I work stage crew at various festivals. So, I was wondering, what is important to the bands? I know what I want from the bands, but what do bands want from the stage manager and crew? (No, I don't have anything to do with booking, scheduling or how much you are paid.)
they want to hear exactly what you have asked, if you ask them they will usually let you know. Lots of the guys I have played with prefer to get a little water, a little buzz, and be left alone to tune. Even a barrage of staffmcan be distracting, and makes for a grumpy group sometimes. The older players I have known seem to enjoy a quiet room with little light, and the younger guys like it more of a party scene. Some guys play games, some warm up for hours, its best just to ask em since they are all different. Being asked will loosen em up too, knowing that someone is willing to help out!
The crew has a chance to hear the band from out front. They can often tell better if all the instruments are balanced volume-wise. It's sometimes hard to do that from within the band itself. I like a crew that has good enough judgment to help adjust the mix properly and give their opinions if they think something isn't right. .
shaggie, I usualy work shows where the house board is in the audience. On the rare occasions where the house sound is controled from the stage, I hesitate to interupt (between songs) with a suggestion unless something is realy bad. Perhaps I should be more helpful about sound in those situations. samson, I try to be helpful. Which may explain why musicians seem so thankful. (Which leads me to wonder, what kind of crap do they have to put up with elsewhere?) My general approach is 1)help them unload 2)help them park 3) connect them to the sound company 4) point them towards food & water, 5) ask them if there is anything else, 6) tell them when I want them off stage, set up, ready to go on (i.e. 5 min. before the preceeding band goes down)
I guess mixing is more of a job for the house mix than it is for the stage crew. I go to concerts and sometimes an instrument such as bass or piano is really lacking throughout the whole concert. I think, "Why doesn't the band or mix crew balance it out?" Either the band doesn't realize it or the mixers don't know enough to correct it. Or perhaps, if it's an outdoor concert, the equipment of the group just can't put out enough volume. I hate to see a whole concert spoiled when something like that happens. I used to play in a Glenn Miller type big band and one of us would sometimes go out into the audience and listen just to see if everything was balanced. Between our mixing on stage and that of the house (if there was any) we could usually get things balanced well. .
I've run a board on occasion. The general rule is that the sound tech is responsible for the mix the audience gets. If the band has a sound tech, I will take them run things (but not twiddle the knobs, there are too many folks who think that blowing a speaker is invevitable and part of the deal.) Otherwise, I mix to please my ear. If your group has someone to advise the mix, I would love it. If you have common problems, let the tech know when you show up. Mic selection and placement can help a lot. The most common issue I have is with lead guitarists (suprise!). There are those who try to control every thing from either their guitar or their amp. ("It goes to 11") They will give me a guitar that is so hot that by the time I've trimmed the input, the signal/noise ratio sucks. The other thing they do is crank their amp so much it gets into the mics, causing mixing and feedback issues. As a last resort, I'll just cut them out of the mix and let their onstage amp play to the house. Most band's sound issues can be prevented by : 1)Talking to the sound tech before you go on. 2)Not trying to mix the house by listening to the monitors. 3)Trust the sound tech. 4)Providing a pair of ears that know what you want your mix to sound like. PS. Lest you get the wrong impression: While "problem musicians" are frequently lead guitarists, the vast majority of guitarists are good folks to work with.
