UK - Litestructures Studios provided world tour support services during April, for Kylie Minogue. Approached by production manager Kevin Hopgood, the studio catered for Kylie's team who stayed 22 days for full rehearsals in preparation for her Kylie X2008 world tour which kicked off last week in Paris.

While rehearsing, Kylie's creative crew made various set changes and Litestructures were able to support these. Working in conjunction with Creative director William Becker, Litestructures facilitated many new elements, including an 8'x 8' cube frame feature, powder coated in black which would be used by the acrobatic dancers on stage.

Having manufacturing facilities onsite was again an invaluable resource, both for new ideas and for improvement of existing touring equipment, says the company.

(Jim Evans)

UK - St Patrick's Day saw 300 die-hard Hard-Fi fans and their guests flock to South East London's SEOne club to enjoy the sound of their favourite band - reproduced through a KV2 Audio VHD System.

The Virgin Media event, organised for Virgin Radio competition winners, was recorded for playback at a later date on the radio station as well as a Virgin Radio web download feature, so the sound at the event was high priority.

As an underground city club, SEOne Club's house system is set up for its market with a DJ-ready sound system, and so a full live-capable system was supplied for the event. Hard-Fi's sound engineer, Sam Parker - also known for his continuing work with Groove Armada - called upon East London-based Headtec to ensure high quality sound for the event as well as a speedy and professional set up.

Headtec's Mark Hornsby - who has a long association with Parker - tri

UK - Midas and Klark Teknik have appointed Rightway Audio as their exclusive Chinese distributor.

With headquarters on the Chinese mainland in Guangzhou as well as branches in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, Rightway has represented Klark Teknik's Square ONE range since its launch in 1996, selling more units into China than any other territory. The company also has the distinction of selling four XL8s into the Chinese market, as well as having purchased a demonstration model.

"This is wonderful for us," says Rightway sales manager Alan Wong. "The Chinese market is well aware that Midas and KT are big names, and as the new sole distributor we are very proud to represent these brands in China. We are looking to expand Midas and Klark Teknik right across the board, through live sound, theatre and broadcast."

Adds Midas and Klark Teknik sales and marketing

UK - The Academy Music Group has opened its newest live music and club venue in Sheffield in the UK, at a cost of £3.5 million. Although AMG has a chain of live clubs around the country, this is the first one that has been equipped with Nexo, thanks to Adlib Audio, the Liverpool-based touring and installation company.

Sheffield is one of those British cities that boasts a vibrant local music scene, and has produced some of the finest bands in the country, including Def Leppard, Joe Cocker, The Human League, Pulp and lately The Arctic Monkeys. Building on that tradition, AMG has created its new Carling Academy venue out of an old purpose-built ballroom which had been used as a discotheque before falling into disrepair for several years.

In fact, there are two venues here; the main stage has a capacity for 1800, while Academy 2 is another production-complete space for arou

China - The National Centre for the Performing Art in Beijing, more commonly known as the National Grand Theatre, is one of the more futuristic theatres in the world; the icon and symbol of the new China.

The theatre was designed by the French architect Paul Andreu and was officially inaugurated in December 2007; it cost a remarkable $357,000,000, it covers an area of 200,000sq.m and can seat up to 6,500 spectators. Its most distinctive feature is the imposing titanium and glass structure, shaped like an egg, which is entirely surrounded by an artificial lake that reflects the whole facility.

The only entrance to the structure is through a tunnel that runs below water level. The interior has been divided into three main sectors: the Opera Hall, the Music Hall and the Theatre Hall.

The lighting system is Clay Paky-based, including 98 Alpha Profile 1200, 90 Alpha Wash 1200 and

USA Wybron has announced that effective immediately, TMB is the exclusive distributor for Wybron product in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Quotations and purchase requests will be handled by TMB's offices - primarily in Los Angeles, with support from the London and Beijing offices.

"TMB has built a strong presence in Asia and the Pacific Rim. I'm thrilled that we can work with them to expand both our businesses there," says Dusty D. Hudgins, sales manager for Wybron. "We've worked with TMB for a long time, I'm confident they will help our customers, and provide that unique TMB service."

TMB sales manager, Lisa Curran adds: "Dealers will benefit from the innovation and quality of Wybron products, combined with our commitment to fast and friendly service. Together we will accomplish great things in these rapidly growing markets."

Wybron has had

UK - Christie has again been selected as the projection supplier for the digital screenings at the 61st Cannes Film Festival which started this week.

Last year Christie provided XDC, the festival's official D-Cinema partner and CST, the representative organisation of cinema professionals in France responsible for the technical operation of Cannes, with 2K DLP Cinema digital cinema projectors. Helping the festival to screen a wide variety of digital titles and, supplying digital screening solutions to over 16 auditoriums at the festival.

This year that support extends to 18 auditoria and the review of digital material prior to screening, with more than half of the auditoria fitted with Christie 2K DLP Cinema projection. While XDC will implement it's new Cinestore Solo G3 server in the auditoria and a number of Doremi DCP-2000 servers.

"Cannes is probably the most recogni

Switzerland - A Klotz Digital Varizone public address system has been selected for the new business and event centre of the five-star Grand Hotel Bad Ragaz in Switzerland.

The historic Kursaal, which is the event area in the hotel complex, has been modified under the imposed conditions of a historically listed building. A Varizone system was chosen, as it meets the challenges of audio in a facility with scalable rooms whereby the rooms can be scaled down as conference and meeting rooms or alternatively as a large event area for lectures and concerts.

The network - including the Varizone system - is controlled via a Crestron Control Panel. Additionally a Klotz Digital Decennium mixing console is bound into the system as soundboard to be used during live events. AV Ganz AG was responsible for project management, planning and installation. Product supply was by FG-Elektronik.

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UK - Hawthorns have recently made a major investment in Barco's range of products. The first decision was the purchase of Barco's FLM range of HD 3cip DLP projectors, followed by Barco's Encore system.

Hawthorns has invested over £300,000 in HD DLP projectors and HD signal processing to allow them to cope with the ever increasing demands of their corporate clients who require increasingly high specifications and levels of high definition.

The projectors were given their inaugural run on Hawthorn's G4S event working for the Concerto Group, where Hawthorn's project manager, Oliver Moores, commented: "Using the projectors with the processor makes life so much easier out on site. The set up was a dream and being able to blend two screens that quickly meant we had more time for rehearsal and the event ran seamlessly."

(Jim Evans)

USA - Nexxus Lighting has announced financial results for the quarter ending March 31, 2008.

Commercial Lighting revenue increased 60% over first quarter 2007. Total revenues for the three months ended 31 March 2008 were approximately $3,019,000 as compared to approximately $2,407,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2007, an increase of approximately $612,000 or 25%. This increase was driven by the September 2007 acquisition of Advanced Lighting Systems ((ALS), which serves the commercial and entertainment lighting market, and by a 31% increase in revenue from Pool and Spa sales, offset by lower International sales compared to the same period in 2007. This is a 14% increase in revenue over the fourth quarter of 2007, and the fifth consecutive quarter of increased quarter over quarter revenue as the company begins to see the benefits of its acquisition and product developmen

Singapore - The Singapore Fashion Festival is one of the biggest and most important fashion events in Asia. Featuring designers, retailers, models and fashion-obsessed members of the public, the festival introduces the latest styles, trends and fashions from around the world. The event took part along the Orchard Road in front of the Ngee Ann City shopping mall. Lighting designer Javier Tan and programmer Fares Aljunied combined their talents for the show which they controlled with a grandMA full-size.

"I have been using other consoles for quite a while and I was looking for a new challenge," explained Tan, "I am very pleased with the grandMA. Despite being relatively new to the board it is already obvious to me that the grandMA is very powerful and gives plenty of options unheard of in other consoles. It's also very user-friendly."

Having designed the show

UK - Ushering in the busy summer season, Radio 1's Big Weekend held on 10 May 10 in Maidstone, Kent, saw Litestructures commissioned to manufacture two custom rolling base units plus one static display, all featuring the American R&B star, Usher.

The bases each carry 5m tall signboards. The centrepiece, set in a plywood frame on an aluminium pylon carried the letters 'USHER', lit by LED's and fronted in perspex. The flanking arrow signboards were made in folding aluminium plate, fringed with casino-style lightbulbs. These arrows were also underlit from a perspex lightbox housing high-power strip lights. One of the arrows also carried an apex feature in the form of a laser-cut plate with surrounding neon flex.

In other news: 2006 X-Factor winner Shayne Ward, is not the first of impresario Louis Walsh's protégés to rig out and rehearse at Litestructures. Regular cl

UK - ChamSys has confirmed its affiliation with Production Resource Group Distribution (PRG Distribution) for the USA, Canada and Japan.

"ChamSys is the perfect partner to begin our journey down the distribution path," said Tim Brennan, VP of PRG. "Control is an area of the North American market that is demanding a product of the quality of the MagicQ Pro. It is truly cutting-edge in its fixture morphing/cloning and in its media features like the media wing and pixel-mapping. And, above all, it is familiar to the programmers and cost effective."

Building on the success of the highly regarded MagicQ consoles, ChamSys has launched its second generation of consoles, the MagicQ Pro series. The Pro series is designed to appeal to the professional power programmer and operator, with added connectivity, flexibility and durability. The MagicQ Pro was launched at PL

USA - This year's Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour showcased three prominent J-Rock bands in more than 40 cities. The traveling show brought Japanese rockers MUCC (pronounced "mukku"), D'espairsRay, and The Underneath to its stage along with a multi-artist lineup including Avenged Sevenfold, Bless the Fall, and Bullet for My Valentine.

Using ULX wireless guitar systems, PSM700 in-ear monitoring, and a wide range of microphones including a contingent of SM58s provided by Shure, the J-Rock bands performed with distinct styles both traditional and modern, drawing inspiration freely from J-pop, rock, electro, folk, death metal, salsa, tango, country, and hip hop.

"Given Shure's premium quality, we knew we could depend upon obtaining clear, accurate reproduction," said Taste of Chaos promoter Kevin Lyman, a man also known to many as the creator of the Warp

India - QSC Audio has entered the world of glamour and retail in Southern India following a successful installation in a Gold Shopping Mall in Chennai.

Bangalore-based MRH Digital Systems, the QSC Audio distributors, says that this is part of an attempt by the operators to connect with the younger generation. "They are finding that quality, hip and trendy music is winning over the traditional pipe background music," says the company's Poncho Gopinadhan.

"In this instance they were launching a new range of jewellery for youngsters and wanted the music in their showroom to be in keeping with their new offering and target group. Their specifications were clarity of sound and subtlety - a set up that will allow their customers to enjoy the ambient music and at the same time enable them to converse without having to scream." One of the conditions of the contract

Spain -The Hotel Opera Valencia has invested in D.A.S. Audio sound systems, installing them in the main areas of the establishment. The hotel is located in a contemporary building positioned above a water spring and enjoys a strategic position in the city adjacent to The City of Arts and Sciences.

The installation project, carried out by Telesonic Valencia, S.L., recommended the installation of the new D.A.S. Artec systems for the lounge area adjoining the bar. Four Artec 8W systems, white in colour, have been installed. These modern systems offer wide frequency range and high sound pressure level with a clean and elegant design that integrates perfectly in various environments such as hotels, restaurants or convention halls, says the manufacturer. Every afternoon this area is remodeled into a chill out zone where customers enjoy a varied selection of music in a relaxed and plea

The Netherlands - Benelux Electro-Voice distributors E-Audio Benelux recently worked with HM Entertainment to install several NetMax-controlled EV sound systems at the De Ducdalf leisure centre in Espel, a town built on land reclaimed from the sea only a century ago.

The main hall at the venue features EV QRx212 and Xsubs for the main FOH system, with new ZXA5 powered speakers for delays. The bar features ZX1 speakers, all controlled via a NetMax N8000 system via a single touch screen, De Ducdalf staff can now easily handle switching and adjustments for every room in the entire facility.

Axel J.E. Nagtegaal, MD, E-Audio Benelux, commented: "De Ducdalf owners Henk Jan de Raat and Pieter de Raat were very enthuisiastic about the Electro-Voice solution, upgrading their facility with equipment that has proven itself to be the high quality audio standard."

(Jim Evans)

Australia - Staging Connections once again linked up with Amway to stage and deliver one of Melbourne's largest incentive-based business events held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) during April 2008.

The Amway China Leadership Seminar Program saw approximately 7,000 delegates visit Melbourne during April in four groups. During their visit, each group attended the business sessions with technical production and project management by Staging Connections and Gala Dinners produced by Peter Jones Special Events.

Amway opted for Staging Connections' services when it chose Melbourne to stage one of its largest incentives outside of China and Hong Kong. According to Ben Ashton, chief operating officer of Staging Connections: "To deliver the required visual impact for the business sessions, Staging Connections constructed the largest front projection scree

UK - Theatre sound specialist Orbital is offering venues an easily achievable solution to monitor their production's noise output in line with the Noise at Work Act, which became law on 6 April 2008.

Orbital's new risk assessment program offers theatre management a reliable means to calculate its average weekly sound levels in a theatre venue as this new legislation demands. And provides realistic solutions to help to reduce the output if it exceeds the weekly recommended noise barrier.Providing a complete solution for all theatrical employers with front or rear of house employees, Orbital is offering specially designed and easy to use sound measuring equipment that will help assess noise output in any venue. Consisting of small dosemeters that clip discreetly onto employees working in specific areas; they are activated simply via a keyfob.

For a typical production, five to te

UK - Having attained Certified partner status only a matter of weeks ago, software provider Stardraw.com has announced that it has now attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program with a competency in Independent Software Vendor (ISV)/Software Solutions.

"We have had a strategic relationship with Microsoft for many years and have used Microsoft technologies since the launch of the first Stardraw application in 1992," said David Snipp, CEO of Stardraw.com. "We are extremely pleased to have attained Gold Certified Partner level in the Microsoft Partner Program now. This allows us to clearly promote our expertise and relationship with Microsoft to our customers, not least because of the requirements of the Microsoft Partner Program."

(Jim Evans)

UK - Currently on tour in the UK before opening in the West End in June is Zorro the Musical, a stage production set to the Latin American music of the Gipsy Kings and featuring flamenco dancing, sword-fighting and acrobatics. Based on Isabel Allende's 2005 bestseller Zorro: A Novel, the stage musical is a prequel to the traditional events of the Zorro legend.

The show was lit by Ben Ormerod who is known more for lighting classical theatre, contemporary dance and opera than musicals.

"When I read the script and the novel that the script was based on, it was obvious to me that the show needed to have strong Californian sunlight as a major element, and you can't create that with anything other than tungsten. We might have used par cans but they would have used up the very limited rig space for just that one look".

"Clearly everything had to move to

France - Fa Musique's extensive rental inventory, comprising Midas Venice, Verona, XL3, Heritage 2000 and 3000 consoles has recently been extended with the acquisition of an XL8 digital console.

"We had enough of computers disguised as mixing consoles and wanted genuine analogue ergonomics and unmatched sonic quality," says Frederic André, Fa Musique managing director.

EVI AudioFrance's Jean Marandet provided technical training for the Fa Musique engineers enabling them to take the XL8 on tour as soon as possible. The new console will make its first appearance at the Francofolies festival taking place in La Rochelle in July.

Eric Garnier, EVI Audio France director of sales, comments, "Although Fa Musique was one of the last rental companies in France to purchase a Heritage 3000, it is the first in the country to buy an XL8, demonstrating a new commitmen

Italy - Aethra SpA reports that all video communication services for the fifth Summit of Heads of State and Government of Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union (LAC-EU) are being provided exclusively by Aethra in collaboration with its partner in Peru Speednet Telecommunications.

Personnel from Aethra and Speednet are providing six dedicated videoconferencing rooms fully equipped with state-of-the-art Aethra vc solutions, including the set-top systems Vega X5 and Vega X3 and the next-generation videophone Maia XC.

These videoconferencing services are available during the event to the 60 heads of state and government and their delegations, the 1500 national and foreign accredited journalists following the proceedings, the event organization committee and the Peruvian Minister of External Relations.

The dedicated videoconferencing rooms will be utilized in partic

UK - Multiple London venue owner Billy Reilly, famous for his exploits with The Cross and Canvas in Kings Cross, has now diverted his attention to Pacha, the Ibizan club brand which he set up in London six years ago.

Midway through an £800,000 refurbishment, which will also see the creation of a roof terrace, he has commissioned Bernard Mani at Systems Etc to replace the old sound system with a new Martin Audio WT3 rig, processed via Martin Audio's new Engineer 418 DSP.

"Originally the club was specced with Martin Audio H3s but I wanted to achieve a more theatrical and accurate sound. I knew all the components of the WT3 so was confident in what a fully active system would sound like - and that is predominantly a much smoother midrange and greater warmth," says Mani.

The compact three-way trapezoidal system's mid-range and HF are generated by compound mid-hi

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