USA - The 52nd Grammy Awards were held on 31 January at the Los Angeles Staples Centre. The audience was the largest it's been in six years. The popularity of this year's production was put down in part to the performance?orientated programme, with live performances from artists including Beyoncé, Fergie and Pink.

Pink is one of the few singer?songwriters in the contemporary entertainment world who takes on challenging, performer?flying routines herself, creating her very own captivating fusion of stage arts. Her moving rendition of Glitter in the Air brought the crowd to their feet. Never missing a beat, Pink delivered the song from her Funhouse album with typical aplomb in conjunction with an elegant trapeze act.

Pink slipped into a white silk sling that lifted her up above the stage where she remained airborne throughout the song with three gold?clad si

UK - Stage One was named 'Favourite Set Construction Company' at the TPi Awards 2010. The company has been providing set building and automation services to the live event industry for over 25 years and has worked on many high-profile live events.

"Winning this prominent award means a great deal to us because it recognises the effort we put in to establishing, developing and maintaining strong relationships with everyone we work with," said Simon Wood, sales director, Stage One.

The event took place on 8 February at the Novotel, Hammersmith. The evening was hosted by presenter and DJ Chris Evans and attended by over 1000 representatives of the music and live event industries.

(Jim Evans)

Canada - International staging and structures company Stageco has completed the construction of the video screen supports across the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics sites.

Stageco was commissioned to design and build a series of video wall structures across five outdoor locations in Vancouver's Whistler Mountains and at the BC Place Stadium in downtown Vancouver.

Stageco's team of engineers and R&D specialists designed a series of bespoke solutions for each location. The differing requirements of each support structure were determined by location, weight and size of the screens and the required viewing angles for spectators.

Stageco managed the design process, transport logistics and crew in advance of the icy build to start in November 2009, planning for the extreme weather conditions and transportation of material across mountainous areas.

Project manager Thierry Nataf re

UK - PASMA, the trade association for the mobile access tower industry, has published a new information DVD/CD called Accidents can happen even at low level. Aimed at owners and users of low level access equipment - which PASMA defines as having a maximum platform height of 2.5m - it provides information and guidance on how to use folding step units and folding tower units safely and productively.

With an estimated 50,000 of these versatile units in daily use, the DVD covers everything from undertaking the initial risk assessment, checking the components prior to assembly and following the manufacturer's instructions, to assembling the unit, checking it before use and completing the necessary inspection record.

With a running time of 16 minutes and intended to complement the association's existing low level access training course, the DVD also highlights some of the mos

Italy - UK based automation specialist Kinesys has announced the appointment of trussing manufacturer Litec as its Italian distributor.

Litec is part of the Vitec Group which also includes companies such as Brilliant Stages and Manfrotto. They are also a master distributor for Columbus McKinnon so Kinesys felt this was the right company and product mix to complement a premium automation product.

Kinesys' sales & business development manager Mark de Gruyter comments, "Litec is a highly respected company with a great contact base and a real knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the live production and performance industry - so we are well matched partners."

As soon as the deal was sealed, de Gruyter and Kinesys' Dave Weatherhead travelled to Mogliano Veneto near Venice to meet the full Litec team and undertake two days of comprehensive staff technical trainin

UK - Showsec and University of Derby Corporate launched the Foundation Degree in Applied Professional Studies specialising in Crowd Management in February 2010. This bespoke, work-based learning initiative highlights Showsec's continued investment in future-focused education within the security and crowd management sector, says the company.

The new course has been developed by the University in close partnership with Showsec to meet the needs of learners, contributing to the longer-term development of the organisation and resulting in a formal qualification in the area of crowd management and event security. So far, 22 junior and mid-operational management executives have embarked on this flexible programme, combining academic and theoretical knowledge with work-based skills.

Conor Moss, workforce development fellow at University of Derby Corporate says, "The commitment f

USA - The deadline for submitting applications to sit for the paper and pencil examinations to be given at USITT has been extended to 12 March 12, 2010.

All three ETCP examinations will be offered at USITT in Kansas City, MO. All applications must be submitted to the ETCP office no later than 5pm on 12 March 2010.

The exam dates are: Entertainment Electrical Exam: March 31 (9:00 am); Arena Rigging Exam: April 1 (9:00 am) and Theatre Rigging Exam: April 1, (2:00 pm).

All three exams are available at over 190 testing centres in the US and Canada on most business days. The Arena and Electrical examinations will also be given at InfoComm this summer in Las Vegas.

(Jim Evans)

UK / China - J&C Joel had good reason to celebrate Chinese New Year last month as they won the prestigious 48 Group Club (The Ice Breakers) UK Exporter of the Year award at the annual Chinese New Year Dinner and Chinese Business Awards. The event at London's Dorchester Hotel incorporates a series of awards for businesses that have made outstanding contributions to developing and maintaining Sino-UK business relations, bilateral trade and cultural links.

Keynote speakers included Lord Mandelson, Secretary of state for business, innovation and skills. Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and leading business CEOs. The 48 Group Club was formed in the early 1950's when the founders were the first westerners to break the international trade embargo on China (The Icebreakers). The original 48 companies involved went on to establish mutually beneficial t

UK - Sean Pagel from Production Services Ireland (PSI) has become the first person in Northern Ireland to attain the Professional Lighting & Sound Association (PLASA)'s National Rigging Certificate (NRC) Level 3 'rigging supervisor' level.

Pagel, a director of the Belfast based lighting rental and sales company, says: "With health & safety issues increasingly topping all rigging agendas, and our commitment to offering clients the very best and highest quality services, industry driven and recognised qualifications like this are vitally important."

PLASA's National Rigging Certificate demonstrates that individuals have reached a professional standard within their chosen rigging discipline. The NRC is not yet a compulsory scheme, but increasingly major UK venues are requiring it for riggers working in their spaces. PSI undertakes a lot of rigging projects in both Irela

UK - Luke Harrison, performing arts technician at Canon Slade School recently ordered some extra legs for his Metrodeck. Harrison has embraced the versatility of Maltbury's modular equipment and has achieved some exciting arrangements.

"We've recently bought a new set of legs to build a three-metre high tier with a boxed in, enclosed space attached," says Harrison. "Also, our lighting and sound control is operated from tall Metrodeck structures.

"In the past we have also built a two level 'in the round' space, seating about 200 people. The year previously, we extended our proscenium arch stage to incorporate a catwalk for our production of We Will Rock You. The flexibility and sizing of the system allows us to easily design stages and seating plans with little training required, and only a couple of spanners."

Future plans at Canon Slade Schoo

USA - BSR E1.6-3--201x, Selection and Use of Chain Hoists in the Entertainment Industry, is available for public review at www.esta.org/tsp/documents/public_review_docs.php through 3 May 2010. The review is over when the posted 'Review End Date' of 4 May is reached.

The draft standard is part of the BSR E1.6 powered theatrical rigging system project. This part, BSR E1.6-3, establishes minimum safety requirements for the selection and use of serially manufactured electric link chain hoists having capacity of two tons or less in the entertainment industry. This standard does not address the design or maintenance of these hoists. The standard is intended to provide for the protection of life, limb, and property.

(Jim Evans)

Sweden/Spain - Wireless Solution Sweden has announce the appointment of Entertainment Equipment Supplies (EES) as the new W-DMX dealer in Spain. EES, with locations in Madrid and San Sebastian, represents some of the top industry brands to live entertainment, television productions and special events in Spain, as well as supporting training seminars for their product lines.

"EES has proven to be the strongest contender in Spain, representing some of the best brands in entertainment lighting products", said Lotta Schiefer, EMEA sales manager for Wireless Solution. "Our products fit in very naturally with the EES portfolio, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with them."

Nacho Acha-Orbea, CEO for EES added, "We are focused on high quality brands and equipment with which we can be confident we are offering the best products with the

Germany - ARX will be releasing a spread of new products at the upcoming Frankfurt Pro Light and Sound Exhibition including the USB I / O Universal Transformer Isolated USB Interface, the Q Switch Quad Channel Stereo Switcher and the re-chargeable DI Plus RC Single & Dual Channel Active Direct Boxes with internal NiMH batteries.

ARX's Melbourne- based managing director Colin Park said, " This year ARX is exhibiting with our German Distributor I.A.D. "We're looking forward to spending the exhibition working with Thomas Shrill, Frank Swierzy and their team showing I.A.D's local dealers and customers and all our international visitors ARX's new and current product ranges."

(Jim Evans)

UK - Small businesses are hoping to beat the recession by stepping up their sales and marketing strategies, a new survey has revealed. After cutting operating costs to the bare minimum, many smaller firms are hiring sales staff, improving their websites and boosting marketing activities in an effort to tackle tough trading conditions.

Research carried out by the not-for-profit Forum of Private Business (FPB) also found that business owners expect their efforts will pay off. More than half (56%) of those surveyed expect to increase their turnover in 2010 and 44% believe their business will grow.

The findings are the first of the FPB's new 'economy watch' panel - a body of more than 350 members who are sharing their experiences as the economy heads away from recession. The panel is designed to provide an accurate and timely reflection of what small businesses are experiencing on

UK - Nearly 7000 'dodgy' ladders have been surrendered in the three years the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been running the ladder exchange initiative.

HSE is now thanking all the retailers, manufacturers, trade associations and local authorities who have played their part in the campaign which gives workers the opportunity to get rid of old, damaged and broken ladders and trade them in for new ones at a discounted price.

In the most recent campaign, HSE's partners were inundated with a variety of precarious ladders with missing rungs, bent sides and ladders that are clearly not up to the job anymore.

In 2008/09 a total of 35 workers died and over 4000 employees suffered major injury as a result of a fall from height in the workplace. Many of these incidents could be avoided by using the right equipment and taking simple precautions.

HSE is working with industry t

UK - Showsec continued its long-term partnership with the 2010 International Live Music Conference. Communication was a recurring theme as company directors sat on three expert panels debating issues and discussing best practice.

The four-day London conference began with a production day, attended by several hundred international suppliers to venue, tours and festivals. Showsec managing director Mark Harding participated in a panel about how to deal with emergency incidents arising from inclement weather.

Every year there are a significant number of casualties caused by bad weather related incidents at outdoor events and members of the panel recounted personal instances and experiences as to how to avoid or overcoming these. Responding to questions from members of the audience, Harding explained the value of effective planning and communications infrastructures from managing s

UK - Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-awaited continuation of the story of The Phantom of the Opera has finally arrived in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre and fans have been looking forward to the revival of all the principal characters in a world of new hope and old obsessions.

The story unfolds at the turn of the 20th century in Phantasma, a fabulous showground in Coney Island, New York - home to freaks and entertainers. Bob Crowley's set and costumes combine the colours and thrills of the fair with the dark longing and macabre mania of the Phantom. A series of projections on layered tabs creates an immersive experience that opens up elaborate illusions of space and dimension, reality and fantasy, past and present.

The Really Useful Group, producers of the show, approached Stage Technologies and Delstar Engineering for the automation system. The Stage Technologies group

UK - In a world first for the entertainment rigging industry, PLASA Events has announced the launch of the PLASA International Rigging Conference, to be held alongside two days of PLASA 2010, at Earls Court, London on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 September.

The aim of the conference, the first of its kind in the world, is to provide a unique specialist forum that will bring together entertainment rigging companies, riggers, venue operators, tour and event production managers and more. It is the latest industry-specific forum to be presented by PLASA Events and reflects the PLASA organisation's stated intent to reinvest in the entertainment and installation technology industries and deliver bespoke industry relevant events.

Chris Higgs of Total Solutions Group, consultant on the conference, comments: "This is one of those ideas that when you mention it, everyone says 'what a f

USA - In February 2010, a team of world-class instructors and about 60 participants from all over the United States and Canada travelled to Midland, Texas to attend Tomcat's Hoist and Truss workshop or the Rigging and Truss workshop.

The Hoist and Truss workshop featured the disassembly and reassembly of a one ton Lodestar, a Prostar as well as advanced troubleshooting with Dave Carmack of Columbus McKinnon. Dave Sowa (ETCP certified electrician and formerly of Tomcat USA) led a discussion on control systems and conducted demonstrations of load testing. Instruction was rounded out by Dana Bartholomew of Fisher Technical Services, who gave instruction and demonstrations on automation.

G. Anthony Phillips, of RigRider Rigging Services and ETCP certified rigger and instructor taught safe rigging practices and principles while Morgan Neff gave instruction on fall protection practi

UK - Lighting rental company HSL and automation specialist Kinesys recently collaborated to stage a two-day Technical Training Workshop on Kinesys' systems at HSL's HQ in Blackburn.

Designed to work as a one or two day course to suit all levels of interest, the response was "extremely positive", and all the places were filled predominantly with working riggers. Some also had lighting experience and were keen to further their knowledge of the system from a creative production angle so automation can be worked in to future visual designs.

HSL's Mike Oates was delighted with the results. "We'll definitely be running further Kinesys training in the future. The demand for knowledge is certainly there and we could have filled this course over again with no problem. I also feel very confident that I now have access to a pool of crew who understand the workings and capa

Germany - In addition to its Space Roof, Prolyte has lined up a broad spread of exhibits for Prolight&Sound this week.

Products from Truss, Stage DEX, Barriers, Theatre products and Prolyft, will be represented. There will also be a new line up of rigging hardware and controls. The D75T truss, Snake Gate Barrier and the Power Fly winch will be unveiled.

Additionally, Prolyte will announce details of limited period price reductions.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Hoist UK is now offering customers The Best of All Worlds through its distribution/partnership agreements with entertainment industry brand leaders JR Clancy, Niscon and Verlinde.

The group will be Silver sponsors of the International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference, just before the ABTT Theatre Show and during the show, technical representatives from The Best of All Worlds group will be available to discuss requirements.

Hoist UK offers services such as the distribution of entertainment products to individuals, companies and end users. The Hoist UK project team will integrate products from their partners' ranges with equipment and services of its own design to create a "complete project solution". Hoist UK will design, manufacture, install, load test and commission solutions to suit needs under their banner of Safety Above All

UAE - Al Laith Events Services - the new division of Dubai based Al Laith Scaffolding - supplied a stage and bespoke roof system for Sting's show at the newly re-launched Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

This was the new division's first major event and involved several technical challenges, the first of which was that the roof had to be built over the top of a 100m wide by 11m high permanently installed Mitsubishi LED screen.

The roof was made primarily out of Serious Stages' Space truss to Atlantic Enterprises' and structural engineer Dragan Kuzamanov's method statement.

The cantilevered roof elevation measured 25m wide and overhung the stage just in front of the screen by 19m, with 16m protruding at the back supported by a scaffolding 'bird-cage', cable stays to a seven king poles at the top and 84 tonnes of concrete ballast down below stored in seven stillages at the bottom o

USA - The initial group of ETCP Certified Riggers are due to recertify this year with electricians following in 2011. To maintain their certification all ETCP Certified Technicians must accumulate renewal credits which include continued training and professional development.

ETCP's Training Recognition Programmes are designed to assist certifcants in finding quality training opportunities. ETCP has just implemented a new designation, ETCP Recognised Training Provider, to accommodate organisations which offer multiple courses. The total fee for all submitted programmes is $2500. Organisations interested in having only a single course recognized may apply to have their course become a Recognised Training Programme for a fee of $1000. Recognition and fees are valid for two years for either designation.

There are several benefits to having courses recognised by ETCP. Certified Tec

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