Europe - Area Four Industries has announced that Eric Laanstra is the latest expert to join the Rigging Commandos, a group of specialists who present the latest developments happening in the industry. Laanstra has been product manager at Prolyte for the past 10 years. He states: “I hope I can continue as Prolyte product manager for many years and have lots of fun with my new colleagues at Area Four Industries.” Rigging Commandos is a group of respected experts who take an in-depth view of topics exciting interest within the industry. They identify closely with riggers and technicians and are constantly looking at ways to increase safety and efficiency at work by offering an extensive range of educative and informative videos that can be watched via A4I.tv on PCs, laptops, and mobile phones anywhere, anytime.
UK - Back to the Future The Musical arrived in 2020 at the Manchester Opera House on 20 February. The 1985 movie and pop culture phenomenon has been transported to the stage by the film's original creative team of Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis. Sending audiences on a ride through time with a hit music score, and featuring the famous DeLorean, production manager Simon Marlow, brought Unusual Rigging on board to handle the complex rigging requirements of the show. Unusual Rigging was contracted to supply all the rigging - both for the load in and the run of the show. Marlow explains: “Unusual's Emily Egleton has been at the helm; we have a great relationship, having worked closely on a number of shows together including Bat out of Hell the Musical and And Juliet. She was tasked with designing all the diversions and the hanging plot for Back to the Future
South Africa - With the country in lockdown due to coronavirus, DWR Distribution’s staff remain available during office hours, while the company is offering a range of online learning opportunities. “We have entered into completely uncharted territory as individuals as a country and as citizens of a global community,” says the latest update from DWR. “The South African government has taken up the call to become a part the most ambitious and courageous global effort to stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus that is causing Covid-19, placing the lives of its citizens before commerce and profit. We at DWR Distribution stand behind our government and our world leaders and pledge our support to stem the threat posed Covid-19 by staying at home. “However, staying in our homes does not mean that we have closed our doors. We have simply installed a virtual
UK - Glyn Owen, a self-employed rigger at the ACC Liverpool, expressed his bewilderment at why the UK government has not offered comparable financial backing to the self-employed. Last week, the chancellor Rishi Sunak opened up access to the Universal Credit system to workers including freelancers and zero-hour contractors. However, claiming from the welfare system would only secure £94.25 per week for a self-employed worker, whilst the government promised to cover 80% of the salaries of employees. On Sunday, the communities secretary Robert Jenrick recognised “this isn’t perfect”, adding: “It isn't easy, it's not as simple as supporting those who are in employment. The purpose of our employment mechanism is to help continue the connection between employees and their business so once this is over - and it will be over - those individuals can return
USA - Céline Dion recently brought the curtain down on her residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas after more than 1,100 sold-out performances and embarked on a 12-month tour in support of her Courage album. Solotech has provided sound, lighting, video and rigging - everything except the stage - for the Courage World Tour, including multiple Solid State Logic Live L550 digital mixing consoles, one at front-of-house and two at monitors. Denis Savage, who has been Dion’s tour manager and FOH engineer for several decades, began using SSL’s Live series desk at Caesars Palace in 2013. But this tour has provided the opportunity to implement some changes that have further enhanced the performance of all three consoles on the production, he says. “Just before Christmas we switched everything to 96 kHz and the difference was incredible. Everythin
USA - A group of leading live event industry organisations has joined together to create a GoFundMe campaign to raise $250,000 in donations to provide relief to eligible freelance professionals affected by the coronavirus pandemic due to event cancellations. The campaign is initially being sponsored by Alive Risk, Clair Global, the Event Safety Alliance, Griffin360, Merch Roadie, Show Makers Symposium and Take1 Insurance, with other companies expected to join the cause. The goal of the campaign is to reach out to entertainment industry businesses and live entertainment fans worldwide to raise $250,000 in direct contributions to the Roadie Relief GoFundMe campaign that will then be distributed to eligible freelance professionals through MusiCares. Information about the Roadie Rescue Campaign, who it benefits and how to apply can be found at
UK - Rob Foster has joined the technical sales team at Stage Electrics. Foster is responsible for developing new business and maintain existing relationship with customers interested in rigging especially Prolyte, Milos and Admiral. His new role will focus on promoting the Prolyte brand of trussing and staging and a range of associated rigging accessories from Admiral Staging.
UK - A petition has been launched urging the UK government to offer economic assistance to the events industry during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Instigated by Matt Rakowski of DBpixelhouse, the petition’s aim is: “For the UK government to provide economic assistance to businesses and staff employed in the events industry, who are suffering unforeseen financial challenges that could have a profound effect on hundreds of thousands of people employed in the sector.” To-date, the petition has been signed over 131,000 times – surpassing the 100,000-signature threshold required for the issue to be considered for debate in parliament. Rakowski comments: “The response has been phenomenal so far, we’re at just over 131,000 – whic
World - Huntly Christie, CEO of Christie Lites, has released the following statement in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic: “Like every other company in our business, Christie Lites is not immune and at the end of last week I enacted some difficult measures to counter the effects of the ‘shock-stop’ the industry has endured as a result of the COVID-19 virus. Sadly, this included laying off approximately 200 staff globally. This has definitely been the most difficult situation I have experienced in the company’s 35yr history. We’ve worked extremely hard to build and assemble a great global team and it was a really painful process to see some of our people lose their jobs.” He continues: “As such, I feel it is important to speak about this publicly and this past week have taken several interviews with mainstream media outlets in North America. I have given an
Germany - Prolight+Sound will not be held in 2020. A statement from Messe Frankfurt, the show’s organisers reads: “On 12 March, the Hessian Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration issued general decrees prohibiting large-scale events expected to attract more than 1,000 visitors. At the present time, it cannot be assumed that the current situation will have changed by the time the postponed event was to have been held. Therefore, Messe Frankfurt has decided to cancel the event.” The event was originally scheduled to take place 31 March - 3 April but was postponed to May due to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Detlef Braun, a member of the executive board of Messe Frankfurt, comments: “We did everything we could to hold Prolight+Sound 2020 as soon as possible after the original dates and would like to extend our thanks to the response and support from n
Europe - ACME Lighting and Highlite International are the latest companies to announce that they will no longer be exhibiting at the postponed Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt this May, due to the health risks posed by Coronavirus (COVID-19). “At this moment, the entire entertainment industry is experiencing huge challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the response to the virus,” says Marco Galli, EMEA sales director at ACME Lighting. “We take the health of our staff and customers very seriously. Well-being and containment of COVID-19 is our duty and priority, and therefore, regretfully, we are forced to cancel plans to participate in Prolight+Sound 2020.” Meanwhile, a statement from Highlite reads: “We have decided not to participate in Prolight+Sound 2020. The new dates after the postponement of the fair do not fit within our plans and vision of the industr
USA - Under the direction of New York state governor Andrew Cuomo, Broadway shows in New York City will suspend all performances immediately in support of the health and well-being of the theatre-going public, as well as those who work in the theatre industry, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Performances will commence the week of April 13, 2020. "Our top priority has been and will continue to be the health and well-being of Broadway theatregoers and the thousands of people who work in the theatre industry every day, including actors, musicians, stagehands, ushers, and many other dedicated professionals," said Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League. "Broadway has the power to inspire, enrich, and entertain, and together we are committed to making that vital spirit a reality. Once our stages are lit again, we will welcome fans back with open arms so th
Germany - In response to an increased worldwide demand for its staging products and solutions, Eurotruss Group has announced its expansion across Germany by adding the full NEXT Truss product line to the Eurotruss office and warehouse in Hövelhof. Through this initiative, Eurotruss GmbH will have access to the full range of products in the Eurotruss Group portfolio including Eurotruss, Total Structures and the newest addition NEXT Truss. Matthias Bohnenpoll, MD, Eurotruss GmbH states: “NEXT Truss is a great addition to our product range and we are now able to serve also clients who carry other truss types than Eurotruss. Our new offices and warehouse facility in Hövelhof, Germany, is strategically located to satisfy demand and allow for quicker delivery times and technical support to satisfy their demands.” Martin Kuyper, CEO, Eurotruss Group comments: “N
Europe - Area Four Industries Direct UK has issued a clarification statement in respect to the continuation of supply of Lightspace deck & truss products supplied via Impact Products (Europe) Ltd who were placed into voluntary liquidation procedures at the end of last year. Says the statement, “Contrary to recent reports, these products have not been discontinued. Milos, which is part of Area Four Industries has exclusively manufactured Impact OEM brands Spacedeck and Lightspace for the past five years from their production facilities in the Czech Republic. “Area Four Industries UK owns the rights to Spacedeck and Lightspace products and will continue to provide full sales and technical support from their design and distribution centre in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. All truss & staging stocks have now been transferred from Northampton to Wisbech. Main product
Canada/USA - A Kinesys automation system and Vector control system have been on the road with a new and updated North America touring version of the musical We Will Rock You, directed by JP Thibodeau and featuring the music of Queen, produced by Annerin Theatricals of Alberta, Canada. This is the first time Annerin has used Kinesys products – two half-ton Elevation vari-speed hoists and the Vector – which is being supplied to the production by Christie Lights – and operated by Pippa Bagley who is also the video systems tech together with the tour’s production manager. The LX systems tech is Adam Volk. The tour’s director of production is Bruce Hennel and Scott Christensen from Annerin Theatricals is the general manager. Variable speed motors were needed to facilitate the lifting of a large centre stage video screen measuring 2.5M x 4.5M (8.2’
UK - Triple E has a long-established reputation for manufacturing efficient, mechanical products and gadgets to aid the movement of curtains and the assembly and construction of stage scenery. As the demands of the industry change, it is often the case that pre-existing pieces of equipment need a review and a refresh to ensure their design adapts to the demands of the applications they are used for. The team at Triple E has developed its Rearfold accessory for their industry standard UniTrack and UniBeam carriers. “The UniTrack system was first launched in 1988, and the Rearfold accessory has been an integral part of the system since that time. Therefore, a long overdue review of the Rearfold accessory design was implemented,” says David Edelstein, founder and managing director of Triple E. “The Rearfold carriers enable a curtain as it travels to stack offstage
Europe - Area Four Industries has created The Rigging Commandos, a rigging & trussing team with a mission to “elevate event engineering & safety practices in the entertainment industry through continuous education programmes”. Made up of six team members, the Rigging Commandos will use their knowledge and practical experience in a series of rigging & trussing videos, which will be produced throughout the year and released to on Area Four's video channel A4i.tv. Members of the Rigging Commandos team were chosen not only for their knowledge and experience in entertainment production, but also for their ability to communicate directly with riggers and technicians, says the company. Eric Porter, British rigging consultant and head Rigging Commando, leads the group. Norbert Tripp, German structural engineer and Area Four Industries’ technical directo
UK - Hundreds of television buyers from across the globe headed to ACC Liverpool on 9-11 February for BBC Studios Showcase 2020 international television market. For the 14th year running, creative technical event production company Hawthorn supported the distributor to showcase its premium programmes, delivering two evening events. The events previewed some of the BBC’s top programmes including Doctor Who, A Perfect Planet and The Watch. Led by the BBC Studios team, Hawthorn’s head of creative technical Peter Harding helped to produce and deliver a production design for the two evenings. This year’s format saw a considerable shake-up with the construction of a curve-fronted 1000sqm 5m-high platform over a section of the arena’s tiered seating and floor. Hawthorn worked with specialists Acorn Event Structures and Steeldeck to create the stru
Belgium - WIcreations used its new WImotion system - motors, tracking and control - to automate five ski lift cable cars as part of a visual extravaganza for the two-day Moose Bar XXL event at Antwerp’s Sportpaleis venue, Belgium’s only après ski party. The brainchild of organiser and lBelgium night scene inspirator Yves Smolders, Moose Bar XXL ran for two nights this year after 2019’s inaugural event, and featured an epic scenic production design and a slew of music and live entertainment that transported 20,000 party-people to the mountains over the two nights. A total of five cable cars were involved - sourced from an original ski lift in Tignes in the French Alps, reconditioned and re-branded as highly visible Moose Bar props. Four cable car gondolas were positioned in each corner of the Sportpaleis and these were flown up and down 6.5m into the venu
Czech Republic - The 2020 edition of Rigger’s Voice turned its ear to voices from the north of Europe, as experienced riggers and production professionals from Scandinavia travelled to Area Four Industries headquarters in Roudnice nad Labem for this annual conference. Arriving from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, attendees took part in high-level rigging and support structure discussions that were led by Area Four Industries technical director Norbert Tripp from 11-12 February. Many questions were asked, various rigging, truss and support structure discussions held, and even truss stress tests conducted during the two jam packed days. Participants were also treated to a grand tour of the Milos factory. Ideas and recommendations from these experienced professionals, for helping steer future product development by Area Four Industries brands, were also provided d
UK - Doughty Engineering celebrates its milestone 50th anniversary this year. The company first registered as Doughty Trailer Sales Ltd in February 1970 and spent the first 10 years of trading manufacturing trailers, before metamorphosing into the Doughty Engineering that is well-known in the entertainment industry today. Julian Chiverton, sales director, comments: “We are extremely proud to be celebrating half a century in business. When Russell Doughty, Mervyn Lister and my father George Chiverton started out in 1970, little did they know that the Doughty brand would become synonymous with clamps and other kit relied upon by riggers and lighting designers across the world. Their business was trailers, then designing and manufacturing attachments for rough terrain and forklift trucks in the farming and construction sectors. But by the mid-eighties it was clear tha
Germany - Milos provided the design, static calculation and delivery of Milos truss products for a high wire bike climbing course for client, On The Ropes. On The Ropes is based in Radevormwald and has been led by owner Hajo Muller since 1995. Their main focus is on the planning and building of rope courses at height that are in-tune with the natural surroundings. They also plan and build climbing walls, adventure stations and customized structures. One of their past standout projects includes the Big TeePee complex, which is the world’s biggest teepee, that was designed and constructed for Expo 2000 in Hannover. The High Wire Bike project started with a rough concept provided to the A4I Germany office by On The Ropes. With this rough idea in hand, Area Four Industries technical director Norbert Tripp designed a feasible structural solution and carry out all structur
The Netherlands - AV technology tradeshow Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2020 completed a 15-year residency at the Amsterdam RAI expo centre with a special event held on the show’s last day, 14 February (Friday). Politicians and executives saluted the venue and the city of Amsterdam while looking ahead to the future, with the tradeshow set to move to the Fira de Barcelona for its 2021 edition. Despite health concerns brought about by the coronavirus outbreak and major travel disruption caused by Storm Ciara, ISE 2020 took place as planned, but with markedly lower attendance of 52,128 unique visitors compared to 81,268 in 2019. Mike Blackman, MD of Integrated Systems Events, comments: “This year’s show demonstrated to us just how determined our attendees were to come to ISE. Many of our exhibitors exceeded their targets for customer engagement and lead gen
UK - Eighteen of Zero 88’s new RigSwitch cabinets - for controlled and synchronised power switching - have been installed at P&J Live at The Event Complex Aberdeen, a new multi-million-pound flexible entertainment, exhibition, event and conference facility delivered by Aberdeen City Council in partnership with Henry Boot Developments (read more on the development in LSi February 2020). The building was designed by architects Keppie and constructed by the Robertson Group. Theatre Projects were commissioned to define and specify the site-wide technical infrastructure for Hall C and Conference Suites 1 and 2, and the tender for electrical contractor for these areas was wo
