My years
This is what I get for all these years of touring. Now I'm wearing two hats again. I will be road managing the tour the next couple of weeks. Our current road manager/sound engineer is unable to do it this month. Management found someone to mix sound but he is not a road manager. Since I have experience in this area I was recruited.
It's not bad since we are only doing seven shows and a couple of them are acoustic. Besides it means more money and that is always good especially with the holidays and the price of oil.
Hey I have a house and car.
We will be spending a lot of time on the bus and I mean a lot of time. We kick things off in Norfolk, VA and then play Washington D.C. The next show is in Denver and we have four days off before we get there. If you live in the middle of the country don't be surprised to see us in a mall somewhere.
Speaking of the malls looks like I will be doing holiday shopping there instead of on-line this year. The worst part of that is it will need to be done the week before Christmas.
Life's reality
Like many people in my line of work we are misfits in various degrees. How else do you explain the fact that we like to work 15 hour days, travel around on buses and planes. It's a strange life we live. Sure the money is usually good and there are good times. I wouldn't trade it for any other job. Well maybe one or two.
It's a different world though and at some point during the year you have to come back to the "norm". I have a hard time of this. It's difficult to relate to family and those friends that aren't in the business. I find myself just hanging around the house. I don't venture out to the bars or clubs. I'm not much of a socializer these days and realize it's getting worse.
When I'm on the road it's easy. You are with the same group of people all day long for weeks on end. You are comfortable with most of them because you all relate to the situation. I also find it easier to talk to people when I'm on the road. Why? I don't really know. Maybe it's the vagabond factor, is there such a thing? I don't really know how to describe it.
The holidays are upon us and I will be out on the road for the first half of December which is good. However January is looking to be a month of having some time off. I think it might be time to travel for pleasure and not for work.
Labels: Christmas, Holidays, Road, Roadies, Touring
Happy Thanksgiving and chill time
I have some time off again, some where around 10 days I guess.
We spent the last weekend in Florida playing radio festivals. They went well for the most part especially when the band had no sound checks. All of the shows featured Breaking Benjamin, Seether and Drowning Pool along with various other acts. All of the bands know each other and have toured together in the past, so it is like a family reunion.
It was actually pretty cold for the show on Friday somewhere in the mid 40's when the guys hit the stage. For me my fingers cramped up a bit from it.
I had a chance to see the some of the guys who used to be in the band Cold. I toured with them in 2003 and they are how I first met Finger Eleven. A lot has changed in four years.
I also had a chance to see another old friend Joe Comeau. He is a singer/guitarist who has been in various bands over the years. I have known him about 20 years, but have not seen him in about 7. It is always great to get caught up with people.
For those of you in the USA, I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.
Labels: Canada, Concert, Finger Eleven, Florida, Thanksgiving
Sunshine and music
It's turned cold in the northeast and I am bored. We have been home on break for about 10 days which is the longest I have been off since the beginning of July. The break is nice but I have been in road mode lately. I really like touring these days.
We head back out for 5 days later this week and it's off to Florida. Sunshine, warm weather and ladies in bikini's. Hopefully we will have all three. The shows are radio festivals. Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Drowning Pool and some others will be on all the shows. I'm not sure what time we play but I know it should dark when we go on. These shows are always throw and go and I get to run lights on the fly. I love the challenge.
It looks like we will be out for at least two weeks in December also. Most of the shows will also be radio festivals. I know that Norfolk, Washington D.C., Phoenix and Denver are confirmed. The Denver show is a headlining date.
The single Paralyzer is number 14 on the Top 100 Billboard and number 11 on the pop charts this week in the US. This makes this their biggest song yet here. The CD is already platinum in their home country of Canada. Hopefully it will go number one here but that is going to be tough. The CD is number 87 this week.
Looks like we will be working into the new year.
Labels: Band, Charts, Finger Eleven, Touring
Free iPod
No this isn't an ad. No, I'm not giving one away.
I really didn't have anything else to blog about, I'm kind of bored. So I thought I would mention the free iPod shuffle I received last week in Houston.
Each member of the bands that performed were given one along with the tour managers. Well being that I was covering for our tour manager I got one too.
Labels: free, ipod, Touring
My work in print...wait video..no photo...
It has been an interesting year in 07. I have been fairly busy having done three different tours with various musical styles. One of those tours was with Five For Fighting who I began touring with in 2002 and have worked with John (the only actual member) off and on over that period. We did some touring last year at this time and then again this past spring.
During that time we filmed a concert in Orlando which will be released to the public next week. I have mixed feelings about it. I am glad it will be coming out especially for John's fans who have been asking for this for some time.
However I wish we could have filmed it with a lighting system that would have translated better to video. We were carrying a small moving light package but not a complete system. So for that show we used the in house system at House of Blues along with the lights we carried.
I should wait till I have seen the whole thing before I pass judgement.
If you have been reading this blog lately you know that I am currently working for Finger Eleven as their lighting director. Plans were to film the show in Toronto this week during the Canadian tour. Of course we never got that far into before the tour was cancelled.
I am disappointed to say the least. Today, we were sent over 900 megs of photos shot during the tour. Most of them early on before I had the cues finalized. The show was looking good and I planned to add a few things for the shoot. The pictures came out great. There are some shots which I believe will be in a DVD they will be releasing in December. This is not concert footage from the new tour but previous stuff along with old video's and photos.
Hopefully we will have the opportunity in 2008 to shoot a new live concert video.
Labels: Concert, Finger Eleven, Five For Fighting, Lighting, Touring
Trick or Treat.....huh
It's just past midnight and Halloween is over. Today didn't feel like a fall day nor did it feel like a day to dress up. It was nearly 70 degrees and sunny.
I returned home Monday night 10 days early. First thing I did yesterday was finally get a new chair for my living room. I have been looking around for quite awhile for one. Well I went big and I mean BIG with this one. Spent about $200 more than I planned but I figured if I am going to be home might as well be comfortable. Especially after the flights the other day.
I came back from Houston where the guys played Buzzfest which is a radio station festival. The date was previously scheduled to happen during the Canadian tour. Since the rest of it was cancelled we came home. We fly to Houston from Toronto on Air Canada on Saturday but on Monday I flew home on United since I was in the states. I travel with one suitcase and a small backpack and computer bag. The suitcase is a nice 30" wheel type. Now bare in mind I am on the road for weeks at a time and have to carry enough clothes for various weather conditions, especially this time of year. Plus I'm a tall guy my clothes aren't small.
I try not to over pack but I am usually at the weight limit of 50 lbs. Sometimes I am a couple pounds over and it usually isn't a big deal.
Well, on this day it was a big deal to the bitch behind the counter. I try to be nice and this women just about set me off. She was rude, condescending and acted like I was trying to take money out her pocket. She didn't want to work with me on it. I was 4 lbs over and could not get anything else in my backpack. I asked her no wonder people were so down on her airline with an attitude like that. She made a remark that it was people like me that were costing them money. I nearly slapped her and told her well I would be getting my money back one way or another.
The other thing that made it a bad day is the airport itself. Houston's Bush international airport is a dump. This is a major hub and it is run down. It has terrible amenities and if you can believe it. At 10 am there is a Mc Donald's, a Pizzeria Uno and a chinese place. Nice choices for breakfast.
There is only one metal detector at each part of the terminals. That's right one detector and one line.
To top it off I was on a small jet, which is not bad, unless you are in the last row next to the bathroom, in a seat that doesn't recline. No the lady at the check in was not responsible, I tried to change my seat on line before I got to the airport but the flight was full.
I don't understand how airlines in the US can operate like this. Air Canada seems to have no problem operating with nice planes, friendly and helpful employees. Plus there jets all have televisions with various programs, movies, music etc and they don't charge you to use it. Jet Blue is the closest one there is in America.
It is not just Canada, Europe has better service with in the continent.
Ok, so I am going to sit back and write my complaint to United. Wish me luck.
Labels: Airlines, Airports, Finger Eleven
