14/07/2025
Behind the Music: How JKSL Kept 250,000 People Safe at 3 Iconic Gigs.
When the lights go up and the crowd roars, it's the artists who take the stage—but behind the scenes, it's the safety professionals making it all possible. This past week/end alone, John King Safety Ltd (JKSL) was proud to provide event safety support at three major live music events across the UK—each with its own unique challenges, scale, and crowd energy.
Kew the Music – Kew Gardens, London
Safety Advisor: John King
Set among the botanical beauty of Kew Gardens, this annual summer series saw thousands enjoying world-class music in one of London’s most iconic natural settings. Our founder, John King, oversaw event contractor compliance, fire planning, and crowd flow assurance—ensuring that everyone from vendors to VIPs had a safe space to work and relax.
Stereophonics – Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Safety Advisor: Scott Leven
With 60,000 fans packed into Cardiff’s national stadium, Scott Leven led the onsite safety operation, coordinating with production, rigging, catering, and medical teams. From load-in to live show, JKSL ensured that all contractors worked to strict CDM regulations while making sure emergency access remained fully operational.
Ed Sheeran – Portman Road Stadium, Ipswich
Safety Advisor: John Burgess
Working with one of the world's biggest solo artists is no small task. At Ed Sheeran’s hometown show in Ipswich, John Burgess led JKSL's safety presence, conducting real-time checks on egress routes, overseeing stage build compliance, and supporting the venue in public access control and perimeter security.
One Mission: Zero Incidents
At each of these events, JKSL advisors were embedded from the build phase through to going green for doors, proactively monitoring risk and supporting crew welfare. We are proud to say that each event was delivered with zero reportable incidents, thousands of happy fans, and a seamless handover back to the venues.
A massive well done to the team.
