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Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

Business

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Vertigo Rigging has installed the Broadway hit musical version of The Full Monty into the Prince of Wales Theatre for its West End run. Vertigo are past masters in the art of rigging large West End musicals. Others having included Beauty & The Beast, The Lion King, Notre Dame de Paris, Mamma Mia and many more.

Vertigo’s Full Monty team was led by the unflappable Ken Mehmed. The team worked closely with master carpenter Micky Murray and production managers Stuart Crosbie and Simon Marlow for producers Sacha Brookes. Vertigo used 40 Lodestar motors to rig the flown elements of the set, designed by John Arnone. These were dead hung in the theatre’s roof once positioned correctly in a very precise operation. A substantial proportion of the stage scenery is flown, so the PoW grid is very tightly packed with flats and set pieces, and the rigging had to be spot on. One of the more

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Color Kinetics Incorporated, specialists in LED illumination technologies, and Targetti, a leading Italian designer and manufacturer of architectural lighting fixtures and systems, have announced an OEM partnership. Through this partnership, Targetti will incorporate Color Kinetics’ patented Chromacore LED technology into a new line of custom fixtures. The two companies also plan to co-develop new Chromacore-based ‘designer’ lighting fixtures.

The new product line, which is planned for launch in the second half of this year, will enable Color Kinetics’ full spectrum colour and lighting effects to be incorporated into any décor through an array of Targetti’s fixtures. Besides aesthetic benefits, LEDs offer a host of practical advantages over conventional light sources that make them an extremely energy efficient, long-lasting, low maintenance and versatile

PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025

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Delta Sound Inc has increased its rental stock of L'Acoustics product, to become one of the largest sources in the UK of the popular line array system. An L'Acoustics partner for nearly three years, Delta Sound now have more than 100 L'Acoustics cabinets available for hire, including the arena-sized V-DOSC line array and subs, the compact dV-DOSC system and the 115FM floor monitor.

This latest acquisition of stock occurred when L'Acoustics closed its own UK rental operation at the beginning of the year, offering the current UK partnerships first choice to buy their surplus systems. Delta Sound, a leading sound service provider for the corporate events market, leapt at the chance to expand their V-DOSC stock further, not only to support their own needs, but that of other rental companies too.

One such association is with SSE Hire Ltd, the Birmingham-based hire company, who recently ut

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Now in its 10th year, Big Day Out is an Australian touring festival that visits Auckland, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth every January. It is unique in its design, scale and complexity and attracts many headline acts - the 2002 event featured The Prodigy, Garbage, New Order and Basement Jaxx.

This year, security was tightened following the tragic death of 16-year-old Jessica Michalik last year: organizers West & Lees made changes to audience safety provisions and introduced volunteer safety teams, increased audience lighting and erected a new, alcohol-free, D barricade area (from Mojo Barriers) in front of the main stages. The audience was given free water bottles and sun-block, and crowd surfing was banned. "We also carefully considered the time certain bands take to the stage," explained Matt Dougherty, one of three production managers on the tour. &q

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L’Acoustics has announced the appointment of SISME Co as its new distributor for Italy. Established in 1967, Sisme is based in Osimo Scalo, near Ancona, on the East Coast of Italy, and is also the sole Italian distributor for brands such as Shure, Phonic, LA Audio, Crest Audio, and for many other brands.

Due to the wide variety of products that they have distributed, for more than 30 years now, SISME Co. have become specialists in managing permanent installation projects, alongside their more regular sales activities. Claudio Bugari, SISME’s president, says: "We can efficiently support all the technical demands of our customers; with two general support engineers, and a full-time technician we provide a fast and efficient in-house repairing service."

Outside the company, SISME has a sales force of 11 independent representatives covering the whole Italian territo

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The Cadac R-Type lightweight touring console has been enjoying a high UK profile, featuring on the recent Ian Brown tour - handled by UK sound hire company GPA Hire. Former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown is currently touring Ireland after four weeks and 19 venues in the UK during February and March. The 62-input, 16-out, 8 VCA R-Type was in the hands of Gary Young (pictured) on the Southampton leg of the tour, with a Cadac 72-input M-Type monitor board on stage.

The Cadac name has an unrivalled reputation for audio performance, reliability and engineering excellence. The company's comprehensive line-up of consoles highlights its specialist focus on sound reinforcement and location recording - the R-Type touring console and the M-Type monitor board are complemented by the J-Type and F-Type live production consoles. In additon, the 5.1 C-Type location recording console offers the pure pa

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John Hornby Skewes & Co Ltd, the exclusive UK and Eire HK Audio distributor, has commissioned leading visual systems company, MAD Manufacturing, to install a state-of-the-art lighting rig in the HK Audio pro audio demo theatre at JHS’ Garforth premises. The whole HK Audio ‘active family’ features in the JHS demo room, including the new Lucas 1000 1kW self-powered system, plus Lucas, Elias, Actor and Projector active systems, alongside T-Series, M-Series and Linear Pro systems. Additionally, a 12-box HK Audio R-Series rig is available for demonstration and rental - this includes the PR 324 power rack with HK’s Digital Field Controller system.

(Ruth Rossington)

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ETC has recently passed a major milestone having sold more than one million Source Fours. It now plans to share the celebration with some very lucky customers. Sometime between June 1 and August 1 2002, ETC will ship four winning Source Four luminaires, representing the millionth-unit made, to their UL/cUL, CE and 100V markets. Four lucky end-users will receive a prize-winning Source Four in their orders.

If you are one of those winners, you will find a rare etched gold-wrapped Source Four inside your box, along with a special Certificate of Authenticity signed by ETC’s entire Source Four luminaire assembly crew. Just return the luminaire to ETC and you will receive the real grand prize - a collection of ETC’s Source Fours including a 5° Source Four, a 10° Source Four, a classic Source Four with lens tubes for every angle, a Source Four PAR EA and PAR MCM, a Source Four P

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Over recent years, we’ve drawn readers’ attention to the worrying number of letters emanating from African countries, principally Nigeria, which are blatant attempts to rip companies off.

Previously the scam has involved close relatives meeting untimely deaths, but not before they’ve managed to siphon off large amounts of government money. However, useful as this formula has been in the past, it seems the tactics have now changed. In a recent letter to a PLASA member from Abba & Abba Trade Distribution Industry, the company’s Frederick Moore has asked to see price lists on the basis that he is looking to place an order for nine 40’ container loads of product. The financing, he claims, will come from money diverted from under the noses of the Nigerian government.

As so often in the past, PLASA members are being targeted heavily and we have taken numerous

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Bandit Lites is supplying equipment for the successful System of a Down ‘Toxicity’ world tour, which has just finished its first European leg. Lighting designer for the tour is Jesper Luth, who has created an asymmetrical look with four trusses surrounding the stage. The front truss is straight, while the two sides and the rear double-spanned V-shaped truss are all hung at jaunty angles.

Instruments on Luth's rig include Martin MAC 600s, MAC 2000s, Martin Atomic strobes, plus a bunch of Pars and 8-Lite blinders. He runs the show from a WholeHog II desk with an extender wing. Before it kicked off, he took full advantage of Bandit's pre-programming facilities, spending four days getting ahead of the game in the warehouse in Nashville. The initial System of a Down lighting rig came out of Nashville, with the European leg of the tour supplied by Bandit's UK office. It's the fir

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Renault’s return to Formula 1 - its first full-blooded assault on the F1 world championship since 1985 - was marked by a spectacular high-tech launch of its new car for the 2002 season.

The event, attended by over 1,200 VIPs, including the world’s press, sponsors, special guests and Renault employees, was staged in Renault’s massive Technocentre in Guyancourt, near Paris.

UK production agency Sprout turned to drapes and materials specialist Blackout Triple E’s Paris subsidiary to assist in the realisation of its design for the launch, with Blackout France’s Dominic Peissel in the role of technical manager for the launch and Fabrice Le Floch overseeing the rigging aspects of the installation.

Peissel’s first logistical challenge was to overcome the sheer size and construction of the Technocentre. As rigging had never been hung from the 30m high

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Readers of L&SI may recall a piece we ran last year on Rage, the West Midlands-based professional theatre company, which works with various groups in the community.

The company has recently supported the Radiation series of youth events at Christ Church, Lye, where it handled the lighting design, arranged the technical elements and managed the get-in and get-out. Equipment for the event included Martin MX 1s, NJD Datamoons, Rainbow Colour Scrollers, DHA Animation Units, Strand SLs, ETC Source 4 ParNels and an Arc Line Strobe. Conventional lighting was controlled by a Zero 88 Elara Lighting desk with the intelligent lights run through a ShowCAD system.

Each year, Rage offers an opportunity for young people to work alongside professionals on three productions. The company is looking for people in the industry to help develop its work by either donating equipment or expertise. To find

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Full Sail, the Florida-based education facility specializing in digital media, audio, film, video and live show production, has purchased a grandMA console and three grandMA ultra-light consoles for their Show Production & Touring Degree Program from North American distributor AC Lighting, Inc.

Dana Roun, the program director for show production at Full Sail, explains the decision making process: "We required a console representing the current and future industry standards. Out of the major players there were a few stand-outs . . . You have to try to predict future trends and what may happen in the next few years. Look at the life span of a piece of gear. Some equipment could be prevalent in the industry now, however perhaps it’s in the last stages of a long successful run . . . There’s another consideration to think of too. I always try to consider who you’re de

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PCM’s Special Projects division has just secured two high profile contracts - the first one at the Asian Games in South Korea and the second at the soon-to-be refurbished Garrick Theatre in Litchfield.

For the Asian Games project, PCM will supply eight special motorized Beta winches. These will be utilized to raise and lower the Games’ Flame and base unit into position during the forthcoming event at Pusan, South Korea. Each winch has been designed to VBG8 standard and IP54 standard and features overload protection and low voltage control. All winches will be synchronized for the Games, to run together at an operating speed of 12 metres per minute.

At the Garrick Theatre in Litchfield, PCM will supply and install a new 20-set, four line, manual counterweight system, plus associated stage equipment and motorized lighting bars. The whole contract is being managed by Interse

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That is the upbeat message from PLASA’s new Show Director, Sue Saint. Celebrating its 25th year, the PLASA Show is the world’s pre-eminent light, sound and audio-visual event, attracting major brands every year, and this year is no exception.

Stand bookings are currently at 82%, with top names such as Vari-Lite, Sennheiser, Martin Professional, Denon, BSS Audio and Total Fabrication already booked. The show pulls in over 13,000 visitors from the UK and abroad each year, having become the main marketplace for the £11billion entertainment technology industry.

"The show is evolving continually," commented Saint, "and one of the key trends emerging is the growing number of manufacturers choosing to exhibit in their own right, rather than rely solely on representation through distributors. In addition, many long-standing exhibitors, including Numark, Peavey, S

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Harris, Grant Associates (HGA), a leading consultant in acoustic and technical systems design, has announced the launch of their new website. Since 1983, HGA has been responsible for designing some of the world’s most auspicious commercial television, film, and recording facilities, as well as advanced audio, video and control networks in private homes and onboard superyachts. The online portfolio now details over 40 of these projects, from the most successful commercial recording studio in the world - the Hit Factory in New York, to Peter Gabriel’s visionary Realworld in Bath.

Over 20 Virtual Reality images allow you to walk around facilities like Sony Music’s premier European recording facility, the uniquely decorated Strongroom studios and the Cinerama Theatre in Seattle, designed by consultant Neil Grant to deliver "the richest motion-picture surround experie

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In response to customer requests for additional financing options, Vari-Lite Inc has partnered with entertainment industry financing specialist FX Financial. Under the arrangement, FX Financial will administer a financing program that provides monthly payment options to qualified customers for the purchase of Vari*Lite products.

"As we continue to expand our line of Vari*Lite automated lighting products, this partnership will allow end users to acquire the best lighting equipment on the market with low up-front costs,"said Clay Powers, president and COO of Vari-Lite Inc. "Through FX Financial, Vari-Lite customers can have predictable and manageable fixed monthly payments."

Vari-Lite selected FX Financial because the financing company focuses exclusively on the entertainment industry, bringing with it years of experience with the equipment and its use. Current FX F

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For the second consecutive year, the Puy du Fou theme park in France has used L-Acoustics sound systems for its Gallo-Roman Stadium Show, which was inaugurated in 2001 and plays between May and September.

Stéphane Gramondo, L-Acoustics’ permanent installation project manager, was in charge of evaluating the needs for this specific attraction at the Puy du Fou. He explains: "We opted for four clusters of three dV-DOSC which were integrated into the columns and tables of the scenery. The clusters were located at a slightly higher point than the actors and animals’ locations during the show, thereby allowing a very even sound pressure level within the arena."

Four SB218 subwoofers were also installed into the columns, with dV-DOSC clusters situated on top. Three dV-DOSC and four EX112 loudspeakers plus 2 SB115 were dedicated to the Governor’s rostrum and thr

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For the crowds who thronged the banks of the River Thames to witness this year’s Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, it was one of the most memorable races in recent history. And as the lead chopped and changed constantly, the only certain way of monitoring progress for the live audience was via the two giant i-mag displays provided by Screenco.

The company supplied a 50sq.m 25mm high brightness display at Putney Bridge and an auxiliary 10sq.m, 15mm LED mini mobile rig, anchored at Furnival Gardens in Hammersmith - a popular meeting place for supporters of both crews. Contracted by sponsors Aberdeen Asset Management, Screenco worked through event organizer and production manager, Dominic Reed.

Commented Screenco’s project manager Steve Purkess: "We have been providing a turnkey package for the Boat Race since Aberdeen Asset Management became involved four years ago, and

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Storm at the Mandalay Bay Resort is one of the latest cutting-edge shows to add to the glitz and glamour of the famous Las Vegas Strip. In Storm, performers dance and sing to live musicians against the backdrop of ‘nature’s powerful forces’. A combination of live concert event, Broadway theater experience, and Las Vegas dance spectacular, Storm is a musical journey of human emotion expressed through the forces of nature.

As part of the show’s huge technical set-up, Electrosonic Systems was commissioned to design a system which would reliably retain 35mm film clips produced for the Storm show, and display them on three screens. Crucial to the system was ease of operation in conjunction with live actors, musicians and dancers. Two of the screens are Saco LED (12ft wide x 9ft high and 8ft wide x 6ft high). The third is a Stewart screen 3

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An exciting opportunity to work with two of the world's most successful playwrights, Alan Ayckbourn and John Godber, is being offered in Scarborough this summer from 21-25 July. The Stephen Joseph Theatre School 2002 is a four-day course giving participants the chance to see Alan Ayckbourn at work in his home theatre with his acting company.

Alan Ayckbourn will be leading two full days of rehearsal, technical and playwriting workshops, giving a unique opportunity to work with the acclaimed playwright and director. John Godber, artistic director of Hull Truck Theatre, will be joining the school (subject to availability) to offer his own perspective on writing, directing and running a theatre company.

The Stephen Joseph Theatre School features a busy programme of workshops, discussions and lectures concentrated on Alan Ayckbourn and his work in the round. It is hoped that Gwenda Hughes

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Bandit Lites has purchased a new 8,400sq.m facility in Bedford, UK, to serve as the headquarters for its European operations. "Given the tremendous growth we have experienced in the European market, we needed a larger facility to better suit our needs and aid in delivering the Bandit Standard to our customers," said Bandit Lites’ CEO, Michael Strickland. The building features high ceilings, a spacious prep floor, plenty of storage, a spacious loading and unloading area, and is wired for an extensive computer network.

General manager Jason Tang told us: "The move to the new facility in Bedford is an extremely positive move for Bandit UK. This further establishes Bandit's European presence and shows that Bandit will be a major player here in the UK for many years to come. The move should contribute immensely to our growing operations and level of service that we offe

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Never ones to take it easy, the busy truckers at EST are currently rushing about supporting a wide variety of artists and events. Five tucks are accompanying French-Canadian singer Garou, still touring French-speaking Europe and performing to packed houses wherever he goes. Still jigging away with some gusto, the cast of Riverdance has now moved on to Cardiff for a week before leaping off to Birmingham with up to 10 EST trucks dancing attendance on them.

Back on this side of the pond for the first time in five years, US Soul and R&B singer, Mary J Blige has commandeered four EST trucks as she embarks on a grand tour of Europe, starting in Hamburg on 5 April and finishing in Dublin on the 25 April, taking in most of the major European cities on the way, including shows in Birmingham, Manchester and London. The show is produced by Patricia Chaveria whose husband Paul is well known

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The spring touring season is off to a busy start with a number of high profile acts touring under Martin MAC rigs. They include Paul McCartney, touring the US under 50 MAC 2000Es (electronic ballast). Lighting design is by Roy Bennet with lighting supply by Light & Sound Design. For Lenny Kravitz, lighting designer Jon Pollak is using MAC 2000s for contemporary the world tour through August (Japan, Europe and US). European production is by UK-based Lite Alternative.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young are reunited under a MAC rig for their US tour. Lighting designer is Keith Wissmar, with lights supplied by Bandit Lites. For Westlife, Bandit Lites supply a MAC rig and Jem Glaciator heavy fog machine for the latest European and UK tour. Lighting design is by Barry Halpin. Barry Manilow’s latest world tour also features a lighting system delivered by Bandit Lites and based around Martin M

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Astera - Large MPU - June 2025
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