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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => The Basement => Topic started by: scottstephens on April 19, 2021, 12:44:59 PM
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Well,
Event number 3. Sunday. Old church. We get to the venue and no one was there, the doors were locked and there are about 26 steps up into the building. Love my job. Thankfully, after about 10 minutes, I get ahold of someone who gives us the backdoor code. We park by the backdoor on the sidewalk. We go in and there are about 20 palm plants in the way, a baptismal thing and the outlets are there; all we have to do is find them. Scramble, scramble, scramble. About half set up and people start arriving.
I did a contract, asked all the pertinent questions, had plenty of time to set up, or so I thought. That's my fault. I should have billed for another person or at least taken another person. Again, my fault for trying to be nice and not upset the family harmony by giving them a discount price and "helping out" a family member. I am a dumb ass!!!! After 20+ years you'd think that I would know better. And after being told that all we have to do is run sound, the treasurer says: we need you to record the show as well. Me: Contract! Them: You were told wrong. Me: add this much. Them: already over budget. Me: I will stay home. Them: Ok, but we will have to send you the check because we need board approval. Me: ok, I will be a nice guy and keep peace in the family.
Power issues. A/C kicks on and my electric went from 117 to 102. I scrap the wireless, and tell them to use the mics that are there. I get by. The client is happy, the kids did a great job. I was helped with load out and we all go out to dinner. I get a check.
Next year I will know what to expect.
Happy Mixing.
Scott
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Yep, same old problems as always. Being nice never ever seems to work out. It's no wonder that seasoned audio folk tend to become curmudgeonry.
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I never give a discount to or for family members. NEVER. I don't work for free, either.
I'd rather be a guest at the event than a technician. It's my family, not my crew.
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Setup a DJ system at place called the Twin Gables Hall in Clovis, CA years ago. It was the 2nd or 3rd job that day and we were running a little late for the load-in. They had setup the hall for a wedding reception, tables, settings, cake, everything but the gifts and guests was ready - everyone gone to change clothes or freshen up or whatever. Nobody around, parking lot empty.
Pulled the hinge pins from the back door and did the load-in and sound check. Nobody around still, shut system down ready for DJ to show up later and rehung the door.
Did a repeat performance around 2am for the load-out. Hall was about 3 blocks from the police station. Opened the back door and turned the lights on - not a soul around. Finished the load-out in about 30 minutes, rehung the back door a second time and drove off.
Never heard anything about it, DJ got paid and paid us. :)
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Last century did a "variety show" in a High School auditorium. I supplied stage and FOH, and tied into the school PA.
I passed by a week before the show, and the janitor was good enough to let me in for a look.
They had a decent little RH system, so I wasn't worried about volume or quality.
Doors were 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
i get there around 5...
Locked doors....
Band starts to trickle into the parking around 6:30...
Locked doors...
Punters start showing up....
A band member points to someone "He's the organizer"
i go up to him, and ask why we're locked out...
"I booked the auditorium from 7 to 10. Is that a problem?"
when the doors did open, he had a line of 100 people to unload the truck.
I stood at the entrance and pointed where I wanted everything to go.
Took about 3 minutes to empty the truck, another 15 to build the rig and stage.
No soundcheck, just GO.
Show started 20 minutes late, finished 10 minutes early (they skipped a sequence or two), and the same bunch that unloaded the truck got everything out of the auditorium and beside the truck by the time I got the board back in it's road case. A few of them hung around to help me pack the truck.
Here's the surprise... Cables were properly coiled, lids back where they belonged, NOTHING bent, twisted, scratched, broken or missing.
I'm guessing that's just how they roll.....
Scary and impressive, all at the same time.
It was a subcontract for another company, so I never saw them again.
Chris.
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Oye. There are some "good" life lessons in the posts here; guess I'll contribute one of my favorites as well.
5-6 years ago, I'm doing my first "big" festival (essentially a block party but with a few stages/performance areas). I get one of the smaller side stages and I'm stoked. The organizers were always "too busy" to meet me for a site survey prior to the event but they assured me "no other company has ever had issues" as the event was (then) going on it's 10th-11th year.
I arrive extra early on the day of the event and start to unload the trailer. I find someone in charge and ask about power - I was told there would be at least two circuits available to the stage.
"Yep, there's power on that condo building over there (motions about 100 yards away) and on the back of that retail building over there (about 80 yards in the other direction)."
Both circuits are 110V GFCI outlets literally on the outside of each building. I brought 300ft of 12AWG extension cord, thinking it would be plenty. Nope. It got me "most" of one run. So I sent my friend to the hardware store to get more 10/12 AWG extension cord. He came back with a bunch of that neon green stuff, which we hoped would be OK.
He ran the new cable to "the other building" and huh... no power. No power at the outlet. He's an electrician by day, so he removes the outlet and finds there's power to the receptacle, just no power through the receptacle. Bad GFCI outlet.
We inquire with the organizer and they say, "Well we never had a problem before and we can't get into that building so I guess you'll just have to do it with one outlet." Oh, ok, no problem. (This was when we were using PL380s, PLX3602s, and so on)
My friend says, "I've got a new GFCI receptacle in my truck, I'll rewire it." I beg him not to as I don't want him getting zapped and he gives me the "do you have any idea how many times I've replaced a live receptacle/switch in my life" look. I tell him (again) to not do it, but before I know it, he's replaced the receptacle and we now have power (albeit around 100V after the power makes its way to the stage).
Event goes off fine; two days - no issues, everyone loves it, blah blah blah.
From that point on, I always made sure to do a site survey, no matter what, and I also learned the value of having a generator available at a moment's notice. A Honda EU6500/7000 would've been a heckuva lot easier (and cheaper to rent vs buying 4x100ft cords). Live and learn.
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I passed by a week before the show, and the janitor was good enough to let me in for a look.
Anybody else ever notice how it's a good idea to get to know and be nice to the janitor(s)?
When you need a favour or information, he's the one who can help you.
He (or she) is probably also the one who will be the last one there cleaning up when you're loading out. ::)
GTD
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From that point on, I always made sure to do a site survey, no matter what, and I also learned the value of having a generator available at a moment's notice. A Honda EU6500/7000 would've been a heckuva lot easier (and cheaper to rent vs buying 4x100ft cords). Live and learn.
Even more important, with larger events, is to include drawings and maps indicating locations of everything. Then, have it in the contract that if the resources needed aren't present, it's on them to fix it, or there will be additional charges for you to have to scramble and get stuff together.
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Anybody else ever notice how it's a good idea to get to know and be nice to the janitor(s)?
When you need a favour or information, he's the one who can help you.
He (or she) is probably also the one who will be the last one there cleaning up when you're loading out. ::)
GTD
Being nice to the bartender is an even better idea.
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Be nice to "the help" because when you have a problem or need something they are folks in a position to help (or at least send you to the people that can). Custodians, building engineers, food & beverage folks, security, valets, housemen, local crew.
If I can drive to a venue or site in 3 hours or so, I'll do it rather than risk day of show problems... I've been 'bit' a few times relying on local information: "I need 3, 20 amp circuits", "you'll be okay, outlets everywhere." Yep, and every one of them on the same 15 amp breaker. "I need 32 inches of door clearance width" "no problem, they're 3 foot doors." Yep, 36 inches *rough opening* so with the door hung, there's 31.5 inches of opening.
Local volunteer crew - a series of shows we did for a small radio station group usually got the local community college athletic teams but one year we got Boy Scouts. Having been a Scout long enough ago I'd forgotten how much 'boy' was part of Scouting. It was a long load in. We got some additional adults for the out...
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Even more important, with larger events, is to include drawings and maps indicating locations of everything. Then, have it in the contract that if the resources needed aren't present, it's on them to fix it, or there will be additional charges for you to have to scramble and get stuff together.
I gave him a horny tim's card when I saw him at the show.....
i always keep a few handy, just cuz.
Chris.
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I gave him a horny tim's card when I saw him at the show.....
i always keep a few handy, just cuz.
Chris.
Just for the record, Mr Hindle is referring to Tim Horton's, a chain of coffee shops in the Uppa US. ;)
At least I think he is....
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{...} At least I think he is....
He's in Montreal; anything is possible. ;D
(It's interesting how vernacular can be different across geography; I've never heard "Horny Tim's" out here.)
-Russ
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He's in Montreal; anything is possible. ;D
(It's interesting how vernacular can be different across geography; I've never heard "Horny Tim's" out here.)
-Russ
As usual, Mr. McCulloch is quite correct, but Mr. Ault is not wrong in his assumption either.... ;D
rock on Boys, and STAY SAFE!
Chris,
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Just for the record, Mr Hindle is referring to Tim Horton's, a chain of coffee shops in the Uppa US. ;) {...}
Also, just for additional clarity, there's about an order of magnitude more Tim Horton's locations in Canada than there are ringing Lake Erie from Michigan to upstate New York. :P
-Russ
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Just for the record, Mr Hindle is referring to Tim Horton's, a chain of coffee shops in the Uppa US. ;)
At least I think he is....
I was wondering for a minute what you've been sending people...
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I was wondering for a minute what you've been sending people...
It's quite amazing what a $10.00 gift card can do to "grease the wheels".....
Chris.
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I was wondering for a minute what you've been sending people...
Well.... I've been watching "Toyah and Robert's Sunday Lunch" on YouTube for inspiration. Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp. It's confirmation that growing older does not mean growing up. I found out Toyah and I are the same age... ;)
Spiffing some Canadian friends with T.H. gift cards, though? I like my Canadian friends enough to do better than Horton's. :)
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I like my Canadian friends enough to do better than Horton's. :)
Now there's a man that knows his coffee. I've never been able to figure out why people wait in long lines for their warm "dishwater" they pass off as coffee. And don't get me started on their espresso and cappuccinos.
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{...} I've never been able to figure out why people wait in long lines for their warm "dishwater" they pass off as coffee. And don't get me started on their espresso and cappuccinos.
I'm not a coffee drinker myself, but I've always assumed Timmy Ho's was popular for its symbolic properties, rather than its actually quality.
-Russ
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I'm not a coffee drinker myself, but I've always assumed Timmy Ho's was popular for its symbolic properties, rather than its actually quality.
-Russ
Kind of like Starbucks. What is lacking in the product is compensated for by their ubiquity. Horton's may not be great coffee but you can get it almost everywhere in Canada.
Now to re-wright the ship of topicality... anyone watch The Lockpicking Lawyer and/or Bosnian Bill on YooToob?
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I don't drink coffee myself, but the various folks I've given the cards to over the years are appreciative that I appreciate their efforts. Like I said, grease the wheels a bit.
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..............From that point on, I always made sure to do a site survey, no matter what, and I also learned the value of having a generator available at a moment's notice. A Honda EU6500/7000 would've been a heckuva lot easier (and cheaper to rent vs buying 4x100ft cords). Live and learn.
Oh yeah, I think the problem is that most people don't know what power really is. Yes, self-contained for electricity is the only way to go - always take an inverter genny these days. Also, keep a large craftsman tool bag in the truck with bottled water, insect repellent and a couple of rolls of toilet paper. Protein bars.
Anybody else ever notice how it's a good idea to get to know and be nice to the janitor(s)?
When you need a favour or information, he's the one who can help you.
He (or she) is probably also the one who will be the last one there cleaning up when you're loading out. ::)
GTD
Learned this one working in aerospace years ago. When we'd come in on saturdays, I'd pick up breakfast burrito's, my lead the Starbucks - we always covered the janitors too.
Need to get into any locked door anywhere on the facility with the exception of industrial security, they have the keys and codes. Conference rooms, closets, managers offices. everywhere. :)
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Now to re-wright the ship of topicality... anyone watch The Lockpicking Lawyer and/or Bosnian Bill on YooToob?
Ramset, still champion.
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Now to re-wright the ship of topicality... anyone watch The Lockpicking Lawyer and/or Bosnian Bill on YooToob?
A friend just turned me on to "The Lockpicking Lawyer". Fun stuff. -F
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Now to re-wright the ship of topicality... anyone watch The Lockpicking Lawyer and/or Bosnian Bill on YooToob?
LPL is fantastic. The dry humor (and April 1 gags) are always great.
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Pulled the hinge pins from the back door and did the load-in and sound check. Nobody around still, shut system down ready for DJ to show up later and rehung the door.
Did a repeat performance around 2am for the load-out. Hall was about 3 blocks from the police station. Opened the back door and turned the lights on - not a soul around. Finished the load-out in about 30 minutes, rehung the back door a second time and drove off.
I did the same thing years ago to load out though a hotel kitchen, yes the floor was greasy!!
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Kind of like Starbucks. What is lacking in the product is compensated for by their ubiquity. Horton's may not be great coffee but you can get it almost everywhere in Canada.
More like Dunkin' Donuts, though maybe the Canadadidianan outlets are swankier.
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How the F did I get this far into a global pandemic with a political insurrection chaser without seeing these videos? Thanks Tim!
Well.... I've been watching "Toyah and Robert's Sunday Lunch" on YouTube for inspiration. Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp. It's confirmation that growing older does not mean growing up. I found out Toyah and I are the same age... ;)
Spiffing some Canadian friends with T.H. gift cards, though? I like my Canadian friends enough to do better than Horton's. :)
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I did the same thing years ago to load out though a hotel kitchen, yes the floor was greasy!!
Greasy Kitchen floor, reminds me. A place in Fresno, CA called The Hacienda had a couple of ballrooms in the event center. Main room was upstairs - the Las Vegas room - large art deco facility built in the late 40's or early 50's. My dad said he saw Johnny Cash play there - legendary room - Patsy Cline, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and many others. I drop the names because in it's day it was an A-List venue. I did a Ronnie Montrose show in there in 1986 and a New Years shitkicker band dance party and couple of DJ shows.
Anyway, the first 2-3 times we hauled everything up an exterior diamond plate stairwell that was straight up, no landing and fairly steep. Then, we discovered the freight elevator and started using that. Double steel doors near the bottom of the exterior stairs got you into the kitchen when they were unlocked. Walk through the kitchen and down a hallway to the freight elevator. Red tile floor that was wet, greasy, sticky, dirty and kitchen was plenty warm with lots of steam kettles.
We never crash and burned going through there and the cooks were always cool. The question I have is when they laid that place out, they thought of catering to the ballrooms, had bars upstairs in them and restrooms. But, for the entertainment no elevator - just the stairwell from hell.
There were two stairways like that in Fresno, the Hacienda Las Vegas room and the Warnor's Entertainment Center Star Palace. The Star Palace stairs emptied out in the back alley - but, at least they were indoors until the bottom landing at the alley.
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Anyway, the first 2-3 times we hauled everything up an exterior diamond plate stairwell that was straight up, no landing and fairly steep. Then, we discovered the freight elevator and started using that. Double steel doors near the bottom of the exterior stairs got you into the kitchen when they were unlocked. Walk through the kitchen and down a hallway to the freight elevator. Red tile floor that was wet, greasy, sticky, dirty and kitchen was plenty warm with lots of steam kettles.
At a swanky place (Ruby Foo's) on a major thoroughfare (Decarie Blvd) I was doing support for a Vietnamese wedding / event band Go on wednesday for then site eval. Noted - bring extra feeder. Ask the manager to use the elevaor. "We no got elevator, use stairs, come early. Before 10 Am, DON'T chip the stairs."
OK, add $100, get another helper..... I allready had one booked. I usually do this kind of gig on my own.
So, helpers meet me at 9:30, doors are locked. 10:00 manager shows up, and let's us in. Watches us like a hawk..
Get everything up stairs, and I send the helpers home. See you at 2:30 AM....
Everything set up, so I head back home until 5 when the band is to arrive.
Show goes swell, food is more than decent.
The Maitre'D sees me rolling boxes to the landing, and asks "WTF? We have an elevator"
"Let me guess, Mr. Kim told you no elevator? Fucking prick does that to everyone. Here, let me show you..."
"2,000 pound limit, knock yourselves out"
Never saw the elevator in my survey. There was a loading dock on the side, but the elevator was 50 feet down a hallway, behind some double doors......
It came out on the second floor in a "storage room" across from the kitchen.
What a diabolical design... I know that place was made "fancier" 5 or 6 years earlier.... The kitchens looked brand spankin new.
<except for the obligatory layer of grease.....>
He got 2 Tim's cards.......
Chris.