Those of you waiting for the Allen and Heath may need to wait a little bit longer. The software completion has been delayed and this product is now due to start production in October. So I guess it wont be on the shelves until Mid October. Watch this space for Updates. (PRODUCT=234) The Xone:42 unveiled at PLASA is also due in during October and should be on the shelves by the end of that month!
Plasa 07 was a very different show this year. I have been making the journey to Earls court for many years and over the last few years the show has had to change to evolve with the industry that funds it. DJ Equipment is one of a long list of sectors within the realms covered by plasa it is one tick box on your registration form which tries to benchmark and your buying intentions. The name PLASA comes from the Professional Lighting and Sound Association. The tagline of the body is that it serves members within the entertainment, event, communication and architectural industries. DJ Equipment fits into the entertainment tag but in terms of the installers only as a small part of this sector. The problem with DJ's and DJ equipment at a trade show is that it is not a trade product in the way that much of the technology at Plasa is. Plasa is increasinly attended by specifiers, consultants, integrators and over the last couple of years an increasing number of DJ's. You can imagine the chat at the coffee bar between a lighting specifer and a bedroom DJ and hence the networking side of a trade show falls to bits.
DJ Equipment it could be argued is a sub-sector of consumer electronics which is over whelmed with showing oppertunities the flagship being the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) show in Las Vegas. This is the one you see on the show each year with Bill gates and Larry Page sharing the stage with apple's latest gadget. The problem with us dj's is that we don't want to be seen as consumers we quite liked the way that we sneaked into a trade show. Consumer shows are full of geeks who like computers and gadgets not artists who like computers and gadgets.
The other Trade shows around the world have grown in strength over the last few years NAMM in the US and Musikmesse in Frankfurt both began to take the product lanches away from PLASA (Traditionally the show to be at). PLASA tried over the 04/05/06 shows to police the different requirements between the elder statesmen of the show and the out of control DJ stands who always played there music to loud and never closed the door. DJ Sunday was introduced quite informally at first and then it was encouraged. By the time DJ Sunday arrived at the 06 show many "Trade" showgoers were avoiding the Sunday and not attending until during the week so that they could get to speak to the people they needed to. The DJ's had competitions to go to seminars to see and a great deal of celebrities and girls goody-bags to fawn over. The problem for the manufacturers and the dj's is that the show was still a consumer show within a much bigger trade show. Trade shows cost lots of money for the exhibitors and Plasa a 4 day show in central London is no exception. For the DJ manufacturers a 4 day show with DJ's only there for one day (in any force) does not really make sense. For the DJ's aswell one mad day with everyone climbing over everyone else to try and get a look at the latest bit of kit cannot make much sense.
This year 's BPM show should give the manufacturers and DJ's more of what they are looking for. The wide scope of the show but focussed within the DJ Equipment industry will make the show much more of a event that DJ's can make an essential part of there diary in order to improve there business.
DJ Equipment will always be on show at PLASA as many of the manufacturers product ranges cover various sectors of the industry. The likes of Allen and Heath who have Installation Mixers, DJ Mixers and Pro Audio mIxers will always have new products to show at a hopefully reinvented PLASA Show. With my intergrator, specifyer hat on at the show I must say that lots of small things made this a nicer show and allowed us all to do a lot of good business at the show which is at the end of the day the point of a trade show. Hopefully the BPM show will be a sucess for the DJ Equipment sector and provide a real showcase for our small niche.
Plasa this year was somewhat of a DJ Free zone but don't panic!
The 10th and 11th will see the inaugural staging of BPM a new event aimed at all types of DJ's.
Loads of the major manufacturers have now signed up for the show and will be exibihiting all there known and new equipment aswell as supporting a full program of seminars covering all aspects of the modern business of DJing.
The seminars and exhibitors will cover all areas of the business including equipment, insurance and marketing.
Tickets can be found from Edinburgh to East midlands:
Quality Dj Opened a New section This month online and Instore! The new Dedicated specialised Mobile DJ Section is focussed at the Mobile DJ on the road. From small one man show to full road show SI Sound and Light have been supplying the mobile disco market for over 20 years.
The new section dedicated to Mobile DJ's features new products from the KAM range along with a number of products from our DJ equipment ranges of Numark and Denon.
The staff on the phone in the edinburgh disco centre will be happy to discuss larger rigs in person or over the phone.
Last day of the Plasa 07 show today and we have been on show checking out all the latest products!
DJM700 Started off the week although Pioneer were not at the show The launch of the DJM 700 took place in The Mos on Sunday night. The DJM700 is a new addition to the range sitting between the 600 and 800 but with technology nd legacy oif the 800 and 1000 products. With no firm date on actual UK Street release those of you who are interested will have to wait a bit longer!
The Vestax 580 should prove stiff competition for the DJM 800 level mixer with flexible midi controls and Vestax sound quality going for it. We should have it at the start of October when the first shipment comes into stock.
The long awaited Numark IDJ2 is now on sale in the US and was on show (again) at Plasa this year! The first UK batch are on the water and due in shortly. (PRODUCT=90)
