The Negotiators played the Cumby (Glanville) on Sunday evening. The show kicked off at 3:30 pm, and we were finished at around 7:40. Played 4 sets, no encores as we had already gone over time. Audience was pretty good, in terms of both numbers and appreciation. This was the second show with the new lineup (Sox on drums, Barry on Bass), and again Terry provided his technical wizardry to the sound and light. Band was satisfied, publican was happy, audience were rapt.
Nancy and I got to the pub just after 1:30. Sox and Steve had already brought in all the gear from Steve's van and set up the drums. We all got busy, and everything was hooked up in time for a sound check at around 3 pm. Terry and I then continued on for another 10 minutes to sort out the rear series of foldback speakers, as there were a few problems. These problems continued into the first set, but it wasn't terminal and the audience wouldn't have known if we hadn't let them know. The sound out the front, apparently, was good.
Lighting was pretty flash. Terry set up his full kit, ground and ceiling mirror balls, 2 sets of floor spots (one of three sets of three lights, the other of four individual lights) and two high mounted flood lights. In the compressed space at the Cumby, it was a pretty special light show. With the sophistication allowed by his sequencer and light desk, he was able to construct a 'plot line' for the lights that complemented the flow of the music. From my position on stage, it certainly added to the sensory experience of the music.
The audience was a classic Port Adelaide crowd, keen on good music and beer, and if they like you they will stay. At around 2:30 there were three people in the bar area that we could see. Sox was a bit stressed. He needn't have been. We had over two dozen by the time we started, and three dozen by the end of the first set. These numbers stayed roughly the same then until part way through the final set, when the number had dropped back to around 30. A fair few of them had seen our name in the Messenger Press gig guide (local paper) and came specifically because it was we who were playing. We picked up a few new fans on the day, and I expect we'll see them in the next month or two. Out of interest, we probably have two females for every three males in our audience, not bad for a pub band.
For a report of the previous Negotiators gig at the Cumby, click here.
Musically speaking, we weren't as good as we had been at the Glynde (For a report of our most recent Glynde gig, click here). This was partly expainable by the fact that it was an afternoon/evening gig (you just don't get the same 'vibe' as you do on a Saturday night).
There were other factors though. For example, I was dog tired and Sox's arm was fairly fatigued, leading to the occasional lapse of concentration on my part, and the dropping of the beat a couple times on his. To both of our credit, however, we recognised the failings as they happened and rapidly corrected.Another problem was that we weren't able to hear each other as we had at the Glynde. That was partly because we didn't have the luxury of setting up on the walls to each side of a corner, with all our amps and speakers pointing at each other. Also, I had to have my amp set up in front of Barry which means he only heard a little 'splash' of sound out the rear, and Sox and Steve couldn't hear me at all (rhthym guitar doesn't project out the sides of an amp at all, which is the part of the amp that was 'pointing' towards them). I can set up a small 'monitor' amp for Sox to hear if that would assist, but it still doesn't address the underlying issue. I will have to think about it a bit. It is important because, while I was trying to play to their instuments, they couldn't reciprocate. This leads to issues affecting the sponteneity and improvisatory potential of the combo.
Steve (lead) reckoned he couldn't hear me (rhythm), and only partly hear Barry (Bass). Same with Sox (drums). Barry could hardly hear myself or Steve. I could hear everyone (although sometimes its more of 'sensing' rather than 'hearing' - stage sound can sometimes bear little example to that at front of house). Everyone could hear Nancy (lead vocal) and Sox. You can imagine the potential for disaster that loomed through the gig in the background.
More than once we fell off the cart as a band. That isn't too surprising considering the limitations described in the previous paragraph. What was very good was the way we always covered the glitch, and several times used it as a starting point of an improvisatory coming back to the music that expressed wholly new sounds (being improvisatory). This was great fun, and entranced several in the audience who are familiar with our standard fare as they joined us on the adventure. A few (they know who they are) have heard us enough to experience the evolution as it occurs. Must find out what they think ...
The other issue which we need to deal with is tempo. I felt we were going too fast, although audience didn't seem to mind. If there's one thing we can work on that will bring results, it will be this. Also, need to work on interaction of vocal and backing singing - one of us sounded too loud (at least, through the foldback) for us to record it.Barry seemed a bit nervous musically, not as 'out there' as he seemed to have been heading at the Glynde. Again, something that will only be resolved with regular band rehersal and individual work (listening to music and hearing what others do, as well as personal practice). He's keen enough, however, that the workload won't be beyond him. Flying hours.
Okay. I've got all that off my chest.
I enjoyed the gig. My Cort guitar continues to show new layers of sound to me as learn more of it in action. I seem to rarely use the bottom two pick up selection positions, mainly the middle one, and to play about half of what I do on the upper pickups with the overdrive peddle on. I like the thick, but distinct, sounds I get can out of my axe, and the fact that between strong chords it can still produce sweet individual passing notes.
Here's what we did right. First set was excellent, disciplined and tight (because we knew we had to be). We also all played at relatively lower levels than we have recently, and it led to a sound in which all of the instruments were filling separate spaces. Thus, there was a new 'level' available with which to communicate musical expressions. The diversity of music was great. Nancy rocked. It got pretty intense at times. The audience was noisily appreciative. Not a lot of dancing - but pretty wild rock n roll when it was. Our breaks were disciplined and shorter than almost all bands I know. The lighting show was harmonising with the sound show. The set lists fitted together well. There was good moments of chaotic flow on stage, and I knew we had taken the audience with us on our reverie.
What more can I say?
We get a cameo in the near future at The Hackney Hotel, and our next public gig is at The Gaslight on July 15 (Saturday). For a report on our most recent Gaslight gig, click here.
More details when they come to hand.
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