Germany - Acoustic Development enjoyed a very successful Pro Light & Sound in Frankfurt, reporting orders totalling £250,000 received at the show.

"We look to the future with great enthusiasm and determination to develop our innovative technology into the absolute market leader within our industry," says the company. "Our designs gained a lot of attention at Frankfurt causing many strange looks and flashing of cameras. It seems many visitors including the competition were curious as to how we loaded 10 transducers into our AD2000LA which measures just 750 x 270 x 500mm.

"While our industry is very conservative our ground breaking developments can't be ignored. We are applying the laws of physics to real world audio solutions that are clearly the basis for a major shift in sound system design. We welcome the challenge and look forward to building on th

UK - The SSL Live L300 console is making its PLASA Focus Leeds debut with UK dealer HD Pro Audio on stand N-A26. HD Pro Audio will also be showing the new V3 software that introduces over 40 new software and hardware features and updates for the SSL Live console range.

"With impeccable sound quality, the SSL Live consoles have created serious interest and demand since their introduction," said Andy Huffer of HD Pro Audio. "PLASA Focus gives us the opportunity to show the powerful V3 release for the first time at a UK exhibition, so we're looking forward to a very busy show."

In addition to the SSL Live, HD Pro will be showing selected products from L-Acoustics and the other leading brands the company represents.

To register for PLASA Focus Leeds, visit: www.plasafocus.com/leeds.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Cadac is debuting its brand new CDC six digital live sound production console in the UK at PLASA Focus 2015. Launched worldwide last month at Prolight+Sound, Cadac claims that the CDC six features the fastest, most intuitive user interface and highest possible audio performance of any audio mixing console available.

Cadac will be exhibiting a pair of CDC six consoles at the show, along with Cadac's MegaCOMMS networking products, including the CDC MC Router, the CDC MC MADI audio network bridge and the new Version 2 CDC MC Dante MegaCOMMS bridge.

The CDC six is based around a further development of Cadac's advanced, highly acclaimed gesture-operation user interface. With the same superlative audio performance and incredible low latency of the CDC eight, the CDC six represents a major ergonomic advance in user operation. The traditional fixed physical controls have been rep

UK - PLASA Focus Leeds 2015 sees The Prolight Concepts Group (Stand N-D12) launch their new 140 page stage & event catalogue featuring almost 100 new products. The bumper number of product additions launched so far this year will see the range offered by Prolight Concepts Group close in on 1500 product lines available from stock.

Products featured on the stand include the following new products plus a host of popular existing products:

eLumen8 Kudos 600ZS moving head alongside the smaller Kudos 100ZS, 200ZS and 300ZS. The Kudos ZS series features Osram Ostar RGBW Quad colour LEDs combined with a dynamic zoom system offering wash thru beam.

eLumen8 Liberty Wireless Uplighters. Available in two formats: 36W RGB COB LED or 7x 12W 6in1 LED the Liberty series feature long battery life combined with on board W-DMX for rock solid reliability.

eLumen8 PF series LED Profiles. Featu

UK/Italy - Showforce and Italian event and modelling agency BeA Models, have signed an agreement that will see the two companies working closely together in the Middle East.

The partnership will allow Showforce to offer its clients throughout the Middle East high-end event personnel and models from BeA's team. As a successful company in Italy they boast an impressive client roster of both national and international businesses including Mercedes Benz, Breitling, Ray-Ban, S. Pelligrino and Veuve Cliquot.

Ian Spendlove, Showforce's chief executive, commented on the partnership, "I met Guiseppe when conducting some recent business in Milan for Expo 2015 and was really impressed with their approach, professionalism and client list. With the number of international brands and companies promoting themselves in the region there is definitely a market in the Middle East for the se

South Africa - Gearhouse Group will again play a key role in Mediatech Africa, the only media and entertainment technology trade show for southern Africa.

Mediatech Africa, staged in Johannesburg every second year, will be held from 15 to 17 July 2015 at the Ticketpro Dome at Northgate, Johannesburg.

Robyn D'Alessandro, national marketing manager for the Gearhouse Group, says that the group, which has participated as official technical sponsor of Mediatech since 2009, views the sponsorship as a prime opportunity to show its support for the media, broadcasting, film and AV sectors.

"We see this as an opportunity to give back to the industry in a small way. While only one of the Group exhibits formally; the rest of us are there in full force, meeting and greeting and catching up with our suppliers, colleagues and competitors alike. We bring our latest complement of Gearho

UK - Debuts are to the fore at this year's PLASA Focus: Leeds, with more and more exhibitors choosing it as the UK launch pad for new product releases, including Cadac's new CDC six and DiGiCo's S21 mixing consoles, Meyer Sound's Leopard loudspeaker system and Zero88's FLX lighting console.

At the entrance to New Dock Hall, Martin Professional is displaying its new VDO Sceptron indoor/outdoor LED strips, which come with a choice of diffusers, the 6mm Fenix panel video and Rush 650 and 850 smoke products. Also on show are the Quantum Wash and Quantum Profile, launched last year, as well as the Aura XB, which has 50 per cent more output than the standard Aura, plus extended colour mode.

"Out of all the shows we exhibit at, this is where you can spend proper time talking to people, so we've brought representative selection of our new and current ranges," says the compan

Australia - Danny Rose, the award-winning Paris-based art and design collective, celebrate their return to the seventh annual Vivid Sydney festival, the world's largest festival of light, music and ideas, with "the true synaesthesia of Mechanised Colour Assemblage".

The group's latest large-scale digital art installation will transform the sandstone façade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia into a series of sound and colour 'machines' to create "a truly stunning, continuously morphing listening and viewing experience".

This work, a close collaboration between the creative team at Danny Rose and Australian artist Rebecca Baumann, will be one of the centrepieces of the 18-day festival of light, music and ideas that is Vivid Sydney.

Rebecca Baumann is a Perth-based artist working predominantly in kinetic sculpture, installation and performance. Her

UK - Illuminate Design has announced that from 15 May they have become dealers for the GaffGun range of products.

The GaffGun, launched in October 2014 has seen massive sales throughout the USA. Now with GaffTech the company behind it looking to branch out into overseas markets, Illuminate Design has been chosen to help this development.

The GaffGun (patent pending) is billed as "a great advancement in floor tape since gaffer tape was invented". Saving over 90% of the time to lay tape over cables or rope, The GaffGun simplifies your job while saving time, money, and your back. Cables don't even have to be straight-the GaffGun uses a funnelling system to straighten and centre your cables and then lay tape over them.

GaffTech developed the patent-pending CoreLok tape to work in unison with the GaffGun, ensuring a consistent result with every tape run. GaffGun CoreLok

UK - AED Distribution UK has enjoyed the intimate, lively and focused environment of PLASA Focus Leeds for the past three years and the 2015 show last week once again met the expectations of this favoured show. Spread across two separate stands, the new enlarged AED Distribution UK Team enjoyed a busy two days discussing the strong portfolio of bAV products now offered in the UK, all underpinned by the range of AED solutions.

The main stand was home to the lighting and rigging offering from AED Distribution that includes High End Systems, Prolyte, Columbus McKinnon, SRS Light Design, Swisson, AV Stumpfl, Doughty, Verlinde (Stagemaker) and MediaLas.

Prominent were the latest stage lighting luminaires from High End Systems under the LED RISING Banner, including the SolaSpot Pro 1500 with its 400w White LED engine providing a staggering 20,000 Lumens output and the Shapeshifter C

Poland - The Audio Engineering Society held its highly-successful 138th Audio Engineering Society Convention at the Sofitel Victoria Hotel in Warsaw, Poland, 7-10 May, 2015.

This first-ever AES Convention to be held in Poland was co-chaired by Bozena Kostek and Umberto Zanghieri, and featured a keynote address by ORF (Austrian TV) sound engineer Florian Camerer, as well as the Heyser Memorial lecture given by Genelec Chairman Dr. Ilpo Martikainen.

Other highlights included the popular Project Studio Expo stage, several unique Tech Tours of local Polish audio production facilities, and a wall-to-wall exhibition area, where attendees were given a first-hand look into the latest professional audio equipment and services from leading manufacturers.

Additionally, as part of the Tech Programme events, the Best Peer-Reviewed Paper Award was presented to Frank Schultz, Florian Strau

UK - d&b audiotechnik introduced three new products at PLASA Focus 2015 at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The new D20 amplifier, the MAX2 stage monitor and ArrayProcessing, a significant new feature within the d&b ArrayCalc V8 simulation software, made their UK debut in the New Dock Hall.

ArrayProcessing is a new optional feature for optimising the tonal and level balance of d&b J, V and Y-Series line array systems across an entire listening area, significantly improving the consistency of performance. The D20 joins the D80 as part of the four channel 2RU amplifier family. It features intuitive user interfaces and fast, responsive remote control and monitoring via Ethernet, through the OCA protocol. The MAX2 is a flexible 15" stage monitor, which can be pole mounted on a d&b subwoofer and used as a small, full range system.

The Y-Series also made its first appearance at th

USA - d&b audiotechnik will introduce two new and much anticipated installation amplifiers at InfoComm 2015, Orlando. These amplifiers join the d&b family of dedicated installation products and reaffirm the company's focus and commitment to the market.

Roger Keim marketing manager, d&b audiotechnik USA said, "InfoComm is a key event in our calendar and we have good news at the show this year. Based on nearly 35 years experience in developing systems and, more importantly, from the interaction and feedback from our valued customers, our new installation amplifiers have been designed to give d&b performance in a package tailored specifically for installation."

The new amplifiers will be on display at the d&b stand (621) alongside the new Y-Series loudspeakers and D20 amplifier, which was launched at ProLight+Sound in Frankfurt, Germany in April. Visitors will be able t

Germany - ETC is getting ready for its first appearance at Berlin's Stage Set Scenery show, 9-11 June, in Berlin. The company is set to make a big splash, giving Europe its first ever look at ETC Rigging, on stand number 208 in Hall 2.2. ETC will also have a second stand at the show - number 210 in Hall 1.2 - to demo its popular lighting products, giving show visitors a lot of new gear to experience.

Introduced in the US in 2009, ETC Rigging has made a deep impression on the industry, with some of the best quality and most versatile equipment available. ETC designed its rigging family with the user in mind, with dealers able to supply turnkey hardware packages tailored to the customer's unique needs, budget and venue size. ETC Rigging includes innovative controllers and motorized hoists that have sophisticated technical features - such as slack-line detection and live status fee

Germany - This year's Stage Set Scenery will provide the stage for J&C Joel's global project team to unveil a number of new acoustics solutions this June.

J&C Joel, one of the world's leading manufacturers of flame retardant fabrics and flooring for the entertainment and event industries, will also be celebrating its rich textile heritage at the Berlin show.

The theme of J&C Joel's stand - The inspiration behind the performance - will see the company showcase its new brochure, website and rebrand as well as a number of new product innovations. In addition, the company's global project team will be demonstrating products used on some of the company's most high profile projects, including The New York University in Abu Dhabi.

J&C Joel will use the show to present a collection of new products designed to maximise the acoustic properties of any space, including: acoustic

USA - PLASA's inaugural Kansas City Focus Show opened its doors this week showcasing the very latest live entertainment technology products, attracting major buyers and hosting truly inspirational industry speakers who shared their knowledge and expertise.

The seminar programme and training sessions saw a diverse range of topics with highlights including: Rocky Paulson - a master of rigging, sharing his expertise on the art of rigging safely with the right components; Daunte Kenner - a veteran in both lighting and video, enlightening the audience on the craft and workflow that goes behind creating video; and Richard Pilbrow - the renowned lighting designer and founder of Theatre Projects, sponsored by Group One's 'ElektraLite', musing that a theatre is an accelerator of energy and light and the principle that an audience makes the atmosphere before the play begins. He presented

Canada - The Audio Engineering Society (AES) will hold its 59th International Conference, focusing on Sound Reinforcement Engineering and Technology, on 15-17 July, 2015, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

This is the first AES International Conference to focus on sound reinforcement in over 25 years. A select group of leading technologists, scientists, developers and users in the sound reinforcement industry will gather to discuss the latest innovations in sound amplification and control systems for live performance, to share their insight on current and advanced techniques and technologies, and to present their visions for the future of the industry.

The programme will include tutorials, papers and workshops covering topics of practical approaches to system design; case study analysis; and the measurement, optimization, installation, and testing of sound systems. Topics to be addr

China - Star Events will design and supply a world-class rigging system to STU Sports Park in Shantou, on the south east coast of China.

Set within Shantou University, the Sports Park includes a multi-use arena with incorporated hotel and conference facilities. Star Events is contracted to design and install two rigging mothergrids, which will cover three-quarters of the arena floor and can lift and hold production equipment weighing up to 70 tons. The company will also provide the perimeter rigging system that will hold 33 large format, high-definition projectors supplied by American company Obscura Digital. All 80 of the hoists will be controlled by Star's Active Roof Technology (The ART of rigging) system.

STU Sports Park general manager, Greg Turner, said, "We wanted a venue that could host a diversified event schedule and allowed promoters to move in and out as effic

USA - Dutch audio innovator Alcons Audio will be showing its latest pro-ribbon sound systems at InfoComm 2015, which takes place at the Orange County Convention Centre, Orlando, Florida from 17-19 June.

Alcons is exhibiting on Booth 779, as well as hosting off-site demonstrations during the show of the company's latest audio innovations, based around its patented Pro-Ribbon technology and the ongoing pursuit of audio perfection.

Highlight of the show will be two new pro-ribbon line-array systems, which are making their US trade show debuts.

The LR28 larger-format line-array is the result of five years development, with the last two years dedicated to beta testing for the 'proof of concept'. Together with continued extensive R&D, which has led to another two patents pending in addition to the existing four, user-input from the world's top engineers has produced the LR28's fin

UK - This year's Meet the Future conference - Event Technology Challenged will take place on 9 June at Central Hall, London. The Meet the Future event series encourages peers to share both ideas and available resources as a way of staying ahead in a constantly evolving industry.

With White Light acting as one of this year's sponsors, the conference will allow senior event buyers to experience event technology by placing them in the role of the delegates who they would normally be organising events for. The aim is to show attendees how new event technology can improve their own events by learning from real-time use cases.

The conference will be delivered in two parts. In the morning sessions, attendees will be given 'hands-on' demonstrations of cutting edge technology, gaining an insight into how it may be utilised by delegates at future events. The afternoon sessions will focu

UK - White Light is once again returning to the annual ABTT Theatre Show, having being part of the event since the very beginning. Now in its 36th year, the show will be held on 24-25 June and will be re-locating to Alexandra Palace in the West Hall. The ABTT Theatre Show welcomes visitors and exhibitors from various sectors of the entertainment industry and provides the opportunity for discussion, discovery and development.

As a complete solutions provider, as well as a leading lighting supplier for West End and touring theatre, White Light will be exhibiting on stand D30. Whether clients are looking to invest in LED, discuss the latest in lighting, sound and video control software, or hire audio equipment for their next production, White Light is looking forward to meeting them at the show and hearing about their latest news.

Over its years of exhibiting at the show, White L

UK - Production industry consultancy entertaining sustainability returns to the ABTT Theatre Show in 2015, as the show moves to London's historic Alexandra Palace on 24-25 June.

Centre stage on Stand E25 will be a live demonstration of :entertaining sustainability's real-time monitoring system from MeasureMyEnergy, giving visitors to the show an opportunity to see how a building's energy, water and gas consumption can be interrogated down to one-minute resolution. Using such systems can result in annual savings of 10% - 20% through the ability to target energy-efficiency measures.

Also available for demo will be the system's inbuilt reporting system, which makes short work of generating the outputs needed for Arts Council, Creative Scotland, CRC, ESOS, IG Tools, and other compulsory/voluntary legislative programmes. Advice on financing the equipment, such as the Energy Efficie

Germany / Italy - Fohhn Audio has supplied an extensive range of loudspeaker systems for installation in the German, United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan pavilions at Expo 2015 in Milan. The Nürtingen-based manufacturer is no stranger to this universal exposition, having previously provided loudspeaker systems for the German, Swiss and China State Grid pavilions at EXPO 2010 in Shanghai.

The theme of Expo 2015, which opened on 1 May, is Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. One hundred and forty countries and a number of international organisations are taking part. More than 20 million people are expected to visit the 1.1 million sq.m exhibition site before the Expo closes on 31 October.

Music & Light Design GmbH, Leonberg, has installed around 80 compact Fohhn loudspeakers in Germany's Fields of Ideas pavilion, which portrays the country's distinctive field and m

UK - This year's Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) show will see J&C Joel unveil a number of exciting new fabrics and drapes.

J&C Joel, one of the world's leading manufacturers of flame retardant fabrics and flooring for the entertainment and event industries, will also use the show to celebrate its rich textile heritage.

Located on stand C41, J&C Joel will be screening an exclusive film about the company's rich UK manufacturing history. The business - thought to have the longest tradition of textile manufacturing in the entertainment industry - has come a long way since its early days, which can be traced back to 1847. At the show the company will be exhibiting a new catalogue, website and rebrand as well as a number of new product innovations.

J&C Joel will use the show to present a fabric rack of new products, including: acoustic drapes, stage velvets, she

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