~Nightfall(s) On the River

Nothing like Towncrier on a Thursday and Damon Dotson on a Friday in consecutive nights a the Simon Estes ampitheater in DSM! How about the Gin Blossoms as a finale? Then the above TC show as a double header to the DDB/Gin Blossoms night. 4 good shows in 2 nights.

Upcoming Posts

The move-in.
DSM apt pics.
empty Ames apt pics.
TC concert(s)/Little Mojo pics
Katie's graduation party.
**Mr. Blue Duck almost got the axe today. He barely avoided the chopping block with a trial period in the footer section, as he was jacking up my sidebar. Mr. Blue Duck: You're on probation!

Happy Meat Night

Happy Meat night '06 was the first time I'd attended my oldest brother's annual party. The concept is simple: Outdoor potluck. One rule: Only MEAT and Beverages (preferably alcoholic) are allowed on the premesis. Side dishes, garnishes, bread, and zuccini can just turn around and go home now. Also, there was the annual "throw everyone into the kiddy pool" festivities, followed shortly with the pinata! The pinata, of course, burst open to shower its meaty treats like jerky and the fake chew look-alike called jerky stuff.
Everyone had comemorative "Happy Meat Night '06" tshirts and got them comemoratively soaked in the Kiddy Pool. Can't Wait for HPN '07! Anyone who attended: Please leave a comment with the Best and Worst nominations!

the new board

My new pedalboard, minus one or two minor modifications coming soon! Purchased 2 boards, cut them to my exacting specifications, and then screwed, spraypainted, and laquered them together. A total of only 4 inputs and 1 plug in to an outlet are needed to bring this monstrosity into performance ready status. The top right blue pedal begins the chain: Two seperate guitar inputs (A-acoustic/electric; B-slide guitar) and the ability to switch A/B inputs on the fly. Next the signal routes to the grey/black Fender Tuner below. From there the signal travels right to left to Volume, Wah, Distortion, Blues Driver, Phase, Delay, and Loop pedals. The top tier is the DI box for the guitars, the final output in the signal chain, then the Mic delay and tap tempo pedals. The Mic DI box is hidden underneath the tier. I'm going to weigh this bitch, its large, just about 3.5 ft x 1ft.

I am completely miserable San Diego!

Its so damn hot!!! Milk was a bad choice...
The A/C is out in my building at work, and I'm melting slowly. Now I know how the polar bears are feeling. Poor Guys.

In Loving Memory

I sort of had to post something about this but couldn't bring myself to do it until now. Its been on my mind all week. I went to the hardest funeral I've ever had to attend this week. A good friend of mine died last weekend from a fall off his 4th floor balcony. Tragic doesn't really cover it. I'd been on that balcony with him on more than a few occasions. This guy had more friends who loved him unconditionally than anyone else I've ever met. He hated no one (except maybe tammy, but she had it coming. he didn't really hate her; believe me, he got her back. don't drink the open milk cartons in the ice room.) "Ben P." was known for his outgoing, ever-smiling presence and inclusiveness of others. The funeral was packed with people that loved him, and was good (aside from a very tackless eulogy from his brother. we get it, you were in Iraq. you looked down him as a druggie alcoholic, because THATS relevent. duh man, get off your pedestal and give some fucking kind words for your brother that just died. anyone who actually knew him knows better.) The graveside service was even rouger. After most everyone else had left for the lunch, his friends (a small mob of them) lingered around the casket; unwilling to leave. Ben would always be the last to leave anywhere, work/the bar. If you're on facebook, theres a new group dedicated to him with everyones pictures. Some folks are raising money to dedicate a bench for him at the Ames frisbee golf course, where he spent alot of his free time. I really still haven't faced the reality of it; i keep expecting him to call me to tell me where everyone was going that night, or for a ride to work, or to clue me in on a local band to go check out. "what's up, shortbus?" I'd give anything to hear that again.
The world is less exciting without you in it, Ben. We all love and miss you.

In loving memory of Ben J. Peterson

speechwriters llc

Here is a band that I really really want to see, but they NEVER come to the midwest. This is a band that consists of two guys (usually) who both play acoustic guitar (with the occasional lap slide) and both sing. Their best work to date is the Bull Moose After Party album. These guys are extremely talented songwriters and humorous performers. Props to Joe T. for clue-ing me in to these guys early on in college. If you get a chance, listen to the Bull-Moose CD and then download one of their many free live shows that are out there on the gigaweb for added effect.

pedal boards (ben harper)

Ben Harper is one of those concerts that still stands out in my mind as one of the best that I've been to in my short life. The stage presence of the Innocent Criminals (his band) is amazing. This post isn't going to so much look at his board, but Ben's gear and setup. Ben's acoustic guitars are a totally clean signal fed directly into the sound board, so not much excitement there. The reason I LOVE ben harper is his lap slide. Lap slide (or lap steel) guitars are 6-stringed instruments which are smaller than a normal guitar and are played on one's lap while sitting down, using a metal bar or 'slide' to fret the strings which stand farther off the neck than traditional acoustic guitars. Ben uses Weissenborn acoustic lap steel guitars, which are hollow bodied, hawaiian, and hollow-necked. (sidenote: Ben NEVER uses a pick on ANY of his guitars except for the extremely rare thumbpick for lap slide.)
Here's where it gets interesting.
Ben has two wires on stage. One feeds directly to the house (aka soundboard) and is used for his clean acoustic sound. The other feeds through his pedals (an Ernie Ball Volume pedal, AutoWah, Ibanez TubeScreamer and Delay, and Wah) into a huge Marshall amp. Okay, now follow this: Ben uses the clean signal for acoustic guitars, the pedal and amps for his electrics, AND (get this), uses both for his lap slide. No, not back and forth, he actually has two input jacks installed on his lap slide weissenborns, giving both a clean acoustic signal blended with the distortion and effects signal. Also, he can cut from a single signal to the other on the fly (ie: Forgiven) using a foot switch. Ben is also known for his quilt-covered chair which is just as much a part of his stage setup as any of his guitars or amps. Favorite lap slide tracks: When It's Good; Forgiven; Ground On Down; and Faded.

pedal board overview (Mike E.)

next up is one of my favorite lead guitarists, Mike Einziger of Incubus. Mike plays several styles of guitar, including harsh edgy rock that got incubus started and soft, swirling, sonic, and trippy dynamic sounds featured in some of their later music. The new incubus music seems to be a happy medium between the two. In any case, Mike needs and uses a multitude of effects. This will be one of the more complex boards I'll dissect. Alright, here are some pictures to start off: (this isn't his, its one VERY much like it... with 2 pedal differences but the same effects and shape)


Mike has alot of pedals, and uses them on the fly at live shows, requiring this 'wing' shape for his board. \_/ This allows him to stay in one place and still be able to reach all his effects. The breakdown goes like this. Paul Reed Smith Hollow-Body Guitars (or recently a Fender '62 Jazzmaster) --> Boss Tuner --> H&K Rotosphere --> 2x Boss PH-2 Super Phasers --> DOD Gonkulator --> Boss RV-3 Reverb Delay --> MXR Phase 90 --> DOD Envelope Filter --> Boss Compressor/Sustainer --> Boss Flanger --> Boss EQ --> Boss Octaver --> into several Mesa Boogie and Vox amps. Here's a more in-depth graphic of how it works. Mike tops all this off with a 4-way switch to control wireless guitar input/backup wireless/normail jacks/master mute.

pedal board overview (john mayer)

pedal board dissection is a growing hobby of mine. Making your own pedal board satisfies your fix for creativity, construction, and fabrication with a musical ends. Anytime I go see a show, i'm mentally de-constructing the guitarists effects setup and how they use them. Style, setup, and functionality all play a role in how i'll finally set up my own gear. Right now its a home-made rig built off an old shelf. However, my gear is started to overflow and the time has come to decide how to continue. I'm starting by overviewing what I like and don't like about a few artists pedal boards.
First, John Mayer, because he was the topic of the last post and on my mind. Here are a few shots of JM's board:
John uses a very clean and minimalist approach, as he does with just about everything except his solos. He likes clean, organized, and open spaces for working, both in his apartment, websites, and stages. For starters, John has several rugs placing at least one on the front/center of stage and places his board and mic stand towards the front. John uses very few effects as well, but has been expanding just recently (he's picked up a hobby of making/soldering his own effects pedals). He plugs his fender array of guitars in a Teese RMC wah pedal, which goes into his Boss TU-2 Tuner (white), into the another white pedal (homemade, don't know what it is), into the small blue Boss BD-2 Blues Driver (mod), into the green pedal is a Ibanez Vintage Tube Screamer. He ties all these up with heavy-duty guage cables velcro'd down to an expensive prefabricated 3-tiered board. John likes his set-up clean and organized, but spares no expense for quality.