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I often wonder how loud the Shadows actually were , say, in about the 1959/60 era, given that they were using amps which would today be considered just about good enough for bedroom practicing....

It still bemuses me sometimes, that I am told I'm too loud when I play live in a reasonable sized room at a pub, using a small 50w Marshall transistor amp, with channel and master volumes both set at about half way...

I wonder how it was out front when all they had were 15-20 watt Selmer amps? And Tony playing his small simple drum kit...

When I first saw The Shadows live (at a theatre in April 1962), I was well used to theatre performances (pantomimes, etc) and did not find the volume of the Shads' performance out of the ordinary. As far as I can remember, they were using the AC30s, as well as house mikes for introductions and one for the piano on which Hank played Stand Up And Say That!.

When I saw the Shadows again at the same venue in 1964 and 1969, I don't recall any noticeable change in volume.

When I first went to the Cavern Club when I was 15, the bands were all using AC30s - and they were DEAFENING.

Yes and the bogs in the Cavern were 3rd world

Bri

Thanks for the comment JimN...

I suppose its because I have been thinking about perhaps using a smaller amp for live gig work- and I'm still interested that the Drifters/Shads could use their three small amps (with a TOTAL wattage which was less than what many players these days use for ONE guitar) and still be heard even in quite large venues...

Admittedly, my 50 watt amp is a transistor job, and I know that even a smaller valve job would be louder and sufficient to be heard, but I am not really able financially to be able to buy a posh valve job (small Fender, Vox etc) and risk damage, etc on regular pub gigs etc

Moaning about the volume at venues is the the worst kind of heckling!
I once knew someone who played solo with an acoustic and one night he turned down that many times that in the end he just switched the PA off and carried on playing without it and they still said he was too loud.
Don't know why these miserable ones bother coming out?

Worst of all are the dreaded sound meters! Most are not set up correctly - especially in local authority buildings and dont have an auto reset.

neil2726 wrote:Worst of all are the dreaded sound meters! Most are not set up correctly - especially in local authority buildings and dont have an auto reset.

Doesn't do your valves any good!
I once found out at a place that I played regular where there was a meter that there was another mains socket a bit of way across the room behind stacks of chairs on a different circut so I used to secretly connect an extension lead in that one. Always handy to have a long lead in your equipment.

I don't think it would be too difficult to find out "how loud they were".
All the equipment the Shads used in the early days is available, it would be interesting to set up 3 unmiked AC30's plus drummer at Lakeside "Celebration" or Shadowsfix or some similar venue and see.
I think it would add some interest at these gatherings if a short "as it was unmiked" set was included.
I bet we will all be amazed at just how talented the Shads were in the early days

Regards, Luigi

When I saw the Shadows at the Paris Olympia in 1961 (a 2,000 seats former movie theater), they only had their AC30s which were not miked.



The PA was used for voice only. And there was no stage monitors either. I remember I found their sound absolutly perfect !

Didier

Amazing, Didier. Where were you seated?

Andy