THE MUSICIAN ’S RESO URCE
JULY 2014 FREE
SPECIAL TOUR SURVIVAL GUIDE
Screaming Near-Death Crash Inspires Killer Live Album
FEMALES
HOW TO √ MAKE MONEY WITH HOUSE CONCERTS √ STAY HEALTHY ON THE ROAD √ GO WIRELESS ON STAGE √ BOOK MORE GIGS
INDIE TOUR VAN GALLERY TOUR VAN ESSENTIALS INSIDE THE VW BUS
ACK UP TO $200 CASH B SER ON SELECT SENNHEI WIRELESS SYSTEMS
GEAR UP TO SENNHEISER Stepping up to Sennheiser premium wireless systems improves your sound and gets cash back in your pocket! For a limited time only, get up to $200 cash back on purchases of new Sennheiser wireless microphone systems, made between June 1st and August 30th, 2014. Trade in your old wireless gear, no matter what brand or condition. Cash back values range from $50 on new Sennheiser XS wireless products to $200 on new Sennheiser evolution wireless 500 series.
The trade in process is easy! Gear up to Sennheiser now! Learn more and choose the right system for you at: sennheiserusa.com/gear-up
ROCK OUT. CASH IN. PAYMENT FOR LIVE PERFORMANCES
www.ascap.com/onstage
WE’VE TAKEN DIGITAL WIRELESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL . . .
THE FLOOR
SYSTEM
STOMPBOX
DIGITAL 2.4 GHz HIGH-F IDELITY WIRELESS Combining advanced 24-bit, field-proven performance, easy setup and clear, natural sound quality, our System 10 Stompbox delivers the ultimate wireless experience. With the tap of a foot on the rugged, metal Stompbox receiver, guitarists can toggle between dual ¼” balanced outputs or mute one output without affecting the other. And, since the System operates in the 2.4 GHz range, it’s free from TV and DTV interference. You can also pair multiple UniPak® body-pack transmitters with a single receiver to easily change guitars. So go ahead, give it a try – we think you’ll be floored.
Tour Diary: The Expendables
32
TABLE OF CONTENTS
VOL.24, ISSUE 5
Raul Bianchi dishes some advice on how to keep your head on straight in the eye of the storm…or how to stay sane on a long tour.
24
cover story
Screaming Females by Marissa Paternoster The Jersey punks turn a scary tour van experience into live album gold. Read the harrowing tale, told first-hand by the band’s brilliant leader and one of rock’s wildest guitarists.
Tour Diary: Briar Rabbit
34
The soulful singer lays down the truth about what it takes to pack up the car and take a solo tour out on the road.
4.
Letter From the Editor
5.
Obituaries
6.
Quick Picks: The Best in New Music
9.
Vinyl of the Month: Muuy Biien
10. Live Reviews 16. Indie Tour Van Gallery 36. Get Fans to Your Gigs 37. Make Money With House Concerts 38. Tour Tips & Reality 39. Tour Van Survival Guide 40. Stay Healthy on the Road 42. Audio-Technica Wireless Tour Test 45. Recording: Fixing Mistakes in the
Sharon Van Etten by Ian Doreian
28
The indie queen opens to Performer about her touring philosophies and life on the road.
Studio pt. 2
46. Gear Reviews: Samson, Music Nomad, TASCAM
48. Flashback: VW Bus Cross-Section
Cover photo by SEAN O’KANE PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 3
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Howdy, y’all! If the front cover didn’t spell it out clearly enough, this issue is all about becoming a YouTube sensation! Oh wait, that’s the bullshit our Main Competitor is dishing out this month. We went the other way, devoting an entire issue to the reality of life on the road, dispelling myths about touring and offering a first-hand look at the realities behind packing up the van and shipping off on a cross-country adventure. A word of advice: be sure you like the other dudes and dudettes you’ll be sharing close quarters with, because we really don’t want to bail you out of a Podunk jail after you’ve strangled your bass player for missing another off-ramp.
going wireless on stage, how to make money booking house concerts and why crashing your van can lead to an amazing live album produced by Steve Albini. OK…so maybe not every van accident leads to an Albini record, but you get the point. Stay safe out there, and be sure to share your own tour stories with us for a follow up issue we’re planning.
Volume 24, Issue 5 PO BOX 348 Somerville, MA 02143 Phone: 617-627-9200 PUBLISHER
William House Phone: 617-627-9200 bill@performermag.com EDITOR
Benjamin Ricci ben@performermag.com DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION
-Benjamin Ricci, editor
Cristian Iancu EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Bob Dobalina editorial@performermag.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
In the following pages you’ll learn about staying healthy on tour, getting more fans to your gigs,
P.S. I just remembered why I swore I’d never move my record collection again after the last time I moved it. Vinyl is friggin’ heavy – maybe there is something to this confounded cloud storage thing after all…but then, what would I annoy my wife with if not my ever-expanding, space-hogging bins of LPs?
Benjamin Hanson, Benjamin Ricci, Billy Yost, Brent Godin, Brian Palmer, Briar Rabbit, Chris Devine, Christopher Petro, Ellen Eldridge, Erik Olson, Heidi Schmitt, Ian Doreian, Jaclyn Wing, Jason Ashcraft, Jillian Dennis-Skillings, Maria Pulcinella Murray, Marissa Paternoster, Matt Boyer, Michael St. James, Roger Lussier, Shannon Curtis, Shawn M Haney, Taylor Haag, Vanessa Bennett, Zac Cataldo CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Beth Doreian, Caitlin McCann, Christopher Patrick Ernst, Dan Watkins, David Black, David Medeiros, Jason Thrasher, Jim Vondruska, Julia DeStefano, Lesley Daunt, Liz McBride, Matt Boyer, Matt Lambert, Michael James Murray, Scott Trippler, Sean O'Kane, Steve Babuljak
performermag.com
/performermagazine
@performermag
ABOUT US
CORRECTIONS
Performer Magazine, a nationally distributed musician’s trade publication, focuses on independent musicians, those unsigned and on small labels, and their success in a DIY environment. We’re dedicated to promoting lesser-known talent and being the first to introduce you to artists you should know about.
Did we make a heinous blunder, factual error or just spell your name wrong? Contact editorial@performermag.com and let us know, cuz we’re big enough to say, “Baby, I was wrong.”
MUSIC SUBMISSIONS We listen to everything that comes into the office. We prefer physical CDs, cassettes and vinyl over downloads. If you do not have a physical copy, send download links to editorial@performermag.com.No attachments, please. Send CDs to: Performer Magazine Attn: Reviews PO BOX 348 Somerville, MA 02143
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EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS In the words of our esteemed forefathers at CREEM: “NOBODY WHO WRITES FOR THIS RAG’S GOT ANYTHING YOU AIN’T GOT, at least in the way of credentials. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be sending us your stuff: reviews, features, photos, recording tips, DIY advice or whatever else you have in mind that might be interesting to our readers: independent and DIY musicians. Who else do ya know who’ll publish you? We really will... ask any of our dozens of satisfied customers. Just bop it along to us to editorial@performermag.com and see what comes back your way. If you have eyes to be in print, this just might be the place. Whaddya got to lose? Whaddya got?”
ADVERTISING SALES
Kathleen Mackay kathleen@performermag.com Deborah Rice deborah@performermag.com © 2014 by Performer Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any method whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher. The magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited recordings, manuscripts, artwork or photographs and will not return such materials unless requested and accompanied by a SASE. Annual Subscription Rate is $30 in the U.S.; $45 outside the U.S.
Legendary Radio Personality Kemal Amin “Casey” Kasem was an American disc jockey, music historian, radio personality and actor, best known for being the host of the music radio programs American Top 40, American Top 20, and American Top 10 from 1970 until his retirement in 2009. Kasem founded the American Top 40 franchise in 1970, along with Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs, and hosted it from 1970 to 1988 and from 1998 to 2004.
Andre Harris, 47 Chicago House Music Pioneer Large Records founder Jeff Craven has issued a statement on Harris’ passing: “It brings me great sorrow to officially announce that last week we lost a truly great spirit and wonderful artist Andre Harris. Andre had a long and distinguished career as both a DJ and producer appearing on labels such as Cajual, Estereo, Large and his own imprint Innate Soul over the last 20 years. It is our hope that even in our sadness we celebrate his amazing life and career with the same kind of joy that Andre shared with all of us.”
Bob Tudor, 47 PreSonus CTO, Mackie Pioneer PreSonus sadly announces the passing of Bob Tudor, the company’s widely admired, respected, and beloved Chief Technology Officer. A legend in the pro audio/MI industry, as a child prodigy, he studied piano with Arthur Rubinstein protégé and Julliard fellow Josephine Bacher. Tudor later studied electrical engineering at the prestigious Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute but switched to the Berklee College of Music, where he studied film scoring, jazz, and music production. He co-founded Boston’s Metropolis recording studio and recorded such well-known acts as Peter Wolf/J. Geils Band, Extreme, Aimee Mann, New Kids on the Block, and Bobby Brown.
Cahron Childs aka JayAre, 25
Count Suckle, 82 Influential Developer of Ska & Reggae Wilbert Augustus Campbell, known as Count Suckle, was a Jamaica-born sound system operator and former club owner who was influential in the development of ska and reggae music, and African-Caribbean culture, in the United Kingdom. In 1961 he became the resident DJ at the Roaring Twenties club in Carnaby Street, where he began showcasing records sent to him privately by Prince Buster in Jamaica as well as R&B record labels in the States. In 1964 he began managing his own club, and in 1970 he ran Q Records, a short-lived subsidiary of the Trojan record label.
OBITUARIES
Casey Kasem, 82
Jimmy Scott, 88 Contralto Jazz Vocalist James Victor “Jimmy” Scott, also known as “Little” Jimmy Scott, was an American jazz vocalist famous for his unusually high contralto voice, which was due to Kallmann’s syndrome, a very rare genetic condition. The condition stunted his growth and prevented him from reaching puberty, leaving him with a high, undeveloped voice. Lionel Hampton gave him the stage name of “Little Jimmy Scott” because he looked so young. Later he’d become a favorite of fellow artists such as Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Frankie Valli, and Nancy Wilson.
Malcolm MacDonald, 66 Editor of Tempo Magazine According to Raymond Head of The Guardian: “My friend Malcolm MacDonald, who has died aged 66, was a highly respected writer on music, who also used the professional name Calum MacDonald. He had a formidable intellect, an encyclopedic knowledge of classical music, and a fluent and evocative use of language. From the early 1980s he was editor of Tempo, a contemporary music magazine published by Boosey & Hawkes and then by Cambridge University Press. Under his editorship, Tempo covered a wide range of composers.”
Thayer Harris, 23
Audio Engineer, Mad Oak Studios Cali Swag District Boston According to BET.com: “JayAre, born As reported by Vanyaland: “The Boston Cahron Childs, died from cardiac arrest… music community is mourning the loss The rapper, who battled sickle cell aneof Thayer Harris, a recent graduate the mia, was admitted to the hospital…for New England Institute of Art’s audio undisclosed reasons. He suffered the faprogram and beloved audio engineer tal heart attack during his stay. He would at Mad Oak Studios and 37ft Studios. have turned 26 later this month…JayAre is Harris, who is being praised for this enthe second member of the once foursome to pass away. In May 2011, Montae “M-Bone” Talbert was killed in a drive-by thusiasm and professionalism by those who knew him, passed away recently shooting. Smoove and Yung are the only surviving members of the group, which at the age of 23, and now a GoFundMe Memorial Fund page has been established in his name. achieved fame with “Teach Me How to Dougie” in 2010.”
PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 5
REVIEWS
BEACH PARTY Self-Titled EP Los Angeles, CA (Self-released)
BLACK STONE CHERRY Magic Mountain Edmonton, KY (Roadrunner Records)
BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD Tangerine Sky Seattle, WA (Om Records)
Beach Party has arrived just in time for summer. The Los Angeles natives are releasing a self-titled, five-song EP made of fuzzy, reverberating surf punk. From grinding guitar chords to aggressively pounding percussion, the album is a whirlwind from start to finish. In less than twenty minutes, Beach Party moves from bopping ’60s influenced rock (“Geronimo”) to ambling story telling (“Can’t Surf”) to dark and foreboding chaos (“Fun”) without missing a beat. The layers of razor sharp guitar notes paired with hoarse and calloused vocals are a perfect accompaniment to the explosive and at times unpredictable harmonies.
Kentucky’s Black Stone Cherry has recorded an album that essentially reiterates their stylistic roots as a band: Hard. Southern. Rock-n-roll. Probably in that order, and maybe the best they’ve done yet considering they are Southern Rock’s unofficial, official torchbearers. However, somewhat unlike their youthful formative elementary days, Magic Mountain’s topics are a bit more college-y, highlighted by more moments of verbal sultry bluntness than their previous three releases. Perhaps so blatantly so, that we can go ahead and officially add stoner rock to their growing list of genre identifiers. Of course, a Black Stone(d) Cherry album is never really complete until, in prideful anthemic-fashion, there’s a song that glorifies their home state…The tune in question this time is “Hollywood In Kentucky,” where the guys proclaim “you get your ass kicked if you talk about my mother.” Follow on Twitter @BlkStoneCherry Jason Ashcraft
Tangerine Sky is a tranquil journey through a fog of synthesized keyboards clapping backbeats, manipulated sound and decisive percussion notes. Mikey Maramag (the man behind the moniker) creates layers energetic and effervescent harmonies while blending a variety of genres and styles. The album is his third full-length release and it stays in the vein of hazy synth-pop. This time around though he’s produced cleaner bass lines, richer layers and given the album a wider range… Tangerine Sky blends together keys, electric guitar, percussion and looping to create moments of seemingly intentional introspection. It is a style Blackbird Blackbird has mastered on previous recordings, but nevertheless creates a haunting and captivating atmosphere.
Mixed & Recorded by Sonny DiPerri Additional Recording by Ty Segall Follow on Twitter @BEACHPARTYYY Vanessa Bennett
Produced by Michael Philip Maramag Follow on Twitter @BLCKBRDBLCKBRD Vanessa Bennett
QUICK
Here you’ll find the best new music our writers have been digging this past month. For full reviews and to stream tracks and videos from the artists featured on these pages, please head to performermag.com. Enjoy! CITY WALLS AUTUMN FALLS Factory Brooklyn, NY (Self-released)
JPNSGRLS Circulation Vancouver, BC (Light Organ Records)
KARIKATURA Eyes Wide New York, NY (Ropeadope Records)
Beginning with a burst of joyful energy in the opening track “Factory,” brothers Dave and Anthony Gill display their gleeful harmonies, the trademark of this album. As the duet, the Gills bring their Australian roots and world travels into the heart of their sound, creating a batch of songs while living and bonding together in a natural forest setting in a barn in Woodstock, NY. “Patti” feels somber and sad melodically, with more glorious acoustic guitars and delightful piano. “While we conjure up a brighter day, play the games we play, I still tremble like a child lost in the dark,” sing Dave and Anthony with great pain and intimacy in “Lonely Too.” A glorious folk/country album, the tonality of each of the pair’s vocals is riveting, the arrangements stellar; for the avid folk fan, this gem is a winner. Produced by City Walls Autumn Falls and Reed Kendall Mixed by Tim Hatfield Mastered by Paul Gold at Salt Mastering Follow on Twitter @cwallsafalls Shawn M. Haney
Jpnsgrls (pronounced “Japanese Girls”) is an alternative rock band from Vancouver; Circulation is their first full-length album. Right off the bat, this record cranks out energy. First song “Smalls” has a classic indie rock vibe - picture the Arctic Monkeys, but still jamming out in their garage. Later tracks like like “Southern Comforting” and “Brandon” are slower with more powerful choruses. “Circulation” and “Mushrooms” have more of a Strokes vibe, that’s quite danceable. No matter which track, this LP has a strong energy that just begs you to listen to it. Bottom line: the new Jpnsgrls LP is full of fun, danceable songs that will get you up and moving in no time.
The debut full-length by this trans-global sextet is modern makeover of island inspired jazz-rock verdant with vivacious clave, Caribbean patois and tropical imagery – basically bombastic bossa nova blues. The 13-song LP is a bilingual buena vista combining hi-fi clean production with fortified song structures that create a personable sense of bouncy heartbreak. Accentuated with auxiliary percussion and crying horns, the group’s multicultural musical approach brushes on the hardships surrounding the urban struggle and deflated love while tactfully capturing benevolent vibes in Kingston cadences and Havana hustle rhythms.A true musical cocktail with Benetton diversity, Eyes Wide captures a band cleverly splicing a distant argot with the urban troubles of a modern man, and boasts the variety of a West Indies sampler with double down danceability. Engineered by Craig Dreyer Mixed by Daniel Schlett/ Mastered by Alex Saltz Follow on Twitter @KarikaturaNYC Taylor Haag
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Produced by Steve Bays Mastered by Greg Calbi Follow on Twitter @jpnsgrls Benjamin Hanson
RADIO MOSCOW Magical Dirt Story City, Iowa (Alive Records)
Idyllwild is nothing short of extraordinary. Velvety vocals, tinged with a raw rasp, similar to that of Bonnie Raitt and Brandi Carlisle, make this album one of Dyson's best yet. The title track, “Idyllwild,” is an upbeat number that features intricate guitar riffs, a screaming organ and a percussion beat that could make even the saddest soul dance. “That Sugar” is certainly a highlight track that showcases Dyson’s incredible musical arrangement, as lap steel guitars glide in-between dancing piano notes and throbbing percussion beats. Her depth as a songwriter is evident on tracks like “Want You There,” as well. Idyllwild serves as a testament that depth and sincerity can still exist within today’s music industry. Produced by Erin Sidney and Patrick Cupples Mixed by Pat Cupples Mastered by Jason Mariani Follow on Twitter @miadysonmusic Jillian Dennis-Skillings
Magical Dirt is a structured around guitarist Parker Griggs, who cranks out sick ’70s style riff-based tunes. Together with his two bandmates, Radio Moscow has made a completely rockin’ album, making you wish the LP was more than just ten songs. Magical Dirt is mixed with extended, infectious guitar riffs, slick drum patterns that have you nodding along, and bass lines that glue it all together. You find yourself in a psychedelic blur, which leaves you questioning if you time traveled back to the ’70s. Their vintage, cosmic blues sound simultaneously melts your face off and makes your uptight neighbor angry… Producing a Hendrix-meets-Cream atmosphere, Radio Moscow is just a few catchy hooks away from taking it to the next level. Produced by Parker Griggs Mastered at Golden Mastering Follow on Twitter @radiomoscowband Jaclyn Wing
REVIEWS
MIA DYSON Idyllwild Los Angeles, CA (Black Door Records)
SEX WITH STRANGERS You Know Something We Don't? Vancouver, BC (Self-released) Since forming in 1995, Sex With Strangers has been experimenting with their sound, which is evident in their newest album You Know Something We Don’t? Their reputation for unpredictable live shows comes through in their songs. The combo of drums and post-rock guitar with floating vocals creates an interesting indie feel. Hatch Benedict and Alexis Young on vocals/keyboards generate a swirling warm atmosphere… Produced by Paul Boechler Mastered by Brock McFarlane Follow on Twitter @SWSmusic
Jaclyn Wing
PICKS
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THE FALLING BIRDS Native America EP New York, NY (Self-released)
WETWOOD SMOKES Earth Tones & Red Anaheim, CA (Self-released)
WUNDER WUNDER Everything Infinite Los Angeles, CA (Dovecote Records)
If you are going to announce your presence to the music world with an EP, you might as well come out swinging. That seems to be The Falling Birds’ motto because these five tracks fly in various directions and prove the band will take on all genres. “Darling” starts things off with a gritty alternative rock aesthetic reminiscent of early Cage the Elephant, and singer Stephen Artemis sounds about as frenetic as Matt Shultz, so the similarities are doubly eerie. Throw in the absolutely unhinged blues rock sound and Artemis’ howling vocals on “Dead Man Walking,” and an earnest, if slightly clunky, acoustic closer and you see that this is a band which loves variety…Native America is a winner because it isn’t afraid to go in multiple directions, and that is refreshing. Produced by The Falling Birds Mixed by Nick Albury Mastered by Nate Thor Odden Follow on Twitter @FallForTheBirds Brian Palmer
If you want an idea about what makes the indie rock trio Wetwood Smokes interesting, look no further than the fact that they have been known to switch up instrument duties just because they can. This interchangeability demonstrates their keen sense of creativity and willingness to explore new territories with each song, which helps give their debut EP, Earth Tones & Red, extra verve and energy…The band shows they have an indelible sense of what makes for simultaneously crunchy and melodic rock and roll. Much of the album centers on relationships, be it with significant others (“2am”) or family (“Folks”), but the groovy mid-tempo pop track “Madeline” deftly explores that pre-relationship flirtatious period that is filled to the brim with sparks and uncertainty…This is an intriguing, appealing debut. Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Kerie Roark Follow online at facebook.com/WetwoodSmokes Brian Palmer
Vintage jangle rock anthems nuanced by summery psychedelic and chillwave textures… Wunder Wunder’s debut bursts with rays of colorful synths, sepia-toned rhythms and textures and borrows pages from the chillwave doctrine, tapping digital hooks and electronic flourishes into glowing summer tapestries…The vocals echo the rakishly aged tones on Tame Impala and Foxygen releases, and the kind of buoyant coupled harmonies trademark to Pet Sounds. The result is an intriguing marriage of electronic abstraction, a foaming, busy melody and jubilant harmony…Framed within the classic verse/chorus structure, Wunder Wunder harvests the past, but dodges an antiquated pastiche with a novel coupling of languid and explorative songwriting and strong listenability... Produced by Aaron Shanahan & Benjamin Plant Mastered by Heba Kadry Follow on Twitter @wunderwundered Christopher Petro PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 7
REVIEWS
“Bay State Rockers Take Somber Turn on New LP” The Fresh & ONLYS
House of Spirits
San Francisco, CA (Mexican Summer)
Recorded by Phil Manley
Follow on Twitter: @Freshandonlys
by MARIA PULCINELLA MURRAY / photo by DAVID BLACK
The San Francisco psych-pop outfit The Fresh & Onlys deliver with their fifth LP, House of Spirits. On “Home is Where?” organs open up a surreal album inspired by the dreams frontman Tim Cohen documented while staying in a remote, Arizonan horse ranch. Under the direction of Phil Manley (Trans Am), Cohen navigates a peculiar landscape marked by bleary-eyed, garage-pop melodies. Partly recorded with only a guitar, Korg keyboard, and drum machine, House of Spirits
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finds the band expanding its already heavily-stacked arsenal of hazy, experimental jams. The album is haunted by isolation, the fear of being forgotten, and driven by twangy guitar tones. House of Spirits is at its best when the unsettling atmosphere Cohen creates seems to perfectly house the illusory musings that dreams make difficult to place. The album’s closing track, “Madness,” puts it beautifully: “So, madness has a heart / Letting me rejoice / In the most peculiar things.”
It’s hard to pin down the sound of Muuy Biien. The record begins with two minutes of an oddly entrancing drone before kicking into the true opener, “Cyclothymia I.” Is it punk? Is it noise rock? Is it post-punk?
It’s sort of…post-everything, if one had to put a label on it. But that’s selling the record short. It’s not just noise for the sake of noise; there are some quirky and angular melodies tucked in the grooves. Standouts include the short “Dust,” a throwback to the late-’70s pogo of British punk and the equally engaging “Melters,” blending Hüsker Dü’s acousticallytinged layers of fuzz with atonal, jerky chord bursts. Highly recommended.
REVIEWS
Due to their penchant for poor spelling, Athens-based noisemakers Muuy Biien have decided to call their latest LP D.Y.I. – fitting for a record bathed in an authentic, charming homemade quality (albeit wrapped in a grunged-out layer of post-punk, Wire-esque drones and spikes).
Follow on Twitter: @muuybiien
Muuy Biien D.Y.I.
Athens, GA (HHBTM Records)
“Athens Noisemakers Go PostEverything on New LP”
Artwork by ASH RICKLI & EMILY BECK Layout by MIKE TURNER Mastered by JESSE MANGUM at THE GLOW STUDIOS Recorded/Mixed by ROBBIE RAPP & JOSHUA EVANS Size: 12-inch Speed: 33 1/3 rpm Color: White Vinyl
review by BENJAMIN RICCI / photo by JASON THRASHER PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 9
REVIEWS
Death Cab For Cutie
Follow on Twitter: @Boston_Calling
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
The Best of Boston Calling City Hall Plaza – Boston, MA - May 23-25, 2014 Mind-blowing lineup leaves City Hall Plaza reeling with NO set conflicts!
T
his year’s spring edition of Boston Calling (May 23-25) was well-packed with seasoned artists and burgeoning up-and-comers. After a successful debut last Memorial Day weekend, the founders of Crash Line Productions were quick to secure a second run by Labor Day (in a city which, prior to May 2013, hadn’t seen the likes of a music festival, well, ever). ”Drawing crowds from across the country and giving people the chance to see some of the most incredible artists in the world in downtown Boston has been a privilege,” says Brian Appel, one of Crash Line Productions’ co-founders. Though Boston Calling does away with the panic-inducing
article by MARIA PULCINELLA MURRAY / photos by DAN WATKINS set conflicts that accompany larger festivals, there were standouts that were worth tailoring schedules around (in between the double beer gardens and Roxy’s Grilled Cheese runs). In a brand new lineup curated by The Bowery Boston and Aaron Dessner of The National, this was the best of Boston Calling:
EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS
Edward Sharpe, the quasi-make-believe messianic figure conceptualized by frontman Alex Ebert, led his merry band of 10+ neohippies to a groove-centric live show. The
L.A.-based folk-rock collective, remembered for its commercially successful hit “Home,” drew one of more excitable crowds at Boston Calling. The character that Ebert has created for himself, much like that of Father John Misty’s Joshua Tillman, never felt exclusively fictitious or “real,” but continued to better serve the masses. With the Zeros, this meant wide-sweeping anthems grounded in everything from gospel to folk to lateSixties revivalism. Jade Castrinos’ vocals were missed, but Ebert’s zealous performance style, and the heap of band members alone—paired with a fiercely loyal relationship to the “stompclap”—made for a whimsical Friday night set.
Kurt Vile
Brand New
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Ebert wasn’t shy about jumping in with the crowd or “borrowing” an audience member’s phone to capture video while running rampant on stage, which Boston Calling fans received warmly. With Ebert at the forefront of this (largely effective) feel-goodery, these nostalgic L.A.-rockers stirred up a rousing, cult-like party on stage. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
KURT VILE AND THE VIOLATORS
If Boston Calling 2 was the EDM-heavy variant of Boston Calling 1, then this third installment was a much-needed reversion to the indie-rock jams that marked the festival’s debut, courtesy of artists like Kurt Vile. Most people would peg the singer/songwriter as the poster child for unhurried, stoner vibes, making for an appropriately sunny, mid-afternoon set on Sunday. On tour for his latest LP, Wakin on a Pretty Daze, Vile had an incredible arsenal of hazy, sun-baked jams at his disposal. Songs like the set’s opener, “Wakin on a Pretty Day,” turned into expansive journeys, 9+ minutes in length. Vile, with his easygoing coo and fuzzy, honey-sweet
Box Tiger
guitar tones, drew the crowd into what otherwise feels like a personal space. Vile confirmed this with his parting words: “Thanks for coming to our stoner jam rehearsal—this is just our warm up gig,” he said. But not before adding an endearing “just kidding.”
PHOSPHORESCENT
Phosphorescent, the nom de plume of American singer/songwriter Matthew Houck, was one to catch at Boston Calling’s May incarnation. Currently based in Brooklyn, the Alabama native is often viewed in tandem with rootsy, country-rock culture. On a much-extended tour for his recent LP, Muchacho, Houck delivered his most direct (and accessible) sound yet as he blurred the line between genres with a narrative steeped in rebirth. The album translated well to the Boston Calling setting, which consistently warps its indie roots to produce a dynamic lineup. Houck’s Muchacho-heavy set harnessed a certain catharsis, with warm harmonic swells making use of the singer’s beautiful falsetto as they stacked up on top of one another. Houck’s resonance within
REVIEWS
Frank Turner
Boston’s City Hall Plaza made this an added bonus (even if he was sporting his own band t-shirt).
THE DISTRICTS
The Districts occupied a special spot within the Boston Calling lineup, reserved for promising up-and-comers that offer a welcome surprise to new listeners. The rockers born out of Lititz, Pennsylvania, whose self-titled EP premiered this past January, delivered a blues-indebted sound that was both wistful and high-powered. Led by vocalist Rob Grote, the rock-and-soul four-piece put on a high-octane performance, backed by Grote’s acute ability to weave in and out of his manicured growl of a voice. Amid many ’90s inspired haircuts (see: Hanson), The Districts pleased an early Sunday crowd with the lovelorn intonation of “Lyla” and the stomping, all-powerful “Rocking Chair,” which opened their set. On stage, these authentic, Lancaster County natives carried staying power that made for a refreshing Boston Calling lineup. Tickets are on sale now for Boston Calling IV (September 5-7) at bostoncalling.com
Phosphorescent
Tegan or Sara? No clue...
PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 11
REVIEWS
article and photography by MATT BOYER
Elbow
Sasquatch! Festival 2014 The Gorge – George, WA - May 23-25, 2014
S
asquatch! Music Festival is a three-day musical extravaganza that takes place over Memorial Day weekend at the Gorge, smack in the middle of Washington state. Widely considered to be one of the greatest outdoor music venues in the world, the Gorge’s breathtaking setting makes Sasquatch! truly stand out among other U.S. fests. Now in its 12th year, the festival features five stages of music and comedy; this was my ninth trip to the annual event, and here are some of the best things I managed to witness.
THE STEPKIDS
Nothing could have prepared me for the infectious blast of energy the Stepkids hurled at the crowd when I arrived at the Bigfoot stage. Comprised of guitar, bass and drums, the psychedelic funk-jazz trio tore through catchy, upbeat songs that got everyone up and moving. From the first note they played, it was clear the Connecticut band had their performance finely
12 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
honed from years of playing together. The three members shared vocal duties, backing each other up with soulful harmonies. Guitarist Jeff Gitelman and bassist Dan Edinberg jumped and shuffled around the stage to choreographed dance moves. The group was an exceptionally fun start to the festival and set the tone for the entire weekend.
DAMIEN JURADO
Damien Jurado doesn’t like fog machines. As soon as fog began swirling around the windy Yeti stage before his Friday night set, Jurado quickly requested the machines be turned off. Having seen him earlier this year in Seattle with a band and an all-female choir, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Sitting in a chair at the center of the stage, Jurado performed intimate, solo renditions of songs such as “Museum of Flight.” He welcomed members of the audience who were enjoying their first experience at the Gorge and commented that
he plays numerous festivals, and that we were very fortunate to have a festival like this in such a lovely setting.
HOBOSEXUAL
Ever since I first discovered a few years ago Seattle had a band named Hobosexual, I’ve had them on my must-see list of bands. The duo played the Narhwal stage, the smallest stage at the festival, which featured local, Seattlearea musicians. Put simply, Hobosexual plays a mixture of stoner metal and blues reminiscent of Black Sabbath and Kyuss. Consisting of sludgeheavy guitar and punishing drums, the band charged through fun, riff-based tunes to the headbanging delight of the small, devoted crowd.
JOHN GRANT
A late addition to the lineup, John Grant had the difficult task of kicking off Day 3 on the main stage at 1 p.m. As I came to the top of the hill, I
REVIEWS
Artists Right (top to bottom): Damien Jurado, Hobosexual, John Grant, Stepkids
3-day explosion of unforgettable music rocks the scenic Gorge was surprised and disappointed to see there were only a few hundred people scattered around the hills of the main stage, which fits over 22,000 people. Grant didn’t seem to care; with his deep baritone voice, he sang his brutally honest, but often hilarious lyrics. Accompanied only by a guitarist and the occasional laptop soundscapes, the stripped-down performance consisted of ballads such as “Glacier” and “GMF.” If you don’t know what “GMF” stands for, do yourself a favor, and look up the song on YouTube right now.
the set, lead singer Guy Garvey thanked the crowd for chanting the name of the band, and joked, “It’s a really shit name for a band, I know.” He smiled wide and pointed to members of the audience as he sang, legitimately attempting to connect with every person in attendance. The 50-minute set felt like 15 minutes, far too short for a band with six LPs worth of material to choose from. The group fittingly closed with “One Day Like This,” and based on the smiling faces around me, the crowd left feeling it was a day they wouldn’t soon forget.
ELBOW
When UK band Elbow took the main stage early Sunday evening, they were greeted with open arms by the Sasquatch! crowd. Accompanied by two violinists, the five-piece band played big, sweeping sing-alongs. Nearly every song had people clapping and cheering along. Several times during the performance, the audience broke into chants of “El-bow! El-bow!” Mid-way through
Follow on Twitter: @Sasquatch PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 13
REVIEWS
T
hose who have raised The Afghan Whigs to canonical cult status over the course of their career had much reason to rejoice about when the band reunited back in 2012. Although believed to be a one-off, the revival resulted in Do to the Beast, their first album in 16 years, and a tour that made its obligatory stop at the Paradise this May. Undeniable is Greg Dulli’s innate ability to enchant through words and body language, a fact that legions of multi-dimensional Whigs fans can attest to. Such prowess was in full force this night, with Dulli and the current lineup of the band – which included original bassist John Curley among a group of friends – blazing through a set that lasted well over 90 minutes. Barn-burning opener, “Parked Outside,” with Dulli’s ominous roar of “If they’ve seen it all, show ‘em something new,” did well to set the tone for the evening: it would not be a nostalgia fest but rather a celebratory occasion. Amid soon-to-be-classics “Matamoros” and “Algiers” was the heartrending “I Am Fire” with a surprise segue into Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk.” The Whigs’ back catalogue was also well represented through the anguish-ridden “Fountain and Fairfax” and the sensual swagger of “Gentleman” – each bringing a whole new level of intensity to Dulli’s wails. Equally as intoxicating was the irresistibly funky “Going to Town” and the noir-ish tale of misdeeds that is “Crime Scene Part 1.” As ascertained by the audience’s collective jaw hanging slack and punctuated by a five-song encore, The Afghan Whigs continue to deliver.
Follow on Twitter: @theafghanwhigs
The Afghan Whigs Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA - May 16, 2014 Greg Dulli, connoisseur of auditory and visual hypnosis. article and photography by JULIA R. DESTEFANO 14 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
REVIEWS
pictured: Black Cadillacs
article by HEIDI SCHMITT / photography by LESLEY DAUNT
Shaky Knees Music Festival Atlantic Station - Atlanta, GA - May 9-11, 2014 Unknown acts blowing bigwig headliners out of the water.
I
f you’re a festival organizer, and your secondary acts include Cold War Kids, The Replacements and Conor Oberst, you’re doing pretty well. Particularly if you’re only in your second year. But that’s what the Shaky Knees Music Festival offered this year. In all, the festival boasted 57 bands. The headliners, The National, Modest Mouse and Alabama Shakes, all put on great sets despite off-and-on rain the first two days, but the weekend’s real highlights came from acts with less ballyhoo – some of whom were relatively unknown.
Above: The Whigs
Follow on Twitter: @ShakyKneesFest
Friday’s standout was Blood Red Shoes, a duo from the UK who were playing their first festival in the U.S. Unfortunately, the rest of the afternoon was dominated by a torrential downpour, but that didn’t stop the Dropkick Murphys from drawing a huge crowd for their raucous set, which they closed out with Bachman Turner Overdrive’s “Taking Care of Business.” Hayes Carll, a singer/songwriter from Texas gave a fun and rootsy performance on
Saturday, and the sultry rock of Lone Bellow with the vocal harmonies of Zach Williams and Kanene Doheney Pipkin lent an almost Fleetwood Mac-vibe to the afternoon. PHOX, whose self-titled debut was released on June 24, provided beautiful vocals from Wisconsin native Monica Martin. Tokyo Police Club provided fun and engaging instrumentation, but the vocal microphones were too low, a technical problem that plagued several bands over the weekend. Sunday, the skies were clear and the sun was abundant as crowd favorites Langhorne Slim, Trampled by Turtles and The Hold Steady gave great performances. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros were slightly self-indulgent, which led to a mildly disappointing performance, but Violent Femmes performed their eponymous album in its entirety, a treat to both fans who had seen them for the first time 30 years ago and the younger generation just now discovering their music. PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 15
TOUR VAN
TOUR VAN
GALLERY photos courtesy of PAUL CHESNE
Paul Chesne Band TYPE OF VEHICLE:
15-passenger van MAKE & MODEL:
2001 Dodge Ram Van 3500 VEHICLE NICKNAME:
“The Van”...It even has its own Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pcbvan COOL FEATURES OR MODIFICATIONS:
Dented door, no lot lizards sticker on passenger side, 240,000 miles, space shuttle wings… WHY MY VEHICLE RULES:
No one will fuck with us on the road when changing lanes. TIPS FOR TOURING:
I like having a van. Even if we could afford a tour bus, it’s fun to try and find accommodations in the town where you are playing instead of sleeping in a bunk or a hotel. If you have or make friends that let you stay over at their place, you can keep the jam session/party going, and not have an early checkout time.
A
brief introduction – as part of our special touring issue, we asked indie and DIY bands from all over the country to submit photos and stories about their beloved (or in some cases, not-so-beloved) tour vehicles. The next few pages highlight some of the more interesting submissions, and even more entries can be found at performermag.com.
ARTIST:
Enjoy! Ben Ricci, Editor
Also, if someone is nice enough to share their home with you, make sure you leave it cleaner than you found it. I have scrubbed bathroom f loors in the morning before leaving. And left a trail of clean dishes from Los Angeles to Reno to Memphis to Tokyo to the Bahamas. ADDITIONAL NOTES:
For Halloween we put a wing on it and made it in to the Space Shuttle Vandeavour. We put a Van on the Moon! Here is an ode to the Van I wrote recently. She may be retired soon... http://www.yovenice.com/2014/03/22/avenice-night-ol-bessie-the-van-my-girl/
Follow on Twitter: @paulchesne
16 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
GALLERY
ARTIST:
The Bushwick Hotel TYPE OF VEHICLE:
2004 Four Winds 500 VEHICLE NICKNAME:
“Camper van Beethoven” a.k.a “R.V. Keitel” COOL FEATURES OR MODIFICATIONS:
Dirty dishes, mystery flip-flops, rolling papers, mini fire extinguisher, and recently we added Tarra [Thiessen] from Sharkmuffin’s leather jacket. WHY MY VEHICLE RULES:
It rules because it knows no rules. TIPS FOR TOURING:
Bring deodorant, leave home your fear of death. ADDITIONAL NOTES:
It’s beautiful to travel with this much space after dealing with substandard transportation, but we do take a collective deep breath every time we go under a bridge in uncharted territory. Also, that darn Breaking Bad went and made R.V.’s cop magnets, so it’s essential to never cook meth on the road............... anymore.
Follow on Twitter: @bushwickhotel
photos by JUSTIN PASSAVIA
PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 17
TOUR VAN
photo by HEATHER DAY
Follow on Twitter: @thesmokingflwrs
ARTIST: The Smoking Flowers
TYPE OF VEHICLE: Station Wagon
MAKE & MODEL: 1991 Volvo 240
VEHICLE NICKNAME: Ole Blue
COOL FEATURES OR MODIFICATIONS: Best heater ever made in an automo-
bile (comes in handy when playing Minneapolis in December...Kim is cold natured :)); precision steering to the degree of a race car (comes in handy parallel parking in Manhattan); heavy as a tank (comes in handy with someone like Scott behind the wheel :)). Just enough room for Kim’s accordion, mandolin, guitar, drums, shoe bag, etc... WHY MY VEHICLE RULES: You know, the odometer doesn’t work...but who needs an odometer when your engine can literally go 1,000,000 miles... at 25 miles per gallon. TIPS FOR TOURING: Do it to it...don’t wait around on someone else to do the work for you (that includes booking the shows). Try to stretch and breathe every morning (yoga), or do something healthy for at least 10-15 min. One of the hardest things as a traveling musician is trying to maintain a healthy diet on the road. There are a couple of apps for the iPhone (we like “Food Tripping”) that can help you find healthy options right off the interstate, and we find these apps priceless, as we are serious about our healthy diets and juicing to stay in tip-top shape while on the road. It can make all the difference in the world. Also... Don’t forget to open your eyes to enjoy and take in every town you pass through. Who knows if you’ll ever pass that way again. You are there to do a job first and foremost, but touring is also an opportunity to see the world. This career is even more fulfilling when you take it all in! 18 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
GALLERY
photo by CHIEF O’DELL
ARTIST: Black Pussy TYPE OF VEHICLE: Van MAKE & MODEL: 2009 Ford E350 Super Duty COOL FEATURES OR MODIFICATIONS: DVD player, modified air control, dually, cow skull (for added
mojo). A variety of great reactions and conversations are sparked by the cow skull… Follow on Twitter: @blackpussyband
WHY MY VEHICLE RULES: Smooth ride, great towing capacity, low gear ratio, spacious. TIPS FOR TOURING: Fast food is poison, always arrive early for load-in, never go over your set time,
be positive and have fun.
PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 19
TOUR VAN
ARTIST:
Grant Peeples TYPE OF VEHICLE:
Van MAKE & MODEL:
1984 Volkswagen Van VEHICLE NICKNAME:
Franz CUSTOM MODIFICATIONS:
The van is painted with motifs from my 2014 release Punishing the Myth and the 347 names of the people who supported my Kickstarter campaign. WHY MY VEHICLE RULES:
In 394,546 miles it has never once left me on the side of the road, except for the one time it ran out of gas. Okay…three times. TIPS FOR TOURING:
Always keep a f lashlight and knife in the glove compartment. Toilet paper isn’t a bad idea, either. ADDITIONAL NOTES:
In 2011, the van was pulled over on I-10 in Suwannee County, Florida on the way home from the Magnolia Festival. A search warrant was obtained - lesson learned: cops can’t tell difference between the smell of sage and weed. photos by CATHY SHERMAN
Follow on Twitter: @grantpeeples
20 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
GALLERY
ARTIST:
The Soil & the Sun TYPE OF VEHICLE:
Bus MAKE & MODEL:
1993 Thomas VEHICLE NICKNAME:
The bus is named Scout because we bought her from Kalamazoo Boy Scout troop 205’s ex-scoutmaster. When we bought it, it was full of Snoopy paraphernalia and old TVs. COOL FEATURES OR MODIFICATIONS:
We’ve built it out with hardwood floors, six bunks, a bathroom, a kitchen, and lots of seating. We sawed into the side of the bus to create a door big enough to easily load gear in and out of (we call it the gearage). We also have an observation deck on top of the bus and a Super Nintendo. Our next project is installing a basketball hoop on the back of the bus. TIPS FOR TOURING:
Take care of yourself! Sleep as much as you can! Try to eat food that makes you feel energized. Take any opportunity you can to stretch and move your body, especially during long drives. Create some sort of routine. Take the time to explore all the places you are lucky enough to visit. Stay positive. Be flexible. Remember why you’re touring. HAVE FUN! ADDITIONAL NOTES:
We tour with nine people and one of them is a three year old. photos by JACKI WARREN
Follow on Twitter: @thesoilthesun
PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 21
TOUR VAN ARTIST:
Halcyon Daze TYPE OF VEHICLE:
UPV (Ultimate Party Vehicle) MAKE & MODEL:
1985 Ford E350 VEHICLE NICKNAME:
The Jambulance CUSTOM MODS:
12’ Styrofoam bull horns, purple paint job with hot pink f lames, gold trim, ladder for easy roof/dance f loor access, guitar bolted onto side door (back-up, in case we forget one), tiki torches, spotlights, zebra print/ hot pink sparkle vinyl interior and more…
Follow on Facebook: /HalcyonPage
WHY MY VEHICLE RULES:
Dude, just look at it… TIPS FOR TOURING:
A stereo system that is louder than your bandmates’ girlfriends. FUNNY STORY:
We didn’t get into Sasquatch! this year so we drove down there, snuck into the campground, set up stage on top of the Jambulance, and played on the roof until they kicked us out. Maybe they’ll let us in next year… 22 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
photos by ANDREW IMANAKA
GALLERY
photo by GIOVANNI WOLFGANG OF IONREPUBLIC
Follow on Twitter: @TheFountNHead
ARTIST:
The FountNHead TYPE OF VEHICLE:
Bus MAKE & MODEL:
2012 Built by ZeusVision NICKNAME:
Zeus MODIFICATIONS:
Digital LED Screen built on the side for promo. Stage built on top of bus for drive-by performances. WHY MY VEHICLE RULES:
Parking sucks but we always manage to stick out like a sore thumb when touring in new cities. TIPS FOR TOURING:
Always plan/book five months ahead of time to ensure a successful tour. Avoid foods that promote the number two. No pooping on the bus! COOL NOTE ABOUT THE VEHICLE:
Krist from Nirvana tweeted about Zeus at SXSW 2013! PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 23
COVER COVERSTORY STORY
Screaming Females Recount the Road to “Live at the Hideout”
Near-Death V Leads to Kille 24 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
COVER COVERSTORY STORY
Intro courtesy of ELOY LUGO Main story by MARISSA PATERNOSTER Photos by CHRISTOPHER PATRICK ERNST
”
Van Accident ler Live LP PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 25
COVER COVERSTORY STORY
O
n their way to recording Live at the Hideout, Screaming Females lost control of their van. As they slid backwards down the frozen Interstate, they locked eyes with another driver, headed their way. In a blink, a semi-truck smashed into her minivan. Luckily, everyone survived, and the band made it to Chicago with a sense of urgency that dominated bedroomsized venue, The Hideout, for two nights of sold-out shows.
This album is not simply raucous-sounding versions of old songs; it is an illustration of how 900+ live shows, and the roads in-between, can morph songs into something entirely new. Whether it’s a 7-minute improvisation of “Lights Out” (typically a 4-minute track) or a freak-out during “Boyfriend”—like roaring frontwoman, Marissa Paternoster, crowd surfing with blood running down her chin—the evolution of sound is evident. Nine years in the making, Live at The Hideout captures something immediate and
“It was a peculiar sensation, as if a giant hand had reached down from the cosmos and lifted us up into the atmosphere.” For Live at the Hideout, the band enlisted legendary engineer Steve Albini, who spent those two nights in a “Metro Mobile” truck, a control room on wheels, parked in a snow-covered alley, behind The Hideout. 26 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
attracted me to punk rock when it first exploded was that it was unpredictable and that no two bands had very much in common. Each band committed itself to a unique set of ideas, and it didn’t matter what other bands were doing or what the audience might expect. Screaming Females are that same kind of wide-open punk rock, from before it condensed into a style and every band had to be taken on its own terms. They are a great band and I hope they keep going forever.” Here’s what bandleader Marissa Paternoster recalls about the ordeal… I did the math. Over the course of roughly nine years as a touring band, Screaming Females have played an average of 85 shows per year. We drive an average of six hours per day, which means we spend about 510 hours a year in the van.
asserts Screaming Females as one of the best live bands of our time.
So we’ve spent roughly 4,590 hours together, driving. We’ve barreled down freeways, navigated the circuitous passages of old city streets, cruised over bridges, sat in gridlocked tunnels, and parked on slow-moving ferries. Every second of every minute of all of those precious hours has provided us with ample opportunity to get in a car accident.
Steve Albini had the following to say about working with the band on this new LP: “What
Miraculously, we’ve never been in a serious collision. We’ve come awfully close. One time a
I was responsible for many of our fender benders (some might say it’s my forte) but I’ve never been behind the wheel during the serious scrapes. I was in the backseat with my eyes closed during the aforementioned incidents, as I am an avid and committed napper. I have experienced the adrenaline rush of a near miss, but I’ve never actually laid eyes on an oncoming and/or threatening vehicle. The story is as such: we left a friend of a friend’s house in Kalamazoo on January 29th.
median, and while I sat silently panicking, Jarrett yelled from the backseat, “Pump the brakes and turn into the spin!” Mike did, and eventually the van shot towards the right until we had spun a full 180 degrees and were facing oncoming traffic in the bright mid-morning sunlight on an icy Michigan freeway. At this point I was sure we’d either flip over or collide with another vehicle, but we were still in motion. All I could hear was the deafening silence of my three friends holding their breath, and our gear clanging against the bare metal walls of the trunk. Right before our van made its third and final spin, we managed to lock eyes with a woman behind the wheel of a minivan that was catapulting straight toward us. I saw her arms yank the steering wheel sharply to the right, and
“All I could hear was the deafening silence of my three friends holding their breath, and our gear clanging against the bare metal walls of the trunk.” We’d stayed at a nice enough place, but the couch I chose to sleep on was really springy, and left me awfully sore. Our hosts woke up at 10 and made us breakfast. I’m guessing we left their place around noon. Before we got on the road, we stopped for more coffee, and I jumped into the passenger seat. Mike was driving, and highway conditions were nothing short of shit. Our hosts had told us that a lot of Michigan state funds were tied up in some sort of bureaucratic nonsense, and cities were unable to pave or salt the roads properly. It was obscenely cold outside, and it looked as though at least three feet of snow had accumulated and frozen solid in Kalamazoo since the beginning of winter. The sun was shining, however, and it made the day a bit less dreary. We were driving at a sensible speed, very carefully, when suddenly I felt the van slip off the road. It was a peculiar sensation, as if a giant hand had reached down from the cosmos and lifted us up into the atmosphere. We were rapidly swerving towards the
with that, she shot out of sight as we slid into a very forgiving snow bank.
I walked up to the car, asked if everything was all right, and made sure an ambulance was on its way. Once the police, ambulance, and firemen all arrived and took our information, we were let go. “Thanks for stopping” said the policewoman, which I found to be a rather odd remark, considering I would have given my left arm to stop the goddamn van as it spun out of control on the frozen interstate. Jarrett got in the driver’s seat, and we took off to play a show in Milwaukee with our labelmates Tenement.
COVER COVERSTORY STORY
semi almost sandwiched us up against a highway median in North Dakota. In Norway, we nearly crashed head-on with two separate tractor-trailers while attempting to slip through an ice-caked one-lane tunnel.
When we sat down to dinner that evening at the Comet Cafe, I said to Jarrett, “I wonder if that woman is okay.” “I’m sure she’s fine,” he said. I still wonder, though. Sure, scarier things have happened to me in my 27 years, and while I’m not inclined to list them all, this particular incident could easily land in my top 10. While locking eyes with that woman from behind the salt-caked windshield of our van, I’d wondered, “Will this stranger be the last person I see before I die?” The entire experience threw me down a treacherous, existential rabbit hole. How will I die? When will it happen? How will it happen? Who will be there with me?
Follow on Twitter: @Screamales
There was a brief moment of silence before I realized that I hadn’t been breathing. It’s true what they say: accidents of such a potentially severe nature really do play out in slow motion. I reached out to touch Mike’s shoulder and his eyes grew puffy, red, and watery. Joe, who runs our record label and had been nice enough to roadie for us, asked if everyone was all right. Yes, everyone was fine. How about our van? Yes, the van was fine, too. The minivan that had almost hit us had crashed into the snow bank some 50 feet ahead. The driver’s side was smashed in, but the damage wasn’t as bad as I had feared. An intrepid roadside vigilante named John had pulled over to the shoulder and was inside the vehicle, holding the woman’s head in place. She looked like she was in shock, and I think it’s safe to assume she had hit her head. I imagine John was holding her head as a precaution in case she had acquired a serious injury. Joe and
SCREAMING FEMALES LIVE AT THE HIDEOUT STANDOUT TRACK: “LIGHTS OUT” LISTEN NOW @ PERFORMERMAG.COM PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 27
INTERVIEW
Sharon Van
Etten
Opens Up About Life as a Touring Artist
F
or Sharon Van Etten, life on the road extends beyond cramped tour accommodations and small clubs. Her story reflects years of traveling away and back from home, a singer whose vagabond spirit has been buffeted by caring and cruel winds alike. The arc begins as a high school graduate leaves home in New Jersey for Tennessee, trading college for coffee shop work and stability for a damaging relationship. Abruptly cutting out with a midnight escape, Van Etten returns to the East Coast. She rests in rotating comfort on friends’ couches all over New York City. And then with supportive allies, Kyp Malone and Aaron Dessner among many, Van Etten chan-
a European tour in support of Are We There, we asked Van Etten about these themes of traveling and how she finds rest. Here is what she had to say…
THE DRIVE
The drives get a little crazy. I’m a little tired after driving, and load in, and soundcheck. Not usually in the mood to eat before a show. I love to read when I can, but I am easily distracted. I find the sound of the road really calming, actually. I like to close my eyes and press my face to the window. Most days off are spent driving. The band
“So far, I still feel very connected to my audience. I encourage people to talk and laugh. No need to be polite and quiet [during my show].” nels her pained wanderlust into 2012’s Tramp. Yet, even with critical appreciation for the album and the call of the road sounds an ever-present echo throughout her most recent record, Are We There. Just as Tramp evokes a wandering protagonist in its title, the new album asks if the journey has reached a conclusion. The cover uses a photograph taken by Van Etten of a woman leaning her head into the rushing wind, hands on the steering wheel. Her current publicity photograph shows Van Etten staring forward from the passenger seat of a car. There is a constant motion to Van Etten’s music, and life. As she embarks on 28 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
is really great though, so we all have a good hang even when things get boring. Our shows are the highlight of the touring. The light at the end of the tunnel... I’m a great driver, but I’m a granny driver. I go the speed limit and use my blinker way too much. I can’t drive stick shift and I have never driven on the left hand side of the road. It makes me nervous. And the only time I tried driving a manual, I flooded a car engine and my friend had to pick me up from the Laundromat. I’m such a loser. Ha!
SET LIST
We always go over the set list as a band. Just
before the show, we write the list together and talk about how the transitions worked the night before. What songs we’d want to swap out that we haven’t played much yet. This is a new lineup and we just started touring, so we are still getting in a routine. When somebody from the audience shouts out a song, and I feel like I can play it well and do it justice, I will sneak it in at some point when it feels right.
HOME TIES
We love to connect with friends and family whenever we can on the road. My parents even flew to meet me for my birthday in Berlin when I turned 30. It’s important to stay grounded and connected when you feel so detached. It’s weird staying in hotels almost every night. When the opportunity arises, I prefer to stay at a friend’s house - but only when I know I can sleep in, ’cause I tend to hang out late and talk until morning, wanting to catch up.
CROWD INTERACTION
So far, I still feel very connected to my audience. I encourage people to talk and laugh. No need to be polite and quiet. I enjoy an interaction; I like having a conversation, it is important to me.
SHARED ADVICE
My friend Thor once said, “Don’t evaluate your whole life while you’re sitting in a janitor closet waiting to go on. You think you’re above having shitty days at work? Shut up and do your goddamn job.” Also, I asked Nick Cave how hard it was to tour and work and be away from his wife, if they ever fight when things get hard. He said, “Oh sure, we fight all the time. But never about work. Never about my work.” That changed my life.
TOUR RIDER
Just stuff I’d have at home: a nice French red wine, some bread, cheese, fruit, water, and WiFi to catch up with my friends and family and the outside world.
INTERVIEW
by IAN DOREIAN / photography by BETH DOREIAN
PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 29
INTERVIEW
TRANSLATION FAUX PAS
As far as lyrics, I don’t think there are any double meanings. No one has told me, at least. But as far as miscommunication during a performance, I found out the hard way that sarcasm and irony don’t always translate. I performed at Primavera in Barcelona in 2012 and it was such a perfect day - blue skies, beautiful beach, sweet people, and lots of great food and music. During the performance I said something along the lines of, “Isn’t this just the ugliest place on earth?!” And I got booed. And even during some interviews recently in Spain, I was asked why I wanted to play Primavera again even though I thought it was ugly. It was a joke, guys! It was just a joke. Apparently a bad one...
RETURNING HOME
I just moved to Manhattan in November, so the city is much more chaotic and it helps me want to stay home and enjoy being an introvert. And if I am only home for a week or two in-between tours then I prefer to sleep and eat and not really go out or see anyone. I am pretty exhausted and not caught up on sleep and need to get my energy back up to get back on the road. I feel pretty emotional when I get back from being gone so long; I don’t know what to do with myself. I write all the time and read my journals to reflect on everything’s that happened throughout the passing months. It’s hard to catch up, though…
Follow on Twitter: @sharonvanetten
SHARON VAN ETTEN ARE WE THERE STANDOUT TRACK: “TAKING CHANCES” LISTEN NOW @ PERFORMERMAG.COM 30 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
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TOUR DIARY
Touring Advice From Raul Bianchi of The Expendables
Keep Your Head on Straight in the Eye of the Storm 32 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
BATHROOM BUSINESS ON THE ROAD I always need a few days after a long tour to decompress, and rediscover all the wonderful things about home that I’ve been missing for the last two months. Going from a bunk in a bus that would be comfortable for a tween, back to a queen size bed is pure bliss. Showering in your own bathroom without sandals whenever your heart desires sure beats using wet wipes or paying $12 to shower at a truck stop. Or, if you’re lucky enough to travel with a shower on your vehicle, you can soap up and take a very quick shower. Sometimes the water is boiling hot, other times ice cold. Laundry service on the road is also hard to come by (except for socks, of course, which I buy every tour and pop on a new pair daily). I prefer the lazy route of wash and fold. It’s expensive but a luxury I will afford myself as the other options are usually limited. But the one thing that the comfort of your own home provides that most people take for granted on the road is the availability and proximity of a toilet. Not just a clean toilet, but any toilet. Waking up in the morning on a tour bus with cold sweats and a gurgle in your stomach when there isn’t a toilet or a rest stop for miles can be a very scary experience. And when the tour diet catches up to you before going on stage at a small club with a bathroom with one stall and no door, sometimes a bag of shame is your only option. Most touring musicians have variations on the bag of shame, and I’m no expert, but you can Google it for the definition and tips. Waking up at home, the first thought that runs through your head is usually what to have for breakfast, not, “Can I find a bathroom in time?” And when you get home from a long tour it’s amazing to feel those stresses and worries just melt away.
TOUR DIARY
“BREAKING UP THE MONOTONY IS KEY, BECAUSE TOURING CAN BECOME STALE.” STAYING SANE ON TOUR Every tour and every show is different. Dealing with harsh weather extremes and cramped quarters can be emotionally draining even for the best of friends, and as touring becomes monotonous it is important to find different ways to stay sane and have fun (whether it’s finding something fun to do on a day off or going to eat somewhere interesting or exotic). Enjoy your time on stage, and remember that for every bad show, or group of bad shows, there is always a great show around the corner to lift your spirits and pull you through, and if there isn’t, then make one (not condoning it, but alcohol usually helps). If you can, make time to go to a sporting event, or a historical landmark. Meet new people and take pictures, a lot of times the things you do away from the shows will be the most memorable. Breaking up the monotony is key, because touring can become stale. That goes for being on stage as well. I always try and improvise and be creative on stage; it helps me be a better musician and not become stagnant playing the same songs for years. And if you glossed over these two boring paragraphs for some nugget of wisdom at the end, I offer none. Just remember to have fun, bring wet wipes, plenty of underwear, and buy new socks. Oh, and be nice to people at venues. You might make new friends, and you don’t want it to be awkward next time you go back.
Follow on Twitter: @TheExpendables
PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 33
TOUR DIARY
The Ups & Downs of Touring Solo with Briar Rabbit Follow on Twitter: @Briar_Rabbit
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I love y’all) If you create a genuine relationship between acts, the crowd joins in on the enthusiasm. Fans follow their act’s lead; when you’re jazzed, they’re jazzed. While I wasn’t able to pull this off with every gig, the ones I did made a big difference. The bonus is that next time you go out on tour, you have a list of acts to call. Share that list
TOUR DIARY
Just after the New Year, I packed a guitar, a suitcase, merch, and my six-foot-two frame into a white Nissan Versa to begin touring for my new record From Your Bones. Being a solo traveler comes with its ups and downs. The ups: full control of the stereo, falling in love with new records, being a candidate for “the strang-
“The people you move with your music light up your world when they return with friends.” est musician I just met sleeping on my couch,” control of the schedule, less gear, cheaper hotel rates, no one to fight with, and not having to split the money. The downs: you are the driver, roadie, merch person, tour manager, bill-footer, social media guru, and navigator (technically, its your iPhone, but you know how Siri gets). Oh! You also have to play an awesome show every night, then shake hands and kiss babies after. It’s a lot of work and a lot of fun when you plan it right. PLAN YOUR BILL & BUILD RELATIONSHIPS So let’s talk plans. The biggest logistical focus for this tour was: Who will I be playing with in each town? In my experience, if you leave the rest of the bill to the venue, you may end up with the perfect line-up, but it’s more likely it will be varying degrees of “less than ideal.” I even had a venue cancel a date because I couldn’t find another act to play with. Luckily, the Briar Rabbit business mantra is: Focus on the solution. So I took to social media to get recommendations from other acts I’ve met. From there, it’s pretty easy to cyberstalk and find more acts. Once I had my list, I sifted through to see whose music I dug the most, promoted themselves well, and was friendly/available. Call it selfish, but if I have to watch two other acts a night, I want to enjoy myself.
photography by DAVID MEDEIROS
The result was awesome. I made a lot of really great musician friends who helped make this tour radical. (Sukie Conley, Dave Armstrong, Kirabella Frabotta, Todd Kessler, Lindsay Katt, Joel Ansett, Ryne Doughtry, Austin Livingood, Kenny Ferrier,
when fellow musicians ask you for it. Favors make the world go round. DIET CONSIDERATIONS Another focus of this tour was diet. It wasn’t so much that I needed my summer bod in the dead of winter, but touring requires a lot of energy and not feeling like garbage whenever possible. Yes, people have been saying, “Go grocery shopping, bring a cooler, blah blah blah” for years and if you have the time/forethought/space in your car, great. If you happen to be an impulsive procrastinator (this article is due tomorrow), the website “Eat This, Not That” is a pretty rad resource. You can figure out the best place in the Glendale Oasis to eat and the healthiest option from that list. If you starve yourself, you might go renegade on six spicy chicken sandwiches, large fries, and a frosty when you crack. APPRECIATE THE FANS Finally, something that they don’t tell you is: Your fans give you energy. It may be the coldest winter in 30 years and despite your feature in the newspaper, most of Iowa City is under a blanket binging on Netflix. Then you see Cheryl, Lisa, and Sarah! Wait, Melanie from Twitter brought a crew!? Annie and Mike are standing at your merch table declaring your shirts are the softest in the world? Ashlyn brought friends to TWO different shows? A family kept track of you from that Indiana house show two years ago and got there early for great seats? Yes. Yes, they did. Thank everyone who watches your show (staff included) and talk to them. Why? First, they just completed your dream of traveling and playing your music for people you don’t know. Second, the people you moved with your music light up your world when they return with friends. PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 35
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Your Live Show Promo Team An Interview with CEO Julien Mitelberg
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top me if you’ve heard this one before. You’re on tour, and you get an angry email or text from Jessica, a fan in the last city you played. Turns out, even though you emailed her (and all of your list), you Tweeted about the concert, and you set up a Facebook event, she catch that you were playing there last night. You see, Jen’s party was moved, Alex doesn’t need help moving until tomorrow, and our pal Jessica found herself with nothing to do, so she opened up Bandsintown to search for a concert to go to. She got a slew of listings of independent and major artists playing near her location, clicked “Get Tickets,” and just like that, she had a great night…with another band! Why wasn’t your band on there? If it had been, not only would Jessica have seen your show listing, she would have gotten a push notification alerting her that your band was playing, and at which venue, because your songs are in her Spotify playlists, and she loves your first EP that she downloaded on her iTunes. Bandsintown has 11 million registered «concert goers,» and over 65% of all touring acts use it. Now you, as an independent artist, can (AND SHOULD) get involved, too. I spoke with Bandsintown’s CEO, Julien Mitelberg, to get the inside scoop on this growing app, and more importantly, how it can benefit the independent music community. Bandsintown is putting up some impressive numbers; how does it work, what’s the magic behind the app? A great team, for one. Basically, we take the work out of concert discovery, so that your fans never miss another show. The Bandsintown app syncs with a user’s Facebook music activity and iTunes, as well as connected services like 36 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
Google Play, Spotify, Rdio, Pandora, etc. Using all of that data we’re able to craft a personalized music cloud called “Music DNA.” We take those results and deliver real-time alerts and push notifications when new concerts or shows are announced based on favorite artists. I’ve been hearing a lot about the «Push Notification» economy lately in the app world. How does your company handle the risk of spamming or bothering your fans? Interestingly, we did a survey on that very issue with Insight Strategy Group. Out of 1,800 music enthusiasts, ages 16-59 in the U.S, 80% of respondents want concert dates pushed to them as opposed to searching for them. So, it turns out, in this area at least, your fans really want that reminder delivered. They don’t want to miss your band ever again. With Bandsintown, you can deliver that promise to them in whatever city they may happen to be in. Is this only for the big concert, major labels artists? Absolutely not. We intend to show the fan every concert near them, and provide an easy way to buy tickets instantly. But, with a lot of independent bands, the situation is different. We may not have worked with that particular venue, or ticketing agency. So, we started the Artist Platform. This is a way for independent artists to join our platform, edit their own information, and let us know of those venues and shows we may not have caught automatically. So, any artist can use it? Yes, just download the app to see how it works for concert fans, free of course. Then, either the manager or artist can go right to www.artists.
bandsintown.com on their computer or tablet to get started customizing their profile. And it is free for Performer readers who have not signed up yet. Excellent, thanks for the hook-up. So, what can artists do to make the platform work best for them? Being on the Artist Platform allows you to control the content, what information to disseminate, what to post. We pre-populate the events synced with your social media channels (especially Facebook events) and those can be displayed via a simple widget on any of your sites. We can pre-populate posts for you to send. You can also use the platform to schedules posts and push notifications for things such as show announcements, tickets on sale, etc. We can send these out a month before the show, week before, even the day of. So, does this take a lot monthly maintenance? No, not at all. As an artist, once you’re set up and you’ve added dates, we’ll start tracking your shows. In fact, you might be on there and being tracked by fans already. And once your fan is tracking you, they can request you in their town, and…the next time, they will absolutely know you are coming. For more info, visit www.bandsintown.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael St. James is the founder and creative director of St. James Media, specializing in music licensing, publishing, production and artist development.
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Supercharge Tour Revenue with House Concerts A DIY Guide to Booking Living Room Shows and Creating Superfans by SHANNON CURTIS / photo STEVE BABULJAK
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’m a singer/songwriter from Los Angeles, and on my summer tour last year I made $25,000 in two months without stepping foot in a bar, club, theater, fair or festival. This summer, I’m on a 60-show North American tour, and every show is taking place in the living room or backyard of one of my fans. It’s amazing; it’s the most enjoyable kind of touring I’ve ever done, not to mention the most lucrative. And, most importantly, making it happen didn’t require permission from any of the traditional music industry gatekeepers. This tour is the result of a few years of developing a model that I think could be revolutionary for a lot of indie/DIY artists. Instead of beating my head against the wall trying to get established on the national club circuit, I’ve been partnering with my fans to spread my music virally to their communities. It all started when a fan of mine in San Diego emailed me in 2011 and said, “You should come play in San Diego. You could play in my living room. I’ll invite my friends, and we could collect donations for the show.” I thought, “Why not? I’ll at least make gas money for the trip.” But I ended up having the most rewarding performance experience I’d had in a long time, and I walked away with a lot more than gas money. So in the ensuing months I started to experiment with booking fan-hosted house concerts as “filler dates” on my traditional club tours, and the house concerts quickly began to outperform the club shows on every metric. I was making more fans, getting more names on my email list, selling more merch, and making way more money than at the club shows. So in 2012 I asked my fans if they’d do something crazy with me: “What if we did an entire summer tour of house concerts?” I told them that all they needed to be a house concert host was to provide a place to gather and a minimum of 20 adult friends to come to
the show. If enough people in their part of the country wanted to host a show, I would travel there during the tour. Two years of growth later, and my husband (producer/engineer Jamie Hill) and I are on our 60-date adventure all over North America. We’ll be going back this summer to many of the houses we’ve been to over the last couple of years, and to many new places too, because this model has a viral aspect. A lot of hosts this year were guests at house concerts last year, or have seen on social media the adventures we’ve been on the last two years and asked to be a part of it. I started booking this tour by putting the word out to my email list and on social media at the beginning of April. Less than one month later, by the end of April, the majority of this summer’s tour was confirmed. One big difference in booking fan-hosted house concerts vs. club shows is that every host is excited to plan a cool event with me, making the process highly efficient. Contrast this with a club promoter, who can’t be nearly as prompt and accommodating in their communication due to the dozens of artists who reach out each day wanting to book a show. We travel in our VW Jetta with my keyboard, a small PA, all our merch and our luggage, and many nights we’re able to stay with our hosts, so our tour expenses are very low. We’re not spending a fortune on a gas-guzzling tour vehicle or accommodations, which means we get to go home with more of the money we earn each night. And we earn good money. On last year’s tour, we averaged $500 a night on a 50-show tour, resulting in the title of the how-to book I published this spring: No Booker, No Bouncer, No Bartender: How I Made $25K on a 2-Month House Concert Tour (And How You Can Too).” 55% of our gross came from guests’ donations and 45% came from merchandise sales.
The most amazing part of this new touring model for me has been the dramatic way in which it has changed my relationship with my fans. By partnering with my supporters to put on intimate and connective concerts in their homes, I’ve created deep bonds and a community of superfans. There is something magical that happens when people gather in a room to share an intimate music experience, and you can turn that magic into a thriving, sustainable career. You should give it a shot. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shannon Curtis is an independent musician and recording artist based in Los Angeles. Her new book, No Booker, No Bouncer, No Bartender: How I Made $25K on a 2-Month House Concert Tour (And How You Can Too), is available as both an eBook and paperback from Amazon and her website. Her second album of downtempo dreampop, Metaforma, was released in June. PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 37
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photo by Jim Vondruska
Making $14 The Hard Way and Disappointing Your Mom Tour Advice From Billy Yost of The Kickback
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here are hard and fast touring rules.
If you forgot to bring a towel, for example, cancel everything and burn your life’s possessions. You’re useless and nothing is ever going to change. Turn back now or face the real and true prospect of drying your dripping carcass with either your dirty t-shirt or whatever you’re hoping the people you’re staying with won’t notice (they notice). Every night. Every morning. Total panic during the only 10-minutes you are allotted to yourself all day. You usually don’t realize you’ve forgotten a towel until you’re naked, wet, and alone, and while that’s my favorite Megadeth album, it’s no way to live. So check your bag. Check it twice. Check it every time you leave. Be the master of your bathroom circumstances and never, ever cease to pay tribute to that which is a clean and well-maintained commode. After the bathroom, everything else about being a band on the road becomes a little less definitive. Open to interpretation and refinement. The cut of your band’s particular jib probably necessitates a few inherent rules and regulations that wouldn’t suit mine at all, and likewise. But six years of figuring out how to exist with other people in a van has offered me a few valuable lessons. Be mindful of what you’re listening to. You’re actively making memories for yourself, 38 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
and while that “TOUR PLAYLIST YAYA” may have seemed like a good idea at home, you may wind up emotionally attributing a song you used to love to a night in Denton, Texas where a stranger let you sleep on the f loor of what had to have been the scene of at least three grizzly murders involving machetes and skin masks, and your only source of warmth on an unusually freezing Texas night was your thin sleeping bag and that song. The song that sounds like home. Over and over again until the sun came up. The song that now, when you hear it, takes you straight back to Texas and the night you actually wondered if between you or your bass player, who would be made the gimp and who the chained and hot-panted houseboy? Keep the songs that matter at home. Route your tour, especially the long ones, through cities where your respective moms live. Remind her that all of her hopes and dreams for you finding work in the financial sector or, at worst, Old Navy would have been better spent on your brothers, sisters, or barring siblings, the family hamster. Not only are you a failure, but you found three other guys just like you, and they’d like breakfast, please. You’ve dedicated a life to everything she was hoping you’d avoid. Every hardship she tried to shield you from you’ve now leapt into, your grinning, stupid face-first. Be grateful she’s willing to still give you warm food.
In an attempt to maintain the illusion of privacy, over the years I’ve sort of perfected the art of sleeping with headphones on, the huge ones, because despite any research on the issue whatsoever, I’m convinced the more manageable in-ear headphones would ultimately wind up lodged violently and inoperably in my ear canal. The larger headset requires either sleeping like a corpse (eyes at the ceiling, hands folded like some kind of weirdo) or hanging one of the cups off the head so as to allow the ear to meet the pillow. I can’t imagine any of this is good for any part of the body, and I wouldn’t recommend it in the least. You just need to know the type of person you’re dealing with here. Finally, a word on Slim Jims (and gas station food in general): I love Slim Jims. I would also love to make a record with Steve Albini. Slim Jims respond to the human body the same way I imagine Steve Albini would respond to our music. Out of habit, I do my best to avoid experiences that would crush my soul. This goes doubly for my rectum.
Follow on Twitter: @thekickback
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TOUR VAN Survival Guide Prepare for Unexpected Bumps on the Road by BENJAMIN RICCI
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oing out on tour for the first time can be fun and exciting, but there are some important things to keep in mind before piling into the van and hitting the open road. While we live in an age of modern conveniences, we often forget that technology isn’t perfect and can fail when you least expect it. Plus, not all parts of the country are as cell phone friendly or techsavvy as the major metro hubs we might be used to. With that in mind, here are some analog relics (and a few digital toys) that will make life on the road easier in case you run into a few bumps along the way. AAA Card Yep, the trusty AAA Membership – well worth the annual fee of about $50 in most areas. The card can not only help you get out of a jam if the tour van gets a flat tire, it also covers the driver no matter what vehicle they are in. 100 miles of free towing is typically included in the membership price – enough to get to a service center if you break down in the middle of nowhere. Plus, the basic membership gets you discounts on hotels, motels, meals, shopping and other items you might need on tour. Finally, many auto insurance policies offer discounts if you’re a member.
Water You can plan your route down to the mile, but you can’t plan for traffic, accidents and other fun diversions that might take you off course. Staying properly hydrated is an important part of staying healthy on the road, especially you’re traveling in such tight quarters for weeks at a time. Always have a full case or two of bottled water in the back of the van for basic drinking purposes and emergencies. Stock up at local convenience stores along the way as your supply gets low. Cash Remember cash? Yeah, we know, everyone has a debit and/or credit card these days. But guess what? That small-town diner near the club you’re playing (perhaps the only eatery in
town) doesn’t take cards, and there’s no ATM in sight. A surprising amount of small businesses in Anytown, USA are still cash-only, especially dining establishments and service-based industries. Have an inconspicuous stash of cash handy for the road, especially if you’re venturing into unfamiliar territories. It might be the difference between a hot meal and going hungry. Emergency Contact Kit No one thinks that anything bad will ever happen to them on the road. But the reality is, being prepared can make all the difference in the world. Each band member should prepare a folder of emergency information, in the unlikely case that authorities or medical professionals need to get in touch with your family or emergency contacts. Include a copy of your driver’s license, a list of emergency contacts, your home phone number and street address, and (most importantly) any relevant medical information that first responders would need in case you were incapacitated. Road Atlas Remember that AAA Card? Well, it can help you get a discount on a road atlas. “But my phone has GPS!” you say. Believe it or not, coverage can be spotty on long stretches of highway, and if your battery goes kaput, you’ll be SOL, my friend. A traditional road atlas will provide you with the routes and highway info you need in case technology fails you, and will also include helpful travel hints and emergency phone numbers. Just don’t let your drummer try to navigate. Extra Accessories (stands, cables, tape, strings, picks) If you’re playing a hometown gig, you might be cool with letting another band on the bill share some gear and accessories – a mic stand, for example. On the road, playing with unfamiliar bands in unfamiliar settings, your stuff (no matter how hard you try, and how much you label it) will disappear. Keep the van stocked with extra mic stands, instrument stands, cables, tape, strings,
picks, drum sticks, tuners, capos and any other small accessories that are easily stolen. Laundry Detergent Packets With limited van space, travel light. Pack enough clothes to get you through a few days max, but not enough for the whole trip. During stops en route to venues or while in town before a gig, hit up the local Laundromat and for the love of God, wash that damn Slayer shirt. Single-serve laundry detergent packs are cheap, and take up way less space than your entire wardrobe. Wash often, and you won’t have to lug space-hogging suitcases with you. Quarters Along with that stash of emergency cash, you should always have a roll or two of quarters packed away in the van. See the laundry situation above, and also remember the dead cell phone scenario. With a sleeping smart phone, you may need to revert to available pay phones in order to make emergency or business calls on the road. Believe it or not, many local bars, restaurants and service centers still have functioning pay phone banks. If all else fails and you need to make an emergency call, local bus terminals or train stations are a safe bet when in search of pay phones. USB Microphone So far, we’ve focused on the things that can go wrong. Preparedness is great in case of emergencies, but you’re supposed to be having fun, too! And if inspiration strikes while you’re in the van, a USB microphone can be a great tool to have; you can document the tour’s progress for your blog/podcast, you can record song ideas to your laptop, and you can record shows along the way to preserve memories. The road is a challenging, and sometimes cruel mistress. As much as going on tour with your friends sounds like nothing but a party, when you’re least expecting it, the unexpected can happen. Play it safe, and like the Boy Scouts say, “Be prepared.” PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 39
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THE DISTRICTS by CAITLIN MCCANN
photos by MICHAEL JAMES MURRAY
How to Stay Healthy On the Road Hint: It Doesn’t Involve Late-Night Drive-Thrus
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ouring in a fool’s paradise is an unparalleled venture: operating with little to no sleep, drinking without any repercussions, frequenting the McDonalds’ drivethrus that occupy every known highway to man. But it’s a fool’s paradise. Staying healthy while touring may be a cruel Catch-22, but it’s not impossible to tackle. And the regimen for maintaining one’s health - something most humans have yet to master in their natural environment - is not earth shattering, even when applied to the road. Below are some tried-but-true health credos that can soften the blow of touring.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
Rule of thumb: if it comes in a package, don’t eat it. The biggest offenders of the processed food trade are American favorites like packaged deli meat, soda, and fast food products. These U.S. dietary staples are loaded with sugar, salt, saturated fats, preservatives, and other additives, offering little to no nourishment for a touring artist. Unfortunately, the highway is customdesigned for drivers to be hand-held into the belly of the beast (Wendy’s, Burger King, etc), halfdelirious and ravenous. And at 3 o’clock in the morning, there aren’t Whole Foods drive-thrus readily available to dole out kale chips and soy nuts.
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by MARIA PULCINELLA MURRAY The rockers born out of Lititz, PA who make up The Districts are well aware of the handicap that touring puts on healthy eating. Currently on tour in support of their self-titled EP, which dropped in January, the foursome is often at the mercy whatever late-night has to offer. Rob Grote and Connor Jacobus, the frontman and bassist for the rock-and-soul four-piece, suggest going to grocery stores in lieu of fast food joints. Tour vans are hardly comparable to Iron Chef kitchens, but stocking up on non-processed foods like seasonal fruit and raw vegetables is crucial. Grote also swears by vitamins while touring. Avoiding antagonizers like dairy, acidic fruit juices, and alcohol, and opting for tea, honey, and vitamins is the better way to go. The body can’t expect to pump out five shows a week if it’s being fed Whoppers and McGriddles on the reg.
WORK IT OUT
Touring artists should treat themselves like athletes. Playing show after show and lugging equipment around requires a well-abled body, and it’s not going to get there on its own. Top physical condition also invites endorphins that help maintain emotional and behavioral health. Finding the time for self-care, while scrambling from venue to venue, can be strenuous, but there are pockets of time to utilize that aren’t always immediately apparent. Almost half of all American hotels have pools, and when artists
are touring in, say, Peoria, Illinois mid-winter, they’re likely to have the Holiday Inn’s pool all to themselves. Bringing sneakers and even a jump rope along works as well, and some musicians prefer yoga on the road. Having a reason to leave the close quarters of a tour van is always welcome, and anything mobile is fair game.
CLEANSE AND BALANCE
Touring is, by default, an unkempt way of living. An existence on wheels can be filthy, and the ultimate destinations (music venues) aren’t necessarily wellness retreats. A healthy balance can’t be achieved without taking the time to cleanse oneself physically and emotionally, and the germs and bacteria accrued while touring can be costly when it comes time to perform. Being cognizant of highly contaminated areas and proactively defending against them is essential. Sanitizing at germ hot spots that are well-attended by touring artists (gas stations, club bathrooms, ATMs) is highly recommended. Doing laundry and keeping the tour van at a respectably clean level also has psychological payoffs, like stress relief and elevated mood, which are instrumental in combating cabin fever. Sometimes, though, it just boils down to Rob Grote’s go-to method for staying healthy: “Take a lot of Vitamin C and cross your fingers.”
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Even MORE Tips for Staying Healthy on Tour Do You Get The Sense Yet That We Care For Your Wellness? by ELLEN ELDRIDGE / photo courtesy of JAIME VENDERA
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taying healthy on tour means far more than avoiding alcohol poisoning. Eating well, exercising and avoiding stresses on your body that will lower your immune system are all crucial to not canceling shows.
“I used it [Vocal Rescue] after flying to China to do live show,” he continues. “My throat was dry and a bit raw from the flight, so I gargled, and then shattered three glasses in only a few seconds each.”
Singers on tour risk colds that could potentially damage vocal cords, and equally important is the idea of avoiding vocal fatigue with proper warming up and cooling down. Dream Theater singer James LaBrie says, “I go into my room and do lip bubbles,” when asked about his post-show routine. The singers who don’t take the time to properly cool their voices down, and bring their voices back to a speaking range, LaBrie says, will wake up feeling hoarse the net day.
In addition to protecting the vocalist’s instrument, all band members and crew need to maintain their physical health. Eating well presents a constant challenge for touring musicians because they are often forced to stay backstage or on the tour bus for extended periods of time.
Vocal coach Jaime Vendera, who has worked with LaBrie and has appeared on MythBusters shattering glasses with his voice, says that for colds, Emergen-C powder is great for an immune system boost. “If you feel it coming on, do two packets in water every hour on the tour bus until you feel the cold beginning to subside,” he offers, adding that those who have great vocal technique can sing with a cold without hurting their voice, but if a singer has laryngitis or strep, he or she should cancel the gig. “Sinus Clear Out from the company Superior Vocal Health will help a cold,” Vendera adds, and for a lost voice, he says Vocal Rescue gargle works wonders.
“Since the nutritional value of Denny’s/truck stops/anything open after 2 a.m. is questionable, at best, I recommend buying a bottle of a reputable brand multivitamin for the road,” Phoenix Mangus, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist of MurderAnn, says. “Also, it is very important to stay properly hydrated, whether you’re playing muggy summer festivals or stewing under hot stage lights in winter.” Mangus also says that alcohol does the opposite of hydrating your body, so drink plenty of water and sports drinks. Musicians burn plenty of calories on stage, assuming they are behind the drum kit or active with their instruments, but the nightly show doesn’t quite cut it when it comes to exercise. Not every musician values staying physically fit, but exercise affects not only muscular strength but
also mental health. Anyone who’s ever been on the road knows that emotions range from exhilaration to depression. Megadeth guitarist Chris Broderick says he has been known to run hotel stairs in a pinch, but “a portable membership at a gym with many locations nationwide can be a very wise investment,” Soylent Ape, bassist/ vocalist for MurderAnn, advises. “Beyond the obvious benefit [of nationwide locations], is the use of shower and bathroom facilities, often 24/7; the importance of which cannot be underestimated on tour.” Ape says that membership can cost as little as $20 per month, and added that he thinks it’s important to never pass up an opportunity to stretch, especially before taking the stage. Lastly, perhaps the most crucial element to staying healthy on tour is to maintain a sense of mental health and positive well-being. Traveling away from friends and family takes a toll on anyone, but bands that wave goodbye for months at a time have a responsibility to each other to stay healthy by avoiding overindulgence and keeping an even keel. Music is known for driving away demons and encouraging catharsis, but sometimes the lives of those who write the songs get too tightly mingled. Open lines of communication and honesty are the best ways to safeguard mental health on tour. PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 41
TOUR TEST
Turning SKEPTICS into BELIEVERS
Pretty & Nice Goes Wireless with Audio-Technica’s System 10 Stompbox
E
ditor’s Note: A few months back, our friends at Audio-Technica hipped us to their System 10 Wireless gear. Awesome, I thought. Who doesn’t love wireless? Then they hit us at NAMM with a unit I’ve been waiting for since I first played on stage, a
wireless signals easily, as part of our normal pedalboard setup. So we talked, and convinced the good folks at A-T to give us a few of these bad boys so we could send them out on the road, and get some real-world feedback from a live band testing the wireless waters for the first time.
“Music isn’t careful, at least it shouldn’t be, and any device that allows us to be more reckless is a good thing for the art.” stompbox enclosure that houses a digital wireless setup – no more rack nonsense, no more running back to my old clunky wireless unit to make adjustments during a set. No, now we have the power to control our 42 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
That search for a band led us to Boston natives Pretty & Nice (who live up to their name, I might add), and off they went. Roger Lussier, the band’s bassist, wrote up his thoughts, and we sent our trusty photographer extraordinaire Matt Lambert to shoot the group (and their
by ROGER LUSSIER of Pretty & Nice photography by MATT LAMBERT
fancy new pedals) live at Great Scott in Allston, MA on their latest tour. One bum note on the experience - during their tour Pretty & Nice (despite being both pretty and nice) were ripped off of some of their gear, including a few of the Audio-Technica System 10 stompboxes we gave them. Well, that’s just the reality of life on tour – a little bump in the road but one that ultimately didn’t stop the band from putting these units through their paces. Without further ado, here’s Roger… “When I was learning to play, I always loved when bands did that thing where they swung their guitars around their bodies in music videos. I tried to teach myself that trick and nearly snapped the headstock off of my bass. It wouldn’t have been a useful skill at the time because 1.) I wasn’t in a band and 2.) that trick works best with a wireless system and it would be 13 years before I finally got to try one out. The best feature of the Audio-Technica System 10 Wireless Stompbox system is that rather than a unit with antennae that looks better suited to picking up re-runs of Growing Pains, the receiver is built into a stompbox
TOUR TEST
“My teenage dreams were, in a way, confirmed: using a wireless system is SUPER FUN.” that also serves as an A/B switch. Pairing the receiver to the pack is easy, similar to pairing a Wii controller. You can use up to 8 packs to a single receiver, but we didn’t get a chance to use that feature. If you’re reading this and you’re in a situation where you have 8 instruments that you play through a single pedalboard, I have some amazing investment opportunities for you. The wireless pack requires two AA batteries and a regular set of Alkalines lasted me about 2 hours total (including two rehearsals and a show). I noticed a bit of signal degradation when the battery got low, so it would be worth investing in a few good sets of rechargeable batteries and chargers. During rehearsal I walked about 50 feet away, went through a set of doors, and started going up some stairs before my bandmates stopped playing because the delay had become unbearable. I’d imagine that without obstacles the range is better. At first, I noticed that the system was providing a slight boost. After looking at the manual I found out that the instrument output is controlled by a screw inside of the pack. Sure, why not? Holden and I both used the systems for a couple of shows where we thought the stages may have been a little too small to merit wireless systems. Despite this, Holden climbed on my bass rig and I ventured out into the crowd without fear of pulling my pedalboard off of the stage. We’re known for our kinetic energy onstage and we got to be a little more over-the-top (no guitar spins, though.) My teenage dreams were, in a way, confirmed: using a wireless system is super fun. About a week later, we gave one set to Emperor X, an artist we knew would also get the most out of the untethered experience. A couple weeks later, one of the units was stolen out of our van (along with a few armfuls of unique gear that we miss very much), so we’re down to just the one of the original three that Performer asked us to review. Moral of the story: the Audio-Technica System 10 Stompbox is cool, and everyone should make sure they have renter’s insurance!” Get Pretty & Nice’s latest full-length GOLDEN RULES for GOLDEN PEOPLE via Equal Vision/Rory Records.
“Pairing the receiver to the pack is easy, similar to pairing a Wii controller.” PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 43
TOUR TEST
BONUS TAKE With A Little Help From My Friends Chad Matheny of Emperor X Takes on the System 10 Wireless Stompbox
“
O
h, Chad would love this,” said Roger as he rummaged through the cramped Allston practice space of Pretty & Nice. He found a duffel bag full of wires and pedals and dongles and pulled out a brand new Audio Technica System 10 Wireless Guitar Unit (ATW-1501), still smelling new and off-gassing factory plastic vapor. “Performer Magazine asked us to review this wireless guitar pedal. They gave us three of them, and we were thinking maybe you-” “YES,” I said, grabbing the stompboxsized unit and cramming it into my backpack before they could change their minds. They warned me, though, that it’s kind of hard to get used to. The setup’s not the problem, it couldn’t be simpler; plug the power supply in, turn on the transmitter, plug the attached 1/4” cable into a guitar, and you’re live. It’s the freedom that’s disconcerting at first. Being untethered to a pedal board or a DI box opens up options you don’t have when 44 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
threatened with cable tangle or an embarrassing mid-set trip. We’ve all learned to be careful with our valuable gear automatically, which is fine, but you know what? Music isn’t careful, at least it shouldn’t be, and any device that allows us to be more reckless is a good thing for the art. Well, at least I think so. I’m not sure about my audience. The first night I used it was in a hostile beer-centric bar, the kind of show every avant-garde singer/songwriter has nightmares about. The lights were low, the walls covered in dart boards and Miami Dolphins paraphernalia and smoke-stained semi-porn, the audience was talkative and disinterested, and the sound guy was blaring Misogynist Redneck Emo Hits of the Early ‘00s between bands. I gave him the stompbox to plug directly into his board, turned on the transmitter and plugged it into the tiny, versatile Teenage Engineering OP-1 synth/mixer, hooked a pair of headphones around my face, and ran them plus the synth and sample audio through an effects patch.
Then dude turned the Creed off and I became a mobile sound system, agitating the audience into participating. When you get bull-charged by a professor-on-Ritalinlooking nutjob screaming into a pair of headphones and dropping heavy 4/4 kicks and 8-bit samples from a small glowing white board, physically severed but through the stage magic of gigahertz-range transmitters unsettlingly linked to the cacophony blasting out of the oversized PA, what do you do? You dance. Or you punch the guy out, but luckily this wasn’t that kind of bar. If it were, it’d still be fine; I’d just send Pretty & Nice and Audio-Technica my hospital bill, because they put the wireless stage tech of the System 10 Stompbox in the wrong hands, and someone needs to take responsibility for that questionable decision. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chad Matheny blogs about touring for his music project Emperor X at emperorx.tumblr.com .
part 2 of 2
photo by LIZ McBRIDE
“Don’t worry, we’ll fix it in the mix.” We know it’s a cliché but often it’s true. The power of recording in a controlled environment with the right tools and the right engineer is that many common flubs or mistakes can be fixed. So let’s take a look at what can be corrected and what can’t the next time you’re in the studio (see last month’s issue or performermag.com for part one in this series).
direction getting further from the mark. Because notes don’t last forever, they move on to the next note in the melody, leaving behind an extra sharp or extra flat note. When singers begin to “see” what they are doing as they listen back, they can understand what a flat note sounds like as opposed to a sharp one and with practice they can improve their on-pitch percentage.
PITCH PERFECT
TABOO OR TOOL?
For vocalists, we often record 2-4 takes of the song all the way through and then chop up the performance, picking and choosing the best pieces for each section; this is called “take comping.” If we still feel that some parts are weak after we have pieced together a track, we’ll either have the singer go back in for some focused re-takes or we will use some pitch and timing correction.
Now at this point I know what you are saying, “I don’t want to use PCS – that’s cheating.” And this is where it gets tricky for us, too. Most singers don’t want to be told they have pitch problems; it’s kind of the ultimate insult, right? But let’s put it in perspective - no one else in the band has to deal with pitch the same way vocalists do. For most other band members, as long as they put their fingers on the right fret or key, the note is going to come out pitch perfect (fretless string players not included). Vocalists don’t have frets (unless you have T-Pain installed directly in your voice box) so every note they generate can only hit the mark when the singer hears and adjusts their vocal chords in real time – now that’s heavy duty processing! What we find is that many singers actually learn a lot when watching us pitch correct their vocal performance and we like to think of it as a learning tool that every vocalist should embrace. Many singers actually can’t distinguish flat from sharp, so as they hear that they aren’t quite hitting a note, they actually keep going in the wrong
T-Pain- and Cher-style pitch correction has actually done a disservice to what PCS is really good at – correcting slight pitch problems seamlessly. What most people don’t realize is that the T-Pain effect is using pitch correction software like a synthesizer – turning the “smooth” knob to 100 and flattening out the voice’s natural vibrato. When PCS first came out, the tools weren’t quite there yet for manual manipulation of the pitch, so a “smooth” knob was included to help mash a highly variable performance back into submission. But now we can zoom into a particular note and actually re-draw it to our liking, keeping intact much of the natural performance and only fixing the parts that went awry. Is this cheating? I guess. Just like it’s cheating for a guitarist to manipulate a performance using a wah pedal or a keyboardist who uses an arpeggiator. We see it as a tool. If you’re recording in a studio, you are already cheating by allowing performances to take place at different times and using plug-ins like reverb to make it sound like you are in different spaces, so why the taboo over using a bit of pitch correction?
MASTERY OF MIDI
When recording keyboards in the studio, we will usually track the MIDI data along with the raw audio recording. You may be asking yourself, “What is the point in doing that if you already have the recorded audio?” There are several advantages to capturing the MIDI, one of which is quantization. Basically…quantizing fixes your screw ups (mostly). Quantizing your MIDI will
RECORDING
How to Fix Common Mistakes in the Studio
pull the notes played on the keyboard based on the set BPM to create a perfectly on-beat performance. This can be a great time saver as apposed to cutting/nudging an audio track until the timing is just right. Unfortunately quantizing can also accidentally misread certain grooves, causing notes to get moved inappropriately and can cause performances to sound robotic, so be wary not to over use this tool. Another great function of having the MIDI data captured is pitch correction. In a live audio take, it can be difficult or even impossible to correct a bad note on the keyboard. Unless the note is isolated, PCS may not be able to correct it. You could overdub the section where the flub occurred, or you could use your MIDI data and simply drag the offending note to the correct pitch. As you can probably guess, this is also a great time saver. And finally, arguably the most powerful use of MIDI is the ability to use a vast library of sample sounds. Not happy with the sound of the studio piano you just recorded with? Simply replace it with the sample of a grand Steinway recorded in a concert hall!
FOCUSED EFFORT
So what do you do when you’re driving home from the recording session listening to the rough mix and you hear some mistakes or “less than perfect” parts that you’d like to fix? This is one of the reasons why we preach recording as few songs during a session as possible – preferably only one. By focusing on one or two songs during a session, you can ensure that everyone is happy with their parts before the session is over and all the gear is broken down. If someone needs to go back in and record an overdub, the mics are all in the same position and hopefully the overdub will match up with the main take. If you try to overdub a track days later to fix something, you may have new strings, or a different mic placement that can cause the new tracks to sound different. It can be especially hard to re-capture the same sonic qualities of a vocal performance at a later date; everything from attitude, time of day and the number of previous takes can all have an effect that causes that punched-in phrase to sound mis-matched. Communicate with your engineer about what you feel isn’t quite right about the performance and be as specific as possible. It might turn out that a bit of digital editing or the use of some PCS is all that’s needed to make that performance shine. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Zac Cataldo is a musician and owner/producer at Night Train Studios, a recording studio in Westford, MA. He is also co-owner of Black Cloud Productions, a music publishing company. Reach him at zac@nighttrainstudios.com. Brent Godin is a bassist/guitarist and engineer/ producer at Night Train Studios. He is also a talent scout at Black Cloud Productions. Reach him at brent@blackcloudproductions.com. PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 45
SAMSON MTR231 Condenser Microphone - $199
K
PROS
Well thought out; practical. CONS
None.
eeping a gigging guitar looking and playing new isn’t easy. Spilled drinks, sweat, and sometimes even blood (depending upon your audience) can really muck things up. Music Nomad has a few tricks up their sleeve to keep your guitar or bass looking and playing well. First up is their Guitar One polish. It does the work of a cleaner, a polish and a wax all in one. With a carnauba wax base, it’s similar to car spray polish. No sticky or waxy residue is left behind, and it’s safe for lacquer and nitrocellulose finishes. It’s eco-friendly too, as it’s biodegradable. Fingerboards can get a nice treatment from their F-One oil. Unlike a lot of fingerboard conditioners, this is done WITHOUT lemon or any synthetic oils. Using just natural seed oils, it can nourish a neck. Unfinished fingerboards can really shrink and expand with the weather, drying out, and a player’s sweat can really make things worse, especially over time. A little goes a long way and is worth the five minute investment of your time. Their String Fuel lubricant and cleaner is pretty much a no brainer. A pad mounted in an applicator (that also houses a small polish cloth) that has a cleaner soaked into it. Rub it along your strings, and it cleans, and leaves a thin film that doesn’t feel greasy or sticky. Strings are made of metal, and salty, corrosive sweat can lead to a string breaking down, especially near the bridge, causing breakage. The cleaner also acts as a conditioner for fretboards. Keeping all those nooks and crannies (under the bridge, and behind strings) clean can be tough, and their Nomad Tool pulls double duty like a champ. A fine brush can dust and clean out tough areas on a guitar (or even any other gear, like the space between knobs on a pedalboard or mixer), while the other end sports a pad to clean strings and pickups. A quick tip: just wiping down a set of strings after playing can really make a difference on string life, and can clear the muck that any well-used instrument develops. Overall, they’re all great (and inexpensive!) products, and if you want to keep a guitar looking and playing as good as new, these are well worth a look. Another quick tip: before showing an instrument to a prospective buyer, a quick detailing could narrow any haggling room off of the price, and a showroom finish can actually yield higher bids on eBay. Chris Devine
E
PROS
Good selection of mic patterns; excellent clarity. CONS
Intermittent switch (on our test unit, YMMV).
Mono/Stereo: Mono Polar Pattern: Cardioid, Omni, Figure-8 Diaphragm Size: 1” Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz Max SPL: 144dB SPL Pads: -10dB Connector: XLR
46 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
very audio company out there has produced a condenser mic, so what makes a good one vs. a bad one? Samson’s MTR231 is showing that condensers with more than one mode can be had inexpensively for both home and pro studios alike. It’s certainly big, considering there’s a one-inch gold sputtered diaphragm hidden behind its grille. Three field patterns are selectable via a switch on its side: cardioid, omnidirectional and bidirectional. A 10dB pad switch is also located on the metal casing. The whole package comes in a padded metal case and includes a nice shock mount and pop filter. Sound-wise and structurally it can handle a lot, and with the three modes, it can cover a wide range of sonic ground: vocals, acoustic instruments, drums, electrics, and pretty much anything else out there. Put it near the sound source, select the mode, and there really isn’t a bad sound that it captures. For vocals, it’s exceptional, with plenty of clarity and no distortion or grittiness, even at “red line” volume levels. It’s likely the mixing board will clip before the mic causes any problems in that area. For any studio this could solve a lot of problems. One downside for such a great package is that the mode slider switch on our test unit was slightly intermittent (though your mileage will vary). Sliding from one mode to another didn’t do anything; toggling it back and forth, however, it would switch. Then the problem would disappear in later sessions. Maybe just a ghost in the machine, who knows? That said, with a street price of $199, it’s a problem that can’t be overlooked, especially considering how much the gold diaphragm must cost, vs. a simple switch. Hopefully it was just our test unit (and we’re betting it was, since we’ve never had a problem with Samson gear before), because in every other way it really delivers, and would be great in any studio. Chris Devine
Type: Condenser Mic
FEATURES
GEAR REVIEWS
MUSIC NOMAD Guitar Care Accessories - Prices Vary (Most Under $20)
TASCAM UH-7000 HDIA Mic Preamp/USB Audio Interface - $599
D
Professional design and sound; easy to use. CONS
None.
PROS
Great sound; plenty of applications in the studio. CONS
None.
Hand-crafted, limited production
FEATURES
PROS
esign-wise, this is meant to be a solid basis for a studio. The look and feel is of an actual piece of audio gear, not a design concept to match a Macbook Pro’s aesthetic. The front panel has the two input control levels, as well as level meters and headphone output. The back is all business, with the usual 1/4” and XLR inputs, and the XLR outputs for monitors. The Digital inputs and outputs are also by way of XLR and USB connections. It supports phantom powered mic’s as well. There is one hidden thing, though: no software is in the box. Going to TASCAM’s site and downloading their driver software is essential (it also ensures the latest software is being used). It is a mixer on its own, controlling the inputs and outputs digitally, independent of the recording software being used. It includes a compressor, noise suppressor, de-esser, exciter, EQ, limiter, low cut frequency, and reverb. All of these effects are real easy to use, with a knob-like interface, and they really deliver a professional sound without having to study algorithms. Sound-wise, it’s great. TASCAM has been the industry standard for a reason, and the preamps’ sound quality brings clarity to any project; even cranking the preamps doesn’t get that real digital distortion spikiness; so while it may not be a sound everyone is going for, it’s nice to know if it’s being pushed to the limit, it can handle it. Overall this is a big step up for any home studio. With a $599 street price, it’s a little more than other interface/preamps, but within one session, the value will be instantly heard (and tactilely felt). Chris Devine
amson has always made good quality microphones at an inexpensive price point. With their new VR88 Velocity Ribbon Microphone, they’re digging into the specialty market, with excellent results. For a quick primer on ribbon microphones; a light metal “ribbon” is suspended between the poles of a magnet. The ribbon vibrates from sound, and the magnet picks up the vibration, and like other microphones, translates the vibrations into voltage, and into analog sound. It’s a heavy mic, with a decent metal enclosure, and includes a vibration shock mount. No buttons, switches, or apps. Connect it to a cable, and setup is done. Ribbon mics have a reputation for being fragile, but thanks to new technology, such as the VR88’s neodymium magnets, it’s quite robust. It might not be the best type of mic for a live gig, but for a studio it’s a must. So what is it good for, and why should it be considered, especially considering it’s $399 street price? Well, for capturing vocals and acoustic instruments, it’s simply fantastic. It can tend to be a bit dark depending upon the placement, but moving it around the sound source can make a big difference. Applications such as electric guitar amps and as an overheard for drums are perfect uses for the VR88, as well. It’s one of those mics that can really change things up in a mix – so experimentation is key. Included in the package is a small metal case, along with the aforementioned shock mount. Our test unit’s grill had a slight dent in it, but it didn’t affect the functionality. If there’s a studio (home or professional) looking to get into some exotic mic choices, but who doesn’t want to go “all in” for a mic that may be too much hype, this is one that is well worth the investment. Chris Devine
GEAR REVIEWS
S
SAMSON VR88 Velocity Ribbon Microphone - $399
Pure aluminum corrugated foil ribbon Handles high SPLs of up to 138 dB Includes yoke mount, spider shockmount and right-angle XLR cable Comes in durable, lightweight aluminum case
Supports 24-bit/192kHz USB transmission and AD/DA conversion Support for Mac and Windows operating systems
FEATURES
4-in/4-out audio streaming from a PC connected via USB 2.0 Burr-Brown PCM4220 AD converter, PCM1795 DA converter HDIA mic preamps: -128dB EIN High audio quality film capacitors with low distortion Low latency monitoring through the DSP mixer DSP mixer can be switched between multitrack and stereo mix modes Strong, highly durable aluminum body PERFORMER MAGAZINE JULY 2014 47
FLASHBACK
INSIDE The VW Micro Bus
The Go-To Choice for Indie Touring
48 JULY 2014 PERFORMER MAGAZINE
BACKGROUND Is there any more iconic tour vehicle than the VW Bus? If you’ve never sawed one in half (which we fully recommend you do, at least once in your life), here’s your chance to see a cross-section of the famed road warrior and all its interesting features. The VW Bus has been the go-to choice for bands in need of a tour van, and also a home-away-fromhome for obsessed Deadheads and Phish Phreaks following their hippie idols around the country. LEGEND 1. Vent Wings 2. Special Roof Air-Circulating System 3. Sliding Windows 4. Sun Roof 5. Glare-Resistant Skylights 6. Picture Windows 7. Trunk Area 8. Air-Cooled Volkswagen Engine 9. Reduction Gears 10. Double-Acting Telescopic Shock Absorbers 11. Torsion Bar Suspension 12. Double-Insulated Warm-Air Heating System
StudioLive AI speakers are available in three full range sizes and a matching 18-inch subwoofer. ©2014, PreSonus Audio Electronics, All Rights Reserved. Sceptre, CoActual and StudioLive are trademarks of PreSonus Audio Electronics. Temporal EQ is a trademark of Fulcrum Acoustic.
Studio monitor sound quality…
…only way
louder.
Y
eah, that’s a bold claim. We back it up with a boldly different, 3-way CoActual™ physical design, and Fulcrum Acoustic™ Temporal EQ™ DSP — much the same as we use in our acclaimed, high-end Sceptre™ studio monitors. Plus 2000 watts per box — the most of power in their class — and the freedom of iPad® adjustment and monitoring with SL Room Control. But enough technical huzza-guzza. For more information and a live demo, contact your PreSonus Distributor.
StudioLive™ AI CoActual™ from
www.presonus.com