The audience and the light show

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Thursday Oct 16, 2003

Bottom line...if you're a performance band, looking for reaction from the crowd, lights are a MUST!!! Not only lights, but someone who knows what they're doing running them. I give our light guy specific instructions for certain songs (redawg can vouch for that). Lights make an impact on the visual part of the show...period.

r:>)

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Thursday Oct 16, 2003

Redawg takes a lot of pride in running sound and lights, and in my unbiased opinion he does a great job at it. I've sat down with him on a few occasions to see the work he does in a night making sure the bands sound and look great. You gotta check out the awsome job he does at the Castle and I'm sure a lot of the bands that play there can vouch for that as well.

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Tuesday Oct 28, 2003

I use MIDI controlled lights for the solo show and it is a definite plus. One person cannot command the attention that a whole band can, but add precision controlled lights and it can turn some heads. For each song that I do, I have to spend a few hours laying down a light track in the midi file on MIDI channel 16. All the lights cue DEAD NUTS to the music. Some songs, I'll just change scenes and turn on a white light during lead vocals, but for songs like "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't get fooled again"....LOOKOUT. You could get hypnotized on BABA....

MIDI light control can be used in a band by using a click track, or better yet, syncing it with a Kahler Human Clock. (yes they make more than just whammies...). I probably wouldn't like it much, because there is no room for jamming. Ya gotta play the song EXACTLY the same way EVERYTIME.

Also, keep in mind that while performing, there is no band member more unforgiving than a MIDI sequencer.

Post by **Ron** » Tuesday Oct 28, 2003

The Kahler Human Clock would work, but from talking to people who have used it, it's not so good.
The main reason is that the HC can track tempo changes well when the tempo is rising, but poorly as the tempo is slowing down. The result, songs end up faster than they started most of the time.

Great idea using a midi track though.

tonefight · Post by **tonefight** » Sunday Nov 02, 2003

I've went out and saw quit a few bands since this post started and I actually started paying attention to lights myself, I can say that Light show or not the people responded to the song selection most. I saw bands with a few lights on all the time have a packed floor and I saw bands with a light show get a so, so response. So I think song selection and sound remains at the top of the list. I guess its like icing on a cake........ if you put icing on a terd it'll still taste like shit right? ( I don't know myself so if anyone does let me know )

Actually the band with the worst light show had he biggest crowd and got the best response?

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Monday Nov 03, 2003

Tony, you're right. You first off need the initial product (band) and set list in order for everything else to intensify it. For the past month or so, any night off, I've actually went out checking out other bands to pay my respects. This is something I've been lacking since as long as I've been playing. Another Rockpage member posted something a while ago that made me realize that even musicians have to support the local scene and the bands & musicians that make it up.

rickw · Post by **rickw** » Tuesday Nov 04, 2003

Well, Tone, I too have had that experience! It seems the band I was in ran in this circuit that included bands that had lights and PA, then the next band got more, and we got more, and then we had to tap into a 220 feed, then, for God's sake we're climbin' Penelec poles and tappin in!! Well, something like that. Then I saw Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm band circa 1983. Two amber floods on each side of the stage, that was it! What an intense band, and no lights! But, I wouldn't want to see Pink Floyd without the lights! So confusing.