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UK - Paul Childerhouse has joined PSCo as special projects director, heading up the distributor's sales and service teams to increase its skills and understanding from the client side, offering additional support for their clients on projects.

Childerhouse joins PSCo from the role of CEO at trade only service company BITS. In his seven years with the company he headed up its sales force, introducing AV products to the company's business and managing large projects for the Royal Mail and BAA with JC Decaux. His previous industry experience also includes working with Fujitsu at the introduction of plasma technology, later implementing the UK's first plasma onsite warranty scheme in the UK.

Says Childerhouse: "The move to PSCo is a chance to work with like-minded people in a c

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UK - Rope Assemblies has announced availability of the C-Clip from Gripple. C-Clip is a fully adjustable method of suspending from 5 or 6mm galvanised, black or PVC-coated wire rope. With a safe working load of 45kg the C-Clip is certified and benefits from a self-locking mechanism making it safe, fully adjustable and reusable. The C-Clip can be supplied as an individual unit or as a complete system (complete with 2mm wire rope terminated onto the bottom of the clip) and enables items to be suspended or supported from above.

Rope Assemblies Ltd will be offering the C-Clip at a special introductory price of £2.00 each (RRP £2.50), while complete system prices and full specifications are available on request. To take advantage of this offer please quote CClip when placing orders before 23 December 2009 (offer applies to orders dispatched before 23 December 2009, offer

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UK - Audio-Technica is to launch a new 'microphone audition' initiative on 5 October 2009, with the aim of allowing customers to be sure that they're buying the right mic for a particular situation.

The company's 'First Impressions' programme allows users to trial, free of charge, up to two Audio-Technica microphones (supplied by the company from its Leeds, UK office) from the 40 Series, Artist Series and Artist Elite Series for a two-week period. Musicians and singers will be able to test mics in their own specific working environment - with their own instruments, recording set-up or PA rig - vastly expanding their experience of the microphones compared to a limited in-store demo.

"The extended audition allows real peace of mind, enabling users to perfectly match a microphone to their requirements," says Audio-Technica.

Each of the microphone ranges involved in th

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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 - Over 10 years ago, John Thurlbeck of Durham County Council invested in a substantial package of Maltbury's premier system - Steeldeck. Since then he has used the equipment many times for a wide variety of events. From speech platforms for Tony Blair to heavy rock gigs in the park, he says he has never been disappointed with Maltbury Steeldeck's performance.

Thurlbeck chose Steeldeck because of its durability, safe in the knowledge that these sturdy decks have been supporting performers and production teams for a very long time. "It has literally been used for everything from rock to classics to corporate sets and all points in between," he says.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Bradford Theatres have purchased a Haulotte Star 10 Vertical Mast for use in one of their city centre venues, the Alhambra Theatre. The Alhambra Theatre seats 1400 people and is regarded as the North's premier touring venue, hosting a range of large scale entertainment from ballet and opera to variety and comedy, musicals, drama and Yorkshire's biggest pantomime.

The Alhambra's Theatre's technical electrics manager wanted to improve safety at the theatre where they were using a tallescope for working at height. "We chose the Star 10 because it is driveable at full height, carries two people and is about 1 tonne lighter than other machines we looked at suitable for our stage floor. Haulotte also changed the speed setting on the machine to enable us to drive it slower so that we have greater control in difficult areas like the edge of the orchestra pit."

The Star

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UK - Firefly Solar has been awarded 'Supplier of the Year' at the 2009 Event Awards, held at the Park Lane Hilton, London last month.

Each supplier in the category had to provide three examples of how their service had enhanced the quality of an event through innovation, level of service, impact on the feel of the event and the challenges they overcame. Firefly chose The Age of Stupid film premiere, Innocent Smoothie Village Fete and BBC's Springwatchas their case studies.

These events showcased the versatility of Firefly as a supplier and their ability to bring an educational element to events, enabling the public to learn about the possibilities of renewable power. The case studies also highlighted how Firefly helped to seriously reduce their clients carbon footprint; the Age of Stupid film premiere emitting just one per cent of the usual carbon emission

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Austria - Studio 44 is a well equipped event location based in the headquarters of the Austrian Lotteries in Vienna. Although originally intended solely for internal use, during the last 10 years it has become a successful commercial venture, with clients such as Ford Motor Company, Coca Cola, BP and Google to its name. The latest additions to its equipment inventory are a DiGiCo SD7 and two SD8s.

"This is the first venue in Austria to have an SD7 plus two SD8s all with Optocore," says Thomas Kappner, technical director of the complex. "We are happy that DiGiCo and distributor TON Eichinger performed the installation and training smoothly."

"Being accustomed to the fixed architecture of analogue consoles and their quick access, we were extremely skeptical about digital console bank switching and menu structures," adds chief sound engineer, Dietmar

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UK - A hi-tech semi-permanent viewing platform and interactive gallery was recently launched by Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, based at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, which gives museum visitors an interactive experience as they enter the famed centre court. Arena Structures provided the bespoke viewing platform.

The 360° viewing facility will remain active all year round while being removed for the duration of the Championships. Tennis enthusiasts will be able to enjoy a full insight into the main features of Wimbledon and Centre Court. Venturing out to the viewing platform on Centre Court itself places them just steps away from the world famous turf.

In conjunction with concept designers Mather and Company, Arena Structures designed and installed the elegant viewing platform and temporary corridor which connects it to the rest of the gallery.

Project mana

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Puerto Rico - One of the most popular music festivals in the Caribbean, the Brugal Merengue festival is one of the region's most highly anticipated events. This year's festival drew a crowd of 25,000 people who filled the Hiram Bithorn Stadium to capacity. The event included performances by Latin Grammy-winning vocalist Milly Quezada, Sergio Vargas, and Kinito Méndez from the Dominican Republic, along with Gisselle, Manny Manuel, and Limit-21 from Puerto Rico. Longtime favorite group Conjunto Quisqueya made a comeback for a special performance.

Caribbean Audio of Puerto Ricowas contracted to provide both sound reinforcement and backline for this year's festival. Wil López, former chief audio engineer for Ricky Martin and president of Caribbean Audio, discussed the challenges of the project. "Being a baseball venue, the stadium is an open air facility. As a re

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UK / Sweden - In the wake of the formation of Lab.gruppen UK Direct, the new direct-to-market sales outlet for all Lab.gruppen and Lake products in the UK, Lab.gruppen has announced the appointment of Simeon Ludwell to the position of UK sales manager with effect from 12 October.

Lab.gruppen international sales manager Claus Behrens says, "Sim has got just the right profile for this position. He's worked as a freelance sound engineer for several UK rental companies, and also has a comprehensive knowledge of the installation market through his experience with companies such as Autograph Sales and Allen & Heath where he was involved in product management and technical sales, so he's a great all-rounder. We're delighted to have him on board."

Ludwell himself is equally enthusiastic. "Lab.gruppen has a strong range of technically advanced products that are involved

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UK - Take a charity founded by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, the expanding Festinho 2009 weekend fund-raising celebration of Brazilian music to support it, and sponsorship from Harman Professional, and you have a recipe for a successful event.

The festival was established five years ago by Rupert Barksfield and Lynda Colborne - as a garden party in a country home attended by 400 people. Since then it has changed its name from the Mini Chill (allied to the larger and long-established Big Chill Festival), and also its site to Kentwell Hall in East Anglia. As a result, this year they were able to cap their attendance at 3,000 (with acts like Jon Kennedy, The Cuban Bros and Penguin Café Orchestra headlining, along with James Yuill and Tom Eno).

In its quest to provide aid for Brazil's street children, Barksfield says the Festinho management

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Germany - Stephan Aue, lighting designer for chart-topping German rock band Silbermond used 24 i-Pix BB7 LED wash units as the main over-stage lighting on the band's latest tour, promoting their Nichts Passiert (Nothing Happened) album. The concept was such a success that he intends to expand it for the next leg of the tour in November, when the shows step up a level.

The band's initial brief for the tour lighting included a request for a 'classic' rock 'n' roll appearance to the stage that was not full of modern clichés and something that specifically didn't resemble any of the standard 'LED looks' that are the trend of the moment. His challenge was to produce something different within those parameters.

He took the bold move of deciding not to use any moving lights overhead, and no LED panels. The no LED panels idea was re-thought for the festival section of th

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Philippines - ASL Intercom systems can be found right across the globe, in a wide variety of performance spaces - from the biggest concert halls through to schools and colleges. Two of the most recent installations of the latter type have been in the Philippines, at System Plus College in Angeles City and La Salle College of Saint Benilde in the capital Manila.

Systems Plus College is a non-sectarian private school offering a wide range of courses for students. Supplied and installed by ASL's Philippines distributor, Mandaluyong City-based Stage Craft International, a stage communication system comprising six BS15 belt packs, six HS1/D single muff lightweight headsets and a BS181 power supply has been installed in the main college auditorium.

Stage Craft has also supplied a large system comprising 16 BS15 belt packs, 17 HS1/D single muff headsets and a PS279 twin-channel Maste

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Italy - Cruise line Costa Cruises (Costa Crociere) has launched two new ships - Costa Pacifica and Costa Luminosa - simultaneously at a spectacular ceremony at Molo Doria in Genoa. The double launch, a first of its kind, was lit by LD Fabio Maschera of Switch On of Milan, using Martin MAC III Profile luminaires.

Maschera needed a fixture with the power of the MAC III Profile to handle long throw distances as well as a stage dominated by an LED wall; a high impact light that could cut through the many videos involved in the show.

Reliability was also an important factor. Maschera was especially concerned about the need to project gobos diagonally because of the difficulty in maintaining focus at varying distances and angles.

Enter the MAC III Profile, which had recently been purchased by Italian rental company Musical Box Rent. "It is really quite different

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USA - ASET International Services LLC recently added a range of Bosch DCN Next Generation (DCN-NG) wired and wireless conferencing products to their already extensive Bosch inventory.

Established in 1989 and a member of the Bosch Congress Rental Network (CRN) since 1999, ASET is a specialist in digital language translation. ASET provides its integrated services to a large and varied customer base which includes government agencies, international organizations, professional and trade associations, and corporate clients around the world.

With a Bosch DCN-NG equipment list that now includes over 100 discussion units (a mixture of DCN-DISDCS and DCN-CONFF Concentus full-function models), ASET now requires all its technicians to utilize NG software for system control. ASET also has the largest inventory of Bosch Integrus (wireless language distribution system) receivers in the U.S.

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UK - The White Light Zone - the area of the PLASA Show occupied by entertainment lighting supplier White Light and the companies it distributes in the UK - saw a raft of new products make their debut during PLASA '09. All of the products - and the White Light Zone as a whole - attracted a great deal of attention throughout the duration of the show, with visitors finding solutions for a wide range of lighting challenges while also enjoying the hospitality of White Light's long established and ever-popular on-stand bar.

Attracting particular attention was Clarity, a new control system from Australian manufacturer LSC. Offering seamless integrated control of lighting equipment of all types, Clarity is a software-based system running on either PC or Mac that offers an interface familiar to users of existing lighting controls, but also a host of new techniques for controlling the com

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USA - Following its unveiling and positive industry response at InfoComm 2009, Xantech Corporation is now shipping its new WIC1200 Web Intelligent Controller. The WIC1200 is a stand-alone room controller for networked/web-based control featuring two IR Ports, two Serial Ports, two Contact Closure ports and two Digital I/O ports as well as two Ethernet ports (one with POE) for TCP/IP telnet control with less intrusion into facility IP networks.

On its own, the Web Intelligent Controller is an event-driven component with two RS232 ports (configurable for RS422/485 and RS232 for control via Xantech or third-party units by AMX, Crestron and others) and two IP ports. The Event Manager is capable of timed events, calendar events, telnet and serial events and features a full FTP site, web server and email server.

Used as a room controller for a presentation system, the web-Intelligen

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UK - This year's Showman's Show will see A.P. Security making a return to the Newbury Showground.

"It's great to be back at Showman's," says national sales manager, John Phillips who will be one of the team on hand throughout the show. "Crowd management at an event is an extremely important element to ensure both the safety and enjoyment of those attending.

"At A.P., we pride ourselves on looking at each job on an individual basis to ensure the best results. Because of this, we have great relationships with our current clients and we're looking forward to developing some new ones during the show."

(Jim Evans)

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Saudi Arabia - The inauguration of the new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has taken place in Saudi Arabia. Stage One was invited to join the event's creative team by Simon Ransom, technical director for Filmmaster Events, providing their set building and automation expertise to create a dramatic theatrical experience on a stage over 80m wide.

Stage One was asked to provide six giant tracking front projection screens, each a different shape and size, with the largest 14m high by 10m wide. They also provided two 20m long back wall screens, a further screen that lifted and another that folded down. All of these screens overlapped to form a collectively massive tracking projection surface.

"These were the biggest screens that I have ever seen in over 25 years in the industry and once in place they formed an awesome sight," said Steve Dolan, pr

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USA - American Music & Sound and Fostex have announced that Fostex recording products will be distributed in the USA through the AM&S distribution network.

"Fostex has a long history of manufacturing top professional audio products and affordable recording gear for project studios, field recording, and broadcast applications," states Lynn Martin, president of American Music & Sound.

"We couldn't be more excited to be the exclusive distributor for Fostex recording products in the USA. We are looking forward to growing market share and continuing to strengthen the Fostex brand."

(Jim Evans)

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Germany - With almost four and a half million visitors, the festival of Cranger Kirmes is one of the biggest and most popular German folk festivals. Every year on the first Friday of August, more than 500 funfair operators bring shooting galleries, beer gardens, carrousels, ghost trains and a variety of innovative, high-tech amusement rides to the 111,000m2 site.

In the festival's Steinmeister pavilion, audio suppliers Schallmeister utilised a DiGiCo SD8 digital mixing console for covers band SE7EN CENT.

Schallmeister purchased its first DiGiCo console from German distributor Atlantic Audio immediately after the launch of the SD8 in 2008 for its rental and dry hire business.

Since then, the console has proved very popular amongst Schallmeister's clients and impressed the organisers in Crange with its outstanding performance. This is why owners Marcus Ugljanin and Tim Jansen

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