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[Debbie Dunkley]

My friend won free Lawn tickets to the Culture Club/ B52's/Thompson Twins show last night at outside Koka Booth in Cary NC. Not a show I'd usually choose to go and see but we thought it might be fun.
The forecast was bad but at 51% chance of rain, we risked it. We took our lawn chairs, umbrellas and jackets.
It bucketed down before the show but we were a bit late and missed that downpour. The grounds were very wet when we got there but the sun was out and everything was drying nicely
Thompson Twins played ....bit disappointing - no energy and sterile...sounded like it was all backing tracks to me. At one point the sound went off completely for about 10 seconds and folks started cheering. All of a sudden it came back on and Tom Bailey came in immediately in exactly the right place so the iem feeds were not affected - just FOH.
The black clouds were coming in and by the time the B52's started playing, they were overhead. The band sounded OK - again not sure how much was actually being played live. Bit more fun to watch than Thompson Twins.
After a couple of songs we had some sprinkling but only a few songs later the heavens opened and lightning was striking. I actually smelled burning and it didn't smell like food!!....Umbrellas went up and ponchos went on.
A few minute after that, the music stopped and a guy came on stage and shouted for everyone to get to safety and take cover due to the lightning, that the show is canceled and have  good night!

Everyone including us shuffled over to the bar area overhang with our chairs and umbrellas. There was no where to hide really - too many people pushing others out of the way trying to find somewhere to stand and stay dry.
So we decided to get out of there.

We packed our wet stuff away as best we could, and using our umbrellas we made our way to the car. It seemed everyone was hanging around waiting for the storm to pass and I heard folks talking about waiting for the bands to go back on. Did they not hear what we heard?
We 'sloshed' our way through the puddles to the car.  We were one of only 3 cars leaving the parking lot. ...... We drove to my friends home only 10 minutes away having missed the opportunity to see Boy George - boo hoo.....

[Chris Hindle]

Go ahead, tell us how you REALLY feel about that generation of "music"
Don't hire yourself out as a music critic......... 
Chris.

[Tim McCulloch]

Go ahead, tell us how you REALLY feel about that generation of "music"
Don't hire yourself out as a music critic......... 
Chris.

A few gems from the era but I'd not put any of those acts in that category.

The B52S?  Every song was the same.

Thompson Twins?  Forgettable synthpop.

Culture Club?  Remove the wardrobe and makeup from George O'Dowd and it's equally forgettable as Thompson Twins.

Without MTV none of these acts would have 'made it.'

[Chris Hindle]

A few gems from the era but I'd not put any of those acts in that category.

The B52S?  Every song was the same.

Thompson Twins?  Forgettable synthpop.

Culture Club?  Remove the wardrobe and makeup from George O'Dowd and it's equally forgettable as Thompson Twins.

Without MTV none of these acts would have 'made it.'

I hear you Tim.
Not exactly the brightest generation of "talent"
And all the new kiddies doing remakes of 70's tunes makes me cringe.

Did ypu hear Wheezer's version of Africa ? I can listen to that one..

Chris.

[Debbie Dunkley]

Go ahead, tell us how you REALLY feel about that generation of "music"
Don't hire yourself out as a music critic......... 
Chris.

I thought I was being quite fair in my comments and didn't really intend to bash anyone.
In their defense, part of the problem with the Thompson Twins was that :
1) It was such an early start (6.30) that the lights weren't very effective,
2) They had placed white sheets over half the stage covering the other bands equipment and it looked like my old school gym stage used to half the time.
The musicians were also all wearing white so it looked very odd.
3) Many folks like us were still arriving, and it was chaos in parts what with lawn chairs everywhere. So all that kinda killed the groove a bit ( if you can call Thompson Twins a groove...)
Anyway...In fact, as I had predicted,  it was more fun watching all the wigs and costumes folks had turned up in.
The 80's produced some of my favorite bands and music so I am certainly not anti 80's.
This would have been a fun show and was starting to turn into one till the storm hit what with everyone camped out on he lawn dancing and having fun.
I would have been more upset if I'd actually paid for my ticket... but then again like I said, I wouldn't have bought a ticket.

[Jeff Bankston]

It wasnt a storm that came through , it was Rock Lobster !

[Kemper Watson]

A few gems from the era but I'd not put any of those acts in that category.

The B52S?  Every song was the same.

Thompson Twins?  Forgettable synthpop.

Culture Club?  Remove the wardrobe and makeup from George O'Dowd and it's equally forgettable as Thompson Twins.

Without MTV none of these acts would have 'made it.'

That whole time period seemed like a string of one hit wonders. Thanks MTV

[Stephen Kirby]

Don't get them out here on the left coast like you do back east, but umbrellas in a lightning storm?  Seems like a good way to get a new hairdo.

[Debbie Dunkley]

Don't get them out here on the left coast like you do back east, but umbrellas in a lightning storm?  Seems like a good way to get a new hairdo.

I thought about that Stephen but there was no lightning after the initial couple of strikes thank goodness - just very heavy rain -and thank goodness for my good 'ole brolly....... ( spell check just corrected the word 'brolly' to broody because it doesn't get used in the US like the UK- LOL)

[Dennis Wiggins]

Not exactly the brightest generation of "talent"
And all the new kiddies doing remakes of 70's tunes makes me cringe.

Argh!  Thanks for reminding me.    Think: Tiffany's "I think we're alone now" remake.

Then, along came Antares. Talk about a washout.

-Dennis

<edit> Antares: ... the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius. They sure chose the wrong name for that product!

<edit 2>  I REALLY like "Karma Chameleon"!  (..and, I am not ashamed.)  -D

[Debbie Dunkley]

According to some posts on FB, the concert did continue with Boy George but was rained out again.....they must have changed their minds but got caught out again.

[Dan Currie]

The black clouds were coming in and by the time the B52's started playing, they were overhead. The band sounded OK - again not sure how much was actually being played live. Bit more fun to watch than Thompson Twins.

In the engineers defense, Koko is a great venue but challenging to find the happy medium between a happening mix and keeping the sound cop from handing out too many flags.  It's been year or two since I've been there but I'm sure it still has a low/strict db limit.

[Debbie Dunkley]

In the engineers defense, Koko is a great venue but challenging to find the happy medium between a happening mix and keeping the sound cop from handing out too many flags.  It's been year or two since I've been there but I'm sure it still has a low/strict db limit.

Now you come to mention it - I was booked by a local band to ran sound there myself year before last for a fundraiser and they were very strict on db metering.
The system I was using certainly isn't designed to get to concert levels - just my 2 x SRX818, SRX828, 2x SRX815 and wasn't expected to do so but the guy kept checking his meter throughout the evening. 
I always thought that was a bit odd considering they hold these bigger concerts there.
The volume at this concert was higher than I was able to get - the system was much bigger - but Koka must have still put lowish caps on them.
We were at the back of the lawn area but there was still reserved seating behind us and we could talk at low volume quite easily.

[Chris Hindle]

Now you come to mention it - I was booked by a local band to ran sound there myself year before last for a fundraiser and they were very strict on db metering.
The system I was using certainly isn't designed to get to concert levels - just my 2 x SRX818, SRX828, 2x SRX815 and wasn't expected to do so but the guy kept checking his meter throughout the evening. 
I always thought that was a bit odd considering they hold these bigger concerts there.
The volume at this concert was higher than I was able to get - the system was much bigger - but Koka must have still put lowish caps on them.
We were at the back of the lawn area but there was still reserved seating behind us and we could talk at low volume quite easily.

Ain't neighbors a bitch.......
Did a Biker Wedding once. (yes, JUST ONCE)
In a farmers field, literally.
30 miles from nowhere, and 2 miles from the 401 (Highway in Ontario)
Still had the bloody OPP (Ontario version of State Troopers) stop by to see what the "noise" was about.... at 4AM in the morning.
Chris.

[Stu McDoniel]

That whole time period seemed like a string of one hit wonders. Thanks MTV

Fish Heads Fish Heads Rolli Polli Fish Heads.

[Dave Garoutte]

Fish Heads Fish Heads Rolli Polli Fish Heads.

Barnes and Barnes!
Eat them up, Yum!

[Scott Helmke]

That whole time period seemed like a string of one hit wonders. Thanks MTV

That was a period with a huge amount of creativity in music, and just like the 60's it had plenty of one-hit wonders. Might seem a little goofy now, but I think still much better than the corporate sludge being pushed these days.

[Cailen Waddell]

In the engineers defense, Koko is a great venue but challenging to find the happy medium between a happening mix and keeping the sound cop from handing out too many flags.  It's been year or two since I've been there but I'm sure it still has a low/strict db limit.

A certain number of concerts a year are now allowed a higher limit.  That said the metering is very strict but a good engineer can work around it. 

House system should be replaced in the next couple of years which will make smaller events easier.  It’s all old Reinkus Heinz....  hoping to change out with fewer and better Danley boxes.  Enough to support the symphony. 

As for weather communication there - that’s best an offline conversation


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