Latin America - Grammy Award winning Spanish pop icon David Bisbal became a household name both in his home country and in South America after he achieved the runner up position in television talent contest Operación Triunfo - the Spanish version of the UK's Pop Idol - in 2001. For the Latin American leg of his latest tour Sin Mar Atras, which took in a number of the summer's festivals along the way, a DiGiCo SD9 digital mixing console, supplied by DiGiCo's Spanish distributor Meyer Sound España, was included in the audio inventory.

Having used DiGiCo D5s and then an SD8 on previous tours, monitor engineer Alberto Liras decided to swap to the SD9, the smallest console currently in DiGiCo's product line, for a variety of reasons.

"The SD9 I am touring with is configured with just one rack of 32 channels and 16 outputs," says Liras. "I am also usin

UK - A.C. Special Projects has provided a studio lighting ceiling track system for a new photographic studio at the UK headquarters of Martin-Baker, the long established manufacturer of aircraft ejection seats and related safety equipment.

With headquarters in Buckinghamshire and locations in France, Italy and the United States, Martin-Baker hasestablished extensive modern facilities and specialist engineering capabilities to ensure the highest standards of product quality and safety.

Continuing this investment in its facilities, Martin-Baker decided it was time to replace their existing product photography room with a modern studio lighting system.

The company approached A.C. Special Projects to supply and install an IFF Advanced Rigging studio lighting ceiling track system to enable easy manoeuvre and setting of suspended lights above the studio floor when taking 360°

European Affairs - The European Commission says it wants to know why Italian officials spent 720,000 euros (£613,000) of EU cash on a concert by Sir Elton John last year. "We're asking the managing authority about this. We want to know why they think it fits in with the rules," the Commission's regional policy spokesman Ton van Lierop said. The expenditure only recently came to light, he told the BBC.

The concert was part of the Piedigrotta festival in Naples in September 2009. A right-wing Italian Euro MP, Mario Borghezio of the Northern League party, called it a "shameful" misuse of EU funds by the Campania regional authority. The Commission does not know how much was paid to Sir Elton John for the gig, Mr Van Lierop said. Cultural projects can be co-financed by the Commission and regional authorities in the EU, he explained, "but we want to know

UK - Theatre planning and design practice Fisher Dachs Associates has announced the opening of its new office in the UK. The Stratford-upon-Avon office joins FDA offices in New York City and Seattle, Washington, and will be led by Flip Tanner who comes to FDA directly from a 19-year career at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).

Over the last nine years Tanner has been instrumental in developing both the temporary Courtyard and the permanent Royal Shakespeare Theatre for the RSC, where his work culminates when the company opens its new facility in January.

Joshua Dachs, FDA's principal, says: "I've known Flip for over 10 years and I've always been impressed by his incredible range of experience in the theatre. He also has the unique experience of sitting on the Client side of the table during intricate building projects at various scales. Further, the fact that he has a k

UK - The durability of VDC supplied cabling and live sound kit was put to the test by Placebo and LEE Engineering during a gruelling, two year world tour which came to a close last month - a test that it passed with flying colours. According to Ian Nelson, director at LEE Engineering and Placebo FOH engineer, the man who, with VDC, oversaw the specification and development of the tour's audio technical infrastructure, its performance and reliability was unparalleled.

He said: "When we came to pack away the kit after the last date in Brixton, Brandon Reece and myself just looked at each other in disbelief. I can honestly say that I have never seen a line system go more than four or five weeks without a problem cropping up, let alone two years, and I've been in this business for 15 years."

Niall Holden, MD at VDC Trading said: "It's always great when customers tak

UAE - RFW / SES reports that due to demand in the UAE region for their extensive range of power distribution products and accessories, they are having to re-locate to bigger premises.

Fragille Wade comments, "The demand for 'off the shelf product' has been incredible since we started the joint venture with SES, and we are having to stock more products to feed the insatiable appetite for quality product here in Dubai and other regions.

"This new facility within the Dubai Investment Park will also house our office, and will mean that all the stock will be under one roof making it easier for clients to collect at any time. With extended racking within the warehouse, we are able to stock more product and a wider variety, which our customers enjoy. Within easy reach of the Emirates Road and the Al Quoz industrial area, we can offer outstanding unrivalled service."

UK - The Enchanted Forest - an annual sound and light show in Highland Perthshire for which Northern Light carried out the technical production - has broken all previous records by clocking up over 20,000 visitors in just 17 days.

This year's event was run for the first time by the Highland Perthshire Community Interest Company (HPCIC), on behalf of the community, who selected Northern Light to work with the sound and lighting designers to bring the show to fruition.

The event has been particularly well received this year, with over a thousand customers rating it the most enjoyable yet.

Nick Read, Northern Light's head of hire and events, said, "This spectacular event was months in the planning and we worked very closely with composer and sound designer R J McConnell and lighting designer Simon Wilkinson to realise the overall concept. We subcontracted the sound

UK - Cooper Industries plc has announced the acquisitions of Mount Engineering plc, a UK based manufacturer of specialty threaded adaptors and reducers for harsh and hazardous environments, and Apex Lighting Controls, a private manufacturer of energy management lighting controls also based in the UK.

Mount Engineering specialises in the manufacture and supply of thread-converting adaptors and reducers that are "Ex Certified" for use in potentially explosive or hazardous areas. Additionally, Mount Engineering is engaged in the sale and distribution of industrial valves and actuators to the oil, gas, petrochemical and process industries throughout the world. Mount Engineering will become part of the Cooper Safety division of Cooper Industries.

Apex Lighting Controls delivers integrated lighting control systems and services to manage lighting and energy usage for commer

Spain - VMB has introduced a new lift to its pro series range.The new TE-086 is now the largest in the Pro Series of telescopic lifts, lifting 300kg (661lbs) to a height of 6.5m (21.3').

The addition of the TE-086 now means that the Spanish manufacturer offers 15 different lifting solutions from the Classic, Pro and TL Series of lifters.

Like all pro series lifts the TE-086 includes ALS safety features, is BGV-C1 certified and is available in black or silver finish.

(Jim Evans)

Netherlands Protest - Dutch singers, painters and TV presenters have demonstrated in the Netherlands against government plans to slash arts funding. The Dutch government has pledged to cut 200m euros (£171m) from its arts budget over the next five years. It has also approved plans to raise sales tax on theatre, cinema and concert tickets from 6% to 19%.

Organisers said the cuts had been justified by lawmakers who argued the arts were only for the "wealthy elite". "A 13% rise in sales tax hits all of the public because tickets get more expensive," organisers said in a manifesto published online. "By cutting culture budgets and raising tax on tickets, culture will become an elitist pastime and less accessible for people with less money."

In Amsterdam, around 20,000 people gathered on Saturday afternoon on the Leidseplein to listen to music and

UK - For a limited time, LSI Online has slashed the price of over 130 titles in the Technical Book shop, with many books discounted by as much as 50%!

To take advantage of this offer, head over to the Technical Bookshop now or contact Sheila Bartholomew at Sheila@plasa.org or on +44 (0)1323 524137 for more information.

Offers are subject to availability and strictly while stocks last.

(Claire Beeson)

UK - Azule Finance, the lighting and sound finance specialists, released strong FY10 growth figures, demonstrating "soaring demand for technical investments in new lighting technology". Figures released yesterday show that Azule's lighting business has doubled since FY09, spurred on by the growing popularity of products like GLP Impressions.

Azule's lighting division sales director, Gavin Scott comments, "The buzz and popularity around live events and festivals grows each year and lightshows for major artists are becoming more and more spectacular. When planning a live event lighting is nearly always an artist's first consideration and with a host of innovative new products coming onto the market from manufacturers such as Robe mixed with the enduringly successful products like GLP Impressions, lighting is fast becoming big business."

For lighting companies

Spain - Showsec's management consultancy team recently returned from a successful engagement with MTV for the 2010 Europe Music Awards held in Madrid on November 7.

There was a festival feel across Madrid, with MTV hosting a number of events during the week. This culminated in the Outdoor Broadcast Show at the Puerto de Alcala, where a mammoth stage was built in front of the landmark, in the middle of a roundabout. A complex security plan was agreed with the National and Municipal police, whereby a series of road closures and pedestrian control points created an audience area of up to 50,000 people. Saturday 6 November was MTV Spain day with a line-up of top Spanish pop acts, whilst the Sunday delivered a visually spectacular event featuring Katy Perry, 30 Seconds to Mars and Linkin Park.

Showsec used a team of 11 managers from the UK, who were each responsible for different a

Hong Kong - Lighthouse Technologies has completed the share acquisition of its Huizhou factory, giving it full ownership of Lighthouse Technologies (Huizhou) Limited, one of the largest LED display factories in the world.

The investment brings a number of advantages not just to Lighthouse, but to China and the Huizhou area as well, says the company. With RoHS compliance, the manufacturing facility is an eco-friendly investment, well aligned with the Chinese government's low carbon development policy put forth in 2009. It's also an investment that brings some of the most advanced technology and management experience to China.

For residents of Huizhou, the facility has also been an important source of economic growth, bringing more jobs to Chinese citizens and contributing to Huizhou's GDP and government revenue. And, following the acquisition, factory employees can now receive

Arena News - The Royal Ballet is to perform a series of shows at London's O2 Arena in June. It is the first time the ballet company has performed in a UK arena. Carlos Acosta, Tamara Rojo, Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg will dance the principal roles in the production of Romeo and Juliet. A filmed introduction will be shown on giant screens in the venue at the beginning of each act.

Director of the ballet company, Dame Monica Mason, said she was "thrilled" about the production being shown in such a huge venue as it would "introduce our work to so many new people". The 17-19 June performances are being staged in association with impresario Raymond Gubbay, who staged the first opera at the London arena earlier this year.

Half Time - The Black Eyed Peas are to perform during the interval at the Super Bowl next year, organisers have said. The Gr

UK - Paul Sadler, founder of Delstar Engineering, part of the Stage Technologies Group, and now a senior engineering consultant with the operation in Suffolk, has recently been incorporated as a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Sadler is a chartered engineer who specialises in modern theatre hydraulics and is actively involved with the running of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Eastern Area, acting as treasurer for the organisation. He is also a technical associate of the Royal National Theatre and received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Association of British Theatre Technicians in 2009.

Since 1978, Sadler has been closely involved with many industrial and theatrical projects including the stage settings for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express and The Phantom of the Opera. He is currently working on the hydraulic systems for

UK - Ofcom is calling on licensed wireless microphone users to register for a Government funding scheme set up earlier this year to help pay for the replacement of channel 69 equipment. This equipment will stop working in 2012. The scheme closes on 31 December 2010.

Countries across Europe are clearing a block of frequencies to make way for new services like next-generation mobile broadband. Part of this block - called channel 69 (854-862 MHz) - is used by wireless microphones.

Replacement frequencies for channel 69 have been made available in channel 38 (606-614 MHz) as well as other frequencies - but existing microphones will need to be replaced or modified to work at these new frequencies.

In July 2010, the Government announced that it will be providing a contribution towards the cost of new equipment for those users who are eligible under the terms of the scheme. Those a

UK - At the Real Business 2010 Growing Business Awards, held at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, international catering and live event support specialist Global Infusion Group (GIG) was shortlisted in the Global Outlook and Expansion Award category - alongside the likes of business heavyweights such as The Premier League.

Group MD, Tony Laurenson, commented on the nomination from China, where GIG is currently working on the Guangzhou Asian Games. He said: "It was such a privilege to have been shortlisted. We know the quality of the companies that entered and to just be recognised for our international business activities is a great success in itself."

GIG also recently picked up the top honours at the UK:Event Awards 2010 in the Supplier Awards Best Caterer category. Their award submissions entitled 'A Truly Global Infusion Group' impressed the judges wit

UK - John Hornby Skewes & Co has announced the appointment of Richard Morgan as media relations coordinator. A journalist, Morgan will be working as part of the JHS marketing team.

Most recently, Morgan spent 18 months in Berlin as an editor at Communication Director magazine. He has previously lived and worked in the UK, France and Germany. "As someone who has been into music since a very young age, it's great to get the chance to work with musical instruments and fellow music fans on a daily basis," says Morgan. "I'm looking forward to my new role and getting to know and work with everyone in the industry."

(Jim Evans)

Spain - Robe lighting has won the 2010 Produccion Audio and Production Professional Award for the Lighting Company of the Year.

The annual Awards, produced in association with IFEMA - The Fair Trade Institute of Madrid - is now in its 8th year, recognises the best creative, technological and human achievements and developments across all sectors of the professional production and installation world.

The Award was announced during a lively evening of celebrations staged at the Auditorio Sur, a large theatre at the IFEMA Convention & Congress Centre in Madrid last week. This attracted leading industry movers and shakers from Spain and other parts of southern Europe including representatives from TV channels, cinema, production companies, advertising agencies, music and concert promoters, post studios, sales, events, technical production and rental companies.

Robe

UK - London-based drapes specialist Cover It Up supplied scenic dressing and blackout draping for the Festive Lights Switch On by pop star Rihanna at Westfield London Shopping Centre in Shepherd's Bush, west London.

Cover It Up has supplied six sets of different generic scenic drapes to Westfield London that were specified by technical manager Simon Jones for use on different events throughout the year. For some of these - as was the case for the Switch On - the existing drapes are augmented with bespoke additionals.

Cover It Up's team was led by Elliot Stennett. Their task on this occasion was to create a VIP area and drape off the stage and wings.

They used white molton as a base layer with white trevira and voile over the top - taken from one of the standard Westfield packages - and draped about 50m along one side of the atrium to make the VIP balcony space.

Drapes from

Australia - The 2010 UCI Road World Championships held recently in Geelong was the largest cycling competition Australia has ever hosted. The world championship is the marquee event for the Union Cycliste International (UCI) and is second only to the Tour de France in terms of importance and prestige in international cycling.

Geelong-based Total Events Co was given the task to provide audio requirements for the Championship's nine event precincts.

"We had 14 different systems over nine sites for the Championships and it was a total Jands-fest," reports Bill Busbridge, managing director of Total Events Co. "From JBL PRX and VRX boxes, Shure microphones, Crown amplifiers, DBX processing, BSS, Soundcraft to Jands HPC Air Gap power distribution units. We had it all. Plus we had great support from Jands' service and customer support."

A total of 12 JBL-VRX932

Belgium - After the successful introduction of the Pixled F-6 LED display at key exhibitions (including PLASA in the UK and LDI in the USA) Pixled and Mitsubishi Electric have announced a special cooperation.

As of now the Pixled F-6 display will be available either with a standard proprietary processor or with the latest generation of a range of processors from Mitsubishi Electric.

The Mitsubishi options will include multi input HD and DVI with super resolution technology, MPEG noise reduction and enhanced grey scale processing.

"To unite all these vital elements and achieve the standards of excellence we required, we needed to combine with the best processing, which is now a reality" says Pixled general manager Bart Van der Beken.

(Jim Evans)

The Netherlands - Results of sustainability research over the course of recent months commissioned by the Dutch Association for Stage Technology (VPT - De Vereniging voor Podiumtechnologie) have shown that, in some applications, LED lamps with white light have an efficiency seven times that of conventional fittings.

Research showed as well that audience appreciation of a dance performance did not change with the use of sustainable or conventional fittings. A group of renowned theatre technicians, lighting designers, directors and stage designers headed the research.

The results of the research programme will be revealed today during the symposium VPT has organised, called Sustainability on stage! in Zwolle. There, all possible ways of making work in the cultural world more sustainable will be considered say the organisers.

In the spring of 2011, together with supplier

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