‘Tale of Two Towers’ Launches Spring 2012
Exciting New Show that brings the Story of Tower Bridge to Life
As Modern Technology meets Victorian Innovation
Tower Bridge (www.towerbridge.org.uk/TBE/EN) invites visitors to an audience with Her Majesty Queen Victoria, along with her faithful subjects Sir John Wolfe-Barry, the Victorian civil engineer who designed Tower Bridge, and its architect Sir Horace Jones, to experience the story of the bridge in an exciting new show that opens at the world-famous London landmark this spring.
Using the latest techniques in visual effects, this immersive experience features top stars from stage and screen, including Cally Lawrence (Coronation Street, Law & Order UK) as Queen Victoria, Sebastian Abineri (The Bill, Kingdom) as Horace Jones and Robert Benfield (Sherlock, Emmerdale) as Sir John Wolfe-Barry, to tell the fascinating story of Tower Bridge in an entertaining and light-hearted way that will appeal to all ages.
The Experience:
• On arrival at the North Tower of Tower Bridge, visitors are guided to engineer Sir John Wolfe-Barry’s Victorian ‘ virtual’ study - a realistic three-walled set created by 3D mapping (with a floor-to-ceiling height of approx 4.5 metres and a back wall width of around 4 metres).
• The audience enter the newly themed area and the four-minute show commences, using a projected figure of Sir John Wolfe-Barry in conversation with Her Majesty Queen Victoria and architect Sir Horace Jones, who are both depicted as talking portraits (animated plasma TVs).
• This exciting new initiative uses the latest developments in 3D mapping – a technique that projects images onto a 2D plane which has a textured surface creating the illusion of depth in a dynamic way. In this instance, we are projecting a textured visual effect of Sir John Wolfe-Barry’s study, as well as incorporating ‘Magic Lantern’ illustration and animation.
• No additional cost for the visitor.
This imaginative show was devised and created by Eddie Saul, Creative Projects Manager at Tower Bridge, and developed by innovative film and media company, ay-pe www.ay-pe.com/, whose previous work includes an animated pop-up book for Windsor Guildhall, the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh and an epic CGI film of Housesteads Roman Fort for English Heritage.
Ay-pe’s Creative Director, Richard Playford, comments: “This is a great opportunity to create a unique piece of immersive media theatre to help interpret and complement this truly iconic structure.”
Tower Bridge’s Creative Projects Manager Eddie Saul adds: “Sir John Wolfe-Barry will be able to pull books from shelves, open them up and have animations pop from the book to cover the whole expanse of the wall. He can even click his fingers to transform the space into the Tower Bridge Engine Room. The possibilities are endless!”
JLS, Stooshe, Conor Maynard, Diversity and Spelbound will be amongst the acts to perform at the Rays of Sunshine Concert at The Royal Albert Hall on Thursday 7th June.
JLS are ambassadors of Rays of Sunshine www.raysofsunshine.org.uk, a charity which grants wishes for seriously ill children and teenagers in the UK aged 3-18.
JLS said: “JLS loves supporting Rays of Sunshine and has been privileged to meet hundreds of amazing children and teenagers through their work. Every one of these young people has inspired us with their strength and bravery. ‘The Rays of Sunshine Concert’ will be a moving event for the performers and an amazing night of entertainment for music fans everywhere.”
Tickets to this exclusive event will be on sale from 9am on April 4th from The Royal Albert Hall box office 020 7589 8212 www.royalalberthall.com Prices start at £25. Booking fees apply except to personal visitors to the Box Office. Doors will open at 6.45pm and the show will start at 7.30pm
1000 tickets will be given away to seriously ill children who have previously had their wishes granted by Rays of Sunshine.
SES announced at the Samsung Africa Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, that it is collaborating with Samsung to drive digital broadcasting via satellite in sub-Saharan Africa. Samsung will introduce an LED television with an integrated free-to-air satellite receiver, the Samsung LED TV Free Satellite, that will be distributed in Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon in August 2012. Distribution to additional countries will follow.
The integrated satellite receiver will allow consumers to receive free-to-air television channels without the need for an additional set top box as the LED TV will be directly connected with the satellite dish. In preparation for the launch, SES and Samsung will jointly arrange training sessions with distribution partners and installers to ensure the proper connection of the TV device to the satellite dish. Both partners will also run a joint marketing campaign in June 2012.
As a leader in the free-to-air digital TV market, SES delivers more than 60 free-to-air channels in more than 40 African countries. The launch of the new Samsung LED TV Free Satellite coincides with more channels becoming available in Africa.
"This collaboration is the first of its kind and will drive digitalization in Africa," said Christoph Limmer, SES's Senior Director of Marketing Development and Marketing in Africa. "Today, one out of three households in Africa has a TV set but less than 10 million homes receive content in digital format. Our cooperation will not only help to improve access to digital content for African consumers but it will also encourage African broadcasters to launch more content.
"In servicing more than 40 African countries, we are well aware of the huge demand for more and higher quality TV services. The opportunity lies in providing an increasingly sophisticated African viewership with a significantly increased number of TV channels - a first for many African countries."
"The Samsung LED TV Free Satellite is our contribution to the continent's efforts to 'go digital', providing African consumers with greater choice and broadcasters with the opportunity to grow the region's media industry," said Dae Hee Kim, Regional Product Manager at Samsung Africa.
FACTFILE:
SES is a world-leading satellite operator with a fleet of 50 geostationary satellites. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators and business and governmental organisations worldwide.
SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry. The culturally diverse regional teams of SES are located around the globe and work closely with customers to meet their specific satellite bandwidth and service requirements. SES (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) holds participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico, as well as a strategic participation in satellite infrastructure start-up O3b Networks. Further information under: www.ses.com.
Pioneer DJ presents the RMX-1000: all the potential of software with the hands-on usability of pro-DJ hardware.
Pioneer is setting a new benchmark in pro-DJ equipment, with the awe-inspiring RMX-1000 remix station. Taking a totally new direction to effectors and samplers, the RMX-1000 is a three-in-one system comprising editing software, innovative performance hardware and VST and AU plug-ins.
Technological innovation is in Pioneer’s DNA. So only we could produce a remix station that not only manipulates the input sound, but also lets DJs produce new beats and sounds and trigger personalised samples on the fly. And, thanks to our Quantize function, they'll always be in time with their sets.
The RMX-1000 serves up all the possibilities of studio effects and beatboxes, with the added physicality of pro-DJ equipment. Intuitive performance interfaces from Pioneer’s flagship mixers and effectors – such as the DJM-2000’s Isolator FX, the DJM-900nexus’s X-Pad and the EFX-1000’s multiple FX chaining – have been evolved and brought together into one unit.
Simplifying these concepts even further, the RMX-1000 uses intuitive DJ controls to manipulate several parameters in macro. Each effect has been designed to work in a totally unique way with the interface, for results previously only possible with hours of studio automation or robot-like performance skills.
While the unit is incredibly simple to operate, DJs can still create a totally unique sound with Pioneer’s remixbox™ editing software. remixbox allows DJs to completely customise the RMX-1000 hardware to their own performance style and load it up with their own banks of samples.
And, by saving their settings to an SD card, DJs can effectively take their own personalised DJ rig with them wherever they perform. Plus, Pioneer plans to upload internationally renowned DJs’ settings and samples to its website so DJs can give themselves a head start.
Using the RMX-1000 as a USB controller for the, included, RMX-1000 VST and AU plug-ins gives DJs the same hands-on feel they get with studio DJ mixes, saving them from hours of editing and breathing new life into studio productions.
The RMX-1000 will be available from May 2012 at a SRP of 599 GBP/699 EUR, including VAT.
Key features of the RMX-1000
1. Club quality and fully customisable remix station unit
The ultimate multi-use unit, the RMX-1000 can be used with mixers, CDJs and laptops in the booth, or with a PC in the studio for recording and producing.
With fully customisable settings, the RMX-1000 offers the kind of flexibility never before seen in hardware. The control parameters can be completely modified using the remixbox software included.
The hardware offers three ways to access settings. Default activates Pioneer’s intuitive factory settings. And User settings can be stored on the unit, or on an SD card to be taken along to the booth – DJs simply plug their SD card in to get immediate access to their personalised controls. And Pioneer plans to make settings from internationally renowned DJs such as Chuckie, Kissy Sell Out, Kutski, James Zabiela, Doorly and Laidback Luke available for DJs to download.
The unit’s user-friendly, intuitive controls are divided into four categories:
Scene FX
- The Scene FX wheel allows DJs to build up and break down tracks by combining ten types of effects.
- Use the top section to build up, adding effects like Noise, Echo and Spiral Up and the bottom section to break down, cutting sounds with effects like Crush Echo, Spiral Down and Reverb Down.
- Twist the central knob to move from Wet to Dry to add pitch and intensity to the effect that’s in play.
- Plus, two sub-parameter dials allow DJs to manipulate the Time and Resonance parameters for even more character.
Isolator FX
- Inherited from Pioneer’s high-end DJM-1000 mixer, the RMX-1000’s isolators allow DJs to change the main audio input’s rhythm and timbre using hi-, mid- and low-frequency bands.
- Plus, three effects are loaded into the dials for even more flexibility: Cut/Add, Trans/Roll and Gate/Drive.
X-Pad – with exclusive Pitch control
- DJs will be itching to get their fingers on the RMX-1000’s intuitive X-Pad. Evolved from Pioneer’s flagship mixer, the DJM-900nexus, the touch-sensitive X-Pad reaches new levels of ingenuity on the RMX-1000.
- DJs can instantly get involved with the unit’s drum samples by tapping the individual sample buttons (Kick, Snare, Clap and Hi-Hat), or by using the X-Pad to roll (repeat) the samples at different speeds.
- DJs can record their own beats and patterns on the fly by switching on Overdub, then use Roll and Mute to manipulate each sample in a variety of impressive combinations.
- The Quantize button snaps each tap of the sample pads to the nearest beat, so DJs always sound on time.
- And for truly unique performances, DJs can add up to 16 samples across the four sample banks, which they can instantly trigger and manipulate during live performance.
- For unprecedented flexibility on the fly, DJs can edit the sample banks through remixbox and even alter them during play.
- And, as if that wasn’t enough, the RMX-1000’s exclusive Pitch knob alters the pitch to add even more character to each repeated beat.
Release FX
- The DJ’s get-out-of-jail-free card, the Release FX allows DJs to elegantly and seamlessly exit complex effect combinations and return to the original track.
- Three modes with three customisable speeds – Spin Back, Echo and Break – allow DJs to choose exactly how they want to return to normal play.
- For even more flexibility, DJs don’t have to exit totally from the engaged effect; they can come partially out and go back in by manipulating the highly sensitive Release switch. Or they can cut the original track out completely so just the engaged effects are heard.
2. Fully customisable with specially designed remixboxsoftware
Designed by Pioneer exclusively for the RMX-1000, the remixboxsoftware allows DJs to prepare mind-blowing sets – while the hardware leaves plenty of room for spontaneity on the night.
And DJs can use the software to modify the unit’s features and change its parameters for a truly personalised DJing experience. By hovering their mouse over the remixbox’s virtual RMX-1000, DJs can edit features, change parameters or adjust effects on the hardware itself.
3. First DJ-dedicated controller for Virtual Studio Technology/Audio Units
As the first VST/AU controller dedicated to the DJ industry, the RMX-1000 brings the operability of hardware into the recording studio.
By just plugging the unit into a laptop, DJs and producers can use the RMX-1000’s dedicated controls to manipulate the VST/AU’s exciting features.
There’s no need to fiddle around with the mouse and keyboard: just hit a button, twist a dial, or turn a knob – the RMX-1000 literally puts every effect right at producers’ fingertips.
4. Other features
- High-quality sound design reduces noise for clear and pristine sound.
- The Quantize function can be applied at any stage during play or production for real-time music analysis and automatic synchronisation of the beat.
- NEW Auto BPM function automatically measures and follows the tempo of the music.
- USB-MIDI connection means the RMX-1000 can be used as a MIDI controller.
- Compact and sleek design makes the RMX-1000 highly portable – and it looks good as part of any DJ set-up.
Main specifications – RMX-1000
Inputs
RCA x 1
6.3 mm jack x 1
Outputs
RCA x 1
6.3 mm jack x 1
Other ports
USB B port x 1
Sampling rate
48 kHz
A/D and D/A converter
24 bit
Frequency response
20 Hz – 20 kHz
Total harmonic distortion Max. 0.005%
S/N ratio
102 dB
Head room
20 dB
Software
remixboxTM, RMX-1000 Plug-in
External dimensions
(W x D x H) 334 x 157 x 57 mm
Mass
1.3 kg
FACTFILE:-
Pioneer Europe NV is the regional European headquarters of the Pioneer Corporation, a global leader in electronics and audio/video products for the home, car, commerce and industry, particularly in the following core multimedia technologies digital versatile disc (DVD), in-car navigation and AV systems. Its shares are traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
With no Glastonbury this year, festivalgoers can breathe easy - there is no need to go without! Swap your wellies for flip flops and head to Croatia for the ultimate summer festival fix. This summer, Croatia is home to eight electrifying festivals attracting some of the biggest names in dubstep, electronic, pop and rock.
Set against a stunning backdrop, Croatia's collection of festivals make an intimate and exotic alternative to the UK's crowded fields. Forget mud and endless queues; Croatia is the music scene's best kept secret.
With its Mediterranean sunshine, boutique-sized festivals, picturesque settings and reasonable prices, Croatia is quickly becoming a festival haven for people in the know.
Hideout Festival (29th June - 1st July) on the island of Pag, takes place across 4 beach-side clubs and is the perfect festival for lovers of dubstep and drum and bass. Extend your festival experience with a visit to Pag's beautiful beaches and hidden coves; the only mud you're likely to find here will be in the serene tranquillity of the island's spas. Refuel with some of the island's famous delicacies, including Pag cheese, local lamb and fresh seafood.
The season wraps up with the world's biggest dubstep festival in Pula - Outlook Festival (30th August - 2nd September) is held in an incredible abandoned fort in this ancient Roman city. Festival goers can escape the crowds by heading inland to Istria's pretty villages and rolling countryside, where some of the country's best wine is produced.
In Croatia it's easy to combine the fun of a festival with a chilled out beach holiday or a fascinating cultural fix; only two hours from the UK it's an affordable and accessible alternative to the UK festival circuit.
For more information on what to see and do in Croatia, visit www.croatia.hr
