How loud were they back then?

[Didier]

Amazing, Didier. Where were you seated?

Andy

For the Shadows in 1961, I remember I was in the stalls on the right side, around the 10th row. A very good seat !

I also went there when the Beatles performed in january 1964 just before leaving for their first US tour.



Later in 1964 I went there to see the Shadows for a second time. I was very surprised to see them with new guitars I had never heard of. I was close enough from the stage to read "Burns London" on their guitars. So I thought they had followed the "Buy British" campaign of this time !

I have seen there many other artists, mainly during the sixties : Gilbert Bécaud, Brenda Lee, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Cliff Richard (without the Shadows), Steppenwolf, etc.

The last time I went to the Paris Olympia was for the Beach Boys last summer. It wast the first time I went there since it was demolished and rebuilt at almost the same place (entrance has not moved) in 1997.

Didier

[abstamaria]

Since the bands relied only on their amps in the early 60s, I often wondered whether we should do away with microphones on the amps. At most we would play to only 400 or people. it would be great if we can.

BTW you were very lucky to have caught all those shows, Didier.

Andy

[neil2726]

I saw the Rapiers with Craig Doulas a couple of years ago at the Victoria Hall in Hanley and as I remember their amps were not miked up! I think they used their Fender amps that night!

[Paul Childs]

It was easier to get started back in those days without having to find the money for masses of overpriced equipment like it is now.

[JimN]

It was easier to get started back in those days without having to find the money for masses of overpriced equipment like it is now.

This has come up before. The general consensus is that musical instruments are much cheaper now than they were (say) fifty years ago.

1963 Stratocaster (new) 168 guineas (£176.40), which equates to £3,130 today...

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html

Oh... and the case was extra...

Vox AC30 Twin Normal, c.£120 - £2129 today.

These prices are actually higher than Fender Custom Shop and boutique amp builders charge today...

[Uncleboko]

I never saw the Shadows back then, but I remember Lord Sutch & the Savages in September 1962 in Barnet, Ritchie Blackmore was using a mere AC30, Ricky Brown used a Linear amp with a huge speaker cabinet and Carlo Little's drums were not miked - they were absolutely deafening!!

[chas]

Nowadays you can buy some great equipment for relatively small outlay compared to fifty years ago. A lot of us had to endure some pretty bad playing instruments while dreaming of owning something out of reach like a Fender, Gibson and the like. I often think that those starting off these days don't know how lucky they are with current choice and prices.

Chas.

[chas]

Since the bands relied only on their amps in the early 60s, I often wondered whether we should do away with microphones on the amps. At most we would play to only 400 or people. it would be great if we can

Andy

Andy, if my band is playing a club, we never bother to mike up, though I've sometimes miked the lead amp - not for volume, just for a little spread because the amp is on one side of the stage. I think the only problem is with not miking is that the bass amp needs to be reasonably powerful to compete with the more penetrating treble sounds. We often have monitors, but that's just for the vocals particularly if the p.a. speakers are reasonably far forward.

Chas.

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Chas.

Andy

PS: Yes, one had to be pretty well off to have a Fender in the 6os. If Hank hadn't met Cliff, he would have had to struggle with the Antoria.

[Paul Childs]

It was easier to get started back in those days without having to find the money for masses of overpriced equipment like it is now.

This has come up before. The general consensus is that musical instruments are much cheaper now than they were (say) fifty years ago.

1963 Stratocaster (new) 168 guineas (£176.40), which equates to £3,130 today...

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html

Oh... and the case was extra...

Vox AC30 Twin Normal, c.£120 - £2129 today.

These prices are actually higher than Fender Custom Shop and boutique amp builders charge today...

Guitars aside, back then you only needed a small amp like a Selmer and there was no outlay for a PA & cabs.
Not many Guitarist in Britain could afford a guitar like a Fender back then so the sound you had with a cheap guitar was acceptable because no one else had anything any better but by the end of the 60s the same sound wouldn't have been acceptable.