We have a cottage in northern Michigan and I am on hiatus from my church gigs until September. Still being active on TB, however.....
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East Tennessee Talkbass
- Thread starter Michael Vee
- Start date
It's mostly just jamming Appalachian tunes for me! Some friends put together a pick-up band and we're catching the occasional farmer's market and a few other things. I have a couple of gigs in Jonesboro with this group, like a 4th of July (on the 5th) celebration. I get to drag the electric out for something Cajun the following week. 
But I did just solidify a spot with the Kingsport Theater Group to do Bonnie & Clyde in late August! That's a doubling gig, which I'm pretty thrilled about.
You have any musical theater coming up? How did your spring shows go?
But I did just solidify a spot with the Kingsport Theater Group to do Bonnie & Clyde in late August! That's a doubling gig, which I'm pretty thrilled about.You have any musical theater coming up? How did your spring shows go?
Congrats on the Bonnie & Clyde gig, Jeff! Also good to hear that you have a pick-up band going. That's what I need to have going this summer.
Are you back playing shows at Tusculum again?
The last two summers, I played the Wordplayers summer show at the Bijou, but that is not happening this year. I don't double, and the music director wanted an upright bass for the production.
Nothing else on the books at the moment, other than end-of-the-month church services this month and in July.
The March H.S. show I played went very well. For the most part, I enjoyed the H.S. show I played in April, but the sound guy pretty much ruined it for me by chewing me out after the last performance. One of those classic amp vs. headphones/IEM arguments. It was way over the top. I play an amp, it's part of my instrument, and I am not interested in playing ampless.
I'd like to get back to playing more adult/community musicals, but the opportunities are getting scarcer.
Are you back playing shows at Tusculum again?
The last two summers, I played the Wordplayers summer show at the Bijou, but that is not happening this year. I don't double, and the music director wanted an upright bass for the production.
Nothing else on the books at the moment, other than end-of-the-month church services this month and in July.
The March H.S. show I played went very well. For the most part, I enjoyed the H.S. show I played in April, but the sound guy pretty much ruined it for me by chewing me out after the last performance. One of those classic amp vs. headphones/IEM arguments. It was way over the top. I play an amp, it's part of my instrument, and I am not interested in playing ampless.
I'd like to get back to playing more adult/community musicals, but the opportunities are getting scarcer.
Thanks! I’m in touch with the Tusculum MD, but she doesn’t have any live band musicals that she needs me for at the moment. That’s a good group, from sets to actors to musicians.
Sorry to hear about your run-in with the sound guy.
Speaking of jerks, our guitar2 for Bonnie and Clyde quit the production! If anyone knows a guitarist with theater experience, willing to drive to Kingsport for the shows and rehearsals, that can double on dobro, mandolin, banjo, 12 string, give me a shout. It pays!
That's a tall order! But there are a lot of talented guitar players in east Tennessee. I hope the chair is filled soon.
Jeff, I hope you are able to keep active musically in the Tri-Cities for a long time. You are a more diverse bassist than I am, so that will help you.
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I'm not excited about what I see happening in musical theatre at the local/community levels. More and more, musicians are being pushed into the background in an effort to lower costs and attain greater control over the house sound. As costs rise, and as interest in live musicals ebbs and flows, it's become more difficult for smaller groups to justify full productions. I'm seeing fewer musicals, and also more use of pre-recorded accompaniment and digital tracks. For example, for a typical MTI show, the full accompaniment can be rented for $750. When an orchestra costs at least $500 per chair, and you typically have to have at least five musicians, the math is excruciatingly easy to see. I'm seeing more shows in the Knoxville area done with partial or full track accompaniment.
I'm seeing more non-music theatre shows being performed as well, to further minimize the cost of productions.
Plus the sound guys in the area are pushing the musicians to conform with the way the sound guys prefer things be done. I referenced that in my earlier post. That's nothing new, as there are control freak guys who aren't happy unless they control every aspect of sound everywhere these days. They aren't looking at the big picture aspects, just whether or not they can get 240 Hz under control. That one guy had my bass high-passed at 120 Hz and low-passed at 400 Hz for the last show in the house. That typically doesn't make a high-end bass sound very good at all. If I hadn't had my Genzler going, over his express disapproval, I would have sounded like crap.
* *
At present, I don't have anything on the books beyond a couple of church services, one next Sunday and the other at the end of August. We'll see what the second half of 2024 brings.
What have you other ETTB bassers been doing this summer? Musically, gear-wise, and otherwise?
Nice, Bill! I think I would do the same. Has it been cooler up there than in east Tennessee?
We have been on hiatus since around May. My father had to be hospitalized then went to a skilled nursing facility. He passed on July 9th and my family is still recovering a bit, plus handing his estate. That all falls on me as I am an only child. We are taking a well deserved vacation in Daytona Beach this week. Probably get back to the band rehearsals in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, I do still play at church each Sunday so I’m not completely rusty.
Prayers for you and your family.
Pontiac! How are ya, man!
You are one of the latest people here in ETTB, the old guys have gone into the weeds it seems. I'm glad you are watching the thread.
Have you found a gig since you moved to PF?
You are one of the latest people here in ETTB, the old guys have gone into the weeds it seems. I'm glad you are watching the thread.
Have you found a gig since you moved to PF?
Doing fine, love Tennessee : )
No spare time for now but hoping to fit in some home recording. I'm an amateur so I cannot just sit in with an unfamiliar group.
I agree with the first, glad you are.
I identify with the second, also. I have not even found an unfamiliar group lately, despite living here in Knoxveegas since 1998. Aargh..
We have returned from our summer retirement place in Michigan and back into the Knoxville church rotation. Here is a lovely pic of the worship board I worked on over the summer. Nice lighting.
As a conclusion to my original post, as of today, 10/15/24, my Ibanez is now repaired and back home. Many thanks to Jonathan Goldstein at The String Workshop in Oak Ridge for doing the repair for a very reasonable price. I'd forgotten that Jonathan does guitar work; he said that is the majority of his repair/setup business. He said "I've repaired worse damage than that!" and also that it helped that the Cerro has a natural satin finish, and not painted. He took out he volume pot and used hide glue and a clamp to set the wood back in place. A little buffing to finish smoothing out the edges, and I couldn't tell anything had ever happened to it.
Jonathan is a legend around Oak Ridge and Knoxville. He's been in the same location for 37 years now. He did say that he is going to wrap up his business sometime in the summer of 2025, so if any of you need to get a bass repaired, or set up by a pro, get it in soon.
Here is a pic of the damage. As I said, I can't tell now that it ever happened.
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Have any of you guys heard Voodoo Cadillac play? They've been around Knoxville more than a few years, with a number of different players around the Johnsons. I was going to go hear them last Saturday night at Ale Rae's in Knoxville, but the venue decided to make it a UT football night and the band was rescheduled for this Friday the 22nd. Of course I'm out of town doing early holiday with family..
Their current bassist is really good, going on the videos I've seen. Anybody here know him? He's not one of the ETTB gang.
I'm looking forward to seeing them at Brackin's on Jan. 31 at 8. They play Ale Rae's again on March 1.
Their current bassist is really good, going on the videos I've seen. Anybody here know him? He's not one of the ETTB gang.
I'm looking forward to seeing them at Brackin's on Jan. 31 at 8. They play Ale Rae's again on March 1.
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I meant to compliment you on the current board earlier, Bill. Very nice! How do you choose between the DCX Bass and the Aguilar TH for a given song?
The DCX is always on core cleanish tone for lighter sections. I tap on the TH as a first level drive for when drums kick in, etc.
