Concert Tech on Trains

Re: Concert Tech on Trains

Dan Richardson said:
I've got IEMs. Never occurred to me to try. Longer waves are better at getting through obstacles aren't they? Maybe that VHF gear in the back of the warehouse could be of some use. On the other hand, a steel dome car is pretty much a Faraday cage. I wish arranging a field test was a little less non-trivial.
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That's a very cool gig. Regarding wireless transfer of audio:

Sennheiser allows you to transmit from an IEM transmitter to a wireless mic receiver. Could you somehow hang the antennas right outside the windows, leaving just a gap big enough for the coax cable? If you have one antenna either side of the train, you're good no matter what way the train is turning at the moment :)

You can buy these really cheap plastic flag -holders that are supposed to be attached to the side windows of a car, I'm sure getting one to accept a whip antenna is fairly easy.
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

This is really cool. Like the Nexo. How about getting rid of the speaker sticks? They make brackets. You could get even more headroom by turning them on their sides and bracketing to the ceiling.

Dan Richardson said:
Your wish, my command. Rather than swerve that thread, I'm starting a new one.

Guy I work with runs tiny music festivals on chartered vintage train cars. Typically 4 or 5 1940s Pullman cars: 2 or 3 sleepers, a dome dining car, and a club car that I convert into a venue. 3 or 4 performers and 50 audience members. We've done a bunch of them across Canada and LA to Seattle. Coming up I have one from Chicago to New Orleans. Concerts, workshops, open mics, jam sessions, everything happens on the train.

Jimmy Dale Gilmore, shows the stage setup pretty well

View attachment 6962

Bit more crowded, with Rick Shay, Dave Alvin, Chris Smithers, and Peter Case.

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Me in the booth, with Thad Beckman looking on while Jon Langford plays.

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Here's a video of Thad singing a song.

Thad Beckman sings Pretty Little Song on a train - YouTube
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Re: Concert Tech on Trains

harrybrilljr said:
This is really cool. Like the Nexo. How about getting rid of the speaker sticks? They make brackets. You could get even more headroom by turning them on their sides and bracketing to the ceiling.
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I'll leave it to someone else to point out that the OP stated clearly that these cars are genuine antiques and no alterations are allowed......including screwing up the decor with bolts and screws.......

OOOOps
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

I am a function over form kind of guy. More important not to have sticks in the sight line than to place some arbitrary value on an inanimate object just because it is old. Who cares if it's an antique? Get me a drill...
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

harrybrilljr said:
How about getting rid of the speaker sticks? They make brackets.
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I'd love to. Most of the cars we're in are carefully restored museum pieces, owned by private collectors. I don't get to drill holes in them.

The Nexo need a lot of EQ, even with the dedicated processor. K10s run pretty flat in the same car, and save me the space of an amp rack, but I haven't been able to rent them.
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

harrybrilljr said:
I am a function over form kind of guy. More important not to have sticks in the sight line than to place some arbitrary value on an inanimate object just because it is old. Who cares if it's an antique? Get me a drill...
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So the function-over-form guy doesn't care if he makes unsightly holes, and the reason he wants to make them is so that he can remove two perfectly functional stands for cosmetic reasons.

That made a lot of sense to me.
 
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Re: Concert Tech on Trains

kristianjohnsen said:
So the function-over-form guy doesn't care if he makes unsightly holes, and the reason he wants to make them is so that he can remove two perfectly functional stands for cosmetic reasons.

That made a lot of sense to me.
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Don't be an ass. It's pretty unsightly and bad form. I couldn't care less what the poles look like. It's that they are blocking the view of the audience.

The Op should try velcro.
 
harrybrilljr said:
Don't be an ass. It's pretty unsightly and bad form. I couldn't care less what the poles look like. It's that they are blocking the view of the audience.

The Op should try velcro.
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I guess you have not understood the several attempts at clarifying that nothing may be attached to the inside of the train. No modifications at all.

You seem to think he can choose to ignore the rules he was given.

I don't understand you.


Sent from my iPad HD
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

harrybrilljr said:
I am a function over form kind of guy. More important not to have sticks in the sight line than to place some arbitrary value on an inanimate object just because it is old. Who cares if it's an antique? Get me a drill...
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Because that's the gig and he “Gets it!” YOU may not care but the guy who spent the better part of a million dollars on the train car does. You don't get cool gigs like that with out following the rules, regardless of if you agree with them. I also think “Don't damage the venue.” is a pretty common sense rule.
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

Dan Richardson said:
Suggestions are good. They do let me tape to the stainless steel parts, which generally means I can secure my cable runs. Nothing goes on any painted parts.
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Am I right in assuming the train is moving?
Even modern trains have some fairly harsh jerking and braking, older ones even more so.
How are you keeping the speakers from falling forward when it has to stop suddenly? Not to mention the occasional side-to-side sway when crossing a track switch?
Even with heavy sandbagging the stands could still flex enough to possibly allow the speakers to beat against the decor?
(Just curious in case I ever get to do something like this)

And is the power stable? I know it kicks on and off and surges even on modern airplanes, let alone 85 year old railroad equipment!
So just wondering if engine throttle affects it -Is the loco steam or a newer diesel?
I remember reading about how power generation from a steam locomotive wasn't as easy a concept as with a diesel and how every line had their own standards, some of the streamliners actually had local generators under each car or a common light-plant in a baggage car if the rolling stock was a commonly assembled unit
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

Craig Hauber said:
Am I right in assuming the train is moving?
Even modern trains have some fairly harsh jerking and braking, older ones even more so.
How are you keeping the speakers from falling forward when it has to stop suddenly?
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Yes, the action all happens while the train is moving. The age of the cars isn't the issue, since they all have modern trucks to fit modern rails. The issue is the tracks are in awful condition, at least on this continent. We did have one train of Breton fiddlers who had a contra dance enroute. That was amusing.

I put a slab of foam on top of the speaker and then tension it against the ceiling by spreading the stand legs. I add a hose clamp above the stand clamp for security. Geometry says the speaker would have to go up to go sideways, and unless the stand gives out, that's not going to happen. It's another one of the factors that constrains my speaker placement. I need clearance for the legs and solid ceiling above.

And is the power stable?
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We ride along on Amtrak or VIA Rail lines, so we're getting our power from their diesels. It's been OK while running. However, when in station, the power's liable to be cut without warning. I did have one rental Crown XTI 4000 that didn't want to come back from one of those. Some of the cars do have generators. We don't have much call to rely on them, since there's usually shore power when we're parked in a yard.
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

Tom Bourke said:
Because that's the gig and he “Gets it!” YOU may not care but the guy who spent the better part of a million dollars on the train car does. You don't get cool gigs like that with out following the rules, regardless of if you agree with them. I also think “Don't damage the venue.” is a pretty common sense rule.
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See above

Sent from my iPad HD[/QUOTE]
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

Just got back from a Chicago/ New Orleans round trip. Brought the entire PA out from Mass via Amtrak. Left the speaker stands with the train car owner, and everything else came home as checked baggage on Southwest. 4 bags and 2 carry-ons, no surcharge. Winning.

I did a proof of concept with a Sennheiser G2 lav kit for remote audio, and it totally covers the next two cars, no external antennae or anything, so we'll be using that henceforth.
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

Here's Jon Dee Graham in the Ponchartrain club car on the City Of New Orleans run from Chicago to New Orleans and back last weekend. This was our first time in this car, which is a 30 seat venue.

2013-08-11 22-39-48 scaled.jpg

I've switched to carrying the entire system as checked baggage, rather than struggling with renting locally for each train. EV ZXa1s up top and PASX140 powered HotSpots for stage monitors. Mixer has scaled down from my LS9-16 to a Mackie DL1608. We were all really happy with how it sounded. The mics are Audix VX5. The lights are video camera lights powered by Sony camcorder batteries. This was awesome, because the power dropped on us multiple times this trip. The train would stop, and it would be quiet enough for the performers to play unamplified. I've always thought the best sound system is no sound system.
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

found this webpage:
Pontchartrain Club
Is this the car in question?

Looks like you would be fairly cramped in there for a show, but looks like a fun thing to do for an excursion someday.

Is the car linked onto the back of the normal double-decker amtrak type cars or are there other vintage cars like it in the train? (And what type of loco would they use if it's an all-vintage train?)
 
Re: Concert Tech on Trains

That's the car, although I don't think they own her any more. Pullman Rail Journeys run her with a dome car, another lounge car, and a sleeper, all restored Pullman cars, behind the regular Amtrak City Of New Orleans train. The folks I work for charter from them, among others. There's a group of cars based in LA that we use, and VIA Rail in Canada has some nice ones.

Pontchartrain is a comfortable 30 seats with the table and such out. Well, comfortable by train standards. Spacious by airline standards or NYC club standards.

Roots On The Rails is us. Flying Under Radar / Roots on the Rails
 
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