Bass Players who run lights?

[Esquillama]

Hey, I was just thinking Saturday night as I was on stage, are there a lot of other bass players that end up running lights while playing, singing, etc.?
Our keyboard player also has lights to run, but we don't always use his set. Mine on the other hand are used every gig(unless the sound and lights are contracted/provided).
I'm curious if other bass players are out there running lights with their feet, singing, and playing like me.
This is the second band that I've been the light guy in. I don't mind it, I actually have fun with it sometimes.
Anyway, if you run lights and play bass let's here it.

 

[IvanMike]

nope cant say that i do - we bring a rack of 4 fernel (im not sure if thats the correct spelling) type lights that stay on - over 1/2 the time i dont think we really need those -

 

[murdermilk]

nope cant say that i do - we bring a rack of 4 fernel (im not sure if thats the correct spelling) type lights that stay on - over 1/2 the time i dont think we really need those -

Fresnel, but yeah, that sounds like all you'd really need.

 

[kansas666]

We have 4 banks of 4 Peavylites. I don't recall the model. But our guitar player runs them with his feet. Basically all he does is full on/chase/blackout or dim for slow songs.

I have a footswitch for the 4 strobelites we use. Our drummer runs the bubble machine.

Our lead singer runs the sound from the stage.

We are pretty self contained - little overhead.


www.geocities.com/nitefirerocks

 

[Aaron Saunders]

I don't run 'em DURING the show, but I set 'em up for coffee houses at the school. I'm the general lighting tech for everything the school does -- musicals, plays, assemblies, etc.

 

[Esquillama]

We have 4 banks of 4 Peavylites. I don't recall the model. But our guitar player runs them with his feet. Basically all he does is full on/chase/blackout or dim for slow songs.

I have a footswitch for the 4 strobelites we use. Our drummer runs the bubble machine.

Our lead singer runs the sound from the stage.

We are pretty self contained - little overhead.


www.geocities.com/nitefirerocks

We also use several bancks of lights, I run one, and the keyboard player runs the other.
The keyboard player and I also each run a fog machine.
Our guitar player runs the strobe lights.
And the lead singer runs sound from the stage as well.
Saves a lot of overhead. Also keeps everyone busy.

 

[Chad Michael]

One of the local clubs has an installed light system that is fun to manipulate. Small set of colored cans on stage, with vertigos, lasers, strobes, etc. for the dance floor and room.

Really enjoy playing there, because the light rig is all ready to go and adds to the whole show.

 

[ZonPlyr]

I wouldn't really say I was "running them". Mostly just stepping on random switches on the dilapidated floor controller hoping that something brighter than a night light comes on. The controller at the house gig I play looks as though it was pulled out of the dumpster behind the studio where they film those robot wars. More duct tape than should be allowed on any electronic box and you just pray that you aren't what turns on when you stomp a button.
I should just bite the bullet and buy a new controller to carry with me for the gig. But yeah, to answer your question I do end up doing lights, pa and singing, playing and trying to get the crowd going.

 

[kansas666]

The keyboard player and I also each run a fog machine.

We had a fog machine. But we kept pointing it up the lead singer's ass. He made us get rid of it.

 

[6sixx6]

i always had to run the lights which i made useing coffee cans and some scrap metal (pretty cool) our drummer ran the fog machine and our guitarist did nothing because he was a arrogant little butthole just cause he could play Zakk wylde solos. those were the old days i still run the lights thoughin my new band

 

[Circus]

I have done light and sound many times in plays when I was in junior high school and high school, but I don't think I would ever do them while performing. When I am up playing I want to concentrate on my bass playing and singing. No offense to anyone that does this as I am sure it takes lots of concentration and practice, none of which I have, but this seems like something that the tech crew should worry about. If you have fun doing it thats awesome, as it is all about having fun, but I would never have a desire to do this. It seems like the band is saying, hey, the bass player doesn't have anything difficult to do, lets get him to do lights too! Yeah, the bass player will do anything!

 

[Eric_J]

By the title, I thought the topic was about how easy it is to get a driver's license in this country and you should not ride to or from the gig with a bass player.

 

[marineman227]

I don't know, i've never actually played out with my band yet but alot of my friends are in bands and i'm usually the one that does the sound and light work while they play because i know what the hell i'm doing with a mixer and light controls. My new band who knows if we will try to get it close enough during the sound check or if we'll have a sound guy or if we'll do it on stage or what but i have a feeling i'll end up doing alot of the setup and everything because i worked on our tech crew at school all through highschool.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

I make my living at stage lighting but have never operated them while playing a bass gig. Foot switchers not being all that common is more 'n likely why. If someone onstage is going to operate lights the guy responsible for laying out the downbeat seems an obvious choice.

Percash John <sp?> formerly of the Alice Cooper Billion Dollar Babies band had an R&B group in the late '70's early '80's called the Lincolns out of Toronto that he sang/fronted, played bass and did lights with his feet. he did it all at a level that any one alone would have earned him the gig doing it. Scary.

 

[snoopyjc]

Right now I "run" one light and the guitar player "runs" the other one. There used to be no lights before I joined the band - now there are 2 - one clamped to each of the speaker stands pointed towards the band. Mine has the PURPLE filter on it (but, of course), and his has a RED filter on it. They are both Par Cans.

We "run" them by plugging them in before each set, and unplugging them during the breaks. Hey, not much of a light show, but at least you can see the band now!!

--joe Link Removed