No amps on stage doesn't look like a rock show?

[troy mcclure]

I am starting a new project..really just replacing the singer of my cover band but adding way more material so the new singer is showman and I tell him..we play at low stage volumes and the guitarist uses a pod and I use a VT Deluxe and go direct...keeps the stage volume down and we sound even everywhere in the crowd.

He doesn't think it will look cool enough.... I think the band is good enough that it won't matter, not like we are using a drum machine...

Should I just drag out a bass rig to make this guy happy? Everything is a compromise in life, and I am willing to bend..

I wonder what the next set of demands are...

[Von Felgenhauer]

play a couple of shows like that. most of the crowd wont notice. they might think the stuff is hidden backstage. i heard one band used to have just small combos on stage but the big stuff hidden backstage to "confuse" fans

[Von Felgenhauer]

if they laugh or boo(which i doubt if you are good)then screw em anyways.

[modulusman]

Buy a bunch of dummy cabs and let the singer haul and set them up. I bet he will change his mind.

[groooooove]

have you gigged like that yet?

youll probably feel better with a small rig on stage, a 1x12 or something like that. not that this will look awesome or anything, but i can see why saying nothing there at all will look sort of empty.

but i don't think the look is a big deal, i think you'll really feel better with a rig on stage, even if it is really tiny.

[heavyfunkmachin]

Originally Posted by groooooove

have you gigged like that yet?

youll probably feel better with a small rig on stage, a 1x12 or something like that. not that this will look awesome or anything, but i can see why saying nothing there at all will look sort of empty.

but i don't think the look is a big deal, i think you'll really feel better with a rig on stage, even if it is really tiny.

$hit.

1x12 is my main rig. Yes, I do play noisy stuff.

[Von Felgenhauer]

yea, just one for a monitor for you at least. if you put bass in the front monitors with vocals, i always felt it farted the vocals out, then blew the monitor

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by modulusman

Buy a bunch of dummy cabs and let the singer haul and set them up. I bet he will change his mind.

Correct. I bring my 112 combo but as we now have have 3 monitor mixes, I am very tempted to go just DI. I think a clean stage looks awesome. Very professional. I am the only one in the band with an amp. Keys and guitar are DI, drums are mic'ed, and I also run a DI.

You are right to keep stage volume down and have a better mix/blend for the crowd via everyone in the PA. We do that even if we aren't really pushing something in the PA. It's there for presence and makes a huge difference.

It's your band. Lead. You have a great start if you have a guitar player willing to model/DI.

[MNAirHead]

Backdrops...

IF the singer was incredible, may flex..

The reality is that once you go direct/iem... it's tons easier to manage.

-----

I was on the road (fill in) .. guitarist had INCREDIBLE sound.. behind him were a long line of huge speaker cabs... (turned off).. and a small practice amp miked behind.

Changed my opinion greatly.. I had stupid numbers of cabs.. one speaker was active.

[Qvist]

I feel naked without a big ass amp on stage... too bad I only can afford a 2x10

[waleross]

. Its influenced by the Hip-Hop and DJ scene, IMO.
but live Rock needs big amps ....Good luck

[staindbass]

i think the gear is part of the whole attraction. its annoying not being able to turn around real quick and adjust a knob. but usually when someone joins an outfit, they should expect to fit in with whats already going on. johnny a. staind

[zachoff]

Relying on the sound guy to get you good stage volume is a bad idea IMO

[Jim Nazium]

I saw Iron Maiden a couple of months ago, and there were no amps on the stage. Looked (and sounded) like a rock show to me.

[zachoff]

Originally Posted by Jim Nazium

I saw Iron Maiden a couple of months ago, and there were no amps on the stage. Looked (and sounded) like a rock show to me.

I have no doubt that it can work if you have your own sound guy, your own PA, your own everything. Relying on Joe Schmoe at Dive Bar B to get the stage volume right is a bad idea. I've never played a show where the monitors were such that I didn't need my rig.

[MNAirHead]

To please the guy..

You could always make transport cases that look like amps.

I saw one act that did this.. it was brilliant.. instead of having piles of junk sitting around, they simply stacked them vertically like amps.. they had speaker grills on velcro.

They then played IEM/DI...

[aztomr]

I saw George Thorogood(sp?) about a year ago, no amps on stage. It looked like a bad Las Vegas review to me.

[MNAirHead]

Originally Posted by zachoff

I have no doubt that it can work if you have your own sound guy, your own PA, your own everything. Relying on Joe Schmoe at Dive Bar B to get the stage volume right is a bad idea. I've never played a show where the monitors were such that I didn't need my rig.

Most DI bands send a recording deck signal to FOH.. they're then in control of Stage/Monitor sound.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by MNAirHead

To please the guy..

You could always make transport cases that look like amps.

I saw one act that did this.. it was brilliant.. instead of having piles of junk sitting around, they simply stacked them vertically like amps.. they had speaker grills on velcro.

They then played IEM/DI...

or a rack of drawers with the back done up with a speaker grille that faces the crowd.....if you have to lug it,may as well use it for mikes,cables strings,etc

[panama]

Nothing on stage looks weird.