Backstage Pass

Edge - Amps

j-malotky — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:32:52 GMT

When you look at the sheer scale of U2's stage show. Just remember that these are the only two guitar amps Edge is using in the show.

MC Summer Gigs

colterphoto1 — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:49:44 GMT

I'll be doing some sound gigs this summer and this is a place to keep track of them and show my progress in the industry. Gig number one was photographed and described in detail in the Pilgrimage section of the Forum

This last weekend I travelled with an old sound buddy to Madison In (on the Ohio) for a portion of their Bicentennial celebration. We setup his PA in an old theater in the downtown area. The show was a tribute to the history of the area. It was not a rock concert but a narrator speaking portions of a book of short stories he had written called the Wilderness Plots, interspersed with tunes played by a group of folk musicians on generally traditional instruments. We had 5 vocal mics plus one for narrator, guitar on DI, guitar mic'd, banjo mic'd, accordian and camp organ (air operated pump organ) also mic'd, and electric keyboards generally playing piano tracks.

Set up was complicated by numerous tall steps and ramps in the theater. We set up Karl's standard rig but only brought one of his dual12" horn loaded subs into the room. He has a light setup from the band we used to work with, Speed City Rockers, that consists of 4x PAR 56 cans that he has mounted on a pole for tree mounting or hanging. There is a small 4 channel footswitch lighting controller that I set up to direct light onto various performers for the show, including a dramatic uplight spot on the narrator that made his arm gestures appear 20 feet tall against the rear curtain of the theater.

Neat show- took 17 hours including load in, load out, all travel. Bushed. Totally.

Next day we took his trailer rig out to Danville for an outdoor show. Pictures to follow.

Michael Kelsey Free in Kokomo IN Friday Sep 4 2009

blsamuel — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:19:08 GMT

They've started a new Friday concert series once a month in the new Kokomo Arts Pavillion in Foster Park.

Up this Friday September 4th is Michael Kelsey

Where: Kokomo Arts Pavillion in Foster Park, Superior and Sycamore streets (IN 22) in Kokomo IN

http://www.recreationparks.net/IN/howard/foster-park-kokomo

When: Friday Sep 4 6 - 9 PM

Cost: Free

A bit more info on the series: http://www.kokomotribune.com/local/local_story_218220309.html Missed Time Travelers on Aug 6. Next up Rewind on Oct 4th.

Indyklipschfan is a big fan: http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/p/107067/1080069.aspx#1080069 (link to company picnic thread but Indy does seem to dig Michael Kelsey)

Michael Kelsey schedule: http://www.michaelkelsey.com/schedule.html

I hope I can go. I just couldn't make Jennie DeVoe a couple of weeks ago but this is just 15 minutes or so from home.

Rewind Free Kokomo IN Foster Park Friday Oct 2 6 - 9 PM

blsamuel — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:24:07 GMT

The free Friday concert series at Kokomo's new arts pavillion in Foster Park wraps up this Friday with a performand by Rewind a local old time rock and roll band. Don't know much about them except that I think they're supposed to be really good and should be a lot of fun.

Rewind provided the sound for September's Michael Kelsey show at the same location and as the "Balding Gentleman Sound Guy" was kind enough to come fill in the details I thought I'd give 'em a plug. EV mains powered by Crown with JBL monitors powered by QSC. Not a huge PA but not exactly small either and sounded really good outside.

Should be a good time for anybody near Kokomo this Friday. I'll be there if I can but have other priorities that may prevent my attendance. I think Rewind would be worth seeing if they come to a bar or other venue near you.

The concert series: http://www.kokomotribune.com/local/local_story_218220309.html

Foster park: http://www.recreationparks.net/IN/howard/foster-park-kokomo

Michael Kelsy at Foster Park in September: http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/124068.aspx

PICS

RIGID113 — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:07:46 GMT

Stage?

Indy Jazz Fest

colterphoto1 — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:11:27 GMT

I just met with organizers of the Indy Jazz Fest tonight to become a blogger on their site. I'll post updates here as the weeklong celebration of jazz occurs in Indianapolis. In addition to the full weekend with two stages, there are special concerts at Clowes Hall, the Vogue Nightclub, the Madame Walker Theater, and of course, the Jazz Kitchen (complete with Klipsch PA system).

Michael

MUSE: The Resistance (new Album) & VMA Show (9/13)

dgoreck — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:01:51 GMT

Well, I've been a MUSE fan for almost two years now. They are coming out tomorrow with a new album. I was lucky enough to get into a private concert for the MTV VMA's(Video Music Awards) last night in NYC at the Walter Kerr theatre, where MUSE put on a private show for around 900 people....really 350 fans+600 VIP people of MTV/record co etc. They invited a lot more people then they let in, sadly, but guess had to fill it for the camera's. Awesome show, played 9 songs, took a break, did the live TV song, then followed up by 3 more. Full set, and an awesome setting. They recorded the whole thing, and I hope they release it on DVD/Blu-Ray.

To the new album.

I really do like it, only listened to it twice on my train ride into the city over the past three days. In my opinion it is brilliantly put together. It has everything from rock to symphony. I'm actualyl lost for words right now...I had more thoughts when I started this, but just lost them.

Aerosmith - The Show Won't Go On...

Professor Thump — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:14:28 GMT

AP Photo/Steve McEnroeIn this Monday, Aug. 3, 2009 photo, Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler speaks at a news conference before the start of the Legends Ride, in Deadwood, S.D. Tyler, 61, of Aerosmith suffered head, neck and shoulder injuries in a tumble from the stage at a South Dakota concert and joked about the fall as he was put into the helicopter to be taken to a hospital, a concert spokesman said Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.
STURGIS, S.D. (AP) - Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler was reportedly taken to a hospital after falling from stage during a concert at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in western South Dakota.

Tyler, 61, fell while entertaining the crowd by dancing around after the sound system failed during the song "Love In an Elevator," concertgoer Lance Yellow Robe told the Rapid City Journal.
Tyler was on the stage's catwalk when he tottered backward and fell, Yellow Robe said. Security rushed to help him and the crowd cheered when Tyler got back up.

Tyler was taken backstage and around 12:15 a.m., Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry came out to tell the audience Tyler was being taken to the hospital and that the show would not go on.

Rapid City Regional Hospital coordinator Rod Brandhagen initially told The Associated Press that Tyler was on his way there early Thursday. He later declined to give any additional details.

It Might Get Loud!

Professor Thump — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:02:30 GMT

'It Might Get Loud': For Music Buffs, Plenty To Riff On

by MARK JENKINS

EnlargeEric Lee/Sony Pictures Classics

Jam Session: Davis Guggenheim's latest documentary brings together guitarists Jack White of the White Stripes (from left), The Edge of U2 and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin.

August 13, 2009

Did you hear the one about the 1960s heavy metallist, the 1980s new waver and the millennial blues-rocker who walked onto a movie soundstage?

That's the setup for It Might Get Loud, a guitar-hero conclave that introduces Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, U2's The Edge and the White Stripes' Jack White to each other. The documentary doesn't really have a punch line, but should amuse guitar buffs nonetheless.

The centerpiece is an L.A. encounter between the three musicians: James Patrick Page, 65, who grew up in a London suburb; Dave "The Edge" Evans, 48, born to Welsh parents who moved him to Dublin as a young boy; and Jack White (aka John Gillis), 34, a Detroit native who now lives near Nashville.

The moments when the guitarists teach the others their best-known riffs are fascinating. Edge and White marvel at the secret to Page's monumental "Whole Lotta Love" hook, while Page is perplexed by the chord changes of Edge's "I Will Follow" jangle.

EnlargeEric Lee/Sony Pictures Classics

Jimmy Page (left) and The Edge share the secrets of their best-known guitar riffs.

Yet most of the movie consists of individual interviews with the musicians, as well as archival footage. Page plays the country squire at the mansion where Led Zep used to record; Edge shows off his myriad gizmos in a Dublin warehouse; and White poses as a rustic bluesman at his farmhouse, constructing a one-string guitar with a board, a Coke bottle and an electric pickup.

Director Davis Guggenheim assembles disparate material as skillfully as he did for An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore's illustrated global-warming lecture (which might be termed a concert film). The most interesting vintage footage features Page, who began playing professionally while still a teenager.

It Might Get Loud offers no outside commentary, which won't bother viewers who know the musicians' careers well. But there are places where a little analysis would have helped.

The movie, for example, demonstrates conclusively that the plugged-in guitar is an electronic instrument. Page lovingly performs "Rumble," the 1958 Link Wray instrumental that established the power of guitar distortion. Even more revealingly, Edge plays the riff from "Elevation" both adorned and naked, showing how much evaporates from his sound when he turns off the effects.

EnlargeAlba Tull/Sony Pictures Classics

Next Generation: Jack White cuts his own path, but keeps great guitar traditions alive, says It Might Get Loud producer Thomas Tull.

Guggenheim doesn't press for biological information, or challenge the stories he's told. This matters most with Jack White, who is relatively obscure and relishes manipulating his own image.

Led Zeppelin's history is well-documented, and U2 has a high profile (although Edge generally stands in singer Bono's shadow). But only White Stripes devotees will know that the band's frontman is fibbing when he calls drummer Meg White his sister. (She's actually his ex-wife.)

However notorious Page was at the peak of Led Zep's fame, White is now the trickiest of the three. He idolizes vintage bluesman Son House, but his strategies for challenging himself owe more to arty rocker Brian Eno.

Fans can debate endlessly if Page, Edge and White are the greatest living rock guitarists of their epochs. Page is the easiest choice, although some might prefer fellow Yardbirds Jeff Beck or Eric Clapton. Edge certainly isn't the top guitarist of his period, but U2's prominence is inarguable. As for White, who's currently playing drums with the Dead Weather, he represents a musical era that's too scattered to be represented by any one musician.

For the purposes of this documentary, however, Page, Edge and White work fine: elder statesman, quiet technocrat and brash young thing. Together, they make an entertaining racket.

Motley Crue kick-starts vintage album for Crue Fest 2

Professor Thump — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:18:27 GMT

Motley Crue -- Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, Vince Neil and Tommy Lee -- will bring some friends along for Crue Fest 2 Sunday at the Post-Gazette Pavilion.

Music Preview: Calling 'Dr. Feelgood'

Thursday, August 13, 2009

By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Like its hero, Aerosmith, Motley Crue also will be playing a vintage album straight-through on the current tour.

And in choosing 1989's "Dr. Feelgood," it almost looked as if the members of Motley Crue knew what they were doing.

"You know what, initially, I had thought of [doing] 'Shout at the Devil,' " Nikki Sixx says in a teleconference, "because I thought it would be more kind of gutsy. ... And then I kind of went, 'Well, maybe 'Girls, Girls, Girls.' And then we, like, bounced stuff around. We thought, let's do more of a kind of a weird, hokey club thing and do 'Too Fast for Love,' and everyone just kind of kept going back to which album it was going to be. And 'Feelgood' just sort of won out. And then we found out afterwards that it was the 20-year anniversary and it kind of makes us looks like we're smart, like we had a plan. We had no plan."

It should put fans at ease knowing that Motley Crue really had no plan, as the renegades from L.A. aren't exactly known for their thoughtful approach -- to anything.

Crue Fest 2

With: Motley Crue, Godsmack, Theory of a Deadman, Drowning Pool, Charm City Devils on the main stage. Second stage features Rev Theory, Cavo, 16 Second Stare and Shram."/>
Where: Post-Gazette Pavilion.
When: 5 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets: $29.50-$95; 1-877-598-8703.

The Crue will roll out "Dr. Feelgood" -- which featured the Grammy-nominated title track and "Kickstart My Heart" -- along with a set of other hits as the climax of Crue Fest 2, a nine-band, two-stage, six-hour display of raunchy hard rock from the likes of Godsmack, Theory of a Dead Man, Drowning Pool and Charm City Devils.

Asked if the bands were selected based on their likeness to Crue, Sixx says, "To be honest with you, we always pick bands, number one, based on songs, whether they're metal, more radio friendly, more alternative, more classic. It just doesn't really matter to me. It's like when I can hear a band and I go, 'OK, those are all really good songs,' that's a first criteria. And then we want bands that have an exciting live performance.

"And then it gets into how does the package feel? How do the bands all feel together and what can we all do to help each other, which, in the end, is like helping the big picture, which is keeping rock 'n' roll alive."

The invitation to Crue Fest was too tempting for Godsmack, a nu-metal band deep in the throes of trying to finish its first album since 2006's "IV."

"This came up," says Godsmack drummer Shannon Larkin, "and we thought it was, first off, an opportunity to play with the legendary Motley Crue, but, secondly, a nice way for us to poke our head out again after having been gone for almost a two-year hiatus here writing. It's just an awesome thing and we're super excited."

Ryan McCombs, the third singer for Dallas metal band Drowning Pool in as many albums, had slightly different motives for joining Sixx and his Crue.

"[He] called me up," Sixx jokes, "and said, 'Look, there are so many hot chicks on the Crue tour that we got to get on this thing.' "

"That was it really," McCombs says, laughing. "It was more of a begging if I remember. I mean, I remember crying a little bit. But it was more of like, you know, we've got the double XL black concert shirt-wearing dudes. We've got that crowd. We've got them. You've got the chicks, man. Can you just share?"

The first Crue Fest certainly proved the band gets the "chicks" -- and drummer Tommy Lee takes full advantage of it onstage with his video camera. And this is pretty far down the road for Motley Crue, now in its 28th year of dirty rock 'n' roll.

Sixx, who turned 50 in December, doesn't see any reason to retire to the golf course just yet.

"You know," he says, "there's kind of that old like '50s thing, the Idol Maker and, you know, you're over when you hit 21 -- you're done? It's almost the way Disney does it, right? And it's not really reality. The reality is you can play drums, bass, guitar, sing as long as you want. You can make music the rest of the your life and it's kind of cool when you can be up there with your buds and other bands you respect and maybe even some you hate and be playing your music."

Furthermore, he doesn't care to be lumped in by decade.

"You usually try to keep this stuff hidden, but a lot of people have said, 'Hey, man, why don't you just go out and tour, do an '80s package?'

"And I said, 'You know, because we're not an '80s band. Why don't you ask Keith Richards to only play with bands from the '60s or, you know, tell Metallica they can only play with bands from the '80s.' "

Scott Mervis can be reached atsmervis@post-gazette.comor 412-263-2576.

First published on August 13, 2009 at 12:00 am

The week in review

Professor Thump — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:48:50 GMT

The Week in Review

Woodstock Turns 40 …

1969, the Woodstock Music and Art Festival is held on Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York … nearly half a million gather to celebrate "3 Days of Peace and Music" (and mud, lots of mud) and enjoy performances by a Who's Who of rock-and-roll, including Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Ten Years After, and Jefferson Airplane …

Indy Jazz Fest - Monika Herzig

Professor Thump — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:42:21 GMT

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Klipsch/29193021344?ref=ts#/event.php?eid=133984532222&ref=nf

Cruefest 2 at Verizon Wireless Music Center Indianapolis

davisindy — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:06:04 GMT

Who is going?

Missed this one..

colterphoto1 — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:51:06 GMT

I really really really wanted to go see the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra with Rock Ensemble play the music of Led Zeppelin tonight.

Problems:

$35 ticket

it was 100 heat index today and still in upper 80's tonight

found out about it too late and couldn't find anyone to go with

Now it's probably half over and I wish I'd just gotten in the car and gone down there and enjoyed the tunes.

United oops... don't piss off your customers

sheltie dave — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:47:24 GMT

This video is a classic ... and I'm sure more than a few have met this type of shipping customer service.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo&NR=1

Firing up the all vintage pa Saturday night in Ct.

khorn51 — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:44:41 GMT

I dragging out my vintage all 80's pa this weekend (saturday afternoon and night)to a VW show at the lebanon fairgrounds in lebanon Ct.

It will be 4 lascala split's and 6 heresys hip's powered by 3 vintage crown psa2's.

All the effects will be of the same vintage lexicon pcm 60 and deltalab delays.

Well, I Suppose I'm a Band of One

Just_Strummin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:27:31 GMT

I'm it. I sing and play acoustic guitar. Not very well, but I try to get out and do open mic sessions. I play A LOT better than I sing.

Spinal Tap 25 Years Later

Professor Thump — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:54:00 GMT

http://www.spinaltap.com/

Can you believe it? Spinal Tap was 25 years ago. Yet 11 is still one more!

Last Weekend's Free Outdoor Concerts At Kokomo's Haynes Apperson Festival

blsamuel — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:00:57 GMT

I need to get out more but did catch parts of Friday night and Saturday night's shows at Kokomo's (IN) annual Haynes Apperson festival.

Thursday night which we did not make featured the Electric Amish. I've never heard them but I've heard they're supposed to be quite a bit of fun.

Friday night was billed as "The Voices of Rock featuring Fran Cosmo and Jimi Jamison Performing the Hits of Boston and Survivor"

We got there a bit late Friday night to catch the last 1/3 or 1/2 of The Hits of Survivor featuring Jimi Jamision. After a short break, up came The Hits of Boston featuring Fran Cosmo. We watched quite a bit of the Jimi Jamison set standing beside the court house - the stage was accross the seat from the courthouse. We ended up sitting down in the grass which was a mistake as the vocals and guitars got lost sitting at ground level with most of the people in lawn chairs but I was too pooped to stand up and watch / listen.

We also arrived late Saturday for Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas but were smart enough to bring our chairs in bags. Much better. Starship featuring Micky Thomas did a pretty good job on some classic Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship songs as well as a really good rendition of Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around And Fell In Love". A bit of research and no wonder, Mickey Thomas was the vocalist way back in 1976.

The sound was pretty good but not great. But in all fairness, my recent live sound was produced by Michael's MCM / KP 362s / KP 682(?) / massive JBL horn with K69 driver stacks which made it's debut during IndyFest09 in an open park. This was downtown on the square with the stage backed up against the buildings on one side and the sound firing directly at the courthouse. I didn't recognize the speakers, j6 good size rectangular boxes on either side of the stage, 3 at ground level, 3 at approximately the elevated stage level. No idea of the amplification. Mixer which I did sneak over Friday night to take a look at was a Midas XL200, at least I think that was the model. Approximately 3' x 6' sitting in it's road case.

Unfortunately no picture of the mixer and one lousy one from my camera with a really low-grade camera phone. I thought it had 3 zoom setting.... nope 3 file sizes so this one is really tiny. I should've at least borrowed my wife's or daughter's phone....maximum resolution of 640 x 480 and I take it at 160 x 120

Starship was followed by the fireworks in nearby Foster Park where they've built a new bandstand to be used by the Kokomo Park Band and hopefully concerts like this. I'm sure the sound would be much better..... but probably still not as good as Michael's killer stack.

(pathetic but at least at the largest size.... and it's pretty poor even for a camera phone anyway)

I'll try to post ahead of time next year as Kokomo's only about an hour from Indy if any of the Indy folks are interested.

Haynes Apperson Festival 2009: http://haynesappersonfestival.org/

A brief bit of info about Elwood Haynes: http://haynesappersonfestival.org/History%20of%20Elwood%20Haynes.htm a big and probably one of the earliest reasons Kokomo bills itself as"The City of Firsts".

Welcome to your Backstage Pass

Professor Thump — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:33:01 GMT

This sure beats the cheap seats! There is nothing like a backstage pass in your hand for your favorite band. Let's see those passes. Let's hear your band doing their favorite jam.

Better Than Ezra at the Vogue

Professor Thump — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:51:40 GMT

Thanks to my fellow coworker Larry Coan's invite, I went to see BTE at the Vogue Theater in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis. This was my first time to the Vogue and I hope that it will not be my last. But Michael Jackson died last night and Larry reminded me that we aren't much younger so you never know. [:'(] Thanks for all the optimistic words Larry.

Holy Cow! What a nice theater to hear a live band. Evidently the Vogue is an old movie theater that has been converted into a nightclub. They have bars galor, almost too many and a killer PA. My tips are still shakin in my ears! Killer bass! Great articulation of the vocals.

Concert Photo's

Professor Thump — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:05:42 GMT

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/117531.aspx?PageIndex=1

This thread is part of the spirit for our new Back Stage Pass. This thread will be redirected to our new site.

Concert Posters

Professor Thump — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:51:15 GMT

http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/117684.aspx

As we are rearranging our Pro Audio Forum area. This is one of the post that will be redirected.