USA - Syncrolite, the US-based pioneer in the production and design of automated xenon skylights who introduced the first DMX-controlled xenon light to the industry in 1989, is promising a brand new product to be introduced in Las Vegas at the LDI trade show (20-22 October). Syncrolite, and the new product, can be found at LDI on booth 179. The company will also exhibit at the forthcoming PLASA Show in London (10-13 September) on stand D34.

(Lee Baldock)

UK - Bandit Lites would like to recognise the fourth annual recipient of their Bandit Lites Excellence in Lighting Award. The award was given to a promising student at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA). The school opened in 1996 with the help of Former Beatles' legend, Sir Paul McCartney and former actor, Mark Featherstone- Witty. Dedicated to people interested in pursing a career in arts and entertainment, LIPAoffers diploma, degree and postgraduate courses.

The awards ceremony took place on 29 July, 2006 at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts' graduation. Kathy Sandys, a lecturer in Theatre and Performance Technology, presented the award.

The Bandit Lites Excellence in Lighting Award went to Miriam Evans, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Theatre and Performance Technology. Her citation read, "in recognition of her

UK - During the summer an interactive campaign - 'Join the Party with Bacardi' - was launched in Dutch cinemas to promote the Bacardi drink. The advertisement was filmed in the Now & Wow Club in Rotterdam. The recognisable theme of girls and boys partying with Bacardi was used to accompany the additional storyline of the DJ wowing the girl.

VisualDMX was specified as controller for the DJ Booth which boasted an LED wall and thus the necessity of a Matrix controller with the versatility and strengths that are offered by Matrix Mania, the specialised Matrix controller within VisualDMX. Matrix Mania's ability to quickly adapt all inbuilt matrix patterns to the red, Bacardi-style colour theme proved very useful and saved the crew valuable time when programming on site, say the company. The LED and VisualDMX equipment was supplied by Amsterdam-based rental company, PartyTime.

(Lee

Austria / UK - LDDE will launch its brand new SpectraLed144* Line at the PLASA Show. The SpectraLed*144 Line is the first colour mixing unit for the professional theatre, television and entertainment application with an RGBAW configuration of 144 x 1W high-power LEDs, say the company. With its compact design of only 1200x120x80mm (LxWxH) it is designed for use on stages, events and show lighting of all kinds, say the company.

With its 36 x 1W blue, 36 x 1W green, 24 x 1W red, 24 x 1W amber and 24 x 1W cold white high-power LEDs, the system enables the reproduction of the full spectrum of colours on stage. The unit shares the same dsign of housing and the clever multicore concept of the company's award-winning SpectraConnecT5. Each Unit can be fitted with two different optical-modules with beam angles of 10° and 25°. A slot in the front of the unit allows for the insertio

UK / USA - On Broadway, the runaway hit Avenue Q has already won the Tony awards for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. If this wasn't accolade enough, its lighting designer, Howell Binkley, this year scooped the prestigious Tony Award for Best Lighting Design for the musical Jersey Boys. Both musicals were programmed using a grandMA lighting control system.

Lighting designer Ken Posner for the Broadway musicals Hairspray and Wicked has also used grandMA control systems. Now, with Sinatra and Avenue Q already running on grandMA in the West End, Wicked is the next to move over from Broadway to the West End, scheduled to open on 27 September, 2006. Interestingly, the Apollo Victoria Theatre, home to Wicked, already has a fixed installation of a grandMA ultra controlling its LED house light system.

The consoles have alr

USA - Exactly one year to the day that Hurricane Katrina ravaged Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, the hotel is re-opening on 29 August, featuring a large installation of High End Systems lighting and control products.

It was 29 August 2005 when a reported 40ft wave from Hurricane Katrina slammed into the facility, demolishing the level where the casino, nightclub and theatre were located. All production gear was reportedly destroyed and unusable, including all the HES DL.1s, which had recently been installed. The hotel was closed for massive repairs.

After a re-design and renovation, the hotel's 17,000sq.ft Magnolia Ballroom opens with 28 HES DL.2s, 64 Studio Beams, 12 Studio Spot 575s, 12 Studio Color 575s, four Intellabeams and two Wholehog 3 consoles running 5 DP (Data Processor) 2000s.

The Camelia Room features a Catalyst Media Server and 16 Studio Bea

UK - VisualDMX will be exhibiting at PLASA this year controlling TDE's LED fixtures on the stand of their UK distributor Lightstorm.

New features of VisualDMX on show will notably include Visual3D running remotely via a network and VisualTouch. VisualTouch is a self contained section of VisualDMX software that enables the software to be run and controlled using a touch screen interface, ideal for installations in bars and clubs where, typically, non-technical staff are often responsible for insuring the mood of the venue, both lights and sound, to suit the event.

For a demonstration of the new features and to see the latest hardware - the Frontier - in action please visit us during PLASA06 at stand no. B39.

(Chris Henry)

Finland - Since 1887, the Hotel Kämp has been an integral part of Finnish history, blending eastern and western Europe with art, politics and business life. Faithfully restored a while back, this Helsinki hotel today is as genuine and elegant as in the past.

Earlier this year the hotel's restaurants were renovated, with Ideafix, LSC Lighting's Finnish distributor, chosen to supply and install the sound and lighting, and so for Kämp Club, the hotel's cosmopolitan late hour upscale club, an LSC 24-channel EKO system was installed.

The EKO is an ideal choice for venues such as Kämp Club for a variety of reasons, say. Firstly it is one of the most compact dimmers for its capacity (24 x 3kW channels) on the market and often available space in venues is extremely limited. Secondly the availability of the LSCnet option allows the EKO to be controlled via DMX when the venue is in c

USA - Bandit is proud to announce their involvement with Melissa Etheridge's management team, including manager, Bill Leopold, tour manager, Steven Girmant, production manager, Jon Schimke and lighting designer, David Hamilton for Etheridge's 2006 tour.

With nine albums and twenty-plus years under her belt, Melissa Etheridge is known for being an activist for a variety of causes and charities. However, her talent as a lyricist and her passionate performances are what have earned her respect in the music industry and produced loyal fans.

June of 2006 marked Melissa Etheridge's first tour back since finding out she had cancer in 2004. When deciding on lighting design for Etheridge, Hamilton said that it was more important to focus on the artist and the music than to put on a big flashy production. "I was primarily trying to create subtle scenes and looks rather than big eff

USA - Lighting designers Stacey LaBarbera and Paul Rogers used the new Robe LEDBlinder 196 and 148 LTs on the latest US leg of country music legend George Strait's 2006 tour. Straight - with no less than 53 number one hits under his belt - more than any other living artist! - played 18 to 25,000 capacity sheds and arenas across the US and Canada in a new in-the-round production design. Onstage Systems from Dallas, Texas supplied all lighting, sound and video equipment.

LaBarbera was extremely pleased with the performance of the LEDBlinders, which were used over the stage as a wash effect. The LEDBlinder 196LTs (an 8-lite equivalent) were rigged in each of the four corners of the lighting rig, pointing downwards towards the band set up, which was in a circular format centre stage. The LEDBlinder 148LTs (the 4-lite version) were positioned up on the rig, lighting the four differen

UK - PixelRange lighting fixtures are LED luminaires for entertainment and architectural applications. New fixtures for PLASA 06 include two PixelLine Micros, compact versions of the legendary 1044 and 110 battens - a small housing but the same power.

The PixelLine micro E is a three cell effects batten featuring 174 high brightness red, green and blue 5mm LEDs and the PixelLine micro W is a wash batten containing 22 red, green, blue and amber Luxeon K2 LEDs. Both fixtures feature completely new software which includes 16 bit intensity personalities and a sophisticated user programmable effects engine that can be synchronised across multiple fixtures. Both units can be integrated with full size battens.

The PixelArc series, introduces two self-contained units offering the choice of a circular head (PixelArc C) containing 44 new K2 Luxeon red, green, blue and amber LEDs or a re

UK - 400 employees of O2 were given a night of entertainment to remember in July when phone manufacturer Motorola staged a spectacular evening at Manchester's New Century Hall, organised by event producers Rodber Thorneycroft. Birmingham-based PSP was appointed to provide all of the technical services for the event.

Hosted by popular TV presenter Vernon Kay, guests were invited to take part in two game shows, entitled SLVR of Fortune and Play Your RAZR. One of the UK's brightest new music stars, Paolo Nutini sang four songs from his new album, while magician Paul Zenon and comedian Al Murray added to the entertainment.

The event proved to be technically complex: PSP's 8-way buzzer system was used for the quiz section as well as Flash to create a random name selector for participants. All of the quiz graphics were specifically designed to reflect the Motorola brand. For the sou

UK - PRG Europe Sales have been awarded the exclusive distributorship of Pathway products in Europe. Pathway Connectivity is the leading data communications company in the entertainment lighting industry. Based in Canada, Pathway has been defining the future of lighting network functionality for more that a decade.

Founder and president of Pathway, Dave Higgins says: "We're very pleased to be able to expand our long-standing relationship with the PRG organisation. As Pathway's exclusive distributor in the European, Middle Eastern and African regions, PRG Europe's commitment to these markets will ensure that our new product ranges, as well as our CE and RoHS programs, receive maximum exposure. The opportunity to work with the great sales team at PRG Europe is the icing on the cake for Pathway."

Pathway designs, manufactures and supports an innovative family of product

USA - The General Electric Company (GE) through its Consumer & Industrial business, and the Nichia Corporation, have announced a strategic alliance agreement to support GELcore LLC, based in Cleveland, Ohio. GELcore, formed in 1999, was previously a joint venture between GE and the Emcore Corporation of Somerset, New Jersey. GE purchased Emcore's 49% interest in the joint venture for $100m, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to invest in LED technology and the future of lighting.

This agreement combines GELcore's LED system strengths in the Transportation, Signage, Specialty Illumination, and General Illumination segments with Nichia's extensive phosphor and optoelectronics products, such as LEDs. Both companies expect to benefit significantly from each other's expertise and penetrate the high-growth LED general illumination segment.

"This agreement is a true win-win ou

UK - Hawthorn has announced that Mark Bailey has joined the company as a project manager. A renowned lighting designer, Mark Bailey, has been successfully running his own lighting company, Embee Lighting, for the last 17 years, working with a diverse range of clients, including major corporates.

"For the last 10 years I have had an association with Hawthorn and had admired how the company had grown, with the right attitude and philosophy for our industry," said Bailey, "so when Martin Hawthorn offered me the opportunity to join the Hawthorn team, I was flattered and I am really looking forward to 'making a difference' for our clients, in my new role."

"Mark is a valued member to the growing team at Hawthorn," said general manager Simon Wood, "He did a great job on his first project for us at the Edinburgh Moonwalk and we expect great things f

UK - ETC dealers and staff will be showing off the company's latest lighting control console, Congo jr, at PLASA 2006. Packing the same channel and output counts as the original Congo and running the same operating software, the sibling comes in a standard 19" rack-style modular design console. This makes it an extremely flexible desk for smaller venues and an ideal back-up unit for the larger console, say the company.

As part of its flexible design, Congo jr features an optional Master Playback Wing, which accesses all 40 multi-purpose masters of the main console. The Master Playback Wing contains 40 faders and two LCDs in the same configuration as the Congo console, for full playback capability and complete control of all masters and Direct Selects.

With the international communications standard ACN having just received ratification by the ESTA Technical Standards Progr

UK - Launch earlier this year at ProLight+Sound inFrankfurt, the Tube from G-LEC is the first 'walk-through' LED system. The Tube follows the same principles as the company's highly acclaimed transparent LED frame systems - but minus the frame. Without the frame, each individual transparent tube hangs free, so walking through the G-LEC Tube is like walking through a slash or beaded curtain. With the ability to create a 'forest' of LEDs, including different lengths of individual tubes, this brings enormous potential to lighting and set designers, from having performers literally walk through the set to a dramatic 3D design, say G-LEC. Like the G-LEC Classic and the PhantomFrame systems, the G-LEC Tube is transparent to light, audio and wind.

G-LEC - stand D30 + D33.

(Lee Baldock)

UK - This year's PLASA Show will see the return of an old friend - but in a fully revised and updated form - when lighting supplier White Light launches the latest edition of its ever-popular catalogue as a Reference Guide.

Long considered the standard 'de-facto' reference for those working in lighting for entertainment, packed with useful information yet still compact enough to nestle comfortably in a designer's bag, the last edition of the catalogue was published in 1999 yet it is still in demand, with the electronic PDF edition regularly downloaded from White Light's website.

"An update to our catalogue is long overdue," admits White Light's managing director, Bryan Raven, "but the last seven years have seen us move premises, enormously expand our stock and the areas of lighting we work in, and re-design our website. Somehow through all of that the it kept sl

UK - Norwich based Viking Stage Lighting has just purchased its 200th Robe fixture. The company, headed by Ian Leonard, passed the 200 mark with the acquisition of a batch of the all-new ColorWash 575AT Zoom s.

Viking specialises in theatrical sales and hire, and initially bought the ColorWash 575AT Zoom because of its "Superb zoom - which, along with light output and functionality, is better than any other product on the market at the moment".

Since having these fixtures in their own hire stock, Viking has demo'd them to many others and consequently sold several more CW 575AT Zooms to its clients.

Viking has steadily replaced their entire hire stock inventory with Robe moving lights over the last two years, now only leaving six non Robe units. In terms of fixtures, they have everything from the expediently sized Spot 150XT spot to the powerful workhorse ColorSpot

UK - In 2005 Artistic Licence launched Light-Switch, a DMX512 playback system designed for single and multiple room lighting control. A new version has just been released, which expands its capabilities even further. Light-Switch can now be remote controlled via RS232. This means that Light-Switch can easily be integrated into a larger show control system.

Light-Switch is suitable for use in conference room facilities, retail and domestic environments, trade shows and museum exhibits. Available in both UK and US style wall panels, Light-Switch is controlled by 14 illuminated buttons. Features include three pages of eight memories, with each memory containing all 512 channels and an independent fade time. A fourth page provides six sequences with variable step times and direction control.

The entire system is programmed by PC application Switch-Edit, which contains a moving lam

UK - LD Patrick Marks has found the Avolites Diamond 4 lighting console's Fixture Exchange facility a life saver during their extensive summer festival style tour. He's touring his own console everywhere and picking up a variety of local productions across the UK and Europe. The schedule has also encompassed a 3-week Swedish tour with lighting sound and trucking all supplied by Copenhagen-based Nordic.

Having the D4 and using Fixture Exchange has not only meant: "No more re-programming shows on sunny afternoons with no time!" says Marks, it's also saved him from worrying about whether the fixtures for the day are Martin, Robe, Vari*Lite. Whatever they are, his show remains the same.

Marks 'converted' to the D4 at the beginning of the summer after many years of running Status Quo's show on a Diamond 3. Now he's using the D4 and the very latest software versions which

UK - HSL is supplying a full floor lighting system for Snow Patrol's current UK and European outdoor festival tour, which includes an impressive LED back wall consisting of 57 ColorKinetics iColor Tiles and 57 Chroma-Q DB4 LED fixtures, plus 16 Robe moving lights.

The band's stunning stage look is being created by the slick teamwork of lighting designer Dave Sherwin and visuals operator Robin Haddow. The tour is being project managed for HSL by Mike Oates.

In addition to the LED and moving lights, HSL is also supplying six vertical trussing towers, two pairs each at 10ft in the centre, 8ft and 6ft on the outside; six two cell Moles and six Atomic strobes - each of which sits on each tower, along with six of the Robe ColorSpot 1200ATs on top. The rest of the moving lights are scattered around the floor, along with an additional 20 DB4s.

HSL designed and supplied the custom sc

UK - Robe Show Lighting is expecting another action-packed PLASA, and is launching 12 new products including the StageQube 324, a new 700 Series of moving lights, the DigitalSpot 5000 DT and the ColorSpot 2500E AT.

The StageQube 324 is a new-generation of LED panel. Designed as a plug&play application, it doesn't require any external power supply and control boxes. The complete electronics are located in the IP54 housing. An integrated rigging system allows even large systems to be built up very easily.

The resolution of StageQube 324 is 18 x 18 px at a size of 80 x 80 cm (pixel pitch 4.44 cm). The StageQube 324 system uses a video input (VGA) that is connected to the QubeControl PC. It can be DMX controlled using a Robe Media Hub aloowing intuitive control from the lighting desk.

Robe Show Lighting also launches its revolutionary new DigitalSpot 5000 DT, a 5000 ANSI Lumen o

UK - With the industry's leading companies rolling out major new products and services, PLASA06 is going to play a central role in delivering solutions to many of the high profile projects, events and tours of the coming 12 months.

The specialists exhibiting at PLASA06 have the expertise to make anything possible with technologies developed by this industry transforming the quality of experience within the entertainment, events, live arts and leisure markets to a level scarcely imaginable 10 years ago.

And in the building and architectural sectors, the development of audio, video and IT technologies has also transformed the way buildings are designed and used - aesthetically, practically and architecturally - with information and safety-related systems now essential ingredients in the development of public spaces and buildings.

All these developments - together with the next

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