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[Joe Brugnoni]

I think gigs that are low stage volume, high quality players can be very tough. The fidelity needs to be very high as opposed to knocking your brains out with bass or kick drum.

Some blues grass things and jazz shows can be very technically challenging.


Shows like I just did where you move a band an hour for 10 to 12 hours with no stage plots, now that I find very hard after the first 6 hrs of it.

[Dick Rees]

+1 on the corporate shows/party planners. PITA

I'd respectfully add the often mentioned "stage mom from hell" gigs.

[Nick Enright]

personally I dont even take rave work on my own gear, too many local companies with way better gear for that.

The hardest, most demanding shows I do. (And the most rewarding.) Fall into two categories. 1) Logistically hard. 2) tough to mix.

Logistically Hard:
Are independent variety/vaudeville/burlesque/music/circus/etc... shows, with only one stage hand and a tight budget putting 4-5 rock bands up on stage, while fitting burlesque acts (that need a perfectly clear stage) and variety performers is a huge challenge. go here for some photos of an event:

http://www.myspace.com/theatrebizarre

Tough to Mix:
Musical theatre, with full rock band, horn sections, 7 wireless, OH mics, floor mics, lots of cues.

[The Guy]

Felix Truong wrote on Thu, 16 July 2009 06:12

Oh I forgot to mention that we saw this naked guy dry hump the subwoofer stack.  My guess was because he was too messed up off ecstasy.

If that's the worst you saw doing a rave, you got off easy!

-J

P.S.  I'd rather do 1000 raves than 1 disorganized party-planner type event.  "Those speakers aren't going to STAY there, are they????"

[Tony "T" Tissot]

I don't do raves - so I can't compare...

But ... always the worst gigs are the 7 to 12 piece Funk-Corporate-Greatest Hits band.

Always, always..

Demanding on patience - as in "the band" - and everyone around them are clueless, burned-out wannabees.

Always an argument between the band about monitors.. "I can hear his monitor, can you give me more me?" - and then the next one chimes in, "he's too loud, can you give me more me? - and so on.

Guitar player (always a semi-burned out, never-could-get-a-tour ex-hippy) wastes precious sound check time working on his "magic tone," and "has" to have it (the tone) fully reproduced in his monitor, even though the amp is 3 feet from his head. Always too loud.

The horn section can never agree on anything, and each usually has a "special" mic that they've brought. I've had some whack jobs bring precious vintage figure 8 condensers that they "always use in the studio."

Keyboard player has an old POS, with bad connectors and schitzo patches. Bad cords.

Rhythm section is easy:
Drummers are just hearing impaired (that's an easy one.)
Bass players are just cool.
Always a random "percussion player"

Band says "Kick is too loud," drummer says "more kick."
Band says "guitar is too loud," guitar player turns up.

Half the band does not want to hear anyone else - even though they are standing 3 feet from someone who wants "everything."

Everyone in the band is a soundman, and everyone has a different opinion. All opinions are given at once.

And then the band-leader and the cute/young lead singer deign to arrive - and the whole process starts over again...

Please don't get me started on corporate event planners.....

And please, please don't get me started on the "eclectic mix of styles."

(oddly - straight R&R "classic" cover bands are usually pretty easy)

[Jeff Wheeler]

Jim Bowersox wrote on Thu, 16 July 2009 14:48

If that's the worst you saw doing a rave, you got off easy!

I filled in for a house guy at a club hosting some rappers.  This was the third time I'd done it within a couple months, and I had gotten used to the constant bitching from the "artists" about the rig not being loud enough even though it was riding the limiters, the cheap wireless mics that worked poorly or not at all, etc.

Then Halloween came.  The amp rack tripped its breaker, and I waded through a wall-to-wall "urban" crowd to get to it.  Then I foolishly put my hand on top of the rack without first looking to see what might be there.  My hand was in some kind of goo.  I looked up to see what it was... a condom.  A used condom.

1) get amps powered up again
2) RUN, do not walk, to restroom and thoroughly wash hands
3) tell sound co it was not worth the money for fill-in < 24 hours notice anymore

[Joe Brugnoni]

Jeff, YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK  That sucks!!!!!


Tony, I hope you feel better now  

Your right on all the points but not everyband is that way, but alot!!

[Steve Oldridge]

Tony "T" Tissot wrote on Thu, 16 July 2009 14:53

I don't do raves - so I can't compare... But ... always the worst gigs are the 7 to 12 piece Funk-Corporate-Greatest Hits band. Always, always.. Demanding on patience - as in "the band" - and everyone around them are clueless, burned-out wannabees. Always an argument between the band about monitors.. "I can hear his monitor, can you give me more me?" - and then the next one chimes in, "he's too loud, can you give me more me? - and so on. Guitar player (always a semi-burned out, never-could-get-a-tour ex-hippy) wastes precious sound check time working on his "magic tone," and "has" to have it (the tone) fully reproduced in his monitor, even though the amp is 3 feet from his head. Always too loud. The horn section can never agree on anything, and each usually has a "special" mic that they've brought. I've had some whack jobs bring precious vintage figure 8 condensers that they "always use in the studio." Keyboard player has an old POS, with bad connectors and schitzo patches. Bad cords. Rhythm section is easy: Drummers are just hearing impaired (that's an easy one.) Bass players are just cool. Always a random "percussion player" Band says "Kick is too loud," drummer says "more kick." Band says "guitar is too loud," guitar player turns up. Half the band does not want to hear anyone else - even though they are standing 3 feet from someone who wants "everything." Everyone in the band is a soundman, and everyone has a different opinion. All opinions are given at once. And then the band-leader and the cute/young lead singer deign to arrive - and the whole process starts over again... Please don't get me started on corporate event planners..... And please, please don't get me started on the "eclectic mix of styles." (oddly - straight R&R "classic" cover bands are usually pretty easy)

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES !!!
Definitely the worst....

Except for the band that has the awesome lead guitarist !
Drums are not tuned, heads not changed in 5 yrs and kick sounds like its hitting cotton wool. Bass guitar is so cranked its not even in the FOH mix [I turned off the channel after about 30 seconds]. My kid plays better than the 2nd guitar, who has good BGV's, and keys player [doubling as THIRD guitar] is running his two boards thru an antiquated PC [not a laptop] applying some VST effects in Sonar 3.0 [I think that's what it was] before sending the output from his sound card to the FOH snake !!

Oh, and then there was the lead guitar players drunk wife yelling at me 'cus she thinks he should be boosted up another 120% -- on top of the "in your face" position it already occupied -- 'cus she can't hear him !!  

But they did have a good crowd
and damn, that guy could play gee-tar !

[Felix Truong]

Jeff Wheeler wrote on Thu, 16 July 2009 13:29

Jim Bowersox wrote on Thu, 16 July 2009 14:48 If that's the worst you saw doing a rave, you got off easy! I filled in for a house guy at a club hosting some rappers.  This was the third time I'd done it within a couple months, and I had gotten used to the constant bitching from the "artists" about the rig not being loud enough even though it was riding the limiters, the cheap wireless mics that worked poorly or not at all, etc. Then Halloween came.  The amp rack tripped its breaker, and I waded through a wall-to-wall "urban" crowd to get to it.  Then I foolishly put my hand on top of the rack without first looking to see what might be there.  My hand was in some kind of goo.  I looked up to see what it was... a condom.  A used condom. 1) get amps powered up again 2) RUN, do not walk, to restroom and thoroughly wash hands 3) tell sound co it was not worth the money for fill-in < 24 hours notice anymore

Did you get your hand tested?  

[Chuck Harrigan]

My worst experience was a hip hop event where 2000 people were expected.  We showed up with a brand new Cobra 4 system with 3 Cobra 4 far over 2 Cobra Tops over 6 double 18's per side.  It might have been enough for the 4000 who were there 20 minutes before the concert started.  By the end of the night, there were, I kid you not, 20,000 people at that field.  12,000 of them were PISSED off because they couldn't hear.  We had to call the police and have the promoter pay 15 additional officers to keep the punters away from FOH and monitor/amp world.

The show ended at 11.  We didn't start load out till 2 a.m. due to the fact that no one wanted to leave.  I didn't get back to my place till 7 am.  Needless to say neither I nor the providers I work for have done a rap/hip hop/r&b event since.  Never in my life had I seen so many fights in one night.