Robe - LEADERBOARD - Feb 2025
Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

Rigging / Staging

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UK - City Building Glasgow, an independent building and maintenance company was formed in 2006 from the Building Services Dept of Glasgow City Council and now has a wide range of contracts in the public and private spheres. Maltbury Staging has been working with City Building for over two years, supplying new build primary schools with a carefully designed package of staging and performance equipment.

Jane Martin at City Building discussed the requirements with Maltbury MD Philip Sparkes and agreed on a package of equipment which would provide a lightweight 7m x 4m stage with backdrop system and disabled access ramp. For complete convenience, easy grip hand-wheels secured the legs on a deck without the need for tools. The kit has proved so versatile and reliable that City Building has just placed its twelfth order.

Drawings and set up instructions for each school were submitte

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Australia/UK - State Automation has announced the appointment of Cooper Controls as the exclusive distributor for its products in Europe.

State Automation is a privately owned Australian company specialising in the design and manufacture of advanced dimming systems for professional theatre, television and other entertainment applications. Cooper Controls is a specialist manufacturer and supplier of lighting control products to the entertainment and architectural lighting markets.

"Following unprecedented success in Australasia and the Far East we have been looking to further develop our business in Europe for some time," says State Automation chairman Chris Bishop. "Cooper Controls has an extensive dealer network and market penetration throughout the region. Through their Zero 88 entertainment lighting control brand they have a core knowledge of the markets our

Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

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UK - The Youngman Group has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Staging Concepts, the Minneapolis, US based producer of lightweight modular performance staging systems.

The Staging Concepts range is now available throughout Europe via the Youngman Group's newly established Events division. Launched earlier this year, the Youngman Events division is dedicated to the needs of the events industry, including sporting fixtures, outdoor concerts, exhibitions and product launches.

The new division is headed by Jason Carlton who says: "The Staging Concepts system is the perfect complement for our own range of products for the events industry. Staging Concepts' is a complete system ideal for the end-user and specific venue applications."

Under the new distribution deal, Youngman will stock the Staging Concepts range at its warehousing site at Maldon, Essex and w

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UK - Truss manufacturer Milos will have an eye-catching feature on their stand at PLASA09, which will be constructed from their MT2 Towers and QuickTruss products. The stand will feature a whole range of Milos trussing, roofing and staging ranges.

New products include Milos' C3 crowd barrier system, a lightweight, modular crowd control system available in a wide range of sizes and angles. The robust construction has a completely foldable design for rapid and easy set-up and breakdown, and can be built into numerous configurations using a selection of the standard module sections.

Also new is the latest S8 Xstage modular staging system, which builds on Milos' existing products in the range. S8 features a new profile available for compatibility with plug-in legs and scaffolding.

Milos S4 Xstage will also be prominent, and has proved an ideal option for all types of events - la

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UAE - Approximately 30 pro sound specialists from across the Middle East assembled at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 12 and 13 July for a workshop conducted by Anthony Sawyer, technical support manager for Electro-Voice and Dynacord. The workshop primarily dealt with Electro-Voice's compact XLC line-array system. The participants were all Electro-Voice customers and already familiar with other EV line arrays, but the object of the workshop was to study XLC in detail to ensure that everyone was making the most efficient use of EV technology.

"Our watchword is 'The demo makes the sale','" says Oliver Sahm, director of technical support ProAudio EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa). "And this workshop demonstrated the truth of that idea for the umpteenth time. By the time the event was over, many of the participants had decided to either expand their existing XLC invent

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UK - Making a welcome return to the PLASA show, track and acoustic solutions manufacturer Triple E is using the occasion to officially launch its revolutionary Chainbeam track. Already in use in London's National Gallery and LA's Universal Studios, as well as on Carnival Cruise ships, Chainbeam combines the solid construction of Unibeam with the amazing flexibility of Triple E's Chaintrack system. Chainbeam's solid, extruded aluminium construction gives it great strength and rigidity, enabling large spans between two suspension points. With a minimum radius of two metres, it is also well suited to large curved systems. But it is the insertion of a dual run of 3/8" duplex chain which gives the track its unique flexibility. As the driving force and suspension for curtains and scenery, the chain is used with absolute encoders to provide extremely accurate positioning for any loa

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UK - Having enjoyed sold-out events for four years running in London's Finsbury Park, Madstock - the festival featuring self-styled 'nutty boys' Madness - disappeared for over a decade. But in July 2009 it enjoyed a triumphant return at a new venue, Victoria Park. AP Security wasin charge of crowd management and stewarding for it and the ensuing Lovebox weekend.

AP was in charge of safety and stewarding throughout entire site for both events. The site featured three stages with a 'Golden Circle' in front of the main stage for Madstock and two stages (but no Golden Circle) for Lovebox. Both also featured the usual array of concessions stands, alternative entertainment and sponsored areas.

"The planning started, as usual, many months in advance," says Chris Hollands, AP's southern operations manager, who managed the planning and operation at

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UK - At PLASA09, LTM will be highlighting the full range of the new LoadGuard Electric Chain Hoists, which are available in capacities from 250kg to 5 tonnes, including a 2.5t hoist on one chain fall - ideal for large ground support systems.

These hoists are available to higher safety standards- all of these standards allow some form of load positioning and holding without secondary suspension to support the load.

The quietness and low visibility (including black chain) make these hoists ideal for venue use, and the ruggedness make them ideal for production applications, says the company.

LTM will also be showing the range of Guardian Controllers and a wide range of its other lifting products including a new load sensing system for entertainment applications.

LTM will be in its usual spot in Hall 1 Stand C36. They will have the usual LTM hospitality including 3 new beers a

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UK - Based on the South Coast, Apt Suspensions is a new distribution company offering rigging, and hoisting products at competitive prices and providing a comprehensive national sales service to the professional and amateur user.

"Utilising quality merchandise sourced from around the world, the company's ranges of products - from safety bonds to chain blocks - represent exceptional value for money and, therefore, an outstandingly good deal for the customer," the company says.

"Apt Suspensions give their customers an unrivalled level of personal care, and regardless of whether the requirement is to purchase stainless steel fittings and wire rope for use at an outdoor event; to rent chain hoists and slings to raise the roof on a temporary stage system, or hoisting equipment that needs to be inspected and tested prior to use, they have the expertise to advise and h

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The Netherlands - There were two significant but very different firsts for Mojo Barriers at this year's Lowlands Festival. It was the first time the Gatekeeper, Mojo's new intelligent turnstile system had been integrated into the festival's barrier system, and the first Lowlands Festival for Cees Muurling since being appointed managing director of the company.

The three day festival in Holland brought together 55,000 people to enjoy the festival experience with music from the likes of Arctic Monkeys, The Prodigy, Kaiser Chiefs and Snoop Dogg.

This year, Mojo Barriers' Gatekeeper was used for the first time at the festival as part of the entry and exit system for the main stage front audience pens. The Gatekeeper's turnstile system counted the number of people entering and leaving the enclosed pens immediately in front of the stage throughout the day to ensure the

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UK - Lighting rental company Lite Alternative has invested in a new Kinesys K2 automation control system which has gone out on Depeche Mode's Touring The Universe world tour and the stadium leg of the Coldplay Viva La Vida world tour - both with lighting designs by Paul Normandale.

This reflects the growing trend for designers to incorporate movement as another visual dynamic into their shows, requiring accurate and often subtle control to change the nature and feel of the performance space.

The first Lite Alt Kinesys purchase was a fixed speed Elevation system with a Smart 8 8-channel hoist controller and Vector PC-based automation control. This was utilised for Keane's autumn 2008 tour, to facilitate Rob Sinclair's design. It then went straight out on the Kings of Leon, a co-design between Ali Bale and Paul Normandale.

(Jim Evans)

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UK/The Netherlands - A new and advanced hoist motor control system will be unveiled at PLASA09, where XLNT Advanced Technologies launches its PowerMotion DS8 Pro and Pro Plus Series Solid State Motor Controllers.

The DS8 Pro Series "provides every essential option for controlling standard electrical entertainment chain hoists", with more advanced options and total multi-unit flexibility available in the Pro Plus version, including the separate DSR 8x8 64-motor hand remote. Both types offer a major benefit to professional riggers - maintenance-free reliability thanks to the solid state design, says the company.

Designed primarily for top-flight rental applications but equally suited to fixed installations, the DS8 Series is designed around the practical experience and requirements of leading riggers, to the rigging industry's highest standards of safety, protection an

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The Netherlands - The audacious, ambitious in-the-round touring spectacle that is Britney Spears' Circus World Tour has been wowing fans in the UK before heading off on its latest international leg in Europe, North America, down under and beyond. Literally at the heart of the giant production is a mammoth circular Stealth LED video curtain, raised and lowered with millimetre precision several times every night by an XLNT Advanced Technologies CyberHoist motion control system.

The complex, three-ring, non-stop show is a cornucopia of aerial action, with acrobatics, nine automated lifts, and a central 5.18m (17ft) diameter rotating device, all contributing to the Circus theme, and with over 100 lift cues there's not a moment to draw breath.

The concept is the work of co-lighting designers Nick Whitehouse and Bryan Leitch, with tour director Steve Dixon and show director J

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UK - Working at height on trussing grids has always been a slow and potentially risky business - and show technicians are often impeded by the use of harnesses and dual lanyards.

Hall Stage is pleased to announce the arrival of IAStage's new product line -Truss-Mounted Wire Tension Grid systems.

This innovative system is a modified, near standard lighting grid consisting of truss and SkyDeck TWG panels. The standard grid is actually transformed into a flexible working platform that provides access to lighting and sound equipment as well as a perfect floor for riggers to work from, complete with handrails and safety gates.

SkyDeck panels are modular which makes them ideal for touring shows, as the panels are easily adaptable to fit any type of truss system. Focusing a show will be more efficient and trouble free since the electrician can simply walk across the whole rig, says

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UK - Next week's PLASA Show (Sunday 13 - Wednesday 16 September, Earls Court, London) will feature a hands-on demonstration area showing products utilising the new Remote Device Management (RDM) extension to DMX512 (ANSI E1.20).

Visitors to the area will be able to learn how RDM works to discover and configure products from different sources. Address configuration, mode changes, product status and sensor reporting - all are functions offered over existing DMX wiring using RDM, and in a manner offering defined interoperability between manufacturers. Get introduced to the latest developments in suite of protocols that make up ACN - the Architecture for Control Networks.

Staff from several companies leading the introduction of ACN and RDM will be available to answer questions and provide valuable insight into how it all works.

The area, which can be found on Stand 1-J40 in Earl

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USA - Tomcat USA has announced that Don Dimitroff, formerly sales manager for Columbus McKinnon, has joined Tomcat USA's team as sales & marketing director.

"After working with Columbus McKinnon for 13 years and admiring Tomcat as a customer as well as the Tomcat group of professionals, I jumped at the opportunity to become part of the team," said Dimitroff. "Tomcat's client list is a veritable Who's Who of the industry and I look forward to helping serve these customers and to bringing on clientele to experience the finest staging and lighting equipment offered in the entertainment industry."

Tomcat is also announcing the appointment of Brad Barnhill to the position of brand manager. In this capacity Barnhill will coordinate all the activities related to new product development and strategic marketing with emphasis in strengthening brand penetration

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USA - A cantilevered Milos QuickTruss structure proved to be the solution for New York-based event production company SIA Acoustics and Madison Square Music, a popular summer concert series held in New York City's Madison Square Park.

SIA Acoustics designed the cantilevered QuickTruss structure using only two towers to suspend the roof canopy and technical systems above the stage. Instead of ballast, concrete footings poured beneath the walkway were fitted with threaded rods and QuickTruss connectors. Completely concealed when not in use, the anchors could be uncovered only when needed, the towers dropped onto the Milos connectors, and the roof then placed on top.

The structure also complements the spirit and feel of the park in many ways. The Madison Square Park Conservancy strives for a peaceful musical experience for its listeners, rather than a big rock concert production.

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Record-Breaking Fringe - The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has broken its own box office records by selling more than 1.8 million tickets. Ticket sales for the Fringe were up by 21% on last year and 9% on its previous best ever year, which was in 2007. Organisers said a drop in international visitors had been offset by a marked increase in UK audiences.

The 63rd Fringe, which ended on Monday night, was the first with new chief executive Kath Mainland at the helm. She said, "Even in tough economic conditions, festivals chime with people in a way few other events manage to. Over the past three-and-a-half weeks I have seen some amazing work, sometimes perfectly trivial and enormously entertaining, sometimes incredibly challenging and often hugely moving. I have been blown away by the creative energy, artistic vision and drive of the people taking part, from performers and director

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UK - With just days remaining before the PLASA09 exhibition opens its doors (13-16 September, Earls Court, London), PLASA Media has published the Show Guide online in a digital format.

Readers of Lighting&Sound International's digital edition, which has been available worldwide for the past two years, will be familiar with the freely accessible online format.

This is the first time the PLASA Show Guide has been available prior to the show, and will allow those planning on visiting PLASA09 ample opportunity to browse the exhibitors' detailed information and plan their visit in detail. The PLASA09 Guide includes full listings for all exhibitors, with a quick reference A-Z listing and floorplans to make planning your visit as straightforward as possible.

In addition to this, the Guide also features advanced information

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UK - ShowTex theatre and event textile sprecialists have a few surprises up their sleeves. All will be revealed at PLASA09 where the company will present a gallery of new industry solutions including a product launch of the Mesh Fabric Profile.

The ShowTex Mesh Fabric Profile is a solution for attaching no-sew netting to ceiling truss. Sprinkler ceilings can be created by simply attaching the profile to truss, stretching any kind of mesh fabric over the steel profile's integrated pins, and closing the sliding cover. The pins allow for one-step fabric adjustment and the attractive cover makes it unnecessary to finish fabric edges. The Mesh Fabric Profile comes standard in black with a length of 2m long and can be easily attached to truss constructions with specially designed profile clips.

The new profile is only one of the many new ShowTex products to be presented at PLASA09.

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UK - The arts resources at Bedford Modern School are outstanding and include its v own 300 seat auditorium with modern lighting and sound facilities. It was up to Maltbury Staging to help teacher Nick Parker complement this impressive resource with a customised staging package.

Bedford Modern students regularly take part in an extensive programme of concerts, plays and exhibitions. Highlights this year were Romeo and Juliet and a choral concert of Mozart's Requiem. These ambitious productions demand complex and varied sets, which is why Nick Parker's original objectives for staging were flexibility and strength. After meeting with a representative from Maltbury Staging's sales team it was decided that the Ambideck system would be the answer.

A short time later Bedford Modern School accepted delivery of a package of Ambideck which met their strict deadline with a

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The Netherlands - Madonna's Sticky and Sweet tour was a dazzling show even by the usual technically pace-setting standards of Madonna's live productions. A large XLNT CyberHoist intelligent motor system was responsible both for animating the opening seconds of the show and a multitude of complex screen and lighting movements throughout the evening.

Showcasing mostly the same material as the 2008 tour, Madonna added some new numbers, a standout moment being a tribute to Michael Jackson, with one of her dancers performing the Moonwalk in full Jacko regalia.

The largest screens were controlled by XLNT's InMotion3D software running on a CyberHoist FPS Full Production System with dual Apple MacPros, in the hands of senior programmer and project manager Martin Hoop or his deputy Erik Gielen. The action began with a giant video cube that opened the show displaying a replica of

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UK - Defying the economic gloom-mongers PLASA09 opened its doors this morning with registrations matching last year's record breaking total of 15,000 - a sure sign that this year's show is going to be as high energy as ever.

There will be more for visitors to see, as more new exhibitors have signed up for the show at Earls Court, bringing the total of new and returning exhibitors to over 50. The education and learning programme has also been expanded with two audio-related masterclasses from previous Gottelier Award winners, Tony Andrews of Funktion One and John Stadius of Soundtracs/DiGiCo.

Another new addition to the Show is the Supply2.gov.uk Lounge, a central feature area giving exhibitors and visitors the chance to get advice from Supply2.gov.uk - the portal which helps SMEs gain access to public sector contract opportunities, typically worth up to £100,000.

Anoth

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UK - Entertainment lifting specialists Hoist UK supplied a custom performer flying winch system to rigging specialists Over The Top for the recent Boyzone tour.

The winch is used during the tour to fly dancers above the stage, then used for the encore to fly all five members of Boyzone to the 'B' stage and then back to the main stage.

Paul Jordan, director of Hoist UK comments, "The winch is a custom version of our popular range of pilewind winches and in its fully built condition it has ten rope drums spanning over seven metres. It is manufactured in modules housed in one metre custom sections of 52cm truss with each module containing two rope drums.

Tony Dickson, fellow director of Hoist UK adds, "Each of the drum modules are then linked using a drive shaft to the next module, and then to a central module containing the geared motor assembly. The winch is capable

  1. Litestructures in Manchester Central redevelopment
  2. PLASA09: CRMX Nova promises to redefine wireless DMX & RDM
  3. A.C. Rigging and Litec stage training school
  4. 5 Star delivers century of cases to Arpege
  5. Instant quotes from Triple E's web site
  6. PLASA09: XMOS demonstrates Gigabit Ethernet AVB
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Astera - Large MPU - June 2025
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