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UK - PLASA, the professional lighting and sound association, will host its Members’ Day and Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday, 31 May at the Royal College of Physicians, a beautiful and central venue in Regent's Park, London.
The day will provide a unique opportunity to network with fellow members, strike up new relationships and share the latest industry insights.
Attendees can look forward to a generous lunch and flowing drinks with an enlivening key-note speaker. The PLASA AGM will also take part during the day, keeping members up to date with the association with time to give feedback and ask questions.
The event is also an opportunity for members to meet representatives of the newly elected PLASA board, including new chairman Adam Blaxill.
There is plenty to celebrate at the event following a successful year for PLASA. The appoint

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Creative Funding - Arts Council England has launched a £14.4m fund for research and development projects. The money will be made available to individual artists and practitioners, “without the immediate pressure of showing their work publicly”. Recipients of the Developing Your Creative Practice fund will be able to use the grants – of between £2,000 and £10,000 each – to support periods of research, develop new ideas, international work and training, networking or mentoring.
Arts Council chair Nicholas Serota comments: “Every creative person needs time to breathe, to broaden their experience and to develop their ideas. We want all our arts organisations to continue to commission and present new work from a diverse range of artists but we also need to invest in the future. This fund will give creative talent of different ages from different backgrounds th

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Argentina - Martin Audio has appointed ARS Technologies as its distributor for Argentina.
The Buenos Aires-based company, which also distributes Sennheiser, Allen & Heath, Neutrik, Studer, Rode, Thorens, Universal Audio, ART, Dynaudio, K&M, TC Electronic, RapcoHorizon, Sonifex, Lab.Gruppen and Orban, has extensive experience in the installation and commercial application of professional audio equipment both nationally and internationally and covers sectors including telecommunications, TV and post-production, industrial sound and special events.
ARS’ Ricardo Pousa comments: “It’s a great honour to be named representatives of a leading brand such as Martin Audio. In addition to their prestige, history and renowned audio quality, it is unquestionable that they have the loudspeaker array with the highest technology to date - the MLA system - as well as gr

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Germany - Motion GmbH, which specialises in dry hire, has added Elation Professional Proteus Hybrid and Artiste DaVinci moving heads to its portfolio of moving lights. The fixtures are available at the company’s facility in Fürth, Germany, near Nuremberg.
The Proteus Hybrid, winner of the 2017 PLASA Award for Innovation, is an IP-65 certified 3-in-1 Spot/Beam/Wash floodlight that brings ideas to light under any weather conditions. The unit includes a sophisticated optical system with motorized zoom, CMY colour mixing and a revolutionary cooling principle.
HG Dünkel of the Motion Group explains the decision to go with the two innovative luminaires: "We chose the Proteus Hybrid because the combination of a 470-watt hybrid with a weatherproof housing is truly a unique selling proposition. As far as the Artiste DaVinci, it proved the best option in direct comparison w

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UK - Digital and live production specialist Really Creative Media has continued its investment in the latest Panasonic projection technology.
Nick Dew, managing director of Really Creative Media, announced the company has recently completed the purchase of Panasonic PT-RZ21K 20k lumen laser projectors, ahead of a busy 2018 of high-end fashion events and summer touring with headline music artists.
Nick explains: “The new units made a lot of sense for us. They complement our existing rental stock of equipment including the Panasonic RZ31K 30,000L projectors and all the existing lenses and accessories.”
The projection can handle 360° install through any axis which makes it easy to integrate into rigs and set designs with less than favourable vantage points for to project from.
Nick continues: “As a live production agency we take huge pride in deliverin

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Europe - Sennheiser has made a deeper foray into immersive audio by investing in two specialist companies.
The German audio giant has acquired Sonic Emotion AG, bringing the Swiss-based company's immersive audio solutions for soundfield control and loudspeaker playback to Sennheiser’s Ambeo technologies.
Sennheiser has also made an investment into Dear Reality, the creators of the dearVR 3D audio engine and the Spatial Connect software.
Daniel Sennheiser, co-CEO of Sennheiser, comments: “We are excited to be complementing our broad Ambeo expertise with additional capabilities in the areas of processing, controlling and reproducing object-based immersive audio.”
Dr. Andreas Sennheiser, co-CEO, adds: “Augmented audio will play a huge role in the future, and this expansion will further strengthen our position as the go-to experts in the field of a

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UK - Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance is launching a full-time online BA (Hons) Theatre Studies degree that will start this September.
The course, set to cost from £5,760 per year, is described as an affordable alternative to traditional undergraduate programmes, where students typically cover tuition fees of up to £9,250 in addition to living costs.
The course will be accessible from anywhere in the world and will offer a range of online modules led by a team of expert practitioner-academics, who will provide theoretical and practice-based perspectives as they study working theatres, practitioners, playwrights and directors alongside theatre studies at large.
Programme director, Jayne Richards, comments: “Using our experience of developing a part-time online programme for mature students, we believe we have created a comprehensive but flexib

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USA - National full-service audio, video and lighting integrator and live event production company LiveSpace has added an Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) Adaptive system to its inventory. The system is made up of Anna enclosures and Otto subwoofer modules.
Grand Rapids, Michigan-based LiveSpace was first introduced to Anna at a couple of industry trade shows. Since then, they have had the opportunity to demo the Anna/Otto systems for a variety of clients who each have unique audio environments. At that point, it became clear that they could benefit from owning their own Adaptive system.
“We were so impressed with the versatility and quality of the system that we decided to invest in it ourselves,” explains company President AJ Sweeney. “It will plug-and-play into our existing live productions and we felt it would further expand our business by offering another nat

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USA - High End Systems has launched HogFactor USA 2018, the company’s annual two-phase collegiate lighting programming competition held in conjunction with major trade shows in North America and across the globe.
Universities are now invited to enter teams of up to three students. The submission deadline is 30 June and over 20 collegiate teams have already signed up to participate in Phase One. To enter, each team is required to provide a performance lighting piece programmed on a Hog or Hog 4 PC that can be downloaded for free with a special demo version of Light Converse visualisation.
Three teams will be shortlisted by 31 July to participate in Phase Two and programme a performance lighting piece based on High End Systems’ 2018 LDI booth design. The teams will then be invited to perform their shows live at LDI on 19 October (Friday) at the High End Systems boo

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UK - Creative technical event production company Hawthorn celebrated success last week after picking up the award for Event Production of the Year at The Event Production Awards 2018. White Light's entry was highly commended in the same category. 
To win the award, Hawthorn showcased their work on the Adobe Summit EMEA 2017. Working with agency Taylor Bennett Partners, the team delivered full technical production for the immersive two-day event which saw 5,000 digital marketing professionals gather for the thought-leading Adobe brand experience.
This included delivering the technical production for the main conference plenary, exhibition space, break-out rooms and the muchly anticipated Summit Celebration. From the creation of a virtual waterfall to the installation of an interactive ceiling using 1017 panels of LED, the event was a true technical challenge for the te

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Mexico - LED Project, the Mexico City-based technical lighting and video rental company, owns a large rental stock of current and new Robe products.
With over 200 BMFLs, Spiiders, Pointes, LEDWash 300s and 600s, LEDBeam 1000s, CycFX 8s and MiniMe’s in the inventory, the company run by Sergio Serrano has been a major Robe brand ambassador for the last five years.
His decision to invest in Robe early on, and to specify Robe moving lights for some key music clients that he has production managed, has also set trends and encouraged others to follow. All of which has helped to raise the brand profile and put Robe on the map in this crucial ‘crossover’ territory between the U.S and Latin America.
His latest purchase from Robe’s Mexican distribution SHOWCO, has been 12 x Spiiders. These will shortly be followed by another 12, and he also, naturally, has his sigh

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Europe - Jan Huewel, former CEO of coolux GmbH and former senior director at Christie Digital, has teamed up with Martin Kuhn, former creative director of auviso, to start a new AV business - ioversal.
The new company is planning to release a universal AV production suite that “combines and advances proven workflows and concepts with cutting edge technological developments in the fields of IT hardware, network technology and software development”.
In a joint statement, the founders comment: “We aspire to offer a new, simplified way to handle media production for everyone, ranging from projects in digital signage to fixed installations, rental staging and even complex interactive experiences.”
Huewel comments: “Founding coolux and developing it along with its key products Pandoras Box & Widget Designer over the past 15 years into a thriving and succes

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USA - Global supplier of truss, staging and rigging equipment Eurotruss has acquired US structural systems manufacturer Total Structures, becoming the sole owner of the Ventura-based company.
The deal is hoped to allow Total Structures “to offer a greater product range and use the knowledge, expertise and scale in continuing to be a leading brand and partner in the US market”. The US company’s new management will be led by former Tomcat employees Scott Johnson as CEO and Bill Berrier as CFO.
Martin Kuyper, founder of Eurotruss, comments: “This acquisition strengthens our product portfolio and supply chain, being the first truss brand providing nationwide coverage from our two factories in Ventura, CA and Knoxville, TN.
“We will honour, respect and continue the products, values and business of Total Structures while integrating the Eurotruss brand and

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UK - Broadcast and event lighting specialists Version 2 has continued its investment into its power distribution equipment offerings. The company offers state-of-the-art monitoring utilising its propriety SMARTdistro technology.
The company once again turned to its manufacturing partners SES Entertainment Services who have built the companies entire distribution inventory since its inception. The design process was led by Sam Crook, Version 2’s technical director who collaborated with SES managing director Mark Cooper on the specification of the latest units.
SES’s Mark Cooper comments: “SES love working with companies like Version 2; they come to us with a clear outline of what they want both technically and physically, but still allow us to build their units to meet our exacting standards.”
Sam Crook of Version 2 concludes: ‘’This significant inves

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UK - HD Pro Audio's next technology workshop is taking place at London's Hospital Club in the Oak Room in Covent Garden on 19 March from 11am to 5pm GMT.
The presentations will include system design, setup and pro tips for Yamaha CL and QL consoles with RIO interfaces and a session on the new Shure Axient digital wireless microphones with Wireless Workbench 6 software.
There will also be a demonstration of the new KOS 3.0 software, which introduces a host of new features including parametric EQ for KLANG:technologies unique 3D In Ear Mixing system. Audinate's Dante audio network protocol will also be a common theme throughout.
Manufacturers' representatives will be on hand to provide an overview of all technologies on show as well as hands-on demonstrations.
The event is free but numbers are limited, so anyone wi

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UK - Bristol-based LED lighting manufacturer GDS has confirmed Glantre Engineering as an installation partner.
Wokingham-based Glantre are experts in designing and installing comprehensive entertainment solutions across various sectors including theatre, broadcast, hospitality and education. The company's installation projects encompass theatre, TV studios and architectural lighting.
GDS managing director Matt Lloyd comments: “We’re very much looking forward to working with this internationally renowned and respected company. As the scope of GDS’s technologies continues to widen across a whole variety of market areas, it’s important that we develop and maintain strong partnerships with trusted installers on a global scale.
“Glantre’s reputation for service delivery is of the highest order and we’re certain that GDS products will prove to be an invalu

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Elf on Tour - An arena version of the West End musical Elf will tour the UK this Christmas, it has been announced. The musical, which is based on the Will Ferrell film of the same name, will feature Martine McCutcheon and David Essex, and Tam Ryan in the lead role of Buddy. The company also includes Louise English and a cast of more than 70 performers.
The show previously ran in the West End in 2015 as well as on tour in 2017. It was also filmed and shown on Channel 5 over Christmas. The tour will visit Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena from 14-16 December, before visiting the Genting Arena in Birmingham from 20-24 December and Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena from 28-30 December.
The original staging will be upscaled to include giant screens showing computer graphic backdrops and live action close-ups. It will be presented on a 70ft stage with scenes taking place aro

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Europe - Sixty82, a new trussing and staging engineering company, launched operation on 1 March.
The company brings together prominent professionals from the Netherland’s Prolyte Group and France’s Axente, along with Adrian and Lee Brooks from the UK. The company is planning to introduce a track-and-trace technology that guarantees every individual component is traceable, safe and properly engineered.
Fokko Smeding, Prolyte Group founder and CEO of Sixty82, says: “With some of the trussing world’s most experienced and trusted individuals behind our product line, we are extremely excited to launch Sixty82.
“Our passion has always been to supply the industry with safe, well-manufactured products, and back that up with our trademark - superlative, knowledgeable customer service. We have focused on the introduction of new technology that will become an ind

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UK - Fibre infrastructure specialist BroaMan has appointed HHB Communications as its new UK and Ireland distributor.
BroaMan managing director, Tine Helmle, comments: “We are delighted to be working with HHB, whose pedigree and track record speak for themselves.”
HHB director of sales, Martin O’Donnell, adds: “This partnership with BroaMan further proves HHB’s reputation as the ultimate supplier for all audio, video, data and GPIOs transport and systems solutions.”
Broaman’s newly announced Repeat48-2Fibre module made its debut at BVE. BroaMan’s technical sales manager, Maciek Janiszewski says: "The new module complements the Repeat48 and Repeat48WDM series, making it fully flexible for literally any type of signal.”
(Jim Evans)

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UAE - Ayrton has named DYNLIGHT LLC. of Abu Dhabi as its new exclusive distributor for the GCC region and Lebanon.
To mark the occasion, production director Thomas Linke has been appointed as DYNLIGHT’s brand manager for Ayrton products. Originally from Germany, Linke joins DYNLIGHT from his position as area manager of A&O Technology Middle East, where he spent a decade building a comprehensive understanding of the region.
“We are especially excited to be the exclusive distributor for Ayrton in this region,” says Linke. “The entertainment industry is growing at a phenomenal rate in the GCC and the demand for Ayrton products is keeping pace with it as Ayrton’s reputation for quality, reliability and innovative lighting fixtures precedes it. We want to be able to supply our customers with world-class products and already have enquiries from lighting designe

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UK - When Mike Smith and Brian Glover of Halifax-based audio providers Sound Alliance began considering a new audio brand to enhance their hire inventory they turned to KV2 Audio products to help make the step up.
Smith explains: “Having recently purchased two Roland M5000 consoles and REAC V mixing systems we were in the market for a high quality professional point source sound system to add to our existing audio rental stock.”
KV2 Audio’s True Point Source approach to loudspeaker design was the right fit for Sound Alliance, with Mike having had the opportunity to experience KV2’s ES system “up-close-and-personal” in the real world whilst touring with the Chicago Blues Brothers show.
“Having been able to experience a single ES system delivering consistently stunning sound for an 11-piece band on in excess of 150 theatre shows we became convinced t

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USA - Ashly Audio reports that Alliance Audio Visual Group will represent all of Ashly’s DSPs, amplifiers, user interfaces, and digital mixing consoles throughout southern California and southern Nevada.
With origins stretching back over two decades and a strong, stable network of clients, Alliance has been helping A/V consultants, and contractors, touring sound companies, and related companies connect with audio-video equipment that makes their projects successful.
“Ashly Audio has a well-earned reputation for building processors, amplifiers, and interfaces that are thoughtfully designed, and are rock-solid-reliable right out of the box and into the distant future,” said Matthew Jensen, owner and principle rep at Alliance Audio Visual Group.
“Ashly offers a range of solutions that complements our existing line card and that completes the synergy of prod

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South Africa - DWR Distribution has partnered with South African technician Jacob ‘Jakes’ Mogale to form a new installation company, The Install Crew.
While the new company will run independently from DWR, it will operate from the DWR offices.
Mogale, who formerly owned DimBright, comments: “For me, this is the ultimate partnership. We share the same values, we care about quality workmanship and we have also worked on projects together for the past ten years which means we have built a relationship. This is an exciting venture for both my team and me.”
Robert Izzett of DWR says: “This will be an installation company with no products involved. It means that The Install Crew will offer skilled labour and good workmanship, backed-up with outstanding service.”
Mogale adds: “The aim is to be of service to any theatre or company in the country who n

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UK - With just days to go until ISCEx 2018, the Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers reports a record number of visitor registrations and exhibitor bookings for its seminar and exhibition event, taking place on 7 March (Wednesday) at Coombe Abbey Hotel, Binley, Warwickshire.
The event will see 35 leading audio manufacturers and distributors on hand in the exhibition zone to discuss market opportunities, technology developments and your projects, alongside a programme of seminars throughout the day, open to all exhibition attendees.
This year’s seminars include: Busting the myths of Mass Evacuation - Dr Chris Cocking, School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton; How do we react to Sound? - Hanieh Motamedian, Sound Directions & Sam Wise, Venue Strategies; Don’t Drop the Ball - Matthew Archer, Audio Technica Ltd.
Visitor
  1. Backup’s Comfest 2018 tickets available now
  2. Working group to address lighting designer issues formed
  3. Martin Audio appoints IAC Qatar as distributor
  4. Atlona On Tour Roadshow visits India
  5. The Week in Light & Sound
  6. Prolyte Campus 2018 Cape Town
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