UK - Fibre Optic Systems (FOS) have joined forces with Cheshire-based VME to provide the ever important lighting element to an installation at Altrincham's newest bar, Heart and Soul. The project went so well, the two companies have decided to embark on future sound and light projects together.

FOS supplied DIVAflex LED - RGB colour-changing flexible LED - which was installed by VME to run sound-to-light. DIVAflex also provides a strobing function which the bar uses as the atmosphere heats up later in the evening.

The lighting element, which highlights and accents the bar and seating areas to provide the elegant main lighting scheme, joined an initial sound-only installation completed by VME. This featured Kling & Freitag SONA5 compact installation speakers around the seating ar

USA - The ETCP Council reports that paper and pencil test administrations are scheduled for 2010 at the USITT Conference and Stage Expo in Kansas City, MO and at InfoComm in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Many major venues and employers across North America are now requiring ETCP Certified Technicians for lead positions.

All three ETCP examinations will be offered at USITT in Kansas City, MO. The application deadline for this administration is 1 March 2010.

The Arena Rigging and the Entertainment Electrician examinations will be offered at InfoComm in Las Vegas, NV. The application deadline for this administration is 7 May 2010.

(Jim Evans)

UK - The 15-date Snow Patrol Reworked tour of the UK and Ireland recreated songs from the band's 15-year career with a dual Midas XL8 system at front of house and monitors, provided by Britannia Row. As the shows featured six band members, 10 musicians and special guests, all 96 channels of each desk were full to capacity.

"The band wanted to create an organic reconstruction of their songs, so lots of different types of acoustic instruments are being used," said monitor engineer Tristan Farrow. We have up to 18 musicians on stage at one time, using a combination of in ear monitors and wedge mixes, hence my desk is full. All the inputs and outputs are being used, we even have to use the direct inputs and outputs for the vocal effects."

Farrow was making good use of the system's automation on this tour. "I've had to create a scene for every song," he sai

UK - The Government has announced that Creative & Cultural Skills has been awarded a new licence to support the skills needs of the creative and cultural industries. This comes after a comprehensive relicensing process commissioned by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, with independent assessments carried out by the National Audit Office across all Sector Skills Councils.

Creative & Cultural Skills represents over 74,000 businesses across advertising, design, cultural heritage, craft, music, performing arts, visual arts and literature in the UK - a footprint of 678,000 in total. First licensed in 2005, the organisation was started from scratch by Tom Bewick and Tony Hall CBE, at the demand of key employers in the industry.

According to the NAO, employers and stakeholders said that Creative & Cultural Skills' "advocacy role had benefitted the sector, as it had ra

USA - Pixled found the recent LDI show an ideal venue to introduce the product range to even more clients.

The LDI judging committee was impressed with Pixled's product line and awarded them Honorable Mention in the LDI2009: Debuting Product Award, Projection category for its PowerPix product. The DMX-compatible PowerPix are strings of high-power RGBW LED pixels. Its power scaling technology ensures that the RGBW pixel modules have a continuous light output of 5W. When configured as a single or dual colour pixel, the modules' light output even equals that of a 10W pixel.

"We would like to thank everyone who stopped by our booth at the LDI2009 show," says Norah de Bekker, sales and marketing for Pixled. "We had a lot of very interesting conversations as well as got to meet with a lot of potential clients and discuss how Pixled products could solve some of their c

UK - The Hot Rats, a side project of British band, Supergrass, recently embarked on tour with a compact Allen & Heath iLive digital mixing system to manage various live performances and media appearances.

The band comprises Supergrass members Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey, who have teamed up with Radiohead producer, Nigel Godrich, to create an album of eclectic covers. The band's live performance is based around pre-programmed audio set to a click track, making IEMs a necessity.

Previously an analogue engineer, Gavin McComb set out to find a user-friendly and analogue-sounding digital alternative that is both compact and can manage both FOH and monitor mixing, selecting an iDR10 MixRack with iLive-80 Control Surface.

McComb explains, "The iDR10 houses the inputs and I am Y splitting everything internally in the desk so that I have separate FOH control for EQ and dynamics

USA - W-DMX by Wireless Solution Sweden helped add flare to the largest inland regatta in the United States with spectacular lighting effects, lasers, strobes and video projections. The Pittsburgh 250 Three Rivers Regatta held on 4 July on Pittsburgh's North Shore, included the F-1 ChampBoat Series, a concert by Soul Asylum and a fireworks and laser display.

Pittsburgh 250 is the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the naming of the region in 1758. With the support of business, government and civic leaders, Pittsburgh 250 has set out to raise awareness, improve communities and attract visitors through a yearlong schedule of events.

The show included over 100 lasers and large format lights, pyrotechnics, synchronised soundtrack, and a mid-river water screen. Lasers were distributed on downtown buildings and on Mount Washington over a one-mile radius with W-DMX signal

UK - Arena Seating supplied the temporary theatre which seated over 40,000 people as Clothes Show Live enjoyed six successful days, marking the exhibitions 21st year at the NEC, from 4-9 December 2009.

The temporary theatre had a capacity of 6,200 (larger than the Royal Albert Hall) and was installed over five days by an experienced team led by senior project manager Martin Clark. The Fashion Theatre featured 130 models wearing £5million of the latest high fashion, presented in a high energy one hour spectacular that ran up to seven times per day.

Group operations director Bernard Cottrell who has been at Haymarket Exhibitions for 15 years, said, "I have used a range of suppliers and Arena Seating have shown themselves to be head and shoulders above their competition.

Health & Safety is of paramount importance to us and the Arena Seating teams are very safe

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UK - AKG and Sound Technology have announced immediate availability of the AKG DMS700 Digital Wireless System covering Channel 38, the future-proof frequency band for radio microphones.

Ofcom's decision to sell off part of the wireless spectrum has caused turmoil in the radio microphone industry with existing Channel 69 systems becoming obsolete from 2012 as the 800Mhz bandwidth is cleared for digital TV use. The new AKG DMS700 Digital Wireless System offers a solution now, securing buyers' investment into the future, says the company.

The ultra-wide tuning bandwidth (548.1Mhz - 697.9Mhz) of the AKG Band 1 system includes Channel 38, the future-proof band already available for licensed radio microphone use in most of the UK. Also available is the AKG Band 2 system (710.1Mhz - 864.9Mhz) covering the current Channel 69.

The DMS700 is a professional wireless system with a host

UK - At its annual Christmas party, the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) revealed to its members, industry leaders and invited guests, its new chief executive officer - Andrew De Rosa.

De Rosa, 49, a graduate of LAMDA's Stage Management and Technical Theatre course, first came to prominence during his time at the former Apollo Leisure Group, serving from the 1980's when it grew into the UK's largest theatre operator, owning or managing many of the country's best known theatres, with 25 sites in more than 20 cities and London's West End.

Making his reputation as the deputy general manager of London's Apollo Victoria, De Rosa rose to be a divisional head within Apollo, gaining significant experience in business development, corporate strategy, operations, PR, sponsorship, finance and HR. His managerial positions included time at Manchester's Palace and Opera Hou

Poland - One Love Sound Festival, the biggest indoor reggae festival in Europe, took place in the historic Centennial Hall, in Wroclaw, Poland, which is listed as one the great architectural and engineering achievements of the 20th century by UNESCO. On 14 November close to 10,000 people filled the famous venue for the sixth edition of the Festival.

One love features a balance of both international and local artists who are presenting new and ambitious projects which cover many musical styles beyond reggae. Roots, dub, hip-hop, dancehall, and world music, as well as experimental electronic music took centre stage.

The sound system for the event was provided by a Czak Music based in Tarnobrzeg, Poland. Czak Music originated as a music instrument and technical equipment store, but has since grown to include a full live sound production division. Czak has invested i

Denmark - Martin Professional has announced the launch of the Jem ZR44 Hi-Mass, a fog machine capable of precise fog delivery from subtle to massive.

Designed for a variety of settings from small venues to the largest stadiums and arenas, this Jem ZR33 Hi-Mass upgrade is a solid, professional machine that features advanced technology for top-quality performance, including advances in digital functionality, says the company.

This fog effect houses an 1800 W heat exchanger for a massive 1200 cubic metres of dense fog per minute. Continuously operational with a large 9.5 liter fluid container, it can operate for long periods without refilling.

Martin's proprietary soft start technology gives a smooth, low-noise output and an indirect fluid sensing system ensures years of maintenance-free operation.

A DMX interface and multifunctional digital remote make for increased flexibil

USA - As a non-profit organisation with a mission to foster musical success around Berkeley, California, Freight and Salvage Coffee House has hosted a wide range of musical performances for more than 40 years. When it moved to a new facility at the beginning of the year, it needed an audio system that had the flexibility to handle anything from rock and roll to soft acoustical shows, which is why the venue opted for the Soundcraft Vi4 digital console.

Located in the heart of Berkeley since 1968, Freight and Salvage had been in the same building since opening its doors. When the decision to move was made at the beginning of the year, it needed to find a building that could provide a large auditorium for concerts, but also contain smaller rooms for its expanding educational programme. Freight and Salvage relocated to an old building that was renovated to look like new; it now feat

France - The resort of Saint-Jean-de-Monts on the west coast of France is renowned for its endless sandy beaches and vast network of cycle paths. It is also home to the Odysséa, a multi-space convention centre capable of hosting events of all types from 20 to 1000 people. At the heart of Odysséa is a 450-seat auditorium which has recently been installed with a powerful Uniline compact line array system from APG with amplification from Lab.gruppen.

The system comprises eight UL210 three-way bi-amped array elements and four TB115S subs supplemented by four DS12S front-fills and delays and a further six DS15s which are used either as stage monitors or extra fills depending on the application. Processing is courtesy of two APG DMS26 processors on a BVNet network which enables full remote system control and EQ.

Amplification is handled by two 4-channel C88:4 amplifier

Switzerland - Contact microphone manufacturer, Schertler has released the latest addition to its range of Basik pickup packs. The new Basik-Road pack presents the electrostatic contact microphone in a specially designed, eye-catching, padded carrying case made from durable high-density nylon.

Two separate phantom power adapters are also included; a 48V adapter for pro audio and recording studio applications, and a 1.5V AA battery-powered power supply adapter for other applications, including use with hi-fi equipment or PCs. The Basik-Road pack now affords musicians and engineers even greater flexibility by enabling the pickup to be easily adapted for virtually any performance or recording situation, says the company.

With convenience and flexibility in mind, Schertler has also rolled out its newly designed carrying case across the entire Basik range, which includes the Basik-P

UK - Last week saw POLARaudio host an event to showcase the Renkus-Heinz Iconyx and IC Live series loudspeakers at the HMV Forum, one of London's major live entertainment venues.

An invited audience of leading theatre consultants, audio system designers and touring companies attended the 2350 capacity, Grade II listed venue to hear POLARaudio demonstrate the three ranges. The HMV Forum was specifically chosen for the event as it is a multi-purpose venue with architecturally and acoustically challenging features.

Technical director at POLARaudio Jon Stanley led the demonstrations, showcasing the new ICL-Single, ICL-Dual along with IC7 mechanically steerable array, IC8, 16, 24 and 32 digitally steerable line array and the IC Live portable and fixed installation products. Also demonstrated were the Dynacord XA2 System and digital networking from XTA and MC² Audio's Ti Series.

A Winter's Sale - Coldplay are to sell items from their 10-year career through internet auction website eBay. Dubbed their End Of Decade Clearout Sale fans will be able to purchase items including guitars, keyboards, amps, posters, platinum discs and a globe. With the proceeds going to charity Kids Company, bidding on the items begins on Thursday 17 December (5pm GMT), concluding on New Year's Eve.

In a statement on their official website the band said: "All items will either be signed by the four of us, or accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, again signed by all of us." A catalogue detailing everything for sale will be published on their website before the sale begins.

Festive Figures - PRS for Music, the organisation that collects royalties on behalf of composers and songwriters reports that over 47 countries worldwide have listened to Slade'

USA - In conjunction with a major facility upgrade, the administration at the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista, California opted to end years of renting audio systems every summer by purchasing its own permanent system complete with JBL PD5000, Vertec and VRX Series loudspeakers. The system was designed by Acoustic Dimensions and installed by Sound Image and provided the amphitheatre with the flexibility to host one-off concerts and events ranging from classical music to high-volume rock and roll, in addition to its primary summer use for Broadway musicals.

According to Acoustic Dimensions senior consultant Jeff Miller, the system presented many challenges due to the amphitheatre's proximity to its neighbours. With houses close by on both sides and behind the amphitheatre, there was a need to control where the sound ended up as much as possible; there was also a need to complete

USA - Guitarist Tommy Bolan and his band N.Y.C took the metal world by storm with the release of their acclaimed metal albumZyko in 2008. This year, the band hit the tour circuit in support of their new album with shows in 24 cities, and Bolan had DigiTech with him the entire way.

"The gear is beyond reliable, which is extremely important especially when we were on a serious tour like this," stated Bolan. "It also has a way of sparking creativity for me as a musician. There is such a broad range of sounds and textures available with DigiTech products, especially with the new RP1000. The DigiTech gear I use has always held up and the guys who make the equipment will always stand behind their product."

(Jim Evans)

UK - Oxford Street's Gap Store wanted to make an impact over the busy Christmas period and has called in the help of an Infinite Plasma videowall from PSCo.

Gap's flagship outlet in London has a temporary installation of a 3 x 3 plasma wall to create festive cheer and relay Gap's Christmas season advertisements to shoppers in store.

Interactive design agency, Osmotronic specified and installed the screens to meet the store's brief. Director Matthew Falla explained, "The idea was to create impact and display both adverts and motion based content for the Christmas season. Working with Gap's internal creative team and US agency, we created a looping motion graphic show reel of the brand's Christmas campaign which was shown on the screens.

"We explored the options available for the install looking at projection, LED walls and other solutions but the Infinite Plasmas we

South Africa - Gearhouse South Africa's Cape Town branch supplied all technical elements - staging, lighting, audio, LED and technical crew to Out The Box Productions for the annual Switching on of The Festive Lights in Adderley Street, Cape Town.

This year, the event featured a distinctive soccer theme, highlighting the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup and the imminence of the Final Draw, that took place in Cape Town a few days later.

The switch on was conducted by Cape Town's Executive Mayor Dan Plato, accompanied by FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke and Bafana Bafana star, Matthew Booth. A seven-hour concert on the main stage at Adderley Street's Fountain Circle in the centre of town saw a star studded line up of acts representing the vibrant cultural diversity of the city, including Ringo Madlingozi, the Rockets, Emo Adams, Ready D and Jozi.

Out the Box Production

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