UK - "I'm having the time of my life with these," said an ebullient Simon Tutchener, lighting designer for Mark Knopfler. "I'm still getting to know the lights but everything I've seen so far is just what I was expecting."

Tutchener is using the new Clay Paky Sharpy Wash and the Alpha Spot QWO 800. "I knew the Sharpy Wash was coming, and had read about the QWO 800s, so I suggested to Noreen O'Riordan at Entec that we should take a look. She agreed and we duly set of for a demo at Ambersphere. There are many features that attracted me, even on first examination you see they're not huge hulking great lumps of metal work.

O'Riordan comments, "As a company Entec chooses very carefully where we spend our cap' ex' budget, but this was a straight forward d

USA - Good Friday and Easter Sunday are typically some of the most celebrated days in the Christian calendar, making it only fitting that the services be as stunning as possible. To that end, Bandit Lites aided lighting designer Ed White and production manager Ian Cattle of Black and White Live Ltd. in creating two stellar services for Passion City Church.

"My aim with this event is to support the atmosphere, and what is going on musically, without overpowering or distracting people," White explained of his lighting design. "There are moments that need to be like a rock show, with huge dramatic cues and changes; but then also times for a lot of restraint, and subtle changes to enhance what is happening on stage and in the crowd."

For one of the more dramatic aspects of the show, a large 25ft cross was placed as the centrepiece of the rig, whereas in the pas

India - When Norah Jones, daughter of Ravi Shankar, made her first ever appearance in India - at A Summer's Day Festival in Mumbai - around 8,000 fans turned up at the Mahalaxmi Race Course to cheer her on.

Making sure that the stage dynamics lived up to the performance were local production company E2Tech. Among the FX used were 24 of PR Lighting's new XLED 1037 moving heads with zoom.

Characterised by the use of 37 x 10 Watt RGBW LEDs (containing four colours in one), one of its outstanding features is its wide linear zoom, with variable beam angle. It was deployed on this show with 26° beam angle.

The lights were flown down specifically for the event - purchased by E2Tech from Modern Stage Service, PR Lighting's Indian distributors.

E2Tech owner, Jasjeet Singh comments: "We have been using PR fixtures for the last four years and are very happy both with

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USA - GLP German Light Products Inc. has announced that it has become a sustaining member of USITT, the United States Institute for Theatre Technology.

President of GLP Inc., Mark Ravenhill said, "Since we started our US operations in 2009, we have been endeavouring to support more and more of the valuable associations within our industry, and we are very proud that we can now call ourselves members of USITT."

USITT is a not-for-profit Corporation and is operated exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes.

Carl Wake, Technical Director of GLP Inc. added, "We are very excited about working with, and supporting the organisation and in particular its student membership in any way that we can. Having done many years of product and application training through my career, I see some exciting opportunities ahead."

(Jim Evans)

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France - LED lighting solutions are taking over TV studios. And the increase in popularity of ETC LED products across France can be attributed to the meeting of two men: director of photography Jacques Audrain, and Jean Louis Pernette, commercial director at ETC distributor Avab.

Pernette says: "Jacques was in charge of the lighting of a documentary for the Arte TV channel. He showed a lot of interest in the LED fixtures which we were demonstrating; he could see the fixtures' potential, and saw that they had a much better output than their regular RGB counterparts."

As a man who professes himself artistically committed to improving the lighting in TV studios, Audrain is among those who believed in LED from its early days in entertainment technology; his faith in the technology was confirmed with the launch of ETC Selador, and its seven colour mixing system.

"F

China - Wireless Solution Sweden AB will be showing its growing line of G4S products during PALM Expo, June 7-10 2013 at the New China International Exhibition Centre in Beijing.

The W-DMX G4S software platform includes an improved adaptive frequency hopping algorithm that improves the plug and play use in crowded radio spectrum situations and better avoids interference from Wi-Fi, DECT Phones, Intercom and more. The adaptive frequency hopping technology has been granted a patent in the USA and patent pending in the EU.

G4S also has a new Invisi-Wire MK2 with support for wireless software updates, which will make it possible to perform wireless software updates to all your receivers, with an easy connection to your transmitters with all receivers updated at the same time.

Another new feature is W-DMX Slot In, a new module that makes it easy to retrofit for the market and is

UK - Brewing came to Brick Lane before 1680 with water drawn from wells deep within the London clay. Today, the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane is host to concoctions of a different kind as it hosts the annual ABTT trade show 2013 on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 June. Nestled amongst the array of exhibitors and their paraphernalia visitors will discover the calm and tranquillity of the d&b audiotechnik stand. No clutter, simple visual eye candy and, perhaps surprisingly, no sound.

So what is the special ingredient in the d&b cauldron this year? To calm the stormy seas of a constantly variable acoustic environment comes the ArrayCalc V7, a sophisticated yet easy to use acoustic simulation tool that has been developed for both point source and line array setups as well as those projects that combine both into a single hybrid sound reinforcement system.

"This is the plannin

USA - The newest members of Martin Professional's award-winning MAC Viper Family and the first fixtures in Martin's RUSH range of affordable effect lighting await visitors to InfoComm.

Held 12-14 June at the Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando, visitors to InfoComm will be some of the first in North America to get an up-close look at two Martin product lines that are taking the industry by storm.

Martin will also have on display its EC Series of LED video panels as well as its Exterior 400 range of outdoor LED lighting fixtures.

Martin invites all industry lighting professionals to Booth 6151 for a relaxing chat and demo from their own personal Martin rep.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Alex Czechowski, whose Ace Vintage Systems inventory of classic components includes some of Martin Audio's most iconic designs, has done it again. Ace recently fielded a large vintage Martin Audio rig for the main arena at Drop Beats Not Bombs tenth anniversary, held at Birmingham's Q Club.

Promoted by David 'Boogie Dave' Whittall, Ace supported the event with a Martin Audio Modular System that included the 215 MK3 bass bins and Martin Audio MH212 Philishave midrange - as well as top boxes. The entire system was powered by BGW's equally iconic Grand Touring Amplifiers.

"We ran totally in analogue from the microphone to the loudspeaker, giving a really warm and clear sound which this system is renowned for," stated Alex Czechowski. Bands playing through the system included Major Triads, Too Many T's, Alternative Dubstep Orchestra and The Beatbox Collective

USA - WATCHOUT Premium Partner, Show Sage, will be exhibiting at PLASA Focus: Orlando - booth 209, Wyndham Orlando Resort, Florida, 15-16 May 2013.

The major release for Dataton in 2013 is WATCHPAX. Combining all the show-timeline, control and image-manipulation of the company's successful Dataton WATCHOUT software with a compact embedded computer, WATCHPAX is now shipping.

Dataton WIRETAG, which plugs directly into the WATCHPAX media-player module allows direct integration of a WATCHOUT show with Dataton's PICKUP audio guide system. Simply point and click at the WIRETAG with a PICKUP audio guide, and you jump straight into the show soundtrack at the correct point in the show.

Jim Testa, President, Show Sage, adds, "The North American market for Dataton's products is in very robust health and we are very excited by the attention WATCHPAX is getting from customers, curre

Germany - Acoustic measurement is becoming increasingly important as the range and complexity of audio systems becomes ever greater. Learning how to use measurement systems properly is vital to achieve optimum results, which is why German distributor AudioTec delivers high quality seminars on Smaart, one of the most widely used systems. Apex Intelli-X2 48 system controllers play an important role in showing attendees exactly what is happening.

Based in Bergisch Gladbach, on the outskirts of Köln, Rational Acoustics' Michael Häck has been running Smaart classes since 2008, as well as distributing the software.

"Our courses demonstrate that you don't need to necessarily know all the theory, what is behind the algorithms or what is mathematically correct for setting up a high quality PA system. If you can use the software properly to measure the system and interpret the re

UK - Unusual Rigging has provided a comprehensive and imaginative rigging solution for the lighting, sound, AV and scenic elements of the acclaimed David Bowie is... exhibition at London's V&A museum.

Over 300 objects have been brought together for the first time by the V&A's Theatre and Performance curators, Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh, and arranged across two exhibition galleries. Exhibits include many of Bowie's original costumes, music videos, excerpts from films and live performances and set designs.

Unusual Rigging's brief from the exhibition designers, 59 Productions and Real Studios, along with lighting designers DHA Designs, included some very subtle rigging requirements for the many flown scenic elements and projection surfaces, scrims, screens and aerial booths involved.

One major exhibit required Unusual to facilitate approximately 100 books swarm

UK - Following on from the success of the Dynamic Compression dance floor range, Le Mark has introduced Sonata, a matt-black-topped addition to their already established Compression flooring collection.

This 6mm foam-backed performance vinyl floor provides a lightly textured surface with point elastic shock absorption for dynamic dance routines and ballet pointe work, suitable for all types of contemporary dance.

Le Mark's Dave Cartwright said, "The Compression floor range has already been used on some of the UK's highest profile dance productions. Earlier this year, Dynamic Compression was commissioned for Sky1's primetime series of Got To Dance.

"For this application the floor was installed directly over an existing concrete floor, providing a roll-out covering where the shows contestants could practice their high impact and varied dynamic dance routines.&

UK - Green Hippo is recruiting for members for its new beta testing team . "As ongoing progress to our development and testing team, we have now introduced a dedicated and integral beta testing plan," says the company.

"Once registered and accepted, you will be given access to all the latest builds and tools that make Hippotizer the world's favourite media server. With these you will be asked to participate in testing, logging issues and suggesting new features.

"For the duration of the programme, you will become part of Green Hippo and have access to the Quality Control team at our HQ. An internal forum will allow you to engage in discussion with fellow testers, as well as share new ideas, ways of working and experiences with each other."

Hippotizer product manager Lee House says, "Our users are the real designers of Hippotizer products. Withou

Europe - Two giants of the lighting world have come together to help provide a dazzling show for one of the world's leading artistes.

The introduction of the g X-5 LED strobes from Peter Johansen's SGM provided all the inspiration necessary for multi-award winning production designer, LeRoy Bennett, to specify almost 450 pieces for Beyoncé's The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour.

When the set climaxes with her popular song Halo, the accompanying drum roll is the cue for lighting director Whitney Hoversten to trigger every strobe in the house, completing a blinding blitzkrieg. "We throw everything plus the kitchen sink at it," he says.

Beyoncé herself had expressed a preference for a lightshow-dominated stage set this time around (rather than the current video-led paradigm) and Bennett immediately set to work creating a stunning light ladder 'torm', i

UK - Entertainment lighting specialist White Light was recently chosen to supply lighting for the highly anticipated The Jacksons: Unity Tour, which packed venues across the UK in March of this year. As Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon took to the stage each night for a non-stop, pop-fuelled frenzy, their high energy performances and glitzy costumes were matched with a range of powerful lighting visuals designed by lighting director Theryn Knight.

For the UK leg of the tour, Knight and production manager Scotty Ross worked with Lester Cobrin, White Light's head of concert touring, to choose the layout of the lighting rig. Having already toured the show in America, Knight decided to go in a new direction with the lighting for the UK tour. "In the US, we used mostly conventional sources - incandescent pars and similar - which didn't give me a lot of flexibility and required

USA - The roots of Chicago's Union League Club date back to the Civil War, when an elite group of northerners formed the Union League of America as a defence against radical Confederate sympathizers in the north. The Club, which boasts locations in several major cities, has evolved to become one of Chicago's most prominent social clubs, playing a major role in establishing such cultural institutions as The Art Institute of Chicago, Orchestra Hall, the Field Museum, and the Harold Washington Library Center.

The historic 20-story building sits prominently on Chicago's Loop, somewhat dwarfed by its larger skyscraper siblings but exuding an air of Old World class. Inside, the building's Main Hall plays host to events ranging from formal dinners to addresses by heads of state and other national and international dignitaries. It's an exquisitely appointed room with high ceilings and m

Best of British - Coldplay are to receive the best British act award at this year's Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards. The group have sold more than 60m records, had five number one albums and won several awards including eight Brit awards and seven Grammys. Frontman Chris Martin said receiving the Silver Clef prize meant a "huge amount" to the band. "Nordoff Robbins is an organisation that lies very close to our hearts," he said. "They provide life-changing music therapy for thousands of people each year and we're humbled to collect this award in their honour." The band will receive their prize at a London ceremony on 28 June.

The annual Silver Clef awards honour artists from across the music industry, while raising money for the music therapy charity. Nordoff Robbins chairman David Munns said Coldplay were most deserving of the award. "Co

USA / UK - Loud Technologies Incand POLAR Audio have announced a distribution agreement whereby POLAR Audio will serve as the distributor for the Ampeg and Mackie brands in the UK and Ireland, commencing 1 June 2013.

"Together, the Mackie & Ampeg brands have over sixty years of history in the UK and Ireland markets with one of the industry's most loyal dealer and user bases," explained Tony Williams, director of sales, EMEA. "POLAR Audio will build on this success by delivering improved local stock availability, excellent in-market sales, technical support, and elevated levels of marketing and brand awareness."

"We are extremely excited and feel privileged to be chosen as the exclusive UK distributor of these market leading brands, " stated John Midgley MD of POLAR Audio. "Mackie and Ampeg are at the core of the music industry and we are conf

Europe - LumenRadio has announced that Svetlost Teatar has been appointed CRMX distributor in Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

Svetlost Teatar is focused on a full service concept, including design, manufacture, assembly, install and service. During the past years, the company has successfully completed over 100 projects, including 19,000 seat arenas and world famous opera houses.

"We chose LumenRadio because it is a trusted name in the entertainment industry. The quality of the CRMX products and the reliable performance make LumenRadio the perfect fit in our product portfolio of world-leading brands", says Olivera Mitrovic, general manager at Svetlost Teatar

Jessica Björk, sales & marketing manager adds, "In signing with Svetlost Teatar, I believe that we have found the best possible partner in this region. We are very glad to have Svetlost Teatar r

Argentina - Lighting and set designer Eli Sirlin utilised over 120 Robe moving lights in his lighting scheme for the 2013 Festival Nacional de la Vendimia (National Grape Harvest Festival), a high profile world-renowned celebration of wine and the wine-making industry held in Mendoza, Argentina.

The 2013 event, staged at the Frank Romero Day Greek Theatre, celebrated the local traditions with dance, music and wine, plus a special drama performance Noche de Teatro Mágico de Piedra y Vino to honour the venue's 50th anniversary.

Up to 30,000 people a night flocked to catch the action over the two week Festival. A Vendimia Queen was chosen and various wine tastings took place as well as live performances from an impressive line-up of local and international folk and rock bands. The event was closed by Spanish singer-songwriter and musician Alejandro Sanz who gave a show-st

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