Day 2 started out just fine. The weather was beautiful, everything was completely set up and ready for the day and I woke from a very restful sleep in a comfortable hotel room. . .
We took our time getting up and around and I had plenty of time to take a few pictures of our surroundings. . .
Rob and the kids slept in the Uhaul, aka The Redneck Motor home, and this is a picture of the view that greets you when you walk out the door:
Last year we parked next to the store with no shade and lots of people walking by all day long. This year they gave us a beautiful spot down the road, under a lovely tree. . .
The red barn in the distance is the location of the stage so it wasn't too close and wasn't too far. It was just right. . .
In fact, it was so lovely that I think it lulled me into a false sense of security that all was right with my world. . .
To top it off, we drove into McCall and spent a couple of hours at the lake. . .
It wasn't too sunny and wasn't too cloudy. It was just right. . .
Zach built an elaborate sand lighthouse. . .
And Gloria made a bunch of new friends. . .
Last year we had about 15 minutes between bands to get one off the stage and set up the next one. That's usually how these festivals things work and we only need 24 channels or less on the monitor board. There was a two piece group that had asked if they could also sound check and I had about 16 open channels so it was no big deal. . .
However, while we were sound checking the two-piece group, a bunch of people started setting up guitar amps and keyboards on the stage. In hind sight, I should have let them all know they wouldn't have a sound check and they'd need to wait to bring their stuff on the stage until just before they played but everything was getting way out of hand and I was trying to figure it all out. I didn't have a schedule of bands or any knowledge of which person was with which band and I had a huge mess of cables to track down and the clock was ticking quickly away to the kick-off of the whole festival. I managed to handle it pretty well until I was trying to figure out the 5th band that was trying to hook up their stuff. I asked the guy for an input list which is basically a list of instruments and vocals. I was expecting to get a piece of paper that said something like: drums, bass, 2 guitars, 4 vocals. Instead, I got this:
While this bad dream that I couldn't wake up from was happening I just tried to make my brain grasp the next thing. . . The first group up started with a squeal of feedback off of the violin and the lady actually yelled at me in front of all of these people. . .
There's nothing like a good dose of public humiliation . . .
We eventually had to go back to the stage and get ready to sound check the main band for the evening. Kurt went back to the valley early in the morning so he could take care of Nampa Nights so I was the official monitor tech for the opening night of the festival. Thursday night is always locals night and it wasn't something I was worried about since it was pretty uneventful last year. We've run sound for Equaleys many times before and have gotten to know their music and the guys in the band. The sound check went smoothly and I assumed we'd have a little time to kill before the evening concert kicked off at 6:30. I was so wrong. . .
Last year we had about 15 minutes between bands to get one off the stage and set up the next one. That's usually how these festivals things work and we only need 24 channels or less on the monitor board. There was a two piece group that had asked if they could also sound check and I had about 16 open channels so it was no big deal. . .
However, while we were sound checking the two-piece group, a bunch of people started setting up guitar amps and keyboards on the stage. In hind sight, I should have let them all know they wouldn't have a sound check and they'd need to wait to bring their stuff on the stage until just before they played but everything was getting way out of hand and I was trying to figure it all out. I didn't have a schedule of bands or any knowledge of which person was with which band and I had a huge mess of cables to track down and the clock was ticking quickly away to the kick-off of the whole festival. I managed to handle it pretty well until I was trying to figure out the 5th band that was trying to hook up their stuff. I asked the guy for an input list which is basically a list of instruments and vocals. I was expecting to get a piece of paper that said something like: drums, bass, 2 guitars, 4 vocals. Instead, I got this:
My brain went into overload and shut down. By this time, Rob was trying to help me figure it all out but it was too late for me. He told me all we had to do was use different auxes on the board so I would have more channels. We would just have to remember to re-configure the board between bands. I had no idea what he was talking about or doing and he plugged them in and did a line check for each instrument before he had to run back to front of house. The count down to start time hit zero. I try to see the good in things. I try to stay positive. I know there is a solution to everything. . . But at that moment, all I could think was, "I'm so screwed."
While this bad dream that I couldn't wake up from was happening I just tried to make my brain grasp the next thing. . . The first group up started with a squeal of feedback off of the violin and the lady actually yelled at me in front of all of these people. . .
There's nothing like a good dose of public humiliation . . .
The next couple of hours were a bit of a blur as I tried to focus on what instrument was in what channel and who was playing mandolin and who had the accordion. . .
I handed Gloria the camera since I knew somehow I would want to remember this day. Or not.
This is Rob on the phone with me asking what channel the 6-string guitar was in. Like I would know. . .
I handed Gloria the camera since I knew somehow I would want to remember this day. Or not.
This is Rob on the phone with me asking what channel the 6-string guitar was in. Like I would know. . .
On a side note, while all of this was happening, a young man came up and asked me if he could bring me a tamale. It was the sweetest thing anyone ever said to me. It almost made me cry. Only I didn't have the time. He brought me the most delicious tamale I have ever had. Only I didn't have time to eat it. . .
By the time the band came on that would be opening for the main band, I had found my mind again and (almost) recovered from the chaos of the previous hours. They were great and even had dancers for the song Thriller as a tribute to M.J.
Amazingly enough, except for some minor feedback and a couple of cables that needed tracked down during the first two acts on stage (one of which wasn't even my fault) the evening went pretty smoothly. Everyone was nice except the lady who yelled at me and most of the bands were really good. . .
This was Gloria's reward for being my official photographer:
By the time Equaleys took the stage, I was feeling much better about life in general and had a chance to actually enjoy the music. . .
Rob put on a great light show. . .
By the time the band came on that would be opening for the main band, I had found my mind again and (almost) recovered from the chaos of the previous hours. They were great and even had dancers for the song Thriller as a tribute to M.J.
Amazingly enough, except for some minor feedback and a couple of cables that needed tracked down during the first two acts on stage (one of which wasn't even my fault) the evening went pretty smoothly. Everyone was nice except the lady who yelled at me and most of the bands were really good. . .
This was Gloria's reward for being my official photographer:
By the time Equaleys took the stage, I was feeling much better about life in general and had a chance to actually enjoy the music. . .
Rob put on a great light show. . .
Even though I survived the ordeal, I am now gun-shy of running the monitor board. Under any circumstances. I was comforted by the fact that Kurt would be back at the festival and at the monitor board for the last two nights of the festival. . .
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