Stories from the Road: Expect the Unexpected Part II
After the first gig we decided to unwind a little bit and let our hair down. It was a great bonding experience that went well into the night. As we made our way back to the hotel we realize that we haven’t eaten dinner and, in many cases (mine specifically), we were running on yesterday’s breakfast. The life of a musician is not that glamorous as we were staying at a Ramada outside of Atlantic City so the only rations available were from vending machines. So after scraping together as many quarters as we could find we sat down for a late night feast of chips and candy bars.
The next morning came way too quick. We had only slept a few hours and it was time to load gear, have breakfast, check out, and load in to the next venue. Afterward, there were a few hours to kill before sound check so we headed to the boardwalk.
The 2nd Gig Jinx
When we were told the details of the 2nd gig we were a little apprehensive. The first detail that was a cause for concern was that there were no amps allowed on stage. The second was that we would all be playing through headphones with our own personal monitor mixers. The third was that the first song is the sound check. And the fourth was an electronic drum kit.
I’ve played through headphones before but that was in studio situations not live without a sound check. The sound traveled digitally though ethernet cables. Now, I’m no digital audio specialist; but, my internet craps out for no reason every once in a while as does my digital cable. This was enough to make me a raise an eyebrow.
It’s just about time to hit it but, since the sound guys showed up late, we’re going to start late. These gigs are run like clockwork and sets are timed to the minute with very short breaks in between. Our sound check is cut to each band member playing a couple quick licks while the rest of the musicians try to figure out the monitoring system and set up their personal mixes. I forgot to mention that the headphones that they supplied are JetBlue rejects—you know the ones that don’t fit properly, look stupid, and sound worse.
No time to waste… Ready or not, it’s time to play! The opening licks are mine and so far so good. Band enters, it’s weird but still going strong. The girls enter and, although the mix was weird and it’s difficult to get used to sound that doesn’t push air, we’re still doing great. Until… A loud crackle in my headphones and, just before my solo, the guitar disappears. I keep playing hoping that the sound is somehow coming through the mains but over my crappy headphone mix I hear the band manager out in the audience shouting, “There’s no guitar! We lost the guitar!”
The girls were having their own problems with the mix while trying to minimize their dance steps because of the headphone wires. The Roland V-Drums were soaked with so much effect that they sounded like they were in another room and you couldn’t hear the hi-hat or bass drum. No bass drum and no bass guitar—the bass guitar sounded horrible and far away. The only thing that worked in the mix were the keys but those guys were contending with their own mix problems.
From Bad to Worse
We were on concentration overload trying to make it through this first set when one of the singers lost her headphones and started singing to the mix in the mains. The others took notice and figured that they’d try their luck at singing without headphones. I even thought that I would try it too but I then noticed that the groove was slipping away and that I didn’t have the hi-hat or bass guitar to guide me. I try to concentrate harder and find myself torn between the vocals and the slippery groove when I notice that the mix coming out of the mains is about a half of a beat behind what we’re actually playing. Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one that noticed this and the rest of the band started making the appropriate adjustments.
The Calm During the Storm
The drummer realized that the monitor system was actually pretty good and it was the headphones that were bad. They didn’t provide enough of a seal around the ear and all of the low end was escaping which explains no bass drum and the crappy sounding bass guitar. A couple of tweaks to the V-Drum system and a dry drum sound was heard by all complete with hi-hat (my personal metronome as I like to set up my groove to the drummer’s hat rhythm). I finally figured out the monitor mixer and noticed that you could save multiple mixes and reset to a flat mix all with the touch of a button. The problem was that the buttons were so sensitive that it was easy to loose a mix that you’re working on especially when you’re making adjustments while trying to play your instrument.
We pulled together and quickly informed each other of our findings and continued to play well. The first half of the first set is when all of this occurred. The second half of that first set was good but we were still expecting that it wasn’t over. The first break was filled with band members quietly letting out their frustrations. The first half of the second set went well and we were starting to feel comfortable with the situation. By the middle of that second set we were confident and our playing showed.
The rest of the night went well and we sounded good. The crowd loved us and showed their appreciation. I hardly think that they noticed all that was going on at the beginning and I was proud of being part of a band that displayed grace under pressure. The adversity brought us together and we can chalk up another war story to remind ourselves to always expect the unexpected.