The Netherlands - Overlooking one of the Netherlands many wide, sweeping drainage dykes, De Oude Tol (The Old Toll) is a popular restaurant and bar in Oud Beijerland, south of Rotterdam. A new Yamaha installation has radically enhanced the quality and flexibility of the venue's audio system.

Owned and managed by Eric Rhijnsburger and his father in law, Fred Kok, De Oude Tol features three rooms (two with an opening roof) and a small outdoor terrace. The rooms can be individually rented for meetings, parties and presentations, but the existing audio system was very limited in only being able to supply sound from a single source to all four spaces.

Eric and Fred knew that a much more versatile system was required, so they approached Frank Kapogiannis of Yamaha Commercial Audio

UK - The Royal Windsor Horse Show (RWHS) plays host to The Queen's 90th Birthday Celebration this year which takes place every evening from Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 May. The last night will be broadcast live by ITV when The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, along with other members of the Royal Family, will attend.

Sourcing smaller grandstand roofs for a more intimate atmosphere, organiser H Power had to find another means to support the significant weight of lighting required for the birthday broadcast.

The solution came in the shape of a ring of Star Events' new 20m Zee-Towers and 16m T-Towers. Strong enough to carry the 250 moving head lights and eight operated follow-spots, it holds them at the right height to hit the arena floor from behind the grandstands without impacting on sightlines. The towers' tiny footprint was another key feature for the organiser. It meant th

UK - A contemporary arts centre in Bristol has become the first venue in Europe to install the new ETC ColorSource ThruPower system, which launched at the beginning of the year.

The Arnolfini, which is located in a former tea warehouse dating from the 1830s, hosts regular live theatre events, as well as film, dance and university shows, and is also used by drama students at the University of the West of England. So it was important to future-proof the venue when their previous dimmers came to the end of their life.

Nick Ewins, managing director at ETC dealer Push the Button, explains, "We had been working with ETC's Graham Parker and Jeremy Roberts to install a beta test site for ColorSource ThruPower, so we knew it would soon be available for the Arnolfini."

During a three-week shutdown at the end of last year, Push the Button installed six 24-channel power control ra

USA - Adamson Systems Engineering has announced the expansion of its North American support team. Richard Woida has joined the U.S applications group to reinforce Adamson's growing client base in the United States. Scott Shields has been hired as sales and marketing coordinator, working out of the Canadian headquarters.

James Oliver, director of marketing and sales notes, "We're a company that's driven by the love of audio and not by financial investors. We've grown organically by bringing in individuals of the highest character and technical skill. Both Richard and Scott fit the mould and they're perfectly suited to support and continue to grow our rapidly expanding user base."

Woida has spent the last six years working in professional audio in Dubai, UAE. During his time there he was a systems specialist for Clair Brothers Audio Systems through NMK Electronics and head o

USA - Meyer Sound has strengthened its worldwide sales team with three new hires: Andy Willcox as sales manager, residential systems; Daniel Rivera as sales specialist, House of Worship market; and Antonio Manzo as sales director, Mexico. The new hires will help Meyer Sound to build on vertical markets worldwide.

Andy Willcox will connect Meyer Sound products and technologies to a growing market for private cinemas and premium distributed systems in residences for high-net-worth clients. Willcox comes to Meyer Sound with three decades of experience in the residential AV market, both as an owner of a Midwestern systems integration firm and as vice president of sales and business development at CINEAK, a leading supplier of furnishings for private cinemas. He served on the board of directors and executive board of CEDIA, serving as president of the organization from 2005 to 2006

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ETC Halcyon Silent

High End Systems Halcyon Silent builds on ETC’s legacy of fanless automated fixtures by incorporating features from the highly sought-after Halcyon family. Halcyon Silent perfectly balances silent operation with brilliant output of 18,400 lumens and high-impact features. 

For more information visit us at www.etcconnect.com

Spain - AFIAL is the main professional lighting trade show in Spain. Once again, Stonex arranged a large area where visitors could see the latest products from ETC, being supported simultaneously by technical professionals.

The AFIAL trade show was staged 26-28 April in Madrid. Stonex, ETC'S official distributor in Spain, dedicated a large area to show the ETC products.

SourceFour LED, ColorSource e Irideon FPZ LED series were among the highlights. Additionally, visitors could experience the ION and GIO consoles.

Every day an ETC Nomad was raffled among Stonex booth visitors. The lucky winners were: V

UK - Back in February, Martin Audio chose ISE 2016 in Amsterdam as the platform to preview its new CDD-WR weatherised installation loudspeaker series to the global media and partners alike.

Featuring patented Coaxial Differential Dispersion technology the CDD-WR range delivers improved coverage and consistency, with the need for fewer speakers than those with traditional fixed dispersion X° x Y° horns, and is designed for outdoor operation where it will be subject to changing environmental conditions, but sheltered from direct exposure to the elements. Weatherised mounting brackets are also available.

CDD-WR loudspeakers meet a rating of IP54 and feature a weatherised water resistant grille made from zinc plated mild steel with a powder coated finish. CSX-WR subwoofers in the series have an IP24 rating and feature a zinc plated mild steel grille with powder coated

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Create new traditions – Cameo P6 - High Output Full-Spectrum Ellipsoidal

Cameo's P6 is a future-proof LED profiler with a powerful 600 W RGBACL engine and 16,000 lumens. It’s an energy-efficient replacement for 2.5 kW halogen profile lights in theatres and venues. With excellent light quality and natural colour rendering, it fits perfectly in theatres, musicals, TV studios, congresses, and live events.

With an LED life of 50,000 hours and low power use, the P6 cuts energy costs and supports the EU’s ‘Green Deal’ goals for climate neutrality by 2050. It also meets updated eco-design rules for lighting.

www.cameolight.com/p6profile

UK - Software provider Stardraw.com has enjoyed the best six months ever for sales and usage stats of their off-the-shelf design and documentation product range with growth approaching 25% during 2015.

The company recorded its best quarter ever during Q4 2015 followed by an even better Q1 2016. "This is a fantastic result on a number of levels," said Stardraw.com CEO, Rob Robinson. "It's the first time in the history of Stardraw.com (which was incorporated in 2000) that we have had consecutive record quarters. Even more significant is the fact that, like many companies and for cyclical reasons, we traditionally enjoy better Q4s than Q1s, so to have a record quarter after a record Q4 is particularly notable."

The usage stats also bear out the success of Stardraw Design 7: logins on Design 7 have gone from an average of 9,000 per month in 2014 to 11,000 per month in 2015 and

South Africa - Johannesburg-based rental company, LaserX, have taken delivery of four new ProLyft 250kg motors. "Having used them a number of times, the consensus now is how did we ever manage without them," said Troy Bentley, owner of the company.

For close to 20 years, LaserX have entertained both South African and international audiences with spectacular laser shows. "During this time we have tried to keep up with the changing needs of our clients and to stay fresh," explained Troy. Having seen an international trend for other "special" effects at conferences and trade shows, LaserX decided to incorporate a WaterGraphic water curtain.

"When we were planning how to support the WaterGraphic we phoned DWR Distribution and spoke to Robert Izzett, who came out to our premises to advise us on the best way to do this. It was decided that initially we would use a Prolyte trussi

UK - Adlib continues working with Australian rockers 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) - having supplied an L-Acoustics K1 sound system and crew for their recent 5 UK arena tour.

The relationship between the Liverpool, UK based rental and technical production specialist evolved from meeting the band at a Capital Radio Summertime Ball a couple of years ago, an event produced by Production North who now also oversee 5SOS's technical direction.

Adlib first supported their sound team of engineers John Delf (FOH) and Ben Booker (monitors) on the road during 2015's hugely successful arena tour, and this current collaboration started in January with Adlib delivering a control package including the Soundcraft Vi7000 at FOH and DiGiCo SD10 monitor console which travelled round the world with them.

Touring extensively in Asia, Australia and the Far East for the first few months of the

Brazil - An Allen & Heath dLive digital mixing system was used at FOH for Brazil's annual Villa Mix festival, which takes place annually in Manaus. Supplied by PA company, Barra Som, the festival showcases ten of the country's top country music artists, staged in the city's huge Sambadrone.

The system comprised the flagship S7000 Control Surface and DM64 MixRack.

"It was very important that we had one system to manage the whole event, to eliminate any complexities with changing over systems," says William Souza Ribeiro, the system engineer from Barra Som. "dLive did not disappoint. It delivers a big performance, with great headroom and clarity. dLive presents a new level of sound quality - it's amazing! And with the AES3 outputs at a 96kHz sample rate, the processing capacity is astonishing."

(Jim Evans)

A creative show design team from Painting with Light, led by Luc Peumans, delivered the stunning set, video and lighting that helped present a cutting-edge live version of top-rated Belgian comedy TV show Tegen De Sterren Op (Against the Stars) at Antwerp Sportpalais for two performances of the satirical impressionist show.

This year's event was the third time that production company DEDS IT has staged the 'live' TDSO show for broadcaster VTM, and the first time at the massive Sportpalais venue.

Luc created a bespoke digital scenery concept for the first TDSO live show a year ago (at the nearby Lotto Arena) and this was utilized again to replicate the large golden portal / pros arch that is instantly recognisable from the TV show.

In the Sportpalais, this measured 18m wide by 9 high, and upstage was an 18m wide by 9m high block of LED screen which split in the m

UK - The Rogue R2 Wash from Chauvet Professional was selected to light the London Mayor's office for a get-out-and-vote campaign in advance of the recent mayoral election.

SXS Events specified 16 Rogue R2 Washes to illuminate the iconic Norman Foster-designed office building, which sits on the River Thames near the Tower Bridge. The RGBW LED fixtures were used to wash the entire edifice and draw attention to an HD-projected image displaying the words: "5 May: Have your say."

When the PR and communications office of the electoral campaign approached SXS for a solution that would communicate the message of the May 5 vote, the team at SXS looked to Chauvet's Rogue to supply a powerful saturated wash in a bid to draw attention to the unusual cylindrical-shaped building with light.

"We wanted to incorporate the Rogues in this particular installation, because we knew they co

Germany - With Sun Nan headlining, alongside artists such as Jordan Chan (Chan Siu-Chun), Guangzhou-based Ruisheng Lighting & Audio fielded an array of cutting-edge LED technology from GLP, for whom they are the Chinese distributor, at the recent ZhaoQing Dinghushan Music Festival in the province of Guangdong.

The sound and lighting company welcomed the opportunity to participate and equipped the main stage with a series of high-output products from the German manufacturer's X4 range.

These included multiples of X4 LED heads (featuring 19 x 15W RGBW LEDs), the larger X4 L (37 x 15W RGBW LED), X4 Bar 20 (20 x 1-meter long lighting battens) - and other new generation fixtures.

Ruisheng Lighting & Audio's Jianwei Chen comments: "The GLP effects added brilliant colour and lighting stability to the set and produced an outstanding and eye-catching performance."

(LSi

South Africa - Ampere is the latest Cape Town based rental and technical production company to invest in Robe Pointe moving lights, adding eight fixtures to their hire stock.

The company was founded in 2009 by Justin Fish whilst still studying at the University of Cape Town. Graduating in 2011, Ampere's growth trajectory has been impressive and interesting, currently with 30 full time employees and a busy order book ranging from top end corporate events to music festivals.

They have an open policy when it comes to brands, and the Pointes are their first Robe purchase, delivered via South African distributor DWR's Cape Town office run by Bradley Bruchhausen.

"We think Robe is definitely making the best multi-purpose beam fixture right now," confirms Justin.

Ampere has frequently cross-hired Robe products for various projects as needed over the last couple of years,

UK - Event technical and production specialist Maestra London expands its team again with the addition of four new people who are joining the busy Dubai and London based Maestra Group operation.

Edwin Higgins joins Maestra London as technical manager, Lewis Edwards is the new warehouse manager, Juliet Irvine-Fortescue comes on-board as operations & logistics co-ordinator and Hannah Piercy is the company's second production designer.

Maestra London MD Justin Hammond comments, "We've experienced an incredible start to business since launching the company in January, and the timing of these new appointments is partly a reflection of this, but they were also a key to our planned expansion strategy. We have strengthened our talented and highly motivated team ahead of a busy summer."

(Jim Evans)

UK - Shure Distribution UK (SDUK) has announced the appointment of Kevin Beazley to the role of conferencing systems manager.

Kevin Joins the Shure Systems Group from an established AV integrator specialising in the design and installation of conferencing systems, where he greatly expanded the company's business in both the public and private sectors. Prior to this he managed conferencing and CCTV divisions for Bosch.

The appointment was made to address the great demand for Shure conferencing microphone technology following the introduction of Microflex Advance and additions to the DIS conferencing range at ISE 2016. In this new role he will be responsible for identifying and developing opportunities for the Shure conferencing portfolio with a focus on the DIS range, as well as coordinating projects to ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction.

"It is an extre

Singapore - Sands Expo and Convention Centre has upgraded its inventory of AV equipment with the first Meyer Sound Lyon and Leopard linear sound reinforcement systems in Singapore. Located within the Marina Bay Sands resort, the centre has invested in 156 total Meyer Sound loudspeakers to support large-scale corporate events and concerts, representing the largest investment to date in Leo Family technology by any hotel/MICE operator in the world.

"Our Lyon and Leopard systems can be configured for precise sound distribution and powerful projection - even at continuously high output levels," notes Mike Lee, Marina Bay Sands' vice president of sales. "They also provide superior vocal intelligibility and a consistently linear response. From an operational standpoint, we also appreciate the simplified cabling, faster and easier setup, and reduced storage space compared to conventi

UK - Based in the Grade II* listed former Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Centre is a multi-space community, performance and arts venue which plays a key role in Bristol's contemporary cultural scene. An ongoing major conservation and renovation programme has recently seen an L-Acoustics Kara audio system installed in its main space.

The Trinity Centre is one of Bristol's main live music venues but, when funding was made available for a new sound reinforcement system for the 600-capacity main hall, there was a lot to consider for Paul King - proprietor of King Sound Reinforcement, one of the main professional audio installation and rental companies in the UK's south-west.

"We have worked as the venue's audio contractor for over a decade. There was an existing house system but, to be honest, it was so unsatisfactory that for every live show we were bringing in our own rental e

UK - The Theatres Trust has announced the recipients of the Theatres Protection Fund's Small Grants Scheme. Successful theatres in this round are: the Theatre Royal Winchester; Friargate Theatre in York; Tron Theatre in Glasgow; Bridgwater Arts Centre and the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis.

In Round Eight, the Theatres Trust has awarded the following projects:

Theatre Royal Winchester receives £5,000 towards its 'Tower Street elevation - urgent fabric and structural repairs' project, to restore the weather-damaged Tower Street fa

Europe - The production that underpins A-ha's Cast in Steel tour has been driven by the band's predilection for steering the use of entirely contemporary technology, as video director Julien Hogg explains.

"The one thing they didn't want was clean camera images. The show is a mix of carefully chosen content and IMAG, though not the style of IMAG most concertgoers are accustomed to. There are a couple of numbers that are clean, the big crowd friendly songs that everyone would expect and the band realise you have to do that sometimes. But otherwise we work the images hard."

The video system is supplied by Video Design, a total of seven LED screens, all 4.8m square, three across the stage, a pair stacked each side, and a camera package of four operated cameras, minicams and robocams to feed the IMAG.

"I put the tour out to tender and received bids from all over Europe," s

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