STEWART COPELAND

by **samburusunset** on 06 Jul 2007 17:57

People over on TPT are mentioning going to sound checks. What's up with that? How do they get in? Anybody on here been? :?:

by **Divemistress of the Dark** on 06 Jul 2007 18:08

Beast Buy ran a contest back in May that was only open for six days, in which folks were able to enter for a chance to get to go to a special BB VIP tent thingy before the concerts.

As part of the contest, folks in selected cities - about half of them, it appears - are also able to get in early to see the sound checks. People are getting picked out of the audience to sing with the band, even.

I only know of one person from the fan club who's been able to get into a sound check. It sucks, because they didn't advertise the contest very widely, and people from the fan club weren't given any official heads up, AFAIK. (I'm having a hard time not ranting about this whole Best-Buy tie-in, honestly...the whole thing is pretty anti-rock-and-roll, if you ask me. I didn't think making the presale codes available to folks who were already existing members of the BB membership club was very cool, either - and I say that as a pre-existing member who was eligible to get a code.)

I did get into the tent - sans sound check - in St. Louis. It was pretty cool, free food, and I got to talk to Fiction Plane for a few minutes. Nice guys, uniformly. I had a chat with Seton about his influences....

[edited cause I can't spell, apparently]

by **GinaSuperCat** on 06 Jul 2007 18:13

You know what's even crazier, is that we are freaking Best Buy Reward Zone members (for like 4+ years, since we bought our top loader washing machine there LOL) and we have yet to hear word one about these Reward Zone contests...haha...I actually found out about a few (some after the fact) from my online sweepstakes website, that and through TPT...lol...so that's a fine howdyado <grin>

by **jeffdaweasel** on 06 Jul 2007 18:21

I'll tell you something stupid: I HATE having fans at sound check. I know it's silly, but if I'm playing a nighttime show and I'm soundchecking in the mid-afternoon, I really hope that any of the place's day patrons will be leaving before I start my set that night.

It's irrational. But because of that, I don't like to see/hear OTHER bands sound checking. It's like, I don't want to see my Christmas presents being wrapped, either.

by **GinaSuperCat** on 06 Jul 2007 18:22

It must be tough to have people there adoring you at all times!!!<wink>....Now just say 'don't hate me because I'm beautifu'l!! <grin>

by **Divemistress of the Dark** on 06 Jul 2007 18:29

Yeah. This particular one, I heard, was in a weekly email that also advertised ticket giveaways. I remember seeing a couple other ticket-giveaway emails (although not this one specifically) and not paying much attention, because I knew I likely wouldn't win anyway (two tickets in a 20,000-80,000 person arena for a totally sold-out show in which there's a huge amount of community interest). Yep, those are good odds...

There's a thread about it on TPT, but it's not a very large one, and many people reported not receiving the email despite being members of the Best Buy program. I just did a search in my own inbox and didn't see it, but I've been deleting a lot of emails from retailers lately.

by **DirtyMartini** on 06 Jul 2007 18:43

[quote="Divemistress of the Dark"] (I'm having a hard time not ranting about this whole Best-Buy tie-in, honestly...[/quote]

Unfortunately, The Police ceased to be just a band a long, long time ago. Whether they like it or not, they're also a corporation. With Best Buy, they're a conglomerate. But we've all been down that complaint before.

At least the non-North Americans don't have to deal with BB, do they?

by **jeffdaweasel** on 06 Jul 2007 18:50

[quote="GinaSuperCat"]>>>It must be tough to have people there adoring you at all times!!!<wink><<<[/quote]

:lol:

That's not it. It's like, you have a show in mind, and it's supposed to be a well-thought-out experience so that one song leads to the next in a way that you feel the audience will enjoy.

When you have people at sound check, they're already developing an expectation of what you're going to play, what it's going to sound like, and so on. Even in silly cover bands, I prefer the surprise of unveiling a song during the show for eveyone at once, and in turn feeling the reaction of the audience. That's why I don't like people at sound check. It's silly, but it's true.

by **Divemistress of the Dark** on 06 Jul 2007 18:55

Don't think so. But I do think there are ways to be a conglomerate that aren't quite so heavy-handed.

Does Best Buy really think that pissing off legions of devoted music fans - who also buy CDs, DVDs and stereos - is a great idea? Seems like a lose-lose situation to me, but what do I know. I'm only a hardcore music fan who buys lots of CDs, DVDs and sound equipment.

Got any songs online, weasel? Have you been playing out anywhere?

by **jeffdaweasel** on 06 Jul 2007 19:14

[quote="Divemistress of the Dark"]>>>Got any songs online, weasel? Have you been playing out anywhere?<<<[/quote]

Not to derail this thread, but those are sore subjects! Both of them! :lol:

1. I am in the process of recording... something... now. I hope to have that... something... done by the end of this year. I really DO have stuff online right now, but since they are very raw demos, I prefer not to share them with the general public. It's kinda like my whole "no people at sound check" trip.

2. Last month, after about five years together, my stupid cover band broke up! No worries, I'm not heartbroken. The reasons are too ridiculous to list here. On the upside, it gives me time now to focus on my original music (see #1).

by **DirtyMartini** on 06 Jul 2007 19:35

Totally with you, Dive.

Weasel, you've posted stuff online that you don't want people to hear. You do realize that's counter-intuitive, right? :wink:

But when you're comfy with sharing, I'm sure many of us would love to hear.

by **jeffdaweasel** on 06 Jul 2007 19:40

[quote="DirtyMartini"]>>>Weasel, you've posted stuff online that you don't want people to hear. You do realize that's counter-intuitive, right? :wink:

<<<[/quote]

Completely, yes. I have other online pals, musician and engineer-type folks, with whom I do share stuff for advice and encouragement on songwriting, arranging, production and so on. So, while my online stuff isn't perfectly secure, it's currently only linked privately, yada yada.

But when I do finish some stuff, I will be absolutely thrilled to share it with my fellow Copelandians!

by **TheEqualizer** on 07 Jul 2007 19:20

Did anyone see the sound check at Dodger Stadium? Unfortunately, I arrived at the stadium just at the tail end of the sound check. Anyway, I read somewhere that Dave Grohl sang Synch II with the Police during the sound check. However, there is a You Tube video showing a fan singing Synch II with the Police. Does anyone know if Grohl actually played with the Police during this sound check or is this another instance of the press being less than accurate.

As an aside, oe of my favorite press goofs is in the review of the first Wrigley show, it was reported that they played Demolition Man. <<GONNGGG!>>

by **Divemistress of the Dark** on 07 Jul 2007 19:40

I heard it was actually a Best Buy employee, not Grohl.

Here's the link for another ticket giveaway that might include VIP access...this one runs through midnight today.

www.bestbuy.com/thepolice (click on the "enter for your chance to win" line)

by **Laz** on 07 Jul 2007 20:33

...yeah, actually I was the one who posted in an early Dodger Stadium review thing that Dave Grohl was singing with the Police during soundcheck... apparently it was in fact Best Buy employees or contest winners who were singing... it kinda sounded alot like Dave Grohl from the fence outside the parking lot of Dodger Stadium that afternoon!!

...sorry again if any confusion...

Laz
:wink:

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