Played the Republic of Texas Biker Rally yesterday afternoon with ETB. The Backline SWR bass amp lasted halfway through first song.

Was happy to hear there'd be backline gear at this thing, less stuff for us to deal with. Get there, check out amp while loading stage, and had to shake my head. Dusty looking SWR 2x10 combo with matching 2x10 extension cab. Seriously? I can tell just by looking at it that it will a) sound decent at best (if it worked) and b) if it did work, probably wouldn't work for long. Whatever. Plugged in and took awhile to dial in tone, mainly because of the interview taking place with band that played before us, blaring through the PA. Let's just say it was a band that's been doing it for a long time but are neither intersting nor all that good. But they carried themselves like rockstars and the interviewer was totally kissing their asses. It was kinda funny, good for them to have some rockstar treatment or something. Whatever.

So finally get to soundcheck and start. Bass amp clipping badly. Dies halfway through first song. So I do the only appropriate thing which is signal sound guy that the amp is gone and mime some Pete Townsend windmills, just to keep it visually interesting. Took a considerable amount of self-restraint to not kick the damn thing over. But then remembered it wasn't my amp to kick over, heh. So they DI me and run me through PA and my monitors. Which sounded like ass when I could hear them, but usually coudn't. Have all this stage to run around on, why stand in front of my monitors just so I can hear myself, heh! We still threw down and had a good show. Tessmer's amp lasted entire set at least, heh.

As you can tell from this Blog I go through a lot of bass gear. It can be argued I am too hard on my gear but whatever. My roots are from the early 70's, back when bass players weren't pussies \m/,

Tonight is Eric Tessmer Band live recording at Antone's with Dixie Witch, Amp Heat and J Wesley Haynes Trio. Gotta go, still have a song by Eric's dad to learn for soundcheck and the show tonight. 2:04 pm now and I gotta load in at 4pm.

Gotta run.