Lighting

Details
On the day I visited the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, the sun came out. It blazed all day, the perfect start for a night of hot Brazilian jazz.

Funny thing was, I was there to hear one of the classic voices of British r&b: from the early sixties with the Spencer Davis group, through Traffic and Blind Faith to a lengthy solo career, Stevie Winwood has never been less than a national treasure.

He’s not toured since the mid-90s, so this appearance was all the more welcome. How he came to be performing on stage with Brazilian guitar genius Jose Neto is a lengthy story, suffice to say good musicians attract one another like magnets, and I know from speaking to Jose (a friend, as well as a star) that he’d always wanted to re-arrange some of the Winwood canon, so this was to be a special evening in every sense.

For supporting this fledgling festival, mention must be made of Richa

Details
As DHA's dealer base flourishes throughout Europe in line with company success, it has recently selected the Munich-based international company Dedo Weigert Film GmbH to become its newest stockist in Germany. DHA's second German dealer to be appointed in recent months, Dedo Weigert will distribute both catalogue and custom gobos. A specialist company dedicated to the film and TV, photography, architectural and display markets, Dedo Weigert already supplies lighting systems to a vast network of lighting professionals and holds a large range of luminaries and accessories, including DHA gobos. Dedo Weigert will be looking to share in the successes that the other European stockists have been enjoying of late, having received many enquiries since issuing the latest DHA catalogue.

The appointment of DHA's new German dealers complements the company's long-standing relationship with Lightpower

Details
AC Lighting Inc has been running a series of product workshops in several cities across the US. At Impact Lighting in San Francisco, three days of workshops were held on the grandMA console from MA Lighting, giving both Impact staff and local Union members a greater understanding of the state-of-the-art console as well as a sneak preview of the new V2.6 software. The workshops utilized Impact's own two grandMA light consoles as well as an other grandMA Light and a full blown grandMA provided by AC Lighting.

In Huntsville, Alabama, Theatrical Lighting Services played host to a mixture of demonstrations and training sessions on the Fat Frog from Zero 88 and the grandMA. A wide range of current users and potential future users from local churches and theatres as well TLS's own staff made for a busy and varied series of sessions. Bandit Lites in Nashville held a two-day interactive worksh

Details
Ballantyne of Omaha, Inc, a leading manufacturer of motion picture projection and speciality lighting equipment, has announced the appointment of Greg Smith as vice-president of Strong Entertainment Lighting. Smith, who has worked for Ballantyne for three years, will continue to be based in North Hollywood, California, and will be responsible for the Strong spotlight products, Ballantyne’s SkyTracker and Nocturn products, as well as the Xenotech Britelight products. The company has also announced that Ron Lutsock will head up the company’s North Hollywood Xenotech office.

Smith first came into contact with Strong spotlights during his time as logistic sdirector for Supertramp and other artists during the 1980s. He began his career in the promotion and marketing department of A&M Records in Hollywood.

Details
Miltec (UK) Ltd will be showing audio products from both Ecler and Artcoustic, and a range of lighting products from FAL. New from Ecler will be additions to the PAM range of amplifiers, together with a new Enviro 100v line system and EPC 7000W sound system. Also on show for the first time are the Concept 2 and SCLAT ranges of mixers. FAL is introducing the Three Sixty 2 and Three Sixty 4 moving heads, alongside the Roulette Scan - a 1200W fixture and a 1500W strobe system. Artcoustic meanwhile will have its full range of speakers for bars, restaurants and conference rooms on show.

MilTec UK can be found on stand B40

Details
Howard Eaton Lighting Ltd (HELL) has announced the appointment of Nigel Love to its Sussex-based team. Love brings with him many years of theatrical experience, having worked for several years as chief electrician with the English National Opera, and as head of lighting and later production controller for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s operations at the Barbican. More recently, he has worked with Northern Light where, among other projects, he project managed the lighting, sound and comms installations at the Lowry.

Details
Leading UK distributor Lightfactor will be displaying the latest products from LDR, LightProcessor, SGM, High End (Lightwave Research), Apogee Sound and Zeck Audio.

New SGM products include the launch of the Giotto 400 spot and wash moving head luminaires. Producing a powerful 8000 lumens, these fixtures were designed and built specifically for large shows, theatres, TV studios and entertainment venues. The light output is produced by a combination of the Phillips MSR 400HR discharge lamp and a dichroic reflector that allows the heat to be dissipated on the rear of the fixture - ensuring maximum temperature reduction.

From Apogee Sound, of California, will be the recently-released range of powered loudspeakers - the APL Series. Modelled on the highly successful AE and F Series cabinets, Apogee’s powered versions emulate the performance, clarity and quality of the

Details
James Thomas Engineering will launch its new Exterior MR16 fixture at PLASA 2001 and also feature the new Image Plus focussing device for the MR16 lantern. JTE is also highlighting examples of its large, versatile range of standard aluminium trussing, ground support and roofing structures and theatrical lanterns - applicable and popular in all areas of the entertainment industry, from clubs and destination venues of all types to large scale festivals, theatres, concert tours, theme parks, visitor attractions and retail environments. The Par 16 Outdoor lantern is IP65-rated and developed for use in all types of weather conditions. This highly durable fixture’s body is made from corrosive resistant, robust, cast Aluminium.

James Thomas Engineering is also introducing the latest evolution for the Par 16 lantern - the Image Plus 3. This is a simple and cost-effective focussing device

Details
PLASA’s Standards Office is appealing for help from the industry. The office is currently reviewing a number of standards-related issues and would value feedback and input from the industry in general, but PLASA Members in particular. Current topics under review include the Event Stewarding Standard - a new British Standard is to be written; EN 55103 - the EMC standard for audio, video and lighting control systems is under revision; EN 60598-2-17 - the electrical safety standard for stage and studio luminaries is to be revised. Also being reviewed at the moment is the Draft Revised EMC Directive - the European Commission's proposed revision and the ESTA Power Cabling Survey - which examines the usage of single conductor feeder cables. If you have an interest in any of these issues, please e-mail Tim Cox at the PLASA Standards Office on tim@p

Details
It was free, it was ethereal and it used a hell of a lot of sticky tape. Born out of a burnt-out church in Stockton at the Riverside Festival in 1998, developed further for Glasgow's Year of Architecture and Design in 1999, the outdoor event that is Sticky most recently appeared as the culminating event to the Croydon Summer Festival on July 21. The show, which requires, amongst other things, a mobile crane, opened with performers pulling and twisting roll after roll of 2" wide clear sticky tape (3M's the best so far) out of the shadows, forming a web of tape. High above the performance area, a winged figure fluttered, faltered, then fell into a spidery limbed, translucent carcass. Over the next hour, with the help of some stunning lighting and fireworks, the shimmering mass transformed into a tower of filigree pinnacles, a clock - complete with flaming pendulum - and finally a mach

Details
Avolites’ sales team members Steve Warren and Koy Neminathan have just returned from a highly successful workshop and demonstration mission in India. The two-day workshop, held at the King’s Banqueting Hall in Central Bombay, was a hands-on product awareness exercise aimed at increasing knowledge and enlightening existing and prospective owners about the many advantages of Avolites equipment, specifically Pearl 2000 consoles and Art dimmers.

The idea was initiated by sales director Steve Warren, and organised with the help of Viraf Pocha of LIDE and Atul Sonpal of Jagmag Electric. The workshop was attended by over 35 people from more than 10 companies based in and around Bombay. Lighting designers, rental companies and a host of individuals linked directly to the burgeoning 'Bollywood' film industry (now the second largest film production market in the world) attended. Pear

Details
Opened in October1992, the Wycombe Swan Theatre in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, has made a major upgrade to its lighting system. The theatre is a receiving house for a rich diversity of acts and shows, which appear for runs ranging from single evening shows through to productions with eight performances spread over six days. The original lighting console, installed when the theatre opened, had given good service, but a decision was taken to invest in a new console which more closely matched the current needs of the venue. "We needed a console that was more acceptable to a high proportion of our visiting acts," said Carlos Queiroz (pictured), technical manager of the Wycombe Swan. He continued: "Many shows arrive with their lighting programmed on a disk for a Strand 500 Series console and therefore this became our obvious choice."

Considerations to upgrade the cons

Details
Kurt Kern has joined TMB’s sales department, working out of the New York office. Kern brings a wealth of experience in entertainment lighting to his new position. His background includes three years as department head of electrics and sound for the New York Shakespeare Festival and seven years as production manager for the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, his four years as national director of purchasing for PRG/Fourth Phase Lighting Group, gave Kurt direct understanding of the needs of the supply side of the industry. Tommy Stephenson, TMB’s sales manager, said of the appointment: "Kurt has a lot of knowledge, is a family man, and he likes beer. He’s going to fit right in! Our professional customers will feel completely at home with him."

Details
Color Kinetics Inc, the US manufacturer of LED lighting fixtures, has announced that its intelligent LED-based lighting technology has been added to the permanent collections of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, at the Behring Center in Washington DC. The donation includes the first prototypes of several different LED-based lighting fixtures that incorporate the company's patented Chromacore digital lighting technology. Also part of the Smithsonian donation is a detailed timeline of milestones in the company's history.

Color Kinetics’ co-founder, president and CEO George Mueller commented. "I don't think there is an inventor or technology pioneer alive who hasn't imagined that their work would someday be part of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a great feeling and a landmark achievement for everyone associated with Color Kinetics to have our technology

Details
Lightfactor’s Scott Callis is in the midst of a highly successful UK tour with a quantity of SGM automated lighting kit. This is designed specifically to put the gear through its paces in a variety of situations and environments. Callis devised this slightly unorthodox way of exposing the equipment to as many differing situations as possible by integrating it into varying lighting hire packages. The SGM kit - including Giotto 250 Spots and Giotto 1200 spot and wash lights - has appeared at high profile clubs, venues and live shows nationwide including a recent BB King show at Leicester De Montfort Halls and an insurance sales conference at the NEC in Birmingham. At De Montfort Hall, Callis has supplied the SGM kit to the Hall’s Chief LX and technical manager Graham Williams for a variety of summer events, including an outdoor concert by blues legend BB King.

The show was de

Details
The Smoke Company will have a host of new products and ranges on show at PLASA. The company has recently agreed a joint venture with Wings and is now the sole European distributor for its range of quality special effects lighting systems. Other new products planned for PLASA include Apollo - a range of silk flame lights, built in the UK under licence by The Smoke Company; UV Planet, a range of ultra-violet products for use in pubs, clubs and bars (The Smoke Company again being sole European distributor); the Powercan, a popular and cost-effective canister smoke machine. The Parcan, smoke output from a lighting fixture . . .

Also on show will be The Battery, The Goblin and The Roama.

The Smoke Company can be found on stand D33

Details
MilTec (UK) Ltd has recently supplied the Woodville Halls Theatre of Gravesend with a whole host of f.a.l. (Italy) theatrical products, which were supplied through Primarc. Ken Green, technical manager of the Halls told PLASA Media: “We were looking to refit our theatre with a number of theatrical lighting products, and decided on the f.a.l. products, these being well-constructed, good value and featuring excellent optics.” The installation included 28 profiles, 20 spotlights, five six cell lights and two ultra-violet lights.

Details
Chad Ward has joined Bandit Lites UK as operations manager. He was previously responsible for Bandit’s account whilst he was a sales representative for Wirral-based Tomcat UK. Bandit Lites UK general manager, Jason Tang, told PLASA Media: "Chad brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his time with Tomcat and previously Unusual Rigging. We have a very strong relationship with Tomcat and this move can only strengthen it." Ward will be responsible for procurement, logistics and also act as purchasing manager.

Details
The Gaiety Theatre on the Isle of Man has unveiled a permanent lighting exhibition covering the evolution of theatre lighting. Building on from a ten-year long restoration process to re-instate the theatre back to its former Victorian appearance and ambience, the management decided to convert the three old projection rooms into a permanent exhibit of the history of theatre lighting. The idea had been lying latent for a while and was brought to life at ABTT earlier this year, following a conversation with lighting designer Jim Laws.

Designed by the highly reputed Frank Matcham, the Gaiety Theatre was built in 1899 and opened in 1900. Located at the rear of the auditorium above the balcony, the exhibition houses lighting equipment from the early days of electrical theatre lighting. Most of the old lighting from the theatre has found a new home there, as has the 1960's control system from

Details
The Augustin Cloisters are one of the highlights of Les Nuits Lumière de Bourges - a season of lighting and sound shows run in the historic French town of Bourges during the summer months.

It’s a multi-site Son et Lumière show - the audience sees the 90-minute spectacular on foot and stroll about 2km during the show, being guided by a blue line of light. At each of six main buildings or sites, they see and hear a show with dramatic lighting and projected images. The show was designed by Philippe Noir and Christine de Vichet. Lighting design by Pierre Boudeau and Vladimir Lyszczynski, sound by Daniel Deshays and images by Serge Fouillet. The main technical contractor for the event was AEB, with Cyclope providing the large format filmstrip projectors. Electrosonic France was responsible for overall show control and slide projection.

Details
On Thursday 12 July, a preliminary meeting was held at the Sydney Exhibition and Convention Centre, to seek interest in the formation of an Australasian association for all who share an interest in the art, science and technology of light.

With an overwhelmingly positive responses from this, and a follow-up meeting in Melbourne, organisers Andy Ciddor and Cat Strom (Forcer) have decided to press ahead in establishing an Australasian Lighting Industry Association, provisionally entitled ALIA.

Discussions at the meetings were based around a widely-circulated proposal prepared by Cat Strom, Steve Furzey and Andy Ciddor, the text of which can be found on the preliminary ALIA website - www.lighting-association.com.

It was agreed that a broadly-based and inclusive lighting industry association is a worthwhile goal. Members of Australia’s existing lighting association, the Illuminat

Details
Lighting design and events specialists Rainmaker recently lit an open air stage on Brighton Beach for a Channel Four party event starring dance impresarios Norman Cook AKA Fatboy Slim and Groove Armada, and enjoyed free by approximately 35,000 excited revellers.

The main focus of the stage was a giant Screenco LED screen. This had been rigged to facilitate a C4 broadcast of the Ashes cricket from Edgebaston on the Thursday through Sunday. However, Channel Four then decided it would create a great local buzz of they threw a party on the Friday night, offering an opportunity to groove the summer evening away with the best in contemporary club vibes with local hero - the Fatboy himself! They then decided to broadcast parts of the party a week later on C4’s ‘Fatboy Slim Night’.

The Fatboy Slim event originally started out just as a just live show, with Rainmaker initial

Details
In preparation for the recent PALA 2001 and continuing its commitment to international workshops, DHA Lighting recently organised a day of workshops in Singapore in association with Audio Light Asia. Showing how theatrical lighting effects can be translated into alternative design contexts, Julie Harper, DHA's sales manager for the Asia Pacific region, demonstrated a variety of DHA products. In addition to theoretical guidance and professional demonstrations, the workshop provided hands-on opportunities to experiment with a range of lanterns and accessories. The audience was able to experience the potential of creative lighting when used to produce a variety of atmospheres which can be used across several market sectors, including themed entertainment, architecture, retail and interior lighting.

Taking her audience through a wide range of moving effects, Julie also used the compact DHA

Details
i-vision is the brainchild of Geoff Jones - an entrepreneur well-known in the entertainment technology industry, most latterly with his company Laser Studio and as chairman of the Entertainment Laser Association (ELA). Jones is setting up I-Vision as a new and integral infrastructure for the dynamic group of companies with which he is involved. With the i-Vision launch, the company starts up in new premises in Wales, in downtown Chepstow, adjacent to the Severn Bridge. Contained within the group is Laser Studio, JMC Lighting i-vision Banners, i-vision Architectural and i-vision Hire. The plan is to develop the i-vision brand as a progressive, contemporary visual production facility appropriate to service a huge array of challenging entertainment industry projects in the 21st century.

Laser Studio continues to manufacture, sell, install and hire the latest in laser technology. Re

  1. Doughty Keeps up the Suspense
  2. New DHA and Rosco Agreement
  3. Virtual Tour Now Online
  4. Avolites Announces Third PLASA Launch
  5. Lighthouse Stages Nikken World Convention
  6. Guidance Notes for PLASA Members
Page 508 of 1201

Latest Issue. . .