Rigging / Staging

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14 March 2016

The Grand Theatre built in 1878 was a major milestone in Victorian theatre building and is listed Grade II. Once described as "probably the finest theatre of its size in Britain," the Grand's 19th century facilities no longer met present day audience and performance expectations. Working conditions backstage and facilities for artists were increasingly difficult and inefficient.

The £16m first phase works on the theatre have involved new seating, improved sight lines, better ventilation and improved facilities for the disabled. Backstage, the fly tower and flying systems have been upgraded, and two new rehearsal rooms constructed on an adjacent site are connected to the Theatre by a wide bridge, which also acts as a sc

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14 March 2016

"This project proved to be a tough physical challenge as it required a huge amount of staging," said Ted Featonby, project manager for Stage One. He continued: "This is demonstrated by the fact that at the height of the build we had nearly 40 Stage One employees on site."

The Aberdeen Conference Centre was transformed for the series of events. In the reception area Stage One provided three graphics areas by constructing three, semi-circular towers. Made of steel tubing, these were 4m high with a diameter also of 4m, with graphics applied. In front of them were three ab

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14 March 2016

Vertigo Rigging built the platform on twin truss legs, with the platform itself mounted atop 52cm Libera flat section truss using the company's latest decking product, Flightdeck. The structure, pre-rigged and lifted in and out by crane, was secured to the building's canopy using rigging points previously installed at Selfridges by Vertigo for a promotional event in 2004.

Clear Island Productions supplied the PA and lights, while Mojo Barriers provided barriers. Security

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14 March 2016

AVW Controls started as a sole trader business in November 1996, and was incorporated in 1998. AVW has remained a fairly small enterprise but has taken on some impressive automation projects over the years including the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, Disneyland Paris, National Theatre and numerous West End productions. AVW has also won the prestigious ABTT Engineering product of the year award twice, first in 2002 for the Impressario motion control system and again this year for the Pegasus power flying system.

As AVW move into their second decade of trading, the company's aim will be to continue to provide clients old and new with first class stage automation, says Woodward.

(Lee Bal

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14 March 2016

Production Manager Keith Morris quickly assessed the situation - at this time the wind was still very angry and gusting up to 70mph, but the immediate danger had passed. The wind gusts had followed a very specific path and had also uprooted several mature trees.

Immediately the news reached Steven Corfield and the Serious Stages team, they worked through the night to put toge

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14 March 2016

The spooky spider was created by Automotive Event Specialists (AES) of Corona, CA, using trussing provided by Global Truss America. It was the brainchild of AES's Ernie Beckham, who was commissioned to create a display sponsored by Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge to showcase six vehicles at the entrance to the festival.

"We decided to do something

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14 March 2016

The proposed conference will broadly examine the current practices of the production industry and look at how companies and organisations can take steps to minimise the carbon footprint of staging shows, supplying and touring equipment, catering for audiences, etc. The event will draw on the expertise of the team at The Eden Project, the popular tourist attraction in the South West of England, whose environmental policies underpin a series of 'green' gigs at the venue.

At this stage, PLASA is gauging the level of interest in such an event, so we want to hear from everyone in the industry who would like to be involved. If you w

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14 March 2016

Poyner achieved success in former companies Audience Systems and Hussey Seating, delivering good financial results, winning key accolades, notably the Queens Award for Export and American Institute of Export Awards, and helped to create new European standards that shaped the industry.

Poyner said: "I have known Arena Seating for many years; they are certainly the leading event seating company in the UK and I am looking forward to working with some fantastic people and developing new opportunities for us all."

(Lee Baldock)

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14 March 2016

A dedicated seven-man project team was deployed by Hawthorn for the week-long conference, which included such events as an Opening Dinner, Conference and a Team Building activity room for the 200+ delegates. Matt Oscroft, the Hawthorn project manager said: "One of the most demanding aspects of the project was to create a stunning lighting effect at the entrance of the venue."

Diageo took the opportunity at the conference to highlight its sponsor

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14 March 2016

Six Showsec staff led by Tracey McCarthy ensured the 250 international delegates were not only safe but greeted cordially throughout the two day summit as they made their way around the two levels of the event.

(Chris Henry)

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14 March 2016

The system is controlling twenty 500kg VariStar motors (with a speed of up to 30 metres a minute) which are moving four large 'shamrocks' - irregular triangular shaped trussing set pieces - dressed with reflective scrims and four bars each rigged with four Vari*Lite 2500 Spots upstage. All these pieces appear to 'float' in and out during the performance - such is the smoothness and accuracy of K2.

The system was specified by lighting and visual designer Geert Vanhout, who first saw it used with Belgian rock superstars Clouseau. It's being supplied by leading Belgian production company EML who are also supplying lighting and sound to the Night of The Proms production.

Three moto

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14 March 2016

Working for MTV Networks Europe, Stage One built all of the Ray Winkler-designed stage and set elements, along with specific band extras for several of the artists, including Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake, P Diddy and Rihanna.

The main stage and performance areas consisted of a 40m diameter, horseshoe shaped stage, along with a 12m diameter central performance area and several presenter islands. All stage areas were clad in over 900sq.m of black mirror gloss laminate, with a three-strip Neo Light detail to the edges.

Providing several unusual access points onto the stage were two time tunnels consisting of structural rings, inserted with Neo Ligh

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14 March 2016

The main objective of PALME is to allow for manufacturers, suppliers and installers to meet with Middle Eastern buyers and specifiers from a wide range of industries who have a need or requirement for professional sound, light, music, audio-visual and systems integration equipment and solutions. The latest major companies to sign up for PALME 2007 include EVI Audio, Indu Electric, Martin Professional, RCF Spa, Prolyte, Projectiondesign, Audioprof and BG Franck Bichon to name but a few, say IIR.

The 2007 PALME Middle East sh

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14 March 2016

Prior to the wedding, Cobrin will be hosting a stag night at a large West London venue: "All the girls from the Pussy Cat Dolls will be there" he said lasciviously, "and I expect about another 10,000 guests to turn up." Watch the press for announcements.

We wish Lester well.

(Steve Moles)

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14 March 2016

Contrary to what was previously reported, following the 2006 event, the next edition of SIB is scheduled to be held at Rimini expo centre from 6-9 April 2008. Rimini Fiera chairman Lorenzo Cagnoni commented: "Yesterday we announced the important agreement with TEN, a network of 50 large companies in this sector (lighting, audio and video, décor and theatre stage equipment and sets, musical instruments, industrial design firms, design studios, training, research) which has officially chosen SIB for developing its members' business

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14 March 2016

Hosted by SAP, supplier of enterprise software applications and businesssolutions, Sapphire '06 Paris is an International customer conference heldfor three days for decision makers and businesses from more than 25 industriesworldwide.

To host and support the many different elements of the conference, a largeand intricate infrastructure was supplied. Blackout staff were involvedwith not only with the supply of product, but were also on site to helpwith the rigging of the venue, which included 800 rigging points and 6km ofBlackout truss to support over 3,700 lights.

Over two kilometres of drapes were used as well as cyclorama and banners.Blackout allocated, partitioned and dressed each area. Exhibition space wasdressed

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14 March 2016

Stage Technologies worked with set building company Scena to create this scenic piece which is raised and lowered from the grid and also rotates along horizontal axis, all of which is controlled by an Acrobat control console.

As well as beautiful mountain backdrops, the story of the problematic Maria unfolds amidst the stone walls of an abbey and the beautiful Von Trapp family mansion house. Large automated trucks bring the house on stage in four sections. The synchronisation and millimetre positioning of these trucks is vital to bring each piece toget

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14 March 2016

"This year at LDI we were honoured to receive both awards on top of the extraordinary feedback from attendees on the show floor. We were very happy with the response at the show before Saturday night's awards, but we were really happy on Sunday morning," says Tom Young, vice president of marketing for JR Clancy. "We're particularly pleased by these awards because the LDI award is from judges who are end users and specifiers of the product and the ESTA award is from dealers, who we consider our partners."

The PowerAssist allows the user to automate existing counterweight rigging sets, as well as add motorised rigging to new proj

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14 March 2016

In 2006 the record-breaking show boasted a record attendance representing a 5% growth, and packed the venue's three halls to capacity with over 100 exhibiting companies. Over 2400 visitors including theatre and venue managers, technical directors, technicians, technical managers, heads of drama departments, architects, consultants, designers, and building services managers attended.

To maintain this level of growth, the organisers are committed to focussing time and money into an expanded PR and marketing campaign that will raise awareness of the show and have a drive into both the educati

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14 March 2016

If you would like to take the arena rigging, theatre rigging, or electrical examination at USITT, please submit your completed application, including all supporting documents and fee, postmarked on or before 1 February, 2007.

For more information, eligibility requirements or applications, please contact Katie Geraghty, ETCP certification director at the e-mail address below.

If you are unable to attend USITT, you can apply to take an examination at a t

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14 March 2016

A steel belt clip allows you to fast fix the light pouch to any convenient pocket, belt or harness. This allows clear 'close in' illuminated access to tools, say Le Mark.

(Chris Henry)

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14 March 2016

Stockholm-based Spectra Stage & Event Technologies supplied equipment for the show, which includes 90 Par-64, two Syncrolite B-52, 200 Egg Strobes, 3 Data Flash Strobes, 13 Blachiere Christmas decorations, 3 High End Systems F-100 Fog Generators, 96 flood lights, and 12 Color mixing fluorescen

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14 March 2016

While installing the 56 acoustic roller blinds and three Venetian acoustic banners in the Lawrence Hall, Triple E had also provided a semi-permanent, manual pipe and drape partition system which allowed the staff to mask off the hall's 14 side bays. The drapes, manufactured by J&C Joel, were of reversible, double sided, bonded wool serge, providing the option of black or sand coloured drapes, the latter being dyed, like the acoustic blinds and banners, to colour match the walls.

David Edelstein, managing director of Tri

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14 March 2016

He designed four upstage/downstage 'claw' trusses as the key architectural elements of the lighting rig, and these moved constantly during the show into different positions, adding depth and dynamics to the overhead stage rig.

Each claw truss - two at 40ft long and two at 38ft - was suspended by five motors - two static Lodestar hoists downstage and three Kinesys vari-speed Liftkets on the upstage hinges, which moved them in and out via a Kinesys Vector control system.

Hung on the claws was the majority of Legg's lighting rig - including five High End Studio Command 1200 fixtures, four X-Spo