Dave Rat - Roadies in the Midst

Oh, so I wake up in the morning and up and out for coffee and the local paper and hey look, there is a show review as the quite often is. Hey, wait a minute, that's not nice! Seems our little reviewer friend has an ax to grind with Anthony and at least in my opinion comes off as a bitter woman spitting spikes cause she wanted a bit more attention from him, it reminds me of a guy that asks a girl out and when she graciously declines he walks away muttering "bitch" under his breath, except she did it in pen in public. But hey, all good, as I guess it is a reviewer's job to stir up some controversy. Or wait, maybe it is a reviews job to be in touch with the pulse and sensation of truly being there and connected to capture the experience into words and to share it with the people that were unable to attend.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1501119/story.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10435571

Hmmmm, well, I was there and I don't know where she was but I was surrounded by euphoric fans with loud voices singing and dancing and radiating so much thrill it gave me goose bumps at times. Anyway, what concerns me more is the sound comment that touches on some frustrations I have been facing for the past two shows. Then I get a text message from someone close to the band who read the same review online. "They are talking about sound issues and it is not you, you ought to go set the record straight, they are posting comments."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1501119/story.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10435693

Hmmmm, well my first reaction was that each person is entitled to their own opinion and though I may disagree, fair enough but then I started thinking about it more in depth. What were the issues? What caused them and how can they be solved and it dawned on me that perhaps to respond and clarify could illuminate the issues that could be solved, and so I did, I write an email comment in response to the moderated forum.

Nothing happened, oh well, I figured perhaps my words were not compatible with posting. Nothing happened that is till the newspaper's fact checking editor emailed everyone at Rat on our contact page, got confirmation and printed my response as entertainment headline news that is.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1501119/story.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10436243

and here is a link to what I wrote that started this snow ball rolling

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1501119/story.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10436271

Oh jees. What have I done? Hopefully what I have done is created enough momentum and focus that the venue will get sonically tuned up. Arena's are not great sounding things to start with so to get acceptable audio in them is a challenge indeed so having a venue that completely disregards acoustics is really a bummer. Just out of curiosity I now do a quick internet search on Vector Arena Sound, curious to see if there is a history and it reveals that I am not the first to point out it's sound issues there has only been one other gig at Vector and it was called "opening ceremonies!"

Well, very cool, I hope they fix it, I hope I helped, I am home and I hope I did not piss anyone off in the Peppers camp with my antics, though I doubt it. And then comes an email, and another and another. Uh oh! Oh no! Now this is where it gets good, "Hey Dave, I just saw them talking about you on New Zealand TV National News on Channel 3, talking about sound at Vector Arena, here is a link"

http://www.tv3.co.nz/default.aspx?tabid=251&articleID=25864#vidlist25864

And though the TV news invariable bumbles things up a bit, hearing a serious newscaster read some Dave Rat sarcasm I found really amusing.

So it all seems to be settling down and other than the phone call I got from a New Zealand radio station, it seems to be done from my end at least, well except I am getting emails now from other bands headed down there wanting to know how the arena is to work in sound wise. As far as the New Zealand fans, stay on them till they finish the room. And to the Venue folks, I highly recommend getting the room acoustically dialed in, no reason to have a less than stellar venue in such a wonderful place because isn't the whole reason of having the the big new arena to attract great bands and happy fans? Very good sounding, well laid out and wonderful to work in arena's have been popping up worldwide for quite some time now, the knowledge and know how exists, it is not like building a decent sounding arena some revolutionary concept.

The smiling at the unexpected,

Dave Rat

Bungy jumping yesterday was so fun that we really had not much of a choice other than to go do it again. Plus, last night while out having some drinks with the Bungy crew, Roadie Daniel somehow agree to join us, much to his dismay we had no intention of forgetting.

**** Roadie Research Segment ****

In the wild, roadies are adventurous creatures filled with unbounded curiosity. Just feel the excitement that roadie Daniel radiates while exuberantly joining the other roadies on hunt for adventure

Look! Roadie Cliff has cleverly hunted down some food that was located in the Bungy office fridge, don't attempt to touch a roadie while eating.

Roadies, by nature, are extremely supportive of their peers, this deep compassion and sensitivity can be clearly seen below as roadies Cliff and Manny comfort roadie Daniel as the reality that he has actually agreed to jump off of the non-burning bridge, begins to set in.

Another aspect of merit that roadies are known for is fearlessness.

Please don't be frightened by the next photo as observing a roadie in 'fierce mode' can be quite traumatizing to the unprepared. Here Roadie Daniel is clearly a force not to be reckoned with

As the moment approaches, roadie Daniel could hardly be restrained as he dashes toward the precarious precipice

Looking downward, only further enthralls this adventurous roadie with determination and glee

Perch in attack mode, notice how Roadie Daniel's firmly grips the fabric of his handler's shirt utilizing the "pinch" method of attaching himself to the fabric. This is a rare and never before seen roadie trait. Legend has it that many centuries ago when roadies were wandering warriors, they would latch themselves onto their foes and hurl themselves from high places. Perhaps this fabric pinch is a genealogical instinctual remnant action from ages past?

And then after what seemed like an eternity, because it nearly was, roadie Daniel leaps to his destiny which was to dangle on a rubber cord over the water.

**** End Roadie Research Segment ****

OK, for those of you that ant to get better idea of what it feels like to actually Bungy Jump, here is a video where I leaned backwards over the drop and was let go while I held my little camera in my hand.

 

And finally, thank you to the AJ Hackett Bungy crew, here we all are up at the jump site

And back the the whole crew all together. Thank You!!!

And if you are ever in Auckland, pay them a visit and tell 'em the Peppers roadies sent ya!

The love to fly,

Dave Rat