UK - The Grade II* former circus theatre, Brighton Hippodrome, tops the 33 theatres on The Theatres Trust's Theatre Buildings at Risk Register 2014, launched at the Theatre Royal Brighton on 18 September. The annually published register features the most 'at risk' theatre buildings across the UK under threat of demolition and redevelopment, theatres that lie abandoned, neglected and decaying, and theatres in use at risk of closure.

Brighton & Hove City Council has approved demolition and redevelopment plans for the Grade II* Brighton Hippodrome to create a cinema multiplex and restaurant. Designed by Frank Matcham the theatre is of national significance as one of only three remaining Victorian circus theatres in the UK. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has yet to decide if he will call-in the planning and listed building applications and hold a

UK - Lift Turn Move (LTM) is now the UK and Ireland agent for Planeta Hebetechnik GmbH, which manufactures hoists and other lifting equipment suited to construction, engineering and special environments.

The agreement adds explosion proof manual chain hoists up to 10t capacity and air hoists up to 25t capacity to LTM's already impressive product offering. LTM is also able to offer ultra low headroom chain hoists.

Operations director David King says, "The range of products from Planeta are perfect for clients, especially those who supply equipment into harsh working environments such as utilities, construction and offshore industries, The products complement our existing range and create new opportunities for our clients."

Herne, Germany-based Planeta manufactures a wide range of products, including manual lifting equipment, rope winches and air hoists in addition t

USA - Students at California Baptist University's (CBU) Collinsworth School of Music are not only taught the art of making music, but the best possible way to enhance the performance aspect of their instrument or voice. That's why their professors and mentors turn to DPA Microphones for on-stage amplification, which ensures that students gain first-hand experience with world-renowned professional equipment.

With an audio locker thaDirectional Headset Mics and a stereo pair of d:screet 4061 Omnidirectional Miniature Mics, the school is guaranteed an audio solution that covers the variety of music department needs for on-campus performances as well as on-the-road ensembles.

Matthew McConnell, technical director for the School of Music at California Baptist University, was familiar with DPA's reputation of quality products, but it was his test seven years ago of a stereo pair of

South Africa - LEDVision (Pty) Ltd, a full-service LED screen supplier, and part of the Gearhouse Group of Companies, has expanded its rental stockholding once again to offer more innovative options to the local live event market.

The company's latest investment in over 100sq.m of Radiant 7mm indoor/outdoor panels gives LEDVision the capacity to build two HD resolution screens of the new product.

This is the first acquisition of this particular LED product for use in the South Africa market and offers not only the most sophisticated lightweight touring frame of any mesh panel to date, but also the option to stack, fly or curve screens, depending on the requirements of the event. These extremely versatile panels can be configured in any format and have the capability to curve at a +/-10% horizontal degree.

The M7 is a black diode 3in1 SMD screen with the highest contrast rati

USA - On 1 and 2 October 2014, veteran FOH engineer Jim Yakabuski will join Meyer Sound instructor Buford Jones as a special guest in the newest sessions of the company's Mixing Workshop webinar series.

The interviews will cover Yakabuski's long mixing career working with artists from Matchbox Twenty to Journey. He will also share how technology advancements like linear sound systems and plugins are creating new opportunities for FOH engineers as well as practical tips for aspiring audio practitioners.

The Mixing Workshop is free of charge and is conducted at four different times across the two days. Full details are at www.meyersound.com.

As part of Meyer Sound's worldwide education programme, Buford Jones brings his lessons from almost four decades of mixing career to his online Mixing Workshop and hands-on sessions around the world. Jones's illustrious mixing credi

Germany - The Ballei Sports Centre, a community leisure facility in Neckarsulm, Western Germany used for handball and other spectator sports, has refitted its PA and sound reinforcement systems, choosing a system based on TC Group equipment: Tannoy VQ speakers and Lab.gruppen PLM amplification.

The system was specified by local pro audio, hi-fi and sound reinforcement specialist Joe Ritter and his company Ritter Medientechnik, based in Heilbronn, a few kilometres south of the installation.

Neckarsulm is a small town of under 30,000 inhabitants not far from Stuttgart, in Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany. The town has a sizeable Audi factory, and is also the home of budget food retailer Lidl.

Ritter Medientechnik was approached by the administrators of the Ballei last year to assess the centre's superannuated PA system with a view to upgrading it. "However, the s

Germany - The first major outing for satis&fy's new Nexo STM modular line array system was the Rock'n'Heim rock festival at the Hockenheimring motorsports racetrack. It was an opportunity to demonstrate STM's sound quality and coverage to a 27,000-strong crowd watching a diverse line-up on the Revolution stage, including Outkast, DeadMau5, Jan Delay, Die Fantastischen Vier, Pretty Lights, Die Antwoord and Parov Stelar Band.

satis&fy worked closely with Nexo to design the system, which required maximum cardioid sub efficiency to minimise spill to the second stage. It also needed to provide even coverage while controlling spill outside of the audience area.

The site itself came with a number of challenges for the team. The truss wasn't designed to support a flown sub system, and, because of video and photography sight lines, the subs could only be groundstacked 2-high.

System

USA - The Sayers Club in Las Vegas features a captivating blend of edgy and opulent touches running through its intimate space, from the long golden-lit bar and over-stuffed couches to the strategically hung gothic-inspired drapes. Then there's the distinctive designer cocktails, small plate specialties, and of course the music. Where else can you see name artists like Macy Gray and Florence and the Machine perform in a room that holds only 250 people? Or be treated to a surprise 3 am appearance by Prince?

As exceptional and rare as the original Sayers Club is, however, its owners Micah Otano and Jason Scoppa have been able to recreate their Hollywood magic in Las Vegas with the opening of a new location at the SLS Casino (the former Sahara at the north end of The Strip). The pair even managed to add a dash of extra Vegas visual sizzle to the new Sayers Club with the help of som

Belgium - Belgian commercial TV channel VTM (Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij) celebrated 25 years of success in a son et lumière spectacular staged on the beach at Nieuwpoort, which was attended by 17,000 people who were dazzled by the visual impact and audacity of the production.

Lighting was designed by Painting With Light's Luc Peumans, who has worked on many music based projects for VTM, and was commissioned to add his own elements of eye-catching magic to the mix.

The 25 minute Great Big Musical Thank You show was directed by Dirk Decloedt and set to a specially composed soundtrack. It featured 250 dancers, a troupe of huge Dundu puppets, a 75m wide by 12m high waterscreen projection surface, dancing fountains and over 2000 pyro cues, all linked together by the vision of scenographer / art director Marcos Viñals Bassols and Peumans' dynamic lighting.

The 'stage'

UK - This year's globally-renowned Creamfields dance festival featured an EDM first in the form of TiMax dynamic 3D audio spatialisation for duo Axwell & Ingrosso's blockbuster set, dubbed "360" in reference to the encircling array of moving lights and the club-style surround PA system that enveloped the crowd.

Originally two-thirds of the legendary Swedish House Mafia, A&I have a massive following, which on Sunday night at Creamfields were spilling out of the vast tented stage at 10 rows deep.

A new arena to Creamfields, Departures was inspired by the A&I Ibiza club night born only last summer. The duo was joined in the 10-thousand capacity tent by acts such as Alesso, Dirty South, Deep Dish and Otto Knows.

The 360 production was specified by A&I's sound engineer Wayne Rabbit Sargeant who also handles shows for Aviici. Rabbit designed an eight-channel surround sys

USA - Elation Professional's new high-energy Sniper multi-effect light and laser simulator, which launched recently at the PRO trade show in the UK, is enjoying its touring debut on American rock band A Day to Remember's (ADTR) Parks & Devastation US tour with lighting design by Steve 'Cowboy' Stemac.

ADTR is a passionate band with Steve running 10 of the powerful hybrid effect lights through their paces as specials on the hard-driving show. "We took the band and put them in a national park environment and then, as we do, make it jocular and surreal," Steve states of the show's tongue-in-cheek yet highly entertaining set theme that has each Sniper representing a band member's eye in the set's large Mt. Rushmore-inspired backdrop.

"It's more like a cosmic circus of sorts with lots of sounds and staccato noise. For the eyeballs in our set piece we needed so

Thailand - W-DMX by Wireless Solution Sweden AB is now a hot commodity in Bangkok, Thailand, as one of its premier rental houses, PM Center Co. Ltd. recently invested in 24 units of W-DMX BlackBox F-1, F-2 and R-512 for their rental division.

PM Center has a reputation for offering the most professional equipment in Bangkok and serving premium clients and projects around Thailand. The W-DMX equipment in their stock is used to light up the famous Pattaya sign on the hill overlooking the Pattaya Bay. Mr. Karin of PM Center said, "On the Pattaya sign, W-DMX works very well without any problem."

Wireless Solution delivered the equipment in late August and on Monday 1 September, Wireless Solution representative Ben Darrington was on site at the PM Center office in Bangkok and did in-depth training in using W-DMX technology for longer distances and in situations where the

USA - Lighting Designer Daniel K Boland specified 64 x Robe Robin Pointe moving lights for the much talked about Eminem X Rihanna Monster stadium tour which played six sold-out dates in three key cities across the U.S. - at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and Comerica Park in Detroit.

Boland has worked with Eminem for almost 10 years, so when the show's set design by Bruce Rodgers was approved, he created a lighting plot that would "cover all bases" for both artists.

He already knew what Eminem would like in terms of look and feel, and when it came to lighting Rihanna, he considered many parameters including that she would be accompanied by dancers, all of which would need imaginative and appropriate lighting. Once completed, the lighting design was submitted to management and also approved.

The dramatic set comprised two large angled 50 mm

UK - CLD Distribution, the specialist commercial and architectural LED lamps and lighting distributor, has taken a substantial shareholding in Iberian Lighting.

Iberian Lighting, celebrating its 50th anniversary, designs some of the world's largest lampshades and stylish bespoke feature lighting in the contract sector. They have established an excellent reputation for their creative solutions in large scale bespoke lighting projects with interior designers, specifiers, blue-chip corporates, retailers, hotels, restaurants and also high end residential.

The merger of the two companies whose main commercial premises adjoin each other in Hastings, East Sussex, establishes a significant lighting presence within the larger engineering design and manufacturing group - Penn-Elcom.

"We are really pleased to welcome Iberian Lighting into the family. CLD Distribution's and Iberian

UK - Realtime Environment Systems Ltd - to be known as 'RES' - is a new technical solutions company offering services to help designers, creative agencies and artists "achieve their wildest visual dreams". Mark Calvert and Dave Green have formed RES to provide "technical consultation and project-wide integration of all things visual in stage shows, corporate campaigns and permanent installations". The company will utilise the Ai Media Server - one the world's most powerful media server platforms, manufactured and developed in the UK by Avolites Media Ltd. RES Ltd is a global reseller of the Ai product, and has also been named as the first 'Ai Centre of Excellence'. RES continues to work very closely with the Avolites family, Calvert says.

Together over the past 10 years, Calvert and Green have worked closely with designers, artists and corporate bodies on a b

South Africa - The Playhouse Company in Durban has taken delivery of new lighting equipment, which will be used in the Opera and Drama Theatres within the venue.

The order, supplied by DWR Distribution, included 40 x Robert Juliat 329 H 2KW/2.5Kw Fresnel Spotlights with Barndoors , 60 x Philips Selecon Rama 1kw / 1.2Kw Fresnels complete with Barndoors , 24 x Philips Strand PL1 LED Fresnels complete with Barndoors , one Robert Juliat 2.5k HMI Aramis Followspot and two Robert Juliat MSD 1200W Topaze Followspots complete with GT Stands.

"The fixtures were chosen for the superior lighting output, providing great optics with ease of operation," said Dave Whitehouse of DWR.

The Philips Strand PL1 is ideal for smaller venues and will be used in the Loft, an intimate theatre at The Playhouse, equipped for works of an experimental nature.

Denis Hutchinson, the external co

USA - Keeping one of summer's biggest festival weekends running with flawless wireless across eight stages in the middle of downtown Chicago is not a job for the faint of heart.

For the second straight year, C3 Presents, organizer of Lollapalooza, hired Frequency Coordination Group (FCG) to coordinate wireless throughout the three-day festival in Grant Park. Since its founding by RF specialist Brooks Schroeder in early 2013, FCG has earned a solid reputation for successfully managing the mission-critical wireless needs of some of the most challenging installations and events.

"For a big outdoor festival, especially in a place like downtown Chicago, wireless can get out of control in a hurry. That can turn any show into a disaster," says Brandon Sossamon, C3 production manager for Lollapalooza. "We consider having Brooks and Frequency Coordination Group on site t

John Peel Lecture - Iggy Pop is to deliver this year's John Peel Lecture. The singer, regarded by many as the godfather of punk, will talk about the subject of free music in a capitalist society on 13 October. The lecture will be aired live on BBC 6 Music, the digital radio station on which Pop hosts a weekly show, and later on BBC Four. The lecture is named in honour of late BBC Radio 1 broadcaster John Peel, who died in 2004. An annual event since 2011, the lecture allows prominent musicians to discuss the state of music and the music industry. It has previously been delivered by Charlotte Church, Billy Bragg and Pete Townshend.

Eurovision - Ukraine has announced it will not be taking part in next year's Eurovision Song Contest due to limited finances. "We don't want to do something badly, and we don't have the money to do something well," said Zurab Alasania,

UK - With just five months to go until the doors open on the 2015 Event Production Show, organiser, Mash Media has confirmed stand sales are ahead of target.

Many well-known businesses will return to the 2015 Show, including Morris Leslie, Saville AV, Sunbaba, Total Displays and Winner Events, alongside some first-time exhibitors showcasing services such as staging, security, traffic management and structures, representing the diversity of the industry. Some of the new exhibitors in these areas include Staging Services, Sol Security, A Star and Contemporary Event Structures.

"The 2015 Event Production Show is really beginning to take shape as new and existing exhibitors confirm their support," said Liz Agostini, event director at Mash Media. "Sales are going well, 20% ahead of this time last year, which reflects the show's reputation as the premier place to disc

Italy - In spite of the overall critical economic period, a courageous organizer (Rome's DNA Concerti) decided to launch a brand-new Festival in a small picturesque town on the Abruzzo Adriatic coast in Italy, with a line-up up to the standards of Europe's established summer events.

As well as swimming, aperitifs on the beach at sunset, delicious local cuisine, and screenings of films and music-themed documentaries, music fans at the Siren Festival (24-27 July) were also able to attend countless DJ sets and concerts by numerous Italian bands and headliners of the calibre of The Drones, Dry The River, John Grant, Mogwai, The National and Alexis Taylor.

Audio contractor for the event was Blackout, who also supplied the lighting and video, and company owner Gaetano Lombardi, comments, "We worked for months on ensuring the success of the festival, which involved approximately

UK - A tip top team of Avolites Tiger Touch II consoles were specified by lighting designer Matt Mawdsley for the inaugural Invictus Games held mainly at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London this month.

The Invictus Games is the brainchild of Prince Harry, and took place from 10-14 September. More than 400 competitors from 13 countries participated in the multi-sport event. All of those taking part had fought alongside the UK in recent military campaigns, and had been wounded.

Two Tiger Touch II desks - known for combining maximum power with compact size - were supplied to the Games by Stage Electrics in Bristol. One was stationed in the Copper Box Arena (wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball) and the other in a large temporary multi sport venue within the Here East building (archery, indoor rowing, powerlifting). All venues were covered and broadca

USA - Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne has taken to the road this autumn with his Supernova tour, which runs until mid November, climaxing with three dates at New York's Beacon Theatre. Front of House engineer Jon Lemon and monitor engineer Ed Ehrbar are taking advantage of the stellar power of DiGiCo SD10s throughout.

Jon has long been an advocate of DiGiCo consoles. In fact, he was one of the very first to use a D5 Live when the company launched in 2002. His faith in its products has never waned and both he and DiGiCo have benefitted from their long-standing relationship.

"I haven't really mixed on any other console since the D5 Live became available," he says. "I think DiGiCo boards in general have a really good almost analog sound, and the company has been extremely receptive to suggestions from engineers like me, which in turn

Germany - The M'era Luna Festival takes place annually in Hildesheim, Germany at Flugplatz Hildesheim-Drispenstedt - a former British Army airbase. Featuring two stages, and historically specialising in goth, metal and industrial music, it also presents DJ sets on Friday and Saturday evening.

Lighting designer, Stephan Aue, and operator, Rico Münzer, were working with Swedish electronic dance band, Covenant - and making heavy use of SGM's new LED catalogue.

"The great thing about Covenant is that they are always looking for something extreme - and that provides a very good opportunity to try something new out," said Stephan. "During their very drum and bass oriented shows, the use of front light is almost not permitted and the stage is dominated by fog. I have been doing shows with them for almost 15 years and admire their courage and willingness to try out new

UK - Martin Audio's award-winning MLA (Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array) PA system enjoyed its busiest weekend of the year, with two huge simultaneous London events either side of the capital.

While rental / production company Capital Sound were fielding no fewer than 170 enclosures at the perennial Proms in the Park (Hyde Park), over in the east at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the Prince Harry inspired Jaguar Land Rover Invictus Games Closing Concert also featured MLA.

The five hour extravaganza combined a celebration of medallion presentations to the wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women who competed in the Games, backed by a full concert line up headlined by the Foo Fighters with supporting acts including Kaiser Chiefs, Ellie Goulding, Ryan Adams, Bryan Adams, The Vamps, Rizzle Kicks and James Blunt.

A full house of over 25,000 people heard Prince Harry deli

Latest Issue. . .

Save
Cookies user preferences
We use cookies to ensure you to get the best experience on our website. If you decline the use of cookies, this website may not function as expected.
Accept all
Decline all
Analytics
Tools used to analyze the data to measure the effectiveness of a website and to understand how it works.
Google Analytics
Accept
Decline
Advertisement
If you accept, the ads on the page will be adapted to your preferences.
Google Ad
Accept
Decline