Tag: music
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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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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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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…