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UK - Yesterday at the PLASA Show, ADB Lighting Technologies unveiled major new product releases, as well as an expanded accessory range.

On stand H19, the company unveiled two new ranges of luminaires in the award winning Warp series - the HMI Warp/Daylight and the cool running, long lamp-life Warp/Ceramic, along with new Warp series accessories. Two new dimmers will also be on show - the Eurodim Sine Wave series and the Erack 50 Plus economy dimmer rack.

The new, HMI powered Warp/Daylight automated spot luminaire range, available in both motorised and manual versions, provides the brightest beam in the 575 discharge lamp range. A new fixture range with electronic flicker free ballasts, with two different light output angles of 12-30 and 22-50 degrees, its light output is over 10,500 LUX.

The second luminaire launch at PLASA will be the high light output, cool beam Warp/Cera

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Germany - Belle et Fou - The play with lust is a new show in Berlin. It's Berlin's first theatre of senses and offers the observer a unique show with eroticism, dance, music and theatre. The production of Arthur Castro, Hans-Peter Wodarz and Günter Münstermann tells stories about sensuality and attraction of the opposite sex. Belle et Fou is housed in the Spielbank Berlin, where nearly 300 seats are equipped with state-of-the-art lighting, sound and A/V technology.

"Lust knows many forms of expression, but no boundaries", says Arthur Castro - words which inspired lighting designer Andreas Fuchs: besides the 70 moving lights he is using, there are four beamers, one video screen composed of 27 cubes (9 x 2m), several LEDs and 76 Clay Paky Point In are used in the auditorium. The whole system is controlled by a grandMA Light together with grandMA on PC as

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UK / Norway - Clockaudio Limited has expanded its Scandinavian marketing and distribution efforts with the appointment of FotoPhono AS as its Norwegian distributor. The announcement was made by Rod Geary, Clockaudio's sales and marketing manager, and reflects the continued growth of the Clockaudio operation worldwide.

FotoPhono AS will be responsible for the sales and distribution of Clockaudio's extensive line of microphones, mixers, headsets and accessories within the burgeoning Scandinavian market. "We are very excited to be distributing Clockaudio," says Erik Torp, FotoPhono divisional manager. "With our experience in the microphone business, we hope to growClockaudio's presence in Norway. We feel we can offer the Norwegian dealer quicker delivery of product, better servicing, and increased local sales and marketing."

Commenting on the appointment of Fo

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Australia - Australian lighting control manufacturer LSC Lighting Systems has announced the release of a new touring dimmer called Teko, which, the company says, introduces a new level of power and sophistication for portable dimmers.

With features including 3,000W per channel (@230V), a full 512 channel softpatch, 80 internal memories, seven dimmer curves and remote status monitoring it would easy for the dimmer to be too complex to use. However the clever design uses an LCD touch-screen for the user interface, with clear text labelling of all functions and a context sensitive help display.

However the Teko is a dimmer and dimming lights is where it really exceeds. Using LSC's Pulse Transformer Fired Dimmer (PTFD) output circuitry means that virtually any load can be controlled perfectly. Pinspots, ELV lamps, transformers, strobes and even a 5W pilot lamp can all be connected

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UK - With only one day remaining of the PLASA Show 2006, visitors still have time to register their interest in PLASA's National Rigging Certificate. Visitors can learn more about the initiative designed to give riggers working in all sectors a framework by which their expertise and knowledge can be measured.

Over the last year, PLASA has been working closely with the industry and a range of government bodies to develop a scheme that will not only serve the specific needs of the industry, but also achieve national recognition.

Rigging assessors are currently undertaking assessment pilots to demonstrate that they meet the standards within the National Rigging Certificate, and each assessor is also working towards achieving an A1 Award - the nationally recognised award in assessment.

Rigging Assessors and members of the Rigging Advisory Group will be present on the PLASA Stand

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UK - Audio-Technica's comprehensive range of wireless products is to be further augmented with the launch of the company's new 700 Series. The series offers customers a range of easy-to-use solutions designed for a variety of performance situations.

Comprising five different packages, the 700 Series includes the Vocal system with handheld mic/transmitter, the Presenter system with belt pack and lavalier mic, the Guitar system including cable for guitar/belt pack hook-up, and the Active system that includes a headworn mic. For ultimate flexibility, the Options system comprises a basic belt pack and receiver, with the customer able to select a microphone of choice from Audio-Technica's Wireless Essential range. (All Wireless Essential models are compatible with the Options system.)

The 700 Series offers eight selectable frequency-coordinated UHF channels, automatic frequency sca

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UK - Two school leavers, have been given the opportunity to discover the fascinating world of conference staging, lighting, sound and audiovisual equipment at the UK's leading conference centre, Birmingham's ICC, following a brand new career initiative launched this summer.

Katie Clements,18, from Selly Oak, and Greg Toomer,16, from Castle Vale have joined the ICC to work in various parts of the technical department, and will experience a wide range of conferences, events and exhibitions, whilst gaining a qualification in a related area, on day release at college, starting in September 2006. The programme has been designed to allow trainees to study and complete their chosen qualification, in preparation for a junior technical position within the industry in two years.

Clements, who has recently completed three A-levels at Shenley Court Specialist Arts College, says: "Thi

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USA - Color Kinetics Inc (CKI) has announced the unveiling of its latest landmark installation, encompassing more than 1,800 LED-based fixtures as part of a lighting renovation project for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Based on preliminary operation and testing, the LED-based system is expected to consume just 25% of the total energy drawn by the previous fixtures, while also reducing maintenance and cutting the number of electrical vendors required from six to two.

The project called for the replacement of five-year-old metal halide fixtures within 26 glass pylons leading to the airport's entrance, known as the famed LAX Gateway. Ranging in height from 25 to 110ft, the translucent pylons can now display custom-designed colour-changing effects employing CKI's Chromacore technology, as opposed to the use of glass filters, coloured gels, and electro-mechanical colour sc

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UK - On August 24 and 25, at a hangar at Berlin's Tempelhof airport, Volkswagen unveiled its IROC concept car to the world's media. Such a major press event, with film crews from television and internet companies, as well as business and motoring press from around the globe, required production values that would match the buzz surrounding the launch.

Responsible for meeting this challenge was eventlabs, a German event agency. Together with technical management company 360GRAD and award winning lighting designer Jerry Appelt, they did indeed create a spectacular event. Jerry Appelt knew the size of the venue required something outstanding, and decided that the G-LEC PhantomFrame would be perfect as the central element of the set.

To produce the reveal of the IROC (so named because the production model may revive the Scirrocco name), Jerry Appelt and 360GRAD designed a massive d

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UK - Over the past two years, Birmingham-based Dolphin Media has systematically been upgrading the news studios of all 13 regions in the ITV network, using rear-projected 160in dnp optical screens from Paradigm Audio Visual. But they were forced to break from their standard model when it came to equipping the three ITV Meridian studios near Southampton.

Covering the East, South and West services of the Meridian region, the station wanted to replace the Perspex prints in their three news studios on the Solent Business Park with widescreen projection - but only had the minimum of rear projection space behind the existing set in which to work.

The challenge was to mount a rig that would enable projection onto the TV Studio version of dnp's Giant Wide Angle Studio screen. While the images are shot in 4:3 aspect ratio, the custom-cut screen (trimmed to 3209mm x 1309mm) would be des

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France - Now in its 60th year, the Avignon Festival started life in the post-war period of reconstruction in France. Alongside a contemporary art exhibition, which included works by Picasso, Matisse, Braque and Léger, a young stage director called Jean Vilar breathed new life into the art of French stage-craft with the production of three new plays. This mission, of bringing new works to fruition and showcasing French and foreign contemporary drama and dance, continues, attracting an ever growing audience - with over 100,000 visiting in July this year.

The Festival uses about 20 unusual performance venues in and around Avignon, including cloisters, churches, an old stone quarry and school halls. However, the most prestigious performances of the Festival are staged in the Honor Courtyard of the Palace of the Popes and it was here that éric Lacascade directed Maxim G

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UK - Serious Stages designed and co-ordinated the construction and installation of a completely customised floating stage on the lake at Kenwood House, London, for the 2006 Summer Season of classical, jazz and pop concerts produced by the IMG Group.

This radical approach was adopted to help contain the environmental noise spillage, by completely isolating the stage so it had no contact with the ground.

The stage, measuring 18 metes wide at the front, 12 at the back by 12 metres wide, featuring 10 metres of headroom. weighed approximately 70 tonnes and was floated on twenty-seven 4.8m x 2.4m wide pontoons, each a metre deep. The pontoons were commissioned by Serious and made by Steeldeck.

The lake sits at the base of surrounding natural amphitheatre like terrain, and the stage shape was developed to offer the tunnel like effects of shrinking perspective to the audience sittin

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UK - Arena Seating supplied the seating for the UK leg of the Rolling Stones Bigger Bang World tour.

The Rolling Stones sold out stadiums across the UK and showed fans they are still at the top of their game, performing classic tunes and songs from their latest album, in a spectacular show.

Arena's Seating's Dave Withey liaised with promoters Live Nation to draw up seating plans and ensure over 45,000 seats were installed safely for audiences at Twickenham, London; Hampden Park, Glasgow; Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

The installation of each show was challenging, as Withey explained: "This tour was carrying a huge production with a lot of equipment on the pitch of the stadiums due to the rolling 'B Stage'. This meant we had less time than usual to install the seating between the main production and the doors opening, but the tour

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The Radisson SAS Resort on the island of Djerba (Tunisia) has been equipped with the most modern dimmer technology from MA Lighting. The luxury hotel with its approximate 300 rooms and suites focusses on MA digital dimmer, WM' 12 x 3 kVA for the complete installation. The units have a robust coated 19"/ 14 HE steel housing for mounting on walls. They were installed in August by the Tunisian MA distributor MediaCom.

The 44 wall-mounted digital dimmers consist of 12 single 3 kVA dimmers (without RCD) have a large graphic display which shows status values and special functions as well as phase control display. The lighting control, which ranges from classic lights to professional projectors, is via Creston.

Patio Rosinus was responsible for the lighting design of the hotel, with Moris Brill Lighting Design as the executive company.

(Chris Henry)

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USA - Total Structures is now stocking truss products in Las Vegas. The truss is being stocked at long-term Total Structures' customer Silver State Wire Rope and Rigging.

Vice-president of Total Structures, Adrian Forbes-Black, explains that the stock consists of a diverse range of truss. "Although our own Californian warehouse is only five hours away from Las Vegas, when we spoke to our customers there they told us that very often if they can get something immediately they will buy it rather than try to sub-hire elsewhere. Even though we can get to Vegas from Ventura in under a day, even this delay can make the difference between getting the sale or not. To improve matters further we have also decided to keep a stock of less common lengths there. This includes items such as four foot and three foot trusses which may not normally be held in large numbers by rental houses or

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UK - Live event company Show Presentation Services (SPS) has been awarded the contract to deliver exciting new audio-visual services to customers at the NEC, in Birmingham. The company is the NEC's first ever in-house service provider that can offer everything from simple AV technology to fully-crafted and supported production.

Paul Thandi, recently announced CEO of the NEC Group, said: "Service is at the core of our business, and improving our customer offer to provide and deliver first class audio visual services is part of the vision shared at the NEC. This initiative underlies our continual focus on putting our customers first and leading the marketplace. Ultimately we want to ensure that every live event has tomorrow's technology, wrapped up in excellent service and delivery focus. We are delighted to have SPS on board to help achieve this."

Robin Coles, managin

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UK - HSL supplied lighting and sound for 12 live music and DJ venues at the 2006 Bestival. This involved five artics of equipment and a team of 32 crew co-ordinated by site project manager Ian Stevens.

The hugely popular 'boutique' style music festival now in its third year on the Isle of Wight expanded dramatically in size, capacity and surface area this year - almost doubling - for producers Loudsound. Headline acts included The Pet Shop Boys and the Scissor Sisters.

HSL has also been involved with Bestival since its inception, and once again worked closely with event production manger Lee Charteris and Loudsound's Jim King and Jo MacKay in co-ordinating all the site's technical production and infrastructure.

They brought ML Executives onboard to supply the main stage's VDosc sound system and also co-ordinated with Star Events, site-wide suppliers of staging and structures

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Spain - The third edition of AFIAL's Convention looks set to be a success, according to the Spanish trade association, with a strong level of participation already confirmed. AFIAL began to contract space in July, and has now sold more than 70 % of the total floorspace of the exhibition.

This reflects the interest of Spanish companies in this exhibition, which has become the prime market focus for Spain's national entertainment technology industry. Contracted exhibitors to date include Adagio, Ben-Ri, D.A.S. Audio, Equipson, Gemini, Guil, Pinanson, Seesound, Stonex and Yamaha, among others.

Further information on the exhibition is available from the AFIAL website provided below.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Now that the dust has settled on this year's PLASA Show, the organisers of next year's show - the newly-formed PLASA Events Ltd - are looking forward to building on this week's hugely successful 2006 event - the last to be organised on PLASA's behalf by Clarion Events.

Exact visitor figures will be released in due course, following the independent ABC Audit of the figures. However, early indications are that PLASA '06 may even have surpassed last year's PLASA Show (which was memorable for its frenetic business activity) with a notable increase in visitor numbers, and a very strong international attendance.

Many of the exhibitors that the PLASA Media team spoke to across during the four days of the show praised both the quality of the customers they had been seeing, and the large numbers of international visitors from all around of the world. Despite a relatively 'quiet' S

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UK - 5 Star Cases continues its busy summer with recent supplies to Visions OB and the London International Faith Centre. Both organisations have been supplied with a selection of utility cases.

The Tour Grade units purchased by Vision OB feature six drawers of various depths, which were mounted on ball-race slides, with heavy-duty aluminium rails for additional durability. The cases went into immediate use as general-purpose utility and tool cases. "The Tour Grade rating ensures they will last for many years service and withstand the rigors of the road and constant travelling," explains 5 Star's Dave Harris.

The drawered cases are particularly popular for utility or accessory use, as clients can specify the exact layout required. "We are finding that more and more touring companies are using these drawered utility cases by replacing worn out and un-managable ty

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UK - tsg has recently completed the installation of a promedia hard disk player and audio system at the new Sam & Maxies restaurant in the Trafford Centre, Manchester. This Sam & Maxies, which is part of La Tasca Group Plc, is the second outlet to be opened during 2006 and is the third brand within the Group, which already operates La Vina and La Tasca.

Essentially a bar, grill and smokehouse, Sam & Maxies offers a subtle, more mature offer of 'Americana' but is not overly themed. Targeted at families, especially those with children of a school age, Sam & Maxies is an elevated offer of the typical American restaurants found within the UK today, with the children's menu being a scaled down version of the adult menu. Music is an integral part in establishing an appropriate dining experience and James Horler, chief executive of La Tasca Group, turned to tsg and its candyrock music

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Sweden - ETC has recently completed the refitting of the Malmö Opera and Music Theatre in Sweden with a new IES SineWave dimming system, a Unison lighting control system for worklights and a UDP network with DimSTAT reporting software, plus DMX distribution.

Built in 1944, the renewed theatre opened in February with a production of Verdi's A Masked Ball, complete with 21st century lighting technology illuminating the stage's original 1940s furniture. Since Malmö is only a 20-minute drive from Copenhagen via the new Öresund Bridge, ETC's Danish distributor, BICO, handled the installation, commissioning, training and project management together with ETC regional manager Tim Stokholm and field project manager Jeremy Roberts.

ETC has installed five IES Matrix Mk II dimmer racks for the main stage, four racks for the smaller Intim stage and one rack for the workshop stage

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USA - Imagination (USA) Inc worked in cooperation with the Ford Lincoln and Mercury brands of Ford Motor Company to produce the 2007 New Model Introduction Meeting in Las Vegas recently. An event spanning nearly two weeks and hosting several thousand people, the meeting represents Imagination's latest effort in strategic communications, and involves all facets of Imagination's services, including insight, strategy, design and production. This year's effort marks the first occasion on which Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers have been brought together on a single occasion.

Designed to provide a forum for those issues affecting the automotive retail business, the 2007 New Model Introduction meeting gathers Ford Lincoln and Mercury executives with the nationwide network of independent franchise dealers. Through a series of highly engaging business meetings, dealers have the opportuni

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Mexico - The D.A.S. Aero Line Array Systems Training programme held its first seminar at the Crown Plaza Hotel Mexico City recently. The main speakers were Alejandro Valles, from Mexican firm Top Music, D.A.S. distributor in Mexico, Ashok Maharaj the independent professional audio consultant for Venezuela, and Javier Navarro, D.A.S. Audio sound engineer.

Over ninety Latin American Aero systems owners attended the event which focused more on the theory behind line arrays rather than on the practical side. The opening talk was by Jack Palacio, D.A.S. Audio export director; Able Villanueva's talk was concerned with the line array theory; Javier Navarro focused on the technical settings of Aero systems and the handling parameters of digital processors; Alejandro Valles commented on the electric and electronic aspects in the context of equipment interconnections. Ashok Maharaj expose

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