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Mexico - Ricky Martin's new album, "Life," features collaborations with some of today's hottest producers, including George Noriega, Danny Lopez, Sean Garrett, will.i.am, and The Matrix, and the opening dates of his month-long tour of Mexico, Central and South America in support of the album have garnered rave reviews.

Martin recently stopped at the Arena Monterrey in Mexico's Nuevo Leon region, a 17,500-seat arena that plays host to over 150 sporting and cultural events annually. The venue is known for high-quality sound, courtesy of its Meyer Sound system, which is built around MILO high-power curvilinear array loudspeakers Additional audio gear and assistance was provided by three of the country's leading rental companies, Musica Moderna, Audio Concepto and Azprotek.

The system's main cluster is comprised of 16 MILO cabinets and two MILO 120 high-power expanded co

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Italy - Datemi Tre Caravelle, an extravagant musical inspired by the life of Genovese explorer and mariner, Christopher Columbus, is an ambitious and accomplished production from Oscar award-winning designer Gianni Quaranta. Starring Alessandro Preziosi and Niki Nicolai with music by acclaimed Italian Bluenote jazz musician, Stefano Di Battista.

The production has made a spectacular debut in Italy where it is currently playing all major Italian cities before heading to New York and Broadway in October. Italian rental company and theatre specialists, Fox Sound Service, furnished all the audio and lighting equipment for the show, including an InnovaSON Sy48 compact digital console for monitoring requirements.

The show actually started with an analogue console on monitors, but for a number of reasons the decision was made to move over to digital. Monitor engineer Stefano del Vecc

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UK - The acclaimed live venue and club, the Leadmill in Sheffield, celebrated its silver anniversary in 2005. The former flour mill has seen many transformations over the last quarter-century. A huge number of bands has passed through its doors, many of whom have gone on to become household names, and the club regularly plays host to some of the UK's hottest DJs. Some of the more recent transformations include a complete sound system upgrade in the Leadmill's multi-purpose Steel Stage room, which now boasts the UK's first AX loudspeaker system from EAW. The system was supplied by Stage Electrics and installed by Tega, a systems contractor based in Hull.

As the room is used for both live bands and club nights, the brief was for a versatile and compact system that was capable of handling a wide variety of music. It also had to offer very precise pattern control, as the previous sy

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UK - XL Video was poised to supply the NEC's largest ever sit-down meal event ('Thomson's Festive Fiesta' for 5, 800 people) with full video, audio and lighting production and technical services on 14 December - when the Buncefield fuel storage depot in Hemel Hempstead exploded at 6:03a.m. on Sunday 11 December. Injuring 43 people but miraculously with no loss of life, this triggered the UK's largest peacetime inferno, which raged for three days.

XL's warehouse, located just 600m from the epicentre of the explosion, was damaged in the blast, and the entire area was sealed off, including the truck-full of gear destined for the Thomson event. This was due to depart XL that day for a 6 a.m. Monday get-in at the NEC - ready for a 10 a.m. show start on Wednesday. XL project manager Phil Goddard, who lives 22 miles away, was awoken by the blast. Shortly after, he received a call from

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Australia - Hoyts Cinemas has recently opened two new, world-class cinema complexes - one at Melbourne Central and the other at Sydney's Blacktown - which intend to demonstrate to the rest of the market just how it is done. Both cinemas are being promoted as 'Australia's premier entertainment destination.' A big statement, but one that Hoyts has every intention of proving accurate.

Hoyts wanted their foyer areas to be unique, colourful and most of all dynamic. They turned to Michael Trudgeon and David Poulton of Crowd Productions, the chief architects of Hoyts' public spaces, to design an environment that reflected the ever-changing nature of the cinema world. Their idea was to install colour-changing panels and lighting right through out the foyer and surrounding entrance areas.

Trudgeon and Poulton approached Lightmoves to transform this complex idea into reality. Lightmoves

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Japan - Osaka's Theatre Brava! opened its doors in March 2005 and has hardly seen a dark night since. The former Osaka MBS Theatre has undergone a substantial renovation, including new décor, revamped lighting, and a new state-of-the-art sound system featuring Meyer Sound self-powered loudspeakers.

The diversity of presentations was a prime consideration in the theatre's redesign and renovation. The stage was designed as a flexible, movable structure that is capable of adjusting to various models, depending on the production needs. The theatre seats just over 1,100, with slightly more than 700 seated on the orchestra level and an additional 400 in the balcony.

Osaka-based Native Audio Company provided the audio system, which is based around eight M1D ultra-compact curvilinear array loudspeakers suspended at the centre of the proscenium and two CQ-2 narrow coverage main

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USA - Production Resource Group (PRG) announced today that it is providing a full lighting package, controlled by its Virtuoso console and powered by the PRG Series 400 system, for the Sprint Super Bowl XL Halftime Show, to be held next month at Detroit's Ford Field.

The Rolling Stones, currently on tour around the world with lighting supplied by PRG, will headline the halftime extravaganza. Produced by Don Mischer Productions, with lighting designed by Bob Dickinson and Patrick Woodroffe, Super Bowl XL will be televised live on 5 February, on ABC to over 100 million viewers.

(Chris Henry)

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China - Lighthouse Technologies' production facility, located in Huizhou in the People's Republic of China, has achieved ISO 14001 certification - an international standard which confirms that Lighthouse's LED video screens, manufactured at its 17,000sq.m factory, conform to all the specifications of the audit standard, and officially certifies that the production facility fully meets and complies with the stringent requirements stipulated by the ISO 14001 quality standard. To be accredited, Lighthouse's manufacturing facility introduced specific measures to meet responsibilities with regards to the protection of the environment.

Appreciating the growing pressure on manufacturers in the electronics and technology industries to be more environmentally-friendly, initiatives included the adoption of comprehensive environmental protection policies, that complimented by a programme o

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UK - Rental company Richard Martin Lighting, have taken possession of 24 Martin MAC 700 Profiles. They have also strengthened their stock of the Chroma Set Kits by adding MR16 versions to their hire list.

The MAC 700's are the latest Martin product to include the animation wheel often required for optimum lighting effects within a television studio. They also house an electronic ballast and 700 watt optics.

The MR16 Set Kit is a custom made kit similar to the one RML currently stock. The main difference is that this kit has the smaller MR16 LED ChromaHearts that have proved to be very popular with set and lighting designers alike.

RML have also extended its Pulsar Chroma products by adding the ChromaFlood 200 to their stock. The 66 LEDs offer a high-powered floodlight, with 45? optics and the high IP rating means the light can be used in interior or exterior settings, provin

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UK - Richard Martin Lighting and Stagetec Distribution recently supplied equipment for the BBC Studios' Music Craft Day 2006, held in Studio 1 at the BBC Television Centre in White City. This annual event is organised by BBC Studios, part of BBC Resources Ltd, to allow their more junior staff the opportunity to extend their skills on a real show.

Four stages were set up in the studio, each with its own lighting and sound rig, three of the stages had live bands performing in six 15 minute shows, the work was then judged by three judges on the fourth stage. The four live bands (Red Eye Banquet, Kaz Simmons Jazz Band, Geniac and Barney) provided a wide range of material to enable the camera, sound and lighting operators to have experience working on a real live music show. The first day was for the rig and fine light, the second to rehearse and record the shows.

Each stage was pr

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UK - The Dorchester is one of the most desirable places in the world to stay, embodying the highest of traditional values. The Promenade is the elegant heart of The Dorchester, redesigned by Thierry Despont during summer 2005 creating a peerless venue for the spectacular highpoint of afternoon tea.

CGA Integration was asked to match these impeccable standards and provide a sound system to enhance live chamber and background music. The challenge was to ensure that none of the installation was visible and the listed ceiling was not touched in any way. Audio propagation is complicated by luxurious soft furnishings and long narrow shapes - so the equipment had to be chosen both carefully and respectively.

CGA's Chris Gunton explains: "CGA specialise in this type of installation, we accept that buildings of this nature need to be treated with respect and the sound system needs

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USA - Knoxville based Bandit Lites is very proud to have again been named as the number one entertainment lighting company in the world at a new awards ceremony held in Phoenix, Arizona on 14 January. Tour Guide Magazine in conjunction with the leading professionals in the entertainment industry named the top artists, managers, agents and production companies in the industry. Bandit Lites was named as the world's top lighting company.

Bandit currently has 42 touring acts on the road in the US and 28 touring acts on the road in Europe, including: Jimmy Buffett, Toby Keith, Queen, Hilary Duff, Lord of The Dance, Keith Urban, Christina Aguilera, System of A Down, and many others. From seven locations around the world Bandit supplies the entertainment industry with a wealth of lighting services on a global basis.

C.E.O. Michael T. Strickland says: "We are very proud of this

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UK - Orbital was appointed by Cardiff's St David's Hall to design and install a sophisticated new sound system, which featured as part of a massive technical up grade to its impressive 2,000-seat auditorium, ensuring that it maintains its position as a world-class live entertainment and orchestral venue.

Orbital's head of installation projects, Tom Byrne, collaborated with St David's Hall's technical manager, Simon Denman-Ellis, to create a system that would optimise and refine the auditorium's renowned natural acoustics. Working to a tight four-week timeframe, it was designed by Orbital together with d&b audiotechnik's Application Support Team members John Taylor and Ralf Zuleg.

Due to the venue's diverse programme of scheduled events and performances, it was paramount that the new system be flexible and friendly to visiting engineers. As d&b is commonly used on international

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USA - Lighting designer Michael Ledesma used Robe ColorSpot 1200 fixtures as mid and upstage effects lights and to 'paint the scenery' at the high profile Y-100 Jingle Ball, which featured nine top artists including Will Smith, Shakira, Ricky Martin, Ray-J, T-Pain, and The Pussycat Dolls.

The gig was staged at the Bank Atlantic Centre in Fort Lauderdale Florida, home to the Florida Panthers Hockey Club. It was promoted by local radio station Y-100 and attracted a crowd of 17,000. A revolving stage provided by Mountain was used to minimise changeover time between acts, and all lighting equipment was supplied by Paradigm Lighting.

Ledesma worked with his programmer Mike Smrka. Together they ensured that the many creative requirements for all LDs looking after different individual acts were achieved. Paradigm Lighting has used ColorSpot 1200s before on a myriad of television prod

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UK - Hull's Rhythm Room boasts a new all-digital 'Pioneer Pro DJ Digital DJ booth'. Rhythm Room's boss Chris Davidson says: "Most of the clubs in the area play a diet of commercial dance music. We've changed that recipe by providing the best hard house and trance in the region. Our objective was to add a new twist on the underground theme by creating a smart, stylish venue but one that also delivers that feeling of being in a kicking happening club where the music is the star. And with the audio driven by Pioneer's awesome Pro DJ Digital DJ booth we've achieved our goal."

The 16ft long DJ booth is raised above the dance floor and includes Pioneer's DVJ-X1 DVD decks, two industry standard CDJ-1000 MK2 CD turntables, an EFX-1000 effector and a DJM-1000 mixer. Each element in the chain is linked by a digital connection to deliver the highest audio quality, say Pioneer.

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UK - Peterborough-based Pearce Hire have enjoyed a busy few months close to home. Having clocked up thousands of miles working all over the UK, it has been a unique winter period for the company, in that they have secured a wealth of contracts in their local area.

Since restructuring the company in 2003, owner Shaun Pearce along with managers Andy White and John Huson have rationalised their approach to business, as White explained: "We realised our reputation was gaining us work all over the country but had possibly been overlooking opportunities on our own doorstep. We contacted local events and venues and since have been incredibly busy working on some great local projects."

Peterborough United football team needed a new audio system for their London-Road ground, and Hawk AV of Peterborough contracted Pearce Hire to install a brand new 100V line system on both a v

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UK - Café Neo, Whetstone, has dramatically transformed itself this year - creating a modern dining and late night venue for all its customers.

Approached by the management team at the Restaurant Live Exhibition, CGA Integration was asked to provide a flexible ambient lighting solution to create eye catching effects in a small venue. The lighting had to create moods to suit clientele throughout the day and into the night - with the creative adaptability for small private functions.

To create the widest range of moods in the stylish venue, various LED fixtures were specified. Externally, Xilver Sparkles create eye catching features and internally walls and rooms are washed by MR16 Raindrop LEDs. And dimmable fluorescents hidden in a ceiling baffle accentuates design features.

Control of the entire suite is via a Qcommander replica enabling a dramatic spread of effects p

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UK / The Netherlands - Leading pro audio equipment manufacturer HHB Communications has appointed Amsterdam-based Audio Pro Nederland as exclusive distributor of its products in Holland with immediate effect.

An innovative range of HHB pro audio technology including the new FlashMic professional digital recording microphone and CDP-88 professional 1U rack-mounting CD player will be distributed and serviced in Holland by Audio Pro via an established network of authorised dealers. Existing HHB products including the market leading Portadrive 8-channel location sound recorder, Portadisc professional portable MiniDisc recorder, CDR830 and CDR830Plus CD recorders and the full range of HHB professional recording media are also included in the agreement.

"Audio Pro has established an excellent reputation in Holland for professionalism and service across a number of market sectors

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UK - CGA Integration recently specified and installed background audio throughout the stunning new China Tang redevelopment of the Dorchester Club dining room. The Chinese art deco interior includes four luxury private dining booths enhanced by 42" Plasma screens, stylish bar area and prestige restaurant dining.

The refit was a complex project requiring CGA Integration to work closely with the Vivid interiors project team to integrate fittings and solutions with designers including entrepreneur owner David Tang.

Intimate high quality sound to the tables is achieved using EVID 4.2 ceiling speakers, boosted by EVID 10.1 bass bins. Audio sources include CD players, hard drive play list player and Sennheiser radio mics controlled from a breakout box at the maître d'hôtel station.

42" Samsung plasma TVs, multi zone DVD players and independent booth volume control enab

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UK - A.C. Lighting recently provided free technical training sessions for users of MDG fog and haze products.

As the exclusive UK dealer for the MDG product range, A.C. held two one-day sessions at their Northern and Southern sales offices for new and existing end users, carried out by the company's technical services manager and Gaetan Croteau, MDG Technician.

Products covered included the Atmosphere Series APS and Touring haze generators, the Max Series 3000 APS and 5000 APS fog generators, and the Ice Fog Series Compack and Ice Fog low fog generators.

The sessions were designed to provide users with the necessary skills and knowledge required to carry out regular technical preventative maintenance on products, thereby ensuring their continued maximum efficiency, performance and reliability.

After the sessions, which included training on the safe and proper use of BOC ga

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USA / Japan - InLight Gobos has signed Mula Corporation of Tokyo - headed by world-renowned lighting designer Mitsumasa Hayashi - as an exclusive dealer for InLight Gobos products. "I have nothing but respect for InLight Gobos and their marvelous products," says Hayashi. "I have used both their standard catalog patterns along with their custom glass patterns. The quality of custom patterns is exquisite, yet the turnaround time is very quick. I'm very impressed with their work."

Hayashi has lit everything from theatre and opera to architectural installations. His recent design credits include John Ken Nuzzo Mozart: His Life, His Operas (National Tour), Yumi Matsutoya YUMING Love the Earth Final (Aichi EXPO), Masaharu Fukuyama 15th Anniversary: We're Bros. Freedom Tour (National Tour), and Physical Theatre O En I Ost (Theatre Apple). Hayashi has also had experi

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UK - The world-renowned Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) will celebrate its tenth anniversary next week, with a joint event that will also launch Liverpool Performs 2006 - the fourth Capital of Culture themed year.

On Monday 30 January - 10 years to the day since LIPA's inauguration - nearly 250 LIPA students and graduates will take part in a gala performance at Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall.The performance will also herald the official launch of Liverpool Performs 2006 - a 12-month celebration of Liverpool's outstanding track record in the arts, sport and business - the latest in a series of themed years leading up to European Capital of Culture in 2008.

LIPA itself is one of the city's best known success stories, committed to its aim of providing high-quality teaching to prepare students for sustained careers in the industry, either as performers

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Japan - Kururu is a shopping complex made up of two buildings, each six stories tall. The complex includes more than just shops and restaurants however. A cinema complex and other amusement facilities make Kururu an amusement shopping centre that has been attracting customers since its opening.

The shopping centre sought to add an attractive, eye catching element to the complex, both on the outer façade and inner courtyard area. A dynamic colour changing solution was supplied by Martin Professional Japan in the form of Martin Architectural Exterior 200 and Alien 02 colour changers with lighting design by Reiko Chikada Lighting Design Inc.

Six stories of opal glass windows on both sides of the buildings are illuminated internally using 22 full-range color mixing Alien 02 architectural lights. Vividly distinguishable against the nighttime sky, and visible from around the surrou

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USA - The Gibson Amphitheater at Universal CityWalk, formerly known as the Universal Amphitheater, recently brought in Sound Image of Escondido, California, to perform a complete sound system renovation. Critical to the new set-up at the well-known Los Angeles area venue is a multi-channel Lake Mesa Quad EQ digital matrix processor system, which has been installed to provide front-of-house main system and onstage monitor loudspeaker processing.

"They're using the Lakes for equalization and time correction," explained Dave Shadoan, president of Sound Image. Two complete systems of Lake Mesa Quad EQ four-channel units have been installed at the 6,000-seat venue, which opened in 1972 as an open-air amphitheatre and was remodeled in 1982 as an indoor venue.

"They have a separate system for front-of-house, which is eight channels," continued Shadoan. "On mo

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