This weekend all of the bands are one's we did the sound for in the 1970s. There is a story behind each one.
NRBQ is an American
rock band founded by
Terry Adams (piano), Steve Ferguson (guitar) and
Joey Spampinato (bass).
[1][2] Originally the "New Rhythm and Blues Quintet", the group was formed circa 1965. From 1974 to 1994, the band included pianist Adams, bassist Spampinato, guitarist
Al Anderson, and drummer
Tom Ardolino. This is considered the classic lineup of the group.
NRBQ stands for the New Rhythm and Blues Quartet. When we worked with them the drummer had been given the knickname f Boom Boom. This was because he had some of the largest drumsticks I have ever seen, The one in his left hand almost looked like a miniature baseball bat. He held the tip end in his hand and wailed on the snare or tom tom with the back end of he stick. You could hear this a mile away
This is one of their signature songs.
Donald byrd and the Blackburds
The Blackbyrds are an American
rhythm and blues and
jazz-funk fusion group, formed in
Washington, D.C., in 1973
[1] and reformed in 2012 by Keith Killgo.....
The group was inspired by
trumpeter Donald Byrd[3] and featured some of his
Howard University students:
Kevin Toney (
keyboards), Keith Killgo (
vocals,
drums), Joe Hall (
bass guitar),
Allan Barnes (
saxophone,
clarinet), and Barney Perry (
guitar).
[1] Orville Saunders (guitar), and Jay Jones (
flute, saxophone) joined later.
[1] Merry Clayton joined them to sing on "Rock Creek Park" and "Happy Music"
Climax Blues Band (originally known as
The Climax Chicago Blues Band) are a British
blues rock and
pop band that has released 22 albums. he band were formed in
Stafford,
Staffordshire, England in 1968 by vocalist, saxophonist, guitarist and harmonica player Colin Cooper (1939–2008), guitarist, bassist and vocalist
Pete Haycock (1951–2013), guitarist Derek Holt (b. 1949), bassist and keyboardist Richard Jones (b. 1949), drummer George Newsome (b. 1947) and keyboardist Arthur Wood (1929–2005).
We did two shows with the Climax Blues Band. One was at Trinity College in Hartford and the other a week later was on the UCON Storrs campus. They played at a very high volume. UCON had a rule that said the volume in their venue was not permitted to exceed 120 db, The head ot their Maint. Dept. was tasked with measuring the volume in the hall:
Concert volume is measured in
decibels (dB) using a sound level meter (SLM), which converts sound pressure waves into electrical signals and displays the readings numerically.
He walked around the entire hall from front to back and both the stage level seats and balcony all the way to the back, of the hall. No matter where he measure he got a reading of 120 dB.
At the Trinity show I was doing the main mix for the audience and one of the other partmners was doing the on stage mix. Because of how loudly the band played that partner had serious problems with feedback. Ultimatelky, I came of the main board and took over the on stage monitor mix which ended the feedback issues.
This band began as the fabulous Rhinestones. When we worked for them them they were playing as
The Rhinestones – The Fabulous Rhinestones (Kal David, Harvey Brooks, Marty Grebb) (1975) Just Sunshine/
20th Century which was the title of their album. They broke up and wnet on with Kal to play as the Rhinestones when we worked them for for multiple clubdates in CT.
They had a single roadie who set up their equipment and then reloaded it into their small truck after the show. They had a Hammond C3 organ which his guy could pick up alone and put it into their van. This is nuts. We did a nymber of shows with them.
We did a show with Doc and Merle at Trinity college. The show was filmed and recorded by PBS in Hartford wich was located near the campus at that time. Thye needed to take the audio feed from our sound board. AT the meeting a few weeks prior to the show attended by Trinity reps, myself anf one of my partners and PBS, they asked us if we could use their studio condenser mikes instead of what we normally used. We told them we would do that and anything else that would be of help for them. All we asked in return was that our company would be listed in the show credits when the concert was broadcast as the Live sound for the show. They agreed to do this.
We used their mikes and tried to get the mox right for both the live ayudience and the PBS recording. When The show aired our name never appeared in the credits. Since they had agreed to give us credit in front of the Trinity people, we could have sued them. But what is the point of suing Public TV? I did the mix for this show.