On Location in Morocco, advice needed.

[Matti]

Copyrights?
Anyways not mine

Matti

[Dave Slevin]

Originally Posted by MATTI

Copyrights?
Anyways not mine

Matti

Nice one.
That's like what I heard the first time I was there.
Those 'clabbers' are something else alright.
I've been looking for something like that for a day or two after the main gig if I can manage it.
We'll see.

[Matti]

Now this tired I could see You`ll manage and over
this project
Best
Matti

[narcoman]

my only advice is don't clean your teeth in the local water.

Great country but I've just recovered from 7 weeks of Para-Typhoid fever. Not fun....I was in Morocco for the end of january.....love Marrakech

[Matti]

Do not drink with the locals for various reasons
but you can go out of Medina to drink with tourists
and like ...to deinfenct if you believe in sutch things
-never had any such broblems after 15 countries

Matti

[boojum]

My experience in Mexico is that it is OK to eat where the locals eat. They get the shits, too. Bring Lomitol to be safe. Better to have it and not need it . . . Do not drink any water that is not out of a closed/sealed bottle. If you do, you may need the Lomitol.

PM sent

[Matti]

When I said don´t drink I meant alcohol with locals in Marocco
or in similiar countries

Matti

[boojum]

Oh, it's alright to do that, if you don't mind being split open like a ripe watermelon. Do not stray for your buddies. It is just like diving.

[Matti]

Been there, done that
But you´ll have to have at least some respect

Matti

[boojum]

^^^ I've lived abroad about eight years. About five in French-speaking countries and three in Spanish-speaking. My German works fine in Germany and elsewhere. I am polite as I am vulnerable and a visitor when abroad. And it is hard to learn much when sneering at the locals. I've seen others try that and they missed the whole show. Some of us just should not even leave the driveway.

[Dave Slevin]

Originally Posted by boojum

Some of us just should not even leave the driveway.

lolololoL

Certain places it's harder to tell the good guys from the bad guys alright. I just try to look as though I know where I'm going at train stations, tourist bars etc. "Thanks but, I'm in a hurry, I'm going to meet my brother!, he's a police man you know!"

[Dave Slevin]

Well I haven't been around here for a bit so Hello to everybody.

I've nearly finalized the kit list and I'm preparing the insurance details and carnet for the journey. Looks like I'll be flying to London and driving down from there via the Channel Tunnel and Ferry from Spain naturally.

So here's a rough list of the kit...

Kit List

Mac Powerbook G4
back up laptop PC (dunno the make)

M-Audio- 2626 Adat Interface
Audient Asp 8 Microphone Amplifiers

Multicore 8-way 30m
Long Mic Cables x 2 10 to 15M
Reg Mic cables x 8
2 4way Mains Plugboards
2 long Mains Plugboards
Adat Cable

5 DPA 4011
2 Senheiser MKH 40’s
2 Neumann Shotgun mic’s KM 82’s ?

2 Regular Mic Boom Stands
2 Baby Mic Stands

Quantegy FW80 Harddrives

Tool Kit???

Anybody care to add anything to this while I still can.


Thanks.
D.

[Dave Slevin]

Well, I got back the other day and it was amazing, the place really opened my eyes. Man, those cats were so nice, really genuine and friendly.

They played for about 80 minutes at a time so it was important to make sure I was in record from the top!!! No problems with moving microphone stands mid gig for a bit of dancing either, I'll have to figure out to make that work in the mix!!!

I spent the first afternoon hanging out with them in their house where they meet to play and stay overnight before gigs. I set up a stereo pair and just moved the mic's around from time to time and took notes to get a feel for the internal balance. By the time I got to the fourth night I had a really good idea for mic positions and think I've got some really good stuff on tape.

One really important thing I'd like to share, that I didn't know before was that the mains electricity there is hot on both legs. It's a two pin system with 110V on each leg making it 220V. Imagine my suprise when the flight case was live!!! I was getting about 10V on the chassis ground, enough to remind me each time I touched a knob on the pre amp!! Much to the amusement of the woman of the house we had the gear set up in. Arabic for electricity is Doh BTW!!!

Still a bit tired to write up a report on the thing but here's a few pictures...

Picture 1:
The Gear Packed and ready to roll Dublin Ferry Port for Train to London. The Trolley went west at Tangier airport and was never seen again!!!

Picture: 2
Mid gig on the last night, note the mic stands borrowed from a guy in the nearest town. I stuck a 57 on the floor beside the "bass" drum.

Picture 3:
The Malims house. Built last year from money from the local government.

Picture 4:
The rig in tent for gig on last night. Tents have suprisingly good acoustics!!!

Picture 5:
My good friends the Master Musicians of Joujouka...

Bislama!

[molownia]

This is so cool, man.
I've been to Morocco once and I want to go again.

[videoteque]

Nice gig report!!!

Thanks!

[boojum]

Waitin' for the tapes.

[Karim]

dude, sounds like you had an awesome time. I'm Egyptian myself. We don't differ too much in culture. Your set up sounds great and look forward to hearing your mixes.

Next time, you go on a trip like and need an assistant engineer. I would be more than willing to be your wing man haha. I can double up as our translator as well.

[Kyle S]

awesome!! I am super jealous!

[Dave Slevin]

Wow! Thanks for all the kind words people.

Here's a link to more pictures if anyone wants to see more.

Myspace.com Blogs - Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival Photos More Daily we mean it - Master Musicians of Joujouka MySpace Blog

Thanks for all the advice and commentsthumbsup

Things I learned... (a) X/Y pairs sound better on percussion that spaced...
(b) never let an Irish man near moroccan electricity supplies...
(c) airports and train stations in London are more worried about you trying to blow them up than actually trying to provide customer service.
(d) ferry travel is the way forward.