From the late 60s Jands manufactured a range of lighting equipment including strobes, color-organs, chasers and lighting effects units. Jands lighting equipment was used for ‘Hair’ and many other local productions and events. The March 1970 rental price list is reproduced below.
This is the earliest photo we have of a Jands sound system. The concert was held outdoors at the Heddon Greta Speedway near Newcastle.
The PA system included two Jands 4 x 12″ speaker columns shown on the left side of the photo. Microphones were AKG D190s.
The mixer was designed and largely built by Philip Storey and featured 10 channels with rotary level controls, 2 band eq and steped input attenuators.
Sound System
2 x RCA W Bin c/w 2 x JBL K140
4 x Jands U Bin c/w 2 x JBL K130
2 x RCA Multi-cell Horns
8 x JBL 075
16 Channel Jands Mixing Console
10 x Jands 150w Power Amplifiers
System Engineer
Howard Page
Promoters / Sponsors:
I.B.C./Rock Concert Club of Australia/Go-Set/ 6KY, 5KA, 3AK, 4BC, 2SM
1971 Tour Dates and Venues:
16 October - Perth, Subiaco Stadium
22 October - Adelaide, Memorial Drive Tennis Centre
24 October - Melbourne, Kooyong Tennis Centre
26. October - Brisbane, Festival Hall
31 October - Sydney, Randwick Racecourse
System Engineer
Support Groups:
The Birds (Perth)
Mark IV (Perth)
Headband (Adelaide)
Ilo (Adelaide)
Chain (Melbourne)
Aztecs (Melbourne)
Pilgrimage (Melbourne)
Gentle Art (Brisbane)
Leroy (Brisbane)
Country Radio (Sydney)
Melissa (Sydney)
Asleep At the Wheel (Sydney)
About Alpine Sound
In the early 70’s cigarette company Alpine sponsored a series of outdoor concerts at various venues in and around Sydney.
The photographs show the FOH mixer which was the first large mixer designed and built by Jands and one of the beach concerts at Manly. Note the blue 6 channel sub-mixer alongside.
Jands 16 channel FOH Mixer
16 Mic / Line Inputs, 4 Stereo Group masters
Stepped input attenuator
3 way eq section
2 auxillary sends
PFL switch
Jands 6 channel Mixer
6 Mic / Line Inputs, 4 Stereo Group masters
Stepped input attenuator
3 way eq section
PFL switch
For the second time within a year the Bee Gees will play to capacity houses throughout their Australian tour. Originally it was planned that there would be only one concert in Melbourne and Brisbane but because both were sold out on the first day of bookings, promoter Paul Dainty decided to include extra concerts in both cities. An amazing effort when you consider that the Bee Gees first tour was only in July last year.”
- Go-Set, 5 February 1972
Sound System
2 x RCA W Bin c/w 2 x JBL K140
4 x Jands U Bin c/w 2 x JBL K130
2 x RCA Multi-cell Horns
8 x JBL 075
16 Channel Jands Mixing Console
10 x Jands 150w Power Amplifiers
System Crew
Howard Page
Promoters:
Ron Blackmore, Paul Dainty & David Trew
Cities, Venues, Dates:
29 January - Melbourne, Kooyong Tennis Centre
30 January - Sydney, RAS Showground
1February - Brisbane, Festival Hall,
3 February - Adelaide, Memorial Park
4 February - Perth, Subiaco Oval
This was Led Zeppelin’s only Australian tour. Portions of the Sydney Showground concert were filmed for GTK and appears in the “Down Under” segment of the Led Zeppelin DVD released in 2003.
Sound System
Showco Sound System
Jands (Additional) System
2 x RCA W Bin c/w 2 x JBL K140
2 x JBL 4550 c/w 2 x JBL K130
2 x JBL 2350 Horn + 2480 Driver
2 x JBL 2355 Horn + 2440 Driver
2 x JBL 2356 Horn + 2480 Driver
8 x JBL 2402
12 x Jands 150w Power Amplifiers
System Crew
Philip Storey
Tour Details
16 February - Perth - Subiaco Oval
19 February - Adelaide - Memorial Drive
20 February - Melbourne - Kooyong Tennis Courts
27 February - Sydney - RAS Showground
29 February - Brisbane - Festival Hall
Set List
1. Black Dog
2. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
3. Going To California
4. Heartbreaker
5. Immigrant Song
6. Since I’ve Been Loving You
7. Stairway To Heaven
8. Tangerine
9. That’s The Way
See more images from this tour
About Mulwala
The Rock Isle Mulwala Festival was held over the Easter weekend (31 March - 2 April 1972) and featured local bands including: Russell Morris, Lobby Loyde, Leo De Castro and Friends, Country Radio, Chain, Carson, Taman Shud and The Aztecs. The festival also featured, Canned Heat and Steven Stills band “Mannassas”, with Chris Hilman.
Sound System (each side)
2 x Jands Hurler c/w 4 x JBL 2225
1 x JBL 4550 c/w 2 x JBL K130
2 x Jands 4580 c/w 2 x JBL K120
2 x JBL 2350 90 Horn with 2480 Driver
2 x JBL 2355 60 Horn with 2440 Driver
1 x JBL 2360 Long Throw Horn with 2480 Driver
2 x HF enclosures each with 2 x JBL 2402
2 x HF enclosures each with 2 x JBL 2405
24 x Jands 150w Power Amplifiers
System Crew
Howard Page, David Mulholland, Eric Robinson, Edward Robinson
This was Status Quo’s first trek to Australia and New Zealand. It would become a regular trip during the 1970s but on this, their first tour, Quo played as support band to the UK glam rockers ‘Slade’. Quo would return to Australia within the year. The support act was Blackfeather.
Jands sound system was severly tested by Slade’s operator who took one look at the mixer and said “I don’t use the meters (or any of the other controls) just push all the faders to the top”. After the first show the DBX160 limiters were moved from the mix position to backstage and set to protect the speaker system!
Tour Details 1973
27 January - Auckland, (NZ) Hamilton Racecourse
28 January – Sydney, Randwick Racecourse
29 January – Brisbane, Lang Park Oval
31 January – Perth, Subiaco Oval
3 February – Adelaide, Wayville Showgrounds
4 February – Melbourne, Showgrounds
The Sunbury music festival was Australia’s answer to Woodstock in the early 70s. It was first held on the Australia day long weekend of 1972 in Sunbury, about 35 kilometres north-east of Melbourne on the Calder Highway.
Sunbury took place annually from 1972 to 1975. In 1975 Deep Purple headlined and brought a Tycobrahe sound system with them and this was stacked inside the Jands system.
The Tycobrahe system was made up of integrated three-way cabinets that included 2 JBL 2220A’s, a 2482 driver with midrange horn and 2 075 tweeters. The integrated approach was the way of the future but it was many years before the idea was successfully implemented.
Rod Stewart toured Australia, for the first time, in early 1977. His Sydney concert set a new attendance record of 32,000 at the RAS Showground.
Sound System
Jands 24 / 16 / 2 mixer
Effects
27 band stereo graphic eq
2 x DBX 160 limiters
2 x Jands. 4.way crossovers
Amplifiers
8 x Amp racks with 3
Crown DC300A or
Phase Linear 700B or
Jands J600S
Speaker System:
12 x Jands 4130 (4 x JBL 15
4 x RCA (2 x JBL 15)
24 x JBL 4560 (1 x JBL 15)
16 x Jands 4580 (2 x JBL 12)
20 x JBL 90˚ horn
16 x J8L 60˚ horn
8 x JBL long throw horn
48 x JBL 075 high frequency
Monitor System
Jands 20 in 6 out monitor mixer
Side Fill
1 x JBL 4550 (2 x JBL2220)
2 x JBL 4560 (1 x JBL2220)
2 x JBL 90˚ horn
1 x JBL 2390 lens
Drum Monitor
4 x JBL 4560 bass bins
2 x JBL 90˚ horns
Floor
4 x Jands wedge (1 x JBL 15, horn and driver
Lighting System
Jands 48 ch 2 preset console,
16 Scene masters
6 ch chaser
Dimmers
70 Jands 2kW (miniset) dimmers
Fixtures
100 x Par64
Strand Pat 763 Profiles
Mirror Ball
The April 1977 edition of Electronics Today featured an article about the equipment used on this tour.
Read the Electronics Today Story [PDF 1.9m]
Tour Dates 1977
February 7, 8 - Perth
February 11, 12 - Adelaide
February 14, 15 - Melbourne
February 18, 19 - Sydney
February 21, 22 - Brisbane
February 28 - Christchurch NZ
March 3 - Auckland NZ
Jands Crew
Vagn Stenvei, Dennis Braham, David Mulholland, Michael Oberg, Phil Eastig
Rod Stewart Crew
Pete Buckland, Patrick Woodroffe
See more images from this tour
When Abba toured, in 1977, Jands supplied the sound, lighting and a custom built hydraulic stage that was used to raise and lower a 17 piece Australian orchestra who provided backing for several songs including “Dancing Queen”
In a radio interview, after the Melbourne concert, reporter Don McLean said
“…a big speaker bank either side of the stage and then they had another one half way up the lawn area. I think possibly because of the use of strings and synthesizers and just the band themselves playing and the whole lot was blended so well, it was just unbelievable, the sound was perfect. And of course you could hear every word that ABBA sang which was what the kids were there for anyway.
Also the lighting, the stage was all white. They had big blue curtains hanging down on either side with ah sort of flowers all round the stage. And ah, I wouldn’t be sure exactly how many lights they had, they had a lot of lights on stage, on the sides of the stage and ah it was just one big colour bath the whole way through. It was brilliant.”
Tour Dates 1977
March 3 & 4 Sydney Showgrounds
March 5 & 6 Melbourne Myer Music Bowl
March 8 Adelaide Westlakes Stadium
March 10, 11 & 12 Perth Entertainment Centre.
Sound System
System Crew
Howard Page, Peter Rooney, Paul Mulholland
ABBA & Management:
Promoter Paul Dainty
Australian Tour Manager Michael Chugg
Asst. Tour Manager Graham Maddigan
Production Manager Eric Robinson
Publicity Patti Mostyn
See more images from this tour
Electric Light Orchestra brought their symphonic rock and laser lighting (nothing on this scale had been seen in Australia before) to Australia in February 1978.
Commenting on the Randwick Racecourse show violinist Mik Kaminski said: “But the best thing of all was the concert we did at Sydney Outdoor Stadium, where we played to 26,000 people.”
The speaker system for this tour included 18 of Jands (newly developed) Concords along with conventional 4 way cabinets. Jands also supplied the stage roof.
The lighting system was made up of Par64s and Strand profiles for specials. At the end of the Australian tour ELO airfreighted Jands lighting system and crew to Japan for concerts in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. The 20ft trusses, in use at the time, were a special problem for Qantas.
See more images from this tour
When Bette Midler and her entourage visited Australia, at the end of her 1978 world tour, she sold out 34 shows. Her infamous “trash with flash” act consisted of a sting of hits and jokes including her “Delores Delago” character - a beached mermaid, who zoomed on and off stage in a motorized wheelchair.
Jands provided the sound system including Concord speaker cabinets which were both stacked on stage and flown in the State theatre.
Jands also provided the lighting which was designed and operated by the legendary Chip Monk - LD and larger than life master of ceremonies at Woodstock.
Tour Dates
October 25 - Sydney, State Theatre
October 26 - Sydney, State Theatre
October 27 - Sydney, State Theatre
October 28 - Sydney, State Theatre
October 29 - Sydney, State Theatre
November 01 - Melbourne
November 04 - Perth
November 07 - Adelaide
November 09 - Brisbane
November 12 - Sydney, State Theatre
November 13 - Sydney, State Theatre
November 14 - Sydney, State Theatre
This was 31 year-old David Bowie’s first tour of Australia. He brought along a Showco crew, FOH consoles and a custom built fluorescent light wall and ceiling structure. Unusually no coloured lighting was used. Instead the show relied on the different colour temperatures of incandescent, tungsten, fluorescent and other light sources to create contrast. The National Times said, ‘The light show, like the artist when illuminated, was an example of true excellence.
Jands supplied the sound system, lighting support and the outdoor roof. Seven semi-trailers were used to transport the equipment around Australia.
Brisbane newspaper reported: “David Bowie today received some noisy feedback from Queensland’s minister in charge of noise, Mr Russ Hinze, following the pop star’s open-air concert last night. ‘These pop singers come out here to make a quick quid by disturbing our peace and tranquillity,’ Mr Hinze said. ‘The fact that he’s a pommie as well wouldn’t help.’
Mr Hinze, who is the minister for local government, said the newly-formed Noise Abatement Authority will investigate complaints that last night’s Bowie concert at Lang Park, Brisbane, disturbed the peace.
It was reported that the noise was loud enough to be heard 6 km away. Residents of the suburbs of Paddington, Barton and Milton described it as ‘intolerable’.
The support group for the tour was The Angels. Tickets for the Sydney concerts cost $12.50
Jands Crew
Vagn Stenvei
David Mulholland
Tour Dates
November 5 ) - Rehearsals
November 8 ) - Sydney Hordern Pavillion
November 11 - Adelaide
November 14 - Perth
November 18 - Melbourne Cricket Ground.
November 21 - Brisbane.
November 24 - Sydney Showground
November 25 - Sydney Showground.
November 29 - Christchurch, QE2 Stadium.
December 2 - Auckland, Western Springs.
The “Blondes ‘Ave More Fun Tour” was Rod Stewart’s second trip to Australia. For the outdoor shows the sound system was stacked on three levels and was powered by Jands J600S amplifiers.
As in 1977, Patrick Woodroffe designed and operated the lighting which included PAR 64s, Altman Beamlights and Lekos along with a quantity of Arri 2K Blondies for audience lighting. The set featured all-white stage equipment and curtains.
Jands Crew
Vagn Stenvei, Phil Dracoulis, David Mulholland, Mark Keegan, Dave Houghton
Rod Stewart Crew
Pete Buckland, Patrick Woodroffe
Tour Dates 1979
31 January - Perth
01 February - Perth
02 February - Perth
05 February - Adelaide
09 February - Melbourne
12 February - Sydney
13 February - Sydney
16 February - Brisbane
17 February - Brisbane
18 February - Brisbane
23 February - Auckland, NZ
27 February - Christchurch, NZ
See more images from this tour
During the 1970s, radio station 2SM staged a series of free concerts in Sydney. The February 1979 concert turned out to be its last at Victoria Park and featured Dragon, The Angels, Split Enz, Kevin Borich and Sports. Sydney City Council subsequently banned outdoor shows there following complaints about crowd behaviour (Doc Neeson was knocked out by a flying beer can) and damage to the park.
Jands sound system included both 4-way and Concord speaker cabinets. Jands also supplied lighting and the outdoor roof for the concert.
Conservative protestant evangelist, Billy Graham, was in Sydney in April 1979 to present one of his crusades. These were big outdoor shows, attended by tens of thousands of people.
Jands provided sound, lighting and the outdoor roof for the event.
We are currently compiling and uploading information from the 1970s. When complete we’ll start adding events and stories from the 80s - check back soon.
During the 1980s
Jands Concert Productions acquired the assets of Artist Concert Tours
The rental company was sold to and then bought back from Samuelsons PLC
Jands became the Australian representative for Vari-Lite
We are currently compiling and uploading information from the 1970s. When complete we’ll start adding events and stories from the 80s then 90s - check back soon.
On November 24, 1996, supported by Custard, Powderfinger and You Am I, Crowded House played its last show on the steps of the Sydney Opera House in front of a crowd of between 120,000 and 250,000 one of the biggest concerts in Australian history. It was postponed by one day due to inclement weather but the band played a “warm up” gig for the overseas fans who were unable to stay in Sydney for the extra day. Proceeds from this concert supported the Sydney Children’s Hospital. In November 2006, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the concert, a 2-CD-album and a 2-DVD-Set was released.
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