project news

Coemar De Sisti installs the latest European Hoist Technology at University of Technology Sydney

In August 2007 Peter Kemp (Coemar De Sisti's managing director) met with James Hurley (UTS - Media Centre manager) to discuss the planned revamp of a space they referred to as Shooting Stage/TV Studio/blackspace.

The first consideration for the space was an efficient rigging system for lights that would suit a variety of uses for the space and also take into account the regulations etc. regarding the use of ladders etc when rigging lights. James visited the installation Coemar De Sisti Australia had done at Foxtel Studios and was very impressed with the De Sisti lighting hoists. As discussions took place Peter introduced a new version of the De Sisti lighting hoists whereby the normal stainless steel ropes have been replaced with stainless steel flat band, which due to the reduction in thickness (as compared to stainless steel rope), on a pile winding system enables a more or less constant torque during movement. And another advantage is the reduction in variation of speed from the bottom position to the top position when compared to rope systems.

In addition to the lighting hoists James wanted to install a dimming system, new lighting console and an extensive patch system for audio and video.

A submission was prepared and accepted by UTS which included Coemar De Sisti Australia, strengthening the existing grid structure for suspension of the new lighting hoist system and installation of all the equipment.

Some early installation work was carried out prior to Christmas 2007 which then allowed UTS to have the floor of the space totally resurfaced, Coemar De Sisti's installation team then went back on-site in January 2008 to prepare for the arrival of the lighting hoists from Italy in Feb/March. All wiring and fixings for the lighting hoist was completed as well as the dimmed and hot circuit wiring, data distribution, audio and video wiring and patch system plus dimmer installation just before the hoists arrived on-site. The installation team then proceeded to install the hoists and commission the complete installation for handover to UTS.

For dimming Coemar De Sisti installed LSC Eko dimmers (a tried and proven dimming system Coemar De Sisti have installed in many studios throughout Australia) plus a Coemar De Sisti data distribution system to provide lighting data throughout the studio.

Rundle Lantern - a Beacon of Innovation in Adelaide

When the city fathers (and mothers) of Adelaide, capital of South Australia, wanted to enliven their city precinct by night, they conducted a design competition to see what might be offered. Local design firm Fusion, knocked them out with a proposal to permanently wrap an eight-story car park building with a moving illuminated canvas.

Fusion's concept was not for yet another giant video screen suitable for watching football, motor racing or music videos. According to designer Damien Mair: "The vision for the Lantern was to create an experience that would capture the imagination of the city and add beauty to people's lives."

Wrapping more than a thousand square metres of display around a car park building that relies entirely on natural ventilation to clear away the exhaust fumes from its occupants, calls for an unusual screen format. Mair's solution was to construct the display from 754 individual anodized aluminium "tiles" individually angled to allow maximum viewing from the streets below, but offering minimal impediment to the building's natural air flow.

Each of the 714 active tiles is illuminated from below by a pair of custom-built Space Cannon Bisquit LED luminaries, for a total of 1428 "pixels". The Bisquit luminaires deployed on the Rundle lantern are IP66 rated exterior fixtures containing12 high-efficiency LED sources (four red, four green and four blue). They are configured for full-spectrum RGB colour mixing via DMX512A, and remote addressing using the RDM protocol.

Images are fed over Ethernet to the Rundle Lantern from a Hippotizer V3 Stage media server in the bottom of the building, and distributed by Enttec's Datagate and Ethergate decoders via banks of Technical Art Solution DMX splitters. System design and configuration was undertaken by Fabian Barzaghi and Dan Ditmann of Space Cannon Australia.

Content creation and management for the Lantern is supplied as part of an ongoing contract by the design team at Fusion, using Green Hippo's Pixel Mapper software and the Zoo Keeper remote management software, from their facility in central Adelaide.

Chapel off Chapel Update Lighting Systems

After recommendation from a number of industry professionals, Chapel off Chapel approached Coemar De Sisti Australia with regard to upgrading their theatre's lighting system.

The existing dimming system at Chapel Off Chapel utilised LSC wall packs which have done an excellent job over the years, however they wanted to update the dimmers including adding additional channels and getting rid of their patch system, plus having a system that would meet their future requirements.

After reviewing the lighting systems and working with Simon Prentice (Chapel Off Chapel's venue technician) on operational aspects of the theatre, Coemar De Sisti Australia proposed a system of five LSC Eko dimmer racks and a Houston monitoring system, plus the replacement of the main switchboard feeding the dimmers and other lighting facilities within the main theatre.

Chapel Off Chapel are extremely busy throughout the year and had a small window in late December and early January in which they wanted the work carried out, so Coemar De Sisti's installation team worked within this tight time-frame and delivered a complete, installed and commissioned system for Chapel with handover in early January this year.

The new system gives Chapel Off Chapel increased capacity for large theatre shows and all of the updated features of the LSC Eko range, plus the remote monitoring facilities of Houston system.

Frankston Waterfront LED Feature

As part of on-going waterfront developments and upgrades, the city of Frankston, gateway to Melbourne's booming Mornington Peninsula, negotiated the manufacture of a customised sign utilising a weatherproofed version of Coemar De Sisti Australia's highly successful RGB XChip.

The sign is made of 19 individual stainless steel letterforms, which combine to read ‘Frankston Waterfront'. Fitted and pre-wired to each letter are RGB XChip modules, which were supplied ready for simple on-site installation to an artistic rock wall.

Working in close collaboration with the manufacturer of the letterforms, Coemar De Sisti Australia were able to supply custom looms for power feed to each letter from the XChip drivers.

All responses to date have been incredibly positive, with many comments being particularly impressed with the ease with which the project was supplied. Additionally, the sign has made a big impact with the locals, who seem very impressed with the colourfulness and vibrancy of the LED illumination.

ETC Help Palazzo Las Vegas Achieve Leadership Standard

Thanks in part to ETC lighting products, the Palazzo Las Vegas is not only the newest, tallest and most luxurious hotel and resort complex on the Strip, it is also the greenest. The $1.9 billion (£1.1 billion), 50-storey Palazzo Las Vegas opened in December 2007, and now holds a Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the US Green Building Council.

The largest LEED structure in the world, Palazzo Las Vegas presages a new era of conservation minded building construction in the area. According to an article in USA Today, plans are underway to build more than 50 million square feet (4.6 million sq m) of new casino resort projects to LEED standards on and around the Strip, and existing resorts are looking at improving their energy efficiency.

Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of LEED compliance, and ETC lighting products were one element that enabled Palazzo Las Vegas to meet the standard. An ETC Unison lighting control system and ETC Sensor+ dimming were part of the installed lighting package, plus more than 100 ETC Source Four luminaires, which are an energy-frugal standard of the industry. The Unison system is programmed to save energy through automated functions such as occupancy sensing (dimming the lights when no people are present in a space) and daylight harvesting, where lights are dimmed in response to the amount of available natural light.

"We're starting to automatically approach projects from a green mindset," says Buddy Pope, senior project manager with the Las Vegas office of 4Wall Entertainment. 4Wall Entertainment established the general lighting control guidelines and specified the lighting control package that was provided to supplier Gexpro, to meet the requirements of the various lighting designers for the space. "For instance," he continues, "we make the most of sky-lit areas through the use of daylight sensors, automatic dimming and the ability to turn off entire circuits. The ETC Unison control is well suited to that because it is designed to perform astronomical functions and to interface with photo cells."

The Palazzo complex includes a hotel tower of over 3,000 guest suites surrounded by a vast, sky-lit podium/atrium area designed by architect HKS Inc, featuring luxury retail shops and world-class dining and entertainment. The theatre there is a permanent venue for the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys.

Kaplan Gehring McCarroll Architectural Lighting Inc (KGM) provided lighting design for much of the complex. "The aesthetic challenges are a little different when lighting an interior that already has so much natural light," comments KGM partner Martin van Koolbergen. "You're no longer dealing with space as a box. In certain areas, you have to counter the intensity of the natural light and balance it with uplighting and decorative features. At night, the lighting control system has to be balanced to maintain the proper foot candles on the ground to meet emergency standards, deemphasise the ‘black holes' of the skylights and retain the monumental feeling of the architecture. A lot depended on the use of energy-efficient lamps and sources, and the ETC control system with its dimming capacity."

The Palazzo's annual savings in electricity is reckoned to be more than 10.6 million kilowatt hours, enough to power 700 homes for a year, or brew six million cups of coffee.

"This project is a new benchmark for the industry," says van Koolbergen. "It demonstrates that the developer of a major upscale property - on the Strip or elsewhere - can maintain standards for quality, drama and experience and also be environmental good guys. Not only do you create more efficient spaces, you create a setting that is pleasant and healthier in which to live and work." KGM worked closely with owner Las Vegas Sands Corp, HKS and consulting firm Ernst & Young on the specifics of LEED compliance.

Additional lighting designers on The Palazzo project included Pivotal Lighting Design (Canyon Ranch), First Circle (Cut Restaurant), IDC New Jersey (Carnevino Restaurant), Bliss-Fasman (Charlie Trotter Restaurant), Tom Ruzika (Morels Restaurant), Isometrix (Sushi Samba), Arc Lighting (Bath House) and Focus Lighting (Dos Caminos and Table Ten restaurants).

The lighting gear list includes a total of 50 ETC dimmer racks, 97 ETC Unison stations, over 1,800 ETC dimmer modules, 52 Source Four HID 150W luminaires, and 50 Source Four 375W luminaires.

In picture: The lobby at Palazzo Las Vegas

www.etcconnect.com

Frankston Art Centre Upgrades with d&b audiotechnik

The Frankston Arts Centre is an iconic landmark in one of Melbourne's fastest growing areas. Designed by renowned Australian architect, Daryl Jackson, the Frankston is one of the largest metropolitan and regional arts venues in Australia. It is a major focus for the performing arts in the region with facilities that contribute to the growing stature of local companies and provide a venue for local dance schools, as well as tertiary and secondary student productions.

It was decided that they needed a new world class loudspeaker system to take the venue's bookings and offerings into the next level. The previous system was locally designed and built and had been the in-house system since the venue opened in 1995. When the time came to upgrade, venue sound technician and long time fan of d&b audiotechnik systems, Ben Thompson contacted Simon Moran of Optim Audio who ultimately installed the new system.

Three clusters arranged in a left, centre and right configuration make up the main system. Each of these clusters consists of one Ci60 and one Ci90 loudspeaker arrayed in a vertical setup. d&b audiotechnik loudspeakers are also installed in delay positions with E3s in the upper balcony, E0s covering under the balcony delays and further E0s employed as front fills. Rounding out the low end are d&b Ci7-SUBs.

The whole system is driven by d&b E-PAC amplifiers while system control and monitoring are accomplished via the d&b Remote network. A bespoke application for the R1 Remote control software was created jointly by Stefan Goetz from d&b's Education and Applications Support team in Germany and Shane Bailey from National Audio Systems, the d&b Distributor for Australia and New Zealand.

Ben Thomson takes up the story: "I believe the Frankston Arts Centre now has one of the best sound systems available and is the first proscenium arch theatre to install a d&b system in Australia. Since installation, we have received outstanding feedback by providing this world-class, quality sound system. Not only does the d&b system improve the sound of performances coming into the Centre (i.e. Adam Brand & John Stevens; David Hobson) but it also provides unique opportunities for community groups to access a state of the art sound system."

SoBar, So Good

The SoBar Nightclub at Sydney's, Australia lower north shore Cremorne Hotel has recently been transformed and reinvented with a AUD $2M fit out by Design Innovators - SJB.

DJW Projects were contracted to undertake the sophisticated audio and lighting install, emphasising their own philosophy of "total integration of all systems." Dave Croxon, DJW's MD, commented: "One of the key issues we had to undertake was selecting a dimming and control system that was easy to use, provide enough useful features and was rock solid and reliable. After evaluating a number of commercially available systems, we chose the LSC EKO wall mount dimmers and e-PLATE wall controllers."

Dave continued: "I was attracted to the EKO dimmer by the immediate support provided through the integrated touch screen on the front panel. No matter what else was happening in a commercial installation, if there is a problem somewhere, the touch screen lets you go straight to the dimmer and set a channel to 100% so the client has some lights on and the venue continues to operate."

Another key feature that Croxon liked was the separate install frame of the EKO dimmer that allowed him to connect all lighting circuits to the terminals on the frame and test continuity without the actual dimmer being present. Prior to official opening, the dimmers were then connected to the install frames and final commissioning commenced, thus not exposing the dimmer internals and electronics to dust, paint and other particles that play havoc with sensitive equipment during the construction phase.

Dave concluded "When integrated with LSC's e-PLATE remote wall controllers, we have provided SoBar with a very simple to use and highly reliable Lighting solution. It was so successful we now have chosen LSC EKO dimmers for a number of our new projects."

www.lsclighting.com

Martin Equips P&O Cruises Ventura

The largest superliner built exclusively for the British market, the 116,000 ton P&O Cruises Ventura, calls Southampton her home port. On April 18, soon after delivery from Italy's Fincantieri shipyard, the Ventura sailed on her maiden voyage to the Mediterranean, decked out in a full complement of colour and effect lighting from Martin Professional.

"In my role as entertainment consultant to P&O Cruises I was instrumental in selecting Martin as the lead supplier to provide the ‘moving light' elements of the entertainment systems for Ventura," states Chris Blackburn of Snap2Black.

Ventura incorporates flexible Martin lighting systems into several areas of the ship. Its many unique features - multiple bars, lounges, and show spaces, not to mention a variety of pools and relaxation areas - means she offers fantastic choice. "Most major entertainment areas are multi-use, although they do have a main use focus," says Chris. "They all have an identity."

The two-deck Arena Theatre is the ship's primary show space. "The brief was to augment the generic rig with moving light and mirror fixtures. There were three or four companies all with equipment that we could have used, but the decision went to Martin to supply, which we are all very pleased with," Chris says.

Chris mentions reliability, maintenance, ease of use, ease of installation and lighting effect as key factors in choosing the Martin lighting gear, but light output and technical support were of paramount importance. He states: "We were looking for brightness as a key element, as well as flexibility of the unit. But one of the most important for me was the confidence I felt with Martin as a company to provide the backup and support in what is always a difficult time when launching a ship.

"It's a very harsh environment with vibration issues which you don't have in land based productions. There is the constant change in temperature and the gear is really hammered. The ship is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year with something going on virtually all of the time so the equipment is used for more than just evening performances. We're looking for reliability in the mechanics of the fixture because once we put it up in a rig it's pretty much set there."

Positioned in the theatre rig are 11 MAC 700 Profiles, 35 MAC 700 Washes, 14 MAC 550 Profiles and 16 Atomic 3000 strobes. The rig supports more than the main shows but a variety of on board activities from cabaret performances and theme nights to marketing activities.

The Arena Theatre stages several quality productions produced by Jean Ann Ryan Productions. Lighting designer for the on-board productions is Jim Ryan of Infocus FX and Lighting. Permanent lighting technician onboard Ventura is production manager Greg Edrich.

You can dance the salsa to Latino rhythms in Havana or relax in the exotic show lounge, The Tamarind Club. In either venue, you'll be enjoying yourself beneath a Martin rig of 4 Mania SCX 700 effect lights, 4 MX-10 Extreme scanners and 4 Martin smartMAC moving heads. In Havana are an additional 12 Wizard Extreme effect lights and 2 Atomic 3000 strobes. In both venues, a Martin Magnum Club Smoke system, a unique multi-headed fog delivery package with a ground based fluid supply, provides the mid-air projection canopy for light beam and atmosphere enhancement. The Martin gear is used to augment an existing rig and adds a high energy element to both areas.

"Everyone onboard fell in love with the smartMAC," comments Chris Blackburn. "I first saw it at PLASA. The profile, the size, the fact that it actually looks quite funky for that environment, and with energy savings more important than even a few years ago, it's a good fixture for ships. It's also quick to get at and easy to service."

The smartMAC is a bright 150 W moving head profile luminaire that offers superior reliability, long service intervals, total silence and reduced power bills thanks to a unique fanless cooling system (no dust and pollutants are forced into the fixture). Extremely bright, the smartMAC houses eight interchangeable dichroic colours and six interchangeable effects.

Both Havana and The Tamarind Club feature small stages and dance areas. Most of the Martin fixtures are located above the dance floor, MX-10 and Manias rigged front and back. Others are positioned upstage to project across the bandstand and onto the dance floor. The effects are used as a disco effect when required or used in the cabaret show set up or for other activities.

Havana, the aft lounge and the ship's second major cabaret venue, serves as the main disco two thirds of the year. It is used for children's cruises and as a family/youth area the other third of the year. When Havana functions as the main disco, The Tamarind Club, smaller and located in the center of the ship, is used for more niche late night entertainment for those who want a bit quieter environment. When Havana features family activities, The Tamarind Club serves as the adult disco. Because of its customizable nature, the Martin gear adjusts accordingly.

Specified by Project International for the ship's atrium are eight MAC 700 Profiles and four MAC 700 Washes. The atrium serves as the ship's hub, a three deck high entrance area from where you find shops, an elegant piano bar, coffee shop bar, art gallery, reception and more.

Installed as a colour changing architectural element along with LED, the Martin fixtures alter the look and therefore the atmosphere of the space as the day progresses. Chris states that, although it has yet to be realized, there are plans for a short show in the atrium, which the Martin lights will be instrumental in lighting. "It was important that we had equipment that would serve a dual purpose," he says. "We also swing the lights into position to light the Captain when he hosts the Captains Cocktail Party, and for other events."

As a high profile family ship, it was important that outdoor events were a part of the program on Ventura, therefore another Jean Ann Ryan Production takes place at the Laguna Pool. "We needed powerful fixtures out there because the show goes from sunset into early evening into the night," Chris says, "hence we went for the MAC 2000 for their power and the flexibility a fixture like that offers, augmented by the MAC 700."

The production and other events take place on a dedicated stage - a raised platform - across one end of the pool. Here are six MAC 2000 Profiles in Tempest domes along with four MAC 700 Profiles and 4 MAC 700 Washes. On occasion, the MAC 700s are moved and used in the atrium.

Elsewhere, four MiniMAC Profiles and four Raptor effect lights keep the energy level high in the Teen Centre, where teens can indulge their fantasies of musical stardom by attending Rock School.

Installation of the Martin lighting gear for Ventura was handled by John Fearon of Eclipse Lighting & Sound of the UK.

Ventura is based in Southampton during the spring and summer months, offering holidays of between two and 16 nights in duration in the Mediterranean, Baltic and Atlantic Isles. Between October and March each year she will offer 14 night Caribbean fly-cruise holidays from Barbados.

photos: P&O Cruises

www.martin.com

Selecon at the Oslo Opera House

The new home of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, the Oslo Opera House took five years to build at an estimated cost of 500 million euros and the result is a spectacular edifice of Italian white marble with a slanting roof surface that rises directly from beneath the waters of the Oslofjord (Oslo Fjord) in the capital's harbour. Officially opened on Saturday, 12^th April 2008 by the Norwegian King Harald during a gala event the Oslo Opera House is the largest single cultural-political initiative in Norway today (38,500 square metres) and the first Opera House in the world where visitors can take a walk on roof!
   The main 1350-seat auditorium is a classic horseshoe-shaped opera theatre with a high-level ceiling designed to strict acoustic requirements and is capable of catering for the whole range of classic and modern opera and ballet, as well as concerts and musicals. Among the other 1100 rooms are a smaller 400-seat auditorium and a 200-seat rehearsal space.
   The building has one of the most modern and technologically advanced opera stages in the world comprising 16 individual elements that can be elevated, angled, or rotated so that landscapes can be constructed on the stage. Covering a large surface area, in addition to the main stage (16x16 metres), there are side stages, back stages and an understage allowing nine metre high scenery sets to be prepared under the main stage and elevated during performances.
   Over 300 Selecon Performance Lighting luminaires were specified to service the performance spaces ranging from short to medium throw Acclaim PCs and Rama High Performance Fresnels and PCs to long throw Arena High Performance Fresnels and 1000W Lui 4-way Cycs and Groundrows to 1250W Aurora 4-way pole operated Cycs and standard Groundrow units; all supplied by local Selecon dealer, Elpag AS.
   Renowned architecture firm Snøhetta designed the building after winning an international contest in 2000 and it was built by Statsbygg, a government-run property owner. The theatre designers were London-based Theatre Projects Consultants, the acoustic designers were BrekkeStrandArup - a joint venture between local consultant Brekke Strand Akustikk and international acousticians Arup Acoustics.

   www.seleconlight.com

Major Acoustic Improvements from Arup at Llewellyn Hall Canberra

The Australian National University (ANU)'s Llewellyn Hall has opened just a year after Arup started working on plans for a refurbishment. As the largest concert hall in Canberra (with over 1,400 seats), the hall is home to the School of Music at ANU and a regular venue for the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. The Hall has provided a hub for cultural activity in Canberra for many years and plays regular host to national tours of organisations like the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Musica Viva. It has also presented many international performance groups including the Harlem Gospel Choir and the Malaysian Philharmonic.
   Motivated by serious damage caused in a major hailstorm, ANU chose to embark on an ambitious £2.9m refurbishment of the Llewellyn Hall in early 2007. A short 12 months later, the Hall is ready for its opening Concert scheduled for Friday 9 May. The fundamental goal underpinning this project was to enhance the musical experience for both musician and patron, building on its acoustic reputation for orchestral music, and also expanding its acoustic repertoire for other performances, particularly more intimate chamber music.
   The acoustic changes to the Hall are significant. Arup has sought to preserve the aspects of the Halls' acoustic that worked well, while focusing attention on areas that could benefit from improvement, such as clarity to parts of the stalls and platform areas, greater intimacy and a richer sound. The lengthy reverberation time in the hall - best suited to orchestral music - has been maintained, but Arup has shaped the room to achieve a more even balance across the musical spectrum. This has been achieved in part through the use of timber which, in complementing the original blockwork finish, has also added natural warmth to the aural and visual impact of the hall.
   The stalls area has been completely remodelled. Much greater intimacy has been achieved between musician and patron by moving the stalls seating closer to the stage and the seating rake optimised for sound and sightlines.
   Narrowed to improve intimacy and lateral sound energy, the new stalls layout boasts contemporary continental style seating. The dramatic change in colour scheme provided by the new seats is complimented by the beautiful (and acoustically functional) timber panelling and detail to the side and rear walls. The result is a happy fusion of acoustic intent and architectural form: acoustic architecture at its finest. Improvements in patron comfort have also been achieved.
   New timber acoustic reflectors now gracefully suspend across the platform. Divided into four sections, the reflectors are purpose designed to improve ensemble acoustic conditions across the platform as well as improving sound to the stalls seating. The centre two panels are designed to drop down to a lower position and the rear panel tracks forward, to create a more intimate acoustic shell for smaller chamber music ensembles.
   Initial feedback on the new Hall acoustic has been very positive: musicians, staff, long term users of the hall and patrons have reported an "outstanding improvement in the quality of sound."  Others have commented on the extended range of musical response.  "I have heard instruments and musical detail I have never heard before in this Hall," said a delighted member of ANU staff.

Sennheiser And Neumann Official Sound Partners Of Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous opera houses worldwide and has welcomed Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG and Georg Neumann GmbH as sound partners.

"Sydney Opera House has used Sennheiser and Neumann microphones since opening its doors, and is thrilled that both companies are now official corporate partners. Using their microphones is a unique opportunity for us to be aligned with the best in the industry," said Sydney Opera House technical director, David Claringbold, during the official announcement in Sydney April 18th. For the next two years Sydney Opera House will be equipped with various products from the Sennheiser and Neumann product range, starting with microphones belonging to the professional MKH RF condenser series, including the new MKH 8000 models, and wired microphones of the successful evolution line. Of course, the company's top-of-the-range 3000 and 5000 Series systems are also part of the equipment.

"We are very happy to be associated with the world-renowned Sydney Opera House, providing state-of-the-art products both in the wired and wireless fields. These include our new MKH 8000 microphones, which are setting new standards for classical music recording, and our latest RF wireless equipment. The Opera House will not only benefit from the finest audio technology, but also from our comprehensive service and on-site support whenever needed. We are very much looking forward to working together closely with our new partner and to offer the Opera House the best support available," said Susanne Seidel, president of global marketing at Sennheiser about the new partnership. With its superior artistic performances and unique architecture, the House attracts over seven million international visitors each year. The program of events caters to a broad spectrum of ages and interests, featuring classical music, ballet, drama and dance, rock and pop concerts, cabaret and free outdoor broadcasts on the Forecourt. Since its opening in 1973, it has become an internationally recognized cultural landmark with a constantly growing number of artists brought to its stages from all over the world. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to officially provide Sydney Opera House and its artists with our products, which are known for the highest standards of quality in manufacture, innovation and award-winning technology," stated Wolfgang Fraissinet, president marketing and sales at Neumann.

Sennheiser and Neumann products are present in many of the world-leading opera houses and concert halls, including the Berliner Philharmonie, the Lincoln Center in New York, and the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay in Singapore. With the Sydney Opera House sound partnership, Sennheiser and Neumann have once again proved their competence in the field of microphone systems for world-class music venues.

Anolis is a Star at The Casino!

Anolis LED fixtures are illuminating a stunning key water feature at the entrance to Sydney's Star City Casino. The installation is the first of its type in Australia to integrate Anolis in this very specific way, and was designed by a leading Sydney-based water feature specialist.
   The Anolis products were supplied by the brand's Australian distributor, ULA, for whom the project was overseen by Con Nomikos from the Sydney office. It is the first of a series of water features in and around the Star City complex that will be lit or re-lit with Anolis.
   The prime position of this fountain at the entrance of the Casino is designed to make people stop and look before being enticed up the steps and through the portals onto the gaming floor, so it was essential that it was bright, lively and eye-catching.
   The circular shaped fountain encompasses three concentric circles of Anolis. There is a sphere of 20 cold white ArcSource 3s on the outside, and two tiers of ArcSource 12 RGBs in the centre, totalling 12 fixtures. The lights are run via an E:cue controller, triggered, along with flame effects and the fountain jets via a ShowMagic show control system.
   The fountain's designer Robert Portocarrero explains: "This is our first LED lit work, although we have been considering using the technology for some time - for all the obvious practical reasons - power and energy saving, low maintenance and cost-effectivity. Additionally, the Anolis colours and the quality of the light are really excellent, so there's plenty of imaginative scope, and the product is robust and very well made. It is the perfect solution all round."
   This water feature cycles through and runs a seven-minute show which also includes flames and an audio track, during which time 40,000 litres of water is pumped around the system. In the show, the jets - which are programmed into many different formations - shimmer, sparkle and refract the light, creating some great colour mixes and some unusual aberrations.
   The Casino is so impressed with the spectacular results of the entrance fountain's lighting, that Anolis has now been specified to replace the current light sources in all 14 of the complex's water features.
   The client is also looking into upgrading its various other city centre fountain sites with Anolis.

   www.anolis.eu

TCS Compacts Provide Sizzling Sound for New Sydney Bar and Grill

Located in the Kings Cross area of Sydney, Madam De Biers is a new bar and grill venue where the emphasis is on great food, great beer, but most of all great sound.

   The venue is a versatile space and the audio system needed to be flexible enough to operate as a background music system during most of the day, a foreground music system in the early evenings and a full-blown DJ and band system late at night.

   Sydney-based Showtime Promotions and Productions was awarded the contract to supply the system and chose the Turbosound TCS Compact range, for its ability to deliver outstanding audio quality from discreetly-sized enclosures, ensuring that the cabinets do not intrude on the venue’s visual aesthetics.

   To ensure even coverage, Showtime opted for a distributed system, comprising eight TCS-081C and two TCS-101C spread evenly around the venue, complemented by a front of house style system for DJ and band performances. This comprises four TCS-121C, flown two per side, with a pair of TSB-212 subs installed under the stage.

   The system is powered by 16 channels of Lab Gruppen C-Series amplifiers and managed by a Peavey MediaMatrix NION nX32 system with wall panel touch controls.

   “The Turbosound TCS Compact series is popular with my clients as they are unobtrusive but sound deceivingly large,” says Rob Runko from Showtime.

   “For a very busy, multi-purpose venue like Madam De Biers where reliability, sound quality and visuals are all very important, they are the perfect choice. What more could I ask for?”

Renkus-Heinz Powers New Zealand’s North Harbour Stadium

When North Harbour Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand approached Marshall Day Acoustics to propose a new sound system for their 12,000 seat grandstand, expectations were high.

   Having suffered ten years with a budget-driven and ageing system and looking to secure the stadium’s future as a nation-leading outdoor arena, the new sound system had to be capable and flexible enough to cater for all possible audience and event requirements, and be future proof to suit its expansion plans.

   Enter Audio Telex in conjunction with Marshall Day, who developed a comprehensive state-of-the-art design using EASE acoustic simulation software and based around Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers.

   As the first major Renkus-Heinz stadium sound system in Australasia, its owners also wanted it to the best sounding stadium system in New Zealand. North Harbour Stadium Marketing Manager Chris Kemp said: “We don’t want to tell people we have a new sound system, we just want them to hear the difference when they walk into the stadium.”

   North Harbour Stadium was built in 1997 as a multi-purpose outdoor sports and entertainment venue, holding up to 25,000 people in the burgeoning Auckland suburb of Albany. As well as hosting large concerts, it is also the home to Rugby Football’s North Harbour team, and regularly hosts high profile international sporting and entertainment events. The grandstand complex also doubles as an impressive conference and function venue.

   The 12,000-seat, three-tiered, half-shell-roofed grandstand posed some major challenges to the audio designers. Without careful calculation, gaps and hot spots would appear in sound coverage when the stand was in full flight, and the open design dictated weather resistant loudspeakers as well.

   Combine all these factors with low roof weight loading and the Renkus-Heinz CDT520 emerged as the ideal mid-high speaker. The lightweight device features a high power 10” MF and 2” HF mid-high speaker in a skeletal, cabinet-less frame. It also provided the required IP rating without the additional cost of fibreglass IP rated enclosures for the mid-highs.

   The low frequency cabinets and components, meanwhile, were weather treated and fibreglass coated by Renkus-Heinz and, like the CDT520s, are rated to IP559.

   Five clusters, each containing a CELK15-2KW dual 15” low frequency cabinet and three CDT520 10”/2” mid- high horn speakers, achieve maximum intelligibility, even coverage and incredibly high output if required.

   Bartons Sound of Auckland supplied and installed the system: the company had previously been involved in the on-field PA which had also included Renkus-Heinz speakers. Murray Dick, Operations Manager for the stadium, commented: “It’s quite funny - the only thing we kept from the old sound system was the same brand of speakers that are used in the new installation.”

   Three Lab.Gruppen C48-4 power amplifiers and two C68-4s provide over 20,000 watts of amplification both to the Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers and the under-balcony fill loudspeakers. The four channel amplifiers were zoned to allow the clusters’ different sections to be adjusted during commissioning. Bartons also made use of the amplifiers’ in-built NomadLink port, and supplied a Lab.Gruppen NLB60E network bridge that provides key amplifier functions such as remote power on/off, power sequencing, amplifier status and muting specific channels or groups via Ethernet from a PC or control system.

   The entire system is controlled by a MediaMatrix Nion n3 DSP audio processor allowing specific tuning of individual loudspeakers, crossover points and particular voicing for the Renkus-Heinz clusters and balcony fill. A MediaMatrix CAB provides a CobraNet link between the NION and the Lab.Gruppen amplifiers.

   The Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers’ weather resistance to IP559 provided the perfect solution for grandstand’s main speaker system, enabling them to withstand the inherent issues of outdoor stadiums and the high humidity of the Auckland region. On hearing the system for the first time during commissioning, Thomas Kelly from Audio Telex commented: “After a fair amount of tweaking in EASE to find the best combination of speaker models and positions the end result speaks for itself and the system sounds spectacular. Intelligibility for commentary is fantastic and I think we were all pleasantly surprised at just how huge the system sounded with music as well.”

   Since commissioning the new sound system has had a full work out with various events through winter sports like Rugby Union Football and more than just survived the winter months – it sparkled through the roar of the crowd, wind and rain. Asked about the improvement from the old equipment Murray Dick affirmed it is: “100% better.”

Meyer Sound M1D Well Married to Chapel at Sydney’s Hillsong Church

Crowned as the largest church in Australian history, Sydney’s Hillsong Church has added an intimate, 300-seat chapel to accommodate weddings and other gatherings. The chapel’s gracefully arcing roof encloses a spacious vaulted interior, while a fully windowed front wall admits abundant natural light. Along with pleasing aesthetics, the chapel’s architecture also introduces acoustical properties that are problematic for the chapel’s events. The solution of choice was a powerful – yet discreet – system of Meyer Sound M1D line arrays.

   The exacting requirements for the chapel’s sound system were drafted by consultant Scott Willsallen of Auditoria Audio Design. “It was an open performance tender with several governing factors, including size of the clusters, coverage, and SPL. The decision ultimately came down to quality for the dollar, and Meyer Sound came out on top – and with coverage even better than we anticipated.”

   The installed system comprises two arrays of six Meyer Sound M1D line array loudspeakers plus two balcony delay clusters of five M1Ds each. Eight M1D-Sub subwoofers propel low end from an under-stage horizontal array, while four tiny MM-4 miniature wide-range loudspeakers provide front fill. Four UPJunior VariO loudspeakers, recessed under grating in the stage steps, provide foldback monitoring.

   The design of the system was handled using MAPP Online Pro acoustical prediction program, and final tuning was accomplished with a SIM3 audio analyzer. The system was supplied and installed by NSW, Australia-based The PA People under the supervision of Brett Steele, with technical assistance from Hillsong’s staff led by facilities manager for Production Steve Leroux.

   After listening to the system, Willsallen is convinced that the M1D system is indeed the best choice for the job. “This system matches the tonal qualities for what Hillsong wants to do in that room, far more than alternate options. It’s the right ‘flavor’ for the varied uses of the room.”

   Leroux concurs: “The comments I’m getting are very positive.”

   The installation in Hillsong’s chapel also includes a Yamaha M7CL 32-channel digital console, and a six-channel Aviom foldback system feeding Sennheiser in-ear units.

   As part of an ongoing refurbishment program, Hillsong’s Waterloo facility is now adding two 600-HP subwoofers, four CQ-2 loudspeakers and one UPA-1P to their existing system of Meyer Sound UPA-1P, UPA-2P and UPM-1P loudspeakers.

   Initially known as Hills Christian Life Centre, Hillsong Church was started in 1983 by Brian and Bobbie Houston. The founding congregation of 45 has since grown to a weekly attendance of over 21,000 in the Sydney-area. In recent years, Hillsong has planted new congregations in France, Ukraine and United Kingdom, and it is known worldwide for its recordings of original praise and worship songs. The widespread recognition of its music under the Hillsong label eventually prompted the church adopt its current name.

Soundweb London Networks a Room With a Vue

Audio networking for Skycity’s new Vue Bar in Hamilton, New Zealand has been placed entirely in the hands of the Soundweb, London DSP platform from BSS Audio.

   The Soundweb system, comprising a BLU-80 signal processor and BLU-32 I/O expander, forms part of a Harman Pro integrated system, designed and specified by James Greet from Greet Consulting of Auckland, in consultation with Paul Edlin of Jands NZ Technical Resource Group (TRG). The system was supplied and installed by Security Specialists of Auckland – and all network design programming and commissioning was handled by Robson Birch, of Jands NZ TRG.

   Situated in the heart of the Waikato region of New Zealand, Skycity Hamilton’s upgrade has provided them with a stunning new live venue.

   The 600-capacity Vue Bar has been designed specifically to provide world-class entertainment in the city centre, and marks the end of a multi-phase development which also saw the opening of the Rebo Restaurant and Bar in May of last year.

   General manager Geoff Hogg confirms that Vue Bar will present live entertainment four nights a week.

   The main design brief for the audio specialists was to provide exceptional and well-balanced coverage of audio throughout the venue – not only from the live acts but also from satellite TV, a video playback system or DJ feeds as required.

   This was a perfect challenge for Soundweb as Paul Edlin reports. “This installation showcases a number of cutting edge audio technologies. It is the first installation of the self-powered JBL VP speakers in New Zealand and the use of the optional CobraNet input module allowed seamless integration with the Soundweb London devices.”

   Soundweb London delivers the processed feeds to a pair of JBL VP7212/95CN and VP718CN speakers for the main stage area, with seven JBL Control Contractor 321 series speakers for the high ceiling bar areas and 17 JBL Control 26CT speakers for the lower ceiling bar areas.

   The AV system, also installed by Security Specialists, incorporates multiple plasma screens, projectors, video switchers, scalers, Sky TV decoders, music video servers and a DVD player. The entire AV system is under the control of a Crestron touch-panel, installed behind the bar.

   Summarises Paul Edlin: “The VP speakers have a very musical sound that is ideal for the type of live acts that will be appearing at the venue, but also have the ability to be pushed up by the DJ on party nights. The extensive fault monitoring and protection systems onboard the VP amplifier module also allow regular reporting of any untoward operational conditions.”

   Photo: Mark Hamilton

Australia Gets Outlined

Cairns-based “Pro-gig” company, assisted by Australian distributor Audiotech Systems Australia have installed the world's first Outline mini-COM.P.A.S.S. in the Cairns Civic Theatre, in Far North Queensland.

   The mini-COM.P.A.S.S. has the unique technical advantage to be able to adjust the horizontal plane. The COM.P.A.S.S., which is an acronym for COMpact Polar Adjustable Sound System, is a self-powered loudspeaker module with built-in DSP; flying hardware is also integrated.

   COM.P.A.S.S has all the advantages over any traditional design whether it is line array or point source. The system was chosen from a 'shootout' of five major brands and was voted “most natural sounding” by all judges.

   “Outline won the contract simply on its power output, overall clarity and ease of use,” says Steve Barton - chief audio supervisor for Cairns Civic Theatre.

   The adjustable horizontal dispersion was a major consideration factor due to FOH bridges either side of stage that deflected audio onto highly reflective surfaces. Judges were unanimously blown away by the natural clarity and reproduction of spoken word, music playback and general user friendliness of the array. The overall concept was that the system could now focus the audio energy onto the 700-seated paying audience and not onto the walls and other surfaces. In the horizontal plane one can adjust the degree of dispersion asymmetrically between 60 and 150 degrees in 15 degree increments. Audio can be specifically directed to where it is required.

   Mini-COM.P.A.S.S. consists of 4x5” mid-woofers together with 2 x 1” compression drivers mounted onto two D.P.R.W.G. (double parabolic reflective waveguide) as used in the hugely popular ‘Butterfly’ line array, which now has global acclaim and recognition. The on-board dual channel 500-Watt amplifiers and DSP controller are fully ‘digital’ which means installations are a made simpler.

   The bottom end is ensured by a pair of Subtech 218 SP (double 18" sub), rigged on the back of the two arrays in the air on their own custom flying frame, designed and manufactured by Audiotech Systems Australia’s engineering outfit.

   The complete self-powered system is driven by the loudspeaker management device Outline Genius 26 controller.

   At the time of going to press, other mini-COM.P.A.S.S. installations are expected to be completed in all four corners of the globe including churches in Korea, a theatre in Iran, a live venue in Norway, another live venue in the United States.

BSS Audio Gets Down to Business

The single largest BSS Audio Soundweb London and CobraNet-enabled audio network in New Zealand has been completed, and fully commissioned, at the University of Auckland Business School.

   As part of a long-term redevelopment plan, the University of Auckland had decided to construct a 74,000 sq. metre building to house the Business School on the Auckland City Campus. This would allow the School to consolidate its activities into one integrated complex, providing increased opportunities to develop relationships between the staff of different disciplines and the students.

   The audio networking system for the Business School was a two-stage process, with involvement of both Pitney Bowes NZ and ProVision of Auckland, with system design and commissioning by Jands NZ.

   A total of 19 lecture areas use Soundweb London devices from BSS Audio, a Harman International Company, for audio mixing and room combining. The Soundweb London networked venues include two 600-seat lecture theatres, two 300-seat lecture theatres, a 150-seat lecture theatre and four 75-seat lecture theatres. Additionally, ten smaller lecture rooms each use a Soundweb London BLU-80, configured 12 x 4 for room tuning and source mixing.

   The original design for the 600-seat theatres called for eight 8 x 8 DSP processors, networked together over a proprietary audio network. This would provide the required 32 audio inputs, with a fifth unit then used to convert the audio into CobraNet, to send the signal to Crown CTs/CN amplifiers.

   But Paul Edlin and Robson Birch of the Jands NZ Technical Resource Group (TRG) reviewed the original design and modified it so that two BSS Audio Soundweb London BLU-80 12 x 4 devices were used. This provided 24 inputs, with an additional eight inputs provided by a Crown CTs8200CN amplifier, which was configured as a CobraNet ‘On-Ramp’. This reduced the total equipment requirement considerably and thus had a flow-on effect of reducing the cost to the client.

   The Soundweb London BLU-80 devices were configured to provide EQ, matrix and time-alignment for each lecture theatre, also allowing for overflow feeds via CobraNet to the master control room, or to a dedicated record feed or video conferencing units. The use of a dedicated listen bus also allows the technical staff to monitor audio feeds of the various lecture rooms from either the local control rooms or the master control room.

   The use of Crown CTs8200CN amplification not only provided the additional inputs to the system via CobraNet, but also allowed the amplifiers to be monitored via HiQnet System Architect in real time, with any faults being reported to the local technical support staff via email.

   Each teaching floor has wireless access and classrooms are equipped with data shows, document cameras, DVD and VCR players, surround sound, guest laptop capabilities and individual laptops for the students. The fully-integrated system is operated from a touch screen control panel fitted to the lecturer’s desk. AMX was used as the control system throughout the venue, with dedicated pages for all the microphone and source volumes, and enabling any room overflow settings.

   Via Pitney Bowes and ProVision, JANDS NZ provided a total of 22 x BSS Audio Soundweb London BLU-80 12 x 4, seven BSS Audio Soundweb London BLU-32 12 x 4, 12 Crown CTs8200CN, two Crown CTs4200CN and 124 Crown PZM20R microphones for the installation.

Robe and Anolis – the Perfect Cocktail

Robe moving lights and Anolis architectural LED fixtures have been installed into Cocktails & Dreams, an iconic club/pub venue in Surfer’s Paradise, Queensland, Australia.

   The installation – carried out by JVG Sound, Lighting & Visual – is part of a lighting upgrade being undertaken at the popular nightclub. The fixtures were all supplied to JVG by Robe’s Australian distributor ULA, whose HQ is nearby on the Gold Coast.

   The Cocktails & Dreams dancefloor has been completely revamped lighting wise, and now features 17 Robe ColorSpot 250E ATs, two ColorWash 250E ATs and six ColorSpot 170 ATs.

   The venue was challenged for ceiling height, particularly over the raised dancefloor area explains JVG’s general manager Jade Golar, so he was looking for compact and neatly sized fixtures that would not take up much space or intrude. In terms of aesthetics, he also wanted to offer the club light jockeys a greater choice of colour and gobo effects than had been available in the past, and to generally give the whole lighting rig a more contemporary look and feel.

   Golar has been specifying Robe for about four years, so there was no question about what brand he would choose. “The brightness of the AT Series is fantastic,” he declares. “And the 170s and 250s were really perfect for the application.”

   He adds that he knows the Robe products really well, and that he receives great support from ULA. JVG is also a warranty repair agency for Robe, so keeps a good stock of spares – not that they are needed very often!

   In addition to functioning as a busy club, Cocktails & Dreams also hosts model searches and corporate events, so the new rig also had to be ultra-flexible.

   The dancefloor lighting is controlled by an E:cue system which was also supplied to JVG by ULA.

   In the main seating booth and lounge area to the left of the dancefloor, Anolis ArcSource 3 LED downlighters have been installed to bathe the walls in light. Adding lighting has completely transformed this area, previously rather dark and cold, into a warm, inviting and intimate chill-out space.

   Anolis ArcSource 6 warm white LED downlighters have been utilised in the DJ box. “They provide a very economic and practical solution that looks great,” says Golar.

   In addition to this, he specified Anolis ArcLine 24 LED strips to illuminate the spirit rack in the VIP bar. JVG were the first company in Australia to start using Anolis products in the club, pubs and bar sector.

   All the Anolis fixtures are controlled via the E:cue and also triggered via Crestron touch screens located at each of the venue’s bars.

   The new lighting installation has been a massive and instant hit with the 900 capacity club’s owners and guests alike, with news of the “great light-show” travelling fast around the area!

Meyer Sound Self-Powered Loudspeakers at Australia’s Powerhouse Museum

The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney’s Darling Harbour is the largest museum in Australia. It hosts a continually expanding selection of more than 22 permanent exhibitions, in addition to hundreds of interactive exhibits spanning history, science, technology, design, industry, decorative arts, music, and more.

   One of the museum’s latest exhibitions, ‘Transportation’, traces the history of different transportation modes, from the Catalina Flying Boat and horse drawn carts to airplanes. ‘Transportation’ also features a sound and lighting show titled Further, faster, higher: a sound and light experience, which transforms the gallery into a “living environment” where vehicles and aircraft seem to take for the open road (or air). Bringing the presentation to life is a soundtrack created by sound designer Paul Charlier, played via a discreetly placed Meyer Sound system installed by Alexandria, Australia-based Coda Audio Services.

   The project presented a number of interesting challenges, from tracking down realistic sounds to retrofitting the audio within an existing, and somewhat problematic, infrastructure. Coda Audio Services’ co-founder and director Michael Wilkie points to Meyer Sound loudspeakers’ self-powered design as a significant asset in this project. “We had some exceptionally long runs — sometimes more than 150 meters — to get to some of the speakers, and not enough space to accommodate a rack of amplifiers,” he says.

   The installed Meyer Sound system is based around four UPJ-1P compact VariO loudspeakers and a dozen UPM-1P ultracompact wide coverage loudspeakers, positioned to provide both surround and localized coverage. “In addition to the main surround mix, many of the objects required localized sound when the focus was on them,” says Wilkie. A pair of 600-HP compact high-power subwoofers covers low frequency content.

   “We have a long history of using Meyer Sound loudspeakers,” Wilkie adds. “The build quality is always first class, so there are rarely any maintenance issues. That’s critical for a project like this, where the equipment runs every day of the week for the life of the exhibition — possibly as long as six years. And most importantly, the sound quality is magnificent.”

   “The museum directors are delighted with the finished project, and believe the show has ‘changed the fabric of the museum,’” says Wilkie. “Like most members of the public, they are blown away by the quality and the realism we have achieved.”

The ‘Transportation’ exhibition was designed by Sydney-based Ben Hur Performance Management, headed by principal Ruth Catlin and creative director Sandra Eckersley.

Robe at the Mentone Hotel

A Robe DigitalSpot 5000 DT, two ColorSpot 575E ATs and 42 Anolis ArcSource LED down-lighting fixtures have been installed at the Mentone Hotel in Melbourne.

   The Mentone is a busy venue in close proximity to the beach of the same name, located in one of Melbourne’s most desirable suburbs. It’s owned by Open Door Pubs, one of Australia’s best known pub chains, and lighting, sound and AV was designed and supplied by Adam Dullens of Pulse Audio Visual.

   After the initial installation, Dullens was asked to specify a flexible visual solution to liven up the upstairs floor for their popular Wednesday disco evenings, which sees the first floor regularly packed to its 700 capacity.

   Dullens has used Robe products for some time, including several other Open Door sites and states: “Robe is a fantastic brand. It’s always my first choice for anywhere needing ‘professional’ lighting kit.”

   The Mentone was initially considering an LED screen display for the upstairs to create a banner effect around the walls of the quirkily shaped landing, which forms the main dance floor. However, when Robe launched its Digital Spot 5000 DT Dullens realised this was the “perfect” fixture for providing visuals which could be changed, manipulated and moved around the space.

   He then added the two ColorSpot 575E ATs for additional wall and ceiling colour washing, movement effects and gobo patterns. They were specifically picked for the frost filter which enables them to produce great wash effects as well as gobo projection, along with a Robe Haze 400 FT hazer.

   To lift the dark corners and spots around the space, he added the Anolis ArcSource 3’s, which are dotted around where needed. This includes a row of fixtures down-lighting from the ceiling of the exterior balcony running along Beach Road, which can be clearly seen, and act as a beacon attracting attention to the Mentone.

   The pub’s owners were initially sceptical about using LEDs, but have been so impressed by the effects and performance of the Anolis units that Dullens has already specified them for another of their venues.

   Pulse Audio Visual are a leading venue installer and supplier in Victoria who exclusively work with ULA’s group of products such as Robe and Anolis.

   http://www.robe.cz

Anolis at the Paddington Tavern

An extensive Anolis architectural LED lighting installation has been completed at Brisbane’s Paddington Tavern pub – known locally as “The Paddo”, renowned as one of Queensland’s finest pubs.

   The Paddo is also the flagship venue of the locally based McGuire family, to whom Anolis have installed products for three other venues. The Paddo’s new lighting scheme itself was designed by Craig Chandler of Craig Chandler Architects as part of a recent re-vamp of the large venue, giving it a post-modern industrial edge. The installation was undertaken by electrical contractors Espirit.

   The project was jointly managed by Acoustic Technologies and ULA. Blair Terrace, national sales manager from ULA comments: “Craig has specified both Robe and Anolis fixtures for many other venues. Knowing the brand’s reliability and low maintenance, he chose Anolis and energy saving properties.”

   Lighting at The Paddo is divided into three separate but related areas.

   The first is the Sync Bar, positioned at one end of the venue, with a high ceiling and an outdoor seated area. In here Chandler wanted a large colour-hanging feature to be incorporated into the wall as it opens up to the double storey height.

   Twenty-four panels of 1m x 800mm frosted Perspex panelling run around this wall in three horizontal layers, one above the other, and each panel is back-lit with eightes of Anolis ArcLink 3 RGB. This is all controlled via an E:cue system, programmed to run through a selection of different colour-hanging chases, providing multi-colour eye-candy for all those inside and outside the Sync Bar area. The ArcLinks proved so bright that they are dimmed down to run at 50%!

   The next area is the inside Saloon Bar which features 10 pool tables, nightly live entertainment and regular DJ's. Again, they wanted a colour-hanging effect in the main area, but much more subtle than that of the Sync Bar. Nine transparent ceiling panels with metal patterning in front are each back-lit with 12 Anolis ArcLink 3 RGB units. The panels all have their own driver boxes for individual control.

   The third area treated with Anolis illumination is the extensive outside terrace at The Paddo, which has a line of large ribbed steel arches running along its length, supporting the roof. This distinctive and elegant architectural feature is clearly visible from the busy Given Terrace Road and was an obvious contender for being featured with lighting.

   Six Anolis ArcSource 6 RBG down-lighters are integrated into each of the beams which cast a mellow veil of shifting coloured light over the whole terrace. The road-side edges of the arches contain an acrylic covered ‘light box’ section, each of which is illuminated with five internally mounted ArcLink 3s. The eye is immediately drawn to these like a beacon when walking down either side of the street.

   All three areas are run off separate E:cue controllers, which can be physically and - metaphysically linked through light - if required.

   http://www.robe.cz

All Shape and Colour at JWCCA

The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts is a cutting-edge venue which incorporates a 300-seat performance space, modern art gallery, a screening room and multifunctional rehearsal spaces. In 2007 the main foyer of the centre underwent a major facelift with the installation of colour changing fixtures and a comprehensive control solution.

   Lighting technician and operator Keith Clark has been with the centre for four years and was instrumental in the refurbishment and comments: “Originally we had fluorescent down lights and the atmosphere was cold and stark. We wanted to make the foyer more colourful and to represent the shows that were going on inside, so that the whole ‘theatre experience’ begins the moment you enter the lobby.

   Steering the whole lighting system is the new Lighting Playback Controller from Pharos Architectural Controls. This compact architectural controller, distributed in Australia by LSC Lighting Systems, provides fast, intuitive control for lighting, audio and video, making it ideal for use in architectural installations.

   “Architectural controllers can be quite confusing, especially when it comes to timelines and triggers, but the Pharos controller was straightforward,” comments Keith. “From start to finish it was simple to program and easy to use.”

   To toggle between lighting shows Keith installed LSC’s 8-button ePlates as the everyday user interface. The ePlates are remote wall station controllers that operate by recalling the pre-programmed shows on the Lighting Playback Controller. “When we want a specific lighting scheme to match what will be playing in the theatre for example, or if we want to just flash the lights to let the people know the show is about to begin, the e-Plates provide a simple control for the front of house manager to use on call with confidence.”

   In choosing the right control system for the centre, Keith says that price was a major consideration, but after installation it became much more than that. “It is a very affordable system, but another major plus with the Lighting Playback Controller is that it’s so fast to program and you do not need a dedicated computer. Once it’s programmed the system is stand alone. It also has preset settings that are great. If you have banks of LED fixtures you can get some great looks without trying to hard.”

   A full demonstration of the Lighting Playback Controller and other Pharos controllers will be available at the upcoming Entech tradeshow, on the LSC stand. (Sydney, 11-13 Feb 2008, Stand #B28).

   http://www.lsclighting.com.au

Australia’s Empire Theatre Upgrades with Martin MAC TW1 Luminaires

The Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australia is a fine example of art deco architecture and is heritage listed by the National Trust of Queensland. In 1997, after years of neglect, the 86-year-old grand lady was plucked from cinematic obscurity and transformed into a thoroughly modern performing arts theatre, triumphantly reclaiming its place as Toowoomba's cultural hub.

   While the foyers and auditorium remain faithful to their art deco origins, backstage was completely redesigned in 1997 to include the modern facilities required to stage the most complex of productions. The stage is over 13 meters wide and 8 meters high with more than 15 meters of wing space combined. It has eighty fly lines including five overhead lighting bars and an orchestra pit that can be hydraulically raised to audience floor or stage thrust levels.

   Earlier this year the theatre upgraded its lighting inventory with the purchase of a lighting console and twelve Martin MAC TW1 wash fixtures. The MAC TW1 is a 1200 W, silent tungsten wash light with an even, soft-edged beam, motorized zoom, rich CMY color mixing and both internal and external electronic dimming.

   Six MAC TW1s were purchased and became so popular a further six were promptly ordered. The venue already owned four Martin MAC 500 profile moving lights and purchased the TW1s to change the style of their rig to better suit one-off cabaret type events and corporate dinners where the total focus of the lighting rig is changed.

   “We thought that a wash style lamp would help those types of functions and enable us to quickly change from one event to another,” says Tim Panitz, head of lighting at the Empire Theatre. “We also wanted to partially replace the 2Ks in the rig to suit the fly-in/fly-out type of artist - one night gigs to help us fill booking holes.”

   Tim continues: “I really wanted a tungsten fixture to fit in with the rest of the rig. We’ve found that the TW1 is an exceptionally quiet lamp. When it is off it truly is off. It’s certainly quieter than the sound desk power supply! We looked at some other fixtures with the VL500 being the main competitor – which we liked – but at the end of the day the TW1 was a more theatrical unit. Its beam is a Fresnel, not just a glorified par can. The VL500 did have the world-renown Vari-Lite color system but, for me, I found the TW1 color system more accurate. While it doesn’t have the fade through thing that the Vari-Lite has when changing colors, I found it more precise which is, to me, more important than the pretty effect when it rolls through color.”

   Tim also found that the TW1 is very accurate in reproducing its pan and tilt position and is programmed very quickly. The zoom capability has also impressed him.

   Six of the MAC TW1s were used for the theatre’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ production; three on first electrics downstage and three at three-quarter stage mark. The show utilized several large scenic trucks and by splitting the TW1s Tim was able to get light into positions that were previously rather tricky.

   “The TW1s enabled us to cut a lot of conventional type lamps out of the rig for all the different truck positions,” he said. “They also blended beautifully with the conventional lamps that were providing the wash. You could get a nice blend as you moved up the stairs with the TW1s lighting the top and the conventionals lighting the bottom of the stairs. Obviously we spent quite a bit of time color matching when we first put the rig in and that paid off later.”

   The new lighting console and Martin wash lights were jointly supplied by Brisbane Sound Group and The Production Shop who acquire their Martin gear from Martin’s Australian representative, Show Technology.

   The design of the Empire Theatre is reminiscent of the glory days of Hollywood, even to the palm trees framing the exterior and in the metallic gold and bronze of the entry foyer as well as two plinth-mounted fish tanks. One of the Empire Theatre's most striking features, the grand proscenium arch, is thought to be the only one of its kind left in the world. The lattice-look plaster patterning of the arch, back lit with a parade of colors, creates a frame for performers on stage.

   http://www.martin.com

Anolis at Melbas on Gold Coast

Anolis LED fixtures have been specified and installed for an interior lighting scheme at the new lounge/gaming area of Melbas in Surfers Paradise – one of the highest profile entertainment hot-spots on Australia’s Gold Coast. The project was undertaken by VenuTech – who have previously installed Anolis and Robe fixtures into the bar, restaurant and night club at Melbas as well as into many other venues in the area.

   The aim of Melba’s new lounge area is to provide a classy space fusing elements of neoclassical and contemporary design in which guests can relax and chill out … whilst indulging in a spot of game playing if they wish.

   The low ceilinged roof features several large recessed Romanesque style frescoes, which contain a lot of detail and have been painstakingly decorated with inset gold leaf work. There is also an eye-catching marbled acrylic fronted bar which is internally lit, along with the spirit shelves behind it.

   The lighting scheme was designed by Tony Dowthwaite of TDLD, a high profile lighting design company, and VenuTech’s Mick James.

   Dowthwaite – who has also used Anolis products on previous projects - had originally contemplated using neon to illuminate the frescos. However, tests revealed that it would be difficult to get sufficient output to do this properly, and so he consulted James and they looked into using LED. It was equally as important not to over-light the delicate frescoes.

   They asked Anolis’s Australian distributor ULA for their help in finding a solution to get exactly the right quality of lighting ensconced into the recesses to emphasise the frescos properly. ULA came up with custom made cool white, warm white and amber Anolis ArcLink 3 fixtures – the tungsten tint of the ‘warm’ white combined with the richer and denser amber tones are tempered by the coolness and crispness of the cool white to make a perfect combination of hue and texturing for highlighting the gold leaf work.

   Anolis first produced a choice of cool white, warm white and amber prototypes which were installed and tested to see if they achieved the desired effect. The final combination was selected by owner, local entrepreneur Paul Allan.

   Once the best combination was identified, over 120 of these special fixtures were made to order at the Anolis factory in the Czech Republic. “This is one of the beauties of dealing direct with the manufacturer,” explains ULA’s Blair Terrace. “Tailor-made options and solutions can be constructed efficiently and easily.”

   The Anolis ArcLink 3s are programmed into an E:cue controller and mixed in exactly the right quantities.

   The front of the 70 metre bar is lit with six Anolis ArcLine 36 RGB strips embedded behind its fascia, and the bottle shelves are also lit with ArcLine 36s.

   Paul Allan also owns another nightclub and restaurant, both of which feature Anolis and Robe. Melbas is one of the longest running venues on the Gold Coast, and something of an institution in Surfers. It has now been a leading entertainment venue for over 25 years.

   http://www.anolis.eu

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