A Stage Sound Question

[TheLoony]

I've wondered about this one since I first saw this but never asked. It's not the only show, I'm sure, I could bring up but this one really stands out to me. I'm looking at this from a drummer perspective and I can't figure out how Judas Priest were able to pull off the show at the US festival.

Pause it at the 20:23 mark. Clear shot of the drums on the riser, about ten feet tall. No monitors at all. Guitar stacks to the left and the right but pointed away. Who knows if those stacks were even on, they might have been props. Monitors for the rest of the band are too far away and I don't see anything hanging that would be helpful.

There's no inner ears at the time so explain to me how Dave Holland could hear what was going on. I'm stumped but it seems these days I'm easily stumped. I'm sure I'll look like a fool but I just gotta ask.

[Sputnik]

My guess is he's got a wedge buried back there somewhere behind the bass drums pointing up at him, you just can't see it. There may also be some side fills down behind the stacks pointed up. And the front monitors aren't so far away that the drummer couldn't hear them, not with great detail, but enough to hear the various parts and vocals. You're right, there have to be monitors for the drummer somewhere, it's just a question of where they are.

Bill

[TheLoony]

My guess is he's got a wedge buried back there somewhere behind the bass drums pointing up at him, you just can't see it. There may also be some side fills down behind the stacks pointed up. And the front monitors aren't so far away that the drummer couldn't hear them, not with great detail, but enough to hear the various parts and vocals. You're right, there have to be monitors for the drummer somewhere, it's just a question of where they are.

Bill

Sometimes it takes me to light a fire under my ass and do some investigating. I think I have found the culprit and also the answer to another question I had which was how did he get up there?

22:31 seems to answer both of my questions. There in the back are what appears to be two monitors side by side, unless they have some really long monitor I'm not familiar with. They blend in with the black drums and not really much is there to be seen.

Also you can clearly see the simple ladder they set up. So much money spent on this and it's a simple ladder. I kinda thought they would have built something possibly a little safer to get up there but there it is, just hanging out.

Well, that was boring.

[rcarlberg]

Seriously? You think JUDAS FUCKING PRIEST wasn't loud enough to be heard on-stage by a band member?

[GuitarGeek]

Seriously? You think JUDAS FUCKING PRIEST wasn't loud enough to be heard on-stage by a band member?

I hope you're being facetious.

[Sputnik]

Sometimes it takes me to light a fire under my ass and do some investigating. I think I have found the culprit and also the answer to another question I had which was how did he get up there?

22:31 seems to answer both of my questions. There in the back are what appears to be two monitors side by side, unless they have some really long monitor I'm not familiar with. They blend in with the black drums and not really much is there to be seen.

Also you can clearly see the simple ladder they set up. So much money spent on this and it's a simple ladder. I kinda thought they would have built something possibly a little safer to get up there but there it is, just hanging out.

Well, that was boring.

LOL, yep, that's where the monitor was (it looks like the same type being used on the floor, check out about 16:39, you'll see one that appears about the same size - probably has 2 12" speakers in it and maybe a horn).

And yeah, the ladder really is funny! the next time Judas Priest comes to town, I may see if I can get them to come clean out my gutters!

[chalkpie]

Great video! These nutters were tight as balls. And love those Marshall stacks.

[TheLoony]

LOL, yep, that's where the monitor was (it looks like the same type being used on the floor, check out about 16:39, you'll see one that appears about the same size - probably has 2 12" speakers in it and maybe a horn).

And yeah, the ladder really is funny! the next time Judas Priest comes to town, I may see if I can get them to come clean out my gutters!

I can't unsee the ladder so every time I see this I'll be noticing that stupid ladder. Really great show and I'll be sitting there thinking about a damned ladder.

[TheLoony]

Great video! These nutters were tight as balls. And love those Marshall stacks.

They really did do a good show that day. IMHO they were at their best on this tour as the album is great - much better than their supposed "classic" album British Steel. The SFV video shows it also, a band in their prime.