Ireland - Lighting designer Conor Biddle, known for lighting some of the largest acts in dance and electronica, selected an array of Claypaky moving heads to illuminate the return of Ireland's mega-rave, the Winterparty, at Dublin's 14,500-capacity venue 3Arena.

Biddle employed 12 x Mythos, 12 x A.leda K20, 16 x A.leda K10 and 19 x Sharpy which were provided by Dublin-based sound and light specialist Session Hire.

"The key with Winterparty was to create a signature look that would photograph well and go towards building a strong visual brand on social media," explains Biddle. "I wanted to create an immersive show that detracted from the cavernous feel of the 3Arena by bringing the lighting right to the audience."

One of the fixtures the designer most relied on to lead his effects was the Claypaky Mythos.

"Using Mythos I could create many different looks - from supe

USA - Dave Koz is bringing his celebrated contemporary jazz sound to audiences around the country. The nine time Grammy nominee and acclaimed saxophonist has embarked on the Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour - Starring Dave Koz, Valerie Simpson, Jonathan Butler, and Kenny Lattimore.

The tour features a lighting package designed by Erik Parker of Chris Lisle Lighting Design and provided by Bandit Lites. Parker worked closely with both Koz and production manager Brian Foisy on the design and the show, a project Parker had looked forward to doing since he joined the show as lighting director in 2014.

While previous iterations of the show contained video elements, this year's direction featured a conscious effort to take the focus off "devices in our lives" and the screens that take attention away from things happening in the present, instead focusing on being in the moment

USA - Art Basel is one of the leading art fairs in the world, showcasing works from over 270 galleries and private collections representing over 30 countries ranging from Argentina to Zimbabwe.

For many of the 80,000 or so visitors who descend on the five-day festival, Art Basel is about much more than just art. It's also a rollicking, joyful experience that turns life into art with street performances, acts of pure improvisation and boundary-free performances that stretch and pull preconceived notions in every direction, all while keeping audiences enthralled and entertained.

Such was the case on the evening of 30 November, when the Bass Museum, Miami's oldest art institution, celebrated its reopening after an 18-month expansion project by hosting an Intergalactic Disco during Art Basel by the legendary Sex in the City alum, Lady Bunny.

Lending an aurora of celestial

Denmark - Ragnarock, the Danish museum for pop, rock and youth culture, opened its doors to the public in April 2016. The museum's gold-studded facade, the red carpet runway and the lobby are exclusively equipped with SGM lighting fixtures and these installations have just been nominated for the prestigious Danish Lighting Award 2016.

From the beginning, lighting was meant to be an essential part of the architecture and the visual expression for the museum. Ragnarock wanted to use lighting as a medium and as a means of communication to support the activities and the overall purpose of the museum.

Lena Bruun, chief of development at Ragnarock, explained, "We wanted lighting to almost speak for itself and to send a signal of life, openness and transparency. We envisioned that it would connect by-passers with the museum and give them an experience - even after opening hours."

Singapore - The 2016 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore tennis tournament was presented by SC Global and staged at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang over a seven-day period at the end of October.

Over 100 Robe moving lights illuminated the court as part of a lighting scheme designed by Michael Chan and Tom Langridge. While Tom ensured that the court was lit specifically for the TV cameras and special requirements like slomo, Michael looked after lighting for the Opening Ceremony and then for general ambience and effects lighting throughout the schedule of matches, including creating WOW-moments for the player entrances.

To assist with this, he used 40 x BMFL Spots, 40 x Pointes and 21 Robe Squares, all supplied to the event by The Show Company, together with other moving lights and LED PARs mostly rigged on trusses in the roof.

Eight of the Squares - a 5 x 5 LED ma

UK - A.C. Special Projects Ltd. (AC-SP) has recently specified, supplied and installed premium performance lighting fixtures, complete with a truss ground-mounted structure, for John Lewis's new content production studio in London.

This modern, purpose-built facility is used for photoshoots and filming, to generate content for the websites, mobile apps and magazines of what is one of the UK's leading retailers.

Underwood Carpenter Ltd., who project managed the setup of the new facility, approached AC-SP, requesting an installed lighting rig to suit the wide variety of applications the space would need to cater for.

AC-SP proposed a full turnkey solution to meet the requirements for a flexible system, which would allow the operator to create high quality lighting scenes for numerous subject types, quickly and easily.

AC-SP senior project manager, Andy Holmes comment

Italy - Lighting manufacturer Osram, which celebrates its 110-year brand anniversary this year, is joined by another famous institution: the Westin Excelsior Hotel in Rome was opened in 1906 and is also celebrating its 110 years anniversary.

To mark the occasion, Claypaky - a company of the Osram group - illuminated the venerable hotel, whose past guests have already include celebrities like Pablo Picasso, Elizabeth Taylor and the Rolling Stones, in a particularly spectacular fashion from 5-20 November. Following the video projection shown at the Patent Office in Berlin during the Festival of Light in October, this was the second lighting installation being presented by Osram for its brand anniversary.

One hundred luminaires from Claypaky illuminated The Westin Excelsior Rome, designed by the famous architects Emil Vogt and Otto Maraini. The lighting installation was desig

Europe - Lighting designer Francis Clegg of London-based design house MIRRAD turned to control technology by British manufacturer Avolites to drive his atmospheric lighting for electronic retro-rockers Public Service Broadcasting's (PSB) 'The Race for Space' album tour.

The band's unique sound features samples of vocals from old public information films and propaganda material with a goal to "teach lessons of the past through the music of the future". This is reflected in the live show's black and white archive video content by Gerrad Blyth, which Clegg cleverly juxtaposed with vibrant colours and dazzling aerial effects in a design that won him a Knight of Illumination Award 2016.

Clegg opted to use the highly tourable yet sophisticated Avolites Quartz running Titan version 10 to programme his winning design: "The Quartz fit the bill perfectly as I run everything in cueli

UK - White Light has worked on an array of shows over the past 12 months and the company is now preparing for an extremely busy festive season, in which it will supply the lights on over 40 pantomimes.

Pantomimes remain some of the biggest shows for theatres across the country and this year is proving to be no exception.

One of the most popular titles is Cinderella and WL is supplying five different productions of this all-time classic. One of these includes the Bracknell Wilde Theatre, where the lighting designer is Chris Withers. He comments, "Pantomime is a very distinctive art form. The lighting is usually very bold, colourful and bright - which often matches the performances! For this show, I'm working with a range of ETC Source Four Lustr 2s and Desire D60s, which allows for an extremely flexible rig. I am also using four Martin MAC 600s for backlight specials

Diplomatic Spat - South Korean pop stars appear to have become pawns in an escalating diplomatic spat between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment of an American missile defence system.

Entertainers from the colourful Korean music scene, K-pop, have been mysteriously barred from entering China to perform, Korean TV shows and films have been blocked, and actors replaced by Chinese stars in advertising campaigns, say local press reports.

Wembley Bound - Adele has added two further dates at Wembley Stadium next year, after the initial concerts sold out. Dubbed The Finale, the four shows will see her play to more than 300,000 fans as she wraps up her world tour. The new shows will be on 28 June and 2 July, 2017, with tickets on sale from 7 December to members of her fan club.

Take That hold the record for playing the most dates at Wembley, having staged eight night

UK - Yes Events has been investing in Elation Professional products for years to service a huge variety of applications. Recently, the UK-based company chose to further strengthen its stock with several of Elation's newest offerings - the Fuze Wash Z350, Fuze Wash Z120, Platinum HFX and Satura Spot CMY Pro.

Fuze Series fixtures' non-pixel lens face and ability to wash without multi-shadows are striking a chord with LDs looking for that classic wash look from an LED light. "We chose to invest into the Fuze series as they really are a unique offering to our clients," stated Yes Events director of production Tom Chennells.

"The use of a high power COB source creates a beautiful homogenized beam of light not possible with a traditional multi-chip LED wash light. The Fuze concept is simple and well executed and the output moves from a tight shaft of light smoothly out to a soft

UK - Stars of stage and screen join the BBC Concert Orchestra at London's Royal Albert Hall for the European premiere of Disney's Broadway Hits - a celebration of the spellbinding songs behind some of the world's best loved musicals.

As the chosen rental partner for the Disney production, VER London supplied equipment, crew, logistics and peace of mind to allow the US creative team to hit the ground running at the venue, fully serviced via the local VER operation, fully backed by a global leading provider of quality equipment and support.

Delivered and configured ready for use in just five hours, the extensive equipment package required to capture the show in stunning 4K, included 17 cabled and remote Panasonic camera systems controlled via a bespoke fly-pack built around Evertz routers, Kayenne switching and Riedel communications.

Hosted by West End star, John Barrowm

USA - Every year on the Sunday before Christmas, the CrossRoads church in Casa Grande, AZ, gives away presents to 1,000 area children. These aren't toy store remainder-type gifts either, but rather items like Xboxes, iPads and other things that 21st century kids really want. The event typifies the attitude of this dynamic and rapidly growing church: our message may be timeless, but it must be delivered in a way that is relevant to people today.

This philosophy was on full display late this fall at a worship rally that the church held at its local high school stadium. Described by its pastor as a "rock concert," the event featured a performance by the hard-driving Grammy-nominated Christian band Sonicflood, which has won multiple Dove Awards and sold over two million albums. Supporting their high-octane musical performance was an intensely bright and fast-moving lightshow that

UK - Penn Elcom supplied a fully retro-fittable LED lighting package to CGA Integration which was installed into two church halls operated by All Saints Church in Ascot, Berkshire, resulting in an approximately 50% reduction in running costs.

The Church's Rector, The Reverend Dr Darrell Hannah is an enthusiastic supporter of sustainable energy and moved a private members motion in 2014 urging the Church of England's National Investing Bodies to divest from fossil fuel companies and explore cleaner and more carbon conscious energy sources, which gave rise to a switch to Opus Energy as a supplier to All Saints.

Following on from that, Rev. Hannah was also a driving force in the decision to replace the incandescent sources in All Saints' two halls for which CGA Integration, specialists in AV design and installation, was appointed.

"CGA Integration has enjoyed a long and g

UK - When newly opened Design Museum in Kensington, London played host to the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Award on Wednesday 30 November, technical production expert OneBigStar was on-hand to deliver lighting and sound for the prestigious event.

Interesting elements of the project included a tight window for loading in equipment and it being the first commercial event for the brand-new venue. With just one hour to install all the equipment required [the venue closed to the public at 6pm and the award guests began arriving at 7.15pm] stringent pre-planning was essential to the effective delivery of the event. Several site visits, careful kit selection and a well briefed and experienced team of technicians ensured the awards began on time.

The OneBigStar kit list for the project included a wide range of lighting and audio equipment, cabling and

South Africa - DWR is setting up a charity organization aimed at freelancers. When freelancers fall ill, injure themselves or sometimes even pass away, it puts their family under immense pressure.

This charity will hopefully help a few people, on a merit basis, with basic assistance. This can either be in the form of helping to pay for school fees for a few months, maybe cover the rent, or providing grocery hampers. Each case will be submitted to the charity where a board will decide who we can assist and how.

Says DWR, "At the end of each year, DWR Distribution usually take pleasure in giving our clients gifts. This year, instead, we will use the money we would have used to buy presents to kick start the charity. It's something we believe will make a difference to someone who may find themselves in trouble when times are low. DWR will initiate the charity by donating R150

World - Experienced lighting designer Phil Ealy (of West Coast Visuals) first encountered Guns N' Roses as a local band back in the '80s before catching the last part of Appetite for Destruction and then production designing the Use Your Illusion tour.

After losing track of the band, he was contacted again recently to undertake the production design for the current Not In This Lifetime world tour, when Axl Rose reunited with Slash and Duff McKagan in the classic line-up, and Ealy himself re-entered the fray for the first time in many years.

One major change over the 40 years has been the breakthrough in stage technology - and this time around the designer sent out large quantities of GLP's impression X4 and X4 Bar 10's.

The X4 and X4 S are also currently used on the Britney Spears' Planet Hollywood residency in Las Vegas - a show that he still operates for the S

USA - It is not every day a country icon turns 80 years old, so Charlie Daniels did it up big with a massive concert, not only to celebrate, but to give back to a great cause.

Bandit Lites provided the lighting package for the 41st Volunteer Jam which featured performances by the fiddle legend himself, Charlie Daniels, along with Luke Bryan, Three Doors Down, Kid Rock, Larry the Cable Guy, Chris Stapleton and Travis Tritt.

Randy Travis later surprised Daniels by presenting him with the Rare Country Humanitarian of the Year Award to commemorate Daniels' work with Journey Home, an NGO that helps US military veterans and the recipient of the $245,000 raised that evening.

Lighting designer Bryan Madaris knew this year's special event would be on a larger scale, with the party taking place at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. "I decided to go big, but keep it cool and

USA - Once again Nocturnal Wonderland owned the night when North America's longest-running dance music festival marked its 21st anniversary in September.

The festival is presented by Insomniac and Pasquale Rotella. Lighting designer Stephen Lieberman of SJ Lighting, Inc. in Westlake Village, California deployed Clay Paky Mythos and Sharpy fixtures on a number of Nocturnal Wonderland's stages.

Nocturnal Wonderland was held for three days at the San Manuel Amphitheatre in San Bernardino, California. "Each stage had its own style dictated by multiple factors such as musical genre, site location, structure and the artists' riders," says Lieberman.

"It was critical that each environment had its own unique set up. We needed to make sure that the stage was lit, the artists were lit and we had proper coverage while, at the same time, giving the stage a personality. Additionall

Mozambique - "Jazz music is the power of now," Wynton Marsalis once observed. If that is the case, then Maputo is flourishing in the moment. A bustling city of gleaming new high-rises, Mediterranean-style villas and wide boulevards lined with jacaranda and flame trees, the Mozambique capital teems with the sound of jazz from its lively club scene and internationally acclaimed festivals.

Included in the latter group is the Maputo Morejazz Series Festival, a two-day event, now in its sixth year, which has in previous years featured music from Grammy winners like Beninese-born superstar Angélique Kidjo, Cameroonian Manu Dibango and other leading African artists. This year, Morejazz featured Cuba's Omar Sosa, South Africa's Judith Sephuma, Mozambique's Moreira Chonguica and Italy's Susana Stivali, as well as student musician stars of tomorrow.

Supporting this diverse mi

UK - Kinesys automation is central to show designer Jvan Morandi's visual concept for the current Placebo Retrospective tour, which features some of the musical highlights and moments from 20 years on the indie rock frontline for the band, known for their intelligent visceral, raw and creative approach to live performance.

Ten Kinesys Elevation 1+ vari-speed drive units, used with 10 x half tonne Liftket motors and Kinesys Vector control are being used to move five I-shaped trussing pods rigged in the roof above the stage.

The system is a new investment in automation by lighting and video contractors Colour Sound Experiment, which made several purchases for this lengthy arena tour to ensure that Jvan has exactly the right elements for the tour.

Colour Sound's Haydn Cruickshank comments, "We have sub-rented Kinesys systems as needed for some time now, so we know the kit

UK - HSL enjoyed the thrills and hi-energy exhilaration of supplying lighting and rigging for the Endemol produced DanTDM UK tour, for a lighting design crafted by Sam Wright. Sean McGlone and John Slevin project managed for the Blackburn UK based company, with technicals on the road co-ordinated by production manager, Jason Culverwell.

DanTDM is a professional gamer and You Tube star with around 13m subscribers enjoying his TheDiamondMinecart, making it a top UK You Tube channel which has so far received a staggering 8.4 billion views. Needleless to say, the tour which ran from June to November sold out everywhere it visited.

The producers commissioned award winning theatre, film and TV director Ben Woolf to develop a live show which could tour, putting DanTDM in front of thousands of fans, interacting, and entertaining them with a series of special games.

His core au

UK - Utopium built and supplied a custom floor package and flown fixtures to illuminate Jake Bugg's UK and European tour, November 2016.

Following the release of his third album, On My One, Jake Bugg embarked on a promotional tour which saw him visit a host of different venues throughout the UK and Europe, including Manchester's O2 Apollo, London's O2 Academy Brixton and The Great Hall at Cardiff University Student's Union.

Utopium was entrusted to build and supply a custom floor package which included Martin MAC Quantum Profiles, new Martin MAC Aura XB washes to offer additional brightness and tighter beams, Martin Atomic 3K strobes, Thomas 4 Lite Molefays, SGM P-5 LED Floods, Antari HZ500 hazers, Antari AF-3 Fans, 8ft Black Truss Towers and a Road Hog 4 Control Desk.

The team also supplied a flown package which incorporated Martin MAC Aura XB washes, 40ft Trus

USA - Paul Litchfield is no Thomas Edison, but the Massachusetts resident will go down in history as a great inventor, at least as far as the athletic shoe industry is concerned. In 1989, Litchfield created the Reebok PUMP!, an inflatable running shoe that redefined footwear aesthetics, was embraced by athletes from virtually every sport, and became one of the most prominent urban fashion icons of the '90s.

Now, some quarter of a century later, Reebok is relaunching the legendary running shoe with glitzy events, such as the one that took place in October at an Insta Fury Pop Up Shop space in Midtown Manhattan. The event featured an appearance by rap powerhouse and Reebok endorsee Future, portraits by world renowned sneaker artist Steph Morris from the UK, and a massive collection of new PUMP! shoes.

Accenting the proceedings with vivid colors, sharp beams and crisp gobos w

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