Jimi75
June 6th, 2007, 07:37 AM
Hey friends,
We had the big pleasure to open a show for the Michael Katon Band from Michigan. It was a perfect day, everything went smooth and we hang around with the band and Joe Bonamassa's tourmanager who was also there. Always good to make new contacts. Funny thing was, that Michael came to me and said: Your face looks so familiar, I don't remember your name but aren't you of Fender Germany. What a surprise, true I met him before I left Fender, but I would have never thought that he recognizes me.
Michael's set up consisted of a Strat type of guitar, no Fender, but definitely older than 20-25 years. His amp was a 1968 Plexi Marshall and some cabinet I didn't see, because he covered it with a wooden plate (small club, loud amp :-))
I haven't heard such an organic guitar sound in a while. Man was that good. He uses some custom made pedals, foremost overdrives, no wah wah....His phrasing was great. Yes, now I know that there is something that distinguishes good from great players - the phrasing - and he has got a heavenly phrasing. Only his vocals might be something that polarizes, but anyway, who cares when such a hellish trio plays for you?!?
We played a 40 minute set, had great sound. My Line 6 Flextone III and my 62 vintage Strat did a great job. I figure out more and more that I am a Strat guy. Don't know, sometimes I hate my amp, sometimes I love it, but this time I loved it. We kind of played a very bluesy gig, very laid back and we left some room for improvisation, so I could check new chops I learned from the Bonamassa Pentatonic Marathon in guitar world. It worked great and I am really happy with my playing, which I am not very often.
Hopefully, we will be opening the show for Innes Sibun (UK Blues Rock Cat, pretty famous over there) on 05.07.07. The host kind of offered us to support foreign acts and we said okay.....I took this as a compliment.
Funniest moment of the evening - there was alocal guy, maybe around 20 years old who did the mixing with the club's PA. And he sure had some problems. Here's a small dialogue (that was friendly altough the many f-words in it):
Mixer:"Can you please play loudest channel on your amp?"
Katon:" I always and only play the f***** loudest channel!"
Mixer:" Okay, can you then please turn the volume down a little bit?"
Katon:" F****** no!
Mixer:" Then I do not know how to mix your sound in here"
Katon: turns around to his drummer: Then we do it like we did it the last40 years and when there was no mixers and such things.
They played without PA then, and it was great sounding.
So far, so good.....
Jimi
We had the big pleasure to open a show for the Michael Katon Band from Michigan. It was a perfect day, everything went smooth and we hang around with the band and Joe Bonamassa's tourmanager who was also there. Always good to make new contacts. Funny thing was, that Michael came to me and said: Your face looks so familiar, I don't remember your name but aren't you of Fender Germany. What a surprise, true I met him before I left Fender, but I would have never thought that he recognizes me.
Michael's set up consisted of a Strat type of guitar, no Fender, but definitely older than 20-25 years. His amp was a 1968 Plexi Marshall and some cabinet I didn't see, because he covered it with a wooden plate (small club, loud amp :-))
I haven't heard such an organic guitar sound in a while. Man was that good. He uses some custom made pedals, foremost overdrives, no wah wah....His phrasing was great. Yes, now I know that there is something that distinguishes good from great players - the phrasing - and he has got a heavenly phrasing. Only his vocals might be something that polarizes, but anyway, who cares when such a hellish trio plays for you?!?
We played a 40 minute set, had great sound. My Line 6 Flextone III and my 62 vintage Strat did a great job. I figure out more and more that I am a Strat guy. Don't know, sometimes I hate my amp, sometimes I love it, but this time I loved it. We kind of played a very bluesy gig, very laid back and we left some room for improvisation, so I could check new chops I learned from the Bonamassa Pentatonic Marathon in guitar world. It worked great and I am really happy with my playing, which I am not very often.
Hopefully, we will be opening the show for Innes Sibun (UK Blues Rock Cat, pretty famous over there) on 05.07.07. The host kind of offered us to support foreign acts and we said okay.....I took this as a compliment.
Funniest moment of the evening - there was alocal guy, maybe around 20 years old who did the mixing with the club's PA. And he sure had some problems. Here's a small dialogue (that was friendly altough the many f-words in it):
Mixer:"Can you please play loudest channel on your amp?"
Katon:" I always and only play the f***** loudest channel!"
Mixer:" Okay, can you then please turn the volume down a little bit?"
Katon:" F****** no!
Mixer:" Then I do not know how to mix your sound in here"
Katon: turns around to his drummer: Then we do it like we did it the last40 years and when there was no mixers and such things.
They played without PA then, and it was great sounding.
So far, so good.....
Jimi