scalpy

This topic often comes up on here so I thought I’d share an anecdote from one of this weekends gigs. Marquee gig, black tie event-so everyone thought they were better than everyone else, but the lining for the floor was not very level. Consequently the dance floor wasn’t either, which got wet with lots of spilt drinks and our PA columns, a HK elements in line set up, are a bit wobbly. We’ve had people swing from them like a strip club before so we looked at how to minimise the risk. Putting boards underneath them made them more wobbly if you stepped on them, and right out at the edges of the tent the ground was even more uneven. In a lose lose situation we decided to make them as obvious as possible by putting our lighting stands by them (on tripods), the same set up either side and hope for the best. We were on late and doing three sets, so by the time we got to our third set the crowd were plastered, trying to get onstage with us, drink was all over the dance floor and they were requesting any song they could think of, to be played at maximum volume whilst we grabbed a drink. My wife and I were just minding the stage when one gentlemen managed to lose his balance. The sequence of events was roughly- he falls into the edge of the stage of his own volition, keyboard with laptop goes over plus microphone, he puts his arm out and rolls off the stage into the PA column, toppling it and the lighting stand. Five minutes before the lighting stand would’ve sliced somebodies head open- it’s on of those bars with 4 LED digital par cans on. Somehow no one was hurt and nothing was broken but we would’ve had a very challenging situation on our hands if an accident had have happened. We will be be upping our cover, fastidiously updating our player list and checking renewal dates in the future- that was a seriously close call.

I had that on VHS as a teenager in the early 90s, but there’s something about that exact tempo, sound and performance on 99 that just gets me.

Not a live video sorry, never found one that has the same atmosphere but this is what Duck was talking about when he said he had a band powerful enough to turn goat’s pi55 into gasoline.

Lovely!

Not trombone but trumpet, so an extremely tenuous similarity to Macca’s early career. The ox was a French horn player, so there’s a long tradition of b(r)assists.

Sire V7 for me. I have two American G&Ls I have huge sentimental attachment to for various reasons and I prefer playing massively over the Marcus Miller. I don’t like the weight, the neck finish, the floppy B string, the colour (blood orange- seemed like a good idea at the time) the knobs and definitely not the tuners. But for some reason I’m happy playing it, it sounds brilliant, I’m not worried about it picking up dings etc and it’s good fun, somehow. Plus when the G&Ls get an outing it’s a luxury.

On your phone or tablet double tap the screen left or right depending on on whether you want to go backwards or forwards. Regarding the interview, it was really nice to see Bernard’s humility in his old age, his reputation for an ego the size of a small planet was legendary but he seems to have really dialled it back and the anecdote about taking drums on the bus was great, his face was a picture.

Aside from the overhang issues, enjoyed borrowing a hi watt to pair with my db112s. Near as dammit mint 1972/3 100w for guitar, but was excellent as a bass amp.

Had a little mark tube 500 for 12 years, a lmIII with a slightly different preamp. Been 100% fault free, aside from needing a internal hoover every now and again.

We heard…😉

Mostly functions. Plus 8 or 9 weeks of am dram pit work a year. One original artist on the books if he’s gigging at the time and I’m available, and once I a blue moon some session work.

The solution for this in my function band is rather extreme. I arrange all the keyboard parts- a lot of right hand only work. I then programme the Mainstage patches, all of which are high passed like crazy. If we use a dep, they have our keyboard rig. If any of them don’t like it, they don’t come back! Dealt with.

Sorry, very little signal out there. Went well, only triggered the meter once at the start of the second half- another reason not to play Let Me Entertain You in my book but the singers do insist and I’m married to one of them…. We worked really hard on this gig, rebuilt our in-ears rig, had training on how to use them effectively (no amount of internet expertise could help us luddites) and rehearsed with a db meter to make sure. Venue was really happy, most importantly the bride was happy and it was worth the effort.

Here we go then, almost all set up, meter appears to be right above the stage. No soundcheck yet, but the venue manager has been very friendly. So far……

As it happens 2! We played Saturday night. Working mens club type set up, landlord points out meter, gives let’s say a verbally inefficient description of its function and operation- then tells us not to worry, it hasn’t been turned on for years…..

Massive fan of TTB, got tickets for the palladium later in the year, looking forward to it already.

I’m a sucker for anything with Derek and Susan, plus it’s one of my favourite zep tracks so 👍 from me. Just wish someone in my band could play harp like that.

Just discovered the wonders of Ape Labs. Not the cheapest, but brilliant, brilliant kit. Battery powered, can be controlled by your phone with their incredibly simply app if you have the transceiver and there’s so many creative options. Check them out!

The gig is at the end of next month. I have a friend in another local function band who’s also playing there soon and they are getting the same treatment. They can’t do the daytime soundcheck either. I rang the venue last week and we played telephone tennis for a day, so I’ll try again Monday.

Great post thank you. I don’t think there is a house PA (venue still being cagey) but the info about peaks and a sensible target of 88dB is very useful. We have horns though, and strong singers….. Not feeling anymore confident about this!

Nope, still to be negotiated. Thanks to everyone’s advice I’m going to try and go up during half term and meet the wedding planner, but there’s no way we can get everyone there, due to their other professions. This was entirely avoidable if the venue had been honest from the get go.

Again, another reason to be annoyed. When the gig was booked we negotiated set up time the night before, a Monday, with the venue but have been told now that this won’t be happening. So we have to arrive at 5:30 and somehow set up discreetly in the main room whilst the event is running. I detest setting up in front of the clients.

Exactly this, I feel we’re being scapegoated for the venue’s shortcomings. Please don’t get me wrong about the dB meter, I understand how they might be necessary and how the venue needs to protect its business, but the way way they’ve gone about it is underhand. As far as I’m aware, there is no house system, although that may all change. If there is I’d be quite happy as the ball is back in their court, if the acoustic players- a strong male vocalist, trumpet and sax+ drums (no electronic kit as the drummer is 67, retiring from the band a few months after and is in no way going to use an electronic kit!) can tickle away quietly enough. What really grips my proverbial is the happy couple are coming back from Australia to have us at their wedding. There’s not much room for us getting it wrong.

The leave ‘Leave it Wayne- he’s not worth it’ type as drunks roll around on the floor with onlookers giving various forms of enthusiastic advice.

Thanks for all the advice folks. We’ll definitely send one of us up there if possible to talk to the venue. Good pointer about the safe power supply as well, although I’ll keep my powder dry with that caveat. We simply can’t do the audition/ sound check- most of us are teachers of one description or another and don’t have the option to book time off, so it won’t happen. The general feeling in the band is that we don’t appreciate being scapegoated here. I don’t have an issue with recommended suppliers, we have that arrangement with 3 venues ourselves. But this smacks of this particular venue talking a big talk to land the booking, understandably especially since COVID, but that being the priority over the event which has rightly been pointed out as the proper focus. We’ll go in ears, I’ll run 100% through the PA, the drummer will go behind his screens, trumpet player will have to take the exciting bits down an octave and we’ll do our best- if we’re allowed in at all! It’s just good to know it’s not just us who think this arrangement is completely daft and unreasonable.