UK - A.C. Lighting's Audio division has supplied a comprehensive array of equipment to the Royal and Derngate Theatre, Northampton. The supply of audio equipment followed the recent £15 million re-development plan for the main venue for arts and entertainment in Northampton.

Equipment included a Yamaha M7CL 48 channel digital mixing console with Ethersound based networking hardware, a Meyer Sound line array system and a full range of Shure and AKG microphones along with various other items.

David Reeve, technical manager of Royal & Derngate remarked: "In the tendering process, A.C. Lighting very quickly proved themselves to be competitive and efficient. They managed to arrange gear demonstrations at very short notice and ensured all the kit was on site quickly with the minimum of fuss."

A.C. Lighting's audio sales manager, Peter Butler, commented: "We we

UK - Bespoke Lighting, which recently merged with LEDtronics, a Los Angeles-based LED lighting company, combined their skills in developing a unique method of illuminating chandeliers using light emitting diodes (LEDs).

The project was undertaken at the request of The Royal Household, in an effort to reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs.

The centre room chandelier was nominated and all 32 25 watt tungsten lamps were removed, and a low voltage system controlling 2.8 watt light emitting diode lamps (Queens Chandelier STL610-48-XIW-024M) were installed, initiating an energy saving in excess of 80%. The next re-lamping will not be needed to be scheduled until 2020.

(Jim Evans)

South Africa - Gearhouse South Africa has invested in 24 Robe ColorSpot and ColorWash 2500E AT fixtures which made their debut on the 2010 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw at the International Convention Centre in Durban.

The new units were an integral element of Tim Dunn's lighting design for the event, which was broadcast live by the South African Broadcast Corporation (SABC) to over 200 territories worldwide. A hundred of these relayed it live, creating a new FIFA Draw record.

The new 2500s were supplied to Gearhouse by Robe's South African distributor DWR Distribution. Gearhouse first bought Robe moving lights - 48 of the 700 Series - in January 2007, followed by another 48 700 Series fixtures in October, quickly followed by the 2500s this month - just in time for the FIFA event.

Dunn worked closely with set designer Dewett Meyer and Richard Baker from LEDVision (supplier

Italy - Clay Paky projectors illuminated Roberto Benigni's presentation of Dante's Inferno, one of the most prestigious televised events in 2007. The show was broadcast live on RAI 1 on 29 November without a single commercial break. It focused on the work of the renowned poet Dante Alighieri.

The programme was realized in the cinema and television production centre - Cinecittà Studios in Papigno (Terni) in the post-modern scenario of an old disused factory. Director of photography Fausto Carboni reports: "It was necessary to combine the typical demands of a 'one-hand-show' with the need to interpret the Dante theme with a light show. It was also necessary to illuminate a theatrical show, bearing in mind the television requirements. We came to an agreement with the programme director Stefano Vicario, and decided to use a white light on the protagonist and full colour

USA - Apollo Design Technology has introduced six new colours to the ApolloGel Series 7 swatchbook. The new colors are: AP3520 Alexander the Grape; AP4130 Blurple; AP4870 Bluetylicious; AP5430 Green Gello; AP7630 Peach My Interest; and AP7770 Hot Wings.

"The evolution of ApolloGel has been interesting to watch," states Monty McWilliams, VP marketing at Apollo. "The selection of new colours used to be based on Apollo staff opinions. The process is now driven strictly from end user recommendations. Without widespread use of our colour filters, this wouldn't be happening."

(Jim Evans)

UK - Entec Lighting supplied equipment and crew for LD Dave Ross and the Sex Pistols' recent comeback shows at Brixton Academy, London.

In spite of their once anarchic image, the band's lighting requirements were relatively conservative this time around, although they did have some very definite ideas about the aesthetics. They wanted an 'old skool' look, everything lit in red, white or blue (i.e. Union Jack colours) and nothing too 'flashy'. They also wanted to be able to see the audience at appropriate moments.

Entec was asked to quote on the lighting supply and won the account via production manager Chris Griffiths. Entec's Noreen O'Riordan comments: "How splendid to be working with a band of our generation that changed the music industry so radically - God Save The Pistols."

Back in 1977, when the band so rudely kick-started the art-house punk movement and shoo

UK - Bandit Lites UK supplied lighting production and crew for Motown legends The Four Tops and The Temptations on their co-headlining UK arena tour. Bandit UK has serviced the account since 2004 working with New York based LD, John Bowers. Bowers started lighting the Four Tops in 2000 and the two groups regularly visit the UK and Europe and perform as this double bill.

The lightshow is designed to work flexibly and easily for both acts. This time around, Bowers opted for a fully generic lighting rig featuring lots of PAR cans, ACLs and some punchy and precise followspotting.

"I'm absolutely meticulous about the rig focus," he says as he explains his philosophy of creating a 'depth of perception' in the rig using a very tight focus that bounces the light beams around the rig and the stage. This gives an illusion of lights moving even though it's a static system.

Th

Australia - The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts is a cutting-edge venue which incorporates a 300-seat performance space, modern art gallery, a screening room and multifunctional rehearsal spaces. In 2007 the main foyer of the centre underwent a major facelift with the installation of colour changing fixtures and a comprehensive control solution.

Lighting technician and operator Keith Clark has been with the centre for four years and was instrumental in the refurbishment and comments: "Originally we had fluorescent down lights and the atmosphere was cold and stark. We wanted to make the foyer more colourful and to represent the shows that were going on inside, so that the whole 'theatre experience' begins the moment you enter the lobby."

Steering the whole lighting system is the new Lighting Playback Controller from Pharos Architectural Controls. This compac

UK - Entertainment lighting supplier White Light recently harboured a bunch of fugitives on the run from the Police - the 30 people were quickly recognised as respected television lighting directors, but fortunately they were only at White Light after escaping from the fictional Police of television series The Bill, filmed around the corner from White Light's base in Wimbledon, south-west London.

The visit was part of a joint day out organised by the Society of Television Lighting Directors (STLD). This saw the LDs visit the busy working studio of The Bill in the morning, to look at the techniques and technology used to light a realistic drama on the hectic schedule demanded by a show that is broadcast twice weekly, year round in a tour organised and hosted by The Bill's John O'Brien. After touring the various set inside and outside the studio - offices, cel

South Africa - The hit game show Deal or No Deal has proved to be very popular around the world and has now made its way onto South African television. Lighting plays an important part in setting the ambience for the show, and the production team used ETC equipment to create many of the signature effects.

Unlike the UK show, which features 22 contestants opening the sealed boxes, the South African production has 26 boxes opened by hostesses. Lighting designer Angus Clarke uses approximately 60 moving lights of various types plus 26 ETC Source Four 19º luminaires as profile spots for the hostesses on stage, as well as some Source Four 10º around the perimeter of the stage to create a 'light curtain' in conjunction with some haze machines.

Clarke also uses ETC systems to handle the lighting control, including the compact SmartFade desk for supplemental control, such as

UK - FocusTrack, the production lighting documentation system already in use on a wide range of shows around the world, has announced the launch of its new on-line support and discussion forums.

Available now through the FocusTrack website at www.focustrack.co.uk/forums, the forums are designed to give FocusTrack users a place to find information, ask questions or offer comments about using the FocusTrack software.

Since its launch in 2005, FocusTrack has been used to document a number of high-profile theatrical productions around the world, including Billy Elliot in London and now in Australia, Mary Poppins, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Never Forget, Rock 'n' Roll, Guys and Dolls and Young Frankenstein.

FocusTrack is also in use in a number of theatres that have to document shows that tour or play in rep, includ

Monaco - A visually stunning 190sq.m of Martin LC Series LED panels were incorporated into the stage set at the 2007 World Music Awards held on 4 November at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club in Monaco.

Hosted by Julian McMahon, the 19th edition of the World Music Awards featured performances by some of the world's top recording artists; Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, Rihanna and Akon among them.

Ninety-two Martin LC 2140 LED panels were used for set decoration, graphics/text projection and colour accompaniment around a large main stage and side stages. An additional 12 LC panels were located in the audience. According to AED Rent, supplier of the panels, the Martin LC Series was chosen for its light weight and transparency not to mention the fact that there was a large amount available.

Video designer for the show was Dean Price who used five Martin Maxedia HD media servers to pro

UK - Glasgow's newest bridge, Finnieston Bridge at Pacific Quay, is lit up using LEDs from Dialight Lumidrives, the UK based LED technology provider. Carmichael Lighting Ltd used colour changing LEDs, controlled by 40 Colourdriver 36 modules, to create a dramatic effect on the new 169m long road bridge across the River Clyde.

The £20.3m Finnieston Bridge is a dramatic new landmark for Glasgow, featuring a central arch span which crosses the river at an angle between the roundabout atBroomielaw/Finnieston Street and the south side of the river.

The bridge accommodates four lanes; two dedicated to public transport and two for private and commercial traffic, with additional pedestrian and cyclist paths. It has a main span of 96m (314.9ft) with two end spans of 36.5m (119.7ft).

Gordon Routledge, managing director at Dialight Lumidrives says: "LEDs provide a superb lig

Russia - MTV Russia has invested in new Robe moving lights for an upgrade to their busy Moscow Studios. This produces a host of different programmes, from news to assorted music shows, including the Chart Show and popular talent competition, Total Contact.

The Robes were specified by MTV Russia's lighting designer Ruslan Makliatsou and head of lighting Igor Korbeineko, following a collective decision made by all the studio's lighting operators and technicians. The fixtures are primarily concentrated in the ceiling lighting rig at the main Studio 1, run by a Jands Hog console, although they can be moved to other studios and locations as needed.

"We chose Robe because it offered us the most flexibility and best value for money for our available budget, "states Makliatsou, adding that they already knew that Robe was a robust and reliable product - essential for a

UK - The first official training sessions for ETC's newest full size lighting control system, Eos, have been released by the lighting, dimming and control system manufacturer.

Sessions specifically for Strand 500 users are to be held on 9 January, 6 February and 26 March 2008, while sessions for operators and programmers with or without previous experience will be on 10 January, 20 February and 5 March. Class, which is free, is from 10am to 5.30pm, with lunch and breaks included. However, there is a limit of just six people at the sessions, which are to be held at ETC's west London office, known as the Playhouse at Gypsy Corner. Students will learn basic Eos functionality, and both experienced and novice programmers will find the session a useful introduction to the powerful programming style offered by the control system.

Working with pre-visualisation software, attend

Egypt - Wireless Solution Sweden recently helped make a concert at the Pyramids of Giza worthy of a Pharaoh. Beladi - A Night at the Pyramids was the first "made for television "concert ever recorded at this historical site and it will air worldwide this winter. The concert featured Quebec singing superstar Chantal Chamandy, accompanied by the Cairo Symphony Orchestra performing for thousands of spectators, with the pyramids and the Great Sphinx providing a spectacular backdrop.

Lighting designer Matthieu Larivée of Luz Lighting Design and assistant LD Valy Tremblay of Proluxon designed a colourful array of effects on the massive structures using almost 600 fixtures to achieve the perfect look to accompany this historical event. The landscape provided the biggest challenge, the shortest distance from console to fixture was approximately 1000m (.6 miles) a

Australia - Miss Saigon is one of the most successful musicals in the world - seen by over 33 million people, in over 25 countries and played in 12 different languages. This time around producer Cameron Mackintosh has created an entirely new version of Miss Saigon which is just as exciting and even more emotionally involving than the original production.

The original Australian production of Miss Saigon ran for 16 sold out months in 1995 but only in Sydney as the show was simply too large to fit into any other Australian theatre. Rather than cut the show down in size, Cameron Mackintosh decide to meet the challenge of creating something new.

This new version of Miss Saigon uses cutting edge visual techniques and a new set which vividly recreates the streets of Vietnam and Bangkok. The memorable final helicopter flight from the roof of the American Embassy is achi

USA - Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions, the new entity formed by Philips' acquisition of Color Kinetics, has completed its new 50,000sq.ft corporate headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts - merging the principles of "green" design with innovative uses of its LED lighting technology throughout. As the global R&D centre for Philips' entire LED luminaires business, the new space is both a testing ground and showplace for the future of light, the company says.

"The unveiling of our new multi-million dollar headquarters is a fitting end to our 10th and brightest year in the business. We've brought a whole new category of industry-changing technology to the famed 'tech corridor' of Massachusetts' Route 128, and we're well equipped to grow and foster on-going innovation in our one-of-a-kind showplace. It's truly a canvas for the future of light that LEDs will en

UAE - The second Middle East Lightign Design Awards will take place during the PALME Middle East show (Dubai's International Exhibition Centre, 27-29 April 2008). Outstanding lighting design achievements in the GCC territories will be celebrated at an Awards Gala dinner on 27 April at The Dusit Hotel, Dubai, UAE.

Submissions are now being accepted and those eligible for entry are any projects completed between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2007 within the Middle East Region, including the GCC, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran and Egypt. The deadline for entries is 31 January 2008.

The categories include: Public Buildings (historic buildings, museums, galleries, airports, places of worship and government buildings); Exterior (building facades, bridges, structures, public spaces, landscaped areas and street lighting); Hospitality & Leisure (hotels, entertainment centres, the

UK - A.C. Lighting presented the prestigious British Racing Drivers' Club's Richard Seaman Trophy to F1 driver Lewis Hamilton at the 2007 BRDC Annual Awards Luncheon at the Savoy in London.

Taking place on the eve of the 80th Anniversary of the British Racing Drivers' Club, the Awards celebrate the achievements of the international racing season. Over 400 people gathered in The Savoy's Lancaster Ballroom for the star-studded event, which was packed with motor racing's finest heroes from past and present.

The Richard Seaman Trophy is awarded to the winner of the Club's Gold Star points scoring system. Lewis Hamilton's 2007 F1 achievements led him to top the Club's Gold Star table by a margin of 34 points at the end of his maiden season.

A.C. Lighting's UK sales director, Phil Capstick, presented the award to Lewis Hamilton along with BRDC President Damon Hill. Once on stage,

UK - Maidstone Studios switched on their Christmas lights on Saturday 1 December in partnership with Martin Professional and Richard Martin Lighting (RML). The lighting will be in place until 31 December and everyone is welcome to go and have a look at them.

The whole of the front of the studio was lit by RML with Martin Professional's new LC Videowalls in reception. The Martin lighting that RML supplied included LC 2140 Video panels, Maxedia Compact, Exterior 200 Wash and an Exterior 1200 Image Projector.

Kenton Oxley from Maidstone Studios commented: "It's about showing what the local area can achieve with the efforts of two local businesses; we hope that our Christmas lights will become a local landmark for years to come." Nationally it's about launching the LC panels in readiness for a number of light entertainment projects booked for 2008 for a range of internat

Germany - Housed on the premises of former cult disco Soul City, a new experience in disco, the Max & Moritz opened at the end of August. With a prime location on Munich's Maximiliansplatz, the club has been lavishly renovated by its operators, M5 Gastronomie, bringing it fully up-to-date in terms of ambience and equipment. When Weidenberg-based company TC-Promotion was commissioned to provide perfect sound coverage for the 800sq.m location (the Club Max and the Club Moritz), a team led by graduate engineer Michael Jobst decided to use systems from Dynacord.

The centrepiece of this tailor-made sound reinforcement design is formed by loudspeakers from Dynacord's VariLine series. Both the Max and Moritz clubs feature four VL152 and four VL122 speaker systems, providing powerful sound. "The VariLine is ideally suited to clubs of this size," explains Jobst. "These lou

UK - Lighting Technology Projects has supplied, installed and commissioned an architectural lighting scheme for the iconic new Sidings Bridge near Swansea.

The graceful 71m (232ft) span contemporary construction provides a new gateway into the city, with express bus and cycle lanes. It runs parallel to the famous Fabian Way and its elegant lines are based around a 45m (147ft) high mast and a series of 24 steel cable stays.

LTP was asked to quote on the project by Swansea Council. Being locally-based was one advantage, and the Council also became aware of their work on the London Eye lighting scheme and on other bridge schemes including the London Millennium Footbridge and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Newcastle. LTP's project manager was Jonathan Adkins, who co-ordinated site work and installation working closely with consulting engineers, Flint & Neil.

LTP was initially

UK - The first Pearl Tiger console on tour in the UK was put through its paces on the road by Colour Sound Experiment's Dave "Fletch" Fletcher, lighting designer for Ian Brown's The World Is Yours tour.

The console is being run with a wing, and has proved "totally reliable" reports Fletch. He's been using the Tiger Wing for all his specials and any lights that he uses regularly during the show - so they are right to hand. "It's a great desk and an excellent version of a Pearl which is small enough to take as carry-on baggage on the plane - very handy at times" he enthuses. He's also certain that he'll be doing just this when it comes to Brown's forthcoming European and South East Asian shows in early 2008.

The Ian Brown rig was asymmetrical, consisting of a front truss and two back trusses (higher and lower). Fletcher incorporated JTE Pixel

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