Currently enjoying a resurgence of popularity, summer music festivals are alive and well in both Europe and North America. Six days of sunshine and a great atmosphere in one of Europe’s most beautiful countries is just the ‘cure’ for those summertime blues. On 25 July, British rock legends The Cure played before a vast audience at Switzerland’s largest open-air festival, the Paléo Festival Nyon. Gaining in popularity, the Paléo Festival is attracting some of the biggest names in music.

Lighting rental company Cameleon supplied a full Martin rig consisting of eight MAC 2000 Performances, 16 MAC 2000s, 14 MAC 600s and 18 RoboColor Pro 400s for the performance with a lighting and stage design completed by company Sérafin Lampion. As one of the headlining acts, The Cure’s performance on The Grande Scene was a much-anticipated event with a large part of the

Gary Fails, City Theatrical’s founder and President, has earned his Masters of Business Administration degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business in New York City, and was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honour society for academic excellence. Fails took a leave of absence from Columbia in 1971 and went out on the road with touring shows for 10 years, then continued working on Broadway before founding City Theatrical in 1986. "For the last 30 years, I said I would go back and finish school; this is the completion of a lifetime goal. I look forward to using my MBA skills to grow and improve City Theatrical and to make it a larger and more vital part of our industry."

(Lee Baldock)

Clay Paky, the Italian manufacturer of intelligent lighting products, has relocated to brand new premises near Bergamo, with effect from 26 August. The company’s new contact details are as follows: Clay Paky S.p.A., via Pastrengo 3/B, 24068 Seriate (Bergamo). While the telephone and e-mail contacts remain unchanged, the company does have a new fax number - to fax Clay Paky you must now use +39 035 301876. More details of the company’s new facility will follow shortly.

(Lee Baldock)

Flintshire-based Apple Sound has recently supplied the BMW Group plant in Oxford with a complete Tour Guide system from West Sussex based pro-audio distributor, beyerdynamic. The BMW Group Plant has a long tradition of manufacturing and since their investment in the new Mini production facilities earlier this year; the facility has undergone a £230 million investment program to make it one of the world's most sophisticated car production systems.

Working closely with BMW's communications manager, Lynda Boodell, Apple Sound's Tourguide product manager John Scott helped specify the details of this system to meet BMW's precise requirements as an extremely effective wireless communications system for their guided tour presentations around the new factory. Delegates on the tour are able to listen clearly to commentary at a distance and in the noisy areas where it would otherwise be impossi

Japan recently became the site of the first official Wholehog III training seminars organized for customers, when two 2-day sessions were held from 6-9 August at Ushio U-Tech's Koiwa Studio in Tokyo. Sales and R&D professionals in attendance were mostly from Ushio U-Tech, C&C Electronics Co and Theatre Engineering Co Ltd - although one production person came a long way from the National Theatre School of Canada.

High End Systems' Brad Schiller instructed the classes, which were translated simultaneously into Japanese by Hitoshi Nakamura, chief of the international sales division of Ushio U-Tech. Of particular interest were the ‘guts’ of the console. As the attendees would need to know how to both service and program the Wholehog III, they were satisfied upon opening the unit to see how easily interchangeable parts would be.

The first formal classes for Wholehog III in the

Hand Held Audio, specialists in wireless and in-ear technology for over a decade, has supplied all of the wireless and in-ear monitoring systems for the series of Radio One Big Sunday events that have taken place up and down the country. Hand Held has also been responsible for the licensing requirements at each venue. Tens of thousands of fans have already attended events in Swansea, Ipswich and Falkirk with another due in Leicester on 8 September. Audio contractor for One Big Sunday is Britannia Row who have been using their recently acquired X-Line line array system from Electro-Voice.

Although the requirements vary from show to show, Hand Held's Nick Bruce-Smith says that typically they have supplied around eight headsets, eight hand-helds and eight in-ear systems per event, mainly from Shure. These plus whatever the bands bring of their own gear and the BBC's own radio systems mean

Ryger, the well-known UK manufacturer of lighting controllers and effects, has relocated to Wales. Under new management and with radical restructuring, Ryger Ltd will continue to manufacture its comprehensive range of lighting controllers for the small club and mobile DJ market, as well as expanding into the live music control market. "Our Footlight 4 lighting controller for bands has been a great success," said Karen Phillips, marketing director. "We’ve recently made it stronger to endure the most testing of applications and plan to extend the range further in the near future."

The new improved Footlight will be on display at PLASA 2002 along with the rest of the Ryger range. Also showing at PLASA will be the newest version of the Ryger Showlite system, a fully interactive comprehensive lighting control system run from a PC or laptop. Ryger also maintains its

The American National Standards Institute is now offering electronic copies of ESTA's ANSI-approved standards and other technical publications for sale on-line. Ordering electronic copies on-line gives members of the entertainment industry almost instantaneous delivery of needed documents.

To order ESTA's standards and other technical documents from ANSI, simply go to the website shown below and then click on the pull-down menu under the instructions ‘Please select a standards category below.’ Select ‘ESTA: Entertainment Services and Technology Association’ from the list of standards developers, and then hit the ‘Go’ button. That will present a page listing all ESTA's publications available through ANSI, including ESTA's free publications.

Paper copies of ESTA's documents are available from ESTA Publications Orders, offered by the United States In

Delta Sound Inc, the London-based sound company, has made a substantial investment in BSS Soundwebs, adding 25 units to its inventory which were specifically brought in to allow it to handle its contract for the recent Commonwealth Games in Manchester (L&SI will be running a full report on the Games in the October issue).

Delta’s head of technical Mark Underwood, the Stadium project manager for the Ceremonies and the Games, used a total of 32 BSS DSP units within a fibre optic infrastructure to create one of the most extensive temporary Soundweb installations ever designed. From the hub at the front-of-house position, Soundwebs provided the signal distribution highway for Delta's audio installation throughout the City of Manchester Stadium, distributing to six remote amplifier sites via fibre optic cable, and managing all the matrix routing and outboard processing.

"If we

Nexo is to restructure its international sales team, following the departure of Mick Anderson, sales director of the company. After six successful years with the company, Anderson has announced that he will be leaving to explore fresh challenges. Managing director Micky Johnson was keen to acknowledge his achievements at Nexo. "In the last six years, Mick has accomplished a great deal for Nexo, notably the creation of a first-class global distribution network and support infrastructure. Although we are all incredibly sad to see him go, we wish him the best of luck in finding a new and rewarding mission."

Following Anderson's departure at the end of September, Nexo will close its UK office. All international sales will be centralized through one department at the factory in Paris, under the guidance of Denis Baudier who, after nearly 10 years with the company, will be promoted

As soon as the August issue of L&SI hit the streets with its mammoth report on the Jubilee (the most comprehensive you’ll read thanks to the efforts of the entire L&SI team in tracking down the information and slotting it all together), it was inevitable that we’d have more people ringing us to tell us of their involvement. First came Pulsar, to tell us that the fixtures used front of stage on the Party at the Palace concerts were their own ChromaBank system. If you look closely at the picture to the right you’ll see the strip of ChromaBanks at the bottom of the picture providing the green accenting to the front of stage.

Then we had more input on the audio elements. Among those whose stress levels were noticeably higher round Jubilee time was Hand Held Audio’s Nick Bruce-Smith, who had the onerous task of organizing the incredibly intricate licensing arrangemen

a quick run-down of forthcoming trade shows . . .

IBC - 13-17 September, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Leading broadcast technology event. The show covers all the key areas of the electronic media business including audio, cable, film, grip, internet, lighting, multimedia, production, post production, radio, satellite and transmission. An accompanying conference tackles all the technical, management and creative issues.

Tel: +44 (0)20 7831 6909 www.ibc.org

World Lighting Fair - 3-5 October, tokyo, Japan

World Lighting Fair is the showcase for the latest products serving the entertainment industry. It covers technology serving the stage, TV, film, attractions, retail and events sectors.

Tel: +81 3 3706 5687 www.wlf.co.jp

AES, New York - 5-8 october, los angeles, USA

AES conventions always feature a full programme of technical papers, seminars and workshops

Members of the PLASA team will be at the forthcoming LDI trade show. PLASA is taking a government-funded group to the Show, which takes place in Las Vegas from 18-20 October 2002.

This great sporting summer reached a new pinnacle when the fourth annual Hayden Laboratories Industry Cricket Challenge was fought out at Littlewick Green Cricket Club, Berkshire.

The event once again brought out the best from 22 dedicated, superfit sportspersons from across the industry. A change in format for this year meant that the usual round-robin tournament gave way to a 35 over each way match between two teams; representatives from PLASA/Clarion Events, under captain Mark Saunders of Clarion, took on the very best that the Lighting/Sound industry had to offer, under the captaincy of Lightfactor’s Paul DeVille.

The Lighting/Sound team got off to a convincing start, until their star all-rounder Charles Ward (DJ Magazine) was bowled by Clarion’s Stephen Ingram for a disappointing 6. From then on, with the exception of a few strong batting performances from the likes

Tomcat UK and PCM would like to remind all of their customers that from 1 September 2002 they will be supplying all Columbus McKinnon Lodestar hoists with 4-pin, 110V, 16 Amp yellow CEE-form connectors instead of the current 3-pin version. The majority of customers will now have received letters from their respective supplier explaining the change. In addition, any users of Columbus McKinnon theatrical chain hoists with questions or concerns are invited to a meeting to be held during the PLASA exhibition in London. It will allow users of the product to discuss the matter with representatives of the PSA, Columbus McKinnon and their two UK distributors, PCM and Tomcat UK.

The meeting will be held in the Westminster Room (Earls Court 1, Level 1) on Tuesday 10 September 2002 at 10:00 AM.

(Lee Baldock)

L&SI is running two Round Table discussion sessions during next week’s PLASA Show (September 8-11, Earls Court 1, London) designed to address some of the most central issues in the industry.

The first session Freelance Rates - Due for Review? This discussion should prove to be a lively debate on the current levels of freelance rates, which over the years have shown a downward trend in real terms. With many rental companies naming their daily rates, how can those who actually do the work and keep said companies successful lobby for more money? Should there be a flat rate according to role? Who should take responsibility for change? Will rental houses come unstuck by causing their crews to form a union-style body, or should they take the lead and move things on themselves?

Chaired by L&SI technical editor James Eade, the panel will include Mark David-Gray of BECTU and freelancers

Following the administration of the Lighting Technology Group in June, buyers have been found, as predicted, for a number of the Group’s assets.

The PAI Group has announced that it has acquired the rights and assets of Lighting Technology Projects (LTP). The new company will trade as before, under the name of LTP, and will be headed up by Terry Reeves, who managed the company prior to the appointment of the administrators PriceWaterhouseCoopers in early July this year.

The acquisition is a logical step for the PAI Group, which specializes in the creative design, supply, and installation of bespoke audio-video, lighting and sound for the leisure, retail, education, heritage, and sports industries, and consists of PA Installations (PAI), VS Installations (VSI) and PA Technologies (PAT). LTP is a respected name within the industry and its markets will complement those of the PAI G

Fineline and Tomcat UK recently made the seemingly impossible possible by designing and manufacturing a completely new design roof structure in just over two weeks from initial conception. When approached to provide an outdoor roof structure for the recent Joe Calzaghe vs. Miguel Jimenez fight at Cardiff Castle, Fineline managing director Darren Wring thought that he would have to turn the offer down as he did not own a structure of the size or specification required. But after bit of head-scratching, it became apparent that he already owned a large enough quantity of truss to produce the majority of the structure - all he would need would be the custom components to create the roof.

Wring then contacted Tomcat UK and the design work started on the four-tower, 18m x 16m system. In just over two weeks, Tomcat and Fineline had designed, engineered and manufactured the necessary component

Following the floods in Europe during August, PLASA Media has received the following appeal from the Association of Professional Theatres of the Czech Republic:

It is barely a week since disastrous floods invaded the ancient and beautiful cities of Bohemia and caused enormous damage. Another dark August (34 years after the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968) threatens to paralyse Czech culture and its most "live" offspring, the theatre. Theatres in Prague, Ústí nad Labem, Budweis (Ceské Budejovice) and Pilsen were flooded entirely or in part and their buildings, technical equipment, scenery and costumes badly or even fatally damaged. Prague's historical National Theatre, the famous Theatre on the Balustrades and others will have to reconstruct their equipment; the young and highly popular award-winning companies of the Theatre in Dlouhá Street and the Theatre Pod Palmo

Vertigo Rigging was appointed by production company MICE to provide precision rigging for a sales training event at the Berlin ICC to mark the takeover of Compaq by Hewlett Packard. The HP Enterprise Storage Group conference included an appearance by F1 racing driver Ralph Schumacher, who launched the new Williams car in one of the halls and made a guest speech.

Two of the ICC’s largest halls were decked out as auditoriums with stages and screens for large-scale AV presentations. The Vertigo team, led by crew chief Paul Darby, rigged three large soft front-projection screens in hall one, the centre one measuring 26m x 9.5m and spanning the entire width of the stage. This was flanked by two 16m x 9m side screens, angled to be parallel to the auditorium walls, and tapered at the front to match in with the raked seating. Vertigo also rigged two large overhead sound baffles, measurin

A new show relay system has been retro-fitted into Cardiff’s famous New Theatre by Marquee Audio. As home to the Welsh National Opera, this magnificent Edwardian Theatre dates back to 1906 and is the city’s oldest surviving theatre. Today it is owned and managed by Cardiff County Council, and although technical manager Mark Gibbins had to request various quotations for the show relay, Marquee proved to be the most competitive.

"The call system is a major priority at New Theatre and we needed to replace the old system which was becoming troublesome and unreliable," said Mark. Marquee’s Scott Wakelin provided recommendations for a Backstage and FOH system, with priority facilities for the house manager to voice access the auditorium in the event of emergency. He proposed that this be achieved via a pair of Soundweb 9088ii/LL digital matrix devices, with a 9010

On 17 May in Günzburg, Bavaria, the Lego Company opened its fourth theme park, the others being in Billund (Denmark), Windsor (UK) and Carlsbad (California). Covering an area the size of 25 football fields, the new park boasts more than 40 attractions and shows, including the ‘Dschungel X-pedition’ (Jungle X-pedition), a Lego structure which includes a steep 12m water slide, the ‘Land der Ritter’ (Castleland), with its Fire Dragon and Castle Theatre, the Legotop, a 50m high observation tower with a glass-sided revolving deck, and the Lego Studios, in which 500 spectators can enjoy a 4D feature film. Lego is expecting around 1.3 million visitors in the park’s first year, having invested some 150 million euros in the project.

The general contractor responsible for all electrical equipment in Legoland Bavaria is a consortium formed by ABB and Cegelec. Cegel

Nomads nightclub and bar in Leicester has found a simple solution to a time-honoured problem; how to pump up the volume without annoying the neighbours. Situated in a residential block, the ground-floor and basement venue asked JPS, the St. Ives-based audio and lighting installation company, to design a sound system which could cater for 350 customers without keeping the residents of the first-floor flat awake all night. "They wanted high quality and high volume, but with very quick fall-off on the dBs", explains John Southee of JPS, whose solution was a combination of Wharfedale cabinets and Amina flat-panel speakers, resulting in individualized systems tailored to the very different ambiences of the two floors.

"Although there is a DJ on each level, the ground level bar, which has the frontage onto the street, offers a plush sit-down environment, whereas downstairs in

Soundcraft moved swiftly into action to provide an interim solution for the BBC in their coverage of the recent Commonwealth Games in Manchester. The domestic production division of BBC Resources, utilized Soundcraft’s new-generation 328XD to boost their coverage of the recent Commonwealth Games, while awaiting delivery of a new RM1D digital on-air radio console. "Essentially the 328XD saved the day - allowing us to have some of the functionality of the RM1D and mix all the grams-type sources - from minidisc to various hard disk options," said BBC Resources’ Martin Deane. "We are familiar with the desk and knew what we could expect from it."

Martin was in charge of the sound operation for BBC Sport, which produced all the domestic (BBC1 and BBC2) programme outputs. As for the RM1D, he was first exposed to this at last year’s IBC Show, and then acqu

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