Italy - Leading Italian television lighting designer Salvo Perrini used nearly 200 Robe moving lights on the most recent series of Reazione A Catena (Chain Reaction) for national TV channel RAI.

The show was recorded at RAI's Auditorium HQ in Naples where Perrini lit the show for the second time, before which it was recorded in Rome.

The game is based on the association logic of words or numbers and allows viewers to test their intuition and mastery of the Italian language. Each episode needed to have a different look and flavour, on which Perrini worked closely with scenic designer, Marco Calzavara.

As each programme built up towards its final section the money stakes increased dramatically ... and the lighting was integral to helping build the tension.

Perrini has w

Gabe Kubanda thinks big. A singer-songwriter by trade, he is constantly working to expand his exposure through creative ideas. In 2011, he was cast in the "Rock N' Roll Fantasy Camp" reality show on VH1 Classics. This year, he co-founded the Epic Proportions Tour, a new concept in promotion. Kubanda and two other unsigned artists, Lost In Atlantis and School Boy Humor, played 15 dates at military bases, high schools and colleges throughout the summer. When planning the tour, the new Line 6® StageSource™ L3t loudspeakers played a key role.

"Epic Proportions is a new and different approach to touring. The idea is to get great live bands a lot of exposure without a lot of financial risk," Kubanda says. "Instead of getting a dozen or so people to see us in a club, we play free shows for large crowds, often in the thousands. Kids love to hear new bands, an

UK - ETC is supporting the World Stage Design festival in Cardiff with a series of technical discussions on lighting with LED.

The festival, which runs until 14 September, is a celebration of international performance design from the world of theatre, opera and dance, running alongside which is Scenofest, bringing together live events, including performances, master-classes and hands on workshops.

Presentations will include ETC's technical director Adam Bennette and Steve Terry, ETC's vice president of R&D, who will be chairing a technical discussion on how to set up LED in a lighting rig. Bennette explains: "LED fixtures use power in a quite different way to tungsten - if the rig is set up in the way it would be for tungsten, it can cause all sorts of power issues. So we talked about what the problems are, and how to work around them, then talked about how to mix old and

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ETC Halcyon Silent

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Japan - Martin Audio is capitalising on its success in Japan and the Far East by setting up a new regional hub in Kanagawa.

The new operation, Martin Audio Japan, was announced in early 2013 and recently ratified, with Yusuke Karato, director of Martin Audio distributors, Audiobrains, fronting the operation.

Under the new structure, Martin Audio Japan will act as main distributor and Audiobrains will take on a dealership role. Mr. Karato believes that this will lead to even greater penetration and brand recognition for the manufacturer. "We considered what we needed to do for the Japanese market and this will deliver greater business opportunities in a wider number of market segments."

He added, "We recognise that with loudspeaker technology becoming increasingly complicated, first class customer training and service support were essential. We wanted to be the

UK - PLASA London 2013, which takes place at ExCeL London from 6-9 October 2013 has announced the return of a series of DJ sessions, supported by the National Association of Disc Jockeys (NADJ). The sessions will run on Sunday 6 October as part of PLASA London's popular Professional Development Programme of free educational seminars.

Paul Arnett, national chairman for the NADJ, said, "PLASA London is a great opportunity to meet up with like-minded professional DJs from across the country - we feel that, through attending events such as this, we can better equip our current and future members with the tools and resources they'll need to help build and develop their businesses. Our professional seminar speakers will have sage advice and guidance on marketing, presentation, DJing skills and so much more."

Highlights of the seminar sessions include:

• Tony Winyard

Super Star - Bruno Mars will perform at next year's Super Bowl halftime show. The NFL confirmed the Locked Out of Heaven star will sing at the game in February. He follows the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson, Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, U2, Janet Jackson and Bruce Springsteen. Super Bowl XLVIII will take place at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on 2 February 2014. Mars, is currently midway through his Moonshine Jungle tour, which will arrive in the UK on 2 October starting at Odyssey Arena in Belfast.

Piano Man - Sir Elton John will perform live at this year's Emmy Awards. The musician, will play a tribute to Liberace, the American pianist and vocalist whose life was told in the recent biopic, Behind the Candelabra. The HBO film, which premiered in Cannes this year, is up for 15 Emmys. The awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, will

UK - Sarah Cox, a well-known member of the AV industry, starts her new position at Green Hippo Ltd. within the company's sales team as technical sales manager for several European territories including France, Italy and Spain. Additionally, she will also spend some of her time as a HippoSchool trainer, working alongside head of training Simon Harris.

Previously Cox spent three and a half years with TMB, Green Hippo's exclusive Hippotizer distributors in the Americas.

Working closely with TMB's clients in the UK, Sarah spent a great deal of her time on the road, providing demonstrations and training whilst also attending open-days and tradeshows.

Furthermore, she spent some time as a business development manager for West End Theatre, before returning to her distribution roots with White Light as their European division sales manager.

Green Hippo's VP global sales, Samantha

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Strictly FX Highlights

Strictly FX was founded in 1996 by industry veterans Mark Grega and Ted Maccabee. Our expertise and knowledge of the world’s leading pyrotechnic, laser, and flame manufacturers allows us to curate astonishing live events. With over 500+ shows performed a year, there’s good chance you’ve seen some of our work!

Italy - Mishima is the name of a project that the Brazilian artist Ismael Ivo staged at the arena at the Pietrarsa Railway Museum in Naples, Italy. It is based on the life and creative world of the Japanese artist Yukio Mishima, who committed sepuku (samurai ritual suicide) at the height of his brilliant career.

The performance started at dusk and the Gulf of Naples formed a natural backdrop for a rice-covered, Japanese-rock-garden-like set. The stage hosted an encounter between dancers involved in a ritual celebration representing the contrast between sunrise and sunset and between life and death.

The show was co-produced by the Fondazione Campania dei Festival, the Arb Dance Company and the Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli. The Vietnamese dancer Khai Ngoc Vu led the performance, accompanied by dancers from the Compagnia Arabesque/Les Danseurs Napolitains, the voice of Angel

USA - This summer, New York Philharmonic performed a series of five concerts in parks throughout New York City using a Meyer Sound Leo linear large-scale sound reinforcement system. Two large shows took place on Central Park's Great Lawn, where Meyer Sound loudspeakers covered a widely dispersed audience estimated at more than 50,000.

For the 15th consecutive summer season, both sound coordination and FOH mixing duties for the New York Philharmonic were entrusted to Larry Rock, audio director for the symphony orchestra. For Rock, a Grammy-winning veteran of hundreds of classical concerts and recordings, Leo's debut performance raised the bar for large-scale presentation of classical music.

"It was a new experience," says Rock. "The Leo system is very powerful - it is particularly clear and efficient in the high-frequency ranges. Also, its throw is rather astonis

Chile - Wireless Solution Sweden demonstrated W-DMX during Chilean distributor Iluminacion Profesional Valook SA's Light Up! recent training sessions and open house in Santiago, Chile.

The Light-Up! show hosted approximately 200 people on 30 July for the open house and over 40 lighting designers for the training sessions on 31July. The training sessions were conducted via the use of visualisation systems such as Light Converse and intelligent lights from Robe.

For the open house and training sessions, all moving heads and DMX fixtures that were used were connected with W-DMX BlackBox F-1, F-2 and R-512. Fabian Cortez Lopez of Illumincion Profesional Valook SA commented, "The W-DMX products are incredibly user friendly and reliable. The W-DMX marketing material helped us a lot to inform our customers about the innovations and products from Wireless Solution.

Kashmir - On 7 September 2013 maestro Zubin Mehta and the Bavarian State Orchestra hosted a landmark event in the foothills of the Himalayas in the town of Srinagar. Srinagar had not witnessed any official form of cultural activity since a cricket match in 1983, making this one of the most eagerly anticipated concerts in recent times.

Zubin Mehta is the music director for life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and main conductor for Valencia's Opera House. Nearly 2,000 guests attended the event, hosted by the German Embassy in the Shalimar Gardens in Srinagar.

It was the lifelong dream of Zubin Mehta's to perform in the beauty and serenity of the Shalimar Gardens. The garden is over 500m in length with natural waters running through the garden and then entering into the famous Dal Lake. A nineteenth century Mughal house was chosen as the backdrop, providing many additional

Germany - This summer in Cuxhaven, Germany, rental house POOLgroup deployed its Meyer Sound Leo linear large-scale sound reinforcement system for the main stage of the 2013 Deichbrand Festival.

Headlined by acts including Bush, Die Toten Hosen, and Funeral for a Friend, the four-day festival attracted around 35,000 people a day to an airfield near the ocean. According to the audio team, the effects of wind became a key consideration in designing the sound system for the main stage.

"The Leo system is so much more powerful than anything else we have worked with," says Tim Humpe, head of entertainment and touring production for POOLgroup. "The biggest challenge with this festival is the wind. With Leo, the sound stays focused and in your face, without the need for delay towers."

The main stage system provided sound for the entire 150m-long audience area. &q

UK - Kent- based creative event specialist Eclipse Presentations has expanded with the addition of three new key personnel.

Charles Steward has been appointed as head of managed services, to head-up and drive the fast-growing Eclipse Services division of the company.

John Michaels and Martin Worman join as area managers, who will help co-ordinate Eclipse's dedicated site teams working across the 18 high-profile central London venues for which the company provides event services, technical production and AVL equipment.

Steward's background includes 10 years of operational experience in the professional AV industry including as a director of Impact Marcom. He also brings a wealth of knowledge in the contractual and finance sectors garnered working nationally and internationally.

His role at Eclipse Services will include building the portfolio, managing investment and equipme

UK - Music Group has expanded the marketing department for their recently-formed Professional Products Division, with the addition of industry veterans Paul O'Farrell-Stevens and Graeme Taylor.

Joining Yamaha's Pro-Music Division in the late 1980s as marketing manager, Graeme Taylor worked on the development and promotion of the company's professional-grade audio equipment and instruments in the UK. He later joined Bang & Olufsen as a key member of the team that turned the business around and grew both sales and operating profits. In 2007 he was appointed CMO of Meridian Audio.

"I am thrilled to join Music Group and support the new Professional Division," stated Taylor. "Since I began my pro audio career in the '80s, I've had great respect for the Midas, Klark-Teknik and Turbosound brands. Now, with the resources and commitment of Music Group, I'm confident that

UK - Prolyte Group, a world-leader in the manufacture of trussing, staging and creative structures, reports that this year you'll find an exceptional twist on its usual presence at the annual PLASA show at its new home, ExCeL London, 6-9 October 2013.

Stand Q65 will be dedicated to Prolyte Group's new ProLyft Aetos range. This product line, comprising chain hoists and controls, is fully equipped to meet future demands in lifting equipment. With its clever features and carefully engineered product attributes, Aetos has already received wide acclaim across the globe. Don't miss this opportunity to see the hoists in action for the first time in the UK, and find out firsthand about the features of this ground-breaking range. At the show, representatives from Prolyte HQ will join Prolyte UK crew to offer information and guidance on all Prolyte products including the full range of tru

Smoke Factory UK, the London based distributor, is exhibiting at PLASA for the fifth time after a very successful show in 2012. Showing the full range of Smoke Factory haze and fog machines, The Smoke Factory range will feature the ever dependable Tourhazer 2, the original industry standard for Haze machines.

Alongside will be the CaptainD, Data2, Scotty2, Spaceball2 and the rest of the Smoke Factory range. Manufactured in Hannover, these machines all have a two year warranty and have been tested by the rigorous VBG (Institute for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention) in Germany. Not only the Machines and the Fluids but also the Fog itself are proven and certified completely safe.

Smoke Factory UK holds stocks of machines, fluids and spare parts in their London warehouse for immediate despatch to any UK address.

(Jim Evans)

The brand new Hakkasan nightclub within the MGM Grand in Las Vegas has added dazzling sparkle to its huge main dance floor by installing 16 of Clay Paky’s powerful laser-like beam Sharpys.

The sixteen perfectly parallel pure beam Sharpys are rigged on the main dancefloor, which forms the heart of the 10,000 sq ft multi-tiered nightspot.

Dublin-based nightclub lighting expert Audiotek – which has been involved in some of America’s biggest nightlife venue installations – worked with Hakkasan Ltd to specify and supply the Clay Paky Sharpys as part of the club’s commitment to creating a world-class venue. The luminaires were then installed by Nevada-based 4 Wall.

"When you are working, designing and overseeing the biggest club venue in the world, it pays to know that your specification and light show is going to deliver,” says Audiotek

The Netherlands - Christie will be celebrating its 10th year at IBC 2013 (13-17 September, Hall 9 Stand C17) with the first European presentation of a number of new products.

The company will be supporting IBC TV and the IBC conference programme, and is once again the supplier for digital cinema projection at the IBC Big Screen experience.

First up is the Christie Brio - a presentation and content sharing solution which enables meeting participants to share across multiple locations, running audio and video presentations from their own smart devices wirelessly without the need to install any third party software. Brio features a whiteboard which can be shared in real-time for comment, note-taking or drawing - all of which can be saved, shared or recalled for later editing. As a result, participants are able to share information much more easily and leverage critical knowledge

UK - Calling on their relationships with industry leading experts, Sennheiser UK has produced a series of insightful eye-catching videos, capturing the lives and work of world famous engineers, producers and artists. In these videos, these Masters of Sound talk about their craft, as well as providing a multitude of interesting and useful industry tips.

The Masters of Sound campaign kicked off at the beginning of 2012 and gave aspiring musicians the life-changing opportunity of helping to create a new track with singer-songwriter and producer, Labrinth. Worcester-born singer, songwriter and pianist Clare-Louise Rossie was chosen as the winner from over 600 entries with her composition Designed to Fly.

The five new video sessions continue the Masters of Sound topic by offering a wealth of useful material to anyone whose passion lies within professional audio world.

The first M

Belgium - September sees the launch of ArKaos GrandVJ 2, the latest version of the highly successful ArKaos GrandVJ software for VJs, DJs, clubs and musicians.

The new software brings "sparkling new features that answer the demands of customers in the forefront of the action". Two versions are available: GrandVJ 2 and GrandVJ 2 XT which includes a VideoMapper feature.

New Features for GrandVJ 2: new interface; VideoMapper module (XT version); new software activation system; improved performance; new effects plus support for audio files.

GrandVJ 2 comes with a new interface, making it even more user friendly and straightforward, while integrating all the new functionality.

Simple colour coding (orange for layers, blue for cells) makes editing faster and more intuitive. Existing features, such as panel locks, have been moved and grouped under the mixer for convenie

Spain - Allen & Heath's Xone DJ mixers were used throughout the Ibiza season at various venues across the island, requested by top DJs including Pete Tong, John Digweed, Chris Liebing, Juanjo Martin and Richie Hawtin.

The flagship Xone:DB4 digital FX club mixer, along with the pro touring XD2-53 headphones was used by Pete Tong at his new weekly Le Grand Bazaar party at the Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel. Pete also used the same set up for his Essential Mix Liveat Privilege, broadcast on Radio 1. Leading Spanish DJ and producer, Juanjo Martin, also resumed his SuperMartxé residency at Privilege, where he used XD2-53 headphones and a Xone:DB4.

The M-NUS crew took up residency at Space for Enter, featuring Xone:92 mixers and Xone:K2 controllers in the booth, which included regular appearances from Richie Hawtin, Magda, Nina Kraviz, and Gaiser. Similarly,

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