I'm sitting on the bus, having showered and changed into my PJ's. These 3-show days really knock me on my butt. First show - totally fine, get through it. Second show, you sit down at places for Act I and realize...you aren't half way there yet. Intermission? Only just half-way, feeling the burn. Top of Show 3? Good lord, get me out of here. Intermission - end's in sight, just try to keep focused. Good luck with that.
The worst part is that after show #3...it's only 6:30. It leaves you to drink on the bus...or just sit in your room, watch TV, and stew. The hardest part about the tour lifestyle is the downtime, the alone time. I found myself getting really down last night, watching Harry Potter. I just felt totally alone. Wallingford, CT might as well have been Timbuktu or Shanghai. Very far away from the people I know.
Perhaps that will settle down in time - as I get to know the crew better, as I adjust into the lifestyle...still, I look forward to getting back to NYC in April. Definitely a few people I miss a lot.
Not really much to say about Wallingford. Never got a chance to explore, really, whatever town there might be here. We went out for a lovely company-paid-for steak dinner at a local steakhouse on Wednesday night to thank us for the whole Toledo-WilkesBarre-Wallingford day. I don't think the company expected to spend quite as much as they did....oh well :)
The snow we missed in Wilkes-Barre DID fall - 26" of it - so our early departure and canceled shows were indeed the correct decision. I'm glad I got the day to walk around Wilkes-Barre with my camera (though I still haven't put up any photos from that walkabout. There should be some good ones though.) Wallingford, after load-in, has been boring. 2 3-show days in a row mean I've been mixing, sleeping, or watching TV. And that's about it.
Tomorrow brings our first area load-in. Penn State University's Bryce Jordan Arena. I've never loaded in an arena before...but I guess tomorrow's the first. Oh goody. Until then, goodnight.
Listening: Ani Difranco's "Dilate"
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sayonara, Wilkes-Barre
Well, I woke up in Wilkes-Barre at 10:30 this morning. Ate some food, walked around with my camera for a couple hours...now it's back on the bus to CT.
We were supposed to do 4 hours of load-in today at the Kirby in Wilkes-Barre, but due to an oncoming snow-storm tonight we're cancelling both shows tomorrow and heading to CT early for some load-in. How exciting.
We were supposed to do 4 hours of load-in today at the Kirby in Wilkes-Barre, but due to an oncoming snow-storm tonight we're cancelling both shows tomorrow and heading to CT early for some load-in. How exciting.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Toledo, Ohio
Sitting in my comfy chair backstage at the Stranahan Center in Toledo. Not quite the same size or grandeur as the Benedum in Pittsburgh, but still a good venue. The house guys seem great, the locals left a little something to be desired.
The out in Pittsburgh was a little on the painful side. Our show came down around 6:30 or 6:45. Our boxes were packed by 8:30. Around 11, the stagehands went into overtime, so we moved all the gear that wasn't on a truck yet out into the alleyway so we could cut the crew. Then we proceeded to, via Teamsters and a forklift, pack the rest of the gear (and repacked a few times, too) until about 1:45 in the AM. The problem we had run into was that even with our 3 trucks packed, we still had 20'-26' of boxes left to pack. Eventually, we climbed on the bus, leaving our production manager with the Teamsters to wait for a truck to show up to truck the rest of the gear to meet us in Toledo.
I didn't sleep well at all that night. It's been a couple years since I slept on a bus, so it'll take me a few days to get used to that. Woke up a couple of times throughout the night and finally got up about 7:30 for load-in. Load-in was going really well, and then dragged to a halt as we waited on riggers for hanging points for the arrays. Got finished up about 5:30, just in time for our 7p show.
Last night was about a long shower and a quick drink. Then bed.
10:30 show and then a 7p show...I think there's a Wal-Mart trip in between. How exciting.
The out in Pittsburgh was a little on the painful side. Our show came down around 6:30 or 6:45. Our boxes were packed by 8:30. Around 11, the stagehands went into overtime, so we moved all the gear that wasn't on a truck yet out into the alleyway so we could cut the crew. Then we proceeded to, via Teamsters and a forklift, pack the rest of the gear (and repacked a few times, too) until about 1:45 in the AM. The problem we had run into was that even with our 3 trucks packed, we still had 20'-26' of boxes left to pack. Eventually, we climbed on the bus, leaving our production manager with the Teamsters to wait for a truck to show up to truck the rest of the gear to meet us in Toledo.
I didn't sleep well at all that night. It's been a couple years since I slept on a bus, so it'll take me a few days to get used to that. Woke up a couple of times throughout the night and finally got up about 7:30 for load-in. Load-in was going really well, and then dragged to a halt as we waited on riggers for hanging points for the arrays. Got finished up about 5:30, just in time for our 7p show.
Last night was about a long shower and a quick drink. Then bed.
10:30 show and then a 7p show...I think there's a Wal-Mart trip in between. How exciting.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Three-show days should be illegal.
There. I've said it.
Had my first ever three-show day today and boy if it didn't kick my butt.
But allow me to rewind. Opening night...happened. I boned a sequence of cues by making the same mistake I had made earlier that afternoon, which REALLY made me angry. So angry and embarassed that I almost didn't make it to the party. But I bucked up and, enticed by the promise of free booze, trudged to the party. A party at which I drank much Maker's Mark and even danced a little, feeling much more positive about life by the end of the party.
By the morning (read: "early afternoon") I felt much more of a "get over the past and get it right today" So, I mixed a good show at 4 and a good show at 7. Felt good. Reassuring.
What DIDN'T feel so good was the 10 hours load-out the next day. That will, of course, get faster with better planning and organization. At least, I hope so, since the next load-out is tomorrow night...after a three-show day. I won't feel like hanging around much. Now, sound only took 5 hours to get on the truck, but obviously that doesn't hold any weight when the whole crew is getting on the same bus at the end of the out.
We piled into a charter bus around 9, headed from York to Pittsburgh. It appears that we all had the same idea about this bus ride, as everyone had brought a 6 or two of beer. We stopped after about 20 minutes on the road to grab some Wendy's (none of us had eaten anything since lunch break at noon) However, Grant and I had just opened our beers (not our first beers...but the numbers aren't important.) and we didn't want to leave them on the bus...soooo we just carried them in. I couldn't tell whether the cute girl behind the counter kept looking at me because she thought I was cute, or because I was holding my Yuengling... Either way, just as I ordered my food, I got a call from the Production Manager asking me to ride with her, as she was driving alone to Pittsburgh, and the forecast called for snow. So, I ate my dinner slowly, as the bus pulled away, and waited for Ana-Rose to pick me up.
We ended up getting into Pittsburgh around 1a. Checking in, and climbing into bed...only to discover I wasn't tired. Well, I was, but I couldn't fall asleep. Didn't sleep well all night. Woke up at 6:30 and was downstairs at 7:15 with the rest of the crew to sign contracts (finally!) and get union cards (for those of us who didn't already have them.) Load-in began at 8a and went straight until 5:30, with a 4-hour block for cast, designers, and director to look at some transitions in the evening. We did take a lunch break at noon, at which point I was able to meet up with to friends, identical twins, who live in Pittsburgh. I hadn't seen Hannah or Jess in a good 6 years, we decided, so it was great to grab a quick bite and catch up a bit. Longer would have been better, but alas, there was no time for that.
Today, though, began with a 9a showcall for a 10:30, a 2, and a 5p performance. Quite the ordeal. Three shows in one day REALLY takes it out of me. All I did today was mix, eat, and nap. Still drained by the end. And, of course, after mixing three shows, we had to move into the crew bus (not particularly difficult: pack up most of your hotel room and put some luggage on the bus) and then we had a meeting in the hotel bar to go over truck pack. Again. Hopefully we'll get it closer-to-right this time.
Ugh, ok, bed time. I'm looking forward to sleeping on the bus tomorrow. I'm NOT looking forward to tomorrow's 3-shows-then-load-out. That will suck. Need my sleeps.
Had my first ever three-show day today and boy if it didn't kick my butt.
But allow me to rewind. Opening night...happened. I boned a sequence of cues by making the same mistake I had made earlier that afternoon, which REALLY made me angry. So angry and embarassed that I almost didn't make it to the party. But I bucked up and, enticed by the promise of free booze, trudged to the party. A party at which I drank much Maker's Mark and even danced a little, feeling much more positive about life by the end of the party.
By the morning (read: "early afternoon") I felt much more of a "get over the past and get it right today" So, I mixed a good show at 4 and a good show at 7. Felt good. Reassuring.
What DIDN'T feel so good was the 10 hours load-out the next day. That will, of course, get faster with better planning and organization. At least, I hope so, since the next load-out is tomorrow night...after a three-show day. I won't feel like hanging around much. Now, sound only took 5 hours to get on the truck, but obviously that doesn't hold any weight when the whole crew is getting on the same bus at the end of the out.
We piled into a charter bus around 9, headed from York to Pittsburgh. It appears that we all had the same idea about this bus ride, as everyone had brought a 6 or two of beer. We stopped after about 20 minutes on the road to grab some Wendy's (none of us had eaten anything since lunch break at noon) However, Grant and I had just opened our beers (not our first beers...but the numbers aren't important.) and we didn't want to leave them on the bus...soooo we just carried them in. I couldn't tell whether the cute girl behind the counter kept looking at me because she thought I was cute, or because I was holding my Yuengling... Either way, just as I ordered my food, I got a call from the Production Manager asking me to ride with her, as she was driving alone to Pittsburgh, and the forecast called for snow. So, I ate my dinner slowly, as the bus pulled away, and waited for Ana-Rose to pick me up.
We ended up getting into Pittsburgh around 1a. Checking in, and climbing into bed...only to discover I wasn't tired. Well, I was, but I couldn't fall asleep. Didn't sleep well all night. Woke up at 6:30 and was downstairs at 7:15 with the rest of the crew to sign contracts (finally!) and get union cards (for those of us who didn't already have them.) Load-in began at 8a and went straight until 5:30, with a 4-hour block for cast, designers, and director to look at some transitions in the evening. We did take a lunch break at noon, at which point I was able to meet up with to friends, identical twins, who live in Pittsburgh. I hadn't seen Hannah or Jess in a good 6 years, we decided, so it was great to grab a quick bite and catch up a bit. Longer would have been better, but alas, there was no time for that.
Today, though, began with a 9a showcall for a 10:30, a 2, and a 5p performance. Quite the ordeal. Three shows in one day REALLY takes it out of me. All I did today was mix, eat, and nap. Still drained by the end. And, of course, after mixing three shows, we had to move into the crew bus (not particularly difficult: pack up most of your hotel room and put some luggage on the bus) and then we had a meeting in the hotel bar to go over truck pack. Again. Hopefully we'll get it closer-to-right this time.
Ugh, ok, bed time. I'm looking forward to sleeping on the bus tomorrow. I'm NOT looking forward to tomorrow's 3-shows-then-load-out. That will suck. Need my sleeps.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Opening Night
Well, I'm sitting here at the console, watching b-roll being shot...not particularly exciting...But, since all the music is tracked, I'm just pressing Go all morning. Tough gig, but someone's gotta do it.
Because of the previous week's snow-excitement, the day off has been moved around a couple times. Currently, we're in the middle of a 12-or-so-day stretch without a day off. Which, honestly, isn't so bad - it had let me fall into a good rhythm for learning to mix the show. We've done two runs a day for the past 3 days. Very good for the muscle memory.
Things outside tech have been, well, short-lived, but swell. Generally ending up in the hotel bar for a drink or 7 every night (don't worry, Mom and Dad, usually just 1 or 2) with the crew. And, as a lovely surprise, some of the cast has begun to visit us as the days have gone on. It's been a little slow-going on meeting the cast, for me, only because I don't spend any time with them backstage. But, I think most of them known who I am by now - I try to say hi and interact when I can.
In other news, there's a panda on my console.
7p opening tonight, a 4p and and 7p again tomorrow. 8a load-out on Thursday...drive to Pittsburgh Thursday night. Load-in on Friday, show's Saturday and Sunday, then off to Toledo, Ohio...whee. Let the games begin.
I'm really looking forward to Pittsburgh. I've heard the hotel is great, plus it's right next to the theater. The Benedum is also supposed to be a fantastic house to play in Pittsburgh, good crew (though strict on union rules) and a beautiful theater. And, according to my friend ZZ, a great bar just a few blocks away. Perfect.
More pictures and updates to come (probably on the bus to Pittsburgh, Thursday evening...)
Because of the previous week's snow-excitement, the day off has been moved around a couple times. Currently, we're in the middle of a 12-or-so-day stretch without a day off. Which, honestly, isn't so bad - it had let me fall into a good rhythm for learning to mix the show. We've done two runs a day for the past 3 days. Very good for the muscle memory.
Things outside tech have been, well, short-lived, but swell. Generally ending up in the hotel bar for a drink or 7 every night (don't worry, Mom and Dad, usually just 1 or 2) with the crew. And, as a lovely surprise, some of the cast has begun to visit us as the days have gone on. It's been a little slow-going on meeting the cast, for me, only because I don't spend any time with them backstage. But, I think most of them known who I am by now - I try to say hi and interact when I can.
In other news, there's a panda on my console.
7p opening tonight, a 4p and and 7p again tomorrow. 8a load-out on Thursday...drive to Pittsburgh Thursday night. Load-in on Friday, show's Saturday and Sunday, then off to Toledo, Ohio...whee. Let the games begin.
I'm really looking forward to Pittsburgh. I've heard the hotel is great, plus it's right next to the theater. The Benedum is also supposed to be a fantastic house to play in Pittsburgh, good crew (though strict on union rules) and a beautiful theater. And, according to my friend ZZ, a great bar just a few blocks away. Perfect.
More pictures and updates to come (probably on the bus to Pittsburgh, Thursday evening...)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
More snow!
Well, we've had yet another snow day from work. I don't think I ever had a snow day at NYU, and now I've had two in the past week! It's a pretty nice feeling to have a day off. I slept most of the day, which was lovely...but by the evening, it was time to do something. I grabbed my camera and hit the snowy streets of York, PA.
I won't post all the pictures here, but check out my Flickr (here) for 20 or so shots from various parts of York PA. Really, "parts" is incorrect...I didn't get much further than about 2 blocks from the hotel. It was cold! 25ยบ!
After finally coming in from the cold, I hit the hotel bar where Squeege, the other audio guy, and Jonathan, our head carpenter, had brought a Wii and were playing Rock Band. Apparently OffCenter, the hotel bar, was basically the only place open in York, as the place became fairly busy later on. Most of the cast came in for dinner, most of the crew was there drinking, and there were a large number of locals as well.
Work has been going well in the past few days. It's definitely different being the engineer instead of the assistant/associate. A lot of very boring down-time with sporadic moments of stress and work when it's time to actually mix a section.
OK, getting late. Nose back to the grindstone in the AM.
I won't post all the pictures here, but check out my Flickr (here) for 20 or so shots from various parts of York PA. Really, "parts" is incorrect...I didn't get much further than about 2 blocks from the hotel. It was cold! 25ยบ!
After finally coming in from the cold, I hit the hotel bar where Squeege, the other audio guy, and Jonathan, our head carpenter, had brought a Wii and were playing Rock Band. Apparently OffCenter, the hotel bar, was basically the only place open in York, as the place became fairly busy later on. Most of the cast came in for dinner, most of the crew was there drinking, and there were a large number of locals as well.
Work has been going well in the past few days. It's definitely different being the engineer instead of the assistant/associate. A lot of very boring down-time with sporadic moments of stress and work when it's time to actually mix a section.
OK, getting late. Nose back to the grindstone in the AM.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Boredom pt. II
Ahhh the sweet sweet boredom of sitting in tech.
We were supposed to start at noon today, but the 26" of gorgeous powdery snow we've gotten in the past 24 hours made the roads impassable until 3 this afternoon. Cast got onstage by 5...and we're still on Cue 1.
OK, an hour later (it's now 7:30) and we've gotten through the first couple numbers of the show - go us. My script is chock-full of sound cues already. For example, take a look at page 2...
It's been a pretty fun past couple days. Ani Difranco was in town to play a show on Wednesday, so 5 of us bought tickets and attended. I was impressed by a) the number of men there and b) the number of 8-10 year old kids there. I guess her fan base has widened in the...7 years it's been since I last saw her live.
Definitely not the best concert I've ever been to. It sounded fine, the musicians were all fine...but it just had a weird vibe to it. It was a big open hall and her energy didn't fill it. She obviously didn't want to be in York ("Well...I can't say I've ever played York before...") and she was playing a lot of new stuff that people didn't know as well. About halfway through the concert, she started playing requests and all older tunes which really got the show going...just in time for it to end. Ah well. The concert was, of course, followed by copious amounts of drinking. All before the next day's 8am call.
Since then, it's just been about finishing up the load-in, prepping for cast onstage. They've had a few hours of flying rehearsals and now we've dived into tech. Yahoo.
Listening to: Ni Hao Kai Lan theme song. Shoot me now.
We were supposed to start at noon today, but the 26" of gorgeous powdery snow we've gotten in the past 24 hours made the roads impassable until 3 this afternoon. Cast got onstage by 5...and we're still on Cue 1.
OK, an hour later (it's now 7:30) and we've gotten through the first couple numbers of the show - go us. My script is chock-full of sound cues already. For example, take a look at page 2...
It's been a pretty fun past couple days. Ani Difranco was in town to play a show on Wednesday, so 5 of us bought tickets and attended. I was impressed by a) the number of men there and b) the number of 8-10 year old kids there. I guess her fan base has widened in the...7 years it's been since I last saw her live.
Definitely not the best concert I've ever been to. It sounded fine, the musicians were all fine...but it just had a weird vibe to it. It was a big open hall and her energy didn't fill it. She obviously didn't want to be in York ("Well...I can't say I've ever played York before...") and she was playing a lot of new stuff that people didn't know as well. About halfway through the concert, she started playing requests and all older tunes which really got the show going...just in time for it to end. Ah well. The concert was, of course, followed by copious amounts of drinking. All before the next day's 8am call.
Since then, it's just been about finishing up the load-in, prepping for cast onstage. They've had a few hours of flying rehearsals and now we've dived into tech. Yahoo.
Listening to: Ni Hao Kai Lan theme song. Shoot me now.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Boring.
I think one of the hardest adjustments is the morning commute. Where's my dunkin' donuts coffee on the subway listening to music?
It's surprisingly hard to be social at 7 in the morning before any coffee - I'm used to ramping up to being social.
No recent posts, only because very little interesting has been going on. There was a massive, full-crew, 7-hour bar crawl on Saturday night after our first day of load-in. Thank god there was a day off on Sunday.
The day-off was very laid-back. I've been trying to kick this cold (and have nearly succeeded). Load-in is going....well. There are constant road-blocks. Every job takes far too long, requiring far too much thought. Then again, I guess that's what happens with not-enough shop labour. The main system is in, just screwing around with com and some onstage foldback. We'll be ready for quiet time on Thursday night, no problem.
OK, dinner time. Then Lost Season 6 - awesome.
Listening to: Yeah Yeah Yeah's "Rockers to Swallow"
It's surprisingly hard to be social at 7 in the morning before any coffee - I'm used to ramping up to being social.
No recent posts, only because very little interesting has been going on. There was a massive, full-crew, 7-hour bar crawl on Saturday night after our first day of load-in. Thank god there was a day off on Sunday.
The day-off was very laid-back. I've been trying to kick this cold (and have nearly succeeded). Load-in is going....well. There are constant road-blocks. Every job takes far too long, requiring far too much thought. Then again, I guess that's what happens with not-enough shop labour. The main system is in, just screwing around with com and some onstage foldback. We'll be ready for quiet time on Thursday night, no problem.
OK, dinner time. Then Lost Season 6 - awesome.
Listening to: Yeah Yeah Yeah's "Rockers to Swallow"
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