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Cadac is focusing on the importance of sound economics at this year's PLASA. On show will be the latest version of Cadac's advanced Sound Automation Manager (SAM) for Windows, and a brand new compact addition to Cadac's line-up - the S-Type Live Show Console, details of which won’t be revealed until 8 September.

Cadac is also celebrating the tenth anniversary of its successful J-Type Live Production Console - regarded as the industry benchmark for major musical productions and tours. On show will be the latest J-Type module developments, reflecting the console's continuing evolution over the past decade, keeping it at the forefront of sound reinforcement functionality.

During the show, the company will be running a series of high profile ‘teach-ins’ across a variety of live sound topics. These will include guest presentations from leading industry experts on audio t

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ETC will be featuring three of its latest products at PLASA - the new SmartPack; MultiPAR, making its first UK appearance and Emphasis, which was extremely well received at the recent ABTT show in June.

Bringing the Sensor-dimming level of technology to portable dimmer packs, SmartPack is a thyristor-based, professional-quality dimmer that can go anywhere. Very compact (19-inch 2U rack mount), SmartPack is available with either six 15A dimmers or 12 10A dimmers and is ideal for smaller studios and theatres, touring companies, small road shows and band gigs.

The Source Four MultiPAR combines the unsurpassed optics and energy-savings of the acclaimed Source Four PAR (EA) with the functionality and flexibility of the classic batten. It is available in 3-, 4- or 12-lamp strips, as well as a 3x3 version with in-line switches. For lighting venues with unique needs, ETC also offers the Sou

PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025

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Screen specialist GL UK has supplied top dance artists Basement Jaxx with 21 modules of 25mm pixel pitch Unitek LED screen for their summer tour and festival appearances. The screens are flown upstage in three columns, and used like a lighting effect to create an intense montage of colour and movement with a mix of images and visuals. The screens are full daylight panels, so look equally good if the band are playing in the afternoon, creating a unique visual identity for Jaxx’s lively set.

The screen footage - running for 90% of the show - was produced by video artist Richard Shipman. Shipman worked in close conjunction with the band and lighting designer Vince Foster, whose lightshow is directed and operated on the road by Leggy. Their collective ideas produced the highly imaginative and original stage look. The video content ranges from bold graphics and cartoon characters to s

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The latest innovative roof system designed by Tomcat USA was installed at Disney’s California Adventure park in early July for Disney’s Rockin’ the Bay summer music series. Tomcat and Kleege Industries worked together to engineer the custom 43ft x 46ft (13.1m x 14m) roof system with cantilevered PA wings in less than a month.

"What makes this system so unique is that it is surrounded by water on three sides and a portion of the towers are actually underwater," comments Tomcat design manager, Keith Bohn. The two upstage towers go through the stage and rest in 15ft (4.6m) of water. Custom bases were designed to accommodate the uneven floor at the bottom of the lagoon. The underwater towers consist of steel with multiple coats of two-part epoxy paint. All chords are capped and kept air-tight to help resist corrosion. All four towers interact with the stage for

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White Light lived up to its name - literally - recently, with White Light Sales and The Moving Light Company supplying white StudioSpot moving lights to the Royal Opera House.

The Moving Light Company have been closely involved with the Royal Opera House since its refurbishment, supplying automated lighting equipment ranging from the first City Theatrical Autoyokes in the UK to custom tungsten and HMI moving fresnels created from Light Technik yokes. The Moving Light Company also provide service and support for all of the House's automated lighting equipment.

With the Opera House now extending its use of automated lighting equipment beyond the theatre itself, the ROH's David Harvey turned to The Moving Light Company again. This time, the request was for moving lights to be used as part of the architectural lighting system for the Floral Hall, next door to the Opera House. The complic

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As part of a short two-date tour of the UK, SRD Group of Tonbridge supplied a GAE Director sound system to Randy Crawford for her performances at the 2000-seat Fairfield Halls in Croydon, London, produced by Backbeat Music Promotions.

When asked about the choice of system, Stuart Roberts of SRD commented that the GAE Director system was chosen for its exceptional clarity and tight dispersion. Eight stacks of Director, driven by QSC Powerlight amplifiers, were used to provide even coverage throughout the stalls area, the circle being in-filled by the venue’s existing Meyer system. Other equipment provided included five ways of Shure PSM-700 in-ear monitoring, two channels of Shure Premier Beta 87 radio mics, a Midas XL3 front of house desk and a Soundcraft SM-24 for the monitors. Wedge monitors were GAE 152M.

(Ruth Rossington)

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Aggressive lawyers and the increasing amalgamation of artist management companies were among the topics discussed at the Music Managers Forum (MMF) Open Day, held recently at the Landmark Hotel, London.

Over 90 delegates attended the event, including a number of record producers who were invited through the Music Producers Guild that, in recent months, has been developing closer links with the MMF. "We were delighted with the attendance and with the quality of debate from both panelists and members of the audience participating in question and answer sessions," said the MMF’s Executive director James Fisher. "It was particularly satisfying that, in our 10th anniversary year, we were able to provide such a highly professional list of panelists to discuss matters that are becoming increasingly important in this new and difficult age for managers and their artists.&qu

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Hard on the heels of the successful MP 700 Zoom, the latest product from Coef is the new MP 700 Wash - a spot of minimal weight offering a high light output, CMY colour mixing and a comprehensive range of functions. And all this in a fixture measuring just 56cm high, 37cm wide and 45cm deep, and weighing in at just 28.5kg. But there is more to the MP 700 than its technical specifications alone, for this lightweight fixture is also notable for its modern stylish design.

Stand C32

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Wembley-based recording facility Phoenix Sound has installed an AMS Neve VR60 console in its main Phoenix One control room. The desk complements an AMS Neve Capricorn digital console, featuring fully automated mixing and reset facilities, which has now been operating in the Capricorn Room since February 2002.

The VR60, purchased in June 2002 in collaboration with Mark Derksen of Markant Recording Studios in Holland, has provided Phoenix Sound with the framework to offer traditional recording and mixing facilities in Phoenix One. A further collaboration with Andrew Walton of K&A Productions means that the studio now has a comprehensive microphone collection. Phoenix Sound’s managing director, Peter Fielder, says: "Ever since we opened, back in October 2001, it very quickly became clear that Phoenix One being operational was what the punters wanted. Having achieved the first s

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Since becoming the sole UK distributor for the Robert Juliat range of lighting equipment just over a year ago, While Light Sales has met considerable demand for these high-quality products - with over 100 lanterns being supplied in the last few months alone.

The bulk of these have gone to the National Theatre, where lighting project manager Mike Atkinson and Lyttelton Theatre head of lighting Paul McLeish specified 76 Juliat 710SX 2000W 10/25 degree zoom profiles as part of the reworking of the lighting rig made necessary by the Lyttelton Theatre's change of format for the National's current Transformation season. The 710SXs have replaced many of the theatre's older Strand Cadenza lanterns, and have already been put to use in shows including The PowerBook, A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Adventures of the Stoneheads.

Elsewhere the baby Foxie 700W MSD followspot has proved popular wit

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E//T//C UK, the large format projection specialist, fresh from its success in illuminating Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Jubilee, has produced a series of breathtaking 40-minute projection shows for Guernsey’s three-month long Victor Hugo Festival. The free son et lumière show - specially produced by E//T//C UK - that recalled the dramatic life and times of Hugo, who spent 15 years in exile on Guernsey during the 1850s and 60s. The free, three-day son et lumière was timed to coincide with Bastille Day, and also illustrated the rich cultural heritage of the island. It was held on the waterfront at Guernsey’s capital, St. Peter Port, and was a massive success, attracting over 5,000 people. E//T//C’s Ross Ashton was approached by members of Guernsey’s Victor Hugo Working Party last year, following a son et lumière presentation at Chiswick House in London

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Audace Ltd, manufacturer of the Intelliplate range of remote control panels for installations, has announced that the launch of the newest member of the range will take place at the PLASA show in September.

The ‘SuperHub’ moves the Intelliplate concept away from exclusively controlling audio towards more general AV control. It does this by providing more control ports, a proprietary scripting language - ‘IntelliScript’, more processing power and Ethernet capability. Benefits to installers will include the facility to access the control system remotely using a standard web browser, facilities for controlling multiple devices with one processor, an integral calendar for scheduled events and an automated error logging facility for diagnostic purposes.

SuperHub is a 1U device, which resides in the rack alongside the equipment to be controlled. It boasts two RS232

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A 40-channel Allen & Heath ML4000 VCA live console was used for front-of-house mixing at the recent 'An Audience with Michael Jackson' fundraising event at Exeter City football club (UK). The Bristol branch of Stage Electrics supplied the sound reinforcement system for the event, including the ML4000, a Soundcraft K3 on monitors, an EAW KF760 line array, XTA DP-series processing and Lab Gruppen amplifiers. The Exeter branch of the company provided the technical production for the event which also included lighting, staging and trucking.

Michael Jackson's seemingly improbable appearance at the event can be attributed to his friendship with Exeter City's non-executive chairman, Uri Geller. Jackson travelled to Exeter on a specially chartered train and although his fans were not treated to any songs, he did make a short speech to a packed stadium before being presented with a special team

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As the PLASA Show celebrates its 25th annual event, a party to mark the milestone in style will be held on the evening of Sunday 8 September at The Bridge, SE1 - a stunning and atmospheric brick-arch party venue situated beneath London Bridge Station. The informal party will have an international theme to reflect the PLASA Show’s strong international audience, and the ticket price (£50 + VAT per head) will include champagne reception, beer, wine, soft drinks, buffet and dancing ‘til late - not to mention a great chance to catch up with friends and colleagues from across the industry.

Don’t miss out! For tickets and further information, contact Mikaela Fenton-Jones on +44 (0)20 7370 8207.

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Kino Proekt Engineering is set to become ETC's first Authorised Service Centre (ASC) in Russia. Already a customer of ETC, Kino Proekt is installing three racks of 96-channel Sensor dimmers, an Obsession II control console and ETCNet2 DMX Nodes in Moscow's Variete Theatre, ready for the touring Broadway musical Chicago, which opens there in September.

Kino Proekt's Alexander Rubin timed his first ASC Technician training visit to ETC in London so that he could also see the London production of Chicago and meet with the show's lighting designer Ken Billington to discuss the lighting rig for the Moscow production. Ken (pictured with Alexander, left, on the set of Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre) has lit every production of Chicago since it opened on Broadway in 1996, and his compelling design won him both a Tony and a Drama Desk award in 1997.

When Chicago lea

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Corporate event AV specialist Creative Technology assisted staging company Imagination to create a vivid platform for T. Mobile to make a key presentation to its staff at the Blackpool Hilton recently. The centrepiece of a full technical package was a pair of twin rear-projection screens, mounted stage right behind the lectern, while to the left were blow-up images taken from T Mobile’s advertising campaign.

The screen displays took separate Powerpoint, video graphics and camera-derived feeds projected from Christie S6 and X6 6000 ANSI lumens Roadster projectors. Incorporated in the complement of equipment were graphics machines running Windows XP with new 3D animations effects. CT also fielded a conventional three-camera PPU.

Sited at the end of a purpose-constructed entrance ‘tunnel’ - which ran behind the set and brought guests in at the stage - was a videowall p

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Leading technical design consultancy LDPS has opened an office in New Zealand, to service clients in Australasia, the Pacific Rim and the Far East. The move follows four years of LDPS operation in Ireland and the UK, which will continue to be directed from the Cork office. LDPS’s Grant Collie told us: "I’ve had incredibly positive feedback on the New Zealand office and on the business we will be doing in these territories. I’m already working on several projects."

LDPS NZ will concentrate on the company’s core business as a performance venue technical consultancy. The team specialises in all aspects of design including sound, lighting, multi and mixed media facilities, audio-visual and stage technology. Working in the Southern Hemisphere will also give LDPS the opportunity to expand it's service to sports facilities, in particular the design of public

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Germany’s capital city of Berlin has been enriched by another cultural attraction: ‘Tepee - The Tent’ is a permanent four-mast tent created especially for cultural events. Jazz, cabaret, theatre, classical music - Tepee (in German ‘Tipi’) offers a broad range of high-quality cultural events.

The company responsible for the sound and light installation, as well as for technical operation during the shows, is Berlin-based RentEvent, who turned to HK Audio for sound reinforcement. Company owner Stefan Schultze says: "We have been working very closely with HK Audio for years now, and we are very happy users of their equipment ourselves. The requirements for the Tepee tent were that the equipment had to be compact and unobtrusive, but capable of delivering very punchy, powerful sound at the same time. Furthermore, the system we put in had to be extremely v

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A Welsh professional audio systems specialist is playing a key role in a live historical spectacular, which is being performed in the dramatic setting of Chepstow Castle. A new loudspeaker designed and manufactured at Shermann Pro-Audio's base in Newtown is being pressed into action at the son et lumière, the highlight of every Chepstow Festival. This year's completely new son et lumière creation, ‘1648, The Tides of War’, tells the story of Cromwell's siege of the castle and the national and local events that led up to it, revealing the dramatic consequences for the people of Chepstow. Unique in the UK, this huge community production combines spectacular lighting, specially-composed music, over 100 actors, state of the art projections and pyrotechnics into a stunning show, which ends a three-week run this weekend.

20 Shermann Pro-Audio loudspeakers are being used by Car

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The long-standing issue regarding the use of 3-pin, 110V, 16 Amp yellow CEE-form control connectors fitted to CM Lodestar chain hoists has finally been resolved. From 1 September 2002, both PCM and Tomcat UK will be supplying all Columbus McKinnon Lodestar hoists with 4-pin, 110V, 16 Amp yellow CEE-form connectors instead of the current 3-pin version. Both companies will be contacting all of their Lodestar customers shortly to discuss this change and its repercussions.

The issue dates back two-and-a-half years, when it became apparent that the continued use of the 3-pin connector for Lodestar hoists would not be possible. Although the connector was extremely well suited to the application in many areas, for safety reasons, it was felt that the use of the earth pin as a conductor should preclude its future use. This resulted in extensive discussions involving the manufacturer of the Lod

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The theme of DHA’s stand at the PLASA Show this year will be very different to previous years and will be designed to show off the company’s products to best effect. New for PLASA will be a CD-ROM version of the moving effects catalogue, bringing to life what has, up until now, only been offered in paper format. The new CD will be very visual, highly animated and interactive, showing the endless number of effects that can be achieved with different gobo combinations.

Stand F14

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PLASA exhibitor Kling & Freitag Sound Systems has appointed a new distributor in the UK - Cheshire-based VME Voice Music & Effects. Owned by brothers Dion and Andre Davie, VME is well known in the North West for its work on various sporting events and, more recently, festivals and dance parties. It has an impressive client list which includes the BBC, ITV and Sky Sports, Old Trafford Cricket Club and The Ministry of Sound.

The company hopes to establish Kling & Freitag in the UK market, as Dion Davie outlines: "The UK is one of the most competitive markets in the world for loudspeakers, with many UK and US brands being established standards. However, after our visit to the factory in Hannover, we were totally won over by the sound, build quality and value of the K&F range. We are convinced that K&F have a major part to play in UK touring, corporate events and fixed installations.&

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Music Marketing Services have completed their sixth - and most ambitious Tiger Tiger for Chorion plc, with the recent extension of the successful roll-out into Croydon. The company has largely standardized on Martin Audio sound reinforcement - and has been using the EM series extensively in Tiger Tiger since converting from another proprietary brand early on in the development.

MMS account manager Paul Woodward explained: "We have been on board with Chorion since the Tiger Tiger brand was inaugurated in London’s Haymarket. Croydon is immaculate and shows just how far the brand has evolved since the London site - every aspect of the installation has changed."

Chorion switched to Martin Audio after opening their other multi-bar unit, On Anon - just 400m away from Tiger Tiger in London’s Piccadilly - two years ago. "They were seeking a higher quality, crisper

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Light Relief, the industry charity that supports lighting designers with personal difficulties, has announced two major initiatives to raise awareness during the PLASA 2002 show this September - one aimed at exhibitors and the other for visitors.

The first - ‘Gobos for Light Relief’ - is encouraging as many PLASA exhibitors as possible to use Light Relief coloured glass gobos as part of their on-stand demonstrations. "Visitors will be confronted by a large projection of the logo at the front of the hall as they arrive", explained Tony Gottelier, co-founder of Light Relief. "The idea is that by encouraging exhibitors to participate, visitors will see the same image repeated all over the exhibition - we need to raise awareness of Light Relief and this is set to make a huge impact."

The idea is sponsored by Apollo Design Technology, the Indiana-based manu

  1. Avolites leads lighting control at Glastonbury
  2. New Unitek screen kicks-off at NikePark
  3. Gil Norton, Feeder and Audio-Technica
  4. Turbosound announces a raft of new products for PLASA 2002
  5. Down under with Oliver and The Witches
  6. Tomcat & Fourth Phase at Washington concerts
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