China - Faye Wong is one of China's most popular icons, and arguably the most famous female Chinese-language pop singer of all time. She is also one of the most offbeat. Famed for her reserve, her effortless "cool" and her fierce independence, Wong received over seven million votes in a government web portal's online poll on 'The most influential Chinese cultural celebrity of the last 60 years', second only to Wong's own personal idol, the deceased Taiwanese singer, Teresa Teng.

Wong has recently embarked on a national 'comeback' tour after a five-year break from performing. Such is her popularity that, according to local media, a computerised ticketing system in Taiwan crashed within a minute of tickets going on sale for the limited number of performances. However, the tour has been recorded for posterity via an Innovason Eclipse digital mixing console.

The tour kic

USA - Harman Professional Systems Development and Integration Group (SDIG) has introduced HiQnet System Architect Version 2.3. In doing so, SDIG significantly improves the performance, functionality and user interface of System Architect, which, according to Adam Holladay, senior market manager, Harman Professional Systems Development and Integration Group, makes System Architect more useful, more effective and more efficient.

"SDIG is singularly committed to improving HiQnet System Architect on every criteria at every opportunity," Holladay says. "We regularly examine the user experience, the performance engine and hardware integration and we religiously seek out new ways to improve each. With version 2.3, our base of 30,000 registered HiQnet users will see advances in the look and feel of the software, the speed and efficiency of the software and operational fun

USA - Meyer Sound has announced a new dedicated cinema team to lead the development, sales, marketing, and technical support efforts for the EXP line of cinema products (formerly known as Cinema Experience). This strategic taskforce includes Steve Shurtz as technology director; Mauricio Saint Martin as global sales director; and Brian Long as senior cinema and live sound design manager. Jim Sides, who was formerly the CEO of Meyer Sound Germany, will become business development director, EXP.

"As we continue to grow in the cinema market, it's important that we provide the same level of support to our partners in the field," says Helen Meyer, co-founder and vice president at Meyer Sound. "These personnel changes will enable us to work more closely and effectively with the cinema industry and also allow Steve, Jim, Mauricio, and Brian to focus on their core strength

UK - The recent 2012 digital switchover open days held by the Audio division of A.C. Entertainment Technologies have proven to be a sound investment for attendees, with many commenting on how useful and informative the events were.

Held in conjunction with leading manufacturers Sennheiser and Shure at the company's High Wycombe and Leeds offices, attendees received an in-depth 2012 digital switchover Q&A session by members of the BEIRG committee and demonstrations of the manufacturers' new Channel 38 compliant equipment, as well as showcasing other brand ranges distributed by Sennheiser and Shure.

James Hudson, director of Futurist Sound & Light commented: "We've attended a couple of seminars previously at AC-ET, and indeed in this instance visited both open days at their High Wycombe and Leeds offices as we were keen to learn as much as possible about the ramifications o

UK - XL Events has won a 2010 Eventia Award for 'Technical Supplier of The Year', which was presented at a gala dinner evening attended by 800 leading events industry professionals at the Park Lane Hilton Hotel in London.

The Awards were hosted by BBC Breakfast regulars Bill Turnbull and Sian Williams. XL Events' director Rich Rowley and business development manager Nick Hart collected the Award on behalf of the XL Events team, who have offices in Hemel Hempstead and Bromsgrove in the UK.

Says Rowley, "XL Events has enjoyed an outstanding year. Our market position has strengthened and we have continued to deliver during a fragile economic climate. More importantly our business has been agile and adaptable enough to offer these Agency's a whole series of multiple and creative solutions for their clients."

(Jim Evans)

USA - When did the theatre industry move from hemp to counterweights? Who invented the sophisticated automatic release system for fire curtains? What did the first computerized rigging control system look like?

These and many other questions are answered in the catalogues of rigging products published by J. R. Clancy throughout its 125-year history. Members of USITT soon will be able to see digital files of every page of these catalogues, beginning with the first from 1886.

In celebration of J.R. Clancy's 125th anniversary year, the company has scanned and digitized all the pages and cover of every catalogue. J. R. Clancy has provided access to these digital files to USITT in acknowledgement of the company's 45-plus years as a member of this organization. These files are available to educators, students, faculty members and other researchers with a serious interest in the hist

UK - Soundcraft Studer has promoted Alan Wright, previously UK R&D Manager, to the role of quality and continuous improvement manager, reporting directly to Andy Trott, vice president & general manager of Harman's Mixing and Microphones & Headphones Business Unit.

Trott says, "We pride ourselves on the levels of quality and ingenuity across our businesses but we also have a mantra of continuously improving everything we do; however large or small that improvement might be. It is Alan's role to drive the business on all fronts of quality, ISO, process improvements and Green initiatives; we consider these to be business imperatives, hence why this function reports directly to me."

Wright joined Harman in 1995 with BSS Audio then moved to Soundcraft under the same roof in Potters Bar. He has an MBA from the University of Hertfordshire.

"During the past few years

In The White House - Acts including No Doubt and Dave Grohl played Beatles songs at a US gala on Sunday to celebrate Sir Paul McCartney and other winners of a cultural award. Sir Paul had earlier received a Kennedy Centre honour along with Oprah Winfrey, choreographer Bill T Jones, composer Jerry Herman and singer Merle Haggard.

Receiving his medallion at a White House dinner on Saturday, Sir Paul said "great things just come in bundles." The ex-Beatle was at the US President's home in June to receive another award. "I am a big fan of this president, and I think he's a great man who's got some difficulties," Sir Paul said at Saturday's event, hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Sunday night's concert, held at Washington arts venue the Kennedy Centre, was filmed by US network CBS for broadcast later this month.

In The Money - Susan Philipsz

UK - NSA Creative & Cultural has announced The National Skills Academy Annual Industry Conference which will take place on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March 2011, at the newly opened Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth.

The conference will bring together the backstage and offstage industry to network, take part in practical seminars and look at the changing landscape of the industry.

Confirmed Speakers include Paul Latham of Live Nation, Melvin Benn of Festival Republic, Alison Wenham from the Association of Independent Music and John Northcote of the Academy Music Group.

Seminar sessions will include: Maximising your resources - practical session for staying on top; Industry & Education - Effective 2-way communication; Apprenticeships - How can your business benefit?; National Training Vs In-house training - what works for you?;

Delegates will also have the opportunity to attend th

UK - PASMA and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are warning users of low level access products such as podium steps and folding room scaffolds to make sure that the equipment they have bought, or hired, meets at least the minimum standards of fall protection.

The warning follows increased concern about cheap, inferior products now flooding the UK market, especially in the construction sector, which offer limited protection to users by not having an adequate guardrail system fitted as standard.

Since 2004, industry estimates suggest that some 50,000 of these work at height tools have been sold in the UK and Ireland and are most widely used in the construction industry by a multitude of finishing trades.

Comments PASMA's managing director, Peter Bennett, "In theory, these products provide a compact, lightweight and protected work platform that represents a safe metho

USA - NAMM has announced the education session schedule for this year's Hands-On Training (H.O.T) Zone at the 2011 NAMM Show, offering the broadest educational experience for professionals in the recording, live sound, DJ, house of worship, commercial systems integrators, and stage and lighting industries in the history of the show.

The H.O.T. Zone will offer attendees free one-hour classes on more than 75 educational topics over four days, including topics such as Introduction to Live Mixing New Techniques for DJs, Lead Worshipers Arise The Future of Music, and Pro Tools 101". On 13 January, 2011, the opening day of the NAMM Show, the H.O.T. Zone will be offering Boot Camp Day with an array of basic courses designed to provide foundation-level instruction in music technology and business.

UK - Showsec's London Office successfully implemented a complex event security operation at Earls Court for the British Military Tournament.

VIP Royal guests and senior military officials were among 56,000 visitors attending the return of Britain's oldest military tattoo, on 4 and 5 December. Over 500 troops and 145 horses appeared in two performances per day, featuring the ever-popular field gun run, massed bands and battle re-enactments.

IMG's operations director Nick Mattingley who managed the event production, states, "Showsec were seamless from beginning to end. Their venue knowledge and experience was second to none, particularly for directing crowds and performers around Earls Court, we were reliant on them to deliver - and they did very well.

"There is a momentum for us to capitalise on this years' success and come back next year, so we will open discussion

UK - Production Light and Sound, a leading UK live events production company, has announced the acquisition of 14 Robe Robin 600 spotlights, making them one of the first businesses in the UK to stock and deploy this new technology. This investment is just part of a major overhaul of Production Light and Sound's inventory, as they scale up operations to meet the increased demands of larger projects.

Jason Salvin, director of Production Light and Sound explained why credit provided by Azule Finance was so vital: "Having pitched and won a series of large scale events contracts we needed to rapidly grow our business. In the fast paced events production industry, it's critical that we remain at the cutting edge of new technology developments, to ensure that are services are the best in the industry. Thankfully, Azule Finance, who came highly recommended by Robe, was able to prov

UK - With the official public opening of the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RST) on 24 November, Stage Electrics has completed its five-year-long role at the technical heart of this visionary transformation project.

The transformation was designed to create, in RSC artistic director Michael Boyd's words, "the best theatre in the world to perform the works of Shakespeare". It involved a massive reconstruction that created a new RST auditorium with a thrust stage and embraced the adjacent Swan Theatre, with a colonnade connecting the two and extensively upgraded public facilities throughout.

Stage Electrics, as specialist theatre contractor and technical coordinator, was contracted to provide and install the Theatre Electrics Package, including every electrical, audio and lighting system within both the RST

Czech Republic - The 12th Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space, the largest scenography / performance design event in the world, held once every four years, returns to Prague, Czech Republic, in June 2011. Coming to Prague will allow visitors to discover a unique outdoor performing exhibition, Intersection: Intimacy & Spectacle, presenting 30 internationally acclaimed artists within an architectural environment/installation specially designed for this occasion.

Additionally, a large number of projects will be on display in outdoor public spaces throughout the city - a unique occasion to discover Prague through the eyes of the world's contemporary artists. Visitors will also be able to explore various disciplines essential to the performing arts thanks to special projects focused on lighting and sound design, architect

Tour Takings - Bon Jovi were the most successful live act of the year with takings of $146.5m (£93.1m), according to Billboard magazine. They took the total between 20 November 2009 and 28 November 2010 by selling 1,591,154 tickets in 69 gigs as part of their The Circle tour.

U2 took $131.5m (£83.6m) on the second leg of its 360 Degree tour, performing to 1,312,784 people in 22 sell-out shows. They were followed by AC/DC, ranked third with $122.6m (£77.9m), and Lady Gaga, in fourth place with $116.2m (£73.9m). Hip-hop collective Black Eyed Peas complete the top five with takings of $81.6m (£51.9m).

Theatre News - Belfast's new £18m home for the Lyric Theatre is to open in May 2011 after two years of construction and planning with a gala performance on its newly named Northern Bank Stage. The announcement comes as Norther

UK - Black Light has teamed up with a number of its key suppliers and the Federation of Scottish Theatre (FST) to help deliver three days of technical training at Pitlochry Festival Theatre on the 22-24 February 2011.

Among the courses being run by Black Light are sessions on the Safe Use of Pyrotechnics, on the operation of ETC Ion Lighting Desks, Rosco Lighting and Scenic Products and Avolites Titan Software.

"Our courses will be a fantastic opportunity to get your hands on some of the most exciting technology in the business and learn how to use it from the professionals," says Black Light's Phil Haldane. "They'll also be a great chance to meet others in the industry and to catch up with colleagues."

A wide range of other training courses will be running over the three-day event and participants can book to come along to one session or many. There will

Downsizing - Sir Paul McCartney performed an intimate lunchtime gig at the 100 Club on London's Oxford Street, the historic music venue that is threatened with closure. Around 300 fans were treated to a set lasting almost two hours, comprising songs by the Beatles, Wings and from Sir Paul's solo back catalogue. It was the smallest gig the star has played in the UK for nearly 10 years.

The club, which began life as a restaurant in the 1940s, has played host to the Sex Pistols, the Rolling Stones and Metallica down the years. But rising rent in the centre of London has pushed the venue into the red. Unless a new buyer or sponsor is found, the club could close before the year is out.

A campaign to keep the 100 Club open has attracted support from Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and Sir Mick Jagger. Fellow Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood played a benefit gig for the venue earlie

UAE - To support its strategy of expansion in the Middle East market, Proel Group organised the first Proel Middle East Conference at the Novotel World Trade Centre in Dubai, a three-day event devoted to Middle Eastern markets. The conference also hosted professionals from the Northern African countries, such as Morocco and Egypt.

Fabrizio Sorbi, president of Proel Group, took part in the event together with Massimo Signor, Proel's managing director, and Simon Sinclair, business development director. Sorbi stressed how strategically important these emerging markets are for Proel. He went on to explain what the Group's strengths are - the R&D department, logistics, and the investments in the new management system that will "lead to an even greater general efficiency in the future".

The event hosted several specific product sessions, divided by line and brand, during w

Australia - Platform 28 is a new restaurant bar offering Modern Australian cuisine in the heart of Melbourne's Docklands. Formerly a railway goods shed, this venue stays true to the history of the site offering a rustic historical charm combining a mix of old and new.

Pulse Audio Visual was asked to design, supply and install the audio visual requirements of the venue and their preferred brand of speaker was JBL with a combination of JBL surface-mount speakers used throughout the venue.

The venue has been divided into five audio zones: ground floor lounge, ground floor alfresco area, glazed pod, upstairs lounge, and upstairs outdoor area. Each zone is capable of having its own audio source and volume level, regardless of the settings of the other zones.

"The location and method of installation for the speakers changed quite a few times on this job," remarked Adam D

USA - Hitachi America has announced the introduction of its CPX9 Portable Series LCD projector, designed for use in classrooms, conference rooms, on the road or anywhere a lightweight, high-quality, high-value projector is needed.

Weighing less than five pounds and measuring just 12 x 8.7 x 3 inches, the CPX9 can project images up to 300 inches (diagonal measurement) with XGA resolution, 3,200 lumens brightness and 16.7 million colours. It features a Whiteboard Mode that adjusts the projector's brightness when used with a whiteboard, to reduce glare and eye strain. Another special is its Template function that displays lines, circles or a world map, making it easier to write on an interactive whiteboard.

The CPX9 provides HDMI, S-Video and composite video inputs, an RGB computer video input and monitor output, two RCA audio inputs, and an audio output. It includes a built-in s

USA - Chief is now shipping its E1 and S1 Series racks. "Similar to our infield research when launching the Fusion Mount Line, this new innovative line is the result of listening to what our customers said would make their installs easier and more efficient," said Carl Breczinski, product manager for the new Chief Raxxess Series.

"We believe that our customers will see the benefits that these new racks can bring to their next job. From extra space gained in the bottom of each rack for mounting small components to offering consistent ventilation options, the new Raxxess Series boasts advanced features and quality engineering that installers love to see."

The E1 Raxxess Series Rack is an enclosed rack with solid steel construction; laser cut knockouts and integrated cable tie points with an included rear rack rail. The S1 Raxxess Series is a knockdown rack wi

USA - Conan, the new late-night talk, music and entertainment show hosted by Conan O'Brien showcases O'Brien's versatility as a performer as well as his eclectic tastes in musical guest artists.

Two Studer Vista 9 digital consoles have been specifically installed for the programme at the Warner Bros Studio Facilities' Stage 15, in Burbank, California. Studer Vista 9 consoles are used in both the Music Mix control room and in the Production Audio mix control room, both of which were designed and equipped by Sound Design Corporation.

"Conan's shows are a huge mix of talk, stand-up, sketch comedy, remote locations and live music, and they'll go from one to the other in a heartbeat," observes Paul Sandweiss, president of Sound Design Corporation, and sound designer for Conan, as well as O'Brien's stint as host of The Tonight Show Featuring Conan O'Brien<

The team at PLASA Media would like to wish all our regular readers a happy & relaxing holiday and a very successful 2011.

We're taking a break now too, and our daily news service will resume on 4 January 2011.

Best wishes,

The PLASA Media team.

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