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Italy - Costa Dream - or C-Dream as it is known - is the brainchild of Costa Cruises, Italy, and has created waves of excitement in every person lucky enough to experience it. This exclusive VIP lounge in Genova was designed to generate an atmosphere bordering between romanticism and fairytale, and uses Tryka LED lighting fixtures to achieve its goal.

Paolo Campanelli, technical project coordinator, was involved in the conception of this unique venue and invited one of Costa Cruises' in-house lighting designers, Davide Trentacoste, to specify the lighting. His original and intelligent use of lighting and special effects helps turn a visit to C-Dream into a virtual cruise, with each zone within it creating a unique and unforgettable experience. Trentacoste says: "The architects' desire [Marcello Albini and Manuela Venturini] was to have a hi-tech, surreal place that can cha

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Japan - Yves Pépin and his ECA2 team were selected by the Toyota Group to design and produce a major multimedia show in the Japanese automotive giant's Pavilion, which is one of the most important, prestigious Pavilions at Aichi's 2005 Expo. Under a 25m high ceiling, the theatre-in-the-round designed by Yves Pépin is a symbolic representation of the universe. The show mixes performances by dancers and trapeze artists, giant images, special effects involving fire and water, and Toyota's most advanced technologies, and which celebrates the relationship between the individual, machines and the environment.

No fewer than 30 "i-units" (described as 'futuristic individual mobility prototypes'), and 3 "i-foots" (robot transporters), as well as 26 dancers, five trapeze artists and 100 or so technicians are working together to ensure that 14 presentations of the sh

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USA - Oberon Productions Inc of Forest Falls, California, has become a dedicated Zero 88 Fat Frog enthusiast through its work with the Biola Youth Theatre. The company got the call to supply additional lighting equipment for the Biola Youth Theatre's production of West Side Story. "They had been using a two-scene preset board from another manufacturer to run their conventional lighting rig," says Eric Strand, president of Oberon Productions. "A board with no cue stack is an abomination to theatre!"

Biola Youth Theatre is a true theatre company, rather than a high school class or college workshop, and is one of a select few youth theatre companies that work in partnership with a university - in this case Biola University of La Mirada, California. The high-school aged students are required to work both on stage and backstage during the course of the pro

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UK - Adlib Audio continues its association with high profile American artists working in the UK and Europe, in supplying full audio production - including a JBL VerTec line array system - to US band Good Charlotte's current UK tour. The system is being looked after by Adlib's James Neale at FOH and Rob Coles on monitors. They are working closely with band's own US engineers, Gary Ferenchak at FOH and Vince Buller on monitors.

The tour visits a variety of venues, large and small, culminating in shows at London's Brixton Academy. They're carrying 20 VT4889 elements on the truck, using 10 per side for the larger shows and four per side for the smaller ones. "VerTec suits Good Charlotte very well," says Neale, "Lots of energy and power coming out of it - just like the band - but it also gets right over the top of the stage noise".

The subs are eight of Adlib'

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UK - After frequently playing host to the Nexo GEO S system - generally as part of the production inventory of Glasgow-based Sound Acoustics - the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) has decided to permanently install a system in its 624-seat Lomond Auditorium.

The venue's technical manager, Tony Edwards, said that this was part of SECC's policy of continuous improvement of the facilities. "The heavy utilisation of this Hall means that the turnaround times have to be quick. We need to be able to offer a system that is versatile, with exceptional quality, since it will be used for a wide range of corporate events as well as other productions such as pantomimes. Jim Coubrough, our sound technician, was so convinced about the quality and coverage of the system we have been able to do away with the front-fills and allow the 30° down-fill box to provide the nearfi

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UK - Long-standing Dundee nightclub Fat Sam's has boosted its capacity to 2,100 by creating the new Karma Lounge on Level 3 of the six-storey building. Owner, Angus Robb and architect Doug Reid of Glamis-based Milton Studio developed the idea jointly. Robb has marked the latest addition to the 22-year-old operation by importing carved buddahs from India (along with an Iroko teak floor) and installing a potent Nexo dance system in the rectangular room.

Sound Control, Dundee supplied four PS15's and four PS10's, which are flown over the dancefloor and peripheral areas, reinforced by a pair of LS1200 subs - all powered by three Camco Vortex 6 amplifiers (2100W/4 ohms).

The full-range speakers are either suspended from tie bars or fixed direct into the standard four-inch brick ceiling using the NEXO hardware, reinforced by a special epoxy-based chemical and fixing screw rod. The s

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USA - Color Kinetics has announced that James Thomas Engineering is to license Color Kinetics' intellectual property in connection with the marketing of James Thomas' Pixel Range line of LED-based products in North America. James Thomas' Pixel Range includes a wide range of LED-based colour changing fixtures for use in architectural and entertainment applications, in both interior and exterior environments.

"We're very pleased to extend the value of our intellectual property to James Thomas Engineering, a company which recognizes the strength and breadth of Color Kinetics' patent portfolio," said Bill Sims, president and COO of Color Kinetics. "Our growing OEM and licensing program exists in part to help companies like James Thomas Engineering benefit from our intellectual property, which is the result of years of research and development."

"We look

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UK - A powerful Cerwin Vega sound reinforcement system has been installed at the Schnapps Bar in Scunthorpe, by Class-UK. The York-based suppliers recommended a combination of three-way Vision and ProStax series loudspeakers as part of a sound and lighting upgrade, as the venue - owned by Chris Mappouras - expanded its capacity and reduced its name (from the former 'Der Schnapps').

Specifying four each of Cerwin's Vision VIS-153, Vision VIS-122, ProStax PSX-122 and AB36 sub, Steve Wright, who runs Class-UK, said they were selected for their sonic ability and cost-effectiveness. A pair of Vision VIS-153s, groundstacked on a pair of AB36 18" folded 'After Burn' subs, are sited on either side of the DJ booth; and while one pair of ProStax PSX-122s acts as DJ monitors, the other operates as an infill system for the adjacent bar.

The four full-range Vision VIS-122s - are fl

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UK - Ipswich-based acoustic engineering consultancy Big Sky provided design services for engineer/producer Phil Harding's recently opened project studio located in rural Suffolk. Big Sky's brief included design of the main room acoustics and advice on soundproofing the building.

"Work had already begun on my new studio when I first met Richard Vivian from Big Sky," says Harding. "The building had been designed by a local architect and was being built by a local, non-specialist builder. I had made the classic mistake of allowing these people to erect a parallel walled room. One visit from Richard to the site immediately highlighted a list of improvements that were both economic and practical to implement. Suggestions such as an internal lobby on the entrance door, built on an angle to break up the parallel walls, and changes to the internal wall construction hav

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UK - One of Scotland's best-know landmarks, The Forth Rail Bridge, was given a red make-over in celebration of this year's Red Nose Day. Lenny Henry officially turned on the lights that gave the bridge a distinctive red glow. Lee Filters say they were happy to donate the lighting filter for the project; over 225sq.m of 026 Bright Red filter were used to cover the 500 lights on the 1.5 mile-long bridge.

(Lee Baldock)

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Worldwide - U2's much-anticipated 'Vertigo' tour has kicked off in San Diego, USA. Barco, Innovative Designs and XL Video - three key providers to the professional entertainment industry - have worked together to bring to life Willie Williams' spectacular design. All visualization aspects of the show, from the various projection set-ups (using Barco RLM G5 and ELM G10 projectors) to the video-driven LED projection units, the image processing (Barco Folsom Encore) or the new revolutionary MiSphere curtains above the centre stage, were designed, integrated and produced by Barco or Innovative Designs and delivered by Barco Rental Partner, XL Video.

Designed and developed by Barco at its R&D headquarters in Belgium especially for the Vertigo tour, the MiSphere takes the use of LED technology in the concert and staging market to a new level, say Barco. With 360° viewing angles, opa

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UK - As a result of continued growth, Hawthorn has taken over the adjoining industrial unit, in a move that more than doubles its warehouse space to 90,000sq.ft. The extra space will be used to house the company's brand new AV Department, along with its ever increasing inventory of lighting, sound, rigging, staging, drapes and 65 full-time staff.

Hawthorn prides itself on its ongoing investment in new technology: most recently this has seen the purchase of James Thomas's brand new PIXELpipes and RADlite's revolutionary Pixeldrive, currently on tour with The Chemical Brothers, and their new Martin Line Array. Martin Hawthorn, managing director, says: "We just had nowhere left to grow. After building mezzanines in our current unit, we were delighted when we heard our neighbours were moving, as we could literally double our space overnight without relocating or running a spli

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UK - The Elgiva Theatre in Chesham has just had a complete new sound system installed - replacing the previous 20-year old system - designed and installed by Kelco (UK) Ltd. The system comprises loudspeakers selected from the EM Acoustics EMS Series - products designed for a wide variety of applications, but which have found their way into several theatrical productions already. This system marks the first permanent installation of EM Acoustics products into a theatre in the UK.

Due to the wide variety of productions that the theatre stages - from speeches and traditional plays to small concerts - Kelco's technical director David Kelland specified six EMS-121 (12" x 1") full-range enclosures, arranged in pairs at left-centre-right positions, with EMS-81 enclosures as downfills and EMS-215 subwoofers for low end support. The entire system is powered by MC2 T-Series am

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UK - The Union building at Dundee University has been fitted out from the ground up with Nexo sound reinforcement as part of an overall refurbishment costing £4.8m. The phased development over five floors has culminated in four stacks of Alpha E being specified for the main performance space, MONO, where artists such as The Thrills, Groove Armada and Edith Bowman & Tim Westwood have already appeared.

The Students Union's new sound and AV technician, Barclay Dakers, designed the systems for each of the performance areas - which have a combined capacity of 2,300 - in conjunction with Mick Butler of Fuzion plc, Nexo's UK distributor. Also involved in specifying the respective systems was Ralph Teviotdale, assistant manager of Sound Control, Dundee, who supplied all the equipment. Dakers said that Nexo had been recommended by local companies who had been regularly hiring PA to the

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UK - XS!TE is a new major events arena planned for Yorkshire, which will be one of the largest live music and conference venues in the region. Scheduled to open in May at the Xscape site at Glasshoughton, Leeds, XS!TE will offer potential capacity for over 2,000, and provide state-of-the-art facilities for exhibitions, conferences and entertainment spanning live music concerts, sport events, club and dance evenings, comedy, and religious conventions, as well as facilities for video shoots, fashion shows, product launches and top-line band rehearsal space.

Located at the Xscape site next to junction 32 of the M62, the new venue has excellent transport links including its own railway station, making it ideally placed within 45 minutes drive time for most of the Yorkshire region. It has over 1,500 free parking spaces, offers over 15,000sq.ft of space and, say its owners, meets a c

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UK - Sound production company Major Tom has purchased two Yamaha PM5D-RH audio mixing consoles from Shepperton-based supplier, Marquee Audio. These were acquired specifically for Judas Priest's current eight-week European tour, at the request of FOH engineer, Martin Walker. "Rather than sub the desks in we decided to bite the bullet and make an investment," said Major Tom's Chris Marsh. "I was pleased we could do business with Marquee. I am aware of Andy Huffer's reputation and great knowledge of Yamaha digital products; I knew I would get an honest opinion."

Although Martin Walker has been Judas Priest's sound engineer over a long period this will be Major Tom's first outing with the veteran band. "Martin is Yamaha through and through and wanted to move into the digital domain," reports Chris. "As far as I was concerned there was no alternati

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USA - Color Kinetics Incorporated, recently announced the continued expansion of its OEM product line with eight new offerings - all designed to give manufacturers flexible options for cost-effectively developing and delivering complete lighting systems based on market-proven technology, say Color Kinetics.

The new offerings include additional Digital Light Engines (DLEs), new power/data modules, and proprietary chips that Color Kinetics is making available to third parties for the first time. "This launch marks the next step in our expanding OEM product strategy, through which we can further propagate the use of Color Kinetics' technology in existing core markets and in entirely new ones," said Bill Sims, President and COO, Color Kinetics. "The technology and system-based approach that we've researched, funded and developed over seven years to date is available t

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UK - The Pumphouse, in the heart of Swansea's Marina, has been extensively refurbished by Welsh brewer and Pub Company S.A. Brain and Co Ltd. Internal features retain much of the original brickwork and white timber panelling and the décor includes pictures and graphics of the pump house in its working heyday. Other decorative artefacts give the venue a distinctly maritime theme. A new glazed area to one side of The Pumphouse blends tastefully with the old building and affords customers an excellent view of the Marina and waterway.

Seating throughout the bar and restaurant areas is unusually varied, ranging from high stools, leather-clad bench seats, comfy tub chairs, hard back seating, settees and bean bags; clearly aimed at catering for all age groups. The sound system, selected by local Cardiff-based installer Jeff Smith of Smith Electrical, utilises a combination of Tannoy

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UK - Harlow's Liquid nightclub has recently undergone a £2 million refurbishment. Curved surfaces create an open inclusive space, and a state-of-the-art projector and light cluster dominate the centre of the dance floor to create a new clubbing experience. The installation combines lighting effects and video projection onto a raised circular wall that envelops the dance area. Video is controlled from the DJ booth, prominently situated on a raised stage, and managed by one of the first UK installations of Pioneer's revolutionary DVJ-X1 DVD turntables.

James Hall, Liquid's general manager comments: "The state-of-the-art projection kit and Pioneer's DVD turntables enable our DJs to create a completely new and immersive audio-visual experience. When people enter the space and see the video in time with the beat for the first time, they are genuinely awed."

Liquid opene

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Germany / Sweden - Another HK Audio Cohedra Compact system, consisting of 24 CDR 108 C mid/high units, 12 CDR 210 C subwoofers and PR 8 power racks, has been sold to Road Ready Sound in Stockholm, Sweden. The company has recently undergone a transformation as a result of merging two separate rental firms into one larger company. It has also taken over the very impressive Gamlatryckeriet venue in the Stockholm area with over 2,500sq.m of floor space - ideal for launch parties and corporate events for large organizations which have included Shell, IKEA and BMW.

Road Ready Sound's owners, Janne Arkegren and Joacim Fagerström, have been HK Audio users for many years. When it came to choosing a line array system, they knew they could not only trust HK Audio but also feel confident in the service provided by HK's Swedish distributor, ILT Scandinavia AB, from whom they purchased the

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UK - 5 Star, the Cambridgeshire-based flightcase manufacturer, recently supplied the 1000th 'Eurotrucker' road trunk to Blitz Communication. Blitz specializes in audio-visual equipment rental and AV services and has one of the UK's largest equipment warehouses for the hire of video projectors, sound equipment, display technology, stage sets and lighting. 5 Star has been a prime supplier of flightcases to Blitz for over two years, and in that time has manufactured a wide variety of case styles and specifications for different departments within the company, including audio-visual, sound and multimedia equipment.

Blitz Communication has headquarters in Elstree, as well as a branch in Manchester. The company uses the popular 'Eurotrucker' general purpose road trunk extensivley for cables and accessories. To commemorate the 1000th unit supplied to Blitz, 5 Star produced a 'Eurotru

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UK - Although it was a Nexo GEO-S system that local company Sound Acoustics flew in Glasgow's Tron Theatre, as one of the venues which hosted the 2005 Celtic Connections Festival, it was a t&m Systems rig that they ended up permanently supplying. But fortunately both brands are distributed in the UK by Fuzion plc.

Situated in the City's East End, the famous old touring theatre needed to supplement its existing house system - but in view of the number of arts spaces (including the original Victorian Bar) housed within a building whose steeple dates back to the 16th century, they also needed a rolling set-up that could be used outside. Sound Acoustics ended up supplying eight t&m 122 12" full-range speakers, complemented by a pair of t&m 215 (2 x 15) subs - and relevant system controller. "We went for t&m on the recommendation of Sound Acoustics, whom we trust implicitl

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Germany - EVI Audio has announced that Hamburg-based Amptown Sound & Communication GmbH (ASC) is to be the company's new distribution partner for intercom systems. The alliance between the systems house, which provides integrated solutions for media technologies, including consulting planning and realization, and the market leader in both wireless and wired communications technology has positive implications for both the market and the end user, say the company. The distribution deal covers all the intercom products and systems of both Telex and RTS - including the digital matrices Adam and Cronus, which have no competitors anywhere in the world, and the wireless intercom systems BTR-700 and BTR-800.

"We are delighted, after a long and intensive search, to have found a more than competent partner for Germany," says Manuel Brico, Telex product manager for EAME. "T

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UK - PLASA 2005, Europe's definitive exhibition for professionals and decision-makers within the entertainment, event, corporate, architectural and installation industries, takes place at London's Earls Court from Sunday September 11 to Wednesday September 14 2005.

This annual event attracts visitors from all over the world and is run by people from within the industry - and the 2005 show promises to deliver precisely what the market requires - information, ideas and a strong forum for doing real business.

Over 300 companies are committed to making PLASA 2005 a solutions-led event: between them they will roll out over 1,000 new products and services designed to push existing technical and creative possibilities a stage further.

Both show floors will be packed with new ideas in audio, lighting, AV, rigging, system integration, engineering and effects: visitors will get to

  1. Apogee on target in UK
  2. Meyer stars in Estonia
  3. Push The Button for The Brothers
  4. A.C. Lighting certified for iDR
  5. Meyer in Montana
  6. New Website for Sennheiser UK
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