UK - Gavin Stewart, managing director of Edinburgh lighting specialist black light, is evidently planning for the company's long-term future with his family. Evidence of this was provided in December when his daughter won an award for lighting design. Robin Stewart won the award for her snowmen design, which was included in the Christmas illuminations for Dunbar, East Lothian. Proof of how far forward her Dad is looking is that Robin is aged just four and three-quarters! "In truth, I was as surprised as anyone," says Stewart, "but it's fantastic to see that Robin is already aware of lighting and is looking at it with a critical eye."

Stewart admits that it may be a few years before his daughter is in a position to succeed him as managing director, but he can't help wondering if this is a sign of things to come. "Of course it's way to soon to wonder what

UK - Richard Martin Lighting has announced the purchase of 50 James Thomas Engineering PixelPar 90s and 12 IP PixelLine 1044s. They have also added 20 Pulsar Chroma Set kits and six Moving High Ground fixtures from Italian manufacturer Novalight. RML's Steve Wells says: "The use of LED technology on TV is becoming more and more popular on many shows and to maintain the high level of service and choice of product available to our customers, RML will continue to embellish their stock with the latest technology products."

The PixelPar 90 is a high output solid state lighting projector designed to deliver a symmetrical beam angle and the new IP PixelLine 1044 is a weather proof version of the now industry standard PixelLine 1044. The Chroma Set Kit is a custom made package for RML, consisting of 12 Pulsar ChromaHearts, one ChromaZone Controller, 12 x 10m extensions, 12 x

Europe - Clay Paky's Alpha moving head fixtures of Garou's winter tour of 31 concerts in eight countries, which will be filmed on TV and recorded on a DVD. The show's LD, Nicolas Labbé, fresh from the nomination as "Lighting designer of the year" at the 26th ADISQ Gala, says: "I was lucky to see these new projectors in action in Montreal early this year, thanks to Clay Paky's dealer for Canada, DCD, led by Sylvain Pelletier. I was most impressed and decided to use only Clay Paky material for Garou's winter tour. I chose the Alphas because they are incredibly innovative, reliable and complete with an extraordinary luminous output. Alpha Spot HPE has many different gobos, plus an animation wheel, a wide zoom and the CMY. Not to mention the Alpha Wash, with its extraordinary linear zoom ranging from 4° to 80° . . . Both projectors feature a very soft dimmer and inno

UK - Bandit Lites UK is supplying all lighting production requirements to the current Status Quo UK tour, as Bandit's project manager Lester Cobrin renews his acquaintance with Patrick Marks, the band's LD since 1989. Marks also designs Quo's set, which has evolved over the last few tours. This year, the arena show set contains five upright onstage truss towers filled with scenic Marshall cabinets - symbolic of the power and volume of Quo's own specific brand of rock 'n' roll.

A major challenge on this was the contrast in venues, which range from Wembley one night to Folkestone's Leas Cliff Hall the next. Marks explains how he had had to plan to loose 75% of the equipment at certain gigs, but for it to still look like 'their show'. Before the start of the tour, he spent a week in Bandit UK's visualization suite at their HQ in Bedford, mapping and programming the show using Mart

USA - Since 1988, the Robin Hood foundation has held an annual fund-raising dinner to help fight poverty in New York. About 3,000 guests are invited to the gala, including cocktail reception, dinner, auction and show programme. With guest star Rod Stewart performing a live show, and Jon Stewart, host of the 'Daily Show', as the celebrity auctioneer, the event successfully raised around $13m. The technical input for the event, which took place at the Jacob Javitts Convention Center recently, was considerable: this year, six MA Lighting network signal processors were used for channel expansion.

Programming more than 400 moving lights required 24 DMX lines, two grandMA consoles, grandMA onPC and a grandMA remote, as well as six MA network signal processors. As in recent years, Abigail Rosen-Holmes was responsible for the lighting of the remarkable event, which Patrick Dierson, Da

Denmark - Martin's Wireless DMX devices are proving to be extremely popular, say the company. Martin architectural distributor Lux Lumen of Belgium has used the wireless system to great effect on a number of projects and found the system not only easy to use but also stable.

In the town of Charleroi, Lux Lumen has used Martin Exterior 600 washlights to add colour to the castle's belfry, the Beffroi de Thuin. The tower is illuminated using two Exterior 600s working with a Martin Wireless DMX-512 Pro Diversity transmitter with two receivers. The signal is transmitted over the castle's ditch and about 100 meters further. For the client to get DMX lines where they needed them would have cost five times as much as the Martin wireless DMX solution. Lux Lumen's installer for this project commented: "The distance involved was quite extensive. Experience showed that the transmitter

UK - A.C. Lighting and Production Services Ireland has worked in partnership to supply the lighting rig and PA sound system - which includes the UK's first Turbosound Aspect installed-sound system - to Queen's University in Belfast.

Queen's, which is ranked as one of the Top 20 UK universities, required a new multi-purpose entertainment system including, PA trussing, lighting, dimming, and control equipment for the refurbishment of the main campus's Mandela Hall and Bunatee Bar/Games Room student union facilities.

The Turbosound Aspect permanent install series consists of six TA-880H mid-high units, eight TA-880L bass units, six TA-880HM downfills, four TSW-124 sub bass units and two TA-890H tri-amp units. The speakers are powered by MC2 E25 and E45 power amplifiers with XTA processing.

The Aspect system was specified by Queen's consultant Mick Williams of Symonds Group in c

USA - Color Kinetics Incorporated today demonstrated continued support for the accelerating adoption of intelligent solid-state lighting with the expansion of its Digital Light Engine (DLE) line. The integrated OEM assemblies extend Color Kinetics' proven technologies to manufacturers seeking to cost-effectively develop and deliver intelligent solid-state lighting systems that meet diverse application demands.

Color Kinetics has an open, active approach to forming OEM and licensing partnerships with manufacturers who recognize the value and increasingly prevalent role of intelligent solid-state lighting - both within and beyond the traditional lighting market. The DLE offering comprises Color Kinetics' core knowledge, experience, technologies, intellectual property and services to speed partners' time to market with complete lighting systems.

DLEs are available in various shap

UK - Pictured right is a lighting installation on the wall of Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf in London, created by lighting designer Simon Corder. Based on a brief from Coin Street Community Builders, 'Bough 1' is inspired by the tradition of bringing evergreens into the home during midwinter, says Corder.

The project was completed in time for the Lord mayor's Parade firework display which took place on 13 November, attracting thousands of visitors to the South Bank. Louise King of CSCB said: "The brief was to create a dramatic, contemporary installation that reflected the ethos of Oxo Tower Wharf with its restaurants, design shops and gallery spaces. The installation had to be visible from the riverside walkway, Waterloo Bridge and beyond. Simon's Bough 1 satisfied the brief completely and we are delighted with it."

Corder employed fluorescent fittings made and supplied by

UK - Avolites has supplied a new Diamond 4 Elite console and an eDMX radio DMX system to the National Theatre's LX department. These went into immediate use on the NT's new exterior architectural lighting scheme, and will also be utilized for its busy events schedule and other lighting projects happening in and around the building.

The console and the eDMX was specified by the National's Chief LX Huw Llewellyn and is an integral part of the National's architectural installation, phase one of which is currently underway.

"Avolites eDMX is brilliant! It's given us the flexibility we needed to place lighting fixtures anywhere" says Llewellyn, adding that the National's vast complex yields a plethora of roofs, balconies, walkways and other vantage points on which to place lights. Using eDMX also means they can position the desk wherever they like.

Additionally, it save

UK - White Light is supplying equipment to pantomimes of all scales, from complete lighting rigs going in to West End theatres to additional effects or moving lights for smaller venues expanding their house rigs to provide the extra sparkle and magic that these shows demand. The list includes twelve different versions of Snow White!

Among the shows using equipment from White Light in London are a number productions by Qdos Entertainment, one of the leading national pantomime producers: these include Beauty and the Beast in Hayes, Dick Whittington in Richmond, Peter Pan in Southampton and Southend, Aladdin in Tunbridge Wells and Wimbledon, Snow White in Woking, Cinderella in Wolverhampton as well as the West End pantomime Snow White at the Victoria Palace Theatre. White Light's equipment will also be found lighting Mother

World - Ladysmith Black Mambazo are currently on their "Wenyukela" (or "Raise your Spirit") world tour that commemorates the 10th anniversary of the end of Apartheid in their native South Africa. Their intense touring schedule took in 26 dates in just four weeks.

On his second tour with the African vocal group, lighting designer Tim Speechley, invited Pearce Hire to tender and subsequently supply the lighting for the UK tour. Having had to change the plan to use projection due to lack of images, Tim amended his initial ideas and created a painted cyclorama for the stage set and commissioned custom gobos of African images, such as a Zulu shield which were projected using Source 4 profiles. Standing behind (Pearce Hire's) Pearl 2004 console Tim commented: "Pearce Hire has done us proud with new top notch equipment and friendly efficient crew."

The P

UK - London-based A/V system integrator Live Business International (LBI) has continued its relationship with P&O Ferries with the commissioning this month of a brand new entertainment lighting system (following the extensive new audio system that LBI installed onboard the Bilbao 18 months ago) for its cruise ship Pride of Bilbao, the latest step in the ship's facilities upgrade programme.

The ship plies one of P&O's most popular routes - three-day mini-cruises between Portsmouth and Bilbao, capital of the Basque region of northern Spain. The complete installation had to be carried out during one such cruise - and even during a gale-force storm.

LBI was asked to design a new lighting system for the 700-seat Silverstone Lounge, the Pride of Bilbao's multi-function entertainment suite which hosts a multitude of different events including speech-based entertainment, live theatre shows

UK - A.C. Lighting announced a new staff appointment at the company's Southern sales office in High Wycombe. Peter Nesbitt joins the company's UK Sales department as lighting sales executive, providing office and in the field support for the company's expanding range of leading lighting brands.

Nesbitt brings over 30 years entertainment lighting knowledge and experience to the role. After beginning his career working in repertory and college theatres for ten years, he then became a partner in established theatre lighting business, Ancient Lights, working in both hire and sales. Nesbitt went on to become the company's managing director, before leaving in 1995 to work as a freelance technical consultant on projects, which included large lottery bids. In 1998, whilst contracting for Elstree Light & Power, Nesbitt became a permanent employee and covered a variety of roles in his tim

UK - Computers Unlimited has teamed up with the Central School of Speech & Drama in London to stage the first ever UK VectorWorks Spotlight event.

VectorWorks Spotlight is an entertainment and lighting design software, which merges sophisticated 2D drafting and powerful 3D modelling with advanced lighting design and production tools. The organizer says the event will provide an opportunity to see some outstanding projects created using VectorWorks Spotlight.

Mark Stephens, director of The Design Division (a specialist VectorWorks reseller and producer of the new VectorWorks Spotlight Training CD), will start the event with an overview of VectorWorks. He will then demonstrate the specific Spotlight features, and will also show the new VectorWorks training CD which now includes specific movies on Spotlight. Alex Wardle, a lighting designer and technical manager, will cover setting up

UK - Bill Bailey's one-man stand-up show, Part Troll, toured for 11 weeks prior to its present residency at the the Lyric Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue and has so far had its West End run extended twice, such has been its popularity and success. So what makes Bailey's show so unique? Perhaps the way he combines music with stand-up and delivers both so ingeniously, using a combination of music genres, story-telling and three carefully crafted jokes - which are spread thinly through the show!

Featuring plenty of audience participation and some pretty weird and wonderful musical instruments, the show depends on communicating every intonation, facial expression and word to the audience - making sound and lighting both essential ingredients to the successful delivery of the material. Prior to the show, I met up with FOH engineer Ian Horne and LD Arturo Ollandini, both of whom are generally mo

USA - Elation Professional has introduced the CMY Zoom-250, a 250W DMX-compatible colour changer using new colour-mixing technology to produce ultra-smooth transitions between any two points on the colour spectrum.

Designed primarily for stage use and the professional lighting rental market, the CMY Zoom-250 offers the distinct advantage of CMY colour mixing, an innovative system based on graduated cyan, magenta and yellow filters. Users can achieve a continuous range of unlimited colours by varying the amount of each filter from 0 to 100 percent. The unit can also be set to scroll continuously through the entire spectrum, from white all the way to ultraviolet.

"Even if you are going from pink to dark blue, the transition is nearly seamless with the CMY Zoom-250," said John Lopez, sales manager for Elation Professional. "With a regular colour wheel, you'd see al

UK - A special live outside broadcast of the hit BBC1 show Strictly Come Dancing was transmitted from the Blackpool Tower Ballroom on Saturday 20 November. The BBC1 show moved out of TV centre and came back to the recognized home of ballroom dancing.

Lighting director Mark Kenyon working alongside a six-man crew from ELP created a visually stunning show. The opulent architecture and lavish décor of the ballroom were accentuated by a combination of moving lights, conventional six-lamp bars and modern LED systems. The lighting equipment, provided by ELP, included 44 assorted ETC Source Four profiles, 30 High End Studio Colors, 28 Thomas Par 64 chrome floorcans, 18 Par 64 six-lamp bars, 72 Pulsar ChromaStrips, 23 Martin MAC 2000s, 12 MAC 500s and 11 Arri Junior Fresnels. Control was from Compulite - a Spark desk for the generic systems and a Sabre for the moving lights - while all dimmi

USA - Cartier New York's famous store is even more resplendent with jewels this year, following a ground-breaking LED installation. Cartier's spectacular 2004/05 festive lighting scheme includes several bespoke LED features designed and specified by London-based Metropolis Group, and manufactured in its Welsh facility.

At the core of the display are two giant LED tiaras - one 5ft tall and 18ft long, the other 5ft by 16 ft - rigged above the building's two public entrances on 5th Avenue and 52nd Street. Half way up the building is a 14ft-wide LED bow, joining two pieces of red 'ribbon' which wrap the entire building. Containing over 17,000 LEDs, the scenic tiaras and the bow were built by Met3, Metropolis' Swansea-based LED manufacturing operation.

Metropolis US, headed by Richard Ancas, was initially approached about the project by Patrick Benasillo, VP of Visual Graphics Services (

UK - Forge Europa has introduced a new range of SPLEDs for use in a range of illumination applications including backlighting and filament bulbs replacement. SPlined LEDs - SPLEDs for short - are LED bulb replacements which can be used without a printed circuit board. The contours of the LED just push into a pre-drilled hole with a secure friction fit, and insulation displacement connectors make interconnection easy.

Suitable for assembly into all types of vac form and plastic fascias they are quick to assemble, making them suited to short production runs and applications requiring fast progression from development to manufacture.

SPLEDs can stand-alone or march together in extended strips to provide unique scope for the creative lighting design engineer. They provide a very wide viewing angle of 120°, and diode protection ensures that they can survive harsh environments. Si

Rosco showed a prototype of a new theatrical lighting unit, designed by Dialight Corporation, and powered by a solid-state LED engine array. This is the first solid-state instrument to offer the advantages of a hard-edge beam, shutters, and sharp gobo projection capabilities with specifiable, repeatable Roso colours matched to the Roscolux and E-Color swatch books. Also new from Rosco are the PSU-400 and PSU-200 power supply units, which are compatible with nearly all the colour scrollers, gobo rotators, and other accessory devices in common use. For large-scale fog uses, the Delta 6000 fog machine, which consumes more than nine litres of fog fluid an hour, provides service to very large stages, theme parks, and other big venues. The X-Effects projector utilizes a 200W enhanced-metal arc source, whose short arc allows for an output of 5,000 lumens, and a 2,000-hour lamp life. The colour

UK - A.C. Lighting has supplied theatre equipment to The Broadway and Artsdepot newly fitted theatres in London. The company won competitive tenders after being approached by Roger Fox of Theatreplan Consultants (The Broadway) and Chris Baldwin of ACT Consultants (Artsdepot).

The Broadway is Barking and Dagenham's newly re-developed live performance arts venue, presenting a mixed programme of high quality, professional music, dance, drama, comedy, children's and family shows. Tim Foster Architects were commissioned to re-design the original Broadway as part of a regeneration programme of the town's city centre. The new 950 capacity venue opens its doors this Christmas with Dick Whittington and his Kool Kat - an updated version of the London classic.

The Broadway's lighting rig, which includes several products from A.C.'s exclusive product range, comprises of Chroma-Q sc

Digital Art System's newest product was the Easy Stand Alone Ethernet DMX-512 interface (IP version). This product makes it possible to work either locally or via the Internet. The interface can establish a connection to a server and look for any new updates. The lighting designer only needs to put a new show on the server and the interface will download it at the next connection. The interface can be connected to a WebCam, allowing the installer to update a design and see the changes in real time. The product took a PLASA Award for Innovation at this year's PLASA Show.

The new DL2 is the latest in High End's line of digital lighting. The DL2 combines intelligent lighting with digital video and wireless DMX control to give designers the ultimate in flexibility. The DL2 has an internal, Windows-based media server that features rotation and movement synchronization and movie playback synchronization between units. High End also premiered the new Axon V2, a WindowsXP-based media server. The Axon V2 features movie playback synchronization between multiple Axon V2s and the DL2, rotation synchronization of X, Y and Z axes, as well as montage edge blending, remote configuration and tiling with different viewpoints. Axon V2 is applicable for use with soft LED curtains, plasma monitors, LED displays, LCD/DLP projectors and High End's own DL1 as well. Catalyst, High End's premier media server, is now currently available in three software-only versions to meet a

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