Boogaloo Hi Jump blues baby,
Sorry not to havemet you. The room is a bit of a bugger for sure and the sound was at its best by the desk. I agree with the sound on stage comment but I have over 30 years experience in production and would say this re the production generally;
The room is set up principally for theatre style production but all the rig including the par cans are bound to be run through dimmer racks and a control desk so some lighting production would be possible.
As a production manager I would never regard any show be it i a school hall or a stadium (I've done both) dictate the level of quality show that I presented, every show is special bands that don't recognise that will continue to be second division, it is a show after all;
The sound engineer dictates the quality of sound in the room not the musicians, if the stage sound is hampering the production the engineer should change it.
I know my way around a desk and an EQ. The EQ was set wrong for the room as too much bottom end was swirling round the hall, some babbling in the form of drapes would have helped.
Ian Parker got a good sound because he is more used to a studio and the disccipline required.
The hall lights were left on during the performances, not the minimum but all of them.
Sorry the quality of the event was not up to the quality of the musicianship and that is a pity for everyone including the organisers who will continue to struggle to attract anyone other than a devotee until the production values are improved.
Again every show should be the absolute best you can do, aiming for medeocrity should never be an option.
Cheers
Paul
what a guy... Nicely done Paul, I'm having a hard time keeping up though, as you're so diligent with updating your blog. It's making me look bad. Well that and the fact that you're writing has a certain Clive James/Bill Bryson kind of quality. As do you, come to think of it.
Shame! I was at the Boogaloo festival and it's a bit ignorant of you to blame the sound engineer, we watched Slack Alice who we thought were too heavy sounding, but then we saw Big Boy Bloater and their sound was great, so maybe it was just the first band just basically being too 'rock'? As you say the room is a difficult one, and even fantastic sound engineers can't perform miracles if the band is simply too loud on stage - not all the sound comes from the front speakers.
Sorry if this sounds strong, but it's a shame to put down a professional doing his job as well as he can in difficult circumstances. And as for 'production' - this wasn't a west end show, it was a live show in a big hall!
Mmmmmh I refuse to be baited ........
... still busy organising the Putsch ... which will put you in your place on your return. Did you find the Feldherrenhalle ...that it is where another abortive Putsch ended ... just a few years before you were born....
Paule
Paul E Storey
Hey flo!
Been following you too, Currently in Italy and off now to Pompeii, I'll write you soon Cheers P