PLASA 2012 Opens This Sunday!

At the end of a successful summer, PLASA 2012 opens its doors for the very last time at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre on Sunday, September 9, and with pre-registration figures already way ahead of last years, it's time to celebrate!

As PLASA announces a new home for the PLASA Show, the final event at Earls Court promises to be a glorious celebration of the industry's involvement in the Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympics. The Olympics Uncovered sector of the Professional Development Program is close to a sell-out and joining Backstage at the London 2012 Ceremonies will be Making it all Possible! presented by Riedel Communications; Landscape Video, a seminar from Tait dedicated to those transforming LED panels that turn stadiums into vast video screens; and Scott Burges from Creative Technology delivering From a Wobbly House to the Moon: the Projection Challenges on the Olympic Ceremonies.

If you want to grab a piece of Olympic memorabilia, make your way to the PLASA Bar at 6:00pm on Monday, September 10. Premier show sponsors Robe, who is having their own tenth birthday party this year, is hosting the auction of an Olympic torch during the PLASA Awards for Innovation. All the proceeds will be donated to Light Relief, the charity established to support, either practically or financially, those in the entertainment lighting industry who experience extreme hardship through no fault of their own.

Joining the festive mood are several PLASA members with significant anniversaries to mark. It's been 30 years since the first Vari-Lite moved its beam across a stage and the Phillips Entertainment brand will see Vari-Lite show off the latest descendants of the VL Zero prototype. Gold sponsor, Martin Professional will be holding various events and competitions at Stand 1-F44 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. All are welcome for a birthday drink and a chance to check out their new MAC Viper series.

Brand new LED products are being unveiled for the first time by many of our lighting specialists. Robert Juliat will officially launch their new LED profiles as will Pulsar, who has developed the Pulsar Fixture Management System alongside their new TriColour LED chipsets. Architainment Lighting show its broadest range of LED lighting technology solutions to date with some brand new high intensity units, visible even in daylight, suitable for exterior architectural and entertainment use. Phillips Entertainment's range of LED Luminaires is being expanded with the launch of new Fresnel and Profile units, while Batmink will debut two re-chargeable slimline LED PARcans from Visage Lighting at Stand 1-E4. Described as a "world first" by SGM are their two LED-based strobe units on display at Stand 1-G28 alongside a host of other low energy creative options for the lighting designer. Even more LED innovation can be found at Stand 2-S27 where Pixled will have on show its new F-10 i/o tile product that can be adapted for indoor or outdoor use.

If you want to discover more about how LED products function on site a visit to the ETC's Layers of Light theatre space is a must. Every hour staff will deliver a short presentation looking at how LED fixtures work in a real theatre environment and interact with other conventional light sources.

Overall lighting control is what Avolites is all about: they are set to reveal two new Titan consoles at Stands 1-F18 while Avolites Media will showcase the Ai Infinity Media Servers and unveil the brand new Sapphire Media console at Stand 1-G15.

For a taste of some of the audio content on offer, Martin Audio launch the XD series providing a major boost to its touring and theatre portfolio. This sets out to define the ultimate in performance and versatility for professional, fixed-dispersion, two-way loudspeaker systems, says the company. FBT launches four new ranges, the Vertus MLA column line array, Shadow extreme all-weather loudspeakers, Stage Maxx on-stage monitors, and Archon high-quality audio for modern indoor installations. Soundcraft launches the world's first combined audio and lighting console and offer the chance to get hands-on with free training sessions while Out Board debuts the powerful new TiMax2 SoundHub PanSpace graphical sound-effects pan programming map which works in conjunction with the TimeLine editor.

Looking for more? Roland Systems Group are delivering "Hands on Live" sessions throughout the show using new RSG live, recording and video products. Yet more specialist audio training is on offer with Midas who is running sessions on a range of PRO consoles. Another new feature not to be missed is the AudioLab, the large scale demo area on Level 3 that offers all visitors the chance to listen to cutting edge products in a live sound environment. Norton Audio's new P1 System will be there for all to hear on Sunday, while on Monday it plays host to Martin Audio's new high-output XD15 and XD12 loudspeakers. On Tuesday it will be the turn of Bose Professional Systems Division to demonstrate the new RoomMatch series of line array cabinets. And don't forget to check out the famous Funktion One Demo Room on Level 1 along with demos in the Piccadilly, Westminster, and Kensington Rooms from Sennheiser, Duran Audio, and KV2 Audio.

With so much to celebrate and explore, there has never been a more exciting date to put in your diary. Don't miss this unforgettable final event at Earls Court -- join your industry colleagues and revel in the superlative successes of the entertainment and installation industry in 2012.

To find out more about all the new product launches, demonstrations, specialist training and celebratory events on offer at PLASA 2012 visit the URL below. Don't be disappointed! Demand for the free Professional Development Program is high, so book now. Sign up for a chance to one one of only six customized Clay Paky Sharpys made for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert and signed by lighting designer, Durham Marenghi. Just register for PLASA 2012 to enter!