The Christmas celebrations started in early December with Capital Radio’s Jingle Bell Ball at the O2 Arena. John Henry’s supplied the backline to Enrique, Scouting for Girls and James Blunt. Meanwhile on the other side of town at The London Palladium, an all-star line up was unveiled for the Royal Variety’s 80th anniversary show aired on BBC1. A host of celebrities and artists from the worlds of music, comedy and theatre came together for annual highlights of the showbiz calendar. JHL set to work with supplying backline and audio equipment to performers such as: Cliff and The Shadows, Take That, Leona Lewis, Peter Kay as Geraldine, and Rihanna.

Strictly Come Dancing
As the 6th series came to an end and Tom Chambers was crowned the Winner. John Henry’s was back in TV centre to record a special festive edition of the show which was shown on BBC1 on Christmas Day. Tom Chambers, Rachel Stevens & Lisa Snowdon were joined with past contestants Jill Halfpenny, Kelly Brook and Alesha Dixon to strut their stuff beneath the glitter ball to the delight of the audience. As before the team from JHL provided their expert sound for the floor and the orchestra.

Top of the Pops
Christmas Day would not be the same without Top of the Pops…..so luckily the BBC brought it back for a seasonal countdown of the year’s most successful chart acts. JHL’s crew - Robin Tombs, Simon Panos, Aden Gregory, John Shaw, Matt Caley and Steven Eagles provided their usual expert services with sound and backline to all the acts.

This year’s line-up included Take That, Duffy, Girls Aloud, Pussycat Dolls, The Kaiser Chiefs, a festive number from Peter Kay as Geraldine, Mcfly, Leona Lewis, Gabriella Cilmi, Keane, Dizzy Rascal & Calvin Harris, Coldplay, Sam Sparro and Adele, There was also a medley preformed by the cast of the West End musical Mamma Mia and the show ended with the all-important Christmas number one Hallelujah by X-Factor Winner Alexandra Burke.

Radio 1 Christmas Special
JHL provided all the monitor systems and floor sound for the Radio 1 Christmas Special. The acts involved with this festive party were Glasvegas, Florence and the Machine, Golden Silvers, Chipmunk, Chase and Status. JHL also provided full backline for Friendly Fires. Taking care of business on the show were JHL’s Robin Tombs, Simon Panos and Chris Roberts.
Other Christmas specials JHL supplied audio and backline for included Alan Titchmarsh, Paul O’Grady, Sunday Night Project, Graham Norton, The Charlotte Church Show and The Nokia Green Room.
JHL also provided backline to the UK’s favorite girl band for the one-off ITV1 special, The Girls Aloud Party. The girls were hosting their very own glittering festive celebration with not only some of their biggest hits and tracks from their new album but also unique collaborations with fellow chart champs, the Kaiser Chiefs and James Morrison.

Also adding to the list of TV shows JHL supplied backline to over November and December included: The National Lottery, Freshly squeezed, One Night Only, Divas and a star-studded line-up on Here Come The Boys featuring performances from Tom Jones, Will Young, Boyzone, Seal, Enrique Iglesias and rising pop-rockers Scouting for Girls.

The perfect way to end the year and start a new one, with Jools Holland hosting the nation’s finest musical party. On the Hootenanny’s 16th anniversary it was also JHL’s and Robert Harding’s 16th year of providing audio for all the acts performing on the traditional New Year’s Eve show. The journey into 2009 began with Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra featured and a stellar line-up of talent, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Dizzee Rascal, Annie Lennox, The Ting Tings, Dave Edmunds, Duffy, Svang, Adele, Sam Sparro, The Hold Steady, Rico Rodriguez, Ruby Turner, Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones and Lily Allen.

On the eve of Motown’s 50th anniversary, Martha and the Vandellas joined with Jools to perform some of the greatest songs of the 60’s including Dancing in the Street, Jimmy Mack and Heatwave. Annie Lennox blew everyone away with singing one of her solo hits, Why? and the Gershwin classic tune Can’t Help Loving Dat Man. Dave Edmunds performed I Hear You Knocking and Girls Talk, Sam Sparro took his signature Black and Gold in a swing direction and Lily Allen performed her own take on the classic The Lady is a Tramp. Also Adele Chased Pavements and then went retro with a cover of Etta James’ classic I Just Want to Make Love to You. Dizzee Rascal & Calvin Harris came together again to lift the audience with Dance Wiv Me, The Hold Steady performed Stay Positive and Sequestered In Memphis, The Ting Tings did their hits That’s Not My Name and Shut up and Let Me Go, and Finnish harmonica quartet Svang were tunefully strange. Most importantly the pipes and
drums of the 1st Battalion of Scots Guards came skirling into the studio at midnight. Ruby Turner closed the show with a spirited rendition of Peace In The Valley.

Other New Years Eve celebrations JHL were taking part in across London was aboard the HMS Belfast. Captain Robert Harding and JHL’s very own oily rags Alex Barclay and Matt Caley provided backline to an array of artists including: Russell Watson, Alesha Dixon, Simply Red and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Nancy, Jodie Prenger.

Something to look out for in January is the Xbox Campfire held in the medieval High Barn in Braintree and is to be shown on Channel 4 and 4Music on the 15th.
Production company CC-Lab came to us to provide the full PA and monitor system, front of house, a stage extension, a drum riser and backline for all the acts to use. One Eskimo, The Wombats, Twisted Wheel, VV Brown, Little Boots and Micachu and the Shapes all took part, playing 2 – 3 tracks to a specially invited audience of 150 competition winners. With Pepin Clout being JHL’s very own Scout leader, Robin Tombs, Jon Shaw and Dennie Vidal were the boy scouts for the sound, whilst Nigel Reavill and Matt Caley were earning their badges for taking care of all the backline.

Robert Harding, and his dedicated team have just finished another series of the BBC’s ever popular “Later…….with Jools Holland”. In series 33 we provided audio and backline to well known acts including: Kaiser Chiefs, MGMT, The Killers, Kings of Leon, Metallica, all time greats such as Al Green and Glen Campbell and exciting newcomers , Amy Lavere, Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed & Fleet Foxes.

JHL continues to supply the Audio and Backline for the T4 Music Days at The Hospital. Artists and bands include: Pink, Kaiser Chiefs, Sugababes & PussyCat Dolls, Snow Patrol, Stereophonics, Razorlight, James Morrison & Solange.

Throughout the autumn months we have also worked on: BBC’s Sound, ‘4 Music Sessions’ E4’s Music’, ‘Freshly Squeezed’, ‘Everyone Loves Lil Chris”. We also provided the floor sound for BBC’s “Hole in the Wall” (see link below to watch a video clip), a hilarious game show where celebrities have to make shapes to fit through the holes in the wall or end up in the swimming pool, and the Pilot of “Take Me Out” the new ‘Blind Date’ show.

Strictly Come Dancing is back for it’s sensational sixth series putting a sparkle back into Saturday & Sunday nights on BBC1.

Packed full of glitz, glamour, show-stopping moves and more sequins than ever before (and that’s just the crew), JHL continue to provide expertise sound for the all important orchestra, guest acts & floor sound. Once again, entertainment legend Bruce Forsyth is your host, with the help of his glamorous co-host Tess Daly, and the competitors will have to do their very best to impress our judges Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood, Arlene Phillips and Bruno Tonioli.

Sixteen new celebrity contestants have been paired up with internationally renowned professional dancers and put through their paces. Learning everything from the Tango to the Paso Doble, they perform in front of a live studio audience every Saturday night, fighting to keep their place in the competition - and be this year's Strictly Come Dancing champions.

Away from the shows politics of the bickering judges and the exit of John Sergeant in week 10, JHL have met Audio and Backline requirements for artists and bands including: Bette Midler, Sugababes, Andrea Bocelli, Simply Red, the former champion Alesha Dixon, Enrique & The Jersey Boys, the Stereophonics, Beyonce, Tom Jones & John Barrowman. We also had the pleasure to witness a mind blowing performance from Katherine Jenkins & Darcy Bussell.

The series finishes on the 20th December 08 so we can look forward to a few more weeks of great performances.

The MTV European Music Awards took place at Liverpool’s Echo Arena this month. JHL supplied all the rolling risers for the event, plus backlines for Pink, The Tings Tings, Duffy, Beyonce (all in white!) and a full live backline for Kid Rock. Katy Perry & Solange, both on tour with JHL backline and IEMs also appeared at the show. Top Tech Cyril Thomas smoothly oversaw our equipment on site.

The annual “Shooting Star Ball” was again a success with Pepin Clout and his team arriving at the Dorchester Hotel for a 5.00am set up. Preparing themselves for this 24hour+ gig, Pepin’s team consisted of Robin Tombs, Simon Panos, Chris Roberts on sound, Nigel Reavill as the Backline Technician and Bob Ward as script doctor, artist liaison and guest DJ.

The evening was full of a variety of events including, a performance from the runners up of the BBC’s Last Choir Standing, games, raffles, and prize draws. After an extremely emotional and powerful speech and VT of the great work of the shooting stars charity the highlight of the evening came with the auction, along with many generous gifts from business’s and organisations, Sting kindly responded to a JHL request with a signed signature model Fender Precision Bass which sold for over £6000 at auction.

Tony Hadley and his band ended the night with a few Spandau Ballet classics and a mixture of covers including “I Predict a Riot” and “That’s Life”.

Watch Hole In The Wall video clip - www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00f71cx

The Studio’s have been continuing to buzz over the last couple of months with both familiar and new clients such as: Take That, The Killers, McFly, Pendulum, Mark Ronson, Sam Sparrow, The Kooks, Feeder, Dido, Razorlight, Script, Alphabeat, Nicole Atkins ………and many more, All with us to rehearse for various events, new album releases, awards ceremonies, tours and one off gigs.

“Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp™ is the ultimate music experience, that allows musicians and enthusiasts alike the once in a lifetime opportunity to jam with legendary rock stars, play live on stage at major concert venues, and live their rock 'n' roll dreams, and after the success of last year, RRFC once again picked JHL to be the base for this years camp.

Counsellors this year included Chris Slade of AC/DC, Mick Ralph from Mott the Hoople & Bad Company, Kip Winger of Winger, Grammy Award winning producer Mark Hudson (Ozzy, Ringo, Aerosmith), Neil Murray of Whitesnake & Gary Moore, Earl Slick of David Bowie & John Lennon sessions and Jeffery Foskett of the Beach Boys & Brian Wilson Band.

Also making an appearance for the campers were rock and roll Legends Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones and Todd Rundgren, all turning up for a variety of Master classes, question times & Jam sessions.

The week was a great success at JHL with the campers taking full advantage of all our studios, backline & audio equipment. For more information on this years London camp and all future events check out:

Link: www.rockandrollfantasycamp.com

New to our backline and proving to be extremely popular are two Yamaha CGP-1000 Digital Grand Pianos.

The new CGP1000 is truly a unique acoustic/digital hybrid instrument – combining the accurate reproduction of sampling technology with the richly textured harmonic nuances of a real grand piano. The CGP1000 utilizes an actual piano soundboard along with a finely crafted grand piano cabinet to perfectly recreate the sonic resonance and subtle harmonics of a concert grand piano – all in a full-featured, sophisticated digital piano.

Yamaha CGP-1000 Digital Grand Pianos

The CGP1000 has been used weekly at the BBC by the 4 Poofs & the Piano. It was also used for a concert by Rolf Harris and the Fron Choir at the Royal Hospital Chelsea (see link below to watch the video) – JHL’s “ two little boys” Robin Tombs & Fran Bemrose provided their audio expertise to the Remeberence Day event.

Tom Jones, entertained a large crowd on London's South Bank in a busk to raise money for the charity Cancer Research. JHL supplied theAnchor Liberty PA system and the Gibson J200 to Keith Airey who supported him. He performed 11 of his most famous songs including High Heel Sneakers, It’s Not Unusual and Green Green Grass of Home.

Rolf Harris - watch the video

The studios continue to enjoy full occupancy, with just about all genres of music pumping out during May. Since the last news letter the following bands have been through the front door, taking full advantage of all our services……

One Night Only (for TV promo)
Howling Bells (prior to recording new album)
Feeder (UK tour);
Courtney Pine’s Jazz Warriors (for album launch at Ronnie Scotts)
Mark Ronson (UK tour)
Santogold (for Later … TV appearance)
Von Bizmark (showcase)
Natty (Promo tour)
Richard Thompson (UK tour)
RD Crusaders (Richard Desmond’s All Stars Teenage Cancer Trust concert, with Roger Daltrey, Lulu, Peter Andre etc)
Gang of Four (Australia tour)
One Republic (UK tour and TV promos)
Sharleen Spiteri (for Later … TV appearance)
The Zutons (Radio One Big Weekend);
Sparks (21-night residency at Carling Academy, Islington)
Prodigy (Festivals)
Level 42 featuring legendary drummer Billy Cobham (Hague Jazz Festival)
Zebrahead (Tour)
McFly (back in the UK after several months in Australia to write new album)
Andy Burrows (Razorlight) (charity show for Naomi House Children’s Hospice) not forgetting….Beverley Knight; The Divine Comedy; Tony Hadley; Calvin Harris; Russell Watson and My Bloody Valentine’s marathon stint continues.

And as we enter June, we welcome back Russell Watson, Level 42 and Mark Ronson, along with Billy Ocean, Robyn, Madness, Feeder, Nik Kershaw, Michael Ball … and (you guessed it) My Bloody Valentine are still in residence.

Few are nearer the nerve centre of the touring industry than Backline Rental Manager Tark Bates, who revels in the laws of uncertainty and improbability on which our touring industry is founded.

Take the call he took from Zebrahead, who are signed to the same management as Motorhead, on a recent Friday morning late in the month. Tark listened in astonishment as he was told that the drummer had fractured his leg (or some other body part … Tark can’t quite remember) and was told a replacement needed to be found fast. He assumed the caller was referring to a complete stand-in drummer (rather than just a prosthetic limb) and zipped into action. “We arranged full backline and a day’s rehearsal space in our studios the following day to bring the stand-in drummer up to speed,” he says. The tour was due to start 24 hours later. Result…. one happy customer and a tour that had looked in jeopardy went ahead.

The Backline dept also sent a truck load of backline to Birmingham (Carling Academy) for Dio on the 27th and London Astoria (28th), while we had to muster up a last minute backline for Lionel Richie and The Overtures to be delivered to Lake Windermere in Cumbria on the 24th for a corporate gig on the 25th (since the specified equipment could not be sourced locally or north of the border).

To get an idea of the heavy traffic experienced in Brewery Road (fortunately we operate a Congestion Charge Free Zone at JHL) here is a snapshot of the activity over 12 days in May where backline, techs, transport, rehearsals and staging were supplied.

12th May –
GMTV - Minnie Driver - backline; Paul O'Grady Show - Lenny Kravitz - backline; Later with Jools – Nick Cave, Chatham County Line, The Raconteurs, Glasvegas – monitor systems & backline; The Wall – Black Lips – monitor system;

13th May –
This Morning – Lenny Kravitz – backline and full monitoring system, One Republic – backline; Graham Norton Show - One Republic – backline; Later with Jools – as above

May 14th -
Paul O'Grady Show - Sheryl Crow – backline, Josh Groban –backline
4 Music Nick Cave at LSO St Lukes – complete sound and staging

May 15th –
Jonathan Ross – Neil Diamond – floor sound & piano; An Audience with Neil Diamond – perspex screens, music stands and transformers,

May 16th –
This Morning - Sheryl Crow - backline and monitor system; GMTV- A.J.McLean – backline; Paul O’Grady Show - Duffy - backline

May 17th –
Nokia Green Room – backlines for Jamie Lidell, The Subways, Feeder and Gabriella Cilmi; I’d do Anything – backline & C2LS piano for house band

May 19th
This Morning - Sandi Thom – backline; Sound – Duffy, Alphabeat, Zutons,Taio Cruz, Late of the Pier, Fratellis, Mystery Jets - monitor system and backlines; Later – Tricky, Paul Weller, Martha Wainwright, Jimmy Cliff, White Lines – monitor systems and some backlines; The Wall – Black Kids – monitor system

May 20th
Paul O'Grady Show – I’d do Anything cast – backline; Later – as above;

May 21st
Paul O'Grady Show – 500th Show – backline; Q-Music – Elbow – full PA and staging

May 23rd
This Morning - Beth Rowley – backline; GMTV - The Zutons - backline

During the month we also kept the Jazz Cafe www.jazzcafelive.com in Camden Town London supplied with backline for a host of artists including legends such as…..

Stanley Clarke, Roy Ayers and Milton Nascimento, The Skatalites, Blind Boys of Alabama, Fertile Ground, Vieux Farka Touré, The Blackbyrds, Jose James, Stevie Wonder Tribute, Gregory Isaacs and Luisito Quintero.

We also supplied backline (equipment and crew) for Africa Day at Trafalgar Square http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/africa-day-at-trafalgar-square-article-2947.html and Whitney Houston's charity performance at the Cauldwell Children Legends Ball, Battersea Evolution arena (May 8)

LINK: http://www.thelondonpaper.typepad.com/thelondonblog/2008/05/whitney-houston.html

New equipment to meet Rental demand and requirements...

Backline Department:
Korg Radias Bundle keyboard (Usher)
Clavia Nord C1 keyboard (Figurines)
Clavia Nord Lead Stage 88 note piano (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)
Fender Pro Junior 15w 1 x 10 combo (Rooney)
Fender Blues Junior 15w 1 x 12 combo (Duffy)
Fender Super-Sonic 112 Combo (Matchbox 20)
Gallien-Krueger 410 & 115 RBH bass cabinets (Mary J Blige)
Hofner 500/1 v65 bass (Gnarls Barkley)
Kurzweil PC2X keyboard (Various)
Vic Firth Stereo Isolation Drummer Headphones (Estelle)
Vox AC15CC1X custom combo (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)
Vox AC30CC2X 2 x 12 Custom Classic combo (One Republic)
Yamaha HS80M studio monitors (Whitney Houston)
Yamaha CGP-1000 Digital Grand Piano (Osmonds)

Audio Department

EAW SB730 sub bass cabinets (The Hospital)
Rane Serato Scratch Live USB Interface (Santogold)
Sennheiser EW 300 IEM systems (Various)
Shure KSM9/SL mic and UR4D-R9, UR1-R9, UR2-B5 dual channel radios (Various)

Audio Activities:
We continued to supply monitor systems for BBC TV’s Later……. , Sound, The Wall and the Jonathan Ross Show. In addition we supplied monitor systems for both T4 Special shows with Usher and the Fratellis, as well as Live from Abbey Road with Matchbox Twenty and the Fratellis. Showcases included Jason Mraz at the Royal Opera House, Elbow for Q Magazine at the Hospital, Sam Sparro plus support at the Proud Galleries. The Zavvi Megastore was supplied with a full PA system based around a small KF730 line-array system for a number of different artists performing in the store and Usher’s people liked our monitor system so much at T4 that we were asked to provide it (and a complete backline ) for his rehearsal and show at Indig02.
Links to all of the equipment.

After working on the show for so long … we were delighted to be asked to provide PA and control for the new series of Later Live … with Jools Holland (BBC 2, Tuesday, 10pm) which is now broadcast live from the studio for the first time. The first week saw appearances by Adele, The Only Ones, James Taylor and Estelle. Meanwhile the new series of Later…… With Jools Holland (Friday BBC2, 11.35pm) featured the above as well as the debut of new band Black Kids.

For the audience FOH sound a Yamaha LS9-32 was sending mixes to an EAW KF730/SB1000E PA rig, while the monitor desks included a Midas  Heritage 3000 and two Yamaha PM5D-RH’s, EAW JH15s, Clair Bros 12am and Radian RMW-1122 wedges;  all under the artful control of a JHL crew comprising Simon Panos, Aden Gregory, Jon Shaw, Chris Barton and Mark Napier.
For the weekly BBC2/Radio One show Switch: Sound on Saturday’s at 1:20pm, hosted by Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw, we supply an EAW monitor system with a Yamaha PM5D-RH console, along with a full compliment of backline for the various acts that appear on the show. Crew chief Robin Tombs and Peter Veness look after the sound. Dave Fowler and Cyril Thomas or Trevor Dawkins look after backline.
Coming to the end of its series we have continued to supply an EAW JH15 and Yamaha M7CL monitor system for Lily Allen & Friends at Pinewood Studios, with Jim King and Trevor Dawkins as our duty technicians.

Occupying extremely high profiles in their own rights this month were Mariah Carey and Duffy. Both were in action at the T4 Music Day Specials at The Hospital in Covent Garden where we provided an EAW monitor rig with a Yamaha PM5D-RH; Denny Vidal was on duty for Duffy and Robin Tombs took care of Ms Carey. In addition we supplied an all-white backline for Mariah’s performance of tracks from her new album.

While in town, Mariah Carey also conducted an album signing session at Selfridges where we were again brought in to provide the sound for the selected track playback. We supplied four Mackie SRM 450 active speakers, a pair of Sennheiser SKM935 radio mics, Tascam CD Player and Yamaha LS9/16 digital mixing console — manned by Jim King and John Dussek.

A late call from a PR company found us at the Australian High Commission with the great Dame Edna Everage, launching the Anzac Biscuits Tea Dancing events! JHL supplied a Yamaha GT7 piano for the Dame, plus additional audio and radio mics for the event, mixed by Peter Veness, along with stage lighting handled by Rick Markee-Hicks.