Gig Etiquette, What would you do?

[GitFiddle]

Played a gig last night. One of those outdoor music in the park deals around the greater Cincinnati area. A local sound company provided PA and sound. There was also a television crew filming live for a local access station. Was a great night. Great weather. Great audience. Great sound. The band was on top of it.

We have two guitar players. The sound company mic'd each amp with an e609. After we broke our gear down, one of the sound guys started asking if we had any extra mics. Apparently, one of the e609s were missing. Mine was on a short stand in front of my amp. The other was hanging over the grille since his amp was up on a stand.

None of us had the mic but we hung around for quite a while searching our gear and the surrounding area for the mic. The sound guys never accused or even suggested that any of us had taken it, but they were quite upset about it. There were really no strangers on the stage after the show, other than sound crew and video crew. They went and asked the video crew with no luck. I felt really bad that their mic was missing but none of our group would have any reason to take it. I helped search around the area with a flashlight with no luck.

Our band didn't hire the sound company. They were provided by the venue. I felt bad for them but didn't feel any obligation for me or the band personally to compensate them. We even mentioned that someone should check all the video taken to see if the mic's disappearance may have been caught on camera.

What would you do?

 

[SWeAT hOg]

You did more than was required by searching your own gear....unless one of your mates is a klepto. Lol.

 

[RichBrew]

...What would you do?

Nothing, other than pack up and go home.

 

[DotStudio]

You did more than was required by searching your own gear....unless one of your mates is a klepto. Lol.

Yeah, I don't understand the question. Mic went missing, you searched for it, still missing. You did your part.

 

[SGeoff]

Yeah, I don't understand the question. Mic went missing, you searched for it, still missing. You did your part.

yeah, now give it back (pre Friday fly by)

 

[TheX]

Non-issue

 

[kfowler8]

I don't think you were any obligation to reimburse them for the lost mic if that's what you're asking. I understand them wanting for find it but it's not like that's the most expensive mic in the world.

 

[GitFiddle]

yeah, now give it back (pre Friday fly by)

Lol. Its kind of funny that just a week ago I was thinking of buying an e609. Then with a little reading found the e906 was probably even a better choice. I have used the same Beta 57 to mic my amp, ever since they came out back in the 80s. Was asking a different sound guy last week, at another festival, what he thought of the e609 and e906s. He said if I was using a Beta 57 for my amp, I shouldn't even bother with either of them.

 

[truckermde]

Sounds like you guys gave it your all in an effort to help find the missing mic.

The fact you are even considering whether or not you should offer any compensation demonstrates what kind of guy you are.

But no, I don't think you owe them any more than what you've given.

 

[Marshall & Moonshine]

Lol. Its kind of funny that just a week ago I was thinking of buying an e609. Then with a little reading found the e906 was probably even a better choice. I have used the same Beta 57 to mic my amp, ever since they came out back in the 80s. Was asking a different sound guy last week, at another festival, what he thought of the e609 and e906s. He said if I was using a Beta 57 for my amp, I shouldn't even bother with either of them.

Haha!
Answers my question.
I love the 57.

 

[GitFiddle]

Sounds like you guys gave it your all in an effort to help find the missing mic.

The fact you are even considering whether or not you should offer any compensation demonstrates what kind of guy you are.

But no, I don't think you owe them any more than what you've given.

Lol. I just felt so bad. They had their two vocal mics and (now only) one e609 laying there on a towel while they were rolling cables. It just looked so pitiful. They had three guys working one gig. They couldn't have been making all that much. Losing a hundred dollar mic did not seem too trivial for them. I was tempted to give the guy a 20 from my pay, but thought I should hold off, since the mic may just turn up somewhere that no one expected.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

I would do what you did and leave it at that.

 

[fry]

Probably not the first piece of gear to come up missing for those guys, probably won't be the last. You went above and beyond. It's something that probably just happens from time to time in that business. They might even have insurance on that stuff to cover something like that. Makes sense to me.

 

[Donal]

Understand why you feel like that, I would as well, but at the end of the day you have really done all you can do.

I would check through the band stuff again when unpacking in the practice room and if I knew the sound company I would probably ask him if it ever apeared again cause you had checked all again when unpacking and that it definatly wasn`t packed up by mistake.

 

[GitFiddle]

Understand why you feel like that, I would as well, but at the end of the day you have really done all you can do.

I would check through the band stuff again when unpacking in the practice room and if I knew the sound company I would probably ask him if it ever apeared again cause you had checked all again when unpacking and that it definatly wasn`t packed up by mistake.

Yeah, when we do these kind of shows, gear is minimal. Other guitarist, bass and I just bring amp and pedal boards and drummer brings his kit. Our lead singer brings her own wireless mic and in-ears. Sound company just provided three vocal mics and two guitar mics. Bass ran direct. When we do club gigs, we have an entire trailer with PA and lights that gets hauled in and out. Going to keep in touch with them to find out if it ever turns up.

It was just so weird because we were just setup in an open gazebo with a concrete floor. No one but crew members were anywhere near the stage setup while we were breaking down. I still think one of the guys just put it in his pocket then it got misplaced or fell out somewhere. This was in a park with grass and trees. The entire gazebo is surrounded by hedges and vegetation, and it was dark when we finished. I told the rest of the band I think the bandstand is just haunted. lol

 

[Dick Banks]

I often do gigs like this (smaller, but using someone else's equipment) and have had this type of thing come up more than once. Their aggressiveness was probably due to the fact that in most cases, the missing gear gets packed up with the wrong outfit by accident. The person spots it later, and just says, "hey, I got a new mic!"
Not saying that this is what happened in your case.
Anyway, what I started doing a LONG time ago is that all my gear has offbeat colors. I don't have ANY black cables, and my mics, rack gear, and pedals have colored tape on them. Prevents losing gear, or being accused of pocketing gear.
And in this case, you are certainly in the right.

 

[jc2000]

No further action needed.

 

[Frogfur]

Nothing done nothing owed.

 

[Elmore]

You did everything right. I would have done the same thing. Help search but not offer to pay.

 

[Stevie 202]

What I'd do is say "Well boys, we don't see it anywhere and now we're off.
Good luck."

And not give it another thought.