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Lighting

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USA - For Shakira's Oral Fixation North American tour, lighting designer Abbey Rosen Holmes' multilayered lighting rig includes an automated and conventional lighting package supplied by PRG Lighting. The design features 34 of Clay Paky's Alpha Spot HPE 1200 luminaires, which are the only lights used for the graphic effects on the stage.

The Alpha Spot projectors offer a rich and innovative graphic section, featuring twenty gobos on three wheels, rotating prisms, an animation disc and infinite colours (CMY colour system + Linear CTO + 7-color wheel). Clay Paky created the gobos for the luminaries by following Holmes' exacting specifications.

Ben Hammett, the PRG Lighting technician who is responsible for the Shakira lights on a daily basis, adds, "The Clay Paky lights have been great; they are very reliable, and have needed very little service."

The entire crew reh

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USA - LeAnn Rimes is touring the country with a production for which the design is centred on 5 High End Systems DL.2 digital light fixtures. LD Steve Fallon, assisted by programmer Keith Hoagland, decided to use the DL.2s after touring last year with its predecessor, the DL.1. "The experience with the DL2s has been great," says Fallon. "It's like night and day: ease of use, compact and reliable and by far a much better fixture for my tour."

The show also includes 10 HES Studio Command 700 automated wash luminaires. "The Studio Commands are super. With their full beam, they're like little sky trackers. I will have them in play again next year," adds Fallon.

The production looks big but in reality is a one-truck show with a small crew. Fallon says production manager Bill Farris enjoys having the DL.2s in the show "for their cost-effectiveness&

Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

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Germany - 3,500 blocs of ice with an overall weight of 320 tonnes were used for the world's largest Ice-Bar (300sq.m) in Schüttorf, Germany. The bar includes a discotheque, called Index, where nearly everything from furniture to walls is made of ice. To give the bar another very special touch there are about 52,000 LEDs - or 160 LED PAR-Spotlights -implemented into the building. Lighting control is done by grandMA onPC and an NSP. Index also utilizes two grandMA full-size and a grandMA light, and grandMA video is also integrated into the network.

"The grandMA consoles are easy to handle and immediately ready for action. Furthermore they're very versatile; they control everything but mainly multimedia devices like the server and LEDs. We use grandMA technology also because of its reliability and quality workmanship," explains Sven Janning of F.A.C.E., which provided pr

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UK - SDD Sound & Light has been awarded a distributorship for Bosch Security Systems. Steve Durrell, CEO for the SDD Group, said: "We are delighted that we have at last found in Bosch, a range of audio installation products that delivers everything in one package."

"Customers are increasingly requesting fully integrated digital systems that provide not only effective distribution and control of BGM along with selective paging but are also approved as emergency systems. The range of Bosch security products now allows us to supply complete solutions whereas historically we have had to 'mix and match' brands in order to achieve the desired results. We are now looking forward to supporting all of our clients, both trade and end user, with what must be the most advanced technology in this field."

SDD Communications, the installation arm in the SDD Group, already

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USA - From June to August, Bandit programmers Greg Shipley and Jeff Wilkin pushed the Compulite Vector Red and Blue consoles to their extremes. After a short time, it was evident both consoles were ready for Live TV and ready for the three weekly redesigns common to WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).

Greg Shipley, chief programmer, is running the Vector Red. Shipley says: "The console handles things very smoothly," and is "unmatched in processing power". He is driving anywhere from 8 to 16 universes worth of automated and LED fixtures. "There are very few consoles out there that can run a high volume of LED fixtures at 61 channels a piece with ease like the Vectors. I look forward to driving up to 40 universes through the one console on the next Wrestlemania."

Jeff Wilkin, lighting director and assistant programmer, is running the Vector Blue. H

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UK - A new partnership emerged at PLASA '06 between Strand Lighting Inc and Northern Light, after Strand approached Northern Light with a brief to design and build their exhibition stand at the international show. The 11 x 6.5m stand designed by Northern Light resulted in a versatile and welcoming exhibition space, ensuring that traffic throughout the four-day show was drawn in to view products and chat with Strand representatives, say Strand.

Ken Berreen, regional sales manager of Barndoor BV, representing Strand, said: "We were extremely pleased with the stand created by Northern Light for our participation in PLASA 06. The inclusion of a bar and seating area made sure that visitors felt secure enough to stay on stand as long as they wanted. The trussing and rostra enabled us to display our products to their best advantage."

Strand took the opportunity to display t

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Sweden - Wireless Solution Sweden AB is enjoying another successful post-PLASA period, after its third consecutive year exhibiting at the popular lighting and sound trade show. The company reported enormous interest in its new range of W-DMX products on display, including W-DMX T-512 Outdoor Transceiver, W-DMX D-512, the world's first wireless 3-way truss splitter, and W-DMX Micro - a mini DMX receiver with built-in battery backup of 6-8 hours use, signal display indication and battery lifetime. In addition, the RDM specification on W-DMX was shown for the first time at PLASA.

2006 has so far been a great year for W-DMX, the company says, with over 5,000 units of W-DMX being shipped worldwide in just nine months. More OEM partners have joined the wave of manufacturers offering wireless DMX in their equipment. Most recently, the Alpha Range from Clay Paky, LSC Lighting consoles f

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UK - The Effects Company has announced a supplement to its unique range of Aromatech essences for the Christmas season. These 'specials' have been specially blended to reflect the aromas that complement the season and "like all Aromatech essences, are renowned for their realism, say the company.

The 'seasonal specials' are Christmas Spice, Frankincense & Myrrh, Mince Pies and Mulled Wine. Pine and Cinnamon are also available from the standard range. The above six essences can also be ordered in a mixed box of 12 (2 x 6 essences), say the company.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Entec Lighting rose to the challenge of supplying lighting kit and crew to five separate, high profile offsite shows at London Fashion Week. The shows were for Paul Smith, Giles Deacon, Julien Macdonald, the Fashion Fringe competition for emerging talent and Russian fashion house Kisa.

The venues varied greatly - from a glass walled debating chamber in City Hall (the Mayor's office) to Rochelle School in Whitechapel. Some were not normally used to stage shows, and all presented their own unique sets of logistical and practical idiosyncrasies.

Overall LFW lighting co-ordination and project management was by Adam Stevenson, and the two site teams were led by Andy Keightley (Smith, Deacon, Macdonald) and Simon Honnor and Tony Austin. Entec worked for Inca Productions on the Macdonald, Deacon and Fashion Fringe events, for DSA Production Services on Paul Smith and for My Beau

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USA / Europe - To educate and assist users in selecting colour, Apollo Design Technology Inc has introduced a "better" gel swatch-book, the company says. The front of the data sheet that supplements each gel swatch now includes a full colour spectrum transmission curve for enhanced colour recognition, while the back contains a detailed colour description, suggested uses, and how the colour interacts with other elements such as scene paint and costumes.

Apollo's new user-friendly gel books are available in two formats. The standard book is free upon request. The Designer Edition, with 6.25" x 6.25" removable filter sheets for projection testing, carries a list price of $150. The cover of the Designer Edition can also be customized with personal, firm, or school names, titles and logos.

Apollo Gel Books also include seven new colours - Cherry Lewis, King Cong

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UK - The launch of the Roscolux range in Europe was welcomed by both US and European lighting designers, Rosco reports. The wider availability of the range offers access to these colours for shows on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as the opportunity to use colours that have been standard for American designers for 30 years.

"I have always felt comfortable using the Roscolux family of colours," says US lighting designer Kirk Bookman. "It offers the full range of saturated colours, middle ranges and tints. The continuing addition of colours keeps my personal colour palette fresh. I have always been able to count on the colour durability and consistency through the years."

Rick Fisher concurs: "It is great that Roscolux is available in Europe, particularly as it now gives designers access to some of the subtler shades that have been so useful in the

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USA - Theatrical Lighting Systems (TLS) recently held lighting seminars in the Huntsville and Nashville areas. The sessions were divided into 'lighting for churches' and 'lighting for theatre/entertainment', in order to give each group individualised attention.

The seminars included product demonstration from various manufacturer representatives including Rosco, Vari-Lite, High End, Thomas Engineering, ETC, Strong, and DeSisti.TLS offers these seminars on a regular basis as a free service to customers in order to create better relations and keep them informed about the newest innovations.

(Chris Henry)

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Europe - Hard rocking punk metallers Atreyu completed a short European and UK tour with LD Ian Bintliff producing a lightshow to match. The California based 4-piece stormed the UK replete with the screeching guitars, howling vocals and the visceral causticity that initially made them such an underground sensation on the West Coast. When it came to the UK section of the tour, Bintliff asked Blackburn-based HSL to supply crew and kit.

It was a short tour playing a selection of completely different venues - from Brixton Academy to Nottingham Rock City, so Bintliff's design had to be versatile.

He is one of those LD's who has the "ability and talent to make even the smallest rigs look really substantial" says HSL's MD Simon Stuart. Bintliff's style is from the more traditional school of stage lighting design that very much believes in starting with basic PAR washes and b

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USA - Color Kinetics Incorporated and Osram Sylvania today announced an agreement whereby Osram Sylvania will license Color Kinetics' patents for a product to be marketed by Gotham Architectural Downlighting, an Acuity Brands company.

Under the license, Osram Sylvania will create an intelligent, multi-color light-emitting diode (LED) system for Gotham. The global license will apply to sales of this product in all markets covered by Color Kinetics' patent portfolio.

"This is a significant agreement for Color Kinetics," said Bill Sims, President and CEO, Color Kinetics. "Earning the Osram Sylvania stamp of validation sends a strong message to the industry, and reaffirms the value of the innovations protected by our broad patent portfolio."

"The lighting industry is undergoing dramatic change as LED sources influence the design of completely new produc

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UK - PRG Europe has supplied lighting, truss and mains for the BBC Proms in the Park in Glasgow. Equipment provided for the event celebrating the last night of the Proms included over 55 Vari*Lite luminaires and 50 conventionals, including ETC Source Four Pars and Source Four Zooms, controlled from a Wholehog II plus a Catalyst media server. Lighting director for BBC Scotland was Jim McNamee, while PRG Europe's project manager was John McEvoy.

(Chris Henry)

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UK - Dialight Lumidrives, the UK based LED technology provider, has appointed SimonAldred as sales manager.

Aldred, 35, joins Dialight Lumidrives with over 10 years experience in the lighting and electronics industry. He joins having spent the previous five years selling high power LED technology in the UK and Europe in his role as Lumileds' UK supplier development manager. Aldred will be responsible for increasing significantly Dialight Lumidrive's sales in Europe over the next three years.

Gordon Routledge, managing director at Dialight Lumidrives says: "We are entering a period of rapid growth thanks to an increasing number of customers recognising our wide ranging LED expertise. Simon's role is to help us manage this demand and continue to widen our customer base."

Aldred adds: "Joining Dialight Lumidrives is a fantastic opportunity for me, as the company

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USA - Lighting designer Matt Mills recently specified over 50 Chroma-Q Color Block LED fixtures as part of his set lighting for the Three Doors Down US summer co-headline tour with Lynrd Skynyrd.

The 45-date tour for two of the country's biggest southern rock bands was in support of Three Doors Down's smash hit album Seventeen Days - one of the top five selling US rock albums of 2005 - and Lynrd Skynyrd's recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Lynrd Skynyrd was already on the road when Three Doors Down joined the tour, so Mills and Lynrd Skynyrd LD Steve Owens co-designed a new rig, doubling the size of it and incorporating the drum riser and backline elements from previous Three Doors Down tours.

As it was a scaled down version of the band's rig and they were reluctant to purchase another backdrop. Mills thought it would be a good opportunity to explore new c

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UK - With only one week to go before the first of this series of Hawthorn@Home events, a 'Pyro Day' on October 13 featuring a demonstration of pyrotechnics by Le Maitre, registrations for the event are doing well, the company reports. "The numbers and quality of the registrations we have already received is encouraging," says Alan Jackson of Hawthorn, "however, we still have capacity at the event to accommodate even more delegates."

Hawthorn regularly organise a series of events, which take place at its base at Old Dalby in Leicestershire. The events run under the heading Hawthorn@Home which give lighting, sound, AV and scenic materials users the opportunity to get hands on with the latest equipment and technology. It is intended the workshops will allow manufacturers, suppliers and users to discuss the products and to gain an insight not normally available o

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UK - Lighting Technology Projects (LTP) has completed the specification, supply and installation of a very elegant white lighting scheme for the Grade 1 listed All Soul's Church on Regent Street, in central London's famous Marylebone district.

Designed by King George IV's favourite architect John Nash, All Souls is a 'Waterloo' church, built in 1823 as part of the nation's thanksgiving for the victory of Wellington over Napoleon. Constructed from Bath stone, the design combines a graceful 160 ft Gothic style spire and a classical rotunda 'body'. It is the last surviving John Nash church.

LTP was contacted by designers LUXX, whose Martin Richman and Dominic Berning have worked with them on numerous other interesting, idiosyncratic and innovative architectural lighting projects. LTP's Terry Reeves says: "It's always a challenge working on Martin's projects - they push the a

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UK - Bandit Lites is supplying full lighting production and crew for LD Dave Lee on the current 7-week Journey South UK theatre tour, produced by Production North.

Bandit's Lester Cobrin was again asked onboard by Production North - the two companies are regular collaborators - after working together on the very successful X-Factor tour earlier in the year, which was also project managed by Cobrin.

Since coming third on the last series of X-Factor, Journey South, brothers Carl and Andy Pemberton from Middlesbrough, have built up a solid UK fan base which has helped spawn their first - and sold out - tour. This is a testament to the wide appeal of their music. The live show is primarily rocky, up-tempo and very dynamic. It kicks off with a scorching rendition of Thin Lizzie's classic The Boys are Back in Town, and also features plenty of their own original material.

Ba

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UK - The ABTT is looking to compile a list of the most useful things the British theatre technician might utilise in their working life, from entries submitted by its members and non-members alike.

Any item is eligible and suggestions so far include: the multi-tool; a 17mm box spanner; the hard hat; knee pads; Pilbrow's Stage Lighting Design; a sound pressure level meter; personalised crew room coffee mug; and, a walkie-talkie that works in the nearest pub.

Submissions should be sent to techequip@catherinecooperevents.co.uk by the end of October and include a contact number. One entry chosen at random after the closing date will receive a year's free ABTT membership subscription.

(Chris Henry)

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Canada - 102 year old Butchart Gardens in Victoria is one of Canada's top tourist attractions, covering 55 acres and renowned for its themed gardens, floral displays and spectacular views.

With between one and 1.5 million visitors per year, the gardens also host a range of events, including live music and, for 10 Saturday evenings in summer, a spectacular firework display.Being situated on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, the gardens are not an acoustically friendly environment, both in terms of physical location and climate. For more than six years, Victoria's DL Sound & Lighting had used Turbosound Flashlights at the venue and this year looked at ways to further improve sound coverage and quality for the weekly firework show.

The challenges that a new system had to overcome included high humidity and direct sunlight all day, the effects of a salt atmosphere - both in terms of

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UK - Northern Light have announced the arrival of Calder Sibbald as their new events manager. Prior to joining the company, Calder was branch manager of Tower Productions South where he worked on glamorous A-List celebrity parties and events.

Calder possesses a degree in Stage Management and Theatre Production gained at Queen Margaret University College. Whilst at university, Calder moonlighted as technical manager for two Edinburgh institutions - The Venue and Liquid Rooms nightclubs.

Calder says: "This is an exciting opportunity for me to develop Northern Light's Events division. Since I was at school, I have worked in various fields of production in Scotland, the UK and Europe. In conjunction with Gregor Murray, our events services manager, I'll be working to build up Northern Light's market share of corporate and celebrity event production."

Northern Light's ma

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Italy / China - During the recent Italian Government mission to China, the Prime Minister - accompanied by four ministers and the Chairman of Confindustria (the Confederation of Italian Industries), and with 600 businessmen in tow - met with top Chinese leaders.

Formal events alternated with festivities on a grand scale, such as the concert to mark the opening in Guangzhou of the Third International Small and Medium Industries Fair/Chinese-Italian Small and Medium Industries Fair. This memorable event was staged in a vast auditorium, where a battery of Coemar iSpots S was well able to handle a show of such gigantic size. This typifyies a market (China) where Coemar's presence is constantly growing, thanks to some dynamic joint ventures. The lighting for the event was provided by Hu Jia (lighting designer), the Guangdong Singing and Dancing Performer Group (lighting contractor) e

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