UK - The Editorial Board of the fast-approaching International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference (ITEAC) have announced actor Mark Rylance as their latest keynote speaker. The Board say in a statement: “The Editorial Board for ITEAC 2018 are very pleased to have been able to accommodate Mark within his professional commitments. It was felt to be of the highest priority to ensure that the voice of an actor of such experience and considered opinion should be heard at an event that seeks to be seminal for both the leading and the emerging talents working in the design and specification of places of entertainment.” Named in Time Magazine’s 2016 100 Most Influential People list, Mark’s work includes a 10-year tenure as the first artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (1996-2006), which included the construction of the Theatre and Internat
Germany - Claypaky presented a new concept in theme booths as it introduced its stage lighting products at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt. The Claypaky booth concept was based on three theme showrooms. Demos were performed in each one by alternating lighting techniques with evocative visual effects, creating an absorbing multimedia mix enjoyed by the almost 3,000 visitors who came to the showrooms over the four days. "We saw enormous interest," comments CEO Pio Nahum and marketing manager Davide Barbetta. "The theme itinerary through the three showrooms worked in a continuous cycle, yet there were visitors waiting to enter at every time of day, and their numbers even increased on the last days. We think word got round of a highly detailed demo, put together by our technical team consisting of Claypaky's lighting designers, Marco Zucchinali and Giulia Sabeva, and visual de
UK - All aspects of electroacoustics will be explored at Reproduced Sound 2018, which takes place 27-29 November at the Bristol Hotel, Princes Street, Bristol. Offers of papers on any electroacoustics topic will be considered for the programme. Authors are encouraged to include practical elements in their presentations and could be allocated extra time if required. Potential topics include: Live Sound, Acoustics in Rooms, Audio System Design, Loudspeakers and Microphones, Intelligibility, Measurement & Evaluation, Cinema Sound. Case Studies are also welcome. Organisers urge those interested to send a 150-word abstract for papers plus a short biography of up to 150 words to linda.canty@ioa.org.uk by Friday, 11 May. Final written papers for the proceedings must be submitted by Friday, 28 September. (Jim Evans)
Italy - As the cornerstone of the Audio Engineering Society’s (AES) mission to promote the science and practice of audio, each AES convention features a wide array of presentations on research topics presented by leading engineers, scientists and students in the field of audio engineering, and the AES Milan convention, coming up 23-26 May at the NH Hotel Milano Congress Centre in Milan, Italy, is no exception. Brought together by AES Milan papers co-chairs Ville Pulkki and Sascha Spors, the Convention’s Technical Programme will feature research papers, engineering briefs and poster sessions by over 100 authors. Day one of AES Milan kicks off with a series of presentations on loudspeakers, followed by a poster presentation session on transducers. Audio quality, a hot-topic at this year’s convention, will then be delved into in two full sessions of paper presentat
Germany - Robe has reported “a busy and successful” Prolight+Sound 2018. The Czech manufacturer’s live show concept taken to new levels with Cirque Robe, a six-minute performance spectacle and circus style presentation with a cast of 11 designed to highlight the company’s latest lighting technologies. Another highlight was Robe’s new MegaPointe multi-purpose moving light winning a 2018 PIPA (Prolight + Sound International Press Award) for Best Light, a decision reached by a jury of international trade journalists who meet annually in Frankfurt. The MegaPointe was one of the primary fixtures featured in the stand show, where Robe continued to raise the bar in presenting live exhibition entertainment, with an ever-rising element of expectation accompanying each one. CEO Josef Valchar comments: “Our goal was to showcase the products in an entertai
The Knight of Illumination Awards (KOI) committee has announced that the inaugural Knight of Illumination Awards USA (KOI-USA) will launch this year, culminating with a ceremony in Las Vegas on 20 October, timed to coincide with the LDI show. The competition, known for celebrating the work of lighting and video designers, will be co-produced by Informa, producers of America's leading event for lighting designers, the LDI show, and The Fifth Estate, specialist content creators and long-time managers of the KOI Awards in the UK. "We are thrilled to bring such high-quality awards ceremony to LDI," says David Johnson, managing director of LDI. "The KOI Awards are well-known throughout the industry as a reputable, high-class affair, and its special focus of honouring design work aligns perfectly with the goals of the Live Design franchise to raise awareness about this very specia
Germany - Powersoft will leverage the international platform of this year’s Prolight + Sound show to ensure the widest possible audience their first look at the new M-Force. Announced as M-force 301P01, the innovative transducer has been updated with a series of additional features to simplify the workload of OEM partners and will be unveiled on the Powersoft stand (Hall 3.1 C17). M-force is now available as the M-force 01 long throw linear motor for infra sub applications and the M-force 02 short throw linear motor for high acceleration applications. With longer linear displacement, M-Force 01 is the perfect tool for direct radiation and bandpass applications, enabling manufacturers to keep cabinet sizes to a minimum whilst allowing for flawless infra-bass reproduction. M-Force 02 is designed to grant reliability under extreme loads, such as bandpass applications and load
Germany - The Chauvet Professional Maverick, STRIKE and COLORado series of fixtures have earned widespread praise as well as a large following in recent years, thanks to their high output, brightness and reliable performance. Now the company is “taking these popular series to the next level” by introducing products at Prolight + Sound that “open even more creative possibilities for lighting designers”. Visitors to the Chauvet stand will get a first- hand look at the new Maverick Storm 1 Wash, an IP65-rated LED moving fixture; the STRIKE P38, an IP65-rated compact warm white LED blinder/strobe; and the COLORado Solo Batten, an IP65 RGBAW LED batten that produces a seamless and unique edge-to-edge homogenized appearance without visible round “eyes” or pixels. “The new fixtures allow us to offer more versatility in three very important series of products t
Germany - Outline is set to announce the launch of its latest concept at Prolight+Sound 2018. Following an evolutionary path from the influential Butterfly design, the new Superfly compact line-source enclosure “sets new standards in performance for a loudspeaker of these dimensions”. Weighing under 38kg (83.8 lb) per module yet with prodigious acoustic potential and class-leading dispersion control, Superfly integrates within the existing Outline portfolio and can be readily paired with any of their subwoofer designs. Powered by the company’s own DSP-equipped X8 amplifiers, Superfly-based systems are flexible, powerful, predictable, quick and easy to deploy and convenient to transport, contributing vital operational efficiencies to any live sound scenario, says the company. Visitors to the show will be able to hear Superfly for themselves in the PL+S Live
UK - PLASA Focus Leeds is bringing the world’s latest entertainment technology to the North of England on 1-2 May at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds. Visitors can expect new releases from top brands, an array of immersive workshops, and leading-edge seminars covering lighting, live sound, rigging, AV and staging. The show is the perfect place to see brand new products for the first time in the UK, including the highly anticipated grandMA3 lighting console. Visitors will also see Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision Series, Vari-Lite’s VL2600 range, Sennheiser’s Wireless G4 System and Robe’s MegaPointe. The seminar programme serves many different tribes, from immersive audio and theatre refurbishment, to festival lighting and set design software. There is something for everyone at the industry leading show. The reinvention of the Chester Storyh
China - Star Events’ technology and inspiration was on the menu at a lunch for major promoters, production suppliers and principal venues in Shanghai recently. Hosted by Shanghai Mercedes-Benz Arena, China’s second busiest music venue, the event focused on the launch of the China PROM (Production Rigging Operations Manual) and the arena’s new house reduction solution, designed and installed by Star Events China, which was demonstrated to the lunch guests. Conceived by Star Events China, with input from engineers, local and international experts, rigging publications and the arena architect, PROM is the first rigging safety manual of its type in China. Built in 2010 for Shanghai World Expo, the Mercedes-Benz Arena has an extensive gallery level serving its sports commitments, which include NBA and NFL games. A roller blind mechanism, designed to scre
USA - Allen & Heath digital mixers were once again in abundance at this year’s South by Southwest Music and Media Conference (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. Mixers from the whole range were used in venues across the city, from corner bars and impromptu stages, right up to the British Embassy Music showcase which saw performances from rising stars like Che Lingo, Pale Waves and Idles, as well as established UK artists including Gaz Coombes and Frank Turner. Hosted at Latitude 30, the British Music Embassy showcase sees a new act and engineer every 40-minutes, so having a system that combines ‘walk-up-and-mix’ usability with extensive built-in processing is essential to the smooth running of the event. To accomplish this, British production company, CATO Music, installed a dLive C3500 system and two S3000 systems to cover FOH, monitors and house continuity. Ano
Germany - Absen Europe will showcase and demonstrate its NXTGEN technologies featuring the recently unveiled Polaris and Altair ranges for the rental market. The 105sqm stand is set to make an impact with Absen’s NXTGEN innovations taking pride of place - including its new COBALT (Chip-on-Board Advanced Light Technology) platform featuring Absen Chip-on-Board (COB) encapsulation technology and NanoShield technologies alongside its HBB (High Brightness Black) with Common Cathode LED driver technology solutions. First to market with its NXTGEN COBALT technology with NanoShield, which has been specifically developed to meet the demands of NPP LED in live event rental applications, Absen has developed the Polaris Series with COBALT. Another industry first, Absen’s NXTGEN HBB (High Brightness Black) technology, is a way to drive black SMD LED at ultra-high bright
Germany - Artistic Licence is set to unveil a number of new products catering for the Art-Net/sACN, DMX512 and DALI lighting control markets. Artistic Licence CEO, Wayne Howell, will be present throughout the show to answer questions, aided by German distribution partner, Soundlight. On show will be the next generation of Artistic Licence ethernet-to-DMX gateways. Based on a more powerful chip technology, the range provides full support for the award-winning Art-Net 4 protocol, giving access to impressive new functionality not offered in earlier releases. The dataLynx II is a 1U 19″ rack mount Ethernet to DMX512 gateway. It converts 12 universes of Art-Net (supports all versions up to Art-Net 4) or sACN ethernet into DMX512/RDM. The product features 12 DMX512/RDM outputs, using front mounted Neutrik connectors: a choice of XLR 3-pin, 5-pin or 8-pin (Ethercon) connec
Germany - Doughty's Lightweight Lighting Stand will make its Prolight & Sound debut this year. Visitors to Hall 3.0 stand E11 can see the new stand, which is currently in prototype format and takes the principles of a Tank Trap but packages them into a neater, more aesthetically pleasing model. Dan Phillips, project sales co-ordinator at Doughty, comments: "The new Lightweight Lighting Stand comprises a flat, round plate and slim tube, slotted at each end to allow cables to run unseen inside it. A 28mm receiver is incorporated in the top of the stand which will take an industry standard 28mm spigot. When used in conjunction with a spigot adapter, the stand can also be used to hold small speakers. This robust piece of kit has a sleeker appearance than the standard Tank Trap and comes with a stacking slot which allows for the stands to be stacked together as well as a carr
Germany - BroadWeigh is set to unveil “exciting new pieces of kit” at this year's Prolight and Sound in Frankfurt including the TwistLink, updated Wind Speed Sensor and a new advanced handheld. With five of the company's product partners from across Europe taking stands at the show, Jonathan Purdue says Prolight + Sound is a good place to debut new products before a truly international audience. "We've been attending the show for some years now and we are always impressed by the turnout and the number of leads that come our way as a result of the networking opportunities it affords us. This year we'll have a presence on the stands of AC-ET (Hall 3.0, Stand F65), Hof Alutec (Hall 3.0, Stand A44), Scanrig (Hall 3.0, StandF33) and SONOSS and Louis Reyners (Hall 3.0, Stand D18) who are exhibiting together, and I will be making appointments with customers and potential
UK - The Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers wrapped up another successful ISCEx event with increased attendances at its annual exhibition and seminar day. ISCEx is a one-day exhibition and seminar programme held annually by the Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers at Coombe Abbey Hotel and Country Park. Open to members and non-members, the ISCEx exhibition and seminar programme is precluded by the Institute’s annual general meeting and networking dinner events, held on the previous day. The ISCEx 2018 seminar programme was kicked off by Dr Chris Cocking, senior lecturer at the School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton presenting the Hopkins-Baldwin Lecture, a presentation entitled Busting the Myths of Mass Evacuation. Following extensive research by Chris and his colleagues into crowd behaviour during emergencies and the implic
Germany - New trussing and staging company Sixty82 will make its first appearance at Prolight+Sound, presenting its trussing and staging solutions. The company, which launched in March, was founded by Fokko Smeding and Marc Hendriks from The Netherlands, Adrian Brooks and Lee Brooks from the UK, and Xavier Drouet, Jérôme Bréhard and Alain-René Lantelme from France. Smeding comments: “With some of the trussing world’s most experienced and trusted individuals behind our product line, we are extremely excited to be launching Sixty82 at this year’s Prolight+Sound. We have focused on the introduction of new technology that will become an industry standard within a short amount of time, and in providing our customers with confidence and security.” (Jim Evans)
Germany - Ayrton will launch two new products at Prolight+Sound 2018 as MistralTC and MiniBurst receive their world premieres at the show: the 300W white LED MistralTC spot fixture is the latest, much-anticipated new development in Ayrton’s Automated Luminaires range, while the MiniBurst graphic strobe is the next luminaire to undergo the miniaturisation treatment of Ayrton’s Creative Solutions range. MiniPanel-FX will also be exhibited for the first time in mainland Europe. Mistral-TC is the latest in Ayrton’s new range of fixtures, named both in honour of North African desert winds and some of the hottest performance cars on the planet, which signify a new era in the company’s development as it focuses on a sensational new range of LED spot and wash light fixtures. Sharing a form factor with its compact sibling, Merak, Mistral-TC is a versatile, feature-rich
Germany - Robert Juliat will make its latest Compact range of followspots available at Prolight+Sound with the new, exclusive 600W LED models, Alice and Oz, first in line to ship. These short and long throw followspots exhibit restyled bodywork and all the wealth of RJ features one would expect from Robert Juliat. The combination of a highly efficient LED source and Robert Juliat’s classic optical train ensures Alice and Oz pack a punch equal to that of conventional 1200W discharge models, at a fraction of the power consumption. Additionally, Robert Juliat has promised to reveal “a new, very powerful, FOH LED profile for the first time at the show”. Robert Juliat’s SpotMe, a bespoke, 3D tracking system for followspots, will be demonstrating how it leads from the front in coordinating fixtures to follow performers on stage. The expanding Dalis range wil
Germany - PR Lighting has announced the release of a new LED hybrid strobe - the ARC LED 1360 Strobe T/D. With its IP67 weather resistant rating, making it suitable for use in all conditions, the fixture can function as a graphic strobe as well as a blinder and flood. Available in cool white (6500K) and warm white (3000K), it has a 120° field angle and an LED display with four-button flick-free operation for TV and film use. Featuring 360x1W Osram LEDs, the strobe flash rate is between 0-25 fps (with macros) and there's also a 0-100% linearly adjustable dimmer, LED board temperature and fixture usage time read-outs, over-temperature protection. The unit's die-cast aluminium IP67 housing weighs just 9kg (20lb). The ARC LED 1360 is expected to have its first showcase at next month’s Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt. (Jim Evans)
Germany - Elation Professional is bringing a number of new products to Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt. The line-up includes the company’s first European showing of the recently-acquired M-Series range of entertainment lighting controllers. Elation partners with LMP to distribute Elation products in Germany. The M-Series is a range of lighting control solutions with a stable and efficient programming platform that is fast to programme and fun to operate. All M-Series controllers and software solutions are now part of the Elation product line worldwide. This includes M6, M1HD, M2GO HD, M2PC, M-Touch, M-Play, M-DMX, M-Sync and M-PC. “The M-Series range fits well into our core customer base needs and we are excited to now offer this advanced controller series to customers around the world,” commented Eric Loader, global
USA - Ahead of its June ride, the Long Reach Long Riders (LRLR) held a raffle and live auction to back Behind the Scenes during the USITT Stage Expo in Fort Lauderdale on 14-17 March. Sales of raffle tickets, auction items, key donations, and sales of BTS and LRLR-branded swag raised over $15,000 for the charity. The LRLR 2018 ride, dubbed the Gap and Notch Tour: A Ramble through New England, starts on 23 June in Manchester, NH. The riders cover all their own expenses, so everything they raise goes to the charity. Sponsor a rider today at www.behindthescenescharity.org/lrlr. Festivities led off with the traditional kazoo parade led by Bill Sapsis and many of the LRLR. Following the parade, BTS Pledge-a-Product partners InCord (Orchestra Pit Safety Netting Systems) and ETC (irFR and aRFR application for iOS and Android devices) presented checks from the sales of
UK - The first Comfest, a comedy night in support of technical entertainment charity Backup, helped raise £14,000 for the organisation. Held at the Royal National Theatre, London, the event was described as “a fantastic night where all the comedians went above and beyond to say thank you to the industry that supports them”. A particular highlight of the night was headliner Al Murray, the Pub Landlord, performing Under Pressure with a member of the audience. Organisers said Comfest 2019 is already on the cards and thanked all the staff at the National Theatre, sponsors SFL, White Light and TSL, all of the audience members, The Cloggz and the comedians. Upcoming backup events include Golf-fest 2018 which is scheduled for 18 April. The annual live events Charity Golf Day is back and even more fun to be had on the day. As 18 teams go Tee - Tee, we have s
![Ascan Mergenthaler [photo: Adriano A.Biondo / Biondo Pictures], Paul Griffiths, Lousie Jeffreys [photo: Felix Clay]](/images/113317/iteac-tn.png "Ascan Mergenthaler [photo: Adriano A.Biondo / Biondo Pictures], Paul Griffiths, Lousie Jeffreys [photo: Felix Clay]")
