UK - Lighting designer Peter Mumford has used ETC's latest generation of LED fixtures - the Source Four LED Lustr+ profile - to light Old Times at The Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly the Comedy Theatre) in London's West End.

Locked away in a secluded farmhouse, the three characters in Old Times reminisce about their early days together in London. But with conflicting memories and underlying sexual tensions, the past suddenly feels vividly present.

"Having 'road tested' individual fixture units previously," says Mumford, "I wanted to try them incorporated as a significant part of my rig design. This is the only real way that one can properly try them out in the context of a production. For Old Times, I particularly wanted to be able to change colour subtly within very long, slow changing cues.

"I used 24 units - in three banks of eight

USA - Miami Gardens-based Beachsound & Lighting, Inc. - now an official L-Acoustics Certified Provider - reports that it has installed a Kara system at Seminole Casino in Coconut Creek, Florida.

The new system went into The Pavilion, a Sprung structure that was converted into an intimate 1,200-seat performance venue during the casino's recent $150m expansion project.

Today, artists performing in the showroom benefit from left and right arrays each comprised of eight Kara enclosures flanked by LF arrays of three SB18 subs. Below each Kara array is an additional stack of three SB28 for additional low-end reinforcement, while five coaxial 8XT are spaced out across the stage lip for front-fill. LA-RAKs loaded with LA8 amplified controllers power and process the entire system.

"We installed a V-DOSC system into Hard Rock Live Hollywood, another Seminole property, several yea

UK - Marl International has transformed the sports hall at one of the North of England's most prestigious independent schools, Abbey Gate College, Cheshire, by installing LED lighting that improved the hall environment, and provided much brighter and more even lighting that comes on instantly.

Commenting on the installation of LED lights at Abbey Gate College, business manager Andrew Bache said, "The real appeal of Marl LED lights for us is the convenience and improvement in the environment. Though the sodium lights were adequate for football and gymnastics, the hall is also used for examinations and social events. We were able to dramatically increase the light level in the hall, ensuring the corners as well as the central area is brightly lit. The LED lights are much whiter and very much more even, since the output of the sodium lamps degrades noticeably as they age."

UK - Qdos Event Hire has been appointed to provide cabins, luxury toilets and waste tanks for this year's Brit Awards.

The contract was awarded by Brit Award Production Ltd and will see Qdos supply their cabins for use as production offices and hospitality areas for backstage and the after-show party. They will also supply a range of their luxury toilets to support the existing facilities in-house at the venue. In addition they will be installing tanks for catering waste.

The 2013 BRIT Awards, widely regarded as the biggest event in the British music industry's calendar, will be held on 20 February 2013. The award ceremony will be held at The O2 Arena in London, and will be presented by James Corden.

Neil Hickton, managing director, Qdos Event Hire said, "This is the second year that we have been involved with the Brit Awards and we are actually supplying more this time

UK - Welford Road Stadium is home to the famous Leicester Tigers rugby club. Since the development of its new multi-million pound Caterpillar Stand, the stadium boasts the largest conferencing and hospitality suite of its kind in the East Midlands. The Premiership Suite comprises the Legends, 1880 and Honours suites. These three distinct spaces can be used separately (and simultaneously) or as one large area accommodating up to 1000 people in a formal setting.

POLARaudio worked with Redditch-based systems integrator Limit Audio to install audio solutions for this challenging multi-zone application. The venue required that each of the three spaces could simultaneously utilise its own dedicated audio system, as well as enabling the overall space to be serviced as required.

Central to the system is a Bi-amp Audiaflex Mainframe with Cobranet, controlling a network of radio microph

Grammy Awards- The 55th Grammy Awards took place in Los Angeles, with Fun, Gotye and Mumford and Sons among the winners. Fun's anthem We Are Young, featuring Janelle Monae, was named song of the year, with the New York band going on to win the best new artist prize.

Gotye's international hit Somebody That I Used To Know received the record of the year, one of three prizes received by the Belgian-Australian artist. Mumford and Sons took home the album of the year prize for Babel. The English folk rockers received their honour from fellow-countrywoman Adele, who had earlier won best pop solo performance for her live version of Set Fire to the Rain.

Adele, who won six awards last year, said: "I just wanted to be part of the night, because I loved it last year, obviously. Thank you, I just wanted to say a massive thank you and send big love to all

UK - Le Mark's Harmony Gloss portable stage floor glistened and shimmered on Sunday night with the BBC's broadcast of the BAFTA Awards 2013.

Watched by an estimated 5.5m viewers and hosted by Stephen Fry, the ceremony production was visually stunning from start to finish.

Offering a high-gloss floor with a water-like effect, Le Mark's Harmony event floor flowed across the set, complimenting the stars as they walked onto the stage to collect their awards.

Having also been used in some of the largest productions in the world, including a custom printed version for the opening ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Harmony has become widely known for its speed and ease of installation, along with the ability to offer amazing visual effects when combined with professional lighting.

Le Mark's Leanne Baker commented, "To have any sort of involvement in what is arguably

UK - The Executive Hire Show proved to be a success yet again for inspHire shown through a busy stand over the course of the entire show. Three independent hirers took the opportunity to have a demonstration of inspHire hire software and then decided to purchase on the spot. Kelly Plant and Tool Hire Depot both utilised inspHire's 'Show only Deal' and purchased inspHire Express at the show's discounted rate and TJ Hire purchased inspHire Office Edition.

inspHire on Android, selected to be included on the Innovation Trail, was launched at the Executive Hire Show. Interest was high on this new, innovative product, as both inspHire customers and prospects were requesting a demonstration. Since launching inspHire on Android, inspHire has set up customers on this new application.

inspHire held one-to one free workshops throughout the show, providing customers with the chance to fur

Australia - After an extensive $3m renovation, the Sutherland Shire's Miranda Hotel has reopened complete with a new outdoor garden bar and a totally refurbished Carmen's Nightclub.

Compact Monitor Systems Australia designed and installed the audio system throughout the venue opting for a total JBL speaker solution.

"The JBL Control Series are my favourite speakers by a million miles," said Bill Richardson, managing director of Compact Monitor Systems Australia. "I've been a JBL-head for many years and Compact has been affiliated with JBL since the 1970's. The JBL Control Series of speakers is the first thing - and almost the only thing - we recommend to our clients. The only exception is if someone has a very specific request for a certain type of speakers."

Richardson describes the JBL Control Series as very simple, always sounding good straight out of

UK - Peterborough-based production supplier Pearce Hire has recently demonstrated their significant capabilities in the touring sector. The company provided a three-truss lighting rig and technician for the latest Jools Holland UK winter tour.

Pearce Hire has worked with Midland Sound & Lighting and Jools Holland's production team for several years and this was the second full winter tour for Jools Holland that they have been involved in.

The lighting rig complemented by on-site technical support included 18 Martin MAC 700 Profiles and 12 Robe Robin LEDWash 1200s. Additional fixtures included Robert Juliat Cyrano follow spots and a number of Studio Due CS4s purchased specifically by Pearce Hire to service the tour.

"Over the years we have formed a strong working relationship with Jools' production manager Andy Salmon, and LD Simon Chandler-Honnor," comments John Hu

France - French rental house Phase 4 has invested in 50 of the new VL3015LT Spot luminaires from Philips Vari-Lite. This makes Phase 4 the first lighting rental supplier in Europe to be able to offer the fixtures to its customers.

Paris-based Philips Vari-Lite distributor, CSI, supplied the 50 VL3015LT Spots to Phase 4, which now holds the largest stock of Vari-Lite automated luminaires in France. The substantial Phase 4 investment in the VL3015LT Spots followed a demo to the company's consoles and peripherals manager Georges DaSilva.

"Philips Vari-Lite is a strong brand," comments DaSilva. "In addition to its powerful output and its incredible zoom, the VL3015LT Spot maintains the same well respected color quality that has set the standard for the profession. All the customers that attended demonstrations have reported being hugely impressed with the VL3015LT f

USA - When the three-day grand opening celebration began on 11 January at the new Bing Concert Hall at Stanford University, the 842-seat hall resonated with performances by the San Francisco Symphony, mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Stanford Chamber Chorale, and members of the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and Stanford Philharmonia.

This diverse selection of performers and ensembles demonstrated the versatile acoustical capabilities of the new hall, showcasing solo performances and small ensembles as well as the full orchestra. World-renowned acoustic designer Yasuhisa Toyota of Nagata Acoustics determined the optimal sound design for this hall - and to execute this design, Stanford called upon the rigging experts at J. R. Clancy, Inc.

The complex job required Clancy and an installation team from Western Theatrical to work around a massive net

UK - Arena Group's Arena Scaffolding division provided a special installation at Spring Fair International, an exhibition which showcased the latest products and trends at the NEC Birmingham, 3 - 7 February 2013.

Most Arena Scaffolding projects involve supplying materials as supporting sub structures which tend to be concealed. However, at Spring Fair International Arena's temporary scaffold display became a central feature point at the Trend Bar in Hall 6, visited by over 3,000 delegates.

Working closely with the convention's head of design, Justin Southgate of Southgate Designs and fabric suppliers Stitch, Arena ensured the highest quality equipment was available to mirror Justin's design concepts and create a visually striking display.

Each scaffold pipe was individually positioned at different height levels and formed a large torch shape fitted with pastel coloured fabri

USA - Music Group, the corporate parent of pro audio brand Behringer has announced the immediate appointment of Indiana-based Starin as their exclusive fulfiller for all US States and protectorates. Starin had previously represented Behringer in selected territories while the rest of the country was served by Shoreview Distribution. The appointment is effective immediately and the company reports that Starin has sufficient quantities of product on hand to fill all orders across the country.

Vice president of global sales for Music Group, David O'Kelly, announced the appointment, stating, "Starin has proven to be an exceptional partner, delivering service levels that are earning praise from our dealers across America. I want to thank Shoreview for their loyal support but it became clear to us that a single source for Behringer products was in the best interest of our dealers

Belgium - Lighting designer Pim Elberse of PimmerPacK specified 100 Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700s to deliver bright beam flexibility for the 15th anniversary show of Dutch rock band Within Temptation.

Elberse, who worked along set designer Ignace d'Haese from Arf & Yes, used the Alpha Beam 700's fast moving ability to generate some stunning and dynamic mid-air and onstage effects. The result was a light show to remember at the 18,500-capacity Antwerps Sportpaleis in Antwerp, Belgium.

Supplied by PRG / EML Belgium, 50 Alpha Beams were placed on the floor in between the orchestra and band, and a further 50 Alpha Beams were flown on trusses. Each of the flow fixtures were rigged on an individual drop-arm that could drop 10 metres creating a dramatic, multi-dimensional environment for the band to perform in.

"The Alpha Beam 700s don't just feature Pan and Tilt," explains E

UK - Roland Systems Group (RSG) is teaming up with Lewitt Microphones and Metropolis Studios in London for a live production day, a free to attend afternoon event which will be open to all. To be held on Tuesday 19 February at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick High Road, the event will cover different aspects of working in the live sound and production arena with a focus on broadcast engineering and live video production.

Presented by well-known industry personnel and special guest broadcast engineers, dedicated sessions running from 3.30 to 5.00pm will provide a tactical insight into how the latest RSG technology is used in real world applications with insights from touring FOH engineers including Russell Tite (The Kooks). The event will also feature a live performance from Nzca/Lines, the brain child of Michael Lovett, supported by Moscow Youth Cult from 6.30 - 8.00pm.

(Jim Eva

UK - At Liverpool' Bierkeller, the 80 different beers are just a side-line: people come here for the live Oompah Band shows and a uniquely friendly atmosphere. Recently the venue's main hall invested in a new sound system, and loudspeakers from Brighton-based Traction Sound were chosen and installed by ProScreens.

The Bierkeller Entertainment Complex is situated right in the heart of the thriving Liverpool One. The new venue is built in a large concrete room with lots of hard reflective surfaces, creating a difficult acoustic environment. Paul Atherton of RW Salt explains why this made Traction Sound's loudspeakers an ideal choice: "Their SDS range has low vertical dispersion, which is perfect for acoustically difficult venues. You get less energy bouncing off reflective surfaces, meaning better clarity throughout the hall. Also, because of the long throw of Traction Sound'

USA - The AVnu Alliance, the industry forum that certifies Audio Video Bridging (AVB) products for interoperability, has announced the opening of its certification testing for AVB-enabled networking bridges at its appointed testing house - the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL). AVnu Certification is available to Alliance member companies.

This announcement, says the AVnu Alliance, is an important milestone in its mission to bring high-quality open-standard audio and video networking to professional AV, automotive, and consumer electronics segments. Several manufacturers have submitted AVB-enabled devices for AVnu Alliance's exhaustive interoperability and conformance testing, with more AVnu Alliance members expected to follow suit in the coming months. Products that complete the testing program successfully will receive an official logo of certifi

USA - For the 16th year in a row, Audio-Technica microphones appeared on the Grammy Awards Show, known throughout the industry as Music's Biggest Night. This year, the 55th Annual Grammys, held 10 February 2013, at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, featured a wide selection of artists from various genres of music.

For the live show and broadcast, Audio-Technica supplied over 250 of its microphones, including an impressive array of hard-wired mics and Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless Systems.

The ceremony itself has garnered widespread notice throughout the years as it continually raises the standard for broadcast entertainment. The EMMY-winning production was the first major awards show to venture into HDTV and 5.1 surround sound, and it was outfitted with the most advanced tools to ensure the highest fidelity for the evening's performances. Audio professionals continual

UK - Following one of the most successful years in the company's 26 year history, Creative Technology (CT) are celebrating after receiving two awards in as many weeks.

Delighted to have won the Event Production Awards Best AV Equipment Supplier, held at the London Lancaster Hotel on 5 February 2013, CT have now been confirmed as 'Favourite Video Services Company' at the Total Production Awards held at the Novotel London West Hotel.

Both awards are in recognition of CT's phenomenal year and of the enormous effort the team at CT put into London 2012 and countless other amazing events throughout 2012, says the company.

(Jim Evans)

Israel - Compulite Systems (2000) ltd have recently teamed up with coolux Media Systems to enable their Vector consoles to fully support coolux Pandora's Box Media Server.

Compulite extended their Media Server support to allow direct real time communication between Vector consoles and coolux Media Server. Media thumbnails are automatically downloaded to the console during initial communication, which allows for instant workflow. The interactive operation between the two systems extends user control capabilities, during programming and during live show time.

"Once again it's been proved that good and open collaborations between companies improves the products on both hands and mostly benefits the users in their daily work", said Yehuda Shukrun, Compulite CEO. "During the process, both companies shared a lot of necessary information to achieve the goal. Compulite

UK - The Ministry of Sound closed last month for its annual technical overhaul - with Harman Professional brands, distributed in the UK and Eire by Sound Technology Ltd, featuring in the club's major audio upgrade.

During the three-week shut-down, the world famous club extended its existing BSS network and provided an additional four channels of AKG DMS 700 wireless capability; but the piéce de résistance is found in 103 - the venue's second dance room - where a new Soundcraft Si Performer digital console now partners the Soundcraft Si2 in the adjacent Box.

This is the centrepiece of a substantial upgrade, authorised by production manager Chris Thoms. Although other spaces within the club have been reconfigured, including the VIP Room, 103 has undergone the biggest change, in order to bring it more in line with its bigger neighbour. As a result, it is now an adap

Mexico / Italy - LDR continues to reinforce its global distribution network with, the appointment of Vari Internacional as its exclusive distributor for Mexico, representing the whole LDR range.

LDR's Fabiano Besio comments: "Italy and Mexico have never been so close and I am glad to have Vari to represent LDR's products. We share the same passion for professional lighting and attention to the customers' needs . . . we are committed to provide quality products and fast service in Mexico."

Founded in 1985, Vari Internacional is one of the leading suppliers to the cinema market for Mexico and Central America: to keep up with the sweeping changes in the cinema industry, Vari is now specialising in offering a full AVL solutions for the professional industry. Ing. Hugo Patiño Cuellar, general manager at Vari, said: "LDR is a great addition to the existing portfolio

World - The perennially touring Lady Gaga is at it again. The five-time Grammy winner is in the midst of the Born This Way Ball tour, a seemingly endless succession of dates that will hit virtually every corner of the globe for more than a year - or longer. The elaborately gothic-inspired production was birthed in Seoul, Korea, in April of 2012 and has received glowing reviews and was honored as Major Tour of the Year at the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards.

Eighth Day Sound is again at the helm of the production, coordinating multiple universal stadium systems that at times are air-freighted with the stage set, leapfrogging across several continents to meet the tour.

"Each tour system is comprised of two SD7 Mach III systems at FOH outfitted with Waves and two Waves servers, with one running on a UPS for redundancy," explains Eighth Day chief technology offic

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