Matt Johnson teases a new Yamaha keyboard

[CyberGene]

At the very beginning of the video Matt says he’s “in Berlin, Germany doing some shooting for Yamaha for a new product they’ve got coming out. If I told you about it I’d have to kill you” 😲

 

Guesses? I’d say the CK-61/88. 

[CyberGene]

BTW, due to a very twisted counter-logic I’m 100% sure it’s not a Montage because a user commented: ”Montage?” and Matt answered “Yes”. However he most certainly thought that the user asked him about whether one of his keyboards we see on the stage was Montage. He wouldn’t have disclosed forthcoming Yamaha keyboard due to NDA. And if that new keyboard was a new Montage, he would have assumed it would be ambiguous to answer that question. Not sure if you follow my logic 🤣 But I’m sure the new keyboard is not a new Montage and Matt is known for vintage keyboard expertise, so 2 + 2 = CK 😉

[Docbop]

Being an old roadie really enjoyed see the stage setup and must me great doing change-over with the big wheeled platforms.    Back when I was on that Yes tour it was the old way of setting up the head liner then the opening acting setup in layers in front of the headliner.    The Yes tour I did had the big artwork blobs above and onstage to hide pedals in, some opening acts were ticked we couldn't take them off the stage and it chewed up the limited space they had already.    

[Jim Alfredson]

I've played many festivals like this but not with such a big act. We small fish are lucky if we can hear ANYTHING out of our monitors because we have to rely on the house sound people, who usually have great intentions but by the time we go on, are tired and spaced out. Last festival I did a few weeks ago, we got there at 10am to do soundcheck and by the time we went on at 8pm, the monitor guy must've forgotten where he saved the setup for our band because the monitors were completely and totally wrong. All I had in my monitor was GUITARS louder than the voice of god, no organ, no keys, no vocals... and by the time you start that first song it's too late to do anything. I tried to get the monitor guy's attention three times to turn down the guitars and it never changed. So I just cranked the Leslie, played piano by feel (and what little I could hear from the mains), sang via hearing myself due to ear plugs, and did the show. What else can you do? You just have to trust that it sounds good out front.

To have your own keyboard tech, monitor guy... man, that's the dream.

[nadroj]

51 minutes ago, Jim Alfredson said:

I've played many festivals like this but not with such a big act. We small fish are lucky if we can hear ANYTHING out of our monitors because we have to rely on the house sound people, who usually have great intentions but by the time we go on, are tired and spaced out. Last festival I did a few weeks ago, we got there at 10am to do soundcheck and by the time we went on at 8pm, the monitor guy must've forgotten where he saved the setup for our band because the monitors were completely and totally wrong. All I had in my monitor was GUITARS louder than the voice of god, no organ, no keys, no vocals... and by the time you start that first song it's too late to do anything. I tried to get the monitor guy's attention three times to turn down the guitars and it never changed. So I just cranked the Leslie, played piano by feel (and what little I could hear from the mains), sang via hearing myself due to ear plugs, and did the show. What else can you do? You just have to trust that it sounds good out front.

To have your own keyboard tech, monitor guy... man, that's the dream.

The festivals where the monitor tech is at the side of the stage are the best. Last festival we did the monitor guy was right next to where my keys were so I was able to just shout directly across. 
 

But yeah, festivals suck. Coming 10 hours early for soundcheck is a new one to me, though. We usually just turn up, play, have a cursory moan/laugh with each other about the festival sound, then bugger off home with our pockets a little heavier. 

[stoken6]

16 hours ago, Jim Alfredson said:

All I had in my monitor was GUITARS louder than the voice of god, no organ, no keys, no vocals... and by the time you start that first song it's too late to do anything. I tried to get the monitor guy's attention three times to turn down the guitars and it never changed. So I just cranked the Leslie, played piano by feel (and what little I could hear from the mains), sang via hearing myself due to ear plugs, and did the show. What else can you do? You just have to trust that it sounds good out front.

I've done many festivals this summer. Last night was probably the cherry on the cake: I was with a 12-piece "soul revue-type" horn band, closing the show. The sound guy brings... a 12-channel desk. 

- Two saxes share a mic on a kick-drum stand

- Trumpet and trombone share a mic

- One singer doesn't get a mic stand

- I didn't get a mic at all.

 

"Ain't no facepalm big enough..."

 

15 hours ago, nadroj said:

The festivals where the monitor tech is at the side of the stage are the best. Last festival we did the monitor guy was right next to where my keys were so I was able to just shout directly across. 

This is my memory of probably my favo(u)rite gig ever: a "festival in Knebworth" (yes, 100% truthful, and 100% not Knebworth Festival). Parking for bands behind the stage, easy load-in. Get on stage perhaps 10 minutes before downbeat - one of the sound crew comes up and says "Keyboards - are you mono or stereo"? (I'm mono)

"Great - set yourself up and let me know when you're ready for a line check" (I set up, wave and play)

"That's all working - I'll be just there off the stage, so just tell me if you need anything in your monitors". 

 

Very professional crew, made the whole gig relaxed and a pleasure.

 

EDIT: I have once again OT-ed a thread, apologies. 

 

Cheers, Mike.

 

 

[CyberGene]

As the author of this thread I think it’s not off topic at all, it’s all about music 🍻