RE: [Harp-L] Gear Creep

[John Neff <soulchicken@xxxxxxxx>]

My gig bag contains not only a power strip, but a heavy duty extension cord and a spare power cable for my amp.
 

> From: TrackHarpL@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 08:18:53 -0400
> Subject: [Harp-L] Gear Creep
> 
> I went to an open jam last night, and for the first time, I had real 
> trouble finding an outlet to plug my amp into. There was a small 
> power strip, but it only had three outlets, and all were occupied. 
> The short version of the story is that I persisted for the first set, 
> and the host managed to effect a re-arrangement, and I let myself get 
> skunked at the end of the evening when I got invited back up for a 
> second set.
> 
> So, maybe I need to add a power strip to the stuff I carry. But this 
> raises a configuration issue.
> 
> I like to travel as compactly as possible. I lock my purse (including 
> cell phone) in the trunk of the car. In my pockets I carry my car 
> key, a modest amount of cash, and a small plastic pillbox with 
> earplugs. I walk into the bar with one thing in each hand: My hard- 
> sided harp case, which also holds my mic, and a small amp. The amp 
> has a cavity in the back where its cord goes, and into that space I 
> also tuck the cable for the mic and an empty plastic harmonica case 
> that I place under the bottom front edge of the amp to incline its 
> projection angle a bit. Even with that small amount of stuff, I worry 
> about something rattling against the glass tubes. I appreciate that 
> my amp is not a suitcase.
> 
> If I add a knapsack to my kit, I could have a power strip and/or 
> extension cord, a vocal mic, various spare cables, and a parrot. 
> (Okay, kidding about the parrot.) I don't love the way knapsacks 
> look, and it's a third thing to keep track of in the bar.
> 
> I'd be interested in how others of you have dealt with this. Thanks 
> in advance.
> 
> Elizabeth (aka Tin Lizzie)
>