Robe - LEADERBOARD - Feb 2025
Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

Business

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The good reputation of professional audio systems specialist Shermann Pro-Audio has spread to Thailand where the Crazy Asia live music bar and restaurant in Bangkok has invested in the company's range of products. Shermann's DX-250, DX-150 and BX-115 loudspeakers have been installed at the venue and the sound system is controlled by an XTA DP-226 digital crossover and driven by Shermann DXA-1800 and DXA-2400 power amplifiers.

"The Crazy Asia order is the latest in a long line of contracts secured by our agent in Singapore," said Ken Hughes, owner of Shermann, based in Newtown, Mid Wales. "Our professional audio systems are in widespread use in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and China as well as the UK and Europe."

Designed primarily for users on semi-pro budgets, Shermann's DX-Series has found favour with numerous small and medium sized rental companies. T

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A new company, North American Pro Audio (NAPA), has been formed to provide United States distribution for British audio mixing console manufacturer, Allen & Heath and will be doing business as Allen & Heath USA.

From August 1st, Allen & Heath will be represented by NAPA, ending the UK company's business relationship with Utah-based Harman Music Group. Allen & Heath left the Harman International Industries Limited group following a management buyout in June 2001 but continued to distribute its products through Harman Music Group. Allen & Heath's managing director, Glenn Rogers explains the reasons behind the decision: "This change in distribution is the final step on the journey to full independence which we embarked on with the buyout last year. We're grateful to the Harman Music Group for all the work they have done over the years to support the brand. Thanks to them, we and NAPA

PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025

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The PSL music division team are midway through a hot summer of music. They have provided two of their High End Catalyst systems with Barco ELM R12 projectors, along with on-stage dome-cameras and front-of-house cameras, for Gabrielle’s UK tour. Lighting designer Patrick Murray also used these Catalyst systems for Gabrielle’s appearance at Picnic in the Park, Hyde Park on June 29.

The weekend of 22 and 23 June saw PSL out in force at Gatecrasher Tour Western providing crew and a total of 11 Barco projectors and folding screens across the four arenas. Orbital also continues its long-standing relationship with PSL for the Somerset House and Glastonbury gigs using two Barco G5 projectors, a motorized screen and magic DAVE for Orbital. Meanwhile, Mardi Gras 2002 at Hackney Marshes will see two of PSL’s new Barco DLite 7 screens in action along with a four-camera digital PP

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Tech-Ed 2002 offers Microsoft developers and IT professionals from across Europe the opportunity to update their knowledge of the latest integrated solutions from the world’s largest software supplier and hone their expertise with the product range.

Drapes and rigging specialists Blackout Ltd have been appointed by UK production house, PCI Live, to supply all the blackout draping and production rigging services for the event which is held at the enormous Fira de Barcelona 2 exhibition centre this month, filling the entire space of both gigantic halls. The first hall, measuring over 500m in length, over 15m high and some 100m wide, is transformed into 11 acoustically friendly rooms, the smallest of which seats 880 delegates, the largest having the capacity for over 2000. The second hall houses the conferences catering and keynote facilities, including a 6000 capacity room with ful

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South Carolina-based Production Design Associates (PDA) has delivered a unique automated lighting package for five high profile promotional tents, sponsored by tobacco giants R J Reynolds, which are being used at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series races.

PDA has supplied a range of Martin equipment for each tent including MiniMAC Maestros, CX-4 scanners, Destroyers, Exterior 200 colour changers and Jem TechnoHaze smoke machines. Two doors at the entrance of each tent lead into an illuminated inner room where a pair of MiniMAC Maestro image projecting moving heads sweep custom glass Winston gobos onto the roof and dividing wall halfway across the tent. The roof is bathed in colour from a wide throw Martin Exterior 200 colour changer. Two CX-4 colour and pattern changers project from each of two dividing walls and into the back of the tent where two promotional girls highlight a large rotati

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Staff from Sennheiser UK joined the staff and patients at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in celebrating its 150th anniversary. Also on display was some of the new much needed medical equipment that Sennheiser's fund raising activities have enabled the hospital to purchase.

Following the success of its fund raising last year and, in particular, the annual Sennheiser UK Ltd Golf Day charity event, the company presented a total of £25,000 to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. These funds have enabled the hospital to purchase, among other things, an audiometer, middle ear analyser, four heart defibrillators and a nutrition pump. Additionally, Sennheiser UK donated microphone and headphone equipment to the hospital's in-house radio station, Radio GOSH, a unique resource providing entertainment for the children on the wards.

(Lee Baldock)

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With German pro audio concern HK Audio having made huge inroads into the UK & Eire pro audio market in recent years, the JHS Event 2002 presented the perfect opportunity for HK Audio to launch three new and very significant product lines.

HK Audio’s impressive pro audio range now makes a significant contribution to the presentation of the JHS Event, and represents an ideal opportunity for the many trade visitors to the show to hear for themselves why HK Audio is proving to be so successful in this most difficult of markets to break into. It’s also an ideal chance for them to speak to representatives from HK Audio, who visit the JHS Event specially to consolidate HK’s increasing UK profile and presence.

The main outdoor stage at Event is flanked by 12 boxes of HK’s stadium-friendly R Series, offering a total of 7.2kW, with the large capacity active Projector sy

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Stenger-Technik, ADB’s distributor and consultant office in Austria, is currently installing a large lighting control system for the new Stadthalle in Graz. Austria’s second largest city and the capital of the Styria region, is currently preparing for its role as cultural capital of Europe in 2003 and the events to be held in the course of the next year require the city to provide adequate performance spaces with up-to-date facilities.

The modern and multi-functional Stadthalle is intended to host a wide range of events: Stenger-Technik worked closely with the client and architect Klaus Kada on the lighting control system for the venue. The installation will include a full range of ADB lighting control desks with ISIS software (Phoenix 10 and Phoenix 5 desks) running on Ethernet software. The Ethernet signal is distributed via 7 Netswitches to a total of 9 Netgate (XT) uni

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As a technical partner for the 36th Montreux Jazz Festival, D.A.S. will be providing a variety of sound reinforcement systems for the event to be held in Montreux, Switzerland from today through to the 20th July. One of Europe’s most respected festivals, MJF will be featuring an impressive line up of international artists, including Chris Rea and Jamiroquai.

In conjunction with D.A.S.’s Swiss distributor Animatec, a large selection of powered sound reinforcement products will be used, including the new Compact 2 System which debuted at the ProLight+Sound in Frankfurt earlier this year. The Compact 2 System is an extremely versatile four-way, triamplified system that utilizes ICEpower class D high efficiency amplifiers for a total power output of 2000W. The systems will be on hand throughout the whole event.

(Ruth Rossington)

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Lenny Kravitz’s world tour, which is kicking off in Europe, provides the concert debut for JBL Professional’s new VerTec VT4880 line array subwoofers. Concert sound needs are being handled by rental firm Sound Image (based in Escondido, California) with help from Germany’s Crystal Sound for the UK and Europe.

Kravitz’ FOH engineer Dave Natale sought a powerful sound system for the tour, but one which would also fit into one truck. After careful deliberation, he specified JBL’s VerTec system, complete with the new VT4880 subwoofers, which became available just in time for the tour. The VerTec system was first supplied by Sound Image, who then contacted Crystal Sound, one of the largest VerTec stockists in Europe, to source the system for the European leg. "JBL’s worldwide VerTec user group list enables touring engineers to source supplemental equ

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Following SSE’s recent formation of a dedicated sales department, the company has been appointed a main dealer for Allen & Heath. Equipment sales manager Julian Ward commented: "We’re really pleased to have the Allen & Heath range on board. The consoles are well specified and well designed. Our hire department has been utilizing the ML5000 for some time, and it has proved to be a good sounding flexible board with plenty of applications."

The first customer for an A&H desk was Roger Hatfield of Nottingham’s Panda Hire, who purchased a 24-channel GL2200 for his hire stock. "We've been buying equipment from SSE for years," he commented. "It’s great now they have a department set up to deal with sales."

(Ruth Rossington)

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XL Video is supplying video production for Mexican guitar legend Carlos Santana’s world tour, which has just finished its European leg. The tour now continues in amphitheatres in the US for a month, before taking a break and resuming Stateside again in October.

The video element of the tour was co-ordinated by XL Video Inc in the US, where the tour kicked off on the first of three US legs. The video front end and control in Europe was supplied by LA-based XL Inc and the screens came from XL Belgium. Santana played a single UK date at Crystal Palace. This is the first time that Santana has toured with a full scale video production, and video director Gerald McReynolds explains that Carlos Santana had some very clear ideas about what he wanted in terms of images - including fire, water and other abstract pre-recorded sources, which are skilfully mixed in and overlaid with the live

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US company The Screen Works has opened an office in The Netherlands. A joint effort with The Screen Works, Europe (an already established UK operation), the Hoofddorp facility, located just outside Amsterdam, will provide convenient, centralized access to presentation equipment and staging resources. It will have an extensive inventory of projection screens, pipe and drape systems, trim kits and skirting, modular scenic systems, a projection screen cleaning and repair service and presentation accessories.

Overseeing the new venture will be Gabriel West, a long-standing member of The Screen Works management team, who has relocated from Chicago to take up his new role of European operations manager - Netherlands. Company president, Lee Facklis explains: "An overseas operation allows us to manage equipment resources, accelerate turnaround times and contain freight costs. Customers wi

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London-based lighting specialists Fentura Production Services have just completed a high profile corporate event at the Royal Academy of Art. Lighting designer Tim Matthews specified ChromaCans which were supplied by Richard Martin Lighting to illuminate the main staircase. These units are based upon short nose Par 36 cans fitted with Pulsar’s ChromaRange of LED fittings. The units worked flawlessly throughout the show providing a dynamic and ever-changing carpet of light on the main entrance staircase.

For control, Matthews utilized the built-in programs of the Chroma Zone Controllers which gave him perfect control without the use of DMX or a control desk! Other fittings included CityColors, 400W HQIs and Source Four profiles and pars, which were rigged by a crew of three, in a hectic half hour, between the museum closing to the public and opening again to the corporate guests.<

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David Langton and Bob Bailey of PricewaterhouseCoopers have been appointed joint administrators for the Lighting Technology Group and its associated companies - Lighting Technology Projects Ltd and Cerebrum Ltd. The three are very high profile within the industry and the news, though not entirely unexpected, will still shock those who felt that the Group was beginning to put its recent financial problems behind it.

Operating from bases in London, New Malden, Corby, Manchester, Newcastle and Paris, the three companies had made their names specializing in the supply of lighting and sound equipment to the entertainment and leisure industries. Whilst Lighting Technology and Cerebrum concentrated on the distribution of a large portfolio of brand names, Lighting Technology Projects focused on installation, specializing in high profile architectural projects. It should be emphasized that the

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Event Lighting and Design has handled the lighting requirements for some of London's most high profile events. The company was responsible for the creative design and lighting of the Centenary Development Launch Party at Tate Britain and the Swiss Cultural Fund’s event at Tate Modern. The company has also provided the lighting design and technical production for several events related to the Matisse Picasso exhibition (which opened at Tate Modern on 11 May and runs through to 18 August), including dinner for 200 guests at the opening evening on 9 May. On that occasion the team, including Blackout and Dobson Sound, rose to the challenge by rigging a 19m x 12m printed screen backdrop hanging from the gantries 14m up in the air - thus creating an impressive focal point for each evening. Since the opening, Event Lighting and Design has provided the technical production for further even

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When a transfer to Manchester United forced former England international Paul Parker to pull out of his plan to open a bar in Brentwood, his partner, Mark Stevens, went ahead regardless and the bar/brasserie operated as Parkers for 10 years until Stevens decided it was time for a complete refurbishment. With the help of interior designer John Breley and a new TOA sound system, the venue was open - complete with big screen - in time for the World Cup.

"We desperately needed a change of image because there were a lot of new venues arriving in the high street," said Stevens. "It was important that we moved with the times and kept ahead of the competition." The new Bar West One boasts a 6ft extension in the room, with bold colours, a curved ceiling, a granite bar, a neat perspex back bar grid lit by AVR Colourmaster colour changers, and a punchy TOA sound system.

The

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In anticipation of its phased move to the 75,000sq.m Highbridge development in Uxbridge, ARRI GB was on royal duty last month when Her Majesty The Queen unveiled a sculpture in the town centre, of which ARRI was one of the major sponsors.

Commissioned by Hillingdon Arts Association, ‘Anticipation’ was the work of Welsh-based sculptress Anita Lafford. Crowds lined the streets outside The Chimes Shopping Centre in the town centre as Her Majesty The Queen and HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, performed their royal duty and the sculpture was revealed. ARRI GB were represented by managing director, Renos Louka, and finance director, Sean Leone.

The company will begin its three-phase move into its new three-storey home at the end of August. It has already forged links with the local Brunel University - which recently installed a media suite of television and video studios -

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An Outline sound system was used for the Music Party in memory of top Italian singer Alex Baroni (who recently died following a motorbike accident), held at Rome’s Imperial Forums on Sunday 23 June 2002. The show, presented by Fabrizio Frizzi and Angelo Baiguini (RTL 102.5) was transmitted live via radio by RTL 102.5 and included performances by artists of the calibre of Fiorello, Renato Zero, Max Gazzé, Giorgia, Eugenio Finardi, Alexia, Dirotta su Cuba, Paola Turci, Paola & Chiara, Marina Rei, Alex Britti, Massimo di Cataldo, Michele Zarrillo, Rossana Casale, Tosca, Paola Cortellesi and many more.

The event was also covered by all the national TV newsreels. The Outline F.O.H. system - helmed by Marco Covaccioli (Alex Baroni’s sound engineer) and Enrico Chiarioni - was made up of twelve Tripla II and 12 Victor Live subwoofers, backed up by three Tripla II on near-field dut

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As part of the refurbishment of The Florence Hall, The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) appointed Paul Gillieron Acoustics (PGA) to investigate a way of improving the speech intelligibility of the venue. This unique space is a restaurant by day and by night becomes the venue for product launches, corporate presentations and of course RIBA’s own seminars and award ceremonies.

The challenge that faced the consultants was not only the difficult acoustic (RT > 3 sec) but also finding a solution that would have the minimum visual impact. Extensive acoustic treatment was not possible as the finishes in the room are listed. This listed status also meant that installing a distributed system was impossible. So, as a result of this, PGA decided to investigate an AXYS Intellivox solution and a demonstration quickly followed. The performance of the system coupled with its unobtru

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One of the few modern ballet companies recognised worldwide, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has just visited the renowned Sadlers Wells in London as part of its ongoing European tour. Known not only for dance, but for the lighting of dance, Ailey chooses ETC equipment to light his shows.

The company has an intense schedule - touring eight months a year, two to three of which are overseas - more overseas than any other modern dance company. Over its 44-year history, the company has performed in 48 American states and 67 countries worldwide. "We are constantly moving," says Al Crawford, lighting director for the company. "This year is big internationally, including Spain, Germany, Austria, England and Italy." The lighting equipment that Ailey uses must be ultra-durable, reliable and flexible. What they can’t bring with them, they count on getting locally and

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The decision by leading entertainment lighting distributor A.C. Lighting Ltd, to invest and restructure, is well and truly paying off, the company reports. Latest figures up to May show a turnover increase of six percent over the same period last year, and the indications are that this growth will continue. Substantial investments made at A.C. Lighting, in terms of facilities and systems, are reaching their target objectives to streamline the organisation, enhance customer service, and gain new business from around the globe.

Whilst organizational changes have played their part in the company’s success, the investment in personnel with the necessary skills and dedication has also been a major factor. The recent addition of the sound department has also contributed to the increase in turnover, and reinforces A.C.’s position as being a ‘one stop shop’ for entertai

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A major networked installation has been completed at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surrey, by Racecourse Technical Services Ltd (RaceTech). The scale of the contract - which has been completed over an 18-month period - can be measured by the fact that it involved five BSS Audio Soundweb 9088LLs to set up the digital network across 36 sound zones, as part of an overall audio contract which will run to around £150,000 when complete.

Running parallel with the upgrade at the Racecourse’s bars, restaurants, function rooms, private boxes, conference and exhibition facilities, was the construction of a new stand. But Race-Tech’s head of sound, Robin Dibble, noted that the entire complex - including all the bars and leisure areas - had been refurbished. "It’s been overhauled from the ground up," he said. The audio system replaces what he describes as a 'home b

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International Leisure Industry Week (8-10 October, NEC, Birmingham) has announced the keynote sessions for the free seminar programme at this year's show. The programme will feature high profile speakers addressing the industry's key issues and concerns, and sharing best practice and business innovation.

Speakers include Peter Alvarez of Virgin Atlantic Airways, who will tackle issues surrounding the service-profit chain; the relationship between staff retention and customer loyalty, and share tips on best practise for the service industry. Simon Sprowell of Hilton Hotels UK & Ireland will offer insight into combining mission and vision to ensure your brand values are reflected throughout the entire organisation. Graham Abbey of easyJet will address the challenging task of developing a corporate culture that reflects your company's personality. Abbey will focus on easyJet case historie

  1. CT wows corporate shareholders
  2. Edwin Shirley Staging gains ISO accreditation
  3. Audio-Technica spins a new web
  4. Showman’s Show 2002 opens for business
  5. Aerial Rigging delivers Prolyte ST-roofsystems
  6. CP Sound squares up
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