This summer has been an incredibly busy time for the Orbital team, on all fronts! As we prepare for the UK PLASA exhibition, there is one particularly significant product development that we are delighted to be announcing – Orbital will be taking on the UK distribution for Clear-Com communication products with effect from 1st December 2010, adding to our growing list of exclusive brands - alongside Da-Cappo (winner of the ABTT Sound Product of the Year Award this year), Zaxcom, HME and the CSC Show Control software. You can read the full official Clear-Com announcement here.
 Introducing easiHire
Today we are also unveiling our brand new concept in 24/7 hire services – easiHire – an online hire product selection, estimation and quotation tool. We wanted to come up with a smart new way of helping our customers identify and learn about the best equipment for the job and get a ballpark costing – at a time to suit them. Our new web area is packed with products and information, as well as lots of introductory offers to celebrate easiHire's launch. We have designed easiHire to advise and guide you through the many product options – whether for a single microphone or the kit for a complete musical – giving you an intelligent estimate as a guide, without any commitment. So if the only time you have to do this is 3am in the morning – easiHire is now there to help you! Once you have made your selection, you then get a rapid follow-up call from our expert hire desk team to finalise all the details and facilitate your hire – it's as easy as that!
Financial Innovation with d&b Finance-Series
Talking of innovation, we have also been closely involved in the evolution of another important idea designed to make life easier – the d&b audiotechnik Finance-Series asset finance tool. Read all about it here – and how it has already helped one customer get his new d&b equipment.
 Orbital News
On the home front, we added a number of new names to our board during the summer – giving a new dynamic to our management structure with internal promotions for William Addison as Technical Director, Tom Byrne as Sales Director, and Eric Simpson as Director of Live Event & Communications. Our approach is to make ourselves more efficient and professional at every level, which is also the rationale behind the gruelling ISO 9001 process – it was no walk in the park to get this, and you have to be really committed to putting the right business processes and practices in place. Luke Hyde is now Director of International Theatrical Operations, with the international element underlining our growing activity beyond the UK shores. WeWill Rock You will be our second Dutch show to open this year, and that is just the start! Orbital is focused on building and maintaining a reputation as a world-class company capable of delivering the very best rental service and support, and we are evolving a new support structure in recognition of this.
We look forward to seeing you at PLASA - click here for full details. |
The Sound of Steam - The Railway Children at Waterloo The classic story of The Railway Children has been brought to life in the spectacular setting of London's Waterloo Station, in which the former Eurostar platforms have been transformed into a 1000-seat theatre, with the audience sitting traverse style along a 40m length of platform, either side of the railway track. Given the audience size and layout, and the physical constraints of the station environment, delivering quality audio required an innovative approach – resulting in four distinct systems, all using d&b audiotechnik loudspeakers, and employing complex routing and delays.
Following two critically-acclaimed, sell-out summer runs at the National Railway Museum in York, with York Theatre Royal, the Waterloo production is receiving equally excellent reviews. It tells the tale of how Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis become The Railway Children, and features Stirling Single No. 1, a beautiful 66-tonne steam locomotive built in 1870 – probably the largest prop being used in a current UK production! Characterised by its single pair of 2.5m driving wheels, the same locomotive also featured in the show's York productions.
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Coming soon! From 1st December 2010, Orbital will be the UK distributor for the world-leading range of Clear-Com voice communication systems - recognised for clear, reliable and scalable communication solutions. > Read More
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Now in its 64th year, the 2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe event is the largest ever, with 2,453 shows – 17% more than last year – catering for audiences from just 20 to several hundred. Orbital has been involved with the Fringe for over 15 years, supplying rental systems principally to two of the event’s prime operators - Pleasance, and Gilded Balloon – between them responsible for over 30 venues, and over 250 shows a day. Read More >>
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 For those of you involved in the amateur stage, there are just two "Professional Sound for the Amateur Stage" weekend courses remaining this year.
Our popular, free of charge course provides an action-packed couple of days, with the emphasis on providing hands-on practical training with the opportunity to refresh or pick up a wide range of sound techniques. There are still some places remaining on either 25-26 Sept, and 16-17 October – don't miss out!
> Read More
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 When busy Bristol-based PA rental company Amber Audio wanted to expand its hire stock, to cope with an increasing workload, the company's Alan Burgess talked to a number of suppliers, including Orbital Sound, for advice on suitable line-arrays. Amber Audio was also looking to add digital consoles to its inventory, targeting rider-friendly brands on both counts. As a result, Orbital supplied Amber with two Digidesign SC48 VENUE digital consoles, plus a d&b audiotechnik Q1 line array, with J-SUB and B4-SUB cardioid subs....
> Read More
| The Hidden Sound of Streatham |
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 Hidden away in a quiet mews off Streatham's busy High Road, the Hideaway is one of London's most successful live music venues. With a popularity that's fast outgrowing the venue's initial billing as "South London's Best Kept Secret", it's developing an excellent reputation for its predominantly Jazz-focused schedule, encompassing Latin, Funk and Soul sessions. It also features a regular comedy night.... > Read More
| Campus West in the Garden |
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 Our Audio Sales department recently supplied the Campus West multi-purpose venue in Welwyn Garden City with a new sound system for its 326-capacity theatre. With a programme ranging from a busy annual panto season to drama, live music and poetry readings, Campus West required a flexible system capable of handling the required variety of material. Following site visits by Orbital, to allow several options to be trialled in situ, Campus West selected a simple but highly effective system based on just four d&b audiotechnik T10 loudspeakers, supported by two 2 x E15 subs, together with a Yamaha LS9 16 console.
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GDS Joins Orbital Portfolio
We've recently added GDS products to our roster of innovative technologies for the entertainment industry. Based in Bristol, UK and with offices in the USA, GDS (Global Design Solutions) designs and manufacturers a range of stage management, control and test products - encompassing analogue and digital cue light systems, and bespoke Stage Managers Consoles > Read More
Da-Cappo Goes for it with GO!GO!GO! Show
Da-Cappo made its West End debut this summer at the Leicester Square Theatre with a new children's musical, called GO!GO!GO! – with music by Mike Stock (of Stock, Aitken and Waterman fame) and Steve Crosby, and script by Dean Wilkinson. > Read More |
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