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Rigging / Staging

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The first Hard Rock Cafe opened its doors to the public in June 1971 in London. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the classic diner put on a concert by Grammy-nominated superstars Matchbox Twenty at The London Apollo, Hammersmith, followed by a celebrity reception at the original Hard Rock Cafe.

Blackout Triple E was contacted by Hard Rock Cafe to install black wool Serge drapes over the crowd-control barriers for the VIP guests, plus starcloths to create the desired atmosphere within the Apollo. Additionally, a 6x8ft printed Foamex logo board was rapidly constructed featuring the Hard Rock Cafe logo at the entrance to the venue, presenting an ideal location for taking photographs of the celebrity guests. Accustomed to operating to tight deadlines that also require a high degree of flexibility and quality, the Blackout Triple E team had just two days notice to fulfil this time-sensiti

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PCM was one of the first companies in this industry to promote the value of training. Since L&SI routinely covers news of its well-established Motor Schools, we thought it high time we actually sent someone to take a closer look. Jacqueline Molloy volunteered . . .

I must confess to not having prior intimate knowledge of Columbus McKinnon hoists, but I now feel confident that should I ever have the need to strip and rebuild one, I would not disappoint the training staff from PCM!

29 of us gathered at PCM’s premises for the start of the two-day intensive course aimed at unravelling the mysteries of CM Lodestars. The popularity of the course, which has been running since 1993, is such that some attendees had flown in from Dublin and Portugal to take part. A cross-section of the industry was represented, including freelancers and representatives from sound, lighting and rigging c

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For those visitors new to PLASA or simply keen to remind themselves how impressive last year’s event was, the Show website now features a virtual tour of last year’s PLASA Show. The tour takes in various elements of the exhibition with views from both the lower and top decks. By clicking on any of the green circles featured, visitors can look at the show floor in 3D and also explore other facilities at Earls Court 1.

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The PLASA Standards Office has prepared a series of Guidance Notes for PLASA Members. Each provides useful information on current topics of interest and will be updated on an ongoing basis in line with developments. Further documents are planned in response to the needs of PLASA members. The following guidance documents are currently available. These documents are in PDF (Portable Document Format) and may be read with Adobe Acrobat Reader (version 3 or later) which is available free from www.adobe.co.uk

Guide to Australian EMC Framework: contains advice on the EMC and C-Tick labelling requirements for equipment destined for the Australian market.

Basic Guide to the FCC Rules: contains advice on application of the USA Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules on EMC for entertainment equipment.

Standards for Dimmers: contains advice on the applicable safety

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The Entertainment Services and Technology Association has launched projects to draft three new American National Standards:

BSR E1.18, Recommended practice for the selection, installation, use, and maintenance of single-conductor portable power feeder cable in the entertainment industry. The standard is intended to offer guidance on how to select, install, use and maintain single-conductor portable power feeder cables. The project will promote safety and compatibility in the equipment and practices used in live performance and in film and video production in North America.

BSR E1.19, Recommendations for the use of ground fault devices in the entertainment industry. The standard is intended to offer guidance on how to select, install, use and maintain ground fault protection devices in the entertainment industry. The project is intended to promote the use of these devi

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Lighting&Sound International, PLASA Media’s leading entertainment technology journal, is sponsoring the New Technology Gallery at PLASA 2001. This is the showcase of all products nominated for the prestigious PLASA Awards for Product Excellence. Situated on the Top Deck of the PLASA Show, near to the main bar area, the showcase offers visitors a chance to check out the features and capabilities of all of the major product innovations at PLASA 2001, in one place.

L&SI will be based on the Lower Deck (stand K19), where we will be offering free readerships to qualifying UK industry personnel, plus special offers on international subscriptions only available at PLASA 2001 - plus PLASA Media freebies to all new subscribers!

L&SI can be found on stand K19.

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Few people understand the full complexities of health and safety regulations inherent in the design and installation of motion control systems, even less so when EU legislation is surpassed by a country’s own. The DIN standards, imposed by the TÜV, are known for being the toughest, most stringent safety regulations in the world and govern installations from railways and airlines to nuclear power stations. It was within such DIN regulations that AVW Controls designed, manufactured and installed the automation systems for the newly-built 1,450-seat Concert Hall in Thessalonika, Greece.

The facility is used for opera, theatre and as a convention centre, and as such needs to be totally flexible. The specification, one of the largest AVW has worked on, called for a fully computerised flying system for 34 scenery bars, 10 point hoists and four lighting bars, all with the capability o

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Visual Act is a system of remote-controlled wagons for creating movement on and off the stage. Movements are limited only by the imagination, giving both artists and technicians total freedom in design. Visual Act combines the elements of computer control, battery-operated servos, high-speed radio communication and laser-based navigation to obtain a high level of flexibility and dependability. All components are modular and easily installed in the wagon framework. They can therefore be reused in wagons of almost any shape and size.

See Visual Act at PLASA at stand R62.

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Blackout Triple E Ltd has just completed what it believes to be the biggest draping job ever under taken in Europe. The brief was to construct 11 acoustic friendly session rooms, in addition to providing the rigging for lighting, sound and video throughout a hall measuring over half a kilometre in length by 100m across and 15m high. The project involved over 100 motors, 5000m of catenaries, over 1000m of truss and a staggering 1000 drapes, which alone weighed over 30 tonnes and required three 45ft trucks to transport them to the newly commissioned Montjuic 2 exhibition centre run by Fira de Barcelona in Spain.

Discussions began over 12 months ago about the feasibility of holding simultaneous presentations in such a big hall: the requirement was to create eleven 'rooms' - nine to hold 880 people, one to accommodate 1650 and another for 2050 people. The task was to create a cost-effectiv

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Bryan Wilson and Jon Gee formed central London-based Flying Squad Aerial Rigging Services late last year to offer a specialist team devoted to flying performers and acrobats. As part of their expansion, the company has just welcomed a newly-appointed director, Rory McKeown. The Flying Squad now offers a fully comprehensive production rigging service including design, consultancy, manufacture and installation. From Frank Sinatra to Kylie Minogue, McKeown’s CV reads like a who’s who in entertainment. At the forefront of imaginative rigging design for over 20 years, Rory McKeown toured with Pink Floyd on the original ‘Wall’ tour in 1980, rigging the famous huge inflatable moving puppets. This led to his rigging Roger Water’s ‘Wall’ at the Berlin Wall in 1990. He has flown Prince during his 1987 European tour and been chief rigger for U2's nine month

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At this year’s PLASA Exhibition Prolyte is introducing new product including a brand new delay tower system, available in 550 kg, 1100 kg, 1600 kg and 2100 kg versions. The large version is being displayed on the stand of Lightfactor - one of Prolyte’s UK distributors. The smaller version can be seen on the stand of another prolyte distributor in the UK, Unusual Rigging. Also new is a completely restyled and updated version of the MPT tower system, to bring the product in line with future demands and regulations.

The updated version of the Prolyte catalogue is also available, featuring over 100 pages of product information and background knowledge from the world of truss. Furthermore the company invites visitors to the cosy surroundings of their stand to enjoy some fun and business gossip at the famous ‘Prolyte Bar’ or to meet Prolyte’s distributor represe

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In late July, Kew Gardens held its Summer Swing Festival, a five-day music event, in the midst of some of the worst mid-summer weather for 30 years. After the success of last year's event, production rigging company Nippy Industries has been awarded a three-year contract to provide the outdoor roof, staging, and all platforms for sound and light control. "For this years' event we installed a steel deck stage 15 metres wide by 9 metres deep over difficult terrain including steps and drop levels," said Nippy's Steven Williams. "The stage was then protected from the elements by our newly-purchased roofing system from Total Fabrications Limited (TFL)."

Jools Holland and his Big Band opened and closed the festival, in between artists such as The Bootleg Beetles, Bjorn Again and Kid Creole and the Coconuts who entertained some rather soggy audiences. "Considering the

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Bookings are now well underway for the seminar and workshop programme planned for the PLASA Show. This year the emphasis is very much on knowledge with those signing up gaining an insight into how new technology is creating new opportunities, how individuals have pulled together highly complex projects, why integration is so important and how they can achieve more by picking up tips and techniques from others.

In a programme of seminars sponsored by Installation Europe, audio installation and integration is the theme under which issues of networking, control and the benefits of converging technologies are explored. Tuesday sees a Theme and Leisure Masterclass, presented by Leisure Management, in association with the TEA and TiLE, which focuses on how the leisure industry exploits special effects, lighting and audio technology to create unique environments to enhance the visitor experie

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Salisbury-based Stagecraft unveiled its new Prolyte Arc Roof at this year's Salisbury Festival. Stagecraft is the first company within the UK to offer this unique staging system for hire. The Arc Roof can be adapted to suit individual events and will be seen in action throughout the summer at The Big Chill festivals, West Green House and Brockstock, a fundraising event for local charities. Stagecraft's involvement in this year's Salisbury Festival ranged from the hiring of stage equipment to the full installation and supervision of projects such as Prolyte Arc Roof's use in both the opening ceremony and fireworks finale in the Cathedral Close. Stagecraft also constructed a giant outdoor cinema screen in front of The Cathedral School to show silent movies, supported by the French band, Art Zoyd, as well as constructing a two storey front-of-house position, split level stages and PA wings,

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Edwin Shirley Staging provided two identical stages for this year’s V2001, the national summer music festival that takes place in two separate locations in Essex and Staffordshire. This year’s festival featured a host of acts, including the world-famous bands Texas and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

The two V stages, constructed using ESS's Lite tower system, boasted an impressive 52m wide façade and were assembled in just four days. The 14m high, 10-towered structure with an ESS inflatable roof was specially designed to provide support for the massive sound system and the two 32sq.m Screenco video screens which flanked each stage. Texas and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers also required their own rigging, and ESS had therefore to ensure that the roof grid was configured for the demanding set changes, including the addition of an extra video screen.

The festival hosted 48 artists ov

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When the BT Cellnet Conference was held in July, organisers Colebrand Design commissioned Indigo Design & Build to handle part of the venue preparation, including the staging. Because the BT Cellnet conference consists of a number of smaller events, the staging needed to be versatile enough to be constructed in different shapes depending on the size of the event. The natural choice for this element of the project was staging expert Maltbury and so Indigo purchased13 modules of Maltbury Metrodeck to complete the job, each varying in shape and size, ranging from 0.5 x 1m to 1 x 2m blocks. Metrodeck is Maltbury's own mid-weight staging system and has proven especially popular in venues where manpower and storage space is limited.

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Vertigo Rigging continues its association with the fast-moving world of automobiles. The two-show Vauxhall Vivaro event, staged to mark the launch of a new Transit-sized van, took place at the National Agricultural Centre in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire. The biggest challenge for Vertigo, according to project manager Paddy Burnside, was the rigging of the massive amount of weight involved within the venue’s point loading constraints of 75kg per-point-loading. All trussing had to be raised on Superlifts, transferred and deaded off with steel wire rope. Thirty-six steel wire rope bridle lengths were needed to secure the lighting trusses in the correct places above each display van, and these were calculated in advance using CAD facilities, and made up in Vertigo’s yard.

Vertigo were on site seven days from get in to de-rig, supplying and rigging all the trussing needed for over-s

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Self-adhesive product innovators LeMark Group, winners of two consecutive PLASA Show awards for its Blacktak and SlipWay Tape products, has announced a strategic alliance and working partnership with Scapa Tapes plc. Scapa is one of the world’s largest adhesive tape companies, supported by 22 production and distribution sites around the globe. LeMark will work with Scapa to co-develop, market and manufacture a specialist range of both plain and printed products for all aspects and areas of the growing entertainment industry. Le Mark and Scapa will jointly look to expand both their European and particularly their USA, Canadian and Latin markets.

Stuart Gibbons, LeMark’s managing and marketing director said: "This is an exciting collaboration, bringing together the entrepreneurial skills of Le Mark and the manufacturing excellence of Scapa, forging a global alliance that

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When bwa-uk was asked to organize this year’s International Gathering of Champions by the Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) they once more turned to Summit Steel to rig the event for sound and lighting. Summit had rigged for them last year at the London Arena. "We chose Summit again because we have found them efficient and helpful," said Peter Willis of bwa-uk. "Ninety percent of an event like this is founded upon the pre-production and planning stages, and Summit’s input to this process was invaluable. They worked with us all the way to ensure the event ran smoothly and that clinched it for us."

This year’s event was held in two giant marquees pitched at KICC’s headquarters in Waterden Road, Hackney. The bigger of the two marquees measured a staggering 105m wide by 40m deep while the other measured 85m by 20m. The conference was

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Vertigo Rigging was called in by Silent Associates International Ltd to rig for the high profile Dealer Event revealing the new Mini to North American Dealers. By far the most ambitious Mini venue - one of three - on the menu that day was the Mezzo restaurant in Wardour Street, Soho, London. The mission for the Vertigo team, led by the unflappable Ken Mehmed, was to lift a Mini from the service bridge, at street level of the venue, into and across the downstairs restaurant area below - where the event was staged. Scenic aspects were designed by Hottopp Associates from the USA. Like Silent Associates, they were also under direction of California-based Route 66 Productions for the project.

Starting at 4am on the Sunday morning of the event, the glass panels from the bridge leading to Mezzo’s kitchen area on the top floor were removed along one side. This allowed the Vertigo crew to

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PLASA is now just two days away and it looks like this year’s event will be the best ever. PLASA is where you get to find out what over 400 of the industry’s leading players have been doing in the past few months. It’s got to be better than leafing through hundreds of product brochures or trawling the internet for information. Aside from the exhibition, there are plenty of things to catch the eye, including the DJ Competition on the Sunday, the newly-introduced iDJ Talk Zone offering advice to DJs, a comprehensive seminar and workshop programme, the PLASA Awards for Product Excellence, the various Feature Areas, and the many events, press launches and on-stand receptions organized by exhibitors. If you still haven’t registered for the event, don’t worry, you can register on the day. All you need to do is turn up at Earls Court 1 and register on the door. See

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The doors have opened at Earls Court for Day 1 of the 24th PLASA Show, and the first visitors are now filling the show floor, where over 370 exhibitors are displaying their latest innovations to the industry. Over 400 products are making their first appearance at a PLASA Show, with the cream of the crop entered into the PLASA Awards for Product Excellence, and displayed in the New Technology Gallery on the Top Deck of Earls Court, which is this year sponsored by Lighting&Sound International magazine.

Throughout today, and for the duration of the show, the team from PLASA Media will be bringing you all the latest news and pictures from the show floor. To follow events as they unfold at PLASA 2001, visit our dedicated news section at the address below:

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The 56 products nominated for this year’s PLASA Awards for Product Excellence are currently available for visitors to view on the Top Deck of Earls Court, in the Lighting&Sound International-sponsored New Technology Gallery (pictured). The Gallery allows a one-stop view of all the latest product innovations in the categories of Lighitng, Sound, Stage Engineering and Audio-Visual. Judging for the Awards will take place during the show, by a panel of experts from each respective field. The winners will be announced at a special ceremony at 9.30 on Wednesday morning, at which time PLASA will also present the money raised from the Awards entries to a number of charities.

To view the complete list of products entered for the PLASA Awards for product Excellence, visit the web address below:

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First-time exhibitor Acutek comes to the PLASA Show having recently moved to new custom-built premises in Ipswich. The move comes within the company’s first year of operation and will allow for more streamlined production and more efficient customer service. The company now employs 10 people and expects this to increase over the next 12 months. "Our new premises have ample scope for us to expand as we develop our product range in line with the industry’s requirements," said operations director Ian Elder. At the Show itself, the company is demonstrating its range of motion and hoist control systems and its recently developed range of touring dimming systems.

Acutek can be found on Stand R54

  1. Bytecraft Collects Major Beijing Contract
  2. Maltbury Invited to the Budweiser House Party
  3. Stereophonics’ Day at The Races
  4. ESS’s Fiesta in Frankfurt
  5. PCM’s PSA Contributions top £17,000
  6. James Thomas: Imagination in Action
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