Re: [Harp-L] Gear Creep

["Bob Boyd" <bboyd@xxxxxxxxx>]

If you brought the parrot you could really look the part of playing Jimmy 
Buffett music.

Bob "The Captain" Boyd
Texas Tide Band
www.texastide.com
210-494-1118

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Elizabeth Hess" <TrackHarpL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 7:18 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Gear Creep


> I went to an open jam last night, and for the first time, I had real 
> trouble finding an outlet to plug my amp into.  There was a small  power 
> strip, but it only had three outlets, and all were occupied.   The short 
> version of the story is that I persisted for the first set,  and the host 
> managed to effect a re-arrangement, and I let myself get  skunked at the 
> end of the evening when I got invited back up for a  second set.
>
> So, maybe I need to add a power strip to the stuff I carry.  But this 
> raises a configuration issue.
>
> I like to travel as compactly as possible.  I lock my purse (including 
> cell phone) in the trunk of the car.  In my pockets I carry my car  key, a 
> modest amount of cash, and a small plastic pillbox with  earplugs.  I walk 
> into the bar with one thing in each hand:  My hard- sided harp case, which 
> also holds my mic, and a small amp.  The amp  has a cavity in the back 
> where its cord goes, and into that space I  also tuck the cable for the 
> mic and an empty plastic harmonica case  that I place under the bottom 
> front edge of the amp to incline its  projection angle a bit.  Even with 
> that small amount of stuff, I worry  about something rattling against the 
> glass tubes.  I appreciate that  my amp is not a suitcase.
>
> If I add a knapsack to my kit, I could have a power strip and/or 
> extension cord, a vocal mic, various spare cables, and a parrot.   (Okay, 
> kidding about the parrot.)  I don't love the way knapsacks  look, and it's 
> a third thing to keep track of in the bar.
>
> I'd be interested in how others of you have dealt with this.  Thanks  in 
> advance.
>
> Elizabeth (aka Tin Lizzie)