UK - David 'Steedsy' Stevenson of Ward Steedsy Associates is organising a fund rasing event for FACE - Fight Against Cancer in Edinburgh - a charity based at the city's Western General Hospital.

The event takes place on Saturday 20 June at Linlithgow Rugby Club which is just 10 minutes from Edinburgh airport. Entertainment will include live music from the band Aye Right - formerly known as Last Tram Tae Auchenshuggle, plus 80s disco, food and drink aplenty. "I'd love as many of you as possible to come along," says Steedsy. "Not only to raise money for a great cause, but to have a great night too."

(Jim Evans)

USA - The Long Reach Long Riders and The ESTA Foundation announced the results of their joint raffle to benefit the Behind the Scenes programme at the USITT conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.

A total of $5,236 was raised from raffle ticket sales during the three-day conference, more than doubling the $2500 Challenge Grant issued by Sapsis Rigging. In addition, Jonathan Deull made a $1500 donation to Behind the Scenes in support of the Long Reach Long Riders 2009 charity ride this summer, bringing the total raised at USITT to $9,236.

The winners and their prizes are: Fred Allen - Altman Rentals Ghostlight; Shan Ayers - USITT 2010 Conference Registration; Dennis Booth - Nolan Engineering Services' Structural Master Class; Ed Condit - Martin Light Jockey; Kacey Fisher - Live Design's Broadway Master Class; Ben Gasper - Utah Shakespearean Festival Ticket Package; David Griffith - Sap

UK - The Michael Northen Bursary 2009 will be awarded by the ALD in conjunction with ETC and The Mousetrap Foundation. This prestigious award which is open to all students, and not just ALD members.

The Michael Northen Bursary was set up by lighting designer Michael Northen shortly before he passed away in 2001. It takes the form of a £500 prize awarded to a student who shows exemplary talent in lighting design. The award is to be judged on a project that the student has produced within the past academic year (July 2008 - July 2009). This award was originally made in conjunction with the White Light Bursary and since 2004 the ALD has administered the scheme and organises the presentation of awards as a fitting tribute to Michael who was a founding member of the ALD and a previous President. The fund itself is held by The Mousetrap Foundation, an organisation committed to e

USA - CAD developer Design & Drafting has released LD Assistant 08.5 with sACN support. This allows consoles that support ACN to connect with LD Assistant over a local network. Consoles include those from Electronic Theatre Controls that support ETC's Net3. "I believe that you will see GrandMa, Strand, Pathway, CK and other manufacturers moving to the ACN protocol. With the ease of use that ACN brings to the table, it just makes sense," says Florin Nitu, programmer and VP of Design & Drafting.

Included in the release is an enhanced Jands Vista and Vista PC connection using Art-Net. This connection allows user to connect and operate both Vista PC and LD Assistant 08.5 on the same computer, without needing any dongles.

Other new features include Save Views in any of the three Simulators for quick return, named views support, more moving light profiles, gobos, textures

The Netherlands - XLNT Advanced Technologies has launched the PowerMotion DS8 Pro and Pro Plus Series of solid state motion controllers. The first public showing of the DS8 Series will be at the ProLight&Sound trade show in Frankfurt - with German distributor CAST, C. Adolph & RST Distribution.

Each DS8 motion controller can control up to eight direct or low voltage control chain hoists, and features a Solid State MCB per individual motor/channel plus adjustable maximum power output up to 9 Amps. The highest level of safety and protection is provided by the PL D, ISO 13849-1 and SIL2 compliant Emergency Stop System.

The DS8 Series is available in two types - for direct control and for low voltage control chain motors. Each type also comes in a choice of two versions. The 'Pro' version provides full hoist control for all typical professional rigging applications. The 'Pro Plus'

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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. 

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Romania - A Nexo Geo D line array system has been shipped Digital Audio Xpert (DAX) in Bucharest which becomes the first rental company to offer Geo technology in Romania. To complete its inventory, it has also ordered CD18 subs, NX242 digital controllers fitted with EtherSound extension cards, and a supply of CAMCO Vortex 6 amplifiers.

Digital Audio Xpert was founded in 2000 by Dax Nedelcu, who works as front-of-house engineer for Stefan Banica Jr, one of Romania's leading entertainers. Over the last nine years, DAX has expanded its original brief to include rental services of sound, staging, lighting, video and special effects, and also handles direct sales of pro-audio equipment.

Dax Nedelcu chose his new line array system carefully. "For me, the Geo D is the ideal sound system - for many reasons. First of all, I can do outdoor and indoor gigs with no compromise whatso

Germany - Christ's Church, in Velbert, North Rhine Westphalia, recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone.

To celebrate this historic occasion, the church decided to invest in a thoroughly modern sound system - based around the first Martin Audio OmniLine system to be installed in a German church, powered by Crest Audio amplification with processing via an Architectural Acoustics Digitool MX programmable digital processor.

Christ's Church, Velbert is reputed to be one of the most significant 'Jugendstil' or art nouveau churches in western Germany. Designed by architect Carl Krieger with interior design by Franz Brantzsky, the 900-seater church affords worshippers a completely unimpeded view of the altar, font, pulpit and organ, thanks to the fact that Krieger avoided using any columns as internal supports.

Technical project manager

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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.

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USA - The rigging system of the Strand Theatre in Lakewood, New Jersey was recently renovated by RDM Rigging of Pine Beach, New Jersey. Opened in 1922, the Strand Theatre remains a popular centre for plays, musicals and touring productions.

As part of the rigging renovation, all the on stage circuitry and associated support structures were replaced. The new on stage lighting rig includes 18ft of ProSpan box truss, 20 ProBurger couplers, three CM half-ton chain motors and a Skjonberg motor control system. The custom-designed on stage lighting system includes 150 stage circuits, using 59 custom ProCable assemblies as well as a 96 circuit custom multi-connector panel. Equipment was supplied by TMB.

"We had to design a complete system specific to the theatre's needs," says Rich DiMinno, of RDM Rigging. "It was conceived, designed, and installed in 30 days. Because o

UK - Orbital Sound has launched a novel collect-and-recycle scheme designed to encourage the responsible processing of used dry-cell batteries. Aimed at touring theatre productions and West End shows, which consume large numbers of batteries to power radio microphones and other portable equipment, Orbital's new service gives theatres an easy option for meeting their legal duty-of-care responsibilities for the safe disposal of all battery types.

As part of the scheme, Orbital has designed a custom case specifically for the safe storage and transit of used batteries. Tim Sherratt, technical director of Orbital, explained: "We are all prioritising environmental concerns and, after canvassing opinion within many theatres, felt the timing for this service was absolutely right. Recycling radio mic batteries might not seem too significant in the grand scheme of things but, if you

UK - TOA Electronics Europe returns to the International Firex show this year with the most comprehensive range of audio products it has ever offered to the fire and security communities. The company will show a range of solutions for public address and voice alarm as well as emergency evacuation applications, with the emphasis on networkability, scalability, and ease of use.

"All of TOA's PA/VA systems have fireman's microphone options, and are easy to integrate with fire detection systems," says Brett Downing, sales & marketing director, TOA Europe. "That makes International Firex the perfect place to demonstrate not just the technology inside our products, but the way in which they make life simpler for installers and end-users alike."

Among the highlights on TOA's Firex stand will be the new VM-3000 PA/VA system, designed as a cost-effective solution fo

Germany -, Prolyte will debut four new products at ProLight&Sound in Frankfurt.

Prolyte Space Roof is a a modular roof system; Prolyft Mark IIIis the latest version of the Prolyft hoist; Prolyft Controllers are a new range of high-end but affordable controllers, and there will also be more in the Prolyft Rigging hardware line.

Also on display will be established Prolyte trussing products and Stage DEX.

(Jim Evans)

Canada - When Christie Lites (Toronto) began working on plans for lighting the General Motors booth at the 2009 Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS), keeping the budget lean but replicating past year's successful design elements was a tough order to fill.

Located in the show's main exhibition hall at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the GM booth covered a sprawling 84,600sq.ft. On display were 104 cars and trucks from all of the company's brands -- a myriad of offerings including Saturn, Saab and Hummer.

The original plot called for in excess of 500 fixtures to light the exhibit but the budget demands spoke to a more limited scope. Still, the overall visual integrity needed to be respected, with a solid balance between base light levels and visual punch for the featured products.

"Our inventory runs at a very high level in late winter due to the significant deman

UK - PLASA Focus will provide visitors with an opportunity to see an important UK product debut from PRG Distribution. The revolutionary product from SpotlessLight will also be revealed at PLASA Focus, Leeds.The Spotlesslight attaches to your digital projector and uses it as the light source; it then emits and reads infrared light to detect and track performers or objects on a stage within the projector's throw area.

The onboard engine then processes this information in real time in order to instruct the projector to map projected light back on to the performer or object - even while the performer is moving. Additionally, the Spotlesslight can function in the reverse mode (projecting only around the object or performer), or a combination of both modes. The light projected back on to the performer can be white light or it can be from Spotlesseffects - hologram-like special effect

UK - Built to function as a theatre, conference centre and meeting point for the Findhorn Foundation and Community in Forres, North East Scotland, the Universal Hall represents an amalgamation of architecture, art and functional performance. Designed by British architect George Ripley, the building's unusual specification includes a hand-carved stone exterior facing, magnificent stained glass entrance and geodesic roof construction where five enormous wooden ring beams hold up the roof.

A true community project, construction of the centre took place over a 10 year period from 1974 to 1984. A mainly volunteer-based workforce numbering literally thousands of people either living at or visiting the Findhorn Foundation Community took part in the building work of the pentagon-based project. Inside, an auditorium area was designed to seat 280 people, with the potential for a total of

UK - Russell Brand is currently on a world tour complete with Sennheiser E935 microphone.

"It's a big challenge getting spoken word to 16,000 people in the MEN," suggests Rory Madden, owner of sound and light company Sonalyst and a veteran touring sound engineer in his own right. "If the audience miss one word in the punchline, they've lost the entire joke. You've got to have the right equipment.

"Al Ashford, our front of house guy, and myself went through all the mics together and we were very happy with the Sennheiser mic. The clarity of spoken words seemed to be a lot better than through the other mics, especially in these vast arenas."

Brand's Scandalous tour returns to the UK for its conclusion at the O2 Arena on Friday 7 April.

See Sennheiser UK at PLASA Focus, Leeds - 28-19 April 2009.

UK - FeONIC Plc, the UK audio technology company, has announced the launch of its latest F-Series range of Audio Drives that are able to transform everyday building, office and household surfaces into high quality audio speakers.

Unlike traditional speaker technology that relies on a moving coil, the F-Drive is powered by an exceptionally powerful magnetostrictive smart material that when placed on a resonant surface - such as a table top, glass, plasterboard or metal sheeting - causes the whole surface to vibrate, thereby turning it into a high quality loudspeaker with omni-directional, evenly distributed output, say FeONIC.The performance stats for the F-Series are likewise significant, it being able to range from 80Hz to 20Khz allowing it, for example, to match the performance typically experienced through a high-end home entertainment surround sound system.

However, the co

UK - White Light has announced the launch of Fusion 672 from Illieum, which the company, as exclusive UK distributor, will exhibit at the forthcoming PLASA Focus, Leeds (28-29 April 2009).

Billed as "the next generation of LED lighting effect", Fusion 672 is a rugged, lightweight batten - just over 1m long and weighing just over 3kg - each Fusion 672 contains 432 (72x6) individually controllable tri-colour LEDs with an ultra-wide viewing angle. Battens can be arranged in any pattern with the units oriented horizontally or vertically, packed tightly together or spaced apart to allow lighting through the array. Fusion 672 can serve as a video display, a lighting fixture, a light sculpture or anything in-between, say White Light.

Setup of even the most complex systems is easy: units are daisy-chained together by standard Cat5e cable. The layout of the units is specified

USA - Loud Technologies has announced that it has restored production for a number of significant EAW and Mackie product lines that were impacted when one of the company's contract manufacturers ceased operations in late 2008.

Specifically, the company resumed mass production on all SKUs of the EAW AX, JF and NTL series in March. Production also began on a portion of the Mackie VLZ3 series in March, with the balance of the series entering full production in April.

"We've made incredible progress in restoring supplies in just three short months," commented Jim Stewart, chief operating officer at Loud. "In the process, we've added significant capacity and sophistication to our supply chain that will support the next phase in the company's growth."

In January, 2009, Loud restored production for the EAW KF and SB loudspeakers at a company-owned facility, as w

USA - For the fifth time in as many years, Texas-based LD Systems travelled to Las Vegas in December for the 50th annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR), a 10-day event many consider the Superbowl of rodeo. LD has partnered with the WNFR since 2004 as the event's exclusive light and stage producer. 2007 marked the first year that LD also supplied sound reinforcement for the event.

Last year, LD used an Electro-Voice XLC rig to provide smooth, intelligible coverage at the 18,500-seat Thomas and Mack Centre on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas. This year the WNFR returned to the Thomas and Mack Centre, and so did LD Systems' XLC rig. But with the added precision and power of NetMax N8000 system controllers with FIR-Drive, and XLC127 loudspeakers with DVX woofer upgrades.

The system, comprising XLC127DVX cabinets and XLC215 subs in two-over-six combinations,

Germany - City Theatrical products will be on display at ProLight&Sound on the stand of its new German distributor, LTH.

Products on display will include SHoW DMX, the wireless DMX system, and two new LED lighting fixtures: the iW Blast TR Lighting Kit (a variable colour temperature white LED lighting kit for film, video, and photography), and the MasterBlast (an RGB LED party and event light equipped with battery power and wireless data).

Also on display will be the AutoYoke, a professional quality automated yoke for the ETC Source Four and other lighting fixtures, along with a range of lighting accessories. Representatives from City Theatrical will be on hand to demonstrate Lightwright, the lighting paperwork tool, and all the other City Theatrical products.

(Jim Evans)

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