I'm sure some are wondering what the hell AC has got to do with taping... please bare with me and you'll see.
I was taping a show last night (classic rock band UFO) in a modern night club (mostly dance music / hip hop - not really ideal for taping...). It had a really high ceiling (30 feet) and was around 50 feet wide and 200 feet long. The stage was at the end of the venue and the speakers were hanging down from the ceiling (both sides of the stage had three tall speakers stacked on top of each other), and they were canted inward and slightly downward a bit. I set up at the tip of the triangle around 25 feet in front of the stage.
I was happy with the sound where I was at, but not happy with all the yap and clapping - so after 30 minutes I decided to move up to the balcony at the back of the venue. I had already checked out the sound up there during the warmup band and it sounded very good. In fact, after I got up there and started taping, I thought it sounded just as good as it did down on the floor. BUT there were only a few people up there (one clapper though...) and none of the yappers.
So everything was really good. And to make it all the more sweeter - there was an air conditioner up there providing some much needed relief from the heat. I couldn't have asked for more.
Now for the bad part... that nice little stream of cool air blowing out the AC is on the tape. Every now and then I felt a little breeze - but never thought anything about it at the time. It sounds just like I was recording on a windy day... real bummer. Take away the wind noise and it would have been the sweetest tape I've ever captured.
Live and learn.............