This was my first time playing at a House of Blues event and it was a doozy! The event was the 5th Annual California Country Chistmas (90s Edition) with over twenty local country artists taking part. We were the backing band but had a few other musicians sit in with us during the evening. Mrs. BassCliff and I also brought toys to donate to the Spark of Love Foundation.
Like I begin most of my gigs, I'm sipping my ROCKSTAR while driving the 57 down to Orange County.
I park in the structure next to the House of Blues and load up my handy dandy Rock-n-Roller cart. I noted that I parked in P2.
I roll my gear up the ramp to the second level to find that the HoB is on the third level. Oops.
John and I arrived at the same time but he was the first to find the service elevator.
We roll our gear right in the front door like we own the place. We later found the hallway that goes from the service elevator back around to the stage door. Oh well.
The room was pretty hip, very industrial looking.
I snag a picture of the FOH console and stage as I roll around to the ramp backstage.
Rather than roll around, some of the guys just toss their gear up on the front of the stage.
This is Green Room A. There were four green rooms backstage. They gave us one of the larger ones.
Jason sets up his drums while the stage and sound crew start running wires and setting up gear. You see Craig (FOH) on the right, Jacob (Crew) in the middle, and Johnathan (Monitors) on the left. There were a few more crew members around, all did a fine job.
Alec and Arnie talk about how the guitar setup is going to work during the show. Alec brought a couple of his group, Truxton Mile, from Bakersfield to play this benefit.
Arnie brought two of his Little Walter amps. I just used the backline. I was not impressed with this rig. Maybe it's too old and beat up. I could not get a good sound out of it. This rig would either sound woofy or farty, not the usual chewy mid-range goodness you get out of most Ampeg rigs. Perhaps it needed some tube maintenance.
I made it work. At least I could hear myself. Jason had a rat's nest of wires on the riser. He needs lots of cables for drum mics, a vocal mic, stereo out on his track machine, and a line for his IEM setup.
John and Daniel wait patiently for their turn to sound check. They talk about the immenant collapse of the Chinese economy and the effect on the global banking industry.
This is the good looking side of the stage, stage right, with Randy, Austin, Amanda, and Crystal.
See what I mean? I got a little of stage left in this picture.
In the picture above, do you notice that room with the obnoxious wallpaper above the stage? That's called the "Stage Box", usually for VIPs. I wonder if there will be any?
Daniel gets his turn to sound check. This sure is a big empty room. I hope somebody shows up tonight.
Uh oh, I got a little too much stage left in this picture too. This is my secret identity. I haven't changed into my honky tonk hero costume yet. But I did put my jingle bells on my headstock.
Johnathan is at the monitor board while John gets his turn to soundcheck.
We're all done with soundcheck and the stage is dark. Now we're looking for food. I guess the caterers are not here yet.
I just thought I'd wander out front and take a picture of the stage from the floor.
As long as I'm here, let me take one from FOH too. We were wondering what that fence-like structure was doing in the middle of the dance floor. They move it back around the FOH once soundcheck is done.
Catering was set up in one of the green rooms of the smaller venue next door.
I hadn't eaten all day but I didn't want to get really full because downbeat was only an hour away. I stayed with protein and salad, a burger (no bun), a really good chicken breast, and salad. I also had a couple of chocolate chip cookies after the show.
The artists gathered in Green Room B to practice the group numbers they were going to do at the end of the two sets.
I was able to get Mrs. BassCliff special passes so she could watch the show from the "Stage Box". This was her view. You can see the set lists on the floor shining in the blue light.
It looks like we are just about to start. Look at that, seems a few people showed up.
So we get welcomed, announced, and we kick off the show. This is Melissa Farrior taking the stage. She sang "Heads Carolina", I like that song.
This is Kaitlyn Weathers. We've worked with her before.
The show progressed pretty smoothly and quickly. The performers were told to announce the next performer coming up. We played a couple of instrumental bumper tunes only when we needed time to swap some gear onstage, pedal boards for guest guitarists or guitar swaps for Arnie and Austin. The organizer, Daniel Bonte, along with Pepper from KFROG radio make some announcements. We've worked with Daniel and Pepper before also.
We took a couple of moments to honor the firefighters, putting their lives on the line to save lives and property. The firefighters are also the main organizers of the Spark Of Love toy drive.
Everyone got out their cell phones and lit up the room. It was really cool.
At the end of the first set all of the artists in that set came out for a big singalong.
As the song progresses we really start having fun with it.
All the artists and the crowd were having a great time singing "Standing Outside The Fire", a Garth song.
We take a bow and then take a little break to regroup for the next set.
On the break I met Rocky from the band Redneck Rodeo. He's going to sit in when his band plays a couple of tunes.
(Yes, since it was a 90s theme I wore my collar tips.) I went upstairs to check on Mrs. BassCliff. She was enjoying the show. This is the view of the crowd from upstairs. They filled every bin the venue had with toys for the underprivileged.
On the half hour break we found out that one artist we thought was not going to be there was, indeed, there. So we had to learn his song on the break. We listened in the green room and I wrote out a quick Nashville Number System chart on the back of a setlist and we were ready. On with the show!
Here's Rocky and his band Redneck Rodeo playing their two songs. Rocky played his P-bass. They also brought their drummer and a guitar player.
While I'm taking pictures Arnie gets my attention. He said the amp quit working.
So I play bass tech, run out on stage, checked cables, connections, settings, and get the amp working again. I think I fixed it just by turning it up. Yay me! Here's Arnie rocking it up with Redneck Rodeo.
This is Michael Austin, another up-and-comming Nashville artist who's hoping to make it big.
Here's a nice shot of the bass player with the mic stand in the way. We get no respect.
Are we having fun yet? Austin, Amanda, and Crystal must be waiting for the raffle to finish so we can get back to having fun.
I think this is Sheyna Gee. I had a second so I took her picture.
This is Paul Justin. He played my bass. It was sort of a last second decision. Redwood Black did not bring their bass player. Paul knows them and has worked with them a lot. Paul didn't know he'd be playing tonight. That's why he didn't bring one. But they decided to all play together anyway. He said he wasn't scared of my six string. He usually plays a five.
This is the end of the show where all the artists came out, sang together, thanked everyone, and then had a big singalong with the audience. "Friends In Low Places" was the closer and the crowd ate it up.
Arnie is pointing at one of his favorite bass players.
"Blame it all on my roots. I showed up in boots and ruined your black tie affair."
"I didn't mean to cause a big scene..."
It was a fun night. I was surprised and pleased at how well everyone worked together and dealt with last minute SNAFUs and just had fun.
The view from out front.
"I've got friends in low places, where the whisky drowns and the beer chased my blues away. I'll be OK."
Hey! Looky who showed up at this shindig. It's Tammi and Jacqueline. I think these two really like us.
And here's what we get paid for. It's all over but the shouting.
I had a Coors Light, a couple of chocolate chip cookies, and then I was on my way home. I didn't even get a flat tire this time. Tonight we are headed back down to the OC to play at the Old Crow Smokehouse in Huntington Beach. It's a loud, inconvenient room but it's full of good looking, fun people, we get great BBQ, and I've never paid for a beer in there as long as I've been working there. So I'm not going to complain.
Thanks for looking at my little gig. Now lets see if I can get some video for you. Tonight really was a blast.
Thank you for your indulgence,
BassCliff
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