colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Hi gang, just got back from spending about 2 hours some 12 feet from a Marshall rig. Nothing like some good old fashioned live rock and roll by old faves from your home town. The club was the Vogue, an old cinema that has been the cornerstone of live rock in Broad Ripple, the Bohemian bar strip in Indy. Brother Jeff found out about the show and convinced myself and brother Steve to attend. We met a lot of old friends tonight, it was like a reunion. First up was Healing Sixes, a band from Shelbyville IN, near where I used to live on the family farm. They used to have a guy named Jason Bonham on drums (you may have heard the name). Jason's involved with other projects now but the band was still killer and the new drummer pounded the skins in Bonham fashion. They still pull out some Zep tunes and tonight was not disapointing with a rousing version of 'Dancing Days' with dualing Les Pauls on stage. They nailed it. The singer is kind of Chris Cornell style with rich gravely voice and is spot on tune. My old buddy R.C. (not a cola) was their guitar/drum tech and he used to work with Jason (even having JB's rig at his house in storage for a while). RC was also the lighting guy for Speed City Rockers, the local Speedway band that I later ran lights for. We saw Speed City's old sound guru Karl B, who is going to be showing me some ropes in mixing sound in the upcoming weeks. Karl runs sound for Jenni Devoe, you may have seen her in Klipsch Reference ads in the past. Karl and I spent the first set talking sound and critiquing the mix. Things like how to mic the drums, the order in which you bring them up in the mix (overheads first), and the sound of the kick (this guy had a Bonham 26" extra deep with no stuffing and 4" vent hole- it sounded resonant and tremendous). The dual guitars could have been panned a bit to add separation, and the same with lead/backing vocals. There wasn't much in the mix below about 80 hz and I noted that the top end was a bit off also. The house sound guy had it a bit muddy, but another dude stepped in for the second set and fixed everything. Also in the crowd were old school mates, drummers from bands past, and a few current buddies. My brother Michael P (not really a brother but kinda) was up front wearing an old Why Store t-shirt. We'd been watching that band since the 80's in Broad Ripple. They used to get together once or twice a year for reunion shows. Michael and I saw them at the Music Mill (sadly now closed) on New Years Eve two years ago and they were awesome. Band leader/singer/poet Chris Shaffer has replaced the entire band and the new guys are all hot shots from the Indy music scene from way back. Nothing like seeing a bunch of Rock Gods from your early years tearing it up on stage. Trey (I think) on guitar had the most beat Strat I have ever seen and was just amazing on every song. Someone said he used to play with another Indy band but I didn't catch the name. The guy plays like he's slept with his guitar for the past 20 years. I'm not sure what Marshall he had but it was a dual channel model with 28 friggin knobs. The cabinet was a 1960 reissue slant face - yes I was so close I could read the model numbers. I had to get close enough to get past the throw of the mains speakers, so I spent some time in front of each musician. The bassist was playing standard Fender Precision through a Hartke head and 4x10 double stack and was just amazing, he was all over the neck and played some deeply sensitive bass lines as well. Drummer was uber powerful and amusing to watch as well with great facial grimmaces throughout. He was playing a very deep 24" kick that was eq'd perfectly. O/H mics on his ride and hat were the same models as what I own so I'll be good to go there for shows this summer. One thing I've got to say about the Why Store is the energy they put forth. I've never witnessed a band in a bar with this amount of passion for their tunes, the way they bring the audience up and down with fantastic dynamics is a thing of beauty. Chris 'plays' the band for all they're worth, grinning, snarling, screaming and blowing that harp and strumming 12 strings until you feel that surely he must drop or is a madman or both. He eggs his fellow musicians on and allows them to each shine in their own light, then marshalls their forces in one menacing mass and we are exhausted at the end. The way these guy's play Shaffer's songs you'd think they all co-wrote them. The guys make the songs their own yet stay true to the original songwriting. It was a beautiful thing to behold last night. Stage-wise the EAW mains consisted of 4x18" under the stage, and double hung cabinets above the stage consisting of 2x15, 10" horn/phase plug, horn so it was a 4 way PA system and sounded great all night. Although I had ear plugs in all evening it was quite loud but it was a very fun night. I should really get out more often. THere was only about 350 people in a club that can house 1000 so that made it easier on an old rocker like me. We found seats early but rotated between them and the stage area. G,night all- I'll be lying awake with echos of amplifiers ringing in my head ahhhhhhhh Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 Healing Sixes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 The Why Store (these are the original players, not the band we saw tonight) Chris has a rich and distinctive voice, the best rock snarl and wildest eyes I've ever seen on stage, but a gentle way with songwriting and poetry. A true artist in every sense of the word for these two hours a night the guy is in heaven. When he sees you singing along to his songs and you lock eyes for a few seconds it sends chills! - Live at the House of Blues in Chicago 2003 - I heard that the lead guitar player works in product development for Peavy now. - great recording of the subtleties of Chris's voice - this one was kind of a singalong for the audience - the second song here has some great close-ups of Chris's expressions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 The Vogue Nightclub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 More shows by Healing Sixes and The Why Store Fri, March 27: Phoenix Hill Tavern - Louisville, KY w/The Why Store (that's TODAY if you're reading this) Fri, April 3: Doc's Music Hall - Muncie, IN w/The Why Store (yup, I'll be there!) Mon, April 6: The Vogue - Indianapolis, IN w/Todd Rundgren (acoustic set) - this could be a cool one too oh yeah, one other thing- The Why Store uses ROCKSTAR TOUR BUS - dig it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 Marshall JVM head- this is the amp that tore my head off tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 ... now tell us about a great local rock show in YOUR home town! ...back to real life- it's 7:30 in the am- 5 hours from my last post- and my accountant is due here in 2 hours to get all my tax stuff, guess I'd better get some coffee flowing, eh? My ears and head are still buzzing from last night- I should really do stuff like that more often- it's what makes me happiest, ya know? yer buddy, Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 ok, I didnt' drink or nuthin last night, got 5 hours sleep, did accounting and had meeting. Maybe it's because my cold and headache have lifted, I don't know. Why do I feel so GOOOOD today? [] [Y] Could it be that live music got my endorphins all []stirred [] up? If so, I'm gonna do this more often. woohoo M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Too cool, I haven't been to magic show in a quite a while. I've seen a lot of good bands in my time, but I can count on one hand where the mojo was really happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davisindy Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Due to growing up in the Indianapolis music scene that all made perfect sense to me. Let me know next time and I would enjoy tagging along. I Went and checked out Days of the New (from Louisville) and Seven Mary Three in the big ole tent downtown a couple weeks ago. I was nice to get out and hear some live music! I am going home to crank up some Roadmaster, it will be my first time ever hearing them thru the big horns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Hi gang, just got back from spending about 2 hours some 12 feet from a Marshall rig. Nothing like some good old fashioned live rock and roll by old faves from your home town. The club was the Vogue, an old cinema that has been the cornerstone of live rock in Broad Ripple, the Bohemian bar strip in Indy. Brother Jeff found out about the show and convinced myself and brother Steve to attend. We met a lot of old friends tonight, it was like a reunion. The EAW mains consisted of 4x18" under the stage, and double hung cabinets above the stage consisting of 2x15, 10" horn/phase plug, horn so it was a 4 way PA system and sounded great all night. size="3"> Michael Thanks Michael,...........Glad you are feeling better.................................................................................................................................................. 18" x 2(15") x HF = 3 Way doesn't it?..............Wish i would have attended. I will go next time!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 Prof - There was a 10 or 12" into a straight horn with large phase plug. Karl said the LF section was probably dual 15" possibly folded horn (behind grille) Very large cabinets probably 3x5x3 feet double hung- really enormous. Oh yeah- if Doc's reading- 8 channels of gate/compressor slamming hard all night. Still sounded great. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Hits Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Great review! Here in Chicago there are some pretty well-groomed soundsystems for live sound. I am particularly fond of Martyr's and I am eager to check out the Bottom Lounge which is fairly new. And allow me to take this opportunity to plug my band, Mas Trueno as we are self-releasing a two-song single. We're having a release party at Fizz Bar on May 9 so check us out and come on by. www.myspace.com/mastrueno Seth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 Cool tunes on the MS page Seth. And you guys really know how to wear some hats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skonopa Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 ... now tell us about a great local rock show in YOUR home town! Just do a search on this forum, and you will find all kinds of posts I made about shows that I've attended locally. Nearly all of them at Jaxx up in Springfield. Not only that, but I got a whole harddrive full of pictures that I've managed to snag from many of these shows. Just a couple examples: Cellador: Circa: Nighwish: Symphony X: Turisas: Sonata Arctica: Stratovararius: I could practically write a book on the shows that I've seen there at Jaxx (and hopefully, continue to see - as I see a number of upcoming shows that I am going to try my darndest to get to). I've had some of my friends suggest I start a blog on the shows and my experience with the. I'd love to take you to a show at Jaxx. On the weekend, saturday night, they have Back in Black, an AC/DC tribute band, which would be pretty cool, but don't know how that would work out with us going to be at the symphony. That sunday is a "Localpalooza", but no bands announced for it. This could be really awesome, or it could be really crappy, depending on what bands and if they are any good, they get for those things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Did anyone notice the Turbosounds on the stage for sidefill monitors? That aught to ring your earbells! [:^)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 Hey Thump, wanna get some guys together next Friday and head to Muncie for the show? M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Thump Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Let's Do IT! I'll bring the oval ear plugs...[H] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted March 28, 2009 Moderators Share Posted March 28, 2009 Not exactly rock but it's fun, a local band we go see sometimes, try the video, my cousin is the girl on the right. Get past the first couple of minutes of the video, it's not a jazz band. http://www.wiseguysband.com/downloads.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Hits Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Thanks, Michael! Rock on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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