Swinging For The Fences

**brandondrury** · 08-20-2012, 02:13 PM

Is it ever worth swinging for the fences? I just finished a live sound gig on Saturday where I think it's fair to say we achieved none of our goals. I took Tuesday-Saturday off of work to focus on this gig. We had backing tracks, pyro, more lights than probably 99.99% of local bands in history, a pretty massive PA, guitars coming out of the ceiling, a lift for the guitar player to get his guitar which was intentionally stuck in the ceiling, and quite a few other things. It was all insane.

I was there from 4pm until 4am every day getting ready for this monstrosity.

As I was running sound nothing sounded as good as it did in practice. (Human acoustics? Not sure what else changed except for my mindset.) Most of everything went wrong. It wasn't a disaster, but it certainly wasn't fun. All the antics were easy to miss. Things that took 20 hours of work amounted to almost no net benefit in audience entertainment.

Now I'm back at work and have 5 days of emails, threads, and bs to deal with. I can't help but think we would have been better off just getting together one night to watch football or whatever, drinking too much, and then go back to work the next day.

Does swinging for the fences EVER pay off?

Brandon

**the evil** · 08-20-2012, 03:39 PM

it sure the hell does... When you smack it out of the park! The problem is a great hitter is only hitting about .300 average and who knows what the percentage was of homeruns... But hit a walk off homer to win the world series, and it will always be remembered... Thats why people go for the fence. Its a go big or go home mentality, 100% american made! Its either hero or zero. I cant think of any other stupid sayings that will go here, but im sure you get it. Keep your head up! thats what seperates the winners from the losers...

**venuestudio** · 08-20-2012, 05:34 PM

You should never expect the sound during soundchecks to sound like the gig when the people are in the room. Bass is instantly absorbed, as are the high reverb tails. The only gigs I have done that were close were when we flew an array with active processing.

As far as doing those big gigs, it is always worth it. If that gig had done well, you, the artists, the people in the crowd, the club and maybe the papers would still be talking about it! I have had those gigs and they are something you remember for the rest of your life. Mediocre, pretty good and 2nd place are nothing to shoot for.

**bozmillar** · 08-20-2012, 11:45 PM

sometimes swinging for the fences is the right move, but sometimes it's exactly the wrong thing to do. This goes for all aspects of life and work. Sometimes the best thing you can do is say "I'm not going to do that because it will take 20 hours of work to set up 3 seconds worth of fireworks, and that's not worth it." People who are successful know when to not bother with things that don't matter and focus on things that do.

**garageband** · 08-21-2012, 01:30 AM

Mediocre, pretty good and 2nd place are nothing to shoot for.

To continue the baseball analogy, I can be happy with a stand-up double. I'm just looking to get on base by hitting the ball as best I can. My hitting got tons better when I got focused on where the ball is going to be rather than "trying to put it in the parking lot." Any more baseball, though, and it'll be dangerously close to Bob Costas territory, "Baseball is the greatest metaphor for life in the world!" Or something embarrassing like that.

**paul999** · 08-21-2012, 06:26 AM

For the most part I stress to the artists to keep it simple as much as possible. If a show becomes about antics it stops being a timless show. Sure when people talk about the Motley Crüe concerts of the 90's they talk about the drummer spinning in the air b.s. but they first and foremost put on a hell of a show.

It is not wrong to try. Just like everything it takes practice to put these types of things in and get the benefit that you intend out. It will happen.