In this new feature from the August 2014 issue of Guitar World, the guitarists of Avenged Sevenfold, Morbid Angel, Trivium and other metal acts tell how they'll beat the heat and tame the crowds on the season's biggest tours.
TODAY: We Are The In Crowd's Jordan Eckes and Cameron Hurley — WARPED TOUR
Jordan Eckes
Tips for playing in extreme heat?
Stay hydrated and don’t play on an empty stomach! The last thing you want to do is pass out onstage and cause a panic. Trust me: playing on 120-degree days is no joke.
One item you’ll carry with you at all times this summer?
Sunglasses.
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Considerations when playing an outdoor show versus an indoor show?
When you’re running entirely DI like we do, there will be times when the wind will completely throw the sound around, so you need to be aware of that. And we always need to be prepared for rain.
Primary gear you’ll be playing this summer?
Nothing too fancy, just my Music Man Reflex custom and an Avid Eleven Rack for amp simulation. For a long time I used a JCM 900 through a Palmer PDI-03 speaker simulator, but it makes life so much easier having a two-space rack. Once everything is mixed at front-of-house, it’s really hard to tell what's “real” and what’s digital these days.
Tips for winning over a tough crowd?
If a crowd isn’t feeling your set, there’s really not much you can do besides try to pump them up. Talk about whoever’s headlining that day, and try to interact with the crowd instead of playing your set as fast as possible.
Advice for a band just starting to play live?
Get your drummer on a click. It will make your live show more enjoyable and you’ll grow tighter as a band. Don’t be afraid of laying out banter for your set before a show. Make sure your lead singer knows what he or she needs to say before a particular song. Just have fun—and, please, use a floor tuner!
Cameron Hurley
Your sweatiest concert ever?
It was at the Cockpit in Leeds, England, on our headlining tour of the U.K. earlier this year. The venue is shaped like a giant soup can, and when it’s packed it feels like you’re playing in one, too. Our clothes didn’t dry for about two days after that.
Tips for playing in extreme heat?
Pace yourselves, stay hydrated, and try not to drink too much alcohol before you play. There isn’t much more you can do about the heat, so you’d better get used to standing around in sweat-soaked clothes.
One item you’ll carry with you at all times this summer?
I tend to lose most of things I should carry on me at all times. But one thing I’ll never tour without is my FGN Masterfield guitar. It’s a beautiful, Japanese-made semi-hollowbody, and I can get just about any sound I’m looking for out of it.
Considerations when playing an outdoor show versus an indoor show?
Don’t underestimate how much the sun will wear you down. The first few times you have to play outside in the middle of the summer, you’ll feel like you just ran a triathlon. If it's really sunny and you use a lot of pedals, try putting them somewhere onstage where there’s shade. There’s nothing worse than looking down at your tuner and seeing nothing but the glare from the sun.
Primary gear you’ll be playing this summer?
Over the past few years, we’ve slowly transitioned to having a fully digital setup. I’m playing an Avid Eleven Rack with a MIDI-controlled pedal board. It’s simple and easy to travel with, and it’s very convenient to transition from using it for writing and demoing when we’re off tour to using it as a live rig on tour.
Tips for winning over a tough crowd?
Some crowds are harder to please than others. On a good day, everything just connects, the crowd is responsive, and we put on a show we feel great about. Other days you need to put in more work, raise the energy and get in their faces a bit more. Don’t lose confidence if the crowd doesn’t seem blown away. Chances are there was at least one person who loved it, and they’ll remember it.
Advice for a band just starting to play live?
When you’re first starting out, you might be more worried about playing a perfectly tight set and forget that you also need to put on an entertaining show. Keep the crowd engaged, and get them involved with the show so they can connect with more than just the music.
