Robe - LEADERBOARD - Feb 2025
PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025

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UK - The WEEE man, designed by Paul Bonomini, is a huge robotic figure made of scrap electrical and electronic equipment. It weighs 3.3 tonnes and stands seven metres tall - representing the average amount of electronic products every single one of us throws away over a lifetime. It was installed in April 2005 on London's South Bank.

Stage One Creative Services approached Tony Hall of Essential Lighting to provide lighting to the WEEE Man project. Under the direction of Paul Bonomini, Tony devised a system using eight SGM Palco 3 LED floodlights, to light the sculpture from around the base, with an additional unit being built into the sculpture as its "heart". The Palco floods were chosen specifically because of their IP65 rating, low power consumption required and the stunning array of colours produced.

Additional effects lighting was installed into the sculpture, i

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Germany - No, not the latest turn in the LED patent battle, but an arty installation designed by New York artist Steven Rand (represented in Germany by Schueppenhauer Gallery, Cologne). Rand's design, chosen in a competition to create a work for the façade of the European Patent Office in Munich, uses 81 of Color Kinetics' ColorBlast12 units, installed along the perimeter of the ceiling outside the building's main entrance, which measures approximately 154 by 54ft (47 by 16m) and 45ft (14m) high. The ColorBlast 12 units project saturated, coloured light across the ceiling's surface, and are precisely programmed to morph through a full spectrum of 16.7 million colours over the course of one year, changing imperceptibly every two seconds. In that one-year timeframe, no exact colour will appear twice. The entire light show will begin to repeat itself with each new year.

Rand says:

Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

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Germany - Laser show specialist Lobo presented itself again as the largest exhibitor in the laser show market at two recent major exhibitions recently - Pro Light&Sound in Frankfurt and PALME in Dubai. At these events, visitors could view the laser show 'The Circus' (originally produced for the 'Summernights' of the Holiday Park in Hassloch) every half hour. This show, along with the beam show 'Massive Impact', was honoured by the International Laser Display Association with the ILDA-Award 2004 'Best Beam Show'.

As technical innovations, Lobo presented the stand-alone version of the Zaphir laser moving head, which was introduced last year. Zaphir is based on the reliable, fast and precise Varyscan 7-series from JB-Lighting, and uses Lobo's fast and precise scanning systems, and high-grade optical systems, to produce high quality displays of graphics and even full-coverage 'Scanl

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Denmark - Nearly three tons of specialized lighting clamps and rigging equipment have been supplied to the new Copenhagen Opera House by Doughty Engineering of Ringwood, Hampshire, UK. The Opera House in Copenhagen is a gift to the country from the A. P. Moeller and Chastine Mc-Kinney Moeller Foundation (Maersk Mc-Kinney Moeller - the son of A. P. Moeller - is the owner of Maersk Airlines, shipping, containers, freight etc and is the richest person in Denmark.)

The building costs of the opera, which was handed over to the Danish people on 1 October 2004, are estimated to have been in the region of £300m. Doughty Engineering's Danish distributor, Highlight DK, say that the choice of Doughty product for the project was due to the purchasers giving the highest priority to safety and reliability than anything else. The equipment was specified by Soren Nylin, the technical consultan

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UK - Brähler ICS UK Limited, working with AV installation specialist Willow SoundVision, has completed the installation of a new integrated discussion and voting system in the main council chamber at Northampton Borough Council. To bring the chamber up to 21st century standards, Brähler supplied its standard microphone and electronic voting system, built around their reliable stalwart CDS-200 conference management system. The flexibility of the system is further enhanced by the power of Brähler's CDS-VAN virtual audio network, a DSP-based audio processing environment.

The DV200 delegate units incorporate voting buttons, microphone, ChipCard reader and loudspeaker for voice-raising, while the Chairman's unit includes a priority button for remote control of speaking rights. The units are portable and can easily be moved to various locations, depending on the layout of the room.

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UK - Now under new ownership, Unitek Displays has announced the release of its upgraded V Series LED screens - suitable for large-scale applications from concert touring to stadium banners.

The modular high-resolution LED screens - including the V5 (10mm pixel pitch), V9 (17.5mm) and V12 (25mm) - have been optimized by the introduction of Unitek's ONE processor, which can drive up to 768 x 576 pixel screens operating in native PAL, NTSC or SECAM. One features an infinitely variable Aspect Ratio Converter and programmable colour control, with unique motion/definition image enhancement feature.

"The beauty of this processor is that all the scan and aspect ratio conversion takes place in a single box," says electronics engineer, Alan Drake. Because the signal is only being processed once, the delay time from camera to screen is reduced to a single frame, or 40 milliseco

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Italy - Cult Italian television programme Zelig Circus broadcast on Canale 5, has been a phenomenal success with both public and critics. Today, 18 years after its formation as a cabaret venue in Milan, Zelig continues to seek out new talents in Italian comedy. Zelig 2005 is housed in the 3,500sq.m marquee theatre of Sesto San Giovanni.

Since last year's show, the set has been rebuilt from scratch: the theme is a port, with boats, piers, lifejackets, ropes and jetties, covering a stage of 150sq.m. To illuminate the set, a Clay Paky lighting system has been chosen (supplied by Xenon), which uses 20 Stage Color 1200s, 20 Stage Zooms 1200s and 16 Super Scan Zooms.

The scanners and moving body luminaires are placed geometrically on the truss system above the stage and auditorium, whilst other Stage Color and Stage Zoom appliances are placed on the ground for the lateral bea

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UK - London's Richmond Studios recorded the soundtrack of Kylie's spectacular Showgirl tour at Earls Court for the 7 May television broadcast on Channel 4 and subsequent DVD release. The tour, playing its last few days in the UK before heading to Australia, was recorded on 6 May by Richmond Studios' location recording team, headed by company founder Toby Alington, in one of Sanctuary's recording mobiles.

Blink TV was the television production company, with Russell Thomas directing. CTV provided vision facilities with Bill Morris as OB unit manager. CTV produced a 13-camera shoot, recording onto 15 digital VTRs with a 30ft Super Technocrane, various aerial camera systems and a crew of over 50 on site. The show is Richmond's second recording for Kylie within a year - the last being at Hammersmith Odeon with a one-off concert performed specially for TV and DVD. This run of s

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UK - Annual General Meetings are a legal requirement but, truthfully, can be dull, intimidating and best avoided. The Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA), however, is determined that its AGM and Members Lunch, which takes place on Tuesday 14 June 2005, will not be a wasted opportunity but rather a memorable day out for its members and guests. In response to membership feedback PLASA has planned an interactive and sociable member-focused event, with the late-morning AGM offering a chance to catch up on what PLASA has been doing over the past year.

Members will be welcomed at the unique setting of BAFTA's prestigious Headquarters in central London and it is anticipated that the business of the day will be over within an hour allowing time for members to ask questions of the executive committee, raise issues and take part in a debate about what matter most to them.

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USA - US production sound services provider and sound contractor Simon Productions recently completed the design and installation of two programmable DSP distributed audio systems in the Los Angeles area, using Allen & Heath's iDR Series. The two systems - which both incorporate 10-input/10-output iDR-8 digital mix processors, as well as PL-4 wallplate controllers - were installed at the luxury Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and UCLA's James West Alumni Centre in Westwood.

According to Simon Productions' Terry Stewart, the new audio set-up at the beachfront Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel replaced a traditional 70V ceiling system for background music. The Allen & Heath iDR-8 provides control and processing for a new digital jukebox that serves the public areas on the entrance level of the hotel. "What they wanted was a more high-end looking and sounding system, more hi-tech,

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UK - Sennheiser UK is exhibiting at the Museums and Heritage Show from 11-12 May at Earls Court, London. Sennheiser will feature a number of specialized audio products for the Museums and Heritage market, including AudioBeam loudspeakers, audio tourguide systems and infrared audio systems for hearing impaired people. Visitors to the stand can also receive information on Sennheiser Digital Conference systems and APart Mask loudspeakers - aesthetically discreet products that can provide audio for a single exhibit or combine to form a complete PA system.

Sennheiser AudioBeam is a directional loudspeaker that is able to focus sound like the light beam of a torch. Unlike conventional loudspeakers, which are only able to focus sound at high frequencies, AudioBeam emits sound as a lobe that can be precisely directed and is reflected by objects. AudioBeam works with ultra-sound, modulat

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UK - LTM- Lift-Turn-Move - has launched its second catalogue, featuring 32 pages of products, services and information. This follows LTM's recent move to larger premises, just seven months after it's inception.

LTM's John Jones says, "The first catalogue took eight days from start to print. I hoped the second catalogue would allow more time but we only had three weeks as we wanted to be ready for the Prolight & Sound exhibition. It was complicated by waiting to finalize the move with all the new address details."

The catalogue details LTM's core area of business - electric chain hoists - for which it's a European importer and distributor of the CM Lodestar. In addition to the Lodestar, LTM sells a wide variety of lifting products including the cost-effective Lodestar Direct Control motor - which operates with a power cable only, and the BGV-C1 units, which meets the

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UK - Mountview Theatre Academy, one of Britain's leading Drama Schools, recently used two Compulite Vector systems for its latest student productions Mountview's own Vector Blue for Godspell at Battersea Arts Centre and a hired in Vector Green for Nine in the Judi Dench Theatre at Mountview.

The systems were operated by students on Mountview's Technical Theatre course. The BA (Hons) Technical Theatre degree is a unique two-year fast-track degree, which provides students with the practical knowledge, theory and hands-on experience required in order to achieve a career in the theatre or entertainment industry. The course covers four main areas: Construction, Stage Management, Lighting/Sound and Design. In the second year, students choose a specialist area and then work on Mountview's many public performances. Productions are staged either in one of Mountview's two th

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UK - With four days notice, medical supplies company Cook turned to Trigger Concepts to design and install an inventive audio and visual solution for their exhibition stand and hospitality suite at the Charing Cross International Symposium 2005, creating a virtual representative to man their stand. With up to date technology including a holographic screen, and two of the world's largest plasma screens, with a viewing size of 84" a piece - sourced from trade AV rental specialist PSCo - virtual Cook led the way in exhibition technology.

The Symposium was held at Imperial College, London, with companies showcasing the latest in medical equipment. From the holographic screen, Cook was able to interact with guests in the exhibition on the ground floor, providing product information and inviting visitors to join them, from their hospitality suite on the fifth floor. The holograph

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Dubai/London - During the recent PALME show in Dubai, Le Maitre announced the appointment of Dubai based company Production Technology LLC (ProTec) as its distributor for the area.

ProTec, an event production and equipment rental company, has many years of experience within the industry. Le Maitre's Rick Wilson who attended the show said "The reason for the visit was primarily to expand our Pyrotechnics business and introduce 'Close Proximity' professional pyro to the UAE. We also wanted to introduce Special Effects to the area such as 'Fog Waterfalls' 'Stage Traps', 'Reveals' , together with non-toxic hazing techniques using sugar based fluids which do not congeal on lighting fittings and of course, introducing the massive hazing potential of the world acclaimed Stadium Hazer."

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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UK - The 27th ABTT Theatre Show (15-16 June 2005, Royal Horticultural Halls, London) will feature a record 130+ exhibiting companies, the organizers report. The show will also include a host of product launches and presents a broad cross-section of products and services designed for use in theatres and auditoria. Responding to the growth of integrated systems-led designs, ABTT 2005 delivers a convergence of technologies. From lighting systems and rigging, staging and high level access solutions, to sound, communications and broadcast solutions, ABTT embraces the entire technical spectrum, which includes the latest in seating and DDA solutions, say the organizers.

Among the new products on show, Euro Seating UK will showcase its new 'reproduction-style' chairs, which have been designed for traditional or English Heritage projects. Spanish seating manufacturer, Figueras, will show

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UK - Blackburn-based HSL has supplied the lighting rig for the long running Bill Kenwright UK touring production of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. This smash hit version is now in its second year and still selling out nationwide.

Nick Richings created the original lighting design for the show, however lighting operator Simon Deary, who has been with the show since its beginnings, is undertaking the re-lights.

"Working with HSL in this way is just like having a hire company on the tour" explains Deary, "Whatever we might need in terms of repairs, maintenance or spare parts is dealt with quickly and efficiently - mostly within 24 hours. I can't emphasize how vital that is to a show like this - every piece of kit is worked really hard."

The rig is spread across approximately five LX bars at each venue. LX Bar 1 has three Martin MAC 2Ks

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UK - Color Kinetics Inc has been issued with two new US patents relating in part to LED-based illumination systems designed to generate colour changing effects in enclosures, and to the use of LED-based light sources to convey information about temperature changes of a device. US Patent number 6,888,322 (issued 3 May), is directed to a colour-changing enclosure where illumination is provided by multicolour LED-based sources. The colour-changing device could form part of a neon replacement system, tile light, consumer product, computer, peripheral or accessory, for example.

US Patent number 6,883,929 (issued 26 April), is directed to generating power for LED-based light sources based on a thermoelectric process called the Seebeck Effect, which allows a temperature differential to generate electricity. For example, the invention may be used in a stove where the temperature of the

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USA - Artists often identify some pretty creative uses for their favourite audio gear. Once found, the ideal combination of equipment that delivers "just the right sound," is like a custom fit in an off-the-rack world, and very difficult to live without.

This is exactly what Stephen Jay, bass player for Weird Al Yankovic, has found in his trusted and well-used Mackie SR1530 Active loudspeakers. For years, he's been using them as his primary bass rig for live shows.

"My bass set-up consists of four Mackie SR1530's, a Mackie 1202 VLZ-Pro mixer, and a Mackie CFX•12 mixer," commented Jay. "The great thing about using the SR1530's is that when I want to get deeper into the groove, I run a little kick and snare through them to punch up their overall impact. And the 1530's allow me to do this without losing any of the original tone of my bass. This would

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Italy - First opened in 1961 to celebrate the centenary of the Unification of Italy, Turin's Palavela has recently come to new life after extensive renovation works, in time to host the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games. Designed by Gae Aulenti and Arnaldo De Bernardi to host the figure skating and short track speed skating events, the Palazzo del Ghiaccio (Ice Palace) has turned out to be the first of a series of major Olympic construction projects to be completed in Turin: the complete renovation of this historic building has produced a truly magnificent architectural and technological gem, at a total cost of 35 million Euros. The prestigious venue was deservedly inaugurated in style with a spectacular opening ceremony, followed by the European Short Track and Figure Skating Championships.

Coemar, as always, played its part in the success of the event with a lighting rig supplie

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USA - San Diego's largest and highest profile nightclub, the On Broadway Event Centre, has installed an Allen & Heath Xone:92 professional DJ mixer in the main DJ booth. Located in the city's downtown area, On Broadway occupies two levels of a historic bank building, and features five themed rooms with a total capacity of nearly 2000, regularly featuring top international DJs such as Paul van Dyk, Deep Dish, Tiesto and Darude.

According to Tim Walter, who was recently appointed director of sound and lighting, the upgrade to an Allen & Heath Xone:92 DJ mixer is just the latest step in an ongoing mission to restructure the venue's sound system for maximum performance and clarity. On Broadway, the shining star of owner Mike Viscuso's string of Southern California clubs and restaurants, catapulted San Diego onto the international DJ circuit when it opened six years ago and helped re

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UK - The UK festival season accelerated into action this weekend, kick-started by Radio 1's Big Weekend in Sunderland. Star Events Group was contracted to supply the staging structures for the event, including a Vertech 20m x 15m ground support and stage in the main arena and a smaller Vertech stage of 12.5m x 12.5m in Arena 2.

In addition, Star Vertech also supplied 130sq.m of raised technical and production space at the rear/side of the main stage, wheelchair user and front-of-house platforms for both arenas, together with ramp and stair access to all raised areas. The main stage showcased some of the world's biggest acts including The Foo Fighters, Athlete, Basement Jaxx and Jamiroquai. Meanwhile in Arena 2 the crowds were treated to performances from some of the up and coming acts of the moment as introduced by Radio 1's Zane Lowe.

Steve Hill (production manager, Stage 2)

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UKEmbrace, currently touring on both sides of the Atlantic, is the latest UK band to endorse Audio-Technica microphones for live sound. On stage, the band has a complete A-T back-line and vocal mic array.

Completing a series of dates across Canada and the US with Snow Patrol, the band return for a number of UK dates, including a sell-out two nights at Leeds' Millennium Square, before returning to the States throughout June and July for their first headline US tour. The band's FOH engineer, Mark Jones, approached Audio-Technica at the beginning of the year with a view to extending the kind of performance he had experienced using AT4050s on overheads and guitar cabs, across the entire sound mix.

"I approached A-T, principally about the vocal mics," he explains. "We wanted something that was very smooth-sounding, but we've got a singer who walks in front of the PA,

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Lebanon - Martin Professional Middle East (MPME) has added a landmark to the city dubbed the 'Paris of the Middle East'. With the collaboration and execution of MPME distributor LightBox, shades of coloured light from Martin Architectural Exterior 200 colour changers have put the final touches to one of Lebanon's natural attractions - the Downtown Garden - a place where one can enjoy a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city.

Situated between the Mediterranean and the foothills of Mount Lebanon, Beirut sits on a promontory that juts out into the sea, halfway up Lebanon's coast. The newly reconstructed Downtown district around the Grand Serail and Place d'Etoile is the city's financial and retail centre. Here, new boutiques, restaurants, cafés, and gift stores are springing up. And because Lebanese are night people, these new retail spaces often stay o

  1. Projecting down under for Royal Mail
  2. black light at Historic Town Hall
  3. Strictly Dance Fever for dbx
  4. Tomcat's Wicked in the Windy City
  5. Showlight: one week to go
  6. Hawthorn Boogie Woogie
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Astera - Large MPU - June 2025
Sennheiser - MPU - June 2025

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