USA - Janet Jackson's Rock Witchu tour features a spectacular moving lighting rig created by lighting designer Vince Foster. A total of 150 PixelLine 1044s adjourn the lighting rig - half are used to construct a bridge that comes in and out, whilst the other half are rigged on moving trusses. The moving bridge creates another dimension for Jackson's stage presence and provides a dramatic platform for both singing and dancing.
Foster explains: "I've been a great fan of PixelLines since I started using them back in 2003 on a Massive Attack tour. They are consistently a very reliable and robust fixture - and I don't think I have designed a show without them since then."
He continues: "Janet Jackson contacted me after seeing one of my Kylie shows on DVD. I work
Germany - The Robe The Future is Digital international road show hit Germany last week, staged at Sky Europe's Mainz-based TV Studio, in the same neighbourhood as ZDF Television's massive HQ and complex.
Robe presented a two-day opportunity for guests to enjoy hands-on product demos and comparisons in a relaxing, convivial atmosphere and a real working environment.
The event was attended by visual designers, operators, programmers, technicians and a wide assortment of interested industry professionals from across Germany and Austria.
The Future is Digital gave visitors an opportunity to experience the new technology behind this concept. Digital moving lights and the new Robe DigitalSpot 3000 DT and the DigitalSpot 7000 DT moving light projectors were creatively positioned around the studio's large, curved cyclorama, shooting onto the screen and around the room.
Germany - The Carl Orff Hall at Munich's Culture Centre, Gasteig, has recently added a new self-powered Meyer Sound M1D system, supplied and installed by Berlin-based Werner Audio.
The Gasteig complex consists of four other multi-purpose venues used for concerts, plays, lectures and movie screenings as well as the Munich Philharmonic Hall featuring a Meyer Sound system.
The new Meyer Sound system in the 600-seat Carl Orff Hall consists of two arrays each comprising nine M1D line array loudspeakers; one UPA-1P loudspeaker serves as a centre in-fill and two UPJ-1P VariO loudspeakers as an effects and in-fill system. Stage-lip and front-fill coverage is provided by six MM-4 miniature wide-range loudspeakers, while a pair of 700-HP subwoofers provide the low frequency energy for the whole system.
Overall monitoring is handled by Meyer Sound RMS remote monitoring system and a Gal
Australia - Italian tenor Andreas Bocelli has completed an arena tour of New Zealand and Australia with an L-Acoustics Kudo line source array system provided by Norwest Productions. The tour included a show at the Sydney Acer Arena, the largest in the southern hemisphere, where Bocelli broke his previous world box office arena record, putting $AU3.273 million through the registers.
The concerts featured a 76-piece orchestra and a 60-piece choir together with baritone Gianfranco Montresor, soprano Paola Sanguinetti and guest star Tina Arena accompanying Bocelli.
"As each orchestra member is playing towards the conductor, the orchestra itself can be considered a point source," says sound designer Andrea Taglia, whose priority for the main system was to preserve the orchestra's sound image, retaining a sharp correlation between the visual of the musicians playing live a
UK - Adlib is supplying lighting and audio equipment and crew for the current Dragonforce UK tour which features a lightshow designed by Stuart Gray, and sound mixed by Bruce Reiter.
Central to the sound reinforcement is a Nexo Alpha system, with the standard configuration being 18 M3 mid high boxes, 12 B1 bass cabinets and 10 S2 subs. Playing a wide variety of venues, they're flying where possible and ground stacking the rest of the time. For general infills, they are utilising 4 ADLIB AA122s.
Nexo's NX242 processors are used across all the Nexo elements, feeding Camco Tecton amplifiers driving the mid highs, Crown VZ5002s powering the bass and subs and Crown XTi's for the in-fills.
The system is time aligned each day by Adlib's systems engineer Richy Nicholson using EAW's SMAART analysis software. The FOH desk is a DigiDesign Venue.
Oman - The Grand Hyatt Muscat is home to several of Oman's hottest nightspots and entertainment venues including Club Safari, Copacabana and the sumptuous Afrah Ballroom. Audio quality throughout has recently been enhanced and refined with an upgrade to Lab.gruppen's range of C Series multi-channel power amplifiers, supplied and installed by Lab.gruppen's exclusive distributor in Oman, Bright Lights.
Club Safari is a three-level venue that offers an eclectic mix of high-tech entertainment and African design, including a live stage on the middle level. A powerful 4-channel Lab.gruppen C 68:4 runs the main stage PA comprising two 2 x 18" subs and two 12" mid-high cabinets from Ohm, while the stage monitor system is handled by an eight-channel C 20:8X powering six 12" Ohm wedges. The remaining two channels are powering the in-fill surround speakers.
UK - Following a busy summer, temporary power specialist Power Logistics has moved its operations to new, expanded premises in Wiltshire in good time to serve the winter events market.
The new base is in the Chippenham area just minutes from the M4. The move was planned last year, when it became apparent that Power Logistics was rapidly outgrowing its previous operational base, as it experienced growth in the live music, public events and sporting sectors.
The new premises have two warehouses for storage and handling, allowing the company more efficient turnaround of equipment and quicker access to the motorway network.
"The move to new purpose-built offices and storage facilities puts us in an ideal position to offer the best value service to the winter market," says Mike Whitehouse, Power Logistics' business development manager. "The premises give us a numbe
UK - Prism Sound is taking to the road in November with a series of seminars that aim to dispel many of the popular myths surrounding the recording process.
In conjunction with Apple and monitor specialist PMC, the Prism Sound From Mic To Monitor road show will visit universities and colleges in six key cities over a two week period.
Each seminar will feature short presentations from the three companies involved and a talk by a guest recording professional who will also be available to answer questions from the audience on recording techniques.During its second week the road show will visit LIPA in Liverpool, Salfor
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UK - At the 2008 PLASA Show, the White Light family welcomed two new members - truss manufacturer Tomcat, and JB Lighting, manufacturer of LED moving lights.
For Tomcat, White Light will be the exclusive UK distributor for the Tomcat One range of truss products. The One range includes both ladder, rectangular box, triangular and stacking truss designs with either 48mm or 50mm diameter tubes.
JB Lighting is an innovative new manufacturer of LED and more traditional automated lighting fixtures, including the VaryLED A7 Zoom adjustable-beam moving LED washlight. The fixture won a Silver PLASA Award for Innovation this year.
The VaryLED A7 will be available from mid-November, with it and the rest of the JB Lighting range available in the UK exclusively from White Light.
USA - BML-Blackbird Theatrical Services recently installed the audio and lighting system at the new Espace entertainment space in Manhattan. Espace is a modern events venue that holds up to 500 people for seated dinners and 1,000 people for standing receptions. The 10,000sq.ft space hosts a variety of events including fashion shows, corporate functions and fundraisers.
While high-quality audio was an absolute requirement for the system, the owners of Espace did not want the audio equipment to interfere with the visually stunning appearance of the event room. "The owners of Espace wanted sound coverage everywhere possible in the room, but they didn't want to see it," said Don Quinton, audio engineer, BML-Blackbird. "The loudspeaker system had to be blended into the ceiling."
BML opted for JBL Control 300 ceiling speakers for the lobby area and selected AC221
USA - Milos America and Acuity AV will stage an open house event on 31 October to celebrate the launch of two Milos roofs and a staging system which are now available for rent in the eastern United States.
Manufactured by Milos Structural Systems, the MR1 and MR2 roofs and a complete xStage S3 platform system will be featured at the event which is hosted by Acuity AV at their facility in Manassas, VA.
Australia - Following the 2000 Olympics, Sydney now boasts three major international standard stadiums for major sporting events; Sydney Olympic Park (now the ANZ Stadium), Sydney Football Stadium and Sydney Cricket Ground.
However, the city's facilities cater equally well for local and national needs with several 'boutique' sporting venues to host local events such as home games for the National Rugby League (NRL) competition.
One such facility is Toyota Stadium in the southern beachside suburbs of Sydney. Home of the Cronulla Sharks, Toyota Stadium commenced a $9 million plus upgrade in 2007, including the addition of a southern stand and renovations to the existing east and west stands. The ground has the capacity for over 22,000 fans.
Situated on the southern shores of Port Hacking, the facility is exposed to north easterly winds off the Pacific Ocean and, according to G
UK - Rosco has confirmed that Paul de Ville is joining the company as senior sales manager UK.
"Despite the weakening economy, Rosco's British business remains ambitious. We continue to see increased opportunities to enter new markets and expand our existing market share," says Kees Frijters, Rosco vice-president European business. "Growth continues to be one of our main objectives. The timing for Paul de Ville joining Rosco couldn't be better.
De Ville trained as a stage manager and lighting designer before working for Theatre Projects London. From there he spent 16 years with Action Lighting and the Lighting Technology Group.
Canada - CAST Software has introduced its joint innovators for BlackBox, which made its world debut at PLASA08 in London.
CAST's BlackBox is built with special hardware and proprietary software to be an integrated, bi-directional high speed communication solution which enables all control devices connected to it to send or receive instructions from each other. Live, realtime input is received in all forms by the BlackBox which acts as the brains - running on an ultra high-speed hybrid version of WYSIWYG.
CAST is working with key industry leaders - each a respected innovator in its own field -- to ensure BlackBox meets its technical objectives. In exchange, each will get a 12-month exclusive leadtime to enhance their own products to capitalize on the power and speed of BlackBox. Representatives of these companies were on hand during PLASA for the Beta launch phase to announce t
Denmark - The Jem K1 Hazer is Martin Professional's new generation, top-of-the-line hazer for high performance applications where a high level of reliability and easy serviceability is required.
Feature-rich, the Jem K1 is a professional machine that provides the combination of continuous operation, long hang time, and low fluid consumption for greater economy. Says the company.
Easy to set up (turn it on and press a button), the Jem K1 is quick to heat up. It features "exceptional output" from an innovative and powerful 600 W heat exchanger yet overall power consumption is less than 750 watts.
A high quality air pump system gives a smooth and uniform output while a special mixing channel allows the haze to optimise before being expelled. An automatic shut-down cycle has been implemented to prevent clogging.
DMX controllable, the Jem K1 Hazer is continuously ope
Spain - The Canary Islands' Heineken Jazz Festival is the most important jazz event on the Islands' calendar. Held each year between June and July, it is staged at different venues around the islands, from open-air events and concert halls to intimate salons. The 2008 festival included performances by The Crusaders, Madeleine Peyroux, Spyro Gyra and many more.
This year sound engineer Hilario Benìtez introduced a new PA system to the event at two of the venues on Gran Canaria. "I've tried the Q-Series loudspeakers from d&b audiotechnik several times on the mainland in recent years," he said, "and I've always believed it would prove an ideal system for this event. Small, unobtrusive, easy to use and great detailed sound; just what you need for the intensity of the musicians who play here and the highly critical audiences who come to hear them."
UK - Since acquiring the SADiE brand at the start of the year, business has been booming for Prism Sound - so much so that the company has added a number of new staff to help satisfy demand for its range of recording, post production and test and measurement products.
"Despite the economic doom and gloom, we've had an exceptional year and this has led to the need for additional staff," says Prism Sound's sales and marketing director Graham Boswell. "Our existing product range is going from strength to strength and we're now developing new products that will combine Prism Sound and SADiE technology in ways that will be of real benefit to our customer base."
Some of the new recruits to Prism Sound needed no help in finding their way around the company's headquarters in Streatham, Cambridgeshire, because they were already familiar with the lay-out having moved
China - Situated in Ningbo, one of China's oldest cities and a key trading port for at least 2000 years, the eighth in the rapidly expanding chain of Bar No.88 venues has installed Turbosound NuQ, TXD and TCS series loudspeakers.
The No.88 chain is inspired by American-style venues, with music by in-house DJs and live performances by in-house singers. Installed by Chengdu Ruisheng Audio Equipment Co. with help from Mac Lo, technical director of Turbosound's Chinese distributor Phoenix Audio, the system at the Ningbo bar comprises 21 Turbosound NuQ-15 full-range loudspeakers and 22 TXD-218 subs, with 12 TCS-101C for in-fill beneath the club's balcony.
"The speakers are strategically installed to achieve a very even and consistent coverage, making sure all clients in the bar get the same high quality sound," says Shirley Zhuang of Phoenix Audio.
UK - Large format projection specialists E/T/C London supplied seven 6kW PIGI projectors with double rotating scrollers to produce a 120m wide backdrop on The Old College building at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, for Music On Fire 2008.
It is the third time that E/T/C London has been involved in the biannual three-day mixed-media extravaganza and Firework Prom which attracted audiences of up to 10,000 per night with proceeds going to the Army Benevolent Fund.
The PIGI scrollers contained 19m of film and produced over 100 looks on the building, with all artwork created by media designer Paul Chatfield.
Chatfield took approximately a month to research and compile the finished artwork, working closely with show producer, Major Sir Michael Parker who also storyboarded the production.
The seven projectors were positioned 46m from the building, covered by S
UK - An Avolites Pearl Tiger lighting console has been installed at the Island Theatre in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. The theatre is a busy receiving house, staging medium scale professional and amateur shows, concerts and events. The main hall is a flexible space offering a 402 capacity when in its seated configuration and 680 standing. There is also a studio theatre space.
The Tiger was supplied by Belfast-based Production Services Ireland (PSI). The theatre has been hiring additional kit off PSI for some time to supplement their larger shows and annual summer festival, including a Pearl console.
The Island had also recently invested in eight Robe ColorMix 240 ATs colour-changing fixtures, primarily for the Studio theatre, and these needed a control desk, so everything converged to make sense for them to buy a Tiger. The console gives them more than enough power and flexibili
UK - DMi D&M Installation is introducing the Denon DN-A300M stereo installation amplifier. The DN-A300M replaces the Denon PMA-100M, a favourite with commercial installers. Like its predecessor, the DN-A300M offers a solution for small installations, and provides improved mic mixing functionality and increased amplifier power over the existing model range.
The DN-A300M provides "classic Denon sound and build quality at an affordable price point", and is designed for small commercial AV applications in numerous types of venues and environments. The new model features a mic input mix with auto gain control, coupled with 100 watts per channel of power amplification.
A ¼ inch / 6.35 mm jack mic input and level control enables a microphone signal to be mixed with other audio input sources. Switchable mic on/off, mic auto gain control, and music auto mute control enable r