Reporting back after my live show in Malta.
Posted October 6th, 2008 by Oliver CheslerFiled Under: hardware, live performance
I performed live Saturday night in Malta (photo above). It’s a great island below Italy and above Lybia. It’s in the EU, has ancient Roman ruins and amazing blue water. I’ve been performing there about once a year for the past five years and it’s a real treat. These are the kind of gigs everyone dreams about. Our hotel had a large terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. The hotel also had four swimming pools! Ok back to the music…
The most interesting aspect of the trip music tech wise was at sound check. Scottish techno producer Neil Landstrumm (photo below) was also performing and he brought some nice toys. Besides his Mac laptop with Ableton he had an Elektron Machinedrum and Korg ESX1 Electribe SX. My interest really peaked when he pulled out a FMR Audio Really Nice Compressor and Boss RE 20 Space Echo. Needless to say Neil’s sound was very punchy and he had the crowd going. We are old pals (he used to live in NYC) and he went on about how much he liked both the RNC and RE 20.
I ran into some problems at sound check. After making the club check all their equipment for about an hour Neil pointed out the issue was my fault. It turns out my mic was on and even though none of the Ableton channels had the input on the mic was so loud distorting it was bleeding through causing some nasty zapping sounds. I graciously apologized to everyone and luckily redeemed myself later in the night by managing to crowd surf without looking like an idiot.
What? Crowd surf? Unfortunately yes. I like to be really connected to the audience so usually I jump down off the stage however remaining on my feet and walk through people singing. This time it was so packed when I hit the floor without me being able to stop them the kids picked me up! By some magic grace of god I didn’t look too stupid and they floated me back to the stage in one piece. In fact no one even messed up my hair… whew!
I played two songs which are totally new; stuff for my next album. Both worked however I need to make “Lightning Strikes” less synth full for a club setting. “I Stand with You” made me very happy. Only by playing your songs in a live situation can you be ever sure if they are great or not. That’s the tip of the day.
The next show is Stuttgart. To see the flyer: click here
Loading ...
Cool! I’m looking forward to hear how good both the songs sounds inside a club.
I’m sure those will sounds great as usual.
Seems you had an amazing time in malta, pics (on ttc) are looking really great. Im looking forward to your new album!
We’ll meet in stuttgart;) cant wait for it…
btw: did you look after the shirt :P ^^
yeh Malta’s a really interesting place, some day I will visit there, and some day I will have something by Elektron eheh, I just cant afford any of it atm :p
[...] To read Oliver Chesler’s personal account of the event head of to his Wire to the Ear blog and read: Reporting back after my live show in Malta. [...]
I never visited Malta but your primitive music must have had a resonance with the about 3000 BC neoceltic temples you can visit on the isle… Too bad you didn’t play there!
Come to play in the south of France, please…