Cumberland Hotel Gig - 26 Mar 2006

The Negotiators played the Cumberland, at Glanville, earlier today. We played from 3.30 to 7.30 pm. We had four days notice for the show. We had little opportunity for publicity. The audience was pretty good never-the-less. It was Barry's first show with us as bass player. Chris is still playing drums with us. Stage layout was the new improved version. We used the 'new' PA and all the equipment for the first time and, also for the first time, it was up to Steve and me to hook up and operate the PA. Surprisingly, it all worked. It was a good fun gig.

We got called up on Wednesday to see if we could play Sunday. We had hoped to have the weekend off, after a busy month. But, when someone wants you to play, what can you say? A couple phone calls, and we were all on board. That night, get the add up on this blog and take a copy of the poster down to Steve so he could photocopy it and get copies of it down the pub itself. That night, enter us onto a couple of gig guides on the web. And that was the limit of our publicity.

We had around one and half dozen people when we started, up to 3 dozen at peak in third set, and around thirty at the end. Publican was happy. Around half a dozen were loyal fans - lovely to see them again. The rest were locals. Of these, I recognised around half of them from previous shows, the remainder were of a younger group and stayed right through. We didn't lose very many through the day, quite a few seemed to have initially 'planned' to stay for a beer, and ended up staying for three sets. Cool.

Barry had only played with us for one rehersal. Steve had jammed with him for about five hours this week. He was game to get up though, and thus this was the gig Barry was blooded on bass with The Negotiators. It worked well, in the songs where he was confident, his bass certainly provided a heartbeat and harmonic skeleton to the piece. In the songs where he wasn't so sure of himself, he didn't crash them and the audience didn't seem to mind. So, all is good on this front. And best of all, he was having a great time and enjoyed it immensely. That is a key requirement for playing with The Negotiators.

Chris seems to have grown into his role behind the drum kit, there's quite a lot of binding of the music together. And he did it without fold back tonight. Considering how helpful fold back is to hearing, it will be interesting to see how it flows when so provided.

Barry was stage left rear, Chris centre rear, Mark left front, Nancy centre front, Steve stage right. The keyboard was nearly ninety degrees to stage right, at the front. The mixer was on table along the wall between keyboard and his amps at stage right rear.

We had the amp and gear set up within an hour, and even a sound check left us 15 min to play. No feed back through the night, and the mix was relatively even. I know that we were performing well within the mixer's limits, and should be able to get a fair bit more 'sparkle' out of it with practice. Terry, who was there around the last hour, reckoned we should put up the midrange for Nancy a bit. I think we should unmuddy Steve's guitar just a shade on several songs, it has to play a bit more open or risk muddying our basically clear style. One can use distortion in a 'clean' manner. I busted a shitload of strings, can't wait to get a new guitar in a few weeks...

She was a good gig though. Brought the audience along with us musically from the poppy first set though the rocky third, and into the anthemic final set. Sound was a bit thin at times, that will pick up with more flying hours in current lineup. That means, rehersals. But, that's fun. And I think we need to get the originals happening again, there are actually people who have stopped coming to see us because we never seem to play many or any of them at present.

There's some food for thought.

Gig Poster for the Cumby

For a report of our previous Cumby gig, click here.

The Adventure Continues

To read a report of The Negotiators' most recent gig, click here.

The Negotiators met up with their new bass guitarist, Barry, earlier this evening. We met for a rehersal at Steve's music room. Steve, Mark and Nancy also met up with Terry prior to rehersal to formalise his departure and sort out a few logisitical loose ends. Although there was sadness throughout, there was also the pleasure and pride at the integrity with which the difficult situation was transacted. The Negotiators proved ourselves capable of working through what could have been a (needlessly) nasty situation. I know that none of us regret our association, we all came out ahead.

It wasn't long after Terry had departed that Barry turned up in his white cab ute, amp and bass in the back. Then Chris rocks up, car almost overflowing with drum. Inside, Steve and I are reorganising the spaghetti patch of cabling which is the PA.

For gear we have mixing desk (inbuilt EQ and amp), vocal mics and stands for everyone, kick drum mike and stand, two foldback speakers, two front of house speaker boxes plus stands, sufficient cabling for the lot, and a little CD player to provide music between sets (thanks Terry). In other words, we have more gear than a lot of bands. And none of it is shoddy equipment. I think we need a few coloured lights soon (they really set a band apart as a rock band, set an atmosphere). Anything extra on top of all this is becoming luxury.

I think it worked well with Chris on drums and Barry on bass. Whatever hierarchies had previously grown into existence have well and truly been blown away and we have a whole new beast on our hands. The present lineup is as follows: Nancy (vocals), Steve (lead guitar, keyboard, harmonica), Mark (rhythm), Barry (bass) and Chris (drums). All of the blokes also sing backing vocals at some stage.

We'll try and play with rythym section (Mark and Barry) to stage left (front and rear respectively), Steve plus keyboard plus PA to stage right. We'll see if we have developed (or, can develop) to be able to do this. The degree of musical cohesion we will be able to achieve will now reside jointly with Steve's sensitivities, and the solidity of the rythym section. We are all having to develop again in new directions.

We'll be meeting up several times over the coming six weeks, prior to playing at a birthday at the end of April. Our next public gig will be at the Glynde Hotel on a Saturday night in mid May.

I'll be blogging the band's get togethers over the intervening period. Firstly, it will provide subject material about which I haven't often had the opportunity to blog in the past. Secondly, it may prove an interesting record of an interesting period of any band's life - the transit of new people.

First E-zine article?

For a report on The Negotiators' most recent gig, click here.

The following blurb was recently published in the E-zine put out at the place I work. I've tried to respect their anonymity. Even though ...

...they all recognised me!

"Throughout this [time with this employer], Mark has continued to progress his musical interests. He is the rhythm guitarist and occasional songwriter for his band of six years, The Negotiators.

"I got into rock and roll as a way of keeping out of trouble at Uni", says Mark. "After winning a few band competitions and getting some airplay with our own music, the band realised that the way to get gigs is to play lots of covers. So, that's what we do. It's great fun, and it's a good way of getting rid of some of the tensions that go with being a lawyer."
"I started by teaching myself classical guitar, learnt a bit about flamenco and then borrowed an electric guitar. Nowadays we play lots of rock music, with a span from the fifties to the present. There is a bit of an emphasis on 'Aussie music', and we love playing the classic rock numbers. The best way to know what I'm talking about is to come to one of our shows."

The Negotiators are usually in the 'Gig Guide' (Advertiser) and the relevant local rag. You can always check out the band's blogsite for the most up to date information."

Band Member Goes Bush

LATE NEWS FOLLOWS.

If you’d prefer to read the review of our most recent gig, click here.

Last night Terry gave notice. One of the reasons for this is because he wants to play more country music. Artistic integrity. As he said, the music we have is right for the gigs we are playing (and they’re good shows), but it’s not right for him. The deluge of ‘new’ songs we’ve been picking up recently, with more to come, wouldn’t have helped. When he called to announce his intention he was feeling pretty crap about it. As the other members of the band learnt the news, they went through various degrees of shock. Although none of us expected this, a few things do make more retrospective sense now. One day, once I’ve got a bit more objectivity about it, I’ll possibly write more on it. At present, I can only wish him the best, and look forward to what The Negotiators going through another “obstacle is opportunity” phase brings forth.

Our dilemma has two primary aspects. First, obtaining services of another bass player. Second, reaccumulating sufficient equipment for gigging.

A bass player is pretty fundamental to a band. Besides technical competence, to be a band member the bassist must also have compatable personality (being in a band can be pretty stressful at times), commitment (it’s a lot of work) and be able to get on top of the repertoire (we have a growing play list, rotating over a hundred songs at present).

As to meeting up with a likely prospect, that’s already organised. One of us knows a fellow through past musical association who, after the proposal was put, sounded keen to give it a go. We’ll all meet within the week and decide then whether to run with him (and he with us). If it works out, I’ll post details.

Equipment is also under review. We maintain our own instruments and amplification, and have a PA and Front of House Speakers – which will get you a messy garage gig. We lack a lot of the gear that is needed for proper performance, however, and so now the hunt is on.

Terry indicated that he’s still willing to assist until we find our feet. I have no doubt we will come through this just like we’ve come through past line up changes. The question is – how long will it take?

If you can help out on the equipment front, please drop us a line…

Gaslight Gig - 11 March 2006

The Negotiators played the Gaslight Tavern in Brompton last night. It was a pretty good gig. We played well, and the audience was both of a good number and disposition. Publican was happy, punters were happy, band was happy. All was well. We didn't make a hundred, but did bloody well to make half that considering what else was on!

The show kicked off at 9pm sharp. First set went 50 min, even though it had more songs in it (fifteen) than any other. Tempo was generally a bit quick, but within tolerance levels. Stage setup was a variation on what we had last time we played here on a Saturday, with keyboard at edge of stage on far left, drums a bit off set to the right in centre rear, Terry at stage right, me at stage, mid centre left (sounds like the ALP!).

The sound was good, loud but not overwhelming. In fact, at times on stage there almost seemed to be the muffled boom box effect (when you know what's going out is mixed and loud, but what you here is the discrete componentry of it and not the final effect). Sox was there in the audience in the first set, and was able to give some direction to mix levels. Surprisingly, only I had to alter my level (up a notch). At the end of the night, several people told me of their impressions of the mix, no complaints. While we're on 'technical' stuff, I should record that I broke no guitar strings. As regular viewers would know, it's been awhile since that's been the case!

Second Set was a bit more in your face, with very tight versions of Eagle Rock and High Voltage, and very involving versions of The Wall and Roadhouse Blues, being my highlights. Nancy's kick ass version of River Deep Mountain High was a great way to wind the set off on a high.

Third set was the most ecstatic, with a fair bit of audience dance and song, a lot of applause, and a steadily building momentum from song to song over the middle ten of the set (fourteen in total). My highlights, the vocal music psychelic mix in Satisfaction and Jumpin' Jack, the guitar momentum in Good Golly Miss Molly and Travellin' Band, and the punchy choruses of a couple of Divinyls songs. Ended the set with Sox drumming a couple of songs. Sure knew we had our old drummer behind us for them...much heavier thumper than Chris (who is still playing with us while Sox recuperates, he's still enjoying every moment of it - thankyou so much Chris).

Fourth and final set kept up the momentum. We tended to move from one song to the next within seconds, vocal introduction coming over the musical. As stage technique, worked well. Pity it wasn't planned that way! Paint it Black entranced many in the audience, who haven't heard the way we concentrate on the aspect of looming catastrophe in the song's soundscape (which the Stones' most heard version very much downplays). Blew away the younger members with American Idiot (fun!), and the older with Bobby McGee (best and most coherent version we've played for ages - very climactic as the last song before goodbyes and encore). Caroline pumped like Status Quo should, Kiss rocked along all nite and we even got The Romantic's "What I like about you" in there with a nice bit of improvisation through the middle passage. Concluded with Casey Chambers as encore.

A very successful night of fun, thanks to everyone who shared it with us and who's continued support makes it possible for us to keep on doing what we love.

Our next public shows are around a month away. We need to pick up some more material, and have several weekends back to our 'other lives'.

Make sure you visit this site by late March when I'll have confirmed dates posted.

Gaslight Gig Poster - March 2006

Art doesn't always speak for itself.

For The Negotiators, drawing a crowd was always going to be a tough task for March 11, there was a lot on in Adelaide. Therefore, last night's gig at the Gaslight Tavern showed something about the relative worth of promotion media in drawing audience. We were up against the Saturday Night drawing power of the city's biannual Fringe and Festival proper, the (Greek) Glendi Festival, big shows on at Adelaide Entertainment Centre and Governer Hindmarsh, and a lot of other associated events built up on the critical mass these focal events draw into the city. To play a local inner suburban pub would, for many bands, be a recipe for a small audience and a dissappointed publican.

With everything on, we'd been offered the option of cancelling the show earlier in the week. I think that followed a show by another band the previous week which had been very poorly attended. If the option of cancelling had been made a fortnight earlier, we may have considered it for the very reasons outlined. However, with less than a week to go and a lot of work already gone into promotion, we had no difficulty saying 'the show must go on'. If for no other reason than that we had told some of our supporters of the show and you we couldn't let them down. As in any other business, it's important to do what you say in the logistical world of Rock'n'Roll.

The numbers 0f punters on the night were interesting. About 20 when we started, mabe 30 at end of first set. Then, built up to 50 through second set and remained so until near end of third. Then, numbers roughly halved, but was again close to forty for the majority of the final set. There were a couple dozen there until stumps, after we'd packed away (2 am).

The audience was composed of three 'groups', roughly a third each. One third were our loyal punters and friends, who were mainly informed of the show through word of mouth and its electronic equivalent (email). The second third were locals, of whom around half popped in because they always do if there's a band playing with whom they're familiar and who they don't mind (generally from exposure on Thursday jam nights - we've jammed twice as a band this year, you can see the posts here and here). This subgroup therefore could also rightly fit into the final third, who made a point of coming because they'd seen us in one of the gig guides or took note of the date from one of our previous shows (several came up from the Cumby).

This website took about 30 hits, most from Australia, in the last week (but I'm only now starting to think of this blog as part of the public face of the band (and hence promotional), as well as a worthy activity in its own right). A lot of locals saw the little A6 flyers we distributed Thursday night, and there was 'background radiation' from the bill posters in the pub. I know many saw us in the printed gig guides (in my experience over time, name recognition builds through this resource more than any other).

We had several queries as to when we play next. The next public show is actually a couple months away (Mothers Day weekend at the Glynde?). I'll fill you in closer to the event.

Gaslight Jam, March 9, 2006 & Promoting the gig

Gaslight flyer, produced for local distribution

That's us! We played the Gaslight Tavern at its regular Thursday night jam on March 9. We were the first of the jammers to get on stage. There were between 60 and 70 people there at the time we played our four songs. Lot's of fun. We did a couple of Divinyls' numbers, Green Day and Janis Joplin. How's that for ecletic? Also, pretty high energy. It was great to be back there, even though I somehow managed to bust my 'bottom E' string on the second song. Lucky my old guitar can more or less hold its tune without one string (most guitars go way out of whack immediately). With only four songs, there's neither time to change guitars nor strings. Must be something about the way I play ...

The above picture is based on a poster we'd made. We photocopied thirty something pages at eight pictures to a page. We then distributed them around the pub and letter boxed the rest in the blocks around the pub. Marian, the publican, was I think impressed that someone was having a real go at promoting themselves playing at her pub.

I mean, at this time of year there's a lot of competition in Adelaide...what with Womad and The Fringe. Speaking of the Fringe, in the little I've seen of it it seems to have become a more pretentious scene than it was. Probably goes with its corporatisation. Am I giving away my age to say I remember when it was more laid back and less expensive? Anyway, in the true spirit of the Fringe we played for the fun of it tonight, to a rocky crowd who were there to have a good time.

Marian won't know it, but the endless grind of promoting a band has continued through the week. We're on various of the hard copy as well as internet gig guides (I even had to 'register' the pub to do so on at least one site). We get a wee plug in a workplace newsletter at the place where one of us works. Some of our posters are turning up at uni. The email chains are at work. Considering the competition, I wonder if we will be able to make a hundred?

She had a dream!

It would be nice to play to a hundred people at The Gaslight Tavern (Brompton) on March 11 because this is one of our favorite venues. The place rocks! Hope to see you there...

To see how it went, click here.

Cumberland Hotel Gig - 26 Feb 2006

The Negotiators played the Cumberland Hotel (Glanville) on a lovely Sunday afternoon from 4 pm to a bit after 8 pm. In that time we played around 55 songs in four sets. It’s been many months since we last played here, it was nice to return.

Of special interest was the fact that area we set up had had a concrete floor added since our last visit. The acoustic effect of this was quite marked, no longer did the sound ‘boom’ and echo along the long and narrow room. Instead, our sound held its coherence from amplifier at back of stage to wall at other end of pub. Which added to the enjoyment of all.

The first two sets were a bit tough. Technically, they were fine and the audience enjoyed them. On stage, it was a constant exercise in management and restraint, keeping it together as we fitted into our groove for the day.

Again, I had drawn up the set lists. I only added around a dozen songs that we hadn’t played the week before, and I deliberately kept in the ones we were having some difficulty pulling together. Just to make it harder, I had concentrated many of them in the first set. So, we did pretty good nailing these sets with no crashes.

The third set kicked off with a Paul Kelly song, and we were off. Particularly in the harder rock numbers, we found ourselves jamming out some very solid rock. Again, Nancy was belting it out and holding the audience with the power of her voice and her obvious enjoyment of what she does.

Steve continues his stage evolution. As he doesn’t use the keyboard in as many songs as he does guitar, he has put the keyboard on an angle so that it doesn’t form a barrier between himself and audience when he plays his leads. This is opening up his playing in more ways than one. It’s beginning to sit within the music now, rather than on top of it (except for when he wants it on top).

Sox rocked up in the third set, which was really cool. I think it’s important he does this while he’s out of action. Firstly, to remain connected to the band’s experience. Secondly, to fly the flag. Thirdly, to hear us and get a better picture of what it is that we do (drummers, sitting at stage rear surrounded by noisy drums, usually have a relatively limited idea of how their band sounds).

Sunday arvo gigs are always a special challenge. Regular readers of this blog will know that audiences can vary significantly, and the energy levels on Sunday evenings are often relatively ‘down’. You’re also much more likely to have a much more diverse audience in terms of age than on (say) a Saturday night. Being typical rock’n’roll sceptics, we never expect too much in terms of either audience or reaction.

Which made it a nice surprise to find ourselves playing to sixty odd people in the Cumby for the third and fourth sets. Coincidently, these were also the sets where we really kicked into gear – so everyone got something out of it. Personally, I’m happy playing to a wine barrel, but it sure adds to the enjoyment as a performer if you have a decent sized crowd rocking along as you do it. Even during the first set, I don’t think we had less than twenty people in the audience, and there were around forty left at stumps, so it was pretty successful show for the pub.

I should say the Cumby social club, a strong element in the pub, had been out for a bus trip that day and arrived back between the second and third sets. They made for a great audience, obvulessly enjoying themselves and quite willing to have fun. On reflection, it’s a credit to us that we were chosen to be playing at their party. They got right into the music. A fair bit of dancing of pretty cool standard, makes it extra fun when you're pumping along and the audience is right there with you.

'The Portside Messenger' published an article on us this week, complete with photo. Another milestone! I will get it scanned and posted sometime soon so you can see it.