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South Africa - Visiting South Africa, and in fact the African continent for the very first time, Oliver Ronshausen, service manager from MA Lighting, presented an elaborate three-day Advanced Service Training session to the DWR Distribution technical and support team.
Oliver joined MA in 1994, and with only a four-year interruption in between, really is part of the family. “I love the MA team, the product, being around the users and distributors and making friends in the industry,” said Oliver who in August last year started pushing service training to new and more structured level. “The training is to educate and enable people in the field to do repairs but the important thing, really, is maintenance. The feeling I have is that many MA owners don’t realize that they have to maintain their consoles in order to operate shows with a reliable product.”
The comp

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UK - Sundown Festival returned to Norfolk Showground for the seventh year this September and Hawthorn once again supplied lighting for the main stage. Attracting a 40,000 crowd, the three-day festival was the biggest ever and featured Craig David, Pendulum, Rag’n’Bone Man and You Me At Six.
Hawthorn supplied the Main Stage flown lighting system, including rigging, drapes, FOH control systems and followspots. On top of this, the company also provided a custom designed lighting package for Saturday’s headline act Craig David and another for Pendulum, who brought the festival to a spectacular close on the Sunday night.
Hawthorn’s head of concert touring, Mick Freer, led the project and consulted with the lighting designers for this year’s headline and supporting acts to produce a design that brought together all their precise requirements.
“The LDs provi

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USA - “Magic is what we do, Music is how we do it,” Jerry Garcia once told an interviewer. Had the Grateful Dead frontman been around to see the fantastical transformation of his namesake forest at the recent Lockin’ Festival, he undoubtedly would have agreed that there can be quite a bit of magic involved in lighting too.
S. Jeremy Peters turned the thickly wooded ‘Garcia’s Forest’ around Lockin’s Terrapin Station Stage (named after the Grateful Dead’s mystical 1977 album) into a transcendental canopy of colour with 150 pixel-mapped IP65 par fixtures that he controlled with his ChamSys PC Wing and Playback Wing.
Peters, the owner of SJP Productions, hung between three and five lights on over 30 trees in the forest. The glow from these fixtures radiated throughout the woods, colorizing other trees and creating a wonderland around the stage. Using modifi

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Tahiti - Nexo’s flagship modular line array, the STM Series, has been installed in its most exotic location to date – the To’Ata Showground in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti.
This very large showground, available for rental in different configurations that can accommodate 3200-6000 people, is the primary cultural events venue in French Polynesia, staging rock and pop concerts for up to 5000 people. It is also home to the Heiva, a spectacular two-month festival of dance and sport which dates back to 1881. Teams and troupes arrive from all the islands, more than 8000 participants in all, with the best chant and dance groups competing on the famous To’Ata stage.
Te Fare Tahiti Nui (TFTN), the public service organisation which manages the venue, was tasked with choosing a PA system that could match the showground’s versatility. Working closely with Comimpex, the

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Norway - Acoustic problems are not limited to historic venues - many newer concert halls still experience issues with reverb or frequencies that can be difficult to eliminate. But an Alcons Audio pro-ribbon system has made a major difference to the main live venue in Tromsø, Norway.
Owned by the municipality of Tromsø, KulturHuset opened in 1984 and is used for a wide range of productions including opera, theatre, stand-up comedy, rock, pop and classical concerts. It also shows films during the Tromsø International Film Festival. The main auditorium can accommodate a seated audience of 620, or 1200 with the seats removed.
The main auditorium’s existing PA had been in place for over 10 years and the theatre felt that it was time to modernise and embrace the latest technology to help minimise a problem with bass reverberation.
"Sound quality was of course on

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UK - On its first ever public outing at PLASA 2017, Le Mark’s new PAL Label Challenge was attempted by some of the shows strongest visitors and exhibitors, but remained completely undefeated.
“The PAL Label Challenge is so much fun. It gets really competitive between friends and colleagues but so far, no one has made it budge.” Said Le Mark’s marketing & strategy manager, Mark Gibbons.
What’s the PAL Label Challenge? Le Mark wanted an entertaining way to demonstrate the raw strength of the adhesive they use in selected PAL Road Case Labels. With the help of with 5 Star Cases, they designed a set of flight case plates, fitted with heavy duty handles and stuck them together using the very same super-strength foam adhesive used in their foam-backed PAL Labels. The challenge is to see if anyone has the strength to pull them apart.
With no one successful

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UK - Shure UK announced SSE Audio as its 2017 UK Rental Partner of the Year during the PLASA Show at London's Olympia. The award was given to SSE Audio's group managing director John Penn and co-founder Heather Penn at the Shure PLASA stand during the second day at the show, by Shure UK's Pro Audio Group manager Tuomo Tolonen and area sales manager Stuart Moots.
"Shure's excellent relationship with SSE Audio spans several decades, during which time they've been a highly valued rental partner for us - but this past year, we've worked especially closely together with them," noted Tuomo Tolonen following the handing over of the award.
"SSE were involved with beta-testing for Axient Digital, our new flagship digital wireless microphone system, and this provided us with valuable feedback and allowed SSE to get first-hand experience with the system. After Axient Digital bega

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UK - PLASA 2017 proved a lively, energetic and vibey hub for meeting the UK’s lighting and visual designer community and other creatives commented Robe UK’s MD Mick Hannaford, words echoed by the moving light manufacturer’s CEO Josef Valchar, stating, “We have enjoyed seeing many individuals, companies and organisations from all over the UK as well as several from Europe – the quality of the visitors and the networking opportunities were really excellent this year!”
The annual trade show was again staged at the Olympia exhibition centre in west London over three days, with Robe’s large, high-impact stand right at the heart of the domed ceiling hall, attracting massive attention with a specular dance / light performance live show.
This year, the product focus was on Robe’s just launched MegaPointe multi-functional moving light.
Another stunning boo

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UK - Organised by LSi magazine, the 2017 PLASA Awards for Innovation took place at the end of a very busy Monday at this year’s PLASA Show. Hosted by PLASA’s managing director Peter Heath, the awards aim to recognise and reward outstanding new product ideas. 
The Awards garner a huge amount of respect because they are independently and impartially judged by an invited team of industry experts.
To win an Award for Innovation and Sustainability, a nominated product had to satisfy the chairman of judges that it met the criteria for Innovation by clearly showing that it demonstrates a new style of thinking; improves technical practice; introduces new technology, new materials or new techniques; includes patents or unique intellectual property; offers a new commercial advantage, or improves safety.
“This year we saw an incredible 40 products nominated, rather f

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UK GDS announced at PLASA 2017 the creation of GDS Korea, a GDS manufacturing and design office in South Korea.
Following its creation, GDS has secured leading lighting supply and integration company, Hansam System Co Ltd as its exclusive distribution partner.
Richard Cuthbert commented: I am extremely pleased to be working with Hansam System and the team in South Korea. With an unparalleled system integration knowledge, it is the right choice for GDS theatre and lighting products. I very much look forward to improving the technical quality of theatre spaces in South Korea, and driving standards higher, as GDS has a long-standing reputation for doing.”
(Jim Evans)

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UK - Sunday 17 September marked the 10th anniversary of the prestigious Knight of Illumination (KOI) Awards, held at the Eventim Apollo in London. During the dazzling evening event, 24 respected designers were 'knighted' - and bestowed with the iconic KOI sword.
The event was skillfully compered by the inimitable Ola Melzig, an internationally renowned technical director perhaps best known for his tireless work on the annual Eurovision Song Contest - the world's biggest televised music event.
More than 500 entertainment technology industry professionals gathered together to celebrate the achievements of the many international lighting and video designers whose work on shows across the UK earned them a coveted place on the shortlist for this year's KOI Awards. The winners are as follows:
THEATRE
Winner of The ADB Theatre Award for Plays:

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UK - Tourflex Cabling, the cable manufacturing division of A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ltd. (AC-ET), has launched its new dedicated website - www.tourflex-cabling.com.
Tourflex Cabling builds cable assemblies to customers' specific requirements in its manufacturing facility in High Wycombe, not far from London. The level of customisation even goes down to adding specific heat shrink labelling, RFIDs and barcodes as required by the client. Typical customers include rental and production companies, as well as venues and installers.
Phill Capstick, AC-ET’s managing director said: "Custom cable assemblies for Entertainment, Film and TV is an important part of the business, but it’s always been difficult to explain the full range of what we’re able to do as there are thousands of options. Having a dedicated site for Tourflex Cabling helps us to do this.
Ou

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The Netherlands - Film & Broadcasting specialist ARRI has selected LumenRadio as its technology partner for their wireless offer going forward. The first products to be released are the SkyLink and the SkyPanel S360-C, both debuting at IBC 2017.
“In the year of their 100th anniversary, ARRI has taken the step to go wireless and join LumenRadio’s ever-growing list of OEM’s and end-users who are using our ultra-reliable CRMX technology. This further solidifies our position as the de facto standard for wireless DMX within film & broadcasting, which is both a blessing and a responsibility – we will have to continue to deliver on our promise of Wireless Without Worries,” says Robert Larsson, international sales manager who is responsible for LumenRadio’s business within professional lighting.
The SkyLink product is a particularly interesting deve

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UK - Novum Audio Visual Ltd., a leading Midlands-based conference and technical event production company, has just invested in a significant stock of Outline PA equipment along with flying hardware, flight cases and amplifiers as part of an exercise to both revitalize and streamline their rental stock inventory. Novum’s technical team voted unanimously for the Outline products after a blind shoot-out between seven different speaker manufacturers.
Novum’s commercial director, Tim Jacques, takes up the story: “In this current tranche of investment, we essentially had two issues to resolve. First, we were looking to overhaul our point source stock, and secondly we wanted to set a foundation and a direction for our next investment into a large-format solution.
“Much of our previous audio stock was over 10 years old and over the years we had gradually built up a wid

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UK - The PLASA Show’s second year at London Olympia marks its 40th anniversary. It may be 40 years old, but the show has moved with the times, adapting its offering to accommodate the shift in how companies want to exhibit.
There are over 200 brands on the show floor this year, displaying the very latest pro audio, lighting, AV, staging and rigging technology. New audio products on show include: Adamson’s IS-Series of loudspeakers; d&b audiotechnik’s 24S and 24S-D and 21S-SUB point source loudspeakers; FBT Audio’s VENTIS and Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless System. New lighting releases include Chauvet’s Maverick MK2 Profile; Elation’s Artiste Dali; Eaton’s Zero 88 FLX S and Robe’s new MegaPointe.
This year’s enhanced seminar programme sees more than 100 industry experts giving key-note talks, live demos, interactive workshops and panel discussio

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UK - As the PLASA Show’s second year at London Olympia and its 40th anniversary approaches this Sunday, 17 September, there is much to look forward to. It may be 40 years old, but the show has moved with the times, adapting its offering to accommodate the shift in how companies want to exhibit.
There will be over 200 brands on the show floor this year, displaying the very latest pro audio, lighting, AV, staging and rigging technology. New audio products on show will include: Adamson’s IS-Series of loudspeakers; d&b audiotechniks’s 24S and 24S-D and 21S-SUB point source loudspeakers; FBT Audio’s VENTIS and Shure’s Axient Digital Wireless System. New lighting releases include: Chauvet’s Maverick MK2 Profile; Elation’s Artiste Dali; Eaton’s Zero 88 FLX S and Robe’s brand new MegaPointe.
This year’s enhanced seminar programme, will see more t

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UK - Theatres Trust has announced the programme of speakers for Conference 17: Theatres & Placemaking which will take place on 17 October at the Lyric Hammersmith, London.
Speakers will be discussing the role of theatres and the wider cultural infrastructure within placemaking. Teams behind recent theatre projects will explore how community and placemaking plays a fundamental role in the future proofing of their venues with Storyhouse Chester, Tara Arts, New Diorama Theatre, Royal Town Planning Institute, Argent LLP and others joining in the discussions.
Jon Morgan, director of Theatres Trust says: “Conference 17 will stimulate conversations around theatre buildings and their role in placemaking – ranging from their impact on vibrancy of place and the local economy, the physical and philosophical relationship of theatre buildings to their community and their co

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UK - Lighting and rigging dry hire specialist Nexus has launched a new brand identity as part of its wider business growth plans.
The company, which earlier in the year secured private investment from motor finance giants Evolution Funding, has introduced the new corporate identity to represent their position in the market and their vision for the future.
Tom Agar, Nexus managing director, explained: “This year has been a rollercoaster, with lots of exciting developments. We’ve invested nearly £1m in new stock over the last six months, including significant new purchases from Martin Professional, SGM, Robe, MA, ETC, and INDU.
“We’re securing contracts from all over the globe and a shift in our business model means we are now buying everything in quantity to ensure we have enough stock to service even the most onerous demands.
“We felt it was time

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UK - Storm Ltd. of the UK has optimised its large inventory of ProPlex Data Distribution units, installing them in rugged, touring racks, a solution for their work on productions throughout the UK and Europe.
“ProPlex provides a truly versatile and reliable solution for our networking demands,” says Storm’s hire coordinator, James Price. “Much of our work involves ‘rolling’ entire systems in and out of venues quickly, and by installing ProPlex in dedicated racks we have our entire networking ‘brain’ in a single package. Some of our racks include the GBS 10-port, Opto-Splitter 2x8, and IQ DMX-Ethernet nodes. We also have IQ Minis for truss-mounting. Everything is wired with ProPlex cable, making our network arsenal ready for anything.”
Storm’s director, Dave Knapp adds, “The ProPlex software and devices are intuitive and very easy to use, as well

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UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ltd. (AC-ET) has been appointed as the UK-exclusive distributor for the LSC Lighting Systems range of control, dimming & distribution products - a selection of which will be showcased on the company's stand (E30b) at PLASA 2017, Olympia, London, 17-19 September.
AC-ET's UK sales & purchasing director, Jonathan Walters, commented: "We are delighted to add LSC to our portfolio of control, dimming & distro brands. LSC is synonymous with producing innovative and high-quality products, and its impressive line-up further strengthens the choice of solutions we can give our customers access to - all under one roof."
PLASA will see the launch of LSC’s new Unity cabinet dimmer and power distribution system. Already specified into one of the worlds’ biggest installations, Unity offers a next generation, complete solution to con

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UK - Vectorworks has announced details of its annual Vectorworks Spotlight Conference where the company will provide further details on Vectorworks decision to open its first ever office outside the US here in the UK. Operational since mid-August, this initiative is testament to the importance of the UK market, its customers and partners to Vectorworks, inc.
This conference is for Vectorworks Spotlight users and any designers looking at Vectorworks as a software solution.
Speakers will include a Vectorworks Key Spotlight Developer, the Vectorworks UK Spotlight Evangelist and “inspiring speakers who will help you add value to your designs and share their latest tips and tricks”.
Says Vectorworks, “As this event is being organised for our customers using the Spotlight software if there is anything you would particularly like covered during the day please let

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Eurtope - Atlona’s commitment to the Benelux market in Western Europe – Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg – just grew stronger with the appointment of Intronics as its regional distributor. Headquartered in Barnevald, the Netherlands with offices around Europe, Intronics specializes in the development and supply of connectivity for information and data supplies, retail and electronics, and works closely with systems integrators to provide complete solutions for commercial AV projects.
The addition of Atlona to Intronics’ impressive list of brands fortifies Intronics’ position as a leading supplier of video extension, distribution and processing equipment. Atlona’s continued leadership in wired switching and distribution systems coupled with its emerging innovations in AV over IP, networked control, soft codec conferencing and BYOD connectivity will substant

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Virtual Reality - Benny Andersson has confirmed to a Swedish newspaper that plans for a virtual reality tour featuring all four members is in the works. He told Expressen: "We see each other every now and then, we've done a few different things, and now we've got a project ahead of us" The tour, featuring digital avatars of Benny, Bjorn lveaus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog is planned to kick off in 2019. “It will take a bit of time, it takes time to digitalize a face,” he said, adding: "It's fun that it's so technologically advanced. It will be interesting."
Refurbishment - London’s Aldwych Theatre is undergoing a multimillion-pound refurbishment. The refit is taking place over 15 weeks between the closure of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical and the opening of La Soiree on 24 November. The refurbishment has been fund

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Europe - When it comes to some of the biggest names in the business, performing at some of the largest stadiums and venues across the globe, MDG know a thing or two about providing the perfect haze and atmosphere - for both the lighting and the artists.
Stellar artists Adele and Phil Collins both engaged the design services of Patrick Woodroffe who, in collaboration with Roland Greil, both from design practice, Woodroffe Bassett Design, produced some stunning shows for their latest tours. On each production, Greil took on the mantle of associate lighting designer, lighting director and operator so has a unique perspective on the role and delivery of haze and fog across a wide spectrum of environments and venues.
Woodroffe and Greil specified two different types of MDG machines across three tours in all: Adele’s LIVE 2016 tour and Phil Collins’ Not Dead Yet tour bo
  1. Robe encouraged by Chance
  2. Adamson reinforces festival fireworks finale
  3. Dante AV Networking World training at PLASA 2017
  4. Chauvet rejuvenates Stars in Concert series
  5. SSL at heart of Birmingham Conservatoire
  6. Royal Court Liverpool saves energy with LED
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