Posted by As many may know, Ed Mashal was a Grammy award winning Audio Engineer most notably known for his work with The Eagles and Hotel California. He was also one of my Audio instructors while I attended The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Unbeknownst to me, I didnt know who Ed was until someone, probably my room-mate at the time, pointed it out to me. Still, I wasnt starstruck as some students may have been! But as I progressed in my studies, Ed took note of my progress and approached me in the hall one day and said “you’re taking my ‘audio honors’ group next semester, right?” It really wasnt a question!
It was a thrill to be recognized by someone of his stature. I recall one day before I began his “honors” group; he asked the class what the “AUX” section of the board was for and as I was beginning the answer, he said “Shut-up, Rob!” Another time, when we had class at Critieria Studios, I wasnt allowed to be part of the class; instead, Ed had me sit and tinker the keys on the piano as he taught mic’ing basics. But the one highlight I have about Ed was the day he asked me to fill-in for his class. As I entered the school studio, Ed pulled me aside and said he had to leave the property for about an hour and asked if I could instruct his class! What was I gonna say?
Sadly, I didnt pursue an Audio Engineering career as some may have expected. I wanted to learn different aspects of the music industry. I was learning that there was so much more to learn!
It wasnt until I started working for the Seneca Niagara Casino when I started dabbling with lighting. Donny was part of the Lighting Team for the rock band Rush who werent touring at the time, so in his down-time, he kept himself busy by helping us out. He and my supervisor Kevin had worked together on various tours and they kept in touch. Kevin had consulted with Donny about purchasing a full-fledged concert production/stage set up. Since I was still quite “green” about lighting, I was only happy to learn all I could from a professional LD. Up until learning under Donny’s wing, Kevin let me fool around on the small lighting console in The Bears Den, which held about 475 patrons where I became the “go-to” LD for some of the shows that didnt have a touring LD.
As I was quickly learning the ropes, Donny introduced me to a whole new world of Lighting! He also taught me how to rig, which is a major part of lighting. I learned how to “focus” lights while climbing on a truss, some as high as 20’ in the air! And he let me get my hands on the new technology, specifically a Grand MA lighting console and its side-kick, the Micro MA. These were professional lighting consoles that had been used on the most recent Rush tour, but I imagine those consoles, however still favored, may be outdated!
I tell you all this to make a point!
I am not a critic, but I do know the many facets of Concert Production, so I try not to be overly critical when I review shows, concerts and live events, particularly when it comes to my favorite venues! I’d hate to step on toes, especially when Im not sure who was sitting behind the audio or lighting consoles. A lot of bands, artists and performers rely on the venue’s Lighting Designers or Sound Engineers simply because salaries add up quite a bit down the road, particularly when the artists take pride in their product!
Which ultimately leads me to my actual point of this article/blog!
I had the distinct pleasure of shooting Richie Kotzen at The Suffolk Theater recently. I have seen Richie perform numerous times and Ive actually assisted in one of his Meet & Greets at The Iridium in NYC. Both he and wife Julia are great people! However, as many times as Ive seen Richie perform, I thought the sound could have been mixed a bit better, for me it was just so-so, especially considering the theater’s PA system! In addition, I felt that the LD was quite a bit overzealous! I felt that the colors being used didnt compliment each other, which is one of the first things they teach you in “art” class. Blue/Magenta, Yellow/Purple, Green/Red!! Do not mix the colors unless youre at a circus! The bally-hoos werent necessary when capturing a somber/intimate mood!
But enough of my tech-bashing! Perhaps in the near future, Ill put together more of the ins and outs of concert production from all the experiences Ive had the (dis)pleasure of encountering!
I would however, like to take a moment to thank the Suffolk Theater management, particularly, Clutch! Apparently my approval got lost in the mix and he came to my rescue to save the day!
Here are a few photos of Richie’s stellar performance. For more info regarding tour schedule, merch and music, please visit https://www.richiekotzen.com/index.htmlPlease, also visit https://thesuffolk.org/ for their show schedules, directions and box office information!
Long Island Sounds 