event news

Sennheiser a Launch Partner for evenTech Ireland

Sennheiser Ireland is the latest in a line of key industry players to confirm their presence at evenTech Ireland 2008. Not only satisfied with committing to a large exhibit space they have also thrown their full support behind the November forum by becoming one of the key ‘launch partners' for the inaugural exhibition.

evenTech Ireland is a new and exciting trade exhibition focusing on the entertainment and installation technology sectors. It is a focused independent networking forum for the region's key decision-makers to keep up-to-date with the hottest technologies and the latest industry trends and developments.

evenTech Ireland  will provide manufacturers and suppliers with a unique regional platform to meet face-to-face with a quality audience involved in Ireland's major entertainment and installation projects and initiatives.

The outstanding success of the recently staged evenTech Scotland exhibition for the North of the UK market has justified the rationale for focused regional networking forums and has given the market the confidence that this new approach to trade exhibitions really can be successful and cost effective.
www.eventech-ireland.com

Harlequin Hi-Shine on Show at ABTT

British Harlequin's Hi-Shine floor will be to the fore when the company exhibits on Stand 123 at the ABTT Theatre Show 2008 to be held at London's Royal Horticultural Halls, 11th & 12th June.

Harlequin Hi-Shine has a special laminated hard polymer ultra-gloss surface, which is superior to urethane for scratch-resistance and rolls out instantly to provide a breathtaking wet-look finish - a perfect display floor for the entertainment industry.

Also on show will be a wide range of examples from Harlequin's extensive range of floors for the performing arts. Visitors will able to examine many different floor types with expert support on hand to provide guidance and advice. Although widely recognised as world leaders in floors for dance and the performing arts, Harlequin also provide special flooring for theatre stages, television studios, exhibitions and display. Harlequin manufactures a comprehensive range from portable, roll-out floors to cushioned, heavy duty permanent floors, plus permanent and touring sprung floor systems. These are complemented by a range of accessories including tapes and cleaning products, roll straps, storage bags and an extensive range of ballet barres.

Immediately prior to the ABTT Theatre Show British Harlequin is a sponsor for The Theatres Trust's Annual Conference which takes place at the Cottesloe Theatre on June 10th.

Black Cat Music Equipment at ABTT Theatre Show

Black Cat Music will be displaying their comprehensive range of education and performance equipment on stand 124 at the ABTT Theatre Show at the Royal Horticultural Halls, London on June 11 and 12.

A range of products including music stands and staging equipment will be displayed and staff will be on hand to discuss and demonstrate products. Copies of Black Cat Music's new comprehensive price list and catalogues will be available from the stand.

The Black Cat Acoustics division is a professional noise control company with an experienced and friendly team offering a complete range of acoustic products. Enquiries are welcomed for the design, supply and installation of high performance acoustic equipment as a total package, or to find economic solutions to individual problem areas within existing buildings.

ChainMaster with Service Partner for the Middle East

Covering an area of 30 square metres, the ChainMaster booth at this year's ‘Palme Middle East 2008' trade fair, which ran from the 27^th to the 29^th April at the International Exhibition Centre in Dubai, allowed the company to present its products to an impressed circle of customers in the rapidly expanding market of the United Arab Emirates.
   Dealers and industry insiders found the VarioLift developed by the Eilenburg team particularly convincing. The lift presented in Dubai is available for all applications from the movement of scenery at speeds of up to 42 metres per minute to the hoisting of heavy loads. ChainMaster, incidentally, now has a service partner for the Middle East, whose contact details are available upon enquiry from ChainMaster.

   In picture: ChainMaster at Palme in Dubai.

   www.chainmaster.de

A.C. Lighting North Tradeshow Ends on a High

After nearly a decade as the North of England's premier entertainment technology event, this year's A.C. Lighting North Show (29^th & 30^th April, the Saviles Hall in Leeds) was the best showcase yet of the organiser's ability to provide customers with specialist advice, supply and solutions across a huge range of the industry's leading entertainment technologies.
   Taking full advantage of the new Saviles Hall's 40% more exhibition space, the show saw the launch of

A.C.'s new Video division, which was created to provide a complete solution for lighting rental companies looking to make their first move into video. Covering projection, creative LED, media server, image processing and content creation, exhibitors showing lighting-video hybrid products included Artistic Licence, Catalyst/PixelMAD, Christie, Chroma-Q, Element Labs, Green Hippo, High End, Luminex, Martin Professional, Projected Image Digital, Robe, Sanyo, Show Footage and TV One. A.C. also chaired a seminar panel of industry experts to discuss the practical solutions available for these systems, which was represented by XL Video's Hugh Davis Webb, Robe's Ales Grivac, Martin Pro's Mats Karlsson, Green Hippo's Nigel Sadler and A.C. Video Business Development Manager, Lee House.
   Other exhibitors representing A.C.'s huge stockholding of lighting products, accessories and consumables brands included ADB, Andolite, Anytronics, Avolites, CCT Lighting, Cee Norm, City Theatrical, DTS, ELC Lighting, ETC, Fibre Optic Systems, Flightcase UK, GE Lighting, Hall Stage, Jands, Lee Filters, LDDE, Le Maitre, Look Solutions, LSC Lighting Systems, MTX Engineering, Neutrik, Osram, Philips, Pulsar, Rainbow, Robert Juliat, Rosco, Selecon, Slick, Spotlight, Strand, Tomcat, Tourflex, Tourmate, Vari-Lite, Wireless Solutions, WYSIWYG & Zero 88.
   Lighting director Stephen Page provided the show's guest speaker seminar on a leading event case study, discussing his experiences lighting ‘The People's Opening'. The musical, multi-cultural event featured a diverse mix of 600 performers on a large outdoor scale in the middle of Liverpool's city centre to launch its year as the European Capital of Culture, and received widespread international media coverage.
   A.C.'s Rigging division was also well represented, with exhibitors including CM, Doughty, Litec, Litestructures, Manfrotto, Out Board, Petzl and Slick. A.C. Rigging sales manager Adam Beaumont headed a Safer Rigging Workshop to discuss the latest products and practises to help make rigging safer, which featured Nicky Greet, professional development manager of PLASA, Cristiano Giavedoni, product manager of Litec and Chris Higgs of Total Solutions Group. The PSA's Andy Lenthall also presented a seminar on how the Live Event industry is addressing the highly topical issue of going green and reducing its environmental impact.
   A.C.'s Audio division had its largest presence yet at the show, with numerous brands exhibited by Allen & Heath, Audio-Technica, Beyerdynamic, Canford, EAW, Fuzion, Harman Pro UK, Kling & Freitag, KV2 Audio, Martin Audio, RCF, Sennheiser, Shure Distribution, Shuttlesound, Tannoy, Wharfedale and Yamaha Professional. Seminar guest speaker and FOH sound engineer Moray McMillin discussed useful tips and the do's and don'ts of live sound he picked up during 30 years of experience mixing and touring with many bands, such as Deep Purple and Black Sabbath.
   The show was extremely well-received by exhibitors and visitors alike, with its strong format, industry representation and organisation over the years being praised in particular.
   One visitor commented: "A big thanks to the A.C. team, who clearly put so much work into A.C. North. A day out of the office plus the costs, flights etc. was easily justified. In particular, I gleaned valuable technical advice on a couple of glitches we have, as well as some product demos and other possible products for the future. I also made contact with a few small companies and had useful discussions with others. Probably the best use of time and most enjoyable too, were the two morning seminars I attended, which were deservedly full."
   Martin Professional's Jessica Allan commented: "It's been a nice close to the A.C. event. The staff at Martin have always very much enjoyed exhibiting because it's well-organised, has grown year on year and we've got a lot out of it. A.C. has set a very high precedent for PLASA to follow, and we'd like to thank them for the putting the tradeshow on for the last eight years. I don't know what Jono's going to do with himself now - he'll be able to fit even more holidays in!"
   A.C. Lighting's northern sales director, Jonathan Walters, commented: "We would like to thank all our customers and suppliers for supporting and attending the A.C. Lighting North Tradeshow over the last eight years, and wish PLASA every success with PLASA Focus - Leeds 2009, the industry-wide showcase and successor to A.C. North."
   www.aclighting.com

Rosco Wins a Trio of Awards at NAB 2008

Mid-April saw Rosco products win no less than three awards at the annual National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show, held in Las Vegas, recognizing Rosco's continuing status as a market-leading innovator in the broadcast industry.
The TV Technology Magazine 2008 STAR (Superior Technology Award Recipient) Award for best show product was proof that LitePad is one of the pre-eminent technological novelties available to the media industry, while the DV Magazine Black Diamond Award reinforced LitePad's status as a major new product making its US debut at the show. Rosco's third award was the 2008 Videography magazine Vidy Award for RoscoView,
   "We are extremely pleased that our innovative LitePad HO and Rosco VIEW products have been rewarded by the key industry media, demonstrating that our forward-looking approach continues to work seamlessly with this progressive industry," says product manager Mike Wagner.
   In picture: Mike Wagner with the awards.

   www.rosco.com

First Exhibitors Book for Showlight 2009

Showlight may still be a year away, but the first exhibitors have already committed to the 2009 event, which takes place at BBC Scotland's state-of-the-art headquarters in Glasgow. Martin Professional, the main sponsor for the event, was first to sign up, swiftly followed by ETC, Gerriets, MA Lighting, Pixel Range, Rainbow Colour Changers, Robe UK, Robert Juliat and Selecon Europe.

However, Showlight is not just another exhibition: it is a great event for networking, providing a unique opportunity to meet with up and coming designers as well as those at the height of their profession. In the words of a first time exhibitor in 2005, it is "something you leave having made great friends with professionals from around the world."

Generous 'seed' money provided by sponsors such as Martin Professional enables Showlight to take place. Such funding sponsors the all-important conference dinner and social and technical visits, while contributions from exhibitors keep delegate fees to a minimum and enable the attendance of students. Mark Ravenhill, Vice President for Television and Theatre Lighting at Martin Professional, says: "Showlight has emerged as one of the most important events for lighting professionals, an invaluable asset to the ongoing development of the industry. It is exceptionally fruitful for us as it provides the opportunity for real two-way dialogue - an unequalled chance to network with some of the top names in the industry as well as introduce Martin Professional to emerging lighting practitioners. We look forward to meeting our industry colleagues amidst the outstanding facilities at the BBC Studios in Glasgow."

Showlight 2009 takes place from May 16 to 19 and will be of interest to anyone involved with entertainment and architectural lighting design. Adjacent to the Glasgow Science Centre and IMAX Cinema, and opposite the Scottish Exhibition Centre, BBC Scotland promises to provide both an impressive location and some very memorable facility visits.

If you would like to make a contribution in the form of a paper, email papers@showlight.org before the end of May 2008. Companies wishing to take an exhibition stand, or anyone wishing to register as delegate, should email info@showlight.org

ABTT Theatre Show Turns 30, Still Lighting the Way

The Association of British Theatre Technician's ABTT Theatre Show is gearing up to celebrate its 30^th birthday in London's Royal Horticultural Halls, June 11^th-12^th 2008.

The ABTT Theatre Show has built an enviable position as a unique platform for manufacturers, designers and suppliers to showcase the latest advancements in technical theatre. Over the years the Show has unveiled many technological landmarks, particularly in lighting. Setting a precedent for theatre productions globally the Show has witnessed changes that impact on the audience, the economics for show management and the operations for all technical personnel.

Many new innovations on the lighting front will be showcased this year with an emphasis on energy efficiency in line with the Theatres Trust conference on sustainable theatres to be held on 10^th June.

Selecon will showcase its new 80V power supply with direct DMX control removes the need for any dimming products. When combined with the Philips 80V 100W energy saving lamp delivers the appearance of 2kW of pure white light from the Pacific range or the Rama 175 high performance Fresnel.

ETC will also highlight products that offer low cost of ownership and sustainable solutions. Its highly efficient Source Fours will be on display. These fixtures are currently being deployed in Hackney's Arcola theatre powered by a hydrogen fuel cell as part of the venue's bid to become the world's first carbon neutral theatre.

PRG Europe will highlight its products and services that have built the company into a world class rental house supplying internationally acclaimed productions including, Mamma Mia, The Lion King, Jersey Boys and Joseph.

Zero 88 will demonstrate its new version 3 software for its Leap Frog 48 & 96 consoles. Its Jester ML series will be showcased. As a compact alternative it is a cost effective solution for the controlling up to 30 moving lights.

Stage Electrics will premiere the QMaxz 575 moving head, which offers cost effectiveness and high performance as the latest addition to its expansive rental fleet.

As the worldwide distributor for Global Design Solutions, TMB will showcase three ground breaking innovations set to augment the working theatre environment including, the multi-award winning Blues System comprising the BlueDome and BlueBeam, which both offer LED sourced and energy efficient dimmable fittings designed for backstage lighting in the working theatre. Plus the ProCue self-contained portable cue light system, which is a modular stage manager's desk system that meets all the demands of the modern stage manager.

KAVE Theatre Services gives the green light at the Show to highlight how theatres can ultilise sustainable techniques to reduce running and maintenance costs. A host of LED alternatives will be showcased as well as some of innovative software, including Lightfactory to assist lighting technicians.

Mushroom Lighting Technology and Mushroom Event Services will highlight its powerful combination to supply world-class events with some of the most innovative LED displays and fixtures.

Clay Paky will debut its new Alpha Series of moving lights, which includes the Alpha Beam - 300 moving light beam, the Alpha Spot HPE 300, the Alpha Spot 300 effect projectors and the Alpha 300 washlight. All boasting the company's signatory excellence in product engineering, they offer powerful tools to the theatre and live industries.

With energy and creativity in mind, MGC Lamps will highlight its range of energy saving solutions with low energy lamps for a variety of applications. As a dealer for Tryka and Pixelrange LED, the company takes pride in offering LED solutions.

An immense selection of gobos from specialist Goboland will be displayed. Its high-resolution glass gobos are available in both black and white and coloured dichroic. Their award-winning metal gobos are etched on black, non-reflective steel for a sharper image. With over 1,350 designs available to download, Goboland also offers a bespoke service.

PID will showcase its Catalyst Digital Media software Version 4. As a highly flexible, configurable and adaptable package it is ideal for productions no matter how large or small.

City Theatrical will debut its SHoW DMX, a wireless DMX system that uses a patent pending method hat synchronises the hopping pattern of the radio with the incoming DMX packet to attain levels of data fidelity previously unreachable with wireless DMX.

Avolites will be showing its Diamond 4 console - as used on Kylie's latest world tour, the Pearl Expert - recently used for Paul Weller's tour, and the latest addition to the Avolites family, the Pearl Tiger - all the power of the Pearl in a smaller package.

From their dimming range, the Art2000i install dimmer will feature, which combines the trusted technology of the Art2000 touring dimmer in an install frame.

ABTT Theatre Show Turns 30, Still Flying High

The Association of British Theatre Technician's ABTT Theatre Show is gearing up to celebrate its 30^th birthday in London's Royal Horticultural Halls, June 11^th-12^th 2008.

Many new innovations from the world of rigging, seating and other vital accessories will be showcased this year.

Long standing exhibitors Doughty Engineering will showcase its vast range of suspension and lifting equipment for auditoria in particular theatres. Making its debut at the show is the Easylift stand. Fully TUV approved, it is available in satin black and chrome finishes. Other key products on display include Six Track curtain track, lighting stands, equipment stands, Zenith truss lifts, Strata winch stands, music stands, Doughty clamps, Trigger clamps, quick Trigger Clamps, Atom clamps, Pulleys and Safety bonds.

Exhibiting for the first time - Rope and Rigging Ltd will debut its new Hand Crimper, which has been specifically designed with theatrical applications in mind - particularly lightweight applications to make installations much easier. A variety of accessories will be showcased from steels and drifts, bridles and safety bonds and shackles and rigging screws.

5 Star cases will showcase its improved Static Rack and Rack in a Box system, which have received additional strengthening by means of external braces. These braces add to the overall aesthetics of the design of all plywood inner sleeves, whilst adding to their durability. Also on display is the popular Eurotracker general purpose road trunk and a variety of laptop cases will be on show, providing the digital age with a means of transportation.

Theatre seating company Figueras International will showcase a selection of its range. With over 8.5 million seats installed worldwide, the company based in Barcelona brings a wealth of experience to the show. Their seating can be bespoke designed to match specific criteria and has made an impact globally.

Sunbaba will highlight its phenomenal range of plain and printable materials, with a variety of fabrics and colours to choose from to create stage backdrops and scenery. With the ability to print anything from detailed designs to landscape backgrounds, Sunbaba offer a range of solutions to fit purpose and budget, working with theatres and dramatic groups. As hard wearing and long lasting products, they are reusable making them more cost effective.

The Science of Survival gets Interactive with Living Image

Thousands of visitors to The Science of Survival exhibition at the Science Museum, London, were amazed by the incredible Living Image interactive floor display which will be on show until-November this year.
   Expert integrators Arcstream AV worked with Electrosonic to install the state of the art technology for the exhibition, which explores some of the environmental issues facing the planet and how we might live in the year 2050. The Living Image interactive technology is on display at the exhibition's entrance, giving an impressive ‘wow factor' for visitors upon entry.
   The projection is integrated into the show's ‘Drinking' area, where visitors can learn about innovative new techniques for getting safe drinking water and serious issues such as water shortages.
   Stephen Foulger, The Science of Survival's content director, explained: "We saw the Living Image display as a great way to add to the theming of the area, which is largely about water. The interactivity of the technology was also a major factor. We were really impressed with the technology's ability to engage people's senses - sight, sound and touch - which proved particularly popular with our younger visitors."
   Arcstream AV's Living Image floor projection is featured as an ‘interactive pool' in the Science of Survival exhibition at the Science Museum, using a unique infra-red sensor system that detects motion and changes the display in real time as visitors walk or run over the image. With a powerful 6,500 lumen projection system, combined with 1024x768 resolution, the image quality is outstanding even in high ambient light environments.
   The ‘fluid' effect is a popular content choice for the Living Image, although its graphical capabilities are virtually limitless. Content can be specially created for the display using video, animation, jpegs or company logos to create a customized interactive display that suits the theme and purpose of each event.
   Neil Dickinson, managing director of Arcstream AV, commented: "The Living Image display is a really popular product and as people begin to realise its potential, we are seeing it in a number of different environments. People are becoming much more creative with their content and the ultra-sensitive infra-red technology allows their projected imagery to respond instantly, creating a really impressive, eye-catching display."

   Malinda Campbell, content manager. added: "We wanted an interactive display that would capture our visitors' imaginations. The graphics were incredibly life-like and the feature worked exactly the way we had hoped."

Regional Buildings Have Never Looked So Good

Dramatic and creative uses of lighting of buildings in the Middle East, as diverse as an iconic hotel to one of the world's biggest mosques have been shortlisted for special awards to be revealed in Dubai later this month.
   The Middle East Lighting Design Awards (known as MELDA) celebrate the creativity of the world's leading lighting designers who are enhancing the region's built environment through the power of light.
   MELDA which is organised by IIR Entertainment and Installation Technology Group, is an integral part of PALME Middle East which takes place from 27-29 April 2008 at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, now firmly established as one of the world's biggest integrated technology forums and the Middle East's largest gathering of entertainment industry professionals.
   "Regional buildings have never looked so good," said Claire Brookes, event manager for MELDA. "The quality of entries this year has been truly exceptional. With billions of dollars being spent on so many iconic buildings throughout the region, developers now realise more than ever, the crucial role that architectural lighting design plays in enhancing a building's appearance especially at night."
   Among those shortlisted is Kevan Shaw Lighting Design for the Aspire Tower in Sports City, Doha, Qatar, in which nearly 4000 light emitting diodes were installed in a unique cladding system. The tower was inaugurated during the opening of the Asian Games in 2006.
   Lighting by dpa  for Junsui, an authentic Asian restaurant set within the opulent interiors of Dubai's Burj Al Arab, the world's most luxurious hotel, has also been shortlisted.
   Speirs & Major Associates, who designed the lighting for the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque in Abu Dhabi, which accommodates more than 30,000 worshippers and is the sixth largest mosque in the world, are also contenders along with NeoLight for the Four Seasons Resort at Dubai Festival City; Royal Gift Electronics for the Tabriz Bridge in Iran and Lighthouse Productions for Splash. In product categories, Fagerult's Open Box and Living Colour by Philips are among those shortlisted.
   The lighting design awards were staged for the first time last year and created a benchmark of excellence. The awards cover projects within the Middle East, including the Gulf Co-operation Council countries as well as Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran and Egypt.
   The awards are being sponsored by Philips ME, Martin Professional Middle East, Production Technology and International architectural lighting journal  mondo*arc.
   MELDA is also supported by the International Association of Lighting Designers and Lighting Urban Community International.
   The awards are being judged by an independent panel including lighting designer Ziad Fattouh (senior principle Delta Lighting), Shaun Killa (design director, head of architecture Middle East & India Atkins), Markus Stebich  director of development Spa + Interiors Jumeirah Group) and Jeff Willis, associate director Arup) who is also one of the founder members of the Emirates Green Building Council. The winners will be honoured during a gala dinner at the Park Hyatt Dubai on 27 April 2008, attended by leading international lighting designers and senior professionals involved in the delivery of the region's major projects.

More Names Commit to Light Relief Day 2008

More lighting designers added their names to the list of those supporting the second annual Light Relief Day, which took place on Thursday April 24.
   From overseas, Ken Billington is donating one day's royalties for Chicago and High School Musical, while closer to home pledges of a day's royalties have come from Neil Austin for Gone with the Wind, Guy Hoare for Aspects of Love tour, David Kidd for  the tour of Peter and the Wolf and Hugh Vanstone for Spamalot.
   Since Light Relief was founded in 2002, beneficiaries have included such well known names as Paule Constable and Mark Ridler: Light Relief Day is just one way that the entertainment industry supports the charity.

A.C. Lighting North Show Returns Next Week

Next Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th April sees the return of the annual A.C. Lighting North Tradeshow at the new Saviles Hall, Leeds (opposite the Royal Armouries Museum), so don't miss your chance to visit this essential event in the industry calendar for buyers in the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland.
   If you haven't already pre-registered there's still time to do so before the show next week.
   The definitive entertainment technology showcase takes place this year in the new 40% larger hall to provide an expanded exhibitor line-up and visitor capacity. Catch exclusive first UK showings of the very latest cutting-edge lighting, rigging, audio and video products, and industry representation from over 70 leading exhibitors.
   Top name guest speakers Stephen Page, Moray McMillin, Andy Lenthall and two panels of other industry experts will be taking time out of their busy schedules to provide unique and informal seminars on a range of topics. Seminars include lighting the opening ceremony to launch Liverpool as the 2008 European Capital of Culture, helpful tips from the school of life on live sound engineering, how the live events industry is going green, video for lampies and safer rigging.
   It's also the perfect opportunity to catch up with or put a question to, key industry associations PLASA, ALD, ABTT and the PSA, who will all be represented at the show.
   Show admission is free for registered industry visitors and includes entry to the seminars and free buffet lunch. Pre-register to guarantee your admission by calling A.C. Lighting Ltd on 0113 255 7666 or go online to www.aclighting.com/tradeshow.

Prolyte Sponsors Sound & Stage ME Awards

Prolyte Products Group is Gold sponsor for the Sound & Stage Awards, the Awards ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday April 29th in Dubai.
   The Middle East region's professional audio-visual, lighting design and live staging production industries are developing at an unprecedented rate. The region's professional audio-visual, lighting design and live staging production industries deserve recognition for driving this growth, and for striving to creating standards of excellence in technical service and support.
   "We thought this an excellent chance to demonstrate our support of the Middle East entertainment market, having launched our Middle East sales office at the same time," comments Marina Prak (marketing manager). "In addition to the sponsorship we are also organise a second rigging training seminar this year and will look for more opportunities to support the local market." The Sound & Stage Awards will boast an extensive number of categories honouring excellence in the region's pro audio, lighting and live events production industries.
   You can visit Prolyte at the PALME show at stand B20, Hall 5.

   www.prolyte.com

Shuttlesound Hosts Electro-Voice Big Day Out

Shuttlesound is to host a  special one-day event for the UK's pro-audio industry professionals of all creeds and colours, presenting Electro-Voice's full range of line array solutions alongside just-launched new loudspeakers and processors and the impressive functionality of EV's networking products.  Top sound designer Derrick Zieba, who has masterminded the EV systems for the BRITS and the MTV Awards amongst others, will be the keynote speaker for the day.
   The date is Wednesday the 28th May, and the venue is the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.  Access is by invitation only, and this may be swiftly organised through any Electro-Voice dealer or by contacting Shuttlesound by phone or email.
   The latest in EV's product introductions will be available for inspection, including a new compact sub suitable for use with EV's line array products, and the DC-One SHARC-based processor aimed at users of small to medium sized sound systems. Three line-array systems will be on demo - XLC, XLD and XLE - along with the latest amplifier technology and the clever NetMax digital matrix system, EV's answer to the ever-increasing complexity of audio system designs, a comprehensive software platform, which encompasses a huge array of control options. At front-of-house for all three systems will be Midas' pride-and-joy, the XL8 digital audio console.
   The day will include presentation and debate alongside the demonstrations; in addition to Derrick Zieba's presentation on sound design for special events, there will also be guest speakers from Electro-Voice North America on hand to present the latest developments in line array technology.
   This one-day Coventry event will distill all the Electro-Voice data from international trade shows on both sides of the Atlantic, so, if you currently own or are contemplating owning an EV sound system, it will have saved you a lot of shoe leather. Please contact Shuttlesound as soon as possible as this free event only has limited places.

Shuttlesound Reveals New ZX3 and New Processor to UK at AC North

AC Lighting's North 2008 exhibition provides the perfect platform for Shuttlesound to show, in the flesh, two key products new to the Electro-Voice portfolio.  The new ZX3 loudspeaker enclosure and the DC-One loudspeaker processor were unveiled in the USA just weeks ago, so this will be the first opportunity for UK customers to check them out.

   Positioned in EVs ZX series between the 8-inch ZX1 and the 15-inch ZX5, the ZX3 delivers an unprecedented level of performance for a lightweight 12-inch two-way loudspeaker, suitable for the widest variety of portable and installed applications. It features EV's new DVX3121 12-inch woofer and ND2 neodymium compression driver, and continues the groundbreaking innovation of the Electro-Voice DVX woofer program.
   A complete range of optional accessories, including array kit, wall/ceiling mount bracket, handle adapter for use with a strong arm mount, and truss clamp adapter, allow ZX3 to be easily and precisely configured in multiple box arrays, mounted on truss or tripods, deployed as monitors, or used as system mains with a subwoofer.
   Housed in a stylish yet rugged injection molded enclosure, this speaker shares the same functionality as the larger ZX5, with 90° x 50° or 60° x 60° horn dispersion patterns, 45° or 55° monitor angles, passive or bi-amp operation, and seven M8 rigging points. ZX3 is available in a weatherized version and in either black or white finish. An optional heavy duty stackable cover is also available.
   Users of small- to medium-sized sound systems, both mobile and installed, will be interested in the new DC-One two-in-six-out processor.  While the unit is an all-new development based on a powerful SHARC processor, it is 100% compatible with all settings from other Electro-Voice signal processors, including the Dx38-the best choice for achieving maximum performance with an EV loudspeaker system. 
   A large part of DC-One's development was aimed towards ensuring users can easily and fully utilize its serious digital horsepower and high-end audio performance. Though free PC-Editor software is available, the DC-One can easily be operated via the front panel. Direct access buttons, six predefined configuration modes (one being free configuration), straightforward output delay settings, and true professional metering all allow for safe operation. 
   DC-One's unique "front-panel-access-control" allows the user to select a personal library of accessible presets (out of 60 factory and 20 user presets). In addition, the user can determine which individual parameters in each preset are locked (e.g. factory predefined output parameters) or editable (e.g. master EQ or delay settings). 
   The DC-One has a 1U 19-inch chassis that is deep enough to match typical amplifier depths, a front panel USB connector for the PC-Editor, and accepts either analogue or digital (AES-EBU) input signals; a 6-dB input pad is available. The RS232 on the rear also provides eight contact closures for preset changes, or allows two units to be linked for larger systems. The PC-Editor software, as well as firmware updates allowing additional functions, will be available on www.electrovoice.com.

d&b audiotechnik Presents at AES Live Sound Workshop in Amsterdam

d&b audiotechnik will again participate in the forthcoming 124th AES Convention's Live Sound Workshop being held this year in Amsterdam. The Workshop sessions take place over three days from 17th to 19th May at the RAI International Exhibition and Congress Centre. They will be chaired by experts from leading companies as well engineers with international experience in the field. These include Eberhard Müller of Neumann & Müller, Wolfgang Feß from Klotz-a.i.s., Norbert Nachbauer from Neutrik, Jürgen Wilhelm from Yamaha, Gregor Zielinsky from Sennheiser and Ralf Zuleeg from d&b audiotechnik, all of whom have actively collaborated on the program.
   The Live Sound Workshop on Saturday May 17th opens with two sessions presented by Ralf Zuleeg, Head of d&b's Education and Application Support. From 10:45 to 12:15 ‘Demystifying Audio' will describe the principles of acoustics from the wavelength to the properties of a good loudspeaker; this is spiced with demonstrations and experiments to assist digestion of the information. ‘Line Arrays' follows on from 12:30 to 14:00, here Ralf will discuss the principles of line arrays and describe their behaviour in a non-mathematical way, culminating in a demonstration session. Ralf's unique style of explaining the physics makes it easy to adapt the theory to the real world.
   Both sessions promise to be very stimulating, if you are attending the AES Convention on Saturday 17th May then try to join in. For further information about all the other invaluable sessions that expand the live sound theme from loudspeaker systems to microphones through consoles and cables visit the AES website where the full schedule is posted.

ALD Announces Plans for the Michael Northen Student Bursary 2008

Michael Northen was a founding member of the Association of Lighting Designers and its President for many years. He was very supportive of the work of young lighting designers entering the profession, and set up a student bursary shortly before his death in 2001.  The £500 cash bursary is awarded to a student who shows exemplary talent in lighting design and is judged on a project that has been produced within the current academic year (July 2007 - June 2008). The ALD awards the bursary each year in conjunction with The Mousetrap Foundation, an organisation committed to encouraging young theatre practitioners and which manages the fund.
   In addition to the Michael Northen Bursary Award winner who receives a cheque for £500, two other winners will receive prizes of £250 this year, sponsored by ETC and the ALD. All three winning submissions will be displayed on the ALD stand at the PLASA08 in September, where the prizes will be presented.
   Rick Fisher, chairman of the ALD said: "It should be emphasised that this is a design bursary and the ALD is not looking for wonderful project management or equipment lists. The submissions will be judged on an imaginative design and creativity in lighting." Students have to communicate their concept for the lighting design imaginatively, illustrating how their ideas were realised in performance. The submission form requires a student lighting designer to demonstrate the development and processes of a successfully realised lighting design performance project with additional material including sources, photographs, storyboards and plans. All entries are judged by a panel of industry professionals.
   Submissions must be received at the ALD office by Tuesday 1^st July 2008 and judging takes place in August 2008. For further information and details of how to enter visit www.ald.org/students.
   In picture: Michael Northen Bursary presentation 2007. From left: Runner-up Dan Large, Fred Foster (CEO Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.), Cat Crick (winner of the ETC prize), ALD Chairman Rick Fisher and Michael Northen Bursary winner, Georg Spindler.  photo Jackie Staines

Three New Halls for ISE

After detailed consultation with exhibitors and with Amsterdam's RAI convention centre, the organisers of Integrated Systems Europe are to remodel next year's show. The move follows unprecedented demand for stand space, which even an extension to the 2008 layout could not have met.
   "Quite simply, we had no alternative but to change our layout," comments Mike Blackman, managing director, Integrated Systems Events. "Even by taking the whole of Hall 7 at the back of the RAI, we would have sold out of space within a matter of weeks. With another 10 months to go before our 2009 event, we have acted quickly to ensure that all our exhibitors have plenty of opportunity to familiarise themselves with the new layout, and can prepare for it accordingly."
   The new layout sees ISE abandoning the rearmost Halls 6 and 7 of the RAI. Instead, the show will occupy Halls 9, 10 and 11, which are at the front of the convention centre, close to the train station. These will be connected to the existing Halls 1-5 by the new Expo Foyer, a centrepiece walkway that is scheduled for completion later this year.
   In addition, the two ‘wings' of the show will be further connected by conference and seminar rooms - bringing the additional benefit of a more integrated education and exhibition space.
   "The new layout effectively gives us two main entrances - one closer for visitors arriving by train, the other nearer to the drop-off points for buses and taxis," adds Blackman. "While it is not intended as conventional exhibition space, the Expo Foyer will be an attractive, state-of-the-art walkway - a great way of connecting the halls, and the perfect showcase for some of our industry's products, such as digital signage.
   "Another bonus of the new layout is the integration of our training rooms. This will make it much easier for those attending seminars and conferences to go back and forth to the exhibition area, as and when their schedules dictate."
   After a few, frantic days of behind-the-scenes activity, all existing ISE exhibitors now have their new locations for 2009. "Our in-house team did a great job of organising the changeover, and I would like to thank all our exhibitors - particularly those who had pre-booked space in Halls 6-7 - for their understanding," concludes Blackman.
   "The changes we've made will help us make ISE 2009 the biggest and best event in our short history, and also give us the opportunity to create many more special features - more details of which will emerge as the months go by. Watch this space!"

Building Sustainable Theatres

The Theatres Trust's Annual Conference takes place on 10 June 2008 at the Cottesloe Theatre in London where theatre owners and managers, manufacturers, suppliers and consultant, architects and engineers, will be invited to debate the impact of climate change on theatre buildings and what influence the reduction of our carbon footprint will have on theatre use in the 21^st Century.
   The implication of new legislation to reduce carbon emissions being introduced through Climate Change, Energy and Planning Bills will be addressed by the Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MBE MP, Minister for Culture, and Peter Head, Director, Planning and Integrated Urbanism, Arup in opening and closing contributions.
   From the theatre world, the carbon comfort work in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre's Transformation Project will be covered by Peter Wilson, its project director, along with Stephen Jolly of Buro Happold, the project's engineers and its architect Rab Bennets. Attendees will also get the chance to hear about the energy adaptations being planned at Glyndebourne, Arcola and the National Theatre.
   Chaired by the inimitable Channel Four News anchorman, Jon Snow and arts aficionado, Nigel Hinds, along with Ruth Eastwood, CEO of Leicester Theatre Trust and Ian Blackburn, Capital Project Director at the Southbank Centre, Building Sustainable Theatres will provide the opportunity to share valuable experiences and knowledge in a stimulating way.
   The morning of the conference will take a look at the bigger picture surrounding climate change and how it is affecting theatres. Three perspectives, from Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall, Richard Simmons, CEO of CABE and John Graham, CEO of Historic Scotland, start the debate as each raises what they feel are the key issues in the areas of theatre performance, architecture and design and heritage.
   The afternoon focuses on practical delivery and how changes to Building Regulations and the introduction of energy performance assessments could affect the design of theatres. Delegates will get a chance to hear from construction and theatre industry experts who are either in the course of major capital projects or introducing adaptations to improve the energy performance of their buildings.
   The most recent budget statement announced that all new non-domestic buildings are intended to be zero-carbon from 2019. This has significant implications for theatres as they look to find ways to net off their energy use. All the signs are that similar requirements will soon follow for existing buildings. Conference 08 aims to help theatres identify what steps they can take towards adaptation, introducing renewables and improving energy performance, whether they be older historic buildings or built later in the 20^th Century.
   By the end of the day delegates will have had the chance to identify the best opportunities to make their theatre more energy efficient, be more informed about sustainability as a client, understand the environmental building and energy regulations for capital projects, consider options for mitigation, adaptations and retrofitting theatres, and make more environmentally sustainable use of existing resources.
   Once again the Trust's conference is tying into the ABTT Theatre Show which opens the following day, encouraging conference delegates to visit the Show to see what manufacturers and suppliers are able to do to help theatres reduce their energy consumption.
   The support of the industry has been instrumental in making the conference happen. This year sponsors include ABTT, ETC, Arup, Carr & Angier, Charcoalblue, Harlequin Floors, Northern Light, Theatre Projects Consultants, White Light, Max Fordham and the National Theatre. Media Partners are Lighting & Sound International and The Stage.
   Further information and registration is on www.theatrestrust.org.uk or through Suzanne McDougall at the Trust on 020 7836 8591. There are early bird discounts and further discounts for the Trust's Friends and Corporate Supporters.

Allen & Heath to Show New Analogue and Digital Products at ABTT

Pro audio manufacturer, Allen & Heath, will be exhibiting a cross section of its new digital and analogue mixers at the forthcoming ABTT show in London this June.
   New to the show is Allen & Heath's iDR0 2U rack processing unit, which provides all the processing features of the company's flagship iLive digital mixing system for networked audio. It is a cost effective and compact solution for users who wish to mix common sources for different applications such as FOH and Monitor, or need an additional mix for broadcast or recording that allows full processing and mix capability with the source material.
   The unit will be shown as part of a comprehensive iLive system, comprising an iDR10 mixrack and iLive-112 control surface. Also on show will be an iDR DSP system for installed audio distribution.
   Allen & Heath will also be demonstrating the 4 bus ZED-428 from the new ZED range of compact USB-equipped mixers for live performance, recording and production, and the GL2400 multi-purpose console.

Stage Technologies Training Course at Hong Kong Academy

As part of its ongoing programme of education in automation, Stage Technologies recently worked with the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) to deliver a five day course to its students. The course combines a number of theoretical lectures and practical site visits and presents the students with an overview of theatre engineering and automation systems.
   Mark Ager, Stage Technologies' managing director, lead discussions on how automation is used in entertainment venues, including the practical advantages, cost implications and safety issues, as well as giving a technical overview of the equipment used. This information was then augmented with visits to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the Wynn and Venetian hotel complexes in Macau, where Stage Technologies has recently completed commissioning several large systems.
   The course was designed for students currently in their final year at HKAPA, studying Technical Direction. Ken Chan, senior lecturer of Technical Direction, believes the students greatly benefited from the course. He commented: "The students have gained a much better depth of knowledge in ‘stage automation' from this course. The lectures give them an understanding of the uses of automation and the options available, and the pros and cons of using it in the live performance industry. The students were also inspired by the visits to Macau, seeing real venue applications from back stage as well as from the audiences' perspective." One student from the course remarked: "The classes were very informative and the site visits reinforced our understanding very well. I am looking forward to working with Stage Technologies in the future to learn more about how the systems work and how they are operated."
   Stage Technologies works with many higher education schools and colleges with an interest in theatre technology. For further information on day lectures or courses, contact Stage Technologies' London office through their website.

www.stagetech.com

Audio Visual Machines Successfully Educates Top Corporations at Annual Forward Thinking Technology Briefing

Audio Visual Machines (AVM), one of the UK's leading Audio Visual and Video Conferencing systems integrators, delivered the power of education at their annual Forward Thinking Technology Briefing.
   Eight leading industry manufacturers presented newly released technologies from their 2008 portfolios, advising some of AVM's prestigious corporate customers of the future of Audio Visual and Video Conferencing solutions. The briefing, held at Tate Modern, comprised of high level presentations and exhibitions to senior Managers and strategic decision makers.
   The day was a resounding success, proven by the positive feedback from the attending delegates. Robin van Meeuwen, MD of Crestron, said: "The Forward Thinking Technology Briefing was attended by the largest number of delegates that I have ever seen in the AV/VC industry for this type of event."

The Break 3 and 4 at the Comedy Café

AKG microphones, in conjunction with their UK distributor Harman Pro UK, have announced their involvement in new music evening The Break for the fourth time this year, on May 30th. This will be the last time that the event coincides with Unsigned Heroes 2008, AKG's competition to find the best unsigned band in the UK and Ireland.
   The Break is a monthly event held to promote new music and up-and-coming unsigned groups at Shoreditch's Comedy Café, sponsored by AKG and Strummerville, the charity set up in memory of the Clash's Joe Strummer to promote new bands around the country. Over the past four months, The Break has featured guest appearances from London's finest all-girl band The Veez, purveyors of country Americana The Cedars, indie superstars-in-the-making Sol Devious, brassy-edged punks The Fool, Johnny 'the new Dylan' Flynn, bluesy rockers Marner Brown and Kent's finest Rhythm & Roll band Maker, alongside a host of unsigned bands playing in AKG's Unsigned Heroes competition, which has always taken place on the same night as The Break.
   From songwriter-orientated ska-pop to synth/guitar-spattered thrashcore and moody, mean-streets rap to indie bluster, Unsigned Heroes has given the bands a chance to prove themselves in front of a highly critical judging panel of music industry producers, writers, and record-label owners. The final heat of Unsigned Heroes coincides with the final night of The Break on May 30^th.
   The winners of Unsigned Heroes 2008 will get to play at some of the UK's biggest summer music festivals later this year, as well as having one of their songs remixed by UNKLE and released as the lead-off track on a 12-track unsigned compilation album, to be released by Universal Records label No Carbon records in the summer.
   Unsigned Heroes entrants must be unsigned to any record label, and must all be over 18. Only original compositions are eligible for entry, and bands must be capable of reproducing the tracks live on stage.

Playing it Safe with the New Control of Noise at Work Regulations for Music and Entertainment Sectors

Meeting the new Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 in Music and Entertainment

Institute of Acoustics Holds One-Day Meeting on 16 April
Long and frequent excessive noise exposure whether from music or machinery can cause gradual damage to the ear that leads to increasing deafness, reduced clarity, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and even changed perception of the level and pitch of sound.
   For years musicians have been experiencing deafness and hearing problems, especially those with a career playing loud instruments such as brass and percussion. Increasing levels of amplified music have extended these risks to more musicians and workers in entertainment venues. Musicians risk permanent damage that can seriously interfere with their ability to play.
   Across Europe EU Directives and national legislation have required employers to protect their workers from noise.  Stricter regulations came into force in 2006, but workers in music and entertainment have been allowed to work under the older, less restricted regulations until 2008.
   In the UK this two-year transitional period came to an end on 6 April this year. Musicians and other workers in music and entertainment venues are now under the UK Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. The noise regulations will now apply to pubs and clubs, amplified live music events, orchestras and other premises where live music or recorded music is played (see editors notes) thereby applying to all workers; such as musicians, DJ's, bar staff, security staff but not to customers.
   The Institute of Acoustics, with the support of the Health and Safety Executive, is holding a meeting on 16 April at the Barbican, London, bringing together experts on health and safety in music and entertainment to talk about the issues raised by the regulations, the practical problems, and the real human consequences of doing nothing.
   Many of the speakers at Playing Safe are experts who contributed to the music and entertainment industry "Sound Advice" guidance.  These experts from different sectors in the music and entertainment industry have worked together with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to identify good practice that can help ensure compliance.
   Speakers will be covering managing safety in different venues and performance conditions including major performance venues, large indoor and outdoor concerts, orchestras, and pubs and clubs. Their results show the duration and level of noise exposures can be as serious as any in noisy industry, and yet there is little awareness of the risks, or how to prevent the hearing damage of staff. They report average noise levels in orchestras reaching 100dB(A) for some musicians and overall daily noise exposure of musicians and ancillary staff exceeding the allowed limits by 20 times where amplified music is played.
   Additional contributions will come from the Royal Academy of Music who are educating the next generation of musicians to be aware of the hazards that could end their career. There will also be advice from the musicians' union and the Health and Safety Executive.
   In case anyone is in doubt about whether this is just more red tape, or real safety concerns Christian Meyer-Bisch, an international audiologist, will be presenting clear evidence of serious hearing damage seen in musicians and other workers in entertainment.
   David Smeathen from the Health and Safety Executive, one of the speakers at the meeting, says: "We expect this to be a very productive day, raising awareness and getting the key points across to help the industry identify where the risks are greatest and implementing sensible control measure to reduce the risks o f hearing damage."

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