UK - Tape London, situated just off Regent Street in London's Hanover Square, describes itself as, "an exclusive nightclub offering an elegant party experience for an elite, global crowd, attracting influential members of the music industry and music fans alike."

The venue, which opened in Autumn 2015, is a nightclub, recording studio and members lounge that aims to become the "home" of London's music industry. The nightclub offers an elegant and exclusive party experience, with sets from internationally renowned DJs attracting members of the music industry and music lovers. It is a unique, fresh and exciting new concept inspired by Grammy award winning producer Dallas Austin. The 250-capacity nightclub also has a full-sized stage for live performances.

The

UK - Unusual Rigging has been highly commended for its efforts in implementing a circular economy in The Circulars 2016 Awards. The Circulars, the world's premier circular economy award programme, offers recognition to individuals and organisations across the world that have made a notable contribution to driving circular economy principles - where growth doesn't depend on the use of scarce natural resources. Unusual Rigging has been shortlisted from thousands of entries to receive the commendation in the 'Ecolab Award for Circular Economy Enterprise'.

Tom Harper, who heads the drive towards a circular economy at Unusual, said: "This is a huge deal for us as we are in our first year of implementing these changes to our business. The past twelve months have seen us become 55% renewably driven, having just received OFGEM status as a generating site for 100% renewable electri

Poland - Nearly 150 Philips Vari-Lite professional luminaires, including one of the latest additions to the product line the VL4000 Spot, have been installed into Torun's brand new multi-functional hub the Jordanki Culture and Congress Centre (or CKK Jordanki).

The 22,000-m2 building, designed by world-renowned Spanish architect Fernando Menis, is the culmination of an intense two-year building project that completed in December 2015. The venue is located in the city's Old Town and boasts a unique aesthetic with cutting-edge technical features.

Hired by Wroclaw-based construction company Intersystem, Philips Entertainment distributor for Poland PS TTeatr supplied and installed 144 Philips Vari-Lite moving heads into the venue's 880-seat concert hall and 300-seat chamber hall. Further Philips Entertainment lighting brands were also installed by PS Teatr, including 32 Philips

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ETC Ministar

ETC introduces the High End Systems Ministar, a game-changer in our automated lighting product line. Ministar brings exceptional versatility and performance at an affordable price point; with a compact footprint, punchy output, and a professional feature set, Ministar fits the spec and budget for small to medium-sized venues.

UK - With an increase of 26% of floorspace, the second edition of PLASA Focus Glasgow has been hailed a success with 50% more brands showcasing the latest in live entertainment technology and attendees increased by 32% since the inaugural show in 2014.

Cementing itself as the industry's essential meeting place for the region, the show - which opened its doors at the SECC from 20-21 January - offered live product demonstrations, two days of high quality seminar sessions and over 75 brands in an environment ideal for networking and generating business face-to-face. Attracting visitors with a combined spending power of £130m, the development of the show reflects the continued expansion of the industry in the region.

David Steedsy Stevenson from Ward Steedsy Audio, distributor of Funktion-One in Scotland comments: "It's the first time we've had a trade stand at a PLAS

USA - Shure Incorporated announced yesterday with great sadness the passing of their chairman, Rose L. Shure. Mrs. Shure passed away peacefully at her home.

A company statement said, "For more than 60 years, Mrs. Shure has served as an inspiration to all Shure Associates, past and present. She was a role model for Shure's Core Values and basic principles, created by her husband and company founder, Sidney N. Shure, that have guided the company.

"The welfare of Shure and its associates was her highest priority. Business integrity, respect, and fair treatment for all were her motivators. She provided a work environment that inspired creativity, fostered pride in making products of the highest quality, and encouraged all Shure associates to reach their personal potential."

Sandy LaMantia, Shure's Chief Executive Officer stated, "We have had the privilege

UK - CPL provided lighting and video equipment for the TEDxBristol event, UK, one of the ongoing series of locally organised TEDx (Technology, Entertainment Design) global conferences underpinned by the not-for-profit Sapling Foundation. The "ideas worth spreading" programme has an emphasis on technology, design and various other scientific, cultural and academic topics, and is designed to inspire and encourage action and initiative.

TEDxBristol's thought-provoking and fun-filled day of action, motivational speeches and presentations was themed Great Expectations and staged in Colston Hall, pulling a completely sold-out live audience of 1,800 and reaching an impressive estimated 2.7m following online on the day. One of the objectives was to highlight the optimism, energy and can-do approach that are native to the vibrant city of Bristol.

Production manager N

UK - Behind the Scenes UK Golf Day will take place on 13 April at The Drift Golf Course in West Horsley, Surrey. This extremely popular event to raise funds for the charity is almost sold out so register your team now and don't miss out. Teams already signed up include Autograph, Crewsaders, Creative Technology, Delta Sound, Media Lease, Meyer Sound, Shure, Stage Technologies/Tait, White Light, and Wonder Works.

"We have a fantastic day planned based around a very competitive 18-hole team game. Bring your best shots for a day of fun, food, networking, competition and fund raising for the industry's charity. Once the golf is done, we roll into evening with a BBQ, raffles, prizes and the chance to catch up with friends and colleagues. Set in the beautiful surroundings of The Drift Golf Club, this is the only BTS golf day for 2016 so make sure you are registered with your tea

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Strictly FX Highlights

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!

USA - West Palm Beach, Florida's Family Church Downtown, formerly known as First Baptist Church, has replaced its aging centre cluster PA with an L-Acoustics line array system. The new rig comprises a total of 20 Kara(i) enclosures, flown left and right, complemented by three flown SB18 single-18-inch subwoofers per side, with four SB28 dual-18-inch subs positioned below the stage.

According to Allen Peerson, president of Jupiter, Florida-based Peerson Audio, Inc., which supplied and installed the L-Acoustics system, "I think my father did the original system, a single Altec Lansing multi-cell, when they built the church, and we put in the center cluster system over 20 years ago, so it was certainly time for an update.

"The new system uses flown subs, as well as subs underneath the stage, so they have really good low end throughout the building, even the upper balc

Denmark - Combining impressive image quality with easy installation and very attractive economics, the new 100" dnp LaserPanel has made its world debut at the Indoor Soccer Centre (ISCG) in Groningen, in the North of Holland.

The Centre wanted to display live events in its sports café, with the aim of enriching the customer experience and extending the dwell time for visitors. The project's challenges included constant bright artificial lighting, long periods of operation every day and, not least, the need to contribute to a profitable business model.

Consultant John Goedegebuure from JG Enterprises was brought in, and the result was a very productive link-up between ISCG, dnp Partner xScreen Interactive and digital advertising company, CS Digital Media. This led to the world's first dnp LaserPanel solution being installed in a public venue.

Initially, four 50

Denmark - Analog Way has announced a new partnership with Imago Sonas, an AV distributor specialist in Denmark. The company is now distributing Analog Way's solutions to system integrators in Denmark.

Imago Sonas is a leading supplier of audio visual solutions for AV integrators in Denmark. Effective now, Imago Sonas will be in charge of the distribution of Analog Way products for system integration companies in Denmark. The company will specifically distribute Analog Way's LiveCore series, a full range of scalable mixers and seamless switchers for premium integrations.

John De Cet, EMEA sales director at Analog Way comments, "Analog Way has been involved in major Integration projects in Denmark recently. Thanks to our partnership with Imago Sonas, we are looking forward to expanding our presence in Denmark as well as offering more support to our Danish customers."

UK - In November, The Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden staged Morgen und Abend (Morning and Evening), a new commission from Georg Friedrich Haas. Lighting director Giuseppe Di Iorio wanted a large, high output Fresnel fixture to represent the Sun, so he turned to Stage Electrics for help.

Based on a novel by Jon Fosse, the opera tells the story of Johannes, a fisherman who finds himself in conversation with long-dead loved ones, eventually understanding that he is also dead. Co-produced with Deutsche Oper Berlin, the show's design replicated the almost dreamlike images in Johannes' mind. So bringing the harshness of bright sunlight to the opera's monochrome set was key to Giuseppe's lighting design.

As the fixture was representing the sun, it would also have to move over and across the stage during the production. This required the building of a large track

UK - Global flightcase hardware and 19 inch racking manufacturer Penn Elcom has launched Penn Elcom Online, a new all-encompassing online portal offering a comprehensive and convenient sales outlet for over 4000 product lines - http://www.pennelcomonline.com/

This includes the latest innovations from premium 'umbrella' brands, 19 inch rack specialist Pro Audio Stash and LED lighting solutions provider CLD distribution, which have merged with Penn Elcom Online in a dynamic fusion of all three popular and successful marques.

CLD Distribution and Pro Audio Stash joined the Penn Elcom Group in 2014, bringing additional diversity and options to the wide range of quality products.

Penn Elcom Online will consolidate the choice offered by all three brands in one commercial sales outlet, with one of the most extensive selections for flightcase hardware, 19 inch racking systems cab

UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) Ltd.'s dedicated new film & TV sales division will be showcasing the latest lighting, control, grip and associated technologies from leading brands in the company's extensive portfolio - including Chroma-Q, Jands, Fiilex, Mole-Richardson, Manfrotto, Avenger, Spotlight and LumenRadio - at the British Society of Cinematographers (BSC) Expo 2016 tradeshow, Battersea Evolution, London, on 29-30 January (stand 213).

Drawing on the company's many years of experience supplying to this sector, the new division was formed to offer a comprehensive one-stop inventory of lighting and related equipment solutions for film, television, studio and location applications. A.C. Film & TV's range of key brands - many of them exclusive to AC-ET in the UK - have been selected for their class-leading performance and expertise in this market. The portfolio

UK - TSG Policing has recruited former Avon & Somerset and Metropolitan Police Superintendent, Kevin Instance, as a task commander.

Kevin Instance was a Gold and Silver firearms and public or-der commander. He oversaw policing at the likes of international cricket matches, Glastonbury Festival and Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, as well as leading the UK police delegation for England football matches overseas.

In his role with TSG, Instance is tasked with assessing risk and making sure the right resources from the company are properly deployed at events.

David Boswell, managing director at TSG Policing, says, "Kevin's wealth of experience as a senior police officer, looking at event safety, assessing safety officers and stewards and raising standards, is an absolute fit with TSG. I'm delighted to have him on the team."

(Jim Evans)

USA - When instrumental band STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) began its US fall tour lighting designer Saxton Waller decided to add Clay Paky A.leda B-EYE K20s to the B-EYE K10 rig he deployed for the band's 2014 tour and sold-out concerts at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

STS9, which plays self-described post-rock dance music, are one of the nation's top-grossing tour acts with a heavy presence on the festival circuit. Waller obtained the Clay Paky B-EYES from Brown Note Productions, Inc., in Thornton, Colorado, which has been working with STS9 for the last 10 years.

"This was our first tour with the K20s," says Waller. "I was already using a different downstage wash light, so I figured if I replaced them with K20s I'd get two lights in one. I use six of them on downstage truss primarily as wash fixtures on the band then engage their pixel mode during jams to a

UK - The British Safety Council's International Safety Awards recognise and celebrate organisations who have demonstrated a real commitment to protecting their workers from the risk of injury and ill health during the 2015 calendar year. The deadline for submission has been extends until 15 February.

These awards are open to organisations of all types, sizes and sectors in the UK and internationally - both members of the British Safety Council and non-members - and are independently adjudicated. What's more is that these awards help promote the social, economic and business benefits of employers maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for all.

Mike Robinson, chief executive of the British Safety Council, said, "Winning an International Safety Award enables organisations to share their achievement with their employees, clients, contractors, local community and

USA - Markus Burger, coordinator of music technology at Fullerton College, CA, is in no doubt that the recent installation of an Audient ASP8024 analogue mixing console in the studio is an important addition to Audio Recording programme. "The era of consoles is coming back," he declares with confidence.

"We decided to buy the Audient console to allow students to experience a real studio environment," he explains, citing the fact that ALL students benefit from the upgrade. "Having a real board is an integral part of the authentic studio experience. The console itself helps conjure up that extra magic, highlighting to the musician that they are in a special situation. Seeing and hearing a great console also makes sure everyone is in that moment together."

Burger's drive and dedication to the Recording Programme at Fullerton has had a direct effect

UK - RCF partner, Nitelites, has become the first UK company to acquire RCF's flagship TTL55-A active PA system, having invested in a complete arena/festival sized system.

This will not only give the sound and lighting specialists the capacity to provide sound coverage of the largest festival sites but at the same time provide them with a number of scalable options for smaller events.

The consignment of 144 premium RCF cabinets includes 56 TTL55-A high-power three-way enclosures, 24 x TTS56-A 2 x 21" subs and 24 x TTS36-A 2 x 18" subs. In addition, a further 24 of the smaller TTL33-A will be used as down-fill boxes at the bottom of each hang, as well as in-fill duties, while 16 TTL36-AS will provide further LF extension, boosting the dynamic range of the flown arrays.

Aside from the speakers themselves, Nitelites director Andy Magee confirms that the purchase wa

UK - Taking place in the tunnels beneath London's Waterloo Station, the annual VAULT Festival opened yesterday and will run for the next six weeks. Renowned for showcasing emerging talent across all art forms, the festival features theatre, dance, cabaret, live art, installations, puppetry and much more. White Light is once again providing the lighting equipment, along with the power, rigging and even the support of its apprentices.

VAULT Festival is now in its fourth year and with more than 200 shows in 2016, it is expected that up to 40,000 people will be in attendance. Andy George, festival director and production manager for VAULT Festival, comments, "VAULT was founded by myself, Tim Wilson and Mat Burt with one purpose: to provide a fair and equal platform for emerging artists to showcase interesting and risky work. A lot of what we programme would not normally be sta

Qatar - The annual Qatar Marine Festival in Doha is built around the history of Qatar, which has grown at an extraordinary rate since the discovery of the country's oil and natural gas.

The Emirate devotes these resources to its economic development, the promotion of its marine resources, the cultural identity of the country, and the education of the new generations, thanks to the organizational efforts of the Qatar Marine Festival Organizing Committee (QMFOC).

Visitors to the festival take part in a series of attractions, which the organizing committee works to transform into educational activities concerning five different focus areas: training, culture, the environment, sports and entertainment.

Lighting designer Massimo Tomasino spoke to us about the most engaging moment of the Festival for him, the Clay Paky lights and the local and international audience: The Sec

The Netherlands - Attracting over 100,000 visitors every year, for three decades De Naald (The Needle) theatre in Naaldwijk has been a cultural hub for the region south-west of The Hague - since 2004 officially the Dutch municipality of Westland. The watchword for every aspect of the theatre's work is 'quality', which is why a QL1 has recently become its fourth Yamaha digital mixing console.

De Naald is truly at the heart of the community. As well as welcoming national and international performers and showing a wide range of films, the theatre showcases many performances by local groups and new talent. Around 10,000 primary school pupils visit annually, while secondary school students do work experience and stage performances.

The theatre's concept of 'quality' includes the shows, the audience experience/welcome, its service to the community and, of course, technical product

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