PLASA 2005 Has it All

PLASA 2005 at Earls Court from 11 - 14 September 2005.

Photo: courtesy of PLASA

Audio Product News Published: 18 August 2005
With London confirmed as the host city for the 2012 Olympics and the linked £100billion regeneration of the capital already underway, the PLASA Show (11-14 September, Earls Court, London) could not be happening at a better time in a better place. With 300+ companies rolling out over 1000 new products and services, PLASA 2005 is going to play a key role in delivering solutions to many of the infrastructure and live event challenges associated with these major projects.

In fact, the companies exhibiting at PLASA 2005 have the expertise to make anything possible. Live8, for instance, showcased many of the developments that have seen the entertainment and installation technology sectors grow into a global industry worth an annual £10bn (£1bn to the UK economy alone). From nightclubs to shopping centres, cruise liners to sports arenas, technologies developed by this industry have transformed the quality of experience within the leisure, sports and architectural markets to a level scarcely imaginable 10 years ago.

And in the building and architectural sectors, the development of audio, video and IT technologies has also transformed the way buildings are designed and used - aesthetically, practically and architecturally - with information and safety-related systems now essential ingredients in the development of public spaces and buildings.

All these developments – together with the next generation of ideas – will be there for you to see at PLASA 2005, where over 300 leading companies, 40 exhibiting for the first time, have signed up for an impressive 11,000 square metres of show floor space.

Both levels of Earls Court 1 will be packed with new ideas in audio, lighting, AV, rigging, system integration, engineering and effects. And for those looking to exploit the increasing versatility, durability and cost-effectiveness of digital technologies, there’s also a dedicated Architectural Audio & Visual section featuring developments in commercial audio, lighting, video and related products intended for the built environment.
In recent years the PLASA Show has become a festival of all that’s good about this industry: DJ Sunday will kick-start the show, giving DJs a chance to check out all the latest gear and mix with some of the best-known names in the business. Sponsored by iDJ Magazine, this high impact day showcases all the major manufacturers’ new kit and is packed with numerous events, on-stand demos, giveaways and workshops. Central to it all is the Gemini ‘Extreme V’ DJ Competition – a showcase of talent that attracts entries from all over Europe. New for 2005 is the A&R Clinic, where DJs can seek advice from a panel of record industry A&R experts. Confirmed labels include Underwater, Bedrock, Toolroom, Azuli and Defected.

And it’s not just the DJs that have their talents recognized. New technologies have always been the key to PLASA, and the best of these will be acknowledged in the PLASA Awards for Innovation – nine awards that focus on the best design and development work going on across the industry. 2005 sees the re-introduction of an environmental award, reflecting the growing demand for energy efficient technologies and the increase in environmental legislation. All the new products vying for these prestigious awards will be displayed in the Lighting&SoundInternational-sponsored Innovation Gallery, and the nine winners will be announced during the awards presentation in the Central Bar on Monday 12 September at 6.00pm.

Around the show floor, there’ll be plenty to do – you can use the Central Bar to network with friends and colleagues or you can head upstairs to the Top Deck where there’ll be live demos, exhibitor presentation rooms alongside the seminar theatre. The PLASA Pavilion also continues to grow and is already a sell out, providing the opportunity for innovative new businesses and smaller companies with niche products to demonstrate their products to visitors.

Also on the Top Deck is the Show’s Seminar Theatre which features an extensive programme of events and seminars, with some big names making this one of the strongest line-ups of workshops, advice and discussion sessions ever. There’ll also be PLASA’s own industry bookshop, with special offers and promotions on a range of business and technical titles.
Reinforcing PLASA 2005’s role as the main platform of the industry will be the presence of numerous UK and international organisations, including ABTT, ALD, APIAS, BECTU, ECA, ESTA, ICIA, ISCE, PSA, STLD and VPLT.

With so much going on, expectations for PLASA 2005 are higher than ever. If pre-registrations are anything to go by, it looks like most of the industry will be at Earls Court 1 between 11-14 September. Somewhere on the show floor - in the form of a product, an idea, a person or a conversation will be the answer to something you’re working on. If you don’t go to PLASA you’ll miss out - it’s as simple as that.
Register today and get in for half price. Instant registration is available on the show website where you’ll also find an exhibitor list and interactive floorplan, full run-down of all the features and events and the full seminar programme. You’ll then receive your badge and Essential Guide to help you plan your trip and maximise your time at this ‘must attend’ event.

PLASA Show 2005 website – www.plasashow.com

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