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Laser Studio has supplied and installed an eye-catching laser system into the Ministry of Sound. The Ministry has been at the cutting edge of UK dance and youth culture since the Gaunt Street venue opened in South London in 1991. From day one, the Ministry has always been committed to having the very best in production values. But for the 10 years since its opening, lasers have been absent from the venue at the heart of UK club cool. Ministry’s resident lighting designer Lorenzo Meddi explains: "We thought the time was finally right to infuse the club’s visuals with a laser. The clarity and intensity of light from laser beam is great for suddenly - and immediately - changing an atmosphere."

Lorenzo operates the laser and lighting systems himself during the Ministry’s two public nights - Friday and Saturday. He uses the laser thoughtfully. In addition to the

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It’s been a busy couple of months for Tomcat Global’s UK operation. May started with a near £250,000 order to manufacture a custom stage set for German rock group Rammstein. With Leroy Bennett as lighting and set designer, the build included, amongst other items, a custom ‘spiders web’ truss grid, five 1.5m diameter aluminium and plastic surgeon’s lamps and an aluminium and carbon-fibre ‘birthing sack’. Tomcat worked alongside lighting provider Light & Sound Design and scenery specialist Perry Scenic to turn Bennett’s ideas into a reality.

June also proved to be a busy month with the manufacture of a stage set for the present Robbie Williams stadium tour. The set involved the manufacture of a 17m x 5m stage with decks rising from ground level up to a height of 3m. Most tricky was the need to provide a quick-opening deck on the highest le

City Theatrical - Banner - July 2025

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Stage Technologies has just been awarded the contract for the supply of rigging systems for the latest of the Grand class ships currently being built for P&O Princess Cruises by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Nagasaki, Japan. Stage Technologies’ scope of supply includes nearly 100 axes of automation, both mechanical and electrical systems, installed in three venues. Rigging systems include 26 flying bars, 4 stage lifts, and 16 curtain tracks. Control systems include the company’s award-winning Acrobat, Juggler and Solo consoles. Mark Ager, Stage Technologies’ managing director commented: "We are very excited to receive this order which confirms Stage Technologies as a major supplier of automation systems to the cruise ship industry."

To date, the company has provided the control systems for eight cruise ships including the original Grand Princess and s

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Cadbury Trebor Bassett hosted its 2001 Management Conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham in June, using the whole of Hall 4. The hall was transformed into five Themed Zones, a Central Piazza Area, an Auditorium Theatre and a Reception Area. Stage Electrics’ NEC branch was contracted to supply and manage the events’ lighting, staging, mains distribution and truss screen structures. Delta Sound provided all audio systems, with PSL/PCP completing the technical aspect with a complicated interactive projection system. Rigging was provided by the NEC’s in-house department.

Lighting designer, Ben Holdsworth, utilized 150 Martin Mac Moving lights headed by 42 Mac 2000s. The room wash was provided by 620 conventional lanterns with 12 City Color Wash Lights, while four flown ZR22 smoke machines provided heavy fog for the central area. The space also require

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It has been a busy spring and summer period at White Light's sales office, which has been dealing with a wide range of projects from the UK's leading drama colleges up to the country's most famous concert halls.

To the newly re-opened Vanburgh Theatre at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, White Light Sales has supplied a selection of new equipment from Strand Lighting, including two Pirouette PC automated lanterns, 28 SL 15/32 and 12 SL 23/50 profile spotlights, 24 Cantata Fs, 4 Alto Fs and 2 Quartet Fs. Meanwhile across in the City of London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, chief electrician Steve Huttly has been expanding his stock of equipment once again. Having purchased High End StudioSpots and StudioColors from White Light earlier in the year, he has now purchased two Strand Pirouette PCs to add to the two units the School already owns, one Selecon Pacific 90 degree pr

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Taiwanese microphone and audio equipment manufacturer, Taky Electronics, has announced a change of name, to reflect the growing success of its JTS microphone range. The company will now be known as JTS Professional Co Ltd, providing a closer association with the fast-developing JTS brand in professional audio and MI markets. The company will retain the Taky brand name for consumer electronics products in non-English speaking countries, where it has been well established for over 20 years.

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Booking your tickets to the PLASA Show, the entertainment technology industry’s leading event, running from 9-12 September 2001 at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London, has never been easier. You can now book in any of the following ways:

By Telephone: The Visitor Hotline is now live! Call +44 (0) 870 429 4472 to make your credit card booking or to request an advance booking form.

Online: Go direct to www.plasa.org/show/register to book online.

There are many advantages to pre-registration. Not only will you save £6 on the cost of entry to the Show (tickets on the door are £12) but you will be sent a personalized badge in advance permitting you fast entry into the show. You will also receive up-to-date information on the Show’s Masterclass Programme and how to book your seat at any of

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beyerdynamic has supplied the Islington Music Workshop with the first Klein & Hummel 5.1 surround sound speaker system in the UK for its Music Technology College. The circumstances of the speaker system sale were unusual - starting as review samples for a pro-audio trade journal (Audio Media), Simon Tillbrook the reviewer was impressed and decided that the studio should buy a system as they were about to upgrade the monitoring system for 5.1 operation: "Surround Sound is now an important part of the Sound Engineering course we run at IMW and we are planning to extend the system further to cover all surround formats, with the Martinsound Multimax. This will give us 7.1 and Omnimax capability," Tillbrook commented.

As a charity-aided faculty, IMW provides a unique resource for students to gain a Sound Engineering qualification to take them into Sound Recording and Music Techno

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Stagetec is to launch several new lighting products from Compulite and LSC. From Compulite comes the RAVE, a new compact lighting control desk for the Club/DJ market and small venues wanting low cost, versatile moving light control. It offers simple and quick set-up and operation, plus either manual or fully automated playback. Rave has one DMX output controlling up to 512 dimmers via 100 desk channels, up to 40 intelligent fixtures (with a maximum of 32 parameters), and up to 20 channels for DMX controlled devices (smoke machines, hazers etc.). Playback devices include 20 virtual playbacks with a fader and a control soft key. Editing is quick and easy using the soft-keys, integrated LCD display and three wheels.

Also new is the CompuDIM Wallmount installation version of Compulite’s popular CompuDIM range of digital dimmers. It is available in two versions (24 x 3kW or 12 x 5kW)

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Realising the need to market their mail service in the new e-mail-dominated environment, Deutsche Post has invested DM 2 million into converting a Federal Post Truck into a touring stage. The touring postal van contains all the lighting, sound and AV equipment needed to stage a live event. Performances on the truck’s 60sq.m stage range from simple dramas through to mini extravaganzas.

The challenge presented to Zero 88 distributor, LMP Lichttechnik by Deutsche Post was to specify a lighting system that could handle the variety of shows being staged. Some would be pre-programmed, while others would require easy hands-on live operation when programming time was limited. Olaf Nehrenheim of LMP chose the Zero 88 Fat Frog. Its ability to control 12 moving fixtures and 48 generic channels through its combination of 108 submasters and up to 999 memories met the challenge perfectly.

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Taking centre stage on the Hacousto stand at PLASA 2001 is the ACE2.200. This new 200W amplifier features two powerful and highly efficient Class-T independent audio amplifiers and is housed in a compact and lightweight 2U 19" rack-mountable unit. Its power-efficient design and switched mode power supply offer Hacousto’s customers the ultimate addition to the Accent 8x8 digital mixer-router system launched at PLASA last year. Suitable for 50, 70 or 100 volt line distribution systems, the ACE2.200 amplifier offers two individual channels with a 200W RMS output capability. Powered by either 115/230V AC mains or 24V DC supplies the ACE2.200 is ideally suited for voice supported evacuation systems.

Each amplifier channel features two individual inputs with switchable sensitivity and priority functions. Standard features include an extensive overload, short-circuit and high tempe

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Sennheiser, the company whose microphones give voice to so many of the world’s performing artists, is inaugurating a competition to search out some of the nation’s best hidden musical talent. The search for the country’s best unsigned bands and artists is being run in conjunction with Nexus Media’s Making Music title, the world famous Gibson guitar company, top British guitar amp manufacturer Orange, leading recording technology company TASCAM, and Mindprint studio effects.

Six musical categories are divided into pop, rock, dance, hip-hop, R&B and jazz. The winners of each heat pick up £500 in cash, plus a wealth of guitar, amplifier and recording equipment, not to mention Sennheiser evolution microphones and headphones. The overall winning artist or group, judged from among the winners of each of the individual categories, stands not only to receive £5000 in

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Summit Steel’s award-winning SmarTmast system will be much in evidence at this year’s 50th Anniversary ‘Music on a Summer Evening’ concerts at Kenwood House, one of the historic properties in the care of English Heritage. Founded in 1951 by Frank Wright after a visit to the Hollywood Bowl, the first concert featured a performance by the London Symphony Orchestra, who are welcomed back this year as part of the celebrations.

A total of five SmarTmasts will be provided by Summit Steel, who invested in an additional five of these versatile rigging towers in order to service the event. One SmarTmast will be positioned either side of the stage to fly the main PA system, while the remaining three will provide delay towers. Interestingly, the two PA SmarTmasts will be firmly anchored in the lake in front of the stage. Adapted to hang the V-dosc sound system provided by

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Acapulco recently became the centre of attraction for music lovers, with the annual Acapulco Music Festival (a.k.a. Aca Fest) taking place on the beach in front of the port. This year’s challenge was to create bigger events to involve more people and to give Acapulco an international visibility. The music event combines with sport events such as the inaugural ‘Corrida’, wrestling matches, golf tournaments and soccer matches, but the Festival’s musical highlights included performances from Men At Work, Earth Wind and Fire, the B52s, Michael Bolton, Journey, Aterciopelados, Christian Castro, Paulina Rubio, Vicente Fernàndez and Rocío Dúrcal. The event utilized over 900 tons of equipments and 3,000 personnel. The major lighting project was designed by Pat Henry Illuminaciòn of Mexico City, which chose SGM intelligent units (28 Giotto Spot 1200, 14 Giotto Wash 120

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The 10th Annual TiLE Conference was held for the third, but last, time (for a few years) at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London 12-14 June 2001.

For those unfamiliar with the TiLE concept, it is not unlike Showlight in its make-up with a conference and exhibition running hand-in-hand, and an associated social programme gluing the two together. Certainly one of the most important conferences in Europe, perhaps in the world, TiLE is a key ‘networking’ event bringing together major developers, operators, designers and suppliers from the international leisure market. It attracts people from around the world because it is the one place to meet people of all levels and to listen to and debate about the real projects, techniques and problems facing this major industry.

Most of the major players can be found on the show floor - companies like Electrosonic, Farmer St

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This July over a million people will have been part of a live audience in front of a stage supplied by Star Hire (Event Services) Limited. Star Hire’s position as the UK’s busiest staging company this summer can be in little doubt, with their stages the first choice of promoters of prestigious events across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Star Hire has operated three large VerTech constructed stage systems simultaneously whilst still managing seven mobile stages at a wide range of events. Star Hire (Event Services) Limited supplied the stages for well over 250,000 live concert goers on each of the first two weekends of July 2001 (with a TV audience of millions).

VerTech stages began the month at the Prince’s Trust ‘Party in the Park’ concert in Hyde Park, London, featuring artists including Geri Halliwell, Ricki Martin and Destiny’s Child; at &

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Screenco’s historic manifestation of random LED daylight screens as a light source, first shown at The Illuminated Video Workshop presentation at Three Mills Island studios recently, were hurriedly and unexpectedly recreated at Hyde Park for Ricky Martin’s lunchtime set at Capital Radio’s Party in the Park 2001, in aid of the Prince’s Trust.

The combination of an adventurous set designer and the opportunism of Screenco’s project manager, Giles Conte and Solo’s Mark Ward, resulted in the 10 spare 15mm LED daylight screens not required for the main i-mag display, being batched randomly on Martin’s stage risers and used as a light graphics source. "Ricky Martin’s designers generally use plasma screens, but at 12.30 in the afternoon they wouldn’t have been bright enough," explained Conte. "So we hurriedly shipped in anot

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On Thursday July 12th a preliminary meeting was held at the Sydney Exhibition and Convention Centre, to seek interest in the formation of an Australasian association for all who share an interest in the art, science and technology of light. The following week a similar meeting was held at the Melbourne Museum. Organisers Andy Ciddor and Cat Strom (Forcer) were overwhelmed by the positive reaction from the lighting community and hence have decided to press ahead in establishing an Australasian Lighting Industry Association, provisionally entitled ALIA.

Discussions at the meetings were based around a widely circulated proposal prepared by Cat Strom, Steve Furzey and Andy Ciddor, the text of which can be found on the preliminary ALIA website - www.lighting-association.com. It was agreed that a broadly-based and inclusive lighting

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To complement the exhibition, PLASA has lined up a range of seminars, workshops and clinics that will give an insight into how new technology is creating new opportunities, how individuals have pulled together highly complex projects, why integration is so important and how you can achieve more by picking up tips and techniques from others.

DJs can learn more about MP3 digitally-compressed music files and how this new technology is already creating a platform for a more creative approach. In a programme of seminars sponsored by Installation Europe, audio installation and integration is the theme under which issues of networking, control and the benefits of converging technologies are explored. Tuesday sees a Theme and Leisure Masterclass, presented by Leisure Management, in association with the TEA and TiLE, which focuses on how the leisure industry exploits special effects, lighting a

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Calling all bedroom mixers and aspiring DJs - the search for the newest, hottest DJ talent is on! Sunday 9 September, 2001, will see the cream of the country’s up-and-coming DJ talent at the PLASA Show 2001, Earls Court, to pit their skills in the PLASA Show’s Extreme V, Gemini DJ Competition. Sponsored by leading DJ equipment supplier, Gemini Sound Products, the competition will visit the ‘Final Meltdown’ on Portsmouth’s South Coast and ‘Urban Games’ at Clapham Common en route to PLASA. Rob Peck of Gemini Sound Products says: "This years Extreme V, Gemini DJ Competition battle represents the most exciting up and coming talent in the business and we are proud to be nurturing the stars of the future with this competition. The Grand Final is a launch pad to success for many of the winners who go on to take up residencies and slots at some of t

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One of Europe’s leading manufacturers of silent dimming solutions, IES will be launching new models of low-noise IGBT installed and distributed dimming options for theatres, concert halls and TV studios, at PLASA 2001. The range includes iTEC reverse-phase IGBT dimmers and second generation iSINE Sine Wave silent dimmers - technologies which have been supplied throughout Europe in the past year.

The new generation iSINE technology offers compactness, lower weight, higher efficiency and reduced cost compared to its predecessors. The sinusoidal output dims with no discernable filament noise, and the harmonic distortion is less than 1% greater than the supply. Able to control a wide range of light sources, iSINE dimmers also benefit from the tried and tested features of IES’s other IGBT dimmers - automatic short-circuit protection, voltage regulation, current limitation and c

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The Radiocommunications Agency (RA) has announced a new fee structure for radio microphone licensing due to take effect on 19 July 2001. The changes are part of the introduction of Spectrum Pricing into the Programme Making and Special Events sector (PMSE), which is managed by JFMG.

The aim behind changing the fee structure is to simplify the licensing of ‘UK Shared’ radio microphones. (These are those available for shared use at unspecified locations). This is achieved by setting a flat fee for any number of Shared VHF frequencies and a flat fee for any number of Shared UHF frequencies. A two-year licence is introduced as an alternative to the one-year period. The difference in fee between ‘own-use’ and hiring out is removed and this licence also covers the use of Shared frequencies at Fixed Sites instead of the Fixed Site fees used previously. The RA and JFM

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Fisher Productions has completed its move to new offices. "The new building is far more spacious than our previous office - as our staff numbers continue to grow, we really needed a place with room for expansion," says Fisher marketer Gemma Courtenay. More staff, bigger projects, a developing in-house lighting and staging department and storage of a variety of props had resulted in Fisher outgrowing its last premises. The 40,000sq.ft area, with warehouse and offices above, presented the company with the ideal solution. With a location that is convenient for both central London and international travel, all that was needed to complete the package was an internal refurbishment to include bright, modern office space with multiple meeting areas and state-of-the-art features.

Projects coordinated from the new premises have ranged from South African Airways Product Launch, the Rel

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Channel Four’s Big Brother phenomenon is once again captivating the nation, with Audio-Technica microphones ensuring that none of the housemates can escape the attentions of the watching and listening public.

Television facilities company Roll to Record once again secured the contract to provide the complete technical installation for the Big Brother house's all-important audio-visual set up, with the task of specifying audio equipment going to chief sound engineer Oliver France. A freelance engineer who also worked on the earlier series with Roll to Record, France began to assemble the audio equipment as early as February, and was pleasantly surprised when it came to organizing microphones for project. "I was looking around to see what was available, and I wandered on to the Audio-Technica website. I was really surprised by the size of the range and identified a number of

  1. UK Light Jockey 2001 Final
  2. HFM Lighting Becomes VL Rental Associate
  3. Entech 2002
  4. Essential Increases Studio Beam Stocks
  5. LETI Clears Lifting Regulation Minefield
  6. Putting the Wow! Into Your Production
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