UK - A meeting aimed at covering the concepts of audibility and inaudibility is being organised by the Measurement & Instrumentation Committee of the Institute of Acoustics in London.

Did you hear that? - concepts of audibility and inaudibility on 23 June will look at where threshold levels are either suggested or legislated. It will also cover what may be subjectively audible to one listener may not be to another.

Other areas covered in the meeting will include: What in practice should those quantified thresholds be, how can they be measured and are they enforceable? Likewise, in some instances it may be prudent to ensure inaudibility, what should these maximums of audibility be? How can they be measured and could they be directed to one segment of the public?

Did you hear that?, being held at the Royal Society, London is a one day meeting, with papers from In

UK - It didn't take a great deal of persuasion for the Scenic Solutions team at Stage One to head north to The Scotch Whisky Experience. Working for production company, the Continuum Group, Stage One was invited to the Edinburgh based attraction to provide all of the scenic and exhibition elements for the Experience's new Dark Ride installation.

Craig Hatto, projects director, Continnuum Group, said, "Stage One was the ideal choice. They undertook and immediately understood the inherent complexities in creating an experiential ride, taking immediate ownership of the set elements and integrating with the other specialist contractors. The team were courteous and sensitive to both the client and other contractors needs and with everything combined they made a complex and potentially high risk project appear to be a walk in the park."

Covering a 220m2 area, the ei

UK - DiGiCo has announced the launch of its new and improved website.

"We haven't given our old site a bit of a facelift," explains marketing director David Webster. "We've completely re-designed it. It's now database driven to allow it to be quickly and easily updated and we've included more of the information we know our customers want and need."

This site includes offline and online software, allowing engineers to prep a show even before seeing a console and/or remote control it. Time saving documents such as pdfs of line drawings provide data to determine if a console is the right size for a particular location before additional information is downloaded. Consultants, specifiers and contractors can also download the latest dxf line drawings to include in their installation specifications. Brochures, high-resolution product images and logos are available

UK - Creative & Cultural Skills (CCSkills) has reaffirmed its commitment to campaign openly and transparently on behalf of industry by publishing a comprehensive independent assessment of performance to date.

1000 creative and cultural employers were asked to assess CCSkills and pinpoint areas for improvement. The survey showed there continues to be strong support for a Sector Skills Council specific to the creative and cultural sectors - with over 80% of employers endorsing CCSkills.

Two thirds of creative and cultural businesses highlighted that the creative and cultural industries have specific, specialist needs and training should be more specific to these needs.

The most commonly cited reason for the presence of CCSkills was the need for a strong 'independent voice'.

A strong majority recognise the impact CCSkills has had on skills development; 79% of organisations fe

Germany - The 83rd ADAC Ball took place 24 January 2009 in the Hotel Maritim, Berlin. Beneath the banner This is where Berlin dances, some 2,600 illustrious guests took to the floor and were treated to a programme of entertainment including a spirited set from pop legend Howard Carpendale. The evening was hosted by Kathrin Müller-Hohenstein of German TV's ZDF Sportstudio.

Berlin-based events service provider TSE AG, under the leadership of project manager Adrian Carlin, deployed audio systems from Electro-Voice in all three ballrooms. The main PA in the Saal Maritim comprised two line-arrays: one of eight XLD per side and a second centre hang of four XLE. Four Xsubs handled low-end while six EV QRx 112/75 cabinets served as front fills. Four additional XLE systems acted as side fills. The system was driven by fourteen TG7 amplifiers from Electro-Voice.

The syst

USA The new Citi Field in Flushing, Queens, home of the New York Mets, has a new sound system. Over 550 EAW MK and AX series boxes fill the bowl of the 42,000-seat stadium, which opened on 13 April, 2009. The systems integrator was TSI Global Companies, LLC, and it was designed by consultants WJHW.

The key element of the massive and complex sound system is a customised version of EAW's full-range AX364-210 Arrayable Install Loudspeakers with 60x40 horn, modified to fire simultaneously forward, down and to the rear. A pair of 10-inch woofers was added to the cabinet, aimed downward to cancel low-frequency buildup in what is, essentially, an architectural bass trap.

Three of these precisely modified enclosures are installed at the clubhouse level, one of the most challenging spaces in a stadium of this design. Other notable aspects of the system include a large number of under-b

USA -. Located on the popular Pine Avenue 'restaurant row' in Long Beach, CA, Sergeant Pepper's Dueling Piano Café features a sound reinforcement system from the D.A.S. Audio Variant catalogue.

Duarte, CA-based Total Concept Integration (TCI), a design/build firm that handles a broad range of commercial projects, designed and installed Sergeant Pepper's new sound system. According to Adrian Morales, one of the firm's partners, space was a huge consideration on this project. "This is a small, pub-like type of venue," said Morales. "With two pianos and a drum set up on stage, there really isn't a whole lot of room to spare. Initially, the owner envisioned flying a few conventional, non-powered loudspeakers that would be augmented by one or two subwoofers on the floor. When we asked him where he planned on housing the power amps, he realized this approach woul

UK - The first Electro-Voice line array system has arrived in the Channel Islands. Stage 2 Productions, Jersey's biggest concert and event company, has completed its first shows with its new EV XLD compact line array, featuring the XCS312 flown subbass cabinets, and is already planning to increase its inventory.

Deploying the new system for high-profile productions like BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter James Morrison and top TV comedian Al Murray, Stage 2 Productions has given the XLD cabinets a fiery baptism. Proprietor Rob Ritchie reports that "both events went really well, with the system performing fantastically. In fact, this was the only date on James Morrison's tour that used anything other than d&b J Series."

Stage 2 Productions has, for some time, operated in the upper echelons of event service providers. "But our old point-source system was just no

UAE - Local people and international visitors enjoyed a vivid celebration of global cultures and musical traditions at Abu Dhabi's first WOMAD Festival, as event safety specialists TESS advised on procedures to create a safe environment for everyone.

Abu Dhabi had never hosted a festival of this sort before, so careful evaluation of crowd safety and production risks was a key part of the planning. The event featured two orbit stages at either end of the city's beach along the Corniche; hosting a spectrum of local and world music stars including Youssou N'Dour, Robert Plant and Khaled.

Kids' parades, artist-led workshops and world cookery demonstrations gave depth and helped entertain the huge number of children who attended. In addition a smaller event was hosted at the historic Jahili fort in the desert city of Al Ain.

The stages were supplied by Serious Stages and the cent

UK - The UK tour of Strictly Come Dancing Live - the arena version of the popular BBC TV series - has all its lighting controlled by a grandMA full-size console for the first time.

The lighting design is by Mark Kenyon and the show was initially programmed by David Bishop during pre-production at Newcastle Arena. Mike Rothwell specified the grandMA and is the operator. He also did the 2008 Strictly Live tour, and this year decided to make the move to grandMA because, "It is such a stable, reliable system." It is the first full tour he's operated on the desk, but he was confident that going with grandMA was the right move, as he'd seen them in action on many other projects.

The lighting rig covers the large dance floor area and is based on five split trusses traversing the floor horizontally, and a central spine running vertically up the space, with anot

USA - On a clear night, the Sovereign Tower in north Atlanta shines brightly in the sky, visible from up to 30 miles away. To achieve such a level of illumination for this luxury office/residential complex (the tallest building constructed in Atlanta in twenty years), CD+M Lighting Design Group chose six Falcon Static Arc 3k xenon fixtures by Alpha One.

CD+M principal Ted Ferreira and associate principal Hilary Wainer shepherded the project for Regent Partners and architect SRSS for over three years. Their work included lighting the building facade, interior lobbies, private resident's club and surrounding grounds. "Our criteria for selecting Falcons to light the façade was two-fold," explains Ted Ferreira. "First, they had to be rated for exterior, long-term use in all weather conditions. Second, we needed a lot of light. Not many products in North America meet

USA - When the time came to create the setting for Sarah Brightman's Symphony tour, the design team turned to Tomcat to fabricate custom stage components and create the lavish settings that have become the hallmark of Sarah Brightman concerts.

The tour kicked off in November 2008 with dates throughout North America. The tour played a series of dates across Asia through April 2009.

For its part, Tomcat built a 'rolling stage', including a runway out into the audience. The concept makes load in faster and easier. The stage can be assembled in phases while the rest of the rigging takes place. Upon completion of the rigging, the stage simply rolls into place and is locked into position.

In addition, Tomcat provided truss frames for some of the video projection screens, made of 12" spigoted truss. This entire framework around the perimeter incorporates a mirrored fasc

USA - The Auralex Acoustics HoverDeck, a drum isolator, will be employed on stage at the 19th Annual Chicago Drum Show, the world's largest and longest-running vintage/custom drum event of its kind. The exhibit and performance event is being held at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles, Illinois on 16 and 17 May 2009.

Auralex Acousticscontributed to this year's event by providing its HoverDeck for the show's clinic stage. The HoverDeck is a specifically engineered drum isolator that reduces coloration from floor resonance by decoupling the drum kit from the structure, resulting in a tighter, purer sound.

"My first use of Auralex's HoverDeck was at a backline gig at a major casino," says Rob Cook of Rebeats, a company specialising in vintage and custom drum-related resources and coordinator and producer of the Chicago Drum Show. "During set-up my drum tech

UK - The inaugural PLASA Focus Show in Leeds on April 28-29 was a great success, beating the headiest expectations and the credit crunch. Anticipation had been high since PLASA Events announced the takeover of the event from AC Entertainment Technologies last year. The team had set out to continue the show's compact, user-friendly format while opening it up to the entire industry, broadening the marketing and creating new networking opportunities. By its close, the show had registered a total of 1,398 visitors (pre ABC audit).

Philip Norfolk of MA Lighting, which showed its new MA2 control surfaces, commented: "We've seen an excellent mix of students as well as serious clients, users and operators - a really broad spectrum of visitors. There have been good visitor numbers, high levels of interest and an excellent environment . . . and the time to spend with these people. Fo

Montserrat - For those with recording aspirations in the 1980s, few studios held the same rock star appeal as Air Montserrat. A who's who of major artists, from The Police to Dire Straits and The Rolling Stones recorded at Sir. George Martin's residential studio complex until a hurricane in 1989, and the eruption of a volcano in 1995, destroyed not only the studio but also the heart of the Island community.

In response to the catastrophic events, the Montserrat Cultural Centre was built between 2005 and 2006 using funds raised by Sir George and Lady Martin. The focal point of the centre is the Sir. George Martin Auditorium, a 450 seater venue, which offers concert, cinema and conference configurations at the touch of a button.

An impressive range of equipment has now been gathered for the Cultural Centre thanks to the dedication of two previous Air Montserrat clients, Chris Ru

USA - For decades, Shure microphones have been a mainstay of rock and roll stages, from the largest arenas and stadiums to the smallest bars and clubs. Now they're also appearing onstage in the virtual world, compliments of the Harmonix and MTV Games' best-selling music video game Rock Band 2.

"How could anyone create a game like this and not include the SM58 and SM57? That would be like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the bread," said Chad Wiggins, Shure's wired products category manager. "We definitely feel that having our mics in Rock Band 2 adds a degree of authenticity for all of the people who'll play it as they dream of being Roger Daltrey belting out Pinball Wizard or any one of dozens of other rock stars. It's very cool to be included."

(Jim Evans)

UK - If you haven't reserved your delegate place at Showlight 2009, you have only a few days left to do so! And this year's Showlight has so much to offer everyone, whether you work in the theatre, television, architectural, film or event lighting. From Beijing to James Bond, the Grand Mosque to media servers, Showlight 2009 will be truly international and truly educational, say organisers.

With an eclectic mix of lighting designers from all disciplines, suppliers, manufacturers, students and scholars, each Showlight is unique, providing food for the mind, soul - and body! Included in the delegate price of only £180 are refreshments and lunch every day, plus dinner on Sunday and Monday. What more could you ask for? Oh yes - and the visits programme on Monday afternoon, with a backstage look at Glasgow's finest theatres, a visit to Philips' local factory, culture in the for

UAE - Leading Abu Dhabi events consultancy Flash enjoyed a sweeping victory at the recent Middle East Event Awards 2009.

The Abu Dhabi home-grown company fought off competition from a number of global event companies, to win two of the evening's most prestigious awards: Best Fair/Festival/Concert category for the George Michael and Alicia Keys Live in Abu Dhabi concert held in December last year, in addition to the Best Sporting Event for the Capital World Tennis Championship, Abu Dhabi's first international tennis tournament held in January this year.

The two Middle East Event Awards wins come in addition to a recent slew of awards Flash celebrated winning including the Event Organizer of the Year title from Sound and Stage Magazine Middle East. In addition, the company's New Years Eve spectacular Shakira Live in Abu Dhabi won the Favouri

USA - Since arriving in Stockton, CA in 2005-06, the Thunder hockey team has captured the passion of Central Valley sports fans, leading the ECHL league in attendance for four consecutive seasons. The team plays every game before a packed house at Stockton Arena, a 10,000-seat facility located along the city's downtown waterfront.

This year, the Thunder wanted to light up their home ice with as much excitement as they light up the crowd. So the team's management called on Stockton-based Illuminate Production Services (IPS) to design and install a new lighting rig around the scoreboard and video screens at Stockton Arena.

"Previously, the Thunder had rented a lighting rig each season," said Rick Franke of IPS. "But this wasn't efficient, so they were looking to purchase their own lighting." According to Franke, the team needed lighting that was affordable, e

USA - When Allen & Heath announced the availability of the lower priced iLive-T digital mixing system at January's NAMM Show, president Dan Redman of Spinnaker Multimedia Solutions in Malvern, PA, was ready. The day after the announcement, Redman placed the first order. "Our churches had been waiting for a console with these features, at this price point, for a very long time. So we were ready to go with it."

The needs of Victory Christian Fellowship in Audubon, PA were matched perfectly by the new iLive-T112 mixing surface with iDR48 MixRack. "This was the fastest project I've ever worked on. We started in early December and opened on 29 March. It's a testament to the builder, the architects, our manufacturer partners, and especially the church. They knew what they wanted to accomplish and made smart decisions quickly." Victory Christian has become among the

UK - Northern Light, in conjunction with Just FX and Festival City Theatres Trust, are hosting two pyrotechnic safety awareness and information courses in Scotland during June 2009.

These courses follow on from the success of Northern Light's inaugural lighting and sound masterclass - hosted with ETC, Martin Audio and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama - in February of this year.

The pyro courses will be held on consecutive days on the stage of the King's Theatre in Edinburgh and will cover all aspects of storing and operating pyrotechnic stage effects. Delegates will enjoy demonstrations and practical experience of the different pyro types and their uses, as well as learning how to test the effects, store them and manage them safely. Additional modules will include the law, health and safety and risk assessments.

Gordon Blackburn, hire manager with Northern Light

UK - ETC has appointed London Light Production Services as a console dealer. The move, which means that London Light can now promote, sell and provide training for ETC's range of control desks, including Eos, Ion, Congo and SmartFade, as well as ETC's newest desk, Element, shown for the first time in the UK at PLASA Focus in Leeds.

Sam Crook, director at London Light, says: "We have been given the opportunity to focus on selling what we know best, which suits us well. As lighting designers, fellow director David Buffham and I have worked extensively on ETC Eos and Ion desks, and are able to provide full training and support from a user's point of view."

London Light has already sold an Eos and Ion system to English National Ballet, providing the ballet company's technicians with a demonstration and a day of training at ETC's office in west London before they went on

USA - The Joint Training Initiative of The ESTA Foundation and USITT has announced a Rigging Safety Training Session to be held at Highline Performing Arts Centre, Burien, WA. The event will be hosted and co-produced by Highline PAC in association with Highline Public Schools.

This session is a three-day event designed for entertainment technicians at a basic to intermediate level and will be held Friday 24 July to Sunday, 26 July 2009.

The Rigging Safety course will be taught by ETCP recognised trainer, Jay Glerum. His programme, The 4 K's of Stage Rigging, will cover Liability, Forces and Reactions (The Physics of Rigging), Types and Designs of Hardware, Proper Operation, and Inspection/Maintenance Issues. Also included will be discussions of Motorised Rigging, Fire Curtain Rigging, and Rigging Math.

This session will count towards Renewal Credits for ETCP Certified

UK - Hand Held Audio supplied 160 channels of Shure UHF-R wireless microphones for the latest T Mobile flash-mob advert. The karaoke style event was fully supported by Shure Distribution UK (SDUK).

Lead by international pop/rock star Pink, over 13,000 people descended on London's Trafalgar Square to sing hits including Hey Jude and Is This The Way to Amarillo?. Members of the crowd were supplied with 160 Shure microphones, including the Beta 58 and SM58 models, each transmitting on independent RF channels. Footage from the event will be used to produce a series of television advertisements for T-Mobile.

Hand Held Audio was responsible for deploying the wireless technology for the event and determined that 160 wireless channels were required to meet the project brief. With such a challenge on their hands, HHA called upon SDUK to assist during planning and to provi

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