USA - Lighting designer Tony Fransen continues his long association with the Jands Vista lighting and media control system by going on the road with a Vista T2 console to run lighting for the Sara Bareilles US tour.

On the road since May, the tour is a mix of her own headline performances as well as some opening shows for country duo Sugarland.

Fransen's neatly designed touring package gives Bareilles her own individual stage aesthetics utilising his distinctive 'boutique' style.

Taking advantage of whatever extra lighting is available in each venue to supplement his design, he uses the Vista's powerful Fixture Swap and Cloning to swiftly integrate units into his show.

"It's extremely powerful, the software is rock solid and it is definitely the best control platform on the market" he reports.

Bareilles' floor package consists of Vari*Lite VL2500s, about 40 Mar

Hong Kong - Lighthouse will supply four LED screens to the new Macpherson Indoor Stadium in Hong Kong, which will bring enhanced community facilities to the city's area of highest population density.

Located on the edge of Mongkok - which, according to Guinness World Records, has the highest population density in the world - the new venue will replace the previous Macpherson Indoor Stadium, which plays an important role in the development of youth recreation in Hong Kong.

The existing venue has been demolished as part of a programme of redevelopment, which will see it and the surrounding area replaced with a residential complex and the new sports venue, expanded to hold 2,500 spectators.

As part of Media-Go Engineering s successful AV tender bid, for which Lighthouse was chosen as LED screen partner, two sets of 6mm resolution screens, each measuring 5.12m (w) x 2.4m (h), an

USA - Xantech provided the core technology systems that enabled the 'strength and conditioning' training room at United States Naval Academy's Ricketts Hall to become an advanced state-of-the-art facility.

As part of a technology upgrade, AV systems integrator DSL Sound of Hagerstown, Maryland, installed a Xantech control system consisting of the WIC1200Web Intelligent Controller, two CWTC10Wireless Touch Controllers, CSPLCD64Gin-wall touch panels and a host of IPRS232XtraLink IP modules.

The network-based Xantech components provide full control over the weight rooms' new AV systems, which include an HD Video Matrix system by FSR, 16 55-inch LG plasma monitors that makeup five zones of video, and an extensive audio system throughout the facility, featuring the BiAmp Nexia networked digital audio processor. Xantech's IPRS232 units enable network control of the RS232-based LG mo

UK - W E Audio, based in North Oxfordshire, has taken delivery of two Midas Pro 2 consoles, purchased from LMC Audio.

With a pair of 'always-in-demand' Heritage H3000s already in stock, which have been used on all of the festivals they have supplied this year, Wayne Barker, MD of W E Audio, and his team are familiar with the audio quality of Midas products.

"We have always loved what Midas put into their consoles, especially the XL3 & XL4 and of course the H3000", explains Rylan Machin, project manager at W E Audio. "So when we saw what Midas had done with the Pro 2, bringing out a console with a small footprint, a respectable channel count, and the same Midas quality and attention to detail, we knew there would be high demand for hire on this console again."

Barker and Machin made the decision to invest in Pro 2 at this year's PLASA Show, where they took

UK - Integrated communications firm Imagination, based in London, has a reputation for producing experiential and effective brand marketing using the latest in digital lighting technology and recently turned to Martin Professional's Exterior 400 Range of LED luminaires to illuminate its own headquarter façade.

Imagination's headquarter building lies in the heart of London's West End. It is a multi-use, award-winning facility with a visually attractive façade that has been illuminated for years in a pleasing shade of blue, a colour scheme that the company wished to keep. Yet an upgrade to more dynamic and energy-efficient luminaires was called for.

"We wanted to maintain the previous classic blue lighting scheme on the building, which was HMI lighting and which we've had for quite some time, but we also wanted the ability to do different lighting schemes, for example at

The Netherlands - The KWF (Dutch Cancer Society) has over 120,000 volunteers who help it to raise awareness of cancer and funds towards patient support and furthering cancer research. One of its annual highlights is the Alped' HuZes, which sees thousands of cyclists climb the French mountain Alpe d'Huez. Concluding with a live concert at the resort on top of the mountain, Yamaha equipment helped this latest event to raise a record amount of money.

As well as being a major ski resort, Alpe d'Huez is famous as a stage in the Tour de France, the fastest ascent taking 37 minutes and 35 seconds. This year's Alpe d'HuZes saw 4,661 of the volunteer amateur, professional and celebrity cyclists reach the 1,860m(6,102ft) summit in considerably slower times, but raising over €20m for KWF's work in the process.

The event's grand finale took place in the Palais de Sport on top of the moun

USA - Two illustrious high school stadiums in the Tacoma Public Schools system enjoyed vastly improved sound for the 2011 football season, thanks to comprehensive distributed audio system upgrades at both locations.

Lynwood, Washington-based systems integration firm Electrocom managed the upgrades, installing Technomad advanced audio loudspeakers and high-powered amplifiers among other components at Stadium High School and Lincoln High School. Electrocom handpicked the systems to replace aging horn components that were in disrepair and bleeding into adjacent neighbourhoods - prompting a flurry of complaints.

The stadiums' long, rich histories are evident in their grandeur: large, bowl-shaped venue designs with concrete bleachers and expansive sideline space. This made sound improvements - especially even, venue-wide coverage - unusually challenging.

"These are not typic

UK - Following lengthy negotiations, CPS Group has confirmed the purchase of the Stagecraft brand together with a significant proportion of assets, after the recent voluntary liquidation of Stagecraft Technical Services Ltd. The newly acquired assets have strengthened CPS' stock of industry standard brands such as ETC, Avolites, Shure, Steeldeck & Prolyte.

Richard Colegate, director, comments, "Stagecraft has been a well-respected name in the industry for over 30 years and CPS is delighted to pick up the torch and lead the Stagecraft brand into the next decade."

Colegate continues, "We look forward to working with Stagecraft customers in 2012. Combining CPS' excellence in modern lighting, audio and video with Stagecraft's expertise in stage production and outdoor structures provides exciting new possibilities. Bringing on-board Stagecraft's expertise in stage co

Sweden - W-DMX by Wireless Solution Sweden delivered the lighting to TeliaSonera's Stockholm headquarters for the holiday season. TeliaSonera AB is Europe's fifth largest telecom operator with operations in Northern, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Spain, with a total of over 150m mobile customers. The company headquarters are located at Stureplan in the centre of Stockholm, one of the highest wireless traffic locations in the world.

The design idea seemed simple enough: display lit Blachere snowflakes in the windows of the front of the building facing the main square downtown and put on a nightly light display every evening from mid-November through 27 December. Ola Melzig of M & M Production Management was contracted by DDB Stockholm to come up with the design and logistics surrounding the concept.

The first idea was to hang the lighting on the exterior of the building belo

USA - Brad Paisley entertained more than one million fans during his H2O II: Wetter & Wilder World Tour. During each show, 25 Chauvet Professional SparkliteLED drapes created a luminous backdrop behind the country music superstar.

Lighting designer Dean Spurlock, of Dean Spurlock Lighting and Design, specified the use of SparkliteLED drape for the tour. Designed for large-scale installations like Paisley's arena performances, SparkliteLED drape measures 20 x13ft and includes built-in effects. The drapes, which are powered by 128 tri-colored LEDs and divided into eight controllable sections, gave Spurlock the flexibility to customise and control all 3,200 LEDs in the backdrop at his discretion.

Interlocked using hook-and-loop fasteners, the 25 drapes created a star-field backdrop that twinkled brightly during select song performances adding dimension to the stage.

(Jim

China - The elaborate Ordos epic, Holy Heimori, produced by the Etuoke Qianqi people of Inner Mongolia in China, premiered in September on the Grassland Stage of the Shanghai Temple in Inner Mongolia.The legendry tale, a play about drawing tribal conflict to a close and seeking lasting peace on the grassland, came to life with the aid of an elaborate set and stage design that incorporated mood-generating and decorate effects from Martin MAC 401 Dual RGB Zoom luminaires and MAC 2000 Wash moving heads. Lighting design is by Sha Xiao Lan, lighting designer for the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.Traditional song, dance, and art, as well as ethnic customs and values are expressed on stage with the help of dynamic lighting technology to give the audience a better understanding of Mongolian Ordos culture.For example, Ordos folk songs are melodious, like the sounds o

UK - The annual UK Festival Awards found a new home at London's Roundhouse in November where the event reached new levels of prestige with the help of a bespoke in the round stage by LS-Live.

With the awards event in its eighth year, Managing director James Drury wanted to take the festival industry's annual celebration to a new level. Moving from the IndigO2 at the O2 Arena in Greenwich to the Roundhouse in Camden meant a new format for the awards, which was hosted this year by The Cuban Brothers.

The UK Festival Awards saw 16 winners collect their trophies, following seven awards at the Conference during the day. Folk music and dance promoter Steve Heap received the prestigious 'Lifetime Achievement Award' for his continued dedication to the festival industry.

Rob Da Bank took home the new 'Fan's Favourite Festival Award' for the sold-out Bestival, whilst a panel of judges

UK - Nick Gray of UK based visual design practice Renegade, designed lighting for rockers Kasabian's live You Tube Re:Wired performance, streamed direct from London's O2 Arena, to welcome in 2012 with a big bang.

Challenges included only having eight hours on show-day to get in, rig and complete show programming before handing the rig over to Chase & Status' LD Neil Carson, so he could also squeeze in some programming time for their set. This feat was accomplished with some astute teamwork between Renegade and the crew from London-based lighting contractor, Neg Earth.

The band have just finished the first UK leg arena of their new Velociraptor! tour, and some visual elements of this show were adapted for the New Year's Eve event. Says Nick Gray, "It was great to be able to work on another technically ground breaking gig with the band, who are always up for c

USA - The Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College is a historic landmark in the heart of Boston's theatre district. Built as an opera house in 1903, this intimate venue serves student, community and professional theatrical productions.

In 1999, AV systems integrator Boston Light & Sound was brought in to design and install a PA system utilising a pair of EAW MQ1364 MF/HF Array Loudspeakers on either side of an MQTD412 LF Array Loudspeaker with a single MQ1394 below and JF290zs for L&R Orchestra-fill. At the time, with the theatre's balcony closed, the system provided complete coverage of the venue's main-floor and mezzanine seating areas. In 2003, when the balcony was reopened after extensive reconstruction as part of the theatre's 100th anniversary, additional EAW AS690e fill speakers were added for balcony coverage, based on a consultant's design.

Over the summer of 2011,

UK - For 2012, the ABTT Theatre Show is moving to the 'Old Truman Brewery' a new venue for the event, located in the heart of a thriving and booming creative community in East London. The organisers say: "The move is in keeping with the creative and artistic roots of theatre and the ethos of the annual ABTT Theatre Show."

The 'Old Truman Brewery' where the ABTT Theatre Show 2012 will be staged on 13-14 June, is already home to art, design and fashion shows. It was created from the regeneration of 10 acres of once vacant and derelict buildings on the former brewery site and is also placed central to one of London's most exuberant and eclectic shopping and dining districts.

Event organiser Roger Fox explains: "Theatre people need to communicate face-to-face in a relaxed environment. In fact, the convivial atmosphere became so successful in the early days of the Th

Qatar - Continuing its success with rental companies in the Middle East, Unique Sound based in Doha, Qatar has recently acquired an HK Audio Elements system from Melody House. Distributors for the Middle East, Melody House have sold two complete systems that include the EF435 Mid/Top, EP1 Poles and the EA600 Active Subwoofers.

"The Elements is very successful with rental firms as it is a compact system that is also versatile to meet various kind of applications without compromising on the quality of audio," commented Amrith Verghese, HK Audio product specialist at Melody House. "In addition, the fact that the system is scalable allows Unique Sound to grow the system ad their business grows making it a great return on investment."

(Jim Evans)

Canada - wysiwyg software suite from CAST Software of Toronto was a winner at the 99th Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League's championship football game between the East Division champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the West Division champion BC Lions. The game was held on Sunday, 27 November 2011 at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver in front of a live audience of 54,313 and broadcast live to over 4.5m viewers.

The popular Vancouver-based rock band Nickelback performed for the Pepsi Max Halftime Show. Production designer for the halftime show was Robert Sondergaard and TV lighting director was Jason McKinnon, both of Electric Aura in Vancouver.

Sondergaard used wysiwyg R27 Perform during the whole design process to communicate the design look to the show producer, Patrick Roberge Productions as well as Nickelback. He explains, "In the lead up to the Grey Cup, there were a num

Spain - Lasting 1395 days, the siege of Sarajevo was one of the darkest episodes witnessed by mainland Europe since the Second World War. Revisited in a major exhibition at the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), Yamaha audio technology is helping to bring a powerful depiction of the siege to life.

The exhibition comprises a film, 1395 Days Without Red, by Sarajevo-born artist Šejla Kameri? and his wife, Anri Sala. Designed to be shown in adjacent rooms, each version of the film features the same events and narrative, but shot from different camera angles.

Throughout every day the 1992-96 siege, thousands of citizens had to cross a myriad of streets threatened by snipers and mortar rounds. The films bring the past and present together by following a woman - played by Spanish actress Maribel Verdú - as she follows her daily route through Sarajevo to a rehear

China The hit musical Mamma Mia! has recently broken new ground as the first western musical to be performed in Mandarin with a Chinese cast. After runs in Shanghai and Beijing, the show is currently playing in Guangzhou, with a DiGiCo SD8 at the helm.

Although western musicals have previously toured China, this is the first time that one has been performed by a local cast, with a translated script.

Mamma Mia! in China is produced by United Asia Live Entertainment Co by arrangement with Judy Craymer, Richard East and Bjorn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal. Technically the approach for the audio was the same as it has been for all other recent productions of the show, including the DiGiCo SD8 mixing console. But a few hurdles had to be cleared regarding the supply of equipment.

"Because of China's import laws, we realised that it would b

UK / Spain - Cadac Holdings has announced the appointment of Adagio.pro as exclusive distributor of its new range of analogue and digital compact consoles in Spain and Portugal.

Headquartered outside of Barcelona, Adagio.pro is the pro-audio distribution arm of Grupo Adagio, which also incorporates an extensive MI distribution division and owns a chain of music and pro-audio stores throughout Spain and Portugal; including the Music Gallery stores within the leading El Corte Ingles chain of department stores in Spain. The company owns exclusive distribution rights to some of the leading pro audio brands in the region.

Commenting on the agreement, international sales development manager Vincenzo Borrelli stated, "Adagio.pro is an ideal distribution partner for our new line up of analogue and digital consoles, which are aimed at the general pro audio and live sound sectors,

Europe - Pixled has been appointed as the official distributor for LED display manufacturer Radiant's Linx range of products in key European countries as of 1 January 2012.

For almost two years, Pixled and Radiant have been involved in an on-going 'co-development' agreement, with Pixled selling Radiant's 'L-Series' Linx products badged as Pixled F-37L / F-30L, etc.

For continuity, Pixled has now renamed its four current L-Series products to carry the same name. The Pixled Linx-18 / Pixled Linx-25 / Pixled Linx-30 and Pixled Linx-37 all have the suffix 'by Radiant'.

Pixled's general manager Bart Van der Beken says, "We're delighted with this official appointment which recognises that Pixled has the right contacts, resources, infrastructure and mind-set to take the Linx brand forward. In the past 12 months we have sold high volumes of this very lightweight, ultra-flexible

Italy - Several years ago, the Amerigo Vespucci Airport's terminal building in Florence was equipped with an RCF sound system.

But by the time it came to equipping the new terminal earlier this year, new regulations for security and evacuation, coupled with an evolution in sound system technology, meant that while RCF was once again chosen as the preferred supplier, the company was now required to deliver a far superior solution, in keeping with the new regulations.

Work began on the project in mid-August 2011 under the supervision of RCF project manager, Aristodemo Preda, and the whole system became operational in mid-December.

At the submission stage, various acoustic simulations were carried out, necessary to determine the efficiency of the system and necessary compliances. In addition to meeting the normal requirements of speech intelligibility (public messaging), backgr

USA - GLP German Light Products Inc. has announced that it has reached a successful conclusion to the legal situation that occurred with Global Truss America LLC. At the conclusion of matters, GLP remains the exclusive distributor of its trussing products throughout the Americas, and has announced its new name, Cosmic Truss.

Dealers and customers will be very familiar with the established logo that Cosmic Truss bears, showing its heritage and track record, says the company.

The manufacturing of Cosmic Truss, by Taiwan Georgia Corporation, is done at the very same place that has been supplying GLP with its truss products under the previous name. This facility has been making TÜV certified truss and accessory products for many years and has attained worldwide recognition for its attention to detail and quality of work. The entire product range is available within the Americas t

Serbia - Effective immediately, Philips Vari-Lite has appointed Svetlost Teatar as its new distributor for Serbia. Specialising in the installation of entertainment technology for theatres and other related venues for over 20 years, Svetlost Teatar has operations in Moscow, Skopje and Belgrade.

"Philips Vari-Lite is delighted to welcome Svetlost Teatar as our Authorized Vari-Lite Dealer for Serbia," comments Matt Hallard, Philips Vari-Lite European sales manager. "The company already has a proven track record as a longstanding distributor for Philips brands Selecon and Strand Lighting.The company's reputation for high standards in design and installation, across all sectors in its region and abroad, from theatres to schools and cinemas to arena venues, make it ideally placed to grow the Vari-Lite presence in Serbia and beyond.

" With new products now shippi

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