December 09, 2007
No Country For Old Men
Over the years I've watched many an old, or even middle aged man ride off from many, many successful years touring. Dicko, Perk, Mason and Morrison to name a few. These days I reckon I'm in that group. With few exceptions touring life has no place for old men. Either the road eats them up or of their own volition indicates they leave the road. If nothing else for the sake of their own sanity. Some though, present company included, stay past their expiration dates then wonder why what used to be so fulfilling has turned into a wasteland devoid of any enjoyment. Gotta love what you do but when you don't it's no different than being some cubicle rat in an office, counting the minutes until your release from the prison of conformity and Dilbert like ineptitude. At least Dilbert is funny.
At the front end of the career it's a competitive environment. And that doesn't change as the years rage on. There are always more people than available gigs though there never seem to be enough GOOD people for those gigs. As one gets on in years, like the seasons, things change. What was important at 25 is no longer important at 35 and things like family start to take priority over things like gigs. What do you think is more important? Making sure your TPS reports are properly filled out, or making sure your kids are healthy and happy? Lumdberg might be pissed, but those reports are a distant second, if not further down the list.
When you're a young turk in this biz you don't think about what you're going to do next year. Let alone when you are 40, 50 or 60. I know I didn't start thinking about it until Crazy Uncle Kenny's dot com entered a death spiral and I saw my six figure livelyhood disappering faster than Britney's panties. Forty years old, no college degree, years of experience in the Varsity of touring audio. Outside of touring, that and six bucks would get me a double tall, low fat, half soy, part vanilla, part hazelnut latte. For all intents and purposes in that case you don't have a pot in which to piss, as they say. It really hit home when shortly after the dot com was sold for pennies on the dollar and the operators at the time determined they didn't really need my services. No prob, I thought. While the first dot com bubble burst, it was still a boomtown in comparison to the rest of the world.
I was attending a technology job fair up in Seattle, fresh on the dole of the State of WA just ending a nearly three year run at the dot com, the heart of which I started as a labor of love not quite a decade earlier. Google was advertising a contract position for someone to maintain storage space in either the Chicago or Atlanta data center. Basically, you read a log and swap dead hard drives from clusters. Even though I'd been able to build dot com, build and run the data center infrastructure I wasn't qualified for the job as a contractor swapping drives. I was Red Hat certified, Sun certified and a former MS certified tech with commercial experience on the Internet since the Internet became commercial. No matter. I didn't have a college degree, even though most of the kids applying were in grade school and had no idea what a server was at the time I was starting to build the property. While I had the knowledge and experience to do the task, according to the search kings, I didn't have the most important part. A piece of paper that said that I was able to tolerate four years of school regardless of any real world experience.
That left a mark. And at the same time was a huge wake up call. Had I stayed at Cal Poly Pomona about a quarter century earlier I might have had the paper to get that gig, but I surely wouldn't have gotten the gigs I did, when I did had I stayed in school. As they say, when you find a fork in the road, take it. And I took this one and that was where I was at the time. The next day I confirmed an offer for a tour that would take me through most of that year. One door closes, one door opens. At that point, the dynamics and structure of touring had changed. Controlled more by the bottomline than quality in and of itself the pricing structure for most continued to decline. What was once a US$2500/wk gig plus PD, business class travel and own room in a good hotel was a US$1200/wk gig, light PD, coach travel and sharing a room with some twenty something concerned with getting the most out of the party atmosphere. Or about where I was nearly two decades earlier.
I suppose that's standard economics. Supply and demand. It's OK when you're 20, or 30. Less tolerable when you're 40. How about 50? I'll be there in a few years. At 60? The problem for many of us is we didn't start thinking of exit strategies until well into our careers. You can milk a good twenty years from the road, but can you do thirty? Or fourty? And at what cost? In the mid 90s there was a very popular band that we had a vendor contract with. They were from Austraila and were tearing up the airwaves at that point. The mon guy from OZ was a family man. He'd been on the road for sometime. At one point during the tour he called home. His six year old son answered. "Hi, it's daddy" the mon guy stated. To which the kid replied "Who's daddy?" Within the next couple of days, the mon guy headed home, to my knowledge never to tour again.
My point is to have an exit strategy so at the point you turn 50 you're running the show instead of changing RF mic batteries and shouting "climber 2 check, fourteen, one-four, check" into a french Canadian's face just prior to the show. Even the best laid plans shit the bed. Make sure you have a handle on where you wnat to go and how you want to get there. What you are doing at 30 isn't going to be what you want to be doing at 60.
Posted by Dave at 08:58 PM
July 28, 2007
No Shelter If You're Looking For Shade
Been hot as fuck here over the last six weeks or so. Exactly, Dave, how hot is fuck? Well of course that all depends on who is doing it. Opps, sorry strayed from the topic. Guess that's what I get for not having Tony give me one of them awards. I'm sure he's not the guy that gave me all these platinum colored records, errr I mean CDs. Actually, very few were "given" to me. Most of them I had the priviledge of purchasing only after I was associated with the project. I wonder if that Tony guy charges his recipients for copies of the award. Touring we did on many gigs 20k punters per night. Most of these theater gigs don't do 20k punters per month. Dave are you bitter and grinding an axe against the theatrical discipline based on your limited experience with some of those asshats? No, give me another few weeks and let it really fester. That's not how you do it in New York? Well, Sunshine, do you think it's because this isn't a Broadway theater gig is the reason why it's not like that? No, really...
It's not the heat, it's the humidity, and fortunately for us, there isn't much humidity. At least it's a dry heat... Technically, my first summer here was last summer, though two years ago when I first did the recon down here during Infocomm, it was June and hotter than hell. Hot, hot, hotter than hell, burn you like the mid day sun. Last May, like pretty much every summer for the last 30 years or so, I bailed town to chase the bright lights and glamor of show biz, or at least get a good touring gig where over the course of three or four months I could make most of my nut for the whole year. A year ago this week I was here in town for a week or so, starting my first year at Thee Swanky Dive On The Strip. We had a break between the Euro and US legs and I spent it learning the ropes at the new gig and seeing such comedy favs as Rodney Carrington and Bill Engval.
Other than the insufferable weather, plus the Strip block long walk from employee parking it's sort of like being on the road living on the bus. But not really. At least a couple of times a week on the way in (or out) of the gig I see many tour coaches and trucks at the docks of the big venues in town. I reflect fondly on the memories, but glad I'm not a passenger in one of those vomit comets. The schedules are different, and that's one thing that takes getting used to, even after a year. We have basically two modes. Run mode, where we run the show, and dark/creation/enhancement mode. Most shows do the creation mode before the show opens. Now the braintrust that runs our show, even after two years hasn't quite figured the show out. So they keep changing it. The other shows like ours (or shall I say, the other shows that we are like) don't seem to have this problem. They tweak, but not to the extent that we do. And we are some tweakin' motherfuckers. And we change the show quite a bit, too. For the last several weeks we've been on "enhancement" mode.
This week I thought I'd give you a chance to see a comparison of schedules between touring fly date roadie, touring bus roadie and production show roadie in run mode. In creation mode it's like being in pre production touring. You get there early in the morning and don't leave until late at night.
A Day In The Life....
0600 (we're doing Euro time here because I think it makes me look cool, or is it kewl?)
Fly Date: You are either at the airport, on the plane already or heading for the airport unless it's a day off.
Bus Date: Comfy asleep in your rack either at the gig or on the way to the gig unless it's a day off and you might already be in your day off room. Or in the back lounge regreting you stayed up all night with the lighting guys.
Production Show: Considering where to have breakfast after spending the night in the Artisan/Peppermill/PT's with the Drinking Club With An Audio Problem.
0900
Fly Date: At the first layover or if you are lucky (or unlucky depending on your outlook) on the ground headed to the gig in some van or minibus that either smells like shit, piss or barf (or a combination thereof) or is way too small for everything and everyone. Or if you're really lucky, or unlucky, all of the above.
Bus Date: The noise department is just getting up and off the bus to breakfast. The squints have been off the bus of an hour or so but it's not like they sleep with the amount of krell they do. Hopefully you didn't stay up with them.
Production Show: Better be in asleep by now, or at least in bed explaining to her that you've been really tired lately and aren't able to perform. Not that it's happened to me. This week...
1000
Fly Date: You're either late to the gig or at the gig. If you got in the day before you're at the gig finding that the locals either a) aren't there yet or b) there but don't have the right shit and there's no hot breakfast catering.
Bus Date: After a hearty breakfast you're on deck watching chains go into the air and decided where to put the PA so that in an hour or so, after you've got the stacks rigged, video or scenic can come in and tell you that the PA is in the "wrong place", even though it's the best place soundwise.
Production Show:
ZZZZZZZZZ or trying to convince the gal from wardrobe (or the front office) you'll respect her in the morning, even though it's approaching the afternoon.
Noon
Fly Date: Wondering what kind of flat meat is going to be for lunch and wondering if the local production can get it together in time for the band's arrival mid afternoon.
Bus Date: Wondering what kind of flat meat is going to be for lunch and wondering if the production you brought can get it together in time for the band's arrival mid afternoon.
Production Show: "All I need is two more hours sleep, honest..."
1600
Fly Date: Hopefully the local production has it's shit together enough to be able to do the scheduled band check. And with any luck the band isn't hungover, drunk or in jail and the afternoon goes as planned.
Bus Date: Hopefully the touring production has it's shit together enough to be able to do the scheduled band check. And with any luck the band isn't hungover, drunk or in jail and the afternoon goes as planned.
Production Show: Run crew call, start of the day. Hope you got enough sleep. Do your basic check. make sure all is OK, share uncomfortable silence in elevator with gal from wardrobe (or front office). Well, at least you aren't hitting on the performers. This week...
1830
Fly Date: Lounging in your room or some shitty backstage area because your rooms are in the next county, 40 miles from the gig. You don't have to deal with the support acts so at this point there is dinner. I wonder what kind of chicken they have in catering for the meal?
Bus Date: Lounging in your bus or some shitty backstage area because your bus is in the next county, 40 miles from the gig. You have to deal with the support acts so at this point there is no dinner. That's OK, they only want to give you 30 bucks a night to spend a few hours of your already taxed day dealing with them even though if they were hiring you direct it would cost them a couple grand a week, not counting PD and accomodations. I wonder what kind of chicken they had in catering for the meal? Hopefully the merch gal or production assistant will bring something to the console even if it's stone cold and last in the chaffing dish. If you're on a good tour, the touring catering goddess will bring you something hot, and if you're lucky, some food too.
1930
Fly Date: Top of show, everyone look sharp. Hope Elvis stops in a couple of hours.
Bus Date: Top of show, everyone look sharp. Hope there is a 2300 curfew, or least enough disinterest to keep this as short as possible.
Production Show: Top of show, everyone look sharp. The show runs 92 mins and 32 secs per night, though when we improvise it might run 94 mins 45 secs. We like to live on the edge.
2130
Fly Date: On an evening with we better be done by now, we've got a 0430 lobby call.
Bus Date: Headliner started about a half hour ago. Hope that 2300 curfew is still in effect and the band doesn't feel like spending the dough to violate it.
Production Show: Second show started, we'll be out of here in a couple of hours.
2300
Fly Date: Back in the hotel, and that's good because the 0430 lobby call you had was really an 0400 lobby call. Don't worry you can sleep on the plane. and by the way you got a middle seat, last row, it doesn't recline.
Bus Date: Trucks are lined up, we're loading this bitch out. Can't wait for the cold pizza/wings/chinese food in the bus in about an hour and a half or two.
Production Show: Load out? Truck? What the hell is that? We're heading to the Artisan/Peppermill/PT's for a meeting of the Drinking Club With An Audio Problem.
0100
Fly Date: ZZZZZZ or trying to explain to the business MILF from the bar that you'll still respect her in the morning. Even though you'll leave in 3 hours.
Bus Date: All showered up but there was no soap and the towel was way too small, but you're lucky you got a towel at all and don't even start bitching about the cold water in the shower. Or the backline guys, bus driver and merch guy eating most of the after show food. At least there is beer, but wait, it's warm Coors. (thought you said there was beer?...)
Production Show: The Artisan/Peppermill/PT's seems kind of dead. Shall we hit Scores, OG or Lil Darlings?
So there you have it, the differences between the various gigs.
More for Gore or the son of a drug lord?
None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord....
Posted by Dave at 07:20 AM
February 15, 2007
All Star Vegas
Posted by Dave at 02:53 AM
December 27, 2006
Tropicana To Meet the Axe
Last month the Stardust shuttered, this week the new owners of the Tropicana have announced plans on what they would do with the vast site at the Strip and Trop. The gaming and hotel expansion seem to be a slam dunk. But I wonder why the high end condos? Seems that market is a bit soft with all the projects shelved or cancelled.
Posted by Dave at 06:03 PM
December 20, 2006
Harrah's To Go Private
I thought this one was dead, but Harrah's announced today that last week the board agreed to a buyout offer (actually, the fourth largest buyout in history) to take the company private. I wonder what this means for the redevelopment of that hunk of the strip they own? A couple of months ago they stated it would start in a couple of months. Nothing has happened since and with this deal, nothing is likely to happen until the deal clears. Could this be the start of casino resorts going private? Many of them went public to get the cash for the wicked expansions, but now that those are complete, they have the cash flow to finance them without shareholder money.
Posted by Dave at 01:26 AM
October 12, 2006
LDI/ETS Heads Up Part Deux
LDI/ETS starts in Sin City next week. Make sure you bring your Vegas essentials. Condoms, plenty of lube, moist towelettes, err, what, opps, sorry how about comfortable walking shoes, a bag to put all your swag in, a pic of your hotel room door on your phone cam and just for good measure, a pic of your hotel so if nothing else you can show the cabbie that and likely make it back to your pad away from home. The good news is no longer do you need change for the slots. It's all tickets now but we did keep the clanking coin payout sound effect. Even though we are in the midst of gigging and day crew shifts I'll make the rounds with the department boss during one day though we won't have it nailed down for a day or so.
Thurs I'll be at the Sound Track conferences then scurrying to the show. Not quite sure about the weekend except that I'll be on the show floor at least on one day. Perhaps some of us can meet after show at the Artisan or Peppermill, two uniquely Vegas kind of places.
Posted by Dave at 05:57 PM | Comments (1)
October 02, 2006
Doctor, Doctor Please
Well, my posting frequency has shit the bed. Between getting indoctrinated at the pool (I'm technically no longer "in training" and now on the run crew doing some day maintenance shifts as needed), having a social life and working the last two weeks straight at the theater and doing a corporate I committed to in June, it's been fun packed. I've had a few posts in the can, mostly comparisons to what I'm doing and what I've done. It's been eventful, from the witnessing of the staging of a new show, to our trials in running an audio department in big time Las Vegas production show business, to me getting wheeled out of the theater by parametics because of a reaction to my BP meds that the show trainers had never seen. We had a bit of a discussion of if I was having a heart attack. In front of a significant amount of the cast and crew. It was a couple of weeks ago and I'm still getting "are you OK?" from various crew members. in a six plus story building with more than 120 crew members, you don't see everyone every day, but having the paramedics called gets everyones attention. Especially if it's the new guy.
The BP meds I've been on for a couple of years, Toprol XL and Lisinopril are some pretty powerful drugs. A couple of years ago I went to a dive medicine specailist because as I was having issues in my sinus tract which turned out to be a condition that lead to me not being able to dive without surgery to correct it. While I was there, it was determined that I was suffering from the most chronic type of high blood pressure and we started treatment immediately. I don't say this to share my middle aged man maladies, but rather to have you lot get off your fat asses and get your BP checked. Hypertension is a silent killer, if you don't manage it, it's likely a couple of decades will be knocked off your life. If not more. So, after a period of different doses and combinations, we found what worked and I didn't review the data sheets that completely. Turns out, this shit is powerful wack. If your body is out of wack, for example dehydrated, the drugs will turn on it and cause pretty adverse reactions. Because I've been, well, more "physically active" in the last month than in the last decade or so, I might have overachieved that week.
A while back, I did have a reaction to the meds. I was onstage doing a gig for my buddy Dansound about a year and a half ago at a children's fest in the Jet City (actually Thee children's fest) where I hit the stage like a sack of bricks, or a nearly 300 lb roadie. At that time, anyway. The show staff thought I was having a stroke, I didn't know what the fuck was happening. After several visits to the doc, a myriad of tests, to the tune of not quite US$10k, out of pocket, no insurance. Don't get me started on the health care system of the "most powerful nation on earth". Sure, we can bomb the shit out of some motherfuckers we don't like, but try something like decent, affordable health care for all citizens and we shit the bed. We do have the best medical technology available, too bad many people that need it can't get it. I was lucky, though not insured, I had enough ratholed away to get what I needed. Not everyone is so fortunate. After all that was done and my meds adjusted, I knew what it was like to have a reaction to the BP meds. Too bad the sports med guy at my gig didn't know.
I rolled into what we call the DI garage, not because it's shaped like a Countryman Type 85, but rather because it's the initials of the place that was imploded to make way for our 2 billion dollar palace. And a nice one it is. Amber and I had dinner in one of the restaurants there last week and it was devine. Exceptional, in fact. So anyway, I roll into work on Sun afternoon (two weeks ago) and get out of my car and feel dizzy, nearly pass out. I know the feeling and remember what the Diving Doc told me. I liked Diving Doc so much I made him my primary care a couple years back. Bummer is, he's in Seattle. I'm not. The deal is this, if I feel I'm in danger or not sure, get yee to the trauma center ASAP. If not that bad, rest, and take BP and if it doesn't level off and I still feel dizzy, get yee to a trauma center for an EKG. If I feel OK, then just rest. I felt OK but was a bit woozey (is that even a word?) and as the chick magnet sound guy and I were working on our dive systems intercom on the pool deck, I thought I'd stop at Health Services (we have our own health dept at the show) to have my BP checked. Just to be sure.
After waiting about 10 mins as they were providing PT and sport massage to many of our 85 cast members (we got lotsa people performing), I got my turn to see the EMTs. Apparently, there is an MD as well, but not there at the time. I explain the situation, BP meds, yada, yada, yada. Seen this movie before, yada, yada, yada. Just need the BP checked, yada, yada, yada. So they check it. It's off the the map. I know it will be high, but not at that level. At the level they measured I should either be dead, or have my heart residing outside my chest cavity. He takes a short history and vitals. When he's done, I get up to leave. "You're not going anywhere" he says. "Who is your supervisor?" I tell him and ask what's happening. "I believe you to be in major coronary distress at the moment and we need to transport you to the hospital, STAT". Stat? Exfuckingscuseme? Perhaps you've made a mistake, I've seen this before, being treated for two years, I know what's going on. No matter. My HOD (head of department, my direct boss) is summoned, as well as the executive staff of the show, the resort security and the parametics. I felt like the guy on the sled in the Grail flick, "but I'm getting better".
So they prep me for the arival of the paramedics. They strap O2 on me, put me in a wheelchair and decide to bring me to the dock on the pool level. Which happens to mean all the carps, aquatics, fluid FX and much of the cast will see me. And as it happened, many of the riggers and some of the electrics dept were also there. Great, I should sell tickets. By this time, my HOD (actually the assistant HOD, the guy that hired me, my pal Steve) and a Sr. show exec had showed. They each asked what I wanted to do. Well I had two shows to mix that night. That's what we do in big time roadieism. If we aren't mortally wounded, or dead, we gig. Tis only a flesh wound. They would have none of that. I'm relagated to being Sideshow Bob, waiting for the paramedics to arrive and being eye candy for the entire production, which including cast, crew, production and execs, is over 200 people.
The paramedics pull up and I'm relagated to give a medical history in front of 20 people I don't know. The paramedics have an EKG and know what questions to ask. They ask if I have ringing in my ears, I answer that I have tinnitus so I can't tell tell if it's my normal condition or the effect of the meds. I look the show exec in the eyes and say, "if you mix big time shows for a quarter century, you'll have hearing loss". The paramedic jokingly says "WHAT!" in a loud manner. We all laugh. The paramedics determine I'm OK, bad reaction to the meds. Just like I said.
I don't want to seem unappreciative to the Health Services staff, I'm glad they are looking out for me. At the same time, I knew what was happening to me and there was really nothing one could do until it ran its course. The show med staff is used to seeing well fit, well oiled, hard body athletes that are in prime condition. When some overweight, oversexed, middle aged show biz roadie appears they don't know quite what to do with it. In the end, just like I knew, I'm fine. My new doc and I are working on a regimen to lessen the impact of the meds.
One thing I've done different, I've brought my own BP machine to the gig.
Posted by Dave at 08:05 AM | Comments (4)
August 15, 2006
LDI/ETS Heads Up
October 19-22 down here in the the desert is the LDI-ETS tradeshow and conference. It's pretty much displaced NAMM and AES as the show that the US based tour sound folks attend. There is space for real world deployments of rigs where you can see stuff more or less in the wild (but still under pretty controlled conditions). We should try to get a LAB/ABD meetup for beverages and a meet up to put faces with names. Text or ping me off the blog and we'll see about setting something up. It's likely that the Vegas based Drinking Club with an Audio Problem will hold a gathering around that time, but be warned, our shows don't end until midnight or so and those gatherings generally get hopping at around 1 am so it's not for the faint of heart. I know there are reptiles and manufacturer product types that can't stay up all night drinking (or at least let the bosses know) so let's try for something a little closer to the time the show closes.
Posted by Dave at 08:46 AM
June 06, 2006
Hairspray exhausts the propellent
It's a dry heat, only 109 today. On the way back from Memphis earlier this afternoon when I boarded the plane at DFW the flying waitress, errr, I mean flight attendant said it was only 94 in my fair city. Of course I knew by the time we got there it would be almost 110.
I just got word from the "Two Way Hard Three" RSS feed that Hairspray will close next week. YIKES! The guys on TheStripPodcast.com broke the story earlier tonight. (BTW, one of the best Vegas podcasts out there, if not the best). It's confirmed, they close the 11th. That and Avenue Q closing kind of tanks my theory on musicals in LV. What the hell do I know anyway. Bummer for all those that are losing their gigs. Especially those that moved here from NY. It's not like I haven't been on any tours that cancelled after a few weeks or so. But still, and it was a good show.
The Beatles Cirque show, "Love" opened for previews a few days ago (gotta see it next week before we leave overseas next week) to rave reviews. It will probably go for the next decade or so. Reports from Cirque principals are that the next Vegas Cirque show will have an Elvis theme. It's Vegas, that's what we do. Now if it were a Meatloaf themed show, I might be able to get the lead. Apparently I resemble Mr. Loaf.
We got Phantom opening next month, The Producer's in the fall and Spamalot next year so it will be interesting to see how that shakes out. I'dathunk Hairspray would do well, but let's see how it goes with these others. Could it be that Vegas and it's tourist centric demographic more represent what mainstream American want to see? Let's face it, the Broadway audiences are pretty elitest and do half of the shows per week, in rooms that are at least half of the capacity. Broadway ain't Vegas and Vegas ain't Broadway and I've got the testicular circumference to sack up and admit I was talking out my ass when I pontificated not that long ago that Vegas would save musical theater. Vegas is going to do what it needs to do and it's the fastest growing economy in the country, and one of the fastest in the world. When something like Headlights and Tailpipes outdraws Hairspray, that basically signal either we are just about to armageddon or that people here would rather see tits than hear showtunes. (actualy I enjoy both)
For assholes like me that haven't been able to break into the theatrical or production show scene (not for the lack of trying) it doesn't mean much. When guys like me aren't on the road, we're doing big time industrials and that market is far from being tapped. Yeah, it's not as cool as mixing Tracy Turnblad in the finale but it's a constant stream of talking heads that aren't going to dry up anytime soon. And that's a bummer because I'd rather be mixing the guy with the messed up face and crashing chandelier than Fortune 50 CEOs and what little remains of my touring rock/pop career.
Always greener on the other side, ain't it? Well, in a week and half we'll be way into where no western band really goes that often.
Posted by Dave at 01:04 AM | Comments (4)
March 02, 2006
Pro Audio Events Coming to LV
Lots going on down in the desert. They're ramping up for NSCA this year and while I'd planned to go it seems that our booking agents at Grimm, Bleek and Hayness decided it would be a good time to go to Moscow (Russia, not Idaho) for a one off. It's a private gig and we're being wined and dined and paid pretty well so I can't really complain. But I reckon I will anyway. It's just easier that way.
We know NSCA is coming, be sure and badger your favorite reps and manufactuers for some complementry passes. I don't know what if anything new and swanky will be shown but i'm sure someone will let me know.
Meyer Sound is hosting a two day seminar on March 13 and 14. Now that I will be able to attend. Sign up on the Meyer site, hope to see you there. They'll let you know where it is once you sign up.
The Southern Nevada AES section is in full swing with the second meeting to be a talk by Sam Berkow on system optimization. You got your SIM with the Meyer folks, you know Sammy's going to be talking about Smaart so now all we need are some TEF Moonies to show up for a demo and we'd have the power trioka of system optimization and measurement. The Southern Nevada AES section meets at the Clark County Library (Maryland and Flamingo) in the Reader Services Room. If you've not been there, ask at the desk for the room location. The presentation is March 15th at 6 pm. Kudos to Tom Schlum and the officers for pulling that together.
Posted by Dave at 09:48 PM | Comments (2)
February 18, 2006
Puppets Told To Hit The Bricks
Tony winner Avenue Q will end its current run at Wynn Las Vegas on May 27th. In a previous post, I had opined that Vegas would become a force in musical theater and would likely be an asset to NY based productions. I still feel the same way. While much of the theatrical press was reporting this as a failure of the Vegas musical model, that doesn't quite fit the facts. I think this represents more a change of business model on the part of Steve Wynn and less on the musical theater model of Vegas.
What I think supports this are a couple of things. First, the show was profitable. According to the producers, the show was doing as well as the B-way show financially as well as other musicals currently running in Vegas. The problem I think, is that Wynn paid too much to get an exclusive, didn't fully or properly promote it until well into the run and later figured out that the same sort of model he used to get Avenue Q and also used to get Spamalot wasn't fiscally sound. Initially Spamalot was to be in a purpose built theater in addition to Avenue Q but in the planning phase Wynn realized that the exclusive deals cut made the productions too much a gamble (pardon the pun) and opted not to build another 80 million plus dollar theater to house a production that might not return the enthusiastic expectations of people coming to Vegas specifically for theater. I see this more to do with specific issues with the financial and business model situation at Wynn Las Vegas rather than a failure of musical theater in Vegas. Wynn is adjusting his business to the current climate and if not for the signing of Spamalot, it's likely that Avenue Q would have continued in the Broadway Theater at Wynn Las Vegas.
From an exclusive podcast at The Strip Podcast, Wynn was kind enough to elaborate in an interview with Steve Friess. It was the basis for a Newsweek article but contained enough Wynn spin to require a Varsity sized dose of Dramamine. Not that I don't respect the guy, I do. I tried to get a couple of gigs at his place and think he's one of the few true visionaries left in town. Wynn is doing what he does best, roll with the punches and change it up to meet the current situation. In the podcast, Wynn waxes that he loves the show, but as a business decision it makes more sense to not build the Grail Theater from the ground up and keep his 250k sq ft convention center space in a contiguous config. Convention and exhibit space still rules the roost in this town, in terms of return on investment. There is also the fact that most of the construction projects in town are delayed, or at least hobbled by the lack of available skilled labor. Most of the high profile casino/condo projects are being delayed due to the lack of a workforce to build the projects. Wynn couldn't build the Grail Theater fast enough and also fit it into a config suitable to his new building and it was easier to buy Aveune Q out of the existing contract than continue on the planned course. I think what this shows, more than anything else, is that the exclusive deals that Wynn signed for those two shows was a poor business decision. People aren't going to flock to Vegas to see a show that won't likely tour in their hometown, but will still see a show that they are interested in seeing. All's not lost, it's possible that Avenue Q will reopen in another room in town. If the sports book at South Coast was taking bets, I'd throw down.
Based on a few reports from the theater elite in NY, this signifies that the so called "Las Vegas audience" isn't ready for such seemly high brow affair. Bullshit, I say. We get the same tourists they get in Manhattan. And the bridge and tunnel crowd isn't any more highbrow than those that come into Vegas from So Cal or the Bay Area. While it is a different experience, I think the self absorbed, arrogant prats that make up most of the Broadway "journalistic" scene are more jealous than anything that any place other than the vaunted Great White Way could have any sort of influence on the theatrical business. To hear some tell the tale, this is the beginning of the end of musical theater in Vegas. Horseshit. Hairspray just opened, to rave reveiws and pleased crowds. (thanks John for the tix) Vegas is a force to be reckoned with.
Betting against Vegas is like shoveling your money into a furnace.
Posted by Dave at 08:37 PM
February 05, 2006
First Meeting of Las Vegas AES Section
On Tues, Feb 7th the inauguaral meeting of the Southern Nevada AES Section. I would have liked to see us use the Las Vegas name because the branding is so strong but I don't want to leave our our friends and colleages in Jean, Primm, Pahrump and Searchlight.
The meeting is at 1pm at the Clark County Library conference room at 1401 E Flamingo (just east of Maryland).
Posted by Dave at 05:02 PM
January 30, 2006
The Great(er) White Way
The boom of musical theater to the Las Vegas resorts has caused quite a few divergent opinions in the industry. It's no secret that some of the more stalwart characters in the New York theater scene regard the culture of Sin City much like Milburn Drysdale regarded the culture of the Clampett clan. It's not so much the fact that the home of the Rat Pack is doing musical theater or the production values. In terms of production value Las Vegas is second to none in terms of complexity, integration and artistic appeal in the creative elements. We can hold our own, and well, a little bit of everyone else's too. I've trotted around this planet many times in the last few decades and I don't think it's an overstatement to say the Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world. Entertainment technology included.
The thing that has the classic B-way gang knickers in a twist is the changing of established shows to fit in the Vegas model. Ninety minutes, no intermission, two shows a night most nights. Anyone that's done the casino and corndog classic rock circuit knows all well what the deal is. Get 'em in, get 'em drunk, entertain them and turn them loose on the casino or other attractions. They just reworked Avenue Q to fit in the Vegas format. They'll do the same for Spamalot, Phantom of the Opera and the rumored Producers for their Vegas runs. The other thing that some are fretting about, the lock in of B-way hits to exclusive deals in Vegas. Case in point, Avenue Q and the soon to open Spamalot. Wynn inked a deal for multiyear exclusives for both shows outside of New York and the West End. That means no Spamalot truck and bus coming to a local performing arts center near you. I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing, truck and bus, or even regional runs aren't able to afford either logistically or economically the production value of the big shows. I've got several pals doing theater truck and bus or regional runs and they do a hell of a job, but you just can't make it feasable to offer the same production value on that basis then you can in a theater purpose built for the show.
My point, depending on where you stand is either an insightful prediction or me talking out my ass. Las Vegas will save the musical theater business.
What...The...Hell...Did...You...Just...Say...?
Las Vegas will save the musical theater biz in a way that until recently not too many have thought about. Theater is expensive to produce and it's a crap shoot. Having it based in Manhattan certainly isn't doing it any favors. It's been said that 80% of all B-way shows lose money, the next 10% break even and the rest are the money makers. What the hell kind of business model is that? That's as stupid as how the record industry works. Granted, legit theater stuff like Death of a Salesman or The Graduate (two of my favs) probably won't work here as a casino show. Comedy and musicals will though. There is a lower cost, higher standard of living for the employees, most of which are not bound by prohibitive union contracts. I love my brothers and sisters in Local One but some of the work rules and limited availability of theater space puts some constraints that add to the already difficult business climate. In terms of theater construction and development, we can build them twice as fast for a third the cost. In twelve months we could match every seat on Broadway in a modern setting and not even flinch. This could be a boon for those that can't get their productions financed in New York. The casinos are always looking for new ideas and in the big picture dropping a few mil on something where you already have the infrastructure isn't a bad bet. I might not be a theater arts major, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express the other night.
Posted by Dave at 12:09 AM | Comments (7)
January 29, 2006
No Room at the Inn?
Since moving down I've become pretty interested in the economic growth and forecast of the LV Valley. During CES some kats I'd met online that were pretty involved in the tech space were having problems getting rooms at an affordable rate. Reminded me of the glory days of Comdex when we'd stay in Primm (if we were lucky) or have to schelp to Laughlin. The growth rate is pretty incredible, projected at about 6% this year with an estimated 6000 people moving to town each month. It shows in the traffic, infrastructure and the service at some lower end or moderately priced stores catering to the locals. It really is a boom town.
The expansion is nuts. Most of the older casinos are being replaced with either newer resorts or condos. A few months back I found Nick Chirstensen's goulishly funny Las Vegas Casino Death Watch. It's a great way to keep up on whats happening with the older places. Once upon a time Vegas was a much different place. Cheap food and drinks to entice those wishing to partake in games of chance. These days it's swanky restaurants and high priced drinks. There are still places to go to get a good deal but old Vegas has been replaced with high end Vegas and is just starting to see a sort of "Manhattanization" of high rise luxury condos. My place is slated to be leveled in a month for a casino expansion and condos. The two places I had my eye on to replace this place are in the process of being converted to condos. My pals at the big production shows have been experiencing this west of The Strip for the last year or so. I'll likely move further off The Strip, which is kind of a drag or move into some accomodations that might not be so hospitible. Or safe. I could move down to Henderson or out toward Summerlin like the other middle class white folk but there's something about being about to stand out on the balcony and have a view from Mandalay Bay all the way to the Stratosphere. The New Year's fireworks shows were quite spectacular, similar to the view I had in Seattle that stretched from the stadiums to Fremont, with a direct shot at the Space Needle. I'm having a blast down here and though things didn't quite go according to plan, it's the best move I've made. Right up there with moving from Hollywood to Twin Peaksville just in time to ride the grunge rock trend to the next level of my career. If anything, I wish I would have moved down a year or two ago.
One thing that has been puzzling me was what was going to happen in the next few years as all these resorts are being replaced by newer resorts. The average occupancy rate in town is 93%. We have about 125k rooms available right now. According to Las Vegas Tripping, we'll lose nearly 15k rooms over the next couple of years as several properties revamp. While it's true we will be getting the benefit of a Hooter's Hotel and Casino (no, really dude I couldn't make this up) those rooms were already available as the San Remo but what's going to happen to the growth rate when we lose 12% of the hotel room capacity for the next few years? About 40 million people come through town a year and in order to keep up this sort of growth rate, we need to be able to house them. In the long run it will be good as from the Wynn north on The Strip, it needs a bit of a facelift. Downtown has been faltering for years and I've got an idea. As the mega resorts on The Strip have been catering to the more well to do, the properties downtown can capitalize by getting that old Vegas vibe back. They kind of do that now but they need to kick it up a notch. Five buck t-bones, two buck beer, 99 cent breakfast, affordable rooms. The stuff that made Vegas famous. It's true that a lot of the need to go to Vegas was lost as tribal gaming opened up all over the country. Those tribal casinos don't have the Strippers, err I mean Sirens of TI, Carrot Top twice nightly or the biggest headliners and production shows (including B-way hits) in the biz. Going to the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt Pleasant, MI (like I have) though a nice place, is no substitute for the real thing. The demand is certainly there, let's hope that it isn't reduced by the lack of capacity over the next few years while the next phase of the expansion is happening.
Posted by Dave at 12:07 AM
October 27, 2005
Google Local? Google Clueless
In the next week or so I'll change from seasonal resident to official full time resident of the Silver State. Y'all certainly do some things, well shall I say "interesting". That's another subject entirely though I do like the incorporation rules and structure. I hit it up to the Northwest for a few hours this afternoon to finish off some biz so I could make the move final. Herb was nice enough to supply me with the transport. Under a Franklin each way, though no seat assignment. With today's trip, with the exception of the kart racing team (I'll get that in the next month or so), my big gnarly workbox and a few assorted audio tidbits, it's all down here. Time to get legit and change the drivers license. Good news though! I just saved a bunch of money on car insurance by switching to Geico. No, really. Gotta get new tabs and plates, the fancy Vegas Centenial kind and an NV license. For whatever reason I decide to keep the CDL I've had for nearly 15 years. I don't tell too many people I can pilot a CDL because well, I'd have to drive the truck. Old farts only drive if a young turk can't do the gig, or has trouble backing into the slot. It's handy having a CDL and also an international drivers license as overseas that can be an asset, even if you never drive. There is nothing like having tachiographs from Euro tours in your name when you didn't really do any of the driving. Or so I'm told.
To transfer the CDL is like having to renew it back in Twin Peaks land. Show the valid license, pass the vision test (that's harder for me these days) and produce the med card. Trouble is, my med card is a year or so past due. My thinking is that I've already got the CDL and if I decide this show biz thing isn't for me, I can always get a gig driving clean towels or beer to the casinos. Casinos need lots of beer and towels. At least I do when I'm at a casino. This past spring when I was having the full work ups I suppose I could have got the DOT card but I was more concerned with my ticker jumping out of my chest or my arteries getting so stuffed that they couldn't pump blood that I didn't think about using the grand or so worth of physical and tests to get a current DOT cert. So I figure I'll reup, but where to get the card? Well, Google Local should be able to help with this, right?
Err, wrongo. I Google "medical clinic dot physical las vegas" get the following...
Las Vegas Hilton Steakhouse
Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort
Las Vegas National Golf Club
I don't think I asked where the doctors are, because obviously they'd be out on the golf course, but the steakhouse? First of all, any self respecting doc would be at Morton's or Envy or the joint in the MGM Grand. I'll think I'll do this the old fashioned way in the morning. Break out the Yellow Pages and start calling around.
Posted by Dave at 12:37 AM | Comments (1)
September 12, 2005
Measuring Your Life...In T-Shirts
I'm about ready to start to head down. I've removed nine full sized Hefty bags of clothing, mostly gig shirts. Some good ones too, they've just gotten too small over the last couple of years. Or perhaps I've grown out a bit. I thought about giving them to the shop rats at my pals next to the BBQ joint, but would rather donate them. They (or you) should be able to get them for a couple bucks each at Seattle Goodwill and the money goes to a good cause.
There were also more than a dozen file storage boxes, some dating back to 1988 and containing info from PA companies long out of business. There were a few boxes of my personal files from the building of the last PA company (the one by the BBQ joint) that has become the power player in this area and now tours the globe on a regular basis with select clients. It was nice to review how the four of us (Mark, Jon, Rob and myself) were able to pull it together with very few resources. It was very cool to be a part of that. I've started a series of shorts documenting it. Hopefully I'll finish them soon. It was in the days before email for the masses. We did most everything by fax. Lot's of paper.
Tours from years past, laminates, interaries, luggage tags, set lists. Hard to believe I squirreled all this shit away for the last 15 years or so. I kept a few lams and set lists and all the interaries, but the rest I tossed. I found two boxes of AES reprints and publications, including the excellent Dick Heyser anthology. I'm keeping those. Books. Books, books, books. I'm keeping my 104 O'Reily books though have sold or donated another 40 or so. Of course I'll keep the now collectors item Screaming Life, Charles Peterson's excellent photo essay that my pal Dansound gave to me a few years back. There's also the note from the local band guys expressing thanks for the support for a benefit cause. Too bad one of them killed himself more than 10 years ago. There are a few notes and pics from the couple of chicks that sing and play guitar that grew up not far from here. They kind of paved the way for women in rock. Forgot I had those.
Moving is a pain, but I would have had to move anyway. When I returned from the last jaunt, I was met with a notice that the building had been sold and was being converted to condos. I saw that coming. The so called "luxury apartment" market in this area has dwindled and those building have been being converted to condos. You can buy your half mil one bedroom or you can move. I'm glad I'm moving.
In the next few hours I'll be migrating the Internet services at Roaddog Manor to a rented server at Serverbeach. The mail will que but won't deliver for a few hours and there may be some issues later tonight accessing A Barking Dog. By the morning all should be fine. Charlotte may be offline for a few days until I get down to Vegas and start to settle in. It's a bummer because the guys that run the LAB archives now have been so lame. As for The Roaddog Forum, unless someone can offer a compelling reason to keep it, I'll be taking it offline. There have only been a handful of posts this year and if people wish to use it, I'll keep it up. But I don't want to keep it up if no one wants to use it.
See y'all when I get to Vegas.
Posted by Dave at 05:01 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
June 12, 2005
Bright Light City
Well, it's now "official", I'm considered a part time resident of the State of Nevada. Got the phone number, mailing address and sights on a couple of places to live, save for chosing which lease to sign. For those that haven't heard, over the course of the next few months I'll be moving to Las Vegas. Why Vegas? Well, I couldn't book passage to the face of the sun.
Seattle has been great for the last 15 years. I've been a part of some pretty cool stuff, though I seem to have fished this pond dry, so to speak. I'm still getting local work though most of what I do these days is tour related. I could probably keep working up here and eventually retire and ride off into the sunset. I'm not getting any younger (fortunately) and in the next decade or so it's likely the tour gigs will get farther and fewer between as is normal with the older set, or as some call us, the "ancestors". I'm not quite ready to hang up my lanyard and will still tour in the meantime, but Vegas offers opportunities not available in other cities. It's quickly becoming (or already has depending on who one talks to) the entertainment technology capital of the country, if not the world.
I'd like to thank some people that have made my stay in Seattle an excellent experience. Thanks to the local crews and IA Local 15, particularly the Paramount, Benaroya, 5th Ave and Seattle Center crews, you guys (and gals) are tops. The members of WAPS and AES, particularly Mac Perkins and Dan Mortensen. Thanks to the Carlson show and shop crew particularly my good friend Allan Bagley. Most of all very special thanks to my dear friends, Mark Carlson and Jonathan Stoverud-Myers, the principals of Carlson Audio. We had some good times and some intense times and you guys should be proud of what you've done. It couldn't have happened to a nicer couple of guys.
Look forward to seeing you in Vegas. If you're already down there and want to meet, let me know. I should be settled in by early fall a few weeks after I return from the next leg. If you're on a tour that is swinging through town, let me know and I'll come by and say hi, eat your catering and take up space while you're trying to get your work done. I plan on writing about the move and the various happenings in Vegas as it relates to the pro audio/ entertainment technology biz. Lastly, if you're down there and need the services of a guy that's been around the block a time or three, let me know.