UK - Fresh from its successful launch at ProLight+Sound Frankfurt, the new addition to the RCF TT+ range, the TT08-A will have its UK preview at this ABTT Show in London.

The speaker, which is the smallest member of the TT+ family. The RCF design team has come up with a careful and innovative acoustic design, utilising the highest quality in house transducers. The powerful amplifier makes this system the perfect solution for small live sound situations, as well as playback and monitoring, corporate events and broadcast studios, says the company.

RCF's Phil Price says, "The TT08A represents a breakthrough in speaker technology. We have designed this speaker quite literally from the ground upward, including both the transducers utilised plus digital amplification technology and protection systems.

"In debuting the speaker at ABTT, we feel that we will be targeting th

UK - 5 Star Cases has supplied XL Video with a specialist flight case for one of its Grass Valley Kayak HD mixer/switcher consoles, which is an integral element of its new HD PPU (portable production unit) systems.

The console case was specified by XL Video's Malcolm Whittall, who worked closely with 5 Star's design team on its development. It is designed so the desk stays sitting inside the case once in position and set up.

5 Star has also made cases for other XL Video consoles in the past, and Whittall comments, "They have an excellent woodworking department, are really flexible and will make things on request - always a great advantage."

The console case is based around 5 Star's Heavy Industrial range of flight cases and is sloped and shaped to the Kayak, featuring all the usual recessed hardware and the XL Video logo and graphics cut into the wood.

XL put the

USA - For celebrities attending the Kentucky Derby, the annual Barnstable Brown Gala, held on the eve of the race, is the party at which to be seen. This year's star-studded event drew the likes of Jenny McCarthy, Cybill Shepherd, Kevin Federline and Peyton Manning. The performers included Kid Rock, Gene Simmons, Jimmy Fallon, Joey Fatone, Nick Lachey, Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels, Michael McDonald, Eddie Money, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, and more.

For the event, a package of lighting from Elation Professional was put together and operated by Sounds Unlimited Productions (SUP) of New Albany, IN.

According to Chris Hughes of SUP, who has handled the event for a number of years, the Barnstable Brown Gala presents a couple of unique lighting challenges. For one, it is held in a 40ft x 90ft tent at the private residence of Patricia Barnstable Brown, who co-hosts the party with her sis

Denmark - Martin Professional has established a separate business unit - Martin Visual Solutions - and named Lars Dall vice president of the new division.

A long-time Martin employee, Lars Dall who retains his current position as head of Martin's O.E.M. sector, assumed the new responsibility on 1 April 1 this year. His new tasks include implementation of the overall strategy and business plan within Visual Solutions, including staffing and build-up of the new division.

"The potential market for video walls is tremendous and presents a great opportunity for us to grow our business substantially," comments Dall. "We are determined to establish ourselves in this new field with a meaningful market share. In order to do so we will allocate significant resources to Martin Visual Solutions in order to establish the necessary momentum and create the focus needed to ensu

UK - Lighting designer Mark Wynn Edwards specified 29 i-Pix Satellite fixtures on the recent Klaxons UK tour. The band - among the most exciting newcomers to the UK scene - completed their first full UK production tour, creating real waves as they blasted around the UK playing completely sold out shows.

Wynn-Edwards had used Satellites before on several TV productions and one-offs that he's worked on as a technician, "I was fully aware of the potential of these fixtures and also how reliable and tough they are," he says, which is essential for a touring environment. He also thought they would be ideal to fulfil a number of different lighting tasks in his design.

He used the Satellites to up-light six vertical A-type trussing towers on the stage - measuring 8, 6 and 4ft high respectively, and arranged in descending order upstage to downstage. One Satellite was tucked

UK - Tigz Productions staged a technically ambitious production of the Queen musical We Will Rock You at the Sundial Theatre in Cirencester, featuring 37 Robe moving heads and Anolis LED lighting.

Tigz' Andy Webb directed and produced the work as well as creating the lighting design. His aim was to make it "very bit as memorable as any West End production in the context of the space and place".

Webb is also technical manager of the Sundial Theatre, and they have invested in Robe moving lights as part of the house rig (Wash 250 XTs and MS Zoom 250 XTs) which have been a great asset and are used in all types of student productions. For We Will Rock You, he boosted the Robe content of the rig by hiring in additional moving lights from Bath-based rental house, Enlightened.

The total Robe count included 12 ColorSpot 575 ATs and eight ColorWash 575 ATs, 10

UK - Le Mark Group has appointed John Henry's as its new London Stockist for its gloves & accessories range. John Henry's already offers an extensive range of spares, accessories, equipment and instruments, sold from their 5000sq.ft showroom, 'The Pro Shop', at its London premises.

Mark Gibbons, Le Mark Group's business development manager comments, "The Setwear Gloves & Accessories range only started a few years ago with Le Mark. Since the addition of the IronClad range we've noticed a tremendous increase in interest from both end-users and existing distributors. The addition of John Henry's stocking the range is a huge advantage, especially as they are a company already well established within this industry but, most importantly, one that is known as a friendly, fast and reliable supplier."

Paul Cooper, Pro Shop sales manager adds, "Having grown up in an indus

UK - HSL supplied full lighting production for the Klaxons first incendiary full production UK tour, which sold out in minutes off the back of the band's first album, Myths of The Near Future.

Lighting designer Mark Wynn-Edwards was delighted when HSL won the contract to supply the kit, as he's worked with them on several events and projects in the past, "HSL has really excellent equipment, great crew and the right attitude. I am happy to work with them at every opportunity" he says.

The account was project managed by HSL's Mike Oates, who states "It was hugely exciting working with a band like Klaxons - they have lots of energy and a real future ahead. Mark is also full of original and different ideas and is great fun to work with."

Wynn-Edwards' basic brief was to get away from anything looking too ravey, after which he was left to his own imagin

USA - Theatrical Lighting Systems (TLS) recently completed the installation of lighting to the exterior of the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) Battle House Tower in Mobile, Ala. The 745 foot building is Alabama's tallest office building, with a three story lobby, four floor hotel, and 25 floors for office space.

Doug Bennett, TLS project manager, worked with Wayne J. Griffin Electric of Holliston, Mass. to provide the lighting fixtures and control for the lighting design by PHA Lighting of Atlanta.

The TLS lighting package comes from Martin Professional and includes: 16 Exterior 1200's, 36 Exterior 600's, and 96 Exterior 200's all controlled by the Maxxyz PC.

The exterior lighting is designed to will enhance the building's architecture as well as add a bold colour-palette to the downtown area during holiday seasons and other cultural activities, such as the annual Mardi

Russia - Et Cetera Theater is a newly built, six-storey, 8,940 sq.m performing arts facility that opened recently in Moscow. For more than a decade, home for the theatre's troupe was a smaller building on Moscow's Arbat Street. This year marks a new beginning as the troupe takes over the new facility near the city's centre.

Et Cetera has two halls - a main hall with a capacity of 650 and a smaller hall of 150. The Theatre designers wanted to fit out the new halls with the latest in stage technology, including moving lights. They chose ETC's Source Four Revolutions - 48 of them - setting a record for the most Revolutions in a single European venue.

The new automated fixtures have been hung throughout the theatre in order to light every aspect of the stage, doing away with the refocusing work of dozens of conventional luminaires on many positions. Several of the Revolutions are

UK - Northern Stage Services continue to strengthen its operations and has announced that Keith Hartley has joined the company as technical support manager, heading up a team of three. Hartley has been trained by all the major lighting manufacturers including ETC, Strand Lighting, Zero 88, Avolites, and Martin Professional.

Northern Stage's David Cusworth comments, "Keith joining us is important, as it allows us to improve the support we offer to professional venues in the North of England. Keith is known to many in the business and originally joined the industry at Futurist but joins Northern Stage Services from White Light North."

(Jim Evans)

UK - Liverpool-based Adlib Audio supplied a Nexo Alpha PA and lighting system to the recent Hanson tour. This follows on from Adlib's previous work with the band on their two previous UK tours. Chris Sudall babysat at FOH for the band's engineer Kevin James, while Steve Cole mixed and looked after monitor world.

The PA configuration was ground stacked and consisted of six Nexo Alpha M3 mid/tops, six B1 bass enclosures & four S2 subs a side. For the larger venues they added more M3s for in-fills and out-fills as required, and they also toured and used Adlib FD2 cabinets for in-fills.

The FOH desk was a Yamaha PM5D, on which they fully utilised its onboard effects and processing plus the proprietary Nexo processors. The desk also had enough space on which to fit the opening act.

The system was powered by Crown VZ 5002 amplifiers throughout - which are an Adlib standard when ru

UK - 10 out of 10 Productions has moved to new offices and warehouse in Sydenham, a short distance from Rosco UK.

"Due to large investments and by increasing our hire and sales stocks we've been struggling with space for a number of years and the walls were about to give," says managing director Paul Need. The new building is large enough to house both hire and sales businesses under one roof. A sales counter, and customer reception area enable us to greet visiting customers in a spacious, more relaxed atmosphere than before. Our cable manufacturing department will also be relieved to be moving.

"The increased space will mean further investments in lighting and audio equipment, together with being able to hold more of the everyday items people need at short notice. Being so close to Rosco/DHA means their entire stock is a two-minute walk away."

The New ad

UK - PRG Europe helped Bryan Adams celebrate his 25th concert at Wembley on 11 May with images shone onto the famous fascia of Wembley Arena, which was further enhanced by the architectural lighting and water feature.

PRG Europe's custom gobo resource facility produced special Bryan Adams and 25th Show @ Wembley gobos for the 12 Martin MAC 2000 Profiles controlled by crew chief Gareth Wharrier on an Avolites Pearl 2008 console. For extra effect the company also supplied a four-headed Skytracker searchlight.

"We have a good relationship with Wembley so had no worries when it came to arranging this event at relatively short notice," says PRG Europe's Loz Wilcox. "Everything went really well, and we're proud to be able to support Bryan Adams' 20th year and 25th show at the Arena."

(Jim Evans)

UK - Registrations are strong for this year's AGM with well over 100 members and 50 guests signed up for the event which is to be held on Wednesday 6 June at the Hurlingham Club in West London.

The event, which is free to all members, has a strong agenda this year and will feature a key vote on a major membership restructure, updates on the radio licensing issue which threatens every aspect of the industry and a highly respected guest speaker in former MP, Tony Benn.

The AGM, which begins at midday, will cover the key activities of the last 12 months, including the ongoing development of qualifications for the sector, PLASA's commitment to improve member services, the launch of an events division and the most recent developments in the organisation's high-profile lobbying campaign to challenge the auction of vital radio frequencies.

The AGM will also address the future as th

New Zealand - Selecon has announced that from 1 June 2007 all entertainment luminaires are being shipped with safety bonds. A mandatory rigging requirement in many countries and standard practise in most, the inclusion of the safety bond accessory with all luminaires has been instigated by Selecon Performance Lighting as a common sense move that builds on the industry's response to the innovative integrated safety bond design feature incorporated into the Rama range of Fresnel and PC luminaires, says the company.

This decision is further demonstration of the Selecon approach to delivering Stage Lighting for All; a company commitment to ensuring, through careful listening and pioneering design, that Selecon products continue to meet and anticipate the increasing demands of health and safety regimes around the world so the activities of our future stage lighting practitioners are

USA - Reflecting the increasing use of LED illumination sources in urban centres, Color Kinetics is promoting the growth of its installation base in Boston - where some of the region's foremost architects and designers are using the company's technology to light one-of-a-kind structures, facades and interiors while at the same time mitigating maintenance and energy strain.

Some of Color Kinetics' more recent local installations include Bank of America Pavilion, Boston Hyatt Downtown, Hyatt Regency Cambridge, Westin Boston Waterfront, Rustic Kitchen, and Sushi-Teq at the new InterContinental Boston. Its intelligent LED lighting systems also generate colour and dynamic lighting effects in multiple locations within TD Banknorth Garden, Boston's premier sports and entertainment arena. These and other installations exhibit both the versatile aesthetics of digitally controllable LED s

China - Royal Philips Electronics will present its latest innovations in entertainment lighting technology at Palm Expo 2007, being held in Beijing 2-5 June 2007.

Initiated by the launch of Philips MSR Goldy 1200 FastFit and Philips Hi-Brite 1200 FastFit, at last year's Palm Expo, Philips has enlarged the product range with Philips MSR Goldy 700 FastFit and Philips Hi-Brite 750 FastFit.

This rear load lamp base system includes an increased brightness, provides the opportunity to reduce fixture size and weight, assures reliability due to pinch protection technology and has an excellent colour quality, says the company. Several OEMs will underline the display of this lamp concept at Palm via the launch of several Philips FastFit lamp based fixtures.

(Jim Evans)

Mexico - The cities of Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey were host to a series of special concerts by the Alan Parsons Live Project (APLP), fronted by Alan Parsons and PJ Olsson. Handling the lighting programming and operation was Martin Thomas of Relentless Lighting Design who employed a Martin Maxxyz for the task.

"I had been using the Maxxyz with The Alan Parsons Live Project since 2005 whenever I could, but many of the shows the act does are one-offs and there is no touring production," Martin comments. "I had also just used the Maxxyz on the 2006 African/European leg of The Black Eyed Peas and the 2006 US Tour for Chris Brown - it is my first choice of console for any of the acts I'm doing.

He continues, "The Maxxyz has an ease of programming that allows me to build several complicated cuelists in a short period of time. The layout of the console

World - A pair of grandMA consoles is accompanying Beyonce on her world tour, which kicked off in Tokyo and excited Australia before commencing its European leg. With the tour described as a cross between a theatrical play and a rock 'n roll show, the grandMAs control an extensive array of media servers and lighting instruments.

The set is dominated by a tracking staircase unit where the band and back-up vocals live, entirely fitted with Barco's OLite modules. Complementing the staircase unit are drapes, which fly or track in and out to create not only additional scenery but also projection surfaces.

"Beyonce wanted something simple yet sophisticated. The aesthetic is very clean and simple, and the technology is neat," notes Justin Collie who created the performance environment design for Artfag LLC. "Video is an integral part of the show and the visual effects

UK - White Light has announced the next round of training courses offered by its Training Initiative training and education scheme. The company will offer four training days during June, covering moving lights, Avo lighting consoles and pyrotechnics.

The two-part Moving Light course will take place on Wednesday 20 June (Level 1) and Thursday 21 June (Level 2) at White Light's base in Wimbledon, south-west London, running from 10am to 4pm. The Level 1 course provides an introduction to moving lights, including basic set-up and handling, discussions on their potential uses, health and safety issues and basic care and maintenance.

The Level 2 course goes into more detail on fault finding in the lamp circuit, the motor circuit and the sensor and feedback systems, as well as giving a more in-depth look at cleaning and maintenance.

The Pyrotechnics course, run in association with

New Zealand - Selecon Performance Lighting has several new product debuts planned for the ABTT Theatre Show 2007 in London next month, including the long throw Toru 4º-8º followspot, the third and final model from the Performer Series range of followspots.

Previously seen in preproduction mode and now in full production, the Toru 4º-8º followspot has been well received with several orders for major theatres including two units destined for the Barbican, and five Toru 4º-8º followspots for Norway's new National Opera House in Oslo, together with four short throw Tahi 18º-24º models.

ABTT Theatre Show visitors will also have the chance to try out the newly remodelled Acclaim Fresnel and PC which introduce heat management to 500W / 650W luminaires, typically used in schools and community theatres. This new feature ensures operators can focus these versatile little stage l

UK - Audi drew the crowds outside the Royal Opera House on Saturday 12 May, with PRG Europe lighting two Audi R8 Coupes parked outside on platforms. Lighting designer Michael Odam came up with a stunning new look for the cars on the plinths. Thomas PixelLine LED battens and Vari*Lite VL2000 spots loaded with Audi gobos produced by PRG Europe all made the cars look their best for the passing crowds.

A full-colour Audi logo was shone onto the side of the building, while Audi logos spun across the two sports cars. It was all in aid of an annual event sponsored by the car manufacturer at the Royal Opera House, where invited guests attend the opera and a gala dinner before being chauffeured home.

Crew chief Steve Russell said: "The crew and I got soaked when we were rigging all the lights, but we kept all the units dry and it stopped raining before it got dark. Fortunately the

India - MA Lighting's distributor for India, Reynold's Sound & Lighting Services recently held training in Bangalore. The 30 attendees were lighting designers, rental companies, system integrators, theatre personnel, consultants and specifiers from all over India.

Their feedback was very positive and enthusiastic. "It was the first time we held training for the MA consoles and we were completely overwhelmed by the huge success. After what I've heard from the participants, grandMA has got a really bright future in India," said Felix Remedios, Reynolds managing director.

"The training, organised by Reynold's, was held to meet the growing demands of the Indian market, to bring productions to a higher level and to link with our new office MA Lighting Middle East / India those two booming markets," explained Michael Althaus managing director of MA Lighting.

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