UK - Earlier this week, two pallets of Kramer Electronics equipment were stolen from the back of a lorry in Hemel Hempstead, UK.

Amongst the long list of items stolen were the first VS-42HDMI 4x2 HDMI matrix switchers to be brought into the UK, and the first FC-31 UXGA-DVI converter. Products suitable for broadcast, professional AV and custom install were stolen.

If anybody has any suspicions about Kramer goods being offered to them, they can contact PC 2129 Fontenelle from Hertfordshire Constabulary, on 01442 271017, quoting crime ref DI/07/8568.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Media programming, system design and installation company, tsg, has recently installed a substantial Audica Professional audio system at The Farm restaurant and pub in Solihull.

Nick Freeman of tsg explained the choice of the system: "Our programmed music services were the initial requirement and starting point for The Farm, but how this was delivered and the system's ease of use and aesthetics in the venue were equally important to us and the client. Simple, continuous operation is catered for by our promedia hard disk system.

"Aesthetics were obviously a key element for The Farm so we introduced them to Audica Professional's MICROseries. Not only is this the most stylish and discreet ultra-compact loudspeaker product available, but it can provide superb audio quality for background music without the need for subs; a real bonus for style-conscious venues in pro

UK - On 2 October 2007 the British Olympic Association's (BOA) Olympic Gold Ball was held at London's impressive Natural History Museum. The event was attended by HRH The Princess Royal, President of the BOA and 39 Olympic medallists. Event Concept, accredited production company at the Museum, was appointed to produce the prestigious event. In a race against time, the team transformed the venue and installed a technically complex stage setting in just one hour after the Museum closed to the public.

The Museum was open to the public until 6pm and BOA guests were scheduled to arrive at 7pm. The team installed a sophisticated production design including lighting, set, A/V and furniture in four separate areas of the venue as well as external architectural lighting. Event Concept's installation and rehearsal schedule had to also take into account the needs of the caterer, florist, a

UK Arsenal Football Club's new Emirates Stadium has established itself as one of the best in Europe, with a much expanded seating capacity and improved facilities compared to the club's old home at the Highbury ground.

Fittingly, the Public Address/Voice Alarm system at the new stadium is also state of the art, as befits a modern 60,000-seat arena, and has already won friends amongst Gooners, as the club's supporters are affectionately known. The backbone of the new PA/VA system is made up from JBL speakers powered by Crown amplifiers, which were supplied by JBL and Crown's UK distributor, Harman Pro UK, and installed by Honeywell Business Services.

The main speakers in the stadium are JBL PD5212s and AM6200s, powered by Crown CTS 3000 amplifiers - in total, over 120 CTS 3000s were used throughout the ground, split between three control rooms. JBL Control 24, 26 and 29 ceiling

UK - Mid-September has seen a new nightclub opening on London's Fulham Road, providing those who like to relax in opulent surroundings with another location to see and be seen in.

Located on the site of the historic Cafe des Artistes, a favourite haunt of the likes of the Rolling Stones and David Bowie in the 1960s and 70s, the Valmont Club is a 300-capacity venue whose focus is on providing an inclusive atmosphere (no VIP rooms here) and serving a menu of 60 different cocktails to a high quality audio soundtrack, comprising a mixture of background music, DJ sets and live performances.

To achieve the desired sound quality, audio contractor Outstanding Productions chose Turbosound loudspeakers. The club is divided into four principal areas - the entrance, main bar, lounge bar and dance floor - throughout which Outstanding Productions installed a distributed system of Turbosound

South Africa - Located in one of South Africa's primary port cities, the ICC Durban was originally built just over 10 years ago, and has since hosted numerous prestigious international conventions, including the International AIDS Conference in 2000.

To celebrate the Centre's 10th anniversary, the ICC Durban launched the new extension to their facility, The Arena. As a multi-purpose platform forinternational conferences and events, The Arena consists of three halls, each with the capacityto be sub-divided into separate rooms. The three halls can also be combined to crate a single large hall, with a capacity for up to 10,000 people. WhenICC Durban isn't hosting conventions The Arena lives up to its name, hosting theatre and live music performances, and sports including tennis, wrestling,gymnastics, equestrian events and even motocross.

With such a wide variety of activities to

UK - Vieta's new weatherproof loudspeakers will be subjected to the full force of an English winter at a demanding leisure park installation. ESL Systems has specified DO-44 enclosures to handle the forthcoming seasonal promotions at Southend's Adventure Island, running through the winter months at the seaside location.

Directly overlooking the sea, Adventure Island is Southend-on-Sea's 40-acre fun park, with rides and 'experiences'. Traditionally, the park closes after the summer season, but this year is staying open to maximise its opportunities with a new light-show attraction for the autumn and winter evenings called Light Fantastic!, featuring character parades and exciting illuminations.

Rob Roberts, general manager of Adventure Island, spent many months preparing the new illuminations before turning his attention to the requirements for a new audio system to run

UK Liverpool Football Club's new dedicated TV station, LFC TV, launched with its first broadcast on 20 September 2007. Set and scenery contactors, Stage One, were closely involved in the project after LFC TV and award winning production designer Nick King asked them to build the entire studio set.

Located in a former Bryant and May match factory, the state-of-the-art 80 sq.m studio was designed to give each programme a distinctive look and feel. Stage One started by laying a laminated floor, which was inlaid with stainless steel strips, helping to separate the space into several distinct areas.

Centre studio, a seating area was constructed, comprising of a 4m diameter manual revolve upon which was sited four light boxes, two custom-built settees (in LFC red) and a Perspex and laminate central table.

In order to provide a variety of backgrounds for the various camera angles,

USA - Bandit Lites recently finished a lighting installation at the newly opened Randy Parton Theatre. The North Carolina theatre features Randy Parton,brother of country music megastar Dolly Parton, in a live music variety show. In addition to Parton, the venue will showcase a variety of entertainers.

The Randy Parton Theatre is a 1,500-seat show palace with state-of-the-art sound, lighting and video. Bandit sales and design associate, Chris Barbee was hired to be the lighting and rigging system designer and project manager for the permanent installation.

Barbee chose to use six High End Systems DL2s, 16 Martin MAC 700s, 18 Martin MAC 600s, six High End Studio Command 700s, 80 Source 4 Lekos, 100 Source Four PARS and 100 PAR 64 fixtures. 50 Chauvet COLORrado1s were added as truss and set toners as well as eight Chauvet COLORado3s. The lighting package was finished off with 15

UK - White Light has recently completed a new lighting installation at the St Paul's Girls' School in Hammersmith, which has seen the company supply new equipment and install a lighting infrastructure in the school's Celia Johnson Theatre.

A 200- seat auditorium, the theatre has long been a popular and much-used facility within the school but found itself in need of some updating to meet modern health-and-safety requirements - and the demands of new productions.

White Light's technical sales manager Roger Hennigan worked with staff at the school to figure out the best way of approaching the refurbishment to ensure that the school saw the best possible return on their investment.

At the same time, White Light carried out a comprehensive upgrade of both the rigging and electrical systems in the theatre. The rigging system now has four motorised winches for lighting, four hemp

USA - They're mixing more than drinks these days at 32 Degrees, a stylish European-style bottle-service lounge in The Quarter shopping-entertainment complex at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Since undergoing a renovation in Summer 2007, the popular club can mix and change the colours of its lighting at the touch of a button to modify its atmosphere, thanks to new colour-mixing LEDs from Elation Professional.

32 Degrees co-owner Barry Gutin wanted to stay a jump ahead of the city's fierce competition, so he commissioned Scott Kemly of Powerhouse Sound (Cherry Hill, New Jersey) to give the lounge a lighting makeover.

Having done the original installation, Kemly had ideas on not only how to update the room, but how to do so with minimal structural modification and expense. Previously, there had been a huge sphere in the centre of the ceiling, lit by purple neon. S

Malaysia - Klotz Digital Asia was recently awarded a contract from Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) for its new regional facility in Kuching and Alor Star to supply VADIS MCR Routers, VADIS DC II and AEON On-Air console surfaces. The facility in Kuching in the state of Sarawak in East Malaysia will be the biggest regional facility. The contract to purchase the Klotz Digital equipments was received through Commissioning & Maintenance Services (M) Sdn Bhd, the system integrator for this project.

Under the terms of the Agreement, for the Kuching facility, Klotz delivered a 256 x 256 router comprising of five units of VADIS 888 frame for the Master Control Room (MCR) and two units of VADIS 212 frame, one as a By-Pass Router and the other for the Telecom Switching Room respectively. Klotz also delivered five units of VADIS DC II console surface for the four On-Air and one back-up stud

USA - The Venetian Hotel Resort and Casino in Las Vegas recently expanded its TAO Asian Bistro and Nightclub by transforming its west side pool deck - used during the day as a European-style bathing pool - into an outdoor nightclub.

FBP Group, owned by Frank Heinrich and Bob Athey, were contracted to produce a first-class A/V design and turned to lighting designer Matthew Paupst to design the lighting scheme. "TAO Las Vegas came to FBP Group to produce a world-class outdoor nightclub that was stylish and able to be used for its dual purpose," comments Matthew Paupst. "The main goal was to create an environment that would not be visually obtrusive during the day and at night would morph into a nightclub, entertaining a few thousand people each weekend."

Paupst reports, "I chose the MAC 250 Entours because of their size, light output, and reliability. Wh

UK - Showsec has been selected to manage audiences and artist backstage areas for the Academy Music Group (AMG) as it expands its network of music venues across the UK with the recent opening of Carling Academy Oxford in September. The new AMG Oxford concert and club venue opened its doors with shows by New Young Pony Club and The Magic Numbers.

Showsec has enjoyed a strong working relationship with AMG management for the past ten years at its other venues including Shepherds Bush Empire, London, and Carling Academy venues in Birmingham, Liverpool and Newcastle.

Showsec's area manager, London, Steve Reynolds said: "We are proud to be working with the AMG team at the new Carling Academy Oxford, where we will be ensuring artists and clients enjoy a consistent standard of security and crowd management alongside their other award winning Academy venues."

(Jim Evans)

UK - The opening of the High Speed 1 service at London St Pancras International this month saw the cream of the events world, including Arena Seating, work together to create one of the most spectacular launches this country has witnessed in recent years. With the Queen and Prime Minister Gordon Brown in attendance, security was at the highest possible level, while the production team worked under extraordinarily tight conditions to deliver a remarkable event.

The launch was produced by Flux Events for London & Continental Railways (LCR) under the technical direction of John Farquhar-Smith. The executive producer was Jon Teeman, with Mark Fisher providing creative direction.

Arena Seating's key role was to provide a temporary seating grandstand three metres above the level of the platform, with the additional challenge of having to position the structure over an eight metre de

USA - Theatre Projects Consultants has been selected as the theatre design consultant for the Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center (DPAC). Theatre Projects has been involved with the planning of the performing arts centre since the late 1980s.

The design team also includes design architect Barton Myers Associates and acoustical consultant Artec Consultants. Most recently Theatre Projects collaborated with Barton Myers Associates on the Tempe Center for the Arts in Arizona which opened in September 2007.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Winchester University is in the final stages of completing its new University Centre - a flagship building set to transform the main campus. The £9 million development is a four-storey building covering 3,200sq.m. Located at the entrance to the King Alfred Campus it provides an impressive gateway for visitors, as well as social facilities for the whole university community. The Centre includes the Student Union, catering facilities, main reception, a bookshop, a mini-mart convenience store and a Learning Café.

The Student Union is state-of-the-art and includes a large bar and 'The Vault', a venue space large enough for 1,200 people, for club nights and concerts. The venue will also have a cinema screen and surround sound for movie nights.

Sound and Lighting specialists, PV Audio Visual, were contracted to design and install the audio systems for the The Vault

Germany - Litestructures has recently completed one of its most complex and challenging design and build projects for the skating extravaganza, Holiday On Ice. This internationally famous ice show, which is owned and managed by Dutch firm, Stage Entertainment, began its 2007 schedule in Hamburg on 8 November.

Project manager Hans Willems of W.I. Creation presented Litestructures with the challenge to design and construct the large and complex structures required, working from an original design concept by set designer, Bart Clement.

The final structure comprises three sections, the dominant feature being a huge central spiral, measuring 25m across, 4.5m deep and more than 150m overall length. The design also called for two outer formations, each fitted with Spot chairs, which were also specially designed and fabricated at Litestructures. The third element, originally en

Cyprus - Complementary colour from Martin Architectural Alien 05 spotlights adds an artistically decorative and tasteful touch to Cyprus fusion bar and restaurant Momo, helping to establish its reputation as a trendsetting restaurant.

Located in the heart of the city of Larnaca and owned by the Varoshiotis Group of restaurants, this stylish fusion canteen is for 'anyone with a taste for exciting, contemporary and ethnic cuisine.' It combines cutting-edge culinary inspiration with in vogue interior design - leather sofas, exotic flowers, modern oriental art, dark wood and natural bamboo - and carefully placed splashes of colour.

At the main bar a backdrop of rich colour shades from Martin Architectural Alien 05 spotlights serve to both accentuate the interior design elements and wash the space in dynamic colour. The Alien 05s, controlled via an Alien 05 driver in stand-alone mo

UK - The Sudell Cross and Northgate area is a major transport route and an important pedestrian gateway, linking Corporation Park, the College and Strawberry Bank areas to Blackburn town centre. It was identified as a priority area for improvement and is part of a £1.1 million revamp organized by Blackburn Borough Council.

The Braid, a modern light feature soaring 32ft into the air, forms the centrepiece of the Sudell Cross and was unveiled in April of 2007. The feature was designed by renowned UK artist Simon Watkinson and built by the specialist bespoke metal fabrication and stainless steel architecture company, M-TEC of Darwen, part of the WEC Group.

This bold feature is now lit throughout the day and night in a changing array of colours. The lights used were 3M Martin Architectural Light Pipe with Color Kinetics ColorBurst 6 LED source fittings. The lighting w

UK - Show organiser PLASA Events reports that interest in PLASA08 is running high, with over two thirds of exhibitors having already rebooked their stand space and further applications arriving at the PLASA Events' offices daily.

On the back of the success of PLASA07, many companies have increased their stand size and several have doubled their space, setting PLASA08 on course to be the major industry event of next year. The success of the 2007 show has also been a catalyst for drawing back former exhibitors and generating strong levels of interest from new exhibitors, impressed with the professionalism and energy of the event.

The show management team has identified a range of new initiatives to develop and strengthen visitor attendance and is also focusing on a number of key areas for further development.

"One of the key messages that came across very powerfully from

Russia - Midas' Russian distributor, Theatre Technics and Technology, has installed a dual control surface XL8 Live Performance System into the State Academic Maly Theatre in Moscow, one of the country's oldest theatres, as part of a major renovation project spanning six years.

Last year the theatre celebrated its troupe's 250th anniversary. Formed in 1756 by decree of Empress Elizabeth at Moscow State University, and named Moscow Russia Theater, in 1780 the troupe moved to the Petrovskii Theater, next to the Bolshoi Theater, on what is now Theater Square. In 1824 the theatre became officially known as the Maly, which means 'small' in Russian, as opposed to Bolshoi ('big'). Only minor repairs have been carried out since the 1940s, but last year the Maly was awarded a government grant to refurbish the façade, revitalise artwork in the theatre and its entrance and update the ligh

Australia - The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts is a cutting-edge venue which incorporates a 300-seat performance space, modern art gallery, a screening room and multifunctional rehearsal spaces. In 2007 the main foyer of the centre underwent a major facelift with the installation of colour changing fixtures and a comprehensive control solution.

Lighting technician and operator Keith Clark has been with the centre for four years and was instrumental in the refurbishment and comments: "Originally we had fluorescent down lights and the atmosphere was cold and stark. We wanted to make the foyer more colourful and to represent the shows that were going on inside, so that the whole 'theatre experience' begins the moment you enter the lobby."

Steering the whole lighting system is the new Lighting Playback Controller from Pharos Architectural Controls. This compac

Singapore - Broadcast Solutions selected Allen & Heath's iLive digital system - comprising an iDR10 mix rack with iLive-176 control surface - to manage audio requirements at the recent Barclays Open golf championship, held at the Sentosa luxury island resort last month.

Australian freelance sound engineer, Rob Hornbuckle, was appointed by the event's AV organisers, World Sport Group, to engineer the broadcast audio for the tournament, which was broadcast live on ESPNStar Sport.

"Rob was already comfortably configuring and mixing with iLive before the arrival of our engineers who were supposed to be there to help in the set up," says Bock Thye from Sindo Exports, Allen & Heath's distributor in Singapore and Malaysia, who, along with representatives from their associate company, PT Santika from Allen & Heath's Indonesian distributor, were on hand to provide technical s

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