UK - Showsec played a key role in maintaining a relaxed summer festival vibe in Hyde Park this summer in sweltering weather over ten show-days.

Three days of Hard Rock Calling were headlined by Neil Young, The Killers and Bruce Springsteen, with some smaller shows on stage two preceding the Blur homecoming shows and Wireless Festival featuring Basement Jaxx and Kanye West.

At the most practical level keeping crowds cool was achieved by Showsec staff constantly distributing gallons of water to fans. Beyond that there were numerous strategies and approaches implemented to maintain calm and secure all areas of the Royal Park venue, from perimeter fence, to pit, to artists and VIP areas.

The companies head of security for the events, Simon Battersby explained: "This is the best team and security operation I have worked with in Hyde Park. We have really seen th

UK - The great cathedrals of the world can still prove challenging in terms of sightlines for those in the congregation or audience. Salisbury Cathedral has been using Maltbury Metrodeck for many years.

Technical manager Dene Turner, who originally chose the system more than eight years ago, is still delighted with what Metrodeck offers him both for services and concerts in different parts of the Cathedral.

"We use the very versatile Metrodecks regularly in the Cathedral itself and also outside in the Cathedral Close for choral and orchestral concerts. I also use them for temporary liturgical focus such as Nave Altar platforms and Nativity/Easter dramas" says Turner.

(Jim Evans)

UK - The Rigging Partnership were approached to provide the automated solutions to the performer flying elements of the Circus Tour for Take That. Playing to 1m people over 20 dates the sell out tour was bigger than anything the band had done before.

TRP worked with the band for their Come to Town Christmas TV Special which previewed the tour's circus theme. After rehearsals at 3 Mills Studios the TV show was shot at Granada Studios in Manchester. Given that multiple effects were needed in a tight space, TRP opted to use Navigator software from FTSI (Fisher Technical Services) with their MOD winch system. This allowed the crew to rig multiple effects off individual winches and also to achieve the speed and acceleration required to make the effects look alive and "not like a tired old corporate show".

Once planning on the tour started TRP were brought in

UK - At this year's ABTT Theatre Show, various product and achievement awards were presented at a reception after the first day of the event. The lifetime achievement award was given to Paul Sadler of Delstar Engineering and was presented by Jeff Phillips, who was a key personality and driving force at the Royal Opera House for many years before his retirement.

During his career at the Royal Opera House, Jeff worked with Paul on numerous occasions, a typical example of which would be the installation of heavy duty point hoist winches sandwiched onto the fly galleries for the Ring Cycle and used to operate Paul's engineering design for a lifting, hinged, turning platform.

Paul Sadler specialises in modern theatre hydraulics and is now acting as associate engineer for Delstar Engineering, the company which he founded in 1978. Since its formation, Delstar has been a major contrib

Balaeric Islands - A.C. Entertainment Technologies recently supplied event production company Three Media Creative with state-of-the-art sound and projection systems for new show Come Fly with Me at the Gran Casino Theatre in Mallorca. Combining the music of Frank Sinatra with the spectacle of a Broadway show, the production is based around New York in 1959 and features a mix of swing music, acrobatics and dancing.

When the show's producers, Globo Balear, took over the Gran Casino Theatre to host the show, the 1,500-seater custom-built theatre had never been used before for such a technically ambitious production. They therefore appointed broadcast and production specialists Three Media Creative as technology consultants when the show first went into pre-production planning.

James Baker, Three Media Creative Show Technology Consultant and his team had the remit of desig

UK / Denmark - UK-based Stage One has just completed the construction of a sculptural pavilion showcasing the possibilities that exist in building with sustainable and intelligent materials. Designed by Danish architects 3XN, the Pavilion is part of a 'Green Architecture for the Future' exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Stage One was responsible for both the manufacture and installation of this innovative structure, which follows the shape of a Moebius band and was built using natural fibres - naturally derived resin and cork from sustainable sources. The company has unique experience in working with complex shapes and unusual materials, along with a broad palette of problem solving skills. In this instance well-known synthetic products were substituted with new biological and re-useable materials, many of which had not previously been used

Portugal - JR Clancy, the US-based manufacturer of theatre rigging systems, has supplied 33 PowerLift automated hoists to the Teatro Municipal de Portimão (Tempo) in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. They were proposed to the client and installed by ADT Fire & Security (a Tyco International Company).

JR Clancy's international sales manager Charles Shatzkin comments: "ADT told us that the client was looking to motorise their rigging system and wanted a fast, safe, reliable and quiet powered hoist. The Clancy Automated Rigging System has a variable speed capability up to 0.6 m/sec and produces sounds no louder than those heard in a whisper-quiet library.

"The theatre also specified a SceneControl 500 - a powerful control console which provides a 3D visualisation of the performance space. The SceneControl is virtually unmatched in features and price: its functio

USA - All three ETCP rigging examinations will be given at the November 2009 LDI show in Orlando, FL. The entertainment electrician exam is scheduled for Friday, 20 November; the arena rigging exam is to be given the morning of Saturday, 21 November and the theatre rigging exam is scheduled for that afternoon.

Candidates who wish to take multiple exams will receive a discount for the second exam. Interested applicants must submit their application, along with supporting materials and fee, to the ETCP office no later than 6 October 2009.

Rigging examinations are given daily at over 190 computer based testing centres across the US and Canada.

(Jim Evans)

France - A British stage technician has become the second fatality resulting from the collapse of a stage being constructed for a Madonna concert at the Velodrome stadium in Marseilles, France. The partially-built roof fell in yesterday evening when one of four cranes lifting the roof toppled onto the structure below it.

Although eyewitnesses said the collapse happened slowly enough for some of those below to get out of the way, a 53-year-old French worker was killed outright. A number of other people were injured in the accident, some of them seriously, including a 32-year old British man who later died after undergoing emergency surgery for severe head wounds. A US citizen was also seriously injured, while around 30 people in total were treated for minor injuries and shock. French Police have begun a criminal investigation.

Madonna's Sticky and Sweet tour was in Udine

UK - The recent CM Lodestar training courses held by A.C. Rigging, a division of A.C. Entertainment Technologies, were well received by all who attended the fully booked events, the company reports.

Dave Carmack, entertainment product trainer for Columbus McKinnon, led the training sessions along with Adam Beaumont, sales manager for the A.C. Rigging division, at the company's Leeds premises. Course attendees were taken through various levels of training, from the basic course covering overcoming daily scenarios, to an advanced two-day course covering inspection procedures and certification of the Lodestar and Prostar motors.

Trevor Hanna, senior technician for Production Services Ireland, commented: "Having attended the advanced course, it has now provided me with greater knowledge and confidence to work on CM Lodestar chain hoists. The methods and instruction from David

UK - Il Divo are currently engaged on a world tour promoting their latest album, The Promise. Production director, Mark Ward of Proper Productions, met with Brilliant Stages in December 08 to discuss the tour's multi-faceted staging requirements before construction of the set began in January in readiness for the tour's first date in February.

The stage design involves a multi level 'necklace' stage composed of two curved arms sweeping down from a back walkway to the main promoter's stage and forward into the audience to a B stage, giving several performance areas on different levels. With so many venues on the tour, the stage dimensions and construction needed to be flexible to allow for different configurations within each venue.

Access to the main stage is via access stairs situated towards the rear, down which the four singers descend to the mid-air walkway level, a

Stage Tragedy - Prosecutors have apparently opened a manslaughter investigation after a stage being built for a Madonna concert collapsed killing two people, a French official has said. Eight other people were seriously injured in last Thursday's accident at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille. Assistant prosecutor Marc Cimamonti said an investigation for manslaughter and involuntary injuries in a work-related accident has been opened. Madonna has said she is "devastated" by the news of the deaths.

Charles Criscenzo, a 53-year-old French worker, was killed outright in the accident and Charles Prow, a 23-year-old from Headingley in Leeds, died in hospital. Technicians had been setting up the stage at the city's Velodrome stadium when the partially-built roof fell in on Thursday, bringing down a crane.

Madonna paid tribute to the technicians at her concert in Italy on T

Belgium - At the heart of U2's current show, first viewed by 90,000 fans at Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium on 30 June 30, is the giant in-the-round stage, built by Belgian staging specialists Stageco, supporting 170 tons of giant screens, audio and lighting.

The stage's four legs arch out to embrace the audience, giving fans unprecedented and extensive access to the superstars on the pitch, while its gargantuan proportions carry the band's performance to every seat in the house.

This is one of the largest stages ever toured in any field of entertainment. The structure's central grid is raised 28m high, with legs traversing the width of the famous soccer pitch and a central antenna reaching as high as 5m.

The Stageco steel structure weighs 220 tons, excluding both the 90 tons of steel ballast that travels with each system and the rigging loads. Stageco has produced three identi

UK - The Youngman Group has launched a division dedicated to the specialised needs of the events industry. The new division will be targeting sporting and media events, outdoor concerts, exhibitions and product launches. Youngman Event Solutions has developed a range of crowd barriers, staging, and tower products specifically designed for performance and durability.

Jason Carlton, head of business development (events division), says that the new division is concentrated on developing a range of innovatively designed products to meet customer requirements coupled with working in partnership with a small number of key distribution partners. "We are not simply modifying scaffolding equipment, but are focused on providing bespoke products for technically demanding clients", declared Carlton. "At the same time we aim to provide the best possible after-sales service. Th

USA - In an effort to ensure the safety of guests, exhibitors, contractors and employees of the Washington State Convention & Trade Centre (WSCTC), a rigging installation and inspection programme is being implemented. Effective 1 October 2009, any rigging, either ground support or aerial, which falls within specified categories must be installed by an ETCP Certified rigger. In addition, rigging supervisors, who must be ETCP Certified, are required to submit inspection and approval documentation to the WSCTC of all rigging installations.

Ed Barnes, WSCTC vice president of operations, stated, "We began the process to certify all riggers working in our facility for the safety of the centre's guests and everyone working behind the scenes. Having rigging installed by ETCP Certified personnel provides the most reliable and efficient way for us to verify the level of knowledge and

UK - The prestigious Gottelier Award will be presented for the third time at this year's PLASA Show.

Named in honour of the late designer, developer and commentator Tony Gottelier, this award aims to recognise the product developers who have made a significant contribution to the development of the equipment and tools that enable our entertainment technology practitioners to continually push the boundaries of event production, presentation and installation.

The process of identifying the winner by peer voting will again consist of two distinct phases, but with a few subtle changes.

In the Nomination Phase, industry professionals will again be asked for their choices, but will also be asked to identify the specific product contributions that make that nominee a worthy contender. Based on the nominations received, a panel of industry expert judges will then be asked to decide

Iceland - Compared with the Pop Idol franchises in larger countries, the viewing figures for Icelandic Idol may not seem high. Yet this year's competition received over 70,000 votes from a population of just 300,000.

Once again it fell to Alfred Sturla Bodvarsson, head of set & lighting for the Icelandic TV company Luxor, to look after the design. As usual, he turned to his trusty stock of Maltbury Steeldeck to build something both practical and a bit funky.

The stage is made up of about 60 Steeldeck units with LED tubes inserted between them at intervals. The decks were covered in chipboard which was then given a gloss black finish.

Bodvarsson has also supplied Maltbury Metrodecks and Metrodeck Ultra to numerous other Icelandic venues.

(Jim Evans)

UK - At the recent Wakefield district business awards, Litestructures was awarded The Innovation in Business Award 2009. The Awards celebrate the individuals and companies who are helping to make the district one of the most dynamic in the region.

Adrian Brooks, managing director of Litestructures comments: "We are obviously delighted to win and gain recognition for our innovation. We feel that it was well deserved because as a company, we continually strive to move forward and develop new products and ideas."

Brooks invented the world's first aluminium truss system, AstraLite. Since then, many have followed: LiteDeck is now an industry standard staging system, the Litestructures rehearsal arena is the only facility of its kind in Europe, DigiTruss, and LiteSwitch are new lighting developments. Last but not least, the Backstage Academy is well on its way to training

Germany - e:cue lighting control - An Osram company, has introduced light-drive elite, its first standalone DMX controller and user interface for dynamic RGB LED lighting that does not require software programming. Users can easily control intensity, colour, and speed as well as setup their favourite colour-changing effects through light-drive elite's glass interface with touch-sensitive keys and touch wheel, says the company.

Jan Julius Miebach, e:cue's managing director for product strategy, said, "We designed this product to allow end-users to experience dynamic lighting as well create dynamic lighting scenes themselves. We specifically paid great attention to the user interaction with the device as well its aesthetic design."

The glassy interface features an LED ring around the touch wheel to guide users in selecting and adjusting colours, intensity, and speed as

USA - Milos QuickTruss showed how to overcome the challenges and engineering requirements of temporary structures for recent roof projects at two major baseball stadiums - Washington DC's Nationals Park and Baltimore's Oriole Park at Camden Yard.

The temporary structures served as television broadcasting booths complete with lighting, a complex map of cabling and electrical wires, and a weather-proof canopy to keep commentators dry during rainy innings.

The bespoke broadcasting booths were designed by Creative Dimensions, a full service exhibition and sign specialist based in Cheshire, Connecticut. Doug Carabillo, their director of business development, needed to cover all bases when assembling experts from many different industries. He was not familiar with Milos products, but had received numerous referrals from other vendors working on the project, and decided to utilise Qu

UK - Following the success of the 2007 Beautiful World tour, Brilliant Stages were again chosen to bring to life the imaginative and dramatic stage designs for Take That's Circus Live Tour 2009.

The combined creative talents of show producer, Kim Gavin and set designer, Es Devlin devised a circus-themed set for which Brilliant Stages created a total of 5 stages, in addition to several pieces of staging wizardry, for the 20 UK stadium dates.

The main Performer stage, 18m wide x 17.8m deep with tech tunnels beneath and access steps on either side, incorporated six lifts: a piano lift, two double band lifts and a puppet lift for the show finale.

Two satellite stages with weather-proof tech bunkers beneath were linked by ramps to the main stage and housed sound kit and instruments. A 6m-deep C stage, also with tech bunkers, was located at the front of the performer

Once in a Lifetime - Acts including U2 and Aretha Franklin are to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at two concerts. The gigs, set to take place in New York in October, will also feature inductees including Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton and Metallica. Both Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel and rock trio Crosby, Stills and Nash are lined up to perform together. The concerts have been billed as "once in a lifetime" events. Jan Wenner, chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said they are "designed to celebrate the artists and their music".

The proceeds from the concerts will go towards permanent funding for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum, established in 1984 by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun who died in 2006.

Dublin Protest - People who live close to the Croke Park stadium in D

UK - A new, bespoke VVIP seating balcony installed at the Brit Oval in time for this summer's Ashes series was one of the season's best performances for Arena Seating at British cricket grounds this summer, as the players prepared to overcome their own challenges on the fields of play.

Arena also installed temporary grandstand seating at the other grounds visited by the touring Australian national team, namely 4,638 seats at Old Trafford, 3,645 at Edinburgh, 10,766 at the Rosebowl, 8,427 at Durham, 336 seats at Lords, 793 seats at Edgbaston, and a further 218 seats at The Brit Oval.

The Brit Oval's balcony, with its specially upholstered luxury seating, was designed to provide additional comfort in a spectacular environment for the club's VVIP guests. Arena Seating designed the facility in brushed aluminium and glass, using 70 seats based on Arena's Congress seat with weatherp

UK - Maltbury's new Backdrape is a versatile curtain and support system that features adjustable height aluminium uprights on steel baseplates, extendable aluminium cross-bars which simply hook onto the uprights, and black serge drapes which thread smoothly onto the cross-bars and join together with Velcro.

Packages are all tailored to precise customer requirements. The result is a kit that is as flexible as Maltbury's staging systems. With backdrape you can construct a line of curtains to the height of your choosing which will follow the rear of your Maltbury stage - or do something quite different. As always, those decisions are left up to you, says the company.

(Jim Evans)

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