UK - At PLASA Focus Leeds, on 30April and 1 May in the Royal Armouries' New Dock Hall, nestled conveniently close to the New Dock Bar you will find the d&b audiotechnik stand at N-A24. Make yourself comfortable, come and chat, come and listen; it's what the d&b team love to do. Questions and answers, discussion and debate, fact and opinion; take your time.

Across the Piazza in the salubrious surroundings of the Bury Theatre another treat lies in store. Oran Burns and Steve Jones from the d&b audiotechnik Education and Application Support team will each be delivering another informative, entertaining and thoroughly engaging seminar.

On Tuesday 30 April from 11:35 to 12:35, Oran will present Demystifying audio techniques. Using visual images, practical demonstrations and discussion, the audience will be guided through the principles of acoustics to discover what constitut

UAE - Momentum is growing for Dynamic Events 2013 as global interest rises and delegates book the last remaining places for the conference. Dynamic Events takes place in Dubai on 10-11 March.

Delegate numbers are rising and include representation from all over the world including Australia, Dubai, France, Qatar, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK, say the organisers. Delegate places are still available and there is time to book either a full conference pass, a day pass or a seat at the gala dinner.

The line up of speakers from around the world includes Piers Shepperd, Hamish Hamilton, Dave Crump, Sakchin Bessette, Tim Dunn and David Atkins.

The organisers have confirmed H.E. Laila Mohammed Suhail as the gala dinner keynote speaker.

Another speaker at the conference is Marc Schneider, director of global events for Riedel Communciations. Schneider is responsible for the

China - Southern China's largest ever pro audio and lighting show ProSound + Light Guangzhou will take place from 9 to 12 March 2013 at the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou, China's largest pro audio and lighting manufacturing base.

Jointly organised by Guangdong International Science and Technology Exhibition Company (STE) and Messe Frankfurt, this year's show is expecting more than 45,000 visitors to source from 910 suppliers representing China, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Commenting on the record breaking number of exhibitors, Mr Hanrong Wu, director for Guangdong International Science and Technology Exhibition Company said, "The overwhelming response proves that over the past 10 years the show has successfully developed into a prominent sourcing and knowledge platform held in high regard by the industry."

Representing Mes

Germany - With the launch of the new d:facto II Vocal Microphone, which will be on show for the first time in Europe at Prolight + Sound 2013 (Booth 8.B60), DPA Microphones has now broadened its range of products for the live stage.

In addition to use with the new wired DPA handle, the d:facto II provides singers and engineers with the added benefit of a state-of-the-art adapter system that allows for seamless integration with many professional wireless systems, says the company.

"The launch of the d:facto II Vocal Microphone is a major step for DPA as it means that we now have a microphone for every acoustic miking situation, whether you are amplifying or recording," says DPA's CEO Christian Poulsen. "Our highly regarded Reference Standard microphones have long delivered superb audio quality to musicians who want to use a microphone on a stand, while our innova

UK - New sessions have been added to the free programme of seminars, demonstrations and tutorials taking place at PLASA Focus: Leeds 2013, at the Royal Armouries at Clarence Dock, only a short distance from the centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire, on Tuesday 30 April and Wednesday 1 May 2013.

In addition to a two-hall exhibition of the latest entertainment technology products, visitors can check out the PLASA Professional Development Programme which offers over 20 free-to-attend sessions presented by some of the most talented names in pro audio, lighting and video.

Getting a Foot in the Door is presented by Alchemea's head of live sound, Darryn de la Soul. Aimed at engineers at the beginning of their careers, this seminar is a down-to-earth look at the skill sets expected and the challenges that await a newcomer to the industry.

Working from the premise that there is alwa

Germany - Philips Entertainment will be promoting all four of its entertainment technology brands at this year's Prolight + Sound exhibition in Frankfurt in Hall 11, stand no D73.

Selecon, Vari-Lite, Strand Lighting and Showline will each be displaying the latest in lighting technology at the exhibition - one of the biggest and busiest in Europe.

Philips will also debut the latest in the LED illumination revolution, Showline. A complete range of super-efficient, feature-rich, professional entertainment LED luminaires, the Showline SL BAR 640 and 660, SL BAR 520, SL PAR 150 ZOOM, and the all new SL BAND 310 will be on full display as part of a well-planned family designed specifically for the entertainment lighting industry. In addition, a totally new Showline LED concept will be unveiled at the exhibition.

All Showline products utilise homogenized RGBW LEDs, built in effects

UAE - The second Dynamic Events conference is taking place in Dubai this weekend. With an impressive number of delegates already registered to attend from all over the world, there are now only a few places remaining, and the organisers are hoping for a capacity audience, announcing that it will be possible to 'turn up on the day'.

The focus of the conference will provide insight into how complex one-off mega events - for a live audience and for broadcast to a global audience, are orchestrated by the backstage production teams.

The keynote on the second day of Dynamic Events will be given by David Atkins, DAE Global.

"Given the calibre and status of the attendees and my fellow speakers, The Dynamic Events Conference will clearly have a significant influence on the industry and I am very excited to be taking part in this most prestigious event," says Atkins.

Along

UK - BVE 2013 at its new ExCeL home proved a popular event with exhibitors and visitors alike. The exhibition hall was buzzing with more than 15,000 visitors* over the three days, and attendance figures indicate a 5% increase in visitors attending for two or more days as well as a 57% increase in international visitors. Organisers also report record onsite re-bookings, with current exhibitors committing to 70% of the floorspace for BVE 2014, which takes place from 25-27 February 2014. BVE North, held at Manchester Central, has been confirmed to take place on 12-13 November 2013.

James Rowley-Ashwood, Event Director, BVE, said, "The show was a phenomenal success for both exhibitors and visitors. The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive and constructive, and footfall shows that the industry supports the move to ExCeL. It has given us a great foundation t

Germany - d3 Technologies will introduce their new d3 Release 11 software during Prolight + Sound 2013. Packed with new features specifically designed for complex multi-projector shows, d3 R11 will help you dramatically reduce on-site set-up times, and deliver a faster, smoother workflow from start to finish to give you confidence in the face of tight deadlines, says the company.

d3 R11 features QuickCal, a revolutionary new way to get your projectors lined up on site. Place virtual projectors in the stage simulator, drop reference points onto the 3d model of the projection surface, and then line them up on the actual surface. Regardless of how complex the surface model is, you only need 10-15 points per projector, so you can line up a projector in just a few minutes. Better still, QuickCal allows multiple operators to work in parallel, reducing setup time even further.

For th

UK - Congratulations to Richard Howell, winner of the Best Lighting Designer category at this year's Offie Awards, which recognise and celebrate London's eclectic off-West End theatre scene.

The 2013 awards saw the Best Lighting Designer category supported by leading entertainment lighting supplier White Light, a counterpoint to the company's support for both the Whatsonstage.com awards presented earlier in February and the Olivier Awards coming soon and reflecting White Light's aim to support productions of all types and scales.

Richard Howell took the prize for The Hairy Ape at the Southwark Playhouse, about which The Guardian newspaper commented "brilliant lighting from Richard Howell (an endless riff on the theme of light and dark) makes this a hugely visceral experience - like something conceived as an endlessly shifting painting".

Howell's fello

France - Intelligent LED lighting manufacturer, Chroma-Q received a prestigious Les Etoiles du SIEL 2013 award for the new Studio Force V 12 Phosphor white lighting fixture at this year's SIEL show in Paris.

Utilising the same innovative LED technologies found in the Studio Force range, the new Studio Force V 12 Phosphor is a 3,200 - 5,600K CCT, variable white fixture which provides an equivalent soft edge output to a fluorescent unit - up to 6,000 lumens.

Developed specifically for use in TV, film and broadcast studio environments, the Studio Force V 12 Phosphor incorporates fine-tuning of the green and magenta tints and frequency for camera, an extremely smooth uniform wash, extra soft beam, theatrical grade dimming and laboratory calibration to match Black Body Locus.

Chroma-Q's global brand manager, James Bawn comments, "We are absolutely delighted to receive a Les

UK - Glastonbury Festival impresario Michael Eavis will be helping UK trade distributor Batmink Ltd celebrate its 30th Anniversary by holding an open forum Q & A session during Batmink's forthcoming week of free professional workshops and training (18-23 March)

These workshops are designed to provide useful 'hands on' experience and core skills and will be presented by some of the industry's foremost companies, says Batmink.

During the week, representatives from manufacturers such as Pioneer, Martin Audio, Cloud, Le Maitre, Shure, Audio Technica and Sennheiser will be conducting presentations on subjects including pyrotechnics, production and installed sound and lighting, signal processing, wireless regulations and providing certified training on Zero 88 lighting desks.

The Batmink team will be supplementing this with daily workshops covering subjects such as an introduction

USA - Three new sessions have been added to the PLASA Focus: Orlando 2013 Professional Development Programme, a two-day program of free educational seminars and workshops running alongside PLASA Focus: Orlando, at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, on 15-16 May, 2013.

In Innovation in Disney Entertainment: Technology Meets Storytelling, Matt Conover, vice president at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Creative Entertainment, explains how at Disney Parks Creative Entertainment the story is the foundation to every show. No matter what techniques are used - from cutting-edge high-tech to interactive high touch - everything that Disney Guests experience helps to immerse them in the many worlds brought to life by Disney's classic stories. In this session Conover will discuss the challenges of creating and utilizing the most advanced technologies and equipment without losing sight of the

Germany - For this year's Prolight+Sound, German manufacturer Sommer Cable presents another two interesting devices under the Cardinal DVM brand name, both of which are designed for use on stage or in the studio.

As is the case so often with products from Sommer Cable, the company received a lot of inspirations from customers and users of the now highly proven devices of the Cardinal DVM series. Thus the idea for the VCA keyboard mixer came at the urging by different musicians from the musical scene. The normal situation requires as many sounds as possible at very short intervals, but the musician also needs to keep the dynamics under control. The VCA keyboard mixer solves this problem by using a master level control with a standard swell pedal; this keeps your hands free and eases your mind. That way the device covers an incredible 90 dB control range while sporting heavenly S/

UK - The PLASA Show, a driving force in the development and promotion of the professional entertainment technology industry for over 35 years, is preparing to launch the most important edition in the show's history this Friday 15th March 2013. Taking place at Excel London for the first time this year, the show will open under its new name PLASA London 2013, in its new dateline of the 6-9 October.

PLASA CEO Matthew Griffiths explains; "PLASA London 2013 reflects a new focus on international visitors, which is the number one reason we moved to Excel. Excel London is just five minutes from London City Airport, which handles 350 flights per day from over 40 international destinations. London is already the best connected City in the world and this October, PLASA London 2013 will take place in one of the best connected venues in the world, and that's a fact."

With seven o

UK - The Knight of Illumination Awards' Concert Touring and Events category, recognising excellence in lighting design in Concert Touring Stage and Arena, Live Events and Video Electronic Content, is buzzing with more entries than ever only one month after launch, the organisers report.

Four weeks in to this year's Awards submissions an incredible array of exciting and diverse nominations have been received via the KOI website celebrating LDs pushing the boundaries of lighting design.

"So far we have had an inspiring range of entries from LDs touring with the bigger arena shows," says Concert Touring and Events chairwoman, Sarah Rushton-Read. "This has really boosted the build-up to this year's Awards ceremony, which is growing and evolving at a rapid rate. We are still keen to hear from lighting designers or their colleagues working on the smaller theatre and c

South Africa - The 9th Annual Channel O Music Video Awards was held at the Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, South Africa. It comprised of a mega dome structure and an enormous lighting rig. For control lighting designer Joshua Cutts relied on one grandMA2 light and with one MA onPC command wing as backup as well as one MA NPU (Network Processing Unit) all provided by AV Unlimited.

A professional group of companies and individuals put the event together. Television production company Don't Look Down Convergence Agency were responsible for producing the event for DSTV while AV Unlimited supplied the full technical. The dome structure in which the event was held was supplied by IN 2 Structures, part of the Gearhouse Group of Companies. The set designer was Garrith Castelyn from AV Unlimited and Dreamsets were involved in building the stage. For the fifth consecutive year,

UK - PLASA London launches its first show at ExCeL London today with free entry for the first 5000 people to register via its new website. Taking place on 6-9 October 2013, the new name, new venue, and new autumn dateline aren't the only changes afoot for the industry-owned event.

PLASA CEO Matthew Griffiths explains, "This year marks the first stage of the show's long-term strategic development. ExCeL is located just five minutes from London City Airport, which handles 350 flights a day from 40 international destinations, and ExCeL's seven onsite hotels provide thousands of rooms within walking distance. With increased connectivity to Europe and beyond, as well as new, world-class facilities, we hope to send a clear message about the show's plans for future international growth."

In addition to the new campus-style experience for international visitors, PLASA Events

UK - The opening day of PLASA Focus: Leeds 2013 will finish with a keynote address from Harald Haas, Professor of Mobile Communications at the University of Edinburgh and Fellow of the World Technology Network.

Professor Harold Haas is widely regarded as one of most eminent innovators in communications technology today. His current research is focused on three main areas: optical wireless communications, spatial modulation and interference coordination in wireless networks. A finalist for the world Technology Award in 2011, his work on Li-Fi was featured by TIME magazine as one of the "50 Best Inventions in 2011".

Addressing an audience at an entertainment and installation technology event for the very first time, Li-Fi - Broadband Through Light is a speech that considers the application of using light, specifically light from LEDs, rather than radio wa

Germany - ArKaos has chosen Prolight & Sound Frankfurt to announce the formation of a new division - ArKaos Pro.

ArKaos Pro has been formed specifically to serve the large-scale, professional level show and lighting projects which now dominate much of the ArKaos client base. The new division will operate alongside the existing ArKaos organization.

"We have formed Arkaos Pro in acknowledgement of how ArKaos has grown and developed since its start," says business development manager, Agnes Wojewoda. "ArKaos products have evolved into far more sophisticated solutions over the past years as our software has continued to stretch boundaries and our client base diversified.

"ArKaos Pro will dedicate its time and expertise to the professional lighting market which has expanded exponentially for us in the last few years and now demands greater attention, energy an

Germany - At the upcoming ProLight&Sound 2013, Ayrton will show a range of products including the NandoBeam 302 - an elegantly designed, compact 300W LED moving head providing ultra bright, concentrated beams and the possibility of concentric circles, individually controllable for special effects. NandoBeam 302 uses 19 RGBW 15W Osram light sources coupled with an ultra fast 8° to 40° zoom (beam angle). An innovative and advanced optical system allows bright, very concentrated beams to travel far and wide, with deep and colourful wash capacity, says the company.

The WildBeam 302 benefits from a large colour screen, an internal battery to run the unit when without access to power distribution and new Neutrik PowerCON True One power connectors. The internal structure is made of steel and aluminium which makes the WildBeam 302 road ready, says Ayrton.

Also showing will be

Germany - Music Group, the parent company of Behringer, Midas, Klark-Teknik, Turbosound and Bugera, will showcase their ever-expanding line-up of high-performance audio products at this year's Prolight + Sound Show, held 10-13 April in Frankfurt.

The Music Group booth in Hall 8.0 M90 will showcase products from Midas, Klark-Teknik and Behringer, including the latter's Eurocom installed sound products. With the main focus on digital mixing, Behringer will present the latest additions to its growing X32 product family plus the new iX16 iPad mixer, while Midas will have their full PRO line and XL8 consoles on display. Recording studio pros and aficionados will be able to experience the new NEKKST studio monitors, a major collaboration with Keith R. Klawitter that debuted at NAMM 2013, as well as the U-PHORIA digital interfaces and iSTUDIO iS202 docking station for iPad.

Costa Lak

USA - DPA Microphones will introduce the d:facto II Vocal Microphone at NAB 2013 (Booth C3036) next month. With a true studio sound that's perfect for live music broadcasting, this latest addition to the d:facto line offers an extraordinarily natural sound with high separation and extreme SPL handling, giving users unlimited possibilities for their performances, says the company. In addition to use with the new DPA wired handle, the d:facto II provides the added benefit of a state-of-the-art adapter system, which allows for seamless integration with many professional wireless systems.

"We are extremely proud to have developed an ingenious adapter range that brings the true DPA sound out of a wireless system," says Christian Poulsen, CEO of DPA Microphones. "The wireless systems currently available deliver very limited power to drive our high-end condenser capsules

USA - A.C. Lighting Inc. will be showcasing a range of the latest entertainment technology innovations from a selection of the leading brands which it distributes in North America, including products from Chroma-Q, Jands, ArKaos, LedGo and Prolyte - at the 2013 USITT Stage Expo held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Showing exclusively at A.C. Lighting Inc.'s booth is Chroma-Q's popular Color Force range of RGBA LED fixtures.

Providing power across the spectrum, from deep cold blues to red hot lava looks, the Color Force range utilizes Chroma-Q's advanced ColorSure™ technology to give you a radically increased color palette with enhanced color consistency.

Also on show from Chroma-Q is the brand new, award-winning Inspire LED house light. Fusing entertainment, theatrical and architectural lighting capabilities, the Inspire was designed to seamlessly transform the look and feel o

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