Topic: Low voltage current through mic stand - can this be done?

[Scuba Jeremy]

Just a curiosity -
It seems that my nice shiny aluminum pole get attacked by drunk ass girls at nearly every show where I'm running solo or have only one blocker with me. I could consider trading my stand for a mat black one, but I have another idea...

Has anyone considered - or even successfully (!!) - run a low level electrical current through their mic stand to discourage drunks from grabbing their stand and using it as support for their dumbass selves?

I know I should be concerned with creating a magnetic field that might cause trouble with my microphones, but is there any other reason why this might be a bad idea? My main concern is for safety of course - I don't want stupid drunks grabbing my stand and knocking it down on some poor unsuspecting concert enthusiast.

More than anything, I think it would be damn funny though. Thoughts?

[poorlyconditioned]

Just a curiosity -
It seems that my nice shiny aluminum pole get attacked by drunk ass girls at nearly every show where I'm running solo or have only one blocker with me. I could consider trading my stand for a mat black one, but I have another idea...

Has anyone considered - or even successfully (!!) - run a low level electrical current through their mic stand to discourage drunks from grabbing their stand and using it as support for their dumbass selves?

I know I should be concerned with creating a magnetic field that might cause trouble with my microphones, but is there any other reason why this might be a bad idea? My main concern is for safety of course - I don't want stupid drunks grabbing my stand and knocking it down on some poor unsuspecting concert enthusiast.

More than anything, I think it would be damn funny though. Thoughts?

How about a tazer on it.  No, seriously.  Have any of you considered clamping your mics somewhere?  I've clamped just about anywhere, including, lamp fixtures, wires, pipes, railings, on the soundguy's racks (with permission), etc.  Where there is a will, there's a way.

  Richard

[Scuba Jeremy]

Oh yeah, I have the Bogen super clamp and love it, but there are some times where you just need to be in the sweet spot, and that's final. I understand that there is a risk to running guerilla (as my buddy and I call it) and just going balls out in the sweet spot and hoping that we don't run into too much trouble ... but a low level electrical shock would be tremendously amusing to us, and hopefully keep the drunks at bay, too.

[poorlyconditioned]

Oh yeah, I have the Bogen super clamp and love it, but there are some times where you just need to be in the sweet spot, and that's final. I understand that there is a risk to running guerilla (as my buddy and I call it) and just going balls out in the sweet spot and hoping that we don't run into too much trouble ... but a low level electrical shock would be tremendously amusing to us, and hopefully keep the drunks at bay, too.

I have to say, I consider it a bit disrespectful, of both the venue and audience to be too guerilla.  I guess at a crazy show, all kinds of shit happens, so having a mic stand is no problem.  But the venue could clamp down (no pun intended) just like they do with lawnchairs, bottles, and other potentially dangerous items.

On the other hand I have seen some people do crazy shit with video.  It seems if you got a camera it is OK to get in front of anyone and be a general jackass.  I was at one show where guys had set up a standard aluminum step ladder and taped/tied their cameras to that.  Not right at the front, but a trip hazard for sure.

  Richard

[Scuba Jeremy]

I can see your point about disrespect issues, but I get extremely frustrated with people who think that it's perfectly okay to disrespect me and touch my expensive personal gear. "No, that one inch hollow aluminum pole will not hold your body weight, and further more, it's mine, please don't touch it." - doesn't seem to apply to the concert going public.

I don't understand where people get off and think that it's reasonable to see a pole and have to touch it. People don't go around groping other people's cameras or cell phones, but they have to get their grubby mitts all over mic stands, and that's just not right. Taping would be a perfectly safe hobby if not for this particular societal anomaly.

[poorlyconditioned]

I can see your point about disrespect issues, but I get extremely frustrated with people who think that it's perfectly okay to disrespect me and touch my expensive personal gear. "No, that one inch hollow aluminum pole will not hold your body weight, and further more, it's mine, please don't touch it." - doesn't seem to apply to the concert going public.

I don't understand where people get off and think that it's reasonable to see a pole and have to touch it. People don't go around groping other people's cameras or cell phones, but they have to get their grubby mitts all over mic stands, and that's just not right. Taping would be a perfectly safe hobby if not for this particular societal anomaly.

I bet most of those people don't know what a mic stand is even.  It is true that they should not touch an unidentified object, but I guess  many (drunk) people will do that.  If it were something recognizeable, like a bike or a wheelchair, still in the way, but recognizeable, I doubt people would feel the need to touch it.  Even then, they may not associate touching with disturbing.

Anyhow, I guess you need some blockers.  Or maybe just take a bath in garlic or something before the show.

  Richard

[boardmonkey]

So I think that I am bias because of the fact that I am Scubas blocker, I think that this would be a great idea.  Most of the time we run our rig out of the way.  That is the way that we like it, but the problem is that sometimes it is nessessary to get right in the middle of the floor.  Bad venues and such.  It is not like we are blocking views, I mean the pole is an inch think and the mics are flying overheads, so it is a problem with people feeling the need to touch things, as well as scream into mics.  These people would do the same thing even if you were located at the back and to the right of the venue.  Sometimes people need to be though that they should not have grabby hands.  A small shock would teach people to not have grabby hands.

I guess that I should also mention that I was at the show that brought on this question, and I blocked her for the entire first set.  The entire first set.

[Chuck]

Electrifying the mic stand doesn't make sense... It's only a deterent after they have already touched it, and they may get REALLY pissed at getting eletrocuted and cause much more trouble because of it.

[JD]

Maybe you could work on something that uses those shock collars for dogs?

If they wander too close.... ZAP.
Even if it doesn't help the recording, it would be fun to watch. 

[boojum]

Whether the others know what a mic stand is or not, whether it is disrespectful or not it damned sure is illegal and probably dangerous.  All you need is a bunch if drunks bouncing off it like pinballs off bumpers and some injuries or scuffles and guess who gets sued, by everbody.  Think.   

[greenone]

Not only that, but an electrical current makes your muscles contract, not relax, so if you zap someone while they're grabbing your mic stand, they won't be able to let it go.

[Church-Audio]

Just a curiosity -
It seems that my nice shiny aluminum pole get attacked by drunk ass girls at nearly every show where I'm running solo or have only one blocker with me. I could consider trading my stand for a mat black one, but I have another idea...

Has anyone considered - or even successfully (!!) - run a low level electrical current through their mic stand to discourage drunks from grabbing their stand and using it as support for their dumbass selves?

I know I should be concerned with creating a magnetic field that might cause trouble with my microphones, but is there any other reason why this might be a bad idea? My main concern is for safety of course - I don't want stupid drunks grabbing my stand and knocking it down on some poor unsuspecting concert enthusiast.

More than anything, I think it would be damn funny though. Thoughts?

Dont use voltage you will only end up shocking your self you need one of these lol....

[it-goes-to-eleven]

Yep, already thought about it. Probably a bit too much.

I even have a product name - Stand Guard(tm)

[roggae]

How about one of those scrolling LED lights that read

"Don't touch, high voltage"

OR

"Radioactive area, please step back"

[boardmonkey]

Of course we would warn them with a sign, but you know how it is with a hot place at a restaurant.  The server putting down your food tells you that the plate is hot, but you still touch it just to see.  Or when someone tells you that the milk is bad, so you have to smell it.

Mmm, smell that milk.