Members hamsack Posted April 19, 2009 Members Share Posted April 19, 2009 I thought id share about my gigs from Saturday. These are both with an 80's pop/rock cover band called Guilty Pleazure It started with us playing the Koman Race for the Cure. This is a breast cancer awarness race held every year. Its the largest in Central Texas. Without having much info other than where we were to setup we head out there. Its rainy weather and well 6am and outside. Way to early for me but oh well. We get to where we are supposed to be and there is no one around. Call the organizer and she is boarding a plane heeading somewhere other than here. No one knows anything about anything and im pretty pissed. Not to mention if it was my equipment I wouldnt have it out in this weather. But its the bassist stuff and he wants to setup. At least we were under a pavillion. I set the board up behind the band as it was the only dry place. Thanks to Agedhorse I finally got the sound I was looking for out of the subs. I should have figured it out myself but I didnt. So thanks. The funny part about where we were at is that it is the bad part of town. So I enjoyed blasting Obituary and some old Motley Crue at 8am. Since we didnt know when to start it just turned into a jam session for a lil while. Hell I even played some drums. Finally the race started and we see everyone comin across the bridge so we start up. There were prob 5000 people walking and running by. Most were hootin and cheering. So it didnt turn out to bad other than the fact I do not have the PA to cover as far out as was needed but they could still hear. Several came down to the pavillion and listend for awhile. I kept an eye on the weather shut us down and got almost everything loaeded in the trailer before the down pour came. All in all it was a joke due to no one knowing anything and absolutley no advertising anywhere about the bands. There were supposed to be several but I think we are the only ones who played. So off to setup for the next gig. Show up to the bar at 1030am to setup. Start loading in and it becomes a down pour. Now this bar is small. Basically to small for a band but i like the place it usually has pretty good room acoustics. I setup on a pool table with a sheet of plywood on it with my back to wall so Ive got a nice protected spot for all my equipment Finally got setup and.feedback problems immediately. And ive never had any feedback in this place. Never did figure out what was causing it. It wasnt real bad but still there. So the band plays from 9pm-1am and all is well. After the gig I start tearing down and my buddy the bassist was in front of me on the other end of the table countin money from the tip jar when some dude jumps him. I get over there and we are pullin this guy off of him then whole bar errupted. One of his biker buds jumps in and starts way layin on people trying to break it up. Too many people involved either fighting or trying to stop it. So I get back and try and help up some people from the floor including a GF who was holding one of the guys down. She is feisty and was drunk and well was caught up in the middle.She sustained a bruise under her chin. Prob from being on the ground in the pile. During the may lay one of the mains got knocked over on top of the guitarist brand new $2000 axe. A monitar got damaged and then someone tackled the drummer into drumset. His set got messed up pretty bad. Not sure if everything else is ok or not. Gonna have to check it all out this week. At least no one got close to the board and everything else. We are not sure what happened and do not know the people involved other than our crew. But we did find out we knew one of the girls with the bikers that started it. But no idea what prompted the sqabble. There were some injurys to ones not involved like the vocalist wife got pinned under a big ass table that got knocked over and she is tiny. For the past 5 or 6 years that ive been either doing sound or setting up band equipment this is the first bar brawl ive been apart of. Not the best of times. So that was my Saturday. At least next week ill have a timid wedding to run Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Coaster Posted April 19, 2009 Members Share Posted April 19, 2009 that is worse than my Saturday. the only bad stuff for me yesterday was a blow out on the truck on the way to the gig, a dropped neutral frying some things, and someone got stabbed at 1:04am and the cops shut us down. this was a cancer benefit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarharv52 Posted April 19, 2009 Members Share Posted April 19, 2009 Played a country bar once once where the fight was like the end of Blazing Saddles with not a table or chair standing when it was over.A biker bar we are regulars at averages 400-500 people on Saturday(including last night) has had only one problem in the 2 years we rotate in there and that was a guy who was hustled out the door before anything erupted about a year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted April 19, 2009 Members Share Posted April 19, 2009 {censored} guys, I got an email asking for a quote for a cancer event. 700 people, 3 bands, maybe I should pass. I can't fight off that many people! My sat sucked, I did some recording and lighting and a few mics for a friends doctoral recital. The recording levels were a bit to hot and I may have clipped both the CD burner and the handheld M-Audio recorder in the 1st movement. The video guy (young kid, also from the U) didn't pack the battery pack for the wide shot camera, and the close field looked like 8 bit garbage since that's all the mac could process (also the mac had to realtime add special video effects (supercollider??), be a midi engine for a xylosnyth and do realtime playback of wavs for each movement. To keep the latency as low a possible it meant crap resolution). So the video was fukt. At least my end went ok, I'll look at the file and see what I can do. Sat eve, well, I go to get a PA which isn't being hired at full rate. And it seems like anyone who gets me cheap I have more issues with. Little things, things that a more professional band would understand, about how shows work, monitor mix concepts ("a little bit of everything" isn't a concept, how about we see what you need after playing a note), how loud is appropriate for the room, how to set up AC for the least amount of issues (grounding, lighting, PA needs), how since I saved your ass an extra 8 hours of work by being here with gear, you pay me more than $5 an hour equivilant over the band cut. For every show I have to prep/load/deliver/setup/teardown and most importantly... maintain equipment. So little things, little things. no one got stabbed. No fights. just... eh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members frankiefeedback Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 My rack gear was flush with the front of the rack with the knobs sticking out so I moved the rack rails 1 1/2" into my FOH setup to keep the knobs from getting busted off my gear during fights. Now they are nice and recessed but easy to get to. My mixer is in the top of the rack and is flush with the top, not much I can do with that but is pretty well protected. I do sound for hardcore bands and there is always a fight or HEAVY moshing/crowdsurfing/dogpiles ect... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 I haven't done a gig with a fight in probably 10 years or more. I don't miss that crap one bit. My Saturday... let's see. Went horseback riding with all the girls, trimmed some feet then had a leasurely lunch. Took a short nap and fabricated a rack harness, cleaned up the band saw and table saw, started getting the shop trailer ready for the summer season. Had a nice dinner, watched a move and went to bed early. I am starting to like days off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al Poulin Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 I DJ'd for a small group of about 40 older people in a very warm room from 8PM to 11PM. Suffice it to say it was a pretty wild night. I hope my speakers weren't damaged from being so underpowered during all of this time... I mean 3 full hours of watzes, polkas and two steps can really give those woofers a workout at lower levels. My mixer's -20DB light did light up once or twice during the more exciting parts of the night, when a couple or two managed to get up and dance. For a while, I thought my output meters were non funcional. We did have one thing happen that almost sent a few to the hospital and nearly shut down this party : Since it was so warm in the hall, someone decided to leave a door open and we got the visit of a bat. It flew around the hall for a few minutes and all you heard were ooooh!s and ahhh!s whenever it approached a group of people. Finally, one of the older gentlemen opened fire and killed almost everyone in the room. OK, that didn't hapen. He simply took out a broom and knocked out the bat. And then he had sex with it. Ok, OK. that didn't happen either. They killed the bat, the ''party'' continued for a few minutes. I finally loaded up my line array and twelve dual 18s and headed home in my hummer and trailer. When I got home, I had sex with the bat. My evening just wasn't as exciting as yours. Sorry. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members itsvegas Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 I DJ'd for a small group of about 40 older people in a very warm room from 8PM to 11PM. Suffice it to say it was a pretty wild night. I hope my speakers weren't damaged from being so underpowered during all of this time... I mean 3 full hours of watzes, polkas and two steps can really give those woofers a workout at lower levels. My mixer's -20DB light did light up once or twice during the more exciting parts of the night, when a couple or two managed to get up and dance. For a while, I thought my output meters were non funcional. We did have one thing happen that almost sent a few to the hospital and nearly shut down this party : Since it was so warm in the hall, someone decided to leave a door open and we got the visit of a bat. It flew around the hall for a few minutes and all you heard were ooooh!s and ahhh!s whenever it approached a group of people. Finally, one of the older gentlemen opened fire and killed almost everyone in the room. OK, that didn't hapen. He simply took out a broom and knocked out the bat. And then he had sex with it. Ok, OK. that didn't happen either. They killed the bat, the ''party'' continued for a few minutes. I finally loaded up my line array and twelve dual 18s and headed home in my hummer and trailer. When I got home, I had sex with the bat. My evening just wasn't as exciting as yours. Sorry. Al this was really funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lopp Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 That bat is a slut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hamsack Posted April 20, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 I DJ'd for a small group of about 40 older people in a very warm room from 8PM to 11PM. Suffice it to say it was a pretty wild night. I hope my speakers weren't damaged from being so underpowered during all of this time... I mean 3 full hours of watzes, polkas and two steps can really give those woofers a workout at lower levels. My mixer's -20DB light did light up once or twice during the more exciting parts of the night, when a couple or two managed to get up and dance. For a while, I thought my output meters were non funcional. We did have one thing happen that almost sent a few to the hospital and nearly shut down this party : Since it was so warm in the hall, someone decided to leave a door open and we got the visit of a bat. It flew around the hall for a few minutes and all you heard were ooooh!s and ahhh!s whenever it approached a group of people. Finally, one of the older gentlemen opened fire and killed almost everyone in the room. OK, that didn't hapen. He simply took out a broom and knocked out the bat. And then he had sex with it. Ok, OK. that didn't happen either. They killed the bat, the ''party'' continued for a few minutes. I finally loaded up my line array and twelve dual 18s and headed home in my hummer and trailer. When I got home, I had sex with the bat. My evening just wasn't as exciting as yours. Sorry. Al Now that was great hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 Damn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 I hope my speakers weren't damaged from being so underpowered during all of this time... I mean 3 full hours of watzes, polkas and two steps can really give those woofers a workout at lower levels.lIt's not the low volume that nukes your speakers - it's the lack of headroom. As long as you have at least 30 watts of amplifier per pound of speaker you're golden. I made the mistake once of trying to check out a 20 watt stereo receiver by using one of my 100 pound 400 watt subwoofers as a load. I turned it up a little bit too high and within two seconds of it clipping I had pieces of cone, suspension and voice coil explode out of the front of my severely underpowered cab. The horror ! The horror ! . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al Poulin Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 That bat is a slut. The old guy said she was a BILF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al Poulin Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 It's not the low volume that nukes your speakers - it's the lack of headroom. As long as you have at least 30 watts of amplifier per pound of speaker you're golden. I made the mistake once of trying to check out a 20 watt stereo receiver by using one of my 100 pound 400 watt subwoofers as a load. I turned it up a little bit too high and within two seconds of it clipping I had pieces of cone, suspension and voice coil explode out of the front of my severely underpowered cab. The horror ! The horror ! . . . I can't even count how many times that's happened to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members frankiefeedback Posted April 20, 2009 Members Share Posted April 20, 2009 It's not the low volume that nukes your speakers - it's the lack of headroom. As long as you have at least 30 watts of amplifier per pound of speaker you're golden. I made the mistake once of trying to check out a 20 watt stereo receiver by using one of my 100 pound 400 watt subwoofers as a load. I turned it up a little bit too high and within two seconds of it clipping I had pieces of cone, suspension and voice coil explode out of the front of my severely underpowered cab. The horror ! The horror ! . . . Good point however headroom is always realitive. A standard doorway is 80" and I am 70" tall, if 70" is +4 db then that leaves me 10" of headroom @ +20db. Therefore I can use more power then a taller person. I always go 100 watts per inch over program except on saturdays when I need extra bass then I'll go 200 watts per inch and i'll duck (downward expand) a little when I measure myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Al Poulin Posted April 21, 2009 Members Share Posted April 21, 2009 Good point however headroom is always realitive. A standard doorway is 80" and I am 70" tall, if 70" is +4 db then that leaves me 10" of headroom @ +20db. Therefore I can use more power then a taller person. I always go 100 watts per inch over program except on saturdays when I need extra bass then I'll go 200 watts per inch and i'll duck (downward expand) a little when I pleasure myself. Listen, Frankiefeedback, what you do in the privacy of your own home is your business, but please try to keep your posts clean. You can use me as your example. I really don't see what your post has to do with live sound... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members twostone Posted April 21, 2009 Members Share Posted April 21, 2009 Wow Al a bat at a gig Where's Ozzy when you need him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.