Although it was the 22nd year of the major Scottish music festival, this was the first time it was held at its new site in the grounds of Strathallan Castle in Perthshire. T's former home at Balado airfield a few miles down the road was finally vetoed last year after long-running health and safety issues about pipelines which run directly under it.

Some of the biggest names in music made their way to Scotland in July for the three-day festival including Jessie J, Labrinth, The Libertines, The Script, Noel Gallagher, Stereophonics, Ella Eyre and Twin Atlantic.

Twin Atlantic, headlined the Radio1 Stage at T in the Park this year. Lanz Short, content designer and programmer reports, "I designed and made some content for the show. Specifically their hit song Heart and Soul. I a

The HSBC Headquarters Building in Hong Kong's Central district - Norman Foster's remarkable machine-like structure, had been the subject of a facade lighting project in 2003 which became 'A Symphony of Lights'. HSBC HQ was one of 24 of the most significant buildings that joined Hong Kong's permanent nightly light show that year.

Twelve years later, illumination Physics was commissioned to help bring to life the first wave of HSBC'S 150th anniversary messages. A complete update of the façade lighting and the integration of three large media walls followed.

In 2003, the HSBC main building was equipped with the best lighting technology available at the time. The LED revolution had yet to take hold. The first step of illumination physics' plan for this building upgrade was to bring the façade lighting up to date. The photometric requirements for this building are very precise. Few plan

UK - A dozen Straightpoint wireless load shackles have been installed by Rigging Services in the Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop, where scenic artists and craftspeople create the sets and scenery for the world-famous Royal Opera House in London. The Production Workshop is located at High House Production Park, a centre of excellence for the creative industries in Purfleet, Essex.

The Rigging Services-branded load shackles are 3.25t capacity and feature bespoke multiple wireless load cell controller (SW-MWLC) software. They are installed on 12 overhead cranes, which travel on gantries and I-beams that cover the entire floorspace.

The load shackle installation represents a landmark project for both Rigging Services and Straightpoint. The Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production Workshop is a state-of-the-art, purpose-built facility and home to scenic painters, carpenters a

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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 - PSCo, the trade only AV distributor and rental specialist, is showcasing the latest innovations from its leading manufacturer partners at the PLASA Show 2015 (London's Excel - 4-6 October). Visitors will be able to view PSCo's must-see 3-2-1mm LED line-up of Absen products on its 70m² stand, alongside innovative LCD displays including the new Samsung High Bright and video wall displays, and the stunning new Samsung 105" display - the largest professional display available in the world.

"Following the success of last year's PLASA, we are excited to be showcasing so many new technologies from our rental and sales portfolio for system integrators and live events partners," says Stuart Holmes, managing director of PSCo. "We will have new technologies across mu

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New Touring Series by Gravity – Every Scratch Has A Story

When the stage heats up, you need equipment that can keep up without compromise. The Gravity Touring Series has been specifically designed to meet the highest demands – for rental companies, professional musicians, concert organizers, and large event venues. Premium materials, exceptional durability, and impressive longevity make these products stand out. Whether on tour, in constant use, or under the toughest conditions: the Touring Series delivers maximum reliability and performance – every day, on every stage.
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UK - With branches in nine cities across the UK, Calvary Apostolic Assembly - founded in Birmingham in 2005 - is a thoroughly modern, multinational Pentecostal church.

A weekly programme that includes everything from daily early morning prayer meetings to a webcast Sunday morning service means the Birmingham church is a busy hub of activity. And given that the various gatherings all have their own distinct audio needs - from individual speakers to amplified instrumental groups and choirs - it's a church that's demanding of its in-house PA system.

That system is a PreSonus StudioLive 32.4.2AI digital mixing console and StudioLive RM32AI rack-mount digital mixer - networked over AVB with an SL-AVB-MIX card and Cat 5 digital multicore - that allows for real flexibility and, crucially, remarkable ease-of-use for church members.

Specified and installed by Ian Edwards of Gigs A

France - Leading French rental company Groupe Novelty has over 40 years experience in providing audio and visual solutions to a wide range of clients. A recent investment in 12 Yamaha QL1 digital consoles has helped to keep the company's audio rental stock right up to date.

Operating out of five French offices, one in London and one in Brussels, Groupe Novelty works on over 6000 projects every year. These include some of Europe's highest profile corporate events, fashion shows for leading designers and brands, car launches, exhibitions, awards shows and live music.

Many of the events Novelty works on need a high quality audio mixer in a compact format, which is one of several reasons why the company has invested in 12 Yamaha QL1s for its rental stock.

"The QL1 is the ideal size and format for many of the events we work on and it is an exceptionally cost-effective soluti

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AZOR® SP2 IP - Compact IP65 Spot Profile Moving Head

Compact design and IP65 protection for indoor and outdoor applications: the new AZOR® SP2 IP is the ideal solution for open-air events and outdoor theatres that require a powerful, weatherproof lighting system. An optimal partner for lighting designers and event service providers looking for a versatile LED show light in a compact housing.

AZOR® SP2 IP – the next generation of robust, weatherproof, and compact lighting for maximum creative freedom, both indoors and outdoors.

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UK - Each summer the great and the good of folk music visit the picturesque university city for the Cambridge Folk Festival.

This year, the site at Cherry Hinton Hall saw the 51st Festival, with main stage headline performances including Joan Baez, The Proclaimers, Frank Turner, Joan Armatrading, and Passenger.

With three days of sunny weather, the central arena outside the Main Stage tent was packed with festival-goers. To ensure that those outside the tent had an excellent view of the artists onstage, the event organisers, Cambridge Live, called on XL Video to supply a pair of outdoor LED screens.

Two 9m2 screens were requested, as in previous years, and XL's project manager, Paul Wood provided XL's own ROE Visual MC-7 7.5mm resolution, indoor/outdoor LED. The screen was selected for its good visibility in daylight, weatherproofing, and high resolution, giving the audience

South Africa - Philips' entertainment lighting brands Vari-Lite and Strand Lighting, along with the Showline product range, enjoyed three jam-packed and successful days at a buzzing Mediatech Africa show in Johannesburg.

Joining valued partner and leading lighting supplier for South Africa DWR Distribution on stand, Philips exhibited the award-winning new Vari-Lite VL4000 Series, industry-standard Strand Lighting NEO and 500ML Consoles and the Showline SL NITRO 510 and 510C LED strobes.

The DWR team reported a high level of interest in the Philips range, with Nick Britz, product manager for the stand, saying, "The SL NITRO 510 strobe is extremely popular in South Africa, thanks to its versatility - it acts as both a flood and strobe light and can be pixel mapped. We saw a lot of people coming up to discuss its wide range of features and wanting to see a demo."

Mart

UK - The ACC Liverpool Group's production team has experienced its busiest summer, providing full services for a series of events. The 19-strong department has led technical support for conferences including NHS Confederation, the British Contact Lens Association and Airmic. Services included providing live streaming, interactive voting and the recording of all plenary sessions for NHS Confederation. The team also provided AV for the conference dinner which took place at St George's Hall, Liverpool city centre.

Other events included Jamfest - which took place in Echo Arena - and support for the city's Rock 'n' Roll Liverpool Marathon, making it the busiest summer period since the venue opened in 2008.

Nicky Norman, senior production and technical manager, said: "We provided production for a series of conference, entertainment and sporting events during the summer which is

UK - Having now officially opened for 2015, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the world's largest arts festival, with this year featuring more than 3,000 shows in more than 300 venues. White Light has often supplied its services to the festival. This year, the complete production solution specialist will be providing the lighting support to one of the Fringe's best-known and busiest venues: the Gilded Balloon. White Light will also help the venue celebrate its 30th anniversary, with yesterday marking exactly 30 years since it first featured as part of the festival.

Beginning life as a one studio theatre with only seven shows a day, the Gilded Balloon now operates nine spaces with over one hundred shows performed on a daily basis. The venue is renowned for its late night comedy shows and has helped launch the careers of household names such as Peter Kay, Bill Bailey and Russell Br

UK - HHB Communications has been appointed a value added reseller for Studio Network Solutions (SNS) shared media storage systems.

SNS has over 17 years of experience creating software and shared media storage SAN/NAS solutions for the post, TV and film markets. HHB and post production specialists Scrub have been chosen for their expertise to introduce the UK's leading post facilities to the benefits of the flagship EVO range.

President of Studio Network Solutions Ryan Stoutenborough comments: "I'm delighted to have HHB on board as a value added reseller for the UK post production market. Our partnership with HHB brings their complete understanding of new technology combined with a rich history in the post community and a strong passion for always helping the customer first. Our mutually aligned quality of service standards make this partnership a no brainer. It's hard to

UK - Tannoy has introduced new CMS and CVS Retrofit Adapter Kits that enable fast, secure installation of Tannoy ceiling loudspeakers inside existing back-cans from third party manufacturers or, in other scenarios, utilizing existing ceiling cutouts that were sized for other loudspeakers. By using the Retrofit Kits, installation contractors can upgrade to the premium quality sound of Tannoy while minimizing additional installation time and costs.

"We know of many instances where acoustical consultants or end users have wanted to replace existing loudspeakers with Tannoy ceiling products," says Stuart Archibald, product manager. "However, too often the added installation costs were prohibitive when the back-cans or ceiling tiles - or both - had to be replaced. With the Adapter Kits, in many cases new Tannoy units will fit neatly in place of the old units, using the

USA - The newly-renamed Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration has opened new galleries in the former Kitchen and Laundry Building of the immigrant processing and detention station, which operated from 1892 to 1954 in New York Harbor. Dedicated to the story of immigration in the years following Ellis Island's closure, the galleries mark phase two of the Peopling of America Center. Electrosonic provided AV support for phase one, which covers immigrant arrival in the Pre-Ellis era, and opened in 2011, and returned to complete phase two following a long delay caused by Hurricane Sandy, which struck the Northeast in October 2012.

The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation raised the funds for and oversaw the project and engaged ESI Design as the exhibition designer, with Michael Schneider as technical lead.

For phase two, Electrosonic was tasked with installing all the rac

USA - Necessity may indeed be the "mother of invention," as the old saying goes, but it can also kick off some very cool lighting looks when it encounters a talented LD like Chris Lisle. Recently, Lisle designed for up-and-coming country star Billy Currington on tour supporting Tim McGraw.

As an opening act, Currington's rig had to be moved on an off the stage quickly, which made it necessary to use backline carts for the sake of efficiency. Lisle turned these "practical" carts into a commanding visual element by using an array of fixtures provided by Bandit Lites. Anchoring this eye-searing collection were nine Nexus 4x4 LED panels from Chauvet Professional.

"We based the design off utilizing the existing backline carts that Billy was already using, and incorporating lighting on them," said Lisle, who placed the carts upstage over the band's head

USA - The Public Theatre's Free Shakespeare in the Park series has been a storied New York City tradition since 1952. It offers free and open access to outdoor productions of Shakespeare in Manhattan's Central Park, and features world-class talent and Broadway calibre production and audiovisual design. Performances are well known for creating lines of air mattress and camp chair toting Shakespeare fans up to a mile long.

This year, Free Shakespeare in the Park opened in May with a six week run of The Tempest, starring Sam Waterston, and continues 23 July through 23 August with Cymbeline, featuring Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater.

Central Park's 1,800-seat outdoor Delacorte Theatre has been home to the Free Shakespeare series since 1962. The venue, while offering creative possibilities to directors, actors, and scenic designers that no other New York City theatre can matc

Germany - Complete with full costumes and make-up, KISS recently brought their elaborate live show to Europe this summer, kicking off its 40th Anniversary European Tour 30 May in Munich's Olympic Park.

LD Sean 'Motley' Hackett (INXS, Savage Garden) has been designing the lighting for KISS shows since 2009. Sean's new lighting design for KISS's 2015 European summer tour, which was based on the band's Las Vegas residency from last November, included the use of 30 Elation Professional Platinum Beam 5R moving heads supplied by Christie Lights. Production design was by Robert Long and Sooner Routhier.

Sean had the popular colour-changing beam lights grouped in fans of five or six in the rig and on stage and used them to complement the band's catalogue of hits with barrages of narrow, dense beam effects. "To me they are the modern equivalent of an ACL," Sean states of the

UAE - Pacha, the club chain that was established in 1967 in Sitges and first found fame in Ibiza, has successfully established itself in many different countries since, but its most recent opening is Pacha Ibiza Dubai.

Set over three floors, Pacha Ibiza Dubai comprises The Main Room, The Red Room and The Rooftop, all kitted out to the highest standard. The cylindrical building that houses the club has been completely refurbished, with a customised audio solution installed throughout.

The sound system is based around d&b audiotechnik V Series, Q Series and White Series speakers covering all the various zones from The Main Room's dance-floor to Pacha Ibiza Rooftop's terrace. Vital components in the system's operation are three Symetrix SymNet Radius AEC Dante-enabled DSPs and SymNet xOut 12s output expanders. "These are very powerful processors but in this project, their ma

UK - When Richard Statham, the in house lighting designer at Nottingham Lakeside Arts, got the opportunity to use ETC's new ColorSource Spot on the latest production The Wiz he couldn't say no. ETC's associate regional manager for UK & Ireland Jeremy Roberts was at the venue to show Richard the fixture, and left several there so that he could try them out on the show.

Richard was deeply enthused with the colour mixing and smooth dimming curve: "No-one would believe this is a budget LED light source - this is a real game changer. I already have my spending application in."

The ColorSource Spot and PAR fixtures were introduced by ETC especially to benefit arts and community centres like the one in Nottingham, who want to get the best out of their lighting but have only a relatively limited budget to spend - which of course needs to be shared across the whole tec

UK - Mojo Barriers has continued to expand its work with independent festivals by securing a new contract win for this year's BoomTown Fair (13-16 August). BoomTown Fair has called upon Mojo Barriers to design and deliver its stage barriers for this year's festival, which takes place at Matterley Estate in Hampshire. Mojo has been contracted to supply 450m of stage barrier, 200m of bar barrier and 13 line-up gates across the whole festival site.

Set in its own fantasy festival town, Boomtown boasts nine different districts with winding streets and a host of bespoke entertainment venues, including a casino, hotel, hairdressers and roller disco. BoomTown Fair is now in its seventh year and this year will witness performances from Mungos Hi-fi, John Butler Trio, Dreadzone and a host of other artists across 22 main stages.

Kevin Thorborn, Mojo Barriers' UK manager commented: "

UK - The UK seaside resort of Blackpool has been hosting one of Europe's premier Elvis contests, which this year featured an appropriately glitzy lightshow featuring high-impact LED fixtures from Chauvet Professional.

The fourth annual Europe's Tribute to Elvis, which took place in Blackpool's iconic 19th century Empress Ballroom, gave aspiring Kings of Rock and Roll the chance to qualify for a trip to the Elvis Tribute Artist Contest finals in Memphis. Arranpaul Audio, which has handled lighting and audio for the event in the past, was tasked with creating the design for the 2015 edition of the contest. LD and engineer Ollie Wilkinson called on a collection of Chauvet fixtures to create something of a fresh Elvis experience for the audience during the three-day event.

"As the event is becoming one of the most popular Elvis competitions in the world, we knew that w

UK / USA - British sound rental company, SSE Audio Group and California-based Sound Image have announced the launch of a transatlantic joint venture. Dubbed UAC (United Audio Companies), the venture has been designed to enable both firms to improve the international support they can offer to their clients on both sides of the Atlantic.

This new arrangement means clients touring in Europe and the USA will benefit from a common touring infrastructure and around-the-clock support, so acts can work seamlessly on either side of the Atlantic. "The arrangement works because it places the full resources of a national PA company at the disposal of the touring act in the locality, whether in the States or in Europe," the companies' statement says.

"It's not just a US Company operating via an EU satellite office or vice versa in the US," explained SSE Audio Group MD J

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