UK - Entec Lighting supplied equipment and crew for LD Dave Ross and the Sex Pistols' recent comeback shows at Brixton Academy, London.

In spite of their once anarchic image, the band's lighting requirements were relatively conservative this time around, although they did have some very definite ideas about the aesthetics. They wanted an 'old skool' look, everything lit in red, white or blue (i.e. Union Jack colours) and nothing too 'flashy'. They also wanted to be able to see the audience at appropriate moments.

Entec was asked to quote on the lighting supply and won the account via production manager Chris Griffiths. Entec's Noreen O'Riordan comments: "How splendid to be working with a band of our generation that changed the music industry so radically - God Save The Pistols."

Back in 1977, when the band so rudely kick-started the art-house punk movement and shoo

UK - Bandit Lites UK supplied lighting production and crew for Motown legends The Four Tops and The Temptations on their co-headlining UK arena tour. Bandit UK has serviced the account since 2004 working with New York based LD, John Bowers. Bowers started lighting the Four Tops in 2000 and the two groups regularly visit the UK and Europe and perform as this double bill.

The lightshow is designed to work flexibly and easily for both acts. This time around, Bowers opted for a fully generic lighting rig featuring lots of PAR cans, ACLs and some punchy and precise followspotting.

"I'm absolutely meticulous about the rig focus," he says as he explains his philosophy of creating a 'depth of perception' in the rig using a very tight focus that bounces the light beams around the rig and the stage. This gives an illusion of lights moving even though it's a static system.

Th

Australia - The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts is a cutting-edge venue which incorporates a 300-seat performance space, modern art gallery, a screening room and multifunctional rehearsal spaces. In 2007 the main foyer of the centre underwent a major facelift with the installation of colour changing fixtures and a comprehensive control solution.

Lighting technician and operator Keith Clark has been with the centre for four years and was instrumental in the refurbishment and comments: "Originally we had fluorescent down lights and the atmosphere was cold and stark. We wanted to make the foyer more colourful and to represent the shows that were going on inside, so that the whole 'theatre experience' begins the moment you enter the lobby."

Steering the whole lighting system is the new Lighting Playback Controller from Pharos Architectural Controls. This compac

UK - Entertainment lighting supplier White Light recently harboured a bunch of fugitives on the run from the Police - the 30 people were quickly recognised as respected television lighting directors, but fortunately they were only at White Light after escaping from the fictional Police of television series The Bill, filmed around the corner from White Light's base in Wimbledon, south-west London.

The visit was part of a joint day out organised by the Society of Television Lighting Directors (STLD). This saw the LDs visit the busy working studio of The Bill in the morning, to look at the techniques and technology used to light a realistic drama on the hectic schedule demanded by a show that is broadcast twice weekly, year round in a tour organised and hosted by The Bill's John O'Brien. After touring the various set inside and outside the studio - offices, cel

South Africa - The hit game show Deal or No Deal has proved to be very popular around the world and has now made its way onto South African television. Lighting plays an important part in setting the ambience for the show, and the production team used ETC equipment to create many of the signature effects.

Unlike the UK show, which features 22 contestants opening the sealed boxes, the South African production has 26 boxes opened by hostesses. Lighting designer Angus Clarke uses approximately 60 moving lights of various types plus 26 ETC Source Four 19º luminaires as profile spots for the hostesses on stage, as well as some Source Four 10º around the perimeter of the stage to create a 'light curtain' in conjunction with some haze machines.

Clarke also uses ETC systems to handle the lighting control, including the compact SmartFade desk for supplemental control, such as

UK - FocusTrack, the production lighting documentation system already in use on a wide range of shows around the world, has announced the launch of its new on-line support and discussion forums.

Available now through the FocusTrack website at www.focustrack.co.uk/forums, the forums are designed to give FocusTrack users a place to find information, ask questions or offer comments about using the FocusTrack software.

Since its launch in 2005, FocusTrack has been used to document a number of high-profile theatrical productions around the world, including Billy Elliot in London and now in Australia, Mary Poppins, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Never Forget, Rock 'n' Roll, Guys and Dolls and Young Frankenstein.

FocusTrack is also in use in a number of theatres that have to document shows that tour or play in rep, includ

Monaco - A visually stunning 190sq.m of Martin LC Series LED panels were incorporated into the stage set at the 2007 World Music Awards held on 4 November at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club in Monaco.

Hosted by Julian McMahon, the 19th edition of the World Music Awards featured performances by some of the world's top recording artists; Celine Dion, Avril Lavigne, Rihanna and Akon among them.

Ninety-two Martin LC 2140 LED panels were used for set decoration, graphics/text projection and colour accompaniment around a large main stage and side stages. An additional 12 LC panels were located in the audience. According to AED Rent, supplier of the panels, the Martin LC Series was chosen for its light weight and transparency not to mention the fact that there was a large amount available.

Video designer for the show was Dean Price who used five Martin Maxedia HD media servers to pro

UK - Glasgow's newest bridge, Finnieston Bridge at Pacific Quay, is lit up using LEDs from Dialight Lumidrives, the UK based LED technology provider. Carmichael Lighting Ltd used colour changing LEDs, controlled by 40 Colourdriver 36 modules, to create a dramatic effect on the new 169m long road bridge across the River Clyde.

The £20.3m Finnieston Bridge is a dramatic new landmark for Glasgow, featuring a central arch span which crosses the river at an angle between the roundabout atBroomielaw/Finnieston Street and the south side of the river.

The bridge accommodates four lanes; two dedicated to public transport and two for private and commercial traffic, with additional pedestrian and cyclist paths. It has a main span of 96m (314.9ft) with two end spans of 36.5m (119.7ft).

Gordon Routledge, managing director at Dialight Lumidrives says: "LEDs provide a superb lig

Russia - MTV Russia has invested in new Robe moving lights for an upgrade to their busy Moscow Studios. This produces a host of different programmes, from news to assorted music shows, including the Chart Show and popular talent competition, Total Contact.

The Robes were specified by MTV Russia's lighting designer Ruslan Makliatsou and head of lighting Igor Korbeineko, following a collective decision made by all the studio's lighting operators and technicians. The fixtures are primarily concentrated in the ceiling lighting rig at the main Studio 1, run by a Jands Hog console, although they can be moved to other studios and locations as needed.

"We chose Robe because it offered us the most flexibility and best value for money for our available budget, "states Makliatsou, adding that they already knew that Robe was a robust and reliable product - essential for a

UK - The first official training sessions for ETC's newest full size lighting control system, Eos, have been released by the lighting, dimming and control system manufacturer.

Sessions specifically for Strand 500 users are to be held on 9 January, 6 February and 26 March 2008, while sessions for operators and programmers with or without previous experience will be on 10 January, 20 February and 5 March. Class, which is free, is from 10am to 5.30pm, with lunch and breaks included. However, there is a limit of just six people at the sessions, which are to be held at ETC's west London office, known as the Playhouse at Gypsy Corner. Students will learn basic Eos functionality, and both experienced and novice programmers will find the session a useful introduction to the powerful programming style offered by the control system.

Working with pre-visualisation software, attend

Egypt - Wireless Solution Sweden recently helped make a concert at the Pyramids of Giza worthy of a Pharaoh. Beladi - A Night at the Pyramids was the first "made for television "concert ever recorded at this historical site and it will air worldwide this winter. The concert featured Quebec singing superstar Chantal Chamandy, accompanied by the Cairo Symphony Orchestra performing for thousands of spectators, with the pyramids and the Great Sphinx providing a spectacular backdrop.

Lighting designer Matthieu Larivée of Luz Lighting Design and assistant LD Valy Tremblay of Proluxon designed a colourful array of effects on the massive structures using almost 600 fixtures to achieve the perfect look to accompany this historical event. The landscape provided the biggest challenge, the shortest distance from console to fixture was approximately 1000m (.6 miles) a

Australia - Miss Saigon is one of the most successful musicals in the world - seen by over 33 million people, in over 25 countries and played in 12 different languages. This time around producer Cameron Mackintosh has created an entirely new version of Miss Saigon which is just as exciting and even more emotionally involving than the original production.

The original Australian production of Miss Saigon ran for 16 sold out months in 1995 but only in Sydney as the show was simply too large to fit into any other Australian theatre. Rather than cut the show down in size, Cameron Mackintosh decide to meet the challenge of creating something new.

This new version of Miss Saigon uses cutting edge visual techniques and a new set which vividly recreates the streets of Vietnam and Bangkok. The memorable final helicopter flight from the roof of the American Embassy is achi

USA - Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions, the new entity formed by Philips' acquisition of Color Kinetics, has completed its new 50,000sq.ft corporate headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts - merging the principles of "green" design with innovative uses of its LED lighting technology throughout. As the global R&D centre for Philips' entire LED luminaires business, the new space is both a testing ground and showplace for the future of light, the company says.

"The unveiling of our new multi-million dollar headquarters is a fitting end to our 10th and brightest year in the business. We've brought a whole new category of industry-changing technology to the famed 'tech corridor' of Massachusetts' Route 128, and we're well equipped to grow and foster on-going innovation in our one-of-a-kind showplace. It's truly a canvas for the future of light that LEDs will en

UAE - The second Middle East Lightign Design Awards will take place during the PALME Middle East show (Dubai's International Exhibition Centre, 27-29 April 2008). Outstanding lighting design achievements in the GCC territories will be celebrated at an Awards Gala dinner on 27 April at The Dusit Hotel, Dubai, UAE.

Submissions are now being accepted and those eligible for entry are any projects completed between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2007 within the Middle East Region, including the GCC, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran and Egypt. The deadline for entries is 31 January 2008.

The categories include: Public Buildings (historic buildings, museums, galleries, airports, places of worship and government buildings); Exterior (building facades, bridges, structures, public spaces, landscaped areas and street lighting); Hospitality & Leisure (hotels, entertainment centres, the

UK - A.C. Lighting presented the prestigious British Racing Drivers' Club's Richard Seaman Trophy to F1 driver Lewis Hamilton at the 2007 BRDC Annual Awards Luncheon at the Savoy in London.

Taking place on the eve of the 80th Anniversary of the British Racing Drivers' Club, the Awards celebrate the achievements of the international racing season. Over 400 people gathered in The Savoy's Lancaster Ballroom for the star-studded event, which was packed with motor racing's finest heroes from past and present.

The Richard Seaman Trophy is awarded to the winner of the Club's Gold Star points scoring system. Lewis Hamilton's 2007 F1 achievements led him to top the Club's Gold Star table by a margin of 34 points at the end of his maiden season.

A.C. Lighting's UK sales director, Phil Capstick, presented the award to Lewis Hamilton along with BRDC President Damon Hill. Once on stage,

UK - Maidstone Studios switched on their Christmas lights on Saturday 1 December in partnership with Martin Professional and Richard Martin Lighting (RML). The lighting will be in place until 31 December and everyone is welcome to go and have a look at them.

The whole of the front of the studio was lit by RML with Martin Professional's new LC Videowalls in reception. The Martin lighting that RML supplied included LC 2140 Video panels, Maxedia Compact, Exterior 200 Wash and an Exterior 1200 Image Projector.

Kenton Oxley from Maidstone Studios commented: "It's about showing what the local area can achieve with the efforts of two local businesses; we hope that our Christmas lights will become a local landmark for years to come." Nationally it's about launching the LC panels in readiness for a number of light entertainment projects booked for 2008 for a range of internat

Germany - Housed on the premises of former cult disco Soul City, a new experience in disco, the Max & Moritz opened at the end of August. With a prime location on Munich's Maximiliansplatz, the club has been lavishly renovated by its operators, M5 Gastronomie, bringing it fully up-to-date in terms of ambience and equipment. When Weidenberg-based company TC-Promotion was commissioned to provide perfect sound coverage for the 800sq.m location (the Club Max and the Club Moritz), a team led by graduate engineer Michael Jobst decided to use systems from Dynacord.

The centrepiece of this tailor-made sound reinforcement design is formed by loudspeakers from Dynacord's VariLine series. Both the Max and Moritz clubs feature four VL152 and four VL122 speaker systems, providing powerful sound. "The VariLine is ideally suited to clubs of this size," explains Jobst. "These lou

UK - Lighting Technology Projects has supplied, installed and commissioned an architectural lighting scheme for the iconic new Sidings Bridge near Swansea.

The graceful 71m (232ft) span contemporary construction provides a new gateway into the city, with express bus and cycle lanes. It runs parallel to the famous Fabian Way and its elegant lines are based around a 45m (147ft) high mast and a series of 24 steel cable stays.

LTP was asked to quote on the project by Swansea Council. Being locally-based was one advantage, and the Council also became aware of their work on the London Eye lighting scheme and on other bridge schemes including the London Millennium Footbridge and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Newcastle. LTP's project manager was Jonathan Adkins, who co-ordinated site work and installation working closely with consulting engineers, Flint & Neil.

LTP was initially

UK - The first Pearl Tiger console on tour in the UK was put through its paces on the road by Colour Sound Experiment's Dave "Fletch" Fletcher, lighting designer for Ian Brown's The World Is Yours tour.

The console is being run with a wing, and has proved "totally reliable" reports Fletch. He's been using the Tiger Wing for all his specials and any lights that he uses regularly during the show - so they are right to hand. "It's a great desk and an excellent version of a Pearl which is small enough to take as carry-on baggage on the plane - very handy at times" he enthuses. He's also certain that he'll be doing just this when it comes to Brown's forthcoming European and South East Asian shows in early 2008.

The Ian Brown rig was asymmetrical, consisting of a front truss and two back trusses (higher and lower). Fletcher incorporated JTE Pixel

UK - Bandit Lites UK supplied lighting equipment and crew to Production North for the recent McFly Greatest Hits arena tour, which featured striking lighting and visual design by Dan Hardiman.

Bandit has serviced McFly since 2004, and Bandit UK's chief executive, Lester Cobrin comments: "We are very fortunate to get the opportunity to work with McFly and their entire production team each year. Under the direction of Prod North's Iain Whitehead and LD Dan Hardiman you can tell that all parties involved take a good deal of pride in making sure that the final product is of the highest quality."

McFly's management and Iain Whitehead all have active input into the lighting design. It is important to them that each tour looks and feels completely different from the last.

For this tour, McFly's set is essentially rocky and energetic from start to finish and the pac

UK - PRG Europe has worked with creative agency Greenspace to help light an authentic 19th century Christmas experience inside London's new St Pancras International station.

Just a day after the station's high profile official opening on 14 November - on which PRG Europe worked with Flux Events - crews were back, this time installing the world's largest advent calendar. PRG Europe organised all the kit, including bringing in Unusual Rigging, to make sure everything went without a hitch.

"Specifically designed to occupy the façade inside the station, the calendar exceeds 1,000sq.m," explains Unusual's David Mayo. "Following the removal of the substantial rig we installed for the re-opening of the station, our eight-person crews went back into night shift mode to begin installing the calendar."

During the day, a giant drape printed with an image of the end

New Zealand - Two new Selecon Acclaim Fresnel luminaires blend the advantages of discharge light source efficiency and life hours with all the features that have made the original 500W version so popular.

The new Acclaim CST 250 Fresnel with Hot Restrike capability (no fans) has been designed specifically for high output, high intensity architectural/specialised display lighting and for smaller studio or production applications where energy saving and cool light are important. The CST 250W HR discharge light source with its 3200°K colour temperature is interchangeable in this luminaire with the Philips MSR 250 HR discharge lamp (6000°K), offering designers a choice of either tungsten or 'daylight' colour temperatures.

The second new addition to this range is a high intensity display Fresnel luminaire with an adjustable 7°-60° soft edge beam for controlled illum

UK - The Centre for Life (CFL) educational science museum and exhibition centre in Newcastle, North east England, was first opened as one of the regional Millennium Projects and, thanks to Light Perceptions, has just been given a new lease of life. With lighting designer Bruce Kirk at the helm, the centre has recently undergone a programme of gallery upgrades.

Our Origins and Our Futures depicts man's journey through evolution and is lit exclusively with low energy lighting sources including ETC Source Four HID luminaires, various LEDs and high frequency fluorescents. By employing Source Four HIDs with their long-life, 150W metal halide lamps, lamp maintenance is reduced to a minimum.

Source Four HIDs offer comprehensive lighting solutions. Kirk comments: "The Source Fours HIDs were chosen for their aesthetic benefits as well as beam control and the wide ran

South Africa - Robe's South African distributor DWR Distribution staged a special technical workshop covering Robe's Digital Series at their Johannesburg base. This was organised in conjunction with Robe Lighting, whose technical sales manager Ales Grivac was on hand to demonstrate the products and discuss all things technical with interested parties.

The workshops were attended by a selection of designers and engineers actively involved in working with these products, and those included DigitalSpots, MediaHUB and StageQubes.

DWR sold the first Robe DigitalSpots into Africa earlier this year, purchased by Mike Jones of MJ Event Gear, also based in Johannesburg. The busy rental company covers a host of corporate and TV work with some rock 'n' roll.

This was the second Robe DigitalSpot workshop in South Africa this year. The first followed soon after the initial DigitalSpots a

Latest Issue. . .

Save
Cookies user preferences
We use cookies to ensure you to get the best experience on our website. If you decline the use of cookies, this website may not function as expected.
Accept all
Decline all
Analytics
Tools used to analyze the data to measure the effectiveness of a website and to understand how it works.
Google Analytics
Accept
Decline
Advertisement
If you accept, the ads on the page will be adapted to your preferences.
Google Ad
Accept
Decline