Category: Stagehand
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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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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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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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Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts acquires Digico Quantum 338’s
A DiGiCo Double Play for the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts See the link above for the whole article. The venue where I work, The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, has substantially upgraded our audio system. Starting with the audio desks. Two new Digico Quantum 338’s. We have also acquired a line array,…
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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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Lighting Preps
Every day isn’t working on a show. There are days set aside for other tasks, and today is one of those. Today is a prep day, and I will be working on the lighting/electric crew today. Usually I work on the audio crew, but if you spend enough time in this business you learn to…
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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…
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Little Women
This weekend we are working on the musical adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott book, Little Women. The company showed up with 2 simi trucks full of set pieces, lighting, audio equipment, props and lots of wardrobe. So far it’s been an easy day as we had a lot of overhire help (hands hired for…
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Who I Am and What I Do.
In live entertainment there are traveling companies and venues. If you are a tech and you travel you’re, “with the company, touring” (roadie). If you’re with the venue you’re “local, with the house” (stagehand). Currently, in the latter part of what I’ll call my career I am a local stagehand. I have traveled in the…
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What the Hell Do Stagehands Do Anyhow?
Hauling a lot of stuff on to stage for a Broadway show It turns out that a lot of people ask this question when I tell them what I do for work. Actually, we call ourselves technical services, or tech services – or just techs. Turns out we do a lot. I like to say,…