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Please take a moment to read through this report and decide if this applies to you and your undertaking. The PLASA Technical Resources cannot stress how important it is that those who will be affected, read the consultation and comment on the proposals. If you do any work that sees you installing equipment within live events, theatre, exhibitions, conferences etc. CDM 2015 will apply to you and your work will fall under the sc
As part of the city's ongoing "Make Sundays Special " programme, designed to close the city to vehicles and turn streets into playgrounds , it was always going to be a challenge to close down a major part of Bristol's City Centre on one of the busiest public holidays of the year.
From 0500hrs, as Bristol's clubs and bars were emptying, the REM team began the logistics of closing down Park Street and starting the build of the temporary water slide. 65,000 spectators were counted in and out of the immediate viewing area and of the 96,000 who applied for the opportunity to slide, 350 members of the public were chosen via a ballot to take part in this unique occ
Promoting his new album True, which includes hit sensation Wake Me Up, Avicii wanted an on stage production that would have maximum impact in the arena environments, such as Manchester Phones 4U Arena and London's Earls Court.
Production manager Robin Scott is a long-standing client of LS-Live's and he turned to the Wakefield company once again to supply a DJ booth stage set.
Speaking to TPi Magazine Robin Scott said, "We set out to produce a slick and efficient production that we could put in and easily take out of venues on a daily basis, making sure that the end result gave the audience an experience to really remember.
"In order to do this, I needed very reliable tour vendors that I'd worked extensively
Jerry Singleton, MD, comments, "Our move to larger premises brings together under one roof our office staff, warehouse facilities and workshop, allowing us to have instant access to the equipment and respond to requests for dry hire immediately. In addition, we are delighted with the appointment of both Jeff Jones and Phil King who bring to the team a great depth of knowledge and experience.
"Our installation of the pixels in the stadium at the London 2012 Olympics raised our profile considerably and we are continuing to see the benefits of this. We are particularly proud to have provided the generators and electrical services at G8 in 2013."
The Technical Department
igus supplies a wide range of energy chains for the theatre and entertainment industry, enabling theatre technicians to easily manage cables, and the company's compact energy chains have proven particularly popular in lifts, stages and lighting rigs. The reliable energy chain solutions include unsupported or gliding energy chains for horizontal energy supply, hanging and standing chains for vertical energy supply, as well as special solutions for rotating or retracting motion.
At this year's show, igus will be showcasing its innovative e-spool - a new gener
The one-day training course is designed to provide those working in the live events industry with an awareness of health and safety issues whilst on site. Upon completion of the course delegates are issued with a passport style ID card, which is a nationally recognised qualification that proves the individual's competence regarding best practice and improves their employability.
The Safety Passport Scheme was designed by the Safety Pass Alliance (SPA) and the Production Services Association (PSA) to provide employers with a benchmark to measure an employee or freelancer's basic knowledge of health and safety. Backstage Academy is an accredited trainer for the Safety Pass Alliance.
(Jim Evans)
An event such as this, which is broadcast to audiences across the world, requires a first class setting and once again this was staged by production company Done and Dusted. Helping to build that set was a crew of four from Unusual Rigging, led by senior project manager Steve Porter.
Working alongside Paddy Hocken, Done and Dusted's technical production manager, Unusual also supplied winches to track two video screens, plus a variety of specialist rigging components not available in the region, to overcome the challeng
The students, who are half way through the Academy's 16-month FdA Live Events Production, are available to work in June, July and August and are seeking either ad hoc events work or three-month placements.
Most students have already gained experience at live events in a variety of backstage roles and all have completed modules in Introduction to Working in Live Events Production, Concept Design & Presentation, Staging, Live Sound, Lighting and Live Visuals.
During the Introduction to Working in Live Events module, students undertook a range of industry-based certificates to prepare them for working safely on site: Event Safety Passport; Emergency First Aid; Stage Pyrotechnics; Pra
One of those is the 2,019-seat Concert Hall and although the venue was fitted with an adjustable acoustic canopy to ensure quality acoustics, a mock-up extension of the over-stage reflector was installed in August 2013 to improve acoustic performance of the extended stage area. A permanent extension is to be constructed in the future.
Macostar, a stage lighting and machinery system specialist in Hong Kong, was appointed to provide system engineering, detail design and construction of the new over-stage reflector and required a stage safety solution for the canop
Known principally as a solutions and rental company, Unusual Rigging is also the sales partner for several companies, including Lyon, the leading provider of equipment for work at height and distributor for companies such as Petzl, Maillon Rapide and Beal, all well respected names in the industry. As such, the range of PPE products now available to buy from Unusual Rigging has grown enormously, encompassing body harnesses, helmets, pulleys, waterproof and kit bags, gloves, hauling lines, karabiners, lanyards and ladders . . . the list goes on.
Also new to Unusual's products for sale is a range of high performance, rugged chain bags. Available in five sizes, they fit all the main chain hoist brands used in the enterta
The company first attended ABTT in the same year it was founded - 1984 - and won the ABTT Product of the Year Award for its 'Loose Pin Hinge', used by everyone for scenery construction.
Three decades on, Triple E is inviting companies to enter a competition to rig a motorised Unitrack system in the fastest possible time, with the quickest team winning one of Triple E's Erail tracks complete with an SDRIVE motor system. The competition will take place in the Test Bench area at ABTT. To enter the contest, visit www.3-eee.com/news/track-competition.php
The company is also manufacturing the coveted ABTT Awards and engraving them
Based on Kinesys Libra components, ART monitors every production point rigged to a stage roof, ensuring the show stays safely in step with the structure's load capacity.
Roger Barrett, technical & commercial director at Star Events, comments, "By building the system into the roof supports rather than interfering with festival rigging, it enables the roof to double as a weighing machine, in real time.
"To ensure safety, we need to know not only what the weights are, but how they transfer into the structure and ART gives us that critical data."
The new CDM Regs are expected to clarify the responsibility on the pro
"Before the tour we did a one off with Gary at Westminster Hall in London where there is a curved house stage," explained Production Manager Chris Vaughan. "Lighting designer Tim Routledge and I got together with Kim Gavin our show director afterwards and we all agreed, this is the style that suits Gary's performance and we set about designing to that template for this arena tour. It's not complex, in fact it's very simple really, but it's the clean look that defines the show."
Vaughan selected Total Solutions Group (TSG) to build th
The two day programme, which offers attendees to the opportunity to workshop with key industry leaders whilst exploring and debating this specialist section of the industry, will take place on the 23 -24 July at the at the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Australia.
James D Ring, managing director of Pollard Productions said, "Pollard Productions are very proud and pleased to be the Riggers' Forum Sponsor for Entech Connect. The Forum sessions are important because they help spread the word on safety and share knowledge and experience with others leading to a better and safer industry."
Stephen Dallimore Entech Connect ev
Entertainment lighting manager of Electrosonic SA, explained the process. "We have been considering adding Kinesys to our inventory for a while, and in April 2014 we met with Kinesys at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt, worked out a mutually beneficial agreement, and sealed the deal."
This new partnership is a complement to Electrosonic SA's representation in South Africa of CM Lodestar, Litec and Milos Structural Systems. The addition of Kinesys completes the family, and means that Electrosonic SA now offers en
PLASA London is offering free four-day passes for attendees who register before Tuesday 1 July. The show, which has been a pivotal date on the international entertainment technology tradeshow calendar for more than three decades, will return to ExCeL London for the second consecutive year on Sunday 5 October until Wednesday 8 October.
Exciting developments to the show's format mean that the registration offer is just one of many visitor incentives for 2014, as PLASA's director of events, Christopher Toulmin explains: "Having relocated to ExCeL last year and enjoyed a very positive response from exhibitors and visitors alike, we have no intention of resting on our laurels. As an organisation we're always looking at ways of improving what we offer - this will
Rubber Box was asked to provide a variety of its bespoke power distros to Delta Sound - the pro audio company behind the impressive sound at both the opening and closing ceremonies of Sochi. Paul Bates, General Manager of Rubber Box, comments: "Having worked with sound giants Delta before, we knew how important it was to provide solutions that were robust and reliable, helping them to get on with the job they do best."
NBC studios also used Rubber Box equipment to help them broadcast from the games. Having discussed their requirements at length, Rubber Box supplied NBC with a variety of bespoke power distros which met their needs.
"The Olympics aren't the
This move will allow both entities to focus on their core activities in order to better service the marketplace. For Prolyte this means dedicated concentration on the manufacturing and sale of truss, staging and complementary products like the ProLyft hoists.
Dark Arches Holdings meanwhile remains an independent family-owned group and has identified synergistic opportunities in the three project businesses of Brilliant Stages, Litestructures Projects and Perry Scenic Creative alongside its studio and equipment services business, LS-Live, and the Backstage Academy training model in Wakefield.
As Lambert Bouwmeester, CEO Prolyte Group states: "As a result of this latest phase in the str
Available in iOS & Android format, the Track Pricer app offers an easy to follow and comprehensive method of creating detailed quotations for a vast array of track configurations in all Hall Stage systems. Once installed, a site survey can be turned in to a list of parts for order directly from your mobile phone or tablet.
The Track Pricer app features all manual & motorised options, including Chaindrive and Series 600 belt drive systems.
Simply by following a logical graphic menu and making a series of product selections, a full quotation can be prepared in seconds and emailed directly to clients - or the Hall Stage sales department
Originally planned for just 11 dates, it's now on the road for 34 in total, running until June 2014. Mojo Barriers has been contracted by Live Nation's promoter's rep Max Burnham from iBurnham Ltd, to provide the safety barriers for every date.
Kevin Thorborn, Mojo Barriers' UK general manager, comments: "Touring has always been an important market for Mojo Barriers internationally, and in the UK we've seen significant growth in the area this year, also winning contracts for Katy Perry, Justin Timber
Written by Harry Hill and Steve Brown, the Syco Entertainment production of I Can't Sing was a sadly short-lived musical parody of The X Factor (see our full production report in the May 2014 issue of LSi magazine), and demanded the kind of framework on stage never seen before in the West End, let alone the London Palladium. Although famed for its cavernou
Headquartered in Shanghai, the company is owned by one of the largest media conglomerates in China - The Shanghai Media and Entertainment Group. This flagship studio was originally built in about 1985 and was in dire need of refurbishment. Lighting and sound designer David Parry worked as consultant on the project and appointed Langdale Technical to handle the installation. The decision to use Van Damme cable was a popular one with the Chinese technical staff given its historical use in Abbey Road Studios.
Langdale Technical's Bill W
"This exciting new range received an amazing response in its prototype form and is now ready for market, opening up the possibility for highly innovative lighting design," said Mark Chorley. "We have full pricing information available and we will be showcasing a selection of H Frames and Drop Arm configurations on the stand. Any one of the Doughty Engineering staff on the stand will be happy to demonstrate the product and answer any questions" he said.
Doughty will also have a selection of its clamps and truss adaptors on display on the stand. All made from solid, high