Sound technician. As I wrote earlier I got Music Hall venue. During sea days there is a lot going on like bingo, karaoke, gameshows and regular entertainment shows. Those things are done with cruise staff and most of them know exactly what to do sound wise. On the beginning of each cruise there is a tribute band and later on port days it is usually the house band. Days look alike. The ship is equipped with Q-Sys by QSC which is a large scale system for managing large venues audio wise. For those interested in technical solutions – read about it on QSC website. Something new for me and I thing it is a really nice solution for big venues. Basically it lets You control audio levels in rooms, halls, whenever you need through Q-Net and at the end You get a touch panel with a proper layout to control for example the level of music in the speakers, you can control microphone levels, on of a lot of things. It can be large scale. Nice for conference solutions, theme parks and.. cruise ships. I did their online training level one before joining and I can see it’s potential – here in use.
Music Hall the Meyer system, JBL SRX800 monitors, Shure PSM900 IEM’s and a Digico SD8 desk and 8 channels of Shure wireless systems (handheld or body pack – users choice depending on what is needed). Shows run every cruise with TimeCode are on QLab. At the sound booth there is also a video control panel for the screens placed in it, so to put them the MH logo, a band logo, dj logo, whatever logo or movie needed during a show that’s currently running.
Most of the port days as a sound technician in MH I can go off the ship. After breakfast I swing by the venue to check if everything is properly left after the dj finished the previous night. Usually there is no need to be there again until 6pm when the usual activities start.
Workflow is quite obvious when a band arrives either a house band, orchestra or a tribute band. Soundcheck, then normal activities, then the band, than the dj. It runs smoothly as far as I am concerned.
Music Hall is a busy place. Even being here a week and not even a whole cruise I can see there is and will be a pattern depending on which day it is as to guest attendance. What I really like, which is not a surprise for those who know me, there is time scheduled for ballroom dance classes and each day a ballroom music time – I like it that people here really like that and use that time, no matter what age they are, it’s so nice and I look at it with admiration. Why? You just don’t have it in Poland. Imagine what thought when I saw a Line Dance Class on the schedule – again – I have a pair of red cowboy boots, I am a fan of Line Dance! I always wanted to learn it, go ahead and laugh about it, that’s just how it is.
There are two other venues on Anthem of The Seas. Royal Theatre and two70. The Royal Theatre is much alike Musical Theatre In Gdynia before the rebuild. It has about 700 seats, similar size stage window, not as much storing place but that’s obvious since we’re talking about a cruise ship.
Amphitheatre and one balcony.
Two70 where, for example, the Spectra’s Cabaret is happening is a different story.
I strongly advise You all to take a look at it on youtube and google and whatever if you are a tech geek as I am. Cutting it short – big venue with couches and a bar at the aft of the ship, 270 of 360 are windows that can be and are projector screens during shows. There are also 6 moving screens in the middle, a lot of platforms in the stage and at the audience between the guest seats and one more thing that I will not write about – see it for yourselves.. I like that venue, it’s not an easy one, who said it should be. I’ve seen The Gift – Broadway like, 50 minutes, felt sometimes Scrooge-y like.. Fun to watch, good piece of work both cast and crew. Next week I’m going to see We Will Rock You. The show I’ve seen in two70 – I felt in love once, got a crush twice and had a big smile during some parts. Let me just say, those butterfly wings and electronic-techno-like music with animations on screen and a modern dance solo… yhym!
Ship life is.. I cannot answer after a week. I just can say I’m getting used to it. Starting to know my way around. I think I know where I’m going until I get lost. Got back to my home routine with workouts, as „two stripes” we can use the guest gym when it’s not too busy – port days.
That’s what I call ‘a trade mil with a wives”. There is a running track at the sports deck. I heard about basketball open court games every evening – have to check this out. It would be a good thing instead of hitting the crew bar after work, which is also a nice pace. As someone said to me „it’s just a one beer place unless you run into other black shirt”. Black shirts – that’s what tech people are called or as I should say We are being called.
Morning coffee look and work look.
Always remember – Safety First!
Muahh!