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Norway - The monumental Oslo Opera House is home to the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet and a frequent venue for a variety of shows, concerts, and official functions. The huge 38,500 m2 (414,000 sq ft) building contains 1,100 rooms and features three world-class stages. The imposing main stage rivals the world's largest opera houses and incorporates under-stage machinery with load-bearing steel structures of gigantic proportions.

This environment is particularly challenging for radio systems and was until LumenRadio's CRMX technology arrived on the scene a white spot on the Opera House's signal distribution map. A selection of LumenRadio products has provided reliable DMX/RDM distribution to critical locations throughout this difficult area; supporting productions ranging from P

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UK - Black Light reports that it is now offering the first Avolites Sapphire Touch lighting desk for hire in the UK. This just-launched product is not the only new addition to the company's extensive hire list, which, thanks to recent extensive investment, boasts a wide range of cutting edge technology such as the energy efficient range of LED lighting from Robe.

"The Sapphire Touch is a really great piece of kit," says Calder Sibbald, Black Light's Head of Hires and Events. "It offers real flexibility, a fantastic user interface and new pixel mapping. We're really excited about being the first company to be able to offer it. It shows our determination to be ahead of the field and offer more innovative products than our competitors."

The Sapphire Touch is Avolites' top-of-the-range stage lighting control console. It integrates the company's comprehensive Ti

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UK - London-based audio and broadcast equipment hire company Richmond Film Services has upgraded one of its trio of SoundField ST250 portable microphones, replacing it with the recently launched ST450.

The ST450 is the latest in a long line of compact SoundField battery-powerable microphones aimed at location sound recordists. Like its predecessors, the ST450 can generate audio in any format including mono, stereo, Mid & Side, and phase-coherent 5.1 surround and beyond, without the need for more than one microphone.

"We got one of the new ST450s, and it's proved very popular amongst our rental clients so far," explains Nigel Woodford, co-founder of Richmond Film Services. "It's more convenient for many location recordists, because the ST450 can output four line-level signals, which suits users of some portable four-channel recorders better. We've retired two of

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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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Germany - Hannover-based sound equipment manufacturer Coda Audio has expanded its technical team with the appointment of Thorsten Schulze as the company's DSP specialist.

Thorsten brings over 20 years of experience in sound technology to the company. One of the very early adopters of digital audio, he was designing systems for large events using digital crossovers, processors and networks as far back as 1995.

In 2003 he started his own company, Audioconsulting Schulze, whose first project was the design and programming of the digital audio system of the refurbished Olympic stadium in Berlin. Nearly a decade later it is still considered state-of-the-art.

"Coda manufactures excellent loudspeakers," he says. "The company is a leader in speaker technologies such as sensor-controlled subs and ring diaphragm compression drivers.

"I believe that my experience

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Germany - A Jands Vista T2 is at the heart of the lighting control system at Friedrichsbau Varieté in Stuttgart, one of the most popular and influential variety show stages in Germany.

With a vibrant history dating back to the end of the 19th century, the theatre was re-opened in 1994 on its original site, which had been destroyed in World War II.

Friedrichsbau Varieté stages four of its own well known productions each year, featuring internationally acclaimed artists as well as new talents.

Awash with colour and dynamics, an eclectic mix of circus and performance skills merge contemporary and classic aesthetics, accompanied by the Friedrichsbau Varieté Orchestra. Each of these shows has two versions - long and short - and each performance run is between two and three months.

The Vista T2 lighting console was specified by Friedrichsbau Varieté's

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UK - Adlib's audio division continued its touring success in the dance / dub step sector, supplying sound equipment and crew for the recent sold-out Professor Green spring UK tour - the popular UK rapper's first carrying a full production.

Adlib and Professor Green's paths have crossed numerous times since the MOBO, MTV Europe & NME award-winner exploded onto the scene in summer 2010 with his debut album Alive Till I'm Dead.

Production manager Trigger asked Adlib on board, with front-of-house engineer Pat Tunbridge requesting an L-Acoustics V-Dosc rig with a Midas Pro6 as his mixing desk of choice, following a great experience with it in Australia and Monitor engineer Ben Kingman chose to mix using a trusty Yamaha PM5D.

The tour started with rehearsals in London, then moved onto Dublin and Glasgow building up to a spectacular finale at Brixton Academy - enthusiastical

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Lebanon - Two Midas PRO6 live audio systems supplied by Midas distributor of the year, Dubai-based NMK Electronics, have been installed in one of the Middle East's premier casinos, Jounieh's Casino du Liban, bringing the venue's total PRO6 count to three.

Tony Khoury, the casino's chief sound engineer since 1996, took delivery of his first PRO6 system in 2009 for the 1,800-capacity theatre space. "I chose the PRO6 then because I couldn't find the right warmth of sound in any other digital desk," says Khoury. "The Midas pre amps in the PRO6 provide really effective power and quality. I also found the PRO6 so easy to use; you can get to any zone really fast - it feels like I am working on one of the MIDAS analogue consoles, like a Heritage 3000."

Khoury was so delighted with the performance of his first PRO6 that when it came to upgrading the sound system in

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South Africa - An upgrade to 10 Perspex pillars on the outside perimeter of the Vodadome at Vodacom, Midrand, was recently carried out by DWR Distribution. The fairly simple install has resulted in a major facelift for the venue.

Some years ago the pillars, each about 6m high, were supplied and erected by Just Sets. They were originally fitted with fluorescent tubing and the new idea was to convert to RGB LED technology. The units now have DMX control, which means the lighting operator within the venue is able to take control of the outside pillar lights and incorporate them into his show. A plug-in interface allows patching to the lighting console to enable chases and colour changes to each individual pillar.

"It's so much more advanced, the colours are richer and there are more applications," explained David Caddy, who until recently was technical manager at the Vo

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USA - "Making its US debut, the V-Series line array is the heavily anticipated new addition to the Black range of touring loudspeaker systems," said the d&b US marketing manager Roger Keim.

"But don't let that be the only reason you come to Las Vegas from 13-15 June: on booth C11528 we will also have many other interesting offerings from both the Black and White ranges, and as this is the first time that the White range has been shown in the west of the nation, we will also make four daily presentations of the range in our dedicated demonstration lounge." The lounge sessions are approximately thirty minutes, are free to attend and will take place each day at 9 am,11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm in room N103.

In short visitors will be able to see the new E4 and E5 loudspeakers, the teeny-weeny additions to the comprehensive assortment of delay, fill and effects loudspe

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USA - In one of Las Vegas Convention Centre's larger meeting rooms (N110), Meyer Sound will set up the largest and most sophisticated multichannel surround system the company has ever assembled for a trade show. Combining the Constellation acoustic system and SpaceMap multichannel surround panning through the D-Mitri digital audio platform, a special demo programme Surrounded in New York will be featured.

The live presentations will also offer a sneak peak of the linearity of the 1100-LFC low frequency control element, a new loudspeaker for low-end directional applications in large-scale tours and installations. The 1100-LFC will begin shipping in June 2012.

On the main show floor (booth C9717), the recently expanded range of low-voltage, self-powered solutions will be shown in the US for the first time, including three 48 V,DC-powered models: the UPJunior-XP VariO and

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USA - Swedish image processing and control specialists, Dataton will bring their Watchout 5.2multiple image and display software for the first time to InfoComm 2012. Watchout will be showcased on the main aisle booth at InfoComm together with the Dataton Pickup audio guide system. Along with their partner Show Sage, Dataton will launch their Academy programme offering in-depth training and education sessions for their North American customers highlighting how they can make the most out of their presentations, events and productions.

"Since the introduction of Watchout version 5.2 earlier this year, we've received a tremendous response from users.," says Fredrik Svahnberg, marketing director, Dataton AB. "We're consistently impressed with the new and exciting ways in which Watchout is used in the market and we hope to highlight just a few of these during InfoComm20

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USA - Clay Paky Sharpy fixtures, from Las Vegas-based Morpheus Lights, are giving Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball World Tour a new look.

The tour kicked off in the US this spring in support of The Boss's 17th studio album, Wrecking Ball. Springsteen's lighting designer Jeff Ravitz selected 16 Sharpy fixtures for his inventory after having seen them last fall.

"In putting Bruce's tour together I thought the Sharpys would be an excellent replacement for the lights we were using inside the set platforms to push through," he explains. "I thought they'd be a nice change with a really defined and distinct look. The Sharpys also allowed us to use some great gobo patterns".

When Ravitz added Sharpys the idea came up of using hazers to paint the air and enhance the lights' sharply-defined beams. Employing hazers - which are not all as singer-friend

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UK - With a heritage in effects projection development dating back to 1970, OPTI Kinetics has retained its iconic 'Solar' prefix to mark the launch of its first LED-based device.

Back in the golden era of disco the Solar 250 became probably the best known effects projector in the world. The company subsequently embraced the various evolutionary stages of lamp technology and has this month announced the OPTI Solar LED, in its customary white chassis.

Boasting light output of over 650 lumens from a 40W LED module, along with a high colour temperature for truer colour projection and image clarity, the OPTI Solar LED is suitable for all gobo and effect projection applications.

LED technology offers the operator many benefits, including cool running, virtually silent operation and a 100,000-hour effective life of the LED module - over 300 times that of an M33 lamp. LED technology

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UK - The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Matilda - The Musical began life at the Company's Stratford-Upon-Avon venue, the Courtyard Theatre, to rave reviews and sell-out audiences. Having transferred to London's Cambridge Theatre in November 2011, the production has continued its success, last month sweeping the boards at the Olivier Awards when it broke records and took home seven of the prestigious awards.

As well as the awards for best new musical; best actress in a musical (presented jointly to the four actresses in the title role) and best actor in a musical for Bertie Carvel's cross-dressing performance as tyrannical head teacher Miss Trunchbull; technical elements of the show were also awarded. Simon Baker took home the Olivier for Sound Design, whilst Rob Howell won for his Set Design and Peter Darling was awarded for his C

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China - Wireless Solution Sweden AB will be exhibiting at PALM EXPO in Beijing with new products and new improvements to their W-DMX product line.

PALM EXPO, held 24-27 May 2012 at the New China International Exhibition Centre in Beijing is China's largest and most established technology event for the entertainment, pro audio and light, music, trussing and staging, installation and AV industry.

Wireless Solution will officially launch the new G4S, a completely new software platform that is prepared for future hardware functions as well as many new features and updated functions. W-DMX G4S has the lowest latency in the market under 5ms, available for a software update on all existing Micro F-1, BlackBox, WhiteBox and ProBox units already shipped via the USB Dongle, says the company. The new software is patent protected in Europe as well United States.

BlackBox MK2 offers supp

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Philippines - Clay Paky has appointed RMB Lights and Sounds as its distributor in the Philippines. Serving the theatrical and television industry for 12 years, RMB is a wholesale provider of specialty lamps throughout the Philippines.

"By working alongside RMB, I am certain that Clay Paky will become an increasingly visible brand in the Philippine market and surrounding regions," said Massimo Bolandrina, Clay Paky sales manager for the region. "This relationship has come about as the result of RMB's regular use of Clay Paky products on a number of high profile projects in the region and the excellent product support the company offers to its clients."

Clay Paky's fixtures are no strangers to the Philippine entertainment industry. The manufacturer partnered with RMB Lights and Sounds in 2011 to bring Clay Paky's popular Sharpy fixture to several major. In 20

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Iran - Midas' Iranian distributor Ertebat Sedaye Bartar Co has sold the first-ever PRO6 live audio system, together with a Klark Teknik DN9696 high definition audio recorder, to the country's leading rental company, Ardestani Brothers.

Company co-founder Hasan Ardestani is one of Iran's top FOH engineers, and the company provides sound systems for a variety of events, including concert tours by the country's leading singers such as Mohammad Esfahani , Reza Sadeghi and Mohsen Yeganeh.

After receiving their PRO6, Ardestani Brothers deployed it in one of Tehran's biggest and most challenging venues, Milad Hall, which is used for concerts, conventions and seminars. To date, the PRO6 has been used to enhance performances by the Azerbaijan Symphony Orchestra and traditional Iranian singer Hesmedin Seraj concert in Milad Hall.

"The PRO6 sounds superb and no matter how hard you

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UK - The Voice which is a multinational singing competition reality show started in the Netherlands as The Voice of Holland in 2010. Since then many countries have adapted the format and began airing their own national versions adding some major competition to shows like Idols and The X-Factor.

The Voice UK is currently towards the end of it first season which began its 11-week run in March 2012 on the BBC.

The lighting for The Voice UK is controlled exclusively by six Compulite Vector consoles - three working live on the show, and due to the scale and live nature of the show, a further three have been set-up as back-up systems. Under the control of lighting director Mark Kenyon are console operators Roger Williams on a Vector Ultra-Violet controlling the media servers, Tom Sutherland on a Vector Green controlling the moving lights and

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UK - Orbital Sound is planning a compelling product line-up of international brands on Stand No: 33 at ABTT 2012 (Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, 13-14 June) - including the first UK showing of the recently launched Clear-Com HelixNet all-digital intercom platform. Among the latest additions to Orbital's comprehensive portfolio will be the new Yamaha CL Series mixers, the d&b audiotechnik V-Series loudspeakers, and the Shure Axient radio microphone system.

Based on Clear-Com's advanced I.V.Core Technology, HelixNet is designed to break down the conventional barriers between intercom technologies, combining exceptional audio quality and network flexibility with cabling simplicity and system intelligence. Clear-Com products are distributed exclusively in the UK by Orbital.

Orbital's sales director Tom Byrne comments, "Although we all use analogue wired communication

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Italy - Tiziano Ferro's latest tour set out from Mantua in April, stopping off at the sports halls in Italy's main towns. An elegant lighting design created by show designer Francesco De Cave featured Coemar's newly-release Infinity Spot XL. Lighting is provided by Agorà.

Coemar's new 1500W version of the swivel spots is the result of the joint effort of the Coemar technical team and feedback from Francesco De Cave.

Francesco De Cave explains, "I'm delighted I chose Infinity Spot XL. The gobos we have had custom made, the new colour palettes and powerful high-quality light are the key factors which, in my opinion, make it the most powerful, ductile and efficient swivel spotlight currently on the market.

" Two of the 34 Infinity Spot XL are used as spotlights background with the pan and tilt functions disabled and a handle mounted on the back for use by operators l

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UK - DB Systems installed the PA system at the National Sports Centre, in Marlow, in preparation for the first training session of the British men's and women's Olympic hockey teams.

The system includes six ultra-compact, two-way passive Martin Blackline F8+ on stands; three QSC amps, three ultra high frequency Sennheiser headset microphones, three ultra high frequency Sennheiser hand held microphones, as well as a 24 channel Soundcraft mixing console.

DB is currently working with clients to provide IT and AV solutions for a number of other Olympic contracts.

(Jim Evans)

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