stage backdrops

[Rockstar97]

What do you guys use for stage backdrops at gigs? I always thought an act with a backdrop looked much better than without...although previous bands I've been in have always had one already and I never bothered to ask where they got them. Now that I'm doing a solo project I'm having a hell of a time trying to find big enough curtains/material, and I foresee that suspending it from the ceiling will be next to impossible at some of these venues. Share your experiences!

[BillESC]

Your easiest and least expensive solution is to use pipe and drape. This is the stuff used at trade shows and conventions to separate exibitors. Two 15 pound base plates, two aluminum uprights and one adjustable horizontal drape support is all that's needed.

 

Your choice of drape material is almost unlimited from a simple black cloth to an LED star drop and everything inbetween.

 

 

Of course you wouldn't need the 3' side walls.

[tlbonehead]

We just have a wide black backdrop made out of cotton sheeting.

[agedhorse]

Pipe and drape is indeed the simplest and probably the least expensive method for a fire retardant backdrop. The material is available in stock panels of up to 12' long and custom lengths beyond that.

[ckcondon]

Funny, I was just thinking about picking up some pipe & drape. We play a club with a goofy mural on the wall behind the stage. I prefer a clean look.

Who's a good supplier?

 

Thanks,

 

Chris

[lifeloverwg]

Here's a link I got when we were considering used drape for our Church. Last time I looked they had some small stuff as well. We wound up getting some new but wrong color match drape through our local stage and lighting company but I kept the link as they had some very good deals.

http://www.showrags.com/

 

Good Luck, Winston.

[laidback]

I've been thinking about adding a backdrop too. I'm using LED's up front and was thinking a light-colored backdrop would help show off the wash colors. But, black seems to be the "universal" backdrop and I read somewhere that performers could look "washed-out" against a white backdrop. I'd appreciate any thoughts...

[agedhorse]

Black backdrop increases the contract of objects (like the band) in front of it. Makes the lighting easier in that you don't have to compete with the backdrop, the band jumps out.

[Rbts]

I googled "stage backdrops" or something like that, and found a bunch of places. This one had some really neat ideas....but they are rentals apparently.

http://www.grosh.com/

[Ear Abuser]

you might try calling around to the local rental places to see if they have any used pipe and drape they want to get rid of. If there is any kind of convention center near you, there is someone who rents pipe and drape.

[JohnnyGraphic]

I used pipe and some drape material from a party supply house for the backdrop. Black velvet type of stuff. I am using my old speaker stand bases as the base of the backdrop since I only use the tubes plugged in to my subs.

 

Worked o.k. Kind of ghetto fabric. Wasn't all that expensive either.

[jwlussow]

Try eBay and search for photo backgrounds. They have kits up to 12' wide and a huge variety of colors (solid and mixed). I picked up a kit with a 14' wide 10' tall stand with a 12'x18' heavy black cotton backdrop for around $175.00. It is a great (and cheap) addition to the show. I also attach lights to the backdrop stands for great rear/side lighting.

[B. Adams]

I've made a few backdrops for the sound company I work for, most recently a 20'x40' backdrop conisting of two 20'x22' sections. I built it with a half-full pleat, grommeted top, no lining and no chain pocket. I started with a 100 yard roll of 54" wide Black Commando Cloth, and ended with about 4 yards left. Total cost was about $500 plus about 12 hours of cutting and sewing, and this drop will cover a typical full-size concert stage.

 

I've also built drapes for pipe-and-drape systems, which is much easier, but similar contruction. It's a LOT less fabric.

 

If you have access to a sewing machine, even a typical home machine, you could make yourself a backdrop very easily. You could get "nice" material from a theatrical supplier, or you could just get whatever you can find locally. As long as it has a soft-looking texture and isn't shiny, you should be fine.

[Ear Abuser]

 

You could get "nice" material from a theatrical supplier, or you could just get whatever you can find locally. As long as it has a soft-looking texture and isn't shiny, you should be fine

.

 

I'd stick with a theatrical supplier- you'll get fireproof material from them. You don't wan't to use something that isn't fireproof.(Remember Great White?)

[InACanProductions]

I've been using a projector with a laptop lately. The 2 venues I've been hosting shows at have screens behind or above the stage so that makes it pretty easy, but even if they didn't I'd project against the back wall. My company is putting together a DVD of bands who've played my shows. Here is one of the high school bands featured on the DVD.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G806q_sdKwc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fprofile%2Emyspace%2Ecom%2Findex%2Ecfm%3Ffuseaction%3Duser%2Eviewprofile%26friendID%3D138536371

 

I make up the banners so they have the band's logo, plus my company logo (In A Can Productions) as well as the video company (Rock N Reel). We're pressing 1000 copies of the DVD so we're getting some additional advertising every time someone watches it. We've got 22 bands on the compilation who will each be selling the DVDs. The projector works really well for me. It was tricky the first few times to get it to export from the laptop correctly when we used the venue's in house projector, but once we got a couple of adaptors we were all set. With a projector we have the ability to play video as well, so we've been able to promote the DVD by showing clips between bands. I'd reccomend checking eBay for a projector and a screen if you're concerned about venues that don't have a clean back wall. I guess if you don't care about showing video you could get a slide projector.