Antelope850 wrote:Latest blog post from Dave speaks to the sound and venue issues in Mesa.
Dave Bryson's blog wrote:Well, last night’s show blew.
Phoenix show (includes set list)
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hardwood floor
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Antelope850
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Sounds like with Son Volt and Cowboy Junkies together on the bill, they took some risks on venue size that probably wouldn't have been taken for just one of them - and it probably paid off in some markets and not so much in others.
Latest blog post from Dave speaks to the sound and venue issues in Mesa.
Latest blog post from Dave speaks to the sound and venue issues in Mesa.
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megaballs1
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DeWayne Hayes
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I was there too and yes, the sound was screwed for a while. But, had you moved, I think you would have found a better spot. I was left of center stage, back on row G, and after the vocals got fixed two or three songs in, the sound was ok. It's entirely possible you (on the front row) were sitting directly in line with Mark's amplifiers (steel and keys) and if that's the case, you may have been getting blasted because of it. I definitely didn't think he was too loud where I was sitting, and I could also hear Jay's guitar fine.
Having a little experience playing in a band myself, I can tell you it is immensely frustrating trying to translate what you're hearing on stage through your monitors to what the audience is hearing through the PA. You think everything sounds great and then someone comes up after the show and says, "Man, we couldn't hear you at all."
And it's even more complicated for those people sitting directly in front of your amp - they always think you're too loud, when you (who are standing over the firing line of the amp) may think you're not even loud enough. Sound is a complicated science. But I agree, the Mesa Arts Center was a bad choice of venues. The Marquee Theater for one would have been perfect, right next to the ASU campus. I guarantee you the band would have had a lot more fun playing there than at a stuffy place like Mesa Arts.
Having a little experience playing in a band myself, I can tell you it is immensely frustrating trying to translate what you're hearing on stage through your monitors to what the audience is hearing through the PA. You think everything sounds great and then someone comes up after the show and says, "Man, we couldn't hear you at all."
And it's even more complicated for those people sitting directly in front of your amp - they always think you're too loud, when you (who are standing over the firing line of the amp) may think you're not even loud enough. Sound is a complicated science. But I agree, the Mesa Arts Center was a bad choice of venues. The Marquee Theater for one would have been perfect, right next to the ASU campus. I guarantee you the band would have had a lot more fun playing there than at a stuffy place like Mesa Arts.
> There was some free seats if you wanted to move around you could
Yes, I think I would have enjoyed it more in the period after they got the vocals fixed, before I put one earplug in -- when my right ear felt like it might bleed
> My 4th time seeing SV 2.0 and its the best one so far,
Yes, my 4th as well with 2.0, and while I could tell how well the material translated live and what a great addition Mark is, the execution really dropped it to the bottom of my SV experiences (including 1.0, 2.0 and Jay solo.) A pity, as I can see how it could have been at the top.
> Good that Jay keeps stopping in Phoenix, we do not get all the top shelf tours here
Agreed, I only hope after a show like last night he keeps stopping here (or at least anywhere in AZ, I've driven to both Flagstaff and Tucson to see them.) My concern about last night was (a) the audience was already small and (b) I don't think Son Volt got themselves any new fans from that show. I think the big fans like us will always be eager to see them, but personally I was glad I didn't bring any friends along and felt a little bad subjecting my wife to a show that was so poorly executed from a sound perspective (she has seen them several times, and knows they are much better.)
Anyhow, just my thoughts.
Take care,
Chris
Yes, I think I would have enjoyed it more in the period after they got the vocals fixed, before I put one earplug in -- when my right ear felt like it might bleed
> My 4th time seeing SV 2.0 and its the best one so far,
Yes, my 4th as well with 2.0, and while I could tell how well the material translated live and what a great addition Mark is, the execution really dropped it to the bottom of my SV experiences (including 1.0, 2.0 and Jay solo.) A pity, as I can see how it could have been at the top.
> Good that Jay keeps stopping in Phoenix, we do not get all the top shelf tours here
Agreed, I only hope after a show like last night he keeps stopping here (or at least anywhere in AZ, I've driven to both Flagstaff and Tucson to see them.) My concern about last night was (a) the audience was already small and (b) I don't think Son Volt got themselves any new fans from that show. I think the big fans like us will always be eager to see them, but personally I was glad I didn't bring any friends along and felt a little bad subjecting my wife to a show that was so poorly executed from a sound perspective (she has seen them several times, and knows they are much better.)
Anyhow, just my thoughts.
Take care,
Chris
I was seated at the back of the floor section to the side. The sound was off to begin with, you could not hear Jay's voice but they did correct that after a few songs. Mark was noticeably loud and Jay's guitar was a little hard to make out. I really liked the set and not being in the front must have helped. There was some free seats if you wanted to move around you could. The band feels a bit more free than the Search tour. Seems like the roadies where stressed out by the constant guitar changes then. Cocaine and Ashes is a great live song. Much better than on ACD. I also really liked the finish, looked like the whole band was enjoying the show. Masterson to me is very good, I know a lot of you all like Mr. Rice but for me, Materson works just fine. Although he looks like he just finished an extensive tour with TSOL, as Joe Ely would say, "living on soda pop and nicotine".
My 4th time seeing SV 2.0 and its the best one so far, the new material fits right in, its of course, strong stuff. I would agree its the best drop since trace. Good that Jay keeps stopping in Phoenix, we do not get all the top shelf tours here, Ryan Adams and most recently Wilco played Tucson and skipped us, but I'll take SV over that any day.
My 4th time seeing SV 2.0 and its the best one so far, the new material fits right in, its of course, strong stuff. I would agree its the best drop since trace. Good that Jay keeps stopping in Phoenix, we do not get all the top shelf tours here, Ryan Adams and most recently Wilco played Tucson and skipped us, but I'll take SV over that any day.
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countryfeedback
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i am by far and wide not very technical, but i swore i didn't hear
a lick of jay's guitar last night. i thought i was crazy or it was just me.
mark spencer was LOUD. so was chris masterson.
but the rest of the band was def lacking.
i think i finally heard jay during afterglow 61.
one of the very last songs. really was too bad.
that venue just didn't work for them, imo.
a lick of jay's guitar last night. i thought i was crazy or it was just me.
mark spencer was LOUD. so was chris masterson.
but the rest of the band was def lacking.
i think i finally heard jay during afterglow 61.
one of the very last songs. really was too bad.
that venue just didn't work for them, imo.
Sound in Phoenix was shamefully bad
Just wanted to weigh in on the show last night. I am a huge fan and was psyched to have front row tickets. Unfortunately the sound was very poor (it ranged from un-listenable to average throughout the show.)
The first 3 songs had no vocals, and the band seemed aware but plowed on (personally, I would have preferred they addressed this after the first song rather than turning in esssentially instrumental performances of the next two.)
That was finally resolved somewhat, but the mix was atrocious, Mark (who is awesome) was twice as loud as the rest of the band. Was about to move to the back of the oom (far side from Mark) just to see if it was any better (or I would have left -- it was so unlistenable) when my wife had the great idea of using an earlplug on the right ear only.) This saved the show for me and upgraded the sound to "barely acceptable." For the more acoustic numbers, the sound was fine, but anything with the whole band playing loud was still pretty muddy, and very difficult to hear Jay (with a few exceptions.)
By the encore, things seemed pretty decent, so those 4 songs sounded thecbest of the night. Unfortunately, most of the front 3 rows had left (either due to being Cowboy Junkies fans, the late hour, or the atrocious sound.)
Again, not trying to be negative just for the sake of it, but it was a "damn shame" -- as you can tell the songs are well written and Mark makes a huge contribution, it just was poorly executed, I wondered if htey had done a sound check at all. By far the most dissapointing of the 6 or 7 SV shows I have caught since 97.
Take care,
Chris
The first 3 songs had no vocals, and the band seemed aware but plowed on (personally, I would have preferred they addressed this after the first song rather than turning in esssentially instrumental performances of the next two.)
That was finally resolved somewhat, but the mix was atrocious, Mark (who is awesome) was twice as loud as the rest of the band. Was about to move to the back of the oom (far side from Mark) just to see if it was any better (or I would have left -- it was so unlistenable) when my wife had the great idea of using an earlplug on the right ear only.) This saved the show for me and upgraded the sound to "barely acceptable." For the more acoustic numbers, the sound was fine, but anything with the whole band playing loud was still pretty muddy, and very difficult to hear Jay (with a few exceptions.)
By the encore, things seemed pretty decent, so those 4 songs sounded thecbest of the night. Unfortunately, most of the front 3 rows had left (either due to being Cowboy Junkies fans, the late hour, or the atrocious sound.)
Again, not trying to be negative just for the sake of it, but it was a "damn shame" -- as you can tell the songs are well written and Mark makes a huge contribution, it just was poorly executed, I wondered if htey had done a sound check at all. By far the most dissapointing of the 6 or 7 SV shows I have caught since 97.
Take care,
Chris
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hardwood floor
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Phoenix show (includes set list)
rancid playing to 5,000 people around the corner and a light turnout, sadly, for son volt (i'm not there, i'm 3,000 miles away ... this is via text)
so far ...
the picture
underground dream
down to the wire
dust of daylight
highways and cigarettes
cocaine and ashes
when the wheels don't move
no turning back
big sur
methamphetamine
tear-stained eye
action
the search
gramaphone
bandages and scars
afterglow 61
feel free
windfall
looking at the world through a windshield
hank
so far ...
the picture
underground dream
down to the wire
dust of daylight
highways and cigarettes
cocaine and ashes
when the wheels don't move
no turning back
big sur
methamphetamine
tear-stained eye
action
the search
gramaphone
bandages and scars
afterglow 61
feel free
windfall
looking at the world through a windshield
hank