Band dynamics

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MogwaiBoy
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Re: Band dynamics

Post by MogwaiBoy »

Oh yeah that Michelle is so great!

There really are some superb ones out there.

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Capt. Black
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Re: Band dynamics

Post by Capt. Black »

smallface wrote: Another sound guy who treated all bands with the same level of respect was Greg Carroll (RIP). Used to play at Mainstreet a lot eons ago and every time Greg mixed the bands he was totally focused on getting it right for every band.

Greg was such a lovely and FUNNY guy and a pretty close friend before he headed overseas. You're right about those Mainstreet days. He would always jump in on sound or lights if no one else was there to do it for a band, which was a surprisingly common occurrence back in those days... the resident sound guy just wandering off for an hour.

Which band were you with back then Smallface?

And yes.... Michelle puts the 'ROCK' into Rock Factory!

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Re: Band dynamics

Post by Capt. Black »

Haha, thinking about Michelle and the subject of headline acts being louder... We (The Mysterons) once did a gig at the Dogs Bollyx back when it was a proper venue. In those days, Rock Factory provided the house system and Michelle would often be there to mix if we were playing. On this particular gig we were supposedly headlining which meant it was our gig and we were on last. :lol:

The two bands before us were utterly fantastic and I was honestly shitting myself having to follow them. In a flash of inspiration I hit up Michelle to ask her how much more she had in reserve on the desk. I watched as she slowly realised what I was thinking points at the master LED meter and says with a huge grin... "I've got six more green ones before I go into the red!"
I just looked at her and said, "When we come on, use them all! Our only hope following these guys is to sound massive!"
So yeah, some times the sound guys turn up the headliners... :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: Band dynamics

Post by smallface »

Capt. Black wrote:
smallface wrote: Another sound guy who treated all bands with the same level of respect was Greg Carroll (RIP). Used to play at Mainstreet a lot eons ago and every time Greg mixed the bands he was totally focused on getting it right for every band.

Greg was such a lovely and FUNNY guy and a pretty close friend before he headed overseas. You're right about those Mainstreet days. He would always jump in on sound or lights if no one else was there to do it for a band, which was a surprisingly common occurrence back in those days... the resident sound guy just wandering off for an hour.

Which band were you with back then Smallface?

And yes.... Michelle puts the 'ROCK' into Rock Factory!
I was playing in a band called Beat Soldiers at that time. We were about 18 or 19 at the time. :-)
I climbed on the back of a giant albatross which flew through a crack in the cloud to a place where happiness reigned all year round and music played ever so loudly

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Re: Band dynamics

Post by tubeswell »

Don't care. I pay big bucks for my toan and I wanna effing hear it.
He who dies with the most toobs... wins

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Re: Band dynamics

Post by Bg »

tubeswell wrote:Don't care. I pay big bucks for my toan and I wanna effing hear it.
So many reasons this is wrong, I'm sure you're taking the piss, but I've been guilty of it so much.

1/ If you're playing in a pub and getting cash. Don't piss off the pub by playing too loud and losing punters.
2/ If you're playing in a pub for free. Don't piss off the pub by playing too loud and losing punters.
3/ Punters = Money
4/ Get an objective opinion about your sound at foh. Beamy cabs are shit. If I'd known that then, I would have at least stuck tape on them.
5/ Always mic everything up if possible. Not going to happen on small budget bands but its so much better for foh. Everytime. Rather than relying on everyone to set their own stupidly loud practice volumes at a quiet gig.

Top 5 list, never adhered to any of them but would in future. If you fuck off your crowd, you aren't going to build a following except for deaf people. Like me.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: Band dynamics

Post by tubeswell »

Bg wrote: I'm sure you're taking the piss
:mental:
He who dies with the most toobs... wins

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Re: Band dynamics

Post by Lawrence »

Bg wrote:
tubeswell wrote:Don't care. I pay big bucks for my toan and I wanna effing hear it.
.... Rather than relying on everyone to set their own stupidly loud practice volumes at a quiet gig.....
here is the root of it all. Some of the best rehearsals I have attended did not use vocal mics.....boy did that test the players ability to manage volume. I guess its a bit extreme but 99% of rehearsals I have visited while a tutor were massively too loud....not just a bit but really crazy loud.
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Re: Band dynamics

Post by sligo ray »

Lots of interesting anecdotes here. It’s 20 years since I played live in Auckland, but I remember Dogs Bollyx when it was Boardwalk. Always found the mix upstairs at the Gluepot OK in front but awful onstage monitoring. The guy who did FOH at Pod and that place upstairs on Symonds Street was always friendly and patient with us. Thinking about the OP, I did play in one band with two Teles and it always sounded good to me. Perhaps because we tended to swap rhythm and lead roles? I’m kind of glad I don’t have to encounter that new volume/PA/level restrictions/audience on their cellphones thing too often anymore. Now my son has to do it as a drummer, and his first lesson was don’t be an arsehole if you want to get anywhere. People remember, as seen here.
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