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UK - Lighting and visuals rental company, HSL based in Blackburn, UK has announced that GLS Lighting is joining The Group in an exciting and invigorating new partnership that further expands the dynamic reach of HSL's operation.

The union sees GLS's very successful and well-established business - celebrating its 20th year - based in Southampton continue to function exactly as it is ... now having access to HSL's vast resources of equipment, personnel, knowledge, expertise, backup and support. The GLS day-to-day operation will further benefit from sharing HSL's administration infrastructure.

"It's fantastic to welcome GLS as part of our healthy and growing family," says HSL's MD Simon Stuart. "We are all like-minded individuals, passionate about what we do, dedicat

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UK - Award-winning creative technical event production expert, Hawthorn, has unveiled its new brand at PLASA 2015 this week.

Named by the London Stock Exchange this year as one of the '1000 Companies to Inspire Britain', and after nearly 30 years in the business, Hawthorn has never stopped growing. With the acquisition of Core Creative, renowned drapes brand Rex Howard and the hugely admired creative technical production business Anagram, it was felt the time was right to amalgamate all of these respected brands under the one name: Hawthorn.

Hawthorn was the brainchild of Martin Hawthorn, who in 1987 spotted a gap in the market for a good quality equipment hire company, to support theatres, dramatic groups, schools and colleges. With great customer service front of mind, he promptly set up shop in his garage in Leicestershire and the rest, as they say, is history.

The Hawtho

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UK - Twelve Clay Paky Mythos fixtures projected text and images onto the Tower of London in September as part of a star-studded charity event honouring wounded armed forces veterans.

The initiative was launched to raise awareness of the Haig Housing Trust, which offers housing assistance to ex-service people and the week culminated in a fundraising event, For Queen and Country, to mark the charity's centenary.

London-based Lightning Events was tasked with projecting the messages onto the side of the tower, and specified the Mythos fixtures, rigging them in weatherproof Flight Domes around 30m from the tower walls and near to the moat.

Production manager for the event, Lightning Events' Tom Foster, explains, "We liaised directly with the Haig Housing Trust for this project. Their initial brief asked to project along all sides of Tower, which would have been extrem

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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 - Straight off the back of Adobe's recent announcements, Niels Stevens, Video Business Development Manager, will showcase the very latest developments in their Creative Cloud content creation tools and services.

Today at PLASA Show 2015, Niels Stevens, the Video Business Development Manager for Adobe will present a three sessions as part of PLASA's renowned seminar stream. Straight off the back of Adobe's recent announcements, Niels Stevens will showcase the very latest developments in their Creative Cloud content creation tools and services.

Niels Stevens will demo the latest release of products which brings the entire collection of creative tools on a desktop, like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Adobe Premiere Pro onto the Creative Cloud. With mobile apps, so you can create whatever you want, wherever you are and all your creative assets, including Adobe Stock

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UK - Today at PLASA Show 2015 renowned pro audio journalist Phil Ward returns to host a further two Audio panels as part of PLASA's renowned seminar stream, entitled 'NOISES OFF! Controlling event sound' and 'DON'T WORRY, BE IP - Networking for live sound and installation.'

The first session focuses on the messy issues of noise control at outdoor events. Featuring the confirmed panel members Bryan Grant, Jason Baird, Jim Griffiths, Peter van der Geer, plus d&b audiotechnik's Steve Jones, the session will feature hi-tech noise containment solutions from beyond pro audio.

Afterwards, Phil Ward will continue to chair the second session with panel members Christian Diehl, Kieran Walsh, Roland Hemming, Simon Jones, Terry Holton discussing a guide to the issues facing the industry as it embraces - or otherwise - digital audio networking.

"The really big guns are out today,&qu

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UK - The PLASA Awards for Innovation & Sustainability 2015 and the Gottelier Award, sponsored by Lighting&Sound International, were presented at the PLASA Show at London's ExCeL yesterday evening.

This year, 31 products were nominated for the Awards for Innovation & Sustainability, with eight awards presented, including a final Gold Award for Innovation.

The winners had to satisfy the judges that they demonstrate a new style of thinking, that they improve technical practice, have introduced new technologies, materials or techniques, that they feature patents or unique intellectual property, offer a new commercial advantage, or improve safety.

This year's Gottelier Award winner was David Cunningham, an early pioneer of computer lighting systems who developed a number of landmark products for Strand during the 1970s and 80s, including the Multi-Q memory lighting system, the Mi

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UK - For the first time at PLASA, ETC is using a second stand hosting their rigging products, which are new to Europe, in combination with their now famous upside down stand, where two fencers battle on the ceiling.

On stand B40, the company's award winning range of Source Four LED fixtures are joined by the new, budget-friendly ColorSource line. Source Four LED fixtures are available in full colour, and both cool and warm whites; with their exceptional colour rendering and flicker-free output, they are quickly becoming the luminaire of choice for TV studios and theatres alike.

Meanwhile, the ColorSource range is ideal for venues which need good quality basic colour, but whose finances may already be stretched to their limit. The fixtures take the basic RGB emitters, and add a lime green to help fill in gaps in the colour spectrum which would not otherwise be reachable.

The

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UK - Now in its 36th series, the long running BBC show Watchdog gives the public a chance to 'name and shame' once and for all.

LD Chris Kempton designs the lights - provided through RML - for the studio show and his simple, yet effective rig comprises of 26x Pixel Par 90s, MR16 Kits, Batten 50's, Choma Flood TC's and Stage Bars. In recent years Watchdog has been filmed at The Hospital Club studio.

This new eight-part series will cover topics such as ill-fitting baby car seats, eye surgery and inadequate after care. They also set up teams of undercover investigations identifying rogue traders including a group of intimidating gardeners who would march old and venerable pensioners to the bank to withdraw money.

You can catch the first episode this Thursday, 8 October on BBC1.

(Jim Evans)

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UAE - NEXT-proaudio's distributor in UAE - Echo Beats Professional Systems- equipped the Vegas Club & Lounge in Dubai. This club is inside the Hotel Holiday Inn Bur Dubai located in the heart of Dubai, a hub in between embassies and businesses.

"The idea was to renovate the sound system in the club", explained Echo Beats key account manager, Rami Najjar. "They tested a lot of equipment from different brands but after the demo that was made in our showroom, they were completely amazed with the sound quality and clarity controlled and adjusted by the DSP's built in, and at the end they decided to go with this system because they told us NEXT-proaudio was the best choice."

The sound system comprises 4 HFA115, 4 HFA112, 2 HFA108, 2 HFA118s HP. All the speakers belong to the HFA series, an active series launched on the middle of last year.

(Jim Evans)

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USA - One of the last of the season's major US music festivals takes place this month in Austin, TX. Syncrolite returns to the Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) in a big way by providing SXL automated skylights that will be filling the night sky over Zilker Park with dancing beams of light and ArenaColor wash fixtures illuminating the stage scrims.

Syncrolite's appearance at ACL caps off a summer of festival appearances in North America that included: Made in America, Outside Lands Festival, Coachella, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, Squamish Valley and Ilesoniq. Additionally, a fleet of Syncrolite fixtures made their annual appearance as a big part of the Dark MOFO Festival in Tasmania, Australia.

"We enjoy partnering with producers and lighting production companies to be a part of the explosion of festival popularity around the world and look forward to doing more of them

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UK - Today at PLASA Show 2015, expert Media Trainer Ian Hider will present two sessions on the Lighting Showcase as part of PLASA's popular seminar stream. The sessions entitled 'How to use lights' and 'Top Tips on Lighting an Interview' are presented by Ian Hilder who worked for the BBC for 29 years as a cameraman and comes to PLASA to share his tips on efficient, effective and creative interview lighting, as well as to impart invaluable advice on BS7909.

The first session focuses on the BS7909, the BSI British Standards 'code of practice for temporary electrical systems for entertainment and related purposes' - the lighting equivalent of the 'Highway Code' how everyone using mains lights in the UK should work. Ian Hilder will give an outline of the code, advice and top tips for small shoots wanting to use mains lighting.

The second session 'Top Tips on Lighting an Interview'

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Festival Fever - Thousands of festival goers were left disappointed after Glastonbury tickets sold out in just over half an hour. The £228 tickets went on sale at 9am and, 32 minutes later, they were all gone - not quite beating the 14 minutes it took this year's festival to sell out in October 2014. Emily Eavis, co-organiser of the festival and daughter of its founder Michael Eavis, tweeted, "Tickets have now sold out. Thank you to everyone for your incredible support and sorry to those who missed out Bring on Glastonbury 2016!"

The 120,000 tickets were snapped up even before the line-up was announced, with only rumours about who might play at the festival. Adele and Coldplay are the top bets, with the Foo Fighters also hot favourites after pulling out of this year's event when front man Dave Grohl broke his leg. ACDC, Blur and Fleetwood Mac are also being tippe

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UK - Italian lighting manufacturer Clay Paky is delighted to once again be a Gold Sponsor of PLASA Show. This year, the company joins its UK and Ireland distributor Ambersphere Solutions on stand B10, where the team are busy showcasing two brand new additions to the Clay Paky range - Scenius and Spheriscan - both nominated for the prestigious PLASA Awards for Innovation.

"Scenius is our new, extremely silent moving head spotlight at the top of the Clay Paky range. Its advanced optical unit and the new 1400W - 6000K OSRAM discharge lamp provides a much higher light output than with previous generation 1500W lamps. Scenius can count on a CRI>95, which is very unusual for a metal halide light source," says Clay Paky.

"Spheriscan is a revolutionary scanner with a modern twist - its mirror goes on turning endlessly beyond 360 degrees, which creates an absolutely orig

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UK - Flare Audio is showcasing its new Flare Zero loudspeaker aimed at discerning studios, musicians and audiophiles and allowing them to hear exactly the sounds that the artist intended them to hear. Nominated for a prestigious PLASA Award for Innovation, this unique system features the company's patent-pending 3D printed spiralled Vortex exhausts and Space technologies, utilised to the max for minimal distortion, high-power, highest definition sound.

Says Flare: "Zero stands at 1.8m high and looks to float in mid-air. The 3.5kw of sound it delivers is the equivalent of a club installation, in a studio or private space. There is no excess in the design - it is minimal and is informed fully by the technology."

Flare's Davis Roberts comments: "We're really pleased to be here at PLASA 2015 for Flare Zero's first public outing. We've enjoyed showing people somethin

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UK - Wireless LED lighting manufacturer CORE Lighting are at the PLASA Show 2015 on Stand C24, part of UK distributor White Light's 'Village' and where they are displaying a range of their latest innovations. CORE products are known for the high quality and excellent engineering that comes with the 'Made in the UK' marque. As an independent company, CORE can also react quickly and decisively to market demands and ensure its products stay at the forefront of the fast-moving live events industry.

Featured products at PLASA include CORE's new StripPoint which is prominent on the stand together with the flagship ColourPoint, which has become an industry standard product for the live event industry. The tiny PinPoint also has a major presence with an array of PinPoints controlled by CORE's new LightDesk phone App, and CORE's industrial strength FLOOD30 will also make an impact.

COR

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UK - PSCo, the trade only AV distributor and rental specialist, is showcasing the latest innovations from its leading manufacturer partners at PLASA Show 2015. Visitors are able to view PSCo's must-see 3-2-1mm LED line-up of Absen products on its 70sq.m stand, alongside innovative LCD displays including the new Samsung High Bright and video wall displays, and the stunning new Samsung 105" display - the largest professional display available in the world.

PSCo's Stuart Holmes comments: "This is the third consecutive year that we've done PLASA and each year for us, it becomes better and better. The main reason for that is people coming to the show have a much better understanding of the products we're showcasing and how they can be used in the environment they operate in, so therefore we can add more value to them."

"This show has been great, we have actually

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UK - Neutrik's innovative new XLR Type Data Power connector - 8+2 pole - is on display at PLASA Show 2015. With the 10 pole XLR connectors Neutrik offers an easy to assemble and rugged multi-pin connection. The connectors are ideal for Ethernet plus power and wherever a robust and securely locking connection is needed.

The eight smaller pins can be used for data offering CAT5e performance. Over the two larger pins power up to 16A and 50V can be transmitted. This is a multiple of PoE+. The 10 pole cable connectors offer the sleek ergonomic design of the well-known XX-series its outstanding cable strain relief as well as the rugged locking mechanism.

Neutrik's Charlie Cook comments: "We've had an unbelievable reception of the XLR Type Data Power connector. It's a game changer, it really is. Most people don't understand what it's about, but when they do it's amazing."

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UK - The 2015 PLASA Rigging Conference was once again attended by approximately 120 delegates including rigging professionals, representatives from the UK Health and Safety Executive and from venues and rigging companies across Europe and even further afield.

Technical content included the engineering principles behind aluminium truss design and the legal responsibilities involved with integrating chain hoists and control systems. Delegates made the most of the opportunity to ask the HSE questions about compliance and enforcement of the CDM Regulations 2015 in the entertainment industry.

Those attending reported they learned a great deal from each session and the event was very well worth taking the time to attend.

The conference will move to Olympia with the PLASA show in September 2016 where it is expected that the event will attract even more delegates as it has year on y

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UK - Martin Audio partner and sub-distributor Old Barn Audio (OBA) has been a regular visitor to the Lee Valley White Water Centre in Waltham Cross recently.

Originally constructed in 2010 at a cost of £31m as one of the 2012 London Olympics host venues, it has now undergone an upgrade to its installed sound system in preparation for hosting the recent ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships.

First, OBA fitted Martin Audio's new CDD installation series on the terrace, meeting rooms and meeting room balconies, before providing their own MLA Compact rental system for the six-day Championships televised around the world.

OBA director, Phil Clark says, "The building is now being developed as a multi-purpose space for functions, including team building, but the former sound system had been specified for speech only by the main contractor rather than a specialist pro audio

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UK - Blitz|GES, supplier of audio-visual equipment and services to the live events industry, has secured a new three year contract with major London event venue, Olympia London, to provide a range of technical event services including sound, lighting, video, graphics and staging, as well as allowing the venue access to the full range of services from Global Experience Specialists (GES).

Gillian Kiamil, venue director at Olympia London said, "Blitz|GES's technical services are consistently highly rated by event organisers; they are the leaders in their field for the full range of event support, including large scale live events, conferences and exhibitions, which suits our considerably diverse events portfolio perfectly. We've worked together as a team over the past seven years and look forward to a fruitful partnership for the immediate future under the new banner of Blitz|

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USA - The Jacksons and the Temptations both are Motown legends. Both are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Both are multiple Grammy winners - and both bring an infectious sense of sheer joy to every perfectly hit note in their musical performances. Yet for all that they share in common, the two iconic groups have very different musical styles.

Lighting designer Jason 'Blends' Ayala of ProSho (New York) supported each group with a lightshow that fit its individual sound like a visual glove at the recent Motown Legends Show in White Plains. He accomplished this feat using a single rig anchored by a collection of fixtures from Chauvet Professional.

"It was the same stage, the same event, but musically it was two very different shows," said Ayala. "The Jacksons were thumping high energy all the way. The Temptations, on the other hand, were more mellow with a slow,

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