Features

Companies driven by people doing what they love to do most are what make a "hometown hero." There's a lot of passion in this eclectic collection chosen by the readers of PLSN. Some are old, some are new, some gear is borrowed (a.k.a. cross-rented), and one company is even blue.

"If I had to point to a single event that made the biggest impact in the live event production industry, it would have to be the development of the Vari-Lite VL0," says PLSN editor Richard Cadena. "As the leader of the project development group that invented the very first commercially available automated lighting system, Jim Bornhorst helped move the industry a giant step forward."

It's not every day that the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) can celebrate their 100th anniversary National Scout Jamboree. The event, held July 26-Aug. 4 at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., with the main anniversary celebration held on July 31, drew more than 72,000, with production support from Alford Media, Annapolis Mobile Power, Clair Brothers, Christie Lites, CorporateMagic, Daktronics, EventsBum, Event Tech, GoVision and others.

The Projection Studio, Ross Ashton's London-based large format projection company, produced large-format projections on the walls of Edinburgh Castle for the 2010 Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo.

XL Video supplied video production for a series of shows in London's Hyde Park this summer, including the three-day Hard Rock Calling festival featuring Pearl Jam, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, the Wireless festival headlined by Pink, LCD Soundsystem and Jay-Z, and a Kings of Leon show in the middle, all promoted by Live Nation.

Lighting designer Simon Tutchener has been working with Mark Knopfler since 2002. He completed his first major tour with him in 2005. And he has been dealing the challenges of integrating video with the lighting design since – well, pretty recently, actually.

The month-long 2010 FIFA World Cup, played in 10 stadiums around South Africa, culminated in a match between Spain and Holland at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg, and in Spain's first World Cup victory by a score of 1-0.

QMDI Event Organizer hired Creative Communication Group (CCG) to produce the light and sound for the third Senior Convocation of Education City, an initiative sponsored by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.

It probably wasn't intended to serve as a commentary on the current outlook for the international economy, but the British electronica band, Faithless, was booked to perform during the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia in mid-June.

Daktronics partner GoVision worked with BSUN Media Systems to help LuLu's restaurant at Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores, Ala. out of a jam. Tropical storm Alex forced the postponement of a charity concert to benefit those affected by the BP oil spill. Lulu's was left without an act to entertain the large crowds expected on June 30 and July 1.

When Scott Scovill of Moo TV was deciding which manufacturer's LED panels to use to create the video screen for Brad Paisley's 2010 Summer Tour, he turned to the artist to help make the final call.

A ballroom in London's Buckingham Palace was the site for a concert marking the 90th anniversary of The Not Forgotten Association, which was founded in 1920 to entertain disabled military personnel and veterans. The event was also accompanied by a 90-minute large format video projection show designed by The Projection Studio.