Australia - The four-day WOMADelaide festival, now in its 24th year, which celebrates world music and dance, is held in the beautiful surrounds of Adelaide's Botanic Garden shows no signs of age.

The 11-14 March event smashed previous attendance records as 95,000 attendees took in performances from acts as diverse as Angélique Kidjo, Calexico, Violent Femmes, De La Soul, Kev Carmody and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

A first in 2016, Novatech Creative Event Technology supplied all seven stages of the festival using world class audio, lighting, and video production equipment, backed by their expert personnel.

The aptly named Novatech Stage was supplied in its entirety by Novatech, utilising their stage and roofing system. The all-important Foundation Stage, which functioned as the festival's main stage, was serviced by Novatech's new Avid S6L digital mixing console, wh

USA - Rapper Pitbull performed his latest single Bad Man on NBC's Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon during Grammy week filming in Los Angeles in February and added visual punch and energy to the performance using Elation Professional's new ACL 360 Roller effect lights.

After performing and winning at The Grammy's the night before, Pitbull was joined on the Tonight Show stage by Robin Thicke, Joe Perry and Travis Barker. "Pitbull songs need a big look to support the energy he brings to the stage and we needed a bright and quick fixture for the song Bad Man," said remotes lighting designer for the show Mick Smith.

"Adding in Travis Barker, Joe Perry, and Robin Thicke is a powerful combination that demands a major lighting presence. We knew these were going to be key fixtures for this musical act when [Elation's] Eric Loader and John Dunn showed them to

Russia - Founded in 1939, the Penza Regional Philharmonic is one of the most prestigious philharmonic organizations in Russia. Thanks to a large equipment upgrade, installed by ETC dealer Imlight, its theatre is also one of the most technologically advanced. The Philharmonic marked its 75th anniversary with a new lighting system that includes ETC control desks, networking, architectural controls and power controls.

The Philharmonic's current theatre was built in 2009, in preparation for Penza's 350th Founders Day. It houses the philharmonic ensemble and symphony orchestra and plays host to yearly musical festivals and touring shows. The five storey, 20,000 square metre (215,278sq.ft) venue is known for its architecture that features a glass exterior and an entryway adorned with the names of famous composers. It has rehearsal spaces, costume shops, a recording studio and two mu

Benelux - Belgian lighting designer Carlo Zaenan of QBE created another amazing live show in Benelux, using a rig that included 256 Robe moving lights - the 2016 leg of the Symphonica in Rosso concerts, six performances presented by Dutch superstar singer Marco Borsato at Amsterdam's 17,000 capacity Ziggo Dome.

This followed another six shows - all 12 completely sold out - in October 2015 at the same venue, which was transformed into a giant theatre space to present the concept.

Carlo has worked with Borsato since 1999 and since 2011 has been his regular LD and lighting operator. To develop the visual treatment for the 2015/16 Symphonica in Rosso, he worked closely with set designer Anne-Mari Ahola and Marcel de Vré, Borsato's long term show designer as well as the video crew from Visual Solutions and content creator Tom van Gestel from Fabrique Fantastique. Once th

Europe - PR Lighting has announced the release of its new lightweight LED lamp - the XPar 150. This features a new advanced 150W LED lamp, offering full RGBW colour mixing.

Weighing a mere 6.2kg it is easy to handle and with its IP67 rating has been designed for outdoor use, thanks to its high-intensity die-casting aluminium chassis.

The XPar 150 is also supported by a host of features. These include Colour Temperature of 2700K-10000K (linear correction); Beam Angle 30°; Field Angle 60°, 0-100% linearly adjustable dimmer and 0.3-20 fps strobing.

(Jim Evans)

Germany - Consistent with the MA Lighting philosophy of continual improvement, the dot2 lighting console software has just received a significant upgrade. Based on real dot2 user feedback, this version 1.2 update is available as a free download from www.ma-dot2.com.

Intuitive operation is the core of the dot2 philosophy and with a comprehensive set of connectivity hardware on all console models, the dot2 range is suitable for most theatre, touring, corporate, television and education lighting environments. The easy to operate dot2 software is available in multiple languages and provides on-board Help and Direct Hints to guide a new user to operate the console to its full potential. A full range of clever programming and playback features provide intuitive access to advanced functionality.

With 5 customisable layout views the user is now able to create a visual representati

Germany - Building on the phenomenal success of CRMX TiMo, LumenRadio is opening up new market segments with the launch of the CRMX Nova TX USB at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt.

The CRMX Nova TX USB delivers "never before seen accessibility to the powerful CRMX technology". With its small size and easy to use USB interface it is suitable for small to medium sized temporary shows and works in combination with battery powered fixtures with builtin CRMX technology.

CRMX Nova TX USB comes equipped with all the advanced features of the larger CRMX Nova products in a smaller enclosure; Automated Cognitive Coexistence, DMX fidelity and error correction, lowest latency in the industry at 5ms and 128 bit encryption - it's all there.

The CRMX Nova TX USB utilizes the industry standard ENTTEC DMX USB protocol which allows for full compatibility with a vast range of consoles and a r

Germany - Automated lighting manufacturer High End Systems will be giving the lighting community its first look at the latest Hog control software at the Pro Light & Sound exhibition held this week in Frankfurt. Displayed on European Master Distributor AED's stand (Hall 4, Stand D59), Hog v3.4 software offers numerous enhancements to the Hog operating system, including many inspired through designer feedback.

High End's software team has worked diligently to continue improvements to the popular control platform, resulting in an unparalleled feature set with rock solid performance.

In addition, High End will show the latest alpha version of Hog OS with exciting new features

High End Systems control systems software manager Jonathan Kemble comments, "As all can see from the new feature set, there is a lot going on with Hog software development in 2016, and we're very exc

USA - The latest rental company to add Elation's Platinum FLX hybrid luminaire to its rental inventory is Glendale, California-based Kinetic Lighting, Inc, an award-winning lighting supplier in the LA area that has also added a quantity of Colour Chorus LED battens to its stock.

"There were several things about the Platinum FLX that made us decide to stock them in our rental inventory," comments Kinetic Lighting president David Rosen. "It has the right mix of features - optics, form factor and price - and we get full CMY colour mixing in a hybrid fixture. But we were especially impressed with its output. The FLX is the brightest beam fixture we rent. And while we still rent lots of Elation's Platinum Beam 5R Extremes, and even the original Platinum Beam 5R, the FLX is a great complement to those while meeting the needs of clients who want even more output in a beam fixture."

UK - Honouring the talent that the British advertising industry has to offer, the British Arrows Awards this year celebrated their 40th anniversary. Taking place on Wednesday 23 March 2016 at Battersea Evolution, creative technical event production expert, Hawthorn was on hand to make sure this year's event was bigger and better than ever.

The evening, which was hosted by Peep Show actor and comedian David Mitchell, saw 18 gold and 26 silver awards handed out to the cream of the advertising crop, with guest presenters including actor Stanley Tucci.

Hawthorn has delivered the technical production for the British Arrows Awards since 2011, with the design and production values increasing in specification and complexity each year. Working alongside the British Arrows Awards producers, the team at Hawthorn once again provided an imaginative and unique way of using the 4,

UK - The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Season has been running at the Garrick Theatre in London's West End since October 2015. In the first-ever season led by the BAFTA award-winning actor, it has achieved critical acclaim with hit productions such as The Winter's Tale starring Judi Dench, for which she has just won an Olivier Award, and Red Velvet starring Adrian Lester. The latest show, The Painkiller, which stars both Kenneth Branagh and Rob Brydon, has now opened to rave reviews. As with every other production throughout the season, White Light is providing the lighting equipment on this comedy classic.

The Painkiller tells the story of two men sat in adjacent hotel rooms. One of them is an assassin, whilst the other is suicidal and the only thing that separates them is an adjoining door. The play is a new adaptation of Francis Veber's classic French

USA - The River Tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band calls forth powerful musical memories. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Boss' seminal The River recording and the recent release of The Ties That Bind: The River Collection box set, the concert features full-length sequential performances of the 1980 album's songs.

Mindful of the historical significance of the tour, lighting designer Jeff Ravitz was seeking to evoke images of the classic album's original era, yet at the same time, he wanted something that looked new and vibrant to reflect the energy that his client brings to the stage. He was able to do both with a uniquely framed configuration of COLORado 1-Tri IP LED pars from Chauvet Professional.

The longtime LD for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Ravitz had used the 42-watt COLORado 1-Tri IPs as "audience blasters" for his cl

Germany - Automated lighting manufacturer High End Systems will be introducing two new fixtures in the SolaRange at Pro Light & Sound this week. Displayed on European Master Distributor AED's stand (Hall 4, Stand D59), the lighting industry will get its first look at the company's two latest LED based luminaires, the SolaSpot Pro 1000 and SolaWash FX 1000.

The SolaSpot Pro 1000 continues the innovation and aggressive product development that High End's SolaRange of LED products has come to represent. The SolaSpot Pro 1000 features 16,000 lumen output, CMY, Linear CTO (to match industry standard conventional fixtures), two Gobo Wheels (1 Rotating + 1 Static), Animation Wheel, 12 to 40 degree Zoom, LED Zone Control, Iris, Prism, High Transmission Frost and changeable Colour Wheel. It also includes multiple Fan Modes, a unique Lens Defogger and low noise operation.

The featur

Germany - Osram is demonstrating phaser laser technology for the entertainment sector for the first time at Prolight+Sound 2016. The lighting specialist is showcasing new products based on traditional and SSL technology for the event and entertainment sectors.

A special highlight from Osram at Prolight+Sound 2016 is the next generation of entertainment lighting based on laser technology. The Osram booth (E50 in Hall 3.0) features not only the Kreios Profile and Fresnel luminaires but also the new versions of the familiar and improved Lok-it! Power Series and the SplitStar S32, an innovative RGBW multi-chip LED module.

"As a pioneer in laser technology, we are delighted to be showing this technology in action for entertainment lighting, creating yet another milestone in this sector", explained Hans-Joachim Schwabe, CEO specialty lighting at Osram. "What's more, visitors to

UK/Germany - Philips Lighting announces that the latest addition to the Philips Showline product range, the SL Hydrus 350*, has made its pre-launch debut at electronic duo Lamb's concert during the Convergence Sessions festival.

The festival ran from the 13 to the 19 March at venues across London including the Roundhouse and art deco Troxy. Now in its third year, Convergence spans different genres of music and celebrates visual artists and pioneering technology.

Lighting designer Mark Wynn-Edwards, who has worked with the band for nearly two years, specified 11 of the new moving lights to add super bright beam effects to his stripped back design.

"My concept for Lamb is always less is more, playing with black and white and minimalist looks," explains Wynn-Edwards. "When the opportunity came to preview the Philips Showline SL Hydrus 350 before it hits the market I jumpe

USA - The South by Southwest Music Festival may have been the last of the trifecta that makes up SXSW 2016, but it was just as spectacular as the film and interactive portions of the nine-day event.

Lighting designer Victor Fable entrusted Bandit Lites to provide the lighting package for the McGarrah Jessee Rooftop stage, which featured performances from Phebe Starr, Armstrong Leigh, 2 Chainz, Aubrie Sellers, Flo Rida, LANco and Cypress Hill.

Keith Hoagland programmed the lighting and was the board op. Taking into account the lighting production needed to function both for performances in the daytime and evening, Fable created a dynamic structural look that applied high-performance fixtures with eye catching configurations.

"The stage was two tiered, split horizontally about a quarter way down from upstage," explained crew chief Ty Veneziano. "The second tier upstage w

UK - Hawthorn is helping 1970s favourite, Jackie magazine, come back to life on stage with Jackie the Musical. Coming to theatres across the UK, Hawthorn is supplying equipment from its extensive hire range to meet the specification of the production's celebrated lighting designer, Philip Gladwell. Hawthorn has now worked with Philip on several productions, including recent collaboration on Hairspray and The James Plays.

Jackie launched in January 1964, attracting millions of fans as it became a best-selling teenage title for 10 years. Jackie The Musical revisits those heady days, and tells the story of a fifty-something divorcée who revisits her stash of well-thumbed Jackie magazines for the same reason she first read them nearly forty years ago: advice on how best to navigate the opposite sex. Funny and feisty, with a soundtra

USA - In what has been hailed by Rolling Stone Magazine as 'the most adventurously programmed music festival in America,' The Big Ears Music Festival returned for its fifth year.

Created and produced by AC Entertainment, Bandit Lites provided the lighting package for one of Knoxville's newest venues, The Standard Presented by Red Bull Music Academy.

Bandit lighting programmer Wayne Lotoza used VL 2000 washes, VL 2000 Spots, S4 Lekos and Atomic Strobes programmed with a Road Hog console at the venue to create looks that would be conducive to the wide range of performing artists, which included Wolf Eyes (a postindustrial noise band), saxophonist Anthony Braxton, musician Marc Ribot's interpretation of organ music transcribed for guitar and Lou Reed's installation piece entitled Drones.

"The Drones project included GRNLite Washes, ETC S4 LED units, R

UK - The Olivier Awards with MasterCard are held annually and recognise the very best in London theatre. Organised by the Society of London Theatre, the awards are presented to individuals involved in West End and other London-based productions. This year's event took place on Sunday 3 April at the Royal Opera House. With its reputation as the leading lighting supplier to West End theatre, White Light provided the lighting equipment for the sixth year running.

2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the Olivier Awards and this year's ceremony was attended by some of the most high-profile names in the industry. WL was asked to provide the production support across four areas: the Piazza ITV Stage, the red-carpet entrance, the main awards presentation and the after-show party.

The main awards presentation took place on the historic Royal Opera House stage. The lighting designer w

UK - To mark World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April 2016, PRG XL Video partnered with The Jigsaw Trust to light Guildford Cathedral blue for the Light It Up Blue campaign.

The campaign sees buildings and landmarks around the world changing to blue to raise awareness for Autism globally and to kick off International Autism Awareness Month during April.

From the evening of 31March to Monday 4 April 2016, the night-time floodlights which accentuate the modern Guildford Cathedral building were changed from orange to blue - the signature colour of the Autism Awareness campaign.

To achieve this change, a team of staff from PRG XL Video visited the cathedral on 31 March to switch lamps in the floodlight fixtures in the grounds of the building, and up on the roof.

This is the fifth year PRG has worked with The Jigsaw Trust to make this change at Guildford Cathedral,

USA - Southern California's newest event, meeting and production space, AV, in southern California's Orange County, has installed a large Elation Professional automated lighting system. Designed by leading industry professionals to be the ultimate one-stop for events of all sizes, nearly 200 Elation lights are used to create virtually any atmosphere a client desires.

Located inside entertainment production company N-EFFECT Productions' new design studio and headquarters in Irvine, AV is a customizable event space that encompasses 25,000sq.ft of space. The latest in event technologies - an intelligent Elation lighting system, 30 ft. LED wall, and full concert sound system as well as an in-house event and production staff, make it a suitable space for corporate meetings, weddings, galas, social and civic events.

"People are really blown away by what they see when they walk i

USA - Sometimes the tranquil leisurely pace of a small town can belie a tradition of change and innovation. At least that's the case in New Stanton, home of New Stanton United Methodist Church, a house of worship with a new campus that has a state-of-the-art audio system and a versatile all-LED lighting rig made up of Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by Good Sounds.

The dynamic church's forward-looking sound and lighting systems are in keeping with the history of New Stanton. Tucked away in southwestern Pennsylvania, this picturesque community of 2000 has seen its share of trend-setting developments. Over 200 years ago it was the site of some of America's earliest commercial grain mills. In 1978, when Volkswagen opened a facility outside of town, it became home of the first mass production foreign automobile plant in the US. Today companies making a variety of high-tech

Germany - A record number of visitors came to the Chauvet Professional booth a Prolight + Sound to see the company's new Maverick series. The power-packed series of tour ready moving fixtures, which features the MK2 Wash, MK1 Hybrid and MK2 Spot, more than lived up to the advanced billing with its intense output and extensive performance features.

"We set out to make a statement with Maverick," said Albert Chauvet, president and founder of Chauvet. "We wanted to prove that powerful full-featured tour-grade fixtures can be offered at an affordable price. Based on the feedback we received at Prolight + Sound, it seems that we have achieved this goal. Our stand drew more people than we ever saw at this show."

The new Maverick series represents the culmination of a long and dedicated effort for Chauvet Professional. "We put a lot of thought into developing products that meet t

USA - Some 165,000 people jammed into Miami's Bayfront Park March 24-26 for Ultra's 18th incarnation with unparalleled production backing performances by some of the world's best DJs. Elation dealers AG Lighting, Zenith Lighting and Beachsound & Lighting were involved, supplying an abundance of Elation lighting for this year's festival.

Both the popular Carl Cox & Friends Stage and Ultra World Wide Stage featured Elation gear with lighting design by SJ Lighting, Inc. and structure and production by AG Production Services. SJ Lighting owner Steve Lieberman delivered another memorable Carl Cox stage lighting design and used 111 of Elation's six-foot Colour Chorus 72 LED batten wash lights throughout the setup to highlight the spectacular truss design. Also for the Carl Cox stage, Zenith Lighting, Inc. supplied Colour Chorus 72 fixtures used as wash lights and to outline video po

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