Setting the Stage

            In an earlier post, I discussed the headaches most live music venues face when dealing with performing rights licenses.  There are organizations that actively seek out performance venues and ensure they have the proper permissions to showcase live music.  Many small businesses have been forced to remove some of their services or shut down entirely because of the hefty fines associated with acquiring licenses.  The National Club Industry Association of America (NCIAA) was established to help clubs and venues save money, as well as offer other services.

I recently got hired as a guitarist for a new show in Orlando called DRIP (a must-see show!).  I’ve performed in small music venues in the past, but this is the first time I’ve been exposed to using in-ear monitors (IEM).  Typically, stage monitors, or wedges, are used for musicians to properly hear themselves on stage.  I’m going to compare the differences of using stage monitors and IEM.