Lighting For Bands

Hey everyone... I've been offline for a couple of weeks so I'm glad to be back so don't thik I've ignored you if you've answered my other posts... I just haven't been here lol

Ok I chose the gear section (maybe inappropriately) as lighting to me does still fall into the GEAR category as otherwise how else do you get seen when you're on that stage!!??!!

Now to the point....

I have been asked by one fo the bands I work with if I would like to be their light guy (based on previous experience with disco lights which are a different kettle of fish).

I like the band, I like their music (harder edged commercialish rock) and I like their energy and passion. We could between us organise a good light show but my exoerience lies with clubs and even then I never had to set anything up even at field parties as someone else would hire and setup I would take control of the light desk once the event started. Also the sorts of lights I am used to haviong control of are lasers and scanner etc.

A different kettle of fish to band lighting but I feel confident enough to pull it off with a few mistakes and a fair helping of advice.

So what cans? How many? Should cans be DMX or would a simple kit like this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=017 be sufficient? with it's simplistic controller.

Additional lights... In addition to cans (a pre requisite I'd say are cans) the band want a strobe... no probs there... but what other types of light are best in this situation?

Should everything be DMX running to a DMX controller desk or are there other forms of controller that are better or more suited etc?

Cheers guys

Stage Pyrotechnics

It's a way away yet but I am planning my birthday gig in July where I'll have a number of bands playing.

The venue is quite a small one with a 9' high ceiling.

I want to do pyrotechnics throughout the night of awe'ing quality but I'm not sure where to begin.

I've been looking at le maitre systems but they seem to need a bomb cannon and it isn't suitable for this venue but I want similar types of effects to the maroons used so you get a bang and shower of sparks/confetti etc

Anyone got any pyro (not arson lol) experience that can offer advice pls?

Some Cool Bands For You Guys To Check Out

Ronseal topic guys.... exactly as it says.... check these guys out

www.myspace.com/wolvesstolemychildhood

www.myspace.com/thedamsons

www.myspace.com/theprettyyoungthings

www.myspace.com/deadlettersociety

I'll add more as we go along.... don't want to overload you!!

I'm excited by Wolves and DLS, they are going to make it big if they get a break so if you can offer these guys gigs get in touch with ME first and I'll prime them for your contact!!

Vox Ad100vt Sound Problems

Oh I'm so upset...

I bought an amp secondhand... I played on it and tested it and it all sounded great... cos it is great for my price range... the Vox AD100VT...

I bring it home with a receipt "SOLD AS SEEN & HEARD" written on it...

I plug it in all happy, I play for about ten minutes and then all of a sudden it loses sound... goes crackly and quiet...

Play about with volume control etc nothing...

push and pull pots to make sure there's nowt blocking...

can't get it working... faint farty sounds at best...

Call round friend who is quite knowledgeable in these areas but by no means an expert.

He takes the amp apart and inspects all cable connections, we swap the valve, we try my other guitar and nothing seems obvious as being wrong other than it is now blatantly the amp and not the guitar I bought with it...

Inspection of the circuit board revelas a clutching at starws chance it may be a dry joint so he gets his soldering iron and "resets" the joints on suspicious looking ones.

No result.

Now here's the weird thing, if you push the unit holding the circuitry against the cab then it more often than not works but then you let go and it stops working...

SO we gave up and screwed everything back in position firmly. But tonight I didnt want to give up so plugged amp in willing it to work... it didn't so in frustration I kind of half slapped/half punched near the power switch on the cab and it started to work and continued to do so for about ten mins then stopped.

As with every "solution" we've thought we found the problem and solution but the next time it works it works for a different reason, like now I pressed down near the model selector and it started to work momentarily then farted out of use again.

I'm at my wits end, I can't get my money back and I've been saving for a while for this so I don't want my money to be wasted.... I can't get hold of person I bought it from and if I can't get it sorted and fixed I'm screwed and seriously out of pocket....

Please help, espesh if you ahppen to be near Cambridge UK

Sloppy Player Looking To To Tighten Up

Hi All

I'm Jordan, 33, from the UK and I first got a guitar about 5 years ago. I present my own radio show called The LiveZone in Cambridge focussed on local music mixed up against established artists.

I'm completely self taught and although I have owned a guitar for 5 years my tital playing time is less than 9 months as I go thru phases of interest.

I love my instrument but I just can't always get motivated to play it.

But this year I have promised myself 2 things...

1. I will play my guitar more regularly... In the relatively little time I have actually played I have done very well and I can with determination play what I want and play it well so no more ignoring the axe, I'm gonna play it more
2. I'm going to finally start restoring my VW Beetle 1303s

Right now though I have a problem with my amp that is deeply upsetting me as I have spent a lot of money secondhand that I wont get back... I'm off to post in relevant section now...

Any questions I'll be pleased to answer

JC