UK - What can just £5 do? It can win you an Amazon Gift Card for £100, £250 or even £500 - but more importantly it can help a colleague in need who has fallen on hard times because they, or an immediate family member, is seriously ill or injured.

Stop by the Behind the Scenes UK stand (C10) at the PLASA Show 5-7 October to do your part to bring help and hope to your colleagues in need. Raffle tickets are just £5 each and will be available throughout the show. The drawing will be held on Tuesday afternoon, 7 October but you do not need to be present to win.

The raffle is to help raise funds for the new UK charity Behind the Scenes which provides grants to entertainment technology professionals that may be used for basic living costs, some medical related expenses, transportation, retraining, or funerals. One grant recipient said, "I just want

UK - Liverpool based Adlib is full of festival spirit following a highly successful summer of shows and events covering a rich and diverse cross section of concerts and music performances - from Latitude to Leeds/Reading - with lighting, sound, their infectious enthusiasm and characteristic humour.

Creamfields is always a special event for Adlib. The company has been involved with various Cream live activities since the superclub exploded onto the dance scene in the early 90s and has continued to be a major influence right at the epicentre of rave culture.

This year Adlib supplied sound and lighting to three arenas, CF03 the 15,000 capacity Cream Mega Arena; CF05 The Curve Arena - complete with wrap-round production design and CF12 Hospitality, with production overseen by Ian Greenway production manager from LarMac LIVE.

Cornbury 2015 was staged in the attractive leafy envir

Italy - Audiosales in Italy has reached the end of a busy summer, supporting customers through a succession of festivals and high profile events involving premier Martin Audio PA systems; these have ranged from the flagship MLA system to conventional line arrays.

The first ever Today's Festival welcomed more than 23,000 people across five different locations over three days in Turin's Barriera di Milano - incorporating major concerts, dance events and creative workshops. Some 50 national and international artists performed including American headliners Interpol and TV on the Radio.

In the main stage sPAZIO211, Davide Scalzo, the owner of Microfase, provided a Martin Audio system comprising 12 x W8LC Compact line array per side, with 18 WSX subs, and W8C/W8S as side-fills.

Over in Tuscany, the first edition of Beat 2015 saw a total attendance of over 70,000 people arrive at t

Mexico - 15 September is one of the most important dates in the Mexican calendar; this year, it marked the 205th Independence Day for the country, with celebrations in the Zócalo public square in Mexico City. Multiple Nexo line array systems were deployed around a special four-sided concert stage, with the full sound reinforcement specification running to 436 Nexo cabinets in total.

Zócalo is one of the largest public plazas in the world. With live music, mass singing and fireworks, the event is attended by 40,000 spectators.

The demanding job of providing sound reinforcement for the event was shared between five audio rental companies with a strong tradition of cooperation. Sound designer Sergio Zenteno coordinated the pooling of equipment inventories from Tecnoson Espectaculos, ROA, Star, Backline and Concepto 3, to create a system that used 12x Nexo line arrays around the

UK - ASP800, the new, eight-channel mic pre & ADC from Audient is now shipping worldwide and is available at all Audient dealers.

Following the release of the bus-powered audio interface iD14, the highly anticipated ASP800 offers eight Audient console mic pres, Burr-Brown A-D converters, two discrete JFET instrument inputs and two brand new 'Retro Channels' featuring tone controls HMX and IRON.

HMX is a custom harmonic distortion designed to emulate the sweet, thick tones often associated with 1960s tube designs, whilst Audient's brand new variable British transformer saturator, IRON instantly adds sparkle, replicating the coveted transformer 'zing' of British audio in the 1970s - both giving new dimensions to a recording.

"Not only does ASP800 boast an incredible feature set, Audient is one of the only companies to offer custom transformer saturation at this price poin

UK - As part of a busy summer, Illuminate Design has recently completed a number of technical upgrades at the Hawth Theatre, Crawley.

Working with the Hawth's technical manager (Quentin Whitaker), Illuminate Design's technical sales manager Ken Berreen and operations director Andrew Wales designed & installed new sound, lighting and rigging solutions for the venue.

Both the studio and the main theatre benefited from new sound equipment. In the Studio Illuminate Design supplied, Yamaha QL1 mixing console with a digital Yamaha RIO3224D I/O rack, RCF C5212-94 2way speaker system, RCF S 8015 II Subwoofer 15" 1000W - Reflex RCF IPS 2700 Class H power amplifiers and RCF IPS 3700 Class H power amplifiers.

The main theatre system was designed in conjunction with Al Brown from Martin Audio. The new system included Martin Audio W8VDQ speakers, MA 3.0 amplifiers, MA 2.0 Amplifiers

UK - Long-time advocate of Martin Audio's signature sound, venue installation specialist Middlesex Sound & Light (MSL) has wasted no time in introducing the manufacturer's new CDD range to the leisure hospitality industry.

The company has completed several high profile projects including its first installation for the burgeoning Burger & Lobster bar/restaurant brand. For their sixth venue opening in Bath the operators took over the Grade II*-listed Octagon Chapel - originally built in 1767 but recently restored within the courtyards of the city's new Milsom Place retail and restaurant development.

The new CDD - the successor to Martin Audio's popular AQ architectural range -combines distinctive curved enclosures with Coaxial Differential Dispersion technology to deliver high performance, projecting more output to the rear of the audience to distribute sound evenly front-to-bac

The Netherlands - German manufacturer and MADI specialist, DirectOut Technologies launched new remote software for their MADI analyzer and signal generator, ANNA-LISA, at the recent IBC show in Amsterdam.

ANNA-LISA is a handheld device with a simple traffic light style LED Go/No Go indication. It is equipped with two MADI I/Os; a coaxial BNC port and an SFP cage for single mode or multimode transceivers. It is compatible with all MADI formats and checks for AES10 conformity, sample rate, format, signal amplitude and jitter. The onboard generator has three presets for different test signals.

The newly-launched remote software, which is available as an app for ANDROID™ devices and connected via Bluetooth, offers a significantly enhanced feature set for ANNA-LISA users. Functions include advanced analysis of signal parameters including amplitude and jitter measurement; monit

UK - Buckinghamshire New University Audio and Music Production graduate Alexander Robins has won an award from leading manufacturer Sennheiser for the quality of his work.

Alexander, 21, won the Sennheiser Prize for Best Music Production Recording 2015 from David Brinsden, director operations UK at Sennheiser UK, after graduating from the University, in High Wycombe.

Sennheiser recognises what it considers to be the best sound design work produced by Bucks New University graduates this year.

Alexander won £1,500 worth of Sennheiser equipment. He said, "It feels great to know that the productions that I've worked on over the last year have been reviewed by industry professionals. I have learnt how to produce better sounding audio and asses my skills in sound design and recording, To be told that my work is of an outstanding and professional standard is a huge boost

Spain - The stunning Terraza Kopa in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria recently installed a D.A.S. professional sound system. This modern venue, located on the ground floor of El Muelle shopping centre just steps from the Muelle de Santa Catalina cruise dock, boasts unbeatable views and a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. Décor, delicious cocktails and excellent music combine to make Terraza Kopa one of the top spots for a night out in the capital of Gran Canaria.

Outfitting the venue with clear yet robust sound was no small undertaking, requiring a system that could handle spaces designed for sipping on a cocktail and chatting with friends and others created for electrifying live performances. The owners called in local sound company Canarias Hipermusic to provide a comprehensive solution to the different needs of the Terraza Kopa, and after analyzing the venue the technicians recommen

Finland - EM Acoustics reports that their Danish distribution partner, Alfa Audio, has expanded distribution into Finland. Juha Tamminen has been appointed to represent the brand exclusively throughout both territories.

Alfa Audio has been distributing EM Acoustics in Denmark since 2009. According to EM Acoustics' Mike Wheeler, the relationship has been a successful one. "Alfa Audio is probably the most successful pro audio distributor in Denmark with an impressive roster of brands. They have a pro-active approach to the market which matches our own philosophy perfectly, and they have done a good job for us in Denmark. I'm delighted that they are now going to be able to expand their activities into Finland now that Juha Tamminen is back in the saddle.

"Juha has in fact played a key role in the EM Acoustics/Alfa Audio relationship as it was he who introduced us to Alf

South Korea - "The cost always has to be one of the decisive factors when one is contemplating a sound system installation," opens Jung Hawon, one of the elders in the Apgujung Kwanglim Church in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea and chairman of the broadcasting department. "The opportunity to use the brand new specialized installation amplifiers, the 10D and the 30D, from d&b audiotechnik meant that the savings, when compared to other quotations, were more than persuasive."

That said, Hawon was very thorough when determining which system demonstration met with his congregation's approval. A group from the eighty thousand strong global worshippers were provided with a form of grading sheets so they could rate the three systems vying for the contract. The d&b V-Series system, augmented by some E8 loudspeakers and driven by the newly developed 30D and 10D amplifiers

UK / USA - To allow PLASA to refocus and concentrate on the needs of their respective membership bases, the PLASA Governing Body announces that PLASA's North American and European Union Regional Boards will end their cooperation agreement and return to functioning as separate associations.

A statement from PLASA reads: "This move will allow the associations to set strategic direction to meet their individual demands. It affords more focus of resources in each market toward the activities that are most relevant and pertinent to members and it will allow for more agility and decisiveness.

This in turn will foster the health of both organisations and protect their futures. As we did prior to the start of the cooperation agreement, the two associations will continue to work cooperatively on issues of common interest for the benefit of their members and the industry."

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UK - Allen & Heath has launched new Chrome Editions of its Qu series compact digital mixers to mark the launch of Qu v1.8 Chrome firmware in mid-October, which adds new features including Automatic Mic Mixing, a Spectrogram and additional monitor mixes.

Chrome Edition Qu-16, Qu-24 and Qu-32 mixers all feature the same high contrast metallic finish rotary controls and fader caps as the premium GLD Chrome series, providing optimal visibility in low lighting scenarios and enhanced tactile control.

The new Automatic Microphone Mixer (AMM) coming in v1.8 firmware helps the engineer to manage the levels of multiple mic inputs, ensuring that each speaker's contribution is heard, but with priority settings to establish an order of precedence, says the company. AMM is vital in applications such as conferences, meetings and panel discussions where a number of microphones are open at the

The Netherlands - Stagelight is a successful Dutch hire and events production company that has been consistently dominant in the corporate events market for many years. More recently, the company has been expanding and aiming for an equally strong share of the public events and tour sound sectors. Part of this strategy has been investment in high-end, flexible technology, both in sound and in lighting. This includes the recent purchase of four SSL Live consoles - three SSL Live L500 consoles and one SSL Live L300 console - from Audio Electronics Mattijsen (AEM).

Jacco van der Heijden, managing director of Stagelight said, "For us, SSL complemented our own strategy of always delivering to the highest possible standards: A global reputation for excellence, teamwork, and reliability are key to Stagelight operations. We had to find a brand that would fit with our high-quality i

UK - Fifteen special theatre industry events take place on The Theatres Trust's TheatreStage at PLASA Show 2015 from Sunday 4 to Tuesday 6 October at ExCel London.

The TheatreStage plays host to key organisations and associations in the theatre sector announcing their latest activities, making presentations and giving awards, including the Association of Lighting Designer's Michael Northen Award on Monday 5 October at 1.30pm.

The programme includes 15 presentations over three days from the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT), Association of Lighting Designers (ALD), Backstage Heritage Collection, Behind the Scenes UK, Production Managers' Forum, Society of Theatre Consultants, The Theatrical Guild, and ourselves, The Theatres Trust, the National Advisory Public Body for Theatres.

We're delighted that many academic institutions are also part of the line-up on th

Ireland - Spanish tenor José Carreras and Welsh mezzo-soprano singer/songwriter Katherine Jenkins performed this summer with the City of Cork Symphony Orchestra in the city's Independent Park (previously Musgrave Park) rugby stadium.

For this high profile event, EQ Audio and Events, headquartered in Dublin, fielded an Outline rig featuring 12 Outline GTO C-12 per side for the main left and right hangs, chosen because a very consistent transparent sound was indispensable, with very even coverage and absolutely no coloration.

Outline Butterfly CDH-483 cabinets were fielded for fills. Out-fill hangs comprised 10 CDH-483s per side, with more of the same enclosures deployed behind the FOH platform. All the CDH-483s were powered by Outline T7 amps, whereas, for the first time, the GTO C-12s were powered by Powersoft's new X8 amplifiers.

Production manager Shay Hannon explai

China - Ocean Park Hong Kong is partnering with Meyer Sound to stage the 15th edition of Asia's largest Halloween-themed event. A Leopard linear sound reinforcement system and D-Mitri digital audio platform lead a lineup of Meyer Sound systems to bring sonic immersion and push the scare factor for the park's fear-loving guests.

"To bolster our iconic Halloween celebration on its 15th anniversary, we decided to elevate the scary experience to new heights for our guests by exploring different sound effect treatments," says Jacky Chan, technical manager of Ocean Park Hong Kong. "The project is challenging because we want to use sound to inspire an intense fear in our guests, independent of scary visuals. Meyer Sound's sophisticated D-Mitri platform, coupled with the company's experience with international performances in Broadway and Las Vegas, allow us to achieve ou

UK - The K-array loudspeaker system installed by Stage Electrics at the Royal Opera House is "so discrete it is almost invisible".

The installation is the result of an out of the blue phone call with an invitation to the opera in Verona for the Royal Opera House's head of sound, Steve Zissler.

"I was asked if there was anyone I knew that I'd like to take to Italy to see the opera and listen to some sound systems," says Jamie Gosney from Stage Electrics, who designed the system at the Royal Opera House. "I hadn't been at Stage Electrics very long, I didn't really know anyone then and I didn't even know the K-array products that well. But Dave Wooster, [now part of 2B Heard, K-array's new UK distributor], had already said that the K-array products were perfect for opera."

That particular trip was not to be, but it wasn't long after that Stage Elec

UK - Orbital Sound reports that UK specialist Event Light & Sound (ESL) has taken delivery of a sizeable new Nexo 45°N-12 Line Monitor system, investing in the innovative wedges to service its growing corporate and high-end event schedule. Supplied by Nexo's UK main dealer and service partner Orbital Sound, the system was selected after a comprehensive market review, with the 45°N-12 standing out for its unique design, innovative technology, and arrayability.

ESL was introduced to the 45°N-12s by one of its regular monitor engineers, Chris Wibberley, commenting, "I was offered the chance to try out the NEXO 45°N-12 monitors a couple of years ago. I have found them to be the loudest and clearest wedge I have ever used! I like the way they couple as pairs and also how narrow their pattern is, so you don't have one mix bleeding all over another?. A truly excell

UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) Ltd., a leading one-stop provider of professional equipment to the entertainment industry, will showcase a selection of the very latest lighting, audio, rigging and video solutions available from their vast portfolio of over 200 leading brands - in their large exhibition Zone (Stands F30 - F38), which also includes stands for their sister company, A.C. Special Projects Ltd., industry-sponsored 2015 Dunlop MSA British Touring Cars Championship (BTCC) racing driver, Jack Goff, and a number of leading lighting marques.

Staff from AC-ET's Lighting sales division will be present to demonstrate and discuss products showcased on dedicated brand stands within the AC-ET Zone for Chroma-Q®, Jands, ProLights / ArchWork, Spotlight and GLP, as well as a selection of products from other leading brands including Philips Vari-Lite and Luminex. In

USA - Founded in 1994, Audio Geer is an independent sales representative firm based in Huntington Beach, California. The firm's 12 professionals average 10 or more years' experience serving integrators and consultants in Southern California and Southern Nevada including Las Vegas.

President Alan Geer says, "We strictly limit the brands we represent and always aim for a specific calibre of company. Community fits well with the products and services we provide to integrators and consultants. They're a truly professional company with great people and technology. I'm very excited about representing them in our territories."

Steve Young, Community's director, North American sales, added, "Our Southern California and Southern Nevada integrators will immediately benefit from the expanded coverage provided by Audio Geer. We are proud that Audio Geer has chosen Community

UK - At 9,500sq.ft over three floors, Lush's new flagship store on London's Oxford Street is 13 times larger than the average size of its stores, and sets the bar high within the international cosmetics and skincare retail industry.

In line with the retailer's eco-friendly credentials and ethos, the interior blends recycled products with exposed steel girders and a floor-to-ceiling full-width glass frontage to showcase all that is innovative and inspiring about Lush.

Bose pro partner, Crossover, a team known for their expertise in creating great sounding retail environments, were brought in to create the wow! factor in what is set to become an iconic store. As well as specifying and installing a multi-zoned background music system, the brief included requirements for some innovative display and interactive elements, and Lush also commissioned the Crossover team to work collabo

USA - Veteran front-of-house engineer Toby Francis, whose extensive résumé ranges from Aerosmith to ZZ Top, is currently out on an 88-date tour with pop princess Ariana Grande and a DiGiCo SD7 digital mixing console. The Honeymoon Tour, which takes in North America, Europe and Asia before wrapping up in South America at the end of October, also includes an SD7 at the monitor position, helmed by engineer Justin Hoffmann.

Francis, who is approaching his eighth year of using DiGiCo consoles almost exclusively, comments, "It's very, very easy to mix music on this console and it works in a very straightforward manner. It's got everything you'd ever need onboard. For the last two years I've been using a Waves SoundGrid server, but prior to that I didn't - I just used the console and nothing else."

Although he typically favours DiGiCo's SD10 desk, Franc

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