Tech Work for Black Sabbath the End Tour 2016

October 2015

I received word that Black Sabbath would be in town for 3-4 days rehearsing for their "The End" farewell tour and that they'd need some technical assistance.  Time went on and I'd kind of forgotten about it.  Finally I got the call in January 2017.  The band needed all their gear in working order so they contacted me.  They constructed their stage and lighting for multiple rehearsals at the local Enormodome, followed by opening night of the tour.  I had the privilege of working with them for a few days, repairing and tidying up a few things.  It was quite something to be on stage during full volume playing and hear things like tornado sirens and rain being tested at giga-decibles.  It was really quite something.  Super thanks to Ben, Terry, Neil and Nevik, super dudes, a super time.

I was mentally preparing for a healthy dose of this.

January 2016

 To my shop:

Geezer Butler Ashdown bass rig, custom circuit, custom black faceplate

Tony Iommi custom Laney guitar head on Geezer's Ashdown.

Laney Iommi

Laney Iommi Signature Model

Inside an Iommi Laney

Inside an Iommi Laney

Working out crossover notch

balancing outputs

Laney Iommi on the bench and powered up

Laney Iommi the backlight emits red crosses.  Now we're cooking with fire.

To the Century Link Center, Omaha, NE

Stage Right:  Geezer Butler, bass

More of Geezer's power amps, power to boot.

Geezer's rig with EQ units, pedals and tuner.

Each power amp is linked to it's own cab, though only two are mic'd

Geezer's "Henry" logo appears everywhere, I mean everywhere.

http://www.black-sabbath.com/2012/01/about-henry/

Geezer Butler Bass Wah.  He uses it for one song.  One song.

Geezer's wah comes out at the beginning of NIB, is well marked so Ozzy doesn't break a leg, and is removed promptly after all the same.

Geezer Butler's Lakeland basses.  Even the strings are black.

Henry.  Even his strings resonate black.

Too dark but his other basses.  He has his own EMG signature pickups.

Center Stage:  Tommy Clufeto drums

Tommy Clufetos's massive D.W. kit

Tommy's kit

Stage Left:  Tony Iommi, guitar

Tony Iommi Laney signature model heads, 100 watts each

Adam Wakeman the same.

Mic configuration and matrix, note bottom speakers only.

Massive, just massive.

Warpigs, the perfect soundcheck

Finally, the concert.  First of the last.

Fender Princeton Cabinet Redux

My friend Eddie Morin produced a reproduction 1950 TV Champ cabinet for my Fender amp last year.  It turned out extremely accurate, both in detail and craftsmanship.  And it looked so nice I just couldn't bring myself to cover it in tweed.  So I gave it some orange shellac and here it is.

I recently had another idea to have him help me complete a Fender Princeton project I've had around for some years.  I basically have a pair of Princetons but a single cabinet to house them.  Eddie was up to the task.

   

Eddie's wood shop

Attention to detail

Here's how it fit

I was going to cover this in black or blonde tolex.  Once again it was much too elegant to hide in wrap.  Great work Eddie, much appreciated. 

 

Orange shellac just looks so nice.

Isabella helped me do the oxblood grille cloth. 

Not the easiest thing, we did pretty good but not factory.

I created a repro tube chart, based on the other tube chart.  Look authentic?

Here's both of them, 1963 vs. 1969

Still has that blonde look of sorts.

1963

1969

1965 with some repro, in comparison.