Italy - ETC Italy's Daniele Peroni and Davide Gabbani have moved into new management positions, following the untimely passing of Fulvio Cotogni, ETC's longtime regional manager for Southern Europe and the Middle East. Peroni will step into the role of Southwest Europe regional sales manager, while Gabbani will take on the title of Southeast Europe regional sales manager.

In 2002, Peroni graduated from the film and television school, Institut des Arts de Diffusion (IAD), in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, where he studied lighting. Following his graduation, Peroni began working for television studios in Rome, then joined Link S.r.l., an entertainment-product manufacturer based out of Italy. There he served as a project manager for the American market. In 2011, he began a new job at Luxemburg's Codex Events, serving as production manager for events. Then in 2013, Peroni joined ETC as

USA - Country superstar Miranda Lambert's Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars tour reprises the name of her first headlining tour in 2010. It follows her Certified Platinum tour earlier this year and features an all-female line-up.

"This is a 13-city tour playing a lot of the markets that Miranda hasn't been able to hit in recent years," notes Nashville-based production designer Chris Lisle. "The design of the show is pretty straightforward with three overhead trusses and a floor lighting package. We also have some soft goods and scenic pieces that play heavily into the design. Miranda wanted to keep this one simple, so there are no video elements. She just wanted to go out, have fun musically and do a 'bad ass light show.'"

Lisle selected 20 Clay Paky B-EYE K20s for the rig. Ten each are in midstage and upstage trusses alternating with spot and beam fi

Spain - Wireless Solution recently participated in the performance Sama-Sama - Live Experience for Cirque du Soleil. The project invites the audience to immerse themselves in a parallel universe where they will follow the story of a mysterious community known as the Samis, who have built a unique space for creativity and inspiration, bringing people together through the joy of creation in a way never experienced before. They call this place Sama-Sama, which means "together" in Filipino.

The Samis (performers) danced and sang in the middle of the crowd holding and juggling a long light pole, designed by interactive experience's designers Rafael Mizrahi and Mickey Martin - the object was made of telescopic aluminium poles and 3D printed plastic parts, making it lightweight for the performers. "Wireless Solutions provided the most reliable wireless technology

UK - Robe continued its support of lighting designer Yaron Abulafia's book, The Art of Light on Stage - Lighting in Contemporary Theatre published by Routledge, with a UK launch at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London.

Around 100 people rocked up to the event which took place in the foyer space of the Linbury Studio Theatre at the Royal Opera House, preceding the evening's three provocative performances staged by the Leeds-based Phoenix Dance Theatre, which were lit by Yaron.

Yaron was delighted with the turnout and interest in the book, which received its world premiere at the 2015 Prague Quadrennial in June, also supported by Robe.

The book presentation followed a similar format to that of the PQ, with a three-way conversation between Yaron and Nick Moran, senior lecturer in lighting for live performance, BA Theatre Practice course team at London's Centra

UK - PLASA Focus Glasgow 2016 returns to the SECC with another distinguished seminar programme that will deliver two days of free pro audio and lighting presentations discussing the latest technologies for the live entertainment technology industry.

Thought provoking speakers include Grant Anderson, the Scottish Lighting Designer, in collaboration with lighting, AV and sound specialists Black Light who designed the popular Botanic Nights - 2015, a unique night-time experience. Grant Anderson explains how the light installation evoked an emotive reaction from the audience.

Anderson comments: "In Scotland, it's often said that you can experience four seasons in one day. Visitors to Botanics Lights have been able to experience four seasons in just one night. It made perfect sense to me to combine nature and light with seasonal changes as the three are inextri

UK - dbn Lighting from Manchester collaborated in another exciting, innovative and off-the-wall production with producers Walk The Plank to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the landmark Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay, Wales. dbn's Stephen Page was asked to design lighting for the spectacle, staged outside along the main concourse approach to the Centre.

Staged on Saturday 12 September, the show, Ar Waith Ar Daith was a year in the planning and making and with over 600 participants, the largest outdoor theatre production in Wales to date. The show attracted crowds exceeding 12,000 who were enrapt as the age old tale of Welsh history, myth, allegory and magic unfolded via a series of promenade choreography, large format projections onto the side of the building, gravity-defying aerial stunts, lantern processions, choral singing, dance numbers and a truly exhilarating py

Italy - Award-winning lighting designer Bruno Poet felt privileged and inspired when offered to work in Verona Arena with the spectacular live show Intimissimi On Ice. At the same, this was his first opportunity to deploy SGM's LED luminaires in his creative design.

Show director, Francisco Negrin, describes the elegant ice-skating show as "a generator of the energy of shadows and light". The two acts depict very different aspects, where Act I starts with the dark energy in violent and chaotic forms exploring the dark sides of male/female relationships with both loneliness and desire. The desire turns into passionate lust and then into real love. Act II, however, is about light, joy, playfulness culminating in a celebratory finale.

For such an impressive and emotional show, lighting played an essential role. And with a lighting designer on board internationa

Sweden - Spargrisarna kan rädda världen (Saving Pigs Can Save The World) is the newest revue style production being staged at the well-known Lorensbergsteatern in Goteborg, Sweden. Produced by Kulturtuben, four actors deliver political satire and critiques of topical issues at breakneck speed backed by a 10-piece orchestra.

Lighting is designed by Michael Sevholt, the venue's technical manager, and a partner and founding member of Kulturtuben, who has included eight Robe DL4S Profiles and 14 x LEDWash 300s in his rig.

After reading the script, he realised that he needed moving head profiles to effectively key out the actors and also a moving wash light for illuminating the musicians located on a platform that changes places onstage during the show.

The set - designed by Rolf Allan Håkanson - is mainly lit with conventional fixtures. During the rehearsal period,

UK - Bristol-based entertainment lighting hire and event production specialist Fineline Lighting is celebrating a successful 2015 using Avolites Titan consoles, dimmers, Ai servers and TitanNet Processors on some of Europe's leading festivals.

More than 17,000 people flocked to Devon's Somersault Festival in July for a five-day musical extravaganza. Fineline provided lighting for four main music performance areas at the festival, including the 15m wide Main Stage.

The production lighting rig was designed by Fineline's Stuart England, and based around the requirements of the various headliners, an eclectic and interesting line up of Bombay Bicycle Club, Laura Marlin and The Staves. "The house lighting desk was an Avolites Sapphire Touch and all the dimming was Avolites," says England.

At Cornwall's Eden Project, Fineline provided the production lighting for the 2

UK - Following on from their successful run of festival shows across the summer, when Major Lazer confirmed their autumn UK tour, they contacted PRG XL Video to supply a flexible video package of LED pods, DJ booth and screens across a variety of venue sizes.

Phil Mercer, PRG XL's Music Group director, worked with Major Lazer's production manager, Joel Stanley, and lighting and visual designer, Kyle Kegan, to create a custom-built video setup which could be varied in size according to the venue.

Using Pixled F-12 LED, the video team worked closely with All Access, who constructed the staging for the tour, to create four pods and a DJ booth. Everything was prepped together to ensure the construction precisely fit the LED tiles. Joel Stanley explains, "We wanted a more scalable design for this tour, and having video and staging prepped together made everything much easier

Germany - MA has launched its dot2 blog for this exciting new lighting console range. This new online platform will connect everything related to dot2 that's happening on the internet, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channel mentions, says the company. Also, it will offer multiple ways for users to communicate with other dot2 users and MA Lighting.

Users can send pictures of their dot2 in action on projects and post them in the blog. They can learn more about the dot2 in the 'tips and tricks' section, find out about other dot2 users on the road in the 'stories' area, or discover all hot news and dates - from trainings to tradeshows - in the 'dates' section.

Besides the blog, there is also the dot2 website which offers multi-language product-related information, and the dot2 forum which is all about technical topics and support.

MA invites

UK - UK festival industry group Powerful Thinking launched an incisive environmental impact report, 'The Show Must Go On', detailing a cross-industry response to the global environmental challenge, with a vision for change, on November 26th, 2015.

The Show Must Go On was introduced at the 'Sustainable Strategies' panel at the UK Festival Conference in London's Roundhouse, which focused on how festivals can minimise their carbon impact. It is subsequently being presented to the UN Convention on Climate Change, Paris, Nov 30th to December 11th 2015, where 196 countries will meet to sign a new climate change agreement.

The report's authors hope that by presenting a concise overview and proposed roadmap for reduced carbon impact at festivals in-line with international targets and that the UK festival industry sector can lead by example in achieving impact reduction targets by 20

USA - Dan + Shay wanted to do something out of the ordinary for their Just The Right Kind Of Crazy tour. It was, after all, their first headlining tour, and the rapidly rising country duo -- who made their Grand Ole Opry debut only a year earlier -- were looking for a design that would stand out over their previous supporting act rigs. For this they chose the Nexus 4x4 LED panel from Chauvet Professional, provided by 4Wall Lighting Entertainment as the centrepiece of the design.

Dan + Shay once again turned to LD Taylor Price for their design. The LD had created an impressive design for their spring/ summer tour earlier this year supporting various artists. "I began working with the band in the spring of 2014, when they were opening for one of my other clients," said the LD. "We've had an excellent rapport since. The guys brainstormed some ideas, and tour

USA - City Theatrical has launched the latest version of its popular wireless DMX/RDM transceiver, SHoW DMX SHoW Baby 6.

"SHoW DMX SHoW Baby 6 gives users a sixth SHoW ID to broadcast on, for the first time allowing SHoW Baby users access to CTI's innovative Maximum Bandwidth Technology," the company says. "Maximum Bandwidth Technology allows SHoW Baby 6 to broadcast in the area of Wi-Fi channel 14, which is not used in the U.S. and is not heavily used in other countries, thereby allowing users to avoid the more crowded areas of the 2.4GHz band."

City Theatrical developed Maximum Bandwidth Technology to create more ways to avoid interference in an increasingly crowded 2.4GHz spectrum. The 2.4GHz portion of the spectrum is the optimum area for wireless DMX broadcast, allowing signals to pass through objects better than the 5.8GHz area, and able to carry mo

UK - Verbatim's hi-tech LED candle lighting is being used as a safe, realistic and practical alternative to open flame candles by the producers of War and Peace, a TV adaption of Tolstoy's classic Russian novel to be screened by the BBC in 2016.

The TV series is being made by BBC Cymru Wales Drama in partnership with The Weinstein Company and BBC Worldwide/Lookout Point. During filming in Russia, local production company Globus Film Studio took the decision to install over 1200 Verbatim LED retrofit lamps to create appropriate lighting when shooting important scenes such as those in a historic ballroom.

The chandeliers of the ballroom were equipped with Verbatim LED VxRGB Natural Vision Candle lamps which deliver up to 50lm output and offer up to 25,000 hours of guaranteed lifetime. These lamps provide a warm candle-like glow that closely matches the colour spectrum o

Peru - Moving heads from PR Lighting have been out in force at a number of high profile events in the Peruvian capital of Lima, reports Julio Vidal, general manager of Layset, the manufacturer's territorial distributor.

With bases in Peru and La Paz (Bolivia) the stage lighting specialists have enjoyed a particularly busy Autumn - thanks to their rental company partner, Cocolight Productions,

It started in August at the Gran Teatro Nacional in Lima where Peruvian musician, Lucho Quequezana presented his show, Ludofónica, with the National Symphony Orchestra. With 60 musicians performing the stage was decorated with 14 XR300, and 12 PR5000 conventional heads as well as popular and powerful LED fixtures in the shape of 12 XLed 590 and eight XLed 1037.

This was followed by Reunión de Sonidistas, Luminotécnicos y Afines at Discoteca Habana, the Latin Salsa club in Li

USA - Good Morning America took to the streets of Nashville to kick off the 49th Annual CMA Awards with a performance by Tim McGraw and appearance by Chris Stapleton.

Bandit Lites once again provided the lighting for the stage where host Lara Spencer greeted thousands of eager fans who had braved the rain. In addition to the musical performances, the first two awards of the night were presented with Maddie and Tae taking home Best Music Video of the Year for Girl in a Country Song and Keith Urban and Eric Church winning Musical Event of the Year for their collaboration on Raise 'Em Up.

With Good Morning America beginning literally in the early morning before the sun rises, lighting designer Mark Carver knew that the transition from night to dawn to would be a challenge. "I need versatile fixtures that would be clearly seen in both environment

Austria - Broadcast live on Austrian national TV channel ORF, the final 2015 edition of the Starnacht series of festival style outdoor pop concerts took place at the charismatic Durnstein castle ruins in the stunning Wachau valley, cut through by the River Danube.

Produced by IP Media, lighting for the show was designed and programmed by Chris Moylan of Berlin based Optikalusion, and featured 31 x Robe BMFL Spots - the first time these had been used on a Starnacht concert.

The Wachau show was the final of three site-specific based events in summer / autumn 2015 showcasing the best of current Austrian, German and Swiss pop talent which this year featured chart-busting Thomas Anders (singer of mega successful pop duo Modern Talking); 2014 Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst; the Radio Doria band; ex Kelly Family star Maite Kelly and singer-songwriter Johannes Oerding. The

UK - Black Light used its LED lighting expertise in delivering a large low resolution LED video facade for a carpark at the new Manchester First Street development. The success of this project demonstrates the company's experience in working with LED as well as being chosen as a supplier and installer of Osrams' Traxon LED products.

"This was a great project for us," says Phil Haldane, Black Light's company development manager. "We have experience in working with LED lighting and we worked closely with the manufacturer of the facade panels to ensure the interfacing of our systems to theirs was seamless." The team also had to think ahead to 'future proof' the new installation. Due to the amount of lighting that needed to be installed, the potential for cost savings were significant and this was a key driver for the project itself.

Traxon LED Dots were chos

China - The main banking hall of HSBC's headquarters is referred to as 'The Cathedral' for good reason; the modern resemblance to a grand abbey is undeniable. This vast space soars above the glass floor of the main banking hall and is accessed via escalators from the plaza below. The vaulted ceiling is crowned with the sparkle of an immense mirror. The office floors are the galleries and the bridges the cloisters. The eastern elevation contains a grand symbolic gesture, a vast unstained glass window complete with its tracery of mullions and transoms, which extends the full height of the vault.

The idea of lighting the atrium had been proposed more than a year ago by Mindseye Lighting Consultants from London. The impetus to develop and implement the concept came from the 150th anniversary of the Bank which would fall on 3 March 2015.

Illumination Physics was already engaged o

UK Selfridges is one of the best-known department stores in the world. Situated on Oxford Street, in the heart of London's shopping district, the store is also renowned for its extravagant Christmas décor. This year is no exception and as part of the annual celebrations, an Astrolounge has been created in order to provide customers with cosmic gifts along with out-of-this-world experiences. Having worked with Selfridges on numerous occasions, White Light was asked to provide the production support on this ambition project.

Located on Selfridges' ground floor, the Astrolounge incorporates an other-worldly, cosmic theme and allows customers to experience a range of mesmerising physic experiences, such as astrology, Aura photography, Tarot readings and workshops.

The idea of the Astrolounge came from the Selfridges creative team who devised Journey to the Stars as

Italy - The latest tour of renowned Italian artist Jovanotti kicked off with two concerts at the 105 Stadium in Rimini on 19 and 20 November.

32 concerts are scheduled, most of them in Italy with additional shows in Belgium, Germany, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Jovanotti is the only artist who has managed to fill the San Siro football Stadium in Milan over three consecutive concerts, during the previous Lorenzo negli Stadi 2015 tour which took place last summer.

Forty Evo moving heads, installed by the rental company Agorà, illuminate the entire tour which will end on 14 January 2016 with a concert at the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Dusseldorf.

(Jim Evans)

Adele Live - Advance tickets for Adele's upcoming UK and Ireland tour went on sale this morning. Members of Adele.com were able to register for advance tickets on the singer's website, with tickets available from 9am this morning. General tickets go on sale on Friday 4 December, also at 9am. The tour kicks off in Belfast on 29 February and finishes in Antwerp on 13 June next year. It also includes four dates at London's O2 Arena. It will be the first time Adele has toured since 2011.

Motown Legend - A play about the life and death of Motown legend Marvin Gaye is to have its world premiere in Northampton. Roy Williams' Soul will open in May 2016 after several years' close collaboration with members of the singer's family. Gaye, whose hits include Sexual Healing and Let's Get It On, was shot dead by his father in 1984. "It's a dramatic thriller, n

USA - Apollo Design Technology has announced the appointment of Zane Sade as a customer care representative. In this role, Sade provides technical information, product recommendations and helps customers with quotes, processing orders and tracking deliveries. In addition to ensuring customer satisfaction, Sade supports the sales team at Apollo Design.

Prior to joining Apollo Design, Sade worked in various sales and customer service positions. He is also an actor, comedian, voice over artist and theatre technician and works extensively with local theatre groups.

"We are happy to have Zane join our team. He comes from a theatre background, a big plus when helping dealers and understanding our products," said Joel Nichols, president of Apollo Design Technology.

"Apollo is by far the best company I've worked for. I can't wait to develop relationships with my de

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