Saw Tracy Byrd last night.

[DaveCustomMade]

No, I'm not into Country Music, but a co-worker of my wife had tickets that were going to be unused, so my wife got them. He performed at my cities annual fair. A whole LOT of people there!

Anyway, I enjoyed the concert well enough, for someone who doesn't listen to country, so this is a non-biased statement. I have to say that, sound wise, it was one of the better concerts I've been to in a while. Their sound man did a great job of mixing all the instruments together. Also, Byrd has some pretty good musicians too! The bass player was tight, and the two guitarist did some very well executed country type guitar solos. The steel guitar player and the fiddle players also performed very well, as did their drummer.

Although not my style of music, it was a decent show.

[TVD]

Yeah, alot of country artists have great bands with really awesome and tasty players in them. It's like this big secret or something. Tracy Byrd's bass player is named Bubba something, can't remember his last name at the moment. I'm not a fan of Tracy Byrds singing, or most of his songs, but yeah he carries a good band.
As far as the mix goes, my own opinion is part of it is stage volume. If you can keep the stage volume to a logical and acceptable level, it makes it so much easier for them to mix the front of house, esp if you have a compentent soundman. It never fails to make me shake my head when i watch a band with ear bleeding stage volume, then they wonder why it sounds like a$$ out front, and onstage for that matter. it dosen't take any talent to play loud. It's alot harder to play with good tone and tastefully. I won't get into a "volume war" with anyone on stage. It's not even an issue with any of the bands i'm in now. If i do get into a situation where idiots are cranking guitars up to stupid levels, i just stay where i'm at. If they do ask me to turn up, which is rare, i'll say why don't you turn down. Usually though it's the singer who can't hear)duh gee wonder why) and asks for everyone to turn down, which in a situation like that the offenders almost never do. I'll usually say nothing then, or i'll say how can i turn down if i didn't turn up? Alot of getting a good mix is simply common sense. Trent

[DaveCustomMade]

I totally agree with your assessment of volume. I was at a concert a short time back and the sound people had the bass drum SSSOOOOOO LLLOOOUUUUUDDDDD that anytime he kicked it, it was all you heard. This was a concert that my wife wanted to go to. I wouldn't have gone otherwise. Anytime I go to a concert [this includes Byrd's last night because it was still kinda loud], I take along ear plugs. I can't enjoy the concert otherwise.

In contrast, the my very most favorite concert of all times, Bella Fleck and the Flecktones, had a near perfect volume level. In fact, I didn't even wear ear plugs that night. AWESOME show.

I heard once that people can't hear abnormal variances in songs when the decible level is high, such as at concerts. I guess if you're REALLY good, like the guys in Bella Flecks band, you can have a normal volume level becuase, . .. . . .you're just that darn good.