Fanfest Darling Harbour

While 32 nations played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Sydney was one of only six cities around the world to host an International FIFA Fan Fest. More than 500,000 people visited the Cockle Bay and Tumbalong Park sites, at Darling Harbour, where all 64 matches were broadcast live on four large screens.

JPS provided sound reinforcement and crew for the 31 day event.

More than 2.5 million Australians tuned it to see Melbourne’s premiership triumph over Parramatta – making it the most watched NRL grand final in three years. Jands provided the audio system and staff for the day’s entertainment, including performances by Wolfmother, Wes Carr and Mark Vincent.

Sydney rock lovers took a trip down memory lane as performers from more than three decades hit the stage at the Sound Relief concert. Jands provided the audio system and staff for the Sydney concert and also sent front end equipment and crew to the Melbourne concert for Midnight Oil.

Johnston Audio Services provided a Nexo Geo-T system for the tour. For the Sydney show at Centennial Park, which was a sell-out of 18,000 people, the Geo T was augmented by delay stacks of Nexo Geo-S.
Centennial Park is situated in the middle of prime real estate and shows held there invariably draw noise complaints from the neighbouring residents. The controllability of the Geo-T helped to contain the audio to the concert area which in turn kept the noise consultants happy – with no complaints! The same issues are prevalent at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl – and again – a faultless show without any trouble from the sound consultants!

The main system included 24 x Nexo Geo-T 4805 cabinets, 6 x Nexo Geo-T 2815 cabinets and 12 x Nexo CD18 subs. Nexo Alpha-e was utilised as front fill. The system was powered by Camco Vortex 6 amplifiers and controlled with Nexo NX241 processors and Lake Contour.

The delay system included 16 Nexo Geo-S 805 cabinets and 2 x Nexo Geo-S 830 cabinets, powered by Camco Vortex 6 amplifiers.

The monitor rig was Nexo PS15 cabinets – also powered by Camco.

Missy Higgins’ FOH engineer Brent Gray mixed the show on a Midas XL4 and monitor engineer Saul Skouterides utilised a Midas Heritage 3000 console.

Dates

October 14 – 31 2005

Main System

24x Nexo Geo-T 4805 Tangental Array
6x Nexo Geo-T 2815 Tangental Array
12x Nexo CD 18 Subs
20x Camco Vortex 6 Amps
4x Nexo NX241 Processors

Front Fill

2x Nexo Alpha-E M Cabinets
4x Nexo Alpha-E B118 Cabinets
2x Camco Vortex 6 Amps
1x Nexo Nx241 Processors

Delay System – (Sydney Only)

16x Nexo Geo-S 805 Tangental Array
2x Nexo Geo-S 830 Tangental Array
4x Nexo CD 12 Subs
4x Camco Vortex 6 Amps
2x Nexo Nx241 Processors

FOH Console

1x Midas Xl4 Console

Drive Rack

1x BSS Fcs 960 Dual 31 Band Eq
1x Al Smart C2 System Compressor
2x Lake Contour Processors
1x JAS System Management Computer C/W JBL Smaart
1x Denon DN600-F CD Player

FOH Effects

1x Tc Electronics M 5000
2x Yamaha SPX 990
1x TC Electronics D-Two Delay
1x Eventide H3000 Harmoniser

Inserts

3x Drawmer DS 201 Noise Gates
5x DBX 160x Compressor
2x Avalon Vt 737-Sp
2x DBX 566 Valve Compressors
2x Empirical Labs Distressors

Monitor Console

1x Midas Heritage H3000 Console

Monitor Inserts

4x Klark Teknik Dn360 Eq
2x Drawmer DS 201 Noise Gates
1x Yamaha SPX990

Monitor Speakers

12x Nexo PS 15 Wedges
3x Camco Vortex 6 Amps
3x Nexo TD Mk Ii Controllers

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

The elaborate travelling stage set included a large gothic looking bed in the center of the stage. There were huge pillars on either side of the bed, which would at one point in the show support an over-sized spider web for the performance of Devil’s Food and The Black Widow. And, at the height of the show the bed would slide back and a large split screen was raised.

Alice and the dancers were on the screen and then would emerge through the screen onto the stage. Sheryl Goddard, who would later become Sheryl Cooper, played the ballerina role for Only Women Bleed.

The touring band included Dick Wagner, Steven Hunter, Prakash John and Whitey Glan.

I Never Cry was added to the set during the Australian and New Zealand leg of the tour.

Tour Dates

March 1977
14, 15 Entertainment Centre, Perth
18 Westlakes Football Stadium, Adelaide
21, 22, 23, 24 Festival Hall, Melbourne
26 RAS Showground, Sydney (40,000 people attended, breaking the Australian record at this time)
29, 30, 31 Festival Hall, Brisbane

Video

Click images to enlarge

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 put to the test 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 Dates 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