I'm Officially Retired...

[cashandkerouac]

stealthing is often more of a pain in the ass than it's worth especially if a crowd is badly behaved.

And to disagree...I often find open taping is more of a pain in the ass.

it should not be that way, but it often is (at least in my experience).  if there were more good opportunities for open taping i would certainly do more of it, but the crowds and the venues  are the biggest obstacles. 

whether our preferred MO is open taping or stealth we all love music (which is why we go to so much time, effort and expense to record it).  as long as nobody is doing anything wrong with their recordings (i.e. selling them, uploading them for public consumption where it is not appropriate, etc.) i don't think anyone on this board condemns or frowns upon stealth... at least i would hope not.  it just tends to be a contentious subject when discussed in the public forum because it's being discussed in the public forum.     

and as for tonedeaf's decision to retire from stealth, i respect that decision whatever his reasons.

[stevetoney]

stealthing is often more of a pain in the ass than it's worth especially if a crowd is badly behaved.

And to disagree...I often find open taping is more of a pain in the ass.

it should not be that way, but it often is (at least in my experience).  if there were more good opportunities for open taping i would certainly do more of it, but the crowds and the venues  are the biggest obstacles.  or tonedeaf's decision to retire from stealth, i respect that decision whatever his reasons.

If you like the type of music which doesn't have alot of open taper bands or you go to venue's that don't bat for you, in order to tape open you've gotta jump through lots of hoops to get permission.  Yeah, easier to go the other way. 

If you're like me and you like jammy bands that are already on LMA and you live in a place where they play alot (we're lucky here on the east USA coast), all you gotta do it set up and hit the record button.

Whichever way is more of  PITA depends factors outside the tapers hands.

[beatkilla]

I have stealth taped every show i have been to since 1986 lovin every minute of it!

[rocksuitcase]

I love this topic. I've done both since 1982. I have "retired" or just not taped twice in  my life.  First, I stopped taping the GD  from 1991-1995 because I became a vendor. I still taped shows at home and non dead stuff. Then I stopped all taping from about 1997 through 1999 due to moving and not having good gear.
Personally, I have rarely  'd since the 90's.

[beroti_music]

I have stealth taped every show i have been to since 1986 lovin every minute of it!

nice!

[Nick's Picks]

it was the same for me.  I stealthed a lot for years...and it is difficult.  sometimes, downright crazy hard and stressful. 
that said, I still plan to nail Huey Lewis n the News this summer.  Maybe Steely Dan too. 

[Nick's Picks]

I love this topic. I've done both since 1982. I have "retired" or just not taped twice in  my life.  First, I stopped taping the GD  from 1991-1995 because I became a vendor. I still taped shows at home and non dead stuff. Then I stopped all taping from about 1997 through 1999 due to moving and not having good gear.
Personally, I have rarely  'd since the 90's.

I have stealth taped every show i have been to since 1986 lovin every minute of it!

I have stealth taped every show i have been to since 1986 lovin every minute of it!

+T

[twatts]

The 'wore me out' part basically meant that, for me, after maybe a couple hundred shows, stealthing eventually killed my desire to go out to shows anymore.  Enough so that when I needed cash, it wasn't that big a deal at that point in my recording life that I sold all my stuff and got out.

As the best of friends, let me be the first to say you're a pussy.  I've had only one chance to tape a decent show in the last 4 years (Fu Manchu - shut out by the band), so I have no sympathy for you! 

...and here's some friend-love back atcha.   

Here's what I've recorded over the last week plus.

Manhattan Project 4/10
The Chopshop 4/12
Deltanine 4/16
Pigions Playing Ping Pong 4/16
Manitoa 4/17
The Mantras 4/17
Turquaz 4/19
Alan Evans Trio 4/19

Five nights out recording over the stretch of 10 days.  Two of those events were outta town and required drives of 75 and 90 minutes each way.  The last four years I've averaged 150 recordings a year.  I'm working towards my 700th show uploaded to archive.

Pussy indeed!   .

Big hippie patchouli stink get lice from my dreads leg hump hugs my friend my friend!  And I know you're only retiring  ...  I may be stupid but I can read!!!  LOL! 

I'm just thinking that one day you'll get back to it b/c you are so hard-core!

In my own defense, I'm so hard-up to get out and tape a show, I'd gladly go  in a second if I had the rig (and my wife would let me)!!!  LOL!

Terry

[tim in jersey]

I started out as a patcher in the open/jam-band circuit around '97 or '98. Pure patch rat.

I hated stealth/non-open gigs at first, but the way my tastes have been running lately, I dig the .007 gigs the most. Jazz/non-rock gigs in quiet rooms/respectful crowds.

I actually dread the open gigs now. Outta-sight, outta mind. I look forward to rigging up the hat, plopping my ass in a good seat and just enjoying the show and then having my mind blown by how awesome a hat rig can sound now-a-days...

[stevetoney]

Big hippie patchouli stink get lice from my dreads leg hump hugs my friend my friend!  And I know you're only retiring  ...  I may be stupid but I can read!!!  LOL! 

LOL.  Nice.  Lice from your dreads...gross but LMFAO.

I'm just thinking that one day you'll get back to it b/c you are so hard-core!

No doubt...you know me pretty well.  Ha.  Just bought tix for Jack White later this summer. 

In my own defense, I'm so hard-up to get out and tape a show, I'd gladly go  in a second if I had the rig (and my wife would let me)!!!  LOL!

What's up with that man?  I guess since you have no gear that's a disincentive, but man you're a taper.  Get a church rig and get out there at least once or twice a year...keep the fire burnin'!

[twatts]

Big hippie patchouli stink get lice from my dreads leg hump hugs my friend my friend!  And I know you're only retiring  ...  I may be stupid but I can read!!!  LOL! 

LOL.  Nice.  Lice from your dreads...gross but LMFAO.

I'm just thinking that one day you'll get back to it b/c you are so hard-core!

No doubt...you know me pretty well.  Ha.  Just bought tix for Jack White later this summer. 

In my own defense, I'm so hard-up to get out and tape a show, I'd gladly go  in a second if I had the rig (and my wife would let me)!!!  LOL!

What's up with that man?  I guess since you have no gear that's a disincentive, but man you're a taper.  Get a church rig and get out there at least once or twice a year...keep the fire burnin'!

I still have an open rig, just in case...  I recently sold my TLs and picked up some AKGs, I'm itching to try them... 

Peace!

Terry

[stevetoney]

I still have an open rig, just in case...  I recently sold my TLs and picked up some AKGs, I'm itching to try them... 

If you get desperate to tape, you could always use your new mics to record your wife bitching at you about having mics. 

[twatts]

I still have an open rig, just in case...  I recently sold my TLs and picked up some AKGs, I'm itching to try them... 

If you get desperate to tape, you could always use your new mics to record your wife bitching at you about having mics. 

I'd have to borrow a  rig, or else I'd get bitch-slapped...

Terry

[Humbug]

Here in Europe the kind of music I like is non-open 99% of the time. There is no other choice than to stealth.

This is not my experience - I have open taped in Holland, Spain (several times), and at 30+ venues in London - it just takes more work/persuasion. Yes, it's more difficult / impossible for the larger venues, but the small-medium venues are generally OK with it, providing the band say yes. About 50% of my recordings are open, and I am out on average once or twice a week.

I use exactly the same rig whether I am open, or stealthing, just add a mic stand or clamp.

[page]

I've convinced myself to buy stealth rigs over the years and have almost never used them. I still have one too and it just sits and gathers dust. I just don't record if the band doesn't allow open taping. For the most part, the music and bands that I like are cool with taping.

I think I bought and sold 2 or 3 Church Audio sets before I just said "fuck it, I'm not going to do this again" and kept my non-stealth gear. I can see why others do it, but short of one or two bands, the cost/benefit analysis just isn't in my favor.