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My rented backline adventures
- Thread starter JimmyM
- Start date
You know you've made it when you get a clean dressing room with running water and a greenroom. 
Had to drive home 12 hrs today because of a last minute interview on the other side of Texas. Knowing I would be rushing I called the engineer for tonight (I work with him all the time) and ask him if I can rent any bass with decent intonation and any amp he can bring out for the show. He says, "sure, no problem."
I get to the venue and walk in to a SVT4 PRO on an 810e with a Fender 5 string P bass deluxe sitting on a stand in front of it.
Maybe I need to start being vague with my requests more often.
Ps. If any of you ever make it to Speaking Rock Casino and get to work with Jimmy, he's awesome.
I get to the venue and walk in to a SVT4 PRO on an 810e with a Fender 5 string P bass deluxe sitting on a stand in front of it.
Maybe I need to start being vague with my requests more often.
Ps. If any of you ever make it to Speaking Rock Casino and get to work with Jimmy, he's awesome.
12 hour drive then do a gig? Man, that's dedication! Engineer really came through for you, too. He must like you 
I'm still too young and dumb to know any better. I'm sure I'll learn some day. Lol
And yeah, we help each other out all of the time.
And yeah, we help each other out all of the time.
Seems to be a world wide phenomenon... Festivals here in Melbourne (Australia) used to be a boost for local bands with many multiple stages with a wide variety of bands... Bit of work for everyone. Now they have one sometimes two stages (one at each end, then one shuts down early) and then some tosser DJ closing it off in place of a decent band...
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
We were about half way back, near the sound island. Didn't care enough to get there too early to get the actual seats up front. So we could see the stage, but the huge bright screen to stage right sort of dominates. I did notice they have a second screen, not to the left, but at the far back left hand side running perpendicular to the stage. Not really in or near the concert area. Part of the real trouble is that for a 'greatest hits' concert, she really only has a handful of songs that a middle of the road 'fair' crowd will know. They opened with Bad Reputation, Cherry Bomb and one other Runaways song. That really left her with about 2 or 3 other 'hits' for the rest of the hour+ gig, and a couple "oh yeah, I've heard that one a few times" songs. I joked when she did "I love Rock n' Roll" the crowd will go home now unless she does Crimson and Clover...and she went right into it... Mid-set it was all 'new album' and just not very well written, simple rhyming stuff and I don't think the crowd was feeling any of it. The encore was a cover "everyday people".
The stage at the fair didn't have screens for us, but it was a zoo nonetheless
Daytime isn't bad there. By nightfall people are pretty trashy and drunk. The screens aren't necessarily bad, but the camera work was TERRIBLE. Really bad. Crowd shots of people on their phones. Close up of Joan's playing barre chords while the actual guitarist solo'ed, etc. I know that the bass player isn't a big draw, but they seriously didn't have a shot of him until half way into the set, and then only because she wandered by him. I think maybe the camera guys had been into the wine slushies and corn dogs a bit too heavily.
Also, while they had full regular backline, they appeared to be using IEMs.
I like her schtick but they also have a good way of putting a song together. The lyrics of some of the better songs that I like the most might be a little over the top for a conservative Fair crowd but there are a lot of good ones that they could have played. She also does good covers of Hanky Panky, You Don't Own Me, Louie Louie, Bits and Pieces, Summertime Blues, Nag, and the Mary Tyler Moore theme song. Hide and Seak is a crowd pleaser.
You can't blame any band for promoting a new album to boost sales. They are probably making more money off of those sales. It's rare that the songs are crowd pleasers. The Kinks are seriously talking about doing some shows but unfortunately Ray is insisting on only new material and that he doesn't want to delve into the old catalog. He doesn't want them to be an oldies band doing what they've already done but that's what people know and want to hear.
+1 Watching the band on mega flatscreen led's and hearing them through a huge front line, really isn't my cup tea. I guess that makes me an old fart. I'd rather take ear plugs and get close enough to see the actually bass player and watch what he does.
I was able to to that the firs time Steely Dan started touring, since we got connected through their legal representation and sat in the seventh row. It's so much more fun. I prefer to shill out the extra dinero, to see groups indoors when it's possible.
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How about seeing your own ugly mug on one of those mega-screens ?
One of the first big time 'proper' gigs I played at was a $500 a plate auction/fundraiser at Melbourne (Aust.) Crown Casino palladium room, I had never been there before, not only did each act have a separate room complete with full bathroom, bedroom etc... The green room was huge and loaded with a full bar and top shelf international buffet catering, tv monitors and audio of the show, but the thing that shocked me most that I didn't notice during sound check (maybe they weren't on, I'm not sure) were the two massive projected screens on both side walls. I mean huge ! Two minutes into the first tune I was looking around the room (it's a massive stage and a huge room) and look to the side and see my own stoopid bass face project way too large for my own comfort, lol... Took all my professional composure not to freeze, stuff up, or grin like an idiot... Ha ha.
Today at Hershey Park with Bowzer, Kid Kyle, Diamond Dave Somerville, Landa Jansen from the Angels, and Sam The Sham. I always complain that I never get an 810 here and today is no exception. But at least they did a little better than a 410, and I've never used a 610hlf on a gig. I'm enjoying it, actually. Always liked it in the stores, and it's doing well for me today. So no whining today
Did he do Li'l Red Riding Hood? I'm a sucker for that song. So simple and yet it sounds so good.
Betty Boop does the song justice.
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okcrum
in your chest
The stage at the fair didn't have screens for us, but it was a zoo nonetheless
They have definitely worked for us when we've had them, bracketing the stage.
The bigger irregularly shaped clubs sometimes have nooks where screens are all you get, though they bounce FOH back there.
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gettin' closer
Today at Hershey Park with Bowzer, Kid Kyle, Diamond Dave Somerville, Landa Jansen from the Angels, and Sam The Sham. I always complain that I never get an 810 here and today is no exception. But at least they did a little better than a 410, and I've never used a 610hlf on a gig. I'm enjoying it, actually. Always liked it in the stores, and it's doing well for me today. So no whining today
Oh yeah, he did it. Sam's awesome!
Today at Hershey Park with Bowzer, Kid Kyle, Diamond Dave Somerville, Landa Jansen from the Angels, and Sam The Sham. I always complain that I never get an 810 here and today is no exception. But at least they did a little better than a 410, and I've never used a 610hlf on a gig. I'm enjoying it, actually. Always liked it in the stores, and it's doing well for me today. So no whining today
Based on some of the junk you have played through on this thread that looks pretty nice.
Jimmy this has been a very interesting and entertaining thread. Keep it up.
It WAS pretty nice, actually. I enjoyed the cab a lot more on a gig than I thought I would. To me it always sounded like a tweener between the 410hlf and 810e, but on the gig it came off reminding me more of the 810e.
Thx for the compliment! Unfortunately the next installment won't be for over a month.
Had an interesting gig yesterday... I was running backline for Mark Farner at a local festival. I also was playing it with my band early in the day.
Farner's bassist was an awesome player. Lawrence ____, didn't catch his last name. He played an old Tobias through an SWR SM-900s and 2 Goliath III 4x10's.
The local backline was listed as an Ampeg 8x10 rig. Sounded good to me. My band came up to play and the head was an SVT350. Definitely, not my favorite head. So I threw the backup SM 900 I brought for Farner on the 810e and was pleasantly surprised with the resulting tone.
Side note, the rhythm section was fantastic for Farner.
Farner's bassist was an awesome player. Lawrence ____, didn't catch his last name. He played an old Tobias through an SWR SM-900s and 2 Goliath III 4x10's.
The local backline was listed as an Ampeg 8x10 rig. Sounded good to me. My band came up to play and the head was an SVT350. Definitely, not my favorite head. So I threw the backup SM 900 I brought for Farner on the 810e and was pleasantly surprised with the resulting tone.
Side note, the rhythm section was fantastic for Farner.
