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UK - Manchester- based event lighting and rigging specialist dbn has appointed Alan Brown as head of operations.

Brown joins dbn's busy and enthusiastic team based in central Manchester and will be helping to drive forward the company's commitment to quality and outstanding customer service.

He previously worked as operations and circulation director of MEN Media for 16 years, and sees many parallels between the newspaper and entertainment industries, including working to tight deadlines, thinking laterally and quickly in decision making, and dealing with last minute or unexpected scenarios; as well as having to produce under extreme pressure.

Says dbn managing director Stephen Page, "We're delighted to have Alan on-board. He will strengthen the team and be instrumental t

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World - The perennially touring Lady Gaga is at it again. The five-time Grammy winner is in the midst of the Born This Way Ball tour, a seemingly endless succession of dates that will hit virtually every corner of the globe for more than a year - or longer. The elaborately gothic-inspired production was birthed in Seoul, Korea, in April of 2012 and has received glowing reviews and was honored as Major Tour of the Year at the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards.

Eighth Day Sound is again at the helm of the production, coordinating multiple universal stadium systems that at times are air-freighted with the stage set, leapfrogging across several continents to meet the tour.

"Each tour system is comprised of two SD7 Mach III systems at FOH outfitted with Waves and two Waves servers, with one running on a UPS for redundancy," explains Eighth Day chief technology offic

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UK - An Allen & Heath iLive digital mixing system has been installed in London's exclusive Arts Club. Managing FOH and monitor audio in the live performance room, the modular system comprises an iDR10 MixRack and iLive-112 surface and fulfils the venue's need for a fully-spec'd pro mixer installed in an extremely compact control area.

Founded in 1863 by Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope and Lord Leighton, the members-only venue attracts a top-end clientele, hosting gigs, art and fashion events, and private parties. Visiting sound engineer, Dave McDonald, took on the role of audio consultant at the venue, recommending iLive to replace the original FOH mixing console. Having used a similar system on tour with acts such as Adele, Florence & The Machine and AIR, the main reason for the change is that McDonald wanted to better meet the audio requirements of visiting artists.

He exp

PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025
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Strictly FX, Pushing Boundaries

Strictly FX was founded in 1996 by industry veterans Mark Grega and Ted Maccabee. Our expertise and knowledge of the world’s leading pyrotechnic, laser, and flame manufacturers allows us to curate astonishing live events. With over 500+ shows performed a year, there’s good chance you’ve seen some of our work!

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Austria - A staggering 14,000 SGM LB-100 360° LED Balls - the largest deployment ever - recently combined to produce two giant circular overhead displays up in the Austrian Tyrol.

The occasion was the annual Kitzbuehel World Ski Cup - a major event in the Alpine ski calendar. Production company Light and Sound.at has been servicing the event every year since 2001 - providing reinforcement on the main stage in the mediaeval town centre, as well as the VIP tent.

It was in the VIP tent that the production company was seeking a special solution. Familiar with SGM's LED products having used the LED Par Zoom, they already had the concept of using 360° balls festooned on strings when they were introduced to Thorsten Sattler, co-MD of SGM Germany.

"We wanted to produce a very special show for the guests in the tent, and at the stage in town. As soon as Thorsten introduc

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The Netherlands - Advantech, the embedded platform and integration services specialist has announced that Ingram Micro has joined its European sales network from January 2013, specifically for the ProAV market in Europe. Ingram Micro Inc., a Fortune 100 company, is the world's largest wholesale technology distributor and a global leader in IT supply-chain, mobile device lifecycle services and logistics solutions.

Ingram Micro's ProAV Division serves IT and AV customer needs across Europe whilst offering complete product solutions as well as Services. Fabrizio del Maffeo, Advantech sales director intelligent services comments, "Ingram Micro's comprehensive set of knowledge and skills complements Advantech's digital signage product portfolio, fostering new business opportunities and driving higher growth in this evolving ProAV market. Together with Ingram Micro, we will expan

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UK- Liverpool based Adlib Solutions' lighting division, working for London based technical & creative production company LarMac LIVE, supplied lighting equipment, full production rigging, trussing and motors plus crew for the recent Donny & Marie Osmond UK arena tour.

The tour saw the popular duo take their hugely successful long running Vegas show on the road to the delight of UK fans.

Adlib Lighting's Pete Abraham worked closely with the tour's lighting designer Joseph Eddy to replicate his specification, while Andy Rowe crew chiefed it for Adlib on the road, working alongside technicians Michael Summerfield and Chris Neary. Production rigger James Heath installed approximately 50 points each day depending on the venue.

The lighting rig was based on two U-shaped trusses (rear and mid) and a straight front truss.

The moving lights included Adlib's brand new Martin MAC Vip

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Australia - The Lightmoves Group of companies, which includes Lightmoves, Resolution X, Balanced Technology and Browns Precision Welding, has successfully completed the acquisition of the stock, assets, and hire assets of Lots of Watts (LOW), and is now trading as Lots of Watts Australia. Operating from the existing LOW premises at 22 South St Rydalmere, many of the existing staff has joined this new company.

Speaking after the acquisition was completed, sales director of LOWA and managing director of Lightmoves Braham Ciddor said, "We are excited that we have been able to successfully conclude this acquisition, as Lots of Watts has been a company that we have always considered as being an organisation with a very similar pedigree, ethics and expertise to our own. To have the opportunity to harness LOW's expertise and position in the NSW market along with the Lightmoves Gro

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ETC Halcyon Silent

High End Systems Halcyon Silent builds on ETC’s legacy of fanless automated fixtures by incorporating features from the highly sought-after Halcyon family. Halcyon Silent perfectly balances silent operation with brilliant output of 18,400 lumens and high-impact features. 

For more information visit us at www.etcconnect.com

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Czech Republic - It was the proverbial 'match made in heaven' when lighting designers Ladislav Ho?ák and Zden?k Mácha chose to use Robe moving lights at the core of their design for legendary singer Karel Gott's recent tour.

The tour played arenas throughout the Czech and Slovak Republics including Prague's 18,000 capacity O2.

Gott is the Czech Republic's most successful and best known singer. His impressive and dynamic international career spans six decades during which time he's been at the forefront of many new and innovative musical trends, including being a pioneer of emerging Czechoslovakian pop music in the early 1960s. His numerous recordings have sold millions worldwide.

Lighting equipment was supplied by Prague based rental company Audioblue Productions SRO, who have serviced Gott's live shows for several years.

The moving lights comprised 22 x Robe Robin MMX S

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USA - Located in Hollywood, Catalina Bar & Grill has been a revered fixture on the West Coast jazz scene for over 25 years. Legendary performers like Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis have played there, a tradition that owner Catalina Popescu continues by booking today's top jazz artists. With a full kitchen, elegant dining room and perfect sight lines, every effort is made to honor the club's legacy of hosting incredible performances in an intimate space.

Recently, Catalina decided to upgrade its sound system with StageSource loudspeakers from Line 6. "When we heard how beautiful they sound, with such great clarity, we knew it would make a big difference to finally make the sound as good as the view for our customers," says Catalina Popescu.

"The installation was done by Sound Image. They have always done all our sound," says Catalina technical manager Dan C

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USA - In his first headlining tour, American Country Music Award-winner Luke Bryan is already selling out venues throughout the United States on the "Dirt Road Diaries Tour". Out on the road with the tour, FadeUp Design Group lighting designer Justin Kitchenman took this opportunity to significantly expand the productions lighting rig with 60 high-powered Vari-Lite luminaires including the new VL3015LT Spot luminaire from Philips Vari-Lite.

"Luke really wants to be able to see the entire room and the fans when out on stage," began Kitchenman. "Because we would be headlining in larger venues this year, I knew that our automated lighting would have to have tremendous power and zoom capabilities to cover as much of each venue as possible. One of the things that I love most about Vari-Lite luminaires is that you get incredible zoom ranges along with great in

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USA - Christie Lites has just taken delivery of their first 50 MA onPC command wing from A.C.T Lighting. With 12 locations in the US and Canada, Christie Lites supplies equipment and services to meet the needs of lighting designers and chief electricians across their extensive client base.

MA Lighting's MA onPC command wing is a portable and small control solution offering realtime control for 2,048 parameters in combination with grandMA2 onPC. Designed as the hardware expansion to the grandMA2 onPC software, the MA onPC command wing enables the look and feel of the software to be as close as possible to a real grandMA2 console.

"We purchased the MA onPC command wing units to extend usage of the flexible and powerful grandMA2 control system to customers who need portability on location or find that it's physically difficult to use a grandMA2 console," says Christie L

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UK - Ministry of Sound in London has made its first investment in SGM's XC-5 LED strobes as part of the club's major annual upgrade.

Chris Thoms, production manager at the venue, placed the order for ten units with SGM UK after seeing a demonstration at the 2012 PLASA Show in London. The strobes were installed in the venue's two main club rooms, the Box and 103, during the three week closure for refurbishment in January.

This year Thoms and his team focused their attention largely on reconfiguring 103 (effectively Ministry of Sound's second dance room), adjacent to the Box - deploying four strobes in the former space and six in the main club.

"We wanted to bring the clubbing experience in 103 in line with that of the main room and create a party atmosphere," explained the production manager. "At the same time we needed an adaptable space that we could put a he

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France - Brittany-based lighting manufacturer, Chromlech, has been awarded an 'Etoile du SIEL' ('Star of SIEL') during the annual award ceremony at SIEL 2013 in Paris. The Award was given for the Chromlech Elidy, billed as the world's first LED matrix fixture able to produce volumetric light graphics.

Launched at PLASA 2012, Chromlech Elidy is a matrix of 5 x 5 very high power LEDs, driven by state of the art electronics to provide the world's first LED wall capable of projecting light. Specific optics and high-output, warm white LEDs combine to generate extremely narrow beams that far exceed the intensity of LED screens, says the company.

Elidy is modular in form, based around a single projector of 25 LEDs (1 sq.ft), which can be assembled to form up to 225 LEDs (1 sq/m) and arranged into screens, columns, or even angled forms.

The current Award is the second Etoile du SIEL

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UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) Ltd have announced their continued sponsorship of promising young UK racing driver, Jack Goff, who is taking his career to the next level this year by competing in the Dunlop MSA 2013 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season with Team HARD.

GOff's debut in the BTCC follows his triumph in 2012 AirAsia Renault UK Clio Cup, which saw him crowned Championship Winner after a gripping title fight down to the deciding last race of the season.

AC-ET have supported 21 year old Jack whilst he competed in three successive Renault Clio Cup seasons, helping him to attain the goal of winning the Championship last year.

(Jim Evans)

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South Africa - Netcare hosted their 13th Night of the Stars Awards at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand at the end of last year.

"From the beginning our pitch to Netcare (a private hospital network), was to celebrate a caring family and to acknowledge the names of those who save lives," said Lloyd Wild from Monster Productions and Events who provided the full concept and production for the event; contracting the Gearhouse Group of companies to provide all the technical aspects such as staging, audio visual and cameras, rigging, power and set as well as supplementary lighting, trussing and audio elements. "The client requested a classy affair that would give recognition to these deserved care givers"

Especially for the event, Monster purchased 12 new Robin 100LED Beams. "The fixtures were great with their quick movements, beams and brightness,&

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Germany - Le Maitre are launching two stunning new machines at this year's Prolight & Sound, Frankfurt.

Le Maitre's HazeMaster is their most advanced and powerful hazer yet. Le Maitre have taken all their experience from HazeMaster's predecessors, the renowned Stadium Hazer and the MVS Hazer, and designed a completely new machine with a host of new features and benefits. Le Maitre's acquired knowledge and original investments have enabled them to produce a much more competitively priced unit, despite using higher quality, longer lasting parts.

The first thing that strikes you is the sleek modern design and robust steel casing, underneath which lies a true masterpiece of engineering. The combination of an industrial grade air-pump, a 2-stage heating process and a microprocessor controller, produce an output so powerful that the HazeMaster can convert up to 500cc of fluid per ho

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USA - Community Professional Loudspeakers has announced the appointment of Timothy Dorwart as CEO. Dorwart brings over 30 years of sales, manufacturing and management experience in the pro audio and music industries. In his new role, Dorwart is tasked with overseeing the company's overall business and sales strategies, and leading Community into a new era of exceptional growth.

Dorwart's previous roles have included director and VP positions with Bose Corporation and DMX Music. Since 2007, he led the Stanton Group through a successful turnaround a

s their CEO. Dorwart joins Community from Gibson Guitar Corporation where he held the position of general manager, pro audio.

"I am delighted to join Community at a pivotal time in their history," said Dorwart. "The company is poised for considerable expansion and I look forward to leading the company into the future

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UK - The Knight of Illumination Awards 2013 for outstanding achievements in lighting design has launched with an appeal for submissions.

The annual KOI Awards, which this year celebrates its sixth anniversary, is now accepting submissions from lighting designers working in the UK for exceptional lighting design in the sectors of TV, Theatre, and new for this year: Concert Touring and Events (previously titled 'Rock').

"The KOI Awards is the premier industry event that celebrates the outstanding creative achievements of lighting designers working on productions in the UK," says KOI's Concert Touring and Events Award chairperson Sarah Rushton-Read. "Over the last six years we've forged closer ties between the world of lighting design and the lighting industry as a whole and provided a platform for really great lighting design to be recognized and celebrated by the

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UK - Sound rental company Wigwam Acoustics has confirmed its purchase of a Nexo STM Series modular line array system, after two years of involvement in its development.

In STM terminology, Wigwam's package is 48 sets; 48 x M46 main cabinets, 48 x B112 bass cabinets and 48 x S118 sub bass units. The system specification is identical to that ordered by London rental company Capital Sound Hire earlier this year.

The main criteria for the new system, according to Wigwam's Chris Hill, was, will it sound good ? will it be flexible and quick to rig?

Together with Capital Sound, Wigwam has been working closely with Nexo to inform what they, as rental companies, wanted from a new PA system. "Nexo's engineers really listened, went away and came up with the STM concept rather than just bringing out another cabinet design that none of us really wanted."

"They have a dif

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UK - One of London's iconic live music venues has invested in an Avolites Media Ai Media Server to recharge its visuals.

Camden's Electric Ballroom has installed an Avolites Media Ai T4 Media Server and is using it to serve two separate areas of the main room: the 3x2m lo-res LED screens which hang either side of the DJ booth, and the DJ box itself.

"Recently, the owner wanted to install a raised DJ box area in the main club, and discussed the idea of investing in a cutting edge visuals solution," says the venue's technical manager Steve Waterhouse. "I'd seen the electro-house producer Deadmau5 using an Immersive projection system, and needless to say was impressed with how it looked, so as soon as I heard Avolites Media had bought the media server l8 from Immersive and launched the Ai Media Server I knew that was the solution for the club.

"I have the D

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USA - Cadac has announced it has appointed LIFT Distribution in the US to distribute its full production console range into the professional audio retail, installer and sound-hire channels.

Seattle based LIFT Distribution joins with Broadway sound specialist RF Pro in distributing Cadac in the US. RF Pro's Tom Bensen has a long and renowned association with the company, and remains responsible for the sale of bespoke console systems into the musical theatre, and large scale sound touring and event sectors. The appointment of LIFT Distribution is the direct result of demand for the latest Cadac compact analogue and digital consoles, and the requirement to service these via a general trade distributor, addressing the wider professional audio market.

Commenting on the new appointment, Cadac international sales manager Ben Millson explains, "Good independent audio distributor

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