World Party - The Shows

[felix]

So is the kit getting dialed in yet? Still running the G2's?
Single headed toms on a horizon kits... jeez that takes balls.  That's like, ordering a horizon kit with single headed toms.  That's one of the most over the top custom kit statements I've ever heard of.  I'm not blowing smoke up your skirt- it's just the way I see it.  Ya rock star you.  It wasn't a stupid move either.  It's just so original it's hard to wrap my head around it. 

[Robyn]

Chris, thanks for the updates--it's really interesting reading! If you are liking the NW you will like Colorado too. The Fox Theatre is a dive-y little place on the west side of Boulder, which is right up against the mountains to the west, so you'll really have 'em in yer face! You'll be right next to Colorado University, blocks from where the venerated Lawless Percussion recorded their CD. Boulder is a really hip town, and very pretty--enjoy a sunset if you can!
My SO and I would love to "roadie" for you, if there's anything we can help with post-show--altho neither of us really know beans about it.. :P  Grunt-work, we can do, tho...
Enjoy it all! Sounds like a great time!

robyn

[Matt Self (Gaddabout)]

If you can get into Phoenix, Gaddabout and I will volunteer to tech for you!  Plus, we'll make sure we get your belly filled with some awesome mexican food!

Los Dos Molinos. Definitely. We could even try to find something that didn't have jabaneros in it.

[Chris Whitten]

So is the kit getting dialed in yet? Still running the G2's?

Yes to both.
If I didn't have the kit dialled in on day one I'd be angry with myself.
I've had to dampen down the bass drum more and more each show though. Any ringing at all has been causing some low end feedback in the PA.
We aren't gating any thing on the kit.

That's one of the most over the top custom kit statements I've ever heard of. 

To be fair, I think the quality of the Horizon toms justify double heads. I feel a bit sheepish about that, but I already own an original era Horizon set with normal toms.
We're just crossing the Bay Bridge into San Francisco after a 12 hour drive from Portland.
Soundcheck is scheduled to start in 10 minutes.
I haven't a moment to stop and think yet.  :P

[Todd Knapp]

I'm enjoying these threads of yours, Chris. Cruise ship life is at least as absurd, but because of its relative tameness compared to road-touring. Anyway, as someone who's done a lot of timezone changes both by sea and by air, I can attest to the troubles of jet-lag and sleep cycle interruptions. I've always been apprehensive about artificially inducing sleep and have tried to avoid using sleeping pills to try to right my circadian rhythms (essentially your body's relationship to the rise and set of the sun and the biochemical patterns of hormone/neurotransmitter release that govern our sleeping/waking...) However, I have found one over-the-counter remedy to be helpful: Melotonin. Artificial Melotonin is designed to mimic the melotonin that your body releases as you become fatigued and to set of a chain reaction helping you sleep and achieve REM cycles, etc. There is a lot of evidence that using Melotonin can help get your body back on track by artificially inducing your sleep cycle to fit your new time zone. Use sparingly - even though it is not physically addictive - and you might find you can get over the lag a little quicker...

[/end nerdiness]  ;D

[Chris Whitten]

Just got off stage after our biggest gig so far, a packed Great American Music Hall, San Francisco.
Day off tomorrow! Unfortunately, largely spent driving from SF to LA.  :-[
Anyway, I felt good tonight. Finally getting a feel for this drumming thing.  ::)
I think I have to change all the tom heads though before the Roxy, LA show.
The last tour I did, I just asked my drum tech to do it. This time it looks like it's down to me.
The crowd were great tonight. there was a long queue outside the venue when we emerged from our soundcheck. They were mostly long time World Party fans. I've always liked San Fran.  :)
It's 1am and our proper crew are still loading the gear onto our trailer.
I can't see us getting any shut eye before 3am.

[scottboundy]

CW -- awesome thread man!!  ;D

Sounds like the tour is going well. They are advertising your Belly Up (Solana Beach) gig in the local Entertainment Newspapers and on the Belly Up web site. The artist for BU created a cool poster as well.



I will see you this Thursday the 17th. As mentioned, you will love the BU. Way cool place and fun crowd. I will bring my camera and snag some great photos of the band and you (look pretty  8) ). Just look for the guy in the DC T-shirt yelling "FREEEE BIRDDD". ;D

Hey, let me know if you need any drum supplies and I will run out and snag them for ya -- like heads or sticks and stuff. (pillows?) ;)

Get some sleep bud...Hope yer having fun.

btw--my audition went well for that originals band today...I'm in. :D

[Chris Whitten]

The artist for BU created a cool poster as well.

Great looking poster!

Hey, let me know if you need any drum supplies and I will run out and snag them for ya

That's very kind of you.  :)
I'm good to go........and not getting through sticks or heads as quickly as I feared.

-- like heads or sticks and stuff. (pillows?) ;)

OK, you can drop the pillow thing now.  ;)

btw--my audition went well for that originals band today...I'm in. :D=

Congrats.
See you at Solana Beach.  ;D

[byronand]

Hey Chrisso,

It's amazing what you've done over the past six weeks or so....

Traveled three continents; learned an entire songbook; building new relationships with some great musicians; ordered and put-together a new, custom kit; already played shows that many -- including me -- would consider "career highlights"; visits with manufacturers and drum shops; interviews with the press....

And kudos for doing a tour at this level without a drum tech! I hope the bus is comfortable, and you're able to get the rest you need.

Much thanks for your posts!

[swede]

ECHO: Excellent thread!

I'm so bummed! :'( Just read the post Friday a.m. that you played in Seattle Thurs, and were playing in Portland Fri., (I reside in between those 2 cities) couldn't swing a trip to Portland that evening. Let that be a lesson (especially to me): check into the DrummerCafe more often!

Congrats on the tour.

[Mark Schlipper]

I think people must see these moments as something special to them, an out of the ordinary moment, only they will witness.
I don't confess to understand it, but it's lucky for us most audiences look on with approval if a train wreck looks imminent.  ;)

I'm that way and its good to hear.  It says to me that people still care about live bands.   Often when bands do things 100% like the cd, I enjoy the show less.   It feels like listening to the cd really loud surrounded by chatting folks.   But if things are mixed up a bit, it becomes a singular event, what you're hearing is it, you won't hear it like that again, and thats cool.

[Chris Whitten]

Thanks again to all of you for your kind feedback.
Well I admit I was a tad nervous last night - LA Roxy Theater, West Hollywood.
Probably the most important show of the tour for Karl (aka World Party), plus my old friend Gregg Bissonette was coming down.
I felt OK until I got onstage - we were behind a curtain, so I sat behind my kit just before the show started, as opposed to running on as the lights go down. Unfortunately it gave me some time to contemplate Gregg, his mystery friend and the many record industry people Karl's manager had invited to the show.
Karl is a bit erratic with his count-ins, not to mention introverted.
He often starts...." 1....2...." and just as you are keyed up for 1,2,3,4, he stops to check something on his guitar and the whole process has to start again. He doesn't shout a count in positively either, as I would. The last thing I said to him before we hit the stage last night was; please give me a two bar count into the opening song, as I have a half bar intro fill to lead into the song. So what does he do? No "1....2....", just the single bar 1,2,3,4 and everyone else comes in, leaving me stranded.  ???
This is life with The World Party.  ::)
I should be counting the songs in, but that's another story.
So all that set me off feeling nervous about what was to come.
To cut a long story short, the first four songs are probably the one's the band plays best. It gave me a chance to regroup and I soon put nervous thoughts to the back of my mind.
The show turned out to be one of our best.  :)
Gregg was so supportive afterwards.
He loved the concert toms.
I was a bit anxious, as our soundman has been insisting on micing four toms with two small condensers only. He combines that with a single overhead (for cymbals etc) and creates what must be an ambient drum sound (ala jazz or acoustic music). I thought it wouldn't work, but as regular Cafe members will know, I usually trust the man listening to the drum sound from the audiences' perspective, rather than dictating my own pre-conceived approach to live sound on him.
Anyway, Gregg said the drums sounded like a CD, and the concert toms were full and punchy.
His friend turned out to be a 'hot' guitarist called Doug. A very nice guy too.
I'm off shopping now. It's our first true day off.  8)

[Matt Self (Gaddabout)]

He often starts...." 1....2...." and just as you are keyed up for 1,2,3,4, he stops to check something on his guitar and the whole process has to start again. He doesn't shout a count in positively either, as I would. The last thing I said to him before we hit the stage last night was; please give me a two bar count into the opening song, as I have a half bar intro fill to lead into the song. So what does he do? No "1....2....", just the single bar 1,2,3,4 and everyone else comes in, leaving me stranded.  ???
This is life with The World Party.  ::)

I don't mean to hijack this very cool thread, but I can relate. I was called in at the last minute to support an artist for a convention (they were desperate). There were 2,500 people there and all the songs were off a new CD, which I had heard a few times but never actually played.

Every single song is in 4/4, but one of them has a triplet-feel on the verse. The artist counts off 1 ... 2 ... | 1-2-3, 4-5-6 ... Dumb animal instict gave me enough resolve to come in on the downbeat, but I shot nasty looks at the singer for at least two verses and two choruses.

[JeepnDrummer]

Chris, good to hear the LA show went well.  I enjoy reading your updates.  By the way, while you're out shopping, can you pick up a newspaper and coffee for me?  Thanks buddy!  ;)

[Dave Heim]

Hey Chris -

Sounds like things are settling into place.  Glad its going well.  I had hoped to make the Park West show (great venue!) but I'll be out of town all next week.  :(

[Mister Acrolite]

Chrisso sent me a couple of photos he shot of his touring kit:



Click  http://www.keithcronin.com/drumstuff/chrisso_kit_01.jpg]HERE  to see full-sized version of the photo above.




Click  http://www.keithcronin.com/drumstuff/chrisso_kit_02.jpg]HERE  to see full-sized version of the photo above.

Sweet looking kit!    8)

[Chris Whitten]

Thanks Keith!!!!!
10",12",14" and 16" toms.
Craviotto 7 x 14" snare.

Well, I did a bit of moaning at the beginning of this topic.
So the upside........
This evening I'm sitting by the pool at Le Parc hotel in Hollywood.
Belly full of Quesadilla and Margarita's.  :P :)
The rock star life.
Of course I paid for it myself. LOL  ;)
Karl and the band had to leave LA early so Karl could appear at a promo gig in San Diego. No way, I thought.
So I'm driving myself down to SD tomorrow.
A great day off and a really great hotel.
Money well spent.
It occured to me, in the rush, I didn't acknowledge my equipment all arrived in Vancouver exactly as I ordered it and virtually ready to play.
Thanks to DW (hardware), D'Addario (Evans heads), Noble & Cooley and Steve Maxwell (Craviotto snare).
As I write this, two guys my age are sitting in the jacuzzi talking about their chemical imbalances and past thoughts of suicide.
Only in LA!  ;D

[Christopher]

Chrisso sent me a couple of photos he shot of his touring kit:

Ooo..  :o

What's that snare in the bottom right of the bottom picture?

An SS perhaps?

Cool you're out and about, and sharing it.

Rock on.  ;D

[Danno]

Rather than feeling uncomfortable, our audience started to scream approval. Some hardcore fans who really knew the songs were laughing, others were doing the 'we're not worthy' routine (surprisingly).

That's 'cause they LIKE you guys.

Totally interesting thread. At times I feel like I'm there.

[scottboundy]

 ;D I will be at the San Diego gig (Solana Beach) with my Canon and Mega-lens ;) tomorrow.

Stay tuned. Photos coming  :)

Say cheese-ie CW