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The Week in Lighting & Sound

Details: 14 March 2016

Band Aid - One Direction, Ed Sheeran and Elbow are among the acts who will take part in a fourth version of the Band Aid charity single, Do They Know It's Christmas. Announcing the project, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure said the song's lyrics would be changed to reflect the Ebola crisis. The original was released in 1984. It sold 3.7m copies and raised £8m for famine relief in Ethiopia. The new version will be recorded this Saturday and should be available for download on Monday morning. "It's not a bad line-up so far," said Midge Ure. "As long as Bob and I stay off the vocals, we'll be fine."

Germany Calling - The first European edition of US music festival Lollapalooza is to be held in Berlin next year, organisers have announced. The main event

Lighting was controlled by Avolites' Sapphire Touch and Tiger Touch II consoles and networked by Avolites Titan Net Processors

Avolites consoles control Red Bull Culture Clash

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - More than 20,000 music fans witnessed the Red Bull Culture Clash at London's Earls Court where four music crews battled it out amidst lighting controlled by Avolites Sapphire Touch and Tiger Touch II consoles and networked by Avolites Titan Net Processors.

Jamie Corbidge was the LD for the event, with equipment supplied by Storm Lighting. He had overall control from his Sapphire Touch as competitors including Harlem rap squad A$AP Mob, grime collective Boy Better Know, Jamaican reggae act Stone Love and Rebel Sound, and a collaborative made up of bass superstars Chase & Status with MC Rage, World Clash champion David Rodigan and jungle pioneer Shy FX performed.

Stephen "Sven" Jolly operated for Boy Better Know and Stone Love on two of the four stages, jumping from one Tiger Touch II to another. Shaheed Litchmore was LD for A$AP Mob, using a Tiger Touch II for th

The event was held at Infinite Studios and promoted by Limited Edition Concepts (Singapore)

Martin MLA stars at first Freq'ender in Singapore

Details: 14 March 2016

Singapore - Expo AV-Insync (EAI) were chosen to provide full technical production for the first ever FREQ'ender dance festival in Singapore - and the company wasted no time in specifying its Martin Audio MLA system for the two day event.

The event was held at Infinite Studios and promoted by Limited Edition Concepts (Singapore), with 4,500 people attending over the weekend.

The festival was split into two distinct days - the first (in conjunction with Hallowe'en) was named Freq'show, and this made way on Day 2 for Mekanika, produced by international Trance Festival brand, Godskitchen

EAI managing director, Gerard Rodrigues, confirms that the MLA system had been recommended by his company. "The end result was that everyone, including the promoters, really felt the music and were amazed at the audio quality. They were really blown away. The MLX subs also became a talking

Danish DeeJay of the Year - Kongsted (photo: Morten Rygaard)

Kongsted creates dimensional universe with SGM

Details: 14 March 2016

Denmark - At Danish DeeJay Awards this year, Kongsted took home three awards among these the much-coveted title as Danish Favourite DeeJay of the Year. Kongsted has indeed been on a roll the last few years. As a DJ/producer he is also the lighting designer of his own shows - most recently introducing a new concept 'Kongsted in Koncert', where his new hit track R.E.D. was recorded as a music video.

"With 'Kongsted in Koncert' we are creating an experience for the crowd that is different from my other shows," the artist explains. "Here we can control more parameters - light, sound, visuals, production design, décor etc. - in a way that is not possible on my more standard live shows. This gives us the opportunity to create a very unique experience linking together my music and playing style in perfect harmony."

To match his vision of creating an environ

The 2015 Event Production Show takes place at London's Olympia from 18-19 February 2015 and is co-locating with International Confex

Event Production Show partners with PSA for 2015

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Mash Media, organiser of the annual Event Production Show, has announced that it will once again be partnering with the Production Services Association (PSA) for the Show's 2015 outing. In a new deal, the PSA will partner the 2015 Event Production Show by both exhibiting and hosting its Annual General Meeting during the two day exhibition.

Liz Agostini, event director commented, "It's great news that we have secured the PSA as an event partner for the 2015 Show and we welcome them on board. As an organisation, the PSA aims to pool knowledge and improve technical awareness, which is exactly what we strive to achieve with the Event Production Show, so we are confident we will make a good match."

(Jim Evans)

The Funfetti can be used safely and easily virtually anywhere

Chauvet DJ debuts Funfetti confetti launcher

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - The Funfetti from Chauvet DJ is a wirelessly controllable professional confetti launcher, designed for weddings, concerts, parties, holiday celebrations and special events of all types. Unlike many confetti launchers, it does not require CO?or compressed air to run - just add confetti, says the company. With no need for special propulsion substances, the Funfetti can be used safely and easily virtually anywhere. Compact in size, it can be set up and operated by a solo entertainer, making it a great way to add an exclamation point to your next event.

Although lightweight and easy to use, the Funfetti blasts out a torrent of confetti that can cover an area as large as 540sq.ft (50M²). It has a throw distance up to 30ft (9M) and its powerful bursts last as long as 25 seconds each.

"Breaking out the confetti is an instant way to ramp-up the fun factor at any party or e

The new Platinum 17RA lamp builds on the success of the Platinum 5R lamp, which Elation has used previously in both spot and beam fixtures

Platinum BX promises powerful fat beam effect

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - When an extremely powerful fat beam effect is required for those impactful aerial looks, the new Platinum BX from Elation Professional delivers in a big way. Featuring new lamp technology from a Philips MSD Platinum 17RA 350W lamp and new wide lens optics for a thicker beam look, the Platinum BX powers out over 15,000 lumens of concentrated light along a tight 3-degree beam, comparable to much higher wattage fixtures and four times the output of previous dedicated beam models from Elation.

Housed in an efficient compact design that means the Platinum BX is also surprisingly fast, the wider lens produces a thicker beam of light that looks great mid-air, making it ideal for high-impact long throws. This small but powerful moving head is ideal for a variety of applications from the largest stages at concerts, stadiums and festivals to TV shows, special events and more.

The

The Supernova XL Screen is available in any aspect ratio and image size up to 5.3m wide and 3.0m high

View it large with the dnp Supernova XL Screen

Details: 14 March 2016

Denmark - Projection screen specialist, dnp denmark, has launched the world's largest optical front projection screen available as a single screen solution. With an image area of up to 5.3m x 3.0m - equivalent to 240" in 16:9 - and near flat-screen quality, the new Supernova XL Screen is designed to satisfy even the most critical audiences.

"Big is truly beautiful when it comes to display technology," says dnp VP global sales & marketing, Soeren Kraemmergaard. "The Supernova XL Screen's size and optical performance make it the ideal option for large venues such as big conference rooms, auditoriums and houses of worship. It's the cost-effective option too". Soeren Kraemmergaard continues, "We've designed the new screen to be visually impressive yet still affordable, with a smart shipping solution that saves cash and time."

The Supernova XL Scr

The advent of the DiGiCo SD App means that the iPad becomes a remote control surface and also an expansion of the control surface

DiGiCo releases SD App

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - DiGiCo has announced the release of the SD App, which is now available through the Apple App Store.

The DiGiCo SD App is compatible with all consoles in the SD Range and allows users to take advantage of both Apple and DiGiCo's touch screen technology.

The advent of the DiGiCo SD App means that your iPad becomes a remote control surface and also an expansion of the control surface. This application takes the existing feature set and presents it in a new way to take advantage of the extra screen. This allows engineers to implement very specific functions dedicated for FOH or Monitors.

Aimed at installation and touring applications, the DiGiCo SD App includes a number of dedicated screens that open up the iPad surface to a selection of the consoles' functionality. For example, there are eight macros available on the hardware buttons of an SD9, but by connecting the iPad v

Lycian Stage Lighting introduces two new followspots at LDI

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - Lycian Stage Lighting will introduce its two newest followspots, the model 1274 Superstar 1.2 Short and Superstar 2K, 2000W MSR at LDI.

The Lycian 1274 was unveiled at PLASA London 2014 and is now available for sale. The Superstar 1.2 Short brings all the controls favoured for years on its sibling, the 1275 Superstar, one of Lycian's best-selling followspots, but in a more compact form factor and with a smaller diameter front lens.

With its short overall length the 1274 offers a remarkable size to output ratio.

As a short throw, optically the 1274 is designed for throws to beyond 100 feet/ 35 meters. It utilizes the OSRAM Sharx series 1200W double-ended lamp positioned in a dichroic glass reflector.

The Superstar Short is capable of beam widths from head shots to two person circles or greater in much of its optimum operating range. The 1274 top mounted control cluste

The games lasted for three days and more than 40,000 spectators came to cheer (photo: Sebastian Pachciarek)

SixPacks at the Indoor Windsurfing World Cup

Details: 14 March 2016

Poland - In August, the PWA (Professional Windsurfers Association) Indoor World Cup took place in the National Stadium of Warsaw. The games lasted for three days and more than 40,000 spectators came to cheer.

Adam Tyszka prepared the hands-on light set-up for this event, implementing his and Sebastian Pachciarek's lighting design vision. Sebastian Pachciarek elaborates on this vision: "Our goal was to create a show that displayed the windsurfing competition in a new and unexpected way. This type of event is most commonly held on coastal areas, but in this case it was in a pool, specially built for the purpose."

As an essential ingredient in the lighting design for this project, the two designers chose SGM's popular SixPack pixel array with a powerful RGBA LED light source. They allocated no less than 100 pieces of the fixture in two different locations. The first gro

Thompson Square on stage (photo: Stephanie Brunner © 44 Designs)

ArKaos MediaMaster Pro on Thompson Square tour

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - Popular husband-and-wife Country duo and reigning ACM Vocal Duo of the Year, Thompson Square, has spent this summer taking their Just Feels Good Tour across North America under a canopy of video screens and moving lights controlled by ArKaos MediaMaster Pro. The spectacular stage and lighting design was the brainchild of Jeff Lava of 44 Designs and lighting designer, Larry Foote.

44 Designs was introduced to MediaMaster Pro by A.C. Lighting, Inc. during a demo at 44 Design's Nashville office earlier this year. 44 Designs promptly selected MediaMaster Pro to control the intricate video system on their next project.

"For Thompson Square I wanted to create something that would introduce a modern architectural design into a conventional concert venue space and present the audience with something that would look good lit or unlit," says Jeff Lava, founder of 44 Desi

AES is set to host its 57th International Conference on 6-8 March 2015 in Hollywood

The Future of Audio Entertainment Technology

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - The Audio Engineering Society is set to host its 57th International Conference on 6-8 March 2015, in the Hollywood neighbourhood of Los Angeles, at the renowned TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood, with hotel accommodations across the street at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

With the participation of industry partner SMPTE - the Society of Motion and Television Engineers - and following on the heels of the highly-successful Sound for Picture programme track at the recent AES137 International Convention in L.A., the 57th Conference is positioned to set yet another milestone for the AES. With a direct focus on the Future of Audio Entertainment Technology, this conference will explore the latest issues facing audio professionals today in regards to cinema, television, online content and more, and is being co-chaired by Brian McCarty and Dr. Sean Olive.

Sound produc

The European leg of her tour culminates on 17 November at Zurich's Hallenstadion

Kylie tours Europe with Mojo Barriers

Details: 14 March 2016

Europe - Kylie Minogue is the latest artist to tour across Europe with the benefit of Mojo Barriers' specially-designed touring barrier the G2, as 160m of the system is keeping crowds safe at the singer's Kiss Me Once European dates.

When Kylie kicked off her latest tour in the UK, crowd barrier specialists Mojo Barriers ensured fans with front row views were kept safe, installing 80m for the front of stage at the Liverpool Echo Arena. An additional 80m of stock was then added, bringing the total to 160m, which will be used across the European leg of her tour, culminating on 17 November at Zurich's Hallenstadion.

The barriers, a mixture of straight and specials such as corners and gates, allows the production team - headed up by Kevin Hopgood - to create a configuration that includes golden circle, t-shaped thrust for a catwalk and extended front of house. As requested by Hopg

d&b delivers first training at One Systems Global

Details: 14 March 2016

Thailand - One Systems Global are looking forward to the grand opening of their new premises this month, but already the building is being used to facilitate new services to customers throughout Thailand. The first official d&b audiotechnik training seminars have recently taken place there, attracting enthusiastic plaudits from all concerned.

Chief operations officer, Alfonso Martín, explains the rationale behind delivering d&b specific training: "The structure and content of the training sessions created by d&b audiotechnik makes them accessible to all our customers - both current and prospective. The participants were a real mix of people with different skill levels and different reasons for attending: from some of the most respected and senior sound engineers in the country to audio guys just starting their careers at local rental companies. We also welcomed a good numb

Bill Fontana's musical landscape pays tribute to Rome's Acqua Vergine, the ancient waterway that is at the heart and soul of Roman civilization

Meyer Sound solutions in Rome's MAXXI Museum

Details: 14 March 2016

Italy - American sound artist Bill Fontana has partnered with Meyer Sound in the creation of Sonic Mappings, a permanent sound art installation for Rome's MAXXI Museum. Fontana's musical landscape pays tribute to Rome's Acqua Vergine, the ancient waterway that is at the heart and soul of Roman civilization. Sonic Mappings is the centrepiece of Open Museum Open City, the museum's latest exhibition dedicated to sound, which MAXXI artistic director Hou Hanru describes as "the most radical and experimental aspect of contemporary art."

Undertaking an ambitious artistic journey, Fontana travelled the path of the Acqua Vergine from the source springs at Salone to the ancient tunnels still in existence under the streets of Rome. By using microphones, hydrophones, and accelerometers - some placed in the water flow and some imbedded into walls - Fontana captured th

The show is proving popular with the public and the run has already extended until February 2015 (photo: Roy Beusker)

Painting with Light on Dreamgirls tour

Details: 14 March 2016

The Netherlands - More dreams are coming true in the world of Painting with Light as Luc Peumans has created another memorable lighting design for the current Albert Verlinde Entertainment production of Dreamgirls - a lively, action-packed musical story full of Motown rhythms and legends based on the rise and phenomenal success of The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s.

Luc, who has a vast experience of lighting high profile musicals and has worked with the producers on previous shows, has developed his own distinctive style for lighting this genre of musical theatre.

The challenge for Dreamgirls, which is touring The Netherlands, is that the main setting is backstage at a theatre. All the locations flip between this, various onstage performance scenes and other connected places as the story unfolds, however the set - designed by Eric Van Der Palen - does not es

Now on tour in the UK and in residence in New York, The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night continues to impress audience members with its magic.

RC4 Wireless provides Magic for The Curious Incident . . .

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - As The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night settles into its new home at the Gielgud Theatre in London's West End it continues to receive rave reviews.

The technical elements are breath-taking as Paule Constable's lighting interacts with Finn Ross' video designs, Ian Dickinson's sound design and Bunny Christie's versatile set design allow us to join Christopher's world. Many of the technical lighting achievements are done using RC4Magic wireless DMX, and would not have been possible without tiny RC4 dimmers.

The National Theatre was an earlier adopter of wireless DMX and dimming and have used multiple generations of RC4 Wireless products. Nearly every show produced by the National Theatre has incorporated RC4Magic devices. Additionally, each theatre space operates its own individual set of unique digital IDs to ensure no interference from other systems. Only the RC4Ma

Next nightclub in the Ramada Paramaribo Princess Hotel in Suriname (photo: Streamline Systems)

A touch of class at Suriname Princess hotel

Details: 14 March 2016

Suriname - The brief for designing the lighting at Next nightclub in the Ramada Paramaribo Princess Hotel in Suriname was to make it funky, fun and classy, explained Michael Pereira from Streamline Systems. To this end he chose Robe and Anolis for the main elements of the lighting installation.

Streamline Systems is headquartered in Trinidad & Tobago and specializes in the design of high quality sound, lighting and video systems throughout the Caribbean, and Michael has been using Robe and Anolis products in his work for some time. He appreciates the quality, features and cost-effectiveness of both brands.

For Next - the seventh venue for which Streamline has designed and specified technical systems for their client Princess International - he chose 72 Anolis ArcSource 4 MCs and six Robe Robin LEDBeam 100s which were at the heart of the lighting rig.

The club occupies a sing

The owners wanted an updated look that would energize the surroundings

Firestone Live! comes alive with Chauvet Professional

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - Things are looking up for the lighting rig at the legendary Firestone Live!, the largest nightclub in Orlando. As part of a remodelling project, the club's stage was lowered three feet to make room to hang additional lighting fixtures. At the same time, a new trussing rig was installed over the dance floor, creating four extra feet of space for overhead lighting.

A design team from Complete Production Resources and Impulse Creative Group (both of Orlando) utilized this expanded area to inject a new level of dynamism and energy into the storied club with a beefed-up lighting rig that features an array of fixtures from Chauvet Professional.

Located in the 86-year-old Firestone Tire and Auto Building, Firestone Live! cut its teeth as a nightspot and concert venue during the early EDM boom of the 1990s. Rolling Stone and Billboard ran flattering pieces on Fires

The 88th Miss America Pageant returned to Atlantic City in September

Sharpy Washes shine on Miss America Pageant

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - Fifty-three contestants walked the walk on stage at Boardwalk Hall for the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City in September. Two dozen Clay Paky Sharpy Wash fixtures were on hand from Atomic Lighting in Lititz, Pennsylvania for the gala telecast on ABC Television. Allen Branton was the lighting designer for the pageant with Felix Peralta and Kevin Lawson the lighting directors and Laura Frank the screens producer and media programmer.

"It was our eighth year doing the pageant," says Peralta. "It's always a challenge to recreate the excitement of the show; we're looking to enhance and improve the previous year's telecast. With three days devoted to pageant preliminaries, which are not broadcast, we got an opportunity to build the show on site. Friday and Saturday were camera rehearsal days then Sunday was the live show."

Kevin Lawson was respo

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