- Feb 17, 2009
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Wayne’s main focus is setting up the stage and managing the crew to ensure sets run smoothly. He also makes certain bands are comfortable, as they’re often on gear they don’t normally use (rentals), on a brand-new stage they aren’t familiar with, in a country they often have never visited, and without their own normal crew.
Stage setup usually consists of the following:
- Building and setting up the drum riser
- Loading-in rented backline (all amps, etc.)
- Ensuring we have the appropriate voltage converters for European bands utilizing their own gear
- Ensuring we have enough power drops on stage
- Keeping a clean stage and good audio signal feed to the recording studio backstage
- Dialing in amp sounds
- Tuning back-up guitars
When does your day start/end?
"Typically 8am, until 2am or so. But, sometimes you even get gear or band questions in the Courtyard as well."
Example of some of Wayne's additional duties:
- Assisting bands/crews in getting their gear into and out of the venue
- Tying in with Center Stage personnel, Glenn and bands as far as set times & operation
- Coordinating logistics with managers, band members, and techs as well (this typically starts in June!)
- Explaining how our fest works/runs
- Communicating what venue gear is available (backline, lighting, sound, video, recording, etc)
- Coordinating production requests
What exactly happens at change over in between sets?
"Typically reset the drum kit for the drummer, change amps and plug in any pedals, adjust the amp sound for the band, get monitor levels. Some bands, depending on where they are in the lineup, may request a backline change (amps moved to side, small risers, etc). We accommodate those requests as best we can. And lately – dialing in in-ear mixes."
What's the main reason/cause for delays?
"Thankfully – it is never a physical stage layout change (in our control). Most of the time, it will be an in-ear patch, or a specific channel patch change request from a band. In other words – all the lines need to be swapped out. If you do that for one band, you also need to swap back for the fest, so any change kills you twice. Also – occasionally – a band’s gear (or backline stuff) may crap out suddenly, and we have to scramble for a replacement."
What potential problems do you and your crew work to prevent?
"Gear failures and loss of clean signal to the studio, as well as having back-up cables or instruments if a string breaks or a wireless unit fails. Or making sure no one accidently walks far enough away from their amp to unplug it." ;o)
"We have replaced parts in pedals, rewired pickups, swapped tubes in amps, repaired a straplock that pulled out of a bass, setup a new/never tried guitar so it would stay in tune for a video shoot, and troubleshot a new-in-box amp that showed up dead for an endorsee. And last year, after changing a broken string, tuning a guitar, and then getting it back to the guitarist, I went behind a bass cabinet and held his cable in so he wouldn’t unplug it. My head was against the bass cab for 2 full songs! lol"
Do you coordinate instrument/gear rental?
"Yes, we have a standard backline and a rental company, and try to coordinate & consolidate keyboard requests, and any special request (acoustic guitars, etc). I liaison between Glenn, the bands, and our backline company."
How much communication with bands do you do before fest?
"A TON! My intro letter goes out in June, providing technical info and requesting some info back. Some bands – one email and done. Others – literally HUNDREDS of mails with various questions all the way up until the fest itself."
Best quote?
"Hmm – too many to remember! On stage and backstage, Chris Roy (former stage manager) and most of the crew are crazy with one-liners and timing (several could be stand-up comedians)."
Other memorable quotes:
J-Dub: “That’s jogging pants, Tommy”.
Tommy, without hesitating: “We know jogging is not in your vocabulary, J-Dub”.
Several times over the years: “That’s one for the book”
Best memory?
"Hmm – tons, but Marc Brueland, watching Jon Oliva and Ray Alder react to Russ Allen, bands singing a capella in the stairwell, and the amazing amount of great people I have met, many of who I consider friends to this day."
"Also – all-star jam and crew jam."
Worst memory?
"Dealing with some people who have the wrong personality for the business."
Weirdest request?
"About a half hour before a band was going on (basically, just before the set changeover), a not-to-be named guitarist requested a guitar set-up and a repair of a shoddy pickup .. wanted a neck and trussrod adjustment, fingerboard oiled, etc. And this was back in the days of bands getting soundchecks.."
Stage setup comparisons:
(to give you an idea what exactly happens/is moved in those 30min changeovers)
~Jen
Stage setup usually consists of the following:
- Building and setting up the drum riser
- Loading-in rented backline (all amps, etc.)
- Ensuring we have the appropriate voltage converters for European bands utilizing their own gear
- Ensuring we have enough power drops on stage
- Keeping a clean stage and good audio signal feed to the recording studio backstage
- Dialing in amp sounds
- Tuning back-up guitars
When does your day start/end?
"Typically 8am, until 2am or so. But, sometimes you even get gear or band questions in the Courtyard as well."
Example of some of Wayne's additional duties:
- Assisting bands/crews in getting their gear into and out of the venue
- Tying in with Center Stage personnel, Glenn and bands as far as set times & operation
- Coordinating logistics with managers, band members, and techs as well (this typically starts in June!)
- Explaining how our fest works/runs
- Communicating what venue gear is available (backline, lighting, sound, video, recording, etc)
- Coordinating production requests
What exactly happens at change over in between sets?
"Typically reset the drum kit for the drummer, change amps and plug in any pedals, adjust the amp sound for the band, get monitor levels. Some bands, depending on where they are in the lineup, may request a backline change (amps moved to side, small risers, etc). We accommodate those requests as best we can. And lately – dialing in in-ear mixes."
What's the main reason/cause for delays?
"Thankfully – it is never a physical stage layout change (in our control). Most of the time, it will be an in-ear patch, or a specific channel patch change request from a band. In other words – all the lines need to be swapped out. If you do that for one band, you also need to swap back for the fest, so any change kills you twice. Also – occasionally – a band’s gear (or backline stuff) may crap out suddenly, and we have to scramble for a replacement."
What potential problems do you and your crew work to prevent?
"Gear failures and loss of clean signal to the studio, as well as having back-up cables or instruments if a string breaks or a wireless unit fails. Or making sure no one accidently walks far enough away from their amp to unplug it." ;o)
"We have replaced parts in pedals, rewired pickups, swapped tubes in amps, repaired a straplock that pulled out of a bass, setup a new/never tried guitar so it would stay in tune for a video shoot, and troubleshot a new-in-box amp that showed up dead for an endorsee. And last year, after changing a broken string, tuning a guitar, and then getting it back to the guitarist, I went behind a bass cabinet and held his cable in so he wouldn’t unplug it. My head was against the bass cab for 2 full songs! lol"
Do you coordinate instrument/gear rental?
"Yes, we have a standard backline and a rental company, and try to coordinate & consolidate keyboard requests, and any special request (acoustic guitars, etc). I liaison between Glenn, the bands, and our backline company."
How much communication with bands do you do before fest?
"A TON! My intro letter goes out in June, providing technical info and requesting some info back. Some bands – one email and done. Others – literally HUNDREDS of mails with various questions all the way up until the fest itself."
Best quote?
"Hmm – too many to remember! On stage and backstage, Chris Roy (former stage manager) and most of the crew are crazy with one-liners and timing (several could be stand-up comedians)."
Other memorable quotes:
J-Dub: “That’s jogging pants, Tommy”.
Tommy, without hesitating: “We know jogging is not in your vocabulary, J-Dub”.
Several times over the years: “That’s one for the book”
Best memory?
"Hmm – tons, but Marc Brueland, watching Jon Oliva and Ray Alder react to Russ Allen, bands singing a capella in the stairwell, and the amazing amount of great people I have met, many of who I consider friends to this day."
"Also – all-star jam and crew jam."
Worst memory?
"Dealing with some people who have the wrong personality for the business."
Weirdest request?
"About a half hour before a band was going on (basically, just before the set changeover), a not-to-be named guitarist requested a guitar set-up and a repair of a shoddy pickup .. wanted a neck and trussrod adjustment, fingerboard oiled, etc. And this was back in the days of bands getting soundchecks.."
Stage setup comparisons:
(to give you an idea what exactly happens/is moved in those 30min changeovers)
~Jen
