Pharos - Leaderboard - May 2024

Installation

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UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) Ltd's Rigging division recently supplied a substantial quantity of Litec QX30S truss to London-based production service company, Lightwave Productions.

Servicing a large range of events from concerts to club nights and corporate functions, Lightwave Productions are committed to investing in the latest entertainment technology equipment for their production stock - ensuring they can offer the highest standards possible for their varied customer base.

Looking for an affordable, versatile, strong and durable trussing solution - Lightwave's Henry Clarke contacted A.C. Rigging, who recommended Italian truss manufacturer Litec's range of high quality, QX30S truss.

A.C. Rigging's Matthew Millward, who coordinated the sale comments, "The Litec QX30S truss range is very popular and is found in many rental stocks across Britain."<

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UK - Troxy, the East London vintage venue, has expanded its team following its most successful year to date. Will Fincher and Joe Mangara have joined as duty manager and wedding and events manager respectively, ahead of the venue celebrating its 80th anniversary in September.

Will Fincher joins the team with a wealth of experience from previous roles as a venue manager and visitor operations manager at other London locations. He will manage the visitor experience and front of house teams alongside client organisers with the mission of ensuring consistency of service.

Joe Mangara joins as an event manager from a restaurant and banqueting background and will be focusing on the bespoke wedding arrangements at the venue.

Atif Malik, events manager at Troxy explained, "Through the appointment of Will and Joe we are investing in key areas of expertise and building a platform

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Slovakia - With roots going back to 1776, Slovenské Národné Divadlo (the Slovak National Theatre, or SND) in Bratislava has witnessed over 300 years of drama, in all senses of the word. Its current building, the City Theatre, was constructed in 1886. A recent technical upgrade has seen a state-of-the-art Yamaha CL series system installed, allowing maximum flexibility for its performances.

The current SND company was established at the City Theatre in 1920. The 611-seat venue is now known as the SNT Historic Building, to differentiate it from an additional venue opened in 2007. Locally it is referred to as the 'Old Opera', as nowadays it mainly hosts opera and ballet. After long and trouble-free service, the theatre's Yamaha PM5D-RH digital console has moved on to new owners and a CL series system installed in its place.

Supplied and installed by Mediatech Centra

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USA - Built nearly seven decades ago, Miami Beach's Variety Theatre - later known as the Paris Theatre - achieved a certain amount of fame in the '80s when Big Time Productions used the space as a photo/film studio to shoot album covers and music videos for top artists like Madonna and U2.

Today, world-renowned musicians and celebrities are once again pouring into the South Beach hotspot - now dubbed 'Bamboo Miami' - but this time for its swanky nightlife. Bucharest-based Bamboo Group, a successful European club owner and promoter, took over the landmark venue last year and renovated it into a lavish nightclub that both faithfully preserves its classic Art Deco ornamentation and dresses it up with a mega-dose of modern ambience.

As part of the renovation, Bamboo Group brought in Audio Formula of Miami to supply a full L-Acoustics loudspeaker system to sonically reinforce the s

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Panama - One of Latin America's hottest destinations just got even hotter. In the heart of Panama, the new Hard Rock Hotel Panama Megapolis rises up to a spectacular 66 stories, promising to deliver rock star service in an environment of urban chic design - all infused with the passion and irreverence of rock 'n' roll.

Some of the millions of investment dollars have been spent on a fabulous discotheque on the 11th floor, complete with a sound system worthy of the Hard Rock's reputation. Designed and installed by Grupo Eska Panama, the system features Nexo products throughout: Geo S12 line array modules and RS18 sub bass for the main system, and lots of PS cabinets throughout the venue.

The principal dance floor system uses four horizontal arrays of three Geo S1230s, and four RS18 subs running in cardioid mode. The rest of the club audio system is managed in six zones, using in

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The Netherlands - Roermond-based Easy Touch and Live Music (Arnhem) report a complete AV installation at the ECI cultuur fabriek in Roermond. The cultural centre is located at a former electrochemical factory that has been abandoned since 1974. The site has now been transformed into a temple of culture over the past two years. Having opened in September 2012, it now comprises a concert hall, a theatre, two cinema halls, an exposition room and a bar/restaurant.

It was made clear to Bart Smits of Live Music that the installation would have to be without compromises and ready for the future. The ECI technical team was closely involved in the decision making from the start. "If we wanted to meet the high demands of the ECI we could only go for our selection of high-end AV suppliers."

Although the historic building was never intended for acoustical purposes a set of measu

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Sweden - Södra Teatern (Southern Theatre) located in Stockholm's lively and creative Söder district, is one of Sweden's best known privately run theatres and the oldest such venue in Stockholm, established in 1859.

A Robe LEDWash installation is another facility that can be offered in addition to its seven stages, two restaurants, outdoor terrace and fabulous panoramic views across the city.

The theatre's action-packed programme of events focuses on live music and performance and stages up to 1000 events over an average year.

The newest Robe fixtures in the house are six LEDWash 600s and four LEDWash 300s, which were specified by Head of Lighting Lars Ekdahl, as part of a general lighting upgrade.

The first Robe fixtures in the venue were ColorSpot and ColorWash 575E ATs, purchased ten years ago - and still working well today - so they already knew from experience that t

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Belgium - After more than two years of restoration work, the 1875 built Théatre Royal de Liège, home of the Opéra Royal de Wallonie (ORW), re-opened its doors to the public at the end of last year in Liège. The whole renovation project, unique in its kind, represented an investment of 31m euros and includes a fully-fledged L-Acoustics system.

In 2008 Riva Audio were appointed by the main contractor Putman, to carry out preliminary research, design and install the new audio system, using their expertise in stage mechanics and technical installations of theatres and studios.

"The big challenge was to persuade the city officials and opera management to place new audio gear in a classified 19th century building - they wanted the venue to be 'sound reinforcement less'," says Frédéric Vard, managing director of Riva Audio. "For example, i

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Spain - Located in the town of Erandio, near the Basque capital Bilbao, the Sonora nightclub is renowned for its quality of music, drawing people from a wide catchment area. This reputation is aided by a high specification audio system that features an Apex Intelli-X2 48 controller at its heart.

With a total capacity of 1500, Sonora is split into three rooms - 808 and 909 which host DJ sets and the Bar for live music. The audio system was designed by Hector Cabot of Barcelona-based Media Sys, who also supplied the equipment, and installed by Sonort, based in Bilbao.

It comprises Kling & Freitag loudspeakers throughout, powered by Lab Gruppen amplifiers in rooms 808 and 909, while the Bar loudspeakers use Proel amplifiers. An Apex Intelli-X2 48 system controller was specified because of its exceptional audio quality and flexibility.

"The Intelli-X2 48 controller is the m

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Norway - One of the first European installations of- Dolby Atmos surround sound technology is at Kristiansand in Norway, where 54 Yamaha loudspeakers and 33 power amplifiers have been specified to deliver its exacting audio requirements.

Atmos supports up to 128 simultaneous, lossless audio elements in a mix. Using up to 64 loudspeakers, it heightens the realism and impact of cinema by making the soundtrack fully immersive. An array of overhead speakers complements screen and wall-mounted units to allow sound to be precisely positioned anywhere in the auditorium, producing a natural, lifelike audio experience that perfectly matches the storyline.

Owned by the Municipality of Kristiansand, the Kino has the highest footfall of any Norwegian cinema, with 370,000 filmgoers visiting each year. The Atmos system was installed in its 655-seat Screen 1 by Unique Cinema System (UCS), wh

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Olympic Honours - The London 2012 Olympic Games have taken three awards at this year's British Academy of Film and Television Arts Craft Awards. The Olympics opening ceremony picked up a best director award while Super Saturday - when team GB scooped six gold medals - won for best sound. The Paralympics, broadcast on Channel Four, took best digital creativity.

Hamish Hamilton who directed the TV broadcasts of the London 2012 opening and closing ceremonies, was also honoured on the night with a special award in recognition of his "outstanding creative contribution to the industry and his extensive work and accomplishments in his field".

In The Ring - A stage musical based on the hit film Rocky is to open on Broadway. Sylvester Stallone, who starred in and wrote the script for the Oscar-winning 1976 film, is co-producing the theatre version, which will open at t

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UK - Sound system specialists Masons have fitted out many bars and club venues in their native Manchester over the years, using Martin Audio solutions.

One local leisure group that has regularly relied on the company's services to equip its multi-purpose venues has been Trof, which has developed its estate towards city centre operations - such as Gorilla.

This has been the most recent hybrid bar/restaurant/live venue to be installed by Masons. Their system designer Jack Jennings created an all-purpose environment that would satisfy live music aficionados and serious clubbers in the 600-capacity main space, and at the same time those who just want to enjoy the background ambience in the intimacy of the bar or function room areas.

Situated on a ground floor area between two railway arches, respectively assigned to function room and live venue, with a small mezzanine area provi

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Spain - The main auditorium of the Fundación Juan March in Madrid has received a new ETC LED lighting system, thanks to ETC's Spanish dealer Stonex and installer Salas Audio Video. Because the space is used for lectures, interviews, cinema projection, piano concertos and concerts - with many of the events being broadcast - the lighting needed to be truly versatile.

The Fundación Juan March dedicates its resources and activities to the fields of science and the humanities, with concerts, lecture series and seminars in its main auditorium in Madrid. A series of free concerts, for example, introduces audiences to Monteverdi and the 'invention'of melody, while lectures discuss everything from philosophy and poetry to the transition to talking in movies.

Lighting designer José García explains, "The technical managers for the auditorium needed to balance a number of d

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UK - The opening day of PLASA Focus: Leeds 2013 was tremendously busy, with packed aisles, full seminars, and dozens of new products to see on the show floor.

Here are 10 reasons to join us today:

* Audio legend Tony Andrews delivers his Keynote Speech What is Good Audio?

* Martin Audio debuts the MLA Mini

* Ambersphere presents Clay Paky and the Laws of Physics

* Award winning sound designer Gareth Fry gives his seminar Creative Manipulation of Sound

* d&b audiotechnik tell you Why Size Matters

* The ABTT discuss qualifications and competence in the technical theatre sector

* Jon Burton presents How to Soundcheck

* Focusrite deliver their workshop for recording engineers

* Lunch is on us!

* Registration is free on arrival

With all of this on offer and more, PLASA Focus: Leeds 2013 is a show you simply cannot afford to mis

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Singapore - Robe DLX LED Spots have been installed in a lighting upgrade at a leading international school in Singapore.

The Spots were specified by Tanglin Trust School's theatre manager Vincent Teo for the school's 400 capacity Berrick Performance Hall; they were supplied by Robe SEA's office, in a sale co-ordinated by Louis Teo.

The Berrick Performance Hall is a multi-purpose space used for a wide range of shows and events including in-house drama and musical productions, graduation and other academic ceremonies, conferences and exhibitions, music concerts, dance shows and other live performances.

Tanglin Trust School has over 2,700 students of which approximately 60% are British. Every student - across the Infant, Junior and Senior Schools with ages ranging from three to 18 years old - uses the space at some stage, with at least two events or productions taking place a w

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Australia - The AUD$135.8m redevelopment of Hamer Hall was part of a larger revitalisation project for Arts Centre Melbourne and the first step in the Southbank Cultural Precinct Redevelopment plan. The project was overseen by theatre consultants Schuler Shook, and designed by architects Ashton Raggatt McDougall.

The heritage listed Arts Centre Melbourne is the largest and busiest performing arts complex in the southern hemisphere; Hamer Hall is the concert hall within the centre. Home to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Hamer Hall also hosts a wide variety of performance events throughout the year, from theatre to rock and roll.

Jands supplied much of the venue's lighting including 20 Vari-Lite VLX's, 28 ETC Desire D40 Vivid LED Pars, and over 50 ETC Source Fours.

Adrian Sterritt, head of lighting at the Melbourne venue, says his team chose the VLX Wash luminaires followin

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Korea - Dongseo University's Sohyang Arts Centre is the newest and most technically advanced performing arts venue in Busan, the second-largest city in South Korea. Outfitted with a Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system and sound reinforcement system, the theatre is sonically suited to host a spectrum of events ranging from musical theatre to orchestral and rock concerts.

According to the AV systems integrator for the project, the current primary use of the venue is for musical theatre. However, Song Dae-young, general director of the Sohyang Arts Centre, insisted in planning that the hall acoustics and sound system be able to handle a wide variety of events. In light of that requirement, Constellation was a logical solution for the space.

The Constellation system at Sohyang is designed to create ambient acoustic environments ranging from an intimate chamber music hall to

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UK - Stage Electrics has announced a management buy-out (MBO) of the business from the estate of David Whitehead. The MBO was fully supported and agreed by David Whitehead prior to his stepping down from the role of managing director in May 2012 as a way to position Stage Electrics for future growth and security, the company says. David Whitehead sadly passed away in February 2013 after a courageous fight against cancer.

The new shareholders - Trevor Smallwood, Dan Aldridge, Bob Smith, James Irvine, Anna Western, Adam Blaxill, Adrian Searle and Ian Tregaskis - combine considerable business experience with a strong knowledge of the entertainment technology industry. Under the new ownership structure, Trevor Smallwood will continue as chairman of the board and the company's executive directors remain unchanged.

Dan Aldridge commented: "Stage Electrics is in a solid position

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Sweden - PLASA's first ever networking event in Scandinavia, PLASA Focus: Backstage Malmö, was a huge success, with over 240 delegates attending from across Scandinavia and northern Europe.

Devised in conjunction with technical director Ola Melzig and the production team behind this year's Eurovision, this unique event aimed to combine unprecedented backstage access with seminars, Q&A sessions with key members of the production team and a technology showcase to highlight the cutting-edge sound, lighting, projection, video and control systems in use on a show which will have a television audience in excess of 100m people.

After the event, Melzig said, "What a success! All partners and visitors I've talked with are super happy about the quality of this show, and its visitors. It was really great to share the experience and show what is going on backstage to so many peo

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Italy - The Spiaggia degli Olivi lighthouse, a historic monument on Lake Garda and the symbol of the town of Riva, was turned off about 40 years ago.

The diving board tower, on top of which the historic lake lighthouse was installed, is found at the end of the pier. Thanks to restoration work in the area, commissioned by Lido di Riva, the lighthouse started sweeping the Trento waters of the lake once again with its beam in October 2012. The surprise is that, instead of the complicated original 24 volt mechanism, there is a new Clay Paky Sharpy inside the lantern room, which is not only able to reproduce the brightness of the old lighthouse, but also its movement.

Giacomo Galassi of Iiriti Noleggi explained that "owing to the originality of the installation, Clay Paky was extremely helpful and let us try the light out for over a month so that we could test it in actual use

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UK - Chaos Visual Productions were the video supplier of choice for the inaugural Taste Festival at London's newest venue space, Tobacco Dock at Wapping Lane, East London. This historic Victorian warehouse has been converted into a modern multi-functional facility comprising over 16,000m2. The Lab at Tobacco Dock was hosted by Gizzi Erskine, the TV chef and food writer and was organised in partnership with AEG, the home appliance manufacturer.

The Chaos team, headed up by project manager Mick Jones, provided projection for a live relay screen on the AEG Live Stage where top chefs and culinary experts presented their perspective on how they create inspirational menus. The executive chef from the Fat Duck Group, Ashley Palmer-Watts was presenting alongside the renowned forager Miles Irving on the AEG Live Stage as did Tony Conigliaro, the ingenious drinks creator.

In the AEG Exp

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UK - Opened by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1853, The St George's Hall in Bradford holds a special place in the theatrical history of West Yorkshire. Charles Dickens gave the first ever reading of Bleak House at the hall in 1854, Harry Houdini performed for 'positively one week only' in 1905 and the Halle Orchestra have been regular visitors since 1865. Throughout its century and a half of history, the venue has hosted a remarkable array of events. From hosting stage plays to political rallies.

St George's Hall has twice been significantly damaged by fire and was briefly closed in 2003 following the discovery of small cracks in the ceiling. A Grade II listed building of significant historical interest, the facility is administered by Bradford Metropolitan District Council under the scrutiny of English Heritage.

GDS UK dealer Northern Light was commissioned by the

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UK - With its installation and rental arms constantly in simultaneous swing, it's not always easy to keep tabs on developments at Sound Services. The London-based audio specialist and Funktion-One partner is behind some of the coolest events and venues that the UK capital has to offer. Its latest installation endeavour is Beagle in Hoxton.

Situated within a stone's throw of Hoxton tube station, Beagle houses a restaurant, which is flanked by a spacious bar and daytime coffee shop. While the décor could be described as minimal, its audio package is all encompassing.

The system utilises Funktion-One F101 speaker, a range that has recently been bolstered by the addition of the F1201 - now the largest in the series.

Beagle's director, Kieran Clancy, comments, "Being club promoters as well as restaurateurs, sound quality is incredibly important to us, and we think tha

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Norway - Norwegian Idol recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with a televised final at the Oslo Spektrum before a crowd of 7,000. As in previous years, sound for the event was being handled by local rental company Frontlite, but this year saw the first-ever use of a new Nexo STM system, which arrived in the country just days before the event. This was also the first STM sale for Norwegian Nexo distributor, Bright.

Frontlite's PA system and FOH technician Sondre Sandhaug had a weekend to get to grips with STM, its rigging software and amplifiers before the event, when the system had to be loaded in, rigged and line checked in one day.

"We had 111x Nexo speakers up in the air, but even though it was the first time with the new system, STM proved to us that it's efficient and easy to rig," says Sandhaug. "It really is an excellent system, and went up in

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