USA - The latest production of Queen musical We Will Rock You, and the show's North American debut has recently opened in Las Vegas at the Paris hotel's 1,450-seat Le Theatre Des Arts, with an L-Acoustics' front-of-house loudspeaker rig. The new system, furnished by Masque Sound of East Rutherford, New Jersey, features twin left and right hangs of 10 V-Dosc cabinets with two dV-Dosc elements for front-fill: 10 additional dV-Dosc are hung as a centre array to complete the LCR FOH system, while four compact coaxial MTD108a systems are employed to provide supplementary coverage to the far edges of the audience seating area.

Sound design for the show is by Bobby Aitken and associate sound designers David Patridge and Richard Sharratt. Aitken and Patridge have spent the past five years working together on eight separate productions of Mamma Mia!, the musical based on t

UK - Currently one of the most talked-about shows in the West End, Festen has enjoyed good reviews from the critics since transferring to the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, after its successful sell-out run at the Almeida earlier in the year. This stage adaptation of the 1998 Dogma film, directed by Rufus Norris, succeeds superbly in portraying an immensely powerful script with a minimal set designed by Ian MacNeil. Using merely a dining table and double bed, MacNeil has created two symbolic environments that are automated to flow effortlessly between the two as the story unfolds and intensifies.

Stage Technologies' Maxis control system and BigTow winches enabled Tom King (the show's automation operator) to achieve the desired effects needed for this sensitive show without detracting from the intimacy of the performance. After two years as a technical operator King is using

Ireland - Bosch Security Systems' DCN Digital Congress Network system has been chosen by the Irish government to provide high quality international and portable conferencing facilities at various regional venues throughout the country during Ireland's Presidency of the EU. The new portable DCN Concentus system provides multi-lingual translation facilities using the Integrus infrared audio language distribution system for secure interference-free audio distribution in any language at the touch of a button.

Another Bosch DCN system is already used every day in the main Irish Parliament in Dublin, in addition to many other EU parliaments, including Brussels and the new Scottish parliament building in Edinburgh. The Dublin system was provided and installed by SKS, one of Bosch's main partners in Ireland, the new system provides a complete portable solution based on the well known t

USA - Veteran Rock legends R.E.M began the U.S. leg of their 2004 world tour this week with an EAW KF760 Line Array system supplied by Seattle-based Carlson Audio Systems, who have been contracted to provide the house sound system for all 30 shows of the tour.

In preparation for the R.E.M. tour, Carlson assembled a complete KF760 Line Array system consisting of 24 KF760 long/medium throw modules, eight KF761 near field modules and 16 EAW SB1000 subwoofers. Four KF750 and four KF755 full range boxes provide additional support along with six EAW JFX260s.

"We're long-time EAW fans, and have been ever since we purchased our first KF850 rig back in '93," commented Mark Carlson, founder of Carlson Audio. "We first took the KF760 Line Array out with Pearl Jam last year and were really impressed with its sonic quality and coverage."

Carlson continued: "Since

Australia - The opening and closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games are always breathtakingly spectacular events that involve months of planning and detailed production work, and the Summer Olympics in Athens this year was no exception. Spearheading the massive production effort for both ceremonies was Australian company Norwest Productions (who also supplied production services for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney) in association with local Athens-based firm, Enttech S.A. on behalf of Jack Morton Public Events.

Norwest's sound reinforcement system of choice was based on EAW's KF860 Virtual Line Array system supplemented by McCauley MLA3s for the upper decks. The main EAW system comprised a total of 64 EAW KF860 and KF861 Virtual Line Array systems and 36 EAW BH760 subs, which were ground-stacked in 32 arrays around the circumference of the bowl. Each cluster consi

UK - TXD loudspeaker systems are now installed throughout The Warehouse, a student-only club and bar/restaurant complex on Bristol's waterfront, reports Turbosound, the British-based manufacturer of live performance and installed-sound loudspeaker systems. An increasingly common sight in clubs and bars around the world, Turbosound TXD systems has developed a strong reputation for sound quality and value, with system design company M32 Audio & Lighting, installing some twenty TXD loudspeakers at The Warehouse. M32's installation also includes Turbosound Impact 50 loudspeakers, deployed in the venue's bar and VIP areas.

The internal structure of The Warehouse is focused around a main ground-level dance floor and bar area, with multiple mezzanine levels above and the El Puerto restaurant. Apart from the sub-bass enclosures, all the loudspeakers have been ceiling-flown, with the maj

UK - White Light Sales supplies many of its exclusive product lines to Stage Electrics for Mary Poppins. White Light Sales has recently supplied a large quantity of lighting equipment to Bristol-based rental company Stage Electrics for use on the new Cameron Mackintosh/Disney stage production of Mary Poppins.

Howard Harrison's lighting design for this new musical, which opened at the Bristol Hippodrome Theatre on the 28 September and will transfer to the Prince Edward Theatre in London on the 6 of December, called for a number of items for which White Light are the exclusive UK distributor.

Included in the shopping list: fifty LDDE DMX-controlled four-colour fluorescent cyc battens, used to light the many painted cloths in Bob Crowley's scenic design. 100 Rainbow 6" Pro and 20 Rainbow 8" Pro colour scrollers, specified for their ability to provide indiv

USA - Color Kinetics has appointed David Emma as vice-president of OEM and Licensing, overseeing the development of new opportunities and the growth of existing partnerships worldwide. Emma has more than 16 years of experience in the identification, establishment and growth of strategic OEM and licensing relationships within the semiconductor industry, among other technology markets.

"Color Kinetics is a recognized industry leader, and I'm pleased to join its talented management team," said Emma. "I look forward to helping the company drive adoption of intelligent solid-state lighting through new and expanded OEM and licensing initiatives, both within and beyond the core lighting industry."

"We're extremely pleased to welcome David, whose strong background and expertise in identifying new market opportunities for sophisticated technologies will serve

UK - Martin Professional launched a new range of Mach speakers during the recent PLASA show at Earls Court in London. David Caulfield (MD) and Clive Bailey (UK Sales) of Martin Professional also announced that Leisuretec Distribution has been appointed to distribute this new Mach product into the installation sector.

Caulfield commented: 'Leisuretec Distribution are very well positioned to penetrate the installation sector with this fabulous new Ci series of speakers, already supplying a large customer base of installation companies with audio, visual & lighting products. It makes sense that Leisuretec should offer Mach / Martin products too'

Nick Spalding, managing director for Leisuretec Distribution added: "We are excited with this new arrangement. The Mach, Jem and Martin Professional brands are readily recognized as market leading products and it is very pleasing to

UK - DHA Lighting, manufacturer of gobos with over thirty years experience in the field, is looking to expand its extensive gobo library with a new Designers' Collection - a range of gobos inspired or created by lighting designers.

If you have the perfect gobo, the gobo you've always needed or wanted, lodged in your imagination, then now is the time to get the idea to DHA. Submissions in any form are welcome, whether a rough description, an adaptation of an existing gobo or a fully formed design on paper or in electronic format. The range will include metal, glass and coloured glass gobos, so just about any design can be realized.

The new Collection will be launched by DHA early next year, listed in a new Designers' Collection section of the DHA gobo library with the gobo's creator fully credited. Pricing will be as DHA's existing gobos, with the new gobos available from stock

UK - Centre Stage Engineering was recently awarded ISO 9001 certification as it commits to further improve customer satisfaction. The company also reports that it has been appointed as a recognized designer and installer by Gala Systems of Canada for its unique Spiralift drive transmission system used in stage elevators.

The recent doubling of the factory floor space to accommodate a stand-alone, in-house manufacturing and fabrication facility, means that the company can now tackle a wider range of projects, while the company also looked to the future with the recent appointment of a young design engineer to the team at the start of the year, along with the establishment of a contributory company pension plan and a mechanical engineering apprenticeship scheme.

Current projects include the supply and installation of all the stage machinery at the new prestigious Perth Concert

China - d&b audiotechnik (China) Ltd was established in Hong Kong in October 2004, and is the result of a co-operation between d&b audiotechnik and its existing distribution partner for the region since 2002, Sound Works and Supplies. d&b audiotechnik China will take on the task of providing the distribution and support for the whole of China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Through this office d&b intends to provide its customers with a more convenient and faster before and after sales support for its range of professional reinforcement systems. Mr. Freddie To, the sales and marketing director for the new company commented: "d&b audiotechnik is an established and well respected brand in Europe, who are totally focused on the complete system approach."

This approach encompasses loudspeakers, control electronics and mechanical accessories that are totally compatible, as well as

New Zealand - Grease, the original stage version of one of the highest-grossing musical movies ever, opened in Wellington's Opera House with Christchurch based Redd Acoustics providing audio with a little help from an XTA D2 dynamics processor.

The musical was born in a disused Chicago tram shed in 1971 as an experimental amateur show and by 1979 it was the longest-running show on Broadway and a hit movie. The Wellington Musical Theatre version met the challenge with a PA comprising ElectroVoice loudspeaker cabinets and M-Audio Monitors handled the band foldback along with the XTA processing.

XTA's SiDD (Seriously Intelligent Digital Dynamics) is already assisting in London's West End and on Broadway, but the multiband D2 Dynamic EQ was used on the Christchurch job. Systems and theatre engineer, Glen Ruske of Redd, comments: "The XTA D2 is fantastic for theatre work. It w

UK / Spain - Xtreme Audio Visual, the Clacton-on-Sea-based sound and lighting installation company which won the key contract to fit out the Guru superclub in Valencia, has created a new open-air dance terrace at the venue, featuring an ElectroVoice dancefloor system in keeping with Guru's use of EV and Dynacord products throughout the venue. All EV and Dynacord product was supplied by Shuttlesound, the UK distributor, to Xtreme AV.

Nirvana, the latest space, has been created by removing all the walls, leaving just the roof so that it works as a covered terrace. The VIP room has been integrated with the terrace, and both areas are integrated with the rest of Guru's rooms via the BSS Soundweb network which Xtreme installed last year. There is an ElectroVoice RX system for the main dancefloor, featuring four RX218s and four RX212s, two RX112s and four RX115s. This system is power

UKBosch Security Systems scored another major success for its DCN Digital Congress Network system when it was chosen by the Irish government to provide high quality international and portable conferencing facilities at various regional venues throughout the country during Ireland's Presidency of the EU. Featuring portability, the new DCN Concentus system provides multi-lingual translation facilities using the latest Integrus infrared audio language distribution system for secure interference-free audio distribution in any language at the touch of a button anywhere in the debating chamber.

Another Bosch DCN system is already used every day in the main Irish Parliament in Dublin so the Irish government know its capabilities very well. It is also used in many other EU parliaments including Brussels and the new Scottish parliament building in Edinburgh.

Provided and installed by

Czech Republic - Apogee Sound International, the US manufacturer of sound reinforcement products for the pro audio industry, has announced that the new Sazka Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, has installed 98 Apogee APL Series powered loudspeakers. The Apogee system consists of 90 Apogee APL-500DSP and eight Apogee APL-800DSP loudspeakers, networked and controlled by Apogee Digital Audio Management (ADAM) software. The new arena was designed and built in just 28 months to be ready for the opening of the 2004 IIHF World Hockey Championships in Prague.

The Sazka Arena's Apogee system was designed by Soning, one of the Czech Republic's leading consulting firms, as were other audio/video and broadcast systems in the venue. According to Andrej Hronec, owner of AudioPro, Apogee's distributor in Prague, Soning focused heavily on the latest technologies to ease the normally difficult ta

Italy - The premiere of Shark Tale - Dreamworks' and distributor UIP's latest animated creation - was staged in spectacular style in Venice's historic Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square) as part of the 2004 Venice Film Festival. Show producers Bob Collins and Sean Glen of Me3 Productions from California brought in UK-based technical production specialist Andy Peat Associates and Venetian production company TESE to realize this major feat of technical production.

This is the first time a show of this nature has been granted permission to take place in the Piazza San Marco, a world heritage site and home to thousands of pigeons. The audience was joined by the film's star 'voice-over talent' including Will Smith, Robert de Niro and Angelina Jolie, along with the film's producers and directors. In addition to the 500 VIPs, approximately 5,500 local guests also enjoyed the evening - free -

UK - Automation specialist Kinesys has completed the design, specification, and installation of a new automation system for the mother grid at the National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Birmingham. According to Kinesys, this makes the NIA one of the safest and most flexible venues for rigging in the UK.

With an increasingly diverse schedule of events, the hall's rigging upgrade was prompted primarily by general health and safety concerns. Working closely with the venue's head of rigging Paul Rowlands and rigging and motor supplier Bridgehouse, Kinesys' Dave Weatherhead devised a customized control system to the venue's initial brief.

A major challenge was that all Kinesys' distro racks, patchbays and control gear had to be mounted within the grid itself. This was for neatness and to minimize cable runs, for which Kinesys also developed a series of customized cable trays that run neatly with

Russia - The organizers of the Musikmesse/Prolight+Sound St. Petersburg exhibition have announced that in future the event will be organized solely by Messe Frankfurt's Russian partner, Lenexpo. The decision was taken by the organizers, Messe Frankfurt GmbH and Lenexpo Exhibition and Trade Fair Company, and communicated to the exhibitors and other interested parties at the end of September.

Last year, the second trade fair for musical instruments and accessories, lighting, sound and event technology in the Northwest Region of the Russian Federation, enabled around 300 exhibitors to make contact with some 8,000 visitors at the exhibition centre in St. Petersburg. Nevertheless, the results of this edition showed that the expectations of Messe Frankfurt in terms of event growth and profitability were unlikely to be fulfilled in the medium term. "Musikmesse/Prolight+Sound St.

France - Loud Technologies Inc. announced the appointment of Impact Evénement as the new distributors of the EAW and EAW Commercial brands in France with immediate effect.

According to EAW's European sales manager, Sean Martin, Impact is ideally placed to represent the EAW brand in France. "We are all very eager to start doing business," confirmed Martin. "From our perspective, Impact's set-up and structure is superb with imposing premises on the outskirts of Paris. Their distribution expertise is already second to none, and their audio expertise is guaranteed with the appointment of ex-EAW representative Bruno Ghidionesco to the Impact team. As distributors of high-end lighting equipment, Impact already has strong relationships with many of EAW's key customers in France, and of course, as EAW is the only audio line they represent, we can be sure that there are n

UK/USA - PLASA - the Professional Lighting and Sound Association - has announced a joint initiative with CMP Princeton, the organizers of the annual Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention, to launch a new pavilion at the event in 2005, focusing directly on lighting, audio, AV and staging technologies.

The new PLASA@Sea Pavilion will form a key element of this annual cruise-related trade show and conference which is the largest gathering of cruise line owners, operators and suppliers in the world. More than 9,000 people from 116 countries, including over 1,000 senior cruise line executives attended Seatrade 2004.

Whilst the Conference will offer a four-day programme of targeted seminars and meetings, the exhibition will showcase the latest innovations in marine technology, with PLASA@Sea providing a connection to recent developments in entertainment and leisure-based technology. A

UK - Creative Technology has collaborated with set designer Markus Blee to create a spectacular 'virtual' LED backdrop at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith for the final of the MTV Shakedown with Wade Robson, in which lighting and visuals are projected into a 'virtual' LED environment by two double-head Catalyst systems.

Markus Blee presented Adrian Offord and Stuart Young of CT and TV lighting director Gurdip Mahal, with two projected models of the design. Some 138sq.m of 25mm LED display was to be arranged in random shapes, the multi-faced media display enveloping the performers, set off by two 9sq.m Barco iLite 8 panels - one upstage centre of the dancefloor and the other offstage left. The content, provided by moving light operator Ross Williams, would be fired to the four colour-coded 25mm zones via the Catalysts, while the higher resolution Barco screens would take a mixture o

UK - London's Brixton Academy was the location for Canegreen's recent free training day. As a leading supplier of professional sound reinforcement in the UK, Canegreen said they realized the value of investing in a training day set to equip freelancers with the necessary skills required to match the company's demands.

Richard Martin and Pete Hughes with MD Yan Stile developed the idea. Experienced members of Canegreen's staff taught the next generation of staff and freelancers the skills required to work safely and efficiently at events. Focusing on line-array rigging, attendees gained an understanding of the processes involved in setting up events, from opening the back of the lorry and loading in, to rigging line-array speaker systems, de-rigging and loading out. Some attendees used the day as a refresher course, whilst others used it to advance their basic skills. The day allowed pe

UK - Ensuring uninterrupted, safe and reliable power to the stages and numerous hospitality areas of a festival the size of V is no mean feat. Power is essential to everything that happens on a festival site from stage lighting, sound and AV to the toilets flushing, showers running and car parks and campsites lighting up at night. From the first day of the fit up to the last hour of the out and of course throughout the event itself, the one thing that cannot go off is the power.

The responsibility for site power for V at the Chelmsford site this year fell to Power Logistics. And with 65,000 people coming to see over 50 acts playing on four stages in Hylands Park - plus the DJ and sponsored dance tents, catering vans and stalls, backstage hospitality areas, campsites and car parks, toilets and showers - power distribution can be a logistical nightmare.

The production team found itself

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