UK- Trafalgar Square 200 'The Spirit of Nelson' show was authored and created by production company Innovision and staged in London's most famous Square in front of 10,000 people. The hour-long live show celebrated the Royal Navy's role at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and at other crucial points in the history of Britain.

Innovision called in the services of leading production industry companies, including large format projection specialist E/T/C UK and rigging specialist Summit Steel. Durham Marenghi came on board as lighting designer.Projection was beamed onto a special retractable 'sail' made from Sunbaba's Austronet 204FR fabric, and rigged onto the centre of three masts depicting a symbolic version of Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory.

The PIGI 6kW projector (complete with

UK - The newly-opened Alma De Cuba restaurant in Liverpool, owned by the Lyceum Group, is housed in a converted church. Dating back to the late Eighteenth century, the building has been vacant since 1976 but has now undergone a major refurbishment programme.

It has been sympathetically restored and many original features have been retained including stained glass windows and archaic artwork.

The sound system has been carefully designed and installed by B+S Sound & Light of Liverpool to overcome the inevitable difficulties of such a wide open reverberant space and to provide the required music level in each of the six designated zones.

Depending on the restaurant activity and time of day, volume can be adjusted via three simple controls positioned in the main bar area. The system uses a Cloud Z8 zoner, 4 x Tannoy TDX1 and Ecler amps to drive an array of Tannoy speakers in var

UK - A.C. Lighting's Special Projects Division has supplied and programmed fixtures for the new Portsmouth Spinnaker Tower, which opened this Autumn.

The 170m tower is the UK's tallest publicly accessible building outside of London and offers visitors a unique 'window on the sea' from its three observation decks. Forming the focal point of the Portsmouth Harbour Renaissance Project, the tower is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the area every year.

Main construction contractor Mowlem plc engaged Mark Hensman of Equation Lighting to create the exterior lighting design, which features two distinct elements: the white light projected onto the rear concrete legs andthe lower shaft below the cruciform to the front, and the dynamic coloured light projected within the arcs and to the front of the main spire.

Following a competitive tender, A.C.'s Special Projects Divisi

In truth, it isn't often that the AES Convention - or any pro audio trade exhibition, for that matter - throws up a genuine surprise. Revelations are normally confined to the Gideon's Bible in everyone's hotel room, and not even New York itself can always liven up the routine of stage-managed marketeering.

However, EAW drew genuine intakes of breath with the - for once - justified expedient of white drapes over a mysterious bulging chassis, which turned out to be the UMX.96 digital mixing console. The model ID may not be as exciting in itself, but the arrival of a totally unexpected new player on the digital live console pitch certainly stirs things up plenty.

The formation of Loud Technologies in September 2003 has clearly influenced the kind of technical cross-fertilization behind the UMX. Teams involved in the product have included the DSP team at Acuma Labs in Victoria, BC; the a

L-Acoustics announced the new, self-powered P Series - currently comprised of the 108P and 112P. These are 2-way loudspeaker enclosures combining proprietary coaxial point source technology with self-powered performance and DSP.

The 108P is a bi-amplified, digitally processed, full-range loudspeaker containing a 1" exit HF compression driver coaxially loaded into an 8" LF transducer. The coaxial approach is designed to provide coherent point source radiation and 100° axisymmetrical directivity - i.e. identical horizontal, vertical and axial coverage. The coaxial design is also said to offer superimposed LF/HF dispersion characteristics, free of the polar lobing effects typical of traditional horn and woofer combinations.

Intended for touring or fixed installation, the 112P features rigging accessories, digital system EQ and network control and monitoring. Four application-

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UK - Lumidrives has launched Colourdriver RF, a new low cost, simple to use, remote control lighting controller for LEDs. Colourdriver RF makes the creation of dynamic lighting effects, dimming and colour changing for example, as simple as installing ordinary light fixtures, claims the manufacturer.

Colourdriver RF is an intelligent driver system which is controlled by a radio remote control. It can be simply plugged into the mains, making the selection and control of light effects as easy as operating a CD player. Its entry level cost also means it has potential for use where current control systems would not be practical.

Radio remote control removes the need for control cables and means Colourdriver RF can be retrofitted to existing lighting installation or even integrated with track lighting systems.

Gordon Routledge managing director at Lumidrives says, "Colourdriv

The whole EAW event came to somewhat overshadow the launch of the other digital live console du jour, Yamaha's M7CL - which, having first been unveiled to the world in the UK at PLASA, was receiving a slightly lower-gear US debut. Yamaha Corporation Of America's Larry Italia and Dan Craik did the honours, however, and the booth was busy for the whole show with visitors weighing up the potential impact of this desk on the US market. With or without the presence of the UMX.96, that impact is likely to be substantial much further down the verticalities of end user territory - where budget means what it always implies.
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Create new traditions – Cameo P6 - High Output Full-Spectrum Ellipsoidal

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With an LED life of 50,000 hours and low power use, the P6 cuts energy costs and supports the EU’s ‘Green Deal’ goals for climate neutrality by 2050. It also meets updated eco-design rules for lighting.

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UK - The Stage Electrics Plymouth production team rose to the challenge of lighting the historic Royal Albert Bridge which runs across the River Tamar near Saltash for a high profile photo shoot.

The structure was built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859) and designed to carry the Cornwall Railway at a height of 100 feet across the water. It was opened in May 1859 and measures 2,187ft in length.

The bridge was lit using 24 Arena Visions and 16 Opti Visions, the resulting picture will be used as a background shot in the new ITV1 West Country Regional Newsroom during the early evening broadcast.

Stage Electrics also supplied equipment to light the studio set including Pulsar Chromaflood Pars and Strand Bambinos. During the studio refurbishment works the company helped to keep the show on the road by building a temporary set and providing studio lighting.

(Jim Evans)

Every day, month or year is an anniversary of something or other, and this month happens to be the 20th anniversary edition of L&SI magazine.

L&SI was launched for the Professional Lighting and Sound Association by publisher John Offord at a time when the Association had only recently changed its name to reflect its broadening scope: the British Association of Discotheque Equipment Manufacturers (BADEM), which emerged from the 70s disco boom, had become PLASA in 1983.

Looking back at that first issue, the first thing that strikes you is facial hair - particularly at the first ABTT North trade show, which the debut issue covered. As someone - let's call him 'John' (what the hell - let's call him 'John Hastie') remarked to me at the ABTT show this summer, this industry no longer has much to offer the committed trade show beard spotter. The November 1985 issue just underlines the

UK - Just how tough are your flightcases?A good testimonial for 5 Star Cases' products has come to our attention, following an arson attack outside the New Victoria Theatre in Woking, Surrey.

Three standard 'tour grade' cases - owned by White Light, lighting supplier to a touring production of Annie Get Your Gun - were temporarily left outside, along with the theatre's large butane heater. Two youths (caught by CCTV) set light to the heater, and the flames quickly engulfed the flightcases before being brought under control. When the badly burned cases were opened, the contents - including cables, top hats and other accessories, were found undamaged!

UK - Islington's Salmon & Compass independent dance clubs has undergone a major £500,000 refurbishment programme. The interior has been completely gutted and replaced by an industrial brushed stainless steel look and a Turbosound PA system from Sound Division. At the same time, club capacity has increased to 280.

"The owners, the Loizou family, wanted a sound system with full clubbing capabilities," explains Sound Division's installation manager Elliott Patterson, "and after consideration we recommended a Turbosound TCS-56/TCS-215 system, powered by Crown XS amplification, along with a new mixer."

(Jim Evans)

USA- A recent US patent application by Color Kinetics (20050036300 - Methods and systems for illuminating household products) covers the incorporation of a processor-driven lighting apparatus for lighting, well, all kinds of household products. Or as many as they could think of, anyway.

According to Claim 6, the 'household product' might be a fluid, such as "water, ammonia, bleach, window cleaner, insect repellant, insect killer, lotion, soap, liquid soap, kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner, shaving gel, cleaning fluid, lighter fluid, furniture polish, wood treatment, paint, primer, drain cleaner, disinfectant, room deodorizer, carpet deodorizer, room scent, perfume, cologne, shaving foam, toilet cleaner, aerosol, skin care fluid, suntan lotion, shampoo, surface cleaner, and liquid wax."

The household product might also be an object, says Claim 8, such as "

UK - HRH Princess Alexandra officially opened the a new £1.75m Sports Hall and Performing Arts Centre at Coombe Girls School in New Malden last month, featuring separate dedicated spaces for sports, music technology, drama and recital.

Stuart Graham's fast-expanding company, Clarity in Sound, Light & Vision, has done much in the past year to bring high production values into the educational sector; their £70,000 sound, lighting and projection design and fit for Coombe Girls School was based on industry standard devices.

With a roll of 1,500 students (including 500 attending Sixth Form College) Coombe is one of the largest facilities of this kind in the country, with an excellent reputation for drama and music. Graham realized that the facilities would be heavily used, so durability and reliability were major considerations. Wherever possible, he turned to Denon's s

UK- 'Guerilla projection' specialist PSL Music was behind two recent high profile events on the streets of London.

For Sony Music's launch of Jamiroquai's new video, (Don't) Give Hate a Chance, they chose three separate projection sites in central London. This was designed to give maximum profile to the launch - and extra column inches in the UK's tabloid papers (secured when parking wardens tried to ticket singer Jay Kay as he watched the show).

The PSL and Sony Music teams completed three separate projections in one evening, at the NCP Car Park in Brewer Street (Soho), at Chelsea Barracks and at the National Gallery. Projecting typically over a 75m throw, PSL used a pair of Barco R12 high-power projectors, generating the programme material drawn from the new video from Doremi hard drives, supported by a d&b sound system.

The following week, the team hit well-known L

UK - The first installation of Electro-Voice's new ZX1 speakers has been completed at the K-Bar private members' club in London.

EV's new generation of small-format, high-output loudspeakers was chosen by installation company Cosmic Electronics, when the K-Bar asked them to upgrade their speaker system. "The club management insisted on having a system that did justice to their high-profile reputation as one of London's most talked-about nightclubs, but they didn't want to become a discotheque," explains Cosmic's Mark Damon. "Through their sister venue, the Sugar Hut, they thought highly of Electro-Voice, and the timing of the project was perfectly suited to using the latest EV ZX speaker line."

The K-Bar is a relatively compact space, with a main bar adjoining its dancefloor, and a VIP room. In all, 10x EV ZX1i 8" two-way cabinets have been used, four

Furman Sound announced a new 20-amp regulator that delivers a stable 120V of AC power to protect equipment from problems caused by AC line voltage irregularities. The AR-20 II is said to be the only 20A voltage regulator that also filters and purifies AC power, optimizing electronic equipment performance while also providing protection from spikes and surges - using Furman's proprietary SMP+ technology.

"Voltage irregularities like sags, brownouts and overvoltages are commonplace in AC lines, and can cause sensitive electronic equipment to malfunction or sustain damage," said Dave Keller, executive VP of Furman Sound. "In addition, electrical noise on the line prevents equipment from achieving optimal performance. Our newAR-20 II is unique in that it not only protects electronics from damaging power, but also filters out the noise using the very best technology available

UK - Expanding restaurant group, Giraffe has added two further London sites to its portfolio of outlets - on the promenade outside the Royal Festival Hall and in the regenerated Spitalfields market.

Sound Division had refurbished the existing equipment in newly-acquired operations in Muswell Hill and Wimbledon, before being offered the contract to install a full JBL system on the South Bank.

"The Giraffe concept is a global one - and music is a very important part of the overall experience," said Sound Division managing director David Graham. "The quality of the sound system needs to reflect this."

In fact music assumes such high priority that Giraffe markets its own CD compilations (via Putumayo World Music) as part of a vigorous merchandising operation. It also maintains a World Music Top Ten based around ethnic music from Brazil, Africa, Jamaica, The C

Whirlwind's E Snake products now support EtherSound using Lab X Technologies' new ESX network I/O module. "Whirlwind's E Snake products are recognized as some of the most comprehensive and versatile designs in digital audio transport," said Lab X president Lee Minich. The move extends both Whirlwind's digital connectivity and EtherSound's base of digital audio protocol subscribers.

"Partnering with Lab X to leverage their ESX module was a natural choice," added Joe Barnes, Whirlwind's director of digital operations. "The module's form factor and functionality, coupled with Lab X's connectivity expertise with CobraNet and EtherSound, has quickly enabled our E Snake products to support EtherSound."As well as being experienced in both CobraNet and EtherSound systems, Lab X Technologies makes a range of hardware, firmware and GUI control applications.

Adamson showed its T-21 Sub, a flyable and arrayable bass cabinet designed to provide sub-bass extension for Y-Axis line source systems. It is configurable into an arc that will not shadow the main line array. The T-21 Sub also incorporates the newly developed Adamson Symmetrical Drive SD-21 Kevlar driver, with its double spider design. This employs a balanced spider suspension with spiders at both ends of the 6" dual voice coil assembly, and a neodymium magnet for maximum stability under high excursions.

UK - Wookey Hole Caves in Somerset, UK, have a history spanning 50,000 years and are home to many mysteries including the legendary Witch of Wookey, who is said to have lived during King Arthur's reign and to still haunt the caves to this day.

To add mystique to these suggestive surrounds, the in-house technical team decided to add atmospheric lighting in some of the underground chambers. This would have to withstand unique conditions, as the caves have a high humidity factor and are at a constant temperature of 11ºC. Gordon Smith, Wookey Hole Caves' head of technical operations, explains: "Previous lighting systems had perished in such an environment, so we needed to be certain we were installing something that lasted."

Smith decided Tryka L.E.D luminaires were the answer. A total of 14 Strip Modules IP68 in different lengths, 9 Module 36s IP68 with 25º optics and

UK - PRG Europe was contracted by Michael Hurll TV (MHTV), part of the Unique Communications Group, to provide lighting and projection solutions for ITV's 50th birthday celebrations.

With four London sites to service over a three day period, which included an outside broadcast location on HMS President, ITV's South Bank Studio 1 and Covent Garden's Avenue of the Stars, MHTV felt it needed a one stop shop to successfully coordinate the large format projection, lighting and power distribution, plus rigging and staging the entire event. Croydon-based project manager Loz Wilcox took responsibility for the projection needs, while John McEvoy from PRG Europe's Greenford branch looked after lighting for each of the locations.

As part of the celebrations, ITV unveiled its spectacular Avenue of the Stars in London's Covent Garden. A host of press and celebrity guests looked on as 100 s

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