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Rigging / Staging

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Germany - With a number of successful trade show appearances already under its belt this year, ChainMaster of Eilenburg is preparing for the PLASA Show in London - one of the world's largest trade fairs for stage equipment and that of the events and entertainment industry in general, and ChainMaster again looks set to make a notable contribution, as the Saxon firm continues to innovate and has a number of new products to show visitors to the London show.Among them are the new manual controllers of the Basic Series. Easy-to-operate, robust, and offering a high degree of operational security without quite the same level of sophistication as ChainMaster's established lines, the chain-hoist controllers of the Basic Series come in both two- and four-channel versions.

ChainMaster has also developed a new chain-hoist controller with load display to comply with the BGV-D8-Plus standard.

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UK - With little more than two weeks to go until PLASA 2005 opens its doors, here are 10 reasons why you can't afford to miss out on this year's Show - taking place between Sunday 11 and Wednesday 14 September at Earls Court, London:

1. You'll see lots of new ideas - over 1,000 new products will be launched, and the best of these will be featured in the Innovation Gallery.
2. You'll see all the major international brands and manufacturers from around the globe.
3. You'll find more new companies exhibiting this year than ever before.
4. You'll hear about numerous new industry initiatives.
5. You'll find out what others are spending their money on and why.
6. You'll get to talk to lots of different people, many of them potential customers.
7. You'll take back knowledge to your workplace.
8. All the major industry trade associations will be there to offe

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UK - DJs keen to see all the latest DJ technologies should head to this year's PLASA Show, which runs for four full-on days at Earls Court 1 in London, from 11-14 September. Both show floors will be packed with the hottest DJ gear - everything from the smartest decks to top-of-the-range mixers.

Denon, Numark, Pioneer, Stanton and Vestax will be just some of the big-name brands at the Show, and a key part of the 300-strong line up of exhibitors showcasing current trends in lighting, sound, AV and multimedia technologies.

DJ Sunday, sponsored by iDJ magazine, will get the show off to a flying start with numerous events, giveaways and on-stand demos by leading DJs. In the DJ Lounge (at the back of the hall), visitors can watch the winners of iDJ Magazine's monthly Raw Talent competition and there will also be an opportunity to take the first steps into music production with a Tal

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USA - In October 2004, Jeep found a spectacular way to drive home the point that the 2005 Grand Cherokee literally could "go anywhere": they sent the vehicle up the outside of the 27-storey high-rise at 2 Penn Center in midtown Manhattan. On the ground, a half-million unflappable New Yorkers stopped to stare, while TV and webcams sent images to millions of viewers worldwide. The amazement was real, but the feat was an elaborate theatrical illusion, made possible by the meticulous planning, engineering and fabrication that PRG puts into every production.

In just three weeks, PRG designed, installed and tested the mechanism that would make the vehicle appear to climb the 414-foot structure under its own power. To reduce weight, they removed the engine and transmission from the Grand Cherokee, installed a motor that made the wheels turn, and fixed the assembly to a sled t

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The Netherlands - At the PLASA Show, Prolyte will present its products that are especially suitable for the theatrical environment in 'a backstage setting', and will introduce the first prototype of the Prolyft PLT-500 drive.

The Prolyft PLT-500 is a modular flying system that can be built into any theatre, onto any existing fly-wall. Its key features include: precise and reliable positioning; strong, linear transfer, loading capacity up to 500kg; smooth and quiet operation; integrated load monitoring system and flexible, modular plug and play system.

Prolyte can be found on stand M59.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Stagecraft Theatre Services has completed its four-year project at the New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth, part of a series of upgrades following a fire backstage at the Victorian venue in 1972.

A company specialising in theatre design, Stagecraft was responsible for the complete refurbishment of all lighting and sound systems, including internal and external lighting design. "We have been working with the New Theatre Royal for many years on a refurbishment programme, and it is great to see all our hard work finally come together," comments Martin Palmer, Stagecraft director.

A team of ten engineers from Stagecraft Theatre Services worked with the theatre Manager to relocate the infrastructure of all sound and lighting systems. The lighting and sound control room was moved to the gods of the Theatre to enable the restoration of the upper and lower circles to

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UK - For the fourth year running, Entec Lighting supplied CMP Entertainment with full lighting production, foyer area and VIP tent illuminations and crew for the month long Liverpool Summer Pops event. The hugely successful 2005 Pops season featured a dynamic assortment of home grown and international talents - including McFly, Anastasia, Meat Loaf, The Australian Pink Floyd, Paul Weller, Diana Ross and many, many more.

Once again staged in its 4,500 capacity 6-pole Big Top, this year the location was shifted to a site on the Dock Road as Liverpool's new stadium is under construction on the previous one. The lighting rig was designed by Dave Hill. He wasn't able to physically run the shows himself this year as he was fully committed with the Rolling Stones. Instead, Entec dispatched their cheerful team of Phil White and Leigh Yeomans, both of whom have also worked on the show be

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UK - Le Mark, winners to date of five PLASA Show product awards, has now been appointed the UK's exclusive distributor for Austria's premier portable show, stage and dance floor company Tüchler GmbH and will be launching the range to the UK at the PLASA Show (11 -14 September, Earls Court, London).

Le Mark has worked closely with the family-owned business for many years. Product synergy between Le Mark's own StudioTak 'peel clean' TV flooring and the Austrian dance and show floor has seen steady growth in Central and Eastern Europe. Christoph Lach, managing director of Tüchler GmbH, joins the Le Mark team to offer full application advice throughout the show. Mark Gibbons will take on the challenge of product development manager following the PLASA show launch.

Le Mark will also exhibit its own range of high performance, self-adhesive single- and double-sided 'clean' fix and

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UK - In its ninth year, the V Festival has become one of the UK's leading live music events. Since its inception, Edwin Shirley Staging has continued to assist in its success. This year, ESS chose to use Universal Aerial Platforms for its powered access requirements. "Choosing the right powered access, on time and at the right price, is key for achieving our goals, since it assists in so many parts of the job - right from set-up to final snagging work," says Vicki Wiseman, buyer at ESS.

She continued: "With Universal's good previous track record with us, combined with their competitive prices, large fleet and in-house logistics, we were confident of a first-rate service."

The Genie S85 with its fly jib and robust construction and ability to scale well above the apex of even the main stage was the ideal plant for the job, say ESS, who selected the plant from

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UK - Litec will be present at this year's PLASA show with lots of new products in both the trussing and rigging areas.

Libera 105 is the latest product in the well known and innovative roofing, grid and truss system line, say the company. It will be officially on show at PLASA for the first time. This truss has countless applications which have already been appreciated by many professionals during the events and festivals which took place this summer in several European countries, including Live 8, MTV Music Island and the 50th L'Oreal Colour Trophy awards in London.

The latest Litec products in the Ground Support Tower sector will also be on show, including the entirely aluminium Varitower 2, the now well-known Unitower complete with accessories, and the new square twist-resistant truss QL76 for building towers.

This year's show will also see the first official presentation

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UK - Event branding specialist Sunbaba will unveil its new 'Digital Austronet' air permeable fabric, at the Showman's Show this year. Sunbaba has been the sole UK supplier for Austronet fabrics since 1996, however the printing process has now been perfected to allow for digital printing, having been under development for the last two years in conjunction with the company's colleagues in Austria.

The new 'Digital Austronet' has been developed for customers who want to create large format, full colour, digitally printed displays on air permeable fabric (suitable for outdoor environments). Being a polyethylene based material, the product offers a more eco-friendly alternative to the traditional PVC based products.

This is the seventh year the company will exhibit at the Showman's Show and this year the company plan to reveal its new corporate image, literature and website.

(Sar

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UK - Multiple Brit Award-winner Scissor Sisters has employed the services of Specialz to custom design and build an illuminated curved sign that incorporates their famous logo - the scissors with legs. The dramatic, sparkling sign has 4ft letters spelling out 'Scissor Sisters' with the 9.5ft glyph motif in-between.

The 16-part sign and has over 800 15W E14 prismatic light fittings which are across three circuits to enable chasing. The sign and transportation dollies were built in 10 working days. The effect of this sign works well with the artistic nature of Scissor Sisters and their cabaret style. The overall look creates an amazing Moulin Rouge spectacle on the stage.

Scissor Sisters lighting designer David Ross commented: "From the initial phone call to reality, the whole project was handled in the most professional of manners, and within the very limited deadline that

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UK - Serious Stages supplied two of its new 25m Space Roof structures for the main stages at both Leeds and Reading sites creating a new look for the Mean Fiddler's flagship Carling Weekend Festival event.

Serious also supplied decked staging for most of the tented stages at both festivals, including the Carling, NME/Radio 1 and Comedy stages, the Dance Arena, plus the Lee Sounds Live at Leeds.

The Space Roof is a new product, launched by Serious earlier in the year. Its first outing was as Glastonbury's Other Stage, and the 25m version is one of the largest complete temporary festival staging systems available in the UK.

The Space Roof features a substantial eight tonne distributed load bearing capacity, which will accommodate all types of production requirements for flying lighting, video, sets, etc.

The Leeds and Reading Space stages measured 25m wide by 26m deep and al

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UK - HSL Group Holdings is exhibiting at PLASA 2005 for the first time in its own right, highlighting a diverse range of products and services.

The Blackburn-based company has three divisions - HSL Rental, HSL Rigging and HSL Sales and Distribution. In addition to illustrating its own products and projects, HSL is joined on its stand by some key suppliers, including Rope Assemblies and Radical Lighting. The latter will be demonstrating the latest version of their NG1 digital media server.

HSL will be showing several new products designed in-house. These include the 500Kg DMX mirror ball rotator, the DMX controlled Snow Dropper and a range of Check-IT plugs and sockets.

Highlighted at the show is HSL's own brand of PA/delay tower system - the Totem Tower 2T-V - capable of lifting loads up to two tonnes. The 2T-V tower is suitable for hanging all types of PA either from a one

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UK - During the forthcoming PLASA Show (11-14 September, Earls Court 1, London), PLASA is planning to launch a new National Rigging Award, and would like to invite members of the rigging community to a short presentation to be held on Monday 12 September, from 11.30am - 12.00pm. During the presentation, PLASA's representatives will give an overview of the structure and criteria that the Association hopes to apply to the proposed PLASA National Rigging Award.

An article from the September issue of Lighting&Sound International magazine, which also appeared in the August issue of PLASA's Standards News, explains the background to this new initiative - read it here.

If you would like to attend, or nominate a colleague in your place, please RSVP to the e-mail address below.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - In order to make full use of your days at the PLASA show, the show's organizers are encouraging visitors to 'check in' early. The doors to the exhibition will be open from 9am every morning and you will be invited to go up to the Top Deck to collect your show catalogue, and have a cup of coffee at one of the outlets around the PLASA stand while planning you day, prior to the show's official opening at 10am.

Please note: due to the current security situation, there will be full bag checks as you enter the show and all visitors are being asked for their co-operation. In the meantime, to help you plan, don't forget to check out the show website - see address below - for all the up-to-date news in the final run-up to the show.

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UK - Stage Technologies has been awarded a contract by Fincantieri for the supply and installation of the complete stage rigging systems for two venues on board the Emerald Princess being built in Monfalcone, Italy. The Emerald Princess will be another of the 'Grand' family of ships that started with the delivery of Grand Princess in 1998.

Stage Technologies has many years experience of working in the Italian shipyards of Fincantieri supplying and commissioning stage automation systems for the theatres on board many of the large cruise ships that have been built there, including ships for Disney, Carnival and Princess. However until now this has always been as a subcontractor supplying only part of the theatre rigging system, for installation by others. This contract direct with the yard includes the supply and installation of the complete stage rigging system.

The completed s

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UK - Stage One, one of Europe's leading scenic production companies is using its expertise to help BMW with its current high profile promotion of the 1 Series. The Company was brought on board by production company, TRO, to realize the creative design of David Hatton. The challenging brief required delivery of a futuristic viewpod, capable of displaying two vehicles (at differing levels) and containing technical information about the 1 Series.

The shape and profile of the viewpod was a key design factor and so Stage One faced a major construction challenge to produce a balanced, seamless, 'floating' structure, able to bear a weight of nearly one-and-a-half tonnes, whilst at the same time ensuring it was aesthetically pleasing and in keeping with the designers vision.

Stage One rose to the challenge, fulfilling the brief by constructing the pod in steel and then cladding it in

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UK - Star Events Group Ltd was approached to offer a staging solution for three regional football stadiums- Hull, Ipswich and Nottingham Forest for the UK leg of the REM World Tour. The brief from promoters CCE was to maximize audience capacities whilst maintaining the large, festival appearance of a traditional Vertech stage and of course accommodate REM's exciting and creative lighting and video set. After the first round of site surveys it became obvious that the way to maximize the capacities would be to construct as much of the stage as possible in the terraces of the stadiums. Once the limited height to the underside of the stadium roofs was taken into consideration it became apparent that a new approach would be required.

With the experience gained from involvement with the Wembley Pavilion project where a large back stage area was required, the Star Events Group design t

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UK - Sunbaba will score a hat-trick of prestigious events this weekend, with its plain and full colour digitally printed banners and PA scrims featuring at the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval, the BBC Proms in the Park and at Artsfest, a huge free festival-taking place in Birmingham City Centre.

Events branding specialists Sunbaba was brought in by Surrey Cricket to provide over 600sqm of its Austronet and DigiMesh branding for use at The Oval during the fifth Ashes Test. Sunbaba's specialist work in the events industry makes them a key choice when venues and sponsors want printed branding that fits perfectly and matches their corproate image.

For the BBC's Last Night of Proms in the Park events, Sunbaba was chosen to provide its specialist "DigiSound" PA scrims for the events in Manchester, Glasgow and Swansea, in addition the company supplied BBC Scotland with heras f

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UK - Specialist Mobile staging company SRC has signed a five-year contract to provide all of the mobile staging to Liverpool Culture Company's events, debuting at the Matthew Street Festival 2005.

Liverpool Culture Company's three day Mathew Street Music Festival is Europe's biggest free city centre music festival, annually attracting over 350,000 visitors over the August bank holiday weekend. Visitors watched artists spread over five SRC stages. Still a celebration of where it all began with the music of the Beatles, the festival, now celebrates a myriad of musical tastes from Abba to Tony Christie.

SRC and its fleet of mobile stages enabled the hugely complex logistical requirements of installing performance areas in the City Centre, which were operated and then removed - some within a 24-hour period. The scale of the operation is unparalleled in any city in the UK, with ove

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UK - Star Events Group Ltd was approached to offer a staging solution for three regional football stadiums - Hull, Ipswich and Nottingham Forest - for the UK leg of the REM World Tour, and, made innovative use of Orbit Flexidome technology. The brief from promoters CCE was to maximize audience capacities whilst maintaining the large, festival appearance of a traditional Vertech stage and, of course, accommodate REM's exciting and creative lighting and video set. After the first round of site surveys it became obvious that the way to maximize the capacities would be to construct as much of the stage as possible in the terraces of the stadiums. Once the limited height to the underside of the stadium roofs was taken into consideration, it became apparent that a new approach would be required.

With the experience gained from involvement with the Wembley Pavilion project, where a lar

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UK - The 2005 PLASA Show opened its doors at 10 o'clock this morning, and the crowds streamed in to the show floor, which looks better and brighter than ever. Sunday at PLASA is DJ day, of course, and the annual Gemini DJ competition will once again prove a big draw for budding mix artists, with the contest taking place in the DJ lounge at the rear of the hall, and the final taking place at 4.30pm. There's plenty more going on as part of DJ Sunday, supported by iDJ magazine, offering all kinds of opportunities to learn about the art and practice of DJing.

Appropriately for DJ Sunday, seminars today include a session on Digital Turntablism and Mixing, chaired by David Eserin, editor of the Technoscan section of DJ Magazine, the session features world-renowned DJs Chris Liebing and Jonathan Lisle, and Eitan Zilkha of Sapphires. Following the session, Jonathan Lisle will be perform

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UK - XLNT Advanced Technologies, developer of the CyberHoist / InMotion 3D motion control system, has unveiled several major additions to the product lineup.

Two new CyberHoist intelligent hoist motors will join the original 500 kg-capacity, 0-20 meters per minute (1 foot per second maximum) variable speed CyberHoist 500.

The new high-speed CyberHoist 250 motor is capable of lifting 250kg at variable speeds of 0-40 meters per minute (2.17 feet per second) - the company says this is designed to produce smooth, fast and agile moves. Like all CyberHoist motors, it features an integral processor and Ethernet networking.

Topping the motor range, he new invertible, high lifting power CyberHoist 1000 features a 1000kg (1 ton) lifting capacity and fully variable speeds of 0-10 meters a minute (0.54 ft / sec). Suitable for inverted and non-inverted use (usable with the motor facing u

  1. PLASA Launches National Rigging Award
  2. PLASA Awards for Innovation
  3. Tomcat UK & Pfaff join forces
  4. Star Events at Last Night of the Proms
  5. PLASA recognizes Hall Stage's innovation
  6. LGH Rigging Services expand UK business
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