cybertect

Fair enough, although that hadn’t been my own experience with several other varieties of (Bluetooth) wireless IEMs edit: using NUX C-5RC wireless lead system which I am very happy with

What an amazing prize! That is a lot of records

Serious answer (although I am not quite sure if ther question is 🙂) - YMMV but with the combined latency of both wireless systems, that is likely to end up with a noticeable delay between hitting the note on your bass and hearing it in your ears

A rather special celebration of 50 years of Big Star's Radio City album St John's church in Hackney last night, with quite a stellar collection of names on stage. Jody Stephens (the only living member of Big Star's original line-up) was drumming, while the others in the band swapped about duties on vocals, guitars, bass and keys: Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Chris Stamey (the dB’s), Jon Auer (The Posies) & Pat Sansone (Wilco). I think I have heard this described as the best Big Star covers you could imagine, and I can't disagree! The first set was playing the album from start to finish, then a second set of other Big Star songs. Mike Mills is always a joy to watch play bass, he seems to enjoy himself so much, but that was also true of everyone on stage. I really can't think of a better way to have spent a Thursday evening than this. I was delighted to get a few minutes to talk to Jon Auer after the show, mostly about guitars. Amazed he remembered me from another conversation at a gig Upstairs at the Garage a few years ago. 🙂

Brenthaven bags are/were excellent. Not cheap, but the best laptop bag i have ever owned was one of their backpacks of similar vintage with a removable sleeve for a work TiBook. I loved that bag. I was at the MacUser show (probably around 2004/5) and some guy came up to me and said 'Glad to see you are using one of our bags, I'm President of Brenthaven'. He was really nice and we had a good chat.

Over 40+ years I have used variously an old suitcase like @warwickhunt, diferent sizes of sports bags, aluminium cases, etc. After some changes to my gear, I needed a new solution to carrying the various bits and pieces I need, ideally with some kind of compartementalisattion so that I had a place for each thing (and importantly to help remind me that something is missing at the end of a gig or rehearsal). Large, undivided bags may have capacity benefits, but it's easy to overlook stuff, and sometimes difficult to find just one thing when you want it from the bottom of the bag. Also, I wanted something I could sling over my shoulder to help when carrying with my other gear. I spent ages looking online and in luggage shops and department stores. I ended up with a case made for carrying two laptops that I picked up in a local charity shop for all of £5. It was missing a shoulder strap, but it had the lugs to clip to and I had one spare at home that fits perfectly. One other bonus of it being made for laptop computers is that it's reasonably padded and everything inside is relatively well protected. One side has my cables, including a 4-way power lead extension, wireless guitar system and an Elf that is my backup and rehearsal amp. The other side has effects and pedals. There's a compartment to slip my iPad in if that is needed and plenty of room to stash other small items like pens and the like. For rehearsals, it's grab and go one trip from the car (or even bus!) with a Barefaced One10 and a gig bag for the bass. My main MB500 amp has a separate case, although with a little rearrangement I could just squeeze it in here instead of the Elf.

Sounds rather too much like an episode of Black Mirror 😐

Seconded! I spent a good twenty minutes chatting with the proprietor about vintage Höfners last time I was in there (he had a 1959 Congress guitar on the wall and I have 1967 Verithin bass at home) and no, I didn’t end up buying anything 🙂

After he was on BBC4 last night? (The four-hander piano section was particularly excellent)

I will be seeing Soft Machine play in my corner of south London in December. The oldest serving member of the band is John Etheridge, who crossed over with the only remaining original member of the band, Mike Ratledge, for a few months in 1975/6. Not a problem for me. Then again, Soft Machine are not exactly best known for their charismatic lead vocalists 😁

Blossoms backing Rick Astley taking a wander through The Smiths' back catalogue was one of the highlights of Glastonbury 2023

Generation Eggs

The Bonzo Bills Band (a confection of The BonzoDog Band, Three Bonzos and a Piano and the Bill Posters Will Be Band) were playing at CryerArts Theatre near me in Carshalton in South London on Sunday evening. It's been a while since I've seen any of the Bonzos perform, so a seat was secured in the front row and I was not disappointed God knows where Roger Ruskin Spear gets his energy, channelling Sally Bowles perched on the back of a chair, wearing heels; he's 81 now!

One of my favs for many decades too. I was very tempted to catch the Long Ryders in London tomorrow, but I was already out three nights this week (music comedy, and podcast live recordings) - I didn't think I could manage a fourth!

In short, excellent! Certainly a good reminder what a phenomenal vocalist Eddi Reader is, with the rest of the band leaving her the space to get on with it. To address your earlier misgivings, Eddi did encourage the audience to sing along at various points throughout the show, but it wasn’t intrusive. ‘Perfect’ was about the only number where everyone joined in and it began to compete. There was a good mix of old songs and tracks from the new album. My wife had go us some great seats in the third row; I had Graham Norton sat right in front of me 🙂