2017/07/16 18:52:59
bitflipper
Anyone who's ever had to pack up a band's gear into a van can appreciate that you don't just throw it all in willy-nilly. It takes some planning, and maybe a little experience playing Tetris.
 
(Once while touring in Germany, I had a dream that our van was spinning around. It got me thinking about what would happen in a crash, and I realized we'd likely be killed by our own equipment. So next morning, to my bandmates' chagrin, I had the van unloaded and re-loaded in such a way as to be safer in an accident. Incredibly, the very next night, we hit a patch of ice on the autobahn, spun out, flipped over a guardrail and slid 50 feet on our side. The side doors flew open but nobody was crushed under a Marshal nor impaled by flying mic stands.)
 
So imagine deciding to take a stadium-size act on tour, packing everything - stage props, PA, lights, the works - on an airplane. Iron Maiden did that in a customized 757, playing gigs literally around the world in 66 days. This documentary talks about the logistics, especially the plane, which I found fascinating.
 
If you've ever flown to the smaller destinations in Alaska, you've likely been on a so-called "combi", usually a 737 or smaller plane configured for half cargo, half passenger space. None of these have first-class seats, though. Nor giant zombies on the tail. 
 
Oh, and imagine your singer insists on donning a captain's uniform and playing co-pilot.
 

2017/07/16 19:14:44
craigb
Cool!  Something to watch tonight!  
 
Wicked story in Germany there!!! 
2017/07/16 19:25:17
jamesg1213
That's a great documentary, really enjoyed it.
2017/07/17 01:24:47
timidi
Amazing the scope of it all.
2017/07/17 01:49:34
Beepster
2017/07/17 03:46:50
craigb
Just finished it!  Such an incredible amount of work required and such a contrast from how many of us initially think about a band like "Can anyone write a decent song?"  The music wasn't really mentioned!  
 
I think they were really lucky not to have already been in Tokyo when that quake hit!
2017/07/17 18:33:43
bapu
Band on a Plane....
 
I love that Wings song.
2017/07/17 19:32:54
bitflipper
craigb
The music wasn't really mentioned!  

Partly why I liked the video. 
 
2017/07/17 20:25:01
Beepster
bapu
Band on a Plane....
 
I love that Wings song.




True story...
 
So one friday and/or saturday night I had a bunch of gigs all within the same city block radius (I used to do this often... as in play multiple gigs with multiple bands and sometimes my solo stuff at my various local/regular clubs/pubs).
 
So I'm bopping along one of the busy "bar" streets, patios and sidewalks overflowing with drunken revellers, with multiple guitars strapped to me, amps in hand and possibly a dolly stacked with other gear to get to my next gig.
 
As I rolled past a bunch of sidewalk drinkers one guy starts singing "Band On the Run" much to the amusement of his group of dumbledinks who join in.
 
Being the angry young fellow I was at the time I told them off and likely would have started punching people if a) I wasn't weighted down with so much gear and b) I didn't find it rather hilarious.
 
Good times.
 
good times...
2017/07/17 20:32:37
bapu
At least it wasn't Silly Love Songs
 
 
Of course that would not have made any sense. Now, Ebony and Ivory on the other hand.
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