Australia - Established in 1859, the GPO is a famous Melbourne landmark, transforming from postal hall to popular night spot and function centre in the 1990's. Managed by Robertson Hospitality Group, the GPO most recently underwent a comprehensive update of its audio systems,selecting Allen & Heath mixing products throughout.

"CEO Ian Robertson and music director Scott Thompson were looking for a premium quality audio system that could stay in the background visually, but be very much in the foreground acoustically," commented system designer and contractor Nathan Pugh of One Productions.

The GPO offers four key function areas, The Lexington, The Music Room, The Library and The Terrace. The Lexington makes use of the heritage architecture of the GPO building, with grand archways, 7-metre high ceilings, huge period windows, Swarovski crystal chandeliers, draped privat

USA - A substantial quantity of SymNet DSP and expansion devices have been installed at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, where they provide processing, auto-mixing, matrixing and distribution functionality for the legislative spaces. This installation is part of an audio/visual upgrade at the State Legislature building which was designed by special systems engineering firm NBTA Engineers, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"We worked very closely with the owner to develop a system tailored to their specific needs. The project was well executed and on budget, and will meettheir needs for many years to come," claims Trez Traylor, president of NBTA Engineers.

The House and Senate chambers are each identically outfitted with a SymNet 8x8 DSP hardware module together with 12-channel BreakIn12 and BreakOut12 expansion devices. Principal inputs into each DSP matrix include mi

UK - Harman Pro UK dealer Mersysound Productions has completed a project to install conference facilities and a performance Room at the Alima Centre in Liverpool, which is operated by the Novas Group community project.

The installation features a range of Harman products, including a Soundcraft GB4 24 channel mixing console; Crown I-T4000 and Xs500 amplifiers; DBX 260 Loudspeaker EQ & Management System; Lexicon MPX550 Multi-FX processor and a range of JBL Professional speakers including Control 25 Compact 2-way loudspeakers, VRXX932LA line array loudspeakers, an SRX7188 sub woofer and a JRX112M two-way wedge monitor.

The Alima Centre is a multicultural community venue that offers a range of services and educational and training facilities to community arts groups and schools. Its aim is to create a platform for local people to develop their individual, community and cultural a

UK - St Bride's Church in London's Fleet Street - often known as the journalists' church - has taken delivery of some 50 ETC Source Four fixed focus spotlights as part of a refurbishment to replace worn out lighting.

Designed in 1672 by Sir Christopher Wren, the current St Bride's replaced a smaller church of the same name destroyed in the 1666 Great Fire of London. The 234 ft spire, added in 1701, was the tallest ever designed by Wren and was supposed to withstand both lightning and war. The tower's shape, which looks like three tiers, has led to it being dubbed the Wedding Cake Church. It has a traditional link with journalists and newspaper proprietors, who paid for it to be rebuilt after it was gutted by incendiary bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe in 1940.

Since then, it has acquired a reputation as not only a place of worship for traditional services, but also for concerts

USA - Through a generous grant provided by GE Consumer & Industrial, Thomas Edison House in Louisville (KY) has installed new museum lighting. The project was completed in commemoration of Thomas Edison's 160th birthday. The inventor lived and worked in Louisville, and later became the founder of the General Electric Company.

Kevin Ruppelt, general manager of Water Products, GE Consumer & Industrial, and a member of the Thomas Edison House's Board of Regents, comments: "This was a great way to utilise GE's design, products and resources, and to give back to our local community. Thomas Edison would be proud of GE's advances in lighting technology and what we've done to highlight his inventions at the Museum. We are proud of our heritage."

The lighting installed at the Museum includes GE's new Diamond Precise track lighting designed for interior museum applications. Di

UK - Roadmender in Northampton is a long-established contemporary performing and visual arts centre which is now under new management and stages concerts including rock, reggae, hiphop, dance, world, jazz roots and experimental music.

The Fabtronic Group in Northampton was asked to provide an alternative to architectural LED lighting and colour-changing products. The new system was designed, programmed and commissioned by Chris Hobbins, events and special projects manager at Fabtronic. He says, "My solution was the CX-10 Extreme to provide colour change, morphing texture effects and gobo projection."

The venue was also refurbished during this project, using a good selection of Martin products which included, MAC 250s, Atomic Strobes, Martin Roboscan 218s, Martin Roboscan 518s, Martin Freekie, Jem ZR-12 DMX and Jem ZR-30.

(Jim Evans)

Sweden/USA - Wireless Solution Sweden AB and Illumivision, Inc. recently turned the Murray Lock and Dam Bridge in Little Rock, Arkansas into a spectacular tourist attraction. The newly constructed pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Murray Lock and Dam, dubbed the "Big Dam Bridge", recently held a special ceremony to show off its new look, bejewelled with coloured lights.

The bridge, which spans the Arkansas River, is 4,226 feet long, with a span over the river totalling 3,463 feet, according to the US Army Corps of Engineers. Billed as the world's longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge, construction was completed in August 2006. The addition of lights was completed a few months later.

Illumivision of Edmonton, Alberta, was responsible for the design and installation of the bridge lighting - 169 Illumivision Light Wave LX fixtures are installed at the base of the thirt

Germany - BSS Audio has provided advanced site-wide digital distribution at Movie Park Germany - a major amusement park in Bottrop-Kirchhellen, which is continuously evolving and expanding. The Park welcomes around 1.5 million visitors a year into its 40,000sq.ft facility, who have access to 40 different shows, 15 shops and 24 restaurants. Further facilities will be added prior to the park reopening on 31 March following the winter recess.

Having acquired the site in 2004 from Six Flags Inc, early last year the park's operators, Belgian-based StarParks recently embarked on a major technology upgrade and commissioned a new audio-visual infrastructure, based around a central BSS Audio Soundweb London DSP/distribution system.

Under the supervision of technology integrators, FACE, the installation began in the early summer and was completed by the end of the year. Using Soundweb L

UK - i-Vision has designed, supplied and installed a colour-changing LED lighting system for Flamingos, a brand new gay clubbing destination concept in central Bristol. The 900 capacity club is independently owned by Stuart Hayles, who saw a gap in the market for a really top notch gay nightclub in the city.

Hayles asked i-Vision's Luke Dodd to design the lighting following Dodd's eye-catching scheme at L!QU!D, a new club in Chepstow also owned by Hayles. "Lighting is absolutely fundamental to creating and enhancing moods, and no cutting edge clubbing environment is complete without good lighting and sound these days" he says.

Flamingos' main room (Arena 1) features R'n'B and dance music, a bar and a VIP area upstairs. Its walls are up-lit with 18 of i-Vision's Lumos 3 fittings, "The perfect fixture for the job" says Dodd. Three bubble tanks behind the bar

Russia - A major ADB lighting installation has been completed as part of the reconstruction of the leading theatre in Siberia, the Novosibirsk National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, built in 1945. The installation, by ADB's Russian Federation partner, DOKA Media, has created a state-of-the-art stage lighting environment in the theatre, which is used mainly for opera and theatrical productions and is regularly lit by the leading Lighting Designers from Moscow and St Petersburg.

The work involved full replacement of the existing lighting equipment for the main stage, as well as innovative approaches to networking. The task was huge, and made even more challenging by the regulations governing the restoration of this historical building.

ADB equipment is at the heart of the system and includes Phoenix 10/XT and 5/XT control systems, interfaced via Ethernet directly with th

UK - The John Madejski Academy in Reading is the latest of the DfES Academies Programme designed to raise the level of attainment in England's inner cities by introducing a distinctive approach to school leadership.

Specialising in sport, the John Madejski Academy will have capacity for approximately 1,100 students, but the infrastructure also includes a technically-equipped auditorium and separate dance/drama studio, provided by Leicester-based Hawthorn Theatrical.

Contracted to the main construction company, Costain, the company has turned to Martin Audio sound reinforcement components as part of its audio-visual design model - extending the company's relationship with the AQ series.

According to Hawthorn's installation manager Simon Ling, the versatility of the AQ series meets the many requirements of a general purpose assembly hall, while the textured light grey factory

Canada - In the few months since it opened with a lavish production of Wagner's complete Ring Cycle, Toronto's new CDN$181 million Four Seasons Centre has vaulted to the front rank of the world's fine arts performance venues. Inside the gleaming steel-and-glass complex, a stunning interweaving of space and structure by principal architect A.J. (Jack) Diamond, the focus of architectural acclaim is the 2,000-seat R. Fraser Elliott Hall. Home to the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada.

In addition to the beautiful architecture and construction, the Four Seasons Centre boasts the sonic virtues of more than 150 Meyer Sound loudspeakers, though their presence isn't apparent: all are concealed from sight, either around the proscenium or embedded in the hall's walls and ceilings. The system works hand-in-glove with the acoustical characteristics to provide fl

UK - BBC Studios, part of BBC Resources, has chosen FreeSpeak from Clear-Com as the single intercom solution used across the massive Elstree studio complex and outside lot. The FreeSpeak system is made up of 60 advanced antennae and 80 belt packs and is able to serve BBC Studios' operations on the site. This covers six studios and an outside lot stretching to several acres, all operating from four control room suites.

The flexibility of the FreeSpeak system enables on-site locations to be covered by using easy to site antenna. "This is a particularly large installation, even for BBC Studios," said Tim Deane, resource manager at BBC Studios. "Using the FreeSpeak system allows a user to be anywhere on site, in or between the studios and to remain in clear contact with their Production Team."

FreeSpeak operates through a cellular network of active antenna, whi

USA - High End Systems has completed a turnkey installation at the Evangel Cathedral in Upper Marlboro, MD. The church recently installed 10 DL.2 Digital Lights to project onto a 76ft cyc to enhance their worship services. This is the largest permanent installation of DL.2 fixtures to date. They also added an Axon Media Server to manager. Though DL.2 already features an on-board media server, Axon is compatible with DL.2.

The install complements the church's existing HES equipment manifest of ten Cyberlight Turbos, 44 x.Spots and a Wholehog 3 console. The DL.2 install actually started at LDI 2006. Koster Design brought Evangel's LD Bryan Meares to High End's booth to view the demo of the DL.2 Collage Generator software feature. They then brought Bishop Don Meares to an HES Open House on the East Coast, who loved the idea of DL.2s in his church. Koster Design then purchased the g

UK - Southampton Guildhall has recently upgraded its lighting control system with the purchase of a Chamsys MQ100 console, playback wing, and Capture design/visualisation software.

The console went straight into use, servicing a wide range of events including student balls, graduation ceremonies, corporate dinner dances, concerts and comedy shows, controlling the in house Avolites Art 4000 dimmers, with a mixture of in house and sub hired equipment including Pars, ETC Source Fours, ACLs, blinders, strobes, hazers, Martin Professional and Robe automated spots, and Colorblock LED fixtures.

"The desk gives us full control of the existing house rig, with much greater flexibility than we've had before, along with the capacity to cope with pretty much every show we get thrown at us with its 12 universes, and on board features for LED fixtures," says a Guildhall spokesman.<

USA - The Spokane Opera House has been rechristened INB Performing Arts Center to reflect its diverse calendar of arts presentations and new corporate sponsorship from Inland Northwest Bank. Along with the name change, the venue has been treated to extensive interior renovations, including a new system of 18 self-powered Meyer Sound loudspeakers.

Mike Tucker, the venue's technical director, felt the recent audio refit was long overdue. Although the system had been upgraded piecemeal since the building's 1974 opening for the World Fair, it still fell far short of what most touring acts now require - and what discriminating patrons had come to expect. "It was a mostly second-generation, mix-and-match system," Tucker says. "It couldn't supply the clarity and 'oomph' we wanted for most shows, so more often than not we had to bring rental systems in."

The rental

UK - The latest revival of the Puccini opera Madam Butterfly staged in the round at the Royal Albert Hall sees the introduction of ground breaking new audio technology. As in previous years, sound designer Bobby Aitken specified a TiMax Audio Imaging delay matrix to dynamically control time delays from each performer's radio microphone to the vocal reinforcement loudspeaker system, to make all audience members localise to the actors on-stage and not the PA.

Out Board director Robin Whittaker comments, "We only have four or five rehearsals in the RAH and it can be very difficult to know what you are listening to, for example, if an actor is not where they were blocked, or Sharry misses a couple of movement cues because he is focused on getting the orchestra mix right or EQing a mic, then the delay scenario from that actor's mic could be way off."

This year sees

Finland - The Himos Arena, a new multi purpose hall situated in the ski resort of Jämsä, has installed a TT+ - based sound system from RCF.

Timo Kunnas of Noretron, RCF's distributor in Finland explains, "We had carried out several demonstrations of the new line array system here in Finland, so when this project came up we put the TT+ forward for it".

The design and installation of the system was carried out by Jämsän Discofix, where Ville Rantanen takes up the story, "The arena is very large and is used for a variety of different events including live bands and discos. We needed a system that would cover the entire area. By side flying the TT 33's together with the TTS 28A subs under the stage it gave us the coverage we wanted"

Also specified were Acustica C3110's compact units for the front fill delay speakers, and a pair for the DJ monitors. For th

USA - Branson, Missouri-based Theatreworks recently supplied 10 Robe ColorSpot 575AT moving lights for the Palm Springs Pavilion Theatre in Palm Springs, California.

"Robe was selected for its price and quality," stated Bob Finical, senior manager of Theatreworks, which has over 30 years' experience in production design, covering all areas of the professional entertainment industry.

The fixtures were supplied to Theatreworks by Robe America's West Coast office who, Finical explains "really excelled themselves in organising a demo at our shop in Branson, showing us first hand all the great features and functionality of the CS 575."

The Palm Springs Pavilion Theatre is a concept of Dick Taylor Productions, designed to provide live, family entertainment on a year-round basis. It is located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs on Tahquitz Canyon Way directly

UK - Entertainment lighting supplier White Light was reunited with long-time collaborators The Admirable Crichton and Private Drama for Party Under Construction, a showcase for the best in the events industry that took place at Number One Piccadilly, London.

Overlooking Piccadilly Circus, with spectacular views down onto Eros, the Under Construction theme of the party came from the venue itself still being a building site! Nonetheless, it was transformed to host a spectacular party for over 600 guests, who enjoyed performances from the casts of Chicago and Tap Dogs and by Private Drama, food and party design by The Admirable Crichton, sound by Delta and event lighting courtesy of White Light.

White Light's lighting designer Jason Larcombe used a comprehensive range of equipment from White Light's diverse hire stock to create lighting that highlighte

Russia - Arena Club In the town of Severomorsk near Murmansk in northern Russia recently emerged from the site of an old cinema, outfitted in the latest lighting technology from Martin Professional, and has quickly become the region's most popular entertainment venue.

Martin distributor A&T Trade was commissioned to create a club atmosphere for the multifunctional space, one that included dynamic as well as static lighting. "Use of the installation depends on the type of event," says Denis Bessonov, director of the company MasterMedia. "The fixtures support the work of the professional artists as well as creating different lighting effects on the dance floor. They are used to reflect the mood of the various musical styles."

Arena is housed in a two-story building with a ceiling height of 12m. The original plan called for lighting fixtures to be fixed on the

UK - Soon after taking over the former Wardour Street nightclub, The Trap, and converting it into Stringfellows Soho, the impresario after whom it is named had a change of mind. Peter Stringfellow decided that while his table dancing concept would work in Soho on the midweek nights, the weekends would be better suited to a full-on luxurious nightclub, capable of taking on the West End's elite. And by changing the venue's name to The Wardour he knew he would also avoid confusion with his Covent Garden club of 26 years.

By this time London-based Viba Sound had already filled the Wardour Street venue with distributed 12" ceiling speakers. "While these would have been fine for the girly nights, with the new direction something with much more punch was now required for the dance weekends," said the company's Peter Kellet. So he opted for a complete Nexo solution.

The

Belgium - Following successful line-array installations in Belgian concert halls such as Roma in Borgerhout(W8L/W8LD) and the AMT complex in Antwerp (W8LM), cultural centres are becoming more and more intrigued by what Martin Audio line arrays have to offer, says the company.

Martin Audio territorial distributors, Ampco Belgium, report that after careful market investigation, followed by a W8LM demo, it became clear that this would provide the best solution for De Schakel's main hall in Waregem. Measuring 19m wide and 20m deep, the 536 seats stretch right down to the front of the stage - thus to give every seat almost identical sound quality and coverage was no easy task. But the W8LM Line Array concept proved it could cope with this demand and deliver from a small footprint precisely what the customer wanted.

Local supplier, installer and rental company Big Dynamic was appoin

UK - Wembley Arena has beaten off international competition from Zurich, Barcelona and Ireland to win the Best International Arena Award at the recent 18th Pollstar Concert Industry Awards held in Los Angeles.

This is the fourth time Wembley Arena has been awarded this accolade, and the first since the £36 million refurbishment of the Grade II listed building, undertaken by Quintain Estates and Development, who own the Arena and an additional 70 acres of land surrounding Wembley Stadium.

The new-look Arena, re-orientated to face the Stadium, has attracted a record number of fans since reopening its doors in April 2006 after a 15-month refurbishment programme.

The transformed Arena is part of a mammoth £2.6 billion regeneration project that will include a 17-screen cinema and a boulevard lined with restaurants bars and cafes. The scheme is expected to inject

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