Another one of Tark's interesting and challenge jobs for the month was to supply a keyboard rig for a Lionel Richie performance for a client in Tripoli which was a last minute request.

The logistics were handled by freight stalwarts Rock-It Cargo and the equipment got there on time and the show went on.

Most unusual gig must go to Robert Harding, JHL's General Manager who was given the challenged to supply and service a event in the capitals most famous landmark the "BT Tower" which celebrated its 40th Birthday recently and was hosted by Natasha Kaplinsky and live music from stars including Rick Astley and former S-Club 7 singer Jo O'Meara. The event was in aid of “Children in Need”.

Some interesting facts for you, the Tower which stands 630ft high, is the largest and most complex automated video switching centre in Europe, handling around one million video switches each year - about 3000 per day. Ninety-nine per cent of all live UK football matches and most terrestrial television pass through BT Tower. The show took place on the 34th Floor which until 1980 housed a restaurant which revolves and takes 22 minutes to complete a rotation.

JHL was contracted to put a full sound, lights & stage into the newly refurbished world famous Hard Rock cafe in London which has just under gone a £1.5 million refurb due to fire damage that was sustained in July 05. Monsters of Rock, "Deep Purple" were brought in to relaunch the cafe and put it back on the map. Needless to say the place was jammed packed with a serious over spill into the surrounding streets but the band played an amazing set and great night was had by all.

JHL's Pepin Clout was the Project Manager, Aden Gregory and Simon Panos handled the sound , Kevin Ludlam on Lighting, Owen Cooper and Alex Barclay on Backline. JHL used Funktion One Res2 cabinets, chosen not just for their “deep purple” colour (!) but for their acoustic properties, along with a Midas Heritage console (also in “deep purple” case!) and Clair 12AM monitors. The space was very tight but the guys made it happen.

JHL have been extremely busy so far this year with various TV shows including the BBC's "Just the Two of Us" which was probably one of the most demanding Live to Air technical set ups JHL have been asked to service. JHL used two Yamaha PM5D RH consoles to their absolute max. There were a total of 24 monitor mixes on desk one and 17 Zoned House mixes on desk 2 and all 96 mic channels (48 x 2) were used, along with various Funktion One Res1, Res2 & AX88, H&K VT108, EAW SB1000, EAW KF300 cabinets, Clair 12AM monitors, Sennheiser and Shure In Ear Monitoring to name but some.

The system was designed by JHL's Robert Harding and engineered by Aden Gregory and Jim King. The show was hosted by Tess Daly & Vernon Kay and ran Live to Air over a two week period on four consecutive nights per week and finished with the final being won by Russell Watson (of Classical Tenor Fame) and Sian Reeves (best known for playing Sydney in Cutting It)

When's a mirror not a mirror? When it’s a "Mylar Glassless Mirror" perhaps? When Madonna booked rehearsals in London for the launch of her first album release since 2003, "Confessions on a Dance Floor" at Koko's in London and then onto the MTV Awards performance in Nov 05, JHL were asked to supply a lightweight, free standing, portable, 40' x 6' "Mirrored Wall" for the rehearsals that were booked for the next few days. This certainly threw a challenge to the sourcing department (and as you know the team at JHL loves a challenge!).

We sourced the Mylar product in the USA. It’s a space-age super reflective material used in the Hubble Space Telescope that does not shatter or break and reflects an image with super clear and amazingly bright quality when compared to glass or plastic mirrors. It is stretched and mounted on a foam board then attached to an aluminium frame. Ten 6' x 4' sections were ordered and shipped the same day and arrived in time for the rehearsals. Needless to say, Madonna's Production Manager, Chris Lamb was very happy with the service.

Now available for hire at £15/day per unit.

JHL have increased their piano rental stock to satisfy demand and have added a Yamaha C2 Silent grand piano out on the John Legend tour, a Yamaha GT7 Grand Touch digital grand piano out with the Donny Osmond tour and a Yamaha GT20 out with the Paul Weller tour.

Last but not least JHL have just added the revolutionary, brand new Yamaha Clavinova CLP-FO1 Digital Upright piano to their rental stock. Not only digital but it can change colour too! See this amazing keyboard at www.yamahaf01.co.uk
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JHL have added another Yamaha PM5D RH digital console to their Audio rental stock as the format has proved to be exactly what is required for there diverse work load.
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Due to demand JHL have added a full set of the Sennheiser Evolution wireless series including the G2 EM550 true diversity receivers, SK500 G2 body packs and SKM 935 Professional handheld radio microphones to their UHF radio rental stock.
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Allen & Heaths DJ mixer the XONE2: 62 Club Mixer has proved very popular and has been added to the rental stock. Other recent additions and still proving to be the industry standard work horse are the Technics SL1210 Mk2 decks and the Technics Mk5 decks and without a doubt the most popular CD decks are the Pioneer CDJ1000Mk2 decks which again have been been added to our vast DJ equipment inventory.
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John Henry’s Ltd supplied full Event Production for The Roisin Dubh Trust for a very special Phil Lynott tribute concert which was held in the Point Arena on the 20th August to coincide with the unveiling of a statue in the singer’s memory in Dublin.

The concert brought together past Thin Lizzy band members Gary Moore, Eric Bell, Brian Downey, Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham to honour the memory of Lynott. They were joined by Jon Noyce on bass guitar to complete the line up.

The set included many old favorites and the packed arena went wild as they rocked to Jailbreak, Boys are Back in Town and Whiskey in the Jar. The unveiling of the statue took place on the Friday the 19th at its location in Harry Street, corner of Grafton Street.

JHL provided a full EAW sound system comprising KF760 line array for front of house along with KF730 SLAMs as in fills, FOH & Monitor boards were covered by 4 x Yamaha PM5D RH consoles, on stage monitoring was by Clair 12AM monitors and P4 side fills. JHL also supplied full backline and risers for the support bands which included, Brush Shiels (Skid Row), Jason Swindle, Johnny Fean (Horslips), Danielle Pfiffer, Neil Murray, DARE featuring Darren Wharton (ex Thin Lizzy keyboards) Wheatus, Skye & Nutonic featuring Alaska Lyle. Compare for the evening was our very own Paul “Kremmen” Elliot.

This was a full on show with 7 acts and a 4 hour show time but full credit goes to all our crew who did a brilliant job, they were:

Production Manager: Robert Harding
Stage Manager: Paul “Kremmen” Elliot
Audio Crew Boss: Aden Gregory
Audio FOH: Simon Panos
Audio Monitors: Chris “Nobby” Roberts
Audio System Tech: Matt Grounds
Audio System Tech: David Ryan
Backline Tech: Lloyd Gilbert
Backline Tech: Owen Cooper
Back Stage Artiste Liaison: Jamie Henry

Lighting was supplied by Just Lite from Dublin and the LD was Eugene O’Connor.

Original Newsletter