June 12, 2014, Puerto Adventuras, Tulum
I started my show to a small crowd, lots of kids 5 to 8 years old and parents.
Anytime I touched anything hard wired to their board - My guitar or MP3 player - I got a strong electrical shock. It was hard to concentrate on the show!
This was not a small static shock, but it actually hurt and I could feel it run up my arm. I wasn't able to touch the guitar, mic stand or MP3 player without getting zapped.
I kept thinking my equipment could be fried at any moment.
Add to that, two short rain showers and my instruments were wet.
Wet conditions and electrical shocks? Not a good night.
By the second rain shower some of the audience had left.
I finished five minutes early after dragging my instruments and cases under the overhang.
This stage could be a dangerous venue for any act. The sound man didn't know what was causing the shocks or how to fix them.
I never should have taken this two month contract.
EDIT: I think the sound man has the Phantom Power switches on. Phantom power provides a 48 volt signal down the mic cable to boost expensive studio microphones. Not enough to electricute you, but enough to scare you and possibly destroy equipment plugged into the soundboard.
I'm using the term "sound man" loosely. Last week before being promoted to sound man, he was in the kitchen washing dishes.
Phantom power normally wouldn't do something like that (if wired correctly) - equipment that doesn't need it basically ignores it. More likely a bad ground connection somewhere (now channeling my previous life as a theater tech director)
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris -
ReplyDeleteI'd read a few stories online about shocks from phantom powered sources which made me think that might be it.
Chris....you remind me of the time I got the crud shocked out of me singing in a band years ago while playing a guitar....my lips touched the mic...and ZAP....!
ReplyDeleteThankfully my old 1992 Crate Stealth 100 watt all tube head does not shock me hahaha...still going strong!
ReplyDelete