Just saw a great show here in SD

[SanDiegoHarry]

John Hiatt and Taj Mahal. Good show, great music.

but...

Both bassist for both bands were... well, hard to hear. It wasn't the mix - they were "at volume" but they both mostly just "rumbled". What amp were both guys using? SVT. Rumble rumble rumble. I'm *sure* that had someone tweaked the EQ, the notes might not have all sounded like either one dead "pom pom pom" or just background bass noise... but it was a bit of a let down. Toward the end of Taj's set, the bassist did *something* and I could start hearing actual notes (he was a playing a Warwick thumb 5 - with rounds, thank you);

Just an observation.

 

[EastCoastThump]

That was at the Balboa, no? Isn't that a decent sounding room w/ reasonable PA for a show that size? I'd be surprised if either act had the stage rig covering volume for the room. (I've been wrong before, of course; so this wouldn't be the first time.)

 

[4Mal]

Too bad, John Hiatts music wants a tightly defined kick and bass. I love covering his stuff .. There are so many opportunities for drive...

 

[Blankandson]

Somewhere I have a Taj Mahal 33 1/3 record from about 1970 and I had the same opinion then about the bass. Just barely audible and what was recorded sounded like just muffled notes. Maybe that's the way Taj likes the bass? I'm guessing he's calling the shots.