Anybody here done any live shows in NYC??

[illacov]

My band is playing our first NYC show tmw in Greenich village.

Just curious who else has gone down to the Big Apple and set it off.

Peace
Illumination

[dhiltonlittle]

all the time!

where are you playing?

[juniorspecial]

I've made a spectacle of myself in NYC several times!

[Storyville]

Yeppers. Done a few. Got one this thursday in Brooklyn.

My experience: careful with the sound guys. I've had a couple of tempermental ones and a couple of really negligent ones. But I suppose that's true of anywhere.

[dhiltonlittle]

Originally Posted by Storyville

Yeppers. Done a few. Got one this thursday in Brooklyn.

My experience: careful with the sound guys. I've had a couple of tempermental ones and a couple of really negligent ones. But I suppose that's true of anywhere.

haha! very true.

it's funny, one of the groups i play out with is a duo with an attractive female.

the sound guys sure are alot nicer when i play with that group.

[bgrotto]

I play there regularly.

If you're courteous and polite to the sound guy, you'll be much better off. That's true of any venue, in any city.

Introduce yourself (and try to remember their name; I have a tough time with this one myself!), let them know you appreciate what they're doing, and politely tell them what you'd like to hear in your monitors. Remember, you're dealing with another person (probably another musician, in fact). Also remember that you're not a rock star, you're not the one paying them, and that they can make or break your show just as easily as you can. In other words, no attitudes and no bullshit. Last, and this kinda sucks, but try to understand that for most sound guys, doing hip hop shows kinda blows. There's often a lot of attitude, a pretty boring/unengaging mix with little control over the sound quality (this accounts for a LOT of the sound-quality problems with local hip hop shows), and they tend to be more thankless than other genres. I know it sucks, but try to at least a little bit sympathetic and the experience will probably be better for everyone (that includes you, the sound guy, and the audience).

Anyway, good luck with your show. Let us know how it went.

(BTW - I work as a musician, studio engineer, and live engineer, so I'm sorta speaking from everybody's perspective; I hope it's helpful)

[idlabs]

I've also been on all sides of the fences (studio engineer, live sound engineer (FOH and monitors), and dj/on-stage producer with a touring hip hop act). Played a few shows in NYC. I got so frustrated with sound guys at my own shows I kinda took matters into my own hands a some point. I bought an Yamaha 01v and mixed our shows on stage and ran a stereo line out to the FOH guys. To make matters more interesting, I used an MPC with the 01v and programmed effects (delay on certain words, blast of verb at the end of a song, etc) via midi control messages in a sequence that ran the length of the show. Actually worked pretty well. Took a few shows to get it down, but once we did, it was like having the best sound man in the world at every show. We used that rig at SOBs a couple of times and the sound guy their thought it was great.

[illacov]

We're gonna be at Wicked Willie's in the Village. Its at 149 Bleecker Street between La Guardia and Thompson.

I know the spot is sort of popular with the NYU students, partially because of their drink specials and whatnot but, I would be happy to play a broom closet in NYC.

I'm from Syracuse, NY so to me this is a feat. Nice 5 hour drive out of town to do a hip hop show in the big apple, I can't front I'm bugging out over this.

Yeah we're a hip hop group, but we're really a band.

See there's two rappers (Illumination ((me)) and Clam Weezy), then there's two guitar players (Jon and Tom Copich ((Brothers)) and a bassist (Chris Costello) and our drummer (Elizabeth Strodel).

We do all original material, so far the band thing with the rapping has taken off like wildfire for us. Mainly because we record traditional hip hop in the studio and then translate that to the band format for the live shows.

SO soundguys get a good working over because we only use real instruments on stage plus the rapping, so there's the flexibility of a rock and roll or a blues band as far as instrumentation goes. Originally we were gonna run a track and play on top of it but it handcuffed us for ad libs and jamming out, so we skipped it.
We still do typical stuff though, call and response, party songs, songs about girls and shit like that. It still hip hop, beats rhymes and life.

Definitely we trying to keep that Run DMC and Beastie Boys vibe on stage, edgy shit for sure. So far the kids love it.

One thing we've been doing lately is using a trigger on the kick drum.

Man that shit is hot!

We have a Roland SPDS and we run a SM58 from inside the kick drum to a XLR to 1/4" cable to the trigger input. I loaded some huge 808's (right from Gearslutz I think??The Amek set??) and whenever Liz hits her kick you got bottom out the ass on your kicks.

Sounds dope. I would put a trigger on the snare but you'd get that crazy monkey shit if you run a clap track and try to do fills with the trigger on. So we just rock with a maple snare live.

Yeah come check us out if you can make it!

Tony not to be plugging the band, just trying to get some perspective and share a fun experience for me and mine.

Peace
Illumination

[illacov]

Who'd you play with or when did you play there?

What group or act I mean?


SOBs is the spot and we definitely wanna try to get in there. You ever heard of the Ghetto Metal movement? Seems like we might a part of it, but don't know it from what I heard. NYC might be our second home..

Peace
Illumination

Originally Posted by idlabs

I've also been on all sides of the fences (studio engineer, live sound engineer (FOH and monitors), and dj/on-stage producer with a touring hip hop act). Played a few shows in NYC. I got so frustrated with sound guys at my own shows I kinda took matters into my own hands a some point. I bought an Yamaha 01v and mixed our shows on stage and ran a stereo line out to the FOH guys. To make matters more interesting, I used an MPC with the 01v and programmed effects (delay on certain words, blast of verb at the end of a song, etc) via midi control messages in a sequence that ran the length of the show. Actually worked pretty well. Took a few shows to get it down, but once we did, it was like having the best sound man in the world at every show. We used that rig at SOBs a couple of times and the sound guy their thought it was great.

[themaidsroom]

lots

[idlabs]

I was in a group called Strict Flow. We played there in 2002 or maybe 2003, and then again about a year later. It was def alot of fun.

[illacov]

Heard its a little tight to get in there nowadays but we're gonna keep cracking at it and see how things go.


Peace
Illumination

Originally Posted by idlabs

I was in a group called Strict Flow. We played there in 2002 or maybe 2003, and then again about a year later. It was def alot of fun.

[Stitch333]

Originally Posted by illacov

See there's two rappers (Illumination ((me)) and Clam Weezy), then there's two guitar players (Jon and Tom Copich ((Brothers)) and a bassist (Chris Costello) and our drummer (Elizabeth Strodel).

Chick drummers rock...

On a serious note:if you get a chance, take the L over to Bedford and North 7th in Brooklyn.
There are a TON of really happenin' joints over there to gig.
The Luna has stepped up a bunch since my days giggin' in the east village.
666 North 6th, next to Galapagos (is that still the name of that joint?) is also a hot venue...

[azwun25]

We played Remote Lounge, Pyramid, Nuyorican Cafe, Bowery Poetry Lounge, Galapagos, Underscore, Asterisk there's more that I can't really remember. Wicked Willies is 3 blocks from where I grew up. I lived on Thompson most of my life.

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by idlabs

I was in a group called Strict Flow. We played there in 2002 or maybe 2003, and then again about a year later. It was def alot of fun.

You were in Strict Flow?!? No shit...

I got a copy of your LP!

[mdjice]

I did the regis & Kelly it's Live ...does that count ?

[idlabs]

Originally Posted by bgrotto

You were in Strict Flow?!? No shit...

I got a copy of your LP!

Wow! I didn't know anyone outside of pgh actually heard that shit. Sorry its kinda crap. If its "Without Further Ado" I produced and mixed it (not very well, it was def the early years for me). The other one I just produced. But yeah, I was one of the white dudes.


Oh wait, your from the Burgh right?....that explains it. Lol

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by idlabs

Wow! I didn't know anyone outside of pgh actually heard that shit. Sorry its kinda crap. If its "Without Further Ado" I produced and mixed it (not very well, it was def the early years for me). The other one I just produced. But yeah, I was one of the white dudes.


Oh wait, your from the Burgh right?....that explains it. Lol

Heh...yeah, I was just about to say: maybe no one from outside the burgh actually has heard you guys.

I went to high school in Pittsburgh; I think I saw you play with Lone Catalyst or something (are those dudes still around?) and bought your LP. I don't remember the name of it; it's the one with what looks like a live performance on the cover. From what I remember, it's like a (white) dude or two rapping onstage.

To be honest, I haven't listened to it in years, but I definitely thought it was pretty cool when I got it. Small world, eh?

[idlabs]

I think Lone Catalysts called it quits too. Although J. Rawls (their producer) was making a name for himself for a while, but he seems to have disappeared since. Ah, the (not so) good old days.

Well, at least our last performance was at the Civic Arena in front of like 14,000 people or somthing (opening for 50 cent). We stayed broke, but it was fun.

[STARSKI]

I played the Knitting Factory Earlier this year while I was on tour with Tha Alkaholiks. It was actually really fun and went way better than I would have thought! NYC was fun!

[illacov]

We played that show in NYC, it went GREAT! I guess some staff from SOBs was there and they loved us. So good shit.

We went to Ithaca, NY the next day and played The Haunt, that was also a good show for us as well. We actually met another hip hop band there and we already have another show in the works in November there, should be cool.

Yeah I loved playing the Village man.

I have lots of friends in the LES (none of them came) but we had a good turnout, it was Wednesday night after all.

On a really cool side note I met Vernon Glover from the band Living Color! Does anybody remember them? All Black Rock band, sick guitar riffs, heavy and f*** music, lots of soul in the vocals, some good singles.

It wasn't like we met met, but we saw each other and we spoke a few words and it was inspiring because his kids were with him and I guess his wife/woman. He's gotten older and the braids are gone now (gold fro now!) but he was playing down the street from us at a different club (much more upscale spot). Anyhoo we was outside letting people know what was happening inside (I like NYC for this, because Upstate they throw a little flyer up and then thats it, in NYC they be on the curb trying to chase people inside the club!) and here come Vernon again! He was like oh you a musician? I was like yeah a Hip Hop band. He was like thats really cool man, I wish you well. And he just kept steppin'

That dude is like a OG to me.. The funny shit is I was about to start singing Cult of Personality, something about seeing him triggered that song in my head. Really embarrassing. Felt like Martin Lawrence when he was going to meet Michael Jackson.

Anyways

Peace
Illumination

[idlabs]

I think his names Vernon Reid. He is an awesome guitar player though. I used to love that band when I was a kid. Glad your show went well.