TJs Acoustic Music Club - Thursday 3rd February 2011

Bob-Dubery

Venue: Marks Park sports club, Judith Road, Emmarentia
Date: 3rd February 2011
Time: Music starts at 20:00, doors open at 19:30
Charge: R20

Line up for the 3rd is

Wayne Coughlan and Neil Solomon
Mick Matthews (ex Ballyhoo)
Paul Hohns
Ernie Stark
Steve Hall

Drinks and light meals may be ordered from the Marks Park staff.

deefstes

Sorry if this is a stupid question but is this a regular thing? It sounds like something I'd enjoy but I won't be able to make this one. I'd be keen to hear of future such events.

Bob-Dubery

deefstes wrote: Sorry if this is a stupid question but is this a regular thing? It sounds like something I'd enjoy but I won't be able to make this one. I'd be keen to hear of future such events.

TJs usually have three meets a month.

First and third Thursdays are like the event advertised here - there is a pre-arranged lineup of musicians.

Last Thursday of the month is open mic night. "Pitch and play" as they like to call it. Bring your axe and yourself.

deefstes

Thanks, that definitely sounds like something to keep an eye out for.

racman

I was waiting for comment from anyone but none appeared ...

This is only the third time that I have been to TJ's and each time there have been issues with the sound, and I mean serious issues! Maybe I should go more often or maybe this is the norm. The only reason I didn't walk out was out of respect for the musos who were playing their best despite either no sound or huge variations/feedback/distortion/none/soft/loud (in the same song as well!) due to the sound guys fiddling while the musician was playing - and I don't mean "tweaking". Huge respect to the musos for continuing while this was going on -did I mention the sound was absolutely shocking !!!!!

I really have been questioning whether I should post the above and it is not in any way meant to run down TJ's but hopefully something can be done as it is really not on. As I said, I have only ben three times so perhaps I chose the wrong nights - I certainly hope so.

Thankfully I stayed to hear Neill Solomon and Wayne Coughlan - great stuff!!! Such tasteful and beautiful playing by Wayne on electric and Dobro/National. Way too short. Wayne certainly showed skill that was just such a beautiful enhancement of Neills set. Just shows what a great player, Strat, Volume pedal and a decent Tube amp can do. I willdefinitely check out where he's playing.

I don't know whether I will check out TJ's again though - is it the norm Bob?

Bob-Dubery

racman wrote: I was waiting for comment from anyone but none appeared ...

This is only the third time that I have been to TJ's and each time there have been issues with the sound, and I mean serious issues! Maybe I should go more often or maybe this is the norm. The only reason I didn't walk out was out of respect for the musos who were playing their best despite either no sound or huge variations/feedback/distortion/none/soft/loud (in the same song as well!) due to the sound guys fiddling while the musician was playing - and I don't mean "tweaking". Huge respect to the musos for continuing while this was going on -did I mention the sound was absolutely shocking !!!!!

I don't know whether I will check out TJ's again though - is it the norm Bob?

OK... I have some involvement with TJs (I'm putting together another bill for them for early May) but I'm not on the committee and can't speak for the club. Let's say I'm a friend of the club.

I go fairly regularly and my impression is that the situation as regards sound is improving. The usual sound guy was not there on Thursday night and there were fairly major problems. Hugh Cumming and co played completely unplugged and asked everybody to move their seats closer to the front.

I was there as a paying customer and other than on "my" nights I have no say in the club or the running of the evenings. I can't say what the problem was or where responsibility lies. I do know that the club are concerned about this, and as I said it seems to me that, until last Thursday, they were on an upwards curve.

Ray

The indignation seems to suggest a much higher charge than 20 bucks.

racman

That's not a fair statement Ray, or are you suggesting that I should not expect more because of the price. Are the performing musicians also supposed to expect less because patrons will only be paying R20? If this is the case then they should add a caveat to the advertising etc. And this is not indignation at all - were you there? The positive that I mentioned seems to have been overlooked - the great playing of the last set (the sound was fine for them)

Ray

Yer right. I'm sorry.

Fingerpicker

As the "regular" sound guy at TJ's I think that this deserves a response....

I have started helping with the sound at TJ's because of all the complaints that I heard when playing at TJ's, mainly to do with the sound balance being too bassy. I attended the Prosound Live Sound training sessions (Izaan Greyling) and bought 8 books on mixing and live sound reinforcement. I now have done about 5 or 6 large venue mixes and 4 or 5 open mic nights.

Last Thursday I had to enrol my son at UCT and could not be at TJ's, where I believe the sound was somewhat untriumphant.

The "feedback" on my nights has been very positive and as a general comment I think that the acoustic sound has improved a lot. As an amateur acoustic musician and vocalist I think I have an advantage in that I know what sound I want to produce.

The downside of doing the sound is that it is hard work, an hour to cart the equipment on stage, an hour to connect and check, an hour of sound checks. For someone who has twice been in ICU in the last 6 months with heart problems it is quite heavy going. I change T shirts 4 times, all drenched with sweat. Then the offers come in at about 7 pm," can I help?". Luckily I do get help in packing away, all done by 11:30pm.

I am putting together a manual on the TJ's sound setup, to help anyone who is interested in helping at TJ's or elsewhere, in the vain hope that someone will take over at some point and I can get back to performing.

racman

Thx for the reply "fp" as well as the effort you have put into the sound solution. I will definitely give it another go after your response

Keira-WitherKay

well i have been to tj's to perform a few times and also as an audience member .yes a few times the sound has been less than optimum....... but on every ocasion i managed to perform well enough and hear the other artists well enough ........ one needs to bear in mind this is a club aimed at amateur musicians , and run by amateur musicians and sound guys..... they not spending the money to hire in a pro sound guy and a huge rig, but allow the club members to help with the sound...... and now that fingerpicker is involved i will guarentee a step up in quality .

but in reality in every show i was there it was still good enough that a good time was had by all, but yes we not talking top sound but good enough ......... it's like expecting an amateur muso to sound as good as a pro ..........