated on many sh

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USA - D-Tools has announced the winners of the 2007 Design Awards. This annual contest recognizes excellence in System Integration projects utilising D-Tools System integrator software in four categories; Best Overall Project, Best Residential, Best Commercial, and Most Unique (Residential or Commercial).

Winners were selected by the D-Tools development and marketing teams. The winning entries were judged on a number of criteria, including originality, most thorough use of D-Tools' software functionality, overall visual quality of designs, plans, and schematics; and which projects best communicate the system designer's vision.

Best Overall System was awarded to Daniel Tumata of T & T Communications. He created the best overall design, most extensive use of SI software, most detailed and extensive schematics, extensive plan views and overall very impressive work.

Most Unique

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Spain - When Barcelona-based sound contractor and XTA distributor Adagio SA was commissioned to design the audio system for the 4,000-capacity B3 multi-room dance venue in Dos Hermanas (near Seville), the demanding audio specification meant that XTA system processing was appropriate.

The club's owner, José Miguel Losada, wanted a state-of-the-art audio system delivering ultimate quality sound, so Adagio SA's Bernat Camacho and Jordi Rosselló specified XTA processors and MC2 amplifiers to control and drive the Martin Audio loudspeaker systems.

The new B3 venue has three floors and the audio system was required to be divided into four discrete zones - the main entrance, main dancefloor, Buda Chillout Room (with its associated entrance) and the White Room.

Normally the main entrance and dancefloor work as a single zone, the music from the main dancefloor being fed to bo

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USA - Biamp Systems has announced the promotion of Steve Metzger to vice president of business development and Paula Linn to vice-president of manufacturing. Both executives are long-time members of the Biamp team, and in their new positions will report to Ralph Lockhart, president, Biamp Systems.

"Since their arrival here, Steve and Paula have independently helped make Biamp Systems a better company," Lockhart explained. "In their new roles I have every confidence they will help make Biamp even stronger - not simply in terms of the product that we build but also the support that we provide, the partnerships that we enter and the strategic direction that we take."

(Jim Evans)

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USA - ET Live, held during LDI (16-18 November 2007, Orlando, Florida) is an event designed to allow visitors to the expo to hear professional loudspeaker systems in "real" conditions.

In a large outdoor area at this year's show, six line arrays manufactured by leading European and US companies will be put through their paces.

Outline will take part in ET Live with two line arrays - Butterfly and the new compact Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. The Butterfly rig will be used along with Outline Subtech 218 subwoofers, and the entire set-up powered by the new T7 power amplifiers.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - The Footbridge at Princes Dock in Liverpool is both an interesting and attractive structure, and is strategically placed in the heart of an area of the city undergoing significant commercial development. That development includes the new Leeds to Liverpool Canal link, which will pass underneath the bridge, and a recently opened cruise liner facility. As such, when the development work at Princes Dock is complete, the Princes Dock Footbridge will become a gateway to Liverpool for visitors arriving on transatlantic cruise liners.

Following discussions with the site owners, Princes Dock Development Company, lighting designer Graham Festenstein received a commission to develop a lighting scheme for the 'wishbone' structure. The bridge's new dynamic and interactive lighting, installed by W T Jenkins, is an eye-catching addition to the Liverpool dockside.

Festenstein has been i

Details
UK - Le Mark Group has won the Archant Internet Award 2007. Business development manager Mark Gibbons accepted the award for Internet Excellence at a local business awards in Cambridgeshire. The Company had been shortlisted from over 100 applicants.

The judges awarded Le Mark the winner's trophy for the innovative design of their site which includes an image-menu system, making almost every product clearly accessible within two clicks of any page throughout the site.

The site (www.lemarkgroup.com) is managed in- house, minimising costs, and can be updated internally at any time.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - With over 200 acts playing on 12 stages over three days, Big Chill is rapidly becoming one of the key events of the UK summer festival season. Held at Eastnor Castle Deer Park, near Worcester, this year was the first that Dobson Sound Productions had supplied the audio infrastructure for all the festival stages. And the company took the opportunity to also make Big Chill 'all digital' for the first time.

Five DiGiCo consoles were deployed, a D5 at front-of-house on the Open Air stage, plus D5s at both FOH and monitors on the Castle Stage and D1s at FOH on the Sanctuary Stage and in the Big Chill Nights tent.

"As we were providing sound for all the stages, it made sense to follow our instincts and go digital throughout," says Dobson Sound managing director Paul Dobson. "It was a bit of a step, but it went very well.

"We chose to use the DiGiCo console

Details
USA - Wybron is launching the Net-IT PS600 at LDI 2007. The Net-IT PS600 is a 600W 24V power supply for Wybron products and other popular lighting accessories. The Net-IT PS600 receives DMX via DMX over Ethernet protocols and also acts as an Infotrace Gateway, providing all the benefits of RDM to the devices powered from it, says the company.

The Net-IT PS600 has two standard DMX outputs, making it a network node as well. It also features an LCD Display of user settings, the IP address and the protocol used. Wybron will demonstrate the Net-IT PS600 at LDI 2007 using Artnet.

"One advantage of the Net-IT PS600 solution is that it supports common DMX over Ethernet protocols," said Miles Dudgeon, marketing director at Wybron. "We have designed it to support ACN when fully implemented and are actively working to support other DMX over Ethernet protocols."

(Jim

Details
USA - Lighting designer Ken Billington is to present the keynote session at the third annual Stage Lighting Super Saturday seminars. Billington says: "I am always happy to speak at any stage lighting educational seminar. I think that the Stage Lighting Super Saturday seminar is one of the best."

A dozen theater lighting professionals will speak. About 20 manufacturers will be on hand and have technical personnel and equipment to demonstrate.

Sonny Sonnenfeld says: "The programme is designed to educate beginners and new professionals who seek additional training. It will be 10 hours of hard work, fun, and a great learning experience."

The tentative program includes inspiration, stage lighting 101, fixtures, colour, consoles, moving lights, trouble shooting, paperwork, and other subjects. The seminar will take place at LaGuardia High School for the Fine and

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Austria - Vienna's leading entertainment venue, the Arena Wien, recently purchased two Allen & Heath iLive digital consoles as part of an overhaul of its audio systems. Vienna Arena is one of the city's largest and most established live performance centres. With four separate areas, the complex plays host to a wide range of events, from international artists such as James Brown, Crowded House, Dinosaur Jr., and Gnarls Barkley, to film screenings and theatrical presentations.

Having recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, Vienna Arena marked the milestone with a full audio upgrade to its largest hall. In addition to a new Meyer Sound speaker system, the decision was made to replace the Grosse Halle's existing analogue mixers with an iLive system - comprising an iDR10 mix rack and iLive-144 control surface - at FOH, and a second identical iLive system to manage monitors.

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