Business

Details
UK - The University of Cambridge celebrates its cultural and scientific heritage by playing host to e-Luminate, a week-long lighting festival aimed at connecting art and technology through the medium of light. Among the highlights of this year's event was a richly coloured lighting display on historic Guildhall that was created with a collection Iluminarc fixtures from Chauvet.

A Victorian style natural stone building located in the centre of historic Cambridge and owned by the city, Guildhall provided an ideal backdrop for the interplay of vivid hues produced by the Colorist Pod 7Qa and Colorist Panel 8Q. Strategically positioned on the building's balcony by lighting designer Simon Cox, the RGBA fixtures accented the distinctive architectural features of the popular Cambridge landmark.

"The E-Luminate festival aims to highlight new energy efficient lighting technology usi

Details
South Africa - Over 127 schools were invited to attend a Careers Day on 7 April, hosted by Silverstar in Krugersdorp - the focus on employment opportunities available within this casino. DWR Distribution was asked to be a sponsor and exhibitor, giving students the opportunity to consider working in the entertainment industry as a technician. The conference venue became a haven for 500 students, hungry for knowledge.

Thabo Ntsala, multimedia manager at Silverstar, who heads technical for events and conferences, was clearly chuffed. "Silverstar have hosted a day like this before on a much smaller scale," he said. Thabo explained that students would be exposed to various professions including marketing, events management and promotions and more.

As Silverstar is a popular venue for live entertainment and conferences, Thabo invited DWR Distribution to be part of the project, e

Details
UK - The growing demand for line array systems has led West Midlands based MG Event & Sound to add an FBT Muse system to its hire equipment line-up.

MG's customer base is spread across the UK and includes both corporate and commercial as well as church and music events. The company offers both hire and installation services and has previously sold and installed FBT systems including Vertus, Verve, Mitus and J Series, so when proprietor, Mike Godden, decided he wanted to add a line array to his hire line-up, FBT was immediately on his list of potential purchases.

"I've been dealing with FBT for 18 years, previously for products that I have been selling and they've always impressed me. I wanted to have a line array in our inventory to enable us to take on bigger jobs, but I didn't need a huge system costing a vast amount of money. I wanted to deal with a manufacturer with go

Details
USA - Rock veterans and 39-year touring pros Toto released their latest studio album, XIV. Since then, they have been steadily touring the world in support of the release. For the very first time, keyboardist David Paich has been taking the stage with in-ear monitors - The Sensaphonics 3D AARO Active Ambient system. Keyboard tech Jordan Rippe is also using the 3D system throughout the show.

Of course, nearly every major tour relies on IEMs, but like many old-school rockers, David Paich had never taken to the technology. But with side stage responsibilities for two keyboard rigs - David Paich and synthesist Steve Porcaro - Rippe decided it was time to step up his own IEM game, which is how he learned about the 3D AARO.

"As tour tech for both David and Steve, there's a lot to do," he recounts. "I talked to my friends around L.A. about in-ears and mostly heard the usua

Details
UK - Perhaps it was the ushers dressed as beekeepers, maybe it was the rustic soundscape on the way into the venue, or that tens of thousands of the principle players weren't actually in the building. Whatever, as live performance experiences go this one looked like it was going to be a bit of a honey. And with TiMax SoundHub dynamic spatialisation, a 15.2 KV2 surround system and layered projection screens there was promise of quite the memorable multi-sensory experience.

Be Play One was an ambitious live reprieve at Nottingham Arts Centre of the Wolfgang Buttress-inspired sound and music-scape created for the UK Milan Expo 2015 pavilion, as part of his massive beehive and meadow installation which sought to highlight the significance and plight of bees in our food chain and ecology. The show played for two nights to sold-out audiences and received quietly rapturous rev

Details
USA - Following the success of Halestorm's third studio album Into the Wild, the Grammy-Award winning band returns to the road for a rock tour that takes high-octane energy and powerful female voices, including special guests Lita Ford and Dorothy, and combines it all into one epic event.

Bandit Lites is providing a lighting package that brings mind-blowing visuals to Halestorm's hardcore sound. By using Clay Paky Sharpys, GLP X4S fixtures within black truss towers (evoking a modern, updated look to par ACL Bars), Martin Atomic 3000 Strobes, Bandit 5x5s and GRNLite LED Battens, lighting designer Julie Cox focused on creating a rig that could "push fixture capability instead of quantity", adding, "The fixtures are in their highest effect settings to really up the visual options."

New to this year's tour design was the addition of the Bandit 5x5s, a fixture that Cox s

Details
China - Nexo's newly-installed public address solutions in one of the world's most modern airports have exceeded targets and expectations. Now up and running in the Mid-Field Concourse of the Hong Kong International Airport (Chep Lak Kok), the PA installation is the culmination of a six-year process, and is being described as a game-changer for public address intelligibility, quality and user experience.

The Mid-Field Concourse (MFC) is a new building which adds 30 gates to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). Initiated by the Hong Kong Airport Authority, the MFC is a key component of the airport's expansion plans, which include the opening of a third runway and Terminal.

In 2011, acoustics and AV consultant Arup Hong Kong started the process of defining a future-proof strategy and design for the MFC's public address capability, looking at all acoustic, technological an

Details
Taiwan - As one of the most influential Buddhist organisations in the world, Taiwan's Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) embraces environmental protection within its Buddhist practices.

For two recent events - the second Global Followers Assembly and the annual Great Compassion Water and Land Dharma Service - DDM employed modern digital technology and LED lighting to conserve energy and reduce pollution, seamlessly integrating advanced science and art into their traditional ceremonies. ETC's Taiwanese dealer, Ming Li Engineering & Consultant Co, provided ColorSource and Source Four LED Series 2 luminaires and an Eos family control system to light up the two great events.

Both the Global Assembly and the Dharma Service were held at the DDM World Center for Buddhist Education in Taiwan. Approximately 10,000 followers from around the world attended the 2015 Global Assembly, and after

Details
Czech Republic - Czech PA company, MB Agency, has invested in Allen & Heath's dLive digital mixing system as part of an upgrade to its hire stock.

The system was used for the first time when MB Agency was appointed by the Czech Forestry Association to manage the technical production of its 20th Anniversary Gala Ball, which took place recently at the cultural venue, Aldis, in the city of Hradec Kr

Details
Copyright Row - Led Zeppelin founders Robert Plant and Jimmy Page must face trial in a copyright row over the song Stairway to Heaven, a US court has ruled. A Los Angeles district judge said there were enough similarities between the song and an instrumental by the band Spirit to let a jury decide. The trial has been scheduled for 10 May.

Stairway to Heaven, released in 1971, is widely seen as one of the greatest rock compositions of all time. The copyright infringement action has been brought by Michael Skidmore, a trustee for the late Spirit guitarist Randy Wolfe, who played on the same bill as Led Zeppelin in the 1960s, and claims he should be given a writing credit on the track. Led Zeppelin guitarist Page and lead singer Plant are reputed to have written the track in a remote cottage in Wales.

By Royal Appointment - Kylie Minogue will perform for

Details
Italy - Japan's view of the world and the beauty of its nature has been displayed across seven giant pillars installed at Milano Salone 2016 - created using 140 Panasonic 55" inch professional video wall displays.

The installation is designed with the theme of K?KAN - the Invention of Space and sees 140 TH-55LFV5 panels arranged into seven pillars each over six metres high. It combines the traditional culture of Japan with state-of-the-art technology.

Milano Salone attracts approximately 310,000 visitors and 160 participating countries each year. It has a strong influence on the design industry as a launch pad for the latest global design trends. In recent years, it has evolved beyond its role as a design exhibition and is drawing attention as a platform of expression for many brands.

(Jim Evans)

Details
Brazil - NBC Olympics, a division of the NBC Sports Group, has selected Lawo to provide VSM (Virtual Studio Manager) broadcast control and monitoring solution for its production of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, which take place in Rio de Janeiro in August. The production will also utilize Lawo's innovative IP Commentary System. The announcement was made today by Timothy Canary, vice president of engineering, NBC Sports Group.

With the selection of Lawo's VSM and its LCU, Lawo's IP Commentary System, NBC Olympics will implement new, enhanced control flexibility at both the NBC Olympics production compound within the International Broadcast Centre in Rio, and for the NBC Olympics' studios in Stamford, Conn.

VSM will be the overall control system for NBC Olympics' core routing and tally management, connecting to multiple 3rd party devices on an IP backbone, utilizing approx

Details
UK - In February, KV2 Audio were involved in a unique, immersive and intriguing live event at Nottingham Arts Theatre.

It is not often that any venue can boast 40,000+ performers in a live multi-sensory experience - let alone the welcoming and intimate Nottingham Arts Theatre - but the two sold-out Be Play One shows saw just that.

One is the soundscape from the UK Pavilion Milan Expo 2015, which sought to highlight the importance of the UK's honey bee in our food chain and plight as a species.

At the production, 12 musicians were augmented by live-streamed signals from Brackenhurst, Nottinghamshire - where the sound of a 40,000+ strong honey bee hive was instrumental to the sonic experience delivered to the audience via a fully immersive 15:2 surround sound system made up of KV2 Audio products.

Following listening tests undertaken at Hoare Lea's Londo

Details
UK - As you approach or leave Newcastle Central Station on the train, you have your breath caught as you catch sight of the mighty River Tyne and its many famous bridges, but why would you turn your head the other way? This is why the Staiths are so easily and often overlooked, in favour of their skyline dominating neighbours. They do however deserve their moment in the spotlight, as they are a key link to the region's industrial past.

The Staiths, a giant wooden structure on the Gateshead side of the River, has helped carve the North East's industrial past by facilitating the exportation of coal to the rest of country and far beyond. As the coal industry fell into decline towards the end of the 20th century, this structure of wood declined also and with it part of the North East's history. However, after a heritage grant and lottery funding, in 2015 the Staiths was able to op

Details
UK - Filmed at Belfast's vast T13 Urban Sports Park and Event Space, Can't Touch This is new, fast paced entertainment from the BBC. Hosted by Zoe Ball and Ashley Banjo, the show pits contestants against each other as they navigate their way through a huge assault course in the hope of 'touching' the ultimate prize.

Working with LD Gurdip Mahal and Gaffer James Tinsley, Aurora shipped an extensive equipment package to the historic former shipyard to ensure the team had exactly what they needed to spotlight all the action.

With over 60 Spacelights plus a variety of tungsten heads being hung to provide fill throughout the former warehouse, the venue had an almost film set feel, however the LD soon added plenty of automated fixtures to get things moving.

Seventy-two GLP X4 fixtures provided the main wash to the set with Martin Viper Performance, Rush PARs and SGM P

Details
Taiwan - The National Palace Museum Southern Branch in Taiwan has recently opened and is expected to have more than 5m visitors in its first year.

Audio Light Systems supplied & installed the wireless lighting control system to all 175 specialist display cabinets. Each of the cabinets was fitted with Universal Fibre Optic lighting systems which required full wireless dimming control.

Steve Aitchison a senior engineer at ALS spent months designing and fine tuning the correct system for the project and said, "The museum needed to have day to day control of each light in each cabinet throughout all the floors. We provided a portable touch screen in each gallery so the non-technical staff could easily change or fine tune the lighting. I'm really pleased with the project. Our team in Taiwan did a great job."

(Jim Evans)

Details
UK - Following on from last year's £500,000 investment, Fisher Hires has responded to client demand and invested another £275,000 into the business, significantly increasing sound, video and lighting stock.

New products include: Nexo speakers such as the versatile Nexo ID24, and the 45N 12 stage monitor, ChamSys MagicQ lighting consoles, more Panasonic display screens including the super bright 80" LED, plus a wide range of mics from Shure, AKG and Sennheiser as well as Yamaha QL5 mixers.

Lighting capacity has also increased with the purchase of SGN G spot IP Rated Movers, Robe Robin Viva LED Profiles and more of the popular ETC Source Fours LED Lustr's.

Graham Beswick CEO of the Fisher Productions Group said, "I am extremely proud of the work that we do across the Fisher group and our rate of growth. This growth has enabled us to carefully select a compreh

Details
Germany - As in past years, the Production Resource Group (PRG) created their spectacular Highlight Show in the Festhalle at Prolight+Sound 2016.

The first show took place at the event of the LEA Awards, where a spectacular laser display accompanied the performance of the musical group Glasperlenspiel. Afterwards, during the exhibition, the highlight show was played every half hour, showcasing the high quality equipment and show creation capabilities of PRG.

Besides the conventional lighting, video projections and the powerful sound system, an extraordinary and exceptional laser show took place.

More than 400W of laser power were implemented, including the world's-first presentation of a completely new show design lighting fixture - the RTI NEO SIX RGB white light beam arrays with analogue modulation and beam deflection. This new fixture allows for creating twist and w

Details
South Africa - The Splashy Fen Festival is aptly named. Started on a trout farm in the spring of 1990, South Africa's longest running music festival serves up giant helpings of outdoor fun in and out of the water for thousands of visitors every year. There are also arts, crafts, games and plenty of music, from folk, rock, and techno, to mbaqanga (the up-tempo jive music of the townships), and the wonderfully distinctive Zulu style of isicanthamiya.

Over 1500 different groups have performed on the Splashy stage over the past quarter century. This year, the venerable festival got a bold new look, courtesy of a dynamic contemporary main stage lighting design by Shaniel Laloo that was anchored by Strike 4, Rogue R2 Wash and Legend 230SR Beam fixtures from Chauvet Professional.

"The festival has been an institution with a loyal following - everyone loves its relaxed atmosphere

Details
South Africa - Rivers Church in Durban has invested in a new MA Lighting dot2 core console which was specified by Rivers' head of lighting, Ed Helliwell. Helliwell is based at the Rivers campus in Sandton Johannesburg, but also oversees the lighting and visuals departments of the busy Durban venue. He's a big advocate of the flexibility of the MA control platform and has had a great experience with the grandMA2 in Johannesburg, which has just opened a brand new 3000 capacity auditorium which is in addition to their older 1200 capacity space.

Durban has also been refurbished to increase the capacity to 950 with a new balcony, and that seemed an appropriate time to upgrade elements of the lighting.

The previous console was old and having issues, so when Helliwell attended a course run by MA's South African distributor DWR to introduce and highlight the power and simplicity o

Details
UK - Busy rental company Storm Lighting, based in Woking, Surrey, has invested in 30 x Robe BMFL Blades and 30 x LEDWash 1000s for their ongoing work which includes a diverse range of premium corporate events, leading theatre tours and some music shows.

This new sale follows Storm's initial Robe purchases made in 2014, of LEDBeam 100s, LEDWash 600s and Pointes. These fixtures have all been a great success, and impressed with their reliability and the excellent customer service from Robe UK, Storm founders Dave Knapp and Pete Kramer decided to continue their commitment to the brand. The BMFL Blades and LEDBeam 1000s replace some older moving lights.

Robe UK came to Storm and conducted a demo explains Dave, "As soon as I saw the BMFL Blades I knew they fitted the bill! We were hugely impressed with the output, the speed and the compact size of the unit."

They also have a

Details
India - On 6 April, India's National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) opened its long-awaited Science Exploration Hall - an impressive new exhibition centre within the famous Kolkata Science City. The new Exploration Hall features three galleries, which together tell the story of human evolution.

Eight HDX-W20 FLEX projectors from visualization expert Barco, set up by VizExperts, bring a breathtaking 360° view on human evolution in the crispest of colours.

Established in 1997, the iconic Science City is India's largest science centre. "Our goal is to bring science to the people, and to young people in particular. To stir their enthusiasm, we make our message as fun and interactive as possible, by using state-of-the-art technology," says A D. Choudhury, Director of NCSM, science city park.

When in 2013, Science City decided to build a new hall fully dedicated to an

Details
USA - The growth of the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) continues apace, as a further seven international companies, at the forefront of digital video production and delivery, opt for membership. Avid, Dejero, Ikegami, IntoPIX, Matrox, NEC and TVU Networks have swelled the ranks of the alliance in the last few weeks.

Avid led the revolution in audio and video editing over 25 years ago. Its software-based, non-linear editing system is a television and video industry standard, providing the tools needed to create, manage, store, distribute, and monetize content.

"The smooth transition to IP is going to depend on customer confidence in the interoperability of equipment in the production and distribution chain," Tim Claman, vice president of platform and solutions at Avid. "At Avid we're fully committed to supporting standardization efforts that facilitate this interope

  1. Wohler joins RAVENNA partner community
  2. Audio-Technica helps bring the jungle to NYC
  3. Musikteater Vejle invests in Robe
  4. TAIT has designs on McCartney One on One tour
  5. BEIRG urges spectrum users to respond to Ofcom
  6. MA dot2 in control for Up Down Man
Page 355 of 1813

Latest Issue. . .