catfish
04-12-2007, 01:35 AM
Catfish WOW! Let us know if they are really tinted blue in real life! Seriously man, how exciting! Please share your experience with us when you get a moment~
Lori
Ok Lori, Ill give it a go here at the water cooler only because you asked. This may get long and boring to some if it does then simply click off and forget about it :)
First I have to say it is not really all that exciting after all these years its just as we say SSDB (same sh@@ different band) but I was looking forward to this gig since so many instructors have posted about BMG in the past.
The day started early I had to drive 30 miles to meet the others by 6:30 am then we rode another hour and a half to the venue. I’m sure you have gone to concerts. As you walk in find your seat you notice the stage and the set and lights and speaker towers. Some times you will see monitor world off stage left and dimmer world off stage right and of course FOH (front of house), where the main mix sound engineer and LD (lighting director) work.
When we show up the venue is empty. This is load in First thing that happens is the head rigger and ground riggers start to mark out the points. Tour busses with the road crew show up and semi trucks back into the loading dock. This Blue Man Group had 6 semis of gear which is a medium sized show. In comparison larger shows have 18or more semis of gear.
Once you check in with the steward all hands go to the dock and start rolling road cases into the arena. The whole thing is pretty orchestrated and timing is crucial. The first cases to come off the trucks are the rigging gear then the up riggers go up 60 feet or more in the air walking and hanging from the steel beams and start hanging points that light and sound trusses will be hung from. More gear comes in and when enough electrical gear is in the electricians break off and start to assemble the lighting trusses and lay out feeder cable Dimmers etc. then start hanging lights.
The other hands continue to bring in more gear then the sound crew starts to build the speaker towers and lay out feeder cable and cable up amp racks. More gear comes in. The carpenters start building the set and anything that needs to be assembled. By now the union says we get a 15 minute break everything slows down for 15 minutes. Then back to working against the clock. There is a lot going on and you stay focused on what you are doing because it is easy to get hurt if you don’t.
The work continues it is amazing how it all comes together everything timed and in sync. Lunch is catered and we break off so many hands at a time then others take their turn. The back line (band gear) comes in and some people get cut. They will be off until 30 minutes before the show ends yo be ready for load out. Every so often more hands get cut. I keep busy helping others trying to stay as many hours as possible. I got cut just before sound check at 3:00pm I’d be off till 7pm for show call (working the show) The load in took from 8 am till 3 pm This show I started as an electrician when we finished up the lights I helped the props guys the back line crew
While I was off I walked around town a while and got something to eat then walked back to the venue. I watched part of the sound check then found a spot on some road cases to take a nap At 10 till 7 The stage manager woke me up and gave me my back stage pass. I had a meeting at 7 pm to find out what I was going to do during the show. I and another guy were the deck hands we moved things on and off the stage. 6 other of our guys worked the follow spot lights.
I liked the music this group did but I have no idea of the names of the songs. I could feel how some of them would work quite well for IDC The 3 dudes with blue heads didn’t talk just performed at one point they were back stage grabbing a drink of water one came over by me and said “I’m glad you are here man” and that was it
Immediately after the show the load out starts. Most every one is back on the same crew as load in and everything is done in reverse. It is fast very fast One dude from the audience asked me how long it took to tear all this stuff down, he about flipped when I told him this show would take between 2 and 2 ½ hours to load out. Once its all back in the trucks the road crew guys walk around shaking hands with us and thanking us for the help, we get our Tee shirts with the band name and LOCAL CREW written on it then we go home till the next show. I rode with the others back to where we met 1 ½ hrs away then had to drive the other 30 miles home I was falling asleep at the wheel so I pulled over and took a short nap 3 different times finally made it home at 5 am.
Don’t know if that is what you wanted to hear about most times we don’t hang out with the musicians or anything it’s a support role Next time you go to a concert take a good look at the all the gear the set the lights the sound and stage give the roadies and local crew a thought and then enjoy the show! Lori Do you want me to send you my back stage pass to your PO box?
Catfish
Lori
Ok Lori, Ill give it a go here at the water cooler only because you asked. This may get long and boring to some if it does then simply click off and forget about it :)
First I have to say it is not really all that exciting after all these years its just as we say SSDB (same sh@@ different band) but I was looking forward to this gig since so many instructors have posted about BMG in the past.
The day started early I had to drive 30 miles to meet the others by 6:30 am then we rode another hour and a half to the venue. I’m sure you have gone to concerts. As you walk in find your seat you notice the stage and the set and lights and speaker towers. Some times you will see monitor world off stage left and dimmer world off stage right and of course FOH (front of house), where the main mix sound engineer and LD (lighting director) work.
When we show up the venue is empty. This is load in First thing that happens is the head rigger and ground riggers start to mark out the points. Tour busses with the road crew show up and semi trucks back into the loading dock. This Blue Man Group had 6 semis of gear which is a medium sized show. In comparison larger shows have 18or more semis of gear.
Once you check in with the steward all hands go to the dock and start rolling road cases into the arena. The whole thing is pretty orchestrated and timing is crucial. The first cases to come off the trucks are the rigging gear then the up riggers go up 60 feet or more in the air walking and hanging from the steel beams and start hanging points that light and sound trusses will be hung from. More gear comes in and when enough electrical gear is in the electricians break off and start to assemble the lighting trusses and lay out feeder cable Dimmers etc. then start hanging lights.
The other hands continue to bring in more gear then the sound crew starts to build the speaker towers and lay out feeder cable and cable up amp racks. More gear comes in. The carpenters start building the set and anything that needs to be assembled. By now the union says we get a 15 minute break everything slows down for 15 minutes. Then back to working against the clock. There is a lot going on and you stay focused on what you are doing because it is easy to get hurt if you don’t.
The work continues it is amazing how it all comes together everything timed and in sync. Lunch is catered and we break off so many hands at a time then others take their turn. The back line (band gear) comes in and some people get cut. They will be off until 30 minutes before the show ends yo be ready for load out. Every so often more hands get cut. I keep busy helping others trying to stay as many hours as possible. I got cut just before sound check at 3:00pm I’d be off till 7pm for show call (working the show) The load in took from 8 am till 3 pm This show I started as an electrician when we finished up the lights I helped the props guys the back line crew
While I was off I walked around town a while and got something to eat then walked back to the venue. I watched part of the sound check then found a spot on some road cases to take a nap At 10 till 7 The stage manager woke me up and gave me my back stage pass. I had a meeting at 7 pm to find out what I was going to do during the show. I and another guy were the deck hands we moved things on and off the stage. 6 other of our guys worked the follow spot lights.
I liked the music this group did but I have no idea of the names of the songs. I could feel how some of them would work quite well for IDC The 3 dudes with blue heads didn’t talk just performed at one point they were back stage grabbing a drink of water one came over by me and said “I’m glad you are here man” and that was it
Immediately after the show the load out starts. Most every one is back on the same crew as load in and everything is done in reverse. It is fast very fast One dude from the audience asked me how long it took to tear all this stuff down, he about flipped when I told him this show would take between 2 and 2 ½ hours to load out. Once its all back in the trucks the road crew guys walk around shaking hands with us and thanking us for the help, we get our Tee shirts with the band name and LOCAL CREW written on it then we go home till the next show. I rode with the others back to where we met 1 ½ hrs away then had to drive the other 30 miles home I was falling asleep at the wheel so I pulled over and took a short nap 3 different times finally made it home at 5 am.
Don’t know if that is what you wanted to hear about most times we don’t hang out with the musicians or anything it’s a support role Next time you go to a concert take a good look at the all the gear the set the lights the sound and stage give the roadies and local crew a thought and then enjoy the show! Lori Do you want me to send you my back stage pass to your PO box?
Catfish