The Titans! were getting multi-night gigs in San Antonio on a regular basis now so my brothers asked if the band could crash out at my place between shows.
Somehow it was in this arrangement that I got recruited into the paid position of running sound for the band. Yes, I kept my day job and so this was purely "fun" money but a soundman goes wherever the band goes, in my case Houston, Galveston, San Antonio, Austin, Oklahoma, and many places in-between. My duties didn't require any Austin area rehearsals in-between shows, the Titans! would just give me the dates and I would show up to work in time for the sound check.
My predecessor soundmen were family friends like John Blankenship, heck, I think Jon Barret might have also run sound when the band gigged in Houston; he certainly videotaped the band a time or two.
One "runs" sounds via a long cord and mixing board set up in the back of the room. If the band is too loud, someone usually lets the sound guy know.
A reliable sound guy keeps the band focused on making music rather than having to constantly go out into the audience, listening, and worrying about the band's sound levels. Too loud, too soft, turn this singer up, turn that one down, add more drums into the mix, more reverb, less of that offending frequency causing feedback, etc. Associated duties might also include running the lights.
Running sound also meant running the band's monitoring system. If they're low, the band doesn't hear themselves singing on stage relative to the volume of the live instruments. Band members wildly flailing their fingers and arms in the upward direction was a pretty good indicator that the monitor volume needed to go up.
Running sound also meant running the band's monitoring system. If they're low, the band doesn't hear themselves singing on stage relative to the volume of the live instruments. Band members wildly flailing their fingers and arms in the upward direction was a pretty good indicator that the monitor volume needed to go up.
It was a challenge pleasing everyone in the band with individual monitor levels but we tried having fun with it anyway. On one occasion, one of my brothers dropped his guitar, jumped off the stage and came running after me full speed because he thought I was purposely dropping his monitor level just to irritate him. Now why would I do something like that?
When the show's over, the sound guy becomes a roadie, rolling up the long cord now possibly covered with alcoholic beverages of all sorts, other gross liquids - you name it, etc. Oh yeah, parking to a down-town club venue is notoriously bad for a band and so getting equipment in and out is always a hassle; try dragging your luggage through an Austin 6th street alley at about 3 in the morning and notice how it smells afterwards.
All in all it was just like old times, all of us brothers together again and on the music scene. I would even get introduced during the final act of the night as "the guy running sound in the back, brother Gary Geraci." The fact that there were four brothers involved in the show always drew a good round of applause from our audiences, which of course, we enjoyed receiving.
However, deep down, I had this unsatisfied urge to get up on stage and perform music.
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