Last night as previously mentioned I was working in the Hub for the first time and it went very well, no major issues to contend with. It’s much like working in any other venue, they have better equipment in general, but it still works in the same way. The feedback destroyer that I was worried about is completely automatic, the only problem on the night was feedback through the stage monitors although most of that was ironed out during sound check. It’s always handy when you have two sound engineers in the headlining band to be able to tell me the feedback frequencies to knock out as I couldn’t really hear it from the sound booth! It all sounded good out front, the bands were happy with the on stage sound, in fact the headline band said that it was the best on stage sound they have ever had from an engineer that wasn’t in the band, high praise indeed. So overall I was quite happy with my performance, there are some things I could have done better, but it’s always the same when working with new equipment until I have familiarised myself with it learning how to get the best out of it, the 60 minute sound check helped a lot, getting the sound right, which is very important for a 10 piece soul band. It was certainly one of the more challenging nights of my engineering career (but easier than when I engineered this band in the Phoenix), but I thrive on a challenge, and I know that I am equal to the challenge, so it’s all good!
Although all the way through the gig I was suffering from the consequences of the previous nights events, which wasn’t the brightest thing to do considering it was such a big gig. I started Thursday night at the Hub checking out the equipment so I had an idea of what’s going on when I arrived, but I started drinking, which was never going to end well. I then moved onto Voodoo to check how the guest engineer was getting on, immediately I had to turn down the bass and monitor levels as both were clipping. The engineer said it was normal to clip the amps to get the sound you want, which is something I don’t agree with, the clip lights are a warning that the amps are being pushed too hard, simple as that. Occasional clipping won’t hurt the system, but eventually the amp will fail if clipped regularly, besides it really didn’t need to be that loud, I don’t buy into the “it’s punk rock, it’s meant to be loud” – loud is fine, but that was deafening by the time you got half way across the room! After leaving Voodoo I went to the White Rabbit Christmas party, where I drunk near enough half bottle of vodka plus a few beers on top of what I drunk at The Hub and Voodoo Lounge! I don’t remember walking home or indeed getting home, apparently I called Phil at 4:30am, which I also don’t remember; I don’t think I have ever been that drunk that I don’t remember the journey home before, I still feel a little ill even today!