Hey Farns. Where is FOH today?

If this is my world, why the heck am I standing on a camera riser? Oh well, at least I get a definitive answer when I ask. No seriously, I think I only had to move FOH once this entire tour, and he asked if it was cool before telling the promoter it was okay. Thanks to the Farns for scouting out the domain from which I shall reign until tomorrow. It's not that I'm the best at what I do, I just tyrannically lord over those who enter my space!

Overqualified HBS

We have a new position on the crew this spring, Utility Tech. This guy puts chandeliers together, builds our lighting towers, runs Media Shout, and helps me with audio whenever I need it. It seems like a kind low level gig, but we have Harry Shaub. He is a road manager, FOH guy, and youth pastor.

The man


The youth pastor


The Counterweight


We love you Harry!

Charlotte

I'm a little nervous. Although I am using it right now, My computer took an enormous dump the last time I was here. After figuring me angles for the PA, I plugged this, yep still the same one, laptop in to charge. No luck. Not only did it not charge, it wouldn't power up while plugged in. NICE. For those in the know, I was using Soundweb for my processing. You MUST be online with your computer to make any changes. Oh yeah, I hadn't gotten around to backing it up.
Well, by the next day I had my tech's computer up with Smaart and Soundweb.

Lesson learned the hard way: ALWAYS back up your files. Thank you Charlotte.

Torn Video

Okay. So, I've talked about how fantastic this video is, but no one seems to have seen it. So, here it is.

A mime is a terrible thing to waste.

I'm in Hershey Arena today.

I'm in Hershey Arena today. 'Nuff said.

Aww, Stink!

So there's no way to explain how gross this venue smells. Most of the arena smells like nasty old shoes. In the docks by the busses and truck, it smells like pee. Oh yeah. There are rats the size of small dogs running around in the docks as well. Mmm...what's for dinner?

Part of your complete breakfast

Our stage manager prepping for truck number two.

Although the mobile blog worked, I still watched more 24 before sleepytime.

Let's try the mobile blog.

Let's try the mobile blog. If this works, you'll never be free. If not, I'm going back to my bunk to watch 24.

The Polls Are Closed!

Okay just for fun, I put a poll to see who liked what for bus food. The polls are closed and the unanimous winner is...pizza!? Who knew. Of course only 3 people actually voted. (I think I voted twice) All I know is that candied chicken crap from TGI Friday's got a big fat zero. I only know one person who can stomach that junk. I wonder if they are the same as the Boneless Shanghai Wings. Either way, it doesn't matter to me since, I voiced my opinion and actually get my vegetarian option for bus food. YAY! You guys who hate them can fight it out. Maybe the lovers of the candied chicken can speak up and be heard!

Hearing impaired feeds...a thing of the past!!!

This is the most amazing new technology for those of us who have to provide hearing impaired feeds. We all know the likelihood of people pirating the show from our fantastic board mixes.

But NO MORE!!!





Seriously. They are called Batphones

Air Guitar Amp???

I may be a dork, but WOW! Check this out. It's belt buckle, pick, and amp that attaches to your belt. Depending on how the pick passes the belt buckle, different songs play, or something like that. Click here to see the blog about it. I feel strangely drawn toward this amazing breakthru in air guitar technology.

This weekend

Actually a pretty good weekend. I don't really have any interesting stuff to say today. The weekend was good. Every day had a different challenge, but I felt like I came out on top at the end of each day. Go Team Tour!! Thanks for putting up with my crap, and dragging me through each day. Sometimes the crew chief needs his team to help pull him through. To the audio guys, Thanks. You guys did great, as normal, this week.

230 mpg...WOW!

Seriously...230mpg Aptera prototype by Accelerated Composites. They are trying to acheive 330mpg for 2008 availability in CA. I thought it was cool.

Newsboys & Conchords

I can't be the only one who thinks it's ironic that these guys look so similar.

Jeff Frankenstein: Newsboys Keyboard Player

Jemaine/Hiphopopottamus Flight of the Conchords Musician/Vocalist

Ghosts Exist!!

I was looking through some of my pictures from the weekend and found this!

Notice the ghostly volleyball hovering over FOH. I wonder if there is a lost soul of a former Penn State volleyball seeking closure haunting this arena. I didn't realize that inanimate objects even have souls. I hope the angry volleyball isn't now haunting my equipment. Who knows, I could be mixing, and...SPIKE!! Volleyball in the face! or worse.

I hope it is a volleyball...I would hate to have insulted some other type of haunted sporting equipment.

Thank God That's Over.

With the exception of the Thursday show (I had to look it up in the tour book to even remember it) this was an exhausting weekend.

This is Friday before we got a hold of the ceiling. See the Farns Focus or Culmer's Thoughts for more detail of Friday, and the post pictures.

Saturday...Armory...Floor covered in bird poop...no birds in the building...yuk...PA flown about 11 feet off the floor...Mix position at back of room...BUT...the show was pretty great...and load out was relatively easy.

In the words of Tony Nolan, "Go God!"

Road Fun Episode 1 "The Pre-Rig"

Well, hello again!

Today our feature is the progression of the daily bone. Watch as it unfolds.

The morning begins, innocently enough, with the department heads entering the building to mark their points. All is usually well until...




Um...look we have absolutely no room for you to hang your video wall today, Culmer. It will be okay, Farns is pointing at something. Darren appears vexed. And the tension builds.







Now Snooch is involved! Darren is still vexed. Culmer still looking to Farns for advice, but Farns is no longer pointing. WHERE IS CARTER?!?!








He is in the corner enjoying a cookie. Well played audioman!











Whew, Farns is pointing again. It will all be over soon. The crew is relieved.



The moral of the story(promoter/building guy) is that it might be easier to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, but it does not make for a happy crew. And happy crews make happy shows. Isn't that what it's all about?






Well there you have it. The kids say yes. It IS all about having a happy show.

See you next time.

Lunch was Fantastic!

...as most have been since the last post.

I had General Tso's Tofu today.

One for Culmer

Well you inspired me to put my musings in print form, for others to ignore. It sounds like a happy time. But, Katie is on her way to pick me up to eat lunch, so you'll just have to wait. (I'm building suspense here).