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Rigging / Staging

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Italy - In the first significant expansion since the purchase of Orbit, Star Events Group announced the immediate opening for business of Star Orbit Italia. Working from offices in central Milan and with a brand new warehouse situated near Milan Linate airport, this will be a full service operation.

Stocks of the unique Star Orbit stages are already in Milan, along with trained crews, transport and associated services such as front of stage barriers. The modular nature of the Star Orbit range enables the company to temporarily increase stock levels in Italy, from the UK, for large projects.

The Milan office will also be offering other Star Events Group products to the Southern and Eastern European markets. The first confirmed contracts for the new venture are to supply 15m Orbit stages for the pre Christmas and New Year's Eve concerts being organized by the City of Milan outsi

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Tomcat had the One line of trussing for exhibit and retail applications, which makes use of a new aluminium connector that provides ease of construction and exceptional support. New from Brilliant Stages is Dekex, an extra-light line of risers and stage decking which is billed as being exceptionally quick and easy to use. At 40kg for an 8ft x 4ft module, it is designed for schools, colleges, and exhibitions, among other applications.
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At the Rose Brand stand, the ShowLED Star Drop has gone full colour, using RGB LED technology for additive mixing that allows for thousands of colours. The drop uses wide-angle, high-output LEDs, which are individually addressable (with the ability to assign up to 16 virtual channels). A lightweight DMX-compatible controller can be run in stand-alone fashion, connected to a light board, or via a PC control system. Also, Rose Brand is now the US stocking distributor for UK-based Triple E track systems. Triple E's Unitrack features large-capacity scenery carriers, eliminating the need to build custom carriers. In addition, the company's Chaintrack system allows curtains to turn up to 180° in as little as a 6" radius.

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UK - Star Vertech is supplying 7,500sq.m of its proprietary Vertech platforms to support temporary ice-rinks through the 2004/2005 festive season. Star Vertech (part of the Star Events Group) is more commonly known for supplying staging at large concerts and festivals; but as the trend to install temporary ice-rinks has grown over recent years, the unique Vertech platforms have been called in to use to create strong, level bases for ice rinks.

Star Vertech crews have installed the large platforms in Newcastle, Dublin, Glasgow and Warwick, with another going into Leeds Millennium Square in January. Phil Addyman has managed the projects, commenting: "The Vertech staging system has proven popular for ice-rinks as it provides a very stable base and as it is designed to be installed quickly it saves time and money over other systems."

In addition to supporting the weigh

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UK - Quest - The Legend of the Green Knight is a totally new family spectacular performed in a fully heated Big Top on Clapham Common, running from 16 December 2004 to 3 January 2005. Sunbaba Screens has provided specialist printed backdrops for the festive theatre production.

A huge 135 sqm full colour backdrop being used for the event was digitally printed by Sunbaba Screens on the company's "Ultra-Mesh" fabric, while a number of smaller screens were designed and printed to hang over the doors of the temporary structure which houses the production.

Trevor Booth, technical director of Sunbaba Screens explained: "We worked closely with Quest to produce a backdrop which would suit their precise requirements and set the scene for the production. We have worked with David and his team before and it was great to be involved with a theatrical production of thi

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UK - When rock and roll landed at London's Earls Court for sell out shows by Morrissey and Muse (two nights) this month, Star Events Group supplied its rolling riser stage system. The 60ft x 40ft system was built in a mere five hours, saving critical time on a tight time schedule.

Project manager, Phil Addyman said: "This used to be a quiet time of year for us, but we are amidst a very busy December season of outdoor shows, supplying Vertech ice-rink platforms and these rolling riser stage shows emphasize how the company has moved forward to be busy at all times of the year."

Star Events Group will finish the year with New Years shows as far a-field as Edinburgh Hogmanay and Milan (the latter managed by the new international arm of the company; Star Orbit Italia).

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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UK - Since the appointment of Tony Dickson as UK sales manager of Tomcat UK in May 2004, two further new additions have been made to the Tomcat UK staff, namely Patrick Lockwood and Paul Jordan.

The company say that the impact of this new team will be that Tomcat UK will be able to offer a much wider range of services to its customers including technical appraisal, site surveys, theatrical installations and also the supply of industrial lifting and mechanical handling equipment and structures, which will be dealt with through its Lifting and Handling Solutions division based at Bromborough, utilizing the skills of Dickson, Jordan and Lockwood.

Lockwood, who joins Tomcat UK as a sales engineer, first started in the industry as a welder for James Thomas Engineering in 1990. Working his way through the company, Lockwood ran the welding shop for approximately two years. With his k

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UK - Large format projection specialists E//T//C UK projected into the Shell Building for London's New Year's Eve 2004/05 celebrations, working for show and event producers Jack Morton Worldwide (JMW).

The projections were part of London Lights a pyrotechnic and lighting extravaganza designed to catch the spirit of London as the year rolled over and reinforce the city's bid for the 2012 Olympics. The event took place along the Thames, encompassing the South Bank between Jubilee and Westminster Bridges, including landmarks like the London Eye and Big Ben. Over 135,000 people on the streets, plus TV audiences of several million enjoyed it live.

E//T//C's Ross Ashton decided to change the projection format slightly for this event, covering the full surface of the building with eight PIGI 6Kw projectors. (In the past, they've used 6 for the images, with two for accompanyin

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UK - Stage Technologies ended 2004 with the automation of its third, large-scale, west-end musical in almost as many months. Following hot on the heels of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's The Woman in White and the Broadway hit The Producers is the largest automated system ever installed by the company in the West End for the smash hit Mary Poppins.

Stage Technologies' rental department has never been busier. In addition to these most recent productions, the company is ensuring round-the-clock support for in excess of 50 theatre venues around the world and also automation equipment on film and television shoots. The company offers access full diagnostics and give remote support on many projects, without the need to visit the venue.

The company says that 2004 has been an exciting year for rental automation design, proving that this technology is accessible to small a

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UK - This year's BBC's Sports Personality of the Year 2004 awards had a dramatic new environmental set created for them by design and communication company Imagination. Over 600 guests attended the event, which saw gold medallist Kelly Holmes scoop the 2004 Sports Personality of the Year trophy.

Working closely with the BBC executive producer Paul Davies, Imagination was able to create a visually arresting space for the awards, which not only hosted the live television programme but also a pre and post transmission party for over 600 VIP guests.

This year's environmental set included multiple interview staging areas, graphic treatments on the stage and floor as well as lighting and projection design. Imagination has a long-standing relationship with the BBC having worked with them on environmental sets for such programmes as Newsnight and Sports series On-Side

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USA - J.R. Clancy Inc has introduced its PowerLift line of motorized theatrical rigging, designed to improve backstage safety and ease of use. PowerLift's simple, programmed operation allows operators to concentrate on stage activities, say the company, while added safety features detect and react to snags or overloads quickly, reducing the potential for accidents.

J.R. Clancy's PowerLift technology offers several advantages over conventional rigging systems, according to Tom Young, vice-president of sales and marketing. "We've combined our experience with new materials and manufacturing processes to develop the PowerLift, offering reliable motorized rigging at an affordable price," Young said.

PowerLift eliminates both the need to handle counterweights to keep sets in balance. When using PowerLift in new buildings, the stage house can be smaller than is necessary

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UK - The latest issue of British Harlequin house magazine Harlequinade carries stories from around the globe including the magnificent new Copenhagen Opera House, the impressive Centre de la Danse in Paris and the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow.

From America news of Harlequin's largest ever installation of Liberty Sprung floors at Florida State University in Tallahassee, as well as a special installation at the Lincoln Center in New York. Elsewhere in the issue Rachel Rist, president of IADMS writes a timely warning on the risks of dancing on the 'wrong type' of dance floor, a subject also highlighted in a recent House of Commons Report.

Anyone involved in dance who would like to receive a free copy of Harlequinade can sign up via the contact details below.

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UK - Total Fabrications announced that, as of the 1st of January 2005, Neil Darracott stepped down from his position as the company's technical director. Darracott has worked within TFL for over 5 years, during which time he's played a vital role in maintaining Total Fabrications reputation as one of the industry's most innovative and safety conscious truss manufacturer. In addition, his personal contributions to the PLASA committee and other industry forums serve as typical examples of his enduring commitment to the cause.

Darracott will be heading up a new business, called "Xolve", which is dedicated to providing manufacturing companies with specialist technical and management resources. Although it is not restricting itself to the entertainment market, Xolve is certain to provide our industry with valuable and much needed support.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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USA - Wicked, is the little-known "back story" of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glenda the Good Witch - characters from The Wizard of Oz. The show features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz from a book by Winnie Holzman. This Tony award-winning musical, based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, took Broadway by storm in 2003 and it is soon to go on its North American tour.

Wicked Tour Productions asked Tomcat USA to make some custom items for the tour. The company designed and manufactured a 132' span of electric truss - based on a custom version of the EDDY Award winning TOMCAT Swing Wing Truss. The span was designed to come in three sections, each measuring 36" x 30" X 44'.

In addition, Tomcat was also asked to build four sets of lighting towers, as well as a cyc boom and cyc trusses. Each tower is 25" x 30", with h

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Canada - Adamson Systems Engineering has moved to a new head office in Port Perry, Ontario. The company advises that as of Monday 17 January there will no longer be support staff at the former Ajax location, and that all mailings, couriers and shipments should now be sent to the address below, and staff may be contacted at the new telephone and fax numbers. The company can now be contacted at 1401 Scugog Line 6, Port Perry, Ontario, Canada. L9L 1B2. Tel +1 (905) 982-0520, Fax +1 (905) 982-0609.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - TPA 05 - the Graduate Exhibition and Trade Show of the Technical and Production Arts department of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) will take place on 22-23 March 2005. Once again, Graduating students from the BA Technical and Production Arts course will be showing their work over the past three years in the Academy's Chandler Studio Theatre. Supporting this in the New Athenaeum, the RSAMD's main house, the industry supporters of the course will be showing a large range of production equipment.

Triple E and Black Light have joined the list of course sponsors this year and will exhibiting alongside PRG Europe, Le Mark, Rosco, Rope Assemblies, White Light, Zero 88, Autograph Sales and Hall Stage. Also new to the show will be Lift, Turn, Move and Learn 2B Safe, as well as several industry organizations such as the ABTT, SMA, PSA, PLASA and the ALD, many o

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UK - Lift-Turn-Move has added another member to its steadily growing team, with Jenny Hobday joining as sales administrator. She'll be working with John Jones, Paul Hadfield and Dave King, her appointment reflecting LTM's extremely healthy order book, the company says.

Hobday graduated from Stafford University with a Business degree and then joined industrial marine specialists Cosalt, where she worked in the lifting department, handling several major corporate clients. She brings her considerable knowledge in this specialist area to LTM as well as a new outlook and plenty of enthusiasm. "I'm really thrilled to be working with LTM," she says. "It's a different area with lots of new challenges and some excellent people."

LTM's John Jones is equally happy to be building his team this quickly after the company's launch at PLASA 2004. "Jenny is the ideal

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UK - The first few months of 2004 saw Stage Technologies engineers' busy commissioning the stage automation systems on board three Princess cruise ships. The year ended with an order for yet another Princess cruise ship.

The Crown Princess is the fifth 'grand class' cruise ship to be built by Fincantieri in its Monfalcone shipyard in Italy. Just days before the end of the year Stage Technologies was awarded a contract, by HMS Italia SA, for the supply of the stage automation control and the power flying system for this ship which will go into service in spring 2006. The system will comprise twenty-one fixed speed and forty-two variable speed axes.

All eight of the grand class cruise ships currently in service have Stage Technologies Acrobat control systems in the main theatre, and several also feature the Juggler control system in the aft lounges. All but the original Grand Pr

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UK - A curious amalgam, MPH '04 is The Motor Show with Top Gear attitude; but then with presenters Tiff Needell, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond it would be (sharp intake of breath, adopt voice of God) 'like a B52 parking in your driveway'.

This was just the second year of the show at Earls Court, and already it's growing; PMI and Simon Aldridge appear to have brought a new and burgeoning marriage of live and static presentation into the exhibition world, a marriage that will surely have others looking frantically for an eligible partner.

Steve Sinclair has been part of the presentation team for the past two events and describes the differences between this and conventional car expo: "Some content elements appear familiar, there's a gallery of 90 or so vehicles, sponsored by HR Owens, but these aren't ordinary cars; we're talking testosterone motoring Ferraris and Mas

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UK - New Year's Eve 2004 saw the British Airways London Eye become the focal point for a spectacular light and fireworks display for 150,000 Londoners on Westminster Bridge and the Embankment - plus a nationwide television audience.

Although tempered by news of the Asian Tsunami - a two-minute silence was held before the display and certain elements of the projection and light show were removed - the overall reaction from audience and press was that London had got this New Year's Eve event absolutely right. Jack Morton Worldwide (JMW) designed and produced the entertainment and managed the logistics for the event. JMW project director Jeremy Garbett and his team worked for months in advance to co-ordinate and accommodate the various council and public safety concerns.

Fireworks were obviously the major element of the show and French designer Christophe Berthonneau and his team from

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Denmark - Harlequin has supplied flooring to the new Opera House in Copenhagen, equipping a large ballet studio of 362sq.m, a smaller studio of 190sq.m and a shared opera/ballet studio of 166sq.m. All are furnished with Harlequin Studio flooring in grey. The first ballet performance on the new stage scheduled for April 2005 will be a Neumeier production of The Little Mermaid. Danish shipping magnate Mærsk McKinney Møller personally handed over the new Opera House, his gift to the Danish state, on October 1, 2004.

The Opera House, used by Det Kongelige Teater (the Royal Theatre), will host large-scale opera and ballet productions. The main auditorium seats approximately 1,500 people and also benefits from a 200-seat studio theatre and a full-sized orchestral rehearsal room. The Danish Royal Orchestra's rehearsal room is located five floors below the auditorium, 14m belo

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UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) has announced the following technical theatre training courses, scheduled for spring 2005 and to be held at the Plaza Theatre, Stockport.

On Friday 18 February: Knots & Splicing - The course covers the handling of different ropes and tying knots proficiently and safely knots that are useful in a theatre situation. Attendees will learn to differentiate between various natural fibre ropes, splice rope ends and use tools for splicing, etc. Knots including bowline, clove hitch, reef knot, wagon hitch, rolling hitch and sheet bend.

On Friday 4 March: Counterweight Flying - The course objectives are to teach the safe handling of counterweight sets and will cover terminology, parts of a counterweight set, loading and unloading, operating, first line maintenance, single and double purchase systems, putting knots

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USA - 2005 promises to be a strong year for the cruise industry, which looks set to achieve record growth. Numerous new cruise ships are scheduled for launch in 2005, with further major projects slated for 2006 and 2007. This positive trend will translate into real business opportunities for UK specialists providing lighting, audio, AV and staging technologies.

Exploiting this development will be the forthcoming SeaTrade exhibition in Miami (March 15-17) - the largest gathering of cruise line owners, operators and suppliers in the world. One of the main features of the show will be the new 'PLASA at Sea' Pavilion - a showcase of all the latest innovations in entertainment and leisure-based technology. Confirmed exhibitors to date include Barbizon, Vari-Lite, Rose Brand, Rosco, Color Kinetics, Xilver, Martin Professional, Mavco, Teledimensions, Stage Technologies and Snow Master

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UK - Russia came to London on 15 January 2005 when Trafalgar Square London hosted the Russian Winter Festival - a feast of music, theatre and street entertainment to mark the 'Old New Year' according to the old calendar of the Orthodox Church. The show opened with speeches from Russian and London dignitaries including Ken Livingstone, watched by an 18,000-plus audience.

Produced by Greenwich & Docklands Festivals, the eight-hour show embraced cultural song and dance from across Russia to mainstream rock and pop acts. The Alexandrov Military Choir performed with 75 members on stage, its first UK appearance since 1967.

John Radford, Technical Project Manger for Stage Electrics Production Services, worked closely with production manager Colin Nightingale to supply technical event production including provision of staging, lighting, sound, site distribution and LED screen and cam

  1. Global Truss goes for strength
  2. Stage Electrics launches training
  3. LiteStructures and XS!TE at the Event Show
  4. Star Events splashes out at Boat Show
  5. Big Brother final taken seriously
  6. CyberHoist/InMotion 3D moves Rammstein
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