Last night at ACC Alex had guitar problems

[elvtnedge]

So I've seen Rush probably 15 or 16 times over the years since Signals.

 

First off let me say being 11th row was incredible. In my opinion Geddy has never played so great. He's got that flicking fingers thing going a lot these days and it's pretty incredible to see. His sound is amazing. He has that kind of Hemispheres bass tone again. I loved the show and my brothers and I were constantly blown away by them.

 

So Alex sounded great but in the Moving Pictures part of the show something happened with his guitar. During YYZ you heard this sort of high pitch sound coming from his guitar. It would cut in and out and you can see he was looking over at his tech constantly. It was as if when he would stop playing it got worse. In YYZ with the Geddy/Neil alternating solos part it really stood out. He was clearly frustrated and it was visual. At one point he had this roll his eyes with his head back, and even checked the input jack himself. He walked over to Neil at the end of the song and I couldn't tell what he was saying but it looked like he was saying to wait...

 

YYZ finished and Limelight was next. There was a short intro video and he swapped guitars. He started the opening riff and the guitar was cutting in and out! It sounded like his guitar was muting and unmuting and let's face it, Limelight opening riff is pretty major. His tech ran out and pressed something on his wireless pack and then his guitar was fine. You could tell he was off for the next couple of songs.

 

I felt so bad for the guy. I myself play live every weekend and have been for many many years. I know the feeling of playing and something goes wrong and you panic. I haven't played infront of 18,000 people but I had a similar problem playing infront of 5,000 people and it just rattles you.

[moedrabowsky]

Sounds like Rush will be looking for a new guitar tech next tour. He's been having issues since the opener, apparently.

 

Where can I apply?

[Alex]

At Bluesfest he was having issues on Working Them Angels with his guitar cutting in and out. I want to know what the source of his problems are but I guarantee his guitar tech is going to be on food stamps soon.

[Alex]

There were actually a few problems at ACC. Neil couldn't play the beginning morse code of YYZ awesomeley because his sound cut. Geddy's machine burst a C02 tube and a techy had to run and shut the whole thing off because smoke was billowing all over the place and blinding Neil. And then Alex's guitar problems. Wtf.

[KublaKhan]

QUOTE (Alex @ Jul 18 2010, 08:48 PM)

There were actually a few problems at ACC. Neil couldn't play the beginning morse code of YYZ awesomeley because his sound cut.

I noticed this aswell. I looked at my buddy funnily when it happened. But, still a mindblowing concert.

[Mara]

QUOTE (moedrabowsky @ Jul 18 2010, 02:05 PM)

Sounds like Rush will be looking for a new guitar tech next tour. He's been having issues since the opener, apparently. Where can I apply?

He had issues in '08 as well. Wonder if it's the same guy?

 

Moe, maybe you could win a radio contest like Bubbles did?

[Supersyl]

I was on Alex's side and watched the whole thing in my Binoculars... Alex was PISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[moedrabowsky]

QUOTE (Mara @ Jul 18 2010, 09:34 PM)

QUOTE (moedrabowsky @ Jul 18 2010, 02:05 PM) Sounds like Rush will be looking for a new guitar tech next tour. He's been having issues since the opener, apparently. Where can I apply? He had issues in '08 as well. Wonder if it's the same guy?   Moe, maybe you could win a radio contest like Bubbles did? That would rule.   Unfortunately, I'm not as photogenic as Bubbles.

[bigalfan]

QUOTE (moedrabowsky @ Jul 18 2010, 09:59 PM)

QUOTE (Mara @ Jul 18 2010, 09:34 PM) QUOTE (moedrabowsky @ Jul 18 2010, 02:05 PM) Sounds like Rush will be looking for a new guitar tech next tour. He's been having issues since the opener, apparently. Where can I apply? He had issues in '08 as well. Wonder if it's the same guy?   Moe, maybe you could win a radio contest like Bubbles did? That would rule.   Unfortunately, I'm not as photogenic as Bubbles. Good one!

[Phantom]

I was on Alex's side and yeah... he looked upset.

 

In fact, at one point, I was wondering if they were going to simply stop playing YYZ and fix the problem.

[moedrabowsky]

QUOTE (Phantom @ Jul 18 2010, 10:25 PM)

I was on Alex's side and yeah... he looked upset. In fact, at one point, I was wondering if they were going to simply stop playing YYZ and fix the problem.

That bad, huh?

 

Something is rotten in Denmark, because every show on this tour he's had some kind of issue.

[Phantom]

QUOTE (moedrabowsky @ Jul 18 2010, 10:27 PM)

QUOTE (Phantom @ Jul 18 2010, 10:25 PM) I was on Alex's side and yeah... he looked upset. In fact, at one point, I was wondering if they were going to simply stop playing YYZ and fix the problem. That bad, huh?   Something is rotten in Denmark, because every show on this tour he's had some kind of issue. Yeah, it was awful... YYZ got progressively worse and when it ended, I'd hoped " Well at least THAT'S over and done with ".   When Limelight started, and the guitar was cutting in and out, the thought occured to me that they're just going to stop... take 30 seconds, and fix the problem.   As it turned out, they plowed through the problems but Alex can not be happy with the ongoing probs.

[moedrabowsky]

QUOTE (Phantom @ Jul 19 2010, 10:06 AM)

QUOTE (moedrabowsky @ Jul 18 2010, 10:27 PM) QUOTE (Phantom @ Jul 18 2010, 10:25 PM) I was on Alex's side and yeah... he looked upset. In fact, at one point, I was wondering if they were going to simply stop playing YYZ and fix the problem. That bad, huh?   Something is rotten in Denmark, because every show on this tour he's had some kind of issue. Yeah, it was awful... YYZ got progressively worse and when it ended, I'd hoped " Well at least THAT'S over and done with ".   When Limelight started, and the guitar was cutting in and out, the thought occured to me that they're just going to stop... take 30 seconds, and fix the problem.   As it turned out, they plowed through the problems but Alex can not be happy with the ongoing probs. Ugh.   It's getting a little late in the day for these kind of problems to keep popping up.   That sounds like a trainwreck, though.

[elvtnedge]

I put my money on the wireless system. I'm betting the problem was a faulty battery or maybe interference in the signal

[ProfGumby]

I think the band overcame the technical snafus in Milwaukee just fine. Sometimes it is interesting to see how the band, or the artist, handles it.

[Sir Lerxst]

Im not entirely sure that they will be looking for a new Guitar Tech any time soon, its not his fault that the equipment is shit and not what they were promised.

[growingbald]

They forgot to calibrate the steam intake valves on Alex's new Steampunk amps.

[The Main Monkey Business]

give bubbles a call, he would make an epic guitar tech

[AdmiralWiggin]

The guitar could still Play it produced a Very loud ring out tone . Sounds like a bad contact point somewhere most likely off stage as it continued after they swapped guitars

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

QUOTE (elvtnedge @ Jul 19 2010, 11:16 AM)

I put my money on the wireless system. I'm betting the problem was a faulty battery or maybe interference in the signal

Yep, it has to be the wireless system. Though I doubt it's a faulty battery -- Alex wouldn't hire and keep using a tech that didn't make sure the electronics had fresh batteries, and didn't make sure the guitars were freshly strung and tuned before a show. Those are Guitar Tech 101 skills.

[Sir Lerxst]

Like I said, its problems with the equipment, nothing that the tech has or hasn't done... The tech should actually get some praise for the speed he reacts to these problems. I've seen / heard the evidence, and he doesn't exactly hang about.

 

The wireless pack stopped working during one song in one video I saw, and the tech was on stage fixing the problem within 5 - 10 seconds of the guitar first cutting out (it was intermittent), he fixed it by doing something to the wireless pack.

 

Broken string during Vital Signs, and he was waiting at the side of the stage with a spare guitar, ready for Alex to make a quick swap-over [Lerxst continued playing with the broken string as it was just the chords during the 1st verse]. The swap took about 5 seconds.

Edited July 20, 2010 by Sir Lerxst

[moedrabowsky]

QUOTE (Sir Lerxst @ Jul 19 2010, 08:28 PM)

Like I said, its problems with the equipment, nothing that the tech has or hasn't done... The tech should actually get some praise for the speed he reacts to these problems.

Not really, since that's his job.

 

And if the equipment is faulty every night, then it's on the guitar tech. He should be working round the clock to make sure that if it is faulty equipment, it's replaced or repaired.

[EveryNerveAware]

Even though I hate having to wait another 2+ months for the Tampa concert, I'm hopeful that by then they'll have all these technical issues resolved and they'll perform a perfect show.

[Sir Lerxst]

QUOTE (moedrabowsky @ Jul 20 2010, 04:25 PM)

And if the equipment is faulty every night, then it's on the guitar tech. He should be working round the clock to make sure that if it is faulty equipment, it's replaced or repaired.

It hasn't been though. There have been maybe 3 shows where there have been equipment failures. One of which was a broken string, which is, no matter how you think about it, Alex's fault.

 

The other few shows had multiple failures each, of the same nature (as far as I can tell from listening). If there is a faulty item at the start of a show, then it is very difficult to trace, and resolve the problem whilst the concert is on-going. What im saying is, that if the same thing goes wrong, twice in the same concert, you can't exactly blaim the tech for it, as he hasn't had a chance to properly have a look at the issue, and unless if happens during the first song, you can't exactly blaim him for not checking the equipment before the show, as there is no way he can tell if something is going to break 7 songs into the setlist or not.

[Mr. Krinkle]

QUOTE (Sir Lerxst @ Jul 21 2010, 10:42 AM)

QUOTE (moedrabowsky @ Jul 20 2010, 04:25 PM) And if the equipment is faulty every night, then it's on the guitar tech. He should be working round the clock to make sure that if it is faulty equipment, it's replaced or repaired. It hasn't been though. There have been maybe 3 shows where there have been equipment failures. One of which was a broken string, which is, no matter how you think about it, Alex's fault.   Broken strings are most likely Alex's fault BUT, it depends on what strings are breaking. The thin, unwound ones......most likely Alex. The heavier, wound strings...can develop burrs in the bridge saddles and if the saddles are not properly filed out smooth, those burrs can actually cut the strings once they are under full tension. Happens to bass players too.     These shows are outside as well and humidity can affect guitars too. It can take a perfectly straight neck and in hours turn it into a diving board causing intonation and fretting problems.   Wireless units can have problems too. Like ATC signals bleeding through kind of like in Spinal Tap.   Sometimes the tech is doing all he can and sometimes problems just keep happening. You cant blame anyone for that really. It's just sometimes a bad case of Murphy's Law.