Flying blind - who needs monitors anyway?

[Panamonte]

Played a gig this evening at a venue in central London. House backline spec looked adequate so I just turned up with my bass and Radial DI.

Strangely, when I got there, the Trace Elliot head and 4x10 cab had morphed into a Line 6 combo about the size of a shoebox (1x8 - oh yes, that should do, thank you). Also, during the soundcheck when I asked for some bass in my monitor it farted appallingly as soon as it reached an audible level.

Needless to say, I spent the two and a half hours between soundcheck and gig feeling somewhat disheartened. However, despite the fact that I couldn't really hear what I was playing for most of the gig, it went very well and apparently sounded fine out front. I was just glad that there weren't any songs I play fretless on in the set - that really would have been a challenge!

[Bassman Sam]

I've had gigs like this. My Marshall head packed up at the sound check at one gig. I had to ID into the desk with nothing but inaudible foldback and no IEM. Kinda focused the concentration and cured the constipation in one go but it was a great gig.

[Ed_S]

If it sounds fine out front, get yourself out front :-) Granted you need either wireless or a fair length of cable, but the latter ain't expensive and the audience will just enjoy the showmanship!

[Adrenochrome]

Ha ha, I played a gig at Certificate 18 in York in similar circumstances and the promised bass rig there turned into a tiny practice combo. Sounded fine out front funnily enough...

[RockfordStone]

ive turned up to gigs where they've expected me to use a small amp, which is why i always have my rig in the car just in case.
ive learnt to wing it without monitors now, a lot of places ive played have had either inadequate sound guys who can't get the levels right or don't have monitors at all

[Beer of the Bass]

I had this happen at a festival in May. The house amp (curiously enough, another Marshall) died two songs into the set and wasn't coming back, but my DI was in front of it, and the gig was already running late, so I kept playing. We could sense some bass from the FOH, but it was completely indistinct. According to friends in the audience, it was fine out front. It wouldn't have worked on a double bass gig!

[Monckyman]

And this is why we don`t use the D.I output from the amp....

[JTUK]

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1319784427' post='1418473']
ive turned up to gigs where they've expected me to use a small amp, which is why i always have my rig in the car just in case.
ive learnt to wing it without monitors now, a lot of places ive played have had either inadequate sound guys who can't get the levels right or don't have monitors at all
[/quote]

I never trust most P.A companies to be able to put the bass through the monitors as I would want so I always take my rig..even to the point where people tell there is a rig supplied...and when I ask what...I get something glib like 'top kit'..oh yeah..??

I take mine unless I have talked this through with the Engr re mon mixes and backline and even then, I'll only not take it if travelling space is an issue.
The last point is only a factor if we can't get the proper travelling/transport exes..so 99 times out 100.