Czech Republic - Robe lighting is sponsoring Czech MotoGP racer Karel Abraham for the 2013 Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix - the premier championship in the world of motorcycle road racing.

Karel, aged 23 and born in Brno, Czech Republic, is competing as part of the Cardion AB team for the 2013 season, riding a super-charged new cutting-edge Aprilia ART (Aprilia Racing Technology) bike.

Says Robe CEO Josef Valchar, "We are extremely proud to be sponsoring Karel, who is competing in his third season at the very top level of international motorcycle road racing. He is young, ambitious, talented and has all the qualities required to become a champion in one of the most exciting motorsports."

(Jim Evans)

Russia - The 10th anniversary 2012 Muz TV Awards, held at the famed Olimpiisky stadium in Moscow was more than a showcase of top musical talent, it also provided a backdrop (both literally and figuratively) to demonstrate the capabilities of Light Converse's 3D Show Platform software and server hardware in action

The more than three hour show (Muz TV is Russia's answer to MTV) depended heavily on awe-inspiring visuals to match the level of performance onstage. Besides a magical-looking crown-like three screen center piece over center stage, video elements were also projected on two large arches (33m x 15m) stage left and right. The multiple piece arches, which opened and closed as acts performed or readied their place on either the left and right stages, required precise video mapping as content was projected while sliding elements of each arch dynamically moved in seven directi

UK - As part of the company's international expansion strategy, Northern Light has announced the appointment of Terry Abbs.

Abbs will be responsible for Northern Light's international business development activities and has many years' experience of successfully implementing global sales strategies for the entertainment technology sector.

Abbs commented, "It's great to have joined Northern Light at this exciting time for the company and I'm looking forward to working closely with the team to develop and expand our international business strategy. I have known Northern Light for many years, both as a partner and a competitor, and it is a company I have always respected as being highly professional and committed to delivering quality and innovation with conscience."

Colin Cuthbert, managing director of Northern Light, concluded, "I'm delighted that we have secur

UK - Later this month, entertainment lighting specialist White Light will showcase the latest lighting and effects solutions for film and television at the BVE Expo, which moves to ExCel London for this year's event on 26-28 February.

Exhibiting for the third consecutive year, White Light sees the BVE Expo as an opportunity to bring its comprehensive selection of products and services to the broadcast and TV industries. "It is important for us to support industry professionals with the right tools for the job," says sales director Peter Threadgold, "The BVE Expo gives us a great opportunity to share our newest lighting technologies and hear feedback directly from customers."

On stand AA15, White Light will display products from Altman, Arri, Coemar, CORE Lighting, Galaxia Electronics, Look Solutions, PR Lighting, Prism Projection, Robert Juliat and Rosco.

USA - Bandit Lites reports that it is lighting Barry Manilow's return to Broadway. After more than two decades, Manilow brings his l collection of hits to the St. James Theatre on Broadway. Opening night for Manilow on Broadway was Tuesday, 29 January 2013 and the show will run until 2 March.

Lighting designer Seth Jackson worked diligently with Manilow to create an elegant and polished environment for the intimacy of a Broadway house. While some lighting designers could be daunted by the compact environment, Jackson adapted his design to fit the traditional venue with legs, borders and proscenium.

"Cues can have more subtly and precision, colour choices can read much clearer, and the kind of looks and focus choices you make are much more contained," said Jackson of the smaller space. "We did our best in the process to forego the 'usuals' of the concert look and

Canada - The North American premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Wizard of Oz was set for the new year at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre, where a pair of grandMA2s is now on hand to control lighting and video for the new musical.

A.C.T Lighting Canada, in Toronto, supplied the grandMA2s to programmer Joe Allegro of Artistic Illuminations. Hugh Vanstone is the show's lighting designer.

"The show was originally on grandMA 'series 1', but we decided to move all the lighting and video to grandMA2 when the show was remounted in Toronto," says Allegro. "The decision was based on the length of the show commitment: eight months in Toronto and then on tour. In terms of hardware, the grandMA2 is a new platform and very solid; 99 percent of the information from the original production has come across."

Allegro is particularly pleased with the grandMA2's perfor

USA - Syncrolite has announced the appointment of respected industry veteran David Keighley as Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, effective from 1 January this year. Jack Calmes - founder of the company in 1984 - continues as President/CEO but with a view to gradually hand over the reins as he plans for his eventual retirement.

Keighley has relocated from the UK to Syncrolite's headquarters on Royal Lane, Dallas, to lead ongoing global efforts with the Syncrolite staff and crew. Jimmy Page heads the live event side of rental and sales, while Keighley will also concentrate on live events with heavy focus on the architectural and sports lighting markets.

As part of the new business model, Syncrolite has also gained a new private equity partner, Hall Capital Partners, based in Oklahoma. "With the backing of Hall Capital, we can continue to develop and impr

UK - Pharos Architectural Controls has announced that Mark de Gruyter has joined the company as senior sales manager responsible for the EMEA region.

Chris Hunt, managing director of Pharos, said, "Mark's years of sales experience will be invaluable in helping to develop our client base and his appointment ensures we can respond quickly and effectively to the needs of our customers in these territories."

Previously representing Element Labs, Vari*Lite/PRG, High End Systems and most recently Kinesys, de Gruyter commented, "It's a busy and exciting time of growth at Pharos and this is a great opportunity to be part of the continued development of the brand and technology. I'm pleased to be working alongside a familiar group of clever and inspiring industry professionals and look forward to building upon relationships with existing and new clients and helping the c

USA - FocusTrack, the leading lighting documentation software, recently helped Blue Man Group document Kevin Adam's lighting design for the Group's new Las Vegas production, performing now at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino.

The show marked the debut of FocusTrack's new support for MA Lighting's grandMA2 console, which received its first beta test on the show and came through it with flying colours.

"Joel Silver, the associate lighting designer on the show, has just the worst timing - or perhaps a very pioneering spirit," comments FocusTrack's creator, Rob Halliday. "Back in 2007 he got in touch wanting to use FocusTrack with the Eos console on Young Frankenstein; the show became the first to use FocusTrack with an Eos. Now here he was again, asking to use FocusTrack with a grandMA2 - something we were in the process of doing, but certainly weren't done

Australia - For the second year running, Victorian Opera staged a pantomime for children at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne.

Their 2013 production of Sleeping Beauty saw the return of the creative team behind Victorian Opera's first pantomime Cinderella, with set design by Julie Nelson and lighting by Richard Vabre.

The lighting was supplied by Resolution X with eight Martin MAC Vipers making their operatic debut in Australia.

"I had been eager to use Martin MAC Vipers for some time and so I pitched the idea to Richard Vabre," said Peter Darby, technical coordinator for Victorian Opera. "He was very keen too and used them throughout the show specifically for some fantastic gobo washes across the stage. The Viper's multiple gobo wheels are great for this. I was very pleased with their performance; they're very punchy, fast and bright. I also foun

Canada - Longueuil, Quebec based rental specialist Ranger Son Éclairage has invested in Robe moving lights, initially buying 16 ROBIN MMX Spots and then following up with 24 x LEDBeam 100s.

The company was founded 15 years ago by François Ranger and is focused on servicing corporate events and presentations of all types, and providing design services and full turnkey solutions to the very highest standards.

This is their first purchase of moving lights, so not being tied in to any previous commitments or alignments, they had the freedom to consider all the options very carefully before making a decision on which brand was best suited to their needs explains lighting designer Anthony Ranger.

He arranged demonstrations of products from all the leading moving light manufacturers to ensure they could make an informed and well researched choice.

They ideally sought a fi

Czech Republic - The O2 arena in Prague one again welcomed thousands of electronic dance music fans from all around the world for another Transmission show. Following the theme The Spiritual Gateway each of the performing artists had their own show that focused on an element of the spirituality of old religions and ancient ideas.

Lighting designer and programmer Bas Kemper worked with two grandMA2 full-size consoles and one x MA NPU (Network Processing Unit) as well as one MA onPC command wing to control more than 240 moving lights.

Kemper commented, "In the past years we have had a good experience with the grandMA 'series 1' because of its excellent networking capabilities, the easy setup and the personalisation of the desk with the potential to previsualise the show using grandMA 3D. Now the grandMA2 makes things even more comfortable and enhances the perf

Canada - The award-winning W-DMX technology by Wireless Solution Sweden AB was once again used on Canada's prestigious Grey Cup halftime show produced by Electric Aura and featuring famed Canadian performer Justin Bieber.

The Canadian Football League celebrated the 100th championship with the Toronto Argonauts and Calgary Stampeders at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The game, along with the SiriusXM Grey Cup Halftime Show was seen by a live audience of 50,000 and broadcast via TV and the Internet to millions in Canada, the U.S. and beyond, making the event the most-watched Grey Cup and halftime show in CFL history.

Vancouver-based production company Electric Aura was responsible for the design of the show. Production designer Robert Sondergaard and lighting director Jason McKinnon teamed up with producer Patrick Roberge of Patrick Roberge Productions and rental company Christie Lit

Portugal - The first Robe Robin MMX Spots in Portugal have been delivered to Aveiro based rental lighting and sound company, FM Formato Musical, by Robe's Portuguese distributors, NAN.

FM Formato Musical wanted a high output, flexible moving head spotlight with smooth CMY colour mixing that would offer plenty of creative options for producing different and spectacular effects.

They also liked the light weight and low energy consumption of the MMX Spot and the resulting reduction in on-going maintenance costs.

The managing partners of FM Formato Musical said, "NAN offered a product that truly met all our needs, as well as demonstrating the MMX Spots with great efficiency and knowledge ... which greatly contributed to our final decision to buy them."

In the process of updating its rental fleet with the latest and most energy efficient technologies, FM Productions w

UK - Lighting designer Peter Mumford has used ETC's latest generation of LED fixtures - the Source Four LED Lustr+ profile - to light Old Times at The Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly the Comedy Theatre) in London's West End.

Locked away in a secluded farmhouse, the three characters in Old Times reminisce about their early days together in London. But with conflicting memories and underlying sexual tensions, the past suddenly feels vividly present.

"Having 'road tested' individual fixture units previously," says Mumford, "I wanted to try them incorporated as a significant part of my rig design. This is the only real way that one can properly try them out in the context of a production. For Old Times, I particularly wanted to be able to change colour subtly within very long, slow changing cues.

"I used 24 units - in three banks of eight

UK - Marl International has transformed the sports hall at one of the North of England's most prestigious independent schools, Abbey Gate College, Cheshire, by installing LED lighting that improved the hall environment, and provided much brighter and more even lighting that comes on instantly.

Commenting on the installation of LED lights at Abbey Gate College, business manager Andrew Bache said, "The real appeal of Marl LED lights for us is the convenience and improvement in the environment. Though the sodium lights were adequate for football and gymnastics, the hall is also used for examinations and social events. We were able to dramatically increase the light level in the hall, ensuring the corners as well as the central area is brightly lit. The LED lights are much whiter and very much more even, since the output of the sodium lamps degrades noticeably as they age."

UK - Peterborough-based production supplier Pearce Hire has recently demonstrated their significant capabilities in the touring sector. The company provided a three-truss lighting rig and technician for the latest Jools Holland UK winter tour.

Pearce Hire has worked with Midland Sound & Lighting and Jools Holland's production team for several years and this was the second full winter tour for Jools Holland that they have been involved in.

The lighting rig complemented by on-site technical support included 18 Martin MAC 700 Profiles and 12 Robe Robin LEDWash 1200s. Additional fixtures included Robert Juliat Cyrano follow spots and a number of Studio Due CS4s purchased specifically by Pearce Hire to service the tour.

"Over the years we have formed a strong working relationship with Jools' production manager Andy Salmon, and LD Simon Chandler-Honnor," comments John Hu

France - French rental house Phase 4 has invested in 50 of the new VL3015LT Spot luminaires from Philips Vari-Lite. This makes Phase 4 the first lighting rental supplier in Europe to be able to offer the fixtures to its customers.

Paris-based Philips Vari-Lite distributor, CSI, supplied the 50 VL3015LT Spots to Phase 4, which now holds the largest stock of Vari-Lite automated luminaires in France. The substantial Phase 4 investment in the VL3015LT Spots followed a demo to the company's consoles and peripherals manager Georges DaSilva.

"Philips Vari-Lite is a strong brand," comments DaSilva. "In addition to its powerful output and its incredible zoom, the VL3015LT Spot maintains the same well respected color quality that has set the standard for the profession. All the customers that attended demonstrations have reported being hugely impressed with the VL3015LT f

Belgium - Lighting designer Pim Elberse of PimmerPacK specified 100 Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700s to deliver bright beam flexibility for the 15th anniversary show of Dutch rock band Within Temptation.

Elberse, who worked along set designer Ignace d'Haese from Arf & Yes, used the Alpha Beam 700's fast moving ability to generate some stunning and dynamic mid-air and onstage effects. The result was a light show to remember at the 18,500-capacity Antwerps Sportpaleis in Antwerp, Belgium.

Supplied by PRG / EML Belgium, 50 Alpha Beams were placed on the floor in between the orchestra and band, and a further 50 Alpha Beams were flown on trusses. Each of the flow fixtures were rigged on an individual drop-arm that could drop 10 metres creating a dramatic, multi-dimensional environment for the band to perform in.

"The Alpha Beam 700s don't just feature Pan and Tilt," explains E

USA - North American entertainment technology reseller, A.C. Lighting has announced the appointment of Greg Russell as South Western regional sales manager.

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Russell's new appointment will see him promoting A.C. Lighting Inc.'s extensive range of exclusive entertainment technology brands throughout the South Western United States.

Russell has been working in the production entertainment industry for over 25 years providing lighting, sound, rigging, design, installation and production management to a range of clients including high profile artists, venues and television shows.

A.C. Lighting Inc.'s vice president of US sales and marketing, Fred Mikeska comments, "Greg's vast experience in the entertainment production world, coupled with his technical product knowledge will be extremely valuable for our growing customer base... We are very pleased

UK - Highlite International BV has announced that from 1February 2013, David Swindlehurst will join the Highlite UK team as UK & IE Sales Agent for their Artecta range of architectural lighting products .

Swindlehurst comes with years of experience of LED Lighting, having worked within the Entertainment & Architectural industry & has dealt with many blue chip companies.

(Jim Evans)

Mexico / Italy - LDR continues to reinforce its global distribution network with, the appointment of Vari Internacional as its exclusive distributor for Mexico, representing the whole LDR range.

LDR's Fabiano Besio comments: "Italy and Mexico have never been so close and I am glad to have Vari to represent LDR's products. We share the same passion for professional lighting and attention to the customers' needs . . . we are committed to provide quality products and fast service in Mexico."

Founded in 1985, Vari Internacional is one of the leading suppliers to the cinema market for Mexico and Central America: to keep up with the sweeping changes in the cinema industry, Vari is now specialising in offering a full AVL solutions for the professional industry. Ing. Hugo Patiño Cuellar, general manager at Vari, said: "LDR is a great addition to the existing portfolio

Australia - The Lightmoves Group of companies, which includes Lightmoves, Resolution X, Balanced Technology and Browns Precision Welding, has successfully completed the acquisition of the stock, assets, and hire assets of Lots of Watts (LOW), and is now trading as Lots of Watts Australia. Operating from the existing LOW premises at 22 South St Rydalmere, many of the existing staff has joined this new company.

Speaking after the acquisition was completed, sales director of LOWA and managing director of Lightmoves Braham Ciddor said, "We are excited that we have been able to successfully conclude this acquisition, as Lots of Watts has been a company that we have always considered as being an organisation with a very similar pedigree, ethics and expertise to our own. To have the opportunity to harness LOW's expertise and position in the NSW market along with the Lightmoves Gro

Czech Republic - It was the proverbial 'match made in heaven' when lighting designers Ladislav Ho?ák and Zden?k Mácha chose to use Robe moving lights at the core of their design for legendary singer Karel Gott's recent tour.

The tour played arenas throughout the Czech and Slovak Republics including Prague's 18,000 capacity O2.

Gott is the Czech Republic's most successful and best known singer. His impressive and dynamic international career spans six decades during which time he's been at the forefront of many new and innovative musical trends, including being a pioneer of emerging Czechoslovakian pop music in the early 1960s. His numerous recordings have sold millions worldwide.

Lighting equipment was supplied by Prague based rental company Audioblue Productions SRO, who have serviced Gott's live shows for several years.

The moving lights comprised 22 x Robe Robin MMX S

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