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

[DragonCrestPC]

when I saw Mastodon and Primus last year Bill only had a Friedman cab on stage and Brent had like an Orange cab. I didnt even care what Pimus was using but I saw an interview that they had a bunch of Brent Hinds Terrors that werent connected to anything. I saw Ozzy on the No More Tours tour(I think that was one of his first farewell tours) Zakk had a tone of speaker cabs on stage but after the second or third song they changed pictures to show they were actually TV's

Saw them on the same tour in San Diego.

 

[LP Freak]

Sorry. Yngwie's set up is just embarrassing. I like the 'big rock' look myself but that is just foolish. I remember when I first saw that pic all I could think of was the:

the time it takes to set up
the weight of those amps
the value of those amps
the transportation of those amps
and the power those amps draw

Just so pointless

I wouldn’t be surprised if most of them are empty head boxes

 

[Markedman]

jim-marshall-rip by John Bazzano, on Flickr

 

[Chris6870]

Are we cool with real Marshalls on stage?

gotta love Yngwie

So that is Yngwies?

Don’t know to rather laugh
Or

Looks like a helluva lot of work regardless.

Yep I saw him a few years ago in a tiny theater. Supposedly they are all real. It's his personal collection.

 

[sleewell2]

seems like an odd thing to be salty about.

rock n roll is about putting on a show right?

i dont think people who go see plays sit back and complain that the set is not a real building.

 

[alan67]

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

I don't have a problem with it, To the unknowing, and even some of the knowing, it looks cooler than just a black curtain or maybe some fake potted plants to block the view of all the background stuff going on.

 

[ghosty999]

Sorry. Yngwie's set up is just embarrassing. I like the 'big rock' look myself but that is just foolish. I remember when I first saw that pic all I could think of was the:

the time it takes to set up
the weight of those amps
the value of those amps
the transportation of those amps
and the power those amps draw

Just so pointless

 

[thisguy]

seems like an odd thing to be salty about.

rock n roll is about putting on a show right?

i dont think people who go see plays sit back and complain that the set is not a real building.

No kidding!

I wanted to say there's a bunch of old farts on here but then I got confused. Would an old fart be complaining about it or would an old fart want it for nostalgia?

Either way, life must be pretty good if this is what gets you worked up.

 

[BorfJr]

The best part of the Rush backline was that they'd mic the appliances.

Each rotisserie was mic'd differently to cut through the mix better.

 

[ButtonPusher]

Are we cool with real Marshalls on stage?

HOLY TINNITUS BATMAN!

 

[petejt]

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

Same.

 

[petejt]

The best part of the Rush backline was that they'd mic the appliances.

 

[petejt]

I wanted to say there's a bunch of old farts on here but then I got confused. Would an old fart be complaining about it or would an old fart want it for nostalgia?

It depends on how old the fart is.

 

[Mailman1971]

I wanted to say there's a bunch of old farts on here but then I got confused. Would an old fart be complaining about it or would an old fart want it for nostalgia?

It depends on how old the fart is.

Well I’m damn near 50. Called grandpa many times even though I’m not yet.
So say if I fart. That would be an old fart!

 

[Ventura]

Keep in mind the original idea behind those walls of stacks.

1.) They HAD to push air back in the old days because either there was no PA or the house PA/speakers just were not going to do the music justice (ie rock and metal).

2.) You needed a back drop to hide all the crap and roadies working behind the stage. Not real attractive.

This.

But I think it's passé and just not necessary nowadays. I dig the musicianship over the backdrop, and there's a whack of heavy hitters out there that just make it right with "tech" backdrops (ie: Heavy Devy, Tool, APC, Deftones, AIC...they've got their gear on stage, mic'd up, and that's it - but use awesome screens for lights, projections etc. or full on LED panels for kickass graphics).

To each their own. Back in the day when Dweezil first started touring ZappaPlaysZappa, it was such an epic moment - he TOURED with SO MUCH of his Dad's "real" vintage gear to get "that particular sound for that particular song" it was jaw-dropping to say the least. Smaller venues, but the stage had sometimes 30+ different guitar amps and cabs, all manner of shit from all different eras, and each one, mic'd and integrated into the show. He'd (Dweezil) would even go over to the amp being played at times and give it a tweak. I was like "how many trailers IS this?!?!".

Eventually he went the way so many others do - AxeFX - done. Sadly. But hey, at the time, it was amazing to not only HEAR all that classic gear being put through the songs, but to SEE it up close and personal. Pretty special for sure.

 

[Red_Label]

I've seen Yngwie, Rush, and Maiden multiple times over the last ten years. All were awesome shows.

Always chuckle at the Yngwie hate. Yngwie's wall looked damned real. I was right up against the barrier in front of him all night, so the only view of those stacks better than mine was backstage. Yngwie is Yngwie. Love it or leave it. But he changed the game. He's on guitar magazine covers. He drives Ferraris. He performs on stage for fans who travel far to see him. He just goes on doing his thing with no concern for web forum pundits.

 

[JimAnsell]

do bands waste travel space in 2019 with fake gear? please at least tell me those fake ass cabs are all local and part of the tour rider, and aren't traveled with.

 

[JimAnsell]

Keep in mind the original idea behind those walls of stacks.

1.) They HAD to push air back in the old days because either there was no PA or the house PA/speakers just were not going to do the music justice (ie rock and metal).

2.) You needed a back drop to hide all the crap and roadies working behind the stage. Not real attractive.

do you need to push air with guitar cabs these days, REALLY?

 

[guitarmike]

Are we cool with real Marshalls on stage?

HOLY TINNITUS BATMAN!

Most of those are just props. Every so often he sells some on eBay. Props or not, it is a lot to move and set up every day.
When I was gigging I took an old 4x12 cab and turned it into my gig bag. I hinged the back panel and stored all the stuff I used at gigs in it. I had my cables, pedalboard, tools, emergency supplies, etc all in it. It was easier than hauling a bunch of different cases/bags (until we had to carry it up or down a flight of steps?). Cabs are pretty light once the speakers are pulled.

 

[guitarmike]

jim-marshall-rip by John Bazzano, on Flickr

These were all fully loaded cabs. I think it was part of Marshall’s 25th anniversary.