UK - The Pavilion Dance Centre in Bournemouth has just opened, with a raft of new equipment from ETC, including six Selador Vivid-R LED fixtures.

The kit, which was supplied by Audio Light Systems, also includes an ETC Congo jr control desk with fader wing, Source Four Zoom luminaires, two Sensor dimmer racks and a non-dim control panel custom built for the project by ETC at their factory in the US.

"We originally specified another manufacturer's LED wash lights two years ago," sayss Andy Stone, the theatre consultant who worked on the project for Drama by Design. "But by the time we came to place the order, Selador had been released by ETC - and they worked out cheaper and better. I like the light output and excellent colour rendering, as well as the smooth dimming and excellent range of lenses - so I'm busy specifying them on a number of different projects acr

USA - After years of being known as one church with two locations, the members of California's Oasis Church decided to vacate its Beverly Hills address and permanently settled into its 600-seat Hollywood location. In doing so, the church audio team upgraded the audio system with an Aviom Pro16 Personal Mixing System.

Now, the church is ready for both on-location and off-site celebrations, including the church's annual GodChicks Conference that takes place in Pasadena, CA. For Oasis Church technical coordinator, Daniel Rivera, the biggest factor in choosing the Aviom system was the need to change the theatre's aesthetics and to lower the stage volume. He also wanted a system that could accommodate the 60 musicians who share the stage at any given time.

"The Aviom personal mixers have given each musician the flexibility and control to create their own custom preset,&

Spain - Aena, the Spanish state-owned company that manages all of Spain's airports, recently celebrated the opening of its new Terminal One building at Barcelona Airport. The new terminal is a massive space covering 544,066sq.m and boasts 168 check-in counters, 50 jetways and 15 baggage carousels as well as a vast retail area.

A major part of the project was the PA system. Aena called upon Lexon SA, one of the largest professional audio, lighting distribution and systems engineering companies in Spain, to design, supply and install the entire public address and digital audio control system throughout the new building. The installation is similar to the one Lexon completed in T4 of Madrid's Barajas Airport.

The system installed in Barcelona Airport's T1 is based on a MediaMatrix system and a total of 314 Crest CKi power amplifiers, each equipped with a CobraNet module that enab

UAE - Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world's largest indoor theme park, opened its doors to the public on 4 November. It features more than 20 rides and attractions beneath its iconic 200,000 m² red roof.

Unusual Rigging & Engineering were involved in two particular projects at Ferrari World, one outside Galleria Ferrari, where three different red Ferraris have pride of place, hung on platforms on the walls as works of art. Placement was critical, requiring not just detailed measurements, but also a system that would enable careful manoeuvring for the final placement of the platforms.

Unusual's project manager, Leon Ingram, devised a hoist system which comprised a run of square truss and a runner beam carrying two hoists for each platform, thus enabling fine adjustments to be made both laterally and vertically.

The bare platforms were first offered to the wall and positioned

Poland - The Chopin Museum in Warsaw has been completely re-invented by the Italian architectural partnership of Ico Migliore and Mara Servetto.

"From a technological point of view, this was our most ambitious project yet," says Servetto. "We knew that we wanted to integrate all the sounds, visuals and interactive technologies together, but we also wanted to do it in a way that offered a very human experience."

On entering the exhibits, each visitor is given a unique RFID card which allows them to personalise their experience, interact with the various displays, and ask questions of the museum's electronic data archive. There is no set order in which the exhibits should be viewed; on the contrary, visitors are encouraged to choose their own route, with the RFID code sensing their location every step of the way. Each room relates to a different aspect or era

USA - Audio-Technica is celebrating its 17th year of supporting the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards by providing an extensive selection of vocal and instrument microphones for its annual awards show.

The 44th Annual CMA Awards aired live in 5.1-channel surround sound Wednesday, 10 November, on the ABC Television Network from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, and featured over 200 Audio-Technica microphones, including an impressive array of hard-wired mics and Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF Wireless Systems.

The team responsible for the audio at this year's CMA's again included a who's who of broadcast audio. The audio was supervised by award-winning audio producers Michael Abbott and Tom Davis; ATK/Audiotek provided the sound system with FOH (front-of-house) mixers Patrick Baltzell and Rick Shimer; the broadcast music mix was handled by New Jersey/California-based Music

Canada - Corus Entertainment's eight-story LEED Gold-certified Corus Quay building in Toronto consolidates operations from 11 locations, including three radio stations and 24 television services, and brings together 1,100 Toronto-area employees. Touted as North America's most advanced broadcast facility, Corus Quay features a fully integrated digital infrastructure for broadcast and digital content creation. The system integration for the broadcast facility was handled by The Systems Group of Hoboken, NJ, who contracted Bexel to provide its wireless engineering expertise.

With six Telex BTR-80N wireless base stations, each with 24 TR-82N dual-channel belt packs in operation for the new facility working in conjunction with 20 wireless microphones and 16 wireless IFB systems throughout the space, Bexel's Distributed Antenna System allows maximum coverage facility wide.

"Wir

Argentina - Rio de Janeiro's Theatro Municipal marked its 100th anniversary last year and, to celebrate, the building underwent a massive renovation.

While the renovation restored the historic theatre's façade and interior to their original splendour, the stage has also received attention. Brazilian ETC dealer Telem replaced the outdated lighting system - comprised of products from many different manufacturers - with a complete ETC system including ETC Selador LED fixtures.

Theatro Municipal's 2,361 seat auditorium houses the Rio de Janeiro Symphony Orchestra, the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra and a local ballet troupe, and plays host to a litany of plays, dance performances, concerts and private events every year. Running the lighting for these shows is an ETC Eos lighting control system, with an ETC Ion backing it up. Both Theatro Municipal's in house staff and touring light

Germany - d&b audiotechnik has championed the system concept since its very beginnings, acknowledging the benefits of the control and monitoring of loudspeaker systems for its users and listeners alike. So to further this endeavour towards a greater System reality, d&b has forged a partnership with AMX to provide even further choice when integrating systems within a media environment.

The ability to remotely control an audio installation from one central position has far greater advantages than just convenience. A large distributed audio system may have amplifiers in many different locations and the time it can take just to power them up and down without a remote system is substantial and can cut into precious time schedules. It is also significant in the first place to know that each element in the system is turned on and working. The d&b Remote network not only enables this co

The Netherlands - Chief has announced a new suspended ceiling lift that claims to make installation up to 10 times faster than a conventional lift.

The SL220 features a quick three-step installation method that simplifies adding automation into an installation. It no longer requires two or more people to install; you only need one person and one ladder. No floor lift is required.

The lift measures 600 x 600 mm (2ftx2ft) to snap easily into ceiling grids and is made of lightweight aircraft-grade alluminium for easy handling. You can use this lift with any of Chief's popular projector mounts (RPA Elite or Mini Series). It will be shown at ISE 2011.

(Jim Evans)

UK - When Northern Light won a competitive tender to provide an advanced technical infrastructure for the new £35 million Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, the company set out to design a fully-integrated system that was versatile, reconfigurable and provided the facility to carry out remote system diagnostics over a LAN via the resident PC.

Working to a specification devised by Carr & Angier Theatre Consultants, evenly dispersed sound was of paramount importance, since there are three audience tiers (including fixed-seating balcony and upper balcony levels), and optional ground floor seating wagons to enable the 1200-seat auditorium to convert into a larger 1800-capacity standing space.

Thus Northern Light project manager Simon Cooper decided to base his sound reinforcement solution around Martin Audio's purpose-designed Wavefront theatre systems.

For the primary system, h

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

China - Robert Juliat has supplied a large quantity of profiles and followspots to the newly built Guangzhou Opera House in China.

Designed by London based Zaha Hadid Architects, Guangzhou Opera House has been created as a leading 'palace of art', and a landmark of both the city's new development and Guangzhou's cultural status.

Based around a 'twin boulder' design, the venue consists of an 1800-seat opera house and 400-seat multi-functional theatre. These will run a broad programme encompassing ballet, symphony orchestral music, experimental drama and artistic and cultural exchange.

Robert Juliat Asia supplied the Opera House with a range of 2000W profiles in the form of 20 RJ 711SX, 16 RJ 714SX and four RJ 713SX, and a total of six followspots: two Lucy 13/22° 1200W HMI, two Alex 7/14.4° 2500W tungsten and two Ginger 13/22° 2500W tungsten units. The Concert Hal

Argentina - Opened in 1908, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires is considered one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. Renowned for both its architecture and magnificent acoustics, it has hosted such stars as Maria Callas, Richard Strauss, Arturo Toscanini, Igor Stravinsky, Enrico Caruso, and Luciano Pavarotti.

Over time, the opera house began to show signs of its age and was in need of a technological update. When Mayor Mauricio Macri gave the approval to move forward with the redesign, Teatro Colon turned to lighting designer Ernesto Diz who enlisted the help of Stage Tech SRL and Philips Entertainment for a complete lighting design renovation.

"Teatro Colon is one of the most celebrated buildings in all of Argentina," said Antonio Agra, CEO of Stage Tech SRL. "When we were contacted by Ernesto to supply the gear for the lighting system renovation we w

Malaysia - A K.M.E. Pano line array system has been installed in the banquet hall of the Kingwood Hotel in Sibu, Sarawak.

The Kingwood Hotel is the only four star hotel in the state of Sarawak and owns the largest banquet hall of the region with up to 2.500 seats. It is used for conferences, industry events, balls and banquets. Recently the 12th Senior Citizen Fellowship Conference and the 7th Biennial Union of World Liu's Association Convention took place, two important Malaysian events with each up to 2.000 international guests.

Wah Lee Hong of Kuala Lumpur decided on four QL 906 Line Source Units and two QL 1215 down-fill units per side driven by digital controller amplifiers DA 428 and subs QLB 118. QSA 200 formed the side-fill. The fully digital high-performance loudspeakers VL 750 are used as stage monitors.

(Jim Evans)

Spain - Ateis Europe's public address technology played a key role in the service of consecration at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, 128 years after building work on the church began. In a sombre, yet impressive ceremony on 7 November, Pope Benedict XVI blessed the altar and bestowed basilica minor status on Antoni Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece.

A comprehensive PA system installed by Ateis' Spanish distributor, Optimus SA, ensured that the congregation of more than 6,500 people heard every word of the Pope's blessing. The installation was challenging for many reasons: because construction is still ongoing there is a lot of scaffolding in the building but the loudspeakers could not intrude on the decoration of the church interior.

Although the Sagrada Familia - or Holy Family church - is not a cathedral, it is on the same scale as a cathedral. The audio brief was for a syste

The Netherlands - ShowTex Netherlands manufactured and installed all stage draperies and tracks to finish off the total renovation of the historic DeLaMar theater in Amsterdam. Opening this month, the extensive construction was made possible by the VandenEnde foundation.

Performances in the 950 seat theatre and 600 seat capacity hall will range from classical theatre to musicals, cabaret, and comedy. The cultural venue will also house a specially commissioned photography collection with works from prominent photographers like Koos Breukel, Hans Eijkelboom, Cuny Jansen, Erwin Olaf, Viviane Sassen, and Rineke Dijkstra.

The grand drapes for both of the theatre's stages were created from ShowTex's Gaudi Mohair Velvet velour sewn into Wagner curtains that part in the middle to reveal the stage, instead of being raised or lowered.

All acoustic drapes, borders, legs, and stage skir

UK - A.C. Special Projects has provided audio solutions featuring a fixed installation background music system and a separate high performance DJ PA system for the K West Hotel & Spa in London's Shepherd's Bush.

K West was looking to upgrade its existing bar and restaurant speaker system to increase the venue's appeal as a premier nightlife destination during evenings and weekends. They approached A.C. Special Projects to specify, supply and install a discreet audio solution providing high quality sound for day-time background music applications, as well as a more powerful PA system for night-time use by DJs at weekends and during private parties or corporate functions.

A.C. Special Projects specified fixed installation Turbosound TCS-C35T full-range, two-way loudspeakers finished in white, to replace the existing ceiling-mounted speakers in the K Lounge Bar and Kanteen restau

UK - Trussing specialist Milos UK has designed, manufactured and installed a super-grid with three moving sub-grids, a pile winding winch movement system and a full set of blackout drapes for Milton Studio One on the campus of the University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

The venue is a magnificent Grade II listed theatre space within a former Methodist Church, now part of The Milton Building and home to the University's Drama, Theatre & Performance department.

Milos was one of eight companies invited to tender for the project by David Wainwright, senior technician and manager of resources for drama, theatre & performance.

Studio One is used extensively by the University's BA Honours in Drama and its Technical Theatre Foundation Degree courses, as well as for numerous visiting productions, and as a learning resource for other departments across the university.

The facili

UK - Point Source Productions has supplied the lighting, power, control and smoke solutions for La Soirée, a new show on London's South Bank.

La Soirée presents a 'twisted take on cabaret and variety'. Playing to audiences of 900 people a night, the show takes place in a spiegeltent sandwiched between the National Theatre and Royal Festival Hall.

This is the second time Point Source Productions, working in conjunction with Dan Watkins of The Production Desk, has worked with lighting designer, Willie Suddon, having provided the lighting equipment for last year's La Clique show at the Roundhouse.

Point Source Productions' equipment includes Litec trussing, cabling and power distribution, lighting control via an Avolites Pearl, and all exit and emergency lighting. Dimming is in the form of the new 48-way Jands FPX touring dimmer, with Point So

Peru - Twelve years and $20 million after it was destroyed by a disastrous fire, the Teatro Municipal de Lima has enjoyed a gala re-opening by President Alan Garcia Perez and Luis Castaneda Lossio, the Mayor of Lima. All eyes on the President, all ears on the new Nexo Geo D sound reinforcement system, discreetly installed stage side.

No expense has been spared on expert advice and the best technical solutions in the refurbishment of this prestigious cultural venue in Peru's capital. One of the city's most important theatres, it was home to the metropolitan opera, ballet and drama companies before the fire in 1998.

Art and architecture experts, as well as the best Peruvian artisans, have lovingly executed the restoration, using pictures and design drawings from the original 1920 house, even decorating 350 ornaments in gold leaf. Now equipped with state-of-the-art acoustics, vis

UK - December sees the opening of a new Covent Garden venue, the fourth in central London owned and operated by the growing cocktail chain - Adventure Bar & Lounge. Light Bureau have provided architectural lighting design to the 160sq.m subterranean basement bar in Bedford Street close to the piazza.

Working closely with interior designer, Sophie Hibberd, Light Bureau produced a dramatic solution relying on some simple theatrical techniques whilst producing comfortable lighting to booths for customers to relax and drink.

This is quite an achievement as Light Bureau director Paul Nulty explains: "The key to the success of the bar lighting has been to keep it simple, the budget for lighting was very tight, the total expenditure on lighting, including controls is just £4,000.00 so we had to be very creative with some of the details and resourceful with regards specific

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

USA - First Baptist Church Cleveland (FBC) in Cleveland, Tennessee set out to build a new facility whose technical capabilities would support and enhance a variety of worship styles, including contemporary services with a strong sound and media component. To provide sound reinforcement in the new campus' 1700-seat worship center, FBC Cleveland chose an Electro-Voice PA system.

Phase One of construction was recently completed at the new 38-acre site, which features nearly 95,000sq.ft of worship, education, and commons/fellowship space. Development, design, and construction were handled by Myrick Gurosky & Associates of Birmingham, Alabama. Walthall & Associates managed the acoustical and AV portions of the project, working with in-house Electro-Voice applications engineer Stu Schatz to design the loudspeaker configuration. The PA was installed by Cleveland's GravelRoad Entertainm

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