UK - Avolites Media Ai Media Servers have been used to power the stunning visuals that punctuated British born superstar Jessie J's latest heart pumping European tour Alive.

Designed by show designer Vince Foster, with visual content created by Paul Caslin, the widescreen style set comprised three portrait-hung LED Screens upstage, while the curvaceous set was visually sculpted using 600 horizontally positioned BARCO MiStrips.

The content featured a mix of pre-recorded content and live camera feeds mixed by vision director Steven Price, all powered by Avolites Media's industry-leading Ai infinity 8 Server with eight Full HD outputs.

Video specialists Creative Technology supplied the Avolites Media intelligent video mapping technology along with the LED screens, MiStrips and the technical team to run it.

"What made the Ai Media server particularly helpful for th

Europe - High End Systems, a Barco company, and AED Distribution have agreed on a partnership for the European Master Distributorship of High End Systems products.

After the successful introduction of the HOG4 platform in 2012-2013, High End Systems decided to further professionalize the sales of High End products in Europe through the concept of Master Distribution. AED Distribution, who has been Master Distributor for High End Systems in the BeNeLux, France and the UK in 2013, was appointed as European Master Distributor.

The European partnership includes all EU countries, incl. Russia, Turkey and Ukraine but with the exception of the Scandinavian Countries, Portugal, Italy, and Greece. AED Distribution already appointed AC Entertainment (UK), Interlight (NL), Lagoona (FR), Eclalux (FR), T&C (FR), Preworks (Austria), SIM (Russia) and Elit (Turkey) as Sub-Distributors.

Rena

USA - The distinctive ensemble Mannheim Steamroller was marking the 29th anniversary of its Christmas concert tours with a multimedia display featuring a light show and big-screen images and videos synchronised with their music. Lighting designer Richard Jackson included a grandMA2 light console for control.

Mannheim Steamroller debuted their first Christmas album in 1984 combining the group's signature mix of baroque instruments and rock 'n roll beats to give a fresh twist to holiday classics. This time two tours of six-member ensembles were playing 80 dates on a Christmas tour.

"Mannheim Steamroller is the longest-running, best-selling Christmas show of all time," declared Jackson, who has been the tour's lighting designer for the last five years. "I design the show with the production manager and lighting director for the other tour. I go out with one of the

Israel - Ronen Najar, one of Israel's leading lighting designers, specified Robe moving lights as the backbone of his design for the 2013 Festigal event in Israel.

Festigal is an elaborate and high profile song and dance show for children staged for five weeks each year during Hanukkah in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Beersheva featuring many well-known Israeli singing and dance stars.

It's the biggest children's show in the country and In Tel Aviv it was staged in a 6500 capacity arena at the Exhibition Centre playing between two and four times a day - all sold out - keeping its young and demanding audiences enraptured.

This latest show was staged in-the-round with an X-shaped set designed by Nitzan Rafael and built by Irgunit, which was the starting point for Najar's lighting design. The lighting needed to be flexible, colourful and fluid to deal with the li

UK - In September 2013 a team of music lovers opened the doors to Control, an impressive, large-scale new night club based in Leeds. Since opening, the club has welcomed a wide range of artists through its doors including: Solomun, 2manyDJs, Tensnake, Groove Armada, Pete Tong, Greg Wilson, James Zabiela, Pendulum, Professor Green and countless others.

As well as being designed in sleek, modern colours, the club boasts an impressive Funktion One sound system along with large-scale lights and lasers, CO2 cannons, gigantic party poppers and exciting extra sensory stimulation in the form of the venue's unique Geodome - a 'cage' of thousands of LEDS that fills the venue's second room.

Club owner, Jim comments: "The Geodome idea was born about five years ago after a trip to the Eden Project in Cornwall. The sheer scale of the building structure was incredible and I simply had t

UK - Lighting, sound and vision specialists Illuminate Design has moved to new purpose-built premises in Colchester, paving the way for an expansion of the company's services and product portfolio.

The move comes on the back of a highly successful year in which the company has seen continued growth, particularly in the theatre, corporate and leisure sectors.

In addition to extended office space, the new premises provide improved warehousing facilities which will allow the company to achieve faster turnaround times, whilst a new technical suite will be used for product demonstrations and technical training. Customers will also be able to visit the company's new trade counter which provides fast access to its extensive inventory of audio, AV, lighting and staging products, together with a growing stock of consumables, including lamps, tapes, colour filters, and effects.

The ne

Spain - The UK's Projection Advertising has been commissioned by design agency Marmalade London to create projections for the launch of 'Make Happy', the AW2014 collection from bags and luggage manufacturer Kipling. The launch event, which took place in the stunning Casa Llotja de Mar in Barcelona, included two highly vivid pieces of projection work by Projection Advertising.

The centrepiece of the launch was a 3D set that spelled 'HAPPY', and this was the canvas upon which Projection Advertising beamed the animation. While guests took their seats, the projection traced different coloured light around the 3D set and gradually filled each letter with solid colour. With everyone seated, the 'wow' animation began: a one-minute show with audio, introducing animal print patterns, each revealed strip by strip to the rhythm of C2C's track Happy until each letter was completely covered.

UK - Jonathan 'Leggy' Armstrong, LD for world-famous electronic dance music act Basement Jaxx, has been exploiting the capabilities of a range of Clay Paky fixtures to create 'out-of-this-world' lighting on their latest UK tour.

To translate Basement Jaxx's signature psychedelic music style into a dynamic series of beat sharp, multi-layered lighting states Armstrong harnessed the multi-faceted effect engines of the Clay Paky Alpha Spot QWO 800s, Sharpy Wash 330, Alpha Wash 1500s alongside the classic Clay Paky Sharpy.

"We've been touring with the Sharpy for the past year," says Armstrong of his choice of fixtures, supplied by hire company Neg Earth. "We've kept them on for the production tour for the obvious reason - there is no other fixture quite like them.

"As for our decision to go with the rest of the Clay Paky package, this time round we needed fix

Belgium - Lighting & visual designer Luc Peumans of Genk, Belgium based creative practice Painting With Light designed lighting and visuals for the new series of popular TV music quiz show Sing That Song which was recorded at Londerzeel Studios and broadcast weekly on national TV channel, VRT.

Recorded in front of a live audience and presented by Peter Van de Veire, two teams comprising a piano-playing captain and two singers - some very well known - battled it out with their musical knowledge, improvisational skills and talent.

The overall stage design followed an international Sing That Song format with two pianos centre-stage and six screens upstage which displayed song titles - then performed by the teams.

It was the first time that Peumans has lit the show, directed by Ruben Braekvelt and Johan Verstuyft, well known as the country's most prolific music TV directo

UK - As the new European Master Distributor for High End Systems, AED Distribution continues its commitment to providing the best opportunities for product training, with the first HOG4 training course of 2014.

The Training course will be on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 January at the LH2 Studios located in the heart of Park Royal, and just a few minutes from Park Royal Underground Station and the A40 and North Circular Road.

The course is open to a total of 12 Lighting Professionals and provides a hands-on chance to train on the latest HOG4 Family consoles. The training course is run by Frank Schotman, product specialist from AED Distribution. Frank has led many of these HOG4 courses both in the UK and across Mainland Europe.

AED Distribution started providing free HES product trainings in 2013, with almost 200 people attending these courses, 75 of those attending in the UK.

France - LumenRadio reports that their CRMX OEM modules will be available as standard in Ayton's new interior architectural luminare, the MADesign fixture.

MADesign combines an original conception of a sleek design together with new RGBW sources and 45 mm high performance optics, which allows an infinite palette of rich pastel or saturated colors. The upper part of the fixture has 5 individually adjustable spotlights and a backlight device is present on the rear of the fixture.

MADesign was displayed in Ayrton's stand during the recent LDI Show in Las Vegas and received great interest from a steady stream of visitors.

Yvan Péard, managing director at Ayrton comments, "We've had many comments about how great the MADesign fixture is, and we are very pleased to offer all MADesign fixtures with LumenRadio's OEM modules as standard. Our product range is constantly exp

UK / Australia - International lighting designer Hartley T A Kemp traversed the globe at the end of 2013 armed with Philips Selecon's PL range of LED fixtures to light two very different shows - Land of Our Fathers at Theatre503, London; and Sweet Nothings, at Australian Theatre for Young People's independent works season Under the Wharf, Sydney.

Hartley - who in addition to his lighting designs for some of the world's most prestigious companies and productions is Artistic Director of C venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - utilised Selecon's PLprofile1s, PLfresnel1s, and PLcyc1s on both shows.

Set in a Welsh coal mine and focusing on miners trapped underground as Margaret Thatcher is elected, Land of Our Fathers is nominated for five Off West End Awards - Best Director, Best Production, Best Set, Best New Play - and Best Lighting.

"We wanted t

USA - Elation Professional's 300W Satura Spot LED Pro RGBW moving head is now shipping. As bright as a traditional 575W discharge fixture, the Satura Spot LED Pro consumes half as much energy and its long-life LED engine lasts on average 80 times longer than a 575W discharge source.

"We are very excited to have this ground-breaking fixture out to the market," states Elation sales director Eric Loader. "While its advanced LED engine produces enough output to make it a viable replacement option for conventional discharge spot fixtures, the beam is also very crisp with an extremely flat field of light, which puts it in a league with the best spot fixtures on the market. Add in the savings in energy and on lamps and it's a hard package to beat."

A full spectrum of saturated colours combines with 13 gobos (six rotating, seven static) and variable colour temperat

USA / Europe - ADJ has released the higher powered Monster Beam, 25W LED Moonflower, offering thicker beams in red, green, blue, white and now amber.

The Moonflower effect has always been one of the most popular effects among DJs, nightclubs, bars, roller rinks and bowling centres because of its ease-of-use and colourful, moving beams of light that help create excitement for any type of party.

The new Monster Beam takes your lightshow to the next level with a higher capacity LED engine than any other ADJ Moonflower to date, says the company. In fact, this fixture boasts a massive 25-Watts of LED output, creating "monstrous" thick beams to be used with or without fog. The fixture's beam angle is an impressive 29-degrees, and easily covers a large area. If fog is not allowed, the Monster Beam's large, bright dot patterns may still be projected at a wall, ceiling or the

Italy - Piazza della Scala, a meeting place for Milan's high society and home to its iconic opera house, was the scene of Polvere di Stelle (stardust), a beautiful son et lumière show which extended throughout the Christmas holiday period, from 16 December 2013 to 7 January 2014.

Seven Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500s projected elegant images of stars together with greetings in different languages over the entire square and on the façades of the important buildings that surround it. The lights were accompanied by background music consisting of refined works by artists, such as Jan Garbarek, Lisa Gerrard, Stephan Micus, Eleni Danielsson and Vangelis.

Under the watchful eyes of the statue of Leonardo da Vinci, a symbol of Italian creative genius, the square became a magical kaleidoscope that conjured up a warm atmosphere. It was highly appreciated by the citizens and numer

USA - RGB Lights, the creators of FlexiFlex, has announced that on 3 December 2013, the US Patent and Trademark Office issued Patent Number US 8,599,104 B2, entitled 'Modular Lighting and Video Apparatus', for FlexiFlex, which was invented by Brett A. Gardner. The patent, assigned to RGB Lights Inc, covers the company's modular flexible panels for mounting lighting strands which RGB Lights Inc produces out of Lincolnwood, Illinois.

"We are very excited about officially being issued the FlexiFlex patent," says Brett Gardner, RGB Lights' founder. "We look forward to continue to find applications that marry our customers' desired customisation with the flexible capabilities that FlexiFlex provides across several marketplaces."

(Lee Baldock)

Israel - The X-Factor reality show is a multinational singing competition originated and created by Simon Cowell in the UK. Since then, many countries have adapted the format and began airing their own national version, including Israel.

For the first time and for the first season, X-Factor Israel took place at the primetime of the Israeli Channel 2 TV network. The first show of the season drew a record rating of 40% - the highest rating ever made for a music show.

The whole season was lit by lighting designer Dakar Azulay and lighting operator Yaron Shush, who relied on the Vector Reds and Vector Ultra Violet consoles.

The final show on January 14th was one of the biggest events in the Israeli TV. Therefore, a high standard of performances was expected in all aspects, especially in terms of the lighting. The two Vector Reds, one Vector Ultra Violet and one Vector PC Wing as

UK - Blackout provided extensive draping for this year's star studded National Television Awards (NTAs) held at the O2 Arena, 22 January 2014.

Broadcast live on ITV1 and hosted by Dermot O'Leary, the glittering ceremony saw TV's biggest stars out in force for the 19th annual event. The evening saw Coronation Street steal the show, taking home the serial Drama Award and Geordie duo Ant and Dec triumphed picking up a handful of gongs, including the Entertainment Presenter Award for the 13th consecutive year.

Contracted by NTA producers Indigo Television, Blackout installed black wool serge drapes 82 metres wide with an 18 metre drop, to create the desired effect for the TV broadcast. The drapes were shaped around the large 19m by 9.5m screen, which was the focal point of the show, with additional drapes used to mask off the arena to create the environment for the spectacu

UK - There's little doubt that Maroon 5 are riding high at the moment. This is a band who radiate confidence and self-assured accomplishment in their live performances. Here in the UK and Europe in January to complete a date sheet interrupted by front man Adam Levine's TV commitments to the US version of The Voice, another outfit might have opted for a pared down version of their stage production for just a few shows. Not so for Maroon 5. With a stage set, laser show, video and lighting design by Eric Wade, a veteran of the likes of Usher, Mariah Carey and Eric Clapton, this was a show to blow away all of those January blues.

"I am using a ton of Clay Paky fixtures on this show," says Wade, "probably the most ever. There are Sharpies, Alpha Profile 1500s, Alpha Wash 1500s and Sharpy Washes. I really, really like the Alpha Wash which I specified when I origi

UK - Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity have been breakdancing around the UK's biggest arenas in a dynamic show entitled Limitless. Lighting designer Neil Trenell's beat-perfect show design, featured sophisticated pyrotechnics and a backdrop of stunning video visuals, all cleverly punctuated with intense bursts of light from an array of Philips Showline LED SL NITRO 510s.

Trenell's lighting trusses carried a number of LED wash and profile fixtures, peppered at regular intervals with Showline SL NITRO 510s. Although he only used 14 in total he used them in a multiplicity of imaginative ways including full on audience blinders, single snare accents, and flash flares.

"Incredibly, the SL NITRO 510s make it looks like there are at least 100 strobes on stage - not just 14," explains Trenell. "I'm impressed, you get serious bang for your buck from th

UK - Successful UK pop band JLS completed their final tour just before Christmas complete with a bold and vibrant lighting and visuals design by Dave Lee and lighting equipment for the tour supplied by HSL to live producers, Production North.

As the four members of JLS - JB Gill, Marvin Humes, Aston Merrygold and Ortisé Williams - are moving on to pursue solo careers and new projects five years after bursting onto the music scene as runners up on the 2008 X-Factor series. Since then they have had numerous number one hits, completed four major tours and sold over 10 million records worldwide.

Both HSL - where the account was project managed by Mike Oates - and Dave Lee have been involved right from the start of JLS's meteoric career, seeing the band grow and develop into a pop-tastic tour de force that has entertained audiences everywhere.

Mike Oates comments, &

UK - NL Productions, the Edinburgh-based events arm of Northern Light Stage and Technical Services Ltd, has become a major stockist of Clay Paky fixtures in Scotland following a considerable investment with the manufacturer's UK distributor, Ambersphere Solutions.

NL Productions has purchased 30 of Clay Paky's latest industry-leading luminaires, including A.LEDA WASH K10s, Sharpys, Sharpy Washes and Alpha Spot QWO 800s.

"There aren't many Sharpys in rental stocks this far north yet," points out NL Productions' hire manager John Pike. "We were keen to introduce the Sharpy into the Scottish events market and felt we were well placed to do this. Our top level clients are very aware that the Sharpy is delivering many of the looks of the moment and they are keen to use them on their own events."

In fact, since the Sharpys and Sharpy Washes have been added to N

Italy - Following a successful Showlight in the Czech Republic last year, and with a little over three years to go to the next one, incoming Showlight chairman John Allen has announced that Clay Paky is to be the main sponsor of Showlight 2017.

Organised by lighting professionals for lighting professionals, Showlight exists specifically to give people time to talk, to discuss ideas and to mix with some of the best known names in the lighting industry. It is only the support given by companies such as Clay Paky, by providing generous 'seed' money, that enables Showlight to take place.

Pio Nahum, marketing director of Clay Paky, said, "It is a big honour for us to bring Showlight to Italy. Our country has had a great influence in the development of performing arts and related technologies - you only have to think of how famous Italian theatre, opera and ballet are. For cent

France - Top French TV lighting designer David Seligmann-Forest for Lite4life again specified Robe products to light the popular reality TV show MasterChef France, series 4 of which was recorded at La Plaine Studios, St Denis, Paris, and broadcast on the TF1 network.

Seligman-Forest has lit all four series of MasterChef France for producers Shine France. The MasterChef franchise is the world's best loved TV gastronomic phenomena - and he has used more and more Robe lights over the years on this and all his other work. Robe is definitely his moving light of choice.

For the three months of shooting the MasterChef France 4 episodes in the special studio workshop, his lighting rig contained four Robin LEDWash 1200s, 39 x Robin LEDWash 600s, 20 x RobinLEDWash 300s and eight of the small super-quick-and-bright Robin LEDBeam 100s.

"It's absolutely essential to ha

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