Well, maybe going the extra few hundred metres down the canal would be more accurate when B&H Sound provided technical support to Clark-Coates Event Management at a community festival in the West Midlands.

This popular family event required sound coverage right along the waterfront, allowing the participating music groups to be heard throughout the day and into the evening when decorated canal boats paraded. B&H provided PA, staging and lighting, including a high quality Meyer delay speaker system enabling people in the restaurants right along the canal side to hear clearly.

Global Director Andy Clark-Coates said, “B&H Sound helped ensure the event was a resounding success. Estimates put the attendance at 12,000, the largest audience to date, and we really appreciate all of the support and involvement of the B&H team.”

That makes it worthwhile, even if it means going only a few hundred metres instead of that elusive extra mile.

International Staff Songsters, the premier choir of The Salvation Army, marked their 25th anniversary during the Gospel Arts Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. B&H Sound Services have a long-standing relationship with the ISS, so they were the natural choice to support the event.

Technical challenges included the wide range of different international groups, and the interactive nature of the performances in the arena. The whole event was recorded to 48-tracks on a RADAR multitrack system.

Special Events Manager Melvin Hart of The Salvation Army says, “For many years B&H Sound has been our right hand for technical services. They see whole projects through from start to finish and they always contribute to the success of our events.”

Another recent Salvation Army event was a ‘Welcome to the High Council and Farewell Salute’ at Westminster Central Hall. Council members from all over the world gathered as International General John Larsson retired. In addition to handling PA and video projection, the whole event was recorded and streamed on the Internet within hours for the benefit of viewers worldwide, moving on to a new medium internationally.

B&H Sound Services has been given recognition as an Investor in People, the national standard which sets out a level of good practice for training and development of people to achieve business goals. Assessor Allan Brown noted, “You have demonstrated good practice across all operational areas, and the recognition is a tribute to the combined efforts of all of your team.”

Key strengths listed in the assessment included:
· Highly committed team who share the Managing Director’s passion for doing business the ‘right way’
· Embedded team culture that values individual contributions

Managing Director Brian Hillson, who founded B&H Sound Services in 1978 out of what was basically a hobby, says, “Investors in People struck a resonant chord with me because a caring employer wants to give his employees opportunities. We want to do what is best for the people working for us – it’s about training for living.”

B&H was commended for its commitment to develop and educate staff beyond their current capabilities. Sharing of knowledge and expertise is very much part of the company culture.

B&H Syscom is launching a unique sound and video maintenance service which will offer technical support for venues ranging from small churches to large concert halls.

In today’s fast changing environment, it’s vital that both the original selection of equipment and subsequent levels of service allow users to meet the crucial demands that will be placed on their audio-visual systems. The new service allows sound and video systems to be maintained on an annual basis and includes complete systems checks. A range of options from Bronze to Platinum allows for both servicing and component replacement.

B&H Syscom Manager Ian Dunkley notes, “I am not aware of anyone else in our market able to offer this level of support.”

B&H Syscom are initially introducing the maintenance contracts to churches, with different levels of cover available giving up to ten calls per year and guaranteed 48-hour call out. The number of contracts signed within the first few weeks far exceeded expectations. Now plans are underway to extend this offer and launch it to other non-church venues throughout the country later in the year.

Top selling artist Daniel O Donnell embarked on his largest tour ever, lasting five weeks and taking in 11 UK and Ireland venues. His show was a tribute to rock and roll music with over 25 performers and a crew of 35. Video was central to the show and B&H was the obvious choice, having worked on a number of Daniel’s previous shows.

Designed to resemble a giant juke box, the set stood 30’ tall and featured moving elements including a 1950s Corvette! B&H provided a three camera system linked to a pair of high brightness projectors and screens, giving the audience a clear view of the performance from every seat in the packed houses.

Technical Manager Glyn Owen of Kanlite said, “We are very happy about our long standing relationship with B&H. Their high standards of excellence make them a valuable part of the team.”

The show was a huge success and will go on tour again in 2007. Watch this space!

Spot the Difference

For the first time ever the BBC will broadcast the Easter Sunday celebration live from the Spring Harvest Big Top at Minehead. B&H Sound are providing lighting, audio and video support, and the venue will be packed with 4,000 people from babies to grandparents all enjoying the enhanced worship experience.

Other events will also be screened for Songs of Praise on Pentecost Sunday, and all require the same sense of immediacy as the live coverage. That means getting every technical detail right without detracting from the experience of thousands of people enjoying the relaxed yet dynamic live atmosphere.

Viewers are invited to observe both the live and pre-recorded broadcasts to spot any difference in technical excellence. But then it is the consistent excellence which will make this yet another landmark event!

The Children’s Society is a charity that helps children facing a whole range of difficult issues, and B&H Sound provides the technical support required by all the various age groups involved in the form of versatile sound and video solutions.

Celebrations are held in numerous different UK locations, with children and professional adults participating and video presentations being shown. B&H also has to accommodate various other needs, including providing audio loop systems for those whose hearing is impaired.

This year the Children’s Society 125th anniversary will be marked with a number of larger events. Volunteer Marketing Manager Caroline Loden notes, “B&H work with us each year and they really do anything that is needed to help. They provide flexibility for the variety of people speaking, and give us an all around support which contributes so much to the success of the celebrations.”