Whatever happened to house PAs?

[drewl]

I started playing in the 60s when everybody used the house PA. Usually a 35 watt Bogen Amp and little 5" speakers in the ceiling of the club - no effects (not even reverb) and no monitors. I'm happy they are gone.

 

QUOTE]

 

Heh, one place we play has their house sound hooked up to a bunch of those little speakers in the ceiling, all over the place.

better amps, though and some real speakers for monitors, and in front of the stage.

Sounds awesome, sound everywhere in the place!

Just mic everything through our board into two XLR jacks mounted on stage.

[ChiroVette]

I have found that 99% of our venues we can use our own PA. In addition, unless you are playing larger venues for larger dollars with larger crowds, most of these "house PA" in these gigs (as well as the gigs themselves) seem to suck. Because, the vast majority of them are door gigs, and the house PA is really nothing but some twisted form of bar-owner-nepotism where you have to use the house PA + house soundman, and are forced to pay the guy.

 

That said, I have seen all manner of house PA's. In the better places, with really nice crowds, I have played through some absolutely SMOKING PA's that were mind-blowingly good and the sound men were even better! I have also played in venues where the PA and the soundman are crap. Not that this will shock anyone, but the two extremes seem to go hand in hand.

 

My rule is that if the place has an absolutely smoking PA and a huge built-in crowd, it is a total win-win, particularly after I bring my band's crowd down on top of that. Where I have severe issues (to the point where I will simply refuse the gig) is when the only crowd that comes down is what my band brings, the bar refuses to kick in any cash on top of it, AND to add insult to injury I am then expected to pay the sound man. Uh...no.

[herbie d]

Oh yea! I love money off the top to pay for sound, that is horrible, and my truck is in the parking lot, with my system in it. I really like it when, they try and beat me down on price, and tell me "you don't have to lug in sound equipment" (and sound in the venue is crap). In my mind I always think..."could I do it for a little less if I leave the G string off my guitar?"

I hate arguing over sound, and try to avoid it at all costs. Go over to the Sound section of this forum and you'll see what I mean, ha,ha. Tell them you carry an old Horn Loaded System, and see what happens.

 

 

I have found that 99% of our venues we can use our own PA. In addition, unless you are playing larger venues for larger dollars with larger crowds, most of these "house PA" in these gigs (as well as the gigs themselves) seem to suck. Because, the vast majority of them are door gigs, and the house PA is really nothing but some twisted form of bar-owner-nepotism where you have to use the house PA + house soundman, and are forced to pay the guy. That said, I have seen all manner of house PA's. In the better places, with really nice crowds, I have played through some absolutely SMOKING PA's that were mind-blowingly good and the sound men were even better! I have also played in venues where the PA and the soundman are crap. Not that this will shock anyone, but the two extremes seem to go hand in hand. My rule is that if the place has an absolutely smoking PA and a huge built-in crowd, it is a total win-win, particularly after I bring my band's crowd down on top of that. Where I have severe issues (to the point where I will simply refuse the gig) is when the only crowd that comes down is what my band brings, the bar refuses to kick in any cash on top of it, AND to add insult to injury I am then expected to pay the sound man. Uh...no.