France - The famous modern French variety singer Mylene Farmer has made a successful return to the stage after performing at the Paris' Bercy from January 13th through to the 29th 2006!

The equipment used for the shows was so vast and complex that no tour has been planned by way of follow up, as only the Bercy was able to welcome such an huge technical show. The sound system alone comprised an impressive L-Acoustics system consisting of 30 V-Dosc and 128 dV-Dosc cabinets, with 48 SB218 subwoofers for the combined main and central systems (the show happening on both the stage and the central pit).

The sound design was devised more than a year ago by sound engineer Stephane Plisson, and Laurent Delenclos a freelance Certified V-Dosc Engineer (CVE). Delenclos made it possible to realize Plisson's ideas and was in charge of positioning the speakers. Plisson assisted by Vladimir Co

France - French company SCV Audio has scooped dbx's coveted European Distributor of the Year award.

The announcement was made during the Harman Pro conference prior to this year's NAMM Show in Anaheim, but the presentation was formally made the following month by Glen Harris, director of European sales for dbx and Lexicon, during the SIEL Show in Paris.

Harris congratulated SCV sales director, Thierry Lamotte (centre) and product manager Franck Surena (right) on the considerable growth they had registered with dbx sales during the past 12 months. "In particular we are delighted with the performance of the retail-based products," he said. "SCV's 'Rack Road' and 'Global Answer' initiatives have had considerable impact on growing the business in that respect."

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

Italy - Fifty-six years after it first appeared on the European entertainment landscape, the famous San Remo Festival continues to go from strength to strength. Promoted by Italian television giants, Rai, the song contest has always enjoyed high production values and this year's event on the Italian Riviera saw the installation of a complete digital solution in the 1900-capacity Ariston Theatre.

Harman's HiQnet connectivity and control protocol was used within a CobraNet environment so that all audio and control data could be routed over a common Ethernet pipe. Making its debut alongside other HiQnet-compatible devices in the Harman product portfolio were five of the new dbx DriveRack 4800's - the first to be used outside the United States - optimizing the performance of the two powered 10 x JBL VT 4888 DP-CN Vertec line array hangs.

With its 96kHz DSP engine and standard anal

USA - Audio-Technica supplied over 200 microphones for the live broadcast of the 48th Grammy Awards, held on 8 February at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles. The event featured a wide array of Audio-Technica microphones, including many hard-wired mics and Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless Systems.

The Emmy-winning Grammy Awards was the first major awards show to venture into HDTV and 5.1 surround sound, and makes increasingly elaborate forays into using current technology to the fullest advantage. Once again CBS delivered the most advanced form of HDTV, with 1,080 lines of picture resolution and 5.1-channel surround sound. To meet the sonic demands of this format, the audio engineers and music mixers employed a range of Audio-Technica microphones for the show's audio.

ATK/ Audiotek provided the sound system with FOH (front-of-house) engineer Ron Reeves and Mikael Stewart,

UK - A resounding Brit Awards at Earls Court was confirmation - if confirmation were needed - that all things within the British music business are in good health; including the application of the latest audio technology and it's leading adherents.

Having pioneered the practice of using digital consoles for award shows, Derrick Zieba, the shows principal co-ordinator of the live sound/broadcast sound interface, describes how he feel about them five years later as he approaches his 14th Brit Awards show: "There's no turning back now, the advantages far outweighs any concerns that may have surfaced in the early days. The fact that you can rehearse half a dozen major acts on the Sunday before the Brits, and then several days later recall every detail of every setting for every band absolutely perfectly is just unbeatable."

Further significant elements to such shows have

UK - The entertainment, architectural and installation industries are changing. Advances in lighting, sound, AV and safety technologies are driving new ideas: creative projects are becoming more innovative and less derivative, whilst commercial installations are benefiting from sophisticated life safety systems.

Harnessing all these advances together in one place at one time is PLASA06 - the main international exhibition for the theatre, architectural, touring, DJ, club, leisure and TV sectors, which takes place from 10-13 September at Earls Court in London.

Six months from opening, the show is 80% sold, guaranteeing that the industry's top 500 brands will be at PLASA06 showing the latest innovations in the lighting, audio, AV, stage engineering and control fields. Not only will PLASA06 have a strong showing of core products and services to meet the demands of projects and ins

UK - ELDA+ (European Lighting Designers' Association) has held its first workshop in the UK in Birmingham, enabled by BDP's director of lighting Martin Lupton.

Martin Lupton, worked with Birmingham City Council to make possible the success of this year's workshop, titled 'Eastside Story' and held in the city's industrial Eastside area. The purpose of the workshops is to educate students and professionals as well as private and public agencies and the public, about lighting design and how it can contribute positively to the environment and enhance people's sense of safety.

As technical coordinator of the February 2006 event, attended by 47 students from 24 different countries, Martin Lupton reported that this was the most gritty, urban and industrial of all ELDA+ workshops to date. He said of the project: "Students had the opportunity to work on sites of a uniquely urban s

UK - Denon DJ is sponsoring the prime category in this year's Trance Awards 2006 (powered by Trackitdown.net) - for the Best DJ. The Trance Awards 2006 is a celebration of the best in the world of trance over the past 12 months. Featuring 15 categories - voted for by the public via online portal www.tranceawards.com - the Trance Awards 2006 is set to be the biggest date on the global trance calendar.

Promoted by premier dance music download portal www.trackitdown.net, alongside Godskitchen (promoters of the 50,000 capacity Global Gathering festival), Mixmag and TV channel MTV Dance, this year's Trance Awards features partnerships with some of the biggest players in dance.

With last year's debut awards seeing thousands of votes coming in from over 100 countries, and with the ceremony taking place at south coast super club Slinky, this year's awards already features a star studd

USA - Floating above a sea of trade show booths, Chaparral's 16' circular trussing logo caught visitors' attention as they entered the 65th Miami International Boat Show. The giant frame that carried the name of the leading boat manufacturer was part of a Global Truss America trade show booth package that Chaparral Boats purchased especially for the Miami Boat Show held Feb. 16-20 at the Miami Beach Convention Centre.

As large as a basketball court, Chaparral's 55' x 75' booth featured eight 20' columns of Global Truss Square 12" Trussing that supported a horizontal truss beam set at 10' high, which ran around the booth's perimeter. The sleek, industrial-looking display supported the lighting system that showcased eight recreational boats ranging in length from 18' to 31' displayed by Chaparral Boats at the show.

Springtree Media Group, the company that designed and const

USA - XL Touring Video is presently touring with Korn as video contractor for the band's See You On The Other Side - 2006 world tour.

XLTV collaborated with the artist and management to provide custom made 19' x 18' electric roll down screens, which provided removable projection surfaces for the six SLM Barco R12 projectors. Christian Lamb was brought in to provide content, which was programmed on Doremi hard drives.

"It was the most amazing content I'd ever seen," says XLTV's' President, John Wiseman, "it fits like a glove".

Touring on behalf of XLTV is Engineer, Rob McShane and projectionist, Mike Green.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

Rako - wireless lighting controls, offering solutions to any application. This modular system is designed to cover all lighting types, e.g. low voltage, fluorescent and LEDs. And being wireless, is easily installed into existing systems.

RCF reported great visitor interest in their 4 PRO speaker systems. Leo Di Nicola of RCF France explained: "During the show we had a lot of interest in the system from end-users, small PA companies and dealers alike. It's the first time that we have shown the complete 4 PRO range and the larger 6001 and 7001system drew the most attention. We were also very happy with dealers' reaction the new Monitor Q compact contractor speakers.

ArKaos were showing the latest version of its product, the ArKaos 3.5 ETC Edition. A software-based visual synthesizer that runs on a normal PC or Mac, ArKaos 3.5 ETC Edition is a tool for lighting designers or visual artists to create and control amazing visual projections. At SIEL the application was connecting via ETCNet2 with ETC's new Congo console. The ArKaos product will be become available after SIELt

Italy - In addition to the numerous Outline loudspeaker systems installed in Piazza San Carlo and Piazza Castello, Outline has announced that 40 Butterfly CDH 483 Hi-Pack were used alongside the five Rings in Turin's Olympic Stadium, supporting the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies, as well as for the entire duration of the Games.

Outline's vice chairman, Giorgio Biffi, comments: "They say that the Turin 2006 Olympic Games was an opportunity to 'show off' the very best of Italy's excellence on all fronts, from fashion to design, through to our leading edge technology. We've boasted for years that we manufacture totally 'Italian-made' systems, so I can't deny that we're rightly proud of having had the privilege of taking part in such an extraordinary event with a large amount of equipment."

The Outline loudspeaker systems for the Turin 2006 Olympic Games were

A newcomer to Entech was Alcons Audio, on the stand of Sydney-based Loud and Clear Audio, Alcons' recently-appointed representation for the Australian market. Alcons Audio MD Tom Back reorted strong interest in the company's pro-ribbon loudspeaker technology. David Betterridge of Loud and Clear has worked with Alcons Audio's LR14 ribbon line-array and VR12 pro-ribbon monitors over the last couple of months and raised a lot of interest in preparation of the official Australian launch of the product at Entech. This was "a great start 'down-under!" said Back.

Europe - Jamie Cullum's recent tour through Europe has seen him play to sell out audiences, and a new PA system has eased his transition into larger venues as his reputation grows.

"That said I have been pushing the boundaries in some venues, or at least I thought I was" sound engineer and tour manager Daniel White expresses some initial reservations. "When I first bought the d&b audiotechnik Q system I knew this was a safe investment for the theatre circuit where Jamie generally plays. We played Hammersmith Apollo and my thoughts were confirmed; I've done a lot of shows at the Apollo over the years, and with a variety of PA systems, I can say with conviction that the Q-Series loudspeakers produced the best sound I have ever heard." Daniel continues "In Europe we have been moved up to some much bigger venues, almost arena size, eight or nine thousand cap

Aside from a slightly overcooked Peter Floyd, who had flown straight from a UK winter into a steamy Sydney summer on his very first gig for the company, LSC Lighting Systems showed two new products.

The Touch Screen Dimmer Formerly Known As Project X (and still yet to named), includes every feature that you could need in a robust 12 x 13A per channel, 3RU dimmer. Its 320 x 240 pixel LCD touch screen gives access to everything from DMX data diagnostics and curve setting, to soft patch and setup for the 80 internal scene or chase memories. Like other recent dimmers from LSC, TTSDFKA Project X incorporates an LSCNet interface that allows for remote diagnostics and control via a simple 8-button or 4-fader wall plate, in applications that may not require a full control console.

In what they believe is a world first, LSC also demonstrated a version of their maXim control desk, incorporatin

UK - For Stage Technologies 'education' is a key word. The international automation providers has worked with further education colleges and universities over a number of years to provide valuable training into the engineering and control technologies required for live entertainment performances.

Last month alone Stage Technologies worked with the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, visiting their departments to give lectures and show them behind the scenes at the Royal Opera House and the Prince Edward Theatre.

Martin Hazlewood, lecturer at the Guildhall, comments: "Stage Technologies has been instrumental in providing this facility to enhance the student's knowledge and understanding of automation systems. Our program has been designed to expand and take the students forward into the comp

Lee have a new swatch book geared towards this market which had just been launched, and also exhibited was their fluorescent service including ready-assembled sleeved gel items. Glass gels / diffusion, holders and louvres for MR16 fittings, were on display, aimed at track systems. The holders can accommodate two glass cuts, e.g. a colour and a frost.

Projected Image Digital's dynamic stand featured several ElementLabs products including VersaTILE , VersaPIXEL, and VersaTUBE. The new VersaPIXEL gives designers complete freedom over pixel placement. The system was running from the Versa DRIVE D2 with a PC running VersaTILITY Software.

Color Kinetics took the next steps in white light LED development, unveiling three new additions to the IntelliWhite series at ARC. These were the iW Blast 12 Powercore, which integrates power and data management directly within the fixture to reduce wiring; the iW Profile g2 - a low-profile, linear system that features higher light output; and iW Cove Powercore - designed for interior alcove applications. The systems are due for general availability in April, say the company.

The ARC exhibition took place at London's Business Design Centre on 13-14 February, and proved an ideal setting for designers, architects, and product end-users to chew the cud with manufacturers and consultants. Feedback suggested that Monday was busy, and the Tuesday afternoon seemed to have a real buzz.

The Pulsar team was on a high following the announcement that they had been awarded the show's Best Stand award. The newly expanded Chroma Range, previewed at PLASA '05, is now in full production and has begun shipping. All units are IP65-rated and new products include the ChromaBatten 50, ChromaStrip X3, and ChromaBankIP.

Primary exhibits on the Funktion One stand included the Resolution 1 and 2A. Also on show were F88s, Minibass, a fully flown Resolution 5 Cluster with downfills, and the complete range of Resolution 4s - the T, E and S. Funktion One's French installer Colorsonic was also showing two operational Super Dance Stacks.

The self-powered Resolution 2A was pre-released at Siel. This bi-amplified 3-way fully horn-loaded enclosure will house the newly developed A4 two-channel amplifier. The company says the A4 is the synthesis of recent developments in amplifier technologies giving exceptional power remarkable clarity, in a 3kg package. One self-powered Resolution 2 will power itself and an un-powered slave R2 - making it an attractive proposition.

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