Rigging / Staging

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14 March 2016

The 30m x 22m stage was initially built and installed in the open air stadium for Nuit Africaine, an African music concert on 11 June. It remained in the stadium for use by the Black Eyed Peas on 22-25 June, and, with only a few weeks' notice, Prince on 30 June. Stageco made adjustments to the stage to suit each act, changing the configuration to meet different requirements.

The Black Eyed Peas played to 75,000 people during each of the three sell out nights, for which Stageco altered the floor level of the stage and adjusted the lighting and sound arrangement to maximise the audience's view.

Aaron Cass, the Black Eyed Peas tour manager comments: "I have been working with Stageco since 1996. They are always so prepared. We just

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14 March 2016

At the 2011 show, the 180sq.m Gerriets stand with its elaborately designed Track On Café (with reference to the new heavy duty Cargo track systems) was the meeting point for the fair visitors. Fifteen Gerriets employees from around the world were on hand to offer professional advice throughout the three days of the show. In addition to the technical and sales teams, the established in house Gerriets-exhibition-catering-crew kept everybody going with a constant supply of food and drinks.

Show Tech 2011 also saw the first appearance of the new comprehensive catalogue, Source Book, providing customers with the full Gerriets product range in one complete document.

There were many new products this y

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14 March 2016

The band who had a string of chart-topping hits in the 1990s are back on the road again with a world tour and their first studio album Room Service in 10 years.

The Roxette show was staged at Bergenhus Fortress & Castle (a greenfield site, which is part of a medieval fortress and castle) located in the middle of Bergen's historic centre. It was moved from its originally intended site and the capacity increased from 6,500 to 10,000 people - which was immediately - again - sold out.

The roof features seven tower supports and a top trussing grid made up of RTT and FTT trussing.

The structure is 20m wide by 16 deep

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14 March 2016

Headlining the programme is the 2011 Gottelier Masterclass presented by last year's winner of the Gottelier Award and one of the best known designers in the industry, Fred Foster. The theme of his talk will be a huge draw since his title is A Call To Arms - We Must Protect the Quality of Light.

Says Foster, "Faced with the headlong rush towards 'energy efficient' lighting, we as an industry must join together to defend the quality of light. While we have a duty to make and use more efficient sources of light, we must also work to ensure that these sources provide the beautiful full spectrum of light." The Gottelier Masterclass will be presented on Monday 12 September

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14 March 2016

It was the first time that the Belfast and Dublin based company has serviced a major stage at the high profile MCD promoted festival, which featured a line up including (on the Vodafone Stage) The Swedish House Mafia, The Strokes, Deadmau5, Tinie Tempah, The National and Pendulum.

The PSI team of seven was led by Sean Pagel, who also created a production design to satisfy all acts appearing.

The StageCo stage/roof measured 20m wide by 16 deep and offered 14m headroom, below which PSI sub-hung three 'festival LX' trusses and an additional 'festival artist' truss, to accommodate the requests of those who were carrying specials and extras. They also flew a tab-tra

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14 March 2016

All the cases are finished in a striking Navy Blue HPL (High Pressure Laminate) exterior - Alstom's corporate blue - and feature branding applied by using 5 Star's in-house screen printing facility.

5 Star's Steve Swann manages the account, and works closely with Alstom Power's department stores controller Mick McGrath on each individual case solution.

McGrath notes, "5 Star takes on every project with enthusiasm, and finds inventive and imaginative ways to ensure that we get exactly what we need. Nothing is ever too much trouble."

(Jim Evans)

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14 March 2016

The lecterns feature inbuilt technology to enhance the presenter's performance, and are designed not only for the presenter, but for the stage designer, event producer and professional AV technician. The lectern can be uplit in a corporate colour via a DMX-controllable LED panel.

An integral 7" screen displays PowerPoint, messages to the presenter or video feeds, while a stopwatch or clock can also be displayed from a separate PC. The screen has speakers for audio foldback.

A drawer in the rear of the lectern accommodates a laptop PC, with a VGA cable running through the lectern to stage level. Also integrated as standard are audio cables, including four microphone inputs, one auxiliary cabl

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14 March 2016

Vince Herbert, head of the Lighting Department for the RSC, will be on hand to demonstrate the RSC Lightlock's technology, discuss its evolution, and explain its use in the lighting system installed for the company's residency in New York. The event will be held on Tuesday, 2 August in the Wade Thompson Drill Hall of the Park Avenue Armory beginning at 2pm. The event is free and open to the first 50 registrants.

In addition to his responsibilities as the head of the RSC's Lighting Department, and his work in developing the award-winning technology of the Lightlock, Herbert has also overseen the reconstruction of the company's main theatre and home at Stratford

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14 March 2016

Readers can download the free app from Apple's App Store and browse the magazine on their iPhone or iPad, wherever they are.

LSi-View not only allows you to flick through the latest digital edition of the magazine (as well as our archive of back issues), you are also able to download useful or favourite issues or articles for future reference.

To visit the App Store and download your free LSi-View app, simply click here.

(Claire Beeson)

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14 March 2016

The overlay included a contemporary public village with bars, restaurant and shops, an office complex and a member's only area. Arena also provided a 55mx104m structure which was split into eight adjoining tents for the rowing teams. The tents incorporated a royal blue and white striped exterior design to reflect the iconic Royal Henley Regatta's branding that has welcomed decades of rowers and revellers.

In addition, the Arena Group constructed two grandstands with almost 3,000 tiered seats, positioned beside the River Thames to ensure the best viewing experience for spectators.

A rapid turnaround was required after the regatta had finished, amending the structures and grandstands in time for the Henley music festival. The Arena Group also altered the i

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14 March 2016

"The new Cool Confetti Blasters have an improved injection system that increases the jet efficiency, therefore pushing confetti higher and extending the flight time," says the company. "The latest design produces a higher output which is 45% higher than other machines on the market. We produce better results with less machines and therefore take a smaller footprint and provide a more cost effective solution for your confetti launch."

Highlight will be demonstrating the Cool Confetti Blasters on stand 1H41.

(Claire Beeson)

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14 March 2016

A crowd of over 200 admired the Vulcan XH558 bomber plane at its new permanent home in Hangar 3 at Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster, Sheffield, the historic site of former RAF Finningley. The iconic aircraft, said to be one of the most popular planes in the world, will be open to the public and available for private and commercial events.

"This is one of the biggest steps for Vulcan XH558 since her return to flight in 2007. It brings a new era of opportunities that will help to fund her future and provide new levels of access for her supporters," said Vulcan to the Sky Trust CEO, Dr Robert Pleming.

Aviation event company Directions CIC needed support in producing the event to celebrate the return of the Vulcan and LS-Live sup

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14 March 2016

The Academy, which is based in Wakefield, will be offering Apple courses that are relevant to this field, as well as courses for Apple beginners and enthusiasts.

Tuition will take place at The Backstage Academy's new facility, adjoining the LS-Live rehearsal studio, which is one of the largest purpose-built rehearsal spaces in Europe.

The Academy has an Apple Authorised Training Suite, modern classrooms, a 3D viewing suite and 14 en-suite bedrooms to accommodate participants who may wish to stay overnight.

David Kirtlan, an Apple education mentor and education director at The Backstage Academy, said, "Our courses cater really well for those working in live events production, as well as lecturers and technicians who provide sup

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14 March 2016

Located in Earls Court 2, the feature takes the form of a theatre-in-miniature, complete with 'auditorium', 'stage', 'backstage', 'foyer' and 'box office'. In each area The Theatres Trust will demonstrate proven sustainability techniques, as well as featuring technologies from PLASA 2011 exhibitors.

Tim Atkinson, theatre building services advisor to The Theatres Trust, comments, "The larger space means our stage will be able to accommodate a greater variety of presentations and events. Another key development is that, whereas last year we had only signed up half of

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14 March 2016

The company cites benefits including performing labelling jobs with 77% fewer keystrokes than the competition, hot keys to eliminate guesswork, quick formatting of common labels, a pre-programmed library of terms and symbols, memory storage for up to 1,000 custom labels, quality craftsmanship and integrated shock bumpers, and customizability for adding graphics and logos to labels.

The labels are also designed withstand moisture, heat, solvents, oil, dirt, chemicals and UV rays without smearing, fading or peeling, and the machines feature lithium-ion rechargeable batteries for fast charging a

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14 March 2016

The cart, says the company, is designed for creative professionals, including musicians, DJs, photographers, cinematographers, filmmakers, studio engineers, audio/video techs and stage crews.

Patent-pending features including the multi-position handle and sliding support arm were designed and engineered for ergonomics, strength, stability, maneuverability and ease of use. The V-CartSolo comes with a range of accessories including flat bungee bands, grip tape, carpeted puzzle decks and an extra-large extension frame.

The cart quickly transforms from its compact and portable storage mode to three configurations: four-

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14 March 2016

In common with all of its seats, says Jezet, the Plaza Plus is characterised by an ergonomic and comfortable design. The seat is designed for installation in auditoria, theatres, cultural centres and exhibition halls, and is available in various finishes.

The company has been a supplier of retractable seating systems, seats for theatres, auditoria and sports halls for more than 35 years. From its Overpelt, Belgium, base it handles the development process, from preliminary studies to the end product, completely in-house, delivering made-to-measure solutions to ensure, it says, that every individual space is laid out in the most functional and flexible way possible.<

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14 March 2016

Following the speculation across the international press last week that the stage, nicknamed the 'Claw', will be available to buy after the tour, stage design and manufacturer Stageco prepares to welcome the systems back to their US and Belgium headquarters.

Stageco was involved from the earliest stages of the Claw's planning and conception, working closely with U2, show director Willie Williams, set designer Mark Fisher and production manager Jake

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14 March 2016

Hall Stage has designed a specific entry level zero-fleet hoist - the DGZ - with a 350kg load on four lines & 15m travel, moving a stage flybar at 12m per minute - three times the speed of regular chain hoists or standard pilewind units. Designed for service use with lighting and technical equipment or basic scenery moves, the unit comes complete with all necessary drop pulleys and bar, wire ropes and local control for less than £5,000.

Additional options include programmable control, variable speed up to 1.5m/second, flyi

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14 March 2016

Total Fabrications is manufactured under licence by Stage Audio Works in Africa, making this world-renowned truss design more easily available to the local market. The obvious benefits for local customers with local manufacture and back-up service, is that expensive international freight costs will be eliminated and time delays will be all but eradicated.

Members of the team were also spinning Black and White on the stan

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14 March 2016

The Stageline SL50 portable stage measures 6.1m by 4.9m (20' by 16') and features a fiberglass roof, light & sound rigging, full banner capability and an option of two roof heights. It can be towed by a SUV or pickup and sets up in 30 minutes, says Stageline.

"The reduced trailer dimensions make it very easy to park in tight locations. With the new SL50, owning a Stageline mobile stage is within everyone's reach and delivers a fast return on investment."

(Claire Beeson)

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14 March 2016

Rehearsals had taken place over three weeks in June at Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, another venue where Showsec is the contracted security partner. With huge media interest producers demanded the specifics of the show, including the plot, remained a closely-guarded secret. Showsec was engaged to ensure the venue remained a closed set throughout rehearsals, with only members of the production crew and cast having access.

Prior to the opening night an audience of 4,000 guests were specially invited to the Manchester MEN Arena; a final opportunity to fine-tune aspects of the production and ensure the venue staff understood how Batman Live differed from other shows.

Tim Chambers, Showsec's project m

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14 March 2016

Usedtruss.com was established four years ago to provide a dedicated one stop shop for the rigging and trussing community looking for quality 'named brand' equipment at very competitive prices.

"We work very closely with most of the leading manufacturers and rental companies in the industry and have built up an excellent reputation in the four years we have been developing this market," said Usedtruss.com's Amsterdam based, Benjamin Hollenberg.

"By constantly improving the way we work, and by keeping costs to a minimum, we have given manufacturers the possibility of securing sales they might not have in the past. And that is exactly why we have now added th

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14 March 2016

A joint statement says, "This is exciting news for employees and business partners of both companies. The Wenger Corporation and J.R. Clancy are long standing privately owned businesses with shared values, dedicated and loyal employees, great brands, strong heritages, and great reputations in the marketplace.

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Owatonna, Minnesota, Wenger designs and manufactures specialised equipment and solutions for music education, performing arts, and related markets for both domestic and international clientele. Wenger offers acoustical products, chairs, classroom products, conductor's equipment, staging and risers, stands, storage products, fixed audience seating and orchestra pit fillers.

Wenger offe