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Band being ridiculous or is it me

#21
I agree,

Lights-yes
Fog- no

We use 2 stands with 4 cans each for lighting. It's nice occasionally to see what we're doing on stage.

Our lights can be sound activated. Never use it though. All they do is flash so fast will make people have epiletic seizures.

We turn them on and leave them that way until breaks. We did change the gels that came with the el-cheapo light sets. Too harsh of colors, went with more subdued shades for more natural looks.

just my two cents.
 
#23
Ubersheist said:
Lights = yes
Fog = yes - like the poster said above, it'll make the lights pop out and be way, way more dramatic.

Pretentious? Who cares? You're a rock n roll band! Act like a rock star! You get a pass, and people will love it.

ANYTHING to up your stage show is good. Don't overdo the fog, and make people cough, but it's way simpler then the stinkin' lights, and it'll make the lights look great.

Really.... HAVE SOME AMBITION! Sure, it's only a small dive bar, but keep your stage show like you play at small dive bars and that's where it'll remain... at a small dive bar.
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+ 100,000 couldn't agree more.

When I started playing in clubs 25 years ago even cover bands put on a show and would have loyal followings. Now everyone shows up in their jeans and performs ala jukebox. If it looks like anyone from the audience can get up and do it then how special is it and how is it worth a cover charge?

Making yourself standout from other local bands is not a bad thing IMO.

Just turn off the fog machine before the audience disappears. :hyper:
 
#24
I always use lights...just a few colored flood lights pointed at various places, including the ceiling, as to flood the stage area and to give some ambiance. Some places are pretty dark, people wanna see the band, and I wanna see my stuff too.

The fog machine only comes out on Halloween gigs.
 
#25
As a band member, I say "NO WAY to fog!"

As someone there to check out the band, I say "YES!"

Make sure you clear it with the owner and the bartender/waitresses also. THEY will be the ones having the final say in the matter, maybe even if you get to ever come back!

X8
 
#26
The fogs OK..it'll make you look great and will give the punters a much more enjoyable experience....BUT!!!!!.....the guy on the machine needs to use it very carefully, a little will go a long way. Its all about atmosphere and NOT.. about pissing everyone off.

Make sure he knows where the draughts are in the room and which way the smoke is going to go. If its going to go out into the audience then he needs to be behind the band, shooting across the stage, low down and gentle on the trigger....0.02$
 
#28
Ubersheist said:
Lights = yes
Fog = yes - like the poster said above, it'll make the lights pop out and be way, way more dramatic.

Pretentious? Who cares? You're a rock n roll band! Act like a rock star! You get a pass, and people will love it.

ANYTHING to up your stage show is good. Don't overdo the fog, and make people cough, but it's way simpler then the stinkin' lights, and it'll make the lights look great.

Really.... HAVE SOME AMBITION! Sure, it's only a small dive bar, but keep your stage show like you play at small dive bars and that's where it'll remain... at a small dive bar.
Click to expand...

+1. well, maybe its my opinion because my band uses a fog machine with our lights, or because we're a psychedelic improv rock band and it fits with our show.

We use a small fog machine, like the ones you can buy at party stores for $25. It doesnt put out a lot of fog, just enough to accent the lights and cloud up our band a little. What I'd really like to do is find some herb scented fog, that would be WAY cool.
 
#30
MatticusMania said:
+1. well, maybe its my opinion because my band uses a fog machine with our lights, or because we're a psychedelic improv rock band and it fits with our show.

We use a small fog machine, like the ones you can buy at party stores for $25. It doesnt put out a lot of fog, just enough to accent the lights and cloud up our band a little. What I'd really like to do is find some herb scented fog, that would be WAY cool.
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My wife owns a chemical company --- PM me.. I can send you a vial of fragrance.. cucumber is the hot scent right now.
 
#31
In addition to being in a band, I am also a mobile DJ. Even I have given up on the standard fog machine at my weddings and corporate DJ gigs. And guess what, no one ever asks about it or misses it. The stuff is nasty, people don't like breathing it, it floats around like someone is burning trash or something, it's really bad. I haven't used it for years.

My band borrows my strobes, police beacons, and other lighting, but not the fog machine.

Now, the "chiller" variety can be awesome in the right venue. It's a fog machine that uses ice-cooled fog that hugs the ground like a graveyard. I would consider that, but only if I was up on a stage, and only once or twice through the entire performance. Over-do it and people will start calling you Herman and the Munsters.
 
#33
MNAirHead said:
Fog machines to run well need a lighting guy..and a lighting controller..

Not certain you're all ready for this level of nuttyness.

Corner bar.. absolutely not.. your drummer will then want a double kick and cage.... heck why not a gong.

Timmy
Click to expand...

The small fog machine we use is controlled by a small keychain like device that looks like a keyless entry remote for a car. With a small antenna. Ok, it looks more like something to detonate a bomb, but its portable and held onto by our synth player.
 
#34
Personally, I like the smell that emanates from the fog created by fog machines.

That being said, the fog idea sucks, and lots of flashing lights in a small bar sucks too.

However, if the rest of the band wants to do it then you have to go along for the ride. Just try not to look too embarrassed when the fog starts rolling. I have to make sure I don't look disgusted every time we do Mustang Sally. For the year and a half that it feels like to play that f'ing song I have to make a conscious effort to not look I've been stuffed inside a construction site outhouse that hasn't been cleaned in 6 months.
 
#40
Lights, sure.

Fog, hmmm, go for it with the whole spandex outfit thing, a few mullet wigs and
whatnot. Also, bring some Clinton and Nixon masks or some of those paper bags
Gard used to wear to football games. That kind of screams 'I'm not with
these guys'. Of course, the crowd might take it as 'Give me your wallet".
 

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