General

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14 March 2016

Aside from the genuinely strong exhibitor commitment to the show, organisers PLASA Events say that the response from potential visitors has also been very satisfying, with almost 2,500 online pre-registrations received prior to the closure of pre-registration facility last week. If you haven't already registered for the event but would like to visit, don't be put off - you can simply register on the door at the venue.

The show is open until 5pm today, and from 10am to 4pm tomorrow

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14 March 2016

With nine acts scheduled for the first night and seven each thereafter over the course of the festival's three days, production manager Robert Stewart reached out to veteran sound engineer Raphael "Raffie" Alkins to take the festival to a different level and help solve the logistical dilemma of managing so many performances in such a short span of time.

"This was an easy one," Alkins notes, recalling the hectic days on the laid-back island leading up to the event. "I showed the team a flow chart I designed for the show and how to make it ha

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14 March 2016

This musical has already enjoyed a highly successful West End run, drawing audiences totalling over a quarter of a million. On 3 April it started a full UK tour. Opening at The Manchester Opera House the show will take in 21 venues nationwide and close at The Liverpool Empire Theatre in December 2009.

The tour is being engineered by Marcus Wadham (Lazy Town, Dancing in the Streets), who will be working with the system designed by independent sound designer Richard Brooker and supplied by theatre hire company, Blitz Communications.

Along with a DiGiCo SD8 console and Sennheiser radio mics, Brooker specified Opus Audio for the main FOH system, having previously used the company's products on Daddy Cool at

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14 March 2016

Nolan states, "It's a fantastic console - and ideal for all the crossover work I do like this which involves the combination of a TV production with live entertainment onstage."

The grandMAs (the second one running in full tracking backup mode for the show) were programmed by Tim Routledge. He comments, "For a show like this when things are constantly changing and evolving right up till the time we go live on air, it's been essential to have the two consoles. This has allowe

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14 March 2016

In The Sale Room - A rare Motown seven inch single has fetched a world record price of £25,742 after its seller Kenny Burrell, from Fife, put it up for auction. The copy of unreleased 1965 single

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14 March 2016

Dylan Owen, regional director of EFM in the Middle East, together with general manager, Chris Lumb have undergone a busy 12 months, since the Dubai office's opening in April 2008, building the business and gaining increasing respect from a wide network of contacts across the GCC region. Together with the EFM international management team, they welcomed fellow events professionals to the poolside iKandy Bar at Dubai's Shangri-La hotel for an evening reception to celebrate a successful first year.

During the last 12 months in the Middle East, EFM has moved an extensive list of events supplies in, around and back ou

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14 March 2016

Contestants for the 2008 awards showcased a wide variety of new products and product applications from the simplest problem solver to complex uses of technology that extended the boundaries of the entertainment technology field. Project nominations showcased everything from theatrical productions to special events to permanent installations and highlighted the collaborative nature of our industry.

Nominations may be made by anyone in the industry, but an ESTA Member must be involved as the designer, manufacturer,

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14 March 2016

The Future Foundations Appeal aims to raise £8 million which will be used to expand the site's education facility, Veterans Pavilion and central space where major memorial services can be held. These developments are part of an ongoing process to establish a living and lasting UK memorial arboretum. Based in Staffordshire, it will commemorate those who have given their lives in service of their country and society, offering a haven of peace, contemplation and hope.

Owing to the sensitive nature of the event, it was essential that there were no technical faults. Pearce Hire worked to its usual high

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14 March 2016

Craig Hatto, projects director, Continnuum Group, said, "Stage One was the ideal choice. They undertook and immediately understood the inherent complexities in creating an experiential ride, taking immediate ownership of the set elements and integrating with the other specialist contractors. The team were courteous and sensitive to both the client and other contractors needs and with everything combined they made a complex and potentially high risk project appear to be a walk in the park."

Covering a 220m2 area, the ei

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14 March 2016

1000 creative and cultural employers were asked to assess CCSkills and pinpoint areas for improvement. The survey showed there continues to be strong support for a Sector Skills Council specific to the creative and cultural sectors - with over 80% of employers endorsing CCSkills.

Two thirds of creative and cultural businesses highlighted that the creative and cultural industries have specific, specialist needs and training should be more specific to these needs.

The most commonly cited reason for the presence of CCSkills was the need for a strong 'independent voice'.

A strong majority recognise the impact CCSkills has had on skills development; 79% of organisations fe

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14 March 2016

Philip Norfolk of MA Lighting, which showed its new MA2 control surfaces, commented: "We've seen an excellent mix of students as well as serious clients, users and operators - a really broad spectrum of visitors. There have been good visitor numbers, high levels of interest and an excellent environment . . . and the time to spend with these people. Fo

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14 March 2016

Designed to allow long distance transmission of digital audio signals through 75Ω coaxial cables, the transformers are made using rugged but compact metal housings and are available with male or female three-pole XLR connectors to BNC receptacles.

(Jim Evans)

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14 March 2016

The Abu Dhabi home-grown company fought off competition from a number of global event companies, to win two of the evening's most prestigious awards: Best Fair/Festival/Concert category for the George Michael and Alicia Keys Live in Abu Dhabi concert held in December last year, in addition to the Best Sporting Event for the Capital World Tennis Championship, Abu Dhabi's first international tennis tournament held in January this year.

The two Middle East Event Awards wins come in addition to a recent slew of awards Flash celebrated winning including the Event Organizer of the Year title from Sound and Stage Magazine Middle East. In addition, the company's New Years Eve spectacular Shakira Live in Abu Dhabi won the Favouri

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14 March 2016

After Margaret Thatcher abolished the GLC, Livingstone went on to become an MP for the Labour Party. In 1999, he stood for nomination as the Labour Party candidate in the London mayoral elections, but despite popular support, the Blairite Frank Dobson was selected. Not one to take things lying down, Livingstone chose to stand as an independent candidate and, as a consequence, was expelled from the Labour Party in 2000. However, he bea

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14 March 2016

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said they were located in deprived areas that had few other youth facilities. "These fully-equipped spaces will make a big difference for young people who are looking for somewhere to practise, spend time and find an outlet for their creative skills," he said.

The scheme is being co-ordinated by fo

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14 March 2016

Ron Bonner says: "There will be some top quality equipment and expertise on show with Steve Williams of Nippy Industries providing the stage, Martin Hawthorn of Hawthorn Theatrical promising the vast array of Clay Paky lighting and Brian Grant agreeing to provide a top-spec PA from Britannia Row. Ric Salzedo at Avolites is agai

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14 March 2016

Between 5,000 and 10,000 workers, including lighting technicians, stage constructors and video and sound specialists, will be asked to complete a training course to gain their safety passport.

The training course is one of several introduced into many business sectors by Safety Pass Alliance (SPA), based in Southam, Warwickshire.

Tim Roberts, health and safety co-ordinator for the Festival, said: "We are keen to promote a pro-active safety culture for the Festival, and we feel the SPA safety passport is an appropriate health and safety qualification for contractors and their employees working at the Festival site.

"We have run trial courses for about 200 core staff, and now we are gearing up to deliver the

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14 March 2016

Individuals must meet eligibility requirements to take the exams and applications must be turned in to the ETCP office for approval. Once a candidate is approved, he or she will receive a letter with information on scheduling the exam. The eligibility requirements, candidate handbook and application materials can be found at http://etcp.esta.org.

(Jim Evans)

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14 March 2016

UEFA announced that the dates for the Champions League schedule last December. Because 2010 is also a World Cup year, the Champions League final will not be moved to a later date. It is therefore most likely that the E

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14 March 2016

"The Middle Eastern market has been expanding exponentially in the past few years," explains Goboland managing director, Ivo Dielen. "The volume of business this has created for us has necessitated the opening of a branch 'on the ground', so to speak, so we can bring a more customer-facing service to our new clients here in the Middle East.

"The projection of gobo images onto the exterior of buildings is a powerful advertising tool which has become a tour de force here. The number of projects and advertising ventures which incorporate gobo projection has seen t

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14 March 2016

Riggs has many years experience in the conference and events market, having worked for many of the major players in the industry. "We only supply and recommend experienced and reliable staff and everyone on our database is vetted to ensure they meet our strict criteria," he says.

"We also provide clients with freelancers C.V.'s and PL insurance. We do not charge freelance staff to find them opportunities but do invoice a small fee to production companies to cover our costs."

Skills covered by the service include: general audio visual technicians, specialists in video and audio, lighting technicians and designers, cameramen, video editors, project and p

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14 March 2016

Melody Development's chief technician Chen Ziqian usually conducts the seminars, held by turns in the different provinces of China. The recent workshop took place in March at Jinan Shandong province. Chen Ziqian presented the HK Audio product range to 120 attendees, focusing especially on the HK Audio Contour Array system and the HK Audio P:RO series. The presentation's highlight was a live demo of the systems and individual cabinets' audio performance that left quite an impression on the audience.

Melody Development is very satisfied with the results of the worksho

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14 March 2016

This award is presented to an outstanding firm in East Tennessee that has clearly shown leadership, innovation and quality. Past winners include Scripps Networks and Pilot Travel Centers.

Chairman Michael T. Strickland said, "All of us at Bandit Lites are humbled by such an honour and promise to continue to earn the accolade. We are truly blessed to have the great opportunities we have and will continue to be a business that everyone can have pride in."

(Jim Evans)

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14 March 2016

Rod Stewart, who started busking in Paris, told the BBC: "You don't have to be a great singer or the best musician, you just have to entertain people." Stewart, who has survived thyroid cancer and will attend the launch but not perform, said: "Busking is what music is all about - just getting out there and singing or playing for the sheer joy of it. And if you can earn a few quid for Cancer Research UK - a few quid that might just help to save someone's life - what could be better?"

Busking Cancer began in 2007