REVIEW: MICRODOT LIVE
Saw MICRODOT live at Piano's last night. A good time was had by all.
Piano's is apparently a former Piano store. Microdot used no piano in their live performance.
The show was great. I really enjoyed seeing them play - it's funny how even when you strip the music down to the basic three piece, eliminating all the "studio wizardry" or whatever, it essentially sounds the same. They are Microdot, and they sounded like Microdot. They even played MY FAVORITE SONG, the epic "Map of the Ancient World." As it wound down at the end, coming up on the slow trippy outro, the band dropped in volume to the point where Mike Ingenthron could step way back from the mic to sing the lines "set out for finer parts / hoping to win new hearts" nearly acappella and unamplified. Cool. Their new drummer Joe did a good job - he seems to be fitting in quite nicely. He watched Dave and Mike like a hawk, which is incredibly important (and often overlooked) in a drummer.
The sound man, on the other hand, left a bit to be desired. He certainly seemed to have the necessary gear - a mixer, some PA speakers, mics on everything - but neglected to get a healthy guitar level into the house. I wanted to be awash in Dave Cavalier's guitar - or to at least feel its weight against the drums - but this guy just wouldn't give it to us. For some reason live soundmen spend a lot of effort getting the kick, snare, and toms through the PA, but then stop listening. It seems so simple, just listen. Did the balance really sound right to that guy? Bizarre. George says it's because all NY soundmen are deaf.
Enough of that, though. The show was great. A nice energy from the band, especially toward the end of the set when you felt them really starting to have fun. I knew every song but one, which was introduced as being brand new, and which I enjoyed a lot. Melodic with some cool changes, especially going into the chorus.
George Vitray and I did some crowd participation at the end of "Biltmore Clock," singing along with the "rollin' on, rollin on" parts, which I think brought the performance to that next level.
Microdot will be performing at TEDSTOCK, Sunday October 30 at Trash Bar in Williamsburg, so you'd better check them out there.
16 Comments:
And I sandg all the old 'scratch' lyrics to Biltomre Clock, which I love so dearly....
thanks for coming, guys. I'll sing the Ace Frehley line at Tedstock.
MikeDOT
Mike, you know how to make a guy feel oh so special!
My favortie scratch line was, of course, "Microdot, MicroDAAAHHHHT."
Thanks for the kind words. I think you were spot on about the sound, but some of it is gear. I am seriously rethinking my set-up ('cept the guitar, which I love). I'm looking for suggestions for a head (probably 50 watts, 100 watts is pretty pointless until we start playing stadia). I used to be able to get the Crate to break up just slightly when I dig in with the pick. That's what I am looking for in a new amp head.
Let 'er rip with suggestions.
Fun! Thinking about amp heads.
Let me put my thinking about amp heads cap on...
There's a Budda 45 watt head that has gotten some rave reviews. I had the Phatman overdrive pedal (the one with two 12AX7s in it) and I always loved the sound it gave me. Anybody played this amp?
I am really looking for the sound of a small amp being overdriven. We don't have much use for straight up distortion.
DC
DCC
have not played the budda, checked out the website - these look pretty serious. hand made, ultra high quality.
Have you thought about Matchless? Although you'd be looking at used ones, they are beloved amps - though I don't know much about how the channels are set up.
I've heard a little about Matchless. I always thought they were closer to a buzzy Marshall sound, though, which I definitely do not want.
It's quite a bummer about that Crate head. I had it cleaned and put new tubes in and it has never sounded the same. Funny how broken things sound best sometimes.
DC
I think Dave should take the BadCat for a spin sometime. I think you'd best be served with a combo (the crowd hushes, did he just say that?). I don't think, however, that you need look past a good old fender amp.
I used to have a Twin Reverb, but it was so unrelentingly clean that it just didn't fit the bill.
I was just looking at the Orange AD 30TC Head. Looks kind of interesting and reasonably priced for the boutiquier amp.
I don't think the issue is combo versus head so much as the fact that a 100 Watt head is not going to sound to great on 2. That's why a 30 or 50 watt is interesting to me. If I've got a 30 watt jacked up to 7, it should produce a nice tone.
I don't mind combos, but it is awfully convenient to just carry a head around as most clubs have a cabinet.
I will check out the Bad Cat when I finally come around to drop off the isolation box I promised you guys.
DC
Twin Reverbs, in my opinion, are just too damned powerful.
The Orange amps are supposed to be pretty good, 'though I have heard they're a bit pricey for the tone.
How about something simple, like a reissue Fender Blues Deluxe (or even the Hot Rod deluxe) - something almost Britishy?
So many options. I don't even know where to start...
The '59 Reissue Fender Bassman is supposed to be pretty good as well, very responsive.
I sense a trip to the local music stores coming on...
Another option is an attenuator like the THD Hot Plate. You can basically crank your amp to ten and then dial back the power going to the cab. I've heard both positive and negative reviews of these things. It would, however, be cheaper than a new amp.
I too have heard positive and negative things about them. Is it REALLY still the tone of the amp? How much does starving the speaker change the sound?
Considering the number of options you have (and some stores' generous return policies) I would think there's a perfect amp out there for you. It doesn't necessarily have to be expensive; sometimes the trouble with the boutique amps is that they're just not very common, and parts (and techs that have worked on them) are scarce.
You know a good amp tech can fix a (tube) Fender in seconds flat.
Maybe you should go crazy and buy a vintage AC30, with the optional fire extinguisher.
Man, when that fire extinguisher gets hummin' oh baby...
>>>Is it REALLY still the tone of the amp? How much does starving the speaker change the sound?<<<
What is the sound of one amp crapping?
DCC
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