UK - Stage specialists Stage Technologies has seen a marked increase in its exports to America in recent years, with high profile projects including the Lyric Opera House Chicago and the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, the latest additions to their already impressive client list. It is with their American clientele in mind that Stage Technologies have recently become a UL-listed company, now authorized to produce UL-approved electrical control panels.
John Hastie, sales and marketing director for Stage Technologies, commented: "UL is a universally recognized standard and it provides our growing global client base with an instant assurance that Stage Technologies conforms to the highest standards of quality and safety."
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Summit Steel has designed, co-ordinated and installed a versatile rigging scheme for Cliff Richard's current month-long run at the Royal Albert Hall. In addition to the usual production rigging requirements for a large V-Dosc PA and four lighting trusses, this also allows for the straightforward staging of a variety of other shows during the 'dark' slots in Cliff's standard two days on and one off schedule.
The diverse selection of 'other' shows include a tribute to Ronnie Lane, an Islamic Relief event and shows for Classic FM and 19 Management as well as a gala dinner. The Cliff Richard run continues Summit MD Jon Bray's long standing association with the artist, and his production team, which stretches back over 20 years to 1982, and includes the galvanising Cliff 40th Anniversary Tour, staged in-the-round at the same venue in 1998.
This year sees him renew his acquaintance again with other long-term Cliff personnel, including production manager Roger Searle and FOH sound engineer Mike 'Bunny' Warren.
Jon Bray's team at Summit worked closely for two months in advance with the RAH's show management team, in particular Mark Newell, to ensure that the logistics stacked up, and that the finer details were all ironed out well in advance.
Many of the additional shows are also utilizing Cliff's PA and lighting - as it's already installed in the venue - while others have decided to bring in their own productions from scratch. Whatever options they chose, it was vital that the rigging be versatile and adaptable for all possibilities. Bray collaborated with Clif
UK - Drapes and rigging specialist Blackout has appointed Ken Nock as senior project manager, to work closely with managing director Steve Tuck and existing project managers, Chris Brain and Kevin Monks to deliver creative solutions to Blackout's expanding global client base.
With over 30 years' experience handling complex large-scale rigging projects across corporate and entertainment sectors, he brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the Blackout team. Well known for his work with Unusual Rigging in the nineties, Nock was before that Head of Rigging at the NEC and has a prestigious history in project safety management. His most significant and lasting impact has been felt in the area of rigging safety at large venues, not least getting a proper, movable rigging grid into Wembley Arena.
In his new position he will lead Blackout's growth in exhibitions and corporate events services, themed environment creation, parties and permanent installations. He will liaise closely with the company's French operation in order to provide an integrated level of service. His detailed understanding of the production process makes him the perfect candidate to join Blackout's busy pan-European operation and will enable the further streamlining of projects nationwide and across Europe.
Ken said of his recent appointment: "It's brilliant to be part of Blackout. They are an extremely professional team who have set a precedent amongst production companies large and small for their creative vision and logistical know how. The coming year will be an exciting and busy time for
Germany - The Fun Company, a new Germany-based venture aimed at bringing new show control solutoions to the market, launched its E.GO show control system at the recent Frankfurt ProLight&Sound exhibition. The E.GO system offers control of lights, video and sound in professional theatrical or event environments, and follows a fully modular concept which allows the user to add and combine any number of modules to one console.
In addition, each module can work as a stand-alone unit, so it can function as a full desk on its own. There are three modules available, each being tailored towards a specific use: the Designer module for direct access, the Performer for playing back complex shows and the Fader module for flexible device mixing.
Technologies such as the easy to use ColorTarget and the ShowDrive make the E.GO show control system one of the most versatile and easy to use systems on the market today, say The Fun Company. The system is also the first one ever to be built for and around ACN (Advanced Control Network).
(Lee Baldock)
Germany / International - The current Metallica world tour kicked off at the Fillmore in San Francisco on 18 May, 2003, and the celebrated heavy metal band has been touring the globe - from America to Europe, Japan and Australia - with only a few short breaks and occasional days off ever since. The final curtain will fall on the 10 October, 2004, in the HSBC Center in Buffalo, New York.
The lifting gear used for this epic has been provided by ChainMaster of Eilenburg, Germany, and plays a pivotal role at the end of the show, when the precise lifting and lowering of trusses, accompanied by dramatic sound and pyrotechnic effects, is used to simulate the collapse of the entire grid. The Metallica production involves the use of 30 VarioLifts (22 x 500 kg, 8 x 250kg) among other hoists, and two computer systems supplied by Show Distribution, the North American ChainMaster distributor, to the tour service provider, Five Point Productions.
(Lee Baldock)
Ireland - On 19 February, Pink, the bad girl of pop, made a dramatic entrance onto the stage at the Point Theatre Dublin as she was lowered smoothly to the stage in a rusty steel bird cage (pictured right). Pink opened her show with the hit song There You Go, telling the 8,000 strong crowd that the evening was to be an 'illusion of music'. . .
Brilliant Stages were approached by production manager Rich Barr to work on the Mark Fisher design for the European leg of Pink's world tour. The company supplied two 'smart' hoists - to lower the cage to the stage - preferred for their ability to ramp up and down from a soft start to produce a smooth descent. The set pieces include two exaggerated speaker stacks mounted to an upstage raised walkway, accessed via two open-tread aluminium staircases on stage left and right.
The 64 speaker cones, constructed from fibreglass, are up to 3ft in diameter and fixed to touring flats that form a stepped 'wall of sound', the whole fascia distressed to achieve a "general muck, soot and pigeon-shit" effect.Pink hit the UK for her arena tour in early March. With LSD providing the lighting equipment (as well as all the rigging and truss for the lighting, set and video elements), XL Video supplying the video hardware via Blink TV, Audio Rent of Switzerland supplying the sound and Tait Towers and Brilliant Stages providing staging and soft goods, the tour promised to be quite a spectacle.
Video
Video plays a major part in this visual, high-energy show, directed by Jamie King. Live video director Deb Collins worked clo
UK - Experienced industry executive, Garry Broadbent, has been confirmed as the new MD of CRS Ltd and Powerent. Broadbent will take the reigns at two of the Longville Group's specialist equipment rental companies after a complete restructure by the new board which was appointed at the end of last year. CRS is one of the country's leading climate control hire specialists and Powerent provides power and generator solutions.
Broadbent was one of the original founders of CRS in 1995 and moved with the company, becoming sales director, when the Longville Group acquired it in 1999. Broadbent not only has a background in sales but also mechanical engineering, which is crucial in what is a technical, installation and solution driven market.
Broadbent said: "The restructure at Longville has created a great opportunity for our businesses to focus on their own unique strengths and customer base. We are excited at the opportunities which lie ahead, the teams at CRS and Powerent are ready to rise to the challenge."
The appointment follows a complete restructure of the Longville Group which is now operating as three separate businesses giving greater focus to its individual equipment specialities.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
UK - The Coliseum, home to the English National Opera, was in the final stages of its £41m refurbishment when I visited in early February. Having experienced hideous delays resulting in both the cancellation of Nixon in China and the advertised first night of Rheingold, ENO tentatively opened its doors on 27 February with the first part of Wagner's pioneering tetralogy, The Ring Cycle. Whilst the opening show received mixed reviews the interior itself procured gasps of admiration from FOH staff and punters alike.
Originally a variety house designed by the renowned architect Frank Matcham, the Coliseum has been home to the English National Opera since 1968. This restoration is the first major programme of repair since it opened in 1904: the venue has undergone several face-lifts in the past, some of which have eradicated many of the theatre's beautiful original features.
Responsible for implementing the theatre's restoration was The Arts Team @ RHWL Architects. Intricate details have now been reinstated and the original colour scheme of imperial purple, Italian reds and shades of gold and cream have been brought back to life.
Working alongside the Arts Team was Yorkshire-based theatre drapery manufacturer J&C Joel, providing all the drapes in the auditorium, Coliseum room, rehearsal space and Royal retiring room. The company manufactured and installed everything from the ornate tympanum, with its intricate embellishments and golden eagle, to the front-of-house tabs, drapes and pelmets for the boxes, decorative windows and doors around the auditorium.
With the
UAE - The Middle East is an exciting market for lighting, sound, AV and systems integration providers. For example, the UAE is slated to invest $28billion in new architecturally-driven projects over the next five years. Across the Middle East region, research has indicated that the sound and lighting industry will be worth $2billion per year within five years.
This huge level of investment aims to open up massive new income streams to these previously oil-dependent states, with tourism and leisure on the grandest of scales being the big earner of the future. All good news for suppliers and installers of entertainment, presentation and communication systems.
Against this background, IIR Exhibitions has put the Pro Audio & Light Middle East - PALME - exhibition firmly on the international trade show calendar after just two events. This year's show, which took place in February, attracted over 5,200 trade visitors and demonstrated high levels of both visitor and exhibitor satisfaction. IIR's research showed that 52% of visitors expected to do business with a new supplier while at the show . . .
Le Mark returned to PALME with the aim of appointing stock-holding distributors of its products in the region. Stuart Gibbons said: "PALME gave us the opportunity to meet two quality companies with strong individual positions with the UAE." The company appointed Access All Areas as a stockist of its consumable tape range, and also agreed a stocking distributorship with IBS Decor, builders of stage and conference sets.
Swiss company VXCO Lighting Systems was on
UK - For performing arts professionals and students based in Scotland, it's a long trek to trade shows in the Midlands and south to see the latest products and talk to equipment manufacturers. So this year the Department of Technical and Production Arts at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) added a Sponsors Trade Show to run alongside its annual graduate exhibition. Spearheaded by Ros Maddison and David Ripley (RSAMD's head of Technical and Production Arts and production manager respectively), the combined event was held on 24-25 March.
The show fulfilled three functions: to give the Academy's sponsors something in return, by bringing their products out 'to the market' and providing a forum to informally talk direct to the students; to give the students the opportunity to talk to the companies, to discuss products, working practices, work placements and employment; and to give Scottish production professionals ease of access to a 'local' trade show. Taking place on the stage of the Academy's beautifully-appointed New Athenaeum theatre, the debut show was a relaxed and intimate affair, attended by 11 exhibiting companies.
VLPS London is a major sponsor of the RSAMD's technical courses, providing intelligent lighting and technical advice. The show scored a major coup by being the public debut of the Vari-Lite EX1 digital media server. Providing five independent light sources to model three-dimensional objects against up to two separate backgrounds, the EX1 is designed for use with projectors and controlled via DMX. With High End Systems' Catalyst
Another SIB exhibitor quietly enjoying significant growth is Dutch company Highlite International, which now produces a huge range of lighting, audio and trussing products. Company owner Huub de la Haije told me that since the company was founded in the early 90s, it has doubled its turnover every two years. Highlite has always manufactured its products in China, and has more than 10 years' worth of relationships with Chinese manufacturing interests under it belt. Consequently it is somewhat ahead of the game now that everyone's eyes turn are turning eastwards.
Decima's distributed product lines include Look Solutions' range of tiny smoke machines and Le Maitre's more heavy duty models; also represented were hoists from Verlinde and rigging hardware from Doughty Engineering, as well as ETC Europe and Transtechnik Lichtsysteme. New from ETC was the CEM+ (Control Electronics Module) which, the company says, takes dimming to a whole new level. Designed to connect directly to the ETCNet2 Ethernet system, the CEM+ equips the dimmer rack with an Ethernet control signal input that is fully configurable with a range of patching and priority programming capabilities. ETC also showed its new RRFU (Radio Remote Focus Unit), which joins the RFU (cabled Remote Focus Unit) and WRFU (Wireless Remote Focus Unit) in the company's range of hand-held tools.
USA - A new company has been formed to chronicle, produce and distribute a shared history of production touring from the perspective of industry professionals. Roadcases, founded by Paul Dexter and Larry McNeny, is in its early stages of development, beginning with a website along with a new idea for a cable television series and a future book.
Dexter has been writing steadily in American industry magazines since early 2000. "I wrote an article early on called 'Is there Life After Rock'n'Roll Touring?'" says Dexter. "After touring, going out into the real world with rock'n'roll attitude was a huge shock. I need freakin' therapy now and I've discovered that I'm not the only one."
McNeny and Dexter met on Ozzy Osbourne's 'Diary of a Madman' Tour in 1981-82. McNeny was the tour manager, as he had been for the BeeGees and Eric Clapton, and Dexter was Ozzy's lighting designer, having finished a two-year stint with Rick James. The pair remained in contact, even through remarkable career changes and locations.
In January of this year, McNeny rang Dexter and asked if he would be interested in developing a cable TV pilot, that would feature road tales, but told first hand, interview style, by touring road crew. "In retrospect, it seems like we were developing the idea the whole time and didn't realize it," says Dexter. "We would ask each other 'have you heard from Rob' or 'what's happened to'?"
"The character and personalities of people that tour are unique," says McNeny. "We want to capture the accounts of some
USA - Britney's hotly anticipated Onyx Hotel tour in support of her album In The Zone is currently taking America by storm. A three-month international trek, the tour kicked off in early March in San Diego and has so far proved to be a storming success.
Britney's show features an extravagant set based around the theory of the mysterious Onyx stone. The theme of the show is a hotel on the edge of reality - the Onyx hotel - that Ms. Spears checks into. A magical "wonderland of the subconscious" where, according to a creepy character that plays the M.C, your ''darkest side'' can be explored, with ''titillation'' guaranteed.
Stage Technologies, in conjunction with Ocean State Rigging and The Rigging Partnership, helped create the scenic wow factor for the show, with Stage Technologies providing an automation system to fly Ms Spears backwards and forwards over the stage on a swing. This has to be the staging highlight of the show, with Britney sitting at the crest of an immense, M-shaped blue ribbon with performers twirling in fabric by her side. To create this scene entitled the 'Shadow', Stage Technologies provided The Rigging Partnership with four BigTow winches and an Acrobat control console. No strangers to flying performers Stage Technologies and The Rigging Partnership have previously worked on Westlife's World of Our Own and Greatest Hits tours and Kylie Minogue's recent album launch. Britney's tour finishes its America and Canadian legs at the beginning of April and is due to reach the UK, playing at London's Wembley Arena, on t
UK - Tower Productions of Edinburgh has opened an hire facility just South of Oxford at Watlington to better serve an ever increasing client list in the South and Midlands. Offering a full dry hire service of; lighting, dimming, control, rigging, mains distribution, and event heating equipment, hires can be delivered at very cost effective rates, or may be collected from the warehouse just off the M40 and only an hour from North London.
Tim Shaw of Tower Productions said: "The company aim to offer the slightly less usual items like; single phase Prostar motors (run 11 from one 13a socket) and rated keder clamps for tent rigging, white minuettes and birdies, 240v exterior birdies, exterior par cans etc."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
UK - The participation by María Pagés in the first ever flamenco festival to be held in London was also a first in the use of a Harlequin Liberty floor for this form of dance. Recognized as one of the leading innovators in the development and redefinition of modern flamenco, María Pagés and her company of dancers performed 'Flamenco Republic', 'Bulerias and 'El Perro Andaluz' as part of the recent Sadler's Wells flamenco festival.
As a leading exponent of modern flamenco, María Pagés had been searching to replace traditional 12mm plywood flooring with a new type of floor that could offer the purity of sound demanded, and at the same time reduce physical stress on the dancers. Patrick Lesage from Harlequin International already had an idea that Harlequin Liberty floor could provide a modern solution to this problem and discussions were opened at the company's studios in Torrelodones, near Madrid. Testing soon followed, both in Madrid and at Harlequin's Tunbridge Wells headquarters with María discovering for herself the benefits of Liberty, leading to a decision to use the floor in the London performances and in the subsequent tour by her company to New York, Rome, Tokyo, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
In order to produce the right sound, dancers have to strike the floor hard, an action that is stressful to the body. But with Harlequin Liberty, the panels are constructed to absorb the shock but still produce a suitable sonorous effect when combined with a Harlequin vinyl floor surface. A total of 60 panels formed the floor at Sadler's Wells,
USA - London-based automation specialist Stage Technologies will collect a Staging and Projection Product of the year EDDY award from Entertainment Design magazine, when the awards are presented in New York in June. Judges singled out the company's latest software innovation - Visual Creator commenting that it is "remarkably intuitive and greatly expands the notion of what can be moved where on stage."
Visual Creator is an advancement of the award winning Pathway technology that was used to create the spectacular flying effects in the The Witches of Eastwick, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Millennium Dome. The latest in software design architecture, this motion design tool allows two- and three-dimensional effects to be drawn as imagined. Combined with position maps and profiles this new software makes the previously complex task of calculating cues a thing of the past. This software can be used in conjunction with any of Stage Technologies' standard automation systems.
Founded 10 years ago when automation was largely done on a case-by-case basis, the company's mission has been to make automation standardized and accessible to all. Visual creator certainly encompasses all these principles and has already received an award for product excellence from PLASA. Visual Creator now joins Stage Technologies' other award winning products including the Acrobat & Nomad consoles and the Big Tow winch, all of which are now established products being used in theatres around the globe.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
USA - Tomcat US celebrated 12 years of in depth industry training courses with another successful Hoist and Rigging Workshop in Midland, Texas. Top-notch instructors and 83 industry professional participants from all over the United States, the United Kingdom and Puerto Rico attended.
Don Dimitroff of Columbus McKinnon, as well as TOMCAT's own Dave Beard, coached participants through the Lodestar electric chain hoist. Rocky Paulson of Stage Rigging Inc. a Freeman Company and Morgan Neff of Mine Safety Appliances stressed safety in rigging techniques and fall protection equipment while Keith Bohn, Tomcat design manager, and Will Todd, Tomcat project manager, offered a course in truss theory and design. Not only did participants receive four days of power-packed, informative classes, but also four nights of fun filled entertainment, including the traditional factory night at Tomcat USA, with extensive tours, demonstrations, contests and a graduation ceremony. In addition to hearing raves about the instruction, participants were thrilled with the generous helping of Texas hospitality "It's like I'm a high roller in Las Vegas!" stated Andrew Dooley from Frost Lighting.
The company also announced an Advanced Hoist and Rigging Workshop to be held early next year in addition to the current curriculum. It will cover more in depth topics as well as more practical applications related to the industry. More information regarding the Advanced Workshop will be available later this summer. Recognized worldwide as the most comprehensive training course of its kind, th
UK - Atomic Kitten's recent tour - which kicked off at the Plymouth Pavilions on 18 February and closed at the Ice Arena in Hull on 11 March - was suitably geared to ensuring a memorable performance, with much of the glitz and glamour added with a selection of staging from LiteStructures. Working for Productions North, LiteStructures has provided a range of rental and custom-manufactured products including industry standard LiteDeck staging plus bespoke staircases and ramps.
Steve Levitt, director at Productions North explained: "We approached the team at LiteStructures with some sketches, which were a combination of our ideas and those of the girls in the band, and they quickly turned the drawings into CAD designs. We wanted this stage to look very feminine and glamorous and as such LiteStructures manufactured two staircases, one a centre staircase and the other positioned at stage right, is made of eight half-round steps. We also have a big curved ramp that snakes down from stage left to the front of the stage, creating quite a slinky feel."
With years of experience in set design under its belt, LiteStructures is the first point of contact for Production North. Levitt continued: "There are three vital things which we have to consider when designing stage sets, regardless of which band we are doing it for and how big their budget is - the shape of the stage, access to the stage for the performers, and how much space is needed to accommodate dancers or energetic dance routines. We have to make sure the overall look is aesthetically pleasing while a
UK - Drapes and rigging specialists Blackout announces the launch of a new website. Designed by London based Orangutan Design, the visually engaging virtual environment is a comprehensive overview of the company's range of products and services, complete with user-friendly navigation system.
Homepage links provide detailed information on Blackout's exhibitions and corporate events services, themed environment creation, parties and permanent Installations. Each section is energized with a mix of HTML text, high-res photos and subtle use of Flash animation giving online visitors a first-hand impression of Blackout's extensive creative and practical capabilities for all types of events.
The Products section provides details of Blackout's vast range of drapes, materials, rigging and effects, together with a wealth of information including charts showing colour, types and sizes of available fabrics. Quicktime movies are used to illustrate some of the effects of the drapes in action, including the stunning co-ordinated Kabuki drop of 45 12m x 35m length drapes at the Millennium Dome opening ceremony.
The News section will keep clients updated as to Blackout's latest projects, complete with press releases and photos providing information on a broad selection of projects, from MTV Europe's party at the Cannes Film Festival to Ford's press launch at the Paris Motor Show.
Commenting on the new site, Steve Tuck, Blackout managing director said: "A robust online presence is essential to our growing international status. The new site provides our current and future c
UK/Romania/Germany - As a result of increased business in mainland Europe, together with steady growth in its custom design and build operation in the UK, LiteStructures has announced the formation of a joint venture manufacturing operation in Romania, LiteStructures RO. Based in Slatina, 200km west of Bucharest, LiteStructures RO will manufacture a range of standard aluminium products, principally for sale in Germany and Central Europe, including two of its brand leading truss products, AstraLite and LitePro.
Adrian Brooks, managing director of LiteStructures in the UK and chairman of LiteStructures RO, said: "We have a highly skilled workforce in Wakefield and the factory has benefited from significant investment over the past two years. Manufacturing standard products in Romania means that the UK operation will be able to concentrate on higher margin, specialist construction, while continuing to supply standard products to the UK market. It also means we can maintain our flexibility, something which our clients have grown to value over the years."
LiteStructures set up a German sales operation just over five years ago, which more recently formed a rental operation along the same lines as the already successful rental arm in the UK. Ralf Kortmann, managing director of LiteStructures Germany, commented: "We are maintaining the high quality of LiteStructures products by initially assigning our most experienced operator to oversee operations in Romania, while our welding manager will visit the factory on a regular basis. The joint venture will give
UK - Stage engineering and automation specialists Stage Technologies was recently presented with the official grant and emblem for the Queen's award for enterprise. The company was granted the award last April for excellence in the International Trade category and was officially presented with the accolade on behalf of her Majesty The Queen by Colonel Kay OBE, TD DL.
Originally introduced in 1996 The Queen's Award for Enterprise is one of the most highly competitive and sought after accolades a UK business can achieve. Thousands of applicants from some of the most successful businesses in every industry apply for an award but only a few achieve a high enough standard to warrant such an honour.
Mark Ager and John Hastie founded Stage Technologies in 1994 with a mission to develop and supply theatres and entertainment venues internationally with computer-controlled systems to move scenery and fly performers. In the nine years since its inception Stage Technologies has gone from strength to strength and now has an impressive list of clients based around the globe. With credits as diverse as flying a car above a theatre auditorium for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang through to huge permanent installations such as at the Lyric Opera in Chicago, the company has built its reputation through consistent commitment to product and service development.
Although John Hastie and Mark Agers' dedication and expertise in the automation industry established the company's firm foundations, managing director Mark Ager attributes the company's rapid rise to global recognition to the