Naturally, there were doubts about this year’s LDI show following the events of 11 September. These ranged from concerns about whether people would travel to the visit the show - both internally in the US and from overseas - to whether the show would take place at all. With the assistance of ESTA and other supporters, the rallying cry went out through September and October, and the show went on.
Admittedly, some exhibitors dropped out, making a floorplan reshuffle necessary, and the general consensus was that the visitor numbers seemed markedly down. However, at the end of the day, business was done in Orlando: by the close of the show many exhibitors said they had done well - a few even said they had done better than last year. The prevailing attitude was well illustrated by TMB Associates, who gave us little stickers to wear on our badges, bearing the Stars and Stripes and the words ‘I traveled overseas to come to LDI 2001. Capitalism Rules!’ ADB’s stand focused on its high end lighting control systems and communication networks. The flagship Phoenix 10 was on stand, linked to a WYSIWYG laptop to demonstrate the operational facilities of the company’s recently launched ISIS software. ADB’s UK arm - Lighting Systems International - has been busy of late, having recently completed a major studio project for Channel Four.
Altman had three new products on stand. The UV-250 blacklight is a lower wattage, more compact version of the company’s established 400W fixture, and is designed to provide a wash of high intensity illumination of fluorescent materials at distances of up to 40 feet. The multi-lamp MR-16 Jazz strip is a trimmed down version of its predecessors, whilst the Econocyc has been designed to provide an even wash of light on cycs and backdrops, but can also equally fulfil the role of multi-purpose flood/fill light.
LDI time again, and Artistic Licence received another lawyer’s letter. Not from a competitor this year, but from one Joseph Saddler, a.k.a Hip-Hop artist Grandmaster Flash, who has taken issue with Artistic’s use of the name ‘Grand-Master Flash’ for its PC-based lighting control software. Wayne Howell, understandably, thinks it unlikely that a piece of software could be mistaken for a man . . . Legal matters aside, Artistic was making proper news with the announcement of more supporters of the Art-Net Alliance, the company’s public domain, royalty-free protocol initially conceived as a ‘stop-gap’ in the wait for ESTA’s Advanced Control Network (ACN). The Art-Net Alliance now includes Artistic Licence, ADB, MA Lighting, Doug Fleenor Design, Goddard Design, Electronics Diversified, Zero 88/i-Light, Medalion, Media Motion and Enttec.
Avolites was staging the US launch of the Diamond 4, debuted so successfully at the PLASA Show which we covered in our October issue. Also making its first appearance in the USA was the ART 2000 US dimmer, specifically designed to suit the needs of the American market.
Alas, not a whiff of Guinness to be found on the Bandit Lites stand, or rather stands, but a chance to chat to members of a company which is enjoying a year of major growth. Thanks to both a growing workforce and client list, Bandit is now one of the largest lighting hire companies in the world.
Lighting specialist Barbizon was promoting its new Show Control division, which provides custom solutions to users’ show control needs - bringing technical systems such as lighting, audio, video, teleconferencing and security under the control of a simple user interface. The service will be available from Barbizon’s 11 offices across the US.
City Theatrical was showing the AutoYoke for the Strand SL ellipsoidal (profile) and the Strand Bambino 2kW Fresnel, as well as its EFX Idea Book, featuring dozens of effects for the EFX Plus² projector.
Clay Paky, Group One and Pulsar joined forces again
