Police, Caution Tape?? Something?? (Serious Question)

[joel]

glowsticks on the mast and legs of the stand

A good idea that works; I've done it a few times, too.  What I didn't anticipate was some drunk chick repeated trying to pick up the glowstick, not realizing it was firmly attached to the leg of the stand. 

Funny you mention that, I had some drunk guy stagger up to my stand during a show last summer and he started removing the glowstick from the front leg of my stand until I grabbed his hand to stop him.  He then apologized but geez what are these people thinking, it's not like the glowstick was laying on the ground.   

Never fails that some spunion tries to grab it when I use this method.  My black stand, particularly at night timeslot festival sets can be hazardous otherwise.  Indoors I try to superclamp everywhere I go these days.

Has no one ordered custom Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) tape from one of the places that does custom caution tape?  I would totally buy a roll or two.

[chinariderstl]

Has no one ordered custom Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) tape from one of the places that does custom caution tape?  I would totally buy a roll or two.

I would *totally* order that!

[kubacheck]

if you're taping in the UK, to keep people from trying to step through the open area where your mic stand is, you might try one of those "Mind The Gap" signs....

[cashandkerouac]

i purchased some neon glow tape from B&H and have it on my stands.  it doesn't glow very well, but it's plenty bright so that you can see it in very dim lighting.  not perfect, but it works pretty well.   

[F.O.Bean]

i purchased some neon glow tape from B&H and have it on my stands.  it doesn't glow very well, but it's plenty bright so that you can see it in very dim lighting.  not perfect, but it works pretty well.   

That would just draw  in the wookies/talkers in Pittsburgh

[Hypnocracy]

I'm thinking a small piece of PlexiGlass-Grease Pencil-small plate easle (like the wife uses to display decorative plates over the cabinet's) and a flashing LED...

Last Saturday I clamped to a table in the sweet spot...now I was alone at the table...but within 30min Two Sorostitutes and their Fratty dates had parked there slamming beers on the table and talking thru the songs about their social calender....THIS IS HAPPENING WHILE I'M AT THE TABLE....after about 90 seconds of this I turn toward them (looking to the back of the bar) with a shit eating grin...look up at the Microphones....look back at them with shit eating grin...this goes on for a while...they finally get the message and move on...

Later that night two lone Sorostitutes park directly under my microphone...I mean right under them beside the clamp and extension pole...but these two will not get the message from my shit eating grin...at the end of the song I finally told them "I'm sorry and really don't want to be a ass....but those are microphones and if you don't want your conversation recorded and put on the internet for the rest of time could you move 5ft away" oh the look I got...daggers...bitch

It was sad that the first group had the hottest girl in the bar...5'9"...long blond hair...a dress that went 2in below her crotch....Legs that went right up to her behind...I hate to be the middle aged creep but hey...I got over it...

[it-goes-to-eleven]

Sometimes the stand is a visual reference point that they can use to find their friends.  "We'll be at that pole in the middle!"   It helps when they stagger back from the bar in the dark, etc.

I had a great example of that at an outdoor Yonder show, in the middle of the crowd.  It was just the Zman and I (obligatory Zman reference!).  After the opener we decided to move forward.   Part of the intent was to get better sound, and also hopefully be surrounded by people who were more into the show. I tend to think people at the back are more casual and less into the music, etc.

Anyway, these folks who were near the stand were in a bit of a tizzy and moved with me.  I was a little wtf?  And they said they were using it as a reference marker with their friends.  It was a bit of a rough show, and they did help with the blocking.

How about the people who, when you are trying to block, try to insist on cutting between you and your stand?  I guess the theory is that it is easier to squeeze between one person and a fixed object, than it is to squeeze between two shoulder to shoulder people.  Yo, bro - I am a Mama Grizzly, and that stand is my cub.  Do not try and come between us!

[F.O.Bean]

How about the people who, when you are trying to block, try to insist on cutting between you and your stand?  I guess the theory is that it is easier to squeeze between one person and a fixed object, than it is to squeeze between two shoulder to shoulder people.  Yo, bro - I am a Mama Grizzly, and that stand is my cub.  Do not try and come between us!

Happens to me AT LEAST once every show

[cybergaloot]

How about the people who, when you are trying to block, try to insist on cutting between you and your stand?  I guess the theory is that it is easier to squeeze between one person and a fixed object, than it is to squeeze between two shoulder to shoulder people.  Yo, bro - I am a Mama Grizzly, and that stand is my cub.  Do not try and come between us!

I saw one wookie at the Wanee Festival try to take a path through a cluster of stands. The doofus insisted on it despite everyone trying to turn him away then there was a few minutes where the tapers were grabbing their stands while trying to unentangle the idiot from the cables and keep him from stomping on the gear. I could see the mics all tilting away at various angles until it was over.

[Fried Chicken Boy]

"Sorostitutes"

  I'll have to put that one in my personal dictionary.  Reminds me of so many jokes...

Yo, bro - I am a Mama Grizzly, and that stand is my cub.  Do not try and come between us!

QFT.

[mosquito]

... "WARNING: 600 Ohms".

Ahahaha!  I love it.  I'm going to make one!

... custom Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks) tape ...

I want some of this too!

--

A little more seriously... OMG the horrors you guys have reminded me of!

I've used the Decoy Stand method and like it.  If it's the first thing they can encounter or grab, they usually do and by the time they've done that I can get between them and the real stand (or the whole TS).

Bits of very reflective tape on the stand do help 'cause then people can see it and (normally) that's half the battle.  If they're on their way to being drunk they often just don't realise that there's stuff on the floor that they're about to step on.

I tried glow sticks and necklaces and christmas lights but, yeah, people want to touch the sparklies!  (I'm all for the decoration in the middle of the TS though...)

I have marked out boundaries in big halls (with concrete floors) with white duct tape.  It doesn't prevent anyone from crossing the line but, if done early enough, will seem "official" and help create a social barrier that most of the rest of the crowd will respect and support.  (Hey, they want to keep their half-open and protected position too.)

Really though, the thing that I've found that works best for me is to have a decently bright flashlight and to help the people get what they want *so they go away sooner*.  One time a drunk walked up to the TS and was yelling into all of the mics at his sober acquaintance in the balcony.  She was trying to ignore him, but to get him to shut up I flashed the light at her until she waved to the guy and could move along.

[fleish]

One time a drunk walked up to the TS and was yelling into all of the mics at his sober acquaintance in the balcony.  She was trying to ignore him, but to get him to shut up I flashed the light at her him until she waved to it blinded the guy and could move along caused him to drop to the ground writhing in agony .

FYP

[mosquito]

How much do laser pointers cost again?

[cybergaloot]

How much do laser pointers cost again?

http://www.wickedlasers.com/

[fleish]

How much do laser pointers cost again?

http://www.wickedlasers.com/

It's not the lasers that are expensive, it's getting someone to fit them onto the sharks' heads where they get 'ya