I am just about to leave for the Phoenix to play sound engineer for tonight’s gig although it wont be quite as good as I was expecting, only one band are playing now, and its one of the loudest bands in Plymouth, Consolation Prizefighter. So it’s safe to say that the sound won’t be good, as the guitarist and bassist will crank up their amps to ’10’ and make everything sound horrid, it was so loud last time that a 6,800watt PA couldn’t get the vocals over the backline noise, and I expect things to be no different tonight. They seem to like quantity over quality, and don’t seem to understand that when you are hammering the hell out of the amp, it sounds horrid, all the soundman can do is boost the drums and vocals, no need to mic up the guitar and bass cabs. I will have to word with the band, try to convince them to turn down; but I won’t be holding my breath that it will actually happen, although the place will be full of drunken students, so they probably won’t notice how awful it sounds. I’ll just sit at the sound desk with my earplugs in, oblivious to the noise coming off stage! Despite this, I am still nervous about it as it’s the first time I have used the new setup, and want it to sound good; as its my reputation on the line, although the best engineers in Plymouth can’t get these guys sounding good, so I am in good company!