UK - Anglia Lighting has announced the promotion of Mark Pinkney to divisional marketing manager, to lead the business into its next phase of growth. Anglia Lighting, the UK distributor for Cree, specialises in energy efficient LED lighting for commercial and domestic buildings, including hotels, retail premises, restaurants and vehicles.

Pinkney sees significant opportunities to grow Anglia Lighting in a sector that has been relatively unaffected by the downturn. "Anglia Lighting will double its turnover this year, and I expect to see it double again next," he said.

"LED lighting is extremely attractive, as it saves cost and carbon emissions, but is also quite complex. Anglia Lighting offers customers a "wall-to-light" solution backed by an exceptional

UK - Green Hippo has announced Adrian Gilby and Philippe Levieux as new members of the software development team.

Levieux will be joining Green Hippo's programming team under the title of researcher and software developer, aiding the production of new features in up and coming releases of Hippotizer software.

Gilby is a programmer who also works under the title of software developer, using his experience of a variety of languages and APIs. He has concentrated mainly on realtime rendering and 3D graphics using C and C++. For most of his career he has worked in the games industry or for middleware companies. Adrian will be working on specifying, designing and implementing new features for Green Hippo's existing range of products as well as for any new products Green Hippo release.

"I'm very excited." says Gilby. "Hippotizers are stunningly powerful and flexible;

UK - Production Resource Group are pleased to announce that Andrew Strachan has joined their UK team as a senior account manager.

Strachan previously ran the lighting department of a leading rental company in Dubai, recently relocating to the UK to be based at PRG's Longbridge, Birmingham base.

Having worked in the Middle East for the last 11 years, Strachan's specific experience of the region is an important addition to the skills of PRG's 21 strong UK account management team, where he will

be primarily focused on television, corporate and special event projects in the UK and globally.

PRG UK has also announced that Luke Jackson has joined their event services team as an event services coordinator.

Experienced from working in PRG's Production Technicians Team since early 2010, Jackson's new role sees him working for Rich Gorrod as part of the team representing PRG onsit

USA - Audinate has announced Dave Anderson as the new director of sales. Anderson brings a very successful career of sales leadership in the professional audio and video industries to his new position. During his 18 years with Avid, Anderson held various sales roles establishing professional audio, video, storage, and asset management technology products in the marketplace.

"I'm thrilled to be joining Audinate." Anderson says. "Audinate is well positioned for significant growth as customers recognize Dante as the market leading solution for digital media networking while de-risking their future by providing a elegant migration path to upgrade to new standards such as the IEEE Audio Video Bridging (AVB)."

Focused primarily on Avid's professional audio business, Anderson aggressively grew sales and helped establish Pro Tools as the market leading solution for

The Netherlands - In addition to presenting an expanding range of products for the professional installation markets, ISE 2012 sees Yamaha is giving a European debut to its new DXR series of active loudspeakers and the new MGP series of audio mixers.

The DXR series comprises four full-range models - the DXR8, DXR10, DXR12 and DXR15.Each features a high-efficiency, 1100W Class D amplifier, providing an SPL of up to 133dB and delivering deep bass, clear mid-range and accurate high frequencies. Further features include FIR-X tuning and D-CONTOUR dynamic multi-band processing.

Suitable for a wide range of applications, including installation in commercial and public premises, churches and schools, the DXR series was designed in conjunction with Nexo.

Also on show will be Yamaha's other ranges of loudspeakers, amplifiers and audio processors, including an array of its MY series I

UK - London's Harold Pinter Theatre, formerly the Comedy Theatre, had retained its original wooden grid and manual hemp flying system for over a century. The intervening years had taken their toll on the grid, with heavy steel-framed sets and moving lights causing major operational challenges for the theatre staff.

In 2009, the theatre's owners, Ambassador Theatre Group, commissioned Theatreplan consultants to prepare a detailed report on the existing flying system, and to suggest a new support arrangement to accommodate modern scenery loads. The task was complicated because of the presence of six large early wooden drum and shaft mechanisms, which had been listed; English Heritage and Westminster City Council wanted them to be retained.

Theatreplan produced a comprehensive 'heritage' report, a service in which Theatreplan's partner Roger Fox specialises. He said: "We stu

UK - When Brixton Academy was built in art deco style during the cinema boom of the late 1920s, it never expected to be hosting high-octane rock bands like American supergroup, Chickenfoot (led by former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar).

Within this Grade II-listed building ghosts of its cinema past remain, and the bulging balcony fascia has proved the downfall of many a sound system, returning the fire power off the stage, and bouncing the sound waves back at the band.

But Martin Audio was able to pull off a rare feat when their Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array (MLA) made its debut there (via Capital Sound). To the amazement of FOH engineer Michael 'Ace' Baker, Martin Audio's Jason Baird and system tech, Mark Edwards, simply notched out this chunk of the coverage pattern in the dedicated optimisation software.

"Chickenfoot is one of the loudest bands that have played th

UK - When the Royal Opera House installed Unison architectural lighting control for the stage and side stage areas as part of the original 1999 refurbishment, it was recognised that lighting control systems will be eventually replaced as new and better products are developed. When senior lighting manager Nick Ware and his team members decided it was due for replacement, they looked first at the updated version of the product: Unison Paradigm.

Lighting systems Manager Paul Hornsby explains, "The system has remained on 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the last 11 years, and has served us well. But it was time to consider replacing it.

"We talked to colleagues at other venues across the country, doing extensive research into the systems they were using and discussing whether a different system might serve our needs better, but always came back to ETC's updated arch

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Reasons To Be Cheerful - The UK music industry is celebrating after the Live Music Bill passed its third reading and report stage in the House Of Commons. The Bill, introduced by Lib Dem Peer Tim Clement-Jones and promoted in the Commons by Bath MP Don Foster, should now proceed to Royal Assent.

As a result, small venues wanting to host live music events will no longer need a local authority entertainment licence - cutting bureaucracy and expense, and making it easier for pubs and clubs to host live performances.

Jo Dipple, acting chief executive of UK Music, the UK commercial music industry's umbrella body, said, "This is a great day for music. The Live Music Bill will make a real and positive difference to lives of musicians. There is no doubt that the current Licensing Act has created needless layers of bureaucracy - making it complicated and expensive for pubs and oth

Russia - Innovason has confirmed the appointment of Imlight LLC as the brand's new distributor in Russia. Headquartered in Kirov in north-eastern Russia with offices in Moscow, Imlight is one of Russia's premier manufacturers and distributors of professional sound, lighting and staging equipment. They also have a large systems contracting division as well as a major rental division that handles some of the biggest tours and events throughout Russia.

Imlight has already got off to a flying start with Innovason with a number of concerts using Eclipse GT already under their belts and many more planned. Some of the biggest include a tour with one of Russia's biggest (and most controversial) singer/songwriter pop stars, Philipp Kirkorov. Imlight's rental department handled the sound requirements for the part of the tour that went through their region. According to Imlight's Pavel Zau

Spain - D.A.S. Audio has announced the introduction of the Action Series loudspeakers. Available in both active and passive designs, the new Action Series includes a comprehensive collection of models including floor monitors, free standing loudspeakers, and subwoofers that "redefine versatility" for today's musicians and DJs, and they make an equally compelling choice for small A/V and presentation systems, says the company.

The Action Series loudspeaker line includes six models - in both active and passive configurations. These include a dedicated 12" floor monitor (the Action M12 and powered Action M12A) as well as the Action 12 and powered Action 12A. These 2-way, compact models are comprised of a 12" LF transducer and a 1" HF driver.

The Action 12A and M12A are driven by integrated 500 watt RMS power amps with a peak power handling capacity of 100

USA - The Angus Bowmer Theatre at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) in Ashland has taken delivery of three Robert Juliat Lucy 1200W HMI followspots from Musson Theatrical, Inc. of Santa Clara, California. The OSF's recent emphasis on musical theatre prompted the acquisition, which expands the company's followspot inventory. OSF previously purchased a pair of Robert Juliat Super Korrigan 1200W HMI followspots for its Elizabethan outdoor theatre. The outdoor theatre seats 1200, and the Angus Bowmer Theatre seats 601.

"The superior brightness and optics of the Juliat spots made it easy to decide to go with the Lucy followspots for the Bowmer Theatre," says master electrician Noah Beauregard.

Lighting and video department manager Michael Maag worked closely with Musson's director of sales and marketing Dinna Myers to specify the best fixture for the job. "Every

USA - Following unprecedented interest at the recent LDI Exhibition in Florida, Dirty Rigger Gloves and Accessories are now available for the first time in the USA.

Minneapolis based Monkey Wrench Productions have taken stock of the entire DR range, including the brand new Kevlar Protector Glove and the Compact Tool Pouch.

Dirty Rigger's export manager Matt Every says, "I couldn't be happier to announce Monkey Wrench as the first US stockist for Dirty Rigger - there's been so much interest in the USA from individuals and businesses it's great to now have somewhere to direct them.

"The DR range is produced using some of the most innovative materials in the world, designed from scratch by a team who use gloves and tool pouches day after day. With the new items expected for release in 2012, the USA rigging world really has something to get excited about."

(Jim

USA - EAW has announced the appointment of Scott Pizzo to the position of North American sales manager, eastern region. Pizzo was previously part of the EAW team from 2003 through 2008, serving as US sales director among other positions. The announcement was made by Jeff Rocha, EAW president, and reflects EAW's ongoing emphasis on strengthening its sales channels and enhancing its customer relations, says the company.

Rocha states, "Re-hiring Scott is a critical step in strategically growing our internal capabilities. He brings tremendous experience and strong connections to dealers and end users. Plus, he's intimately familiar with the EAW product line, so he can hit the ground running. Having Scott here in the home office will help us keep the sales perspective front-and-centre."

In his new capacity, Pizzo will focus on sales in the eastern half of North America, a

UK - Lincoln University has invested in 30 Chroma-Q Color Force RGBA LED fixtures for its two television studios at the campus's Media Broadcast Production Centre, which have recently been upgraded to full multi-camera and HD spec. facilities.

The University runs a variety of the UK's leading media orientated courses and the TV studios are used for full programme productions and an assortment of other associated functions.

The Chroma-Q Color Force 12" / 300mm multi-purpose fixtures and Color Force 72" / 1.8m battens have replaced all the studio's old soft lights and cyc lights, substituting approximately 43,000 Watts of power consumption with an expedient 3,700 Watts with the new LED lighting.

Chroma-Q Color Force was chosen after extensive research by studio engineer and technical specialist Steve Judge, who also teaches the practical and technical elements of cou

The Netherlands - Since its launch, the compact DiGiCo SD9 has made a significant impact on audio rental and sound reinforcement companies who need a digital console for medium-sized productions. An example is Soundlink, a Dutch audio company whose SD9 has been in constant use since it was purchased a year and a half ago.

Owned by Bas Jansen, Floris Roelfzema and Hugo van Meijeren, Soundlink is based near the town of Roden, just west of Groningen. After five years of providing sound reinforcement as a hobby, in 2008 they turned Soundlink into a full-time business and have not looked back since.

"In the summer of 2010 we were in the market for buying a new analogue console and multicore," says van Meijeren. "We contacted TM Audio in Utrecht and they suggested that we look at digital consoles because of the advantages in size, weight, the convenience of a fibre op

UK - The TXS-646 is the latest addition to the IMG Stage Line range of microphone systems. The multi-frequency unit offers four channels with 1,000 selectable UHF frequencies (672.000-693.975) in banks of 10 groups, each with 100 channels - thus allowing for up to 12 units to be used simultaneously, giving 48 user system.

Neil Clayton, managing director of Monacor UK comments, "The TXS-646 concept was originally launched at the Pro Light & Sound Expo in Frankfurt and was very well received by both existing and new customers alike. We have then taken our time in perfecting the unit and making sure that it lives up to the hype that was originally created. Having now arrived I am pleased to say that it goes above and beyond our initial expectations and offers the market a cost effective way of using a large multi user system."

The TXS-646 features ACT functionality for

UK - Allen & Heath has added two new models to its ZED range of multi-purpose live sound and recording mixers. The new ZED-16FX and ZED-18 each have 10 fully-featured mono channels and three or four dual stereo channels, respectively, fulfilling the demand for increased channel counts in a compact format.

In keeping with the rest of the range, both mixers have a connection for USB send and return for recording, playback and effects. The 10 mono Mic/Line inputs feature Allen & Heath's DuoPre two stage preamp, three-band MusiQ EQ with swept mid frequency, and 100mm faders, all in a compact, rack mountable format. The stereo inputs have 2-band EQ and inputs for extra sources, and there are four auxes accessible from each mono and stereo channel.

Additionally, the ZED-16FX has a built-in FX processor with TAP tempo delay settings and a 24 bit/48kHz conversion rate, with access to

UK - Theatrical suppliers Hawthorns recently supported the Breakin' Convention International Festival of Hip Hop Dance at Sadler's Wells Theatre with a charitable loan of nine Clay Paky 1200 Profiles.

The top international line-up of dancers was lit by lighting designer Jonathan Samuels who said he was extremely pleased with the Clay Paky equipment. "I found the Alpha Profile 1200 to be one of the most versatile and easy-to-use moving lights that I have ever worked with. The features they provide allowed me to create unique lighting for the 20 or so companies that performed, without having to unnecessarily repeat looks or states."

According to Samuels, time was of the essence. "The time demands on the lighting designer of Breakin' Convention are immense and having equipment that can react as quickly as the ideas flow is a massive advantage. Finally - here is a t

Namibia - Omalaeti is a name that is becoming synonymous with music, events and production in Namibia. The brand's events and rental wing, Omalaeti Events, has recently added more of the versatile HK Audio ConTour Array into their rapidly expanding arsenal of concert audio systems.

The company has contributed to large scale projects in Namibia such as the Mixa Live Concerts, cultural events, various music concerts and also provides technical support at Zoo Park in Windhoek.

Andrew Sorrill, specialist for HK Audio at suppliers Proaudio, says that he is thrilled about Omalaeti's success. "It is exciting to see how these event companies expand from humble beginnings, and we at Proaudio are glad that we are able to contribute in some way toward their growth."

Tawanda Munyawiri, who is the operations manager at Omalaeti Events, has enjoyed HK Audio's product range throu

UK - Milton Keynes based Impact Production Services (IPS) has added the new Prolyte H40R Truss to its extensive rental inventory. The truss has been supplied with a powder coated black finish. Launched at PLASA 2011 in September, and arriving now in the UK, this innovative product combines the compact dimensions of Prolyte H30V Truss, with the loading capacity of the larger H40V truss.

Manufactured by Prolyte Group, the H40R Truss has three sided webbing with thicker braces on the bottom side allowing easy mounting of fixtures- allowing weight to be evenly distributed on the truss, and avoiding the complications getting hook clamps in the correct chord spacing along the sides of the truss. The H40R also has a clever spigot orientation to enable the truss to be easily fitted together on the floor before rigging.

Jon French, head of rigging at IPS who took the H40R out on its fi

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