A day in the life

By Shelling

Last gig?

Since 2006 I've been involved in what we call "The soupstage", derived from the original concept "The souptheatre". Neither of the words work well in English but in Sweden they are a concept, starting in Stockholm, spread in many cities. Artists do a show on a small stage while the audience eat a bowl of soup during lunch while they get high class entertainment from touring or local artists, actors or even a lecture on art or hor to plan your garden. My part of the job has been as a sound technician but also often as a musician. The concept has changed through the years but I've always been more or less involved as an extra technician when the theatres personel doesn't have time. 
It's been a mission of honor I think but now it's over. The concept is going to transfer into something different in the autumn, unclear what. Today was my last gig as a technician, I still have one more concert to do here in may but then as musician. That will be the last of the concerts in this form.

One part of my job is of course to be in charge of the sound quality in the room and on stage but often I can't help interfering with what I see on stage. As today, when the two performers were rehearsing during soundcheck. When you are a musician on this high stage, your main concern is to sit yourself where you can see and hear well, you normally don't have a clue of what the audience sees. I couldn't help but taking a picture from one of the audience seats and then hand the photo to the pianist and ask him what he thought about it. After seeing it, laughing, he said that he often gets irritated on how the people on stage looks and particularly when they hide behind their note stands. Without realising how it looks from an audience point of view. After seeing it they moved around a bit. The concert was brilliant, one of the best of the season and I was particularly proud to hear that the singer said the sound was so good he could relax completely and make music, knowing it sounded good.

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