Show 3 – Des Moines, IA

I had to look back on the calendar to remember, but the last time I visited in Des Moines, IA was Dec 4, 2010.  Not that it was the only cold or cruddy weather day on the Carrie Underwood Play On Tour, but winter in Iowa was was kicking my ass.

Hence, I checked weather reports before leaving sunny Nashville, and had no worries about what I was walking in to.  It’s a Spring / Summer tour right?  It’s literally Goin’ Coastal, correct?  I know there will be plenty of time for hot days, and gorgeous weather.  I’m just over being cold.

I got a great workout in though.  Because the parking situation in downtown Des Moines is super accomodating to a small fleet of commercial-sized busses and trucks, I happened to be riding the lone coach that was parked almost two blocks away.  Haha.  At least there was an indoor path to get there.

Show was fun, and the employees of the Wells Fargo Center are very motivated people, case in point:

If only posting signs were the way to get all the results we desired.

Here is a good panoramic shot of the Wells Fargo Center Arena right after doors had opened

 

Des Moines, IA

I Woke Up to this Friday Morning

It's Spring - OFFICIALLY!!!!

Sharing Is Caring

Check out the link to Tampabay.com

Sharing Is Caring

Check the link out from the Palm Beach Herald

Hipstamatic Gallery 1

This gallery contains 37 photos.

Show 2 – Tampa, FL

Raymond James Stadium, home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Although, I’m not sure if any players would have been allowed in the building, seeing as how the NFL is a childish, bickering group of warring factions these days.  Nonetheless, first weekend, first stadium show of the tour.  I have to say it was a lot of fun.

For people just stumbling across this blog b/c of searches, etc.  I’m not ever going to give anything away as far as secrets of shows, etc.  So stop being an idiot and allow yourself to be surprised and enjoy the shows.  Knowing everything before you get there doesn’t make it more exciting.  Here are a few general pics from Stadium 1:

Back of the house, right after doors had opened

The waiting game during load-in

Before the chairs went down

Show time is pretty early for the stadiums.  So catchingBilly’s set means getting into the place by 5 or so.  The sun is still up, but the video stuff we are carrying shows up good, and you can see all the content.  Here are a couple more pictures from after we were done.  A few of us walked up to the upper deck right around sunset.

Doors open, from house left

ZBB performing right before sunset

One more from ZBB

Last pics of the day were from the actual set.  Great crowd singing along with a bunch of the songs.  I’m sure everyone is excited about the next 5 months out with the Goin’ Coastal Tour.

Clint - I think he gets his workouts in running during the set

My view during the show

"Good Directions" & a lively Tampa crowd

Show 1 – West Palm Beach, FL

Last night was show 1 of the Kenny Chesney Goin’ Coastal Tour. As far as first show go, not many complaints or major issues. Looking to do some minor tweaks as we progress. This is sounding very “shop-talkish.” gross. Not on my day off.
Tomorrow is the first of 11 NFL Stadiums, Tampa, Florida. Should be a fun night.
Pretty much the basics for today. If I can attach a photo to this it should be below. Talk to you all soon.

-mt

Production Rehearsals

So, we loaded in Monday morning.  No band or artist, just the crew, and presumably more gear than we could wrap our heads around.  Thus we spent the entire day, sorting, taping, labeling, planning, checking and programming.

Felix is our truck driver, and a really nice fellow, just a bit hapless sometimes.  He is never quite able to NOT give us a good little comedic moment.  He was finally done for the day and ready to pull away from the loading dock, when I jumped at the clang of hardened steel against concrete.  I jumped around, only to have a clear view into the open parking lot, the back of Felix’s trailer, and the auspicious 5 foot gap between him and where I stood.

Venturing close to the edge I notice that the dock plate that should be inside, is not only outside, its lying upside down in the parking lot.  Felix saunters around from his cab, and says “Oh, yeah, I thought I heard something crash.”  Not the words you wanna hear from a truck driver’s mouth. Haha.  Here he is posing with his prize accomplishment (which I then had to help him lift back up off the ground.

The proud father of disaster

Don't do this!

I did not forget the goings on of this past weekend.  Tampa, FL & Rodeo Houston.  Both of which were very good shows.  I’ll update them in my next post.  Albeit a few days removed, I did have a couple good shots from there I’d like to share.  That’s all for now, as we are wrapping the second day of rehearsals.

Bus stock

Heading out for the first time this year. Early bus call times kinda stink. But grocery shopping can be fun.

Kroger is a lot more crowded at 6 pm than it is at midnight.

One Day, Two Pictures

It took a bit longer than anticipated to get everything completely in running order.  But, we finally finished patching, almost every order has come in, and we jumped from a good starting spot.  One more day, and everyone should have the time-off rust shaken and ready to do our first shows of the year.

Good friend Craig Campbell (find him here: http://www.craigcampbell.tv) was rehearsing and auditioning keyboard players in the next room.  So it was good to see all of them, meet their new FOH guy, etc.  Overall, good feeling about the day when we reached a point where we wrapped for the night.

Here’s a shot of the guys working on a song from the latest record, new to the show for 2011:

The Band rehearsing a new song

Nathan is our new guitar  & backline tech.  After all kinds of effort to make things really nice, a pedal crapped out on us at the last minute.  He’s a little non-plussed to have things like this rearing up at the last minute.  But such is life with electronics.

it only works if the power plug is halfway in…awesome!

Thus ends the night after a couple little computer updates, and putting this blog to bed for the evening.  Up and at ‘em tomorrow for Tobias Tuesday (if you were ever a fan of Arrested Development).  And I’m not referring to the band.  Tampa and Houston can’t come fast enough…I think.

MT