This is my shout out to the men who keep the show going behind the scenes. I've seen a fair amount of crew turn over in the last (almost) three years but there have also been a lot of consistent faces, especially over the last year. I may only see a fraction of what goes on before, during and after a show but I think these guys do a pretty bang up job.
There have probably been a dozen guys working on stage whose names I never knew but these are the ones I do know.
Aside from Iggy (and I'll get there in a minute), the first crew member I ever knew was Lala and it was only for a very brief time. He kindly gave me permission to yoink Linnell's setlist in Worcester and had a disastrous turn on the monitors at LPR and then I never saw him again. I've always hoped those last two things weren't related. I've read several other people's stories involving him and he always sounded like he was a nice guy and a lovely TLA dancer.
Let's see, there is Adam who has done sound off and on for as long as I've been following the band and was responsible for a few of the live recordings I have. Kudos.
There is Vince, who did sound on the fall tour. Danny said he did a hell of a good job which is gotta count for something (unfortunately he said it at a kid show and learned that you probably aren't supposed to say hell in front of children.)
Then in to the current crew. Will, who has been on several tours with the band over the years and has been with them consistently since last June. That first show I saw him in Portland, did not go well for him, with monitor problems left and right, not to mention the tropical heat but things seem to have improved. He saved the show in Pittsburgh by fixing Linnell's keyboard and got a really good laugh out of me jumping out of my skin when the confetti canon went off in my face in Charlotte.
Scott, tour manager extraordinaire. The rest of the guys may technically keep the show going but Scott, literally keeps the show going. It may on the surface look like his job just involves laying out water and towels on stage but I am pretty damn sure the wheels might actually fall off the tour bus without him. One of the funniest things I've ever seen behind the scenes at a show was Scott's impression of himself running through the theater that he was giving to Will after the puppet disaster in Charlotte. Remember, before you end the show....wait for Scott.
Victor, my setlist hook-up. He keeps a, frankly, silly number of guitars tuned and seems to chip in on getting everything else up and running to. He's the guy they bring when they only bring one guy because he seems to be able to do a little of everything. He's also a master tambourine holder. Anytime you get dumped with confetti by that monster blower, that was Victor too. And, I shouldn't say this because I will jinx myself, but thanks to him I am running on a 100% show to setlist ratio this year. I don't even have to ask anymore. He finds me.
And finally, Iggy. Who doesn't love Iggy? He's like the ultimate fan friendly crew member. Lighting god, confetti cannon master. Keeper of rock pigeons. I've seen him shimmy up lighting poles like a monkey which would scare the crap out of me (heights...bad). He never fails to give me a smile and a wave when he sees me, even when I'm at another band's show. Iggy is a legend. I don't know if any of you have played Lego Rock Band, but Iggy is who I think of when I look at the Lego Roadie in that game.
Next time you're at a show, watch the crew. Appreciate how hard they work to give you a great show. Say hi to them. Give them a good whoop when Flans thanks them on stage. Those guys are champions in my book.
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Iggy is really the only crew member that I've even been on a first-name basis with. He's my hook-up. Iggy has handed me literally dozens of setlists, and always says hello when I see him before the show. Iggy rulez.
ReplyDeleteWell said. Iggy does rule. I'm pretty sure I got my first ever setlist from Iggy. He gave me his from the lighting booth at that Portland show after a crazy club employee forbid anyone from even trying to talk to the crew. And he gave me one at my 50th show too which has a nice sort of symmetry to it. But probably 75% of mine all came from Victor. Victor also rulez.
ReplyDeleteI actually remember seeing you talking to Iggy at an LPR show and being very jealous. Which actually wasn't the first time I was jealous of you since you also won a setlist I was coveting at a show earlier that year by telling the tech it was your friend's 50th show. Which is what gave me the idea for the T-shirt I wore to my 50th show, so thanks for that. And I got one of Dan's guitar picks as a consolation prize so I didn't walk away empty handed.
I think I am predisposed to pay more attention to the crew. Before I started following TMBG, I followed a moderately well known folk singer from Maine named Dave Mallett. Much, MUCH, smaller operation than TMBG and I got to be quite friendly with his soundman/merch guy, Tom. I think that gave me more of an appreciation for roadies than I would otherwise have. That and I always tend to watch the crew before shows because I like seeing how everything goes together.