Being nice and sharing PA

[paulears]

The agent called and asked if our support for tomorrow could use our PA. Three channels for a mic and track. So I said sure, no problem. We just found out she also does a spot after us, so we can't strike the gear until 12.30, and we decided not to do a hotel as we were going to be out quite early! What a bummer. I don't mind an hour before, and all the kit is there so a do and a mic is no big deal but I'm pretty miffed about having to wait to load out!

[top-cat]

The agent called and asked if our support for tomorrow could use our PA. Three channels for a mic and track. So I said sure, no problem. We just found out she also does a spot after us, so we can't strike the gear until 12.30, and we decided not to do a hotel as we were going to be out quite early! What a bummer. I don't mind an hour before, and all the kit is there so a do and a mic is no big deal but I'm pretty miffed about having to wait to load out!

 

The key to living happily in this world is knowing how to charge extortionately for most things, say no to everything else; and still have everyone consider you to be an all round top bloke.

 

All the people I know who have sussed that conundrum live very happy lives.

 

 

 

[p.k.roberts]

I've been caught out like that as well, although for 'background music'. They now get a maximum of half an hour after the band, (just enough time to clear the stage). It then becomes 'reassuringly expensive'. :-)

[sam.spoons]

The problem here, as I see it, is that the support act will be performing on the stage until 12:30 a.m. so stripping (now behave guys) the stage will not be possible 'till she's finished. I didn't before but I will now make sure I know all the details before agreeing if I get such a request in the future http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

[paulears]

That's exactly it! It didn't seem a big deal as her channel requirements are modest and our kit is there, but I suspect it's one of those nights where she sing until they stop selling, as the audience are of the, er, Scots persuasion - so we rather hope she actually brings equipment just in case (she may think) our kit is rubbish - fingers very crossed.

[peza2010]

This is a real pet hate of mine.

 

maybe next time you good negotiate a higher fee when your agent suggests this?

 

perhaps enough to pay a one man crew to pack it up and drive the van home.

[paulears]

The two of us who travel with the PA were remarkably grumpy on the way to the gig. What follows could well be considered extremely sexist, but is truly not meant to offend.

 

The grumpiness continued while we set up, then a stunning 30 something blond arrives, with an SX300 in each hand. I show her the single socket we'd reserved so if she could use her kit, then we could unplug without cutting the power. Strangely, 5 old guys and a 21 year old (our guitarist) helped unload her car and stick the speakers on her stands, complete with the usual joke about how difficult it is getting the thing in the hole - (which of course went right over our guitarists head without landing).

 

By unanimous decision we decided striking while she was performing was very poor behaviour, so we simply got changed and the band went to the bar. Her SX300s were pretty bass light, so I asked if she'd like some company for her final set, so I spent the time back on stage and she was pretty happy. So still a late out, but nobody oddly, seemed annoyed any more.

 

Do you think our grumpiness would have vanished so quickly if the support had been male? Probably not! I've also broken my grumpy old muso stance that I don't ever play for free, unless it's a pretty girl singer, doing material I like! Is this positive sexism? Yes, I think!

[sam.spoons]

http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif

[MarkBarl]

You're lucky. They told you before the show. So many times I have turned up to find there is an act after the one we're providing sound for, even if they have their own PA and we're left to twiddle our thumbs until we can pack up.

[ceecrb1]

early in 2014 a colegue and I were tricked into something similar..

We were to supply 4 hours of live music every night for 3 days.. (3 different bands).

 

We were talked into sharing our PA etc.... In the end we had the PA going 12 hours a day for the 3 days and either myself or him at the desk all that time, between bingo, kids magicians or puppet shows, mobile DJs, local kids doing accoustic sets, prize giving ceremonies etc etc on top of our live bands, It was just non stop and not at all what we were getting paid for.....

 

Moral of the story, just make sure they really are telling the truth when they say "its just for one or two things".......

[cedd]

It's sometimes even simpler than sharing the PA. Once I was with a band who were doing a set alongside a DJ. Power had been a bit of a faff in the venue and I'd ended up running in a 32A 1ph supply around the room. DJ had brought his own rig and very politely asked if he could use my power as it'd save him having to run in his own (a string of long domestic 13A extension leads). I didn't really give it much thought and just said yes. It was only later, once he'd started his first set that I realised we were finishing at 11 and he was going on till 2AM. Was a long way from home too so not the kind of place I could nip back to and collect the cable in the morning.

[alistermorton]

I once read an article about software design, the gist of which is applicable here - if anyone requests "A small change" then starts a off with "Can you just ..." you know that you're in for a world of pain. "A small change" is shorthand for "a fundamental change, possibly a complete redesign" and "Can you just" usually means "I haven't even begun to consider the implications and impact of any of what I'm about to ask for, but it would get me out of a hole (possibly of my own making) and that's all that matters".

[Andrew Edwards]

This could be a variance of Westheimer's Rule.

To estimate the time something is going to take: estimate the time you think it should take, multiply by two and change the unit of measure to the next highest unit. Thus 'Can I borrow this for a minute?' turns into 2 hours.

[gibbothegreat]

The grumpiness continued while we set up, then a stunning 30 something blond arrives, with an SX300 in each hand....

 

Do you think our grumpiness would have vanished so quickly if the support had been male? Probably not! I've also broken my grumpy old muso stance that I don't ever play for free, unless it's a pretty girl singer, doing material I like! Is this positive sexism? Yes, I think!

 

http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif Reminds me of an experience from my earlier career: I was doing my first year as Head of Sound for the Edinburgh International Festival. Among the shows coming to us was the Bolshoi Opera. Try as I might I couldn't get any information out of them. This was in pre-fax days, the method of international business communication in those days was Telex, which was anything but quick or easy (although my hunch is that people communicated more carefully, but that's a whole other thread...)

 

After several non-responses to my requests for information, I went to the Tech Director (also new in the role that year) and apprised him of the problem. 'Give 'em a deadline' was his sensible response, after which we wouldn't be responsible for providing anything. Duly did so: no response. Deadline came and went, so I fired off a confirmation saying 'it's up to you now' and, lo and behold, no more than an hour later, back comes the response - with a list of requests that would have done justice to a mid-sized rock show. Took it to TD: ' tell e'm to get f****d!' Which I did, in slightly more diplomatic language. Lots of back and forth in increasingly angry tones, and no-one's giving way.

 

So, to fit-up day: already given a huge dose of spice by the fact that the coup against Gorbachov had taken place while the company were flying, so the first they know of it is on arrival at the airport to find a large gang of press asking them for their thoughts... it would be fair to say they were a bit unsettled.

 

So, I arrive for nine, and try to find my opposite number. When I do, it's pure Bond-girl gorgeous tall blonde, Tatiana, who hasn't been amongst any of the folk I've been arguing with over the Tellex, and knows nothing of the game so far. She, understandably, is horrified, and goes to work on me with all the considerable persuasive powers at her memorable disposal: for an hour I hold out, feeling like a totally miserable hound. We're getting nowhere except to make each other miserable... then:

 

:) here's the TD, he can take the pressure off! Over he comes, takes one look at Tatiana (eyes out on stalks,) asks 'what's the issue here?' She tells him, his reply:

 

'What's your f***n problem, just get her whatever she asks for!'

 

Which was easy on a Sunday morning...

[paulears]

..... and next on the list, just taken a booking in Cornwall for next summer, which is fine - but just noticed the address appears to be down a cavern, amongst the stalactites. Band leader didn't mention anything about it when we cleared the dates in our diaries. So probably not worth worrying about reverb then?