UK - Successful Scotland-based pro audio specialists, The Warehouse, have become the latest members of EM Acoustics' growing UK dealer network. With offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, The Warehouse offers high quality services in sales, rental and operation of pro audio equipment, and has been doing so for the last 35 years. The company will be supplying the full EM Acoustics product range including the Halo Compact line array system, and has already taken delivery of their first items of demo stock.

Given that The Warehouse already carries a number of well-established pro audio brands including loudspeaker equipment, it rather begged the question, "Why EM Acoustics?" The Warehouse sales director Derek Blair was categorical: "It's simply one of the most exciting product ranges we've heard in the last ten years," he stated. "The first model we listened to

Macedonia - LumenRadio's CRMX Nova products recently played a key role in the premiere show of The Eternal House which marked the opening of the new Macedonian National Theatre in Skopje.

The opening of the Macedonian National Theatre is one of the largest installations in the region ever, with over 760 dimming channels and over 500 conventional and 100 intelligent luminaries.

For the National theatre it was important to choose the right products, technology and quality. Since frame integrity and flawless radio transfer was an absolute requirement, the companies qualified for the prestigious assignment was LumenRadio and their distributor Svetlost Teatar. Svetlost Teatar who specializes in theatre and related technologies provided a CRMX Nova System containing four receivers and four transmitters.

Around 80 actors from various generations took part in the play written

Canada - Lawo North America Corp has announced that Applied Electronics Limited has joined Lawo's network of authorized resellers. The company will offer Lawo's full line of audio, video and AV-over-IP networking solutions.

Applied Electronics will market Lawo's premium quality mc² series audio consoles for sports and entertainment production as well as a full range of IP-based networking audio solutions for radio broadcasters, all supported by their award-winning routing technology. In addition, the company will be introducing Lawo's new V_line products, the V_pro8 multi-channel video processor and V_link4 for remote broadcast production, which features multiple user-selectable video codecs, accepts 3G/HD/SD-SDI and MADI I/O and provides a one-box solution for all the requirements of IP video and audio contribution.

"Applied Electronics Limited provides complete solutio

UK - Over the past year Audio Visual specialists Saville Audio Visual have continued to expand the hire inventories of several of their branches with KV2 Audio products.

Having initially invested in KV2 Audio back in 2004, Saville AV have come to rely on the performance of KV2 products within the AV field. With heavy emphasis on aesthetics, detail and clarity, KV2 products match up to Saville AV's requirements for sonic excellence at a reasonable price point.

The most recent investment came from the North East office who, following a very successful year were in a position to boost their existing KV2 inventory. Having run KV2's powered EX 10's for the last 8 years, the team were looking for the same high quality output, but from a lighter cabinet due to a high-profile regular contract which requires the units to be mounted from the roof.

The solution was found with KV2 Audio

UAE - The feature rich Clay Paky Alpha Spot QWO 800s are providing a large part of the top-end lighting solution for Abu Dhabi's latest nightclub O1NE.

The middle-eastern 'super-club', designed to merge the latest AV, light and audio technology with super-luxe interior design for its VIP guests, has been lit by lighting designer Hiljo Stadt of Dutch lighting design company - The Lighting Dutchmen. Stadt worked in close association with Lebanese equipment house Wide Angle to meet the club's high-tech demands.

"For the lighting design of O1NE it was imperative that we had the best moving light fixtures available to us," explains Stadt. "We chose to use 28 x Clay Paky Alpha Spot QWO-800s because we wanted a fast and accurate moving light head with versatile beam options. Clay Paky fixtures have proven their reliability and quality optics and the rich feature set on

UK - Leading facilities and rental company Presteigne Broadcast Hire has won a contract from BBC Sport to provide its on-location technical resources for its coverage of Formula One motorsport. The equipment, which includes the capabilities for live production and delivery as well as fast turnaround editing, packs into three containers for shipping in cargo aircraft.

The flyaway kit designed by Presteigne Broadcast Hire includes production control facilities to create the unilateral coverage, switching 15 feeds from the host broadcaster with three wireless cameras covering the presenters in the pits and paddock. Live production equipment also includes radio microphones and wireless in-ear monitoring for presenters.

Presteigne Broadcast Hire also provides a technical crew to support the team at each location.

"The big challenge for this project is that the kit has to be

USA - In keeping with its commitment to accurate and complete loudspeaker technical data, Community has opened a new, state-of-the-art indoor test facility at its factory in Chester, Pennsylvania USA. Designed by Charlie Hughes of Excelsior Audio and operated by senior measurement Technician, Hadi Sumoro, the new test facility enables loudspeaker measurements with unprecedented accuracy and precision.

With its indoor location, the new facility makes it possible to control temperature and humidity. It eliminates wind problems and minimizes interference from outside noise sources. This allows Community engineers to accurately measure complex loudspeaker data and to gather polar data in precise 1-degree resolution. Measurements are automated with an ELF robotic rotator system controlled by EASERA software.

The new test facility follows in the footsteps of a long tradition of loud

USA - At this year's South By Southwest Music Festival held in Austin, TX, Allen & Heath digital consoles were used to stream the experience live to millions of fans around the world. One of the world's largest music conferences with 100+ music venues, Allen & Heath mixers managed the Festival's British Music Embassy, sponsored by the UK Trade and Investment Corporation, where over 40 UK bands played sets over a five-day run, and BBC Radio streamed live to the UK for the first time, and the Dell Computer Fader Fort.

"We had these two official venues using Allen & Heath consoles plus a dozen more unofficial South By Southwest venues using a variety of Allen & Heath mixers," states Michael Palmer VP of North American sales for Allen & Heath.

For the British Embassy series there was the challenge of lack of sound checks, plus the need to send the audio signal to the BBC

Czech Republic - A section of Prague's beautiful hilltop Letna Park area was transformed into an exciting and fun Olympic Park environment for the duration of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, complete with a lighting installation in key areas by Prague based technical production company AV Media, which included over 100 Robe moving lights.

Olympijsky Park Soci-Letna 2014 was also the first big event for Cesko Sportuje, an initiative launched by the Czech Olympic Committee to promote a healthy lifestyle especially for children.

AV Media is an official event technology supplier to the Czech Olympic Committee and Czech Olympic Team, and also supplied lighting, sound and AV to the acclaimed award-winning Czech Olympic House project during the London 2012 Summer Olympics.

The company also has over 160 Robe moving lights in its rental stock and is a big fan of the Czech manufacture

USA - Interactive light technology group, Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF), harnessed the sharp, high output features of 185 Clay Paky Sharpys to create a hard-hitting, high-impact real-time lightscape for U2's latest music video, which launched the band's new single Invisible on 4 February.

Previous to that a 60" cut down version was aired during the Superbowl, on 2 February 2014. This cut down video formed the basis of a commercial for the Bank Of America and supports Bono's charity, RED, an initiative launched to encourage business and consumer power to work together to eliminate AIDS in Africa.

MLF, with Juliette Larthe and Mark Logue of PRETTYBIRD, collaborated to create a stunning, cathedral-like, interactive 3D lighting and video architecture that directly translated the band and audience's movement into a striking video and light show.

Grammy Award winning f

UK / Russia - The Star Events Group team are back in the UK following a challenging build of their multi-level studio system in Sochi.

The 10 individual studios situated in the middle of the Olympic Coastal Cluster venues were of varying sizes and were used by many affiliated broadcasters of the games.

The structure was built of standard VerTech parts and was shipped at very short notice making the build schedule quite tight. Shortly into the build the Star team had to cope with a huge storm which damaged other parts of the Olympic infrastructure.

Project manager Gavin Scott was on site throughout the Games and commented that the structure was a very busy and lively place around the clock, with broadcasts going out to a wide range of time zones, many of which featured interviews with current and former athletes as well as Russian and international celebrities.

(Jim Evans)

UK - OneRepublic's headlining Native Tour wraps in the UK after spending last year circling the globe. The tour was programmed and operated from a grandMA2 light platform. The American pop rock band toured Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand last year in support of its third studio album, Native. OneRepublic's tour has continued in 2014 with more dates in Europe and the UK.

On this final leg of the tour lighting designer Chris Lisle has carried over a diamond-shaped theme from last year, which features trusses, video screens and even some of the same fixtures. "The show has some big visual moments, so I had to come up with a design to meet that need," he says. "The band likes cutting edge, so using the latest technology is important to us."

Programmer Scott Chmielewski notes that, "Chris always designs his projects with

USA - TNDV has had a busy mobile production schedule through the first quarter of 2014, with Amnesty International's Bring Human Rights Home Concert last month standing out as its lead project. The event, which took place at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, featured a roster of interesting musical acts aligned with the organization's mission of fighting injustice and promoting human rights.

TNDV brought its 40ft expanding side truck, Aspiration, to capture live performances for in-venue image magnification; and to serve as the central command centre for content acquisition. The dramatic elements of the event - which included a rousing speech and performance of two recently-imprisoned members of the Russian musical act Pussy Riot - influenced TNDV to make some changes to its mobile production workflow. This included the use of Canon EOS C300 cinema cameras, which introduced new p

UK - New sessions have been added to the Professional Development Programme taking place at PLASA Focus: Leeds 2014, at the Royal Armouries at Clarence Dock, only a short distance from the centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire, on Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 April 2014.

The Professional Development Programme runs alongside a two-hall exhibition of the latest entertainment technology products. It is free to attend and offers visitors access to sessions presented by some of the most talented names in pro audio, lighting and video.

As access to new technology and music is made easier and more affordable, it has changed the working DJ's role. A panel of DJs, led by Paul Arnett, chairman of the National Association of Disc Jockeys, will discuss these issues in Now Everyone's a DJ, What's Our Role? Arnett will be joined by: Danny Rampling, a household name in the UK who is well-kno

UK - Liverpool based Adlib designed and supplied lighting and sound equipment plus technicians for multi award-winning comedian Jack Whitehall's massively successful in-the-round UK arena tour.

Neil McDonald was production manager and Johnny Dodkin stage manager, working with Adlib's Sam Proctor who specified a Coda PA system and was joined on the road by systems tech George Puttock and PA techs James Petch, Richard Cook and Michael Madsen.

Coda Audio was chosen as the "Most suitable" option for two primary reasons - its light weight meant more boxes could be flown in the centre of the rooms, and the proprietary HF planar wave drivers ensured they could get clarity and detail into every corner of the room.

The venues all varied slightly, but the average set-up featured eight hangs of Coda, each comprising 12 x LA12s and four ViRAY downs per array, all flown on thei

Switzerland - Global creative business Imagination, who retained the Jaguar Land Rover three-year global exhibition programme last year, revealed the company's new global stand at the recent Geneva autoshow.

Imagination worked closely with the company over the last eight months in the development of the new high tech digital stand ensuring it reflects the core values of the iconic British brands.

The new stand name - 'The Residence' - was chosen because Jaguar Land Rover are welcoming customers to their autoshow home and would like them to experience first-hand the two great British brands.

The lighting of The Residence was crucial to set the right tone and feel. It also had a direct relationship with the way in which the stand would be operated and toured. Imagination's approach was to deliver a soft and warm multi-layered light throughout. This was punctuated by highlighte

UK - Speed was at the essence of the all-Robe moving light rig specified by lighting designer Paul "Smiffy" Smith for the latest UK tour by lively hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks, with kit supplied by High Wycombe based rental company, Siyan, project managed by Tom Grant.

Smiffy initially lit the band when they were opening for Ed Sheeran - for whom he was working as Lighting Director - in early 2013, and at the end of the year, was asked onboard to create an eye-catching design for their own production tour.

The core of the rig was floor based on eight vertical trussing towers. Rigged on each of the six upstage ones were six Robe Robin Pointes and 18 x Robe Robin LEDBeam100s. Six ROBIN LEDWash 600s - three per side - graced the most downstage pair of towers providing low level front light skimming across the stage, and described by Smith as "Absolutely awesome".<

Australia - The Emerson is Melbourne's latest glossy entertainment venue spanning three levels and is part bar, part club and part restaurant. The ground floor club has a grand bar, lush booth seating, and a dance floor whilst the upstairs cocktail bar features a number of private booths. Up one more level still is the Emerson Rooftop, all laid back beats in the sunset and day beds to lounge on.

South West Solutions were contracted to design and supply a lighting & video package to principally cater to the dance floor & to add movement an element to involve the VIP level in what was happening below. They were delighted to get some of the first Martin RUSH available from Australian distributor Show Technology including six MH2 Wash, four MH1 Profile, and four MH3 Beams.

Unfortunately, as is the case with many venues, lighting was a bit of an afterthought and the necessary cabli

UK - De Montfort Hall in Leicester, which plays host to concerts, stage productions and many other events, has recently received a comprehensive lighting upgrade courtesy of its local technical supplier, Hawthorn.

The upgrade consisted of one behind-the-scenes change, replacing the venue's dimming system, and one change visible to an audience, updating the lighting of the auditorium itself, all helping the popular venue celebrate the centenary of its 1913 opening.

For the dimmer upgrade, Hawthorn supplied and installed four new ETC Sensor dimmer racks to replace aging Strand LD90 racks, "De Montfort's staff were worried about being able to maintain the LD90s in both the short and long term," explains Hawthorn's head of install, Alan Jackson. "This ultimately led to the decision to switch to something in current production with strong support from its manufacture

Korea - Solid State Logic reports that HanSeo, SSL's long-established console distributor in South Korea, has been appointed as its Live console partner for the territory.

"The Korean marketplace has high expectations for the new Live console from SSL, both in terms of sound quality and reliability, and particularly from the house of worship market which is very strong in Korea," says Je-Ho Shin, president of HanSeo. "As a long-time partner of SSL, I think we are well positioned to provide the necessary sales and support resources for the Live console as we enter into this new and exciting marketplace.

"The response to the console we exhibited at KOSOUND was very positive, and several engineers visited us there to specifically see the console. I think there is a very bright future for SSL and HanSeo in the Korean live market."

"SSL and HanSeo ha

USA - This February everyone seemed to be commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' American debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. For one group of fans, however, celebrating the legendary quartet is more than just a once-in-a-half-century event. Every year these devotees gather in New York at The Fest For Beatles Fans, the longest continuously running Beatles festival anywhere.

Given the significance of 2014 in Beatles history, the event's organisers pulled out all the stops this year, offering performances by rock 'n roll Hall of Famers and creating a Sgt. Pepper's-like rainbow of colours on stage with the help of 18 Q-Wash 419Z-LED moving heads from Chauvet Professional.

Held over a three-day period at the Grand Hyatt at 42nd and Lexington, just over a mile from the Ed Sullivan Theatre where the Beatles made their debut, The Fest For Beatles Fans feat

UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) Ltd's Audio division has supplied a versatile RCF HDL line array sound system to cater for the diverse programme of events at Cumbria's popular theatre and arts venue, The Forum.

The 500-seater Barrow-in-Furness venue, which is owned and run by the local Borough Council, plays host to everything from stand-up comedy to rock 'n' roll to musicals. The Forum's technical officer, Lee Winter, reported an increase in problems with the venue's 30-year-old FOH point source system, and recognised the need to upgrade to a modern speaker system that could "handle it all".

"The problems were notably with the amps, the degradation of the speaker woofers, and the restricted sight lines due to the size of the speaker stacks," says Lee. "We were granted some money from our council to update the FOH speaker system and amplif

Vietnam - VDC client QV Sound has recently installed a very successful sound system for Saigon's new Dong Tien Church using Van Damme cabling throughout. One of the largest and most beautiful churches in Saigon, the 2500 sq. m Dong Tien Church consists of a central aisle, left and right wings and a 24m high dormitory ceiling.

Saigon's Bishop Tran Thanh Cao said, "The most critical element of Dong Tien Church is not in the beauty or the architecture or the landscape but in the sound system. The sound system needs to deliver the natural sound and clearly convey any single spoken word of God."

A typical church layout is a distribution system with multiple speakers hanging low just above ear-level. The result is the members of the congregation only hear the closest speaker, either from the left or the right hand side. The QV Sound team designed the speaker layout with a

UK - His first time working as a video director, lighting man Robin Haddow has always been the inventive type, yet has set himself some high hurdles in the way he manages the Ellie Goulding show for designer Cate Carter.

"There are multiple screens hanging at various heights all over the rig. Using the grandMA2 to map the content to the screens it's the Catalysts that do all the work, the MA2 is just the control surface. But having used lots of different desks I'd say it's the perfect surface for the job. It's elsewhere that I really stretch the desk. What do I mean by that?"

"I approached the MA2 initially as if it were just like any other desk with which I'm familiar, but it's not. In fact I struggled at first but eventually I found that all I needed to do was switch to the MA way of thinking. It has a sort of German logic to it, and I mean that in an affectio

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