VAN HALEN in Atlanta April 19, 2012

31 years ago I saw my first concert ever, at the Omni in Atlanta with Van Halen. It was their “Fair Warning” tour, and the giant 4-piece was in their prime. My Dad bought tickets for me, but I wound up going with some older kids who were celebrating one of their friends 18th birthday. I’ll never forget that night, because my eyes were opened to a whole new musical experience. Once I saw my first live concert I was hooked, and still am.

Since then I’ve seen Van Halen every year after that, to 1984 tour, then twice with Sammy Hagar, and even David Lee Roth on his own 3 times. I was pretty excited about seeing them again on their latest tour with David Lee Roth back as frontman! On this night, April 19, 2012 they were in the ATL at Philips arena, and the almost sold out 21,000 seat venue was in complete anticiapation.

They started the night off with a perfect track off of Fair Warning, “Unchained”, and rocked it from there. They cranked out non-stop hits, one right after another, and nobody was disappointed. 

SETLIST 

1.Unchained
2.Runnin’ With the Devil
3.She’s the Woman
4.Romeo Delight 
5.Tattoo
6.Everybody Wants Some!! 
7.Somebody Get Me a Doctor 
8.China Town 
9.Hear About It Later 
10.Oh, Pretty Woman
11.Drum Solo 
12.You Really Got Me
13.The Trouble with Never 
14.Dance the Night Away
15.I’ll Wait 
16.Hot for Teacher 
17.Women In Love 
18.Outta Love Again
19.Beautiful Girls 
20.Ice Cream Man 
21.Panama
22.Guitar Solo
23.Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love

24.Jump

Eddie Van Halens’ guitar solo was absolutely incredible, and showed he still has 100% of his talent intact. In my opinion, the best part of it was “Cathedral”, one of my favorite solos by the master himself.

Here are some photos from the show at different angles. The stage was kept pretty simple, and the lighting effects pretty minimal, but this super band brought it, and left the fans on their feet and covered in confetti.

I was able to go backstage and walked around to where they were loading gear back into its cases, and onto the trucks. I stumbled upon a case with Eddie Van Halen written on it, and could only imagine what was in there. It was a memorable night in Atlanta, and one to reflect on after 31 years of rocking to live music!

Have you seen this years tour yet? What did you think, were they on?

What is your opinion on the postponement and what do you think is the reason for it??

Written by: Keith Minor of SHOCK & AWE Productions

www.ShockAndAwePro.com

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CANDLEBOX live with SHOCK & AWE Productions stage lighting……

SHOCK & AWE Productions recently had the pleasure of working with national band CANDLEBOX under one of our very own stage lighting rigs we have hanging in a local Atlanta area venue. We’ve worked with many other national acts, along with hundreds of  local and regional bands.

On April 11th 2012, CANDLEBOX hit 37 MAIN on their latest tour supporting the brand new album “Love Stories & Other Musings”. Our owner and professional LD Keith Minor got to hang out with singer Kevin Martin before the show started, and with the band afterward. Keith ran the lighting for the entire concert. Local band STONETHROW opened the night, and left the packed crowd wanting more.

The CANDLEBOX performance was amazing, and the band brought it on stage as always. With a sold out crowd, and plenty of energy in the room, it was a night to remember. They played all their hits and a few off the new release. This is a must see band if you haven’t gotten an opportunity to catch them live.

One of our professional photographers, Angelica Minor, took live NO-Flash photos during the 2 hour performance, and captured some great shots featured below! Opening act STONETHROW is also added in with the photogallery. Be sure to visit their Facebook and “like” their band page.

Make sure you check out our website for some of the other national bands we’ve worked production with. or click on the “photography” tab for more galleries! Feel free to send us an email, and ask any questions you may have on our services.

Thanks for reading, and be sure to leave any comments below!

Keith Minor

www.ShockAndAwePro.com

SHOCK & AWE on FaceBook

“If you’re going to do something, give it everything you’ve got!”

This gallery contains 9 photos.

It’s all about giving your all in life, and sticking to your goals. Carefully think out your dreams, have an end result in mind, then stay focused all the way. Have your goals stretch far beyond your grasp, and create new … Continue reading →

Rejection & Praise, “A motivational guide”

 

I found this to be an interesting motivator for musicians both on stage and off. It could help pave the way to a more productive musical future by understanding how people think and act the way they do at shows, and why they support some bands and not others. Enjoy the read!!!

 

Tim Sweeney is an industry professional and author who holds workshops and seminars all over the nation on how to make it in the music field. I feel like his experience could help people, musicians, and bands in their conquest in reaching their goals. Take a look at what he has to say, and leave your opinion in the comments section. Would love to hear from you! Be sure and check out his page for further information.

(*This was all conceived and written by Tim Sweeney, and nothing modified whatsoever)

by Tim Sweeney :: (www.tsamusic.com)

Over the years, I have written a few articles on rejection and done several workshops including ones at MusicStrategies.com about it. In continuing the philosophy of what you have been learning in the previous articles, Wait! Before You Write Your New Marketing Plan… and Learn From Your Fans Regarding CD Sales, I want to take a few minutes to remind you of some important points.

Artists often interpret rejection as a personal attack. Since we usually view it as that to start with, we get emotional about it. But we need to stop and be analytical about it.

Rejection is easy for others to give. All they have to do to generate it is simply not listen to your music, not pay attention to what you are saying or merely offer some worthless comment. For example, someone may say, “I don’t want your CD sampler because I don’t like your genre of music.” But we interpreted it, as they didn’t like “our” music. Instead we should find out which artists they like and if we are similar. Someone may leave the club after the previous group is done and when you ask them to stay, they state they were only there to see the other artist. We see that as rejection. Maybe their not staying because the last few times they did stay after their friend’s band, the other people weren’t very good and they assumed it would be the same thing again. (We have all had that experience. The one where we wondered how the booking guy ever came up with that line up!)

We are all susceptible to rejection. Most of the time the person offering it doesn’t have any valid reason other than trying to draw attention to themselves by offering it. Recently I had someone say, “I don’t think sample CDs work.” I said, “If you have found something better I would love to learn about it from you.” They just stood there and said, “I just don’t think they work.” When I asked him if he had experiences making “proper” ones and handing them out he stated, he had never made one or ever given any out. Again some people love to draw attention to themselves without offering any viable or valid alternatives or input.

That’s the whole point. As I brought up in the previous article, if someone doesn’t want to buy your CD at your next show ask them why. What didn’t they like about your show. Listen carefully and closely to what they say. Is there something of value there? Can you learn something from what they are saying? Can you make changes that will be beneficial to you, your music, your show?

This should be your strategy when it comes to receiving praise. While you are thankful for receiving it, be analytical. Understand what people love about your songs. What are they connecting to? How can you use what you have learned to connect with even more people?

While I will cover this subject in much greater detail at Music Strategies, remember this point. People are at different points in their journey through life. Sometimes they can’t hear what you are saying because they are lost in their momentary problems. This can be frustrating to artists like you and I because part of “our calling” in music is to educate and refocus people with our lyrics and music. But sometimes you can’t. They’re in a place where they can’t hear you.

So the next time someone rejects you or says they love your music, listen to what they are really trying to say and determine for yourself how valuable they are to you.

Tim Sweeney

****Have you ever had this happen to you? Have you asked people what they thought of your music or performance, and listened if they had some information to help you along?? Please feel free to leave comments, and thank you for reading!!

Keith Minor

 

Picking out lighting & entertainment for your wedding…

A wedding is one day in which 2 people come together publicly and admit their undying love for each other, and the most important 1st day in a couples life. Everything must be perfect, tasteful, organized, purchased, rented, and decorated to perfection. Relatives come in from out of state, friends will be present, some of whom youve known since child-hood, and Mom & Dad will watch their children make the biggest commitment of their life.

There are so many things that have to be accomplished to make this event go flawless. Invitations have to be selected and sent, colors have to be picked, table decor decided on, Church or ceromony room, as well as the reception hall will have to be chosen. Photographer  has to be scheduled, number of guests, food, drinks, cake, dress, tuxedos, honeymoon, and the list goes on and on.

In planning a wedding there are so many things to decide on, and all that will be left afterward are memories, pictures, and video. Something to reflect on as the years go by. One of the most important aspects of the wedding day is the reception and entertainment, and cannot be looked upon as unimportant or second tier. They are just as important as anything else, and in some cases even more so.

You have to look at reception entertainment as “you get what you pay for”, and just like anything else to do with presentation, it has to be perfect.  A lot of times more emphasis is put on the immediate concerns, and by the time entertainment is thought about, there is only a small budget left to secure the DJ, band or lighting. A lot of times people will scour  an online “list” where DJ’s and bands can advertise for free, as they tell you anything to get you to use their services. You may see a DJ for $150 or $200 for hire, and think “Wow I got lucky to find one for so cheap”. Well there’s a reason someone is attainable for such unheard of below industry prices. It may not always be a negative reason, but chances are they don’t have the experience or confidence to make it a flawless event.

My Grandfather once told me that if you’re attending more weddings that funerals, then you are still considered young. Well I’ve attended quite a few and one thing I’ve seen make the biggest difference either way, is the money spent on entertainment and lighting. Think about all the time and expense spent on venue, decorations, and food, and your guests walking into a room with bare walls, music played from an IPOD, and tiny speakers. You yourself may not hear the negative opinions from your guests, but believe me they talk amongst themselves. If a DJ is lame or the music sounds bad, you can bet thats the first thing they talk about, and absolutely nothing you can do about it after the fact!

TIPS ON FINDING A DJ:

• Be sure to do your research online by using search engines to find reputable DJ’s.
• Ask your friends who they’ve used in the past or for any recommendations
• Make sure they’re a wedding DJ, or have performed several weddings.
• Ask the DJ questions and make sure they can edit all music, with a vareity of music. A good quality DJ can customize their playlist to your request, so don’t hesitate to be specific on what you want.
• Get a couple references from them, and make sure they’re pretty recent.
•  Be sure they have a website and it’s somewhat updated.
• Google the name and see if anything good or bad pops up. Be loking for them to appear on local rating sites such as Yahoo Locals, and read any customer reviews about them.

TIPS ON FINDING A BAND:

 There are wedding bands available online and can be extremely costly to the client who knows nothing about locating one. My suggestion would be to check around the local bar circuit and find bands playing in your area on the weekends. Most bands who have been around for several years have a set list much bigger and more broad than what they play at the clubs, and with more “wedding friendly” songs. 

• Find out if they’ve played weddings before, and see if there are any references available.
• Ask for a copy of their set list, and if its far enough out, they may even learn a couple just for your event.
• Find out if they are equipped with their own sound, and if it’s adequate for your room size. Providing their own sound will up their price a bit.
• See how long they can play, and if it’s one long set or they prefer to take breaks. You will need some filler music on IPOD or a DJ to keep your guests in the mood.
• Make sure you calculate feeding the band, and they will need some bottled water and a few beers if available. Its better if you get them involved with the festivities and make them feel like part of the event.

Be prepared to pay at minimum, $600 on up for a band without sound, and $1,000 on up with sound. Again, you get what you pay for, and the more members they have, the more money it will cost.

LIGHTING TIPS:

Be sure to include in the budget -no matter how tight it may be- some ambient lighting to increase the visual experience and set it apart from an ordinary event. You will be glad in the long run you chose to step up the appearance quality. Lighting doesn’t have to be immensely overwhelming to make a statement, and a designer with “less is more” attitude can create a Cinderella palace while keeping the budget to a minimum. Here’s some great tips!

• Rent the lighting. Find a lighting or production company with a great reputation
• Make sure they have a website and photos of their work
• Ask for a  free quote, and have room dimensions available
• Have a budget already in mind and give them some parameters to go by
• LED lighting is the best way to go for economical and safety reasons
• Find someone who can deliver and set up
•  Remember they have to travel, set up, design and break down. A $500 minimum is pretty standard base charge for total work and materials involved.
• Try to have someone help coordinate if you have special requirements for the lighting.
• If there is a walk-thru day available, see if they prefer to be a part of it

A wedding is only one day and there are no “do-overs”. It must be done right and handled by reputable companies and individuals. Don’t take a chance on a possible disaster and hire professionals who may charge a little more, but in the long run, give you what you pay for.

Be sure to check with the wedding professionals; SHOCK & AWE Productions can handle all your entertainment needs, and professional state of the art lighting. Be sure to check out our website complete with photos, social networking sites, and ask for a FREE quote!

CONTACT US DIRECTLY
678-549-1591
Email: ShockAndAweProductions@yahoo.com
Facebook: SHOCK & AWE Pro
Website: http://www.shockandawepro.com/

Written by Keith Minor           

**Please feel free to share and repost….Thank you!

SHOCK & AWE your crowd with a pro lighting or sound rig!! Our newly updated equipment….

SHOCK & AWE Productions

 provides Lighting and Sound rigs for venues/ clubs/ bands/ parties/ live-performances

 

Club / Venue Installs:

As you may already know, we are the premier production company in the Southeast for club, venue and custom stage lighting. SHOCK & AWE Productions pioneered the concept of installing stage lighting at no fee to the proprietor, while providing a qualified, fully trained technician to run any show much like a big national performance. Touring bands have bragged it’s the best lighting on the circuit! 

 

 SHOCK & AWE is proud to work with so many bands from local to national level, and we stand behind these talented musicians and venues to the fullest. We would not be able to do this without the support and confidence of the venue owners, promoters, and bands we work with.

 

If you or any venue/club you know, are interested in speaking with us about giving your guests a show they will remember, and encourage their return every weekend, then don’t hesitate to send an email or simply give SHOCK & AWE a call. We can set up an appointment at your convenience, come to your business with lighting ideas, or just discuss preliminaries on the phone. Out of state venues are no problem!

 

 

SOUND REINFORCEMENT:

We can also install a system to fill your room with the latest in sound technology, and fully trained engineers to mix any level act. We do custom one-off shows for national acts, regional touring bands, multi day festivals, and any size performance at all levels. We have analog and digital mixers, high quality PA speaker cabinets, professional quality vocal and instrument mics, AWEsome stage sound, and the best FOH engineers available! Be sure to send us an email for a full equipment list. You won’t be disappointed with our quality or pricing!

 

 

LED LIGHTING FOR STAGES and walls:

 We stock all the latest LED lighting fixtures for any type application, whether you need static lighting, color blasts, downstage lighting, strobing effects, or even projection. Along with our lighting, we can provide vertical and horizontal trussing for mounting lights or creating a stage perimeter. They can also be lit with our truss warmers for a clean stage ambiance. We have custom size screens to capture projected lighting for high energy shows, or create colorful patterns for a more laid back but breathtaking presentation. We have a quick & “easy to assemble” rear projection video screen for DJ performances, corporate demos, private funtions, and wedding reception slide shows.

 

 

PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES:

 

By Keith Minor

SHOCK & AWE has years of photography experience, and have taken thousands of live photos with No flash, and captured many amazing action shots of local to national level acts. If you want quality live photos, then be sure to have us out to your shows! We take incredible on-location band promo photos also!

 

 

AFFORDABLE PRICING FOR ANY BUDGET:

SHOCK & AWE has branded  ourselves on meeting the event requirements set forth by the organizer or promoter, while staying within budget. It is our trademark to promise both high quality and extreme value with our clean presentations, and unmatchable designs. Our equipment is state of the art, safe, economical and can be set up in many different combinations depending on stage size and allowable budget. Don’t settle for boring static lighting or low quality sound before inquiring on a FREE estimate from the production specialtists.

 

 

 

SHOCK & AWE Productions. EMAIL US TODAY!!

WOW your crowd & they’ll be back!

Please check our website & Facebook page for photos and videos of our services. Thanks for supporting local music, unsigned music, and others who do!!!!!

CONTACT US DIRECTLY
678-549-1591
Email: ShockAndAweProductions@yahoo.com
Facebook: SHOCK & AWE Pro
Website: www.ShockAndAwePro.com

CoolKeith

**FEEL FREE TO REPOST

The Compelling And Powerful Power Of Confidence By Brian Thompson

I’ve seen oodles of bands perform over the years in dark and dingy small clubs to soft seat theatres to hockey arenas. I’ve seen some of the world’s best and quite possibly the worst. I’ve also worked one-on-one with countless musicians and aside from sheer musical talent, one of the things that separates the good from the great is confidence.

When I think of bands without confidence, I think of shoegazers for example. You know, those bands who stand on stage and simply stare at their feet, too shy to truly connect with the audience. Too nervous to even look up and be ‘present’, for fear of being judged.

Think about it. Who’s more entertaining to watch on stage? Someone who has no confidence can be incredibly boring. In fact, you don’t even watch them, you end up watching the other guys.

So… is everyone in your band as confident, or more so, than you? Is everyone on the same page?

Confidence is perhaps one of the most compelling traits someone can have. It gives you a certain energy, an aura that’s hard to ignore. It’s a primal thing that runs deep within us and is impossible to escape. It’s rooted in our instincts, our ego, our emotions, our fears, our pride, our anxieties, our failures and our accomplishments.

Everything we do feeds it.

Having confidence in who you are and what you do is powerful. It changes everything. In fact, perhaps this is the mystical, magical Mojo itself. The secret sauce. That thing that sets the Rock Gods apart from the rest.

Having confidence in yourself not only makes you sexy and more appealing to the opposite sex, but it also elevates your perceived status among members of the same sex. Being confident will get you the girl, score you the gig, land you that job… in addition to making you kick some serious fucking ass on stage.

Yet if you’re overconfident and your swagger is unmerited, well then you’re just viewed as cocky and arrogant. Which is obviously not what you want. Stop that shit.

Confidence can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Those without it may fail because they lack it, and those with it may succeed because they have it.

But consider this: If you don’t dwell on the negative shit, you can be more ‘self-confident’ because you worry far less about failure. And if you’re worrying less about failing, then you’re more likely to focus on the actual job at hand… which means more probable success. Kinda makes sense, huh?

Ok, real-world examples? How do you get over your fear of being on stage? Non-stop repetition. Gigging night after night after night.

How do you get over the anxiety of thinking a string might break during a live show? Practice. You need to know how to deal with a situation before you encounter it so that when it does arise it’s no big deal. Practice.

Being adequately prepared paves the way to self-confidence.

So aside from positive thinking what else can you to do to boost your confidence? Practice. Hard work. True grit. And lots of it.

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’”

—Eleanor Roosevelt

Oddly enough, I’ve learned a lot about confidence from Cesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer. It turns out that projecting confidence as a ‘pack leader’ is one of the best ways of earning respect from your dog, which has lasting positive results. Here’s some of his tips. For starters, just be aware of your confidence levels. Be bold. Carry yourself more proudly. Hold your head high with your shoulders pulled back. Walk tall. Look people in the eyes and speak with a strong voice and a firm handshake.
It’s a start.

Be sure to feed your mind with confidence building mantras. Be like an olympian who practices the race course in his mind over and over again.

Confidence could be the fine-tuning that you, your performance, your art and your career might need.

Know your shit. Rock that shit. And get it done.

—Brian Thompson

Connect with Brian on Twitter and Facebook, or on his websites Thorny

**This was copied verbatim off the musicthinktank.com website. In no way did i author this or have any credit whatsoever in creating this informative article.

Written By Brian Thompson

Bleeder and The DIY Daily.