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UK - Luke Harrison, performing arts technician at Canon Slade School recently ordered some extra legs for his Metrodeck. Harrison has embraced the versatility of Maltbury's modular equipment and has achieved some exciting arrangements.

"We've recently bought a new set of legs to build a three-metre high tier with a boxed in, enclosed space attached," says Harrison. "Also, our lighting and sound control is operated from tall Metrodeck structures.

"In the past we have also built a two level 'in the round' space, seating about 200 people. The year previously, we extended our proscenium arch stage to incorporate a catwalk for our production of We Will Rock You. The flexibility and sizing of the system allows us to easily design stages and seating plans wit

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Germany - Based on K.M.E.'s four-channel digital amplifier DA 428, a more powerful model, the DA 230 with a power output of 1.500 W per channel will be presented at ProLight&Sound.

The two-channel amplifier DA 230 is equipped with comprehensive DSP features including matrix router, six fully parametric equalizers, with two crossover networks, delay and dynamic processor per channel. Factory and user presets may be stored inside the unit; an SD- card reader is implemented and can be used to easily transfer preset and system information to other units.

All parameters as well as user navigation can be managed using a simple five-key navigation pad together with four rotary encoders. The sophisticated user interface is completed by a graphic LCD display and four RGB LEDs showing relevant operation parameters and state of the single channels.

On the inputs side are two analogue o

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Germany - Denon DJ Europe is exhibiting its complete new product line up, announced over the previous few months, at this year's Prolight&Sound in Frankfurt, including the latest DJ mixers, a new digital turntable with powerful music file control features, and Serato software interface controllers for gigging DJs and mobile rigs. In addition the brand will be demonstrating the VJ mixing capabilities of its new DN-X1600 mixer and announcing a line up of top DJ endorsees, including UK DMC Champion, JFB.

The DN-X1700 is Denon's new flagship mixer and one of the most advanced high quality DJ control product currently available. While the DN-X1700 is pitched at the top of the market, the mid budget DN-X1600 - being shown in Europe for the first time - is cut from the same cloth. Offering much of the same quality, performance and a comparable feature set to a wider market, the X-1600

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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 - Allen & Heath has released the latest version of its iLive firmware and Editor software, which includes a range of enhancements including support of the new iLive-R72 Control Surface, Dual-Rack input expansion, and 'SuperStrip' user view in the Editor control software.

Introduced at NAMM 2010, the new iLive-R72 rack mountable Control Surface is the most compact iLive surface to date, providing 72 control strips, arranged in six layers of 12 faders across two banks. The latest software release supports the new hardware, including full compatibility with the virtual control Editor software.

The most significant new feature in v1.6 is the Dual-Rack system expansion, allowing up to 128 input channels to be used simultaneously. Two MixRacks can now be linked together via the Port B sockets, expanding the number of channels feeding the 32 mix buses, and enabling both racks to b

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The Netherlands - Projecta has announced the expansion of the company's Descender Electrol ceiling recessed motorised screen range to include a tab-tensioned version which was officially launched at ISE 2010 in Amsterdam.

The Tensioned Descender Electrol ensures the flattest possible viewing surface for a retractable screen thanks to its tab-tensioning system, says the company. The projection screen surface is tensioned in all four directions by a teardrop shaped aluminium extruded slat bar and nylon tensioning cables on each side to match with the parabolic curves of the screen. The end result is a projection viewing area that is evenly tensioned and suitable for all critical viewing projection.

The Tensioned Descender is available as either a standard 220v configuration or with a radio frequency controlled motor with Projecta's proprietary front projection screen surfaces.

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Canada - RTS digital matrix intercom systems were prominent at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

"We are very proud to have contributed to the success of another Olympic Games," says Scott Gilman of RTS, "and to have helped our broadcast partners achieve greater levels of communications performance and flexibility than ever before for an event of this size. RTS systems of all varieties and sizes deployed at every level at every site, from the smallest venues all the way up to the main broadcast centre.

"Our proven IP trunking platform proved itself invaluable once again, considering venues like Whistler are about a two-hour drive from the main CTV studios, for example, and with many more venues scattered around Vancouver. Some of the adjacent towns like Richmond even set up their own Cronus (DSP matrix intercom) strings to coordinate the large amo

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UK - Flying 35m in the air for up to 11 hours a day, late 2009 saw a large format Lighthouse LED screen play a major role in a promotion for mobile phone giant Nokia's Ovi maps service and entertained thousands of Londoners in the process.

Taking place over a two-week period, the 14 x 4 panel (14.22m x 3.04m) Rn7-ER 7mm screen was suspended from a crane in the city's Potters Fields Park, near Tower Bridge. Mounted in a frame forming a giant arrow, it provided a different form of interactive entertainment.

Passers-by were encouraged to send a text message, which would be displayed on the screen along with the sender's distance, calculated by Ovi maps positioning technology. Also using that technology, the crane would be instructed to rotate and point the arrow in the direction of the sender.

Pod Bluman of Bluman Associates devised the technical solution from an original idea

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UK - David Neale, who has died at the age of 65, was one of the light and sound industry's great frontiersmen.

He helped start Disco International magazine in October 1976 at a time when the word 'disco' had scarcely been invented. And when the following month the inaugural meeting of the trade association now known as PLASA took place, David was on the founding committee.

Yet by this time he had already spent several years galvanizing the nascent sound and lighting companies, in pop weekly Record Mirror's burgeoning Disco Mirror supplement ... laying down the cornerstones which helped to shape today's great global industry.

Born in Maidstone, Kent, David went onto become a vigorous campaigner and outspoken commentator - particularly during his second term of office at PLASA (né BADEM), his Sabatier-sharp wit striking fear into fellow committee members.<

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USA - For its touring debut in North America, the RSC Lightlock is on the road with Bon Jovi on the group's The Circle Tour. Lititz, PA based Tait Towers was the first production company to make use of the motion dampening technology for two different portions of the production.

Being used in its traditional role, two RSC Lightlocks working in tandem are providing the needed stability on each of the tour's Syncrolite MX4 fixtures. Suspended from custom point lifts designed and manufactured by Tait Towers, the lights are flown in and out throughout the show.

Once rehearsals began, an unusual application was discovered for this new technology. With moving video walls used throughout the show's set, the tour's production team found a need to stabilize the 12 video columns which move over the stage area. RSC Lightlocks attached to the bottom of the video units provide motio

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UK - The multi-award winning company, Global Design Solutions (GDS) has announced the appointment of PRG Distribution as the exclusive distributor in a number of territories across Eastern Europe, Asia and South Africa.

PRG Distribution is a leading distributor of high-quality entertainment technology products. With offices around the world, PRG Distribution boasts a reputation for outstanding service and technical ability, both pre and post sales. A dedicated team of regional sales managers and a highly trained team of after-sales service technicians, represent brands including Vari*Lite, Seachanger, Pathway, Lycian and Gekko. PRG Distribution were the ideal choice for GDS to aid expansion of its global distribution network, says the company.

Andy Duffield, European sales manager at GDS commented: "GDS are delighted to welcome PRG on-board, we feel that their already str

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UK - Visitors to PLASA Focus: Leeds 2010 - which takes place on Tuesday 27 & Wednesday 28 April at the Royal Armouries - are invited to take part in a series of seminars presented by some of the industry's leading bodies.

The two-day Education & Learning Programme, which runs alongside the sell-out exhibition, proved a major success last year and this year will cover an equally diverse range of topics.

Beginning with The Theatres Trust Annual Conference, this year's debate focuses on the principles of School Theatre Design. That's followed by the Production Managers Forum with the SMA (Stage Management Association) and a session entitled Preparing for the Future with the NSA (National Skills Academy), who, as part of their quest to give people access to careers in the backstage industries, will explore why accreditation in the industry is important. It will also address

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Italy - The Teatro Comunale di Bologna has some new players on its stage this year: Clay Paky Alpha Washes and Alpha Profiles.

The Teatro Comunale di Bologna was designed in the 17th century by Antonio Galli da Bibbiena, and was the first opera house to be built with public funds and hired out by the city council. Its bell-shaped auditorium consists of four tiers of boxes with a royal box and gallery. During its history, it has put on works by practically all the major composers, including Rossini, Puccini, Verdi, Wagner, Mozart and Donizetti.

Around the end of 2009, the lighting department managers / lighting designers Daniele Naldi and Andrea Oliva felt the need for a larger number of lights. Once they received the go-ahead and fixed budget from the Bologna city council, they turned to the major motorised spotlight manufacturers.

The Clay Paky Sales Manager for Italy Renat

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Switzerland - A Midas PRO6 has been installed into the X-Tra Club in Zurich by Swiss distributor Audiotech. The club, which hosts a variety of club nights and concerts, has a capacity of around 2,000.

The PRO6 is being operated by the club's four house technicians, bringing Midas sound quality to a diverse selection of artists who appear at the club, which has included Joss Stone, Nitzer Ebb, Doom, Method Man, De La Soul, Candy Dulfer and Jethro Tull.

Club owner Markus 'Mäke' Kappeler decided to buy the PRO6 in line with the club's tradition of installing high end equipment throughout. "I was only interested in buying a Midas, since these consoles suit every engineer's needs and puts a smile on their faces," he says. "A big plus of installing the PRO6 in our club was its compact size compared to the prevous desk, which has resulted in extra tickets for audience

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UK - Hawthorn has announced the launch of its new servicing and testing division, ServiceSafe.

As well as the full design and installation of permanent installations, Hawthorn's ServiceSafe team offer full testing and certification of electrical, rigging and AV equipment. Fully documented safety audits are carried out by qualified personnel. From a small school hall to a large scale concert hall Hawthorns can provide a solution and peace of mind, keeping all PAT test and inspection records for future reference.

Hawthorn's ServiceSafe team offers fully tailored annual testing programmes for venues, schools and colleges across the UK and its City & Guilds and NICEIC certified engineers can carry out all aspects of portable appliance and rigging testing. All engineers are CRB checked.

Hawthorn's head of installations, Alan Jackson, comments, "We're delighted to launch Serv

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UAE - Artistic Licence's specially created Rack-Split RDM RJ45 splitter plays a major role in the data distribution system, designed and implemented by e:cue lighting control, of the LED-covered 'Grid Shell' roof of Abu Dhabi's spectacular Yas Hotel.

Located within the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, the Yas Hotel's opening on 1 November 2009 coincided with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and it is the first hotel in the world to be built over a Formula 1 race circuit.

Designed by architects Asymptote Architecture of New York, the hotel's exterior surface forms a 217m aerodynamic sweep composed of over the 5,389 pivoting diamond-shaped colour changing LED panes. Conceived as an environmentally responsive skin that by day reflects the sky and surroundings and by night is lit by a nearly 5000 RGBW LED fixtures from ENFIS/Cooper Lighting, the Grid Shell is one of the world's largest LED

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Famine Relief - Bob Geldof has challenged the BBC to substantiate its report that millions raised for famine relief in Ethiopia were diverted to pay for weapons. The anti-poverty campaigner said there was "not a shred of evidence" Band Aid or Live Aid money was siphoned off. The report included claims that substantial sums of aid that went into rebel-held areas of Tigray province in 1985 were used to buy arms. The BBC World Service has said it is standing by its report.

Geldof told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show he would personally sue the Ethiopian government and spend the money on aid if any evidence was produced. He said, "Produce me one shred of evidence and I promise you I will professionally investigate it, I will professionally report it, and if there is any money missing I will sue the Ethiopian government for that money back and I will spend it on aid.

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UK - The Ashwin Street Christmas Street Party was part of a £750,000 London Development Agency funded project to revitalise parts of central Dalston. Organised by project architects MUF and J&L Gibbons - the event brought together local youth, community, performing arts, visual arts and creative industry organisations to create a snapshot of how the presently run-down area could be.

Arcola Theatre provided 18 PixelRange Micro Es and eight 50w birdies for the architectural lighting of the Colourworks and Print House buildings designed by Haberdashery London.

Arcola Theatre's David Salter reports, "The Micros were perfect for this event and produced the desired effect with ease. The event required a small unit that was easy to transport and discrete to install. The Micros benefit from an integrated power supply, silent operation and very low 31 watt power consu

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Russia - Interlight Moscow 2010 will open one week earlier than previously announced. The trade show for the lighting industry will now be staged 9-12 November 2010 at the Expocentre, Fairgrounds in Moscow instead of 16-19 November as previously advertised.

This year, the exhibitions for decorative lighting and technical lighting will be presented in separate exhibition halls for the first time in an effort to achieve optimal visibility. The technical lighting, outdoor- and architectural lighting will be displayed in the Forum Hall while indoor lighting and decorative lighting will be exhibited in Hall 7.

More than 300 exhibitors have been c9onfirmed for the event.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Red Square Audio has appointed dealers to help manage their Apex sales distribution within the UK and ROI. Adlib Audio, Autograph Sales and The Warehouse will offer sales and support in the UK, whilst Sound Communications will manage the Republic of Ireland.

RSA managing director Paul Nicholson comments, "We are fully committed to making the Apex range widely available throughout the UK and ROI, hence our decision to appoint a group of strategically positioned dealers who will help us to sell this great brand into the live and installation markets. Innovation, superb design, and sonic excellence are the Apex trademarks and I believe that we will see a proliferation of projects utilising these great audio tools in the coming months and years.

"Initially, our main focus will be on the unique SL noise control systems (the Argos and Hera), the dB distribution mixers

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Taiwan - The largest mega-star performer in Asia, Rain has closed his latest world tour with the biggest live concert ever staged in Taiwan, hosted by the country's newest venue, the Kaohsiung World Games Stadium. Taiwanese rental company Bornfree joined with Korean colleagues from Seoul Sound in a collaboration to supply a Nexo Geo T/Geo D line array system for a record-breaking 40,000-strong crowd.

The closing show of the Legend of Rainism Tour represented a triumph for the city of Kaohsiung, stealing this prestigious show away from the more usual staging post of Taipei, which has much smaller venues although it is renowned for its dynamic music scene.

In order to secure the show with the producers of Korean star Rain, the Taiwanese promoter Brokers Brothers had to guarantee that the high-performance sound specifications, sophisticated lighting and video and large sta

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The Netherlands - Ateis International has appointed Hills Sound, Vision and Lighting (SSVL) to distribute its public address and voice alarm products in Australia and New Zealand. Hills SSVL supplies the pro audio and audio visual sectors in both countries through well-established distribution networks and is now building on those to move into PA and VA with Ateis' full range of loudspeakers and control equipment.

Hills SSVL is the audio and lighting division of the Hills Industries group, which also includes Audio Telex, Australia Monitor, Crestron Control Solutions and Lighthouse Distribution. SSVL distributes a wide range of sound and light equipment, including Turbosound, Clay Paky and Italian lighting company DTS, from offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland.

"More and more venues are opting for a combined EWIS (emergency warning and inte

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