International News

LONDON – Zero 88 has launched a competition offering one of its powerful and flexible FLX lighting consoles as a prize.

MILTON KEYNES, U.K. – On behalf of Festival Republic, Dick Tee of ‘enteetainment Ltd’, was asked to look after the technical production management of the recent EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival) show in Milton Keynes Bowl, working alongside his counterpart, world renowned Production Manager Jake Berry, who was representing Los Angeles based Festival producers ‘Insomniac’.

DENMARK – Sound and Light is a busy rental company based in the bustling port and university town of Aalborg on the edge of the gently rolling, lush countryside of Jutland, north Denmark, and a recent investor in Robe’s BMFL Spot moving light fixtures. Focused on servicing the top end of the entertainment lighting market – incorporating TV productions, corporate events and industrials plus installations – Sound and Light was founded in the 1980s by Jess Otzen.

HONG KONG – Global event supplier, Arena Group, has bought Hong Kong based event production company Ironmonger Marquees, to create Arena Hong Kong, extending its Asian capabilities with a new office and hub in Northern Asia. Ironmonger Marquees was introduced to Arena Group in 2015, when the companies collaborated on the Art Central project in Hong Kong.

DUBAI – The main multi-purpose indoor arena at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex was the venue once again for the Opening Ceremony of the annual NAS Sports Tournament.  Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, it was opened by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee. Protec once again supplied the lights, audio and AV equipment.

PERTH – Megavision is one of the leading Australian rental, technical production and installation companies. Based in Perth, Western Australia, it’s focused on offering clients in the event, hospitality, club, pub, production  rental / staging sectors superlative service and premium equipment together with imaginative technical solutions. Founded in 2001 by Jeff Georgiou Megavision’s first investment in Robe moving lights was four years ago.

LONDON – The very final leg of Barry Manilow’s “One Last Time” farewell tour saw the legendary singer play arenas in nine cities across the UK, culminating in a show stopping performance at London’s O2, with lighting equipment and crew supplied by Blackburn based HSL. Creative Director Seth Jackson designed and specified the rig as part of an elegant and stylish design to help ensure the star’s incredible live touring performances would linger much longer in the hearts, minds and memories of his hugely enthusiastic fan-base as this seminal ‘touring’ element of his career comes to an end.

SHEFFIELD, U.K. – For the Sheffield People’s Theatre production of A Dream, described as a “modern-day mash up of Shakespearan romance,” the production team made use of ModTruss as a structural piece of scenery.   The structure was a 37 by 19 foot platform on 8-foot uprights. It was made up of the three available sizes of aluminum ModTruss – 3″, 6″ and 12″. The production was presented in Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre.

LIMA, Peru – The new Clay Paky Scenius Spot has landed in South America for the first time and is dubbed ‘fixture of choice’ by prolific lighting designer Mario Raez in the Peruvian staging of jukebox classic Mamma Mia at the Teatro Peruano Japones in Lima. Raez is the first lighting designer in South America to put the Scenius Spot through its paces, employing six of the units in his show.

SOUTHHAMPTON, U.K. – Ovation of the Seas took its maiden voyage in April as the third Quantum class luxury cruise liner from Royal Caribbean International to feature an onboard Elation Professional lighting and video system. It follows the successful launch of Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, both of which sail with a full complement of energy-efficient Elation Professional products.

CESENA, Italy – A band comprised of 1,200 musicians performed before a sold-out audience of 13,000 for a unique event, “Rockin’1000 – That’s Live.” The massive concert was staged on the lawn of the Manuzzi stadium in Cesena, Italy in late July.  LD Claudio Tappi used more than 400 DTS moving lights for this mega rock event. AMG International supplied the DTS fixtures for the gig.

NEW YORK – New media companies have been countering traditional broadcast and cable UpFronts with digital content NewFronts to showcase their original program slates to advertisers.  AOL upped the ante this year with “AOL Access: A New Kind of NewFront,” held in Manhattan’s South Street Seaport neighborhood.