Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast cover art

Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

By: Dave Hamilton & Friends
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Summary

 Welcome to Gig Gab—the podcast sanctuary for working musicians and anyone fascinated by the vibrant, often unseen world behind every note played on stage. Whether you’re a musician, a member of the crew, or just someone who loves peeking behind the curtain to discover the secrets of live performances, you’ve found your tribe.BackBeat Media, LLC 2026 Music
Episodes
  • From Wedges to In-Ears: A Monitor Engineer's Playbook with Paul Klimson

    From Wedges to In-Ears: A Monitor Engineer's Playbook with Paul Klimson
    May 4 2026
    Ready to make the leap from wedges to in-ear monitors? Or finally get the stage mix you’ve always wanted? Dave Hamilton welcomes back monitor engineer Paul Klimson, the man who mixed 32 stereo IEM feeds for Justin Timberlake, for a working musician’s deep dive on monitor world. You’ll learn how to build a default mix from scratch (start yourself at 0dB, your instrument at -5, everything else at -15), why drummers have an easier transition to in-ears than most assume, and how a split snake lets you take care of yourself when the gig demands it. Paul digs into hi-hat pitfalls, drum overheads as stage wash, and why bands who mix themselves on stage make life better for their FOH engineer, too. Then it gets practical. Paul walks you through IEM fittings (pain is always bad, the seal is everything, and yes, drop an AirTag in your case) plus the universal-versus-custom decision, vetting vendor customer service before you buy, and the repair costs nobody talks about until they need to. You’ll get honest talkback etiquette (keep the drama off-stage, give everyone a voice, remember that your monitor engineer is a short-order cook), the post-mortem habit every band should adopt, and a peek at SoulSeed.tv. Wherever you sit on stage, this is the episode that sharpens how you Always Be Performing. 00:00:00 Gig Gab 532 – Monday, May 4th, 2026 May 4th: Dave Brubeck DayGuest co-host: Paul Klimson 00:03:24 Start with headphones in your practice space Start with earplugs 00:05:09 Drums are a dynamic instrument, which may be why drummers have an easy transition to IEMs (usually)00:08:33 What do you want in your wedge? What’s your reference? 00:09:11 The artist/engineer relationship00:11:03 Building a default mix Start yourself at 0dBInstrument at -5dBEverything else at -15dB 00:12:58 Using a Split Snake When possible, take care of yourself 00:14:47 Timing of a mix Don’t forget about hi-hatsWork with your engineer to dial-in your own mix 00:19:18 Drum overheads for stage wash effect00:22:21 In-ears help you listen better Bands who mix themselves on stage makes your ears AND the FOH engineers job ears 00:23:54 Learn where you and your instrument fit into the mix of your band And change it if you don’t fit. You’re not the most important thing! 00:26:40 What’s going to make you stand out when someone comes to see you at clubs of any size? Do you hear the lyrics?Do you hear the intent of the story of the song?Watch your instagram videos and evaluate honestly 00:30:28 Knowing when the studio mix is done.00:33:27 Fittings for IEMs Things to look for: Pain is bad Is the seal functioning correctly? Listen for sound leakage (including when you open your mouth and move around)Are the ports aimed down the canal wrongDo you hear high-end better when you rock the mold around? 00:37:36 Put an AirTag in your IEM case!00:39:28 Figuring out which model to order Try universal fits first to learn the musical qualities 00:41:16 Test the customer service of vendors before you choose00:42:55 The origin of IEMs00:44:44 Find out repair costs Comply Foam Strips 00:48:20 Talkback Use Keep the drama off-stageGive everyone a voiceMonitor engineers are like short-order cooks… be kind! 00:58:23 Always post-mortem the problems from the gig And also “what happens if?” conversations 01:03:22 Soulseed.TV01:06:05 Gig Gab 532 Outtro Follow Paul Klimson SoulSeed.tv@TheRoadieClinic Contact Gig Gab! @GigGabPodcast on Instagramfeedback@giggabpodcast.comSign Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List The post From Wedges to In-Ears: A Monitor Engineer’s Playbook with Paul Klimson – Gig Gab 532 appeared first on Gig Gab.
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Stop Guessing, Start Growing: Fix Your Band’s Biggest Pain Points (with Dan Chantrey)

    Stop Guessing, Start Growing: Fix Your Band’s Biggest Pain Points (with Dan Chantrey)
    Apr 27 2026
    You trace Dan Chantrey’s path from drummer dad influence to choosing music over football, and quickly see the real lesson: the game has flipped. You’re no longer playing gigs to sell music, you’re using music to sell gigs. From record deals fading to booking agents becoming the new gatekeepers, you learn why every band feels like it’s on the brink and how surviving means thinking beyond the stage. GIGNITE emerges as the modern answer, a virtual tour manager that helps you route tours, analyze audiences, and break into new markets with data instead of guesswork. If you want to grow, you stop hoping for “yes” and start building a system that makes it inevitable. You rethink what it means to be a working musician: your brand matters as much as your chops, your off-stage work is where the money lives, and yes, it’s okay to get paid for your art. From finding sponsors in your local pizza joint to solving real-world problems like parking the van and booking rooms, you’re shown how to remove friction and scale your gig life intelligently. The stories drive it home: don’t punish the audience that showed up, audition gigs still sting, and your toughest hometown show might teach you the most. The throughline is clear: treat this like a business, leverage the tools, and Always Be Performing. 00:00:00 Gig Gab 531 – Monday, April 27th, 2026 April 27th: Morse Code DayGuest co-host: Dan Chantrey from GIGNITE 00:03:36 Dan’s Dad was a drummer and a singer, started him off, then Dan started playing00:03:58 Playing live vs. Playing in the studio00:04:15 Choosing between (American) football and music00:06:09 Getting signed to Frontier Records Things worked for a while“Every band is on the verge of breaking up at all times” 00:09:06 Things have turned: you used to do gigs to sell your music, now you do music to sell your gigs GIGNITE is a one-stop shop for artists to be able to tourHad an events business running pre-COVIDBREXIT happened, so how can we make things easier to get artists move about through Europe 00:12:38 Booking agent deals are the new record deal00:14:49 Tried to book a festival, booking agents said “no” even though bands said “yes”00:16:00 GIGNITE is your virtual tour manager00:17:10 Aggregating Audience Analytics is part of the platform, too00:18:56 Heading to NAMM to learn what potential customers want NAMM is the meeting place of the music industry 00:20:33 Analytics aggregation for tribute acts and cover bands, too Does Dave’s fictitious band sound like Rage Against The Machine? Why not!Using analytics to decide which markets 00:22:55 GIGNITE is free for artists to join and use Freemium model allows artists to add additional features like press releases and suchPrimary monetization is from suppliers (aka venues)Venue ratings system! 00:24:22 Gig Unite links artists with sponsors Linking headline bands with opening acts (local and otherwise)Find sponsors for your local bands, folks: Pizza placeConstruction companiesCleaning servicesChiropractor It might be easier to get sponsors for your band than gigs for it! 32:31 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at https://gusto.com/giggab00:33:57 GIGNITE takes the heavy lifting and headaches away Gives your band the power to look at and consider tours“How do you get a gig in a town that’s 200 miles away?”You can do it yourself, you can get a booking agent, or you can use a service like GIGNITE 00:36:00 It’s called the music BUSINESS for a reason The brand of your band is as important as your stagecraft 00:40:49 I don’t get paid to play shows, I get paid to do all the off-stage stuff Dave says: “It’s OK to get paid for our art” 00:43:41 Where are you going to park your van while you play? Where are you going to stay?GIGNITE answers these questions 00:47:44 Now it’s Gig Gab time Road stories, folks!Parthenon Huxley: Don’t punish the people who showed up!Audition Gigs… love ‘em and hate ‘em! (mostly hate ‘em!) 00:54:36 The hardest gig I ever played “We want to see you in your home town.” 00:58:00 Gig Gab 531 Outtro Follow Dan Chantrey GIGNITE.liveFacebook & InstagramDan_chantreyDan Chan Show on Rock Rage RadioDan Chan Show on YouTube Contact Gig Gab! @GigGabPodcast on Instagramfeedback@giggabpodcast.comSign Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List The post Stop Guessing, Start Growing: Fix Your Band’s Biggest Pain Points – Gig Gab 531 with Dan Chantrey appeared first on Gig Gab.
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • 50 Years of Rush: Howard Ungerleider on Lighting the Lighted Stage

    50 Years of Rush: Howard Ungerleider on Lighting the Lighted Stage
    Apr 20 2026
    Step inside five decades of rock history with lighting legend Howard Ungerleider, the man who’s been designing and directing Rush’s light shows since 1974. Hear how a $75-a-week mailroom gig at American Talent International — where he pulled off a rogue booking of Fleetwood Mac before he was even an agent — turned into a lifetime behind the console. Get the story of Howard landing in Toronto to babysit “a club band called Rush,” sleeping on the floor at the manager’s house with a St. Bernard, freezing his hand to a car door at -40 in Cochrane, Ontario, and later jamming with Neil Peart at his house to Genesis and Supertramp records. Howard also talks designing Roll The Bones (the one Rush tour he couldn’t operate), embedding at See Factor to build custom gear nobody else could get, and how Blue Öyster Cult first put him in front of a laser: the same craft he now brings to Foo Fighters, Tool, and Janet Jackson. Then the conversation turns to the upcoming Rush Fifty Something tour — a four-piece now with Anika Nilles on drums and Loren Gold on keys, freeing Geddy to focus on bass and vocals. Learn why Howard still “plays” the lighting console live with two boards and thousands of touch cues, how robotic spots are quietly changing the craft, and why he and Phish’s Chris Kuroda will be swapping rigs at Madison Square Garden. You’ll also hear the Paul McCartney moment in the Taylor Hawkins tribute dressing room that may have sparked the whole tour, and why Howard insists this is a rejuvenation, a celebration, and proof that no matter the rig, the room, or the era, you’ve gotta ALWAYS BE PERFORMING. Because it’s what we do. Press play and enjoy, folks. 00:00:00 Gig Gab 530 – Monday, April 20th, 2026 April 20th: Pizza Delivery Driver Appreciation DayGuest co-host: Howard Ungerleider 00:02:18 Walked into a NYC office to get a recording contract for his band “You need to learn about this industry before you come knocking on people’s doors.”Introduced him to Action Talent (which became American Talent International) 00:06:21 For $75/week delivering coffee and working in the mailroom After a year and a half he got booted from Monmouth University, then became the ATI gopher 00:08:17 Hey, do you want Fleetwood Mac to play here?00:11:44 Booking agent00:13:17 Can you fill in for a week as Blue Oyster Cult’s tour00:14:51 Howard and Rush were surprised to have Howard working there “I need ten grand” – “no, you can sleep on the floor instead” 00:18:11 Howard had to show Geddy that New York pizza was better than Toronto pizza00:19:01 Howard learns about Canadian cold Howard’s driving, Geddy’s riding shotgun, Neil’s reading, Alex is smoking a joint 00:20:42 Geddy says, “get out and take a breath of fresh air”00:22:05 John Rutsey had opted out of touring, Howard moves to Toronto while they’re auditioning drummers “Eventually Neil [Peart] walked in…and that was it.” 00:23:32 Howard and Neil used to jam at Neil’s house Genesis and Supertramp 00:24:19 Road life’s not so bad 200 gigs a year on the road 00:26:09 Rush took a break, Howard did Queensryche and Tesla Howard designed Roll The Bones, but it’s the only tour he couldn’t operate 00:27:51 Howard tour-managed and lighting designed and operated every tour up through Presto, after which he dropped tour-managing00:28:41 Dave realizes he met Howard on the Presto tour00:31:43 Don’t put up with crap00:32:03 Howard’s been doing Rush’s lights since 197400:33:05 Moving from clubs and theaters to arenas Howard embedded himself into See Factor, the lighting company.Lots of custom gear 00:34:54 SPONSOR: Warby Parker – Right now, buy one prescription pair and get 20% off any additional prescription pairs at https://WarbyParker.com/GIGGAB00:36:40 SPONSOR: Claude.ai – Ready to tackle bigger problems? Sign up for Claude today, which includes access to Claude Cowork, too, when you visit https://Claude.ai/giggab00:38:10 Howard first saw lasers with Blue Oyster Cult Dr. David Infante, Blue Oyster Cult’s laser operatorHoward’s lasers on on the road with Foo Fighters, Tool, Janet Jackson and more 00:40:37 RUSH Fifty Something Something completely different than Howard has ever doneOther dimensions 00:42:04 Mixing the Juno awards Howard says Neil would approve of Anika. 00:44:51 Hey Howard, surprise! RUSH is going to tour again00:47:03 Howard did lights for RUSH at Taylor Hawkins tribute00:48:46 Howard prefers mixing live He “plays” the lighting console liveRemote spot locations 00:52:07 RUSH Fifty Something… it’s band of FOUR. Geddy is happy… playing less keyboards, more bass and vocal focus 00:54:42 Howard: “I create lighting choreography” This tour is (currently) 2.5 hours (things can change, folks!)“I try to enhance the show with lighting that can trigger your emotions. I approach it as an audience member.”Loren Gold’s harmonies sound great 00:58:28 Phish and Rush alternating at ...
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    1 hr and 10 mins
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