UK - Arena Seating staff travelled all 26.2 miles of the Flora London Marathon Course - twice. Working with sister company Arena Scaffolding, the company supplied the branded mile markers around the world famous marathon course, successfully undertaking a logistically challenging operation to ensure minimal disruption to London's public.

Martin Clark acted as project manager for a team of 40, who completed their first circuit of the course on the Saturday, installing the structures across the course in potentially hazardous conditions before the road closures came into force. Martin's experience working on the race over the past 12 years was a great advantage in liaising with organiser and the police to prepare the structures and co-ordinate the operation across 36 hours on site.

Lucy McCrickard, director of LGM Consultancy, has organised 11 London Marathons and explained the

Africa - Star Events Group Ltd are proud to announce their involvement in an exciting project in Guinea-Bissau, one of the poorest countries in Africa.

Following on from their involvement with Live 8 last summer, the company resolved to act upon the philosophy that was adopted for the iconic event, the message being to unite and address unacceptable levels of poverty across the World, particularly in Africa.

Taking this on board, the team at Star Events Group have committed to make a difference by sponsoring the development of an educational facility, aptly named The Star Events Group School of English. By funding the rental of the school premises, and by providing basic classroom supplies, the company hopes to make a huge difference to the lives of the local community in Guinea Bissau.

Maddy Sheals, director of HR at SEGL, said: "We have always had a social conscience

UK - Blitz, one of the UK's leading technical staging specialists, has been showcasing its expertise to some of the key players in the City. Blitz was recently appointed the sole AV supplier for ExCel International Exhibition Centre and completed the installation of AV equipment for Reuters. Blitz also worked with the in-house events team at Deloitte, the business advisory firm, to provide technical AV and staging support on a number of the firm's flagship events.

The three year contract sees Blitz supplying ExCeL with the latest in AV equipment. Blitz also has an on site technical team to provide any additional support for the venue's clients. The alliance will ensure that ExCel's clients continue to benefit from the option of in-house expertise and technical staging services of the highest and most creative professional calibre. The service will be available to organisers usin

UK - Showsec managed crowds at London's Earls Court and Manchester's MEN Arena for the new format Give It A Name festival.

Give it a Name was a new indoor festival concept launched in 2005 at London's Alexandra Palace This year the festival developed to run over two days, in two cities (London 's Earls Court and Manchester 's MEN Arena ), with two stages in the two venues.

Lost Prophets and My Chemical Romance headlined 26 bands that gave tens of thousands of fans ten hours of non stop music, with two stages allowing quick change-overs, creating a great atmosphere at both venues.

Showsec manager Paul Joy ran a team of 120 trained crowd management professionals at the MEN Arena, looking after the fans front-of-house, the pit area and the backstage. Steve Reynolds ran the FOH Showsec team of 200 staff at Earls Court, and the two managers liaised through-out the weekend

Italy - Following a very successful first year, in which business targets for the first two years were exceeded, Star Orbit Italia has moved to larger offices. A total of 35 Star Orbit stages were erected in 2005 around Italy, ranging in size from 12m to 20m spans and extra equipment is currently being manufactured to build up the Italian stocks.

The benefit of the operation was also dramatically demonstrated on Live 8 weekend in 2005, when the UK industry completely ran out of stage roofs. But Star Events Group was able to come to the rescue provide a 20m Orbit system by shipping it over from Italy to the organisers of B-Live on Clapham Common at very short notice.

UK - Charcoalblue theatre consultants has confirmed that it is working on the plans for the redevelopment of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon. The company has recently expanded its operation, taking on three new staff members plus two additions to its board of directors.

Since 2004 Charcoalblue, created by Andy Hayles, Jack Tilbury, Jon Stevens and Gavin Green, has also been working on the RSC's new Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon.2005 saw commissions from English National Opera and Bristol Old Vic, in addition to being appointed by the National Theatre to work on its new studio redevelopment with Haworth Tompkins Architects. Following this, Aldeburgh Productions appointed Charcoalblue as theatre consultant for a second concert hall space at Snape Maltings, and to Newcastle Theatre Royal for a renewed flytower.

This year Charcoalblue was awarded the

UK - Centre Stage Engineering will be introducing their new Tri-Band Hoist and control system at this year's ABBT Show on the 14 and 15 June. This is a truss-mounted unit that has been designed with economy, safety, ease of installation and versatility in mind. It is aimed at venues such as schools, universities and theatres that do not require the sophistication or complexity of a full-blown power flying system.

It incorporates two braked geared motors, a four-way limit box with BGV-C1 rating and optional encoder and a safe working load of up to 500kg. Its control system provides fixed or variable speed up to 10 metres per minute via a touch screen HMI unit and a switching power matrix enables two inverters to control up to 10 hoists via a single 13A or 6A 240v supply. It can be mounted either directly onto a grid or fixed to roof steels so that no lateral load is placed on the

UK - The Event Safety Shop (TESS) has strengthened its board with the appointment of Simon James and Tim Roberts as directors, with Hannah Charlton becoming operations manager. The announcement coincides with TESS receiving the investors In People Award in recognition of its positive culture and the ongoing development of staff.

Recent qualifications undertaken by staff to enhance the specialist skills required to work across different sectors include the NEBOSH General Certificate (Hannah Charlton), National Rigging Award A1 Assessor (Simon James) and the Institute of Acoustics Certificate of Competence in Workplace Noise Assessment (Tim Roberts).

TESS managing director Mike Richmond said: "The Investors In People award, along with our new infrastructure reflects a continuing commitment to expand the diversity of areas we work in, and raise the quality of service to clie

UK - Summit Steel has purchased a new Kinesys K2 automation control system for the Take That tour, for which they are overseeing and supplying the bulk of the rigging equipment.

Take That, riding high on one of the most remarkable musical comeback stories so far of the 21st century, have received great critical acclaim for their new show. The tour reunites many of the successful production team that propelled the band to stardom in the 1990s including production manager Chris Vaughan, LD Simon Tutchener, artistic director Kim Gavin and Summit's Jon Bray.

Bray says: "It's really good to be working with so many of the original team again. Take That were the first band to use a large moving bridge over the audience and it's good to see that trick back in the show, plus a host of other ambitious movement and automation effects."

The epic set for the 2006 tour is design

USA - Baxter Controls (BCi) announces the immediate availability of 100-240v Power Supplies (P/S) for the Pocket Console line of products for ease of use worldwide.

With the creation of this new P/S, specifically for the world market, The Pocket Console DMX can now be used virtually anywhere. Electricians, lighting technicians and designers worldwide can now find out why these very portable units have sold so well from Broadway to Hollywood. From backstage to soundstage, The Pocket Console is found anywhere in the US where DMX is found, says the company. For the professional, this may be the most convenient, economical access to DMX control in the market today.

Each "Wall Wart" comes with a full kit of standard 'clip-on" male A/C adapters making The Pocket Console user friendly around the globe.

The BCi line includes the Original Pocket Console DMX, the Wall-M

UK - Entec Sound and Light supplied Russian superstar Philip Kirkorov with full lighting and sound production, and also co-ordinated other production elements including video and pyro for his sold out show at Hammersmith Apollo. It was part of an extensive two month European tour.

Entec has experience of working with several leading Russian artists, and for this show, their crew co-ordinated in advance with Kirkorov's touring crew to ensure the busy show day ran smoothly.

Lighting designer Boris Volkov design involved three upstage trussing triangles, constructed from mini-beam and hung off nine points from two rigging trusses, plus two straight A-type front and mid lighting trusses.

His operating style was based on 'beam technology' with lots of dramatic beam and gobo looks from lighting fixtures spread across all of the trussing elements. These included 26 Vari*Lite VL 200

XLNT Advanced Technologies made the first European showing of the expanded CyberHoist / InMotion 3D motion control system. Two new CyberHoist intelligent hoist motors join the original 500kg-capacity, 0-20m per minute CyberHoist 500. These are the CyberHoist 250 motor, capable of lifting 250kg at variable speeds of 0-40m per minute, and the new invertible CyberHoist 1000, with a 1-tonne lifting capacity at variable speeds of0-10m per minute. The matching InMotion3D control software is capable of operating all three types of motors singly or in one object.

Doughty and Prolyte were adjacent exhibitors that amalgamated into one luxurious stand complete with plush red velvet drapes and solid wooden bar. Doughty has a new version of their quick trigger clamp in the pipeline that can clamp 48mm - 75mm tube. Prolyte's show proved less than stress-free after exhibited copy-cat products on the show-floor sparked legal action. New products included the Prolyft load cell system, the Prolyft Mark II hoist, and the ST Roof system XL.

Le Maitre was with German distributor LMP Lichtechnik, showing a wide range of products. The Stadium Hazer uses a patented conversion technique to provide the high outputs required by large venues, although its electronic output control also suit it to smaller areas where rapid atmosphere fills are required. The Fake Flame, designed by Back Stage Technologies Europe (BSTE) and built exclusively by Le Maitre, is designed for use in theatres and theme parks, as well as on concerts and in nightclubs. It's suitable for any application where a gas flame is undesirable, and is cost-effective to run (2.5 litres of fluid gives over 100 hours of continuous operation).Finally, coming soon from Le Maitre is the MVS or Multi Venue System Hazer, featuring variable high output haze (whisper to >80cc/hr); twin variable high output haze projection fans; and 90° electronically variable haze output di

The Netherlands - There were exuberant celebrations when the victorious Ajax football team showed off the Gatorade Cup to 15,000 fans in Leidseplein in the centre of Amsterdam.

Following their 2:1 victory over PSV, the contingency plans for the victory celebration swung into action. Mojo Barriers worked with the City of Amsterdam and local police in advance to plan secure areas for the players and ensure the prestigious buildings around the square were protected.

Mojo's Jeroen Tap led a team that installed 110m of Mojo Aluminium Barrier to create a safe area for the team bus to drive into and the team to move onto the theatre steps to show off the cup.

The Mojo Barrier configuration allowed crowd management stewards and local police to successfully manage the good natured but exuberant fans, with a great atmosphere for all to enjoy the occasion and very few arrests.

(Chris

UK - On ticket sales alone, the current tour by Take That has taken everyone's breath away. Having split up 10 years ago, it's a tribute to their status as Britain's first real boy band that they can attract even bigger audiences today than in their heyday. But the passage of time imposes certain burdens, as tour production manager Chris Vaughan explained: "The key difference between this tour and the ones in the nineties is that this has to be as spectacular as we can make it."

Building that scale of spectacle has involved the talents of Bill Lazlett and Simon Tutchener for stage set and lighting respectively. At the behest of band svengali Kim Gavin the presentation also includes arguably the largest LED screen ever used for an arena show, as supplied by large-scale screen specialists Creative Technology (CT). "It's a Unitek Version Mk3 - a screen I love,"

UK - Northern Light, one of the UK's leading providers of stage engineering, lighting and sound services, is delighted to announce the arrival of three new members of staff - Gregor Murray, Lois Ferguson and Keith Mitchell.

Gregor returns to Northern Light, after an absence of 12 years, as events services manager. During his time away he ran his own company - Liquid Lighting - supplying lighting to the nightclub and events industries. After a chance meeting with Northern Light's managing director, Gregor was wooed back to the company and will liaise with clients to plan the production of their events.

Ferguson joins Northern Light as marketing manager from her own freelance marketing consultancy. With experience in the private, public and voluntary sectors, Lois will put in place Northern Light's strategic marketing and communications plan and address the day to day marketing

USA - When you're the hottest night club in twin Cities area, you can't have just any light show. Working with Metro Sound and Lighting, Tomcat USA created a customized package befitting Myth - the midwest's finest entertainment venue.

Equipment provided by Tomcat included two truss MD circles: one 35' OD and one 18' OD. The circles were spilt in two separate sections creating a unique appearance while allowing adjustment to one side of the grid and access to one side as needed. Six 6' sections and two 5' sections of MD truss provide additional support and panel points for hanging the fixtures.

Another important part of the equipment list was a complete motor package including twelve CM Model L, 1-tonne hoists with 60' of lift, a Skjonberg control unit and a cable management system fabricated by Tomcat. This system allowed all power and control cables for the hoists and light

UK - Slingco has installed a circular CableNet tension wire grid system - only the third circular one in the UK - at the Roundhouse in Camden. The venue is due to open next week after a 29.7 million refurbishment project setting it up as one of Europe's most dynamic performance spaces.

CableNet was initially specified by the project architects John McAslan and Partners as the safest and most flexible way of providing access to the high level technical space. This contains rigging, lighting and audio equipment above the stage and auditorium.

Slingco was initially consulted in 2002, and CableNet was an integral part of the rebuilding plans very early in the design process. They liaised with other civil and engineering contractors to co-ordinate the design, and ensure a smooth and efficient installation.

Circular tension wire grids are rare. Slingco's first UK model was complet

UK - Legendary guitarist Gary Moore will star in the charity music spectacular being held in Horam, East Sussex this summer. The ex-Thin Lizzy member, who recently accompanied BB King on the blues legend's farewell UK tour, will be headlining the 'Super Jam' session at Vibes from the Vines, at Hidden Spring Vineyard on Saturday, 12 August.

All proceeds from the one-day outdoor concert in Horam will go to Cancer Research UK. Gary, who recently released the album Old New Ballads Blues, will be joined by a host of other famous names including fellow guitarist Ray Russell, Mo Foster on bass, and drummer Gary Husband of Level 42.

The line-up for the day also includes percussionist Pete Lockett, who has played with Peter Gabriel and Robert Plant; John Helliwell, sax player from Supertramp; Leee John, lead singer of Imagination. Other guests include the Led Zeppelin tribute ba

UK - Stage Electrics is continuing its program of safety training courses tailored to the entertainment industry with more scheduled in July.

The four safety training courses will be held at the Birmingham Hippodrome from the 3 - 6 July and will include: Basic Health and Safety, Pyrotechnics Safety Awareness, Electricity At Work - The Entertainment Environment and Working At Height Regulations/Tallescopes & Ladders.

Stage Electrics is committed to raising standards in Health & Safety across our industry and is working closely with many other agencies to establish a recognised series of training courses that will improve standards, increase safety and promote the health of all those working in the industry.

Successful completion of the Pyrotechnics Safety awareness entitles free membership to the Association of Stage Pyrotechnicians (ASP).

Courses cost from £120 + VAT

UK - The first Stage Electrics Tradeshow held at RADA on Tuesday 16 May was a success, the company reports, with a wide range of products on show from industry leading manufacturers.

Stage Electrics worked with Matt Prentice and colleagues at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to present the tradeshow in the Vanbrugh Theatre.The event attracted a 60% increase in visitor numbers compared to the company's open day at its branch in Long Lane in May 2005.

Stage Electrics' major suppliers were on hand to demonstrate their latest products. Exhibiting at the show were Martin, Rosco, Zero88, Strand, ETC, Selecon, Mackie, Sennheiser, Le Maitre & Pulsar. The new Limelight XS-2000 Xenonspot together with Prolyte, Teclumen and Apollo products were presented by Stage Electrics business development managers Andy Elsegood and Ed Gamble.

Matt Prentice Head of Lighting Design at RADA says:&qu

UK - Entertainment lighting supplier White Light have announced its support of the 2006 Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference, to be held in London on June 11-13, immediately prior to the 2006 ABTT Trade Show at which White Light will be exhibiting.

Last held in 2002, the Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference brings together the many practitioners involved in creating successful performance spaces, from initial brief and financial planning right through to completion of the facility and opening it on time. Over two days, the conference will hold discussions on everything from designing a proscenium arch zone that will satisfy lighting designers, sound designers, directors, performers and the audience to the changes in culture that new arts buildings can bring.

White Light's involvement with the Conference reflects its continuing expansi

UK - PLASA, the Professional Lighting and Sound Association, has announced that the next meeting of its Manufacturers Forum will take place on Tuesday 18 July at the DTI Conference Centre in central London. The Forum, which was established in 2005 to allow PLASA to better understand the issues faced by its manufacturing members, is open to any member company who wishes to attend.

One of the dominant themes of the first few Forums has been that of manufacturers feeling the squeeze with legislation getting ever more complex and price competition intensifying. The twin directives of WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulation) and RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Regulations) - two new Environmental Regulations about to be implemented into UK law - are likely to have a major impact on manufacturers.

As part of its strategy for the next 12 months, PLASA is

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