USA - CMT's live Ultimate Kickoff Party launched the first College Football Playoffs with a glittering show, which also marked the US TV debut of Clay Paky's new Mythos fixtures, a highly-advanced hybrid light which serves as a 470-watt spotlight and an extraordinary beam light.

Production designer/lighting designer Mike Swinford obtained 146 Mythos fixtures from Nashville-based Morris Light & Sound, which offers a large inventory of the new lights. As a spot, Mythos has an outstanding large beam and zoom optimized for focusing; as a beam light it remains parallel for its entire length even at great distances. Mythos is smooth, fast and very quiet with a completely redesigned indexed visual effects disc.

Swinford and Morris Light & Sound president and CEO David Haskell were introduced to Mythos when A.C.T Lighting vice president of sales and marketing Brian Dowd invited them t

USA - The Krewe of Endymion Parade, started at City Park and Orleans Avenues in New Orleans, and from there took visitors on a journey that figuratively at least reached far beyond the confines of the Crescent City. Built around the theme Fantastic Voyages, the largest and most legendary of New Orleans' Mardi Gras parades, featured floats depicting 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Gulliver's Travels and other tales of transcendent journeys. Accenting it all, along with 2,650 masked revellers tossing beads to the crowds are video Panels from Chauvet Professional and Geyser RGB Foggers from its sister company Chauvet DJ.

"Chauvet products are a key part of our design," said Ray Ziegler of RZI Lighting (New Orleans), which does most of the lighting and special effects lighting for Endymion. "Being in New Orleans at Mardi Gras, the Endymion floats ha

UK - HSL supplied lighting equipment and crew to the current UK tour by X-Factor winner Sam Bailey, who followed up her 2013 win and subsequent Christmas number one with her chart topping Power of Love debut album in spring last year.

This was her first headline tour and it visited a selection of venues including theatres and concert halls, with an eye-catching lighting and set design by Andy Hurst.

Andy's aesthetic for the stage was based on classical theatrical / cabaret club looks with a contemporary twist.

A sumptuous red Austrian drape upstage was paired with matching truss borders and riser skirts, which provided a great setting for Bailey's lively stage presentation which blends pop, soul, cabaret and a bit of rock in an entertaining set full of crowd pleasers for her fans.

The lighting rig needed to be flexible and adaptable to fit into the variety of differ

Argentina - BALS - Buenos Aires Live Show - one of the best known rental and production companies in Argentina, specializing in sound and lighting for large shows, concerts, festivals and tours, recently purchased their first Robe Pointes.

The company was founded in 1992 and occupies a large warehouse space in the Caseros area of Buenos Aires city, with around 17 full time employees and around 40 regular freelance technicians and engineers.

BALS also works in other parts of Latin America, most notably Paraguay and Uruguay, and they service the technical requirements worldwide for acclaimed live art / performance troupe Fuerza Bruta. They supply around 200 shows / tours / projects a year and also look after some high profile installations including the busy Teatro Coliseo in Buenos Aires.

The fixtures were delivered by Robe's Argentinian distributor, TSD Group. The fact that

France - New Year's Eve 2014 saw the city of Paris put on a spectacle at the midnight countdown for the first time. Lighting designer Jeff Freeman employed Clay Paky SuperSharpys to illuminate the Arc de Triomphe for the festivities, as hundreds of thousands of revellers congregated in front of it or watched at home on television.

The Comité des Champs-Elysées commissioned the project as, according to culture official Bruno Juillard, the city's authorities are aware it doesn't usually join in with the likes of London's fireworks or New York's ball drop in Times Square. The display saw the monument spectacularly video-mapped, with Freeman using 18 of the super powerful Clay Paky fixtures, supplied by rental company Magnum, to complement the visuals.

"Our creative brief was clear - we had to support the video projection," explains Freeman. "The head

USA - Artistic Licence has confirmed TMB as its exclusive distributor in the USA for nanoScope, the pocket-sized tester for DMX512 and RDM.

Lightweight and battery powered with a translucent plastic casing, nanoScope features a built-in 5-pin XLR connector that enables it to be attached directly to the DMX512 cable. The device lights up in different colours to indicate its findings - this provides rapid, intuitive feedback that is hands-free and visible at a distance (handy for awkward positions such as plenum spaces or hanging off a truss).

Two modes of operation exist, selected by a recessed slide switch that also controls power on/off.

In Pixel Mode, nanoScope displays the first three DMX512 channels as an RGB mix, to provide confidence that the expected data is on the cable. This is particularly useful for commissioning DMX installations, as it can be used to track down

USA - Production Resource Group LLC, (PRG) one of the world's leading providers of entertainment and event technology solutions, has announced that it is combining several business units to create the PRG Music Group. This new division will be under the leadership of Mickey Curbishley, CEO PRG Music, and will focus on providing integrated video and lighting solutions for tours, festivals, and concert events around the world.

"We are bringing together leading industry veterans, technology experts, and the operational know-how of PRG Concert Touring, PRG Nocturne, and Chaos Visual Productions into a single integrated organisation," says Curbishley. "The PRG Music Group is and will be the 'go-to' production resource for our clients. The goal is simple-we want to make it as easy as possible to do business with PRG."

In addition to integrating the three teams, P

USA - One hundred and eight of Solaris LED's new Mozart lighting fixtures are featured in the spectacular show designed by Eric Wade of FOHShow LLC for the 2014-15 Usher UR Experience World Tour.

Commenting on the diminutive RGB fixtures' versatility and impressive intensity for their size, Wade says, "Mozarts absolutely rock. We're using them for internal set lighting, behind panels on ladders and straight forward open as an effect type instrument. They're extremely versatile, giving many different types of looks, and they're extremely cost effective. I can have several hundred of these on a tour for the price of a handful of movers, so I really don't sacrifice much to get a large amount of them into my show. It's the only light I spec by the hundreds. It's the perfect light."

Mozart fixtures, weighing just over one pound, are suitable for use as direct eye candy or

UK - Battery powered wireless LED manufacturer Core Lighting has recently seen the power and versatility of its FLOOD30 products applied in a slightly different arena - the highly popular world of equine sport / leisure.

Two recent sales have resulted in the provision of practical solutions for two different equestrians, Andrea Brown based in Liphook, who runs the Hampshire Young Riders riding school, and Lindsey Nash, a Devon based horsewoman who is currently training up her young dapple grey purebred Arab, HS Casimir, for the world of endurance riding.

Andrea needed a bright, robust and user friendly floodlighting system that would allow her to offer longer and more flexible hours for instruction in her outdoor manège throughout the winter.

With many of her clients being young, it is essential for her boutique styled business to have after-school options all year round, a

Singapore - Illumi Run is the first event of its kind in Asia. Taking place in Singapore, participants are splashed with Illumi glow water as they set out on their race route, passing through different colourful glowing zones before ending up at the finish line. An after-party dance area then features a massive assembly of DJs.

For the recently held second consecutive run, event production house Showmakers Pte. Ltd. supplied P-5 wash lights from SGM, adding brightness and intensity to the party zone. Technical director from Showmakers, Louis Wong informs, "These lightweight, versatile and waterproof luminaires make working in the outdoors a breeze."

The P-5 wash lights were placed all around the main stage in the crowded dance area, which accommodated 18,000 people over the two nights, and Louis Wong reported positive feedback from an exhilarating outdoor party exper

USA - Known for its professional productions throughout Northwest Missouri, the Robidoux Resident Theatre recently produced the musical comedy Spamalot. Brought on by the director of the show, Jeff Stover, assistant professor/technical director at Missouri Western State University, was asked to create a lighting design that could match and enhance the whimsical satire of the show itself. To accomplish this, he wanted to be able to take the design to an extraordinary level, so he brought on the additional support of VL440 Spot Luminaires from Philips Vari-Lite.

"With Spamalot being so over-the-top in style, it gave me opportunities to take the lighting over-the-top as well," began Stover. "This was definitely one of the shows where you could do the bump and flash with colour mixing and have it fit perfect with the story. The Vari-Lite colour mixing sy

Indonesia - No fewer than 40 units of SGM P-5 TW (tunable white wash lights) and 40 units of Q-7 W (white flood, blind and strobe), fitted with eight-way Barndoors and Accessory Holders, were recently acquired as part of the light inventory for the Indonesian D'Six Studio, which is owned and operated by PT. Prima Global Indomedia.

Technical & operations director of D'Six Studios, Lemmy Ibrahim says, "I carried out intensive research online and I discovered SGM's LED products." He then contacted SGM's Indonesian distributor Goshen Electronics, and SGM's area sales manager Hanslee Lim from SGM A/S conducted a demo with the P-5 TW at Goshen's office. "I was very impressed by the small size, along with the bright light output of the P-5 TW during the demo,"Ibrahim states. He immediately arranged for another demo at the TRANS TV studio, who had requested the use o

USA - While there were talks of a winter storm brewing for Nashville, the city was all about bikinis and great music as Sports Illustrated chose Music City to launch the 2015 Swimsuit Edition.

The Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted the event where lighting designer John Lucksinger and production manager Chris Lisle worked with Bandit Lites to provide lighting for the A-List event dubbed as Swimville.

Swimville was held on Broadway with six bands performing a free show each day on Wednesday and Thursday. More than 15,000 people came out on the first day alone to see performances by Will Hogue, The Weeks, and Chris Young, and also to meet this year's SI models who were available to sign autographs and take photos.

Bandit provided gear for the grand entrance along with a lighting package for the performances. Later, the red carpet was rolled out in front of

Germany - Michael Althaus, the former managing director of MA Lighting, has launched a new distribution company in Germany, called Visionstage. The company begins with two exclusive brands in its distribution portfolio - Ayrton and Oxo, while "a few more exciting brands will follow soon," says Michael.

Michael says he is convinced that there is "a huge demand for innovative and sustainable solutions and disruptive technologies - paired with high sales quality, years-long experience and outstanding customer service."

Visionstage will have two fully equipped showrooms, centrally located in Germany. The flagship showroom is in Frankfurt, the second at the headquarters in Detmold, which is midway between Dortmund and Hanover. Michael and the Visionstage team will be on the Ayrton stand at ProLight+Sound in Frankfurt in April.

(Lee Baldock)

UK - Northern Stage Services Ltd, the specialist lighting, sound and stage solutions provider, has completed the acquisition of the business of Lancelyn Lighting and Lancelyn Theatre Supplies.

Northern Stage Services Ltd, whose client list includes the RIBA award-winning Liverpool Everyman Theatre, Brio Leisure and Manchester Communications Academy, acquired the business on 16 February 2015, enhancing its overall offering to be UK-wide spanning the theatrical, architectural and construction sectors.

Northern Stage Services Ltd managing director, Patrick Colin, comments: "Lancelyn has a long history in both Oxford and The Wirral and its customers very much value the service given by its skilled design, manufacturing and installation teams.

"Similarly, Northern Stage Services has built up a solid reputation within the industry through our ability to work on larger, m

UK - TSL Lighting is pleased to welcome Andrew Cheshire to its team as Head of Projects. Andrew has over 19 years' of experience in the rental and installation markets. Andrew was most recently technical manager at West End Studios and has also previously worked at Hawthorns. Andrew heads up the project management team at TSL and brings a wide range of expertise and experience to the role and the company.

UK - Robe was again a major sponsor of the TPi awards, supplying their latest moving light technology including 38 x BMFL Spots, 46 x Pointes, 32 x LEDBeam 100s, 21 x CycFX 8s and 70 x PARfect 100s plus an MDG theONE hazer in a design by Jack Sayer from Hawthorn, lighting rental partner for the 2015 event. Jack worked closely with Hawthorn project manager Tom Ring.

The annual jamboree - produced by TPi Magazine, part of Mondiale Publishing Ltd - honours the technical and creative achievements of the live production / event industry over the preceding 12 months - seriously upped the ante this year, moving to a new venue, Battersea Evolution in London, which offered more space for both guests and the production.

Over 1,100 leading industry professionals and personalities enjoyed an evening of entertainment, networking and fun, hosted by comedian and actor Russell Kane who presen

World - Ed Sheeran is currently on a major worldwide tour, with lighting and production designer Mark Cunniffe using super powerful Clay Paky A.leda B-EYE K20 and Sharpys to hold their own against his video-heavy theme.

Cunniffe's design is beautifully multi-layered and sees the Clay Paky fixtures, supplied by NEG Earth, working with the video to give variation to the solo artist's stage set up.

"As Ed's show is one guy with an acoustic guitar on a 60ft wide stage, it ends up looking pretty bare, so we made the show very much video-based," explains Cunniffe. "The B-EYEs and Sharpys perfectly supplement this as they deliver a plethora of varying looks. I put 30 Sharpys upstage behind a broken screen arrangement of video, where they stab through the gaps unexpectedly to add another dimension that no one will have seen before. I use them to 'paint' rather than as a

South Africa - Durban based rental company, Black Coffee, has purchased 12 new Clay Paky Mythos fixtures which will go onto the 14th Metro FM Music Awards for lighting designer François van der Merwe and Dream Sets, the official technical suppliers . The awards will be hosted at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Conference Centre (ICC) in Durban on 28 February and will be broadcast live on SABC1. Black Coffee will also be receiving six Stormy Colors.

Brandon Bunyan, owner of Black Coffee, was introduced to the projectors comprising of The Mythos, The Stormy and The SuperSharpy on the South African leg of the Clay Paky Roadshow held at the end of last year. Once Massimo Bolandrina and Giovanni Zucchinali had completed an indoor demo, they took the fixtures outside to do an informal outdoor demo. "I was late for beers at the demo," remembers Bunyan. "It was night time and

Czech Republic - Robe Lighting's RnD department has finished an extensive and comprehensive piece of research and testing in conjunction with lamp manufacturers Osram, relating to the longevity of the Lok-it! HTI 1700/PS lightsource used in Robe's new signature BMFL fixture, when run consistently in its brightest 1700 W mode.

This confirms that the lamp life expectancy is exactly the same when the fixture is run in 1700W mode as in 1200W and 1500W modes.

Therefore, Robe can categorically announce that the BMFL lamp life time is the same in all three modes - 750 hours.

The project also examined the lumen maintenance of the source at 750 hours when run in 1700W mode and reports that lumen output was measured at 60% compared to that of a new lamp - representing a 40% drop over the full lifespan.

This means that the lamp is extremely efficient and robust, and maintains brightn

Europe - GDS has announced that Fernando Freitas has been appointed as its new European account manager.

Fernando will be responsible for the European territory working with GDS's dealer network in Europe and end users in both, the entertainment industry and development of new opportunities in other industries.

Moving from marketing manager to European account manager he changes his role at GDS as part of the ongoing strategy to increase GDS participation in the European market.

Fernando brings almost two years of experience within GDS and a good understanding of the entertainment and event industry.

Fernando comments, "Having settled into the marketing department I am now thrilled to work with our European partners directly in this amazing industry. I am looking forward to this new exciting role and providing the best solutions to current and future customers."<

Japan - Ayrton's IntelliPix-R LED panels played a prominent role in the spectacular lighting design at the annual Japanese music show, Best Hits Kayousai 2014. The show, which recognises some of Japan's most popular artists of the year, took place in November at the Festival Hall, Osaka and was broadcast live on the NNN network. Over 18 acts, including Exile Tribe and May J, performed during the two-hour show.

Ayrton's Japanese distributor, First Engineering Japan, supplied 120 IntelliPix-R panels to their client, Heart-S, who used the static panels to surround the stage and performers with beams of intense light.

IntelliPix-R is a modular beam projection panel of 25 independently controllable 4.5° LED emitters arranged in a 5 x 5 array which project graphics and media far into the air. Panels can be connected together to form a semi-transparent wall, screen or ceiling or

Columbia - Foo Fighters, recently visited Colombia on the South American leg of their Sonic Highways World Tour. At the Estadio Nemesio Camacho, commonly known as 'El Campín', in Bogotá, they were greeted by a crowd of 40,000 fans for what was to be an amazing concert.

Prior to the concert, event production company Iluminación Jaime Dussan had been contacted to supply the roof structure as well as LED screens. Dedicated to providing technical services for large scale events such as this, they had the inventory to fulfill the requirements - including big screen reinforcement. "The client required an outdoor screen with a 6mm pitch from a European manufacturer," informs the company spokesperson, Ms. Andrea Dussán.

The SGM LS-6.67 is IP65 rated and suitable for the job, with its pixel pitch of 6.67mm and a brightness of 5,000 nits per sq.m. It comes in a robust but

Fighting Talk - Foo Fighters have revealed they will be the headline act on the first day of Glastonbury Festival. The US rockers announced the news after they were named best international band at the NME Awards. In a recorded video message, frontman Dave Grohl told music fans at Brixton Academy, south London, they were returning to the UK to play Glastonbury. They are the first major act announced for this year's event. Foo Fighters will headline the Pyramid Stage on Friday, Glastonbury's website confirmed, making their first appearance at the Somerset festival since 1998. Lionel Richie was the first 2015 performer to be announced in November. He will make his debut in the Sunday teatime slot on the Pyramid stage.

Festival Move - T in the Park will be on a new site this year and the headliners will be Kasabian. Avicii will make his debut at the festival when he closes t

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