The worst thing happened last nite....

xinsaneguitarzt · #1 11-13-2008, 08:38 AM

I was playing a gig at a local tavern I was warming up so i stated playing black majic woman by santana to warm up like i always doo well a few people in the crowd said we wanna here the whole song so we normally dont play that song but we all know it. so the drummer counted us off i started playin the the rest of the band joined is like need be. well the bars sound guy realized the vocals were not loud enough so he went back stage to turn them up well when he did the cought my power courd to my whole bass rack on his feet. (me and my band walked over it 100 times that nite no probleme). well when he did it pulled my rack off my cab. i turn around see my head on the floor. but i keep playing as if nothing happened cause i didnt loose any sound or nothing. well this moron tries to pick it up and put it back but while dooing so he picks my rack up by the latches and not the handles so the latch breaks my head falls again but this time somthing blew in the head cause i hear my rig stat to buzz like a swarm of wasps. i was pissed!!!!! luckily my key board player playes through a fender 210 bass combo so we just put him through the PA and i finished the gig with that. I havent had a chance to look at the damage but i am pissed i just bought that peavey tour 450 like 5 weeks ago. luckily i still have my peavey mega bass head as a back up.

bassmanrocke · #2 11-13-2008, 08:51 AM

And I'm sure the sound guy volunteered to pay for the repairs. I bet it was"your fault" for leaving the cord like that.

cmewhinney · #3 11-13-2008, 08:55 AM

Once is maybe eventually forgivable, but twice? What a jackass.

xinsaneguitarzt · #4 11-13-2008, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassmanrocke

And I'm sure the sound guy volunteered to pay for the repairs. I bet it was"your fault" for leaving the cord like that.

Dude the guys a moron the cord was compeletly flat. when i bought my furman power cond. it opened it up and replaced the 8 foot black one with a 25 foot orange so i would never have a problem with finding a plug. so i know the cord had plenty of slack and wasent elivated to trip sone one cause me and my drummer walked over it 100 times that nite, i think the sound guy was draging his feet.

xinsaneguitarzt · #5 11-13-2008, 09:31 AM

He didnt volinteer to pay for ****. he tried to help us break down that nite but i wouldnt let him any where near me or my gear. he is lucky i didnt have too many drinks in my system or i would have broke his face.

mrkreuzschlitz · #6 11-13-2008, 09:42 AM

Force him to pay, I hate to say it.

If its broken and he broke it, just go to him and say "hey man, I'm gonna need you to cover the repairs."

ryco · #7 11-13-2008, 09:55 AM

Accidents happen. Hopefully the guy will help pay for some/part/all of the damages, but I'm sure there was no malice involved.

He must not be very experienced in roadie-ing gear. Always pick gear up by the handles! That's what they are for! Latches are not weight bearing devices!

Too late now, but I always duct tape all out going cords to the floor. A soundguy I used to work for would throw carpets over the snake/cords leading away from the playing area. I don't know how fire safe it is to have carpet over actual power cords, but it kept them from being tripped over

Of course you're pissed at the situation, but to think up violence? That's not gonna help on any level. A little forgiveness goes a long way.
Not that I'm perfect. I realize anger in the heat of the moment.
Anyway -- sucks!! Hope this all works out for you with minimal bs!

von buck · #8 11-13-2008, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xinsaneguitarzt

I was playing a gig at a local tavern I was warming up so i stated playing black majic woman by santana to warm up like i always doo well a few people in the crowd .

Sorry about what happened. I wouldn't of left the bar without working it out with the sound guy.

Also, you shouldn't be on stage warming up, it's really not professional, unless it's for a sound check.

Andy

Rick Auricchio · #9 11-13-2008, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryco

Too late now, but I always duct tape all out going cords to the floor.

Spend a few extra bucks for gaffer tape. It's strong like ductape, but it leaves no gummy residue. (Sometimes it's referred to as gaff tape. Same thing.)

A 60ft roll is about US$12; it's more costly than ductape, but you'll never have to clean up a mess.

Chebass88 · #10 11-13-2008, 01:18 PM

Hey,

Not to be a PITA or devil's advocate, but you DID present a trip hazard in a trafficked area. That you and your bandmates did not trip is really by luck, and it does not mean that it was safe. You might get away with smoking in your car at a gas station 100 times, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the 101st time will be just as safe. You should have secured your gear in a way that protects your gear & the safety of those around you. You and your bandmates were equally likely to trip on the cord & knock your amp over, its just that you guys lucked out. Trip hazards can result in events far more dangerous than damaged bass amplifiers.

IMO, the only thing the sound guy did incorrectly was to pick up something by the latches while trying to help you out. No need to be harsh or threaten violence on the guy.

Sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear.

ian

easyvision · #11 11-13-2008, 01:32 PM

A voice of reason, very nice to see. Or hear...or read. Whatever

Yeah you can sit there and point fingers all day and I'm sure it'll make you feel good and all but the fact is, you didn't do everything you could to protect your equipment. This is irresponsible and extremely unfortunate. I do hope it works out for you and that you have learned a valuable lesson.

Bassman8416 · #12 11-13-2008, 01:40 PM

I feel your pain....where have I heard that? The gaffer tape suggestion is on the mark, if there is ever even the slightest chance something can be tripped over....it will eventually happen......people screw up, spaz out...God knows I have done with my own stuff, I tape any chord that moves in a traffic area....down....good luck with future gigs there....bring tape and an extra set of brains for the sound guy who doesn't know how to handle equipment.

Pandafist · #13 11-13-2008, 02:04 PM

I disagree with the above posts. It's TOTALLY that guys fault. The initial tripping over the cord isn't what destroyed the amp, correct?
It was when he picked it up and dropped it... AGAIN. Tape or no, it's his fault for picking it up by the latches. They must pay him in drinks for him to make such a series of blunders. I almost feel bad for the guy. I'll bet his face was bright red. How humiliating.
Anyway. If I were you, I'd ask the guy to pay for at least half of the repair. He'd have to be a major jerk to say no considering how it went down.

vlxyooper · #14 11-13-2008, 02:10 PM

....the sound guy went backstage to adjust the vocals?

Also, as others have said, make sure your cables/cords, extra cases, etc are not an accident waiting to happen. Murphy wrote his law for musicians too.

Bummer on the amp crashing ...hope things work out well.

JustDavid · #15 11-13-2008, 02:13 PM

Taping cords down in traffic areas is always a good idea. I don't know if I class onstage the same as public ways though. Presuming that stagegoers are competent at walking in a normally multi-corded area isn't a massive presumption, at least not to me. As luck had it, it wasn't one of the dozen mic cables normally strewn around.

OP indicates a good measure of gear vigilance & intelligence already by replacing the power strip cord with one that's longer & more visible.

Lifting a rack by the latches doesn't scream 'competence' nor 'experience' to me. I know a guy who won't even use the handles as he saw someone lose a toe when a handle gave out.

OP; don't hit him. Dude clearly realized he made a big mistake (well, 2 actually). Work with him not on him; he'll love you forever. Soundman love is a good thing; can equal better sound AND more gigs.

And do get the gaffers tape instead of duct tape.

**Stumbo** · #16 11-13-2008, 02:16 PM

Does the guy have insurance? Do you have insurance?
Find out what it will take to get your rack together and present the guy with the bill.
You can always go to small claims court.

FWIW, you could have played the song later in the set....and not let the sound check go.

easyvision · #17 11-13-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pandafist

I disagree with the above posts. It's TOTALLY that guys fault. The initial tripping over the cord isn't what destroyed the amp, correct?
It was when he picked it up and dropped it... AGAIN. Tape or no, it's his fault for picking it up by the latches. They must pay him in drinks for him to make such a series of blunders. I almost feel bad for the guy. I'll bet his face was bright red. How humiliating.
Anyway. If I were you, I'd ask the guy to pay for at least half of the repair. He'd have to be a major jerk to say no considering how it went down.

As I said, fingers can be pointed all day. What's so is the OP wasn't 100% responsible for his gear and the soundguy messed up twice. I agree that the OP was smart in getting a longer, more visible power cord, but why stop it there? If he had taped his cord down then the soundguy wouldn't have tripped over it in the first place.

I'm not saying that lifting the amp by the latches was a stroke of genius, it was a pretty dumb thing to do. However, the gear owner must take responsibility for his own gear, no matter what happens.

Pandafist · #18 11-13-2008, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by easyvision

I'm not saying that lifting the amp by the latches was a stroke of genius, it was a pretty dumb thing to do. However, the gear owner must take responsibility for his own gear, no matter what happens.

Pardon me, but NO WAY!

There's only so far you can go to protect your gear. Are you supposed to build a metal barrier around your rig for every possible scenario? Chicken wire perhaps? No. This is pure negligence on the sound mans' part. Any court will agree. Period. The tape issue is irrelevant. Seriously. Your gear was fine even after it was accidentally knocked over (still technically his fault), and he damaged it by picking it up, by his own volition, and dropping it again. IT'S HIS FAULT. Plain and simple. Ask for half if you're worried about coming across like a jerk. Otherwise, you're well within your legal rights to take him to small claims court, in which case you'd be sure to win. I'd NEVER go that route unless it was done purposefully and maliciously (which it clearly wasn't).
I'm sorry, but people telling you it's your fault for not taping your cords is just silly. No offense intended to those of you who disagree. I just can't afford to pay for others mistakes, so this is how I see it. And more importantly, it's how the law sees it.

GrooveWarrior · #19 11-13-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by von buck

Also, you shouldn't be on stage warming up, it's really not professional, unless it's for a sound check.

I was just thinking the same thing. When you step on stage, it should be counted off and go!

**JoshB** · #20 11-13-2008, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pandafist

Pardon me, but NO WAY!

There's only so far you can go to protect your gear. Are you supposed to build a metal barrier around your rig for every possible scenario? Chicken wire perhaps? No. This is pure negligence on the sound mans' part. Any court will agree. Period. The tape issue is irrelevant. Seriously. Your gear was fine even after it was accidentally knocked over (still technically his fault), and he damaged it by picking it up, by his own volition, and dropping it again. IT'S HIS FAULT. Plain and simple. Ask for half if you're worried about coming across like a jerk. Otherwise, you're well within your legal rights to take him to small claims court, in which case you'd be sure to win. I'd NEVER go that route unless it was done purposefully and maliciously (which it clearly wasn't).
I'm sorry, but people telling you it's your fault for not taping your cords is just silly. No offense intended to those of you who disagree. I just can't afford to pay for others mistakes, so this is how I see it. And more importantly, it's how the law sees it.

Nice try, but I worked for a professional sound company for quite a few years. Regardless of "Who, What, Where, When, Why" the op does possess some degree of responsibility. If something gets screwed up during a song, ESPECIALLY when your gear is in question, stop playing, and go fix it. The crowd can wait, and frankly, if you were warming up on stage at a show I was working, I'd kick your ass off the stage. Unprofessional doesn't even begin to cover it.

As far as the sound guy being liable...nice try, but that falls on the management/owner of the venue. Unless the sound guy was the guy who set up the show and is taking responsibility for it, it's not his problem. On top of that, if you plan on touring, (or for that matter, playing out a lot...) plan on things like this happening. Crap is going to fall, break, fry, etc, and you sometimes have to bite the bullet and go direct, borrow an amp for your set, etc until you get your head fixed. Sorry, but it's reality.

And Panda, don't take this personally, it wasn't meant to bash you at all.