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Who Woulda Knew!

Posted by Dave Rat on

The Coachella and Stagecoach Festivals are about 180 miles from home out in the hot and often windy desert. As seems to be the case with any adventure, there is a lot to be seen and learned. Fortunately I was pay attention enough to grab a few pics.

Whoa! Check out this massive propeller farm!

And a bit later I look to my right and what do I see? ...........

That would be a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. An armored personnel carrier being carried. I believe that is a calvary symbol on the side of what I recognize as a TOW Missile launcher. Ah, my past flashes before my eyes as I drive out to a big rock show and the thoughts of "what if" slip in and out of my mind. Oh, so glad I gave up the life of working in the industrial military complex.

Sweeping ourselves over to the other side of life, welcome a the world of embracing fun! I love this band, they are one big fiesta and end with the song that never ends, check out Gogol Bordello back again at Coachella but graduating to the big stage this time

As fate would have it, with a little help from princess Vixen, I ended up having a few drinks with some new friends

If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend seeing them and tell them them hello from me if you do!

And speaking of friends, how about some more celebrity shots where I go find a super cool person and stand in front of the camera with them. Meet Kevan, one of the main masters of counter-disaster behind the smooth operation of this massive festival.

And in a rare and honored photo op, meet Paul, the master mind behind the creation of the event.

I remember 10 years ago, with clear vision and momentum, Paul and Rick describing their vision of creating the largest coolest west coast festival where all others before had failed. Though Rick has passed on, his spirit lives in the dream he and Paul created. The words to describe how incredible it is to look back upon how strangely, sadly and amazingly things unfold, escape me. Who would'a knew!

Speaking of pasts unfolding, say hey to Rob Rule. Robbie was guitar tech for for Peppers when I first started doing sound for them and for many years after. He went on to sing backing vocal on One Hot Minute tour, opened for Peppers and is master of the "knife trick."

Jason is the one that got the Rat onto the Pig's foot and that ruled!

I wish I had pics of everyone but my distraction level was incompatible with keeping focus on that project, though I tried. Michael mixes Jack Johnson which happens to be just about the best sound gig on the planet.

Each Coachella Stage has a dedicated production manager with near total control over their world. Wiley is the main man behind the Sahara tent

I just know the Rat crew loves it when I run around with a camera taking pics. At least I think they do. Or at absolute minimum, they put up with it well. Meet most of the the Main Stage, Rat stage crew.

Enough for now. Next up, I will sweep up the last bits of Coachella, a bit on Stagecoach festival and join me for something really scary when I travel out to Florida and find myself still on stage when the show starts. Uh oh! we got no band! We just got me, a mic and a four hour time slot rapping to the students at Full Sail University. Talk about something I really thought I would never ever do! But hey, I got straight "D"s in English and I write articles for national magazines and this here blog. Why let mortifying stage fright stop me for going solo and speaking on stage? And why are the scariest things the most fun?

Dave Rat

 

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Johnny Garlick on :

you take awsome pictures of FOH and back stage, and roadies and tanks!! thank you so much for writing about your life! -Johnny

pete plympton on :

right on, thanks dave pete

Dave Rat on :

Thank you for commenting! The comments really make me feel appreciated for doing the blog

eric on :

Hey Dave........This is Eric...Lampi Scott's cousin........I've totally enjoyed keeping up with your blog. I miss you buddy. Haven't seen you in months.......The morels are a poppin'. Remember fishing at my buddies farm pond and then finding all those mushrooms??????? Hope we reconnect soon............eric

Dave Rat on :

Hello Eric, Oh, I had blast out at your place. Oh the fond memories of catching a bigger fish than Scotty! I so look forward to hanging out again!

justin alfafara on :

hey dave, just a question.. i've never really worked on shows with as many FOH consoles as there is on this one, was wondering if you could post like Sound Nerd Speak article on it as to how they are all wired up to ONE PA system. like do they all come into 1 master console and that consoles feeds the PA system? just really curious on how so many different engineers can work in harmony.

Greg Cameron on :

I bet they're all connected to a Behringer Eurodesk mixer before the processors ;-)

Dave Rat on :

Hello Justin, Mikey is right. Midas XL88's are what we use. A pair of the 8x8 matrix mixers allows us to send any desk everywhere easily. It could be done digitally but the reliability and ease of use and seeing everything makes the XL88 the way of choice.

Mikey B on :

Betcha it's the rack full of XL-88's. FWIW I find it they add a little color to digi desks before the processing.

Patrick Carrillo on :

Hey Dave, my name is Patrick, I am the dude at Full Sail that took the pic of you and the audience... ya know, the lampi that couldnt get your camera off of party mode. HAHA. I really enjoyed hearing you speak... thanks for coming down, I hope you write about ur time here in this here blog of yours. peace out, happy touring.

Dave Rat on :

Hello Patrick, Thank you for taking the pic, it came out well! I really enjoyed the trip and tell everyone hello.

Dave Rat on :

Hello Mikey, Exactly!

rAcHeLLe on :

hi =) xox

rAcHeLLe on :

ps. keep up the awesome work making a difference to mankind via music. Hope you are having loads of fun. I am.

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