Blackout in Omaha-A Different Dose of Deep Banana

Back a year and a half ago I stumbled upon Deep Banana Blackout in Nashville, Tennessee at a little basement club called Jack Legs. A company party with a disco cover band ran WAY past intolerable. But it gave me an opportunity to interview DBB’s road manager E. E stands for Everything...remember that.

E and I (and some of the band members) talked about running sound, constructing sound, learning equipment and techniques, listening and struggling. Deep Banana Blackout that night featured Jen Durkin and although the crowd was small and confused about the late start, the vibe was on.

Back from another dose of Brasil’s finest, 16 hours of sleep got me ready for a Tuesday night show at the Music Box. Strange Pleasures (http://www.strangepleasures.com) had the good fortune to open for DBB on their first trip to Omaha. Blackout time!!

Band- Deep Banana Blackout
(featuring Hope Clayburn)

Venue: Music Box ( www.musicboxlive.com), Omaha NE

Date: April 10, 2001

SL-Pro

E-E the road manager/sound engineer/jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none from DBB

SL: How have things changed musically with Hope now in the band?

E: Now I have three horns that trade it up pretty well. Vocally they are doing more-ike the song earlier tonight. Fuzz and Rob were singing, then Hope and Rob, then Hope and Fuzz-four part harmonies with Cy. Really changing it up. Hope’s added a lot-another horn, flute, soprano and alto sax. It’s hectic at nights, but it’s COOL.

SL: How’s life now that you’re touring more?

E: The band has had a lot of fun together and we’re getting along great. We’re writing more-on trips Fuzz will get out his guitar and they’ll starting bouncing stuff around. We wish we had more time for that. We’re getting ready for our CD to come out this summer and tour more. As we’ve been more places in the last year, we wish we could get to more places, more often.

SL: When I met DBB the last time, I found out about ‘Brutal’-other people go by different names, but it’s basically the game where you hack on your friends mercilessly...how’s ‘brutal’ with the new line-up?

E: It still happens. You know everyone is joking. It usually happens after breakfast when we’re about 2 hours down the road-it becomes a series of busting each other’s balls.

SL: We talked a lot about where you were as a ‘part time’ sound man a year and half ago. What have you learned about sound since then?

E: That I’d love to have a sound guy! Somebody that I could trust to do it that was skilled. Just so I can do other things-I need to be many places at once. But, also so I can come back and tweak now and then or run monitors for the band. But I’ve gotten better at hearing frequencies, making every individual voice sound better on it’s own.

SL: How have your equipment requirements changed with the added horns and vocals?

E: Well, we always ask for the best possible-some nights you don’t get it. We’re running 25-28 channels, but I could go a full 32 for sure. Tonight was ideal, having both monitors and front of house separate. When you run both from the front you can’t always eq the monitors and sometimes you really affect the mix on stage. Then, you have to get it where it’s decent and not ringing. But, you take the best deal for the money and sometimes it could be better. I always ask about the equipment and I may not know the details about everything, but I can tell you which board is a piece of shit and kind of how the night’s going to go.

SL: How about effects and other toys?

E: With the old band we had more of 60’s JB feel...this style is a cleaner, 70’s JB funk , so with this band, I try not to use too much of the effects or they seem washed. I’ve had to learn how to hear it. Adding a little reverb to the vocals brings it out over the instrument more. Some delays here and there, I’ll just fuck with it or pitch change once in awhile. But nothing is up but the reverb, 1.5-2.0 or gets muddy. I’m certainly not afraid of the effects, but if I need it, I put it in. But I’ll gladly sacrifice an effects channel for another mic any night.

SL: What other tips do you have on running sound for this large of band?

E: With a four piece band it’s easier. There’s less wavelengths bouncing around stage-the volume is different. We try to keep the stage volume down, but it’s not always easy. Get the full horn sound with nobody blasting, mix in the rhythm section and keys, get a nice balance with Fuzz and put the vocals on top and it’ll sound sweet. I will walk out and check it out during the show-it can be different if the room is empty-but if you think it sounds pretty good, it’s never perfect, most people aren’t going to really know.

SL: What about guests or other cool set ups?

E: We’ve been doing some shows with the Motet, setting up at the same time. It sounds great. We always have a lot of guest musicians that come up and hang out and when they get up and jam, that’s my favorite shit.

SL: E, good to see you again and for taking time during the show...one last thing, what would you change?

E: A bus. It takes a lot of money to keep a band this big on the road, and we have to take two vans. That takes extra drivers, it’d be nice to have some room and a little more rest. I think it would be healthier for everyone. But, I guess you say ‘bus’ and there’s some expense in that as well. Uh, travel with all of our own equipment-a big rack and mics to tape the shows. But we’re really excited for the new CD to come out and we’re playing those tunes every night. We’re sounding great, the people are coming out and we wish we could be more places. Whoops, gotta go...

DBB dished up a fine blend of fuller, funkier, tighter compositions and jazzier jams for the Omaha crowd that filled the dance floor and the tables throughout the night. Chants of "Deep Banana Blackout" brought the band out for a well-deserved encore to end this night’s Nebraska blackout.

Pro
pro@jambands.com

Levels Links:

Deep Banana Blackout ( www.deepbananablackout.com)