As someone who has lugged plenty of musical equipment around, I was quite interested in this month's cover story (“Travel Light,” p. 26), which offers suggestions for putting together smaller, lighter, more portable gear setups for guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and P.A. Since much of my musical work is in New York City, I can certainly appreciate the desirability of a highly portable rig. When you have to deal with the particular problems associated with big-city gigging — such as lack of parking, equipment theft, and strict traffic laws — having a lightweight setup that you can carry in one trip can be a lifesaver. But as you'll read in the story, even suburban and rural musicians will find plenty of benefits to lightening their load.
Of course, musicians face many challenges beyond just hauling their equipment around. For one thing, they've got to keep that gear in working order, and if it stops functioning during a gig, they have to figure out the problem and correct it fast. In our feature story “The Show Must Go On” (p. 39), we offer advice on how to troubleshoot equipment problems under pressure and how to employ preventive maintenance techniques to stop problems before they occur.
Also on tap in this issue is a profile of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the rough-edged, high-energy ska-punk band from Boston that just finished coheadlining the Vans Warped Tour. Although they've never been megastars, the Bosstones have managed to stay popular and relevant for quite a long time. The band members we spoke with had a lot to say about their approach to performing, rehearsing, and surviving on the road. Naturally, the article also features a detailed breakdown of the band's equipment.
Before I run out of space, let me take a moment to tell you about Aux Send, our new e-newsletter. Published on the 10th of each month, Aux Send offers new-product information, a calendar of upcoming industry events (music conferences, contests, showcases, and so on), tech tips, and a section called “Indie Picks” that spotlights several independent bands each month. The best part about Aux Send is that it's free! Go to www.onstagemag.com and click on the Aux Send button to subscribe.
