USA - The second annual Many Hopes Gala had a clear, if somewhat ambitious, goal in mind: raise $400,000 to open a new school in Kenya for 900 students. Being a relatively new charity, the event's organizers needed to accomplish this worthy objective without relying on some of the lavish trappings that more established Manhattan non-profits often use to attract donors.

Nevertheless, the new charity managed to accomplish this feat in stunning fashion with a gala-dance party for young professionals that featured up-and-coming theatrical stars and a snappy DJ booth area energized by PVP S5 LED video panels from Chauvet Professional.

Held at the legendary Canoe Studios in the city's Chelsea section, the event was hosted by a group of young glamorous stars like actress-singer Leighto

USA - What started as a late-night effort between two brothers in 1987 to perfect their mother's secret recipe turned into Crabfries and launched their fledgling restaurant, Chickie's and Pete's Crab House and Sports Bar, to critical and commercial success. ESPN recently proclaimed the establishment to be the 'Number One Sports Bar in North America' and Maxim magazine deemed it the 'Greatest American Neighbourhood Bar'.

Now a well-established Philadelphia favourite, Chickie's and Pete's is expanding its reach and recently opened its 26th location in Atlantic City's Tropicana Resort & Casino. As with all of the other Chickie's and Pete's locations designed and installed by Cherry Hill, New Jersey-based Pro Systems, the new one uses Symetrix processing. This time it's two SymNet Radius 12x8 Dante network audio DSPs paired with two SymNet xIn 12 and two xOut 12 audio I/O exp

UK - Famously unfinished at his death, Mozart's Requiem Mass in D Minor was completed the following year by the composer's student Franz Xaver Süssmayr, prompting over 200 years of debate as to what Mozart really intended the finished piece to sound like. A brand new interpretation of the piece has recently been recorded using Neumann digital microphones, prompting universal praise.

Performed by baroque ensemble The Dunedin Consort under the direction of conductor John Butt, the recording was made in Edinburgh's Greyfriars Kirk and issued on Scottish independent label Linn Records.

"In many ways it was a way of rehabilitating Süssmayr," says Phillip Hobbs, chief producer at Linn Records. "Ever since Requiem was completed, there has been a huge amount of discussion about whether he did a good job of it and so people have been coming up with new ways of f

UK - PLASA has become the latest Associate Member of JAMES (Joint Audio Media Education Support), further strengthening the JAMES industry accreditation and education support process.

Matthew Griffiths (CEO PLASA) said, "We have watched the quality work of JAMES grow over several years. We are now very happy to join with the other trade organisations in JAMES, playing our part in supporting education. Being part of the JAMES course accreditation programme will ensure that our sectors will have representation in course design and delivery."

The new association will now allow JAMES to work alongside PLASA to create and develop HE course accreditation structures for the event, entertainment and installation industries.

David Ward (JAMES policy director) commented, "The years of industry experience represented by the PLASA membership is very well-respected and we

USA - Community Professional Loudspeakers unveiled its new corporate brand identity at InfoComm last month. Community's booth and demo room showcased the new look of the brand while I Series, a family of premium point source loudspeakers launched at the show, signalled a bold new direction for the company's product design language.

Founded in 1968, Community has an impressive record of innovation and longevity and the company continues to reinvent itself in response to changing customer needs, global market forces and technical advances in the industry. The new brand identity and product design language are key elements of a branding initiative which reinforces Community's focus on the installation markets and its commitment to innovative product design.

"The revised corporate identity is a vibrant and engaging new expression of the Community brand legacy - past, present

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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

USA - The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) houses one of the most extensive collections of natural and culturally historic artifacts on Earth, over 35m objects in all, some dating as far back as 4.5 billion years.

Since opening in 1913, the NHM's mandate has been to preserve, protect and research those artifacts, and to curate ever more immersive exhibitions in an effort to inspire "wonder, discovery and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds" in visitors. With the 2013 addition of The Otis Booth Pavilion, which features a cutting edge AV system that relies heavily on Tannoy's QFlex, VLS and CMS Series loudspeakers, the NHM has created a space that will allow them to do so more effectively than ever before.

Made possible by a $13m gift from the Otis Booth Foundation and designed by CO Architects, the construction of the pavilion was part

UK - The continuing growth of the JHS pro audio division has led to the appointment of Chris Walton to handle in-house demos and provide detailed technical advice on the firm's pro audio portfolio consisting of HK Audio, Lab.gruppen, LA Audio, Lewitt, Cymatic and more.

JHS exec sales & marketing Alan Smith said, "We often have trade customers coming to our head office demo facilities in Leeds and it's not always convenient to pull our field based pro audio managers in. Chris has the knowledge and expertise to advise, rig and demo the gear as well as providing additional telephone and email support."

As an industry stalwart, Chris Walton joins with many years' of pro sound industry experience. The last 22 years have sent Chris around the land facilitating both live and install audio solutions as well as music production and design. Chris has worked extensively with Yo

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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

UK - Sennheiser UK has announced that Simon Holley has been appointed to the position of commercial sales manager for its Pro Systems division.

Simon joins from his previous position as sales manager at Bose UK and will work closely with and manage Sennheiser UK's extensive pro audio sales team. Simon will also liaise with key accounts and partners in each sector, helping to serve them and, in turn, Sennheiser's end users better.

"Originally coming from a background of B2B and B2C sales in the aftermarket automotive industry, and then spending the past seven years in the pro audio industry heading up the professional systems division for Bose UK, has given me a wealth of experience in sales and sales team management," says Simon. "My experience in the Pro Audio market spans a multitude of market segments and customer/account types. I will draw on this experience

Finland - Genelec is now shipping the 8010 active monitor, the smallest member of the 8000 product range. The 8000 Series is widely used in the high-end professional audio, mastering, post-production and broadcast market sectors around the world. Its professional heritage is reflected in the compact-sized 8010.

Suitable for professional work in small studios, it offers accurate monitoring capability with ease of installation. The outstanding sound quality makes the 8010 ideal for small editorial studios and OB vans, and a perfect companion for portable recording devices and other mobile production work.

Featuring a balanced XLR input, 3-inch bass driver, 3/4-inch tweeter and efficient Class D power amplifiers - one for each driver - the 8010 produces more sound pressure level than might be expected from a monitor of this size. The Intelligent Signal Sensing ISS circuitry saves

The Netherlands - Showcasing new and innovative products and technologies as well as proven devices, Lawo will use this year's IBC to address audio and video broadcast, software solutions and workflow optimization issues

A world premiere to be held on Friday 12 September 2014 at noon will present the IBC audience in Amsterdam with a brand new audio mixing console that "extends Lawo's application range and rounds up the company's product portfolio". This addition to the product family boasts high performance and a new face, with an advanced feature set based on proven Lawo technology. It is, in the company's words, "simply unbelievable".

The new crystal radio console offers a cost-effective entry point into the Lawo world of mixing, bringing comprehensive out-of-the-box functionality plus all of the flexibility and customizability for which Lawo is renowned.

UK - Chilfest 2014 - the three day music extravaganza staged in Tring, Hertfordshire, UK and produced by Universal Event Productions (UEP) - was another resounding success.

The event, compered by Keith "Cheggers" Chegwin brought two days of the very best music from the 1980s - indie rock from the Boomtown Rats, Big Country, Heaven 17, etc.; classic pop from Jason Donovan, Boney M, Go West - and contemporary pop with Union J, 911, Stooshi and many more to the leafy heartlands of Tring.

Chilfest was started last year initially as a novel and interesting way of celebrating UEP's 15th year of successful operation. As the idea gained momentum, it took on the format of a full scale two day music based festival with fun and entertainment for all the family.

The Chilfest event and concept went down such a storm that Steve Butcher and his team decided to go ahead and do it

USA - Synergetic Audio Concepts (SynAudCon) has announced their in-person seminar schedule for the fall of 2014. SynAudCon provides real-world audio education through web-based and in-person training worldwide.

Sound Reinforcement for Technicians (SRT) is a three-day seminar that covers the theory behind how sound systems work and demonstrates how to use instrumentation to troubleshoot systems. The seminar is will be offered in Charlotte, NC on 17-19 September, 2014 and again in Dallas, TX on 6-8 October 2014.

During day one and two, instructor Pat Brown provides hands-on exercises that use a signal distribution system and an iPod Touch loaded with software apps that allows attendees to measure voltage, impedance, polarity, SPL and STIPA. Attendees learn what these measurements mean along with how to use them to troubleshoot systems and make sure they are performing opt

UK / USA - In support of Coldplay's latest album Ghost Stories, XL Video has supplied a video solution for the televised album launch and worldwide promotional shows, culminating in two sold out shows at London's Royal Albert Hall.

The visual concept for these shows was developed jointly by Ben Miles, Paul Normandale, Misty Buckley and Phil Harvey.

The shows were managed for XL Video by project managers Phil Mercer and Gareth Jeanne. In contrast to their Mylo Xyloto stadium shows, the performances for Ghost Stories called for an intimate ambience, bringing the audience closer to share the new songs.

For the global album launch event at the Sony Pictures Studios in LA, XL Video were asked to create a planetarium-style 360 degree projection all around the space and across the entire ceiling above. To achieve this XL supplied 46 Panasonic PT-DZ21K projectors contr

UK - Arcstream AV, specialist provider of interactive technologies and special effects for events and permanent installations, has supplied an Oculus Rift headset plus bespoke content to Peugeot for its nationwide roadshow of the new 308.

The headset provides users with an augmented reality driving experience giving a 360 degree view of a virtual world. Beginning in April, the tour went to the Metro Centre in Newcastle, the Arndale in Manchester, the Bullring in Birmingham and Westfield in central London and Stratford. The same equipment and software was then used at Peugeot's stand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which ran from 26-29 June.

Neil Dickinson, managing director of Arcstream comments, "If you want your visitors to remember you, it's vital to give them a memorable and engaging experience. Arcstream supplies a myriad of solutions to help you achieve this, and

UK - A.M.P. Events, organiser of the Event Technology Awards (ETAs), has today announced the 2014 shortlist.

With a 50 per cent increase in entries, nearly 100 of the event industry's leading suppliers, agencies and technology providers have made the shortlist. The projects submitted are from all sectors of the industry and include some of the UK and Europe's largest festivals, conferences and exhibitions as well as numerous high profile brand activations. To view the complete visit www.eventtechnologyawards.co.uk.

Paul Allott, event director of the Event Technology Awards said, "We knew that we delivered a solid first event last November but the number of award submissions and the calibre of the entrants for 2014 really confirms that the industry is behind the ETAs."

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony and gala dinner which will be held on 13 November

The Netherlands - Light Image are a lively, energetic and imaginative lighting design, programming and operating practice based in Utrecht, The Netherlands, comprising three core people - Bas van der Poel (LD), Renzo Hagel (LD / operator) and Jeroen Van Der Velden (media servers / technical drawing specialist).

The company was established in 2011 and specialises in supplying creative lighting and visuals for TV shows and live events of all types.

Light Image works closely with directors and DoPs to produce the full visual design package required for a show, including lighting, set design, LED elements and control, all adding up to a coherent and harmonious visual picture.

This includes specifying the equipment and sometimes sourcing and tech'ing it on site. They are working increasingly with Robe products on almost every show.

"Our working relationship with Robe all s

USA - In her young spectacular career, multi-Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles has already worked with an impressive array of superstars, collaborating with the likes of Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson and Pharrell Williams, and opening for Maroon 5 and Counting Crows. This summer Bareilles harmonised on stage before a national TV audience with another new star that's been garnering a great deal of attention lately, the Nexus 4x4 COB LED panel from Chauvet Professional.

LD Peter Greenbaum (Illumination By Design), the lighting director for the Today Show, used 12 Nexus 4x4 panels to accent Bareilles' dynamic Toyota Concert Series performance on the popular morning programme. Greenbaum lined the upstage area behind the platinum-selling recording star's piano with two banks of three Nexus panels to create a focal point behind her as she performed. He also lined two upright truss sup

China - The global reach of Coda Audio continues to extend, with installers keen to embrace the company's signature audio quality and seamless coverage. Two of the latest installations are in new Chinese theatres.

Built in the form of a pentagon, the striking Huainan Theatre cost $48m US and covers an area of 24,500sq.m. Capable of accommodating up to 1280 people, the building's internal design caused considerable difficulty with designing a PA system that was suitable for the variety of performances and conferences it is required to host.

After lengthy discussions with the theatre's owners, technical installation company Zhejiang Tongbo Electronic Engineering Co Ltd - otherwise known as Tempo - specified a Coda Audio system.

The system is configured as an LCR arrangement and features Coda Rx35 full-range units as the main speakers, with PW418 subs, K5 compact two-way units

Austria - Robe moving lights - 174 in total - were specified by lighting designer Helmut Krammer for the 2014 Summer Night Concert, performed for its eleventh year by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna which provided a sumptuous and beautiful Baroque backdrop to the event.

The venue is a UNESCO World Heritage site and this high profile annual cultural experience was broadcast live by national TV station ORF1 and also beamed around the world on via various satellite channels. It was also live on radio.

Various Robe fixtures were used to light four key areas in the extensive and beautiful gardens - the main stage; the flower beds left and right of this, the Neptunbrunnen Fountains at the back of the stage and the Gloriette structure which is at the top of the hill directly behind the stage location.

It was the fifth year that Vienna based Krammer h

Burundi - Christ for All Nations (CfaN) recently debuted its new Meyer Sound Leo linear large-scale sound reinforcement system at a four-day gospel crusade on the outskirts of Bujumbura, Burundi. Set up in an open field without delay towers, the Leo system performed flawlessly for the musical and speech programmes in front of 200,000 visitors, and replaces CfaN's Meyer Sound MSL-3A conventionally powered loudspeaker system that has served the ministry for 26 years.

Unassisted by giant video screens, lighting effects, or pyrotechnics, CfaN events rely heavily on exceptional audio reinforcement. "Clarity of speech is our primary concern at these events," says Derek Murray, head of sound operations for the ministry. "The Leo system is able to cover very large areas with high intelligibility, as proven by positive reports from the perimeter of the field."

The s

UK - Fresh off the Franz Ferdinand tour, monitor engineer, Tom Howat, took the same iLive modular set up of an iLive-112 Surface and iDR10 MixRack with additional PL10 remote controller on a short UK tour with Paolo Nutini.

Beginning with a set at Radio 1's Big Weekend festival and culminating in a performance at London's Roundhouse, audio production for the tour was managed by Britannia Row. Paolo was on four d&b M2 wedges run as a stereo mix, there was a guitar player on two M2 wedges, and then nine other musicians all on in-ears, plus Tom's PFL wedges, run "a little unusually" in stereo.

"It was very interesting to mix a different act on the same iLive system. Having spent many years working with Paolo this was an excellent opportunity to properly compare the iLive to past experiences. I ended up with only half a dozen unused input channels and because of the

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