Working it all in, under and EZ Up... Or not?

[Big Hoss]

So not sure how to explain this, but I am looking for ideas...

I am in a small 3 piece weekend warrior / block party type band, 2 guitars, a lead and a rhythm guitar, with the lead guitar doing lead vocals, and me on bass. Drums are handled by a drum synth in software from my laptop.

A lot of the gigs we do are outdoors on uncovered decks, either in the direct monster that is the Texas summer sun, or on the bad occasions under a light rain. So we like to play under an EZ Up type cover. Right now we are using an EZ Up "Pagoda" that looks like this one, but without the fancy covers on the legs.

The issue is the PA. We can fit 3 guys staggered with instruments under here and between the legs no problem, including the little table the laptop, mixer etc... are set up on, but the PA speakers are set typically off just outside of the front legs, which means they are partially exposed.

The concern is the rain. With the PA speakers (powered) partially exposed to the elements, how do we keep from ruining them in the event of a sudden down pour?

My thoughts are to attach a tarp to the bottom of the frame and splay out a sort of vestibule from the EZ Up to extend the rain protection. Maybe using Velcro or something and either aluminum, or cast off fiberglass tent poles to support it from the pagoda poles. I was hoping some more experienced "Back Yard Party Band" players had a better idea.

 

[RoadRanger]

Just toss a trash bag over them.

 

[s0c9]

@RoadRanger says..
I've covered my speakers and wedges with trash bags many times. They DO make large commercial size black bags that will fit most.
They block very little sound, and protect the speakers..
The bags can be "form fit" using black gaffer (or duct) tape, if visuals are a concern.
Beats getting them wet...

 

[Big Hoss]

Wouldn't the trash bags muffle the movement of air the speakers are supposed to be doing?

 

[WayneP]

Good reason to use passive speakers. A little rain won’t bother them at all...

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt


Administrator, Pedulla Club #45
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[Big Hoss]

Yeah, my actives were a pair of Alto Professional TS115As with stands that I got from a friend for $200.00. I couldn't pass up the deal.

 

[RustyAxe]

In my world when the rain starts the music stops. I'm not about to be standing on a damp stage loaded with gear, cables, AC mains ... waiting to be electrocuted. I carry in-line GFCIs, tarps for my rig, and trash bags to cover the speakers while I wait for the deluge to subside.

 

[buldog5151bass]

The make more elaborate covers with zippered walls that will form a three or four sided wall, but they are more expensive, and heavier. But if you want something that will allow you to play in a heavier rain, it will cost ya.

 

[Big Hoss]

In my world when the rain starts the music stops. I'm not about to be standing on a damp stage loaded with gear, cables, AC mains ... waiting to be electrocuted. I carry in-line GFCIs, tarps for my rig, and trash bags to cover the speakers while I wait for the deluge to subside.

Step #1. Deluge = get everything unplugged and covered NOW and get inside. Wait it out, or pack it in.
Step #2. Slight mist = keep playing unless it looks like deluge on way then start step #1 sooner.

We often see Step #2 with no thread of Step #1 at all... That is my bigger concern. No wet stage to speak of, it's the off to the sides that is the concern. If the stage is getting wet, we are packed in and waiting it out, or packed up and bailed out.

 

[Big Hoss]

The make more elaborate covers with zippered walls that will form a three or four sided wall, but they are more expensive, and heavier. But if you want something that will allow you to play in a heavier rain, it will cost ya.

We have actually been considering a larger cover / tent with the wall pieces. We do use a white plastic tarp dropped down the back side of ours to use as a reflector for lighting and to define "Band Space" from other space.

The model we have considered, that would keep all our "stuff" covered, including us that is within our (see mine since the other guys are dead broke) is this one at Amazon.

Mind you, it looks awesome with the black and flames, BUT like I said, Texas summers. Not sure about the black. Seems like a heat problem to me... Also not fond of that window in the back wall. Like I said, back wall is for lighting not see through.

The reason we are using the EZ Up Pagoda right now is, I have it, no funds were needed to get it so my broke a** bandmates don't have to spring for squat... On the plus side, the bandmates agree that first priority is getting our gear, and our show completely up to snuff as quickly as we can, so they don't mind dumping revenue we make directly back into band equipment...

 

[buldog5151bass]

@Big Hoss I also would be concerned how waterproof that nylon would be. I've found that the cheaper ones work well for sun screens/light rains, but really are not waterproof. Look at the stall they have at farmers' markets and the like - they usually are white, and a heavier material. Check places that sell restaurant suppliers and such. Caterers often do parties/wedding outside when it is raining.

 

[Big Hoss]

@Big Hoss I also would be concerned how waterproof that nylon would be. I've found that the cheaper ones work well for sun screens/light rains, but really are not waterproof. Look at the stall they have at farmers' markets and the like - they usually are white, and a heavier material. Check places that sell restaurant suppliers and such. Caterers often do parties/wedding outside when it is raining.

That's kind of what I am looking for. Just not sure what to call it.

 

[buldog5151bass]

That's kind of what I am looking for. Just not sure what to call it.

Thing is, you need something commercial grade if you want that kind of protection. As I said, check a party/catering supply place, and ask to see what canopies they have.

 

[Mktrat]

I would look into those larger 10 x 20 type covers that can create a psuedo garage.

They make all different sizes and combinations of walls and windows. I love using mine when it rains!!


edit: Portable Garages & Car Canopies - Carports & Garages - Sheds, Garages & Outdoor Storage -  The Home Depot

 

[micque]

In my world when the rain starts the music stops. I'm not about to be standing on a damp stage loaded with gear, cables, AC mains ... waiting to be electrocuted. I carry in-line GFCIs, tarps for my rig, and trash bags to cover the speakers while I wait for the deluge to subside.

Very good point ! as a licensed electrician, I highly recomend using an in-line GFCI any time you are playing outdoors, specialy if you're not on a stage or deck, standing directly on the ground with any electrical gear in hand can be a very bad thing if the least little fault occurs in your system, if the ground or grass is a bit damp, or there's a drissle or lite rain you will most certainly end up dancing the power jig with mister electron, and you will not enjoy the ride ! I played outdoors once for a street party during a festival, it was real cold, about 45 or so and damp as hell, wile thumping along on the bass I leaned forward to sing my backup line, when my lips got within half inh of the mic a bright blue flash arced from my upper lip to the mic with a realy loud POW ! from the PA, the next 5 words screemed out of my mouth were not in the lyrics of the song, the bass line was absent for a whole 4 count as both my hands were clamped over my mouth as I uttered profanitys, none of the other 4 band members even skipped a beat, I jumped back into the tune and screemed the last few lyrics at the mic from 4 feet away. actualy had a blister on my upper lip which took weeks to heal. I'm very voltage concience sinse then,

And take note, if your playing back yard partys, most electrical codes require that outdoor recepticals be ground fault protected, either the receptical itself or the breaker feeding it, and remember that if you plug an inline GFCI into a circiut already protected by a GFCI, you will most likely have nuisance tripping of the GFCI. also, some homes have several outdor plugs, only the first plug in line will be a GFCI, if the others are fed off of the first one then they are all protected by the first on in line, if I know I'm going to play in damp locations, I always check, most hardware stores have inexpensive plug testers, that verify polarity ( hot and neutral ) ground, and have a button to test GFCIs.

Sorry for the loonnngggg post, but having been electrocuted multiple times at work ( ya I'm still here ) I just felt like throwing the info out there, maybe help someone to not become a statistic.

 

[Big Hoss]

Yeah, we are always on either a deck, or a wooden knock down stage (my own contraption, but picture a 6" rise portable deck that is 8' deep x 16' wide.). We use a GFCI kind of like THIS ONE from Home Depot.

We try to be on 2 separate 15 amp or greater circuits if at all possible. The Rumble, guitar amps, and mixer on one, the PA on the other.

I never thought to test for GFCI already existing. That is a great idea. Never had a nuisance trip yet, but it is a possibility to look out for.

Typically doing yard parties, we feed power off of the outdoor power circuit, and run a cable to one indoor power circuit, more often than not the garage power which is usually a separate circuit from the outdoor circuit. Since those are both typically damp environments, they should be GFCI already.

 

[electracoyote]

Outdoor gigs with poor cover are just too risky and problematic. I have seen and heard of too many dangerous and equipment-ruining incidents, even when preventative measures were taken, to go there ever again. My bands make it clear to the client that we don't tempt Mother Nature, and we can not bring adequate cover from things like the sun hitting us at an angle and wind-blown precipitation. The client either has to put us in a covered structure out of the sun or risk us shutting it down and covering or packing it up.

 

[Big Hoss]

Completely wind blown means were are torn down, covered up and out of there.

The venues we play are mostly outdoor gigs. Think back yard parties, block parties, and barn parties. Kind of where we specialize... A lot of blues, a lot of classic rock, and a lot of country.

Having covered venues is almost always impossible, having power is iffy on some of them and we have to check pretty carefully ahead of time.

 

[JimmyM]

In my world when the rain starts the music stops. I'm not about to be standing on a damp stage loaded with gear, cables, AC mains ... waiting to be electrocuted. I carry in-line GFCIs, tarps for my rig, and trash bags to cover the speakers while I wait for the deluge to subside.

Word to yo mutha, as the kids say these days. I have played during the rain before, but if our gear is getting hit by it, we stop. No sense dying to play a little music.

 

[pingvuiini]

'Please move away from those towers!'