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Front-of-house engineer Simon Honywill is using a new Yamaha DM2000 digital console to mix Chris Rea, currently on the front leg of his European tour. Playing a wide variety of venues seating anywhere between 1500 and 5000 people, the tour is carrying a compact production rig including the RG Jones/Ampco ProRent Synco PA system.

Simon Honywill has been involved with the DM2000 since its launch in the UK, and RG Jones has been considering purchasing one of the digital consoles for inventory. But the main reason for ordering the new desk from Marquee Audio was the Rea tour. "It's a one-truck tour," explains Honywill, "which meant that we were looking for equipment that was as compact and bijou as possible. The DM2000 makes a lot of sense, primarily because of its small size, and the opportunity it allows for us to cut down on a load of outboard."

He describes the ne

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Selwo Adventure Parks have expanded their leisure offering with the newly inaugurated Selwo Marina park in Benalmádena , Malaga, Spain. The new concept of marine park brings together the sea life and exotic fowl of South America and complements the theme of the already well known Selwo Adventure wildlife park in Estepona, Spain. Visitors to Selwo Marina participate in expeditions in which they discover the amazing ecosystems of the South American continent.

The sound system design and installation for the park was carried out by the Madrid-based Himesa Professional SL, using a variety of D.A.S. products. The system designed by the company provides ambient sound and paging utilizing 60 Factor-5Ts keenly camouflaged within the decorative elements of the park.

The park is accessed through the Plaza of the Americas where shops and food services are available. Through the plaza, visitor

Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

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The first customer was already leaving Professional Music Technology (PMT) with his newly-purchased Wharfedale loudspeakers even before the inaugural celebrations began. To commemorate the opening of their new 22,000sq.ft superstore in Birmingham - the largest in Europe - the directors hosted an industry party which was attended by many of the captains of MI. Posing alongside Wharfedale’s LiX range of MI enclosures (in front of PMT’s sound stage) are company directors Simon Gilson, Terry Hope and Gary Chapman. The LiX range is one of several Wharfedale MI-based systems on show in the superstore.

(Ruth Rossington)

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James Thomas’s new Pixelrange LED fixtures are making a high profile debut in the world of retail installations - as part of the current James Bond 007 window display at Harrods.

Spread across two full windows, the 007 montage includes the special agent’s fantastic silver Aston Martin V12 Vanquish and General Zao’s electric green Jaguar XKR from the latest movie Die Another Day. The latter vehicle is complete with reclining blonde spread-eagled on the bonnet! Other window props include 007 dummies, plus several plasma screens showing action from the various Bond movies.

The display is highlighting a special Bond video promotion offered by Harrods, celebrating 40 years of the UK’s favourite special secret agent. Paul de Ville, MD of Lightfactor Sales, was called in to design the lighting scheme for the windows. He was approached by AV installer Andy Evans from

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Advanced Audio, the Melbourne-based ARX dealer, has completed the installation of an updated audio system into the recently refurbished Melbourne Royal Exhibition Buildings.

Rated as one of Australia's most prominent and historic public buildings, the REH was originally erected for the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880 -1 at the end of Melbourne's early Gold Rush heyday. The building was also the venue for the Australian Federation ceremonies in 1901 that marked the birth of Australia as a nation and were used as the country's Houses of Parliament until 1922, prior to the competition of Canberra as the nation's purpose-built capital city.

Advanced Audio installed ARX ZR 850 C 100V constant voltage Installation Series power amplifiers to power a sizeable array of Bose 402 loudspeakers spread out over 3km of loudspeaker cabling.

(Ruth Rossington)

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Drapes and fabrics specialist Blackout was recently appointed by London-based Production House Pci:Live to assist in the realisation of a Moulin Rouge-themed After Party for Cisco Systems’ annual Networkers Conference in Copenhagen.

Staged in The Forum - one of Copenhagen’s largest live music venues - over 1100 guests attended two party evenings, which re-created the spirit of the legendary Parisian music hall. The show, which featured many different European artists, was a spectacular combination of contortionists, sword swallowers, fire-eaters and aerial performers, culminating in a sensational Can Can finale. Kid Creole and his Coconuts maintained the pace with a fantastic performance, before the evening wound up with a DJ and podium dancers.

From the outset, Blackout’s project managers Chris Brain and Kevin Monks collaborated with Pci:Live’s technical dire

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When Audi launched the A8 at the British Motor Show this year, it wanted to steal the limelight from its competitors. Prima ballerina Darcey Bussell was called in and the rest is history. While most of us only saw Bussell on the front page of our newspapers, the guys at Fourth Phase London got to see her in the flesh.

Having already worked together twice on Audi projects, event organizers Pandemonium chose Fourth Phase London to supply lighting, including a selection of Source Four Pars and Zooms, a Jands Event Desk and ETC SmartPack portable dimming, for the occasion at Audi's London showrooms in Piccadilly.

As photographers surrounded Bussell, her luxurious 11 metre silk cloak fell away in a stunning reveal of both the car and Bussell's striking Scott Henshall dress, made of the same leather as the A8’s upholstery. Bussell, who is a fan of Audi's cars and has driven one since

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TeleStage Associates Plc has secured the contract to provide stage engineering equipment for the prestigious Wales Millennium Centre. The contract calls for the design and supply of a wide range of stage equipment, covering multiple orchestra elevators, seating wagons, fire and acoustic doors, counterweight flying, powered hoists, movable auditorium towers, house curtain and adjustable proscenium.

The Wales Millennium Centre will be the focal point of the redevelopment of Cardiff Bay and will provide a world-class venue for the full range of performing arts. As part of the contract, TeleStage will work closely with Sir Robert McAlpine - the design and build contractor. Carr and Angier are the Theatre Consultants and this project also marks the next step in the long and productive relationship that has existed between the two companies.

(Ruth Rossington)

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Lightfactor Sales has collaborated with design and installation specialist Entserv to supply a series of high contrast lighting for temporary interactive maze attractions at Thorpe Park (The Freezer and Freakshow) and Chessington World of Adventures (Pirate Jack) theme parks.

Entserv’s Steve Richley was approached by The Tussauds Group Studios to design the show and electrical systems for the three mazes and to carry out the lighting and electrical installations. Both Lightfactor and Entserv are regular technical contractors to Tussauds, and engage in some of their most demanding and exciting projects.

Entserv also supplied the audio, pneumatics and technical infrastructure to bring The Freezer to ‘life’, with Lightfactor supplying the lighting. The overall concept design for the three mazes was by Sudden Impact Inc from the USA, who were in the UK for the first tim

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The Entertainment Services and Technology Association’s Board of Directors has voted unanimously to open up ESTA’s Code of Conduct to allow complaints to be filed by the general public, with effect from 1 January 2003. In 1999, ESTA led the industry in promoting ethical business practices and professionalism by creating and adopting a Code of Conduct for members. Received with enthusiasm by members, the Code was also used as a model by several other industry associations, including PLASA and CITT, in creating their own codes.

ESTA’s Code of Conduct plays a very important role in maintaining public confidence in the industry by assuring the public of uniformly high standards in their dealings with members of the Association. As one member of the public said: "ESTA membership does matter to many of us and we use it as a ‘recommendation’ when looking for

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XL Video UK is supplying leading UK pop band Blue with a full touring video hardware package and crew. Blue are currently riding the crest of a massive popularity wave and also establishing themselves at the credible end of the pop scale, with a nationwide arena tour finishing two days before Christmas, which you can read all about in the January issue of Lighting&Sound International.

Video is the central visual concept to Blue’s energetic, up-tempo show. The artistic director is Kim Gavin, whilst the set is designed by Paul Staples, and the show’s video baseline developed by lighting designer Peter Barnes. Central to video being the defining visual counterpoint is an enormous 60ft by 24ft low resolution Westerhagen LED screen from Germany. This was originally designed and built by XL Video for German touring and recording artist Paul Westerhagen. Barnes had heard about the

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Guests on board Crystal Cruises' Crystal Serenity, which goes into service June 2003, will be able to watch first-run movies in a luxury 200+ seat projection theatre with state-of-the-art audio visual systems, including audio enhancement for the hearing-impaired. Responsible for the entertainment design and installation for the Hollywood Theatre is MAVCO, whose Director of Engineering, Rob Shuard, asked Triple E to design and supply a custom projection screen, with variable pre-set masking using the company's Chaintrack system. Shuard said: "We needed a system that allowed for multiple masking presets including anamorphic 2.35:1, widescreen 16:9 and standard 4:3. Given the restricted space on board the vessel, Triple E's Chaintrack system was chosen for its ultra-low profile and its ability to turn tight corners."

The 4.7m wide x 2m high screen required black masking panels t

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Those involved in Fire Safety may be interested in a seminar being held at the Headquarters of the Institute of Electrical Engineers at Savoy Place. Taking place on 12 December, the focus is on the recently revised Building Regulations Part B - Fire Safety. Whilst the bulk is on prevention and accordant construction, time will be devoted to detection and warning systems.

For more information, contact the IEE or Alison Payton at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers on the e-mail address shown.

(James Eade)

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Marquee Audio has supplied a Yamaha DM2000 digital console to its regular customer, the Clywd Theatr Cymru of Mold in North Wales. The new desk has been installed in the smaller of the theatre's two auditoriums, part of a rolling replacement programme of audio equipment.

The 250-seat Emlyn Williams Theatre is equipped with a Meyer PA rig, Akai samplers and hard-disk recorders, and a Sennheiser radio mic system, all of which have been supplied by Marquee Audio. Kev Hays, the Head of Sound at Clywd Theatr Cymru, explains that the DM2000 replaces the Yamaha 02Rs which were the first to be installed in the UK. "And the DM2000 now contains all the features I would have loved the 02Rs to have had when we bought those in the mid 90s," adds Hays, who first saw the DM2000 when he attended Marquee Audio's summer demos at the Lyric Theatre in London.

"The desk as standard has 96

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Already owners of the UK's largest X-Array system, Ayrshire-based Fenwick Mobile Exhibitions (FMX), has continued to affirm its faith in the Electro-Voice brand by becoming one of the first customers to invest in some of EV's newest technology, the XLC compact line array system.

According to FMX's Ron MacGillivray, XLC suits the style of event for which FMX has become known. "We do a lot of radio station work such as roadshows and other one-off events, many of which take place outdoors. Get-in and get-out times are usually minimal, and that is where a system like XLC really comes into its own."

Son and business partner Ross MacGillivray agrees: "XLC cabinets are smaller and lighter than anything else we have, and because of their 120° dispersion characteristics, you need fewer of them to cover the same area. That basically means we're taking up much less room in the t

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ABC Entertainments has recently completed a sound installation in Vintners Hall in the City of London. The building is listed, and a PA system with a hearing-aid loop was needed for speeches. The spec was for two hand-held radio mics, one lapel radio mic and a discrete lectern radio mic for a portable, solid silver table-mounted lectern. The speakers needed to be discrete, or preferably completely hidden, as well as being very sharp and clear.

ABC installed used two Sennheiser EW145 hand-helds, a Sennheiser EW112 lapel system and a Sennheiser EVO pack and receiver for the lectern mic with a Sennheiser COM1425 attached to the transmitter. This was placed with an additional on/off switch on a perspex mount out of sight beneath the lectern. The hearing aid loop was Ampetronic and the speakers were eight Bose 161s. The amplification was supplied by two Citronic PSX350s, all mixed with a Sp

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Hand Held Audio has been supplying the BBC's Fame Academy with all of its wireless requirements since the show's debut in early October. Despite an initial poor showing in the ratings wars, Fame Academy has gained in popularity in recent weeks, culminating in nearly six million viewers for the live show last week which saw Malachi evicted, plus a live performance from guest celebrity Ronan Keating.

Hand Held began by supplying the show with a total of 14 Shure hand-held systems featuring Beta 58 capsules which were for use on the live performances at the end of the week. For the rest of the time, the students were furnished with a Shure beltpack lavalier system using MKE2 capsules as the cameras followed their progress at work and play. Hand Held's Mick Shepherd pointed out a certain irony in the fact that as the show's ratings go up, the gear requirements go down. "As students ar

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Uno di noi', the new prime-time TV variety show by RAI UNO, hosted by veteran pop idol Gianni Morandi with Lorella Cuccarini and Paola Cortellesi, is now Italy’s most-watched Saturday night television programme, with peaks of over 10 million viewers. The programme's guests include top Italian and international artists, including Craig David, Mark Knopfler, Tom Jones, Anastasia, Phil Collins, Franco Battiato, Piero Pelù, Lucio Dalla and Daniele Silvestri.

'Uno di noi' is one of RAI's biggest productions in terms of both the complexity of the audio and lighting systems and the studio dimensions. The studio (which holds over 1,000 spectators for each show) is 85m long and 35m wide, with a total area of approximately 3,000sq.m, and is 14 metres high. The lighting rig, designed by Pino Quini, includes 350 motorized fixtures, of which no less than 264 are from Italian manufacturer SG

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Gearhouse South Africa was extensively involved with the Auto Africa show (23-27 Oct) - Africa’s biggest motoring event. Bill Lawford was Gearhouse SA’s project manager for the event, running a team of 30 Gearhouse technicians. The bulk of the company’s work at Auto Africa 2002 was in providing sound, audio-visual equipment, rigging and decking. In particular, rigging the trussing proved no small feat - Gearhouse SA rigged over 500 different hanging points throughout the three main Auto Africa exhibition halls.

Among the 25+ stands that Gearhouse SA was involved in were Land Rover, Ford, Mazda, Alpha Romeo, Fiat, Chrysler Jeep, Renault, Honda and Porsche. The range of equipment was extensive: for example, a cube wall on the Mazda stand involved 48 separate cubes. "To set that up they had to be perfectly balanced and stitched together which was quite a job,"

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Ministry of Sound has had a new JBL Vertec line array audio system installed into it’s busy Bar space - the first area of the venue entered by clubbers, where it’s considered crucial to create the right audio impression. Vertec was supplied by JBL’s UK distributors Arbiter Pro Audio to Liverpool-based Over Audio, who co-ordinated the supply.

The system consists of eight Vertec VT-4889 elements - and was specified by David Bradshaw, the Ministry’s Head of Production. Bradshaw was looking for a system with large amounts of energy and direction that would adequately cover all areas of the unorthodox shaped room: apart from that, it had to look good, and work in the context of the space’s aesthetics. Bradshaw had realized the versatility of Vertec during the Ministry of Sound’s University tour earlier in the year, where they "used it in all conceiv

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Screenco provided a huge backdrop for this year’s Smash Hits T4 Pollwinners Party at London Arena, which was broadcast live on Channel 4. The event, co-hosted by Vernon Kay, June Sarpong and special guest host Kelly Osbourne, was celebrating its 15th year, and included performances by Liberty X, Sugababes, Atomic Kitten and Holly Valance.

Contracted by production company Nine Yards, Screenco’s vast 156-module, 25mm screen, all supplied from the company’s UK stock, measured 21.13m wide by 7.32m high, making it the biggest indoor LED high-brightness display ever seen in Europe. It thus provided an exciting solution for Hamish Hamilton’s Done & Dusted, who were responsible for the television production and design.

With all the risers set behind the screen, a large 8.1m x 4.88m door, positioned in the centre, raised and lowered on varispeed dual-brake motor hoists

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The seventh World Lighting Fair was held at Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall in early October. 50 companies from across Japan were joined by 21 international companies at the show, and the show enjoyed high visitor levels from the start, say the organizers.

Exhibits covered not only lighting products for stage and TV markets, but also new software and hardware were presented addressing their broad applications in markets such as retail, architecture, video projection, advertisement and promotion, design and presentation. The seminar programme included a broad range of topics from the latest on control protocols, education systems for theatre technology, opera productions and lighting design for theatres to a model of the lighting designer for the 21st century.

The next WLF will be held at the same venue from June 24 to 26, 2004.

(Lee Baldock)

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PCM’s famous Lodestar Motor School continues its on-going world tour, with the first, highly successful event to be held in Dublin. The School was co-ordinated by top Dublin-based lighting sales and installation company Stage Lighting Centre, run by the charismatic Pat Walsh, assisted by Paddy Farrell. It was held in the prestigious Abbey Theatre in central Dublin - the National Theatre of Ireland.

28 people attended the School, presented by PCM’s tutor-in-chief Tony Dickson. They came from all areas of the professional entertainment industry from across the country. The two-day Motor School covered many topics. A king pin of the PCM course is the complete stripping down and re-assembling of a Lodestar motor, enabling students to learn about the role and significance of the machine’s electrical and mechanical components, and how they inter-relate. Working in pairs, st

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The Jiri Myron Theatre in Ostrava is one of the Czech Republic’s leading theatre venues, and the home stage of operetta, drama and ballet ensembles of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre. During the recent summer recess, the theatre partially upgraded its ageing control system, choosing ADB control and dimmer systems after comparing competitive products from various local and international suppliers. ADB’S Czech representative Zat Easy Control supplied the equipment.

The lighting crew and the head of the lighting department, Stanislav Dvorak, had already worked with a complete range of ADB equipment in the Antonin Dvorak Theatre, which is also part of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre. ADB’s top of the line console Phoenix 10 was chosen for the control desk. This allows enough flexibility to harness the mix of moving and conventional fixtures installed through

  1. Theatre Projects Consultants wins Ningbo contract
  2. TESA moves into training
  3. Impact Europe and Christie announce new pan European agreement
  4. Denon S5000’s public debut at Ministry of Sound
  5. Turkey’s new Olympic Stadium features Nexo Alpha
  6. E/T/C UK projects the greatest!
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