Features

It’s been 10 years since PLSN and FRONT of HOUSE first published Bob Higgins’ “Top 40 Rules of the Road.” For those who didn’t frame (or at least laminate) the original Top 40 Rules (July 2003), here’s a second chance. —ed.

Industry veteran Bob Higgins has more than 30 years of experience in the touring industry as a video producer, director, editor, dancer, troublemaker, and problem solver. With the help of contributing minders K. Lipschutz, G. Jones, V. Jarvis, A. Kramer, R. Alvarez, W. Willoughby, and B. Riedling, he’s pieced together the following rules, gleaned from his own early mistakes, mistakes he’s seen along the way (with the shipping records as proof), eyewitness accounts, and road stories too numerous to mention. Please read carefully, you will be tested daily…

For years, students interested in learning about sound reinforcement had few options, usually limited to attending an audio program that was 95 percent devoted to recording, and barely touched on working in a live performance setting. Now veteran FOH engineer Rick Camp has developed Master Mix Live, a school devoted to training people in the art and science of live sound.

The old song might say “It never rains in Southern California,” but this time it did — but only sporadically and hardly enough to dampen the spirits of the 100,000 or so attendees at the Winter NAMM show from January 24 to 28. In fact, the mood at this year’s expo carried a decidedly good vibe. With the memories of 2008’s near-depression and 2012’s year-end “fiscal cliff” thankfully becoming a distant memory, the M.I. and pro industries seemed ready to get back to business. And there seemed to be plenty of business, with a feeling of optimism in the air and from the strong turnout of interested buyers and serious attendees, a sense that good times lie ahead.

The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY had a glorious history that began in 1920s with vaudeville and movies (silent and talkies) before emerging, in the 1960s and 1970s, as a rock ‘n’ roll palace that dispensed sonic pleasures for those grooving to the sounds of the Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead and other great bands of that generation. But like so many beautiful old theaters, the doors were locked and, despite an open-to-the-public revival in the 1980s and 1990s, where bands like Phish and local theater groups play The Cap, the venue was at risk of becoming a shadow of its former past. Could the wrecking ball be far behind?

The one thing you can expect at the Parnelli Awards is the unexpected. That was certainly true at the 12th Annual Parnelli Awards gala held Oct. 20, 2012 at the Mirage Las Vegas when Jake Berry (Tour Manager for Madonna, U2) showed up, followed by rocker Billy Squier, who spoke briefly and then thrilled the audience with a spirited performance of some of his songs. Both wanted to surprise Lifetime Achievement Honoree Charlie Hernandez, and that they did (and everyone else).

The Audio Engineering Society (www.aes.org) show came to San Francisco from October 26 to 29 during a wild week marked by the SF Giants sweeping the World Series. Meanwhile, on the eastern seaboard, hurricane Sandy left an unprecedented wake of destruction, disrupted travel, closed major airports and left many east coasters stranded on the left coast after the show.

In its 21st year, PLASA 2012 (Sept. 9 to 12) marked the final staging of the annual exhibition at Earls Court & Olympia expo centers before the show moves to ExCeL London for 2013. Along with an expanded and varied program of sessions, seminars and events for lighting and sound reinforcement pros, this year’s event also included programs focusing on the industry’s involvement the Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympics. Hundreds of exhibitors showed the latest in sound, lighting, installation and entertainment production technology, and there were plenty of new professional audio products on display.

Parnelli Audio Innovator Award Honors
Sound Image Co-Founders

Sound Image has been at the forefront of the pro audio industry. The company holds 10 patents and has created or contributed to advances in console designs, the Phase-Loc System, L Track rigging, fiber optic amplifier networking systems and the use of composite carbon fiber in loudspeaker enclosures. For this and so much more, the Parnelli Board of Advisors is honoring the company’s founders Dave Shadoan and the late Ross Ritto with the 2012 Parnelli Audio Innovator Award.

Somebody had to do it. Who else but Charlie Hernandez?

A menacing rainstorm in Rio de Janeiro flooded the portion of the Formula 1 race track where the next insane episode of the Guns N’ Roses tour of South America was going down. A delay in getting Guns N’ Roses onstage was nothing new, yet this time the weather was not helping. Unfortunately, the local promoter let the crowd onto the field during load-in. Hernandez and associate Lori Tierney were surveying the mayhem from above, in the announcer tower. “Charlie and I were looking out on this seething crowd when [Dale] “Opie” [Skjerseth] comes in and announces that we still needed to run the snake from the stage to FOH,” Tierney recalls. “I looked down at that riot, and said, ‘Are you kidding me?’”

Then a wide-eyed grinning Hernandez chirped: “I’ll do it!”

The readers have spoken — and what a diverse group they have chosen to honor as the best of the best of their region. We have some fresh faces and some “repeat offenders.” All of these are bestowed with a little something to hang on their wall with the Parnelli logo and all the honor, glory and bragging rights that go with it. Take a look at some companies you might not be that familiar with, and reacquaint yourself with others — before heading on over to parnelliawards.com to vote for the best of the best. The winning company will be honored with the Hometown Hero Sound Company of the Year award at the Parnelli Awards Oct. 20, 2012 at the Mirage in Las Vegas.