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Greece - L-AcousticsS DOSC systems were chosen to supply the Concert Against Global Warming in Athens, featuring Nikos Aliagas & Friends. Presented by renowned Greek TV show host Nikos Aliagas, this concert was the first act of a European Tour supported by the EU.

Greek sound providers Ypsilon & Audiosound provided L-Acoustics sound systems for this concert featuring left and right main PA arrays each comprised of nine V-DOSC enclosures with three dV-DOSC hung below, completed by two dV-DOSC per side for the stereo in-fills. Far left and right crowd areas were addressed by two additional outer-fill hangs each featuring six KUDO.

Sound designer John Moine de Russy reports: "I was in charge of the sound design aspects and system specifcation for this project. Thanks to

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Good News - The Association of British Theatre Technicians reports that the 30th anniversary ABTT Theatre Show staged in London's Royal Horticultural Halls last week was considered another triumph. Year on year the Show has expanded from both exhibitor and visitor perspectives. With over 100 participating companies, the organisers say that, despite the current uncertain economic climate, the visitor numbers were maintained and were slightly up on 2007.

Company News - In the entertainment technology industry's latest high-profile acquisition, Barco has announced that it has bought High End Systems Inc, the well-known manufacturer of automated luminaires, digital lighting and lighting controls, for a total value of USD 55 million. "With the merging of two strong industry players, this acquisition reinforces Barco's leadership position in the fast converging video and lighting segmen

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UK - The Forum, in London's Kentish Town, was the venue for Pete Doherty's return to the stage after his 29-day stint in Wormwood Scrubs prison and with resident crowd management specialist AP Security on hand, the evening went off without a hitch.

The Forum has was added to AP's ever growing list of venues last September after an emergency call from the club's management, who needed to replace the incumbent security company.

"The Forum has undergone a recent facelift," explains Chris Hollands, one of AP's management team, who oversees a number of venues and events for the company. "We had been awarded the contract and were due to start once the re-fit was completed, but due to unforeseen circumstances, we were asked to step in much earlier than expected and at very short notice."

"In fact, we got a call one Saturday afternoon and we were in by the f

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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 - Foo Fighters, Metallica and Rage Against the Machine fans enjoyed the major European festival Pink Pop in total safety at the beginning of June, as Mojo Barriers deployed over 1k of barriers at the event's various stages and bars.

The sell out festival, which welcomed 60,000 visitors per day, boasted three stages, 39 bands and a variety of entertainment and refreshment facilities over the extensive site. For the first time this year, the event was not held on Whitsun weekend.

Mojo Barriers supplied 650m of barrier over the three stages, as well as 500m of bar barrier at the refreshment sites. On the main stage, Mojo Barriers deployed its Barrier Load Monitor System (BLMS) which adds extra safety to the system by continually monitoring the pressure which audiences are putting on the barriers, allowing teams to react quickly to crowd surges.

"Pink Pop is very well es

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New Zealand - The Rippon Festival,staged at Lake Wanaka, a National Park area on the South Island, celebrates the talents of Nw Zealand bands and musicians.

Rich Green was front of house system engineer for the festival and explained why the festival is so popular: "I have worked the last three Rippon Festivals, and while there are larger festivals in New Zealand, Rippon would have to be one of the most successful outdoor shows in the country. It consistently sells out a couple of months before the show, approximately 5,000 and is very well organized by a dedicated local committee. It used to run annually but the last few shows have been every second year and I think this formula has worked well, perhaps making it just that much more special.

"The festival offers a diverse range of music; rock, dub, drum and bass, indie, you name it. Sonically this poses its own chal

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UK - SPS recently completed the Institute of Directors Annual Convention. This one-day event was held in the Royal Albert Hall for nearly 3,000 business leaders, with speakers including Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Kevin Spacey and Bob Geldof.

SPS has worked on the IoD flagship event for five consecutive years and utilised its extensive experience to provide the bulk of the staging and production elements including the impressive stage set, screen content and opening video. The SPS creative team also worked with many of the speakers to develop screen content to support their presentations.

A 14m x 6m custom-built screen provided the main focus of the set, with imagery provided by two projectors to achieve a 45,000 lumen image with full 2K HD resolution. This screen was utilised in many ways throughout the day. "For the opening video we wanted to highlight the calibre of t

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UK - Lighting designer Martin Dudley used Robe ColorSpot 700E AT moving lights at the core of his lighting rig for The Guillemots most recent UK tour, for which his company, Reading based Martin's Lights, purchased new units from Robe UK.

Dudley has worked with the band for two years, and this was his fourth full tour. The tours and lighting rigs have steadily grown in size and stature mirroring the band's popularity.

At the start of this tour, management said they wanted to see plenty of red (and black) onstage. And they wanted it darker, weirder and edgier than the previous production tour a year ago, which was poppier and lighter in tone.

He was using just six ColorSpot 700E ATs, but these give him more than enough creative scope and range to light the full set without repetition, producing a vast array of different looks, textures and ambiences.

For the London show at

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UK - Live event specialist tdc provided a high-tech communication solution for the final service by the Bishop of Sheffield the Rt Rev Jack Nicholls. More than 1,000 worshippers were able to take part in the service after tdc installed a special microwave link between Sheffield Cathedral, where the event was held, and the Cutlers' Hall.

The link was used to overcome the fact that although the buildings are so close together, there is no way of simply running a cable because of the tramlines and overhead power lines.

Bishop Jack is retiring after more than 10 years in his role in Sheffield. The event also marked the 40th anniversary of his ordination. The Revd Canon Simon Cowling, Canon Precentor at Sheffield Cathedral, said: "This was a really special event for the city so it was wonderful that, thanks to the technical expertise of tdc, we were able to share the service w

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Brazil - Last month, Lighting Latin America conducted its third training and product presentation for operators and programmers in Sao Paulo. "It was the most successful event we held in Brazil. The training was attended by some 70 people from Brazil as well as Argentina and Colombia," reports Daniel Ridano, technical manager and project coordinator of MA Lighting Latin America.

On the first day the whole range of MA Lighting products was introduced, with the focus on the grandMA range especially grandMA full-size, grandMA light and grandMA ultra-light. Additionally, the software grandMA onPC and grandMA 3D as well as MA Lighting's media server grandMA video together with the Schnick-Schnack-Systems LED-Paneel C100 were demonstrated.

On the second day the MA Training - Level Basic was held. This is aimed at programmers and operators of moving and conventional lights.

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UK - Bandit Lites is again working with Leeds-based Production North and continuing its fruitful relationship, this time with Girls Aloud on their UK arena tour.

The production is headed by Iain Whitehead, lighting has been designed by Peter Barnes, with programming, operation and direction on tour by Tellson James.

The lightshow is big, bold and bright to match the primarily up-tempo set. Barnes conceived the design and briefed James with ideas on some of the songs, also allowing him latitude to make a creative contribution to the programming, which was done over four days in Sheffield Arena.

The back truss features four vertical legs, all of which flank three onstage video screens. The two centre legs are 6m high and the outer two are 4m. Rigged on and inside this structure are 11 Martin Professional MAC 2K Washes and 8 MAC 2K Profile moving lights.

In front of that are

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UK - The Foo Fighters played their biggest gig ever at Wembley Stadium on Friday 6 June, and Stageco brought their global experience into creating the stage. The band played an 'in the round' style show, with a catwalk reaching nearly the full length of the stadium.

It took Stageco's 16-strong team just three days to build the 180 tonne stage, designed by the company's in-house R&D department to deliver an 'up close and personal experience' for every member of the audience.

The distinctive 26m x 26m Stageco 'Super roof' was the main stage, with a B-stage connected by a catwalk, enabling Dave Grohl to run the length of the stadium during the performance.The mixing tower was placed at the end of the catwalk, with a central delay tower, and two further delay / spot lighting towers flanking the B-stage.

Antonio Cruz, technical supervisor for Stageco explained, "The initial

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UK - Leisuretec Distribution Ltd has secured the first shipment of the newly launched Cloud DCM-1 eight channel digitally controlled mixer.

The DCM-1 is Cloud's first ever microprocessor controlled multi zoner, providing space-conscious sound installations with a high level of flexibility without the need of a PC. Leisuretec Distribution received the first shipment to leave the production line of the Sheffield based manufacturer this month.

"As with all Cloud products initial demand for the DCM-1 is expected to be high," said Leisuretec CEO Mike Henden. "Leisuretec customers want innovative products on demand and we have taken action by further increasing our Cloud stock to ensure Leisuretec can continue to deliver Cloud products with speed and efficiency."

Leisuretec has a policy of in house training, with experienced Cloud products specialist Brian Payn

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UK - Richard Willcox has joined Stage Technologies as a rental systems project manager.

Willcox has worked as a user of Stage Technologies' systems for numerous productions over recent years; first as a systems engineer at the Millennium Dome's Central Show in 2000, then as head of automation teams for Miss Saigon, Witches of Eastwick and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He has also worked as an automation operator for a number of Cirque du Soleil's touring shows and as the senior automation technician for the Royal Shakespeare Company's Courtyard Theatre.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Gearhouse In2Structures has launched a new Dome temporary venue. This is a versatile structure that can be transformed and configured according to the show or event and the client's requirements.

Fully portable, when in its circular format, the Dome's aesthetics make the space suitable for numerous uses, including as a nightclub, wedding venue, for conferences, banqueting, product launches and corporate events. It's also suited for use as a roof top structure, says the company.<>P>The structure is supported by trusses anchored directly into the ground and comes with full structural certification in all configurations.

The new wider arch opens the Dome venue's width to 25.7m (allowing for additional banqueting tables when used in that context) and increases the maximum roof height to 12m. A broader curve at the apex of the arch increases the rigging and hanging capacities

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UK - London-based Haymarket Media Group is taking steps to increase energy efficiency, and has appointed Greenled Light to further reduce its carbon footprint through sustainable LED lighting.

These enhancements are already reducing Haymarket's energy output. Replacing the lights with Greenled's Antares lamps and adding PIRs in the corridors, lavatories and recreation zones has reduced energy use in these areas by 90%, and will further reduce its footprint by 74 carbon tonnes per year, in addition to saving the company in excess of £100,000 in electricity costs over the next 10 years.

Overhauling the lighting system at Haymarket is in line with the company's objective to phase out high energy usage halogen bulbs. Haymarket's sustainability manager, Nathan McLean says, "We explored a number of lighting options and settled on Greenled LEDs because they provide the rig

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Spain - Following the technological and commercial expansion of D.A.S. Audio, the company recently expanded its woodworking facilities. An additional 1,200sq.m, fitted with the latest CNC equipment has now become part of the 3000sq.m woodworking facility which is manned by a team of 12, with José Antonio Vercher as manager.

In addition to the pre-existing cutting equipment, sanding machines and painting booth, two new milling and perforation machining centres have been acquired for processing wood panels, press board, MDF, plastic and light metals such as aluminum or brass. The new machines are equipped with the latest computer software, which allows the cabinet designs to be sent from other locations at the plant directly to the new equipment.

More than 1,500 wooden acoustic cabinets are now made at this production line each month, fully satisfying factory needs.

(Ji

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UK - When the Cottesloe Theatre was ready to retire its trusty d&b sound system after more than a decade of hard labour, Rich Walsh, Sound supervisor for the Cottesloe, was in do doubt that he wanted to remain with the same brand.

Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds since the original d&b system was installed, and now Walsh knew he could take advantage of a more compct and energy efficient footprint - specifying a system that could be remotely set-up, monitored and healthchecked over Ethernet.

He contacted the Theatre's regular audio suppliers, Orbital Sound, who delivered eight d&b E8 two-way multipurpose loudspeakers with a further eight E12-Ds providing bass extension via a long-excursion 12" driver. The rotatable 90° x 50° dispersion he knew would provide all the coverage he needed in the reconfigurable, 300-seat (maximum) studio theatre - whether set

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Ireland - A new opera house is under construction in the Irish festival town of Wexford. Rising high above the rooftops the quirky fly tower is the most visible symbol of the spectacular new venue opening this autumn.

Maltbury Staging, led by Philip Sparkes and Jason Tucker, won the contract to design, manufacture and install the seating tier structures to both the main house and second space. The contract also included provision of fixed and demountable staging throughout the venue and further areas were added while the crew was on site.

The steep balconies demanded a highly customised structure, whereas the stalls were best served by a deck-based approach. Understanding these varying demands, Maltbury responded with a bespoke framework up top and decking tiers below.

Precision manufacture was combined with a flexible response to changing circumstances: the architects' draw

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USA - Two of the world's larger audio and video system integrators, Impact, Europe's largest, and The Whitlock Group, a $135 million dollar US based company, have announced "the creation of the industry's first global alliance for the audio-visual (AV) integration market". Called the Global Presence Alliance (GPA), the group will initially focus on customers based in the US and Europe, with plans to build the international footprint and size going forward.

Fredd Causevic, CEO of Impact, said: "With the market for videoconferencing, in particular, growing at a rate of more than 25 per cent, it is exactly the right time to look to extend our geographic reach.

"Our clients here in the UK and Europe are increasingly asking for the same level of service and support for their offices throughout the world. The Global Presence Alliance is all about promoting best p

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UK - London Light Production Services has invested in an ETC Eos and an ETC Ion lighting control desk through dealer TMB, to complement its range of lighting, dimming and rigging products.

London Light director David Buffham says: "We were looking for a replacement for our old desk, which was no longer supported, and took several potential replacements out for a trial. The Eos really stood out as being both quick and easy to use. When we're working on a show, we generally have very little time to plot, so aren't able to spend hours on site adjusting the lighting. We need the desk to be powerful, responsive and intuitive, and both Eos and Ion really fit that description.

"Reliability is important, and although we never had any disasters, our old desk couldn't do full tracking backup. Now, with the Remote Processor Unit (RPU) backup, we can be sure that, should the wor

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Australia - LSC has announced the release of Version 3 software for the maXim range of consoles. More than 30 bug fixes and enhancements have been made to improve the console's functionality and ease of use, says the company.

New features in the software include support for USB flash drives and MIDI and support for trackball control of pan and tilt control will be added soon. The console's fixture library size has been significantly increased by a factor of five to cater for the larger Fixture Templates found today and the number if fixtures it can now hold is up from 64 to 128 fixtures.

Also included in the new release is a complete rewrite of the console's memory and performance monitoring system. This, and over two months of testing, has resulted in the most stable software system to date. The latest software, for all sizes of maXim, can be downloaded from the LSC website.<

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