UK - Le Maitre is once again delighted to be exhibiting at PLASA Focus: Leeds. On show will be a selection of Le Maitre's smoke, haze and special effects machines, including the newest flame effect - the CometFlame.

The CometFlame, a stadium effect launched in 2011 which produces flames up to 6m high. It fires for five seconds at a time and can be set to fire in high frequency or at preselected intervals. Furthermore, the flame can be set at five different firing angles - 45, 22, 0, 22 and 45 degrees - to create stunning effects. Six colour fluids are available: red, green, yellow, blue, purple and orange.

In addition there will be the MVS Hazer - Multi Venue System; G-Force 2 Smoke Machine; and the Chameleon, which fires spectacular quick flame balls and consistent straight fla

Following the runaway success of The PLASA Rigging Conference in 2011, the 2-day international event returns for a third time on 10 and 11 September 2012. Over 200 delegates from 30 countries are expected to take part in this year's event, which will explore all aspects of rigging for temporary installations in the entertainment industry.

A world-first at the inaugural event in 2010, The PLASA Rigging Conference has quickly gained a loyal international following and is now firmly established as the leading international platform to review best practice, dispel myths, discuss standards and share expertise. 40 international speakers take part in panel sessions each year, including in-depth case studies and lively open question sessions.

Also returning in 2012 is the 'Riggers' Forum' on the afternoon of Sunday 9 September. This informal event offers riggers who are unable to attend the

No trip to PLASA 2012 is complete without a trip to the PLASA Bar at the centre of EC1. The PLASA Show is renowned for its social atmosphere and the PLASA Bar is the place to go and meet your industry colleagues when the show closes at 6pm. Open all day, the licensed bar comes alive between 6pm and 8pm when it remains open for two hours beyond the show floor closing time on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings. Why not head there to catch up with friends and colleagues after a busy day, before you head out to your evening's entertainment?

The PLASA Awards for Innovation rank among the industry's highest accolades, attracting a wide range of product nominations from across the industry worldwide. You can view the nominated products throughout the show in The Innovation Gallery, located at the entrance to EC2.

The winners of these prestigious awards will be announced on Monday 10 September at 6pm in a special ceremony in the PLASA Bar, in EC1. As well as accolades for product development, the 2012 Gottelier Award winner will be announced, recognizing one individual's outstanding contribution to the industry. All visitors are invited to join us in toasting the winners and congratulating their hard work.

The Theatres Trust presents 'Celebrating Ecovenue' - an exhibition featuring the work of 48 small-to-medium sized theatres in London which participated in the Trust's ERDF funded environmental sustainability project.

Candidates for the People's Choice Award 2012 will also be on display, and you can vote for the entertainment technology you feel is making inroads into improved environmental sustainability.

Check the seminar programme for details of our report launches - 'Conference 12: Delivering Sustainable Theatres' and 'Evaluating Ecovenue'. You can also find out how you can support the Trust's work as the National Advisory Public Body for theatres in the UK.

Offering an oasis of calm at the heart of the action, the PLASA Fringe village brings together many of the industry's leading trade organisations. With a programme of events taking place throughout the four days of the show, The PLASA Fringe village is the place to go to meet your membership organisation, gain advice on issues affecting your business, and become involved in industry initiatives and charities.

UK - Matthew Lloyd, managing director of GDS recently presented to an audience of Industry professionals at an event organised by Julies Bicycle. The not-for-profit organisation was established in 2007 by Alison Tickell. The company was set up to tackle the issue of climate change and promote sustainability within the music, theatre and creative industries. Julies Bicycle has brought together a coalition of scientific and industry figures to map the carbon profile of their industries and take practical steps to reduce it.

The event was held at Julies Bicycle headquarters, the Bush Theatre London and brought together a host of authorities including theatre technicians, consultants, venue managers and lighting designers and was sponsored by GDS distributors White Light and Stage Electrics. Matthew Lloyd was invited as a guest speaker to present the environmental attributes of GDS'

UK - The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) is known to some primarily for its world-renowned training of actors, but the Academy also prides itself on producing the highest quality of technical stagecraft specialists. After 50 years' of training in the areas of stage management, lighting, property making and costume, to name a few, RADA now launches a course in Sound Design for the Theatre.

A statement reads: "The launch of this sound course will cement RADA's leading position in the field of technical theatre craft and allow the Academy to widen access to training in this area, generating invaluable opportunities for talented individuals to help them to enter the industry. Sound Design for the Theatre will provide aspiring sound designers with the skills required to undertake a successful career in technical theatre at the highest level."

Based in RADA's state-of

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UK - The recent sold out UK and European shows by dynamic US singer / songwriter Nicole Scherzinger featured a lighting design by Scott Warner, who took a selection of the latest Robe technology on the road to all six high profile gigs in a floor specials package.

The performances follow up Scherzinger's chart-topping first solo album, Killer Love in an entertaining, high-energy performance, showcasing her singing and dancing talents and very accessible personality.

With a stripped back stage and minimal set - apart from the 'Nicole' backdrop and a set of grey voile stage drapes - and with no video or production rehearsal time - all eyes were on the lighting department to help enhance the drama and atmosphere of the evening in tune with Scherzinger's style and pizazz.

Warner enjoys working with such challenging parameters. "There was a lot of pressure on lighting

USA - Commissioned to illuminate Super Bowl XLVI Village, Dodd Technologies, Inc. (Pendleton, IN) faced a challenge nearly as formidable as defending against the Giants' pass receivers: making a three-block area in downtown Indianapolis look exciting in the dead of a Midwest winter.

The idea was to transform the heart of the city into a family-friendly 10-day festival of fun and football, featuring attractions like food and beverages, concerts, interactive games, and an 800' zip line that took riders soaring above the Super Bowl crowds. To give the planned village some colour - figuratively and literally - Dodd Technologies worked closely with Super Bowl Committee CEO Allison Melangton.

"(Melangton) had some definite ideas about what she wanted to bring to this Super Bowl," said Andy Meggenhofen, lighting designer for Dodd Technologies. "One of the big challenge

USA - As musicals begin their journey to the bright lights of New York City, they often begin the trip with an initial production run at a well respected regional theatre. Such was the case with the Dallas Theater Centre's production of GIANT, a new musical with music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa and book by Sybille Pearson. Co-produced with The Public Theater, GIANT will relocate to New York City after the initial production run, but it was in Dallas that the new musical about a transitioning ranch family would get its start under the direction of three-time Tony Award-nominee Michael Greif with a lighting design by Tony Award-winner Ken Posner.

"I have had a long relationship with Michael working on projects in the past, and I have also worked previously with The Public Theater, so it was through those relationships that I first became involved in the

Switzerland - An Allen & Heath iLive digital system was selected by Biel PA company, Walther AG, in Switzerland to manage the International Lauberhorn Ski Races 2012.

Now in its 82nd year, the annual event takes place in January, and includes a mix of slalom and downhill races staged over three days.

The iLive system, comprising an iDR-48 MixRack and iLive-T112 Control Surface, managed crowd announcements and ambient microphones at the start line, audio distribution to spectator seats along the slope, audio for the grandstand at the finish line, as well as audio at the Wengen World Cup Stage where winners were announced. Two locations had multiscreens, catering for approximately 500 visitors at the start location and 5000 capacity at the finish line.

All of iLive's inputs and outputs were transported over fibre optic, which linked all areas across the site. iLive also provid

Spain - Lynx Pro Audio has released a new sub, the ADP-12S to their ADP Series. The ADP-12S is a high output, self powered (Class D switch mode power supply) direct radiation sub bass. It uses a 12" neodymium transducer with double spider for improved linearity, is DSP controlled with 1000W amplification and delivers a peak 134dB SPL.

The ADP Series is the company's touring range and all the cabinets in this series are self-powered with integrated DSP. This powered family is versatile, has an impressive power to size ratio and is easy to use.

Every box comes with 13 presets which include a basic full-range preset, various crossovers with 80-90-100 Hz frequency cuts and a flat preset so that the user can adjust the parameters manually.

Ethernet capabilities are also available which allow the user to see the input level signal, fan speed and power module temperature.

(J

Germany - Analog Way will be showing a selection of its powerful solutions at Prolight + Sound 2012, including Eikos and Smart MatriX.

Eikos is a multi-layer mixer scaler seamless switcher offering up to 12 inputs including four fitted with SDI and two fitted with DVI-D. Eikos offers three operating modes: Multi-Layer Mixer, 12 by 2 Seamless Native Matrix and QuadraVision modes.

In Multi-Layer Mixer mode, Eikos can display up to six layers: Three Live Sources, one Frame and two Logos. Up to ytwo PIPs can be displayed on a live background, or three PIPs on a still background. Live layers can be customised by the user. New effects are also available and can be combined during transitions. Eikos offers a classic preview as well as a Still Mosaic Full Preview function.

Eikos also offers a 12x2 scaled native matrix with true seamless switching. In this mode, up to two PIPs can be

UK - MTFX has increased their ranks of atmospheric effects by the addition of two Mammoth II dry fogger units. The Mammoth II is a high volume fog machine, capable of filling the largest of events with a thick ground fog, fog curtains and multiple output fog systems.

Standard features of this unit include automatic water feed, digital temperature control, adjustable LN2 flow control, system status read back and selectable remote control voltages.

In addition to the Mammoth II, MTFX stocks a range of fog machines to "make the best of any event requiring an atmospheric effect".

(Jim Evans)

UK - Jotham Jackson has joined LMC Birmingham's technical sales team.

Jackson joins LMC following a period of employment with HSBC Bank. He comments, "I was trained in sales and then worked in the PPI claims department which gave me really worthwhile experience in delivering meaningful customer service."

In his spare time Jackson engineers for a number of bands in his local area, often playing to crowds of between 200 - 600 people. He also plays both the bass and electric guitar.

James Lawford, sales manager at LMC Birmingham says, "LMC's customers enjoy a personal level of service tailored to their requirements. Joe's appointment fits in perfectly with that key ethos and I'm sure that he will complement the existing Birmingham sales team with his unique and valuable characteristics."

(Jim Evans)

Germany - CAST Software of Toronto, Canada is bringing some racing excitement to the show floor at Prolight+Sound 2012.

CAST's stand design will feature a slot-car racetrack that pit two people against each other in a head-to-head race: both racers will try to beat the realtime speed of BlackTrax. The racetrack itself is projected from above and the entire stand will be bursting with BlackTrax-filled interactivity involving lighting, spatial audio, projections, automated scenery, and giving the audience a fully immersive entertainment experience.

The racetrack will be controlled by a 22" touchscreen mounted on a podium. You control all of the action and BlackTrax will determine the race time of each car, and the winner. Each race winner will be entered into a raffle for prizes, and the fastest racer each day wins a daily grand prize. Every racer will be given a link to a

Qatar - On 9 December 2011 dancers, musicians, athletes, and falconers both on foot and on horseback paraded through the Khalifa Stadium in Doha, which had been transformed into a huge screen for the opening ceremony of the 12th Arab Games.

Conceived by the British event production agency David Atkins Enterprises on a commission for the Organising Committee of the Pan Arab Games, the opening ceremony entitled Journey to Light relied on the expertise of its French technical services provider ETC and the Christie Roadster series of projectors purpose-designed for event production.

Christie's partner ETC is an experienced event manager thoroughly familiar with the creative challenges David Atkins Enterprises can pose: its project manager Patrice Bouqueniau describes the opening ceremony of the 12th Pan Arab Games as "a totally original installation, even more ambitio

UK - Midas has announced "extremely competitive pricing for the PRO3, PRO6 and PRO9 live audio systems, making them an even more cost effective solution for all live audio applications".

The price restructuring is the result of the Music Group's streamlined distribution system and the massive US$ 20m investment in the brand through a modern manufacturing facility, which includes the latest surface mount technology, x-ray and optical inspection systems, and the increased purchasing efficiencies resulting from the tremendous success of the PRO2 console.

"We are on a relentless quest to remove unnecessary cost from our products wherever possible," states Paul Wright, VP global sales, the Music Group. "Our goal is to provide products at the cutting edge of technology at a price-point that our customers find extremely attractive. This aim is achieved withou

The Netherlands - Corrino Media Group (CMG) is one of the Netherlands major media production companies, operating as a one-stop-shop for the film, broadcast, live event, advertising and other industries. Clear communications between staff at the events it services are vital, which is why the company has invested in a significant ASL digital intercom system.

"We researched a number of different intercom systems and found ASL to be not only the most versatile, but also in a reasonable price range. The matrix-based system is also easily expanded, so we can start with a small system, and slowly build up to a bigger setup when required," says Atilla Meijs, CEO of the Amsterdam-based company.

The system includes two DS 4000 M Master Matrix, 12 DS 290 two-channel belt packs, six DS 1630 16-channel tabletop units, four DS 700 interface boxes, three DS 88 intercom hubs, two D

China - LumenRadio's CRMX distribution technology, was employed for lighting up the first ever Gregorian calendar New Year's countdown and celebration at the majestic Temple of Heaven park in central Beijing.

When the city government decided to use the countdown to the year 2012 as an opportunity to promote Chinese culture, and the city of Beijing in particular, it did not spare any effort to make it an event to be remembered. BeiAo Festival International Culture Development Co, the event and production company renowned for its central role in the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics, was in charge of all logistical and technical aspects of this gigantic production.

The large size of the site and the stated ambitions of the organisers, to match or surpass similar international events in New York, London, Tokyo, and Sidney, demanded large-scale sol

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