Luminar Leisure has carried out a major £1m conversion of its Chicago Rock Café in Northampton, providing the company with a flagship venue within the former Odeon Cinema and increasing the capacity to 1,500. With the relocation of the stage to its own mezzanine level, the venue is centred around live music. Forthcoming acts will range from Spandau Ballet to the Venga Boys - and this will be played back through a concert-spec sound system. The large venue (with a massive 18 metres floor-to-ceiling height) is divided into three areas - the main room, the restaurant and Cuba Bar, situated inside the main entrance - and this is configured as a 16-zone system.
The primary task facing Lynx Lighting’s head of sound Jerey Denning, was the ability to change the venue’s soundscape - with automatic adjustment of the room’s EQ settings in accordance with the different modes of music. This he did with the aid of four BSS 9088 Soundwebs and a 9010 Jellyfish remote. Via Soundweb, each area can select local sources, such as satellite - or multiplay CD in the Cuba Bar - while still receiving announcements from the main DJ booth. Four BSS 9012 wall-mount panels provide the local user interface - featuring a five-way switch and rotary fader. However, in the live mixing area on the balcony, house engineer Rob Evans has access to the Jellyfish, stationed alongside a Soundcraft Spirit 32 (32/8/2) desk, and this allows him to override the system at any time.
Jerey Denning explained: "The idea is to use the different processing blocks from each Soundweb to route arou
The summer of 2002 has seen a significant sales trend for Out Board's TiMax audio imaging and surround animation matrixes as part of sound system upgrades to three diverse, but high profile classical theatre/opera facilities. In Finland, following a prolonged period of detailed evaluation under the supervision of long-standing TiMax distributor Kurt Nyback of Hecom, the Helsinki City Theatre and the Finnish National Theatre both opted for large TiMax Rack Systems, whilst the Moscow Operetta have purchased a system for vocal localisation and special effects programming and control from the TiMax distributor Igor Kovalev from Binar. System sizes ranged from 16-In x 24-Out up to 24-In x 32-Out.
What each of these installations has in common is perhaps not surprising these days - all systems were specified with AES/EBU digital inputs and outputs to interface with a range of mixing and signal distribution technologies from manufacturers such as Yamaha and Tascam. Out Board Director Dave Haydon comments: "Although TiMax Rack Systems and the new TiMax ImageMakers have been AES/EBU digital-enabled for some time, we were quite taken aback by the speed of take-up this year, but anticipate it to become more of a standard from now on.
TiMax Rack Systems are modular in blocks of eight channels up to a maximum of 32-In x 32-Out, which can include full digital I/O or just inputs or outputs. It is possible to mix 'n match digital and analogue, as well as retrofitting digital I/O with no modifications, which means rental operators have the inventory option of covering both bases fo
Following its launch earlier this year, the first European installation of Emphasis has just been completed at the New Stage of the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, as part of the venue’s major technical upgrade. More than 250 years old, The Royal Danish Theatre is located in the heart of Copenhagen and also houses the Royal Opera and Ballet.
"We were looking to upgrade our existing control system with more functions and channels," said the theatre’s lighting director Søren Nylin, "and we were very satisfied with the WYSIWYG software, which has grown to become the industry standard." Nylin detailed his technical requirements, to ETC’s distributor Bico Professionel A/S, who came up with the perfect solution. "As the theatre’s staff were already using Expression and WYSIWYG, Emphasis was the next logical step, providing a seamless fusion between the two," said Søren Jørgensen of Bico. Emphasis was supplied with additional WYSIWYG Design, two WYSIWYG Perform 2000 and ETC’s dimmer reporting software WYSILink. Bico also supplied the theatre’s New Stage with more than 500 channels of Sensor dimming with RCDs, four ETCNet2 DMX and Video Nodes, a Remote Focus Unit and four relay racks, to control worklight relays. The theatre already had more than 130 Source Fours, 12 of which are mounted on Auto-Yokes. The theatre’s houselighting is controlled by two ETC Unison architectural processors with 19 control stations, including two LCD stations.
(Ruth Rossington)
In what can only be described as a milestone event, the Professional Lighting & Sound Association (PLASA) has cause to celebrate after recording one of the most successful shows in its 25-year history. PLASA's annual show confirmed its status once again as the leading international trade show for the entertainment, communications and presentation technology industries, as more than 400 companies from across the globe filled the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London from 8-11 September, 2002.
13,810 people (subject to ABC Audit), up by 4.2 per cent from last year, visited the PLASA Show to see the array of new product launches, attend the Masterclass Programme, network with industry colleagues and strike up new business relationships. PLASA managing director, Matthew Griffiths, said the show bucked the exhibition industry’s recent downward trend as many exhibitors conducted good business at the show, citing an optimistic mood about the state of the industry.
The show’s acting director, Nicola Rowland, commented: "Without doubt, this has been an extremely successful show. I’ve spoken to many exhibitors and the response has been overwhelmingly positive and it has laid the foundations to make the show even better next year. The show offered the industry a platform to revive the sluggish start to trading this year, with many exhibitors sounding bullish about the opportunities for the coming year after securing significant new business deals at the show."
Laurie-Jane Greene, international marketing manager for Martin Professional, described the
Following the success of its previous open days and the demand for a repeat event, Caterham-based direct marketing company Smart Sound Direct has confirmed 2pm Sunday 17th November as the date for its Winter show, which will be held at Airport House, Purley Way, Croydon, Surrey.
Entertainment will be provided by various performers and DJs who will demonstrate the company's full complement of MSA PA enclosures, monitors, power amps, mixers, rack-mounted effects and accessories. New product lines include the upgraded version of the newly developed Smartlight range of lightweight speaker cabinets. These include bass bins which, when coupled with a power amp and mixer from the SmartLight line, provide what is claimed to be the lightest, portable, compact PA package available.
Visitors will also be able audition a variety of innovative products, including the CP8SP (currently the only compact 1,000W RMS sub-bass on the market) and the 'neighbour-approved' guitarists' recording gizmo, the Smart Sound 'Hermit' Isolation Box.
Admission is free, but only on a pre-bookable basis by calling 01883 346647.
(Ruth Rossington)
Pulsar Light has announced that from Monday 23 September, the company will commence full operation from brand new premises. Located just over a mile from Pulsar’s existing building, the new factory will house the design, manufacturing, sales and support teams. With 3,400sq.m of floor space and the potential for growth, the move will allow continued development for Pulsar.
The company’s new address will be: 3 Coldhams Business Park, Norman Way, Cambridge CB1 3LH, UK. Tel: 44 (0)1223 403500. Fax: 44 (0)1223 403501.
After more than 20 years supplying sound, screens, lighting, power and other specialist services to all types and sizes of events, Oxfordshire-based event services supplier ARB is restructuring its operation to keep pace with the shifting dynamics of the events industry. The company is now gearing up for further substantial changes within the industry by improving and developing the range of products and services required to meet the demands of the 21st century.
Having steered the company through its acquisition last year and a successful 2002 summer season, Bob Boote has decided to step down. He leaves the company in an excellent position to capitalise on this growing market, with a new management team in place committed to continuing ARB’s increasing impact and reputation within the events market. Peter Boott (no relation) who will continue as managing director, commented: "The technological developments in our industry over the past few years have been spectacular and this has increased expectations among our clients and potential clients of how best to promote their products and services at major events. To ensure we meet these expectations we will be building on the best aspects of our company, while improving efficiency and continuing strategic investment. This will ensure ARB’s continued position as one of the premier event equipment suppliers."
The scale and size of the projects ARB has successfully worked on this summer, which have included the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, Silverstone Formula 1 Grand Prix, The Open Golf Championshi
Lamba plc, UK distributors for Stanton products, scooped two top awards in DJ Magazine’s T-Scan Awards, which were held during the recent PLASA Show at the fashionable Momo Restaurant in London’s West End. The revolutionary Final Scratch was rewarded in both the MP3 Hardware and Most Innovative Product categories, and Stanton Magnetics’ export manager, Laurent Cohen was on hand to collect the awards.
Final Scratch allows bedroom DJs to enter and control the digital world. Its patented technology allows real-time manipulation and scratching of digital music files such as .wav and MP3 - from conventional analogue decks. Using any standard turntable and mixer set-up, a DJ can manipulate digital sources by hand, and with vinyl, while out on the road a DJ can now carry his entire system to a gig in a travel bag.
Certainly Final Scratch proved to be a popular winner, as DJ’s flocked onto the Lamba stand throughout the PLASA Show. Among those who saw Stanton’s B-Side and John Acquaviva put Final Scratch through its paces were Roger Sanchez, Grandmaster Flash, Cutmaster Swift and XPress 2 - who recently enjoyed a huge UK chart hit (Lazy) with former Talking Head David Byrne.
DJ Magazine’s awards are considered to be the most prestigious in the industry, and Lamba’s Paul Bierton commented: "We are delighted that DJ Magazine has recognized what we already know - which is that Final Scratch is on the verge of setting a major global trend that is set to revolutionize the way in which the industry thinks about downloading, mixing and
Zero 88 Lighting has awarded their North American distributor, A.C.T Lighting Inc, with their prestigious International Dealer of the Year Award for the second year running. "A.C.T Lighting's hard work and commitment has raised the brand profile in the US over the past 12 months", commented Zero 88 brand manager Tim Burt. "We have developed a close partnership with the company who provide ongoing support, training and marketing for us in the competitive US market."
Zero 88's Frog range of consoles have been extremely successful in the US market, providing easy to use and low-cost moving light and conventional control in a number of different formats, depending on the needs of the user. The Frog range currently comprises the Frog, Fat Frog, Leap Frog, Bull Frog, Mambo Frog and Frog Box.
(Lee Baldock)
When the organizers of the Panasonic Mercury Music Prize announced the nominations for this year’s event, at a press conference at London’s Royal Commonwealth Club, they asked Avesco Group company Creative Technology to provide all the audio visual support for the event.
Project manager Matt Hunter then involved fellow Avesco company MCL-London to handle the audio, and his colleague Simon Waters to provide a sophisticated playback rig, providing separate audio feeds from the digital mixing desk to the cameras. CT provided two 37" Hitachi plasma displays, which were used as relay monitors, and a Barco i6 high-resolution daylight screen, cut into an aperture - raised on a platform and suspended from behind as an integral part of the set design created by Frames Design and Build Ltd.
Cameras were supplied by the television companies but using Beta playback, CT flipped between Mercury’s graphic logo, held on a Sony DTS-375 framestore and short clips of the nominees, mixed on a Sony DFS-500 vision mixer, as Jools Holland announced the names in three separate segments.
MCL-London provided a conventional d&b left and right stack (augmented by front and rear fills), with playback from a pair of Denon MD105 minidiscs. Pete Clifton mixed the sound from a 24-channel Soundcraft K3 digital mixer, in turn sending live feeds to the cameras. Sony handheld mics, a pair of hardwired Shure SM58s and an AKG 747 lectern mic provided the live reinforcement for Jools Holland.
Summarised Matt Hunter: "With Avesco’s dedicated sound company Dimension Audio,
A new state-of-the-art ‘IBBISS’ Help Point system, designed for use within the London Underground tube network, has just had its ‘Development Progress Demonstration’ functionality tests by leading integrators/installers and London Underground Infracos. This latest Help Point system comes from a new manufacturer, IBBISS Ltd (Interalia Baldwin Boxall Integrated Security Systems). IBBISS is a joint venture between two leading communications manufacturers, Interalia and Baldwin Boxall, who believe that the system will soon become the first choice for many Help Point installers.
In late 2001, various parties approached Interalia and Baldwin Boxall and requested that the two companies join forces to design and manufacture Help Point systems. Of course, they listened with great interest and in November 2001 three presentations were hosted by IBBISS Ltd to London Underground and other interested parties on their proposed system. Following the feedback given by those who attended the presentation, IBBISS then spent the next six months designing a concept system, for the Development Progress demonstrations.
These Development Progress Demonstration sessions proved extremely successful, with positive feedback from all those who attended the ten London and two Birmingham sessions. IBBISS will now move the design forward and in November/December 2002 the same attendees will be invited to a mock Factory Acceptance Test to ensure that the Help Point System meets the stringent London Underground standards.
IBBISS will officially launch the system at a location
Producer Harley Medcalf and the Australian production team responsible for ‘Barry Humphries: A Night With Dame Edna’ was interested in creating a very special effect for this latest comedy tour. The production, which opened in Miami on 10 September, required a 30ft x 30ft backdrop, which was completely white for the purposes of the lighting designer. An assortment of coloured lighting, automated lighting and projections were to be directed at the drop. The drop also had to be durable, lightweight and manageable for extensive touring and ease of set-up and strike. In addition to these standards, the production team wanted the white backdrop to transform to a photo-realistic portrait of Dame Edna on cue! Realizing that there is only one studio that could deliver all of these effects, Harley contacted LA-based UV/FX Scenic Productions. The result proved to be breathtaking.
According to Seattle-based lighting designer Bob Bonniol of Mode Studios, who designed the lighting for the show: "The drop was gorgeous . . . We used it in the preset for the show, and in the finale. I was astonished at the full range of colour in the UV paint, and by its complete absence under normal lighting. In short, it rocked, and I want to use this type of drop again!"
UV/FX partner and creative director Kent Mathieu hand-painted the billboard size photo-realistic image of Dame Edna. The image was painted with acrylic on flame-proofed muslin, utilizing UV/FX's custom-made fluorescent paints, which appear completely clear under regular light, and then fluoresce brilliantly und
When Presentation Service Providers (PSP) were asked to provide AV reinforcement for a British Gas employee motivational roadshow, they sensed that Screenco’s Mini Mobile 2 would be the ideal display medium to reinforce the action. Easy to rig, and with the high brightness offered by the 10sq.m, 15mm LED display, PSP provided a three-camera (D35) PPU, with component vision mixing - augmented by the PPU which is inherent to the Mini Mobile 2 truck.
With audio reinforcement from a Nexo rig, this enabled them to capture the audience response - in the live outside auditorium. Here, small teams gathered to answer questions via a keypad driven audience response unit and participate in a game constructed within a Crystal Dome-type building under the production control of Triple A. The show itself visited British Gas car parks in Northampton, Birmingham and Manchester, and at each venue PSP presented seven 45-minute shows. Screenco’s Steve Lawrence, who was superintending the Mini Mobile 2 (which has the capacity to rise telescopically to 9m high), acted as an auxiliary cameraman. "It’s the first time I’ve used Screenco," admits the experienced Willcox, who set up the Birmingham-based operation with John Woodcock two years ago. "But the Mini Mobile 2 provided a perfect solution for this outdoor event."
(Lee Baldock)
At the PLASA Show on Tuesday 10 September, EAW’s '2002 Installation Company of the Year' Award was presented to Light Sound FX of Coleraine, Northern Ireland. On hand to accept the award from Phil Price was LSFX’s managing director Darren Gardener. He said in accepting the award: "This is a great tribute, not only to us at LSFX, but to the products and the back-up we receive from the EAW team." Phil Price added: "This has been a great year for EAW contracting products and obviously there can only be one winner - Darren and his team have done a great job."
(Lee Baldock)
The theatrical sound design and rental specialist, Autograph Sound Recording, was recently asked to join the UK's most prolific producer, Raymond Gubbay and his creative team, at London's Royal Festival Hall for the staging of Stephen Sondheim's Follies. A breathtaking neoclassic production, not seen on a West End stage for more than 15 years.
Terry Jardine, sound designer for Follies and Autograph's managing director, chose a new and unique loudspeaker product for this show, the Insider 665. A line source product from Sweden, manufactured by LLW, the Insider 665 was being used for the first time in the UK, typical of Autograph's innovative approach to new products. This new Swedish loudspeaker has been designed to handle wide and long distance coverage in large indoor venues, synchronized with pure sound reproduction. Six cabinets a side were used at the Royal Festival Hall for Follies, with no further delay speakers required throughout the venue. This unusual design even left a mark on the critics, Charles Spencer from The Telegraph commented on the natural sound of the orchestra ". . . what a pleasure to hear a big pit band that doesn't rely on electronics."
Terry Jardine was extremely pleased with the results he and his team achieved with this interesting new product, the speakers passed a difficult test with flying colours. "Follies was a tricky project given the venue and the short time scale of the production period, the Insiders did everything I could have hoped for and proved that they are a product well worth using.
Since taking delivery of the first six Klark Teknik DN9340 ‘Helix’ digital equalizers in early July, EFX Audio of Edinburgh have been busy putting the new units to use. The most recent outing was at Scotland’s answer to the Reading and Leeds festivals, the Mean Fiddler’s Gig on the Green in Glasgow. Like their southern counterparts, Gig on the Green was a two-day festival with headliners Prodigy, The Offspring and Slipknot on Saturday and Pulp, the Strokes and Jane’s Addiction on Sunday.
EFX managing director John Ramsay chose to use the Helix units on the monitor system on the main stage where he had two Midas Heritage 3000 consoles complementing the Midas XL4 and Heritage 3000 out front. "The DN9340s performed fantastically well," said Ramsay. "This was the first big gig we’ve used them on and we’ve been patting ourselves on the back ever since! They generated a huge amount of interest from the engineers who all commented on how great the system sounded. In fact, they sounded so good that although everyone was having a really good look, no-one actually touched them because they didn’t need to, which was extremely gratifying."
EFX placed their order months before, solely on the basis of a description of Helix. According to Ramsay: "From previous experience we knew that KT would produce a benchmark product which would be both a much sought-after unit and a step forward for us, so we had no hesitation in being the very first customer." Ramsay's partner in EFX, Steph Fleming agreed. "The ex
Digigram, the digital audio network solutions specialist and French national broadcaster Radio France, a pioneer in radio digitalization, have announced at IBC 2002 a technological partnership to implement innovative audio networking solutions as part of Radio France’s digitalization program. Digigram's expertise in digital audio networking, especially it's mpX Platform launched at IBC 2002, will help in the design of new IP-based architectures for Radio France stations France Inter, France Info, France Bleu and Le MOUV' radio stations.
"We are proud to join a pioneer like Radio France in its efforts to build a new kind of network centric broadcasting infrastructure," said Digigram managing director Philippe Delacroix. "Radio France’s selection of the new mpX Platform as a cornerstone of their IP architecture proves that Digigram has the vision to provide the right technology at the right time. A decade ago our sound card and compression algorithm solutions helped broadcasters digitalize and today we drive the next audio networking revolution."
"Independence and autonomy are key points of our entire architecture. Digigram's mpX platform, with its open Linux-based software and extensible hardware, provides us with new possibilities," adds Radio France deputy general director Sylvain Anichini. "Even as we explore new territory, we know that we can trust Digigram's know-how and reliability. We have been using their sound cards for more than 10 years now, and we consider Digigram as a real long-term partner."
Radio Franc
Pro audio specialist Audient has sold an ASP-8024-24 recording console to Latvia's only Radio Station for use in its new Outside Broadcast Van. The sale, via Amptown Sound & Communication Baltic division, Audient's dealer in Latvia, represents the first sale of an Audient console in the Baltic States. The purchase also signals a change in concept for the radio station from digital to the Audient analogue console. Andris Uze, managing director for ASC Baltic Division says: "I first saw the ASP console two years ago at an AES exhibition and I immediately realized its potential in terms of price and good design."
He continues: "I decided to recommend the ASP console for the OB-Van because I have not found anything comparable on the current market as most analogue consoles of this quality are much more expensive. The ASP is able to fit in a limited cabin space without losing any of the features for multi-track recording and in addition the 24-channel Millenia-Media HV-3D mic preamps make an excellent 48 mic input console in the smaller size. It was because of these extra features and the desk’s clarity of sound that I was able to convince the radio channel to change from the traditional digital to analogue desk."
The ASP-8024-24 is the result of a research and development program that was driven by the simple goal of establishing a new 'standard' in cost-effective analogue recording - delivering a product that is truly 'technology proof' while at the same time providing the accepted and familiar functionality and performance of existing 'high-end'
MoonBurst Structures Ltd, the Sheffield, UK-based company has supplied equipment and services to the World Summit On Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa through their technology partner, Gearhouse South Africa Pty. JOWSCO, the organizer of the world environmental summit in Johannesburg, used Tensile 1 to house the Ubuntu Village Exhibition. Tensile 1 is the UK designed and manufactured structure, which holds the Guinness world record for 'World’s Largest Portable Event Venue'. The exhibition runs alongside the summit, which is staged 10 years after the Rio earth summit. The structure has a surface area of 14,500sq.m and houses the whole of the exhibition which includes many national pavilions. The exhibition runs for three weeks and has had an average attendance of 20,000 people per day. The structure is floored throughout and the 18m internal height allows the use of two-storey exhibition stands inside.
Mark Ransom, technical director of the Ubuntu Village, said: "The use of Tensile 1 to house an exhibition of this importance shows that Gearhouse South Africa is now able to provide structures and equipment for world class events. MoonBurst Structures have the sole design and manufacturing rights for the Tensile 1 and are currently involved with several projects around the world to install 10,000sq.m structures on a semi-permanent basis."
Rudi Enos, managing director of MoonBurst said: "It has been a pleasure to work with Gearhouse South Africa. Their professionalism has ensured that a difficult and complex job was undertaken with
Never known to turn down a challenge, the White Light Group chose one of the busiest weeks of the year - immediately after supplying 10 stands-worth of equipment to the PLASA Show, running its own stand at PLASA and loading out the rigs for several West End shows including Contact and Our House - to hold an Open Day at their headquarters in Wimbledon, south-west London. The reason? To mark the first anniversary of the move to the new building.
For visitors who hadn’t previously made it to Wimbledon, the Open Day allowed White Light to demonstrate its greatly expanded facilities and improved access; those who had already been were able to see how the office and warehouse facilities had been fine-tuned over the first year, and to inspect the newly-finished demonstration area. Visitors were also able to play with the very latest lighting products, many making their first appearance outside of the PLASA Show, including the new Viper 2.6 and Viper De Luxe smoke machines from Look Solutions, ETC’s new MultiPar batten and Emphasis control system, Rainbow colour changers and the complete range of Robert Juliat lanterns and followspots, for which White Light is the exclusive UK distributor. The Moving Light Company was showing the much-anticipated Wholehog III console as well as its WYSIWYG visualization suite - while at the same time preparing a rig of newly-arrived High End StudioBeams for delivery to Our House at the Cambridge Theatre later the same day.
A marquee was set up in the huge yard outside the building and suitably lit by White Ligh
Lamba added some star quality at this year’s PLASA Show, when recent chart act XPress 2 made a date to visit the company’s stand. The dance trio - Rocky, Diesel and Ashley Beedle, who recently hit the number two spot with Lazy (a collaboration with Talking Heads’ David Byrne) - took the opportunity to confirm an endorsement deal with Stanton Trackmaster II cartridges. Much of the considerable time spent by the three musicians at Lamba was devoted to a demonstration of Final Scratch, where they stood in rapt awe as Stanton demonstrator, B-Side, put it through its paces. Diesel said that the record’s success had greatly enlarged their audiences (they had just returned from a major festival in Japan). "Sometimes people expect you to spend two hours sounding like Lazy - all dark, druggy and tribal."
The story began some years ago when Byrne got hold of a project album the three men had recorded under the name the Ballistic Bros. "He bought both albums and asked if we would be interested in supporting him on tour," said Diesel. "We explained that we weren’t a band but he said he’d keep in touch. Five years on we were working on a backing track, which sounded a bit ‘80s - and our engineer said it reminded him of Talking Heads. We sent the track across to David Byrne, who loved it, and sent his vocals back as WAV files. It took about a month from there; the first version was stripped right down but there was no piano. We knew we had to get the keyboard perfect because David Byrne had been a hero of ours."
Creative Technology joined Pump House Productions International to assist mobile telecom giants MMO2 with the staging of their recent AGM at the Hilton Metropole in Birmingham’s NEC complex. Spread across three suites (configured as main auditorium, overspill and an exhibition area), Creative Technology rear-projected Powerpoint data in 16 x 9 aspect ratio using a Christie Roadster X10 DLP projector. They also provided Digibeta playback and Sony D30 fixed-point cameras with long lenses. The TX to screen was mixed through an Extron SGS 408 Data Vision Mixer to maintain picture quality.
In addition, CT was called on to look after the board members on the top table. The board desk was equipped with Sharp 10" TFT monitors for a variety of sources including live camera and graphic images. A further four 50" plasma screens were flown in the main auditorium to provide show relay for the shareholders towards the rear of the room.
(Lee Baldock)
Edwin Shirley Staging (ESS), the international staging and structures specialist, made a welcome return to London’s Hyde Park for the 2002 BBC Proms in the Park series. The event took place over the middle weekend of September.
After the successful completion of last year’s event ESS were commissioned to provide an ESS Orbit staging solution with PA wings and screen supports. In advance of the event the organizers were predicting that this year’s concerts expected to attract record numbers due to a popular repertoire choice and good weather prospects. This event marks the second major event in the park that ESS has attended to during the summer of 2002 the former being the five stage arrangement implemented during the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Tim Norman, managing director for ESS, said: "It’s extremely good for us to be able to return to the Proms series after the success of last year’s event. This caps a very strong summer season for our staging offering in the UK, which has helped our London office to maintain momentum during a generally challenging business period for the industry at large."
(Lee Baldock)
SSE Hire Ltd has been appointed an approved supplier of audio equipment and services to the National Union of Students Ents divisions. SSE Audio projects executive Malcolm Mellows commented: "We are delighted that the company has been awarded this recognized status. We have already been active in the NUS market - indeed we’ve commissioned large installed PA systems at Warwick and Sheffield Universities over the last year - but it’s good to be recognized to have achieved the standards required to be an approved supplier."
(Ruth Rossington)