930 sound system

[jabella]

Thanks - that probably explains it best.  I have definitely heard some openers with better sound than the headliners.  I'm surprised the band sound engineer would not get more help from the venue staff, but sound guys usually have their own methods - to hell with everyone else:)

[fatskippy]

The great sound is the only thing that makes me keep putting up with the absurd overselling of the 9:30 Club

[notme]

the pa system at 930 might be the best i have ever heard.  one problem with the sound is who is mixing.  i have heard some incredible bass for a small opening act.  then the headliner sounds muddy.   another problem is that those d+b j cabinets are very tight/narrow.  there is not much sound on the side of them.  if you are too close (within 5-6 rows/people from the stage) you might only hear the sound from the stage with very distant vocals.  i thought those speakers pointed straight down looked like the old front fills mounted to the old eaws.  i can't say i ever heard them with the new system.  i remember one time i saw son volt with the eaw system.  the front fills would only come on for the vocals.  when there were no vocals, no front fills.  when i saw son volt a couple of weeks ago, the vocals 2-3 people  back from the stage were very present.  the instruments seemed to come from the stage.  they used the old eaw's as side fills, so i am not sure if i heard those or the top mounted front fills.  gus once told me it was up to the band mixer to use the front fills.  it is too bad that they are not used consistantly.  oh yeah, are those little front fills powerful enough to throw enough sound from that distance?  

[Sir HC]

The front fills are Q cabs and can throw pretty damn well.  They are on a separate aux so you can put only things that you want in them versus the main PA. This was the case with the EAWs too.  Reason is that you don't want to put the same mix there as the stage throw mucks it up and you don't want to stress the Qs (or those cute little EAWs that were there before) with bass and kick.  Problem is that the infills can also add to feedback issues as they do spill onto the stage (not as much now though).

I still remember the story years back when Helmet played, and Paige asked how it sounded.  Someone right up front said they couldn't hear the vocals.  He replied "Well get where the speakers are". 

Usually the headliner will have a guy and the openers don't, so that is the club guy who has lots of experience with the rig mixing.  Headliners usually have great guys, but sometimes they have sub-par guys or they make it sound like what the egos in the band want (and not what should be).  And remember, as taught to me by one great engineer, "Sometimes you just have to turn it up".

[azaghal1981]

At the last Sebadoh show from a couple years back, some guy complained about not being able to hear the vocals up front to which Lou  replied "want to hear the vocals? Put your ear right here on my monitor. Or back up." That was pretty funny."

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

At the last Sebadoh show from a couple years back, some guy complained about not being able to hear the vocals up front to which Lou  replied "want to hear the vocals? Put your ear right here on my monitor. Or back up." That was pretty funny."

Ha.

I saw The Evens at this old firehouse that had been converted to an art gallery here in Richmond 2 years ago. A few songs in (after having us all sit down on the floor because there is no raised stage), Ian asks if anyone has a question and this dopey looking kid sticks his hand up and they call on him and he goes "Can you turn up the toms a bit? They're pretty quiet in the mix." And Amy goes "Uh, there's no sound system... I can give them a pep talk and tell them to perk up if you like." They rode the kid pretty hard about it the rest of the show.

[killsaly]

At the last Sebadoh show from a couple years back, some guy complained about not being able to hear the vocals up front to which Lou  replied "want to hear the vocals? Put your ear right here on my monitor. Or back up." That was pretty funny."

One of my good friends now hates Sebadoh after that show.  Their noise assualt at the end of the show was too much for him.  I thought it was great.

[azaghal1981]

That show was all kinds of awesome. They played everything anyone could've hoped to hear. Too bad it was so poorly attended.

[killsaly]

I enjoyed the light crowd, gave me room to breathe.  That show and the last Low show there have been two of my favorite club shows, crowd wise at least.