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Author Topic: Anyone done BB King lately?  (Read 8504 times)

Skip Gienapp

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Anyone done BB King lately?
« on: March 26, 2012, 09:37:39 PM »

It's been a few years... of course there's no stageplot..just wondering what the latest routine was on stage.  Has anyone done this show this year?
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Justice C. Bigler

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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2012, 10:25:03 PM »

I can't imagine that his show has changed much, if any in the last 20 years. When we had him, probably five or so years ago now, his tour manager came out and did all of the sound check for him. At show time, they wheeled him in a wheel chair from the buss into the venue, and we walked from the side stage to his chair at center stage.
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JoeHenson

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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2012, 10:46:00 PM »

I did FOH for him about 6 months ago and it was pretty straight forward.  I dont remember how many inputs he was, but it wasn't ridiculous.  His drummer is the only one that sound checks and then he'll just run around and line check all the other inputs; and he does ring out all the wedges with your monitor guy so it wont be bad.  Also, BB doesnt come out for a few minutes when the show starts so you'll have a few minutes to dial in a mix.  Have fun
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alan hamilton

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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2012, 11:43:51 PM »

It's been a few years... of course there's no stageplot..just wondering what the latest routine was on stage.  Has anyone done this show this year?

When we had BB 3-4 years ago it was pretty straight forward. 3-4 horns DSR, Drums USC, Keys SL, bass, and BB DSC. Seems like there might've been another guitarist in the band... BB doesn't really play chords.

BB sat for the show and don't expect him to eat the mic either. And if nothing has changed, don't expect much of a sound check on that mic from them so make sure you have your GBF in a good place for FOH since as I said, he won't be eating the mic. And BB will tell a TON of stories.

I mixed FOH. They did have someone who went thru mons but it seems the majority of the time was spent on the horn wedges (which leads me to believe it was one of the horn players that did the quick mon check). I do believe the drummer checked his own drums. I don't think the key player was even onstage until the show started. Someone did a quick check on BB's amp (which IIRC was a quick open chord) and that was the only line check I had for that or Lucille.

At showtime the band does vamp for a bit before BB takes the stage so that's the soundcheck. ;-)

I wasn't doing mons so I have no idea how much tweaking they requested during the show.

BB was respectful of the techs during the show and made sure and mentioned us and had the crowd give us a round of applause during the gig.

So that's how it was a few years ago.... I can't imagine the show has changed too much... and IIRC the input list was pretty short.
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Brad Galvin

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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2012, 11:27:26 AM »

I did him maybe a year or so ago. As everyone said the drummer/TM TC (if it's still TC) will come in and go through wedges. Sidefills only have BB's vocal in them if I remember correctly, and the same rings true for his wedges. He uses a SM58 that basically points down the throat of one of his wedges of yeah spend time ringing out his really well. I time aligned the wedges to the side fills which helped even out response a good bit at his location.

One thing that TC will NOT tell you is that at the beginning of the show, the horn players come out and use BB's vocal mic as a solo mic so the gain setting and everything is completely F'd. I would recommend Y'ing the input and starting the show with the extra BB input and about 10db less gain as a they will jam the mic into the bells. My favorite part is that TC freaks out because his drum fill is stupid loud and all of a sudden BB's mic is too loud with the instruments... keep your eyes on TC for the show because he's going to have the most changes, and if BB needs something, he will ask you to adjust.

I got brief sound checks from the guys as they each walked in, but basically it was throw-n-go. Good luck. It's fun, but screaming loud wedges has lost its luster with me, regardless of who's sitting in front of them.
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Brad Galvin

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Charlie Zureki

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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #5 on: March 27, 2012, 09:16:12 PM »

I did him maybe a year or so ago. As everyone said the drummer/TM TC (if it's still TC) will come in and go through wedges. Sidefills only have BB's vocal in them if I remember correctly, and the same rings true for his wedges. He uses a SM58 that basically points down the throat of one of his wedges of yeah spend time ringing out his really well. I time aligned the wedges to the side fills which helped even out response a good bit at his location.

One thing that TC will NOT tell you is that at the beginning of the show, the horn players come out and use BB's vocal mic as a solo mic so the gain setting and everything is completely F'd. I would recommend Y'ing the input and starting the show with the extra BB input and about 10db less gain as a they will jam the mic into the bells. My favorite part is that TC freaks out because his drum fill is stupid loud and all of a sudden BB's mic is too loud with the instruments... keep your eyes on TC for the show because he's going to have the most changes, and if BB needs something, he will ask you to adjust.

I got brief sound checks from the guys as they each walked in, but basically it was throw-n-go. Good luck. It's fun, but screaming loud wedges has lost its luster with me, regardless of who's sitting in front of them.

  +1 

  I worked a show of his at a casino about a year ago.  BB's grandson (or something) was his bass player. BB's brother is/was his Manager.   It was a decent show.... not of the caliber that I remember of years past...but, he is about 75-ish.   He sits on a chair the whole show.   His group's wedges are loud.   He stops and talks a lot during his show, and he doesn't "regulate" his vocal strength very well... from a whisper to loud speech...so, you will be riding his fader.

   He sometimes will have a guest vocalist show up and perform a couple of songs.

   Good luck... and as Brad said...wring the crap out of the monitors

   Hammer

     
   
   
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JoeHenson

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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2012, 10:22:52 PM »

hahaha Brad, i forgot about that trumpet player walking straight out and laying into BB vocal mic right when the show started. who saw that coming?  NOT ME
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Gary Green

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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2012, 08:49:10 AM »

hahaha Brad, i forgot about that trumpet player walking straight out and laying into BB vocal mic right when the show started. who saw that coming?  NOT ME
This probably came about from the same trumpet player coming out and singing a foot away from his own mic and then a second later swallowing the same mic with his trumpet bell....That is what I experienced about 5-6 years ago. I didn't get bit because I had comps on every horn channel and somehow you could feel it coming,but if your focus was elsewhere when he brought that trumpet up after dialing in his voice, you would have seen and heard red everywhere.
That must have  happened enough for them to switch him to singing in BB's vox mic.
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Marty McCann

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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2012, 10:39:00 AM »

I have done BB a number of times over the years.  All of the info given you was spot-on.

By the way:  B.B. King's age is 86 years (September 16, 1925).

The man is a true legend.
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Stu McDoniel

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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2012, 10:52:22 AM »

It's been a few years... of course there's no stageplot..just wondering what the latest routine was on stage.  Has anyone done this show this year?
My band played behind BB about 6 yrs ago.  Here is the kit I played and BB's drummer played exactly as it is setup.  BB plays a Lab series amp and you have to put a plastic shield in front of it.
 Piano, Hammond B3, Bass, drums, BB;'s rig,  BB's guitar players rig, and three horns.  Hope this helps.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2012, 10:56:48 AM by Stu McDoniel »
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Re: Anyone done BB King lately?
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2012, 10:52:22 AM »


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