Doppler, A Roadies View

Years Gone By

2019-12-19T01:40:00.000-05:00

I had kind of forgot about this blog. Do people even blog anymore? It's seems like podcasts are the norm these days. My life is turning on its side a bit these days. The ship is taking in a bit of water but hopefully it will come back afloat soon.

The road and another year gone...

2014-01-20T16:40:00.000-05:00

It's a very cold and snowy day today. I decided to log onto my blog, which I realized today I never seem to post to anymore. I guess it happens. I find myself on Twitter and unfortunately Facebook. Also there are a few industry blogs and forums that I like to frequent.

Time seems to go by quicker each year. 2013 found me still touring, though not as much as the previous few. The guys in YES have been keeping me busy and 2014 is gearing up to be more so than 2013.

The music business is shifting on so many levels. Bands are making very little money selling their music. So touring is a means to make some real money and if they are lucky a living. The bean counters have really stuck there noses into the industry. Managers, accountants and even the bands themselves are cutting back on salaries offers. They are also pushing to cut back on the amount of people they hire and ask the ones they do to wear more than one hat.

This multi hat issue is not new. It has been going on with the younger and up incoming artists for some time. The problem is established and more well known bands are doing it more and more. For example they want the same person to do sound and road manage. Or they want someone to set up the band gear and handle the merchandise. Yet they only want to pay them the equivalent of one job or even less.

What this is leading to is the quality of work is suffering. Also I believe it will lead to safety issues as well.

As a fan it will effect you to a point. The quality of the product will go down. Say if you have an young inexperienced sound person mixing your favorite band and it sounds bad, you a not getting what you paid for. This will come back on the artist because "you" the fan may not be willing to pay your hard earned money to see them the next time around.

2013 is underway

2013-01-31T13:18:00.002-05:00

ASIA Lighting Rig Japan 2012

Is it really a month into 2013 already? Wow time seems to be flying by. 2012 was a fairly busy touring year which was good for the bank account. I spent most of the year touring with the band YES. We did a North American tour which included the US, a couple Canadian shows and a show in Mexico City. We also did a tour of the far east which included Japan, Australia and Indonesia. Things wrapped up at the end of the summer.

Mount Fuji

In September I was asked to work with the guys from ASIA which of course includes Steve Howe and Geoff Downes from YES. It was ASIA's 30 anniversary tour. This time we started in Japan and then did a North American tour. The tour wrapped up at the end of November.

It was then announced that Steve Howe would be leaving ASIA to concentrate on solo work and of course the band YES.

Speaking of YES. The band will be hitting the road at the end of February for another North American tour. They will be performing three of their classic albums in their entirety. Also there will be a five day cruise during the middle of it, that will feature several progressive rock bands along with YES headlining.

After this tour we should be heading to South America in May. After that there is talk of a summer tour but where we haven't been told yet.

part of the kitchen remodel

Since I have been home for the holidays I have worked a few local shows, but mainly I have spent this past month remodeling my kitchen. I hired a contractor to do 75% of the work. I designed the kitchen and did most of the demo and all of the painting. I was very fortunate that it came in at what I had budgeted. I have a home improvement line of credit which I have been using over the past year to make improvements to the house.

It's tough doing anything around your house when you spend more time away from it than you do in it.

I will be working this year just pay for most of these improvements but in the end it will be worth it.

I'm off to see the wizard

2012-07-06T16:10:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy 6 weeks here at home, working with the guys at Audio Images Sound & Lighting. We have been doing quite a few festivals providing staging, sound, lights, backline, etc. Long hours but also some good times and laughs.

Well now it's back on the road on Sunday with the band YES. The tour is kicking off in Toronto and will run till August 22 when it finishes in Mexico City. A North American tour in the summer and fortunately most of the shows are indoors. I hate the heat.

After the YES tour I will be heading out with the band ASIA. Steve and Geoff from YES will obviously playing with them too. The tour will kick off in Japan in the middle of September with a North American tour after that and the UK in December.

So it looks like the rest of my year will be fairly busy. I have begun looking for a different house and have been going back and forth with the credit union on a mortgage. It looks like I have finally been approved. So hopefully during the weeks between legs of the tour I can find the new digs.

Toronto.....Not again

2012-06-19T18:53:00.001-04:00

It's been a couple of days since another stage collapse. This one in Toronto, Canada happened during the afternoon just before the band Radiohead concert was to take place. Four people were hurt, one of them Scott Johnson was the bands drum tech and he lost his life. I didn't know Scott but in my business we all consider ourselves "brothers and sisters" and refer to each other that way.

Scott was a brother, one of us. We all feel a sense of loss. I can't imagine what his family is going through. My family has and still worries about me when I'm on tour. It's incidents like this that make you step back and look at your own life.

I am one of those people that is always looking around my work situation and making sure that things are safe for me and those around me. If I see something that doesn't look right I speak up. The last few years I have been even more aware.

As I have mentioned before in previous post I help build and set up these outdoor stages for a production company here at home when I'm not on tour. So I guess my senses are heightened a bit more.

I will be heading back on the road in a few weeks with the band YES for another round of shows. There are a couple of outdoor shows where we will be on stages built by someone else that I probably don't know. I will be the one guy who will be looking over everything with a keen eye.

Stay Classy Buffalo

2012-06-02T19:01:00.001-04:00

It’s that time of year and the summer concert season has begun. Concert tours large and small. This includes festival shows of all types of music styles.

It’s the time of year when radio stations like to have their summer “bashes” by some catchy name. Most of these are outdoor events.

The country stations are no exception. Last night was one of these shows. This is known as “Taste Of Country” and this one was in Buffalo NY. The production company that I work for when I am not touring provides sound, lights and staging for this event and has for several years.

We actually set up the stage and everything the day before (Thursday). We had excellent weather though a bit cool. The forecast for the show (Friday) was rain most of the day. The promoter (radio station) scheduled this festival “rain or shine”.

The morning of the show the bands loaded in their equipment this included some additional lighting, stage monitors, backline, etc. Just a typical day which began at 8am. The weather has turned gray, cold and rainy.

We try to keep things as dry as possible. Covering up some of the gear with tarps etc. The day progressed normally considering the conditions. The gates opened and the crowd streamed in.

There were five acts on the bill and the first four performed. All of them in the rain even though the intensity of the weather varied through out. The conditions were monitored all day and fortunately no thunderstorms or dangerous winds up to this point.

This changed during the fourth artist Joe Nichols. The wind started to pick up and rain became quite heavy during the late part of his set. I personally became concerned. I am the lighting crew chief on this event. However I am also responsible for operating the motors that support the “roof” system, which the lighting is attached to. The owner of our company was working on site with us and he also voiced concerns with the changing conditions.

We decided to lower the roof down in hopes to reduce the pressure on the structure. This is normal procedure and it’s recommend by the company that makes it. Upon doing so we received weather reports that the conditions were going to get worse. The covering on the roof was taking quite a beating. With that said the staging was holding up very well. We take great care and time to make sure of this. We even add two additional towers upstage to help carry the load of everything hanging on it. This is an eight tower roof.

No matter how safe you are and how good the equipment Mother Nature can still come up and smack you in the face. The roof is only rated to handle a certain point of wind speeds and we were approaching them. So it was decided with all those involved that the remainder of the show was to be cancelled.

No one likes to see this. We don’t go through the dozens of hours, effort and man power to not give the paying public what they want. It’s about putting on the best show possible. When it’s all said and done the public safety, the bands and crews safety are what matters.

The public was told that we could not continue at which point the booing began. This was understandable. What began next was pathetic. Several people decided to begin throwing full beer cans, chairs and other items at the stage. We are looking out for these people’s safety and they turn around and potentially could hurt those helping them by throwing things.

Yes it was small amount of idiots that did this but it makes the people of Buffalo come across as ignorant and childish.

I hope those that threw things and shouted obscenities have “sobered up” today and realize that stopping the show was the right thing to do. They can say what they want. I know that all the powers that be would handle this the same way if and when it’s happens again.

I know I woke up earlier today knowing we did the right thing.

It's been awhile

2012-05-10T16:01:00.001-04:00

I have not posted here in months. Not that there hasn't been much going on. Far from it. I've been pretty busy with work and life in general. I just haven't found the energy to post here I guess.

So where do I begin. Well I have been working with the band YES since last fall. We do a tour of Europe which included stops from Portugal to Finland. I had a chance to do some sightseeing going to places I have not been to and some I had been to before. The biggest disappointment was the fact that we didn't make it to the show in Moscow. The singer lost is voice and we cancelled the last three shows of the tour. I have never been to Russia and don't know if I will get the chance again, at least on tour. These things happen.

The holidays came and went. I did a couple local shows for the production company that I work with when I'm home.

In late March I boarded a plane and headed to New Zealand. This is where we began the tour which consisted of shows in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Indonesia and Hawaii. Let me just say we logged a lot of frequent flyer miles.

The band will be hitting the road again in July with a six week US tour.

Back to the Road

2011-10-02T22:20:00.002-04:00

After a long summer of local and regional shows I will be heading back on the road. This time it's off to Europe for a six week tour with the band YES. It has been a lot of years since I have toured Europe and I am looking forward to it on many levels. The worst part is that it comes just before the holiday season. I won't get home until late on Dec 16th which leaves me little time to shop for family and friends.

At least I will have some money to spend.

Stage Collapse's my view

2011-08-18T20:07:00.001-04:00

As someone who has been in the music industry as a touring crew person I have seen a lot of things in my time. The last month has been tough for people in my industry. Today another stage was damaged, this time in Belgium. In this case and also in Indiana and Ottawa it appears that weather played a major role in these stages collapsing.

Several people including concert patrons were killed and injured. No one wants to see this happen especially us who are responsible for building these stages.

Most of these years I have worked as a lighting director and or tech. I also have worked in other areas too. The last few years I went back to working for a regional production company when I am not touring. We provide all aspects of production, sound, lighting, backline, trucking and yes staging. Matter of fact we own Thomas staging just like what was used in Indiana. We also use Stageline.

I can tell you we take great care and time when setting these up. Granted there is a difference between the two types. One of them you build from the ground up and is comprised of trussing. The other is self contained and when closed it is basically a tractor trailer.

Neither type of stage will withstand a tornado but they are rated to handle certain weather and wind speeds to a point. Some people have been blaming the stages and the people that put them up as the fault in their collapse. Granted I was not personally involved in any of them. I will say that most of these people have no idea what they are talking about.

Whenever I step foot onto someone else's stage I make sure to look and all aspects of it. How is in setting, are there ballast supports, is the sound and lighting hanging correctly on it, etc. I also keep and eye on the weather especially when I am involved with one of oupr companies stages.

Just yesterday we set up a Stageline 260 for a Barenaked Ladies show and everything went off without a hitch. That stage will get set up again for a show and then on Saturday. One of our Thomas roofs is setting up for a show on Saturday. Our concern will be the safety of all the people on or around. Not because of what has recently happened, but for the fact this is always what we have done.

If weather becomes a factor we will take the necessary action to assure every ones safety.

The dumbest thing I've ever done

2011-07-15T19:20:00.002-04:00

I did something stupid this week as you can see. I'm in the middle of the summer concert season and now this.

I'm a free agent

2011-02-24T18:42:00.001-05:00

The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side - Hunter S Thompson

The Great White North

2011-01-09T15:02:00.003-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted. Which is fine since not that many people seem to visit this blog much these days. I'm still working with the boys in Finger Eleven. We have been touring doing various shows since October in the US and Canada. The last shows were in mid December and we have been off the road enjoying the holidays.

Of course I always seem to work when I am home these days doing other shows for Audio Images. This included a show outside in Niagara Falls with Smash Mouth.

On Wednesday, its back on the bus and a month of shows in Canada. Yes you read that right, Canada in January and February. It's always an adventure just because you never know if you will make it to a show because the weather can change quickly. The shows should be good they always have been in the past.

The bummer for me is we are not carrying full production this time out. I will be bring a few extra lights and my own lighting console, but I will be relying on local production. This will vary from venue to venue unfortunately. The other thing is we only have one day of production rehearsals and I have had no programming time. This is partially my fault since I have been spending so much time with my girlfriend and have let the work lapse a bit.

It will be all good, hopefully.

Anyway the dates are listed below in case you need them.

01.14.2011 The Venue - Peterborough, ON
01.16.2011 Capitol Centre - North Bay , ON
01.17.2011 Grand Theatre - Kingston , ON
01.18.2011 Studio JPR - Montreal, QC
01.19.2011 Bronson Centre - Ottawa, ON
01.21.2011 89X Radio Show @ St. Andrews Hall - Detroit, MI
01.22.2011 Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Toronto, ON
01.24.2011 Hamilton Place Theatre - Hamilton, ON
01.25.2011 Elements - Kitchener, ON
01.26.2011 Empire Theater - Belleville, ON
01.27.2011 Cowboy's Ranch - London, ON
01.30.2011 Lakehead University - Thunder Bay, ON
01.31.2011 Burton - Winnipeg, MB
02.02.2011 Conexus Arts Centre - Regina, SK
02.03.2011 Odeon - Saskatoon, SK 20:00:00
02.04.2011 MacEwan Hall - Calgary, AB
02.05.2011 Edmonton Event Center - Edmonton, AB
02.07.2011 Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
02.08.2011 Club 9one9 - Victoria, BC
02.09.2011 Clarke Theatre - Mission, BC
02.11.2011 Rock City - Grand Prairie, AB
02.12.2011 Energy Center - Cold Lake, AB
02.13.2011 Club NV - Fort McMurray, AB
02.15.2011 The Esplanade - Medicine Hat, AB

November Slow

2010-11-14T23:43:00.002-05:00

Well things have slowed down for a couple weeks. We just wrapped up a few weeks of warm up shows in the US and some shows in Eastern Canada. There is a show in Pittsburgh later this month. We then do some shows in the US in December. A few of them are headlining shows and some are with our old friends Chevelle.

January and February we will be touring in Canada. Lots of warm clothes will be needed for that.

The holiday season is quickly approaching and I haven't even thought about gifts for anyone. I have been trying to purchase a new home, which has not been going well. The offer was accepted but the banks have stonewalled me. So if it doesn't pan out I will probably just put some of my money back into my current house and continue with some improvements. At least it will help to sell it when the time comes.

I did a gig in a venue that I never thought I would. An Apple store. We did an iTunes performance at the one in Montreal. Interesting to say the least.

so it begins

2010-10-12T14:47:00.002-04:00

Just did a few shows last week, two of them in Quebec. I'm talking about way up in Quebec in two Creenation towns. We flew up on chartered planes. It was different , yet familiar all the same. The shows were in small hockey arenas and we had decent production.

On Friday it's back on the bus and a run of US shows over the next couple weeks. November and December are still being put together and will probably be radio station sponsored Christmas shows. The plan is a Canadian theater tour in January and February.

Hopefully things will go well with this new CD and the band work well into 2011.

I'm trying to purchase another house during all this touring. Hopefully I get it and can make the move during the breaks before the holidays. Of course that means I will need to sell my current house.

Fall touring

2010-09-02T16:25:00.003-04:00

Well after having a summer tour pulled out from under me. I spent it working for the production company here at home. Fortunately it has been and is still fairly busy. Two of my past artist will be doing shows this fall. I will not however be out with the one that I have worked with longer since those shows will be mostly acoustic shows.

So I will be hitting the road with Finger Eleven who I worked with during their last album cycle in 2007-08. They have a new CD coming out October 5th and hopefully they will have the same and even greater success than the last one.

Five For Fighting New Label

2010-05-27T14:51:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to congratulate John and Five For Fighting on the move to Wind-Up Records. In case you don't know John has left Columbia Records after 10 years. The current CD Slice will be re-released along with the title track being released as a single in July.

So now several of the artists that I have worked with over the last few years are now on the same label.

A Sad Day

2010-05-16T19:56:00.001-04:00

RIP Ronnie James Dio

coming to an end

2010-04-06T01:29:00.004-04:00

I have been out on the road over two months. Two different artists. Both tours were good but I am really looking forward to going home for a bit.

This current tour has become a bit of a drag on everyone for several reasons. We all get along and enjoy doing shows but things are different these days. The industry is changing and it shows.

This year may be a change for me. I still plan to tour but I also plan to build a solid base at home. Establishing a steady gig is my goal.

update.....

2010-03-23T01:01:00.002-04:00

I haven't been updating here for a few weeks. Just too busy and tired. I have been out with Five For Fighting since wrapping up with Theory of a Deadman.

The tour has been smooth for the most part. We have a small but hard working crew out here. John and the band are playing well. The disappointing thing is attendance is down a bit on this tour. The economy is having an effect for sure.

We wrap this tour up April 10th. I plan on going home to take a couple days off and get caught up on things there. Not sure what is happening touring wise for the summer. Hopefully a tour with one of the other bands I toured with a few years ago. However they are not done recording a new CD as of yet.

The production company at home is starting to get busy again so there is always work there.

on the road

2010-02-18T17:33:00.001-05:00

I am still out with Theory Of A Deadman and will be till the 27th of Feb. We have had to cancel the last three shows do to illness. It looks like things will be back on track this weekend.

I will be flying back east on the 28th to start the Five For Fighting tour.

Now I just need to get over this cold.

packing my bags

2010-01-21T16:03:00.006-05:00

Well I will be packing my bags and hitting the road again in a couple weeks. Not only will I be out with Five For Fighting but I have to do another tour right before.

I will be out with Theory of a Deadman for a few weeks filling in for their current lighting director. I will joining up with them on Feb 7 and be out until Feb 27. The following day it's a cross country flight back east to start the Five For Fighting tour.

So I will be busy for the next 2 months and it will mean crosing the US several times.

Here are the dates for FFF if you haven't seen them, they are on the website too.

1-Mar MON Burlington, VT Higher Ground 
3-Mar WED Boston, MA House of Blues
4-Mar THU New York, NY Grand Ballroom  
7-Mar SUN Westbury, NY Theatre at Westbury
8-Mar MON Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory 
9-Mar TUE Washington, DC Lisner Auditorium 
10-Mar WED Charlotte, NC Fillmore  
12-Mar FRI Atlanta, GA Center Stage  
14-Mar SUN Orlando, FL The Plaza Theatre 
16-Mar TUE Oklahoma City, OK The Diamond Ballroom 
17-Mar WED Omaha, NE Sokol Auditorium 
18-Mar THU St. Louis, MO The Pageant 
20-Mar SAT St. Paul, MN The Fitzgerald Theatre 
21-Mar SUN Des Moines, IA People's Court 
23-Mar TUE Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom 
24-Mar WED Chicago, IL The Vic Theatre 
25-Mar THU Kansas City, MO Beaumont 
27-Mar SAT Aspen, CO The Belly-Up 
28-Mar SUN Denver, CO Ogden 
30-Mar TUE Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
1-Apr THU Seattle, WA Neumo's   
2-Apr FRI Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom 
3-Apr SAT San Francisco, CA Regency Ballroom  
6-Apr TUE Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern  
7-Apr WED San Diego, CA House of Blues
9-Apr FRI Irvins, UT Tuacahn Ampitheater

Early 2010

2010-01-14T19:46:00.003-05:00

Well two weeks into the new year and things have started to pick up. I'm still working for the local production company doing regional shows.

I will also be hitting the road at the end of Feb with Five For Fighting again as the lighting director. I will also be the production manager for the tour. It's going to be a couple busy months ahead but it beats 2009.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2009-12-24T15:16:00.002-05:00

2009 Coming to an end

2009-12-19T22:00:00.002-05:00

It has been a strange year on so many levels. I know I am not the only one who feels this. The time has also seemed to have passed very quickly.

As we move into 2010 I find myself still working in a business that is highly competitive and yet can be very rewarding. The pay isn't bad either.

I will be hitting the road again in the new year with Five For Fighting. This will be the fourth album (CD) cycle that I will be doing for John and his band. Really looking forward to it. I'm also settling in with a production company as one of their lighting techs when I am home. This is nice since it keeps me busy, pays the bills and keeps me in touch with others in the business.

Starting to doing some of the corporate side of things too. Lighting conventions and other events of these types.

I complained a bit this year about my work situation but it got frustrating and even scary at times. So as we move into another decade I hope to continue on this journey and hopefully things will move on a prosperous path.

Another tour I won't be working

2009-08-28T17:13:00.004-04:00

Well John (aka Five For Fighting) will be hitting the road this fall. It will be an acoustic tour, with John and guitarist Greg Suran. I have not spoke to him (John) directly. I did talk to the sound engineer/tour manager who will be working with him on this tour. The full band will probably not tour until 2010. I will not be out on the acoustic tour.

Anyway here are the dates if you haven't seen them.

18-Oct Toronto, ON El Mocambo
20-Oct New York, NY City Winery
22-Oct Bay Shore, NY (Long Island) YMCA Boulton Center
23-Oct Uncasville, CT The Wolf Den
24-Oct Washington, DC Jammin Java
26-Oct Boston, MA The Paradise
27-Oct Philadelphia, PA World Café Live (downstairs)
29-Oct Nashville, TN The Belcourt
30-Oct Chicago, IL Lakeshore
3-Nov Salt Lake City, UT The State Room
5-Nov Seattle, WA Crocodile
6-Nov Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
10-Nov San Francisco, CA Swedish American Hall
11-Nov Los Angeles, CA Largo at the Coronet

As for me. I will be in Memphis in September with Eyrkah Badu working as her lighting director. I am covering for her regular LD on the show.

Also I was contacted about another tour in October. I was asked to send in a resume and so now it's wait and see.