Topic: How do I get a SBD patch at the Great American Music Hall?

[Zaphod]

Hi,

   Sorry if the topic sounds stupid. I am attending the Mother Hips show in San Francisco on 4/16 at the Great American Music Hall.

   This particular venue is ANAL about taping. I spoke with someone at the venue and they told me that its up to the band (no prob there). Then she asked if I was planning on running AUD or SBD. I said SBD and she said that there policy is to charge $150 bucks for a patch!

   So if anyone out there knows the real scoop, please help me out. This just seems ridiculous. I am wondering if anyone pulls tapes ther regularly or if I can get past this policy nonsense.

Thanks.

[nickgregory]

this actually happns at a handful of venues....there was one in CT if I remember right...I think for the circumstance I heard, the band payed that fee....in order for folks to tape...but I would not count on that...

[Tim]

this happens in NYC on occassion because of the strong union presence in a lot of the venues.

[Zaphod]

Yeah I searched the DAT-Heads archive and found info about it. Alot of it did come down to it being about the Union presence at that venue.

From that info I gathered that people have got past the policy if the band vouches for them. You basically have to walk in with them at load in.

I wonder really if this policy stems from a some tapers that have been unfriendly to managment or the sound guys at one time?

If no one chimes in with some solid info I guess I'll email the bands managment to see what will happen.

[jimmc]

I think you should let the band know about it either way. I think its a bunch of crap (not your question, but the fact that some clubs charge for a SBD patch) , but I dont doubt the unions have a hand in it. Cant hurt to email the band and let them know what the venue has told you.
Jim

[nic]

I know Knitting Factory(main space) in NYC does that for sbd patches...
not a union thing there, just a $$ thing

at 9:30 in DC, you dont have to pay(for a simple 2 channel sbd feed), but you have to sign waivers, etc...

[cleantone]

A lot ot venues do this actually. It is usually overlooked. It's more common for doing multitrack though, usually (in my experience) they overlook it for an archive board tape but if you want to do a live album it can run over $1000 easy. It's pretty commonly $250 for direct outputs on each channel. This is only for people affiliated with the band. I mean you can't just pay and take a multitrack if your not hired or with the band or whatever. I would assume the same for SBD. If your expecting a patch you should have the tour manager or band in full knowledge. It sounds like you do right? I would just have the tour manager introduce you to the engineer and tell the engineer your their to archieve the show for THEM. The rest is up to the soundman. Defintly does not HAVE to let you record either.

Good luck!

[Zaphod]

I emailed the band's manager today.

Hopefully they'll all be cool about it. These days folks will try and take you for everything it seems. I will post an update about what went down!

I forgot to add, thanks for all who replied!

[jhirte]

I taped the Melvins at the GAMH early March.  Was sorta a hassle, had to talk to the manager of the club thru the box office window and got him to clear me thru the band. Only to find out that Mr. V.P. of the SF crew was taping them as well.. heh. I was told no stands and I'd be barred to the balcony.. yeah, the ass end of the balcony. Ran stand anyway (maybe at 4ft to clear the railing) in the upper tier of the balcony.
I guess Vinny was running SBD, although I didn't know until after I had my rig setup and my D8 patched outta his..
oh well. I dont think he had to pay for a SBD since he was with the band, but maybe if you talk to the band ahead to get clearance ? make it seem yr with the band... <shrug>

good luck!!

-Jim

[Zaphod]

All I have to say about that experience is FUCK!

They told me that I could record,but not set anything up, and that if I wanted a board patch I'd have to pay $150!

I ended up using a piece of my stand to boom over the balcony. My recording had dropouts from the mic cord getting constantly messed with, so I don't have a tradeable copy.

Come to find out the bands webmaster ran a DAT from the board that night. I am going to trade him for it.

End note: if your not with the band, just don't even bother trying to talk them into it. They are the biggest bunch of unfriendly rude people I have ever met. It almost seems like they expend more energy keeping tapers/taping out, than its even worth to at least let one or two stands in a section per show.

[greenone]

Sounds like they basically stuck to their policy... sucks the band couldn't help out more...

[jhirte]

sounds familiar! they told me after I had them check with the band , that I could tape, but only from balcony.. no stand..
wtf.
Did they do announcements re fire exits at the show??? they kept giving them for the Melvins show.. kinda funny.. I think that may be why they dont want a rig? or mebby if the house is full ?

[Zaphod]

Yeah they gave me the whole fire exit restrictions and what not. It was sold out.

But what would the harm be in plugging one cable into the board? They probably have the $150 policy in place to discourage everyone.

Who the hell would pay that?

Even still I think they should allow at least one stand in per show, anymore than that would cause problems. There are probably a bunch of tapers in the San Fran area that they just can't deal with everyone's stuff everywhere.  

[herrmann2burn]

This very thing happened to me last night.
I went to record Clutch at Irving Plaza in NYC. I had permission to run a SBD Matrix.  Before Clutch came on the House Soundman asked me if i was only recording the first 3 songs.  I told him i was gonna run the whole show and i had permission from the band.  He then had to confirm with another person and the other guy told me that i could only run for through the board for the first 3 songs, or else Clutch would have to pay the Almighty CLEAR CHANNEL $200.
I told them i would just run my mics then.
Oh well, Im gonna run the SBD Matrix in Philly for Clutch on Saturday at the Troc.  I dont think ill have a problem there, ive run it before there.

[melmac]

yeah...i've found most venues that charge are the one's that offer bands live recordings for a fee. the most i've paid for a sbd was 10 bucks (whether in nyc or nj), but even then i didn't get a patch since the the venue's recording gear was hooked up to the xlr/rca ports on the board. they gave me a  cd burned from the soundboards internal hd. i totally understand, as they don't want to lose money for a service they normally provide for a fee. but 150-250 bucks seems pretty absurd.