6/1/12

Looks like I'm back from the dead.

Hickoids at the Triple Crown in San Marcos with Chief Fuzzer and The Jocks. Two SM bands that always deliver. Since my last time playing there they have made some serious improvements to the stage. It was still crowded as fuck once six Hickoids were up there (even with the new bass rigs slim profile, so sheik!) but me and the girls would fit fine. Speaking of which...

Breakdown

First off it was a treat getting out to play. After a week of sick I needed to be loud. I feel like I played (and sang) like crap, but I got to play and sing and I haven't done that in a week. Not even in the house. Another step towards my normal.

No drinking for me (yet). So no report on the boozin, sorry. I'll be back to normal soon enough.

I'm still learning the TC rig. I'm getting all kinds of cool sounds out of it and it's SPL capabilities are very nice. I'm sure I'll do a real "review" of it soon, but currently my favorite part is having a 12" driver punching me in the chest. It feels really nice.

9/24/11

San Antonio once again. It really is a great city for music. Austin gets all the press, but the crowds are so subdued. It's like everyone in the audience is thinking "Interesting concept" or "I'd play that differently/better". In SA people get rowdy and are ready to ROCK! This is even more evident when it's someones birthday.

Nightrockers. Generally this place is dead (at least when all the bands I play in are there) they have a PA that is about twice the size that the room needs. This can be a problem but for Belle's birthday folks came out. It sounded really good in there. The bill was Born to Lose, Los Number 3 Dinners, Churchwood and the Hickoids. Lots of sonic ass kicking and plenty of folks eating it up. Very nice.

Breakdown

Two beer tickets, lame. But enough folks wanted to buy me drinks that I was able to tie one on without hitting my wallet too hard.

Finally got a chance to use the new rig, it is so damn good. That TC is really powerful. I was next to a Fender twin that was cranked, LOUD and I still had no problem hearing myself. Number 3 and Churchwood used it too and both bass players said "And it has a built in tuner!"  It was in use for three bands and it never gave any trouble. Hell, it never even got hot! I now understand how it's got such a great reputation. What I really don't understand is how my old Ashdown head was supposed to be a match for that cabinet I've been using.

The TC killed it.

9/14/11

Two practices in the same room (15 at music lab Oltorf one of the worst practice rooms for bass acoustics with loads of standing waves and slap back). The first one my bass sounds lumpy and mushy. The second it has punch and clarity. It is much louder and lower. What a difference a good head can make.

TC Electronic, you do some amazing things with an 8.8 pound amp head. No joke. It weighs four times less than the Ashdown I was using and it KILLS it in every way. The first thing I noticed was the control. Loads of punchy clean power and when I gave the bass knob a twist it gets thicker and adds some meat. The tube tone fuzzes up nicely and adds some slick sustain to everything. At one point in the middle of a song I thought it was lacking some grunt so I drove the gain a little harder and suddenly it slammed way harder than ever before.

The only problem now is I'm borrowing this head and now I'm gonna want to buy it (and some cabs to go with it...) I'm gonna have no money...

Hickoids ACL fest is this weekend, so you can look forward to lots of tales of stupidity for the next few days.