Magnet Schultz Electro Kabuki is a star turn with blackout

Blackout, Europe’s largest supplier of drapes, starcloth, track and rigging is using Magnet Schultz’s Electro Kabuki as part of its arsenal of aerial suspension and support equipment. The company, which operates throughout Europe from its sites in London and Paris, uses the Electro Kabuki for releasing drapes and props onto a stage to create a dramatic effect. Used by Blackout for events, conferences, concerts, exhibitions, television and the theatre, recently the company has used the Electro Kabuki to great effect to reveal the orchestra behind veteran artist and composer Henri Salvador when he took to the stage in Paris this summer for a birthday concert. A similar dramatic effect was created using the Electro Kabuki for French composer and artist, Michel Polnareff who returned to the concert scene after 30 years. As a key element of product launches, Blackout has used the Electro Kabuki to unveil new cars including most recently the Fiat Bravo, Mercedes and the Twingo2. Other major press launches have included the Areva Challenge for the America’s cup and the merger of German insurance company Allianz, Europe's biggest insurer, with Paris-based AGF. “We have successfully used Magnet Schultz’s Electro Kabuki to unveil a wide range of new products including washing machines, cars and mobile phones and we have also used it as part of our staging of concerts and productions throughout Europe”, said Dominic Peissel, Managing Director of Blackout France. “We have developed a multi channel control box for use with the Electro Kabuki so that the devices can be fired either using the controller directly or triggering the unit with DMX or MIDI.” The Electro Kabuki has been designed to reliably release weights of up to 50kg and is suitable for applications where the requirement is to discharge or drop drapes, dummies or cables on cue as a straight drop or at any angle. Also suitable for very light loads, the Electro Kabuki is supplied off-the-shelf with all elements ready to connect and operate having been assembled and tested prior to despatch. Comprising of the Electro Kabuki mechanism, compact, hand held firing unit, interconnecting cables and splitter box, the load to be released is attached to the mechanism’s hook arm and released by means of a clever spring system when the ‘energise to release’ function is applied to the unit (an ‘energise to hold’ system is also available). A safety catch prevents premature load release and enables the mechanism to be tested prior to the show without releasing the load. Using standard voltages 24v DC and 230v AC, the weatherproof Electro Kabuki is supplied with quick-fit, weatherproof ‘supply’ and ‘link’ cable connectors so that the mechanism can be daisy chained in order to drop large drapes or items. There is no longer any need for a special bracket as the new mounting incorporates threaded locations to take M12 bolts. Doughty half couplings can be used to make a quick fixing to scaffold size tubes.

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