USA - The Grinnell Water Works building in Charlotte, North Carolina was the scene of one of the city's biggest recent mega-bashes, a Players Ball hosted by national recording artist Calvin Richardson and Vintage Productions. LEDs, moving lights and other special effects from American DJ and Elation Professional were instrumental in setting a partying mood, according to lighting designer Jack Kelly of Eye Dialogue Lighting and Sound.

"The biggest visual challenge," said Kelly, "was to 'orient the party', which encompassed two separate spaces - a VIP area in the building's foyer, and a large tent for general admission guests." With each space having its own entrance, there were four lighting zones: VIP, VIP entrance, GA, and GA entrance.

"The easiest way to orient a room is to frame the entertainment and the bar, the two most valued gathering points at

UK - The seventh annual A.C. Lighting North event in Leeds last week (1-2 May) saw the biggest increase in attendance levels since the event began - attracting over 30% more visitors than last year.

Owing to a construction delay with the new bigger Royal Armouries Saviles Hall, the event took place in its original location - a move which proved conclusively that the show has now outgrown the venue and will need the extra capacity to cope with predicted attendance levels in 2008.

The event provided a showcase of over 70 leading brands for buyers in the Midlands, North of England and Scotland, and also served as a platform for many exhibitors to unveil their new products to a UK audience for the first time this year.

This year's seminar highlights included unique talks from leading lighting designers Bernie Davis and Andy Doig, PSA general manager Andy Lenthall, and Barco crea

Sweden - W-DMX Generation 3 BlackBox units, manufactured by Wireless Solution Sweden, will be used to send wireless DMX signal to moving trusses and other equipment during the Eurovision Song Contest, staged in Helsinki this month.

W-DMX will control a total of six universes of DMX, including moving trusses containing Syncrolite B-52s and moving lights. It is also being used on a 120cm large prism mirror ball suspended from the ceiling, custom assembled mobile fog machines, and a Cyberhoist-rigged Fogscreen that descends from above the stage during the interval act.

The new W-DMX Generation 3 BlackBox has a high power radio output with up to 375mW and uses AFHSS and TDMA to avoid interference - even in a television broadcast environment loaded with 24 cameras and a hostile radio signal atmosphere.

(Jim Evans)

USA - Florida-based Chauvet has entered into a licensing agreement with Color Kinetics Incorporated whereby Chauvet has access to Color Kinetics' complete worldwide patent portfolio.

Chauvet CEO Albert Chauvet said, "Because we have invested heavily in LED technology and because we strongly believe that it is the way of the future, we took a pro-active stance in approaching Color Kinetics and seeking access to their patent portfolio. "We are thrilled that we were able to come to an agreement that will help us consolidate our position as a forward-thinking, groundbreaking company while still allowing us to offer the value that we are known for."

"Color Kinetics is committed to enabling the intelligent LED Lighting market by granting access to the IP we've funded and developed for over ten years," said Bill Sims, president and CEO, Color Kinetics. "

UK - Zero 88 Lighting is being used extensively within the UK TV production sector, reports the company. Zero 88 distributor Flashlight continues to supply a range of control products to a number of production companies. The largest is 3 Sixty Media, the company formed by BBC Resources, Yorkshire Television and Granada Television.

The current filming schedule at Granada's studios includes the remake of hit wartime sitcom Allo Allo in Studio 12 which is controlled by an Illusion 500.

Provision is the TV and Camera rental division of Granada, providing all OB facilities for 3 Sixty Media. Based in Leeds at Yorkshire TV, current shows being serviced include Heartbeat and The Chase, which are both controlled on their own Illusion 500 with dimming being provided by Betapacks.

Stewart Grant, operations manager of the newly opened Manchester branch of Provision

UK - Gearhouse Broadcast has invested in a comprehensive Optocore fibre solution from UK distributors Marquee Audio, for use with their Yamaha M7CL consoles on the current ATP Tennis Masters Series.

The company had been seeking a fibre system for audio distribution and freelance sound engineer Steve Ayres was asked by Gearhouse Broadcast's group technical director, Kevin Moorhouse, to investigate the options. "We always listen to the engineers we use, as in the end they have to physically use the kit on site," said Moorhouse. "We already had the M7CL desks - so this was a good solution."

Moorhouse arranged for Marquee Audio to lay on a full Optocore demonstration at the Gearhouse warehouse to ascertain "whether the product would actually deliver the solution we required."

Marquee Audio recommended five Optocore DD32E Digital I/O units as the cor

UK - Stage Electrics training has recently become accredited to IPAF and PASMA, boosting the number of courses the company is able to offer.

IPAF's training objective is "to promote the use of safe working practices in the operation of mobile elevating and mast climbing work platforms and thereby make a positive contribution to the prevention of accidents".

In the early 1980s, PASMA devised a training course for users of alloy towers, now universally acknowledged as the industry standard, and so commenced a long history of skills training to make the use of access towers as safe as possible by producing many thousands of competent users.

The current Stage Electrics training programme now includes accredited courses, PASMA Mobile Access Tower training and IPAF Mobile Elevated Work Platform training (MEWP). The courses are a mixture of theory and hands on practical e

USA - USA - Bandit Lites is once again working with ZZ Top - this time on the band's 2007 tour. Lighting designer Chris Stuba collaborated with ZZ Top's tour manager Pablo Gamboa, production manager Donny Stewart and Bandit vice president Michael Golden to ensure that the design coordinated with the band's image as well as the music itself.

Stuba chose Martin MAC 2000 washes, VL 3000 spots, VL 1000 AI, PixelRange Pixelines, Color KInetics Color Blasts and I-Colors, Martin Atomic Strobes and PAR 64s to light this show. Control is via one GrandMA and one GrandMA lite (Backup). XL Video is supplying the soft LED drape and interface.

"The pre-production of this tour began when I was out as the LD for Bob Seger, so on days off I designed the ZZ Top tour on WYSIWYG," says Stuba. "Troy Eckerman programmed the show on ESP."

(Jim Evans)

UK - 5 Star Cases recently supplied Alconbury based Elstree Light & Power (ELP) with a series of specialist cases, complete with transparent access flap doors to house their new range of power distro systems.

The brief was to provide a splash-proof case for two different types of distro units - allowing the systems to be used indoors or outdoors. The cases also featured a number of other new options.

The design, completed by 5 Star's Andy Stockdale to a spec by ELP's Ronan Willson, included the hinged access flaps to coincide with the location of specific sets of connectors. A hinged access flap was also provided for the main control panel consisting of MCB's, mains switches and neon indicators. These were machined from toughened clear acrylic sheet enabling all the functions to be clearly seen and checked without opening the flap.

Stockdale, head of 3D software at 5 Star, u

Eire - Irish distributor Sound Communications has installed a Telex RTS Cronus DSP matrix communications system into Dublin's National Concert Hall, the country's leading classical and contemporary music venue, to coordinate productions taking place in the venue. This is the first installation of a Cronus DSP matrix system into a concert hall environment.

The new Cronus matrix system replaces the venue's former simple loop system and walkie talkies with a communications system which integrates the existing public address system with a building-wide wired and wireless communications system, allowing the stage manager to communicate with anyone in the building.

Working to a brief provided by Paul Kohlmann, chief engineer at the concert hall, Alan Murphy of Sound Communications, Telex's Irish theatre and live sound distributor and Adrian Richmond, sales engineer at Telex Communic

UK In North London, one new nightclub has been created out of two old ones: the Volt Club has opened in Edmonton following a comprehensive refurbishment of premises and the installation of an all-new Electro-Voice dancefloor sound system.

Built over two floors, the Volt Club is owned by Volt Productions, a company which already runs a successful nightclub operation in Uganda. Taking over two former club venues, Volt has fully refurbished and soundproofed the space, addressing the problems of noise leakage that were causing complaints from residential neighbours. Walls, ceiling and floors have been acoustically treated; even the fire exits are now connected to the club's sound system, so that if anyone opens a door, the music immediately shuts off.

For the Volt Club's main dancefloor, a powerful Electro-Voice Rx system has been specified and installed by club sound engineer Muh

UK - As the ABTT Theatre Show draws closer (13-14 June, Royal Horticultural Halls, London), the Association of British Theatre Technicians reports that current pre registrations are indicating another record attendance and that again over 100 exhibitors will showcase a spectrum of technical solutions for everyone involved with housing and presenting the performing arts.

Amongst the many innovations on display will be the new power hoist from Unusual Rigging - The Revolution which is a flexible and efficient winch solution presented within a standard 52cm x 52 cm truss and travels in conventional roadboxes. It has single or multiple use within truss runs with either single or double wires on each winch.

Mayr Transmissions is exhibiting two new designs and three additions to existing designs within the ROBA stop range of fail-safe brakes for theatre and stage equipment /winches.

UK - The annual competition to select who will represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contestant, Making your mind up, was broadcast live from the BBC's Maidstone Studios with all the fanfare and lighting extravaganza of Eurovision itself. With a line up of accomplished artists from groups like; The Darkness, East 17, Atomic Kitten and Big Brovaz, the show had the smell and feel of the big time.

Lighting designer Roger Williams set out to differentiate this year's live broadcast from past shows by moving away from a studio feel and creating a much bigger 'arena experience'. Set in larger studios with weaving catwalks and an impressive but concealed lighting rig of over 90 Martin moving lamps, he achieved just this.

Joining at the concept stage, Williams was also able to integrate lighting directly into the set design and worked with Essential to include over 60

UK - PSL's expanding music division, further strengthened by the addition of Tim Stefiuk, has been servicing a number of high-profile tours this year, ranging from the chart-topping pop-rock of Razorlight to the frenetic rave environment of Slammin' Vinyl.

The ever-popular Pet Shop Boys are touring the UK and Europe, playing selected venues and the plum festival dates. Show designer Es Devlin's versatile screens, which allow dancers to perform inside them, act as the building blocks of a projection system which moves around, stretching from 4m to the full width of the stage. PSL has put its latest-model highly portable Barco projectors onto this show.

New indie band sensation The Fratellis are touring the UK with PSL projectors and screens, which can also be seen at this summer's big festivals, such as WOMAD, Rock Ness and Glastonbury.

For the second year running, PSL has su

UK - The Flashlight/APR Group is handling the production on not one, but three Holiday On Ice world tours simultaneously.

Starting in 2005, the Peter Pan On Ice tour first travelled through Europe and South America before doing a second season in Spain. This show, aimed mainly at a younger market, was a relatively straightforward theatre show.

Flashlight/APR then moved on to Bugs Bunny On Ice - a new spectacle for kids, created around a number of Warner Brothers comic personalities, and receiving its world premiére in France. Because of the complexity of the show Flashlight/APR opted for a Digidesign Venue digital mixing environment (with D-Show console) as it would interface directly with Pro Tools and was easy to use. Another important factor was the ease of console set-up and the repeatability of a show which is still touring today.

At the sam

Croatia - Lisinski Hall, Zagreb's world-renowned concert hall and home to the equally well-respected Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, recently upgraded its sound system to reflect the orchestra's ambition to evolve its performances and reputation in the world of classical music.

The HiQnet system, featuring 14 JBL Professional Vertec VT4888DP-CN, six Vertec VT4882DP-CN and four VP Series VP7315DP-CN loudspeakers powered by six JBL DP Series DrivePacks and 19 Crown Cts Series amplifiers, is controlled by five BSS Soundweb London DSP processors and connected by Harman Pro Group HiQnet on one cohesive network.

Microphone requirements for the 1850-seat concert hall are handled by HiQnet-compatible AKG WMS 4000 Series wireless system with 18 wireless handheld and lavalier microphones. Orchestra monitoring is provided by stage-level JBL Professional Control 300 and Control Contractor

Slovenia - MK Light Sound in Slovenia supplied Anolis LED fixtures to illuminate the Vecronia booth at the Flora Fair exhibition in Celje, Slovenia. The massive annual show held at the Celjski Sejem features everything for home and garden, and this year attracted nearly 30,000 visitors over three days.

Vecronia are specialists in garden architecture. Their philosophy is that a garden is an extension of the house - effectively another room - and should contain a fusion of natural elements and high technology.Each year, in conjunction with the NBO group of companies (Nova Bivalna Okolja - New Living Spaces), they present many innovative and exciting ideas in the field of garden architecture.

Vecronia has worked with MK Light Sound (Anolis's Slovenian distributor) on several previous lighting projects. When MK recently showed them the Anolis range, the Vecronia design team realis

UK - Geoff Buckley has invested in a new Avolites Pearl Expert console, which had its first outing on the recent James UK tour. This saw the original band, headed by front man Tim Booth, perform live for the first time in nearly six years - to great critical and popular acclaim.

Buckley has worked for the band for the last 18 years. They hit the road again after a substantial break, with a new album due out later in the year. These initial gigs were to test the water and interest in their loyal fan-base, which has very much proved to be still bubbling for them even after this substantial break.

Buckley has owned Avolites desks for some years and has always been a fan of the brand, and particularly a Pearl fan, right from the outset. When this came up, and he was asked onboard, he seized it as a great opportunity to test out the new Pearl Expert console. "It was the perfec

Germany - The BoneyM musical Daddy Cool opened at London's Shaftesbury Theatre last September, with a lighting rig supplied by White Light. Now the show has moved to Europe, opening in late April in a EuropArena 70m diameter touring theatre tent in Berlin, the start of what is hoped will be a long, world tour. The tour has lighting designed by Rob Halliday, with equipment once again supplied by White Light, working with German supplier Racks & Stacks.

"When the show closed at the Shaftesbury, there was talk about the whole rig moving to Berlin," notes White Light's hire director, Dave Isherwood. "Ultimately that didn't happen because the rig design was changed to suit the much larger venue. However, Rob was keen to continue to keep some core elements of the rig from London, particularly the VL3000 and VL3500 spotlights, the DHA Digital Light Curtains and th

USA - Nexxus Lighting has signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire Advanced Lighting Systems, Inc based in Sauk Center, Minnesota. The transaction is scheduled to close on or before 31 July, 2007, subject to satisfactory completion of a due diligence review, approval of Nexxus' board of directors and other customary closing conditions.

"Advanced Lighting Systems is an excellent strategic fit with Nexxus Lighting, not only in terms of LED lighting/fibre optic products, but also with respect to technology and market coverage," stated Mike Bauer, president and CEO of Nexxus Lighting. "They have an excellent team of people and our strategy is to provide ALS the infrastructure and resources to help them flourish as a brand and accelerate new product development.

"Paul Streitz, the President of Advanced Lighting Systems, brings over 15 years of experience

UK - Bloc Party's recent UK tour featured a Radical Lighting RADlite NG1 digital media server, operated by lighting designer Dom Smith. The RADlite was driving five 4m high columns of Element Labs VersaTILES (18 panels in total) which were attached to the front of five upright trussing sections standing on the floor. These were arranged in a gently curving semi circle mimicking the lines of the rear truss overhead.

The aesthetic idea behind these were that they would create a monolithic tower block feel to the stage - reflecting the slightly perturbed and harsher urban ambience of the new album A Weekend In The City. He also intended this architecture to physically enclose the band within their performance area onstage.

Smith specified the RADlite because he wanted a video element to the show and he thought the towers should come to life, and play a multiple role in the

India - The second PALME India integrated entertainment technology show promises to grow by as much as 25% under the weight of the sub-continent's fast-developing infrastructure, according to the promoters.

Inaugurated last year as PALA India, this year's exhibition (4-6 October, Bombay Exhibition Centre) will be spread over 3,000sq.m of exhibition space and is expected to feature around 200 brands distributed across 115 stands.

This is the target for exhibition manager James Raffoul, who has been taken on by IIR Exhibitions to maximise PALME India's potential. Having previously worked on high-profile exhibitions for Brintex and Emap, Raffoul says he couldn't resist the challenge to consolidate an incipient event in such a fast-emerging market.

"The fact that last year the show attracted 120 exhibiting companies spread over 75 stands, with 2,500 visitors attending, indi

UK - Martin Audio AQ series speakers provided an elegant sound solution for Leamington Sight & Sound recently when they became involved in the conversion of a former fire station in Coventry to a chic bar/bistro and live entertainment venue.

The Old Fire Station in Coventry's new Millennium Quarter was purchased by local entrepreneur Brian Mills of Phoenix Bars, and turned into Escape. To carry out the transfiguration he enlisted MA Design to build the interior character. LSS's Ian Potter saw the opportunity to work within the design and divide the single-floor venue into three separate sound zones, covering the live and dance area, the bar and the reception/front of house.

Potter specified four flown AQ12's and a pair of ground-stacked AQ212's for the main dancefloor, with six AQ10's and a pair of AQ112's covering the peripheral areas - all processed using two of the dedicate

UK - Projected Image Digital (PID) has supplied, commissioned, programmed and created custom content for an Element Labs VersaPixel light ceiling installation at the new-build G Casino in Luton. This features 2,800 45mm round Versa Pixels.

This project once again saw close collaboration between the PID team, Paula Reason and Desmond Harte of London-based designers Cadmium Design and Grosvenor Casino's Senior Project Manager, Paul Taylor.

It follows a similar installation in Manchester last year. Here, Cadmium's first LED ceiling above the main bar area proved so popular with clients and staff and to be such a great atmosphere enhancer, that the concept has now become a design feature of operator Grosvenor's new 'G' brand. G Casinos present a stylishly designed modern environment, aimed at attracting a younger demographic.

Cadmium's Paula Reason explains that their brief was

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