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Rigging / Staging

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Canada - Broadweigh is once again the load monitoring system of choice for City Folk Festival 2020. The event is currently scheduled to take place on The Great Lawn at Landsdowne Park in Ottawa between the 17-20 September, but the situation is being evaluated in line with the continuing COVID-19 crisis.
This multi-day celebration of music, dance and community, features an eclectic mix of musical performances on various stages. Over the years, the event has played host to the likes of Robert Plant, Hozier, David Byrne, Jack Johnson, Van Morrison and Lorde and also features an offshoot event called Marvest – free concerts featuring emerging talent, held in local businesses.
Paradigm Rigging has worked on the event since 2018 and Michael Sorowka, MD of Paradigm explains: “I was brought on board by Scott Pollard, technical director with City Folk Festival. We’ve work

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UK - On 11 August (Tuesday), the live events industry across the UK will come together in solidarity to host a series of protests to help save the live events and entertainment sector, which is on the verge of collapsing without financial support from the government.
Encouraged by the #WeMakeEvents and #LightItInRed campaigns, hundreds of venues are expected to light up red, along with other creative activities being staged in over 20 cities across the UK to symbolise the industry going into red alert, and a final call to action titled ‘throw us a line’ will be taking centre stage on London’s South Bank.
The capital’s finale will begin on a boat at 20:20, as it makes it way down the Thames - passing Royal Festival Hall, the National Theatre and the Tate, and more all illuminated in emergency red. As the boat reaches key locations, such as Westminster Bridge and
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Germany - HOF has designed and developed the XHD Box Corner specifically for big exhibition booths and large stage constructions / stage roofs.
Thanks to its cross bracing on six sides and the significantly stronger main tubes, the XHD Box Corner has up to 40% more load capacity than the standard box corner. As a result, the box corner is not any longer the weak point in the overall construction.
Compared to the standard box corner, the new XHD Box Corner has one more important feature, says the company. Instead of a classic aluminium thread, the new XHD Box Corner comes with a steel thread. Compared to an aluminium thread, the steel thread has a significantly longer life and is more reliable. The XHD Box Corner fits on many 30cm box trusses and can be powder coated in any RAL colour.

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USA - Two more ESTA draft standards are now available for public review until 21 September 2020.
BSR ES1.7 - 202x, Event Safety - Weather Preparedness addresses the considerations, development, and use of event planning strategies that mitigate weather-related risks associated with live events, and with the temporary structures used for these events.
BSR E1.4-2, Entertainment Technology - Statically Suspended Rigging Systems establishes minimum performance requirements, recommendations, and guidelines that can be used for installation, use, maintenance and inspection of statically suspended rigging systems, permanently installed in venues used for entertainment purposes.
Both of these draft standards, along with their respective public review forms and instructions, can be downloaded at https://tsp.esta.org/tsp/documents/public_review_docs.php.

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UK - The #WeMakeEvents campaign has progressed into the ‘Red Alert’ phase, with planned activities set to take place across London and other major cities in the UK on the evening of 11 August.
The initiative will raise the alarm for the live events and entertainment sector, which has been badly-hit by the pandemic, resulting in countless event cancellations.
The campaign reports that the disruption of the summer season alone has affected over 600,000+ jobs in outdoor events. Meanwhile, a campaign survey revealed that redundancies in the sector are already happening, with 15% of businesses stating that they plan to make redundancies during August and 70% reporting that they could be forced to do so by the end of 2020.
The campaign warns tha

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USA - Area Four Industries Direct America has recently received new stock of Prolyte products for immediate availability. This initial stock includes truss and accessories for the 30/40 series trusses, an array of hardware and accessories, and the popular LSU Ground Stack LED wall support system.
The Verto truss and other Prolyte products will be arriving in the coming weeks as Area Four Industries Direct America continues to ramp up efforts to expand the presence of Prolyte in North America.
“In spite of the obvious challenges this year, we have continued to receive multiple requests for products and we are excited that we are now able to fulfil those requests,” said Prolyte business development director, Keith Bohn. “With stock available near both coasts, we are able to more efficiently manage the demand throughout the country.”
Prolyte products are in

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France - After two years of technological design and an alignment of production with market requirements, Verlinde has announced the widening of its range of Stagemaker electric chain hoists dedicated to the entertainment industry.
The new Stagemaker SL5 and SL10 models with their load capacity of 500 kg to 1000 kg (1 fall) and 2000 kg (2 falls) integrate Verlinde's latest technological developments: innovative design, toughness and enhanced power ensuring faultless reliability while complying with international standards, says the company.
From the first model with its reverse-purchase block system launched in 1975 Verlinde's Stagemaker range has enjoyed popularity worldwide in the entertainment industry and show business.
Boasting an entirely ergonomic design, Stagemaker hoists are fitted as standard with double brakes, retractable handgrips and protective rubb

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UK - Leading trade bodies and businesses are joining forces to issue a Red Alert and highlight the severe challenges faced by the live events industry and its entire supply chain due to the pandemic.
Planned for 11 August, the action will include social media and video drives as well as legal outdoor events, with other specific activities occurring on the day.
The initiative is part of the #WeMakeEvents campaign that aims to raise awareness of the sector’s struggles and to secure further support from the government.
“The live events industry supply chain that contributes to every single event in the UK is set to completely collapse,” comments Peter Heath, MD of PLASA. “Social distancing prohibits mass events, and even if this stopped now, long-term plan

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South Africa - In a live stream filmed at MGG Productions in Sandton, and hosted on SACIA's YouTube channel, the technical production and live events industry announced the launch the national campaign #LightSAred, to be held on 5 August 2020.
Sharif Baker, chair of the TPSA, announced that the technical production and live events industry will be spearheading a symbolic resistance campaign that will see buildings across the country lit up in red on 05 August.
"The colour red is the international colour of emergency," Baker explains. "We are following the example set by our colleagues in Germany and the UK in lighting our national monuments red to highlight the desperate plight of our industry under current lockdown policies and regulations." Baker went on to emphasise that the #LightSAred campaign is not affiliated with any political body or ideology. "We are simply a

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UK - As a manufacturer and supplier of engineering solutions to the entertainment and creative arts sector, Triple E’s factory output has been mostly stalled as a result of the pandemic.
However, the management team have been making use of the time, ensuring the business is match-ready for when the wheels of the industry start to turn again. This has included finalising the development of a new website which has launched along with a new domain name - www.triplee.ltd.
Listening to feedback from clients about what they needed from the company website has been central to the new look site. www.triplee.ltd features a customer friendly interface and clearer layout making it easy to navigate and inform the customer as they seek the products best suited to their project requirements.
“Engineering solutions are complex by their nature, and so with the launch of our

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UK Load-cell company BroadWeigh is introducing a series of new products into its range this week plus the addition of software improvements to their toolkit.
The company, which has undergone a complete rebranding exercise over the past year, culminating with the launch of its new website, believes the time is right to bring the new developments to the market. The design changes have developed as a result of feedback from users, with the current COVID-19 pandemic creating an unprecedented time for pure engineering focus.
From 13 July, two new modules have been added to the 2.4GHz product line as well as a new release of the BroadWeigh toolkit software. Commenting on the design development and improvements, Robert Wilmington-Badcock, managing director said: "We have a clear ethos to continuously improve our products, to specifically develop for the entertainment industry

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UK - PLASA has responded to the UK government’s pledge of £1.57bn funding for the arts with the following statement from its MD, Peter Heath: “While PLASA is pleased to see the government deliver a generous rescue package to arts institutions across the UK, they have only addressed the tip of the iceberg. We hope that the government will announce further support for all the manufacturers, suppliers and freelancers who help make the UK a global leader in events.
“Theatres and venues are absolutely essential to the cultural fabric of the UK, however, they only represent the public face of a vast industry. Each arena concert, musical show, arts installation, or corporate event relies on a complex supply chain, often involving hundreds of professionals. To put on a single arena show requires an average of

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UK - Artists including Sir Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, The Cure, Radiohead, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Annie Lennox, PJ Harvey, The 1975 and Blur are among the names demanding immediate action to save live music in the UK by signing an open letter to the UK government's Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden. The move is a bid to “show the vital importance of the UK’s live music industry, ensure the Government cannot ignore live music and make noise to get the public and financial support the industry needs to survive”.

The full letter reads as follows:
“Dear Secretary of State,
“UK live music has been one of the UK’s biggest social, cultural, and economic successes of the past decade. From world-famous festivals to ground-breaking concerts, the live music industry showcases, supports, and develops some of the

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UK - Music Support continues to hold weekly online support group meetings to allow the music industry’s 12 Step recovery community to continue to connect during these challenging times, with numbers of attendees growing weekly. Meetings take place every Monday 18:00-19:00 GMT throughout the summer, providing a confidential and non-judgemental space for people to share and encourage one another on the journey of recovery.
“We’re pioneering a change of culture within the industry that suggests another lifestyle is possible within it and as beacons of that, we host a weekly online support group meeting for those in our business who are members of any 12 step fellowship,” says the team behind Music Support.
“We acknowledge that although each fellowship uses different words, they speak the same language of hope – and that’s why now more than ever, it is imper

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Europe - In his latest selection of Back-To-Basics videos, Area Four Industries’ rigging advisor (and commando), Eric Porter, reviews the crucial subject of Shackles, Slings, and Cables. As Eric points out, no matter how long you have worked in the event industry there will always be ‘blind spots’ in any rigger’s expertise. These four short videos go a long way in ensuring that safety always remains uppermost in the mind of any rigger.
In the first video, Eric takes a look at the two main types of shackle: the D shackle and the bow shackle (also known as the omega or anchor shackle).
Eric demonstrates that the D shackle should only ever join two components - one on the ‘D’ and the other on the Pin, while the bow shackle is allowed to take two items on

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USA - MT Cases has announced the CK Case Series which incorporates UV-C light technology to disinfect air and surfaces.
General manager Tom Heslin shares: “We are solutions manufacturers. MT is known for our durable road cases, of which we have a patent on our corner construction. While our cases are useful in every industry imaginable, most of our clients are in the entertainment and touring world. With the coronavirus pandemic placing a hold on the industry, we started dabbling in ways to help ease the transition back into a semi-normal life.”
Each CK case will include STER-L-RAY germicidal lamps. These shortwave, low pressure mercury tubes emit ultraviolet wavelengths in the region proven to be most lethal to viruses, bacteria, mould and fungi. The first case in the series, the WB2724 utilises a 30W preheat fixture and features a highly reflective interior, an a

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UK - PLASA has launched #WeMakeEvents, a new campaign with the aim of amplifying the industry’s voice and gaining meaningful Government support. Central to the campaign is a video highlighting the vital role of supply chain companies along with the freelance community and the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic upon the live events sector.
PLASA is calling for people from across the industry to share the video across social media to give much needed exposure to the supply chain to events including production and rental companies, manufacturers and freelancers, to raise awareness of the need for longer term financial support.
In addition to sharing the video, PLASA has published two infographics illustrating the complexity of the live events supply chain and

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UK - PLASA is gearing up to launch a new video highlighting the vital role that the supply chain and backstage crew play in the production of concert touring, theatre, and live events. It is hoped that the video will shine a light on product manufacturers, production & rental companies, crew, designers, programmers and more – all in vital need of on-going Government support and often overlooked in mainstream media coverage of the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the entertainment industry.
Earlier this month, PLASA released two infographics illustrating how the live events supply chain will be impacted without further government support. The graphics reflect the number of people it takes to deliver just one performance - on average 443 professionals, spanning planning, design, preparatio

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USA - Glenn Becker, the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA)’s first president, passed away on 19 June aged 70.
“Glenn’s vision was about bringing the industry together to make it a better industry”, says ESTA. “He thought that competitors could come together and share ideas and solutions to make business easier and more successful for everyone. Because of that vision and Glenn’s hard work, the Theatrical Dealers Association (TDA) was born.”
Becker organised its founding meeting in 1987 and served as the first president from 1987 to 1991. In 1994, when the decision was made to form ESTA, the TDA board turned to Becker to chair the committee that rewrote the bylaws and set up the new organisational structure. The board would continue to turn to him over the years to take on special projects.
He became involved in theatre in high

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USA - In June, ANSI's Board of Standards Review has approved three more ESTA standards. One is a new standard, and two are revisions to existing standards. All three are published, and are available for free download from the TSP website at tsp.esta.org/freestandards. They are also available for sale from ANSI and IHS.
These two standards were approved on 2 June:
ANSI ES1.19 - 2020, Event Safety - Safety Requirements for Special Event Structures
This standard - the first published Event Safety Working Group standard - is a revision to the 2018 version, correcting errata, and expanding on existing requirements. It covers structural safety requirements for any temporary structure used for special events ("temporary special event structures"), where such structures are used for presentation, performance, structural support of entertainment technology equipmen

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Ireland - Load cell company Broadweigh will support the Wires Crossed tightrope event in Galway, Ireland by supplying Monkey Rigging with the necessary kit to monitor the loads. The event, which was originally scheduled for August 2020, but has now been postponed due to COVID-19, is a European wide community participation project revolving around 'funambulism' - the art of tight-wire walking using a balancing pole. During the event, 400 tightrope walkers from all over Europe will cross the Galway River for a duration of 2020 minutes.
Andrea Mamolenti, founder of Monkey Rigging, comments: “Monkey Rigging is working with Andrea Loreni - the only funambulist in Italy on the measurement of the tightrope walker setups. We are also collaborating with him for the technical design of the preparations for the Italian team for the event. The kind donation of the Broadweigh kit will

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UK - The damage across the UK culture, media, sports and digital sectors caused by the coronavirus outbreak has been laid bare in a government survey published this week.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has released the results of its Business Survey, showing the impact of coronavirus on organisations across the four sectors. The survey received 3,936 responses submitted between 23 April and 22 May.
Headline findings reveal the devastating impact of the pandemic on businesses, with more than a third (1,646) of respondents reporting their revenue has decreased by 100% year-on-year, whilst just 97 have seen an increase during the period.
In terms of how long businesses can continue to operate viably, the majority (1,156) of respondents selected ‘up to six months’, whilst 1,102 indicated that they could stay afloat beyond six month

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UK - "Keeping ladder users safe now means protecting them from coronavirus as well as falls," says The Ladder Association, as they release new guidance for health and safety managers.
New guidance from the Ladder Association is helping managers keep ladder users safe during the coronavirus outbreak, whether they're attending a ladder training course or using ladders in the workplace.
The industry body has offered its advice on the challenges being faced by those responsible for the health and safety of ladder users as they plan a return to work. In a new guidance document released free-of-charge to the industry, the Ladder Association delves into issues such as how long the virus lasts on ladders, how rescue plans will be affected and how workers can minimise the risk of the virus spreading through proper cleaning of equipment and materials, particularly if they have

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South Africa - DWR Distribution, the South African distributor of Prolyte, is now able to offer and maintain Litec, Tomcat and James Thomas Engineering trussing products, thanks to new partnerships between Area Four Industries and Prolyte.
“For South African Prolyte distributor, DWR Distribution, this means the opportunity to offer an additional service to our industry,” said Robert Izzett from DWR. “With access to the full Area Four Industries truss product range, which includes Litec, Tomcat and James Thomas Engineering brands (expect for Milos which has a different distributor), we can assist the African market with any new products or spare parts they may require which includes a variety of modernized motors within Exe Technology brand, also part of Area Four product portfolio.”
“DWR is not only a distributor for us at Area Four, but a serious and profes
  1. Copper Candle to boost grassroots theatre
  2. PLASA illustrates scale of events sector jobs at risk
  3. Four draft TSP standards in public review
  4. Ladder Association responds to £1.1m ladder fall fine
  5. PASMA advises on scaffold tower safety
  6. Unusual spearheads sustainability seminar
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