The Negotiators' bass player, Terry, is also our maestro of the technical effects which are such a fun part of rock'n'roll game. Anything to do with light and sound, he seems to sort out if it can be, and knows if it can't. Whether it's mixing live or studio, he's the man. He also has a nifty ability with the bass.
What I didn't know for quite a while is how much he is into graphic design. His ironic humour often leaks through many of his productions, be they CD covers, posters or just plain lighting set up. Bill Posters have always interested me, they are a physical artificat of specific times and places, and are public art in their own right. With a lot of bands, posters are seen by more folk than will hear the band. I don't think that's the case with us, but I still dig posters.
I'll be using some of Terry's posters for a while on this blog to push our coming gigs (I'm always awaiting any decent photos from our shows for the same purpose). I've removed certain identifying features, and the text that is specific to the gig is added by me. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy Terry's collection as much as I have.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Blackdiamond Hotel - 19 Feb 2006
The Negotiators played again at the Blackdiamond Hotel in Port Adelaide this afternoon. I've called it Buff's Bar for earlier gigs, but I don't know if that's still the case 'cause I don't think Buff is there anymore. I gather there are other people involved in the running of the pub, as it was business as usual today.
We are still soxless, not sure how long he's out of action for as I haven't seen him recently. Chris, meanwhile, is doing mighty fine in Sox's stead. Today I could hear and feel him beginning to spread his wings as he gains familiarity with us and our music, and confidence in playing along with it. Buff's has a wooden floor, covered in vinyl, and is a long chamber of a room. Chris was really laying deep into his floor tom, which was setting up some dead zones for Terry's base. They fixed that in the third break.
We played four sets, and a total of 55 songs. Nancy tells me that 23 of them are songs we didn't play last week. So we're turning over about half a show from week to week. That's good. We played 45 - 50 min sets, had two ten minute and one 15 minute break. The encore was four songs, took us to 7.10 pm. We started at 3 pm. Nice day's work, was all packed up and ready to go at 7.50 pm. Having no lights to pack up was cool.
Numbers were good, I think pub was happy. 2 dozen at start of first set and end of last, 3 dozen through the middle sets. Steve's crowd numbered about a dozen, there were another dozen that we either knew or recognised, and the third dozen were drawn in from the street. Roughly. Which is a nice mix, would have been a bit crowded for a Sunday arvo if there had been too many more.
Had 'Betsy', a bit of a port adelaide character, dancing from first song to last. Mind blowing that someone could do that, and be able to pass through the fatigue and still be smiling at the end of it. At 58! Puts most younger people to shame in terms of Stamina...
First set was a bit strained to my ear, but others enjoyed. Second and third sets rocked along, with constant influx of technical problems. The worst of which was a major feedback problem, which shows how the acoustics of a place can change between shows for no obvious reason as we haven't had that problem here before.
Last set was a ripper. Might have been 'dumb things' as a starting song, but it certainly kicked off to a great start, and then drifted through high energy until stumps. Nice to see Nat turn up for the fourth set.
We are still soxless, not sure how long he's out of action for as I haven't seen him recently. Chris, meanwhile, is doing mighty fine in Sox's stead. Today I could hear and feel him beginning to spread his wings as he gains familiarity with us and our music, and confidence in playing along with it. Buff's has a wooden floor, covered in vinyl, and is a long chamber of a room. Chris was really laying deep into his floor tom, which was setting up some dead zones for Terry's base. They fixed that in the third break.
We played four sets, and a total of 55 songs. Nancy tells me that 23 of them are songs we didn't play last week. So we're turning over about half a show from week to week. That's good. We played 45 - 50 min sets, had two ten minute and one 15 minute break. The encore was four songs, took us to 7.10 pm. We started at 3 pm. Nice day's work, was all packed up and ready to go at 7.50 pm. Having no lights to pack up was cool.
Numbers were good, I think pub was happy. 2 dozen at start of first set and end of last, 3 dozen through the middle sets. Steve's crowd numbered about a dozen, there were another dozen that we either knew or recognised, and the third dozen were drawn in from the street. Roughly. Which is a nice mix, would have been a bit crowded for a Sunday arvo if there had been too many more.
Had 'Betsy', a bit of a port adelaide character, dancing from first song to last. Mind blowing that someone could do that, and be able to pass through the fatigue and still be smiling at the end of it. At 58! Puts most younger people to shame in terms of Stamina...
First set was a bit strained to my ear, but others enjoyed. Second and third sets rocked along, with constant influx of technical problems. The worst of which was a major feedback problem, which shows how the acoustics of a place can change between shows for no obvious reason as we haven't had that problem here before.
Last set was a ripper. Might have been 'dumb things' as a starting song, but it certainly kicked off to a great start, and then drifted through high energy until stumps. Nice to see Nat turn up for the fourth set.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Gig at The Glynde - 11 Feb 06
The Glynde – 110206
The Negotiators played The Glynde Hotel on Saturday night. Four sets, each of 12 or 13 songs, and an encore (of four songs) made for a fairly busy night. Publican was happy, rebooked us for two months’ time by the end of the third set. This was our third gig at The Glynde. As always, we started at 9 sharp (that is, those times we are supposed to start at 9!).
Numbers were never less than twenty, and there were around forty during the second and third sets. Around fifteen were sometime-regulars of our gigs, the rest came and stayed. Not bad for a suburban pub which hasn’t put much energy into promoting the fact that it occasionally has bands on a Saturday night.
Chris played drums again for us. He is a pleasure to play with. Quite attentive, able to improvise to what works, keeps a steady beat. Especially when you consider that several of the songs he has only heard once or twice (when we played/practiced them!). We played Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” for the first time last night and put in a mini drum solo before the final chord. Audience ate it up. Many thanks Chris, if you ever read this, for helping out The Negotiators while Sox is out of action.
There were some very nice moments musically. Did a Bass, Drum and Vocal number at the start of the third set, ‘Fever’. Us guitarists sat it out in the audience. This is the first time I have ever been in the audience while the band plays. And I gotta say, The Negotiators were pretty cool!
Several of the new numbers landed with a bang in the audience. There may have not been much dancing (with the exception of the rock’n’rollers), but there was plenty shaking going on.
First set was technically fine, but it was fairly hard work on stage. The band really got in the groove during the second set, and then kept it going 'til stumps. Highlights were an extended (!) version of “Shout!”, ghost vocals in “The Wall”, structured psychedelic interludes in several songs, and times when the music was almost so solid you could stand on it (always a good veneer for Rock music). We didn’t crash once, despite the number of ‘new’ songs (seven?) and resurrected oldies we played. Our experience is beginning to show.
Now also, when we have gigs on four weekends out of five, comes the other benefit of all the hard work and heartache that goes into rehersals over years and years. We know lots of songs (though still nowhere near as many as our audience!). We are also learning them at an increasing rate. Thus, by being careful with our set lists, we can keep the variety and newness for our regulars that they so appreciate, as well as introducing those who hear us for the first time to the way we do what we do through the classics. We have never yet repeated a set list (I hear Radio Birdman didn’t for over 360 gigs!).
Our posters are getting interesting. Current one has a couple charlie chaplin types reading a newspaper with our bill on it. Recent ones have included UN security council discussing our next gig, and the folk in the 1920’s Jules Verne sci fi epic movie looking out their spaceship window to see where we are playing next. Perhaps if I can get hold of a couple e-versions I’ll post them here.
Blog Note: I will now keep posting mini Gig Updates between these more substantial posts – make it easier for those who only want to see where and when we next play, rather than all this cogitation.
The Negotiators played The Glynde Hotel on Saturday night. Four sets, each of 12 or 13 songs, and an encore (of four songs) made for a fairly busy night. Publican was happy, rebooked us for two months’ time by the end of the third set. This was our third gig at The Glynde. As always, we started at 9 sharp (that is, those times we are supposed to start at 9!).
Numbers were never less than twenty, and there were around forty during the second and third sets. Around fifteen were sometime-regulars of our gigs, the rest came and stayed. Not bad for a suburban pub which hasn’t put much energy into promoting the fact that it occasionally has bands on a Saturday night.
Chris played drums again for us. He is a pleasure to play with. Quite attentive, able to improvise to what works, keeps a steady beat. Especially when you consider that several of the songs he has only heard once or twice (when we played/practiced them!). We played Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” for the first time last night and put in a mini drum solo before the final chord. Audience ate it up. Many thanks Chris, if you ever read this, for helping out The Negotiators while Sox is out of action.
There were some very nice moments musically. Did a Bass, Drum and Vocal number at the start of the third set, ‘Fever’. Us guitarists sat it out in the audience. This is the first time I have ever been in the audience while the band plays. And I gotta say, The Negotiators were pretty cool!
Several of the new numbers landed with a bang in the audience. There may have not been much dancing (with the exception of the rock’n’rollers), but there was plenty shaking going on.
First set was technically fine, but it was fairly hard work on stage. The band really got in the groove during the second set, and then kept it going 'til stumps. Highlights were an extended (!) version of “Shout!”, ghost vocals in “The Wall”, structured psychedelic interludes in several songs, and times when the music was almost so solid you could stand on it (always a good veneer for Rock music). We didn’t crash once, despite the number of ‘new’ songs (seven?) and resurrected oldies we played. Our experience is beginning to show.
Now also, when we have gigs on four weekends out of five, comes the other benefit of all the hard work and heartache that goes into rehersals over years and years. We know lots of songs (though still nowhere near as many as our audience!). We are also learning them at an increasing rate. Thus, by being careful with our set lists, we can keep the variety and newness for our regulars that they so appreciate, as well as introducing those who hear us for the first time to the way we do what we do through the classics. We have never yet repeated a set list (I hear Radio Birdman didn’t for over 360 gigs!).
Our posters are getting interesting. Current one has a couple charlie chaplin types reading a newspaper with our bill on it. Recent ones have included UN security council discussing our next gig, and the folk in the 1920’s Jules Verne sci fi epic movie looking out their spaceship window to see where we are playing next. Perhaps if I can get hold of a couple e-versions I’ll post them here.
Blog Note: I will now keep posting mini Gig Updates between these more substantial posts – make it easier for those who only want to see where and when we next play, rather than all this cogitation.
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