Qatar - La Cigale Hotel in Doha satisfies all the criteria of a modern five-star hotel. Whilst in La Cigale's rooms and suites the international clientele is pampered with luxuries of every description, the Madison piano bar offers entertainment all year round.

To satisfy the many and varied demands placed on the bar's sound reinforcement system, EV's partner in the Lebanon, Hi Fi Services, designed a solution comprising components including Electro-Voice ZX5, ZX1, RX115/75 and SbA760 systems. CP3000S amplifiers, also from Electro-Voice, and a selection of EV microphones round off the installation in the 300-seater piano bar.

"The stipulation was that the sound should match the state-of-the-art ambience of the hotel. With this system, it does just that," says Hi Fi System MD Oussama Mansour.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Situated in London's O2 Arena, Matter - the latest club spin off from the successful Fabric brand - has opened its South-East-London-facing doors on a vast 3000-capacity space.

Central to the installed technology is a 16-channel TiMax audio delay matrix, which controls every channel of the main Room One sound system, including the subwoofers and the Bodysonic vibrating floor. Matter's sound and lighting design consultant, Dave Parry, says: "Before we even knew how the final system would work together, TiMax was always going to be integrated into it whatever we did."

Matter is designed around the Kandinsky principle: vibration, lighting and music all coming together as a whole to provoke a trance-like state. Parry explains: "The whole lot - lighting, video and sound - moves as an integrated whole so as a very basic example, say the club is lit blue, I can ta

Sweden - The Europaporten Kongresscenter in the southern Swedish city of Malmö has chosen a Geo S12 line array system to reflect its unusual multipurpose identity; not only is this 820-seater auditorium the home of the Malmö Pentecostal Church, but it also actively markets its facilities as a congress centre and meeting hall.

Malmö's Europaporten is home to one of Sweden's largest Pentacostal congregations, but its spacious modern auditorium is also a popular venue for conferences, live music performances and corporate meetings. Its search for a new and versatile sound reinforcement system led to the consideration of several blue-chip brands, and the contract was awarded to Nexo after a series of on-site demonstrations.

"We prepared very well, studying the room's characteristics carefully and staging a very successful demo which showed off the Geo S12's strengths of au

Germany - The Halle Münsterland is the largest events centre in the region of Westphalia. 80 years after the first events were staged there, the Congress Hall has made a significant investment in a new sound reinforcement system for its main auditorium, a cutting-edge design driven by an EtherSound audio network via a digital matrix, allowing the settings of different sound reinforcement situations to be retrieved at the push of a button.

Jens Schmidt from installation specialists Trendco and Norbert Sangermann, the acoustics expert from CAMCO responsible for fixed installations, joined forces to design a system tailored precisely to the Congress hall.

For Schmidt and Sangermann, the concept design had to accommodate possible future requirements while offering the clearest possible signal transmission. Decision-makers at the Halle Münsterland focussed strongly on the reliabi

UK - Absolute Lighting and Events has recently created the look of Liverpool's newest statement club, Cube, using LED lighting effects from Tryka and club lighting from Martin Professional.

Built across four glass-fronted floors, Cube provides a juxtaposition to the raft of small bars in the centre of Liverpool. The lighting design, by Neil Riley, director of Absolute, has worked this position as far as possible. By colour-washing each floor-to-ceiling window as a separate zone using the Tryka K2 LED RGB Strip Module, the message stands tall and is immediate: Cube is far from square.

The club area starts on the first floor, above the ground floor restaurant and pre-bar area lit with original lighting fixtures sourced from Italy and Spain. The first floor seating areas are illuminated using Tryka RGB Module 3 lighting units - in total 250 were used across the first and second f

UK - The Brighton Centre conference venue, has revitalised its long-serving Electro-Voice PA system with the replacement of all the existing amplifiers with EV's latest DSP-controlled P1200 RL Precision Series amplifiers, running IRIS-Net remote control and system supervision software.

Known to many in the UK as the venue for high-profile conferencing, as used by the Conservative Party and the Trades Union Congress, the Main Hall of the Brighton Centre routinely accommodates prestige exhibitions, banquets and leisure events. With its flexible seating, it can accommodate 4,500 seated delegates.

The Main Hall's house PA was installed in the 1980s, a centrally-flown cluster of Electro-Voice loudspeakers which has worked for over 20 years. Brighton-based specialists MBI Sound & Light has maintained the Centre's facilities since that time. "With the important TUC conference lo

UK - eMerging, the UK distributors for Merging Technology's products, have completed a lengthy high-definition upgrade project at Lime Pictures, Liverpool. Lime, who produce Channel 4's successful soap Hollyoaks virtually continuously 52 weeks a year, began a thorough overhaul of their video and audio production and editing facilties in 2007 to enable the show to be produced, edited and broadcast in high definition.

The completed upgrade has involved eMerging in the design, construction and installation of six new audio dubbing suites at Lime, each with Merging Pyramix audio Post-production DAWs, VCube HD high-definition video playback systems, and Merging Ramses control surfaces.

Alongside the equipment from eMerging, Lime also purchased new HD Sony HDC-1500 cameras, built a new Central Apparatus Room (CAR) with a 102-Terabyte Data Direct video production SAN, and adde

Ireland - Specialist installation company Northern Light has fitted sound, lighting and communication systems at the new opera house in Wexford, south-east Ireland.

Built on the slightly extended footprint of its predecessor, the initial scheme for the new Wexford Opera House was developed by architects and building service engineers from the Office of Public Works (OPW), acoustic consultant Arup Acoustics and theatre consultant Carr & Angier. In 2005, the design team was completed through competitive tendering, with the appointment of Arup Consulting Engineers, Nolan Ryan QS and Keith Williams Architects.

Colin Cuthbert, Northern Light's managing director, said: "I was delighted that Northern Light was selected for the technical installation in this €33m (£25.6m) new build venue. Professionally, the project demonstrates the team's expertise and abilities extremely

Italy - Sound designer Andrea Taglia has specified and designed an L-Acoustics ARCS system which has been installed at the Parco della Musica in Rome, in the venue's 2,800-capacity Sala Santa Cecilia.

Acoustically, this project posed some major challenges. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the building took 20 years to construct, and by completion the function of the different rooms had changed. Originally intended to provide stunning acoustics for large orchestras, the Sala Santa Cecilia has been drafted into service as a multifunction concert/convention venue due to Rome's lack of suitably-sized halls.

However its acoustic design, with orchestral use in mind, leaves Sala Santa Cecilia with a 2.5/2.8 reverb - perfect for symphonic music but impossible in a multipurpose room. It was this dilemma that Taglia undertook when contacted by Sonus Audio Services of Rome, a s

USA - When the Theatre Arts department at American River College began making plans for its new performance space, an up-to-date rigging system was one of the department's top priorities.

"The old theatre had no fly loft," said Kathy Burleson, department chair and technical director at American River, a two-year community college with 30,000 students. "We're a teaching institution, and for most of our students, this is their first experience with lighting or rigging. We wanted a system that would enable our training process so the students could learn lighting, and experience both manual and automated rigging in a very safe manner."

The new 360-seat proscenium theatre has a 20 x 40ft proscenium and a rigging system with 42 line sets, Burleson said. "We have music events and lectures as well as full productions, so we have lots of fast changeovers. Our

UK - Sarner's most recent installation at Southend's Adventure Island is the new ghost train ride, Over the Hill which was officially opened last week in time for Halloween and is being heralded as a ghost train for a new generation.

The new attraction replaces Adventure Island's successful Beelzee Bob's Trail which, after eight years, was closed to make way for a new and advanced scary ride of the future.

The ride, which is made up of 12 two-seater carriages, delivers a 3D experience using animatronics, pneumatics, video projection, holographic images, surround sound, lighting, mirrors and air blasts to create a multitude of special effects. Set in a cemetery, the ghost train features apparitions and a main character, the Undertaker, who guides thrill seekers through the ride after waving them off and warning them not to go 'over the hill'. It also incorporates

USA - FiberPlex reports that an extensive LightViper fibre optic audio transport system was recently installed at Southern California's MiraCosta Community College. The college recently completed a $21 million project to build a music technology classroom facility on its main Oceanside, campus. The new music technology building features a total of eight production control rooms fed by two large recording studios. All audio is routed through an extensive LightViper digital transport system via fibre optics.

San Diego-based ProSound, a LightViper VAR and audio design firm, handled all aspects of the audio design, as well as installation of the fibre audio components. Mike Krewitsky, owner and chief systems designer for the 30-year-old pro audio company says: "This project was truly about designing, and then putting into place, an affordable infrastructure that will remain tec

UK - The Diskus has become the latest addition to London's burgeoning conference venue landscape following an inspired and versatile multimedia installation by Design Integration.

Owned by UNITE, the Union T&G Section, and occupying a prime site in the Holborn business district, the independently run Diskus has been able to promote itself as an "advanced conference venue" since the AV specialists carried out a major upgrade this summer using QSC's AcousticDesign Series loudspeakers and CX Series power amplifiers.

Derek Wright, managing director of Design Integration, has frequently turned to QSC components to satisfy his project requirements - and given The Diskus's low ceiling height he was able to deploy multiples of AD-Ci52T and AD-Ci52ST recessed ceiling speakers for the foyer/break out area and main auditorium respectively.

Said conference manager, Francis Wil

Singapore - Swissotel The Stamford has announced the re-launch of New Asia, a club located in the south-east of the city. Juan Luis Garcia, general manager of D.A.S. Audio Asia and assistant manager, Eduardo López, visited the recently inaugurated premises equipped with D.A.S. sound systems. The audio installation was completed by Lingtec under the supervision of D.A.S. sound engineer, Joan La Roda, who travelled specifically out to Singapore to help with the installation.

Designed in amber, brown and gold, the club is lavishly decorated with an incandescent chandelier and features some stunning audiovisual effects. Aiden Macaulay, general manager of Swissotel The Stamford reports, "We have every confidence in the sound quality D.A.S. delivers."

The dance floor was equipped with model RF-12.64 Reference systems and model CA-215 Aero units were chosen as subwoofers.

Norway - The Gand Church in Sandnes, near Stavanger is used both as house of worship and for cultural events. Sound Projects' agent for Norway PA Produksjoner (PAP) is responsible for the newly installed sound reinforcement system based on the Sound Projects Dreamline system.

PAP managing director Jan Olav Sandsmark reports, "Amongst other larger PA companies in the Stavanger region, the church contacted us for an alternative to the existing system. As in everyday life, there were many contradictory demands to be met: the system had to enhance intelligibility when used with a lapel microphone in conventional worship services. On the other hand immaculate reproduction of gospel rock bands was desired.

"Additionally, the new system had to be able to handle all the different events to be held in the church. And last but not least the system should fit in the church from

UK - O2 and Live Nation/AMG have announced a strategic alliance to launch O2 Academy venues across the UK, which are majority owned by Live Nation alongside fellow shareholders, leading UK concert promoters, Metropolis Music and SJM Concerts. The alliance will boost support for future music talent and enhance the music experience for fans visiting the venues as well as allow O2 to offer a number of benefits for its customers, says a statement issued this morning.

From 1 January 2009, the 11 AMG venues will be renamed O2 Academy. O2 customers will gain priority access to tickets to all gigs at the venues, as well as other Live Nation events across the country. In total, O2 customers will gain special access to as many as 4,000 Live Nation produced shows a year in the UK up to 48 hours before they go on general sale.

"Our customers tell us that they really value having pri

UK - At the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2009 exhibition, lighting control and automation group, Dynalite, will showcase the company's latest addition to its multipurpose controller series, the DDMC802GL.

Designed for home automation and hotel suite control applications, the DIN rail-mountable DDMC802GL features a hardware-configurable design, where plug-in output cards accommodate specific loads assigned to the system. This ability to tailor the product to the project optimises energy management and reduces cost, while simultaneously eliminating waste and providing future-proofing flexibility, says the company.

"Dynalite's range of multipurpose modular controllers heralds the next 'eco' generation of Dynalite technology," said Phil Main, Dynalite business development manager. "No two control systems are alike, and the range of control requirements is

Hong Kong - October was a busy month for TAO Group's personnel with events in Canada, Croatia, Dubai and latterly Hong Kong - providing production management for the AsiaHedge Awards 2008.

The event, held in the Grand Ballroom of The Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong, acknowledges the achievements of the Asia-Pacific hedge fund industry; bringing together both international and Asian managers and investors to celebrate the best performing Asia-Pacific hedge funds.

TAO were contracted three weeks prior to the awards by Matt Stowe of London based design agency NewSubstance to provide production management and consultancy for the event.

TAO's Managing Director Andy Cotton started by liaising with the hotel's supplier, Simon Lam of Hong Kong based company Base Create, and hotel events manager Samantha Chow. The set was designed as all white with a central 12' x 9' rear projection

UK - Stage Electrics is supplying its biggest outdoor ice rink of the year to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway for its spectacular Winter Wonderland in Bristol. Stage Electrics is providing complete event management for the shopping centre's Christmas attraction, from installing the 1,000sq.m ice rink, to sound, lighting, ice marshals, chalets housing skating equipment, a Christmas market and catering, to health and safety management.

The rink, the largest outdoor rink in the South West, will be open from 13 November until 4 January 2009, offering hour-long skating sessions each accommodating 300 skaters. This year's rink is 50% bigger than last year and aims to attract even more skaters than before. Last year 30,000 skaters used the rink. A 30ft Christmas tree adorned with 2,000 LED lights, creates a stunning focal point in the centre of the rink.

Ian Tregaskis, live events

Lebanon - EvenLED, Martin Professional's bright system of LED panels for uniform projection, has been utilised in several TV studios around the world. One of those studios, Future TV in Lebanon, has implemented the modular system in its newsroom where two vertical columns of five EvenLED panels rise around a video wall to form a decorative background.

"Originally, the client wanted simply to change the set of the daily news show from a studio-based set into a newsroom environment set," says Ali Wazani, managing director of Wazani & Associates, an architectural firm responsible for some of the region's top television studio designs.

"Most of today's TV stations, international events and productions base their design on a branding and identity brief. It is the exceptional image that we are all striving to achieve. EvenLED can easily brand large surfaces with dyna

Dubai - UK-based event company TAO Group has won the contract to consult on Dubai's new multi-purpose venue, The Palladium.

The Palladium, built at a cost of AED120 million (US$32.6 million), will be the first venue of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, edicated to cater for a wide array of events.

Raymond Gaspar of ICE - International Communications and Entertainment, awarded the prestigious contract to TAO Group to consult on the technical fit out of the venue, stewarding and medical appointments, traffic and pedestrian planning, occupational safety and to prepare technical specifications to ease the attendance of touring production.

General manager of The Palladium, Raymond Gaspar said, "This venue can be set-up in a variety of creative ways to suit any event theme and size. We will provide all the elements to facilitate the work of promoters and event org

China - The well-established Beijing International Hotel (BIH) is a 916-room 5-star hotel located on Chang'an Street, in the central area of foreign affairs and business in the city. This summer, the BIH has turned several floors of its multi-storey building into a conference destination; out of a total construction area of 33,128sq.m. has been carved a number of flexible meeting venues, including a 2000sq.m banqueting hall and a 625sq.m theatre.

Collaborating on the design of the new Centre were the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design and the American firm of Heitz-Parsons-Sadek, which specialises in high-end hospitality interior design. The installation of the sophisticated AV and communications systems was completed by China Construction Third Engineering Division. Corp.

China Construction has a long-established working relationship with TICO, the Chinese distributor

UK - Having successfully made an impact at the Academy in Sheffield, Nexo's Geo D line array technology has again been chosen by installers Adlib Audio as the house system for what is now known as the O2 Academy in Oxford.

The Academy in Oxford, which was opened just 15 months ago, recently asked Adlib Audio to install a new front-of-house PA in its main venue, capacity 1,020. The club required a brand-name system that would support its endeavours to attract a strong calibre of international touring artists to the city.

Roger Kirby, Adlib Audio's sales manager, describes the unusual room acoustics of the Academy's main room. "It has a very low ceiling, and is a long, asymmetrical shape, which makes it quite a tricky proposition acoustically. After our experience with Nexo's D10 cabinets at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and in the Academy in Sheffield, we felt that the v

USA - Peace Apostolic Church in Carson, California, has installed an Allen & Heath iLive digital mixing system in the 900-seat Worship Hall, and a GL2800 in the adjacent 300-seat Fellowship Hall. Handling multiple services each week - in addition to rehearsals, bible studies, and other events - the iLive system is configured with 40 inputs and 32 outputs in the iDR10 mixrack with an additional eight inputs and eight outputs on the iLive-112 control surface.

"We are running a full band with acoustic drums, guitar, keyboards, piano, MPC click, six praise team mics, six choir mics, the Minister's wireless mic, and Pastor's wireless mic," says Andre Lamb, Peace Apostolic's music director. "We've also integrated a full Aviom system in addition to overhead and floor monitors for the podium and Choir area."

(Jim Evans)

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