UAE - PALME's fourth Middle East Lighting Solutions Conference 2012 has been timed to coincide with the opening day of this year's three-day PALME Middle East expo (1-3 May).

Held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the full-day event opens at 11am with an address by George Katodrytis, RIBA, Associate Professor of Architecture, College of Architecture, Art and Design, American University of Sharjah.

It will then go on to discuss a series of topics including: New Technologies and Products in Lighting Design (with Ivar Krasinski, design director, STR-EDGE), followed by The Development of Standardisations for Lighting: Abu Dhabi's Sustainable Lighting Policy (with Martin Valentine, Municipality of Abu Dhabi City). This will lead into a debate session a debate session which asks: Are LEDs for Everybody in the Lighting Profession? (moderated by George Katodrytis a

Russia - Battle of the chariots, battles with predators and other scenes from the many myths of ancient Greece are performed by the Circus Zapashny brothers, a world-famous family of artists that successfully managed to integrate the Russian circus tradition with top level lighting, optical effects, laser and video equipment.

For their Legend, their latest spectacular production, Circus Zapashny - in cooperation with Imlight - they decided to add the XR3000 Spot CMY and XR3000 Beam moving heads as a major upgrade of their light rig.

Legend is staged in the Luzhniki sports arena, Moscow. In 2002, the arena experienced a major reconstruction andtoday it can seat 11,500 people.

(Jim Evans)

West End News - The site of a former pickle factory is set to become the location of a new theatre in London's West End. The venue will be the first in the area for 30 years, after Westminster City Council approved the plans. The development above Tottenham Court Road station on Oxford Street will also include offices and shops. The venue is expected to open in 2020. The site was formerly used by Crosse & Blackwell to make Branston Pickle until they moved out in 1927.

The theatre will be operated by Nimax which already runs five others in London, including the Apollo and Lyric. Nimax chief executive Nica Burns said, "Our new theatre won't compete with those already in London. It will be a different - very intimate - space, in a great location, where cutting edge shows can be performed." The London Astoria most recently occupied the site before it closed in 2009 when it

UK - PLASA will host its 2012 European AGM and Members' Lunch on Tuesday 29 May at BAFTA in Central London. Over 200 members and guests are expected to take part in the event, which includes the opportunity to feedback on the work that PLASA is doing, contribute to the future direction of the Association, and enjoy networking with fellow members.

Over the past year PLASA has embraced a completely different governance structure, expanded its portfolio of events in North America, and introduced a range of new services and benefits. Members at the AGM will also learn more about PLASA's proposed global strategy and the crucial role played by the respective Regional Boards and Governing Body in the planning process.

The PLASA Members' Lunch will be followed by a very special guest speaker in the form of Iron Maiden front man, Bruce Dickinson. Well known as the lead singer of one of

UK Black Light's annual Open Day (30-31 March) event attracted hundreds of visitors from a wide range of different backgrounds, including professional theatre, the education sector and amateur dramatics. Over 30 leading light, sound, AV and stage technology companies exhibited and hundreds of items of cutting-edge equipment were on display.

"Our exhibitors really appreciated the opportunity to meet customers, talk to them in a relaxed environment and find out exactly what their needs were," said Phil Haldane, Black Light's head of company development. "All of the show visitors I spoke to said that they were impressed by the range of products on demonstration. They also really liked the chance to get information at first hand. In general, what was so great about the Open Day was that everyone could meet their friends and colleagues, make new contacts and share advi

Argentina - Robe has announced a new exclusive Argentinian distributor - Buenos Aires based The TSD Group. The company is run by Daniel Lema, and it has been a major player in the professional entertainment technology industry since 1994 as a leading supplier to all sectors including television, theatres and concert touring.

"We are delighted to have TSD onboard as part of the Robe family," says Robe's regional sales manager for Latin America, Guillermo Traverso. "We took our time to find the right company and people," he adds, "and the TSD Group's expertise and commitment to the brand, plus their renowned after-sales service and support are all qualities that fit perfectly with us. We expect that they will be great success."

TSD sales manager Sandra Gallasso comments, "We have wanted to work with Robe for some time, and now all the circumsta

UK - Located on London's prestigious Park Lane and originally built in the 1920s, Grosvenor House Apartments by Jumeirah Living recently underwent a complete renovation and rebuild, creating a property which builds on the heritage of the building combined with a slick contemporary interior.

The property boasts a spectacular first-floor atrium area with a seven-storey high ceiling from which an illuminated pendant structure is suspended above diners. Prolyte Group's special projects division, Litestructures, was approached by building contractor John Sisk & Sons to manufacture, build and commission this feature as part of the overall project.

The striking luminous pendant, based on a design developed by GIA Lighting, comprises a series of aluminium frames, linked together by braces at the upper frame, assembled in a concentric orientation. Braces link the outer and inner sectio

UK - Meyer Sound and Pro Audio Systems recently joined forces at the Alhambra theatre in Bradford.

Presented by Miguel Lourtie of Meyer Sound with technical support from Pro Audio Systems, the event was attended by around 40 delegates from many backgrounds, all of whom took part in the very interactive event. Designed to highlight the key fundamentals of modern sound system deployment, the event focused on practical solutions for optimising audio as well as providing a refresher course in some key principles of acoustics and applicable physics.

A Meyer Sound Mina system with 500-HP subwoofers plus MAPP Online and various other Meyer Sound, Midas and Sennheiser products from Pro Audio System's inventory were used for the event.

Miguel Lourtie said, "It was a pleasure and delight to find such a professional setup and a huge crowd. I'm looking forward to doing another semi

USA - Pro sports leagues and their fans demand spectacular halftime shows these days, and the 2012 NBA All-Star Game Halftime Show was no exception. Lighting designer Otis Howard got some assistance from 30 Clay Paky Sharpy fixtures, which lent their look to high-octane performances by Pitbull, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo and Nicki Minaj.

"When you go into a show like this you need to appeal to the NBA, the client and the artists," says Howard of Otis Howard Design in St. Petersberg, Florida. "They wanted a dynamic halftime show - something on a par with the NFL. There's always the challenge of making a show like this look big, and the 2012 show was the biggest they'd ever done. We had to come up with a lot of bells and whistles."

Howard had seen Sharpys in action and was looking for an opportunity to use them. "They seemed like the right tool for the applicati

UK - There has been a St Andrew's Church serving the Anglican community of Furnace Green in the West Sussex borough of Crawley (around 30 miles south of London) since 1969, but deterioration in the fabric of the original building and growing congregations called for its demolition and the construction of an entirely new church in its place seven years ago. The new building with its attractive modern architecture was recently consecrated and provides a venue now not only for christenings, weddings, and other church services but also concerts and theatrical productions.

The diversity of the events planned for the new church called for a versatile sound reinforcement system. The task of specifying and installing the system was therefore entrusted to Creative Audio Visual Solutions, a company with considerable experience and expertise in the provision of solutions specifically for c

UK - SXS Events employed their new Allen & Heath iLive digital mixing systems on a nationwide tour with Islamic Relief.

Taking place in early April, the Evening of Inspiration tour showcased some of the world's leading performers of Islamic cultural entertainment with famous names including Outlandish, Zain Bhikha, Junaid Jamshed, Native Deen and comedian Preacher Moss.

"Having purchased both an iLive-T80 and a T112 system last year, we felt that they were perfect for the tour," says project manager Johnny Palmer. "The show was in a variety format, which meant considerable desk architecture changes were needed between each performance and iLive was the perfect choice for this. Also, the RJ45-based control meant that at some venues we were able to patch into existing network infrastructure, which worked great."

All proceeds were donated to Islamic R

Chile - Stampede Presentation Products, Inc. recently helped Lumina Motion construct a stunning 10,000sq.ft video display on the facade of a round building in Santiago, Chile by providing the ideal equipment and precise development insight needed.

The AV team at Lumina Motion was tasked with creating an exciting and memorable product launch for Nokia's new Lumia 800 smartphone, and succeeded by working with Stampede to utilize "the best technology, share industry know-how and ensure patient attention to every technical detail".

According to Lumina Motion owner Gonzalo de la Barra: "We at Lumina Motion know that when you're producing a live event, everything has to be perfect. Stampede knows this too, which is why they recommended the eight Christie Full HD projectors and Geffen Fiber Optic cables to produce over 10,000 square feet of HD video display with precis

UK - PR Lighting has launched its first compact moving head LED Spot and Beam fixtures. The LED Spot 400 comes equipped with a 16°-38° wide zoom, while the LED Beam emits an intense 6° beam. Both run extremely quietly, outputting less heat than other fixtures on the market, says the company.

Other features common to both fixtures include 50,000 hours LED life (6,800-7500K), seven dichroic colour filters (plus white); seven rotating gobos and seven fixed gobos (all easily interchangeable); DMX controllable focus; 5-100% linearly adjustable iris and macros; electronic strobe (0-20 fps); 540° (pan) and 270° (tilt), with auto position correction; and 14 channels (short mode), 18 (standard) and 22 (extended mode). The LED Spot weighs 14.5kg and the LED Beam 14.2kg. Both fixtures are shipping now.

(Jim Evans)

Russia - The historic Theatre of Nations in Moscow, which has re-opened after a lengthy reconstruction, has been equipped by DOKA Center with a large ADB Lighting installation, including the first ADM Eurodim Twin Tech dimmer installation in Russia.

The Theatre of Nations was established in 1987 under the name of Theatre of Friendship of Nations and in 1991 was renamed the State Theatre of Nations.

Its intensive production activities include developing and producing a variety of theatre projects, organising international and national festivals, presenting the best Russian and international productions, representing many different genres and styles. The theatre also stages its own productions, with the ultimate goal of becoming the centre for nurturing a new generation of theatre practitioners.

The State Theatre of Nations' historical building had been occupied since 1885 by

UK - As part of the celebrations for the Bishop of London's The2012 service, St.Paul's Cathedral hosted an inspiring evening service with over 2000 followers. Music was provided by The Psalm Drummers and Twyford High School Gospel Choir of the Year, withspecial effects by MTFX.

During the choir's rendition of Spirit of the Living God the congregation were showered by thousands of white rose petals, scattered from the Whispering Gallery in the dome of the Cathedral.

Organisers of the service were delighted with the effect and the collective gasp of surprise from 2000 worshipers was described as "breath-taking; a moment to remember for years".

(Jim Evans)

USA - As any die-hard fan will tell you, hockey is the Rodney Dangerfield of American sports. Despite a long history and legions of fans, the game has never quite garnered the respect it deserves.

But the folks behind the Anaheim Ducks are working to change that perception with The Rinks, a fast-growing chain of ice and inline hockey venues in southern California designed to promote the game in a kid- and teen-friendly environment.

"Particularly in Southern California, hockey's always been a pretty underrated sport," says Jason Voorhees of Costa Mesa-based Cantara Design, the company behind the audio systems at The Rinks. "It's gotten a bad rap as a rough game, and in the past, many of the available places to play have been rather run down and neglected."

The Ducks have been working to combat that image, purchasing and renovating older rinks to create cle

USA - Audio-Technica officially kicked off its 50th Anniversary Year in the US with a special gala event held 19 January 2012, during the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. The event featured an all-star music revue produced by Phil Ramone.

Among the featured all-star cast of performers were saxophonist and longtime Audio-Technica endorser Mindi Abair, R&B/jazz vocalist Patti Austin, new age/adult-contemporary superstar and Audio-Technica endorser Jim Brickman, smooth jazz saxophonist Dave Koz, vocalist Monica Mancini, trumpeter/pianist/composer Arturo Sandoval, gospel/R&B music legend BeBe Winans and Canadian jazz-pop vocalist Nikki Yanofsky.

In commemoration of the event, all eight performers have decided to donate their performance honoraria to different music education programmes and institutions, helping promote the importance of music education and assisting studen

South Africa - MJ Event Gear provided the full technical including stage, sets, video, lighting and sound for a Transnet breakfast event held on 10 April 2012 at the Hilton Ballroom in Sandton. Transnet Group CEO, Brian Molefe, provided detail on a R300bn, seven-year investment programme aimed at transforming the country's ports and railways, and changing the state-owned ports and rail company's financial performance.

Much pre-planning and production management by MJ's Otto De Kock saw the team loading in Sunday morning, rehearsals on Monday and everyone set to go on Tuesday at 7am.

"The client, Overend Outsource, wanted a clean, corporate look, " commented Johnny Scholtz, lighting designer, from MJ Event Gear.

The Robins and MMXs were mostly used to create a warm mood incorporating the Transnet colours. "I used the MMX to light the podium and used some animat

South Africa - Gearhouse South Africa, has recently reinvested in more L-Acoustics components to complete its existing inventory of Kudo, V-Dosc, dV-Dosc and Arcs. The new equipment comprises of 48 Kara, 12 ArcsII and 12 Kudo WST line source cabinets, eight SB28 and 24 SB18 woofers and 22 LA-RAK touring racks installed with LA8 amplified controllers.

South Africa is increasingly becoming a regular fixture on the international touring circuit. Combined with an increase in the domestic market, Gearhouse felt the extra investment in L-Acoustics was necessary to service the largest of these events. The company also wanted to update its amplifier platform with the LA-RAK and LA8 platform.

Gearhouse feels the new ArcsII is a perfect extension for the L-Acoustics range it already owns. "The small footprint and options in stacking and flying make it an extremely versatile product

UK - Two leading names in professional audio, QSC and Denon, have got together with UK distributor Batmink to showcase their latest products. This trade only event will take place on Wednesday 9 May, from 4 - 8pm at Komedia in Bath city centre.

Hosted by Batmink Distribution, demonstrations of the QSC K, KW and KLA Series loudspeakers, including a live band performance through the systems, will be followed by an A list DJ putting the new Denon DN-SC3900 through its paces.

Batmink sales director, Grant Thomas comments, "We are fortunate to have live demo rooms at our offices and were all so impressed with both the House of K series and the new DN-SC3900 that we had to find a way to get these in front of our customers. Due to sound restrictions, manufacturers are unable to really showcase their audio products at trade shows and so this is a superb opportunity to put these p

Germany - The Bosch Group expects global economic growth to slow. Accordingly, the technology and services company expects to see comparatively modest sales growth of between three and five percent in the current year. This was announced by Franz Fehrenbach, the chairman of the Bosch board of management, at the annual press conference held at company headquarters near Stuttgart.

"There is still a great deal of uncertainty with regard to future economic developments, even though the sovereign debt crisis in the euro zone has been defused slightly," Fehrenbach said. In the first quarter of 2012, sales increased year on year by some five percent, despite the cooling of the global economy and difficult developments in a number of European markets. The greatest relative growth was achieved in Industrial Technology, followed by Automotive Technology. Developments in the Cons

Germany - AFMG, German-based pro-audio software developers, release the new version of their widely recognised real-time audio analysis software SysTune on 1 May. Once again, this update will be free for the large community of existing users. Beyond that, AFMG has changed prices and licensing to make SysTune even more affordable to a larger group of users. To celebrate the release, AFMG has launched a dedicated SysTune Facebook page with a special lottery in May and June.

A large amount of research and work has gone into one of the new plug-ins called 'Delay Analysis'. From a set of captured individual measurements, SysTune automatically calculates optimal delay times between mains and subs or between main and delay loudspeakers, giving precise information on polarity and predicted overall system performance.

"Never before has it been easier to solve the polarity question

UK - Devon-based drapes, starcloth, LED and visual effects specialists S+H Technical Support provided a massive 238m wide by 9m drop of their ShowLED RGB Chameleon Starcloth, which was used on the high profile 2012 Olivier Awards.

The annual event was staged in the main auditorium of the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden. S+H were contacted by Lee Batty, head of production for event organisers, the Society of London Theatre.

He was looking for a striking backdrop and a full leg and border dressing solution for the stage, and had previously used S+H's products, most recently their LED Animation Cloth, on a show for Rolf Harris that he production managed.

Batty also assisted in the visual design and look of the Oliviers, and says, "We wanted something different from last year that would bring a dynamic and special feel. I knew the quality and reliability of the

Germany - The conversion of Britz Castle in Berlin-Neukölln into a new cultural centre, was recently completed, and includes a 300-capacity concert and theatre hall, installed with Allen & Heath's iLive digital mixing system.

The spec was for a future-proof digital system that could easily be used by sound engineers of guest productions. It also needed to be portable to service not just the hall but other areas in the venue, and flexible and simple to configure, with the option to have wireless control for smaller events.

The iLive system comprises a Dante-enabled iDR-32 MixRack with iLive-T80 Control Surface, plus a PL-10 rotary panel for remote control. iLive's competitive price, built in compressor and EQ, as well as the possibility of the live recording of events via a laptop through the Dante interface, were the main reasons it was selected.

Dirk Förster from inst

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