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Was looking for a place to go out to eat on Saturday and we were thinking of going out near the downtown arena so I checked to see if anything was going on because I didn't want to be there if there was a concert. Turns out Madonna was playing who my wife loves so I checked if there were tickets and ended up finding two on the last row of the floor for $114 each. So off to Madonna we went.
Great spectacle of a show but what I couldn't get over and I was sitting right next to the sound board was how god awful the sound was. Just complete muddled crap. The ability to hear her vocals which is kind of the reason you go to see Madonna kept going in and out from song to song. The bass was super high but not in a good way and I've been to EDM shows that knew how to do bass.
After the show my wife went on FB group she is on about things to do in Sacramento and everyone was complaining about the sound with some people saying they have stopped going to shows there because they think it has something to do with the arena when in fact it's just crappy for hire sound production teams that don't give a shit or are all deaf.
Made me realize how spoiled we are with the sound that the Dead put together and then Phish picked it up from there. It can be done but I guess you just have to care.
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mylar
The touring acts that come
The touring acts that come into the DOCO and Memorial Auditorium arenas usually bring their own sound crew. There is always IATSE support, but generally not on the board because most of the artists, like Madonna, present choreographed and scripted performances.
For smaller, local Sacramento venues, there are a few that employ good sound people, but most rely on the performers to provide their own sound, including PA. This often means the band has to set up, run the best sound check they can and perform without someone able to make tweaks during the show, unless they have the board onstage or can make adjustments with a mobile device.
Come down to the Torch for a Hippie Hour some 1st Friday of the month and say high! I'll buy you and the wife a drink!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
What did the soundman say
What did the soundman say when you asked him why the sound sounded like shit?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: El Nino
Yeah I refrained from yelling
Yeah I refrained from yelling at the sound guys. I witnessed more than one spun out dead head yell at Healy that the sound sucked in section 114 last night dude. Didn't want to be that guy and I was along for the ride.
I remember seeing Little Feat at the Maritime Hall a notorious echo chamber and noticed Healy was running the board that night and it sounded great. I'm no pro but always thought he did an amazing job.
Thanks for the invite to the Torch I will try and finally make it down there.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
That's too bad that Madonna's
That's too bad that Madonna's sound sucked. Before I found the Grateful Dead, I used to see a lot of heavy metal and hard rock bands and the sound always sucked. Thought it was just part of the live music experience.
Then I saw the Grateful Dead.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
We've been so fortunate!
We've been so fortunate!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Druba
Working local festivals back
Working local festivals back in my sound days, was always interesting to see how many different approaches there were.
My fave mixes usually had a full spectrum of sound, w/ deep lows with bass, crisp highs with cymbals, everything was in the mix with a slight pan to help separate / isolate different instruments, making them much clearer and cleaner in the mix. Allen (Reggae and African bands) comes to mind, he'd fly in for the Oregon Country Fair, and would mix a few main stage acts. Waylon, the current PA owner, also does a great job (I believe he mixed Phil, or at least helped mix Phil, when he was there). They always had the bands sounding clean and clear, while punching the sternum, yet not being toooo loud, very much what I consider to be the Grateful Dead sound!
The guy w/ the most impressive resume, Mike (Oscars to Superbowl half time shows) tended to compress everything and turn it into the AM radio sound... was never my fave approach in comparison, but you could hear everything in the mix clearly, so was a viable option. My opinion, is that it wasn't necessary outside in an open environment (vs echoey stadium). Whereas when my band use to play echo chamber nightmares like McAlexander Field house in Corvallis, putting the entire mix thru the compressor was the only way to get a decent discernible sound in such a muddy / echoey environment. Learned that trick from Billy Triplet (RIP), he ran sound for Prince for around 70 some odd shows, making him the longest lasting front house guy up to that point in time (when they were warming up for the Rolling Stones).