Even at eight hours a day and four days long, PLASA offers too much for one person to see. There are simply too many manufacturers with too many significant product introductions to cover everything worth noting.
Consider how long you could spend at one booth: the White Light Zone. There, you could get information about gear from ArKaos, Coemar (Reflection LEDko LED profile spot), Galaxia, i-Pix, JB Lighting (A12 LED washlight), Look Solutions (Tiny CX/Tiny FX battery-operated fog generators), LSC, Prism Projection (RevEAL LED profile spot), Rainbow Colour Changers, Robert Juliat (Aledin LED spotlight and new LED Fresnel), RSC Lightlock and Wireless Solution, and also check out new White Light partners CITC, Core Lighting, EVOled, Interactive Technologies, Leader Light and SeaChanger (whew!) — while refueling on 40th Anniversary cupcakes and celebratory drinks.
Speaking of celebrations, the social side of PLASA is just as frenetic — on the show floor and beyond. On the show floor, PLASA is much different then trade shows in the U.S. It seemed that every stand I entered, I was welcomed and offered coffee, water or beer — making the stands seem more relaxed than at U.S. shows. PLASA offered additional resting points throughout the floor. I could connect to a free WiFi spot, recharge with a espresso and, later in the day, wind down with a Guinness at the PLASA Production Bar in Hall 2 (sponsored by whitebook.co.uk, PRG, Pearce Hire and LightSpace).
Although this made for a very relaxed environment, Earls Court’s imminent demise was the source of much speculation. The venue was indeed scheduled for demolition, to make way for 8,000 apartments. But it has been saved for at least another year by the economy and by London’s 2012 Summer Olympics indoor volleyball competitions. The PLASA Show will return to Earls Court for at least one more show, Sept. 9-12, 2012.
As for PLASA 2011, read on — and also be sure to view our expanded online coverage on www.ProLightingSpace.com and PLSN.tv. Along with more photos of the show floor, you can also link to demos of Hippo 3D, Disco Designer and ShowPix, and get information about after-parties, including the Avolites party at Koho and the Robe party at Café de Paris.
To download a PDF of the 2011 PLSN PLASA Show Report, CLICK HERE.
