Their openers consisted of Neil Hamburger and Rahzel. Neil Hamburger has a brand of comedy that may not appeal to everyone as much of his set involves him clearing his throat. Rahzel is fantastic for all, not just hip-hop fans. Hearing him on CD or over the net does not do him justice. He did a half-hour set of beatboxing. If I didn’t see it live, I would swear that he was overdubbing or looping parts. He was not. Fans of Tuvan throat singing should take notice.

Faith No More is primarily listed as a heavy metal band. They opened with Reunited by Peach & Herb. They also played Easy and I Started a Joke. It makes for an interesting live show of moshing and very awkward dancing by people who have obviously never danced before. They were spectacular. They were everything I was hoping for and they played all the popular songs (at least popular among their fans). They also played the mega hit that got them national exposure in the first place, Epic. They had plenty of energy and the sound was marvelous.

The show took place on the Williamsburg Waterfront. The backdrop is the Manhattan skyline. It is not a incredibly large venue, like Central Park, but there was a substantial crowd. Other concerts in the series also include Weezer, Damien Marley, and Primus.

It is incredible how much volume you need to sound decent in an open air venue, especially for the bass guitar. When I tuned up and started to warm up, Greg motioned for me to turn up. I stepped on the volume pedal. He motioned again. I increased the master volume on the amplifier. He motioned AGAIN! My eyes got wide. “Really?!?” He nodded in the affirmative. Wow. I could feel the bass rumbling the stage below my feet. It was so loud I could see the notes I was playing.

Nevertheless, the sound off the stage was right. (Check the video.)

This gig was about as perfect as an outdoor gig as possible. It was warm with an occasional cool breeze. Our backdrop was the water and the setting sun. Cue sunset. Start with Shine On You Crazy Diamond.

Here are some pictures from the show:

Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.

I try to be patient. If the restaurant is especially busy, I will allow waiters/waitresses some extra time. A small apology along the lines of “Sorry for the delay, we’re a little short-staffed today,” goes a long way. On the other hand, if no one comes by my table at all…

Sunday afternoon my girlfriend and I went to the Savin Rock Roasting Company in Stratford, CT. It was a new place for both of us. This restaurant is part of a small chain and has been at this location under a year. It’s a lovely location, alongside the water with indoor and outdoor seating. Entering the front, there is a small vestibule where a hostess greets you and asks if you would like indoor or outdoor seating. We chose indoor. We were seated near the grill area/waitress station and could see into the kitchen and watch the different dishes as they made their way to diners. The dishes looked good.

The menu had a nice mix of surf and turf. There was a nice selection of sandwiches and platters, good for lunch and dinner. We scanned the menu for a little while, discussed our selections and got ready to order.

…and got ready to order.
…and were ready to order.
…and were waiting to order.
…and desired a chance to order.
…and wondered whether we would be allowed to order.
…and greatly hoped to partake of the privilege of giving someone our order.

Perhaps we were doing something wrong. Our menus were down on the table, we had our napkins in our laps, signifying that we expected to have some sort of food. Our eyes were filled with hope each time a waitress would pass. We were next to their station. They passed us as they delivered other orders. They saw us as they stood by the cash register making idle conversation.

Was the place too busy? No. In fact there was more staff than there were filled tables. Am I easy to miss in a crowd? I don’t think so… and THERE WAS NO CROWD!

Was I being unreasonable? Am I expecting too much? I don’t think twenty minutes displays a lack of patience. Yes, I’m sure it was twenty minutes. I checked, and double checked. It was twenty minutes after we put our menus down.

Our patience was exhausted. We left.

I don’t complain with people that serve me food. I would hate to be the victim of someone’s revenge. I am passive aggressive. I flipped a quarter onto the table on the way out. I believe a tip of a single piece of silver is enough to say, “I was here and this small token is a way of saying your service sucks.”

How would you handle this situation?
Was my reaction warranted/appropriate?

On this particular evening, we were being filmed. The video will soon be appearing on the Ricky Blues website. Below are some pictures of the evening.

Created with flickr slideshow.

When playing rock n’ roll, musicians prefer a slightly raucous crowd. People that are singing along, jumping up and down, and crowding closer to the stage are the best. The worst are the people that grab the microphone to sing along, jump up and down on guitar pedals, and crowd too close to the stage bumping members of the band. No one wants to deal with that guy.

The New Yorker was neither. I am not implying that the crowd was not appreciative. They clapped, sang along occasionally, but literally and figuratively maintained their distance.

I understand their hesitance at first. There were video cameras, cameramen, and umbrella lights set up in the first half of the club. No one wants to bump into someones expensive equipment, knock over a light, or interfere with the filming. I appreciate their caution and concern.

The equipment was gone after the first set, but by that point the gulf had been established, and we could not reclaim that ground.

I recall someone writing (I think it was Robert Fripp) that a performance should have three parts.

1. Hook the crowd.
2. Take them someplace interesting.
3. Bring them back.

I think every performing musician knows the first one, but what may not be understood is that there may be impediments to that beyond his control. They can vary. Perhaps there is a playoff game on the bar’s television. Maybe there are two scantily clad women dancing on the bar (even you’re probably watching that one instead of concentrating on your playing). There are any number of unforeseen reasons.

What to do? Try to get the crowd involved at your earliest opportunity. Try to get them engaged. Though you may try this, despite your best efforts, you may not grab them. Hooking the crowd is like a first impression, most times you only get one chance.

Renaud Garcia-Fons is one of those musicians that I would never have discovered without the internet. On a bass-related bulletin board, there was a thread that mentioned him with an embedded youtube clip, Berimbass. (Take a minute and check it out.)

I am an electric bass player. I have fiddled with the double bass and have a small working knowledge of how to play the instrument. I am sure you can tell, even if you have no musical knowledge, acoustic bass or otherwise, that what he is doing is something very special. You can see how fluid he is moving from plucking to bow and you can recognize the effortlessness with which he solos. That video, impressive as it may be, only begins to scratch the surface.

Joe’s Pub was the perfect venue for his New York debut. Despite the sound and feel of the subway running underneath, it is the perfect mix of bar and concert hall. Small enough to feel intimate, but large enough to let the sound move about in the air, it was a wonderful place to experience what he and his Arcoluz trio had to present.

Renaud was on the five string upright. Kiko Ruiz was on the acoustic guitar (described by Renaud as “flamenco guitar”), and Pascal Rollando on percussion. The percussion setup was great. Pascal sat on the cajón, alternating playing it with brush and then with his hands. He had two shakers on foot pedals, two bongos, a djembe, an udu, and various other stuff. The sound they created cannot be properly captured on CD. Don’t get me wrong, the CD’s are wonderful, I own a few and listen to them with great enjoyment. Nevertheless, their live performance is another animal entirely. Think of the difference between hearing a symphony on CD and sitting in the pit.

They improvised, combined songs, played medleys, took solos… and it was all astounding. Aside from the technical aspect, the songs are rich with style and variation. They combine sounds of flamenco, rock, African music, and classical.

Thankfully, one of my friends and a parent of one of my students came to the show with other friends. They were all equally amazed.

One of the things I enjoy, though I’m not sure if I enjoy it as a musician or just as a person, is introducing someone to something new. A few people got to experience this incredible performance with me and they can hold onto it as a unique experience. It cannot be replicated. It is the group’s first NY performance. It is the first time we are seeing them live. It is a moment in time that can never happen again. I’m very glad that I was there.

Additional Links:
Renaud Garcia-Fons homepage
Joe’s Pub website
NYT Review of King Crimson at the Supper Club

We opened with our Pink Floyd set. DAMN! The set lasted almost two hours! That’s alotta Floyd. Nevertheless, it went over gangbusters with people clamoring for more. My bandmates and I were exhausted… and we still had another set to play.

Halfway through the second set, my right arm started to go numb. At the time I was surprised, but looking back, I was in my fourth hour of the gig and around the third hour of playing. That would also explain why I kept shifting my weight from foot to foot. I wear sneakers live for this gig, but even their soft cushion was starting to wear down. Needless to say, I was drained by the time we finished.

It’s a wonderful thing to enjoy what you do for a living. It is also a testament to the people I play with and the material we play that I did not notice the time until the entire evening was complete.

Here are some photos from the marathon:

Created with flickr slideshow.

“Do you really need three basses?” was the question for the evening. Yep. The fretted five string I my main instrument for the night. The fretless is necessary for Hey You and On The Turning Away. I like the sound of the hollowbody on Another Brick In The Wall and Money. So… I could get away with two, but it is my job to ensure I bring the best possible sound I can to each gig, so if it means bringing one more piece of equipment, I’ll make it happen.

Last year, my girlfriend and I went to Blue Man Group for New Year’s Eve at the Astor Place Theatre. I would highly recommend the show to anyone regardless of time of year, but NYE was especially nice. While many places gouge you on ticket prices because of the date, BMG only charged a few more dollars for the later show which went right up until midnight. At that point, they handed out complimentary champagne, sang Auld Lang Syne, and closed out the show. It was a wonderful way to ring in the year.

This year, we took in a show we had seen before, Soldedad Barrio and Noche Flamenca. Once again, they put on a marvelous performance. The Lucille Lortel Theatre is located on Christopher Street and is a very comfortable sized room for this show. Granted, we were in the center in the second row. We would feel each step as the vibration ran up our legs.

When one dancer spun, and the sweat flew from his head and hair, my girlfriend whispered to me, “So that’s why you chose the second row.” Not that any sweat hit anyone in the first row, but I did not want to be the exception.

The show was wonderful. If you know nothing about flamenco or dance, it does not matter. Just go. It’s a wonderful experience.

The costumes were different for this show as the first piece in particular was dedicated to the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. The cuts of the men’s suits was three piece traditional. The women’s outfits were not as colorful as the last performance, more like funeral garb.

More than last show, solos from each dancer were featured. Instead of solos within group pieces, three of the principal dancers would dance solo with at least one cantor and guitarist. When viewing a solo apart from a group piece, I got a better feel for each dancers’ style, their preferences in rhythm, how they utilized pauses and silences, and what they enjoy doing while in the spotlight (whether it be claps, jumps, spins, or flourishes of the arms).

Again, if you have the chance, try to see them when they come around. After a second show I can safely say that my good experience was not an aberration.

Additional Links:
Noche Flamenca in the Daily News
Review in Financial Times
Noche Flamenca in Facebook

Today I was thinking back to my days working public address (PA) systems. I never ran sound for bands or orchestras, but one and two person speaking engagements. The rooms varied from concert hall to outdoor venues. Some rooms had a built in system, in others, equipment would be brought in for the occasion. The same speakers were present for many events. Sometimes, we would do as many as three or four events in a week. For the most part, these events went well, but if I got any complaint, it was usually the same request, “Make it LOUDER!”

Facilitating that request should be pretty easy. Simply raise the volume on the board. Right?

There is one mitigating circumstance that sabotages any adjustment I could make: These speakers had no microphone control. They would turn their heads away from the microphone, stand two feet away, mumble, eat the microphone, etc… Yet, they would complain after. In fact, everyone would complain, co-workers, audience members, supervisors. Was I doing something wrong?

I knew that the speakers had enough power. I knew that I was using quality, tried and tested equipment. I knew that I had not accidentally turned something off. However, if so many people insist that I’m the problem, aren’t I?

Nope.

Thank goodness for the Internet. I did a little Google search using “public”, “speaking”, and “microphone”. Just about every site, written by engineers and public speakers alike said the same thing:

1. Keep the microphone a few inches away. Some sites said 2-4, others 6-8. No one said one foot.
2. Keep the microphone in line with your mouth. Not to the left, or the right, but in line.
3. If there is feedback, get closer to the mic, not further away. It allows the engineer to lower the gain and reduce feedback.
4. Project. You don’t have to shout, but you are not having a conversation. You are addressing an audience.

I could add links, but won’t. If you’re interested, do a search on your own. I doubt you will find many sites that would not advocate these four rules. It’s possible, but the vast majority will echo these four sentiments.

Am I still sure that the problem was not me? Yup.

Anytime a professional speaker would appear, a politician, motivational speaker, or anyone used to speaking to large audience, there was never a single problem. They all utilized a little microphone control and projected their voices. Sure, some of them had naturally booming voices, but I could lower the gain for those presenters. I never had any issue with them not being heard or understood.

Full Disclosure: What not use a lavalier microphone? I’m not a huge fan of lavs since I worked with chronic mumblers and people that refused to project. Was their mumbling problem always their fault? No. Some people just have a heavy accent that does not make them easily understood. I’m not faulting them for that, but don’t expect a lav to work well if you swallow your consonants and want to hide the microphone under your tie or lapel for photographic purposes.

Maybe the problem was psychological, a form of mass hysteria. If everyone in an enclosed environment demands that something is true, does it take the form of fact in everyone’s mind? Everyone would insist that there should not be a problem with standing a foot away from the mic and off the to the right. It should still pick up the speaker, right? He’s nearby.

I have to admit. Doubt really did gnaw at me. Was I doing something wrong? Is the problem me? I looked for ways to overcome it through more advanced equipment, speaker placement, and equalization. If it keeps happening and everyone insists that it is my fault, isn’t it my fault?

Hell, unequivocal, no!

The funny part is, if someone from this old job reads this, they will probably come up for some reason why it is my fault. In spite of plenty of sources supporting my side, they will insist I am wrong. I guess it is good to be plagued by doubt, because if not, I would be just like them.

The question is not about the desire for possessions or personal relations, but what is the ideal working environment? Is it an office job? Is it working outdoors? Does it involve tools?

I overheard two gentlemen talking the other day at my gym. Permit me a moment to put this in perspective. My gym is in the suburbs, between a middle-class area and a very upper-class area. There isn’t much public transportation in the area, so most of the people at least have access to a car. The busy times are before nine and after five, so most people probably have jobs that fall between what are generally considered normal working hours.

To paraphrase, the conversation was about the working environment. Both men agreed that the best thing for job security is to go unnoticed. “If they don’t know your name after three years, you’ve done a good job. Oh who’s that? That’s Pete.”

At first, I was appalled. Is that really the dream, to go unnoticed? Don’t make waves? Don’t try to improve anything? Don’t try to advance? That can’t be it, can it? Then I thought back to my days of office work and I remembered a quote from the holy grail of movies on office life, Office Space.

Peter Gibbons: It’s a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don’t see another dime, so where’s the motivation? And here’s something else, Bob: I have eight different bosses right now.
Bob Slydell: I beg your pardon?
Peter Gibbons: Eight bosses.
Bob Slydell: Eight?
Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means that when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That’s my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.

Was there any chance for advancement at my job? Nope. I wasn’t in the friend zone with upper management. If I made any suggestions for improvement, I had to spearhead the project and sit through endless meetings. The meetings would end with the incorporation of the whims of the people above me, however ridiculous. If the new initiative was successful, I received a hearty pat the back, and not one extra dime. Come annual review time, I might receive a cost of living bump, but nothing more for my additional work, just excuses about the money not being available. Seems a great deal of money is tied up in my new project. Ironic.

Maybe the dream is anonymous mediocrity.

Instead of doing an entire Pink Floyd second set, we shortened it to the material that would work without horn and keys. There were more jams than usual, and we pulled some songs from the bin that we haven’t played in quite a while.

Playing songs that are not a part of the regular repertoire is always interesting. While there is a level of familiarity with the piece, since it is not in the recent muscle memory, if feels new. Throw in musicians you have not played with in a while and it becomes even more interesting. It the musical equivalent of walking a tightrope that is not very high of the ground.

One lame part of the night: Someone hit my car and left a very large dent in the driver’s side rear. No note, no number, no nothing. Weak. Since I’ve played there a million times before I probably know who did it, as the crowd there is regular. Not that I know who the person is, but they’re probably a familiar face. The sad part is, I would not have been upset. I would have said, “No worries.” My vehicle is over twelve years old with plenty of bumps and bruises and is on its way to the junk yard in the sky, but the fact that someone would hit me with no regard is lame.

Here are some pictures from the show:

Created with flickr slideshow.