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14 March 2016

In recent years Conway has undergone something of a revitalization, and First United Methodist is no exception. The 600-seat Georgian-style sanctuary was recently treated to an extensive renovation that included everything from foundation repair and new flooring to an elevator and a new, state-of-the-art sound system featuring Iconyx digitally steered column arrays from Renkus-Heinz.

Audio engineer David Clyburn of Roebuck, SC-based MusiCraft explains the selection of the Iconyx IC16-R systems. "The sanctuary is a beautiful, large, rectangular space with high ceilings and tall windows," he says. "Even before the renovation, we measured the reverb time at more than three seconds, and that was before they expanded

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14 March 2016

The venue houses a versatile, professional performance space that is also available to community, educational and professional organisations at favourable rates. It operates with a minimal technical crew, usually only two, and so a reliable wireless communications system is a necessity.

"Keeping in contact with our staff was becoming more of a problem especially with the dance school performances where you may have up to 300 children

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14 March 2016

DM Audio AB, its long-serving Stockholm-based rental customer (and part of the EM Nordic Group), has invested in a System 36 (comprising 24 MLA Compact top boxes and 12 DSX subwoofers), which is supplied with all necessary cabling and accessories for rental stock. The order was handled by EM Nordic AB's sales arm, XL Audio.

Although long term this will provide DM Audio with a system for rental stock, it was immediately sub-hired to Norwegian rental company Rubicon, for use as an out-fill system at the 9,700-capacity Oslo Spektrum for two Morten Ramm comedy shows on 24 March. Rubicon themselves purchased a full-size MLA system from XL Audio Norway back in November 2010.

Rubicon head of sound, Roar Ånestad, accompanied DM Audio's Lars Wern and Barney Ga

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14 March 2016

Long standing lighting designer Martin Kempton comments, "It's very sad to see it go - it's been a regular fixture in my diary for the past 11 years and I've been really proud to have been associated with it."

The four-time BAFTA winning ITV show uses a small and selective amount of lights (including MAC 250's, MAC TW1's, Pixel Par 90's and Alpha Spot 575 HPE's) to create a bright yet 'homely' look to compliment the set.

(Jim Evans)

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14 March 2016

Lighting designer Ken Billington reports, "For the production, Tim Bird created a very neutral set with many levels and then with his team from Knifedge created visuals that were projected on all the surfaces requiring fast moving changes like a video game. This of course impacted the lighting in that it needed to change quickly and drastically with intensity and colour. With a very low ceiling (4m) and limited electricity - LED fixtures became almost essential to make the concept work. To give me the bang of LED I chose the PixelRange QPar 10°, 20° asymme

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14 March 2016

"Something we've often heard from lighting designers is that they long for a decent sized space where they can just try things," explains White Light's managing director, Bryan Raven. "They wanted somewhere they could come and experiment with new products, new colours, new ideas, away from the crazy pressure and schedules that come when you're actually creating a new show. There's alwa

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14 March 2016

For the first time, a stage area was set up on the stand, where field project coordinator Mark Tobler gave presentations in German or English describing ETC's overarching philosophy: Layers of Light. He showed how different types of lighting - tungsten, HID and LED - can be used together with ETC's latest control desks and Sensor3 power control system to create the right light for any kind of purpose.

Market anager for ETC GmbH Sarah Clausen says, "With ETC, our focus is on the quality of light; we wanted to show how we can really enhance the stage and what's on it.

"By setting up our famous mannequin with a brightly multi-coloured dress, we showed how we can make colours balance, 'pop' or appear dull by adjusting each o

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14 March 2016

Thrilling the audience with her song Part of me, Perry was surrounded by 12 large plasma balls and four plasma columns, topped off by her own laser display; the ensemble made for an electrifying show.

The vibrant colours of the plasma balls and columns were echoed by the pink and blue stage lights, making the whole vision a show to remember.

(Jim Evans)

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14 March 2016

"I've been using A&H mixers since the Xone:62 came out and I've always been a fan, insisting on A&H at every gig," says Digweed. "As a DJ, you want to turn up at a gig and know you can rely on the equipment. The DB4 is stable, well built, with excellent, warm sound - it just delivers."

Digweed has been using the mixer for several months, thoroughly road-testing it on his rigorous tour schedule, which spans the globe.

"I love the DB4's layout, which is similar to the Xone:92, and it is well thought out; for instance, certain knobs are backlit, which is great for a dark environment but also signals when the mixer is in different modes as the colour changes," he states.

Digweed's set up comprises the Xo

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14 March 2016

These showcase exhibitions follow hot on the heels of the South-East roadshow that Ambersphere held recently in Brighton.

The Black Light Open Day, which is Scotland's largest gathering of lighting industry professionals, is taking place at Black Light's HQ in Edinburgh on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 March, and will be the first opportunity for those North of the Border to get a close up look at the new products on offer from Clay Paky and MA Lighting.

"It's really exciting to get on the road with the dazzling array of new products that Clay Paky and MA Lighting have recently brought to market," says Glyn O'Donoghue, managing director of Ambersphere.

"With a number of regional exhibitions

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14 March 2016

The complement of 24 fully-integrated MLA top boxes and 12 MLX subs, with six dedicated amplifier and DSP channels per enclosure, will make their debut on a series of high-profile shows at the end of April and beginning of May.

Championing the cause for RG Jones had been the company's experienced sound engineer Simon Honywill, who had put MLA through its paces on Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of War of the Worlds tour, Raymond Gubbay's Classical Spectacular and on shows with Katherine Jenkins in Ireland t

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14 March 2016

Show director Roger Fox said, "I am so pleased that the exhibitors have responded so positively to our determination to make the ABTT 2012 Theatre Show an immediate success in its new home. Visitor registrations continue to be buoyant and we have a growing waiting list of would be exhibitors. The signs are very good for a bumper event."

Close to 100 exhibitors will be offering a wealth of products, services and advice to practitioners, designers and technicians involved i

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14 March 2016

Joining 130 exhibitors across two sold-out halls will be 20 new exhibitors, including audio, video and lighting installers TMC Ltd; audio manufacturer Electro-Voice; laser system specialists Laserworld AG; audio manufacturers KV2 Audio; audio contractors FBT Audio; designers and manufacturers of modular stages and portable sound and light systems, Unistage Ltd; and audio sales, rentals, and integrated installations company,

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14 March 2016

"With a dedicated catalogue, the new FBT Installed Sound division aims to provide full turnkey solutions to the largest possible number of sound contractors, projects and tenders, with products rich with technical features and suitable for the specific applications required," says the company.

The Installed Sound division consists of: Vertus digital steerable loudspeaker arrays MLA 801A and MLA608A; Archon permanent installation loudspeaker series; Shadow all-weather loudspeaker series

MAD4IP multimedia automatic distribution over IP systems.

The new Installed Sound division expands FBT's already vast range of products including FBT

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14 March 2016

Perched on a rocky promontory high above this small northern Italian town, Forte di Bard (Fort Bard) has been a site of strategic significance since the pre-Roman era. Today its importance is cultural rather than military. Completely restored in 2006, the stunning courtyards of this fortress complex now play host to theatre and ballet performances, summer pop concerts and literary events, while its imposing walls house major touring exhibitions of art and photography.

The new museum is dedicated to the history of the site and its fortifications. This state

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14 March 2016

"Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound 2012 have further strengthened their position. Both, visitors and exhibitors highly appreciated and rated Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound and are in confident mood for orders and business", said Detlef Braun, member of the executive board Messe Frankfurt.

Blowin' In The Wind - Bob Dylan, Peter Gabrieland Suede are the headline acts for Vince Power's Hop Farm Music Festival 2012. The festival will have four music stages this year including a comedy stage, Camp Acoustic stage and Buskers Boulevard as well as "more new, exciting additions to be announced in due course"

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14 March 2016

Sheldon Hire is a small plant and tool hire shop, based in Solihull Birmingham which has been running for the past 25 years. Before deciding to implement inspHire, Sheldon Hire was manually tracking all equipment and inputting hire contracts. However, as the company grew it became clear to Sheldon Hire that they needed a rental software system in place in order to reduce the administrative burden of manual invoicing, to help improve their business efficiencies and in turn to continue company growth.

"After reviewing the different hire software systems on the market we decided that inspHire was the right fit. We chose inspHire because of its modern interface, and the overall user-frie

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14 March 2016

"Established for 22 years and with our strong foundation, we have the distribution power to ensure we are sourcing the best products in commercial sound, lighting, visual and special effects at the best prices, which translates to greater value for our trade customers," says the company.

The Leisuretec name is synonymous with quality products and at this year's PLASA Focus the company will represent over 70 prestigious brands spanning many market sectors including installed sound, presentation and live entertainment.

"We can offer the choice and flexibility essential to your business whether you are an installer, reseller, hire or events company or other trade professional. Since last year we have added several new f

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14 March 2016

Now in its 28th year, it aims to represent the cutting edge of modern audio and acoustics in an informal environment that allows consultants, manufacturers, contractors and end users to mingle and share insights and information.

Conference chairman Paul Malpas said, "Reproduced Sound has firmly established itself as a 'must attend' event for many people from a wide background - and I am certain that this year's event will match the usual high standards.

"As well as providing delegates with invaluable updates on the latest developments across a wide range of specialist sectors, it has also become

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14 March 2016

The architects of the new extension, John McAslan and Partners, worked with Network Rail on the £500m project to create the largest single span structure in Europe, delivering a new station concourse with more than three times the space of its predecessor.

Network Rail brought in Unspun to produce the launch of the spectacular new extension. Unspun's creative team, consisting of Robert Alge as Creative/Executive Director, Glyn Peregrine as lighting designer and Julian Scott as the soundtrack composer, designed a show to highlight the dynamic meeting of the station's original 1852 brick façade, with the striking new curved steel lattice.

Peregrine worked with Dom Sh

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14 March 2016

The project was part of a free of charge city event Lux Helsinki that is organised by City of Helsinki. The event consists of a cluster of individual lighting installations ranging from the spectacle to minimalistic realizations as well as a number of fire circus performances in the centre of the Finnish capital. Energy efficiency and sustainability is a major theme and designers are also encouraged to utilize new and innovate technologies to catch the attention of the public.

Lighting designer Matti Jykylä has been fascinated by Rubik's Cube, the famous 3D mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian scul

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14 March 2016

The original technical design was prepared by The Centre for Virtual Environments at the University of Salford, and Electrosonic was awarded the contract to engineer and install the complete system, working directly for the University.

MediaCityUK, which is home to over 1,500 students, acts as a creative space designed to encourage creativity, innovation and collaboration between academics, students, professionals and the industry.

The new entrance area of the building is an elliptical space aptly called the Egg, and is described as &qu

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14 March 2016

The three-year old club had never been entirely happy with its original sound system. Brought in with the task of upgrading the system and resiting the DJ console, Cosmic Electronics opted for an RCF dancefloor solution, redeploying the existing system to peripheral bar and lounge infill duties. At the same time they carried out some digital rewiring, and placed the crystal ceiling under computerised lighting control.

"We have worked a lot with RCF over the years and it was only when we became involved in another club project

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14 March 2016

Engineer Mike Gibbard was using the PRO2 to provide monitor mixes for the choir and string section, and to send stem feeds to the band's monitor and FOH desks.

"The PRO2's a natural choice for this really," says Gibbard. "I take a band mix from the monitor desk, a dry vocal mix of Florence and a click, which I then send to the choir and string section. I have nine hardwired mixes for the choir, and I've broken up the string section into cello mix, violin mix and