Britannia Row was, as usual, the audio contractor for the Hyde Park shows, providing a large amount of Sennheiser microphones and in-ear monitors, with the standard stage set comprising SKM 2000 with 935 capsules and EM 2050 dual receivers along with 2000 series IEMs. Incoming regular Sennheiser users included Rita Ora, Madonna, Snow Patrol, Two Door Cinema, The Feeling, Alexandra Burke, The Temper Trap and The Wanted.
With this significant Sennheiser inventory, the Sennheiser UK facility, manned by the company's artist relations manager Mark Saunders and chief engineer Andrew Lillywhite, was greatly appreciated by both Brit Row's staff and the touring engineers.
"This is my 12th year in Hyde Park and the backup from Sennheiser is amazing," says John Gibbon, Brit Row sound crew chief. "It gets better every year, not only with the equipment, but having people you know and trust on site is exceptionally helpful.
"We are all one big team, so little problems are solved before they become big ones. Having the backup, spares and technical knowledge on site is absolutely invaluable."
Andrew Thornton, Front of House engineer for The Wanted, agrees, adding, "Knowing that Sennheiser is on hand to support the audio company means that I don't need to worry about whether there are going to be the correct type of radio microphones, in-ear systems and enough of each; that there are going to be any RF problems; that we aren't going to get our wireless packs in time or that they are going to be programmed strangely...
"I know that our monitor engineer and I are going to walk on site, that everything will be taken care of and there's nothing to worry about."
Another company closely affiliated with Sennheiser and with a regular backstage presence at the Hyde Park concerts is Tour Supply.
"We supply three main lines - consumables like guitar strings, batteries, gaffer tape, drum sticks and drum heads; 'small-but-essential' items for crews like torches, gloves, multi tools, headphones and part of the artist sales side for Sennheiser," says the company's 'Big' Al.
"If there is a Sennheiser endorsed artist who needs equipment here, then Mark or Andrew will send them over and we will supply it at the artist price. It also means that we can help to support those artists elsewhere in the world, because we cover all of Europe and have offices in the US.
"Having both us and Sennheiser in Hyde Park is great for all the their artists, because if they need to buy something we've probably got it with us. And if they need anything repairing there is a very high chance that Andrew can sort it out on site."
"Hyde Park has been become a regular fixture during the Summer for Sennheiser artist relations," concludes Mark Saunders. "We enjoy a very good working relationship with both Britannia Row and promoter Live Nation. This year saw an extended presence due to the increased number of shows, which allowed us to catch up with and support an even greater number of the sound engineers and artists who have chosen Sennheiser products."
(Jim Evans)
