Stage cabling solution- stop audience tripping over wires

[tonyclaret]

Hi,

We play mostly pub venues, a lot don't have stages, so you are on the level as the punters busting their moves. Had a number of instances recently where other than falling over the monitors they (punters) are getting entangled in trainling cables. Other than taping them down (which we've found to leave gunk on cables) is there another solution out there?

Cheers

[grandad]

I always carry a pack of baby wipes to remove gunk and clean cables. Also useful for other little accidents!

[bartelby]

There's this kind of thing:

https://www.theramppeople.co.uk/20mm-high-cable-cover-trp-cr3?gclid=CjwKCAiA1ZDiBRAXEiwAIWyNC-XzevNHjYY75eRgbUHmg53rboAqLMk3NNjaoCVnvltWc27g3y5NJBoCM6AQAvD_BwE#fo_c=2796&fo_k=bb966ea1374a7af13b432dfbbf29ef70&fo_s=gplauk

[tonyclaret]

2 hours ago, bartelby said:

There's this kind of thing:

https://www.theramppeople.co.uk/20mm-high-cable-cover-trp-cr3?gclid=CjwKCAiA1ZDiBRAXEiwAIWyNC-XzevNHjYY75eRgbUHmg53rboAqLMk3NNjaoCVnvltWc27g3y5NJBoCM6AQAvD_BwE#fo_c=2796&fo_k=bb966ea1374a7af13b432dfbbf29ef70&fo_s=gplauk

hell yeah, they look good, shame they aren't a £5 each though :-)

[Paul S]

Being a cheapskate I often go to boot sales and one time picked up 2m of this stuff for £5.  It is smelly and heavy!  Does the job perfectly though.

[bassfan]

We use a combination of Velcro tie wraps and cable tidies, a zip up sleeve, you can get them from amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07B3TPLVV/ref=asc_df_B07B3TPLVV58131430/?tag=googshopuk-21&creative=22146&creativeASIN=B07B3TPLVV&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309950309033&hvpos=1o15&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7968318085653990264&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006644&hvtargid=pla-467914746680

that should give you an idea. We all carry a pack with us in varying lengths. They are cheap and do the job as we hate having cables exposed and looking like a rats nest. 

How close are your audience getting to be able to trip over your cables, is it an interactive show? 😂😂

Edited January 20, 2019 by bassfan

[Happy Jack]

1. Route ALL cables wherever possible around the back of the stage, behind the backline, behind the drum kit. If necessary, buy longer cables to make this possible.
2. Scrap all floor monitors - way more trouble than they're worth - and replace with tiny personal monitors on the singers' mic-stands.
3. Where any cables absolutely must be routed where punters can trip over them, just gaffer them to the floor.
4. If all else fails, buy a Snake unit but this really is OTT for pub gigs.

 

[Delberthot]

35 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

1. Route ALL cables wherever possible around the back of the stage, behind the backline, behind the drum kit. If necessary, buy longer cables to make this possible.
2. Scrap all floor monitors - way more trouble than they're worth - and replace with tiny personal monitors on the singers' mic-stands.
3. Where any cables absolutely must be routed where punters can trip over them, just gaffer them to the floor.
4. If all else fails, buy a Snake unit but this really is OTT for pub gigs.

 

1 is especially important to me but partly due to the fact that I hate the mess that cables can cause so getting them to the back of the stage is a priority for me, plus it gets them out of the way from punters. If you use velcro wraps to keep your cables tidy then you can also use them to keep all of the cables together when you route them to the back of the stage.

We have 3 monitors - the first one sits on top of the sub pointing towards the singer, the second one is beside the drummer and the third is my one which is positioned behind the sub so all out of the road.

The only trip hazard we have really is the guitarist's pedalboard. The lights are also positioned behind us

[Steve Browning]

I was going to suggest using the monitors as side fills rather than at your feet. Routing the cables round the back is also a very good plan.

[Newfoundfreedom]

I remember the rubber stuff we used to have at school. Like the plastic stuff above but heavy duty rubber on a roll. That was pretty good. It looks like they still sell it. Just put "rubber cable cover" in eBay. 

[Newfoundfreedom]

17 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

1.  
2. If all else fails, buy a Snake unit but this really is OTT for pub gigs.

 

Or an actual snake. 

That'll keep the punters away from the stage. 

[Happy Jack]

48 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

I remember the rubber stuff we used to have at school. Like the plastic stuff above but heavy duty rubber on a roll. That was pretty good. It looks like they still sell it. Just put "rubber cable cover" in eBay. 

That stuff is easily available, a PITA to use (all the cables must be individually coaxed inside the rubber flap underneath), surprisingly heavy and floppily difficult to carry, and gets filthy and sticky at every gig.

Apart from that, it's great. 

Rather than protecting vulnerable cables, just put the bloody things where they won't be vulnerable! 

[Huge Hands]

4 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

That stuff is easily available, a PITA to use (all the cables must be individually coaxed inside the rubber flap underneath), surprisingly heavy and floppily difficult to carry, and gets filthy and sticky at every gig.

Apart from that, it's great. 

Rather than protecting vulnerable cables, just put the bloody things where they won't be vulnerable! 

Might be worth mentioning that if you store lots of it in a poorly ventilated room, it starts to stink badly of rubber petrochemicals  We had some in our store at work and I spent 10 mins in there - had a massive headache afterwards for hours....

[chris_b]

Do you have PLI? Gaffa is your friend.

We had a gig in a small and crowded place and the audience kept backing into the band, so the next gig we put all the traps cases across the front of the stage area.

[Happy Jack]

But Chris, that only works if the cases are full!

[Newfoundfreedom]

46 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

That stuff is easily available, a PITA to use (all the cables must be individually coaxed inside the rubber flap underneath), surprisingly heavy and floppily difficult to carry, and gets filthy and sticky at every gig.

Apart from that, it's great. 

 

Right! 

Back to the snake idea then. 

[Jakester]

I’ve found using wide black and yellow hazard tape quite effective, and has the secondary benefit of giving you a defence if anyone does trip because you’ve clearly identified the risk and taken reasonable steps to mitigate it. 

[bumnote]

5 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Rather than protecting vulnerable cables, just put the bloody things where they won't be vulnerable! 

Prevention rather than cure.

[chris_b]

5 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Rather than protecting vulnerable cables, just put the bloody things where they won't be vulnerable! 

Oh dear. . . you're using that common sense thing again, aren't you!!

[Happy Jack]

I'm sorry Chris, sometimes I just can't help myself.

 

[stewblack]

My singer is obsessive about messy cables and so always brings a suitcase full of XLR cables and routes everything around the back of the drummer. Monitoring and effects will always be the weak link - obviously. Some folk favour the isolation of in ears others the little mike stand mounted mini monitors. 

I have one of the latter and it performs very well but you know what? I'm old school, I actually like a row of monitors across the front. Delineates my space from the steaming hordes. Also looks proper somehow.

I know I'm a dying breed, one day there will be no visible amps, no cabs nor cables or stands. It'll be different. Not better or worse just different. Not how I like it but that's just my taste.

[itu]

An idea I got while working in a local broadcasting company was to use colours. That is why my cables are red, blue, yellow, pink... it is easier to watch your step.