Wednesday, April 04, 2007

More "Bikes at work"

It looks like my "All the world's a stage" thing has been less about interesting gig situations and more about how I got there via pedal power! Here's the latest...

I've done quite a few gigs at the National Arts Centre, and this most recent one had me using Kyoto to get there, now that the snow is gone and road salt washed away. And this is the second time I've been able to park in inside the building! Stephane, the lighting tech for the 4th Stage, is also an avid cyclist, and at my last Fall show he said "hey, do you want to park it inside? There's space by the dressing rooms where we normally store the piano" (which had been moved onstage for our gig). So I took the gear out of the trike, we opened the double doors, and rolled it in!

Now, for both gigs I was there in the afternoon to get set up and do a soundcheck, but that only lasts until 5:00, and I don't have to be back for the show until 8:00. So I have two choices - bring the trike in (or leave it parked outside) while doing the afternoon thing, then ride it back home for dinner, then ride it back in the evening and drag it inside. Or, just bring it in the first time, leave it there, walk the 1.5 km back home and then back to the show, then trike home after the gig. Since I get more exercise by walking than triking (and had the time to do so) I chose the latter option. I'm all for multi-modal transport! ;)


Outside the Artist's Entrance on Elgin St., with NAC Manager Peter posing.


Inside that entrance.


Then through those double doors...

Then snugged into the room (along with Stephane's bike).


On its way back out of the building after the show (the waiting drums are piled just off to the right). We joked about using a plywood ramp next time so I could ride up the steps and right outside!

Gratuitous photo of my tiny jazz kit. Compare the size of the drums with the ones in my Big Band kit! (below in the IJO gig post) The small kit is 12, 10, 12, 16, and the large is 14, 13, 16, 24.

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