Ireland - Production designer Tom Rohan of Eventco has used the power and lightweight versatility of 12 Clay Paky SuperSharpys to light the 'Spire', the iconic 120m stainless steel monument in the centre of Dublin.

For the 'inSpire' lighting project, which launched Ireland's celebrations of the UNESCO International Year of Light (IYOL) 2015 and coincided with the St. Patrick's festival, Rohan worked alongside lighting designers Mick Murray and Matt Cregan to bring his concept to life.

"Originally, we wanted to create a static light sculpture, which we drew up in WYSIWYG. However after creating a few looks we realised that with some movement/animation the sculpture could work from a number of different perspectives, from close-up in the streets around it to an indirect view from the city's outskirts," says Murray. "Because of the lightweight and compact size of t

USA - AMD has announced details behind one of the world's largest and most technologically advanced display walls, located in New York's Times Square at 1535 Broadway, between 45th and 46th Streets. The stunning visuals that drive the digital sign's massive size - 25,000sq.ft of ultra-high definition digital signage incorporating nearly 24mpixels - are powered by AMD FirePro professional graphics cards.

The sign, with playback system designed and managed by Diversified Media Group, is a single surface covering a city block in length and stands eight stories high. Driving the visual display are three AMD FirePro professional graphics cards using AMD Eyefinity Technology, with each card powering six sections of the display for a combined resolution of 10,048 x 2,368 pixels. The individual display sections are synchronized across graphics cards and zones using the FirePro™ S40

UK - Lighting and technical event production specialists Blue Parrot are providing lighting, staging and design services for the 2015 Hidden Door Arts Festival in Edinburgh. The event, now in its 6th year, transforms an abandoned site in the city into a vibrant arts space for the weeklong festival. Live music, theatre and art installations can be found throughout the site which is this year found at the old council street lighting depot in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle.

Head of lighting for the event is Blue Parrot's Senior Project Manager, Sam Jones, who was charged with designing and co-ordinating the project on-site. "There are 60 spaces to light ranging from a small office with a single Par16 Birdie lighting an art piece to live music venues and theatre spaces with full moving light rigs. Many decisions had to be made on-site as spaces became available and their uses b

UK - Since 1985 Fisher Productions has been supplying a complete production service to a wide array of corporate and private clients. Their quality bespoke service has secured the company as the preferred suppliers at many of the UK's premier visitor locations including the National Portrait Gallery, the V&A and the Tate Modern on the South Bank.

Sister company, Fisher Hires has recently invested over £5m in new lighting fixtures and control. Head of Fisher Lighting & Hires, Robert Baker explains, "When investing in our new kit we chose to purchase some key items from Ambersphere Solutions who have a reputation for really knowing and understanding the industry, backed up with strong service support which was important to us."

The L'Oréal Colour Trophy Tour 2015 was the first event to benefit from this new kit. The lighting design for the tour included Cl

Azerbaijan - The 2015 European Games will be held in Baku in June, gathering in the Azerbaijan capital city over 6,000 athletes from 50 countries to compete in 30 sports, including 16 Olympic disciplines. Named after the former president of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex is one of the four city cluster locations, along with Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Freedom Square and Baku Sports Hall, chosen to house this edition of the games.

Since its opening in 1990, the arena has hosted around 40 international competitions of different kinds of sports. After the 2006 renovation, it became Azerbaijan's home of gymnastics, accommodating a number of major international rhythmic gymnastics tournaments. During the European games the arena will be used for all the judo, sambo and wrestling competitions.

The arena facilities had to be radically reorganized for the European

France - When international dealers were invited to the Robert Juliat factory in France earlier this year, it was an eye-opening experience to see the dedication in which the company is run.

Robert Izzett from DWR Distribution, the South African distributor, joined the tour and training, and was very impressed. "I had the impression that it was a small manufacturer," he said. "They produce more than 10 000 luminaires a year and added to this, make everything except the glass lenses. The factory is extraordinary."

Robert Juliat currently employs around 80 people dedicated to designing and manufacturing stage lighting products. The company operates from 9.000 m² factory in the suburbs of Paris. Robert Juliat lighting solutions are distributed through a worldwide network including more than 50 distributors on the five continents.

"There is no other com

USA - Pop music stars were shining bright on 9 May at the sold-out KIIs-FM Wango Tango concert at the StubHub Centre in Carson, California, where Todd Roberts and Brandon Dunnin of Visions Lighting were at the lighting helm with some of Visions' newest Elation Professional lighting fixtures. These included the powerful Platinum BX beam moving heads, hybrid Platinum SBX moving heads and Protron 3K LED strobes. Also in the rig were some of their workhorse Platinum Beam 5R fixtures.

The annual, day-long concert - produced by Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM and hosted by Ryan Seacrestm is noted for featuring marquee performers and this year featured performances by Kanye West, Nick Jonas and Justin Bieber along with EDM veterans Calvin Harris and David Guete.

Stage, roof, lighting, video and special FX were all handled by Visions Lighting. "It is probably the biggest Elatio

UK - Central Theatre Supplies is supplying three Zero88 Chilli 1210i dimmers to the Criterion Theatre Coventry as the latest stage of the theatre's rolling project to update and replace their stage systems.

Central Theatre Supplies were the original supplier of the Criterion's Zero88 ID1216 dimmers and Sirius 48 lighting desk back in 1994. The Sirius 48 was replaced some years ago with a Zero88 Illusion 500 (which in itself is an update candidate in due course).

Karl Stafford, facilities manager of the Criterion said, "The ID racks have served us well for 21 years and having the one person in the UK that Zero88 recommend to repair ID's as one of our members has been a part of that. However, the racks are 21 years old and beginning to age in ways that make it difficult to keep on top of - so the time has come to replace them with something more modern.

"We've been d

USA - Video equipment rental company Pete's Big TVs supplied the high resolution LED video panels, projectors and a technical crew for the 30th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 18 April in Cleveland, OH. The show aired 30 May exclusively on HBO.

Pete's has been supplying the rock world's big night since 1989, and growing with the event as the show has transitioned from its original private Waldorf-Astoria hotel ballroom days to today's ticketed arena settings. Pete's Big TVs VP Guy Benjamin said, "Because it has moved to large arenas and is now a televised event, the production requirements demand the newest products in video production technology, which we specialise in."

Artists inducted this year at Cleveland's Public Hall were Ringo Starr, The '5' Royales, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Green Day, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Lou Reed, Stevie

Austria - Award-winning lighting designer Al Gurdon made spectacular use of a predominantly Clay Paky rig for one of the world's largest TV entertainment events, The Eurovision Song Contest 2015.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary with the theme Building Bridges, Eurovision was sponsored by Osram and hosted at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna.

UK-based Gurdon, whose previous lighting triumphs include the opening and closing ceremonies of the Sochi Olympic Games and the American Super Bowl, has now lit Eurovision three times. This time he chose 172 of the new Clay Paky Mythos, 48 X Sharpy Wash 330, 83 X A.leda B-EYE K20 and 74 Stormy fixtures to deliver a dazzling, party atmosphere bursting with vibrant colour, varying shape and dimension.

All equipment was supplied by Production Resource Group (PRG), supplemented by Clay Paky UK distributor Ambersphere, and supported by

USA - Omnia in Las Vegas is the latest superclub phenomenon launched by Hakkasan Worldwide.

Over 100 Robe moving lights were specified for an epic entertainment lighting design that graces the main room of the new club at Ceasar's Palace.

The brief from Hakkasan CEO Neil Moffit to the technical and creative teams involved in Omnia encompassed superlatives like 'awesome' 'breathtaking' and 'mind-blowing', so architectural / interior designers The Rockwell Group and entertainment technology integration specialist Audiotek worked to ensure that his ambitions to create the most outrageously immersive, opulent and simply amazing premium clubbing experience in Las Vegas were met to the max.

The Robe fixtures are part of the lighting scheme delivered by Willie Williams - show designer for some of the most savvy and intelligently visual live artists on the planet - like U2, Robbie W

France - London based Jamie Fobert Architects asked the team at CLD Distribution to assist in providing an LED lighting solution for an exhibition of their work at the Gallerie de l'Architecture in Paris. The work coincided with the publication of Working in Architecture, a book about the practice's dynamic range of projects and work philosophies.

CLD were recommended by a lighting design practice with whom Jamie Fobert Architects regularly work explains Architect Andreia Costa, who also co-ordinated the exhibition installation, featuring a 16m long by 50mm high light-box showcasing photos related to the various projects.

CLD's Nigel Howes comments, "It was an interesting and challenging project and we were delighted to be involved. It was important for the illumination to be elegant, shadowless and concealed from the view of anyone looking into the displays, and t

UK - The Colour Project was commissioned by the City of Liverpool to devise a 30-minute video mapping spectacular as the visual climax to the city's celebrations to mark the historic visit of all three of the largest Liners in the Cunard fleet.

As part of the Cunard Lines 175th birthday celebrations and to punctuate the occasion for the city, The Colour Project created an evening show for over 80,000 visitors over the course of three nights.

Always looking to the future and confident of its past, the essence of Liverpool was boldly brought to life to celebrate the city and its historic links with the Cunard Line. The three iconic buildings along the Pier Head collectively referred to as the Three Graces were transformed into a video mapped canvas to perform The Amazing Graces.

"Featuring a sea of faces of the people that make up the rich cultural heritage of Live

Rock School - Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical, School of Rock, set to open in the autumn, will be showcased this week as part of a series of concerts in New York. The concerts will take place at the Gramercy Theatre from 3-6 June. Lloyd Webber has previously said he chose New York to open his latest musical because of the more relaxed child licensing rules in America. In a targeted email, Lloyd Webber described the School of Rock concerts as being "highly-staged". He said the concerts would work better than an out-of-town tryout or extended preview period because "the wonders of technology get in the way of genuinely trying out new work". This month's concerts coincide with the Tony Awards weekend in New York, when producers, investors and theatre operators converge on Manhattan.

Liza's Back - Liza Minnelli is to return to the London Pa

UK - Lighting and visual production and rental company HSL has announced that John Slevin has joined their management team based in the Blackburn HQ - as technical support manager (projects).

John brings his wealth of experience, great personality and excellent communication skills to HSL on a full time basis - having worked for the company as a crew chief and lighting technician regularly over the last 13 years.

Says HSL MD Simon Stuart, "It's fantastic to have John on-board. We've known him for many years, he shares our ethics, visions and ambitions for the future and is a perfect fit as we embark on a new phase of expansion."

John will be working closely with HSL's busy - and growing - project management team offering technical support and sharing his knowledge and infectious enthusiasm on all projects. He will divide his time between being on-site visiting show

UK - A.C. Special Projects (ACSP) has provided an energy-efficient LED lighting and control system to meet the diverse, multi-purpose needs of events hosted by The Ballroom, Hyndburn - including theatre-style live shows, dances, conferences, fashion shows and wedding receptions, amongst others.

The classic ballroom, which dates back to 1853, is located within Accrington Town Hall and run by Hyndburn Leisure working in partnership with Hyndburn Borough Council. It recently underwent a £750k respectful restoration to enhance its striking original features, as well as bring its technical facilities right up to date for hosting modern events.

When it came to upgrading The Ballroom's stage and architectural effects lighting systems, the venue wanted to invest in a modern system which could provide a 'wow' factor - and allow the room's look to be tailored for - during their di

USA - The recent Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao match - billed as "the fight of the century" and bringing in a staggering $410 million in pay-per-view TV revenue alone - saw lighting director Jason Eible bring the contest to life on a new Avolites Sapphire Touch console purchased specifically with this huge event in mind.

Eible is no stranger to this kind of pressure and attention. As the LD for Frank Gatto and Associates out of Boca Raton, Florida, he has spent his entire nearly-20-year career lighting boxing and UFC events. "I have been using Avo as long as I have been doing lighting," Eible says. He points specifically to the Playback feature of the Titan software that runs on Avolites consoles as something that he leans on heavily.

"A boxing match is not just a single event," he notes. "There are other events surrounding it, inc

Israel - The state owned Israel Broadcasting Authority has upgraded its main news studio in Jerusalem, with help from ETC and dealer Danor Theatre and Studio Systems Ltd.

The lighting for the Channel 1 studio needed to be suitable for the demands of high frequency cameras - so the new ETC Source Four LED Series 2 Daylight HD, with tuneable cool white lighting in the 4000-6500K range, was ideal. The studio was open in time for the Israeli elections, which were held in March, with 50 ETC Source Four LED Series 2 Daylight HD fixtures providing on screen lighting.

Lighting designer and head of the IBA's lighting department Boris Gelfand explains, "One of the main challenges was how to fit a new modern studio into a 40 year old, 600 square metre TV facility. The studio is based on two sets which rotate to change angles and directions, with light boxes, touch screens and a 12 m

UK - This year, the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) celebrated 15 years of their show stopping live performance week at London's Royal Albert Hall with another high profile line up. Artists included The Stereophonics, The Who, Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and many more, plus a night of comic hilarity hosted by Kevin Bridges.

West London based rental specialist Entec Sound & Light has been involved as the audio supplier for the event right from the start, and over the years has fine-tuned the sound system to perfection for this prestigious venue.

This year they upped the ante again on the sonic front, as the first company in the UK to utilize a Beta version of d&b Audiotechnik's new Array Processing software which was officially launched at the Prolight+Sound expo in Frankfurt.

Entec's systems designer and technology support expert Liam Halpin explained how usin

USA - Halestorm is no stranger to touring, but for their tour promoting their newest album Into the Wild Life, the Grammy-award winning rock band took with them a lighting package from Bandit Lites.

The tour kicked off 22 April at the historic Ryman Auditorium and continues through September. Considering the vivid images a name such as Into the Wild Life conjures, lighting designer Giovanny Carvajal created a design that could connect with the mood of the material, while incorporating aspects of the physical design elements used in both the actual album artwork itself, as well as in the videos.

To accomplish that look, and keeping in mind the need to use all trailer space efficiently (and the ever present desire to always get the most bang for the buck) the lighting design chosen utilises a four tower format with GLP Impressions X4's, two two-way Moles, a 3k Stro

Indonesia - Global TV in Jakarta recently moved out of its old rented studios and constructed a completely new broadcast facility consisting of four independent studios. These have been equipped with PR Lighting fixtures, supplied by local distribution company, Acoustic & Lighting.

The company already has a track record of working with the station's owners, the MNC Group who gradually started investing in PR XR200, XLED 1037 and XPar 360.

For the new project Acoustic & Lighting's successful bid was tendered not only on the back of PR Lighting's performance capabilities but also their extended warranty. "These were specified from the very beginning because they offer excellent value for money," said Edwin, of Acoustic & Lighting.

Requiring essential functionality for their daily round of comedy, light entertainment and popular music they dipped extensively into PR L

USA - Lightconverse reports that Live Design has named it among their Products of the Year for 2014-2015.

Chosen and voted for by panels of leading industry experts in the fields of Lighting, projection and sound, Lightconverse 3D Show Platform v56 won Product of the Year in the Lighting Software category.

Awards will be presented to all winners during Live Design's New York Master Classes (NYMC), held from 2-6 June, 2015 at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts and The Gallatin School.

In a continual effort over the years to shrink the gap between virtual and reality, Lightconverse has steadily increased its feature set by delivering a dynamic array of capabilities in one complete platform, offering solutions for visualizing and integrating multiple show disciplines.

(Jim Evans)

USA - Zylight, a leading manufacturer of innovative LED lighting solutions, will showcase its product line for professional AV applications at InfoComm 2015, including versions of its F8-100 LED Fresnel and IS3c LED large panel light housed in white fixtures, new F8-B black light and F8-200 Fresnel, and Newz on-camera light. Zylight will be co-located with Ushio America in Booth 6844 during the show, which runs 17-19 June in Orlando, Florida.

"Many churches and corporations haven't adopted professional LED lighting technology because black fixtures don't blend in well with the décor," explained Charlie Collias, Zylight senior VP, worldwide sales. "White lighting fixtures are much more popular for permanent installation. Our new white housings will help houses of worship and other facilities enjoy more reliable lighting with significant power savings."<

UK - White Light is once again returning to the annual ABTT Theatre Show, having being part of the event since the very beginning. Now in its 36th year, the show will be held on 24-25 June and will be re-locating to Alexandra Palace in the West Hall. The ABTT Theatre Show welcomes visitors and exhibitors from various sectors of the entertainment industry and provides the opportunity for discussion, discovery and development.

As a complete solutions provider, as well as a leading lighting supplier for West End and touring theatre, White Light will be exhibiting on stand D30. Whether clients are looking to invest in LED, discuss the latest in lighting, sound and video control software, or hire audio equipment for their next production, White Light is looking forward to meeting them at the show and hearing about their latest news.

Over its years of exhibiting at the show, White L

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