Japan - Staged on and around the outdoor ice rink of the Sapporo 1972 Winter Olympics, Toyota Big Air was a snowboard ski-jump event with a real difference. Dangerous sports like snowboard jumping are closely associated with youth culture, so it was no surprise the event was augmented by an outdoor festival stage where top Japanese punk skater band Shaka Labit performed to the many fans who came to watch the jump-offs. Throughout the event the ever-swelling crowd were kept entertained by leading Japanese DJs, some lively commentary, and the occasional piece of advertising.

Despite the crowd's huge size, a PA system comprising just 12 of d&b audiotechnik's new Q1 loudspeakers (six per side) and eight Q-SUBs (four per side) was used to cover the crowd (80m deep). Stefan Goertz from d&b's Application Support (who supported Hokkaido Kyoriz Co Ltd on this, their first trial event wit

UK - The 2004 Classical Brit Awards is one of the first events in the UK to benefit from the new version of ElectroVoice's powerful IRIS control software, driving EV's Precision Series remote-controlled amplifiers and an X-Line array system for the British classical music industry's big night at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Derrick Zieba is the sound designer for the event, coordinating Britannia Row's team and the freelance engineers that regularly work with him on these televised spectaculars. The Classical Brits includes eight live acts - Vanessa Mae, Bryn Terfel, Nigel Kennedy, the Kings Choir and Hayley Westenra are amongst those on stage - and the English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Simon Wright; the show is being broadcast by ITV.

For Zieba, this show is relatively relaxed. Thanks to the success of the EV X-Line system at last year's event, Zieba is using essent

USA - VLPS Lighting Services recently provided a lighting package on renowned Video Artist Bill Viola's latest project, The Raft. Commissioned by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture's Cultural Olympiad as part of the "Transcultures" exhibition, The Raft features water shot at high velocity from two sides onto a group of 19 people. Representing the various ages, religions and cultures of humanity, each of the 19 actors will react a different way to the water's impact and the aftermath.

"We'll shoot the scene on 35mm film in super fast speed, about 225 frames per second from a Wilcam," explained veteran director of photography Harry Dawson. "We're extending time out to get the full effects of the water and the actors' emotions, translating about 75 seconds of real time footage to 15 minutes screen time which will loop all day long at the Nationa

UK - The new Eastgate Theatre and Arts Centre has opened in Peebles, following an audio installation by Sound Acoustics - which includes the first use of t&m loudspeakers in the UK. Tommy Gorman's Glasgow-based company won a competitive tender to fit a complete audio package into the converted church in the Scottish Borders - all of which was sourced from Fuzion plc (including the t&m range, which has just joined the product portfolio).

The auditorium seats 244 in an 'in the round' style presentation, with banked seating in the stalls, gallery centre, left and right. The main system comprises six t&m 122 loudspeakers, suspended from the grid, which overhangs the stage area (four servicing the front of stage area, and the other two outfills). These passive two-way trapezoidal enclosures are equipped with a single 12" LF driver and 1.75" HF compression driver.

For the

UK - Allen & Heath provided the PA for up and coming band, 13 Senses, at the start of the bands first solo tour. The band, which has always used Allen & Heath mixers for live gigs and recording, was signed to Mercury Records imprint, Vertigo, in January 2004 and has since supported Longview on tour and recorded their forthcoming debut album, produced by Danton Supple (Elbow, Starsailor, Coldplay).

The tour started in the band's home county of Cornwall, followed by dates across the country. Allen & Heath coordinated the whole PA system with local hire company 'Freq AV', and supplied the control system, including an ML3000 24-channel VCA live sound console, which was controlled both FOH and monitor mixes. The band's tour sound engineer, Rob Heilig, was very impressed with the ML's VCA grouping functionality. An iDR-8 digital mixer provided time aligned in-fills around the venue,

UK - A.C. Lighting's Special Projects division has specified and supplied the lighting system for the Fotheringay Centre - a new multi-purpose performance and teaching venue in Glasgow. Formerly Pollokshields United Reformed Church, the centre is adjacent to Hutchesons' Grammar School and has been re-developed for use by both the School and the original Church congregation.

As well as excavating the basement and adding a major extension to accommodate new teaching facilities for the School's Music and ICT departments, the original church hall has been completely refurbished so that it can function as a multi-purpose venue. The hall now serves as a high-tech lecture theatre for school assemblies and conferences, a performance and rehearsals venue for school music and drama productions, and a place for the church congregation's weekly services and functions.

The main requirement

UK - Audio-visual contracting and entertainment service specialists Sound Division recently installed a distributed JBL sound system with accompanying zone control from Cloud into City-based stockbroking firm, Arjent Ltd.

The audio system provided by Sound Division formed part of the final development phase for Arjent's new dealer room. Arjent already had in place a large plasma screen linked to a Sky Digital box. Sound Division was asked to supply a distributed audio system to link the Sky Digital box so that the audio could be heard across the entire trading floor. To this end the company installed twelve JBL Control 24C ceiling speakers in grid format across the trading floor and a control rack housed in a locking steel cabinet containing a Cloud CX-A66 power amplifier and a Cloud CX133 dual zone pre-amplifier/mixer, as well as the Sky Digital box and a multi-CD player, which

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians' annual showcase - The ABTT Theatre Show, staged in London's Royal Horticultural Halls on 16-17 June announced that it is 15% larger than last year's event - filling three halls to capacity for the first time.

With over 127 companies exhibiting a broad cross section of products and services, this year's show has expanded into three halls underlining its position as a technical showcase for professionals involved in theatre and auditoria. A host of new companies are exhibiting for the first time from the UK and mainland Europe, including theatrical video experts, XL Video, PA/VA specialists Millbank Electronics, Harman, Duran Audio, Ben-Ri Electronica, Alcons Audio and Turbosound. New lighting companies include Enlightenment and Associated Lighting. New exhibitors from the rigging side of the industry include: Metalworx, Tomcat

Slovak Republic - Rock Centrum, the Slovak distributor for Martin Audio, have supplied a W8LC system to rental company Elektronik Plus - in time for the celebrations in the city of Martin to mark the Slovak Republic's membership to the European Union. The 12-enclosure system is believed to be the first line array in the country.

Immediately after delivery, a full training and demonstration session supervised by Martin Audio's Martin Kelly and Rock Centrum's Peter Foldvari, who showed how different box configurations, might be implemented. "The system sounded excellent - right from the word go," exclaimed Foldvari, adding that a week later it was making its official debut during four days of celebrations. "The result was amazing, confirming everything that had been spoken and written about this system."

"The W8LC proves that we no longer need to transpo

UK - This industry - and in particular PLASA members and exhibitors at the PLASA Show - are being consistently targeted by online trade directories which approach companies about free online listings, but are actually being somewhat economic with the facts.

The companies send out a highly misleading mailshot to exhibitors asking them to update their free listing, but in reality, simply by updating and returning the form, exhibitors are actually signing a contract binding them to a three-year agreement, costing a significant amount per year. All the legal essentials and prices are hidden away in the small print - and the contract is then self-perpetuating unless cancelled in writing.

The companies will then refuse to cancel the 'order' and will aggressively pursue payment and threaten legal action. They apparently operate on the '10% Rule' - based on the fact that when threaten

USA - The recent installation of 19 self-powered loudspeakers from Meyer Sound into the auditorium of the Scottish Rite Cathedral gave Indianapolis a distinctive performance venue. Built in the late 1920s, in earlier decades, admission to the cathedral had been largely restricted to members and special guests, but in recent years, the facility has been opened to a wider range of community arts, business and social events.

Unfortunately, poor sound reproduction inside the 1,150-seat auditorium precluded the room's use for events focusing on musical quality, as the cathedral's building services manager, Kent Watts, explains: "A major foundation had been holding a fundraiser here every year in our ballroom, with an orchestra and operatic soloists, but they had to erect a temporary stage and bring in sound and lighting systems, all at significant cost. The auditorium was bette

UK - Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club has commissioned a new high-spec sound system for its main spectator stands and pavilion at Trent Bridge, Nottingham - which features ElectroVoice's compact EVID loudspeakers...in cricket whites, of course.

Brighton-based installation company Navica has translated its extensive experience in fitting sound systems in football clubs to the cricket ground, designing the EV system to deliver similar coverage patterns and frequency responses to those recommended for soccer stadia.

The Notts CCC ground at Trent Bridge has several spectator stands, all built at different times from the 1880s to the 1990s and varying in architectural design and build construction. Navica's installation takes in four of the largest stands, including the Pavilion, "which is where the money is", says Dave Read, technical director at Navica. "We've d

UK - At the forthcoming ABTT show (16-17 June, London), Dutch pro audio manufacturer Alcons Audio will make its first appearance with a complete line of theatre loudspeakers and controller-amplifiers. Alcons' loudspeaker products feature the company's proprietary pro-ribbon technology - a radically different, but proven way of reproducing mid and high frequencies, resulting in hi-fi sound quality with truly unsurpassed clarity and intelligibility at high sound pressure levels.

Products on show will include the VR8 (8" + RBN401 ribbon), the VR12 (12" with RBN601 ribbon), the ALC2 controller-amplifier and the TS-series of compact in-fill speakers. Special attention is paid to the LR14 - the ultra-compact ribbon-loaded line-array, featuring the patented RBN401 pro-ribbon driver. Designed as either an ultra-compact line-array system, or as an under-fill cabinet for the LR

UK - Stage Electrics recently managed the technical requirements of the Conservative Party's campaign launches for the European Parliament and the local council elections. The two launches held in two very different venues were given a unified look, coordinated by Stage Electrics' Stuart Miller, who handled the account for CCO Conferences.

For the European election launch Stage Electrics provided a full set in Studio 12 at Granada TV Studios. Placed in front of 100m of white cyclorama, the opaque polycarbonate set was applied to a white steel frame grid of squares. Two large projection screens were incorporated into the set with projection also provided by the company. The huge stage consisted of four varying height linked circular platforms which ranged from two meters to six meters in diameter. The set was constructed in short order by the Stage Electrics scenic workshop and m

UK - London-based contracting and installation specialists, Sound Division, has recently installed a JBL sound system into George, a private members club in Mayfair. George forms part of the exclusive Mark Birley group of venues, which also includes the famous London nightclub, Annabel's, and Harry's Bar.

The brief for Sound Division was to improve the audio system in the private lounge situated downstairs. "The client required a high quality yet discreet background music system distributed throughout the lounge," said Sound Division MD David Graham. "To achieve that we opted for a JBL solution based on a total of eight JBL Control 23 loudspeakers supplemented by a number of JBL Control 24C ceiling speakers. We also refurbished and re-utilized a number of existing elements within the club to ensure minimum disruption to the client and also to make sure that we rem

Germany / Czech Republic - Munich-based advertising specialist, CityChannel, has been involved in a number of LED screen installations around Europe, the latest of which is a 100sq.m advertising billboard sited on the main road into the centre of Prague. The 32-panel Lighthouse Technologies LVP3165 LED screen shows a combination of advertising and city information and was used by the European Parliament on 1 May to celebrate the Czech Republic joining the European Union.

The LVP3165 30mm pixel pitch screen gives a maximum 6,500 nits of brightness, so it can easily cope with high ambient light levels from direct sunshine, as well as dull weather conditions and night-time viewing. The screen gives a TV quality image from a distance of 30m and a viewing angle of 140/40°, making it easily visible from street level when mounted on the side of a building. All this, combined with 13-b

UK - A new jazz venue in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, has been fitted out by Electromusic, using three series of Wharfedale loudspeakers. Developed by Peter Swann's Coolfun Ltd at a cost of around £500,000, the 240-capacity Sands will bring jazz and 1940s-style cabaret to the converted two-storey, former Gainsborough Town Hall (now operating on a 20-year lease). The Doncaster retailers' hire manager, Kevin Kennedy, recommended Programme series 30DT speakers to project manager Gee Labanca on the strength that they offered "the best quality 100V line system for the money."

Sixteen of the 30 DTs will deliver background music to the peripheral areas, including main reception and stairways, as well as the VIP lounge. These two-way reflex enclosures (containing 4.5" woofer and 1" metal dome tweeter) were purpose-designed for environments such as these. Meanwhile,

Japan - Jere Harris, Chairman and CEO of Production Resource Group (PRG), has announced the establishment of an Asian subsidiary - PRG Asia Inc - to be headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and dedicated to supporting PRG's many clients in the Asian marketplace.

"We've been serving clients throughout Asia for many years from our offices in North America and the UK," Harris explained. "The establishment of an Asian subsidiary is an important step in the expansion of our client support services in Asia."

PRG has more than a decade of experience serving clients in Asia in projects including theatre installations, theme park attractions, concert tours and corporate and special events. PRG Asia Inc will be engaged in business development and client support for all types of PRG products and services.

Makoto Yamazaki will serve as president of Asian Operations for t

UK - Christie Vivid projection is at the heart of an AV upgrade in the high-profile Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station in Cornwall. Winning a competitive tender for the refurbishment, Christie's Bristol-based partner, Merlin Presentation Solutions, replaced the existing three-gun overhead projector with a Vivid LX33 (3300 ANSI lumens) multimedia projector in the 50-capacity BT conference room, rear projecting onto a 3mm polycarbonate 6ft x 4ft rear projection screen.

As the largest satellite earth station in the world Goonhilly has the ability to transmit to every corner of the globe via space, and through undersea fibre optic cables. The station simultaneously handles millions of international phone calls, emails, and TV broadcasts.

From Goonhilly, BT provides global communications and manages networks, and the AV Room is central to their operation. Merlin MD, Merlin Wigley, s

UK - PCM is highlighting three product ranges at the 2004 ABTT Show - it's Award-winning Unibar and Pilewind winches, and its range of CM Lodestar Motors. PCM established the Lodestar brand in the European touring and event industry in the 1990s. The company supplies a wide selection of standard Lodestar electric chain hoists, which will be highlighted on the stand, together with details of PCM's well-known Motor Schools.

PCM also features the VBG70/ BGV C1 Lodestar - a hoist with special safety features including double brakes - each capable of stopping the full load. They provide double the usual hoist safety factor, with a chain safety factor of 10:1, plus four-position limit switches including emergency switches, 24V control, under/overload electronic protection and a slack chain detection device.

The award-winning Unibar (PLASA 2003 Product Excellence) was designed by PCM

UK - Stage Electrics and Projected Image Digital will be demonstrating the new Pixelmad software at Stage Electrics HQ in Bristol on Wednesday 2 June and Thursday 3 June from 10am - 7pm. The software is designed to control lighting using video and still images, and has recently been used on the Radiohead tour.

PixelMad software is similar to Catalyst however it outputs DMX rather than a video signal. The software uses an Artistic Licence Ether-Lynx Interface, which links the DMX lighting controller to an Apple Mac computer on which the video clips and images are stored. With up to four layers; two outputs; video signal input i.e. cameras and DV playback; 200 DMX fixtures; and eight universes, the control system produces some amazing lighting sequences.

The demo will feature a rig comprising of 20 Thomas Pixel Line 1044 LED battens; 16 Ayrton Eyecolor LED moving-heads; and some

USA - Warren Flynn and Brian E. Kuehne have formed a new design partnership - Spacecoast Visual, which will concentrate on the corporate theatre and concert touring markets. Flynn and Kuehne have diverse yet complementary design and programming talents along with over 40 years of experience in entertainment lighting. "This is an exciting time for Brian and me," says Flynn. "We are both recognized as programmers who also design, and this allows us to firmly state that we are lighting designers who also program."

Flynn is probably best known for his work on Broadway. The Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Universal's new musical Wicked have both benefited from Warren's experience. Corporate theatre clients of Flynn's include Morgan Stanley, Nextel and Wendy's. Warren's design work has been seen on tour with Dashboard Confess

Uk - At this year's ABTT show (16-17 June, London) James Thomas will show its comprehensive ranges of theatrical lanterns. Its asymmetric Cyc lights feature a high quality electrostatic paint finish and robust yoke, complete with T-bar for positive lock-off. Cyc lights can be used flown or floor-mounted - the body of the unit having an inbuilt 30 degree angle floor-mount facility - optional floor mounting plates are also offered. The units have adjustable lamp-holders and feature ventilation slots to prolong bulb and gel life.

Spot banks are available in various configurations of Par 36 lamps. Lamp changing is simple due to quick-release knobs on lamp's front retaining ring. Units can be supplied with stand-off colour frames if requires, and with two or four-way barn doors. Adapters are also made for all the major brands of colour changers. Spot Bank units can also be supplied w

UK - UK manufacturer of advanced radio frequency products, Trantec Systems has recently supplied its innovative PT1 UHF stereo wireless Personal Trainer system to the brand new Rugeley Leisure Centre in Staffordshire - owned by Cannock Chase Council and built in partnership with Sport England. Trantec collaborated with MLEC's Mike Lowe who sourced the advanced system, which was installed by Stagecraft Systems, headed by Neil Craddock.

Trantec's Active Audio PT1 system has provided a "complete" fitness entertainment environment. The installation involved the supply of the Trantec PT-1 in ear training units and included five PT-1 transmitters, 30 PT-1 receivers and three 10-way chargers. The transmitter units were installed in a wall-mounted rack along with two Sky satellite receivers, video, DVD and four way video matrix. The supply also included three Fujitsu 42"

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