A Radical Proposal

Post by **Spud** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:41 am

We all know that time is short. 7-11 two nights. Sounds like eight hours, but that will get squeezed, we all know. There are 28 artists scheduled to play, and that doesn't include Hoblit, who just registered. That's 16 minutes a person, not inluding change-overs, which will take time.

However, many people are single artists, who are being supported by other artists. Many of these people will be on stage several times, playing with different 'bands'. Ken and Blue will be up there a lot.

I had a thought.

Why not create a limited number of "SuperGroups", for sake of argument, say eight (one per hour), of people who are going to be supporting each other anyway?

For example, suppose that JB is being supported by Gleen, Lunkhead, Futureboy, and Ken (just a guess). Who is supporting Gleen? How about Lunkhead, Futureboy, Ken, and JB? Voila! A combined set! All that is different is whose songs they are playing, and who is standing up front. Who is supporting Lunkhead? I think you get the idea. Even if the personell changes a little (a few in a few out) between "headliners" for each group, the setup remains the same, and we don't have to switch the drums from left to right, etc.

I am not sure how to organize this, exactly. However, I think it's worth a shot. It would help if everyone posted a notice in this thread saying who was supporting them and who they were supporting.

Perhaps something remarkable will emerge.

HeuristicsInc · Post by **HeuristicsInc** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 11:01 am

We did this for my set segueing into Noah M's set at the SF Presents @ PA this year - it worked out well. We had the same backing band...
-bill

ken · Post by **ken** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 11:04 am

This sounds like a variation on 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon. Maybe we should just hire a pro rhythm section for both nights.

Having said that, I will work on this. I've talked to Sam and Erin about it, and if we can get a drummer, we will do a super KNI, Loyalty DAy, Lunkhead, Tiny Robots set.

I think it is a great idea to try and keep people on stage as much as possible.

Ken

jack · Post by **jack** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 11:19 am

i just want to say i'm glad so many people want to come and play

i think the combined group idea has alot of merit, if it's feasible and doesn't chafe anyone in particular. it will be hard to facilitate so many people but i think the goal is to do just that, so maybe some small sacrifices can be made by all.

i'd also say "supergroups" maybe get preferred time slots as well. or at least get slightly longer sets (than GnG sets) to accomodate songs from everyone in said group.

i'm glad the triumverate (spud/ken/gleen) is handling this aspect....

and there will other opportunities to play informally, maybe record informally, shoot video, busk on the street, party after the shows, etc.

Bjam · Post by **Bjam** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 11:42 am

As H.Inc said, at SF:PA, we had Heuristics Inc. (feat. Noah, Eric, Ben on drums) then Noah (feat. Niveous, Eric, Ben, Bill). The rest of the sets were pretty much g&g, so we put those two 'bands' next to one another, and the second band just jumped from different instruments or mics when it was the second band's turn. It took a minute or two for the transition, and it all went fine.

That, I think, is pretty much what you're suggesting. So, just to clarify that it does work.

At least it did at our tiny shindig.

(Slightly off topic, but do you(you being Jack, I guess) know how many microphones will there be?)

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 11:56 am

Also, I'm not married to a 'Hoblit' set. I know I've only been able to 'confirm' last minute here and for that I don't necessarily get 'my spot' for that reason alone. I'm coming to have a good time and be with old friends and what not. I'd be glad to join in the fun in any way...but nobody has to make room for me or nothin'. Really, thanks and I'll be glad to participate in any capacity.

Post by **Spud** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 12:04 pm

I realize that this would be difficult to organize. However, I think it is worth the effort. However, it will only work if we have the proper information.

Please post who is playing with you and who you are playing with.

The following persons have not even bothered to register:

Jack Shite
JB
Jeff Fal
Ben/BZL
Moboid
Ken Flagg

I understand why Jack might not feel the need to register. However, he should, just to have a complete database. Also, some of you might think someone else registered on your behalf. They did not. Also, sorry if I missed anyone's registration. If you are listed here, I don't have it.

SPUD

GlennCase · Post by **GlennCase** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 12:08 pm

Spud wrote: Please post who is playing with you and who you are playing with.

Ok. Here we go:

Playing with me on my set:
No one. It's just Rachael and I. One acoustic guitar, Two mics.

Who I am playing with:
Bass player for JB's set
Bass player for Mostly Harmless

If I am playing on anyone else's set, I am not yet aware of it.

ROCK!

Glenn (DR FUNK)

jack · Post by **jack** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 12:25 pm

Spud wrote:The following persons have not even bothered to register:

Jack Shite
JB
Jeff Fal
Ben/BZL
Moboid
Ken Flagg

I understand why Jack might not feel the need to register. However, he should, just to have a complete database.

ok. i will tonight. "brody" has band. would prefer saturday slot, so i can just concentrate on the door friday night.

thanks for the help fellas..........

EDIT: ok, i just registered and sent my info to uh....myself?

Plat · Post by **Plat** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:03 pm

Spud wrote:Please post who is playing with you and who you are playing with.

Mostly Harmless (Puce and I) will be playing a combined Puce/Cow Exchange set, backed by Blue (drums) and Glenn (bass).

I'm not aware of, but would certainly entertain, other obligations.

Adam! · Post by **Adam!** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:07 pm

What Plat said goes for me too (you might have to switch some words around).

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:03 pm

The 'rolling supergroup' concept should work

I've entered into negotiations with Rabid and Albatross to back me up, so the Caravan Ray and Primitive Screwheads sets could somehow merge together. Waiting for Ken's reply to whether he wants to sit behind us and bang things

I'm hoping that King Arthur and StueyM will be joining the band too - so that could lend itself to some sort of segue into or out of one of those gentlemen's sets

Post by **Spud** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:10 pm

This is going very well so far. Keep it coming.

SPUD

p.s. no, jack, you sent it to me.

jack · Post by **jack** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:14 pm

i figured as much, even though the button says "Send to Jack"

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:50 pm

...and the Primitive Screwheads (Albatross & Rabid Garfunkel) are featuring Spud and Freudian Slip (need to remind her to register, etc., too) in their own lineup.

Heh, we should just have a circle of stages surrounding the audience and run from one setup to the next like some manic game of musical chairs.

Jefff · Post by **Jefff** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 11:51 pm

I'd be happy to join any supergroup whom Blue is drumming for.

Post by **Lunkhead** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:19 am

Erin and I will be backing Ken up, and we'll all be playing together, as has been stated. I haven't committed to performing in any other sets that I know of yet, but am open to doing one or two more.

king_arthur · Post by **king_arthur** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:34 am

How about something like this: we put together three "house bands," each of which has a drummer, bass and guitarist, and then we fit in whatever other people volunteer. One is the "light rock / country" band, one is the "medium" and one is the "rawk" band.

Each night is divided up into three sets:

7 pm - 8 pm - light rock / country
8:20 pm - 9:20 pm - medium
9:40 pm - 10:40 pm - rawk

...which leaves 20 minutes of "penalty time" at the end to allow for delays in setting up, visits from the cops, etc. It also leaves 20 minutes of setup time between sets, so that whoever's playing in each set can soundcheck, set up FX, keyboard patches, etc...

We put together these house bands, and announce who is playing in each one. If we have a surplus of guitarists, the "medium" band might not be exactly the same both nights, etc.

Then we have the "artists" sign up for which night / band they want to play with. Hoblit could sign up for the Friday night "rawk" set, and he'd know who the backing band for that set was. Any artist who is also playing in one of the bands would do their turn as part of a set where they're already playing - if I'm playing in the light rock / country band, then I'd do my tunes as one of the light rock / country artists.

G&G artists (or G&G&G, however that works out... guys who play two guitars, etc.) could be fit in whereever there are unfilled spaces, and/or could play during the 20-minute between-band breaks. They could still indicate which night / what time they'd like to play.

Trumpet players, backing vocalists, etc., could be added in to individual sets as needed - there would be several mics set up, ready to go, color coded for the sound tech. There would be a couple spare amps set up for guitarists who will just be playing with one specific artist, etc.

If we have whole bands that are coming as a unit, they could sign up together as one of the house bands - for example, maybe the Saturday night "medium rock" band might be all of Loyalty Day. Or they can just take over the instruments for their songs, regardless of who is in the house band. (Having enough extra amps on stage ready to go will simplify this process, too).

Some advantages:

- this should minimize the amount of instrument swapping time, which was Spud's goal

- with the three different bands relatively consistent, this will make it a LOT easier to coordinate rehearsals. If the "medium rock" band is all people from the Bay Area, for example, they may even be able to get together ahead of time and work out a few songs...

- having everybody sign up their own band and then trying to figure how to order things to minimize personnel swaps seems like a combinatorial nightmare. Setting up the house bands first and then letting "artists" sign up for who they'd like to play with makes this a way simpler process.

I guess the downside is that a few people have already started signing up backing players, and the house bands might not match up. That can be dealt with... and for me, I don't have any strong preferences about who is in my backup band - probably anyone who would sign up to play in the light rock / country band would be appropriate for what I do.

Charles

mkilly · Post by **mkilly** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 8:49 am

Marcus Kellis and the Legitimate Businessmen:
Mr KELLIS, guitar
Mr MAHRU, guitar
Mr FUTUREBOY, bass
Mr LANG, drums

My colleagues and I look forward to the event.

prayformojo · Post by **prayformojo** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 10:45 am

prayformojo's Good Times Fun Band for SFL:H&D is...

Ken Mahru - Drummity drums and phat beats
Sam Douglas - Leadish guitar and fun slidey noises
Jaff Fal - Acoustic and or rhythmish guitar and head bobbing rockery
JB of the JBB - Biggity-biggity Bass

All of these fine gentlemen have been members of the Good Times Fun Band before... in fact, this was the line up when I started calling them my Good Times Fun Band. (I sucked at that show cause I got drunk and did I Believe in a Thing Called Love kareoke the night before) It is an honor to share the stage with the telent that the Songfight community provides.

There may be a special guest vocalist sprinkled in here and there. I still don't have my set list locked, but I will try my best to get it to you guys by the end of the week.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 10:57 am

MY UNDERSTANDING of the Sockpuppet lineup (aside from the fact that a certain bassist and a certain drummer haven't actually confirmed, AHEM) is:

fluffy - guitar, vocals, one piano song
Spud - bass
Dre - trumpet
blue - drums

j$ · Post by j$ » Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:08 am

mkilly wrote:Marcus Kellis and the Legitimate Businessmen:
Mr KELLIS, guitar
Mr MAHRU, guitar
Mr FUTUREBOY, bass
Mr LANG, drums

My colleagues and I look forward to the event.

No singer? We all look forward to that event as well, then

[/cheap, untrue jibe]

j$