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UK - Flightcase manufacturer 5 Star Cases has recently supplied Leicestershire based Hawthorns with 17 specialist trunks to house its new Clay Paky Alpha Spot 1200 moving light fixtures.

The 'Split Body' twin trunks feature a new design by 5 Star, complete with integral cradles which secure the lighting fixture when packed head down in the case, keeping them completely steady during transit. Hawthorns' 17 'Super Tour' trunks were finished in their corporate navy blue laminate together with HTH screen printed identification.

Hawthorns supplied full lighting production including 140 CP Alpha Spots and their new trunks for the recent Liverpool, the Musical event, marking the official opening of the city's new venue, the Echo Arena Liverpool.

(Jim Evans)

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USA - The Christian Faith Center in Seattle is one of the latest large houses of worship yet to install a Midas XL8 digital mixing system. The church is located on two main campuses in suburban Seattle - one of which is a state-of-the-art facility completed in September 2007 - and 8,000 people a week now attend services at the two sites.

When it came to improving its sound reinforcement system, the church worked with AV specialists Michael Garrison Associates to install two XL8 systems in the 5,000-seat sanctuary at their new campus, a 550sq.ft octagonal space with stadium seating.

Kris Hillstrom, technical director at Christian Faith Center, described how the church is sounding better than ever: "We knew that we wanted to make a substantial investment in our new sound system. Seattle is a very music-savvy part of the world, and we all felt that, as one of the largest hou

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UK - Gerald Heise has joined the team at Robe Lighting as sales support manager. Heise has nearly 20 years experience in the professional lighting industry and is known for his technical expertise and innovative management style.

Robe MD Josef Valchar states: "We are exceptionally lucky to have someone of Gerald's calibre and enthusiasm onboard. He has the same ethics, drive and commitment as us, and we are all looking forward to working with him immensely."

Heise will become a link between Robe's clients, end users and distributors and the Robe R 'n' D and sales and marketing teams. He will be responsible for monitoring market trends and feedback, analysing customer's needs and cross-referencing and comparing markets and products - essentially a two-way conduit between clients and the company.

(Jim Evans)

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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South Africa - Stage Audio Works, a leading distributor of live event technology and architainment solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa, has announced the opening of its new office in Johannesburg.

Stage Audio Works' CEO, Will Deysel, remarked: "It's an exciting time in the history books of Stage Audio Works; from a small business in a garage to two offices, one in Port Elizabeth and the other in Johannesburg. We are constantly making improvements in all areas in order to offer clients the best possible service and products while retaining the 'Stage Audio Works Flavour'. The future looks bright - this is the start of wonderful things."

(Jim Evans)

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Switzerland - Hosted annually by a radio station in Zurich, Energy Stars for Free is one of the biggest winter music events in Europe. This year, the Hallenstadion sports arena was filled to capacity for a six-hour eclectic presentation of Europe's leading pop artists including Baschi, Monrose, Sugababes and David Bisbal.

For the concert's live TV and radio simulcast, as well as a live audience of 13,000, Regensdorf, Switzerland-based Habegger AG met the challenge with a robust system of Meyer Sound self-powered loudspeakers, provided by Hamburg, Germany-based Procon Multimedia AG.

System design was handled using Meyer Sound's MAPP Online Pro acoustical prediction programme. "The Hallenstadion is highly reflective, especially in the rear," says FOH sound mixer Dani Niedermann. "But we managed to design a great-sounding array with no reflection whatsoever.

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USA - dbx Professional Products is introducing the new SC 64 (System Core) and SC 32 Digital Matrix Processors. These processors feature Wizard-driven system configuration using Harman's HiQnet System Architect.

The SC 64 and SC 32 host a total of 64 and 32 analogue I/O respectively, configurable in banks of eight. The flexibility of eight analogue input cards and eight analogue output cards facilitates many different fully loaded configurations, accommodating a wide range of standard sources via the onboard mic/line and phantom power switching per input, the company says.

Two high-speed option slots on the SC 64 and one high-speed option slot on the SC 32 also provide an interface for adding forthcoming high bandwidth audio transport I/O cards.

The units feature dedicated DSP for common processing functions as well as insert positions for specialised processing and popular

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UK - Martin Audio has announced its adoption of the new EASE GLL format for its Omniline micro line-array system.

EASE is one of the most established and widely-used acoustic prediction programmes available. However, until now, separate, plug-in DLL (Dynamic Link Library) software programmes have been needed to enable EASE to predict the performance of complex line arrays. The new GLL (Generic Loudspeaker Library) format included in EASE 4.2 is an advanced data format that allows for more accurate and sophisticated modelling of line arrays, clusters and columns.

From its introduction as a concept in 2005, Martin Audio recognised the GLL as a major step forward - with entire systems, including high-resolution complex acoustic data, crossover filters and mechanical properties all bound together in one file, says the company.

The flexibility of a GLL also allows implementation

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Counterfeiting and piracy are major problems facing many industries today - perfume, films, music recordings, designer fashion wear and much more are affected. It's good to see that the organisers of the upcoming PALME show in Dubai are joining show organisers such as PLASA and Frankfurt Messe in taking a tough stand against the copycats to support legitimate companies in the professional audio, light and AV industries whose long-term investment in product development and branding is threatened by the counterfeiters.

On the subject of the Middle East, the region continues to grow as a serious marketplace for our industries. Serious Stages, working with Atlantic Enterprises, saw one of their Space Roof buildings air freighted from East Midlands Airport to Saudi Arabia for a foundation stone laying ceremony to launch KAUST - the SR10 billion King Abdullah University of Science and Techno

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Dubai - Companies participating at the upcoming PALME Middle East exhibition in Dubai found to be infringing copyright and patent protection legislation will have their stands closed or their products removed, organisers IIR Exhibitions have announced.

PALME is taking a tough stand against the copycats to support legitimate companies in the professional audio, light and AV industries whose long term investment in product development and branding is threatened by the counterfeiters.

Dubai-based group director of PALME, Neil Hickman, said: "Original manufactures and their authorised agencies exhibiting at our shows are understandably upset that copycat manufacturers are allowed to exhibit at certain other industry events. Having suffered ourselves from copycat events, we fully appreciate the considerable investment in research and development, not to mention the marketing b

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USA - dbx Professional Products has introduced two new direct injection boxes into the product line. Representing a new category of product offering for dbx, the dB10 Passive Direct Box and dB12 Active Direct Box build on the dbx heritage, while the aggressive styling of their solid, road-worthy, cast-metal chassis is a departure from the usual utilitarian look of most direct boxes, the company says.

The dB10 Passive Direct Box includes all the basic features you would expect from a workhorse direct box - 1/4" input and parallel 'thru' jacks, transformer isolation, balanced XLR output, and ground lift switch - but provides additional value not found in budget direct boxes, says the company.

Its three-position pad switch easily accommodates instrument, line level and speaker level signals, while further versatility is added with its selectable polarity invert and high-cut

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USA - J. R. Clancy has announced the availability of offline editing capability for the SceneControl 500 automated motion control system.

SceneControl 500, in use in theatres, performing arts centres and concert halls, provides top-of-the-line motion control. SceneControl 500's accurate, 3D display of the theatre lets technicians easily select the sets they want to control on the touch screen. The user-friendly interface lets users develop simple or elaborate cues and modify them to match the flow of each performance. Using SceneControl 500, operators can move scenery, lighting, acoustical banners, reverberation doors, travelers, speaker clusters, winches, revolves, orchestra lifts and more.

Scenic designers can now prepare SceneControl 500 by downloading a show from the SceneControl 500 console to a laptop computer, and using SceneControl's intuitive 3D interface to select ba

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UK - CUK Audio, the Glasgow-based UK distributor for Audica Professional, Community, Digigram, DIS Danish Interpretation Systems, InOut and KIND, has announced the appointment of Tom Blackwell as sales manager.

Blackwell is well known throughout the industry from his time with Sennheiser UK and, more recently, Harman Pro. Commenting on the move Blackwell said: "I have followed the progress of CUK since it was started, and have been impressed by the market penetration they have achieved. They have a great product portfolio, with a whole range of unique and advanced solutions, and a refreshing attitude where customer service isn't just marketing spiel, but an intrinsic part of the way they operate at all levels."

Blackwell continues: "On the personal side, it also offers me great variety across a broad spectrum of pro audio, from the high volume sales of hot produ

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USA - Volkswagen made sure its stand would be noticed at this year's North American International Auto Show, with a little help from G-LEC's Phantom 30 technology.

The show, which was held in Detroit in January, showcased jaw-dropping exhibits, production and concept vehicles and exciting, fun-filled attractions. Among the displays was Volkswagen's eye-catching stand with 44m wide, custom made Phantom 30 frames set up in an arc on each side of a high resolution video wall.

Designer and technical coordinator Ulrich Schmidt-Kalteich of Lightidee, Germany, specified the Phantom because of its transparency, brightness and static possibilities. He says: "The client's brief stated high brightness and transparency from both sides - front and back - with a clean, architecturally unobtrusive outfit. In order to soften the image for people close-up, we placed a voile fabric in fron

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UK - Hawthorns celebrated its 21st birthday in style when they transformed its Leicester premises into a large party venue for their annual birthday bash.

Over 400 clients, suppliers and staff joined the company to celebrate in Hawthorns' recently acquired third warehouse, which had been transformed into a nightclub party venue for the evening. Following the acquisition of this new unit, Hawthorns' Leicester head office now exceeds 100,000sq.ft, with further mezzanines planned for the spring.

MD Martin Hawthorn commented: "I wanted to take the opportunity to thank our customers and 110 full-time staff for helping to keep the business going over the years by making it our best party yet. It was also a fantastic opportunity for staff from all three of the Hawthorn offices to meet up and put a face to a name. I'm not sure where the last 21 years have gone, but I'm already lo

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Saudi Arabia - Serious Stages, working with Atlantic Enterprises, saw one of their Space Roof buildings air freighted from East Midlands Airport to Saudi Arabia aboard an Antonov AN-124 heavy lift cargo plane. The full kit - totalling over 210 tonnes - was amassed and supplied at very short notice, necessitating the need for the airlift.

The roof was erected in Thuwal, a small village on the Red Sea coast to the north of Jeddah, and was the setting for a foundation stone laying ceremony to launch KAUST - the SR10 billion King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud himself laid the cornerstone. The occasion was marked with a groundbreaking ceremony. KAUST is intended to help Saudi Arabia have a world-class independent scientific research centre that acts as a scientific base and a driving force for the national economy.

Serious was

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UK - L-acoustics reports that Gearhouse South Africa supplied the Elton John South African tour leg with L-Acoustics systems.

The Gearhouse set-up for Elton John in Newlands was the biggest line array PA ever used in South Africa. Main left and right was 12 a side V-DOSC with two dV-DOSC down-fills and six KUDO side as outer hangs. Delays were on Gearhouse's TFL V-Towers with nine KUDO on each and outer delays, also on towers, of nine dV-DOSC a side. An additional four dV-DOSC were deployed as front- fills.

Ofer Lapid, MD of Gearhouse SA, heard the new PA for the first time in CT. Speaking at the show he said, "Even as a lighting guy I know when I hear excellent sound because the hairs on my arms stand on end. This is what happened when I heard the V-DOSC at Newlands. I am very happy with the purchase."

The Elton John crew then moved to Durban for another outdoor s

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Slovakia - Slovensko h?adá Superstar is a casting television show based on the popular British show Pop Idol. Broadcast twice a week from October to December by TV station Markíza, this wildly popular series to find the best young singer in the land was the highest rated TV show ever in Slovakia.

Adam Pastorek, president of Martin distributor Adam A Syn s.r.o., together with director Peter Nunez, set designer Marek Holly and chief cameraman Vlado Valko, decided on a modern set design featuring the Martin LC Series LED video screens.

Dominating the set design upstage centre was a large LED video wall consisting of 28 LC 2140 panels vertically divided so they could open for competitors to enter the stage. It was the LC Series' versatility and light weight that allowed for this entrance "gate" to be realized. Stage right and left were more LC Series pane

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USA - The ESTA Foundation reports that Rosco will donate the proceeds from the sales of Roscolux #359 Medium Violet to Behind the Scenes. While the colour name remains the same, the Behind the Scenes logo will be added to the Roscolux swatch book slip sheet and marketing materials, making it easy to identify. Rosco will present a check to Behind the Scenes each year at the LDI Show.

Ame Strong, Rosco's colour filter product manager says, "I am impressed at how easy it is to apply for a grant by simply downloading an Application from the website and also how quickly the grant applications are reviewed. It is wonderful that our industry is helping colleagues with doctor bills, health insurance payments, saving homes, and putting food on the table, as well as helping widows when they are suddenly alone. And I'm proud that Rosco's commitment is a gift that will continue far int

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USA - Shure Incorporated has announced the availability of new Microflex microphones. Designed for boardroom, conferencing, and corporate applications, as well as anywhere else that unobtrusive integration is desired, each model in the product group provides versatile functionality, easy setup, and premium sound quality, says the company. Like their predecessors, the new gooseneck models all feature interchangeable cartridges as well.

The MX405 and MX410 are five and 10" goosenecks, respectively, offered in both wired and wireless configurations. Outfitted with fully adjustable goosenecks, five-pin XLR connectors (wired versions), and a sleek new windscreen, both models can be used with a surface-mount preamp, a wired desktop base with a programmable mute switch, or the MX890 wireless desktop base with a programmable mute switch. Users can also choose either a bi-colour sta

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USA - Fresh from a recent performance at the 8th Annual Latin Grammy Awards show (where he was nominated for four awards), Colombian rocker and previous 12-time Grammy Award winner, Juanes, kicks off his La Vida World Tour this March at New York's Madison Square Garden. At the audio helm with DiGiCo's D5 live digital console is Rob 'Cubby' Colby, best known for his lengthy resume as front-of-house/recording engineer for artists including Phil Collins, Genesis, Prince, Janet Jackson, Bob Seeger, Ricky Martin and Shakira.

Handling tour production is Eighth Day Sound, who supplied the D5 consoles at FOH and monitors, along with d&b J- and Q-Series line arrays and subs, and Dolby Lake drives.

"I went online and got their standalone software and programmed my own console before I even sat in front of it," Colby raves. "I immediately fell in love with the struc

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Iran - MC2 Audio and XTA Electronics were chosen to supply amplification and system management to Tehran's Avini Hall and for the Fadjr International Music Festival.

The Avini Hall is a 1,700-seat, multipurpose theatre and is the centrepiece of the Iranian capital's Bahman Culture Club. Not only is the Avini home to the Tehran Symphony Orchestra but it also hosts a wide variety of productions from musicals, plays and concerts to seminars and live TV and radio shows.

To meet the demands of this broad range of performances, the board of directors at the Bahman Culture Club decided to upgrade the sound system. Following a shoot-out between the main loudspeaker brands in Iran, Foujan Loudspeakers was chosen to supply a four-way, P Series system and was installed by their installation division.

MC2 Audio's T2000 and T4-250 amplifiers power the Foujan Loudspeakers at FOH, front-fi

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