LIGHT & SOUND INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2017

ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTATION INSTALLATION

IN THIS ISSUE:
Salford University: Gateway to the Arts
New multi-million pound arts facility
Tech Focus: MPR50 & MTK952
Wisycoms IEM solution reviewed
Preview: PLASA Focus Leeds
Expected highlights
www.lsionline.com

DIGITAL
EDITION

An Inspector Calls
Re-imagining a classic

FLY BY NITES REHEARSAL STUDIOS SES BRINGS CUSTOM DIMMING TO THE MARKET
DALI: TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS ENTECH: AUSTRALIAS TRAVELLING TRADE SHOW
LED BY THEATRE: ROBE NRG AT GSA NEW SOUND FOR DORKING HALLS - AND MUCH MORE . . .
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 contents
ISSUE #363 APRIL 2017

FEATURES IN THIS ISSUE

38 Cover story photos: Mark Douet

48
COVER STORY
Salford University:
An Inspector Calls Gateway to the Arts
Rob Halliday charts the evolving production and lighting design Kate Lyon visits Salford Universitys new
of the classic JB Priestley play . . . multi-million pound arts facility . . .

58 74
Tech Focus: Wisycoms
Preview: PLASA Focus Leeds
Expected highlights from PLASAs
MPR50 & MTK952
ever-popular event for the north of England . . . Simon Allen assesses Wisycoms latest
IEM solutions . . .

04 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

 LUTIO
SO N
READ LSi ONLINE FOR FREE. DOWNLOAD THE NEW LSi-VIEW APP -

S
RS

L OO
AVAILABLE FOR BOTH APPLE AND ANDROID DEVICES
EA
20s Y

97
Fog is

19
ta

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blis h e d
NEWS REGULARS
08 In the News 36 Early Stagers
our passion!
Latest business news & developments, Hannah Talbot
association news, events, training & Battery-operated fog generators to
education, standards & safety 46 Audio File be built into costumes and props,
Morocco Bound powerful Haze- and Fog generators
22 Fly By Nite: Not Making Do from 650 W to 3 kW, a 9 kW machi-
Just south of Birmingham, Fly By Nite 47 Classic Gear ne to fill big halls and stadiums and a
Studios is the largest purpose-built The Hook Clamp
powerful low fog machine as a low
rehearsal studio facility in Europe. Steve power or high power version: We
Moles talks to the team behind it . . . 54 Crew Cuts
Dave Johnson have the right machine for any
effect.
24 Power Play
56 Tools from Beyond
Power specialist SES is bringing custom
PetrolPrices.com Tiny S, Tiny FX, Tiny CX, Power-Tiny
dimming to the market. Kate Lyon
reports . . . 64 Rigging Call
Managing Risk

66 Video Matters
Hippotizer V4 presses Play

68 Product News Battery-operated fog generators,

Round-Up of Latest Tech 30 W/70 W/400 W

72 Help Desk Unique 2.1

DALI: Trials & Tribulations

78 Technology Focus
ETC Gio@5 Console

26 ENTECH: Moving Right Along 80 Marketplace

Andy Ciddor reports from Australias
travelling trade show, as it visits
Melbourne . . .
28 Chroma-Q at Pinewood Studios
A recent Chroma-Q showcase event
provided unique perspectives on TV and
film lighting design. LSi reports . . .
Products & Services
82 In Prole Haze generator DMX, 1500 W
Boses Sue Harrison
Viper S, Viper nt, Viper 2.6 & Orka
NEXT ISSUE
Coming up in the April issue:
On Tour: Amy MacDonald
Show Review: Prolight+Sound, Frankfurt
Technical Focus: QLab & Philips VL6000
Fog generator DMX, 650 W, 1300 W,
Company Prole: Area Four Industries
2600 W, 3000 W & 9000 W
TV Showcase: BBC Worldwide
Event: Melbournes White Night Cryo-Fog & Cryo Gate

For advertising enquiries: Low fog generator, 2300 W

advertise@lsionline.com Low fog attachment, 80 W
30 If the Halo ts
Autograph has recently supplied and Copy deadline:
commissioned an EM Acoustics HALO
system into the main performance
space at Dorking Halls in Surrey. LSi
Tuesday 18 April 2017
Look
reports . . .

32 LED by Theatre
Rob Halliday reports from the Guildford
School of Acting as a loan package of
LED lighting is put through its paces by
students and pros alike . . .
Solutions
Fog machines made in Germany
Light&Sound International Online - published 11
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 f FOREWORD
LIGHT & SOUND

LSeye
INTERNATIONAL

PLASA Media, Redoubt House,

1 Edward Road, Eastbourne,
East Sussex, BN23 8AS, UK. Claire Beeson acting editor
Tel: +44 (0)1323 524120
www.lsionline.com claire.beeson@plasa.org

Acting Editor
Claire Beeson
claire.beeson@plasa.org Daldrys production is apparently the longest running
Editorial Advisor
Lee Baldock
revival of a play. Though, as time and technology
lee.baldock@plasa.org
Technical Editor
wait for no man, lighting designer Rick Fisher for one
Richard Cadena
richard.cadena@plasa.org has made subtle changes to the production over the
Business Development Manager
Greg Morley
years . . .
greg.morley@plasa.org
Sales Executive
Ross Skilbeck The revival of Stephen Daldrys theatre space installs a new sound system,
ross.skilbeck@plasa.org multi award-winning production and Phil Ward talks to Sue Harrison of Bose
Production Manager of An Inspector Calls graces our for this months In Profile.
Sonja Walker cover this month as Rob Halliday charts With trade show season now in full
sonja.walker@plasa.org the productions evolving design, from the swing, we look ahead at expected highlights
LSiOnline Manager early 90s to its most recent West End run. from this years PLASA Focus Leeds on
David Clarke JB Priestleys classic thriller will no doubt pages 58-63, whilst Andy Ciddor reports
david.clarke@plasa.org be familiar to many - not least those of us from Australias travelling trade show,
Subscriptions who studied the text for GCSE English! Entech on pages 26-27 and finds out why
subs@lsionline.com With its iconic revolving doll house set the roadshow format seems to be winning
PLASA MD piece and trilby-wearing Inspector Goole, in the region.
Peter Heath the production design will likely be just as Also inside, Steve Moles visits FBN
peter.heath@plasa.org familiar; no surprise considering Daldrys Studios, Fly By Nites Redditch-based
PLASA FD production is apparently the longest- large-scale rehearsal facility, while Richard
Shane McGreevy running revival of a play. Though, as time Cadena gets to grips with Green Hippos
accounts@plasa.org
and technology wait for no man, lighting Play in Video Matters and ETCs Gio@5
designer Rick Fisher for one has made console in Tech Focus. Along with our
subtle changes to the production over the regular columns, we also have a new
years. Find out more on pages 38-44. offering for you this month in the form of
Salford University certainly knows how Help Desk. For the first instalment, Wayne
Regular Contributors: to celebrate a milestone anniversary, having Howell of Artistic Licence addresses some
Simon Allen, Tim Atkinson, Mike Clark, Jim Evans, opened a new, multi-million pound arts of the trials and tribulations of DALI, in
Rob Halliday, Roland Hemming, Julie Harper, facility to mark its 50th year. Kate Lyon takes what we hope will be a useful, informative
Chris Henry, Mark Johnson, Mel Lambert,
a trip to the state-of-the art New Adelphi and ongoing new feature in the magazine.
Kate Lyon, Steve Moles, Sarah Rushton-Read,
The Shend, Louise Stickland, Dave Swallow, Building, home of Salfords School of Arts & If there are any technical issues youd like
Phil Ward, Mike Wood. Media on pages 48-53. We also report from help with, your ideas for future Help Desk
the Guildford School of Arts recent Robe topics are always welcome, just get in
NRG LED by Theatre event. touch!
Annual Subscription: UK: 38.00 - Europe On the pro audio front, sound engineer With that, Ill leave you to enjoy the above
(Airmail): 60.00 (77 - US$96) - RoW Airmail:
70.00 (90 - US$111) - RoW standard: 50.00 Simon Allen puts Wisycoms new MPR50- and more as I head off to Frankfurt before
(64 - US$80) Single copy price: 3.50 (5 - US$6) IEM and MTK952 wireless IEM solutions the ink is dry for what looks set to be very
through their paces for this months busy Prolight+Sound. Our bumper review of
Every effort has been made to ensure that the
information carried in LSi is accurate, but the
Technical Focus. Meanwhile, we report from this show will feature in the next issue - so
Publisher cannot accept responsibility for its Dorking Halls in Surrey as the venues watch this space . . . I
contents or any consequential loss or damage arising
as a result of the use of material printed.

The editors consent must be obtained before any

part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form
whatsoever. LSi reserves the right to edit news and
features as required.

LSi is published by PLASA Media Ltd, a commercial

arm of PLASA. While LSi works to promote the
interests of PLASAs Members, and the activities and
initiatives of the Association itself, it is not positioned
Outdoor Events & Festivals
as a service to PLASA members. Our aim is to Audio Systems Power Distribution & Generators
continually improve and refine LSi to ensure that it Stage Lighting Site & Emergency Lighting
continues to offer industry-leading coverage.
Towers, Rigging & Truss Systems
PLASA Media aims to produce LSi with an
approximate 60/40 split between editorial content and Recent projects for Outdoor Events & Festivals:
advertising respectively. Cambridge Folk Festival Forest Live Global Gathering
Lovebox Tribeca Film Festival, Doha

www.pearcehire.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1733 554950 info@pearcehire.co.uk facebook.com/pearcehire

WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 07

IN THE NEWS
BUSINESS
Robe conrms Colombian distributor
[Colombia] Czech-based moving light
manufacturer Robe has appointed AV Com
as its new Colombian distributor. Based in
Bogota the vibrant capital of Colombia, AV
Com is well-known in the world of
professional broadcasting, video and
installations, and is ideally placed to move
Robe forward in this key LATAM country,
says Guillermo Traverso, Robes regional
sales manager for Latin America.
AV Com was founded in 1999 and is
headed by Camilo Aranguren who has been
in the entertainment industry since the age
BUSINESS
Samsung completes
Harman acquisition
[South Korea / USA] Samsung
Electronics has announced the completion
of its acquisition of Harman International
Industries Inc. Under the terms of the
merger agreement, Harman stockholders
will receive $112.00 per share in cash. The
completion follows the satisfaction of all
conditions to the closing of the transaction,
including approval of the transaction by
Harman stockholders and receipt of all
necessary regulatory approvals in the
United States and certain foreign
jurisdictions, the company says.
P www.harman.com
BUSINESS
JoeCo names Starpoint
for Germany and Austria
[Germany] JoeCo has appointed Starpoint
Distribution as its exclusive sales
representative in Germany and Austria.
Headquartered in Hamburg with more than
20 years experience of bringing premium
brands into Europes German-speaking
markets, Starpoint is one of the largest
distribution specialists in Germany and
spans a wide variety of markets, from AV
installs to broadcast and live sound.
P www.joeco.co.uk
08 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
of 19. AV Com has a reputation as a
top-level supplier to leading rental
companies and installation projects. The
company already has several premium
audio and video brands in their portfolio,
including L-Acoustics, Avid, Sennheiser,
Focal and Grass Valley.
I have been watching Robe with interest
for around the last four years said Camilo.
I think the products are a perfect fit for our
entertainment lighting division and for our
customers in the various sectors.
P www.robe.cz
BUSINESS
inspHire launches new
website and branding
[UK] inspHire has introduced its new
global website. Cementing inspHires
position as a leading promoter of hire
software globally, with offices in UK, USA,
Netherlands and Australia, the user friendly
site provides a hub of information about the
hire management software provider; from
innovative products and customer case
studies to company news and values.
The new website features customer case
studies, as well as inspHires latest software
updates and product developments. Over
2,200 hire companies are already utilising
inspHire software, the company says.
P www.inspHire.com
BUSINESS
Audio-Technica conrms
Turkish distributor
Audio-Technicas Matthias Exner with
Yurder Ertekin of Ertekin Elektronik
Robes Latin America regional sales manager
Guillermo Traverso (centre) with AV COms Juan
Camilo Triana (left), and Camilo Aranguren (right)
PEOPLE
Chris Pyne joins Allen &
Heath APAC team
[APAC] Allen & Heath
has strengthened its
Asia Pacific team
with the
appointment of
technical marketing
director, Chris Pyne.
Born in Australia, Pyne has
three decades of experience as a sound
engineer for artists including Kylie
Minogue, Jennifer Lopez, Il Divo, Sir
Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Westlife. Pyne
also has extensive live and studio
recording experience. Most recently, he
worked in a technical training and
support role at Martin Audio.
Pyne will be providing technical
expertise and training via Allen &
Heaths partner network, as well as
supporting the growing community of
touring engineers and rental
companies in the region who have
adopted Allen & Heath digital systems.
P www.allen-heath.com
[Turkey] Audio-Technica has appointed Ertekin
Elektronik as its distributor for pro audio
products in Turkey. Based in Istanbul, Ertekin is
a distributor for international brands in the pro
audio, lighting, hi-fi and consumer electronics
industries and currently distributes more than
50 brands including Yamaha, Panasonic,
Celestion and Denon in the territory.
Yurder Ertekin, sales and marketing
manager for Ertekin Elecktronik said: We
are proud to have signed a distribution
agreement with Audio-Technica to bring its
high quality, technically innovative products
to our domestic market. We look forward to
developing a strong co-operative relationship
with the brand and strengthening Audio-
Technicas profile in Turkey.
P www.audio-technica.com
P www.ertekin.com.tr
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IN THE NEWS
EVENT

PLASA Focus Leeds returns with a top seminar

schedule for 2017
[UK] PLASA Focus Leeds this year with another industry-leading
line-up of seminar sessions and speakers (9-10 May, Royal
Armouries Museum, Leeds). The free-to-attend exhibition is a leading
platform for the entertainment industry, offering an opportunity to
discover the very latest technology including products from recent
international launches.
Speakers this year include James Simpson, lighting visualiser at
the Royal Opera House, who will discuss the latest technologies in
use on some recent projects at the venue, and talking for the first
time about an exciting new R&D project being developed at the ROH
which uses Augmented Reality technology to create new
opportunities for design teams to visualise their ideas.
The future of audio technology will be explored by d&b
audiotechniks Oran Burns, who will present a session titled Whats and safe working practices in Theatre. PLASAs hea dof marketing,
Next for Pro Audio?, while LSi contributor Phil Ward will host Rosie Geyman, will host a Social Media Masterclass, sharing tips
a panel session to discuss Is Point Source Fighting Back?. on how to use the latest social marketing tools to grow your
The popular Riggers Forum will return to Leeds, led once again business and achieve results on small budgets.
by Harry Box and Chris Higgs. Their presentation, Knot a Rigger Also running over the two days are hands-on product training
will discuss where the responsibility for rigging lies within a with some leading manufacturers. Ambersphere Solutions will be
production. running regular 90-minute practical demonstrations of the new MA
Its not just about technology: other sessions will focus on Lighting dot2 lighting console and ChamSys will be running their
practical business advice. The ABTT (Association of British Theatre popular training programme for MagicQ, MagicVis Visualisation and
Technicians) will host Technical standards for places of MagicHD Media Player.
Entertainment, discussing recent changes to technical standards P //leeds.plasafocus.com

BUSINESS
DWR appointed Littlite
agent for SA
[South Africa] DWR Distribution has been
appointed Littlite agent for South Africa.
Littlites range of task lamps was
represented in the country for many years
by Tadcos Simon Oates, who recently made
the decision to pass the brand on to DWR.
A large stock order is coming soon, and
DWR is running a competition where three
people will have opportunity to win the
Littlite Anser Lampset 18 Goosneck and
Dimmer integrated into chassis.
Duncan Riley of DWR explained: We
initially wanted to order Littlite task lights
from Tadco for our DiGiCo console users. In
true Simon Oates fashion, he opted to
rather make a phone call to Littlite and ask
if the brand could be transferred to us.
Littlite is a well-loved product in our market
and we look forward to making it available
to our clients. Thank you Simon.
P www.dwrdistribution.co.za
P www.littlite.com
Daily News, Online
BUSINESS
Elation partners with
LMP in Germany
The Elation and LMP Lichttechnik teams
[USA / Germany] LMP Lichttechnik has
been appointed to distribute Elation
Professional products in Germany. Elation
says the move opens a wider market for its
products while moving closer to its German
customers and guaranteeing swifter, higher-
quality service.
Marc Petzold, LMP managing director,
added: Elation has enjoyed tremendous
success in recent years and offers a wealth
of moving lights that are in no way inferior
in terms of quality to those of other
premium manufacturers. The geographical
proximity of Elations European
headquarters in Kerkrade [The
Netherlands], which also boasts a large
showroom, is another big plus. Not only
forward to representing Elation vigorously
henceforth in Germany and helping the
PEOPLE
Chris Fearn joins RCF UK
[UK] RCF UK has
recruited Chris
Fearn as its new
regional sales
manager for the
Midlands and
South. Fearn has a
long and
distinguished career in
audio, dealing with HiFi, MI and pro
products.
After 12 years in the hi-fi industry he
joined CIE Group, selling commercial
audio products, before spending 13
years with Wharfedale Pro. More
recently he spent two years with Adam
Hall Group looking after the whole of
the UK and Ireland with their audio,
lighting and stage equipment ranges.
RCF UK director of sales, Dean
Davoile, comments: I look forward to
working with Chris again and seeing
RCF continue to move forward.
P www.rcf.it

www.lsionline.com does this benefit our customers but we, too,

can profit in terms of training opportunities
company to achieve further growth.
P www.elationlighting.com
and product demonstrations. We look P www.lmp.de

10 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

IN THE NEWS
VOICES IN
EVENT THIS ISSUE
Backup charity raises awareness My favourite

at special event
functional thing is the
under-oor heating
across the studio oor
[UK] Supporters and trustees of Backup - The . . . that really helps
Technical Entertainment Charity - gathered in
London in March to help raise the profile of the
keep everyone happy
charitys new name and logo within the and is very energy
entertainment industry. Around 80 guests attended efcient.
the event, which included live entertainment from
p22 Scottie Sanderson
Jay Johnson. of FBN Studios talks to
Backup exists to provide financial support to Steve Moles
technical professionals working in live events,
theatre, TV and film, helping them to get back on
their feet when their lives are disrupted by illness The key to this
or injury to themselves or to family members. Backups chairman, John Simpson, welcomed guests to working, and a sign
Previously known as Behind The Scenes UK, the The Hospital Club in Londons Covent Garden of Robes on a roll
charity changed its name to Backup in 2016. (photo courtesy of Scott Willsallen) thinking, is not to
Backups chairman, John Simpson, welcomed
guests to The Hospital Club in Londons Covent Garden, which generously sponsored the event. He lend one or two token
reiterated the purpose of the charity by highlighting some of its achievements to date. Among those being lights, but enough to
helped is Mark Pritchard, who was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma while touring with Level 42, and actually let them form
has just undergone a fourth round of chemotherapy. John Simpson read a message from Mark, in which the main part of a rig.
he thanked the charity, saying: We are amazed at the generosity of our industry in times of trouble.
Backup trustee Lee Dennison drew attention to fundraising events including the Golf Day and KartFest. p32 Rob Halliday visits
The Golf Day, which raised over 7,000 in 2016, will this year take place on 12 April at The Drift Golf Club, a Robe showcase at the
East Horsley, Surrey, while the 2017 KartFest is set for 29 June at Daytona Sandown Park in Esher, Surrey. Guildford School of Acting
Lee also thanked DiGiCo - whose fourth consecutive quiz night raised a record 12,500 for the charity in
September 2016. Plans for future events will follow on the Backup website . . . In effect, the show
P www.backuptech.uk
started to tell us what
looked good . . . Later,
I did a lot of post-
BUSINESS design rationalisation,
PEOPLE but then we just
Collective Works found something that
launches L-Acoustics strengthens worked and went with
[South Africa] Collective
Latin America team it.
Works is a new creative [Latin America] p38 LD Rick Fisher
visual design practice L-Acoustics has discusses the evolution of
launched by live event appointed Alex Soto as An Inspector Calls
production industry professionals applications engineer,
Christopher Bolton (pictured above), Joshua Cutts supporting the rental
and Bradley Hilton. All well-known for their work and install markets in
It has some 800,000
in South Africa and across the African continent, Latin America and the mosques, and for
the trio specialise in lighting, video and set/scenic Caribbean. Based in the last year the
design and digital content production. Guadalajara, Mexico, Alex will work in close Government has been
Chris Bolton founded Keystone Productions in collaboration with regional sales manager measuring the decibel
Johannesburg in 2003 with Warren Liss and Tim McCall.
Jonathan Le Roux; Joshua Cutts has established a Alex has extensive experience in sound
output around the
strong reputation as a lighting designer for TV shows production and deep knowledge of country amid rising
including Project Fame, Idols, The Voice and the 2012 L-Acoustics systems. He has had global complaints . . .
SAMA Awards; Bradley Hilton cut his teeth as a experience with high profile touring artists
p46 Phil Ward discovers
video designer, editor, programmer and operator of such as The Rolling Stones, Chayanne, North African noise issues
large playback and mapping systems, and formed Rammstein and Maroon 5, and is also in Audio File
Pixel Native three years ago with Chris Bolton. renowned for his sound designs for festival
Immediate work confirmed in the months ahead stalwarts Hell and Heaven Fest, Electric Daisy
includes Afrikaans is Groot and Starlight Classics, Carnival or MTV World Stage. The result is a theatre
both in Cape Town and the 2017 series of The Voice. P www.l-acoustics.com that manages that
P www.collectiveworks.co.za rather neat trick of
being both traditional
and modern in equal
measure.
Daily industry news: www.lsionline.com p48 Kate Lyon visits the
New Adelphi Theatre at
Salford University

WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 11

IN THE NEWS
EVENTS
DIARY
LSi SNAPSHOT Martin Audio MD Dominic
RCSSD brings Grand Hotel to life Harter comments: I have
known Berenice for 10 years Music Inside Rimini
and have always been 7-9 May 2017
impressed with the enthusiasm Rimini, Italy
and energy she brings to en.musicinsiderimini.it
a brand. Martin Audio now has
a new focus on our business in PLASA Focus Leeds
Latin America - we are looking 9-10 May 2017
to build on our success in the Leeds, UK
region and Berenice will be www.plasafocus.com/leeds
targeted with widening our
distribution across the region, Lightfair International
a task Pro Active Latin America 9-11 May 2017
will excel at! Philadelphia, PA, USA
www.lightfair.com
P www.martin-audio.com

[UK] LSi recently attended the Royal Central School of Speech Showlight
and Dramas Spring Reception. The event saw supporters and BUSINESS 20-23 May 2017
patrons of the Swiss Cottage-based university gather for an Florence, Italy
informal reception with RCSSD principal, Professor Gavin Green Hippo www.showlight.org
Henderson before enjoying a performance of Grand Hotel by appoints DWR in SA
BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre students. AES 142nd
The productions creative team consisted of students [South Africa] Green Hippo, 20-23 May 2017
manufacturer of the Hippotizer Berlin, Germany
currently undertaking the BA (Hons) degree in Theatre
media server range, has www.aes.org/events
Practice and included: Jack Channer (lighting design), Alex
Howell (assistant LD), Phil Burke (lighting programmer), appointed DWR Distribution as
Reuben Speed (assistant designer), Curtis Chadwick (sound its South African distributor. PalmExpo India
This May, in conjunction with 1-3 June 2017
design), Zowie Wise (head of scenic art), Ben Krebs (technical
Green Hippo, DWR Distribution Mumbai, India
manager), Jodie Day (stage manager), Elaina Waterhouse
www.palmexpo.in
(deputy SM), Jack Dixon (chief LX), Billy Cahill (deputy chief will be heading out for the South
LX), Jacob Holmes (production sound), Dan Harmer (assistant African Hippotizer roadshow,
production sound) and Oscar Thompson, Sam Walker and visiting Johannesburg, Cape ABTT
Town and Durban. This 7-8 June 2017
Helena Chivers as sound numbers one to three respectively.
London, UK
The lighting crew also included Jack Coker, Thomas Courtier, roadshow will showcase the
www.abtttheatreshow.co.uk
David Peters, SiJing Phua and Oliver Sturgess. latest developments from
Congratulations to all cast and crew on what was a highly Hippotizer V4, including Shape
3D Mapping and a creative
NAMM
enjoyable, technically ambitious production evoking a sense of
13-15 June 2017
an increasingly troubled Berlin of the late 1920s. partnerships with Notch.
Nashville, TN, USA
P www.cssd.ac.uk P www.green-hippo.com
www.thenammshow.com
P www.dwrdistribution.co.za

BUSINESS
Pro Active LATAM to
represent Martin Audio
Dom Harter and Berenice Gutierrez
[Mexico] Martin Audio has
appointed Pro Active Latin
America as its sales
representative for Latin America
and the Caribbean. Based in
Mexico City and guided by
owner/director Berenice
Gutierrez, Pro Active LATAM
already represents Allen &
Heath, Ashly Audio and UDG in
addition to Martin Audio.
InfoComm
14-16 June 2017
Orlando, FL, USA
PEOPLE www.infocommshow.org
DWR Distribution Stage|Set|Scenery
strengthens DiGiCo team 20-22 June 2017
Berlin, Germany
[South Africa] Following considerable www.stage-set-scenery.de
growth in DiGiCo sales in South Africa,
DWR Distribution has welcomed Jaco MediaTech
Beukes to the team. Jaco will be assisting Kyle 19-21 July 2017
Robson, who handles DiGiCo sales and has been the face Johannesburg, South Africa
behind DiGiCo in South Africa. With the growth of a product www.mediatech.co.za
comes a lot more meetings with clients and its important to
continue offering the same support, said Kyle. I have known Integrate
Jaco for many years and I have had opportunity to work with 29-31 August 2017
him. I am really looking forward to his appointment, said Kyle. Melbourne, Australia
We had no idea that DiGiCo would grow as fast it has, said www.integrate-expo.com
Duncan Riley of DWR. It has been less than a year that we
acquired the agency and the only way we can continue to BPM | Pro
support this great product is to invest in great people. 11-12 September 2017
P www.dwrdistribution.co.za Birmingham, UK
P www.digico.biz www.bpmpro.show
IBC
15-19 September 2017
Daily Industry News @www.lsionline.com Amsterdam, Netherlands
www.ibc.org

12 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

IN THE NEWS
TRAINING/EDUCATION

ETC LDI Student Sponsorship applications open

[USA] For nearly two decades, ETC has given students a unique way
to gain experience, make connections and launch a career, and to
attend the LDI tradeshow with all expenses paid. Applications for
this years ETC LDI Student Sponsorship are now available online
and due by 9 June 2017.
The sponsorship includes a round trip airfare to the LDI trade
show (17-19 November), along with hotel accommodation, all meals,
a full conference pass, a student reception to meet people in the
industry, and exclusive ETC swag. Students in their final year of
undergraduate study, graduate students, and students from outside
of North America who are studying at equivalent university levels at
the time of the LDI show, and who are studying lighting design,
theatre technology, stage machinery, or closely related fields, are
eligible to apply.
P www.etcconnect.com/LDISponsorship

PEOPLE
Audiologic strengthens
technical
support
[UK] Audiologic
has appointed a
new technical
support engineer,
Diogo Scutti, to work
alongside existing engineer
Yavor Max Yanakiev to meet the rising
demand for in-house and on-site
support from its growing customer
base. Diogo trained at Brazils Institute
of Audio and Video (IAV) and joins
Audiologic having gained wide
experience in every aspect of project
management, co-ordinating AV system
installations in a wide variety of
settings.
Andy Lewis, marketing manager at
Audiologic offers a very upbeat
assessment: Diogo brings a wealth of
knowledge and finely developed skills
to Audiologic. He is accustomed to
working on projects of all scales and is
comfortable with all the attendant
pressures of the industry - in fact he
positively relishes any and every
technical challenge.
P www.audiologic.co.uk
Send your business,
training and
event news to:
news@lsionline.com
BUSINESS
Pan Acoustics appoints
distributor for China
[Germany / China] EZPro International
Technology has been appointed as the
Hong Kong, China and Macau distributor
for Pan Acoustics, the advanced steerable
audio specialist from Wolfenbttel in
Germany.
Alan Ho, senior VP business
Christie Lites opens
development of EZPro, said: We ultimately
wanted outstanding performance combined
with simple, intuitive system setup, so that
the installer doesnt need to be a
programming expert to get great results. In
Pan Acoustics we found exactly this . . .
P www.panacoustics.com
P www.ezprointl.com/en
BUSINESS
Danmon Group takes on
Optocore for Sweden
Danmon / Soundware, represented by Magnus
Wiborg, with Dawid Soml of Optocore /
BroaMan
[Sweden] Danmon Group Sweden has
been appointed distributor for Optocore and
BroaMan fibre solutions, having been
representing the brands in Denmark for
a number of years. Danmon Sweden MD
Marcus Lundahl started the Groups audio
division, Soundwareack in 2001, after which
they began representing Optocore.
While Soundware will continue to service
the pro audio and video industry generally,
Danmon will focus on addressing the
broadcast video sectors with the German
manufacturers scalable fibre interfaces,
seeing huge potential in these segments.
P www.optocore.com
P www.danmon.se
BUSINESS
Coventry UK ofce
[UK / USA] North American lighting and
rigging rental company Christie Lites has
opened a base in Coventry, UK, the
companys first expansion outside of North
America. The move brings the successful
business model from Christies network of
12 office warehouse locations across the
US and Canada to further serve client
demand into the UK and Europe - and
vice-versa, the company says.
This 3,716sq.m (40,000sq.ft) warehouse
setup will mirror all of Christie Lites other
warehouses, fully stocked with preferred
manufacturers brands of lighting (such as
Martin by Harman, Elation, ETC, MA
Lighting and more) and rigging products
(Liftket/TourRig, CM and more) as well as
Christie Lites own proprietary truss
designs.
Fit-up of the CL Coventry location is
currently underway with doors planned to
open in early April. Operations and account
rep team hirings will be announced soon,
the company says.
P www.christielites.com

14 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

 EVENT

Showlight 2017: Professional control scaled just right

Exhibitor spaces Sold Out

The Gio @5 console combines all the professional programming

essentials in a package that ts tighter spaces and tighter budgets.

[Italy] The organisers of the tenth Showlight quadrennial, set to take

place from 20-23 May at the Palazzo dei Congressi in Florence, Italy,
have reported that all exhibitor spaces have now sold out. The latest


exhibitors welcomed on board were AED, Elation Professional BV,
PRG, SGM and Music & Lights.
Showlights exhibition will be held in the foyer that encircles the
auditorium of the Villa Vittoria in the Palazzo dei Congressi. The Full programming layout with backlit keys?
exhibition closes while the papers sessions are in progress, so the
exhibitors can also listen to the presentations and enjoy full
participation in the conference. Delegates will be able to chat to
manufacturers during the morning and afternoon coffee breaks and


lunchtimes when the exhibition is open.
Over 50% of tickets for the conference have sold already, so book
soon to secure your place at this unique event. A choice of Full
Delegate, Papers Session Only or Day Tickets are on offer via the Encoders with haptic feedback?
Showlight website:
P www.showlight.org/registration

EVENT

ALD bestows
Short-throw motorized faders? 
Showlight bursaries
[Europe] The ALD has bestowed bursaries upon three of its
professional members - Ric Mountjoy, Sherry Coenen and Sandy
McRobbie - to contribute to the costs of attending the Showlight
2017 conference in Florence, Italy. Supporting its members for the
Built-in multi-touch display? 
fourth time in this way, the ALDs Showlight Bursary Scheme was
judged by members of the executive committee and assessed on the
applicants reasons for attendance as well as how they intend to
report on the event for Focus, the ALD membership magazine.
The ALD is strongly aligned with the event, and speakers at
Showlight 2017 will include ALD members Declan Randall, who will
talk about his experience as set and projection designer, as well as
lighting designer, for an original production of Sister Act in
Keyboard tray? 
Johannesburg, South Africa - while Simon Corder will tell tales of
tigers and elephants in a tropical forest - and how they react to LEDs
- as he describes how he relit his original design in the worlds first
Night Zoo in Singapore. etcconnect.com
P www.ald.org.uk
P www.showlight.org

WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 15

IN THE NEWS
BUSINESS

DPA appoints two
distributors in Switzerland
MusicNetwork CEO Franco Stuppia and Remo
Zollinger, managing director of Z-Audio
[Switzerland] DPA Microphones has
named two new distributors in Switzerland:
Z-Audio and MusicNetwork AG are
responsible for the companys entire range
of high quality microphones.
With office and warehouse facilities in
Russikon and Pully, Z-Audio handles
distribution for a wide range of pro audio
and lighting brands. The company offers
free project consulting and technical
support, and has an extensive network of
installation partners and resellers.
MusicNetwork, based in Dietikon, also
has long experience of professional
hardware and software for the audio sector,
and represents brands including AVID,
M-Audio, iZotope and Apogee Electronics.
The company also offers services such as
consulting, training and customer support.
P www.dpamicrophones.com
P www.z-audio.ch
P www.musicnetwork.ch
BUSINESS
Chauvet celebrates
new Mexico facility
P www.chauvet.com
Carlos Zamora de Martino, general manager of
Chauvet Mexico; Daniel Prez Carrillo and Alma
Delia Reyes Villegas of Kassthelm, Albert
Chauvet and Berenice Chauvet at the grand
premiere ceremony
[Mexico] Chauvet Mexico has opened
a new office, warehouse, service centre and
showroom facility in Lerman, Mexico, in
response to rapidly increasing demand for
its products among dealers and rental
houses. Over 100 guests joined Albert and
Berenice Chauvet at the opening, which
featured a buffet dinner, speeches and DJ
entertainment.
Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet, thanked
Carlos Zamora de Martino, general
manager of Chauvet Mexico, and the entire
Chauvet team. The hard work, enthusiasm
and talent that so many people have
devoted to Chauvet Mexico has been
remarkable, he said. We know that the
tremendous results that we have achieved
in Mexico the past year could not have been
possible without contributions from so
many people, and we deeply appreciate
their efforts.
BUSINESS
Adamson selects Stage
Craft for Philippines
[Canada / Philippines] Stage Craft
International, one of the leading production
technology distribution companies in the
Philippines, has added Adamson Systems
Engineering to its portfolio. Based in

/showlightevent /showlight2017 www.showlight.org

Book Now >>>

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The Countdown to
Showlight 2017 has Begun

Dont miss out - book your ticket now!

REGISTER online at www.showlight.org
Full details of speakers, exhibitors,
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Find out more: www.showlight.org/claypaky-visit.pdf

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16 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

 BUSINESS

Mix Wave is new

PEOPLE
AV Stump distributor
for Japan GLP strengthens UK team
[Japan] Austrian [UK] GLP has added to
AV technology its UK team with the
manufacturer AV appointment of
Stumpfl has Simon Barrett.
appointed Mix Simon recently
Wave, Inc as its returned to the UK
Adamsons James Ritter, sales manager for exclusive media after coordinating
the Asia Pacic region & Stage Craft server and show technical sales in
president Francisco Zabala control distributor Ken Sampei Melbourne for Show
for Japan. Mix Wave is Technology, and
Mandaluyong City, Stage Craft says it has well-known for pro AV product distribution helping set up
built its reputation on the philosophy of and related services in Japan. a new office for the
delivering only premium, high- Mix Wave co-founder and director of company in New
performance products for their customers. their Visual System division Ken Sampei Zealand. Prior to that,
Marc Paraiso, head of sales and commented: We are very excited to he had technical sales
marketing, says that philosophy is what handle the AV Stumpfl Wings media server and training roles with both White Light
drove the decision to adopt the Adamson product range. Japan is quite a 4K/8K and MA Lighting.
brand. While there is a plethora of oriented country and Im sure the Wings At the same time, GLP has announced
loudspeaker manufacturers out there, with media server products will fit even our the arrival of Sintija Ruza in an
most of them represented in the most demanding rental and staging administrative role. Having resumed her
Philippines, we feel Adamson has a big customers. career after taking a break to gain a
advantage in terms of technological P //avstump.com degree in accountancy. She joins Noel
advancement, making it a cut above the P www.mixwave.co.jp Roly Smith who heads GLPs UK
rest. operations and Andy Riley (technical
P www.adamsonsystems.com support) at the Exeter HQ.
P www.stagecraftintl.com
www.lsionline.com P www.glp.de

WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 17

IN THE NEWS
TRAINING/EDUCATION

ISCEx 2017 a great success

[UK] The Institute of Sound and Communications Engineers (ISCE)
reports increased attendance and much enthusiasm for its annual
exhibition and seminar day, ISCEx 2017, a one-day event held at
Coombe Abbey Hotel and Country Park. Open to members and
non-members, the ISCEx exhibition and seminar programme was
preceded by the Institutes annual general meeting and networking
dinner events, held the previous day.
A number of the audio industrys women also took the opportunity
to gather in recognition of International Womens Day 2017.
Coinciding with International Womens Day, it was lovely to see
a greater number of women attending ISCEx 2017, supporting the
sound industry and ready to celebrate our presence. As vice-
president, I plan to actively encourage the Institutes increasing
diversity, said Helen Goddard, vice-president for ISCE.
With more than 30 exhibitors at ISCEx this year we saw an
increased number of visitors attending as a consequence,
ISCEx coincided with International Womens Day
comments Ros Wigmore, event organiser for ISCE. ISCEx remains
a very personal event and lends itself to creating a very intimate and
informal environment. Throughout the day discussions took place Over recent years, ISCEx has grown steadily and for sure is an
between visitors and exhibitors in and around the exhibition room important networking event for the sound and communications
and throughout the hotel and grounds in various relaxed seating industry. The response to our 2017 event has really been positive
areas, continues Wigmore. from both visitors and exhibitors. We will return to Coombe Abbey
The feedback for ISCEx this year has been really positive and again in 2018. Look out for the event announcement date soon,
were already looking forward to ISCEx 2018 next year, concludes summarises ISCE president Phil Price.
Wigmore. P www.isce.org.uk

BUSINESS
CPL Technical Sales
is launched
CPLs Matthew Boyce (Max) and Sam Thomas
[UK] Technical production and rental
specialist Central Presentations Limited
(CPL) has launched a new division - CPL
Technical Sales - to focus on the sales of
selected product lines, all of which CPL
carries in its rental inventory.
Based at CPLs facility in West Midlands
and headed by Sam Thomas, the new
division will also support manufacturers and
brands by making kit available to end-clients
in certain scenarios. Examples include
bridging fluctuations in pre-purchase
delivery/production schedules with rentals,
enabling clients who have bought kit to have
immediate access to it if needed.
CPL Technical Sales will be linked to the
set-up of a dedicated Training Centre which is
planned when CPL moves into a new purpose-
built warehouse and office space later in the
year. The intention is to create a training hub
in the west Midlands, the company says.
P www.cplav.com
BUSINESS
Earpro to distribute Visual
Productions in Iberia
VP sales manager Zo Castle, Earpro MD Miguel
Mezquita, VP key account manager Maarten
Donath and Earpro commercial director Pere Castro
[Spain / Portugal] Earpro has been
appointed Visual Productions distributor for
Spain and Portugal. Established in 1988,
Earpro is a specialist distributor of
technology namely for systems integration,
retail, audio-visual, rental, installation,
broadcast and commercial lighting markets
in Spain and Portugal. The Visual
Productions lighting control range fills
a gap in their distribution product range for
a high-end standalone/solid-state lighting
controller, the company says.
Throughout 2017 Earpro will host a series
of technical workshops that will allow
potential users to experience the benefits of
working with Visual Productions lighting
controllers. The full range of Visual
Productions lighting controllers is available
from stock at Earpro.
P www.visualproductions.nl
P www.earpro.es
PEOPLE
Group One announces
key personnel changes
[USA] Group One Limited, the New
York-based US distributor for DiGiCo,
Avolites and other well-respected audio
and lighting manufacturers, has
announced a number of personnel
changes designed to position the
company for continued growth.
Group One has now promoted
DiGiCo national sales manager Matt
Larson to Group One vice-president,
professional audio, with oversight of all
Group Ones audio brands for the
touring, theatre and install markets;
sales and support associate Ryan
Shelton has been named Group Ones
national sales manager for
KLANG:technologies; and Taidus
Vallandi, one of DiGiCos pioneers and
responsible for opening the first DiGiCo
office in the US, has now been
promoted to serve as Group Ones chief
technology officer. Finally, Chris Fichera,
Group One vice-president, broadcast
and production, remains a shareholder
as he also expands his role.
P www.g1limited.com
Daily industry news:
www.lsionline.com

18 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

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IN THE NEWS
BUSINESS
APG strengthens
presence in Asia
[China / Korea] With an already successful presence in Asia
thanks to a joint venture and historic distributors, French
loudspeaker manufacturer APG took advantage of the recent
Prolight+Sound Guangzhou trade show to announce new
partnerships around APG North East Asia, the companys joint
venture in Hong Kong.
The first expansion is evidenced in China where APG welcomed
TRAudio, who will share responsibilities with APGs historical
Chinese partner BVCam. This partnership with TRAudio will focus
Gregory Dapsanse from APG with TR Audio at PL+S Guangzhou
on the entertainment sector, while BVCAM will keep doing the
amazing job they have done for years in every other markets,
explains Raymond Wong, managing director of APG North East Asia.
At the same time, APG announced expansion in Korea where system BUSINESS
integrator Soundplace Inc. will act as the companys sole distributor
in the Korean market. VDC Trading appoints
The audio industry in Korea is actively looking for loudspeakers US distributor
that are capable of reproducing sound purity, so we are delighted to
welcome APG into our product offering, explained Sang Woo Do,
president of Soundplace Inc. The company is already working on
several projects with APG that are set to be completed in 2017.
P www.apg.audio
P www.bvcam.com.hk
P www.traudio.cn
P www.soundplace.kr
Josh Thomas, general manager of
Fingerprint Audio
[USA] VDC Trading, the
company behind Van Damme
cables, has announced
a distribution agreement with
Fingerprint Audio, a US-based
distributor of pro audio
equipment for North and
South America since 2009.
The agreement sees
Fingerprint Audio take on
VDCs entire range of Van
Damme audio, fibre, data
and video cables, including
bulk, manufactured and
packaged cables and act as
distributor covering the entire
USA market with immediate
effect.
Commenting on the
agreement, Niall Holden, CEO of
VDC Trading, said: Fingerprint
are an excellent distribution
partner for our Van Damme
cable range in the USA. With
their expertise in audio and MI,
they are well positioned to extend
our reach and penetration across
the US national market. We are
delighted to be working with the
team.
P www.vdctrading.com
P www.ngerprintaudio.com
20 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
BUSINESS
CT merges Mediatec
UK into London
operation
[UK] Creative Technology Ltd
(CT) is pleased to announce
that following the acquisition of
its parent company Avesco by
NEP in January 2017, the UK
division of sister company
Mediatec will be merged with
and rebranded CT from 1 April
2017.
The merger with CT will
allow the team access to
a significantly larger pool of
technical and operational
resources, the company says.
The business will continue to
operate from its premises in
Sunbury on Thames during the
summer season, but is
expected to relocate to CTs
Crawley headquarters during
the second half of 2017
allowing the combined
business to fully realise the
opportunities arising from
collective resources.
Dave Crump, CEO of CT
Group, said: CT and Mediatec
have enjoyed a close, albeit
competitive relationship over
many years. Several of the
current Mediatec UK contracts
started life with us and we have
always enjoyed similar
operating cultures alongside
a healthy exchange of
personnel and, occasionally,
clients. Bringing the
businesses together will
provide enhanced opportunities
for the majority of the staff and
allow us to offer their clients a
broader range of technology
and services.
P www.ct-group.com
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IN THE NEWS

Fly By Nite: Not making do

Just south of Birmingham, Fly By Nite Studios is the largest purpose-built
rehearsal studio facility in Europe. Steve Moles reports . . .

UK - On the face of it,

planning, building and running
a studio facility should be
fairly straightforward: do the
advance work properly, attend
to the detail in the build with
an experienced architect, and
by the time first the production
moves in it should be all settled.
I wish it were that simple,
said Scottie Sanderson,
facility manager for the Fly By
Nite (FBN) studio I Redditch.
Actually, in the year weve been
open no two days have been the
same. There is in fact very little
overlap between productions
in terms of what they want. At
a mundane level that could
be a difference as simple as
one bringing in full touring
catering, another just wanting B FBN studio 1 inside . . .
someone to do a run down to C . . . and out
the local Morrisons for a bag
full of sandwiches and crisps. E Scottie Sanderson of FBN
Alternatively, we go from full-on with Wob Roberts, production
sound, lights, staging and video manager for Craig David
(Craig David is currently in here
with full production) to just
band rehearsals (Radiohead will
follow afterwards). That said, it
is true that the first couple of
days sees the most activity. Then
things settle down and youre
into routine stuff like getting the managers who will book the
bed linen changed. place made him an ideal choice.
Visit the FBN studio website I know how to make it seamless
and the list of features and for them. When we do the
facilities is impressive: the advances they tend to be swift
power supply catches the eye and efficient, so confidence
immediately - six 400amp three- builds quickly. But there is a lot
phase, plus a bunch of Ceeform to learn.
supplies) - plus 21 bedrooms, What did he mean by that?
and then theres the muscular The fact we have 21 bedrooms
reality of the 500 tonne (UDL) and most are taken more-or-less
rigging limit roof with helicopter every day opens the question,
landing pad above. Someone how do you staff such a
has invested heavily. We aimed facility? You start with bought-
for quality, said FBN director in professional services, then
Carl Reed. People can just gradually you get a measure for
come in and get on with it - what is really required. Thats
everything is catered for. You the key. Production has its own
wont need to rent in power; unique demands and in terms the drainage system for proper perfectly for when they bring in
the catering facilities is a whole of staff you need people who recycling and disposal. The their own hardware. Thats true
floor. The ethos is for people to have the patience to deal with kitchen took us two months of all the rooms - production
get on with what they need to what is often a quickly changing to design and yet there are no offices, dressing rooms, the
do. There is no make do. demand. Ive learned all sorts appliances in there. Why so greenroom - they can all be
A well-known face in the of stuff - FOG traps (fat, oil and long? Because we consulted easily configured to suit specific
production industry, Scottie was grease traps), so that all the with caterers and asked what needs.
sought out for the role. Having oils and food waste that comes makes sense. What we have Something like a catering
been on the same side of the out of the catering section is now looks like an empty room, room is essentially a second
business as the production intercepted and removed from but in fact it suits their needs fix item, so long as there

22 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

are mains, drains and water
available you can attend to the
detail after the building is up.
But architecturally speaking
much of what is at FBN must
have been anticipated? I was
engaged before ground works
commenced, continued
Scottie. Sven Knight (of KRS,
provider of the in-house rigging
service) had already been in
discussion with the architects
(Peter Wade Consultancy) about
the roof loading and grid. For us,
all that meant an initial phase
of working from drawings and
anticipating. Power was a good
example, the architects mapped
in major three-phase in each
corner by default. Nice, but
actually two opposing corners of
the studio space is enough, and
we used the money elsewhere.
Placement also highlights
detail, we have a 13A ring main
all the way around the studio
space because everyone has
laptops, phones and general
tech paraphernalia that needs
domestic outlets. Otherwise
you end up with loads of people
scratching around for 13A to
16A adaptors - not nice. And
every pair of 13A sockets has
USB chargers built in. We do
simple stuff like a separate WiFi
circuit for the crew so if theyre
all resting and streaming Netflix
it doesnt clog the production
offices connections. We had
a lot of Goldilocks moments
putting this place together -
selecting dryers for the laundry,
you need to get the ones that
are just right, not too hot and
not too cold. Im not kidding.
Then there is the dull stuff - dull
but important - H&S policy;
security for the building and at
what standard? T&Cs had to be
written from scratch, along with
a quoting template. My favourite
functional thing is the under-
floor heating across the studio
floor (1,680sq.m) - that really
helps keep everyone happy and
is very energy efficient.
Even so, isnt 500 tonnes
a little over the top? The helipad
is part of the reason the roof
is so highly rated. You have to
build not for the weight of the
chopper, but the downforce
of a hard landing. Plus, there
is snow loading. The pad is
scheduled to open this summer.
FBN has the potential to host
much more than rock and roll
production. We have already
had a few things, most recently
SSEs 40th birthday bash.
We have several companies,
mainly manufacturers, that do but in a year just the once. We
product demonstrations here,
and we have had enquiries
from several of the local motor
car manufacturers. Same with
film and TV, weve had several
enquiries, and John West, the
art director for ITVs Victoria
came in for a show-and-tell.
Reed set quality as a
determinant earlier, how do
you see that FBN studios set
themselves apart? It isnt one
thing. Were in the middle of the
country, that helps. Then there
is an international airport just
up the road. We had a US crew
fly into Birmingham a couple of
weeks ago. They were through
immigration in 20 minutes
and here within the hour. They
really liked that; so much easier
than landing at Heathrow. Then
theres the knowledge factor -
what I was saying earlier about
the confidence that comes
from dealing with established
industry professionals. In the
end, it comes down to the
fundamentals, availability and
price. Yes, we do get that oh the
band wont leave London thing,
already have bookings for 2018
and its only March.
Later LSI spoke to Wob
Roberts, production manager
for Craig David, in rehearsal at
FBN Studios at the time of our
report. This is my first time here
and Im loving it. Thought has
gone into this place. Granted,
other places Ive used had the
opportunity to get it wrong
before, but you can tell this
has been thought about. Little
things single it out - when you
wake up here you think youre in
a hotel room; you cant say that
about other places. All thats
missing is the little bottles of
shampoo, and Im sure they will
attend to that.
Like Reed said, theres no
make do about FBN. I
P www.fbnstudios.co.uk
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 23
IN THE NEWS
Power Play
Power specialist SES is bringing custom dimming to the market. Kate Lyon reports . . .
UK - For well over 20 years,
SES has been manufacturing
and supplying premium
quality power distribution,
dimmers and all associated
cables and accessories to
the entertainment industry.
Whether for touring, installation,
festivals, film sets or large
outdoor events, SES can
build and supply exactly
what the customer requires,
guaranteeing power in the right
place, at the right time and with
the right connections.
Mark Cooper is managing
director and one of the founding
members of SES: Last March
we identified a hole in the
market for a combined dimmer
and distro unit manufactured in
such a way to make it a flexible
solution for our customers, with
each channel being individually
switchable from dimmer to hard
power or DMX-operated. The
lighting solutions for lighting
designers today have become
increasingly diverse in terms
of power requirements, and
therefore dimmers that can offer
that level of flexibility provide an
attractive option for end users.
SES has maintained its place
in the market by consulting and
listening to their customers,
as Cooper explains: Talking to
clients about how we can best
deliver for them is essential.
Each one will request a product
with a slightly different flavour,
and we pride ourselves in
being able to deliver those
individually customised
products. Improvements often
come from a general suggestion
that we hear repeated from
more than one company. When
it came to designing the SES
TourDim, we had a list of ideas
from our clients but we also
opted to consult directly with
TSL Lighting, who have been
loyal customers for a number of
years.
Managing director of TSL
Lighting is Sam Tamplin. He
says: Weve had a good working
relationship with SES for five
or six years now - their power
distro units are just fantastic
- so when they approached
us about collaborating on
24 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
ideas for a combined dimmer/
distro unit we were more
than happy to get involved.
Our customer requirements
are very varied: from dry hire
to supplying equipment and
crew for corporate and touring
productions, so the idea of
having a dimmer/distro rolled
into one where every channel
can be individually switched to
suit that particular light source
really appealed. The flexibility
it brings is a massive plus on
every front; physical space is
often an issue; one rack can do
the job of several different bits
of kit. That also translates to a
financial saving for ourselves
and our clients. From a design
and technical perspective,
patching, power and control in
one unit gives obvious benefits.
One of the strengths of
SES is to offer each customer
precisely what they are looking
for, continues Tamplin. And so
the ability to select individual
parameters on each single
dimming channel definitely got
our vote. We also suggested the
four 16 amp patchable outlets
and 12 channels of dedicated
hot power; an incredibly useful
addition to any dimming and
patching system.
Sam and I also discussed
some other features that we
felt worked well in the field and
B L-R: Sam Tamplin (TSL Lighting)
and Mark Cooper (SES)
C Facing page, left: The new
dimmers were used on London
Fashion Week
Facing page, right: The SES
TourDim custom dimmers in the
TSL Lighting warehouse
packed in as many as possible,
adds Cooper. Such as a top
rack light and working coloured
LED lights on the front, back
and side; an overall multimeter;
a USB charger and space for
1U Split 7 DMX splitter as well
as the intuitive menu control on
each channel making it possible
to select control curves,
maximum level, DMX address,
preheat, test functions and
switch hot to dimmer safely.
But, of course, one of the
best reasons for investing in a
TourDim is the fact that each
one can be adjusted to fit your
specific needs, so no two racks
need be exactly the same.
TSL has placed a significant
order for both the 24- and the
48-way TourDim, but they wont
necessarily all be identical. The
kind of features Sam may want
on a rack for TSLs own events,
he may not want available on a
dry hire unit, and so on.
SES are passionate about
Type 360 [TSL ref] /
TourDim48 [SES ref]:
Overall 250A 4P MCCB with
250A MCCB with variable
RCD protecting Powerlock
out
48ch of Dimmer / Hot or relay
12 channels of dedicated
Hot power
16A RCBO per circuit
Fully 60 channel patch to
16 x Socapex
4 x 16A sockets fed from
patch
Full monitoring
32A/3 utility
32A/1 utility
16A/1 utility
LED working lights on front,
back and top
Type 324 [TSL ref] /
TourDim24 [SES ref]:
Powerlock in with 125A 4P
MCB
24ch of Dimmer / Hot or
relay
16A RCBO per circuit
32A/3 utility
32A/1 utility
16A/1 utility
LED working lights on front
and back
what they do, which made being involved in
this collaborative process such a pleasure,
comments Tamplin. We really enjoyed
working with Mark and sales manager, Ben
Stearn, and I feel both companies gained
enormously from the process; they have
designed a unique product and we have
acquired a piece of equipment that ticks all
Helping you build
great things
our boxes. Our first dimmers went out on
London Fashion Week where we had 300
Fresnels working the main catwalk at 180 The
Strand and they will no doubt be working just
as hard on a premier corporate car launch
that we have coming up.
Todays lighting designs, be they small
or large events, call for a flexible mixture
WWW.PROLYTE.COM
Follow us on:
of dimming, power and DMX control,
concludes Cooper. And that is what the
TourDim is all about, offering a compact,
intelligent and flexible solution to any
productions power distro and dimming
needs in one clever package. I
P www.site-electrics.co.uk
P www.tsllighting.com
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 25
IN THE NEWS
Entech: Moving Right Along
Andy Ciddor reports from Australias travelling trade show, as it visits Melbourne . . .
Australia - The entertainment
technology trade show has
undergone some substantial
transformations in the last
couple of decades, nowhere
more so than in that most
peculiar of places: Australia.
Although not having a
trade show tradition quite
as venerable as the 40
year-old PLASA Show in
London, Australia has seen
entertainment technology
shows on a sporadic basis
since the late 80s. The most
successful and long-lived of
these was Entech, launched
in 1994 by Julius Grafton, then
the publisher of Connections,
Australias only entertainment
technology magazine. Staged
on alternate years, these shows
were primarily held in Sydney,
Australias most populous city.
Entech successfully attracted
the technical managers,
designers, distributors,
resellers, consultants and
specifiers from all over
the country, i.e. those who
could afford the trip. The few
department heads, designers or
working technicians to attend
the show were mostly from the
regions within a days drive of
the exhibition hall. The show
was financially successful, but
its operations were viewed as
a distraction from the founders
main lines of business in
publishing and training, and in
2004 it was sold to ETF,
a commercial trade fair and
exhibitions organisation.
In the days before near-
universal access to the World
Wide Web, trade shows such
as Entech were often the only
chance for antipodean technical
specialists to see samples of the
latest technologies before the
gear was whisked back to the
UK, Europe or the US.
Instant access to technical
news since the turn of this
century has seen most trade
shows transformed into
industry hubs; places for
client and reseller meetings,
industry seminars, standards
discussions, venture capital
showcases, plugfests, user
training, product briefings and
26 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
Photo: Julius Media
interest group gatherings. Sadly,
Entechs organisers failed to
make the transition to this new
shape of show and were unable
to secure sufficient numbers of
exhibitors and visitors to make
the show commercially viable.
In 2015, after a couple of fairly
underwhelming shows, ETF
decided to concentrate on the
more profitable properties in
their portfolio and discontinued
Photo: Julius Media
Entech.
THE TROUBLE WITH OZ
Every trade show in Australia
is bedevilled by the countrys
conflicting geographic
or Sydney. Even the closest time difference between coasts,
peculiarities. Australia is huge.
major cities are a full days drive results in travel between those
Its area is about the same as
apart. Intercity passenger trains, cities taking an entire work day.
the main landmass of the USA
where they exist in Australia, are Attending an East Coast trade
(30+ times the area of the UK),
infrequent, slow and expensive. show, for even a single day,
but the population of Australia
Air travel is neither as cheap nor requires at least three days of
is only 24 million - about the
as plentiful in Australia as it is absence from work and a couple
same as New York City, or a little
in Europe and the Americas. of nights accommodation in
more than a third of that of the
For example, Perth, on the a big city.
UK. Now consider that Australia
west coast, is one of the most
is one of the worlds more
isolated cities in the world HITTING THE ROAD
intensely urbanised countries,
for its size, being about as far Considering all of these factors
with approximately 70% of the
from Sydney as Beirut is from prompted former rockn roll
populace living in its five largest
London. Partly because of this audio tech, Julius Grafton
cities: Sydney, Melbourne,
isolation, Perth has more than (still publishing the only live
Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
its share of live production production magazine in the
Add to that the problem that
venues across the entire country, only now its called
those cities are spread at
spectrum of entertainment, the CX Magazine) reimagined
substantial distances around
performing arts, and events. the Australian entertainment
the coastline (see map), and it
Even by air, a flight time of technology trade show as a small,
becomes clear why its so hard
over four hours between Perth agile, touring gig, that could visit
to convince visitors to travel to
and Sydney (or Melbourne) each of the five major population
trade shows in either Melbourne
coupled with the three-hour centres for just one day.
 Graftons concept was to
package up a touring show
of small, simple stands that
launched from a freight
aggregation point in Sydney,
visited each city on the tightest
possible schedule, and returned
the gear to the aggregation
point at the end of the tour.
Each exhibitor ships the
contents of their stand to the
collection point then meets up
with their gear at every gig. If an
exhibitor cant make it to one of
the venues, a stand concierge
service is available to set up the
stand, hand out literature, and
scan the badges of interested
visitors for further contact.
There are just two sizes of
stand available: Standard (3m x
3m of floor space with a 10amp
power feed) or Large (3m x 6m
with 2 x 10amp power feeds).
If you dont need all that space,
you can rent a simple 1.6m x
0.75m table with two chairs and
a 4amp power feed.
The show is a miniature
but full-service version of what
you will find at entertainment
technology trade shows
worldwide. Visitor badge QR
codes can be scanned with
an exhibitors own handheld
devices. Exhibitors get free
venue parking, morning tea and
have lunch delivered to their
stands. There are lighting and
audio demo sessions, a show
safety seminar and a chance for
some loud-ish audio demos for
the last half-hour of the day.
Visitor entry and car parking
is free. Free beer, wine and
soft drinks for visitors and
exhibitors alike are turned on
for the last hour of the show.
Substantial giveaways of gear
(each worth about UK 1500)
are made every couple of hours,
with all unclaimed prizes given
away during that last hour of
socialising.
In the ballroom-sized venue,
each exhibitor team finds the
roadcases with the contents of
their stand ready and waiting at
9am. The team then has around
two hours to setup their stand
before the cases are removed
into storage and show doors
open at 11am. Overhead rigging
is obviously out of the question
on such a schedule. The show
closes at 6pm, at which point
exhibitors have an hour to break
down the stand and repack their
roadcases before the loaders
collect them and pack them back
in the truck for the long drive to
the next gig. This show schedule
allows the east coast gigs to be
as close together as two days,
but the drive from Adelaide
to Perth across the Nullarbor
Plain takes an exhausting three
days. The entire tour runs out at
6,675miles (10,740km) of driving.
The first such tour was run in
2013 under the CX Roadshow
banner with just a single
semi-trailer truck, but after the
demise of the Entech trade
show, Grafton bought the name
back from ETF and renamed the
tour to the Entech Roadshow.
The well-attended tour that
finished in late February 2017
saw one double-trailer and one
single trailer truck (equivalent
to three pantechs) carrying
gear for some 35 companies,
with approximately 80 exhibitor
staff on the stands. The
roadshow format has been
such a success that later in the
year the inaugural Information
Technology and Security
Technology roadshows will be
rolling out of the loading dock,
with a similar Entech New
Zealand show soon to follow. I
P //cxevents.com.au
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 27
IN THE NEWS

Chroma-Q lights up Pinewood Studios

A recent Chroma-Q showcase event at Pinewood Studios provided unique perspectives on
TV and lm lighting design from award-winning guest speakers. LSi reports . . .

UK - A recent Chroma-Q showcase event -

held at Heatherden Hall within the grounds
of the iconic Pinewood Studios - provided
a unique showcase for the work, careers and
technical styles of leading experts from the
worlds of film and TV lighting design. The
event was attended by over 70 practitioners
from across the industry, with delegates
including members from the BSC, STLD and
ALD, and ranging from cinematographers
and designers to technical crew and
students.
The evening kicked off with a fascinating
insight into the work of cinematographer
Phil Mheux, recognised worldwide for his
work on films including Scum, The Long
Good Friday, The Fourth Protocol, GoldenEye,
The Mask of Zorro, Entrapment, Casino Royale
and Edge of Darkness, among many others.
Interviewed by fellow cinematographer
Oliver Stapleton, Phil gave insights into
his progression from a camera man at the
BBC to becoming a freelance feature-film
cinematographer for some of Hollywoods
biggest budget films. Phil also talked
about the art of good lighting to enhance
a performance or story; the evolution
of technology and its ability to enhance
creativity; and his long working relationships
with a number of leading filmmakers and
crew.
The second part of the evening saw TV
lighting designer Gurdip Mahal interviewed
by Iain Davidson - former BBC/Sky and
now freelance lighting director. One of the
worlds leading talents in TV and large-
scale events lighting design, Gurdips many
credits include The Voice, MTV Awards and
BBC Sports Personality of the Year. He has
also collaborated on projects with high-
profile music artists including U2, Beyonc, practitioners in the international film, TV and
Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Muse. entertainment sectors. In an adjacent black
The discussion covered Gurdips box room, attendees were given the chance
approach to lighting live Saturday night to see demonstrations of the award-winning
entertainment TV shows such as The Voice; Space Force variable white soft source; the
how the role of the lighting department new, multi-award-winning Color Force II
on these shows has evolved to include battens range; the award-winning Inspire
overseeing the video content; and looking colour-changing LED house light, and the
at lighting, LEDs and video as all parts of new Color One 100X LED PAR.
the overall stage look used to add dramatic Chroma-Q global brand manager, John
B From top:
effect. Fuller commented: Todays talks have been Phil Mheux in conversation with Gurdip Mahal
Gurdip also revealed how he picks really informative and thought-provoking.
technology according to the type of show, Phil and Gurdip have provided us with John Fuller (Chroma-Q) with Gurdip Mahal and
so he prefers using LED fixtures such as the fascinating insights into their creative and Phil Mheux
Chroma-Q Space Force for live TV shows and technical approaches to lighting, and given
other productions where reliability is key. unique personal accounts from the sets Delegates take a closer look at LED xtures
such as the Chroma-Q Space Force
He also thinks that making mistakes aids of some very well-known motion pictures
learning. and television projects. Chroma-Q shares
The event also provided a showcase their passion for lighting which is helping
for the very latest LED lighting solutions to drive the new innovations for tomorrows
from Chroma-Q, whose products have productions. I
been adopted by some of the leading P www.chroma-q.com

28 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

Dorking Halls image by Autograph Sales & Installations

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ILLUOHWW`[VVMMLYHK]PJLHUKZ\WWVY[UVH[[LTW[Z[V
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L_WSHUH[PVUZIHZLKVUZVSPKSV\KZWLHRLY[OLVY`

Michael Knight
Technical & Facilities Manager, Dorking Halls

Halo Series ESP Series i Series EMS Series Electronics Stage Monitors MSE Series X Series

EM Acoustics Loudspeakers, Building 19.11 Dunsfold Park, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8TB
QIPOF




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IN THE NEWS

If the Halo ts
Autograph has recently supplied and commissioned an EM Acoustics HALO system into
the main performance space at Dorking Halls in Surrey. LSi reports . . .

UK - The handsome inter-war

facade of Dorking Halls - opened
in 1931 and extensively refurbished
in 1997 - conceals a vibrant,
contemporary entertainment and
conference complex in which
three separate spaces variously

Photos: Courtesy of Autograph Sales & Installations

host live music, cinema, corporate
events and theatrical productions.
Comedy is also particularly
well-represented with the regular
Screaming Blue Murder Comedy
Club on Fridays, plus acts such
as Omid Djalili, Ruby Wax, Sean
Lock, Lee Nelson, Ross Noble and
Rob Brydon appearing in their
own shows.
The main hall has a capacity
of 791 seated, rising to over
1,000 when part-standing, and it
is for this space that Autograph
specified and commissioned
a new EM Acoustics HALO
system. Comprising 22
HALO-C compact line array
elements, plus a single MSE-
B Above: The main hall
218 subwoofer per side and
four EMS-61 modules, the C Left to right: Technicians Joshua
entire system is powered and Shaw and Graham Trickey with
processed by just two EM technical and facilities manager
Acoustics DQ20 and one DQ6 Michael Knight
advanced system amplifiers.
The new design was required
C Facing page: Autographs Peppe
Mallozzi with Michael Knight of
to overcome a number of Dorking Halls; The DQ20 and
hurdles common to many DQ6 advanced system ampliers
similar venues. Autographs
sales engineer, Peppe Mallozzi,
takes up the story: One of the
first considerations was locating
the new system - part of the Each side of the PA is
reason for replacing the old powered and processed by
(ground-stacked) set-up was a single 4-channel EM Acoustics
to improve sight lines, and to DQ20 advanced system amplifier,
achieve this the new PA had to with the HALO-C arrays split into
be flown. However, for structural three zones of four, four and three
reasons, the fixed flying points modules top to bottom, with the
are only rated at 500kg each, fourth channel powering the
so we had to balance acoustic MSE-218 subwoofer. The internal
requirements against all-up processing of the DQ20 allowed
weight. This factor alone meant us to EQ and power the HALO-C
that no self-powered system zones relative to each other so
could work, but it also pointed that the coverage and SPL from
us straight at the HALO, which the front row right to the very
we knew from previous projects back is perfectly even. The only
to be very light at only 17kg per additional coverage is for the
module. Our final design uses area right in front of the stage
11 HALO-C compact line array where we specified four EMS-61
elements per-side and - even compact enclosures as near-fills, it sound completely natural. a small dip between 200Hz and
including the rigging and cables driven by a DQ6 amplifier. Theres a bump at 5kHz to 400Hz to reduce the proximity
- the total load is only 270kg per When tuning the system brighten it a little, necessitated effect from the side walls - other
hang, while easily meeting all I was amazed how little needed by the natural acoustics of the than that its dead flat. Theres
the performance specifications. doing in terms of EQ to make room and its fittings, then plenty of power when needed

30 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

and the vocal intelligibility for stand-up and
similar applications is just outstanding.
Peppe concludes: Autograph do many
projects in locations like this, where we
have to strike a balance between whats
necessary, whats in the budget and whats
physically possible - the HALO system really
helps us to do just that with a combination
of low weight, space-efficient power and
processing, plus superb audio quality in
a very cost-effective package.
EM Acoustics Ed Kinsella, who specified
the system, is very pleased with the results
achieved by Peppe and his team. He
comments: The requirement was for
a flexible system able to handle anything
from one man and a microphone to really
quite heavily reinforced live music. We know
from experience in countless other venues
that this is an ideal scenario for HALO-C.
The only real issue we had to contend
with is that the hanging positions are
quite wide and fairly close to the wall, but
again, we know that this is something that
HALO-C is very good at coping with. Indeed,
we managed to achieve flawless coverage
throughout the entire room with no delays at
all - just a few EMS-61 for front-fill, and that
was it. Its a classic L-R system in
a lovely room that presented few technical
difficulties, and it sounds terrific.
Michael Knight, technical and facilities
manager at Dorking Halls, adds: As always,
Peppe and Autograph as a whole have
been very patient and a pleasure to deal
with throughout this project. From initial
conception to final deployment theyve been
supportive and understanding of all the
council procedures and policies and have
provided a personal, human touch in every
aspect of the process. The first moment that
we fired the PA up with Peppe and Adam,
and the smiles on their faces, showed
how much they cared about the projects
success.
Dorking is quite close to EM Acoustics HQ
in Cranleigh and Knight is keen to recognise
their contribution to the project: You couldnt
hope for a better service - or product - than
that provided by Ed and Mike [Kinsella and
Wheeler respectively]. From the initial demo to
final tuning, theyve been happy to offer advice
and support, all the while being honest and
upfront about their own products compared
to the competition. There were no attempts to
blind us with science or to reinvent the wheel
- just honest explanations based on solid
loudspeaker theory. All in all, a bit of a rarity
these days! I
P www.autograph.co.uk
P www.emacoustics.co.uk
P www.dorkinghalls.co.uk

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IN THE NEWS

LED by Theatre: Robe at the

Guildford School of Acting
Rob Halliday reports from the Guildford School of Acting as a loan package of
LED lighting is put through its paces by students and pros alike . . .
UK - Sometimes, it feels like,
a company just gets on a roll.
Everything clicks. The thinking
seems joined-up. Things fall
into a place in a way that feels
sensible and obvious - but
sensible and obvious are hard to
achieve, which is why theyre
a sign that things are going well.
It feels like Robe are the
company on a roll at the
moment. Professional designers
are aware of them because of
a run of exciting new products
coupled with the companys
regular trips that take groups
out to the Czech Republic for

Photo: PJ McEvoy
a factory tour and a few days of
relaxation and fun. Students,
in the UK at least, are very
aware of them because of their
enlightened NRG Next Robe
Generation scheme, which BC GSAs showcase performance
hosts regular social events of Guys & Dolls at the Yvonne
that let students mingle with Arnaud Theatre
students from other drama
schools and with grown ups E Students and guests get
hands-on with Robes LED
from the wider industry. xtures
Late February saw more
joined-up thinking, bringing all
of those elements together with
a realisation that the best way
of letting theatre users see how
well-suited Robes LED lights
(particularly their seven-colour
LED lights, the DL7S Spot and
DL7F Wash) are to theatre is
to actually let people see them
in action lighting a show. And
the best way of letting them
light a show isnt through some
contrived theatrical-style demo, then how, one morning, the cast
but rather just to lend a bunch found themselves performing
of lights to some people already highlights from the show to an
doing a show and let them get assembled bunch of lighting
on with using them. The key industry figures - designers,
to this working, and a sign of programmers, electricians,
Robes on a roll thinking, is not suppliers, students and more -
to lend one or two token lights, invited by Robe.
but enough to actually let them It looked great. Smith had
form the main part of a rig . . . put his new tools (12 DL7S
Which is how lighting spots, 12 DL7F wash, 10 Viva
designer James Smith found white LED plus colour wheel
himself lighting the Guildford spots, 10 Spikie colour mixing
Photo: PJ McEvoy

School of Actings showcase LED beam effect lights, 8

musical, Guys and Dolls at the Spiider LED wash effect lights
towns Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and 8 CycFX-8 LED striplights)
using a rig formed around to good use to create a dynamic,
a core of Robe LED fixtures. And colourful, fast-changing show.

32 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

It featured vibrant colour, generally without
the deadness of colour, particularly on skin
and costumes, that we so long associated
with LED lighting fixtures, and now realise
we should have just associated with bad
LED fixtures (and to be fair, before that,
sometimes with discharge fixtures). Or, as
Robes Ian Brown described the improving
subtlety of these fixtures, we used to make
lights that were spray cans, now were
making fine-point paint brushes. Though
perhaps fair to note, there were some
slightly harsh yellowy colours at
a few moments, but these were perhaps
attributable to the colour wheel in the
non-colour-mixing Viva fixtures - this is
a problem shared with a number of white
LED-plus-dichroic colour fixtures from other
manufacturers.
After the mini-performance, James Smith
spoke about his experience of using this rig -
in particular, the joy of being able to get from
colour to colour free of the limitations of pre-
chosen gel and gel order that scrollers used
to impose, plus the reliability of the lights.
Richard Thomas from the Royal Albert Hall,
where a rig of the DL7s has been in use for
some time now, concurred with both points,
and Mig Burgess, GSAs indefatigable
lighting tutor and our compre throughout
the day, also expressed her delight at not
D h >d / t Z   t / E E / E '  D   /   ^  Zs  Z^
 Z d / s   W Zd E  Z^ , / W ^  t / d ,
having to swap out fixtures. The colour part
is interesting: Ive suspected for a while not
just a freeing from the worry of scrollers,
but that well see a new bravery in colour
choices as these and other LED fixtures
appear everywhere over the next few years.
Particularly since there will no longer be any
risk in just trying some bold new colour, now
you know you can immediately revert back to
the safe option if it doesnt work out.
Later, there was an altogether different
kind of demo, a high speed, audience-
blinding, every-function-through-its-paces
piece tightly programmed by GSA students
Mel Kirwan, Megan Mawhinney and Bernie
Hanlon working with programmer Chris
Clarke on the ETC Eos that also ran the
main show. This provided a reminder that
just because lights can do subtle, doesnt
mean they have to! Then it was time to get
on stage to get hands-on with the lights,
including the opportunity to make the
all-important comparison between these
LED fixtures and theatres more traditional
tungsten workhorses. It confirmed that
the DL7s are pretty good lights. Not quite
perfect, but truthfully, what is? As James
Smith noted, however bright the light, one
will always ask for a bit more brightness. B Lighting designer James Smith
All that was followed by a panel
discussion featuring Smith, Thomas,
t t t' Z   E , / W W KK D
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 33
IN THE NEWS
B A panel discussion featuring GSA
lighting students, Andy Voller,
Fridthjofur Thorsteinsson, James
Smith and Mig Burgess
34 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
Burgess, lighting designer and programmer Andy
Voller, lighting designer and theatre consultant
Fridthjofur Thorsteinsson plus some of GSAs
lighting students about LEDs and so, by extension,
the future of lighting. It was an interesting
discussion, particularly when it touched on the
things that arent quite as good as they should be
in this coming future: the complexity of controlling
multi-part lighting fixtures, or the fact that not
all of the colour libraries built in to the consoles
yet accurately model the colour from all lighting
fixtures - more frustrating because the fact that
they do it for some fixtures proves it is entirely
possible.
It was a good day all round, and one from
which everyone won: the school got a fantastic set
of tools to play with, visitors got a chance to see
them in a real environment with real scenery, real
costumes and in a real theatre with enough space
to see the lights over real throw distances.
If there were suggestions to be made for next time,
one might be to have someone there advocating
for tungsten - there was a reassuring collection of
tungsten lights scattered throughout the rig for
comparison; were not living entirely in the future
yet. Another might be to be brave enough to have
some LED fixtures from other manufacturers
there for comparison. If youre confident enough
that your fixtures are better, be bold enough to let
people judge for themselves.
Next time? Yes, seems likely. This wasnt
a one-off show of manufacturer largesse, more
the creation of a loan package of lights that will be
available to anyone who can successfully argue
their case to Robes Ashley Lewis (our head of
giving things away free, in Ian Browns tongue-in-
cheek description), particularly if your show offers
a great opportunity and location to bring people
in to see the lights in their natural environment.
Maybe next time a play, just to see how the lights
fare in that world. I
P www.robe.cz
 LEEDS | 9-10 MAY, 2017

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f INTERVIEW
early stagers
Hannah Talbot, Royal Albert Hall
I believe the industry is very self-regulating so this means if someone knows
you work hard and are good to work with the roles will come your way. You
have to be a punctual and driven person: someone made this clear to me very
early on and I think its been the best advice.
Name, age, place of study & course:
Hannah Talbot, 19, National College of
Creative and Cultural Industries (at the
Royal Albert Hall), Level 3 Technical
Theatre Apprenticeship
What attracted you to this business?
I was attracted to the industry because
it allows me to be creative as well as
develop key skills such as problem
solving, team work and independent
work. As quite an active person, I love
how the role keeps me mentally and
physically active. I couldnt work at
a desk 9-5. The Royal Albert Hall is
such a prestigious venue, arguably the
most famous in the world, so naturally
I thought it would be an honour to work
here.
What do you think of the course youre
studying?
I love it! The course work is always
relevant and the practical work allows
me to learn whilst I have the reward of
actually putting on shows. There are also
plenty of opportunities for me to network
with the industrys leading people in
many different areas. My managers are
really open to any suggestions I have and
try to help me get experience in as many
different areas as possible, for example
rigging.
What work experience have you had so
far?
I started off in regional theatre during my
stage management course at college,
then moved into lighting at small
festivals and nightclubs. After that I did
some work in corporate events and also
got experience as a trainee spark in
television.
Who has been your biggest mentor/s?
I must give credit to my old drama
teacher at school, Mr Wallace, who
was the first person who believed in my
ability and make me acknowledge tech
as a career. I ended up picking stage
management and performance and
musical theatre at college, so he really
kick-started my interest in this field. At
college I also had a great mentor who
36 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
always gave me advice about how to who had a job doing something in tech
approach and learn more about stage and asking them how they got into tech
management and tech. They offered and what kind of courses I should be
me work during the summer holidays looking at taking. Its difficult because
at our college theatre to gain more there is no conventional way into the
experience, this really helped to support industry.
me in fulfilling my ambitions. As well
Whats your experience of the industrys
as both of these individuals many other
attitudes towards students?
groups of people have made my journey
I have always been welcomed and helped
to where I am now possible by providing
out by everyone I have worked with.
recommendations and training me up.
I think lots of people appreciate that
Whats the best career advice youve young people are the future of the
been given so far? industry and want to contribute to that.
I believe the industry is very self-
What advice would you give to anyone
regulating so this means if someone
following in your footsteps?
knows you work hard and are good to
Work hard, be humble and definitely use
work with the roles will come your way.
your common sense. Thats a must.
You have to be a punctual and driven
person: someone made this clear to me What do you want your job title to be in
very early on and I think its been the best 10 years time?
advice. I think Im one of those people who just
falls in to things so I guess I will have to
Whats the most valuable lesson youve
wait and see. I
learned so far?
To work your hardest and to your absolute
best standard. Also to be completely
honest when you dont know something:
we are here to learn so arent expected to
know everything from the off.
STATS
Who would you most like to emulate?
I admire many of the people I have been
privileged enough to work with and have ROYAL ALBERT HALL
taken many lessons from them. I hope in
Location: London
the future I take all the knowledge from
my colleagues to form a well-rounded Industry Partners:
and competent way of working. Delta Sound, SFL Group, Gallowglass,
TSL Lighting, White Light, PRG.
What would be your dream project to
work on? Course: Level 3 in Technical Theatre
I would like to one day work on an
Number of apprentices
event which is memorable for years, for
taken on in 2016: 2
example the Olympics or a big Hollywood
film! Education partner:
National College for the Creative and
Whats the toughest thing about entering Cultural Industries
this business? P //creativeindustries.ac.uk
I think one of the toughest things I have
Apprenticeships in the Arts:
experienced in the industry was when
P//plasa.me/630jl
I was starting out and trying to network
and meet as many people possible. For P www.royalalberthall.com
the whole of my first year in the industry
I just emailed and called as many people
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 THEATRE
An Inspector Calls,
25 years on . . .
I think this might be a first: the first time Ive written
about the same production for a second time for LSi. Not
that youd necessarily remember the first time around,
since it was way back in the February 1994 issue - its
in the online archive, if youre interested (//plasa.me/
inspector) . . .
That a production is still around after that length of time,
25 years since its debut, is no longer entirely surprising:
a number of musicals are still playing after longer runs.
Its not even unique for a play: The Mousetrap has just
clocked up its 64th year in the West End.
It is perhaps a little more surprising for a production
originally created for just a short run and shorter UK
tour at the National Theatre, of a play everyone at the
time knew of as a slightly tired old war-horse, a staple of
regional and amateur productions, a drawing room drama
about a suicide and who might have been responsible
for it. But in the hands of the then up-and-coming, now
very much up-and-come, director Stephen Daldry and
his team of designer Ian MacNeil, lighting designer Rick
Fisher and composer Stephen Warbeck, An Inspector
Calls became something quite, quite different. Visually,
the detailed period drawing room was swept away
for a dolls house perched on stilts, the cast at first
crammed inside it, an enormous glowering sky, a cobbled
streetscape and pouring rain. The action became less a
police investigation, more a social history of Britain,
a plea for social integration and support from the state
from Britains post-World War Two future to its pre-World
War One past. It is remarkable in many ways that the
same words can support both styles of production -
except one suspects that what Daldry really found and
unleashed was the message that the shows author JB
Priestley had actually intended all along. Perhaps he just
Photo: Mark Douet
38 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
read the hints the author had dropped, particularly when
describing that if a realistic set was to be used it should
be able to be moved around between acts - before adding
that producers who wish to avoid this tricky business
would be well advised to dispense with an ordinary
realistic set . . .
Its fair to note that compared to some of those other
long-running shows, An Inspector Calls hasnt had
a continuous run of 25 years. After its debut at the
Nationals Lyttelton Theatre, it toured the UK, then
transferred to the bigger Olivier. From there it took on
a commercial life, playing in the West End and New York,
Japan and Australia. Now it reappears on the British
touring circuit every few years, occasionally venturing
into the West End. It has unquestionably reshaped the
perception of the play; even if you havent seen it, youd
doubtless recognise images of it.
Which is perhaps why those involved see no real reason
to change the way it looks - lighting designer Rick Fisher
notes: I really wanted to do it in the same way its always
been done. But the technology of lighting doesnt
stand still, which is why the shows latest West End run
saw some brand new lighting technology take its place
alongside some lights that have been with the show from
the beginning.
THE PAST
The productions history, and Fishers involvement,
actually stretches back even further than its 1992 National
debut. Tracing that history gives an insight into both
the intertwining nature of theatre career paths and that
somewhat pot-luck nature of just sometimes being in the
right place at the right time - even if you dont realise that
right at that moment. Back in something like 1986, at
 THEATRE

Producers who
wish to avoid this
tricky business
would be well
advised to
dispense with
an ordinary
realistic set . . .
JB Priestley

Rob Halliday charts the evolving production

and lighting design of JB Priestleys
classic play . . .
THEATRE

Photos: Mark Douet

that point in my freelance career when I was just beginning

to be invited into main houses after doing lots of smaller
stuff, I was doing a very strange show called Mouthful of
Birds at the Birmingham Rep, with not one but two directors
and two authors, Fisher recalls. No-one understood it,
including most of us sometimes. The only person in the
building who kind of got that it was something interesting
was a young trainee designer called Ian MacNeil, who was
the Art Council resident designer at the time - a scheme that
is sorely missed.

Fisher and MacNeil kept in touch. A few years later Ian said,
Ive got a director, I think he might be quite good, and were
going to be doing a play at York Theatre Royal. But Im not going
to tell you what the play is right now. He eventually admitted it
was Inspector Calls, but said they were going to do something
interesting with it, not just the living room.

The lighting designer had 10 spare days in his schedule
which meant he could light the show, scheduled as part of
Yorks rep season. That production was the foundation for the
current one. It was set in a theatre, a theatre that had
a big dolls house in it - I think we even had some old
theatrical lights around the set. There was a sense that the
kids who open the show had stumbled into a disused theatre
or a theatre that had been bombed during the blitz and found
that this play was on, like the old movies that used to show
continuously, so if you missed the first five minutes you just
stayed at the end and watched it all again. That theme - of
recurring time - stuck with us. There was a stormy landscape;
there was a lamp-post. The house did tip. It didnt have the
cobbles; it didnt have the rain. I dont have a strong memory
of how we lit it, so I think it was probably a little bit more
traditionally lit. But my memory is that we liked it, and that
the audience found it intriguing. And I do sort of remember
that Ian eventually said to me, Stephen and I went back to
see it before it closed, and we both noticed that the lighting
really enhanced the production . . .
From there, all involved continued with their careers, Daldry
taking over the tiny Gate Theatre in London where, as Fisher
notes: his star started to rise rather dramatically, doing very big
plays in a very little space. Through that, Daldry was invited by
the NTs then-artistic director, Richard Eyre, to stage a play at
the National. After exploring many options, he asked to re-visit
Inspector.
THE NATIONAL
With the show scheduled for a short UK tour as part of the
NTs commitment to visiting the regions, Inspector had to be
designed for pros arch theatres and so at the National played
the pros arch Lyttelton. Design decisions made because of
and influenced by that theatre have defined and shaped the
production ever since. The production developed into what we
know now, Fisher explains, with the big cobblestone floor, the
house, the smaller house in the distance, the telephone box, the
sky. We also took advantage of the side-stage to stage-left of the
Lyttelton stage - the floor and sky went all the way off into that
side stage, giving us a huge expanse to work with.

40 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

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B As seen in LSi, February 1994: the 1992 production at the Lyttelton The Public Theater
Theatre, pictured are Kenneth Cranham (Inspector Goole) and Karl New York Shakespeare
Buckland (child)
E The house in the productions 2016/17 revival
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THEATRE

Photos: Mark Douet

The show also retained that feel of

being set inside a traditional Edwardian
Theatre - though that was a challenge in
the 1970s concrete Lyttelton auditorium.
Ian designed a fake proscenium
arch. Being Ian, he couldnt have his
proscenium arch parallel to the front
edge of the stage, it had to be on the
wonk - that helped with the feeling of that
huge expanse, but it meant that it ran
straight under my number one bar, and
it probably masked all of the proscenium
bridge that the Lyttelton has to this day.
And this was all way before the days of
moving lights. I just kind of accepted that
I wouldnt be able to use the number one
bar or most of the portal bridge.
But he still approached the show in quite
a conventional way, focusing in the NT rep
rig. The cyc received special treatment.
Ian designed a cinemascope movie
screen sky, I think based on a sky he found
in a magazine that he then photocopied
in interesting ways - this was way before
Photoshop - then handed to the NT paint
department, working with them to develop
a beautiful piece of scenic art. It wasnt
trying to be a real sky. I knew I had to not
use traditional cyc lighting - I wanted to
keep light off the black borders at the top
and bottom. So we rigged a bar full of
Fresnels, I think originally in four colours
including a sulphurous yellow that just
made the blue look like mud, draining all
the colour away.
Set built, rig focused, it was time to start
lighting the show. And then things took
a turn to the unexpected. Fisher recalls:
What happened is that every time I put
a conventional frontlight on, from the
good old 45 degree-ish angle like in the
books to do the general cover, it was
fine - but the floor didnt look so good.
It looked plastic (it was fibreglass, vac
form, bespoke - of course - because there
were at one point five different scales
of brick in the floor to give the sense of
perspective). It was also raked, so the
light hit it more in your face than if it had
been a flat floor. It just looked plasticky,
and it also felt like you could see the joins
in the 8x4 sheets where it had to come in
and out for rep. But every once in
a while, when I turned on something
in the slots just downstage of the
proscenium, or something that was on
the side, the light skittered off into the
distance. And remember, stage left had
a lot of distance. So the light lit
somebody, but they werent lit on the
ground, they were just lit as a person.
This is, of course, a technique that has
long been used to light dance, letting
performers float independently of the
floor. But though Fisher would later
add Matthew Bournes innovative Swan
Lake to his resume of long-running
shows, at this time hed only done tiny
bits of dance. It was a new discovery;
the choice was whether to run with
something that looked better, even if it
was unconventional. It was just a few
cues and all of a sudden that worked,
and I kept doing a bit more of it - finding
that worked - so when that front-of-house
light comes on, I found I didnt really like
it that much any more. So . . . I turned
it off! The only thing that really worked
from the overhead rig was the backlight,
so ultimately we gridded all of the other
bars. The flyman did eventually shout
down, in that wonderful NT way, what the
fuck are you lighting this show with?!

42 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

 THEATRE

In effect, the show started to tell us what

looked good. And we went with it. Later,
I did a lot of post-design rationalisation,
but then we just found something that
worked and went with it.

What Fisher arrived at, which remains

the heart of the shows lighting today, is
a series of crosslights that can get in to
the performers without lighting the floor.
This is often described as head high
crosslight and often thought to come from
the sides of the stage, but neither detail is
quite correct. Rick Fisher continues: You

Photo: Mark Douet

dont want it straight across the stage,
but from a little bit in front. So when the
actor is looking across the stage, to the
person theyre talking to, their face is lit,
theyre not in the shadow of the person
theyre talking to. And it should be a little
bit higher than head high, so they dont
have to look directly into it. Sometimes you
want different heights of sidelight, again to
get around performers.
The colour palette is muted: A wide range
of colour from open white all the way
through to 202, as the designer describes
it, though the lighting inside the house
(which the family perform most of the first
scene locked inside, remarkably) is a little
warmer - 205/206 corrections. Again, the
post-design-rationalisation is that once the
family come out of the warm cocoon of their
house and enter the wasteland of facing up
to the Inspector and their possible actions,
it becomes harsher. And they dont belong
in that landscape, so the sidelight allows us
to inspect them, but they dont connect to
the landscape because they dont have a
traditional sunlight shadow onto the floor.
Theyre always floating; they can move
around the stage but theyre not grounded
in that landscape.
The crosslight also allows the different
element of the stage - the performers
in the landscape, the house, the sky,
the telephone box, and the rain - to be
individually lit and balanced. The rain -
water sprayed through nozzles of various
sizes from an overhead pipe, some
directed down, some up to bounce off a
piece of guttering - was a challenge. It,
too, ultimately lit from the side to make
it sparkle while keeping its surroundings
dark. Historically, a set of specially adapted
narrow-angle PAR battens have done this
job, though in New York it was lit with
Lekos and with the PAR battens becoming
hard to maintain, this became one of the
elements updated for this West End run.

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THEATRE
Lighting plot, courtesy of http://thelightingarchive.org
B Above: The lighting plan for Broadway, 1994 The show has three other key moments.
Theres the first appearance of the
C Facing page: The 21st century update
Inspector. I wanted to cast a big shadow
E Below: Rick Fisher photographed on the of him on the side of the house, so theres
stage of the recent production during
been a light hidden away originally at
a presentation for the ALD
the bottom of the slot in the Lyttelton,
sometimes behind the telephone box, just
to do that. For a long time it was a Patt 23,
which kind of goes back to seeing some
old lights on stage in York, but now it has
become a Source Four, so its a bit more
discrete.
Theres the appearance of the crowd
from the future, from 1940s Britain, who
appear in a cloud of smoke dramatically
lit in HMI white. It was the age when
Close Encounters of the Third Kind was
relatively recent in all our minds. The
idea of the aliens coming out of a very,
very bright light through smoke was an
iconic image - like all things, we were
like magpies taking and stealing and
borrowing ideas.
And then theres the break with the
show narrative, as the Inspector says
stop then steps out of the play to
address the audience directly. To me,
Photo: Ian Saunders/ALD
its like the worklights or, even better,
the cleaning lights have come on, those
horrible lights that make the theatre look
terrible so you can see where everyones
left their sweet wrappers, says Fisher. I
wanted to drain all the theatricality out,
to show everyone warts-and-all what it
is. So we have a big 5k Fresnel on the
circle front that casts a shadow of the
proscenium on the sky, you could see it
was a flat painted sky, that there were
Photo: Mark Douet
just people looking dusty, that some
of the audience were lit. Whats really
important is that the cue doesnt happen
on the world stop, that beat when
44 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
someone says turn on the worklight,
so it feels accidental, not expected.
Then, slowly, it subverts and turns into
the big speech where the Inspector is
traditionally lit by two 45 degree angle
spots - for that one moment I do want
you to connect to what the Inspector is
saying in a very traditional, simple way.
EVOLUTION
The shows lighting has always evolved
over time. The lights it was lit with
originally - the generation of Silhouettes
and Harmonys and Cantatas - have
fallen out of use. New York in 1994 did
feature ETCs then-new Source Four, but
alongside a bunch of more traditional
Lekos as well as some other light fittings
not usually found on Broadway. Fisher
adds: There are lights in the craters in
the floor; I told them just to go by the
kind of lights theyd use outside their
houses, cheap and already waterproof!.
The rig has also expanded and
contracted over time, becoming much
bigger in New York (my production
electrician and Mike Baldassari, my
associate, said rig spares - if you dont
use it, no-one cares, if you want to add
it, it aint going to happen . . .; Fisher
won a Tony Award for his work on the
show), and ultimately contracting down
to a very efficient touring package in the
hands of a line of associates that have
included Ian Saunders, Tony Simpson
and now Will Evans, the show produced
by PW Productions, whose managing
director, Iain Gillie, was the shows
assistant production manager way back
when at the National. They have getting
the show in down to a fine art, notably
the way that the cyc and cyc lighting bar
are rigged and focused before the rest of
the set is built.

Now the rig has evolved to incorporate some new technology.
We had plenty of warning about coming in to the West End this
time, and we knew there were some things we needed to solve
- the PAR battens were becoming hard to maintain, getting to
the cyc bar in the event of a blown lamp or burnt-out colour
was tricky, but we had plenty of time, and lots of support from
our rental company, White Light, to figure out new solutions -
though they did ask that in return maybe their weekly payment
should enter this century . . .
In both cases, LEDs have provided a new solution. The PAR
battens are gone, replaced by two vertical runs of five of GLPs
X4 Bar to give an intense, narrow sheet of light across the rain
. . . though of course now theyre there, we do move them a
little bit and use some of the pixels at a few other points in the
show.
While the rain was lit in a single colour, the cyc was a trickier
project. We used to have four colours, with the lights across the
cyc often run at different levels to give just the right amount of
blending and just the right colour. I give Will Evans a lot of credit
for the way he handled this transition - he went to White Light,
rigged the four colours, then matched the resulting mixes in a
Source Four Lustr2 on the Gio console we use now. We looked
at using the cyc lens, but using a profile spot just felt like we
retained more control particularly at the edges of the cyc - this is
something that became possible as wider angle profiles have got
better - they didnt really exist when we first did the show.
The Lustrs work really well. Of course, the cloth reacts a bit
differently to the LED light, so we took Wills preparation work
then just played with it more in the theatre, making individual
adjustments. It looks great - plus we know that in one moment
in the show we used to have almost all the cyc lights turned
on; maybe 36kW of power. Now were doing it with seven
Lustrs.
Lustrs established in the rig, they also snuck into some of
the front-of-house lighting positions. Particularly in some of
THEATRE
the Edwardian theatres the show visits, weve always been
hampered by only having so much room in the area where our
front-of-house crosslight lives. Having the Lustrs here now just
gives us more options in that open white to 202 range, maybe
even just a little bit deeper.
Though the Lustrs do nestle between four 500W R&V
beamlights, for which Fisher and his team have not yet found
a replacement that quite does the same thing - that extra bit of
oomph, that different quality of light that I cant quite define but
know is there.
THE INFLUENCE, THE FUTURE
Inspector Calls is back in hibernation now, after a long,
successful and largely packed-out West End run at the
Playhouse Theatre. Itll doubtless be back, though - its too good
a production to vanish for long, particularly since its message
about the need for society to support society rather than
everyone being abandoned to their own fate feels in many ways
more relevant than ever in this Brexity, Trumpity age.
Even when it is not playing, though, its ongoing influence is clear
to feel in other productions, particularly Billy Elliot, which the
same team went on to create and which is still touring the UK.
For Fisher, the show provided, in many ways, the formation for
the way he works to this day. What I learned from this show
about how I like to light people is still in evidence in everything
I do. It allows me to give visibility but somehow to retain the feel
that darkness is still there.
Look in many theatres today, at the lights clustered low just in
front of and behind the proscenium or around the jaws of the
Nationals Olivier, and its clear this approach has spread far
beyond just one designer. I didnt invent this, Fisher notes.
This show, for very practical reasons, distilled it for me, and
maybe other people saw it and took note of it. I just think its
become a way of doing it, allowing you to light people very
clearly as they move around the stage. I
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 45
f VIEWPOINT

audio le
Morocco Bound | Phil Ward speaks volumes . . .

One thing that never gets talked about is the relationship between
horn-loaded loudspeakers in mosques and noise control. As you can imagine,
this puts us immediately, fairly and squarely in the middle of a cultural and
political mineeld. Not quite literally, but you know what I mean.

In Marrakesh, loudspeakers are everywhere. For importuning has become an environmental issue even, and
a start, every mosque has at least one, usually several, especially, in Muslim countries including Indonesia, which has
at the top of a minaret or otherwise bolted onto a roof, the highest population in the world among those places where
wall or doorway. Five times a day the call to prayer goes out, Islam is the official religion. It has some 800,000 mosques,
starting at 5am in the neighbourhood I was in, leading to much and for the last year the Government has been measuring the
debate well before breakfast on the subject of Don Keele and decibel output around the country amid rising complaints - from
his constant directivity horn design; how it generally improves locals, not transient curmudgeons like me - that the competitive
the inherent problem of uneven frequency radiation; how much peaks attempted by those responsible are getting out of hand.
better it handles high frequency lobing; and how the hell these Not only that, but teams of sound engineers had already
welcome advances in basic sound reinforcement technology been despatched to advise religious authorities on how to
never made it to Morocco. implement the horns in more agreeable and egalitarian ways.
It doesnt matter if the next mosque, and the one after that, is Imagine that job: excuse me, Im from the council and its
close enough to transmit the call of the muezzin with prodigious come to our attention that your beam steerage is causing too
throw. Every single one gets to have its own speakers. Some can many late reflections . . .
be heard up to three miles away, dramatic proof of the efficiency It may come as less of a surprise that many European
of the humble compression driver. Its big business for the local countries impose restrictions on this practice, or that across
distributors, of course, but only a part of it. Marrakesh is also the United States its a regular flashpoint for local disputes
the Las Vegas of North Africa. that invoke every nuance of civil liberty, religious tolerance and
The legacy of French colonial rule is most keenly felt in their exact opposites. But the native Muslim self-regulation
a new town development - I say new but its actually from the continues: in Mumbai, India authorities have removed scores
20s and 30s, so it was new then - to the North East of the old of loudspeakers discovered to be either illegally installed or in
medina and laid out like a miniature version of Haussmans breach of a 50-55dB daytime and 40-45dB overnight limit; while
Paris. This is where youll find, in areas like Gueliz and in Lagos, Nigeria the silencing of mosque minarets is part of
Hivernage, the nightclubs, casinos and incongruous watering a wider battle with perceived noise pollution across the city.
holes where much more sophisticated sound systems are put to And then theres Cairo, Egypt. For a few years now the city
a very different use. authorities have been grappling with proposals to replace the
For a Muslim country, Morocco is highly westernised and random and frequently competitive pattern of live calls to prayer
most places are licensed. For example, I had a meeting with with a computerised alternative. Not only is this pre-recorded,
a local contact and when I set out to rendezvous with him at centralised and networked solution intended to synchronise the
a hotel he said he was drinking beer by the pool. Now, Ive heard calls - part of the noise issue is the often 15-minute window to
of people drinking beer by the pint, but a pool? Thats a hefty complete a two-minute intonation across 4,500 mosques - but
unit of measurement even by my standards. But, licentious also to improve the quality of both audio dispersion and vocal
though Marrakesh is, things are measured much more sensibly delivery. Egyptians have a problem with timing, Sheikh Salem
than in, say, Caesars Palace. Abdel-Galil, the ministry official behind the proposal, told the
One thing that never gets talked about is the relationship press.
between horn-loaded loudspeakers in mosques and noise Detractors say the unsyncopated moaning of the muezzin is
control. As you can imagine, this puts us immediately, fairly and part of the citys charm; for their part, the muezzins are fearful
squarely in the middle of a cultural and political minefield. Not for their positions, just like anyone else ousted by automation
quite literally, but you know what I mean. In Morocco the call of from train guards to the horses that used to pull milk floats. But
the muezzin is part of the landscape, treated as an immutable you would never have thought that sound reinforcement would
condition that, to visitors, is presented as play such a crucial part in behind-the-
local colour alongside lamb tagine and scenes wrangling over problems that touch
haggling. And for a couple of days it is just the very heart of freedom of expression and
After University, Phil Ward dropped
that. After the first week is up, a long trip the many edges of that particular sword.
out of society and became a journalist.
out of town into the High Atlas Mountains Like Websters Dictionary, sang Bob
In an autobiography, Brian Eno once
seems like a great idea. Hope and Bing Crosby in their 1942 Road
described him as: Phil. He dies
So you might be surprised to hear film, were Morocco bound. You certainly
peacefully every day, in Cambridgeshire,
that the amplification of this ancient surrounded by his family.
shouldnt judge a book by its cover. I

46 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

i TECH

classic gear
The Hook Clamp | Rob Halliday . . .

How should one measure innovation? and wing nuts for use with the new clamp.
By the level of advanced new Now you could just hang a lantern on the bar,
technology crammed into a product? then worry about precise positioning then
Or just by how radically it changes the way a locking off using the wing bolt on the clamp,
task gets done? and the wing nut holding the lantern to it - no
Put it another way: can a bent piece of metal spanner required. That catalogue featured a
be innovative? few drawings of lanterns using the new clamp;
Theres an example hidden in plain sight older illustrations were carefully cropped to
that says it can: the Hook Clamp. conceal the older clamps. Three shillings and
Almost everything you hang - lights, eightpence per clamp at launch.
speakers, tracks and more - hangs from Its interesting to contemplate why it
these. You just take them for granted, but to appeared when it did. The introduction in
understand their innovation you really need to Strands Tabs magazine noted that many more
know what came before . . . lights were now used hanging than on stands. It
In the UK, the previous standard for rigging was also a time when shows started putting up
lights was the L-Clamp. Its form lives on in specific rigs rather than relying on permanently
the British-style boom arm: two curved metal installed house rigs of battens and spots.
plates sized to fit around a bar, then locked Other products of the same era give further
into place by joining them together with two clues: the compact, lightweight Patt 23 and 123
nut-and-bolt sets, one top, one bottom. A short baby spots, the internally-wired bars of 1.5
stub arm twisted 90 had a hole to which a internal/1 7/8 external diameter which first
thread from the lantern could be bolted. With appeared in the same 1958 catalogue. Rigging
nothing to take the weight of a light while you rigged it and tools of this diameter soon started usurping the older, fatter gas
required at every stage, it would have been incredibly tedious barrel.
to hang a rig of lights working at ground level, a nightmare at Todays hook clamp, from a variety of manufacturers, is little
height. changed from the 1958 original. Same strengths (easy to use,
The seeds of change came from television. For the BBCs versatile) still outweighing the same limitations (doesnt fit
1954 move into the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith the plan over-size bars, hard to get a really good lock-off, not designed for
was for lanterns to be hung on 1 29/32 scaffold hoist bars; a side- or over-rigging, though people do . . .)
cast aluminium clamp was designed to attach to the spigot Imagine it saved two minutes rigging each light. Imagine how
found on most lanterns, then hook easily onto the bar. Variations many lights - how many generations of lights! - have been rigged
on this design were later used at Television Centre. since 1958. Think how many more fantastic shows have happened
Strand Electric came up with a simplified, at all just because that extra time was available
cheaper version (some say designed by Bob to us all. Seems pretty innovative to me. I
Woolnough, at first for use in their famous Hook Clamp launch announcement in Tabs:
demonstration theatre). The ref 483 hook Rob has been working in and P www.theatrecrafts.com/archive/tabs/
clamp, revealed in their 1958 catalogue, writing about lighting for more than scans/1959_Vol17_1.pdf
looks almost exactly like the clamps we use 25 years, on shows around the First appearance, in the 1958 catalogue:
today. They also announced that their stage world. He wonders if this makes P www.theatrecrafts.com/archive/album-
lighting trunnions would come with bolts him a classic... or just old! viewer.php?id=6&page=1&type=a

WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 47

T VENUE

Salford University celebrates its 50th anniversary

by opening a new multi-million pound arts
facility. Kate Lyon reports . . .
 A Gateway to
Performing Arts
The origins of Salford University stretch back to the 19th
century, with the opening of the Salford Royal Technical
Institute, at a time when the needs of local businesses and
enterprise were very different to those of today. Back then, it was
heavy industry, building and textile skills that were in demand.
Fast forward a century or so and the commercial landscape has
been entirely transformed. Today, media and the arts dominate
the western environs of Manchester with the establishment
of MediaCityUK and the Lowry Theatre at Salford Quays and
the consequential regeneration of the area. Granted university
status in 1967, Salford University is celebrating its 50th birthday
this year and the opening of the multi-million pound New
Adelphi Building, home to the School of Arts & Media coincides
with this milestone.
Built by BAM Construction, the New Adelphi provides a
multitude of facilities: recording studios, rehearsal and
performance spaces, specialist art and design workshops and
fully equipped professional television studios. At the heart of all
this creative space lies the New Adelphi Theatre. Laurence Boot
is the technical manager for music and performance: We have
always had quality performance venues here at Salford; the Peel
Building, which was opened in 1896 and the original home to
the Salford Royal Technical Institute, is home to the Peel Hall
which boasts a packed itinerary of performances and seats 320,
and of course, the 220-capacity Robert Powell Theatre in the
Allerton Building which is just as busy. When the plans for the
New Adelphi were in their initial stages, it seemed obvious that
a modern, state-of-the-art theatre to add to our performance
provision should be at the centre of a building designed for
media and the arts.
Working for the main contractor, BAM, was Andy Stone of
theatre consultants Drama By Design who, in turn, collaborated
closely with Theatreplan who were charged with specifying the
performance spaces throughout the building but particularly
with regard to the New Adelphi Theatre. Working with Mathew
Smethurst-Evans and John Whittaker from Theatreplan was
quite an original way of approaching the theatre design, opens
Stone, but one that worked really well. The construction team
designed the theatre space within the main build and I was
able to act as a conduit between BAM, Theatreplan and the
University, making sure that everyones needs were met.
The result is a theatre that manages that rather neat trick
of being both traditional and modern in equal measure.
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 49
T VENUE
B Top: The 350 seats are arranged
as stalls and two vertical galleries
Above, L-R: David Dewsnip
(theatre technician), Andy Stone
(Drama By Design consultant and
BAM representative), Adam Lyon
(theatre technician) and Laurence
Boot (technical manager, School
of Arts & Media)
50 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
The 350 seats are arranged as stalls and two
vertical galleries rather than raked balconies,
echoing the design of Shakespeares Globe on
the South Bank, but the fittings are steel and
the seats (courtesy of Audience Systems) more
forgiving. Boot comments: The galleries make
for a more intimate, cosy space; wherever you
are in the auditorium, you will feel close to the
stage.
Theatreplan made innovative use of the depth
of the stalls area, as John Whittaker explains:
Weve made full use of the space available by
designing the most flexible seating and staging
arrangements we could squeeze in. The seating
was all supplied by Audience Systems who
have been able to install specific seating styles
in particular locations in the auditorium to suit
our purposes exactly. By building a slight rake
in the further reaches of the stalls gallery we
have created a stalls well in the auditorium that
can be decked out to suit various performances
protocols. So, we can offer a fully seated stalls
area; a thrust stage; a short traverse format that
provides a catwalk house left-to-right;
a long traverse format from the stage to the rear
of the venue and finally, a stage in the round
with appropriate stage entrances and exits.
The necessary removable staging - all custom-
designed to fit our space - was delivered with
precision by Steeldeck, who are masters of their
art. The result is a fully rounded experience of
performance for the students to explore and
which also makes the room perfect for any type of
production.
Onstage and backstage, the alignment of new
and old continues. David Dewsnip is theatre
technician in the Adelphi: The mechanical
hardware on and upstage is supplied by Hall
Stage. This works as a traditional proscenium
arch theatre, so we have a full set of flats, drapes,
legs and borders on a hemp system. Hall also
supplied the stage gantry, fixed lighting bars,
a tension wired grid and a permanently installed
film screen. Their hardware provides us with all
the locations we could possibly want for hanging
lighting fixtures.
The extensive lighting specification includes
a combination of conventional, LED and
moving lights. Conventional fixtures are -
and will continue to be - a staple in theatres
worldwide, so students cannot afford to view
them as yesterdays kit, comments Dewsnip.
In the same vein, students need to be just as
confident with the intelligent and moving lighting
fixtures that are constantly evolving in todays
entertainment market. Consequently, we have
invested in a selection of fixtures from PAR 64s
and 1kW Fresnels and state-of-the-art ETC LED
fixtures to Martin MAC LED washes and profiles.
For control, we went for an ETC Gio with two
touchscreen monitors. Stage effects are provided
by hazers, smoke machines and a couple of LED
strobes which saves us hiring in for individual
productions. A Christie D12WU-H projector

provides the basis for the AV system
to complement the permanent
screen.
Stage Electrics provided all the
lighting and AV equipment, while the
audio input came from Autograph,
continues Dewsnip. The audio
system has been designed to
accommodate all the various staging
set-ups. A DiGiCo SD9 is in charge
with loudspeakers rigged for the
stalls, the main gallery and a central
proscenium hang. Plenty of EM
Acoustics EMS-51s provide fill for the
under-gallery areas. The entire set-up
was carefully planned to provide
our students with as broad a range
of experience as possible: a flexible
mixture of static and moving lights,
good quality control in both sound
and lights, and the provision of AV
and effects to fire the imagination
of our student playwrights and
directors. From conversation with
the technical crew at the Adelphi, it
is clear that the collaborative route
that BAM and Theatreplan found so
successful in the infrastructure of
the building has continued into the
specification process that has filled
the venue.
The theatre has already been host to
student workshops such as the clown
workshop in January with Lucho
Guzman, who also conceived and
performed in Ceniza (Ashes) - part of
a tour of venues across the north-
west. One of the opening productions
was by tour company Bated Breath
who brought the renowned comedy
Shakespeare, his Wife and the Dog to
Salford in October.
Away from the theatre, the
15,000sq.m of the New Adelphi
building provides TV studios, a band
room large enough to record a full
orchestra, 600sq.m of art and design
workshops and, located deep in
the basement, six fully-equipped
recording studios. Andrew Davison
oversees all things technical in the
studios: It was important that we
provided the very best installations
down here that we could afford; you
dont refit recording studios on a
whim, and so whatever we opted for
had to have a substantial shelf life. At
the centre of a studio is the console
and we went for the Audient ASP8024
Heritage Edition (24-36 channel
boards in various configurations) to
tie everything together. In fact, we
Recording Studio
Specication
Audient ASP8024 Heritage Edition
27 iMacs with Pro Tools HD
RME M32 AD/DA via Avid HD MADI units
Focusrite RedNet HD32R
RME HDSPe MADIface boxes
RME HDSPe RayDAT cards
Alesis MicroVerb 4
Aphex 204 Aural Exciter
API 3124+ quad mic-pre
Bricasti M7 stereo reverb
dbx 1066 compressor
dbx 266XL compressor / gate
Drawmer DL241 auto compressor
Drawmer DS201 gate
Empirical Labs EL 8XM Distressor (w/Brit Mode)
Klark-Teknik SQ1
Korg Pitchblack Pro
Lexicon MPX1, MPX550 and PCM60
MOTU MIDI Express XT
Neve 4081 Quad mic-pre with free digital card
SPL Transient Designer
TC Electronics D2 delay
TL Audio 5001 quad valve pre
TL Audio 5021 dual valve compressor
TL Audio 5051 mono valve processor
Warm Audio Pultec EQ
Warm Audio Tonebeast TB12
Warm Audio WA76 compressor
Studer A820 master recorder
Otari and Tascam tape recorders
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 51
T VENUE
have serial numbers 001 to 006 - the first
six consoles to be manufactured!
On the digital side, we have 27 iMacs
with Pro Tools HD connected to RME
M32 AD/DA via Avid HD MADI units
continues Davison. The Focusrite
RedNet HD32R interfaces directly over
DigiLink for transmission between
studios and elsewhere in the building.
We provide external device access
straight into the M32s using RME
HDSPe MADIface boxes and - due to the
historical issues of native DAW access
to the Avid HD interfaces - we also have
RME HDSPe RayDAT cards fitted in an
external chassis, which also connect to
the M32s. There are also some custom
connectivity panels, allowing laptops
and external interfaces to connect to the
studio equipment.
The rooms are all interconnected with
the performance spaces above so, in
addition to work carried out within the
recording studio complex, theatrical,
television and orchestral performances
that wouldnt physically fit into a studio
space can also be accessed easily.
52 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
As with the theatre and the design of
the rooms above, the studio set-up
has clearly benefited from an active
and positive collaboration between
constructors, installers and end users.
The combination of room design,
carefully considered floor construction
and acoustic treatment, as well as
the choices of high-end hardware
and software, make for a suite of
studios which would be the envy of any
educational provider in the country.
Externally, the New Adelphi building
is an imposing structure of angular
glass and steel that enhances the mix
of old and new architecture across the
Salford campus. Careful design of the
outside areas draws students to the leafy
parkland area adjacent to the River Irwell,
which winds alongside the University and
allows for easy pedestrian access to other
university buildings, as well as providing
outside performance areas. However, it
is inside the Adelphi that investment in
the future of the arts in the North West
is most apparent. Andy Stone is clearly
proud of what has been achieved here:
These projects are enormously complex
Photo: Jo Stevenson
New Adelphi Theatre
Equipment List
Lighting Control:
ETC Gio with 2 touchscreen monitors
Conventional Lighting:
12 x ETC Source Four 15/30 proles
12 x ETC Source Four 25/50 proles
24 x PAR 64 c/w CP61 & CP62 lamps
24 x ETC 1kW Fresnels
12 x ETC Source Four PARs
Intelligent Lighting:
12 x ETC Colour Source PARs
6 x ETC Colour Source spots
6 x ETC Lustr MK2 proles c/w 25/50 lens tubes
Moving Lights:
8 x Martin MAC Quantum wash
8 x Martin MAC Quantum proles
Special Effects:
2 x JEM ZR44 smoke machines
2 x Look Solutions Unique 2.1 hazers
2 x LED strobes
AV:
1 x Christie D12WU-H projector
2 x Mac Mini c/w Qlab 3 Pro licence
1 x Denon DN500BD BluRay player
1 x Roland V800HD vision mixer
Sound:
1 x DiGiCo SD9 c/w 2 stage boxes
1 x DiGiCo Orange Box
Processor:
1 x QS/Core 250I
7 x EM/DQ100D ampliers
Loudspeakers:
6 x EMS-126
36 x EMS-51
2 x EMS-81X
2 x EMS-118 Subs
Playback:
2 x Mac Mini with QLab 3 Pro licences
2 x Denon DN501C CD players
Radio Microphones:
4 x Sennheiser EW 500-965 G3
c/w 4 x handheld and 4 x bodypack
transmitters
1 x Sennheiser antenna distribution
C Right: One of the professional television
studios
D Facing page, top: The University of Salford
Big Band featuring Alex Bone in the New
Adelphi Theatre
E Facing page, bottom: Andrew Davison,
Technical Manager of Recording and
Production

and the possibilities for mistakes are
there at every decision made, both at
pre-planning and in the delivery process
itself. BAM Construction have built
a wonderful space that has allowed
Theatreplan to design a theatre that
will no doubt become one of the UKs
most advanced spaces for performance
education, surrounded by the very best
facilities that 21st century technology
can provide. Teamwork and the positive
relationship that has been built between
all parties has been a major contributing
factor in achieving such a successful end
result.
As technical manager of the School of
Arts & Media, Laurence Boot has the final
word: The completion of this massive
project is really exciting for those of us
who get to inhabit it every day.
I completely agree with Andy that the
collaborative nature of the build and then
the installation process is a template
of how such developments should be
approached. I know that what the New
Adelphi Building can offer the performing
arts will attract the very best in terms of
students and professionals alike; good for
us and great for the media industry of the
North West - and of the UK. I
P www.salford.ac.uk

U S T A L
TR ORIGIN
T H E

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WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 53

f INTERVIEW
crew cuts
The Shend Interrogates . . .
Dave Johnson, lightshow artist and tour manager
I am an artist at heart, I love and always will love the light show aspect of any
concert and I love the show biz (I must be an idiot) . . .
Name, Age, Location and Job?
Big Dave Johnson (Lighthouse
Projections), 55, Hastings, Lightshow
artist and tour manager.
Recent Activity?
Recently finished a tour with the Hawklords.
Currently working on new visuals and
ideas ready for New Untouchables Le Beat
Bespoke mod weekender in April, and
possibly The Bevis Frond.
Worthy Past Glories?
The Sonics, The Misunderstood, The Crazy
World of Arthur Brown, The Bevis Frond,
Ozric Tentacles, Pre Med, The Hawklords,
Eat Static, Pretty Things, Amon Duul, The
Trashmen, Bedouin, Quintessence, Dr and
the Medics, System7 - so many more . . .
Why are you what you are?
Because I am an artist at heart, I love and
always will love the light show aspect of
any concert and I love the show biz
(I must be an idiot).
Three best things about your job?
Seeing new places, meeting friends old
and new, and snu snu.
Three worst things about your job?
Drunks (especially the morons who
put pint glasses on the mixing desk);
equipment malfunctions, laptops and
projectors being the main protagonists;
plus, chasing after promoters who
conveniently forget to pay the money.
Equipment you use in an ideal world?
My basic setup is usually two laptops,
a micro DVD player as back-up (in case
a laptop crashes), all going through an
Edirol V4 mixer, then any other additional
extras I bring along, like Solars or kaleido
projectors.
Most crucial invention since you started?
The video projector.
Proudest moment?
I have way too many, but I think my first
has to be Arthur Browns Otherworld
event. After doing many small venues this
was the first on a major scale in the sadly
missed Astoria, and I successfully pulled
it off. I still dont know how! Being asked
to work for bands I loved as a punter has
always been up there.
Best gig while working?
That has to be the Sonics 2008. The
guest suite was a whos who of rock and
roll. When the band came on it was the
biggest cheer Id ever heard - the hairs on
54 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
the back of my neck stood up and I got
something in my eye. A close second was
at Under the Bridge in Chelsea football
ground with the Hawklords.
Best gig as a punter?
Hawkwind at Brixton Academy, 1994. It
was on my birthday and everything fell
into place perfectly. And I timed it right.
Biggest nightmare on the job?
Projectors crashing - without them theres
no light show, basically. Precious artists
and running out of gaffer tape, also.
Most irritating request from a member of
the public, artist or promoter?
Pete Dohertys former manager once
told me: You will never work in this town
again, all because I wouldnt refer to
Pete as Peter. It was so clich; he did not
survive my Zorro comeback. But always
irritating is: Can you not shine that light
in my eyes?.
Artist from the past youd most like to
have worked for?
Hendrix, early Kula Shaker or Primal
Scream.
What phrase sends a chill down your
spine while working?
There are two: Can you turn the strobes
off? and Can you turn the sound up?.
What other member of the crew would
you least like to be?
The bus driver, especially when they take
a wrong turning (Turn left at Carlisle
has become an in-joke on the bus). Or
one of my team who work under me.
Which other member of the crew do you
take your hat off to?
Grudgingly (lol), we had a stage manager
called Snake; he was a great port in
a storm with his knowledge and skills.
Most irritating thing on the crew bus?
The band, especially Harvey (Culpability)
Bainbridge . . . terrible fellow. And band
members who tie your shoe laces when
you are asleep. Mainly Band Politics is
irritating because its boring and a total
waste of brain space. Oh, and farts.
Best hotel youve stayed at while working?
The Hotel Ibis in Tilburg Holland. The
memory foam mattress was heaven and
the food was amazing.
Audience members you loathe the most?
Drunks, especially those who cant read
the no drinks on the table sign.
Turn someone in for questioning:
crewcuts@lsionline.com
Any artists youd spend time with socially?
Any of the Hawklords, The Bevis Frond
and, of course, Arthur Brown and
Norman Archer. All just really nice chaps.
Best passing through customs anecdote?
Bristol airport - I had a flask of single
malt that was in the wrong bag, as it was
being confiscated and thrown into
a sack I snatched it back and downed the
contents in one; half a bottle of whiskey
down and a happy flight followed.
Most bizarre sight youve seen at work?
Working in the 100 Club for The Bevis
Frond, there was a heatwave and the air
con was bust so it was hot! I noticed the
band were grinning and staring at one
spot in the crowd where some woman
had stripped naked and was dancing like
it was the 60s again.
Favourite artist to work for?
My main guys are constant, the
Hawklords, the Bevis Frond, Arthur
Brown and any artist that pays the fee.
Favourite/Most hated venue?
My favourite was Under the Bridge in
Chelsea. Hated? Any venue with a low
ceiling - and pub venues.
Open air or under a roof?
I dont mind either as long as I can set up
the way I like and do my job.
Best festival?
Out of loyalty I have to say the Sonic
Rock, but the Glade festival in its heyday
was just great; the Roadburn in Tilburg
equally so.
Best item of clothing when working?
My waistcoats of many pockets.
Closest youve come to death whilst
touring?
Italy, shunting the tour bus backwards
and forwards on a very tight hair-pin
bend on the side of a mountain; stopping
literally inches from the edge of a cliff
edge and a long, long drop. The faces of
the other guys were priceless.
Most outrageous thing you ever did on tour?
What goes on tour stays on tour.
However, at a festival I had to climb up a
high lighting tower to repair a projector,
then the mushrooms kicked in . . .
Most sensible thing you ever did on tour?
Sensible? Talking key people out of
quitting their jobs. I
P Email: zeevar@live.co.uk
THE NEXT BIG THING!

SPIDERS ALL OVER THE WEB

w w w. s p i i d e r.c z
i TECH

tools from beyond

PetrolPrices.com | Rob Halliday . . .

If theres a mantra for the modern age, it would

perhaps be beware of being ripped off. Big
companies, however much they protest, arent really
out to help you, theyre out to help their profits. If they can get
away with charging more, they will.
It applies to all areas of life, but fuel for your car is a
particularly good example. They know the easiest option for you
is to just do what youve always done; to fill up where youve
always filled up; to keep going until youre nearly empty then
stop at the nearest petrol station in a big panic. Theyve got you
at that point; whatever the price, youll pay it.
Right now, as I write, the price range for a litre of unleaded
across the UK is 113.0p to 137.9p. Fill a 50 litre tank, and thats a
difference of 12 on a single filling.
Only one person can stop that happening to you, and thats
you. And heres the advantage to the modern age: there are
tools available to help you fight back.
In this case, that tool (and the source of the information
above) comes in the form of a website and app called
petrolprices.com. It does exactly what its title suggests. Tell it
where you are, tell it how far youre prepared to travel, tell it the accept those not all prices may be shown, but whats there is
type of fuel you need, and itll list nearby fuel stations ordered powerful information to have.
cheapest first. The figures above are slightly disingenuous, of Check quickly when you need to buy locally, itll probably
course - if youre in Scotland you couldnt just drive to London save you some money. Check the price along the route of a
for cheaper fuel. But even within five miles of here the range is journey and you can plan the best place to buy. If nothing
116.7p to 125.9p - 4.60 difference on that full tank. Not much in else, it makes you more aware of the ever-shifting fuel price.
itself, but itd add up over time - or if you were operating a fleet The only drawback is that very quickly youll find yourself
of vehicles. wishing that it was smarter. That you could tell it your route
Checking isnt hard, but you have to do it - the website and how much fuel you had on board and it could figure out
cant help with that part of the process. But the information it the optimum refuelling point. Or alert you if you approached a
provides, available either through it or on the PetrolPrices app bargain fuel spot.
when youre out and about is fascinating, both geographically Maybe thatll come. Even if not, some information is better
(zoom out on the map and scroll around than no information, and paying less is better
and you quickly spot the differential pricing than paying more. Until we all make the move
patterns across a city) and over time (spotting to electric cars, this free tool is one you should
the supermarkets that slash prices to lure Rob has been working in and definitely have lined up and ready to use - for
customers in, but a while later are the writing about lighting for more the sake of your bank balance, for the sake of
most expensive in the area again). Price than 25 years, on shows around not letting the big corporations win. I
information, one suspects, is gathered via the world. He wonders if this PetrolPrices:
corporate fuel cards; since not all garages makes him a classic... or just old! P www.petrolprices.com

56 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

 LONDON, OLYMPIA | 17-19 SEPTEMBER

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S ON SHOW
ON SHOW
PLASA Focus Leeds
LSi takes a look at some of the highlights expected at
the Royal Armouries next month . . .
PLASA Focus Leeds returns to the Royal
Armouries in Leeds (9-10 May) with a stellar
line-up of seminar sessions and speakers.
The free-to-attend exhibition is a leading
platform for the entertainment industry,
offering an opportunity to discover the very
latest technology including products from
recent international launches, and to learn
from the industry-leading PLASA seminar
programme.
P //leeds.plasafocus.com
Adam Hall Group presents Cameo
Cameo, Adam Hall Groups professional
lighting equipment brand, will present
its ZENIT series to the UK market for the
first time. The series provides all-round
spotlights for numerous applications and
includes both mains and battery-powered
lighting products for indoor and outdoor
applications, as well as zoom spots and
diffusers. The newest additions to the
series are the ZENIT B 60 battery-operated,
IP65-rated PAR lights (available with black
or chrome housing). Specially developed
high-performance batteries provide great
58 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
massive output for
most large venues and
event productions,
the company says.
Vizi BSW 300 is
a great hybrid utility
fixture as it acts as
a beam, spot and wash
- all in one fixture.
Stand: N-D31
P www.adj.com
freedom to lighting designers, and the iDMX Avolites software showcase
App-Controller and the iDMX Core Wi-Fi to
W-DMX connector box enables absolute Avolites will introduce the UK market to
mobility, says the company. its latest software updates - Ai v10 and
Stand: N-A10 Titan v10.1. The full capabilities of the
P www.cameolight.com companys much anticipated Ai version 10
P www.adamhall.com media server software, developed through
real-world testing and the latest Titan
update, v10.1 will be revealed - offering
UK debut for ADJs Vizi BSW 300 new developments in lighting and video
integration. Both offer a range of new
Taking centre stage on ADJs stand will be features developed with the end-user in
the new Vizi BSW 300, ADJs most powerful mind.
LED moving head to date. It uses a specially Stand: N-D01
designed 300W LED engine that offers P www.avolites.com
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Learn more at Martin.com/VDO

S ON SHOW
B Top, left: Avolites will unveil its latest software
updates - Ai v10 and Titan v10.1
Top, right: Cadacs CDC seven
Above: Current RMS will introduce its latest
software feature: Serialised Containers
d&bs 21S-SUB
d&bs 24S-D point source loudspeaker
60 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
Cadac to give CDC seven UK debut
Cadac will present the newest addition to
its CDC series of digital consoles, the CDC
seven. The new console retains all of the
feel and familiarity of the CDC six, with its
major ergonomic advance in user operation
and minimal learning curve, but up-scales
the operational flexibility with its dual, 23.5
touchscreens and has a fader count of 36.
The channel input count expands to 96 but
retains the CDC sixs 56 busses; 48 of them
being configurable.
The standard feature set includes
a Waves SoundGrid interface, Cadacs
unique Monitor Mode, as well as the ability
to create custom layers.
The CDC seven uses Cadacs proprietary
audio protocol MegaCOMMS which allows
a total through-system propagation delay
from inputs on stage to outputs, including
all console processing and A-D/D-A
conversions, in 37 samples (@96kHz), or
400s - the industrys lowest latency digital
protocol.
Stand: R-B04
P www.cadac-sound.com
Chauvet to showcase Maverick MK1
The new 350W Maverick MK1 Spot
(right) from Chauvet Professional
offers lighting designers all the
advantages of larger spot fixtures
in compact housing, with rapid
7-33 zoom, a 7-29 beam
angle, CMY colour mixing, a
flat field of projection, colour
consistency, 3-facet prism
and frost, and crisp gobo
projections from two gobo
wheels - one rotating, and one
static. The fixture is suitable for
live touring events as well as
install applications; control
comes in the form of DMX,
sACN, Art-Net or W-DMX.
Stand: R-C13
P www.chauvetprofessional.com
Register now to attend:
leeds.plasafocus.com
Current RMS updates
Current RMS has recently released its
most highly-requested feature: Serialised
Containers. This enables users to scan
multiple serialised assets under one
asset number, allowing components to be
permanently assigned to one container - great
for when the same kit goes out together, such
as wireless microphone kits. The team will
be on-hand to introduce the latest features to
visitors throughout the show.
Stand: N-C20
P www.current-rms.com
New installation models from d&b
d&bs new 24S and 24S-D point source
loudspeakers and 21S-SUB will make their
UK debut. Together with the installation-
specific 30D amplifier, the 24S/24S-D
and 21S-SUB produce 138/137dB SPL
and 134dB SPL respectively, and offer an
alternative to a small, multiple cabinet line
array.
Differing only in horizontal dispersion,
with 75x45 and 110x45 (h x v)
respectively, 24S/24S-D house two 12 LF
drivers in a dipolar arrangement and
a single horn-loaded 1.4 exit compression
driver. With rotatable HF horns,
24S/24S-D can be mounted vertically
or horizontally, and with separate
LF drivers, achieve constant
directivity control in the same
plane as the dipole down to
approximately 500Hz.
With larger cabinet
volume, 24S/24S-D deliver
improved low frequency
reproduction to offer a truly
full-range point source
solution, yet are modest
enough to preserve sightlines
and overcome rigging and
placement restrictions, the
company says. The 21S-SUB
produces a frequency response
of 35Hz to 105Hz in standard mode, or as
a supplement to other d&b subwoofers in
INFRA mode, extends the LF performance
to 33Hz with an upper limit of 85Hz.
Stand: N-A24
P www.dbaudio.com
 New xtures from Highlite
Highlite will introduce three new
Infinity washes to the UK market:
the iW-340 (pictured, right),
iW-740, and iW-1240. All
three models have a large
zoom range of 4.5 to
36 meaning they can
be used as both a wash
and as a beam, and are
fitted with powerful 40W
RGBW LEDs and newly
developed, large lenses.
The products feature a
powerCON TRUE1 input
and loop on the base,
as well as the essential
DMX connections.
Artnet connection provides
a simple means of operating
the pixel-control function, also meaning
the DMX universes fill up less quickly, says
Highlite.
From Showtec, new fixtures include the
Cameleon Bar 16 Q4, the Cameleon Flood
15 Q4, and the Cameleon Flood 6 Q4. Just
as in all other Showtec products, Q4 stands
for a 4-in-1 LED. In this case, the RGBW,
the company says. All devices come with
a clear OLED display fitted with special
plugs for a waterproof connection.
Stand: N-E07
P www.highlite.nl
Visit us at
on A.C. Entertainment
Technologies
Stand N-E02
The best connections lead
to faultless performance
At Tourflex Cabling we understand just how critical cables
and connections are to the entertainment & broadcast
industry and when 'the show must go on'. We are often
processing emergency orders in 24 hours and can
despatch worldwide.
MDGs theONE to show
MDG will show its popular range of
atmospheric effects generators,
including the award-winning
theONE. This fully digital
atmospheric generator creates
fog or haze effects from a single
source, with its construction and
features making it suitable for
rental and international touring.
Stand: R-D02
P www.mdgfoguk.com
UK debut for
Nexos GEO M10
Nexos GEO M10 mid-size line
array is a high-output sound
reinforcement system for long-throw
theatre and live music applications. It
combines patented technologies with
advanced DSP control and integral no loose
parts rigging to create a compact, powerful,
wide-bandwidth system thats quick and easy
to deploy in flown arrays or groundstacks,
the company says. Each M10 module weighs
just 21kg, with its compact dimensions
meaning improved sightlines - an important
consideration in its target market of theatres,
B From top: MDGs theONE
auditoria and conferencing venues.
Stand: N-B02 Nexos GEO M10 mid-size line array
P www.nexo-sa.com
With an enviable reputation for quality and reliability, last year
alone we made over 100,000 cable assemblies and supplied
more than half a million metres of cabling. Choose from our
vast range of data, mains, audio, video & multicore cables,
popular connectors and various personalisation options.
(South) +44 (0)1494 446000
(North) +44 (0)113 255 7666
www.ac-et.com/tourflexcabling
tourflexcabling@ac-et.com
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 61
S ON SHOW
SHOW HIGHLIGHT
Seminars & Panel Sessions
Running as part of the show, the PLASA
seminar programme delivers two days of
free-to-attend seminars, panel sessions
and technical demonstrations, offering
visitors an opportunity to develop industry
knowledge and skills. Sessions are hosted
by leading industry experts in pro audio,
lighting, video and rigging sectors. Early
highlights include . . .
PRECISE AND PREDICTABLE
PERFORMANCE GOES ONE STEP
FURTHER
Technology has been moving fast in the pro
audio world for some time, manufacturers
are delivering products that are ever more
powerful, efficient and better connected
than ever before. New tools are helping
project engineers design and plan sound
systems before even setting foot on site.
Oran will discuss how these new tools
complement the ever increasing rules and
regulations surrounding outdoor events and
their impact on the wider environment.
Host: Oran Burns, d&b audiotechnik
Day/Time: Tuesday 9 May, 11:00 - 12:00
and Wednesday 10 May, 11:00 - 12:00
Location: Bury Theatre
TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR PLACES
OF ENTERTAINMENT
The ABTTs Technical Standards for Places
of Entertainment guide is recognised by
the Health & Safety Executive as forming
part of a Code of Practice for the Theatre
Industry. The ABTT will host a session to
discuss recent amendments. The session
will also include a Q&A on safe working and
compliance in the theatre industry
Host: ABTT
Day/Time: Tuesday 9 May, 11:00 - 12:00
Location: Wellington Room
PRO AUDIO PANEL: IS POINT SOURCE
FIGHTING BACK?
Line array has had it all its own way for
too long: the applications for point source
loudspeakers are many and varied and
some of the best designs are represented
in the North of England. LSi journalist and
audio industry expert Phil Ward will be
joined by guests to discuss this topic.
Panel Host: Phil Ward
Day/Time: Tuesday 9 May, 12:15 - 13:15
Location: Bury Theatre
VISUALISATION AT THE
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
Visualisation is a key technology at the
Royal Opera House, used to provide a
virtual venue where all technical elements,
especially lighting, can be prepared in
advance of getting on stage for the first
time. James Simpson, lighting visualiser
at the Royal Opera House, will talk about
how some recent projects at the ROH
have been technically achieved and give
a brief look into the future of visualisation
technology. James will also be talking
62 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
for the first time about an exciting new
R&D project being developed at the ROH
which uses Augmented Reality technology
with Microsoft Hololens to create new
opportunities for design teams to visualise
their ideas - the talk will include a live
demonstration.
Host: James Simpson, ROH
Day/Time: Tuesday 9 May, 13:30 - 14:30
Location: Bury Theatre
THE RIGGERS FORUM: KNOT A RIGGER
The popular Riggers Forum will return to
Leeds, led once again by Harry Box and
Chris Higgs. Rigging doesnt happen by
magic on the day, it needs planning and
coordination by someone competent.
Legislation demands that when the time
comes, lifting operations are also carried
out and supervised by competent people.
This year, Harry and Chris turn their
attention to the need to ensure someone
is made responsible for the rigging in a
production. Not a rigger necessarily - the
work can be delegated - but someone
must be responsible in the production
for planning and carrying out rigging and
lifting operations . . .
Hosts: Harry Box, UK Rigging; Chris Higgs,
Total Training
Day/Time: Tuesday 9 May, 14:00 - 16:00
Location: Tower Gallery Room
SELF-MARKETING FOR SUCCESS
This session is a must if youre keen to
strengthen your presence online to boost
your job opportunities. Whether youre
just starting out, or more established, gain
insights into self-marketing from digital
technology expert, Liz Hardwick, cofounder
of DigiEnable. This session is sponsored by
the BECTU Sector of Prospect.
Host: Liz Hardwick, BECTU
Day/Time: Tuesday 9 May, 14:45 - 16:00
Location: Wellington Room
IEM - GETTING IT RIGHT
In Ear Monitoring presents a different set of
challenges to using wedges. Justin Grealy
(Soulsound) will discuss how to get it right
- impressions and moulds, maintenance
and hygiene, artist and crew mixes, correct
use of ambient micing, preventing hearing
damage, avoiding technical failures
because of perspiration and movement,
redundancy - and how to save the day if it
all goes wrong.
Host: Justin Grealy, Soulsound
Day/Time: Tuesday 9 May, 15:00 - 16:00
Location: Bury Theatre
DANTE NETWORKING EVENT
Following its success at PLASA 2016 in
London, Kieran Walsh (Audinate) is going to
be hosting a second Dante training event at
PLASA Focus Leeds. The seminar is aimed
at anyone involved with the installation of
networked audio systems; including design
consultants, system integrators and live
sound engineers. The day will include Dante
Level 1 and Level 2 training, case study
presentations and live table-top displays
from a number of sponsors.
Host: Kieran Walsh, Audinate
Day/Time: Wednesday 10 May, 10.00 - 15.00
Location: Wellington Room
ALD PANEL SESSION: THE CHALLENGES
OF LIGHTING PERFORMANCES IN
NON-TRADITIONAL SPACES
Leeds is home to many theatre companies
that make and explore performance outside
the confines of a traditional built theatre.
Three weeks prior to PLASA Focus, Leeds
will host the Transform Festival, which
presents theatre work everywhere from
arts venues across Leeds, to city sites and
outdoor spaces. Outside the festival, Leeds
companies Slung Low, RashDash, Unlimited,
Riptide and others specialise in making
site-specific work in public places. This panel
will explore the challenges of lighting for
non-traditional spaces, using work based in
and around Leeds as case studies.
Host: The ALD
Day/Time: Wednesday 10 May, 12:15 - 13:15
Location: Bury Theatre
For the latest seminar information, plus
news on training and demo session, visit
the web address below.
P leeds.plasafocus.com/seminars
Phillips VL6000 Beam RCFs HDL 6A line array
makes UK debut now shipping

Philips Entertainment Lighting will show The new RCF HDL 6-A (pictured, below) is
its new mid-air effects fixture, the VL6000 a mini line array which features two 6 neo
Beam (pictured, right). A large (14) front woofers and a 1.7 compression driver, all
aperture, using a new and exclusive Philips driven by a two-way 700W class D switching
ellipsoidal reflector array system, produces amplifier. Featuring a 100 x 10 custom
a retro-style searchlight effect, with a high waveguide and FIR phase filters, the HDL
output, tight, collimated shaft of light. 6-A delivers coherent distribution of the
A new line-up of versatile fixtures for sound throughout its operating range, the
television studio and location lighting will company says. Weighing in at 11.5kg, it is
also be shown. Our strong heritage in the smallest and lightest line array in the
producing camera-ready Fresnels and panel RCF product stable.
lights has extended to include softlights and Stand: N-D20
weatherproof portable location fixtures, P www.rcfaudio.co.uk
the company says. We have transitioned to
LED technology but retained the required
attributes and performance and will be
showing the new 400F and 200F on our
stand at the show.
Stand: N-E16
P www.philips.com/showline

PLASA Focus Leeds: 9-10 May

Royal Armouries Museum

LEEDS | 9-10 MAY, 2017

Visit us on
Stand N-C27 I P S
IMPACT
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WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 63
f VIEWPOINT
rigging call #68
Managing Risk
Engaging the right person to do the planning is just
as important as having the right person to supervise
and the right people to do the work . . .
About seven years ago in this column (yes, I have
been droning on that long), I observed that the hi-vis
safety culture was getting a bit out of hand. The
fact that runners and cyclists now often wear pink as a way of
remaining more visible tells us its real. I fully appreciate that
there are many occasions where a blanket rule is the easiest
way to serve the needs of the worker, the employer and the
venue, but we are still missing the point to an extent and it
worries me that every day that goes by is another day wasted to
start to set things straight.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK is very
aware of these trends and whilst the current Helping GB work
well campaign is more visibly engaged with high-risk industries,
long-term health risks and, increasingly, mental health, the
education of new workers and maintaining standards are key
messages too.
So what does this mean for the rigging community? The
strategy states that managing risks shouldnt be complicated
or expensive and that information and support needs to be
available quickly and easily to help employers understand and
fulfil their duties. In the freelance world, employer status can be
hard to pin down, but employers need to know when people are
their responsibility. Many businesses paying freelancers have
the same duties to their casual or irregular workers (to quote
www.gov.uk) as employers of those on PAYE do with regard to
matters of health and safety.
The Managing risk theme of the campaign concerns how
a deep understanding of occupational health risk can be
embedded into an apprentices long-term memory by learning
occupational health through experiencing risk. Blended
learning is used to make the information interesting, even fun,
to discover and then implement. Although this emphasis is on
health, you can apply it to safety too: being told to wear hi-vis
isnt being taught health and safety at college. This is about
education; its about understanding the root causes of risk and
how to avoid them in the first place.
Widespread use of PPE might look good, but it masks
other issues. The recent fatality in Germany where a worker
fell 16m onto another worker who died as a result shows
us that exclusion zones below work at height are more
important than any amount of PPE. Systems of work need
to be implemented as well. Who does that, when they do
it and how they do it is for the employer to decide, often in
collaboration with the venue and the producer or organiser.
The employer may have the arrangements in place but who
is responsible for carrying them out - and crucially, do they
know what the arrangements are? Sadly, its often only when
64 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
things go wrong that they find out.
As I wrote last time, I think its fair to say many workers
are frequently more informed than their employers in some
respects. Equally true is that many organisations have all
the paperwork in place but what is written never makes it
to the stage. Worse yet, supervisors often dont know what
policy there is to enforce or what duties a supervisor has.
This is where I think that, as an industry, we need to be very
careful with respect to lifting operations and work at height.
The Helping GB work well campaign is a helpful flag to sail
under.
Although unconnected, there are two other initiatives worthy
of note. Stop The Drop is a campaign by the Events Industry
Alliance (EIA) aimed at improving work at height safety. The
website offers a number of clear, factual guidance sheets
and signposts readers to other related information. It has
been developed by the EIA and industry experts via a number
of specialist working groups from the industry and its trade
associations.
Not yet as fully formed is a collaboration between HSE,
SOLT/Theatre UK and the ABTT to help controlling minds in
ensuring that appropriate risk management arrangements are
in place for productions they produce or receive. This links well
with CDM 2015, since anything construction-related, such as
rigging or building sets, contains many of the same duties and
the requirement to ensure the right competence exists at every
level of responsibility and area of activity.
The idea of learning through experiencing risk, as in the
apprentices scheme mentioned, is very relevant. If youve never
worked below a rigger in a roof, are you competent to identify
appropriate control measures that your employer expects
supervisors to implement on stage?
The law requires a competent person to carry out a risk
assessment to identify the actual risks, not the perceived
risks picked up by someone deemed competent by somebody
(literally) incompetent. There needs to be trust; asking a
competent person for help is often thought to make a job more
expensive. Engaging the right person to do the planning is just
as important as having the right person to supervise and the
right people to do the work.
This is the bit we all struggle with; as the column was
about last time, who knows whos competent? Its about
ability, knowledge and experience, but its also about the
moral dimension. That helps inform the level of detail to which
things need to be taken. If you really dont get it and you only
do it because of health and safety then risk isnt going to be
effectively managed, is it? I
 rea
D igm
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www.prolyte.com Find out more on www.prolyte.com/bgr70
i TECH

video matters
Hippotizer V4 presses Play | By Richard Cadena

There are picture modiers including brightness, contrast and saturation,

colour effects and a host of other effects like blurs, masks, chromakey,
strobing, water effects, lens ares and a lot more. I counted 120 effects . . .

When Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc

Andreessen said in 2011 that software is eating the
world, he was referring specifically to companies like
Uber and Amazon who are disrupting established industries
like taxicab companies and retail sellers. But his message
resonated with every business that could potentially be
disrupted by a startup or competitor.
In the entertainment industry, software isnt necessarily
eating the world but its definitely helping itself to a large
serving of hardware, so many manufacturers are making space
in their product lines for software applications to supplement
their existing products or to entice users to try them, hoping to
hook them and reel them in. And it might be working.
The advantages of a software-based platform are many.
Software can easily be updated, whereas hardware takes much
longer and costs more to develop. Software can be quickly and
easily distributed, costing almost nothing to ship or deliver. And
computer hardware has been commoditised to the point where B Zookeeper is the main control surface where you can congure layers,
play media, apply effects, and more.
its difficult to turn a profit selling it, especially if the platform
is PC-based. There is no more competitive field than selling
computer hardware.
In our tiny industry, companies thrive on selling new
products, and if they cant earn a profit they quickly go out of run on a Mac running Bootcamp (but not VMware or Parallels),
business or flounder. So the idea of having a software-based and that the language has to be set to English with a US or UK
product can be very appealing. And thats probably why so keyboard setting. The minimum hardware requirements include
many lighting consoles and media servers now have off-line an Intel i5 or i7 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and 6GB of storage. They also
editors that emulate the hardware and allow you to prep and/or recommend using a computer with a discrete AMD (Radeon) or
programme a show using no more than a laptop loaded with the NVidia graphics card rather than an integrated video card. For
latest software. best results, they recommend an Intel fourth generation CPU or
newer, 8GB of RAM, a solid-state hard drive with at least 20GB
PRESS PLAY of free space, an AMD discrete graphics card with at least 2GB
Green Hippo, the London-based manufacturer and developer of of GDDR5 RAM, OpenGL 4.3, and a 19201080 display or better.
video hardware and software (they also recently opened a new I ran it on a Microsoft Surface Book with an Intel Core i5 and 8
office in Glendale, a suburb of Los Angeles), recently launched a Gb of RAM and it worked very well.
new software application called Play that allows you to demo their
Hippotizer V4 media server on your laptop or other computer. Up WHATS IN THE BOX?
until now, if you wanted to use the Hippo, you had to have one Play comes with everything you need to programme a Hippo
of their dedicated hardware solutions like Amba, Karst, Boreal, show, which includes the Engine, the user interface (Zookeeper)
Taiga or Portamus. Besides taking the media server for a spin, the and HippoLauncher, the management tool, although it appears
software application also allows you to pre-programme a show to only offer two layers as opposed to the 16 offered by their
with a visualiser and encode your media to ensure that it will run hardware products.
properly. Its not a bad way to learn how to use the media server, Play also includes Shape, which is a 3D projection-mapping
and thats a win for both users and for Green Hippo. software tool. It allows you to either import a 3D set or create
The software is free to download, and it runs on Windows one using primitive objects (plane, sphere, box or cylinder) in
8.1 or Windows 10 64-bit version. Green Hippo says that it can order to plan your 3D projection mapping onto complex objects

For Richard Cadena, the road to authoring

books and magazine articles ran through
High End Systems and Martin, took a left
turn at designer, tech, and electrician, and
is still under construction.

66 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

in real-time. Once you have your projectors in the model you can
blend, mask and warp them to your hearts content.
The Engine is the part of the Hippo system that renders
video and works with external control like DMX, and it has
no user interface; all of the control is handled by Zookeeper.
The Zookeeper start page is a hub with access to the various
control elements including mixes, viewports, a visualiser, media,
outputs and configuration. It also has custom layouts, quick
access buttons, settings, network configuration tools and more.

EFFECTS (ALMOST) UNLIMITED

The main control surface is where you can configure layers, play
media, apply effects and more. It opens when you select the
mixes button, and it allows you to select the source from
a media player, a live stream, relays (a way of sending video
from one layer, viewport or mix to another layer as another
source), or generated content. It has media playback controls,
which allow you to select the in-point, out-point, playback speed,
playback mode and more, including timecode synchronisation.
There are picture modifiers including brightness, contrast and
saturation, colour effects and a host of other effects like blurs,
masks, chromakey, strobing, water effects, lens flares and a lot
more. I counted 120 effects in total, and you can apply two at
a time. Zookeeper also allows you to apply geometric correction
and keystone correction, in addition to scaling. Along the
bottom of the Zookeeper window are banks of media and a grid
of thumbnails where you can choose a particular file.
Hippotizer has modular software components that allow
you to customise your system for the intended purpose. You
can, for example, use the DMX and CITP components to
trigger the media server from a lighting console, or you can
use the timeline component to run the show from a computer.
Components include a pixel mapper, screen warper, macro
manager, video mapper, pin bridge, DMX control, sync
component, LED component, visualiser, media manager, output
manager, CITP component and preset manager. There is much
more to Hippo than space allows for a complete discussion, so
I highly recommend that you download Play and check out their
online tutorials.
Ive had very little experience with Hippo but it all seems very
logically laid out and relatively easy to launch and use. But its
a powerful programme and it goes deep; I certainly dont know
all of its intricacies, which is something that I intend to address
now that I have Play loaded on my PC . . . I
P www.green-hippo.com

WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 67

PRODUCT NEWS

j LIGHTING & VIDEO

Elation introduces WW Prole HP

[USA] Elation Professional has introduced framing system allow for full control of the
the WW Profile HP, a high-power version of its beam shape. The fixture supports B-size metal
warm-white ellipsoidal spot WW Profile fixture, or HT transparency gobos. Low-noise thermal
designed to project a superior quality of light fan cooling means the fixture can operate in
for a variety of white light illumination needs in noise sensitive environments, say Elation.
broadcast, worship or theatre environments. P www.elationlighting.com
Its 250W warm-white LED engine and
advanced optical system produce an output
of 14,000 lumens, more than twice the power
of its predecessor, with a flat field of soft,
warm-white light and a high CRI of >91, the
company says.
Multiple interchangeable lens options (19,
26, 36 and 50 - sold separately) add to its
flexibility, while manual focus and a 4-blade

PR Lighting introduces IP-rated luminaires

[China] PR Lighting used the GET Show LED Creative debuts
in Guangzhou to launch its first waterproof
moving head, the Aqua 440 Beam. An IP44-
Byte Controller
rated version of the XR 440 Beam, it uses
an Osram 440W lamp to produce a punchy,
parallel beam with 3.1 beam spread, the
company says. The engine of the XLED 4007
Beam is provided by the 7 x 40W RGBW
4-in-1 LEDs, the colours of which can be
independently controlled.
Also new was the IP67-rated XPar
150 Zoom, designed for extreme outdoor
conditions such as building faades,
landscaping and so on. With multi-chip (4-in-1)
150W COB LED and linear zoom, it is ideal for
applications requiring RGBW colour mixing or
high quality white light, the company says.
P www.pr-lighting.com [UK] Designed and built by the LED
Creative in house technical team, the
Byte Controller has been developed to
work in unison with the LED Creative
Sigma product range. Created to
City Theatrical DMXcat is now shipping allow maximum artistic control with
[USA] City Theatricals DMXcat Multifunction minimum programming time and
Test Tool is now shipping and available through a greatly reduced DMX footprint,
City Theatrical dealers worldwide. The DMXcat Byte offers precise, intelligent pixel
makes it easy to control, analyse or test any DMX management, easily handling up to
lighting fixture, whether a simple LED PAR or a 300px per output or up to 1200px across
complex moving light, the company says. The an eight-output unit, the company says.
system consists of a small hardware dongle and Byte permits outputs to be
a suite of mobile applications which combine to addressed individually or grouped, thus
bring wireless DMX and RDM control, plus several solving several common real world
other useful functions, to the users smartphone. LED pixel issues by allowing control
The DMXcat solves the problem of how to turn on and test DMX lighting equipment as individual fixtures, the same fixture
without using a complicated lighting console. The DMXcat hardware dongle is a compact or as part of grouped fixtures. Solid
battery-powered unit which can be carried in a pocket or tool pouch, or worn on a belt. It and lightweight, with acoustic silent
uses Bluetooth LE technology for communication with the smartphone applications within cooling, Byte is suitable for studio and
a range of 50ft (15m). theatre use, or environments where
The devices five pin XLRF connector/cable assembly allows it to be connected to a ambient noise levels need to be kept
point in a DMX data chain to allow testing and/or control of the various DMX/RDM channel to an absolute minimum, says LED
functions. Battery life is over 20 hours and it is charged using a standard USB to Micro- Creative.
USB cable and charger, the manufacturer says. P www.led-creative.co.uk
P www.citytheatrical.com

68 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

 Laserworld presents the Purelight
Series Doughty debuts
[Europe] Laserworlds pole-operated
new Purelight Series
offers powerful white
yoke
light RGB laser systems [UK] Doughty
with a power range Engineering has
covering 6W, 10W and introduced a new
20W. The three offered pole-operated
RGB systems have a yoke, set to be
good white balance with of particular
homogeneous beam profile and analogue colour modulation, the benefit to the
company says. film and TV
The new lasers have a compact housing, designed to easily industry. The
integrate with existing lighting setups, and have a rugged mounting new model is
bracket for mounting in standing and hanging position. Laserworld modular in design and can be made exactly to customer
Purelight systems are suitable for shows that require longer beam specification from existing stock - hence a quick
distances such as festivals or bigger stage shows. turnaround between order and delivery, says Doughty.
The Purelight laser systems are extremely efficient, especially for Designed to stretch and shorten to fit any sized light,
their low price, said Norbert Stangl, CMO of the Laserworld Group, the yoke is fitted to a light with two cups which pan and
who co-developed the Purelight systems. There is a significant need tilt - and being pole-operated, this enables the operator
of strong laser systems for festivals and large stages at a low price, to make any adjustments from the ground, taking away
which became obvious over the last few months. Due to the large the need to have ladders cluttering up the set and posing
manufacturing quantities and technical developments we had the potential safety hazards, the company adds.
chance to dramatically reduce the production costs. P www.doughty-engineering.co.uk
P www.laserworld.com/en

H arlequins event and display

floors are the industry choice
for events, concerts, entertainment,
production and TV shows.

Harlequins Hi-Shine and Reversible

floors and bespoke, made to
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EVENT
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FLOOR
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EXPERTS www.harlequinfloors.com

WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 69

PRODUCT NEWS

x AUDIO

Sennheisers Digital 6000 now shipping

[Europe] The latest member of Sennheisers professional wireless
microphone range, the Digital 6000, is now shipping. Incorporating the
Long Range transmission mode and proprietary audio codec from the
top-of-the-range Digital 9000 series, Digital 6000 delivers impeccable RF
wireless and audio performance, the company says.
The Digital 6000 series comprises a two-channel receiver, available in
two different versions, a bodypack and a handheld transmitter, and a rack-
mount 19 charging unit. The receivers switching bandwidth of 244MHz
(470-714MHz) is covered by three transmitter versions (470-558MHz, 550-
638MHz, and 630-718MHz). Up to eight receiver units can be daisy-chained
without the need for an additional antenna splitter; the multi-channel
system will work with a single pair of antennas. System latency is 3ms.
Digital 6000 is compatible with Digital 9000 in long-range mode and
with the EK 6042 digital/analogue camera receiver, say Sennheiser.
P www.sennheiser.com

Nexo releases management software for Mac

Adamson launches
Load Library V4
[Canada] Adamson Systems
Engineering has released Load Library
V4, elevating the sonic performance
of Adamson products in the field to
a whole new level the company says.
All Adamson loudspeakers are
now presented as a single module in
Lake Controller, simplifying the output
routing process and speeding up group
assignments. It presents a cleaner and
more streamlined workflow, especially
with all loudspeakers utilising linear
phase crossovers, as only half of the total
modules are present on the workspace.
Another feature new to V4 is its
improved limiting structure. The
refinement of the peak limitation
capabilities of the Lab.gruppen PLM,
PLM +, and D Series amplifiers
has allowed for both increased
headroom and a cleaner transient
response when paired with Adamson
loudspeakers. Finally, Array Shaping is
now available as a recallable Overlay.
This streamlines the Array Shaping
procedure, eliminating the need to
recall Sub-System files containing
pre-made groups and allowing the
user to take advantage of all 28
available groups in Lake Controller
while cutting down on the amount of
DSP used in the workspace.
Load Library V4 is now available
from the Adamson website, and
the individual module files will be
available shortly in the accompanying
installation Load Library file when
installing Lake Controller 6.5.1.
P www.adamsonsystems.com
[France] A new version of Nexos
NeMo system management software
makes it available for the first time on
the macOS platform and introduces
premium features and functionality
that will transform operational control
of Nexo systems, the company says.
The new software includes
powerful advances in remote control
and monitoring of Nexo NXAMP
controller-amplifiers, accessed direct
from a Mac laptop, which can now be
plugged into the NXAMP. Users can
monitor the electronic parameters of amplifiers over a wireless network, in real or past-time,
and store the data as a log. It also makes it easier to exploit advanced sensing functions in
the NXAMP which help protect loudspeaker cabinets.
An offline mode is now available (in the macOS version). The user can create offline
devices, edit their settings and later match them to online devices, using a device
identification feature. Using custom control panels, users can create interfaces which offer
an extraordinary level of control, described by Nexo sales manager Gareth Collyer as
a complete game-changer for the use of NXAMPs.
P www.nexo-sa.com
Shure expands integration with Yamaha desks
[USA] Shure has announced expanded
integration between its Axient, QLXD, and
ULXD wireless microphone systems and
Yamaha CL and QL series mixing consoles.
With Yamahas firmware version 4.1, sound
engineers can monitor and control key
features of these wireless systems from the
mix position. This delivers a significantly-
enhanced working environment and an impressive degree of system integration between the
components that audio professionals use for the most challenging live events, says Shure.
Sound engineers can discover connected wireless systems; identify and map each system to
the desired input channel; monitor transmitter battery status, RF, and audio signal level; and adjust
receiver audio output level when Shure AXT400, QLXD4, or ULXD4 digital receivers are connected to
the same network as a CL or QL series console. With Axient wireless systems, transmitter input gain
can even be controlled remotely from the mixing console through the ShowLink Access Point.
P www.shure.com

70 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

 D STAGING & ACCESSORIES

Pointman debuts Flex-Phase eLumen8 releases

hoist new staging range
[UK] The Prolight Concepts
[USA] Pointman Lifting Group has released a new range
Products has introduced of staging and decks under the
the Flex-Phase hoist. eLumen8 brand, suitable for
Initially available in the indoor and outdoor applications.
1/4T capacity Model S unit, The eLumiDeck platforms can be
this new to market hoist supported by Prolights range of
gives users the flexibility of legs, and feature rubber feet and
powering their hoist with cross beams to ensure stability
either 115V single-phase whilst an anti-slip layer and other
power or 230V three-phase accessories including handrails,
power, without changing stair sets and ramp systems
any parts in the hoist. provide easy access and safety.
With a lifting capacity of The eLumiDeck range is
500lbs at 16ft per minute constructed of specially designed
regardless of operating lightweight, waterproof, aluminium
voltage, Flex-Phase is a sections in which platforms can
suitable tool for companies be joined together to create the
whose projects run the stage platform desired. eLumiDeck
range from small events projects up to large tradeshow events. The compact chassis and low platforms have a maximum load of
self-weight of the SM series platform combine to make the Flex-Phase hoist easy for crews 750kg/sq.m and a weight of 29kg
to handle, and leaves more of the rigging points capacity for the support of the production for the ED2X1 (2 x 1m), making
equipment. A Flex-Phase unit fitted with 60ft of lift weighs in at less than 50lb. them strong, durable and easy to
This hoist meets a need for a very large segment of our industry. In many cases the transport, the company says.
convenience of a single-phase hoist is the difference between an easy load in, or a larger labour This new range from eLumen8
call, says Elmer Veith, Flex-Phase project lead. Not having to carry a duplicate inventory of has a range of features that
hoists to cover those cases means you can take on any project without worrying if you can get ensures stability, easy access
the right power or the right hoist. Its liking getting two hoists in one body. and safety making them ideal for
Flex-Phase hoists will work with a single channel control pendant, or can be operated from schools, universities, hotels, resorts
most hoist controllers manufactured for the entertainment industry. and conference centres, says
P www.pointmanlifting.com Andrew Jeffrey, managing director
of The Prolight Concepts Group.
The durable waterproof plywood
construction, with an anti-slip layer,
SEND YOUR PRODUCT NEWS TO: ensures a long product life with
years of use.
news@lsionline.com P //prolight.co.uk

Music to your in-ears

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WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 71

i TECH
help desk
DALI: Trials & Tribulations | By Wayne Howell
Ten years ago, DALI was not
a lighting control protocol that
regularly came up on my radar.
DMX512 was king and DALI was perceived as a
cheap solution for switching fluorescent lamps.
Today, my company, Artistic Licence,
ships the same quantity of DMX512 and DALI
infrastructure products. So what changed? The
answer can be simply put as convergence. We
have seen the commercial and retail markets
converging with the feature and theatrical
markets. It is now perfectly normal for a theatre
to want to control their DALI house lights from
the lighting console. Equally, a corporate foyer
with DALI controlled lights may well need to
take control of a DMX512 fixture.
From a technology perspective this is all very
do-able. What has not kept pace is knowledge
and education for specifiers and installers. It is fair
to say that our support desk sees a much higher
level of DALI questions compared to DMX512 - and
the questions seem to repeat. This article distils
the regular questions and hopefully will provide
a cheat-sheet for installers and specifiers . . .
POWER
The single biggest cause of confusion with DALI is the bus power
supply. DALI controllers can be thought of as similar to volt-free
relays. The controller is sending data by repeatedly shorting the two
wires together. Absolutely no data will travel over those wires unless
someone connects a voltage, and this is the purpose of the bus
power supply. It is a 16V DC power supply designed with
a special current limiting circuit. A DALI circuit must have a bus
power supply connected somewhere. There are no exceptions - it will
not work otherwise. The good news is that the bus power supply can
be attached anywhere on the DALI circuit. It may even be built in to
the DALI controller - so you need to check the user guide.
When looking at a system drawing for a DALI installation,
expect to see three categories of power supply. There should be
power for the fixtures. There should be a DALI bus power supply.
And there should be a power supply for the DALI controller.
Sometimes these are merged together, but if you count fewer
than three power supply categories - be sure you know why!
CONVERSION
The next most frequent support issue is usually phrased
something like: The fades seem awfully steppy . . .
DALI is over 200 times slower than DMX512. It was not
designed for subtle, real-time colour mixing. If you try to make
a simplistic conversion from DMX512 to DALI and run big
colour wave effects, it will look rubbish!
That is not to say you cant link DMX and DALI, you certainly
can. But it requires some planning. DALI has some clever
addressing modes called groups. Each DALI circuit has
16 groups and they can be controlled fairly quickly. When
converting DMX512 to DALI, think in terms of
either broadcast or group addressing.
COMMISSIONING Wayne Howell is the CEO of Artistic
The phrase that sends shivers through our Licence, the lighting controls
support team is So what is commissioning company that he founded in 1988.
then? Wayne invented Art-Net and
Each DALI circuit can contain up to 64 is actively involved in the ESTA
fixtures. These fixtures will be supplied by the technical standards programme.
72 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
manufacturer in an un-commissioned state.
Commissioning is the process by which each of
these fixtures is assigned a number in the range
1-64 (the so-called short-address). This short-
address is used by the controller to individually
control each fixture.
In almost all situations, you will need to
commission the DALI fixtures before the controller
can do anything. The commissioning process is
not complex, simply connect a commissioning
tool to the DALI circuit and press the button.
There is one situation where commissioning
is not essential: if the DALI controller does not
need individual control and all the fixtures are
to be controlled as a group. In this situation,
the controller can operate in broadcast mode
and commissioning is not needed.
CABLE & POLARITY
The cable used for DALI is not specialist - you
can use mains cable. The maximum distance
is 300m but the gauge of the cable needs to
increase as distance increases. Using 1.5mm2
will cover most situations.
DALI is polarity independent. The two wires
can be connected either way around.
ADDRESSING MODES
I mentioned the DALI group addressing modes earlier, but it is
useful to have an overview of DALI addressing when designing
an installation. For those familiar with DMX512: DALI is totally
different. DMX512 is a streaming protocol, which means that all
512 channels are continuously refreshed. DALI is a vector protocol
which means that commands are sent to a fixture when a change
occurs. DALI has four different methods of sending data to the 64
fixtures that can be connected to a DALI circuit, as follows . . .
Scene: It is important to understand that the designers of
DALI viewed it as a system where commands would be issued
and fixtures would respond. Scene control underlines this
concept. Each fixture can be programmed to hold levels for up
to 16 different scenes. The controller can then trigger replay of
those scenes with variable fade rates. This is the most effective
DALI addressing mode as it requires very little bandwidth.
Broadcast: DALI evolved out of earlier and simpler protocols.
Broadcast addressing is how those earlier protocols (such as
DSI) worked. Essentially, all fixtures will follow each other. This
doesnt give much artistic freedom, but is very useful when you
just want to set the level of all fixtures in one room. It is very
bandwidth efficient and so provides very responsive control.
Channel: This allows the controller to set the level of each of
the 64 possible fixtures individually. This is a very bandwidth-
intensive process and trying to use this for real-time effects will
almost certainly not give good results.
Group: All of the 64 fixtures can be allocated to any of the 16
possible groups. This provides a good compromise between
Broadcast and Channel addressing. This is the
mode most widely used when using DALI for
dynamic real time effects.
SUMMARY
Artistic Licence has written a DALI Guide
which covers the above in more detail. It can
be downloaded from the link below . . . I
P //tinyurl.com/the-dali-guide
i TECHNICAL FOCUS
ON TEST
Wisycom MPR50-IEM and
MTK952 Wireless IEM Solution
Sound engineer Simon Allen puts Wisycoms new professional
IEM solution to the test . . .
Wireless considerations for shows of any size can
cause the biggest headache. As we all know from
first-hand experience, the number of channels
required, coverage and RF interference can seriously
jeopardise a production. Thats not to mention the
increasing rules and regulations we must follow
when using any wireless technology. The
moment wireless equipment is needed for
ABOUT THE EXPERT a production, we all get those little alarm
SIMON ALLEN bells ringing in our heads, which leave us
Simon Allen is an internationally planning how were going to achieve
recognised freelance engineer/ a reliable solution.
producer and pro audio professional
with over a decade of experience. Thankfully, technology has improved
Working mostly in music, his greatly and now most
reputation as a FOH and studio mix of the well-known
engineer continues to reach new manufactures offer
heights. solutions in at least
P simona@lsionline.com their third generation.
However, we are
still left with many
considerations and inevitable
teething issues. In our roles as
sound engineers and technical
crew working in the arts, we already
need to be competent with modern
computer technology, even just
to edit an EQ. We are ultimately
the link between the art and the
technology, which in-turn delivers
the performance to the audience.
As part of that job description,
were also expected to have
a degree-level understanding of RF
technology.
C MPR50-IEM receiver
74 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
Is there a simpler way? There has to be a solution that
at least minimises the stresses we face; a solution
that can meet the specifications required for any
date on a world tour, without the need for multiple
RF packages. Surely theres an IEM system for
performers which they can rely on? Working behind-
the-scenes we will never know what its like to be
a performer and suddenly feel isolated, because your
IEM receiver has entered an RF dead patch. Some
fresh thinking has been required for some time, and
Wisycom may just have the answers . . .
FROM F1 TO STAGE
The systems we are already using in live sound have
been significantly improved through
their generations, but its no secret
there are limitations and performance
issues. There are, of course,
boundaries that simply go hand-in-
hand with RF technology, but as with
any technological advancement, we
need something that will work within
these boundaries whilst providing
enhanced performance. We might think
running a show with 25 cast members,
all on wireless microphones and IEMs,
is a challenge, but of course we havent
got it quite as bad as some broadcast
applications. Specifically, Formula 1.
F1 proves to be the ultimate testing
ground for wireless applications.
Broadcasters from all around the
world attend every F1 stage, and the
racing teams themselves use wireless
comms and data links to the cars.
Each broadcaster uses several
channels for wireless microphones,

IEM monitoring and comms, with the pit lane becoming an RF
soup. On top of the fight for clean RF bandwidth there are, of
course, the inherent challenges of covering such a large area,
often littered with inconvenient physical obstacles.
Wisycom has been designing and delivering wireless solutions
for the broadcast industry, in particular providing RF solutions
to F1 since 2012 via Wisycoms UK official partner, Raycom.
This is proven technology which has cut its teeth in the
broadcast world, including on some big productions such as
major film sets, Im A Celebrity and, of course, F1. Thanks to
the RF challenges faced at such events, Wisycoms technology
presents some significant benefits over what I will refer to as
our current tech in the live sound world.
The great news here is that Wisycom believes it can answer
some of the troubles we face in live sound and has released
a number of products for our industry. This includes its latest IEM
system, which comprises the MPR50-IEM belt-pack receiver and
the MTK952 dual-channel stereo transmitter. I have been lucky
enough to try this system and to understand, within the limits of
my sound engineering knowledge, the benefits that it offers.
SYSTEM OVERVIEW
At first glance, the MPR50-IEM belt-pack receiver and MTK952
dual-channel stereo transmitter look just like any other
professional IEM solution. They offer all the usual features and
methods of operation that were already accustomed to; anyone
who knows their way around a Sennheiser or Shure IEM system
will immediately feel at home with this. I think thats really
important and will help our industry adopt what is, underneath
the user interface, quite different technology. Many broadcast
products try and venture into the live sound world and fail,
simply because not enough effort was put into the front end.
B Front and rear of the MTK952 transmitter
ON TEST WYSICOM WIRELESS IEM SYSTEM
This is a more exciting product for
the live sound world than many will
realise. The technical advantages
of the true diversity receiver and
the systems extended bandwidth
speak for themselves . . .
The first difference we notice, however, are two antennas on
the belt-pack receiver. Sennheiser, for example, states that the
headphone cable plugged into its belt-packs act as a second
antenna. There are, of course, other dual antenna receivers
around. The major difference with the MPR50-IEM is that this is
the first true diversity receiver weve ever had. This means that
as well as the two antennas, there are also two receivers inside
the pack. The strongest signal from the two receivers is then
calculated and sent to the headphone amplifier.
The MPR50-IEM is ever-so-slightly larger than perhaps some
other brands, but it is still very compact and extremely robust.
The build quality is excellent, with a smart screen and front
panel controls. I also found the simple belt clip to be really
effective and easy to use. A small detail, but a big one when it
comes to running around on stage with one.
The only surprise for me is that theyve built a true diversity unit,
but placed the antennas only a few centimetres apart. However,
during my testing I can certainly say that it works. I had to go
a very long way from the transmitter before any slight RF noises
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 75
ON TEST WYSICOM WIRELESS IEM SYSTEM
were apparent, and walking around several buildings
with complicated structures had hardly any effect on
the reception, if at all. Raycom claims the true diversity
technology roughly provides 40% more range and
greater reliability.
The obvious way to increase coverage is to emit
a stronger radio signal. This is, of course, limited
by regulations - in our live sound world, the limit is
a standard 10mW signal (or 50mW for body-worn).
However, the MTK952 transmitter is capable of providing
a signal up to 2W, which - according to the experts -
should easily cover three miles. The power output can be
managed from the front panel of the transmitter, but of
course you would need to check the regulations for your
event and acquire any necessary licenses. However, its
good news that the power is there.
As a slight side note for a few, Wisycom is also
developing an RF-Over-Fiber solution in the form of the
MFL Fiberbox BX1-4U. This is, again, new technology
which the majority of our industry isnt likely to need,
but it might prove useful for stadium shows, multi-
stage festival sites or even to transmit broadcast
signals from a site. However, its interesting to note
these advancements and that the tech isnt just
coming, its already here.
Another, as yet unseen feature this IEM solution
offers is the wide tuning range. Every system ships
with a 232MHz bandwidth in the 470-798MHz range.
This answers so many issues we face on a daily basis
when it comes to which channels we can use where.
In particular, it will permit any touring shows and any
rental equipment crossing from one territory to another,
able to fall in line with different regulations. The tours
that have to travel with two sets of RF racks plus all
their redundancy could make huge savings with
a system like this, only requiring a single rack. Wisycom
is also at the forefront of working with the authorities
for more available RF spectrum. Apparently, the
company is already in talks to look at using a new DME
band, where more channels might become available.
This might not effect us now, but certainly places
confidence in Wisycom.
When it comes to setting up and tuning these units,
they operate in the same way as most other modern
wireless equipment. Scanning a location for available
76 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
frequencies is possible, of course, and each unit comes
with pre-programmed inter-mod channels for the entire
bandwidth. For the 232MHz bandwidth, thats a total of
40 groups of 60 channels. Setting the transmitter and
receiver to the same channel is done via the IR sync
method were already used to. Coming soon
(I understand as an update available for these units) is
a narrow bandwidth option. This new technology
will take the standard 200kHz bandwidth for each
channel down to 100kHz, providing twice the number
of channels. This has been achieved by significantly
reducing the RF noise floor. This is quite exciting
considering the reduction of channels.
MUSIC TO MY EARS
All the technicalities about bandwidth, coverage
and avoiding drop-outs thanks to true diversity is fair
enough, but none of this would matter if the units
sounded terrible. IEMs in particular are
required to give a performer the full sonic
bandwidth, a good dynamic range and
low latency. These are areas that have
historically been overlooked, or
sacrificed for technical reasons,
in the broadcast world. However,
Andy Clements and Pyers Easton
at Raycom are keen to explain
that these latest products place
a great deal of focus on sonic
performance.
B From top: Pyers used the phrase only as strong as its
weakest link, when discussing the technicalities
The system in use
involved in designing such transmitters and receivers.
for Lukas Graham
The problems all manufacturers face when designing
at sterbro
Stadion a wireless IEM system (or wireless microphone for that
matter), are the various stages required to move the
ACM50 rack
audio signal. For example, just to mention a few stages:
battery charger
theres an AD converter followed by compression, RF
CSI16T RF transmission, detection and expansion, DA converter
combiner
and, finally, the headphone amp. This very basic
LNNA wideband outline demonstrates the number of instances for
UHF antenna signal degradation, especially after appreciating the
gain staging required throughout as well. Pyers was
confident in explaining that Wisycom has invested
a lot of effort in all these areas and believes the results
speak for themselves.
Id certainly have to agree with Pyers. The resulting
sound from these units is excellent. With my studio
ears on I could be picky, but that isnt fair. In
comparison to my experience with other IEM systems
and the world of live sound, this system is very
impressive. There is a very clear stereo image with
a good dynamic range. Sometimes, as Im sure we all
have, Ive had singers in particular ask to remove the
compressor from their voice - even if you havent used

WISYCOM IEM SYSTEM
TECH SPEC
FEATURES
M Up to 232MHz bandwidth in
470 to 798MHz range
M True Diversity Receiver with
two whip antennas
M 200mW peak audio power
M Separate release/attack
compander
M Miniature design with 2 AA
battery pack integrated
(body-pack form factor) or
rechargeable lithium pack
M Dedicated function buttons
& frequency scan function
M 128x64 OLED (white)
display
M FM Stereo MPX decoding
with mix-mode function
M Automatic transmitter
programming through
infrared and micro-USB
M Weight: 100g approx.
without batteries
one at all. Equally, tonal changes dont always get
reflected on some lesser standard IEM systems,
without dramatic EQ curves. With these I was
able to make EQ adjustments and clearly hear the
effect of the EQ.
The idea that the complete chain of events
in these systems has to be high quality and
accurate isnt new thinking. We all know as sound
professionals that your signal chain has to be as
good as possible from start to finish. The efforts
that Wisycom has put into all the tech inside
these units is apparent. Theres a lot of different
technology that the company had to get right and
pull together for these to be a success. Wisycoms
experience in this field is certainly clear to the ear.
As well as the impressive dynamic range that has
been achieved in AF and RF transmission, the
headphone amp on the MPR50-IEM belt-pack is very
clean and powerful. The amp is rated at 200mW
peak audio power at 32 Ohms. You can even change
the resistance setting of the headphone output to 16
Ohms. With this power and the extended dynamic
range, I didnt experience any clipping or negative
side-effects when using this system. Theres plenty
of headroom to play with, which is a pleasure
compared with trying to squeeze an IEM mix that
actually makes any sense into a singers transmitter.
ON TEST WYSICOM WIRELESS IEM SYSTEM
CONCLUSION
This is a more exciting product for the live sound
world than many will realise. The technical
advantages of the true diversity receiver and
the systems extended bandwidth speak for
themselves. This is a really reliable product that
has been tested and proved in some of the most
demanding scenarios. There are cost savings
too, particularly for larger shows which may have
otherwise required more than one RF rack to
comply with different regulations. This will also be
a benefit to rental companies, who will be able to
offer a wide coverage of the usable RF spectrum
with any number of these units.
Thanks to Wisycoms user interface and great
build quality, it doesnt feel like this is an entirely
new and alienating system. These units are ready
for life on the road with any tour tomorrow, and
the technicians wont need to spend ages learning
about the new kit. Performers too are able to start
using the belt-packs with ease, benefiting from the
high sound quality. This is new tech that delivers
a much-needed answer to several issues we are
facing with wireless technology. Whats really smart
though, is how easy this will be to integrate. I
P www.wisycom.com
P www.raycom.co.uk
WWW.LSIONLINE.CO.UK SEPTEMBER
WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2016
2017 77
i TECH

technology focus
ETC Gio@5 Console | By Richard Cadena

. . . you dont really know a console intimately until youve spent some time
programming a show when the clock is ticking and people are looking over
your shoulder, breathing down your neck, expecting you to create magic . . .

Choosing the right console can be an agonising

decision, and its one that you have to live with for
a long time. Youll spend hours and hours sitting behind
it, pressing its buttons, dialing its encoders, setting its faders, and
staring at its displays, and if you make a poor choice, those hours
can feel torturous.
The good news is that there are lots of really good consoles
from which to choose. The bad news is that there are a lot of
really good consoles from which to choose, which can make
the decision that much more difficult. But it helps to narrow
your choices if you have a preference for a particular operating
system and you already have experience with it. It helps even
more if the console youre considering is made by a company
known for its control systems, and they have a console that fits
your needs and budget.
ETC might be that company, and their new Gio@5 console
could be that console. Its a more compact and more affordable
version of the full-sized Gio (@5 is the syntax for setting the
intensity to 50%), and it recently started shipping. The new
B The Gio@5 shares a lot in common with the full-sized Gio console,
including its backlit control keypad and navigation keys. The Gio@5
console nicely fits in the Eos family of consoles between the Ion
has a 17 touchscreen, ve motorised playbacks and load buttons, and
and the Gio, and because it runs the same operating system as 24 customisable hard keys
the Eos Ti and the rest of the line, the chances are you already
know how to programme it.
Much of the hardware is identical to the full-sized Gio. The the other hand, the Gio has a MIDI in and a MIDI out, while
Gio@5 has the same backlit control keypad and navigation keys the @5 does not. But you can use one of the seven USB ports
as does the Gio, but it has one touchscreen instead of two, and to connect a USB-to-MIDI adaptor, which you can buy at any
five motorised playbacks and load buttons instead of 10. The music store, and it will behave exactly as does the Gio MIDI
end result is that the @5 is a medium-sized console with a 25.5 function.
(641mm) footprint and weighing about 50 pounds (22.5kg). Its The Gio@5 is available with 2,048 to 32,768 outputs (or DMX
small enough that one person can lift it out of its case and carry slots) and it can be upgraded in increments of 1,024, 2,048,
it (I carried it up the stairs to my office), although when its in its or 4,096. It comes with a total of 16,000 control channels (or
case, its much too big to fit in an overhead airline bin and youll fixtures), but they can be labelled any number between 1 and
probably need a second person to help lift it. 99,999. There are two individually configurable Ethernet ports,
I have always liked programming consoles using the and the networking capabilities of the Eos family of consoles are
command line, probably because Im a fairly decent touch as good as it gets. Eos, Gio, and Ion consoles can be networked
typist, but nothing beats a good touchscreen for easy, direct and partitioned among up to 12 users with restricted access
selection and control of fixtures, especially when you use magic using assigned channels, and they can be used for backup with
sheets. The multi-touch LCD display is the same size as the Gio live tracking and the show data is automatically backed up to
(17), and it folds flat for transportation but it can be angled for consoles on the network.
use while you are standing or sitting. Its not new to Gio@5, but one of my favourite features of the
The four encoders on the @5 have haptic feedback, and Eos family of consoles is the ETCnomad off-line editor. It can
the five motorised faders have 100 pages with which to work. run on a Mac or a PC, and it doesnt require a lot of computer
If thats not enough, then there are optional motorised fader horsepower. It runs well on my Kangaroo PC, which costs all of
wings available so you can expand your playbacks 10 or 20 $100, and with my Dell 22 touchscreen monitor I can get
faders at a time. The @5 also has one master fader pair and a good jump-start on programming a show.
a keyboard drawer with a backlit keyboard. If you dont yet know how to programme
You can also connect two external monitors the Eos family of consoles, you have no
with or without touch or multi-touch control excuses. The documentation is very good,
with resolution of at least 1280 x 1024. For Richard Cadena, the road to and ETC hosts a lot of great classes. Ive taken
In a couple of areas, the @5 actually authoring books and magazine Ellen Whites Ion programming classes as
outdoes the Gio. First of all, it has 24 articles ran through High End well as David Kane and Matt Ardines pixel-
customisable hardkeys while the Gio has Systems and Martin, took a left turn mapping class, and when I need a refresher
12, and second of all, the @5 has four DMX at designer, tech, and electrician, I often rely on the online tutorials hosted by
output ports while the Gio has only two. On and is still under construction. Nick Gonsman and Steve Aldridge.

78 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM

 HelixNet

B The multi-touch LCD display articulates with the touch of a button. It

can fold at for transportation or it can be angled for use while you are
standing or sitting
HelixNet Digital Partyline
But the truth is, you dont really know a console intimately
until youve spent some time programming a show when the System for the best possible
clock is ticking and people are looking over your shoulder,
breathing down your neck, and expecting you to create magic production experience.
on demand. The next best thing is to woodshed with the console
and put it through some paces, which is what I had a chance to
do with the Gio@5. Having some familiarity with the Eos line of Full IP partyline intercom
consoles and the Eos OS, its not hard to draw the conclusion
that I would love to have this console on a show. Ive always
associated ETC consoles with theatre, but the company says
24 partyline channels in 1RU
the Gio@5 has everything a programmer needs to rock small,
live gigs - right out of the road case, and the short-throw All 12/24 PL channels plus any
motorised faders are designed for efficient busking, but if more
hands-on control is needed, the console can serve as a base 2-wire and 4-wire interfaces plus
for a customised, expanded work surface of plug-and-play
Motorised Fader Wings, external touchscreen monitors and any PGM inputs all on one cable
other accessories.
I think the 24 customisable hardkeys on the front panel might
also help in that regard if you can figure out some good macros
for playback. And it might be that the new version 2.5 software
has some improvements in that area as well. Either way, Im
sold. I
P www.etcconnect.com

WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 79

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WWW.LSIONLINE.COM APRIL 2017 81

f INTERVIEW
in prole
Phil Ward talks to Sue Harrison, Business Development Manager
for Bose Professionals Systems Division
. . . building a partner and customer base is a bit like growing plants
for your garden - you sow the seeds, nurture the seedlings and
then feed the growing plants until they bear fruit. If you neglect
your garden, it will wilt and die.
Working in an industry full of
men has never been a problem!
claims Sue Harrison, nailing the
glass ceiling question before its even
asked. And her reasoning is faultless:
36 years of marriage and three grown-
up sons, representing an industry in
themselves. No exhibition hall full of pro
audio testosterone could come close to
that kind of commitment, experience and
diplomacy.
Not that those qualities are in any short
supply when Harrison dons her black
Bose shirt and faces this business with
a signature warmth and understanding.
Around the time she first encountered
Bose as a PR client, some 16 years ago,
she expanded her horizons with an Open
University degree in International Studies,
graduating in 2003 - just for my own
enjoyment and to prove to myself that
I could achieve a 2:1, she says. She also
ran the London Marathon in 2002, proving
- in her own words - that shes never been
one to shy away from a challenge.
A huge organisation like Bose does
not pick its Business Development
Managers from the lowest hanging
fruit. The company had got to know her
professionally in a capacity that pays
dividends to this day, as she navigates the
direction and public image of
a multinational that - whisper it gently
- continues to manifest something
approaching soul.
I ran my own PR consultancy for over
20 years, she says, latterly working with
Bose Professional as a consultant from
2000. The working relationship was strong
from the start, as we shared common
values focusing on the customer, adding
value, honesty and integrity, and I found
myself taking on more than a PR role.
I started by adding media planning, and
moved on to other business development
roles such as lead generation and other
marketing activities. In 2006 I joined
Bose full-time as Business Development
82 APRIL 2017 WWW.LSIONLINE.COM
Specialist, and became Business
Development Manager shortly thereafter.
So what is business development, in
the Harrison lexicon? For me, business
development is all about making new
contacts, finding new project leads
and communicating with existing and
potential customers, whether it be trade
partners or end users. So I manage our
CRM database, keeping it up to date so
that were communicating with the right
people at the right time - and with relevant
information! I also manage our European
advertising schedule, ensuring that we
reach our target audience with ads that
are relevant.
We have a European marketing team
thats spread between the UK, Benelux,
Scandinavia, Germany and France, and
we have regular meetings to ensure
that our messaging is aligned across all
markets. Of course, my background in PR
will always mean that I favour work that
involves press releases, case studies and
networking with the media, but I can also
turn my hand to most activities that are
marketing-led.
At this stage, LSi should point out
that this appearance in print was entirely
unsolicited by Harrison or Bose, which
just goes to show that altruism has its
own rewards.
If I were to offer advice to anyone
coming into the industry now,
continues Harrison, I would say that
communication - whether it be via
newsletter, the printed media, social
media or picking up the phone - is
essential to business development.
I also believe that building a partner and
customer base is a bit like growing plants
for your garden - you sow the seeds,
nurture the seedlings and then feed the
growing plants until they bear fruit. If
you neglect your garden, it will wilt and
die - and the same goes for customer
relationships. It can be hard work, but it
can also be extremely rewarding.
Some of my most rewarding
achievements have come out of the blue
- a chance enquiry that led to a major
project for a Formula One team, or
a telephone call to a contractor that was
so well timed that we ended up kitting
out the whole of the latest Center Parcs
project with Bose. I also get a great deal
of pleasure out of good media coverage,
especially when it relates to a new
product or a project that I have worked on
for many months.
Bose is entering a new phase of pro
audio activity, one that will surely benefit
from Sue Harrisons habit of nurturing
things to fruition. Grown up sons, step
aside . . .
Over the years that I have worked
with Bose Professional, the company has
evolved tremendously. When I started,
we were introducing a new version of
the ubiquitous Panaray 802 - I think it
was series II - and had just launched the
Panaray MA12. A great deal of the work
was in the hospitality and retail sectors
and, although this is still a major focus for
us, were now moving into large venues
with our DeltaQ array technology in the
form of RoomMatch and ShowMatch
loudspeaker arrays - and, even more
recently, into conferencing with the new
ControlSpace EX conferencing system
that was launched at ISE and will be
available later this year.
We also now have a full amplifier
range, so are able to offer complete
solutions. These are exciting times for
Bose; as we enter new markets, we
develop a whole new network of partners
and customers. We have many existing
partners who are extremely loyal to the
brand, and for whom these new products
will open up new business opportunities.
It is exciting to be able to work with them
to develop their businesses alongside our
own. I
P //pro.bose.com
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 Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet Chapel, US

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Its about bass lovers and partygoers, sports supporters, music fans and absolute clarity connecting
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