First gig with the new band

[Alex Kenivel]

It's 3am, I'm finally settled in bed. I had my first gig with the new band after only two short practices and it went pretty well although I almost thought I had brought a knife to a gunfight.

I should have snapped a picture of the organists rig: a Hammond into a mixer rack with a TC FX unit into an old Hiwatt 100w head on top of a Marshall 4x12. The bassist had a SS Mesa head and 2x12 cab. I had my 100w Boss Katana combo with a Celestion Creamback acting as a powered cab for my HX Stomp.

That organ rig was loud but my Katana kept up well on 50w mode at noon, Stomp main knob at 1:00. The organist was right in front of his rig but said he could hear me just fine on the other side of the bass and drums, which was weird because I was standing to the side of my amp so didn't hear it clearly until I walked out in front of it.

This was my first gig without IEMs since 2019 so I felt a little naked because I couldn't hear myself sing. I want to check out all of the other venues they play before deciding on whether or not I want to bring my full blown IEM rig to the gigs.

OK sleepy time

 

[JiveTurkey]

Congrats! It's good to get back out there.

 

[Fireproof]

Great to hear it went well and the Katana did you right!

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Congrats! It's good to get back out there.

Thanks, it is, a little bumpy starting out in a new position but the kinks will work out.

The singer (best voice I've worked with) had a wireless mic which interfered with my Tascam digital recorder. She would walk around and interact with the patrons and the recordings would click and pop as if you held your cellphone up to your guitar pickups. No issue with my G10 and the wireless mic, so that was good.

Great to hear it went well and the Katana did you right!

I was actually a little too loud during the second half of the night, apparent from the recording I took.

I'm going to have to figure out a better amp placement for the next gig there. It's a long room with no stage and we are in the corner smack dab next to the front door, not really facing the length of the room, but kind of in a huddle. Amp at my knees, no please.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

A clip from last night. Original song written by the Organist. I didn't get a chance to rehearse this. All I knew was that it started with a guitar solo, had stops, and had an organ solo somewhere. Sometime in the middle I was cued to do a guitar solo but didn't engage my boost snapshot until the second go-around but was still audible. I guess it gave the second half of my solo a little more "oomph". Sure, that was intentional

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Cherry on top of the night: the singer singing along to Last Resort by Papa Roach while we were tearing down.

 

[HotRats]

A clip from last night. Original song written by the Organist. I didn't get a chance to rehearse this. All I knew was that it started with a guitar solo, had stops, and had an organ solo somewhere. Sometime in the middle I was cued to do a guitar solo but didn't engage my boost snapshot until the second go-around but was still audible. I guess it gave the second half of my solo a little more "oomph". Sure, that was intentional

I'll that sounds fine. Good work man

 

[Baba]

Good stuff brother, glad to see you back out there

 

[DrewJD82]

Sounds great, man!

 

[TubeStack]

Nice job!

 

[Bruce]

It's 3am, I'm finally settled in bed. I had my first gig with the new band after only two short practices and it went pretty well although I almost thought I had brought a knife to a gunfight.

I should have snapped a picture of the organists rig: a Hammond into a mixer rack with a TC FX unit into an old Hiwatt 100w head on top of a Marshall 4x12. The bassist had a SS Mesa head and 2x12 cab. I had my 100w Boss Katana combo with a Celestion Creamback acting as a powered cab for my HX Stomp.

That organ rig was loud but my Katana kept up well on 50w mode at noon, Stomp main knob at 1:00. The organist was right in front of his rig but said he could hear me just fine on the other side of the bass and drums, which was weird because I was standing to the side of my amp so didn't hear it clearly until I walked out in front of it.

This was my first gig without IEMs since 2019 so I felt a little naked because I couldn't hear myself sing. I want to check out all of the other venues they play before deciding on whether or not I want to bring my full blown IEM rig to the gigs.

OK sleepy time

No, you brought a smart bomb and won the battle. Everyone else lugged around heavy (and expensive) gear and you didn’t. As long as you kept up, sounded good and got the job done, you won. BTW, sounds like your stage volume may have been screaming loud. Personally, I really hate that.

 

[la szum]

A clip from last night. Original song written by the Organist. I didn't get a chance to rehearse this. All I knew was that it started with a guitar solo, had stops, and had an organ solo somewhere. Sometime in the middle I was cued to do a guitar solo but didn't engage my boost snapshot until the second go-around but was still audible. I guess it gave the second half of my solo a little more "oomph". Sure, that was intentional

Congrats!

I dig it. Has that Allman Brothers Band vibe. That kind of stuff is a blast to play live. :)

Oh, and I have played with one of them Hammond guys. Even a full on vintage Leslie
in his rig. Nothing like it!!! Sounds glorious in the room.

All hail the stage volume!!!!!

 

[JiveTurkey]

Congrats!

I dig it. Has that Allman Brothers Band vibe. That kind of stuff is a blast to play live. :)

Oh, and I have played with one of them Hammond guys. Even a full on vintage Leslie
in his rig. Nothing like it!!! Sounds glorious in the room.

All hail the stage volume!!!!!

Make sure you aren't around when it's time to help with it during load-in

 

[la szum]

Make sure you aren't around when it's time to help with it during load-in

Haha! Too late!

The best bands I have been in all help one another with load-in and load-out.

The worst not so much.

Teamwork makes the dreamwork!!

I tend to be one of those guys who is all on board for some heavy lifting
and a longer setup if it makes the band sound better. I am not a fan of the
age of convenience that has come to riddle so many bands/performers.

Yes, we must suffer for our art. No suffering = No art!!

 

[JiveTurkey]

Haha! Too late!

The best bands I have been in all help one another with load-in and load-out.

The worst not so much.

Teamwork makes the dreamwork!!

I tend to be one of those guys who is all on board for some heavy lifting
and a longer setup if it makes the band sound better. I am not a fan of the
age of convenience that has come to riddle so many bands/performers.

Yes, we must suffer for our art. No suffering = No art!!

Certainly. 100%. I just draw the line at helping schlep a hammond

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Congrats!

I dig it. Has that Allman Brothers Band vibe. That kind of stuff is a blast to play live. :)

Oh, and I have played with one of them Hammond guys. Even a full on vintage Leslie
in his rig. Nothing like it!!! Sounds glorious in the room.

All hail the stage volume!!!!!

He said it was "only one of his rigs". The man has a very large van and has been doing this for years before I was born. I can only image what else he has at home

No, you brought a smart bomb and won the battle. Everyone else lugged around heavy (and expensive) gear and you didn’t. As long as you kept up, sounded good and got the job done, you won. BTW, sounds like your stage volume may have been screaming loud. Personally, I really hate that.

The rest of the band was very loud. They pretty much had to match the organ player, who was obviously holding back on the volume because there were definitely times where he let it rip and it took over the room.

I mentioned this earlier, but where I was set up wasn't optimal. The drummer told me to set up in position A, then the bassist got there and insisted I set up in position B. I was literally playing with my back up against the wall and my amp was up against the wall throwing sound to the other side wall instead of down the length of the room.

I would have liked to get my amp back away from me a little more so I could hear it as it projects out into the room, but it was my first gig with them and I didn't want to make too many waves outside of just plain not complying with my favorite unreasonable request of the night: "Hey you're gonna have to move everything over here, but hey while you're doing that let's also check your mic"

I'll that sounds fine. Good work man

Good stuff brother, glad to see you back out there

Sounds great, man!

Nice job!

Thanks guys! I apreciate the kind words. People were into it, plenty of patrons there just to see us, buying drinks, dancing. There's even a nightclub right across the street and when it gets to capacity the place fills up with miniskirts.

 

[la szum]

Certainly. 100%. I just draw the line at helping schlep a hammond

Your loss, JT.

 

[la szum]

Didn't sound too loud to me.

You have to jump out there in spots in that kind of band.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Your loss, JT.

The Hammond tone I get from the Ross GR-10000 more than makes us for it

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Haha! Too late!

The best bands I have been in all help one another with load-in and load-out.

The worst not so much.

Teamwork makes the dreamwork!!

I tend to be one of those guys who is all on board for some heavy lifting
and a longer setup if it makes the band sound better. I am not a fan of the
age of convenience that has come to riddle so many bands/performers.

Yes, we must suffer for our art. No suffering = No art!!

The drummer brought the PA, and as a fellow drummer and FoH pawn, I felt all his pain at the end of the night. I couldn't just stand there and wait to get paid .

The organist brought a moving carpet and a hand truck.