Can we be done with the fake marshall stacks on stage thing?

[JimAnsell]

do these bands and festivals really need to set up the fake marshall stacks and phony ampeg bass rigs on the back on the stage? Isn't that shit so dated? its like one of those weird elements of rock shows that no one really questions. we all know they're playing something else, off stage. That shit just takes up room at this point, and we all know its fake. Replace them with strippers on poles or something, idk

 

[skullfxr]

Strippers on poles... Yes. No brainer.

 

[Kordoba]

I'd like to see them replaced with giant buckets of fried chicken and watermelon.

 

[raiken]

I'd like to see them replaced with real Marshall stacks.

 

[nightflameauto]

Didn't Rush actually replace the backline with kitchen appliances and the like? I think I remember reading they even used rotisserie ovens on one tour and handed out food at the end of the show from the stage. Got the room and nobody's using stacks upon stacks, why not?

 

[RevDrucifer]

Didn't Rush actually replace the backline with kitchen appliances and the like? I think I remember reading they even used rotisserie ovens on one tour and handed out food at the end of the show from the stage. Got the room and nobody's using stacks upon stacks, why not?

Yep! Geddy (jokingly) said he was jealous of Alex having a wall of stuff behind him and since Geddy was going direct, he had nothing.

I don’t have to pay for any band’s cartage, they can put whatever the hell they want onstage. I think Petrucci was even running some false cabs up front and going out of 1x12’s behind them. I’m sure some times an amp company might supply them just to get their name up on the stage. I think Lamb Of God had some false cabs for a while. Then you’ve got guys like Yngwie....

 

[Pentatonic Wanker]

Strippers on Poles? I'm in!

 

[GtarLover]

It's a thing for sure.
Most non-players don't know the difference.
Realize we are in SHOW BUSINESS

Regardless, we are increasingly letting the cabs go, yet still bring some real cabs now and again.
It's more to fill the stage, even with Banners, scrims, etc...40 ft is still a big stage to fill.

Many arena acts have let "amps" go in favor of more creative looks.
Iron Maiden has a bunch of things going on, but none of it is their amps.

Then again, AC/DC is running a buttload of REAL Marshall's. So there's that too.

 

[Hamer95USA]

It's all about stage production, the advent of amp/cab modeling technology, IEM usage, less stage space, less stage volume, the set up & tear down of actual instrument cabs, and shipping costs. The general audience will appreciate the good balanced mix out in the front without the blaring stage volume, but hey, we all love stacks and loud stage volume right?

Guitar George

 

[RaceU4her]

i back it still. i dont think the average music listening fan knows knows or wants to know they are fake. rock and roll is supposed to be big and over the top and i think its lost a lot of that. i know i was kinda bummed when i had my first backstage pass to an ozzfest almost 20 years ago and saw a bunch of fake stacks.

 

[Chris6870]

Are we cool with real Marshalls on stage?

 

[DragonCrestPC]

i back it still. i dont think the average music listening fan knows knows or wants to know they are fake. rock and roll is supposed to be big and over the top and i think its lost a lot of that. i know i was kinda bummed when i had my first backstage pass to an ozzfest almost 20 years ago and saw a bunch of fake stacks.

Agreed.

 

[Kordoba]

Didn't Rush actually replace the backline with kitchen appliances and the like? I think I remember reading they even used rotisserie ovens on one tour and handed out food at the end of the show from the stage. Got the room and nobody's using stacks upon stacks, why not?

Is that where you got the idea from? I still remember the time I was about to pass through Sioux Falls on my way to a gig in Aberdeen, and decided to swing into town
and have a beer at the Sidewinder. I'll never forget the 20 foot tall 12at7s that your band had glowing and flashing instead of a backline, and that little Peavey Studio Pro you had mic'd up backstage.

 

[nightflameauto]

Didn't Rush actually replace the backline with kitchen appliances and the like? I think I remember reading they even used rotisserie ovens on one tour and handed out food at the end of the show from the stage. Got the room and nobody's using stacks upon stacks, why not?

Is that where you got the idea from? I still remember the time I was about to pass through Sioux Falls on my way to a gig in Aberdeen, and decided to swing into town
and have a beer at the Sidewinder. I'll never forget the 20 foot tall 12at7s that your band had glowing and flashing instead of a backline, and that little Peavey Studio Pro you had mic'd up backstage.

Those 12at7s broasted those turkeys but good! Dem drunken bikers didn't know what hit 'em by the end of third set when the turkey legs started flying between the beer bottles.

 

[311splawndude]

It's all about stage production, the advent of amp/cab modeling technology, IEM usage, less stage space, less stage volume, the set up & tear down of actual instrument cabs, and shipping costs. The general audience will appreciate the a good balanced mix out in the front without the blaring stage volume, but hey, we all love stacks and loud stage volume right?

Guitar George

That's exactly what I was going to post :


It doesn't quite seem like a thing as much as it used to be

Except maybe for Yngwie and Kiss and the like.

The bands I go see these days don't do that.

KSE - only bring what they need to be miked up
311 - only bring what they need to be miked up
Slipknot - probably the same but have absolutely NO amps or cabs on stage (that we can see)

 

[romanianreaper]

Wow, I guess I hadn't realized how often that is going on. Ugh. I don't get it.

I'm going to sound old and a "get off my lawn" type but man, it is amazing how much things have changed at shows. Don't get me wrong, there are some good things at shows like easier access, etc. but such a different experience.

I saw AC/DC on the "Blow Up Your Video" tour. We were front row, against the bar, dehydrated and lost our hearing after the cannons went off. It was sweaty, loud, etc. I saw Iron Maiden recently and people are drinking out of a souvenir cup with a big straw, eating a soft pretzel, and getting up a million times to text people in the lobby, etc. Just weird.

 

[JimAnsell]

i click on a lot of blabbermouth.net links to older bands performing live just to see how they're holding up. Its mostly older bands that still do this, or festivals. I was watching queensryche on some cruise, and there were all these stacks on stage and none of them were on, and it just triggered that thought. who out there still goes "DUDE LOOK AT ALL THOSE MARSHALL STACKS!!! COOOOL, ITS GUNNA BE SOOOOO LOUD!" ?

 

[D-Rock]

This kind of thing is only on guitarist's radar, which makes up like 2% of the audience today.

 

[skullfxr]

This kind of thing is only on guitarist's radar, which makes up like 2% of the audience today.

Exactly.

I have to agree with the others, fake or not, I dig the mojo.

 

[skullfxr]

This kind of thing is only on guitarist's radar, which makes up like 2% of the audience today.

Exactly.

I have to agree with the others, fake or not, I dig the mojo.

Then there is Matt Pike. three or more oranges, ALL hooked up and loud AF!