UK - On 14 June, Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, officially opened Chester’s Storyhouse theatre. The Chester Storyhouse theatre was built in 1936 and is a Grade II listed building. It was originally the city’s Odeon cinema but had been disused since 2007 - until a £37m RE:NEW project initiated by Cheshire West and Chester Council set about converting and extending the original building. Stage Electrics were tasked with installing and supplying sound, production lighting, AV equipment, paging and technical infrastructure for the entire project. The specialist integrator delivered the production lighting equipment, AV infrastructure and Front of House audio systems. In addition to the fully automated, DCI compliant cinema system, Stage Electrics also installed a versatile HD video distribution network throughout the ven
UK - Lighting, rigging, audio and video provider SLX has a long-standing relationship working with Bristol Museums for equipment hire and live events and has supplied AV and lighting support for an exhibition titled Bristol Music: Seven Decades of Sound. Bristol Museums, known for driving imaginative new exhibitions, developed concept plans and set out the initial themes for the spaces need in this exhibition. They then brought in SLX to propose creative ways that AV and lighting equipment would help add value to deliver an experiential exhibition for their visitors. The exhibition, which has decade booths spanning Bristol’s musical history, presented a challenge in that they needed to ensure audio clarity in each booth whilst not bleeding into the next. To counter this SLX supplied directional speakers with an acoustic curtain to contain any spill. Ryan Str
Ireland - Waterford, one of Ireland’s oldest cities, founded by Norwegian pirates in 914, recently celebrated its roots at its inaugural International Viking Festival and Roadshow. Taking place over three days, this event marked the 1,100th anniversary of the conquest of York, England, by King Reginald of Waterford. With all eyes on the city, the pressure was on for Waterford Council and Waterford Treasures Museums to select the right partners and suppliers to bring this historic moment in time to life. The highlight of the event was a spectacular night-time Viking Roadshow - two 45-minute theatrical performances which took place on the last day in the Apple Market in the city centre. The specially commissioned theatrical piece by creative director Craig Morrison, set for a live tour in 12 of the most important Viking sites in Europe, was to be the jewe
USA - Live production and event management company Mountain View Staging (MVS) has invested in a FLEXTour LED video solution from Nashville-based PixelFLEX. The HD, curveable LED video display is designed for live entertainment productions and can be configured traditionally and off-set, with each 500mm x 500mm tile front-serviceable. An integrated climbing ladder allows for quick access to displays flown high overhead. Peter Johnson, Mountain View Staging CEO and owner, comments: “We have been in business for 18 years and have been using LED products for the last 10. Since LED now rivals projection, we have switched priorities to the new technology to keep up with changing demand from our clients. It’s all about the increased resolution, contrast, dynamic range and image quality, and the FLEXTour solution checked all the boxes for our priorities.” Johns
Australia - Telstra recently installed a complete AMX by Harman AV control solution in Deakin University’s new Telstra Trading Room, a realistic stock exchange simulation room on the university’s Melbourne campus. Established in 1974, Deakin University is one of Australia’s fastest growing research universities, winning numerous awards and consistently ranking among the top universities in Australia. In order to provide its business students with real-world insight into the workings of a live stock exchange environment, Deakin Business School partnered with Australian communications provider Telstra to create a simulated trading room complete with tickers, displays and a large video wall providing real-time finance updates. Deakin worked with Harman Professional Solutions distributor avt and Telstra to design a state-of-the-art AV control system that could handl
Poland - Protec European Events partnered with their client Xerox once again to deliver the audio, lighting, video and rigging at the Xerox Forum 2018 held in Warsaw. This event, held in the Doubletree Hilton from 22-24 May, included three days of presentations and 23 seminar sessions with the highlight being the Xerox International Operations Premiere of the new Xerox IridesseTM Production Press. Xerox hosted 400 of their top graphic communications customers, resellers and business partners from around the world. The project ran in a few separate spaces or scenes – a daytime conference, a pre-reveal with Kabuki curtain, the reveal element and finally, the conference and demonstrations on the new machine. Sean Godefroy, HOD Protec video, chose three Barco 20k projectors, one for each side screen and one for a kabuki drop drape projection. He chose the Ch
USA - Drawing a record crowd of over 13,500 industry professionals, The Work Truck Show 2018 was the largest event in the history of the NTEA. Held inside the Indiana Convention Centre, the event saw an unprecedented number of vehicle launches, including the much-anticipated launch of the new XL Series from Hino Trucks USA. Desiring a dynamic and exciting tradeshow environment worthy of their inaugural Class 8 heavy-duty trucking solutions, they enlisted the assistance of production provider Elite Multimedia who created a momentous LED video, lighting and audio design. “We’ve been exhibiting at The Work Truck Show for 18 years now and this is definitely the benchmark show for the work truck industry,” says Sheree Greenhalge, assistant manager marketing, Hino Trucks USA. “Each year the show generally has many new product launches, and this ye
UK - In addition to enjoying a busy touring and festival work schedule of this summer, London-based lighting and video rental specialist Colour Sound Experiment supplied LED screens and processing to the recent UK leg of the Manic Street Preachers Resistance is Futile tour. The 5mm Roe LED on the tour was part of a massive investment by the company - totalling over £1m in new LED screen earlier in the year. This purchase added 230sq.mof LED to Colour Sound’s existing extensive screen stock which means they can offer a variety of pitches for all occasions, including 2.6, 6, 7 12, 20 and 30mm as well as the new 5mm. The screen was specified onto the Manics tour by Toby Vogel who co-ordinates and manages all-things-video for the band on the road. Says Toby, “I have known H (Colour Sound founder Haydn Cruickshank) for many years and we have worked t
South Africa - “The TimeCore from Visual Productions really makes training and our demos very easy to do,” enthused Dylan Jones, 3D visualisation and media server expert, from South African distributor DWR, “Clients lately have been really interested in the product wherever it is shown.” For the recent Green Hippo training at DWR, Jones and Green Hippo’s Suzy Stenning, used the TimeCore to generate SMPTE timecode into the sync manager component of the Green Hippo Boreal Media Server. The sync manager allows external timecode to be interfaced with and routed in, the Green Hippo Media Server. Once timecode was received from the TimeCore they demonstrated its uses with the timeline component, allowing users to programme and then playback their timeline via timecode. Stenning comments: “The generator feature on the TimeCore allowed us to easily demonstra
Mexico - Rock/hip hop band Café Tacvba’s Niu Güeis have become one of the most popular Latin artists of the past 25 years. Touring in support of their eighth studio album Jei Beibi, the group is as fiery as ever, moving effortlessly through different musical genres, and infusing each with their own unmistakable brand of verve and style. The colourful, scenic-rich stage show that fans have long expected from Café Tacvba is also very much in evidence on the Niu Güeis tour, thanks in no small part to an immersive, richly coloured lightshow designed by Félix Peralta with help from a collection of Chauvet Professional fixtures. Peralta is using 72 Nexus Aq 5X5 panels, supplied by Meridian Pro Audio, in his design for the tour. Configured in six large vertically-oriented rectangles that run across the upstage deck, the panels provide a stunning backgroun
USA - Panasonic Business is set to introduce the SQ1 series, new large-format 4K professional displays at InfoComm 2018. Available in 86 and 98-inch models and boast 500cd/m2 brightness, along with Intel Smart Display Module (SDM) for improved processing and integration capability, the displays are built for self-contained or networked signage and ideal for use in corporate, education and retail environments. “At Panasonic, we are committed to continually improving our display line up in terms of its performance, versatility and efficiency, no matter what the intended application or venue is,” says Hartmut Kulessa, European marketing manager at Panasonic. “Incorporating the Intel Smart Display Module allows Panasonic to offer a sleek, slim and scalable display solution which simplifies interface integration, signage installations and platform management.”
UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) will demonstrate its extensive portfolio of leading theatrical technologies - including new lighting, rigging, audio and video products from Chroma-Q, Spotlight, Follow-Me, Sixty82, BroadWeigh, Tourmate, Sennheiser, Shure and Green Hippo - at the ABTT Theatre Show 2018 this week. Highlights include: Lighting: Chroma-Q's premium performance Color Force II LED cyclorama & effects light, and Inspire XT RGBW LED house light - both multi award-winners - and new Studio Force II high output variable white fixture; ProLights' Eclipse LED Fresnel in a choice of white colour temperatures, plus various effects lighting models; a preview of Spotlight's Hyperion 6-colour LED Profile and Fresnel, alongside many other theatrical LED fixtures; Follow-Me's remote follow spot control system for harnessing multiple moving lights from any brand i
UK - The PLASA 2018 Members’ Day and AGM took place on Thursday 31 May at the Royal College of Physicians in Regent’s Park, London to reflect upon a year of specialist projects, industry collaboration and growth. Members and guests enjoyed a productive day with an insightful AGM, followed by a networking afternoon in the venue’s unique ‘physic’ garden. The lively guest speaker, Caroline Russell from The Ideas Centre Group, encouraged audience participation with her creative approach to problem-solving, then attendees were invited to stay for drinks into the evening. PLASA Treasurer Mark Surtees presented the 2017 accounts and announced that PLASA is in a place of financial stability, highlighting an increase in profits due to commercial growth within Events and Media. Newly elected Chair, Adam Blaxill, added later that all profits funnel back int
World - American rockers All Time Low know how to deliver high-impact, adrenaline-fuelled arena shows. Backed by a huge, fractured LED screen and stadium-scale lighting rig, their current world tour is a blaze of eye-candy glory. The band's long-time lighting designer, Jeff Maker, is armed with an Avolites Sapphire Touch console networked with a bank of media servers for complete lighting and video control. "I'm obsessed with getting things perfect - I needed to programme a punchy and exacting lighting design that worked with the video wall for maximum impact," says Maker, who collaborated with the band and video content creator Oliver Hutchinson to achieve a slick, solid and synchronised show aimed squarely at enhancing audience experience. For the tour's recent UK leg, ZigZag Lighting supplied Maker with the Sapphire Touch. The LD is a big fan of the console'
USA At InfoComm 2018, software provide Stardraw.com is unveiling the latest version of its award-winning design/documentation software for AV systems integrators. Stardraw Design 7.3 can be seen for the first time on the Stardraw booth C-3116 at InfoComm 2018. Boasting a raft of new features and significant performance enhancements, SD7.3 will be available for download from the Stardraw.com website in June. All new features are based on user feedback and requests from Stardraw’s extensive user base that now covers 83 countries worldwide. One of the most significant enhancements is a move to a new, 64-bit platform to enable handling of the largest of projects with ease. The new 64-bit architecture is able to manage huge and multiple imported DWG files better than ever before, as well as other resource-intensive non-native data formats including PDF, DXF and image files (PN
USA - ROE Visual will present its latest product offerings at InfoComm 2018 Booth N2014 this week at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. This year, ROE celebrates the launch of its high-resolution Sapphire LED display and other touring and fixed-installation products. To showcase its expanded offerings, ROE is building an in-booth theatre for attendees to enjoy presentations of the company’s latest products.
The public is invited to join media at a Press Conference to be held at 3PM on June 6, 2018 at ROE Booth N2014 to learn about details of the Sapphire. Product Managers for InfoCcomm-launched products will be on hand alongside members of ROE’s sales and marketing team to answer questions on new products. ROE Visual will also showcase the Black Marble Glass LED platform, designed to offer LED floor solutions for concert stages, TV studios, commercial stands a
UK - Europe’s largest digital marketing conference, the Adobe Summit EMEA 2018 returned to Excel London earlier this month. Creative technical event production expert, Hawthorn was once again chosen by agency Taylor Bennett Partners to deliver the full technical design and production for the two-day event. Focused on the future of digital marketing, over 5,500 delegates from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa gathered to hear the latest’s updates from Adobe Marketing Cloud and its partners. Led by group creative director Pete Harding, Hawthorn was tasked to bring Taylor Bennett’s impressive vision to life, delivering the technical production for the main conference plenary, exhibition space, break-out rooms and the Summit Celebration evening event. Hawthorn collaborated with Cinimod to create a spectacular 6m interactive projection mapped globe that
Portugal - Ampco Flashlight played a major role as supplier of all lighting, rigging, video and motion systems for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. Preparations started as early as October 2017. The dedicated team of commercial, technical and logistics specialists, working closely together with local Portuguese partner Pixel Light, laid a solid base for a flawless production in the Altice Arena. Build-up started early April and ended with a 60-hour speed load out. Over 2500 fixtures, almost four kilometres of truss and a huge amount of, cabling, dimmers, distro’s and a state of the art data network was used in this massive TV production attracting over 350m viewers worldwide. Marc van der Wel, project director, commented: “It was very exciting being part of the team, and seeing how our specialists put so much effort, experience and knowledge into this proje
North America - Media and real-time visual processing specialist ArKaos has widened its distribution network in North America by appointing Elation Lighting as a distributor in the USA and Mexico. Elation will be promoting, distributing and servicing all ArKaos PRO’s video server range and the MediaMaster software. ArKaos MD Agnes Wojewoda comments: “With the on-going diversification of our product range, ArKaos wants to become established in the segments like architecture, architainment, churches and houses of worship, television and broadcast. Elation is a well-established independently owned company with an excellent base, track-record and contacts network.” A.C. Lighting, which was ArKaos’ exclusive distributor in North America since 2012, will continue to support and supply existing US customers and remains the brand’s exclusive distributor in
USA - AV Stumpfl will allow InfoComm visitors a first look at their next-generation media server software solution PIXERA, scheduled to be released later this year. The 64-bit system for real-time media processing, compositing and management is built around the key theme of usability. Users can gradually discover the options and features and can smoothly transition from being a beginner to becoming a specialist. Actions in the 2D and 3D space follow the same mechanisms. The system was designed so that users can execute the most important basic actions in record time and with only a minimum of effort. A radical new interface logic enables even first-time users to intuitively understand the main software mechanics. AV Stumpfl global business development manager Horst Damoser explains what makes PIXERA so special: "In order to have a real impact on the highly
USA - Originally established in 1853, Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world’s largest apparel companies with 500 stores worldwide, and products available in over 100 countries. At their flagship retail location on Market and 4th Street in San Francisco, the Levi’s brand managers wanted to heighten the consumer engagement for the 8000sq.ft retail space located one of the world’s most highly visited shopping areas. With two large windows looking out onto the busy street, Levi’s worked with their long-time digital partner Reflect, who installed two FLEXClear transparent LED video displays from PixelFLEX. “Levi’s has been a client of ours for many years dating back to about 2013,” began Brandie Perkins, senior account manager, Reflect. “As a forerunner in the jean industry, they haven’t always played a lot in the digital space, but for their San Fra
UK - Taking in selected venues, Tokio Myers, who stunned the judges to claim victory on Britain's Got Talent has been showcasing his genre straddling fusion of classical and contemporary musical experiences on stages across the UK. Collaborating closely with Vision Factory show designer, Sam Tozer, the VER London operation has supported the tour with a comprehensive video, projection and lighting package that helped realise the designer’s creative vision for the shows. Set against a 9 x 4m upstage LED wall, the show blends live performance with filmed footage, cutting edge graphics and intense colour that silhouettes the artist at work. Speaking about the show’s visual elements, Sam says: “Tokio Myers Our Generation tour design revolved around the basic idea of cinematography and immersing Tokio in a halo like parallel cube of light. I found using VER high
USA - After recently expanding its inventory with a large complement of Claypaky Scenius Unico and Mythos2 fixtures, Elite Multimedia Productions has provided a portion of that equipment to Cole Swindell’s nationwide Reason to Drink Tour. The country singer-songwriter kicked off his headlining tour in Allentown, Pennsylvania in February and wrapped the first leg in LA in April. He resumed the tour a month later in Austin and will continue to play dates across the country through September. Nashville-based Elite Multimedia is the production provider for lighting, LED, video and IMAG video support. Production designer James ‘Mo’ Butts deploys 16 Claypaky Scenius Unico and 24 Mythos2 fixtures for the tour. His design for the show, in which video plays a key role in the storytelling, depicts Swindell’s evolution as an artist from playing cover songs at a c
USA - Powersoft is launching several new products targeted at the fixed installation and OEM markets at this year’s InfoComm exhibition. New products include a significant extension of its successful two-channel amplifier platform, Duecanali, as well as its renowned M-Force transducer, which brings power and integration possibilities to an increasing number of OEM partners. The Duecanali 804 and 4804 - which are now launching in the U.S. market - are the latest additions in the Duecanali platform, which is suited for retail, leisure and hospitality fixed installations that require both pristine and reliable sound. The Duecanali 804 offers 2 x 400W and represents a lower total power solution for installations in retail, as well as bars and restaurants where a single two-channel amplifier is required - without the need for additional channels or power. The range is complet
