USA - While the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards attracted press coverage for its outrageous performances, the show made headlines among professionals for its creative staging, too. Clay Paky Sharpys and Sharpy Washes lit up the stage at Barclays Centre, Brooklyn where artist and designer KAWS reimagined the VMAs' iconic moonman statuette.

"For the 30th anniversary of the VMAs and its first time in Brooklyn we were celebrating Brooklyn and Brooklyn artist KAWS, who redesigned the moonman as a 60-foot inflatable silver statue that towered over the main stage," says lighting designer Tom Kenny. "I wanted to make it feel like you were in a gallery or museum honoring his work - it's an unusual idea for an awards show, but MTV is always on the edge."

To achieve his goal Kenny deployed a large complement of Sharpys and Sharpy Washes supplied by VER. "I had extrem

Italy - Slovakia's Leader Light was used in a new cycleway in Pero in the Italian region of Lombardy.

The cycle path is a new installation which is situated near the Milan Exhibition centre in Rho (the Province of Milan) with a length approximately 1.5 km. The cycleway crosses the A4 Highway.

The Milano Province designed the original project with 66 pieces of LED lighting with total system power of 30 W. These luminaries were replaced by Leader Light's LED street lighting. They used only 56 pieces of LL STREET PS 20W 4000K GAG in 6 m height and six pieces of 6 PCS LL STREET PS 20W 4000K GAG in 3.5 m height with flux detuned of 30%.

"Our solution of street lighting is on a really high level, we are still working on some innovation and this project is good example how cities can save operating costs for lighting in the range of 50 % to 75 %, " said managing director

USA - High End Systems is releasing today Hog 4 Version 2.0 software, with more than a dozen major new features that add further value for existing Hog 4 users as well as new purchasers going forward, the company says.

New features include a new window called the 'Media Picker' added to the Hog 4 OS which allows users to view and select slotted function values (gobos, colours, media etc) for the current fixture selection via thumbnail previews.

V2.0 also features support for Digital Media Server thumbnail previews using CITP - an advanced, network-based protocol that is now utilised by the Hog 4 OS to provide thumbnail previews for digital media content stored on CITP-enabled digital media servers connected to the console via the fixture-net adapter. When properly configured, the Hog 4 OS can connect to CITP clients such as the DL.3, request thumbnail previews of its digital m

South Africa - Continuing Lighthouse Technologies' global expansion, four LED screens have been installed on the main access roads to the Dube TradePort precinct in South Africa.

With one of the screens located directly in the flight path of incoming air traffic at the King Shaka's International airport in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, safety, control and durability, were of prime importance for the project.

As well as a rigorous electrical and mechanical specification, Dube TradePort required full control over the screens. For this reason, commissioning of the system included a series of brightness tests covering all light condition permutations during the 24/7 use. To ensure all criteria are met, each Lighthouse LED screen is independently dimmable and fitted with automatic brightness controllers.

Supplied and maintained by South African-based system integrator System Sol

UK - Renowned lighting designer Rob Sinclair has used a Jands Vista L5 lighting and media control console to deliver an atmospheric visual feast for the latest Peter Gabriel Back to Front world tour.

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of hit album So, the tour spans Gabriel's illustrious career, including a performance of the album in its entirety and features the original So live 1987 band line-up. It is described by the innovative artist himself as a 'three course show'.

In response, Sinclair's inventive and dynamic lighting kicks off with the house lights up, then slowly slips into performance mode. Sinclair chose to use Jands' Vista control platform for a number of reasons: "Firstly, it's fast and instinctive to use. At The O2 arena, London I needed to modify every cue for filming and it only took me a couple of hours."

Secondly, the latest V

USA - Although a recent college graduate, Matthew Sakatos already knows where his lighting design preferences lie. "I really like to focus on EDM events," says Sakatos, who majored in a digital film and production major at the Art Institute of Charlotte and now works as an audio-visual designer for Eye Dialogue. "The reason I like EDM shows is because they give you the freedom to get as creative as you want to get," he explains. "The lights and production are almost the focus of an EDM event. So it's a really cool way for your art to be appreciated instantly."

These days, Sakatos' art is being appreciated by the growing fan base of Gets F*cking Weird, a free-flowing interactive EDM event that features top North Carolina electronic artists and DJs, along with aerial dancers, magicians, and other wildly costumed performers. Sakatos met GF*W frontmen R

Sweden - LumenRadio reports that they have been granted the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patent for their Cognitive Coexistence technology (US 8,457,023).

The granted patent covers all of LumenRadio's CRMX product lines. LumenRadio's Cognitive Coexistence technology allows the radio to ensure optimum performance even when other wireless systems are operating in the same area.

"Being granted this patent shows that we have a truly innovative and unique technology, which has never been seen before. We now have our technology protected, which gives our customers confidence that they really are buying the most reliable wireless system on the market. I can reveal that we have more patents coming up in the near future," explains Niclas Norlen, CTO of LumenRadio.

(Jim Evans)

UK - From Here To Eternity, the new musical based on the celebrated 1953 film and 1951 novel, has just opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End. Produced by Tim Rice, who also penned the lyrics, the show features music by Stuart Brayson and book by Bill Oakes. The show is using lighting equipment supplied by entertainment lighting specialist White Light.

Bruno Poet, the show's lighting designer, has enjoyed a widely diverse career, encompassing everything from opera (including a long involvement with Garsington Opera) to plays (including the acclaimed Frankenstein at the National Theatre, for which he won both an Olivier Award and a Knight of Illumination award) to concerts such as the recent tour by Icelandic band Sigur Rós - for which he won another Knight of Illumination sword this year, in the Concert Touring category.

On From Here To Eterni

World - Heavy metal icon Black Sabbath continues its Reunion Tour in Latin America, Europe and the UK with a large complement of Clay Paky Sharpy and Sharpy Wash lights. The tour celebrates the band's reunion last year and supports their album 13, the first with Ozzy Osbourne since 1978.

"Sharpys are the ultimate eye candy," declares Michael Keller, lighting programmer for Baz Halpin, the tour's lighting designer. "They create such a visual display that they combat most videowalls. They're one of the few instruments that can cut right past them."

Halpin is utilising 42 Sharpys on the tour with two pods of 4x4s and 10 fixtures on the ground, says Keller. "They're very sturdy and rugged and have never had a failure. They're bulletproof lights with very powerful lamps. The prism is great and the gobos are amazing. Anything you want to do with them

South Africa - Robe's latest LED moving lights are being used in great style to light the current series of So You Think You Can Dance in South Africa, which is being recorded at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)'s Renaissance Centre venue in downtown Johannesburg.

Lighting is designed by Robert Grobler from Gearhouse South Africa (GHSA). The 24 x Robe DLX Spot and 24 x DLF Wash fixtures being used on the show are part of a new investment in Robe's latest technology by GHSA, the country's largest rental and full technical production facility. This is their first show.

Using these, plus other Robe LED luminaires, has reduced the power requirements by a third form the previous series - as a result they have dropped from a 300 to a 200 KVA generator for lighting power. It's also the first TV show in SA to feature an almost all LED moving light rig.

The po

Italy / Chile - Luci della Ribalta has reinforced its distribution network in South America by appointing the company Iluminacion Profesional Valook SA as distributor for Chile.

The new distribution partnership was announced during PLASA London 2013, following a meeting had at LDI show in Las Vegas. "

Fabiano Besio comments, "Chile and Italy are located on the opposite side of the pond and I'm happy to close the gap between these two beautiful countries and to have a prestigious company like Valook to represent us in Chile. It's a pleasure to deal with people that share the same enthusiasm and passion for light."

Alejandor Cortez, sales manager at Valook commented, "LDR match with the existing portfolio of solutions that we can offer to our partners and their customers. With this product in the range we are now capable of completing our offer for the thea

South Africa - At the start of the year AFDA, one of the leading film, television and performance schools in Africa, opened a campus in Durban. DWR Distribution's Nick Barnes was pleased to recently provide a lighting installation, using Philips Strand technology, for a small film at their small television studio at the institution.

The Philips Strand LED Studio Panels are a sensible choice for students who can use the units both inside the studio and on location and for control a Philips Strand 200 Plus Series console has been supplied.

AFDA, the trading name for- The South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance, was established in Johannesburg in 1994 and offers internationally recognized degree programmes.

With a Cape Town campus in operation since 2003, it was with great excitement that AFDA finally open her doors in Durban on 4 February 2013. AFDA'

Germany - This summer water was the real star at the Autostadt in Wolfsburg, where the largest water show in the world, called Made in Germany, is produced and choreographed. Four performances were held during the week, each one consisting of extraordinary effects using more than 70m of fountains and 15m of firework displays. All accompanied by a spectacular light show.

Lighting designer Andreas 'Mini' Mertens used 18 Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500s, 14 Sharpy Washes, 30 Sharpys, a grandMA2 full-size and two MA Network Processing Units (NPU).

On the subject of event lighting management, Mertens said, "We placed moving heads in special floating housings on the surface of the water, so that they fit in with the two elements, water and fire, to create effects very similar to constellations. A complete 3D model of the outdoor Autostadt environment was built on the grandM

UK - Ever since setting up his new leisure company, No Saints' CEO Steve Thomas has applied his extensive experience in nightclub operation to achieve the perfect mix; and central to this is a killer lightshow. He wasted no time in renewing his relationship with SGM supremo Peter Johansen - and from his first Wonderland outing (in Surrey) has turned increasingly to the LED solutions offered by the Danish manufacturer to deliver the wow factor.

SGM UK has now provided design support for system integrators, Cosmic Electronics, who have installed another SGM 3D pixel extravaganza (along with other SGM effects) in the newly-opened Faces in Wolverhampton, on the site of a former Oceana.

Having stood empty for around 19 months this landmark building has now reopened after undergoing a £750,000 refurbishment.

In common with earlier themes, Faces contains two dance rooms split

UK - Kent- based technical and creative solutions provider and live communications specialist, Eclipse Presentations, has invested in a series of new ShowLED Animation Cloths which have been added to their extensive stock of drapes and soft goods.

Eclipse designs and produces a plethora of diverse shows and events - including awards ceremonies, dinners, parties, product launches, conferences and AGMs and experiential of all types - and owns a full range of professional sound, lighting, video, staging and IT equipment which is used to facilitate its busy schedule.

Consistent annual investment in the latest technology ensures that Eclipse can offer its clients the best, most imaginative and cost-efficient options for all of their projects.

Alongside on-going investment in the basics like screens, laptops, microphones, etc., each year, an element of the equipment budget is allo

UK - The Battersea Power Station recently played host to Shine - Cancer Research UK's Full and Half Marathon event through the city.

Starting at this London landmark, the illuminated night-time walk, now in its fourth year, passed a number of equally famous buildings on the way, including London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament.

The spectacular illumination began at Battersea itself, where Blueprint Events' Chris Morgan was brought in to dramatically wash the Power Station itself, using six SGM P-5 LED floods. His company also used some of their 2-metre LT-200 3D pixel tubes to create a stunning tunnel.

Back in the summer the Bristol based company had made a giant leap of faith in the Danish manufacturer's products, purchasing 250 LT-200s and 84 SGM ILD Drivers to complement their prior investment in SGM's LB-100 balls. These were immediately cross hired

France - Opéra Bastille in Paris is one of the two main venues of the Opera National du Paris, France's principal opera company (the other venue is the prestigious Opéra Garnier). Designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott and located at the place de la Bastille, the building houses a 2700 seat theatre as well as a smaller concert hall and studio.

Part of President Francois Mitterrand's 'Grands Projets', Opéra Bastille was one of eight iconic building projects begun in the 1980s to revitalise Paris and create modern 'monuments' to symbolise France's role in art, economics and politics at the end of the twentieth century. The scale of Mitterrand's project was compared at the time to the major building schemes of Louis XIV and as such, The Bastille Opera house constitutes part of one of the most important post-war examples of urban planning in Europe.

It was

USA - PLASA's month-long elections to determine positions on its European and North American Regional Boards, together with its central Governing Body, concluded at midnight on Thursday 31 October.

Companies and individuals from PLASA's worldwide membership voted in the elections, which were conducted via a secure online poll.

There were four positions available on the European Regional Board. Filling the officer positions, Adam Blaxill of Stage Electrics was elected Regional Board Vice-Chair and Duncan Bell of Autograph Sound Ltd, was elected Secretary. Lee Dennison of Sound by Design Ltd is the new Professional Services Representative and Matt Lloyd of Global Design Solutions Ltd, has been voted as the Manufacturer Representative.

Four positions were up for election on the North American Regional Board with Eddie Raymond of IATSE Local 16 elected for his second term as Cha

UK - The 49th 'Wildlife Photographer Year' awards continued this world renowned event's tradition of showcasing the best in imagery of rarely seen wonders of the natural world. From the 43,000 entries from 96 countries, submissions were categorised into 18 categories including 'Animals in their Environment', 'Wildscapes' and 'Creative Visions'.

South Africa's Greg du Toit was victorious as the overall winner for his entry 'Essence of Elephants', with 14-year old, Udayan Rao Pawar, taking the top prize in the youth category.

Held at the Natural History Museum, Blitz Communications was contracted to deliver the event in the Central Hall. In a competition where image is king, it was crucial that both the photographs and the photographers themselves were shown in the best light possible.

Joanne Wood, senior events manager at the Museum said, "'The team at Blitz worked with

Germany - Nature One, one of the most important electronic music festivals in Europe, was held once again at the former Pydna missile base, in the Hunsrück area. This year's motto was A time to shine. Although the festival is now 19 years old, it still looks at its best. The organisers from I-Motion GmbH, based in Mülheim-Kärlich near Koblenz, set up a megaparty on several stages.

The open air stage was again entrusted to lighting designer Thomas Gerdon, who used the three brands Lightpower deals with for his lighting design: Clay Paky, MA Lighting and Showline. The show equipment included none other than a grandMA2 full-size, a granMA2 light, a Network Processing Unit (NPU) and a 4Port Node (made by MA Lighting), Clay Paky Sharpy Beams, Clay Paky Sharpy Washes, Clay Paky Alpha Spot HPE 1500s and Clay Paky Alpha Wash 1500s.

"It is as if Clay Paky Sharpys were ma

UK - Last weekend the National Theatre celebrated 50 years by filling its stage with some of the country's finest actors and actresses for a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical extravaganza. On Saturday night BBC2 aired a special performance which was comprised of a variety of different plays that had run at the Theatre throughout its history. Those included Guys and Dolls, Angels in America, London Road and The History Boys.

The 100 strong cast included James Corden, Dame Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Derek Jacobi. And with a cast like that you know you are in for a night to remember!

RML supplied lights to the event which were used in the main stage during the show. The lighting designer Mark Henderson decided that MAC TW1s and VL1000TS would work perfectly to enhance the in-house rig and create his desired vision.

Matt Drury, head of lighting at the N

USA - Aquarii reports that it is the sole distributor in the United States and Canada for LightAct, an innovative lighting control system created by Enlighter. LightAct has never before been sold in the North American market. Aquarii will debut LightAct in booth 235 at LDI 2013 in Las Vegas.

Through pixilation, LightAct creates zones per pixel that trigger lighting channels via DMX512. Using this pixilation with state-of-the-art software and standard security cameras and sensors, LightAct senses where a person is standing and triggers the corresponding lighting channels, creating a lighting environment that truly responds to its surroundings.

Museums, exhibits, retail windows, entertainment venues and more will find that LightAct can highlight and bring attention to a featured product or object by illuminating the desired area whenever a person is close by. LightAct can be use

Belgium - L&L Stage Services is a busy technical production and rental company based in Herentals, near Antwerp, Belgium, founded in 1992 and run since 2004 by Bart Weyts, Tom Somers and Kris Laermans. They work across multiple sectors supplying sound, light and rigging and are known for high quality equipment and crews.

L&L first invested in Robe when the Robin series was launched in 2009 and their first Robe purchase was 600E Spots, which at the time, were actually the first in Benelux.

L&L was also the first company in Benelux to take delivery of LEDWash 600s when they were launched in 2010 - so they enjoy being 'the first' with the latest technology and paving the way for others to follow. This in turn has helped Robe become so strong in the Belgian market.

In rental stock at the moment L&L has nearly 200 Robe fixtures including 600E Spots, LEDWash 600s, LEDBeam 100s and

USA - City Theatrical is launching a spread of new products at LDI 2013 in booth 1649, including a new line of LED tape called QolorFLEX, the new D-Series LED Dimmers, the AutoYoke LED, SHoW Baby 5, and many new accessories. John McKernnon will be demonstrating Lightwright 5 and Broadway programmer Alex Fogel will be demonstrating Moving Light Assistant software.

QolorFlex LED Tape is LED lighting tape aimed at the professional lighting market, including live theatre, television, film and video, and live events. LED tape is a revolutionary product, allowing lighting users to put light in places that were impossible in the past and to create lighting fixtures and lighting effects in new and inexpensive ways. QolorFLEX™ LED tape is manufactured to City Theatrical's exact specifications and is available in a variety of types such as single color, RGB, RGBA, and RGBW.

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