Production Nightmare

So the deadly winter drought of 2009 seems to be coming to an end. After months of everyone looking for a gig, I am finally starting to fill holes in the schedule.

    Last week I saw this new fixture from Zap technologies. Those folks that brought us the big lite. It’s got the same base and one armed high speed yoke as the big lite, but has a really cool new head.

Over the past few weeks I have been doing a lot of experimenting with my computers. Back home my friends dad is a retired Computer Science professor at a local university. He also happens to be a Macintosh guru that has organized a party for the past 25 years since the release of the company’s first computers. This year was the first time I attended and it was great. You basically show up with your Mac, plug in, connect to the network, grab a beer, and share away with all the other users there in attendance. Which leads me into the whole VMware Fusion vs. Boot Camp problem I’ve been having.

    I do a fair amount of work with artists who come from south of the border. Several reside on different Islands in the Caribbean. Today I am on my way to Trinidad. Once again I am traveling with little info other than my plane ticket and the knowledge that I am working on a show somewhere on that island.

    This week I have been testing out a slew of new lights that manufacturers have been coming out with this year. And I have to admit that I have been impressed with all of them.

         What up everyone. Well BuckCherry fell through so immediately I had to find another gig. Luckily the gig found me. I got a crewspace message from the PM at BSL Productions who gives a ring when they can use me for a string of days on shop work or show dates. Of course we get the talking about the Inauguration because any companies in the Baltimore/DC area are hella-busy around this time. If you read up in the upcoming February edition of PLSN magazine I got the opportunity to write about the Texas State Society Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Ball held at the Gaylord National Convention. In that piece I concentrated on the event as a whole instead of my own personal experience, which I wanted to share in this blog I'm writing today.

    Years ago I was doing a corporate show with some friendly clients who produce multi million dollar events. Over a few drinks I got to know one of the executive producers pretty well. I asked him how his firm got in with these big drug companies he did events for. He explained the process he has to go through to make a presentation to get the gig. After wowing me with details he let me know that his company had spent 40k just in the presentation. I gasped and told him I could not imagine spending that much of my own money just for a chance at getting the gig. His reply was simple. “It takes money to make money.”

     I should’ve seen it coming. I should’ve hit delete immediately. I should’ve done anything but what I did. Accepted an offer to join this phenomenon sweeping the country called Facebook.

Hey Everyone, 

     I talked myself down of that ledge after the last post. Recently a representative from BuckCherry contacted me inquiring my availability this coming year for an upcoming tour with Avenged Sevenfold, Papa Roach, and Saving Abel (I think). Jumping at the opportunity , I immediately expressed interest because these are a great pairing of bands.

    Things have ground down for the year. It seems like for the first time in a while many of my colleagues are looking for work. Heck, I’m even short on gigs. This is usually normal in the music biz around this time of year. But the corporate world has been hit even harder. No big xmas parties anymore. No new year’s extravaganza. For the first time since 9/11 struck, I am seeing a serious decline in trade shows and business meetings.

It’s a shame that we even have to bring up this subject. But lately it’s becoming more and more necessary to lock up your gear on site, especially when you leave it overnight at a venue.

Hey again, well this weeks is going to be brief because I have not a thing to write about. Currently my work has been put to a stand still because of the winter, recession, etc. Who knows what is to blame. All I can say is that I am not able to do what I love and that is lighting.