USA - Swedish heavy metal act Sabaton are currently preparing to head stateside in April to join two other bands - American metallers Iced Earth and the Dutch metal band Revamp - for the Worldwide Plagues tour which takes them to all four corners of the US and Canada.

Sabaton will be using the tour to support their latest DVD, Swedish Empire Live. Filmed in front of 600,000+ enthusiastic fans at their headlining festival appearance at Poland's Woodstock festival, Swedish Empire Live captures the band's high-energy live stage show celebrating the triumph of the human spirit.

Sabaton, who perform with a full complement of Sennheiser microphones and wireless systems, will be returning to European soil at the end of May where they will be headlining at some of E

The Netherlands - The historic Pieterskerk building in the Dutch city of Leiden recently installed 70 of the new, multi-purpose Chroma-Q Inspire LED fixtures to provide energy efficient, flexible lighting for the former Church's huge nave.

The Pieterskerk is a landmark of Leiden and can be seen from afar. Construction on the venue, which is a basilica in the late Gothic style, began around 1390 and continued at various intervals until the 1560s.

The deconsecrated building now serves as a major venue for TV recordings, corporate events, concerts or education, and since 2001 has undergone major restoration to convert it into a technologically advanced space.

The venue's directors wanted to upgrade the building's lighting facilities, enabling them to create a multitude of atmospheres reflecting its varying usages. To achieve this, they approached Netherlands-based Harry de Kort

UAE - Two partnering agreements have helped leading event specialists, Spendlove increase their service offering for clients across the Middle East.

Spendlove's 'Smart Partner' programme sees the company enter agreements with European based businesses operating in the events industry that are looking to win work internationally. Spendlove's COO, Mike Smith has announced the company's latest 'Smart Partners' as temporary inflatable structure suppliers, Evolution Dome and temporary water and waste management specialists, MTD.

"The idea behind the Smart Partner programme is to not only encourage collaboration between the event industry's leading suppliers but also to create viable business opportunities for both partners," explains Mike. "Having been operating in the Middle East for 5 years, we have seen the growth of the live event production sector and are keen t

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LD Systems ICOA PRO series – high-performance coaxial PA speakers for professional demands

The popular ICOA PA systems have been further developed to include two active full-range coaxial speakers – ICOA PRO 12 A and ICOA PRO 15 A – as well as the active 21″ bass-reflex PA subwoofer ICOA PRO SUB 21 A. With its professional features and high output power, the ICOA PRO series is aimed at ambitious bands, musicians and DJs as well as hire companies and commercial customers looking for a compact, robust and powerful PA sound system. The ICOA PRO series is rounded off with modern connection and control options via Bluetooth 5.1 and the specially developed ICOA PRO app, for use on smartphones and tablets.

ld-systems.com/icoapro

Israel - Lighting designer Ronen Najar is utilising the easy to control beam of Clay Paky's Sharpy Wash 330s to complement the huge video wall used on Israel's interactive singing contest Rising Star.

Contestants on the show - which is a ratings winner in Israel - perform to a blank 16 x 3.5m projection screen, which forms a barrier between them and the studio audience and judges. During their performing, the singers can see live images of the at-home audience, who vote on each performance, in real-time, via a smartphone app.

"Because of the interactive element we wanted to ensure that the audiences at home felt included in the program's live visibility though a variety of lighting effects, all of which were achieved with the extremely versatile Sharpy Wash 330s," explains Najar.

"The stage is only 24 x 14m and with LED fixtures there was risk of spill

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ETC Halcyon Silent

High End Systems Halcyon Silent builds on ETC’s legacy of fanless automated fixtures by incorporating features from the highly sought-after Halcyon family. Halcyon Silent perfectly balances silent operation with brilliant output of 18,400 lumens and high-impact features. 

For more information visit us at www.etcconnect.com

UK - Singer/songwriter Frank Turner and his band The Sleeping Souls checked into production rehearsal arena complex LS-Live ahead of their Tape Deck Heart Tour to prepare for six UK shows.

It was Turner's first visit to the studios in Wakefield, where his crew test-built the production and he rehearsed his performance in the 17,664 sq ft space, during the three days prior to the first gig at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena on 6 February.

The crew made use of the en-suite bedrooms so they had easy access on site and hired the production offices, catering area and additional facilities.

The LS-Live rehearsal arena has had a busy start to the year, welcoming the X Factor Live tour rehearsals once again, where last year's contestants had one of their first experiences of professional touring.

Sofa manufacturer Sofas & Stuff also took up residency in the rehearsal arena

UK/India - FaitalPRO has appointed Andrew Richardson to manage OEM sales and area sales in UK and India.

Andrew has an extensive background in the audio industry, having spent the majority of his recent career working in managing the distribution and sales of audio components.

In his most recent role he managed technical sales and knows perfectly well the products Faital makes and sells.

Andrew states, "After visiting FaitalPRO factory premises in Milan and Cremona, Italy, I immediately realized what I wanted to do. Actually, after experiences with other manufacturers in other industries, With FaitalPRO there are already many customers that are familiar with the brand, so what I have to do is just to increase the amount of people that know about these marvellous products, build on the relationship and look to new customers which are now not completely familiar with Fait

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Create new traditions – Cameo P6 - High Output Full-Spectrum Ellipsoidal

Cameo's P6 is a future-proof LED profiler with a powerful 600 W RGBACL engine and 16,000 lumens. It’s an energy-efficient replacement for 2.5 kW halogen profile lights in theatres and venues. With excellent light quality and natural colour rendering, it fits perfectly in theatres, musicals, TV studios, congresses, and live events.

With an LED life of 50,000 hours and low power use, the P6 cuts energy costs and supports the EU’s ‘Green Deal’ goals for climate neutrality by 2050. It also meets updated eco-design rules for lighting.

www.cameolight.com/p6profile

Germany - Following a period of significant growth d&b audiotechnik has created a new department for market research. The Backnang based team will be led by market research manager Henning Kaltheuner who joined d&b at the beginning of December 2013.

Kaltheuner is well known in the industry; his professional career included 10 years at audio rental house Padco in Köln, before establishing the boutique pro audio specialist Teqsas, which Kaltheuner ran successfully for five years before moving to Yamaha Commercial Audio where he joined the product planning department in Japan. This was followed by three years at Riedel Communication as head of product management before joining d&b.

A Graduate of Köln University with a Masters degree in Psychology, Kaltheuner is the first to admit his qualifications and experience might appear at odds with his new role. "But in fact the two

UK - Legendary country-rock guitarist Albert Lee is celebrating his 70th birthday with two high profile concerts at London's Cadogan Hall. The events on 1 and 2 March will see Albert and his US band perform with a number of acclaimed guest musicians all brought to life by KV2 Audio loudspeaker systems.

Concert producer David Mann undertook several visits to Cadogan Hall and decided against using the in-house system, feeling that KV2 Audio's True Point Source approach to system design would be a better solution for the event and deal with the halls reverberant nature. Discussions with representatives of KV2 Audio Europe Ltd. led to one of KV2's "Very High Definition" VHD Systems being specified.

The VHD System is built around the VHD 2.0 Mid/High unit featuring a revolutionary large format 3" compression driver, two 8" transcoil mid-range drivers and two 12&

UK - DB Audio, have invested in a pair of Midas PRO6 digital consoles for front-of-house and monitor duties at the Electric Ballroom in Camden. Supplied by LMC Audio, the consoles were recently deployed for the first of Prince's 'secret' gigs, held at the historic live music venue.

Richard Waterhouse, who owns and runs DB Audio in partnership with his brother, Steve Waterhouse, comments, "Our primary concern in running the house system at the Electric Ballroom has always been to achieve the best quality of sound we can. This aim, coupled with using only top quality experienced engineers, means that for visiting artists, engineers and promoters we regularly exceed their expectations of the venue."

As touring engineers have brought their systems into the Electric Ballroom to link-up with the venue's Martin Audio Wavefront rig, DB Audio have gained valuable hands-on exp

Russia - Entertaining audiences worldwide, the global Nitro Circus Live tour stopped in Russia and had the hearts of extreme sports fans racing both in Moscow and in Saint Petersburg. The stars of Nitro Circus Live put on an inspiring show for the Russian spectators, with bright effects from Martin MAC III AirFX, provided by the rental company Euroshow, adding something extra for the spectacular performances full of power, energy and adrenaline.

Professional action sports athlete Travis Pastrana founded Nitro Circus in 2009 in an attempt to unite the most fearless extreme athletes in the world. The original Nitro Circus show consisted of a variety of tricks on motocross bikes, roller skates, scooters and other vehicles like cars for dolls, toy tricycles, boogie boards for surfing, tandem scooters and many more. Some of the tricks have already achieved world record status, includ

UK - Audio-Technica has announced the appointment of Alex Jann to the position of UK product and training specialist, with particular responsibility for DJ and recording-related products from Audio-Technica and Allen & Heath (distributed in the UK by Audio-Technica). The new role will see Jann working alongside Audio-Technica's dedicated team of sales managers, further strengthening the company's commitment to the highest standards of customer service.

Jann has worked in MI for more than a decade - with Andertons, Tascam and inMusic featuring on his CV - and has long experience as a techno and house music DJ and producer. As such he brings real understanding of the challenges facing MI retailers, as well as in-depth product knowledge.

"I'm very excited to be joining Audio-Technica," says Jann, "and I'm looking forward to supporting dealers with everything from s

UK - Eclipse Presentations has added the busy Hilton London Wembley hotel to its list of high profile serviced venues in the UK capital.

The Kent based event specialist will have a sales manager based on site and will co-ordinate all technical and creative production elements for the various functions, conferences, events, shows and meetings taking place at the property, a brand new build landmark property completed and opened in 2012 right next door to London's Wembley Stadium.

Eclipse's brief includes the provision of lighting, sound, video, AV and rigging equipment, plus sets / staging and specialist crew. Eclipse also offers a whole range of additional related services like videoconferencing, video content creation, widescreen projection mapping and interactive events, all of which are available at Hilton London Wembley through a single point-of-contact.

Eclipse was chos

UK - Blackout created a bespoke fabric backdrop for Beyonce as she performed a glittering rendition of her latest single XO for the Brit Awards 2014 at London's O2.

The drapes and rigging specialists, led by project director Kevin Monks, collaborated with Brits TV and Beyonce's production team to install an 8m wide by 12m fine gauze high speed roller screen which became the centre piece of the star's simple yet glamorous performance.

In collaboration with set company, Steel Monkey, the team installed three steel boxes upstage of the screen, clad with multiple layers of white voile to create a series of projection surfaces for XL video to display creative content. At the opening of the performance, Beyonce stood between the fine gauze and a giant close up of her face was projected live onto the screen, appearing to the audience as if suspended in mid-air.

As the star b

UK - Chauvet Professional has announced it has become Corporate Supporter of the Theatres Trust. Chauvet Professional will also provide further support to the Trust as sponsor of the delegate lunch at this year's Theatre Trust Conference, scheduled for 28 April, at the City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds.

The Theatres Trust is the National Advisory Body for Theatres, protecting theatres for everyone. Operating nationally in England, Scotland and Wales, the Trust promotes the value of theatre buildings and champions their future.

General manager Michael Brooksbank commented, "As a manufacturer, we feel honoured to play a role. Theatre is the backbone of the entertainment technology industry and a natural symbiosis already exists. Having come to understand in greater detail and recognise the work of the Trust, allegiance and community support became a natural next step for C

Brazil - Young Brazilian sertanejo rhythm singer Lucas Ferreira staged a huge show in Lençóis Paulista in the outskirts of São Paulo - his birthplace - to film his first ever DVD. The venue was in a disused warehouse in the industrial district of the city.

An eye-catching lighting scheme was created by LD Leonardo Oliveira using 50 x Robe Robin Pointes and 40 x Robe Robin LEDWash 600s.

Leonardo had full creative freedom for the shoot, and adapted his lighting ideas and style to suit a large industrial venue.

He was asked onboard as LD by musical producer Ivan Miyazato, and rental company Showdesign from São Paulo provided all the rental services, set up and support.

Three trusses above the stage were each rigged with eight Pointes and seven LEDWash 600s, and for backlight from the sides, five LEDWashes were rigged in two special left-and-right structures.

The other n

Germany - Le Maitre has been asked to provide the pyrotechnics as well as flame effects for this year's PRG Festhalle exhibit at Prolight & Sound. Live shows will take place 18 times a day over the course of the four day exhibition with free entry for all visitors.

The Festhalle, the main hall at the Frankfurt show, occupies over 32,000sq.ft and will be the home for PRG over the course of the four-day show. Visitors will be able to watch a spectacular live event production where they can experience PRG's integration of complex systems using state of the art light, sound and video technology. Attendees can also go on "behind the scene" tours to learn more about the services and market sectors that PRG serves.

Le Maitre will be providing over 2000 pyro products in the form of 1x35ft Gerbs and 30' Gold Glitter Mines, as well as their CometFlames for the 60 shows. Elemen

Russia - The closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics wrapped up the most expensive games yet with an exquisite cocktail of Russian music, ballet, art, design and literature - plus a witty and inspired sprinkling of self-deprecation. Much of the action took place amongst a dynamic forest of light, which was created and built by set and stage designer, Tait Technologies, and programmed by creative UK collective, Immersive.

Throughout, the Forest of Light provided the stage architecture that gave scale and perspective for much of the action that unfolded on the huge Fisht Stadium floor. It also provided the perfect TV-picture framing vehicle for the stunning aerial and stadium TV pictures, broadcast worldwide on 23rd February 2014.

The impressive Olympics Closing Ceremony design was by Danielle Finzi Pasca. The Forest of Light comprised a custom LED product, de

UK - The International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference 2014 formally opened bookings for the June event this week.

ITEAC 2014: The Future of Performance Spaces - The People, The Places, The Technologies, has recorded its highest pre-registered delegate interest in the Conference's history and has been inundated with ideas for papers & content from those interested in contributing from around the world.

The opening delegate rate has been held at 2010 prices for those registering early for ITEAC 2014. Further discounts are available to members of OISTAT (International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians), the ABTT (Association of British Theatre Technicians) membership and members of its Partner Organisations.

Developing themes for the fourth three-day quadrennial conference, being held at the University of London's Senate H

UK - Blackburn-based lighting and visuals rental company HSL supplied lighting and a new LED product to the highly acclaimed and much anticipated first full production tour by trip hop trio London Grammar.

On the tour, HSL supplied a new GoldPix 77 LED surface. This is a 500 X 500 mm panel populated with 7 x 7 warm white LEDs with very narrow beam optics, which is incredibly light, robustly built and ideal for touring and making a high visual impact.

The tour's stylish and off-beat visual design was created by Steve Bewley, who rose to the challenge of producing a scalable and flexible rig that would look good wherever they played. The heterogeneity of venues on the tour included some more unusual places and spaces, and all the kit also had to fit into one 26 tonne truck.

Bewley, well known for his innovative work with Enter Shikari, Shikari Sound System, & Dizzee Rascal sta

UK - Artichoke reports that an artwork commissioned for the Lumiere light festival in Durham 2011 has found a permanent home in the city.

Helvetictoc by Swiss web designer Tobie Langel, will be installed in Durham this week. The work, which describes the approximate time in words, will be projected onto the wall of the Clayport Library in Millennium Square.

The piece is an affectionate tribute to both an iconic typeface and to the nation of clockmakers from where it came. The artwork's witty use of language recalls the era before smartphones and the almost forgotten act of asking someone for the time.

Helvetictoc originated as a small web application combining a number of Langel's interests: typography, minimalism, randomness, humanisation of digital user interfaces and the perception of time.

Langel's app was spotted online by Artichoke, who saw its possibil

India - Delhi's famous Stellar Gymkhana Club used an Allen & Heath GLD-80 digital mixer for its prestigious Jashan-e Diwali event. The exclusive members-only club hosted a glittering banquet, and the mixer, supplied by local rental company, Thukral Productions, managed entertainment from several renowned folk musicians.

"The GLD-80 is a great audio experience at a simple price. The labelling is clear, the fader banks make sense, the control strip across the top is laid out well, and the surface is uncluttered. And the presence of a Select button that opens its accompanied window in the Touchscreen makes it very easy to handle. The design team even placed the Copy/Paste function buttons right at the front of the mixer, so there's no need to scroll through windows, you can just do it on the fly," explains product specialist, Shailesh Awasthi, from A&H distributor, SunInf

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