teej

Street Performance with Red Jackson, Guildford, last Saturday (15th Aug).

Arrived bright and early and bagged our favourite pitch (towards the bottom of the hill) before there's any sign of anyone else in town. After the other guys arrive I notice another act halfway up the hill. Eventually we realise this is the ultra-loud tasteless Polish violinist we've heard so much about: backing tracks and a seemingly endless Beatles medley.

It doesn't make any difference to us, to be honest, except that we have to play a bit louder than usual: he's set up facing down the hill playing directly at us, even though, or maybe because, he's seen us there. We play across the street. It starts a little slowly, the town isn't very busy yet, but after a while we've got a good healthy crowd.

Then a dumpy little Special Constable turns up and wants to make trouble for us. Our front man, seeing him, continues chugging along on a one-chord boogie and announces over the mic that we couldn't possibly sell any CDs today, because that's not allowed, and we're all law-abiding musicians, so the only way we'll get paid is from tips; he reinforces this several times and the crowd gets bigger and bigger, throwing us tips and waiting to see what's going to happen next. We wind the song up and Mr Plod attempts to read us the riot act about all the things we're doing that we're not allowed to do (in fact we've been busking in Guildford for 15 years without a problem, and have been on excellent terms with the Town Centre Manager who gets calls from people wanting to book us).

He gets roundly jeered by the crowd who are watching us, and tackled by an annoyed well-spoken gent who points out to him that he's a 'Community Support' officer and the community is enjoying our show.

It turns out that he wants us to move because we've been here for more than 2 hours (in fact we've only been playing for about an hour), and he says we've got to move up the hill. Frankly we don't want to do that, so as he leaves we move down about 30 yards and sell a stack of CDs to people who've followed us. Then as we're setting up, so the violinist arrives with all his gear on a trolley, clearly he's been sent to this pitch by the copper, but we've beaten him to it. He now has no pitch and hangs around for a while watching us before heading off.

The copper hovers halfway up the hill watching us plying our trade and building a new crowd all over again, but clearly he's had enough and doesn't bother us again. Several real police officers walk past without a second look (we never seem to have a problem with real police, only the community ones).

Well, we're on fire after all this and deliver a couple of blistering sets, our 2 new numbers: 'Iko Iko' and 'Choo Choo Ch'Boogie' are going down really well and look destined for inclusion on the next album. By the end of the day we've made a very good, well-above-average wedge, and shifted lots of cards.

I think young Mr Plod did us a big favour: he got us a lot of attention, a big sympathy vote AND ran our main competition out of town! Thanks geezer

[quote name='largo' post='567707' date='Aug 13 2009, 09:53 AM']I've played wedding gigs for years and yes, some of them are hard work but so long as you have a list of songs that cater for all then generally it's a pretty good night. Some nights it's fast all night, some it's 2 fast, 2 slow. Others it's more ceilidh, other's its mostly modern. You can't pickup over a grand for a wedding and expect to play "your" songs. I think so long as you remember that, then wedding gigs are fine. If your not willing to do that, then IMO you shouldn't really be playing weddings and should be sticking to pub gigs.[/quote]
If people book Red Jackson having seen our show in the street, it's because that's what they want, and what they expect to hear: to start playing modern stuff or ceilidh would be total madness. Just because an approach works for you doesn't mean it's a hard and fast rule (which, of course, includes our approach).

As professional street performers we are experts at catering to all ages/backgrounds - not only do we have to be to make a living, we're in an excellent position to see what works and what doesn't (is this new song drawing a crowd and making any money, or not?). And we do that within a narrow range of related genres mainly from '40s and '50s, not with a live jukebox approach.

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='567641' date='Aug 13 2009, 09:05 AM']Too right.
We did a wedding recently where we had to play Stand by me as the first dance, then straight in to Chasing cars. that cleared the dance floor pretty quick.
The grooms other requests (that we had to lean and didn't even get a thank you) were also the low points of the evening for everyone but him. Once we got back on track the dance floor filled again.

We generally have a good crowd but yes, lots of hanging around and bad organization. And dont you just hate it when the bar is in another room down the corridor.[/quote]
You don't [i]have to[/i] learn songs for them. We never do. But maybe that's easier if your set is in a specific genre (especially a 'retro' one) and not a selection of hits from all different genres/eras.

Well, we love playing weddings with Red Jackson. We play loads of them too, so that's just as well.

We're not a wedding band, and we don't work with agencies; all of our private clients have seen us or know someone who has and want what we do (40s-50s R'n'B), not a standard weddings/function band. Sometimes it's for dancing, sometimes it's for listening while drinks/canapes are served, sometimes it's both.

We get treated royally, paid handsomely and thanked profusely: the rather lovely bride at last Sunday's gig said that it had been better than she'd dared hope for, after we got a roomful of people jiving away to a set that included a long extended harmonica/drums/upright bass boogie jam. So we have fun with the music as well.

What's to not like?

I'd love to turn up to one of my gigs with an ashbory instead of my upright.

Never used an electro acoustic, and I'm not very gizmo-savvy in this context, but I always use a preamp (fishman pro-eq platinum) with my acoustic upright - if it's just more punch you're after, maybe something like that would work?

[quote name='KevB' post='561097' date='Aug 5 2009, 12:56 PM']The singer and lead guitarist from my last proper band now go out as a duo equipped with midi backing tracks to do drums/bass/keys. I have noticed that people tend not to actually watch them perform much but take it as background music in the same way as a jukebox. I think there's some basic law that anything less than three people isn't a band.[/quote]
There's no reason why a good duo or even soloist can't grab and hold the attention of a roomful of people. I used to do this a lot with my guitar/vox colleague from Red Jackson. At the risk of being offensive might I suggest that maybe there's not much to watch in the case you mention, and that backing tracks detract far more from a set than they ever add. Not to mention the removal of any spontaneity or flexibility. Take that out and where's the excitement, where's the fun for the musos? And if you're not digging what you're doing, why would anyone want to watch you?

If you want to do full-band material, get a full band, but if you want to work as a duo, do material that works for a duo. It's simple really.

That's great! Check this out too:

[url="http://www.largesound.com/ashboryarticle/concept/ukulele/"]Bass Ukulele using Ashbory strings[/url]

Someone even makes them for sale, although I don't they've got any finished right now:

[url="http://www.bassuke.com"]www.bassuke.com[/url]

[quote name='lowdown' post='559961' date='Aug 4 2009, 09:53 AM']And dont forget the great Ray Brown.
A little history and master class here.[/quote]

Nice one Garry, thanks for posting, I just enjoyed watching all 9 parts...

Just been sent these by Winchester's Arts Development Officer: Red Jackson at Hat Fair '09 - the longest-running festival of street arts in the UK (35 annual events). This was the second time we've been booked to perform on the main stage at the Saturday night street party (they call it 'Street Continental') in front of probably a couple of thousand people or so (not much of a judge of these things, but that's what people tell me). It's a major honour for us as professional street entertainers.

Anyone using one with an upright?

Presently I just go straight into the pa (yamaha stagepas 500) via fishman pre with an underwood pick-up. We're not loud anyway, and that's fine 90% of the time (I also get a better sound from the pa than my mini-brute). Sometimes I wonder about adding a smaller backline into the equation (pre-amp has xlr and jack outputs), maybe the flightcase, for just a little more and for monitoring.

[quote name='PaulKing' post='556182' date='Jul 30 2009, 02:10 PM']B+H never made any string instruments as far as I know, just imported.
Golden Strads were Hungarian made, and (I believe) all solid top. More like 1960s / 70s though. The other common model from that time was the Excelsior (a name they applied to many student instruments, brass and woodwind), at least some of them being Czech made under the Artia label, coming from the Luby factory that now make Strunal basses.
I've owned both models, and still play the Excelsior. Both lovely sounding basses.
This 400 looks most like an Excelsior type. But it's more recent. Still, likely it is Czech made, possible even from same factory as the earlier Excelsiors. Which would essentially make it a Strunal bass. Sort of.[/quote]
Interesting Paul, thanks. Mine's a '69 Excelsior, and I certainly remember Artia being on the label.

This looks like the new version of the Firepod:

[url="http://www.dv247.com/invt/21253/"]http://www.dv247.com/invt/21253[/url]

I have a Mac and Logic and use a Presonus Firepod - 8 xlr ins with 2 firewire ports, so I daisychain it with an external hard disk and my laptop (which only has one firewire port) for a portable location-recording setup. Recorded one album (Red Jackson - guitar/drums/upright trio) with it so far, and very happy. I think it's been replaced with something a bit better.

[quote name='The Funk' post='552036' date='Jul 26 2009, 08:13 PM']Hehe, well done. Looking forward to checking it out!

[url="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1183911/"]IMDB Link[/url]?[/quote]

Thanks. Yes, that's the one...

No idea where our bit is going to be, or how long. 15 seconds probably

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='550847' date='Jul 25 2009, 08:10 AM']Good Lord.. I can't imagine anything worse! [/quote]
Jeez! I'm with you, sounds like hell!

[quote name='The Funk' post='551959' date='Jul 26 2009, 06:19 PM']Mr Nice?[/quote]
Give the man a cigar (or something similar... ) That wasn't the most subtle of clues was it?

When I'm working in the street (which is most Saturdays) I need to be at the chosen pitch by 8am. Some very popular towns, make that 7am to beat Peruvians etc. Means I'm often up at 5-5.30am on a Saturday. Don't often go out drinking on a Friday night!

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='551452' date='Jul 25 2009, 10:11 PM']I'm really into Willie Dixon at the moment. He was a great songwriter and his basslines work perfectly without being flashy.
I love James Jamerson's upright on the Four Tops Jazz album as well you can tell he really enjoyed playing on those tracks.[/quote]

If you like Wille Dixon, check out Ernest 'Big' Crawford - that's him on Muddy Waters' 1948 version of 'I Can't Be Satisfied', but also to be heard in a trio with Big Bill Broonzy and Washboard Sam, and a whole load of other people. Not a lot of info about him but check out this little article:

[url="http://www.bassplayer.com/article/livin-large-big/jan-05/540"]http://www.bassplayer.com/article/livin-large-big/jan-05/540[/url]

Well, I found out last week that my main sideline, cabaret/comedy outfit 'The Ukes of Hazzard', have successfully got a track onto a major UK movie scheduled for release in December 09. The track is a non-comedy version of a Townes van Zandt number: 'Waiting Around to Die'. Since it's not one of ours I don't think I can really share it with you here, so excuse me for just taking the opportunity to show off. :blush:

The movie? Not sure if I'm allowed to say yet, but it's based on the autobiography of a notorious oxford-educated celebrity crook and unlikely after-dinner speaker. That probably points some of you in the right direction.

I've always wanted to do 'There's No Lights on the Christmas Tree Mother - They're Burning Big Louie Tonight' for a Christmas song. I'm sure that would get some reactions.

[quote name='tinyd' post='529457' date='Jul 1 2009, 11:51 AM']I've been playing DB for about 6 months and I've played a couple of gigs. But what I've done is bring the electric bass along, and as soon as I feel any tiredness at all in my left hand, switch straight over the the electric. From everything that I've read, you should never try and 'play through' the pain.

I'd imagine from the kind of music that you describe that there will be a lot of root-fifth type bass lines - what I find difficult about these kind of lines is the strain on my little finger having to repeatedly hold down the fifth. On BG, you you can use your third finger for this, but on DB your little finger will take the brunt so watch out for this. Anyway, hope this helps and enjoy the gigs![/quote]
Just go down to a lower fifth...

[quote name='ironside1966' post='526815' date='Jun 28 2009, 04:29 PM']It depends on what type of music you want to play, I can see what you are saying in a folk, blues or jazz type venues and I will agree with but in your average pub or club where people just want to be entertained and have a dance then I stand by what I say. what happens if you just want to play rock and pop covers like a lot of duos.

Most people would love to play with a great full band but it is not always possible.
It is all down to the music you want to play and where you want to play it nothing to do with skill[/quote]
Well, at the risk of labouring the point, what happens is you won't stand out - you'll just blend in with all the others. Fine if that's what you want, but I'd want to aim higher. And I don't think that it's just a question of material - White Stripes and Black Keys are pretty rocky and duos (admittedly not 2 guitars). But it's not necessarily about skill either - it's about imagination, and seeing advantage where others see limitation.

[quote name='northstreet' post='526759' date='Jun 28 2009, 03:14 PM']One of the bands I play in has just given up using backing tracks, for a number of reasons. First, you have no flexibility at all - you just play to the track. If the songs going well you can't extend it (and conversely can't cut it short if its bombing). And that leads on the next point which is you can't cover up mistakes - get out of step with the track and it's game over. And this will happen unless you always guarantee a decent sound - if you can't hear the track because the monitors aren't working one night.......... It's OK for a solo artist because you can work round these problems but if it's a couple of you, you will need to be almost telepathic.

In my experience the drawbacks heavily outweigh the advantages. And then there's the point that playing bass against a drum machine is pretty soul destroying as all you do all night is count bars to make sure you know where you are. So that's why we've just recruited a drummer. Less more, more hassle maybe, but much more fun.[/quote]
Amen Brother!

[quote name='ironside1966' post='526715' date='Jun 28 2009, 02:08 PM']Baking tracks mean a better sound which means more work and better venues, so why not.[/quote]

Ah, I couldn't disagree with you more. Pre-recorded backing tracks always sound like pre-recorded backing tracks not live musicians, spoiling the sound of a good duo, and the more discerning venues won't want you. You just don't need them. Instead, either: 1) choose appropriate material, or re-arrange material to suit what may be perceived as the limitations of a duo (I chose not to see them as limitations but advantages, and therefore side-step the issue); or 2) get a lineup to match the material you want to play.

There are plenty of hard-working duos out there doing very well without resorting to backing tracks, but using their own skill to fill out the sound. F'rinstance, as an upright player with a strong slap technique I can play bass and percussion at the same time. Don't ignore the possibilities of a harmonica (and/or kazoo) on a harness, or my earlier examples: the amplified stomp box, or the tambourine played with the foot.

Each to their own, of course, but I just don't like backing tracks, and I think they detract more than they add.