UK - PLASA London opened its doors at 10am this morning and welcomed a surge of visitors in the first few hours of the show. Hundreds of people skipped their typical Sunday activities in favour of a vibrant exhibition floor and an education programme packed with the world's biggest names in entertainment technology.

Here are some of the highlights from today's show:

World Class Exhibitors

Every year, PLASA London brings together the most important audio, lighting, video and staging companies, filling the show floor with a feast of exhibitors. This year is certainly no different, with more than 250 companies exhibiting. Looking around ExCeL London's first class exhibition space, we see companies like Robe, Clay Paky, Shure, Polar Audio, Autograph, SSE Audio, FBT, Philips

Europe - As summer 2014 draws to a close, the UK source-oriented reinforcement (SOR) specialists Out Board have seen their TiMax delay-matrix and performer-tracking systems deployed for a broad and varied season of outdoor shows across Europe.

Thunersee, Switzerland - The perennial TiMax sojurn in the stunning Swiss lakeside setting featured the visual spectacle that is AIDA the Musical. Contemporised by Elton John and Tim Rice originally for a Broadway outing in 2001, the Thunersee production accessed a new dimension with sound design by the award-winning Tom Strebel and audiopool.

As in previous years, Strebel deployed the TiMax SoundHub and TiMax Tracker combination to bring vocal clarity and authenticity to the mammoth amphitheatre's audiences.

Strebel explains, "We simply cannot put on these Thun productions each year without TiMax SoundHub and Tracker. The audienc

UK - Visitors to PLASA London 2014 are invited to twice daily light shows on the Philips Entertainment stand L80, where they will be able to see Philips Selecon's latest innovation in LED technology, the RAMA LED Fresnel, in action.

Designed for 230v operation, the RAMA LED Fresnel combines the superior control and light quality of a Philips Selecon Fresnel but with added LED advantages. It provides an adjustable cone of light, has a soft edge and is easily blended with adjacent beams to provide even illumination.

A key benefit of the exciting new luminaire is that it is no longer necessary to change lamps and as a 3000K LED source, designers can use colour filters, in a similar way to a tungsten unit. It is also the ideal tool for general stage lighting as it has a smooth dimming curve and offers significant reductions in power consumption over traditional 1/1.2kW Tungsten Ha

UK - Faster rigging of stage and sets combined with improved safety are just two of the benefits offered by Doughty Engineering's Modular Rigging System, shown at PLASA for the first time.

A strong, safe alternative to 'home made' drop arms, which until now have been the only option for riggers, the system uses tried and tested connectors to give a SWL of 100kg and enables the safe and speedy rigging of luminaires from truss or fixed tubes or barrels. It also provides for a range of configurations to open up the possibility for highly innovative lighting design.

The Modular Rigging System uses 48mm diameter aluminium barrels in conjunction with a truss style conical coupling and is designed as two parts - Modular Drop Arms, which are single arms designed to be suspended with a coupler, and H-Frames, which can be suspended or floor-standing with tank traps.

Mark Chorley, desi

UK - Milos Group, one of the largest manufacturers of trussing and support structures in the world, welcomes James Thomas Engineering to its growing number of professional and trusted brands. James Thomas Engineering has been one of the leading manufacturers of aluminium trussing, rigging and ground support to North American and international clients since 1977. Its General Purpose, Supertruss and HD truss systems are known throughout the industry as benchmarks for professional outdoor concert, theatre and corporate venue productions.

As part of the Milos Group, and falling under the TOMCAT banner, JTE will continue to manufacture the same high quality "Made in the USA" products that industry professionals have relied upon for more than 35 years. Innovation will remain its first priority, and its mission statement "Innovation through Design and Engineering Excelle

UK - Venues with limited budgets that wanted to update their lighting systems with LEDs have until now often had only one option: flimsy, noisy and undependable fixtures with incredibly limited, fake-looking colour that drifted as soon as they were turned on. Now ETC has a new solution: the ColorSource PAR, an LED luminaire developed by colour experts and backed by ETC's industry leading service department. Schools, houses of worship, small theatres and other venues with tight budgets now have a way to affordably upgrade to LEDs, without losing out on beautiful colour.

Since ETC began developing LED luminaires, the company has spent a lot of time experimenting with colour, inventing LED products whose colour capabilities go well beyond what is available on the market today. ETC has applied this expertise to the ColorSource PAR, which uses a proportionate blend of red, green, blu

UK - ELC Lighting's Buddy has made its PLASA debut. Launched in summer 2014, the pocket sized Ethernet to DMX node has already won rave reviews from industry lighting designers and those who visited stand C03 at this year's show were amazed at just how capable the little device is. Designed and engineered as an entry level product, the Buddy was originally aimed at students, but is already being hailed as an essential piece of kit that established designers want carry in their back pockets, with several hundred units already sold.

Speaking at the ELC-Lighting stand, Silvio Cibien said, "Buddy has all the functions required to enable a user to get DMX out of their laptop at an entry level price. We feel that those taking their first tentative steps in the industry need to be able to experiment without the fear of doing something wrong, or losing all their work.

"The B

Spain - On Sunday 5 October 2014, the curtain fell on another incredible season for Space Ibiza, as it celebrated a summer of unforgettable parties with the Space Closing Fiesta. It welcomed more than 30 DJs and thousands of guests, who bid farewell to the iconic venue for another year. It was a fitting end to a very successful season, which saw Funktion-One complete its takeover of the venue, and helped it celebrate its 25th birthday with an additional outdoor stage at three special events - the Opening Fiesta, Closing Fiesta and 25th Anniversary Party.

At the beginning of the summer, while preparing the venue for the Space Opening Fiesta in May, Funktion-One, the Space technical team and Project Audio Ibiza made the annual upgrades and adjustments to its sound systems. This included a completely new speaker system for Sunset Terrace, meaning all six rooms of Pepe Roselló's gl

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UK - At PLASA 2014, Shure Distribution UK (SDUK) has announced the addition of the PSM300 Stereo Personal Monitor Systems to the existing Shure line of In-Ear Monitoring (IEM) technology.

PSM300 introduces the clarity and precision of stereo, 24-bit digital audio processing to the PSM line, while still offering users the customised mix control for which PSM systems are renowned. The PSM300's two-tier entry-level/pro-grade control interface allows any user to get a personal monitoring mix up and running with speed and confidence, whether they're experienced engineers or new to IEM systems.

PSM 300 will be offered in two system configurations. The baseline PSM 300 Stereo Wireless Personal Monitor System includes SE112 Sound Isolating™ Earphones and delivers detailed 24-bit digital audio processing and reliable wireless operation over a range in excess of 90 metres. Shure-pa

UK - Shure Distribution UK (SDUK), exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland for leading pro audio brands including Shure, QSC, Radial, DIS, Sound Devices, Primacoustic and Servoreeler,confirmed at PLASA London 2014 that it is taking on a new line.

Manufactured by Spanish audio company Equipson, founded in 1995 and based in Valencia, WORK Pro Audio products are aimed at sound reinforcement and live sound applications. Effective immediately, SDUK will be responsible for all sales and technical support for WORK Pro Audio products in the UK and Ireland, replacing all previous UK distributors of the brand.

Highlights of the WORK Pro Audio range include loudspeakers, amplifiers and DSP Digital Matrix products which provide a quality alternative for installation projects of all budgets. The most recent addition to the brand is the BlueLine Digital range, a cost-effective, modular

USA - Billed as the 'Largest Event in Bradford County', the 139th Troy Fair opened 21 July 21, 2014 with a new grandstands sound system provided by Gelnett and Associates of Northumberland, Pennsylvania and based on Community R Series loudspeakers.

The new system replaces a 1970s-era paging horn system that was inadequate for modern fair events and had prompted 2013's tractor pull announcer to complain, "We're not coming back unless you fix this!"

After interviewing several integrators, the Troy Fair board chose Gelnett and Associates to provide their new system. Gelnett President, Scott Gelnett reports that the fair board was very impressed during the on-site demo and knew this was the system for them.

The new system consists of two clusters of four Community R.5HPT loudspeakers covering the fans in the grandstands and three R2-52 loudspeakers covering the left, c

UK - ETC has handed over a cheque for almost £17,500 to the Behind the Scenes UK charity at PLASA London 2014.

The donations come from people who bought the European version of the ETC iRFR or aRFR remote control app for their phone or tablet over the past year, all of whom had the choice of whether their money went to the US charity, or its UK branch, which until recently was called Light Relief.

Handing over a cheque to John Simpson, trustee of Behind the Scenes UK, ETC's CEO Fred Foster said, "Lighting can be easy to control using the ETC iRFR for iOS and aRFR for Android, but sometimes life can be more difficult. That's why we're pleased to continue to support the Behind the Scenes charity, which provides much needed support to our colleagues and their families when times are hard."

The apps - which turn any smartphone into a remote lighting controller -

Switzerland - Riedel Communications reports that Riedel Switzerland served as the official radio and intercom services supplier for the 22nd European Athletics Championships, held 12-17 August in Zurich. Throughout the event, which brought approximately 1,400 athletes from 50 countries together for a competition attended daily by 25,000 spectators, Riedel equipment supported communications and provided the main fiber backbone for in-house video distribution.

"Riedel Switzerland provided us with seamlessly integrated solutions for video transport and communications, and the company's professional support not only enabled optimal use of the Riedel gear, but also ensured that the hundreds of volunteers and other professionals involved in the event were able to use their radio systems effectively," said Christoph Joho, marketing director of the Leichtathletik EM 2014 AG. &

UK - The new series of BBC's long-running comedy quiz show Never Mind The Buzzcocks will now be filmed at Elstree Studios.

One of the constants for the show is Richard Martin Lighting. RML has lit Never Mind the Buzzcocks for a number of years and while the set remains the same, the lights are constantly evolving and tweaking to maximise the effect.

LD Chris Kempton specs MAC 600s, Stage Zoom 1200s, MAC 250s, Alpha Beam 300's, Chroma Set Kits, MR16 Birdies, Pixel Bricks and a Nova Flower.

Now that the series is being filmed in a different, larger studio, there is also some audience lighting which consists of two Pixel Par 90s, GLP Impressions and LED 12 Lites.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Solid State Logic has announced a major expansion to its Live console range with the release of the SSL Live.L300 console and a new V2.5 software release that brings significant developments to the SSL Live console platform.

The release of the new L300 console and a major new software update signals SSL's dedication to remaining at the leading edge of the live sound industry for many years to come, says the company. L300 and the new V2.5 software release embodies the SSL tradition of listening to engineers and customers and demonstrates our commitment to rapid continuous development. The L300 will be shown at the 137th AES show in Los Angeles this week.

The new release means there are now two models available in the SSL Live console range, the larger L500 and the new more compact L300. Both consoles are equipped for applications in touring, installation, Houses Of Worship

USA - At AES in Los Angeles this week, British reference loudspeaker manufacturer PMC will launch the QB1 Active, a large-scale, ultra-high-resolution main studio monitor with analogue and digital (up to 192kHz) inputs.

Designed for either soffit-mounted or free-standing use, each QB1-A incorporates the latest generation of PMC's driver designs, Class-D amplification, Advanced Transmission Line (ATL) bass-loading technology, DSP control, and a quartet of 10-inch carbon fibre/Nomex piston bass drivers to create a single reference monitor that has "the transparency, resolution, dynamic range, frequency response, forensic sense of detail, and wide, consistent imaging demanded by the international audio elite".

The QB1-A has its roots in the observation by PMC's design team that there were no large-scale active studio monitors on the market taking advantage of the latest

USA - At Walnut Ridge Baptist Church in Mansfield, Texas, the congregation holds two distinct worship services. The first is a traditional worship service, but the second is a more contemporary worship environment.

Wanting to upgrade their lighting system to better encompass all the aspects of both services, Walnut Ridge turned to Gemini Light Sound and Video to oversee a full lighting renovation. Fully understanding what the church wanted to accomplish, Gemini installed 74 Showline SL PAR 150 ZOOM luminaires from Philips Entertainment.

"Gemini previously worked with Walnut Ridge Baptist Church on another lighting application and for this lighting renovation they were looking to mainly do two things," began Todd Graham, project lead installer. "First, they were looking for something more efficient than their current system which consisted of high-wattage traditi

China - Known for its modern architecture and artistic design, the Macau Tower, located in the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is a landmark that features an eloquent banquet hall which was recently revamped using Martin Professional Lighting fixtures.

Featured in this lighting renovation are four Martin MAC 350 Entour LED lighting fixtures, 16 Mac Auras, six Rush PAR 2 RGBW Zoom cans, an M2GOTM lighting console and an iOS MAXRemote. This package is centred on compact performance, as each of these lighting elements take up minimal real estate, but are able to emit powerful beams of output.

The tower is a popular destination amongst international tourists, avid shoppers and romance seekers. Donned with ballroom chandeliers and magnificent crystals, the banquet hall needed specialized lighting solutions to complement the elegance of the room. By

UK - The seventh Knight of Illumination Awards (KOI) was held on Sunday 5 October and once more it was a sparkling success. This year London's glamorous art deco Troxy saw representatives from the professional entertainment lighting and video industry come together to celebrate the creative achievements of lighting and video professionals working on shows across the UK.

The ever-popular awards, organised by The Society of Television & Lighting Design (STLD), The Association of Lighting Designers (ALD), Clay Paky and Ambersphere Solutions, was established to offer public recognition for outstanding achievements in touring, television and theatre lighting and video design.

Hosted by prolific and popular lighting designer for the theatre, opera and ballet, Mark Jonathan, the winners for each category were announced as follows:

Theatre

Dance: - Paul Keogan, No Man's

PLASA London 2014 - The first two days of PLASA London 2014 witnessed busy stands and aisles with exhibitors and visitors alike commenting on the number of meaningful conversations they are having. PLASA London is all about revealing new products, exploring opportunities, supporting business growth and connecting people.

Mick Hannaford, Managing Director of Robe UK offers his view of Robe's huge 1000sq.ft stand: "To be honest, we've been overwhelmed - it's working really well," says Mick. "There are so many business conversations going on in here, it's amazing. Normally, when we're in a much smaller space, there are people trying to get a drink, trying to say hello. Here, there was a concern that everyone was spread out and so the atmosphere would be lost, but everywhere you look there is business happening. It is really fantastic."

And a number of major na

The Netherlands - Award-winning sound designer Jeroen ten Brinke has chosen the Meyer Sound D-Mitri digital audio platform as the backbone of his design in Anne, a dramatic presentation of the Anne Frank story in the 1,100-capacity Theatre Amsterdam. With a CueConsole control surface, D-Mitri drives the play's audio mixing, matrixing, and loudspeaker processing.

"Choosing D-Mitri as the foundation of the system was a no-brainer," says Jeroen ten Brinke, who is a design partner at Audio Design International. "The audio quality is second-to-none, which is critical to bring out all the subtleties of the dialogue. It also works beautifully with both the orchestration and the sound effects, which range from whisper-quiet to wartime bombing scenes."

Compared to most theatrical plays, the sound design in Anne is extraordinarily intricate. Actors inte

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