[Dixielandjazz] Sound man sounding off 2

[Lowell Busching]

Stan Brager wrote:

> The concept of "sticking to the schedule" is a matter for the festival
> director to instill in the staff of a festival as well as the performers.

It is also reflected in the programs which the festivals generally sell 
to the customers over and above the price of the tickets. Around $3 now. 
  There is little or no point in putting out a program for the attendees 
to use if the performers and/or the site managers and sound people pay 
no attention to it and allow the performers to start and end whenever 
they see fit.

If it is not already done, I think the packages for the performers 
telling them which venues they are playing, and giving a specified time 
for them to start in the venues, should also clearly state what time 
they are to finish. It is only common sense, something that seems to be 
lacking with some people.  Even stating one hour or 45 minutes set times 
with no exceptions should be stated.

At a festival. that means no encores or extended numbers just because 
the musician and/or their audience appear to be in a "groove", or 
whatever you want to call it.  Out of body experience perhaps?  Extreme 
nirvana?  Their God given right based on their natural talent? Whatever.

When the group is the only or ending act, it is a case of giving some 
thought to whether the professional sound person is going to be paid 
overtime to continue supplying the sound. or with a volunteer if they 
have exceeded their time limit.

Example: At a venue at the Sweet and Hot festival one year I went to 
hear an "All Star" set on the ramp with some of my favorite musicians 
and a singer who was NOT appearing at any time in the Hangover Room.
It was a rare appearance for this singer.  A large sound console I 
personally had never seen before myself was being used.  No sound person 
was present anywhere!

Needless to say, the singer, if not the band, was in semi panic mode. 
All mikes were not working on the board. The singers mike was one. 
Fortunately there was a member of the audience who had a similar board 
in his home studio. He was able to find the small buttons muting some 
mikes etc. Between us we got it working so they started only a few 
minutes late. To sound person was forthcoming and I wished to return to 
my own venue.

The head sound man was notified, Gordon, and a relief was sent. The 
previous sound person had not been relieved and for whatever reason had 
simply left!  The next set was left high and dry.  Sad but true.
No fault of Gordon's. He had not previously been informed.  Not only 
musicians do dumb things. Right Gordon?

  In
> the Hangover Club venue at the Sweet 'n' Hot festival, all the leaders are
> aware of the schedule and generally have little problem with that concept.
> There are, of course, occasions in which the demands of the schedule must be
> enforced.

"Must be" is key here.  If the performers do not co-operate with us or 
pay attention, the whole schedule slips and some other performer has to 
be short changed to return to schedule or like at some festivals in the 
past, the entire schedule shifts, sometimes by as much as an hour or two 
before the end of the evening. Not so at the Sweet and Hot, however. A 
tight ship is run at most venues.

At large venues outside the festivals, with one or two acts, it is 
common place for the start time of a show to be only approximate. Give 
or take a half hour or so. The opening act, if any, may start close to 
on time, but the main act might not start for a considerable amount of 
time after they finish or their listed start time. This is "expected" by 
the audience and promoters, and no fuss is usually made.  Whenever they 
come on, the main act usually plays their entire set, plus often 
encores. They bring their own sound men with them. Everyone is cool.

Not so at festivals in the US where there is generally no more then a 
half hour between sets, and more likely 15 minutes. Working your way 
through the fans between sets at the stage is bad enough if they finish 
on time. They are told when that will be. Sometimes by both the sound 
person and the room manager. No misunderstandings possible.
> 
> At the Hangover, the leaders know that the sound guys keep track of time and
> will look to us to provide the amount of time left in their set.

They also are aware of what that time is. Some set leaders wear watches, 
some don't. Some are so good at "keeping time" that they can finish a 
set on the minute or second if they know how much time they have left. 
Much like two takes on a jazz recording where the total time may differ 
by as little as one second! They know.  Pretending they don't doesn't 
work with us. "But I thought I still had some time 'coming'" Nope.
> 
> On the other hand, it usually doesn't take us more than 5 or 10 minutes to
> tear-down and setup.

Because we are experienced and often bull our way through the adoring 
fans lined up at the stage to get autographs, tell them how great they 
were, and use the time worn expression, "I bet you don't remember me.", 
and then wait for the artist to finally say, "No". :-)

At times I have felt I needed a loop recording of "Excuse me please" to 
play over and over to set up in that time period given by Stan. If the 
performer takes up half or more of the set-up time to finish their set,
and THEN get their instruments off stage, even that time frame leaves no 
time for the next set to get on stage and set up THEIR things. Some can 
do it. Some can't. Some don't care. Some are laid back. We start when we 
are ready (but we expect our full hour).

  The trick is to plan the setup for the next group in
> advance. Lowell taught me that trick.

Indeed it does work most of the time, if you have the full time to start 
with. The 5-10 minutes left over at times is often used to find the 
missing items the next set needs to perform.

Examples:

Hidden festival snare drum left behind the piano! (Someone brought their 
own snare). The next drummer is asking where the snare drum is? Music 
stands we were not told they needed. Stored in another room.  The band 
needs more light to read charts we didn't know they were bringing. The 
bass amp doesn't work as expected. The guitar player forgot to bring an 
extension cord that will reach our outlets. etc.

Even a case last year finding phone books or anything to sit on the 
piano bench to raise the piano seat for a long legged piano player.
Ever tried to find an LA phonebook in the basement of a first class 
hotel? (The bench either has no adjustment or it did  not work.)  The 
"acoustic" bass player notifies you he wants his bass miked even when 
you tell him the room is good for basses. The list is endless.

And so are my emails.

Chow

Mad Dog.