UK - At this year’s PLASA Show, on stand D4, Data Strategy will showcase QC-Check’s integration with SimplyPATS, a software programme that specialises in providing the download of data from over 50 PAT Testers. This integration was developed to allow QC-Check to import into its database the test results from other manufacturers’ Portable Appliance Testers. It offers the facility to use the powerful QC-Check database to selectively filter equipment requiring a test into manageable chunks of data and download it to the client testers. The new SimplyPats integration will be demonstrated on an operational, two-bay QC-check workstation. New and existing customers will see the simplicity of adding test results to one database of equipment for which a portable PAT tester is the only logistical solution. The two-bay QC-Check workstation, custom engineered for Data
UK - Artistic Licence is featuring a spread of new and established products at Olympia. Commissioner multi is a hand-held tool for testing, programming and configuring DMX512/RDM and DALI lighting installations or fixtures that has already generated considerable interest. candlePower octo is being officially launched at PLASA Show 2021. It is a DMX512/RDM controlled eight-channel LED dimmer. Each channel can be individually set to constant current (CC) or constant voltage (CV). sunDial quad is an award-winning DMX512/RDM controlled 4-channel trailing edge mains dimmer. The product works 'out of the box' with dimmable replacement LED bulbs. For those who use DALI, Artistic Licence will be showing its latest DMX512-to-DALI conversion product, DMXtoDALI quad. With support for DALI DT8 (colour), DMXtoDALI quad is specified for the new generation of DALI prod
USA - The Brooklyn Mirage is an aptly named open-air live music venue located in the heart of New York City’s most populous borough. The sanctuary in the East Williamsburg area of Brooklyn recently reopened after a 15-month hiatus and now greets crowds of eager live music fans with a an IP-rated lighting package from Elation Professional. The Brooklyn Mirage lies in the Avant Gardner complex, an 80,000sq.ft site that occupies an entire city block. The vast complex includes an indoor space, The Great Hall, and an intimate club space called The King’s Hall, as well as the outdoor The Brooklyn Mirage. The large courtyard is surrounded by towering walls and is lined with palms and other foliage. Multi-tiered, it includes a balcony that encircles the courtyard, as well as a fourth level overlook called The Crown. The venue hosts all types of events - corporate or privat
UK - MDG is returning to the PLASA Show 2021 as an exhibitor (stand E19) and looking forward to seeing so many of its customers and colleagues face to face. MDG UK’s stand will be beside the Robe stand once again, with plenty of MDG products on show: The ATMe haze generator will be shown alongside ATMe WPE, the IP55-rated weather-proof and dust-resistant version, designed specifically for the challenges of outdoor use. The MDG’s Me2 fog generator produces a pure white fog with fine particles in unbelievable volume, governed by the finest of control, while theFAN, MDG’s ultra-compact, variable speed digital fan, can direct the output wherever it is needed. MDG’s ICE FOG Q is capable of producing ‘beautiful low fog effects’ and will be shown in its high-pressure version (ICE FOG Q HP). No show would be complete without theONE award-winning dual
UK - Wireless LED lighting manufacturer Astera will highlight its three newest product innovations - all launched this year - at PLASA 2021 on the booth of its UK distributor, Ambersphere Solutions. PixelBrick, AX2 PixelBar and the AX9 PowerPAR will make their trade show debuts. Astera’s sales director Sebastian Bückle commented, “PLASA will be one of the first established industry trade shows to take place as events and expos gradually re-start post-pandemic, and we know there is a huge enthusiasm from everyone in the entertainment sector wanting to finally get together and meet face-to-face again after such a challenging and uncertain 18 months.” PixelBrick is designed for concerts, events, filming, or broadcast scenarios and can also be utilised as a compact, light (1.1kg) and y handy up-lighter like an AX3 LightDrop. It can be hung anywhere and become a univ
UK - In a post-pandemic world, Robe looks forward with a range of new products designed for ‘maximum performance, versatility and operational life aspects for the entertainment and production industry’. Product wise, there is a big emphasis on Robe’s Transferable Engine (TE) LED technology on Stand E19. The booth features another eye-catching design with The Show Goes On, inspired by - among other things - rapper Lupe Fiasco’s insightful Billboard Top 10 hit of the same name. This year’s PLASA show has the additional dynamic of teaming up with ABTT who will be hosting their own theatre-dedicated Hub area of the show floor. With the performing arts in mind, Robe will highlight its T range of luminaires designed specifically for this demanding discipline - notably the new T2 launched a few months ago and the soon-to-be-revealed T11 which will
USA - Dierks Bentley’s current Beers On Me tour is providing an emotional and welcoming reunion for the singer/songwriter’s production crew, who are savouring the experience of being together on the road again connecting to fans and entertaining them after a long lockdown. Contributing to the positive atmosphere at the shows is a deep and immersive Bruce Rodgers production design, engagingly lit by Chris Reade with help from Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by Christie Lites. “My job is to piggyback on Bruce's vision, and really push a perspective that pulls fans into the performance and personalities on stage,” said Reade, who with his partner Jay Ballinger, is the owner of Las Vegas-based KYVA Design, LLC. “This design is very much about angles that engage you visually.” A key component of the set design is a V-shaped video wall. Roughly 50ft
UK - PLASA Show 2021 will reopen its doors this weekend to reunite industry professionals at Olympia London after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic - and time is running out for visitors to secure their free entry passes. Taking place from 5-7 September, the show will welcome back leading brands from pro audio, AV, lighting and stage technologies, who will take up residence in Olympia’s Grand Hall alongside the ABTT Theatre Show which is relocating for one year only. “In light of the monumental shifts felt by the live events and entertainment sector over the past 18 months, PLASA Show 2021 will be people-centred, with inclusive networking spaces, support resources and learning opportunities,” say the organisers. Free registration ends at midnight tonight, 31 August – those wishing to claim a free entry pass should head over to
UK - ETC will be returning to the PLASA Show at the Olympia London this year for its joint ‘come-back’ industry event with the ABTT. ETC will be attending the trade show to connect and network with old and new faces, present in-depth product seminars and showcase newly launched fixtures on stand B29. Sales Manager for ETC Ltd, Darren Beckley comments: “After a long and challenging period for our industry, we are really looking forward to returning to PLASA and catching up with our customers in-person. Throughout the past 18 months, ETC has continued to innovate and develop its product offering and we are excited to share some of those products with visitors to the show.” Attendees will be able to join a series of seminars hosted by ETC product specialists during the three-day show. The available sessions will explore Comparing Moving Lights, Multi-em
UK - Avolites heads to PLASA Show in London Olympia this September (stand D17) as the company celebrates its 45th anniversary. From humble beginnings underneath a Hammersmith railway arch in 1976, the company has been at the cutting edge of major developments in the lighting sector in the decades since. From the first programmable consoles designed to control the then-new intelligent lighting arrays of the 1990s, to the rise of the media server, the virtualised console, and the blending of lights and video into a single visual canvas, the company's products have been instrumental in the success of some of the biggest events in history. As the industry starts to recover post-Covid, the latest generation Avolites technology is being used on some of the largest tours, stages, festivals, corporate events and cutting edge installs around the world. At this year’s PLASA
USA - There are some productions where lighting is so intricately woven into the story that it becomes part of the narrative itself. Pagliacci falls squarely into this category as it cleaves dramatically between the bright frivolity of a clown’s life and the dark madness of murder. Keith Arsenault reflected this dichotomy in vivid fashion recently when lighting the St. Petersburg Opera’s production of the Leoncavallo opera. With help from a collection of Chauvet Professional Rogue fixtures, he used bold and subtle changes in colour and brightness to reflect the spiral of events that gives Pagliacci its compelling power. “Although a ‘one act opera’, Pagliacci is very specifically divided in two scenes,” said Arsenault. “One is set in a bright, sunny Italian day; the other takes place while night is falling. The story gets darker and darker dr
UK - Industry charity Backup has long recognised the technical entertainment industry as an exciting, but challenging place to work and is committed to helping those who face the pressure and stress involved by providing further help and support. Now, the charity has launched a free helpline that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide a centralised access point for both urgent and non-urgent well-being support. The helpline offers a number of options, from a dedicated Backup counsellor, to direct transfer to other industry charities, including the Music Support Helpline, Theatre Helpline and the Samaritans. Upon selecting one of the above options, you will be transferred directly to the support you require. The Backup Counsellor option is a free, independent and confidential phone service with a certified counsellor who has a broad experience
USA - Chauvet Professional’s aptly named Rouge Outcast 1 BeamWash is a new compact IP65 rated fixture, which weighs only 20.2 lbs. “The Rogue Outcast 1 BeamWash breaks new ground,” said Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “By going beyond the standard beam/wash concept to include an outer ring, we’ve been able to offer designers a compact, but powerful, fixture that opens a world of design possibilities.” Made up of 97 RGB LEDs, the pixel mappable outer ring features 12 zones of control and can be run independently from the centre pixel beam/wash. A stealth filter hides the outer ring when it’s not in use, so the fixture appears and works as a pure beam/wash. Designers can control the background colour and foreground effects independently on the outer rim. This allows them to create complex multi-coloured looks on the rim whether they are pixel mapping
USA - Forced from the road in early 2020 due to the pandemic, tribute band Brit Floyd is back after kicking off a world tour 29 July at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado beneath an all-Elation lighting rig. The tour is produced and promoted by UK-based CMP Entertainment, who own and supply all of the Elation gear. Elation has enjoyed an excellent relationship with CMP over the years and many of Brit Floyd’s past tours have featured Elation gear. Chas Cole of CMP Entertainment comments: "Eric Loader was supportive of Brit Floyd in its early days with great product at a great price and even though we’ve worked the equipment really hard it’s held together really well and allowed us to produce a great light show year after year." Many have had a hand in shaping the Brit Floyd look over the years, a design that echoes Marc Brickman’s original and classic Pink
Australia - Expressions of Interest are now open for Vivid Sydney 2022 under a unified, creative vision - The Soul of Sydney. The vision will inform all submissions across the Light, Music and Ideas programs as well as a new Cross Art Form category. All sectors of the creative industries are invited to investigate what truly is the soul of the Harbour City - its people, places and essence. Creators from around the world are encouraged to share unexpected stories that will engage, inspire and excite audiences, drawing inspiration from Sydney’s hidden spaces, architecture, global icons, people, food, music and ideas. Destination NSW chief executive officer Steve Cox said: “Vivid Sydney provides a global platform for artists, musicians, creatives and thought leaders, to continually push the envelope when it comes to creativity. I look forward to seeing the inno
USA/Europe - The High End Systems Lonestar offers the brightness, quality and performance of ETC’s bright white LED framing fixtures in a more compact and powerful package. With 15,400 lumen output and a rich feature set, Lonestar is designed for lighting systems in small to medium-sized venues. The luminaire’s colours, powerful zoom, full curtain framing, diffusion and prism effects make Lonestar a versatile and affordable tool for designers who want maximum performance from a mid-sized automated fixture, says the company. Automated lighting product manager Matt Stoner comments, “With the Lonestar, we aggressively reduced fixture size and cost to make a luminaire that fills the needs of venues of all sizes and design aesthetics. With punchy output, framing, and a full complement of effects and colour capabilities, Lonestar will bring high quality and professional feat
USA - Main Light has hired Steve Nancarrow to be the rental executive based at the new Main Light West in Las Vegas, NV. Nancarrow’s responsibilities will include business development and client interfacing with professional production companies on the West Coast. “I'm honoured to be here. Main Light has an excellent reputation in the business and everyone here is among the best,” says Nancarrow. “That is what I love about this industry, first and foremost, the people in it. It's a vast industry but it's a small community representing that industry and you end up seeing the same professionals over and over again. Professionals who are highly dedicated, highly professional, and highly skilled, and that certainly includes the people at Main Light.” Randy Mullican, general manager of Main Light, LLC notes, “Steve is a great fit for our Main Light team. He kn
UK - Visitors to stand E-23 at PLASA “won’t believe their eyes or ears” when they see - and don’t hear - Chauvet Professional’s Maverick Silens 2 Profile and the Ovation Rêve fixtures, says the manufacturer. Described as “see all, hear nothing from curtain to camera”, both fixtures are expected to generate a loud and enthusiastic buzz among those involved in theatre and broadcast lighting as a result of their high output and performance features. “We’re creating an immersive environment at PLASA that’s all about exceeding any one viewer’s perspective,” explains Michael Brooksbank, managing director of Chauvet Europe. “With ABTT merging with PLASA, we know that there will be a greater theatre presence at this year’s show. Broadcast professionals should also be well represented; and our team is eager to introduce these visitors to two product
UK - Cabaret venue Proud Embankment in London’s West End was determined to have a high-impact post-Covid reopening. One of the first venues to open its doors after the second lockdown, Proud had undergone a renovation, with a major investment in its production values and the installation of 14 new Robe Pointe moving lights. The new Pointes were specified by Proud Embankment’s in-house lighting designer Jack Knight and purchased specially for the venue by regular lighting supplier, North London rental and installation specialist, Halo. The Pointes are a completely new addition to the existing house lighting rig and are positioned all around the stage with several on a goal post at the back, from where they provide the main effects lighting looks. Robe’s highly versatile Pointe was an easy choice for Jack. “It is a properly ‘multipurpose fixture’ in e
UK - With Glastonbury Festival cancelled for a second year, an online celebration - Live at Worthy Farm - was held in its stead on Saturday 22 May 2021. Filmed over a week and beamed as live around the world, the five-hour virtual festival echoed the glories of the full event missed by so many, in spite of the access problems suffered by the online audience. For many artists it was the first opportunity to play live in a year or more. The event highlight came with a performance from Coldplay, lit by multi award-winning lighting and show designer, Sooner Routhier of Sooner Rae Creative. Routhier incorporated 60 Ayrton Perseo Profile and 36 Ayrton Domino IP65-rated multifunction lighting fixtures, supplied by Neg Earth, into her design to handle the demanding outdoor conditions. “I needed a large format profile that was IP65 rated because the site was open to the elements in
UK - The programme for PLASA Show 2021 has been unveiled, bringing a rich line-up of seminars and training sessions to the trade event that takes place on 5-7 September at Olympia London. Sponsored by Vectorworks, the programme is set to deliver in-depth content on the future of live production, immersive product experiences and plenty of practical training, bringing skills and knowledge to the forefront of the show experience. All sessions are free for pre-registered attendees (you can get your free entry pass by 31 August - find out more here), with details of the schedule available on the show website. More content will be added over the coming weeks, say the or
USA - After an 18-month Covid-caused hiatus, many of hip-hop’s biggest names played Rolling Loud at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium in late July. Over 130 artists including ASAP Rocky, Travis Scott and Post Malone featured. Turning up the adrenalin level higher were bold light and video shows that drew on the big presence of powerful, flexible rigs created by Steve Lieberman and his team at SJ Lighting, including production manager Max Robin. Known for his festival work, Lieberman was responsible for production design at the festival’s four stages (Cîroc, Audiomack, Monster Energy, and Dryp), as well the VIP area. Providing abundant punch at the main Cîroc stage as well as at the second Audiomack stage were some 200 Chauvet Professional Maverick MK3 Wash, COLORado 1 Solo and COLORado 1 QS fixtures supplied by 4Wall Entertainment. This firepower allowed LDs Ma
USA - Since 2008, the Rooster Walk Festival at Pops Farm has been a Memorial Day tradition in Martinsville, VA in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition to providing a boost to the local economy, it has raised money for a scholarship fund that donates musical instruments to schools and students. Then Covid happened. Not only did the pandemic force the cancellation of the 2020 festival, it’s lingering effects also nixed this year’s planned Memorial Day event. Undeterred, Johnny Buck and William Baptist, the festival’s producers and their team, moved the event back a few weeks and served it up in a modified form as an outdoor concert by jam band heavyweights moe.# Dubbed the ‘moe.Morial Show’, the two day, four-set performance featured nonstop improvisational blends of old and new rock. Jason Patsel went with the flow, supporting every twist and
UK - The first Christmas light trail to take place in Windsor Great Park is set for this winter. Windsor Great Park Illuminated will open on 18 November 2021 and run until 9 January 2022. The experience is created and produced by global events and entertainment group IMG (Hampton Court Palace Festival, Natural History Museum Ice Rink, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Taste Festivals) and DEAG Entertainment Group / Christmas Garden Deutschland (creator of 15 light trails in Europe). For the first time this winter, trees, paths and the Obelisk Pond within Windsor Great Park will be ‘awash with hundreds of thousands of lights, lasers, projections and holograms’. Both celebrating and respecting the natural surroundings, and flora and fauna of the park, this very special light trail will feature colourful and brilliant light installations including floating water lili
