Kid Rock still does a few shows a month while working on his album, so it keeps the crews’ mortgages paid. All my other clients currently on tour have directors that I put out with them earlier this year. I can’t fire someone I hired because I’m now available. Instead, I cover for friends.
What Goes Around…
I did a tour with Brian Spett a few years back. The lighting company was understaffed for one of my tours and suggested him as an electrician. He had been an LD for years in clubs, but he had never been a dimmer guy. So I patiently schooled him, and after the tours’ demise, we stayed in touch. This summer, Brian had overbooked himself and needed a good grandMA operator who knew the Catalyst to run some shows for the rock band Vampire Weekend. I was open, so I took the gig. For what they were paying.
I was actually walking to the local beach when my friend Warren called me. He’s a longtime friend, and I’ve thrown him a few gigs over the years. He was booked on some large events and needed a couple of small “ballroom jobs” covered. I opened my Mac and looked at the trusty iCal app that documents schedules for me and my wife. I was open for the days, and grateful for the gig. I appreciated the call, and I took what they were paying.
This month, I find myself out with an old colleague named Dave Davidian. He’s a Parnelli award winning video director for many acts, and he was out gigging as the production manager for Peter Frampton.
Joel Reiff was his LD, and another guy who has been covering my shows for years. Joel had to bail, and they were looking for someone to take over. I gave them someone’s name, but then got a return call the next day. They were looking for more names, as the guy I had referred had gotten vetoed. So I asked what the dates were. They happened to sandwich around some other gigs I had booked. So I decided to do the job myself. I took what they were paying.
Staying Flexible
We played the Hollywood Bowl last night. Grand venue, with plenty of Martin fixtures. All I’m carrying is a grandMA2 and a 20mm Elation video wall, so I’m dependent on whatever lights I can scrounge everyday. This gig will be the highlight of the run. Tomorrow, I may have 60 PARs and a smattering of Golden Scans at a winery. Or 100 Lekos and two Moles at an Indian casino. So I resort to advancing all the lighting myself — and getting a little help from my friends.
The promoters don’t want to pay one more dime than what is in the contract, and I understand that. But it’s not unusual for me to ask the local lighting company to “throw in” some extra ACL bars, some floor PARs, maybe some old movers. Some vendors show me respect. Like Eric Kennedy down in Mew Mexico. I would be fine using his old Tiger Scans for a gig he was the preferred vendor for. But he opted to give me his new MAC Vipers for the same discount price. He’s a great guy for just taking what we’re paying.
Of course, I have a desired light plot. It has 120K worth of PARs and a separate truss for movers du jour. That stands for any kind of moving light you possibly have.
Then I beg. “Would you happen to own some strobes, and could you maybe throw them in on this rental?” In the console, I have now cloned more than 54 types of fixtures on this tour. I have unfortunately gotten to know the various quirks of many Chinese knockoff lighting fixtures. Some of them are pretty good at stealing the technology. So good, in fact, that the original fixture profile in my console works with the fake light.
Too bad these imitations pale in comparison to the original fixtures. They don’t dim properly, or all change color at the same time. The one thing I have noticed in all these Chinese knockoffs is that they are not built to be sturdy. I see them coming out of their original packing containers with parts hanging off them.
The people purchasing these cheaply made lights are getting what they’re paying for.
Fargo, Bangor and Tucson
Production designer Alex Skowron just called me. We tag team bands all the time, depending on our schedules. We look after young acts that are threatening to blow up as well as veterans that jet around the world to do one-off performances in strange countries. Some of these acts are really good; some I find offensive to watch and listen to. But I’m not paid to like the act. I’m paid to give them the best looking show I can deliver, no matter what.
Alex wants me to cover some Australian kids’ band for him. I have never heard of this act and really have not much enthusiasm for taking the gig, but the money is pretty good. So I’m all in for taking what they offer.
I’m digging playing the small town circuit. Twenty years ago, when we went on tour, we covered the whole of America. You played the A markets first while the bands made big bucks and debuted their latest album. But then they would circle the states multiple times until they hit every little corner, from Fargo to Bangor.
If a town had an arena, you could be assured that the band Rush would find your venue eventually. Nowadays, with nobody making great money from album sales, I’m shocked that more acts aren’t taking that money. I have not been to Tucson since the 1980s. But earlier this summer, I found they had a lovely 7,500-capacity amphitheater. With a great crew and excellent lighting gear. Kid Rock packed the venue. Frampton almost sold it out. The people were starved for entertainment, and got a great show. And the performers gladly took what they were paying.
People are always asking me what to charge for a gig. I have my certain rates for various jobs and prefer when I can obtain that pay scale from a client. But like the rest of everything we want in life, the charge is negotiable. I may be sitting on the couch earning nothing waiting for the phone to ring. It always does. And when it does I will entertain any offer, because it’s paying me substantially more than my couch. And hopefully I end up taking what they’re paying.
