Nodd McDonagh, operations director of London-based superclub the Ministry of Sound is parting company with the organisation after eight years. The surprise news followed shortly after the departure in November of Hector Dewar, chief operating office of the group, both moves as a result of what Ministry insiders call "a strategic reshuffle".

Nodd, formerly with leisure giants Rank and First Leisure, oversaw the club operations originally as general manager, then rising to operations director as the global music and media group capitalised on its early successes and began to expand into many diverse areas worldwide. It was in the globe-trotting, trouble-shooting role that Nodd excelled, finding himself organising successful Ministry events from Knebworth to Ibiza: more recently of course, he was heavily involved in the massive New Year’s Eve gig at the Millennium Dome - the world’s largest indoor dance event.

Nodd does not intend to let the grass grow under his feet and has an organisational role at the 2002 Glastonbury Festival already lined up.

(Ruth Rossington)

UK exhibitors at the 11th TiLE (Trends in Leisure and Entertainment) exhibition and conference will receive financial support from the Department of Trade and Industry'’ Trade Partners UK, through its SESA scheme. SESA (Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad) provides funds to help British companies exhibit their products and services at trade shows that have a proven record of attracting the right buyers.

TiLE‘s broad base covers visitor attractions, theme parks and themed environments, retail and shopping malls and exhibitions and product launches, attracting exhibitors from the A/V, multimedia, architectural, lighting, sound and special effects fields. The show takes place at the Estrel Congress Center, Berlin, from Tuesday 11th to Thursday 13th June 2002.

(Ruth Rossington)

If you missed it don't worry, it will return. The World Wrestling Association presented by AAA is the latest wave to catch onto the growing craze for choreographed violence for the under 10s. The recent tour of rippling muscles with cartoon personas has swept through the UK, visiting major venues like Sheffield Arena and Wembley. "When you're presenting shows in venues of this size, and to audiences of 10,000 plus, the same rules apply as for the biggest rock shows," explained production manager Nick Levitt. "That's why we have three artics parked outside - there's a lot more to this than two men grappling in a ring."

One truck was almost totally filled with the ring itself and associated props, such as chipboard ringside tables for the commentators, which shatter harmlessly as these Cinderella Titans hurl each other from the ring in mock fury. In the air, 160ft of truss runs from entranceway to ringside, loaded with Icons, MAC 500s and 600s all from LSD's inventory to provide the requisite grandeur for a triumphal march to stage.

"People will be surprised to discover I brought in Dave Hill to light the show," continued Levitt. "But someone of his abilities proved indispensable. The show came in direct from Australia, without rehearsal, loaded into the Odyssey in Belfast, and by the time fit-up was complete Dave had three quarters of an hour to programme in a show."

Sound proved equally demanding: "We had the smallest PA I’ve ever seen in an arena, it only took two and a half rows in the truck, but it did a fantastic

PALA 2002 will run from the 10-12 July in Hong Kong. The Show features a diverse range of exhibitors covering every area of the entertainment industry, including pro audio, lighting, club, broadcast and music. The show has always attracted the support of industry associations - amongst them PLASA, APIAS and SECARTYS - and for the first time will also be supported by ESTA, the US-based trade association.

Regular exhibitors at the event include AKG, Allen & Heath, AMEK, Apogee, Audio-Technica, Avolites, Behringer, Celestion, Cerwin Vega, Clay Paky, COEF, Coemar, Community Pro, DAS Audio, Denon, EAW, Ecler, EVI, FAL, FBT, Futurelight, Griven, Harman Group, High End Systems, JBL, Jem, Lexicon, Lite-Puter, Lobo, MACH, Martin Audio, Martin Professional, Meyer Sound, MIPRO, Nexo S.A, Optimus, Outline, Peavey, Penn Fabrication, Pioneer, Proel, Pulsar, QSC, Rane, Sennheiser, SGM, Shure, Sony, Spotlight, Studio Due, Tarm Laser, Telex Communications, TMB, TOA, Tomcat and Total Fabrications.

Exhibitors can expect to meet potential buyers including agents, dealers, distributors and end-users from all over Asia. Moreover, with PALA being held in Hong Kong for the first time, more visitors are also expected to attend from Taiwan, Korea, China and Japan, in addition to regular attendees from India, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

(Ruth Rossington)

The International Live Music Conference (ILMC) has announced the initial details of its 14th meeting next year. For ‘ILMC14’ the three-day conference will return to the five-star Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, over the weekend of March 8-10 2002. This time it comes wrapped in a spoof sixties spy movie theme that will see the invitation-only delegates challenged to complete a three-day mission that may not be ‘impossible’ but may certainly turn out to be ‘implausible’, ‘indigestible’ or even occasionally ‘incomprehensible’ (that is, should they choose to accept it, of course).

The ILMC’s usual array of in-depth debate, specialist breakout sessions, industry trade association meetings, and a whirlwind of social activities, culminating in the notorious ‘ILMC Gala Dinner and Arthur Awards’ on the Saturday night at the new venue of The Savoy, will drive the the 2002 conference programme. The events that have taken place since September 11 - and which have seriously affected the live music industry - will be reflected in the conference programme and have been taken into account in the organisers’ planning.The ILMC’s Martin Hopewell comments: "This year’s crowd safety debate has sparked an enormous and continuing communal response from around the industry, as well as in the wider music press and broadcast media, and we anticipate that the equally serious issues facing the business right now will make for compelling main sessions at ILMC14." Specific details of events surr

The Entech 2002 Conference program features workshops and seminars in areas of lighting, design, rigging, audio, projection and even the business needs of a DJ. Sessions includeIntroducing the Line Array; The Future of Systems Integration and ProAV Technology; Venue Design Forum; Digital Live Sound Mixing; Lighting Designer Forum; Rigging Workshop; Stacks and Racks; Motor Training School; Location Sound Recording; Trends in Facilities; The Art of Designing with Moving Lights; We Are Surrounded (Surround Sound); and The Changing Face of Post Production.

Entech 2002, Australasia’s leading entertainment technology trade show, will be held in Sydney’s Darling Harbour from 4-6 February 2002. For further details on the conference programme and exhibits, visit the web address below:

Despite some understandable concerns, LDI went ahead as planned. L&SI reports from Florida.

Naturally, there were doubts about this year’s LDI show following the events of 11 September. These ranged from concerns about whether people would travel to the visit the show - both internally in the US and from overseas - to whether the show would take place at all. With the assistance of ESTA and other supporters, the rallying cry went out through September and October, and the show went on.

Admittedly, some exhibitors dropped out, making a floorplan reshuffle necessary, and the general consensus was that the visitor numbers seemed markedly down. However, at the end of the day, business was done in Orlando: by the close of the show many exhibitors said they had done well - a few even said they had done better than last year. The prevailing attitude was well illustrated by TMB Associates, who gave us little stickers to wear on our badges, bearing the Stars and Stripes and the words ‘I traveled overseas to come to LDI 2001. Capitalism Rules!’ ADB’s stand focused on its high end lighting control systems and communication networks. The flagship Phoenix 10 was on stand, linked to a WYSIWYG laptop to demonstrate the operational facilities of the company’s recently launched ISIS software. ADB’s UK arm - Lighting Systems International - has been busy of late, having recently completed a major studio project for Channel Four.

Altman had three new products on stand. The UV-250 blacklight is a lower wattage, more compact version of the compa

Richard Brett, ABTT Conference Director, has confirmed to PLASA Media that the international conference on Theatre Engineering and Architecture 2002 will take place between 16th and 18th June 2002, in London.

Focusing on stage technology in its widest sense, and covering all types of performance venues, this is the first international conference structured to attract theatre technicians, architects, consultants, scenographers, lighting designers, stage and building services engineers, acousticians and fire control specialists, as well as administrators, building owners, cost consultants and project managers. The conference includes papers and discussions on the current trends in stage machinery and other stage technologies, alongside debate about the types of, and need for, new buildings. One of the aims of the meeting is to offer those designing, financing and managing major arts projects an insight into the combination of art and science that makes live theatre.

The conference is being sponsored largely by the international stage engineering industry, along with many other equipment suppliers, consultants, architects and other theatre-related organisations. Committed sponsors to date include Telestage/Waagner-Biro, Stage Technologies, Unusual Rigging, Blackout Triple-E, SBS Buhnentechnik, Sansei Yusoki, Bytecraft, Delstar Engineering and Serapid. International speakers from all aspects of the performing arts are being invited to contribute. The conference is presented by the Association of British Theatre Technicians in conjunction with its Industry Supporters Group a

The Total Production Awards are scheduled for January 30 2002 at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in London's Edgware Road. The Awards will acknowledge the achievements of leading individuals and rental companies in the fields of live sound, lighting, video, staging, rigging and other key disciplines. Three special commendations will round off the Gala: a Lifetime Contribution Award, a unique Best Live Event of All-Time Award and The Editor's Award - something which TP editor Mark Cunningham promises will yield a big surprise on the night. Nominations will be announced in the Winter issue of Total Production, published on December 21.

A voting form and table booking form will be included in the forthcoming November issue of Total Production; alternatively, PDF forms can be obtained by contacting Andy Lenthall at the address below.

PCI LiveDesign, the London-based production company which recently merged with Ultimate Events, was commissioned in October for two Microsoft events. Following a long-standing working relationship with Ultimate Events combined with the success of Blackout Triple E’s involvement with the Microsoft Tech-Ed Conference 2001 in Barcelona, PCI LiveDesign again contracted Blackout Triple E, and project manager Chris Brain, for the project in Cannes.

Brain and his six-strong team made the journey to stylish Cannes to drape a drinks reception and party as part of a weeklong Microsoft conference. The theme required the team to turn their hands to more unusual drapes - plastic fish, to compliment the famous Palm Beach. The company also provided and installed 30 fibre optic starcloths (proving that it isn’t just at the annual Film Festival where the Stars come out in force), as well as a truss box for the light and sound system. Plus, track and drapes were hung to reveal the many drinking and refreshment bars when drawn back.

After successfully completing the project, the Blackout Triple E team travelled back to England, only to return to Cannes a week later for a second Microsoft event, this time at the house of designer Pierre Cardin. This was for a three-day event marking the launch of the Microsoft’s new XBox games console, for which Blackout Triple E installed 14 fibre optic starcloths along with general rigging equipment.

The MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards is the fastest-rising star of the international music awards circuit. In just four years the event has grown from its niche origins, through last year’s production at Alexandra Palace, to the London Arena in 2001. The star-studded event included performances from R. Kelly, Mis-Teeq and Usher, plus Beverly Knight and the legendary Dionne Warwick, amongst others.

Production managing the event was Mick Kluczynski of MJK Productions. "It was definitely the best MOBO Awards ever - the show has finally grown up, and I really enjoy working with the team. This year we had a new director, Nicky Parsons, and new producer, Lisa Chapman, with a 3,500 live audience. In spite of the events in America, we managed to retain most of the artists - only Luther Vandross pulled out."

Sound contractor Britannia Row decided to take the unusual step of trialling a new system at the event. With the help of Telex/EVI’s Bob Doyle and Paul Barretta from UK EV distributor Shuttlesound, Brit Row was able to put Electro-Voice’s new line array system, X-Line, through its paces on its very first major UK gig. Sound designer and FOH engineer, Derrick Zieba, who has vast experience of such events, confesses to an initial reticence about using the X-Line, as he had previously found line arrays to lack the bottom end required for rock and roll.

However, he was persuaded by Brit Row’s Bryan Grant, who had been running X-Line on a number of large Radio One events over the summer. "We plugged it in, selected the pre-sets on the

Martin had plenty of reason to celebrate at the LDI exhibition in Orlando this past weekend, but one accomplishment appeared extra special. At a press meeting held at the Martin stand on Saturday, Martin President and CEO Kristian Kolding presented the 100,000th MAC automated light produced. The 100,000th unit, a MAC 2000 profile spot, rolled off the production line just prior to the LDI exhibition. It was ceremoniously painted gold and is now displayed in the Martin manufacturing plant’s reception area in Frederikshavn, Denmark.

At the LDI Awards Ceremony Martin won ‘Product of the Year Lighting/Entertainment, Most Promising Prototype’ honours for the TracMAC mini, an easy to operate followspot luminaire that drew a lot of attention from visitors. Mach speakers was awarded the ‘Product of the Year, Sound, Most Promising Prototype’ for the Mach ViroStation, an elegant combination of illumination and atmospheric audio that also had people talking.

The 2001 LDI exhibition in Orlando ended yesterday after a successful three days which included a full and well-attended conference programme. At the LDI/ESTA Awards ceremony held at the Orange County Convention Center auditorium on Saturday evening, Jim Bornhorst of Vari-Lite was this year’s Wally Russell Award recipient. Amongst the product awards were the Omni Connector from Total Structures, Protec’s Smart Motion control system, Rosco’s ImagePro, Wybron’s Eclipse 2. Prizes for ‘Widgets’ went to Rosco, Lex Products and Lee Filters. High End Systems’ Catalyst picked up the Entertainment Lighting Product Award to add to the Award for Product Excellence it won at the recent PLASA Show. Best Audio Product was the Legend tri-purpose mixing desk from Midas.

Full details of the rest of the award winners will follow and a full report from LDI, including the rest of the news from the show floor, will appear in the December issue of Lighting&Sound International.

Chiswick House is an historic 18th century home whose walls no doubt have tales to tell of its many fascinating inhabitants. The house was designed and built by the wealthy Lord Burlington, who was an amateur architect fascinated with the classical period; hence the lines of the house are simple and elegant - a perfect canvas for the projection of stunning images to recall the spirit and lives of those associated with the glorious building.

Ross Ashton from E/T/C UK was the man responsible for the creation of an absorbing 35-minute Son et Lumiere that recalls the halcyon days of Chiswick. Famous figures such as King George 1, Handel and Alexander Pope all succumbed to the charm of the House and it was these that inspired Ashton and his collaborators: "When I was first presented with the idea of creating a Son et Lumiere about Chiswick House, the trickiest part was figuring out who would be the narrator. There are so many amazing characters associated with the house, but we finally decided on Lady Burlington as she had witnessed so much and survived most of her family."

Ashton spent a great deal of time absorbed in the archives of English Heritage searching for images that would recall the rich history of the house. Many of these images and drawings were black and white, which Ashton then converted to colour on a Mac. To maintain the integrity of the piece, the decision was taken not to include any visual effects other than the projected images, which cut through the blackness of the night sky onto the façade of the house, with striking colour and clarity.

Summer may be over but the boys from EST are still busy rolling around Europe. Four trucks, laden with props for Welsh crooner Tom Jones’ Eastern Bloc tour, have just left Russia. In addition, EST is providing logistical support to the R Kelly tour of Europe, and to French star Garou as he embarks on the second leg of his mammoth tour of France which he started back in March. EST’s purple and yellow trucks can also be seen with Orbital as they perform a series of one-off shows around Europe.

Meanwhile, in the corporate arena, two trucks, laden with almost a mile of trussing have just left Frankfurt where Summit Steel rigged a special event for PCI Live Events, a launch party that heralded Ford’s new Fiesta before an invited press audience on the evening before the Frankfurt Motor Show opened.Following this event, EST scheduled in over 70 trailer movements for the return of equipment used by Imagination to build Ford’s main stand at the show.

On a slightly sad note to end the month, Gerry 'The Captain' Baxter has retired from driving for EST after a staggering 38 years on the road.

It seemed like business as usual: another year, another PLASA Show. Existing products, refinements of products, new products; familiar faces mingling with the next generation of entertainment industry practitioners all anxious to find out what was new.

Then came Tuesday September 11th and the PLASA Show faded into the background. Word from New York spread quickly around the hall. The atmosphere was surreal because the events that those who had received phone calls from the States were describing, couldn’t possibly have taken place, even in the wildest imaginations of those who work in this crazy business of ours that specializes in dreaming up the impossible then making it happen.

But as those who gathered in the Platinum Club lounge to watch the news live quickly found - all this, and more, was true. We watched the second World Trade Centre Tower crumble live in front of our eyes. We watched our American colleagues dial and re-dial on their cellphones, desperately trying to reach families and colleagues back home. We wondered about the people we knew in New York - what a small world it is now, how crazy that in such a small world such madness can still take place.

There has been time since that day to face up to the implications for our own industry. The knock-on effects are hard to pin down, but they are already showing themselves, and in his column this month, Tony Gottelier reflects on what the wider implications might be.

It’s difficult to switch from the events of the September 11th to the events of the Show itself, but that’s what we need t

The recently expanded Creative Technology has quickly gained official IT and AV supplier status on a number of high profile exhibitions, including the recent Total Publishing 2001 show at Olympia in London. Contracted by organizers Quantum Business Media, Creative Technology supplied a semi-permanent network of PC hardware and iMacs for the Technology Theatre, which was used by numerous exhibitors for training workshops aimed at visitors to the show. Extensive use of sound equipment and IT data presentations were also incorporated for assisted product demonstrations.

Additionally, Creative Technology has gained official show status for numerous ongoing events, spearheaded by CT’s Exhibition Organiser’s account manager Beth Hathaway, recruited earlier this year. Based at CT’s NEC office, Beth covers the whole country and since joining has secured a number of exhibition contracts with preferred supplier status including BBC Good Food 2001, Interbuild 2002, Hotelympia and Sports Industry 2002, Trident Exhibitions, Dive Show, Sound Broadcasting Equipment and Speciality and Fine Food amongst others. Also secured with official status - by the CT London office - is TMA Ventures 2001, which takes place in Brighton on October 29-31. TMA Ventures is the commercial subsidiary of the CMA (Communications Management Association) - the business user association for communications professionals. TMAV provides a range of leading media and information services within the Telecoms and IT arena.

The LDI Show will go ahead as planned from November 2-4 in Orlando. In response to a number of enquiries following the events in New York and Washington, the organizers are keen to reassure people, through a statement posted on their website, that the exhibition will go ahead as usual. "We at LDI would like to express our deepest sympathy to all who are affected by the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Our thoughts are with you. We cannot let terrorists bring world business to a halt and we at LDI and Primedia Business Exhibitions feel it is very important that all businesses show their resilience. At this time, we do not foresee major disruptions for a smooth and successful show floor opening on Friday, November 2, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. LDInstitute is still scheduled to open on Monday, October 29."

If any exhibitors or visitors have any questions or concerns about the Show, they should contact any of the following people: Paul Stratton, LDI Show Director Tel: + 1 720-489-3118 pstratton@primediabusiness.com

Ellen Lampert-Gréaux, LDI Conference Director Tel: +1 212-229-2965 x 830 elgreaux@primediabusiness.com

Jacqueline Tien, Publisher, Lighting Dimensions, Entertainment Design Tel: +1 212-229-2965 x 815 jtien@primediabusiness.com

You can also look at PLASA Media’s LDI Factsheet at www