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PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025

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The final phase of the restoration of Reading Town Hall’s concert venue - with the renovated Father Willis organ providing a magisterial backdrop - has been completed this month under the guidance of English Heritage.

Marquee Audio was responsible for supplying and fitting all the audio, working to a specification from audio consultant Peter Mapp, who had been introduced to the project by former technical manager, Paul Kennedy. By completion, the whole project will have cost around £5 million. Given the constraints of the protected architecture the installation had been no easy feat, as the venue’s chief electrician Tim Liddle emphasized. "We got a grant from English Heritage who wanted the hall restored to its original 120-year-old grandeur. The Borough Council have been restoring the building over a 15-year period and when I came here 10 years ago, there were pigeon

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Martin Professional Inc presented its first annual Martin Intelligent Lighting Technology Grant to Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama at the recent LDI exhibition in Orlando. The grant will be awarded to an accredited college or university in the USA each year. Martin Professional Inc CEO Troels Volver comments: "Making available our cutting-edge technology to more students and future lighting professionals is our goal, and while we cannot give our products to everyone we would like, we are committed to this annual grant for the future and expect to generate increased exposure and knowledge of our products by its establishment."

The Grant is valued at $50,000 and consists of a variety of Martin fixtures and control products including the Martin ShowDesigner virtual software design system and Martin Lighting Director tracking system. The Grant does not stop wit

PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025

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The 2001 Volkswagen Stand claimed the entire ground floor of Hall 3 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and featured an innovative multimedia experience ‘The Big Box’ which was produced by HP:ICM of London. The exhibition environment was designed by German architects Cebra who worked closely with HP:ICM to create the perfect environment for the ‘Big Box’ theatre, a circular room containing a 170 degree video projection screen.

The 50 metre wide, seven metre high screen was used to show a specially commissioned film directed by Robert Butcher and Liam Lyons with a score by Jonathan Goldstein and produced by HP:ICM, in front of this screen was a huge water ‘lake’ which concealed submerged water and pyrotechnic effects which accompanied dynamic moments in the film; the roof supported a comprehensive lighting system and was covered by a 35 metre diameter fibre

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Lightfactor Sales has completed 10 days of extensive training sessions and seminars - the first in a series - covering its most popular product ranges, underlining the company’s ongoing commitment to training and product support. Courses have been run for both beginners and advanced users on products including the LightProcessor Qcommander lighting console - and also the LightProcessor Paradime dimmer range. Demand also proved high for courses featuring assorted High End fixtures distributed in the UK by Lightfactor - including Technobeam, the 250 and 575 series of Studio Spots and Colors and the Cyberlight.

Lightfactor also ran courses for the LDR range of theatrical lanterns and SGM moving lights from Italy. On the sound front, courses on Zeck Audio products from Germany and Apogee Sound Inc products from the USA aroused considerable interest. Lightfactor's MD Paul de Ville tol

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Martin had plenty of reason to celebrate at the LDI exhibition in Orlando this past weekend, but one accomplishment appeared extra special. At a press meeting held at the Martin stand on Saturday, Martin President and CEO Kristian Kolding presented the 100,000th MAC automated light produced. The 100,000th unit, a MAC 2000 profile spot, rolled off the production line just prior to the LDI exhibition. It was ceremoniously painted gold and is now displayed in the Martin manufacturing plant’s reception area in Frederikshavn, Denmark.

At the LDI Awards Ceremony Martin won ‘Product of the Year Lighting/Entertainment, Most Promising Prototype’ honours for the TracMAC mini, an easy to operate followspot luminaire that drew a lot of attention from visitors. Mach speakers was awarded the ‘Product of the Year, Sound, Most Promising Prototype’ for the Mach ViroStation

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PSL provided full technical support as official audio-visual supplier to Salon International, the UK hairdressing industry event held this year at London’s dockland venue ExCeL. The event management team, led by Sophi Bruce and Chris White of new creative agency Bluw Creative Solutions, designed a 1700-seat theatre environment to stage the hair fashion shows. PSL was awarded the contract to manage the build and provide full technical support for the live hair fashion theatre and Salon seminar programmes.

A section of one of the halls was separated via drapes to create the main theatre. PSL provided the main staging and 900 feet of mini beam truss suspended from 38 half tonne electric motors to create the various lighting effects the show required. This involved using over 36 moving and 180 generic lights, including Studio Beam PCs, the latest in wash lights and Cyberlight Turbos

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November 15 will see Miss Saigon taking the north of England by storm as it hits the first venue of its new tour, The Palace Theatre, Manchester. Having premiered at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 1989 with lighting design by David Hersey, the lighting rig has been re-worked by Hersey for life on tour. In keeping with the original production, the tour features banks of DHA's Digital Light Curtains but the show's opening image of a rising sun is now created by DHA's newest product - the Yoyo+.

Hersey and his assistant Jenny Kagan worked closely with production designer John Napier to create the setting for the story. Originally developed for the show's New York opening, the six and eight lamp DHA DLCs provide an intense sheet of light, controlled by a dedicated computer providing the facility to adjust the tilt, angle and colour of each individual 6' section on cue during the show. An

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Forget the Oscars: what appears to have been the biggest event in the film industry this year took place in London on 4 November at the Odeon Leicester Square. Crowds of fans turned out in their best wizard and witch outfits to attend the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the cinema was transformed into a replica of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

West Design commissioned Visual Elements and Spirit Design to illuminate the exterior facade of the cinema and, in turn, Mike Townsend approached Fourth Phase to supply the lighting equipment. As the cinema's fascia decorations had been painted with UV paint, Fourth Phase provided 30 Mac 600s, together with eight each of Studio Due’s City Colors and City Beams, used alongside a substantial quantity of conventional lighting to create a striking backdrop for the film's premiere. The long-awaited fi

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Blitz Communications has recently opened a new office near to the NEC as part of its ongoing expansion programme.

The move, a major investment for Blitz, is aimed at giving the company access to the £7million Midlands market. Blitz MD Michael Breen told L&SI: "We have invested £500,000 to ensure that we are offering our customers the high quality, professional service that is expected . . . namely, specialist skills in AV, video imaging, interactive media and graphics for business presentations."

The office will be run by branch manager Martin Green and operations manager Martin Clowes, with Ian Riley overseeing the operation.

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Large format projection specialists E//T//C UK illuminated London's famous Wellington Arch at Hyde Park corner in spectacular fashion for the 80th Poppy Appeal. For the first time in its 176-year history, the landmark carried a powerful moving image of blood red poppies cascading down the monument, against a cyan background. The words 'We Will Remember Them' were boldly emblazoned across the top of the structure - in a dramatic tribute to all those who fought and died in the First and Second World Wars.

E//T//C were approached by project director Mick Worwood from Ace Consultants, who had been commissioned to produce the event by Rear Admiral Burns, head of the Kensington & Chelsea branch of the British Legion. Burns initially had the concept of projecting onto a suitable building to make a stirring impact, and also to boost the two days of street collections that are an integral part

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In an effort to assess the effects of 11 September, the PSA are setting up a web-based questionnaire on their website. The survey will try to determine how much work and money has been lost, what area the respondent works in and asks for their predictions for the following year.

PSA member Nick Cooke told us: "There are a number of people in our industry across the UK and Europe who are suffering serious financial hardship as a result of the WTC/Pentagon attack. The cancellations were rolling in practically before the first tower collapsed. I've met several freelancers in the conference industry who have lost some major work as a result of this and then there's the question of what happens next year as the war continues."

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Industry software provider Stardraw has announced the appointment of Link srl as Premier Partner in Italy. The agreement was struck at the IBTS 2001 show in Milan and took effect from October 8th. David Morrison, sales manager for Stardraw explains: "We were particularly happy to build a relationship with Link because their profile and positioning is ideal for the current range of Stardraw products. As a leading Italian supplier of cable, connectors and connection solutions they have all the right contacts in audio, AV and lighting. Everybody in systems integration needs the 'glue' that Link supplies, and everybody in systems integration needs Stardraw. It's a perfect fit."

Link's managing director Assunta Fratocchi adds: "Link has built its reputation by observing and driving the technological evolution of equipment used for system interconnection. We are now implementi

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For six weeks every year, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council turns the town's beautiful arboretum into a world of lakeside lights, laser and water projections within the floodlit gardens, and plays host to a rich programme of entertainment. Celebrating its 50th year this autumn, the Walsall Illuminations prides itself in being Britain's biggest inland illuminations. The event evolves annually and this year featured video projection for the first time.

Birmingham-based Laser Hire, who were again appointed main audio-visual contractors, this year hired in a Christie Digital Systems' X4 Roadster from a local partner trading partner, AT Communications, to present a spectacular water screen projection over the lake. Laser Hire first delivered laser and lighting back in 1989, but according to Mike Kinsella it has only been the last four or five years that the event has developed into its c

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Our picture shows the new lighting scheme for the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh. The project was launched in November 1995 when the Fruitmarket announced an international contest to design a new and permanent lightwork to highlight the position of the gallery in central Edinburgh. The winning design, which came from artist Peter Fink, features a ‘roof fin’ light triangle, light detailing on the east and west roof and a light pavement. As far as we know, the project is unique un Britain and uses Color Kinetic LED systems installed and programmed by Lighting Technology Projects.

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Newbury Racecourse has had a sophisticated new public address system, involving 6km of cable, installed into its new Tattersalls Grandstand by Racecourse Technical Services Ltd (RaceTech). Owned by the Racecourse Association, RaceTech is responsible for upgrading and maintaining the public address systems throughout all the UK's racecourses. They are also responsible for the starting stalls, photo-finish, and with a five-camera television unit roaming the course, providing pictures to the race stewards to ensure race integrity and produce the on course television programme. On the 28 race days that take place each year at Newbury, signals are sent to TVs dispersed around the course, while a RaceTech PA engineer feeds commentary and information announcements from a broadcast PA office in the Weighing Room.

Newbury's three-storey Grandstand - designed by Foster & Partners and built at a

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TSC Music recently completed an extensive audio-visual installation for Dragons Health Clubs Plc at their newly opened Milton Keynes venue. As a leading supplier of business music solutions, TSC is proud to have built up a professional working partnership with Dragons to supply all their new and existing clubs with music and audio-visual systems. At Dragons Milton Keynes, TSC installed their latest state-of-the-art Hard Disc music management system to run 'Dragons FM' bespoke simulated radio service, incorporating a maximum of up to 10,000 purposely selected tracks as well as audio commercials and messages. In addition, TSC also installed an eight-hour CDi music system and audio-visual system in the gymnasium together with an audio communication system in the aerobics studio. TSC offers a complete design and installation service covering the whole of the UK with an extensive portfolio of

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The Production Resource Group LLC (PRG), a leading provider of entertainment technology products and services, has announced a plan for its Atlanta facility to aggressively develop and promote itself locally as the leading provider of entertainment lighting in the region. Fourth Phase, the Group's entertainment lighting branch, is embracing the local market in Atlanta, one of its many strategic locations. LSD/Fourth Phase has called Atlanta home for approximately five years, and is moving forward with plans to direct its focus on regional business opportunities. The company will be expanding its sales efforts in order to build its local presence in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Simultaneously, LSD/Fourth Phase Atlanta will make a significant commitment to building and sustaining a standing inventory to service the region.

"As Atlanta's draw continues to grow, LSD/Fourth Phase wil

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A multi-purpose arts centre in Leamington Spa entered the latest phase of its redevelopment this month when new Turbosound trapezoidal Floodlight enclosures were installed by Marquee Audio as part of a high-quality sound specification, jointly designed by the Shepperton suppliers and the venue's technical manager, Chris Whalley. Flown as a three-wide centre stage cluster under six Turbosound TFL-118 (1 x 18") bass bins, the unusual configuration at the Royal Spa Centre in a confined space meant that Turbosound's Danny Cooklin, working with Marquee Audio's Scott Wakelin, had to design special flying hardware. Cooklin explained: "There wasn’t really sufficient height above the cluster for the bins so we had to create a lot of angle to enable us to array them properly."

The two sets of bins sit either side of the flybar which supports the central three trapezoidals bo

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Yates Group is striving to give a more contemporary feel to its traditional Wine Lodges, using the latest technology to add a younger, metropolitan concept to its brand portfolio. The new-look venues will give higher priority to dynamic music and lighting, as demonstrated by the most recent conversion - in Peterborough’s trendy leisure strip, The Broadway.

The Yates Group has a long association with Martin Audio loudspeakers, and the company’s technical manager Les Farmer, had no hesitation in returning to their catalogue to create even coverage across the new 525-capacity, 3000sq.ft bar. The requirement from the designers, Mason Wood Architects, was for discrete lighting and sound reinforcement. Thus four recessed white C516 ceiling speakers, with their own volume control, have been concealed in the far corner chill-out area of the four-zone venue, to complement the eight

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Dutch performer Frans Bauer recently played seven dates at the Ahoy in Rotterdam, the experimental nature of his stage set matching that of the music produced by the vibes/marimba percussionist. The production called on 81sq.m of 25mm LED screen, supplied by Screenco Holland, to present a graphics display in line with the music. But what was so unusual was that this display was set at an angle of 20°, enabling the orchestra to sit within the screen itself, creating a type of virtual décor environment. Explained Screenco’s Jeroen Jongenelen: "At the front of the stage a further 30 modules of 15mm LED screen were set under a plexi-glass floor, allowing the artists to walk over the screen."

This was the first time that a screen had been positioned at an angle of 20° to form a vibrant part of Hub Berkers' imaginative set decor and the overall stage environment. "It

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French PA System manufacturer L-Acoustics has announced the appointment of several new distributors. Representing the company in the territories of Belgium and Luxembourg is ASC, one of the leading multi-brand pro audio distributors in the region, involved in the sale of high quality products as well as complete audio systems since 1978. ASC also designs and services turnkey systems for the pro-audio industry as well as leisure facilities such as theatres, entertainment centres and multi-purpose venues, interior and exterior paging systems for public areas, broadcast radio and TV studios and music recording and AV studios.

On the other side of the world, Random Audio has been appointed as the Australia and New Zealand distributor for L-Acoustics. Random Audio was established in the late 1980s to service a growing demand for consultative services to the Australian professional audio ind

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CT-NEC recently provided an array of AV equipment to the official opening of the newly-built Arup Campus, attended by 500 guests, including the Lady Mayor of Solihull. Arup Group is a multi-disciplinary firm of consulting engineers offering independent advice and innovative designs globally. The new premises based in Solihull accommodate specialist divisions in rail engineering, bridges, geotechnics, advanced technology manufacturing and most recently communications and IT. Despite hosting its own 150-seater auditorium with in house AV facilities, Arup’s AV consultant David Lakin required the assistance CT-NEC to provide Sharp LCD projectors and associated sound systems to relay the events in the auditorium to the remaining guests throughout the building.

Further satellite projectors showed off presentations from each of the specialist divisions within the company. The package wa

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Not content with dragging most of the aristocracy of rock all over the world, EST, probably the best known logistics experts in the industry, can still find time to get involved with other interesting and unusual projects. Currently, EST is touring with Walt Disney around most of the UK's major shopping Malls. Aficionados of Friday night's 'Later . . . with Jools Holland' might, if they were there, spot one of the well known purple and yellow trucks outside the BBC delivering and retrieving all of Jools equipment every Friday night with tireless regularity.

EST were also in the thick of things on 4 November when the World Premiere of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone took place at the Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square. EST trucked in screen support and barricades (by ESS and Mojo), presumably to keep thousands of screaming wannabe wizards back.

Forthcoming attractions for

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Live touring video specialists XL Video were video equipment providers on the highly successful Depeche Mode Exciter world tour, supplying all projection equipment and crew. The tour featured a unique and groundbreaking visual element created by show designer Anton Corbijn. Corbijn has designed the band’s live stage show since 1989, with moving image playing an important and provocative role. Corbijn - a renowned photographer and film-maker in his own right - is a guru on the international arts scene. He has also been involved with producing Depeche Mode's promotional videos, album artwork and graphics.

Lee Charteris, who was responsible for much of the pre-production and team building for the Exciter tour, asked XL Video's Des Fallon to an initial meeting with Corbijn, lighting designer Paul Normandale, set consultant Charlie Kail and himself. They saw Corbijn's stage design, an

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