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UK - RCF has announced it is to host a two-day customer Open Day 'In House' exhibition, at Coombe Abbey Hotel, Brinklow Road, Coventry, on June 28 and 29. Opening hours are 10am-7pm on the Tuesday and 10am-4pm on the Wednesday.

During the event RCF plans to show many of its professional and commercial audio sound systems. These will include active demonstrations of the new ART Series and the larger format 4PRO Active Speaker System, including the new 4PRO 7001 4 Way Active System, launched at this year's Frankfurt exhibition. The Open Day will also see the first full UK demonstration of the RCF Acustica compact speakers.

RCF's Phil Price commented: "It is important for our customers to be able to see and hear our new speakers systems. This year alone RCF have introduced new models in all our major ranges as a well as a complete new range of Monitor Q Installation speakers

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UK - ACE PA selected a 40-channel Allen & Heath ML3000 VCA live sound console configured with six stereo channels to provide sound reinforcement at the 80th Rotary International Annual Conference, held at Manchester's MEN Arena in April.

Production company Comtec Presentations appointed ACE PA to provide a PA system for the various speakers and performing artists during the three-day conference and celebration. Approximately 3,000 club members attended this year's event. For the conference - where guest speakers included HRH Princess Anne, Duncan Goodhew and Orpheus Trust founder Richard Stilgoe - there were inputs from two lectern mics, six radio mics, with VT, PC, DVD, CD and MD feeds. The first evening's entertainment included performances from a steel band, three school orchestras and a 200-strong choir, supported by carefully placed condenser microphones. Other entertainmen

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UK - XL Video and video artist/designer Sven Ortel of Mesmer have been working together again on their latest project - Vanishing Points - staged at the Gymnasium (also known as 'The German Gym'), sandwiched between Kings Cross and St Pancras Stations.

An promenade performance pushing the boundaries of technology and imagination in a site specific collaboration between writer John Berger, poet and novelist Anne Michaels and theatre-maker Simon McBurney. Performed by Complicité, the event was production managed by John Farquhar-Smith.

McBurney asked Ortel onboard to produce special visuals that played a major role in the show's narrative. The potent and emotional work explores themes of immigration, displacement, deportation and conflict, taking the audience on the fast track from industrial to the metaphysical via the memories and hidden histories of 'arrivals' and 'de

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Canada - Cast Software says it is anticipating a great response to its Competitive Products Promotion, endorsing the WYSIWYG Design product level. Effective on 1 May 2005, through to 31 July 2005, Cast will be offering users of competitive products the opportunity to purchase WYSIWYG Design or WYSIWYG Design Educational versions at extremely discounted rates. For as little as $319, these users can own WYSIWYG Design Educational or for $619 they can own the complete version of WYSIWYG Design.

Competitive products including VectorWorks, MSD and LD Assistant will be honored. "We've spoken to several industry professionals who are frustrated with their purchase and wish they had bought WYSIWYG", says Bob Mani, V.P of sales and business development. "We understand their dilemma and would like to protect their investment by offering them the latest and best software ava

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UK - A £200,000 conversion of the upstairs bar in Halstead, North Essex - has presented owners Paul Maybank and John Craig with a self-contained 250-capacity nightclub called The Scene.

Previously used as an overspill balcony bar after the owners had transformed the former Cooperative Society building five and a half years ago, Paul Maybank divulged his plans to Andrew Baldwin from locally-based specialists, Jedi Lighting & Sound, who had carried out regular maintenance work during the venue's five year history.

"He contacted us six months before the conversion became public knowledge, as a result of which we arranged a number of sound and lighting demonstrations," said Baldwin. Among these was the Martin Audio Blackline range and as a result, four Blackline F12's, with dedicated flying yokes, form the pivotal dancefloor sound, angled at 45° over the main floor, wh

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Australia - Laservision has announced it has recently won first place in four major national awards that recognise the creative and technical solutions Laservision provided to Hong Kong's Harbour and its Symphony of Light spectacular.

The awards were for Australia's Best Small Business, Entrepreneur of the Year, presented by the Australian Institute of Engineers, Best Creative Small to Medium Sized Enterprise, presented by the Hong Kong Australian Business Association, and NSW Exporter of the Year in the category of Arts and Entertainment, presented by Austrade and the Australian Institute of Export.

The Hong Kong spectacular was produced for the Hong Kong Tourism Commission. Described as the largest of its kind ever attempted, the Symphony of Light celebrates the permanent illumination of 18 of Hong Kong's most prominent buildings. The sensory medi

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USA - The Universal Forum of Cultures, with walls built from coral-like blue concrete and water flowing from a giant reservoir on the roof to keep it cool in summer, is a spectacular architectural addition to Barcelona's seafront. Known locally as the Forum, it was, quite fittingly since the Toyota Prius was the official car of Forum Barcelona 2004, the site of Toyota's European Regional Dealer Managers Conference 2005, an event produced by Jack Morton Worldwide. Sound was provided by UK sound production company Delta Audio, with DiGiCo D5 Live consoles providing their mixing solutions.

"In the past this event has been held in the Palau Saint Jordi in Barcelona, and also in Lisbon," explains Delta Audio's sound designer for the event, Jim Lambert. "It's a conference and party for 5,000 Toyota car dealers and managers from around Europe, held over two days. This ye

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UK - David Atkinson Lighting Design (DALD) recently completed the lighting of the UK Pavilion at World Expo, Aichi, Japan. The theme of Expo is Nature's Wisdom, with the aim to raise people's awareness of the global environment and explore the ways to promote a sustainable future. The UK pavilion called www.my-earth.org.uk was designed and created by Ten Alps Events, Landesign and the Natural History Museum (London).

The pavilion site incorporates a garden and an internal exhibition space. Both the garden and internal space contain specially commissioned artworks by nine renowned British contemporary artists on the theme of mankind's relationship with nature.

Although the garden would be viewed during daylight hours throughout the summer months DALD chose to illuminate the space for dusk and overcast conditions. The pre show queuing area consists of large 'leaf-filigree' woode

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USA - Audio-Technica microphones were omnipresent throughout this year's VH1 Save The Music concert, which saw a host of musical greats turn out stellar performances at Manhattan's Beacon Theatre. The concert made extensive use of Audio-Technica's Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF wireless system on lead vocals for artists including Alicia Keys, Rob Thomas and John Legend.

The show was held on April 11, and employed A-T wireless and wired mics in numerous applications. A-T Artist Elite 5000 Series Wireless additionally facilitated presentations by Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen, Christina Applegate and LL Cool J. The large selection of hardwired A-T microphones on hand included the AE2500 for bass guitar amps, ATM35 and AT4054 on horns, AT4051a for hi-hat and ride cymbal, AT4054 on background vocals, and AE5100 for audience.

Audio production mixer Al Centrella, whose credits in

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UK - PLASA Media has received a warning about a con-man operating in the London area who has stolen several thousand pounds worth of equipment from a London-based AV hire company. The culprit gave his name as David Jones from BBC Worldwide, and presents convincing paperwork - and an internal answerphone message at the BBC itself - to back up the claim. He then collected, via courier, a range of equipment including laptop computers and plasma screens, and disappeared.

The BBC is aware of the problem, we are told. If anything suspicious arises, please contact Simon Brown at the BBC's investigations department on 0208 752 5094.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK/Norway - Software providers Stardraw.com recently announced the appointment of leading Norwegian distribution specialists, Benum AS, as resellers throughout Norway for the entire range of Stardraw's design and documentation packages.

With nearly thirty-five years experience in distribution, Benum represents over sixty premium brands in the audio, video, broadcast and MI market sectors including Renkus-Heinz, Digigram, NetCira by Fostex, Digidesign, Shure and Telex to name but a few.

Benum sales manager, Ronald Hernes, says he is pleased to include Stardraw products in the Benum portfolio. "We already count a number of other software tools among our product range, and therefore have experience in the market. We also carry a number of complementary ranges with whom Stardraw has already forged a relationship including Digigram and NetCira by Fostex, so the addition of Sta

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UK/USA - Stardraw.com's most recent application, Stardraw Control, has been selected as a finalist in the Best Software Product for the Commercial Market category of the InfoComm Installation Product Awards. Stardraw Control has already been honored with a PLASA Award for Innovation at London's PLASA show in September 04 and an Innovation in Technology Award at the recent NSCA show.

Stardraw's marketing director, Rob Robinson, explained the key features of Stardraw Control that set it apart from other control solutions. "Stardraw Control generates standalone, customized control programs that can manage any remotely controllable equipment from any manufacturer using any protocol over any communications infrastructure. Instead of being locked into closed architectures wherever system control, monitoring or signal routing has been required, Stardraw Control offers systems inte

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Greece - Cadac has recently supplied two S-Type Compact Live Production Consoles to Hyatt Regency Hotels & Tourism SA, via its local distributor Telmaco S.A. The S-Types have been installed in Hyatt Regency Hotels' Vergina Theatre, located next to the Regency Casino complex in Greece's second capital city, Thessaloniki. The state-of-the-art Vergina Theatre has a 550-seat auditorium, and regularly plays host to a wide variety of shows, spectaculars, contests, award ceremonies and live TV broadcasts. A key element of its design revolves around its adaptability - a philosophy underlined by its choice of the S-Type consoles, say Cadac.

The S-types comprise a total of 44-mono and 4-stereo input channels, housed in a 24-way and 33-way frame respectively. The consoles can be used individually or linked to handle larger productions. Commenting on the reasons behind its choice, the Vergi

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UK - If you can hum the tune to Spirit in The Sky or know the words to I Think We're Alone Now, then chances are you're hooked on Hit Me Baby One More Time, the latest offering from production company Granada. Airing in ITV1's prime time Saturday evening slot, the light entertainment show gives the pop idols of the past three decades a chance to reclaim their fame.

Proving that Heaven is a Place on Earth, PRG Europe provided the lighting rig for the show, along with premièring the G-LEC PhantomFrame. Seven heats see five artists performing two songs each week - their signature tune and a contemporary track - while the public vote their favourite through to the grand final.

With artistes such as Belinda Carlisle, Baccara, Gloria Gaynor, Limahl, Shakin' Stevens and Chesney Hawkes all playing on the same stage, an extremely versatile set and lighting arrange

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UK - The transformation of a North London venue by two former international athletes has resulted in a new leisure and hospitality complex being established at the top of Muswell Hill. Former British decathlon stars Steve Gutteridge and Brian Taylor have converted the separate function room of the former Green Man into West End-style nightclub, The Hill, which has been brought to life using LED mood effects from Lighting Effects Distribution.

13 eight-head Alkalite Tracpod 80 linear intelligent LED battens are recessed the length of the ceiling to provide a dramatic colour wash down either side of the room. In the centre is the DJ podium, above which is a three-way plasma triangle, facing out on three axes. The displays form part of a 16 plasma and LCD flat screen array (which includes local booth TV's), giving the venue a genuine sports bar theme.

All the sound, lighting and

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UK - Hawthorn is in the throes of a European exhibition programme for Allison, the commercial vehicle transmission manufacturer. Allison's stand features two transmissions displayed in huge transparent water tanks, which form an integral part of two columns on the exhibition stand. Hawthorn lit the tanks with Pulsar Chroma Par 36 fixtures in a red hue, to compliment Allison's corporate colours.

With Hawthorn's experience of LEDs and its continued investment in the technology, the company was able to meet Allison's requirements of reducing its power costs and also minimizing heat output. The stand design incorporates a low ceiling and is lit with Thomas Par 90 LED fixtures which were integrated into the stand framework to provide an even light distribution across the whole stand.

Project manager, Peter Boott commented: "As water and electricity do not mix, we used IP68 wat

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UK - The British Council's Pall Mall offices in London now allow visitors to take a tour of the world while waiting in the reception area. The council has installed a visual communications system from Visual Planet which uses Holographic screens incorporated into a glass partition to create a dynamic 'information wall' which displays - via film and moving graphics - the work of the Council. The purpose of the British Council is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries and to increase appreciation of the UK's creative ideas and achievements.

This ethos was a major driver behind the refurbishment of the reception area which, as facilities manager Steve Ellis explains, is multi-functional: "The work of the British Council is better known overseas, so the reception area has a role in explaining and promoting its activities, not jus

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UK - Located in central Rome, Studio EMME is one of the main film archives for major Italian national and American films as well as specialising in content mastering for the entertainment industry across the board, from DVD production to broadcast and cinema postproduction.

They recently took delivery of a Soundtracs DS-00, supplied by Soundtracs' Italian distributor Audio International. "The console has enhanced their facilities for multi-channel audio," explained Audio International's David Butterworth. "It makes Studio EMME the first Italian facility capable of generating Dolby E masters."

Their choice was based on the ergonomic design of the DS-00 along with its affordability. "And because it's so easy to use, their sound engineer was able to "drive" the console in no time at all," adds Butterworth.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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UK - Global club conglomerate Ministry of Sound has completed an overhaul of the audio systems in its flagship London venue with the introduction of Allen & Heath mixers. MoS, which has been using a Xone:464 for several years as the broadcast mixer for its radio station, selected the audiophile rotary Xone:V6 and MIDI-enabled Xone:92 to give DJ's a choice in the DJ booth, with an ML3000 VCA console to provide sound reinforcement for live acts.

Head of Production David Bradshaw commented: "The Xone:V6 sound is rounded and warm, never sharp and with plenty of headroom. We have had DJ's change mixer mid-set to the V6 purely because the sound is so much better than other mixers. Its best feature must be the high-pass filter on each channel. It takes a little while for DJs to understand what this does but once they do everyone agrees that this is far better than a simple 'bass'

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UK - Entertainment lighting supplier White Light has been chosen to supply lighting equipment to the UK tours of two shows which originated on the other side of the world: the Australian productions of Hi-5 and Sleeping Beauty On Ice.

First to arrive in the UK was Sleeping Beauty On Ice, with lighting designed by Gavan Swift; this is Swift's second show in the UK following his design for Saturday Night Fever's return to the West End. His design includes ETC Source Fours, L&E striplights, Selecon Pacifics including five of the 90° unit, UV fresnels, Vari-Lite VL2000 Washlights, Martin MAC 500 and MAC 2000 Performance spotlights and Atomic strobes, as well as Wybron CXI colour changers, and atmospherics from Jem Glaciator low smoke machines and Unique haze machines. Control is from a Strand 500 series console, and White Light is also providing the show

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UK - Pictured is an unusual installation by EQ Audio & Events of Dublin. The company was contracted to specify, design and build a promotions vehicle for Red Bull - based around a 1944 US Military Police Dodge Vehicle. The original vehicle was stripped out and the rear canopy roof was cut off (vehicle modification was by Par Fit Dublin) and replaced by a hinged steel canopy mounted on hydraulic rams. A 2.6kW Dometic TEC29 generator with separate fuel tank was mounted beneath the vehicle, allowing approximately four hours of independent operation from a full fill.

Sound engineer Kevin Madigan installed the audio and visual equipment. The system was specified to be used as a DJ setup - d&b audiotechnik speakers and amplification were chosen, using two of their Ci90s mounted left and right and a single E12 subwoofer power by D12 amplifiers. DJ equipment included an Allen & Heath Xo

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UK - We Will Rock You made its debut on 14 May, 2002 in London's West End and Tomcat say it is now proud to be a part of the exclusive North American production in Las Vegas at Le Théâtre des Arts at the Paris Hotel and Casino. The show written by Ben Elton, featuring the music of Queen, has been playing to sold out crowds since September 2004.

Tomcat standard and custom trusses comprise overhead lighting, scenic elements, front of house lighting as well as several lighting towers. The main overhead lighting trusses utilize twenty four, 10', two 6', four 5' and two 2.5' sections of medium duty plated truss. These sections are configured to create spans of 85', 72' and two 60' spans in the theatre. In the house, seven 12' sections of curved MD plated truss create a 73' 10" arch for front of house lighting.

One lighting tower package included thirty six - 10' MD pl

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Europe - Bandit Lites has supplied full lighting production and crew for Queen. Currently touring for the first time in 13 years, Paul Rodgers is on lead vocals to great acclaim and an ever-broadening fan base. The tour plays arenas across Europe before hitting the UK for a series of summer stadium and outdoor shows. LD is Barry 'Baz' Halpin, said to be one of the industries brightest young designers.

Bandit's Mark Powell said: "Working with Baz is always a fantastic experience, couple that with the legendary music of Queen and a massive lighting rig and the end result is amazing. Add to that some Free and Bad company classics and it makes for a great show".

Queen was renowned for having monstrous lighting rigs in the 1980 before moving light technology really took off, so Halpin was in the position of being able to make the show look huge, with fewer fixtures and th

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UK - Harman Pro UK has supplied Sound Division with an integrated audio solution including JBL speakers, BSS routing and processing, dbx zoning and Crown amplification for the impressive new Albannach venue in Trafalgar Square. The contemporary Scottish restaurant, bar and cocktail lounge is divided into three distinct areas - the bright and open main lounge bar on the ground floor, featuring large windows, lots of natural light and the stunning urban views; the more intimate mezzanine restaurant area above the rear portion of main lounge bar; and a discreet cocktail bar area downstairs. All three areas have diverse ambiences and so all required a variety of acoustic treatments when it came to the sound design. The three zones also had to be able to function either independently or simultaneously, so the global audio design had to be highly versatile.

Harman Pro UK's Andy Duffie

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