Roadshow <------ Did you older guys really do that?

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Found the below picture on google whilst bored, and to start with, please dont rubbish the guys disco by todays standards as its obviously an old picture.

Buy when i hear "Disco Roadshow", this is what springs to mind...something taking up half a length of a football feild.

So, for those who operated back then (and maybe still do ;) ). Its that what it was really like, with all those pinspots and lightboxes? And if so...hows that back these days? :)

[DJWilson]

At my old school disco the 'roadshow' was longer then the hall! I also remember a 'something roadshow' on Deal pier and took up most of it!

[Vectis]

Been there, done that, got the hernia :D

[Penfold42]

I've actually seen something like this last year and I think he may still be using it this year.....:eek: (own up Paul !!! :sj:)...and what's wrong with 'Roadshow'...:mad: :mad: :mad:

:D

As for going out with all that....not I sir! :)

[Dynamic Entertainment]

I've actually seen something like this last year and I think he may still be using it this year.....:eek: (own up Paul !!! :sj:)...and what's wrong with 'Roadshow'...:mad: :mad: :mad:

:D

As for going out with all that....not I sir! :)

Nothing, but when you see "Disco Roadshow" in modern terms, does it conjure these images?

[Penfold42]

No I don't think so. :)

[Booche]

There is a picture on google of somebodys rig which is huge and full with lightscreens etc

Will try and find it out :)

[Excalibur]

Been there, done that, got the hernia :D

Moi aussi. Local hall has a big stage, party trick was to fill it totally with lights and cabs. :D :D


I've actually seen something like this last year and I think he may still be using it this year.....:eek: (own up Paul !!! :sj:)...and what's wrong with 'Roadshow'...:mad: :mad: :mad:

:D

As for going out with all that....not I sir! :)
No, you'd need a big trailer. :p :D


Nothing, but when you see "Disco Roadshow" in modern terms, does it conjure these images?


No I don't think so. :)

No. Nothing quite so classy. :( :(

[StarZSoundS]

Found the below picture on google whilst bored, and to start with, please dont rubbish the guys disco by todays standards as its obviously an old picture.

Buy when i hear "Disco Roadshow", this is what springs to mind...something taking up half a length of a football feild.

So, for those who operated back then (and maybe still do ;) ). Its that what it was really like, with all those pinspots and lightboxes? And if so...hows that back these days? :)

Why is everyone talking in the past tense:eek: :eek: ?

[Ryu]

I'm a "Roadshow" too and much as I'd change it if I could I've got to weigh up the business lost because of people's incorrect assumptions about us (its never been commented on) against people not finding us because we changed our name.

[ppentertainments]

Not done it myself - but can guarantee at least 1 guest at every gig used to be a DJ who used similar setups and vinyl - or as they often point out 'a proper DJ' :D :D

[Spirits High]

I've actually seen something like this last year and I think he may still be using it this year.....:eek: (own up Paul !!! :sj:)...and what's wrong with 'Roadshow'...:mad: :mad: :mad:




You must have been in dream land again, thinking on how to improve you rig :p

Nothing wrong with Roadshow but it does give that retro feeling. I mean you could link retro to a really old tv programme and put the two together :p :p :D

I suppose it's Ok if your target market is the blue rinse brigade ;)

[deltic]

certainly don't miss lugging 13 4ft x 4ft light screens around nor the 8 squire XL200's
not sure i miss the twin wheel tranny tho

[jc light and sound]

Yep back in the day thats exactly how it was for me with 3x3 light boxs pin spots and time tunnels mirror balls and we even had par 36 movers wow.
To get 5k of sound you needed about 10 speaker boxs and ofcourse the biggest cheapest van around happy days.:)

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I'm not going to mention any names because the company is still going (and as far as I know, still using the same gear..)..BUT...In 1985/86 as a 17 year old, I used to go a regular roller disco that was held in the sports centre in town. The place was huge and all down one side was a disco set up similar to the one in the photo on the original post.

[andyw]

Been there, done that, got the hernia :D

how did you get an hernia surely it was only lightboxes you were lifting:D :D

[Excalibur]

how did you get an hernia surely it was only lightboxes you were lifting:D :D

You ever picked up an infinity tunnel? :eek: They are seriously heavy :Censored: 's.

[NKR]

We are the Neil & Kev Roadshow, but not a light box in sight. We may sound retro, but the name is what you get.

Do we really sound retro? :o

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Its just Raodshow congures those images for me.....maybe because the local "roadshows" still operate like in the piccy.

[Excalibur]

We are the Neil & Kev Roadshow, but not a light box in sight. We may sound retro, but the name is what you get.

Do we really sound retro? :o

Nah, for Lancashire you're probably cutting edge. ;)

[Penfold42]

Its just Raodshow congures those images for me.....maybe because the local "roadshows" still operate like in the piccy.

What a snob.
It's a name...that's all. I believe we have had this conversation before over name of company and there are people who like show, roadshow and entertainment(s).

How would you know how or what they worked like in your area? your just a spratt.

[Excalibur]

What a snob.
It's a name...that's all. I believe we have had this conversation before over name of company and there are people who like show, roadshow and entertainment(s).
How would you know how or what they worked like in your area? your just a spratt.

I voted for Disco. Does what it says on the tin. ;)

[Penfold42]

I voted for Disco. Does what it says on the tin. ;)

IMHO I think joe public looking for a party time will look at the word 'Disco' as one of their main conditions of hiring a person....but what do I know. :o

[Excalibur]

IMHO I think joe public looking for a party time will look at the word 'Disco' as one of their main conditions of hiring a person....but what do I know. :o

I considered "Entertainments" but decided that in this culture of litigation, I could lose a lot of money under the trades descriptions act. :o :o

[Dynamic Entertainment]

What a snob.
It's a name...that's all. I believe we have had this conversation before over name of company and there are people who like show, roadshow and entertainment(s).

How would you know how or what they worked like in your area? your just a spratt.

Spratt...is that an insult then?

Im basis is that the 3 roadshows in my area are all still operating in the dark ages. Anyway, this thread wasnt intended to discuss the merits/cons of the name roadshow in its current context, its was more to discuss how roadshows were in the past? I.e were they all as long as footbal pitches with lightscreens galore?

[Penfold42]

Spratt...is that an insult then?

Im basis is that the 3 roadshows in my area are all still operating in the dark ages. Anyway, this thread wasnt intended to discuss the merits/cons of the name roadshow in its current context, its was more to discuss how roadshows were in the past? I.e were they all as long as footbal pitches with lightscreens galore?

Not an insult more a comment - ie your age.

So have you seen all three roadshows and what they use or are you just making a guess?

[NKR]

IMHO I think joe public looking for a party time will look at the word 'Disco' as one of their main conditions of hiring a person....but what do I know. :o

We do okay with Roadshow. We did think long and hard about the name and it just seemed to us that 'Neil & Kev Roadshow' was very honest in what it was. Its Kev and I doing a roadshow to entertain people.

With no advertising and no website we have done 56 gigs this year as a part time hobby and managed to gain a lot of repeat business. My 30 Jan 2010 booking is one I couldn't do last year and last year it came through them having seen us elsewhere. I handed it on to one of our recommended suppliers last year. Although they had a good event last year they have come back to us again this year and this year we can do it. EDIT I used last year a lot then - I know that!

I spend a lot of time and money in the day job on marketing and sometimes the most simple and honest strategies win through. The general public can be rather numb, but one of the things new labour has given them is the ability to cut through the spin and an ability to see things for what they are. Too deep - maybe, but I still feel that 'Neil & Kev Roadshow' delivers what it says on the tin. Its Kev and I on the road providing a show. I would say we have a 95% success rate in our satisfaction stakes and thats not too bad considering you just can't please some people.

[Penfold42]

Nothing wrong with roadshow. :o :)

[NKR]

Nothing wrong with roadshow. :o :)

Not with ours anyway :D

Hey a names a name and thats all. It's what you spin that makes them grin.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Not an insult more a comment - ie your age.

So have you seen all three roadshows and what they use or are you just making a guess?

Ive seen all three in action, and actually get on really well with one of them (wouldnt pass him work though).

The two i dont actually know wernt bad....they both had full lightboxes across the front of a 3m goalpost rig, one was still using FAL boxes aswell.

On one of the guys goalpost he had a selection of undmx moonflowers, a mix of the Constella Protwin and martin Minimoons with non-descript scanner-type (the ones with the same moonflooer pattern, but a mirror to sweep it around from left to right), and they even had the old par36 scanning spots too.

The second guys wasnt too bad, the had 4 dynamos, but cluttered it up with a whole host of par36s and the spartan lighting pack (the one that fires out white beems but looks a bit like a miracled) and 8 lasers mounted on the top of the goalpost on the t-bars (all doing their own thing).

Both had in excess of 8 cabs.


The guy i actually know (just form working in a venue where the owner owned a few) has a mix of the above as described, and is actually trading on on the fact that its a "retro-roadshow".

[Penfold42]

..and having that kind of gear means they can't DJ then? or make a good living? or can't entertain people?

Whatever they go out with should not make no difference just a few more trips to the van.....roadshow as i've said before doesn't bring this to the front of my mind.

[NKR]

Ive seen all three in action, and actually get on really well with one of them (wouldnt pass him work though).

The two i dont actually know wernt bad....they both had full lightboxes across the front of a 3m goalpost rig, one was still using FAL boxes aswell.

On one of the guys goalpost he had a selection of undmx moonflowers, a mix of the Constella Protwin and martin Minimoons with non-descript scanner-type (the ones with the same moonflooer pattern, but a mirror to sweep it around from left to right), and they even had the old par36 scanning spots too.

The second guys wasnt too bad, the had 4 dynamos, but cluttered it up with a whole host of par36s and the spartan lighting pack (the one that fires out white beems but looks a bit like a miracled) and 8 lasers mounted on the top of the goalpost on the t-bars (all doing their own thing).

Both had in excess of 8 cabs.


The guy i actually know (just form working in a venue where the owner owned a few) has a mix of the above as described, and is actually trading on on the fact that its a "retro-roadshow".

Does my rig look like that no. I am sorry but have a couple of none DMX Chaos 2's on there. I must admit I regularly get good feedback on my music, but just lose so many repeat bookings because my two Chaos's weren't in sync and if I had DMX'd datamoons it would have really rounded the night off and pulled that extra business in.

saying that I covet two Martin EFX 600's - My crowd will never know what they mean to me, but I will adore them and caress them when they arrive.

OH yeah back to the point. Did anyone dance to the roadshows?

[Dynamic Entertainment]

..and having that kind of gear means they can't DJ then? or make a good living? or can't entertain people?

Whatever they go out with should not make no difference just a few more trips to the van.....roadshow as i've said before doesn't bring this to the front of my mind.

Were going to have to agree to differ then Tony as "Roadshow" to states old fashioned. Im a 3rd generation dj in my family and i grew up around roadshows which did have to full the whole stage with lightboxes and par36s and scanners and police beacons etc etc.

Im not saying anything about the modern interpretation and the name people are going under now. I was nmore interested in teh roadshows of old, and if they were all huge affairs. I can remember a while back Andy 9deltic) posted up some old piccys and someone made some statement that it wernt a roadshow if it wasnt atleast 40 foot long!

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Does my rig look like that no. I am sorry but have a couple of none DMX Chaos 2's on there. I must admit I regularly get good feedback on my music, but just lose so many repeat bookings because my two Chaos's weren't in sync and if I had DMX'd datamoons it would have really rounded the night off and pulled that extra business in.

saying that I covet two Martin EFX 600's - My crowd will never know what they mean to me, but I will adore them and caress them when they arrive.

OH yeah back to the point. Did anyone dance to the roadshows?

So to actually get back to the point? Did you YEARS AGO take out a huge rig like the on pictures?

In fairness i dont give two hoots about what you do now, or take out on the road, and my comments mere merely aimed at the fact that those operators i mentioned were still (mainly) using equipment form about 15 years ago nad were still of the mentality that a roadshow had to be a huge disco with very little actual thought into the presentation. Have you ever recently came across someone using a martin minimoon or fal lightboxes? I thought they wetre all obsolete but obviously not (granted why fix if it aint broke), but you have got to move with the times to some extent

[Penfold42]

So to actually get back to the point? Did you YEARS AGO take out a huge rig like the on pictures?

In fairness i dont give two hoots about what you do now, or take out on the road, and my comments mere merely aimed at the fact that those operators i mentioned were still (mainly) using equipment form about 15 years ago. have you ever recently came across someone using a martin minimoon?

Did i take that much out - no. :)

It was installed. :sj:

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Did i take that much out - no. :)

Thank you. What gear did you have back then? Couple of par36 scanners, FAL boxes or what?

I actually managed to dig my fathers Constella Abstract Twister 2s out of the attic from about 1991 and renovate then flog the pair for £60 recently.



It was installed. :sj:

PMSL

[Penfold42]

Thank you. What gear did you have back then? Couple of par36 scanners, FAL boxes or what?

I actually managed to dig my fathers Constella Abstract Twister 2s out of the attic from about 1991 and renovate then flog the pair for £60 recently.

No - it was installed....honest :) and I only did it down a club for a short while...many moons ago.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

lol. And after working with that lot you vowed never to be struck down with the whole "alot more is definately better" syndrome.

[Penfold42]

lol. And after working with that lot you vowed never to be struck down with the whole "alot more is definately better" syndrome.

Something like that.....:)

[Creature]

my first experince with a disco was with a disco called spectra sound systems in peterbor in the 80s' I often used to roadie for tehm for free entry & some drinks. and the setup was similar to that pic - funny thing was it was a rock disco run by 3 Asian brothers who have become lifelong friends. We had some really great night sand when we meet up we often have a laugh over it. they came to one of my bookings a few months back and couldnt believe the changes in equipment. They were thinking of starting up again as they still had all teh original equipment

[DazzyD]

That picture is of a part-time roadshow disco.

A real full-timer wouldn't have left so much free space on the stage!!! :D :D :D

I remember those setups from family parties when I was younger but I've always had a modest set-up. And it's always done for me!

[DJ James Lake]

Yep I used to go out with a "roadshow" that sort of size in the 80's. Funny thing was it was a lot quicker to setup back then because all you had to do was chain the boxes together with bulgin leads.

[M&D Disco]

Been there, done that, got the shirt, the 70's good old days oh & a big van

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Anyone got any old piccys then?

[Excalibur]

Yep I used to go out with a "roadshow" that sort of size in the 80's. Funny thing was it was a lot quicker to setup back then because all you had to do was chain the boxes together with bulgin leads.
It was quicker you know, no gantry just daisy chain two sets of Bulgin leads out grom the middle till you ran out of cables or boxes. ;) :D :D


Anyone got any old piccys then?
Sadly no. :( :(

[Penfold42]

Sadly no. :( :(

YAY! :sj:

[DJWilson]

I wouldnt mind having the 'full' roadshow to gig with :)

[NKR]

So to actually get back to the point? Did you YEARS AGO take out a huge rig like the on pictures?

In fairness i dont give two hoots about what you do now, or take out on the road, and my comments mere merely aimed at the fact that those operators i mentioned were still (mainly) using equipment form about 15 years ago

Your originally point appears to be saying anyone with Roadshow in their name is running a load of light boxes and other gear from the 80's whilst lugging around a load of cabs. I was pointing out that just because we have roadshow in our name doesn't mean we are outdated or living in the past.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Your originally point appears to be saying anyone with Roadshow in their name is running a load of light boxes and other gear from the 80's whilst lugging around a load of cabs. I was pointing out that just because we have roadshow in our name doesn't mean we are outdated or living in the past.

Im sorry, but my original post does not say anything of the sort other than in jest.


Found the below picture on google whilst bored, and to start with, please dont rubbish the guys disco by todays standards as its obviously an old picture.

Buy when i hear "Disco Roadshow", this is what springs to mind...something taking up half a length of a football feild.

So, for those who operated back then (and maybe still do ;) ). Its that what it was really like, with all those pinspots and lightboxes? And if so...hows that back these days? :)

This is what springs to mind with ME because of seeing this sort of disco "Roadshow" whilst growing up!

See "Back then" and "Is that what it WAS really like"... is past tense and makes no indication to now at all

Granted, i jest, hence the ;) smily

Im not getting in to the whole less is more or names like Roadshow Entertainment(s) or anything because its been done to death. It was merely a thread to discouss how things were done in the past. I remember nearly all the discos i went to or seen as a kid being by xxx Roadshow or YYY Roadshow and all were huge affairs. This seems to be backed up by old pictures floating floating around of peoples set=-ups and i was asking it that is what it was really like for the people who were there dan don (or not done) it

[Excalibur]

It was merely a thread to discouss how things were done in the past. I remember nearly all the discos i went to or seen as a kid being by xxx Roadshow or YYY Roadshow and all were huge affairs. This seems to be backed up by old pictures floating floating around of peoples set=-ups and i was asking it that is what it was really like for the people who were there dan don (or not done) it

In my opinion, it was a question of size. A Disco was exactly that, but a Roadshow had loads more lightboxes, extra effects, and sometimes, even Go Go Dancers! :eek:

[Dynamic Entertainment]

In my opinion, it was a question of size. A Disco was exactly that, but a Roadshow had loads more lightboxes, extra effects, and sometimes, even Go Go Dancers! :eek:

So my rememberances of roadshows were correct. I always remember our village hall being filled widthwise with equipment.

[deltic]

So my rememberances of roadshows were correct. I always remember our village hall being filled widthwise with equipment.

most home made as well

[flatliners]

i did know someone who made a big screen frontage but what was cool about it was that it looked like a ghetto blaster even looked as if it was playing a tape wish i had a pic of it

[mark@pegasus]

back in the early 90's there was a local WMC that would actually complain to the agent if we didn't take in enough light boxes to fill the stage for a room full of people who just sat there with pint in hand staring at you, although if you were really lucky you might get three couples up for the slowies at the end of the night.

[nisfo]

I started with a roadshow back in the early 90's, used to fill a 10 x 6 trailer to the brim, only sound equipment was speakers and tripods, the rest was in the car.

It had scaffolding painted red for a light bar, and was held up with 2 holes cut into a kitchen worktop sat on a H frame.
Our biggest rig had a span of 22 feet. We needed 4 lighting controllers and a direct power link to the national grid!!
We (me and the missus) could comfortably entertain 400 guests.

Then bulb failiure became the norm, every weekend I'd set the whole rig up in my garage to weed out those pesky blown bulbs. Then I decide to sell up, but coudn't get rid of the bug. Hence buying more kit, and upgrading when I could.

Now I have a light weight rig, that fits in the back of a Ford Galaxy.....How times change eh ;)

[technet101]

Yes that brings back memories of the late 70s we had an infinity arch over the decks to finish it off. it was like a jigsaw puzzle to get it all in the back of a twin wheelbase transit................Taxi :)