UK - Matt Howell is the newest member of Audient's Hampshire-based sales team. Following UK sales manager, Gareth Williams' appointment, Howell joins Audient to take on the responsibility for Audient's worldwide marketing initiative.

A recent graduate from the Tonmeister course at the University of Surrey, Howell brings a firm understanding of the technical aspects of music recording to the company, along with experience in both new and established media marketing.

"Audient's range is abundant with fantastic products that we want to bring to the wider audience. I'm very excited about working with the team, as we look to provide a more sophisticated and interactive framework for current and new customers," says Howell.

(Jim Evans)

UK - In Cardiff, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) has started to spend the equipment budget for its new £22.5m performance facility, and the first audio acquisition is an M-400 V-Mixing System complete with 32-way Digital Snake, supplied by Stage Electrics.

The extensive development project on the College's existing site in the grounds of Cardiff Castle is expected to complete early in 2011, but Ian Evans' technical studies team was eager to start using the new M-400 from the Roland Systems Group. The compact digital console is ultimately destined to be the front-of-house mixer for the new 160-seat Richard Burton Theatre, but first it will be deployed on everything from classroom training to summer balls, promenade theatre and live music.

"We're already used it in our black-box theatre, where Firenze Guidi has just directed her production of The

UK - Systems Workshop Distribution has announced plans to open a new showroom facility at its Oswestry premises. The showroom will take over space formerly occupied by Forge Studio and aims to provide a dedicated area for dealer training and product evaluation.

Systems Workshop's current distribution portfolio includes Fohhn loudspeaker systems, Vicoustic acoustic solutions, Tube-Tech valve processors and Schertler contact microphones, amplifiers and guitars.

Managing director Phil Beaumont commemnts, "Our brands increasingly require dedicated demo space that dealers can visit for a true evaluation of their capabilities. For example, to fully appreciate products like Vicoustic's Wave Wood really means experiencing the panel installed in an actual listening space, where it has been specifically positioned to fit the acoustic requirements of the room.

"The same is tr

Italy / UK - A North East audio company has made a major breakthrough into the Italian market with its equipment being installed in a major international sports stadium.

Sunderland-based Current Thinking has established a link with the Proel Group based in Sant'Omero, Italy - with the first project involving the upgrading of the facilities at the Stadio Adriatico in Pescara.

Current Thinking will be supplying Proel its advanced Voice alarm systems, sold under the Proel Brand ProEVAC 2.

Says Current Thinking managing director Anthony Smith, "We are very pleased to have established a relationship with the Proel Group, which is involved in supplying and installing audio, video and lighting equipment for major entertainment and sporting venues in many different countries.

"This is a good deal for both companies, Proel get some of the latest voice alarm equipment, and

World - For a-ha fans the world over, 2010 marks their last opportunity to see the band perform together. a-ha's farewell tour, aptly named Ending On A High Note, will have covered four continents and 15 countries when it wraps up. The band's final three shows ever, slated for early December in their home-country of Norway, sold out within days of their October 2009 announcements, well over a year in advance.

The tour is travelling with a full complement of Sennheiser wired and wireless microphones, including a Sennheiser SKM 5200 with a Neumann KK 105 capsule for lead vocalist Morten Harket, as well as Sennheiser wireless personal monitors. Ready support from the Sennheiser Global Relations Team has mitigated many of the travails of the road for tour manager Kleo Tuemmler, FOH engineer Sherif El Barbari, and monitor engineer Kursten Smith.

"Morten is incredibly se

UK - An early adopter of digital technology, Scouting For Girls' Front of House engineer Andy Williamson has been, up until now, a regular user of consoles by other manufacturers. However, at the start of the band's recent tour, which finished in Brighton at the end of May, audio rental company Capital Sound's Paul Timmins presented Andy with an opportunity to use a DiGiCo console.

"As soon as digital came out I jumped on it," says Williamson. "I love analogue, but the digital footprint is fantastic. However, you get used to certain characteristics of different consoles, with the result that I ended up using other manufacturers digital mixers.

"But then Paul offered me the chance to use an SD7. Having done a little research and read through the specs, I knew it was complete overkill for what I needed with regards to inputs and outputs, but the specs were so

UK - Revamped conference sessions, networking opportunities that include a Thames riverboat cruise, and the launch of the Live Music Business Awards are all features of the fourth LIVE UK Summit, set for 6-7 October.

The awards event will cover around 20 categories, ranging from Best Venue Teamwork - Arena/Concert/Club, Promoter of the Year and Best Media Campaign, to Agent of the Year, Breaking the Mould (live show innovation) and Best Record Company Partner.

The winners will be selected through votes cast by groups of carefully selected professionals with direct experience in the respective categories, supplemented by open voting online.

Meanwhile, The Summit itself will feature conference sessions covering vital topics affecting the industry, keynote presentations, a celebrity Q&A session and an afternoon of special panels devoted to the unsigned and emerging artiste sect

France - Following the unveiling of APG's new DX range of multipurpose loudspeakers at ProLight + Sound 2010 in Frankfurt, the company has announced that a number of French rental companies have already taken delivery of the new units with several more on back order for next month.

Those already in possession of their DX Series loudspeakers include Visuel in Normandy who have already used them for the Fete de la Musique on 21 June; Alpha Audio in La Rochelle; and SNO Technique just outside Paris. In addition to sales in the domestic market, there are also a number of orders in preparation for the export market, particularly to Germany and the UK where APG has developed strong distribution partnerships.

APG head of sales and marketing, Xavier Pion, comments, "We were pretty confident that we'd have a great reaction to the new range, but it's always reassuring when t

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Australia - For a number of years LSC has been listening to the requests, particularly from larger venues, for a way to allow the easy conversion of any dimmer channel into a simple switched power outlet. One solution is to offer 'hot swap' modules that allow 2,4,6 or 12 channels to be quickly interchanged from dimmer module to switch module and back again. However the cost, complexity and low flexibility of these systems often preclude them as a viable choice; so LSC went to their R&D department to find a better way.

The result is TruPower, an affordable technology where every individual channel of the dimming system contains both a dimmer and a bypass contactor circuit to allow any channel or combination of channels to be instantly changed from one mode to the other.

A TruPower channel can be switched to provide either standard dimming or direct power. This means that any ci

India - In the first step to what will be a comprehensive expansion of its operations in India, Harman Professional has announced the appointment of audio industry veteran Ankush Agarwal to the role of marketing & communications manager. Agarwal's appointment is part of a greater overall initiative to bring increased focus to the Indian marketplace, and will be followed by more appointments to Harman Professional's sales, technical support and service teams in the months ahead, says the company.

Having previously served as marketing manager for Sennheiser India and with Hyundai Electronics before that, Agarwal brings a blend of marketing and professional audio sales experience to the team in India. He'll use that experience to drive Harman Professional's marketing and public relations strategies in the region and build upon the foundation laid by Sushil John, systems director, I

Denmark - DNP Denmark has announced the appointment of Richard Goh as dnp rep for South East Asia.

Due to the growth rate and development in South East Asia, and hence the growing need for high-end and high-performance projection screens, DNP Denmark wishes to put focus on this region in order to develop the market for advanced projection solutions.

Richard Goh will represent Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia -assisting dnp in sales, education of the channel and service.

He brings a strong background from the pro-audio business and already has great experience in selling dnp optical projection screens through his former employment at IMS Mahajak. He will be based in Singapore.

(Jim Evans)

Europe - Bandit Lites reports a busy European summer season, with systems supplied for the Sugababes for LD Matthew Jensen and PM Andrew Thornton as well as Thievery Corporation's European tour for LD Eric Cathcart. George Benson's UK tour with support from Marti Pellow once again relied on Bandit to supply a Martin Nicholas designed rig. Kenny Rogers has just completed a successful UK trek with Jeff Metter in the LD saddle.

Bandit's other upcoming and current work includes the Once in a Lifetime UK tour, Al Green & Michael McDonald's UK shows, the Schools' Supersing Liverpool choir event, Pure's fashion show, The Saturdays' UK dates, Seal's forthcoming European tour, Westlife's outdoor summer shows, plus festival dates with Faith No More as well as European tours with ZZ Top, Jackson Browne and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

(Jim Evans)

South Africa - Robe lighting did its bit to represent the Czech Republic in the absence of the country's football team from the World Cup tournament - with Robe moving lights used extensively for the official Kick Off Concert, staged in Orlando Stadium, Soweto, Johannesburg.

The show featured a star studded line up, headlined by Shakira, The Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Vusi Mahlasela, Blk Jks, Juanez, Tinariwen, The Parlotones, Big Nuz & DJ Tira and many more. There were also addresses by South African President, Jacob Zuma and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

All the lighting equipment was supplied by Gearhouse South Africa, the lighting design was created by Patrick Woodroffe and the show was programmed by Tim Routledge. The final three-hour section was broadcast live via the South African Broadcasting Company (SABC) and syndicated wor

USA - Theatrical Lighting Systems (TLS) brought 'new light'to a long established event at Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, MIss. The USA International Ballet Competition, (USA IBC) calls Jackson, home thanks to a 1982 Joint Resolution of United States Congress. Every four years, dancers from around the globe come to Jackson to compete and learn.

This year, locally operated TLSMississippi contracted with USA IBC to provide the additional lighting system requirements for the competition which began 12 June.

David Milly, owner of the Huntsville, Ala., based TLS, says, "We are glad USA IBC chose to use a local company for this world renown competition. It's a great thing for the state of Mississippi when large events such as this use local small businesses as a resource. It benefits all of us."

Andy Prince, project manager for rentals at TLS worked with USA IBC lighting de

UK - Still a concert-hall favourite at 71, Kenny Rogers - wearing a crisp white shirt to match the patrician beard - has completed a UK tour, playing concerts in England, Scotland and Ireland with Nexo-centred audio production support from the SSE Audio Group.

In a career spanning six decades, he's given more shows than many younger artists have had hot dinners, and the same can be said of long-time front-of-house sound engineer Keith Bugos, who started mixing for Kenny Rogers when he was with the First Edition, 39 years ago.

"We've definitely seen some changes over the years," says this master of understatement, "not least with the equipment we are using. Back in the late 80s, when Kenny was blazing hot and selling out arenas in a couple of hours, we were long-term clients of Clair Bros and carrying all our own production. Today, with shorter tours, we carry co

China - What started with a major opening ceremony has also proved to be a huge success for grandMA - the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

During the ceremony the full scope of MA Lighting's grandMA series was used - including grandMA2 consoles, MA NPUs (Network Processing Unit) and MA NSPs (Network Signal Processor). But that was far from the end of the story for MA Lighting - it was just the beginning. A plethora of pavilions, stages, central buildings and squares on the huge Expo site also trust in the latest control technology from the German company.

Sites using grandMA/grandMA2 systems include: Culture Centre, Expo Centre, Performance Hall, European Square, Asian Square, Pacific Square, City Square, African Square, American Square, Greenland Square, Baosteel Stage, Boatyard Theatre, Chinese Pavilion, German Pavilion, Lithuanian Pavilion, Private Enterprises Joint Pavilion and the The

Syria - Last month, Buildex, the leading building and construction industry trade fair in the Arab world, was held in Damascus, Syria.

Buildex takes place every year and showcases raw materials and machinery for civil and industrial building industry and also represents a strategic meeting point for professionals and leading companies from that region who work in this field.

Technical Light and Sound Group (TLSC Group), the Syrian distributor known as SADA on the local market, presented a selected range of Proel solutions suitable for permanent installations and other applications.

Among the Proel products, visitors saw Proel's Flash Speaker Enclosure Series, HPD Digital Amplifier Series, a wide range of accessories and loudspeakers from AVL Systems Division for PA applications.

"Once more, this edition of Buildex confirmed its strategic importance for the professiona

South Africa - Johannesburg- based DWR Distribution has appointed three new staff members - two joining the technical support crew, and one new face for the office and admin team.

The company has expanded after an extremely strong start to 2010, plus additional activity generated by the 2010 World Cup, which has seen a flurry of business for the lighting sales company.

Judd Harrison comes onboard as technical support, where he joins DWR's Bruce Riley, Nick Britz and Eazy Moketsi. A key element of DWR's success is the after sales support and technical back-up. It also means that the warehouse will be fully staffed allowing Britz to take an increasingly active role in onsite technical training and product support, while Riley covers all the on-site and on-the-road tech support requirements.

Harrison has considerable experience in electronics engineering. He previously worked f

Italy - ETC's Rome office has been busy recently, with a number of outings for the Selador series of LED fixtures. At the third Festival of Scenic Arts at the Casa dell'Architettura in Rome, Fulvio Cotogni, regional manager for southern Europe at ETC, joined Italian-based lighting designer AJ Weissbard on stage to discuss the latest developments with ETC's Selador series of LED fixtures.

In spite of difficulties faced as a result of the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano, which meant that invited speakers from several European states could not attend, the four-day conference saw audience figures top 800.

"Selador received a great deal of interest at the festival, thanks to its innovative colour mixing," commented Cotogni after the event. "The latest additions to the range - Vivid Fire and Vivid Ice - were specifically designed in response to user requests, who

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians reports that the 32nd ABTT Theatre Show was its biggest show yet, both in the number of visitors through the doors and exhibiting companies that filled The Royal Horticultural Halls to capacity.

This year's record attendance bucked trends with a return to the show's previous visitor record in 2008. This rise in attendance following a dip due to a tube strike during the 2009 event and highlights the show's position of strength despite the recession.

The Show's success is attributed to its compact footprint, un-intimidating atmosphere and ever-expanding visitor base, say the organisers. The ABTT Theatre Show covers the spectrum of products and services for the theatre production and staging market, with a strong showing from the engineering sector, but also from the sound and lighting fraternity. It provides the only platform f

UK - Belfast-based Production Services Ireland (PSI), a regular provider of rigging services and equipment for Ireland's leading entertainment shows, has launched a series of regular two-day rgging awareness training courses.

This initiative is the brainchild of PSI's Sean Pagel, who also heads up the company's rigging team. It's something that PSI has wanted to do for some time - but the recent move to larger premises with a large dedicated training room has really facilitated this on a practical level.

Apart from the demand for it, one advantage for PSI explains Pagel is that many venues are council run, and have a commitment to keep their staff updated with the latest good working practices. "Therefore it's really important that they have a concept of what rigging is all about - it's one of the starting points for any show," he says.

Pagel qualifies that it's im

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