USA - Following the outstanding response from Le Mark's recent LDI exhibition, export manager Matt Every returned to even more success on his follow up visit to the States this month. Set to gain eight new distributors in the little over two months with more imminently expected, the US is a rapidly growing market for Le Mark's export team.

"From first stop at the Total Structures training and event day in L.A. through to the final visit in NYC, the welcome I received was far beyond my expectations," says Le Mark's Matt Every. "All our distributors have been working so effectively to promote our range and have provided excellent feedback for our US research and development team.

"The combination of LDI and my return visit has created a huge leap in our attempt

UK - Tait Technologies has appointed two new members to its team at its UK office. Todd Vernon joins as project manager, after working for the last seven years as a lighting technician and rigger in both Australia and the UK. He has also worked as a video QC engineer for VER in Amsterdam. 2011 saw Todd working with the Tait Technologies team on the Doha Games project.

Also joining the company is new marketing manager for the UK, Kerryanne Nelson. Kerryanne will manage branding, communications and public relations for the group, as well as developing new marketing touch points for business development. Kerryanne is a New Zealander who moved from Auckland to London in 2011 and has previously worked in various marketing communication and event management roles for the likes of Expedia UK, MTV Networks and the Warner Music Group.

Tait Technologies was formed in 2010 by a collabora

UK - Italian acoustic specialist dBTechnologies will present its new UK sales team at the forthcoming PLASA Focus in Leeds. Products to be exhibited are the highlights of the DVA series, including its largest line array module DVA T12 and the active subwoofer DVA S30N, alongside the three Flexsys FM stage monitors and the brand new Cromo 15+ from the recently launched Cromo+ range.

The dBTechnologies team will be welcoming visitors at S-D29 this year with the help of newest recruits, David Finlay and Reuben McCartney. Finlay is responsible for the north of England having gained many years of valuable experience in retail and pro audio business. McCartney is based in the south of England, and has a wide knowledge in retail, pro audio and the recording industry.

A step up the evolutionary ladder from the successful T4 module, DVA T12 is special in its class, providing more power

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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

UK - HHB Communications has announced the release of the new Mogami 3306 Ethernet cable drums, specifically designed for the most demanding mobile applications.

Available in 25, 50 and 100m lengths, the new Mogami Ethernet cable is flexible enough to lay flat on a floor, yet rugged enough for reliable performance, even with the frequent set ups needed in live sound and commercial venues. And it fully complies with TIA/EIA-568B Category 5e termination standards and performance characteristics.

The Mogami Ethernet cable is not a standard Cat 5e cable with a heavy-duty jacket; it is meticulously constructed to ensure that its four twisted pairs remain separated from each other, which helps to ensure consistent data rates, even under extreme conditions. Its durable construction also means that it can withstand being run over by a truck without loss of bandwidth, says HHB. Supplied

UK - Production Lighting, training and safety services supplier MattLX has announced a new website at www.mattlx.com. Launched to coincide with the release of the company's new lighting services brochure, the complimentary web design is easier to navigate and reaffirms an ongoing commitment to provide customers with relevant and accurate information.

Creative and managing director, Matt Clutterham said, "Since the company was formed in 2006, we have been lighting some of the biggest and brightest shows and events in the UK and abroad and we thought it was about time we reflected that in our web site. We are sure it provides a better insight into what we do, how we approach it and how our design focus, work ethics, attention to detail and theatrical flair make us stand out from the crowd.

"Apart from lighting one of the key features of the site is the extensive traini

UK - When business owner Steve Graham took over The Torrance Hotel, a hotel, restaurant and bar in East Kilbride, Scotland, he was adamant that the renovation would be a modern and stunning success.

Today it stands testament to Graham's commitment and drive, a stylish and popular destination that has revitalised the surrounding area, and with an audio system throughout that is comprised of Tannoy loudspeakers.

During the renovation, Graham called in independent audio consultant Bryce Keachie of Keachie Electronics to specify and install a system that was both consistent and appropriate for all of the different areas, from discreet speakers in the sleek main dining area to something more powerful in the bar and conservatory.

"I have worked with Tannoy loudspeakers a lot in the past, so I knew that whatever solution I chose would be reliable and have that hallmark of qual

Israel - The buoyant theatre market in Israel is also proving to be a big success for Robe moving lights, and in particular the new Robin Series - which includes the LEDWash 300, 600 and 1200s and the new MMX Spot.

Two recent major productions - the Willy Russell classic Blood Brothers at the Beit Lessin Theatre and I Gave You My Life which is ongoing, detailing the life and music of singing star Danny Sanderson at the Rubina venue of the Habima (National) Theatre, both in Tel Aviv - have utilised Robes as key elements of the lighting design.

The show's lighting designers are Meir Alon (I Gave You My Life) and Uri Morag (Blood Brothers), and the Robes were supplied by the busy Israeli distributor, Danor Theatre & Studio Systems, based in Hod Hashron.

The Habima Theatre is the oldest theatre in Israel. It has four different venues of which the Rubi

UK - The annual First Night Riders charity motorbike event is attracting international attention from industry professionals as more bikers sign up for the event.

Organisers have just announced that theatre consultant George Ellerington of Arup Venue, Dick Lindstrom from the Swedish mechanics and lighting company Anderson & Co, stage designer and engineer Giles Favell and Andy Hayles, managing partner of theatre consultancy Charcoalblue are all signed up to take part in this year's race.

These new riders will set off with bikers hailing from all sectors of the entertainment technology industry on Friday 22 June from the grand Royal Albert Hall in London for a four-day tour visiting Theatre Royal's Bristol and Plymouth, TR2 & Globe Theatre Plymouth, Hall for Cornwall, The Minack Theatre and Kings Theatre Swansea.

Their mission? To raise as much money as possible for industry

Singapore - SWITCH by Timbre, the latest live music restaurant and bar in the Timbre Group is a 300-seat, bilingual venue that sets the stage for the best up-and-coming Singaporean musicians proficient in Mandarin and English pop-rock and offers live performances nightly. As the third Timbre property to utilize D.A.S. Audio loudspeaker systems, SWITCH by Timbre relies on a potent sound reinforcement system drawn from the company's Aero Series 2, Road, and Avant loudspeaker product lines.

As with the other Timbre locations, D.A.S. Audio's Singapore's office was actively involved in the design and specification of the sound system at SWITCH by Timbre. In addition to the deployment of a substantial number of D.A.S. Audio's Aero Series 2 loudspeaker enclosures, this new facility is the first installation in Singapore to utilise the company's new Road Series products, the stage monit

China - Electrosonic's Shanghai office has been designated a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE), an officially registered limited liability corporation. This allows Electrosonic to continue to pursue new business opportunities in China as a legally licensed design consulting and systems integration company while maintaining full control of business operations.

"We are very excited about the WFOE designation for our Shanghai office and look forward to the many new opportunities it affords us," says Chris Conte, Electrosonic's VP of entertainment. "We can now expand and grow our partnerships with local product suppliers, fabricators and installers, which will enhance our efficiency on the ground."

Electrosonic's China operations will conduct business under the new legal name, Electrosonic Audio-Visual Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. The office will contin

The Netherlands - From humble beginnings as a café showcase for Dutch acts, in 14 years Vrienden van Amstel Live has grown in size, with the 2012 event encompassing seven sold out nights at Rotterdam's 10,000 seat Ahoy Arena. Such were the technical demands that it required four DiGiCo SD7 consoles and seven of the latest SD racks to manage the audio, with all equipment supplied by Ampco Flashlight Rental.

The televised show included 17 top Dutch bands playing across three stages, set up as main A and C stages at each end of the Ahoy's arena, which featured a 3300Kg per side moving PA and an invisible PA respectively, with a connecting B stage in the middle. The highlight of each night was a Battle of the Bands, which saw the acts playing opposite each other on the A and C stages, with their singers walking along the central catwalk, each facing the other band via

Monaco - Jimmy'z d'Hiver nightclub in Monaco has recently undergone a renovation, during which the 300-capacity club has been equipped with an L-Acoustics ARCS constant curvature WST system.

The new sound system was supplied and installed by L-Acoustics Certified Provider, system integrator and distributor Services Electroniques & Sonorisation (SES). It comprises two hangs of three ARCS, one 115XT HiQ and two 112P coaxials, one SB28 subwoofer, one LA48 and two LA8 amplified controllers.

The owner of Jimmy'z d'Hiver, the Societe des Bains de Mer, is already a committed L-Acoustics client, having installed systems into other of its venues including the famous Salle des Etoiles in Monte Carlo.

"The ARCS constant curvature WST system is ideal for this type of application, combining strong SPLs and medium throw with controlled directivity in the horizontal plane," says

USA - Established as the region's very first church in1840, Pleasantville United Church of Christ has served the south eastern counties of Bucks and Montgomery for more than 170 years. Today the celebrated church hosts a wide range of activities for its congregation and the surrounding community.

Pleasantville Church recently completed construction of its new sanctuary, a project that began more than 15 years ago. The newly built sanctuary is an exact replica of the original building, but constructed on a larger footprint.

The challenge of designing the optimal audio system for the space was met by designer/installer Tony Hersch of Audiobahn. The sanctuary's high vaulted ceilings and reflective surfaces presented a unique challenge in system design.

"Services at the church lean towards a traditional/blended style," Hersch explains. "Music worship is typically

UK - PixelLine battens are lighting the new RSC logo at the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre in Stratford. The new sign is the highlight of the exterior and part of the recently constructed atrium.

After discussions with Vince Herbert, Royal Shakespeare Company's head of lighting, PixelRange supplied two new custom built PixelLine 6 luminaires to provide back lighting for the RSC sign which sits above the main entrance in the link between the main building and the New Tower.

The ceiling above the sign had been painted red to emulate the look of the RSC logo but was not illuminated effectively at night - as most of the lighting in that area is down-lighting. After trying various alternative lighting options, it was decided that up-lighting the ceiling with LED fixtures produced the best result.

PixelRange's John Hickinbotham states, "The purity of colour produced by our

UK - Tower Productions have just completed supplying a package of synchronised generation and electrical distribution to the National Lottery Olympic Park run and Gold Challenges, the first ever events held at the new Olympic stadium.

Tower's James Mitchelmore managed the installation of eight machines around the stadium, including three 100kvas synched together for mission critical supplies. "It was a fascinating experience and great privilege to be involved with this auspicious event and be the first event power supplier to complete an event in the stadium," says Tim Shaw.

(Jim Evans)

UK - The ProSound division of Bosch Security Systems UK is now the distributor for both Dynacord and Electro-Voice in the United Kingdom.

Having a new showroom in Peterborough at their disposal, a team of six ProSound experts will be responsible for the UK distribution of Dynacord. The team, which is spreadacross the UK, will include Sean Maxwell (sales director UK), John Ellis (permanent installation), Neal Allen (concert sound), Roy Parrott (Northern MI), and David Howe (technical support). A representative for Southern mobile audio is currently being appointed.

Robert Hesse, vice president sales communication EMEA and managing director of EVI Audio, comments, "Given the great success of Electro-Voice in the United Kingdom - both due to a dedicated sales team and a strong UK dealership base - we foresee a great future for Dynacord in this new structure."

(Jim Eva

Russia - The historic stage of the foremost Russian theatre has reopened after six years of renovation and restoration. The original acoustics and the 'golden' curtain were restored, and the total area of the theatre was doubled to 72,000sq.m. The theatre has not only been given new life, it has become one of the most technically advanced in the world.

During his recent tour of the renovated building, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev used the word "fantastic" to describe the external architectural features and technological level of the equipment installed in the Bolshoi.

Clay Paky's Russian distributor DOKA played a key role in renovating the theatre. DOKA Center signed a contract on 10 August 2005 with the German company Bosch Rexroth AG, the general contractor for stage renovation technology, engineering, equipment supply, installation and stage lighting implemen

UK - On 28 March 2012, Stage Electrics hosted the Association of Stage Pyrotechnicians 200th training course.

The one day Pyrotechnic Safety Awareness course was presented by well-known industry trainer Lincoln Parkhouse and took place at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham. The course takes participants through practical hands on training sessions on the safe use and identification of pyrotechnics and their effects.

Twenty four delegates enjoyed the one day training event and were all presented with a certificate confirming their membership to the Association of Stage Pyrotechnicians and completion of the training course.

Hannah Parkinson who attended the course from the Redgrave Theatre, Bristol said, "The day gave me a good all round experience and knowledge and we'll all be safer in our workplace after being on this training."

"Stage Electrics sell a lot of

UK - In co-operation with James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment, Christie supplied its Christie Duo dual-projector solution to bring the bright, vivid scenes of Titanic in 3D to life at its world premiere last week at The Royal Albert Hall.

"I'm pleased to have Christie continuing to accompany me on my 'journey of discovery' which will see studios and cinema owners providing stirring 3D and, in due course, high frame rate movies, to fully immerse their audiences in experiences that best represent the creative excellence of today's producers and directors," said James Cameron.

"It truly is an honour for Christie to be working alongside James Cameron on such a prestigious world premiere. This is not only a great testimonial to the trust put in our digital cinema solutions, but also confirms Christie's role as the world leader and a pioneer in this field.

Germany - LumenRadio reports "a fantastic Prolight+Sound show". The new 'Swedish-inspired' stand design attracted thousands of German and international visitors. The stand, which was a part of the German distributor LMP's extremely busy village was framed by eight up-light cubes and contained elements from a typical Swedish forest. All lighting in the stand was controlled wirelessly by CRMX products.

The new product features, including KiNet V1 and V2 as well as CRMX Unity integration for both wireless and wired RDM, were received with much interest. Many business deals was closed at the show and upcoming projects were confirmed in UK, Russia and France. In addition, several LumenRadio wireless seminars were booked for different European markets.

"We received very positive comments concerning the CRMX RDM implementation. There were a lot of visitors at the stand

USA - J.R. Clancy was honoured at USITT's 2012 Annual Conference in Long Beach, CA, with the USITT Award for a lifetime of contributions to the performing arts. J. R. Clancy president Mike Murphy received the award on behalf of the company.

The USITT Award recognises a lifetime of distinguished contribution to the performing arts or entertainment communities in any capacity. The nomination notes that, in the case of J.R. Clancy, "the USITT Award recognises not just a lifetime but several generations of distinguished contributions to the performing arts and entertainment community".

The award nomination continues, "During this period, they have generously and willingly supported the Institute in many of its endeavours.... Their most recent support came in the way of funding for an initiative to enable secondary schools throughout the country to have their rigging

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