[Dixielandjazz] Playing in old venues - was - ST GABRIEL'S CELESTIAL BRASS BAND

[Steve Barbone]

larrys.bands at charter.net wrote: (about Tom Wiggins' Band with a New Orleans
send off at Ike Turner's Funeral)

> I was telling another list mate a couple of days ago that I missed Tom and
> appreciated his insights.
> 
> I missed that bit on Ike Turner - too bad.  I played for awhile in the 80's
> at the Imperial Ball Room Where Ike and Tina played.  It's on the top floor
> of the building and as I recall taking equipment up all those flights of
> steps nearly killed us.  We eventually used the fire escape which had fewer
> flights and was right off the band stand.  Imagine taking a Leslie cabinet
> up and down a fire escape.  You had to be tough to play music back then or
> at least a weight lifter.  I wasn't sad to see that gig come to an end.

Yeah, Tom gets very busy this time of year with his various bands, and
sending out promotional material for 2008. No doubt he will return after he
has sharpened his axe.

We play some swing dances in old ballrooms, circa 1925 - 1935, in the
Philly/Wilmington/Reading/Allentown PA areas. They all seem to be on the 2nd
or 3rd floor of those old buildings.

The one in Pottstown has a loading elevator off a back alley entrance. It
occasionally acts up and will not automatically stop at the 3rd floor after
you've pushed the button. It just continually cycles round trip between
ground and 3 without stopping except on ground.

So you trip the circuit breaker when nearing the 3rd floor. But the door
won't open unless you time it just right, and the elevator floor is within 2
inches of the building floor. Cycled about 5 times one night with my sound
equipment and the bass before we timed it perfectly.

The ballroom at the University of Pennsylvania, 2nd floor, has no elevator.
The kids offer to carry our equipment and we gratefully accept since we
unload from Walnut Street 200 feet away.

My own sound system was light enough when I bought it 15 years ago. How come
it got so heavy now? <grin>

Cheers,
Steve Barbone