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Vari-Lite Inc has entered into an exclusive dealer partnership with Lightpower, one of the most respected distribution companies in Germany, which will allow the company to offer its German customers direct local access to sales, service and support of Vari*Lite sales products.

"The partnership is important to us commercially, technically, and also from an image standpoint," said Lightpower managing director Ralph-Jörg Wezorke. "Vari*Lite products are much more than multi-functional lighting fixtures. There is a special feeling about using Vari-Lite, from the products themselves to the quality service and support the company provides. Because Lightpower is an experienced and well-structured sales company, we can extend that level of service into the markets we serve."

Lightpower will offer customers in Germany an outlet to purchase the full line of Vari*Lite for

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One of the UK’s most notable dance venues, the Middlesborough Empire, has continued its systematic sound upgrade with Martin Audio by turning the upper circle of the famous old theatre into a self-contained 500-capacity ’70s themed venue. Co-owner Barry Faulkner confirmed that a new Blackline system had been imported to complement the powerful Wavefront rig (eight W8C, 12 WSX subs) downstairs, which pumps music from the nation’s top DJs into the 1100-capacity main auditorium.

The club’s relationship with Martin Audio began when design engineer Rod Short joined the High Wycombe-based manufacturers back in April 1995. Rod had designed the original club system at The Empire, while working with his previous company - but quickly turned the club round to Martin. This time around he designed a system which was supplied through Dial Sound & Lighting in Yorkshire. Four

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Midland Sound & Light has become the first UK hire company to order Soundcraft’s new MH4 multi-purpose mixing console, adding it to their inventory of Soundcraft boards. Proprietor Andy Salmon placed the order with Marquee Audio, extending a relationship that began when he ordered his first Series 5 FOH desk, and later a monitor board.

The experienced Leicester-based company specializes in light entertainment, including stand-up comedy, such as The League of Gentlemen, French & Saunders and Victoria Wood - as well as bands such as Jools Holland and Fairport Convention. With the reduced number of inputs required by spoken voice, the MH4 - configured as a 32-channel with four stereo inputs - will thus give them the opportunity to use the desk in mixed monitor/FOH mode.

This new facility marks Soundcraft’s entry into the multi-purpose live performance console market, as its

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Simple Minds, one of the most definitive rock bands of the 1980s, are back on the road again having just completed the UK leg of their first major world tour since 1995. The Floating World Tour is based around their latest album, ‘Cry’ plus a healthy dose of their biggest hits. Handling the audio for the tour is Belgian rental company EML, with Patrick Demoustier at FOH with his Midas XL4 console, and a number of EV RE-1 microphones and RE-1 wireless guitar systems.

Patrick first worked with Simple Minds in 1997 at Night of the Proms, a huge musical extravaganza in Belgium. "We struck up an instant rapport there, and I've worked with them ever since," he confirmed. "Last time was an arena tour. This time the band has gone for slightly smaller venues with the result that it's sold out everywhere and they've had to announce new dates, so it's been

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Planned for August 6, The Birmingham Carnival will take four hours to travel the five miles from Hansworth to Perry Park. Fresh from their success last year, with a powerful combination of Cerwin Vega’s Intense rig supplied by Lamba, Matthews Electronics have intensified the rig for this year’s lead float. Matthews’ Mark Hutchins explained: "Last year, we had to under-power the rig, but this year we have 2.5kW per side to run the six T-250 mid tops, 3.5kW per side for the eight compact T-36 subs and 4.5kW per side to run the four SUB-218s."

He explained that they tested the rig on a three-acre rugby ground against the wind - and the sound carried beyond the end of the park. "In effect we are running 21,000W RMS on a single float, which will consume 120 amps of power," said Mark. Which will provide food for thought for the DJ and 25-30 dancers who w

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Professional audio systems specialists Shermann UK is ensuring that former sixties pop idol Helen Shapiro ends her touring career on the right note. Shapiro, 55, who shot to fame as a 14-year-old with the number one hit ‘Walking back to happiness’ has begun an 80-date farewell UK concert tour. PA rental company Crystal Clear Audio is using a Shermann CA9/CB218 loudspeaker system on the tour, along with a number of Shermann stage wedge monitors.

"Helen Shapiro has been using our systems for several years in association with Crystal Clear Audio and we are delighted to be playing a part in her farewell tour," said Shermann UK owner Ken Hughes. The company is no stranger to major musical events and concert tours, having provided sound systems for a host of stars over the last 19 years through its user network of professional rental companies.

(Ruth Rossington)

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XL Video is supplying chart toppers Muse with video equipment including a Catalyst playback system for the next 17 weeks. This is believed to be the first European tour for Catalyst. Muse’s video system utilises High End Systems’ revolutionary Catalyst image processing system, two Barco G10 ELM projectors and a rear cyc.

Muse’s creative designer Oli Metcalfe was so impressed with the demonstration organised by XL Video’s Des Fallon that he immediately recommended Catalyst to the Band. They then visited High End’s Ealing office, and were blown away with the system’s capabilities. XL’s Mark Hughes is rigging the system, and Metcalf is controlling the Catalyst via DMX from his Wholehog II (with extender wing) console. Metcalf is running a wide assortment of video clips and media via the Catalyst including stunning abstract patterns, water effects,

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Hull company Tega has recently completed the installation of sound and lighting at Hull University Union’s new venue, ‘Asylum’. The union building, dating from the seventies, has never had a proper venue for events, and until recently the refectory area was pressed into service. This was far from ideal as equipment had to be removed after every event, and the ceiling height was less than 10 feet.

The long-awaited new venue has been designed by Big Blue and features a large stage, sprung dancefloor, DJ booth and bar area with permanently installed sound and effects lighting. Tega have worked closely with the University on many events in the past, and, as a result of their good support service, were awarded the sound and lighting contract. The main sound system uses the Union’s eight existing EAW KF650 boxes, which are flown above the stage on custom-designed fram

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Seoul's Sangam Stadium will be the site of the 2002 World Cup Opening Ceremony on May 31. To provide the best possible sound reinforcement, with the added demand of portability and fast removal, Korean rental sound companies Daishin Sound and Kukae Sound have teamed up to provide a total of 64 VerTec line array speaker systems. The JBL VT4889s are mounted on 16 portable sound system carts, which can be wheeled into position around the field perimeter, then quickly removed as required.

In addition to JBL VerTec loudspeaker systems, a wide variety of audio products from Harman Professional brands are in use. "This event is a real logistical challenge, and the VerTec speakers specified by audio director Michael Abbott are a highly effective choice," commented Cheol Yoon of Daiyoung Corporation, distributor of AKG, BSS, Crown, JBL and Soundcraft products in Korea. "Their lig

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Edwin Shirley Staging (ESS) will have the opportunity to counterbalance London’s current West End bias for live events during June this year when it deploys an ESS Superstructure building into Finsbury Square within the City’s Square Mile (financial district) at the end of May. The client in this case, Bloomberg, the US-owned financial information and broadcast business is once again taking advantage of it’s proximity to the grass covered square to mount an event, this time in conjunction with the World Cup.

An audience consisting of Bloomberg employees and clients will be able to view the matches from inside an ESS building, which has been designed to Bloomberg’s specifications and includes clear wall panels. The site will also play host to other forms corporate hospitality during the tenure of the World Cup.

ESS will spend four days installing the environmen

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Leisure Industry Week (LIW: 8-10 October 2002, NEC, Birmingham) - a key event for all aspects of the out-of-home leisure industry has a new format for 2002 with five dedicated shows and a wealth of ideas and products to make leisure businesses more efficient, attractive and profitable.

Body & Soul: As the largest health and fitness event in Europe, Body & Soul at LIW encompasses all the equipment, technologies, trends and services in the health and fitness market.

FamilyLand: this event is dedicated to family leisure activities. Along with new demonstration plots showing rides in action, visitors will also discover children's play equipment, inflatables, theme park rides, and ideas for animation, costumes, theming and special effects.

Food for Leisure: This covers everything from vending and beverage machines to convenience foods and dedicated leisure catering facilities. In additi

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Since its first seven-minute show performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994, Riverdance has gone on to be one of the most successful international dance shows ever. In 1997, the show was split into two touring companies, with the Liffey covering Europe and Asia (currently in the UK until the end of June), and the Lagan touring North America and Australia. Since the disastrous fire in Madrid nearly a year ago that destroyed almost the entire Liffey production, the show is now back on the road and sounding even better than before.

Thanks to efforts from Shuttlesound and the Riverdance crew, the show was rebuilt from scratch in just two weeks, but since then some key changes have been made to the system. Riverdance sound supervisor Barry McLeod explains: "I don't want to say that the fire did us a favour - that might be stretching the point somewhat, but it certainly made us r

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As part of its long-term strategy to address the industry’s concerns over training, PLASA has appointed a full-time training and development manager. Nicky Greet, who joined the PLASA Head Office staff at the start of May, will be tasked with collating current training information, identifying and addressing areas in which specifically-tailored training schemes are required and helping to implement them in conjunction with relevant bodies.

PLASA’s managing director Matthew Griffiths commented: "Concerns about the lack of suitable and relevant training in the entertainment technology industry have been voiced for some time, and PLASA originally scheduled this appointment into its long-term strategy as part of its first five-year plan in 2000. During 2001, we conducted an extensive programme of research into the issue with the aid of our members, which enabled us to move

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MC2 Audio has appointed Group One Ltd in New York as its US distributor. Group One was formed in 1992 by Jack Kelly and Chris Fichera and in 1994 they merged the company with Celco Inc to create the company now known as Group One Ltd.

Group One is an importer and distributor for a number of professional audio and lighting manufacturers and operates primarily through a network of independent sales representatives with a client base of nearly 1,000 different dealer and contractor accounts. The company is based in Farmingdale, New York, and included in their 13,000sq.ft facility is a 1,500sq.ft demo room where customers are invited to audition the array of lighting and sound products.

The MC2 Audio brand joins well-known names such as Celestion, XTA Electronics, Milab Microphones and Cadac in Group One's portfolio of audio products. MC2 Audio products were launched in the US by Group On

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Imagine the challenge of producing an event where your six star performers each weigh seven tons and are four metres high, three metres wide and up to 10 metres long. This was the task facing One Box Productions when launching ERF’s new range of trucks at Telford International Centre on 24 April.

The launch, to ERF’s dealer network and key customers, was particularly important because it is the first time ERF trucks have incorporated cabs developed by their parent company MAN. For One Box managing director David Langdon and his team, the challenge was to develop a show concept that would communicate the company’s heritage, the driver benefits of the new range and allow a large-scale product reveal. The solution was a dramatic AV presentation projected onto a 40ft high, 130-degree arc of drapes. This was delivered using Blitz Vision’s Suite P system and an array

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Christie projectors have been used by Lucasfilm Ltd for the production, post-production and (commencing May 16) the exhibition of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - the first all-digital major motion picture.

In 1999, Christie signed a three-year agreement to supply Lucasfilm with the latest projection equipment to meet its production needs. Christie projectors were first used by Lucasfilm in the post-production of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, and were used even more extensively for Attack of the Clones. With the decision to shoot Episode II digitally, Christie projectors played an important role in the production of the movie as Lucasfilm took a Christie projector on location to Australia to review daily footage. In the final post-production phase conducted at Industrial Light & Magic, a division of Lucas Digital Ltd, the filmmakers used a Christie Digital Cinema

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When the Leader Group, Taiwan’s top media post-production company, completed its five-year planning and construction project to develop a Hollywood-style studio facility, it insisted on state-of-the-art technology to achieve optimum filming quality - including the lighting.

The new Leader Asia Pacific Creativity Center (LAPCC) - now the largest facility in Taiwan - has thus been equipped largely with ARRI lighting. The studio is situated on nine storeys of office block, of which three floors have been removed to allow construction of three large stages - the first phase of a project which will see two further studios constructed over the next few years. Leader placed the ARRI order - worth in the region of £750,000 - through Cheng Seng Trading Co Ltd, ARRI’s Taiwanese distributor. The company was granted a special licence which offered reduced import tariffs for ARRI's ran

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Dramatic changes are taking place in the middle of Birmingham. Much of the city centre appears to be under construction, and - as increasingly seems to be the case in such projects - the civic redevelopment has been led by the artistic facilities at its heart: the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre has recently completed a development project that lasted almost two years.

Following a £24 million National Lottery Award through the Arts Council of England and further support from the European Regional development Fund, Birmingham City Council, donations from businesses and individuals and funds raised through appeal, the project has seen practically every part of the building reworked. The foyers were demolished and re-built providing greatly improved access, including lift and disabled access, together with a restaurant and other catering facilities - all wrapped within a design that feel

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A surprise last minute decision from Lord Falconer, Minister of State at the DTLR, agreed with Save London's Theatres Campaign's request to 'call-in' Westminster’s decision to demolish the Westminster Theatre. Falconer's finding has given new heart to the campaign which had all but given up hope of a reprieve for this unique theatre and arts centre. The final decision on its fate will now be in the hands of the Secretary of State following a full Public Inquiry which is likely to take place this summer.

The Secretary of State has declared that he is 'very selective' about 'calling-in' planning applications, and usually only takes this step if 'planning issues of more than local importance are involved' and 'that the application is one that he ought to decide himself because he considers the proposals may conflict with national and regional policies on important matters.' This vin

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Rental Management Systems, provider of advanced software systems for the entertainment industry, has recently completed one of its most comprehensive multi-site systems installations to date, for European staging rental company, Stageco.

Founded in Belgium in 1985, Stageco now has rental operations in Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Germany and the USA, and has serviced some of the world’s most high-profile tours, sporting events and festivals, counting the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Pink Floyd, U2 and Robbie Williams among its clients.

The company stocks in excess of 7,000 different products - sometimes holding as many as 10,000 examples of each - making for a stock-holding which numbers literally millions of items. Consequently, the logistics of tracking movement and availability presents a huge administrative effort, hence why the company turned to RMS.

The system that

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Gearhouse Broadcast have purchased five Soundcraft B800 multi-bus broadcast mixing consoles and ten BSS 9088 Soundwebs from Harman Pro, as part of a massive investment in their audio rental stock. A key factor in this investment are the requirements of Host Broadcasting Services (HBS) and German broadcasters, ARD/ZDF, for the 2002 Football World Cup, as well as ongoing commitments to Tennis Properties Limited (TPL) for the Tennis Masters Series coverage over the next three years.

"Having made large investments in video equipment, we recognized the need to upgrade our audio mixers to higher specification units in order to cater for the increasingly complex audio production requirements of our clients, and the scale of the events," remarked Kevin Moorhouse, technical director of Gearhouse Broadcast. "In particular we required compact, but powerful units in order to make sh

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Screenco have purchased an opening stock of Barco’s DLite 10 tiles - primarily for use in the new £32m Manchester Aquatics Centre for the upcoming Commonwealth Games swimming events. The 144-tile order will give them a maximum 30sq.m presentation area, which will be split into three separate displays. Screenco also purchased additional rental structures to allow greater flexibility in creating non-standard shapes.

In view of the humidity in the pool, one of the recommendations made by Screenco was the need for displays to be rated to IP65 for dust and water protection, as confirmed by Graham Andrews, Avesco plc Audio Visual Services Division managing director. "We chose the D10 on its price versus performance ratio and its IP65 front and rear characteristics, which make it ideal for the high degree of outdoor arena and stadium work in which we specialize."

(Ruth Ross

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CP Sound, the creative audio design and installation specialist, has completed two major projects in Manchester. Both are new build venues within a few hundred metres of one another, and both now feature sound systems designed by CP’s Colin Pattenden, featuring a variety of JBL speakers powered by RSE amplifiers.

At Waxy O’Connors, part of The Printworks complex, the acoustic challenge was to produce a clean multi-layered system. The Waxy’s site is a busy, good looking labyrinthine complex of passageways, spaces, snugs, small meeting/drinking rooms and several bars, spread across four floors. A stunning stripped wood, sculptured tree stretches up through a high atrium space slicing vertically through all four floors. Pattenden - who has also designed and supplied sound for the very successful Waxy’s sites in London and Glasgow - has used a mix of JBL speakers, i

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The ABTT Show, which attracts over 100 exhibitors from across the wide spectrum of supplies and services necessary to stage a production or equip a theatre building, will set up base once again at The Royal Horticultural Halls in London from 19-20 June.

In addition to the main exhibition, there is also a complementary programme of theatre-related seminars, which includes the following. Revitalising Health & Safety: Eric Pirie, a health & safety inspector, will discuss publicly funded bodies and the Government in relation to key pieces of Health & Safety Legislation, together with a discussion of the role of the Broadcasting & Performing Arts Joint Advisory Committee.

Sound System Design in the Theatre: John Taylor of d&b audiotechnik UK Ltd will look at issues of sound intelligibility and in particular, the acoustic part of the signal path between the loudspeaker and the listeners&

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