Topic: What are usually the consequences of getting caught?

[reorocks]

What happens if you get caught stealth taping if the band or venue dosen't allow taping?

[Dede2002]

What happens if you get caught stealth taping if the band or venue dosen't allow taping?

Be prepared for everything. There's no rule.

[greenone]

Your legal options are to leave the venue without them taking anything, or to do what Moke said. Surrender the ticket or surrender the recording - and don't surrender anything else, especially gear, if you ever want to see it again. Venue security has no right to detain you - all they can do is ask you to leave.

[stevetoney]

Actually, I think that there ARE rules, but the reality is that there's the legal world and there's the real world.  When you're in the club, there's only side that matters...the real world.

I'll leave the legal world discussion to the experts.

In the real world, the consequences are whatever the situation dictates and warrants.  You are usually left at your own devices to figure out what those consequences are and, to a certain degree, you have some control to determine what they might be.

For example, some people are agressive and try to state their right to record and argue the situation out.  Well, that's just a losing strategy.

Others are totally passive.  In other words, if you get caught, you simply pack up without any questions asked and head for the doors as quickly as possible to prevent 'a situation' from happening.  Personally, I stealthed in the old days, and I got nabbed twice and this was my strategy because frankly, I figured I had too much money wrapped up in my gear to risk it to the situation.  I'd rather have all my gear safely in my car than risk having it damaged or attempting being confiscated by someone...simply for the sake of getting a recording.

In any case, the bottom line is NEVER give up your gear.  Give up the tapes, give up the batteries, etc. but don't give up gear.  In fact, NEVER let anyone else even touch your gear, because they might rip it apart when they remove the tapes.  While you might have a legal recourse, you really have no practical recourse to being compensated by the club if your gear gets ruined.

So, that's a long introduction to the specific answer to your question, but the usual consquences to getting caught are usually that you'd get a verbal scolding and hand over the recording to the bouncer...you may or may not get kicked out of the performance.  

If you make a scene, it'll make it easier for them to remember you so that you could be singled out in the future at the same club.  

If the club is taper friendly and you're in violation of club rules (taping a non-taper friendly band?), you could be jeopardizing future taper friendliness or specific policies related to taping for other tapers at that particular venue.

[sparkey]

and don't surrender anything else, especially gear, if you ever want to see it again.

Mr. Twister lost his rig due to security taking it at the Pepsi Center in Denver several years while recording - get this - Backstreet Boys or NSync or some shit for his kid.  Seems like it was some dynamic mics and a d8 that went bye bye.

[acidjack]

What happens if you get caught stealth taping if the band or venue dosen't allow taping?

I hope this doesn't violate the "discussing stealth" rule since this isn't about low-profile technique, so much as what happens afterward... but apologies if that's not the case.

The only time I got caught was at the 9:30 Club in DC back in '97 (Foo Fighters). Back then this venue was very anti-taping.  They were pretty angry/intense about it (as their security was about most things-- constantly shining flashlights on people, sending guys through the crowd, etc.).  I did not argue with them.  I took the DAT out, handed it to them, and told them I was leaving.  Before I left they also marked my hands with giant black X's, which seemed kind of dramatic to me, but anyway, that was that.  I think the other advice here is good.  Just leave, and be respectful. 

Bottom line is, no venue can legally detain you and they'll have a very tough time preventing you from leaving as long as you give them the recording.  With digital nowadays, does that mean giving them the SD card? I have no idea. 

My sense, purely anecdotal, is that recording concerts is a less pressing concern to the music industry these days given that you can steal an artists' entire catalog in about 20 minutes on the Internet.  I think the industry has (rightly) moved to a point where they see generally see ardent fans who buy tickets, talk about music, and spread the word about artists through fan-created recordings as an asset, or at least less of a threat, than the criminals (including all those college kids and others who do this constantly) who steal MP3s of legitimate releases, which I find inexcusable given how easy it is now to pay for good-quality MP3s.  Maybe music venues still care to some degree, but my impression is that they only ever really cared because they didn't want to see "bootlegs" (which I define as illegally manufactured commercially released CDs/DVDs/video/vinyl/tapes of live recordings) coming out of their venue and for that to cause bands to shy from playing there/their booking people to shy from booking them there.  I think now bands are happy to have the exposure and happy to have fans who want to listen to them.  Look at Metallica - those guys fought everything about MP3 tooth and nail, but they allow open taping.  Whatever the merits of their opposition to MP3 and iTunes in the past, I think their perspective - taping = good publicity/exposure/ultimately revenue generation / stealing MP3s = hard to stop, pure profit theft - is correct.

I don't get the sense that checking for low-profile recording setups is a priority at venues I go to these days; but then, it may be a function of the bands I happen to listen to.  Your mileage may vary.

[Belexes]

With digital nowadays, does that mean giving them the SD card? I have no idea.

I think people have had to show security that the files were being deleted and not had the memory card taken away.

I think of what I use to carry into shows and I just couldn't imagine getting popped in a venue these days.  No more tape flips, no more changing batteries, and most of the flash recorders fit in the palm of your hand.  You almost have to wear a sign that says TAPER HERE, but YMMV depending on the venues you frequent.

[stevetoney]

don't get the sense that checking for low-profile recording setups is a priority at venues I go to these days; but then, it may be a function of the bands I happen to listen to.  Your mileage may vary.

I agree with most everything you said, but that paradigm that you describe is how it is here in the US.  In other parts of the world, it's still pretty much taboo to record live shows...think back about 15 years where, if you flew a pair of mics people would look at you like you'd just escaped from the state pen, while still dressed in a striped uniform.

[Chuck]

With digital nowadays, does that mean giving them the SD card? I have no idea.

I think people have had to show security that the files were being deleted and not had the memory card taken away.

I think of what I use to carry into shows and I just couldn't imagine getting popped in a venue these days.  No more tape flips, no more changing batteries, and most of the flash recorders fit in the palm of your hand.  You almost have to wear a sign that says TAPER HERE, but YMMV depending on the venues you frequent.

Maybe carry a DAT tape on you, to use as a decoy?

[page]

Maybe carry a DAT tape on you, to use as a decoy?

Just beware of it backfiring on you.

If your going to pursue that avenue, might want to invest some time and packing space into making it look a little more legit (that you were recording with DAT) otherwise why would you have a tape when they didn't see you pull one out of your machine... I know there are some stupid security people, but I personally wouldn't want to get into the situation of trying to pawn off a trick which could lead to a situation.

[sparkey]

Maybe carry a DAT tape on you, to use as a decoy?

Just beware of it backfiring on you.

If your going to pursue that avenue, might want to invest some time and packing space into making it look a little more legit (that you were recording with DAT) otherwise why would you have a tape when they didn't see you pull one out of your machine... I know there are some stupid security people, but I personally wouldn't want to get into the situation of trying to pawn off a trick which could lead to a situation.

Ain't nothin' new, I've known people to carry a spare DAT to give up should the need arise.  Not such a bad idea to have a 2nd copy running anyway.

[cybergaloot]

Maybe carry a DAT tape on you, to use as a decoy?

Just beware of it backfiring on you.

If your going to pursue that avenue, might want to invest some time and packing space into making it look a little more legit (that you were recording with DAT) otherwise why would you have a tape when they didn't see you pull one out of your machine... I know there are some stupid security people, but I personally wouldn't want to get into the situation of trying to pawn off a trick which could lead to a situation.

Carry something like a 128MB SD card and give them that. That's no loss. Unless they know how big it should be, they'd probably accept it.

[cybergaloot]

Look at Metallica - those guys fought everything about MP3 tooth and nail, but they allow open taping.  Whatever the merits of their opposition to MP3 and iTunes in the past, I think their perspective - taping = good publicity/exposure/ultimately revenue generation / stealing MP3s = hard to stop, pure profit theft - is correct.

What was stupid about Metallica was that THEY were into tape trading back before they got famous. They've said so in interviews. I can see not liking people sharing commercial stuff but how many of those tapes they traded were auds and how many were commercial? I mean, look at those guys, does anyone think they obeyed the rules back then? Hypocrites!

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

Led Zeppelin security used to smash your gear and then beat the shit out of you...  There's a story about Peter Grant beating the crap out of some guy that had a microphone at a LedZep show.  Turns out the guy was a local cop with a Decibel Meter...  Oops!

Terry

[gewwang]

I've heard similar stories about people getting busted taping the boss.

And Metallica hasn't been open taping for about 12 years.

[Chuck]

Led Zeppelin security used to smash your gear and then beat the shit out of you...  There's a story about Peter Grant beating the crap out of some guy that had a microphone at a LedZep show.  Turns out the guy was a local cop with a Decibel Meter...  Oops!

Terry

That's a good ploy... the old, I'm checking the sound pressure level in here, trick.

[Belexes]

And Metallica hasn't been open taping for about 12 years.

They were open around '91-'92 and then I think the policy was changed for no good reason.  I had a taper ticket for them in '91.  Lars says that with their soundboard recordings people don't need to bring in gear and do their own recording. Appears he is a soundboard snob and hasn't heard a good audience pull. Then again, his ears must have damage because he thinks Death Magnetic isn't distorted.

[easyed]

I was eventually banned from the [insert venue name#1 here] for making recordings without the permission of a band. It took me over a year before the manager of the club would even let me come to any show there, wouldn't even let me enter the building.

Now, fast forward about a decade. Ani DiFranco had guest listed me and given me permission to make a recording (audience only) of her show at another local venue [#2]. Everyone was very nice, I had Neumann KM54s and my DAT set up next to the soundboard. Well, I knew the guy who was running the lights and it turned out the lighting booth got a feed from the soundboard so they could keep track of the show and know when to do what, lighting wise. So he and I are in that room, with the door shut, setting up another DAT machine to get that feed (stealth). Getting some buzz in the signal, trying to figure out why and how to fix it. Well, in walks my buddy's boss. And his boss' boss. And his boss's boss' boss. Saying 'What the hell do you think you're doing?" (Cost my buddy his job, though he said he didn't care). So then the manager of the entire venue [#2] takes me outside the lighting booth and is chewing me out good "Ani was good enough to guest list you and give you permission to make an audience tape and this is how you act?" etc. Ten minutes solid he's chewing me out, and guess who walks up as he's doing so? Well it's the venue [#2] manager's friend, the former manager of The [insert venue name#1 here], the guy who banned me from The [insert venue name#1 here], to hear me get the lecturing. [insert venue name#1 here] manager tells his friend how he banned me. Yikes! For a year or two after that, whenever I'd go to that venue [#2], they would assign a person or two to follow me wherever I went and watch me like a hawk to make sure I wasn't doing anything I shouldn't. Thankfully, the venue [#2] was sold, new management now who don't recognize me, hehehe!

Another time, at this as yet unnamed venue [#2], I successfully made a stealth audience recording.  My main concern was not the ushers, who are mostly looking for pot smokers, but the other audience members, who in recent years seem to contain higher numbers of rat finks.  My buddy was a few seats away, stealthing with a virtually identical rig, and an audience member finked on him.  As he was leaving the hall, they stopped him and demanded the tape.  He said what are you talking about and demanded to be allowed to leave.  They followed him as he went to the parking lot and got in his car, still demanding the tape.  Then they stood around his car and wouldn't let him pull out of the parking lot.  This went on for awhile, with the addition of the (famous national artist's) road manager, until the sheriff showed up.  Says to my buddy, so do you want to give up the tape or spend the night in jail and then talk to the judge in the morning, even if he let's you off?  So my buddy, realizing what he should have done an hour ago, gives up the tape.

Fast forward a night or two.  Same artist playing another city an hour and a half away.  My friend gets inside the venue, is settling down into his seat (with his rig) and security comes up and tells him he is no longer welcome at shows by [the as yet unnamed famous national artist].  They had been on the lookout for him.  He says he really regrets not surrendering the tape at first request at the previous gig, as that would have allowed him to remain anonymous, as status he lost with that as yet unnamed famous national artist.

Myself, as soon as the show ends, I take out the tape, hide it, and put a decoy in the deck.

There was a period when I would do stealth soundboards!  Get my gear in and secretly connect to the board!  Successfully.  Repeatedly.  But once, at a long weekend festival, I returned to the board area and found my gear still there but unplugged.  I promptly gathered it up.  Nobody said a word but if looks could kill...  Kinda a rude thing of me to have done in those days, stealth soundboards, especially now that I'm on the other end, being paid to do multitracks on behalf of artists and record companies, etc., and knowing that the one time someone plugged into my gear at a festival, where I was recording for a radio station, without asking, I got very pissed - in fact I still hold a grudge against the band whose 'archivist' did that without asking.

Aren't you glad you asked?

[Scooter123]

Don't have nearly the story that Easy Ed has, but here it goes...

But got caught coming into a Boz concert in Chicago in the 70's.  We'd have decoys carry the stuff in with the tapers doing the blocking.  When caught, we played keep away with a Sony deck.  Seriously, a series of 10 foot forward passes down the arena. 

Mikes got through, and ultimately the rig was passed down to me in the aisle.  Security was frigging pumped up and scoured the place like a prison shake down. 

Once the music started, it took a small squad of goons to get to us, and the Sony unit was passed around (again).  Not a very good tape that night.  Did get the opening--Lowdown though.  Great version, I must admit.   

In my EC and ABB days, we just bribed the showco roadies with drugs.  An eighth of powder or some Thai sticks, and you were golden.  They were all cool, so long as you didn't (old expression) "front yourself off to the man."

With modern caps, digital bit boxes, lithium batteries, and 16g sd cards, you'd have to be pretty stoned to caught these days.  Set it and forget it as the Ronco commercial said. 

[Dede2002]

What happens if you get caught stealth taping if the band or venue dosen't allow taping?

By this time you have lots of stories.
Conclusion: don't get caught.

[rsimms3]

I was denied once....couldn't convince the security at the gate that my JB3 was a CD player.  "No electronic devices allowed".  Period.  Even with the story that I was dropped off at the venue and had no place to put it for the show, she said I could leave it at the front with all the other crap not allowed (long wallet chains, large key clips, studded arm bands, etc) or possibly ask an EMT to put it in their ambulance.  I just took the gear back to the car and went back to the show.  Irony was, my friend got the show but on the way out was approached by an usher outside the building.  The guy tried to get us to go back in, kept asking for the gear, etc.  He tried to give this long as spiel about it being illegal, etc.  My friend gave me his JB3 slyly and I walked off property and we met up later so I could return it. 

[notsofast]

Like Moke, I got busted in the early 80's at the Greek in Berkely before they allowed open taping. Second set, I get asked for the tape and batteries. I gve them up, smiled and made nice. After the show as I was leaving and saw Healy chatted a bit and gave me a SBD copy of the show. I asked him why he took mine in the first place,he said he wanted to hear what it sounded like from where I was.

The moral of ths story,you never know, be kind and have a back up plan.

Tim

[B-GREEN]

I asked him why he took mine in the first place,he said he wanted to hear what it sounded like from where I was.

The moral of ths story,you never know, be kind and have a back up plan.

Tim

Thats classic, good ol healy. Thanks for contributing to the good mix on that show 

[acidjack]

Huh. I stand corrected re: Metallica.  I feel like I have a tape of them from 1997 or later - maybe even 1999 - recorded with an AKG414 rig that definitely could not be stealthed.

Anyway, my point is the same - I think it makes logical sense for bands to strongly oppose the sharing of their official releases.  But taping, especially in today's environment, is a promotional tool (unless your band is terrible live, I guess).

And Metallica hasn't been open taping for about 12 years.

They were open around '91-'92 and then I think the policy was changed for no good reason.  I had a taper ticket for them in '91.  Lars says that with their soundboard recordings people don't need to bring in gear and do their own recording. Appears he is a soundboard snob and hasn't heard a good audience pull. Then again, his ears must have damage because he thinks Death Magnetic isn't distorted.

[Arni99]

I personally never got caught since my 1st taping session in early 1987...back then I was using teh Sony Professional tape recorder , but lots of guys around me got caught.
Done more than a 100 shows since then.
My advice:
Use the samllest but best gear you can get.
I use DPA4061 and SP-CMC-8 mics with my iriver H120 or any other small flash-card-based recording device.
In my area there are even clubs that don´t have any securities at all. At this places it would be easy to record with more professional gear like phantom powered DPA 402x or Schoeps mics.

[Dede2002]

I personally never got caught since my 1st taping session in early 1987...back then I was using teh Sony Professional tape recorder , but lots of guys around me got caught.
Done more than a 100 shows since then.
My advice:
Use the samllest but best gear you can get.
I use DPA4061 and SP-CMC-8 mics with my iriver H120 or any other small flash-card-based recording device.
In my area there are even clubs that don´t have any securities at all. At this places it would be easy to record with more professional gear like phantom powered DPA 402x or Schoeps mics.

Same thing here  .
The smaller the better.
Portable and stealthable are not the same thing IMHO.

[guyaume]

I am from Quebec (Canada) and here taping is really easy. In both small and big venues, I've never been caught. In fact, people juste doesn't care.
I can set up my rig in front of everyone without being interrupted or bothered. Maybe it's a cultural matter... Anyway, I have been able to do stealth at bars, clubs, concert halls, stadiums, festivals without being checked by security or asked to leave. One time, I was setting up my rig at a small bar gig and one of the musician spotted me. He came to me and asked what I was doing. I told him I was a fan of his music and that I liked the feeling of live gigs. I told him I wanted to capture his live energy and be able to listen to it after. I also told him that I wasn't going to sell any of my recordings. He then told me he was flattered and finally asked me if I could give him a copy of the tape (I said yes!).
The next week, the guy has put me on a guest list for a show where I was the only one allowed to tape. I gave him a copy of both recordings and this day my Open Taping Career started!

I do less and less stealth taping because I enjoy too much having the liberty to set up my rig where I really want. I don't get to be the human mic stand anymore!
Smaller venues are the best for open taping. Why is that? Simply because it's more easy to talk to the artists or to the manager. You simply explain what you want to do. Most of the bands are really flattered that you want to record them, and some other will just don't care but will let you tape anyway. What is the worst thing that could happen? They could say no. If so, there is always the possibility to do stealth. ;-)

Also, don't forget the power of Myspace.com. Every band has it's myspace. Send them a message where you ask them if you can tape at their next venue. You could be surprised how open minded are the bands.
Be nice and clear. Don't be an asshole and you'll probably end up open taping one of your favourite band. Maybe you'll tape some more of their shows too. Try it, you don't risk much!

Love,

Guyaume

[run_run_run]

prisOWN

[page]

Led Zeppelin security used to smash your gear and then beat the shit out of you...  There's a story about Peter Grant beating the crap out of some guy that had a microphone at a LedZep show.  Turns out the guy was a local cop with a Decibel Meter...  Oops!

Terry

I believe that was Vancouver between 69-71. I was really big into Zeppelin collecting for a while and I remember coming across the story.

[MSTaper]

I've only stealthed a couple shows and they didn't involve security. Well, one did, but there was not problem.

I primarily tape openly around my hometown and I've never had a band, local or visiting, turn down a request to tape. In some cases, nobody even asks. It's like they don't notice the 8-foot stand with mics on the top. I do owe several people some discs, through. Behind on my mailing!


MSTaper

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

Just use the force. If you're not a Jedi...you should visit this guy...you can find him in the Degobah System



Security dude: Do you have any recording or camera equipment in your bag?

Me: No.

Security dude: Okay, have a nice night.

[china_rider]

I've been kicked out a few times at shows that let the gear in but then all of a sudden became anti-taping.  The only time I have been caught and had a major hassle at a show that was non taping was at Ziggy Marley/311/and 3 other no name bands   Even though 311 was OK with it ZM made it a no taping show.  I should have known there would be issues from the lot.  Relatives of ZM were going around the lot and busting anyone that sold shirts etc with any kind of Marley type design.   I got in with no problems and started to set up my gear.  As soon as I started to raise my stand security pounced on me.  I had 6-8 security guards surrounding me plus one of the Marley clan yelling at me about how what I was about to do was totally illegal.  They made me pack up and were asking for my gear.  I packed up immediately and headed for the exit pretty much trying to ignore them all and guarding everything I brought with me.  They hassled me all the way to the gate.  Once I was outside the venue they had two guards in a golf cart follow me back to my Jeep.   At first they parked the golf cart right behind my car so I could not leave the lot.  After 15-20 min I got out of the Jeep and basically told the guards that what I was doing was not illegal but that their detaining me was.  After going back and forth I told them that I was sure that I was in the right and if they did not agree to call the cops.  They did not disagree, but did not call the cops.  Eventually I said something along the line of 'You are illegally detaining me, I've been pretty laid back up to this point, but I'm about to call the cops and my lawyer (Like I have one... Hah) in that order."  At that point they got in the golf cart and drove away and I went home.  Total pain in the ass.

EDIT:
I've never even been close to being caught with my low pro rig.

[rhinowing]

Led Zeppelin security used to smash your gear and then beat the shit out of you...  There's a story about Peter Grant beating the crap out of some guy that had a microphone at a LedZep show.  Turns out the guy was a local cop with a Decibel Meter...  Oops!

Terry

I believe that was Vancouver between 69-71. I was really big into Zeppelin collecting for a while and I remember coming across the story.

iirc this was 3/21/70 (the mudslide show)

[DaveH]

I got busted twice at the Trocadero in Philly. The first time wasn't really a bust, they found something on the patdown, asked if it was a pager and I told them yes. (I never knew a pager was the size of a Radio Shack Cassette Recorder.)
 
Second time was at an Anthrax show in 2000 and I was being completely careless having the recorder in plain sight. I tried to use the pager excuse again but it didn't work. They took the recorder but allowed me to stay and said I could pick it up on my way out. Oddly enough they gave me back the recorder tape in tact and the first four songs were still there along with the audio of me getting busted. After listening a little closer I could hear some snitch ratting me out beforehand. Anyway the entire evening sucked to begin with as I missed the majority of the opening acts and ended up with a total of eight songs (Four from Fu Manchu, four from Anthrax.)

My next trip there came six months later as a waste of time since Motorhead cancelled at the last minute! Making matters worse I decided not to stick around and later found out that the two supports (Nashville Pussy and The Supersuckers) did play their sets that night.

[George]

Snitches....these people would sell out their family members if we were a totalitarian society....

Anyway, I've never been busted.  I've had close calls with security, but no biggie. 

[nameloc01]

The Mudslide show is in my top 3 favorite Zep shows.

[Humbug]

Mine too! Most people ignore this show for some reason, but it's killer. Shame it's incomplete.

Try the Montreaux show from 7 March also.

[nameloc01]

^ that particular version of "SIBLY" is sick. I actually have a "Masters Series" silver of that show..I always found it weird that inside sleeve has a photo of Page,naked, with his crotch covered in cow intestines..while Pamela DesBarres is kneeling down in front of him pretending(?) to eat it. It was obviously shot professionally. Very strange.

[westkc3]

I've been "caught" four times since I began taping in 1978.  First time was in Kansas City at a free concert "in" Brush Creek.  It was a Ramsey Lewis show.  I was using a JVC 1636 MarkII casette recorder.  I had a ghetto rig with two aluminum poles anchored into a 4 x 4 block of wood angled out at about 45 degrees.  Attached to the poles were a couple Shure mics I borrowed from a friend, no clips, good old duct tape.  So we're rolling along nicely and having a great time when about 45 minutes into the show this guy walks up and presses the stop button.  I was so surprised I had no chance to stop him but I and two of my compatriots jumped up like there had been an explosion and I literally yelled at the guy "what the f*** are you doing.  He steps back and says "no recording".  To which I responded, keep your hands off of my s***.  He repeats "no recording" and I said "I heard you, and you don't touch my equipment again understand" and he walks away.  I look around and there are numerous individuals with small hand held recorders,  the micro cassette type generally.  So I hit record and begin to take my sweet time taking the rig down first slowly folding up the blanket, then taking a breather and finising my drink and putting the food and drink into the cooler.  It must have taken me 30 - 40 minutes befor I actually began taking down the equipment.

The next day I called the Parks & Rec office as they had sponsered the series.  I proceeded to ream them out for having singled me out to which they responded that mine was the only "professional" equipment being used.  I had a good laugh at that and told them that it was rediculous to have such a half ass policy and that one man's trash is another man's treasure and I would continue to record at the series until a clear policy was published.  Next show, Asleep At The Wheel, no problem.  Next show, Pat Metheny, no problem.  Guess they got the message.

Next time was at Universal Lending Pavilion, Denver.  I had a pair odf SP-CMC-22 mics mounted in heavy gauge wire in a T shape.  I held these just under my chin.  All was well until the next to last song when an usher waks up leans into the isle and says "put it away". Caught that load and clear on the recording and always have a good chuckle when I hear it.

Two months later, same venue, two ushers walk up to me and one says there's no recording allowed.  I tell him that I'd checked online and the artist allowed taping.  He said that was not correct and politely asked me to stop.  Interestingly enough, the one who didn't say a word was the one who had busted me the first time at that venue.

Fast forward to 2007, Paramount Theater. Get to the show, set up the rig, 1st row balcony.  Record the entire show and I'm taking my time taking down the rig when again an usher walks up and says, "I see you were recording."  I say yes.  He proceeds to tell me that there was no recording allowed.  I tell him the artist is open taping.  He walks away an returns a couple minutes later and tells me that he checked and security said no taping.  So I say ok, show him the file in the H120, show him the delete option and I delete "a" file.  He sems satisfied and walks away.  I quickly teat down, pack up and rush out of the theater. 

I have found that at my age (50+), venue personnel take a much different tact than they did when I was younger.

[wevodau]

I figure I'll add my 0.02.  I've been busted once at at Josh Ritter show at the Parish in Austin.  The buster was Josh's sound guy, as far as I could tell.  Oddly, when I got there, I talked to one of the house sound people who I had talked to a bit at another show a few months prior and she let me patch in.  Anyway, moral is that Josh isn't cool with SBD patches.  I kept my gear (and the AUD recording) and they kept the SBD copy.  No worries.

I was also busted weeks after-the-fact by one of James McMurtry's guys via email.  I had seen recordings floating around EZT/DIME when I taped him at the Cactus in '05 or '06 so I figured he was cool with it.  He wasn't.  I should have asked.  I buried that recording in the back of my collection never to be heard again.

90% of the artists I tape are local to Austin and I've gotten to know the personnel at the clubs - Stubb's, Threadgill's, Momo's, Cheatham Street, Mean Eyed Cat, Cactus Cafe, Continental Club, Jovita's - well enough that they're usually very obliging to whatever I'm inclined to do (SBD, AUD, MTX) as long it's not intrusive to people enjoying the show.

In my experience, the club folks have been very cool with me recording as long as the band is ok with it.  With touring acts, when possible I always ask - to make sure their policy hasn't changed.  This prevents what could be an uncomfortable situation later.

[sparkey]

position your cables discreetly (worded in accordance with ts policy :-)

Snitches....

[gmm6797]

position your cables discreetly (worded in accordance with ts policy :-)

I hear the STEALTH bomber is making a come back

[powermonkey]

Only time I've ever come close to being busted was when a friend of mine had a run-in with a particularly drunken bitch at a Babyshambles show.... her reaction to being asked to chill out and stop deliberately jumping into people (nowhere near the 'pit', probably 60 yards from the stage) was firstly to get her boyfriend and tell him to hit my friend (which thankfully he didn't) and secondly to go get a security guy and tell him we were illegally filming the show. He wasn't best pleased, so my pal put away her camera and I unplugged and switched off - partly because I thought he'd take the taping more seriously than the filming, but mainly because I'd got a crystal clear tape of the drunken tart and the security guy.

Fucking pain in the arse, that was.... next thing I knew, Shane Magowan had come on for an awesome version of Dirty Old Town.