Thanks Philip! I love how you guys in Good Trouble take us along on your tours and let us have a vicarious experience that most of us would never be able to do IRL.
The first thing you want to do is take forever getting on and off stage. And while you’re up there, be sure to announce the title of every song And tell a little story about it. And do not use a pedal or rack mount tuner. Use a Snark so everyone can hear that sweet, sweet tuning. 😊
I was in a band with that exact guy! He insisted that explaining to the audience was required! If we could have developed an actual "performance", we would have truly killed it.
The bass line from Survivor is great! Also it was nice to hear the enhanced bass on Hell or High Water in your pre-tour rehearsal. It is nice to hear exactly what you are playing there. I am used to hearing Rhett's guitars up front on his tour videos, but it is nice to hear the bass too!
Man, such great advice. Being professional, being a good hang, and giving it 100% regardless of the circumstances seem to pretty much be the universally agreed upon “hacks” for success in the music industry. Loved the longer format of the video as well!
Really appreciate these kind of videos, as someone who used to gig a lot back in the day (and planning in the future as well), looking at your experience reminds me of some really fond memories, thank you for sharing this!
You guys are doing this right - you know all the right people, are on the most cutting edge platforms, and all of your individual efforts strengthen the whole group.
Im good friends with Billy English his snare player. We gig alot in the N Texas area when each of us are off road. Very Nice to see you doing this. Billy is GREAT GUY !!!
New follower here! Long time fan of Rhett's channel and happy to be here. This is a great video, and being in the opener game right now this hits home :) Congrats on living out that dream of singing with Willie. You and the band deserve all the success in the world.
The first show I think of when you mention great opening acts was seeing Grace Potter and the Nocturnals opening up for Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 in Toronto. It was probably 15+ years ago now. I hadn’t heard of the Nocturnals until that night. What I loved about them especially was they brought this energy and swagger to the stage that immediately sent a message out to the crowd that they belong with the greatest of acts. Grace’s vocal pitch and tone emotes like nobody else I have seen. Her lyrics are meaningful and heartfelt. As a side note while they were playing their set, Ben Harper’s drummer was on the side of the stage watching from behind the amps and rocking out!! The atmosphere was electrifying that night. I’ll never forget that show for as long as I live. They earned a special spot in my heart from that performance. The best word I can think of that describes their energy is magnetic. Would you care to share some more of your favourite tales of memorable times you’ve opened up for an artist or audience that left you feeling the high that we musicians are constantly chasing?
When I played and open mic this week. I had a full band play with me the first time. I took my small kit and my friends started putting it in the walk way to the green room. Tons of stuff was in the way already but there was a little walk way. I put the rest of my kit right next to our table. I noticed that my cymbal was kinda in the way of the smoking patio door. I moved my bass drum slightly in and moved it out of the way. Always ask where to put your stuff and get your stuff on the stage quickly already with cymbals and rack mounts set up. So other aren't waiting for you put your stuff one.
Yes, yes, yes. I’ve been in this situation and you’re spot on. I’ve also had bands open for my band and they’ve tried to blow us off the stage (and failed) and been general pains in the arse. To open, you’re there to warm up the crowd and not much else…take the macro view, kick arse by all means, but be professional!
Really enjoyed this. If I can ask, for Survivor, are we hearing your in ear mix or just what was hitting the mic side stage? Just wondering because I really struggle with trying to hear the necessary stuff (and myself) as a guitar player, while trying to not overpower the vocals. And hopefully trust that the front of house sounds good. Thx!
You all were great in Bethlehem!…. I had never heard your band before but you all got the crowd going and were very professional … come to our barn in Bucks county sometime !
Every time I hear Noah sing, I am surprised about sounds that come out of his mouth. It’s amazing. You guys are a great band ❤️ great video Phil. Per usual.
@@philipconradmusic bro I heard you lining the pocket on your and Rhett’s live shows during lockdown and I was all in. You’re a great musician and a better dude. Glad to see things working out for you, always ✌🏻
Awesome that NG> has such an amazing opportunity! As the opener, I totally agree that you need to pick the songs that fit the headliner's audience / vibe, while still putting your own stamp on those songs. I can't think of a more generous headliner following you than WN's band: such a huge shot to nail your sound there.
Noa’s remarks are very good too, I think: get your energy in line with that of the main act: make a night together with just the right amount of energy and taste, for the people! 🖖
Phillip, just a kind suggestion- you might want to add a limiter on the audio, so that the interview voices are louder and the music, esp the bass is quieter. Best of luck, and keep it coming!
I feel like your band is a good match for a willy nelson tour. But what do you do if your band doesn't really have any contemporaries that are still doing anything?
Rhett's discussion was excellent. One important thing (some Protestants will recognize) is an "an attitude of gratitude". Put across how fortunate you feel to have this opportunity. It's an awesome gig; be excited and look it. Jaded headliner bands genuinely get a little wind under their wings from that energy. EDIT: Maybe a future discussion about being a non-singing bassist.
I’ve listened to hell or high water a billion times, and I’ve passively heard the bass and noticed it in the verse and chorus. But I’ve never really listened to it on the intro and it a killer line!
No drum or bass solos! If you can extend a fill for them to flash their prowess, that would be ideal. Someone in the comments said not to introduce each song, but giving the name of the song will help sell your music, and they are called 'promotional tours'. A quick history of the band, i.e. place of formation, home base and how long you've been together is a good idea. I'd say a good rule of thumb is no more than twenty seconds per crowd interaction, and no more than three that are more than the song title and thank you. Don't expect audience participation. I recently saw a concert with two openers. The first had one hit to their resume, and acted like a supporting act should. They brought energy, and played a crisp, efficient set. The second band was a headliner in their own right, but acted like they were playing to their crowd. Even if it had been their own crowd, I don't think trying to get audience participation in your opener is a good idea. That needs to come later in the set.
Speaking of opening acts, one of the weirdest pairings I saw in the late 70s was Styx opening for the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Last time they did that!
In the 40+ years I have been attending hundreds of live music shows, I have never, ever heard an opening act that didn’t have their sound compromised in some way by the PA crew, even when they had their own mixer. I have seen many opening acts perform and sound drastically better when they were not opening for someone. Sure, they are not the headliners, but the consistently lame PA support is infuriating. My theory is that the headliners always receive preferential treatment when it comes to their PA mix to stand out from the opening act. This is a horrid mindset that diminishes the experience for the audience, compromises the success of the opening act, and shows how insecure most headliners are. End of rant.
Yes, I have seen this many times as well. This specific run of shows I did not feel that way, but that is a common pattern all opening bands fight. Thanks for sharing, thanks for watching!
Solid advice for being a good opener. What is your viewpoint on being a cover band and opening for someone else who also does covers? Specifically, should you always drop a copy of your set list to the headliner to avoid duplication of songs? Common sense says yes, but it's always possible reality is different.
Thanks Philip! I love how you guys in Good Trouble take us along on your tours and let us have a vicarious experience that most of us would never be able to do IRL.
Thanks for watching!
The first thing you want to do is take forever getting on and off stage. And while you’re up there, be sure to announce the title of every song And tell a little story about it. And do not use a pedal or rack mount tuner. Use a Snark so everyone can hear that sweet, sweet tuning. 😊
Exactly 😂
I was in a band with that exact guy! He insisted that explaining to the audience was required! If we could have developed an actual "performance", we would have truly killed it.
is announcing the title and a story more of a country thing? i think some genres are better without it like genres that are less about lyrics.
@@suites.74 not with the band I was in. We were alternative/progressive rock.
@@mlhbrx96 see in that genre i feel its more about the vibes and sound. so if the sound comes to a complete stop its a very sobering moment.
I wish every band would see this video.
Great job)
I enjoy this backstage format
Thanks for watching!!
The bass line from Survivor is great! Also it was nice to hear the enhanced bass on Hell or High Water in your pre-tour rehearsal. It is nice to hear exactly what you are playing there. I am used to hearing Rhett's guitars up front on his tour videos, but it is nice to hear the bass too!
Thanks for listening! ⚡️
Man, such great advice. Being professional, being a good hang, and giving it 100% regardless of the circumstances seem to pretty much be the universally agreed upon “hacks” for success in the music industry. Loved the longer format of the video as well!
Thanks for watching Conor! ⚡️
Really appreciate these kind of videos, as someone who used to gig a lot back in the day (and planning in the future as well), looking at your experience reminds me of some really fond memories, thank you for sharing this!
Thanks so much for watching! Glad to have you here ⚡️
Saw Rival Sons opening for Black Stone Cherry here in Inverness in 2012. Hadn’t heard of them but they were amazing and I’ve loved them since.
I love the Backstage VLOGs. Keep it up!
Thanks for watching!
Great stuff, Opening for Willie Nelson must be an honor!
Thanks for watching! Yes I certainly felt that way. So grateful to him and his team
Oh man what a life time experience. Congrats! You guys deserve it.
Thanks so much ⚡️
You guys are doing this right - you know all the right people, are on the most cutting edge platforms, and all of your individual efforts strengthen the whole group.
Thanks so much ⚡️
Great video! Your vlogs are getting better every time. Keep going!
Thanks for watching!
Im good friends with Billy English his snare player. We gig alot in the N Texas area when each of us are off road. Very Nice to see you doing this. Billy is GREAT GUY !!!
He was very kind. It was an honor to be on stage with him. Thanks so much for watching, and for your comment!
New follower here! Long time fan of Rhett's channel and happy to be here. This is a great video, and being in the opener game right now this hits home :)
Congrats on living out that dream of singing with Willie. You and the band deserve all the success in the world.
Hi Chad! Thanks so much for watching and the kind word. So glad to have you here! ⚡️
Awesome video Phil! Thanks for sharing the bands perspective on this. Looking forward to the next adventure!
Thanks for watching! ⚡️
"Strategic covers" love that!
That bass line from the rehearsal song is so cool. I’d love to hear / watch a breakdown of that line.
I break it down in my bass course; link in description 🤘
The first show I think of when you mention great opening acts was seeing Grace Potter and the Nocturnals opening up for Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 in Toronto. It was probably 15+ years ago now. I hadn’t heard of the Nocturnals until that night. What I loved about them especially was they brought this energy and swagger to the stage that immediately sent a message out to the crowd that they belong with the greatest of acts. Grace’s vocal pitch and tone emotes like nobody else I have seen. Her lyrics are meaningful and heartfelt.
As a side note while they were playing their set, Ben Harper’s drummer was on the side of the stage watching from behind the amps and rocking out!! The atmosphere was electrifying that night. I’ll never forget that show for as long as I live. They earned a special spot in my heart from that performance. The best word I can think of that describes their energy is magnetic.
Would you care to share some more of your favourite tales of memorable times you’ve opened up for an artist or audience that left you feeling the high that we musicians are constantly chasing?
Could you do a video about your rehearsal room? I'm interested about how do you monitor sound or is it an old school guitars & amps scenario?
Rhett, I love your wonderful wisdom at the beginning of the video!
Rhett shared some great insight! ⚡️
Great advice that could help many! Keep it up!
Thanks so much for watching! ⚡️
When I played and open mic this week. I had a full band play with me the first time. I took my small kit and my friends started putting it in the walk way to the green room. Tons of stuff was in the way already but there was a little walk way. I put the rest of my kit right next to our table. I noticed that my cymbal was kinda in the way of the smoking patio door. I moved my bass drum slightly in and moved it out of the way. Always ask where to put your stuff and get your stuff on the stage quickly already with cymbals and rack mounts set up. So other aren't waiting for you put your stuff one.
LOVE watching these vlogs from your’s and Rhett’s different standpoint
Thank you for watching! ⚡️
Yes, yes, yes. I’ve been in this situation and you’re spot on. I’ve also had bands open for my band and they’ve tried to blow us off the stage (and failed) and been general pains in the arse. To open, you’re there to warm up the crowd and not much else…take the macro view, kick arse by all means, but be professional!
Well said John ⚡️
I appreciate the vibe y'all have with one another. Fits with what I hear Willie's three important rules are as well. :)
Thanks Bill!
Really enjoyed this. If I can ask, for Survivor, are we hearing your in ear mix or just what was hitting the mic side stage? Just wondering because I really struggle with trying to hear the necessary stuff (and myself) as a guitar player, while trying to not overpower the vocals. And hopefully trust that the front of house sounds good. Thx!
Hi Chris! This is a combo of a monitor mix, a bass line out, and the camera mic blended together ⚡️
What a crazy Hott bass tone brother!
You all were great in Bethlehem!…. I had never heard your band before but you all got the crowd going and were very professional … come to our barn in Bucks county sometime !
Thanks so much Tom! Thanks for watching ⚡️
Really enjoyed this video, is the music we're hearing from your IEM mix?
A blend of my IEMs, my camera mic (ambience), and a DI out ⚡️
@@philipconradmusic Thanks for the reply, looking forward to seeing you next time you play in the UK
Every time I hear Noah sing, I am surprised about sounds that come out of his mouth. It’s amazing. You guys are a great band ❤️ great video Phil. Per usual.
Thanks so much Sean! Appreciate you being a part of the channel since the beginning 🤘
@@philipconradmusic bro I heard you lining the pocket on your and Rhett’s live shows during lockdown and I was all in. You’re a great musician and a better dude. Glad to see things working out for you, always ✌🏻
Great video, thanks Philip!
Thanks for watching Eric!
My Mother saw Willie in Tuscaloosa a few months ago. I’d seen Willie already, but if you guys had been there for Tuscaloosa I would have gone!
Right on! Awesome to see Rhett up there too! ✊🏽😌
Absolutely! 🤘
Awesome that NG> has such an amazing opportunity! As the opener, I totally agree that you need to pick the songs that fit the headliner's audience / vibe, while still putting your own stamp on those songs. I can't think of a more generous headliner following you than WN's band: such a huge shot to nail your sound there.
Thanks for sharing! It was a special honor for us ⚡️
Great video! What’s was the bass drive sound on survivor?
I think I was using the Bender Fuzz by JHS in this video ⚡️
1:15 Rhett in shorts giving off major dad vibes
😂
Noa’s remarks are very good too, I think: get your energy in line with that of the main act: make a night together with just the right amount of energy and taste, for the people!
🖖
Phillip, just a kind suggestion- you might want to add a limiter on the audio, so that the interview voices are louder and the music, esp the bass is quieter.
Best of luck, and keep it coming!
Thanks so much! ⚡️
I feel like your band is a good match for a willy nelson tour. But what do you do if your band doesn't really have any contemporaries that are still doing anything?
I’ve experienced both sides working with a headliner and with my own band. Each scenario has its own sound check protocol.
Well said!
That opening melody! 😘😘👌
Thanks for listening! ⚡️
Rhett's discussion was excellent. One important thing (some Protestants will recognize) is an "an attitude of gratitude". Put across how fortunate you feel to have this opportunity. It's an awesome gig; be excited and look it. Jaded headliner bands genuinely get a little wind under their wings from that energy.
EDIT: Maybe a future discussion about being a non-singing bassist.
Well said! Thanks for sharing ⚡️
Did you cover a Willy song in your set? 🤠
I need more of the Westworld conversation.
😂
Great sounding band, and what a great bass tone.
Thanks so much!
Did you have to smoke da ganja with Willie??
Good on you guys!
Thanks for watching! ⚡️
Don't go chasing waterfalls is always a hit with any crowd.
I’ve listened to hell or high water a billion times, and I’ve passively heard the bass and noticed it in the verse and chorus. But I’ve never really listened to it on the intro and it a killer line!
Thanks so much!! ⚡️
‘Survivors’ is just a great song!
🖖
No drum or bass solos! If you can extend a fill for them to flash their prowess, that would be ideal.
Someone in the comments said not to introduce each song, but giving the name of the song will help sell your music, and they are called 'promotional tours'. A quick history of the band, i.e. place of formation, home base and how long you've been together is a good idea. I'd say a good rule of thumb is no more than twenty seconds per crowd interaction, and no more than three that are more than the song title and thank you.
Don't expect audience participation. I recently saw a concert with two openers. The first had one hit to their resume, and acted like a supporting act should. They brought energy, and played a crisp, efficient set. The second band was a headliner in their own right, but acted like they were playing to their crowd. Even if it had been their own crowd, I don't think trying to get audience participation in your opener is a good idea. That needs to come later in the set.
Great insight here. Thanks for sharing ⚡️
Speaking of opening acts, one of the weirdest pairings I saw in the late 70s was Styx opening for the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Last time they did that!
You may very well be one of the nicest humans on the planet.
Thanks so much! Thanks for watching ⚡️
8:56 - man, two whole songs for sound check? I've been lucky to get two chords before the sound guy's shooing me off stage haha
That voice sounds like it's straight from the studio!
Agreed! Noah is a wonderful singer ⚡️
Audio sounds like it was mixed by the bass player. ;)
This is a great video
Thanks for watching!! ⚡️
Been in opening bands that have been “sabotaged” by the headliner with the sound-man…!
Dirty biz..!
That’s ugly!
@@philipconradmusic .. yeah..! It was..
I'm gonna be the bass gear nerd here, but you gotta tell Us the sound chain for that magnificent tone, dude.
truly, please let us in on the secret
Thanks dudes! Here’s a video breaking down the signal chain: ruclips.net/video/xi4xEGuTcYY/видео.html
Is there a band that doesn't give each other the finger?
If there is, I do not know if it 😂
I see the Radial DI made the gig board.
Good eye! It’s a great little work horse 🐎
Cool :)
Willie is amazing
Agreed! It was an honor to get to hear him ⚡️
Cool!!!
Thanks for watching!
In the 40+ years I have been attending hundreds of live music shows, I have never, ever heard an opening act that didn’t have their sound compromised in some way by the PA crew, even when they had their own mixer. I have seen many opening acts perform and sound drastically better when they were not opening for someone. Sure, they are not the headliners, but the consistently lame PA support is infuriating.
My theory is that the headliners always receive preferential treatment when it comes to their PA mix to stand out from the opening act. This is a horrid mindset that diminishes the experience for the audience, compromises the success of the opening act, and shows how insecure most headliners are.
End of rant.
Yes, I have seen this many times as well. This specific run of shows I did not feel that way, but that is a common pattern all opening bands fight. Thanks for sharing, thanks for watching!
Solid advice for being a good opener. What is your viewpoint on being a cover band and opening for someone else who also does covers? Specifically, should you always drop a copy of your set list to the headliner to avoid duplication of songs? Common sense says yes, but it's always possible reality is different.
Hi Clint! I think that’s a classy move (as long as you have the songs to replace any as needed). Thanks for watching!
Thought that was Rhett ..
And he been in my sa situation obviously
Trying to kick the headliners ass is just tradition, no disrespect intended
Well said! ⚡️
Step one: take for fucking ever to sound check
Good call!
Don’t be Kiss…. That’s about it !! Bands hated when Kiss opened for them ..
8:30.........!
Good trouble is probably the most tour vlogged band on RUclips 😂
Absolutely 😂
You are there for support support the headliner….you said support…thats it stay in tune play your songs dont get chatty thank the audience and leave
Well said Kirk!
Covid didn’t shut anything down.
I hate it. It's Penta and you aren't good. No thanks.