Spares, and failures on a tour

[diremania]

I was wondering about, on a tour of this length and magnitude as OES ( probably the same with BIA) backline must sometime fail, break or need repairs, that not necessary can do done by the guitar or drumtech. In addition probably also in very bad timings, I.e., just after soundcheck but prior to the gig a few hours later. How if this handled and did you (@chris W)  had any incidents through the tour?  Did you have redundant gear all over to accommodate this?

[Chris W]

Things get fixed during the day. I can't remember anything failing between soundcheck and show. Remember, everything is incredibly well maintained and checked daily. There are boffin gear techs and electricians on the tour. So if an amp needs fixing or a pedal, it will be looked at during the day before soundcheck.
A lot of times you are in cities where replacement parts or gear can be sourced. There were two tofu week gaps between legs of the tour, so replacements can be shipped in during those time periods.
I don't remember anything failing, certainly not in the drums and percussion. Drumheads and guitar strings are changed, renewed, while they are still in good condition, just in case.

[wayaman]

I think that usually spares of everything are prepared just in case something is needed last minute, for example, a guitar, a bass, a keyboard, wires etc

[diremania]

Thanks 😀

[Love Expresso]

There must have been a lot of kmowledge or Organisation skills to get everything running worldwide. Remember there was no Google to find anything so easy like it is today.

LE

[Chris W]

Technical crew (roadies) have been around the world several times at this point. Everything is planned many months in advance, like large scale military campaign.
Mark had more guitars than he used during the show, but I don't think there were specific spares of the iconic guitars. If a last minute failure, he'd have to use a different guitar, but that never happened.
Same with John. He probably had 3 x basses on the tour, but used the same one for every show.
I had a spare snare drum, spare kick pedal and hi-hat stand.

[wayaman]

Technical crew (roadies) have been around the world several times at this point. Everything is planned many months in advance, like large scale military campaign.
Mark had more guitars than he used during the show, but I don't think there were specific spares of the iconic guitars. If a last minute failure, he'd have to use a different guitar, but that never happened.
Same with John. He probably had 3 x basses on the tour, but used the same one for every show.
I had a spare snare drum, spare kick pedal and hi-hat stand.

When MK put some of his guitars (around 100 or more) on the CXhristie's auction, many of them were labelled as spares, for example, there were three Gibson super 400 guitars, one was used by MK, the other by Phil, and the other one was a spare in case on of those two had anything at last minute that needed repair, all of that accordng to the information given.

I think I read somewhere that the black Pensa travelled the world as a spare for his Pensa Suhr, in case it was needed to be substitued at last minute.

I guess both Chris and Danny also had spare elements of their kits just in case, and the same to everyone else.

[dustyvalentino]

Some info from Ron Eve


IMG_20240208_184929 by Dusty Valentino, on Flickr

IMG_20240208_185101 by Dusty Valentino, on Flickr

[Pottel]

always great to get this POV band input on here. thnx Chris!