So if I have a gig without power...

[solarbird]

So I have a pair of gigs newly on my calendar, but they have no power available, and no PA. They're tips-and-CD-sales at the Juanita Bay, in Kirkland, where I used to busk. So this really isn't very different to busking, I suppose, except there's a stage area and audience. (In previous years they've had power. But there's construction and they've had to move and and and.)

Got any ideas about what I can do to PA this up? I guess I could do it purely unamped, but that's not how to get an awesome vocals/instrument mix, to put it mildly.

Comments

[mdlbear]

Car battery in a box with an inverter?

Or battery-powered MP3-player speakers. Behringer makes a couple of small battery-powered mixers, IIRC.

[solarbird]

I'm hoping not to have to buy stuff; I've kind of bought too much as it is. (Which is to say, I've bought the minimum kinds of things I need in pretty much the minimum quantities I need, but I'm still kind of sketchy about even that.) It's all a little overwhelming.

[clemtaur.livejournal.com]

Most cheap inverters (cheap here meaning affordable, on hand, and willing to risk taking on the road..) put out a square wave instead of a sinusoidal wave. this means you'll get a nasty 60hz buzz (and harmonics) injected into your audio mix.. ..And can actually damage some electronics.

You are better off with a car stereo amplifier rigged to a couple of 12v gel cell packs. (by this I mean: one of the units Without Radio or Player that you stick downstream of your graphic equalizer..)

Sadly, I have neither, or I would loan them to you.

[solarbird]

aw, thanks! I don't have either of those either! So, well, foo.

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

Maybe a nearby merchant will let you "plug in."

It seems that every public space (around the SF Peninsula) has electric plugs somewhere. Maybe they've all been removed due to construction, but I find that hard to believe. Where do the construction folks plug in their equipment?

I guess just bring a long extension cord and hope for the best.

Good Luck!

[solarbird]

Normally, probably so. But this is not normally public space; it's a private parking lot across from the public space which is getting a big shaking up and reconstruction. So that's why it's all wonky.