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Rigging / Staging

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UK - PSCo is launching a revolutionary lifting solution in the UK, enabling easy, fast and cost effective installation for the 103" Panasonic Plasma.

PSCo has partnered with German manufacturers Mediascreen to launch this flight-case based system which can position the 103" up to 3m in the air at the touch of a button. The Screen Lifter is a specially designed portable installation, handling and display system, which is now available for both trade rental and sale from PSCo.

The sheer size of the new Panasonic 103" Plasma screen has presented an installation challenge for early purchasers of the system. Until now the 8ft wide, 220kg screen has required bespoke lifting for both permanent and temporary installations, be that a domestic environment, an exhibition or a luxury retail outlet.

However, The Screen Lifter houses the 103" screen in a flight case on

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UK - The Verlinde Technologies division of French manufacturer Verlinde has announced that that Simon Rothechild's new title is business development manager for UK and Ireland with immediate effect. Rothechild is now also responsible for the South African territory, as well as other international regions for Verlinde, which are due to come on stream soon.

Thomas Descamps, Verlinde's managing director, said: "Simon has proved over many months an enthusiasm and aptitude to perform in the role, and he continues to hit his new business targets. Our sales in UK and Ireland are on track, and we are pleased to extend Simon's role to South Africa where he has already helped us make significant inroads into a major new marketplace."

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Visitors to the PLASA Show at Earls Court from 9-12 September, can pay a visit to Stand H69 for an opportunity to win a prize of £1000 worth of staging products - courtesy of the boys and girls at Hoist UK, Litestructures and Rope Assemblies.

Visit Stand H69 at PLASA 07.

(Lee Baldock)

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USA - From 31 August, Stage Technologies' US office will be closer to the heart of Las Vegas. Recent projects such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Carnegie Hall, the San Francisco Opera and a large number of new US contracts have resulted in Stage Technologies' American operations quickly outgrowing its current office and workshop facilities.

The company has experienced rapid expansion over recent years and believes that the new 8000sq.ft premises will provide its engineers with better facilities and allow it to respond and deliver a high quality service to its clients.

The new office is located within close proximity to major interstates 15 and 215 and is within six miles of McCarran International Airport. The full address is: Stage Technologies Inc, 6651 Schuster Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89118, USA

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Four decades after Cliveden in Buckinghamshire had its most infamous encounter with rock 'n' roll, August 2007 saw the music return with a vengeance as the National Trust-owned property hosted the two day Cliveden Rocks festival.

It was in May 1965 that the Beatles famously spent two days at Cliveden while filming scenes for the film Help!, so it was appropriate that the second day of the festival featured tribute act The Bandit Beatles.

A family-orientated festival featuring tribute bands The Strolling Bones, ZU2, the Bandit Beatles and The Magic of Abba, ending with a spectacular firework finale, Cliveden Rocks saw Star Events Group provide a Morbit stage for the bands to play on.

"This is the first rock / pop event that Cliveden has hosted," says the National Trust's Richard Jordan-Baker. "But I have worked with Star Events Group many times in t

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UK - Software developer Stardraw.com has announced the appointment of Paul Clark to the position of software developer and designer. Prior to this, Clark had already been named as Stardraw's very first Certified Programmer for Stardraw Control in the latter part of 2006.

Stardraw.com CEO David Snipp confirmed that the appointment of Paul Clark was a logical step for the company. "We had been looking for a while, but good programmers are hard to find, especially good programmers with an industry background who understand our objectives and our market. Paul was the ideal candidate - already a Certified Programmer with an excellent working and technical knowledge of Stardraw Control, and a good understanding of how we work as a company. I'm sure he'll be a great asset to the team."

(Jim Evans)

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UK - The Scissor Sisters 2007 Ta-Dah Tour featuring dates at London's 02 and Manchester's MEN arenas played to packed houses, and featured stage set and trussing rig from Litestructures. This was the second slice of Litestructures action for the Scissors, following last year's tour.

Working to a concept by designer Marc Brickman, overseen by Scissor Sisters production manager, Litestructures provided both the custom staging and the trussing. The set, measuring 15m wide, 12m deep and 10m high, took just five weeks to design and build, from concept to completion.

A total of 64 Litedeck modules, including a custom curved section at the leading edge of the stage created the trademark shape of the Scissors' legs as functioning walkways. For greater toughness and greater translucence, Litestructures specified Macrolon deck surfaces, with underlit flash effects lighting to pro

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UK - Celebrating its 30th birthday at PLASA07, James Thomas Engineering (JTE) will be unveiling the beginning of a new corporate identity and announcing the restructuring of the sales team.

Andy Walters will head up the sales team supported by Chris Waller as special projects manager. Walters has been involved with PixelRange for the last five years, but has returned to the generic lighting and truss side of JTE to concentrate on the development of the existing product range and the creation of new concepts.

Walters explains, "The next few months will be an exciting time, we will present two new product catalogues at PLASA and new web site will be launched towards the end of the year. Both Chris and I are looking forward to new JTE era."

(Jim Evans)

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UK - PLASA 2007 sees Zero 88 taking on the European distribution for the LightFactory range of lighting control software. Designed in New Zealand this software has been growing its user base globally.

Martin Searancke of LightFactory says: "I am excited by linking with Zero 88. Their product brand and distribution network is well established in the European market. I am looking forward to working with their distributors in Europe to establish our software as the choice for PC-based control."

Zero 88 will be selling LightFactory as a complete boxed package. This will include the software, Zero 88 USB to DMX dongles and quick start guides to allow the software to be installed and used quickly. The design allows all the DMX processing to be done in the dongle's Neutrik 5-pin connector.

Several options will be offered, from one universe to 64 universes of DMX control.

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UK - Specialist crowd management and security company, Showsec, provided security for Creamfields 2007 and ensured that festival goers enjoyed their bank holiday in safety.

Creamfields relocated last year from the Old Liverpool Airfield, Speke in Liverpool, to Daresbury Estate, Cheshire, and more than 40,000 music fans gathered on the green-field site this year to see headliners Chemical Brothers, Groove Armada, Kelis and LCD Soundsystem along with the extraordinary line up of top DJs that Creamfields is famous for.

Showsec has supported Creamfields event management company, Loud Sound, for a number of years, working in close partnership with them on many different events all over the country. During the run up to the show, Showsec worked closely with Loud Sound to develop an all encompassing crowd management plan that covered everything from traffic management to on site crow

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UK - Hoist UK Ltd has announced a new strategic alliance with Litestructures GB. The alliance allows both companies to distribute each others products and services.

Hoist UK's Tony Dickson says: "This is a great opportunity for both companies, the natural union of truss and motors makes this a symbiotic relationship, you can't think of one product without thinking about the other. By forming this relationship we can offer the end user a very economic and customer orientated service. The partnership gives the opportunity to offer a realistic one stop shop for rigging projects in entertainment, retail and industrial applications."

Litestructures' Adrian Brooks comments: "I have known and worked with Tony Dickson for several years on different projects, when he and Paul set up their own company I was really pleased that Litestructures were amongst the first people

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UK - Slingco has installed a CableNET tensioned wire grid system into the Studio Theatre in the Student Union building at the new £50 million Queen Margaret's University College (QMUC) in Musselburgh, south-east Edinburgh.

This complete new build project opens this month and is the first new Scottish University Campus of the 21st century and replaces QMU's three previous city centre sites. It has been designed and built as a state-of-the-art centre of academic excellence, complete with vibrant student village and an innovative learning resource centre at its core. It will cater for up to 5,000 students plus staff.

Queen Margaret University specifically requested that a Slingco CableNET was installed in the new theatre, following its huge conceptual and practical success at their previous Gateway Theatre in town. This was installed by Slingco in 2002 and was enjoyed and l

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International - The first digital edition of Lighting&Sound International magazine goes live today, on the eve of the 2007 PLASA Show.

Timed to coincide with both the PLASA 07 and the re-launch of the popular LSI Online website, L&SI's digital edition will offer an easily navigable and fully searchable on-screen version of the familiar magazine, accessible for subscribers anywhere there is Internet access, as soon as the magazine is published.

The digital edition will allow PLASA Media to significantly increase the global circulation of Lighting&Sound International magazine.

Available free to industry professionals worldwide, the digital edition will boost readership, particularly in developing markets where the cost of subscriptions has previously been an obstacle, and equally in far-flung territories where

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UK - Draping and stage machinery specialists J&C Joel has designed, manufactured and fitted 42 acoustic elements into London's newly refurbished Royal Festival Hall.

The project includes the supply of four concertina banners and 38 acoustic roller blinds, plus ten chain driven tapestry tracks to which the Hall's famous Hilary Bourne designed tapestries have been re-attached following restoration. The movement of all these elements is integrated into the Stage Technologies automation control system.

Acoustic consultants Kirkegaard Associates were responsible for transforming the room acoustics into a perfect environment for staging world class events of all types and productions of all sizes, and they specified all the various treatments. Getting the acoustics right was a major part of the whole refurbishment scheme, and the overall project was led by architects Allies and Morr

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UK - The new look PLASA07 opened for business this morning, 9 September, following a rush of last-minute registrations and confirmation of a substantial number of major product launches scheduled over the four days of the exhibition.

This year's show features a new layout, new features, over 50 new exhibitors, plus an expanded educational programme with many sessions free to visitors. These include special interest sessions from BEIRG, InfoComm International and the Theatres Trust, plus specialist sessions from Cirque Du Soleil, Duran Audio and Wireless Solutions. Additionally, the organizers have invested a range of visitor facilities including wi-fi lounges and meeting rooms.

The PLASA Awards for Innovation will be announced at 6pm this evening in the Central Bar area, located between Earls Court 1 and 2.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Following discussions between PLASA Events and A.C. Lighting, an agreement has been reached that will see A.C. Lighting sell its A.C. Lighting North Trade Show to PLASA Events.

The agreement reflects the intention of both organisations to work together to ensure the entertainment, event and production industries in the north have a single industry-led event that serves their needs.

A.C. Lighting, a long-standing member of PLASA, started their event in 1999 and quickly established it in the industry calendar, developing it further in recent years to provide a strong focus for the region.

A.C. North 2008 will be the last trade show organised under that name by A.C. Lighting. Immediately after its close, PLASA Events will take over the management and ownership of the event and will look to build on the regional platform established by A.C.

The move fits the strategic aim

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UK - The 2007 PLASA Awards for Innovation, announced last night in a special presentation ceremony at the PLASA Show, reflect the ever-more dynamic, diverse and creative health of the global entertainment and installation technology industries.

65 products from 10 different countries were entered this year, and covered a broad range of lighting, audio, rigging and staging, AV, effects, software and accessories - amply reflecting the industry's diversity and global nature.

"The energy, ideas and innovation that feature at PLASA start from the imaginative minds that make up the industry," said PLASA CEO Matthew Griffiths. "The talent in this business is formidable, and it's that talent that we're celebrating."

During the ceremony, attended by special guests from across the industry, eight awards were presented.These went to:

beyerdynamic (GB) Ltd - Hea

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UK - Event security specialist Showsec was tasked with looking after the security work at all The Police's shows in England and Wales during the band's much-anticipated reunion tour.

The company was tasked with providing all artist and production area security for The Police dates at Twickenham, Birmingham National Indoor Arena, the MEN Arena, Manchester, Wembley Arena and the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. This included securing back stage areas, the stage itself, dressing rooms and all production assets. A key part of the role was to liaise with venues and local authorities, ensuring proper access and effective security procedures for the band. Showsec's operations director Mark Logan coordinated and designed the staffing and security management procedures of the tour, drawing from the 2,000 fully trained staff based in nine offices around the country.

Mark stated: "It is

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UK - Vertigo celebrated the worldwide launch of Vertex at PLASA07 this week - where the joystick-controlled 3D flying system scooped a prestigious PLASA Award for Innovation.

The first use of Vertex was in the making of the latest Harry Potter movie, and the system is now available from Vertigo, the London and Pinewood based rigging, motion control and entertainment structures specialists, for sale or hire worldwide.

Designed and engineered to fly people, cameras and objects across large areas in real time without complicated programming, Vertex is billed as the first 3D flying system that can be controlled and programmed in real time via a joystick. This system has been designed to ensure the simplest of set-up and control with the highest technical capability. Crucially, it is certified to the most stringent (BGV-C1) safety standard.

Unlike other flying systems, moves can

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UK - You can drive right through St John's Town of Dalry almost before you have finished saying its name. Yet this picturesque town in southwest Scotland now offers a range and quality of live performance which puts much larger places in the shade.

Local resident Mark Stoves invited Maltbury to advise on the staging as part of a major refurbishment plan. MD Philip Sparkes made a site visit to view the hall and a Metrodeck package was agreed on which offered a wide range of stage and tiering layouts for the space.

After only a few months the hall is buzzing with activity once again. As Mark Stoves says: "Since purchasing the Metrodeck, the Hall has seen a significant increase in the number and variety of new events and its success has exceeded all expectations."

Then, shortly before Christmas, Jenny Harvie of local Dalry School saw a performance at the hall and like

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USA - American Idol's successful North American tour commenced in July in Sunrise, Florida and runs until 23 September, when the tour closes in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Lighting designer Alex Reardon worked with Upstaging to meet the various artistic demands of the show. The tour features the TV show American Idol's "Final 10" contestants with the design process beginning, by necessity, long before the finalists were chosen. Thus Reardon had to design the show based on themes rather than personalities.

Furthermore, without knowing who the performers were, a certain "talent contingency" existed, placing even greater demands on the tour's production aspects. Reardon specified a Kinesys motor control system to move the show's lighting rig during the show, providing added design flexibility and also some unique effects.

"With a limited bu

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UK - PLASA 07, the first PLASA Show managed in-house by PLASA Events, has been judged an 'outstanding success' by exhibitors and visitors alike - with a large number of this year's exhibitors already confirming their intention to return to the show in 2008. The show featured over 500 new product launches and attracted over 50 new exhibitors.

With the show floor packed on Monday morning, PLASA Events also announced its acquisition of the A.C. Lighting North trade show, bringing the PLASA Events' team's expertise and drive to this fast-growing event for the north of the UK.

PLASA 07's radical new layout saw an easy-to-navigate, one-floor event occupy both Earls Court 1 and 2, combined with lower noise limits and a smoke-free atmosphere - plus exhibitors' determination to make the most of the new opportunities with brand new stand designs. The massive growth in innovative video a

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UK - Bristol-based fabrication specialists Fineline designed and built several specially customised items for Muse's summer stadium shows for Production Manager Chris Vaughan of The Production Office.

Among the projects was fitting a Kawai MP8 electronic grand piano into the shell of a classic instrument. The classic piano, also made by Kawai, was shipped directly to Fineline's warehouse in Bristol from the factory in Japan with no keys or strings. Liaising closely with Muse backline technician Des Broadbery, Fineline's Dave Harris then took delivery of a Kawai MP8 electronic grand piano, which had to be fitted inside the original.

The grand piano was carefully inserted into Fineline's 5-axis router, where the key bay was machined into the correct shape to receive the MP8 keyboard. The MP8 was then stripped right down to its component parts and mounted correctly into the grand

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UK - Summit Steel's project management team has expanded with the addition of Simon Frost. Immediately before joining Summit, Frost was rigging manager at London's Royal Albert Hall, a post he'd held since January 2005.

2007 has been Summit's busiest year to date, with highlights including being appointed as house riggers for the newly opened O2 Arena in June. This alone prompted an immediate need for additional experienced staff.

At Summit Frost will be dealing with a selection of key projects and working alongside existing account handlers Jon Bray, Chris Walker and Jay Call.

Jon Bray comments: "We're naturally delighted at having someone of Simon's calibre onboard, and look forward to a great working relationship."

(Jim Evans)

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