USA - Entertainment lighting manufacturer High End Systems has announced that industry sales veteran Sean Hoey has returned to the Austin-based company as Eastern US sales manager. After working at High End Systems throughout the 1990s-2000s, Hoey enjoyed a successful tenure as a territory sales manager at Christie Digital Systems.

Hoey comments, "I am excited to be back at the company that was so instrumental in my career development in this industry. High End Systems is now in its third decade of creating cutting-edge products for lighting professionals, and I look forward to w

USA - The second edition of PLASA Focus Orlando, the regional event for the live entertainment technology industry, has been branded a resounding success by both visitors and exhibitors alike. Attracting record numbers of attendees, the popular event offered networking opportunities and hosted many over-sold education sessions presented by top industry speakers including Richard Pilbrow - lighting designer, theatre design consultant and author and Jim Hutchison, customer engagement and education manager for Chauvet Professional.

Taking place on 17-18 February at the Rosen Plaza Hotel,

UK - Clay Paky fixtures have delivered an epic rock show for metalcore five-piece Bring Me The Horizon's sold out date at the SSE Arena Wembley, with lighting designer Ben Inskip choosing them for their power and aerial effects.

The Sheffield-born group has recently been experimenting with video content, leading to the incorporation of a large upstage projection surface in the design for Wembley - their biggest show to date. To complement this, Inskip specified Clay Paky Sharpys, Alpha Beam 700s and Alpha Beam 300s from leading rental company Siyan.

"My aim was to create an int

UK - Housing a 1 x 36W tri-colour LED, the Liberty 1T36 battery uplighter from Prolight Concepts gives smooth colour mixing from rich saturated hues to subtle pastel shades.

These units have a rugged housing and feature a four push button LCD menu which allows for easy access to the functions including DMX, master/slave, sound active and stand alone. An optional 18° lens is included to further increase the fixtures applications.

Bernie Marsh, Prolight Concepts general manager said, "After several years of development, eLumen8 have launched this range of rugged battery opera

UK - CPL brought more festive sparkle to an independent Bristol based energy supplier, when they delivered full technical production - video, sound, lighting and rigging - for their Christmas conference and party, again working for producers Bright.

The event was staged at Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol - a vast and charismatic former bottling factory now transformed into a lively film and TV studio facility. However, the actual area utilized for the party had not previously been used as an event space, so it was specially modified for the occasion.

CPL's crew of 12 were led by proj

Canada - Elation Professional has announced that SF Marketing, Inc. has been appointed the exclusive Canadian distributor for Elation Professional products in Canada. SFM has been providing professional-quality products and services to the audio visual and live entertainment industries in Canada since 1978.

"As they say, timing is everything and as Elation's product range has expanded more into the pro-specification lighting professional market, now is the right time for us to find the right partners and sales team to push to the next level stated Eric Loader, director of sales f

Monaco - The Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo hosted a major gathering for Herbalife (the bio-nutrition global giant - The Future President's Team Retreat, which brings together the most successful leaders of the multinational. The result is an event lasting five days, with a daily audience of 2,500, carefully planned and perfectly prepared, in a district of professionalism that doesn't admit mistakes.

Once again the technical production of the event was entrusted to Planet Service, longtime partner of Herbalife in the design and setup of its most important projects worldwide.

A

South Africa - Gearhouse South Africa (GHSA)'s Ryan Dunbar became the latest South African lighting designer to be impressed with Robe's new BMFL fixtures after using the Bright Multi-Functional Luminaire at the 2015 CCI Call Centre Awards staged at Durban International Convention Centre (DICC).

The annual event welcomes 2000 guests for an evening of entertainment and fun. This year the organisers asked GHSA to design a custom stage - complete with runway leading from the main to a circular satellite stage where Awards were presented mid-audience - as well as supply the lighting, audi

Czech Republic - Karel Gott is the best known and most successful ever Czech singer. His career spans over 50 years and has been highly innovative, spawned numerous international hits, selling millions of records, earning multiple awards plus a devoted following as well as having to embrace political expediency during the years of (then) Czechoslovakia's Communist years and under occupation by the USSR.

He arranged a massive farewell tour in 1990, which was such a huge success ... that he decided to continue his musical career to the delight of his fans both in the Czech Republic, Ger

Germany - In the film The Miracle of Bern, director Sönke Wortmann tells the story of the unexpected German victory in the 1954 World Cup in Bern and, at the same time, focuses on the difficulties of a prisoner of war who returns home and fails to re-adjust to his old life. However, in conjunction with the German team's success, the ex-POW draws closer again to his son and his family. Stage Entertainment took this story and made it into a musical, which was staged in Hamburg for the first time at the end of 2014 with the same title.

Among the equipment lighting designer Andrea

USA - First established in the 1980's, Centennial Covenant Church has continued to grow in the south suburbs of Denver and in 1997 they found their permanent home in Littleton, CO. Now 18 years later, the congregation found themselves in need of a complete architectural and entertainment lighting renovation.

Working with Cuningham Group Architecture, the architect turned to The MH Companies to create their dynamic new lighting design which consisted of 18 Showline SL PAR 150 ZOOM luminaires, seven Philips Selecon PLprofile1 LED luminaires, and a 250ML lighting control console from Phi

World - The Philips Strand Lighting centenary competition to upcycle a vintage Strand PATT 23 or 123 lamp has announced its three finalists. The competition saw much success with numerous international entrants and 175 people following the Pinterest inspiration board.

Award-winning architectural lighting designer Paul Nulty's Anamorphosis, architectural lighting designer Joe Vose's Back to The Future and artist/designer Derek Goldsmith's 321 Zero have all reached the final round. The three designs artfully reflect the brand's significant history, whilst giving the

Germany - The long-running cult musical The Rocky Horror Show is back on stage for a six-month tour of Germany and features an array of Martin Professional lighting fixtures to underscore the production's more distinctive elements.

Since its first performance at the Royal Court Theatre in London 40 years ago, more than 20m people have seen Richard O'Brien's bizarre story about a newly engaged couple, the mad Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his artificial creature, Rocky Horror.

For the German tour, lighting designer David Howe specified a rig mostly comprised of fixtures from Martin P

USA - When exclusive Gold Room nightclub in Atlanta was looking to rejuvenate their entertainment lighting system they turned to Elation dealer Atlanta Sound & Lighting to realise the new look. Completed in summer 2014, the renovation features an all-new, all-LED lighting system from Elation Professional and ADJ lighting that has given Gold Room an exciting, new lustre.

Gold Room is a chic, elegantly designed club with a reputation for high-class events and an unbeatable party atmosphere. Unlike any other nightspot in Atlanta, the team behind the venue sought to maintain its exclusive

USA - Syncrolite played its part in the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, working with Full Flood, Inc. Full Flood's Bob Dickinson, lighting designer for the 2015 Grammy Awards, chose Syncrolite fixtures for the opening act of this year's show. Dickinson remarked after the show that "the crisp clean look and the punch provided by the Syncrolite fixtures complemented the energy of the AC/DC performance and set the mood for the night." AC/DC's hard rock medley was backed up by twelve SXL 7k luminaires hitting the Staples Center audience with Syncrolite's signature solid

USA - Back in the 1950s, noted psychologist BF Skinner grabbed headlines by using controversial behavioural modification techniques to teach pigeons to play ping pong. Today Pigeons Playing Ping Pong is making waves again, not with psychology, but with psychedelic riffs along with some funky rock and extended jams that are attracting an ever-expanding flock, as their fans like to call themselves, to this up-and-coming band.

Lighting designer Aaron Kovelman (aka Ronny RedRocks) is having fun keeping pace with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong's improvisational performances with the help of eig

UK - VisionEvents, an event production agency offering full design, management, and audio visual talent for events across the UK, produced the annual Scottish Sports Awards event at Glasgow Thistle Hotel in December 2014. Hosted by journalist Jim White, the ceremony celebrated excellence throughout Scottish sports, recognising athletes and teams for their outstanding achievements throughout the year.

The stage consisted of three LED screens at 5.4x2.3m each, resulting to an impressive 17m wide LED backdrop. The three LED screens worked independently to showcase graphic animations, vid

UK - Who Dares Wins, the prime time Saturday night quiz show, hosted by Nick Knowles, sees two teams of complete strangers compete by completing a series of lists. The team who names more correct answers on a list gets the chance to play...and win £50,000.

Martin Kempton has lit the show for a number of years, with the help of Richard Martin Lighting (RML). The set and grand design of the show doesn't make it easy to make changes or freshen up the look. However when RML announced last autumn the investment in the new Vari-Lite VL4000 Spot, Martin knew this was the perfect new fi

Germany - Experienced German lighting designer, Henning Schletter (of Imaginary Lights) has become one of the first creatives in the world to adopt GLP's new impression X4 Bar 20 LED batten lights - deploying them at a major product launch for Jaguar, in front of a star-studded audience that included British actor, and Hollywood star, Idris Elba.

In addition to starring as Luther and Nelson Mandela (in Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom Elba is also a rapper and DJ. And tasked with launching the new Jaguar XE by driving the new sports sedan personally from London to Berlin, Elba la

Russia - In November 2014, Alexey Zhivanov, lighting designer for Russian stage rental and install firm Grand Show, was tasked with supporting two distinct events: a rock concert at a nightclub and a ballet staged in a traditional opera house. To accommodate the needs of each production, he brought along the versatile Martin Professional M2GO lighting controller.

Maximilians, the Siberian restaurant and venue where Russian rock band Chizh & Co performed, is equipped with a small array of fixtures including projectors, LED Wash Zoom fixtures, LED spots, strobes and smoke machines. Zhiv

UK - Le Maitre Ltd is sponsoring fireman Scott Butler on his intrepid Journey To Elbrus challenge in what will hopefully gain him a place in the Guinness Book Of World Records.

In June this year Scott will be cycling 1800 miles across Europe then rowing solo 750 miles across the Black Sea. If that wasn't enough of a challenge he will then climb Mount Elbrus in Russia, the highest peak in Europe. Scott will be raising money for three charities - Firefighters Charity, The MS Society and Facing Africa.

Scott, a firefighter with the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service has a history of

UK - Sunday night was the annual Oscars Ceremony and Richard Martin Lighting (RML) were on hand to provide the lights and more than a little sparkle to the Sky Movies coverage hosted by Alex Zane.

Joining Alex on the sofas were a panel of celebrity guests from different sectors of the entertainment industry, giving their thoughts and opinions on fashion, the night's winners and any celebrity gossip that was circulating.

Malcolm Reed designed the lighting show which worked around an impressive set made to resedmble the Hollywood Hills. It's not a vast studio and there is so much alre

USA - The night of 25 February 2015 was a celebration of innovation in the LED and solid-state lighting (SSL) industry sectors with the awarding of the LEDs Magazine Sapphire Awards.

Being named Illumineer of the Year continues an impressive streak of both recognition and breakthroughs for Lumileds. In addition to this award, Lumileds recently won a prestigious LFI Innovation Award, introduced the world's first hot colour targeted LEDs, and announced the world's first chip-scale packaged LED that can be directly surface mount reflowed onto a luminaire board. LUXEON CoB with CrispWhite

UK - Martin Manufacturing UK has been crowned champion of skills investment at the Semta Skills Awards 2015. Martin Manufacturing UK, which employs 48 people in Louth and makes a range of smoke boxes for the entertainments' industry, won the SME Investment in Skills category, sponsored by Pera Training.

They were presented with the award at a gala dinner in London's Park Plaza, Riverbank at an event hosted by TV presenter Michael Underwood and where Minister of State for Business, Enterprise and Energy, Matthew Hancock, gave the keynote address.

Jason Andrews, general manager of Mar

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