The Martin Audio stand at PLASA 2002 was the site for an important announcement yesterday, and the first appearance of the Synco W8L Line Array System by Martin Audio, a specially configured version of the Martin Audio W8L line array system which is exclusive to the Synco Europe Network. Fred Heuves, MD of Synco Europe, and David Bisset-Powell, MD of Martin Audio, announced the signing of the deal that will see Synco Network members equipped with the system.

The deal represents Martin Audio’s largest single European sale since the launch of the acclaimed W8L system in the spring of this year. The Synco W8L Line Array will be operated in parallel with the existing stocks of the network’s Renkus-Heinz Synco Touring System and proprietary Synco floor monitors. "The network has grown very fast in the five years since we launched it and reached over 1000 cabinets but still

Announced at the PLASA Show, Chameleon Audio has appointed the UK’s leading export company, Expotus, to source potential distributors for its products throughout Asia, and the alliance has already borne fruit, with three companies now handling the line.Total Solution, Singapore, Stagecraft International in the Philippines and Phoenix Audio & Lighting Technology, Hong Kong, are now official distributors of Chameleon amplification.

According to Chameleon MD, Paul Houlden, the decision to appoint Expotus was based on the company’s imposing track record of successfully marketing other UK brands overseas, particularly the Far East. Says Houlden: "Trying to break into the Asian market has been a particularly tough nut to crack. However, thanks to Expotus’ expertise, it’s already beginning to pay dividends for Chameleon."

Following a series of field trials,

DJ Sunday - featuring the Gemini ‘Extreme V DJ competition’ and iDJ-sponsored Talk Zones - raised the volume at the first day of the PLASA Show as DJ hopefuls lined up in front of hundreds of spectators to showcase their talents in the hope of launching a successful DJ career. DJ A.D., the runner-up in last year’s DJ competition went one better and reversed the tables on the 2001 defending champion, DJ Angelo (placed third this year), to win the Gemini ‘Extreme V’ DJ competition.

The audience and judges got a taste of DJ A.D’s (real name Adrian Hall) cross-sectional DJ’ing capabilities during the early stages of the competition, where he kicked off with an energetic display of technical ability matched with an impressive mix of unconventional sounds. "This is an excellent competition because there is an enormous variety of DJing styles and

L&SI profiles the new industry trade association taking its first steps in Australia.

The Australasian Lighting Industry Association (ALIA) has been formed with the aim of bringing together everyone in the region with an interest in lighting - at any level and in any area. After many months consulting with the industry, ALIA became incorporated in June, and has since been signing up members. An interim committee is currently in place and the association’s first Annual General Meeting is planned for this month.

The focal point for the association, which covers an area larger than Western Europe, is the website - www.alia.com.au - where news is regularly posted. It’s also proving an invaluable source of technical information, and includes one of the web’s most extensive pages of lighting-related links. Like PLASA, ALIA aims to promote an understanding of the industry

Stagetec has completed a major installation of lighting systems in three studios at BBC Northern Ireland in Belfast. Studio B, the news studio, has recently been completely refurbished with the installation of a digital infrastructure - as a result, now offering widescreen programming for the News and Current Affairs output. Stagetec has installed 120 channels of 5kW Compulite CompuDIM 2000 modular dimming in the new control suite. A custom mains distribution system - also designed and supplied by Stagetec - provides remote voltage/current indication on the studio floor and in the control room.

Two new Compulite control systems have been provided - an Ovation 4D/RX system with remote electronics crate for the control room and a Micron 4D for use on the studio floor. The whole system is controlled via Ethernet, although DMX distribution has also been installed. A range of Ethernet node

PLASA 2002 at Earls Court, London, is the venue for the launch of the Compact Sy40, the new digital mixing console from InnovaSon, featuring 40 input channels and 24 mix busses. Housed in the same chassis as the Compact Live and Actor, the Compact Sy40 offers far greater mixing capabilities and enhanced functionality for the same number of faders: 32 (including eight stereo) for 40 input channels, 12 stereo mix busses, three left/right/mono/centre masters and one for automation control. The Sy40 has all 12 GrAux outputs stereo enabled to allow fully featured IEM mixing capabilities. Compact Sy40 can be expanded to 72 physical inputs and 48 physical outputs when used in conjunction with an InnovaSon remote Stage Box and up to 500m of co-axcable.

The Compact Sy40 has all of the advantages of the modular architecture of the rest of the Sensory range. Users can choose from optional input/o

The PLASA Awards for Product Excellence were presented yesterday evening in the New Technology Gallery in front of a packed audience. This year’s awards attracted one of the largest tallies of nominations ever - 64 in total - across the categories of Lighting, Sound, Audio-Visual and Stage Engineering.

The judging panel of freelance lighting designer Simon Swift, sound system consultant Richard Northwood of Coms UK, Live Business International’s technical director Roland Hemming, freelance AV consultantPhil Pike, system designer Glyn Hughes of Sysco, project manager Andy Hayles from Theatre Projects Consultants, technical consultant Mark Jones of the Royal Albert Hall and Jason Tang, general manager of Bandit Lites (UK), deliberated over three days to decide the winning products in each category.

In the Lighting category, Clay Paky’s Stage Profile Plus SV received

At the PLASA Show today, visitors and exhibitors alike will join together in observing one minute’s silence at 1.46pm, in memory of those who lost their lives in the attacks on America one year ago.

A brand new cool beam zoom profile luminaire, available in both static and automated versions, has been launched at the PLASA Show by Belgium-based manufacturer ADB. The stylish Axis comes in 15-30 degree and 25-50 degree versions, and utilizes an 800W halogen axial lamp and a dichroic glass reflector to produce a light output greater than a conventional 1200W profile, with low gate and beam temperature. The Axis Automated fixture provides full pan and tilt control, with beam-shaping functions. The ACN ready unit uses three-phase stepping motors and no fan provide true noise-free operation. With other features including a slide-in iris diaphragm and a 360 degree rotating gobo (or two gobos without iris), and a patented, integrated, endless rotating shutter system with four 360 degree rotating shutters, the Axis looks set to provide an attractive addition to lighting designers’ tool

The 25th PLASA Show closed on a high yesterday thanks to one of the most positive shows in the event’s history. Business was high on the agenda for all exhibitors - many of which reported the highest levels of business they’d ever done, some saying that they had signed up orders of significant size at the show. The exhibition was buzzing practically from the moment it opened and the visitor count will significantly outstrip last year’s figures.

The show was active on many levels - the PLASA Product Awards for Excellence attracted one of its highest number of nominations ever with 64 products displayed in the L&SI sponsored New Technology Gallery - a clear indication of the importance of the event as a showcase for innovation. The Masterclass, Seminar and Round Table sessions that ran throughout the show added to the appeal of the event, allowing visitors to learn more

Edwin Shirley Staging (ESS), the international staging and structures specialist, has returned to central London once more after its run of successful installations at this year’s Bloomberg World Cup project in the City of London and the Golden Jubilee events at Buckingham Palace Gardens, the Mall, Hyde Park and London’s West End.

This time ESS developed an ESS Superstructure building solution for the Event Management Company Fortesqueue’s, at a location inside the garden square at Lincoln’s Inn Fields; an occasional destination for bespoke private events. The brief, to house a one-off project during the second week of September, was introduced to ESS earlier in the summer. ESS' Olly Watts and the ESS team worked closely with the Event Management team at Fortesqueue’s to create a stunning environment for this multinational organization. The one-off event

The 40-year old Sydney-based National Institute of Dramatic Arts has just moved into its gleaming new home. The new NIDA building was funded by an AUS$25 million grant from the Australian government, bolstered by an AUS$10 million sponsorship programme to complete the complex. This latter fund was kick-started by donations from two of Australia’s best known exports - Mel Gibson and Rupert Murdoch.

The most prominent feature of the new building is the giant aluminium veil that encloses the auditorium of the Parade Theatre and juts skyward through the glass roof of the foyer. This veil reflects daylight into the expansive foyer space that currently houses examples of student costume design. At night, nine Griven Kolorado fixtures light up this aluminium veil in a sea of colour.

At the heart of NIDA is the Parade Theatre - a727-seater drum-shaped venue that is a far cry from the

US-based video giants Nocturne Inc. recently approached their associates at PSL Concert Touring to support a major UK appearance by one of their long-standing clients - Guns ’N Roses. The group appeared at The London Arena on Bank Holiday Monday with PSL providing the complete LED and camera package.

Drawing on their new fleet of Barco DLite 7 LED screens, PSL provided the centre stage wall at 4.3m high and 3.6m wide with two PA walls both at 2.7m square. Lighting designer Gary Westcott added tremendous dramatic effect by having certain panels randomly removed and then blasting white light from behind through billowing smoke! PSL also provided a six-camera package with cameramen, along with the show graphics driven by DoReMi drives. Given the compatibility of the D-7 between PSL and Nocturne it means that systems can be easily duplicated for clients working between both the US a

L&SI has arranged an exclusive backstage tour of the Palladium Theatre where you can meet with those who worked on the production and see first-hand how some of the more complex effects in the Show have been achieved. Following the tour, you'll have a chance to network with industry colleagues at an L&SI-hosted reception where you can talk further with members of the creative teams, before sitting down to watch this much talked about show from some of the best seats in the house.

The event takes place on Thursday October 10, 2002 at the Palladium Theatre, London, running from 3.30pm onwards, and costs just £69.00 (which includes a full reception, the backstage tour and a £40.00 ticket for the Show).

To sign up contact Sheila Bartholomew at L&SI on +44 1323 418400 or e-mail sheila@plasa.org.

Vertigo Rigging’s expertise and knowledge of the Royal Festival Hall came into its own when they transformed the famous concert hall venue into a full pros arch theatre for Raymond Gubbay’s popular, month-long production of Follies.

The project involved Vertigo undertaking an intense four-day working period during which time they installed large amounts of trussing and drapes. Follies - considered by many to be one of the greatest musicals of all time - was directed by Paul Kerryson and designed by Paul Farnsworth, and this was the first time the Sondheim classic has featured on a London stage for 15 years.

Follies’ scenic style transposes the audience to the crumbling Weissman Theatre, as memories from its glorious past reunite and are remembered one more time. The fact that the RFH needed to resemble a dilapidated venue at the end of the day didn’t make the

Fourth Phase, part of the Production Resource Group, has acquired both the US and Toronto lighting assets of Westsun from Richter & Partners, Inc - the interim receiver appointed to liquidate the assets of Westsun. The deal was concluded on 14 August, 2002.

In addition to the assets acquired, contracts for existing shows were also purchased and will now be serviced by Fourth Phase. Neither Fourth Phase nor PRG have assumed any of the liabilities of the former Westsun operations, which are being addressed by the interim receiver through the receivership process.

The assets acquired in Las Vegas and New Jersey are now being consolidated into existing Fourth Phase operations in those two locations. Meanwhile, those acquired in Toronto have resulted in the creation of a new business unit - Fourth Phase LTD. Beni Kantorovich, the general manager of Westsun Toronto will now continue in

The Media Show - the biggest out-of-London trade exhibition and conference for media professionals, will take place in Cardiff in October. The Media Show will focus mainly on television and video production with a eye on developments on the current big issues affecting the industry such as DVD production, conference presentation systems, the Internet, broadband and new media.

Attending the show will be a wide cross section of UK media professionals including production companies, TV and video producers, feature film companies, companies involved in broadband delivery, internet companies, conference organisers, new media producers, web designers, cameramen, lighting directors, sound recordists, editors of all types, videographers, people working for the studios, facility houses and the broadcasters - from senior executives to freelance film crews.

Representatives form the television i

Entec Sound and Light, the leading live music lighting and sound rental company, is supplying a complete lighting system for London’s world-famous Marquee club. The high profile live music venue - now located in Islington, London N1 - re-opened last week with a star-studded event headlined by top rock ‘n’ rollers Primal Scream. This installation marks an historic continuation of Entec’s association with the Marquee club. The Marquee brand name is now owned by former Eurythmics pop star Dave Stewart of the Artists Network, and entrepreneur Mark Fuller (behind London’s trendy Sugar Reef and Embassy Club). The strength and driving force behind the new Marquee is Artist Network director and Group CEO Tony Quinn. The club’s day-to-day running is headed by the club’s general manager Matt Talbot.

The new Marquee reopens complete with a £4 million fit

Surrey-based Delta Inc, one of the leading audio supply and design specialists serving the corporate and live events market, has recently purchased two Radiocom BTR 700 wireless intercom systems from UK distributor Orbital Sound. Specified by Delta's Jonathan Bell, the BTR 700 is a revolutionary duplex intercom system, which allows for seamless on-site communications between all members of any production team.

Over the summer the BTR 700 has been deployed on many high profile events including The Commonwealth Games, The Edinburgh Festival and The Golden Jubilee Weekend celebrations. At the latter, Orbital supplied one of the largest BTR 700 systems to date. Deployed for stage management, and sound teams on-site, it also played a vital role as the official cue mechanism for the Queen when the Jubilee Beacons were ignited, setting off a chain of beacons across the UK and the sensational

At the PLASA Show last week, Canegreen’s Yan Stile acquired a Yamaha PM1D digital desk from Yamaha commercial audio dealer, Marquee Audio, in time for the Toploader tour, which kicks off in early October. Stile, who heads one of the UK’s leading and longest-established rental companies, said he was happy to be using the PM1D given its popularity elsewhere at the top end of the touring circuit. In particular, he praised the support given to the sale by Yamaha’s Mike Case and Marquee Audio’s Glen Smith. "We have a long association with Yamaha products through the PM3000 and PM4000, and now the digital desk," he said. "It’s surprisingly cost-effective, with all the onboard digital effects, and frees up a lot of analogue space."

Andrew Thornton will be mixing Toploader’s sound at front-of-house, while a second PM1D will also be used f

In line with the increasing use of video projection in theatrical productions, together with the development of products such as High End’s Catalyst, DHA has put its vast knowledge and experience behind a new company, Scene Change.

Officially launched at this year’s PLASA, Scene Change has been a year in development: housed in a purpose-built studio at Waterloo Road in London, the company will employ state-of-the-art equipment in the design and creation of original digital video content specifically for projection. As a market leader in gobo and slide projection, DHA’s expertise in this area will prove invaluable.

Scene Change unites two market sectors - entertainment technology and video projection, but developments in these sectors are by no means in sync. The video industry has developed at a faster rate than entertainment technology and video clips are being u

SSE Hire Ltd has been appointed an approved supplier of audio equipment and services to the National Union of Students Ents divisions. SSE Audio projects executive Malcolm Mellows commented: "We are delighted that the company has been awarded this recognized status. We have already been active in the NUS market - indeed we’ve commissioned large installed PA systems at Warwick and Sheffield Universities over the last year - but it’s good to be recognized to have achieved the standards required to be an approved supplier."

(Ruth Rossington)

Edwin Shirley Staging (ESS), the international staging and structures specialist, made a welcome return to London’s Hyde Park for the 2002 BBC Proms in the Park series. The event took place over the middle weekend of September.

After the successful completion of last year’s event ESS were commissioned to provide an ESS Orbit staging solution with PA wings and screen supports. In advance of the event the organizers were predicting that this year’s concerts expected to attract record numbers due to a popular repertoire choice and good weather prospects. This event marks the second major event in the park that ESS has attended to during the summer of 2002 the former being the five stage arrangement implemented during the Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Tim Norman, managing director for ESS, said: "It’s extremely good for us to be able to return to the Proms ser

Creative Technology joined Pump House Productions International to assist mobile telecom giants MMO2 with the staging of their recent AGM at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham’s NEC complex. Spread across three suites (configured as main auditorium, overspill and an exhibition area), Creative Technology rear-projected Powerpoint data in 16 x 9 aspect ratio using a Christie Roadster X10 DLP projector. They also provided Digibeta playback and Sony D30 fixed-point cameras with long lenses. The TX to screen was mixed through an Extron SGS 408 Data Vision Mixer to maintain picture quality.

In addition, CT was called on to look after the board members on the top table. The board desk was equipped with Sharp 10" TFT monitors for a variety of sources including live camera and graphic images. A further four 50" plasma screens were flown in the main auditorium to provide show rel

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