UK - In order to make full use of your days at the PLASA show, the show's organizers are encouraging visitors to 'check in' early. The doors to the exhibition will be open from 9am every morning and you will be invited to go up to the Top Deck to collect your show catalogue, and have a cup of coffee at one of the outlets around the PLASA stand while planning you day, prior to the show's official opening at 10am.
Please note: due to the current security situation, there will be full bag checks as you enter the show and all visitors are being asked for their co-operation. In the meantime, to help you plan, don't forget to check out the show website - see address below - for all the up-to-date news in the final run-up to the show.
UK - Entertainment lighting supplier White Light will be at the PLASA Show once again this year, showing new products from many of the companies for which it is the exclusive UK distributor as well as its own Digital Festoon System, a winner of a PLASA Award For Innovation at last year's show.
In order to demonstrate its full potential, the Digital Festoon System - a radical re-think of conventional festoon lighting that allows each lamp along a festoon's length to be individually dimmed without the aid of external dimmers - will be put through its paces in a two square metre demonstration rig featuring a 27 x 27 square grid of bulbs - 729 in total. The arrangement will show some of the many dramatic possibilities offered by what, at first glance, appears to be just a collection of light bulbs.
Alongside DFS, White Light will be showing the new White Light/ETC Smart Touring Rack, a successor to the long-established White Light/Arri 48-way touring racks. The new racks are designed to provide the versatility required by touring rigs that increasingly mix conventional and automated lighting: each rack contains four 12-way modules, with each module either a twelve way ETC SmartPack dimmer module or a 12-way MCB power module. Ouput goes through a patch bay to sixteen multicore outlets that can be either Socapex or Lectriflex as required. The new racks are already proving popular, with four out on the ongoing touring production of Grease.
Elsewhere on the stand will be new products from other manufacturers which White Light distributes in the UK. These will in
UK - The organizrs of the PLASA Show have advised that pre-registration for this year's show )11-14 September) closes today at 5pm so today is the last chance for visitors to benefit from the half-price tickets. However, visitors will still be able to purchase tickets on the door at the full price of £15. To pre-register today, please visit the website below.
(Lee Baldock)
Australia - Over 100 Robe ColorSpot 170 moving heads and Anolis Arcsource RGB LED fixtures have been installed in the newly refurbished banqueting and ballroom facility at the Grand Hyatt, Melbourne, Australia.
The new facility's multi-purpose function areas now cover two levels, offering 2100sqm of conference facilities, and include the new Art Deco style Mayfair and Savoy Ballrooms The banqueting facility is designed to meet the highest international standards and is unparalleled anywhere else in Australia.
Lighting was integral to the whole interior design: designed by Michael Huggins the installation was completed by two companies - Premier Lighting (for the Robe elements) and Lightmoves (for the Anolis fixtures). Robe Show Lighting and Anolis brands are both distributed in Australia by ULA.
The Savoy Ballroom features over 100 Robe ColorSpot 170s which are discreetly located in the ceiling panels, positioned so they can light virtually any part of the room in a range of colours and gobos.
The Mayfair Ballroom's natural light-filled atrium features another 10 ColorSpot 170 ATs, rear projecting images onto glass panels on the floor and in the ceiling. Both ballroom foyers feature glass panels which have been backlit with 48 Anolis ArcSource6 RGB LED fixtures. These provide a myriad of intense colours, transforming the dynamics of the spaces into virtual artworks say the company.
The Anolis ArcSource 3 RGB, 6 RGB, and 7 RGBW fittings combine cutting edge Luxeon emitters and lighting technology with industry standard MR16 fittings to create top quality lig
UK - Litec will be present at this year's PLASA show with lots of new products in both the trussing and rigging areas.
Libera 105 is the latest product in the well known and innovative roofing, grid and truss system line, say the company. It will be officially on show at PLASA for the first time. This truss has countless applications which have already been appreciated by many professionals during the events and festivals which took place this summer in several European countries, including Live 8, MTV Music Island and the 50th L'Oreal Colour Trophy awards in London.
The latest Litec products in the Ground Support Tower sector will also be on show, including the entirely aluminium Varitower 2, the now well-known Unitower complete with accessories, and the new square twist-resistant truss QL76 for building towers.
This year's show will also see the first official presentation of the new Litec pre rig truss. This trusses' design and line off accessories available make it ideal for use with both par bars and moving-head fixtures alike.
Furthermore, from September onwards, the new site for CM products will be launched. This will allow customers to check the current state and history of their electric chain hoists in real time and also receive information on servicing and maintenance.
Visitors to the stand can pick up the new Litec rigging catalogue, which includes the whole CM range, EXE motor controllers, the complete lifting and anchoring accessories range and the Litecwear professional clothing line. Also on display will be the new EYE Couplers, developed to
China - This year over 750 exhibitors of musical instruments and accessories, more than 130 exhibitors of professional audio and lighting equipment, and a packed schedule of events to entertain and enlighten visitors at the Music China and Prolight + Sound Shanghai show, which will run side-by-side at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Pudong from 19 - 22 October.
Prolight + Sound Shanghai may be smaller than it's neighbour Music China, but it's growing steadily and attracting some of the world's leading pro-audio and lighting companies into the fold. With over 130 exhibitors from 10 countries and regions - including China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Korea, Norway, Singapore, Taiwan, the UK and the USA - the 2005 fair will show a good range of entertainment and AV equipment.
Amongst the exhibitors are: Roxland (representing McCauley, Crest Audio, Pioneer and Shure), Zhejiang Harman AV Technology (representing Realtronix - Australia, Sabine, DBX, CROWN, PAL, TAPCO, Mackie, JBL-USA), Shenzhen Bao Ye Heng Industrial Development (representing C-Mark-USA), Beijing Baoma Engineering (representing Brahler-Germany) Penn-Elcom (Guangzhou) (representing Penn-Elcom-UK), Digexplorer Audio Technology Shenzhen (representing Behringer-Germany), Telex EVI Audio (Shanghai) (representing Electro Voice, DYNACORD, Midas, Klark Teknik, RTS, TELEX), Kwanasia Electronics (Macao Commercial Offshore) (representing Peavey Electronics-US) and Loud Technologies China (representing EAW Commercial, TAPCO, SIA, and CRATE).
During the show the third Pioneer Cup DJ competition, spo
UK - One of the keynote sessions at this year's PLASA Show (11-14 September, Earls Court 1, London) will be an audience with American lighting veteran Sonny Sonnenfeld (Tuesday 13 September, 4.30pm). Sonnenfeld has been involved in theatre and architectural lighting for over 60 years: his career started at Century Lighting (now Strand) in 1945, where he became New York sales manager. In 1961, he co-founded Lighting & Electronics, rejoining what had then become Strand Century between 1975-85. In the intervening years, he's also been a sales representative for Colortran, Wybron and ETC.
During his professional career, he has taught lighting, won several awards, written numerous articles and founded the Broadway Lighting Master Classes, making a major contribution to the professional development of many of today's leading architectural and theatre lighting designers. After almost 60 years of selling in New York, Sonny retired to Las Vegas, only to un-retire earlier this year to rejoin Strand Lighting as their New York representative for theatre and television lighting.
In this special session, he will be introduced by ALD chairman Rick Fisher and will talk about his career, the companies he's worked for, the changes he's seen in lighting and the people he has met along the way. The session is just part of a much wider seminar and workshop programme. Topics include Digital Scenography; Three-Dimensional Imaging; System Integration; Screen Technologies; Energy Efficient LEDs; Digital Audio Networking and the Safe Use of Lasers, as well as a business-focused session lo
UK - DJs keen to see all the latest DJ technologies should head to this year's PLASA Show, which runs for four full-on days at Earls Court 1 in London, from 11-14 September. Both show floors will be packed with the hottest DJ gear - everything from the smartest decks to top-of-the-range mixers.
Denon, Numark, Pioneer, Stanton and Vestax will be just some of the big-name brands at the Show, and a key part of the 300-strong line up of exhibitors showcasing current trends in lighting, sound, AV and multimedia technologies.
DJ Sunday, sponsored by iDJ magazine, will get the show off to a flying start with numerous events, giveaways and on-stand demos by leading DJs. In the DJ Lounge (at the back of the hall), visitors can watch the winners of iDJ Magazine's monthly Raw Talent competition and there will also be an opportunity to take the first steps into music production with a Talkzone presented by the Academy of Contemporary Music, where A&R experts from labels such as Defected, Azuli, Bedrock and Underwater will offer feedback on demos. Other attractions include the Gemini Extreme V DJ competition and the onsite record fair, a new feature for 2005.
In the main seminar theatre, there will be two DJ-dedicated workshops. Digital Turntablism and Mixing - will look at the virtual DJ studio, the advance of MP3 and the future of vinyl emulation. The Future of the DVJ and Vision Mixing will look at the advances in mixing and effects processing, together with the latest software releases designed to extend the art of the VJ.
Pre-registration is avai
UK - Shure Distribution UK will be showing products from Shure, QSC Audio, Phonic and Sound Devices at PLASA 2005. Shure will present the UHF-R Wireless Systems which features networked automatic set-up to minimize set-up time and effort, 75MHz bandwidth for reliable, trouble-free operation, integrated Wireless Workbench Software for advanced, real-time network control and Audio Reference Companding technology for exceptional audio quality.
Shure's new premium KSM9 vocal condenser wireless capsule will also make its official UK debut. Available exclusively with the UHF-R systems, the KSM9 capsule will be offered in champagne and black finishes by the end of the year. Shure UHF-R/KSM9 seminars will take place during the show from Monday to Tuesday at midday and 3pm.
From Phonic the show visitor will witness the latest and most powerful additions to the XP Series of amplifiers, the XP5000 plus the XP5100 that boasts a separate subwoofer output. Other new products will include the ZX Series 2 and 4 zone mixers, both of which are rackmountable in only 1'U' of space. Additionally Phonic continues its exploration of the digital audio arena with its new Ai231F dual channel digital graphic EQ, with built in feedback detection system.
QSC will show 10 new products utilising its QSControl.net platform. In addition QSC's AcousticDesign Series has undergone enhancements including the new AD-S282H full range, surface mount loudspeaker and improved AD-C Series in-ceiling speakers. Also there are additions to QSC's ModularDesign family of loudspeakers - the MD-S215 and MD-S21
UK - With little more than two weeks to go until PLASA 2005 opens its doors, here are 10 reasons why you can't afford to miss out on this year's Show - taking place between Sunday 11 and Wednesday 14 September at Earls Court, London:
1. You'll see lots of new ideas - over 1,000 new products will be launched, and the best of these will be featured in the Innovation Gallery.
2. You'll see all the major international brands and manufacturers from around the globe.
3. You'll find more new companies exhibiting this year than ever before.
4. You'll hear about numerous new industry initiatives.
5. You'll find out what others are spending their money on and why.
6. You'll get to talk to lots of different people, many of them potential customers.
7. You'll take back knowledge to your workplace.
8. All the major industry trade associations will be there to offer advice and support.
9. You'll be glad you didn't let the pile of paperwork on your desk win.
10. At PLASA you'll find all the answers, not just some of them.
For more information on the show, its events, seminars, feature areas and awards, log on to the website below.
UK - Bandit Lites supplied lighting production and crew for LD Jonny Gaskell's spectacular visual design at the Top Shop Fashion Show and Awards. The two-day event was staged at Syon House in West London, and each day saw 1500 of the popular retailer's design teams and store managers as guests.
The project was managed for Bandit by Lester Cobrin who has worked with Gaskell several times in the past. Gaskell and his partner Nick Gray of Renegade Lighting were asked onboard by event producers 9PR, who are regular clients.
Lester Cobrin comments, "Jonny is one of the most talented and enthusiastic LD's I've had the pleasure of working with. He has tremendous vision and the end product is always refreshing and innovative."
Gaskell had to light the show and catwalk area in a 150ft long marquee, featuring a central stage area with four runways coming off it at right angles and an imposing scenic entrance at one end. Outside this room, the Syon House conservatory area was transformed into a night club space in which guests could chill out, and Gaskell's brief also included the decorative illumination of the gardens. The set and stage was designed by Andy Cobb, as was the spectacular Bedouin tent bar and eating area outside.
Gaskell lit the runways with 130 Source Four profiles, hung from overhead trusses. The stage had two concentric trusses above it, complete with a 4ft diameter mirrorball hung in the centre. The Source Fours were used to give smooth and even lighting on the models and to emphasise the natural tones of their skin and the clothes.
Everyt
Australia / USA - The International Communications Industries Association Inc (ICIA/InfoComm), the premier trade association for the audiovisual industry worldwide, is pleased to announce its participation at Entech 2006 (Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre February 13 - 15 2006).
ICIA/InfoComm will offer a one-day program consisting of four 90-minute seminars featuring AV design, display, signal management and presentation support for end users. The seminars are being presented by InfoComm Academy's instructors at Entech. A breakfast meeting of the newly created ICIA Australia and New Zealand Member Council will precede the seminars. In addition, ICIA will host a booth on the exhibition floor.
"ICIA is delighted to participate at Entech next year," said Terry Friesenborg, CTS, senior vice-president for international development of ICIA. "Demand has dramatically increased for audio-visual training, as well as certification of individuals and companies around the world, reflecting the pervasiveness of AV presentations and communications technology everywhere, especially in business, government and education. Entech has provided us a great platform to offer our education in Australia."
The AV industry is experiencing phenomenal growth as demand for information communications technology expands in every field. With applications spanning video-conferencing, presentations and lectures, training, command and control, entertainment, distance learning, electronic retail signage, and high-end home theatre, customers are seeking qualified AV technic
UK - Exhibitors at the forthcoming PLASA Show (11-14 September) have been quick to take the opportunity to nominate their products for this year's PLASA Awards for Innovation, with over 40 nominated product already successfully entered. All successfully nominated product will be prominently displayed on the Innovation Gallery (sponsored by Lighting&Sound International magazine) during the show, providing a major draw for PLASA visitors.
In order to successfully gain admission to the PLASA Awards judging process, each nomination must prove to the chairman of the judging panel that it has some claim to be called 'innovative': it must offer a new opportunity, create a new of thinking or working, or in some way advance technical practice. This year, the PLASA Awards will also see the re-introduction of the Award for Environmental Impact - a discretionary award with which the judges can recognize a product which will have a positive effect on the environment.
The judging process will be conducted during the Show, on the Sunday and Monday. The winners will receive their Awards at the presentation ceremony, which takes place at the Central bar area on the ground floor of the hall on the Monday evening at six o'clock. All visitors and exhibitors are welcome to attend. Money raised from the Awards nomination fees will be presented to a number of charities during the Awards ceremony. To date, the PLASA Awards have generated in excess of £40,000 in charitable donations.
A full list of the approved entries so far can be found on the PLASA Show website, address below.
Th
UK - With London confirmed as the host city for the 2012 Olympics and the linked £100billion regeneration of the capital already underway, the PLASA Show (11-14 September, Earls Court, London) could not be happening at a better time, or in a better place, say the show's owners, the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA). With over 300 companies rolling out over 1,000 new products and services, PLASA 2005 is going to play a key role in delivering solutions to many of the infrastructure and live event challenges associated with major projects.
In fact, the companies exhibiting at PLASA 2005 have the expertise to make anything possible. Live8, for instance, showcased many of the developments that have seen the entertainment and installation technology sectors grow into a global industry worth an annual £10bn (£1bn to the UK economy alone). From nightclubs to shopping centres, cruise liners to sports arenas, technologies developed by this industry have transformed the quality of experience within the leisure, sports and architectural markets to a level scarcely imaginable 10 years ago.
And in the building and architectural sectors, the development of audio, video and IT technologies has also transformed the way buildings are designed and used - both aesthetically and practically - with information and safety-related systems now essential ingredients in the development of public spaces and buildings.
All these developments - together with the next generation of ideas - will be there for you to see at PLASA 2005. Both levels of Earls Court 1 will be p
UK - Hawthorn are holding the next in their series of 'Hawthorn @ Home' events on Friday 2 September 2005.
Generic Lighting gives attendees the opportunity to find out more, discuss with product representatives and have a hands on comparison of lantern ranges from Selecon, ETC, Strand and others, plus an opportunity to visit the warehouse and offices and meet the team. There will be special lantern offers exclusively available on the day.
Their next event on October 7th 2005 entitled Flash, Bang and Feedbackwill feature a demonstration of Pyrotechnics by Le Maitre and Radio Mics by Sennheiser, Sony and Trantec.
(Jim Evans)
UK - While celebrating its 21st birthday, the Global Infusion Group has been working flat out this summer on a multitude of events including Live 8, the G8 Summit at Gleneagles and The International Festival of the Sea, as well as touring with Coldplay in both Europe and the US.
The corporate catering division, Chevalier Event Design, worked with innocent to provide a picnic and BBQ for 1,500 at this year's Fruitstock Festival in London's Regents Park, while Stratfield Saye House in Reading was the location for 2000 Microsoft employees to enjoy their After Hours summer party. The division also catered for 1000 artists and VIP's at the Download Festival in Castle Donington.
In addition to providing the production catering at the G8 Summit, sister company Eat to the Beat provided crew and media catering at Live 8 in Hyde Park. Other festivals catered for included Glastonbury, Cornbury, The Big Chill and Hampton Court. Tours and one-off concerts this summer have included Once in a Lifetime with The Osmonds, Bay City Rollers and David Cassidy, Nelly, Destiny's Child, Rammstein and Black Sabbath.
The film and television department has been touring the UK with its fleet of mobile kitchen trucks for Sky Sports covering the Rugby and Cricket seasons, plus The Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.
The company continues its busy summer season, catering at Leeds and Reading Festivals, touring with the Stereophonics, Balamory - the Tour and two large roadshows for Lexus across the US.
(Jim Evans)
UK - PSL Exhibitions has been confirmed as the official Audio-Visual/IT contractor for a number of high-profile UK exhibitions, including the prestigious Toy Fair at the start of 2006 and three shows for organizers IIR. Two brand-new events have appointed PSL as exclusive supplier of all AV and IT services. Games Market Europe, staged by Tandem Events at the BDC, is aimed at the video and computer games industry: Careers in Retail is a new EMAP careers showcase, which will be held at Olympia.
PSL also renews its contracts to supply services to A Place in the Sun, the UK's largest overseas property and travel exhibition, and Reed Exhibitions' World Travel Market event. PSL has also secured contracts with high-technology showcases which depend heavily on AV presentation; these include the Smartphone Show, organized by Symbian; IPEX, the world's largest expo for the print industry which is held at the NEC (PSL is jointly contracted with MCL); and IBLA, also known as International Biotech & Lab Automation Europe 2005, the leading UK exhibition for the biotech and robotic industries.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - DJ Magazine is again running its annual T-Scan Technology Awards alongside the PLASA Show this year, and is inviting readers to download a .pdf form for voting purposes (www.djmag.com/djtech007.php). Following the success of last year's format, they are offering another split reader/judge vote this year, with two sets of 10 different categories.
Alongside a public vote for gear that a bedroom or mobile DJ might use most, the magazine's panel of industry professionals, musicians and DJs will decide what club install equipment ranks highest. The public will vote on: 1. Dual CD Player; 2. MP3 Controller; 3. Entry-level Mixer; 4. Effects Mixer; 5. Lighting Product; 6. DJ Effects; 7. Sampler/Workstation; 8. Studio Software; 9. Best DJ/Producer Schooll; 10. Retailer Of The Year.
The judges will vote on: 1. Innovative New Product; 2. Turntable; 3. New Single CD Player; 4. DJ Cartridge; 5. DJ Headphones; 6. DJ Mixer (under £800); 7. Installation Mixer (over £800); 8. Scratch Mixer; 9. PA Manufacturer; 10. VJ Product.
The downloaded form should be returned to DJmag, T-Scan Awards, 53-79 Highgate Road, London, NW5 1TW by no later than August 26th, 2005. All voters will be entered into a draw to win whichever product scoops the Most Innovative Product award.
The winner will also receive free tickets to the PLASA Show, at London's Earl's Court, on Sunday, September 11th, plus tickets to the awards ceremony the same evening (held in the Grand Hall of the Cobden Club, Ladbroke Grove), to collect the prize.
Tickets for the T-Scan Awards ceremony are available for
UK - On Tuesday, 29 November 2005 at The IEE, Savoy Place, London, UK the IEE Engineering for a Sustainable Future Professional Network will present the seminar Beyond WEEE: Unsustainable Product Design, and how to avoid it.
The EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive begins to roll out across the member states of the European Union from August 2005. This directive requires the collection and recycling of WEEE, and passes the responsibility for this back onto the producers. Manufacturers and designers of EEE now have a vested interest in sustainable product design, as by employing suitable design techniques, companies have a chance to minimize these costs, maybe even reducing overall product cost.
The event has two threads running through it. The "Practical" thread will seek to explore the state of the art in Sustainable Product Design and Design for End of Life to give product designers the tools to lower the cost burden of their products, and create value for their companies by enhancing their sustainability. The "Tactical" thread will provide details of the rollout of the WEEE directive across Europe; information on how the WEEE directive interacts with other related EU legislation (e.g. the RoHS and EuP Directives); and will look at worldwide trends and the likely future direction of product-related sustainability legislation.
Attending delegates will be able to learn more about this legislation and how it will affect them and their business, create value for companies by enhancing sustainability, gain practi
UAE - Following a successful event in April this year, IIR, organizer of the PALME exhibition in Dubai, reports another surge in growth for the show, with PALME 2006 now looking set to occupy three full halls of the Dubai International Exhibition Centre (DIEC) with many of the 2005 participants having already confirmed their attendance. Still with over eight months to go before the doors open, IIR reports that PALME 2006 is now 65% sold.
The main objective of PALME, say IIR, is to allow for manufacturers, suppliers and installers to meet face to face with buyers and specifiers from a wide range of industries who have a need for professional sound, light, music, audio-visual and systems integration equipment and solutions.
PALME 2006 is scheduled to take place in Dubai from 23-25 April 2006.
(Lee Baldock)
White Light made two announcements - firstly its appointment as a Prolyte distributor and secondly as exclusive Arri Theatre Lighting distributor in the UK. Products on show included the Arri Studio Theatre 1k and 2k fresnels, while moving lights included the new tungsten Alpha Wash Halo washlight from Clay Paky. Also highlighted were followspots from Robert Juliat, DMX distribution products from ELC, colour scrollers from Rainbow and smoke and haze machines from Look Solutions.
City Theatrical showed examples of its range of accessories for Color Kinetics' LED-based lighting fixtures, including its ColorBlaze, ColorBlast, ColorBurst and ColorCast units. City Theatrical's additions are designed to offer consultants and designers greater choice in control and dispersion of the fixtures. The latest addition is the PDS-750-TR touring power supply, a rugged unit which provides power and DMX control capability for Color Kinetics luminaires (12 ColorBlast 12 or 24 ColorBlast 6 luminaires, for example). The PDS-750-TR is provided with various standard mounting options.
ETC has always had a busy, but not large, stand at ABTT and this year Mark White decided the company needed a bigger area to demonstrate its wares - which meant a move into one of the show's quieter halls. The main attraction was ETC's Congo lighting control console; we are told that field project manager Jeremy Roberts was so busy doing demonstrations that he hardly had a break during the entire two days. ETC reported that visitors to the stand were delighted with a glass of Pimm's No.1, mixed by ETC project manager Iain Quinn.
The HSL Group was another first timer: currently supplying lighting to some major UK theatre tours including Blood Brothers, Joseph & His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar, HSL is also servicing other major events including Holland Park Opera Festival plus providing equipment to TV studios across the UK. HSL has now streamlined into three divisions: HSL Rental, HSL Rigging and HSL Sales and Distributions.