Rush: Alex Lifeson, No Cabs On Stage. Options

[Todd Simpson]

Watched this video about RUSH and their stage setup. All their Amps/Heads run in to rack mount speaker simulators and there are NO CABS/SPEAKERS active on stage! So what are those MASSIVE amps behind them? PROPS! ARRGGHHH!!

I know they are not young men anymore, but prop amps I did not expect. At least they look spiff. They use in ear monitors and evidently have very low stage volume.



This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: Jun 14 2012, 08:16 AM

[Ben Higgins]

Cool video, Todd ! I think it makes sense to clean up as much of the on stage sound as possible, so if they can get the same massive sound out of the front of house and reduce noise on stage I think it's a great idea. Even Metallica don't have a working amp up on stage according to my engineer mate. There's just 1 amp off stage, mic'd.

[SpaseMoonkey]

Cool video, Todd ! I think it makes sense to clean up as much of the on stage sound as possible, so if they can get the same massive sound out of the front of house and reduce noise on stage I think it's a great idea. Even Metallica don't have a working amp up on stage according to my engineer mate. There's just 1 amp off stage, mic'd.

I think its cool that some bands uses props to get their stages looking as they do. Gwar actually used the gear to be part of the background walls and stuff to fit it in. When I saw them, the only amp I even noticed was a peavey 6505+ combo in the one opening other than that. Not a single normal cab in site. And your engineer friend is correct! Metallica plays on a huge stage with just them, a few mics placed about and monitors. Really neat to watch them having such a huge playing area so they interact with the fans. Lars also spins on a stand every so many songs to see the whole place by the end.

This post has been edited by SpaseMoonkey: Jun 14 2012, 11:28 AM

[Ben Higgins]

I think its cool that some bands uses props to get their stages looking as they do.

I must admit that I still love the wall of Marshalls thing..

[Nihilist1]

I must admit that I still love the wall of Marshalls thing..

Do you mean... this wall of Marshalls thing?



Oh, Immortal...

[WeePee]

Do you mean... this wall of Marshalls thing?



Oh, Immortal...

Oh how goofy is that !!

[Ben Higgins]

Do you mean... this wall of Marshalls thing?



Oh, Immortal...

[The Uncreator]

Considering how amazing there stage sound is, I see no problem. Digital is the future I think, Rush just do it THAT good.

[Nihilist1]

A lot of bands do it. I remember when my band went to Chandler, Arizona to get our custom amps from Krank, they gave us a factory tour of everything they have. They had a wall of fake amps and said that a lot of artists use those nowadays as opposed to real walls.

[Ben Higgins]

A lot of bands do it. I remember when my band went to Chandler, Arizona to get our custom amps from Krank, they gave us a factory tour of everything they have. They had a wall of fake amps and said that a lot of artists use those nowadays as opposed to real walls.

It's ok, I did know that the wall of amps is made up of dummy cabs. However I thought they were full size cabs with just the speakers taken out, not sawn in half !

[Yash]

It's ok, I did know that the wall of amps is made up of dummy cabs. However I thought they were full size cabs with just the speakers taken out, not sawn in half !

I thought the same too

Never thought it was cardboard

[derper]

What about Yngwie? Just read an interview with him, and he was all about the big wall-o-marshall sound. If I hold out hope for anyone rocking a wall of REAL marshalls, it's Yngwie.

[Nihilist1]

What about Yngwie? Just read an interview with him, and he was all about the big wall-o-marshall sound. If I hold out hope for anyone rocking a wall of REAL marshalls, it's Yngwie.

He has a large wall, but this video made me believe that the wall is for looks only. It is all wired up in the back, but his rack is only attached to a singular cab somewhere else. It kind of makes me believe that it is the only amp that is truly mic'd.

[Ben Higgins]

He has a large wall, but this video made me believe that the wall is for looks only. It is all wired up in the back, but his rack is only attached to a singular cab somewhere else. It kind of makes me believe that it is the only amp that is truly mic'd.

Thanks for sharing, great video !

[Todd Simpson]

I agree 100% Ben. Having silly loud stage volume is something that you almost have to work through to realize it isn't a good thing and can cause many more problems than it solves. Being deafened on stage is almost fun at first. At first.

I didn't expect it from Rush or Metallica but I probably should have given how much road time they have put in. The in ear monitoring systems are really amazing these days and everyone gets their own mix. So more and more, I think the amp racks on stage will just be for looks for big shows.

Todd

Cool video, Todd ! I think it makes sense to clean up as much of the on stage sound as possible, so if they can get the same massive sound out of the front of house and reduce noise on stage I think it's a great idea. Even Metallica don't have a working amp up on stage according to my engineer mate. There's just 1 amp off stage, mic'd.

[Nihilist1]

I agree 100% Ben. Having silly loud stage volume is something that you almost have to work through to realize it isn't a good thing and can cause many more problems than it solves. Being deafened on stage is almost fun at first. At first.

I didn't expect it from Rush or Metallica but I probably should have given how much road time they have put in. The in ear monitoring systems are really amazing these days and everyone gets their own mix. So more and more, I think the amp racks on stage will just be for looks for big shows.

Todd

I have to agree. I like Opeth's "new" approach best. They have their amps on stage behind these sweet stage props that are a bit hard for me to describe. if you look behind The Drummer(Michael Axenrot) and the Keyboardist(Joakim Svalberg) you will notice the two devils from the album cover. Their halfstacks and racks are located directly behind these.

Basically, the prop is some type of fibrous material that is on a metal frame. They have lights positioned directly in front as well because depending on the colour of the light, the prop displays a different image.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/n8foto/6198019771/lightbox/

[Ben Higgins]

The in ear monitoring systems are really amazing these days and everyone gets their own mix. So more and more, I think the amp racks on stage will just be for looks for big shows.

Todd

Yeah, I remember an interview with Bruce Dickinson saying how in-ear monitors had really changed things for him and improved everything. Rob Halford said the same. It was mainly down to them being able to hear themselves better so they didn't have to blow their voices out whilst trying to be heard through their monitors. As we all know, Bruce and probably most of the rest of them had problems throughout the 80's with overdoing it with their voice. You'll notice after the Powerslave album that Bruce's voice had changed a lot, especially live. It was just too much to go through.

(Although, having said that, I think the vocals on Seventh Son are the finest in his career)

I have to agree. I like Opeth's "new" approach best. They have their amps on stage behind these sweet stage props that are a bit hard for me to describe. if you look behind The Drummer(Michael Axenrot) and the Keyboardist(Joakim Svalberg) you will notice the two devils from the album cover. Their halfstacks and racks are located directly behind these.

Basically, the prop is some type of fibrous material that is on a metal frame. They have lights positioned directly in front as well because depending on the colour of the light, the prop displays a different image.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/n8foto/6198019771/lightbox/

Yeah that does look good