UK - Hawthorn has announced the appointment of Richard Chilvers and Derek Wilson to its expanding sales and installations team.

Richard Chilvers re-joins Hawthorns after a seven- year gap, during which time he fine tuned his skills as a venue technician and later in a sales role.

Derek Wilson, former MD of Elevation Rigging, has also joined Hawthorn's sales and installations team after many years as a Hawthorn customer.

"Due to the continued expansion of our sales and installation department we needed to recruit additional staff to cope with the increased workload. Recruitment can be a gamble and so we are delighted to be able to welcome old friends to the team" commented Hawthorn's MD, Martin Hawthorn.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Harman Professional today gave System Architect Version 1.8 its European debut at PLASA 08 yesterday. New advances include the ability to copy HiQnet parameter strings directly to the Windows clipboard for pasting into third-party control interface applications enabling system-wide control from control interfaces such as those manufactured by AMX and Crestron.

System-wide events can now also be triggered from device-specific error conditions, such as recalling a preset for a zone based on the conditions of individual amplifiers. A user-definable selection of controls can be automatically readdressed to different devices/parameters on a Custom Control Panel in a few simple steps, and advanced zonal control is now possible. A Fast Meter control has been added for improved meter response and device synchronization has been simplified and improved.

"With System Architect

UK - The advent of extremely wide angle profile lenses from such manufacturers as ETC and Selecon has allowed gobos to be used to project across much wider areas than was previously possible. This is ideal when using break up designs like foliage and textured patterns.

However, projection of specific images such as windows and logos has been impossible due to the pincushion distortion inherent in these wide angle lenses.

With Goboland's mastery of keystoning and predistortion of images, it is now possible to use these extremely wide angle profiles to project precise, 'corrected' images on a much larger scale and from much shorter throw distances, says the company.

Goboland has developed a system of pre-distorting gobo images to compensate for the pincushion effect, regardless of which manufacturer's lantern is used.

Each manufacturer's unit has its own unique distortion fa

UK - AKG Acoustics is displaying the D7 vocal microphone at PLASA08. Similarly to its predecessor, the D5, AKG's D7 is billed as a dynamic microphone that delivers clear sound for lead and backing vocals for live sound applications. The D7 additionally features an improved capsule design that contains a humbucking coil and a high-pass filter along with a sleek redesigned look, says the company.

"PLASA is a great opportunity for us to showcase the D7 along with all of its advantages and upgrades. Since the release at InfoComm, the D7 has been featured by famous recording artists and utilised in popular," states Alfred Reinprecht, vice president of marketing for AKG.

"The D7 microphone is one of the greatest microphones in the industry for vocals, and we are very pleased with the amount of positive attention that it is receiving. We are dedicated to providing an

UK - Aviom is exhibiting with its new UK distributor Polar Audio at PLASA 08.

John Midgley, Polar Audio's managing director, says, "We look forward to educating UK markets about Aviom's solutions and to creating additional business opportunities for Aviom's full line of products. Because Aviom systems are modular and scalable, they are ideal for a broad range of applications, including those requiring high-fidelity digital snake and audio networking solutions."

With its expanding applications from monitor mixing and digital snakes to networking and audio conferencing solutions, Aviom expects to increase its market share in the UK as it is introduced to Polar Audio's broad customer base, which ranges in market segments from broadcast to conferencing, to live sound and recording, to audio visual installations.

"Because of its vast experience in design and custom

France - Brit-Award winning Mika's larger than life personality was reflected on stage at his one-off appearance at the Parc des Princes in Paris, with the help of a set designed by multi award-winning set designer, Es Devlin (TMA Best Design 1998, Oliver Award for Best Costume Design 2005).

Production manager for the event, Chris Vaughan, once again approached Brilliant Stages to build and supply the 68m wide x 20m high solid fascia which was to provide the substantial backdrop for the show.

Devlin's design for the fascia was that of a clown's face, the mouth of which was to form the proscenium arch with the forehead, nose and eyes covering the main stage whilst the ears and hair extended off-stage and across into the wings.

Oli Metcalfe designed the lighting using 1500 Color Kinetics IColor Flex SLX units to outline the mouth, nose, eyes, ears and hair whilst James Thomas

Germany - Oktoberfest 2008, which takes place in Munich later this month, features four major tents equipped with audio technologies from Crown Audio, Soundcraft, JBL Professional, AKG and BSS Audio.

The systems for the Hacker, Weinzelt, Armbrustschtzen and Lauenbrau tents are provided by Max Ihm and Andreas Wallisch of LUTV of Forstinning.

At the Lauenbrau tent 12 JBL Professional Vertec VT4887 compact line array elements and eight JBL P744 1x18" subwoofers will be powered by eight Crown I-Tech IT4000 Series amplifiers with mixing by a 48-channel Soundcraft Series 4 console and processing by BSS Soundweb 9088 networked signal processor. Four JBL SRX712M monitor wedges will be joined onstage with a battery of AKG microphones.

At the neighboring Armbrustschtzen tent, a similar loudspeaker lineup of 12 JBL Professional VT4887 compact line array elements, eight JBL P744 s

USA - When John Mayer drew up plans for his 2008 summer tour, the singer-guitarist-songwriter expressed a strong desire to get back to his musical roots and make the show more "organic."

"On previous tours, we had video in the show," says lighting designer Michael Keller. "But John decided he was tired of doing video. We were going to go more straightforward rock 'n roll - the type of feeling where you're watching a band, not video. John wanted to keep everything very organic."

Keller, who has been Mayer's LD for three years, achieved the desired stage impression - and other organic benefits, too - with Elation Professional's Impression intelligent LED moving head. A small and compact, yet high-output, RGB colour-changing fixture, the Impression is the main lighting unit being used on the 30-city tour, which plays at 10,000-20,000-seat indoor and

UK - Allen & Heath has released v1.3 software for the iLive digital console range, adding new features for monitor engineering, as well as providing a platform for the iLive Editor software for online and offline show configuration.

New features in v1.3 include engineers' fader strips for wedge and in-ears, which allow separate fader control and dedicated outputs to the operator's listen wedge and IEM personal system. Optional processing and aux monitor mixes can be assigned to wedge or IEM strips, automatically appearing in the desired monitor when auditioned.

Another key feature is the addition of Real Time Analyzer (RTA) to enable the engineer to quickly identify feedback, tune room acoustics, and tailor the onstage monitor wedges. Accessed via the PAFL system, the frequency content of any input or mix, and the spectrum of the main mix, can be viewed on screen and on meters

UK - With PLASA 08 hosting the world premiere of Stagetracker FX, its new performer tracking and audio localisation system, Norwegian theatre specialists TTA reports that its four-day show attendance brought a flood of enquiries from Europe's leading cultural centres.

"Last year, we came to PLASA as visitors," said Stuart Kerrison, sales director of TTA."This year we were exhibitors and the show has given us great insight into how far TTA and the Stagetracker product have come in 12 months. We've met industry professionals from all over the world - Canada, Iceland, Singapore, Greece - who have heard about and read about our system. At both distributor and end-user level, a lot of people indicated to us that they are really excited about this genre of technology and its implementation."

Co-exhibiting with new UK distributor Ambersound, TTA was demonstrating

UK - In 2003, Rosco introduced a new colour to its Supergel range to raise funds for the UK charity Light Relief. #313 Light Relief Yellow has proved a popular colour and at PLASA 2008 Light Relief trustee and PLASA managing director, Matthew Griffiths accepted a cheque for almost $3,700 (£2,100).

Making the presentation, Mark Engel, president of Rosco, said: "This is the fourth year we've been able to support Light Relief with a cheque at PLASA. Our contribution to date now exceeds $15,000 and has been funded by purchases of #313 Supergel. We envisioned this arrangement as 'a gift that keeps on giving' and we're delighted that it continues to fulfil that promise."

Developed with the help of Rick Fisher, co-founder (along with the late Tony Gottelier) of the industry charity which supports lighting designers in difficult times, Light Relief Yellow is the vibran

UK - Proteus Displays reports a great success at PLASA08. The company was launching a new, ultra low power reflective display screen for indoor or outdoor use, also called Proteus, which represents the first reflective display product of its type.

Dr Tim Coker, CEO, comments: "This was our first time at PLASA and we were uncertain how this new product would be received amid today's difficult financial climate. A little to our surprise, the buzz the product has generated has been beyond all our expectations, amplified of course by the Innovation Award. We have seen that this industry has an appetite for new technologies and ideas and every visitor to our stand was most enthusiastic about the product."

For the first time the PLASA Innovation Awards included an environmental prize and Proteus was the inaugural winner. Dr Coker continues: "It has been through develo

UK - The PLASA08 exhibition (7-10 September, Earls Court, London) has bucked the general exhibition industry trend in spectacular style with an 11 per cent growth in visitor figures across the event's four days compared to 2007. The 13,000+ attendance figure (subject to ABC audit) reflects an exceptional level of visitor pre-registration as well as a growth in new and returning exhibitors to an expanded show floor, say organisers PLASA Events Ltd.

"The show's success was due to a combination of factors," said Director of Events Nicola Rowland, "in particular a targeted marketing campaign combined with special online registration offers; a growth in exhibitor numbers; even more new product launches than in 2007; a greatly expanded educational programme; and improved visitor and exhibitor facilities.

"Combined with the effort that so many exhibitors made to p

UK - For the fifth consecutive year Stage Electrics' Welsh trade show is being held at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff on Thursday 16 October.

Allen & Heath, Avolites, ETC, Le Maitre, Lee, MA Lighting, Martin, Pulsar, RCF, Roland, Rosco, Selecon, Sennheiser, Strand, Yamaha & Zero 88 will be exhibiting their latest products, offering demonstrations and providing product advice.

Other products on display include Qmaxz Moving Lights, the Xenonspot follow spot, Altair wireless intercom system, Apollo Right Arm and an array of products from Edirol. PLASA will be joining the event this year. PLASA and representatives will be there to answer questions and to discuss the benefits of membership.

New to this year's show are three Training Taster Sessions, which aim to give an insight into the industry training Stage Electrics offers. Training sessions include Worki

UK - One of the hottest topics in the lighting world at the moment is the green issue. Is tungsten dead? Is it possible to have a carbon neutral TV studio? Can you run theatre lighting on a wind turbine? The discussion that such topics generate will be just one of many at the 2009 Showlight event which takes place in Glasgow next May.

The Green issues will be debated by a panel of speakers that includes Fred Foster, CEO of ETC; at the other end of the spectrum Alex Wardle of Arup venue consulting will be taking a backward look to stage lighting in 1750, when the bleached beeswax candle was cutting edge, as he discusses how he re-created the feel of a candle-lit stage without actually using a naked flame.

The venue for 2009's Showlight is BBC Scotland's new state of the art headquarters, which boasts the latest broadcast technology. It is the biggest TV recording space to be bu

UK - Global Design Solutions (GDS) has been awarded the PLASA 2008 Innovation Award for the MOBAL ProTester 19, a premium cable diagnostic tool. This is the second Innovation Award in two years for GDS. Over sixty-five products were put forward for the PLASA '08 awards, all of which were showcased in the PLASA Innovation Gallery.

GDS developed the MOBAL (Make Or Break And Load) digital Socapex tester to meet a market need in the entertainment industry for a comprehensive and automatic fault diagnosis and correction system. The product is compact, digital, splash proof and operates fully automatically; its OLED (organic LED) display provides the test results in symbols rather than words, making MOBAL a truly international product.

TMB are Global Distributors for the ProTester 19 MOBAL cable tester. Paul Hartley, TMB-UK's GM, says, "Over the years we have seen Socapex teste

New Zealand - New products on debut from Selecon at LDI include the Rama 6" Fresnel with the new Osram 575W BTH lamp. Footcandle light output readings taken at spot focus are only 21.5% less than those recorded with the 1000W lamp and, at flood focus 36% less - an impressive 42.5% reduction in energy consumption.

There's also the Hui Work Light which is proving a popular addition to the Hui family of Cyc, Flood and Groundrow. Fitting the Cyc with wire safety mesh instead of safety glass means that the air flow system works in any position for extended operating hours required for overstage or rehearsal applications.

Plus, there's the 8-leaf barndoor and a new and improved rock'n'roll type colour change for the Performer Series range of Followspots.

(Jim Evans)

USA - Making scenery safe through operator training, regular maintenance and the use of top quality theatrical rigging is the hallmark of J. R. Clancy's worldwide business. That's why the company has chosen LDI to remind entertainment professionals to take safety seriously.

"No matter what kind of rigging system a performance space may have - counterweights, automation, a combination of the two or a customized system - we can't emphasize enough that you're hanging heavy set pieces over people's heads," said Tom Young, J. R. Clancy's vice president of marketing. "We're taking a light touch with our safety message, but we're very serious about the need to do annual maintenance, train rigging operators to spot problems, and keep everyone in the theatre safe from rigging accidents."

LDI attendees can see J. R. Clancy's PowerLift Automated Hoist with its outer c

India - Over 3,000 professionals from the sound, light, music, audio visual and systems integration industries visited the recent PALME India trade show in Mumbai.

By the end of this successful show, it became clear to trade fair organisers, IIR Exhibitions, that the expo may be ready to evolve into its next phase.

After mounting a successful launch campaign in India's Bollywood capital there is now a groundswell of exhibitors asking IIR to repeat the formula in a different location in 2009.

The 2009 edition of PALME India is also likely to occupy a different date in the calendar - away from the Festival season.

Exhibition organiser James Raffoul, said: "We can look forward to the future as PALME India has become a permanent fixture in the Indian industry calendar."

(Jim Evans)

Spain - Expo 2008 has finally drawn to a spectacular close in Zaragoza, Spain after a three-month tenure. 105 nations took part in the world fair which was dedicated to the topic of Water and Sustainable Development and attracted over 6 million visitors.

Situated in a meander of the Ebro river, the Expo 2008 site is home to some groundbreaking architecture such as the emblematic Bridge Pavilion designed by Zaha Hadid and the imposing Water Tower designed by Enrique de Teresa. The exposition site also hosted several daily shows including Iceberg, a visual and poetic symphony evoking water and climate change as its central themes. Leading Spanish production company, Focus, created the iceberg itself and designed the audio system which was entirely powered by Lab.gruppen amplifiers, including 24 PLM Powered Loudspeaker Management systems.

From a technical point of v

USA - Royal Philips Electronics today announced that it will present its latest innovations in entertainment lighting technology at LDI 08 in Las Vegas.

At LDI, the Philips 750/115 FastFit and Philips 800/230 FastFit will be on display for the first time, designed in fixtures of the American manufacturer Strand. These new Philips lamps offer maximum light and minimum heat at performers, a longer lifespan and fewer early failures.

Philips has extended the FastFit product range over the last few months with the Philips MSR Gold 300/2 FastFit, Philips MSR Gold 1500 FastFit and Philips MSR Gold 2000(/2) FastFit.

(Jim Evans)

Ireland - In less than one month, EvenTech Ireland (18 - 19 November, 2008 - RDS Dublin, Ireland) opens its doors for the first time.

Iain McLean, one half of the Scattered Media duo responsible for the EvenTech model, reports: "The EvenTech brand is just in its first year and already we've had two very successful shows in two very different regions. EvenTech Ireland has been our fastest sell out to date and all exhibitors are very optimistic about the success they will see in Ireland. It's going to be a very pivotal show for EvenTech, the exhibitors and the visitors alike."

Darren Brechin, co-director of Scattered Media notes: "From our experience we realised that the visitors - the installers and the system integrators - need to be able to quickly and easily access these shows, taking hours rather than days out of their schedules - and actually finding informa

USA - Chauvet will unveil a variety of new LED products at LDI 2008 (24-26 October, Las Vegas, USA) with applications for stage, production and retail venues, plus a preview of the company's new architectural line, which is expected to lunch in the first quarter of 2009.

The company's product display list includes the Legend 1200E - Chauvet's first 1,200W moving yoke. Features include 12, 24, or 32-channels of DMX-512 control, linear zoom, variable frost, two gobo wheels, each with 12 interchangeable glass gobos, and a colour wheel offering seven vibrant colours, variable colour spin and seamless split colours.

The Legend 6500 is a 10 or 14-channel intelligent LED moving yoke, offering full RGBW mixing. Features include adjustable colour temperatures, the capability to trigger instant colour changes and colour consistency ensured by tight binning requirements. Also new, the Le

USA - Martin Professional is featuring a number of new products at LDI including the MAC III Profile and the MAC 2000 Wash XB. Also on display is EvenLED, a modular LED system for extremely even field projection; new hazers in the Jem and Magnum lines; and several new products and product updates in Martin's controller range. Martin is also showing the Exterior 1200 Image Projector and new indoor and outdoor LED luminaires.

The MAC III Profile is the first product in Martin's third generation of MAC moving heads. It features package of performance features, such as colour mixing with a broader colour range plus deeper more vibrant hues, a fat beam look with serious beam definition, up to 75% more output than current 1200 W profile fixtures, wide zoom range, new gobos, animation effects, fast effects and movements and low noise cooling.

The MAC 2000 Wash XB is now even brighter

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