Category: music
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Assyrian Arts Institute, Gilgamesh: The Opera
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in Actor, Classical Music, Horns, music, Musical, Opera, Orchestra, String music, technical, TheaterWe’re spending a week working on an opera presented by Assyrian Arts Institute. It’s the story of Gilgamesh, an ancient epic. My primary job on this show is as the house V1 (video engineer). But I am also doubling up as an A2, which has also kept me pretty busy working to fulfill the needs…
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The Imaginaries
The Imaginaries is a folk music Duo from Oklahoma, backed by a great band. Shane Henry and Maggie McClure, a husband and wife duo, first started out without even having a band name. They wanted a name with boldness, adventure, and big dreams. Shane finally came up with a name and logo, which came to…
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Rob Kapilow What Makes it Great? Beethoven’s First Symphony
We semi-recently did two shows with Rob Kapilow and his series, What Makes it Great? I’ll write here about the show titled, Beethoven’s First Symphony, the other show was about the Beatles, as I have no photos of that one! Kapilow performed at The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts https://ccpa.cerritos.gov Rob has been returning…
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British Rock Royalty with Brody Dolyniuk / Frankie Avalon
It’s been another busy week at work. This last weekend we did a few shows, first a show called The Simon & Garfunkel Story, which was a history of Simon & Garfunkel that featured a live band of S&G impersonators who played with video footage. A pretty good show for any S&G fans. I didn’t…
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Jay Leno with Phat Cat Swinger
The band Phat Cat Swinger opened up the show tonight with an incredible set of swinging tunes. These guys and gals really rock! With a swinging rhythm section (Bass and Drums), and full complement of a horn section, and two fun frontmen. (Plus a great guitar player and keyboardist) And if that’s not enough there’s…
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Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, New Kids and Work Troubles
Most of the time here on my blog, I write short bits about the acts onstage. We’ve been busy at work with a lot of shows lately—A Magical Cirque Christmas, Jim Brickman, Pam Tillis together with Lorrie Morgan, Brian McKnight, and Matteo Bocelli, to name a few. All good stuff. I’ll leave a few photos…
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Merry-Achi Christmas
It’s December again. Specifically it’s my birthday. And that means it’s Merry-Achi time. Almost every year for the last thirty years or more the mariachi bands have come. Sol de Mexico with Jose Hernandez, and Mariachi Reyna De Los Angeles, the first ever all female mariachi band. I think when I retire, it will be…
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My Generation
The band The Hollies, Allan Clarke, wrote one of the greatest rock songs of all time, Long Cool Woman (in a black dress). A song about a FBI agent in a speakeasy who falls for a woman in a black dress and helps her escape a police raid. Many would mistake it for a Creedence…
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Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band
Last night we worked with Al Jardine of the Beach Boys. A good day at work, mostly because his crew and band were easy to work with. That is always the difference in this business. I have done shows here and there with the Beach Boys since the mid 1980’s when they showed up with…
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Todd Rundgren
Last night I worked with Todd Rundgren. He has been around since the 1960’s playing in the psychedelic band Nazz in 1967. His best-known songs include “Hello It’s Me” and “I Saw the Light” from Something/Anything? (1972) Most of his songs are still played on classic rock radio stations, such as his 1978 song “Can We Still Be Friends“. Most people…
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Lance Burton and Robert Cray
It’s been an interesting week. This last week (to me, not by the calendar.) I worked with both, the great magician Lance Burton and the incredible guitarist Robert Cray. I always enjoy working with Lance Burton. It was his sixth time visiting the Cerritos Canter for the Performing Arts. Last time he came I asked…
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Get the Led Out
Last night we presented a band called, Get the Led Out. Get the Led Out is a tribute band to the great Led Zeppelin. If you are a fan of Led Zeppelin then I highly recommend that you go see this band when they visit your area, as they are the closest sounding band I…
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The Four Tops, The Temptations and my good friend Cecil.
Tonight I’m working on a show that I have worked on many times over the years, The Four Tops and The Temptations. A show which I and my coworkers love working on, since they are both really great bands, and we also like working with their crews. Both are incredibly professional, so the day always…
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Toad The Wet Sprocket
If you’re wondering, as I was, where Toad the Wet Sprocket got their name from, wonder no more. I asked for us. The name “Toad the Wet Sprocket” refers to a humorous band name proposed in a 1970’s Monty Python sketch called Rock Notes. In the sketch a news reporter talks about a band by…
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Boyz II Men
It’s been a good day working on Boyz II Men at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. The Boyz crew has been very professional and incredibly easy going to work with. Most of the gear on stage is from our rental provider DNA, with some audio gear from FLAG. All the lighting and PA,…
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The Addams Family
We’re working on the Broadway show, The Addams Family this weekend. Although, since I’m in the middle of a thirteen day week, most of which are over twelve hour days, it may be a while before I get a chance to post this!I’m, as always, on these types of shows NOT on the audio crew,…
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Working Props
Most of the time at work, I fill the role of A2 on the audio crew, or I am the projectionist/camera operator. When Broadway-type shows hit the stage, though, my role in the production is almost always that of a property technician—i.e., a props guy. The prop department is responsible for many jobs on a…
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John Waite and Tommy Tutone soundcheck
Yesterday I had the pleasure to work with two great artist. I did not work the show but was an A2 on the soundcheck. Headlining the show was John Waite, who is best known for his 1984 hit single “Missing You”, which reached the No. one spot on the US Billboard Hot 100. Next up,…
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Home for the Holidays
Home for the Holidays has been an annual concert at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts for thirty years, although the show used to have another name. This year the other performers included; singer and pianist, Oleta Adams, singer and actor, Ruben Studdard and singer-songwriter and actress, Haley Reinhart. I always love when Peabo…
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En Vogue and Expose’
I’m not going to write much tonight. We worked with the groups En Vogue and Expose’ today. Both groups were easy to work with. The bands were all great players and nice people so our day went well, other than some rented microphones not showing up until after the sound checks were done. The day…
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Joss Stone and Nik West
Tonight’s show is with Joss Stone, the opening band is a bass player Named Nik West and her band. Nik West turned out to be an unbelievable bass player and has a great band. Super funky with driving beats. The rest of the band was also incredible. David Collum II, the drummer rocked hard! And…
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Hairspray
We recently worked on the touring version of the musical Hairspray. My job on the show was working with the prop crew. The props lead for the company, Abbie Garrison (everyone just calls her by her last name) was friendly and easy to work with, which made my days easy. That’s not to say it…
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Latin Rock 24
Saturday May, 4 We’re working tonight on what is billed as the Latin Rock & R&B Show. Three Latino rock bands on stage together. In the order they played, the bands are: Thee Midniters Cannibal and the Headhunters Malo Tonight’s show is hosted by “Shotgun Tom” Kelly of Sirius XM Satalite Radio. Cannibal and the…
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Avery Sunshine / Yamaha CKO
We’re working on a corporate meeting for Yamaha this week. We have done this show for quite a few years. We started on Monday by loading in some gear and hanging soft goods. I was working on the carps crew for the day. On Tuesday we loaded in video equipment. I am working mostly as a liaison…
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Men Without Hats and A Flock of Seagulls
Iwasn’t going to blog today, I’m tired. (I did get lazy and left this overnight) But as it turns out, I really enjoyed spending the work day with a new and interesting group of people. We are working with two bands today, A Flock of Seagulls started as an English new wave band formed in Liverpool…
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Drum Tao
Today’s show is with Drum Tao. If you don’t know what Taiko drums are, they’re a type of Japanese drum which tend to range up into the size I would call enormous. There will be other instruments on stage too such as the Koto, a large zither (think steel guitar for country music fans, or a lay down harp…
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Chubby Checker
I’m working with Chubby Checker tonight and to be honest I forgot just how good his band sounds. Jim (keys), Avery (guitar), Harry (drums), Joseph (bass), and Branden (sax). The sound of that Hammond organ is classic. They are unbelievably exciting! That old rock and roll sound. Then there’s Chubby delivering the lead vocals with an unmistakable…
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Pablo Cruise and Jim Messina
Today we’re working on Pablo Cruise and Jim Messina. Both bands are traveling together but are using separate sound monitor desks. Pablo is using our FOH desk and our monitor board but Messina are using their own monitor desk. Complicating things they share the drum kit, but other inputs will be changing in the sub snakes which lead…