The future of amps & cabs - stage props only?

[SimonK]

So I went to see thes guys last night and they were great. I loved all the guitars on the stage (albeit the bass player only had one 5-string J bass which I thought let the side down regardless of how good he sounded!), but the complete lack of amps did take something away for me given the title of the show was "Ultimate Classic Rock". Aesthetically I think some Marshall stacks and probably an Ampeg/TE stack would have just finished the look - even if the cabs were empty.

 

I know there are some famous bands who have always bought additional empty cabs along for the look, but I do think I should start a campaign for all the digital modeller/IEM people out there to consider bringing amps & cabs along to gigs to serve as stage props!

 

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Don't assume that if you can't see them that the amps and speakers aren't there. They may be back stage or under it, in isolation booths.

[Lozz196]

Yeah a few rig rundowns I’ve watched have shown speakers being under the stages.

[SimonK]

The guitarists were both using Line6 Helix's (Helices?). Bass player looked to have a tuner and preamp of some type but I couldn't get close enough to see.

 

I was idly thinking that flight cases should be painted to look like amps/stacks...

[BigRedX]

Fake amps and cabs as stage props are fine if you have a nice big truck/van for all the gear, but since my band ditched all our backline we've been able to get the whole band plus all our gear for playing live and our roadie/merch seller in a single estate car.

 

In the days when I was still using a big bass rig the only thing that took up more room in the van was the drum kit.

[PinkMohawk]

I do think there's a visual loss with the move to modellers over traditional amps. Unless a lot of time and thought has gone into a stage design, to the point that having your amps and cabs on the stage would actually take away from the overall look of things. But, on the other hand, as Red says, it's now also a lot more possible to get to gigs in smaller vehicles, less vehicles, etc. which is a big money saver for a lot of people. Perhaps the middle ground is venues buying cheap empty cabs to fill the back wall of the stage with? 

[chris_b]

I went Tomorrow’s World with bass gear about 15 years ago. Modellers and IEM's? That's all Jules Verne to me. I'm already living in the future of amps and cabs. What's not to love, properly designed 22lb 600 watt cabs and 5lb 500 watt amps.

 

I do have a problem with the OP criticising  the bass player for only using 1 bass all night!!! Less is always more.

Edited 6 hours ago by chris_b

[tauzero]

26 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I do have a problem with the OP criticising  the bass player for only using 1 bass all night!!! Fewer is always more.

 

FTFY.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

I do have a problem with the OP criticising  the bass player for only using 1 bass all night!!! Less is always more.

I've never owned more than one bass at a time. For that matter I've only owned a total of four since 1965, 25 years with my current bass.

[Lozz196]

25 minutes ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

I've never owned more than one bass at a time. For that matter I've only owned a total of four since 1965, 25 years with my current bass.

Membership revoked!!

[snorkie635]

2 hours ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

I've never owned more than one bass at a time. For that matter I've only owned a total of four since 1965, 25 years with my current bass.

I've been with my current bass for 47 years Bill, but over that period, have owned around another 1965! 😂

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

2 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Membership revoked!!

Old yank proverb: If it ain't broken don't fix it!

[Lozz196]

I wish I were the same Bill, though I do have a bass at the moment that I bought new in 2015 which I’ll never sell (unless things determine otherwise of course).