Bahrain / UK - A Scottish company has scooped a top industry award for its innovative project to light up one of the world's most iconic modern buildings. Edinburgh-based lighting design specialists Lighting Design Partnership International (LDP International) won the accolade for its work in illuminating the Bahrain World Trade Centre - a striking 240m twin tower complex that dominates the Arabian Gulf.

LDP International was awarded first prize in the 'Best Use of Exterior Lighting' category at the PALME Middle East awards, which celebrates achievements in the categories of AV, audio technology and lighting design.

The towers were built in 2008 by the multi-national architectural firm Atkins. It is the first skyscraper in the world to integrate wind turbines into its design - the turbines produce up to 15% of the towers' electricity.

Douglas Hamilton, lead lighting designer

UK - Following the success of her ITV2 sketch show Katy Brand's Big Ass Show, the eponymous comedienne has gone out on the road, performing a stage version in theatres and arts centres throughout the UK. A key part of the technical production is a package of Sennheiser microphones and wireless equipment.

The shows comprise songs and dance routines, as well as straight stand-up comedy. With everyone from the Queen to Amy Winehouse the butt of Brand's humour, the bottom line for the show's promoters Mick Perrin Productions (MPP) was that Brand's wide-ranging styles of delivery had to be crystal clear at every seat, despite the venues ranging widely in size and design.

Through previous tours, Sennheiser has built a successful and close working relationship with MPP and Sennheiser product has become a ubiquitous part of the production company's touring equipment.

For the

Spain - Void Acoustics has made a major impact on the Ibizan club scene with new distributor, IbizaPA, completing two major installations in just six weeks. The controversial daytime club, DC-10, recently re-opened with a sizeable Void triple-horn Air Motion - installed for promoters Circo Loco in just nine days from order to completion. The new Sands Beach Restaurant is also home to a Void installation, featuring an all-white Air Ten system in the White Bar.

IbizaPA was established three years ago, building up a reputation for local events and installations. Recognising the potential of the Ibizan market, Void had been looking for a dynamic distributor for some time. Director Alex Skan explains, "Ibiza's club environment is very image-conscious and a perfect match for our brand's combination of eye-catching speaker design and excellent sound quality.

"We started wor

USA - The Grand Lady of Market Street has been a landmark in Wilmington, Delaware, for nearly 140 years. Opened as the Grand Opera House in 1871, The Grand has led a colourful history, hosting operas and symphonies, vaudeville and burlesque, movies and live performances. In its early years, performers including Ethel Barrymore, Buffalo Bill Cody and John Philip Sousa graced its stage. For most of the 20th century the 1,208-seat hall operated as a movie theatre, eventually falling into disrepair and closing its doors in 1967.

After an extensive restoration, The Grand reopened as a live performance venue, and has become a nexus for the city's downtown revival. Along with the smaller 300-seat Baby Grand next door, the building hosts more than 300 events per year, ranging from symphony orchestras and ballets to rock and contemporary artists, comedy and performance art.

Like many t

Sweden - The Stockholm Jazz Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this month, with performances by artists ranging from heavyweights of the genre like John Scofield, Wayne Shorter and Courtney Pine to those with broader appeal, including Elliot, Kool and the Gang and the Brand New Heavies. Bringing this remarkable variety of music to the Skeppsholmen island venue was an Alcons Audio system.

This was the first year that Bromma-based rental company Electrosound had provided the festival's audio system, as a part of the complete sound/light/stage production by Live Media Group. Designed by Electrosound's Brollan Söderström and LMG's Robert Karlsson, an Alcons LR16 rig overcame a significant lack of space without compromising on sound quality.

The festival features two parallel stages which flip flop between artists. The Alcons system featured three clusters, that on

UK - Professional loudspeaker manufacturer Funktion One is incorporating a Prism Sound Orpheus FireWire computer interface into the Ambisonics rig it is using at this weekend's Glastonbury Festival in order to bring studio quality audio to sound playback.

Funktion One managing director Tony Andrews comments: "We avoid the use of electronic equalisation to correct for system anomalies, as we believe that it is better to engineer the problems out of the loudspeaker system in the first place, rather than to correct for them electronically. Otherwise you pay a price in terms of phase response and headroom. We also avoid compression drivers in the mid-range, to keep distortion to a minimum. Our loudspeaker systems have excellent directional control allowing sound to be focused where it's needed and minimising out-of-venue environmental impact."

The company's loudspeaker d

UK - Specialist manufacturers of plain & printed, tapes & labels, Le Mark Self-Adhesive has just re-supplied Birmingham based PRG Lighting with their PAL Road Case Labels.

"The PAL Road case labels are an essential part of our flight case management and distribution, being able to easily write on each case/label with the case contents, stage position, show dates and any other relevant information is a must," says PRG Lighting's Mark Gosling

" Plus the fact any information we write remains unaffected by water, bumps and scrapes is brilliant. We then clean the ink away with a special label wipe and they're ready to re-use for the next job. The Labels are i robust and last a considerable amount of time."

(Jim Evans)

UK - In Cardiff, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) has started to spend the equipment budget for its new £22.5m performance facility, and the first audio acquisition is an M-400 V-Mixing System complete with 32-way Digital Snake, supplied by Stage Electrics.

The extensive development project on the College's existing site in the grounds of Cardiff Castle is expected to complete early in 2011, but Ian Evans' technical studies team was eager to start using the new M-400 from the Roland Systems Group. The compact digital console is ultimately destined to be the front-of-house mixer for the new 160-seat Richard Burton Theatre, but first it will be deployed on everything from classroom training to summer balls, promenade theatre and live music.

"We're already used it in our black-box theatre, where Firenze Guidi has just directed her production of The

UK - Systems Workshop Distribution has announced plans to open a new showroom facility at its Oswestry premises. The showroom will take over space formerly occupied by Forge Studio and aims to provide a dedicated area for dealer training and product evaluation.

Systems Workshop's current distribution portfolio includes Fohhn loudspeaker systems, Vicoustic acoustic solutions, Tube-Tech valve processors and Schertler contact microphones, amplifiers and guitars.

Managing director Phil Beaumont commemnts, "Our brands increasingly require dedicated demo space that dealers can visit for a true evaluation of their capabilities. For example, to fully appreciate products like Vicoustic's Wave Wood really means experiencing the panel installed in an actual listening space, where it has been specifically positioned to fit the acoustic requirements of the room.

"The same is tr

Italy / UK - A North East audio company has made a major breakthrough into the Italian market with its equipment being installed in a major international sports stadium.

Sunderland-based Current Thinking has established a link with the Proel Group based in Sant'Omero, Italy - with the first project involving the upgrading of the facilities at the Stadio Adriatico in Pescara.

Current Thinking will be supplying Proel its advanced Voice alarm systems, sold under the Proel Brand ProEVAC 2.

Says Current Thinking managing director Anthony Smith, "We are very pleased to have established a relationship with the Proel Group, which is involved in supplying and installing audio, video and lighting equipment for major entertainment and sporting venues in many different countries.

"This is a good deal for both companies, Proel get some of the latest voice alarm equipment, and

World - For a-ha fans the world over, 2010 marks their last opportunity to see the band perform together. a-ha's farewell tour, aptly named Ending On A High Note, will have covered four continents and 15 countries when it wraps up. The band's final three shows ever, slated for early December in their home-country of Norway, sold out within days of their October 2009 announcements, well over a year in advance.

The tour is travelling with a full complement of Sennheiser wired and wireless microphones, including a Sennheiser SKM 5200 with a Neumann KK 105 capsule for lead vocalist Morten Harket, as well as Sennheiser wireless personal monitors. Ready support from the Sennheiser Global Relations Team has mitigated many of the travails of the road for tour manager Kleo Tuemmler, FOH engineer Sherif El Barbari, and monitor engineer Kursten Smith.

"Morten is incredibly se

UK - An early adopter of digital technology, Scouting For Girls' Front of House engineer Andy Williamson has been, up until now, a regular user of consoles by other manufacturers. However, at the start of the band's recent tour, which finished in Brighton at the end of May, audio rental company Capital Sound's Paul Timmins presented Andy with an opportunity to use a DiGiCo console.

"As soon as digital came out I jumped on it," says Williamson. "I love analogue, but the digital footprint is fantastic. However, you get used to certain characteristics of different consoles, with the result that I ended up using other manufacturers digital mixers.

"But then Paul offered me the chance to use an SD7. Having done a little research and read through the specs, I knew it was complete overkill for what I needed with regards to inputs and outputs, but the specs were so

UK - Revamped conference sessions, networking opportunities that include a Thames riverboat cruise, and the launch of the Live Music Business Awards are all features of the fourth LIVE UK Summit, set for 6-7 October.

The awards event will cover around 20 categories, ranging from Best Venue Teamwork - Arena/Concert/Club, Promoter of the Year and Best Media Campaign, to Agent of the Year, Breaking the Mould (live show innovation) and Best Record Company Partner.

The winners will be selected through votes cast by groups of carefully selected professionals with direct experience in the respective categories, supplemented by open voting online.

Meanwhile, The Summit itself will feature conference sessions covering vital topics affecting the industry, keynote presentations, a celebrity Q&A session and an afternoon of special panels devoted to the unsigned and emerging artiste sect

France - Following the unveiling of APG's new DX range of multipurpose loudspeakers at ProLight + Sound 2010 in Frankfurt, the company has announced that a number of French rental companies have already taken delivery of the new units with several more on back order for next month.

Those already in possession of their DX Series loudspeakers include Visuel in Normandy who have already used them for the Fete de la Musique on 21 June; Alpha Audio in La Rochelle; and SNO Technique just outside Paris. In addition to sales in the domestic market, there are also a number of orders in preparation for the export market, particularly to Germany and the UK where APG has developed strong distribution partnerships.

APG head of sales and marketing, Xavier Pion, comments, "We were pretty confident that we'd have a great reaction to the new range, but it's always reassuring when t

Europe - Bandit Lites reports a busy European summer season, with systems supplied for the Sugababes for LD Matthew Jensen and PM Andrew Thornton as well as Thievery Corporation's European tour for LD Eric Cathcart. George Benson's UK tour with support from Marti Pellow once again relied on Bandit to supply a Martin Nicholas designed rig. Kenny Rogers has just completed a successful UK trek with Jeff Metter in the LD saddle.

Bandit's other upcoming and current work includes the Once in a Lifetime UK tour, Al Green & Michael McDonald's UK shows, the Schools' Supersing Liverpool choir event, Pure's fashion show, The Saturdays' UK dates, Seal's forthcoming European tour, Westlife's outdoor summer shows, plus festival dates with Faith No More as well as European tours with ZZ Top, Jackson Browne and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

(Jim Evans)

South Africa - Robe lighting did its bit to represent the Czech Republic in the absence of the country's football team from the World Cup tournament - with Robe moving lights used extensively for the official Kick Off Concert, staged in Orlando Stadium, Soweto, Johannesburg.

The show featured a star studded line up, headlined by Shakira, The Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Vusi Mahlasela, Blk Jks, Juanez, Tinariwen, The Parlotones, Big Nuz & DJ Tira and many more. There were also addresses by South African President, Jacob Zuma and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

All the lighting equipment was supplied by Gearhouse South Africa, the lighting design was created by Patrick Woodroffe and the show was programmed by Tim Routledge. The final three-hour section was broadcast live via the South African Broadcasting Company (SABC) and syndicated wor

USA - Theatrical Lighting Systems (TLS) brought 'new light'to a long established event at Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, MIss. The USA International Ballet Competition, (USA IBC) calls Jackson, home thanks to a 1982 Joint Resolution of United States Congress. Every four years, dancers from around the globe come to Jackson to compete and learn.

This year, locally operated TLSMississippi contracted with USA IBC to provide the additional lighting system requirements for the competition which began 12 June.

David Milly, owner of the Huntsville, Ala., based TLS, says, "We are glad USA IBC chose to use a local company for this world renown competition. It's a great thing for the state of Mississippi when large events such as this use local small businesses as a resource. It benefits all of us."

Andy Prince, project manager for rentals at TLS worked with USA IBC lighting de

UK - Still a concert-hall favourite at 71, Kenny Rogers - wearing a crisp white shirt to match the patrician beard - has completed a UK tour, playing concerts in England, Scotland and Ireland with Nexo-centred audio production support from the SSE Audio Group.

In a career spanning six decades, he's given more shows than many younger artists have had hot dinners, and the same can be said of long-time front-of-house sound engineer Keith Bugos, who started mixing for Kenny Rogers when he was with the First Edition, 39 years ago.

"We've definitely seen some changes over the years," says this master of understatement, "not least with the equipment we are using. Back in the late 80s, when Kenny was blazing hot and selling out arenas in a couple of hours, we were long-term clients of Clair Bros and carrying all our own production. Today, with shorter tours, we carry co

China - What started with a major opening ceremony has also proved to be a huge success for grandMA - the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

During the ceremony the full scope of MA Lighting's grandMA series was used - including grandMA2 consoles, MA NPUs (Network Processing Unit) and MA NSPs (Network Signal Processor). But that was far from the end of the story for MA Lighting - it was just the beginning. A plethora of pavilions, stages, central buildings and squares on the huge Expo site also trust in the latest control technology from the German company.

Sites using grandMA/grandMA2 systems include: Culture Centre, Expo Centre, Performance Hall, European Square, Asian Square, Pacific Square, City Square, African Square, American Square, Greenland Square, Baosteel Stage, Boatyard Theatre, Chinese Pavilion, German Pavilion, Lithuanian Pavilion, Private Enterprises Joint Pavilion and the The

Syria - Last month, Buildex, the leading building and construction industry trade fair in the Arab world, was held in Damascus, Syria.

Buildex takes place every year and showcases raw materials and machinery for civil and industrial building industry and also represents a strategic meeting point for professionals and leading companies from that region who work in this field.

Technical Light and Sound Group (TLSC Group), the Syrian distributor known as SADA on the local market, presented a selected range of Proel solutions suitable for permanent installations and other applications.

Among the Proel products, visitors saw Proel's Flash Speaker Enclosure Series, HPD Digital Amplifier Series, a wide range of accessories and loudspeakers from AVL Systems Division for PA applications.

"Once more, this edition of Buildex confirmed its strategic importance for the professiona

Italy - ETC's Rome office has been busy recently, with a number of outings for the Selador series of LED fixtures. At the third Festival of Scenic Arts at the Casa dell'Architettura in Rome, Fulvio Cotogni, regional manager for southern Europe at ETC, joined Italian-based lighting designer AJ Weissbard on stage to discuss the latest developments with ETC's Selador series of LED fixtures.

In spite of difficulties faced as a result of the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano, which meant that invited speakers from several European states could not attend, the four-day conference saw audience figures top 800.

"Selador received a great deal of interest at the festival, thanks to its innovative colour mixing," commented Cotogni after the event. "The latest additions to the range - Vivid Fire and Vivid Ice - were specifically designed in response to user requests, who

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians reports that the 32nd ABTT Theatre Show was its biggest show yet, both in the number of visitors through the doors and exhibiting companies that filled The Royal Horticultural Halls to capacity.

This year's record attendance bucked trends with a return to the show's previous visitor record in 2008. This rise in attendance following a dip due to a tube strike during the 2009 event and highlights the show's position of strength despite the recession.

The Show's success is attributed to its compact footprint, un-intimidating atmosphere and ever-expanding visitor base, say the organisers. The ABTT Theatre Show covers the spectrum of products and services for the theatre production and staging market, with a strong showing from the engineering sector, but also from the sound and lighting fraternity. It provides the only platform f

UK - Belfast-based Production Services Ireland (PSI), a regular provider of rigging services and equipment for Ireland's leading entertainment shows, has launched a series of regular two-day rgging awareness training courses.

This initiative is the brainchild of PSI's Sean Pagel, who also heads up the company's rigging team. It's something that PSI has wanted to do for some time - but the recent move to larger premises with a large dedicated training room has really facilitated this on a practical level.

Apart from the demand for it, one advantage for PSI explains Pagel is that many venues are council run, and have a commitment to keep their staff updated with the latest good working practices. "Therefore it's really important that they have a concept of what rigging is all about - it's one of the starting points for any show," he says.

Pagel qualifies that it's im

South Africa - Robe Robin 300 Spot and Wash moving light fixtures are making a big impact in the World Cup Broadcast studio for SABC (the South African Broadcasting Corporation), which has been set up in Exhibition 1 at the Sandton Convention Centre, central Johannesburg.

All SABC's 2010 FIFA World Cup match coverage happens in this studio along with several other regular programmes which are broadcast from this temporary location for the duration of the World Cup.

The spectacular set is designed by Dewet Meyer and has lighting, depth and dynamics much in mind. The lighting design is by Andre Rossouw of SABC and Francois van der Merwe of MJ Event Gear. Van der Merwe also programmed the show and is sharing operating duties with Theo Roodt. The equipment is supplied by MJ and SABC.

MJ brought in the moving lights - including the 36 Robin 300s which were purchased specially for

Latest Issue. . .