Business

Details
CP Sound, the creative audio design and installation specialist, has completed two major projects in Manchester. Both are new build venues within a few hundred metres of one another, and both now feature sound systems designed by CP’s Colin Pattenden, featuring a variety of JBL speakers powered by RSE amplifiers.

At Waxy O’Connors, part of The Printworks complex, the acoustic challenge was to produce a clean multi-layered system. The Waxy’s site is a busy, good looking labyrinthine complex of passageways, spaces, snugs, small meeting/drinking rooms and several bars, spread across four floors. A stunning stripped wood, sculptured tree stretches up through a high atrium space slicing vertically through all four floors. Pattenden - who has also designed and supplied sound for the very successful Waxy’s sites in London and Glasgow - has used a mix of JBL speakers, i

Details
The ABTT Show, which attracts over 100 exhibitors from across the wide spectrum of supplies and services necessary to stage a production or equip a theatre building, will set up base once again at The Royal Horticultural Halls in London from 19-20 June.

In addition to the main exhibition, there is also a complementary programme of theatre-related seminars, which includes the following. Revitalising Health & Safety: Eric Pirie, a health & safety inspector, will discuss publicly funded bodies and the Government in relation to key pieces of Health & Safety Legislation, together with a discussion of the role of the Broadcasting & Performing Arts Joint Advisory Committee.

Sound System Design in the Theatre: John Taylor of d&b audiotechnik UK Ltd will look at issues of sound intelligibility and in particular, the acoustic part of the signal path between the loudspeaker and the listeners&

Details
Moving Pictures is a new touring exhibition exploring the experience of going to the cinema and watching television, celebrating both the past and present, as well as looking to the future of digital technology.

The exhibition showcases favourites from the extensive collection of film and television material held by the BFI chosen from thousands of films, programmes and production materials. David Atkinson Lighting Design was contacted by Land Design Studio to come up with a cost effective, flexible and dynamic lighting design to cope with the scope and scale of the exhibits, as well as the touring schedule. Land devised a bespoke modular steel system, with the resulting architectural solution having something of a warehouse feel.

As the designers wanted to use colour to define areas within the exhibition, Atkinson chose to use a large quantity of Encapsulite fluorescent fittings,

Details
Six months on, and it’s the smell that still gets you. It’s worse at night: even if you had somehow not known what had happened at the place now called Ground Zero, you’d know it was something tragic.

It’s a tourist attraction now; they queue for hours to walk up the viewing platform, buy pictures of the burning buildings from street vendors. They look up into the clear blue sky and find the strangest part of the whole experience - that there is now nothing to look at. The long, dreadful task of sifting through the remnants of the World Trade Centre is nearing completion.

Fundamentally, they are looking at an empty hole in the ground and empty space in the air. In downtown Manhattan that, in itself, is unusual; to see the damage to the surrounding buildings, some eerily shrouded, silences the observers. The collapse of the Towers has left a void in many peop

Details
CT NEC supplied a wide array of AV equipment to over 80 stands at the recent IPEX print exhibition at the Birmingham NEC. The most notable of these was the Xerox stand, produced by PGI, which covered 65,000sq.ft of the venue. Both CT NEC and CT London provided video technology, hardware, software, installation and manpower to the stand throughout the nine-day event.

PGI - who have offices in 30 cities across the world - offer business-to-business communication, exhibition and trade show services and destination management, and have been working with Creative Technology for over three years. A purpose-built theatre, which ran demonstration shows eight times each day, required three remote control cameras and four lipstick cameras which were placed on the new Xerox DocuColor iGen3 in the theatre and at various other places around the Xerox stand. Throughout each show, presenters were abl

Details
When The Eagles take flight on their North American summer tour starting at the end of May, High End Systems' new x.Spot HO High Output automated luminaires will brighten their concert path.

Nick Sholem returns to take the reins as lighting designer/director on the tour, and although it's been six years since he was with the group on their 'Hell Freezes Over' stint, he was involved with their recent benefit concert in Los Angeles for the Recording Artists Coalition. "The group was delighted with the design I did for the LA fund-raising show in February," says Sholem, "so they approached me about doing the tour. Steve Cohen was going to be busy, so I said yes, provided I could beef it up in a few areas."

To help him in this, Sholem specified 12 x.Spot HO units with a 2:1 lens. "I saw a demo of the x.Spot HO a few months ago and could see how super bright they

Details
E//T//C UK, the large format projection specialists, created magic at King's Cross Station last week, as Platform 1 was transformed into Platform 9 ¾ for the launch of the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone DVD/video. Copies of the coveted DVD arrived onboard the Hogwarts Express, and were handed out to eagerly awaiting Harry Potter fans by members of the top grossing film’s cast.

When the idea of projection was thrown into the production mix, E//T//C’s Ross Ashton was approached by Chris Slingsby and Dave Hurd from Imagination. The platform was already decided upon, and then they needed over 100 different cross-fading images projected, large and clear, onto the wall at the end of the platform. The images were to be projected onto an arched projection surface, custom designed by Harkness Hall, attached to the wall at the station end of the platform. Since the r

Details
Coe-tech has announced an exclusive UK distribution dealership with leading Czech lighting manufacturer Robe. Robe equipment is already a familiar name to users of TAS, Futurelight, Sagitter and Movietech since the company has been making the moving light units sold under all these brand names for some years.

Coe-tech MD Ian Brown comments: "We were looking for a new, good quality, range of moving lights to add to our portfolio. Robe fits the bill perfectly, and I jumped at the chance of representing them in the UK." He adds that Robe’s technology and engineering qualities are already tried-and-tested, and that Coe-tech is determined to establish the Robe brand at the forefront of moving light technology. The announcement of the Robe deal is the latest in a series of brand restructuring moves undertaken by Coe-tech. "Our philosophy is to increase Coe-tech’s n

Details
One of the world’s most successful trade show series is being brought to the Middle East by IIR Exhibitions. Pro Audio Light Middle East (PALME) is the region’s first dedicated professional sound and lighting communication showcase. It will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre from February 16-18 next year.

The show joins a strong IIR portfolio of professional sound and lighting trade exhibitions, which includes PALA, Asia’s largest entertainment technology event, which alternates between Singapore and Hong Kong; PALMM Philippines, which attracts over 7,000 specialised trade visitors; and CALM China, which spans over 25,000sq.m, boasts over 400 exhibitors and attracts 17,000 visitors. "Our entertainment technology showcases have been tremendously successful in the Far East and we are now looking to emulate that in the Middle East," said Jessica Sutherland, ge

Details
When faced with the need for real audio flexibility, Anders Heftye and Arild Egeland, technical designers for ABC Audiovisuell Teknikk AS, turned to Biamp’s recently released Audia Digital Audio Platform.

One project included two 8 x 8 AUDIA units installed in Innovasjonssentret, Oslo, a conference facility with a main hall seating 250 and a smaller meeting room seating 100. Another AUDIA installation was the Quality Hotel Conference Center in Tønsberg, Norway, which has three rooms that can be reconfigured in a variety of combinations. According to Ian Hodgkinson, Biamp’s European manager, "these are the ideal applications for AUDIA. The product was designed to be economical and easily interfaced with all of the other equipment being installed."

In Innovasjonssentret, Heftye and Egeland needed a system solution that featured multiple inputs and outputs, a

Details
Nady wireless microphone systems are experiencing something of an explosion - up in the Granite City. And it has earned Bruce Millers, Aberdeen’s premier music shop, the appointment of specialist Nady dealers, by UK distributors, Lamba plc.

In particular, home recording/project studio enthusiasts at the 100-year-old department store have started turning on to Nady drum mics, according to instrument buyer, Shawn Skinner. "Everyone was doing radio systems and we needed an entry level mic. We were turned on to Nady by the rep and immediately picked up on the balanced outputs of the Encore GT instrument series. We have done particularly well with the DMK-5 five-packs and CM85 cymbal condenser mics for the overheads." The multiple package includes four DM70 tom/snare mics, a DM80 kick drum mic and case. DM70s are ideal for miking snares, toms and percussion with no bleed thr

Details
With recent revisions to Building Regulations concerning conservation of fuel and power coming into effect, UK architects and building design professionals will be pleased to hear that a design advice service offered by the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme (EEBPp), to improve the energy efficiency of all building projects is available to them free of charge.

Design Advice offers all organizations, from both public and private sectors, free, objective advice on how to maximize both the financial and environmental benefits of providing quality built environments with minimum operation costs. As part of the campaign, Design Advice is offering free independent site energy assessments for new build and refurbishment projects with a floor area of 500sq.m or above. The assessment will be undertaken by one of a network of 160 specialist consultants and will assess every aspect of the

Details
Exhibition creative lighting design specialists Stage Light Design has enjoyed a busy spring. In Las Vegas, Stage Light’s John Rinaldi and Alastair Crooks were both in action, but not at the slot machines. At the enormous broadcast industry technology NAB show, they designed imaginative lighting for Snell & Wilcox (for designers 2LK) and Quantel (for HBM) stands respectively.

Both clients also wanted to use identical stand lighting at IBC in Amsterdam in October, so the logical solution was to create the lighting design, source equipment locally for the US show, and for Stage Light Design to supply the equipment in September.

The Quantel stand features 80 Source Four PARS, four Source Four profiles and four Martin MAC 2000s, controlled with an Avolites Pearl console. The Snell & Wilcox stand lighting utilises nine MAC 2000s, over 100 Par 64s, Par 56s plus an assortment of other

Details
Australia's premier contemporary dance company, Graeme Murphy's Sydney Dance Company, have developed a new production called Ellipse, which features, on-stage, use of a fully motorised 4K HMI De Sisti Rembrandt Piccolo. At a meeting between Coemar De Sisti's Australia's Peter Kemp (MD) and Richie Mickan (Technical Products Manager) and Sydney Dance Company's Graeme Murphy (Choreography & Concept), John Henderson (Production Manager) Nick Broun (Development Manager) and Hugh Hamilton (Head Electrician), the dance company concept was explained. CDA were very happy to be able to suggest that a standard lighting system from De Sisti Italy, the ICARUS, met the specifications exactly.

The Icarus system is fully customisable, and for this production features a Rembrandt Piccolo 4kW HMI fresnel in the motorised pan-tilt-focus Icarus housing. Combined with the luminaire is a De Sisti DEB

Details
July 2002 marks the 20th anniversary of California-based Dove Systems. It was summer of 1982 when Gary Dove left Teatronics where he was co-owner and vice-president of engineering, and started his own company in his garage. Gary took the Scenemaster product line with him: the Scenemaster was improved and other products were soon added to the line. In 1990, Dove acquired the WestStar company, a pioneer of memory lighting control on a personal computer. Lighting control products were developed for the Commodore, Apple, and IBM personal computers. In 1996, Dove acquired Hallikainen and Friends Inc, a broadcast equipment company. Along with the deal came owner and electronic engineer, Harold Hallikainen, who turned his expertise from radio and TV to lighting control. Today, Dove Systems has 15 employees including Gustav the mascot dove. Dove's products include over 25 lighting control produc

Details
The Sandia Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico received a new roof system from Quickbeam Systems recently, manufactured by Tomcat USA. The 60’ X 52’ KT7-like roof structure with a tan canvas top was installed to permanent columns in the amphitheater type facility next to the casino to host concerts and festivals in the community. The main grid is constructed of 54" X 31" custom truss, 54" X 26" internal custom truss members and 24" fixed triangle truss. The grid integrates with four steel towers designed by Dekker, Perich, Sabatini Architects.

Tomcat also fabricated head blocks and a custom guide system for each tower utilizing six 2-ton chain motors that run in tandem. "The Sandia Casino did not want the grid to block the view of the mountains and the lush casino that sits behind it, therefore it was imperative that the grid design could be easi

Details
Marquee Installations have carried out the latest audio-visual fit-out for Six Continents, in their roll-out of the Edwards brand. In Swindon, they have again chosen the combination of Mackie and EAW components, following the design model originally created with Orritt Electronics.

Marquee Installations' Mark Brown says that all the installations include multiples of Mackie Monitor 8s and 5s, underpinned by MSW8 subs, providing the environmental sound on both the ground and first floors. "We choose these because they are compact and discreet, produce a good sound and have a wonderful tonal balance."

On the dance floor, they specify EAW speakers in the form of JF290Zs, reinforced by FR250Z subs. The four mid-highs are flown while the pair of bass bins are ground-stacked. Brown adds that correct speaker positioning is vital in achieving the transparency of sound that Six Cont

Details
Turbosound Ltd, the British manufacturer of live performance and installed-sound loudspeaker systems, has recently appointed a new exclusive Austrian distributor - dBLuX Vertriebs GmbH, based in Dornbirn. Located close to the Swiss and German borders in Western Austria, dBLuX is already reporting major successes for Turbosound's QLight and Impact series, which are proving particularly popular with specialist bars and clubs located in the ski resort areas.

dBLuX was established in 2001 by Thomas Feuerstein and Johannes Sorgo to fill a perceived gap in the local market. Thomas explains: "We could see that there was a need for a new kind of sound and light distribution company that provided an excellent product range, supported by a comprehensive, responsive after-sales service. Turbosound products represent a perfect match for our target market, and in the few months since our appoi

Details
SSE Audio Group launched its new sales department at the ICC in Birmingham recently, at the same time as giving the UK market its first demonstration of the GEO Tangent Array loudspeaker system. Also on display was the range of InnovaSon digital consoles for which SSE has recently been appointed UK distributor. SSE’s new dedicated sales department is headed up by Julian Ward in the role of equipment sales manager. The company has been selling equipment for many years, based on the sale of its large ex-hire stocks, and the new department will capitalize on this, offering both new and used equipment for sale, as well as undertaking key installation projects.

Invited guests at the ICC launch represented all sections of the industry, including hire companies, theatre management, corporate and event production people, and freelance sound engineers. SSE used the full scope of the 3000s

Details
LM Productions has just completed one of the largest brand launches of 2002 in the UK, in association with Edelman Public Relations. LM Productions provided all the lasers, lighting, sound, video and pyrotechnics for the launch of the new Mobile Communications brand O2 - the result of a merger between BT Cellnet, Genie and four European countries. The launch was also the first UK outing for Laser Magic’s new StratoSphere system.

The contract went to LM following a demonstration of its StratoSphere system in Reading. The location for the launch was the British Airways London Eye, and the concept was to light up the London Eye which would become the ‘O’ part of the logo and a 20m x 20m water screen was used as the projection medium for the ‘2’. The 300 VIP guests were treated to a ride on the London Eye, from where they viewed the show. Stephen Harvey said:

Details
The Audio Post-Production Studio sector of the APRS is launching a specialist handbook called Audio Post UK at Cannes this year. The handbook focuses on the audio post production facilities and services provided in the UK and is being targeted at producers and audio-post supervisors involved in commercials, film and TV production throughout the world.

Over recent years the UK's audio post facilities have acquired a reputation for excellence throughout the world with high profile movies including the Star Wars series, Harry Potter, The Mummy 2, James Bond and Tomb Raider amongst those productions choosing the UK for their audio needs. UK audio facilities and the strength of music composition and score recording have all contributed to this reputation which Audio Post UK is promoting.

Supported by the DTI through Trade Partners UK, it is hoped the directory will introduce new clients

Details
BMN Music has joined the growing ranks of high profile studios investing in the new Yamaha DM-2000. The DM2000 will complete BMN’s state of the art equipment roster at its High Barn Studio. Purpose built in 2001, utilizing part of an 800-year-old barn, the studio is located in the historic Essex village of Great Bardfield and provides a unique and relaxing setting.

Iain Court of BMN explains: "The main reason for the acquisition of the DM2000 console is that we have a number of albums waiting to be mixed and without the extensive features of the console (particularly its automation capability) it would be near impossible to get the standard required." The DM2000 console provides full recall of almost every setting on the desk at the touch of a button and features 100mm precision touch-sensitive motorised faders. Even during automated mixdown, a fader can be touched to m

Details
The Rigging Working Group, part of the Entertainment Services and Technology Association's Technical Standards Program, has approved the following new standards projects and notified the American National Standards Institute of their initiation:

BSR E1.21, Temporary Ground-Supported Overhead Structures Used To Cover Stage Areas and Support Equipment in the Production of Outdoor Entertainment Events: The standard will offer guidance to ensure the strength and structural reliability of the structures within its scope (ones in which the structural elements are rigid towers, trusses, and space frames) but does not address fire safety or safe egress issues, nor cover membrane structures and other structures in which the majority of the structural elements under tension are made of flexible elements.

BSR E1.22, Entertainment Technology - Fire Curtain Systems: The standard to be developed

Details
Audium SRL, the long-standing Italian distributor for Australian pro audio manufacturer ARX, has passed on news from Rome detailing the recent Installation of ARX products into new audio systems at St. Peter’s Square and several other locations within the Vatican.

Five ARX Maxisplit line splitters are used for signal routing and zoning to the 33 Crown Comtech 1610 high-voltage amplifiers feeding 30 EAW KF 900 Series loudspeakers. The complete audio system is managed by a CROWN IQ Control System. Another five ARX Maxisplit Line Splitters were installed as part of the audio system at the Nervi Hall, the 7,000-seat auditorium within the Vatican. In the audio systems at the Blessing Hall and San Damaso Court, ARX Mixx 4-channel microphone mixers and further ARX Maxisplits have been utilized for microphone mixing and zoning.

(Lee Baldock)

  1. Royal Opera House takes stock of more ARRI fresnels
  2. XTA booms out for Bob Geldof
  3. Lighting Technology Group announces link up with Vari-Lite
  4. Smart response
  5. Bandit on Barry Manilow tour
  6. Scottish Parliament scores virtual first
Page 536 of 1813

Latest Issue. . .