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Backdrops - worth it?


redbandit599

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Thanks all for the input - been great to see the different designs and solutions, even if some of those swanky stages make me feel a bit jealous compared to the spaces we squeeze into!

We've come up with an idea that we think might work well - we're probably going to get three pull up/roller banners - 2 @ 2m by 80cm and 1 @2m by 120cm. The wider one in the centre with our band name/logo and the other two framing it with Facebook details in the top corners.

We use the image below for cards and FB page and think this could work pretty well. We'll make the logo bigger and higher and have the bottom half blacked out with the crowd silhouette. - any thoughts?

We're thinking it should be pretty compact for storage and easy and quick to pop up.

 

5a8191b6eb73a_Hoaxxcrowd.thumb.jpg.4c2f062dd300816c9cc91725da93319d.jpg

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18 minutes ago, redbandit599 said:

Thanks all for the input - been great to see the different designs and solutions, even if some of those swanky stages make me feel a bit jealous compared to the spaces we squeeze into!

We've come up with an idea that we think might work well - we're probably going to get three pull up/roller banners - 2 @ 2m by 80cm and 1 @2m by 120cm. The wider one in the centre with our band name/logo and the other two framing it with Facebook details in the top corners.

We use the image below for cards and FB page and think this could work pretty well. We'll make the logo bigger and higher and have the bottom half blacked out with the crowd silhouette. - any thoughts?

We're thinking it should be pretty compact for storage and easy and quick to pop up.

 

5a8191b6eb73a_Hoaxxcrowd.thumb.jpg.4c2f062dd300816c9cc91725da93319d.jpg

Personal taste warning :P

For a backdrop I would look at losing the crowd, changing the background to black and the logo to white.

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As someone who does quite a bit of design work for exhibitions, roller bands to me always look a bit crap, especially for bands. They always come across as something promoting a cheap and nasty fly-by night product, that will be history in year's time. Even on the very expensive versions the sides always start rolling over after they've been used a couple of times.

Also I'm not entirely convinced about their robustness in a gigging environment. A couple of years back I was onto a nice earner replacing damaged banners for a medical supplies company who were using them at conferences and exhibitions, and were needing at least one of the 3 banners they had replacing every 4 or 5 weeks. Now I don't know exactly what was happening to them at these events but unless medical reps party extra hard, I would have thought that the average gig was far more demanding.

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I'm not anti roller banners but they aren't great unless the lighting on them is absolutely right. They can tend to reflect light and at that point it can be really difficult to read what's on them. For that reason I agree with Charic about going black and white. The more contrast you have the easier they'll be to read. I'm also with BRX in thinking they can look a bit cheap and they are definitely built to a price. Cheap ones are cheap for a reason and don't stand up to any kind of abuse. 2m is also not very high when you're all standing on stage in front of them.

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On 12/02/2018 at 18:50, dontregartha said:

BigRedX -spot on - I also work in design and to be honest roller banners make you look like a trade stand.

The encapsulation will kick off lighting and look even naffer.

+1... I'm also involved in design/print and wouldn't at all recommend standard roller-banners for a gigging band. They're way too naff.

These, on the other hand, might be suitable:

FABRIC HOP-UP DISPLAY

We've used them multiple times and can vouch for their robustness. Very sturdy frame that's easy to set up (literally 1 minute); fabric can be removed and machine washed; and once set up the frame stretches the fabric tight and creates nice square edges. Not well suited to dingy pub corners, but a good option if you have a small stage to set up on.

PS: I am in no way affiliated with the manufacturer of these products! :) 

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1 hour ago, Skol303 said:

+1... I'm also involved in design/print and wouldn't at all recommend standard roller-banners for a gigging band. They're way too naff.

These, on the other hand, might be suitable:

FABRIC HOP-UP DISPLAY

We've used them multiple times and can vouch for their robustness. Very sturdy frame that's easy to set up (literally 1 minute); fabric can be removed and machine washed; and once set up the frame stretches the fabric tight and creates nice square edges. Not well suited to dingy pub corners, but a good option if you have a small stage to set up on.

PS: I am in no way affiliated with the manufacturer of these products! :) 

That look pretty good.

Is there an option to fit lighting to the top like a "Nimlok" stand?

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2 hours ago, Skol303 said:

+1... I'm also involved in design/print and wouldn't at all recommend standard roller-banners for a gigging band. They're way too naff.

These, on the other hand, might be suitable:

FABRIC HOP-UP DISPLAY

We've used them multiple times and can vouch for their robustness. Very sturdy frame that's easy to set up (literally 1 minute); fabric can be removed and machine washed; and once set up the frame stretches the fabric tight and creates nice square edges. Not well suited to dingy pub corners, but a good option if you have a small stage to set up on.

PS: I am in no way affiliated with the manufacturer of these products! :) 

Dingy pub corners- that's us! Thanks but this looks too blocky to  be of use.

It's often a squeeze just getting pa and light stands in, which is why the pull ups are an attractive option. Squeezing in more stands to hang a banner type backdrop from wouldn't work for many of the  venues we play. 😕

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3 hours ago, redbandit599 said:

Why? Just not to your taste, or for another reason?

 

2 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

It's naff.

^ This.

By way of explanation: a photo of a crowd going nuts to your band is great marketing.

A cartoon illustration of a crowd going nuts to your band smacks of dancing in front of a mirror strumming a tennis racket. It's a clichéd fantasy and suggests the band have delusions of grandeur. Sort of.

Or maybe I read too much into this stuff from working with designers all day... ;) 

PS: if you were a death metal band and the figures were flayed corpses, or Blair Witch-style creepy stick men, or something, then you'd be on to a winner. As it is, it just looks like a cut'n'paste job from an online stock image library. But if it works for you guys then I'm sure you can take all that on the chin with a healthy pinch of salt, etc.

Edited by Skol303
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1 hour ago, redbandit599 said:

Hah! Certainly can 😃.

That's fine - I think you 'may be over thinking it' - this is a pub rock covers band. Though we are far from naff, the machinations of graphic designers and marketeers have no place in the pub 😉

Really? I bet the ad budgets of the big brewers / big pub chains would disagree!

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