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UK - The entertainment technology industry seems to have reached an age where the time is right to take stock of its roots. Initiatives include the sociological - recall our report on Paul Dexter's RoadCases project (L&SI May 2004) which aims to record the experiences of rock and roll roadies for posterity - and the technological, with the NEET project . . .

NEET - the National Exhibition of Entertainment Technology - first materialized in 1999, founded by Jason Williams. After serving as the secretary for the Projected Picture Trust, which deals with protecting the heritage of the cinema industry, Williams realized that there was very little effort being made to protect the heritage of other entertainment technologies. Hence NEET, created with a simple set of objectives: to locate, preserve, and exhibit early examples of entertainment technology, providing a valuable educational and h

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UK - Souncraft's Going Live course in live sound engineering has to be one of the most useful and enlightening industry short courses I have ever had the pleasure of attending. Run in association with Adlib Audio and Liverpool Community College, it was well-structured and expertly delivered by respected industry professionals who were clearly passionate about their work.

For two-and-a-half days I counted 'one, two' into microphones (the emphasis on the 'T') - and, along the way, developed a working knowledge of live sound mixing and production. Beginning with a half-day induction course for the absolute beginner hosted by Adlib's Andy Dockerty, covering the basics of speakers, cable running, coiling and mic stand set-up. We then progressed onto a tour around a mixing desk, phantom power and a demonstration of active and passive crossover. By the end of the afternoon I had learned more

PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025

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UK - The 2004 PLASA show will see the worldwide launch of the new InMotion 3D/CyberHoist motion control system by Holland's XLNT Advanced Technologies. The complete system offers a stunning combination of precision movement and user-friendly 3D object-oriented programming and is the most advanced motion control system available for the entertainment industry, say the company.

The system was first seen at the EBU Eurovision Song Contest 2004 and is now on its début world tour with Phil Collins (currently in the USA) through PRG Lighting. Full live demonstrations of the system will be running throughout the show in the Warwick Hall at Earls Court 1, in association with Vertigo Rigging. The system has its worldwide Press Premiere on Sunday September 12 at 2pm in the Warwick Room (access via the lift at the back of the Warwick Road entrance foyer).

XLNT Advanced Technologies, bas

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UK - One of the more unusual aspects of this year's PLASA Show (12-15 September, Earls Court, London) will be a photographic exhibition celebrating the creative and practical talents of Irish band U2 and their production team. The photographs for the exhibition have been taken from U2 Show - a new, authorized book by Diana Scrimgeour - which covers the entire touring history of the band. The exhibition is part of the PLASA Production Village, located on the Top Deck.

To coincide with the launch of the book, there'll also be an exclusive seminar featuring two of the band's longest-serving touring personnel. Hosted by TPI editor Mark Cunningham, the seminar - Designing for U2 - will feature Willie Williams and Joe O'Herlihy in conversation about their creative and technical involvement with U2, and how advances in technology have been successfully (and ingeniously) applied to del

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USA - Crown International, the US manufacturer of amplifiers, microphones and systems control products for professional audio markets, was recently named first runner-up for the US Senate Productivity Award for 2003. The award, which is given annually and sponsored by US Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Indiana Manufacturers Association (IMA), and the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), recognizes outstanding productivity gains or methods, which may be utilized by other Indiana companies to improve Indiana's overall productivity. Larry Coburn, senior vice-president of Manufacturing for Crown commented: "We are very proud to have received this award. This recognition by our peers in the Manufacturing community is extra special because they understand the hard work we have done to improve our processes and products."

As a result of their efforts toward producti

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UK - Following an investment of £1.3m, Gloucestershire entrepreneur Terry Cole has given Stroud residents a highly-specified new nightclub on the site of the former Gaumont Cinema. The three-storey venue Warehouse adopts the same name as Mr. Cole's other venture, the Warehouse Wine Bar in Dursley, and is an industrial conversion of the Gaumont Cinema which opened in 1935, using varnished sleepers, brickwork and stone effect flooring. Above the large balcony bar on the first floor is an opulently-detailed VIP room, while the dancefloor itself incorporates a water feature.

Cole enlisted local company, Hans Beier's CAV - which he had worked with before on the Dursley venue - to design and install a sound and lighting infrastructure in the 850-capacity venue.

As the centrepiece, Beier chose the Martin Audio W8LM Mini Line Array system - after Martin Audio's Simon Bull successfull

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UK - Pioneer has revealed its plans for a stunning DJ line-up on the opening Sunday of PLASA 2004. DJs appearing and playing on the Pioneer stand on that day include VJ Kriel (Charles Kriel), James Zabiela, Hexstatic, Addictive TV, Dan Tait, OakeDoak Crew, Red Dog & Mungo, Marco & Maui and DJ Yoda.

In addition to these, the following names will be playing on the Pioneer stand throughout the rest of the PLASA show: Monday 13 September, Seb Fontaine: Tuesday 14 September, Nic Fancuilli and Eddie Halliwell: Wednesday 15 September, Judge Jules.

(Lee Baldock)

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Japan - "Acoustically it's perfect," said Ralf Zuleeg, an applications support specialist from d&b audiotechnik, "a typical modern, horseshoe-shaped concert hall; slightly dry for a small ensemble, but ideal for a full orchestra." Matsumoto City Hall in Japan was originally opened 40 years ago; the current refurbishment project began in 1999, completing in the spring of 2004. Its grand opening will comprise multiple events covering the full gamut of musical performance, with the debut concert having been staged on 29 August 2004.

Yamaha Sound Technologies Inc. was selected to be responsible for the sound installation, with Nagata Acoustics Inc. providing the acoustic sound design, Makoto Ino their senior consultant elected to specify d&b systems. "We have experience of this company's equipment through our partnership with the Otaritec Corporation, who

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UK - PLASA 2004 has now opened and promises to be another successful event: even this morning the stands were buzzing, with a vast range of the latest pro lighting and audio, video and digital media, rigging and staging products on show. The Innovation Gallery, where this year's nominations for the PLASA Awards for Innovation are displayed - 67 products in total - provides a popular draw for visitors at the front of the hall.

Seminars kick off today with a fascinating discussion on DJ/VJ technology and how club land is being transformed by user-friendly media servers and DJ-friendly CD decks. This will all happen in the seminar theatre on the top deck from 2 - 3pm, and will be closely followed at 3.30pm by a presentation on digital media servers, offering a comparison of the features of some of the systems available today and a demonstration of two of the current systems from H

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UK - Pro audio distribution specialists, Fuzion plc will announce the formation of a new lighting division at this year's PLASA Show in London (September 12-15). Difuzion will be headed by the experienced Graham Barron, who has spent the last four years at Martin Professional, having dedicated much of his professional career to lighting design, support, consultancy and sales. Difuzion will open its account by confirming an exclusive UK distribution deal with German-based Futurelight, headed by Bernd Steinigke.

Said Graham Barron, "I was ready for a new challenge and was impressed by the set-up at Fuzion. As for Futurelight, they produce a comprehensive, attractively-priced range of well-made products - and yet historically the brand has been under-exposed in the UK." He emphasized that this was just the start. "We are ready to take on other non-conflicting lighti

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Germany - Barco has signed a cooperation agreement with T-Systems International GmbH at the IBC show in Amsterdam, under which Media&Broadcast, the T-Systems' media arm will market, sell and support Barco's full line of large screen display solutions in the sports, corporate branding and broadcast markets in Germany. The first joint project to stem out of this cooperation is the installation of a visualization solution at the 1. FC Kaiserslautern Stadium, one of the stadiums to host the soccer world championships in 2006.

T-Systems operates analog and digital transmitters for radio and television, and a digital distribution network that links transmitter sites and studios throughout Germany. The company is currently building an international transport network for broadcast and media customers that will provide broadband connections between large cities.

As a first joint proj

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UK - The DMC/Technics World DJ Championships, held at the Carling Hammersmith Apollo (4-5 September 2004, London), represented one of the first UK projects to feature the new Aspect series of high-efficiency loudspeakers. Broadcast by the BBC's 1Xtra radio channel, the DMC/Technics World DJ Championships is the culmination of international heats that have taken place thought this year, across Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Turbosound provided sound reinforcement in association with UK rental company Britannia Row Productions, deploying 19 Aspect loudspeakers, with nine in a central cluster, and five per side in the main front-of-house system, complemented by an additional twelve TSW-721 low-frequency enclosures per side. The entire system was powered by just three amplifier racks - each able to drive six mid-highs and twelve Aspect subs. Turbosound's wedge monito

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UK - Pure Distribution, a division of Stirling Audio, has been successful introducing Audix microphones to new artists around the UK, since taking on the distribution earlier this year. The Finn Brothers are the latest fans, using a selection of the products on their current tour. New Zealand born Neil and Tim Finn spent nearly a decade as one half of Crowded House, and made it big in Britain and the US in the early 90s with the multi-illion selling album Woodface.

Audix has supplied a selection of microphones for use on their worldwide tour, for which the duo play a range of musical instruments, from keyboards to ukuleles. Both brothers use OM-6 dynamic vocal microphones, the CX-111 studio condenser mic is put to good use on their guitars, while a variety of Audix drum and percussion mics can be found across the stage. Their current tour has taken them around the US and

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UK - At the close of the 2004 PLASA Show in London this week, it was clear that a new level of confidence has returned to the industry, with buyers making substantial orders of new equipment and a high level of visitor quality being reported by exhibitors across the show floor.

James Thomas Engineering, Cadac Electronics, A.C. Lighting, Artistic Licence, D&M Professional, Vidicom, LSC Lighting, Le Mark, LDR, Strand Lighting, Robe Show Lighting, Fuzion and Rackz were among the many companies who expressed their satisfaction at the level of business conducted and the quality of the trade visitors to the exhibition.

Glyn O'Donoghue, product development director at A.C. Lighting, told PLASA Media that the response to the Jands Vista console had far exceeded expectations, with no less than 12 consoles sold at the show - as well as hundreds of the new Chroma-Q Color Block LED modul

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USA - Since 1981, Florida-based Full Sail Real World Education has offered instruction in sound reinforcement and concert lighting, developing a full program in 1998 and adding the 13-month Show Production & Touring Associate of Science Degree Program. Their overall goal is "to provide students with the knowledge to enter the live event industry with the practical and technical tools required to succeed in many career paths."

Specifically, they say the Show Production Degree program is dedicated to technical theory, engineering skills and design concepts within several key areas of the entertainment industry, of which audio is a significant part. Full Sail has recently added a DiGiCo D5 Live digital mixing console to its impressive roster of sound equipment to allow students access to the most up-to-date products during their training for the world of live events.

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UK - Debuting at the PLASA 2004 show was Flying Pig Systems' Hog 3 PC, which offers the convenience, flexibility and power of the Wholehog 3 operating system on a personal computer. The system of software and hardware components combines to produce any system that an end user needs, from cost-free Hog 3 PC software for viewing and editing Wholehog 3 shows through to a fully-fledged 4,096-channel console, depending on the number of USB DMX widgets. The company has also announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with ESP Vision Inc to provide Wholehog 3 lighting console users direct connectivity with ESP Vision software.

Firstly the product - Hog 3 PC offers popular features including the effects engine, a new remote focus device, which provides the freedom to operate all console functions from any location without the burden of cables. Hog 3 PC controls automated

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UK - August saw the end of the summer festival season as crowds of revellers gathered from all over the UK for the annual V and Carling festivals. Both V and the Carling festivals have become established highlights of the UK summer event circuit and are renowned for their parallel shows over the same weekend.

In its ninth year V attracted its biggest crowd of over 130,000 music fans to the host sites; Hylands Park Chelmsford and Weston Park Staffordshire. Over 40 bands performed at the festivals with big name acts The Strokes and Muse headlining the main stages. Other main acts included The Pixies, The Charlatans, Dido and Pink.

SSE Hire supplied the audio equipment for both the V Main and NME stages at both sites. The main stages utilized identical Nexo Geo T systems with Alpha delay towers. The FOH mix was via two Midas Heritage 3000s working on a flip-flop system with one e

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USA - Production Resource Group (PRG) served as the primary supplier of lighting, staging, and scenery for the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. PRG supplied over 1,000 lighting fixtures for the event, including 235 moving lights. The lighting package included some of the company's most popular fixtures, including VL3000 spot units, VL2000 spot units, VL2000 wash units, MAC 2000 wash units, and MAC 2000 Profiles.

As a result of PRG's recent merger with VLPS Lighting Services, Bill Klages, the event's lighting designer, was able to obtain all of the lights needed for the event from PRG. Staging and scenic elements provided by PRG included: The main stage and stairs used during the first three days of the event. This stage included a motorized slip stage and hydraulic lift for raising and lowering speaker platforms. Both the slip stage and lift were controlled

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UK - Initiated by James Thomas Engineering and hosted by BBC Training at Wood Norton, near Evesham, Worcestershire, the LED Workshop event aims to give LDs, set designers - and anyone else involved in lighting - an opportunity to learn more about LED lighting; the equipment, the uses and control.

Taking place on 30 September, the start time will be 1pm for lunch, followed by a workshop-style conference in which Andy Sugars from PixelRange will explain the development of the LED and the current state of play, followed by a discussion of future development. There will be a chance to investigate the colourimetry of LEDs as a light source for flesh tones: Philips, Thompson, Ikegami and Sony cameras will be available to use.

Pixeldrive software will be on hand for attendees to play with, and they will also be given the chance to compare LED sources side by side with conventional t

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UK - Allen & Heath hosted an anniversary party during PLASA on the walkway of London's Tower Bridge to celebrate 35 years in the pro audio business. Around 70 guests from its network of overseas distributors and the press attended a dinner with special guest speakers from the original management team - Andrew Sterling and Ivor Taylor - who joined the company in 1969.

Allen & Heath's managing director, Glenn Rogers, commented: "For anyone in the manufacturing industry to survive 35 years and to still be continually expanding is a phenomenal success. Allen & Heath has an extraordinarily innovative past and we are heading towards a bright and exciting future. Here's to the next 35 years!"

The evening also acknowledged the individual achievements of Allen & Heath's international partners, with the presentation of the annual distributor awards. Pro Audio Marketing in Germ

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The Netherlands - Electronics giant Sony has committed to the Integrated Systems Europe exhibition for the first time as both a sponsor and exhibitor. As a unique pan-European platform, the show offers Sony the opportunity to showcase its wide range of products designed for integrated B2B systems solutions. Sony's involvement will feature both on the exhibition floor and in the educational programme, say the show's organizers.

In addition to premiering new products to the European market, Sony will exhibit its diverse product range offering architects, consultants, designers, engineers and integrators the opportunity to experience Sony application-led solutions for the workplace and other public venues. ISEurope's intensive training programmes staged throughout the show will cover a variety of topical issues including home theatre, multi-room automation and digital signage. Offe

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UK - London's Regent Street was transformed to host a spectacular international festival at the beginning of September in support of BBC's charity Children In Need. Attractions included musical and theatrical performances, exhibitions, dance and a Victorian fairground. The entire street was closed for the day to make room for the festivities.

The day was officially opened by four-time Olympic gold medal winner Matthew Pinsent followed by a performance by popular classical band Amici Forever. Other acts included Asian pop group Punjabi Hit Squad, Inspiration choir and Peter Andre. Many shops on Regent Street also opened their doors to host in-store concerts by up-and-coming musicians. SSE Hire provided audio services for the live music element of the day, using a combination of Nexo Geo T and Nexo Alpha speakers at the BBC/Bovis Sound Stage. More Nexo Alpha was supplied for the Z

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China/Spain - As well as the Olympics, another sporting event that created high interest in China this summer was the International Full Contact Kick-Boxing championship, which pitted China against Japan's best and received nationwide television coverage. Kick-Boxing, one of the martial arts sport disciplines, has thousands of followers throughout Asia and is extremely popular around the world. The D.A.S. distributor in China, Concord Trading Co. Ltd., was the official sponsor of the event in which the Chinese fighters won by five rounds.

Due to the large size of the venue and the number of people attending, a wide variety of systems were used to provide adequate coverage for everyone. The main PA was made up of ground stacked Aero 28 line array systems. Concord also installed eight CA-28 mid-hi packs and four CA-215 subwoofers for the event. Around the ring the systems comprise

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UK / USA - The Ford Motor Company has awarded design and communication agency Imagination with its Q1 2004 status. The certification was awarded after Imagination met rigorous performance and ongoing quality management criteria set out by the Ford quality assessment. Q1 certification is recognized and highly-regarded throughout the Automotive and its related business and support industries as a symbol of excellence, customer satisfaction and on-going high quality consistency. Although Ford has recognized others of its suppliers with the latest Q1award, Imagination is the first marketing services supplier in Europe to obtain this Status.

Ford presented Imagination with the status in an awards ceremony held at Imagination's headquarters in London. Ford's senior purchasing manager Steve Proctor, and its manager of exhibitions Derek Cockerill, presented Gary Withers, Imagination's

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