International News

DEVON, UK – S+H Technical Support has supplied 8,000 square meters of its ShowLED Animation curtain to the new series of Sky’s popular dating games show, ‘Love Machine.’ Set designer Patrick Doherty specified the Animation curtain to wrap around the entire back of the set and create patterns, texturing and other ambient effects. S + H is also supplying ShowLED Chameleon RGB Starcloth to mask around the back of the live audience in the studio.

RATTVIK, Sweden – Open air theatre Dalhalla is located in a 60 meter deep former limestone quarry in central Sweden. This year‘s festival production lighting design by Anders ‘Hebbe’ Herbertzon from High Voltage Designs includes Robe MMXs and LEDWash 600s, recently purchased by lighting rental company Park Brothers. A strong light source was needed to combat the low, overhanging roof over the stage and the summer sun’s refusal to set until late.

EDINBURGH, UK – Edinburgh Festival has seen Philips Selecon join forces with power monitoring company, Energeno, and one of the biggest venue producers on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – C venues – to examine the positive impact LED lighting can have on power consumption in a fringe venue running 24/7.

LIVERPOOL, UK – Theatrical entertainment specialists Stage Electrics supplied Europe’s first ETC Gio lighting control console to the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). The Gio is the newest edition to ETC’s Eos family. LIPA regularly upgrades resources to stay current with industry standards. With this in mind they turned to Stage Electrics to research into upgrading their main theatre style desk, which will be used by students on the BA (hons) Theatre and Performance Technology program.

LONDON – The 3rd annual PLASA Rigging Conference will welcome more than 200 international attendees at the Earls Court Conference Centre in London on Sept. 11-12. Opening with a speech from original ‘Disney Rigger’ Roy Bickel, a founder of the modern rigging industry and closing with ‘Question Time’ hosted by Alan Jacobi LVO, MD of Unusual Rigging, the Conference is packed with sessions from industry experts. For those who can’t make it to the Conference itself, The Riggers’ Forum will be held on the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 9.  This is an informal opportunity to discuss the issues and challenges facing riggers today.

LONDON – Boy band One Direction hit the road on a UK theatre tour. The HSL-supplied Martin rig included MAC 101 and MAC 2000 Wash XB moving heads with graphics across Martin EC-10 and EC-20 LED video panels. LD Dave Lee centered a 23′ x 10′ EC-10 screen as a key part of the show’s visuals.

REDCLIFFE, QUEENSLAND, Australia – Redcliffe State High School’s new theatre, ‘The Bird’s Nest,’ offers students the latest in equipment while they are learning how to create their own performances. However, there was a problem with the power. Conventional lamps were constantly failing. The LSC Redback dimmers came to the rescue as they have a minimum/maximum setting. So by limiting the dimmers output to 80 percent, the Redback Dimmer now supplies lamps with sub 240v – the result being that premature lamp failure has not since occurred.

HONG KONG – Hong Kong singers Alan Tam and Teresa Carpio put their talent on display amidst a classically simple and operatically-themed stage design draped in Martin MAC luminaires during a string of shows July 20-28 at the Hong Kong Coliseum. Event organizer Entertainment Impact used MAC III Profiles as the key fixture of the rig, along with MAC 350 Entour LED moving heads and MAC 2000 series moving lights.

LONDON – Entec Sound & Light’s lighting division renewed its long-term working relationship with LD Tony Austin for two acts: the Portishead tour of Europe and the Paloma Faith showcase in Peterborough. Portishead needed two looks: one for its headlining of festivals and the other for its own shows. Meanwhile, Paloma Faith is working on designs for her 2013 tour.

LONDON – The Summer Series at Somerset House featured an eclectic list of artists for its annual music festival. To accommodate all the visiting LDs this time, in-house LD Petter Skramstad chose the Clay Paky Alpha 700 HPEs for the backbone of his rig. Production manager for Somerset House Jon Howes agreed with the choice. “Every incoming LD commented on the flexibility of the in-house design.”

LONDON – UK LD Matt Mawdsley was one of the first LDs to use Martin Professional’s new MAC Viper Profile moving head. Supplied by Stage Electrics, Mawdsley used the 1000 W fixture on the Red Bull Badminton Super Final, painting the venue’s dome ceiling and stage with images and patterns.