Ever have this happen to you?

[MichaelSTE]

My band is playin at a sponsor(MIller Lite) stage at Wisconsin State Fair, when with 30 minutes left in the last set, a friend and fellow sound engineer shows up at my board. He had gotten a call from the hospital where his dad was, saying "get here now, he's dying". He asks me to cover his 4 hours over the Shakeys Pizza tent. Says its a no brainer, already sound checked. Naturally, I agree and find the next acts soundman, and ask him to cover the rest of my show. He agrees and off we go.

 

On the way over, I find out it's a Cajun band. We get there and the band is ready to go, and mean really ready. They hand out 'noise makers' to the audience - plastic bottles with popcorn, tin containers and sticks to beat them with, small washboards with spoons. The audience is already banging away and yelling to begin.

 

He very briefly explains the digital EQ's, one on the monitors, one on the mains. I've not worked with either. As the guy is tearing up, he says I shouldn't have any problems. He's anxious to go and I haven't even looked at the stage yet.

 

He's out the door, I unmute the 10 channels and the band is off and running. I thought it was strange to see 'tub' on one of the channels until I looked up and see the 'bass' player is literally playing a tub, with a pole and a rope. the drummer's kit consists of a plastic pail for a kick, a metal box for a snare, and frying pans for cymbals. I recognized the accordian right away, but one of the guitarists was playing a steel box, literally. A big shiney steel box with a homemade guitar neck attached, with those big four spoke porcelin faucet heads as 'volume' and 'tone' controls.

 

Not 2 minutes into the first song, the feedback begins to scream on multiple mics. I frantically begin twisting EQ pots on channels I think are the offenders. I'm sweating buckets, dripping on the board as the band plays thru the feedback and the audience is instantly aware of who the sound guy is, and what he does.

 

With some help from the lead singer, who leaves the stage as the band jams and who kinda knows whats what on the board and the instruments, we tame the feed back in about 2 of the longest minutes of my mixing career.

 

Strange to think that just 15 minutes ago, I was safe and secure mixing rock music with musicians I know, doing material I knew - and now, i'm sweating like I'm in a sauna, mixing music I've never heard, played on instruments I've never seen. I had absolutley no idea what this music was supposed to sound like. I just made sure the vocals were on top, and the solos were audible.

 

Well, despite the reason I was there, it turned out to be one of the most fun 4 hours I've ever spent mixing music. The band (John the Conqueroo) was as authentic and enjoyable as any music made in America. The 60 minutes sets flew by in a wink, and my face was sore from smiling so much. They did a Cajun version of "Burning Down the House" that David Byrne himself would have loved.

 

What did I Learn?? Always do a friend a favor - it's good for both of you. Never trust a sound check of Cajun band, unless you include the 50 noise makers in the audience of 100 in a crowded tent. And...harmonica mics are the hottest mics ever made

[dirtyragamuffin]

LOL I can relate. Some friends of mine are in an "Irish folk/drinking band" and I help them with sound at some shows. I run into some amusing instruments that I never knew existed.

 

Well, the banjo/duct-tape accordian/uke player is also in a jug band and boy...I've had to run and help an unsuspecting sound guy once or twice while I was taking in their show. Pots and pans? Mixed em. Washboards? Yep. Tubs, ukes, bari ukes, cigar box ukes, kazoos, whistles, spoons, you name it. It's a pure pain in the ass to mix but always GREAT fun! They play some MEAN pots-and-pans solos, I might add

[rickkreuzer]

That Wisconsin State fair can be a nuts place. I played 3 shows/ day there for several years at the International Ampitheatre. I remember how nuts it can get. Good recovery!

 

Rick

[RickJ]

dirtyragamuffin wrote: Some friends of mine are in an "Irish folk/drinking band" and I help them with sound at some shows. I run into some amusing instruments that I never knew existed.

Bagpipes. A regional band (Jackdaw) also an "Irish folk/drinking band", has bagpipes. Fortunately, they are played by the same person who plays the accordion, so there's no major conflict there. It sometimes gets in the way of the fiddle player and harmonica, though. Let me tellya ... Bagpipes don't need much amplification.