From its now established base at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London, the ABTT Show continues to underline its role as a key event for the theatre industry. Well over 100 exhibitors from across the wide spectrum of supplies and services were at the show, drawing in over 2,500 visitors.
Before we get down to brass tacks, a quick mention of the Dinner, staged on the first evening, at which Major Sir Michael Parker, famed for his work on such events as the Royal Tournament and more recently All the Queens Horses, was the guest speaker. During the dinner, Andrew Bruce of Autograph Sound collected a Lifetime Achievement Award; Nick Wade, chief electrician at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, was handed Technician of the Year;
Vari-Lite’s VL1000 won Lighting Product of the Year; AVW’s Impressario stage motion control system was voted Engineering Product of the Year and Rosco’s Image Pro picked up the coveted Widget of the Year award. There’s always a good feel to ABTT and a real sense of a community coming together, no doubt fed by the presence of such organizations as BECTU, ALD, Central School of Speech and Drama, Society of British Theatre Designers and Loughborough College.
A.C. Lighting was showing examples of its wide range of lighting products, including its Tourmate range of connectors. AC was also promoting the introduction of free training courses on grandMA and Jands lighting control systems.
Allen & Heath showed the latest addition to its ML series, the 15-buss ML3000. The console is available in 24, 32 and 40 input variants, each providing 8 VCA groups, 4 audio groups, 8 pre/post switchable auxes, 8 mute groups and an 8 x 4 matrix with external inputs and inserts. VCA assignment and mute scenes can be saved to 128 snapshot memories for show automation using a PC running free archiver software. Also on show were the GL2200 12-buss live sound console, the compact WZ16:2DX and the DR128 digital installation mixer.
As exclusive UK distributor for Meyer Sound, Autograph Sales gave the first UK presentation of Meyer’s new M1D and M2D compact curvilinear array systems (see our Pro Light & Sound review, L&SI April 2002). At the same time, Autograph Sales and Autograph Sound Recording were jointly launching the new website at www.autograph.co.uk, which provides access to both sides of the Autograph operation, and includes an online product catalogue.
Avolites introduced the Pearl 2004, an updated version of the Pearl 2000. Not only is the look very different, but there is an improved feel to the Playback and Master faders (in fact these are the same as used on the Diamond 4 and Sapphire 2000) and the output panel now has four DMX XLR connectors. But it’s in the software where the real difference will be felt: new personality files containing table information for numerous lights will make programming of complex fixtures very simple. Avolites also launched the ART 2000i range of dimmers. Installers will welcome the fact that these have the same high spec as other dimmers in the ART 2000 range.
Automation specialist AVW Controls reported that its ABTT award-winning Impressario automation system, is to make its first appearance on a major musical, when Phantom of the Opera opens at Madrid’s Theatro Lope de Vega this year. AVW’s Anton Woodward has worked with the show’s production managers Stuart Crosby and Simon Marlow on past projects including Beauty & the Beast and Phantom in Switzerland and Holland, and was asked by engineering contractor Delstar to design, manufacture, install and commission the entire system for the Madrid production.
The recently launched Coemar UK has been much in the news of late, so it was no surprise to see Ian Kirby and the team taking advantage of ABTT to reiterate the vast range of products in the Coemar canon. Historically, of course, Coemar products have earned respect for being well-engineered, but l
