USA - NSCA has announced a major expansion of its attendee marketing efforts to draw increased professional audiences to the NSCA Expo (16-18 March 2006). NSCA Expo traditionally attracts systems integration professionals, with over 11,000 attendees, representing systems contractors/integrators, manufacturers, architects, consultants, sales representatives, specifying engineers, and other allied professionals.

"The most important part of building a better business and a better industry is making sure that you have the right connections before your competitor does," said Chuck Wilson, NSCA executive director. "Whether that means the newest product, finding a better way to do business, or meeting a new colleague, attendees and exhibitors can really feel confident that they will be finding the right connections at Expo in March."

The organizers say NSCA Expo w

UK - Britannia Row alongside Creative Technology, PRG Europe and Blackout Ltd held a Christmas Party at Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square on Tuesday, 13 December. Over 600 friends and clients of the four companies during the course of the evening were treated to a flamboyant Burlesque-themed venue. Hailed as 'The Christmas party of the year', the black tie event featured cabaret-style live-artists and musicians.

Bryan Grant at Britannia Row commented: "This was a relaxed and informal party for all four companies to thank our friends and clients for their ongoing help and support. I couldn't wish for a better way to end a really successful year."

(Lee Baldock)

Thailand - South East Asia's most established exhibition in professional sound, lighting, broadcast, AV, installation and music - PALA Thailand 2006, is set to take place at the newly opened Royal Paragon Hall Exhibition & Convention Centre, in the heart of Bangkok, from 20-22 July 2006.

The Royal Paragon Hall is composed of a main hall which can be divided into two halls with respective sizes of 3,000 and 2,500sq.m, with five good-sized meeting spaces to accommodate seminars and conferences, say the organizers. The multipurpose venue will host events including exhibitions, trade fairs, high end consumer fairs, product launches, live performances, concerts and fashion shows.

"It had been a tough decision on our end to decide on the ultimate venue for PALA Thailand, for the simple reason that Bangkok has a good selection of world-class exhibition centres! Accessibility and

Belgium - With five weeks to go before the start of Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2006 at the Brussels Expo (1-3 February) the organizers report that the show is now practically sold out, and will be more than twice the size of the 2005 event.

Mike Blackman, managing director of ISE 2006, says that ISE is more than just an exhibition: "AV and Electronic Systems integration is about stimulating the senses to reflect the growing use of digital signage in retail and corporate environments and custom residential systems. At ISE we will be breaking new ground in staging a series of spectacular visual displays and pavilions, which are strategically, placed throughout the exhibition halls."

Highlights of the exhibition will include the Lighting & Staging Pavilion, presented by PLASA and ISE, and the ISE Manufacturer's Forum, which will offer 45-minute sessions on topical

France - The first Salon de la Musique et du Son will take place at Paris Expo-Porte de Versailles from 9-12 September 2006. The show is a joint effort between Reed Expositions France and CSFI (Chambre Syndicale de la Facture Instrumentale), and aims to gather together in one place everyone who makes music, from instrument manufacturers and importers to music schools, from craftsmen to publishers. The show will focus on musical instrument manufacturing and technology, and will also include a section devoted to pro audio.

(Lee Baldock)

UK - Re-booking for the 2006 PLASA Show is already strong, say organizers Clarion Events. PLASA 2006 takes place from Sunday 10 September to Wednesday 13 September 2006 at Earls Court, London. The show attracts professionals from all over the globe and is Europe's leading exhibition for new developments in the entertainment, event, corporate, architectural and installation industries.

Over 300 leading companies will exhibit at the show, which has become a forging ground for new ideas in audio, lighting, AV, rigging, system integration, engineering and effects. The show also features a full seminar programme, numerous events and competitions, the prestigious PLASA Awards for Innovation and the best opportunity of the year for networking.Online visitor registration will be available shortly - allowing visitors to benefit from half-price admission to the event.

(Lee Baldock)

UK - The Technical and Production Arts (TPA) department at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) in Glasgow will hold its Graduate Exhibition and Trade Show on 22-23 March 2006.

The exhibition, held in the Academy's Chandler Studio Theatre, offers an ideal opportunity to view the work of students graduating from the RSAMD's BA Technical and Productions Arts Course. Many previous graduates have gone on to use their creative and technical skills to enhance projects and venues worldwide, including the English National Opera, the Sage Gateshead, Royal Caribbean, Cirque du Soleil, Scottish Opera and the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow.

Running alongside the exhibition is an industry trade show, held in the New Athenaeum Theatre, where sponsors of the TPA course display a wide range of innovative products and services. A number of companies have already committed to the ev

Australia - With just a few weeks to go, the entertainment technology industry is getting ready to surprise visitors with the latest products and releases. The trade show will be held on 13 - 15 February with the conference commencing on Sunday 12 February. The Entech conference offers exciting training and education in broadcast, pro audio, lighting and vision.

Industry professionals should note that the fully accredited OH&S course is filling up quickly and will sell out again. There are three days of training taking place. To register, go to www.entech-tradeshow.com.

(Chris Henry)

Spain - One of Lighthouse Technologies' key European rental partners, Spanish audio-visual specialist Stereorent, ensured its stand was an eyecatching highlight of the International Madrid Broadcast Fair, by utilising a pair of large format Lighthouse LED video screens.

This, the 12th Broadcast Fair, was held from 15th-18th November in Madrid's Parque Ferial Juan Carlos I. Held biennially, the event is a key date in the calendar for Spanish audio-visual professionals, with manufacturers and service providers the key exhibitors.

The Stereorent stand's main screen comprised over 9sq.m of Lighthouse R6 6mm panels. In addition, the Barcelona-based company was exhibiting its SRL1012 vehicle, which carries a 12sq.m Lighthouse R10 10mm screen. Both were used to display a range of footage of events organised by Stereorent and other live events where the company has been an audio-visua

UK - Building on the successful collaboration between Martin Architectural and Philips Lighting, ARC 06 will provide the platform to showcase the lighting solutions offered by both companies. Martin Architectural and Philips say the companies will feature dynamic solutions in the areas of interior and exterior architectural lighting as well as in the growing sector of health and wellbeing. "As the demand for more creative solutions grows, Martin Architectural and Philips are ideally placed to offer a wide range of programmable lighting possibilities including exciting colour changing capabilities," the companies say.

Situated prominently on the mezzanine level, visitors to the adjoining stands M26 and M26a will have an ideal opportunity to see a whole host of interior and exterior lighting solutions, including LEDs, wash lighting, controls, track, and spot lighting to

New from Color Kinetics was iColor Flex SL, a multi-purpose, LED-based strand of light that can generate video-based effects and accommodate expansive installations without the constraints of fixture size, shape, or space. Also new was ColorBlaze, for large-area scenery and wash lighting for theatres, TV studios, concerts, events, casinos and exhibits.

Interactive Technologies showed the CueServer, a Web-enabled show playback processor. The product's console-like controls appear in your web browser - cue lists, stage views, playback faders, and event triggers. Another product, DMX-To-Go, provides wireless DMX links that are cost-effective, easy-to-use, small, and self-powered, the company says.

Sound designers will want to check out Notion, from Notion Music, which allows them to enter, edit, and manipulate data-rich notation from their workstation or MIDI instrument. For the first time, the company says, you can compose directly to the orchestra without file conversions, patches, sequencers, or separate sample batches.

Tomcat went "a little bit country" with the announcement of its new Nashville office, due to open in 2006, headed up by Max Wilson. Combined with the company's depot at United Staging in Connecticut, the Nashville office will enable the company to get closer to its customers, says president Mitch Clark.

Designed by Horizon Control, and seen on the Genlyte/Vari-Lite booth, the Marquee ILD lighting control console software V3.0 adds an effects editor. Besides allowing you to build your own effects onto any lighting attribute, the effects-editor feature includes pre-defined effects, such as ballyhoo, can-can, circle, rainbow, intensity wave, etc. Independent attribute timing gives programmers the ability to add unlimited cue dynamics on every attribute of every fixture in every cue.

Total Structures' CFO Peter Johns was on good form at LDI. Following a tough time for the company, business is on the up again, and at the time of the show, the company was undertaking a major motor show build for Ford at the Cobo Hall in Detroit which, incredibly, is the single biggest job TS has ever done. Johns also reported that Kleege Industries has bought its fourth roof system from the company, which it will be using for the Coachella Festival in California. Other big projects for the company recently have included the provision of towers and a massive 8" steel cable spanning 210ft - all to suspend a small speaker cluster above an amphitheatre - at the Getty Villa in Malibu . . .

Staging Dimensions showed its Pixel Panels, modular interlocking deck pieces with programmable LED technology. The company now also handles the Soft-LED curtain from Main Light Industries.

Zero 88 had an excellent presence on the stand of US distributor ACT Lighting to show its range of lighting control products, including the Frog console which, incredibly, has now been on the market for five years. The company was showing the 10th version of the Frog's software, which now offers programming down to individual parameter level, as well as Tracking and Move on Dark features. Also on show was the V2.0 software for the more powerful Frog 2 console, and the new mid-level memory console, the Jester.

Also being demonstrated alongside Zero 88 was the Arkaos VJ software for DMX consoles. Aimed primarily at nightclub environments, Arkaos allows lighting operators to trigger visual media through the lighting control desk. The package offers simple and intuitive operation, say the company.

Le Maitre showed the Radiance hazer, defined by greater output, onboard DMX, and an internal fan. Also shown was Le Torcia, a hand-held flame effect powered by butane, and the Power Fog 90 unit.

Meyer Sound's big news was its acquisition of LCS, maker of sophisticated multi-channel digital audio-mixing and processing products and electronic acoustic enhancements.

Clay Paky America showed the new members of the Italian manufacturer's Alpha range: the Alpha Spot 700, Alpha Spot 1200 and Alpha Spot HPE 1200. The first features a 15-40° zoom, CMY colour-mixing, and 14 gobos, plus an animation disk. Alpha Spot 1200 is 1,200W effects projector with a 15-40° zoom, CMY colour-mixing, and 14 gobos plus animation disc. The HPE edition has 10-40° zoom, CMY colour-mixing, and a seven-colour wheel.

Sweden - Lighting specialist Spectra supplied creative design and production management services, plus all lighting and AV equipment to the prestigious 2005 Nobel Prize Awards Banquet, staged at the Blue Hall of Stockholm's City Hall.

Sweden's highest profile event of the year was attended by the King, Queen and other members of the Royal Family, a host of Nobel Laureates, politicians, dignitaries and VVIPs - around 1,400 guests in all. The entire evening was broadcast live on Swedish National television's SVT1.

Spectra instigated several important technical firsts for the occasion, including stunning roof projections, created using the new Catalyst Version 4 digital media server. The event was also the European debut for Wybron's new Nexera tungsten colour-changing wash fixtures. Spectra also utilised SGM's latest Giotto Synthesis 700 moving lights, Barco R18s for the project

Strong Entertainment Lighting's Jack Schmidt is now officially retired, but he's still very much in evidence in his consultancy role. The company showed a new followspot featuring an 850W DC (and thereforeflicker-free) metal halide Ushio lamp source, which Schmidt says produces an output equivalent to a 1600W Xenon. Latest developments to the Super Trouper include a new ammeter on the back of the unit which is compatible with either 220V/50Hz or 110V/60Hz operation, allowing the units to be toured between regions without switching meters.

Schmidt's successor, Jack Gallagher, was keen to reinforce the company's reputation as a leading innovator: on display was a list of the company's innovations in followspot technology dating back to the first carbon arc Super Trouper in 1948, and the first Xenon Super Trouper in 1971; it also mentions the Super Trouper being immortalised by pop legend

Products at the Coemar booth included the Mini-Cyc, the Parlite LED, the iWash Halo, and the iSpot S.

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