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The Capitol Theatre: A Rock Palace is Reborn

The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY

The Capitol Theatre: A Rock Palace is Reborn

The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY had a glorious history that began in 1920s with vaudeville and movies (silent and talkies) before emerging, in the 1960s and 1970s, as a rock ‘n’ roll palace that dispensed sonic pleasures for those grooving to the sounds of the Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead and other great bands of that generation. But like so many beautiful old theaters, the doors were locked and, despite an open-to-the-public revival in the 1980s and 1990s, where bands like Phish and local theater groups play The Cap, the venue was at risk of becoming a shadow of its former past. Could the wrecking ball be far behind?

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Photo by Sonya N. Hebert

Maryland Sound Inaugurates a President

Live/lip sync debate aside, everyone in this business noticed Beyoncé pulling out her IEM in the middle of her rendition of the national anthem before President Barack Obama was sworn in for a second term. Bob Goldstein, owner of Maryland Sound International (MSI), has an opinion as to why: “She preferred the MSI HEX12 Monitor at her feet to the IEM!” MSI once again participated in the historic day, and their contribution to everything involved with the event, held Jan. 21, 2013, was certainly very real and very live.

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Image courtesy of Clark Wire & Cable

Conductivity, Audio and You

This month, we’ll take a look at wire and conductivity, the electronic lifeblood behind our industry. In a rigorous sense, wire is metal that drawn through a sequence of ever-shrinking dies until it exists in fine, conductive form. If we relax that definition slightly to include any conducting element in electronics, like those on a circuit board or behind a touch screen, we have hit on a key piece of how virtually all audio equipment operates. Without electricity, and conductors to direct it, there would be no professional audio!

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DPA d:facto II Vocal Mic

DPA d:facto II Vocal Mic

It seems like only yesterday (well about a year ago) that DPA launched its d:facto handheld vocal microphone, with the intent of putting a studio-quality mic into a live stage package. And now, less than a year later, DPA debuts its second-generation d:facto design — the d:facto II. Clearly, there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with the original design — in fact, the mic was starting to pick up an increasing roster of users, including performers such as Sting, who seemed quite satisfied with the original design. However, the engineering team members at DPA tend to be extremely fussy about even the smallest details, and the new and improved d:facto II was born.

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Selecting the

From Russia, with Cher, Part II

The 12-hour time difference between Moscow and Los Angeles definitely caused gaps in communication. Upon hearing the news that the Avid VENUE Profile consoles were unavailable, monitor mixer Brian Hendry and I cobbled together a modified equipment spec for the rehearsal day in Moscow. Both of us decided to go with small analog consoles, as neither of us would have time to program an unfamiliar digital desk. However, when we arrived at work for the last day of rehearsal in Los Angeles, we were greeted with the news that the Avid consoles were now going to be in place on the Moscow rehearsal day. The upward trend was definitely continuing.

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Time Bombs: An Era of Aging Superstars

Pollstar’s annual end-of-year summary of the concert touring business is looked forward to with equal parts anticipation and anxiety these days. A decade ago, as it was becoming apparent that the CD’s decline was going to be irreversible, the shift in revenue emphasis to live music was exhilarating. Shed and arena shows were slipping, but theater and clubs shows were accelerating. Festivals were establishing themselves as brands as much as events.

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A small brush and drop of contact cleaner/enhancer simplify the renewal of XLR connectors

Winter Gear Maintenance Tips

In the early days of my freelance audio career (circa late-1800s) I’d have a bit of a panic attack each year during the winter months, which were always very slow. I didn’t have the experience to know that my schedule would pick up again after the holiday season ended, so I’d get a little freaked out — until I survived the cycle a few times. In recent years, I’ve embraced the pattern, typically using it to do things I haven’t had the chance to do all year. Planning a vacation is certainly an idea, although I’m usually so disgusted with traveling that I’m happy to stay home for a few weeks.

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Neumann KK 205 capsule on a Sennheiser SK2000 transmitter

Tips for a Wireless Worship World

One day I would like to do a historical research piece on the first church and preacher to use a wireless microphone. We know it started a long time ago, but who was first, and what obstacles did they encounter? I think that it would be a very interesting subject. That said, I won’t dive into that research project this month, but I will be writing about wireless mics, lavs and headsets and my experience with them over the years. So, here we go.

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Illustration by Andy Au

Religion, Faith and Touring Life

Back in the early 1980s, I was attempting to make a living in Manhattan playing guitar and I got hooked up with an R&B band by the name of Henderson and Whitfield. Their producer, Jack Levi, thought the group needed to add a “rock” flavor to their dance beats, and that’s how I ended up as the only white Jewish guy in the band. There was never an awkward moment, and as long as I was able to hang with the music and the musicians, then religion and color had no play in the situation. Also, my theological affiliation is more cultural than it is religious and, back in the day, I was young, ambitious and just thrilled to be playing with any good act with a record deal.

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