The Netherlands - Belden Inc., a global leader in signal transmission solutions for mission-critical applications, has introduced a range of rugged high performance shielded Cat 6A cables for use in studios or in tactical field deployable audio/data installations. Designed as the ultimate field deployable product, these exceptionally robust cables can be used in the harshest of environments, yet deliver reliable performance for maximum uptime.

Belden CatSnake Cat 6A tested cables deliver superior performance thanks to the 100% coverage of the pairs as these are individually shielded with Beldfoil aluminium/polyester foil and an overall braided shield.

The new Belden CatSnake Cat 6A cables are extremely robust and have exceptional flexibility and flex life. This makes them ideal for use in high traffic areas, such as in broadcast studios or in any type of tactical, field deploy

UK - When Bliss Events was asked to manage a much bigger than previous Switch-On of the Regent Street Christmas lights, they turned to Star Events Group for a unique set of equipment. The brief called for a substantial stage with full PA and lighting rigging facilities, a fully roofed and raised grandstand for 220 VIPs and a screen support. All easy enough except for the need to close Regent Street on a busy Saturday in November. The road closure order gave just 6 hours to set up and 4.5 hours to remove everything. Star Events Group squeezed in the same mobile stage used for The Olympic Torch Relay, with just inches to spare between blocking the access to French Connection on stage right and the fire lane on stage left.

With Westminster City Council insisting that only mobile structures could be used (due to the need to re-open the road on time) and no mobile grandstand being bi

UK - The recent National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage event, which was broadcast live from the Olivier Theatre on London's South Bank, was a dazzling blend of live performance and archival footage celebrating the first half century of the UK's National Theatre. Stage Technologies supplied the automation equipment required for this landmark show, including 12 BT2-200 winches, an Illusionist console, and three AU:tour 6 automation control racks.

Steve Colley, head of stage engineering automation and rigging at the National Theatre said, "Stage Technologies played a very special role in the delivery of this extraordinary production. The level of co-operation required between the technical and project teams at Stage Technologies and the National Theatre team to deliver the event was very demanding. Stage Technologies' expertise, constant support and understanding were appr

Russia - Oslo Concert Hall is Oslo's music festive hall which opened in 1977 and has since become one of the most important institutes for music and culture in Norway.

Working with AVAB CAC AS, J&C Joel manufactured and installed five custom dyed Austrian Curtains made from IFR Sowerby Velvet (VEL700). The bespoke royal blue curtains were installed into the main hall which has a capacity for over 1400 seats. Each curtain was made separately to allow individual control with the installation of new support pulleys, hauling lines, aluminium spines and other hardware to bring the existing system up to date and enhance its operation.

The Front of House Curtain consists of a main curtain measuring 20.9m wide and two front side maskings measuring 2.7m wide and all with a 12.7m drop and 50% fullness. To complete the Front of House Curtain two rear side maskings were manufactured measu

Sweden - Working with consultants Runda Idéer AB, Stage Technologies has completed the second of two fixed installation projects in Östergötland County, southeastern Sweden. The theatres in Linköping and Norrköping, form the "Östgötateatern" or "Östgöta Theatre", Sweden's largest regional theatre, together with a third stage in in Linköping called the Elsas Hus "ung scen/öst" ("young stage").

Considered the "centre of cultural life in the County", these venues present 25 productions for audiences of over 100,000 per year. Stage Technologies updated the stage equipment in Linköping between July and October 2012, and completed a similar refurbishment on Norrköping in the same time frame in 2013.

Runda Idéer AB's Karl Runqvist said, "It was clear from the very first meetin

USA - When the Bergdorf Goodman department store in New York revealed its legendary holiday windows to hoards of shoppers with a performance by STREB Extreme Action Company, Unusual Rigging was on hand to ensure the event created a much talked about spectacular - and they didn't disappoint.

Having never before made a big event out of its windows unveiling, Bergdorf Goodman decided to change its demure attitude and approached STREB earlier this year with a request for a show-stopping extravaganza. This year's theme, Holidays on Ice, features display windows devoted to various annual American celebrations and STREB acrobats opened the show by dancing down the outside walls of the Fifth Avenue store, not unveiling the windows until they reached ground level.

Nate Terracio, STREB's production manager, said, "We were asked to create a showpiece that would really get eve

UK - VDC Trading Limited, the London-based company behind the Van Damme cable brand has recently been certified by Neutrik as a Certified opticalCON assembler (COCA), one of only 24 facilities world-wide and only the fourth in the UK. Thanks to VDC's investment in staff development and equipment, the company is now able to promote and deliver custom manufacture fibre optic solutions to a wide range of markets from a state-of-the-art laboratory at the Brandon Road Headquarters.

VDC CEO Niall Holden said, "This is a considerable investment but natural extension of our capability to deliver bespoke copper-based solutions. It represents a major step forward in our in-house cable technology and, as one of only four similar laboratories in the UK, will enable us to offer a vastly superior fibre optic service to our clients, but with the same great solution design and production t

UK - The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has launched a Smart PAL Card (Powered Access Licence), available in different languages, which is machine-readable and can be used to ensure that only trained operators can use mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) on site. Standard PAL Cards will continue to be issued and accepted on site.

The Smart PAL Card looks the same as the standard PAL Card - the data stored on the card, such as the operator name, number and categories trained in, is also printed on it. The only difference is that the Smart PAL Card is marked by a wireless icon and has a chip embedded in it.

The data in the chip can be read by a card reader fitted to the machine. The reader can be set up to accept certain data which in turn will allow the machine to be operated. This data includes whether or not the cardholder (operator) is trained, to what lev

Italy - Rigging Services has acquired the entire rental stock of Prolyte Truss from Naples based, Italian production coming company, Eurostage.

Since its formation in the 1990's Rigging Services has been one of the largest stockists of Prolyte Truss and Staging for dry hire , and one of the UK's largest dealers of Prolyte for resale .

Italy has seen a general slow-down in live events since the global economic problems hit Europe some five years ago. Contrasting this global trend, the Rigging Services business model has stimulated growth over the same period of time and has doubled in size. "The need for constant capitalisation of rental assets to feed its growth has been a great consumer of cash. Therefore acquisitions of complementary, good quality stock are always welcome," comments Paul Fulcher MD.

Complementing its existing range of truss, the Prolyte B100RV ,

Germany - Dart Rigging GmbH has been handling rigging on Rammstein shows since 2005 and for the band's last two tours has been using Ron StageMaster wireless load cells by Eilon Engineering to monitor the large set up and any overload issues.

"Rammstein rigs continue to get increasingly complex," states Dart co-owner Martin Gehring, who served as head rigger on Rammstein's 2009-2011 Liebe ist für alle da tour, as well as the 2011-2013 Made in Germany tour, which ended in August.

"When you take into account the automation systems, custom set elements like the special bridge we had for the latest tour and the band's famous logo-cross, and then add in the lighting pods and sound equipment, it's a lot of weight to worry about and load cells were a must."

The Ron StageMaster system's extremely long battery life gives continuous operation for up

UK - The organisers of the International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference (ITEAC) report that Stage Technologies is the major Sponsor of the 2014 conference.

Stage Technologies' continued support of the event by taking the principal Platinum sponsorship role for the third consecutive conference, illustrates the tremendous reputation that ITEAC has established over the last 12 years.

The launch of ITEAC 2014 recognises the demand for this major event, which seeks to investigate the developments that have already been made, and the innovations that will be required, in the ever-changing world of live entertainment.

The quadrennial three-day event, which will take place from Sunday 8 June 2014 to Tuesday 10 June 2014, brings together the world's leading theatre technicians, architects, engineers, consultants, acousticians and production managers, plus theatre mak

USA - Tomcat understands the importance of not only having the best truss and hoist/rigging equipment for your support structures, but also having the experience and knowledge to use it correctly and safely.

With this in mind, Tomcat is reintroducing its popular Tomcat U for newcomer and veteran riggers and hoist technicians in the entertainment industry.

The 2014 Tomcat U takes place from 17-20 February in Knoxville, Tennessee, home to the Tomcat factory and epicentre for the education of riggers and hoist technicians.

"The schools give extra value. I've been to three Tomcat schools and have used this training in practical applications. The knowledge and hands on experience from TOMCAT U have given me the confidence to handle situations when they turn nasty," says Kurt Jaeckel, Quickbeam Systems.

Tomcat U is an annual all-inclusive four-day hoist and rigging sch

USA - Prolyte has introduced a new TwinPin feature for its H series truss, in response to specific feedback from the North American marketplace.

Prolyte partner A.C. Lighting Inc. was instrumental in examining the market and identifying the advantages of developing the TwinPin format.

TwinPin offers build-up benefits whilst capitalising on the exceptional speed and performance of the internationally renowned conical coupler truss format pioneered by Prolyte in the early Nineties.

The TwinPin format enables truss grids to be built on the floor as one set of the holes sits horizontal to the ground negating the need to lift the truss to insert the pins. The other set of holes enables this TwinPin truss to still mate with existing Prolyte H Series truss. The excellent load bearing capacity of the truss is not affected by the extra hole. However, the 4-sided orientation will be r

UK - Case manufacture the 5 Star Group - parent company to 5 Star Cases Ltd. and Mossman Trunks Ltd. has launched an exciting new brand line - ProTect Bags & Covers.

This will specialise in the design and manufacture of tough, hard-wearing and practical bespoke padded bags, covers and associated products that will complement the vast range of case and trunk products offered by the 5 Star Group.

Manufacturing for ProTect is based at the existing 5 Star site in Cambridgeshire in a separate production unit recently acquired to help facilitate a general increase in business throughout 2013.

Being in a dedicated space will keep a separation between the case and the bag divisions and ensure maxim efficiency for the ProTect production process, which is headed up by operations manager, Andy Hudson, who has worked for 5 Star for over 23 years.

ProTect's products will bear all the h

South Africa - AV Unlimited was again appointed by Mela events to supply full technical for the South African leg of the Samsung Note3 World Tour launch. The event was held in Cape Town at the CTICC on September 26th where invited guests were flown in to the beautiful mother city to attend the launch of the Galaxy Note 3.The technical set up included over 240 moving lights and a truss count of more than 800m.

Earlier this year AVU provided the full technical at the Samsung S4 Launch and their new brief was clear: To create something absolutely different from the S4 Launch as the same press and celebrities would be in attendance.

With a background in interior design, AVU's In-house Creative Designer, Garrith Castelyn, worked closely with colleagues Victor Vermaak (Project Manager) and Renaldo van der Berg (Lighting Designer) to come up with a concept that would work in that ven

UK - It promised to be the most spectacular British Military Tournament to date and it didn't disappoint. In front of an audience of thousands and HRH the Duke of Cambridge, the Tournament presented dramatic re-enactments, nail biting high speed chases and daring stunts. And as show organiser Nick Mattingley of IMG explained, none of it would have been possible without Unusual Rigging on board.

"We have a somewhat historical relationship with Unusual Rigging. Four years ago, IMG approached Earl's Court as we wanted to stage a reincarnation of the Royal Tournament and Unusual Rigging was recommended as a company that would oversee the project from the technical stunt side of things. We have worked with them every year since and as the technicalities behind our stunts become more complex, we are certain that none would be possible without the Unusual touch."

While the

UK - The Great Hall is a stylish, professional-level theatre within the school grounds of one of England's premier independent schools, The Leys in Cambridge.

Designed by local architects Bland, Brown and Cole, with consultation from theatre consultants Charcoalblue, the Great Hall comprises a 337-seat theatre with retractable seating that transforms into a 600-seat Assembly Hall; a Drama Department incorporating three classrooms; a 120sq m drama studio with its own technical gantry, control room and backstage area; a 100sq m dance studio; social areas including a coffee bar and art gallery; and three science laboratories.

Working alongside lighting specialist White Light, Doughty Engineering supplied vital electrical and rigging components including internally wired bars and all facility panels, with the team from White Light overseeing the integration of power distribution a

UK - Jay-Z's current Magna Carter world tour has been wowing audiences across the globe since its first gig at Manchester Arena on 3 October. Wakefield's one-stop-shop stage, set and studio rental facility, LS-Live, was therefore a convenient first stop on the schedule for the US superstar.

For his first solo headline tour in almost four years, Jay-Z wanted to pull out all the stops, so his production team led by production manager Bobby Schneider enlisted LS-Live to design and build what was to become one of the company's biggest projects of 2013; an enormous set of internally lit cubes both on a rolling house stage and hung overhead, encompassing 17km of aluminium and 400 Pulsar LED ChromaPanels.

Schneider had worked with LS-Live on the successful production of Jay-Z's one-off show for the BBC Radio One Hackney Weekend in the summer of 2012, so he knew it would be an

USA - Sommer Cable and Hicon have named Danny Woodlief as representative and general distributor for the USA.

Danny is CEO of Wiring Solutions & Interconnect, a successful distributor for electronic components and cable, located in Fuquay-Varina, Wake County, North Carolina. Danny is not only a successful business man but also developer of electronics controls and an enthusiastic musician - the perfect match to Sommer cable and Hicon!

Wiring Solutions & Interconnect has a sales forces of more than 70 agents and has established state-of-the-art cable production. This Know-How will enable Sommer cable and Hicon to develop and produce the best possible products for the US market, says the company.

Danny will be supporting the Sommer Cable team at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, USA, from the 23-26 January 2014. He looks forward to this event meeting active and new Sommer

USA - PLASA Focus: Nashville 2014 is set for success with organizer PLASA Events confirming new exhibitors and seminar speakers. The event is taking place on 18-19 February 2014, at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

The latest exhibitors to sign up include AC Lighting, Apollo Design Technology, Doug Fleenor Design, ETC, LSC America, Philips Entertainment Lighting, Show Sage and Link. They will share the show floor with other industry leaders including; Aeson, ETC, Bandit Lites, Group One, Chauvet Professional, Lightronics, Elation Professional, Creative Stage Lighting, and Applied Electronics, to name a few.

Three new sessions have been added to the PLASA Focus: Nashville 2014 Professional Development Programme, a two-day programme of free educational seminars and workshops running alongside the event.

Ben Jumper, the owner of Soundcheck, will present After the Flood

UK - From gaffer tapes to stage floors, Le Mark's professional products have played a starring role throughout this years series of ITV's smash hit show The X Factor.

Le Mark's gloss black StudioTak professional stage floor has once again been installed on the set for ITV2's Xtra Factor, and also used on parts of the main X Factor stage and props.

Ideal for temporary sets, StudioTak is removed just as easily as it's installed, minimising setup and breakdown costs, whilst offering a stunning high gloss visual effect.

Dirty Rigger, MagTape professional gaffer tape, and a huge selection of supporting products have also played their part over the 10 years the prime time show has been running.

(Jim Evans)

Russia - Luc Lafortune held a lecture of great cultural interest, called Art and Poetry in Stage Lighting, on 5 December 2013 in Saint Petersburg. This exclusive event was held on the modern 'New Stage' in the Alexandrinsky Theatre by the theatre's managerial staff itself, with the cooperation of TDM Stage Equipment and Clay Paky. The event media partners were the Evening Petersburg newspaper, the main Russian media and state television.

Lafortune is considered one of the most creative lighting designers of the last 30 years. He is the author of several prestigious lighting design projects, including the shows of the Cirque du Soleil, the Turkmenistan Independence Day celebrations, the musical The House of the Dancing Water, and Peter Gabriel's Growing up tour.

In Saint Petersburg, in front of an audience of professionals, Lafortune spoke about his

UK - LSi Online has learned the sad news of the death of the veteran theatre consultant Richard Brett. Richard had suffered from mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, for over a year, and died peacefully at home on 9 January.

A partner in the theatre consultancy Theatreplan, Richard was also known as the conference director of the International Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference (ITEAC), which is due to hold its fourth event this year.

After studying engineering at University College London, Richard was trained by the BBC, and went on to work as managing director at Richard Pilbrow's Theatre Projects Consultants from 1967 to 1985, before forming his own professional practice. During his career, Richard was responsible for more than 50 major theatre projects and a large number of more modest performing arts schemes worldwide. He led the development of countless inno

Belgium - Belgian-based automation engineering specialists Wicreations designed and created five major automation elements for Mylène Farmer's highly visual 2013 Timeless tour, using a combination of bespoke and standard Wicreations products.

Mylène Farmer is one of the most successful French recording artists of all time. She has sold over 30m records worldwide and had 13 number one hits in the French charts eight of them consecutive, as well as working as a model and actress during a prolific and successful career.

Wicreations, renowned for their innovative work in the entertainment industry, were approached by the tour's production manager Didier Gaume and technical director Pascal "George" Meley, who have worked with them before on a number of projects, and asked if they could provide a number of solutions to help stage this spectacular show.

Timeless'

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