Casey Henry
That’s a question I’ve been pondering for the last couple of days. One thing is for sure. With only a 15-passenger van and six people plus instruments, luggage, and equipment to fit inside it, you sure as heck can’t pack enough clean clothes for the whole time. So my plan is to do a lot of laundry. I packed clothes for about five days and will make frequent use of hotel washers and dryers.
I still have to bring two banjos—my regular one (Kel Kroydon Casey Henry model), and my low-tuned one (my old Gibson style 11)—because we’re doing one song in the set that I play on the E-tuned banjo.
Here’s an interesting quandry. The band uses in-ear monitors. Each person has their own ear pieces which plug into a little belt pack, which is a little larger than a deck of cards and hooks onto your waistband. The required dress for women in the band is skirts or dresses. There is one particular dress I wear that looks great on stage, but I didn’t realize until I was actually on stage that there is no where to hang my pack. There is no waistband, no back pocket. So where do I hang it? On my banjo strap, of course. That worked really well until I had to change banjos in the middle of the set when taking the pack off of the one strap and attaching it to the other without getting it all tangled up added quite a bit of time to what needs to be a speedy instrument switch.
My current solution to this problem is to wear a belt with the dress. It’s not really the kind of dress one would wear a belt with, but I’m hoping it won’t look too awful, because it will save me a lot of time. I’ll let you know how/if it works.
Tags: dixie bee-liners, tour
Hi Casey,
See you Thursday in Raleigh. Can’t you just use a big pin or you know duct tape is good for everything:) And also I hope that there is “required” dress for the men too or I will be deeply disappointed.
Marty
Yeah, there is, kind of. Nothing so drastic as skirts or dresses, though.
Banjo pickers are all rich. You are in the big time now, rolling in it, shop young lady.
Tom T Hall says there are many hundreds of dollars to be made in bluegrass.
When we used wireless mics in plays, the girls all just taped them around their midsection so it would stay on during costume changes. The wire comes up through your collar.
See, I knew that duct tape would come in handy. I bet that will feel real good when you peel it off.
MEB
Casey, I agree with MEB, and try to avoid using duck tape. “Paper tape” is the best to use for any taping to your skin or clothing. It’s strong, long lasting and peals off easily. And for the men in your band, PAPER TAPE is great for adjusting the cuffs of your trousers especially when you have to buy new ones and don’t have the time to go a taylor shop to have the cuffs cut and hemmed. Just turn your trousers inside out and tape the cuffs to the desired length (an old show biz disguise). Doctors and hospitals use it for all sorts of purposes and you can buy it at almost any drug store. So, if you need to do any taping, try using PAPER TAPE. Good luck and “happy trails to you.”
I’m sure you will look good belted or not!
Thanks for all the suggestions! Taping around the waist is a good idea, but I have to have access to the volume knob, since I have to turn it down so I can hear to tune when I change my capo around. I’ll stick with the belt for now…