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Thread: Highlights -- Fair Gig

  1. #1

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    Default Highlights -- Fair Gig

    Our load-in was set for 4PM.....................of course the stage faces due West and the temperature on this clear and sunny October day was (only) 91 degrees.
    So much for a cool Fall day.
    So set-up was brutal -- good thing there were a half-dozen stage hands on duty to help get the gear up a wobbly 10 foot flight of steep stairs.
    The stage itself is awesome at 50' by 50'.................we set up in front of the headliner back-line and still had plenty of room.

    Sound check was around 5:15......................Zoltan Chaney (drummer for Slaughter/Vince Neil tour) watched our sound check and afterward sat at my kit for 30 minutes while we talked shop and gear options.................he, like the rest of us, is a gear nut and appreciates quality equipment.
    A few things he noted:
    He quickly figured out which of my cymbals were of the older variety and suggested they don't make them like that any more.
    I have a Meinl "stack" and he wasn't sure what it was.
    He was surprised to learn that Gretsch was using cast hoops in 1977................and also wanted to count the plies of maple in my bass shell.
    He also told me the new snare was the best sounding snare he had heard in a few years......................that was interesting to me because I don't yet know how to tune it and just cranked it tight for the debut gig.................sounded good to me.
    We laughed that we both had double speed cobra pedals with the Trick slave driveshaft...................good stuff is good stuff.
    Given that when he plays he comes off as the insane drummer, he is a very nice and friendly person.

    We started music at 6:45 and played a lively 10-song set until 7:30.........................pop/rock covers including some Foreigner, Queen, Foo Fighters, Bryan Adams, etc.
    Our set went very well and the sound crew (according to friends out front) did a fantastic job................the monitor system was exceptional, I know that.
    This type of large gig was a first for a couple of my band members and they handled it all just fine.
    Good crowd at approximately 1,500 and of course, very appreciative of the set performed by the Vince Neil band (they were not there to see us.........lol).
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  2. #2

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    Default Re: Highlights -- Fair Gig

    I'm glad to hear everything went well and you guys were treated professionally, how did you guys score a gig like that ?

  3. #3

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    Glad it went well. I saw some of the videos on Youtube and it looked like it went well!
    Six Piece Mapex Saturn V, Five Piece DW Performance Series, NOS Slingerland Snares, Centent Ardor and Emperor Cymbals


  4. #4

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    Wow that is great man, it is a dream of mine to open for a well known act like that in front of 1000+ people someday. It may never happen but I like to dream : ) Congrats bud!
    Ludwig Classic Maple 22x16,10x8,12x9,16x16
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  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Spiderjig View Post
    I'm glad to hear everything went well and you guys were treated professionally, how did you guys score a gig like that ?
    Back in 2011 or so, a guy I know became the general manager of the state fair.......................around that same time he saw my band perform a club gig.
    We talked it over and I told him if he ever needed an opening act, we would do it for expenses and for the exposure.
    So in 2013, he decided he needed us to open for 38 Special.......................we did that gig and all went well.....................I told him the offer stands.
    A lot of the fair contracts go to hip-hop and country bands -- so we are not a good fit for those.
    This year I suggested he hire us for the opener to the VN band because it was the first weekend night of the fair and it would be a great start..............he agreed and it worked out. He gets to entertain the crowd as they arrive for the headliner..................and at the same time, doesn't have to spend a lot of money on us.
    It is a win for him and a win for us....................................I'm already working on next year.

    Quote Originally Posted by DrumWhipper View Post
    Glad it went well. I saw some of the videos on Youtube and it looked like it went well!
    Cool....................plug Zoltan Chaney Feelgood in the youtube search and watch his drumming................what a hoot.


    Quote Originally Posted by MDK View Post
    Wow that is great man, it is a dream of mine to open for a well known act like that in front of 1000+ people someday. It may never happen but I like to dream : ) Congrats bud!
    MDK -- Thank you for your sincere congratulations.........................it turns out that it is just like any other gig you play...................just multiplied.
    The first song jitters are there but they go away as your band finds the groove.
    The biggest difference is how well the monitor system allows you to hear everything better than you ever have before.........................awesome.
    Our stage was 50' feet wide with huge side-fill monitors on each side (larger that most club PA systems)..............plus 8 wedge slants out front.
    Wedges were 2-way with a 15 and a mid-high horn in each.....................just one of those wedges are capable of knocking you down.
    We also had the big video screen on each side of the stage and the guy out front with the live camera.
    Plus you have about 200 cans of stage lighting that you ignore until you see the video............................cool !
    As I receive more photos and videos, I'll post them up.
    Last edited by Ricardo; 10-17-2017 at 06:51 PM.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  6. #6

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    I checked out the videos on youtube and you had the place rocking man! Nice job!!

  7. #7

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    Way too cool Ricardo. Congrats on a great opening gig.

  8. #8

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    Wow. What a fantastic gig. I'm glad everything went well for you!
    I too was curious about the on-stage sound for an event and stage of that magnitude. If the monitor system is jacked, it can really screw things up. I had the misfortune of suffering through two different gigs this fall with near impossible stage sound. I'd rather jog around my neighborhood naked than play another gig with screwed up on-stage sound.
    -Brian

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  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    I checked out the videos on youtube and you had the place rocking man! Nice job!!
    Thank you, Rich.
    I have still yet to see any of the other vids and pics.

    Quote Originally Posted by Texdrumr View Post
    Way too cool Ricardo. Congrats on a great opening gig.
    Thank you Tex.....................it was huge fun
    VN came out and did a great set as well..................Zoltan Chaney is just a riot...............the show within the show.
    I'm taking my wife back to the fairgrounds tonight to see Ann Wilson (Heart).
    I found her set list and although there are a few Heart songs (4 or 5), most of the set is cool covers of Zepp, the Who, and others.

    Quote Originally Posted by N2Bluz View Post
    Wow. What a fantastic gig. I'm glad everything went well for you!
    I'd rather jog around my neighborhood naked than play another gig with screwed up on-stage sound.
    Yeah.....................I'd hate to experience either one of those..................lol.
    (Thank you, Bluz).
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  10. #10

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    Sounded like a great time... congrats!
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  11. #11

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    I took the wife back to the state fairgrounds last night to see the Ann Wilson Band's set.
    This gave me an opportunity to sit in the audience and get a good feel for the PA mains and the sound quality.
    I walked all around to different spots in the viewing area and for most locations, the PA sounded great.
    The wife told me it was no different when we were playing our set last week.................good news because it was impressive.

    Ann Wilson's set was also impressive.....................she has lost nothing in her voice.................just as powerful as ever.................and hits every note spot on.
    The interesting part was the set-list:
    Only four or five Heart songs and the rest were covers of songs you wouldn't suspect.
    The biggest surprises for me were......................
    They played Yes" ALL GOOD PEOPLE and then with the acoustic section at the end seamlessly flowed in to the Black Crowes' SHE TALKS TO ANGELS...............beautiful.
    They covered three songs from the Who, one from Buffalo Springfield, one from the Animals..............and none from Led Zepp.
    A surprising and very enjoyable concert.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  12. #12

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    Congrats on the awesome gig. Those are always a lot of fun and a great experience.

  13. #13

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    Nice one must of been fantastic feeling

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by inthpktplayer View Post
    Congrats on the awesome gig. Those are always a lot of fun and a great experience.
    Quote Originally Posted by Stoney View Post
    Nice one must of been fantastic feeling
    pocket & Stoney.......................thanks guys.
    We had a great time and, as it turns out, a great set.
    I got to see a hi-res video of the whole thing earlier this week...................a guy we know that works in TV set up a vid-cam on a tripod back at the sound board.
    It is a wide-angle view so you don't see any close shots...............but the audio is good !
    My only complaint is that most songs were just a half-tick too fast.........................a common occurrence in a big live gig.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ricardo View Post
    My only complaint is that most songs were just a half-tick too fast.........................a common occurrence in a big live gig.
    This is true.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by inthpktplayer View Post
    This is true.
    My bad............................................... but it sure felt right at the time.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ricardo View Post
    My bad............................................... but it sure felt right at the time.
    No, didn't mean it that way. I meant that its true that at gigs like that everyone is amped up and things get a bit quick. I haven't seen the video.

  18. #18

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    Agreed........................I didn't take it as criticism.
    But tempo does come back to me.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


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