Coventry Skydome celebrates 10th birthday

2009-11-24 10:28:03 - The man behind one of the biggest birthday parties in the city certainly knows how to put on a show – he has learnt from the greatest on the planet.

John Wynne is the manager at Lava, Ignite and JJs – the three Skydome venues celebrating their tenth birthday on Saturday, December 5.

Wynne took over as manager of all three nightspots in August but has decades of experience as a singer and musician which has taken him across the world.

Rat Pack legend Sammy Davis Jnr described him as one

of the finest big band singers he had shared a stage with while he has performed with the likes of Tom Jones, Dean Martin, Shirley Bassey, Roy Orbison and Marvin Gaye.

“I have been very, very lucky,” said John. “I’ve had a great career performing with the world’s greatest.

“I started out as a session musician rather than a singer and it gave me a great insight into how to sing and stood me in good stead for my singing career.

“It’s taken me all over the world. I’ve played in Las Vegas, on cruise ships and up and down the UK.

“I’ve played with nearly all the greats but someone like Marvin Gaye has to stand out and Sammy Davis Jnr said some lovely things about me.

“But when I settled down and got married, my wife wanted me to do less travelling and I became a DJ at a club in Derby.

“I quickly got into the management side of things and then went back on the road when my kids started to grow up. My voice did, however, start to go and I gave it up once and for all and moved back into management.

“I have managed clubs across this region but I absolutely love it here in Coventry.

“Everyone is really gearing up for the tenth birthday party. Obviously, I wasn’t here when the venues opened but I know just how much Skydome has transformed the night-time entertainment industry in Coventry city centre.

“The birthday party on December 5 will be a chance to celebrate that.”

The venues have hired a range of new staff in the past few months, including three new head security staff, new marketing team members and new DJs, including a specialist R&B DJ for the Sky Bar, within Ignite.

“Although the Skydome is ten years old, we have invested in both the venues and the staff to make this a bigger, brighter and safer place to enjoy a night out,” said John.

Media enquiries:
Simon Gilbert
Advent Communications
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Coventry CV1 4JA
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